OMG FLA

Last night at 11:45pm I returned from my whirlwind trip to Ft. Lauderdale for my association's board meeting. Have I said lately how much I think flying is a pain-in-the-butt? Not to beat a dead horse (butt), but what a hassle! I guess it's what happens when you live in a second (or third) tiered city - you have to fly to a hub to connect with a flight to anywhere worth going.

The trip started out well enough when I scored an early flight on standby and got into Ft. Lauderdale a little early (I say a little early because the flight left 45 minutes late and circled the airport in a holding pattern for 45 minutes before landing), and by a "little early" I mean I got in 1/2 hour before my original flight was planned to arrive. Oh well.

I stepped outside the airport and was born anew. Humidity and the fresh smell of the tropics after a rainfall. WONDERFUL! I know Florida is probably crazy warm in the summer but boy did that heat feel good.

I made my way to the hotel/resort, which was also very nice with a palm tree courtyard around the beautiful pools and hot tub. Unfortunately, it was a little to cold and still cloudy rainy to really enjoy the full effect of the pool, but it was still lovely. The room was also beautiful and really large. I fell upon the fluffy bed and sighed. Relaxation!

My meeting was also great and it's good that Saturday was actually a very cool and overcast day - then I wouldn't feel so bad being inside all day. Saturday night we went to a trendy, upscale section of the city for an amazing dinner. All made even more memorable by being with my great colleagues/friends.

On Saturday, the weather was sunny and warm, just in time for me to leave at 11am to catch my flight back to JFK. It was probably a bad omen that when I got there the line for security was OUT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE TERMINAL AND ALONG THE OUTSIDE WALKWAY. Unbelievable. The line moved relatively fast but I don't ever remember being in such a long line. Soon enough we were in the air, and landing in NYC. All looked well until about an hour before my flight was to depart and the attendant announced that our original plane had a mechanical problem and we were waiting to hitch a ride to Rochester with a flight that was coming from Boston, and scheduled to arrive at 8:30pm - three hours after our original departure time. Groans all around.

So, after three hours in a stinky, dirty airport [what is it about being in an airport that makes me want to take a shower immediately upon arriving home?] we finally left New York around 9:30pm and arrived back in Rochester around 11:30pm - exhausted and cold.

What a shock to the system to leave sun and 70 degrees and return to the cold, barren, desolate arctic. I definitely see why people move to Florida for the winter.

Does this mean I'm getting old and ready to retire?! If so, sign me up!