What do a banjo, a Ragdoll kitten and a cello have in common? They were all on our flight home from Newark yesterday. Isn’t travel fun?

First up – young lady with a banjo headed to the Asheville area was making arrangements to get her banjo on the plane as a special carry on. I suspect they carried it down and put it on as plane side luggage but it was a whole thing.

Then lo and behold I spied a kitten in a carrier, not the conventional time but one that looked more like a collapsible house that they play in (trust me – I know cat toys and accessories) . The older woman who was carrying the kitten was a little wobbly as she walked around juggling the kitten and the various bags she was carrying. I so wanted to go over and sit by her and get the scoop on the adorable kitten but Chris cautioned me that that might be a road too far and I would be a crazy cat lady. He was right so I didn’t. but it didn’t;’ stop me from trying to catch a glimpse of it that precious cargo in its carrier. Not a great picture but you can see the little floofball a bit.

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Finally, a young woman with a cello was busily eating a sandwich with her headphones on when we were boarding. The airline representative was trying to get her attention so she could stow her cello but she was oblivious. Finally someone tapped her on her shoulder and told her and she gathered her stuff and got in line– we let her in front of us so she could get her cello stowed and lo and behold, must to the amazement of the airline representative, she had a seat for the cello. So off she went, tucking the cello in the window seat while she occupied the aisle. We had talked to her briefly but her response indicated she might be foreign. Wherever she was from it obviously was a cello of worth to deserve its own seat. My genius husband queried AI with a few questions and we found out that she is Camille Thomas from Belgium and was indeed coming to Brevard Music Center to play and yes –that cello was a Stradivarius cello which can range in price to millions so yes –she would 100% buy a seat and not let it leave her sight. She has played since she was four years old. Amazing.

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Traveling is always interesting anymore. Oh – and as we were waiting to board there was a random guy walking down the concourse shaking a tambourine. You just never know what you will see when you travel. I remember seeing a guy carrying a huge baguette in his backpack one time. Now I love a good baguette as much as the next person so no shade thrown there at all. Anyway, we are home after a wonderful trip to see the Hu Chiles family, complete with lots of baby snuggles and 5 1/2 year old boy antics . Life is very good. I hope it is good in your corner of the world as well.