Backyard Update

Things are progressing on the new patio and outdoor kitchen.

Before...

Before...

The beginning... 

Clayton and The Hubby inspecting... 

Lots and lots of dirt moving...

then the gravel went in to prevent a washout when it rained...as if...

We now have steel beams that will be covered with brick and a new roof... 

I can already feel the cool in the kitchen... 

Fortune Cookie Friday

Life is a series of choices.  Today yours are good ones.

Today's Fortune Cookie fortune is my mantra.  I truly believe that life is a series of choices.  I believe that there are paths, roads, doors, whatever you want to call it that you are faced with everyday of your life.  How you approach those choices or opportunities is how you make your life flow.  They could be as simple as choosing a greasy cheeseburger for lunch versus a low calorie chicken raspberry salad with low fat dressing, to changes in career paths.  You are faced everyday with choices good and bad, how you use those choices is what makes your life.

p.s.  went to doc, my doc on wednesday and I have a sinus infection   
after nearly three weeks of a sore throat, finally, feeling better today
thank goodness for antibiotics

Green Thumb

The writing prompt today from Moma's Losin' It is:

Do you have a green thumb?  Tell us what kind of gardener your are!

Let me see, if you had asked me this question 32 years ago the answer would be very different.  32 years ago, after the birth of our first blonde-headed beauty I had the need to loose baby weight and a huge yard to clean up.  The Hubby bought this sweet little beauty from the neighborhood TG&Y for about $60-$75.  (This photo is at B&B2's yard where said tiller is still in use.)  That tiller is a monster and will beat you to death but it is still running after 32 years and gets the job done.  I learned how to man-handle the thing and in the process I lost tons of weight building a huge garden in that yard.  I loved gardening so much that I watched the Victory Garden on PBS like a religion and could not get enough magazines on gardening to read.  I tapped into the wonderful knowledge that my mother possessed about how to grow anything.  She taught me how to garden the old fashioned way, how to can, freeze, make jams and jellies, everything.  

After about a year, I decided that it was finally time I go to college.  I was bored.  I know, how can you be bored with a baby and our own business we ran out of our house, but I was and I loved to garden.  I researched and decided to enroll in what was then Tulsa Junior College, now Tulsa Community College.  My goal was to become a horticulturist.  The first class I took was horticulture.  I was in love with it and excelled.  I never missed a class and made an A.  Slowly I realized that I didn't want to be a horticulturist.  Actually, I was scared of going forward with anymore classes.  You see I was afraid of being in class, dealing with any attention that might come my way.  It was a big step for me to even attend the class at all.  I used to hide in the back of the room in high school, becoming a part of the wall.  Taking that class was the best thing I ever did, even though it was several years before I went back to finish my Associates degree in business and later my Bachelors in Organizational Leadership!  My love for growing green stuff opened a door for me, a door out of my shell.  Yes, I have a green thumb but it is much tamer than those early years.  I'm somewhat of a lazy gardener.  I kind of throw stuff in the ground, mess with it a bit and it grows.  I've not had the magnitude of that first garden but I manage to have something growing, whether it be flowers or a tomato plant, I can grow stuff.  

P.S.  We've purchased a small electric tiller that I can use in my new little flowerbed garden!  Can't wait to fire the thing up.  

Also, today is my 6th blogging anniversary!

Wordless Wednesday

Eye Candy

It's Tuesday and a hot Tuesday here in Okieland!  I'm trying to come up with something to write about to top yesterdays Fifty Shades of Grey-like of sex in the shower and getting knocked in the head.  I'm not sure I can top that today.  You know I forgot my brother reads this blog.  "Sorry Bro for the imagery!"

Life in my household lately is one of having a ton of shirtless guys hanging around in my backyard.  How lucky can a girl get!  They are young, in fairly good shape, lifting beams and climbing scaffolding.  You would think I would like the eye candy but wait, what is that I see.  I see a few teeth missing, caps on sideways, tattoos everywhere and cigarette's hanging askew out of their mouths.  Not really an appealing vista in my view but they are getting the job done.  Yesterday it took four of them to set steel poles for the brick pillars, all day long.  They measured and moved and measured and moved, ALL DAY LONG...all four of them.  That is all they got done yesterday, oh wait, they did manage to set up some saw horses and move the huge beams from the front yard to the backyard.  Today the scaffolding is set up and they are cutting something on the house, into the roof line.  Speaking of roof line, the patio covering/roof is now gone.  It was cut off last Friday so the wonderful west sun of June, the 105 degree wonderful west sun of June is now beating into my very large kitchen window.  By afternoon I am baking in that room and in the mornings as I am preparing my colon cleanse shake they have a front row seat to watch me whirr away.  Really, I'm not complaining much, as I know the end is all well worth the frustration and agony of having tons of men in my backyard while I shower and try to paint.  Hopefully in a few weeks we will have this wonderful back patio, outdoor kitchen, fire pit area and then get the landscapers in to finish cleaning up the mess they are making and tear out old bushes.  This should be the end of doing any kind of work on this house.  We've done it all, inside and out to make it our own and we LOVE it!

