Dallas, TX

We just got back from visiting my best friend and her family in Dallas, TX. Actually, they live in Lantana but unless you are from that area you'd have no idea where Lantana is. The trip was much needed for many reasons.

First, Jana has been my best friend for the past 30 years. We met when her parents were looking at buying the house next to ours and Jana was sitting in the front yard checking out a spider's web (if I remember correctly). Many ups and downs latter, she is my longest lasting friend. Sadly we only get to see each other once or twice a year.

Second, I haven't been on a vacation of any kind for almost a year. We use to got to Vegas every spring, but not for the last three years. The recession has prevented a Mexico trip for five years. But that's OK. I don't need a big vacation, just a small break to get away from work. Anywhere with sunshine - I'm there!

And that brings me to the third reasons. It has been raining here for months and months. There is a small chance I've complained about the rain on this blog :-). We are suffering from vitamin D deficiency and seasonal depression. While we were gone it never got over 65 F here in the Pacific Northwest. In Dallas it was was 90+ every day. The third day a small, puffy cloud moved across the sun and all of us looked up wondering what was going on. Thankfully it only last a few seconds and then back to full sun. We soaked it up. I have a few hard-to-reach spots that got burned to prove it.

But in order to take a mini vacation we have to organize farm sitters. Back when it was just the cats and sheep, we could get away for four to five days and just leave extra food and water out. Pigs and chickens are different animals entirely. Pigs go through the food so quickly. It's amazing how much food they put down. A couple of days and the feeder needs to be filled again. Surprisingly the chickens can't gather their own eggs. So, a farm sitter it is. We had three family members all lined up to do the chores Thursday through Sunday. We were coming home Monday afternoon and would take care of that day. The best laid plans ...

We arrived at Dallas/Fort Worth to fly out and started checking in at the electronic podium. It couldn't find us. We asked the attendant for help and she let us know that we needed to check in at United not Continental. Red-faced we went over one counter and started again. But that computer couldn't find us either. Again, we asked the attendant and he informed us that we were at the wrong airport. My red face got redder, if that's possible. Thank goodness we had lots of time to get a taxi and make our way to Dallas Love Field. Success - the computer found us! And with a hour to spare!

Just after we boarded the plane and it pulled away from the gate, the pilot came on and informed us that some hydraulic-thinging just broke and we'd have to deplane. The next hour was spent waiting to be told that we would have to wait another next six before we'd be able to leave. That meant missing our connecting flight and having to reschedule for much, much later. Guess we wouldn't be arriving at PDX until 12:30am. Crap - the animals!

Do you have any idea how hard it is to reach anyone, at all, on Memorial Day? Apparently everyone was out enjoying the day off, not sitting at home by the phone. I left voice mail messages and text messages with just about everyone in Clark County. Ok, not really, but I did leave six messages. No one got back to me during our multi-hour wait at Dallas Love Field. As we got off the plane in Houston, I checked and no return calls. Feeling a little worried and knowing that it was near 5pm at home, I started back into calling. So did Jeremy and he was able to reach his mom, who could to head over to the farm. Whew!

At 1:30am, when we finally arrived home, we did not go check on the animals. We did not unpack. We went straight to bed. (And it was 52 F and raining when we arrived. Of course it was!) This morning I went down to the barn and everyone was doing great. The pigs even seemed happy to see me.