**Just to prove I'm back, here's a long letter to update all who have been on the lookout for my return!**

I'm back.... it's just geography for right now, got a lot of crap on my mind after returning from "vacation".

My mom turned 90! quiet party -- [what! what do you mean they don't sell booze on sunday?]

Always hoped I'd make it to my g=pa's age, 101. Can't believe she's 90..... Some want me to move there - middle of nowhere - but I'd be worried about making it to 50 there, let alone 101... that place just zaps the life and fun right out of me.

I had to tell my mom goodbye last night. I read to her one last time - had been doing her bedtime reading all this week, and then had to tell her goodbye because my sister didn't think we'd have time in the morning.... and of course my mom was pretty sad, lying in the dark in her bed, trying not to cry, trying to sleep, not wanting me to leave....



I stayed up til 3AM - going around her old house, trying to pack and think. They want me to take home as much as possible everytime I visit.... house will be sold someday. We have so many memories - photos dating back to the 1800's, there has been no shortage of film in our lifetimes! lots of artwork by the four kids, all the crafts that we've made, going thru mom's jewelry box trying to divide things up... she's not dying, but trying to unload a lifetime of things. All the gifts she's recieved, knicknacks and various items of my grandparents she and her sisters divided up.... just so much stuff and thoughts and memories. Only so much will fit in my suitcases, too! And, I keep bringing home a piles of old photos to film and scan to preserve digitally... that will take a lifetime to organize!



I'd like to see my mom more often, but me - moving there?! I've got a house, and good paying job with great benefits, 3+weeks of vacation, and I live where opportunities abound, and I am not happy or comfortable in that location - not just the location, but the people - some of which I'm related to! ;-(

After my 3 hour nap and locking the suitcases, I asked my sister to just swing on by my mom's assisted living home, 5 minutes away... I went in quickly, and actually woke her up and gave her a better goodbye hug - hopefully she felt a little better.




The flight back was a nightmare. We were supposed to leave at 8:45 AM and we didn't leave until about 6:30PM... we were all boarded, they started the whole safety routine and then we found one of our tires was a little low.... that turned into needing a tire, then it was a pair of tires, that had to be flown in from Phoenix... only to find out - they didn't have the right tool to put the tires on! WHAT?!!!



The tires came, the mechanics milled around the tarmac staring at them, sitting on them.... the pilot was on the tarmac asking what was going on, the stews were out there, the ticket agents.... everyone was present but the damn tool! The mechanics actually came up to the passenger gate area to ask some guys that apparently work for Boeing (airplane manufacturer), even tho the plane was a Canadian jet, if they might have that tool - of course they had a few, and an agent called her ex-husband and he had one someone was prepared to go get.... finally a mechanic
that had left to find the tool hours before, returned -- with the tool! 5 men put those 2 tires on pretty quick only to stare at them another half hour or so... brakes? hydraulics maybe?

I went thru security screening four times - my sister came and brought a picnic lunch for me, and spent some more time with me - my mom said she wouldn't come out because she didn't think we'd have much time... ha! that was at 10:15AM I called them.... little did we know I'd have about 8 hours!

I missed picking up my "kids" from the boarding facility - so that's another day I had to pay for, plus parking fees for another day.... missed time for everything, already had appointments for tomorrow morning and will be delayed by picking up the pets...

my neck hurts, my feet are aching, my groceries, ha! they've melted by now! wah, wah, wah!

but thanks for the notes while I was gone! I missed the friendship and sanity - did I say sanity? yes! you all are the medicine I need....

hope to be chopping soon!

Whimsea

Since I have a slight case of mania today I will be the first to answer you. I did wonder where you had gotton off to and I did not know you were visiting and away. I just thought you'd taken a chop vacation or worse left in disgust. But glad to see you back and missing your monkey avatar and your funny comments. Just where in heck did you go off to anyway, from the description it sounds like the edge of nowhere but it could be Chicago for all I know. Anyways nice to be home eh?

ok dude i skimmed thru the whole text thing but didn't read all lol i'm just lazy sounds crazy and i'm glad your back to chopp'n i too as manic says miss your funny chops and crazy comments

who the hell are you?

oscar... I believe there is a answer in the "Poll" just for you!

manic & nogood.... thanks! the monkey and I have missed you, too! I was stuck in a small town just outside of Wichita, Kansas.... no car, no computer, only a borrowed cell phone from time to time and, of course, no photoshoppin', PSC or fun, silly people!

wow! was this your vacation? If so, you are going to need a vacation to get over your vacation. Saying good bye is always too sad! Nice to have you back though!

ohh thanks

coolness welcome back

We know you were in Hollywood at that very expensive PSC rehab center with all those movie stars. Or was it that you were away for an expensive face lift. Or just across the pond vacationing in Europe?
I'm from the National Enquire and Enquiring minds want to know the truth, so we say. But any form of fiction will do!

Welcome back to this little island of insanity. Surfs up so get choppin' Dudette!!

Why does your mother get hugs and kisses when you say goodbye and we don't? I didn't even know you went on vacation. If you're going to be a part of PSC, please do a better job of communicating and delving out the hugs and kisses.

...and a damn postal card...? ur mum didnt teach to write postal cards huh ?

The town was so small

sorry TAdams & Micose (and any others who felt left out) I PM'd those that I communicate with on an often basis to let them know I'd be AWOL for a while...

but please know - you all were in my thoughts and I spoke of you often. Mom and my sister think it's pretty 'neat' to have this community of artists, all over the world, that can get together, talk and have fun. I spoke of your names, locations, entries and fun games... we even played the Name Game several evenings! It is a great game for someone who remembers so very much and can hardly see - just have to think, which is a good thing to keep doing when you're aging!

so while I was gone - you were not forgotten!

and here's some 'I'm home' hugs for you!

also - only had access to a computer/internet for the first couple days...

WELL IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME. DO YOU KNOW THE WORRYING I HAVE BEEN DOING. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST COME AND GO WITH NOT EVEN THE THOUGHT OF GOOD BYE OR HELLO. ME AND YOUR MOTHER.......wwhhooooaaa.....shit for a second i sounded like my dad!

glad ya back from B.F.E. and if its any help......i'll ship sunshine your way. HELL i am from the country. You blink and youll miss this suckhole of the south i live in. On the up side they do have bellsouth and dish sat. So they meet my two requirements in this world. COMMUNICATION......ENTERTAINMENT. in that order.

Hey here is a great idea.....get a medal detector while ya there. Trust me the earphones drown out the hulligans....you'll be in the middle of the world and are only focused on about 5 feet a time.

do what you feel is right in your heart the rest will just have to work out.

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAA whimsea the blind monkey with add-a-tude is back.