Christmas is over and we’re back home, but I thought I’d share the adventures (you may see some of this in an upcoming novel…)  

Left for Grandson’s house early – it takes eight hours driving and nearly that flying since nothing is direct – in the rain and fog. Normally fog burns off fairly early. That didn’t happen. In fact there was still fog when we arrived eight hours later, but no snow or ice like last year – we were sweltering so the Christmas sweaters had to come off.  

In the meantime La Daughter had risen at 4 a.m. to get to La Guardia to join us at Grandson’s home flying out at 9:40 a.m. to arrive around 1 p.m. Rainy and foggy there as well and she had no control. She was supposed to change planes in Detroit but the first delay killed that one. She was offered a direct flight to a city nearby her original destination so I said to take that one and she could rent a car for the drive from there and still arrive around the same time. But that was only the first delay… Fortunately she’s my daughter so she had a book with her as well as her phone. Still a lousy way to watch the airport fill up and observe people nap on the floor.  

She finally got out of New York after 3 (remember supposed to arrive at 1) and arrived in the rain and fog for another hour of driving in truly miserable weather. But she finally arrived, exhausted and coughing her head off. The rental car was only $50 more than we were told when she reserved it.

Next morning included a trip to the doc in a box for her coughing – kudos to them, very efficient, in and out in less than 30 minutes (at home it’s never less than 2 hours but when the doctor’s office is closed…)

Super day with Grandson on Christmas Eve. Swam in the hotel pool, which he loves and just hung out. Son cooked our dinner and he’s a very good cook, then we opened presents. (I’ve never done that in my whole life. Daddy insisted that Christmas morning was when packages should be opened.) Grandson didn’t have a clue but enjoyed the attention, the paper and the music some of the toys made. Think the parents appreciated the clothes he got more.

Good thing we did open packages on Christmas Eve, because when we got up to go back over to see Santa with Grandson, the car wouldn’t start. Still raining like a waterfall, but not a click when you turned the key. Now this is a Toyota hybrid but it wasn’t the “main” battery. There’s a starter battery for ignition and clock, etc. so we called AAA. Again kudos, there in less than twenty minutes and despite the horrible weather (though it was in the 70’s) he was professional and meticulous about his care for the car. It just took some time and we had to get a new battery, another hit to the old credit card.  

Finally got over to the Grandson and saw what he had gotten, though we missed the actual event – it was after ten already. Visited a little while then set out for Sis’s house to see nephews and niece, though it proceeded to rain for the next seven hours as well. Saw some sky after we were east of the Appalachian Mountains. We did get to see the full moon on Christmas night.  

Long trip and worth it to see so much family but sheesh, you know? Toll on Hubby with the slick roads but less traffic than if we’d traveled different days. Probably still not our worst traveling experience – I remember an 11-hour stay in the Ft. Lauderdale airport after a cruise…

What about you? Share with me some of your horror stories and know that some form of the story may appear in a novel somewhere, sometime.