Sunday, October 15, 2017

The Arrival

Waiting at the airport for someone to arrive is always a very anxious time, you continue to check the screen to make sure the plane is still on time and then you panic when the flight from the layover to the final destination is suddenly cancelled. This happened when Tim, Elisa, and Benjamin were coming to see us last week.

They had a short layover in Phoenix and an hour later were supposed to be landing here in California, when suddenly their flight was cancelled. Tim said they were actually in line to board the plane when the cell phones of everyone in line suddenly rang in unison, he said that was an eerie feeling.

The calls were informing everyone of the cancellation, in spite of the fact that the screen at the airport was still showing the flight boarding, the agent who was directing everyone to board still didn't have the word that they were cancelled, and would have lead everyone right onto the plane had the doors not still been shut.

To make a long story short evidently the Vice President of the United States was flying out from there and everything had to come to a screeching halt until his plane was in the air and gone. Now wouldn't you think that simply putting everything into a holding pattern, and then loading everyone onto the plane they were originally ticketed to fly out on would be the thing to do? But no no no this is not how we do things, now they had to find new flights for everyone.

Line of people at an airline counter with our son Tim looking on to the airlines computer while an agent searches for a flight.
Tim looking onto the airlines computer (picture provided by Tim's wife)

Tim stepped in to help the ticketing agent find a flight for them, walked right up to the screen and gave her all kinds of advice, takes after his mom I want you to know. He didn't get kicked out or put onto the no fly list, but it did take the airlines another two hours to get the kids on a flight. Notice Tim is the only passenger looking at the attendants computer, while everyone else stays in line.

Mimi (Cindy) was in full panic mode by the time they finally arrived, I thought she was going to completely burst when we finally saw them coming down the stairs.

Our son Tim with his wife Elisa and their son Benjamin walking together down the stairs arriving at the airport
Elisa, Tim, and Benjamin on the stairs just before Benjamin spotted Cindy and I

Benjamin looked up and saw us and broke into a run down the stairs, Cindy knelt down and he jumped into her arms, I didn't think we were ever going to get them apart, his little arms around her neck and hers around his back for what seemed like an hour, yes I was jealous, Papa wanted a hug too.

Benjamin jumped up into my arms and out of the corner of my eye I saw Cindy place her hands on the floor, heck she was already on her knees, and I know that I can't just stand right up from that position anymore, it's not like we are getting any younger you know, so I didn't think anything of it, I was finally getting to hug the grandbaby.

Thanks, Thanks alot! Cindy says to me as I placed Benjamin down onto the ground. What are you talking about, you got to hug him first I reply. Cindy shouts, I'm not talking about that, I actually fell down on the floor, I think that I passed out! What do you mean you passed out? I hit the floor, I tried to catch myself, but I blacked out for a second when I turned B loose!

Jimmy: I thought you were just getting up, maybe he hugged you too hard.

Elisa: I saw you crawling on the floor, I thought you lost something.

Tim laughs and says, Only thing she lost was her dignity.

Oh fine! Cindy says, I hit the ground at the airport and everybody notices but my family, didn't any of you see that woman ask if I was OK?

Jimmy: I was busy hugging the grandbaby.

Elisa: I thought you were looking for something.

And Tim pleads the fifth...he ain't saying nothing.

Jimmy with grandson Benjamin and wife Cindy posing for pictures at the airport
Papa, Benjamin, and Mimi posing for pictures at the airport.

Why don't we take some pictures Mimi! I suggested. Yeah Mimi let's take a picture, Benjamin said.

Whew, saved by the Grandson, for now...

Mimi is OK, and for the rest of the day I heard the story of how she passed out at the airport and nobody in her family even noticed. I feel bad but I don't think that I'm living this one down...

59 comments:

  1. Are you out of the doghouse yet? Actually I don't think you're in trouble at all. Enjoy your family.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. Hello Sandee, I think that I am safe for now ha ha.

      A great day to you my friend.

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  2. You'd think they'd be able to make better arrangements for the VP!
    Cindy knows grandchildren are the most important; you just did what was natural. Hope she's forgiven you.

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    1. Hello Liz, I thought the same thing that better arrangements could be made for the VP or any other elected official, no reason to cancel the flights of other people for them to fly out or in for that matter...

      Cindy is really attached to our grandson obviously, I think it is all water under the bridge now, I don't really think she was mad to begin with, I hope.

      It's good to see you Liz and I hope you come back again.

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  3. I can't believe the airlines wouldn't just hold you all in line for the---what, 15 minutes it would take for the VPs plane to get in the air! Flying would be so stressful these days.

