Down to Florida

[fbhjr]

This morning when we came out, the cars were covered in ice.


So, we went to the airport and flew to Florida.


OK, in a bit more detail if you want...

We went up to the Worcester airport that is on top of a hill over looking the city.


This is exactly the sort of plane that might be a ren faire organizer’s pickup truck in disguise.


All week I’ve been afraid it would snow and we’d have trouble getting down here as happened two years ago. But, although chilly, it was fine weather for flying.


We got there fairly early, but eventually our plane arrived.


Because we were the second people to check in, we got a wide choice of seats. So, I piked an exit row where we had a lot of extra room. Maybe too much as my wife had trouble reaching her tray.


But, it was enough room she could dance the Macarena, and did.


We left the gate on time, then taxied out to the end of the runway.


There we sat for 15 minutes due to a “traffic problem with Boston control”.
So, this theme of stuck behind people appears to be continuing.
The only traffic we had at Worcester was a small Cessna that took off faster than I could capture with the camera.


But, we did take off eventually.


We flew down Interstate 395 and out to sea.


It was pretty cloudy out over the ocean, but still cool to look at.


I had been happy that there wasn’t anyone in the two rows ahead of us, or behind us. But, in some sort of weird traveling tradition, a man and his young daughter moved to sit in the row behind us long enough for her to kick my chair some, close the window I was looking out and talk loud enough I couldn’t drown it out with my in-ear earphones.
I guess these things are just part of traveling and can’t be avoided. It’s probably a coach class thing. I’m sure if I had said anything it would have been “this wouldn’t happen in first class, do you want to pay for an upgrade?”
They probably fly around just trying to inspire upgrades that way.

While I’m not serious about the airline keeping children employed to encourage upgrades, it was the most dedicated service of a gate attendant I’ve ever seen.
He made sure everyone got on the plane, then sat down and flew to Florida with us. Then, he checked with people down there when they got off the plane.
I did ask him and he says he lives down there and commutes up to work in the Worcester airport several days a week.
Talk about a long commute!

Anyhow, we crossed back over land near Daytona Beach.


Once we landed we went to the pub my wife’s uncle likes that is very close to the airport.


There, I had quite a meal.


It is a waffle, with fried chicken on top covered in sausage gravy with a side of maple syrup.
I saw it on the menu and couldn’t resist. Not because that was really the food I was in the mood to eat. But, because I really couldn’t believe they served it.
It was actually quite good.
If we go back I’ll have to try their pancakes stuffed with sausage.

Once lunch (with a week’s worth of calories) was ingested, we set off towards the hotel. We tried not to be worried by the flock of vultures circling downtown Orlando.


We got off at our normal exit near the world’s biggest McDonald’s.


Our hotel is fairly close to there, and we had no problem checking in.

Then, off to our cousin’s place for dinner.
There we got to see some artwork I had only seen in photos on someone else’s LJ.


They did have a nice tree.

I miss having a tree of our own, but if you’re going to be gone a week you can’t really have a real one without it getting dangerous.
The fish don’t seem to care about the tree. Go figure.


Although my cousin had made cookies, we brought cake.


When we bought the cake at Whole Foods there was a raspberry problem. When the man behind the counter took it out of the case there was a berry missing.
I told him it was OK. But, his supervisor told him he had to fix it.
She made him go out back where some sort of argument ensued. All I clearly heard was him asking her “what did you call me?” while he raised the cake in a way I thought was preparation to launch.
The door closed at that point. Soon, the man and cake returned with all 8 berries. What went on in between remains a mystery.

We did have a very nice visit at our cousin’s. My wife was willing to indulge the cat. Nice for the cat, but it soon meant we had to go home before my wife had a major allergy attack.


My cat allergies make me very tired. I don’t sneeze or cough. It is just like someone pulled my power plug and I switch off.
So, we drove back with the windows down and I felt much better.
It was still 70F at 9:30 at night.
Not to bad for a morning that started with scraping off frost.

Comments

[ravena-kade.livejournal.com]

glad to see that the art arrived okay =)

[pallid-regina.livejournal.com]

Your wife doing the Macarena on the plane = visual joy.

I really want to know what happened in that back room. And how the cake was spared from the clear and present danger of launching.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

There is a chance it was a totally different cake that was only decorated the same way and the first one did fly through the air with the greatest of ease.
I can't say.
Having thrown bakery items at people in the past, and had them thrown at me, I think I'm pretty good at spotting an impending launch.
I was able to block morgan_lafaye's cream pie at a launch distance of less than 3 feet. Of course blocking a cream pie has its own hazards due to splash effects. But, I digress...

I also wonder what happened.
We will probably never know.

[pallid-regina.livejournal.com]

Oooh, a second cake, hadn't thought of that. The mystery, it is fun to consider.

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear that you are safe and sound in sunny Florida!
That breakfast waffle sounds like something that would only appear in a dream.

Also, I think that I have found the perfect Christmas tree for you guys - made here in NH (unfortunately, they are now sold out until 2012). At least, you could re-use this tree every year for many years (which is good cause they are also expensive) and they are handmade in the USA- they have a few different models..
http://www.festivetree.com/

[cissa.livejournal.com]

Will you guys be back by the 27th or, more likely, the 28th? That's when we're doing goose, and you'd be more than welcome. :)

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

We are flying back on the 25th, so will be home by the 27th or 28th. Although I am working those days.
I'll talk with my wife about visiting as I don't know if she's got any plans for that week she has off.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

At this point it looks like goose will be on the 27th, probably early or mid evening.

You'd be very welcome, if it works for you! :)