Date: 2014-06-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Day 102: Sunday, 22 June 2014 Finally flying homeMy rescheduled flight was for about 3:30pm, so Barb and I got up early to go to the 8:30am mass at church, since last week was their choir¢s final ¢performance¢. We then went to The Mad Hatter Tea Room for a very nice breakfast. It¢s a small restaurant in a converted home, with one waitress and the woman chef. It might be a tad slow if the place is full, but one goes to a place like that to slow down, converse, enjoy.As we were leaving, I noticed an advertisement for a kid¢s cooking class at the restaurant. I thought about Barb¢s granddaughter, but surely, it wouldn¢t be for that young of a child. Well, it was! The chef had different classes scheduled, and two of the series of classes was for 3-5 year olds! How cool is that?The owner/chef came out and talked to Barb about it. It¢s 4 classes, once a week for 90 minutes. Each class is based on a different country. They¢d learn a little about that country and have a craft. And all for $75! Do the math ¢ the chef won¢t be raking in much, but like she said, ¢I¢m a mom and I want this to be affordable for families!¢ Why can¢t more businesses/corporations be like that?¢Will they get their own chef¢s hat and apron?¢ I asked.¢For the first class, while their items are baking, they¢ll make their chef¢s hat!¢ she replied.Makes me want to look for a fun adult baking class back home!Barb took a brochure to discuss it with her son and daughter-in-law. It just sounds like a lot of fun and a great experience, getting kids involved in cooking at such an early age.We left there, swung by Barb¢s place briefly to do the water pass-through thing: fill up water bottle, empty bladder, then on to the airport for another try at this.Didn¢t see anything or hear mention of delayed flights. The plane arrived, we got on, and lo and behold, we took off!Either it rained that morning in Chicago, or it really poured yesterday during the thunderstorm. There were pools of water along some of the edges of the runway, even though it was a blue sky.I had about 3 hours in the airport. I found the gate, but as the time drew nearer, there were no announcements about the flight. Even on the gate panel, it still said it was for the Seattle flight. I¢d better go check the Big Board. Yup, the gate had been changed with no announcement or anything. It was even in a different concourse. Sheesh! Well, I got there, and it was packed with people. Went past one of the pubs near the gate and there was whooping and hollering ¢ The World cup and the Americans were playing.We boarded, the doors shut, and, oh my gosh, we¢re actually taking off! This was meant to be because for how crowded the gate was, and just getting this connection yesterday, I shared 3 seats with one other person! Nice! I usually prefer the aisle seat; I¢d rather be disturbed that to disturb, but I got the window seat on this flight. I¢d occasionally look out the window, but you know ¢ flat, flat, flat, until¢¦. The Rockies! A little more flat then¢¦ The Cascades! I¢m home! I thought about Buffalo.I had taken the latest issue of Pacific Crest communicator, the magazine of the Pacific Crest Trail Association, with me for Buffalo to read, if he wanted. He¢d read the articles in the motel and look lovingly at the pictures of the mountains. As much as he is enjoying the AT hike, his heart is definitely in the mountains out west. He will enjoy the rest of his hike, but he¢s glad to be able to finish with still some good weather to hike and backpack back home, maybe with me, with his friends, to embrace the Olympics and the Cascades, his home. He has thanked FAHthur and me many times over the years for settling where we did. The mountains are his home! And I couldn¢t keep from smiling as I looked at the mountains and thought of Buffalo! Thanks for being sentimental with me!The Mum and .....