Baggage Claim and Barney

I'd swear I've gone mad.
Who would doubt it?  48 hours, 4 hours of sleep plus a couple of naps, 13 hours in the air, 9 hours waiting in the airport.  But seriously, there is this guy at baggage claim.. whistling the Barney song.  That's why I think I've gone mad.
Flight 1 to Frankfurt was very long but not too bad.  I realized it would be the longest flight I have ever taken, that I would be alone and with no one to hold my hand during takeoff and landing (<3 mom).  But Someone above has a compassionate sense of humor.  A woman holding her 11 month old was sitting next to me.  They were Romanian but she could speak some broken English.  The baby, Anna Marie, was fascinated with my shiny ring and dark purple nailpolish.  So someone was holding my hand-- at least a couple of fingers-- when we took off.
We were able to rearrange seats on the plane so that the woman could sit with her husband and two other children.  The airline, Lufthansa, graciously thanked me with an adorable little bag filled with toothpaste and socks and such.  I had no idea that I'd be so grateful for that bag later.
The second flight to Rome was blessedly shorter (11 hours vs 1.5 hours) and I sat with a Nor Cal brother and sister who had a chocolate lab.  They were petty legit people and we had good conversation.
I am writing this at baggage claim, no internet and no way to get ahold of ISA.  Fingers crossed, my bags come soon.
I've already said blogging is for narcissists.  I have recently discovered that it is also cathartic.
(Written at the Rome airport Friday, approximately 3:00 PM.  The picture above was taken in Frankfurt, Germany.)