A nice sunny day in Atlanta, but a Toronto snowstorm jeopardizes my flight home

My wife gave me a heads up that a storm was forecast for Toronto and could disrupt my flight plans home. 

Sure enough, just as I was wrapping up my work in Atlanta the text came in that my flight home was cancelled.   As it happened, I was finishing early and I got on the phone early to Expedia, then Air Canada.  

One small wrinkle was that I had arranged last minute to visit another customer on the way to the airport as I ironically thought I had time.

The next wrinkle would be my rental car.   The extra time it takes to drop off a rental car was exasperated by the many miles between the international terminal and the rental car center.

When I reach air Canada (pleased that it took much less than the predicted 35 min wait time), they tell me I've already been rebooked for an 11am flight the next day.  After some sweet talking, Air Canada confirm that I can get on the 1:35pm (delayed from the morning).  It is about noon and the GPS tells me my ETA is 12:35pm.   That is very tight to drop the car off, check in, go thru security and get to my gate.  

I hunt for the airport Hertz number, trying not to drive off the road.   I decide to call my wife (happy to be traveling with my Bluetooth headset) and see if she could find it and send it to me.   I call Hertz and plead my case hoping someone could meet me curbside at the terminal.  Confusion, unanswered transfers, dropped calls and voicemails.  I arrive at the international terminal as a manager's voicemail greeting is coming thru my earpiece.  Alas, the idea of dropping my rental off at the curb only seems to be a possibility in a stand up comedy bit.

I drive all the way to Hertz and I'm greeted by the typical speedy return team and say I'm in a rather big rush.   I'm quickly offered a valet service back to the terminal.   And luckily my driver, Tenicia was fast and friendly.   She appreciated my advice about marriage and I got to the terminal at about 1pm.

The Air Canada check-in desk was abandoned, but luckily I had printed my boarding pass for my original flight.  I was at the international terminal in the middle of the day so the security lineup was very short and the gate was very close.  

Now the moment of truth, was the Air Canada agent going to let me check in with less than 30 mins to departure...

Yes. 

Thank you Expedia, Tenicia at Hertz and Air Canada. 

I'm heading home. 

Reports from the dog walk #5

Still very climate focused.  Lots of people in shorts, short sleeves and flip-flops - me ? I was wearing shorts.  Kooper was panting and his tongue hanging out.  The beautiful aroma on tree blossoms in the night air.  At least 3 homes with air conditioners going.  Ski gear displayed in Sporting Life's windows looks silly.  Heavy belly full of chili, hope to feel better for my late night ultimate game in an hour.

A perfect new morning

Kooper woke me up around 6:15. I didn't mind the early wake up call, I had a good night's sleep. I'm starting vacation this week, so no work reminders, ideas or problems rattling around my head. No puppy mistakes this morning and he played nice and gentle with some timely treats and some lovin'. He's getting at that bonding stage where he wants to be close to one of us a lot of the time and when I sat with him this morning, he wanted to straddle me and sit on my lap - part dominant move perhaps, but still nice. Had enough mini-breaks to check computer stuff (still trying to figure best backup process), and he had a little snooze, timed perfectly for me to grab a shower. He woke up and I just took him for a little walk to the corner and back. It's one of those summer mornings where there's a slight coolness riding the gentle breeze, like that morning when you're up before everyone else in the cottage and you go out to the dock and you're alone with the water, the rising sun and splashes of fish and some merry birds. Well, here, there's no water, and the sounds are rather more urban, but accompanied with that fresh scented, summer morning breeze, they feel gentle enough to great a summer Monday morn. Kooper is loving his newly introduced walks and is very excited at the possibility of meeting new people. Not a lot of people out at 7:30am, but there was a work crew assembling for their job down the street. Sure enough, one of the rough looking guys asked about Kooper and came over to get some licks. I'm loving our new walks too ! Now, just getting enough minutes to record some thoughts on the deck with Kooper on this perfect new morning.

Reporting live 3 days ago...

This "live report" at 4:26pm on Friday, December 19th got lost in the mash of the tech transfer circus...posting so I can document this weather related little adventure...

Trying to get home.

Subway cars are jammed packed, it's going to be a nightmare for those commuters transferring to surface routes - I'm lucky I just have a nasty 10 min walk home in the blizzard. But still, I'm sure driving is worse. Dumb thing is, I actually chose to go to the office, rather than work from home today - I chose poorly.

Blackberry shot from the office at 1:30pm on Friday

What happens when the primary snow shoveler is on crutches

1993 Mazda 626 - good condition (I think)