Cincinnati Christmas - Day 1 (Tuesday)

Oy!  I hate packing.  I finally gave up Monday night and decided that I'd take fewer clothes and plan to do laundry.  Really, my brain just turned off and couldn't plan anything else.

Crack of dawn -  Convinced myself to get out of bed.  Emptied all the old, or spoiled or will-be-spoiled-by-next-week food from the fridge and took out the trash.  Have I ever emptied this fridge before?  I then traded some hilarious texts with Neighbor Steve (former neighbor Steve?) about the closing for selling his condo.

Slightly after the crack of dawn - Neighbor Gib came to whisk me off to the airport.  Gib used to work for Delta (Northwest!) and his wife Mia still does.  Both had warned me the airport would be a zoo.  Especially security.  I planned a few extra minutes so I wouldn't feel stressed.

Arrive at the airport ::Looks around:: Where are all the people?  I walked right up to the security checkpoint.  No waiting.  They had to wait for me to get my photo ID out and load the e-ticket on my phone. 

Sit at the airport.  I was back in Concourse B for this flight.  Concourse B involves this little tunnel with all these neon lights.  Every time I go through it I feel like that tunnel is Minneapolis' answer to the tunnel at O'Hare airport which is like an acid trip.

The O'Hare Tunnel - from here. 

I didn't get a picture of our tunnel because it's way less interesting than the one pictured above. 
Once I got to my gate I realized there is nothing in the B concourse.  You have to leave the concourse if you want a cup of coffee.  So I sat around and entertained myself by taking pictures with my phone.

On the plane - I was "moved up" from 11C two rows from the back to seat 6C WIN for me!, and then no one was in the seat next to me.  Second WIN for me.  My flight attendant was Kenneth from 30 Rock.  No joke.  This dude looks and sounds like Kenneth.  He was really nice.
The flight itself was nice for the first little while and then bumpy as all hell the rest of the way.  I don't think I can blame Delta for having to fly over bad weather.

 

Cincinnati! Where are all the people?  I renew the question.

Skyline Time!  Mom picked me up at the airport.  We had to make one stop at the Ensemble Theater so she could exchange a gift certificate and then we headed to Skyline.

I know you want me!

Shopping with Dad  Dad met us after lunch and we went up to Kenwood so he could pick out a couple things for mom.  It was hilarious to walk into the tea store with him.  I actually felt kind of bad.  He wanted to get mom some decaf tea.  Dad knows very little about tea and was overwhelmed by the choices. 

Here's what I found while Dad was looking at sweaters.  I wonder if my Pooky Bear can make these.

Marge's Christmas Party  My parent's neighbor and our long time family friend Marge was having a get together for some of the people in the neighborhood and I came along for the food and beer to get to know my parent's neighbors.  Okay, sure.  There was actually one other person there who I knew.  We hung out there most of the night.