Friday, October 3, 2008. After picking up my brother from Phoenix Sky Harbor, we met TMBWitW and MEG at My Mother’s Restaurant for lunch. My brother and I then motored north to Flagstaff for LeaAnn’s service.

On the way north, interstate 17 passes through the Verde River Valley (the area is also known as Verde Valley, or Camp Verde – Gawfer, you know the area I’m talking about!). Going north into Verde, the interstate goes down a long and winding grade. The speed limit drops to 65 mph there, and I usually just drift on down with the car in gear, letting the motor take care of the speed. This time, however…

My brother and I had been talking, and the cruise was set between 75 and 77 mph. Dropping over the top of the grade, and easing down, the traffic as very light and the conversation was steady – not involved, but steady, if you see the difference. The car didn’t build up a LOT of speed, but by the time the grade flattened out, the speedometer was reading 82 as I flashed past the trooper sitting in the median.

Yup, got pulled over, as I should have been. We were slowing for the exit, to get sodas for the rest of the trip, and the tropper pulled onto the exit behind us, and gave us a light show.

I had my license and the car registration out, ready for him, when he introduced himself. He also asked for proof of insurance, and I couldn’t find the current card – but I did have to look through all the previous cards to make sure I didn’t have the current one (he even asked to see some of the previous ones).

“Mr. Cartter, the reason I stopped you was because radar clocked you at 82 miles per hour at the bottom of the hill. Now, the 75 mph zone doesn’t start up until another hundred yards or so beyond where I was sitting, but even in the 75 zone 82 is a bit fast. Now, if you will just wait right here while I run your information through the computer to make sure no one else wants to talk to you, I’ll be right back.”

My brother and I sat there and chatted about previous tickets we had gotten (believe it or not, we were kinda wild in our youth) until I saw the trooper headed back to my window with – could it be? thank you, Lord! – a clipboard in his hand.

“Mr. Cartter, I checked with the fifty states and you are not wanted in any of them…”

“Thanks for not checking the other seven…” slipped out before I could stop myself.

“…and two points for the Obama reference” he continued with a slight grin. “I have written a warning for you, to watch your speed and make sure you get a current copy of your insurance card in the vehicle. You never know when you’ll need it.”

My surprise was written all over my face, and I said “Thank you for the warning. I do apologize, I was talking to my brother, down from Salt Lake, and we were headed to our sister’s funeral.” I signed the warning, he gave me a copy, and we continued to the convenience store to get a couple of cokes.

When we got back in the car, I looked at the warning. The nice trooper had written it for 80 in a 75. What a wonderful example of God’s Grace, I thought. I deserved a ticket, I was waiting for the ticket, and instead I received a warning.

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

222?!?

Blogrolling.com seems to have taken a major dump. For now, I’ve been going back through my Updates to try to salvage some of my connections. If you know that you are on my blogroll, and you don’t see your site listed here, please let me know, so I can continue rebuilding. I’d hate to lose contact with you:

