(I received this from a friend - so I take no credit for writing this post!)
Recently, in large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said: THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?¨
A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.
To Whom It May Concern:
Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.
Mermaids don’t exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them... not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they do not have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store? The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.
P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren’t heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, Good gosh, look how smart I am.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
OMG I did it!
It was brutal - just brutal. I completed the Tour de Cure on Saturday and it was the most difficult ride of my life!
We began at about 7:40 - in the rain heading out north into the wind. I was going a good clip - completing 15 miles the first hour despite the rolling hills and some wind. The rain had stopped and by the second check point it was time to remove a layer. It looked like the sun was going to shine on us... but when would the wind let up??! Not too much longer and the clouds came back and the wind picked up even worse and it changed direction - just as we began heading south again - OMG It was awful!! You literally HAD to pedal to go down hill. If you stopped pedaling you would be blown over. By mile 45 or so I was seriously considering quitting - a few of us were together on the tail end of the pack and when we met at the check points we would complain a little, replenish our food and water and then decide to go on.
At one point when I was very lonely and discouraged and my right leg was bothering me I passed by a farm. On the front lawn was a mom and her two smaller children. They were out there waving and clapping for me! The little boy said "I picked this flower for you" and ran down to the road to see me. I stopped and very gratefully took the white fuzzy dandelion and tucked it into my front pack. I knew the wind would take all of the fluff off of it in no time, but it made me smile none the less.
More water, more Gatorade, another Cliff bar and on I went.
Well the sun came out, the route seemed to flatten and I knew the end was near. I was excited to see Richie and Theresa and my dad at the finish so I pedaled as fast as I could. I was already about an hour past my goal time so I hoped they were not impatiently waiting for me. I came into the Am Fam property, rounded the bend, went up the gentle hill (the last one Thank God!) and there they were. Theresa started clapping, Grandpa took my photo, Richie smiled and the Tour de Cure crew handed me my goody bag and said "well done". Theresa said "great job Mom, now let's get you off of this bike." I couldn't agree more!
We began at about 7:40 - in the rain heading out north into the wind. I was going a good clip - completing 15 miles the first hour despite the rolling hills and some wind. The rain had stopped and by the second check point it was time to remove a layer. It looked like the sun was going to shine on us... but when would the wind let up??! Not too much longer and the clouds came back and the wind picked up even worse and it changed direction - just as we began heading south again - OMG It was awful!! You literally HAD to pedal to go down hill. If you stopped pedaling you would be blown over. By mile 45 or so I was seriously considering quitting - a few of us were together on the tail end of the pack and when we met at the check points we would complain a little, replenish our food and water and then decide to go on.
At one point when I was very lonely and discouraged and my right leg was bothering me I passed by a farm. On the front lawn was a mom and her two smaller children. They were out there waving and clapping for me! The little boy said "I picked this flower for you" and ran down to the road to see me. I stopped and very gratefully took the white fuzzy dandelion and tucked it into my front pack. I knew the wind would take all of the fluff off of it in no time, but it made me smile none the less.
More water, more Gatorade, another Cliff bar and on I went.
Well the sun came out, the route seemed to flatten and I knew the end was near. I was excited to see Richie and Theresa and my dad at the finish so I pedaled as fast as I could. I was already about an hour past my goal time so I hoped they were not impatiently waiting for me. I came into the Am Fam property, rounded the bend, went up the gentle hill (the last one Thank God!) and there they were. Theresa started clapping, Grandpa took my photo, Richie smiled and the Tour de Cure crew handed me my goody bag and said "well done". Theresa said "great job Mom, now let's get you off of this bike." I couldn't agree more!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Help find a cure... The Tour de Cure on May 30th
http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC318018030?pg=pfind&fr_id=5604
I had no idea….
Dad went in for his eye surgery in September and while prepping him the nurse said – “so I see you have diabetes Bill…” I had no idea…
So dad has diabetes… Hmmmm It made me begin to wonder… After talking to him about it I decided to do some reading about non- insulin dependent Type II diabetes. The more I read, the more concerned I became that I too was at risk.
