Yep, thanks. The pile is progressing (and would progress faster if I closed out a few A2K windows :wink:
A have 7 reports to finish before I can leave. They each take about 2 hours to complete (allowing for breaks in between to run to the basement, stick in a load of laundry, check in here
, and get back to it).
Two down, five to go....
JPB--
You're being tried and tested.
Would you say that the cats were motivated by God or by the Devil?
They were probably motivated by hunger. I have herbs and salad greens growing under the grow light. They'd be better being motivated by a will to live. I fight off the deer from eating my plants outside and now the cats inside, grrrrrr.
Progress is being made. I have one more report to do, I've got the kids on laundry detail, and Mr B is out buying luggage. The first person that asks me to make dinner tonight gets blasted!
We first discovered the problem when a wet cat rubbed against our legs early this morning. We tried to keep them out of the basement while the floor was drying, but that's where their litter boxes are so they spend a lot of time down there. I now have clumps of kitty litter everywhere from them climbing into the boxes with wet feet and then walking throughout the rest of the house.
Something tells me I'll be having a glass or two of wine before this night is over.
JPB--
Did you get your wine?
Have a wonderful time in the sun.
Uff-da.
That's amazing progress on the reports in those circumstances, I'm impressed.
Beach soon...
Had a shitty dream this morning and woke up in a funky mood. Trying to shake it...
ARGGGGGHHHH!!!!!
Well, it's 11:14 pm and I'm back home after sitting at the airport for 13 hours. We arrived at O'Hare at 9:00 this morning, checked our bags at the curb and proceeded to the gate only to discover that our flight was overbooked and we were at the top of the list to get seat assignments if someone didn't show up. At the end, they offered us one seat instead of four - we declined. Our luggage went to South Carolina without us. We were given standby tickets for the overbooked 1:40 flight (along with 73 other people - no joke!) and confirmed seats on the 7:10 pm flight. At 3:00 we heard that the 7:10 flight was delayed until 10:05 pm but we were told not to leave the gate area because they were hoping to move it back up closer to 7:00. Between 3:00 and 8:00 the gate was changed 3 times (back and forth between two different terminals). At 9:15 they announced that the plane was due to arrive at 9:45 and we would depart as close to 10:05 as we could - as soon as everyone boarded, so get in line, ready to board. At 9:35 (without an announcement) the status board showed the flight as canceled.
When the announcement finally came they said all checked baggage would go to SC on the earliest flight in the morning but that no one could get confirmed seats until Monday. Anyone wanting to prevent their luggage from going on the early flight would have to go to baggage claim, where their luggage would be available IN FIVE OR SIX HOURS!!!! Not that this mattered to us -- our luggage arrived safely in SC at noon!
We called a cab, came home, got on the phone with the airline and have confirmed seats on a flight tomorrow at 4:37 pm (even though we were told twice today that there are no seats available until Monday afternoon). I checked in for tomorrow's flight online, but was unable to get boarding passes (probably because there are no seats available). So now we have to go back to the airport in the morning to try to get boarding passes and spend another day at the airport to find out whether or not we can get on a plane. Or, we can cancel our flights and start driving 14 hours to meet up with our luggage (which is still 3 hours away from our destination).
Did someone mention wine?
A nightmare, except for the being awake part. Like you haven't had enough trouble already.
I hope you get where you want to go--with your luggage. I also hope you have a wonderful, relaxing, fun time when you get there.
You mention wine?
Aw, JPB! That's awful!
You deserve a LOT of wine, I think. So go ahead. You're taking taxis & planes anyway, right? You know, it won't matter if you show up at the gate tomorrow drunk. They might even put you on a plane faster, just to get rid of you!
JPB's WELL-DESERVED WINE BREAK
Thanks, ladies.
We're still here. I went to the airport by myself at 6:00 this morning to attempt to get boarding passes for the 4:37 pm flight (as was suggested by two of the many, many folks I spoke with at United Airlines yesterday). I was told that I could not get boarding passes until 30 minutes before our flight. Yes, we are confirmed on the flight, but we will have to wait for someone to not show up, or be willing to give up their seats. HAH! The only ones not showing up will be us. Many of the folks on last night's canceled flight had already spent 36 hours or more at the airport hearing the same BS. Confirmed reservations only means that you are offered empty seats prior to someone flying standby.
I canceled our flights, serviced the van, canceled the rental car, contacted the resort and told them we wouldn't be arriving until Sunday (seven day prepaid vacation just became five days at the same price), called MIL (who happens to be in Charleston where our luggage is) and asked her to go over to the airport to grab our bags before some genius at United sees that we've canceled the flights but doesn't notice the note on the record not to return our luggage to Chicago.
We did manage to get a full $1500 refund on the nonrefundable airline tickets. The one bright point of this adventure so far.
That's ... ...a"*rmH°^´'~t ... ... the restart of wonderful vacancies.
Hmmm, I had a hell of a time getting to my very loved aunt's memorial in Idaho a few years ago, similar rigamarole as yours though not quite as wretched as yours, and, after an all day total chaos wait at the first stop, the Portland airport, I finally did get a much later flight going in an out of the way direction (!), Seattle, and then catching a connector to Spokane. Had to get a motel in Spokane, the airport closest to my destination, since I don't drive at night, and, besides, I missed the main dinner-get together.
Did make it to the graveside mosquito colloquy the next day by the skin of my teeth.
When I got home I wrote what I considered an elegantly crabby letter to the airline, and they sent me a pass for close to the full flight charge.
What a crumby start to what I hope turns out to be an enjoyable vacation...
Owie...... I have an ear infection. I think. My ear is full and painful. It is sort of sharp-throbbing. I woke up with a sore throat (I've been sick with a cold for about 2 weeks) and thought I was getting sick anew. I haven't had an ear infection for a long time - this sucks.
I researched the web and found that gum with xylitol in it helps keep the bacteria down in one's mouth and throat and the chewing action can help to dislodge some of the gunk. I figured I'd try the netti pot again and it cleaned out a bunch of gunk and my hearing much improved, but my ear still hurts.
Littlek--
My sympathies. Kids come with germs.
JPB--
My deep, heartfelt sympathies.
I was going to mutter about a computer virus ("How could I know," he said) but I'd be ashamed to complain about my day at home on the telephone.
JPB, Grrrrrrrrrrrr.
littlek, sorry to hear you're under the weather.
Computer viruses are also worth a mutter.
Littlek, I've found that neti pot or equivalent (bulb syringe + saline lavage) is the best way to deal with incipient ear infection. That plus lots of immune system boosters (rest, fresh fruits + veggies, etc.)
JPB, that is just jaw-droppingly awful to read. Especially when this wasn't any old vacation, this was a desperately needed vacation!! Hope everything goes smooth as silk from now on...
That sucks, JB. Is it just us or is air travel becoming a nightmare for everyone?
Littlek, ow-ee. Aren't there some eardrops on the market now that help with the pain? I thought I heard that since doctors aren't prescribing antibiotics for kids with ear infections, they've come out with an over the counter ear drop.
I just poured warm (not warm enough) oil into my ear. It was infused with garlic which I then strained out. I used the neti pot twice today, napped with a hot wrap pressed against my ear. I took two extra strength ibuprofen and it seems they did nothing to cut the pain.
It started to drain, icky. Still hurts like a mf.
