Home Again...

It feels great to be back home again. No, I’m not back in Georgia, but rather “home” in Utah with my “family”. It’s been over a year since I have been in Utah yet I feel as if I never left. I do truly feel at home.

I have to brag right now. For some of you, this may not be as big of a deal, but for me it was. Using my flight benefits from Best Friend, I was able to fly first class...that’s right...FIRST CLASS all the way to Salt Lake. ($50) Originally, I was supposed to be on a flight into Newark, NJ. However, there were severe thunderstorms in Atlanta the night before I was to leave and the airport was backed up with delays and rerouting flights for well over three hours! Everything was screwed up Saturday when I got there. I was worried that I would even be able to take off at all that day. (Since I have to fly standby) The Newark flight was overbooked so I was given a flight to Laguardia in New York instead. After chatting with Best Friend, she looked up a better flight for me that had many open seats. The chances weren’t too good for me getting a seat to Laguardia, so I took Best Friend’s advice and talked with an agent about getting me on a flight to Baltimore and then out to Salt Lake. Not only did I get a seat, but I got a first class seat From Atlanta to Baltimore AND a first class seat from Baltimore to Salt Lake. I saw the Chesapeake Bay from the air and flew over Lake Michigan. It was a nice day and I could see a lot. (Yes, I also had window seats in first class!) My flight arrived early, too. Me having good luck with flights? I couldn’t believe it!

Then I went to baggage claim after making it to Salt Lake and found out that my suitcase full of clothes went to New York City without me. I would be without my clothes for the night! Oh well, as long as my clothes were having fun, I shouldn’t complain. I hoped maybe they would take some fashion tips from all the other clothing in New York and come back a bit more stylish. When I went to the airport to gather my lost luggage, I had to wait. It seems my suitcase was sent back to Atlanta and had to wait for its flight to Salt Lake. My poor suitcase’s flight was delayed an hour, but it was a loving reunion when I finally saw it and scooped it off the carousel. Seems like my suitcase had a little vacation of its own. And I guess my clothes weren’t cool enough to hang out on Madison Avenue in New York. They came back looking just the same.

Best Friend and I will begin the first of our adventures on Wednesday as we head off to Seattle. We are on a standby list to fly in there. Last night, there were plenty of seats available, but not today. We are looking into other options right now. We might even fly into Portland, Or instead. Either way, we are going to Seattle! And I am going to walk along the Pacific shore in Olympic National Park and find pretty tide pools full of starfish!

Right now, I’m sitting on the front porch looking off at the mountain range lightly dusted with snow in places and enjoying the humidity-free evening air. Yeah, it’s good to be back home.