A Klutzy Gal

A black eye, yes I may be sporting that lovely little shiner this week.  I am a klutz!  Have I ever told you just how klutzy I can be!  There are a couple of instances that remind me that sometimes it is just not wise for me to get out of bed.  

Saturday morning at the cabin I slept in a bit, till 6:30, but just couldn't wait to get up and enjoy the early morning.  It was going to be the last cool morning for awhile.  My usual habit consists of grabbing my book, journals and cup of coffee to plop down in my chair.  Sitting down I realized that I had forgotten to refill my bird feeders and water the plants.  So up again I popped to get everything all done so I could enjoy.  I uncoiled the water hose and started the day long watering my thirsty plants, then I filled all the feeders and suet cages under my tree.  

I also had hummingbird feeders that had been up for over 2 weeks that were yucky.  Most of the sugar water was gone but there was still a mess to deal with.  Taking them inside poses the problem of sugary drips all along the way but I had some plastic grocery bags left from the bird seed purchase so I attempted to put them in the bags to make my way to the kitchen sink.  As I was carrying them in to the porch door I saw that I missed a side of the feeder and some drips were occurring.  Mind you that one of the feeders was a thick glass jar.  I lifted and tilted the bad of sticky feeders up in front of my face as I was walking forgetting that I had closed the porch door....BANG, WHAP, OUCH!  I ran smack dab into the door in full fast walking gait having the glass jar hit me right in the right eye socket.  I immediately knew I was going to have a black eye but as today is here it is only a bit tender.  I am so very lucky but it could have gone so bad.

Several years ago I was at our office on the outside wall, before we added on to the building.  I was trying to get inside the door that was a huge step up and had a very hard round kind of door knob.  While trying to unlock the door I was also dodging a huge red wasp that I am afraid of.  I dodged and weaved and BLAM my left eye socket met the round door knob.  I saw stars and no longer cared too much about the red wasp!    That one did black my eye.

This is not the first time for a bonehead move.  NOTE:  MY GIRLS, QUIT READING THIS BLOG ENTRY RIGHT NOW UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE EMBARRASSED!

Several years ago, a whole house ago, we had a big two person shower.  We liked our two person shower.  The girls were gone for the night so we took advantage of having no teenage girls around.  The two person shower became a two person shower.  Long story short, remember the kind of soap dishes that are built into the ceramic tile walls, the ceramic kind!  Well, they kind of aren't as secure as you would think...get my drift. during the throws of, well you know, the damned thing came off in my hand, I hit myself in the head nearly knocking myself out.  I got a huge goose egg on my noggin' but you know what, didn't slow things down!  OUCH!   It was pretty funny though and I couldn't quit laughing for, well, the end.  It hurt like hell but it was so funny, the whole episode, so funny.  

So a klutzy gal I am and proud of it, bruises and all.  Makes for good stories!

Weekend Review

The weekend was pretty quiet for us.  As usual we headed off to the cabin for some R&R.  The usual crowd was not in attendance but Harri and Jimbo were there for company.  I had the camera at the ready for the visit at Harri's.  I usually find something to snap a pic of for a possible painting.

Their sweet little dog, Sissy posed for me in hopes of a painting in the near future.  I've just finished one of her daughter's paintings,  Annie and Harri's other little dog Kuki.  Sadly Annie and Kuki are no longer with us.   

A bit later we enjoyed the deck but Sissy was a bit exhausted from all the posing. 

Feet up and drinks at the ready! 

Saturday night as the evening wore on I noticed the yellow/orange look to the leaves but it is not from fall approaching or lack of water but the sunset over the roofs of the cabins reflecting off of the leaves.  It was cool to see. 

Awww, another glass of wine and I was a happy girl. 

Back home this morning I hurried to the back yard to check my tomatoes.  I had some huge ones ready to pick but look what I spied, or he spied me.  If you look close something was not right. 

