happy whatever

So I’m back in Michigan again, finally, after two days of nightmarish travel. We left for the airport around 9 a.m. on Sunday to ensure that Nicholas could make his flight to Milwaukee at 11:30. My flight, which was supposed to leave at 2:20, was delayed and then canceled while I was waiting in the airport, due to a crazy snowstorm in Cleveland. So, after waiting for another hour or so for them to try and rebook me, I was switched to an alternate flight home approximately 10 minutes before boarding on the plane was closed. I ran frantically through the full length of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, only to find out upon reaching the gate that the plane had left before I even made it through security. Insensitive flight attendants berated me to the point of tears for not making to the gate before departure in spite of their valiant efforts to “page” me over the airport intercom, and they refused to admit that I had been booked on a flight I couldn’t possibly have made.

Flustered, disheveled, and already a bit battered from the abuse and condescension of Northwest Airlines staff, I returned to the ticket counter to find that every single flight back to Grand Rapids for the rest of the day - through every major city this side of the Rocky Mountains - was full. I was forced into taking a flight the following afternoon, while my luggage (toothbrush and phone charger included) made their merry way to Memphis without me. Derya and Arielle had to drive an extra two hours to come and pick me up.

Monday was slightly less bad, though for some reason I was targeted for one of those extra-thorough security checks, which involved them swabbing all of my stuff for explosives, sending me through the terrifying air puffer machine, taking the insoles out of my shoes, pulling the pockets out of my pants and jacket, and leaving me in a locked glass box for about ten minutes while they shot skeptical glances in my direction and waited for the results of the explosives testing. That was fun.

But fortunately I made it back home in time to head up to northern Michigan and see Marshall one last time before he heads off to South Africa. After I left the Grand Rapids airport Monday afternoon I drove up to Petoskey to meet up with him and stayed until early this afternoon. Marshall got all his things packed, we ate some tasty Thai food, and we watched four or five episodes of The (American) Office, to which I am now pretty much addicted. I think it was the most television I’ve seen since May. Tuesday afternoon I walked to the beach and snapped a few photos of the sun setting over the bay:

Lake Michigan is beautiful.

And for friends who are spending the holidays abroad and for those whose addresses I’ve lost - I’m sorry I couldn’t get you a copy of the seasonal greeting card that Nicholas, Derya, Arielle and I sent out. For the card the four of us took a slightly-holiday-themed A-I-R family photo. Now that all the cards have been sent and (hopefully!) received, here are a few of the outtakes that didn’t make the cut:

happy whatever.