On flying.

Please, parents, people charged with small children, anyone, do not bring kids on red eye flights. Seriously. Our hopes for the flight from SFO to JFK went down and up and down and down and down. Getting to the airport a good two and half hours early we killed some time drinking soda and water and watching all the people on the level below us in front of what happened to be our departure gate. This is when I spied the woman with the dog: big woman, tiny barking dog. After boarding we discovered the plane was fairly empty and that we had all three seats to ourselves! During take off and, oh, ninety percent of the flight the two kids behind us shreiked and screamed and kicked and howled...at the absolute top of their lungs. It was one of the worst flights we have ever been on. EVER.

After a few more hours waiting at JFK we boarded for the fifty minute flight to Burlington, which was also pretty empty and also pretty child-free.

We're at our respective homes now, tired and achey.