Well last time we spoke I was stranded in Portland, but this time it was Chicago. You see now the weather is traveling with me. They definitely over react in the USA over snow. Greyhound shut down its service and kept us captive in the bus terminal. What an experience, camping out on cots issued by the Red Cross with their scratchy but warm, 100% fibers unknown blanket. Meal tickets were also being issued for the only restaurant in the building. This restaurant mind you would be a five star place rated against its competition in other USA cities we stopped in. Most sported only vending machines or the standard fried or reconstituted food revived from either its frozen or dried state.
It took me 5 days for a trip which is normally scheduled for two to return home. From Portland I had to return south to go north. On top of all of this I had my luggage traveling without me on its own route to Detroit. Greyhound have their own way of operating. My luggage and I are working on a reunion. Keep your fingers crossed this happens soon. As you know I was visiting my daughter Nadia and her husband Matt in Beorne Texas. They gave me Spurs calendars signed by the two of them as a wedding picture of the two of them is in the calendar. I was to hand them out for Christmas to family members and now my luggage with them in it is on its own trip.
Chicago barely had snow on the ground and the bus terminal had canceled all North and East traveling buses for two days when I finally escaped. I am sure I would be captive there still had I not been brave enough to finally ask a bus driver taking a bus-load of Armed Forces Personnel home for the holidays for a seat. You could not force them to spend their few precious days off in a bus terminal. They are used to braving the elements and thought all of this a bit foolish having to wait the storm out. What a great bunch of young people I had the pleasure of traveling with. We were all warned the bus service ended in Flint Michigan, but my Knight in Shining Armour said he could pick me up from there even driving through the storm to rescue me. Gary arrived late after driving for eight hours crawling along the highway from Whitby with sometimes little if any visibility but he charged on so I could come home. I had not had a shower for five days and was probably a little gamey when we met. We decided to stay in a hotel overnight before returning to Canada. First I had to buy a change of clothes as I was without luggage. Next I badly needed to eat real food in a real restaurant, which is not an easy feat given the fact we were in Flint Michigan where everything appears to close by 6:00 p.m. Finally after much searching with the help of the GPS we found a place offering decent home cooked meals. Next was the hot shower and a real bed......Ooh did this feel good....Mind you in saying this I missed my son's debut on TV, Breakfast Television's Toronto Show on Friday morning. Breakfast Television decided to host their Christmas Show this year at the Sheraton Centre across from City Hall. My son, one of their Assistant Banquet Manager's was profiled on the show dishing out advise on what to serve as treats for Christmas. I am hoping I get a copy of this. Remembering my shy Adam of Public School years when in a play stood with his back to the audience and what a nice confident young man he has turned into makes a mother proud. The Sheridan must also have confidence in his abilities as he was one of their official spokespeople for the show I understand. I could be talking through my hat since I do not have any first hand knowledge of the event other than what my children have told me and from Breakfast Television's web site.
Have a great Christmas everyone and I will speak further about our weather and its challenges later.
Until next time.
Comments