Jet Blue Snafu

When I last flew back East I flew Jet Blue because they fly direct to Boston from a location nearer my home than many other airlines. Oh, and, the price was right! So, on my way to Boston my flight was delayed three hours. We waited on the runway while other planes were taking off due to "weather." I'll give it to the pilot though, he came out of the cockpit to make the announcement of the delay and said, "You know it's never good news when the pilot comes out of the cockpit to make an announcement." I am not a good passenger when it comes to "weather", I don't get sick, just nervous, the kind of nervous that a glass of wine or a few, depending on the amount of "weather," will do the trick. I braced myself the entire trip expecting the plane to start bouncing around like a ping pong ball in a wind tunnel. And, lucky for me, the flight was smooth sailing all the way cross country.

After my stay in Boston I flew through New York to visit with my sister and her husband for a few hours on my way home. My flight out of Boston was at 6:00 am. The flight actually left Boston at 9:00 am and I arrived into JFK around 10:00 am. That significantly cut into my visiting time but I was just happy to get a few hours to see them and chat. Because of the delays in the morning flight I continued to check on the status of my outbound flight from JFK home. There was no hint of delay on Jet Blue's website or by using the phone service. So, although the visit with my sister and her husband were short, I climbed back into a car and headed back to the airport for my flight home.

On the way to the airport I found myself grateful that the driver knew the way to the airport like the back of his hand because it began raining so hard that I could not see beyond the inside of the car. I thought to myself, "Uh oh!" We arrived at the airport and I piled out of the car with my carry on bag (having already checked my luggage through to home so I would not have to deal with claiming and rechecking it). I trudged through the terminal checking the monitors at each interval along the way and each monitor showed my flight as "On Time."

Since Jet Blue is building a new terminal the temporary terminal that my flight would depart from was a bus ride away. I boarded the bus at the end of one terminal and proceeded up the ramp at the temporary terminal. When I entered the temporary terminal a pit formed in my stomach as I noticed how many people were crammed into the small space and, further, the wave of people lined up six deep and across the terminal in front of the customer service counter.

I proceeded to my gate and queried the gate agent about our flight. He said it would be on time and no less than two minutes later they pushed back the departure time for our flight, now it would be leaving one and one-half hours late. As I sat at the gate I heard many a person discussing how their flight was cancelled. I telephoned my sister and gave her a heads up that the prospects of me getting out on a flight did not look good. She said she and her husband were checking the Internet and the online information still showed my flight departing on time. I was quick to tell her that the on line information was clearly incorrect.

As I waited flight after flight cancelled, those seated around me and I took turns approaching the gate agent to ask about the status of our flight. The gate agent all but assured us that the flight would leave that evening. As it got later and later and the gate changed several times, I phoned my sister and told her that although all information we had showed our flight leaving, I was not at all confident. I was sitting close to the gate agent when the manager came over and quietly told the agent that our flight would be cancelled. As soon as I over heard the conversation I phoned my sister in a complete panic and asked her to book me on the first flight out in the morning, not caring which airline. She booked me onto Virgin America, can you say "AHHH!"

The terminal was complete chaos and the gate agents clearly wanted us out. They instructed everyone not to stand in line at customer service but to call Jet Blue's 800 number and wait over one hour on the line to have the opportunity to speak to an agent. The gate agent also instructed us to proceed to baggage claim to claim our baggage. As I was waiting to settle up with my sister on the telephone I heard people saying that they were told that the earliest they would get out of JFK would be three or four days! Well, that was just not feasible for me because I have two small children at home who were missing their mommy. Now, in my pre children days, I would have been dancing to celebrate a longer stay in the Big Apple.

I followed the instructions to proceed to baggage claim where everyone from every Jet Blue flight for the entire day was congregated and the baggage staff were locked in the customer service office with the door closed like we would not notice they were in there. Every so often one of the customer service personnel would appear and tell everyone to form one line and they would not help anyone until everyone was on line. Then they would retreat back into their glass enclosure. First they would announce that luggage for certain flights would be loaded onto the carousels then they would tell us that we could claim out luggage at our destination. The crowd was understandable becoming agitated and beginning to get a little unruly. Before I was caught in a situation that I needn't find myself I left to go back to my sisters place figuring that my luggage would find me eventually.

I went back to my sister and her husband's place because they were gracious enough to host me for the evening, we ate dinner and had a glass of wine (not necessarily in that order). The next morning, early, I headed back to JFK for my flight home. I arrived home in one piece and my luggage followed me five days later.

I was so disturbed by the entire experience that I waited until a couple days ago, several weeks after the incident, to call Jet Blue customer service and request a refund. When I phoned, the agent told me she would have to "check with her supervisor" to see if they could issue me a refund or if I would receive credit that I had to use within a year for another Jet Blue flight. I was not impressed! I explained to the agent that I understood she needed to get authorization but that in the case that they decided not to issue a refund I would be contacting my credit card company to be reimbursed for the services I did not receive. When the "nice" agent returned to my line she said they would credit my Visa for the full cost of the flight.

