gobble gobble gobble

I had a great visit with my Aunty and Uncles, discovered great pictures from my dad's childhood and history, had no drama or stress, just a blissful speed run up I-5 and back down.

We even made it home in time for The Honey's family gathering, too.

If I could've figured out a way to meet the new baby on Big O's side of the family, four more hours in the opposite direction, I think it would have been the trifecta!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Amazing

I am in awe of anyone who can dance. Let alone En Pointe (SP?).

Seriously, watch this video.

Took us ten years...

Read their names.

On Saturday,
August 6th, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down over Wardak
province, Afghanistan killing 30 United States servicemen. It was the
largest single day loss of life since the war began. Killed were:

U.S. Navy

Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, La.

Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J.
Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.

Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A.
Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Ark.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer
(Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M.
Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31,
of Stamford, Conn.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31,
of Minneapolis, Minn.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston,
35, of West Hyannisport, Mass.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason,
37, of Kansas City, Mo.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills,
35, of Fort Worth, Texas

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer
(Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas
H. Null, 30, of Washington, W.Va.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves,
32, of Shreveport, La.

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson,
34, of Detroit, Mich.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C.
Benson, 28, of Angwin, Calif.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist)
Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.

Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary
Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of
Taylorsville, Utah

Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare
Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.

Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class
(Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 25, of
Philadelphia, Pa.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted
Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C.
Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Fla.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R.
Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D.
Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, Calif.

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P.
Spehar, 24, of Saint Paul, Minn.

U.S. Army

Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. 2nd
Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation
Battalion)

Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. 7th
Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation
Battalion)

Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. 2nd Battalion, 135th
Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash. 7th Battalion, 158th
Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. 7th Battalion, 158th
Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion)

U.S Air Force

Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Fla. 24th Special Tactics Squadron

Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Calif. 24th Special
Tactics Squadron

Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pa. 24th Special Tactics
Squadron

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so
others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them
Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When
There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more
information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here:
http://rightwingrightminded.blogspot.com/2006/08/wednesday-hero-blogroll.html

Still sweet.

Saturday Miss Priss and I had to decide between two activities.

1. There was an Easter egg hunt in the tiny town to the south of us, starting at 11.

(As you may or may not know, I live in the city deemed by Forbes to be the most miserable in America. I now understand why Huntington, Virginia was not thrilled to be advertised as the fattest town in America all over Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, because the most miserable in America? Really? WE are still in California, folks. No blizzards, teeny tiny tornadoes, no humidity, just bone searing heat.)

2. So in defiance, there was a "Stockton is Magnificent" rally on the Miracle Mile--Also slated to begin at 11, and rumors of a flash mob were flying. Little O wanted to know what a flash mob was. I told her that everyone secretly agrees to meet somewhere at a certain time, and then just spontaneously break into dance.
Little O didn't hesitate.
We HAD to got to the flash mob.
Until, as we talked, she figured out that we would be watching OTHER people dance, and then she was all about the egg hunt. The flash mob would only be fun if she were dancing.

We went to the egg hunt, she got her loot, and we agreed it was a good day. We wondered how the flash mob had gone, and she got a little serious and wanted to ask me a question.

When we broke in to dance, would the police know ahead of time, so it was okay? And where would we have broken in?

Oh, my heart. My girl is growing so fast, but every once in a while she reminds me that second grade still has magic.

Brown Pants in Australia

ARGH! So mad. My car is wheezing and gasping on its last legs, and my perfect gift for my gun totin' nevvys is looking dead in the water.

When I sympathize with the kids over their terrible days, I usually end it with "some days are like that" and Miss Priss knows to follow THAT up with "Even in Australia."

The schmucks at CQBCITY could still step up and make things right for me, and Big O has a party to go to tonight, so maybe the day can be salvaged, but my car? Probably imagining all the green in my refund check getting sucked under it's hood as we speak.

Bring me my brown pants!!!!!!

Was this funny to you?

My father outdid himself and threw a surprise birthday party for my mother. I took this poem.

The Honey and I heard this poem a few weeks before,and I thought it was perfect for my mom. We thought it was funny. Apparently,we really needed Billy Collins to read it to them, because no one else did. They thought it was deep, or touching, or even somber. I usually hate poetry, but I like funny. huh.

I'm glad the Honey liked it, too, at any rate.

sigh.

I'm also really hoping my mother snorts at "Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim" on CD. Nobody had "Me Talk Pretty One Day" in stock. When your parents HAVE everything they need or want, gifts are a challenge. ESPECIALLY given that there isn't anything that I could buy for her, I thought the poem was perfect. I looked for a lanyard kit to whip one up for her, too, but no luck. Probably for the best given how well the poem went over. I'd have been cross-eyed from braiding the damned thing and not gotten the laugh.