The poor guy has a horribly broken wing but he was happily eating the HUGE tomato that I was planning on picking.  I imagine that is how his wing was broken.  He got caught in the netting I have around the tomatoes.  That one tomato he had was very deep in the plant.  I feel just terrible about it but I now know who the culprit has been all along.  He didn't last long sad to say.  I said a little pet prayer for him. 

Bret Michaels

Watching television this morning I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a commercial announcing the fashion collection at Pets Mart of Bret Michaels Pets Rock doggie wear!  Excuse me, WHAT!  

Somehow this is not settling too well in my stomach.  He has really, OFFICIALLY, made it into the real corporate/retail world.  I guess it can happen eventually.  

27 and Counting

Happy Birthday 

Happy Birthday to my baby.  My sweet, beautiful and talented daughter.   

Sending all our love to you my sweet.

We love you dearly. 

Quiet Time

The blog Mama's Losin' It has a writing session where the prompts are posted every Tuesday, after choosing one you write about it.  Then on Thursday you go back and link it up.  Today I've chosen the prompt, "Time for a break.  Show us where you go for quiet time."  

I kind of chose that one because it was easy and I've kind of blogged about it before here.  

As I have said before my quiet time place is most generally my hammock at the cabin, or even just the screened porch.  

Can you blame me.  I mean how perfect does this look.  I can see my roses among the many flowers I've planted. 

I can watch the multitude of birds that come by and eat.  

Or I can laze around in the hammock, from the time I get up in the morning, till the time I to go to bed. 

The cabin, our cabin, is my Eden really.  In the summer especially I wake up early, before the sun comes up, fix my coffee, grab the journal, book, magazines, etc. and head for my chair on the screened porch.

There is hardly a sound that early in the morning.  I don't turn on a light as the kitchen light shines a bit through the window, but it's dark.  I quietly sit and listen, and look deep into the dark, trying to see if anything is moving out there.  Once when it was so totally dark, at four or five a.m. I was sitting very quietly, looking when I caught a glimpse of something moving.  The gate has a small LED light that glows down on the steps and there slithering under the gate was a small wild, country cat.  It ran over to the picnic table and climbed on top.  I was dead still as I watched it take a bath and just sit looking into the darkness too.  I'm it was waiting for the birds or maybe a chipmunk or squirrel that visits the bird feeders.  Something suddenly scared it, not me, and it was off in a flash.  

As time rolls on, before the sun peeps over the horizon the world of birds and dogs begins there sing-songs.  You can hear mockingbirds and roosters crowing in the distance and occasionally an owl will hoot his call.  Dogs begin barking and nearby pastures will be filled with the sound of the cows calling for the farmers to FEED ME!  Absolutely the most perfect place for my quiet time.  The stillness and quiet help me to think about the past week or month and contemplate the future.  

So this is where I like to go for my quiet time, to take a break from my world and I don't often share it, I'm protective.  Where do you go.

Wordy Wednesday

I had planned on this being a Wordless Wednesday but it turned into a Wordy Wednesday for me and it is not even 9 am.  

And the tale goes like this:

I groggily climbed out of bed a five this morning after spending the evening trying to finish a book on my Kindle that I just couldn't put down, all the while watching (sound off) the OKC Thunder lose yet another game.  Finally, the eyes were getting bleary and and overworked so I shut the Kindle off, rolled over to drift off to sleep to Two and a Half Men at the late hour of 11:30 or so.  Let me tell you I could hardly open my eyes and they did not want to focus but off to workout I went.  

I told Wade I had to get home about 15 minutes early to pick up the house a bit before the cleaning ladies came and have my shower.  While loading the dishwasher and putting pot holders in the drawer I spied this little lady at the bottom of the drawer, peeking her little bonneted head out.  Wow, I haven't seen her in a while...Holly Hobby.  Remember her?  This potholder was part of one of our wedding gifts, 37 years ago.  I thought it would be a great Wordless Wednesday, but I was so wrong.

Yesterday the demolition crew was supposed to show up and start the tear out of the old back porch but the only crew that showed up was a guy to deliver a dumpster in front of the house to go along with the orange port-a-potty that has not seen a worker open its door in two weeks.  

They started today though and the first thing that happened was as I stepped out of the shower I heard lots of clanging and banging and power tools and then a huge CRASH of something falling and glass banging around in the living room/kitchen.  I hurriedly threw clothes and shoes on, in case of broken glass, all the while remembering the fiasco of the bathroom demo when the nails broke through the guest bedroom ruining a wall.  What I found was the picture in the kitchen that was over the sink had fallen and knocked over a small glass, unbroken vase. 

