Diving has been an adventure.  Today I finished my Advanced Open Water certification by doing a deep dive.  I went down to 105 feet.  Not something that I plan on doing often but at least I know I can and what to expect.

We saw some amazing things today.  A Grouper that was at least 60 pounds, a big ray, several lobsters that looked bigger than any I’d ever seen before and a barracuda skimmed right past me.  Thankfully taking no note of my prescence.  

I saw a boat load of folks headed out for a dive, they looked like thay were all straight from the nursing home.  No joke.  It was a definite geriatric boat, some even in wheel chairs.  They were gleefully being pushed into the water and diving.  It really is a sport that can be done by just about everyone.

Have I mentioned that I hate traveling?

I don’t mind driving myself where I can set the pace and go my own speed.  Stopping when I want to, taking pictures of what I want to.  Browsing through local shops and sitting at a small local cafe listening to the farmers talk crops.  I hate traveling where we have to be somewhere at a certain time, we rush to get to the airport to just sit and wait, we wait through airline delays, we travel not for pleasure but for “have-to” reasons.

Yes, I hate that type of travel.

This past week we flew up to Albuquerque and then drove from there to Durango, CO.  One night there, Ken had meetings and then we attended the grand opening of the Mesa Verde visitor’s center.  It was an interesting event, a government “thing”, yet not a govt. thing.  The tribal administrator of the Zia pueblo gave the blessings and wow, it was long.  I just stand respectful through these things but I don’t “participate” as many people do.  He is not praying to God, he’s praying to his god, and we’ve had several discussion about just who his god is, and it’s not Jesus Christ so I have no problem not participating yet many people thought it odd that I would stand and not be in a position of prayer.  Okay folks, that would be like asking an atheist to fold their hands and close their eyes and join in a prayer a Christian offers.  Not something I would do.  Respectful of the folks, okay, participate?  No.  But I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Christian give such a long blessings, it even had the govt. officials shifting from foot to foot.

It was ironic that this blessing was allowed to be offered to a god, but a prayer to the Christian God would not be allowed.  Oh yes, the political correctness of the world.

The big disappointment of the event was that the former Sec. of the Interior was supposed to be there and he didn’t show up.  I was looking forward to telling him that not only was his former boss an idiot but he wasn’t such a bright light himself.  (my CO family would probably understand that one)

The next day it was drive back to Albuquerque, wait at the airport, fly home.

Home today.

And tomorrow we start off again.  But this time to vacation.  Diving in Cozumel.

My first time diving in the ocean.

I am nervous.

Cadence graduated from kindergarten at Trinity Lutheran School last night.  The kids were all cute and adorable and they sang great songs.  I loved it all.

She sang with gusto!

A friend of mine got me hooked up with a blog that is always enjoyable.  I usually don’t become “followers” of blogs but this one finally gave me the incentive to add her so I don’t have to type in the address every time.  I can just click from my blog dashboard.  Anyway…. what would entice me to follow a blog, even a well written one?  A Give-away!  The cutest bunnies ever.  And enjoy the blog too.

Check out the blog, and the bunnies at Soggibottom Giveaway

Are enjoyable.

We went diving this morning.  We are going to Cozumel in a week and thought that it might be advantageous to refresh our memories and diving skills.  It went well but I had a VERY hard time clearing my right ear.  It just did not want to clear (pop) and so it took me forever to get down to level.

Me and my dive buddy. 

Tonight we had a baby shower for Cora and her little “seed.”  She got some really cute things.  It was VERY hard finding bright colored clothing for her baby.  They do not find out the gender of their children before they are born and so you look for something neutral… and that is next to impossible these days.  Since so many people find out the manufacturers focus on specific boy or girl looks.  I did find a couple of cute outfits.  They were made out of bamboo fabric.  They told me it was “fantastic” and would be warm when the baby was cold and cool when the baby was hot.  They are made by Kickee pants.  Quite cute but Hannah informed me it was a grandma only store.  Way too expensive for her to shop at.

The worst part of the day was we got caught in the traffic snarl caused by the Texas Ironman Race.  It took us 40 minutes to move 1 mile.

My wedding day.

35 years ago.

It’s been a good 35 years.

I joined Xanga on April 1, 2004.  Not sure that I have a lot to show for the nine years….

My daughter says I need to write political again.  It’s more interesting.  lol

I don’t have the stomach for it anymore.  I basically am so disgusted by our government and the direction it is going.

This disgust moves over to my homeowner’s association.  I am on the board of directors for the HOA and it is amazing to me how much the residents want the HOA to do for them.  It is as though they don’t even want to be responsible for their own property!  Take care of me!  Take care of me!  They asked at the last meeting… “what have you done about the burglar?”  Well first off, WHAT burglar… and if you are talking about the one robbery in the neighborhood last November… uh, we are not the police.  The sheriff’s department increased patrols while the burglaries were taking place in the area…. and I personally got a security system.  What system did you go with?  Uh… no, they want the HOA to hire a private guard.  Well folks we don’t have 4,000 a month for a personal guard and you would scream if we raised your HOA fees to cover it.

And don’t even get me started on the community pool.