Thanks for the kind words. ^ Fortunately Mrs. Fredd is pretty tough and the screeners more nervous than she. We don't think they know why she tested positive. They said it might be her hand cream (which she hasn't used in weeks), maybe her makeup (which she'd deliberately avoided for that reason, along with our 4:00 a.m. getting up time), and that it "happens all the time."

No complaints about the TSA staff at SEA. They were uniformly pleasant and apologetic. The two females seemed taken aback by our joint request to have the search done in public, and we're appreciative of FTers for helping to shape our views on that - better in the open than in some little alcove.

It's certainly an interesting SOP for anybody carrying two insulated cups and we won't bother bringing them back with us.