When we looked at booking a train trip to Toronto this fall, Willy suggested that we take the early train on the Friday morning.  While the main purpose of the trip was to visit Willy’s family, my sister-in-law was due to have a baby in early September, so planning to have more time in the city seemed logical enough.  I booked the tickets and forgot all about the itinerary until it became clear that Willy was going to be in India over the same weekend as our trip.

Using my inside voice, I grumbled a little bit about him missing out on the trip and not being around to help out, but it was mostly out of jealousy over the fact that he was going to India without me.  I told myself it was going to be ok, and spent a good chunk of yesterday packing and prepping everything so that we would be ready to get up and leave, long before dawn.  I tucked the lils into bed in their today clothes, set three alarms, and went to bed earlier.  I was ready.

I am usually one of those people who can’t get to sleep if they need to get up early, and then wakes several times through the night, so I was amazed when I woke up and saw that the clock read 5:55AM.  “Right on time” I thought, as I sat up and reached to turn the alarm off.  Then it hit me. There was no sound emitting from the radio, and the time was wrong. We needed to be on the train right now.  I started to move in a hurry, but realized that it was futile.  The train had left the proverbial station.

Hoping that I could salvage the trip, I picked up the phone and called VIA Rail.  Luckily, they were up on time, and had someone answering the phones.  I spoke to the nicest, sweetest agent, who sensed my upset and tried to make me feel better for having slept in and missed my train.  Then he blew me away and waived the far difference on my three tickets.  Tickets that were bought on the best sale that I have seen in a while, and normally would have cost a fortune to change.  Knowing how disappointed the lils would have been if I had had to cancel the train and just drive, I was grateful to not have to make that decision. So I started to cry, and he was sweet again and made me laugh.

The lils woke up shortly after my call.  Woo was first and he was crying when he found me in the family room, worried that just he had slept in and I had left without him.  Goose joined us, and we cuddled on the couch until it was time to leave and catch the second train of the day. Today may have started abruptly for me, but with the help of a really caring agent at VIA Rail, a few stolen moments on the couch, and the promise of snuggles with my new baby niece, it ended up being pretty darn good.