3 Airport Trips, 2 Trips To Work, And A Daily Trip To Walmart

I took the "new" cost analyst to the airport on Tuesday morning (er go another car parked in my garage), which seemed to set off a trend. I took Marcelle (my friend from Brazil) to the airport this morning after an early Christmas sleepover at her house last night. She was too funny sweating (figuratively and literally) her oversized luggage potentially being over the new 50 lb limit. Thankfully, she bought her ticket before the limit was imposed and we ended up rearranging her stuff (hello New Orleans airport...brazilian underwear) to meet the 70 lb limit.

We had a leisurely lunch in the airport at Acme Oyster House. She asked me what I wanted (a half dozen chargrilled oysters), ran off to put in our order, and quickly returned to report "they don't have oysters" (goddamnit Katrina! Still, with the limited menu? Really?!). She was still concerned about making it through security with her carry ons, and no amount of my reassurance that she'd be fine would make a difference, so she asked me (and I obliged) to wait until she made it through security. She waved vigorously with a sigh of relief on her face when she made it past the guard.

Since I had another 2 hours before Shorty's arrival, I headed out to the mall for some window shopping. While sitting in traffic at the mall (what was I thinking?) I remembered that Carlos had left a screwdriver at my house (which I discovered yesterday after Ed & I finished putting Shorty's basketball goal together), so I called to let him know it was there. He said he'd get it later. When I asked what he was doing, he said he was on his way home from work to pack for his trip to FL for Xmas. He asked how the traffic was (uhhh, it's the day before Xmas Eve?!) and I told him the airport long term parking was full. He asked me if I'd give him a ride (add to the fare list) and I said yes.

He showed up while I was cooking dinner for Shorty (after the daily trip to Walmart) and was startled when Shorty came out of his bedroom to ask me a question. I guess Carlos wasn't expecting Shorty to be home. He quickly thereafter said he was off to the airport. He didn't think I could give him a ride.

"Aren't you guys about to eat dinner?" he asked.

"Shorty's about to eat dinner," I replied.

"Doesn't he have to come too?" he asked.

"No! He can stay here by himself," I said.

"What's the rule on that?" he asked.

"I'm only going to be gone for an hour at most. Shorty's been staying home by himself. He'll be fine," I stated.

I set the timer on the microwave for the brown rice I was cooking for dinner, gave Shorty instructions on what to do, reminded him of where to find my cell phone number, and headed out with Carlos to the airport. On the way back, I relished the 20 minutes of alone time that I know are going to be my last for a while.

3 trips to the airport, 2 trips to work (I went home mid-morning to hide Shorty's basketball goal in my neighbors' yard), and 1 trip to Wally World later, I've settled in for a quiet evening at home with my son. We'll be watching a movie after which I'm planning on catching the encore presentation of Nip/Tuck (I completely forgot about it on Tuesday night and went to bed early, for which I was scolded on Wednesday by the hard corps 20 something IT Nip/Tuck fans). This is the first time we've spent Christmas alone together in New Orleans. Usually, he's either in LA with his dad's family or we're together in FL with my family (I always thought I had to go "home"). Here's to the beginning of being a grown up.

I have my own home now. I know who I am. This year I realized that I don't have to conform to the standards and traditions that my parents established for me while I was growing up. I can be my own woman and make my own traditions, emphasizing the things that I find important...not abandoning everything they presented as important, but highlighting those things that are common about what they find important that I also think are essential to a full and healthy life, while maintaining my individuality.