It was 119 deg in phoenix yesterday. As I walked onto the tarmac to get on the puddle jumper that was to fly me to Flagstaff, I almost baked. The heat shimmered up from the tarmac enveloping all who ventured out there.
I'm teaching at Quilt Camp in the Pines, my second year teaching and third visit... It's and interesting experience.
I left Long Prairie at 7.00 am, but the eyes and brain had been on the go since 4.30...
I have to take a shuttle ride to the airport which got me there at 9.45,and then of course there are the long lines to get your boarding pass and security.
MN airport is huge and you need to take a skytrain to get from place to place.
It's a 3 1/2 hour trip to Phoenix and it was cool and comfortable on the plane. I worked on my research which often triggers my fellow passengers interest, I have the priviledge of sharing my excitement with others...
Phoenix was the first opportunity I had to eat for the day. I had a 3 hour wait and in one respect, I relished the opportunity to stretch my legs, people watch and do a little work. There is an unwritten law in airports, I'll call it the "Computer Junkies Juxtaposition" You need to find an empty seat next to a power outage. I refuse to sit on the floor like some others. I have a method of propping my carry on baggage with the back pack on top and then the computer... It's quite comfortable really.
As I mentioned the plane was one of those little puddle jumpers.... My seat was 9E... A man of huge proportions sidled down the aisle and settled in one of he 5 seats along the back of the plane..Then two more men of equal proportions sat the other side of me and a gal in the window seat... 5 of us at the back of the plane. Folk I had 8" of space to sit in... These poor fellows looked like the cousins of Harry Potters relatives... The plane pitched and rolled the entire way... One guy in the corner was absolutely green. Wedged in as we were, I was sure anxious at what he may do. It was unbelievably hot. I was soaked, the perspiration dripping down my face and even off my nose... This is the glamorous life of a Traveling Quilt Teacher.
I arrived at the University, 10 mins before the Teachers dinner, no time to shower and I must say, it was an interesting meal.
The pressure didn't end there as I had to attend a "Meet the Teacher"... and the deadline was abandoned when I couldn't unlock my case with my clothes in.... an innovation with a paper clip did the job and once again I arrived at the venue exhausted... I sure slept well that night...
