Today is all about getting ready to go to Kansas City. The 13th is the first anniversary of my father's death, so I expect that it will be an emotionally loaded trip. Among other things, I'll see his tombstone for the first time. I'm actually quite fond of cemeteries and tombstones, though, which should help.
Dad's marker is a custom job with a nod to his service in the U.S. Air Force. But it is not the marker that he was entitled by virtue of his veteran's benefits. After almost a year of filing the appropriate paperwork, last month, I finally got the verification document (dated July 19th) that would've allowed my mother to get a marker through the military. That is, if we'd been willing to let the grave go unmarked for a year while the paperwork was processed. We were not.
Anyway, trip highlights will include my cousin SC and I taking Grandma D (dad's mom) to high tea at the Fairmont Hotel. It's pretty schmoozy for us, but I wanted to create a really positive distraction from the memories of last year. I love the Fairmont. G and I got married there back when it was the Ritz-Carlton (but of course, being a native Kansas Citian, I still tend to think of it as the Alameda Plaza). I'll also get to meet my cousin LM's new baby girl.
In other news, my bronze Egyptian Mau kitty, Leo Galilei, appears to have a cold. His housecalls vet is coming over tomorrow afternoon to check him out. I'm hitting Daya tomorrow morning myself for a manicure, pedicure, and massage (cheaper than therapy).
On a much lighter note, I just registered for the Emerald's drawing for a $50 gift certificate. I highly recommend this to Austin area shoppers. Emerald's is my fave local boutique, and I've already won the drawing once. I suspect not a lot of the clientele bothers to enter.
Still watching "Buffy"...
Regarding "Prophecy Girl," I can't figure out why Buffy didn't just stake Colin AKA "The Annoited One" when she first encounters him. She says she knows who he is, and then she allows him to lead her into the Hellmouth. But the prophecy makes it clear that Colin's role is a key component, so...why not just cut it (and/or his head) off then and there? Also, why did Buffy feel stronger after Xander brought her back? As I recall, at the time, a lot of Scoobies theorized that she'd been turned, but apparently not. And it was never explained.
Regarding "School Hard," which is the first appearance of Dru (Miss Edith, anybody?) and Spike, as if they weren't intrinsically creepy fun enough, William's killing of The Annointed/Annoying One was enough to endear him all by itself. For an infinitely more intriguing child bloodsucker, see Kristin Dunst's Claudia in "Interview With The Vampire."
Speaking of which, per Spike's reference, "People still fall for that Anne Rice routine?"
