Of Missing An International Flight And Being A "Stand-By" Passenger

This is not fun! I missed my flight last Saturday (call it dementia) thinking I should be at the airport ON SATURDAY not realizing I should have been there last Friday evening. Because of this, I have to pay $100.00 regarding the penalty for "no show up at the airport." It is imperative that I pay this amount this Thursday when I check in at 10 PM (for the 1:05 AM flight on Friday). Otherwise, I am going to be stuck on the ground. Not good, hm?

Because my travel time schedule from SFO to MNL got screwed up, my Bangkok trip was affected as well. I also paid a fine early on when I changed my flight schedule with Thai Airways International. Before I could even fly, I have already paid two penalties with two airlines! What a mess!

Indeed, my family and gfs couldn't help but laugh (especially my niece, Muriel) and wonder- why, me? What happened to me that I forgot my travel schedule?

Well, may be because I do not have a regular routine like a regular job that's why. Being a stay-at-home wife gives me my time to do things at my leisure and pace. In addition, I am not dealing with the pressure on the job, deadlines, meetings, etc. All I do is bake and cook (sometimes- I still play the piano).

But one thing that crystalized to me was knowing that since I stopped working, I could hardly remember the day and the date for the mean time. It's hard. And it's tough!Ayayay!

Anyhow, Sunday evening, we tried out to be at the airport (am just travelling by myself this time). Husband drove me to the airport. As advised by China Airlines SFO Office, I went there as “chance passenger” (they call it "STAND BY" here in the USA) and waited until 1 AM only to find out I was the only one who could not fly that morning. Ouch! My heart sank (sigh).

So we drove back home tired, stressed, and exhausted (who wouldn’t be?). We got lost zooming in and out of the extended day parking area at SFO International Airport, which was a bummer.

Finally, we were home at 2 AM.

Next morning, I was up at 6:45 AM and had to wake up moi husband (he had a meeting at 7 AM). After he has gone, I started jamming the cherries and the half of the 40 lbs. in the box; I made them into cherry pie filling I would use during the winter.I believe I wouldn't like to see, smell and eat cherries anymore next summer!

Since the jam is a lot (as I have already jammed and preserved cherries two wks ago), I am bringing home to the Philippines 4 quarts (16 coups) of them and 1 quart (4 cups) of blueberry jam.

Had I not missed my flight, all would have been perfect with me traveling with heaves of fresh cherries and blueberries apart from the chocolates I always bring home repeatedly.

On Thursday, I would buy probably just 4 lbs of fresh cherries just so my family could have a taste of this fresh fruit since they only get to eat the canned ones or the ones in the jars colored bright pink (not cherry red) in thick syrup. So since last night, I have been busy making this stuff.

Late afternoon, I had to go to Safeway to buy more Pectin for my jam. Little Boy Blue collected me on his way home, which was sweet. Ciao!