Day #6

Well..day 5 ended with me saying goodbye with tears which lead to a semi-dehydratwd state and an inability to fall asleep until nearly 1 a.m. and with a 3:50 alarm set, I knew I was in for potential trouble.

Maddie Girl did not want to say goodbye.  She is the older of the 2 dogs and as sweet as can be.  I dearly love the Rieger dogs but Maddie...well, she's my favorite.

I managed to wake-up at the appropriate time and showered and got ready for my return trip adventures. 

My check-in at the Delta counter was easy-peasy.  Tammy and I decided between chick flicks on Saturday that I should check my suitcase due to my 50 minute layover.  I did and was grateful all day!!!!  

While waiting to board, the Delta land crew made an announcement that due to frozen waterlines on the plane, there would be no coffee served while in air.  All I heard was "GET YOU'SELF SOME COFFEE AT THE TERMINAL!!!!!"  

I have never been so thankful for $2 semi-watered-down coffee in all my 40 years of living.

Drank the coffee and ate some dried cranberries.  Deeeelish.

We boarded and discovered that the waterlines weren't the only thing frozen.  The plane was freezing cold due to a cold morning.  The captain had to use external air to start the plane and then once started, the heat would kick-in.  

Did I mention that I thought it a good idea to pack my coat in my suitcase so I wouldn't have to worry about on the plane?  Can you say, "Dumb idea!!!"

Once the plane's engine came to life, we taxi-ed and waited for the de-icing truck.  The gal next to me (still no scruffy cowboy!) was ranting and raving about the delay.  And I was secretly praying they would get every proper part de-iced.  I didn't even care if I missed my connect ehile seat 11C was having a conniption fit of the worst kind.

Once in air, the flight attendant informed 11C that Delta allows for 40 extra minutes per set "flying time."  This is genius!  

We landed.  My 2nd time through this airport it was a 10 gate hike and nothing heart-pounding.  I could've skipped but I didn't. 

My next flight was uneventful.  No crazy person next to me.  I had an actual window seat complete with a window!!!  The sky was blue and the clouds fluffy.  Fifty-some minutes of flight time...which i know 40 minutes were not added.  Hellooo!  It wasn't 10 minutes of air time.

We landed.  We de-boarded.  Several yards from the gate, there was a Starbucks.  Coffee and snack were purchased and I meandered down to Baggage Claim.  My suitcase was next on the belt.  I waltzed to the Van Galder bus area and waited all of 12 minutes.  Boarded a bus.  

Received a sweet text asking if I wanted or needed a ride.  Said I was going to just walk...which I was then told that I was NOT going to walk.  I love this friend dearly.  

Bus trip was mostly quiet.

Arrived at the Clock Tower and was picked uo at 1:45 p.m. and delivered to my apartment.  While en-route to my apartment, I was informed of a shooting  near said apartment.  Danger!!!  I was so very thankful for a ride home.

Got home.  Unpacked.  Headed to the grocery store.  Came home and donned jammies and began a 2 hour countdown to bed.  

I have NO shame in admitting that I went to bed at 7:15 p.m. and got up at 5:30 a.m.  I had only gotten circa 2.9 hours of sleep the night before!!!

I figure it all balances out in the end...

Day #5

Last full day in Montana...
Today we sent Elizabeth babysitting and Mike & Dane went to help someone move.  Tammy and I explored a Montana store where I searched high and low for a coffeecup for Bryan.  He loves fun mugs.  He loves it when I bring him mugs.

Bison coffeecup: check!
Montana magnet: check!
Helena, Montana State Capitol Postcard: check

We stopped downtown at the Great North Carousel where we watched a very cold dressed-up bride and groom snapping pictures in the freezing cold.

We walked around the frozen animal sculptures and tried not to stare at the lovely bride and groom.  They must have been freezing as it was probably 15 degrees.

After these 2 stops, we picked-up our Red Box reserved movie and headed home to eat soup and watch chick flicks.

What a great way to end both of our vacations.  We lounged downstairs with the dogs and some sappy romantic movies.

