The illustrated story of my weekend

This was probably the weirdest thing I've done in a while.

(Lotsa pictures; click to embiggen.)

Got up very early Friday; went to the airport.

I had a window seat on a Boeing 777, so I could watch the deicing.

A 777 is 9 seats and two aisles wide, so the other window was very far away.


I just noticed that that man was wearing shorts. I wonder where he came from, or if he was on his way to Hong Kong, which is where the plane went on to after dropping a bunch of us in Vancouver.

The flight was boring, as usual: I got some knitting done, ate some snacks, watched The Social Network and some TV show episodes.

It was cloudy almost all across the country.


There is only one flight a day to Castlegar from Vancouver, so I had to hang around the Vancouver airport for 3 hours.


I can't tell you how familiar I got with that turquoise carpet; it is everywhere. After I took this picture, I had a nice chat with a gentleman who told me he had had trouble getting needles through security, 10 years ago. I suggested he try again! Then I went to find my gate, because finally, it was almost time to go! (This scarf did not progress any further, because apparently 1.75 100g balls of this black yarn is not enough to keep me busy all across the country!)

Cancelled. Urgh. Voucher for hotel and meals. Come back tomorrow.

Waiting for the hotel shuttle bus.

It was kind of grey. Castlegar airport is very small, is tucked in a valley between two big mountains and has no lights or other aids to landing. The pilot has to be able to actually see the runway from some distance, and it's all tricky. So, a bit of snow or cloud can really mess things up!


The hotel they sent me to had this lovely view of the highway, and was across the street (in the other direction) from a mall, or at least a conglomeration of big stores. There was a Michael's, among other things! I wandered around the store in a bit of a daze, but managed to come away with only 8 balls of dishcloth cotton (on sale! only a dollar a pop!) and, naturally, some nice needles to knit it up with. No valentine cookie cutters, though -- I reminded myself at the last minute that I already have some, though not hot pink!

(Photo taken at home -- how could I have neglected to do this before! Why is it all blue and green? -- No idea!)

Saturday I got up, had the prefab egg breakfast and just terrible coffee. Not much point in hanging around the hotel, so I went down to get the shuttle.

Pictures from the hotel, waiting for the shuttle to return me to the airport and a choice of coffee places:

Primroses with butt-end. We won't be seeing that in Toronto for some months.

Make a blanket!

Just, you know, hazy artiness.
Or do we prefer the black & white version?

Definitely...

I don't sleep well in such situations and I was both sleep-deprived and soon also over-caffeinated.

But I had finished a dishcloth!

Sat in some blue chairs that "match" the carpet... Finally, in the approach to 2 pm, I met up with my fellow-travellers from the day before; listened to announcements ("Don't worry, Kelowna travellers, slight electrical problem, but I understand they will fix it, or you can even fly without that part.... Ah, Kelowna travellers, we have your part, but discovered another little problem, but they will fix that really soon..." I felt glad I was not going to Kelowna); and then bum bum buuuum noticed that our flight was delayed for half an hour. Just as I was about to ask if that delay was due to weather, the sign switched: Cancelled.

So, do I wait another day and hope the weather is better? Go downtown and get on a bus for an overnight ride? Drive?? Or, flee? Well, I fled.

What if I got to Castlegar on Sunday afternoon, and then on Tuesday morning, after one whole day there, got stuck and couldn't take off to get home? Stephen is going to a conference on Wednesday, so I couldn't extend my stay. I feel badly, because I was supposed to go to help out with little things, but I was able to get back to Toronto and change my ticket and I can go again in April, when the sun will be shining and all will be well (with the usual touching of wood, etc). I will have a leisurely visit in the spring, rather than a crazy fast stressful visit in the winter.


By the time I was sitting in these purple chairs waiting for my flight back to Toronto, I was what I think they call "punch-drunk." (Did you know it was a picture of a chair? Hmm?)



Bonus: a nice view of Mt Baker, although I was not in the window seat this time and had to reach over my sleeping neighbour to take this!

Home safe and sound at 1 am.

I hear the weather in Castlegar is lovely today!