Then I thought of the shelf in the living room that has some of The Hubby's collectibles.  I rushed to find my step ladder and started taking down some of his stuff.  See it over the doorway there.  Let me tell you I almost needed another shower.  WHEW.  

Finally, I was able to go back to finish the dressing part of my day.  Make up on, hair blow dried, and ready to make my nutrition shake for the morning.  (Oh, I had to look a bit better than usual because I was to have lunch with my bestie and later dinner with my other bestie.)  I found on one of the new blogs I follow called Veronika's Kandy Koated Dreams, a fabulous green smootie for weight loss that included spinach.  I started my smootie and it took forever to get it whirred up.  All ready and very green I tried to pour it in my glass and look what happened.  The darned bottom broke out. 

What a mess...

Luckily I had another blender under the cabinet, a hundred years old, but another blender.  It did the job the second time around but the motor was a bit smelly.  Today I'm on the hunt for either a blender or juicer.  

Oh, and on the garden note...danged critter, not sure whether it is a rabbit or squirrel ATE one of my red tomatoes!

Day 8 - Colon Cleanse

I've successfully completely the first 7 days of the cleanse and as reading the little booklet that came with the program I "thought" I could have MEAT today but I think not.  It's now two shakes a day instead of three, but I've already been doing only two.  I just could not do three.  Fruit is just not my thing, veggies on the other hand, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, but I'm not drinking a veggie.  I did find on a blog a drink that fruit and spinach leaves in it I might try.  Anyway, I think I'm going to continue on the two a day but "sometimes" adding rice or legumes and occasional protein.  I honestly think that this cleanse has been what pushed the throat-bacteria to rage and get out of my system.  I feel great and the good news is that I am down 6 pounds!  That has got to continue.  So, back to the store today to replenish the dreaded fruit and veggies, and continue for the next 8-21 days!  My only problem is that I still have to cook a meat dish for The Hubby.  He's not doing the shakes and he needs his nutrition so he can work.  That can be a bit hard for sure.

Now, just look what I picked from the garden.  The little tomatoes I've been picking 2-3 everyday but finally the larger ones are coming up read.  Deep in one of the plants, the beefsteak variety I have two the size of The Hubby's fist!  They are just starting to get the blush of pink.  Shouldn't be but a few days and I may have to break so I can have a BLT!

Went ahead and pulled the onions too.  The weeds were getting best of my there with them.  I will finish digging the potatoes in the next couple of weeks too but THOSE are not on my menu plan!  EGAD! 

Day 7 - The Battle Continues

As of yesterday I finished seven days of the colon cleanse.  That was 2-3 shakes a day (I only did 2), with added nutrition stuff, fiber and 7 cleanse capsules with each shake.  Then dinner I would have plate fulls of veggies and all day long, water, water, water.  I'm done with the nearly starvation part.  Just kidding, it really wasn't too much of a starvation kind of thing and I have not been perfect.  On day 5 I had a piece of pork tenderloin and on day 6, at the family/Father's Day event I had some brisket and my Grandma's dip on a chip (several times).  All in all though, I am down 6 pounds and The Hubby is THRILLED!  I will continue on but adding the lean meats, chicken and fish, brown rice and legumes.  Really, this is how I eat mostly and should not be a problem.  I am going to finish all of the product I have, the full 21 days but won't continue with the shakes after that.  ICK!  Not my favorite thing.  They don't taste bad, really but I am not a fan.  I think what is going to continue to work for me is the changes I have made.  I have given up diet pop and creamer in my coffee and fast food.  Those are my biggest offenders.  A little secret here is that my carpel tunnel has hardly bothered me and my creaky knees have stopped.  I have a BIG feeling that the diet pop was giving me the problems, had built up in my system and tearing my body down.

Now my thoughts about The Hubby being thrilled on the weight loss.  I am so torn inside with my emotions about that.  He seems so invested in my succeeding with this mission that I catch his eyes on me if there are obstacles in the way and I have the feeling that he is just waiting for me to fail, yet again.  Really, this is my thing and not his.  When I was taking those few chips at my aunt's on F's Day I was sneaking them, yes sneaking.  I've reverted to sneaking the food because he will be disappointed in me and I feel like a parent is watching me, ready to slap my hand (which he did many years ago.)  In the back of my mind I'm afraid that if I really do loose a lot of weight and look good, it might not be enough, that he'll want more and more and more.  When I was only about 20 pounds overweight some 30 years ago he would harp on me so what is the difference.  Maybe it's the health thing, but I'm healthy, according to my doctor.  I exercise and am in good shape.  Oh gosh, I am just making myself nuts and self-defeating myself.  This weight thing is such a huge battle.  I really would be happy to loose 50 pounds but 100 would be nice.  That's a scary thing to write here because in reality 100 pounds is just awful and I don't want to face it but if I want to be around for my granddaughter, and to enjoy playing with her I have to keep up at least giving up the diet pop and fast food.  Those two things alone which I did not have as a child should be of great benefit for me.

