ARRRRRRRRRRR ....

So not only will my daughter be a tour guide at Warner Bros. (like mother like daughter ... I was a tour guide at NBC TV) Studios ... She began her job at Disneyland on Thursday. She knew going into this that she'd be in Critter Country working on one of three rides. Nothing to write home about. But true to Elizabeth form, she got more news-of-her-life.  Little did she know, but Critter Country has merged with New Orleans Square. And Elizabeth finished her training today having learned that she'll be working on her very favorite ride of all time ... The Pirates Of The Carribbean.

I can hear it now ....  Arrrr this and Arrrr that.   Oy vey.   I mean Ar vey.

But congrats, Liz. You'll look swell with that patch over your eye. I mean, your arrrrrye.

.

1st day of school ...

last day of painting in the townhouse.
first day of trying to get new flooring in the townhouse.

four days away from having a new tenant ... and RENT!
four days away from cutting ties with my inner handyman self.

five days away from enjoying dinner with a friend in from Whittier!
two days away from finding out if my daughter will actually change her Florida vacation to California.

five days until my month is up for Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx to complete their search for my biological family.

WHY HAVEN'T I HEARD FROM THEM?

So ... what's new?  Mostly that I am hanging up my "house-flipping" overalls for good.

I am so over painting the townhouse (hey, it was on my bucket list) in ... NO A/C and no electricity. I painted in the dim light of a street light and with pouring, drenching SWEAT coming down my cheeks. The temp. in the townhouse was well over 100*, if not over 110*. Easily.  I would not be exaggerating if I said it felt like 130*. Every night I came home WET.

Am I proud of my work?  I was. Until I saw it on Sunday morning after a session of night painting the night before. Good grief. There was more paint on the ceiling than the main walls. Am I glad it's over?  Yep. Will I miss it?  Nope. Did I truly learn anything?

I learned that I don't know squat about painting.  I don't know about primers, I don't know about second coats and I don't know about flat vs. eggshell vs. gloss. Well, I do now ... but I don't know which is best. Actually I do know, now. Flat is ugly. And, of course, flat is what I used.

I didn't know that it's best to use a roller and it's definitely best to used a long stick attached to that roller. Little tiny brushes, I've learned, take longer and make your arm hurt. I also learned that you need to match the new paint to the paint already on the wall. Yeah, I didn't do that. Yeah, I learned this the hard way.

But the most important lesson I learned?  Drop cloths are worth their weight in gold. No matter how much you convince yourself you won't need one.

Oh wait.  The VERY most important lesson I learned?  Don't pour paint on the floor.

Don't ask me how I know that.

funky town

So, I've slept since that last post... and I've had a change of heart.  Maybe it was just those chickens up there that did it.  Yeah, that's probably it.  I've always had a soft spot for Easter eggs.

I'm ready to go to Rick's nephew's wedding ... but I'm awfully busy right now (shut up) so it's good it's in June.   I have no desire to go to Washington DC again, so maybe Rick's surgery will interrupt that.  And if it doesn't ... maybe I'll send Elizabeth to go with him instead of me.  She's the better speaker anyway.

I don't want a new house right now ... so Rick's surgery will continue to interrupt that, too.

I hate Domino's so I won't be ordering any of that.

And I am helping Elizabeth book a trip to Walt Disney World today and that has totally brightened my whole day.  I originally wanted to go with her ... but now I think I'd like to stay home ... and just let her go on her own.  She's old enough.  23 is definitely old enough, especially since she used to live there ... without me.  I'm going to live vicariously through her.

I think I've figured out my problem.

Agoraphobia.  Fear of open market places.  Well, not literally, but literally.  I prefer to think of it as the "I am going to stay home and never go out at all" disease.  Home is such a nice place.  It's not Washington DC, it's not Norman, Oklahoma and it's not Orlando, Florida.  It's not even California any more.

Me and Rick.  Home.  Never going out.  Nope, never.  'Cept for pizza ... cuz I hate Domino's.  Good thing Papa John's delivers, too.

.

still stuck

Tonight my daughter came home with something else stuck in her head.  Fortunately it wasn't a song.  I'd have died if she'd started singing, "It's a Small World."  But nope, she made the announcement that she had worn out her welcome here at her parent's house and she was ready to move on.  Well, she didn't actually use that phrase and no, she hasn't worn out her welcome.  Still, she is ready to move on.

I understand.  I was 24 when I left home and I was way too old to finally be leaving.  And don't even remind me about the time I returned home at 26.  For a year.  Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

So anyway, she spent all of tonight exploring every website she could find that offered up apartments.  Nice apartments.  Darn nice apartments.  Yeah.  And THAT was what was stuck in her head.  And mine.  I worked just as hard as she did at finding a place.

