Long Day!

Today, I sat the couch at DIA from 12 Noon until 6PM. I didn't do much until around 5PM when I was asked to preboard a flight to Portland - the crew showed up around 5:55PM. As I was leaving the plane, my phone rang - it was crew scheduling sending me on a trip to Nashville for the night!

I love our hotel in Nashville. Nice, large rooms. Goo Goo Clusters when we check in. Comfortable beds. Our van will take us back to the airport at 2PM tomorrow, so I have a nice long layover. I'll probably go out for a long walk tomorrow morning.

The flight out here went well...though it seemed like the passengers were especially needy. I'm not sure why. I was surprised that some Mennonite kids were so rude - ringing their call button a few times for fun, demanding drinks without waiting their turn, etc. But another kid (who I think was with them) complimented me on his way off the plane, telling me that I was a really good flight attendant!

I also had what I thought was going to be a challenge with an elderly gentleman - he didn't like that I asked him to hold on to his coat until I got all the roller bags up. He was not happy with me. But I ended up not needing the space, and I placed his coat back up there, after making him say "please." We joked around during the boarding process, and during the safety demo I pointed two fingers to my eyes, and then pointed the fingers to him - letting him know that I was watching him. He asked for a comment card, as well as my name and employee number so that he could tell my boss to give me a raise. We'll see if he follows through...

Well...it's after midnight here, so I guess I should think about going to bed. We will fly back to Denver in the afternoon, then we'll do a turn to San Francisco. And then I'll be back in Denver sometime before midnight tomorrow.

Christmas Day

Last night I collected assorted meds from crew members - Nighttime TheraFlu, Daytime TheraFlu and Zicam nasal spray. I tried the Zicam and the Nighttime TheraFlu, but they backfired on me...I'm one of those people who feel wired after taking those meds! So my 21 hour layover in Dallas during which I thought I'd get lots and lots of sleep, turned into a night of tossing, turning, and daydreams. It was not very restful.

We left the hotel at 12:45PM and took a full flight back to Denver. Before getting on the plane, though, I called crew scheduling to give them a "heads up" that I was going to be calling in sick after I returned to Denver, and would not be going on the Omaha turn. They didn't give me any hassle (thank goodness...cause I was feeling pretty bad at that point). So I got to be at home at 5PM instead of 11PM - we had a nice Christmas dinner as a family, opened presents, and now Greg is playing Jen's Wii Guitar Hero III. Tomorrow morning we'll have our traditional banana pancakes (one day later than normal).

It's been a nice day. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve in Dallas

Ah...the life of a reserve flight attendant. Holiday? What's a holiday? (I really shouldn't complain, though, since I did not go anywhere on Thanksgiving...)

I purposely did not bid on any available jobs yesterday on the board, with hopes of "flying under the radar" and not getting picked for a trip. But...that did not work. I was assigned to a 0615 show time this morning for a turn to Kansas City and a Dallas overnight. That's not so bad, but it's the turn to Omaha tomorrow afternoon that stinks - we have a 2 hour sit in Denver first, then return to Denver at around 9PM. Yuck.

But the worst thing is, I am starting to not feel well...the old sore throat/sinus/etc. Part of me wants to call in sick for the Omaha turn, but I don't want them not to believe me. So I guess I'll sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning...

I am really looking forward to going home for Christmas day, even if it's at 11PM or so!!!

Sunny Sunday

My Friday night drive from the airport back to home did not go as smoothly as I had hoped! It took almost 4 hours!!! By the time I realized that I-25 southbound was closed up ahead, it was too late to get off before I hit the backup. So I creeped and inched along (in perfectly good weather) until I reached County Line Road at the top of Monument Hill. Then I followed the traffic as we made a big detour. Our informative newspaper "The Gazette" did not mention this closure in Saturday's paper, so I am not exactly certain as to what happened on I-25. However, I did hear a rumor of a jacknifed semi...

I had planned on being home for a few hours before heading to the COS airport to pick up Jen...instead, I was home for less than an hour. But it was just enough time to eat some dinner, load the boys into the car, and head to the airport!

Yesterday, we hung out on the sofa most of the day - didn't even get dressed until 5PM!!! Can you tell that Greg isn't around? He went to the cabin on Friday evening, so we're having a "girl's weekend." Today, Jen has some things that she wants me to do, so I am not sure what my schedule will be.

I am off duty until 12/24 at 12:01AM...and then I have two days on duty. I am hoping that since I have only 2 days that scheduling will forget about me...and that we'll be able to have our Christmas at it's "normal" time. If not, we will postpone our family Christmas celebration until 12/26.

In the meantime, I am ready...the tree is up and decorated! The presents are all bought (I still have a few to wrap...) and life is good!

It Was Meant to Be...

We had a very smooth flight back to DEN this morning from Tampa...however, the passengers weren't thrilled when they arrived at the airport and were told that their flight was delayed about 45 minutes or so because the "crew needed to get their rest." Unfortunately, the passengers don't think WHY we may need our rest. They just assume we stayed out too late the night before from partying...not quite.

Anyway, I let anyone who asked know that we got in around 12:30AM and that it was a long day yesterday. Most everyone I told had some sympathy.

Unfortunately, the flight attendants with me weren't too happy today. Just tired, I guess. So I kept to myself at the front of the plane and just hung out. At the end of the flight, I started to walk towards the crewroom as I called crew scheduling, and ended up turning around and going right back to the plane that I had just gotten off of. I was needed to help pre-board a flight to Chicago.

So I did my thing, telling people not to put their coats in the overhead until after all the roller bags were put up there...and the flight attendant assigned to that flight showed up. I gathered my bags, and started walking up the jetway back to the terminal and I heard someone yell out "SUZIE!"

I stopped dead in my tracks...it was my first cousin, Jacki! She was on her way from her home outside of San Francisco to Chicago! I would have loved to have worked her flight so we could visit more. ButI realized that there was a reason why I got assigned to pre-board that flight - to see Jacki! It was meant to be.

Since that pre-boarding, I was assigned to the couch until 4:57PM...and then I can go home for my FOUR DAYS OFF! Woo hoo! Jen left LaGuardia this afternoon and is on her way to Dallas. Unfortunately, her flight left late, so she has missed her connecting flight to Colorado Springs. But being the good Mommy that I am, I called American Airlines (I bought her ticket with credit card miles) and rebooked her connecting flight. She'll be home at around 9:40PM. Yay! Let the festivities begin!

