Where did I leave off?

Oh yeah. I was wrapping up the MARATHON week from Hell two or was it 3 weeks ago? Yup 3 weeks ago. I finally got all my chickens on their respective flights home, took one of the local girls home because WOW she lives in Grapevine too! How cool is that? Ok so get this. The Palm Springs group, that I wrote about that missed their connection in Phoenix, in my last post.... well the story didnt end there. THEY FREAKING MISSED THEIR CONNECTION IN PHOENIX AGAIN! Can you believe that? Well they called at 9:30 that Friday night but darn it I didnt hear the phone ring, to tell me that they had missed it. They decided to just rent a car and drive on to Palm Springs. I got an email on Monday from one of the girls saying "DONT EVER, EVER, EVER put her on a US Airways flight again." I passed on the "feedback" to our travel department, but I sincerely doubt that they care, its all about the money saved not customer service.

Alright so after that... my back had been bothering me again to the point I've started going to the Chiropractor again. Now for the past 3 years (not all the time) they give me my adjustment but there is one spot that just KILLS me for them to attempt to adjust. My ribs in my mid back. Well good golly, holy cow and heaven help me they FINALLY moved and let me tell you that hurt like a ... well... lets say I said a couple of choice words but ever since that spot doesnt hurt at ALL! Yipee... on the down side I guess since the ribs finally went where they were supposed to that now my spine just below that REALLY hurts when they get adjusted... I guess little by little I will get my spine straight. I hope!

Sooo lets see what else has been going on? Oh I was supposed to fly to Boston last week but on the Friday before I get a call from the manager... the person you are supposed to train just quit so dont come up. Well yipee for that, NOW WHAT? A little scrambling and a few phone calls later (to travel, 3 managers and a regional) I changed my reservations and off to Houston I went! That was a good week. I got to catch up with a few friends, a few people I've worked with/for in the past that live down there now! Nothing really exciting happened that week so we can all be grateful for that! I got home on Friday and the first thing Derek asks me is "Has Micheal been able to fix my laptop yet?" he says with a very hopeful look on his face. Uhm well Im sure he has but we have to call to see if they are home yet. Nope not yet and as we get into their city, can't we just go by there? Ok, another phone call as we take the exit! Wheeee Tab answers the phone... "When are you coming over?" tee hee that was so cute. I said how about now... as in, Im pulling into your neighborhood! SURPRISE! Micheal is an Angel with a capital A because he got Derek's laptop fixed, all new software loaded AND something that will allow Derek to get his songs off his old ipod that was sync'd with the dead hard drive! another YIPEE! I owe Michael and Teresa at least 2 Tab sitting nights! Im sure she wont mind coming to the house to play and hang out!

Now... this week WOW. Its been a Derek High School Band marathon from hell. Monday was drum line tryouts, final concert of the year AND the band banquet on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday respectively. Long days, late nights etc has made us a couple of really tired puppies. On a side note here, Derek tried out for Drumline leadership but didnt get it - he was VERY disapointed! However in drumline tryouts this year, he tried out for the same drum he was on AND snare drum... he didnt get either one! They moved/promoted him to 4th base drum which is the hardest one (and just so you know) the typical spot for the drumline captain!

On top of that we are getting to the end of Derek's parent taught Driver's Ed so we are completing the "in car" lessons. So I picked him up on Wednesday in his truck automatic notice to Derek that he's driving. We head off to 114 in Southlake where there are 3 lanes of traffic to complete 3 of the modules.

Now one module is entering and exiting a 3 lane highway smoothly and at appropriate speeds. He's done this before a bit but we are trying to do this right and be as legit as possible so this seemed like the perfect area and at 5:00 pm the right traffic for the required risk aka "stress" level. Doing good, take the first exit, 4 way stop, he waits for cars to go and then heads on across. WAIT I really do try not to yell at these moments but often its my first reaction. A woman decides she is going first even though she is to our left and its our turn to go. Derek is all pissed off, BUT IT WAS MY TURN... good lesson here! Son you always have to be sure no one is going when they shouldnt so you dont hit them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT IT WAS MY TURN. sigh son she probably wasnt paying attention that is why YOU have to!

Ok so we get through that short lesson, back on 114, nice speed etc. Ok I want you to go across all 3 lanes to the other side. Ok mom... blinker, mirror check not over his left shoulder gotta work on that with him and ZOOOOOM all the way over to the far lane with me again I really do try not to yell telling him NOOOOOOOOOOO you cant do that! deep breath one lane at a time son, one lane at a time. You have to move over one, check your mirrors and then move to the next, check your mirrors and move over to the final lane. another deep breath ok lets move back across to the far right.... it was a little better but still way to quick. This is a good time for a lesson on that is BREAKING THE LAW and you can get a ticket for that. Another trip across the freeway and back it was a bit better but we have to work on looking over our shoulders before moving over - mental note to cover this with his Dad.

