The occasion was last night's surprise birthday party for Peggy Jane the Mom at the Atrium in Lambeau Field.

She was just there last Saturday night for Reggie White's induction into the Packer Hall of Fame. The pity is that neither Reggie "Mad Dog," nor his beloved Fritz, "Red Dog," were there in the chairs.

Of course, they were both there in spirit - Reggie's ministerial spirit a little more flashy perhaps than Fritz's lifelong Polish Catholicism - but there nonetheless.

Keeping anything from this woman is genetically, inherently impossible - always has been, always will be - expect, maybe, hopefully just this once.

Susie the Sister, the sweet one, the thoughtful one, has been planning this gala for more than a year, literally - and she lives five minutes away from her and talks to her multiple times a day.

And as is only fitting in our family - someone you know's wedding date was timed to coincide with the off week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl way, way back when - the date of the party was determined not by what was convenient for any of us but rather by the Packers' training camp schedule.

The Atrium is only available for private rental when the Packers don't need it, and next Saturday night is the annual Family Night at Training Camp, so the party was set in mid-April for last night.

Still, the friend couldn't attend, and everyone who doesn't know anything suspects troubled waters, but that is completely not the case - he just could not get away from his job.

So here we are in Green Bay, spending one full day with Mom before two more days on the road home.

We've done the drive across I-90 many times before and sometimes in one shot - exactly 17 hours from driveway to driveway.

This time, we're taking two days each way because we can and it's the smart thing to do.

It's weird how easily a person used to being alone becomes accustomed to being unalone. And then to be alone again is rather freakish.

Just because I got my AARP membership stuff this week has nothing to do with me becoming cautious. It's just sort of weird timing.

Mouse and I ventured out to the air show last Sunday and I am extremely glad that we did. The Thunderbirds were incredibly spectacular, and even she who is impressed by nothing thought so.

The hour wait in traffic not knowing where we were going to be directed was nerve-wracking to say the least, especially with cars flying past on either side of me when I thought I was where I was supposed to be.

The maze into the parking pasture was scary, too, only because I had no idea where we were going in relation to the show.

After a 20-minute walk, we arrived at the FedEx terminal and knew we were almost there.

I have only two regrets - first that the ultra-patriotic, loves all things military friend was unable to attend with us and second, that I didn't know about the "ambience" of an air show and all the cool things that would be there. Next time, we'll plan to spend more time.

So here's to women doing things that scare them - like driving across the country in a vehicle with way too many miles on it.

We'll be fine. Stay tuned for the details.

Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can usually be reached at (307) 266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@casperstartribune.net.