Have Bun, Will Travel

James and I just returned from a week in California. It was rainy and in the 50s all week, but we didn't care, it's still warmer than Boston, and there are flowers, and we didn't have to walk gingerly over the ice every time we went outside.

Being on a plane was a little tweakworthy. We boarded our flight out of Boston. The plane taxied out and then an announcement was made that the water pump was broken and they needed to pull back into the gate and have it fixed. It really only was going to affect our ability to drink coffee - no biggie. Everyone can stay right on the plane. So, an hour later, they had fixed it, and we pulled back out and got in line to take off. Then they discovered that there was a problem with the fuel pump. Hmm. Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, got to pull the plane back into the gate and have it repaired while you relax in your seats. This gave me extra time to review the safety instructions and memorize the number of rows between me and the exit.

Another hour later, the fuel pump was good to go, and we taxied out again. This time, the pilot said that another problem had arisen and that he had requested another plane. He grumbled about cutbacks, which made me feel a little less annoyed about the whole situation. So the plane pulled back to the gate, we all got off, then waited another 45 minutes while they got another plane and everyone re-boarded. Not exceptionally confidence-inspiring. To take the sting out of the 3 hour wait, we got free headphones for the movie and a complimentary bagel. We found out later that there was a problem with the engine.

Pregnant women are much more likely to have blood clots, so I did what the doctor said: I wore compression stockings and I got up every 45 minutes and walked up and down the aisles. I also drank a boatload of water. And a breezy 9 hours after we boarded the initial plane, we were in San Francisco.

We had a great week - we relaxed, ate well, visited a bunch of friends, and went to a beautiful wedding in the hills of Berkeley.

Sneeze Whiz

Just a short comment about the rather personal scenario of peeing a little bit every time I sneeze. It doesn't matter if I have literally just exited the bathroom, it happens every time. And I am a pretty allergic person, so I sneeze a fair amount. Last night I sneezed three times at Whole Foods and worried through the remainder of my grocery shopping whether it was visible. This does not fit under the category of feeling a little bit sexy. It has the effect of shooting me backward in time to the self-consciousness of elementary school, where bodily functions are mysterious and something to be ashamed of. When I worked for ZOOM, the single most common fear that children wrote letters about was peeing one's own pants. I guess they're right about parenthood - it brings you back to being a kid.