SEPARATION ANXIETY

Last week I flew to Las Vegas on a cheap ticket I found online. I flew on Delta outbound and Continental on the way home.  First I must say that I used to LOVE traveling. Not any more. It is a hassle, stressful, uncomfortable, and very exhausting. Those are the good points!  I suffer from airport security line fluster. With lines of people behind me, I am aware of how long it is taking me to strip to my skivvies while neatly stacking everything into the little plastic bins which continue to roll along like a moving target. I may have left one of my shoes in the bin of the guy behind me, along with my belt,undies and my computer battery. On this trip I was "wanded" in Syracuse - the TSA dude asked me to step aside and hold my hands out, palms up.  Then he guided this wand-thingie back and forth over my palms to see, I am guessing, if I had bomb-making powder on my hands that I forgot to wash off.  After boarding and finding my seat, and getting the seat belt buckled (whew) the captain announced there was a warning light that had to be checked by a mechanic so we would sit for a while. After that it was off to Cincinnati and a 7 mile walk to my connecting gate. Make that a half-jog to the gate since we arrived late.  Then on to Las Vegas. To keep up my strength for the days journey I had a mini bag of pretzels and 2 biscotti with a splash of diet coke.
When I got off the plane in Vegas it was....94 degrees. Kate had told me it was supposed to be cool so I brought my layers. I started peeling them away as I got in her car.
It was sooo much fun spending the 5 days with Ryan, Jess, Katie and sweet baby Zoe.  She is 5 months old and could not be any cuter...full of smiles and coos.  I think I got addicted to her during my visit and am now suffering from withdrawal back here in NY.  I miss holding her, smooching her cheeks, miss her smells (most of them), her big blue eyes.  Of course I miss my kids too!  I am proud of Ryan and Katie for continuing to plug away on their degrees (I am hoping for enough years in order to see them graduate!).  I love Jess more each time I spend time with her. 

I have NEVER seen so many restaurants in any one place I have visited as in the Vegas area.  My favorite was a GREAT Mexican restaurant where we ate twice after I became enamoured of their yummy fresh salad...I've been dreaming about it since I got home.  While I was enjoying all of the above, Pat was home eating stale bread and water and watching the History Channel 24-7.

They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...and in the case of my children and grandaughter this is true.  They stay in Las Vegas and I miss them like crazy!