Elizabeth gave me a list a mile long of places to call on ... because she was busy from 8 - 5 everyday.
Know what else was stuck in her head?  She needs said apartment by, uh, Thursday?  Just kidding.  But she did only give me five weeks to accomplish this task.  And I had to make sure that her cat would be welcome.  And that the apartment was near a Chipotle.  And there was sufficient shopping nearby.  And it had a weight room.  And a pool.  And a bedroom.  With a walk in closet.  Balcony optional.  

Good grief.

This from the girl who couldn't wait to get to California.  Or Florida.  Or Arizona.  She's picked Frisco.  And mama is very happy.  Unless I have to help her move.

Wanna know why my child is ready to move out?  So she can, and I quote, "Eat dinner in front of the TV in her room."  Yep, my child is ready to break all the rules.  She's gonna color outside the lines for a change.

And again, mama is happy.  She can eat all she wants in her room now and I won't even know it.

Sure hope she doesn't come home unexpectedly one night ... before I have a chance to vacuum up my own crumbs.

;)

.

 

pix anyone?

I have just realized that I didn't post any pictures of my trip to Florida.  You have just realized that it's time for a nap, I'm sure.  Oh well, gonna do it anyway.  But I promise to be selective.

Elizabeth posted this one on Facebook saying that I was the most fun dinner date of all time.  Ha, the joke's on her.  It was lunch time.

This is Elizabeth's friend Tim.  Elizabeth wants to marry Tim.  Tim doesn't want to marry Elizabeth.  No "Elizabeth and Timmy, sitting in a tree" for them.

Of all the characters we saw at Walt Disney World, this was Elizabeth's favorite.  She was simply a park employee.  And she happened to be from La Habra, California.  And she looked NOTHING like Anjolena Jolie.  Although Elizabeth thought she was the spittin' image and so fell in love with her.  

Yeah, no.  I see no resemblance, either.

More friends of Elizabeth's.  That's Keith on the left.  He spent our last day with us.  That's Joy and her husband John.  They also spent our last day with us.  We had a FUN last day!

Liz, sporting her fancy glasses from the Toy Story Mania ride.  I wore a pair just like them.  But I was so pretty in mine that I didn't want to show her up.

IF you can pull this sword up from this here rock, you get to tell all your friends that you pulled the sword up from this here rock.  

I don't get to tell my friends that.  But it wasn't for lack of trying.

I never did succeed.  So, in that case, you are supposed to stand beside it and pose.  I suppose.

One of Liz' lunches.  Actually her first one.  I was one proud mama when I saw that my little girl was going to get to eat at Walt Disney World.  Food is a difficult obstacle for her so when Epcot complied, she ate!

And speaking of Epcot... Elizabeth posted this on Facebook.  She said she didn't understand why all those countries in Epcot positioned themselves around this giant golf ball.  I tend to wonder myself...

More friends of Liz'.  Leave it to her to banter and bicker with them instead of posing for a picture.

Here's another friend.  Liz truly misses all of her 'toy' friends.  Maybe she just misses her toys.  I know I miss all of my toys, too.  Wait, I still play with mine...

And finally, the best photo I've ever taken.  That's Keith on the left, hands in the air.  That John on the right, looking like he's having fun.  Those two ladies in the middle with their hands over their eyes?  I don't know them. 

P.S. Name this ride ...

.

when God speaks ...

... I should listen.  But instead I put my fingers in my ears and run off crying like a baby.  Yep, I do.

Tonight, in the midst of some harsh money troubles, I decided to transfer my last $500 from my Paypal account to my personal bank account.  The money in my Paypal account is money that I've accumulated from my sales on eBay and various garage sales and my book sales.  I had proudly accumulated $500 there and didn't even touch it for my latest vacation.

Soooo, it was available for me to refill my checking account after a few missteps that Rick made while I was away.

I whipped out my little "square" and pushed it into my phone and swiped my Paypal card and VOILA!  $500 immediately transferred ... straight to my church.  I kid you not.

Lesson learned.  Make sure you are logged out of your church's account first.

So, uh, when God speaks ... you give.

i am NOT stressed ... i am NOT stressed

I have just realized that I have a cold.  A. Cold.  AAAA COOOOLD.

Um, excuse me?  This is the THIRD cold I've had this year ... and this year, so far, is only 62 days long.  That would be roughly six weeks.  That would be one cold every two weeks.

So... did I catch it in Walt Disney World?  Maybe.
Did I catch it from Rick, who had a cold the entire time I was in Florida?  Maybe.

Did I catch it at my school?  Not likely.

Count backwards three days from today.  (I learned that on The Beverly Hillbillies.  I really did.)  And three weeks earlier than today was Tuesday.  I caught this cold on Tuesday.  I came home from Florida on Monday.  Therefore I caught me a cold on Tuesday.

That narrows it down to either Rick (doubtful) or my school.  Bingo.

