Connections

We are living in times where the word “global” applies to just about everything. Food prices, stock markets, people. You name it, it is probably somehow connected to the economy or culture of neighboring states, countries, continents. You feel this particularly when traveling. On Sunday we made a quick trip from my parents house to my grandfather’s house in Northampton and then back to the Berkshires to visit with him at the nursing home in Pittsfield. Basically, we experienced some rain in the morning at my parents house in Cheshire. Then as we were driving through Northampton the rain caught up to us and we had to make a mad dash from the car to the house. Then on our way back to Pittsfield we caught the rain again. We got to experience the same storm three times!! Oh wait – the day isn’t over yet.

After a good visit with grampa, who is much stronger and in better spirits than last time we saw him, my parents drove us to the Albany airport. We stopped in Sand Lake, NY at the Crooked Lake House Restaurant for some delicious food. The service was a little slow so we decided to skip dessert. Twenty minutes later and an hour before our flight Chad and I were happily passing through security. We stopped into the Capitol book shop to get some water and snacks (we hadn’t had dessert yet!!) and the woman that works there asks us how long our flight is delayed. Um, as far as we know it’s not. Chad goes to check out the situation while I peruse the magazines. I’m not finding anything that really interests me when Chad comes back wide eyed and clearly irritated. Our flight is delayed from 8:45 to 11 pm. I re-evaluate the magazine selection and decide on Forbes. A little investing advice is sure to put me to sleep while we wait.

So we wait. And then our flight is delayed to 11:30, then midnight, then 1:15, then 1:05 and then the screen goes blank. Apparently there is a storm moving up the east coast, which delayed our aircraft from leaving Orlando, FL on time. And then the storm kept the plane in Raleigh-Durham. And then it was held up in BWI. And if finally got to Albany at about 1:15 am. We loaded up as quickly as we could and I’m pretty sure the pilot was just as anxious to get to BWI as us. And then we land and there is no one in the terminal to move the ramp. Five minutes later the pilot comes on to announce that they have a couple ways of calling over assistance and they are working on it. And so it is that we pass by the baggage claim and everyone on our flight with checked baggage is happy to see that the luggage actually beat us out to the terminal! Next we wait 20 minutes for the shuttle to take us to the parking lot. And then we drive home and wouldn’t you know… there is NO traffic!! We fly home and step into the house at 3:45 am. Next time we visit the Berkshires, we are going to drive.

But before you think our only memory of the weekend was the travel home, we should say the trip was great until we got to the airport. Kate’s wedding was fun, the location was beautiful (despite being a golf course) – all the rain and sunshine mean that the trees and grass are green, green and the flowers are beautiful! It was great to catch up with some highschool friends I have not seen in a while, and some that I saw last month: Hannah, Greta, Kate and their husbands. We need more weddings! Unfortunately we’ll miss the next HS wedding when Keirn and Jennine tie the knot in August.

We did a lot of dancing, a fair amount of drinking, a lot of eating and a ton of socializing. But while everyone else went out to party further Chad and I decided to call it a night and were at my parents house by 11:30 pm. Yes, mom and dad waited up for us. :)

And Sunday we hung out with Greta and her daughter Vienna. Vienna is a month of shy of her 2nd birthday and she is so adorable, so much fun. We fed the fish, pet the cat, watched the toad, smelled the flowers. My parents’ yard is in full bloom and so beautiful right now. I'm still figuring out this blog thing so instead of having pics at the bottom, well, they're at the top.