    You, Cindy and your grandson look so happy in the photo and that airport floor looks so clean. If Cindy had to fall some place, she picked a good place. LOL Hope she's okay and just lost her footing.

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    1. Hi Jean, I couldn't understand a two hour delay being added on top of the time they had already spent there, and then too have to transfer them to completely different flights...common sense didn't seem to play into the decisions here in my opinion.

      Thank You Jean, it's easy for me to look happy when my family is smiling like that ;-) , yes thankfully that floor was clean she definitely would not have liked a dirty floor. I told her what you said about the clean floor and she got a laugh out of that and totally agreed with you at the same time.

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  4. I suppose putting you in a holding pattern would gum up the system for those on connecting flights, but Jeez. I would almost bet a lot of flights are messed up for the WH elite.
    Sorry that Cindy had an experience like that. Maybe from the excitement? I hope she's done being mad at you for not paying attention to her.

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    1. Hey Sharon, I bet you are right, most likely a lot more delays and cancellations than we realize are due to circumstances just like this.

      I really think Cindy was just so excited to see the kids especially after the delay that finally seeing them just got her for a minute, I think she was really giving me a hard time more than actually mad though.

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  5. She was overcome by the stress of waiting and the excitement of their arrival. Poor Cindy. I know just how she feels.

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    1. Hello Delores, I think you are 100% correct about that, she does get herself excited and on edge when we are waiting for them to arrive every time, and evidently you know exactly what I am saying.

      It's good to see you Delores, Thank you for making sense of this for me.

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  6. Oh wow, hopefully it was just an "episode" from stressing out over the delayed flight and all. I like her attitude though, "I hit the ground at the airport and everybody notices but my family" Nice photo of the three of you :)

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    1. Hello Abby, What Delores said makes sense to me, and like you I think it was all due to the stress and excitement of the waiting for and arrival the of the grand baby.

      It was really funny how she continued to say "I hit the ground at the airport and everybody notices but my family" ha ha

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  7. Blame it all in the VP! I understand the need for security, but I would think in not necessary to inconvenience everyone that much. Why, I wonder, not just a 15 minute delay on the plane?

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    1. I agree with you 100% Joe, a 15 minute delay should have been sufficient, 2 hours was asinine in my opinion.

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  8. Oh dear, that would be me in Cindy's shoes, I'm afraid. My husband doesn't notice anything, or if he does notice he interprets it in the least concerned way. And just like Cindy, I don't let him forget it :)

    Your little guy is so cute! That grin!

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    1. Hello Jenny, Isn't it funny how a husband and a wife can interpret a situation in two completely different ways, and how the husband is always wrong, and better yet you ladies never forget it ha ha.

      Thank you so much Jenny we are definitely proud of him, he does look like his Mimi I have to admit.

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  9. Poor Cindy. You would be in the doghouse here too. Living in it, eating in it, sleeping in it...
    Glad that the visit went well.
    Sigh on the politicians who are so important that everyone has to fit in with their schedules.

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    1. Hello EC, I was afraid that I was going to be living in it for sure, I think having the grandson with us for a few days may have gotten me off the hook somehow. We did have a really good visit.

      It is a shame that politicians traveling through has to inconvenience anyone at all, it's not like they even got to see him or anything...

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  10. She could (& just might) hold that against you forever!!

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    1. Hey Fran, You know how this works, I could in fact be reminded of this little incident at any time, whether expected or not for the rest of my life.

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  11. In the excitement of the moments of greeting, anything can happen, and in this case it did.

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    1. Hey Mimi, You are so right my friend, it definitely happened. The excitement of a long awaited arrival just got to her I'm thinking.

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  12. Having airports come to a pause more or less because of him makes his little stunt at the NFL game more aggravating to me.

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    1. Hey Adam, I really don't see a reason for any delays for traveling "officials" no more than 15 minutes like Joe mentioned anyways.

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  13. I feel so guilty for laughing! I can't believe poor Cindy (yes, I'm on YOUR side, Cindy!) was passed out and then crawling on the airport floor, and none of you even noticed! Dang! What does she have to do, bring a purse full of lighters to the airport to get some attention?

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    1. Hey Val, I read your comment to Cindy, she laughed and said that she will have to remember that for next time we go, you know for just in case.

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  14. All's well that ends well; all united, you got a great blog post and Cindy will never let you or the rest of the family forget her wild adventure.

    betty

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    1. Hello Betty, It did all end well, we had an excellent visit and you are correct Cindy does have a good one to remind us all of at her leisure ;-)

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  15. I am trying not to giggle here since it seems inappropriate.....lolololol. Hope Cindy is okay and none the worse for having her family disregard her plight.

