Anger and Frustration

The story goes...The Hubby and I have been in business for 28 years now and sometimes he can really TICK ME OFF! There are days that there is absolutely NOTHING to do except blog, play Club POGO and wait for the phone to ring. Today is one of those days. #1 daughter is now working here 3 days a week which gives me someone to chat with in this windowless office. The girls are grown and gone and so we are empty nesters. I have dropped out of all of my volunteering stuff and now my book club is probably going to crater. I have a couple of other small group things but my social life is just about nil. As stated in a previous post, I joined a bowling league and I need to leave the office at 4 pm on Wednesdays to get there and am through at 6:30. (Just wait this gets better.)

Well, today as I sit and do NOTHING ALL DAY LONG and the time creeps up to 2:26 pm The Hubby comes in and says, "What time do you need to leave." Hold on, I know where this is going. I told him 3:45, because I was going to the bank and then to buy a new bowling bag. He made that awful face and explained that so-in-so needed an invoice TODAY and one of the guys is coming in early to give him the rest of the info to finish billing it, which would be 3:30. So, I told The Hubby I would need to leave at least by 4. That means the bank will have to wait till tomorrow and no new bowling bag today.

What is the deal. It seems that every time I try to get a social life or something fun to do he subconsciously sabotages it....hold on...updated info...


I had to stop and go with him to pick up on of the vans that had to have new tires on it. While driving there I asked him why the so-in-so contractor had to call at the end of the day and insist on having the invoice today. He informed me that the contractor didn't call that he told him we would get it to him this afternoon. SEE WHAT I MEAN. I just made an exasperated sound. I started to say why couldn't it wait till first thing in the morning but stopped myself because that was the first day I was going to actually take a day off WITHOUT feeling guilty since #1 was going to be here. Crap, Crap, Crap!!!!!

Cough

Cough, cough, wheeze. I'm sick, at least I think I am. I really don't feel bad and I don't even have a headache but cough, cough, wheeze. It's probably those damn allergies that happen to us here Okies. I'm even on prescription Allegra but you never know. #1 daughter started work for us in the office last Tuesday and by Friday she was feeling horrible and coughing and sniffling. Stuck in a windowless office next to a sick person, who knows maybe that is it too. I take vitamins EVERYDAY and eat right and excercise, maybe I'm just having an abbreviated version of the contaigin. The customers should enjoy my deep sexy voice today, as this "thing" has settled in my chest and throat. Cough, cough, wheeze!

Last night The Hubby and I attended an auction to try to find some old rugs for our new house. (That sounded funny didn't it.) Anyway, he loves old middle eastern rugs. It's a place called Brandon's Auction and I think every week or so or every week they have auctions. There can be some really cool antiques there but last night was filled with tons of new furniture, some still with new tags on them. Dining room sets including hutches, bedroom furniture sets, living room chairs and couches, you name it it was there and the prices were dirt cheap, so was probably the quality of the stuff but I wouldn't know for sure because I didn't look too closely. We were able to bid on 3 of 4 rugs, a very old brass lamp and of all things a ukelele in a case for $20. Don't quite understand the meaning of that one. In all we spent around $650 on the stuff.

After the auction we hurried home and arrived around 10:15. I was anxious because our DVR was messed up earlier and I didn't want to miss Big Brother. Whew, it worked and we stayed up to watch it and The Hubby watched me scream at the television at Evil Dick.....his name is so appropriate. I so detest that man.

This morning I opted to stay in bed and not go to Jazzercise. I could have because I really felt OK but that extra 30 minutes sleep was heaven. I'll get some exercise tonight bowling.

