The "Thunderstorm and the Graduation", Part 2 and The End.

iPad shuffled to Gino Vanelli, "I Just Wanna Stop". Soothing music. We left off  at riding the van from the airport to the Memphis Airport America's Best Value Inn and Suites.  It was off an interstate in some quasi industrial area. We got off the van, entered the registration area. It looked ok. It was a motel, but it was a place to stay overnight...preferable to spending the night in the airport.  We get our room assignment and head over to the building.  As we passed by the first room in the building (all room entrances were from outside), a couple of Rottweilers barked at us. The Rotties sounded pretty visious.  Lol. Most Rotties do.  Our room was one room past the dogs.

Sam Cooke, "Bring it On Home". Like Lou Rawls singing "Yeah" in the background. Ack...the bottom of my foot itches. That's a hard place to scratch under normal circumstances, let alone having both arms hooked up, with one arm with 2 needles in it.  So, we open the door to our room. It was standard motel room. Someone sat on a bed and a cloud of dust swirled up. :(   We were hungry.  There were some menus from restaurants that delivered. We decided what we wanted and called restaurant. They said they didn't deliver to our hotel after dark. :(  The next one we called did. We eventually went to bed. We considered barricading the door with furniture for the night. Lol. 

Getto Boys, "Mind Playing Tricks on Me". I've been told I need to see the video. Time to go to bed. We sleep in our clothes (no luggage, remember?) on top of the covers. Both beds were dusty. The entire room was dusty. Ugh. That hotel chain is permanently off of our list. We set our phones to wake us up so we can catch the first van  back to the airport, 6:00 AM.  Lol. It looked like all of us who took the van the previous night were there at 6:00. Lol. We get to the airport, get sent to gate to wait.  And yes, there people laying on the floor. :(  They finally started calling names. Around 10:00 AM.  Of course Shawn and I were called, but not Brian. Brian tells us to go on to Dallas, he'll catch another flight. 

The Dells, "Stay in My Corner".  By now the graduation is taking place and we're just heading to Dallas.  Sister had kept the reservation at the hotel in Dallas so once Shawn and I arrived we'd head there. While on the plane I chuckled. It was mostly people from our diverted flight. How did I know?  We all were prety scruffy looking and wearing the clothes from the previous day. We were all in pretty good spirits to be finally on our way.  We landed in Dallas. I was pleasantly surprised that the luggage pickup was really close to our arrival gate. My back wouldn't protest too much. However, our luggage was not there. Ok. We're pretty tired. Shawn and I go find a taxi to get to the hotel. 

We go outside and have to run a gauntlet of unauthorized drivers to get to the official taxi area.  My back is killing me and I'm more tired than I've ever been but I keep going. I have no choice.  We get a taxi. I tell him the hotel. He replies it's near the stadium. I have no point of reference. I just want to get there. He says it's 15 miles.  I don't care. We get there. Of course the room was the furthest from the registration desk and the key wouldn't work. Shawn and I finally get in. It's a suite, bless my sister-in-law. The room also had toothbrushes and toothpaste waiting for us. Shawn took a shower and went to sleep. I took a shower, laid down on the sofa to wait for calls from Brian and Sister. 

Jamie Foxx, "I Don't Need It".  Now on the other end with Sister, her husband, Gramma and Auntie. And Brian. Brian eventually gets a flight out, but he ends up at Love Field, the older airport in the city. Sister's husband  has  to drive from Wichita Falls to pick up Brian at Love Field. The they have to drive to Dallas-Fort Worth to pick up our luggage. Then they have to drive to the hotel to pick up me and Shawn. Then we all head to Houston. In a van, of course.  Whew. We're hungry. We stop at a fast food restaurant. That's the last thing I remember. When I woke up, we were in Houston.  Brian and I were dropped off at a hotel and everyone else headed to Sister's home. 

The Doobie Brothers, "Black Water".  We missed the graduation. Gramma and Aunt made it, but they were still wearing their traveling clothes. And here's the final piece. Everyone's luggage made it, except Gramma's.  Apparently her luggage had the grand tour of the United States. It was finally delivered to her house in Detroit a few days after we returned.  Brian called it trip from hell. Well, almost. Lol. Niece's party was that Sunday. I fell asleep on the couch after I made potato salad. Lol. The kids had fun and went clubbing.  The trip from Houston back to Detroit was uneventful. Yay!!!

Signing off with Queen, "Bohemian Rhapsody". Enjoy hearing Brian May make that guitar sing.  :)   What is the dialysis hook?  This happened 2 years prior to my kidneys failing outright.  However, this was apparently the early stages of the kidney failure. My joints and back were letting me know, but the diagnoses were arthritis and spinal stenosis, so that's what was being treated.  Get a blood test just in case. 

Moral of my story?  Keep that toothbrush and toothpaste in the carry on!!  Maybe fresh underwear also?  Have a great weekend!!!  Oh yeah, ask Brian about his experience trying to leave Memphis.  Lol lol.