My Connection is WHERE???

Flying from Virginia.
Mom leans over and says "Haven't you got enough photos of clouds?"
I laugh and say "Never!  I need them for artwork."

She passes me the Kindle for my turn on Scrabble.  She is whupping my butt but I don't mind.  She is happy and content.

The Steward starts to say something about flights and connections, but neither of us can understand his heavy accent.  We liked 'Tom the Cabin Guy' that was on both flights to Charlottesville.  He told us exactly what was going on.

Carlos got a thumbs down in our book.

We landed in good time.  I was confident that we'd have no trouble making our way to the next flight.
Mom and I stood and waited patiently for our Valet Luggage.  We'd flown a puddle jumper to Chicago and all carry ons had to be put in the belly of the plane.

I grabbed out bags and headed up the ramp with mom in tow.
I looked at the Departure Board.
Um.
Our flight would appear and then disappear in the next second or two.  There was a blank one moment and the next it said 'Gate L2A'.

We were in the G's.  Um.
I checked with a group of American Airlines gate people.  Yup, Gate L2A.
They might has well said 'MARS'!

I explained to mom that we had a long hard walk ahead of us and told her to 'keep up'.  And that I might get ahead of her, but I would not lose her.

She was a bit upset that the connection wasn't right there like last time and kept asking why it wasn't so.  I just said, 'Follow me!'  And trucked on.  After all, my sweatshirt was BLAZE orange she shouldn't lose sight of me
.
We power walked.
I kept looking over my shoulder.  A few times mom looked as if she were completely overwhelmed or ... out of breath. 
I assured her again that I would not lose her.

She is 79 yrs old and will be 80 in April.  This airport thing was not her cup of tea and she made that very clear.  
We got to the gate with 5 minutes to spare before boarding started.

It was close.  I found mom a chair in which she promptly sat and proclaimed that she'd never even think about flying without me again.

I smiled, sort of.  That was a compliment, I'm sure.
I apologized for the hustle getting her to the gate and knelt before her chair and held her hand.  I told her she was a super champ for making this race to the gate with me.  That she was the coolest bestest ever 79'er.


Our pilot for the Chicago to Milwaukee flight was a good one.  Captain Amanda was pleasant and did a great take off and landing.  Her 'Cabin Guy' Mark was also extremely nice and helpful.

Airline travel.
Be prepared for anything.

Tomorrow I drive across the state to get home.
I cannot wait to get home...really, I can't!

I miss hubby AND Morris!

 

Busy in Virginia

Normally I am pretty good at keeping up to date...
Whoops, shouldn't fib should I?

Okay, normally I try to keep up to date and lately I have!

I'm visiting my brother in Charlottesville and have been enjoying the beautiful fall weather here.

Odd how today I checked and the weather here will be cooler than it will be in the Midwest where I live.
In fact it will be sunny and pleasant the rest of the week while here in Virginia it will be cold and rainy.
Now that is a switch!

I've been taking morning walks and watching the sunset each day from my brother's front porch.
I should probably just say...
I love his porch!

We have been constantly busy.  I have been on as many walks as I possibly can take.  The scenery is quite beautiful. 
I haven't been to the mountains yet this time and hope to see some of it today before the rain sets in.

However this is 'mom's' trip so we've tried to gear things to what she likes to do.

I'll be putting a "Mom's Big Adventure" book together for her at some point after this trip.

This morning I'm off for new adventures in photography.  
There is a place near here that I want to take some photographs of, I will have to get back to everyone about the history of this unusual spot!

Until then!

Have a Happy HumpDay!

 

Hello Virginia

I seriously think my brother and his wife here in Virginia are trying to 'off' me.
No.
Really.

Okay...I'm kidding.

My first evening here, they wined and dined me.

This morning my sister in law asked if I'd like to go for a jog with her.
Well, I do want to get back into shape, so I agreed.

We did 'run' nice and easy. I do know that I earned the copious amounts of sweat running down my t-shirt.
But it sort of felt good.

After a shower and a change into clean clothes, they asked if I'd like to go on a little hike in the mountains.
SURE!

We got on the Blue Ridge Parkway and went to 'Humpback Rocks'.
Really, truly, that is the name of the place.

What they forgot to tell me was how tough an uphill hike it was.
Slippery, wet, gorgeous, and beautiful.



We hiked through an old canopy forest to get out onto Humpback Rock. It was one of those hikes that made your legs ache and thighs burn.
But, worth every step.
[did I mention tough??]

I kept lagging behind because I found so many cool things to photograph.
Then we arrived.

We climbed down onto the rocks and peered out over the valley and the Blue Ridge mountains.
I was speechless [and it wasn't from being out of breath from the climb].

...Then my brother decided to have a little fun...and
throw me off the rock.

We hammed up for the camera.




Afterwards; we went to The Blue Mountain Brewery in Rockfish Valley for beer and a pizza.

I'm tired tonight.
And I wonder what sore muscles I'll have in the morning.

It sure is fun visiting with my brother and my sister in law....

As long as they don't kill me with all this fun!