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This weekend was busy. Our ride was coming at 3 PM to load us and at some point it seemed to me like we had all day to be ready.
Thankfully nothing else arrived today except what KP had. Less thankfully everyone I am going with is an incredibly punctual human and arrived 30+ minutes early as I was scurrying around my house doing last minute things like packing my backpack in between bites of salad.
All in all we have 11 new bags of donations weighing 40 to 60 pounds filled with toys, supplies, and medication(2 30+ bags had already been sent). M also brought two filed with donations.
I continue to be overwhelmed by the amount of support we have received that has enabled us to bring, purchase, and transport so many things. I am not one to usually ask for support. I don’t want to impose on people, but as soon as we said we were going, people wanted to help. So word of mouth + 3 social media posts and here we are.
The news met us as we loaded and interviewed M and I. I related my previous news experience that included extremely bad lighting and they thankfully promised that wouldn’t happen again. I was hesitant about going on the news not only once but twice, however after thinking about it it could help people know where to donate.
We got away a little late because it appeared one of our bags might form a special speed bump on the 5 and with 2 doctors, a nurse, a developer and an engineer the securing of the bag was not as easily accomplished as one might have guessed.
The ride was uneventful and much quicker than any normal ride to LAX. I think this might be because there were so many of us and we were finally off after 3 weeks of planning. There was 70s music. There were Rice Krispie treats for B’s birthday (they were not shared of note). I brought car snacks (grapes and carrots and the rest of my guacamole). In my defense yes LAX is only 2 hours away, however sometimes that 2 hours can take 4. Also snacks bring joy, especially when they are cotton candy grapes. Miraculously the drive only took two hours and rations weren’t necessary.
We unloaded quickly and avoided valets and trolleys bc the airline desk was the first one inside.
At the baggage counter the first people we met were from house of Ukraine in San Diego and a fire fighter also from San Diego who is meeting up with about 20 other fire fighters to go into Ukraine for search and rescue. We then met another man who is an ex-marine who is going to fight in Ukraine.
The fire fighter was checking boxes of supplies from House of Ukraine to take.
I am not usually an early arriver to the airport, but I am very thankful we were second in line with all of our stuff. While checking in, the last member of our party L joined us. She was checking a bag and carrying on her yoga mat. I felt several things about this. 1. Guilty for telling everyone else in our party that they should try not to check a bag either way (on the way there bc we were checking so many and I thought the donations were more important). 2. I was intrigued as to what her fashion would be at the border. Mine was going to be titled: An exhibition of layers: how to wear the same articles of clothing every day. 3. Someone really needs to designs a packable (and I mean truly, not one of these yea it folds but it will still take up your entire carryon) worth its salt yoga mat. I have started to think this is impossible having touched and read the reviews on several companies attempts. Or Maybe the visible outward suggestion that you are in fact going to do yoga everywhere you go is too powerful to eliminate?
In the second shock of the day, security was incredibly straightforward and we were through in minutes. We headed to the lounge, had snacks and soup, and went on walks.
We left to go to our gate around the time of boarding and gradually discovered that our flight was over an hour delayed. “Gradual discovery” is when you just stand there and no announcements are made as the time gets later and later. You may still be standing there when you were already supposed to have departed. Finally we boarded the Dreamliner easily despite the crew speaking 95% Polish. I think I was asked questions?
Now to sleep as much as possible on the plane. If only writing this had made me the slightest bit tired.
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