travel - Cursing Cats and Other Curiosities

Palate Cleanser

Posted on June 19, 2025 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

So things have in fact gotten even worse since my last post — but fuck that. This post isn’t about that. This post is about some new wonderful developments.

Third Day

Third Day is doing a 30th anniversary REUNION TOUR!

Third Day broke up back in like 2018.

Roll it back. So in 1998 or 1999, I was in Highschool. A girl in my class had been gifted a cassette of “Time” for Christmas and she hated it. (Yes a cassette — I’m old.) I was a very much bubble Christian (ugh, I know, I hate me too) so she gave it to me. I fucking loved it.

I became a huge fan. Remember message boards? I was on the Third Day message boards. I started traveling to my current city every year to see them live at Big Spring Jam (yall remember when concerts were super cheap and highschoolers could afford to drive 2 hours to see their favorite bands at big outdoor concerts with lots of stages?). I went down the Third Day rabbit hole, my friends. Any time I could see them, I saw them. I had a lot of shit going on in my life having moved in with my dad and antifreeze sister being abusive and bat shit crazy — Third Day got me through that shit.

Then, sometime around 2000 or maybe 2001, an AMAZING THING HAPPENED. I won a sweepstakes to go see them on tour! I got go to Phoenix Arizona. I met the band saw them there. Then we went to California and saw them there! I even got a prize package and spending money. It was fucking awesome! I took mom with me. They lost my luggage so I wore this shirt for like the whole time:

Obviously, the trip was amazing. We got to see new places and meet lots of cool people. And of course, see my favorite band of all time, TWICE. I mean they were probably creeped out that I had seen them double digits of times — but considering the second winner was a couple who didn’t even know any of their music, I think they were at least glad a fan won. Also a fan who was prolific on their message boards so every night I got online and gave all the fans a recap of the days events. I remember Tai Anderson even asked which one of us was the one posting on the message boards — yeah, that’s me. I got to dip my toes in the Pacific at the beach too!

After that, mom became a die hard fan. I think it was what really bonded mom and I. We hadn’t been close before that. But that coinciding with me moving away and getting a fuck ton of therapy years later helped us become great friends. So after that trip, we’d go to all their concerts together. Yes, I have everything they’ve ever put out — including the rare stuff from before they became known. I was that kind of fan. Mom had all of their CDs and played them constantly.

So imagine our heartbreak when they announced their farewell tour in 2018. Of course we went though. I had actual job money by then so we went to see them at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. And I treated us to a swanky swank hotel room directly across the street with a view of the theater. You might recognize this photo from her service and as the one I have framed in our bedroom. That’s her looking out at the theater:

And then here’s pictures of us before the show and during the show. Last time we got to see them ever 🙁

RIP, Mom. We played Third Day music at her funeral. She was a bigger fan than I was. I loved their early more rock music and she loved their later more worship music. We just loved going to see them whenever we could though.

So then this week it pops up that they’re doing a tour? It’s not until next year but the presale started today. Well, I don’t know who I’m going with, but I got two tickets:

They have a Birmingham show and a Nashville show. With all the clusterfuck in Birmingham this week, I was like — um, Nashville please. Don’t know the plan or even who I’ll go with, but I got tickets just in case. The thought of seeing them without mom is super sad — but again, just in case. I got the tickets.

Birthday Trip!

I haven’t seen my bestie M in forever! And I’ve never visited him since he moved away to work in DC. I’ve kept saying I want to, but haven’t made it happen. I never have PTO and money. I’ve also never been to DC. So this year, we’re taking a birthday trip to see him! I’m so excited! Something to look forward to!

Husband and I want to start taking trips being that we’ve been on a single trip alone in our 13 year of marriage. Also since my family fell apart and doesn’t do holidays, maybe take trips those years we would have done Christmas with them. You know, give me some shit to live for and look forward to.