I'm so torn

This weekend I left for the cabin early as I now have office help and can get away. I arrived at the cabin and planned on spending the night by myself as The Hubby was not due till Saturday. Of course, it was raining but I didn't mind as I spent the afternoon reading on my glorious back porch. I was soon joined by a sweet golden retriever. She was around last weekend and now her companions are two huskies, all a very young. Sadly the trio have dumped. Dumped by idiot people who just assume that since there are people here we will take care of them. Hold on people, do the right thing and either find a home, find a rescue or last resorts the pound but DON'T DUMP THE POUR DEFENSLESS ANIMALS. I don't want another dog but the golden is absolutely so sweet and gentle it just breaks my heart. In fact she still has a collor on, but no tag. She bacame my friend this weekend not leaving my side while I was outside. It helps I guess that I fed her. I couldn't help it. Unfortunatly I found out she is quite talented and smart. I went inside to take a shower on Saturday and left her on the covered front porch waiting for me. When I got out she was gone. Well, I went back out into the screened porch and there she was asleep by the inside door waiting for me. How did she get in there. I took her outside and went back in and watched from the kitchen. She went up to the screen door and stuck her claw in the fairly new screen and pulled it open wide enough to get her head in and slowly she slid her skinny body through the door. WHAT! I went out the front door to see if she could get out and she just pushes the door open and runs out slamming the door behind her. I don't know what will happen as we are home now and she is there. I don't want a dog, especially a large dog but I'm so torn and very sad by the stupidity of people doing that to a precious innocent animal. Oh and as I was leaving the grounds I passed the trash area and there were the two huskies munching on leftovers. So very, very sad. Know anyone in the market for some good dogs.

Kegler

Last week I began a new bowling league. I have not bowled in about 5 years so I was so very excited to be asked to join the league. If you are wandering what a kegler is it is a bowler. I took a bowling class several years ago to finish part of my degree so there you have it. Anyway, I will keep a running total of my bowling games to show my progress or downfall in trying to help my team, 2 C's and a K. My purple ball will now be rolling down the alleys once a week as I hope my knees and back hold up.

A Beautiful Wedding

Oh, what a beautiful wedding we attended last night. It was an outside wedding at the Dresser Mansion ( http://www.dressermansion.com ). Luckily the temperature was nice and the evening beautiful as our daughters dear friends tied the knot. They had non traditional music like DePeche Mode and ambient music that was just perfect for them. They had four bridesmaids and 5 groomsmen which translates that they have TONS of friends. The flowers were beautiful calla lillies with yellowy-orange centers and the bridesmaids dresses a wonderful muted grass green. To top off the evening the officiant was the girls old youth minister Ginger. Her husband was there too. I cried as I hugged her and Anthony so glad to see them after 9 years. The sweet couple are now off on their honeymoon but might have to change their plans as they are apparantely planning to spend it with Hurricane Felix!

A Glorious Weekend

What A glorious weekend this is. The weather has been beautiful. I spent the whole day yesterday floating in my hammock under a crystal blue sky. The air was perfect, with a tiny breeze that allowed me to doze and read in my green and white checkered swing. Once while I dozed, my book laying in my lap, I was aroused by a low hum above my stomach where my book lay. I had taken the dust jacket off and so exposed the red binding. The low hum just above the book was tiny beautiful hummingbird checking out the red. When I opened my eyes he took off in a split second. Wow, what an incredible sight. My day was often marred during the drifting in and out of sleep by the incessant barking of dogs and people screaming at the barking dogs. That is the one downfall of our little slice of heaven at the lake is is the holiday weekends brings out everyone and their dogs and dogs there are aplenty. Still it was quite perfect.

I finished the Paula Deen biography and really enjoyed it and this morning I started one called Salt Dancers by Ursula Hegi. Wow, I think I will finish it today, maybe. It is about a 41 year old woman, pregnant, single going home to confront her father about her childhood. I will leave it at that cause I think it should be read. I believe it would be a good book club read (hint). It is written going back and forth between the present and the past but Hegi does it quite nicely and the read is written poetically for a nice read.

We had to come back from the lake and my hammock today for a wedding at 7 tonight. I wouldn't bother but it is a friend of #1's from church and we've known April since she was about 7 years old. And, the officiant is their old youth minister, Ginger, who now lives in Washington D.C. with her husband. I can't wait to see them as we just love them to death. It should be a grand time.

Tuesday will begin with #1 daughter starting work for us and I'm very excited as it will eventually give me some time off. YEAH!!! Also, The Hubby has offered her guy a job to learn a trade and possibly, if they get hitched, they can take over the business, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Pirate Master

YEAH! I finally got to the end of Pirate Master. CBS canceled with 5 weeks left and left EVERYONE hanging. I'm sure that was an awful lot of viewers but I had invested a Little time watching it and wanted to know who won. They had it on the website so every Tuesday there I sat trying to catch it. Today I started watching it and it was a 2 hour episode. I watched the first hour and then my Internet connection hiccuped and it STARTED OVER again. I had to let it run through and managed to do something else while it did. What a total waste of time. What can I say I'm a reality show addict.

