Surviving Christmas

[itsallovernow]

My traveling karma may now be all used up considering that I'm now tucked under an afghan made by my grandmother (which, unlike my efforts, looks like the crocheter actually knew what she was doing). I'm on my couch watching crapping procedurals on the TV while both cats snore and hate me and are glad I'm home.

For those not living in Colorado, the state got absolutely walloped by a blizzard on Wednesday night, the night I was scheduled to fly home. By 3 p.m., Denver International Airport had closed. DIA never closes. Never. (And let me say first before I continue the story that even if mine had ended badly I'd have thought more than twice about complaining because in addition to other people trying to get home for the holidays, DIA and the Colo. Spgs. airport were both full of soldiers on leave from Iraq and I can't think of a more frustrating experience for them or their families than to be stuck in the airport on their brief leave. I hope they all made it home rapidly and safely).

All flights to Denver and Colorado Springs were cancelled. Except for mine. All day I checked the website, checked the weather (blizzard conditions, State of Emergency, blah blah blah) but no flight cancellation. I left work early, caught the world's most incompetent shuttle and arrived at the airport with very little time to spare. I wasn't terribly worried. I was sure they'd cancel the flight. My step-mother, now trapped in her house by the drift climbing half way up her garage was sure they'd cancel the flight. I couldn't get an actual United rep to answer the phone (excpet for the nice woman from Bangladesh who clearly wasn't getting the weather channel, thought I was crazy for questioning the status of the flight, and offered my a one time chance to fly home five days after my planned visit if I wanted to cancel and change the flight). Going to the airport was mostly an excursion to figure out a solution to getting home sometime before Christmas.

And. My flight took off. And it landed in Colorado Springs. My bag did not, which later proved fortiutous because I decided that if it was safe to land, it was probably safe to drive (despite it being near midnight, and no one that my parents knew in the city capable of coming to get me). A lone taxi driver picked up four of us and we stole into the dark, blustering night. We got all the way to the bottom of the hill where my father and step-mother live before the car got stuck. Braving the cold, believing strongly in my Scandinavian heritage and my will to get home, I started up the hill. 20 degrees. Wind chill about 80 bazillion times less than that. Snow drifts. Ice. And me in a yellow coat and high heeled boots (with a rubber sole OMG by sheer luck). And finally made it to my dad's house.

My step-mother proceeded to tell everyone in Colorado about this adventure. My bag arrived three days later when flights started again. My flight was the only one to land in Colo. Spgs that night.

Part of it is surely luck, and the other part is the whole, "What's the worst that can happen mentality" that strikes up after any sort of travel conundrum.

I had a lovely, if claustrophobic and far too brief visit with my parents, and am grateful to be home. Very few people were screamed at in the grand scheme of things. My four and a half year old niece is adorable and we got frosting on an entire acre of furniture. We enjoyed it immensely.

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday and a Merry Christmas if that's the way of things, and that otherwise things have gone well.

I received some lovely Christmas cards and am always so pleased and tickled to get them. Thank you to the Christmas card senders who, unlike me, get their cards and gifties out before Christmas.

And happy birthday to those whose birthdays I've missed! sugargroupie and mesascaper, I'm looking at you in particular, but I'm sure there are others I've missed.

I've made a metric ton of sugared desserts over the past five days. Much like the crocheting, it helps to keep me sane. Who knew that turning into my neurotic, if amazing great-grandmother would be a form of stress relief?

I also finished "Devil in the White City", scared myself silly and remember that I loved social history and that I used to know things about that era. I did not, however, know anything about the Chicago World's Fair and I really did find it utterly fascinating.

I have many goals for 2007, not the least of which is to get the car assessed so I can get the license plate and not get arrested. And to finish the NIP. And to get my body back since I don't recognize this flabby thing that it's become. And to make time to really write again. To make change, and figure out what that means. Same goals as always, along with being a better friend to all of these people that I love and value and appreciate who don't get told that enough.

My cousin, prompted no doubt by my mother, bought me Season 1 of "Remington Steele" for Christmas. It holds up surprsisingly well (80's soundtrack and cheesy scene changes aside.) Sigh. I LOVED this show. So, so loved it. There should be fic for it. There really should.

Comments

[fourteenlines.livejournal.com]

Whoa. After my hellish Heathrow experience this summer, I was quite prepared to hear that you'd had something equally horrific happen when I realized, reading this, that you were caught up in all of that.

But you made it okay! Travel karma, indeed. {{{you}}} Glad you're home safe.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Thanks honey!! I feel pretty lucky that it all worked out in my favor!

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

yikes, what an adventure. glad you've arrived safely.

ixnay on getting arrested by the way. sending you good thoughts and a smoochy hug.

and enjoy remington steele! :)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hugs you lots and adores your tiny, bad cat:)

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

aw, thank you. and the cat is currently circling the living room as if he were a shark hunting down yet more toys. ;)

[kerlin.livejournal.com]

Whee, Remington Steele! I finished season 1 finally last weekend. By the end of the season I was loving it. And there SHOULD be fic. We could trade prompts? I might be able to pull something together. It'd take my mind of my grad school applications, anyway...

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Dude, trading prompts would be a fabulous idea:) And I'm so glad you enjoyed it:) Seasons 1 & 2 are probably the best, although Season 1 is the most stylish, the one that really follows up on the dilemnas and mysteries:)

[munchkin62.livejournal.com]

Remington Steele - yum

Also, glad you are home safe and sound after your adventurous trip through the tundra of Colorado!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Thank you:)

And I'll definitely second that yum:)

[mesascaper.livejournal.com]

dude, the only flight not cancelled. yay for traveling karma.

and I did have a happy birthday, thanks!