Windy’s Blog

So I had to travel to Nebraska for a business trip this week. As usual, the trip has been an adventure so far. It all began early Monday morning. I mean early! I set my alarm clock for 3 a.m., but was so tired that I didn’t actually get moving until 3:15 a.m. So I was fifteen minutes behind schedule.

I showered, dressed, grabbed a to go cup of coffee and was out the door by 4! I drove to the airport in the dark, praying that no deer or other other animals would be out on the country roads that morning. Fortunately, I did not see any (I don’t know if they were there, I just didn’t see any).

I arrived at the long term parking lot in Albany, NY at 5:15 a.m. and waited outside for the shuttle. Luckily it was cool, but not so cold that I was shivering. I got on the shuttle with my large suitcase, and we waited as a lady ran to the shuttle. She was also running late, but her plane was due to take off at 6, and it was already 5:30 by the time we got to the airport terminal. I don’t think she made her flight.

I checked in at the counter, where the ticket agent weighed my bag. It came in at a whopping 48.5 pounds. I made the limit by 1.5 pounds! I had to pay $ 25 for the bag, and I handed the agent my debit card. She swiped it and then placed it back on top of the granite counter. I went to reach for it and it slid right off of the counter and down in back of her computer!

Great. Now what do I do? Luckily another agent came over and between the two of them, they were able to move the computer. But couldn’t get the card. I could see it against the back of the counter and with my coaching, the agent was able to retrieve it for me! The roller-coaster of emotions I was feeling was a bit much to handle at 5:40 a.m., but I got through it and walked off to the security check point.

Since it was Monday morning, the airport was crowded, but the line for security moved at a steady pace. I was prepared, as I’d been through this airport ritual a few times in the last couple of years, so I knew the drill. I had my license and the boarding pass ready. I had taken off my jacket and grabbed the bins to place all of the contents of my pockets in the bin and then took off my shoes.  I placed my purse in another bin and was good to go. But as I walked into the full body scan and raised my arms over my head, the beep went off.

I was instructed to step aside, where a female security guard used the wand on me. “There is something on your waist,” she said. I realized that I had worn a belt and forgot to take it off. So I took off the belt and handed it to her. She then took her gloved hands, and with some kind of pad, swiped the inside of my pants where my belt was. As she did this, she explained that she had to swab the entire waist band.

“Lift up your shirt so that I can see your waist,” she said to me. As I did this, to my horror and complete embarrassment in front of everyone, my pants started to fall.

“You’re losing your pants!” she said.

“Yeah, that’s why I was wearing the belt!”

I have been losing weight recently and my pants were getting lose, so that’s why I chose to wear the belt that morning. After recovering from the debit card ordeal and then the dropping of the pants, I thought I was ready to move on. Not so fast, though.

“We have to inspect your purse,” another guard said to me. “Step over here while we do that.”

Over to the side I went, as they took everything out of my purse. What did I have in my purse? Well, there was a Kindle, two cell phones, two phone chargers, Weight Watchers snacks, my ticket, my wallet, my vitamins, my prescriptions, pens, a note pad, and several other items. All of these were haphazardly placed back in the purse. So much for my organized travel bag!

After all of that, I was finally released to go to the gate. Instead, I walked directly over to Starbucks for a large coffee. By the time I got to the gate, they were already boarding and I walked right up and onto the ramp to the plane. Phew!

We landed in Minneapolis, and according to my itinerary, my next flight was due to leave at 9:10 a.m. By the time we de-boarded the plane, it was 8:50 a.m., and I thought “wonderful. I have twenty minutes before my next plane is leaving! They must be boarding already. I hope my 48.5 pound suitcase makes the transfer!”

I stepped into the airport and looked at the board to find the gate that I needed to be for the flight to Omaha. But it stated gate 14B, and that was the gate that I just stepped out of. So I was a little confused. I looked over at the desk, and sure enough, the sign stated Omaha. So I realized that I would be getting on the same plane that I just got out of! Why did they even make me get off of the plane?

I didn’t see any agents at the gate, and thought it was strange that no one was boarding the plane yet. I waited another five minutes, getting nervous now, and thinking that something was just not right. Then I looked at my phone and realized what had happened. I’d flown into the Central time zone! So I actually had one hour and ten minutes before the next flight.

I had breakfast and then met up with a coworker who had flown from Baltimore, and then we both boarded the plane I had stepped off of a little while ago. It was a short flight (only 45 minutes). We landed on time in Omaha, where the outside temperature was already 80 degrees at 10:00 in the morning.

We met up with another coworker who had flown from Atlanta, and the three of us walked to the car rental desk. I was exhausted from the trip already!

It has been an adventure here, to say the least. I am already thinking about the flight home, where my boss told us that we will probably get out early and can fly stand by. Oh, that should be fun!

Now that I’ve been losing weight again, I thought it was time to go through my closet and see if I could find anything interesting to wear to work. I was a little excited to discover that I could fit into a skirt that I hadn’t worn in quite a while. But the material is a little clingy, so I figured I would wear a slip under it and I would be okay.

