April 9, 2010

I did make it to Urbana-Champaign on Wednesday nite, Thursday morning really. Left Chicago sometime after 10pm. Flight to Champaign was delayed for many hours. Got into Champaign around 12:30 am, and to the hotel sometime after 1am (2am in Pgh), and got to sleep who knows when. Then I overslept in the morning and missed my first appointment. Rescheduled, and I am all done now.

Forgot how hard it was to travel on crutches with all belongings in one backpack and one pocketbook. If I was going to be doing this for a while, I imagine I would get better at it. Mixing clothes and computer and papers in the backpack makes for a bit of a load. I had wheelchair service at Pittsburgh and Chicago airports, but I think the handlers expect that your bags will be checked or that someone will be with you to manage them. So, there I am in a wheelchair juggling crutches, backpack and pocketbook. Not too elegant. But elegance never was my strong suite.

Leaving for airport from UIUC in 20 minutes or so. Need to do juggling act again - or - will MacAir fit in my pocketbook and then I check the backpack. I think I will check this out. And this is a brand new backpack that I purchased to hold all necessary stuff.

I have a lengthy to-do list for the coming week. And it is a week of great quilting stuff in Pittsburgh. There is a big quilt show from Thursday to Sunday, there is a lecture Wednesday night by two world class fabric designers and quilters, and the Fiber Arts Guild opening of the bi-annual International Show is Friday night and Saturday. I certainly will attend the lecture. May try to get to the quilt show on Thursday. Probably won't make the Guild's grand opening, but that show runs through August.

This is my last plane ride before I get the new foot - the last time I go through the detectors in this body configuration- the last time the brace is tested for chemical explosives. Don't know if it is the last time I tell the TSA folks that I can't walk through the screening device without my shoes on. (And that's simply because I ain't walking without this brace and it likes it best with shoes on). Have to see what the new body configuration has to say about shoes.

Now I'll pack my stuff and get ready to check out of UIUC.