“I’m gray… inside the suitcase it’s gray… they’ll never know I’m here!”
Truthfully, I took this picture yesterday before Steven and I left for the airport, but planned on posting it today, as sort of a filler while Steven and I are on vacation in Kansas City.
But we never made it. And here is one of those “wow, I am happy it didn’t happen to me” stories for you.
I was paranoid all week about our 3:30 pm flight to Kansas City. I worried about the weather, about the long lines through security, about us getting there on time. So I made sure we left the house early. Check-in and security turned out to be a breeze – maybe 10 minutes total! Wow!
Our flight already had a 45 minute delay when we got there. Then it was 35 minute more. Then an hour. Then another hour. Until it was finally set to leave at 7:15. Then it was canceled and they told us there are no other flights until Monday because of bad weather.
We fought for a refund on our flight (“we don’t give refunds for flights canceled due to weather”). We had to run around the airport to retrieve our check-in luggage (they said it was probably on its way to Kansas City – uh, if we can’t get there, how can our luggage?!). We tried to figure out if we could rent a car and drive there.
We came home, defeated, 11 hours later. Steven had the crappiest birthday ever, and this will probably be the crappiest Christmas ever. We still don’t know what we are going to do. We both feel very sad. We were really looking forward to seeing his family.
First of all, Happy Belated Birthday to Steven.
I am so sorry to hear about your travel horrors and that you cannot get to Kansas City. You’re going to want to punch me in my Pollyanna face, but try your hardest to make the most out of it even though you are home. It’s your first married Christmas so you should get to have it without sadness.
Merry Christmas to both of you :).
Kansas City, huh? I’m leaving for St. Louis in a couple hours! You on the Missouri or Kansas side? Missouri’s the best! 😉
Have a GREAT holiday!
Hilly – I appreciate your optimism! No punches for you, only hugs. 🙂 We are still trying to figure something out… so that Christmas is not wasted! Merry Christmas back to you! 🙂
Kimberly – you know we are on the Missouri side 😉 That is where Steven is from! Hope you have a great holiday too!
Sorry to hear about your canceled Christmas plans. Maybe you all should celebrate next July, too? I hope you guys can still have a fun Christmas after all.
that’s horrible! 🙁 and yeah, how DOES the luggage get there if you can’t?? i am so very sad to hear this. i hope somehow something is worked out. and you should get your money back!
If you had left the cat in your luggage, it still could have had a vacation!!
Sorry your plans got goofed. You won’t go on Monday if there’s a flight?
Tell Steven Happy Birthday!
Birthday good wishes to Steven for a wonderful coming year!
If you can’t take the Monday flight, I sure hope they refund your money. That’s pure theft if they don’t. I could see no refund if YOU decided not to go, but when it’s beyond your control, you shouldn’t have to pay for a flight you can’t take.
Whatever you end up doing, I hope you have a lovely, memorable first Christmas as a married couple.
Usually… your story would be my story. But this year, perhaps in compensation for past miseries, the weather has skirted around my travel plans. The snowstorm always seems to hit just after I have to be someplace.
Sorry you’ve not had as good as luck. 🙁
I’m so sorry Kim!! I know the last few weeks have been so hard for you. If you can’t find a way to make the travel (surely there is still hope? for tomorrow perhaps?) please do everything you can to enjoy a wonderful Christmas together.
I’m especially grateful that I only had a one hour delay getting out of Chicago… 🙁
Wow, that sounds like my New Years Eve 2006, so I can understand your fustration and dissapointment. I’m really, really sorry for you guys. I hope a Christmas miracle is in store for you! Is there any any way to salvage your trip? My fingers are crossed for a merry Christmas for you guys after all.
Jenniy – I think we are going to end up celebrating in July if this damned snow doesn’t go away! Hee hee 😉
sizzle – At the airport, the American Airlines clerk told us there was NOpossibility for a refund, and that she could only credit us for less than the cost of the tickets (she was going to take $100 off each ticket!!!). But when we left and called a clerk on the phone, they told us they would give us the whole refund… so I hope they really will! Or we will be short $600!
Gary LaPointe – Ha ha ha! Steven’s family loves Data – maybe we should have sent him there! We decided a flight on Monday and then back home on Wednesday wasn’t enough time in KC 🙁 We are going to try again… maybe next weekend! I will relay the message 🙂
SJ – even though American Airlines finally decided to give us our whole refund, I think I will read the fine print again before traveling! We are doing our best to have a Merry Christmas at home, just the two of us! 🙂 And I AM happy that this means Data doesn’t have to be alone for 4+ days!
Dave2 – You were on my mind while this was happening and as I wrote this. Hey, at least one of us got home! 🙂
diane – I am happy to hear you got out okay, because I was thinking about you. I am not sure if you flew out of O’Hare, but when I was there from 12:00-8:00, at least 75% of the flights were delayed by an hour+. Oh well. I think we will stay here, eat yummy food, and play games all day long!!!
Gina (mannyed) – I think this will be one of those things that after it happens, I will always be grateful when we get to spend Christmas with one of our families! 🙂 I think the trip is out of question, but like I told SJ, at least we get to be with Data!
i’m sorry your trip got cancelled!!! everything happens for a reason though right?!?! (even though it’s probably hard to understand why right now)… like mannyed said, hopefully you guys will have a Christmas miracle and will somehow manage to have a great Christmas!!! (and you’re right, at least you have Data!!!) 🙂
Really sorry this happened to you, but you make a good point about the luggage… just how does it get there if you can’t?
courtneyincontrol – we had a pretty good day, albeit being stuck at home! We are going to TRY to visit KC again this Saturday. Cross your fingers!
kapgar – Kevin… the American Airlines clerk was being totally annoying when we were talking to her. The clerk next to her kept telling her jokes in Spanish, which was distracting her from what we were saying, so we had to repeat ourselves a few times. I asked her WTF about the luggage, but she was no help at all.