Trying to catch up...with Thanksgiving the the conference

I know it has been quite the year since I have posted!  I ran the race in 50 minutes and 18 seconds. Not too shabby since I have never done one before and that put me 166 person out of 199.  This number includes those that didn’t have a chip that didn’t register.  See they told us to put on our sneaker so when we touched the made it would work.  Well some (like JamAng) put her is her pack with her fancy belted water bottles and it didn’t register.  So as far as I am concerned I think I still did pretty well!

Thanksgiving was great this year too. We headed back to Nicholston and we got a site by the river.  We had the trail to the water beside our site which concerned me, but they were very respectful of our space and didn’t cut in.  This year my cousin Hon came out since he works near the campsite.  I had messed up the days on LabeL so she couldn’t make it.  Mom was there and C&F joined us but without there camper.  Hon was surprised at how well it turned out and he made plans for his family to come next year.  I also reserved the site next to ours for C&F for next year too. 

Well C and I had a Girlie weekend away!  The last weekend in October we decided to go to the OH (Obesity Helps) Conference in Raleigh NC! I worked Monday until Wednesday and then we flew out on Thursday……What a mess that was!  When you tell someone you have a service dog, you send the paperwork for the service dog you expect to sit with the service dog right?  Well not according to American Airlines! The first leg of the flight to Philly, a gentleman was very nice and gave up his seat at the bulk head so that I would have room for Nikki.  As it was there was 2 rows of seat on each side of the plane and no first class.  It felt like a school bus!  The second leg of the trip from Philly to Raleigh they decided that I needed to sit in Row 16 near the window!  I was told that if she didn’t fit in my lap or under seat in front of me I was not going. O_o I cried while boarding because I was so livid, felt bad for Nikki and just tired of people looking at me!  I felt like I was holding up the whole flight because I wasn’t put on first because I was on the phone with my “travel agent” and she said that it was American Airlines who moved my seat not them.  *sigh*  So I was able to get Nikki into a tight husky knot for the 1.25 hour flight and she didn’t seemed to disturbed by it.  I actually think she fell asleep!  The best part is....C got separated from her carry on nd we found out while we rode in economy, her bag went first class! ha ha!

The conference itself was amazing!  I am glad that we got a room in the hotel since there were times where all of us could have used a nap during the “quiet times” and were able to make costume changes. 

Yes costume changes.  The Friday night was a meet and greet and all of us were in costume.  See when I plan my costumes I always need to plan for 2, Nikki and I.  I have been the vet, and Nikki the patient and other matching costumes.  This year was something new, Little Red Riding and she was my wolf in Granny’s pajamas.  We entered the “couples” competition and it was down to audience volume that decided who won.  Well it was down to us and a couple who were dressed up as Greek gods and they won by a slim margin.  Like they say, there is no prizes for second best L

 

 

 

Saturday night was a formal dance so I want to thank DentisT for a great dress I borrowed and Curl for the jewellery that went with it.  Nikki even had jewelled bows on her vest for the red carpet pictures.

 

 

The flight home on Sunday was pretty non eventual on Air Canada but we were back on a plane that reminded me of the school bus.  We made it home on Sunday afternoon and the DH picked all of us to head home.  I chatted all the way home and I think the DH regretted asking how it went lol

Well I got on the phone with American Airlines to “discuss” the flight down.  I call their number and was told to leave a voicemail and I would hear back from them in a business day.  This was Monday.  On Thursday the called me back at 6 pm on my way out the door for a visit to the Women’s Shelter with Nikki.  The lady on the other end tried to dismiss me with a fake sympathy and I would take it.  She then told me that it was my fault that I didn’t tell them that I wanted to sit with my service dog. *blink blink* What was going to do with her?  Buy her a seat for her?  Put her in cargo?  I was shaking my head and thought that is preposterous and I put C out as well.  Well since I was rushing to get out, I should have held on for a free flight or something but I settled on a $100 voucher that expired a year from now.  They said that they were putting in the mail, and since it was coming to Canada (like we are sooooooo far away) it was going to 6 weeks to get here.  Great.  I think that they were not going to send it in the hopes I would forget about it after 6 weeks.  Well knock me over, it came the following Tuesday!  Now I wasn’t sure when I going to use it.