I’m quite sure this is the first time I’ve started writing a blog post
at 6:52AM. Or, any time before 7AM. Certainly the first time after
I’ve already been up for two hours.

I’m on my way to Portland, OR, to spend a month with Sue and Michael
and to help them with things related to the birth of their baby. I’ll
also see my brother Steven and his family and other friends that I
have in Portland.

Things got off to a smooth start. I get a very good price on the
ticket. I didn’t know how I’d get to the airport (not wanting to pay
for parking for a month). I thought I might take the shuttle, but
Renee convinced me to take a limousine. It was not that much more
expensive, and… I mean, they pick me up at my door! They monitor my
flights so that they’ll be ready for me when I land! Especially after
getting the cheap ticket, this seemed like the way to go.

And, it was nice. At 5am, it’s nice to have someone more awake that
you putting your bags into a car and driving. I shared the limo with
one other rider (this keeps the price way down). My driver was very
talkative, and after I mentioned that I’d be visiting friends who were
having a baby, he proceeded to tell stories about the births of his
three children, as well as various surgeries he and his wife had had.
That may sound weird, but it was a very nice conversation. The other
woman in the car was mostly sleeping, I hope it wasn’t too weird for
her to awake from a drowsy state to a conversation about a burst gall
bladder.

I got to the airport plenty early, so I could take my time carting my
excessive luggage to the terminal. Good advice from the limo driver
about managing two rolling suitcases: “push one, pull one”. I’ll
remember that. But anyway, the only thing that made this really tough
was the banjo… such an odd shape. I’m glad to have it, though… a
month without any musical instrument seems like a Bad Idea.

Check in was smooth and I had lots of time. I was unexpectedly hungry
(??) so I ate a 6″ Subway, and now I still had time to type this
entry. Boarding will begin shortly, though… They just made the
announcement about the new and immediately infamous “no liquids” rule.
I should probably start packing up.