When I first met David he wasn’t what I expected.

David was president of the Port Charlotte Kayak Club. My friend Jeanne and I were thinking about switching kayak clubs and we needed more information to compare clubs.

When I had an early morning eye doctor’s appointment in Port Charlotte I called David to see if he could meet with me to detail the offerings of his club.

“I’m very busy,” he said, “I can only give you a few minutes.”

To tell the truth, he sounded like a grouch. An old grouch.

I joked with him that I would buy him a cup of coffee, and if he was nice, I would even share my asiago bagel with him.

I got to the coffee shop first and waited for “the old grouch” to arrive.

Instead, this good-looking guy with laugh lines around his dancing blue eyes gave me a welcoming hug.

Talk about the unexpected.

Instead of the three minutes he promised me, we talked for three hours and couldn’t stop smiling at each other. I was delighted to find someone who loves the outdoors as much as I do.

When we parted he asked if I wanted to go kayaking or biking with him. We agreed we would do both.

That night he sent me what is now his infamous e-mail with all of three words: “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

Two years later David and I were married and I soon learned “cautiously optimistic”was high praise from him.

I, on the other hand, am like the song from South Pacific, “Cockeyed Optimist.”

I’m high on life, brimming with optimism. Not much can get me down, and when it does, I’m like a dog shaking off water. One shake and I’m back to my happy state.

I tend to see the beauty in every day.

In our 12 years of marriage, David and I enhance our relationship with differing gifts.

David’s gift is his unshakable steadiness. He never gets unduly excited or alarmed. He always stays calm and works through any problem. I can see why he was a good pilot.

My best gift to him is probably my upbeat personality. And yes, my cockeyed optimism.

Our conversation this morning is a good example our differing views.

When we were trying to decide how to spend the day, he looked outside and declared the weather was going to be dismal.

I had just come back from my morning walk and said the weather was perfect. It had cooled down a bit from our 93 degree days and the breeze felt great.

“It’s overcast and skies are gray. They’re calling for rain later this afternoon,” David said.

“But right now it’s perfect,” I insisted.

David said, OK, let’s just agree to disagree.

In general, I am far more upbeat than David is. I’m usually feeling joyful and I want to share it with him.

On the other hand, when I have a problem, he’s good at taking my worries down a notch or two.

This week, as I prepare to fly to Maine to see my family, my optimism I deserting, me.

I made a major mistake when I booked my flight. Unable to get a direct flight, I had to settle for a stop in Washington, D.C.

I just read tips for air travel that said with the turmoil surrounding late flights, the wise passenger should allow at least 2½ hours between connecting flight.

My scheduled layover was 29 minutes. I could never do it. I was in a panic, picturing myself stranded in Washington, D.C., where I know no one.

Plan B was to take a later flight from Washington on the same airline. It was filled.

My daughter came up with plan C. Change my reservation and fly from Fort Myers to Boston. She and daughter Maria would drive to Boston to pick me up there. It’s a direct flight so she said I can stop worrying about connecting flights.

It was unbelievably costly to make the change, and Andrea is putting herself in a position to be doing a lot of driving.

“But now you can stop worrying because you can’t go wrong with a nonstop flight,” Andrea said.

Problem is I had to change my airline to Jet Blue.

That airline canceled or greatly delayed 60% of its flights during April. They said they are working on the problem.

I told my daughters we need another plan for what to do if that flight is canceled and they are sitting in Boston waiting for me.

“What ever happened to your cockeyed optimism? It will be fine. Stop worrying,” Andrea said.

I might be a cockeyed optimist but she’s the Queen of Optimism. And to be frank, sometimes persistently optimistic people can be greatly annoying.

There has to be a bit of realism, too.

More than 1,500 flights have been totally canceled last week and more cancellations are expected during the Fourth of July time frame when I am flying.

But the queen of optimism says not to worry.

Would you worry?

By the time you read this I hope I’m not still sitting in an airport wondering how to get Maine to see my family.

Right now I’m trying to regain my optimism but I still think I need a plan D.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.