Wednesday back in Vallejo

Early morning Vallejo CA March 31, 2010


Marina Del Rey, CA

I hope everyone is seeing the beautiful full moon we're experiencing. I could see so many more stars in Marina Del Rey than we can see in DC. (As long as I was looking west, not east toward the city of LA.)

We're back in Vallejo now, flew back from LA last night. It is a quick flight, less than an hour. But waiting at LAX was lengthy and boring.

Ed has gone to work, he had a meeting today in Palo Alto. He gets tomorrow and Friday off, so that will be more fun. It isn't raining here, although it might later. It is pleasant here, I do love the view he has here. I've see the barges go through the strait this morning. It is a bit cool here and feels damp, I guess it is the marine layer..? Beware of living on the coast?

I'm washing clothes and getting rested from that quick trip. I actually didn't like Venice Beach very much. Muscle Beach draws a very sketchy crowd. They were filming female body builders, so the crowd was a whole lot of strange. There are agressive panhandlers also, which I dealt with OK. I didn't feel particularly safe. Seems like a lot of the smelly unwashed spectators were with dogs, large dogs. The surrounding homes, condos, buildings were electic and neat to see. I think if I had not been alone, I might have enjoyed this more. The hotel was a kick@! It was clearly a 1960's throw back. Only 3 stories tall, it was sort of refreshing in a retro kind of way. Very nice location. Would be a great refurbishment opportunity for some developer. Marina Del Rey is unique and pretty, also was fun to see.

A Stick in the Spokes

I'm recovering from my travels yesterday. This story didn't make Facebook.

My MD Shuttle ride to the airport decided to be late, although I had confirmed the 6AM pickup just the night prior to pickup. Also, I had a written receipt showing the 6AM pickup time and a prepaid receipt.

After several phone calls and a lot of stress, someone arrived to take me to the airport, at 6:35 instead of 6:00 AM. I arrived at Dulles about 7:10 for a 9:00 AM flight.

Normally, this probably would have been alright. However, I had not realized this is Spring Break for many many people. From the minute I stepped in the door, I knew I was in trouble.

I quickly found the very long line at United for the quick efficient, EZ boarding pass check-in. I had pre-printed my boarding pass at home, and prepaid my luggage charge. So, all that remained to do was scan the boarding pass and head for the security lines. Oh, except that me and about a zillion other people were in that same line. It took an hour to check in for the flight.

Then security. They were lined up out the wazoo. After a while, I got through security OK. I headed for the Air Trans Train along with this huge herd of people, all now panic stricken about missing his/her flight. Somewhere in the pushing stampede to the air trans thingy, I realized I would really have to hurry. The train left me off farthest from the C1 gate, which is at the farthest reaches of the C terminal.

United Airlines, in their infinite wisdom, had arranged for my flight, carrying over 300 people, to be at the farthest gate, C1. So, then, they (United) decided to have another very large 777 airliner at gate C2. These two very large airliners were also going to be boarding at the very same time.

So, unbeknowst to me, 600+ people, dragging children, pets and luggage, were rushing to the farthest end of the C terminal, trying to board a flight at the same time I was rushing there for the same thing.

I laced up my shoes, which, of course, I had to remove at Security. I straightened my purse on one shoulder, my laptop bag on the other, kept my jacket over my arm. I was ready for the sprint to the far end of the terminal, still hopeful I might just be able to make my flight.

It was awful, like a stockyard.

Panic mentality existed, caused by United's many mistakes in planning, beginning with the check in process that was totally screwed up, then exacerbated by the long lines at security. The new Air Train just makes you have farther to walk/ run/ push people out of your way.

With my shoes carefully laced, and all items in hand, I boarded the Air Train. I carefully waited passed the A gates, finally the C Gates.

I stepped off the train, started walking briskly to the C terminal. I must have made, maybe 30-50 feet from the train.

When the little boy, with his little sister and two parents, entered my life. I was walking as fast as I could, late already for my flight. He had been behind me in the security line. He had been pushing on me and touching my back, to the point where his Dad had told him to back up and give me some room.

As we were walking, I guess he decided to push his rolling luggage over my feet and into the front of both my legs. I was looking way ahead, not down at the floor, so I didn't see this coming. The top of his luggage caught me at the right knee, after he rolled over my poor right foot. I was instantly on the floor, laptop skittering across the terrazzo floor, beautiful new handbag scraping across the floor in the opposite direction. Because of the crush of people, those behind me fell or stumbled over my now outstretched feet and legs. His luggage was under my tummy by now. I was hurt. He glared at me and mumbled "Oh, sorry." and kept on going, after I managed to get off his luggage. His parents looked annoyed and kept on going.
A nice man gathered my purse and laptop bags, and came back to help me up. He is the only person who ask if I was OK. He got me up out of the way of this awful crowd. Always remember to be grateful for the absolute kindness of strangers. I know I am.

