I’m on the Alaska flight to Orlando, after talkative Uber driver, Daniel, drove us to the airport. He was the only driver available, with a half-hour wait time. A Budget Car Rental shuttle bus was on its side, blocking the Passenger Arrival lanes. What a terrible Christmas for that driver and any passengers. We’re fleeing the gray skies of Portland in our new role as retired snow-birds.

It was the traditional McDonald’s Egg McMuffin and hash browns for breakfast. Hopefully, all the wine we packed will arrive safely, although my wife heard one of the protective inflatable packages lose some air before we handed the suitcases over to the airline. At least, it’s triple sealed in case of breakage. Otherwise, it could be a repeat of my Italy trip many years ago with my clothing soaked in fine wine and olive oil. The storage packs were a thoughtful gift from our Tucson friends that visited recently.

While in the Christmas spirit, we switched seats with a separated family, but I got stuck in the center seat that I purposely avoid because of my aging bladder. My wife is passed out in the window seat, after a sleepless night. I got a good six hours, but got up at 4 a.m. to get-in my minimum mile run and continue “The Streak” that is only a few days away from eleven consecutive years. It was cold, dark, and spitting rain, but the homeless were still up and about. Tally, our schnauzer remained cozy in her bed, reluctant to brave the elements for her appointed duty. A sitter will come to her rescue later this morning and will stay with her while we’re gone. Since this is a lengthy away-from-home stay, there are actually two women that will share this responsibility.

I’m reading David Baldacci’s A Minute to Midnight, that should keep me entertained during the 5-hour flight. I woke my wife up when I ordered us some snacks from the flight attendant. She was snoring, and is appreciative when I prevent too much embarrassment. She’ll play games while I read and write. My limited attention span requires multi-tasking, but reading of late has been a function of strictly bedtime. It’s difficult to get into a story that is consumed in only bits-and-pieces, so reading on the plane will help me keep track of the characters and avoid confusion.

I’m anticipating the joy of being at Universal Studios and Disney World with my three grand children next week after we scour the Gulf Coast for a potential retirement spot. We also have some lunches planned with former coworkers and my wife’s Butler sorority sister that she hasn’t seen since then. Her two newly- married daughters are with their dad for the holidays, so I’m her only family this year. I hope I can live up to that role after years of Christmas dinners with her mother and sister. This is my fifth year without my parents but only her first. I’ll try to keep her distracted, and at the very least this year we shouldn’t have to deal with snow. We’re now the very snowbirds that we may regret seeing as future residents.