I had no idea….
In October I went to see the Dr. and explained what was going on… besides the pain in my shoulder, sore feet. tiredness, & the revelation about Dad’s diabetes we decided to run every test imaginable… for arthritis, x-rays for the shoulder & foot pain (perhaps a stress fracture from running again and all of my biking) and a fasting blood sugar for diabetes.
Thankfully the tests came back indicating most things were AOK – sore shoulder due to overuse required physical therapy, plantar fasciitis in the feet required stretching & shoe inserts, no evidence of arthritis, but the shock came with the blood sugar at 119 – I was pre-diabetic. I had no idea what to do with this information. I went to see a nutritionist & took a class for people diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. I have learned about how to eat better & to make sure I am getting 150 minutes of physical activity each week (and “strolling” with the dogs does NOT count!) I am still struggling to drop any weight & metabolic syndrome has been blamed for this for me.
My Dr. told me it is not a matter of “if” I will develop Type II diabetes; it is a matter of “when”. Because I am so physically active she thinks I have forestalled the disease over the years & could keep it at bay if I continue with my diet changes & high activity level… I am determined not to give in or give up.
This year I have decided to join the Tour de Cure for Diabetes & will be riding 100K on May 30th to raise money for a cure. TYPE II non-insulin diabetes is hereditary & not much is known about the cause, but I hope we can find out. Diabetes itself is a silent killer harming the heart & kidneys- damage is done over a long period of time – even before diagnosis.
Would you please sponsor me with a donation to the American Diabetes Association? My goal is to raise $150.00 & to complete the 100K distance. I have been training since March& feel ready to tackle the challenging distance on a tough course outside of Madison. Your pledge would be greatly appreciated.
You can make your check out to American Diabetes Association & mail it to me (5550 Caddis Bend, Apt. 100, Fitchburg, 53711) or donate on-line through my Tour de Cure Web site using your credit card. http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC318018030?pg=pfind&fr_id=5604
Thank you in advance and I hope our efforts lead to a cure for all forms of diabetes someday soon.
Carol
I had no idea….
Dad went in for his eye surgery in September and while prepping him the nurse said – “so I see you have diabetes Bill…” I had no idea…
So dad has diabetes… Hmmmm It made me begin to wonder… After talking to him about it I decided to do some reading about non- insulin dependent Type II diabetes. The more I read, the more concerned I became that I too was at risk.
I had no idea….
In October I went to see the Dr. and explained what was going on… besides the pain in my shoulder, sore feet. tiredness, & the revelation about Dad’s diabetes we decided to run every test imaginable… for arthritis, x-rays for the shoulder & foot pain (perhaps a stress fracture from running again and all of my biking) and a fasting blood sugar for diabetes.
Thankfully the tests came back indicating most things were AOK – sore shoulder due to overuse required physical therapy, plantar fasciitis in the feet required stretching & shoe inserts, no evidence of arthritis, but the shock came with the blood sugar at 119 – I was pre-diabetic. I had no idea what to do with this information. I went to see a nutritionist & took a class for people diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes. I have learned about how to eat better & to make sure I am getting 150 minutes of physical activity each week (and “strolling” with the dogs does NOT count!) I am still struggling to drop any weight & metabolic syndrome has been blamed for this for me.
My Dr. told me it is not a matter of “if” I will develop Type II diabetes; it is a matter of “when”. Because I am so physically active she thinks I have forestalled the disease over the years & could keep it at bay if I continue with my diet changes & high activity level… I am determined not to give in or give up.
This year I have decided to join the Tour de Cure for Diabetes & will be riding 100K on May 30th to raise money for a cure. TYPE II non-insulin diabetes is hereditary & not much is known about the cause, but I hope we can find out. Diabetes itself is a silent killer harming the heart & kidneys- damage is done over a long period of time – even before diagnosis.
