You Gotta Play to Win

Cozy took on a whole new meaning yesterday when I arrived at the airport for my flight to the East Coast. At first glance, the morning had all the trappings of a cozy day...I in my fleece and the rainy and foggy weather would normally be two key ingredients for my favorite state of being. Usually, being surrounded by people is another helpful component of cozy, just not when it's hundreds of people I don't know, sweating profusely while standing in line trying to make a flight.

I have the rare privilege of being able to fly for free. Free is also code for "standby". Electing to exercise my privilege a week before Christmas is risky, to put it mildly. I arrived at the airport over an hour before my free flight was to depart and ended up standing in line for 55 minutes. I have a strong logistical background and I can say with almost 100% certainty that logistically speaking, I should not have made my flight; free or not, there's no good reason for it. The airport was a complete goat rodeo. Luck stepped up to the plate and was on my side; so much so, that I probably should have stopped at the first Seven Eleven and purchased a lottery ticket. I am the poster child for Murphy's Law but even ol' Murph oversleeps, calls in sick, or gets distracted. Yesterday was one of those occasions.

The great thing about cozy is, it travels. Optimal cozy time is spent in the comfort of my small apartment, but when I have to travel it's good to know that cozy can and, often will, be there waiting for me. Sure enough, cozy was here for me yesterday when I arrived. I had a cozy lunch at one of my favorite haunts in my old neighborhood. It was raining out and I opted for a big bowl of chili and two cold beers. I have the luxury of staying in the most cozy of houses...a Cape Cod BUNGALOW complete with roaring fire and a sweet natured black lab who adores the fire and finds it most comfortable to rest on the hearth. And, to top it all off, I had the most amazing homemade Mojitos. These babies would give South Beach a complex. You have to love a host who keeps his kitchen stocked with fine rum, fresh mint, and a muddler. That's right...a muddler. Need I say more?

Gotta go. Normal Rockwell is calling. He wants his cozy back.