Today was supposed to be our day to pack for our trip to Florida.
Zebu and I went out to buy swim goggles since we can’t find ours.
On the way home Zebu and I discussed our flight.
I said we couldn’t get a direct flight to Tampa.
He wondered where we changed planes.
I said, "Atlanta?"
An hour after getting home I checked our flight itinerary to see if I’d remembered correctly.
WTF?
Date of departure:  Friday, December 19 at 9:40AM
Isn’t today Friday,December 19?  Isn’t it nearly 1PM?

Called Zippy at work to give him bad news.
Zippy said many colorful things.
Zippy apologized over and over, blaming himself.
I reminded Zippy of all the pressure he was under when making those reservations a month ago.
I pointed out how hard it is trying different airlines, different dates and times, in an
attempt to get the best deal.
I told him he had nothing to apologize for.

Not sure if he believed me but he stopped berating himself.

Well, we lucked out because the airline changed our flight to Sunday for no extra cost.
We can thank today’s weather advisory which made this change possible.

Called my mom to tell her we wouldn’t arrive until the 21st rather than the 20th.
She said, "When you first told me you had reservations you said they were for December 19."

Oh, my.
Zippy didn’t screw up.
I did.
I think I got it in my head we were going from December 20-27.
And I repeated that false info until we all took it as fact.

I’m trying hard to remember all the kind things I said to Zippy when he was beating himself up.
Wish I’d tape recorded that spiel.

As for that change-over in Atlanta?  WRONG!  We were (and are) flying through Indianapolis.

Sigh.

Last Saturday my 82-year-old father went for his daily ten-mile
bike ride.  He came home, talked a bit with my mother, and took
a shower.  While in the shower, he suffered a major heart attack.
He never regained consciousness.  He died on Monday morning.

My mother, a sister, two brothers and I were with him when he
died.  He passed very peacefully.  For that, I’m grateful.  He was an
active man and would not have wanted to live on in a diminished
capacity.

I posted this photo from many years ago because when I was in
high school I wanted to be on the basketball team.  Dad fed me
lay-up after lay-up in preparation for tryouts.  I didn’t make the
team but I have those memories of practicing together in our driveway.

Tomorrow is an informal open house at my mother’s apartment in
Florida.  Wildebeest is attending as our family’s ambassador.  He
and his grandfather had a difficult relationship but Wildebeest wanted
to be there.  He’ll be flying out with his cousin and flying home
alone which he’s never done before.

We’re all starting new chapters in our lives.