Like a Bat Outta Hell...

My phone rang at 8:32AM. It was crew scheduling telling me I had to be at DIA by 10:32AM for a 10:55AM roundtrip to San Antonio. Then they called again and told me that they were adding on a Tampa overnight to the trip. So I threw everything together, got it into the car and took off - this time I had decided to change into my uniform at the airport to save some time.

After I parked and got onto the shuttle bus to the airport, my phone rang again. This time crew scheduling was telling me to go directly to Gate 28 because they couldn't find anyone to help preboard the flight. I told her that I still had to stop and change into my uniform, and that I'd be there as soon as humanly possible. I had about 7 minutes to spare when I "officially" called in to say that I had arrived.

The crew to/from San Antonio was very nice, and that portion of the day went by very quickly. Then I went to find my crew for the Tampa overnight - the arriving plane was late, and we ended up being two hours delayed because of insufficient oxygen in the flight deck. So the passengers got free TV, which made them happy, but I ran out of sandwiches and salads at row 10. Bummer. I sold all but 8 snacks on my snack cart...and I could have sold a lot more. This group was really needy.

There was a little boy screaming his head off. Passengers were complaining, but what could I do? I asked the parents if I could help, but the kid was just out of control. Red face, wide open mouth, tears...it was almost unbearable. Finally, he fell asleep, and the parents commenced drinking. You could tell that they had had enough. (So had the rest of the plane.)

So now it's almost 2AM here in Tampa, we have to catch our shuttle back to the airport at 8:40AM. I should be sleeping. In fact, that's what I am going to do. It's been a VERY long day for me.

Enjoying Home

I returned from Kansas City on Monday - and it was COLD in Denver...luckily, my car started! I had Tuesday off, and today I sat the couch at the airport from 0600 to Noon...it was relatively quiet, except for the bird flying around the crewroom. I decided that if I heard "There's a bird in here!" one more time, I was going to scream!!! Ummmmmmm. Ummmmmmm. Breathe deeply. Focus on your belly button. Ummmmmmm. Ummmmmmm.

I saw my first "guinea pig" in my pseudo-matchmaking attempts - and he's actually dating someone now! He called out my name, and I went over to where he and his girlfriend were standing. He got furloughed from Frontier, and is now flying corporate jets. And he's dating a Frontier flight attendant - who is very similar in looks and personality to the girl that I was trying to get him to call! I congratulated him for finally getting off his butt and dating, and told both of them that I am happy that they found each other. And they looked so happy together!

Nice Surprise!

Last night I was hanging out in my room, and my cell phone rang. It was one of my flight attendant friends, Kelly K, and she was calling from the hotel restaurant! It turns out that she flew in earlier in the morning and was leaving very early this morning...

It was so nice being able to spend time "catching up!"

Going in Circles...

The Kansas City Airport Hilton Hotel is such a nice hotel. Quiet, clean, modern. So much so, that I came back for a second night in a row! Well...that isn't quite the reason...we left this morning at 6:15AM to go back to the airport to fly to Cancun again! Then we picked up a planeload of people and returned to Kansas City just a little while ago. It's getting cold and blustery outside, and rumor has it that a storm is coming soon, complete with snow and ice - we're supposed to fly out tomorrow...I sure hope we can! Cause we're going back to Denver and then I have Tuesday off!

My "thought" for today is...why do people automatically assume that you know an alcohol's first name? On this morning's flight from Kansas City to Cancun we had a wedding party of 48 people. Most of them were very very nice (they could be recognized by the light blue shirts that they were wearing - the bride and groom had the same shirts in white), but there was one not-so-nice part of their group who snipped at me that she wanted a "crown and diet" or a "captain and diet."

I'd like to make a couple comments on this. First of all, we tell the passengers quite a few times to refer to page 88 in the Wild Blue Yonder magazine to see our beverage selection, which she obviously didn't do. And second of all, she spoke so softly that I practically had to put my ear in her face (she was in a middle seat), and acted totally annoyed with me when I did so. Lastly, she was huffing a puffing when I told her we did not have "crown" or "captain" (whoever the heck they were)...jeez. What does she think we are? A liquor store?!?! Ha ha ha ha!

I am so glad that I've got a good crew. It's really making this trip fun. On the van ride to the hotel this afternoon, we realized that our A flight attendant looks (and sounds) exactly like Rita Rudner with red hair. What a profound realization. Tomorrow, on our last flight together, I will have to introduce her as Rita's sister...

Muy bien, gracias!

Today, we flew from Salt Lake City to...no, not Denver...to Cancun! And we were on the ground for about an hour. Unfortunately, we were at a remote site at the airport so we couldn't get off and do some duty free shopping. (Sorry, Jen! I was going to look at the perfumes...)

It was on the next flight, from Cancun to Kansas City, that got a little weird...there was a good-lookin' guy in 11C. Tall, cute, with beautiful piercing eyes. Fadia was in love. I kept trying to get her to "make her move," but she couldn't. She was too chicken. I wasn't too chicken, and was going to do it for her, but I was afraid that I'd give him Jen's name/number instead! Anyway, we had a lot of fun kidding Fadia...it made the time go by faster.

So now I'm in a fantastic hotel in Kansas City. I came into the room, put my jammies on, warmed up my dinner, and called it a night. We get to come back to our same rooms tomorrow night after we do a turn to Cancun again. It won't be as long of a day, because KC is closer to Cancun than SLC.

It's been a long, tough day...time to think about going to bed.

Finally!

The phone FINALLY rang this morning! It was crew scheduling giving me 3 1/2 hours notice that I was taking a four-day trip. Yay! I had time to pack my lunch bag, take a shower, dress, leisurely drive to Denver, and have a little chat with an Inflight Manager at the airport (more about that later).

I'll be with this same crew for all four days - cause we won't be back in Denver until Monday! Thank goodness it's an easy-going crew...no Senior Mamas!!! I have flown with Fadia before - she's very positive and nice...thank goodness!

