Ahhh... A Refreshing Break. Then... BOOOM!

I just got back from spending some relaxing time with my sister and her family in Northern California. Weather was great, the snow capped mountains were beautiful, and the time spent with my sister and her family was well spent. It's been eight years since I last visited northern California. I drove out that time. From central Illinois to northern California was a 26.6 hour drive and I took a nap for 3 hours of that, other than that... straight thru. This time I made arrangments to fly out Bloomington, connecting in Chicago and then direct to Sacramento. From there, I would drive the 2.5 hours north to reach her place. However, I received a call from the airline at midnight on the day of my flight. My 6 am flight out of Bloomington had been cancelled due to damage to the plane. To keep my schedule, I drove to Chicago, and caught the plane I was suppose to catch anyway. I had to leave at 3 am, but it was worth it.

It was great to spend time with family and to catch up on who my nieces and nephew are becoming. They are all like... grown up! Makes me feel old, I remember being their age. Dang, if life doesn't seem to go faster the older you get.

On the flight back, my plane was struck by lightening. My life flashed before me in a flash of lightening. I was looking at the very flashing wing light from my middle of the plane window seat noticing that it was highlighting either snow or rain as it was getting darker outside.... and BAM, the wing flashed and burned into the retna of my eyes, simultaneously, making a thunderous boom and feeling the pressure of it. I thought the wing exploded. It took about 5 seconds for me to see the wing was still intact and to realize it must have been lightening. I literally jumped in my seat, drew my legs up and shielded my face with my arms as let out a loud "Ahhuhh!" sound that woke my napping neighbor in the middle and caused the 12 year old sitting in the isle seat to scream "SH-T", which made me laugh. 30 seconds later the very nice flight attendant came on the intercom system and announced there was no damage to the plane.

What a way to come home.