My Memories of 9/11

This past weekend marked 15 years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack in NYC, the Pentagon, and rural Pennsylvania. For all of you old enough to remember, it truly was a day when America lost its innocence about terrorism. And for all of you old enough, I know that you can easily envision exactly where you were when you first heard about it. Let me share a little of my story.

The year before, we had moved from Mexico back to the US after an almost five-year expat assignment. At the end of that year, SS asked if he could move back to Mexico and graduate from high school with his friends. After much prayer and consideration, we decided to allow it if MBH could move back also and work at his school. Everything worked out, so MBH and SS are now in Mexico. AAD (almost accountant daughter) was living at home, and I was spending my time half at home and half in Rhode Island.

School had just started and I went down to help SS and MBH get fully settled into their new place. I had been there for 3-4 days and was flying back to the US on the morning of 9/11/2001. We were still in Mexican airspace when the pilot said we had to land in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. No explanation was provided, so we assumed we had some technical malfunction. We landed and they herded us all into the terminal with no guidance. It was just shy of 8am and we had been at the airport early for our flight, so none of us knew anything about the attacks yet. There was one small bar in the terminal with a TV, and suddenly, we were all huddled outside of this bar watching some unbelievable coverage.

I remember seeing the first building burning, and suddenly, a second plane flew into the scene. Was it live or video that I was just now seeing? I don't know. It was frightening, though. I remember them saying that as many as 10,000 might have been killed. The final numbers were 2,606 at the World Trade Center, 125 at the Pentagon, and 265 on the planes.

You may remember that all planes in the US were grounded for three days after the attacks. So, we were not allowed to enter US airspace. They flew us back and I stayed in the apartment with MBH and SS for the next week. I was glued to the television watching everything I could about the attacks. Yes, the channels were had access to were in English.

Once flights were resumed, I flew back to the US on an American Airlines flight with only 7 passengers. I was weird, and they wouldn't let us sit in first class.

Let's move to happier subjects. Magic cake. Just the name has to intrigue you. Doesn't it look good? And it cooks naturally with all three of those layers. Someone should try it and let me know if it tastes as good as it looks.

I did see this well-meaning warning label.

And this one was funny, at least to me.

Do you know anybody from Texas? I know quite a few people. I am sure that many, if not all, use some phrases unique to that state. You know. Things like "bigger'n Dallas" and "Howdy" and "icebox" and "washateria". This article lists 10 phrases that it says are identified with Texas.

Today's personal photos have a theme. We are going with scofflaws. Webster notes the word was coined during the Prohibition. I had guessed it was English or Scottish in origin. Anyway, this first photo is more a case of weird coincidence because the people in the background kissing have the same initials as those on the tree.

And next, we see where someone stole the front half of these people's tent. That reminds me of a joke I heard during the reunion.  "Did you hear about the fire at the circus? It was intense (in tents)."

Where are this little boy's parents. Leaving him standing there, all alone, outside. And check out that house. Hopefully, it is nicer on the inside than it looks on the exterior.

So, I took the boy indoors and was shocked at how it looked. I asked what happened to the wallpaper. All the boy would say was, "Did I do that?"

Yesterday's 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said calendar was pretty stupid:
STUDENTS COOK and SERVE GRANDPARENTS
newspaper headline

Be honest. How often do you carry cash? For me, the answer is rarely. For one thing, if I pay cash for something, I have no record of it in my account. Another thing is that I might be more likely to spend it and then, I am back to no cash. OK, let's overlook the concern that moving to a cashless society seems to harken to the End Time as prophesied in Revelation 13. What made me think of that this morning? I saw a story that the UK has issued smaller, plastic 5-pound bills (that's the value, not the weight). Who knows what the next US bills will look like. Anyway, while I do still have a landline phone, I am ready for a cashless world.

Have you seen the current commercial where TV doctors encourage you to see real doctors? It includes actors from M*A*S*H, House, ER, Grey's Anatomy, and Scrubs. Well, I think it is pretty funny.

I am a few minutes ahead of my self-imposed publish timeline, but I think today's post is already long enough. And since I write it, what I think matters. Thanks for sticking with me to the end. Have a terrific Tuesday.