Air fares

[cayting]

I am probably the last person on the web to find this one....http://www.hotwire.com

Have spent several weeks researching air fares to go see family in AR. Yesterday, happened to get an e-mail from ebates.com with this site mentioned. Checked it out and, behold.....got a round trip for at least $50.00 less than any other place I looked. Their quotes include ALL taxes and "extra" fees. The only drawback I see is that you have only 30 min. to lock in the price. Also, the flight times aren't listed until AFTER you confirm. This was OK by me and the times turned out to be great!

Would advise checking around a bit for price info and then see what they have to offer. Of course if you enter from ebates.com, you get a small refund there too (only 1%, I think).

Was actually planning to do priceline yesterday, but, for me at least, don't think I could have gotten this good a deal even from them.

Hope this helps some other grandma get to go see her family!!

[barbaralarry]

I think $99 round trip by Southwest if booked by end of January is a great deal, check the Southwests site. I havent bought yet, keep trying to convince my fathers widow to come live with us, or even stay with us for however long, but she wont commit. Its driving me crazy trying to help her long distance. She is deeply depressed, and needs serious help and intervention. I just dont know what to do. Any suggestions, please respond... :-(

Thank for the post, as I may need it soon!

[Rachbulis1]

I was trying to locate the $99.00 Southwest deal could not find it can anyone help me? Would really like to see my Hubby this month


Thanks
Rachael

[KimOHara]

I think the Southwest deal is over right now, but from past experience, if you keep watching this site: [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]
they'll offer it again.

Good luck!

Kim

[barbaralarry]

My husband saw it on tv last week, said it was through end of January had to purchase the tickets. (Southwest)

[cayting]

Interesting..I hunted everything I could find for SW Airlines, but saw no $99. Thought the $165 fm Dullas to Little Rock was excellent. Am booked on American. When I checked them previously, they quoted $290 for the same route.

Will keep copy of the SW link for future use. Thanks for that.
*********
barbaralarry.....

Having older family members far away is most difficult. And, depression is ever so real to the one experiencing it.
Could you possibly go visit your step mom, then perhaps line up community help for her if you can't convince her to come for even a visit? Does she have a church connection?? If so, her pastor should be a big help in knowing what is available in the way of resources. Social services and County mental health groups are good for resources. If all else fails, local hospitals should have ideas.

Has she seen a doctor for any of the depression symptoms? They can be chemically caused and can be helped by some wise application of drugs...with close monitering by a physician, of course.

God bless as you try to help her.

[barbaralarry]

Many thanks for your kind thoughts and ideas expressed here.

Theo is a lovely lady, and very much dependant on my father, or was. Well, she still is, except he isnt there to help her (She didnt learn how to pump gas until after he died). My husbands family is right there by her, and they make little effort (only when asked, and I cant count on that either) to help her or check on her, and it is so hard, as if they are punishing us for leaving. But its not their responsibility, and how can I convince them to check on her if they dont want to? I can only ask, but this last time, my b-i-l didnt even return our phone call. (We have only asked him to help two other times)

Good ideas about the church, unfortunately, they werent church-going people. I know she would go with us if she moved in here. I wonder if the pastor of our church there would go and help her. Do you think?

I could go to see her if I werent so frightened of flying. I almost decided to go until reality hit. I cry on planes, and know I would scare others if my husband isnt there to keep me in check (he cant get away now). I hardly go grocery shopping by myself, so changing planes in Chicago would have me in tears and a mess. I know, Im heading in the same direction as Theo by being so dependant on my husband for pumping the gas, going shopping, etc!!

Theo has mentioned reference to suicide, not the words, but weird things like "If I ever jump off a bridge Barbie, you'll know why" (my fathers side always calls me Barbie). She says its too much on her, she cant handle it. I think she sits in her house and cries all day. Yes, I want to go and help her, but I have 3 little ones at home, and my husband has to work, and we dont know anyone to take care of them while I go. That means pulling 2 out of school, and buying 4 tickets... something we just cant do at whatever the rate is. This is really tough.

