It was the Kick-off night Border Muster shift 5pm - midnight. I had hydrated like crazy earlier in the day (drinking lots of water), in that I was standing in the sun and got rather heated. I was sure to follow my own carefully calculated habits prior to going out on the 'line'....use the bathroom, stock some snacks, doublecheck my supplies: flashlight, additional clothing for the soon coming cooler temps. (once the sun goes down, it gets cooler...)

Well, to my dismay, shortly after being on post, my full of water bladder began to ache...I announced to my male partner on duty, "Ugh, I have to use it, my bladder is calling!" I was embarrassed in my vanity in that I had not urinated OUTside since I was a kid- camping!

On other missions, I was able to 'hold it" till my shift was up..up entry to the base camp, I assure you that I was eager as others to run to the porta potty. My partner on duty was very re-assurring in that he declared he would promise to stand looking South while I walk and hide behind a large cactus North. I exclaimed ever so quietly my concerns that where flying through my self-consious brain -what if a fellow minuteman was monitoring my soon to be squatting position, with binoculors! What if someone used a zoom camera and caught me -thinking I was an IA (illegal alien)??? Ugh!

Next time, I will do double time with the porta potty prio to going out to my post!

Just a female's experience on the Border!

Well, to add to it all, ladies, you can relate to not seeing clearly or thinking clearly till you down your 2nd cup of java, right? Or men, till you have a full breakfast, maybe??? Or how about this - can't see clearly till you put on your glasses? Well, I slept in my truck, only to have my driving partner drive us the next morning to get some breakfast at a nearby location to the border (a place with good food who are friendly to Minutemen.) While he drove my truck, I proceeded to wash my face with a moist make-up remover cloth and apply my face cream - oops!! Mistakedly applied the night cream! Ugh!

The feminine challenges of camping at the border, participating in patriotic actions of monitoring our nation while this illegal invasion continues all around us.

It is possible to hold on to your feminity while serving at the border - it is just a tad more challenging. Be sure to bring your chapstick (men and women), face wipes, deoderant, no perfume (draws bugs), suntan lotion and a hat to hide the hair that gets blown around)!

Patriotism actions do not mean you have to convert to ugliness -you can be a pretty, feminine patriot even when serving your country at the border with the bugs, wind, and other eliments that are not so comfortable to some of us. :-)

Come on female Minutewomen -bring your toiletry bags and join the minutemen at the southern and northern borders this April -there is still time or join them next October during the month-long OPS (Muster).

A patriotic American,
Anonomous Minutewoman