Would you please sponsor me with a donation to the American Diabetes Association? My goal is to raise $150.00 & to complete the 100K distance. I have been training since March& feel ready to tackle the challenging distance on a tough course outside of Madison. Your pledge would be greatly appreciated.
You can make your check out to American Diabetes Association & mail it to me (5550 Caddis Bend, Apt. 100, Fitchburg, 53711) or donate on-line through my Tour de Cure Web site using your credit card. http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC318018030?pg=pfind&fr_id=5604
Thank you in advance and I hope our efforts lead to a cure for all forms of diabetes someday soon.
Carol
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Green goes with everything…
When my son was about four years old we would often go shopping together. It was nice mommy and son time. We would talk about how things were going at the day care, and I would be sure to take a detour to see whatever construction was going on around town. (He loved construction vehicles – as most boys do!)
One spring day we were going to go shopping for some clothes and a new spring coat for me. While I was in the coat racks of Burlington Coat Factory, I was overwhelmed by the selection – the colors, the styles and thought “oh my, this is not going to be easy and I hope Richie has patience with me while I browse.” My eye was first drawn to the usual beige and light colored coats of a traditional style. However after trying on two or three I thought I’m going to get out of my comfort zone and really go crazy. I recall trying on a pink and a coral and a light green coat. They were all pretty, but I kept having a haunting thought – do these colors “go with” anything? Now the traditional taupe or beige are safe colors and match anything… but peach… or coral… hmmmmm this was a stretch for me.
Another lady was also browsing in the coats and as I was talking aloud to myself (and to Richie) about my dilemma I am sure she got quite a chuckle. After all, what did Richie care if beige or taupe were the “right/safe” colors to choose. And besides, I promised him a happy meal so he was even more anxious to get going. I caught her smiling once in awhile as I hemmed and hawed about my decision.
Well, Richie finally asked me about the two coats I had narrowed down (a peach and a light green one).
He said “Mommy why are you having trouble deciding?”
I said “I am just not sure if these colors go with anything, honey.”
And he, in all of his infinite wisdom said…
“Mommy, grass is green and it goes with everything. You should get the green one.”
The lady nearby burst out laughing and said “He sure has a point there!”
And the rest is history as I bought the light green coat and smiled every time I put it on.
While I have outgrown the coat (and bought a new green coat for spring) I will never outgrow the wisdom of that little guy!
One spring day we were going to go shopping for some clothes and a new spring coat for me. While I was in the coat racks of Burlington Coat Factory, I was overwhelmed by the selection – the colors, the styles and thought “oh my, this is not going to be easy and I hope Richie has patience with me while I browse.” My eye was first drawn to the usual beige and light colored coats of a traditional style. However after trying on two or three I thought I’m going to get out of my comfort zone and really go crazy. I recall trying on a pink and a coral and a light green coat. They were all pretty, but I kept having a haunting thought – do these colors “go with” anything? Now the traditional taupe or beige are safe colors and match anything… but peach… or coral… hmmmmm this was a stretch for me.
Another lady was also browsing in the coats and as I was talking aloud to myself (and to Richie) about my dilemma I am sure she got quite a chuckle. After all, what did Richie care if beige or taupe were the “right/safe” colors to choose. And besides, I promised him a happy meal so he was even more anxious to get going. I caught her smiling once in awhile as I hemmed and hawed about my decision.
Well, Richie finally asked me about the two coats I had narrowed down (a peach and a light green one).
He said “Mommy why are you having trouble deciding?”
I said “I am just not sure if these colors go with anything, honey.”
And he, in all of his infinite wisdom said…
“Mommy, grass is green and it goes with everything. You should get the green one.”
The lady nearby burst out laughing and said “He sure has a point there!”
And the rest is history as I bought the light green coat and smiled every time I put it on.
While I have outgrown the coat (and bought a new green coat for spring) I will never outgrow the wisdom of that little guy!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Peanut butter and mayonnaise...
