If you hadn't guessed by now, we just got back from a short trip to Tennessee to visit with our friends Tara, Don, Burke & Cassidy. Melody and I had mostly great travel - a delayed flight, some uncomfortable turbulence, things you expect when traveling. It's been a while since I flew last, and I had forgotten about the one thing I really, absolutely, without a doubt, find to be my biggest pet peeve about traveling.

It takes place before you even get on board. In fact, it takes place before you even get to the gate. It's part of the dreaded security check.

TAKING OFF YOUR SHOES

It's disgusting. Why is this considered sanitary? We have paper seat covers to protect us from the incredibly unlikely chance of contracting a disease from the toilet and antibacterial soap to wash our hands. There are trash cans by the bathroom doors so we can open them with a paper towel and then not litter. We sneeze into our elbows and most grocery stores offer handiwipes so you don't have to touch other people's cooties left behind on the shopping cart. We are an extremely germ-phobic society.

Yet thousands of people every day walk bare- or sock-footed across the marble and tile floors of airports across America and no one has raised a question about it. I realize the TSA wants to be sure my 3 year old isn't going to light her Dora the Explorer shoes on fire and they are just doing their job, but seriously? First off, a three year old, an infirm granny in a wheelchair and a terrorist all face the same conditions - though at least I was able to carry my toddler and the granny can ride in her wheelchair without touching the floor with her feet.

We risk athlete's foot, hoof and mouth disease, and plantar warts, just to name a few, by walking bare footed across the 10-20 feet of hard marble or tile that is a haven for germs at the airport, not to mention exposure to some of the most foul odors that can cling to a person's feet. Nothing like the smell of a sweaty athletic sock to force you into wakefulness at 6 a.m!

Are we in fact safer for the removal and scanning of our shoes? Since Richard Reid did his dastardly deed several years ago, has anyone been caught with firecrackers in their shoes? Isn't there a better way to do this?

Just the thought of taking off my shoes to traipse across other people's fungus and bacteria laden footprints is a huge deterrant to me traveling again any time soon. At the risk of sounding absurd, when I travel again, I will likely bring wipes and clean socks to change into once I reach the gate.

I have been very busy this past week getting ready for our upcoming vacation to Knoxville, TN. Melody and I will be going to visit Auntie Tara, Uncle Don, Burke & Cassidy for five glorious days of Southern weather, hospitality, Dollywood and hysterical laughing. Hah, and you thought I was going to say historical, didn't you?  

What's that? You think I've been neglecting Notes for that other new blog I have? The recipe one? 

Ummmmm.....

Look! Here's a cute picture of Melody in her new Civil War dress!

I have been doing a lot of baking recently, not just for the Baking Gals organization, but for my new website Gram's Recipe Box. Here's a rundown on what we have been baking.

Operation Baking Gals (Give A Little Support)

4 doz cinnamon sugar cookies

1 pound cake

1 doz cranberry orange scones

These were all shipped to Bruce MacRitchie in Afghanistan, along with a bag of Jolly Ranchers, jelly beans, gum and mints. This round I think I learned that I need to bake less. It need to be less about the quantity and more about the quality. Next round I think I'm going to make cookies OR brownies, but not both.

Gram's Recipe Box

Coffee Cake

Applesauce Cake

Chocolate Syrup

Coffee Cake (again)

The fun of these recipes is sometiimes figuring out exactly what she was thinking or how things were supposed to go together. I made one coffee cake that didn't bake right because I put it in the wrong kind of pan. You might never think that the type of pan is just as important as what goes into it! The cake tasted very good, but I wish I had thought about that a little bit more.

Round 18 is open on Baking Gals, and I encourage you to join up if you can. This is the time of year they need us most, because the holiday season is past us and people are not in the "spread the love" sort of feeling. With Independence Day coming up in a few months, this is a great time to heat up your patriotic cookie recipes. :-)

This is my preschool class picture. I think I must have disliked the boy in the front row middle because I have an unpleasant association when I look at his picture. Poor kid. We wore our nametags upside down so the teachers could read them when they looked over our shoulder. Two girls in the front row have an extra tag, shaped like a hand. I believe this was rotational and stood for "helping hand" and was given to the kids who were particularly helpful or something. It's been a long time ago, I can't quite remember!

Some time ago I read in the paper that the United States Navy was planning on commissioning a new guided missile destroyer here in Seal Beach, the first commissioning at Seal Beach ever. I clicked the link for more info and sent in my name. I thought it would be really neat to take my Dad to see this piece of history, then I sort of forgot about it. Well, some time in January or early February, I got the official invitation and up to 6 RSVPs. Well, you know me, I sent in for all 6 tickets, called my family, and we made plans to go!

Fast forward to the week before the commissioning. John has been working like a dog lately and really wanted a day off - totally understandable. My sister thought her friend Dianna might enjoy it, so I invited her in John's place. Our party would consist of Gramma and Papa, Auntie, Dianna, Mom and Melody. Gramma and Papa were staying with us that week and we made our plans in eager anticipation. Then the weather forecast predicted rain. Lots of rain. If it rained, not only would it be uncomfortable and unfortunate, my parents felt they could not go and sit in the rain. I can't say as I blamed them. We watched the weather almost hourly and on Friday night they said if it wasn't raining in the morning, they would go.

We all went and were prepared for a downpour with 5 umbrellas for the six of us and two of those umbrellas were large sized ones. There was a bit of rain, nothing heavier than a shower, which lasted on and off for about an hour. The Dewey was beautiful in her bunting and flags. The Navy band serenaded us when it wasn't raining, and the crowd was robust in spite of the weather. Melody was fascinated with everything, from the flags they handed out to the big ship in front of us! 

Right before the speeches started, at about 10:58, the sky cleared and there was no more rain for the rest of the day. We could not have asked for more! The various speakers were not long winded and in fact gave interesting and inspirational speeches. Most impressive was the moment the ship sponsor called the crew to "bring her to life" and take all operations on line. Seeming from out of no where, sharply dressed sailors in their black uniforms, white hats and gloves, ran past the audience and onto the ship. They lined the rails, outlined against the blue-gray sky, like sentinels guarding the castle. When they were called to attention, every man and woman snapped sharply to salute as one person. It was a display of military precision I had never before had the honor to witness, and I was proud to be present for it.

Of course, it occurred to me that any one of those sailors could one day be a recipient of one of my care packages. The most recent recipient was from DDG 93, and most people don't know that many of the early forces in Afghanistan and Iraq were Navy men and women. The moment of commissioning was for me, a validation of all we are fighting for and all I do to let our troops know we wish them a safe and speedy return home.

There are photos in the gallery, courtesy of Auntie Kat, and here's another little clip of Melody being cute.