Not a good way to start a trip.....
In spite of having spent several hours two months ahead of time trying to get the best possible reservations for my three stop trip, I received an e-mail two weeks prior to travel that a flight had been changed and I now would spent 4 hours in the Chicago airport on my way to Canada. This made me miss the first shuttle to Medicine Hat and stretched my travel day from rising to bed time to ninteen hours.
All things considered, the flights went smoothly. I met a delightful couple in Chicago from St. Augustine, FL who were also flying into Calgary and enjoyed visiting with them.
Once in Calgary, the shuttle picked me up early and we headed for Medicine Hat. There were only 2 pasengers on the shuttle and the other lady was sleeping in the way back seat. I took the seat behind the driver. A big mistake. He started a long conversation on economics in which he attempted to "educate" me on the evils of capitalism and on how the highest virtue is to be poor and on how all wealthy people are evil and on how all money and goods should be redistributed equally and on the evils of all religion. About half way to Medicine Hat I my brain shut down and I told him I was extremely tired and need to sleep for a while. To which he responded that without someone to talk to, he might fall asleep at the wheel. To which I responded that he was welcome to turn on the radio.
The first morning in Alberta, I woke with major back issues from the travel day. Kati woke with congestion and a sore throat. Quinn was fine and seemed to instantly warm up to me. So I spent my first day entertaining Quinn, mostly by reading to her and taking her on a stroller ride.
On day two, Kati is feeling awful and I am pretty much in charge of Quinn. Kati has looked forward to my coming for weeks and has the house spotless and the meals planned. Now she is too sick to enjoy my visit. I pray that she will recover quickly. Quinn is my little buddy 24-7. I sleep in her room and from her first stir in the early morning, she starts talking and she doesn't stop until her head hits the pillow for naptime. We are reading lots of books together and taking stroller rides around the neighborhood and playing "railroad track" (a game she made up) in the back yard. Kati can't believe how much Quinn is talking and how she has warmed up to me. Normally she is quite shy around people she doesn't see all the time. All of Kati's faithfulness in spending time on skype with us almost every day is really paying off. I am just grateful to be safely here and to be able to spend time in person with my sweet 2 1/2 year old granddaughter.
Travel update #2
Today is Monday, day five in Canada. Kati is starting to recover from her cold and her blood sugars are finally normalizing. We went to church Sunday morning and planted her little vegetable garden this afternoon. However, now Quinn has come down with whatever Kati had and we anticipate a sleepless night tonight with a miserable 2 1/2 year old. We have canceled plans to go to the butterfly garden tomorrow. On a more positive note, the weather should be warming up tomorrow and it will be sunny. Two more days with my sweet daughter and her family. Then back to travel mode as I spend the day Thursday traveling to Sacramento for a weekend family reunion with Jim's sisters and families. Back in the air on Sunday as I fly to Portland, Oregon to see my sisters and brother for a week.
Travel update #3
Last day in Canada: We finally visited the butterfly garden. It was amazing. Kati got a hanging plant for her patio. Lots of packing and getting ready to leave on the shuttle at 7:00 a.m. Flight to SFO was uneventful except for bumpy landing through low clouds and wind. When I turned on my phone a message popped across my screen: "Your flight to Sacramento has been cancelled by Air Traffic control." There were no more flights and there was no shuttle. So Jim and Brian made a 6 hour round trip by car to pick me up. We were all beyond tired.
Days in Sacramento were beautifully dry and sunny. The hotel where everyone was staying was comfortable and we all met for breakfast each day and had a good visit and made plans for the day. Lots of catching up and shopping with Jim's sisters and families. Picnic at the park on Saturday with more chances to visit and take photos. Then back to the airport on Sunday a.m. for Jim's flight to FL and my flight to OR. Yes, they said my tickets had all been cancelled and they couldn't print boarding passes, but somehow they managed to print a ticket that got me on the flight.
Diane picked me up and we visited the cemetary where Mom and Dad's graves are. It was decorated with flags on every grave for Memorial Day. Then on to Salem to visit Ruthanne. The yard is in full bloom and we did some gardening and watched the Sarah Plain and Tall movies in the evening. Back to Portland for a few days with Diane on Wednesday evening. Hoping to see Rick on the way. Then back on the airplane (if they haven't cancelled it again) for the flight home on Sunday.
