4:10pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Lake Forest, California, USA, Saturday afternoon, December 17, 2022. Woke up last night in Salt Lake City to a very hot hotel room. Turns out the thermostat in the room was malfunctioning. That meant no matter what the setting said (64 with the air conditioning on) the heater kept running full blast. After two hours of sweltering frustration and nearly at my wits end, I finally realized I could unplug the unit and shut it off completely. But, by then I could not relax and go back to sleep. So I got out of bed, showered, and headed to the lobby to wait for the 5:30am shuttle. After a nice, short flight my mom and I arrived in Orange County just before 9am. We were both a little tired and ready to relax but because everyone is sick we could not go to the apartment. Instead, we reserved hotel rooms in Lake Forest. However, the rooms were not ready until the afternoon so we filled the time with shopping, lunch and running errands. Now we are comfortably settled in and ready for a quiet evening of much needed rest.
Tag: flight
Leave in the morning
5:35pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Palm Desert, California, USA, Thursday night, December 15, 2022. The plan was to return to Aliso Viejo tonight and leave for Salt Lake City in the morning. However, with everyone being sick, I decided to stay an extra night in Palm Desert and drive to Orange County early. So far I have not gotten sick but, I do feel a slight headache right now. Hopefully, it is from a change in weather and not because I have Covid.
Last week in Dublin
7:41pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Dublin, California, Monday night, October 24, 2022. I took a later flight today, which ended up being delayed an hour. That meant I didn’t get to the hotel until 7pm. Just finished dinner and watched a little football. Now I am going to read. This is my last week in Dublin. I am excited to finish this assignment and move on to the next in Palm Desert.
Dublin, California, October 3
5:07pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Dublin, California, USA, Monday evening, October, 3, 2022. Woke up feeling well enough to go for a walk and do a light workout this morning. In fact, I got up so early I still had time to read the news and pack before morning meetings. I left the apartment at 9:30am and drove to the airport. After catching an afternoon flight to Oakland I got to the hotel at 3:30pm. I just finished responding to emails and phone calls. Dinner is on its way, then time for an early turn in.
Sleep and recuperate
2:14pm, pacific standard time, Sacramento, California, USA airport. Thursday afternoon, September 29, 2022. Last night I started feeling under the weather. Rather than go to the office this morning I worked from the hotel, then drove to the Sacramento airport. My flight to San Diego boards soon, then I connect to Phoenix. I should be in my apartment by 8:30pm. I need to sleep the entire weekend and recuperate.
Relaxing and staying cool
6:24pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Dublin, California, USA, Tuesday evening, September 6, 2022. It is hot out here today. The high was 113. I took my daughter to school, caught a flight north, worked for a couple of hours then grabbed dinner. Now I am at the hotel relaxing and staying cool.
The WIL and December 1st
5:43am, Wednesday morning, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, December 1. Seven years ago I was traveling for work to the Chicago area. Thanksgiving was late that year so December 1st was the Monday after the holiday. My itinerary was to fly from Orange County to Salt Lake City and connect to Chicago, however the flight was delayed. Then it was delayed again. Before long I missed my connection to Chicago all together. The airline counter agent recommended I fly to Salt Lake City. They would pay for a hotel and book me on another flight the next morning. Doing that would minimize the odds of not making it to my destination the next day as well. While some of my fellow travelers were probably annoyed, I was ecstatic. I had been texting with the WIL the entire morning, lamenting I would be in Utah but wouldn’t get to see her. Now I was staying in a hotel the airline was paying for. She came and saw me after work that day and we got to spend a couple hours together. The memory is so strong and so meaningful for many reasons, some I will keep to myself. But it is easy to say that day stands as one of the most beautiful moments we shared in a lifetime full of them.
November 17
11:03am, in my office, Phoenix, Wednesday morning. My mom arrives today. She is flying in from Salt Lake City. Her flight is boarding at this very moment. She gets in shortly after 1pm. I will pick her up at the airport, drop her off at the apartment then return to work. Today is also my brothers birthday. He would have been 52. The next two weeks will be nice to have company and to see my mom again.
mikemeyer949 