What a snafu!

Travels with Charlies

We are going away for a few days and the children are old enough to help with packing but they still need some direction. So before we leave I tell them to get all their clothes out for how ever many days we will be gone. I have them pack an outfit with socks and underwear all in one stack and they should have as many stacks as days plus how ever many jammies they need.

My daughter is right on, I walk into her room and she has each outfit, including socks and underwear, in several little stacks, all totalling the number of stacks that I dictated. I take the stacks of my daughter's clothes and place them directly into the suitcase.

I move into my son, Max's, room and he, on the other hand, has one gigantic wad of clothing in the center of the floor. I look at Max and ask him if he'd like his clothes packed in the suitcase that way. He looks at me with that almost grin that he gets when he is not being fully truthful and says, "Yes." I explain that we will be away for a while and there is no way for me to tell if he has enough clothing, socks and underwear. He laughs, looks up from his DS for a second, or is it a nano-second, and says, "So?" My other concern is that sometimes the outfits don't match. Actually, matchy match is not that important to me but I do not want to be party to the clash that often happens (not the band but the look) if outfits are not at least passed over with a mother's eye.

I would let it slide but I'm sure that you know how it all becomes your fault when things do not work out and cause an uncomfortable situation. And I, for one, do not want to be sharing a car with a little boy who has to wear the same pair of underwear all week long! So I make him divide the wad into stacks, we change a few things around and pack up.

They are both getting a little better about doing a few things to help with getting ready for a trip. When mommy and daddy both work, we can use all the help we can get.

Boston - Little Italy

After I endured the pouring rain to within blocks of Little Italy, I was determined to make it a couple blocks further and have a nice Italian meal. Besides, I heard that the cannoli are excellent there and wanted to partake.

On the way to Lucia Ristaurante, a restaurant that several people I questioned recommended, I decided to detour to Paul Revere's house. It was just closing as I arrived so, unfortunately, I was unable to see the inside but I did walk across the street and take a photo just to show I'd been there. Then back to my original route on Hanover street, the main drag of Boston's Little Italy.

I arrived at Lucia's and stashed my umbrella with all the other black umbrellas at the door and made my way upstairs to the bar to have a glass of wine and some dinner. As I sat at the bar sipping a glass of wine and perusing the menu for dinner (all while not being interrupted by my twin children), my chat with the bartender reveals that the house specialty if lobster ravioli, yum! As you may have guessed, that is exactly what I ordered. And it was delicious!

After filling up, I ventured back into the wet weather and made my way to the subway to ride home. However on my way I passed a shop that was packed with people even in the inclement weather and curiosity got the best of me. I peeked in and saw the most tempting array of pastries. Of course, I had to indulge. I stepped inside Mike's Pastry Shop and was overwhelmed by the selection. I finally decided on a chocolate chip cannoli which they placed in a box and tied with string. As I continued on my way to the subway in the pouring rain I passed another crowded and fabulous looking pastry shop, Modern Pastry. Although tempted to indulge in another cannoli, I hadn't even so much as bitten into the one from Mike's so I thought better of it.

I boarded the subway, rode to my stop and disembarked. Walked back to my hotel and could not wait to get our of my wringing wet clothing. I showered and jumped into my pajamas. Called home and spoke with my children who were both wishing for their mommy to come home. Then fell asleep only to discover two days later that I had forgotten all about the cannoli that bought. It looked so good, too. Well, there is always next time!

Boston - The Freedom Trail

I flew in late on a Wednesday night because of weather delays, I already told you it was wicked wet.

I checked into my worn yet historic digs at the Boston Park Plaza and caught a good night's sleep. The next morning I had a few meetings to attend and I was off. I decided to take the Freedom Trail Tour which begins at the Boston Common, a 50 acre park in the center of Boston that was originally the home to Indians, then puritans, then the British soldiers before they marched off to Lexington and Concord. I bought my ticket at the visitor center in Boston Commons from a nice fellow who provided me with so much information about the area I was almost overwhelmed. Then I had about 30 minutes to kill before tour time so I walked around the Commons and decided to hit the local CVS (luckily for me it was right across the street) and get a drink. I left and it started to sprinkle so I ducked back in to the CVS store in search of an umbrella. Alas, I found just the right one, actually it was the last one, for $10 and some change, and headed back to the tour staging area.

As soon as we started our walking tour the rain began to fall, again. Good thing I bought that umbrella! We left the starting point in front of the visitors' center at the Boston Commons and peered from under the canopy of the trees at the next stop, the New State House. After a lesson on the construction of the dome we moved on to the steps of the Park Street Church which was, back in the day, used as a gathering place where people were encouraged to speak. Notably, an anti-slavery speech was presented by Mr. Lloyd Garrison in the 1820s. Yes, that early.

