Monday, February 22, 2016

Home again, home again.

My in-laws needed to come back here for an emergency, (some friends with medical issues), and went on a plane into the Eugene airport.

We drove to get them.  

Husband and I have not been to an airport in a while.  I wonder if anyone was monitoring the ticket booth, we were busily trying to figure out where to pay for the ticket for our car parking... Note:  tickets are POST pay, you don't have to estimate time you will be spending.  Sheesh.

We went in, and Husband was pacing a bit.  I hadn't been to this airport for a while... Um.  QUITE a while.  The last time, in fact, was March 30, 1981, when Ronald Reagan was shot.  I did have to look up the date, but I remember that, because we were not allowed off the plane, and it was the first time I had ever seen a Sky Marshall.  Having someone get out of his seat, pistol clearly visible, then have him sprint to the front of the plane, does give one pause.  

Anyway, it's changed.  Much bigger, more planes, and car rentals, a different section for luggage pick up... But, it's still an airport.  

Husband wandered over to the reader board to see when they would arrive.  I sat, knitting, and people watching.  A Mom saying goodbye to a son, the hugging was long, the tears were flowing.  A guy wanting to sip water on the plane, a TSA agent telling him he had to throw it away.  The man gazed at the bottle, shrugged, chugged, and made a three pointer in the trash can on the way to his plane.

Husband was getting concerned that in-laws weren't out yet.  I'd seen a wheelchair go into the deplaning area.  I mentioned this.  Husband was still just sure that they'd missed the connecting flight.  After several minutes, in-laws were coming, FIL in a wheel chair, as I'd guessed.  Husband was ready to go meet them, I had to grab him, he'd almost wandered into the restricted area, and there was an agent that looked ready to tackle him if he did.

But all was well... In-laws hadn't eaten, and I'd brought cookies.  I think FIL inhaled at least two by the time we got into the car.  (Like father, like son?)  StepMIL was wound up, slowly unwound, and was doing pretty good by the time we returned them home...

We'd started the hot water for them, set the temp in the house to "habitable" again, and stopped all the electric clocks from blinking.  They were tickled, and were both making plans to invade the showers as we left.  

So, if you go to the airport- the parking tickets don't need to be paid for in advance, wheel chairs take a bit, and Husband and FIL like cookies as a snack.  At least mine do.  StepMIL does, too,  but not as much...  

8 comments:

Sharon said...

I noticed this last time son flew. Yet another way to make a little more $?

messymimi said...

While i haven't flown in a long time, i do end up at airports at least every few years to pick someone up or drop them off. Glad your in-laws made it safely, and hope they are doing well.
Cookies help almost everything, don't they?

stephen Hayes said...

I've driven through Eugene many times but I've never been to the airport. I bet you make terrific cookies.

Cperz said...

Airports are the best place ever for people watching. I think the fact people are interacting in the capacity of meeting, greeting or saying goodbye to people they care about in some capacity.

I spend a lot of time in airports and the parking thing is baffling. Here in KC it is also Post Pay but every airport has some confusing version of where and how to park.

Cat said...

Probably. Just another way to confuse me...
Cat

Cat said...

Thanks, I think they are getting settled in again...
Cookies seem to help a lot in THIS family, at any rate. Brownies with frosting a close second...

Cat

Cat said...

It's an airport. Smaller than some, but basically the same animal...

If you ask my husband, he'd say definitely, but I think he's a tad biased...

Cat

Cat said...

Airports and malls are excellent people watching areas... Airports for the emotion, malls for the variety. At least the local malls I've been to. I don't go to airports much, so it's an education every time...

Sigh.

Cat