Day one is telling.
It's the beginning of a new experience, a hint of what is to come ... even a warning maybe.
Before the tickets were bought, and American Airlines charged me an extra $25 at the door to check ONE suitcase, I specifically said: "I will not babysit on my vacation."
My niece and nephew, I love them but they do not listen... not the first 5 times anyway. But my mom, with her ever expanding and forgetful heart, decided to bring them along anyway. Mind you, she can't even deal with them for a day much less a week.
Already, she has had a splitting headache today and yelled and spent too much. Already I've babysat my nephew. Yes I was sitting poolside, but it's not what I spent a hard-earned week's pay to come here for.
My mom definitely deserves a vacation though, so I decided I'll take them off her hands for a full day. Once my check clears I'll buy her a swimsuit too. But afterwards, I will find a cake and eat it too.
I'll also need to find a toothbrush ... mine fell on the bathroom floor. Yuck.
Pictures are not available because I have my sister's camera and it uses a SDHC card that my computer cannot read. However, here's the descriptive run-down.
I awoke at 5:15 am, suddenly and with the feeling that I knew that there's something I should be doing or am late for, before I remembered what that something was. Oh right. Packing. And going to the airport.
I sit up in bed and pull off the green toe separators. Thank God my nails didn't smudge, I had fallen asleep right after polishing my toenails. I called the cab service and pushed back my appointment 35 minutes. I've packed many times before, but still I thought "this is gonna be hard."
I pulled out dress upon dress, shirts and shoes. I considered just taking the duffel bag of freshly laundered clothes with me and forget packing altogether, but thought perhaps I might need more items -- like, say, pants. So I stuffed those in, threw in some toiletries, my mom's bag, my laptop and my umbrella and begun to coerce my suitcase into closing. I almost didn't shower, but it seems my lack of normal eating habits resulted in an extended digestion period because right then I had to go, now! The "final act of digestion" was upon me like a shadow at midnight... unforeseen and yet right on my heels! So as fast as I could, I did the deed and showered. Got dressed and brushed my hair and hauled out the luggage at 6:29am.
I asked the cabdriver Garfield to stop first at the bank, but the ATM liked me so much it wouldn't let me get an overdraft. You know friends don't let friends overdraft. So in turn I couldn't help out a friend because I had to go to the airport broke as Hilary misspoke.
At the airport the skycap told me 3 times in 4 minutes that he gets tipped separately. Hard for me to do because A. I'm broke, B. He charged me $25 to check the only suitcase I brought, and C. He promptly forgot which bag was mine when I told him I couldn't tip him. So I showed him the bag and waited to make sure he put it on the conveyor belt.
I pretty much undressed in the airport; shoes, necklace, bangle, hair clip all came off for the scanner ... I downed my bottle of water and then tried and failed then successfully found my gate. Boarding was fast, and I made sure to pee before buckling into my seat. I was exhausted, and besides the beautiful areal views of NY and FL and seeing the amazing reflection of a rainbow on a cloud from above, I slept the whole flight. (Note: NY looks like it's a legos structure and FL looks like its the Park Place in monopoly.)
The pilot was great! Thumbs up because I could barely feel the plane landing. I called/text-ed everyone my safe arrival.
I went through baggage claim, paid for the shuttle, and arrived safely at the resort thanks to the kind, brown-eyed driver Tom. Kevin, the blue-eyed slightly-taller-than-me hotel worker helped me out the shuttle and got Chris the-sunshades-wearer to drive me over to my room.
The family was there already, and I could tell the kids were beginning to wear on my mom already.
I skyped my boyfriend Alex, got some rest, had some pizza then showered and headed out to the pool with my nephew. We continued our conversation via phone there but I needed to save the charge so we hung up.
My aunt Pat came to stay a bit, so I get to sleep with my mom tonight!
Waited up for my baby but he did say 3am ... still a girl can hope right?
I miss my potato boy.
And it's my dad's birthday.
Hmmm ... not too many people today ...
