Vegas Here We Come!

Anyone who I know that's already retired will tell you that they don't know where they ever found the time to work...well, I'm not there yet...but I can see how it might come to that.  Today was filled with preparations for our trip to Vegas.  We leave tomorrow...and fortunately the Canadian $$ is doing very well these days against the US.  Unfortunately, there is a bad storm coming our way which will either interfere with our drive into Halifax, or worse, disrupt our flights.  When will this cold, miserable weather be done? 

Besides laundry, packing and making sure the house is "show ready" for any viewings that come up while we're away, I also made sure to do our on-line check in with Air Canada.   This is always handy to do for 2 reasons...first, you don't have to arrive at the airport quite as early if you're already checked in.  You just have to be there in enough time to drop your bags.  Although I must admit, it seems that the lines to drop your bags are every bit as long as the lines used to be for counter check in.  Secondly, any vacant "premium" seats...those that A/C normally charges a fee for because of extra leg room, etc., are released for free selection when you check-in...and being they are given out on a "first come, first served" basis, the earlier you check in, the more choice you have.  I always do on-line check in to attempt to improve my "position" on the plane.  Kier and I prefer to sit as close to the front as we can.  I think that old belief that it is "safer" at the rear of the plane, or even over the wings is all a crock...I figure when the plane goes down, we all go down together, but when you're sitting close to the front you get the best selection from the on-board cafe, the drink cart, and you're among the first to get off the plane when it lands.  For those of you, like myself, that have absolutely NO PATIENCE, and I know you're out there...it's the best place to be.  It makes me crazy when I'm seated way in the back and trying to get off the plane and there are people standing in the aisle fixing their outfits, putting on their jackets, rooting through the overhead bins for bags and purses...move it, MOVE it, MOVE IT!  And when they gather on the bridge after disembarking....aaaagh...wait for your friends/spouses/colleagues in the boarding lounge....not in the narrow bridge area....you're impeding the flow of traffic!  Although it may not sound like it, I really do enjoy the whole "airport experience"... if I could just get rid of all the other traveling public....or, perhaps they'd let me sit up front with the captain???

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:   If I had any doubts about retiring, they were certainly quashed when I stopped into Truro Detachment yesterday.  I met with one of my colleagues and determined within the first five minutes of our conversation that absolutely nothing has changed since I left.  In the words of Shrek "Change is good, donkey", but there's been none of it in the unit where I last worked... so today, I'm very happy to be retired!  Vegas...here I come!