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So Good Again- Real Time Trip Report 2009

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 10:56 am
by Agent99
If I never hear someone utter "Uh-oh" again it will be too soon.

Cast of Characters
Agent 99: Moi, 40 something Virgo mom with occasional control issues.
Agent 86: My fearless husband who married me anyway.
#1: 17 year old son, a songwriter, poet, lover of literature and music...an authentic renaissance guy if there ever was one.
#2: 11 year old body with a 1000 year old soul. He takes care of all of us. Sharp as a whip and just as kind.
Who are these unusual children?

Friday morning 4/17.

When the livery service dropped us off at Logan Airport (Boston) I said to the utes. "Where are your bags?" Blank stares. I don't have to tell you where this is going. You see, we each packed our own carry on and we were checking just one bag, a large lacrosse duffle with the snorkle stuff, the boys sticks, sunscreens and sundries and my shoes. #1 brings his guitar and the flight attendants let him carry that on, too.

The boys bags were apparently back home in the hallway which for the first time in the history of family traveling the control freak mom did not check before we drove off. Ok, not the end of the world. Better them then me. So they have the clothes on their back and a pair of flippers. What more do they need? I realize that neither of them look that concerned and #1 says cavalierly, "We'll just hit Big Planet when we get there." In your dreams kid. STT has a K-Mart.

We were separated in seating by several rows and had to sit 2 and 2 no big deal. Our brief layover is smooth in San Juan and all semingly goes well until we hit the ground in STT. As I mentally check our various carryon items it hits me. I haven't seen the camera bag since Boston. It was placed in a beach shoulder bag that one of the guys was carrying. It's not in there. It's not anywhere. The camera bag contained my Canon Rebel and a wide angle lens, a brand spanking new Canon G10 that 86 won as a prize which we were going to use with the new under water casing for under water shots and a couple of old scan disks with the last three years of our life which I brought along to reload into my laptop. My hard drive crashed recently and we lost them all. Yes..I know. Back up everything onto CD's. Lesson learned.

I'm quite honestly fighting nausea at this point. 86 dials for San Juan AA Lost and Found while I dial Logan Security Lost and Found just in case we left it at the checkpoint. No warm bodies can be reached so there is nothing to be done but to leave our pleaful messages and pray furiously to St. Anthony. I am a big...HUGE fan of his. He is the go to guy for lost items. Never fails.

To demonstrate how sick we were feeling we blew by our welcome rum punch without a thought. That's just so wrong. There is nothing else we can do at this point but to pick up the lacross bag from baggage claim and catch a cab to Frenchman's Reef where we are spending the night.

I don't have to tell you where this is going.

The bag never left Boston. They have it, however, and are sending it. It will arrive sometime after eight tonight or maybe tomorrow. In the cab on the way to FR something in the back of my mind is nagging me besides everything else. "Quinn, where is your guitar?"

I don't have to tell you where this is going.

It's back in San Juan on the plane. I think I laughed then. It was a weird, hysterical kind of laugh/cry none of them had ever heard before. I caught the look of concern in the nice cab driver's eyes as he glanced at me in his rear view mirror. I took a deep breath and said to myself. It's just stuff. We are here. We are safe. Everyone we love is healthy and well and really and truly that is all that matters.....but damn.

TBC

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:07 am
by kjguye
What an adventure!! These are the things that make great stories and family memories( after some time passes.) The perspective of everyone is ok is great, and your on STJ so what more could you want. Have a relaxed time. Karen

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:14 am
by ifloat
ooooh dear.

Please tell me this has a happy ending?

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:17 am
by loria
oh jeez! can you get the guitar back? i hope things get smoother for you !!! have an extra painkiller (or three under the circumstances)

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:21 am
by lprof
WOW...I really hope today is going better...

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:20 pm
by Pianogrl
WOW....My stomach is sinking just reading your post; I can only imagine how you (Mom) are feeling inside! You are right though: it's only stuff & everyone is well & you're on STJ. I do hope all your stuff returns safely after it's own "individual vacations"!!

Have an awesome time & thanks for the 'live' posts. Looking SO forward to more!

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:35 pm
by liamsaunt
Oh my gosh! That is awful! At least your bads are coming though.

I can SO relate. John is like this. I have to double check him constantly. He always forgets stuff and loses stuff. Last week he left his keys in the back of a cab, when we went to FLA in December first he forgot his luggage at his office and then he left his WALLET in the cab (thank god he had his passport in another pocket or he would not have been able to get on the plane), and there are other things but I am blocking them out.

I hope your trip is smoother going forward! Have fun!

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:41 pm
by ccasebolt
Wow! It trust it gets better from there... But it sounds like you have perspective at least. I'd have stopped for the free rum and asked for the bottle!

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:45 pm
by cptnkirk
Hollie Mollie talk about a travel day from Hell. Ya need a xanax and a few drinks after all that. I know it's going to get better ya got the right attitude :D

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:56 pm
by 17th Hole
Hopefully you are heading back the same route you came. Maybe you can pick all that stuff up on the way home. Just think, if you leave any stuff on the island when you leave (if you have any stuff left) you'll have a great excuse to head back to STJ!

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:08 pm
by Linward
OH MYYYY!!! I'm feeling nauseous now too! I can SO relate to your frustrations - especially in regards to the camera stuff! ARRRGH!!! I'll put in another word to Saint Anthony for you.

I hope and pray this will soon all be resolved; that you will all go on to have a wonderful vacation, and be able to look back on this with humor.

If it's any consolation, you DO write a great TR.

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:34 pm
by Pia
O M G :shock: :shock: :shock:

But I do have to say I am cracking up here :lol: this will be a trip to remember - the kind of trip that you will remember as one of the best ever when you are telling your grandbabies (many years still away :wink: )

Hope to see you during your stay - I'll be looking for someone playing an "air" guitar :wink:

Pia

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:54 pm
by brenda
Sorry to hear about your stuff. Hope the rest of your vacation goes smoother!

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:25 pm
by bevm
I pray you got all of the bad stuff out of the way and the rest of your vacation will be "trouble-free"..
Now get on "Island Time" and relax....

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 2:40 pm
by jimg20
"Tragedy + Time = Humor" Jay Leno :lol:

Good luck with passing sufficient time to make this funny. :wink: By the way, this week will probably not be sufficnet time to balance that formula. :roll:

JIM