Infrequent Spontaneity
Soooo yesterday I was chatting with my sister Rachel on the phone. She's the one who had become reunited with the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty one years ago. I posted about it...to lazy to link...it happened in November of last year. Or October. Anyway. Lauren (her daughter) is coming up to Somerset (the town in which I grew up and my sister and parents still live) for a visit. It is also my sister's birthday this week. She told me a while back that she would love it if I could come up blah blah blah. I assumed it was not a possibility because 1) Scout's still in school 2) gas is insanely expensive and money is a bit tight right now.
Long story short, she talked me into looking at the price of a flight. Okay "talked me into" is a bit of an exaggeration. I needed little convincing. I miss her. I miss my brothers. It's been almost a year since I have seen my family except for two shorts visits made by my parents. And my other sister will be visiting with her two little boys. So I looked at the cost of flying to from STF to MSP. That's what credit cards are for, yes?
Driving was straight out. I filled my gas tank for $70 last week. It takes five tanks round trip to get to my parents and back. That's $350. Airfare cannot be that much more, I reasoned. Plus wear and tear on the car, the brain death of driving alone (you all Illinois is fucking flat and huge and boring and takes a real effort to stay awake on the interstate). Flight on Southwest was $382. Under $400! Done!
I haven't done a last minute big travel thing like this in...ever? Being a dog owner, especially a BIG dog owner puts the kibosh on last minute overnight stuff. It's been seventeen years since I've not been a dog owner. Having a kid requires even more advanced planning. My friends and I did some out-of-town escapades in college, but it was always with several weeks coordination of work and term paper and exam schedules. In short, buying a plane ticket four days in advance has not been part of my human condition.
I'm flying out Thursday morning, getting back Monday afternoon. I'm going to meet this niece I didn't know existed. It's the first time my parents will have met her. We are a laid back bunch...okay emotionally stunted. I broke away from that mold years ago. My dad clings to it like dear life. *shakes head* I'm anticipating something between shy, awkward greeting and crazy full-on emo fest. So yeah. I have no idea what will happen.
And I set an impossibly high goal for myself--to have the chapter I've been chewing on and spitting out for the past month finished before I leave on Thursday morning. I got a shitload of writing done today and at dance class. But seriously. I have to pack and clean and get my ducks in a row. And make a present for my sister (I think I'm going to make her a holder/sleeve/cozy/cover for her Nook---already getting design ideas). I'll keep writing. Nothing like a deadline to kick me in the ass. But my goal is now to have this chapter ready to post when I get back, rather than before I leave. This will give me something to do during the extreme layovers I have in St. Louis and Chicago. And safeguard my sanity until Thursday.
Long story short, she talked me into looking at the price of a flight. Okay "talked me into" is a bit of an exaggeration. I needed little convincing. I miss her. I miss my brothers. It's been almost a year since I have seen my family except for two shorts visits made by my parents. And my other sister will be visiting with her two little boys. So I looked at the cost of flying to from STF to MSP. That's what credit cards are for, yes?
Driving was straight out. I filled my gas tank for $70 last week. It takes five tanks round trip to get to my parents and back. That's $350. Airfare cannot be that much more, I reasoned. Plus wear and tear on the car, the brain death of driving alone (you all Illinois is fucking flat and huge and boring and takes a real effort to stay awake on the interstate). Flight on Southwest was $382. Under $400! Done!
I haven't done a last minute big travel thing like this in...ever? Being a dog owner, especially a BIG dog owner puts the kibosh on last minute overnight stuff. It's been seventeen years since I've not been a dog owner. Having a kid requires even more advanced planning. My friends and I did some out-of-town escapades in college, but it was always with several weeks coordination of work and term paper and exam schedules. In short, buying a plane ticket four days in advance has not been part of my human condition.
I'm flying out Thursday morning, getting back Monday afternoon. I'm going to meet this niece I didn't know existed. It's the first time my parents will have met her. We are a laid back bunch...okay emotionally stunted. I broke away from that mold years ago. My dad clings to it like dear life. *shakes head* I'm anticipating something between shy, awkward greeting and crazy full-on emo fest. So yeah. I have no idea what will happen.
And I set an impossibly high goal for myself--to have the chapter I've been chewing on and spitting out for the past month finished before I leave on Thursday morning. I got a shitload of writing done today and at dance class. But seriously. I have to pack and clean and get my ducks in a row. And make a present for my sister (I think I'm going to make her a holder/sleeve/cozy/cover for her Nook---already getting design ideas). I'll keep writing. Nothing like a deadline to kick me in the ass. But my goal is now to have this chapter ready to post when I get back, rather than before I leave. This will give me something to do during the extreme layovers I have in St. Louis and Chicago. And safeguard my sanity until Thursday.