Texas Pride

One of the first things I noticed when we moved to Colorado was the lack of the state flag being flown everywhere.  Also, not everything was painted in Colorado flag colors.  What's up with that?

Maybe Texans take it a little far?

I never see the outline of the state of CO on signs.

Have you ever seen a barn painted like the CO state flag?

This was just the first one I got a picture of out the car window with Gunner zooming by.  We must have passed about a dozen or more.

Then there are storage barns.

There were signs.

And more signs...

There were tons of signs.  If signs aren't your thing, you can have a planter.

Or a mailbox.  Or a windmill.  Or almost anything else you can think of.

Flags in almost every town.

If you want to decorate your bathroom, rest assured that you can get a Texas shower curtain, and matching towels, toothbrush holder, etc., at your local Walmart.

Are there other states that go to the extremes to show their state pride?  But, hey, don't call these people freaks, as I grew up in Texas (although I was born in Australia!).  

Deployment Question #24--We have a date

We finally got an "official" date.  After 4 previous deployments, I know this will change a day or two, but it always makes it a little more real to me.

Of course we are in Texas and Gunner is in Colorado.  Our time is limited, but we have a lot of 100% together 24/7 time coming up.  (I'm thinking with no showers available for a week of that time, we may not want to be close together!)

Even though I knew it was coming, just seeing the orders, hearing the date, kind of gives me a sick feeling.  I knew it was coming, but now I know it is here.

We'll be okay, but don't you have that little "I can't believe this is happening to me again" feeling once they cut orders?

Grandma's Bill

I think my mom is keeping a running tab for Abs.

Would it start with the $15 worth of liquid bandaid that she poured into the toilet?  Box and all.  Em caught her and made her scoop it out.

Hopefully there won't be a $300 toilet repair bill from that episode.

The $3 bag of chips she hid under the bed and devoured?  

Thank goodness my mom buys plants off the dead plant table at Loew's, because the 25 cent plant that my mom managed to make flourish is now without flowers because Abs picked them all and delivered them to the neighbors.  

Abs wandered off today and managed to find.....tar.  What would any 9 year old girl do with it?

Maybe my mom should charge $5 for the oil that was used to clean her up?  Thank goodness she buys in bulk!  

Time with Abs is priceless.....or at least I am trying hard to convince Grandma of that!

Still here

I can't get online with my laptop at my mom's.  Ugh.

I did an Olympic Distance triathlon today.  Loved it.  My brother did it too, and I've already told him we need to do it again next year.  I drank too much on the bike, and with the heat and the sloshing in my tummy, I puked on the run.  It was real pretty.  Learned my lesson though.  My first time wearing a wetsuit, and it makes a HUGE difference on the swim.  

It is so hot here.  I miss Colorado.  Gunner is already back there with the RV (woohoo for the shower!) and Sammy.  I miss that little pink headed cockapoo.

Hopefully I can get my laptop online soon, but I am sure it will require a phone call to customer service.  Double ugh.

P.S.  I can breathe here, which is nice.  :)  We live at an altitude of over 6500 feet and I think my mom is at 850 feet.  HUGE difference.  The heat will kill you though!