Fly the Friendly Skies

 

Distraction at Douglas International Airport

Normally when I fly from Raleigh, NC to my home state of Tennessee, I endure a brief layover in Charlotte which creates is a bit of a nightmare for me.  Inevitably, the connection time is too short for the next flight, especially if there is any delay in Raleigh.  Without fail, my connector flight is already boarding when I land in Charlotte.  I get off at gate E-32 and need to be at C-15 in 12 minutes, and it is a 15-minute walk!  I have found myself more than once running through the crowded hallways of Charlotte Douglas International dodging first one obstacle and then the next to avoid colliding with other passengers.  I generally have to check my luggage in Raleigh (free at the gate) because I know I cannot run with my bag in tow.  This airport is laid out like the spokes on a wheel.  The center hub is a food court area and each gate series A through E are the spokes.  To get to another gate series always requires a trek through the center hub.  I have missed more than one connector flight and have since paid closer attention to the layover time gap.  It is stressful to say the least.  There are no direct flights available from RDU (Raleigh) to TYS (Knoxville). 

Recently, I flew to Knoxville via Charlotte from RDU and had plenty of time to walk to my new gate.  I leisurely looked around at all the airport merchandise.  I even had the luxury of going to the bathroom as well as getting a slice of pizza and a drink.  This was too good to be true.  When I sat down at my boarding gate, I only had 20 minutes to wait.  I began looking at my phone.  I became engrossed in reading the details of a medical report of a heart test I had done.   The boarding began.  I was in the last group, group 9, so I knew it was still going to be a while.  I glanced up when they called group 6.  There were plenty of people still waiting for boarding.  I looked back down because on the other flight, the time between 6 and 9 was a long wait.  I didn’t realize that I was on a smaller plane now that boarded much more quickly.  When I looked up again the jetway door was closed, even though people were standing at the desk.  It turns out, these people were being held there and possibly were going to be taken off the flight.  I panicked and ran over to the desk attendant.  I said I was in group 9.  He said he called group 9 three times, why didn’t I respond?  I said I was looking down and didn’t hear.  I pleaded to get on.  He said he would have to check with the boarding attendant that was on the plane checking for seats.  I couldn’t believe this was happening.  After having plenty of time on my hands, I just sat still while my plane was being boarded?  There was no running this time and yet I was going to miss my flight?   I was a fool.  Normally, I am on pins and needles to get in line to board.  My phone was a distraction and my interest in my medical report took priority.  I was so upset with myself.  Then the attendant emerged from the jetway. I looked at her with anticipation.  They changed my seat assignment but allowed me to board!  Whew.  Charlotte Douglas International Airport just seems to be a stressor, no matter what the circumstances.    I have even had to spend overnight in a Charlotte hotel (without compensation) because of a power outage at McGee Tyson Airport during one of my trips, but that’s a story for another day!  “Fly the Friendly Skies”

Tammy Harvey

7/29/2026

Serenade

 

Serenade

In my backyard,

A frog,

Under the light of the moon,

Sat singing,

An unfamiliar tune,

He serenaded me,

In my slumber,

A lullaby,

A peaceful number,

Musically intriguing,

He caught my attention,

A music box of nature,

Beyond my comprehension,

Listening intently,

Not missing a single note,

I envisioned his plump, inflated throat,

Such a little one, but,

With impact nonetheless,

I don’t know about his mate,

But I’m sure she was impressed.

Tammy Harvey

6/22/2026

Mind Blown

 

Mind-blowing Encounter

The emoji where the top of the head is exploding, the symbol of “mind-blown”, is the only way I can describe what happened to me at a restaurant last evening.  As most of you know, my number in life is 333, everything I do seems to be related to the number 3.  It is described best in my profile for this blog.  Hence, the website name for this blog is threethirtythreepoetry.blogspot.com.  Last evening, I met a friend at a local restaurant for dinner and trivia.  I arrived first and got a table, and the server brought me water and a menu, but I let her know I was waiting for someone.  She checked on me again when my friend was a little late.  After getting my friend’s drink order and then giving us time to look at the menu, she returned to take our order.  My friend looked up and immediately noticed that the server was wearing a “333” necklace and commented on it.  The young girl shared that the number had been a significant one in her life and that things seemed to occur in 3’s in her life.  I told her it was also my number.  She proceeded to say that she was born at 3:33 and I shrieked “me too!”.  I asked, “am or pm?” and she said pm to which I screamed “me too!”.  It was as if I had met myself only about 40 years younger.  I actually had never met someone else with my passion for the number 333.  She shared that she always wore the necklace, never taking it off, not even to shower.  It was an Amazon purchase, and I told her I had purchased a “333” ring from Amazon.  My mind was absolutely blown.  It was like an incredible coincidence.  Her name was Dakota and I left her a tip of…you guessed it $3.33, just because, and my friend left a larger tip to compensate for mine.  Is this a coincidence?  I’m not sure I believe in coincidences.  It was sure a memorable evening.  If it had not been for my friend, however, I wonder if I would have eventually noticed it?

