Back Aboard

(Source)

An uneventful return to Little Rhody was accomplished last night at 2330 hours local.

Yes, it was cold, again, not northern Canada cold, but cold enough.

Big Girl, after her long wait in airport parking, started right up like the good and faithful vehicle she is.

None of my cards worked when I attempted to pay for parking. The Missus Herself said I was doing it wrong, I insisted that I was doing it right. After all, the bloody machine said stripe up and to the right, the parking ticket went in and was read just fine. None of my cards would read, nor would hers.

So we had to back up, the chap behind us, give him credit, it was midnight, got the drift of my plan after only a few seconds of observing my back up lights. He rolled back, I waved to thank him, and pulled up to the only manned (personed?) booth leading out of the parking area.

She appeared to be of Chinese descent and gave absolutely one rat's ass about my troubles with the stupid machine. At least that's how I interpreted her blank stare when I handed her the ticket and a card and explained my dilemma in using the thrice damned robot in the other lane.

Did she speak English? I assume so, not enough folks in Little Rhody speak Chinese (Mandarin? Wu? Hakka?) to make it necessary to hire parking lot attendants who speak Chinese but have no English.

Perhaps she was just bitter about having to sit out there in the middle of the night, in the cold, taking payment for long term parking. Not a job which would make me be of good cheer, but hey, I'm a happy guy. I tried to play nice to the lady.

As she handed me my receipt, I looked her in the eye, no tenderness, no depth of feeling were apparent in her gaze. Not quite a basilisk, but not that far off either.

Traffic was light, but heavier than I expected for the lateness of the hour, but the drive home was rather uneventful. (Yes, two prize nincompoops were encountered, neither seeming to have a clue as to the proper way to drive, but they were quickly left in the wake as we proceeded to our destination.)

The feline staff were most pleased to see us. Well, at first it was just Sasha, no sign of Anya anywhere. Which made us concerned.

Then when the most timid of the clan made an appearance, Sasha was all over her like a defensive lineman with a clear shot at the quarterback. After breaking that donnybrook up, I realized that Sasha had been throwing her weight around, playing the alpha cat, while we were in Virginia.

After Sasha realized that the larger members of the pride weren't going to let her have her way, both cats expressed their appreciation at our return to the fold. One by sleeping on my legs all night, the other cuddled up to my face, pawing me whenever I moved as if to say, "Is it really you?"

I have never seen such affectionate beasties as the four cats we've been blessed with in our time as a family. Downright clingy they are at times.

As I type this, it is cold outside (21° F) and snowing (1 to 3" expected).

It's good to be home...