Rare night out

I'm heading for the mountains today with hubby and the grandboys, but wanted to share with you our wonderful night out. On Saturday, the Carlisle Theater hosted Tony and Jonna Mendez, the real-life hero of the movie Argo.

We hadn't yet seen the movie. It's one that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Honestly, even though I knew the outcome, it wracked my nerves. I can't imagine having to live through such an event. And the fact that it was an actual event made it so much more dramatic - at every turn, they missed capture by mere moments.

Afterward, the real Tony Mendez and his wife Jonna took the stage for a Q&A session. (Sorry for the terrible photo - phone cameras just don't work well in extreme lighting.) For Tony, this was just another mission, and not his most dangerous. His wife revealed he'd been in Iran nine months prior on a more dangerous mission.

I wanted to hug Tony for his bravery. Someone asked what gave him the courage to go against orders and continue with the fake movie cover. He calmly explained that it was a matter of trusting his gut. He knew it was their only chance to rescue the six Americans, so he went with it.

His wife revealed that Tony was instrumental in developing many more creative covers and disguises, and often worked closely with Hollywood connections. For one mission, they created full masks of Rex Harrison and Victor Mature for foreign ambassadors.

The theater was packed, and the audience gave Tony several well-deserved standing ovations.

I did wonder why the CIA "outed" them this way and exposed them to danger. They've received many death threats since the movie came out. But still, they travel and have written several books about their experiences. I wish them the best as they continue their work.

Okay, we are off to the Poconos! Have a wonderful 4th of July. I'll check in when I can!