Christmas

Okay, I haven't posted any pics so far, but I just HAVE to try to post one. Looks like it did!! Merry Christmas! :)

Christmas-- was okay. I was just so exhausted (I was fighting off this sinus infection even before Christmas), and really not feeling in a Christmas mood. The last show was wonderful and sad, and I had a hard time sleeping, especially knowing that I needed to be up by 3 am to get to the airport the regulation 2 hours before flight time-- especially at Christmas, because it takes a LONG time to find a parking place at Christmas, especially on Christmas Eve day. You'd be SHOCKED at how many people were AT the airport at 5 am on Christmas Eve!

Woke up at 2, so got up anyway, to make sure that everything was ready to go. I did NOT get the house cleaned, which I ALWAYS do before a trip, because I HATE coming home to a dirty house. HATE it. ANYWAY, got to the airport, we had a VERY difficult time trying to find a place to park, but finally did. Got through security and had to wait-- because the plane, of course, took off late, even though it was the first flight of the day! For no reason that could be determined. Which meant we were late getting into Memphis. Which meant running all the way from the gate we landed at to the gate for the next plane, while knowing that the flight was scheduled to take off in 10 minutes.... and just as I approached the gate, some poor deluded woman who was trying to be comforting said, "Don't run, they'll hold the plane for you!" Um, yeah.

Um, no. Though we arrived 5 minutes before the plane was scheduled to leave, and they KNEW the flight was late, and they KNEW when it landed (and there were several other people from other flights, too, who were in a similar situation), they, of course, did NOT hold the plane.

So, we stood. And stood. And waited. And waited. For 45 minutes. Without an apology or even an acknowledgment. Until, FINALLY, someone took us over to ANOTHER desk to rebook us-- guess she finally got tired of us standing there, having been told by the other woman to 'just sit down and we'll get to you," when we first got there. Um, no, I'm not sitting down, because then you'll totally forget we're here!!! So, FINALLY got rebooked on a flight FOUR AND A HALF HOURS LATER.

So, there we were. In Memphis. For FOUR AND A HALF HOURS. And, quickly discovered that there is almost NOTHING in the Memphis airport (shopping, eating) that is not OUTSIDE the security barriers. I was not ABOUT to go out and then have to stand in a security line for 2 hours and go through all that again. No WAY. I dislike the Memphis airport almost as much as I dislike Detroit. I will NEVER go through Memphis again, and will never fly Northwest again-- EVERY time I've flown them, something under THEIR control has gone wrong. I think we will from now on be flying direct into Louisville on Southwest and flying. Cheaper, nicer and a LOT less aggravation.

ANYWAY, of course the NEXT plane was late, too (so why not the one we were SUPPOSED to have been on?)... so, by the time we arrived home, it was a 12-hour trip, and then discovered that the luggage went to DETROIT. After waiting for almost 20 minutes for the luggage (because while they said the luggage from Memphis was going to be on a particular carousel, the sign AT the carousel had another flight number on it... so, I wasn't sure which luggage was actually going around and around. FINALLY found someone to ask, who said, "This is it. This is the Memphis flight." He WAS able to pinpoint WHERE the luggage went, but not WHY it went to Detroit. Nor when it would be THERE. Never got even a HINT of an apology.

Gave them the local address and phone number, never heard from them. Finally called them. "Oh, well, it wasn't on the flight we thought it would be on, but we have another flight coming in tonight at 11pm." Um, yeah, that flight NEVER flies. It almost ALWAYS gets cancelled. I know this, because I was supposed to be ON that flight a couple of times, and it was cancelled both times, AND several people who fly it frequently said they like to combine the flights if they don't have enough people on them. Anway, of course, it DIDN'T come. But I had to CALL THEM to find out. And they STILL didn't know where the luggage was. And they STILL didn't know WHY it went to Detroit. And they STILL didn't offer even a HINT of an apology.

FINALLY, on the THIRD day, I called again and was told it was actually here, and in the hands of a delivery company. Called them... "Um, why do you think we have it?" "Um, 'cause I was TOLD you did?" "Oh, yeah, but I can't leave right now, and the other guy is out making deliveries, so I'll call you and will bring it in a couple of hours when he gets back." Fast-forward to....

Six hours later, when I call them again. "OK, he's going to bring it out now." I actually did get ONE call from them. From the driver who couldn't find the house. Um, you go down this street, turn right on this street, an immediate left, and it's on the left. All fairly major streets. And you'd REALLY think that a company whose business it is to deliver things would have access to Mapquest or a GPS, wouldn't you? Anyway, he DOES call and says he can't find it, but I give him directions again, and he'll be there, or he'll call again. Of course, he doesn't.

When I call them AGAIN, "Our driver couldn't find it. Give me directions AGAIN." So I do-- the SAME ones. Which they don't seem to understand. "Does that street dead-end into a cul-de-sac?" "Um, yeah, if you go far enough, but you're going to turn an immediate left BEFORE that. " "OK, we'll call you."

You guessed it. They didn't. We DID, however, find the luggage on the front porch the next morning. ::SIGH:: Right under the doorbell. ::DOUBLE SIGH::

Well, at least it got there! WAY after Christmas!

Sis and her partner didn't come. They decided to spend Christmas this year with partner's family. Which I guess I can understand. But, Mom was REALLY upset by it, and for the first time in quite a while, I wondered if this might be our last Christmas with her. She seems to be holding her own, but she also seems to be having a harder time. That's really been on my mind lately-- I just can't imagine not having her around, being able to talk to her whenever I want (usually on the way home from work! Makes that LONG drive home bearable).

Her neighbor, K., was going to join us for Christmas dinner, and then she had a friend she was going to spend Christmas with. Mom invited her, too, but K. said that the friend really wanted to cook. She did come by to give us presents, and spent several hours talking.

Then on Saturday before I left, we went to an open house at the lady across the street's house. It was very nice, and I got to meet some people who've moved in since I left, or that I haven't seen since we were down there a couple of years ago to help with Mom's garage sale. I also got to meet the wife of the man who bought the other half of the duplex from my aunt. He's really nice, and she seems to be, too.... but this one is mostly for their kids who are in college, since it's near the university, so they don't spend a whole lot of time there.

So, it was quiet, we did some shopping, but not as much as usual. It WAS relaxing, which was nice, but just didn't seem like Christmas.

I didn't even do much decorating here. And what I DID do, I can't wait right now to take down. As soon as I feel better, I'm going to.

WHEW!! That was long-winded!!!!