Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

We're safely home!

Monday went something like this:
3:42am (that's 1:42am Cali time)--Jackie scares the pants off Christel 3 minutes before her own alarm goes off to wake her up to get ready for airport (Erik flew out the night before and slept at Ben's)
6:30am--lightening stops and rain slows, Milwaukee re-opens to incoming flights and 6am flight finally boards
7:30am--arrive Milwaukee and walk directly onto connecting flight (7:45am) to sit and wait while the ground crew, called in during lightening, got caught up
8:00am (6am Cali time)--Erik wakes up for no apparent reason instead of sleeping late in preparation for this crazy day and work...
10:30ish--arrive Kansas City and walk to gate with 15 minutes to spare before boarding time!
12:20ish (that's 2:20ish WI time)--Arrived at LAX on time, got luggage and breathed the smog-filled California air while Ben and Erik slowed by the curb for me to jump in.

We then waded through airport traffic for ages, had a quick lunch with Ben, loaded up my computer (which Ben has been making UBER while I was gone) and Erik's bags, and headed to Santa Maria to pick up the dog. We spent enough time in slowed and stopped traffic that I finally called Ben to see if he could find out if there was an accident or something... just "treacherous traffic".

We picked up Pippin, who was glad enough to see us that he left off playing with three other dogs to come say hello, and hardly stayed long enough to thank Debra before heading out for Bakersfield so that Erik would have a little time at home before work. Ha! Somewhere in the mountains, in the dark, the diligent California road crews were working. Working so hard they closed half the road. We sat and waited to be let through for at least 15 minutes and then followed the "pace car" for about 12 feet before they stopped to wait again for another 5-10 minutes. Free at last, we then careened along rough roads at a whopping 35 mph FOREVER.

10:45pm (that's 12:45am WI time)--we arrive home. The cat ignores us to welcome the dog, but finally lets us say hello and does some purring and snuggling. Erik unloaded the car (with a little help from me), got ready for work and dashed out the door even as I was climbing into bed.

It was a LONG day. But we're intact and can't complain! ;-) I got the computer hooked up and have been sorting pictures (I still need to empty Erik's camera)... will try to find a few that are representative of our trip, but it will be hard not to put TONS up! We had a wonderful time.