Newark

Right after I wrote yesterday's post, I took a tentative step toward changing my travel plans. I could tell from my FaceTime call with my mom that she was not going to last until Monday. So I called our friend Gordon, explained the situation and asked if he could take care of Olga for a few nights until Dave returns from Seattle. He said sure -- in fact he'd stay with her in our flat so Olga could keep her routines.

Then I got in touch with Travelocity to check out flight options, and long story short, I'm blogging from Newark, New Jersey, on my way to Jacksonville.

Unfortunately, right after I landed here, I got a text from my brother that my mom died about two hours earlier, at 6:50 p.m. He said he was with her at the time, holding her hand and talking to her, with Tony Bennett playing on the TV in the background.

So I won't get to see mom again, but honestly, I feel OK -- I made the attempt, and I'd said what I needed to say on our FaceTime call. I really don't think she was very aware anyway. I'm glad my brother was there, and after I arrive tomorrow morning I can help him settle things. I'll stay about a week.

My journey has been a financial boondoggle so far -- the airline wouldn't change or refund my Monday ticket, so I had to buy a SECOND ticket to fly yesterday. I'm going to appeal to their customer service people, with a copy of my mom's death certificate, to try to get the money back (or at least a voucher) for the Monday flight. Even if it was a nonrefundable ticket, doesn't the death of a parent seem like an extenuating circumstance?

Then, after we landed in Newark, we sat on the tarmac for 45 minutes waiting for a gate to open up. And then, after a long queue at passport control, I climbed into a taxi with the most CLUELESS driver in the world, who couldn't figure out how to get to my hotel even though it's about four minutes from the airport.

On the bright side, I sat next to this guy on my flight. You know I'm not a fan of talking to people on airplanes, but he and I struck up a conversation and he was pretty interesting. He told me all about being a YouTube vlogger and also some of his own personal drama. I'm not sure he asked me more than about three questions, but I didn't mind. I really didn't want to explain where I was going or why.

Those roses in the photo came to our flat yesterday morning -- an anniversary gift from Dave. Of course I hated the fact that I only got to enjoy them for about two hours before buzzing off to the airport! But at least Gordon can appreciate them -- and Dave too after he gets home in a few days.

Life is insane. And meanwhile, I need sleep.