Think back 20 years. Who'd a thunk it.

Spending today watching two transatlantic flights progress toward their destinations, literally watching on line for speed, altitude, time in air, time remaining, etc. Each carries some part of my family. Himself and the boy coming back from their European Vacation and D2 returning from her summer study at Oxford. The boys have been away most of July, D2 since mid June. The entire time D2 has been at Oxford I've been able to speak to her, even see her pretty face as we talk, as long and as often as I wanted (so long as she was in her room and could hear her computer "ring") and all for free. Have been receiving multiple daily emails from himself via his blackberry - again, part of the "plan" so no extra charge. I've even already seen pictures from England via facebook as well as pictures from Austria and Hungary via email.

While at WeeMart I can whip out a little bitty thing that looks like a StarTrek communicator to call D3, wherever she is, to see if she needs anything. I can unlock my car and have the door open before I even get to it, then it will tell me if I have low pressure in a tire. When I arrive home the stuff I dumped into my little bread machine has filled my home with the lovely smell of fresh baked bread.

My horse gets an x-ray and there isn't even a film to wait for, just an instant image that can then be emailed to my farrier - who can call it up on his computer in his truck to look at while he is trimming and building her shoes.

D3 can record comments made by a professional musician, as they are expressed, then email those comments straight to the person the comments pertained to - and that person can then play them back and hear exactly what was said. Recorded in one state, listened to in another. Music can be exchanged via YouTube from anywhere in the world, you can hear most any piece performed by a variety of musicians to hear their interpretation of the piece. D3 even has several music students living in Atlanta who receive weekly lessons, while she is either here or away at university - Skype!


Such a world we live in. Just musing, trying not to think about Obamacare....

Update - the boys are safely on the ground, now through customs they go. On the other hand D2's plane is 45 behind schedule leaving her only an hour to deplane, go through customs, and change terminals to make her connection. I'm thinking she just might miss that. T'will be bad if that happens as it is the last connection to Charlotte of the evening and she'll be stuck at Dulles overnight if she misses it...

Update #2 - D2s plane is on the ground. Now the waiting game to see if she makes her connection. Of course she foolishly left her phone on when she flew out so she has little or no battery to let us know what is happening on her end (left her charger at home too...). One way or another we should know in an hour and a half. Ah the pleasures of parenting :)

Undate #3 - Damn it! She got through customs and got her bag on the carousel for making her connection - but they didn't hold the plane the 10 min she needed to make the flight so now she is stranded at Dulles. Damn it, Damn it, Damn it! She is currently in line at the British Air desk to see if they are going to put her up for the night (it was their flight that was 45 min late) and then she has to deal with US Air for a new flight tomorrow ? and to relocate her bags - which of course she checked with them, but then they left her. DAMN IT! Keep in mind to her it feels 5 hours later than it is, so at this moment, while she is trying to deal with the crap, she feels like she is doing it at 2a.m.

Update #4 - Now, at 10:15 pm (feels like 3:15 a.m. to her and she's been going since early this morning) She has a room for the night, she has her bags, and she has a ticket for tomorrow morning. Thank goodness. But she has to get up early early to make the flight.