Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wait... you mean someone didn't move the house?

My husband is so many shades of awesome.
Flowers?  For ME?

He came to pick me up at the airport at bumfuck a.m., looking exhausted and sleep-touseled.  First there was the kiss, then there was the hug, then there was the...

Standing in line while I went to see what in the fuck happened to my luggage.

See, the thing is, I ended up on the wrong flight.  On Monday, I split a cab with the lovely (and delightfully snarky) Julianne, and we got to visit before her flight took off, and then I was there.  At the airport.  Balancing my laptop on my carry-on and writing like the frickin' wind.

Anyway, after doing that for a while, I hauled ass to the other side of the airport (in O'Hare, this involves going underground and walking a football field or two) and found my gate.

Kat, Nessa, and Ariel, and the really bad waitress.
Except it wasn't really my gate, because my plane was going to be an hour and a half late.  Now, after the supreme fucked-upped-edness of incoming and outgoing flights during the big storms and the heightened security, this may seem like no big deal, except my connecting flight from LAX to Sacramento only had a thirty-eight minute layover.  Which meant that I'd be stuck in LAX with no way to get home.  (Oh the HORROR.  The only good thing about that would be calling up Rhys Ford and whining to have her come get me so I could visit Chicken.  If I hadn't just spent two weeks away from home, it would have been tempting.)  So, after a little bit of whining, I managed to get a non-stop to Sacramento.

Please don't kill me for this pic,
Julianne!
My luggage, however, was bound and determined to visit L.A., take in a show, and do some morning surfing.

So, Mate waited while I did that, and then we got in the car and he took me home.

"It's not clean," he apologized, and I wanted to kiss him some more.  Man, who cares if it's clean.  It's got my kids and my cats and my booby hamster--it's perfect!

But he lied a little.  He DID clean.  I didn't really notice it until the next morning, after my three hour nap (three hours-- I spent thirteen hours in travel the day before, three hours about did it!)  but he'd seriously cleaned off the table.

And brought me flowers.

And I wanted to cry, because even if it's just for a week, baby, I'm home!

Yesterday was all about the sleep and a little about the dance lessons and very much about wearing the dog like another shirt.  Somebody did not get to sleep on people's chests for two weeks, and apparently I'm going to be paying for that.  (He's curled up in a little embryonic ball as I type.  Which is inconvenient--I need to pee.)
*hugs*

Today is all about the laundry and the visiting the post office to mail swag and tomorrow I'll be back in the pool, oh baby!

And then, hopefully a trip to get my nails fixed (oi!  Long story. Accidental acrylic tips that I finally just clipped off in pique--I swear, they slowed my writing down in immeasurable ways.)  And maybe, if I'm really good, a trip shopping.  I hate packing.  Especially for these trips.  There is a whole "change for dinner" thing.  I woke up this morning, put on knit shorts, a holey T-shirt (and not the blessed kind), and a sweater with holes and a Chiwhowhat in the bosom.  If I decide not to shower (always a possibility when you don't see real people all day long) I may wear this outfit to bed.  At conventions and conferences?  I have to pick not just one, but two outfits for any given day that do not make me look like a fat housewife doing laundry.  Can you hear me whine about the injustice?  *whine*

Anyway, in the middle of that?  Well, I finally finished my Christmas story for Riptide, and now, thanks to Shannon, Julyssa, Camille, Katriona, Tammy, Lynn, and Elizabeth, I think it's finally time for some of this travel to pay off in literary ways.  Now that Rusty and Oliver have their happy ever after in Christmas Kitsch, I think it's time for me to get to know Carson and Dale--two waiters, whose real life counterparts have enlivened my travel in recent months, and who deserve a story of their own.  "Carson", in fact, is based on the sweet young man who waited our table on our last day in Chicago.  When he found out that our entire table was crushing on him, and that everybody wanted me to put him  in my story, he actually helped us come up with his name.  He was tickled!   Shannon gave him some cards and told him to keep a look out for an Amy Lane story over the summer.  I guess that means I have to haul ass and write it, right?

And anyway-- Friday, I'll be totally pimping Racing for the Sun and, well, Tuesday I'll be on the road again.  *sigh*  The good news is that I'm going to have a guest blogger while I'm gone-- I'm so excited.  Someone WANTED to guest blog for me!  And I know you'll all be nice to her-- it'll be awesome!

But in the meantime?  Baby, I'm home!

ETA-- okay-- the winners of the impromptu contest that got started on Twitter are #23 and #3-- so Jaymi and Jayden, e-mail me with your addies, and I'll send you a signed copy of either Bolt-Hole or Under the Rushes (first responder gets to call dibs!)  Thanks everyone for commenting-- my faith in humanity is restored.






29 comments:

  1. Since you begged so nicely on twitter I'm commenting! ;) Lovely flowers, and congrats on coming home to a clean house! I hate when your connecting flight is going to leave before you have time to get your luggage, this almost happened when I came back from my Italy study abroad! O.O

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  2. Welcome back....leave it to you to write a travel story that is engaging! Give Mate an 'attaboy' from us online girls. Gotta love when small simple things makes our hearts go pitter patter. I am also like you, if I put it on in the morning, there is a good chance I may still be wearing it the next morning.......changing multiple times a day seems wasteful!!

