Back from Dallas, and some Bullets

I returned home from Dallas on Sunday night, late, and am still recovering. I recognize that it's been over a week since I posted. It's been an emotional week, and I do want to share some of that with you (oh you few) readers.

First, the traveling. I flew from Big Western City into Kansas City, where Sheri picked me up. We then drove the rest of the day to Dallas, talking all the way. By the time we got there, my throat was sore! Needless to say, there are reasons that Sheri is one of my best friends from childhood. She makes me feel like there is someone else out there who gets me. (And she reads my blog, so that was kind of fun -- I would start telling her a story and she would say "Oh, yeah, I read about that on your blog.")

Wednesday night we arrived in Dallas, and Sheri dropped me off at my brother's MASSIVE house out in the country. Did I say massive? Uh, yeah. Huge. Anyway, the triplets had stayed up late to see their Auntie Bad Ass, and that was fun to get little boy hugs all around. My mom and stepdad were also there, and that was great. We were all pooped, so we didn't stay up too late.

The next morning was the funeral service, which was an emotional roller-coaster for me. Needless to say, I cried through the whole ceremony. I think the root of those tears came from several places. First was my concern for JR's family, imagining his wife of 57 years now on her own, his children and grand-children and even one great grand-child making their way in the world without him. There was also this piece of me that was remembering my own father's death, which I've never really resolved. Finally, I was imagining myself in the same situation, hopefully after a very long time, losing Slogger. I guess that feeling makes sense as we have gone through a near-death episode only a few months ago. I was sitting next to my younger brother during the ceremony, and just when I would get the tears under control, I would look over and see him bawling, which set me off again. We are a weepy bunch, my brother and me!

After the service, we grabbed some lunch and headed out to the Woods (JR's 40-acre plot of land in East Texas, where I spent so many weekends as a child) to visit with family and friends. That was a great time, though also a bit teary. It was a time of chatting with old friends, including JR's daughter H, who was my first best friend. I also got to catch up with Sheri's sister D, meet her daughters, and spend a bit of time with her brother (also D, but with no good pseudonym yet!).

I don't have time this morning to do an adequate job of writing the whole week, but I'll provide some highlights of the remainder of the week:

• pizza dinner at the pool with Sheri, D, D, and their kids
• bowling with triplets! and the triplet named after my dad won!
• driving back to Kansas City with Sheri, and never running out of talk
• pulling into a Sonic for an ice cream, and hearing the Wimbleway song on the radio. [Long story about our Scout troop, singing, and this song.]
• hearing JR's wife (BR) say how much it means to her that "her girls" came to honor JR

And now, back to my regular life. Still some tears now and then, but hugs from Footslogger help. Yesterday was the dissertation defense for the doc student in geology, for whom I'm serving as the outside member. Way, way outside, as I told the other committee members. Three hours? Wow.

I did manage to finish my course syllabi yesterday, but I still need to get ready for the first day of classes, call the vet and get Marty an appointment (she's limping again, and it's probably arthritis, but I want to take her in just to be sure), unpack my suitcase (!), and get some laundry done. Lots to get to. So I'm off to exercise and get going on that -- more later.