Florida Trip Continued

Sunday morning at 10:45, we went to the Calvary Chapel of Melbourne for Church. VERY inspiring, with a teaching message by Pastor Mark Balmer. Thousands there. This was the third identical service - one on Saturday night, and another at 9AM Sunday.

Ben had suggested that we go to the "Dog Park" in the afternoon, but expected inclement weather hindered that. We waited it out. Good thing, since a Tornado Warning showed up at 3:15PM. Just a scare, though, since the "system" eventually passed us by. We watched the weather news.

What to do Sunday night? Are you kidding? Situated an hour's drive from Orlando, we HAD to watch "The Magic" play “The Lakers”, but they got beat in overtime. They had it won in regulation, but a last second "lay up" didn't drop.

Ben had an early job cleaning carpets on Monday, so he took off early.

In the afternoon, I discovered that since Sunday night, my BlackBerry was neither receiving nor sending e-mails. I asked Kelly if she knew of a Sprint store near by. She said she had seen a Repair store, and then took me to it.

Just after we left for the store, it rained “cats and dogs”, and we had to sit in the car for awhile before we went in. It seemed to slacken a bit, so we got out of the car and went to the store. We got soaked!

By the time the Technician got to me, I looked out and saw the sun gloriously shining. We didn’t have enough patience.

I explained to the Technician about my problem, plus the fact that I couldn’t seem to “zoom” when taking pictures. He confirmed the problems.

Then he said, “Let’s remove the battery and see what that does.”

Suddenly, I was embarrassed at myself, since 3 or 4 weeks ago, I had another problem with the BlackBerry, and a Technician in Springfield removed the battery, and solved the problem. I forgot, or I could have done that without bothering the Technician in Melbourne.

Sure enough, after re-installing the battery, the phone started beeping the way it does when an e-mail arrives - only it did it several times. The e-mails suddenly started to arrive.

“Whew”, I said. “I should have done that!”

“Let’s look at the zoom”, he said. It worked also.

I had also noticed that the charge on my battery didn’t seem to last as long as before. The Technician checked it, and found that it seemed OK, but I could buy one for about $60 if I wanted.

I didn’t.

Seems to be OK now.

Tuesday was “return home day”. My flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until 4:40PM.

Ben went to work early again on Tuesday, so after a pancake breakfast, and showers all around, I suggested the four of us go to a “fast food” place, eat lunch, then go to the beach to “hang out” until time to go to the airport.

McDonald’s it was, according to Olivia and Ethan, so from there we went to Canova Beach at the end of Eau Gallie Boulevard, basking ourselves in the sun, and enjoying the surf.

After maybe an hour, we went to Friendly’s again right near by, and THIS time, we BOUGHT our ice cream cones. We got free ones last Saturday afternoon.

Then, at about 2:30, we headed for the Airport, since, “early arriver” that I am, I wanted to be there by 3PM (plane scheduled to leave at 4:40.) Remembering my fiasco in Atlanta in missing my flight last Thursday, I was “skittish”.

All four of us hugged together while we had prayer, thanking God for the WONDERFUL time we all had for the past 5 days. I headed for the gate, and Kelly, Olivia and Ethan left for home. Tears were at the edges of our eyes.

Waiting near the gate, of course, was the lady checking me in. My ID was OK, as well as my Boarding Pass.

Right around the corner, though, was the Security machine, waiting for me to take off my shoes, dump my pockets and my BlackBerry in a box and put my coat and hat in another box.

When the officer looked at the “junk” I dumped there from my pockets, he spied a red, Swiss Army Knife. (I had forgotten I had it.) It was a small one, with not as many features as the real one, but he said, “What’s this?” I said, “Oh…….you can keep it!”

He took it to show somebody else, then came back and said, “How long have you had this?” “Several years”, I said. He walked away again, then came back with one of those “padded” envelopes.

“Write your name and address here, and we’ll send it to you.”

I did!

Whew!

The plane left about on time. Since it was smaller than some, our bags were left at the Jet Way, to be picked up on the ground at Atlanta. We got off the plane on the ground there, picked up our bags, then walked up two flights of stairs to the Concourse, dragging my “pull along“ and blue bags behind me. A man behind me offered to help. He had his own bag. I carried my own.

The plane had arrived at Gate D22 in Atlanta. My ticket said I’d be leaving from Gate A34. Experience told me to check that out. Sure enough, It turned out to be B15! Had I NOT checked, I would have taken the subway from Concourse D, to Concourse A, and potentially missed my flight again! (Memories of when the plane flew off without me on Thursday.)

Rode subway to Concourse B instead of Concourse A. Arrived at the proper gate at 6:45 for an 8PM flight. Stayed at the gate. Wasn’t interested in food! I think I've finally conquered Atlanta and Delta (one and the same, I think!)

When I have an aisle seat (my preference) I try to be the last one to board. No one climbing over me, etc. I just walk down the aisle, with everyone looking at me, find my row, put my bag under the seat, and sit down. Still on time.

I think I learned that from John!

The flight to Columbus was uneventful, though my “seat mate” was a 60 year old man from Columbus who was just returning from Puerto Rico. When we exchanged information, we found out that each of us was a Born Again Believer in Christ. He was tired from traveling, lacking in sleep. I normally don’t talk much on airplanes, but rather listen to my iPod. He took a nap.

We arrived at Columbus at about 11 PM. (Probably should have arranged for an earlier flight, but no problems showed up.)

I did have a slight scare. Just before leaving Kelly’s, I had put my hearing aids in one of the pockets of my “blue bag”. Getting the bag from the floor of the plane, I noticed one of the “pockets” had opened, while the bag was upside down. I thought sure I had lost my hearing aids, and assuming my stupidity had caused it, I dismissed it, and decided not to spend $800 for another pair (that’s with insurance). I’d just live without them.

When I arrived home, I opened up another “pocket” that was “zipped” up, and out fell the aids! I had really given them up, expecting some time in the future to have to buy some more. Praise the Lord, He helped me with my carelessness!

Taking the long walk from the boarding/arriving concourse to the front of the Airport, I asked about the shuttle for Long Range Red parking lot. “Right down front”, he said. It was just ready to leave.

I got to Bus Stop 7, went to row 23A, and THERE WAS MY CAR!

I followed the signs (construction, of course) for getting on I 670, and headed for home, arriving at about 11:30.

I had been listening to the Orlando/Los Angeles basketball game on the radio, then watched to the end on TV. Orlando eked out a win. Ben and Kelly are avid Orlando fans, and Kelly “texted” me about the win.

Got in bed at midnight.

What a WONDERFUL vacation I had with Ben, Kelly, Olivia and Ethan. Hope to see the grandchildren in Indiana and Chicago some time yet this summer.

Praise the Lord for family!