Charles and I at the Rocky Mountain Air Show

Charles in flight -
Brooks AFB sometime in 1943

I was invited to attend and host a table for Charles at the Rocky Mountain Air Show in the WWII Museum exhibit area.  The show is this weekend, and I've been busy all week enlarging and framing photos and trying to figure out how to share the precious peices of the plane recovered from the crash site in France so that people can see it all, but not touch it.  I'm staying the course regarding the challenge that Jean-Marc laid at my feet and I'm taking advantage of every possible opportunity to tell mine and Charles' story.  There are going to be a lot of WWII veterans who will be in attendance and I realized yesterday that I should probably be prepared for a emotionally charged weekend.  When I'm in the WWII/Charles zone, I have trouble keeping it together.  It seems I can barely hug anyone or shake a hand without tearing up.  I can't imagine stifling the waterworks when I'm talking to or listening to these sweet old men tell THEIR stories.  I'm thinking a hankie might serve me better than a whole box of tissue. 

Hoping for some Jo-Mojo



Elephant House Cafe' - Edinburgh, Scotland

When I was in Edinburgh, Scotland last month, I had a pretty big 'to do' list.  Since I was there on a work trip, organizing and shuttling nearly 230 people on a Harry Potter-centric fan trip, it was all about the boy wizard and the books and the movies for the first few days.  Once the tour was over though, I got busy ticking things off that list.  I spent a full day at the Scottish Genealogical Library with an ornery Scot, researching and eventually confirming the Scottish Royal lineage I'd discovered a few months ago.  When I found the link that made me a direct descendent of Robert the Bruce, my research advsor just looked at me with a completely bored and droll expression and said, "Well if you want to be related to that line, then good for you."  HA!  I love a surly Scot.  I wanted to see all of the sites mentioned in the Outlander books and shop on the Royal Mile.  I needed to find the famous Thompson's toffee for Tim and a FRASER clan magnet for Jos.  See...lots to do. 

After I'd seen the sights, shopped and done my geneaology homework, I had one more thing on my list.  I spent a lovely morning at Elephant House, drinking coffee and writing...just like J.K. Rowling.  It's been widely publicized that one of Jo's favorite places to write is in a quiet cafe'.  I just happened to be in her Edinburgh and my hotel was in close proxemtiy to one of her more well known writing spots.  Of course I was going to go completely cheeseball - order a coffee, claim a table and do some writing of my own.  I had my spiral notebook (thanks, Lisa!!), a decent pen and enjoyed a really great mocha while I scribbled a few lines.  I didn't get a lot written as it was busy and they needed my table, but I did write.  I was going for a little Jo-mojo but the experience in and of itself was cool no matter if I gleaned an ounce of her success for having been there or not.