Day #53 Rainy Day Musings and, OH YEAH, Ear Piercing

We postponed our plans to go to Galveston until Sunday as there was 100% chance of rain on Saturday. This the first rain since the first day of my journey, August 10, when I drove from Portville to Indianapolis. What to do? What to do?

I asked Karen to help me with gathering an old photo or two for my blog posts. She brought me our 1972 yearbook. Perfect.

I changed my profile picture to one cropped of me from the Area All State Representatives photo. I told Karen it was one of my favorite pictures at that time of my life as I thought it showed how much my sister and I looked alike. Within minutes after the post Terry Jo commented exactly that. Look for yourself.

Of course the long brown hair may contribute to the similarities, but the smile and nose are the same. I have the cleft chin and just one dimple when I smile. I always said the other one slipped down to my chin. I was older and got contact lenses first. My sister and I shared a bedroom, and often a bed, our entire lives until I left home for college.

Karen, three years younger, was the cheerleader.  I, however, managed to get a better gig when chosen to be statistician for the High School football team. I was ON THE SIDELINES OF THE FIELD and got to RIDE THE BUS with the players. (Cheerleaders rode a different bus.) I was in heaven and it is the reason that I love and understand the game.

Memories of this time in my life bring Lori Cook into the story.

Lori and her family moved to Portville sometime when we were in junior high. First they lived out on the Haskell Road and, later, she and her mom lived on North Main Street, just out of the village limits. I am amused by the little details I remember. Lori taught me how to wrap a present and make the corners really smooth and neat. I still think of her every time I wrap a present. She went to Connecticut with me one summer to stay at my Aunt's and fell in love with Jimmy Gardner. All the girls thought her older brother, Gary '68, was a hunk. (Just like we thought Craig Rice '67 was a  hunk, too.)

Lori and I experimented with cigarettes during a sleep-out in the back of our maroon station wagon with the tail gate down in our driveway on 59 Brooklyn Street. We were SO careful with the butts, throwing them far away from the car. My Dad, however, in true Sherlock Holmes fashion, found ashes stuck to both sides of the vehicle in the morning. We had not accounted for the dew that came with the dropping temperatures overnight.The ashes clung like a banner!

Lori also  pierced my ears. In her bedroom. She froze them with ice cubes and then....

 sterilized a needled over a flame. Someone pierced hers that way, so she was a pro and did many friends! My hair was long, so it hid my ears from my parents for awhile. I never had any luck with my ears properly healing and, finally, just let them grow back. I have worn clip-ons ever since.

And so, a rainy day was a perfect day to get my ears pierced again. An added bonus, and without much effort at less than $1, I successfully tracked Lori down. We lost touch after high school and then again after our 20 year reunion. What a treat to hear her voice! She was just as tickled and will be joining the Ahhh Retirement blog viewing.

Karen took me to her daughter Rainey's tattoo and piercing place. She was the appointed photographer. Bea was the eye witness.

This is Elijah. He has a degree in counseling and psychology, but tattooing and piercing is his passion. Photographer Karen dutifully keeps the reflection theme going.

  


Making sure they will be even.

Deep breath. Hold it. Breathe.

This was much quicker than getting a tattoo! Less than ten minutes!

Tah-dah! Woo-hoo! " Now show your colors. Walk with a strut! Head held high. Chin proudly up!"

 "Peacock Proud I stand today. Proud of you. Proud of me."

Karen treated Mexican at Pappasito's Cantina to celebrate.

Cheers!

And a little kiss for me from server Josh. (He was worried about what his wife might think. I gave him the blog address to help her understand the journey.)

Nine pairs of my favorite clip-on earrings made the packing cut. They are officially zipped up for the duration of the adventure. What SHALL I do with all of the boxes of clip-ons I have accumulated over the years?

The satisfaction level is high. Living every day with joy.