Vacation Stories Are the Best

So, I was in Fort Lauderdale visiting my Grandparents last week, enjoying the beautiful warm weather...

I went from seeing this...


...to seeing this...


It was quite depressing when I got home on Saturday (St. Patty's Day). We had to wait in a massive line in FL just to check in, and during our wait, we met a lady who was trying to get to Philly for a bar mitzvah. She told us that she had originally tried to fly out on Friday, and was already out on the tarmac when the passengers were notified the flight was canceled. How's that for luck? Fortunately, our Saturday flight was on time, and this lady got a seat. She asked us about the Philly airport because she had never been there before. We obliged her by answering her questions.

But, here's where the story gets funny....not really funny "haha" though...well, maybe a little. My mom, sister and I get on the plane, and more people continue to board. There's only 1 young guy sitting in the row behind us. Up the aisle comes an obnoxious spring-breaker, saying to her friend, but purposely out loud, "Oh no, that dude is not sitting in my seat" (referring to the guy behind us). He realizes immediately that she's talking about him. At this point, she's standing along his row, going "I don't mean to be a bitch, but...I need my seat." All along I'm thinking, 'Yeah, thanks for sharing with the whole plane.' Anyway, the guy was very apologetic and explained the only reason he was sitting there was because another girl was in his seat (which was the other side of our row).

Turns out, this guy and the girl in his seat were both assigned the same one...Yep, the same seat...on a full plane. So, then the flight attendants get involved and realize there are no open seats. This poor guy is literally standing in the middle of the aisle along side us, shaking his head, saying, "I just want to get home."

I kid you not, the flight attendants start doing an auction of sorts over the intercom, calling for any 1 volunteer who would opt to get off the plane, attempting to entice them with a free flight in the future. At first, no one bites (you could tell that people needed to get home, as there were mostly families and spring-breakers on the plane). So they call out two free flights. Nothing. Another spring-breaker somewhere in the back, calls out "How about unlimited?!" Everyone laughs. Still nothing. Three flights...we have a taker.

It's the bar mitzvah lady! My mom looks at me and says under her breath, "Oh...my...God..." I just look back at her and chuckle. Apparently she didn't have to get to Philly that bad.

This is why we go on vacation....just so we can have stories to tell. Of course I enjoyed the time I spent with my Grandparents, but who doesn't enjoy a good story??

When Will it REALLY be Spring?

So, it's the first full day of Spring and I'm sitting here wrapped in a blanket with my fuzzy slippers on my feet. Somehow this does not seem right. Weather report says a high of 38° today. Ugghh. Don't get me wrong, though...I understand that the warm weather doesn't start just because it is officially Spring. I know this but I don't like it. Perhaps I should have started my post with "I can't wait for warmer weather"...it may have set a better tone, but I'm not changing it now.

I'm considering looking into hibernation as an option for the future winters. However, I wouldn't need a cave...just my bed will do. I could keep some water and pretzels at my bedside just in case. I still haven't worked out the details of how I will continue to make money though. Any suggestions?

What makes it that much worse though, is that my parents are away for the week in sunny, beautiful, warm, spring-like, Fort Lauderdale where they are visiting my grandparents. I may have been there too if it weren't for Kelli needing someone to stay with her since she can't take off from school. She's got "Senioritis" and I've got warm-weather envy, so we're both being bitter together. You'd be bitter too if you had to get phone calls that embellish the warm sunshine, pool parties, breakfasts out on the lanai, 4:00 cocktails, walks on the beach, and bocci ball playing. These phone calls always end with a plethora of promises of sending the warm weather up North.

Yeah...that's gonna happen.