Almost Home

Greetings from the Red Lion Inn at beautiful Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Got to the hotel about 10 PM last night after a very long day.

The drive from Roanoke, N.C. to Washington D.C. was a tad tense. It rained like hell most of the way and visibility got pretty poor a number of times. But my new GPS guided me unerringly to my destination which was Reagan National and a 5 1/2 hour flight to Seattle. I am delighted with the GPS. As long as you program it correctly you can't go wrong. Remember Korean Air Flight 007? That was an example of incorrect programming although the consequences for a automobile jockey are not so grave. The device tells you both audibly and visually every turn to make, what lane to be in for the next turn, how far to your next waypoint, and a gazillion other things I have not yet bothered to figure-out. It's cool.

The flight to Seattle was a tad bouncy off-and-on but I managed fine thanks to my trusty iPod and a bottle-and-a-half or so of Alaska's plonk. First Class really does make a difference on long flights... It was a thirsty cabin...they ran out of both white and red wine - and my seat-mate was making heroic efforts with the gin. He is an attorney from Seattle. A nice guy. Judging from the pre-flight cell phone calls I would guess that most of First Class was occupied by attorney/lobbyist/porch-climber types. Perhaps their thirst can be attributed to a case of bad nerves with the transition in D.C.

If anyone has been trying to call me on my cell - I haven't been deliberately ignoring you; but said device is inoperative due to, as the airlines say, unscheduled maintenance resulting from a bath it received while charging on the bathroom countertop a few nights ago. I suspect I will be acquiring a new phone - perhaps even today if I have the ambition when I get home.

Ah yes, home. Looks like it will be raining at sea level and snowing at 1000 feet upon my arrival. And that's the forecast for the foreseeable future. Still, the holidays are fast approaching and I do love the holidays. So I will try to maintain good humour. And I need to get serious about the Club; bet I gained at least five pounds the last couple of weeks and am feeling the need for serious exercise. Wouldn't even mind some snow if it meant I could go cross-country skiing.

So...guess I'll take a shower and head over to Sea-Tac for breakfast and a flight to Juneau.

I'll be home for Christmas....

Yippee! In another couple of weeks I can break-out the holiday tunes! I am a man of simple tastes and pleasures...

Be safe out there gang...perhaps I'll have vacation pics by Monday.