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?!?

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

Friday evening I got a cab out of dispatch kind of late – a little after 1900 hours, so I had it until about 0700 Saturday morning. I slept most of Saturday, and picked up the Saturday PM cab about 1630. I turned it in Sunday about 0430, went home, took a three hour nap, went to church, went back home, and laid back down about noon. At 1445, my cousin called.

About 25 years ago, my sister LeaAnn (who is seven years older than I am), fought breast cancer to a draw – she survived, but had a mastectomy. About 17 years ago she started an on-again, off-again battle with recurrence. Last April the cancer resurfaced, this time metastasized in her liver, brain, and bones. Friday was her “last” oncology appointment; they did not schedule any more after that.

My cousin (CT) had called to let me know that LeaAnn was at home, on oxygen and pain meds, and resting. I had not planned to go up to Flagstaff to see her before 1445 Sunday afternoon, but ended up going. TMBWitW and MEG stayed home; TMBWitW has month-end closing this week. MEG spent this morning at a friend’s house, and will be there tomorrow and Wednesday. I was at LeaAnn’s house by 1730 Sunday evening. Mom greeted me by looking up at my face (her vision is failing), down at my belly, back up at my face, poking me in the belly and said “Who’s this fat kid?” “Good to see you, too, Mom.”

Another of my sisters (LC) was there with her daughter (ME); I had just missed a niece (CY) and a brother (BK) by an hour or two (they left Flagstaff about the time I left Phoenix), another brother (RC) was still there with his wife (SC) and their daughter (ST), and LeaAnn’s husband (MH) and son (SH) were there. Mom, RC and his family left shortly after I got there. I went in and said hi to LeaAnn, and talked briefly – just long enough to realize that she was in and out of lucidity and the pain meds weren’t keeping her 100% free of pain yet.

I spent the night at her house. This morning LC and ME headed to Tucson to pick up a few things; LC is picking up my third sister, AW, at the airport tonight (flying in from Ohio) and then heading back to Tucson. They will be going back up to Flagstaff Tuesday morning, I will be catching a ride with them. ME is headed back to school and midterms and may rejoin the group later. My older brother, DC, lives in Salt Lake City and may not be able to get down here; he’s been out of work and eating up the savings for a few months now. LC and AW will be coming back through Phoenix late Wednesday evening, and will be dropping me off then. For those keeping track, I may not be active this week until Thursday’s Round Up and Update.

LeaAnn is a fighter. She beat cancer before, and she has not quit fighting. The treatments are not affecting the cancer anymore, but she is still fighting. Right now, cancer has the upper hand, but with God all things are possible. I’m not saying she will be healed, but I’m not saying she won’t. It is His will, not ours. After all the treatments, she looks so tiny.

This morning I talked to LeaAnn again before coming home. She asked what day it was, and I told her it was Monday, September 29, 2008. She said she needed to get up soon because she had to get to work tomorrow. Then she told me that if she said she was tired and needed a nap, it was because she was tired and needed a nap. She wanted to make sure of the date, because she thought it was Tuesday, sometime in June.

I said “No, it’s Monday, September 29.”

“Oh” she said. She seemed puzzled at the date.

I kissed her forehead. “I love you, LeaAnn.”

LeaAnn said, “I love you, too, Cary.”

I got to see my sister today.

Are You Wearing Red?

Today on The O Word we talked about my vacation being over, water temperatures, shaving (shaving?), the Post Turtle appearing on Snopes (along with the obvious leftist bent of snopes.com), the Federal Bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, “Chasing” WaMu, To Debate or Not to Debate?, The Political Ten Commandments courtesy of Richard and how the Diamondbacks have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Big thank-you to prying1, Gawfer, Candelo, and Rosee for stopping by during the show.

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!

Yes, a whole week (plus!) without putting thought to keyboard (because pen to paper doesn’t work in this setup) and my mind is whirling with thousands of things to write about.

Unfortunately, they are all dated and of no consequence, so they won’t see the light of day.

I will say this: We (the United States) have enough untapped oil deposits to be free from foreign energy, when combined with alternative forms of energy. Like, walking and riding bikes and sharing the rides you do have to make. Selfish buggers. I’m talking to you, Phoenix. Hundreds of miles of freeways and surface streets, and still we have more people driving solo than sharing rides. Oh, and whining about fuel costs. Here, in one of the few areas of the country that was not affected by Ike’s price increases. Selfish buggers.

I will also say that Obama has finally seen the light, and is trying to slam Palin’s door shut. Tough noogies, Barry. There are still a few things you haven’t shared with the US as a whole that need to be cleared up. Like, a paper copy of your birth certificate. Records from your college time. Lists of clients, cases, and whatnot from your time as a lawyer. What, exactly, a community organizer in Chicago does. Why ACORN plays such a big part in your life. Why Bill Ayers, an unrepentant domestic terrorist, is one of your biggest fans. And, why does the entire muslim world want you to be our next president, if you aren’t muslim?

On with updates of a personal nature:
Custom woodworking isn’t paying the bills. I’ve actually lost money this year. So, I’m driving a cab two nights a week to help make ends meet.
Speaking of custom woodworking, I have a project to do. I need to make a storage case for an item that measures 8 3/8″ long by 6 1/4″ deep by 4 1/4″ high. It will incorporate a picture frame, a brass plaque, fancy footwork and a hinged lid. It will hold Logan’s ashes.
MEG still misses Logan, as do the other dogs. All five of them (MEG and the four dogs) wander around at times; MEG calling for Logey Ogey, the dogs sniffing the places he normally laid. Sara seems to be especially lonely, since the two of them would often lay together at night.

Life, however, goes on. I need to go run some errands. I will swing through the blogroll later today, and drop comments where appropriate. It’s good to be back, and I will try to keep all three of my regular readers entertained whilst I continue to ramble. With the cab, I should have some good stories. Like Saturday evening, when ASU got handed their butts on their home field, and I was sitting in Tempe traffic when they got their one and only touchdown, and I had forgotten that they tend to celebrate those things with fireworks…

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!