The Long and Winding Road

Just realized that the end of my last post did not publish! The "o" was supposed to say "orders to be in the lobby at 5:45 to catch the bus to the airport to get home." Yikes!! 5:45 is awfully early to be put together, packed, and coherent, but I am happy to report that all 46 of us travelers were ready to go--despite my own alarm clock betrayal!  I had it set for 4:30, but only woke up when Michaelann's phone went off at 5:00--pretty happy that I wasn't alone in a room *last* night.  Although.  There are worse places to be left behind than Milano....  At any rate, we all made it successfully through security and made it across the ocean without incident.  Yay!  However--while I know I have Beth's converter, I'm 86% sure I left my own in the bathroom.

Then New York!  Land of the free!  Home of the brave! Airport of the $8.98 Whopper!  Whatevs.  Sometimes a girl just needs a burger. With fries.  And a frosty Dr. Pepper.

We are currently in Atlanta, awaiting the St. Louis plane.  The New York to Atlanta plane was packed with people who are apparently unaware that it is possible, and even recommended, for people to bathe more than once a month.  The smell was pungent.  Ripe.  Wow.  I think you have to be actively trying to smell that bad.  Maybe it was a contest we were unaware of?  Hm.  Also, there were three very busy little girls who were eating Doritos out of a crinkly bag.  And crunching.  And drumming on a book.  And then singing.  There was no other solution.  I had to break out the teacher face.  Blessed silence after that.  Good thing I packed the teacher face with me.  Comes in handy.

After I find a Starbucks, I will be duly fortified to get on the next-to-last leg of the journey; when we land in St. Louis, there will then be a bus ride home.  Oy vey.  Who's the patron saint of patience?  Maybe will google it as I sip my white mocha caramel latte....  Mama, I'm comin' hoooooome........