Mom, Alex y Trace Last Day of School Day 2016

The End of A Long Chapter

5/16/2012
Ozzy and the kids have been in Mexico since October and haven't left. I have been back and forth able to visit friends, work and enjoy some of the pleasures of the USA. And now I am leaving Salt Lake and Park City. Ozzy said "bye" in October, now it is my turn. When we made the decision to move to Mexico it was a hard one because we have a street full of the most amazing neighbors. We lived on a cul-de-sac that we have joked about making a gated community for just the seven houses. We are all around the same age, have mostly the same interests, the others are kind of insane when it comes to running, biking and skiing. On weekends after the day of whatever activity we would all find ourselves in the street talking, throwing balls for the dogs, kids playing and it usually turned into a BBQ at someone's house. A great group of people with no drama, competition, etc.. These last two weeks the neighbors proved how incredible they are. One of the group learned that he had cancer and was immediately in the hospital having heart surgery. Since the couple has no family in town the neighbors took charge. They didn't miss a beat. They were on for 24 hours every day either at the hospital during surgery, spending the night, talking to doctors, babysitting their children, emailing updates constantly, finding humor in certain situations, I could go on. Ozzy and I immediately felt guilty for not being there. I, at the very least was able to watch their daughters for two days to allow the others to sleep in, rest, bike. And I had my one last BBQ for a while. It was awesome to be together with the neighbors again. I was sitting with one of the girls watching a movie and watching everyone around the table talking about the hospital, laughing about certain situations of the last week and bonding and knowing that Corrie and Christian are in great hands.


Driving down the airport that morning for the last time and signing in for my last trip in Salt Lake....... It hasn't hit me yet. But I am fully aware of what and who I am leaving.



6/11/2012
So that wasn't actually the last time. I went back to SLC early last week to sell Ozzy's truck. I landed at 7 pm and was gone again by 1 pm the next day. This was the last time I stayed with my wonderful friend Carrie. (Thank you so much Carrie and Drew for letting my crash at your house for eight months. It was so nice to have a "home" to come to between trips and to be back under your roof, eating the most delicious food, drinking too much wine, laughing, talking and staying up too late.). Carrie is the reason I went to SLC in the first place. We met at Delta training, moved to NYC together, she moved back to SLC after three months and I came a month later. I lived with her for five years until I met Ozzy. Carrie went on to become a pilot with SkyWest and will hopefully circle back around and become a pilot with Delta. If so, there will be a huge chance that she will be back in ATL with me where it all started in the first place, 16 years ago, when we were obviously much younger, without husbands and children, free spirits just living and having fun. I must say though that she and I are still free spirits still living and having fun.

I also want to thank Kristin and Erin and Tyson as well for their hospitality, beds, dinner, too much wine and friendship.

It was much harder leaving this time. Probably because I boarded a plane from SLC, my home, my friends, my favorite base, comfort, familiarity, beauty, to Atlanta, the worlds busiest airport, obviously crowded, unknown hole, stinky hotels, airport food and no Carrie and Drew to hang out with. I have a lot to learn being in a huge international base. My safe SLC bubble has been popped. I think it will be good for me. A few good things I have already discovered is the ease at which I can manipulate my schedule, there is a doctor and pharmacy at the Delta headquarters compound, and a bus that runs from the airport to the compound and back every 15 minutes. This was huge for me as I had a horrible sinus infection and needed immediate relief but had no knowledge of Atlanta or transportation to get anywhere. I solely depend on public transportation now and it is kind of nice. You don't have to put gas in a car, look for a parking spot, fix a car, pay car insurance. There is a lot more sitting around and waiting though but it is not bad. And now I don't have to go through my car and all of my Tupperware bins getting clothes, uniforms, shoes, etc, and pack, unpack, pack, unpack. I now pack everything I need for my one to two weeks in my bag and that is it.

So, one chapter ends and the next chapter is being written.

Fifteen years later....

