WHAT IS IN YOUR CARPET BAG?

In the predawn hours of this day, December 28, my son is at the airport and will lift off in twelve minutes to wing his way back to San Francisco with a plane change in Denver. He will be home a few days, then fly to Peru on business.

While transporting back to the west coast, he will watch movies on his IPHONE and use IWEAR, a screen in side glasses and nap with his travel pillow.

A hundred years ago, if you went to visit at Christmas you may take a train and bring your own lunch to cut cost. If you traveled by train in winter at Christmas, you may find yourself in delay because of the snow on the tracks. Men would get off the train and dig out the tracks. Or there may be long waits in big terminals with granite floors and high ceilings with bouncing children who loved the space to run and play while the parent's sat stiffly waiting to board.

What is it about traveling that makes parent's pack food, regardless of the length of travel? Why do we think we need to pack energy food to stave off the hunger when airports have dozens of places to buy food and drinks?

I can almost see my grandmother with a carpet like bag in her lap. It would include food for the travel to St. Paul to see Grandpa's sister, Corina. What was in that bag, I wonder. Did she caring crocheting with her to keep her nervous hands busy? Perhaps the bag contained meat sandwiches on homemade bread, wrapped in waxed paper and tied with string. Was there a jar of coffee they would drink cold? Was there lefse? Cookies? Gifts? Did it last until they arrived in St. Paul? I am thinking they knew how to budget the food to last. If the boys were with them, be assured the food stuffs went to them first.

Ryen is a smart traveler. He doesn't have terrible things happen. It doesn't happen because he can flow. Even in high school, when the group of eight were stalled in Chicago for 23 hours because of some snafo, he kept his head when others did not. We offered to get him out of there and fly him home but he elected to stay with his group and offer a peaceful spirit to those who should have had crocheting for their nervous hands like Grandma did.

Weather is good from here to San Francisco. He has enough time delay in Denver if the flight there is late lifting off in Fargo. His plan is to veg out and sleep this leg of the flight. He will eat in Denver and arrive at his apartment by noon. Uneventful.

And, he has lefse.

Happy trails to all and crochet if you must.

e