So we were discussing when my long weekends are and I was like lets make something happen this year. So we’re looking at visiting M this year — maybe for Veterans Day because M and I are both November babies. Then maybe Banff Canada next winter. (Husband found Banff and thought I’d like it cause it looks like a castle. And you can see the Northern Lights from there and that’s a bucket list for me). And then maybe finally take our damn honeymoon for a 15th anniversary in 2027.

So… BIRTHDAY TRIP! I get to see M’s cats and meet his new half feral friend, Ivar. And see his house! I hope Fenrir will come sleep in the bed with me. Fenrir is snuggly.

Husband wants to drive up so we might take 2 days for travel both ways with a solid three in the middle for time with M and museums. He wants to see the space and flight museum and I want to go to the Smithsonian and the Art Museum. With this fucking government mess, I do NOT care to see any of that shit right now.

Get in, loser.

Posted on June 7, 2025 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

I took Louie to the Chicken Salad Chick drive thru. It’s for enrichment. He’s very good in his carrier.

He doesn’t like being out of the carrier when the car is moving. However once we were in the drive thru and I rolled down the window, he wanted to go see the lady. Not a big wrestling kind of thing, just a gentle nudge to sit back down.

“I smell outside smells!” *Gentle nudge*.

“Oh shit, a stranger?” *Gentle nudge*.

“She wants to love me.” *Gentle nudge*.

Then I parked to text people photos:

Then I started driving again and he was like fuck this shit, so I had to show him back to his carrier for the ride home (3 miles).

A+ experience. I’m hoping this will have worn him out enough for our guest to play Firefly without being eaten alive feet first.

Vacation Acts 2 & 3

Posted on July 24, 2022 | by cursingcats.com | 1 Comment

I’m writing this from the airport. Where we have been all day. We left the cottage at 8:30 for a 12:20 fight. It’s now 2:15. Our connection flight was canceled. They wanted us to stay overnight and all day tomorrow in the airport and leave for home at 9:30 tomorrow night. So we had to reroute and deal with customer service. Now were flying out at 5:30 and arriving home at midnight – HOPEFULLY. This trip has been a travel nightmare. And American Airlines is, of course, blaming all the delays and cancellations on weather. That way they don’t have to reimburse you or pay for food and hotels. Such fucking bullshit. It’s the lies that really piss me off.

Our vacation was great though. I usually don’t like this trip much because the cottage is far too small and unairconditioned and has a single bathroom for 6 grown adults. However, with just the 4 of us siblings, it was great. I mean, we all feel bad that it was great. Of course, it’s sad we didn’t get to see Mr C’s parents. However, it was really nice just being the siblings. It was so much more chill. And so much more roomy.

We went to the beach almost every day. I got in the ocean a lot. I lost my mountain toppers on the second ocean adventure. I managed to hang onto my glasses when an unexpected wave nailed me but the toppers slipped from my grasp. They were my favorites too. After that, I just didn’t wear toppers in the ocean. I’m learning. Slowly.

We played a lot of games. I even joined in the family tradition of pinochle which I’ve refused for a decade. Mr C’s family is SERIOUS about pinochle. They even buried his grandma with a perfect pinochle hand. So we played 3 games. Mr C and I lost the tie breaker last night. This pinochle participation shall never be spoken of outside of the group.

We also played a ton of Splendor. I brought the fancy glass gems and metal doubloons set I got for Christmas. The gem set costs more than the actual game. But playing a game with really nice pieces makes such a huge difference. It’s so much more fun to really hold the gems and gold and feel fancy. We played Five Crowns too. I won last night!

So vacation was really good. Now, if we can just get home, we’ll be solid.

UPDATE: It’s now Sunday morning. After I wrote the above post, we got delayed and canceled again. We rerouted and arrived home after a late connection in Miami. I was getting into bed at 3:00am. Oh, and they lost our luggage. Fucking American Airlines. We really enjoyed the trip but this was the trip travel from travel hell:

1 Saturday flight out, canceled.

2 Sunday we arrived at the airport, got a pat down at security and it was canceled after we sat there two hours.

3 Monday we finally made it out on a delayed flight. We made our connection because it was also delayed. Arrived at the cottage at 3:00 AM

4 We arrive to fly home at 9:30am. First Saturday flight gets pushed back further and further and further. We spend hours at Gate 8.

