Well, I'm back and unpacked... I guess it's time to catch the world up on my adventures.  I'll be dating the posts for each stop appropriately, so you'll see some older posts getting added below.  It's been quite the good vacation.  It didn't speed by, I feel like I've been gone for a month and a half - so much so I had a rather hard time remembering my work computer password last night.  I even survived cooking for myself today at lunchtime.  It's funny how fast you get to the point of spoiled where you realize you're hungry and think "rats... I can't just walk to a dining room and grab something".

Slept til 11ish today, definitely needed it.  My trip back was even longer than expected.  We left Barcelona at 10am on the 22nd, that went smoothly *it is my experience that all international flights are pretty good about being on time, unlike domestic flights which are a constant cluster frell*.  I slept a little on that flight and we got in on time.  Headed to our next gates and shortly there after a storm rolled up.  Now, they said the cancellations were all weather related, which gave them an out to be a-holes to us, but that was after they said my flight was initially delayed because my flight crew's aircraft in was diverted to another airport due to aircraft issues.

After cancellations they gave me the option to leave JFK (AA) and head to Laguardia, at my own expense - thanks assholes, to catch a flight on Delta.  I joined up w/ a few others to split the cost of a taxi and got to LGA just in time for THAT flight to also get cancelled.  I waited it out in the line and got slid into the last flight back to DCA that evening at 9pm, a full 5 hours after I was suppose to leave.  Now, keep in mind, because I switched airports I had to get my luggage and take it over there.  They of course wanted to charge me for a checked bag because my international flight was on AA, not Delta.  I was still tense waiting for it as other flights were cancelled from there and nothing left there until about 40 minutes before my flight was to load up.  I did eventually get on and we headed out, but my luggage did not.  How did they NOT get my luggage on there when it was w/ me and there more than 4 hours ahead of time?  Only like 10 bags came off of that aircraft.

Further, note that on my trip TO Barcelona my flight from DCA to JFK was also significantly delayed, so much so that when I arrived at JFK and had to go from one tip of the U shaped terminal to the other I had to RUN the whole way just to join the very tail end of the line of people walking onto the aircraft.  Dani's was tight too due to weather coming from DFW, but not quite as tight as mine.  Regardless, I made it by the skin of my teeth - and my luggage was, much to my surprise, there in Barcelona with me!

The Delta baggage folks at DCA were so confused that I wasn't staying there, and further so when I said "home" was in PA.  They did at least ship it to me, and it arrived darn near a full 24 hours after I got to DCA - in one piece, so that's an unexpected blessing.

Also before I left I didn't get the Durango back, I'll be waiting to hear that total bill tomorrow.  Better still, the day I was to leave I tossed two blankets into the washing machine.  When I returned from work they hadn't drained and rinsed out.  My washer is now on the blitz, I have two soaked heavy blankets, and need to get the hell out of here to drop off the girls and get to Kirkus'.  Ended up manually draining the washer and leaving the squeezed out blankets in the tub.  That boded for a rather stinky house, but it was my only real option and off I went.

Without the Durango, the Tib is now loaded with dog fur again.  *sigh*  I felt quite bad too as Vixen sure didn't want to stay at camp.  Poor kid.

Casa de Rex is a pretty nice pre-flight hotel:  comfy bed, freshly made chocolate chip cookies upon arrival, all the amenities.  He'd best be careful or I'll end up there every time!  As a result of my later than expected return adventures I ended up crashing there for a few short hours upon my return as well, before heading home just in time to get the girls bright and shiny Saturday morning.  They slept pretty much all day, and are still wiped out.  I'd imagine it's tough to sleep at the kennel w/ the other dogs barking and acting a fool.