It’s been a while . . . let’s catch up:

I went to Green Bay for Christmas this year.  It was cold.  I’d better start from the beginning, though.

Erin and I flew out of Harrisburg on Christmas Eve morning, where it was chilly, and a little icy . . . but certainly not dangerous weather.  It took the ground crew about an hour (while we sat on the tarmack) to get the “de-icing” truck over to coat our plane with that pink goo they use to make sure your wings don’t freeze up while you’re 30,000 feet in the air.  Once we were properly coated and airborne, it came to our attention that the 60 minute delay in departure time could possibly make it difficult for us to make our connecting flight from Minneapolis to Appleton, WI.  We asked the flight attendant: 1) if we should be concerned, and 2) if there was anything she could do to help us make that connection.  Her words to us:  “Don’t fret . . . we’ll make it in time.”

Needless to say, we didn’t.

So we’re at the NWA gate agent counter, checking on the next available flight . . . and the guy says oh, don’t worry . . . it automatically booked you on the next flight to Appleton . . . TOMORROW AFTERNOON.  Excellent.  I was dreaming of a Christmas Eve in the Minneapolis Airport, and now all of our wishes were about to come true!

After explaining to the man that this would not be an acceptable option, he offered us an alternative.  They had chartered a coach bus to take some people and luggage to Green Bay, and it was about to leave.  So we got on the bus, and rode the 5 hours across the state of Wisconsin.  It all pretty much looks alike.  Very similar to Ohio.  Not much to look at.

Anyway . . . we made it to Green Bay in time for Erin to sing in church that night, and we had a delicious Filet Mingion wrapped in bacon for dinner.  It turned out to be a good night.

Christmas was fun . . . we all went and served a turkey dinner at a homeless shelter in Green Bay on Christmas Day, then opened presents . . . good times. 

I got to go on the Lambeau Field tour, and got to see the Packers play the Detroit Lions.  I also got to eat fried cheese curds.  They’re amazing, but there’s no way they can be good for you.

After the Christmas trip, I headed out to the Rose Bowl to work as a Tour Escort for Centre for Travel . . . we had about 900 clients that I was helping to “take care of” . . . making sure their luggage got to the right place, making sure they got on the right tour busses, etc. . .  it was a lot of work, but I got a free Rose Bowl trip out of the deal, so I can’t complain.

I’m only teaching 11th grade health now, and no phys ed . . . which is interesting.  The second time through is definitely easier though . . . this time I have some idea what to do, and I don’t have to make it all up again . . .

Anyway . . . that brings us to today, kind of. 

In about 3 weeks I’ll be heading back to the Czech Republic for another mission project.  I’ll try to post from there each night, as I’ve done in the past, and I’m working on an easy way to post pics . . . besides facebook.

Later.

-MH