Today was really easy - we took a one-hour flight to Salt Lake City, UT and are at a Red Lion spending the night. The hotel is within walking distance of Temple Square and The Gateway shopping district. I started out after lunch and came back when the lights were being turned on - very, very pretty. I took the following pictures at Temple Square:

As I mentioned before, I spoke with a manager for a little while to get advice as to what to do, if anything, about the Senior Mamas that I recently flew with. It was so uncomfortable, and it shouldn't have to be that way.

She suggested that I contact a member of the Peer Advisory Committee - tell the member my story, the names of the other flight attendants, and request that I remain anonymous. The manager agreed that it is very important to make the announcements the way they are written, and that it's critical to follow Frontier's rules to avoid FAA fines. Since I had attempted to discuss these issues with the Senior Mamas without success, she feels that they might need a bit of counsel by another flight attendant - no manager involvement at this point.

The manager also told me that management has attempted in the past to educate the senior people as to the importance of keeping up with the changes in procedures, BUT the seniors weren't thrilled with being told how to do their job. I guess you CAN'T teach old dogs new tricks.

Waitin' by the Phone

A friend at Frontier posted a status update on Facebook yesterday saying that she's hasn't sat and waited by the phone since she got married...that is such a true statement! I thought those days were over! This is my first of six duty days in a row. All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go.

I had a nice two days off - finished all my Christmas shopping (except for maybe Greg...he is SO HARD to buy for), mailed the out-of-town packages last night. It's a good feeling of accomplishment.

Today I am going to tackle the Christmas decorations...

Celebrity?

Well...I said that I was going to include "celebrities" that I met on the plane. This guy, Ted, gave each of us his card on a recent flight. I went to the website that it listed www.60milemen.org and came up with the following:

MR. MARCH: Ted, 42, is a Surgical Technologist for a major health care system in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His passion for the 3-Day is only equaled by his love of history. he is an avid historical re-creationist, and volunteers for the cast of several Renaissance Festivals in North Texas.

I walk for all the men and women that I have come into contact with in my 20+ years in surgery, in the hope that one day we will never again perform another mastectomy. I walk for my adopted "military mom" who is a survivor of multiple diagnoses, and for the Navy Chief that - with her successful battle - showed me what courage and leadership truly are. Most of all, I walk so that one day nobody will have to lose another family member to this disease.

Uncomfortable Flight

On Saturday evening, I got a "courtesy call" from crew scheduling letting me know that I had a 0725 show time at DIA on Sunday for a turn to Ft. Lauderdale - around 8 hours of flying in one day. I was fairly happy until I saw that I would be flying with a couple "senior mamas" (women who have been with the company forever). I decided, though, that there are some really great senior mamas out there, and maybe these are a couple of them. NOT!

Let me start out by saying that both these ladies were very, very nice. The problem I had with them is that they do things their own way, and not the way I was taught. Again, it was the old "They teach you one thing in class, but this is how it really works." I've been around long enough to know that the way they teach us works just fine, as long as you pull your heads out of your behinds and be open to change.

Anyway, it started going bad very quickly...during the safety demo (I was in the middle of the plane) the B attendant skipped the entire intro section! That totally threw me off! There I was waiting for her to introduce us by name to the passengers, and she's already fastening the seatbelts! I looked really, really stupid. AND we had 11 non-rev gate agents on board, going down to take a cruise to the Bahamas, so they witnessed my ineptitude. Argghhh. After the demo, I told B that she really threw me off with her announcement - she told me she likes it this way...she feels it is stupid to introduce us before they've fastened their seatbelts. Huh?!?! She also told me that she was sure that I would let her know all the things that she is doing wrong...

Well...things went from bad to worse. Announcements skipped important pieces of info, some were made by A when it should have been C. On the return flight, a passenger started yelling at me regarding bags in the overhead (he later apologized), and the A closed the airplane door before I had briefed the exit row (a big no-no). They said a limited beverage service wasn't necessary, they let passengers on the plane while I was still cleaning it - lots more happened, but bottom line was NO ONE WAS LISTENING TO ME.

I tried to let both the A and B know that the reason I follow the rules is because that's what we're SUPPOSED to do, AND that the FAA is really cracking down on us to make sure we comply (and I'm not going to pay a fine because someone else won't follow the rules) - but I got "oh...it doesn't matter who says what," "people make mistakes...we're only human," "safety is what matters (I agree), so it is not important if we don't wear the uniform correctly," etc.

It was SO FRUSTRATING. I finally just shut up and did my job the way I was taught. These are our senior people...they are supposed to be setting a good example. Ha! I think I'm going to chat with my manager and get some tips on how to handle this situation a bit better in the future.

Disappointed...

I had a great crew and great flights to/from ABQ and Detroit! But on our return from Detroit this morning, the CPT called us to let us know that the Milwaukee flight had been cancelled. I had hoped that they would keep me on the San Diego turn tomorrow, but nope...I have no assignment. *sad face*

I am disappointed for a few reasons. 1) That Frontier actually cancelled a flight. That is not good. 2) That my flying days and per diem were cut short, and 3) I think one of my friends was going to be on my flight from San Diego to Denver tomorrow. Oh well. Life goes on.

The CPT was a crack-up. During the safety demonstration, I was saying, "to open your seatbelt, you pull on the top of the buckle," and getting ready to say the next part when I heard this loud (male voice) "DUHHHHH!" I cracked up. He denied doing it, but I know it was him. So as I was leaving the crewroom today to go home, I walked behind where he was sitting at the computer and said "DUHHHHHH!" and snuck away.

Good times.

Called to Duty!

I got assigned to the couch this morning from 6AM until Noon. I checked in at around 5:45AM and was immediately sent to a gate to fly a turn to Chicago Midway. The first passenger hadn't even come on board, and the "missing flight attendant" showed up, and I was sent back to the sofa. As a "consolation" prize, crew scheduling clocked me in at 5:30AM...I would have liked to have stayed on that trip - they were spending tonight in San Francisco!

We had one preboard while on duty today - but again, before we brought on any passengers, the "real" crew showed up.

Other than that, it was a quiet morning. I finished "Twilight" and am looking forward to reading the second book in the series. I also read a magazine or two...when noon came, I decided to take my chances and drive home. It's snowing a bit here, and now that it's dark, the roads are freezing. I don't have to worry until tomorrow morning - I aggressively bid for a 3-day trip to Detroit and Milwaukee, and actually got it. I have to be at the airport at 10:30AM tomorrow. I sure hope the roads are clear when I leave at around 8AM. Maybe I'll just put studded snow tires on my car!!!

