The glamour of air travel

I am sitting in a departure lounge at Richmond International Airport in Richmond, Virginia.  The aircraft I was supposed to have flown from here is still on the ground in Charlotte, and my departure has been pushed from 2:25 to 2:55 to 3:03 to 3:33 to 4:00 to 4:25 to 4:50 and, most recently, to 5:00pm.  My connection in Charlotte has already been rebooked twice, and my arrival in Fort Lauderdale, originally scheduled for 6:16, is now 10 o'clock this evening.  I am doubtful that will happen; at this rate, I will likely miss that flight, too, and will count myself lucky if I make the last flight, arriving after midnight.

Vector is safely ensconced in a berth at the Deltaville Boatyard, after a very pleasant cruise from Norfolk on Friday.  We made good time, with the entire 50+ nm voyage taking less than seven hours.  Deltaville president Keith rode with us, and we covered a lot of issues with the boat that will be turned into repair quotes over the next few days.  After we arrived I backed into the slip so we could unload the scooters, which we rode to dinner Friday at Taylor's restaurant right in Deltaville.

Yesterday we turned the boat around so the yard could examine the anchor pulpit and we'd have a better position in the berth until haulout.  I spent a good part of the day preparing for my trip south, and we had a nice dinner at home before my whirlwind unhealthy-dining excursion.  At the end of the day the yard generously lent us one of their trucks so that Louise could drive me to the airport today, a 90-minute trip (each way).

My plans for a relaxing dinner with friends in Fort Lauderdale have evaporated.  They also offered to put me up for the night, but given the lateness of my arrival I am working on finding a hotel room near the airport.  I am scheduled to pick up the rental truck first thing tomorrow morning, and I am hoping I don't miss the last flight today or else tomorrow is going to be a very, very long day.

Louise is staying on Vector with the cats, running a few errands in the yard's truck, and doing the last load of laundry before we move back into the bus and she's forced to use the marina laundromat.