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    1. Good morning Valerie, Cindy is doing really well, I believe she has forgotten it for now but on the other hand I have never known her to forget anything.

      As for you giggling I wouldn't expect anything less lol.

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  16. So glad to hear Cindi is okay. I can understand no one knowing what was going on there though, everyone focused on the hugging of Ben. Perhaps the hug was a little too tight and she needed air? Got a bit faint from the squeezing?

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    1. Hello River, She and Benjamin were squeezing each other really tightly, like you I think that was part of it along with the stress of waiting and the excitement of them finally arriving, it all made her a little faint when she tried to stand.

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  17. I didn’t realize they canceled flights when a big wig flies by. Thankfully they don’t come this way often. Glad the kids made it in ok.

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    1. Hello Rick, This is the first time that I have heard of a flight being cancelled to accommodate someone in power like this, I don't really understand the reasoning for it, water under the bridge though.

      Good to see you Rick.

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  18. Great photo! Thank goodness you guys are still young grandparents. If I had gotten on my knees it would have take paramedics to get me up. My grandchildren are all taller than I so there is no kneeling necessary.

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    1. Thank you Annie, Even at my age getting up from that position is a bit of a challenge, once he gets taller like you said the hugging will be easier.

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  19. My goodness, what a stressful time to have to go through that. The kneeling and hugging sounds like good aerobics, but thank goodness Cindy was okay. Let's chalk this all up to another family adventure! Hugs...RO

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    1. Good morning RO, I agree we can call it aerobics that sounds good to me. Another family adventure we have to love that.

      Have a great day RO

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  20. Loved the picture and am glad she was OK and felt good enough to repeat the position. Not sure I would have:) Pretty sure that episode will crop up in the future sometime when a jab is needed. Enjoy the reprieve.

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    1. Hey Patti, Thank you I like how that picture came out also. You are 100% correct that episode will most likely come back to me one day when I least expect it ;-)

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  21. The three of you look so happy together.

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    1. Thank you John, We sure love having him around even if it's not as often as we'd like.

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  22. What do you mean grandma passed out and nobody noticed? You might want to invest in one of those life alert things. Ha!
    Glad you all are together and Cindy is ok.
    Lisa

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    1. Hey Lisa, Cindy said to tell you that next time this happens she is going to yell "I've fallen and I can't get up!" Lol

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  23. Was on a flight once that got put into a holding pattern over Atlanta. After being in the air for over an hour and a half I reached the conclusion that short of crashing this was about as bad as things could get.

    First of all the plane was one of those small commuter jets. Next was the person sitting next me, a lady who I had somehow gotten on her bad side for some reason. Lastly, I hadn't eaten before the flight and was fast approaching the point that since the person next me hated my guts I might as well go cannibal.

    Long story short, whenever I'm in a airport, for whatever reason, I head straight to the USO military lounge and go crazy on the free snacks and relax in the comfortable chairs. It's why I always carry my retired military ID card.

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    1. I have never experienced flying in a holding pattern over an airport like that, and hopefully never will.

      Carrying your retired military ID card sounds like the perfect plan to make layovers at the airport more tolerable.

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  24. very interesting story and nicely told!

    glad everything went fine at end.
    Lovely pics on airport ,especially the pic with kid is great!

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    1. Thank you Baili, I appreciate your kind words, yes everything went well Cindy was fine and we were happy to see our grandson. Thank you I really like that picture.

      Welcome to our little group here, I am very happy to have you join us.

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  25. Hope California fires are getting slow down and people are feeling better ,my heartiest best wishes for all who live there

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    1. The fires have been really bad for a lot of people here in California, luckily none are really close to our home right now, I pray no others start and that no one else is hurt, thank you for your good wishes.

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  26. I love the picture at the end!

    Don't get me started on the whole airline issue!

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    1. Good morning Bijoux, Oh yes I know you could fill a whole page on the airlines, and that's OK ;-)

      I like that picture more each time I see it, Thank you Bijoux.

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  27. Poor Cindy! What a lovely photo of you all. I bet you were so relieved to see your family arrive down the stairs. I'm so glad they made it to you safely.

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    1. Thank you Joey, After that one delay the rest of their trip went really well.

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  28. We have long memories Jimmy, just ask my hubs ;)

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    1. Ups, almost forgot. Loved the photos! Also only been in one holding pattern in my life and it took forever to get down. Glad your family finally got in.

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    2. Thank you Denise, We really enjoyed having them with us. I have never been in a holding pattern myself.

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  29. What a nice picture of you, Cindy, and Benjamin at the end. I hope you print and frame it!

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    1. I think that's an excellent idea, Thank you so much.

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