We exit into Southlake and head to Southlake Town Square for work on parking in angled and regular parking spaces. Up to this point in his lessons he's always parked where there was no one beside him so he didnt have to worry about hitting anyone. This went fairly well. parking space #2 he came within about 6" of a really nice jaguar... gulp. I decided we were gonna try this where there were less expensive cars... lets head to the employee parking area HAHAHAHA Ok so that worked better, smaller vehicles etc. We finally found an angle parking spot (those are hard to come by in this shopping area.) He did great on this so we are heading home! OOOO round about! Another one off the list!

We find a narrow street by the house and he executes a perfect 3 point turn! Another one down.

NOW with a bit of a nervous laugh we have to work on parallel parking... He's never tried this before at all and Im not doing that in southlake town square, to many people and expensive cars for this lesson. I pull our two cars out of the driveway and park them rather far apart to start with, out in the street. Alright, you can go at this 2 ways, try it nose in first and adjust then back in and adjust. He finally got the nose in part done, kinda and Im grateful that he didnt booger up his wheels running in to the curb so many times. Next we try the backing in. Car car car, curb curb curb... I watch the neighbor across the street come out of his house, wave a white towel where Derek cant see him, laughs and goes back in. He actually got this bit a little quicker than nosing in... the tip he needs to remember is SLOWLY AND use your mirrors to see where you are. He was just backing in without looking... its the little things that can make a difference huh?

Alright so we are to Thursday afternoon... weather starts moving in, my former boss has 5 people in for a meeting and flights are getting delayed and cancelled. I offer to help get some of them to the airport since its on my way home, so I drop one lady off at 4:45. Flight is supposed to leave at 7:30, now delayed until 9. Check again, delayed until 9:40, check again delayed until 10:05. AAACK, I told her to call and I'd come get her and let her stay at my place until she can fly out but we never heard from her... i do hope she got back to LA at some point last night!

RING RING RING... 2:50 am... automated system from American Airlines calling to notify Kenny (who is in Little Rock) that his flight back to DFW - now how stupid is this - is cancelled at 10:30 am and they re booked him on a 5:30 PM flight home. Now if he's not home, why are they calling there? Why not call his cell phone (which decided to crap out on him last night)? The system asks, "is this ok?" NO... I get transferred to an agent... uhm, whats the deal, lets get him home early... by now its 3:00 AM in the morning. Well we have a 9:10 am flight with a seat but the cost is.. uhm.... ahhh.... she pokes around long enough oh well that seat is gone now. OMG Im gonna shoot someone! ok we have a seat on the 5:20 am flight.... LADY he's to far from the airport to make that flight. are you sure? YES IM SURE (hey I didnt yell! but I wanted to ask her if she was an idiot) Alright so that flight is out, you poked around long enough that the earlier seat was booked what else is there? nothing ma'am. (BIG SIGH) Ok well I guess he's on the 5:30 pm flight but be prepared and make a note that you'll be getting a call from him.

Fast forward to 6:00 AM - I want to rip the alarm clock out of the wall. Get up, shower etc and try to get out of the house by 7:00 AM... just not happening... oh well, not my fault if Derek is late... I dont think he knows what hurry really is. I get him dropped off and head on in to work. WHEE less peoples... fast trip in for a Friday morning!

Kenny calls... he has called American Executive Platinum Desk and they say oh she shouldnt have gotten a call at 3:00 am, thats not acceptable. YOU THINK? they should have put you on one of the morning flights sir, Im sorry! YOUR SORRY? PFFFT. ok so sir, we are already preparing to start cancelling flights and you probably wont get home today, would you like me to rebook you on a flight for 9:00 tomorrow morning? (SIGH, yes I know Im sighing alot here today!)

So now we arent sure when he is going to get home! Its to expensive for him to rent a car and drive back because the drop fee's for Hertz are outrageous. BTW Avis doesnt do that!

Now all I have to do today is figure out how to get Derek his truck (its a long walk back from Wise County,) get the auto insurance paid (dont get me started on that) and then figure out when/if my husband is coming home... boy am I glad this is a 3 day weekend!

Well everyone have a fantastic Memorial Day Holiday and I'll see you from Los Angeles next week! cough cough