One of my “mom-isms” was something I have told my children since they were old enough to fall in love. When my kids would came home from school with a crush that was not reciprocated and they were heartbroken I would give them the following example of why they should not be so down on themselves, feeling inadequate or unworthy.
It is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Two people might go together in a fabulous way like a sandwich. They might be a good match and everyone thinks it is a good thing. Perhaps it is strawberry or grape jelly and maybe it is chunky versus creamy peanut butter. None the less, it is a good match.
Then there is the situation where someone prefers turkey and mayonnaise. Now there is nothing wrong with a turkey and mayo sandwich. I even like this on occasion. Or perhaps it is roast beef and horseradish – not bad either.
Each sandwich in its own way is great. However when you mix things up, it might not be such a good match. Imagine peanut butter and horseradish or grape jelly and turkey. Hmmmm…
Now like I said - there is nothing wrong with turkey or peanut butter in and of itself, but maybe the match is not right…
So when the kids are hurting from a nonreciprocating love, I tell them it is like peanut butter and mayonnaise. Nothing wrong with either one - it is just not the match that is meant to be.
Next time if things don’t work out the way you plan with someone, or your children are having a break-up, remind them that is just like “peanut butter and mayonnaise.”
It is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Two people might go together in a fabulous way like a sandwich. They might be a good match and everyone thinks it is a good thing. Perhaps it is strawberry or grape jelly and maybe it is chunky versus creamy peanut butter. None the less, it is a good match.
Then there is the situation where someone prefers turkey and mayonnaise. Now there is nothing wrong with a turkey and mayo sandwich. I even like this on occasion. Or perhaps it is roast beef and horseradish – not bad either.
Each sandwich in its own way is great. However when you mix things up, it might not be such a good match. Imagine peanut butter and horseradish or grape jelly and turkey. Hmmmm…
Now like I said - there is nothing wrong with turkey or peanut butter in and of itself, but maybe the match is not right…
So when the kids are hurting from a nonreciprocating love, I tell them it is like peanut butter and mayonnaise. Nothing wrong with either one - it is just not the match that is meant to be.
Next time if things don’t work out the way you plan with someone, or your children are having a break-up, remind them that is just like “peanut butter and mayonnaise.”
Monday, February 23, 2009
In Honor of my Mom
I had the opportunity to speak at my Mother’s funeral two years ago and today in her memory I would like to share this will you.
My mother died February 21, 2007 in Arizona and was cremated. She stayed with my dad in a beautifully wrapped box until he returned to Madison and could finally arrange the memorial service. She was in this beautiful gold box in the front of the church and some of my words were directed to her from the podium. Here is the speech I delivered.
When someone passes on, I think others like me wonder where they have gone? Are they at peace? Do they truly look down on us like guardian angels? Two themes I would like to touch on this morning make me believe that this is true – they go to a place of peace and they do watch over us.
The two themes are
1) the HOPE of where my mom has gone
2) and the KNOWLEDGE that she is still looking over me.
The words of two songs by Mercy Me give me HOPE as I imagine her departure from this world -
Mercy Me sings “I can only imagine what my eyes will see, when your face is before me…surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in your arms will I be still…”
and HOMESICK: “You’re in a better place I’ve heard a thousand times, and at least a thousand times I’ve rejoiced for you… If home is where my heart is then I’ve never been more homesick than now.”
I have a great deal of peace knowing that Mom departed this world and was immediately seated in the most beautiful garden – beyond anything we can imagine. There to greet her were several people from her past – including her brothers Jim and Shorty, her Mom and Dad and I also suspect others we can think of – too numerous to mention. One person I imagine she saw who we do not talk about, but Mom never forgot, is her twin brother John who died shortly after birth and also three of my siblings – two older brothers and my sister Mary Elizabeth. I imagine this reunion was very wonderful!
I have hope when I think of her surrounded by other loved ones we have missed – those of a furry nature – Sam Cat, Francis, Tiger, and probably her favorite Alex. There’s also Molly, Kelly, Cuddles, and Spotsie from our own herd of pets.
