Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

I know that I stole the title of this blog from a movie, but it just so perfectly describes our trip home.

For some reason known only to the gods of travel, we were unable to get any flight out of San Francisco in the daytime.  And the one that we could afford had an extra two stops before it landed us in Ottawa. So this “early to bed, early to rise “person gave up what little health, wealth, and wisdom she had left to board a plane shortly after midnight.

Air travel has changed. Gone are the days of being pampered by an air hostess, offered treats and pillows. Nowadays, pillows are for the first class passengers only. I felt lucky to find a tiny, thin blanket in a plastic bag thrown carelessly onto my seat when I arrived. And I must have missed the beverage cart during my half hour nap, because I received absolutely no refreshments through the 3 hour flight.

I did enjoy watching the sun rise rapidly towards us in the morning, and through the magic of time zones we landed in Minnesota in time for breakfast.

At the beginning, I had been a little concerned about this hopscotch flight across the country. On our reverse trip west, in reasonable daylight hours, our first flight was delayed due to mechanical problems. So we missed the next two flights, but were offered a new and more direct option, which would have turned out well except that plane also sat at the gate receiving emergency resuscitation before we could leave. Again.

But this midnight gamble paid off. All flights went smoothly and all connections were made without any mad dashes down the airport concourse. We even had time for meals in between. Since they obviously aren’t offered on the planes anymore. But it lent the trip a unique flavour: breakfast in Minneapolis, and lunch in Detroit.

We landed in Ottawa just before supper time. As a new treat, we had booked a train ride from Ottawa to Kingston. It had been years since I rode a train, and I was looking forward to the experience.  I even expected to enjoy supper in the dining car on the last leisurely leg home. Guess what?  Train travel ain’t what it used to be, either. Gone are the glamorous days of luxury and ease. Why drag a dining car down the tracks for the passengers’ enjoyment when a “snack cart” would do? Instead of hot meals, let’s offer a sandwich! I’m sure there was some bean counter involved in that decision. Have you noticed the drop in rail passengers? Hmmmm...

Oh well.  At least wine and beer is offered on the menu, and a cheese plate, however tiny. That at least is not a bad way to end a very long day.

So it was disappointing to be told that they had run out of wine. It must have been the French indulgence, since that particular train originated in Montreal and we got on in Ottawa. The rail executives making the supply decisions obviously didn’t think this through.

Our very last leg before a real bed was the automobile. Or in our case, our truck, graciously driven by my brother-in-law coming to pick us up at the station in Kingston.  Except he didn’t make it. Our truck, miffed at being left out of our recent trip, flashed red warning lights in his eyes just after he had driven too far from home to walk back. This wasn’t a subtle hint that maybe he should turn around and go back. No, no. This was a firm “STOP ENGINE” warning. So he did. At the side of the road.

Thank goodness for cell phones.

We were met at the train by a different member of the family, but we were met. And we all made it to our beds that night, although much later than originally expected. The truck was towed to a repair shop and the not-so-dire problem fixed the next day.

Ah, adventure. By planes, trains, and automobiles.

W

Spring Break

Mother Nature took a hissy fit this spring. There was more snow in March and April than we had all winter.  So to escape this very Canadian temper tantrum, we flew off for a month to California.

Now normally when one is heading for a Spring Break in California, one would pack shorts and suntan lotion. We pack tools and paint clothes.

Guess we always did take the road less travelled.

This is our third go-around in the San Francisco area since we retired. We are lucky to have family living here, and have enjoyed a lot of the touristy things the place has to offer. We have toured Napa Valley (a particular favourite of mine), eaten oysters by Bodega Bay, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, and walked up the famous steep streets of the city. But for this trip we have other priorities.

Since we sold off all real estate holdings seven years ago now, we are very obliging about helping out family members still bound to the ball and chain of home maintenance. It doesn’t seem to be so much of a hardship to paint another person’s walls when you are not fretting about what should have been painted in your own home, had you gotten around to it.

So we have painted, and replaced carpeting, and fixed the various things that always need to be fixed in a house.

Again, we have turned my sister-in-law’s house upside down. 

In order to paint and re-carpet bedrooms, someone has to be moved out of it. It isn’t as though we have an extra bedroom to play musical beds with, either.  We invited a nephew who was in-between jobs to stay and play with us, and then kicked him and his belongings out of his room a few days in. At least we were fair. Hubby and I also had our turn at trying to find our luggage in amongst the relocated furniture and linens. And so did the poor beleaguered owner of the house.

To say that my husband is enthusiastic about projects like this is understating the matter.  He attacks these things like a football player tackles the opposition. We always start out with a well defined plan and specified improvements that could easily be accomplished in our time schedule. Yet even before the first goals are achieved, other things seem to come up that are important, too. 

So instead of merely having her upstairs redecorated, my dear sister-in-law now has a new kitchen sink and the main water shutoff valve to the house replaced. 

The front patio, started many years ago by her late husband, is now finished and new motion sensor lights adorn the outside walls.

But alongside these multiple projects, we also had summer without enduring a fickle Canadian spring. The weather was usually sunny and warm. Jackets were optional, and only occasionally worn with the shorts and flip flops that were our daily uniform. The landscaping that we slaved over four years earlier has come to maturity, with masses of flowers creating a colourful carpet in the garden we built.

And we had one fun day in San Francisco, playing tourist. We enjoyed a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge in the morning, clam chowder in a bread bowl along the Fisherman’s Wharf, and a visit to the Bay Aquarium before giving up the pretence of being tourists and joining the rush hour crush heading back home.

We are flying back into Canada in the first week of May. With luck, Mother Nature has matured into a more reasonable version of spring. We are more than eager to pull our Airstream out of her winter home and get her ready for summer.

It’s time to get our own house in order.

W