Today we had a paperwork day at school to work on report cards. So I was up early, had a team meeting followed by working to get report cards done as well as prepping my lessons for our first day back after break. Next, going home to finish getting ready for my newest adventure. This year, for spring break, I am going to New York to visit with my daughter Friday through Sunday, then Sunday night I fly to Paris, arriving Monday morning. I am in Paris through Friday evening when I fly back to New York for the weekend. I then fly back Sunday night, arriving home late (11:15) to go to bed and wake up early the next morning for school.
I already packed my clothes yesterday, so today I needed to pack toiletries and "other" stuff (books, a notebook, snacks, charger cords, batteries, camera, laptop, liquids bag, etc). I quickly packed my liquids bag and other toiletries (toothbrush, cotton balls, nail clipper, etc.) then the other stuff (mostly things for the flight and electronics) then had time to spare. I called my parents and my daughter Shelby since I wouldn't be seeing her for Easter to say good-bye and Happy Easter. My mother-in-law called me on Wednesday since we were going to the Guthrie on Thursday (shout-out to Project Success!).
Then a quick dinner of leftover tater tot hotdish before heading to the airport. I had an 8:15 flight with an arrival time of 12:10. I had directions to Anneliese's apartment from airport. She lives in an apartment with three other students in Brooklyn. She has a lofted bed with a space for a guest to sleep underneath. Since they currently have mice, I decided to sleep on their couch instead (which is actually a loveseat in the small common room).
At the airport, I went through security and had my bags pulled aside. I own a swiss army knife, but had specifically pulled it out if my bag and put it on my desk when I was packing. Maybe it fell off my desk or is the swiss army knife that I lost a year ago, but they found it in my bag. Of course, I had to give it up (hoping it was the lost one and not my replacement) and apologized to the TSA worker. Then on to find my gate (it wasn't on the boarding pass I had printed out that morning). Eventually I was there. Then the screen said that the plane was arriving at 11:45, so I texted Anneliese that I would be there earlier (since she had been planning to leave a party early to meet me at her apartment). She texted back that she had been called out on a shoot in Connecticut and would be home around 1:00, that one of her roommates would let me in.
On the plane, the on-screen security film didn't work and the "your flight" navigation screen gave incorrect information (the icon of the airplane never left Minneapolis). But there were many seats open--including the other two in my row!!! So I read until the seat belt sign went off, then balled up my sweatshirt and attempted to sleep. Did I mention the screaming baby in the row directly in front of me? I think I drowsed a bit and we landed even earlier at 11:20.
Half an hour later we parked at the gate and I took the airport train to Howard Beach, then the A train to the stop Anneliese told me to get off at (different than Google Maps directions) and her exact directions (turn left at the Crown Fried Chicken, go down the long sidewalk, etc). Finally got there (lots of confusion with my texts not going through, etc) and we sat up and talked until four in the morning! We also made reservations for the Tenement Museum for next weekend (this weekend was booked solid). Anneliese's roommate didn't feel that her mother should need to sleep on the couch in the common area (I was fine with it) and gave me his bed (another roommate was out of town and he slept in that roommate's bed--the boy is messy and they didn't want me to have to sleep in that room). So, off to bed.