Sigh.  Good thing I have a week off now.  Spring break began about four hours ago.  I SOOO hoped I could spend my break recovering from a cold.  Yeah, no.

You know what?  I think I'll go back to Florida.  They don't have colds there.

They have hot there, though.

;)

.

So...

... how did my luggage get lost a second time?

Get this.  Our plane back to DFW was delayed on Monday.  And the window for our connection in Houston was getting smaller and smaller and narrower and narrower.  The pilot did make up some time in the air over Louisiana (I'll never understand how they do that, but then I'll never, ever understand how that big silver tube gets up into the air anyway) and managed to get us to Houston with a whole 15 minutes to spare.  That meant that Elizabeth and I had to grab our carry-ons and hoof it to some gate in Houston that was holding another silver tube for us to fly in.  Which gate?  Who knew.  Just run!!!

And we did.  And we found it.  Somehow.

And as we were watching passengers board OUR plane, ahead of us ... and as we were bumping into people left and right ... and as we were barreling through the ropes that were being placed indicating that the plane was about to leave ... a flight attendant casually announced over the loud speaker that if you were coming from the Orlando flight and connecting here to get to Dallas, she was real sorry but our luggage wasn't coming with us.  It was coming later.  And we would get to wait for it.  If we wanted it.  Which we did.  Never mind that we were a tad tired.

And so, all's well that ends well ... even IF our luggage decided to stay on vacation a bit longer.  I'm sure it'll come home when it runs out of money.  Which should be very soon.

.

5 days in the sun ...

... only lost my luggage twice
... sunburned, due to the gorgeous weather in Florida
... came home to snow and ice
... try explaining the sunburn to your boss
    (who thinks you were out sick)
... returned to work to learn that Spring Break is only 4 days away
... returned to a sick cat that barfed all over
... returned to a husband that didn't even miss me
    (How do I know he didn't miss me?  He immediately told me
    everything that he did while I was away.  Oh wait, maybe he
    did miss me.)
... came home to a stack of bills that Rick SOMEHOW never
    found time to pay.
... came home to some empty medicine bottles that Rick
    SOMEHOW never found time to refill
... Glad to be home anyway.
... Life is good.
... When can we go back??

um, hello?

We arrived in Orlando on Wednesday night, for 5 glorious, fun-filled days at Walt Disney World.  It would be a quick trip and yet, it would be a 5 day trip and that's nearly a week!  Yea for a week!

And after a full day of fun and aching legs at The Magic Kingdom, we had a day off to just chill and visit Downtown Disney and switch from our 1st hotel to our 2nd, a tiny one to a bigger resort.  Easy, right?  Right?

Um, no.  Never.  Our luggage, apparently couldn't find the new hotel.  Apparently Elizabeth couldn't either.  But that's another story.  The luggage was on a direct route from hotel 1 to hotel 2 and managed to get lost.

EIGHT AND A HALF HOURS LATER and after many phone calls to track it and direct it and beg for it ... it arrived.  By a man who was not any too happy that we didn't tip him.  But suffice it to say that I don't tip men with black underwear and plumber's crack.  Walt would not have been happy with my view.  Sigh.

And back to Elizabeth ... Let's just say that she likes to get on ANY Monorail, NO MATTER WHERE IT'S GOING!!  Even if it means that you are MILES from your destination ... and I do mean miles.  Good grief.  I saw more of Orlando on the first night than I saw in my previous five trips.  And I have the shin splints to prove it.

But it's saturday morning now and here's how I feel about this trip so far:

 Um... Yeah.

honeymoon

Okay, no real honeymoon (we already celebrated our honeymoon mishaps) and now life goes on.

I was actually beginning to feel like yesterday's news ... when all of a sudden I heard our names again on the radio!  What the heck!!??

My buddy, Jody Dean was reminiscing about the wedding and mentioning what his favorite moment/quote of the entire day was ... It was when DJ Rebekah was interviewing me on the "red carpet" (yes, it was really red) and said, "Kris, I've always wanted to ask this on the red carpet.... WHO are you wearing?"  And I answered, "Who am I wearing?  Oh how sad, I'm wearing Dillards."  Yep, never at a loss for words.  That's me.

Anyway, that quote played over the air several times ... and I was beaming with pride each and every time.  Yep, I was.

And as life now begins to get somewhat back to normal, I am now putting 'vow renewal' memories away.  I returned two dresses and a pair of shoes.  One more dress to go.  The flowers were disposed of tonight (oh did our house smell heavenly!) the cake will go tomorrow and I am now climbing down off of Cloud 9.  Albeit slowly.

I returned to work, I returned to my play, I finished my play, I did laundry, I started to clean the house (I said started) and for one brief moment, life was normal.

And then I remembered that I leave for vacation in just 48 hours.  Florida, here we come!

