Birthday Party #4

So I flew into Chicago's O'Hare airport at 6 pm last night. I took a long, and interesting bus ride to Evanston, where I was met by and . We went to their home and had a lovely dinner, with birthday cake. I've finally got this worked out: you must visit a series of people around your birthday to maximize the cake input. It had great stripey candles and was really good, but I actually managed to set my hair on fire to the horror of my gracious hosts. Little damage was done, but it was dramatic.



I am perpetually surprised, but always enjoy seeing my art in other people's homes. Now the minouette print can be joined by my portrait of their fresh-fruit loving Mr. Sammy Samuelson, Cat, Esq.



Yesterday the mean UA man insisted that my poster tube was a piece of luggage, so he made me check my small suitcase and then charged $25 me for it. I bought my ticket through AC and even they don't pull that trick. Today at 5:18 pm I fly to LA. I bought this ticket through ANZ, but UA is the operator again... so I was thinking of trying the 'These are not the droids you are looking for,' approach and just bluster my way onto the plane with my laptop bag, small suit case and poster tube. Because if they charge me another $25, I'll feel like it would have been less hassle to send the tube ahead by FedEx.

In LA, I should meet RM and AS, who are on the same flight to Auckland. I can attempt to convince them to try to meld the posters into one five-poster tube... if that's physically possible. I don't know if LR will be there. She was asked by Immigration Canada to produce her passport for visa reasons and as of yesterday, she didn't yet have it back... so she may not be able to join us in NZ.