Suddenly Sunday

Hello from New Mexico!

I'm here with BA and Julia after a crazy travel day that took twice as long as it should have thanks to bad weather in Chicago. We sat on the runway in Ottawa for over an hour and a half because of strong winds in Chicago having grounded planes and they were having a backlog. Thanks to having the United ap, I knew that my connecting flight was over two hours late, so I knew I would still be able to catch it. Then, just before I switched to airplane mode, I got notice that it was cancelled altogether! Arg.

So once I was on the ground in Chicago (and we wound up being in a holding pattern around the airport for 15 minutes because they were back down to only one runway - the pilot told us if we had to wait more than 20 minutes, we were going to have to divert to another airport and refuel! Luckily that didn't happen.) So, finally in Chicago, I went and stood in the huge line at the service desk. I had been automatically booked for a flight that left Chicago for Denver at 5:45pm and then from there to New Mexico at 10:30pm! I wouldn't be getting in until 11:33 pm local time and I had been up since 4am my time, which would have put me at awake for 22 hours... They did put me on standby for the 10:15am to Denver (it was currently almost 11am). The flight to Denver was severely delayed, though -- they were waiting on a plane to get in. In the end, I had plenty of time to go sit and wait for that one. And I did get on it.

Once in Denver, the next flight to New Mexico left in 30 minutes from when I landed, and I didn't have a seat on that one, either. So I knew I had to run. Once on the ground I found out I had to run from B24 to B82... I kid you not. I got to the gate to find out that that plane was also delayed, this time by about 45 minutes, so I could have walked, got on the stanby list (there were many, many of us) and did not get on the plane (only 2 did!). So, the next flight to New Mexico left at 6:45 and was all the way back at gate B31. At least this time I didn't have to run, I had plenty of time to get there and the folks at B82 promised me that they'd transferred the standby list to that flight.

This plane was the first one that was on time all day and amazingly, my name was called and I made it on the plane.

So I got into New Mexico around 8pm, utterly exhausted, and so happy to see BA and Julia and get out of the airport.

Good things about the day: I did get here, all the people at United were helpful and polite on what had to be a shitty, shitty day for them as every single flight that flew through Chicago was affected. Both planes I flew standby on, I wound up in the exit row, which meant I had extra legroom and it didn't feel so crowded, even though I was in the middle of three seats both times. And my checked bag actually made it to New Mexico before I did and was waiting for me at their service desk in the baggage claim area. And lastly, I got here safe and sound.

I'm hoping for a totally boring trip home!

Now we're gearing up for Thanksgiving week, figuring out what we're going to have to eat, where we're going to go, telling stories and laughing a whole lot. This visit is always good for my soul.

Although I can't believe this is already day five of my time here!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend :)

Sean
smut fixes everything
where the naughty boys come... and play