There were scattered clouds in the sky on our departure day, Tuesday, December 27.  David, Zhi-Ning, and Lilah, along with Jenn and Zhi Ren, had left for their flight at 6:30 AM.  After breakfast, Carl and I went for a walk along the beach.  Then we returned to our rooms and packed to go home.  We had to check out by noon, but the bus would not leave until 1:00.  Hayley had decided a few days earlier not to go to Wisconsin (where her parents live), but to return to DC.  Paul too was bound for DC, but on a different flight.  Fortunately, they both arrived safely, even though the East Coast was experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime weather event, a “bomb cyclone.”  Paul’s flight was delayed by two hours, and thousands of other flights were canceled. 

Bridget and I, along with Carl and Corey, arrived at the airport relatively early and stood in line for a while to check in for Alaska flight 441.  We had plenty of time, so we went to a restaurant near the gate, “The Avocado Grill.”  An honest waitress warned Corey away from pork tacos, so he ordered the avocado salad.  Bridget and I enjoyed nachos with a side of avocado.  The plane departed on time and the flight was uneventful. We arrived at the Tom Bradley Terminal of LAX about 9:00 PM.  The Bradley is an enormous structure, and we must have walked a quarter mile before we arrived at immigration and customs.  Carl and Corey picked up our car at the economy lot and drove to Long Beach.  Bridget and I were picked up by Mike Collins, who drove us through the rain to Camarillo.  We were happy to get home about 11:00 – and the cat, Cosette, was happy as well.