We then moved on to the Granary Burying Ground. Apparently, not everyone was happy with our visit because no sooner did we step into the cemetery than the rain started to come down in buckets, well...I think it might have been barrels, and the lightening and thunder started to liven things up a bit, too. Our particular guide was most enthusiastic about this burial ground because of all the notables that were buried there (or had been buried there in the case of John Hancock, or was it John Adams?). The cemetery is the final resting place for such notables as the judge who presided over the Salem Witch Trials, three signers of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams, and Old Mother Hubbard whose tombstone was allegedly stolen by a fan of her work. After the stories while sloshing around in the mud and the threat of human remains rising to the surface in the cemetery that is home for approximate 20,000 others, we were all sopped, through our shoes and through our umbrellas.

We marched on to the lobby of the Boston Omni Parker Hotel, some of the rooms of which, as it was told to us, are no longer rented out because of the occurrences that might be thought of as hauntings. Other than that this hotel has been around for the likes of Charles Dickens who wrote and presented his piece A Christmas Carol, otherwise known as Scrooge. The restaurant in the ground floor is known to be where JFK proposed to Jackie O and many now or then famous persons worked there before attaining their fame status. After the ghost tales we ventured back out into the rain with our most optimistic guide who kept telling us that the rain would let up any minute.

On to Pi (apparently pronounced "Pee" by the locals) Alley which was the site of the Boston Tea party. No longer does this property edge up to the water though, over time the harbor has been filled in. But, when in Pi Alley while standing outside a Dunkin' Donuts that is housed there, we did a silly reenactment of the crowd on the day of the Tea Party. Everyone was told to yell really loud. I think we all agreed to participate because it was a longer respite form the wicked rainy weather. After our silly exercise, we headed out into the pouring rain, yet again.

We continued on to Faneuil Hall and the site of the Boston Massacre where the weather got the better of our guide so there our tour ended. But before the tour ended we were told that anyone can rent Faneuil Hall for free, all you have to do is sign up for the space during a certain time slot and it's yours. Now, that surprised me. Where else can you rent a piece of history for nothing?

While there and before moving on to Little Italy for dinner on my own, I did a little shopping for the kiddos. The tour was interesting enough but someday I'd like to do The entire Freedom Trail from beginning to end. It is good to have things to look forward to.

Boston - Wicked Rainy

Global warming in affect? Not sure. But, whether or not, Boston sure had some wicked weird weather this past month.

My flight to Boston was delayed by more than two hours because of "severe weather." Since I fly well but am not particularly fond of turbulence I braced myself for severe turbulence that always accompanies any kind of weather. I am happy to say that we encountered no turbulence which was almost a disappointment since I anticipated it the entire time we were in the air.

I experienced rainy weather almost my entire visit. I half expected rain as some places on the East Coast are very humid during the summer but I thought that the rain occurred in the late afternoon and hurriedly cleared out. Apparently, I was right! The locals that I spoke with affirmed that the weather was "wicked weird" and never like what I experienced.

Although the rain persisted, I had a wonderful visit and will probably go back someday (but not in the winter!).

The Walking City

Boston is apparently billed out as "The Walking City" so the advertisements say. And I believe it! I walked everywhere while I was there because I was on my own with no children in tow. Had I had my children with me, I assure you, things would have been different.





One of the things I wanted to do was go to Fenway Park, I knew I did not have time to tour the park or see a game but I needed to get some official Boston gear for my son - special request. I walked into the visitor's center and asked for directions to Fenway. The kind fellow behind the counter briskly flipped out a map and showed me where I was staying and where I needed to go. (Mind you, this was all after he explained to me that Boston is very safe and you can walk just about anywhere.) He marked on the map the location of my hotel and then circled Fenway Park. From my inexperienced view point, it looked walkable. I asked the kind fellow if it was walkable and this was his response, "Oh no, that's too far. You need to get on the T [the Boston subway] and go two stops." Can you imagine the look on my face? I work in a large city and any subway that you only have to take for two stops, most walkable!





I chose to take the subway anyway because other intelligence I had suggested that the Yankees were in town and they close off the official store when it gets close to game time. I did not want to chance missing my opportunity. I found the official team store, made my purchases which were a "red hat with a B on it", "a red jacket with a B on it", and a surprise t shirt, red, of course, that has Matsuzaka's name on it in Japanese kana characters.





I'm sure these items will be a hit assuming my luggage ever finds its way back to me. But that's another story.

Travels to Boston

Last week I left my twins, my husband, and my home for what was supposed to be five days to visit the beautiful City of Boston. Although the weather was wicked wet (for those who have not been to Boston it is apparently correct for Bostonians to use "wicked" as the adjective for anything and everything), since I do not recall my previous travel to Boston, I decided not to let that stop me. Read on for the tales of my travel.