Basically, I just had to brush off my pants and keep on going toward the gate. There was no time to stop at a bathroom, no time to get a drink of water, or coffee. I knew that my flight was boarding. By now I was crying, hurt, embarrassed, and frustrated. But, I trudged on.

I got to the gate, sweaty, shaking, still crying and mad as a wet hen. I was able to board, just made it. It took the flight attendants an hour before I could get a cup of water. I stayed quiet, so as not to scream and scare my new seat mates. The little boy who tripped me -- on that flight about 10 rows in front of me.

Truthfully, it was a flawless flight. No turbulence, a nice seat mate, friendly and not intrusive people on both sides of me.

I don't think I was ever so happy to see Ed as I was that morning. I just sobbed when he hugged me and as he tried to figure out what the heck had happened.

::heavy sigh::

Travel is just damn hard. Am I getting too old? I had planned everything I could, I did all I could to facilitate easy and quick. Am I too doddering and slow? Should I just quit now and stay home? It was a discouraging day.

I am feeling better today, although I am bruised and very sore. My left hip is hurting, my right arm is sore, must have tried to catch myself with the right arm. I am bruised on both knees. But, I believe I will be fine in a few days.

We are flying to LA tomorrow and back here Tuesday night. Ed says, don't worry, he'll handle things...all I have to do is follow him. LOL, I'm not very good at being a follower. I guess I won't give up just yet....

Spring Break

Back in February, when I was hip deep in the blizzards of 2010, I never thought spring would arrive!

I'm leaving Saturday for California. I'll be spending a week in our Vallejo condo with Ed, helping him get ready for the move back to Maryland. (And, hopefully, enjoying a little more sunshine than we've been having here.)

Luckily for me, he has a meeting on Tuesday with an architect in Marina Del Rey, which is in southern CA. So, on Monday afternoon, we will be flying to LA and staying in Marina Del Rey. While Ed works on Tuesday, I'll be take advantage of the day to enjoy the area, which I've never had time to see before. Then, Tuesday evening we'll fly back to northern CA. It will be a pretty short flight, so that will be OK.

I've got the cat sitter all arranged, will drop off her key fob at the condo desk, move my car over in the space so she will have room to park.
Is it too soon to pack?

Beautiful March Friday Evening in Bethesda

This is supposed to be a beautiful weekend here in Maryland. It should be almost 50 degrees and sunny here. We are all so thankful after the months we've had.

I am especially thankful tonight that Eddie has been transferred back to Silver Spring! Yay!
For the next few months, he will be working between Mare Island and Silver Spring. About 2 weeks in Mare Island, then 2 weeks here.

On May 22nd, I will fly to San Francisco, and we will begin our 4th Road Trip across the USA. We are so excited. It is too early to drive the most northern route, as the roads in Glacier (Montana) don't open until mid June. So, perhaps we will select a more southern route across the county. We've done Rt. 66 and parts of Route I 40. I-10 is really south, through El Paso, but that might be too long. We only need to drive 300 miles a day, with a little time for fun in between. We can take 2 weeks. I'm reviewing atlases and reading travel blogs. We always find funky and fun things to enjoy. We might get to visit Canyon d'Chelly in AZ, and the 4 corners area.

This month, I can take the last week, starting on March 29th , and go to California for a week with Ed in Vallejo. I am so looking forward to it. I was able to us his frequent flyer miles for a free ticket, that would have cost me about $700.

I am really glad we will be sharing our home again. Life is too short to live apart, it was really not fun for me. I really needed him in the 24 hours after Mom died, and I was forced by our circumstances to be alone. Later, there was the blizzard after he left for CA. I hated being helpless and trapped alone. I realize, of course, I am a perfectly capable person, but it is a heck of a lot more fun to share this life. When the time comes that one of us must be left, alone, then so be it. But, that time is not NOW. And, of course, there is the matter of the cat litter....lol.

This is a really, really important day in my career! Today our office got the RFPCA posted for the new next 5 year contracts for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. The link is :
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=710e032c5bf072654aee91ee84620673&tab=core&_cview=0
(you can cut and paste this link into your browser to view this document.)

It is huge, there are 20 some attachments and it took our team the better part of the last year to build this puppy.

I think our office will take a lunch hour to celebrate together as a team. It is really a momentous occasion.

Ed will be here tomorrow afternoon for two weeks. Yay!! I hope our future can be together, whatever or wherever it may be.