Waive Goodbye to Your Luggage

December 15th was the day we took the Pull family show on the road.  Actually, it was a plane.  Thankfully, this time it was an afternoon show, not a morning show.  When we travel, an onlooker sees two things:

1.  strange packages and

2. lots and  lots of luggage

They probably see lots of other things, too, but let's just keep to the luggage.

This asymmetrical, taped up fiasco of a box was one of our checked bags this Christmas.  I was transporting some wreaths (gifts) that simply would NOT fit in our big as can be, but still within the allowable limit, suitcases.  At 11 AM on the morning of our 3PM departure, after realizing our suitcases were incapable of housing the wreaths (I know, I know, excellent planning), I broke down a large box, cut it up and taped it back together.  I was in a hurry and this beauty here:

 

is the final product.  Upon seeing it the ticketing agent (and my husband) gave an audible sigh accompanied by an eye roll (Joe here, too) and some spiel about me needing to sign a waiver (this was just the ticketing agent).  The waiver said something about them not being responsible if my box and wreaths got run over by the airplane and smashed to smithereens.  Evidently airlines don't like boxes.  Who knew?

That beautiful, funny shaped box, held up very well.  Thankyouverymuch.  It made it all the way from the floor of my living room to this picture in the Minneapolis airport at midnight (and beyond), along with all of our other bags and stroller.  The kids and Joe made it, too, and I didn't have to sign any waivers for them. 

What didn't make it was three out of our four carseats.  I signed a waiver for these, too, but I'm pretty sure the waiver didn't cover the total loss of the carseats, just the destruction of them.  Funny how these things work.  The fine lady at the Southwest counter gave us some loaner carseats to take to the hotel and return when our actual carseats arrived (hopefully without having come into contact with the airplane wheels).  She also gave us $50 worth of future flight credit.  I asked her if she'd like to lose any more of my bags.  I could really use another $50 or $100 of flight credit.  It's expensive paying for all those airline seats, and no matter how hard I try, Xandra and Theia won't agree to ride in any suitcases or funny shaped, taped up boxes. 

I guess they're scared of getting lost.