Still Alive...and In Florida

I'm sitting the dark at 8:00 a.m. Eastern (5:00 a.m. Pacific), typing to let you know that we have landed in Jacksonville, FL safe and sound. And we stayed that way overnight at our crazy lodgings.



Why would I say such a thing? The flight from Sacramento to Houston went fairly smoothly, until approach for landing. They say everything is bigger in Texas. That must include the wind! It was like a 3 year old was holding onto the plane and zooming it up & down, side to side, swooping it in large curves. There must have been a strong wind coming from the side of the plane. To make matters worse, we had to fly past the airport then curve back. As soon as the belly of the plane was exposed to the mystery air-currents, we really starting swooshing around. We landed safely, then navigated the Houston airport for easily 30 minutes trying to get to the next gate (far worse than O'Hare). Kurt and I wanted saltines & soda water. The kids wanted pizza. Ah, the stomachs of youth. Guess it's time for them to ride their first REAL roller coaster. Any volunteers to take them?



We flew one of those tiny planes from Houston to Jacksonville. The new ones are nice: soft leather upholstery, non-snowing air systems, and A LAVATORY. I'd fly in a sardine can as long as it has a bathroom. Plus Ian had the window shade open during takeoff without freaking out. He was very proud of himself as he should be. He talked himself through the whole thing. Which is good because now Megan won't have to get mad anymore.

Once at our hotel, there was a group of 50-something businessmen in upper-class casual clothes clustered around the door--having difficulty making eye contact. We went to the front desk and started checking in. A minute later, the shuttle driver comes striding in and laughingly-though-quietly tells the desk clerk that those men are asking for a recommendation to a strip club & that he doesn't know about these things (truth or liability?). They have a discussion about the safety level of various options, while I continue checking in without looking at Kurt. I can only imagine what he was thinking...

We get to our room--right next door to the icemachine--and get the kids started on showers (it's 11:00 p.m. local by this point). Except there's no shower curtain. It's gone. Not in the cupboard or hanging from a hook. Gone. Like in the murder-mysteries when the body gets rolled up in one and hauled to the dumpster. Aaaahhh!

But I am pleased to report that we are all present and accounted for. And now Ian has joined me at the table in the dark to play DS. Glad Kurt's earplugs are working! Guess the blackbird flying inside our Sacramento terminal was just a blackbird...not Poesque/Shakespearean portent;-)

Cheers,
Jessi

Quotes of the Day:

Kurt (on seeing the blackbird):
"That's fowl!"

Megan (on our neverending trek through Houston airport):
"When I grow up, I'm designing a video game: Search for Houston Gate."

Ian (on our gut-wrenching descent into Houston):
"Oooh, maybe we'll do a barrel roll!"