Monday August 22, 2011

 

 

From the East Coast to the West Coast

Saturday, August 20

 

Saturday was an ordinary, relaxing day as Cerwin and I cleaned up from the family get-together on Friday evening. About the most exciting thing that happened was that I saw a cicada (locust) on the window screen.  

 

 

We hear them every day, and see the shells they leave behind when they crawl out of the ground and attach themselves to a tree, but we don’t often see the cicada.

 

 

Cerwin is getting prepared for archery hunting, so put up the deer target I bought him earlier in the summer.

 By evening, suitcases were prepared for our early morning wakeup call at 3:30. 3:30 so we can leave by 4:45, so we can be at the airport by 5:45 (two hours before our flight).

 

Sunday, August 21

 

We were in the air promptly at 7:40 a.m., leaving behind our beautiful Pennsylvania farmland and mountains.

 

 

 

 

Mountain ranges in western Pennsylvania.

 

 

I love flying above beautiful cloud formations.

 

 

Our first stop was Chicago’s O’Hare Airport where we had brunch at Macaroni Grill and watched hundreds of people as they meandered or hurried by with their carry-on luggage.

 

 

We had a three-hour layover – then, right on time our plane came into the gate.

Because we only decided to make this trip in early August, and booked it (using air miles) rather late, I could not get seats next to each other on this flight. We are okay to visit with strangers, but it would have been nice to sit together for the longest flight of the day. Cerwin was right in front of me, so we weren’t far apart.

So, of course, I told the Lord my wishes.

Why is it that when there are three seats in a row, the aisle seats fill up first – then center – then window?

When Cerwin got to his seat, a man was in the aisle seat, so he got up to let Cerwin get into the center seat. The window seat was still empty. There was also a man in the aisle seat behind him where I was going to sit. He got up to let me in the center seat. He was a friendly man who teaches law.

Then two men who are part of the pit crew for Paul Martin (Porsche) Racing came back the aisle looking in our direction. The man in the aisle seat, and Cerwin got up to let the first man into the window seat.

The next man looked at me and said, “Just move in, I don’t care where I sit.” I then asked if he would like the center seat in front of me, so my husband can sit with me. “That would be perfect,” he said, “because we (looking at the man in the window seat) are traveling together.”

I love how God takes care of the insignificant details in our lives!

 

 

About an hour before arriving at LAX (Los Angeles) we flew over miles and miles of canyon and dessert land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We flew over Hollywood hills as we approached the airport.

 

 

Nearing the ground in Los Angeles at 2:20 p.m. (5:20 p.m. to our bodies).

 

 

Then we were in the air again (3:50 p.m) on the final leg of this journey.

 

 

I think the person behind me said that this is Malibu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we approached Sacramento, we saw a lot more farmland – some of it very green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After retrieving our luggage, a shuttle bus took us to our next stop, Budget, to get the pickup that Cerwin reserved. He needs a truck for supplies for the chapel repair.

Cerwin thinks our sons, sons-in-law, and grandsons would be impressed!

It was a good day!