So this is the vision that gives me HOPE about where she is now.
How do I know she is watching over me? I would like to share some instances that lead me to believe this.
Shortly before she died I had a job interview for a different job at the UW. I was at the interview on Friday before Theresa and I left on Saturday to visit her in AZ. I felt good about the interview and when I saw Mom I told her about it. I asked her in an offhand way if I’d get this one. She nodded yes.
The day after she died I got a call for the second and final interview before I was offered the job. Of course when I called my dad and told him- he said “well you know who to Thank for that!” Thanks Mom.
I have also struggled for years to get gold finches to visit my bird feeders at home. Mom and I would often kid about this in a competitive way. She call and report 12 finches on her feeders, and I could only sigh and say, well I think I heard one this morning… Well I kept trying the spring after she died and one day I heard quite to commotion at the feeder. I was thinking I had a cat outside pestering the birds. However looking outside I could see over 10 finches on the feeder and in the brush… It was a beautiful sight! I think she also sent some chickadees for good measure. Thank you, Mom for sending them my way. The birds give me and my cats great joy.
Lately my home has been a depository for stray cats wandering into the yard and visiting. My mom was a cat lover and as my brother said, she could coax the most resistant stray to her hand. In the last month three strays have made their way to my house, and then to the humane society however. Mom - my limit is three!
So this is why I have great peace about where my mom is and how I know she is watching over me. I hope in sharing this that you might come to believe in this hope and knowledge that you are being watched over as well.
Mom, I love you, I miss you and thanks for looking over me.
My mother died February 21, 2007 in Arizona and was cremated. She stayed with my dad in a beautifully wrapped box until he returned to Madison and could finally arrange the memorial service. She was in this beautiful gold box in the front of the church and some of my words were directed to her from the podium. Here is the speech I delivered.
When someone passes on, I think others like me wonder where they have gone? Are they at peace? Do they truly look down on us like guardian angels? Two themes I would like to touch on this morning make me believe that this is true – they go to a place of peace and they do watch over us.
The two themes are
1) the HOPE of where my mom has gone
2) and the KNOWLEDGE that she is still looking over me.
The words of two songs by Mercy Me give me HOPE as I imagine her departure from this world -
Mercy Me sings “I can only imagine what my eyes will see, when your face is before me…surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in your arms will I be still…”
and HOMESICK: “You’re in a better place I’ve heard a thousand times, and at least a thousand times I’ve rejoiced for you… If home is where my heart is then I’ve never been more homesick than now.”
I have a great deal of peace knowing that Mom departed this world and was immediately seated in the most beautiful garden – beyond anything we can imagine. There to greet her were several people from her past – including her brothers Jim and Shorty, her Mom and Dad and I also suspect others we can think of – too numerous to mention. One person I imagine she saw who we do not talk about, but Mom never forgot, is her twin brother John who died shortly after birth and also three of my siblings – two older brothers and my sister Mary Elizabeth. I imagine this reunion was very wonderful!
I have hope when I think of her surrounded by other loved ones we have missed – those of a furry nature – Sam Cat, Francis, Tiger, and probably her favorite Alex. There’s also Molly, Kelly, Cuddles, and Spotsie from our own herd of pets.
So this is the vision that gives me HOPE about where she is now.
How do I know she is watching over me? I would like to share some instances that lead me to believe this.
Shortly before she died I had a job interview for a different job at the UW. I was at the interview on Friday before Theresa and I left on Saturday to visit her in AZ. I felt good about the interview and when I saw Mom I told her about it. I asked her in an offhand way if I’d get this one. She nodded yes.
The day after she died I got a call for the second and final interview before I was offered the job. Of course when I called my dad and told him- he said “well you know who to Thank for that!” Thanks Mom.
