The Seattle Christmas Trip, 2019

I'm late to the party!  Normally, I would already have posted about my Seattle Christmas trip by now.  This trip was shorter than usual--December 22nd-30th--but it was a really nice one.  Can't quite put my finger on just why.
*Maybe it was nice simply because it was short.
*Or maybe it was nice because there were no cross words between any of us the whole time I was there.
*Or perhaps because I only had to spiff up to leave the house three times--once to go to Fred Meyer to pick up last-minute items; once to go to church for their candlelight service on Christmas Eve; and once to go "down the hill" to meet the family's new Airstream travel trailer before it was taken to storage.
*Maybe it was because I could contribute just a little to the flow of things in the house.
*Or because my daughter requested that I cook a meal and some treats that she misses from when she was a kid, living at home (which, btw, she is totally capable of doing herself, but how much better when Mom does it)!
*It could also be because I was luxuriously/overly fed, slept well--and, this is a big deal, the swelling in my feet/legs went down to almost normal, and stayed there throughout my whole visit.  Yay!

The saying is that it takes a village to raise a child.  It also takes a village to get Grandma from Indianapolis to Seattle, and back again.  I am disabled with mobility problems due to a degenerating spine, plus breathing issues.  I simply could not visit my family were it not for this cast of characters:
     Transportation to the airport.  Traditionally, I rely on neighbors and friends to get me to Indy International, a mere ten minutes from my front door.  This trip, I relied on my housekeeper's son to take me to the airport.  He was on time, loaded my stuff in his buggy, and was polite in conversation along the way.  He even helped take my bags into the airport to the Alaska Airlines desk because AA doesn't have a curbside check-in at Indy.
     Wheelchair pushers.  What would I do without the pushers??  The service is free, but I tip them handsomely.  The ones at departure have to get me through Security.  The ones at arrival have to get me to the baggage claim to get my luggage, then help me find my transportation out of there.  (On the Seattle end, getting "out of there" is always provided by my family.  On the Indy end, I take a cab home--my choice--rather than ask friends to sit in the Cell Phone Lot, in case of delays, etc.)
     Cabbies.  When I arrive at Indy International and find my baggage, the pusher takes me outside, presses a button on a post for a cab, then loads me into the cab that shows up quite quickly.  The drivers have been, so far, 100% foreign, trying to eke out a living in America.  Some are talkative.  Some are not.  The trip to my house takes them somewhat out of their territory, but the fare is around $22, give or take a few cents.  Plus tip.  These guys have it rough.  I think Uber has cut into their business.  Most airport taxi drivers have complained about not being busy enough, which is why I tip them well.  This trip, when we arrived in my driveway, the fare was $22.something.  I gave the cabbie $25 for the fare and another $10 tip.  He was so happy that he gave me his name and cab number and told me to ask for him next time.  Not sure how to do that, but I am happy to have made his day in the same way that he made mine by getting me home safely and bringing my bags into the house for me.  Yay!  To Abraham in cab # 961, thank you!
     So many others--from the flight attendants who notice I don't walk well and can't put my own carry-on bag in the overhead bin, to the check-in people who can see that I am suffering from standing and bring a wheelchair immediately to help me out.  I love them all!

So many other things to write!  Will continue this later.
Meanwhile, I already have TWO more flight tickets to return to my family, to cat-sit and attend my granddaughter's graduation.  God, please grant me the days to accomplish all of this!

Oh...btw...I'm back on my diet.  The pounds have crept back on.  I know what to do.  I'm just gonna do it!