Wait!  Maybe this IS our honeymoon!  Too bad Rick can't come.  It's just Liz and I taking a little long-ish weekend.  And actually, upon closer thought, it's best Rick stays home.  We did Florida the first time around and look what happened ... a hurricane.  And a radio show.  Okay Rick, you can come.  But only if KLUV comes, too.

;)

2013 in Review

Well, we know I didn't get my Christmas cards out ... so we also know that I didn't write a Christmas newsletter this year, either.  That one hurt.  In fact, I didn't sit down to even ponder what we did this year.  I'm pretty sure we did something, though.  We must've.

Let's see...

Rick started out the year needing surgery.  Back surgery.  And merely days after the surgery happened he was relieved from his pain.  Surgery good.  Rick good.  Life good.

Elizabeth started out the year headed to Walt Disney World for a college internship.  She had returned home from Arizona (and college life there) to accept a position she'd been offered at her dream company, Disney.  She'd never been to Florida though, and this sounded like a pretty neat thing.  I liked it, too, because I GOT TO TAKE HER THERE!   So ...

I started out the year in Florida!  Yep, Liz and I drove there (so she could have her car with her) and I flew back but not before visiting the Magic Kingdom and introducing Elizabeth to the place that Rick and I honeymooned.  So ...

Elizabeth spent five months in Orlando and loved it.  She was given a position on the Toy Story Mania ride and then auditioned for and became Toy Story Barbie.

I earned a second trip to Orlando in May to visit Elizabeth for her birthday.  Her 22nd.  This time I was there for four days of fun and play.  I got to visit all four parks for free! 

Rick got to stay home with the dog and cat. 

Summer came and instead of picking up a second internship, Elizabeth put her Walt Disney career on hold and returned to Frisco.  Her intention was to work locally for six months and then return to the amusement park in a different capacity (a professional internship instead of a college internship) but she went and landed a job one day after returning home and she loves it!  She's working in Plano for a company that sells computer parts to the government and the military.  Her own office and a good salary.

I'm thrilled that she's off my insurance ... a raise for me!

Summer brought Rick's mother to Texas to live after a 20 year battle to get her here.  She likes it and we like it.  And life is good.  For her and us.

Rick entered the fall season in more pain, yet again.  Darn it!  We are monitoring this and tabooing any surgery for him.

I entered the fall returning to my Frisco ISD job and still liking it a lot.  I'm especially liking not paying for Elizabeth's insurance anymore. 

Elizabeth entered the fall with an event that will take her quite awhile to get over.  We're all still reeling from her being attacked at her work by a homeless man.  She survived and she fought him off successfully ... and is now interested in the martial arts. 

I like that Elizabeth is studying martial arts.

No additional trips were taken during the year unless you count a trip to Winstar, the Las Vegas of the Midwest.  More like the Laughlin of the Midwest.  Actually, more like one single Indian casino in the Midwest.  We did not come home rich.

November gave Rick one more chance to appeal for his military pension.  He and I took a road trip to Bonham, Texas (aka Hicksville) where they put him through the ringer.  We spent ALL DAY at the Veteran's hospital in Bonham where he had every test under the sun.  Still waiting for those dang results, too.

And as Christmas approached ... I managed to get our tree up and decorated on November 1st.  'Taint never done that before ... However, I never got the lights out in the yard and I never got the cards out.  So ... the early bird may catch the worm but he sure is tired from it and can't ever coordinate the rest of the tasks.

Probably because I was busy directing actors again for our Christmas dinner theater at my church.  We repeated our play "An Americana Christmas" and all WOULD'VE gone well if ... we hadn't had a severe ice storm throughout the city and gotten frozen in and confined to our homes.  Yeesh.  That's twice since we've lived here.  Our play did go on (because the show MUST go on) but four of our performances had to be cancelled and two had to be added.  Life was quite interesting around that time.

And, Christmas came and went.  The decorations are still up, the presents are all still under the tree (yes, opened) and the leftover food is still living in our fridge.  Yes, we are eating large in the Kahle home.

Despite Rick's pain, we have had a fun year.  Adventurous, too.  Just ask Liz.  And, once again, we feel completely blessed.  God has been so good and so faithful to us.  2014 is approaching quickly and we're all looking forward to it.  We remain a close family and plan to all be under the same roof for at least one more year.  Then Liz is off to California and Rick and I plan to ... what?  Well, nothing different.  We'll still be here.

Midnight is still here, too.  She's over 12 now.  Well, we've had her for 12 1/2 years but she was full grown when we got her. Jeannie's still with us, too.  Jeannie doesn't show her face much though and that's okay with me.

So ... since we're all still here, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful, wonderful New Year.  We wish you God's peace and His blessings on you as well. 

With our love ~

Kris, Rick and Elizabeth
with Jeannie and Midnight, too.

So... that was quick

Once my daughter decided to come home from her Florida gig, I had big plans for her.  Big, big plans. 

