Kevin called me from O'Hare airport this afternoon to tell me his connecting flight to Phoenix had been cancelled UNTIL TUESDAY! I was able to talk him into taking an airport shuttle to Carol's in NW Indiana, where he is now. He was lucky, as Carol has a big dinner planned tomorrow with everyone there, including Erin, Eric and Baby Ethan. Carol is a godsend, as she was able to pick Kevin up at the shuttle terminal. I'm sure Kevin is enjoying her hospitality. He always did like my family.
Icy roads for Chicago were predicted a few days ago for today. That is why I was nervous about Kevin flying back home today. Weather should now clear up around Chicago by early Tuesday. Until then, they will get more snow flurries and below-freezing temperatures. I get to make my hazelnut coffee for a few more days, and I get to drink it all alone...
I decided yesterday afternoon NOT to drive or fly home now. Another attempted terrorist act, this time by a Nigerian with connections to al-Qaeda, tried to blow up a plane while it was descending at the Detroit airport C'mas day. He was subdued by another passenger. How did he manage to slip through security?!?!?! Now TSA is going to get all stupid again and treat passengers like criminals: no one will be allowed to even get out of their seats AN HOUR BEFORE LANDING on any US flight. It's one more reason to give up flying forever. I haven't enjoyed flying since 911.
The weather is iffy at best again as well, just like last year, and more storms are due in covering my travel route. I don't want to risk the long trip regardless of whether I fly or drive. I'll stay here and laze around another week or so, and get caught up with some personal reading.
My Christmas was otherwise mellow. I went to my mother's outside Tucson. I love my mother but she is a nosy control freak. She expected me to spend the night and I came prepared; no use in fighting her. (I kept the back door open for the dogs. When I got back the next afternoon the house was cold, down to 55F.)
Arrow, Mom's last Chow, is now 14 years old. He recently had had a stroke and walks with a limp and a constant cock of his head. He moves slowly, and gone is his aggression toward me. He saunters up to sniff me. He is a large dog, and stays outside. He is like an unwanted, neglected dog now. When her dogs were younger my mother had four chows and they were her life. Now she seems to look forward to Arrow's demise so that she can travel more without worrying about the dog.
When it was time for me to leave in the morning, I was glad to be alone again. The drive back was scenic, with the snow-capped Santa Ritas covered in ice and snow. All roads, however, were clear.
I hope I never turn out like my mother. I worried about my dogs the entire time I was gone. The house wasn't a mess when I got back, but the couches were covered in dog fur despite the blankets I threw over them. They were excited to see me back, but we didn't go for a walk until today and they were bored sleeping by my side.
Although it's not arctic cold here, it's in the upper 40s/low 50s during the day and I'm bundled up in three sweaters. I can't imagine what I would dress like in Chicagoland where it's in the teens and 20s?
The dogs were happy to finally get out into the woods today. I hadn't taken them anywhere for four or five days. Sadie immediately found a deer carcass which distracted her. She was so engrossed in that dead thing that she ignored my calls to her to the point of me getting worried. When I retraced my path and found her, she jumped out of the tree line with a deer heart in her mouth. She had discovered a freshly-killed headless deer off the road and she couldn't be happier.
I have nothing against hunting for food but there is something macabre about killing an animal for its antlers. All three dogs gorged on the fresh meat, and all I could do was sit back and let them eat. At least not all of the carcass is going to waste if animals get to feed off of the meat. The three dogs were acting like wild wolves, pulling on the meat with their teeth and holding down the bones with their paws.
The innards were all gone and the animal had been skinned. The skin was lying next to the open chest cavity. Three of the legs had been cut apart, exposing bright red muscle meat. It is that meat that the dogs pulled on ravenously.
Needless to say the hike was a short hike interrupted by a gourmet meal. I got back the house by 2pm and resumed my putzing. I still have the bedroom to rearrange. I plan on finishing that tomorrow now that Kevin won't be here for two more days.
I also am ready for another long hike soon. Maybe I'll take the dogs down to the border tomorrow and hike a valley hike? The San Pedro Trail to the border fence doesn't get too many hikers, especially southbound hikers!
And that Zuni computer I ordered from Dell on 22 November? The one that was to be delivered 14 December? Well, Dell never emailed me of the first change, but when I checked the website on the 16th learned that the shipment had been delayed to the 20th. Yesterday I checked again and learned that the Zuni is now expected to be delivered on 7 January! I called customer service and the Indian woman was hard to understand, yet promised she would take care of the cancellation via email confirmation. That hasn't yet happened yet. Now I don't want the Zuni as it's no longer C'mas and Kevin got something else instead. ARGH! Amazon had me spoiled, as this kind of customer treatment doesn't happen via that retailer. (Note to myself: AVOID DELL!)
http://www.weather.com/newscenter/stormwatch/?from=hp_news
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/12/sleet-freezing-rain-then-snow-by-christmas.html
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