Wednesday's "Wrambling"

Today is day 1 of 5 days of duty. I bid for yesterday off (so I could stay home and work on projects without having to worry that I'd be called away) and was not one of the chosen few. So I am bidding for tomorrow off, as well as for the only 4-day trip on the board (Omaha, Las Vegas, and Indianapolis). I'll know if I got anything in a few hours.

In the meantime, I'll bring up an issue or two that I have been thinking about...

Babies on Airplanes

- Why is it that parents bring their babies on board and immediately ask us for milk? Or juice? Or food for their baby? Do they normally travel with nothing for the child to drink or eat? By the way, we very rarely have milk onboard the aircraft, and if we do, it is for the cereal which we sell during the food service.
- Why don't parents bring a pacifier, a boob, or a bottle for the baby to suck on during take-off and landing, instead of letting the kid scream and be in pain?
- Why do the gate agents put families with babies in the very last row in the window seat?

Older Children on Airplanes

- Why don't the parents bring a new toy or coloring book or such for the kid to play with while we are in the air? Instead, they let the kid destroy the inflight magazine, the Skymall magazine, and the indestructible Safety Information Card.
- Why don't the parents gather their bags and things as others are deplaning, and when their row is open, they're ready to deplane? Instead, they wait until everyone is off the plane, except the flight attendants, and then take their time as they gather their things, not even noticing that the flight attendants need to hurry off the plane to their next flight (or rush to the bus to go home).
- Why don't the parents at least attempt to clean up the mess that their kid makes during the flight? I've seen entire rows trashed with all kinds of smashed cookies, spilled juice, squashed fruit, torn out pages, etc. Aren't these parents embarrassed?
- Why do parents allow their kids to kick the seats in front of them, pull on the passenger's hair, etc.?

Just the other day, a couple with three kids (twin boys and an infant) boarded my flight - and immediately, one of the twins started screaming bloody murder because his Dad didn't let him have the window seat. So I calmly went over to their row, leaned down real low and said to the little boy "We don't allow crying on Frontier! We're the happy airline!" and then walked away. That kid didn't make one cry for the rest of the flight!

I know that these are some of the mysteries of life. But if I can train just one new parent, that'll be one less aircraft with 136 unhappy passengers.

I have spoken.

Better Safe, Than Sorry...

You know that harrowing drive I mentioned in yesterday's post? I had another this evening. It was SO BAD (a normally 5 minute drive took me 3 hours), that I turned around and checked into a hotel...! And it's a good thing that I did - I just got a call from crew scheduling - I have a round-trip flight tomorrow to San Jose, CA. I have to be back at the airport tomorrow at 11AM. Hopefully, the roads will be cleared in the morning!

For a nice change of pace, here are a few pics from the hotel I stayed in last night in Costa Mesa, CA. Two are of the courtyards and one was taken in the lobby. Nice, huh?

Super Susan to the Rescue!!!

After a harrowing drive from Colorado Springs to Denver this morning at 0400 (icy and foggy), I sat on the couch at the airport. Twice, I got called to pre-board flights...and then the phone in the crew room rang once again...it went like this:

"Brriiiiiinnnnng, briiiiiinnnnnng."

Another flight attendant answered the phone and yelled out "SUSAN MOORE!"

The crewroom came to life - all the FAs and pilots started saying "You're going on a trip, you're going on a trip!"

I picked up the phone...."Hello?" and heard that it was Bernadette in Scheduling. She said that she had a trip for me - meanwhile, all eyes are on me, so I decided to play it up. "COSTA RICA?!?! You're sending me to COSTA RICA!?!?!" People in the crewroom actually believed me! Hahahahahaha! We don't start flying there until 12/19...GOTCHA!

What Bernadette called to tell me is that they were flying me to Orange County, CA - I got to be a passenger, watch free TV and sleep! I'd spend the night and then work a flight back in the morning - one of their flight attendants called in sick, and evidently flew home on the flight that I just came in on.

This is a beautiful hotel...and it's a beautiful day. I think I'll go out and explore for a little while!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Crew Scheduling just called...Ryan said "Gobble gobble, you are released until 5AM tomorrow!" Woo hoo!!!

Home for the Holidays!

I got an almost 4-hour call-out (whew!) for a Dallas turn yesterday - now THAT'S my kind of call! I had time to shower, dress, get organized, and drive to DIA in a nice, relaxing manner.

The flights were full both ways - lots of people going to be with loved ones for Thanksgiving! I spoke with a Colonel in the U.S. Army on the way to Dallas - nice guy... and I had a plane full of TCU (Texas Christian University) students on the way back to Denver.

We were on an Airbus 318 that had recently had leather seats installed - and the last row had inoperative TVs...that's a temporary situation that will be rectified within the next week or so. The passengers in that row on both flights were disappointed...so I offered to purchase them a beverage as a token of apology. Not all of them took me up on my offer, but they very much appreciated it.

I was the "B" position this time, so I didn't really talk much with the "A" flight attendant, but I had a very nice chat with Vanessa, the "C" flight attendant. She's another FA who loves her job! Those job-lovers are a joy to be around!!!

Happy Birthday, Jen!

I have to do two posts today - I can't let today go by without giving a "shout out" to my not-so-little girl who turns 20 years old today...where has the time gone?

Dear Jen,

I can't believe that you are 20 years old.

I have so many memories - wonderful ones - of you from throughout your life. You and I were constant companions (until you got your driver's license) from the beginning, and even now, when we get together, it's like we never were apart. Here are just a few of the billions of memories that come to mind:

* Watching you sleep when you were a baby, and freaking out when, at two weeks, you first slept through the night...I was so afraid that you weren't breathing! But, no...you took it seriously when, the night before, you cried in the middle of the night, and I went and got you and rocked/nursed you, tears streaming from my eyes, saying how I couldn't do this anymore...that I needed SLEEP! You...being the wonderful daughter that you are, started sleeping through the next night. Thank you.

