Reflections from my recent airplane ride...

So, I'm sitting at a bar in the airport in Seattle after my recent flight from MT having a mediocre crab Louie and a glass of wine. (BTW any mediocre crab Louie in Seattle is 100 times better than one in MT) I had a little problem with my rental car, so long story short, stuck in Seattle for the night.

One of the best places to people watch is the Seattle airport. I'm at the bar just after you leave security on the way to baggage, So, people are more relaxed and not as crowded. So many languages spoken here at the airport - cool. And, like the last airport I was in, they are carding absolutely everyone, it's quite comical to see these folks obviously who've not been carded in like 40 years have to dig out their ID!

Just a few during and after flight thoughts... first of all an open disclaimer, I HATE TO FLY, freaks me out damnit, but I'm gettin better. So we take off, the pilot tells us it will be a couple of bumps getting out of the Billings area, then should be a smooth ride. OMG, a couple of bumps, I get into my meditation mode I do on flights, and no big deal, but I'm still ready for them.... should they happen.... then the drink cart... then a couple glasses of wine and next thing I know we're cruising along, I'm totally into it, banking to the right and then to the left, you can see Mount Rainier on the left (poking up out of the barren cloudscape - beautiful) and then dive into the clouds only to resurface through to the green-gray of Seattle, and a relatively smooth landing - was totally into it, a good landing... so no complaints, not like the last two flights. So, have determined, I need to drink at least two "pre-flight" shots and I should be good. :-)

Wait, hate to interrupt the thought process, but it's mine so what the hell, note to self, just heard someone talking about riding the train to Seatac, the lightrail, free parking at light rail, and then flying, gotta check into this... **UPDATE** I found the light rail the next morning. This is a new offering in Seattle, it runs from SeaTac Airport all the way to Westlake. It was clean, efficient, is located up above most of the road so no waiting, then goes down through tunnels under Seattle. Several locations to choose from in Seattle, one right at the stadium, International District, Pioneer Square and University street (by Pike's Place Market). The cost was $2.50. Def doing this one again instead of all the other options, and also very easy to find.

Sitting here is totally different for me, I usually am the type of person that when I go places, plans, details, get there on time, arrive close to time, stick to a relative plan... this is diff.... I'm wasting time, I don't want to go to the hotel room, and then what, watch television (well maybe since we no longer have a tv and it's now rather like a new experience) but, just not ready to go there yet...

While flying, I always watch out the window, and darn it I didn't have my camera of course, but it was almost as interesting as driving along the highway with all of the cloud formations. As we flew over the top of those clouds, what are they called? - can't remember the name of them, they are like ribbons all lined up in a long line and spaces in between, it was cool to see it from the top of them instead of from the ground up. Then when approaching Seattle it looked like a barren snow covered (actually clouds) similar to what MT looked like when we departed, for miles, and then a huge mountain, volcano poked up - Mount Rainier! It was a beautiful site, I took pics for a passenger sitting on the other side who couldn't see the awesome view. Then as we descended, it was bright crimson off to the west, reminded me of the time we took off from Cabo San Lucus in the evening and there were fires burning and the sunset was crimson to deep red, the most intense I've ever seen, it lasted for almost an hour in the sky... well this one wasn't as good or intense, but still cool. Seeing things from the plane is always so different.

Mmmmmm, everyone drinking coffee around me in Seattle... must drink coffee.... but don't want to though because it's so late in the afternoon..... oh, I will consume in the morning... Seattle you just wait!

Other thoughts from the plane.... I was thinking on the way over how much I dreaded this trip, more maintenance on the farm, more elk damage, cold, cold, cold, and more stress and money associated with it. Then... as I start my approach into Seattle and see all of the mountains and water, I think, oh my gosh, I'm home, how beautiful;, I so miss it here. And a ferry ride on the water always reaffirms that I'm home as well. I have sisters and brothers here, but when I visit, I never see, I'm too busy or whatever, there's always an excuss... so during my flight I made a reslove, this trip will be about reconnecting with family. I will seek out my brother Jim and sister Lani this visit - whether they like it or not! (And I did!)

Anyway.... thems my two cents for this post...