Back home again...

When I went back to Birmingham I was in for a pretty big surprise. Like I said before, I had not been back there for over a year and even then I was only in town for a few hours. So really I had not stayed in Birmingham in about 2 years...maybe 3. I didnt realize how much I missed it until I was back. I bought a plane ticket a couple weeks before I left because I decided to fly last minute. Usually when I fly (especially alone) the "powers-that-be" decide...hmmmm, lets see what we can do to mess up Casey's flight schedule. Usually it comes in the form of a missing bag at my destination. I guess the baggage handlers really like to try on my clothes and prance around.


This time it came in the form of a completely cancelled flight. Well, after 20 minutes of waiting in line to see what my options were, I had completed the emotional rollercoaster of fate. I went from angry to stressed to amused to complacent to nervous to indifferent to really having to pee. The lady at the counter of my airline looked up my name when I got to her and said I was all ready booked on another flight through a different carrier that would take off in an hour from then. Hmmmmm, that wasnt so bad. Needless to say I made to B'ham with one stop and remarkably obtained my bag at baggage claim without incident. Woo hoo!!!

I stayed with my mother while I was there and had an inevitable epiphany that I'm sure all people make at one point...I am just like my mother. Which incredibly is not a terrible thing. I actually think it is rather funny!! Why does this happen? I dunno. But I'm pretty sure it has to do with gamma rays or radioactive spiders.


A few years ago, mom decided to become active in a very noble cause to her community in Alabama. Without her help an entire population would starve to death while everyone else turns a blind eye!! I call her cause: No Raccoon Left Behind! Yep. My mother feeds all the raccoons that live around their house...everyday. It started while I was in grad school in Georgia. I got a call from mom saying that there was a little raccoon outside of the house and she fed it some bread and how cute it was...blah, blah, blah. Well, as a couple months went on I guess it got a little out of control. My stepdad called me one night and left a message on my phone stating, "There are 31 f***ing raccoons outside the house!! And they arent going anywhere until we feed them!! I tried to open the door to scare them away and they almost got into the house! This is getting out of hand! Your mother has to be stopped!"

So they stopped for a while and I came home this time to find her back to her old ways.


Here's mom with a raccoon that is regular to their house, named "Scratch."

This is one raccoon trying to get mom's attention to get some food. They all will hang out right outside of this door on the deck...just waiting.

I feel a Nobel Prize coming her way. I'm so proud.