Planes, trams & automobiles (that's right, TRAMS)

Anybody who knows Ellie to any degree will understand our concern heading into Saturday morning's flight out of Boston. This is a girl who, historically, has panicked at any hint of loud noise and/or attention directed her way. (Her lone "performance" in a dance recital was a classic.)

So while both girls were great on all pre-flight counts -- getting up at 5:30 am to get to the airport, enduring baggage check-in, moving slowly through security and enduring a 1-hour delay in taking off -- Kim and I were both anticipating a minor scene as the plane made its way down the runway.

Indeed, as the plane sped up, her hands went up to her ears and she got that look she gets just before the breakdown. But to our surprise, she looked at Kim and started smiling. At lift-off, the smile got bigger. And we knew we were home-free.

And thanks to Auntie Lynne's loaner copy of "Sesame Street Old School," the 3-hour flight was episode-free as well.

On a symbolic note: As we came down from the clouds over Wisconsin and crossed into Minnesota airspace, I looked out the window and literally saw our future -- my new company's headquarters, clear as day, on the horizon below.

Post-flight notes --

• Maggie had an accident waiting for the baggage, but both of them liked the tram ride from the terminal to the car rental area.
  
• Moments after I accepted a compliment on my ability to stack 9 pieces of baggage on a small cart, they tumbled into the road after the card hit a seam in the concrete.
  
• Our rental vehicle is an overly-bright shade of blue that seems to be reserved solely for rental vehicles.

Next entry: The thrill that is temporary housing