Day one started out at 3 am. Up and waiting for my sister and her husband to arrive at 5am to pick up Dad and me and head to Albany airport to begin our week long adventure to visit my aunt in Ft Walton Beach Florida. When they arrived it was eerily dark outside, 30 degrees, and of, course as has been the case in upstate NY – snowing. Needless to say, we were all very anxious to leave that behind.
We arrived at the airport in plenty of time for our flight, had a light breakfast there, and boarded our plane. Since I signed up for this trip last minute, I sat apart from my sister, her husband and my dad. For the first time I had a middle seat and was not thrilled with that idea, but when I got to the seat, it was with another couple and they offered me the window seat so she could sleep on his shoulder instead of mine. That immediately set my trip off on a high note. It turned out I was as tired as my seatmate and was asleep before we were taxiing down the tarmac.
About an hour later I woke up and heard this laughter from somewhere up front. It turned out my sister and her hubby had gotten into the margaritas and she was now the loudest one on the plane.
We promptly landed in Charlotte for our 3 hour layover. We had lunch and wine at a sports bar, then my sister and I spent a lovely hour in some wonderful rockers, chatting, enjoying warm sunshine, and watching the comings and goings of the planes outside.
At about 1:45 we boarded our plane to Ft Walton Beach. Again, I was seated away from my family, this time with a very sick woman who just got in from Israel. I fed her Halls cough drops, and promptly fell asleep once again. We arrived in beautiful Ft Walton Beach about 3pm. My Aunt Charlotte and cousin Diane met us at the airport. I hadn’t seen Diane since we were both in high school, so I was so looking forward to time with her.
We drove back to my Aunt’s house and it was like a trip back in time for me. The last time I was down here to visit her I was 9 years old. As we had dinner and wine along side her lovely pool and talked well into what I felt like was the night (it was only 9pm), I gradually relaxed and began to let the feelings of being here again after so long, set in. I went to sleep in a comfortable room, with such a feeling of a sense of family and love quietly holding me. Day one of my adventure was pleasantly retired.
Love the contrasting pictures from FL and NY. Enjoy your sunny visit.