Friday (Today)

Thursday ~ 8:00 PM: After talking with Dylan and Alex, I have a premonition that Friday's travel plans might be a bit dicey due to weather in Chicago. My flight is to depart at 9:30 AM. Oh, if it could just leave a little earlier. Bingo. I check out the United website. Syracuse to O'hare - 6:00 AM. Only one seat available. Syracuse to O'hare - 7:00 AM. Multiple seats available. Ah ha! Thinking that I am pretty clever, I go to bed in order to be ready to wake up at 4:30 AM to arrive at Syracuse, standby, and get on that 7:00 AM flight. Pretty clever!

Friday ~ 4:30 AM: Alarm goes off. Quickly get ready. Put on remaining clean shirt. Check out.

5:30 AM: Return rental car. Head to United line. The line is long. I mean long. Those cool little Kiosks aren't working and the line is long.

6:00 AM: First flight to Chicago leaves on time but presumably mostly empty because the 6:00 AM people are still standing in line due to the aforementioned technical difficulties.

7:00 AM: Second flight to Chicago leaves on time. This time it is full because the ticket agents call the 7:00 AM passengers to the front of the line (novel concept). The 6:00 AM passengers are still waiting to be re-booked.

7:30 AM: Finally, I get to the ticket agent - a bit smugly, of course. I mean who would have thought that it was necessary to get to the airport 4 hours in advance? (Me, of course.) The agent is looking at his screen and says, "Oh no. Here we go again. 6752 is cancelled." (Yes, that's right. 6752 is the third flight, my flight to Chicago.) Keeping my composure, I wait for the possibilities. The only remaining possibility for today is 5:30 PM in Rochester, NY. Okay, I'll take it.

7:45 AM: Go to rental car counter. I need a car to go back to work and then to Rochester for a 5:30 flight. The agent looks up. "That's not a good idea. There is a winter storm warning until 10:00 PM. You won't get out." I call my boss (one of them anyway) for advice. He says to find something for Saturday and head back to work.

8:00 AM: Proceed back to United line. It is not moving. Call travel agent. She says 5:30 PM Saturday is earliest on United. Call travel agent again. What about another airline? American has a flight at 12:45 PM. Call boss to see if okay to purchase another ticket. Call travel agent and get ticket on American because United line hasn't moved.

8:45 AM: Go back to rental car counter and rent a car. Previous car is Pontiac G5. Can't get this one back. End up with Ford Focus.

9:00 AM: On the way back to Oswego. Starving. Stop for McDonald's break.

9:45 AM: Arrive at Oswego plant. Change clothes. Replace "clean shirt" with outer shirt from Wednesday as under shirt and outer shirt from Thursday as outer shirt again. Head out to plant. Pass break room and notice box of chocolates. Eat a piece. Eat another. Eat another. Eat another. Amazing. Head out to plant. Work.

12:30 PM: Chinese carry-in. Delicious. Enjoyed company of Oswego folks.

Afternoon: Work on floor plans. Check dimensions. Continue studying platers.

5:00 PM: Pack box of dirty wire mill clothes and wet gym clothes. Nasty. Ask to have sent back on a truck. No rush.

5:30 PM: Depart for Rochester. Stop at Big Lots for clean underwear, socks, and t-shirt

8:15 PM: Arrive in Rochester. (Note: 78 miles)

8:30 PM: Head to restaurant. Monterrey chicken sandwich (includes avocado!) and a beverage.

9:30 PM: Gym

10:15 PM: Shower

Now: Bed