My house would be cleaned.  Twice a week.  Dinner on the table every night.  All the laundry washed, fluffed and folded.  (Fluffed?)  The house would be dusted and redusted.  And, if necessary, redusted again.  Not that it ever gets dirty ... The pets would be fed, watered and cleaned.  The grass would be mowed.  The ashes cleaned out of the fireplace (yes, they've been there quite awhile), the shoes all put away, the kitchen floors mopped ... heck, I even had plans for my attic being cleaned out.  And I have THREE attics.  There's too much stuff in the garage and I have a massive garage sale planned.  THIS WEEKEND!  This just barely taps into the list that I had designed for my dear, darling daughter.  Yes, I now had an assistant secretary slave.  I was very excited!

And although she wanted a job, with my list here, there just wasn't going to be time for such frivolity.  But my daughter would still dream about a wonderful job where she would earn lots of money and earn her keep here at home and pay us back for all the gas tanks we filled and all the cell phone bills we paid and all of the food we poured into her and all of the glad rags we put on her back.  Yeah, glad rags.  That's a 50's term.  I'm much too young to recall it myself.  Shut up.

So, anyway.  The best laid plans.  Isn't that how it always goes?  Well, the best laid plans that I made anyway.  Liz' dreams always come true.

My daughter has been in town for five days.  FIVE DAYS.  And that's exactly how long it took for her to be HANDED A JOB.  A well-paying job, five days a week, 8 - 5 everyday.  Monday through Friday.  Full time.  Her own office.  I'm breathless it all happened so fast. 

I'd be happy for her ... if I hadn't just lost my housekeeper-launderer-cook-pet sitter-gardener-garage sale attendant ... and ... chimney sweep.

So ... uh ... what's next?

Yes, I shall cook, clean, sweep, wash, dry, feed, water and brush ... and still manage to have an amazing garage sale this weekend.

But I don't do chimneys.  Just not gonna' happen. 

Chim chiminey, chim chiminey, chim chim cheroo ...

So, in a nutshell ...

 My dear, darling daughter stopped WHENEVER SHE SAW A CHARACTER.  And darn it, she just kept seeing them.  Over and over and over.  She was on a "hidden Mickey" hunt but she was also on a hidden character hunt. 

Up first, Sorcerer Mickey.

Then some Star Wars dude...  It was, after all, "Star Wars Weekend."  For future reference ... do not let me go to Walt Disney World on a "Star Wars Weekend."  It ain't pretty.  The people aren't, either.  Jedi everywhere you looked.  This dude above?  Might not even be a real character.  It could very well have been a park guest.  It probably was, too.

This gal sang for us.  She was at EPCOT and Elizabeth just fell in love with her voice.  So, of course, she had to have her picture taken with her.

This is Marie from the Aristocats.  Elizabeth convinced her to pose the way SHE wanted her to.  She convinced me to take a picture, too.  Marie and I do what we're told.

Elizabeth found Peter Pan, just hanging around.  Peter didn't want to pose.  But Liz got him to, too.

Wendy was there, too.  Liz engaged her in a conversation.  Then Liz engaged me to take a picture.  Wendy and I obeyed.

Goofy obeyed, too. 

He had to.  He really had to.

Mickey invited Liz up onto his private stage in his private dressing room. 

It wasn't long before I had to pose a bit, too.

Not sure who took the picture, though. 

I am sure of this, though ...

Mickey liked me better.  I got a kiss.

I got a sunburn, too.  Lucky me.

Posing was not my thing. 

But dining was!  I scored this once while Liz was off meeting celebrities characters.

Dining made me smile.

And wadded up sweaters around my neck made my sunburn vanish.  Almost.

.

I may not've made this clear ...

... but my daughter is in route to Texas as we speak.  Well, as I speak.  Well, as no one speaks, actually.  How 'bout as I type this?  She's had to make lots of decisions lately, most importantly, the one about staying or going (in Florida or coming back to Texas) followed by what is best for her health.  Here's what she typed on her blog recently:

I would like to return to Orlando six months from now in January 2014 for what’s called a professional internship. It’s exactly what it sounds like. The same thing as the college program I’m about to complete, but for the higher reachers. Most of them are major-specific and all of them are designed to get you into exactly the area of Disney where you want to be. My first choices are entertainment and guest relations of course, but there are literally hundreds of options I don’t even know about.

But that’s next year. I’ll keep my eye on that application window of course, but for now I just have to take it day. by. day. First the completion of this program, then moving home, then completing my degree, then the big girl steps into the real world.

And although I saw her just last weekend (on my fun-filled adventure to Florida that I have yet to show you pictures of but promise that'll come next) I'm still anxious to have her home.  We have a few things (mostly money) to iron out, work out, FIX here in Texas.  And so ... the adventure begins.