Day #4

Day #4 - New Year's Day
Slept in and got up for a leisure breakfast & strong coffee.

Tammy and I watched "You Again" with a handful of great actresses.  We, then, bundled up and took their 2 crazy dogs and for a quasi-hike.  It was circa 12 degrees.  It was cold...but the view was worth it.  And it was nice spending time with just Tammy.  She is great company.

After our hike, we enjoyed soup and chilled (ha-actually we warmed up!!!) before going to see the movie "Joy."

Got home.  Did not care about watching the ball drop in Time Square.  All adults were in bed before 12 midnight.  Happy New Year!!!

Day #3

Day #3
Today the teenage son was feeling a bit slighted for not having joined us on Day 3 gallivants so he arose from his slumber and joined us while we toured downtown Helena.  We had coffee at a firehouse and perused a yarn store and a girlie accessories store...much to the teenage male's chagrin.  (We got him a bagel and snacks.)

After being out and about we returned home to enjoy Thai food for supper.

It was delightfully busy but not crammed full.  #perfection

Day #2

I was informed that Day #2 had the promise of strong coffee and thrifting and a trip to the hot spring.

Stop #1 was for coffee because Tammy said, "We want Angie caffeinated and to come back!"  #loveit

Stops 2 thru 6ish were random thrifts around town.  A sweater and a flannel and a springy blouse and a thrift-gift coat for Rhonda were purchased with the prayer, "Lord, please let these fit in my suitcase."

After thrifting, we returned to their house to wait for Mike to get off work.

That evening we went to Boulder, Montana to a hot spring.  It was incredible.  You start in a very hot indoor spring and then when you are all toasty warm, you make your way outside (still wet!!!) and get in to the outdoor hot spring pool.  Your skin gets raisiny (which I'm pretty sure is a word). 

I slept like a baby that night.  A thrift high coupled with the hot springs.  *sigh*

Day #1

Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Day #1

On December 28th we had 3.5 inches of sleet fall mixed with a bit of snow.  (I am calling it "a bit" because I have no idea what the actual accumulation is.) 

Bryan's car - during the sleeting and snowing - was outside and unbeknownst to us was getting iced-over.

Enter the day following said sleet and snow...  Bryan and I arose from our slumber and donned our gym clothes and headed to Anytime Fitness where we did 30 minutes of cardio and headed to Target for some traveling snacks for both of us.

Water and snack bars purchased and we were off my humble abode.

I managed to get my sweet Rosie stuck in the icy - snowish mix just outside my garage door.

Bryan went to his car to retrieve his snow shovel only to discover his trunk was frozen shut.  Several seconds later, he discovered all 4 doors were in the same state as his trunk - frozen.  Not even budging a smidge.

In the meantime, my neighbor got her Toyota stuck.  So while Bryan was trying to get in to his car and my car was stuck, I got out and pushed my neighbor to freedom.

Bryan pried and pried and got his passenger side door open.  He carefully placed the key in the ignition and started his car.  Somehow in the starting of his car, his gloved fingers must've bumped the lock button.

Note - it was approximately 10:00 a.m.

Flight is to leave O'Hare at 3 p.m.

I check Delta's website.  My flight is still on time.  I may not be but my flight is.

With much prayer and persistence, I got Rosie unstuck and put in to the garage.

I go and shower while Bryan continues praying and trying to get in to his car.

While I am getting ready, enter triumphant Bryan.  He had managed to scrape and pry and he finally got in to his trunk.  He crawled thru his car - which I forgot to mention had been running this whole time.  Thankfully gasoline is under $3 per gallon.  Bryan got his doors open and he did not need to contact the fine folks at AAA.

After dropping off my apartment key, getting Starbucks and hitting the bank...we managed to still leave town on time. 

While driving to O'Hare, we were blessed with a merge to a complete stop situation at which point I glanced at Bryan's clock and nearly had a stroke!  It was 1:55.  Did I mention Bryan lives in Michigan where it is the Eastern time zone?  Thankfully he caught my error and made some funny comment about his crazy sister.  Actually I think was more along the lines of, "In Michigan it is 1:55.  Sis, you are Central here?"

