An Advil Breakfast

Yes, it is 12:40 p.m. and I am just having my second cup of coffee. Whatever....

I received a phone call at 1:30 in the morning while at my layover in San Francisco--my schedule was changed. Instead of flying back to Washington, I was going to fly to New York's JFK, then deadhead back to Washington. This was kinda cool because we offer a premium service on this flight--the airplane is a 757 and the interior is really pretty (as airplanes go!!)

I worked in Business with a super guy named Keith working the Business Galley--it was only his second time doing this service and his first in the galley. It was my first time working the Business aisle and we did just fine--even received a "thank-you" certificate from a really nice passenger. There were 26 passengers up there--and they kept me busy for the whole flight!! But, being busy makes the time pass faster, for sure!

We arrived at JFK around 5:30 p.m. and our deadheading flight to Washington was delayed on the inbound. Once it was there and we boarded, there was weather in Washington, forcing us to sit on the ramp until the storms passed. Then, we had to wait in line with all the departing international traffic--sort of an airport rush hour--before we could leave. It was after 10 when we landed in Washington. Then, it takes and hour and half to get from the gate, to the employee parking lot, and to my house. Therefore, I slept in. Waa-ay in!

And, my old body is whipped! When I finally drug myself out of bed, I popped a couple of Advil. I sure hope they kick in soon..my feet ache! (I know, waaaaaaa-ah.....!

While I was signing in at the layover hotel in San Francisco, I saw the name of one of my classmates from training, who was also signed in at the hotel. I gave Vin a call, and we met downstairs and he introduced me to Marty and Terry, two of his flying partners. Vin is from Vietnam, and he and his crew had been planning on a dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant and invited me to join them.

We went to a great little place, and Vin had the opportunity to use his native language and he ordered up several dishes for us to try--I thought I had died and gone to heaven! My very favorite was the grilled beef with rice paper. The waiter brought a plate of hard white disks, and a big bowl of warm water. You take the disk (the rice paper) and dip it into the warm water to soften it and make it pliable, then place it on your plate...sort of like a tortilla. Then you load it up with veggies--cucumbers, cilantro, carrots, basil, bean sprouts--then top it with a little of the very thinly sliced grilled beef. Roll it up like a burrito, dip it in the sauce--which has a fish sauce base--and bite. It was delicious and I can't wait to drag Norm to a Vietnamese restaurant to have it again!

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A little later....

A huge line of thunderstorms just rolled through our area--there was ferocious wind and lots of lightening, but it was quick, and we didn't lose power.



I haven't been called to work today--which is good, because my Advil breakfast just hasn't been effective today! The tower at Washington Dulles was evacuated this afternoon when the storms rolled in. I am sure the airport is just a mess with cancellations, crew misconnects and stranded passengers. My classmate from training, Stephanie, just texted me...she has been assigned a Kuwait City trip tonight...her last trip was Beijing. I am looking forward to hearing about her adventures when she gets back! I can tell her all about my Des Moines layover! ;)