The Weekend

The weekend was full of laughs and fun at the cabin. We had several neighbors over Friday night for an impromptu dinner of ribs and fried okra. I drank an entire bottle of wine by myself but it was over a 5 hour period so I felt no pain. It was quite yummy. The evening was a bit marred by one of the guests, Ms.L who seems to ALWAYS have too much wine and ends up crumpled down in a chair in a drunken sleep. She drank a lot of wine and then proceeded to steal a persons martini's that was seated next to her an finish 3 of them on top of the wine. This is not an unusual happening and seems to happen every weekend. Ms.L is usually so bad that she has to be escorted home by two gentlemen, most of the time NOT her husband. Luckily for us he didn't have time to sneak out before we suggested that he take her home. He is avoiding the problem, his and hers about the drinking and leaving it to others. Now there is talk with her friends about an intervention but I do not want to be a part of that. Our little "resort" area is very small and I'm not sure that would work for us up there. Ms.L lives there full time with her husband and her parents also have a cabin and lives there full time. It is a very sticky situation but it is really getting out of hand. Apparently there is also problem in the bedroom as Ms.L let us girls know that it was NOT happening in the bedroom for them. Which explains the talk about her at the 4th of July party where she was grinding around on another woman's husband (the other woman was not there), AND Ms.L doesn't care about which sex the person is. A few weeks ago I was in the kitchen at the sink hulling strawberries while another of our friends was helping me. Well, Ms.L came behind me and starting smooching my neck and grinding me from the backside.!!!!!!!YIKES!!!!! My eyes were bugging out of their eye sockets as I looked at the other friend and she was gasping. Ms.L then went to the living room and I just was in shock. Later that evening she grabbed me and started slow dancing and trying to do the grind. This is really a problem and if her husband doesn't start taking care of it I guess we girls will have too. Wow...

Update on #1 Girl

A little news on #1 girl is she has picked up another class to teach ESL Intermediate Reading class as an adjunct instructor at the local junior college. This means that even thought she will be coming to work for us next week she won't be there all day Monday and Wednesday. But that is OK as long as I can have a couple of days off that is just fine. I just hope she doesn't want to be paid full-time because that is NOT going to happen. It will definitely be interesting having her there.

Oh Big Brother!

Oh Big Brother! It was very interesting tonight. I have the live feed but have not watched it for a few days and boy did I miss some stuff. DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THURSDAY NIGHT!!!!

Evil Dick and Jen went head to head and it was not very pretty. Jen started by hiding her clothes with the pretext of packing to leave but she was getting ready to go after ED. She went in and took his stash of cigarettes and DESTROYED them. She then went and ate even though she was supposed to be on slop till the end. That cost her an extra vote to be OUT! Then when Dick found out the cancer sticks were gone he went nuts. While she was eating he blew smoke in her face and then it started to physical. Jen ended up with a little burn on her hand. I thought that one was going to go right then since there was not supposed to be THAT kind of contact. WOW! It was an exciting episode and I'm going to have to pay closer attention.

She's Gone

We've had a very nice visit with #2 this past week but she is at this moment landing in LA ready to continue her new life there. The week has been filled with lots of laughter, lots of her old friends and lots of family. She was staying with us so our little routine at home was a little disrupted but not like she used to be. She even made her bed this morning before she left. That is a real biggy. You can tell she has matured and it was a pleasure having having her home. Last night all four of us went out to dinner at a place in downtown called McNellies. After a few beers and dinner we ventured next door to a place called The Continental. What a nice place and it was totally empty. There was a stage and the bartender said it was open Jazz night. While we sampled a few drinks in walked part of the band Harmonious Monk and I forgot that #2 knew some of the band mates. She ran over to hug one of the guys and had a nice visit. I could hear her telling him about her living in LA and on an on. As the bewitching hour came for The Hubby and we decided to go home so I could catch the last of Big Brother. The girls decided to stay, I'm sure to catch the band that was not going to start till 10, WAY past my bedtime. God I'm old. This morning as I made sure #2 was rolled out of bed to catch her plane I was hit with a sadness that she was going away again. It had been 8 months since we had set eyes on my little girl. I was actually nervous for her traveling and right now waiting for her call to say she is safe and sound there. Her Dad took her to the airport as her bag would not fit into my new little car. When I made it into the office he leaned over my desk to ask how our little visit went last night when she came in from the club. I said it was nice but my eyes saw a real sadness in him too. He is very worried about our little girl. He wanted me to grill her about work, if she really loved this new guy in her life, you know pry. I was not comfortable with that and have had my butt bit by delving into my girls lives when I shouldn't. They are adults and they will tell me when they want to although last night was a nice opening for the discussion and so we talked. We actually talked about babies (ARGHHHHH!) She's not ready but she's trying to get her sister off the kick of being scared to death about "having" a baby. Well, that's another discussion. All in all it was a wonderful visit with my lovely daughter.

