My trip north is almost over. Friend DJ continues to loan me his car, so today daughter AE drove her partner KA and me to Bellingham for my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary! It was a happy coincidence that my husband's family decided to celebrate the anniversary on the one weekend I would be in the northwest. It was a happy day with much laughter, talking, and eating. Three-month-old Hayley, the first great-grandchild, was also there--the center of everyone's attention as only a baby can be. And I was happy that I could be there with my two daughters.

Last night we went to a play in Capit0l Hill in Seattle called "God's Ear." Our prime reason for going was that the daughter of friend NM (who was one of my bridesmaids long ago) had a part in it. It was funny and thought-provoking and was about a couple whose son accidently drowned and how they coped afterwards with their surviving daughter. Libby was wonderful in her part. We got to see her after the play, and she was surprised that we had come to this small, bare theater. That was a happy moment for AE, KA, and me to greeted by Libby, a star!

Capitol Hill was also where husband CB and I first lived when we had graduated from college. Until he got a chemistry job, he painted houses and I was a substitute teacher. We moved there because I had a long-term sub job while the teacher I'd student with went on maternity leave. Soon after, CB was trained in Oregon, and later we moved to VA!

I am in Seattle, which is much warmer than Calgary. My good friend DJ picked me up at the airport and now has taken his two dogs for a walk, leaving me with a computer that allows me to log on to my blog--yay! The one that I got to use sometimes in Calgary usually did not let me log on to blog or to make comments, but then there wasn't that much time to spend on the computer, either.

It is much warmer here than it was in Calgary, though not as warm as it currently is in Texas (80s F.). The weather was quite nice for most of my stay in Calgary. What was interesting was that when I arrived the trees were full of bright yellow leaves, but by the time I left, most of the leaves had fallen. Temperatures drastically fell yesterday so that it even lightly snowed, with nothing sticking. Last night it got down to -3 degrees C. (26.6 degrees F.) and was expected to stay around 5-7 degrees C. (41-45 degrees F.) for the rest of the week.

I had a wonderful time and will write about my trip when I return home on October 14 when I can also download some pictures.

DJ and wife TFJ (my friend since high school and who accompanied me to our 40th high school reunion in August) are always gracious and hospitable. DJ is retired, and TFJ still works. DJ has offered his car to me for my entire four days. Although when I told him how much I dislike Palin (when he proudly showed me McCain/Palin posters in his house windows), he teased me and said he didn't know if he'd let me use his car. . . .

So I am driving over to Ballard around noon to meet my daughter AE at her apartment. We'll go out to lunch and spend the day together. I've brought her a book about Canada (Canadians: a Portrait of a Country and Its People by Roy MacGregor, because she is always talking about emigrating there. Though I'm supposed to have dinner with TFJ tonight, I am enticed by a lecture AE told me about that will be at the University of Washington tonight--how religion is affecting this presidential election!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But now at 5 pm, it's 50 degrees, and I'm cold. Maybe I've turned into a "Texan" after all. No lecture for me tonight, so the book may be added to my reading list for the future: The God Strategy: How Religion Became a Political Weapon in America.

This is my third beautiful day in Calgary, where they are experiencing a sudden Indian Summer. The fall leaves, mainly yellow, are magnificent, and it is wonderful to be outside! It has been in the high 70s each day, with cool, cool mornings. I am having a difficult time converting Celsius to Farenheit--husband CB always quickly calculates temps with a complicated formula that I never can remember. Don't tell me here; I don't really want to know. So cousin Margaret has a broken thermometer that has both ways of reading the temperature, and I can cheat by going to look at the scale and choose the corresponding temp.

Being her reminds me of living in RI and NJ, with the fall leaves, tall trees, and two-story houses (not new). The University of Calgary is only a few blocks away, so students with backpacks are always walking by. There are many rooms rented in this neighborhood. In fact, my cousin rents out the basement to a college student.

Margaret's daughter NF, who is living with her while finishing her master's in engineering, left her laptop out on the kitchen table for me this morning. I get up before everyone else, so I am using it while Margaret and NF are still in bed. (I also go to bed much earlier than they do.)

This laptop has been iffy about logging on. I hadn't been able to comment on any blogger blogs or sign in here, until just a few minutes ago. So I thought I'd better grab the chance.

The Canadian Premier debates were on last night at the same time as the v-p debates from the US. So we had two tvs going, so we could each watch our respective country's shows. Go read Fran, the Quaker Agitator, and Angry African, among others for good observations about the debates. All I can say is that Biden convinced me overwhelmingly to vote for him and Obama, even though that was my original intention.

Here's a map of Air Canada routes. If you look way down in Texas for the one red line going northwest, that's the route I'll be flying to Calgary today. I'll be visiting Cousin Margaret and her family for the next nine days; then on October 9, I will fly one of those red paths from Calgary to Seattle! I will be seeing daughter AE and partner KA in Ballard.

I am not sure if Cousin Margaret has a computer at her house; I know she does not communicate via email at all. So I may not be on a computer until I get to Seattle. . . so no blogging until then.

I will return to Corpus Christi, TX on October 14.