I have also struggled for years to get gold finches to visit my bird feeders at home. Mom and I would often kid about this in a competitive way. She call and report 12 finches on her feeders, and I could only sigh and say, well I think I heard one this morning… Well I kept trying the spring after she died and one day I heard quite to commotion at the feeder. I was thinking I had a cat outside pestering the birds. However looking outside I could see over 10 finches on the feeder and in the brush… It was a beautiful sight! I think she also sent some chickadees for good measure. Thank you, Mom for sending them my way. The birds give me and my cats great joy.
Lately my home has been a depository for stray cats wandering into the yard and visiting. My mom was a cat lover and as my brother said, she could coax the most resistant stray to her hand. In the last month three strays have made their way to my house, and then to the humane society however. Mom - my limit is three!
So this is why I have great peace about where my mom is and how I know she is watching over me. I hope in sharing this that you might come to believe in this hope and knowledge that you are being watched over as well.
Mom, I love you, I miss you and thanks for looking over me.
Friday, February 13, 2009
You know you are getting old when...
You know you are getting older when…
I had to fill out a form in case I should happen to get hurt at work… if I break an arm tripping on the steps, or slip on a wet floor in the café… heaven forbid anything should happen.
But it made me kinda laugh! When they asked for contact information I put down my two (almost grown up) children… Most people probably put down a spouse, but being single I could not…
I remember not long ago how I was sending forms to school with my emergency contact information in case one of my kids should happen to get hurt on the playground or during a sporting event… it is funny how life does come around…
I am truly an "in-betweener" – taking care of my kids AND taking care of my dad. Even though my Dad is far away there are not many days that go by when I do not check in with him to be sure he has been eating well, driving OK, getting over the latest cold and wearing his sun screen!
I guess it just goes to show that we all need taking care of no matter our age or rank in the family… we all need someone to contact in case of emergency…
Hmmmmm I wonder if I put down Horatio Caine from CSI Miami, or Richard Gere or Keanu Reeves if one of them would come to my rescue should I get hurt…. Only in my dreams….
I had to fill out a form in case I should happen to get hurt at work… if I break an arm tripping on the steps, or slip on a wet floor in the café… heaven forbid anything should happen.
But it made me kinda laugh! When they asked for contact information I put down my two (almost grown up) children… Most people probably put down a spouse, but being single I could not…
I remember not long ago how I was sending forms to school with my emergency contact information in case one of my kids should happen to get hurt on the playground or during a sporting event… it is funny how life does come around…
I am truly an "in-betweener" – taking care of my kids AND taking care of my dad. Even though my Dad is far away there are not many days that go by when I do not check in with him to be sure he has been eating well, driving OK, getting over the latest cold and wearing his sun screen!
I guess it just goes to show that we all need taking care of no matter our age or rank in the family… we all need someone to contact in case of emergency…
Hmmmmm I wonder if I put down Horatio Caine from CSI Miami, or Richard Gere or Keanu Reeves if one of them would come to my rescue should I get hurt…. Only in my dreams….
Friday, January 16, 2009
Lost Luggage
Lost Luggage…
What do I have to complain about? At least my luggage isn’t soaked in the plane sunk in the Hudson River! However I was frustrated during my trip to California about my luggage and other things….
Our trip was to begin at 3:00AM for me when I woke up. The cab arrived at 4:00AM and I was on my way. We had a 5:40AM departure from Madison to Chicago but due to many issues we were delayed until after 9:30AM and missed our connecting flight to San Jose via Las Vegas…. Once we landed in Chicago we were on the tarmac for over an hour. In the meantime the next series of connections my travel agent made for us were missed and by the time we got into the terminal at 11:00AM we were at our wits end… Our travel agent pulled some miracle out of her hat and said we’d be able to get boarding passes for a direct flight to San Fran departing at 12:30PM – WOW!
