Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Precisely, even if not in that order! By the time we left for Milwaukee in our rental car yesterday to when I walked into our Hannover apartment late this afternoon, it was almost exactly 30 hours later!

In between all my catnapping, I actually had fun seeing things (like the full moon peeking at me right now as I write). From Cincinnati I sat over the wing and took these pictures while wondering: How in the world can those little flaps in the big sky slow down such a speeding bullet! My mom always worried about a plane lifting off the ground; if I worried, it'd be about how to slow that chunk of metal down fast enough to get it to stop shortly after landing!

On that 8-hour flight I had two delightful seatmates who are sisters, Helen and Frannie, aged 83 and 81. Frannie took some kind of medication before boarding and by the time we ate breakfast, she was downright floppy and out of it. I wasn't really supposed to be sitting with them but I had changed seats with a guy so he could sit with his friend. I think it was "providential" because I had to use all my assisted-living skills. In the end, it worked out well but there were a few minutes there when I wasn't so sure.

We always get a banana for breakfast on these flights but this was the first time I took the playful time to make it do it's magic. Whoever thought that up, I wonder? I was a young adult with kids before someone told me about that trick--manipulating the banana to make its 3-way split. It happens every time. Magic.

Once in Paris, with 4 hours to kill, I took the time to be amazed at the interior architecture of the train station that you can look down on as you walk to your terminal. Someone sure had fun thinking that one up. The way the light comes in against all the posts and poles is magical. My only fear was that a soldier with a gun would see me taking pictures and promptly take me off to jail!

Just before boarding the plane to Hannover, there was more magic as 14-month-old Jimidas attempted putting on his headphones for a listen. After asking permission of his mom, I snapped away. It was worth the whole trip!

What a magical day when you watch and listen! When Helen saw the full moon last night she said, "And the man's in it, too!" Full-moon magic. My suitcase even made it the entire way, checked from Milwaukee to Atlanta to Cincinnati to Paris to Hannover. What a nice way to come back to Home Sweet Home-Away-From-Home!

(Tomorrow I'll work on The Wedding post--more magic!)