fat suitcase

this is emma and david at the airport, 5:34 am and ready to go into the terminal...
and re-pack her suitcases

(they didnt know this at the time this photo was taken-i am sure the smiles went away).

one weighed in at 73.5 lbs, the other was a slim 50.5 lbs.

just so you know, any of you continental travelers out there...they wont take a suitcase

which weighs more than 70 lbs.

period.

so...all of a sudden she was very grateful hunter lovingly

lent her his backpack from 8th grade

(boy goo on the inside and red boy graffiti on the front pocket).

so now, she is hand carrying four bars of soap, make-up remover pads and a

bunch of other necessary heavy items in hunter's handy, well worn jansport backpack.

AND, just so you know, if you are over in weight, it will cost ya.

100 bucks to be exact.

so better bring your credit card with the big limit too.

and this is what we experienced on the way back home...

and this is what i experienced when i walked into her room.

lucky me.

miss her already.

the new 85

so i saw this photo on my sister's snapfish account (cute photos, btw, melissa),

and couldnt help but pause and look lovingly at all these wonderful people pictured here.

we have known them for years, even before i was born.

we vacationed at lake powell and lake mead together every year, rode motorcycles in the desert, explored rural palm springs and joshua tree in the 70's, allowed to hang our feet out of the open camper door as we meandered through colorado's lush canyon roads,

and always spent new years celebrating with them playing games

and waiting for midnight to come

(and they still carry on that tradition) rotating between homes every year.

between the 3 families, there were 13 kids, i think.

all of us like brothers and sisters to each other.

i have so many fond, happy memories of spending time

with these wonderful people

(i could write multiple posts about our adventures)-now in their mid to late eighties

(i know, can you believe it?),

and still very active, vibrant people.

an example to all of us how to be, and how to live life.

i better start taking ginko biloba.

melancholy morning

sometimes toby looks sad.

sometimes he looks as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

today i am feeling it too.

some sort of anti-anxiety, anti-depression

drug is sounding really good about now.

ughh.