Once in the airport I waited in the United Counter line with a hundred very tired and grumpy people while my brother stationed himself at the vacant gate counter of our supposed next direct flight to San Francisco at 1:00PM – be would be arriving there 4 hours late and at the wrong final destination, but at least we would be on the west coast as close to San Jose as we could get…my line moved at a snail’s pace if at all and by 12:30 I was growing very worried that even our flight to San Fran would take off before I had even gotten to the front of the line to get a boarding pass…and my cell phone was dying so any hope of contacting the travel agent if this fell trough was grim. Luckily the flight to San Fran kept getting delayed and finally a ticket agent appeared at the gate counter. My brother explained our situation - the third set of arrangements the travel agent had made - and the lady let him know we were set w/o having to have a boarding pass… after three hours in line, he came to get me and we got on the plane… We finally took off at 2:25PM and I allowed myself to get some rest…I felt lucky. I was in line with one man who came from Spain and was trying to get to Idaho to see his dying brother and a family planning their Christmas trip to Hawaii ….
Of course our luggage never left Chicago that day….
So who do you blame for lost luggage? I am very frustrated by this… Of course with all of our changes I could hardly expect my luggage to follow me… but it did have a final destination tag on it so why couldn’t it have made it on some plane somehow to San Jose??? Indeed….and I also paid to have my luggage transported – adding insult to injury there was no more accountability even though I paid for transporting my luggage – that just doesn’t seem right to me…
It did arrive the next day…
but was lost once again on our way home… somehow it never left Phoenix…
So what can you do? Travel light, be prepared for anything, keep your cell phone charged and be kind to the people in line with you – it could have been a lot worse – my luggage could be at the bottom of the Hudson River….
What do I have to complain about? At least my luggage isn’t soaked in the plane sunk in the Hudson River! However I was frustrated during my trip to California about my luggage and other things….
Our trip was to begin at 3:00AM for me when I woke up. The cab arrived at 4:00AM and I was on my way. We had a 5:40AM departure from Madison to Chicago but due to many issues we were delayed until after 9:30AM and missed our connecting flight to San Jose via Las Vegas…. Once we landed in Chicago we were on the tarmac for over an hour. In the meantime the next series of connections my travel agent made for us were missed and by the time we got into the terminal at 11:00AM we were at our wits end… Our travel agent pulled some miracle out of her hat and said we’d be able to get boarding passes for a direct flight to San Fran departing at 12:30PM – WOW!
Once in the airport I waited in the United Counter line with a hundred very tired and grumpy people while my brother stationed himself at the vacant gate counter of our supposed next direct flight to San Francisco at 1:00PM – be would be arriving there 4 hours late and at the wrong final destination, but at least we would be on the west coast as close to San Jose as we could get…my line moved at a snail’s pace if at all and by 12:30 I was growing very worried that even our flight to San Fran would take off before I had even gotten to the front of the line to get a boarding pass…and my cell phone was dying so any hope of contacting the travel agent if this fell trough was grim. Luckily the flight to San Fran kept getting delayed and finally a ticket agent appeared at the gate counter. My brother explained our situation - the third set of arrangements the travel agent had made - and the lady let him know we were set w/o having to have a boarding pass… after three hours in line, he came to get me and we got on the plane… We finally took off at 2:25PM and I allowed myself to get some rest…I felt lucky. I was in line with one man who came from Spain and was trying to get to Idaho to see his dying brother and a family planning their Christmas trip to Hawaii ….
Of course our luggage never left Chicago that day….
So who do you blame for lost luggage? I am very frustrated by this… Of course with all of our changes I could hardly expect my luggage to follow me… but it did have a final destination tag on it so why couldn’t it have made it on some plane somehow to San Jose??? Indeed….and I also paid to have my luggage transported – adding insult to injury there was no more accountability even though I paid for transporting my luggage – that just doesn’t seem right to me…
It did arrive the next day…
but was lost once again on our way home… somehow it never left Phoenix…
So what can you do? Travel light, be prepared for anything, keep your cell phone charged and be kind to the people in line with you – it could have been a lot worse – my luggage could be at the bottom of the Hudson River….
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)