Travel Day Summer Vacation 2016

Our plane left at 6:20 am. What is with these early morning flights I seem to always be on? Of course, that time is 3:30 am in California so it was damn early no matter how you looked at it. We left at 4:00 for the airport which meant we got up at 3:30, actually 12:30 in California, so we figured we were already getting our bodies adjusted. The girls contemplated not going to bed, but by 1:30 they succumbed.

We were through security and at the gate by 5:11 which gave us plenty of time to grab a nap coffee and breakfast. We flew Southwest, my new favorite airline, which meant free bags, but no assigned seating. Darcy and I ended up with a stranger who took the aisle seat. I was in the middle, and by the end of the four hour flight to Phoenix I was a bear. No one of my hefty stature should ever be given a middle seat. First, my new carry on that I got for Christmas that fits under the seat isn't easy to get to once it is under there. I moved around quite a bit to get important stuff I needed; a stylus, my book, my water, my headphones, my sweater. The guy in the seat on the aisle was trying to sleep, and half of his left leg was on my side which meant that I touched it quite a bit. He eventually moved it over. About an hour into the flight, I had to go to the bathroom due to my venti iced coffee and two bottles of water. I had to wake up the aisle man. I returned and started reading my book, but fell into a slumber. About that time I heard aisle man ask to change seats with his wife, and so when I woke up twenty minutes later I had a new seatmate. His wife was a twig, and was a much better fit with me. She, however, was asleep too, and I had to go to the bathroom again. I had to wake her.

We landed and walked two yards to our new gate. We had enough time to hit the bathrooms (Darcy: "What is wrong with you? You're as bad a Maddy with all of your trips to the bathroom) and then we were boarding again. This time I snagged the aisle and put my carry on overhead after getting out my belongings. Madison sat in the middle seat and promptly spilled her complementary drink. That required another trip to the bathroom for paper towels to clean it all up. Thankfully, that flight only lasted an hour, and we were in California. It was hot.

Our hosts picked us up in two different vehicles. I jumped into the car with my husband's brother and most of the luggage went into the backseat. We drove off and assured those left behind that the second car was coming. It did and that car stopped and got lunch so that Darcy could cross off one of the things on her list of things to do in California; In n' Out Burger.

Clint: "Next time you'll want to get in the car with the favorite uncle."

The two have lived in their house high in the hills now for fifteen years. The area was in its high heat index by the time we got there, or so it felt that way to us. Their three dogs, Kol, Pumpkin, and Brody were very happy to have us there and welcomed us with hours of sitting in our laps, next to us, over us, and near us to get petted.

Tom and the girls immediately passed out for naps. We spent the day relaxing, running a few errands, and catching up. In the evening we opened the house. The heat here is not humid and drops significantly in the evening hours. We had cocktails outdoors overlooking the twinkling of the city lights as hummingbirds flew over us on their way to their sugar water on the porch. A small fire was lit, and we had dinner and planned our next day's outing.