Where, O Where is Carmen Sandiago?

I don't know if any of you remember that show or the song that goes with it, but I feel a little like Carmen today. I am supposed to be landing in Texas in a few minutes. But, no such luck. It has been an eventful day, but I have only visited half the towns I was supposed to and now I'm back in Peoria. :)

I can now say I have been to the Springfield airport. I can now say I have been on an airplane at the Springfield airport. However, I cannot say I have flown out of the Springfield airport.

I left my apartment at 9:30 this morning, got to Springfield in plenty of time. The airplane landed right on time. The guy got on the speaker right on time to announce...nope, not boarding, but an hour delay until "the next update." So, I was supposed to be flying to Chicago, have a 35 minute layover, and then fly to Dallas. Guess I wasn't going to be making that connection! The good news...flights leave from Chicago about every hour to get to Dallas. So, 1:10 roles around and the guy gets back on the intercom to say the other flight waiting to leave was delayed until 2:45 and my flight would receive another update at 2:10. Yikes! Good thing I brought a good book along. Five minutes later a lady gets on the intercom to say we have a small window of opportunity so "let's move fast and get our butts in the air!" Literally, her words. At least I got to laugh. Turns out there were thunderstorms in Chicago all afternoon. So, yay, I'm on the plane, seat belt in place, driving around to get in position to take off...and the engines shut down. "sorry folks, but we were just given an update. We should be able to leave in 20 minutes. Just sit tight." 15 minutes later..."Sorry folks, but we're headed back to the gate. They just shut down Ohare and are diverting planes to other airports." That flight sure was short lived! So, then I had to make a decision...do I keep trying to get to Chicago, or do I make other plans? I make other plans. Peoria has a direct flight to Dallas that leaves tomorrow morning. I get to sit at my own home instead of passing the rest of the day at the airport, and I don't have to fly to Chicago. The best part is, I was able to get him to switch my flight home as well, since I would no longer have a car in Springfield. Now my flight home next week is a direct flight from Dallas to Peoria! The irony of it all is that the whole reason I was flying out of Springfield is because the ticket was almost $200 cheaper. Now, I get to fly the way I wanted to for the price I wanted to pay and I'll be getting there about 18 hours later! Not too shabby.

So, this Carmen is home for now!