Sunday, September 9, 2012

Back to the Valley of Hell

by Pa Rock
Weary Grandpa

I was on the road well before daylight today riding a bus across Toronto and on to the Lester Pearson Airport.   The large Air Canada passenger jet that I eventually boarded hauled me and many others directly from Toronto to Phoenix.  (I know, it's even hard for me to believe a planeload of people, many of whom were Canadians, would actually want to come to Phoenix  - but life if full of the incomprehensible!)  The flight was about four-and-a-half hours, and my window seat gave me a bird's-eye-view of much of the United States - the eastern half of which was spectacularly green and beautiful, and the western half of which was Arizona brown.

I had such a nice time on my trip - seeing sons, grandchildren, my sister, nieces and nephews and their children, and a host of old friends.  I just wish travel wasn't so hard and flying wasn't such a base indignity.

Tim, Erin, and Baby Olive are talking about coming to see me and taking AmTrak instead of flying.  The train has a route from Kansas City to Flagstaff, and I could pick them up there for the drive down into the Valley of Hell.   I love traveling by train - it is everything that airline travel isn't - calm, peaceful and relaxing - and a great way to see the country.

I am still hyped from the premier of The Brass Teapot.  It was such a rush seeing my youngest son standing on the stage with the director, a raft of producers, and even some of the actors - answering questions and telling anecdotes about how the movie came about.  Every parent should have an experience like that!

And my other two children are pretty damned special also!

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