Do You Ever Feel This Lazy?

Sometimes the things that seem completely obvious are not as well understood by everyone. I remember hearing about a woman in a Grande Prairie parking lot who started to freak out because the batteries to her car remote had died and she couldn't get into her car. She couldn't walk very well, so when my friend pointed at the other end of the mall, she started to cry. He asked her if those were her keys on the ring and suggested she park closer. She was shocked when my friend opened her car door manually with her key.

Flying High

I returned from Saskatoon by air this past weekend. It was my first flight in almost 10 years and my second flight every. I'm a little larger than I was back then, and found the seats to be rather 'cozy'. I also had to tilt my head a little because the window seat was so close to the side of the plane, which curved up and in. Comfort increased when I discovered that the arm rest could be lifted up and out of the way. The hardest part of the flight would have to be the airports.

I boarded in Saskatoon, so security isn't as strong as in the bigger cities. There are so many safety issues that have developped that boarding can be 'fun'. I walked through the detector sockfooted while they examined my shoes because I wore steel toe. My keychain was nearly confiscated because it had an eyeglass screwdriver on it. They also had to inspect my inhaler because it was an aerosol. I never realized just how much you had to do to prepair for a 50 minute flight.

When I arrived in Edmonton, I had to find transportation. As anyone from Edmonton knows, the airport is actually NOT in Edmonton, but halfway to Red Deer. On the shuttle ride to the city, I listened to a number of passengers talk about their favourite and least favourite airports around the world. Toronto was agreed upon as the worst because of 3 seperate terminals and not very good time keeping. A layover of 2 hours usually meant a 10 hour stay in 'Chez chairs'. Tokyo was listed as one of the favourites. Transfers were smooth and timetables are almost to the minute.

Now I'm curious what others have to say. Please comment about your best or worst experiences when flying. What is your favourite airport and why? What about your worst? Any handy hints for those of us who don't fly that often and want to avoid any 'surprises'?

Week of Rest

It's the first week of October and good things are here. I have a vacation this week. It's the first real vacation in a very long time. After 4 years of school and working during ever summer, I haven't been in a job long enough to be entitled a real vacation. Now at my current job, I get time off, but something has always happened to keep 'vacation' out of the equation. As an example, the second last time I went away, it was to see my dad who was very sick. The last time was to attend his memorial and spend time with my mother.

Last weekend started the rest when I travelled back to Grande Prairie to give away one of my good friends at her wedding. With her father out of the picture, I was honoured to take his place and walk her down the isle. The wedding was small but beautiful...taking place in front of a fireplace at a local diner which was closed to public and open to all the friends and family of the happy couple.

This week, my good friend Kyle celebrated his 30th birthday! Regretably, I could not attend because I went out of town again, but I look forward to seeing him on my return. Instead, I am visiting my wife in Saskatoon while she is on her practicum at the UofS hospital. Today also marks her 29th birthday! My two best friends were born 1 year and 3 days apart from each other. I am NEVER aloud to forget either of their birthdays...but then again, I doubt I ever will.

My vacation includes doing absolutely nothing...and I am having a great time doing just that. But there's more! When I return next tuesday (after thanksgiving) it will not be to my old job. Instead, it is to my new full time position that I have waited so long to start. My old boss finally released me. It will be different and I will have to be retrained for mostly new work; although I am looking forward to the challenge. To those who are willing, I would appreciate any prayers that you wish to send. God Bless!!