There and back again

I think I’m getting this packing thing down. I line up my suitcases on the landing. One for quilts and one for everything else. Two days, two outfits. Real shoes to be ladylike for the presentation. Samples and kits for the classes. Merchandise for eager shoppers…The occasional PostIt note as I go along if there is something I’m missing that I don’t want to forget, and then everything by the front door with time to spare.I try to be organized at the airport. Steve drops me off at curbside check in, ID and tip in hand. I try to stay on top of things but at some point along the way I mislay something and don’t look quite so professional! Who do I think I’m kidding when my hand luggage is bright pink and has a gorilla hanging off it?

Somehow I manage to get where I’m going and Tuesday was no exception when Renie and Debby met me at Columbus airport for my trip to the Heart of Ohio Quilter’s Guild.

We stopped for a good lunch and I had a little time at the hotel before heading out the door again for my evening lecture. The meeting started with a little business and some Show and Tell.

Little quilts,

and bigger quilts,
and then it was my turn.

It looked like a long way to the back of the room.Lots of quilters waiting for me to start.and so many flower quilts later it was time for a closer look…Thanks for being a supportive audience ladies!

Wednesday morning I was booked for Embroidery and Beading for Quilters. We had a lovely bright and spacious room at the Library.
Some people believed me that all they needed was scissors and glasses but some still brought boxes of stuff, just in case.Good times!

Everyone stitched away quite merrily and I was feeling great at the end of the afternoon. We had an uneventful trip back to the airport. I checked my bags, whizzed through security with my TSA-pre endorsement and made my way to the gate…

I was still smiling as I tried to make sense of the chaos. Yes, Wednesday was the day SouthWest’s computer systems crashed! Nobody was quite sure which planes were on their way and which planes would be headed out. Apparently Midway had a ground stop and there was no telling when we might get home…

I had half my lunch in my bag and so Imunched on that as I read a book I had downloaded on my Kindle app. Every so often a plane came in and it would be announced that all passengers booked on such and such a flight should line up straight away….

Come seven o’clock-ish, the five o’clock Chicago bound plane was released to go and by checking on Flight Aware (thanks Steve for the tip) we could see that our plane had left Boston…

In the end we were only two hours late. Free wi-fi and free beverages sweetened the deal (Steve let me know about the wi-fi, past experience was my inside knowledge on the drinks!)

It wasn’t quite dark as we left Columbus,
but the sun had certainly set by the time we reached Chicago less than an hour later.
Midway was a zoo!! I’m not sure that any SouthWest planes were taking off. I know there were a lot of cancellations. There were hoards of people everywhere, with airport officials trying to keep the peace with soda and snacks… It was not a good night for those who had hoped to  make connections in Chicago. I’m afraid I just wove my way through the crowds and down to the baggage claim.

Luggage was stacked up around the carousels from previous flights where passengers had taken whatever plane they could, thinking they would connect with their luggage later. However my  pink and purple bags came down the chute just as planned. I found Steve and off we went. It didn’t feel quite fair that my journey hadn’t been more difficult but there wasn’t really anything I could do?

Another fun trip. Another set of new friends. Always an adventure!