Bonus day, return trip and what not to do after a red-eye

[Links will be added in the morning...realy quite pathetic]

We had a great bonus day in Seattle. We ended up being scheduled on the 11:50 red-eye out of Seattle, getting into Portland at about 930 or so Tues. morning. We used the extra day to meet with a classmate of Suzanne's and do some book hunting.

We stopped in a number of shops and picked up some very nice stuff...all of which will be shipped to us (even better, as we were pretty much maxed out on the "stuff to schlep" front). After one last nice meal at the Icon, we headed to the airport where we arrived just as Don arrived following his day of wandering.

The flight was long and reasonably unpleasant. I am once again proclaiming my belief that *NO* economy seats should be able to recline. The woman in front of my was, apparently, annoyed that her seat would not fully recline...because my femurs do not telescope. I did, finally, tell her (very nicely) that no amount of "bouncing" at the back of her seat would result in my legs getting any shorter...she apologized and brought her back forward a fraction of an inch. I have bruises on my left knee. Ah the joys of flying.

We made it home, Don drove us all back from the airport, which was a real treat...simplicity at that point was remarkably pleasing. We caught up on minor emergencies. I did some of the acute work I needed to do in preparation of Nick Basbanes speaking at the Baxter tomorrow and we took an all too brief nap.

Finally, because we had spent pretty much two days awake and/or being tortured, we rewarded ourselves by attending the season opening of the Portland Symphony. It was really wonderful...but it was very gentle and lulling when I needed the 1812. I managed not to disgrace myself by falling asleep, but only be the skin of my teeth.

Addendum: Note to self: When you are doing a book fair on the west coast and then a book fair on the east coast the following weekend, pay attention to what you bring west. We remembered, in the nick of time, that a reasonable number of books in Seattle were needed in Northampton this weekend. I had to ship two of our 5 crates 3 day instead of ground. That is, it is costing us more to ship two boxes back than it did to ship them all out. Oh well.