Back In God's Country

I received an email in mid-November from my sister-in-law, Jeanne. It was fairly short and it read something like: "We know you probably can't make it, but we are having a Blythe Family Christmas at 1:00 on December 10. Hope you are all OK, and Merry Christmas."

Well, I was on Allegiant Air website within 24 hours of that email as soon as I decided it might be doable. Tickets were reasonable and since I still have about 5 toes still back home, it didn't take me long to confirm that I needed to breathe some winter Midwest air. I procured the tickets and made a list of things I had to do.

Visit NHCC
Visit Burgess
Visit the Sutors
Visit old Grove St. friends
Find Matt Warnsing
Find Gay Johnson
See Stewart
See Ed
See Tim's folks and maybe they'll buy me a Davis Bros pizza
Go to Seaton
Jerry's Pizza
Breakfast with Becky and Pat
Go to Blick Party on Saturday night
Church with Mark and Holly
Tenderloin at the Brickyard

Quick calls to Pat to ask her if I could camp out with her and rental car confirmed with Enterprise, and I was all set.
Called Tim to tell him I'd be home and first set of bad news was he and Carrie were going to be in St. Louis to see Bob Seger. I actually like Seger so Tim got a pass on that one. But no calls to the family or anyone else, let's make it a surprise.

Actually started to think it was too wasteful of funds, especially this close to Christmas and all. I spend most of my time these days second-guessing decisions so by the time I board the plane I have doubts as to whether I was just too anxious to get home and perhaps not frugal enough. It is December and Christmas is just a few weeks away after all. Shucks, oh, well. Make the best of it.

I start looking out the window as we decent into God's Country and see the ground peppered a bit with snow. Well at least that's one good thing. After landing and plane debarkation, I wander toward the Enterprise booth. I have a car for 3 1/2 days for a bit under $100 before taxes. Well, by the time they chewed on me about deer strikes and adding Lord knows what without knowing what I was doing, the fare jumped to over $200 dollars. Crap. Damn. I got robbed. Oh Hell, so instead of getting mad there and barking to get it right, I just give in and start toward my car. A white Chrysler 200, again, not what I asked for but apparently they had one on hand and for more money I got it. My hearing must not be too good anymore, I saw lips move, and I nodded my head, so there you have it.
Out to a gloriously cold parking lot and a bit icy, too. OK, where is that car?  I loved that cold, that frosty breath, that icy ground!  However, all I had was a hoody, and I started to get cold.

Alright this is a Chrysler 200, not white, but its the only one I see.  The doors are unlocked, and in I go.  I put my bag in the back seat.  The key goes in but it won't turn.  I haven't had a new vehicle since my 96 Ford Ranger pick up.  I know they have built in thing-a-ma-bobbies that you have to do to start some of them.  I push on the brake, no go.  I

put on the emergency brake, no go.  Darned if I can figure out how to start it and I don't want to go back in to talk with those creeps who robbed me.  Alright I get out and look around.  Nope, no other 200' s.  I get back in and try new things, different combinations, but none work.  I come up with a brilliant plan to lock the car and determine if the keys will unlock the doors, thus confirming whether it's the right car or not.  I open the door, do the auto lock, step out and close the door.   I put the keys in the door and they don't work. OK, so this isn't the car.  Unfortunately, I have now locked my bag in the car, and have to trudge back into the Enterprise kiosk and explain to people who just robbed me that I am an idiot, a fact I am sure they already know.  The picture above is the car in question.  I should have known anyway because it's not white.

Nice to see a good old Midwestern winter sunset again.

I got it straightened out. No, they got it straightened out and I'm on the road.  For what I am paying for this car I almost wished for a deer strike.  I called Pat to see if she'd like to meet me at the brickyard for a drink and a tenderloin, and good friend that she is, promptly and without hesitation agreed.  Things picked up considerably after that.  I got to see Shelley, Pat's daughter, and the loin was good, as was the drink and conversation.  I really like Pat. After the meal, we headed to Knoxville to chat and get me in my room after a long day.  

       

This is a picture of the car leaving Brickyard.  It really wasn't snowing much but the camera caught some flakes on the window.  It sure looked pretty to me.  Pat and I talked about all manner of things, and she even sent me out to get ice cream for root beer floats.  Fun first day after I got out of Quad City airport.  I also made a call to Mark to tell him I was here.  I didn't think it necessary to have both of us drive, so I told him and we decided to meet at Barton's in Alpha for a short trip up the the Blythe manor in Port Byron. 

Tomorrow to Phil and Jeanne's, then over to Blick Christmas party since Judy told me about it and invited me to be her guest, and try to see the old Grove Street gang.  

Yippie, I'm home!!