Maybe not… well maybe

I had all these little things that I wanted to do before heading to Charm City – make two books, send out postcards using the remaining 41¢ stamps, fill up the new computer with work.

I forgot that getting a new computer – even a Mac – is never as easy as they say. Spent the evening loading applications, configuring the web browsers, and trying to get my name that was misspelled off the computer. Heading to sleep mumbled an ‘oh well’ as I saw that none of the important stuff would be accomplished.

However, after my two mugs of coffee, I was ready to go at 6AM. Listening to the end of Angela Antle’s show and awaiting The House, I realized that it wouldn’t be hard to print out 17 images, before I had to leave. In fact this was a safety precaution as I already had printed them if I wanted to make a box instead of a box.

Reckoned that if I printed them all I could, cut some book board, take some book cloth and put it together one evening while I was there. I could make use of some art supply shop in Balamer for the cover. I don’t want to risk explaining needles and and an awl at airport security.

At the risk of living up to my unfounded ‘hyper’ status, the images were printed, the board was cut and had the 11 postcards ready to be sent- the coffee had kicked in and I was shaking up a storm - when Carol asks what I am doing. It seems that I mis-calculated, I thought that I had an hour left when I should be leaving in 15 minutes.

I begrudgingly left the postcards as I couldn’t find the addresses needed.

Metra on the week-ends is horrible. Climbing aboard at the second station the train was already nearly full with families of screaming children, tried to read, but it was more fun watching people perplexed at boarding a train and having to stand for the 90 minute ride into Chicago. It seems that no-one reads, I would even take listening to their i-pods, but instead sit across from each other and scream.

The train was late getting into Chicago and while I had over two hours to make it to Midway, the effects of the coffee had turned from elation to panic.

Actually it was in the process of turning. Realised that I hadn’t cut the back up images to size arriving at 10:30 I could head over to the school, use the cutters and as long as I got on the Orange Line by 11:30 I should be ok.

The train arrived at 10:45. No problem if I make it to the school by 11, I can trim the images, head down to Utrecht and buy some cover paper, get two egg and cheese bagels from Sonny’s and be on still make the el by 11:30.

10:55
There is construction on the el along Wabash, all the stations are closed.
11:00
Monroe Street is closed for the new bridge from the park to the brand new ‘tute. Jackson Boulevard is closed as they are fixing the bridge over the railway.

I get to the school at 11:05 – no problem as long as I make the train at 11:30. Go up try to cut the paper but by now the coffee has effected my already deficient math skills. Cut one image and decide to give it up before I make a cut I would regret. Buy the paper, fold it hoping that it won’t show on the cover and race out – crossing the park and heading down Van Buren.

Of course it was all worry for nothing as I was at Midway by noon for a 13:20 flight. In fact I could have made the 12:30 flight.

I find that I am an expert traveller which whisked me through security – well except for the bomb swipe test on the film shield bags. Decided that I’d rather starve than eat what was offered. Midway is about as vegetarian friendly as a jigs dinner.