TROUBLES WITH FLIGHTS

Dear loved ones,

I would like to call your attention to the links section of this blog (located on the upper right hand) which I have finally figured out how to use! There is a link to my blog in Spanish and to Grant’s blog. I may decide to create links to other sites that I like as well.

Wednesday was quite frustrating. I was supposed to pick up a family from the San Francisco Airport arriving from Santiago, Chile. Although I did know that date, I did not know what time to pick them up or how to get into their house to drive their suburban and hook up their trailer. Tuesday night I called the couple that were house sitting for the traveling family and they ran over and gave me the the key to the suburban but they didn’t know what time the other family would arrive in San Francisco.

The family had told me what time to be there, two weeks ago and in passing while we were unloading their things in San Francisco. They said that they would email me to remind me when to get them but unfortunately, that email never came. While I nervously searched for an answer in my head for the question of why these people hadn’t contacted me yet, I remembered that they probably would have a layover somewhere in the states, like Texas or Miami, and call me from there. That answer seemed good enough to me, so I went to sleep with few worries.

Just when I was about to hop in the shower the following morning, I got a call from the family. Where was I? Why, at home of course! Where were they? They had arrived a half hour before calling me and their two youngest children (2 and 4 year-olds) were going nuts with nothing to do. Mom got home a few minutes later and took me over to hook up the trailer and head out for San Francisco. Then I got a call not to bother because they couldn’t wait 2 hours in the airport and were going to rent a car and a truck. Then I got another call saying for me to come anyway because the lines were so long.

I heaved the trailer in the 100°+ Central Valley weather and hooked it up to the suburban, got in the car and turned the key, ready to go zooming towards the coast to pick up that poor family. When it rains in pours and for some reason that I cannot explain, the battery was dead. I had driven the suburban back from San Francisco two weeks before then in the day time and so it’s highly unlikely that I turned the lights on for fun just before I left the car in the garage. I don’t know how or why the battery died but dead it was and the poor family ended up renting a car and a truck. I’m not looking forward to seeing them in church later today. There wasn’t much more I could’ve done but all the same, I feel embarrassed and ashamed.

My lack of responsibility doesn’t end there. My good friend Doug Ludlow’s grandfather passed away and his funeral was yesterday. Where was I? Hanging out in Dad’s pool, beating the heat. It completely slipped my mind. Here’s to hopping that I start acting more responsibly next week!

Other than that my week has been more of the same: leisurely mornings, movies, books, hanging out in Dad’s pool, talking to friends online and doing an occasional translation. I’m going to go crawl into a hole right now so I’ll let Becca write to you a bit.

Well…the week has been ok. Getting started with real life again was frustrating. My body is steadily wearing down with all the massages that I have been giving. I have had to cut back: only 4 a day. Anymore than that hurts, and any less isn’t going to bring in very good money. I am totally pooped…mentally, physically and emotionally. I don’t feel like there is much energy left for anything but doing nothing and lounging around, or doing things that I want to do. Most working people feel this way, so I know that my feelings are nothing new or unique.

Having Teryl’s pool to swim in has been quite a blessing, especially with the heat wave hitting Modesto. It also helps with all my aching muscles and joints. I know I know…I’m a massage therapist and I should know how to work out all of my kinks. Self therapy isn’t always easy, and doesn’t always get the same benefits as getting a full body massage from another therapist. I try though.

Other than the aches and pains, it has been a good week. It is time to get ready for church, so we will talk with you later.

Love,

Ryan and Becca