* Remembering the time that I locked you in the car...(not one of my proudest moments). We were at the "mall" in Boeblingen, Germany and had just gotten take-out from the McDonald's. I loaded you (around 12 months old) into your carseat in the back of my Subaru Justy, placed the McDonald's on the front seat, the car keys on the dashboard, and then locked the car and closed the car door. Unfortunately, it was "lunch hour" and the German guys at the nearby service station didn't want to be bothered to try and understand my broken German, as I tried to explain my dilemma. I ran back to the car...you were crying. I don't know if it was because you were scared or if you were hungry and could smell the McDonald's food! I had to leave you again to try and get help - remember, this was before cell phones! - I ended up going into the mall, begging to use the telephone, and ended up calling Daddy - he came over from work and rescued you with a coat hanger. My hero!

* I am so proud that I was there when you got asked for your hand in marriage the first time. It was at a canal-side cafe in Venice, Italy...a gorgeous Italian waiter came over and told us that you were beautiful. He then asked Daddy if he could marry you when you grew up...

* Enjoying the times you loved to "dress up" - even when it wasn't Halloween...especially the night that we ordered Chinese at "The New Panda" - you had to put on your "mini-wedding dress," veil and high-heeled shoes - I brought you in to the restaurant with me, and you loved all the attention you got from the wait staff, as they told you what a beautiful bride you made!

Fast forward several years...there are entirely too many memories and it would take me all day to record them...

* The fun times we have had together - our "Mystery Trip" to San Francisco, our numerous trips to the mall, our 8-week cross-country trip two summers ago, my visits to NYC. There are so many more to come.

* Watching you dance onstage. My heart bursts with pride, my eyes well with tears. What more can I say?

and finally,

* Watching you bloom and grow in New York City. You are where you need to be - you are showing your maturity, your talent, your focus - I know you will be successful in whatever you decide to do.

I love you,

Mommy

I Love My Job!

Yesterday was so much fun!

I had to be at DIA at 5:45AM (that wasn't the fun part) - first, I did a round-trip to Minneapolis, had a 2 hour layover back at DIA (that wasn't the fun part, either), and then did a round-trip to Phoenix. I was back at home by 8:30PM. I was exhausted, but in a very good way.

First of all, I had a really great crew! I flew with my classmate, LuEllen, again! Michael was the other FA. The CPT and FO were nuts - the CPT kept coming out of the flight deck asking "Are we there yet?" The kids on board loved him!

I think the best part of yesterday was that I was flying with two other flight attendants that LOVE their jobs! That makes all the difference in the world. We had fun teasing each other - playing "go fish" while serving beverages..."Do you have an open apple juice?" "Go fish!" I tried to get Michael to laugh during the safety demo - and I succeeded! He cracked up and had to stop his announcement... just stupid stuff that made the time fly by. I hope to fly with both of them again, soon.

I love my job!

Boycott United Airlines!

OMG. What a day it has been. When I booked Jen's ticket to come home for the Celine Dion concert, I used credit card miles. Unfortunately, I ended up with a ticket on United Airlines. Luckily, everything went smoothly on Tuesday night when Jen arrived - but today, it's been crazy.

In a rather large nutshell, Jen's first flight today from Colorado Springs to Chicago on United kept getting delayed. I spoke with a UAL employee and told him that I wanted to cancel Jen's reservation, get my money back, and that I'd put her on a non-rev Frontier Airlines ticket from Colorado Springs to Denver to LaGuardia, because "Frontier never cancels flights!" Well...he did one better - he "pushed" Jen's entire ticket to Frontier - in other words, United paid for Jen to have a confirmed seat on Frontier!

But, he did it incorrectly and Jen's ticket remained as a non-rev. She got on the flight to Denver, and then I had to walk back and forth between the United and Frontier counters, until finally a wonderful Frontier customer service agent, Brenda, and her manager, Dixie, figured it out and got Jen a confirmed seat on the flight from Denver to LaGuardia. Whew! (Though she would've had no problem getting a non-rev seat...there were 10 seats available, and she was #2 on the list...but by then it was the principle of the matter.)

I went back to United to speak with the customer service agent to let them know why the "push" did not go through correctly...and without even looking up at me, she said:

"I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Thank you and have a nice day."

I had been blown off. OMG. (By the way...it was very effective.)

Garden of the Gods

On Wednesday, it was gorgeous! Jen and I ran several errands, and ended up at the Garden of the Gods - she needed to take some photos for a class project.

I decided to take some photos, too!

Evergreen berries

Jen sees you!

Susan on crack...

I'm a photographer of the photographer!

Rock climbers...

Kissing Camels...

No Pictures for You!

Since I arrived in Houston in the dark, and left Houston this morning in the dark, I have no pictures...however, I should have taken some in the newly remodeled lobby - it's similar to the Philadelphia hotel's lobby - many stories tall, big, airy, and beautiful.

Since we had such a short layover, I ate out of my lunchbox, watched a little TV, read a used People magazine that was missing its cover and inside middle page, and went to bed. But I didn't sleep as much as I had hoped to - I had a "nightmare" about driving people places and getting everyone to where they needed to go and being on time. I was overcommitted and didn't know how to get to where I needed to go. Whew! I think those short-calls bugged me even more than I originally thought!

It was a half-full flight this morning, so it made it very easy...but it was hard to stay awake! But once we got back to DIA, we all heard those magic words..."you are released to your days off." I don't go back on duty again until Monday!

My daughter, Jen, is flying in this evening!!! Until a couple days ago, our plans were to go to the Celine Dion concert in Denver tomorrow night, and spend the night in a hotel. But I got an email and a phone call from Ticketmaster telling me that the concert has been postponed until February, 2009!!! So I gave Jen the option to cancel her trip home, and we'd rebook her ticket for February - that way she could stay in NYC and go to her classes, etc. But she was on top of her assignments, and decided to come home for a few days. I guess we'll have to spend our time together doing some "retail therapy..."!

Happy Camper?!?!?

I am trying to be a "happy camper" but am finding it hard today. I love this job. But I do NOT love 2-hour short-calls (where I have to sign in within two hours of receiving a phone call from crew scheduling). I cruised along for a year with only one...but this afternoon, I got my SECOND ONE IN 44 HOURS!

Let me clarify. I live 91 miles door-to-crewroom. One hour and forty minutes. It takes me 10 minutes to tear off my clothes and don my uniform. That leaves me a window of 10 minutes for traffic...those of you who know me, know that I'm not one to cut it so close. I prefer a 30 minute window at a minimum...

