Thursday-we're headed to the Denver airport (DIA) to catch a flight to Phoenix. The wind has been blowing all day and getting stronger. As we approach DIA, it appears there's a fire. It turns out it is a farmer doing something in his field throwing so much black soil into the air that at a distance it resembles a fire. We get the airport, get through security, get to our gate and then they announce that DIA has been shut down due to high winds and wind sheers. Our plane has been diverted to Albuquerque and they don't know when it will get to Denver. In the meantime planes keep landing and taking off (later read that the gusts were over 60 mph and did some damage in downtown Denver). Our departure time keeps getting pushed back. The gate area is backing up with delayed passengers and there is a shortage of seats.

Our original plans were to get to Phoenix around 5:00 (with the time change), rent a car and then eat dinner with Kathy's cousin and his wife. We would spend the night with them. We finally left DIA 3 1/2 hours late so we obviously didn't eat supper with them. It was after 9:00 MST when we arrived at their house. We visited for a while and finally I had to go to bed.

The joys of flying-more later.