Many miles to go for pizza squares

Happy Tuesday! I returned late Sunday from a fun four-day weekend in Michigan, my first out-of-state vacation in two years.

So, of course, I took notes. Some highlights:

— I was once a frenzied online airline and rental car shopper. Middle of the night, certain days of the week, and so on. No more. It’s simple for me now: Delta and Hertz. Both companies have exceptional customer service and a few bucks more buys peace of mind.

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Also — don’t judge me — I fly first class. I’m on a plane once, maybe twice, a year. The flying experience can’t make the vacation but it sure can ruin it. I’ll skip a few Wawa chocolate-chip smoothies this month to pay for it.

— It’s always fun trying to spot Citrus County from the air. Gazing from the A2 seat window, I could see King’s Bay, the Duke Energy Complex and the Cross Florida Barge Canal.

— Idea: Airlines should have tip jars for flight attendants and pilots, with the money going to the company’s favorite charities, matched by the company. I experienced two excellent flights with tremendous service. I’d like to toss some change their way.

— About 10 minutes from of Detroit, I looked out the window and saw another airplane headed in the same direction. That’s always odd, seeing another airplane while we’re both 30,000 feet in the air. I wondered if we were racing to the runway.

— It wasn’t until we landed that I realized my mileage app was still activated. Think the IRS will be OK with 2,500 miles over three days? Sounds like a normal Just Wright Citrus week.

— Cold. Like…COLD. What a country. Board a plane under perfect 70-degree blue skies, leave that same plane three hours later in dark, dank weather. Thursday through Sunday, I didn't see the sun once.

 I’m writing this blog Monday on my Just Wright Citrus World Headquarters porch, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, overlooking Big Lake Henderson and a clear sky that doesn’t stop. Just wanted my Michigan family to know that.

— Bad roads, traffic, and land cleared for new development aren’t limited to Citrus County. I grew up in Sterling Heights, a Detroit suburb. We moved there from Columbus, Ohio, when I was 6. It was rural nothingland; today, it’s a thriving community of homes, shopping, work, industry, arts, and parks — just a constant buzz of activity.

— Every visit includes an outside visual of the old family home on San Marco Boulevard. A few years back, the procession at Dad’s funeral drove by the house. In an impromptu show of gratitude, we all honked as we crept along. I often wonder what the neighbors thought, seeing a funeral procession driving along a residential street honking horns like it’s a party.

I’ll never forget it.

Funny how a visit to my hometown brings so many memories back. Driving by Stevenson High School I recalled two special teachers who encouraged me. I also recalled doing donuts in the parking lot in January. Frankly, I’m not sure how I even graduated.

— Buscemi’s pizza squares. No Baby Subs this trip.

— I’m a true believer in the “arrive two hours before your flight” rule. I’ve rushed at airports, and it’s the worst. Plus, airports these days are mini shopping malls. It’s easy to kill a few hours.

— The McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro, which houses Delta Airlines, that’s an interesting design. It’s a full mile in length. You read that right. A tram takes passengers from one end to the other. It’s a brisk 20-minute walk past shops, restaurants, and 120 gates. Great place to stretch my legs before getting on the plane.

— It’s quite a ride from the gate to the runway. A bad joke crosses my mind: Are we driving the plane to the Ann Arbor Airport?

— I do enjoy night flights through clear skies when I can see the lights below. Arriving at Tampa at night is always a jolt to the system because the plane does a U-turn over the bay and lands from that direction. Those 4 minutes over water are my least favorite of the entire trip.

— Arrived in Tampa on Sunday at 8:30 p.m., and the airport was nearly deserted. Easy shuttle to the car, then to the parkway, home by 10:30, edit the blog that I wrote on my phone earlier in Michigan, and then post it. Finally, shortly after midnight, I closed the laptop, and my weekend vacation had concluded.

That’s it for today. As you can see, Just Wright Citrus was on the clock all weekend. Well worth the 2,500-mile write-off.

Have a wonderful Tuesday, friends.

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