But not before I tell you about the adventure she's on right now ...  She just texted me this:

I stopped for a rest at a gorgeous looking mall and, funfact, I have no idea which state I'm in. Is it socially acceptable to ask?

"Excuse me, what state am I in?"

Might as well say, "What year is it? Who am I? How do I get to the gold rush?"

Ever clever.  That's her.

Photos tomorrow, I promise.  Unless I change my mind.  Again.

a morning in the life ...

** continued **

So, where was I?  Oh yes.  I was standing in the middle of the terminal that I knew I'd parked my car in.  I knew I was in the right spot, too, because I'd memorized a code for my car's location ... A 2 1.  I was in section A, floor 2, spot 1.  I had gotten a prime spot on Friday morning and it was an easy spot/number to commit to memory.  Yes, it was. 

Yet, something was wrong.  Something was verrry wrong.  Where were the limousines I'd parked behind on Friday?  Where was the elevator I'd taken down to the first floor.  They ... were gone.  All gone.  In fact ... why were there suddenly so many gates?  'Dallas Love Field,' where I'd left from on Friday had very few gates, yet I was standing there looking at gate 25, 26, 27, 28, etc.  WHAT WAS GOING ON????  WHO STOLE MY CAR????  AND ... WHY WAS I NOT IN OZ ANYMORE?

And then it dawned on me.

Yes, my car was most likely at Love Field.  But I wasn't.  Somehow I had been transported to DFW.  Same city, different ball park.  Actually, Dallas is huge so it's more like same country, different ocean.

I didn't have time to be embarrassed, I had to figure this one out.  All by myself.  So I called Rick to ask him what to do.  Yeah, that's how I figure things out by myself.  Know what Rick said?  Well, never mind what he said.  It wasn't pretty.

I made the snap decision to find some transportation to the other airport.  But where?  How?  To do this, I would need to get myself back into the terminal and back to someone who could help.  So I hauled two heavy suitcases back inside, looking for a phone to try to make some sort of reservation for transportation.  I hauled those suitcases over to an elevator and took it up to the arrival floor thinking that there would be phones there.  There weren't.  I then hauled them back downstairs via an escalator (because elevators are for sissies?) and searched for some ground transportation.  All of the excitement caused me to need a restroom, though.  So, back upstairs I went.  And eventually back downstairs again.  My arms got quite a workout.

Once back down for the second or third or fourth time, I found a phone and got ahold of the car rental reservationist.  I was told to haul my suitcases over five gates where I'd see a blue bus that would take me to the hub of ground transportation.  And I saw the bus ... as it was pulling away.  It was 20 minutes before it would return.  I was 20 minutes closer to having a breakdown.

Once on the bus to the car rental hub (seven LONG miles away) I bolted for the Alamo desk believing that it would be the cheapest car to rent.  Plus there were no customers there.  I know why there were no customers there ... $117 to rent one lousy economy car for one lousy day!  The guy there discouraged me from doing it and told me that it would be cheaper to hail a taxi ... for $60.  This was turning out to be a costly mistake I'd made.

So, I stepped outside to use the phone to call the taxi that the Alamo man had suggested.  But $117 just didn't sit well with me.  There had to be a cheaper car out there!  There HAD to be.  And there was.  "E-Z Car Rental."  Sounded sleazy, but hey.  It was a car and it would get me to my car.

Or would it?

Nope.  E-Z Sleazy Car Rental did not have a booth at Dallas Love Field.  It was either call a cab or take EZ's car and return it later to this very same spot.  I opted to take the car and get myself to work.  My work clothes, however, were stored neatly in my car at Love Field (I was so careful to lay them out on Friday for my trip to work on Tuesday) so I was going to have to report to my job wearing my flight clothes.  Yes, there was nothing pretty about this day but at least it was going to work out.  Or so I thought. 

Once at work (yes, I made it) I had to fight fatigue and accidentally dozing off all day long.  It was not pretty.  I was not pretty.  And it was a very long four hours.  Twice I lost control and was jarred awake when someone would open my office door.  Twice I wanted to kill them.  Twice I thanked them instead.  It kept me upright.

And finally it was time to get myself back into my little rented Nissan and back to the airport.  I had arranged for my brother in law and sister in law to help me out.  Rick is still recovering from his back surgery so he was not able to follow me back to the airport in his car but I did invite him along for the ride.  Remember I hadn't even seen him since Friday.  So I picked him up and off we went.  And we met up with my relatives who immediately scolded me for bringing him because had they known, they would've brought a bigger car.  The car they brought was not the best size for getting Rick in and out of the back seat.  (note ... perhaps you could've let him sit in the FRONT seat?)  (No, I'm not bitter, why?)

Anyway, we met up and I drove the little Nissan back into the EZ gates and was promptly charged $70 for the car rental.  Say what????  Yep, the airport taxes were that high.  And yes, it would've truly been cheaper to have hailed that cab after all.  Hindsight ...

