made it to Chicago

Well, after 4 days in steamy TN (stayed in Franklin with good friends the Madge clan....loved every minute of it, as usual), I am in Chicago. Saturday was the biggest launch of a new product that I've ever been involved with...morning at a health fair at the Galleria Mall...handing out the MAX N-fuze vitamin drink & talking to people about the new ATP energy drink! I, for one, am thrilled about N-fuze because now it's much easier to take on a flight....used to be packets of a gel drink, great tasting but difficult to have to add to that ever shrinking quart zip-loc bag one needs in one's carry-on. Well, especially if you're me, who has had the doubtful "luck" of having luggage lost for many days....several different times! One time in Romania my daughter and I were without our bags for 6 days. I know THEY say to put an extra change of clothing in your carry-on. Who has room for this? Fortunately we were staying in the apt. of a dear lady who would have loaned me some clothing, but she was much shorter than I....each evening we washed our outfit, hung it outside on a line, then put it on again in the morning. In case you're thinking we enjoyed this, you're dead wrong. When the bags finally came, what we were the most excited about was the big bag of M&Ms!
3 years ago on our way to Greece, Terry & I were delayed on a flight out from Philly....causing us to miss our flight in Rome...forcing us to spend the whole day wandering around Rome (an extra little side "excursion" we had because the rest of the tour went straight from Philly to Athens).....we, of course, "made lemonade" and enjoyed every minute of it! .....the next flight to Athens was 8 hours later and I'll spare y'all the ridiculous-ness of our asking about our luggage at every stop, and having agents tell us they "were sure" our luggage would be there too....I'm sure many of you have "been there, done that". We both had our instruments, so it was necessary to check our suitcases. Flight left Rome a couple hours late (for no apparent reason) and when we finally arrived in Athens, it was after midnight, and of course the airport was for all purposes, shut down. Tracked down someone to ask about the bags and after going through that stupid useless exercise of checking which picture your bag resembles (where DO they get those pictures anyway? No bags look like that!), he gave us a phone number to call....ah, how very reassuring. With nothing else to do, we took a taxi to our hotel, the Hotel Stanley (seriously?) and checked in. Asked the guy behind the desk if there was someplace we could get something cold to drink (as it must have been about 150 degrees, although it was 1am) and he directed us to a roof restaurant (8th floor). We stepped off the elevator, bleary-eyed, willed our feet to take us to a table, looked up and saw the most glorious view of the Parthenon all lit up! We each instinctively rubbed our eyes and looked again, thinking this could have been some sort of Disney-esque mural. Nope, there it was, making us forget the almost 36 hours it had been since we left home. Since we were on a tour with the Nashville Praise Symphony, we had coordinated clothing to wear at each concert....well, that is, everyone but me and Terry. Fortunately there were enough people close to each of our sizes that we were able to borrow some things to wear...every morning, afternoon and evening making an attempt to call the number the baggage agent had given us, with never an answer! (gee, what a surprise) 6 days we checked with the front desk personnel to see if anyone had delivered our bags. We were only there for 2 more days as it was....I was upset because I had made some great sale purchases of some of the shirt colors we had been required to buy, and though the monetary value of all the clothes wasn't very high, the deliberate attempt to be as thrifty as I could seemed wasted because all (it appeared) would be lost when we left for home 2 days later. Each day the temperature was over 100 degrees....and the A/C units in each room didn't seem to work very well. (rendering it impossible to wash out clothing and have it dry to any degree by next am) We ended up changing rooms for a couple of degrees' difference. On our return after playing in the Plaka the 6th night, we walked into our room and nearly stumbled over our 2 bags! I did tell everyone the next morning that for that day and the next (our last) I was going to change clothes 4 times a day just to let everyone know what I would have worn! So, unless I need to use my violin as one of my carry-on bags, I usually try never to check bags.....Terry and I have gone all over the world with just carry-ons.....but it's pretty impossible to do if you have to take an instrument.
But, as THEY say, I digress....Southwest had a nice new (or refurbished and painted) 737 last evening for the flight to Chicago, which arrived about 30 minutes late. Just as we were to touch down, the pilot quickly pulled back and accelerated...one of those queasy stomach feelings...for another go-around. I was not near a window so it was difficult to see, but later found out there was a plane on our intended runway! So where in the world were the Chicago traffic controllers??? (hmmm, could they have been out getting energy drinks full of chemicals and caffeine??? perish the thought! Come to me for some all-natural, good-for-you, world's first and only "on-demand" energy drink...MAX-ATP.....minor commercial for a great company) Happy to be on the ground, carrying all my belongings in 2 bags, (at only about a zillion pounds each!) I got picked up promptly by Ken and driven the 30 miles to my sister's house! Yay! Stayed up way too late but didn't feel tired, (fueled by the ATP I had at the Madge's in the afternoon) we caught up, checked in, discussed final additions or subtractions to our bags, and finally hit the sack around 2-ish, I think, although Deb's light was on much longer.
Who knew I'd wake up knowing I couldn't go back to sleep at 4:30? Since Jacob (my nephew) had to leave for work at 5:45, I thought I'd come out, hug him goodbye, make coffee and write. The cup is 3/4 full, sunlight is coming through the haze and the trees, and the birds are already serenading me. My sis and I are great animal lovers, so I love to watch all the "critters" she entices to her yard with bird feeders, dishes for the squirrels and rabbits, and birdbaths everywhere.
I sure do wish I had gotten more sleep.