She's in the Air, She's on the Ground

Safely landed and at home for several days now, I'm finally catching up on things. My photo blog is up-to-date as of yesterday, and I've uploaded to my computer my photos from my camera as well as hubby's and kids (they each inherited a hand-me-down digicam from each parent and had fun using them). I'm unpacked, school supplies have been purchased, phone calls have been returned, daughter has received her vaccine, and new health insurance is in place. I even had time to catch up with most blogs in my Reader. If you haven't received at least one comment from me in the past several weeks, forgive me. I'm still trying to make rounds and give everyone at least a comment or two, but I'm sure I've missed someone. I'm trying! I'm trying!

First of all, let me say that no longer will I be flying on an airplane without one basic, essential tool - XANAX. I have never been a nervous flyer, just a bored one. Now, however, it would seem that I am starting to suffer from anxiety attacks whenever the plane encounters even the most benign pocket of turbulence. Of course, that dip we took as we approached Chicago's Midway airport en route to Cleveland was anything but mild. The entire plane load of passengers let out a collective, "Whoa!" as we were jolted out of our seats approximately a foot. Okay, maybe it was only a couple of inches, but I felt as if I was back on the Magnum roller coaster at Cedar Point. Not a comforting feeling when you're on a freakin' airplane.

We finally arrived at my in-laws' house last Wednesday morning at 1:00 a.m. I was tired, cranky, fidgety, and in sore need of a drink. No luck as the only thing in the house was Miller Genuine Draft, and I'm not a beer drinker, so I settled for getting some hugs from Mom and then lying in bed for a few more hours, hoping for sleep but in fact fighting the fact that my body thought it was still 10 p.m. as it was back home in the west. Sigh. Where are the M*A*S*H reruns when you need them?

This trip was really about checking in on Mom and her progress. I'm happy to report that she is in good stead and making slow and steady progress. She naps every afternoon and still hasn't moved beyond walking part of a lap at the mall, but all in all, thumbs up.

Thursday night we had a family dinner at my youngest SIL's house. Hubby's brother and wife, son, daughter, and grandson also came along. We had a barbecue on the back porch, and I was effectively eaten alive by mosquitoes. Silly me - I assumed that once we grilled the food, we'd be eating inside as we do in the desert. Had it occurred to me that we would be dining with nature, I would have showered in bug spray. Sigh.

We made our obligatory trips to the store for $1.00 double dip ice cream cones, CiCi's Pizza Buffet, and Steak 'n Shake. We visited with family, and the kids got a bonus trip to Cedar Point on Saturday with Aunt V, Papa Land Warrior, and Grandpa. Mom and I opted to not burden the others with pushing us in wheelchairs (even though we really, really wanted to go), so we stayed behind and ate lunch at Applebee's before catching Mamma Mia. (I looooooove Pierce Brosnan. *grin*)

Hubby had to return home a day early to start his new position at the employer for whom he's been contracting for the past six months. He's now a direct employee - yippee for group health insurance again!

The flight home for the kids and me? Well, it was truly ghastly. I alluded to that in my previous post; if any of you live in the Midwest, you already know what Monday night was like for residents of the Chicagoland area. Our flight home was due to leave Chicago's Midway airport at 7:50 p.m. CDT, and no sooner had they loaded the pre-board passengers, then we were ordered to evacuate the plane. The control tower for O'Hare and Midway was evacuated due to tornado warnings. As the kids and I exited the plane, we heard tornado warning sirens screaming throughout the terminal. We spent the next two and a half hours sitting around, eating over-priced food from the restaurant closest to our gate (Miller's Pub), and watching the rain fall in sheets, accompanied by the cacophony of thunder, sirens, and kids screaming. We finally arrived back home that night past midnight, nearly three hours later than scheduled.

Okay, so to recap: I will no longer fly without assistance from Xanax, and although I love the city of Chicago, I vow never to fly through there in summer. I think I might have to rethink visiting the Midwest in the summer. I've already nixed ever visiting in winter, and now summer seems to be vexing me as well.

Whadda ya think? Am I just being a bitch? I mean, at least I didn't have to visit the emergency room, right?