January 2012

The flight: First time taking Delta which has a non-stop flight from Atlanta to Paris and they allow dogs on the cabin.  We are spoiled and used to Ross getting special treatment through USAir and Lufthansa and I’ve always used mileage to fly business class, so my world has come to a crashing sense of reality.  Even ahead, I’ll be using the miles to fly coach so I can go back and forth more often rather than waste them and fly business.  So, Katie and Liam took us to the airport.  I did good and only got teary once or twice……..I was trying so hard not to blubber the whole way in the car.  I cry ugly and my eyes get all blotchy and I didn’t want to spend my time flying all stuffed up.

The lady at the Delta counter laughed as we rolled up with four suitcases ( one too heavy-pay a fee, then only one allowed each-pay another fee).  We knew the fees were coming and we were okay with that, but still.  Plus I had a backpack carryon plus Sophie in her little cloth bag ( oh by the way, then had to pay her fee for the flight which had been quoted as the domestic price, not the international one).  Ross had his briefcase and a box with a cooler inside with my Humira on ice to carry on the plane.  We were like a comedy duo.  Getting the luggage checked was such a relief.  I didn’t have time for crying, trying to wheel two cases, wear a backpack and carry a dog were enough to keep me focused! 

On board it was a small, old plane (oh joy).  I had to politely inform the guy in front of me that he could not recline as those were my knees he was feeling. J  Only one movie screen in our cabin and it was way left and front, plus no choice of movie.  Even the “cheap’ seats on Lufthansa have individual screens and choices. Oh well……..We drugged Sophie upon boarding, I had two meds from the vet and had been practicing for days as to which med and which dosage would be best.  I was so worried about her on the flight, if she had a barking spell or yipped, I’d have gone nuts.  Lindsay told me that one good airline toilet flush would take care of that.  Turns out she is a better flier than me!  She had to stay in her case the whole time and stayed under our feet and slept most of the way.