5:15 a.m.
We got up and did our morning thing in preparation for Mirek and Hana’s departure.

6:30 a.m.
We packed up the Trooper and drove to Hageman’s Bakery across 7th Street. Mirek had two bacon and cheese croissants and Hana and one ham and cheese croissant. They both had coffee. Anne and I each had a peach muffin and milk. We talked a little with the guy who runs the place. He had spoken with Mirek and Hana on their first morning here, and now again on their last. He asked them what they thought was the best part of their trip. Mirek said, “The buffalo.”

6:50 a.m.
We finished our breakfast and headed out toward the airport.

7:30 a.m.
We reached the airport and found a parking place in the short term parking area near Terminal Two. We carried their bags into the terminal and went down to the Delta check-in area. A worker there told us that we needed to go to the International Passenger line. There really wasn’t much of a line, and we got right in after only a short wait. One of the security guards checks the handles and clasps and other parts of their bags for explosive residue, then he carried the bags over to the check-in counter. Mirek and Hana had to show their passports and without any hassle they got their boarding passes. We did ask the attendant about turning in their visa cards. He told us that they would do that when they boarded the Czech Airlines in New York. As we had suspected. Mirek and Hana did not have seats together, but were instructed to see if they could trade them when they reached their gate.

We walked back upstairs and stood in the security line with them for a few minutes until they reached the point where we could go no further. We hugged each of them goodbye and watched them until we could no longer see them. We thought we saw Hana on the far side of the x-ray machine and metal detector. So, assuming that they were on their way, we left and drove home.

Anne had planned on working half a day, but had called Sam (her boss) the evening before and canceled that. We spent the rest of the day doing chores around the house, putting away the bags and clothes, doing laundry, and catching up on some recorded TV programs.

We got lazy and ordered Dominos Pizza for dinner, with the usual buffalo wings.