In spite of...

--In spite of the fact that my ride to the airport flaked out on me, and that there were approximately 150 people in line ahead of me 25 minutes before departure time, I got on the plane in time (that's a story for another day).

--In spite of unbelievably acute gastrointestinal distress at a time when I was unable to leave my seat on the plane, I made it to the San Antonio airport restroom just in the nick of time.

--In spite of having my luggage confiscated by Midwest officials due to my untimely but necessary stint in the San Antonio airport restroom, AND being paged over the airport system to "report to the Midwest ticket counter," I eventually got my bag.

--In spite of heavy traffic, and slow-moving trucks pulling trailers of hay, AND driving in gear "2" rather than gear "D" for about 20 miles, I eventually made it to my parents house.

But it's all worth it, because now I'm getting to spend quality time with my Dad while we listen to his favorite Enya CD. No TV, no kids. Mom's on the phone in the other room. He's leafing through the sports section, I'm blogging. We're intermittently chatting about computers and planes and rental cars and country music and Ozzy Osborne and bowl games and movies and sleeping arrangements. Important topics, indeed.

While we do this, we are also having another bonding moment--the supreme responsibility of "keeping an eye on the cookies" in the oven. We decided to approach this task as a team.

Dad: [Wearing an oven mitt in the colors of a Holstein cow] OK, how do you tell when they're done?

Me: [Not looking up from the laptop]. When the smoke alarm stops.

Dad: No, seriously. I can't tell.

Me: Are they brown?

Dad: I think they're sugar cookies, so they may not turn brown.

Me: Oh God, then we're screwed.

Dad: Go get your mother.

Ahhh, how I cherish these little moments. I only wish I had been watching for them sooner.