We got home last night from Dallas (actually Frisco, TX) where we were at an Overhead garage door regional convention (Steve and his dad have a franchise). We were able to get on an early connection and got home around the time we would have taken off from the very beginning. Instead of Dallas-Denver-Billings and get home at midnight we were able to go Dallas-Chicago-Billings and got in at 8. But my bag didn't make it. Normally this is a carry on bag but Steve got so many tshirts and jackets for the guys at the shop that it created a situation where I had to check my carry on. Ugh. Still no word on it.
The flight from Chicago to Billings was on one of the smaller United Express jets but it was a new one; it only had 130 hours on it so the crew was kinda excited to be on it. I know this because we were in the very last row and one of the flight attendants had to sit right next to me so we chatted. The other "fun" thing was that there was a drunk guy on the flight who was a pest like not wanting to put on his seat belt and talking loudly before he finally fell sleep. And get this: he was in the exit row and they didn't move him. What if he decided he wanted out at some point or there really was an emergency? Oy. And the flight attendant got mad at him early on because he used the restroom and apparently his aim wasn't that great so she had to clean it.
And we were able to pick up Tug from the kennel that much earlier. I missed him and I'm sure he was glad to be home.
I was able to meet a friend who lives in Frisco, Maddy Van Hertenbruggen, and have a quick breakfast with her yesterday morning. That was a bonus and a very good time.
I don't fly well. I get motion sick on merry-go-rounds so you can imagine flying. Mostly it is the landing part where I struggle. I don't eat several hours ahead of time and take drammamine but I still have to fight the nausea. I can't help it; I can't fight it; but I do what I can to lessen it. I have to add Dallas as a not great place to land or take off -- lots of turbulence. Denver is always bad. Chicago turned out to be not bad but I did my usual looking straight ahead and breathing deeply and steadily. I can't see the motion outside the window or I get sick. I can't turn my head to talk to someone or I get sick. Poor Steve was looking out the window and loving the view and wanted me to look but I couldn't. Landing in Billings last night turned out to be not bad at all this time (I credit the pilot) but I made the mistake of talking to the flight attendant and getting ill. And sadly, the illness woozy feeling usually sticks around for a day or so after flying so today I'm having periods where I have to stop moving or sometimes lay down. I guess I can't be a world traveler, eh? And I don't really have to fly that much these days, just once a year typically, just enough to remind me that I don't do it well at all.
So I read and finished THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly on the trip. A sort of stand alone featuring the world of journalism and a serial killer. I like Connelly's writing always but the ending was a bit too coincidental. I then started my other take along, THE MERCHANT'S PARTNER by Michael Jecks. This is 2nd of 26 in series featuring Simon Puttock, medieval West County bailiff, and Sir Baldwin Furnshill, ex-Templar Knight, in Devon, England. Here's a description:
When the mutilated body of midwife and healer Agatha Kyteler is discovered in a hedge one frozen wintry morning, it at first appears the lack of clues will render the crime unsolvable -- until a frightened local youth inexplicably flees his village and a hue and cry is raised. Sir Baldwin Furnshill, once a Knight Templar, however, has doubts about the boy’s guilt, and enlists friend and bailiff of Lydford Castle, Simon Puttock, in the hunt for a murderer. But what they seek lies somewhere on the darker side of the village of Wefford, beneath layers of jealousy, suspicion, and hatred -- and the buried truth could prove fatal to anyone who disturbs it.
It was published in 1995 and has 384 pages.
Today's Blog/Website of the Day is Juxtabook found at http://www.juxtabook.typepad.com/. Books, book buying, book selling, book dealing, reading, reviews, libraries, literacy, education, teaching English Literature and all matters bookish
On tv tonight we'll be watching Game 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Go Pittsburgh! Of Game 3, we were able to watch the last 7 minutes from the hotel bar after the Annual Report from the Overhead Door CEO and the awards banquet.
So please, keep your fingers crossed that my bag shows up. I'd hate to have replace stuff.
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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