T'was the Night Before...

So here's where things stand.

Kids are still stuck, might not be able to return till Saturday. Judy, the gkids other gma, has got our backs if we are able to leave tomorrow - Thanks Judy!

Err Canada is very thoughtfully waiting until the last moment before each affected flight before cancelling it - up till then it says "ON time Departure". So , considering we have to be at the airport 3 hours ahead of time, tomorrow we will load up a taxi, pay the $60 for the trip to the airport, check in and then wait. If it gets cancelled, we will pay another $60 for another taxi home, and then start cancelling all of our hotels and car rentals. So far, every single flight that we have seen, has been cancelled, but was listed as "ON time Departure", with the exception of the ones to Heathrow, meaning that they have done this to THOUSANDS of travelers.

Now, I don't think that Err Canada is wholly responsible for the volcanic activity, but they are not even attempting to fly to the European ports that ARE open.

Here's a thought for those of you who see the glass half empty (Why wouldn't you just order another round?)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704671904575194100682717346.html?mod=rss_Today

"The worse case scenario, which is unlikely, involves this eruption triggering another, larger eruption. There are 35 active volcanoes in Iceland, and one eruption has been known to set off another. The worse case happened in 1783, with an eruption lasting eight months. That eruption killed off much of the livestock and agriculture in Iceland, which in turn caused the death of about 25% of the island's population.
The eruption also eventually killed tens of thousands of people on the Continent. Benjamin Franklin was in Paris at the time and was one of the first to connect the rapid change in local weather that collapsed European agriculture with a volcanic explosion. 1783 became known as the horrible "year without summer." Europe plunged into a period of poverty that lasted for years. Some historians believe that this may have contributed to the French Revolution of 1789."

As with most calamities of this sort, (our current situation - not the French Revolution, which nobody can really do much about now) people rise to the occasion, and this is no different. We have had offers of support ranging from helping to look after the gkids, to driving us to the airport, to inviting us to come back to work - as obviously retirement was just not meant to be for us.

Will keep you all posted tomorrow.