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas. I am going to call the pastor of our church there and see what suggestions he has in regards to helping her. It would be neat if he could get her lined up with a neighbor to take her to church. She wont drive, unless absolutely necessary.

Thanks again... Barbara

[teraberry]

There's one more thing you can do for her... pray. Ask God to be her strength now that she has lost the man who was.

[suzd88]

I ordered a plane ticket yesterday from Cleveland to Raleigh and the price was $124.00!!! I will be flying US Air - on their website the EXACT same itinerary - flight number and times was $356.00!! What a savings. I will use them again!!!

[cayting]

Hope contacting the pastor proved helpful.

How about e-mail [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] rather than take up all this space??

teraberry had great advice...God is, indeed where we are..and also where we are not. Imagine she (or he!) will be praying for you as will I!

Keep in touch. Maybe we can think of other options together.

[cayting]

Am SOOOO happy for you and your up coming trip! Hope it will be a good one and glad I wasn't the only person in the world who'd not heard of hotwire :- )

Blessings and peace as you travel.

[adc406]

Thanks for that sight. I had COMPLETELY forgotten about it and I have to go to Denver in a few months. It will be VERY helpful.
Barb, that is so sad about your StepMom. I know that older people NEED to feel useful or needed. They HATE to feel that they are intruding, an "inconvience" or in the way. Sounds like some other family members may have made her feel that way. She knows you have a full life and probably feels she would create problems or be a burden.
Does she like children? (I don't mean that in a bad way, but a visit from 3 children and LIVING with 3 children are MAJORLY, completely different things.) For people not used to them on a 24hr basis, children can sometimes make them nervous and scared. If they are used to being alone, they can also "bother" there serenity with all of there energy and inquisiveness. She may be scared of that, or falling or triping while they are around and playing, or have toys out to trip on. If so, you could talk to her about living nearby. Maybe even in an adult community (condo-like place where there is no lawn upkeep) where you could see her more often and be within a few minutes drive with a phone call. Then you could pick her up to go shopping, and to church and other things.
If she loves being around children, maybe you could tell her how much she could "help" by being there and assisting you. (Just staying home with the kids one or two days a week while you can run a few errands, grocery shop, etc. Sometimes it beomes such a pain to take them around those days and have to strap them in and out of car seats and carry the bags and other stuff, and keep an eye on them. ...especialy if one or two feels bad or is sick.)
If you volunteer for you community, school or church, you could tell her she would help by assisting you in those projects. (or look into what is available and see if there are some that you could do together, even with the children. Tell her she could help if she came there because it would give you and the children incentive. I feel it is good to teach children volunteering early. They learn so much from this. There are SO many to choose from. Even visiting a local nursing home or shut-ins from your church or neighborhood for a half hour once a week or something. There is nothing better than helping people in need, or who are less fortunate than us, to make us appreciate what we have.)
Another thing is to look up her neighborhood on a web sight and see what "senior" things are close by. They have so many things now. I did this on Yahoo Maps section for my in-laws when they moved. It called up everything in the community. (Including volunteer opportunities, senior centers, meals on wheels, etc.) They list numbers of people you can contact about services and information. I am sure that some would even contact her to ask if she would like to help with this or that since many volunteer to various things and could always use an extra set of hands.
My in-laws now go to a senior center that is FULL of activities. They are learning computers now in their 70's with free courses and free computer usage at the center. They have been on several short day trips with them. And even eat out or do pot luck dinners that are available at the center a few nights a week. Many of these centers will even provide transportation.
(If you do get her to move to your town, you could also look into these where you live. There are several nice Senior websites, like AARP and others that could probably give you more ideas.)
I will remember her in my prayers and do let us all know how things progress.

[Edited by adc406 on 01-30-2001 at 09:53 AM]