Nothing says “smooth travel morning” quite like discovering ants in the cat room 30 minutes before you need to leave for the airport.
Not outside.
Not “oh look, nature.”
No.
In Xena’s dining hall.
So instead of calmly finishing travel prep like organized adults,
the morning became:
• emergency ant response team,
• cat food relocation specialist,
• floor sanitation department,
• and “please do not let the cats join the chaos” management.
Xena, meanwhile, seemed personally offended that her breakfast area had been invaded by tiny freeloaders.
There is a very specific level of stress that comes from trying to:
• protect cat food,
• clean everything quickly,
• keep cats out of cleaning supplies,
• remember chargers,
• and mentally prepare for TSA…
…all at the same time.
And then immediately transitioning from “ant apocalypse cleanup” into airport mode.
From there the day became a blur of:
• shuttle rides,
• TSA rat mazes,
• suitcase juggling,
• coordinating with my mother-in-law through the wheelchair line,
• terminals full of humanity,
• and enough airport walking to make my Fitbit think I’d joined a training program.
Airport walking is a category all by itself.
You don’t realize how much movement happens until:
– you speed-walk to a gate,
– drag a bag through what feels like three counties on bad wheels while it nips at your heels,
– stand in security lines forever,
– then repeat the process in another airport.
Two airports later, Nebraska welcomed us with rain I absolutely did not plan for.
Still counts.
That’s the thing about this week’s walks.
Some movement comes from intentional walks.
Some comes from life deciding:
“Today you will earn your steps through chaos.”
And honestly?
Five walks this week.
Real life movement.
Ants included.
That still counts too.
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