Touchy, Touchy!

Usually when I feel strongly about something, but I know where I stand and don't need agreement from anyone else, I'll just keep to myself about it. I'd rather you think what you think while I think what I think and have all that messy confrontation business avoided. I don't need to try to make you think the way I do because what you think doesn't concern me.

However, when someone's different thinking is going to have a direct impact on my life, I'm going to have to say something. So, here it is...

If you want to "opt out", go ahead. DRIVE YOURSELF or don't travel by air. Don't be holding up my security line because you are afraid the TSA agent is looking at your boobs on the screen or going to touch your crotch in an allegedly inappropriate manner. Or worse, you are trying to make a statement. Make your statement by NOT using the airlines at all. That only punishes the airlines, not the other customers.

I just went on a trip that involved 4 flights one way, and 3 the other. At one of the checkpoints I had to "endure" the pat down. I wasn't wearing another shirt under my hooded sweatshirt, so there wasn't the option of removing it, so the security agent asked if I'd consent to a pat down. Sure, whatever, as long as it doesn't make me miss my flight.

She explained in great detail EXACTLY what she was going to do with the BACKS of her hands, and repeated it on her way. Seriously. I've been groped far more inappropriately by someone who was falling and reached out to steady herself. Maybe she was doing it wrong. Maybe she should have been much more invasive and maybe someone has been and that's what all the ruckus is about. I don't know.

I just know that when you live in the middle of nowhere and you need to get outta town, the last thing you need is someone holding up the line trying to change the world back to "what it use to be". Do that on your own time, please.

Besides, that's more action than I've gotten in, oh...about 7 weeks otherwise! ;) (kidding, babe!)

Caught up to 11/20!

11/15. Kitty watches the sunrise in the morning.

11/16. I know you can't really see it, but this is the first snow I've seen this year. It flurried for a couple of hours, but didn't stick.

11/17. Old photo. This is why we don't have plants in the house.

11/18. self explanatory

11/19. All of a sudden, Beasley thinks anytime the laundryroom door is open she must jump into this laundry basket.

Saturday, 11/20, CAB FRG stuffed 160 stockings for our Soldiers downrange.

Still Catching Up on Photo-a-Day

and up through Nov 14:

Me and my uncle Dale. (taken Christmas 2009), he passed away 11/1.

11/2

11/3 Flying out of Manhattan, KS

11/4 - Me and Baby Kenzie

11/5 Snicker Doodle. At the Baptist Temple church after Uncle Dale's funeral.

11/5 - Also at the church lunch. I love these signs.

11/6 My Aunt Paulette and her friends Judy and Sharron. I took a lot of these, and this one cuts off Sharron's head, but I LOVE that my Aunt Paulette is laughing it up like one can only do with her nearests and dearests.

11/7 Sweet, sweet baby Kenzie!

11/8 Cousin Fun!

11/9 - Photo found of preteen hottie! :)

11/10 Tell tale sign of the valley, the trademark palm tree.

11/11 - Trying on some freaky shoes at the mall.
11/12 - 3 dragonflies

11/13 - Texas Tea at Red Door Airstream night out with the girls!
11/14 - Beer booth at the airport? I can't say I've ever seen that!

At Work

But SO TOTALLY not working. I just can't get in the groove. My only goal today is to clean off my desk. I did clean off my deskTOP on my computer. I just can't really focus. I got to talk to Stephen for a long time on Skype this morning, the longest conversation we have had since he's been gone. (7 weeks today!) We talked about bills and the cat and the FRG and his work and mine and our families, and the weather and I don't even know what else. It really made my week.
Maybe I should think about working. Hhhmmm...oh, it's lunchtime! :)

Me and My Bests.

All three of us 40 years old, just from Nov 4-Nov 18.
This was taken Nov 12, 2010; 20ish years since our first ink.
I love these girls. (That's Jack with us. I don't love him, but he does nice work.)

:)

Catching Up on Photo-a-Day

In my previous life (you know, the other day) I'd have gotten all freaked out because I decided to do this photo-a-day thing and haven't been able to keep up with it for the past couple of weeks. But in my new "I'm being flexible and not so black and white about everything I put on myself to do" life, I'm catching up with what I can when I can. So here are the photos from the last week of October:

10/27 Kitty's new fancy fountain:

10/28 Stretching Kitty:

10/29 Meeting Darryl Worley:

10/30, Brunette:
10/31 Halloween Kitty! She's being scary by sleeping with her eyes open.
I'm working on the first two weeks of November...there will be fewer kitty and Heather pictures, more of what's going on around us!

This Week

I've been in the valley for almost a week visiting with family and helping my aunt take care of some business following the death of my uncle Dale. It's been a wonderful and sad time. It's hard for me to write about. It's kind of hard (but warms my heart) to think about. I just keep thinking about all those summers spent in this house. With the gold 70s carpet, and gold curtains that provided the backdrop for all my cousins event photos. It has changed, been renovated and updated, but it's still that house he came home to every day from work saying, "did we get any mail?"

Hard as it is to form the thoughts into sentences, here are some things that have touched my heart this week:

--Checking off things on the list that we made to get things going with those paperwork chores that must be done with someone passes away. I love feeling like I'm helping.

--Coke floats, a favorite in our family.

--All the kids, my cousins kids filling the house with laughter and youth and innocence.

One of them asking as they were preparing to leave for his Papa Wood. He's only two and knew that this is where he sees Papa Wood, and he didn't want to go without seeing him. One was glued to my side, reminding me of her mama when we were both much younger versions of ourselves. Another reminding me of her mama when she was young and ornery and loving and bold. And the oldest and youngest, just 3 weeks old soft, sweet and cuddly; and 8 yrs old getting wise to the world, saying the Lord's Prayer and blessing his family beyond his years.

--Tears. Some have fallen every day at some point from each of us. Obviously at the memorial. And on the day of arrival. Each time a person came to the house for the first time, they came in tidal waves. Then when each person left for their trip back to their town. Throughout the week comments and gestures and just the little things have brought them on.

--Reminiscing. SO many stories and memories and both good and bad times brought up. So much history.

--Siblings. My dad and his sister. My brother and me. My cousins. My Uncle Dale and his sister Frances. My cousins' other cousins.

--Good friends. My aunt's good friends looking after her. My cousins' friends flying and driving down and loving on them.

Miss you Uncle Dale.