(Thought:  Maybe if I lose lots of weight I will feel more comfortable on the dance floor with The Hubby and enjoy myself.  Right now I just feel like a cow spinning around.)

The Day After

The weekend started with me waking up with a horrendous sore throat.  It had been bothering me for few days but I thought it was going to be just allergies and post nasal drip!  I was wrong when I realized that the back of my throat, after inspection, was not a pretty sight.  Of course, I always get sick on the weekends when I can't see my regular doctor, but thank goodness there are minor emergency clinics.  I knew that if I was to attend the family gathering on Saturday a quick run to the clinic was in order so I waited until 10 AM for it to open.  I was afraid that strep throat was going to be my diagnosis.  The doctor came in and we chatted a bit and he asked what I was in for.  I explained and then he got his little throat looker and took a peek.  You should have seen his eyes and head pop back as he said, "You weren't kidding."  He sent the nurse who then gave me a little gag and tickle in the back of the throat to quick test for strep.  Dum, de, dum, dum, dum, de, dum....(Jeopardy song)...I wait for seven minutes.  Finally Doc walks in and says, "Well, surprisingly, it's not strep."  I couldn't believe it after what was hiding in my throat.  He went ahead and put me on a "Z" pack and said that there are other bacteria that can cause this but that strep is the only one that they test for because it can cause damage to the heart muscle.  I just wanted to make sure I could be around my family, my Daddy and the pregnant "B".  He said no problem, just no kissy stuff.  

So Sunday evening we joined most of the family to enjoy our cousins that had come into town.  I haven't seen my cousin Dennis since I was probably 20 years old, that would be 36 years ago!  He and his wife Vickie were who Daddy stayed with when he took his 6 month trip to Arizona a few years ago.  Daddy had the BEST time and had tears in his eyes as he told me, "This is the best Father's Day ever!"  Made my day to see him so very happy.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my sweet Daddy...

and to The Hubby, my heart! 

100

I'm pretty darned excited to reach the 100 mark for followers.  Pretty cool and it only took me 6 years.  In a few days it will mark my 6th anniversary spilling my mind on this blog for all the the world to read.  

I'm also happy to finally get my art on the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition website in the gallery area.  YEAH!  I've been reluctant to do that because I did not have enough confidence in myself or my ability to put myself out there.  Last week I emailed several of my paintings, a little bio and there you go, I'm out there.  Excited!!!!!

Still doing then cleanse but by golly this dang throat is driving me crazy.  I have no fever but there is definitely white junk in the back of my throat, so I know it is a virus and should go away, I hope, soon.  Four days of nothing but fruit and vegetables and shakes I am hungry for a bit of meat of some kind now but I will continue.  

Day 3 - (Fortune Cookie Friday)

I have finished the 3rd day of the colon cleanse and truthfully it has been a breeze.  I've already lost 4 pounds, probably water.  I have not had a piece of meat, chicken or fish in three days.  I do miss it and will be back on it on Tuesday.  This is definitely not like a colonoscopy, thank goodness.  I have purposefully NOT got to the grocery store but will be faced with going there tomorrow for something to cook for The Hubby and a ton of veggies for Sunday's family bash.  Wednesday morning I woke up with a dry/sore kind of thing going on in the left side of my back throat.  I think it might be allergies but last night it got a lot more tender, sore to swallow.  I'm thinking it might be a side thing from the cleanse.  It's funny that I have not been sick in a year and I start this dang cleanse and get sick.

Yesterday I planned on a bit of painting but the throat thing made not feel like it at all.  I have got to get busy and finish, well, start the commission that is due August 16.  That reminds me I have got to email the guy and tell him what I plan on doing.  Lots of loose ends.

I've also been toying with the idea of starting a book club and so far I've got some good responses from friends.  A date for the first one needs to be picked and then we'll be off.  Lots of fun to spend with a few friends.  

