Christmas at the Reamses was great and I received lots of great chocolates to bring back with me. Dinner was honey baked ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli, asparagus salad, cranberry sauce, rolls both gluten free and regular and a wild rice casserole. Desserts were Sherry's pumpkin and also pecan pies with gluten free crusts. They are more complicated than regular crusts but taste great. I also brought a tray of what I had baked and the Muddy Buddies. Elizabeth especially likes them. We each took turns saying what we are thankful for. My list went on and on.
We weren't sure Heather and Kent would be feeling good enough to drive me to Chicago - almost 3 hours so we had a backup plan for me to take the shuttle bus which stops about 20 minutes from their house and would take me right to Midway. I would have had to catch it at 7:15am and it would have been tricky with all my luggage. Heather was feeling good enough to drive so we left at 8:45am and arrived before noon without any major delays. I got in line and made it through checkin without any problems. The bags were 47.5 pounds and 49.5 so I didn't have to juggle anything. It was great to be down to my carry on and my red bag.
I did have something new happen going thru security. When I got out of the scanner they stopped me and asked me to take out whatever was in my back pocket. There wasn't anything. Then they used a paper tab and swabbed the palms of my hands and put the paper in a machine. They opened my carry on and swabbed the cooler with the butter and insulin and tested that swab. Everything came out fine and away I went.
It was a short walk to the gate. The airport was very busy and long lines at all the restaurants and restrooms. When we arrived in Houston Hobby airport, Calvin was waiting to take me to the other gate. What a nice man! We chatted all the way. He is not a fan of cold weather! He thinks after I get my tamale making lesson I should bring some back to Calvin in Houston. I asked him if he likes chocolate as well as tamales and gave him a couple of my wonderful chocolates.
It looked like we would be leaving right on schedule but once we got on board we learned they needed a few minutes to fix a broken landing light. It only took a few minutes but the paperwork took over a half hour so we were late.
One of the things that was great is with Southwest, if you have transfer assistance, you board first and have a choice of any seat except the exit row. I sat in the 2nd and 3rd row so it was quick getting off.
I was met at the airplane in San Jose by a man with a sign with my name and he was just great. Down in the elevator, to the handicap lane which has no line and out to baggage. The luggage seemed to take forever but finally it came. I showed him the pictures of my bags and he got them with no problem. He hooked them together and pushed me with one hand and pulled them with the other hand. I am sure it was quite a sight.
Jose was right outside and we headed for the car where Gloriana and his son were waiting. I pulled out the chocolates and gave some to everyone. Jose enjoyed them all the way home.
I have had a good nights sleep. The sun is shining. I may just have to fill one of my new big cups and sit out on the porch. It is good to be back.
Heather wondered if they were as big as my big cup. Pretty close. One says every little thing is gonna be alright and the other one says never apologize for who you are.
The best of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
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