Day One: OZ Trip #2

My Journey to Seattle, Teacher Training In Vancouver, LA, and Australia


Getting here from Madison was a teacher training master test in itself... From forgetting my iPad and laptop, having to pick up my dog from the dog sitter where he was wreaking havok on the family peace, to being slightly over the weight limit for my one checked bag... Sitting on the airport floor with open bags transferring carefully packed items recklessly from one to the other, tossing shoes into the garbage and scowling.. And then being detained in security for 30 minutes as four, yes four stage nuts had to clear my aromatherapy.. The place was infused with the scents of earth and garden goodness, but they were not sure...  My carry-on now weighed ten lbs more, was bursting at the seams.. I had clothes items tied around my waist worrying the entire time about missing my flight to Seattle at the Chicago transfer point and missing my peaceful yin training weekend in Vancouver.

FYI : Did you know that if you are over by a pound it is 100 more? Oh my this world is getting crueler.

My son tells me he is almost in an accident this snowing, sub-zero, treacherously slippery road day as I summoned him back remembering my most important devices were on the floor of the front seat. That 25 minutes waiting was an eternity and then he pulls in and hands me my satchel with a disapproving shake of his head. Me, my devices and shoulders l weighed down by at least 20 more pounds lumbered through that weird security check. "Hey... my bag was over and these had to be removed... I didn't mean to take them on board... I explained tersely imagining my carefully laid plans to transfer to the rental car, drive to spend a night with a friend in Seattle... And calmly drive the route up over the border,  and into my meticulously selected airbnb suite I searched a week for online; my new Canadian family with a chihuahua named Sunny (ironic) just like my little fur monster Sunny, I regretfully left back home. I'll have a sub chi for the next 7 days.

Oh holy moley "Don't shake those oils Iike that," I instruct a curious security  agent. "Do you know how much these essences cost?" Finally they look at each other and shrug and tell me to move on. My flight never does come or leaves and at 8 pm I am still at MSN with other weary, winter-bluesy travelers resigned to the 9 dollar beers and fatty food at the restaurant.

Finally a plane takes us the 40 minute flight to Chicago O'Hare where my flight to Seattle departed long ago. I wait in line with other miffed people and am placed last minute on a flight on another airline to Seattle. We arrive 1 am, (3 am, my time) no bags in sight. I just go and get my car.. Shocked at the ice snow storm raging in usually wet but not white Seattle. The lone agent that time of night warns me not to drive. We don't salt the roads here or plow. It is treacherous. Are you sure you don't want the extra insurance? "No, I am sure... " I can barely utter out of fatigue.. He insists I have a cup of coffee which I gratefully accept, and 15 minutes later I am sliding down a frozen ramp just missing the side walls right into the road... White knuckling my way at 25 mph the 25 mile drive to my friends apartment.

My bags continue to be mIssing in action into the next day and afternoon, finally arriving at 8 pm. I backtrack 35 minutes to the airport, pick them up and head back. I decide to stay and sleep a few hours and head out at 3 am to be on my mat at 6 am on Granville Island, Vancouver Canada... And I'll be damned if I was late by even a minute. In the dark, rain and cold... I pulled myself up the steps and flopped onto my mat.

My journey has begun.