CAREGIVER DIARIES—TUESDAY THOUGHTS: GRATEFUL

Hello Tuesday.

Time spent with some of my Vision family members in Las Vegas, was great. 

A change in my itinerary on Saturday morning, meant a connection in Atlanta instead of Minneapolis, arriving a lot later than originally planned, and missing a catfish dinner, but all I really wanted was a comfortable bed.

I appreciate my aunt for taking the time to come and stay with my Dad for a few days, so that I could take the trip. 

I'm donning my caregiver hat again, and feeling surprisingly refreshed. 

My entire flight itinerary ultimately changed, which meant spending most of Saturday and Monday in airports, but patience prevailed. 

It was nice to see my cousin, Angela, at the airport, who I hadn't seen in years, nice to receive an unexpected blessing, and so nice to sing again.

I wonder if the Plaza Hotel will ever embrace a no-smoking policy, but then, I suppose our group was among few people who were negatively affected by the necessary walk through the smoky casino, in order to get to our rooms. 

I had to laugh at myself. 

The only slot that saw my money was a vending machine, to get a bag of potato chips. 

One good thing, was the breakfast--that was more than any one person could righteously, and unashamedly eat!

The phrase of the weekend seemed to be "mechanical failure". 

There were lots of pleas for patience, updates, and profuse apologies being announced, over and over. The 8:06 AM flight from McCarren, yesterday, became the 11AM-something flight, which affected the connection in Atlanta.  

The 4:30PM flight became the 6:20 flight, and finally the 8:30PM flight. 

The gate switched from T5 to T7, once again, another airplane had to be cleaned and brought from a hanger, and somehow my fellow travelers were bumped from the flight to DCA, and rerouted to BWI. 

There I was, ending my trip like it began--flying alone.
(I feel like a dope. It really was CNN reporter, Joe Johns I spotted at the gate in Atlanta, and I was too chicken to speak!) 

The delays meant walking, browsing, and charging batteries. It also afforded me an opportunity to enjoy a burger from Sam Adams, courtesy of Delta's meal voucher. It really hit the spot.

I'm so glad to be home, and off of planes, and out of the rain. It's good to know my aunt made it back safely to Massachusetts....: )

I hope that :

1. The impatient, foul-mouthed, possibly inebriated lady (who felt it necessary to share her phone conversations, rock music, and whistling skills with the entire McCarran airport Delta gate area yesterday) came to her senses, and is not handcuffed under a jail cell somewhere, for doing what she said she was going to do when she saw the judge in court this morning.

2. My seat mate, a caring, attentive and patient young father, traveling with his adorable 1 year-old son Zane (who slept ALL the way from Atlanta to DCA), will always be so--and be blessed tremendously.

3. Every caregiver will know the necessity of saying "Yes" when others ask, "Is there anything I can do?"

4. People will treat what belongs to others with as much, or more regard as they treat what’s theirs—providing they treat what belongs to them with great care.

5. God continues to bless the ministry and life of Richard Smallwood.

6. Ruby, Anne, Caitlin, Betty and Yolanda are having a great work day, and other Delta Airlines employees, who deal directly with the public, would take note of what happens when kindness, understanding, helpfulness, and courtesy rule.

7. I can quickly get re-adjusted to Eastern Standard time.

8. There's some more of the red beans, my aunt made, in the refrigerator somewhere.