US4065 DCA PVD 1300 1428 CRJ 1F
was UA4820 BWI EWR 1038 1152 Q20 2A
and 4693 EWR PVD 1440 1539 ER4 18A

So it was cold out, and I didn't relish the idea of waiting
at an assortment of bus stops so I could make this flight,
so I got my brother to take me to BWI - this being an
arrangement of mutual benefit: he got to drive at my expense
and I stayed relatively warm.

There was little traffic on the beltway and the parkway, so
I had a fair amount of time to kick around in the gate area
when I heard a call for all PVD passengers. Turns out that
they had a deal for me.

Weight and balance on plane 1, so they'd figured, oh, put me
on the nonstop from Dulles, everything's hunky dory, I get a
$200 bump fee and I get into Providence before my scheduled
time. Okay by me, I was going to visit Gallagher's and spend
$50 anyway (I later discovered that Gallagher's is gone), so
here I save $250 on a $100 ticket. Only there's no way to
get me to Dulles in time. Think, think. Okay, there's a
nonstop on US Air from National at 1. Fine. They put me on a
cab, and off we went, an hour maybe, only this very chatty
Nigerian guy got me there in just over half, so he gets a
decent tip, and I get Five Guys, grilled onions and double
jalapenos, then back to gate 35X, the former 35A (what's
that all about?), where the bus took me (yes, the changes of
tense are deliberate) to a little CRJ, where the throne
awaited. A quick flight out of there, good day for flying,
and I don't know what the reason for a weight and balance
issue was on the first plane.

I didn't bother to call Rosemary to try to hustle her over,
just read e-mail for an hour and went out to the curb at
the appointed time.

Dinner party for the family. Rosemary insisted that I stay
out of the kitchen and proceeded to produce a substantially
dairyful meal; luckily I had a huge stash of pills.

We started with cheese and crackers - a decent Cheddar, a
less decent St. Andre, and a Gorgonzbreatha that I didn't
bother to try.

John and Janet had brought Sea Gold crab dip, which is a
cream-cheezoid substance mixed with what seems to be
pickle relish and assorted stuff, but almost no real crab.
A worthy experiment but very sweet and not worth the pills.

Luckily for me there were cashews; Rosemary had got the
unsalted by mistake, which was fine, as I prefer them, and
nobody else does, but they had cheesy comestibles to
console themselves with.

A salad of the ordinary throw it together sort.

Fish chowder, made with half-and-half and haddock, was
quite nice, though there were way too many potatoes for
my preference.

I don't know where the cranberry chocolate chip bread came
from, but it went nicely with Haagen Dazs (a generally
overrated brand) chocolate chocolate chip ice cream.

The wines:

H3 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 12 from Columbia Crest was
well made in the oversweetened American style - modest oak,
lots of wide open berries and stone fruit; a bit of vanilla.
You could tell it was a Cabernet, and you might be able to
tell that it was from a global warmingized Washington state.

Rombauer Carneros Merlot 10 was the best thing I've drunk
in weeks. Quite a bit of acid, but tannic and with a nice
balance. Pepper and spice and plums, and it filled the mouth
amazingly. Long savory finish.

Campo Viejo Rioja Garnacha 12 - I don't know where they get
off calling it a Rioja, as it lacks any of the character of
that appellation. This is a bright, thin, slightly sweet
product that might as well be raspberry soda. I was glad of
the Rombauer.

J. Lohr Seven Oaks Pasa Robles Cabernet 12 - jug stuff in a
double bottle. Very fresh, fruity, not notably Cabernettish.
Perfectly pleasant for what it was, and cheap as chips.

That was I think the only notable meal of the week. A lot
of foraging (through cabinets and cupboards, not outside,
where it was cold).

One notable thing that I have just been informed of -
Rosemary e-mailed me that on the way back from taking me to
the train, her car was totalled by a deer hitting it. The
car was mere months old. She's getting a hybrid next.