Wow, what a few days I had.

Went to the airport, I was only going to be a couple of days, so opted to park in short tem. I guess because of the weather EVERYONE had decided the same thing. So ALL the short term parking levels were full and, of course, the parking guys hadn't done their job to close off the short term (pricing is different, so you can't go from one to other without paying the higher tariff).

So, I was really late by now, so I went to long term and parked in the closed place I could find. Off to the terminal.

I had less than 15 minutes before DEPARTURE time when I hit the terminal. I was okay with taking a different flight, but the agent decided I could make it since the flight was late departing.

I got to the gate, and the agent there kept telling me to "hurry" like I didn't know that. Then I had to go OUTSIDE to the tarmac to walk to my plane. I was sweating my ASS off in the plane from having hurried, then we waited 30 minutes at the gate before we taxied. On the flight line, we waited another 20 minutes for our turn.

My trip was mostly uneventful, except for I forgot to get gas on returning my rental, so I had to venture into darkest rural Arkansas for gas. The pump wouldn't accept my credit card, but I got around that. So it was mostly uneventful.

The flight back wasn't too bad. At Salt Lake, the DELTA baggage claim was an orgy of chaos, as usual, with bags showing up at every carousel and each carousel overflowing with bags and crowds of people trying to find all their stuff.

After 45 minutes of going to each carousel and watching, fighting the crowds to find my bags, I gave up and went to the baggage assist. They took my info and told me they had no idea where my bag was. (a measure of our tough new airline security laws and regulations).

I went back out angry to get the bus to the parking, when I check the carousel one last time. There was my frozen bag going around and around. I grabbed it with no intention of notifying DELTA, I wonder how many months will go by before someone calls to ask if I have it.

I waited outside in the 20 degree weather for the bus to my parking lot. Two Lot A busses came by before finally a lot B bus came by.

Having never parked in the new parking, I was discouraged to notice that the portion of my parking row number I had memorized would do me little good in finding my car. I ended up walking for about five minutes in the 20 degree cold to find my car.

Inside the cozy confines of my escape pod. I eagerly keyed over the ignition only to hear it grind down to nothing. Battery was dead. I couldn't figure out why until I realized I had left the XM radio reciever on for 2 days... SHIT... Too cold to go anywhere and buried in the middle of the lot, I thought I might die here...

I called the roadside emergency service -- 1 hour for help (is the Salt Lake International Airport ALSO in Utah? They asked...).

I waited, getting colder... I wandered the parking lot until I found a security guy. He radioed for emergency crew to help me. Back to the car freezing. By now, my dinner reservation was passing me by...

Finally the crew from the Airport arrived. Many tried with jumping didn't work. Finally they hooked up a generator to the battery and viola! It started. As it sat there idling to warm, the Roadside Service guy showed up. Finally, it all came together....

At the restaurant, where they finally took me anyway, they put me in a seat next to the wall. Under the table an icy breeze flowed in from outside. And the drinks sucked....

Tomorrow is another day???