Looking at the brighter side, I am flying with one of my classmates - EC! The other flight attendant - Lori, was on my 2-hour short-call trip to Milwaukee! We all get along well together, and hope that we'll all be released to our days off when we return to Denver tomorrow morning!

On the Go!

If you look closely, you'll see a mallard duck in the following photo...that's what I saw on my walk around the hotel!

Oh...I guess I should tell you that I'm in Milwaukee! Yesterday, Greg and I had just finished raking the leaves in the front yard, and my cell phone rang. "This is a 2-hour call-out." I ripped off my leaf-covered clothes, gave myself a quick sponge bath, and threw on my uniform. Fortunately, all my bags were packed, Greg filled my water bottle, and I hit the road!

Traffic on a Saturday is a pain. Lots of people out for a joyride, not going the speed limit, etc. But I got there...I had FIVE minutes to spare. Whew. I didn't really enjoy that stress. The entire crew had been short-called - I don't know what had happened to the original crew...they were probably delayed in another city by weather.

The hotel has "Sleep Number" beds...weird! I set it to a really low number, and the entire bed sank in the middle! So I pumped it up and it got harder. Finally, I found a happy medium. There was a McDonald's nearby, and I walked there for breakfast on Sunday. Then I stopped at the Subway shop to pick up a sandwich for lunch. Now I'm sitting in the room watching a documentary about Jim Jones - what an evil man. It's scary that he had so much power over so many people. So sad.

I'm heading back to Denver in a couple hours...but I am not sure what my future holds! I am on duty until Tuesday at midnight...

My Adventurous Mom!

My Mom and my sister, Nancy, recently vacationed at the Punta Cana Club Med in the Domincan Republic. And, of course, you can't expect my Mom to sit still...nope. She got out there and tried out the flying trapeze! The Club Med trapeze staff were so impressed, that they held a small ceremony honoring her for her adventurous spirit!

Mom, being awarded a gold medal for her flying trapeze adventure...

...showing off her certificate and the weight belt she used while flying...

...being congratulated by the entire Punta Cana Club Med trapeze staff! She impressed them with her willingness to try anything!

Crazy Colorado

Yesterday was a gorgeous day - highs in the low 70s. Today started out sunny, buy now there are snow flurries and the high will be in the low 40s. A perfect day for staying in my jammies, curling up on the sofa and reading a book! Ah...but it is not to be! Today is day 2 of 6 days on duty...so I must be showered and ready to head out the door at a moment's notice!

I have some good news to report! Yesterday, the "case of the missing camera" came to an end! The camera that I fretted over, and finally gave up and replaced, was found on one of my dining room chairs under a cushion! Go figure. For your entertainment, I will present the photos that were on that camera...

The first photo is of one of my dream cars - I took this photo in Indianapolis back in early October...it was a gorgeous day, and I waited for the owner to return so that we could work out a deal, but he/she never came back. Too bad.

These next two photos were also taken in Indianapolis in early October, and show what I thought was a dog statue (some cities have amazingly lifelike statues spread around the city)...but turned out to be a real dog with amazing control! That dog did not move the entire time I stood and watched it.

Haven't I Learned My Lesson?!?

This evening I took a step back in my history and got reelected to our Homeowners' Association Board. I had been on the board for 11 years and quit a few years ago when the drama got too overwhelming...the cause of that drama is no longer on the board, it seemed like it was now more relaxed and casual, and I figured, "what the heck?" I hope I don't regret this decision.

I ventured out today more than any of the past seven days...and I can feel it. My head is hurting, my cough is gaining all sorts of attention, but I'm trying to still take it easy. There was a really good four-day trip on the board for tomorrow (but I start six-days of duty tomorrow). I even called Crew Scheduling and begged for them to give it to me! I promised them a pizza...but, no go. They're just too honorable for my bribes. Anyway, it was an overnight in Atlanta tomorrow, Los Angeles the next night, and San Francisco the following. Is that a good trip, or what?!?! I have friends and/or relatives in each of those places - I would have loved to have done some serious hanging out. Instead, I'll now wait for my phone to ring...

Will it Ever End?

I'm still sick. Did not even go out of the house on Saturday and Sunday. I did get my oil changed this morning and stopped at Target...and now I'm exhausted.

I am supposed to go to a neighborhood potluck dinner tonight for my Church...I honestly don't think I have the energy. I may just go up to make an appearance, and then leave...all I want to do now is sit on the sofa and sleep.

This strain of the flu (that wasn't included in the vaccine I got) is not very nice.

A Serious Moment

On one of my last flights, I had an interaction with a passenger that went something like this:

He: "When did you get your thyroid scar?" Pointing at my neck.

Me: "Oh...about 10 years ago - I had half of it removed because of a tumor."

He: Pulling back the collar of his shirt to reveal a mean, ugly scar, several times larger than mine with stretched out skin. "Here's my scar - my thyroid cancer had spread to my neck, to my lymph nodes, and around my shoulders. But I survived!"

Me: After visibly flinching and saying "Owww" when he revealed his scar, I said, "Wow."

He: He held out his hand and we shook hands - a very powerful handshake. And he told me "Congratulations."

I've thought about that interaction several times over the past several days. My tumor was noncancerous. His wasn't. He could have died, but he didn't. He survived. He had a great attitude.

Life is precious.

Adios, Senorita!

I just got back from taking Diane to the airport here in COS. I wasn't the best hostess, what with all this flu nonsense, but dem's de breaks, huh?

I feel a bit better - my fever is lower, my headache and body aches are more under control. I even went to the Safeway pharmacy and told them that even though I got their flu shot, I still came down with the flu! I asked if that's been happening a lot, and the pharmacist said that yes...she has heard that. Oh well. At least when I'm faced with one of the types of flu I've been vaccinated against, I should stay well!

I am going to go lay down on the couch...

My Sister Diane

Yesterday, Diane went to see Greg for her dental appointment - she made sure to tell the other patients that she flew across the country to specifically have Greg do her dental work! I don't think she told them that he was her brother-in-law!

After her appointment, I took her to Montague's - a lovely little restaurant that is one of my favorites. Then we visited a couple thrift shops and a dollar store and called it a day! I was starting to not feel so good - headache, body chills, etc.