Hosting the Fam

We're getting ready to have the family over for a party/dinner for #2 daughter on her visit home. That means The Hubby's and my side of the family so 19 in total (actually should be 22 but the others couldn't make it). I talked The Hubby into cooking his award winning smoked ribs and one chicken for the occasion. I made that Fresh Corn Salad again - YUM and will heat up some green beans. I just told everyone to bring something that would go with ribs and chicken and we'll see what they come up with. I just get tired of doing the email thing back and forth of what everyone is bringing and coordinating and stuff. Usually if you set the meat and say potluck with the rest it can be very interesting. Of course The Mother-In-Law is bringing a birthday cake 'cause The Hubby will be 52 on the 23rd so she has to have a birthday cake for the occasion. That is fine and lets me know the dessert is taken care of.

It has been nice having #2 home this week. She leaves I think Tuesday. Yesterday she and I went to her friends wedding, the reason for her visit. The downside of this little excursion home was that she was going to have to deal with her former roommate and high school friend. Both girls can be very stubborn but the roommate is a little wacky. #2 came home from work one day and there in the apartment were 7 guys (one the roommates boyfriend) to stay for a week. Some of them were also former high school friends. #2 was absolutely furious. Another day after work #2 opened the door of the apartment and there was a new puppy that had christened the place royally. The friend just had no respect for the feelings of #2, she only thought about what she wanted. So the girls lost any deposit they had especially since the friend didn't pay a pet deposit. It was a huge mess and the roommate moved out one month before the lease was up (her name was on it too). The utilities were in her name and she threatened to shut them off. That meant #2 would have had to have them turned on for one month and possibly pay deposits again...yuck. They made a compromise but the electric has got to be paid back to the roommate and she is not talking to #2 to settle the amount, until yesterday at the wedding. They talked amicably and hopefully their friendship is not totally ruined. I love this "little" girl and when she was leaving she came over and hugged me and told me she missed me and started crying which started me crying and then another mother of one of the other friends started crying and it just snowballed from there. I hope it all works out for them eventually. Living together can sure mess up a friendship, it's hard enough on husbands and wives and kiddos.

One thing I had forgotten about #2 being around is the non-stop talking. Her father and I took her out to the new restaurant downtown called El Guapos (we wired it) and her chatter about her life in LA was absolutely NON-STOP. We finished out meal and she hadn't even started eating hers. It is amazing how she can go on and on and on and on and on.....I love her!

I've Got News!

I've got news! The #1 daughter has given her notice at work where she has worked for 5 years and is coming to work for us. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!! The Hubby was very hesitant about this but I am all for it. First of all we need someone to man the phones while we are in Europe in October, that is reliable. Second, she is quite a organizationl guru and I so need it here in the office. Third, I NEED A BREAK, and this will give me the opportunity to come and go and go and go if I want to. I'm so ready to have some time at the house to organize my little room/office that is still in boxes after a year and a half. I'm very excited.

Other good news is that #2 daughter is home from California for a week. One of her friends is getting married and another friend had a baby in January or something like that and she has never seen the baby. So, our little girl is home. She looks great and I sure missed her. She seems very happy with her life and can't wait to go back. We're having a huge family dinner on Sunday to celebrate her visit.

This week has been filled with a lot of ups and downs - the funeral/memorial, my baby home, my **$$###??//^^#@@@ period that appeared on Saturday, #1 girl working for us. So you see the emotional roller coaster has been at my home this week.

A Most Tragic Event

I was sent an email last night informing me of a terrible tragic event. An old, old friend of mine lost her niece in a terrible car accident this past weekend as she was apartment hunting in Dallas beginning her new life. The young girl was only 26 years old and was starting out the most promising part of her journey in this world. She had achieved her graduate degree in Printmaking and was to start her internship at the Dallas Museum of Art. She had just returned from a trip to Africa working with Masai children at a boarding school. She was very gifted in art but also in her love and love of teaching children. The even more terrible tragedy was that Sarah was the only niece, child and grandchild of her family. How absolutely devastating for this family I know so well. I cannot imagine the loss they are feeling at this time. It is truly unimaginable the pain they must be going through.

