To the SeaTac Aiport

I got up in the dark and readied myself for the day. Most of my packing took place last night, so it was just the last few things I had to take care of packing up. My breakfast arrived (the French toast again, yum - I had to say goodbye, after all) and I spent my time listening to the NPR news on the radio and contemplating the American Experience documentary on John and Abigail Adams that was on PBS last night which I feel asleep watching. It was so well done and I learned a lot I didn’t know about John Adams. I think I’m going to read the McCullough biography we have in the library.

My bill had been pushed under the door and it was thankfully one of those ”just leave your key and you’re all set” deals so I didn’t even have to do a video checkout. I went downstairs and waited in the “living room” of the W Hotel in front of the fire until it was time to head outside and wait for the airport shuttle in front of the Fairmont Olympic hotel. There were lots of people waiting and the shuttle was a little late, but it was a great place to people watch. There were literally scores of commuters passing by, most of whom where disembarking from the dozens of city buses also stopping in front of the hotel. The Seattle buses are the clean hybrid or propane buses so they don’t belch exhaust fumes in front of your face (thankfully). And the people! There seemed to be two categories: the dressed up, impractical shoes person (usually women) or the crunchy, granola, Andean-hat wearing thrift store type (gender neutral and made me feel right at home since it was so Hampshire).

The shuttle finally arrived and it was a burly blond woman who was our driver, who is probably not the happiest personality to begin with (although desperately efficient) but she really got surly when she spotted some guy's golf clubs. Who really travels with golf clubs in January? He better be a pro, and even then, why is he taking the shuttle and not a cab. Is he a golf pro on a budget? Doesn’t this seem unlikely? Anyway, the driver became very unhappy, poor woman, and delivered some choice remarks concerning golfers. They were unfavorable. We boarded the bus and headed to the next hotel. After three stops, we were packed in that bus the way the vacuum-packed salmon is they sell at the airport. Nice and squished, but since it was 99% librarians we all had plenty to talk about. I sat next to a lovely woman who was a retired academic librarian from Baltimore who agreed with me that the Seattle Public Library was a little cold for our tastes. So nice to have an instinct confirmed. We both pointed out Mt. Rainier as we turned to go to the airport. This might sound obvious but that mountain is HUGE. And it looks like a volcano, which I think it is, although probably an inactive one. Note to self, do not live near a volcano, even a pretty one.

We ended up at the departure gates and I discovered while waiting to get off the bus that the Washington state flag has a picture of George Washington on it against an emerald green background. I don’t know why this would surprise me, but it did. I expected mountains, pine trees, apples, but not the head of our first president. I don’t know why but it was a bit of shock.

I checked at the Delta self-service kiosk and OF COURSE my two boarding passes confirmed that I would be in the last rows of each plane. Row 31C (the aisle) to Cincinnati, which will put one row ahead of my flight here, and Row 13B for the ride to Scranton. Yes, that is the aisle across from the bathroom. Yay.

I found the gate fine, although I set off the security alarm. The problem appears to be that I get so revved up about going through the little detector thingy that I bounce. I know that makes me sound like Tigger in Winnie-the-Pooh, but it’s true. The guard was a nice woman who said, “Dear, try not bouncing so much while you walk through.” So I concentrated on staying firmly implanted on the ground and managed to not make it beep. Phew.

So I have two hours before my plane takes off. I think I’ll hydrate and snack as a precaution and read my Blue Bloods sequel (ARC) so I’m ready to give it to Ethan. Some of the girls will kill us otherwise if we don’t hand that one off right away. Off to the world of vampires!