Tammy Harvey

8/5/2026

We Can Do Hard Things

 

We Can Do Hard Things

Recently, I have been flabbergasted by what others have accomplished.  These are not necessarily momentous, but not trivial either.  I think when someone sets their mind to do something, it is consequential, no matter the enormity of the task.  For example, my two-year-old and three-year-old granddaughters have conquered the plastic slide in the playroom with an additional trick.  After sliding down the slide they proceed immediately into a somersault.  For their ages, this impresses me.  My oldest grandson recently memorized the entirety of Robert Louis Stephenson’s poem “My Shadow” and recited it with such expression on stage in front of the fourth and fifth graders that I beamed with pride.  When he first received the assignment, he was a little intimidated, but he met the challenge and came in third place amongst his peers.  My other grandson, who is nearly seven, attended a day camp, all by himself, for the first time this summer.  He is finding his own confidence to do new things.  My oldest son has lost 30 pounds through diet and exercise alone, through dedication and without weight loss drugs.  He did it the old fashion way to improve his health.  His wife, a real estate agent, is on track to meet her personal goal for number of houses sold this year.  With purely hard work and resolve, she is reaching new heights.  Another of my daughters-in-law has begun memorizing the book of Romans.  I nearly fell off my chair when I heard her recite the first 3 chapters by memory without missing a word!  My third daughter-in-law and son have done a fair amount of travel over the past few years.  I recently picked them up at the airport after their flight only to find out they had learned to speak words in both Albanian and Montenegrin as preparation for their trip.  They could communicate with the locals.  I was astounded. My middle son has learned a new job task essential to his corporation employer.   He has been training and studying for the past few months. Currently, only he and the person going on maternity leave know how to accomplish this duty.  It sounds like job security to me.   My best friend has been battling breast cancer now for almost 9 years.  The stamina and mindset that it takes to continue to fight is admirable.  People all around me in my life continue to amaze me with the absolute courage and determination that they possess.  I am proud of all of them.  To each of them I say well done.

Tammy Harvey

7/6/2026

Walking on Sunshine with YOU

 

Walking on Sunshine with You

You’re walking on sunshine,

You’re already on cloud nine,

The sky is a true blue,

The clouds have a warm hue,

The atmosphere is cheerful,

But I’m feeling tearful,

I want to hold your hand,

And walk through the heavenly land,

How are you so far away, yet always near?

Memories will fade, I fear,

You’re walking on sunshine,

I know you are doing really fine,

I hope to join you there,

A place with no worries to bear,

I want to walk on sunshine with you,

It must be an incredible view,

Save me a place where time stands still,

Then we will walk on sunshine together, we will.

Tammy Harvey

7/2/2026

Typing Evolution

 

Typing Evolution

I own a 1950’s typewriter inherited from my parent,

It has stiff keys, an ink ribbon with a manual bar to advance it,

A Smith-Corona, heavy as lead, it was considered very fine,

But in the 1980’s, an electric typewriter was all mine,

I used it to type cover-letters, searching for employment,

The process was cumbersome and I did not enjoy it,

Although it was a lot faster, white correcting tape was essential,

Stop, correct, continue on; the process had potential,

But little did we know what advances would arrive,

Sometimes I even wonder now, how did we survive?

From typewriters to keyboards, the leap was exponential!

Laptops that go anywhere; it was quite consequential,

Typing classes became keyboarding, taught in all our schools,

New keys like Alt, Ctrl and Esc were not made for fools,

Correction on a screen is simple: backspace and delete,

Auto-correction and voice recognition made it more complete,

I can’t imagine typing on an old manual machine,

It was so rudimentary and now it is extreme!

Kids today would not believe the effort that it took,

Just to type a simple letter, an envelope, or a book!

Tammy Harvey

6/22/2026

Ring the Bell

 

Ring the Bell

When a patient finishes a round of radiation treatment, there is a tradition that is carried out.  The patient is allowed to ring a large brass bell hanging on the wall in the waiting room.  They have passed by that bell many times on their way to the treatment room. It gives them something to look forward to.   It symbolizes the end of a journey.  I recently was privileged last week to watch my friend ring that glorious shiny bell, and it wasn’t her first rodeo.  The sound was deep and resounding.  It was sweet, yet bittersweet.  The fact that someone has to have radiation at all is not joyful, yet the end of the treatment itself is a joyous time.  With no certainty that the patient won’t have to return again for the same treatment in the future, it still is a mark of accomplishment.  It signifies another hurdle has been cleared in the race against the dreadful cancer cells.  My brother-in-law will also be ringing a similar bell in his place of treatment on Monday as he completes a series of 24 proton radiation treatments.

 Everyday many people are ringing a victory bell.  It is a victory, however, just to survive a stage 4 diagnosis with determination to endure the ever-present disease.  A disease that evades the researchers for cures and mutates into other monstrosities to avoid the current treatments.  The number of lives affected by cancer, whether patients, caregivers, friends and family members or children, is astounding.  I am constantly in awe of the warriors, alive and deceased, who never give/gave up. They tolerate the side effects of toxic drugs, surgeries and procedures, constant pain, radiation, chemotherapy, physical therapy, never-ending doctor appointments, a port, blood draws, numerous scans, and setbacks.  They deserve to ring a brass bell and a whole lot more!

Tammy Harvey

7/10/2026