Mother Nature has a cruel streak

Mother Nature is truly cruel. I have not been visited by her for 11 months and who should make an appearance Saturday night but Her Majesty. I can't believe it. I thought I was finally over all that crap. I am so very bummed that I have to start that whole year waiting all over again. WAAAAAAA!!!

This weekend #1 daughter and I hosted a bridal shower and it was a huge success. The food we made was terrific and everyone had a great time. They stayed for 3 hours. I made a fabulous tiny bacon and tomato sandwich with a parmesan mayo and fresh basil leaves for lettuce. YUMMY!

After the shower The Hubby and I drove up to the cabin for night of peace and quiet and so he could watch the meteor shower. I hit the bed at 9:30 since I was exhausted and recouperating from the monthly drag. I spent this morning reading on the book club selection and I think I am going to finish it by next week. I'm not enjoying it much. It is called The Queen of the South (see Books I'm Reading).

I am rambling I see. Not much has really happened in my life this week so i don't have much to talk about. You know since we are empty nesters, it is just us in the house in the evenings and I'm getting a little bored with the routine. You know, come home every night, turn on the TV, read the paper, check the mail, cook dinner and then watch TV till about 9 o'clock and then turn in - EVERY NIGHT! It is getting to be like my parents and I'M NOT MY PARENTS. I don't want to turn into that old foggy couple that has no life. I REFUSE! That is why I have my girlfriends to hang with, at least occasionally.

A Harried Friday

Even though today was not a payroll day I was still very busy, just not in the office. #1 daughter and I are hosting a bridal shower for her childhood friend tomorrow so today was numerous shopping errands to prepare. Luckily the house stays pretty clean since no kiddo's live here anymore and I have a girl that cleans every couple of weeks. Whew, that chore was done. Man, it was so hot geting in and out of the car running the errands around town. Well, over 100 today. So tomorrow I will hit the ground running as we, #1 and I are preparing the food for the shindig. I'm really looking forward to it as I love to throw parties. The only thing is that we are AGAIN missing a weekend at the lake place. This summer has been just shot what with trips and weddings. In fact, I have a wedding next weekend, one in September and one in October. I've spent a fortune on wedding gifts this year. Then in October we are going to Europe for 13 days and so fall will be half gone too and that is the best time of year for the lake and the peace and quiet.

The week in review...so far

Well, there is some good news for a change. #2 daughter is coming home for a visit. It has been 8 months since we have laid eyes on her and I'm pretty excited although I'm not ready for The Hubby to start growling about her messes in the house. One of her friends is getting married and so she is coming home for the wedding. She has quit her job and living with the boyfriend. She spent most of the $600 she made on the Tears For Fears tour on a cell phone so....(I hang my head and sigh).

#1 daughter has gotten good news. She will be teaching ESL at the junior college part-time and she is very excited. She has been working on her masters in Teaching English as a Second Language for awhile now and should be through next spring, hopefully. Did I say she is very excited.

Finally, yesterday I went to the GYN for my yearly and she said that I was pretty much through the menopause thing. You've got to be kidding. This has been a breeze, at least so far. I've had a few night sweats and personal summers but all in all it's been pretty easy. It has been 11 months since my last period and my luck I'll have one next month. LOL!!! I have mixed feelings about this. I've always thought it would wonderful if I was through with the monthly stuff but I am a little sad. It's not that I would want another child, heaven forbid but you just realize that part of your life has stopped, ended, finished. I love to watch the birthing shows and sometimes envision myself going through it all again. I loved being pregnant and having the babies but I don't miss the sleepless nights, the diapers, the spit up, the screaming, and the exhaustion. I miss the smiling till you face felt like it was going to break, the coos, the baby smells. Maybe I'll have to live it through my daughters, but wait, they don't want to have kids. Oh well, we'll just have to wait to see what the future holds.

A Shopping we will go, a shopping we will go!