Our local newspaper is pretty sad compared to bigger cities'. However, today they printed a letter from a local Navy wife who lives at the Navy Base here. This is a REAL person who has family connections with the military and tells, giving LINKS, of Obama and McCain's history of supporting (or not) military personnel.

Military's support

I am a Navy spouse and a proud member of a Blue Star and Gold Star Family. My husband is a JAG, and my brother-in-law was a pilot and one of three sailors killed in the Navy helicopter crash in January 2008 in Corpus Christi. I am proud to support Barack Obama for president.

Blue Star Families for Obama is a grass-roots movement of military families that has formed a collective voice in support of Obama's comprehensive plan for supporting our troops. We respect John McCain's military service, but his voting record is less than honorable when it comes to supporting our troops and veterans.

Most recently, Obama was a co-sponsor for the brand new GI Bill enacted June 2008, which McCain campaigned against. Obama has an 80 percent overall rating from the Disabled Veterans of America in comparison to McCain's paltry 20 percent. In addition, McCain received a "D" grade from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.iava.org).

If you are surprised by McCain's lack of veteran and military support, visit the Blue Stars Web site at www.bsf4o.com for more info, and join the online community choosing Obama as our new commander in chief.

Michelle Gross

(Corpus Christi Caller Times, September 29, 2008)

As a recipient of this award, there are rules to follow. I have to answer the following questions with one word answers and one word only! Then I must pass it on to seven others!--I already blew the one-word rule, so do what you want!

The questions are as follows:

1. Where is your cell phone?
Amazingly, next to me on the desk.
2. Where is your significant other?
Gone to work on the house he's remodeling two houses down from ours.
3. Your hair color?
Brown and gray.
4. Your mother?
Deceased
5. Your father?
Deceased
6. Your favorite thing?
Books!!
7. Your dream last night?
Being in a doctor's office.
8. Your dream/goal?
Write a book.
9. The room you're in?
Sunroom, which is like a family room.
10. Your hobby?
Blogging
11. Your fear?
Insecurity
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
Home
13. Where were you last night?
Home
14. What you're not?
Unkind
15. One of your wish-list items?
More books. . . .
16. Where you grew up?
Everywhere
17. The last thing you did?
Read the Sunday newspaper.
18. What are you wearing?
What I wore to church: khaki linen skirt and blouse.
19. Your TV?
Off
20. Your pet(s)?
Sleeping
21. Your computer?
OK
22. Your mood?
Content.
23. Missing someone?
Always
24. Your car?
Celery green (though it's "official" name is fancier).
25. Something you're not wearing?
Socks
26. Favorite store?
Container Store
27. Your summer?
HOT!
28. Love someone?
Always
29. Your favorite color?
Green
30. When is the last time you laughed?
Today
31. Last time you cried?
At Joe's funeral.

I nominate the following bloggers:

(This is always hard to do, because so many have already received this award, and I love many, many blogs.)
1. Katherine E. at Meaning and Authenticity, who brought me into the blogging world and into connection with RevGals. She honestly shares her struggles and insights with work, church, politics, and her life. The title of her blog tells what she strives for, ever since I met her at the Spiritual Formation Academy in 2001 BB (Before Blogging).
2. Jiff at An Orientation of Heart, who doesn't blog as frequently as I wish she would. Still, I find each post worth the wait. Jiff has directed me to many books I have appreciated, both concerning spirituality and mysteries, my current craze.
3 & 4. Ellie at Does Not Wisdom Call? which features meditations, quotations, and prayers combined with beautiful art. Ellie has two other blogs, too. She collects great political cartoons, quotes, and news stories at Child of Illusion.
5. Sherry at A Feather Adrift, who brings passion and intelligence to her posts about politics. I always wish I could write as eloquently as she does. And a special bonus is that on Fridays she collects multiple pertinent posts from various blogs of interest, and not just politics--there are even some good recipes!
6. Seething Mom, who expresses the anger and frustration a mother feels about the injustices towards her gay son and the homophobia rampant in the USA. Since I have a gay daughter, I identify with how she writes and wish I could be as vocal!
7. Jaliya at Pushing fifty. . .gently. . . if I can find my glasses, who has a wonderfully eclectic blog. She refers to other blogs and websites that I would never find unless she posted. She has a sense of humor I like and an inquisitive mind!


I appreciate Missy giving me the Brilliant Brilliante award (see sidebar). Selfishly, I'm glad I already received it before, because it's too hard to choose bloggers to honor, especially "new" ones! She said if I'd already gotten it, to give it another person, so I can manage just one more:

Angry African on the Loose, who uses language elegantly to espouse the African philosophy of "UBUNTU"--"I am because you are." He talks family, politics, anything with passion!

On Tuesday I am flying from TX north to AB, Canada!


My cousin (really my mother's cousin) Margaret just called me from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where I am traveling to on Tuesday, September 30. She is graciously planning events for us to attend and was asking how well I can walk and/or climb stairs after my knee arthroscopy. What's also exciting is that she asked her family to celebrate her birthday on October 2 in Bannf! I have always wanted to go to that beautiful area of the Rocky Mountains!