I guess I should do the Fortune Cookie Friday thing too today:

A fun party is soon to be in your future.

Magic Mike

This past week I've been seeing trailers for Magic Mike..... I WANT TO SEE THIS!  Forget Fifty Shades of Grey, it's Magic Mike for me.  Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, need I say more!

Kale

My first full day of the colon cleanse went without a hitch.  YEAH!  We'll see how today goes.  One thing in my little booklet was a recipe for kale chips.  Our youngest, A, introduced us to kale and I've only sauteed it a few times but this recipe turned it up a huge notch for me.  

Basically it is:

Kale

(1/2 tsp) olive oil

sea salt

cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss kale with the olive oil, sea salt and cayenne pepper and spread out on a cookie sheet that has parchment paper on it.  Put in the oven for about 10-15 minutes and it gets crispy but not burned.

OH MY GOODNESS!  It was like eating popcorn.  We loved it.  Try it!  

Day 1 - Back to Health

Today is day one of the colon cleanse.  I could have started yesterday, Monday, but I had a girlfriend birthday party to go to and I didn't want to sit out of the champagne and fun, so today is the day.  I got up this morning and instead of a protein bar as my usual thing I had a pear and my coffee, black.  Wade put my arms and shoulders through the ringer and I thought I might "DIE"!  Not really but I was really, really hungry and a bit light headed when I got home and a bit worried.  It was fine after a bottle of water and my first shake.  I did frozen blueberries and a bit of pineapple for some sweetness, the shake mix (nutrition), and ice cubes.  Not bad, not sweet but hey, I managed it just fine.  Before I even started though my tummy was doing some somersaults for some reason this morning and I have not been far from a ladies room.  I do that though and it's probably because I have been eating a lot more fresh veggies the past few days anyway.  Another shake for lunch and some veggies and I will be good.  I'm thinking about purchasing a juicer so I can do some carrots but not sure I want to invest if this is a short term thing.  I do have a challenge this weekend, Sunday.  My cousins that Daddy stayed with in Arizona a couple of years ago are here for the weekend and my aunt (Daddy's sis) is having a BBQ!  EEK!  Luckily I had planned on having my shake and taking veggies to munch but then she asked if I would bring a veggie tray!  Works perfectly for me.  That will be my 6th day of the shakes and stuff and then I will add the brown rice, legumes, chicken, fish and lean meats.  I can do this thing, I can do it!

Weekend Wrapup

A restful and fun weekend was had by all.  The cabin was again our destination Friday afternoon, late Friday.  I was in charge of cooking bacon when I arrived, C was bringing fresh cut tomatoes, J was bringing the fixin's for BLT's.  The Hubby and I unloaded our car, put the cushions on the screened porch and waited.  The evening was wonderful.  Company arrived, we ate and then more cabiniters arrived after our dinner to enjoy the fabulous evening air and visit.  I had a few too many gin and tonic's but that was fine.  Company started heading off to their respective cabins about 11 pm which means you've had a very successful gathering, especially on a Friday evening.  Most generally everyone bugs out about 9:30.  The weather was so wonderful we turned off the A/C and opened the windows!  Unfortunately, that was not a good sleeping night as I woke up at 3 and could not go back to sleep.  I was up till about 5:30 then headed back to bed till about 8:30.  

Finally, moving around Saturday I found myself in my favorite place, my screened porch and my chair.  Books and journal and camera at the ready, my Saturday was to begin.  

I found this lovely guy on the screen and was told by my cousin that it is a sphinx moth.  Can you imagine if it was on a tree how it would blend in.

Late in the day The Hubby grabbed my camera and caught this lovely little shot of a spider preparing his dinner...ICK!  Hate spiders. 

The evening was an evening for ME!  Yes ME!!!!!  I know, my birthday was Monday but my wonderful cabinite friends wanted to have a party for me.  Everyone was to bring their own steak and various side dishes or appetizers and we celebrated.  It was a fantastic gathering ending with a birthday cake adorned with a candle I got to blow out.  I haven't had a candle on a cake in years!  Lots of cards and hugs my birthday this year has been the absolute best!  I love my friends. 

Topping the weekend off was our season tickets to the PAC.  The last show of this season was Jersey Boys.  Oh my goodness, what a great show!  Imagine my surprise on Google when I found a blog dedicated to Jersey Boys.  I want to go again.  Usually I am a bit fidgety in my seat but that evening went by so fast and I wanted more.  If you have not seen it, GO NOW and get tickets.  It will be in Tulsa until June 24, so no excuse.