013110 No turning back....

This is the rug in Debbie's family room! Everyone else had gone to bed and I was sitting on the couch checking my email and reading posts on Facebook. It was then that I realized I hadn't taken a photo yet for today...so this is the photo I took from the couch! Earlier in the day I'd gotten all ready to go to church and drove out to the church building in Apopka. When I got there the parking lot was totally empty! I figured it must be their Stake Conference, so decided to head back to Debbie's to see how to get to the ward that met at 1:00pm. On the way back to the house I thought I should have taken a photo of that church building and the empty parking lot for my photo of the day....but at this point so late at night, there is no turning back time to capture that photo or any others from this day for that matter! So here it is...Debbie's rug! I love Debbie's rug! Debbie's rug will hold many memories for all of us who spent an awesome weekend with her at her house (including one of the un-named ladies who was apparently playing her own version of Twister on this rug!)!!

013010 Army Moms in Orlando!

Here we are--The Big Girl Panty Brigade!! (except Cheryl Barton who is taking the photo) Back row: Debbie Quinter, Sandy Parson, Diane Ortman, Karen Berry, and me, Front row: Vicki Groll, Debbie Britt, and Vickie Cheek. This is the first time for me to meet Debbie Q, Sandy, Debbie B, and Cheryl, but I'd already met Karen, Vicki, and Vickie in Paducah, Kentucky in September 2006; and Diane and I have met a couple of times for lunch when she's traveled to Livermore from Southern California for her job. We are having an awesome time together and I'm so glad I was able to make this trip!

012910 Our Hostess with the Mostest!

We are here at Debbie's in Orlando, Florida--I can't believe I'm really here!! Debbie is so sweet to open her home to a group of us Army Moms that all met online many years ago! Thank you so much Debbie for letting us all come and hang out together at your house!

012810 Double Duty in Denver

Soooo......on my short layover in Denver I went to use the Ladies' Room, and this is what I saw as I entered! Apparently the airport restrooms have a dual function here in Denver!

012710 Apparently my new favorite store

This is the store where I recently purchased my 3 new pairs of shoes. I say it's apparently my new favorite store because this is the store in town where I suppose I'm going to have to purchase shoes from now on due to my foot problems! I sure hope they have some cute sandals I can wear later in the year because I'm not going to survive if I have to wear socks and closed toed shoes all summer!!!

012610 Speaking of old uniforms......

.......this is my mom's Girl Scout uniform! I found it in the closet along with my old uniforms, and had forgotten I had it. I don't know any details of when she was in Girl Scouts, but I'm guessing she had to be 8 or 10 years old when she wore this. She would have been 8 years old in 1944. The small patch above the pocket on the left is a red rose, and there is a patch on the left arm that says Salt Lake City with the number 27 below it.....Girl Scout Troop 27 in SLC is my guess!

012510 Ulumanu

While packing for my trip to Florida today, Donny brought this in to the bedroom to show me what he had been given by his Infantry squad in Hawaii before he left last June. It's a Polynesian War Club known as an Ulumanu (which means bird or hook). It's 18 1/2" long and 6" at the widest part of the hook. This is what's engraved on the attached piece of wood:

SGT. D. Mathie
For outstanding service and leadership
TEAM X-RAY
1st SQD, 3rd PLT, Cco 1/27 IN

It also came with a little piece of paper that says:

"One of the most effective war clubs found in all of Polynesia. The hook was used to trap arms and legs. The sharp point was used to strike and tear at the temple, stomach or chest. The back of the hook was used to crack at the opponent's skull or to break any bones in the body.
The designs carved on the ulumanu are traditional Polynesian motifs found on tapa and body tattoo."

Pretty gruesome those Polynesian warriors were, I'd say! Pretty cool gift from his squad I'd say too!