Canadian Adventures: Day One August 16, 2007

I am still needing to get a means of down loading my pictures onto Lovellas's computer (should have brought the cables, when will I ever learn?) but I can always go back and add pictures later, right?

Yesterday I got up at 5:30 am, and was at the airport at 8 am sharp for my 9:30 am flight. Onto the plane I went, got happily settled in....and the pilot announced that because of "The Storm", Hurricane Erin, the flights were backed up, we would be delayed and more details later.

Later was an hour later, when we finally rolled onto the take off position, and we learned we were number 16 in cue. Forty five minutes later we were number six...BUT the airport had decided to move the take off directions around to avoid the storm.

AND they had given us a flight plan for which apparently we no longer had enough fuel. We pulled out of line and got gassed up as the skies boiled black, the runways lights automatically switched on in the dark, and lightening and thunder rocked the plane.

(Notice the lights on? This was about 12 noon...)

I was glad I had brought a book to read.

The title was so appropriate!

(It is a fiction about the Russian Mennonites in the early 1900's. Lovella's family were Russian Mennonites who immigrated from Russia to Canada in the 1920's, so it was a great way to get to know a bit more about her family's history.)

After they had refueld the plane, enough gas, but no one was allowed to fly because of the storm.
It was now past noon. The decision was made to let everyone get off the plane to grab lunch!
We had to be back by 2:00, and we pushed back at 2:30 onto the tarmac. I believe we were finally in the air shortly before three.

Our "meal" was then served: Cherrios.

Oh yum.

I was able to sleep a lot of the time as the plane headed to Seattle.

Above: Seattle Airport Art.

Sadly because of all the delays I had missed my Seattle Bellingham connection, and was told the next flight at six o'clock was over booked.

The flight after that one, scheduled to leave after 10 pm did have seats available.

Oh boy...and Lovella had promised cabbage rolls for dinner! I really didn't want to miss that...especially after having a sole meal of Cherrios five hours earlier.

I hated to think of getting to Lovella's so late, and in the dark. I called Bernie and Lovella and we all said a quick prayer as I signed up as a stand by passenger for the six o'clock flight.

I was assured there was NO chance of getting on that flight.

Rushing through the Sea Tac airport, I wondered if I should just relax or try to get to the gate Just in case there would be an opening. I made it there minutes before boarding began. A flood of people lined up, then they began calling names of passengers, last call for passengers...and then:

Stand by travelers: Jill....report to the ticket counter!

Whoo hoo! I was on!

The flight to Bellingham was beautiful on a turbo prop plane. We landed, I grabbed my luggage, and minutes later there were Terry and Lovella at the, doors of their car flying open as they ran out to greet me!

It only took 12 hours to get there...and worth every minute.

And yes, I still got cabbage rolls!

(Pictures by Terry...thank you!)