Another Thanksgiving over and done with. It was a pleasant enough time. My flight on Thanksgiving morning was uneventful--and full. I certainly cannot complain. SIBLING, in his unending wisdom, decided to take a train from the Left Coast and had to sit next to the cream of our society (MOTHER reported that she nearly retched when she caught a whiff of SIBLING getting in from the train station--the stench was evidently ripe and powerful).
The meal was OK. I didn't get much of anything since my table-mates had picked over everything by the time I was finished saying the Grace (they didn't even bother to listen). I was very tired throughout since I had not slept much the night before and had gotten up early to catch the flight.
The rest of the weekend was leisurely and pleasant. I did a good bit of reading, but not as much as I'd have liked to have done (which is always the case). I also began to think about the outlines for the big papers that will demand my full attention beginning in a day or two. We saw, en masse, the new James Bond movie and the response was uniformly positive. I am not familiar enough with the Bond oeuvre to declare it my favorite or even compare it to my favorite, since while I have seen most of them, it was been such a long time since I've watched one. But I know enough to say that it was exceedingly well done. The action scenes were top notch, and I actually think the fellow did a very good job at being Bond--even though he is different than the others. Most of the griping is just grumpiness and negative nanciness. I did miss Q and his gadgets, Moneypenny, and the gratuitous silhouetted and shaded ladies in the opening, although I admit that while the song was dreadful the opening credits were still good and he did have some nice cars and there were some gadgets.
But of everything of this weekend, my trip back was a standout. I had to be at the airport an hour earlier than standard since SIBLING was leaving just a bit earlier than I was (we sat together before his flight, awwww). The airport was crowded but checking in and security was a breeze. My seat coming out was not a good one (although not a middle) but the seat coming back was wonderful, just about the best seat one can get in coach--the aisle seat in the 2 pair next to the door in a 757. There was nothing in front of me so I could stretch out to my heart's leg's content. I was the second or third person off the plane and went immediately to the baggage claim area without stopping to even powder my nose and there was all the luggage sitting on the belt waiting for everyone. It could not have been five minutes. Reagan National is not a big airport. But there it was. So I just walked on by, grabbed it and headed up to the Metro. Taking out the five minutes waiting for the Metro and the twenty waiting for the bus, the trip would literally have been two hours from wheels up to opening my apartment door. Amazing! Christmas came early!!