A Sense of Place
http://senseofplace63.blogspot.com/
Akinoluna
http://akinoluna.blogspot.com
Amazed In His Presence
http://standingingrace.blogspot.com/
Amboy Times
http://amboytimes.typepad.com/the_amboy_times/
American and Proud Of It
http://americanandproud.net/
An Old Broad’s Ramblings
http://olbroad.com/
At The Water
http://richard-atthewater.blogspot.com/
Autorotate’s Flying Circus
http://autorotatesflyingcircus.blogspot.com/
Blackfive
http://blackfive.net/main/
Bloviating Zeppelin
http://bloviatingzeppelin.blogspot.com/
Blue Hour Photo
http://blog.bluehourphoto.com
Bottom Line Up Front
http://amyproctor.squarespace.com/
Carried By Christ
http://carriedbychrist.blogspot.com/
Charming, Just Charming
http://charmingjustcharming.blogspot.com
Conservative Intelligence Report
http://ci-report.blogspot.com/
cookiecrumbexpress
http://cookiecrumbexpress.com/blog/
Do The Right Thing
http://dotherightthing-cyberpastor.blogspot.com/
Dumb Looks Still Free
http://ajacksonian.blogspot.com/
Eject! Eject! Eject!
http://ejectejecteject.com
EvolutionRight
http://evolutionright.blogspot.com/
Fire of Liberty
http://fireofliberty.blogspot.com
Fix 4 RSO
http://fix4rso.com
Fraud. Phishing, and Financial Misdeeds
http://fraudwar.blogspot.com/
Gateway Pundit
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/
Gawfer
http://gawfer.net
Gunny Goes Geocaching
http://gunnycache.blogspot.com/
Improv Everywhere
http://improveverywhere.com/
Jenn of the Jungle
http://takeastandagainstliberals.blogspot.com
Lima Lima Mike Foxtrot
http://limalimamikefoxtrot.com/
Lubbock Marine Parents
http://lubbockmarineparents.blogspot.com/
Mail Call! Supporting The Troops
http://kasee60.blogspot.com/
Mary’s World
http://marysworld411.blogspot.com
Old Soldier
http://grandpa-oldsoldier.blogspot.com/
One in a Row
http://one-in-a-row.blogspot.com
One Loon’s Tale
http://oneloonstales.blogspot.com/
Pitchpull
http://pitchpull.blogspot.com
Point of View
http://DeaRitt13.blogspot.com
Political Pistachio
http://politicalpistachio.blogspot.com/
Prying 1
http://prying1.blogspot.com
RattlerGator Blog
http://rattlergator.typepad.com/rattlergator/
Right Turn – Your Turn
http://rightturnyourturn.blogspot.com/
Samantha Speaks
http://honeyandlace.blogspot.com/
Scotwise
http://scotwise.blogspot.com/
Seaspook
http://seaspook.blogspot.com
Shootists’ Scribblings
http://twoshootists.blogspot.com/
Some Things Just Need To Be Said
http://ablursspot.blogspot.com/
Sovereign Joy
http://oursovereignjoy.blogspot.com/
Sues Views
http://suesviews2.blogspot.com/
Sugar Cat
http://livinglifetoitsfullest.blogspot.com/
Texas Fred’s
http://texasfred.net/
The American Apologist
http://americanapologist.com/
The Andrew Tallman Show
http://andrewtallmanshow.blogspot.com/
the BLOG
http://cube47.blogspot.com
The Bull Speaks!
http://thebullspeaks.com
The Notebored
http://notebored.com/board
The Obama Nation
http://barakobamanation.blogspot.com/
The Old Right Daily
http://regularron.wordpress.com/
The Patriot Man 1787
http://thepatriotman1787.blogspot.com
The Roland Blog
http://rgroland.blogspot.com/
The Sandgram
http://thesandgram.com/
The “Religion of Peace” website
http://thereligionofpeace.com
Think Passion
http://thinkpassion.blogspot.com/
Third Wave Dave
http://thirdwavedave.blogspot.com/
This Is Stoke Newington
http://thisisstokenewington.wordpress.com/
TJ’s Anti-Contrarian Blog
http://anti-contrarian.blogspot.com/
Warriors for Innocence
http://warriorsforinnocence.org/
Wear Red on Friday!
http://wearredonfridays.blogspot.com/
Write on the Right
http://writeontheright.blogspot.com/

Also, if you see your site here, and don’t want to be on my list, then by all means let me know that, so you can be removed.

I realize it is a free service (at least, at the level I was involved) but I really need an alternative. Anyone?

Today on The O Word: AIG’s spending habits – with YOUR MONEY, How to gain the attention of the FBI by using someone’s full name (Barack Hussein Obama) – Where are the dollars going in the bailout? – Private jet passengers next on the list to be screened – speaking of Obama, this video has some interesting information – prying1, Gawfer, and AnnieB make huge contributions.

Remember I told you that I had scraped my leg on a couple of screws on Tuesday?

Oh, sorry – I should have warned you.

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, listen to The O Word on BlogTalkRadio, Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

218

Short way around – please visit the blogroll at the top of the Blogroll Page.

Today, I sing the praises (well-deserved) of my wife, TMBWitW.

While I was traveling back and forth to Flagstaff, she was going through end-of-month and end-of-quarter hoops as an accountant. Not being an accountant myself, I don’t pretend to know all that she does, but it involves closing books and balancing doo-dads, widgets, and recons. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of last week she worked half-days, so that MEG would’nt have to be away from home ALL day. Thursday, TMBWitW delayed going in until after the radiator was in so I wouldn’t have to try to corral MEG while I was under the QX4. Friday TMBWitW took the day off.

Monday and Tuesday, TMBWitW also took the days off so that I would be able to help my church build the play structure in the new kid’s play area. In the process, I managed to break through a ladder rung and scrape the heck out of my right outer shin with two deck screws. That’s gonna leave a mark.

I cannot express my gratitude enough to my lovely wife for the love, support, and concern she has shown me – first, the entire time we’ve been married, and second, especially this past couple of months. She has really been hit hard by Logan, and now the loss of a sister-in-law; through it all she has managed to help me get through the same losses.

(private note to my wife: I love you!)

217

Where did I leave off? Oh, yeah – I brought you up to date as of Monday, 9/29, and then a brief bit on Wednesday.

Monday I drove home, and TMBWitW, MEG and I went to dinner. Kind of somber, with the overtones of my sister hanging in the air. I knew it was serious, but I didn’t know how serious.

