So I took a quick trip to Florida last week to see my folks. It was a quiet kind of vacation, just visiting family. In many ways, those are the best kinds of vacations. Here are just a few of the highlights.
Well, first of all, I flew Southwest, and I guess I’m glad we didn’t crash or get highjacked, but these flights were bumpier than any I’ve taken so far. Thank goodness for Dramamine! These flights were so bumpy that of the four flights I was on (two on the way up, two on the way back), only ONCE did I get served my ginger ale. The rest of the flights, they didn’t even serve, since even the attendants had to stay strapped in. And there were no peanuts or pretzels. Yes, I know—I’m being pettish. But at least I had my traditional traveling snack, York Peppermint Patties, (and my Dramamine), so I was alright.
The high point of the airport experience was seeing this gorgeous floor in one of the Birmingham Airport shops. Isn’t this fantastic? Russ calls it “The Universe Floor.” I almost think I would like something like this in our kitchen, but really, it would just compete way too much with our Uba Tuba granite counter tops. And that wouldn’t be good.
Another high point of my airport experience is actually coupled with a low point. The high point was when I utilized the newfangled technology of downloading my Boarding Pass to my cell phone, and actually made it work getting on to the plane! The low point was that I wasn’t sure beforehand exactly how to do it, so I went up to the desk outside the gate and asked the Southwest employee to step me through it. You know what the answer was? “Oh, I have no idea how that works.” Really? You work for Southwest, and they have this new procedure customers are using, and you are there for customer service, and you have NO IDEA how it works? Or maybe…you just can’t be bothered? Flabbergasted. All I know is that this experience reminded me all too much of a story I’ve heard about someone approaching a store employee in Wal Mart (wearing a giant “May I help you?” button, by the way) and getting the answer, “I’m sorry. My English not so good.” Again I say…REALLY? But now I’m beginning to go off on a rant. Let’s get back to the story at hand.
Now, as I mention, this trip was all about family, and I realize that on a general basis, I really don’t take enough pictures of actual, real people, but here are a few I managed to have enough sense to snap. Here’s my Dad, doing what Dads always do, reading the newspaper.
And below this, here’s Mom and Dad, hanging out on their big, comfy couch. Love that couch! It’s from Ikea. I wish we had an Ikea here, I would probably end up buying a ton of stuff there. (But again, how easy it would be for me to go off on a tangent!) The house may be small, but it’s bright and comfortable, and full of color. Don’t you just love the yellow walls? In a certain light, they are true yellow, but yet, in another light, they almost appear peach. And yet it’s all the same color. It’s like the walls are alive (just like that beautiful flooring in the airport.)
Mom and Dad seem to be doing well, though slowing down a bit, as is to be expected. There’s a sense of “same old, same old,” every time I visit, but that’s very comforting.
I also got to Terry and James on this trip, but the real highlight for me was visiting with Joey, not once, but twice! He drove me back and forth from the airport, and I even got to meet his girlfriend Kayla, whom I liked very much. Very real, and easy to get along with. I wish I could have gotten to visit with them in their cute little rental house up the coast, and see Reggie the pug, and meet their new kitten Meowzer, but alas, this trip was too short. Still, perhaps some time in the future, right?
I’ve known for a while that Joey’s been dabbling in art, but on this trip I discovered just how much talent he really has. He wanted to give a gift to his grandparents, so he put together this portrait of the four birds that used to be so much a part of their household. If you knew these birds, you would look at this picture and instantly see each of them, each of their personalities. So, not only is Joey a musician, but also a painter! (As you can see above, he prefers the Bohemian artsy look.) I’m so proud of him.
Speaking of art, take a look at this collection of jewelry I got from Mom. She had several “real” pieces she was willing to pass on, but I’m not a jewelry person in the traditional sense. I don’t really wear jewelry, except for the two rings Russ gave me, and a pair of earrings every day, but I’m not one to have bangles around my neck and wrists. But lately, I’ve become interested in the idea of brooches and pins—art I can wear on a sweater shoulder, or perhaps pinned to a purse. Besides being simply lovely to look at, a lot of these items have sentimental value for me, as a I remember my Mom wearing them when I was a kid. That makes a pretty piece even better.
Whenever I visit South Florida, I love to hit a few of the local thrift stores if I can, and my Dad and I went around one day to a couple of them, and that same evening, after eating out with Terry, we also hit another one. I got a top and a skirt, but my favorite find is this ceramic cat head. His ears come off, and you can store stuff inside. I have no idea what I’ll store inside, but this kitty’s uncanny resemblance to Squee made him a Must Have. Already he’s taken up a place of honor in my kitchen.
Now, one more thing I’ll mention: Mom and especially Dad are BIG puzzlers. They always have a jigsaw puzzle going in front of the sliding glass door, with lots of natural light, and if you can listen to some Mozart at the same time, so much the better! In fact, Dad played me some music, which I’m pretty sure was Mozart, but I’d never heard it before. It was some really crazy piano music. It made me realize that sitting down and doing a puzzle and listening to music can be just about one of the most relaxing activities you can engage in. I brought along my new puzzle of CATS by my new favorite artist Laurel Burch, and since it was only 300 pieces, it didn’t take that long to to. But it was a lot of fun!
So much fun that when I got back home, I set up a “Puzzle Place” on our dining room table, and in just a few sittings, Russ and I did the same puzzle again. And now, we have another one waiting in the wings, ready to get started on that one momentarily, in fact, perhaps as soon as I get up from writing this post. (As you can see, Squee does not seem to mind the puzzling. In this, as in all things, he likes to Observe and Supervise.)
So that is just a quick look at my recent trip. I feel like I timed it perfectly, after the busy time at work, yet before the snowstorms of January. Trying to find the time and opportunity to visit my family is not always an easy thing, but I’m hoping to be able to make it more of a priority in the future. Already, I’m planning another trip for early this Summer. But one thing at a time! Right now, let’s have at that new puzzle!
