Planes, Trains, & Automobiles - Part - 2

Hi! Me again,
Well I finally made it to Chicago. After they herded everyone into the respective areas for seating on the plane they had us stand there for another minutes. I could have been sitting on my butt, wonking out all that time & finishing my previous entry!

Anyway I forgot to explain the reason for the previous title

"The curent threat level by homeland security is boring"

While I was walking with my mother through the concourse, the P.A. system ran a recording telling everyone about what the current color of the paranoid rainbow Homeland (in)security was declaring for the time being. B.T.W. I know the time being, and he is NOT amused by this, and wished Bush, Cheney, & Ashcroft hadn't started this bullshit. "It ruins my chi." he says. But back to the story..... When the disembodied voice made its announcement what I & my mother heard was that the level stated by DHS was 'boring'. It took us aback for a bit. Appropriate announcement & very accurate, but not what she said. Awhil;e later it came back up in rotation & we figured it out that the unholy minion of TSA was saying 'orange'.

Well I gotta go catch a train. Meanwhile if you are ever at Millennium Station in downtown Chicago. Goto Chi-Town-Pizza in the station. Great stromboli & free Wi-Fi.

Blessed Be, and put the steel to the wheels
Dr. Strangelove

"The curent threat level by homeland security is boring"

So, here I am after spending 35 minutes going through the TSA {They Suck Ass}, screening in Omaha & my flight is delayed fifty-five minutes so I'm here for over two hours with nothing to do but hunt for an outlet for Zoe, my laptop & traveling companion.

I find it odd that they went ballistic over the 8 pennies, 2 nickles, 4 dimes & a quarter in my pocket, but didn't even flinch about the two bic lighters & my nail clipper. Also my coat took an extra five minutes due to NOT the camera, NOT my MP3 player, but the little box with two condoms in the inner pocket.

This is probably just the first of many problems that I will come upon during my "Planes, Trains, & Automobiles" journey to the Chicago area for my Grandmas funeral. In case you are wondering, I rode down to omaha with my mother, flying to Midway in Chicago, taking the "L" from the airport to the train depot by Millennium Park, then jumping on the SouthShore commuter line to Gary. Just to fill in the gaps I rode my scooter down the block before I left home. Now I am just short a boat/ship.

well I gotta go. I think they are sorting out passengers now.

Blessed Be, & keep your seat in the upright position.
Dr. Strangelove

Good Bye to a Great Grandma

I got an email yesterday from my dad. I had to wait until later to call him back because he said that they would be at the hospital until ten last night.

The email said that around 1 a.m. my Grandma Barnes was taken to hospital by ambulance, then taken into surgery for a ruptured colon. They had her under the knife for over 2.5 hours. When I finally spoke with my dad, he stated that the doctors had to open her up & clean out her abdomen of all of the waste that had leaked from the rupture. She was in pretty rough shape & they gave her morphine for the pain & a ventilator to help her breathing.

He also said that all three of my aunts have gathered in Hammond & they & my father are taking shifts sitting with their mom, my grandmother.

Earlier today I spoke with my dad & thing were looking grey. She now was unresponsive & not looking like things were going to get any better. The family was discussing what steps would be taken next, and what options were, well, optional.

So after that I sort of became a zombie of sorts. I just had tore down a show in four hours that took more than three days to setup, finishing off an eighteen hour day. Found out my Grandma had been rushed to the ER. My longest span of sleep in the last three days clocks in at around four hours. And it really was a problem trying to figure what my emotional & physical demeanor was being caused by. I pretty much floated through the day attempting to do something but accomplishing nothing.

Then I decided to hop on my scooter. {Oh yeah, by the way I have a scooter now} and go for a ride into the city to clear my head. I was pulling on my helmet when my phone rang. I looked at the screen & it was my dads cell phone. I sort of hesitated answering knowing what information might be awaiting my push of the 'ok' button.

I answered it & said hi to my dad.

There was a pause before I heard a voice over the background noise. My father then spoke. He said that about five minutes ago, {approx. 3:30 p.m.}, my Grandmother had passed away. They disconnected the ventilator & other equipment once everyone, {my dad & my 3 aunts}, had gathered with the minister. A few moments had passed, then she was gone.

All I could do was stand there in the middle of the driveway & reply in one, two, or three syllable sentences. I don't remember much else of the conversation other telling each other I love you, & good bye.

I hung up the phone, turned around, and it started to rain.

So now I look at the clock after trying to write this & it is a new day. I made my reservations to fly out of Omaha on Saturday to Midway in Chicago. The viewing will be Sunday, the funeral on Monday, I fly back on Tuesday, then go back to work on Wednesday.

Right now however, I'm going to try to get some sleep

Blessed Be, and all that