I’m currently working on cleaning up my paper and need to throw together a video to turn in for my project. I’m almost there. Still need to get hours in at work and a quick project that I need to complete and set up the VPN, and pack. So we’re going to be a little busy. T-minus 28.5 hours until go time. If I manage my time it will be smooth. Booked into GA and Wilmington already. It will be an expensive journey for sure but I sure feel like traveling.

It’s still warm but the heat has broken and its no longer 100 or above. It feels good to have rain again and watch the earth cool down.

This is the last week I’ll be working for a bit. I’ve got task two turned in and waiting the results on it, I’ve begun task three and then it’s over. I’m so tired of school, what a relief it will be to have it over and done with.

Roger’s memorial was today. Mom, Cortney and I went, it was nice to get a chance to remember him. Although I didn’t know him well, he was one of the great ones. Truly one who wanted to help others. And during the memorial, I was struck that the more you assist and aid and help others the more resources you seem to be given to do so. There’s probably something to that.

So the idea of a vacation is that you get to relax, but getting to the vacation is anything but relaxing. For example, I’ve got to clean the house, get packed, finish up work stuff and school stuff, make sure the cats are taken care of and get myself to Denver, then it’s just a couple days there and another drive back to TX. Seems like a lot of work to me.

I’m driving with mom and sister to Denver for Brit’s wedding this Friday. I should be all set, I bought a Nintendo Switch to keep me entertained and I’ve got computers, and cell phones with 1 TB of entertainment, and hopefully, I’ll do most of the driving. Not sure about taking my sister’s car but it’s either that or the truck or Xterra, considering gas is at an all-time high her car is probably best for the trip. Newer and less cylinders than anything I’ve got.

I, of course, worry about the cats when I travel but I’ve got cameras set up on the inside to keep an eye on them and of course there’s camera’s everywhere outside. Cali doesn’t seem to understand the new food setup where there’s an auto feeder and camera, she’s still looking on the old table. Oh well, hopefully she’ll figure it out. More fun to come, stay tuned.

It was nice hanging out with Adrian last night and I figured I’d go to church and put in a good word for Sandy and her dad. I saw Charlie, Hanna, Michelle, Richard, Tom, and a multitude of other acquaintances. Something called Pentecost was today, not sure what it is but they celebrated the first gathering to worship of First Christian Church, which was 6/5/1855. 167 years ago. That’s a lot of years and a lot of souls.

I said a lot of prayers while I was there, and while I didn’t feel a huge sense of relief and was antsy by the time it was all over with, it was worth it just to get out of the house.

First of all, hat’s off and hand over heart to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I tried to get into the military but I guess the higher power had different plans for me. Today I celebrated by finishing up the front lawn and then doing work and school, taking a nap, finishing up work, and then school again. Not really a great way to celebrate but it will be the last Memorial Day ever where I don’t have a degree…

Easy not to have Sunday Angst when Monday is a holiday! Not much going on today, finished off bundling the tree limbs for trash day and raking the front strip of grass in the front. I literally raked out 100 pounds of leaves and other debris from there, and another 200 from the beds and front yard. Crazyness.

I had always thought that just mowing in the leaves and such create mulch but I guess in the heat with no real rain, it just petrifies.

Sandy took off for Erie today, leaving me to my own devices for a week. So far so good, I got up and kissed her goodbye, fixed the TV antenna on the roof, went and had a 20lb tank filled, and put the new sticker on the truck. Went to Walmart for supplies to restring the flag pole and a 12-pack of Red Bull. Trimmed the tree around the flags waving path. Managed to get three bundles put together of the trimmings ready for pickup. And I’ve logged 7724 steps all before noon:)

Now it’s getting too hot to be outside so I’m inside and will grab a shower and hit the books. It’s hard to believe I’m just hanging with the cats for the long weekend. Oh well, this will be the last memorial day of my life without a bachelor’s degree. Life is good today!

So as I was going through my day the news started to filter through. School shooting, lockdown, 2 dead, gunman arrested. It barely registered because there were only two after all, tragic as a school shooting is it’s hardly news anymore.

The next I hear there are multiple fatalities and the gunman isn’t in custody… Uh oh, if they’re having trouble nailing down the number dead and where the gunman is, it ain’t over. Sadly that would be correct and after it was all said and done, 19 innocent children and two teachers were gunned down with an AR rifle. I can’t even begin to imagine.

We have to act, something has to happen. We can’t let this continue. As a gun owner let’s start the concessions. You have to have a license to own a gun. Absolutely god damn right. You have a license to drive a car, you have to show that you know the rules of using that car and you have to prove you’re physically and mentally able to drive. Same with a gun, prove you know how to use it and are of a sane mind and physically able to have it. No gun ownership until 25. Exceptions are made for our military who are trained and cleared for ownership.

This is not the state or country that I care to be associated with. We’re forcing women to have kids who are fodder for the nut cases that can buy a gun because that’s our right as Americans. Disgraceful and we must do better.