Holiday Weekend Recap

You've heard me lament about traveling out of LaGuardia and Newark, and knowing that holiday travel on Friday, Dec. 22, at about 5 or 6 p.m. probably wouldn't be any better, I made my flight arrangements out of Long Island's Islip Airport. Taking the train there took a little more than an hour, but since it's a smaller airport, the lines were shorter and fewer planes would seem to mean flights would leave on time.

I sat down near the gate about 20 minutes before boarding, and as soon as I placed my two carry-ons and my coat on the seats around me, I realized I'd committed too early to my seat, as a lovely young gal who looked like -- but better than -- Ellen Pompeo, was seated by herself with no one else around. No biggie, just another pretty gal, right?

So we board our plane and I was in Group A -- Southwest is so fancy -- meaning I boarded early and sat near the front of the plane, a busy leg to Baltimore, which meant a larger plane with many good seats still available -- think Reds games -- in the many empty rows behind me. I sat on the aisle and a friendly teenager sat on the window. We both rested our coats in the middle seat until, moments later, Ms. Pompeo shot me a look that only an intoxicated girl could offer me at 2 a.m. "Is anyone sitting there?"

So Erica sat down and helped make the flight pass by quite quickly.

My second flight to Cleveland was delayed enough to push my 9:40 p.m. landing time to closer to 11 p.m. And when my bags didn't arrive, Mom, Mike and I didn't get out of the airport until close to midnight. Nonetheless, they were plenty determined to grab a drink at Mario's International, at Aurora Inn, close to their house. Our trio made up 75 percent of the patrons at the hotel bar at such the late hour, but we had a great time with Melissa the bartender anyway. Mom said this will be our official new tradition -- hitting this bar each time they pick me up from the airport.

Saturday

Mom and Mike live near a pretty cool outlet strip, and Mike wanted to buy me a few things. When I'm visiting them, I play by their rules, so who am I to argue? When in Rome, right?

Total loot intake: shoes and a new navy blazer from Saks and some other haberdashery from Brooks Brothers. Yes, I am a 36-year-old namedropper.

Returning in time for the Florida-Ohio State tipoff, I got cozy on the couch and realized I haven't been able to fully extend my six-foot-tall body on a couch since, well, the last time I was in Cleveland. It was a lovely midday nap, and came at the expense of missing much of Florida drilling the Buckeyes on the hardwood, but we all know what's going to happen on Jan. 8, right?

Later that night, it was off to Willoughby Hills for some bar action. Marc and Matt and some other friends were out. My charm outlasted that of the other nine male patrons in our group, and Theresa the bartender clearly was smitten. I really don't blame her. I should hang out with those clowns more often.

Some of Matt's old college wrestling buddies were out, and I impressed them with the story of how when Dan Hanson won his fourth high school state championship, I had goosebumps when he stood atop the podium in a deafening St. John Arena in Columbus. My armhair was standing up just telling the story nearly 20 years after the monumental event.

Sunday

Family time and a visit to the cousins' house. The O'Neills in Cleveland used to have a big to-do on Christmas Eve, with relatives and neighbors and friends, complete with a mass in their sizable Shaker Hts. home.

But now that people have moved on and Aunt Marilyn's six sons are all growns up, it's now just an affair for the boys and their wives and their small children. Of course, stray cat John Wise shows up and brings a weak holiday card each year.

The highlight of the night, however, was coming home and staying up late with Mom and Mike, watching "The Last Samurai," one of my favorite movies that they hadn't yet seen. They loved it. If you haven't seen a movie in a while in which Tom Cruise was actually good, check this one out. It really is worth it.

Monday

Christmas Day, as usual, was outstanding. Mom outdoes herself every year, and 2006 was no exception. Gifts, money and food. There ya have it.

If there was one complaint about the visit home, it's that Mom's three cats are annoyingly shy. I wasn't able to pet any of them once.

Tuesday

My friend John Boel often opines that driving a long distance makes more sense than flying. He drives to Wisconsin two or three times a year, and gets there in about seven or eight hours, which is about how long it would take between the two legs of his flight and a layover.

I now think I agree with him that driving might be better.

Mom, Mike and I left their place Tuesday at 7 a.m. for the airport, and I walked in my door at 5 p.m. Ten hours. Ten FREAKING hours. That sucked.

Wednesday

Nice to be home now. Off to Chicago Friday for New Year's Eve. More on that later. Hope your holiday was lovely. Good night.