Air Miles?

For all of you who said airmiles are a waste of time, just gimme a discount! You may soon be able to say I told you so. I have accumulated a great deal of air miles both in Canada and the US. After not being able to make timely connections with Air Canada, I cashed in thousands of points on a couple of CD"s and gift cards to Linens and Things. The points were going to be confiscated due to inactivity. Fare enough, I was truly happy with Alaska airmiles plan and connections were sane. At least until this year. I have just purchased my second air fare on another airline in 3 months because Alaska can get me there, but not home in the forseeable future. "2 1/2 mths" to be exact. Now the airline I bought a ticket on is the same airline that I tried to get a seat on, with airmiles, and there are clearly empty seats available, but not for airmiles. It really doesn't make sense to have the seats empty when people travelling on airmiles could be buying meals and beverages at least. Those of us who had to pay inflated prices will pack our own lunches thank you very much. This appears to be the same problem every summer. The airlines can gauge what the demand will be and set their prices at double the regular rate, and that is only if you accidentally find tickets on the internet. The ticket in April that I paid $314. for is now selling at between $657. and $808. depending where you search. Some of the discount sites were much higher, and West Jet out of Vancouver was going to make 3 extra stops on the way and turn a 4.06 hr flight into 11 fun filled hours for a mere $400. extra. I know I like a bargain, but hey at least I may be able to stretch out on those extra seats. I checked into one way tickets, DUH! same price. Any way now that I am booked on NWA again I have enrolled in yet another airmile plan. After 2 flights I am already half way to yet another free flight.
This trip I am headed back to Ontario for a visit with friends and family. Some of them I haven't seen in over 30 yrs. I hope the weather isn't too hot, I've accululated some vericose veins and a few extra pounds that nobody wants to see. The jet lag from the "red eye" alone will have everyone convinced I might have a drinking problem. "It's such a shame the way the body can sag". I'm just glad they can't see how bad my memory has gotten along with my posture. All I have to do is remember what the new spouses names are and they won't suspect a thing. I've been out of the country so long, not very many expect me to know about local politics, which is good because they won't want to hear what I learned about world politics while away.
I can always count on being fed well. Food is a universal gift that we heap on our out of town relatives, to make up for the uncomfortable periods while adjusting to things like, "are we still related even thought you divorced my favourite Aunt". Or who remembers how many chocolate bars we ate in one afternoon at a family reunion almost 50 yrs ago. I expect to see cousins That I have not seen in anything but short pants. And yes I will have trouble remembering some of their names.
My Mother doesn't yet know that I am headed east. I thought it would be nice to see the autumn colours in Sept. and use up some airmiles, but life sends us little surprises to remind us that we truly can't book our entire future. The kids will use my place for a couple of days while I'm away, so I am feaverishly trying to clean and dust so my son in law doesn't think me a complete slob. Maybe he won't notice the lack of food in the fridge. The next trip is already booked and paid for, so I will have 2 full weeks to catch up on bills before heading out on a badly needed rest at sea with a girlfriend also in need of a rest. I've been looking forward to a one week cruise for a long time, and I won't even see the inside of an airplane. Now that's a trip!