25 September 2010 ...5 1/2 months later....

Wow, I cannot believe that it has been 5 1/2 months since I last posted on my blog. I did not realize this, until I was talking with my sister, having her review a letter I wrote, she once again, confirmed that I should be a writer in my spare time, but to take it further if it was possible. I feel so overwhelmed with things in life, that I am just happy to be able to sit down at the computer and answer my emails. Ok, sissy so here goes step 1. For starters, Sophie finished 2nd grade making A honor roll all 4 semesters. Way to go baby girl, you rock, super proud mom moment. For this she was rewarded with a Nintendo DS xL (she will correct you if just call it a DS.) This little gizmo had double duty in mind when purchased. First it was something she really wanted (and does get used, lots) It was also in my devious plans to use this little item to keep her occupied while she and I got our yearly (ok 18 months) travel fix. I had been getting close to Jones-ing for my fix around my last posting, in April. Once that happens, I just look and poof a good deal appears, and I just do it. Actually this happened just a bit differently. Mom had asked if we planned on going back to Budapest for the summer. I really hadn't, and had already committed myself ot working summer school, but hey, I am easy. Taking advantage of her slow response, I threw in a " why are you paying???" again, taking her 2 seconds to answer, I got in 1 second before her and said, "you pay for Sophie, and I will pay for mine." To my utter amazement, she said "yes." Whhhat are you mom, what did you do with my mom, who is this alien I am speaking to??? I told mom that I had agreed to work summer school, had Sophie signed up for summer camp, so we could only make it a 3 week mini vacation. Well knowing her immediate reply, she said she was not paying that much money for such short time. Ahh I already had the answer for her. Leave a few weeks before us, and we will meet up there and fly back together. She agreed to this, I found her a really cheap flight, she paid for Sophie's flight costing a bit more, and I was on my own. Oh contrar my dear. I had other plans, Sky Miles... yes, cashing in my Delta sky miles. I had been saving and hording these precious miles for awhile. I even switched my bank card over the the Delta Bank Card. I was about 2 or 3 thousand miles short, so I bought out DH's miles, since he had no plans on using them. The total transaction, including mile transfer, blah, blah, blah cost me something like $280. I made out like the bandit... well for the plane tickets that is.. The money I saved, about $1000 could have, should have been used for therapy sessions, liquor or mind altering drugs to help with my sanity while on this "vacation" The flight over was wonderful. Sophie kept me laughing and we had a blast. When I asked her on the plane about her seat belt being buckled, she replied, " yes mom, buckled tighter than a ducks butt" ok I said. I was lucky enough to get a free pass to the VIP Lounge from Delta ( from where it came from, I have not idea, but Thank You, Delta). Oh yes, I always wondered what was behind those closed doors... (you can buy access, about $50/day) Oh my, well worth it. We started our 6 hour layover at JFK VIP Lounge with a shower, yes, a shower, with fluffy white towels. Heaven. Than we found a spot looking out over the tarmac and watching the planes come and go. Sophie made immediate friends with this lovely elderly couple heading to Tel Aviv to visit friends. She found out they live in NYC, about their kids, their dog and who knows what else. (Maybe detective school when she gets older) Mommy on the other hand was oogling over the buffet, oh free buffet. Nice spread, crackers, cheese, meat, olives, nutella, trail mix, veggies, hummus.... on and on.. Oh and did I mention the open bar?? Two glasses of some nice red wine and I was set. Well the party had to end, Sophie hugged her new friends goodbye and we reluctantly headed to our gate. There was a bit of a delay, ok, 4 hours. After many announcements, my little linguist was getting upset at the guys pronunciation of the word Budapest. It is not Buudapest, and it is not pest, it is something like pesst. Well she was walking around looking for the Delta agent with incorrect pronunciation. She was going to let him have it. I told her it was fine, that not all are as cultured as she is. She liked my answer, sat down, and made a new friend with a young guy sitting on the floor next to us. He was from the deep south, accent gave him away immediately. He was heading back to Kosovo, I believe he was from the National Guard. We finally boarded without incident, found our seats, and within minutes of taxing out of gate, we where up in the air. The flight was pretty much without incident, minus the little girls sitting behind Sophie kicking her seat and being loud. I guess you can't blame her, she was about 2, however her idiot mother should have known better. However, she was too busy showing cleavage and making sure her makeup was all intact to notice her little brat... to be continued....