Two Years Ago At This Very Minute I Was In A Plane Heading To Washington

In a couple hours it will be 2 years since I saw the view in the photo. That is not a stormy wild ocean you're looking at. You are looking north, towards Mount Baker over the Sea of Peaks of the Cascade Mountains in Washington.

A few minutes after this picture was taken I was landing in Seattle, around 9 pm, if I remember right, picked up by a pair of poodles.

Since it is 7 pm Central time, right now, where I was, precisely 2 years ago, was, I think, Albuquerque. I did not have to switch planes, we landed to pick up new passengers and get rid of others.

I remember today, 2 years ago, was HOT here in Texas, just like today. In the high 90s, with the Heat Index in the 100s. I remember overheating checking in at Love Field.

When I arrived in Seattle and exited the terminal, the first thing that struck me was that it was so COLD. When I got to where I was staying, in Tacoma, I was led down to a dungeon like quarters in the basement. It was very cold. That night I laid in bed shivering. When I could shiver no more I got out of bed and searched for more blankets. Eventually I was able to layer enough blankets on top of me to stop the shivering.

I really never did warm up that entire month in Washington. I remember 2 days before finally escaping the frigidity, I was in a Safeway with an enormously obese woman. It was cold outside, yet that grocery store seemed to have its air-conditioning running. I remember the shivering started again. Of course, I got no sympathy from the enormously obese woman, blessed as she was with a natural warming blanket, like a whale's layer of blubber.

Just a second, I must go check what the temperature is in Seattle right now...70!

I have my A/C set at 82, 70 is very chilly.

After several nights of cold terror, spent shivering in that Tacoma dungeon, I discovered a third floor loft which the dungeonkeepers thought was too HOT for human habitation. They'd even added two high-tech air-conditioning window units in the hope of making the loft habitable.

I asked if I could move from the dungeon to the loft. Permission was granted. The temperature gauge on the A/C units said it was 81, cooler than I keep it where I am right now. So, finally I was able to sleep without shivering.

A couple days after my arrival my mom and dad arrived. I proceeded, apparently, to ignore them, while they proceeded to devote a lot of time to processing an awful lot of raspberries.

Time flies. I can't believe it is 2 years since I put myself through that living hell of entire month in Washington. How did I get talked into that? I think I've blocked that memory.

Southwest Airlines to Tacoma

Today's trip to Tacoma started off bad. But by the time I landed at Sea-Tac it was the best flight north yet.

Due to flying Southwest I had to fly out of Love Field in Dallas. Love Field sucks compared to the easy to use D/FW Airport. Parking was not easy. Going through security was the worst yet, with the conveyor built moving too much through the scanner, resulting in my laptop almost being knocked off.

I was wearing sandals and they made me take them off. So, I was barefoot during the chaos of trying to deal with my 4 trays of assorted cameras, computers, power supplies and stuff falling out of my backpack.

By the time I got my sandals back on I was a sweaty mess. I wanted water. The first water faucet was broken. I was really was starting to hate Love Field. I got to my gate, then took off to find water. I was successful.

Due to checking in online I was in Boarding Group A, Position 43. Southwest does not assign seats. I was able to get a window seat.

The first leg of this journey was to Albuquerque. We were barely in the air when drinks were mentioned. About a half hour later the waitress, I mean, stewardess, took my order. I was thirsty. I wanted Coke. Full sugar. About another half hour went by and finally the drink orders began to appear in the distance. I felt like I was in Hell's Kitchen.

By then I was getting cranky. A half hour prior to the Coke arriving 2 bags of peanuts were given to each of us. Salty peanuts. This did not help the thirst problem.

Finally, the Coke arrived at my section of the plane. In the littlest plastic cup I've seen, maybe 4 ounces.

I was really cranky by then. And then it began to turn around. A short time later the waitress asked if I needed anything else. Was there anyway I could have another Coke, I asked. Sure, you can. So, she brought me another.

By the time we landed in New Mexico I was back happy. Most of the people got off the plane. Then a head count was made. Then we could move to a new seat if we wanted. So, I moved to the front of the plane on the right side. This was a mistake.

The new people began to file in. No one had taken the seat next to me. Good thing. Then the announcer said everyone was on board. I like the extra room of an empty seat next to me. And then this guy and his kid could not find 2 seats next to each other. One of the waitresses asks if anyone would give up their seat. She offered free booze type drinks. Someone took the offer. And moved to the empty seat next to me.

She turned out to be interesting once she got liquored up on the wine they kept bringing her.

I was back thirsty again. We went through the same process again. This time it was Cheese Nips and peanuts a half hour before the Coke showed up. This time the second Coke showed up quickly. Then, a half hour to go to Seattle, she asked me again if I needed anything. Another Coke would be great, I said, my throat is sore. Which it was, due to breathing Level Orange Texas Ozone. She said she'd bring me a whole can. Which she did.

By then I was liking Southwest Airlines. I'm easy to make happy.

And then we flew the closest to Mount Rainier that I ever remember being. And I was on the wrong side of the plane. I did get a good view of the North Cascades, including the Mount Baker volcano, near where I used to live.

That's what you see in the above photo.

Max & Blue and Kristin and Michele were there to pick me up at Sea-Tac. It felt like natural air-conditioning outside. Now I'm in my current basement apartment and I'm sorta chilly. I can't remember the last time I was sorta chilly. It's a good thing.