My flights were uneventful and turns out that American Airlines now offers Biscoffs as a snack AND has Dr. Pepper so I was quite pleased with that. I used to be a black coffee drinker on planes til I learned too much about how they make/clean the hot water systems on planes so then I went back to being a Dr. Pepper or Ginger Ale gal like when I was younger. I also packed myself a lunch because I had produce and eggs that wouldn't be good by my return -- so I hard boiled the remaining eggs and sliced two for the salad I made (lettuce, spinach, kale, cilantro, green garlic, radish, carrot, the aforementioned hard boiled eggs with a 50 cent ranch dressing packet picked up from Kwik Trip because dressing the salad when I made it with olive oil and balsamic would have been gross by lunch; I'm not always or even often a ranch dressing girl but it sounded good with this salad and I discovered I really like the flavor combo of fresh cilantro with a buttermilk ranch dressing) and packed the other two in shell for snack. That salad made me super happy to have for lunch!! Way better than airport food options! I'm always happiest on airport travel days if I plan ahead enough to bring me fresh food to eat while I'm there. Or if I don't plan ahead so I have fresh fruits/veggies that would spoil before I get back so I decided to just bringing them along. While I was eating at what was supposed to be my gate in 4 hours, I got the text notification they moved us from g gates to k gates which while all terminal 3 was still a long walk because O'Hare. But I found the free yoga room in the rotunda on the walk got to stretch out and meditate a bit and then while walking, right where g meets k meets h, suddenly there was the most gorgeous piano music being played on a pink baby grand in a very over priced wine bar, stopped me in my tracks it was so pretty. The wines were VERY overpriced, the cheapest low end was $26 per glass, or I would have bought myself a glass to sip and enjoy. Instead, I went to the gate across the hall found the acoustic sweet spot of the space for the piano and stood there in the curve of that column. The guy played selections from Chopin, George Winston, and Franck before he was done and let a little girl play while he talked to her dad a bit (she did a Mendelssohn piece from memory and practiced the piece she was currently working on in class for her upcoming summer recital.) so yeah, CSA fresh organic salad, time for the postprandial walk for the gate shift, some introvert yoga meditation time, then surprise piano concert!!! Not a bad way to spend a few hours at OHare tbh. AND I resisted the temptation of the 3 bookstores I passed on that walk, mostly because they were small and too crowded to easily browse the books between people and their carry-on suitcases....  But I DID buy a cozy fantasy book at the Madison airport when I stopped to get a pack of gum for takeoffs/landings and to try to find cow cheese for the niblings (it's mild cheddar, shaped like a cow in black wax with a cow sticker on it; it's a wisco touristy thing you can buy in the airports and for whatever reason Jack and Mo LOVE it more than any other cheddar cheese, lol.) the book is called Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, is a cozy fantasy mystery with turquoise colored edges.

But anyway, made it safely to Kirkland, everyone else has gone to bed so I am going to go brush my teeth then read some Plutarch til I start to fall asleep -- kiddos are released from their rooms at 7:15 which means I have to be up and dressed and had my introvert cuppa tea slow wakeup ready to be bright eyed bushy tailed for interactive playtime by then. Actually, tomorrow morning they might be a bit slow moving grouchy because getting home from picking me up at the airport went way past their bedtimes. On verra. They're still in school til the 21, which means that I'm sort of fitting back into the structure of my schooltime visits and should have a fair amount of introvert time during the weekdays this visit. (Miche & Jon work from home mostly and so we tend to have lunch and do stuff around their meetings but if the kids aren't off school I have most of the weekdays to myself.) 

Also, Mo last minute switched rooms with Eliot, which was her bedroom when she was younger as well.  They all love their new rooms and the layouts of them and the addition for the master bedroom suite upstairs is gorgeous! 

Anyway. Time for me to finish getting ready for bed, read some Plutarch til my eyes get heavy then bed for early morning getting up and breakfast and getting the kids to school. I think that Miche is hoping tomorrow I can wrap Elliot's birthday presents tomorrow (Ellie's birthday is on Tues) because I do enjoy gift wrapping. And it looks like it will be a nice day for being outside in the garden to read or maybe go on a walk or something. I have adulting I should do on my laptop or phone, but I might not.... Kids bus gets home at 3:30 or so, then about 45mins later go to get Elliot. And then evening stuff. 

Anyway. Am here at my sister's family in Kirkland WA. Is all good. May write more later while I'm here, may not. I dunno. On verra. For now, bonne nuit and sweet dreams!