June 22, 2005

Airports and Such

I am up way earlier than I want to be! I am only on my third cup of coffee, so please bear with me.

Last night, at 10:30, Laurie and I went to the airport to pick up our mother and her suitcases full of shoes. If you have never been to the Newark airport, you are truly missing a life changing experience. The smells, the sights, the lights, the police, it's like a carnival, without the rides or cotton candy or... o.k. it is nothing like a carnival, it is just the airport.

Anyway, we have a standard plan that we always follow. We leave for the airport shortly before the travelers plane is scheduled to arrive. You can either mortgage your house to pay for short-term parking or you can do, what we affectionately refer to as "The Circle". The Circle is basically circling the airport until the traveler calls you on their cell phone to alert you that they are at the curb, have their bags in hand and are ready to jump into the vehicle as you slow down. Last night we tried something new, we "hid" (you really can't hide a red Tahoe too well) in the Marriott Hotel parking lot. We have to do this because the police don't let you stop or park anywhere.

Picking people up at the curb requires a plan of action and Laurie and I have recently figured out a good way to get around the police shooing you away. When the traveler has called to say that they are at the baggage claim waiting for their bags, you park at the curb and open the trunk. You then stick your head in the trunk and begin to shuffle the same bag from place to place within the trunk to give the appearance of bags being loaded. Sneaky, yes. Illegal, probably. Convenient, definitely. This worked for our Colorado trip but last night we got busted and I had to do, everybody say it with me, The Circle. Fate was on my side last night and I only had to circle once. When I arrived back at gate B there were mom and Laurie, waiting at the curb with the bags. I pulled over to the curb, loaded up the suitcases and my girls and off we went!

We are so happy that she is here.

So now mom has her own blog and Laurie really needs to write one. She is very funny and completely wacky! If you like my blog, you will love her! C'mon sister, get with the program!

One final thing, the plant. I know you all think that I have a green thumb of death and that I killed the gift that I received for Mother's Day, but I did not. It really is perking up! Laurie said the plant should be called Lazarus! I will post a picture of it so you can see. I will nurse that baby back if it kills me, or I kill it, whichever comes first!

9 comments:

Randi said...

Maybe your mom can help revive your sad-looking plant! It looks rather crunchy-which, of course, is a terrible look for a plant of any kind!

Here at the Colorado airport, we have a parking lot for people to wait until their passenger calls to summon them to the terminal to do a drive-by pick-up. Very efficient and very cheap!

Oklahoma Girl said...

Ah, yes! THe Circle. I know it well. That is what the Big Guy does when I arrive in Seattle.
Glad to hear that the plant is doing better. Post pictures soon so we can all check the progress.
Have a wonderful time with your Mom. I envy your relationship. It must be nice to really HAVE a Mom. You have a true gift in her.
Blessed be...

J-Lynn said...

ROFL We fly into Newark all the time (my in-laws live on Staten Island). But, we just rent a car now so no one has to do the "circle" lol Here in Oklahoma there is a circle as well but it's not nearly as crowded or scary...LOL

Ahhhhh Newark - a dysfunctional carnival maybe. ;-)

CMB said...

Love the Newark Airport descriptions. VERY accurate. I could just see the 3 of you. I can't wait to see your plant. I am happy your Mom is here too. Hopefully I'll get to see her this trip. I told her on her blog that I would love for her to meet my Mom. They'd really hit it off.

Jersey Girl said...

You failed to mention the no-bra and a tank top look you were sporting, which helps cops look the other way (in a manner of speaking) when it comes to enforcing the rules.

We're tired but still smiling.

I had a wonderful day with the boys today. Baby Tom is great, John, Jeremy and Joe were happy to see me. When I asked John what his schedule was today, he replied, "I want to spend the day with you." He even invited me to dinner, much to his mom's surprise. There is no dinner tonight because Dad is working late.
There is no dinner at Laurie's either because we were busy at the school collecting all her classroom supplies now that the school year is done.

That's OK. I'm really not that hungry! (Ha ha ha)

J-Lynn said...

ROFL moms have a way with not letting you get away with anything! ;-)

Jersey Girl said...

By the way, I came with the bare minimum of shoes!!! I am going to be power walking in my black sandals with the huge pink flowers!! I really take exception to the "suitcases full of shoes" comment - not to mention the only pocketbook I brought is the one I am using now. (I am prepared to buy one if the need arises.)

Laney said...

Sorry, Jersey Girl! I stand corrected, they were not full of shoes, they were full of your sexy new christmas underwear!

Dy said...

Oh my! Family blogging - this is the greatest!

Glad your Mom made it in safely, and, um, *hee hee* I can't believe you can go braless in public. *sigh* I'd have to tuck everything into my waistband, and that would be far too painful to handle.

Dy