Leg One!

Today, as I lied on the couch at home, I realized that all I had been wanting the last few weeks is some alone home time. Living with mom and dad has been great, however, with 3 other people living there with crazy different schedules from each other, there is hardly ever a time when the house is empty. There is always someone there.

I like my family.
I like my alone time.

I just was craving a little while to be there by myself, relax and not feel as though I should be talking to someone or helping someone or anything like that. I needed some good ‘ol guiltless couch potato time. Or good book reading time. Or ...well..just TIME.

I got that. The day I left. Which………really……I would have rather spent with a family member then be alone for. Sitting there on the couch in the kitchen, already packed, ready to walk out to door, but not having to leave for another 3 hours, and nobody to talk to. I will be honest…I was a bit sad.

Tiesha, Amanda and Jake were at work, and mom and dad were in Haiti…not exactly convenient for me to bug.

I finally fell asleep for an hour and a half, then got up and decided to leave. I was headed to Jakes house for dinner and then he was going to give me a ride to the airport.

Dinner was great! We had breakfast burritos that he made that were delicious! It was a great last meal! Seeing as I’m headed back to the CTS Diet Plan of eating once every other day, I was in need of some good protein, and I succeeded.

Jake and I left his house around 8:45pm. We drove to the airport and met Tiesha there. It was odd to have to say goodbye to them without my parents, but also made it a little less emotional. I love them, but not really going to weep over the fact that I’m leaving. I'm not really the "weeping" type ya know...

I got through security, found my gate and sat and read my book for an hour. I decided that I should read one last good book before I start again with my studies and don’t have time to read for fun anymore. I am reading a book called “The Color of Water”. It is interesting so far, not sure if I’m going to like it or not. I am only at chapter 4 so I will give it another two chapters and decide….although, knowing me, I will just read it and be done with it. Good or bad.

My flight was good. Nothing exciting happened. When checking in at Seatac, I was able to change my seat to an Exit row window seat! HA…who’d a thought that would be open? It was great. I was able to get a little rest and have enough leg room. (not that I need much)

When traveling, I have one carry-on suitcase, and one over-the-shoulder bag and then I also had my pillow. I usually put my suitcase up in the bins and then my other bag under the seat in front of me however today, I really didn’t want to…I wanted my feet room….so I put them both up! For Shame!!!

I was all buckled in my seat, waiting for the rest of people to sit their butts down and the whole time thinking “Heidi, really, you should get that other bag and put it under your seat. Not only are you not supposed to put it up there, but you have PLENTY of room for it under you seat and still will have room for your feet.”

But still I sat there.

Finally everyone had boarded, and I figured ok, everyone is fine. They all found places for their stuff. Then…of-course, a guy comes walking up the aisle opening every bin looking for a place for his bag.

I just watch him.

He gets to and opens the bin with my bags, and I look over and see my second bag there…screaming at me…” I’M NOT WELCOME HERE…..GET ME OUT OF HERE!!”

The guy moves on looking for a bin, and I am still sitting there, having a conversation in my head about what is right and wrong and why have I become such a corrupt person and will God talk about this when we discuss my life when I die? Asking me, what made me break the rules and put my second bag up in the bin when I KNEW I was not supposed to.

Then the guy found a place for his bag.

I promptly fell asleep.

Do you ever fall asleep on a place, only to wake up and realize that you still have not taken off? And your 4 hour nap was really just 5 minutes. That is what happened to me. I fell asleep to wake up 5 minutes later thinking we should almost be there…but no…still grounded.

I looked over to see what had woken me up and guess what….KARMA!

Sometimes I think I believe in that mumbo jumbo….sometimes.

A nice lady just two rows ahead of me and on the other side of the isle, complained to the flight attendant that she was being dripped on with water…or something, from the ceiling. And guess what?!??! She wasn’t lying!!! There was a full on drip coming out of the bin above her! The flight attendant asked anyone if they had a water bottle in the bin above her head and a guy got up and proceeded to take down the bag in the bin above her, which was a cooler…RIGHT NEXT TO MY BAG! I saw him use one of the blankets to mop up the water in the bin…kind of secret like….he can’t fool me though…I saw him! He took his bag down and put it under his seat instead. I still said nothing about my bag.

Upon arriving in Atlanta, and taking my bag out from the bin, the handle was all wet. I wanted to be mad…and yet…for some reason, I just smiled and said “serves you right Heidi!!!”

End of story.

The flight went fine. No hic-ups. We took off, flew and landed with no awesome event to talk about. The people around me were really nice, not loud and slept the whole way there. Being evening, most of the plane slept actually.

I arrived in Atlanta and got off the plane. I went straight to the Arrival/Departure screens more out of habit and not so much out of curiosity. See…I have 12 hours in Atlanta….i could wander the whole airport 5 times over and still be WAY early to my gate.

None the less…..i found my gate and went straight there. Why waste time…I don’t want to miss it or anything.

I sat down and did some people watching and then decided that 12 hours is just downright silly so I should most likely just go into the Delta Club. It cost me $50, but I say it’s worth it! Free food and drinks, a quiet place to rest stretch out and work on my homework. SO worth it.

While sitting at the gate and people watching, I found myself evaluating the folks that walked past me. Then, as I was thinking about how many different types of people there are, this thought randomly popped into my head, “I wish I could see a clown here”…and as fast as that it was gone. I think that thought, took my sanity with it. Cause really? A clown at the airport? Ha! What would even make me think about that? I have not seen a clown for real (not counting on tv or the circus) in years I believe….

As I was walking away from that gate, headed to the club, I realized that I really need a nap.