Tuesday morning, my sisters LC and AW picked me up at the church property, where I had left MEG with the pastor’s wife. We got up to Flagstaff about noonish, just in time to say hi to LeaAnn and grab a bite to eat. I showed LeaAnn the latest picture of MEG, and told her that she was looking forward to meeting her Aunt Yannie very soon. We spent the afternoon talking, playing cards, and visiting with LeaAnn (“visiting” being an active word, since the visitor would do the talking, as suggested by the wonderful Hospice nurse); once LeaAnn’s best friend Sandy came in, the visits stopped for a while so that Sandy could finish reading (out loud) the latest novel that LeaAnn was reading when she could no longer hold her head up, much less hold the book.

Tuesday evening, the Hospice nurse went over, once again, the things we should all watch for as LeaAnn went through what Hospice calls “actively dying” – that is, the person will progress through particular stages and certain things can be expected. Afterward, LeaAnn’s other best friend (LeaAnn had a lot of best friends) CJ (no, it’s not another abbreviation, that really is how she is addressed) went over what the contents of LeaAnn’s living will were. LeaAnn wrote the document in 2003, knowing that when the time came her family would not have to make the decisions that were going to need to be made. After going over the living will, CJ stepped outside, for a breath of air she said – and pretty much couldn’t stop crying. I walked over to where she was trying to hide, behind the motor home, and I gave her a big old hug and thanked her for doing what none of us wanted done, for doing what none of wanted to have to be done. I told her she was a true friend, to do this for LeaAnn.

Wednesday morning dawned bright and clear, as it does in Flagstaff at this time of year. Hospice came out, and gave LeaAnn a sponge bath (part of making her comfortable – there is a whole balancing act to work between comfort and consciousness for the patient). Hospice had been trying to get a hospital bed for LeaAnn all week – there wasn’t one available in the Northland. I asked if it was possible to arrange for me to get one while I was in Phoenix on Thursday, and bring it up Friday – the Hospice nurse was very straight forward, and said that most likely LeaAnn would not make it that long. I thanked her for her candor.

Someone – either CY or SC – took Mom into town to get her hair done.

LC and I headed for town to run some errands – she needed to stop by the credit union, we needed to find some music that LeaAnn had specifically requested for her service, there were a couple of ice cream cones at the Dairy Queen with our names on them, my brother has requested some sourdough english muffins for Mom’s breakfast – and we had a 1400 meeting with Kay at Norvel Owens. We were a bit early, but Kay came out and started the proceedings anyway – she was very accommodating and quite pleasant. We had gotten through a good portion of the details, and were talking about when to call Norvel Owens, when LC’s phone rang. It was AW, with the news that LeaAnn had passed. That pretty much solved the question on the timing of calling them.

By the time LC and I made it back out to the house, Hospice had already been there and declared. LC and I brought the rest of the family up to speed on the decisions that needed to be made. N.O. was called, and while we were waiting for them to come out we cleared the way for the stretcher to make it into LeaAnn’s room. A small sewing machine case that was being used as a washstand (non-functional, she does have running water!) needed to be moved, but it couldn’t be picked up at the ends – it was rather fragile. I did a full leg squat, picked it up, and side-stepped it towards the kitchen and set it back down. LC and Mom said I looked very graceful while dancing with a small chest. I replied that I had danced with a few small chests in my time, then said that didn’t come out right…

CY was standing at the pantry, staring down the hall towards LeaAnn’s room, and watching the gentlemen from Norvel Owens working. I turned my niece around, and held her so she couldn’t watch. She was absolutely devastated by the whole thing, and didn’t need to watch LeaAnn leave. A few minutes after LeaAnn left, LC and AW gave me a ride down to Phoenix.

I spent Thursday morning replacing the radiator in the QX4. It was a lot easier than I expected, and I was finished in about an hour and a half.

Friday morning, TMBWitW called in for bereavement leave. My cousin, CT (the one who had called me the previous Sunday) came over to run through Amazing Grace with me. I picked up my older brother, DK, at the airport about 1115 and met TMBWitW and MEG at My Mother’s Restaurant for lunch. From there, DK and I went north. We got out to the house, changed, and headed back into town for the service. All six of us, and Mom, were there. There were several “fifth brother” and “fourth sister” types there, all of whom were a part of our family as we were growing up. LC and I sang Amazing Grace while CT played the piano. There were a lot of memories of LeaAnn, and we celebrated her life.

Back at the house, there was food and goings-on until the wee hours. DK, AW and I had to get up and go pretty early, so we turned in before the night got too old.

We left Flagstaff about 0830, and dropped AW off at the airport about 1045. DK and I went back to my house, where he showered and changed, and then we sat and visited until it was time to get him to the airport for his flight.

And I have been processing the proceedings since then; reading the comments from people I have met on line and realizing that I have something priceless – the support of friends.

Thank you, all, for the thoughts and prayers and well-wishes.