All things considered, the flights went smoothly. I met a delightful couple in Chicago from St. Augustine, FL who were also flying into Calgary and enjoyed visiting with them.
Once in Calgary, the shuttle picked me up early and we headed for Medicine Hat. There were only 2 pasengers on the shuttle and the other lady was sleeping in the way back seat. I took the seat behind the driver. A big mistake. He started a long conversation on economics in which he attempted to "educate" me on the evils of capitalism and on how the highest virtue is to be poor and on how all wealthy people are evil and on how all money and goods should be redistributed equally and on the evils of all religion. About half way to Medicine Hat I my brain shut down and I told him I was extremely tired and need to sleep for a while. To which he responded that without someone to talk to, he might fall asleep at the wheel. To which I responded that he was welcome to turn on the radio.
The first morning in Alberta, I woke with major back issues from the travel day. Kati woke with congestion and a sore throat. Quinn was fine and seemed to instantly warm up to me. So I spent my first day entertaining Quinn, mostly by reading to her and taking her on a stroller ride.
On day two, Kati is feeling awful and I am pretty much in charge of Quinn. Kati has looked forward to my coming for weeks and has the house spotless and the meals planned. Now she is too sick to enjoy my visit. I pray that she will recover quickly. Quinn is my little buddy 24-7. I sleep in her room and from her first stir in the early morning, she starts talking and she doesn't stop until her head hits the pillow for naptime. We are reading lots of books together and taking stroller rides around the neighborhood and playing "railroad track" (a game she made up) in the back yard. Kati can't believe how much Quinn is talking and how she has warmed up to me. Normally she is quite shy around people she doesn't see all the time. All of Kati's faithfulness in spending time on skype with us almost every day is really paying off. I am just grateful to be safely here and to be able to spend time in person with my sweet 2 1/2 year old granddaughter.
Travel update #2
Today is Monday, day five in Canada. Kati is starting to recover from her cold and her blood sugars are finally normalizing. We went to church Sunday morning and planted her little vegetable garden this afternoon. However, now Quinn has come down with whatever Kati had and we anticipate a sleepless night tonight with a miserable 2 1/2 year old. We have canceled plans to go to the butterfly garden tomorrow. On a more positive note, the weather should be warming up tomorrow and it will be sunny. Two more days with my sweet daughter and her family. Then back to travel mode as I spend the day Thursday traveling to Sacramento for a weekend family reunion with Jim's sisters and families. Back in the air on Sunday as I fly to Portland, Oregon to see my sisters and brother for a week.
Travel update #3
Last day in Canada: We finally visited the butterfly garden. It was amazing. Kati got a hanging plant for her patio. Lots of packing and getting ready to leave on the shuttle at 7:00 a.m. Flight to SFO was uneventful except for bumpy landing through low clouds and wind. When I turned on my phone a message popped across my screen: "Your flight to Sacramento has been cancelled by Air Traffic control." There were no more flights and there was no shuttle. So Jim and Brian made a 6 hour round trip by car to pick me up. We were all beyond tired.
Days in Sacramento were beautifully dry and sunny. The hotel where everyone was staying was comfortable and we all met for breakfast each day and had a good visit and made plans for the day. Lots of catching up and shopping with Jim's sisters and families. Picnic at the park on Saturday with more chances to visit and take photos. Then back to the airport on Sunday a.m. for Jim's flight to FL and my flight to OR. Yes, they said my tickets had all been cancelled and they couldn't print boarding passes, but somehow they managed to print a ticket that got me on the flight.
Diane picked me up and we visited the cemetary where Mom and Dad's graves are. It was decorated with flags on every grave for Memorial Day. Then on to Salem to visit Ruthanne. The yard is in full bloom and we did some gardening and watched the Sarah Plain and Tall movies in the evening. Back to Portland for a few days with Diane on Wednesday evening. Hoping to see Rick on the way. Then back on the airplane (if they haven't cancelled it again) for the flight home on Sunday.