Thursday, June 28, 2012
Home Sweet Home
This week I am recovering from my trip to New York from this past weekend. Kathryn and I visited Katie and the three of us relived our college days. Katie did an awesome job of planning the weekend as we got to experience a lot of New York neighborhoods. I loved New York but I was definitely ready to come back to my quieter and less congested Chicago.
I was supposed to leave New York from LaGuardia on Sunday at 5 p.m. I received an e-mail from United stating that my direct flight to O'hare was canceled (due to "equipment problems") and that I was re-booked for a flight leaving Monday to O'hare via plane change in Houston getting me in Chicago at 1p.m. I called and requested the representative to find me a flight to O'hare (or Midway) from another airline or leaving from Newark or JFK. After being on the phone for an hour, I was told that I was confirmed on an American Airlines flight leaving from Newark (I was originally supposed to leave from LaGuardia) at 8:50p that night. I take a $65 cab ride from Brooklyn to Newark and attempt to check-in on my AA flight only to discover that I will not be able to get on that flight because it is overbooked. I am screwed now because here I am in New Jersey, unable to catch a flight that night. I then had to go back to talk to United who then gave me a voucher to sleep at a Ramada Inn and booked me on a flight that left Newark at 7:50 a.m. the next morning (Monday), stopping in Houston and finally landing at O'hare at 2:00 p.m. I was livid...but what could I do? Here I am in f*ck*ng New Jersey, by myself, sleeping at a Ramada. My flight to Houston took off 40 minutes late and I had to practically run to get to get to my gate for my connecting flight to O'hare. I discover that I am the middle seat (perfect). We end up having to wait an extra 30 minutes at the gate because another connecting flight was late. Meanwhile, it's a million degrees in the plane because I am in freaking Houston and the air conditioning does not go on until we take off. We finally leave the gate only to sit on the runway for another 30 minutes (it is now an hour past the time we were supposed to take off). The pilot makes an announcement that there's something wrong with the fuel tank and that we will be taxi-ing back to the gate. Once we are back at the gate we are told to de-board the plane. Everyone from the flight congregated in the airport in front of the gate not knowing what was going on. I was thinking that I better not have to spend the night in Houston and it was took everything in my power not to flip out. We were finally able to get on the plane (after 2 wasted hours) and I did not get to O'hare until 4:30 p.m. and walked into my house at 5:15 p.m. Twenty-four hours of my life I will never get back. I called United to complain and I received a $300 voucher to use on a future flight (as if I will flight United again).
Hmmmm....let's see.....being essentially lied to about being confirmed on another flight, wasting $65 on cab fare to this made up confirmed flight, spending the night in New Jersey away from my friends and family, sent to Houston and having to put up will more BS plane equipment problems and having to take a day off of work DOES NOT EQUAL $300. I will be writing a very detailed letter as well.
I am done traveling for a while.
All my stress was erased the moment I got to see and hold Nico, my mini-me.
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| Happy hour on the Hudson |
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| Every great night ends in pizza! |
I was supposed to leave New York from LaGuardia on Sunday at 5 p.m. I received an e-mail from United stating that my direct flight to O'hare was canceled (due to "equipment problems") and that I was re-booked for a flight leaving Monday to O'hare via plane change in Houston getting me in Chicago at 1p.m. I called and requested the representative to find me a flight to O'hare (or Midway) from another airline or leaving from Newark or JFK. After being on the phone for an hour, I was told that I was confirmed on an American Airlines flight leaving from Newark (I was originally supposed to leave from LaGuardia) at 8:50p that night. I take a $65 cab ride from Brooklyn to Newark and attempt to check-in on my AA flight only to discover that I will not be able to get on that flight because it is overbooked. I am screwed now because here I am in New Jersey, unable to catch a flight that night. I then had to go back to talk to United who then gave me a voucher to sleep at a Ramada Inn and booked me on a flight that left Newark at 7:50 a.m. the next morning (Monday), stopping in Houston and finally landing at O'hare at 2:00 p.m. I was livid...but what could I do? Here I am in f*ck*ng New Jersey, by myself, sleeping at a Ramada. My flight to Houston took off 40 minutes late and I had to practically run to get to get to my gate for my connecting flight to O'hare. I discover that I am the middle seat (perfect). We end up having to wait an extra 30 minutes at the gate because another connecting flight was late. Meanwhile, it's a million degrees in the plane because I am in freaking Houston and the air conditioning does not go on until we take off. We finally leave the gate only to sit on the runway for another 30 minutes (it is now an hour past the time we were supposed to take off). The pilot makes an announcement that there's something wrong with the fuel tank and that we will be taxi-ing back to the gate. Once we are back at the gate we are told to de-board the plane. Everyone from the flight congregated in the airport in front of the gate not knowing what was going on. I was thinking that I better not have to spend the night in Houston and it was took everything in my power not to flip out. We were finally able to get on the plane (after 2 wasted hours) and I did not get to O'hare until 4:30 p.m. and walked into my house at 5:15 p.m. Twenty-four hours of my life I will never get back. I called United to complain and I received a $300 voucher to use on a future flight (as if I will flight United again).
Hmmmm....let's see.....being essentially lied to about being confirmed on another flight, wasting $65 on cab fare to this made up confirmed flight, spending the night in New Jersey away from my friends and family, sent to Houston and having to put up will more BS plane equipment problems and having to take a day off of work DOES NOT EQUAL $300. I will be writing a very detailed letter as well.
I am done traveling for a while.
All my stress was erased the moment I got to see and hold Nico, my mini-me.
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| Me, 30 years ago |
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| My mini-me today |
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Sweet Summertime
Summer is here!
Jim and I have been grillin and chillin out in our backyard. I mentally have given us a bye this summer in terms of doing anything with our yard. Jim, of course, one night got a burst of energy and tore out the bushes and 1/2 the weeds that lined one fence. Weeds are growing out of the cracks in our driveway despite my weeding efforts a few weeks back (sigh). Jim wants a garage built eventually and a new driveway will come with that as well. The money pit grows deeper!
We have been busy on Craigslist. We bought a dining set and a couch for the front room (finally). Pictures to come soon.
Jim and I have been grillin and chillin out in our backyard. I mentally have given us a bye this summer in terms of doing anything with our yard. Jim, of course, one night got a burst of energy and tore out the bushes and 1/2 the weeds that lined one fence. Weeds are growing out of the cracks in our driveway despite my weeding efforts a few weeks back (sigh). Jim wants a garage built eventually and a new driveway will come with that as well. The money pit grows deeper!
We have been busy on Craigslist. We bought a dining set and a couch for the front room (finally). Pictures to come soon.
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| Dinner hot off the grill...al fresco! |
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| Street festivals in Chicago have begun: Nico made his debut! |
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| Still on the brink of crawling... |
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| Nico frequently gives me this face as if to say "whatchu talkin bout mommy?" |
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| Nico did not like the pool at first... |
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| 1st father's day |
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| What is Nico thinking here? |
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| Happy Summer! |
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
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