And full-length mirrors. Every time I turned around, there I was. All of me. From all different angles. More of me than ever before. So now the work really begins on making less of me. Because there really was a lot of me in all those mirrors and windows. I recommended on the time-share evaluation that the apartments be upgraded, including the removal of the 1980’s mirrored walls and doors.

All colors on me have normalized. Theoretically, if we visited a nude beach this summer, my left breast is a step ahead with a great square, sun-tanned area. But my tattoos are not impressive. I actually forgot I had them until last week. As the burn subsided, I could just make out the tiny green specks.

Black and white shuttles in Florida were elusive: missed the Discovery landing and the Atlantis shuttle was rolled out to the launch pad while we were in Florida but was being bear-hugged by rigging. So we didn’t see much of Atlantis on the bus tour at NASA. However, we did see an incredible sunset launch of an Atlas rocket, which apparently made the national news, and we met an astronaut, Wendy Lawrence, who has flown on four shuttle missions, including the first one after the Columbia tragedy. We’re strategizing on how to make it back to Florida to see one of the final shuttle launches.

Despite colds, the boys had a great time. We were busier than I had anticipated: NASA three days and Disney two days. Will thought Animal Kingdom was better the Magic Kingdom because the animals were real – not dressed up characters. Bill and Will had many late night swims, returning between nine and eleven each evening. Liam and I were usually in bed by the time they returned. I smothered myself with Aqua-phor and went into the pool one evening. Doing a few strokes with my arms, I could feel the pull of unused muscles in both arms and my chest.

I is for Iowa.

The boys and I are flying to Iowa next Thursday for Mother’s Day weekend. It’s been over a year since we’ve been there. Just a quiet visit with family, including time to visit Grandma Mills and Marge, who are both in nursing homes. Mom and my sister Leslie are planning an open house for us when we go back in June/July.

E is for Europe.

Bill leaves this Sunday for business in Europe, capping off his trip the following weekend in England to see his family. Then he’s off to China the end of May.

A is for all-go, making August 2009 through April 16, 2010 seem like a century ago. Did it really happen? My very short, but right-colored hair, says “yes,” as does my reflection of mass.

Staying strong…big and strong,

Linda