So ... we made it over to Love Field and yes, I did find my car right where I'd left it.  It seemed easier (and more courteous) to let my inlaws just drop us off at the arrival area and put Rick on a bench there and let me come around and pick him up.  Yes, in theory, that seemed easier.  That would save them the time and the cost of the parking ticket and they could head out on their way.  Well, it seemed like a smart idea, anyway.  And it was courteous.  It was also stupid.  It was even stupider that I opted to leave my purse with Rick so that I wouldn't have to carry it to my car.  What was I thinking????

When I reached my car (yes it was still behind the limousines) I noticed my toll tag was sitting on my dashboard instead of fixed to my windshield.  Odd, I thought, but, oh well.  I started my engine and headed to the booth for drivers with toll tags and tried to get out.  The booth had no intention of letting me out.  The arm would not raise up no matter how fast and furious I waved my toll tag at it.  So, thinking it was just a broken gate, I tried the next gate over.  Same story.  Nothing.

Finally I drove to the lane with the cashier in it and with a sad face, I held up my toll tag to her.  She didn't care.  She told me I had to pay my toll or I would not get out.  "But ... but ... but ... I don't have my purse!  All I have is my toll tag which has apparently gone on strike!"

That adorable cashier would not budge.  Not one inch.  Either pay ... or sit here and rot.  I tried again to win her over.  She couldn't be won.  She kept telling me to give her a charge card number.  I kept telling her I had no purse.  She then told me to call my husband and have him read me the credit card number over the phone. 

"I HAVE NO PURSE!"  What part of that didn't she understand?

"Then you don't exit.  Period."  Hitler was getting on my nerves fast.

When the line of cars behind me reached TEN, the German Nazi decided to step out of her booth and have every one of those kind-hearted cars back up (and that was no easy feat) so that the idiot at the front of the line could turn around and repark.  Yes, Eva Braun would not budge on that.  She was bound and determined to win this round.  And she did.  She definitely won.  She managed to get each one of those cars (most gunning their engines at me) out of line and although it took some mighty choreography, I did escape Eva's clutch and headed back to repark and find Rick.  I found a wheelchair, too, and grabbed it.  Rick never saw me coming.  He was too busy watching in the other direction for my car.  He did not have kind words for me when I did reach him, toting a wheelchair.  But, I'd made up my mind; he was coming with me and we would fight this battle together.

Nearly a half hour later, Rick was nestled in my car and I was back in line with Little Miss Sunshine, who made me pay.  And not only did she make me pay ... she made me pay the PREMIUM price of parking, because to pick up Rick, I had to park in the ultra wonderful spot up front.  AND she charged me for this.  I hate her.

The day did finally end.  The memories will live on though.

And the best memory?  Rick asked me this morning, "So, did you even leave from Love Field at all?"

No, Rick.  I just parked my car there and walked to DFW.  'Cuz I needed the exercise.

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a day in the life ...

I'm going to jump right to the end of the story so that you can see exactly what I went through yesterday.  It was just one of those days right from the very beginning ... wait, no.  There has never been a day such as this in my life.  I swear I couldn't have even imagined this ...

First of all, I was out of town for the long weekend.  Four days off and I decided to fly to Florida to spend them with my daughter.  It was also her 22nd birthday.  It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.  No husband, no work, no responsibilities.  No money either, but that's what credit cards are for.

So anyway ... I had chosen to fly home on Tuesday morning instead of Monday night so that I could spend the entire day prior with my daughter on her birthday.  It didn't seem right to have to make her take me to the airport on her birthday, so I stayed until the very last minute.  And that minute came very early on Tuesday morning.  We were slated to get up at 5:00, to leave at 6:00, to get me to the airport around 6:30, to fly out at 8:00, to arrive in Dallas at 10:00 and thus have me arriving to work around 11:00 or 11:30.

The best laid plans.

So ... LONG before the 5 AM alarm went off I'd already had trouble sleeping.  As near as I could figure, the Tylenol PM I'd taken to help me sleep was not really a Tylenol PM.  I would later learn that it was an Excedrin, chalked full o' caffeine to help you, what?  Stay awake?  It worked.  So, just as I was close to falling asleep, that dang alarm rang out.  Loud and clear.  And I yelled to Elizabeth to TURN IT OFF!  THAT'S WAAAY TOO LOUD!!!  Elizabeth opened her eyes and glared at me like I was nuts. 

"That's not my alarm.  Must be your alarm." 

"Whose ever alarm it is, TURN IT OFF!"

"Can't."

"WHY NOT?"

"Cause it's a fire alarm.  Must be a fire drill."  And she rolled back over.

** blink blink **

A fire alarm?  In a hotel?  What?  Huh?  Then ... "GET UP!!!  THE HOTEL MUST BE ON FIRE!!!!!"

