It’s Dark At O-Dark-Thirty 

Terry’s parents had to be at the airport in Birmingham by 8:15 yesterday morning to check in for their 10:15 flight. The GPS says it’s about a 90-minute trip but we always believe in giving ourselves some buffer, especially when we might be running into rush hour traffic. It’s always better to be early than late.

So we were up at 5 AM, which is an ungodly time for night owls like Terry and myself. I even took a picture to prove it. Yes, it’s really dark at O-Dark-Thirty!

Her parents, Pete and Bess, were already up and ready to go. After being here a week, I think they were in a hurry to get away from me. But really, who can blame them? Even I can’t put up with myself for that long.

After feeding the animals and putting Alli in her outdoor kennel, we were on the road by 6 AM. I guess we timed it right because traffic was light most of the way, only getting busy about ten miles from the airport exit.

We arrived about 7:30 and I dropped everybody off at the American Airlines departure gate, where we had arranged for someone to meet us with wheelchairs to make getting around easier for her mom and dad. Then I parked the van in the parking garage and went inside to meet them. By then two very nice attendants, Ernie and Joy, had them inside and their baggage checked in. We were able to sit and visit until a little after 8, when the attendants came back and took them through the TSA check-in after a round of goodbye hugs and kisses. We really enjoyed having Pete and Bess with us, even if the time went by way too fast.

We hit Interstate 20 headed back to Tuscaloosa a little before 9 AM, and once again, after the first ten miles or so traffic was light. When we got back to town we stopped at a place called One More Broken Egg, on the Black Warrior riverwalk for breakfast. The view of the water was great and the food was excellent. Especially the free beignets with warm orange marmalade honey they gave us as first time diners.

All three of our animals had really taken to Terry’s parents, and back at home Alli was confused, wondering where her new friends had gone.

Terry and I were both tired and we relaxed in our recliners for a couple of hours before we managed to get up the gumption to do anything else, and even then it wasn’t much for the rest of the day.

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an audiobook of Hands of Onyx, book 2 in the Sav’ine series by Stacy Bender. It’s a story about cybernetic soldiers escorting a long haul space freighter to the outer rim planets, dealing with saboteurs who are trying to stop them and a crew that includes a half-blind medic, an explosives expert who is a sociopath, and an interrogator suffering from dementia. What could possibly go wrong?

To enter, click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening. Note: Due to the high shipping cost of printed books and Amazon restrictions on e-books to foreign countries, only entries with US addresses and e-mail addresses are allowed. After 90 days, unclaimed prizes revert back to the drawing pool for a future contest.

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – Everyone is a little bit crazy. But some of us aren’t afraid to let it out, put a leash on it, and take it for a walk in public.