5 Find out the connection we are about to fly to is canceled.

6 Reroute through a different airport that has a connection to home. Also going to leave from Gate 8. Decide that Gate 8 is really just the “fuck you” gate. Flight gets pushed back so many times that we are in jeopardy of missing the home connection.

7 Rebook on a flight that leaves a little sooner to make the connection.

8 Leave Boston around 6:00pm. Arrive to find the connection has been pushed back.

9 Home connection gets pushed back, like five times. We were supposed to arrive home at midnight with the new flights (was going to be 630pm with the original booking). We got home at 2am.

10 Our luggage apparently never even left Boston. Still waiting to hear from them on that.

2022 Vacation: Act 1: Closed

Posted on July 19, 2022 | by cursingcats.com | Leave a Comment

After three days of attempted travel, we have arrived. We were supposed to fly out on Saturday. Then on Sunday. Then third time was a charm with an overnight Monday night. But it was not without its battles. I tested positive for bomb residue.

So I go through the human scanner, and OF COURSE, I light up bright red in my crotch again. I had plenty of time to ask why I always trigger the damn thing and apparently my clothes (especially my crotch) are too baggy. The machine isn’t looking for metal, I’m told — just unusual shapes. Good to know! She recommend traveling in jeans or leggings next time. Side note: I wonder if you can see breast implants on that thing? I totally bet you can see them. But yeah, back to bombs.

Now I gotta get the feel up again. So we go through the dance and she tests my hands for bomb residue. BAM! False positive. Okay, though, this person isn’t a bomber — lets do this right. So now I get the fully monty pat down with a fresh set of gloves. She makes sure to touch every area of my person. Then she screens my hands again AND her gloves. Fucking false positive. Now they’re taking my bag (that had already passed the scanner successfully) away.

My bag gets a deep dive but there’s nothing interesting in it. Now there’s a policeman and a new TSA agent for me. She explains everything shes gonna do. Again, I don’t speed hear so I’m like whatever, do what you gotta do lady. I didn’t ask for privacy either because fuck that. So I look over to my husband and tell him that I think if I test positive a third time, I’ll probably go to TSA jail. Not like, they’ll arrest me, but I bet Id get taken to another location for further testing, ya know? We already brought a cop over.

So new TSA lady puts on fresh gloves and does the full monty pat down again. I offer up my hands but she’s like “oh no, we’re not testing your hands again.” She then just tests her gloves (which had been all over me). Green light! Woot! Bomb free! Third time a charm, baby! Thats when I knew this flight would work and not get delayed a fucking third time. We’re totally rolling on third times a charm luck.

So, apparently, some lotions and soaps can make you false positive on those things. But the only lotion I use is on my tattoo. I KNOW, I’m a horrible person. Plus I had passed the extra screening on Sunday night with no problem. So *shrug.* I guess we, thankfully, won’t find out where a third positive leads you. There’s always the trip home though.

I’ll take the time to point out, the TSA agents were super polite and lovely to work with. No one was an asshole. It was only women that felt me up and we were in view of everyone (by my own choice). I was watching the bag search. I wasn’t in some detained area, I was just a rock in the TSA river that everyone else had to flow around. Like my husband, who passed without problem. As always.

Mr C’s sister picked us up from the airport and we arrived at the cottage around 3am. That would be 2am in our home time-zone. And now it’s 6am and I’m awake. Not sure if it’s the anxiousness or the humidity or what. I mean, it is super fucking humid with NO AC. At least we are here and the ocean is lovely. Maybe I shall go lay back down?

OH WAIT! I forgot another great tid-bit. K is cat sitting for me. You know my precious Jack (cat) requires medication twice a day. Well, K went over to give him his evening doses and triggered our alarm system. Since we were traveling, we missed the calls. So the security company called the cops. Who then went to visit K. I have to get the full play by play from her soon, but she said she was in her pjs and the cops were cute. I regret not having that Ring Camera anymore.