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  3. I'm glad you made it home safe! I completely support you staying and PJ's and forgoing some showers - more time for writing. :) I'm so excited for Racing For The Sun and can't wait to read what you come up with for Carson's story. *hugs*

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  4. From the tales some married women tell, I am often left wondering, "What are these 'husband' creatures for?" Now I see how useful they can be. Thank you.

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  6. I TOTALLY would have come and gotten you. You know that baby. And shit, call any time. I'd come get you at 3 in the morning. Even with bail money. *hugs*

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  9. Mate is just... sighworthy in the best of ways. :) I love how he loves and cares for you.

    And I LOVE that the waiter helped create his ... what do you call the result of being the inspiration? Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading his story. :)

    Amy, seriously, you're just so awesomely and quirkishly normal! :) I figure I'm doing well when I change from the t-shirt nightgown to the pajama pants and t-shirt.

    (And yes, I always read but seldom comment here. *hangs head in guilt*)

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  10. I wanna go on a trip with your luggage! I hate when they go off on their own adventures. Grr-argh. :P

    So glad you get to be home for a brief rest before I pounce on you at RT.

    *smishes*
    Kat

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  11. Ooh, too bad I missed cutie pie waiter. Glad you finished that Christmas story, though. Woot! You were kicking ass with the writing over the weekend despite everything going on. :)

    Sucks about the flight thing, though. I hate having to make my way all over O'Hare when things go wrong. Oi. But yay for flowers! That's a sweet hubby you have.

    BTW, I've had "Sunshine on my Shoulders" stuck in my head for days. :P

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  13. Commenting commencing.....glad you are finally home and can relax. What a good mate you have!

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  14. Awww...how sweet that he cleaned for you and wanted to surprise you! (((hugs)))

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  15. Welcome back home! Since I nearly lost my suitcase when I visited my first convention, I am always getting nervous and stand directly in front of the hole where the baggage comes out.

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  16. Once when we flew back from England our luggage went to Ohio instead of North Carolina. It was so relieved to arrive back home in the South. ;-D

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  17. This comment is for Julio-Alexi Genao, who was freaking out on Twitter, and we don't want that!

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  18. And this one is for Laddie, who LOVED this book, so she can have a chance to win the paperback:-)

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  19. And this is why I always try to fit everything in a carry-on. (Though these days half the time they make you check it anyway!) Though that is harder in the winter. Still. I'm sure the one thing I really need is in that lost luggage.

    My dad once told me to make sure I never put my car keys in checked luggage, just in case it gets lost and you've now no way to get home.

    ...And I'm realizing I shouldn't comment after a long day at work...

    So...YOU'RE AWESOME! *nod*

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  20. OMG This is just another reason why I don't fly. (The first one is because I'm a giant chickenshit!)
    And your mate obviously knows how to make you feel better! Good Man! I think the last time I got flowers from my man was in high school in the form of a corsage at his prom! And we've been together for 20 years! Slacker Man. lol
    p.s. I'm super excited for Racing for the Sun!

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  21. Great post! I had a few favorites...

    He came to pick me up at the airport at bumfuck a.m., looking exhausted and sleep-touseled. Aaaaah, heart just melted a little!

    It's not clean, he apologized....But he lied a little. He DID clean. And brought me flowers.
    Isn't it the little things that turn out to be the best and mean the most!?!

    My luggage, however, was bound and determined to visit L.A., take in a show, and do some morning surfing.
    I needed a laugh and this line did it for me!

    Carson and Dale
    Simply can't wait till this one comes out. Will be waiting on pins and needles. :)

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  22. I can't figure out what your email is - a friend/colleague/academic does research in ADHD specifically focusing on the strengths children with ADHD have and I thought I'd direct you to the website she has for her lab.

    http://www.ucalgary.ca/adhdkids/results

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  23. Glad to hear you made it back home. So what'd you knit while you were gone?

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  24. Hi Amy. I loved these books and have them both on my kindle. It really would be awesome to have a signed copy :)

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  25. Omo, that is so sweet! A wonderful mate and a clean house makes rogue luggage less of a bother. Glad you made it home safe and now you can relax.

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  26. I can't wait for Racing The Sun's release. And the waiter inspired story to be written! Love your posts. They're always funny, relatable and highly entertaining :-)

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  27. Nothing makes me happier than hearing about MORE AMY LANE RELEASES (or WIP)!! I'm very intrigued by the Carson teaser and can't wait for Racing the Sun!

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  28. Glad to see you made it home in one piece...even if your luggage didn't. It was so great spending time with you while you were in Chicago. I was going to ask if you all got to see the Tribune building. The exterior is really amazing, isn't it?

    And I, like Piper, have also had John Denver running through my mind! LOL It was so sweet...loved it.

    I know I'm too late for the contest but I wanted to leave a comment for you. :)

    Oh...and I hope our cute lunchtime waiter from Petterino's makes it in your story. He was adorable! lol

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