We waited. and waited...................and waited.

Edited to add: This adventure is entirely my fault. If I had checked my messages before heading out across the city, I would have heard the message that Dad left to say that I shouldn't go to the airport and wait because there were problems with the plane and they were delayed. I am a goof.

Had myself a very boring, little adventure the other day. My dad flies in and out of the city every two weeks on his way to and from work in the NWT. This was the day that I pack up the kids and we make the 45 minute drive to the airport to pick him up. He usually arrives between 3:30 and 4pm, so we left the house around 2:30 and stopped for cookies and coffee on the way.

When we arrived at the airport around 3:45, we pulled into at a nearby gas station where we didn't have to pay to park and, well, waited. At 4pm my phone rang. But it wasn't my Dad's cell, it was an Ontario number. A feeling of frustration washed over me, because all the phones at Dad's work are Ontario numbers. I just knew that he was still up north. Sure enough, they hadn't even got on the plane yet.
Dad said that they were supposed to be boarding right away and that he should be in the city by 6pm.

Okay. Well, we only had two hours to wait, I decided to stick around. I took baby Zed out to nurse him and close my eyes for a few minutes. I had one of my eye piercing headaches. The kids were happy with their video games and movies. At about 4:30, I put everyone back in their carseats and drove back into the city. There is a huge shopping complex right off the highway. I had no money with me, but I found the book store and took the kids in there. We hung out and read until 5:30 and then I thought we should head back to the airport. Traffic at the highway intersection was horrible and I didn't want to miss my dad.

We got back right at 6 and we proceeded to wait. My hubby called a number of times to see what was happening. He had managed to actually come home from work early. Every time the phone rang, I jumped thinking it was finally my dad. No such luck. The kids were starting to get hungry and thirsty. No one had brought the water bottles I asked them to grab on our way out the door. I didn't have money to get them anything. I hadn't brought anything!

Finally I found 4 bucks and ran in to buy some water. Then I had to take Girly into the bathroom and my phone rang. It was eight o'clock and dad was finally here. 8!!!
The good part was that there was no traffic on the way back home. I have to say that not many meals have tasted as good as that stew I had put in my crock-pot before I left home.

Poor Dad felt terrible that I had waited. He kept telling me that he doesn't mind making his own way across the city to our house. But I really love the drive out there, any excuse to get out for a bit and have a latte. Plus he lets Brent use his car while Dad is at work, so it is the least I can do.
The kids may think twice before coming with me again though. Or at least remember their water bottles.