After a week spent caring for my three grand nieces, I am heading home. My original flight was early (7:55am). Of course in today’s world that means being at the airport 1 1/2 hours before departure. So that makes a 6:30 am arrival time. Then add to that travel time to airport which from my nephew’s home to the airport is 1 1/4 hours and then add snow and you see where this is going. I had to get up early, really early. And true to form I woke up before I needed to because I am always nervous about not hearing the alarm. Of course in this case even if I had overslept, someone was there to wake me up. Anyway I woke up at 3:30am and checked my flight to find it cancelled. There was a moment of panic because what do you do when they cancel your flight? Wait!! Check your reservation. Oh good they rescheduled me at 11:15am. Okay that will work. Send emails and text to daughters, sister and friend to inform them of change and go back to bed. Well, not exactly. My nephew has National Guard duty so my ride to the airport is either now or the shuttle.

All that said to say I am at the airport very early. The good news is months ago when United and Continental Airlines merged I received a one time pass for the United Club. Yes!! So I am sitting in the United Club with free internet, an outlet to charge my phone and computer, and free food. The United Club has all these windows so you can watch the planes arrive and depart. For the last 45 minutes I have watched a plane get “de iced”. I have checked my email and Facebook and glanced up and watched the plane continue to be de iced. It is interesting to watch the green trunk with a telescopic arm pull along side of the plane and sprays this “cloud” over the plane’s wings and body. The chemicals leave an orange residue and the plane looks the way your fingers look after you have eaten cheese doodles. That makes me smile. Of course the people in the plane are probably not smiling. They are so close yet so far from their destination. Their gate is right here but they can’t get to it. It is easy for me to smile about the “cheese doodle” plane because I am not on that plane. Ah! As I sit in my comfy chair with my internet connection and coffee it is easy to smile. I hope as the day goes on and I am on the plane and we aren’t moving I can remember cheese doodles. I guess the lesson of the day is attitude and perspective. Oh my!!!