He dropped me off at O'Hare.  No pushing me out of the car which was nice.  :)

Security was a breeze. 

Stopping here to say - this Montana trip is the first time I realized that my fabulous pink suitcase is actually the standard carry-on size.  No more checked baggage fees for this girl!!!

Waltzed to my gate and discovered a Starbucks kiddy-corner.  Coffee in hand and the people-watching commenced.

My plane was late getting to O'Hare to take me to Minneapolis but other than that the flight to Minneapolis was completely uneventful.  Sat in a window seat which was a joke as there was no window. Never did I know Delta has FAUX window seats.  What's up with that?

When we touched down in Minneapolis, a very kind gentleman removed my carryon from the overhead compartment.

Upon de-boarding, I had to make mad dash from terminal something to terminal something else.  When I say a mad dash, I mean a walk-run while on that people-mover belt and no time (NO TIME!!!!!) for coffee.  Thankfully I had said snacks in my not checked luggage.

I arrived at the gate with a mere 7 minutes to spare.  The 7 minutes is a bit made up but I feel like they would've for sure started announcing, "Delta would like to page Angie Good to such-and-such gate."

Minneapolis to Helena - uneventful and fabulous.  I thought for sure I was going to sit next to a scruffy cowboy but he was 3 rows infront of me.  Instead my seatmate was paranoid of flying which she did not confess until we touched-down in Montana.

Mike and Dane picked me up and we headed to their beautiful house which is situated in the woods.  Surrounded by pine trees and not a neighbor in sight.

Amazing.

Went to sleep...

New Year's in Helena, Montana ~ Part 1

Well...my adventure began 1.5 years ago when my favorite co-worker and his family moved from Cherry Valley, Illinois out to Helena, Montana.  Little did I realize that nearly 18 months after their move that the Lord would supply me with an opportunity to go and visit one of the few states I jave never experienced before...and it allowed me to say goodbye to 2015 and hello 2016 in a very cold state.

Helena is beautiful.  It is breath-taking and amazing and did I mention cold?  Like negative temps (not windchills) cold!

If I ever moved out there, I would invest in a Keurig.  Not the smallish one but the big guy that can really deliver the juice.

Back to my tale...I was thinking I would blog our daily adventures.  This worked well for my trip across the pond so why reinvent the wheel.

See you soon with Day 1 adventures...

Another first for 2015.....sent home early from work :) :) :)

Sooooo today - all day today - it has been sleeting and snowing and raining and sleeting and snowing and more rain...  This weather caused my place of employment to shutdown at 2:30.  Unfortunately, I still had a couple of semi-critical things to wrap-up...so I didn't leave until 2:45.  

It's funny because I really did need the last 120 minutes of the day to finish up some secretarial stuff...but apparently the Lord wanted me to start my New Year's vay-cay a little early!  

*Cheering*  
*Happy dance*

Bryan and I are just chilling...and I'm trying to get packed for my fun adventure.  

Here's another first for 2015...a first that I'm not necessarily proud of...in 2015, I've turned in to a LAST MINUTE PACKER!!!!  No kidding!!!!  

Pre-2015...you know, like 2014 and before, I would pack days before trips.  I would pack and then re-pack and then pack again.  Now...it's the night before, and I'm thinking MEH...I should pack...or wait until tomorrow morning.  I don't like being this non-packing gal.  She gets a bit stressed-out and then that makes for dreadful moments before adventures.  No one should be that way...  

Now I'm feeling guilty about not packing so I'm going to post this and go get out my smallish suitcase.  I'm still torn if I want to do carry-on only...or check a suitcase which might not make my connecting flight and then I'm out my clothes and toiletries.  If I don't check one, we could always stop at Target in Helena and then there's no did-my-luggage-make-it concerns.  Hmmmmmm...

Decisions.  Decisions.

Sincerely,
The girl who doesn't want to procrastinate-pack anymore