Muggy Monday in March

Saturday must’ve been one of the more beautiful weekends in recent weeks and people even came out in shorts.  It was THAT sunny and beautiful.  It all took a turn for the worse yesterday, though, when it started to rain.  It’s still muggy outside although the sun is peeking out.

Meanwhile, it’s back to work for me.  I spent the morning trying to figure out the best possible compromise about the trip home.

Mom is already booked on a flight on April 20 and that flight is non-reroutable/non-refundable.  I can stick my neck out on a limb and try to refund the ticket based on medical reasons, but the “medical excuse” will cost me $90 for a doctor’s visit/med certificate, and there is going to be a $75 penalty.  We were hoping for Angel and I to take that flight with her but the price is at least $200 more than other Asian airlines which are on sale.  So between me and Angel’s 75% fare, that’s at least $300 and change we could’ve saved and used for shopping.  And the worst part of it all is that Alan wouldn’t be able to join me on the return leg because his outbound departure date of choice is no longer available.

So I’ll just let Mom go ahead, but now I’m faced with the added worry of actually leaving 12 hours ahead of her.  Since Alan is not leaving until a week later, Alan can still take her to the airport actually but I would really prefer to be the one to check her in and all.  (As if traveling alone with Angel wasn’t enough to give me an anxiety attack.. but that, I believe, is something that will be a challenge but not that herculean a task — maybe I’ll just tie him on a leash.. hmmmm.. that’s a thought.)

We would’ve ideally all left on a Thursday (Angel and me with Mom on Week 1, Alan and his Mom on Week 2, and then returned all together without my Mom on Week 3), but now the travel agency tells me that flight is fully booked, and the only alternative would leave me on a 7-hour layover in Seoul.  (I wouldn’t want a 7-hour layover even if it were in Hong Kong.. well, maybe.. LOL)  The choice is to leave a day earlier than planned on May 10 (which I’m not too happy about), or leave 2 days later on the 13th which is not exactly such a bad idea except that it’s my Mother-in-law’s birthday.

As I write this post, Alan and his Mom are deep in discussion about whether or not she should come with us.  It’s my position and Alan’s position that she should — she is rather reluctant because she’s not up to traveling at this point, saving the trip for the time when it is absolutely needed.  Alan’s trying to convince her that if she does go with us this time, she might not have to wait for that absolute necessity in the future. 

I’m really just deadset about going home.  I just wish it were less stressful than this. 

Time for lunch.. I have leftover palabok from Alan’s Aunt’s family who visited yesterday.  I’ve been here 5 years and it was my first time to meet them.  It shouldn’t be any surprise considering Alan hadn’t seen them in 10.  Oh, did I mention they all live in the same borough here in New York?