Jennifer's Joyous Journal

Monday

So much for rest and relaxation! Monday started out well enough. We went to the Brennard museum with Doug's mom (Ellen), grandmother (Marky), and brother (Malcolm). The works displayed there are many and varied - Brennard is a tremendously prodigeous artist. My favorite piece was one call Galetea (I'll link to a picture when we get those on-line). We were even fortunate enough to meet the artist himself and even got a picture with him. We left there happy, relaxed, and owning a couple of original souvenir pieces. Once we returned we spent a couple of hours at the internet cafe then met up with Doug and Luca at the hotel. We were scheduled to eat dinner with Luca's mom (Do–a Teresa) and wanted to take a small bottle of Bailey's as a hostess gift, so Doug and Luca offered to take us to a nearby liquor store. The liquor store just happened to be next door to a TAM office, so we ducked in there as well to verify our flights for the next day...so the agent checked the computer...and checked another flight....and checked another flight....and checked all flights out without any success at finding our names anywhere!!!! Turns out our tickets were for a flight leaving at 4:30pm!!!!.....and it was already 5:30pm!!!! As you can imagine, there hasn't been much rest and relaxation since then. We made a frantic dash to the airport to try to get a ticket for today - but of course everything is full. Currently, we're at the top of the waiting list for the TAM flight for today and we have options on two other airlines that would cost and additional $720-$1000 (US). Dinner last night at Do–a Teresa's was delicious though I think it passed in a stupor for most of us - Step and I are a little out of sorts and regret being such a pain to our hosts and Luca was exhausted and wanting a nap even before we discovered our itinerary mistakes. Hopefully we'll leave here this afternoon - wish us luck!

Also, please send prayers for health for Do–a Vera, Luca's grandmother. She is in poor health and took a turn for the worse last night. This morning while pestering the various agents at the airport, Luca had to admit her via phone to the hospital - both Luca and her father (and vast numbers of her extended family) are doctors so she is in the best of hands, but prayers would most definitely be welcome from one and all.