Well, today I feel like I got slammed by a semi when I wasn't looking. My head throbbed, and I had to cancel our lunch plans with my girlfriends at the High School counseling center. Later on, as my headache subsided, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then drove around looking for "foreclosure" signs - we saw only one in our zip code. By then, though, I was starting to get the chills...103.5 at it's highest.

I hate being sick.

I called Frontier and reported that I wouldn't be available for work tomorrow...I'll have three more duty days after that, so I hope my body kicks this bug in the arse so I can go back to work.

Go Sarah Go!

I returned this morning from Chicago - I actually had a passenger that did not know how to fasten her seatbelt!!! I guess my demonstration really does pay off. I also got a drunk guy kicked off the flight - and this was at 6AM! I guess he must have stayed up all night drinking. After landing in Denver, we flew a quick turn to Albuquerque, and I released to my two days off. Yippee!

Before leaving the Denver area, I stopped at the Crown Plaza hotel where Greg was attending his monthly Prosthodontics Society meeting. Fortunately, they were eating lunch so I didn't interrupt anything...I stopped at his table, gave him a big kiss, and wished him a Happy Anniversary! I gave him a container of Cheddar/Caramel popcorn, and said that I had heard that popcorn was an appropriate gift for a 24th anniversary...

When I got back to Colorado Springs, I picked up my sister Diane at the airport and we stopped at the house. We started to run a few errands and then heard that Sarah Palin was coming to town! So we dropped everything and headed to the rally - it was awesome. We saw her plane land and taxi over to the rally location. Hank Williams, Jr. sang a couple songs, Sarah gave an awesome speech (she didn't say "You betcha" once...darn it) - it was a great adventure. Though now my throat is sore from yelling so much!

Sliders & Cows

I am happy to announce that the rest of my work day was much, much better than this morning's flight! Yippee! It was so uneventful, that I don't really have anything to write about...

But you know me...I can't stand a blank page. So here's what I saw in Chicago outside my hotel:

A boxing cow in shamrock trunks, complete with a black eye.

A patriotic cow who is just as anxious as I am to get Election '08 over with!

Next up, I headed a few short blocks away from the hotel to White Castle, an institution in its own right. And, you guessed it, I ordered sliders. Can you say "YUMMY?"

S.N.A.F.U.

What a morning...

After such a fantastic day, I was all ready for another! But...it started out that the gate people at LAX were not ready for us - they couldn't get into the jetway, the jetway wasn't moved up to the plane so we couldn't get into the plane, it was one thing after another. At one point during the boarding process, I had a passenger with a guitar, a passenger with 5 carry-ons, her angry husband, a little girl with a spilled cup of hot chocolate, and an angry witch with some hot chocolate on her shoe - all these were in my forward galley at the same time. All I could do was yell out "Wet clean-up on Aisle 1!!!"

I also forgot to give the CPT and FO their trashbag and bottles of water, I forgot to tell them that the cabin was secure...Moral of this story is that I cannot let the nonsense get me down. I need to focus on my job and laugh at all the other stuff.

I have a couple hours sit in the crewroom and then we're off to Chicago for the night...

A Couple NYC Photos

Here are a couple photos that I just found on my camera - I took them during my visit to NYC. One is a pic of the infamous "Jockey Club" and the other is the chandelier in the theatre where Jen works.

It Never Rains in California...Huh?!?

What a weird day.

This morning's flight started out with an "issue" - the flight was booked for a plane with 23 rows, but our plane had only 22 rows...and for some reason, the gate agents couldn't tell me which seats were empty. So once everyone was on board, I asked two single guys to move to the exit row - and that freed up a row of three for a family that was originally in the back row. The gate agents loved me, and almost hugged me! All in a day's work.

Then my coffee pot wouldn't work.

Then a sweet Hispanic woman spilled her OJ all over herself.

Then I twisted my ankle in the LAX terminal - so far, there's no pain or swelling.

But once I was at the hotel, things took a turn for the better. It was 10:30AM and I was DONE FOR THE DAY! Incredible. My co-workers told me about a trolley that'll take me to Manhattan Beach - so off I went! Only $3 for a nice ride to the beach. I walked around the shops, walked on the pier, ate fish tacos, had some ice cream, watched the surfers, and got back on the trolley before the rain came. The trolley stopped at two shopping malls on its way back to my stop, but the stores were the "same old, same old" so I stayed on and went back to the hotel.

So it's now 4:15PM, and we "fall back" tonight, so I'll have lots of sleep before it's time to catch my 5AM shuttle to the airport. But before I sleep, I will watch my Netflix movie (I don't remember which one it is) so that I can send it back and get the next one on my list!!!

Back to Work

Yesterday, I went to the Tall Girl store and got a few of my favorite tops for dirt cheap!!! Then I went to Marymount Manhattan College and waited for Jen in the school coffee shop. We ate lunch at Vynl (grilled cheese with three kinds of cheese) and watched more Gilmore Girls.

Later in the day, I followed Jen around as she took photographs of different merchandise booths for her boss. Then while she worked her booth at "In the Heights," I hung out at Cafe Duke working Sudoku puzzles! Since she isn't feeling well, we skipped bowling (she is on the Broadway league). Instead, we settled in and watched a few additional episodes of Gilmore Girls.

And today, we did more of the same...you see, our goal was to finish the entire series of Gilmore Girls! And we finally did - we've been watching for quite awhile. What a great series...then I had to head back to the airport and fly back to Denver.

When I arrived at DIA, I checked my schedule to see if I had been assigned a trip for tomorrow, and the answer was yes! I start a three-day trip tomorrow at 7:25AM...I'll spend tomorrow night in Los Angeles, Sunday night in Chicago, and then I'll do a turn to Albuquerque on Monday before I get to go home.

I am spending tonight at my "crash pad" in Denver - doing a bit of laundry and unpacking/repacking my bags. It is a good thing that I have a very patient and understanding husband...because I haven't been home in 9 days! And when I do come home, it'll be our 24th Wedding Anniversary!!!

Spontaneity!!!

We had a fun time yesterday - just hung around the apartment most of the day watching "Gilmore Girls" and ventured out to have a bit of dinner. While out, we stopped at Jennifer Convertibles and bought a new sofa bed to replace the "futon" that the girls currently have. Let's just say that it has seen better times, and is ready for the junk heap. The new sofabed will be delivered in a couple weeks.