When I first started Delta 15 years ago my intention was to get through training and be based in Atlanta. Or at least return to Atlanta as soon as possible. I just didn't think to go anywhere else. My mentality was to stay in the south, marry a proper professional, be a southern bell, etc.... All of my friends stayed in the south, except for one. I always had a stone in my gut when I thought about it, that life. It wasn't until training that I met one of my best friends, Carrie Miller. Carrie and I bonded as soon as we met. Carrie was a wild child from Utah, I was just a southern girl. Carrie and I were based in New York out of training and lived together. She only stayed in New York for a little while then went home to Salt Lake City. I said that I would never go there and that I was going to Atlanta. At about the four month mark I couldn't take New York anymore and put in my transfer to Salt Lake. I figured I would ski for six months and then head back to Atlanta. I got my transfer, moved in with Carrie and began what I didn't know at the time, but a new and incredible life in the west. (Carrie still gives my a ton of s@#% about my actions and comments about what I did at times, where I would and wouldn't live amongst other things.)

That move was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. And I owe it to Carrie. Without her entering my life I never would have even thought about the wild wild west. My life forever changed in the best way. I discovered the desert of Utah, river rafting, mountain biking (which I was terrible at) skiing which I love and had a lot of fun doing, music, concerts and festivals. I had boyfriends and learned what I didn't want to marry and look back and think what in the hell was I thinking. I learned to be free and have fun without any expectations. I went through hell at times and learned so much about myself and had an incredible group of girlfriends. I met my husband in Utah, through my one friend that left the south, have two wonderful kids and have left Utah to experience Mexico.

And 15 years later than I intended, a lifetime of love, experiences, friendships, travel, children, amongst many other things I am going to Atlanta to work, NOT move to. This was a hard decision to make because I love the Salt Lake base. Walking into the lounge to go to work is like walking into Cheers. For the most part, everybody knows your name. You actually look forward to going to work because you have a great crew. The Salt Lake base is like a big family that I hate to leave. And once you leave the Salt Lake base you may never get back. The airline industry runs on seniority. For an example, the oldest and number one Flight Attendant at Delta is 89 years old. Yep! This person probably started 20 years before I was even born. And just think of all of the flight attendants between him and me. And a good hand full of these flight attendants are in Salt Lake City. It is one of the most senior bases in the system. At 15 years I have only 7% of the base below me, and in such a small base that is about 40 people. Can you say "pond scum"? That is what I am in the Salt Lake base. That also means working every weekend, not getting what you "bid" for and working every holiday until I have about 20 MORE years. And because the base is so small, there is not room to swap your trips for a decent schedule. In other words, you have no life. I accepted this life when I lived in Utah because I wouldn't have to commute and could spend more time with my family. Now that I no longer live in Utah there is really no reason to work out of there. I realized my quality of life, trips and commute would be so much better if I worked out of Atlanta. And in Atlanta I have more than 40% of the base below me. I may not hold the schedule and trips that I want but with over 7000 flight attendants compared to 600 in SLC I have a much better chance of swapping to the trips I want and a schedule that better fits my life and commute. My trips would be even better if I worked out of New York, but Delta doesn't have and non stops there from Puerto Vallarta and I really cannot see myself working out of there right now.

I am excited. The thought of being able to be there for birthdays and some holidays, parades, kids special events, anniversary's, etc is actually beyond comprehension in my brain right now. There are three non stop flights from Atlanta to Puerto Vallarta a week compared to one a week from SLC. And you can fly just about anywhere in the world on Delta out of Atlanta. So bye bye to nine hour layovers in Green Bay, Omaha, Detroit, (which I don't mind because we get to stay at the Westin which is in the airport), Kansas City, Phoenix, Boise, Seattle (love the long layovers there), you get my drift, and Hello World.

So, in a round about way, a lifetime of experiences, an incredible family and a new country I am back to where I planned to be 15 years ago.