Off to a “good” start! We had been on the road about twenty minutes when Donna noticed something on my hand. It was from my handbag…it was disintegrating. Why I didn’t notice it when I packed it is beyond me. However, it was just falling apart so we made a quick stop at Target in Westfield and I bought a new bag, transferring things in the car. The new bag has lots of pockets and zippers and compartments. Much better than the one I discarded and better than the several I have at home!
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| Donna and me at the airport..with the new bag! |
We (Dave, Donna and I) then made a breakfast stop at Bob Evans. Of course, there were issues with servers. Everyone thought someone else had that table. After two requests for someone to take our order, the manager came and apologized, then comp’ed our meal. That was not the intent…we only wanted service but she insisted. So it was a great breakfast at a great price!! We spent a few minutes together at the airport shopping, and then our farewells and I made the trip through security. One agent leaned into me and I thought she was going to ask to do a ‘pat down’. No…she commented…”I see you must love purple. I can tell by your purple clothes, your purple coat, your purple bags and even your purple laptop.” First time purple has ever got me through security!!
I had weighed my big bag about ten times and kept taking out one more thing. However, both checked bags made it through the weigh-in without a problem. I thought I had to pay for the second bag but no charge was made. We’ll see if I have to pay to claim it in Dublin. We saw what appeared to be Buddhist monks from Nepal, European Roman Catholic nuns and some Old Order Brethren going through security when I did. None of them were on my flight; however, I did get the redneck with the big belt buckle that said Sheriff Dept. He and his wife were sitting in row 18 as was I. When I leaned in to drop my purse in the seat, they put their things in the overhead above my seat and then said to me, “we are in row 18” expecting me to get out of their way! Their seats were across the aisle, not the seat where I had placed my things, and of course, there was not room for my bag so I trekked back up to row 15 to stow my stuff. When we landed in Chicago, this couple bounded out of their seats even though row 18 is the very last row. They seemed to be in a real hurry. But when I got to the moving walkway on my way to the international terminal, there they were! Standing in the center of the walkway blocking anyone who might want to get around them. I lost them somewhere. You know, if you’re going to travel, you might consider some travel etiquette.
Chicago ORD is big! I walked the length of Terminal C, then towards Terminal B, up the escalator, across the street in the covered walkway, down the escalator, to the train and then rode past Terminals 2 and 3 and got off at Terminal 5. It was back up the escalator and through security. I overheard someone ask about food so I did too. No food available past security so I did a turnaround and went to the food court for a veggie falafel. Back through security and down to gate 5. I think this may be a new terminal. I’m at my gate with almost 3 hours to kill and no wi-fi and the battery dead on my cell. I packed the cord to it in the checked baggage so I’m pretty much here reading…
All of this and I’m not even out of Chicago…..The trip from Chicago to Dublin was uneventful. The two seats next to me were not occupied so I was able to have some wiggle room! We arrived thirty minutes early. I realized that I had not asked if I should wait at Arrivals or go to the Car Park. I decided to wait and to not be concerned until thirty minutes past our scheduled arrival. I was right. Richie was there at 9 for the 8:35 arrival time….thinking it would take that long for Passport Control, Baggage Pickup and Customs. So with a body that thought it was 3 am, we set off. It was drizzling rain and about 60. We made a quick stop about halfway for a caramel latte and arrived at Murlough House before 11. Richard met us at the door with a pot of tea and a wry comment of “welcome to the land of mediocre weather and continual damp”. Bebe was waiting inside the door with a big hug!! I was introduced all around to Sarah and Deidre and Alan and John. Jenn was also in but I met her, Richie and Richard last year. Martin Goldsmith, an evangelist from England, is here for a week. Bebe said the devotions this morning from a verse in Habakkuk were wonderful!
Bebe showed me to our room and then we got a cup of coffee and just visited a bit. She told me what she has been doing the last two weeks and gave me an overview of what’s happening this week. She showed me which bathroom we will use, reminded me of where the laundry room is, took me through the library (in the basement), the craft room and the larder (pantry). She got a quick lunch from the ‘left over’ refrigerator and joined Alan for ministry in Belfast. Deidre prepared lunch and those of us at the house ate together. Jenn and I did the dishes and then I unpacked. It was still drizzling rain but I took off for a short walk through the woods to the boardwalk and to the sea. The natural thing to do when I returned was to take a nap….to let the body catch up with the clock!
The little nap was four hours....I feel refreshed but awoke at 8 pm for toast and tea and now a bit of bloggin'. My pictures from the walk and the sea are not cooperating in the loading up just now so I'll add those another day. It is wonderful!!
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