We stayed in town this weekend because The Hubby had to work in the office this weekend. I didn't work and if he thought I would he had another thing coming. Back to the purpose of this blog. A shopping I went with our #1 daughter. We haven't been shopping together for sometime and I mean maybe a year or two. Anyway, she told me of the outlet Dillard's on the east side of town and that they were having a huge sale till about Sept 16, 50% to 75% off and this weekend was no tax weekend. Well, we hightailed it out there first thing when it opened, 11 am and wow. Mostly clothes and they were very name brand clothes. Lots and lots of clothes. We found comforter covers, tablecloths, bedskirts, napkins and lots and lots of clothes for us our lovely guys in our life and even shirts for my Daddy. When we got home we tallied what I actually spent with the original prices on the tags: the original price total was $3,356 and I actually spend $441.46 with only paying $7.52 in tax on the non-clothing items. WOW! Can you believe it. Run do not walk if you are in the Tulsa area and shop, shop, shop till you drop. Go early so to not get caught in the tired and stressed nerves of the shoppers or cashiers. The lines are long so be very patient and try not to get caught up in the ugly talk (almost a fight behind us over a place in line). Wear tennis shoes and be prepared to carry, carry, carry. Take a stroller without the baby to use as a cart. Hubbies there are tons of pants and shirts to choose from, lots of linen and cotten casual shirts for CHEAP! I mean it "A shopping we will go, a shopping we will go, high ho the dario, a shopping we will go."

Time for a nap, I'm exhausted.

Will #2 every get it!

The #2 daughter, as I've previously blogged is living in California, far away from her parents parental reach. She loves it there and last week she got to do what she is certified/trained to do. She is an audio engineer. She loves music and wants to be in the music scene. This past week she got to work with Tears For Fears on their four city tour in California doing marketing for them. #2 was ecstatic that her favorite band and the members are now friends of hers. She was flying high when I talked to her a couple of days ago and was actually paid $600 for her work. YEAH, I say. Well, she told me that she was going to use part of the money to fly home this month for a friends wedding and to see us since it has been 8 months since she has set foot in this city. She is homesick and I miss her. Well, last night she called and was depressed and sad. She was feeling the down side of being up after a very happy previous week. After a little more prodding I find out what she is down about.l First, if I didn't blog before, she has moved in with her boyfriend who is just a tad older than she is (14 years older). Yeah, I know I'm not happy but what do you do. Anyway, in this condo he has she has her own little office space and her own bathroom and I'm a little confused if it is an actual boyfriend/girlfriend thing but I don't ask. Back to the story. She is upset because she can't unpack her boxes and she is talking about buying paint. I know that this little girl can't settle down and be happy unless her surroundings are absolutely PERFECT. She is very obsessed about it. Then she starts talking about not being able to come home because she can't afford it. I was confused since she just make $600 and is not paying rent. She said she had to buy a new phone. Now mind you we bought her other phone, which she still has and we pay for her bill. It's the only thing left that she doesn't pay for. She said that "W" had to get a new phone and they got a plan. I asked her how much the phone was and she told me $300, it's a palm. WHAT!!!!! #2 there was no reason for that. This is where she is still immature in her thinking. It shows that she was a little pampered but she realizes that it was a mistake at this point when she realizes that it affected her chance to come home. I didn't offer to buy her a ticket and she wouldn't accept it anyway. She's trying to make it on her own, so to speak. Then she started crying about a job. She quit her other really good job at a art store but she wants to do "music" and can't seem to wrap her head around being a waitress or salesperson. I told her she will have to do some grunt work since she hasn't got a college education and very little work experience. She has to be hungry and I think that at this point she is hungry for family. I hope #2 finally learns something through all of this. It's so hard for her to be there and us here. She asked for my help with what she should do about finding a job and I told her that I was in Oklahoma and she was in California and I would be absolutely no help. I told her to start knocking on every door she could. Any money at this point is much better than nothing. I think she sees us, her parents, doing very well and assumes that that is the way for her but doesn't realize it takes years and hard work to attain what we have. She has to get off her keister and make it happen. I told her she needed to get her drive in high gear.

Well, I'm on a role. She's not here for me to rag on so I blog.

Insomnia AGAIN

I was very tired yesterday and I only got up one hour earlier to get The Hubby to the hospital for his colonoscopy, but that was 4 am. You would think that I would sleep but Oh No, not happening. We went to bed at 10 pm last night and lo' and behold I was awakened but something, I think a dream, at 2:30 am. I laid in that stupid bed till 4 am knowing full well that the alarm was going to go off at 4:45. I tossed and turned and just couldn't go back to sleep. I was hot too (can we say hot flash). So this morning I'm a little groggy sitting her typing away. If this doesn't make a whole lot of sense well, there is a reason! YAWN!

