And the adventure begins...

Matt left this morning for Japan. He is leading a meeting all week and then I fly out Friday afternoon to meet him for our week long house hunting and Japan "orientation" trip. If this morning is any indication as to how this move is going to go we are in for big trouble.

Matt's flight was to leave at 12:38 pm. We left the house early so Matt could buy a computer backpack. In Japan he will take the train to work every morning and from what I hear the hills to most of the train stops are huge. So he figured a backpack would be easier to carry than his briefcase. We found a decent one, as well as a new pair of pants. Of course Matt needed to assure himself that there wasn't a better backpack so we had to stop at a few other stores along the way to the airport.

Best Buy didn't open until 11 am and he said we had plenty of time to wait. (The airport is about 10 minutes from Best Buy) Now let me stop here for a moment and explain the difference between Matt and I and air travel. I am the person sitting at the gate at least 2 hours before boarding. Matt is the person everyone hates as they have to hold the plane as he boards breathless from running to make the flight.

Anyways, while we sat in the car for 20 minutes he put everything in the backpack he just bought and put the new pants in his suitcase. Afterwards he and the kids went to wait with the other masses standing outside Best Buy's doors. I sat in the car and cleaned out my purse, looked and saw no keys in the ignition, locked the van door and then went to wait with everyone else. (Do you see where this is heading?)

Of course there wasn't a backpack and while I stood in line to buy a super cool new wireless mouse, Matt went to pull the van around to pick me up. However instead Matt came back inside to get the keys from me –– the keys that I did not have. It was at this point that Matt realized he put the keys in the suitcase in the back of the van. In the back of the van that I had locked.

It was 11:15 am. Matt's flight was to leave in 75 minutes. We called the police and unless the kids were locked on the car they wouldn't do anything. The locksmith could be there in 30 to 45 minutes. We called our neighbor and he was on his way to bring us our spare set. In the meantime Matt ran about 1/4 mile down the street to a Michael's (it was over 90 degrees out) and found an over-the-door hanger to try to jimmy the lock system through the window. (I swear no one carries wire hangers anymore) Just before our neighbor reached us Matt got the lock undone. And we were off, like race car drivers, to get Matt to the airport in time for his flight.

Matt was filthy and sweaty. The kids and I were stressed. And our poor neighbor drove like a bat out of heck for nothing. But Matt made his flight, the kids and I went to lunch to unwind and I made my neighbor and his kids dinner (his wife is in California this weekend) for being such good sports.

I leave in five days. Let's hope my departure is a little bit smoother.

Super "I Get to Wait 3 Months Before I Get to Vote"

Yes you read that right... North Carolina does not hold their primary until MAY 6 –– three months after "Super Tuesday". By the time we get a chance to vote, all but 10 states have already cast their ballot, and the process of winning delegates from each state to become each party’s nominated candidate has already determined a winner. Basically, other states around the country select the two nominees to run for president while we get left with whoever they have chosen.

I heard last night on the news that this year it will be unlikely that any candidates will be clear winners after Super Tuesday. And maybe, just maybe, it may take until March to know. That is great news for those in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Wyoming and Mississippi –– who all vote in March. However that still leaves us SOL. (I found funny t-shirts to even say as much)

Cue patriotic music...

It's no one's surprise which way I lean, but I won't tell you who to vote for –– at least not in the primary. But I will tell all of you who get to vote today, or even the rest of this month, GO VOTE. Take pride in your freedom to vote and help select who you feel will be the best in taking our country forward. Consider yourself lucky, because those of us left behind in Indiana, North Carolina, Nebraska, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota don't get to cast ours until May 6 or later.