Lost luggage and other struggles

It's good to be home.

I missed my Q so much. Last night when I was holding him he fussed a bit and reached for his dad. That was saddening to me. Since when does he prefer his dad?? But, I am back in his good graces this morning.

I swear he looks bigger, and even more like a little boy, but he didn't walk or say any first words while he was gone, so that is relief. It feels so good to hold him and snuggle into his soft cheeks and smell his baby smell. I missed his little language and his snaggle-toothed smiles. I'm not going to let his dad steal him away from me again any time soon.

I still don't have my luggage. I think that sums up my travels pretty well.

To backtrack a bit, I left Friday morning at 7:00 a.m. I couldn't get our new coffee machine to work, so I was un-caffeinated after three and a half hours of sleep. That is not good. I hustled to the airport, but didn't make it in the requisite 30-minute window before my flight. The ticketing agent at our tiny airport glowered at me but still "squeezed me in."

My flights actually went fairly smoothly despite two layovers, but then the trouble set it. My luggage didn't make it. I rented a car to drive an hour to the wedding location. My phone died on the way, so I had trouble locating my friends. Then I called the baggage service from the hotel phone. I was on hold for an hour and the hotel was nice enough to charge me $11 for the toll-free call.

I borrowed a swimsuit from a friend the next day. Then I hit CVS to pick up the essentials. I even cobbled together an outfit from the pharmacy rack of tank tops and Hawaiian skirts. It was surprisingly cute. Who knew? Pharmacy chic.

That got me through another day, and my luggage finally arrived Sunday with less than 24 hours left in my trip.

I got sunburned and bug-bitten. But, I also got to see friends I haven't seen in at least three years. My friend's wedding on the beach was beautiful and touching. They are both such good people, and they seem to just genuinely be in love. That is always such a pleasure to see.

My life has changed a lot in the last few years. Some of my friends are still pretty big drinkers and partiers. Though I once held my own impressively, those days are far behind me. I generally nursed two or three drinks and remembered why I don't miss drinking excessively.

I ran on the beach one day (after I actually got my running shoes). I haven't done that in awhile, and it was exhausting in the sweltering humidity and sinking sand. Another day I walked a long way into town in my CVS sandals and got blisters and an iced coffee. I missed T. Those are things we like to do together. I hate going to weddings alone, though in a way, I think it is healthy. I sure appreciated T and Q after this long weekend.

After many hugs on Monday morning, it was back to the airport for 15 hours of traveling. This time, I had four flights and three layovers. I had several delays and read an entire book and a half and a magazine.

My luggage did not make it yet again. This time I wasn't even slightly surprised. I got to the airport so late, and then it took forever to fill out my missing luggage report, that I ended up just waiting the next half hour till T's flight arrived at 1:45 a.m. I was so excited to see the two of them walking down the hall. What a wonderful little family we have.

We compared travel nightmare notes and came home to find the cats healthy and happy and with only half their food gone. I swear they barely wake up when we are gone.

Now I am hoping my blow dryer and makeup arrive before I have to go in to work. Otherwise, I might have to get a little creative.

And to think we have to do this all again next month.

my beautiful friends

It's good to be home.

--MM