So I'm on the way back from Texas...leave mid-morning (10am we're on the runway) from San Antonio. Fly to Dallas, switch planes with a 2 hour layover in Dallas. Ironically plane from San Antonio to Dallas continues on to JFK in...yes, NYC! but for some strange reason, I have to switch planes (BRILLANT! American Airlines--just BRILLIANT!)

Two hours in DFW is just enough time to grab a quick bite and get to my new gate (3 terminals over)....board plane, take off, no worries. About 3 hours in (of a 3.5 hour flight), pilot comes on and says NYC is having bad weather, we're going to circle for awhile 'til it blows over.
An hour later, pilot announces that in lieu of weather not cooperating we're being diverted to Pittsburgh to wait out storm and refuel. Okaaaaaaaayyyyy.

Land in Pittsburgh. Sit on runway for 45 minutes until a gate becomes open. Pilot announces that weather is better, we're going to refuel and then get going again, but if we want to deplane and walk around a bit, that's fine, we'll start reboarding in 45 minutes. Start reboarding in 30 minutes. YAY! things are looking up!

We're all boarded. Pilot announces traffic into NYC backed up, air traffic control is "asking" us to wait another hour. We deplane. I should now mention that the only place open was a small bookstore--not even McDonald's was open. I should also mention that it's only about 8pm.
2 hours later, we finally reboard. Everyone settles in, gets ready, pilot comes on intercom. LAUGHING. okay, so, let me just interject right now that if your pilot is laughing, it's probably not a good sign. There is a fuel spill on the runway. EVERYONE MUST EVACUATE, but is very assured that we are now professional deplaners and can quickly get off in an orderly fashion.

sigh. so we're not entirely sure HOW long we'll be staying this time....we're all hanging out. I should mention it's now about 10pm and now NOTHING is open in the Pittsburgh Airport. And several planes from Chicago have been sent back to Chicago. OH HELL NO! I WILL NOT GO BACK TO DALLAS 12 HOURS AFTER I ARRIVED THE FIRST TIME!!!

About an hour later, we--hesitantly--get back on the plane. What's this? OMG! we are actually pulling away from the gate, we're heading toward the runway....and we...stop? WTF???? pilot says air traffic control has asked us to sit for about 10 minutes and that come hell or high water, in 15 minutes we were taking off. yeah, right. i'll believe that when i see it.

17 minutes later...we FINALLY--please dear God don't let us crash--take off and then head to NYC!!!!!!!!!! WOO-HOO!!

An hour-ish later, we land at LaGuardia. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO SEE QUEENS IN MY LIFE!! Deplane, this time ESTACTIC about it! Head to baggage claim. Wait. Wait. Wait. FINALLY (45 minutes later) luggage arrives, go outside--NOT catching a $75 taxi home--opt to catch the bus, which takes me to the subway, which takes me to the ferry. All goes smoothly....except that subway puts me at ferry at 2:33am. Watch 2:30am ferry sail away. Have another hour wait in the ferry terminal. DROP my suitcase, sit down on the floor of the ferry terminal and started laughing...hysterically....

Finally a nice policeman asked if i was okay...and how much I had to drink....which made me laugh harder, while saying I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DRINK BECAUSE THE FREAKING BAR AT THE PITTSBURGH AIRPORT WAS CLOSED AND THE PLANE THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON FOR 3.5 HOURS BUT WAS ON FOR 10 HOURS RAN OUT OF ALCOHOL SO NO...I--AS A MATTER OF FACT--HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHING TO DRINK!

He kindly helped me up...and to a seat--with my suitcase, where I waited for the next ferry...
Finally, 22 hours after I left Momma's house in Texas, I arrive home sweet home.

whew! only me...only me...
:-P SHEZ