Know what my dear, darling daughter said?  "Nope.  I went to school in the public school system.  I know a fire drill when I hear one and this one's fake."

Say what?  But, my fervor and panic started getting to her and she began to shake and panic as well. Fair is fair, you know.

Knowing that IF IT WERE indeed a real fire, we would NEVER get back into our room and ... hello!  I had a plane to catch!  So Elizabeth and I grabbed all of my belongings and shoved them under each arm and staggered out the door.  Well, I staggered out the door.  Elizabeth had decided that she WOULD NOT go out into the hallway in her pjs, so she sat down and got dressed.  Yes, she did.  She got into her jeans and the cutest t-shirt she could find in record time.  Me?  I had slept in my clothes.  I was too exhausted from the night before to bother with pajamas.  So, I was good.

And as we finally got out the door lugging luggage and loose stuff under our arms, Liz let the door slam shut behind us.  And then she panicked. 

"I LEFT THE CAR KEYS INSIDE!  YOU RUSHED ME AND I DON'T HAVE THE KEYS NOW!"  (I rushed you?  I think a fire alarm helped.)

I just looked at her and smirked, showing her that I had grabbed the door key ... and near as I could figure, it would still work.  Yes, it would, and the keys were retrieved and the two of us headed out into the hallway to join the other latecomers who were rushing outside, in the dark, to await their fate.  Except Liz and I didn't stop once we hit the outside.  We jumped into her car and took off for the airport.  The fire trucks were starting to arrive and even though curiosity was bubbling over in us ... we took off and got outta Dodge before we were blocked in.  And, yes, I made it to the airport in plenty of time.  I slept on the plane, too.  Something I never do but my eyes were failing me.

So ... is that what made it a most unusual day?  Of course not.  The day was only just getting started.

Approximately two hours later, I arrived in Dallas.  A few of us deplaned and the rest stayed on and headed to Vegas or somewheres else to finish their journeys.  My trip ended here though, or so I thought.  In reality, my trip was just beginning.

I claimed my two suitcases (one for me and one I was carrying home for my daughter) and headed to the exact spot I'd left my car in four days earlier.  I was so proud of myself for remembering exactly where I'd placed my car.  Yes, I was gonna show the world that I had a great memory.

'Cept, something looked different.


*** To Be Continued ***

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and guess what I'm doing this morning?

I'm headin' out.  I'm off.  Something about the wild blue yonder just beckons me up there.  Nah, not really.  It's got nuthin' to do with flying.

Did you know I used to be a flight attendant with United Airlines?  You'd never know it from my dislike of flying. 

But aside from all that ... I am off today.  Off to see the wizard my daughter.  It is her birthday weekend and she SWORE to me that she didn't have a friend in the world and that her birthday would be very lonely.  So I grabbed the chance to head out of town and visit her, play in all of the Walt Disney Parks, eat my face off, enjoy my long weekend and just escape from the daily rat race.

My poor daughter?  Well, I've since learned that she has TONS of friends and she was just whining on one particular day that she was feeling left out of something.  I think I jumped a little too soon.

But, I'll force myself to have a good time.  FORCE myself to choke down all that awful food in all of those awful restaurants.  And I'll force myself to enjoy four days of sun and fun in all of the Walt Disney parks for free.  That'll be the worst part. 

Yeah, it's gonna be tough.  'Cuz that rat race is so exciting back home.

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Say What?

What about this just doesn't look right?



This is a page out of my daughter's daily calendar.  Her daily 'to do' list that she sends me each week.

Is it just me ... or to the two events of the day rather contradict each other?

And should I be offended that my daughter was having sex on the stairs ... ON MOTHER'S DAY???

;)



prodigal daughter returns !

So, now that we've gotten Elizabeth to Florida, we need to get her home.  Yes, she's homeward bound now.  Fortunately, I don't have to continue paying rent in Florida though!

In case I haven't shared this yet, Elizabeth has decided to end her internship as of May 31st.  She had the option of picking up a second "college program" and staying in Florida until August 8th or ending her tenure at Walt Disney World and then applying for a "professional internship" that will take place in January.  She has opted for the latter choice. 

But ... before that decision was made, I spent countless hours on the telephone trying to find her a suitable apartment to live in since she would need to give up her dorm room.  And "dorm room" is a loose term.  It was actually six girls crammed together in a two bathroom apartment. 

Elizabeth will be returning to Casa de Kahle in Frisco, where she'll have an entire second floor to herself (except for the comings and goings of her cat) with three bedrooms and two baths and a media room.  Poor kid.  It'll take some time getting used to all that space, I'm sure.

 Rick and I told her that she would need to pay us rent.  Not much, but some rent nonetheless.  She balked at it.

"EXCUSE ME????  I've just paid $800/month for an apartment that you weren't even living in, Missy!"

Oh, wait.  Don't tell her about the conversation I just had with that area manager.

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