Velcrometer
Throwing stuff at the internet to see what sticks
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M. Giant's Velcrometer Throwing stuff at the internet to see what sticks |
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Tuesday, February 05, 2008 Snowbirds It's been snowing on and off for the past two days in Minneapolis. Fortunately, I'm coming to you from here:  I almost wasn't. A few weeks ago, Trash got tickets for M. Small and me to fly down to visit my parents while they're on their extended vacation in Florida. She couldn't come because she's teaching a class at one of the local universities and couldn't fit it into her schedule. I was already nervous about traveling alone with M. Small -- not the plane, so much, but also navigating the airport without backup. It's hard enough to get through security these days, wrestling the bags and the car seat and taking off every metal thing I'm wearing from my glasses to my ammo belt. But M. Small requires full attention at all times in public places, aside from the fact that he starts crying the moment you lay him down on the conveyor belt until you pick him up at baggage claim. So the night before we were supposed to leave, we tried to check in from home. Except we couldn't seem to get seats together, either online or over the phone. Trash and I both kind of started to freak out. It's not like I was about to let M. Small sit in a different part of the plane from me, next to a stranger. Because, after all, there would be no way for said stranger to know when M. Small really had to pee or whether he just wanted to see the M. Small-sized bathroom again. I would never do that to some unsuspecting passenger (yes, I was kidding about baggage claim). So I ended up talking to three different people at the airline on Saturday night, and while they all but guaranteed that I'd be able to sit next to M. Small, it was that "all but" that made us nervous. One of the people actually suggested I buy two more tickets that night, in order to reserve seats that way. Leaving aside the fact that our budget for this trip didn't really allow for that, I didn't understand how people buying seats the night before got precedence for seat reservations over people who bought them three weeks before. But 5:30 the next morning, all three of us piled into Trash's car, hoping for the best. I had the same argument with a ticket agent and the First Class supervisor. I assume the First Class in the latter's job title referred to airplane seating, because she wasn't able to give me any seats on the spot either. Even when I asked them to call ahead to the gate and make sure we were all set, they refused. But we decided to go on ahead, expecting to have to return. We said goodbye to Trash, and headed on through security. I needn't have worried. As bad as I thought it would be, I was able to get both of us and all of our stuff through in less than forty-five minutes once we reached the front of the line. And then we went to the departure gate, where I was fully ready to plunk M. Small's adorable little bum on the counter and plead my case for like a half hour. But then the ticket agent handed me our two boarding passes, already printed out, just waiting for us, with our names on them. For adjacent seats. I think the airline was just showing us who was in charge. So here we are now in Florida, where M. Small spent most of the first day marveling, "I don't need a coat!" and the rest of the day in the pool with me. We're flying back tomorrow. Fortunately, we already have our seats reserved. posted by M. Giant 9:39 AM 4 comments 4 Comments:And if you are wondering if Trash is bitter and resentful, considering our snowfall yesterday, why yes she is.
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We've talked about just one of us (and the kids) going to Florida to visit the in-laws. I don't think I want to navigate the airport with TWO kids by myself. I'm impressed, M.Giant.
By Yuh-huh. Check that animated computer weather map for the last 24 hours in the Chicagoland area, too. So many pretty colors!
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M G, That sunshine and pool look fabulous! Hope you guys had a great time. Now, I seek your advice:
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