I titled this "Spontaneity!!!" because my little girl asked me to stay another day...I go back on duty on Saturday, and both the flights going home on Friday are wide open. but I had planned on going back tonight so that I could hand out toothbrushes and candy to the kiddos...but Greg is going to take over that duty for the first time in 16 years! His duty over the past years was to take Jen around...

So today I'll visit The Tall Girl Shop while Jen is in class, and just kind of hang around during the day...

Rainy Tuesday in NYC

What a great ending to a great day!

While Jen took a midterm exam, I helped out and did her laundry at a local laundromat (am I a great Mom, or what?!?!). Then we spent time in her apartment watching "Gilmore Girls"...nice.

The highlight of the evening was going to see "South Pacific" on Broadway. Wow. I had been listening to the Broadway cast recording almost every time that I drove to Denver...so it was ingrained in my brain. It was so awesome to see it on stage...

Afterwards, we met Jen's friend Matt (aka Aladdin), and his friends Andre and Beau, at a bar called "Vintage." We had a lot of laughs - what nice guys! Here are a few photos of Jen and Matt:

Too bad he's gay, huh?

Monday in NYC

Yesterday, Jen and I spent time in her apartment doing a bit of organizing to make the small space look a little bigger...then I accompanied her to her voice lesson with Bill in Brooklyn (the same guy who she took lessons from two summers ago). She actually let me watch! I held Bill's dog, Sadie, as Jen showed me how well she's doing.

After her lesson, we met one of her friends Katie, who goes to NYU, for a warm beverage at Starbucks. Then back to the apartment until it was time for dinner at "Scarlatta," an amazing Italian restaurant...I had delicious pumpkin ravioli and creme brulee. Ahhhh. Can I go again tonight?!?

We went to see a fantastic Broadway show called "Billy Elliott" - OMG. The 12 year old boy who played Billy was incredible. If you get the chance to see this show - GO! I surrepticiously took a photo of one of the chandeliers in the theatre...

On the way home, we stopped at the new TKTS booth in Times Square - it has red stairs...you have to see it to believe it...and we took a few pictures. It was a fun night.

I Get Around...

Today I flew over 4000 miles. Wow.

I started early in the morning in St. Louis and flew to Denver. Then I did a round-trip to Sacramento. And finally I flew (as a passenger) to NYC and am now sitting in Jen's apartment waiting for her to finish her job as the photographer of "Broadway After Dark."

We have fun things planned for the several days that I'll be here...but most of all, it'll be good to see my little girl again and spend some time with her.

St. Louis Zombie Convention

We are now in St. Louis, and there is a convention going on of zombie followers - it looks like these are the people who support and work in the horror movie industry! I called my sister, Diane, to tell her about it and she said that if George Romero is there, she's coming. Well, guess what? He was holding a panel discussion with the cast of the remake of "Night of the Living Dead" at that very moment. Diane missed her chance, and I was too freaked out to attend it for her.

I started out the day in a not-so-good way...I forgot my cell phone in the hotel room. Yikes. I realized it when we got to the airport. I asked the van driver to recover it for me (it was 4:45AM) and he did - he was back at the airport at 5:15AM. I couldn't wait for the van to come cause I had to be on the plane, but the CPT volunteered to wait. Not all CPTs would have done that...

This afternoon was low-key. Only three of us went out for dinner - Brenda and Marcus no-showed. We still had a good time, but a lot less laughter, drinks, and craziness.

That's the way these crews are - you take five complete strangers and throw them together. You've got your fun and crazy days and you've got your "I want to be alone" days. This is the first trip where I've done something with the crew every night - I think that's really unusual...but it has been a lot of fun. Then we'll all go our separate ways tomorrow at 2PM when we finish our Sacramento turn...it was fun while it lasted! I am scheduled to leave at 3PM on our flight to LaGuardia! I am planning on spending a few days with Jen in NYC. I am very, very excited!

Another Great Day!

We had a very early van ride to the San Diego airport this morning...and tomorrow morning's van here in Nashville will be even earlier, so I'm going to keep this short.

We had a lot of fun on our flight back to Denver, and then our flight to Nashville was "interesting." We were delayed because there was a "security breach" at DIA and the airport was shut down - our plane was already boarded - we were waiting for two unaccompanied minors and then we'd be on our way. We also had an FAA inspector who flew in the flightdeck. We also had a plane full of passengers that loved to drink alcohol!

When we were done for the day and at the hotel, we met for a BBQ dinner at a local restaurant. This time Suzanne came, too, and we had a fun time eating, talking, and LAUGHING! We ended the evening at a local convenience store where the Krispy Kreme delivery truck had just dropped off some delicious glazed donuts!!!

San Diego's Old Town

I received a call last night at around 9PM from Crew Scheduling - they assigned me a high-hour 4-day trip. I started out by doing an early morning turn to Dallas (I had to be at DIA at 6AM), and then we flew to San Diego. And boy...I have lucked out - I've got another great crew!

The flights were pretty uneventful - though we did spend a lot of time talking to a 17 year old girl who seemed to be pretty enamored with our job! And we had quite a few passengers with seat duplications - there was a last minute aircraft change, and the gate agent didn't do his job properly, leaving us to try and make everyone happy.

When we got to San Diego, the Captain - Jim, First Officer - Marcus (pictured below), "A" Flight Attendant - Brenda, and I (the "C" Flight Attendant - Suzanne decided not to join us tonight) walked to the Trolley Line that would take us to Old Town. We found a Mexican restaurant that Jim had visited on an earlier trip - and boy...was it fantastic!

After dinner, we walked around the area, saw some beautiful flowers...

...saw a couple homes that were for sale (and one that I wish were for sale),

...did a little bit of shopping (Brenda got a new hat and an opal ring), and enjoyed the beautiful evening.

New Hat Lady, Brenda

First Officer Marcus

El Capitan, Jim

However, as we were leaving the village it was getting dark - there were people dressed in period costume. It was eerie. One guy had a noose around his neck and looked as if he'd be hanging at any minute. And there were weird guys stiffly walking around carrying lanterns.

GET ME OUT OF THERE!