But with all of my moving over the last few years, I soon realized that none of my slips were anywhere to be found. I checked each of the three bins that I have stored clothes in, but none of them contained a slip. I really don’t know why I would have thrown any of them out, when I had several, but I guess I did.

So off to the store I went. I happened to be near a Macys, so that was where I intended to find a large selection of different size slips to choose from, and before I even entered the store I was trying to decide what length I needed. The skirt I wanted to wear is long, but has slits on the side. So I knew that I couldn’t get a very long slip or else it would show. But I didn’t want a slip that was too short, because then it wouldn’t help stop the “cling”.

I browsed through the lingerie area of Macys, but didn’t see any slips. Not one. So I walked over to the cashier stand to ask the clerk. There was one person being waited on, an elderly woman who was chatting with the clerk as her purchases were rung up. I then realized that the clerk was also up in years. Ten minutes later, after a “you saved over $ 40 your purchases today, you should be so happy!”, the customer slowly lifted her bags and walked away.

I stepped up to the desk and asked the clerk if there were any slips in the store.

“Oh, no,” she said “we haven’t sold slips here in years.”

What? Surely I misheard her. This was Macys. Didn’t they sell everything?

“It’s a shame, really,” the clerk continued. “My advice to you would be to go to Joann Fabrics, buy some material and a pattern, and make one.”

Huh? Lady, are you kidding me? Make one? I don’t even have a sewing machine and the last time I made anything with a pattern it was a latch hook rug in the 1980’s!

So off I went to anther store, in pursuit of slips. I tried to think of stores that had large undergarment sections, and headed over to TJ Maxx because they were in the area. Not one slip in the whole store there, either.

This pursuit of a slip had now become a quest. And as I went from store to store, I had to question: am I so out of touch with the fashion world that slips are things of the past?

I will be the first to admit that no one would ever call me a Fashionista. I know that I have no idea of what is “in,” these days. So I decided to take a look at the dresses and skirts on the racks in the stores. Most of the dresses that I saw were not lined. So I have to wonder what women are wearing under them, or if they just don’t care?

The next day I searched on line, and finally found slips at Sears. I called them first and the clerk who answered the phone told me that they “have a couple” in the store. I jumped into the car and rushed over. Maybe there would be others in search of slips too, and I might not be able to secure the size I need!

But, alas, as I reached the department I realized no one else was searching for a slip. I was the lone slip shopper and felt a little elated that I had the pick of the inventory. That feeling soon diminished as I discovered the selection of slips was restricted to 32 or 24 inch slips. Since my 5’2 height would be too short for the 32 inch slip, I had one size to choose from.

Still, I grabbed that slip like it was a unique find, and headed over to the cashier. On the way I decided that I needed some stockings. As I was choosing a pair I wondered “do women even wears these anymore?”

Today I wore the skirt, complete with the slip and stockings. I did get compliments on the outfit, so I was happy that I kept up the slip pursuit. But only three hours into the day and I had a run in the $ 8 pair of stockings.

Now, as I sit here, back in my jeans and writing this blog, I wonder: do they still sell latch hook rug patterns?

After several years I finally got back to swimming for my exercise routine. But, as with most things in my life, my pursuit of good exercise does not come without obstacles. It took three weeks but I was finally able to speak to the membership person at the gym and sign up! We kept playing telephone tag, or he wasn’t in when I went for my morning swim, blah, blah, blah. Nevertheless I persevered and signed up for a six month program to start.

I was a bit excited to get back into my routine with the water. But due to my work schedule during the week, I must get up early in the morning and be in the water by 7 in order to get the swim done, shower, and get to work on time. That’s a huge challenge for me, since I am not a morning person at all.

I set up the coffee pot the night before and also set the timer. Knowing that I will have my coffee ready after the swim is almost enough motivation to get going in the morning. I wake up, wash my face and brush my teeth, put a hat on my head (not because it’s cold out, but because my hair sticks straight up in the mornings and there’s nothing I can do about it, but calm it down with a hat). I grab my duffel bag with everything inside and drive to the gym. After swimming for 30 minutes I shower, get dressed for work, and then head back home to hang up my swimsuit, and grab that cup of freshly brewed coffee that is waiting for me. Following that I complete the final touches on my wardrobe and head off to work. Phew!

Since I have such a tight routine to adhere to and I don’t do mornings well to begin with, I don’t enjoy talking to anyone until I am officially at work. So I give a nod of the head or a curt “good morning” to the staff at the gym. I’m not there to make friends, I’m there to get through my rigid routine. Yet each morning it seems that someone wants to engage in a conversation with me.  Really, people? Can you not see that my eyes aren’t fully opened, I’m walking slower than an 80 year old, I have a ridiculous hat on my head, and I’m not making eye contact.  Which one of those tell-tale signs are you not getting?

Still, through it all, I continue to press on. I am determined that over time I will be able to conquer this morning routine with more energy. Each day is another step closer to victory. And now the second phase in my personal improvement phase begins: the diet!