Can we say colonoscopy!

Tomorrow The Hubby has his first colonoscopy. He has left the office to go home and start drinking the "stuff" that make him not want to leave a particular room! I say, "See ya later." I am left to man...woman the office today. Tomorrow morning we have to BE at the hospital at 6am. That's really no sweat since we get up at 5 every morning. I just need about 30 more minutes to eat my oatmeal and shower. I'm feeling a little guilty because I will be eating in front of him but it can't be helped, I have to have sustance. My colonoscopy will probably be this fall so it will be his turn to be the DD (designated driver).

I finished Harry Potter last night. Stayed up till midnight then up at 5 am for Jazzercise. A little sleepy here! I liked the ending but it was a little slow going in the book. I thought Rowling wrapped it up nicely for the kiddos reading it. It was also, I think, the first time I saw a "bad" word in her books. It was bastard. Curious. Well, anyway now I'm on to The Queen of the South. I've had to put Paula Deen's book on hold while I finished Harry and the bookclub choice. A reading we will go, A reading we will go, Hi Ho the Darrio A Reading we will go! I'm a little sleep deprived......

The Weekend

Finally got a whole weekend at the cabin and I feel refreshed although I don't know if you can feel refreshed when you just hosted a dinner gathering for 16. It was great fun. The Hubby smoked a DAMN good brisket and everyone brought a side dish or dessert or appetizer. I made a couple of great recipes. In the Cooking Light magazine (not sure which month) is a very simple recipe for Fresh Corn Salad. FABULOUS! Run out today and get the copy for that recipe alone. It was fast, simple and delicious. I also found a recipe on the web for a sopapilla cheesecake (the one with 2 pkg of crescent rolls and 3 pkgs of cream cheese). It was very good but you want to eat it warm as it kind of stringy. We had good food and great conversation, at the the guys had some great conversation. They were enamored by a guest of one of our guests. They were pilots together and the guests-guest used to be a Romanian MIG fighter pilot. The men (little boys) were intriqued by his stories. The man was very nice but the instant he sat one foot in our door the stories started and 3 of the men didn't even make into the kitchen to eat they were so wrapped up in the center of attention that was the guests-guest. I was a little perturbed because I could hardly get the eating started with the rest of the guests, but all in all the evening was huge success at the party didn't break up till around 11 and usually the lake parties break up about 9.

On the note of the lake. The water is down on the wigwam but still totally covering the meadows and the swimming area and the dam is still totally under. The vegetation that was under is rotting and absolutely stinks.

Toddles all as I surf the web.

I'm so tired.

I have been so tired this week. So tired that my eyes have been absolutely burning during the day. I get out of bed Monday thru Friday at 5 am without fail and then have the weekends to at least sleep in a couple of hours. Well, with us at the business seminar last weekend we had to get up at 5 am there as well, so my rest-catch-up weekend just didn't happen. So I'm very happy that tomorrow is Friday and I'm heading for the cabin and some rest and relaxation and lots of reading. There will also be a little party time on Saturday night as we're hosting a smoked brisket dinner on Saturday for 16 with the neighbors.

Some very exciting news: The #2 daughter that is in California is really living her dream this weekend. She is officially working for Tears For Fears (temporarily)for their concert in Saratoga, California. This band has been her very favorite for many years and to finally get a chance to work with them is AWESOME! Kudos to #2.

My new Grandbaby

His name is either Louie or Buddy....7-26-07 I was wrong his official name today is Mondo Luis Shepley (the last name a combo of B&B's last names-my daughter and boyfriend)

Nothing to Say

Well, I really don't have anything to blog about tonight as nothing really has happened today AT ALL! It was another boring day at the lonely office. Normally I would be able to break up the day and watch TV through my computer as The Hubby has installed cable and a TV program in my computer but the stupid program crashed and I'm again left alone. The Hubby just doesn't understand about the TV. He thinks that I will just sit and get nothing done but it is the opposite. It is white noise and I mainly listen to it since I only have human voices on the phone IF someone calls.

To St. Louis and Back

Thursday afternoon The Hubby and I took off for St. Louis, Missouri for a business seminar. We left on Thursday because we had to be at the first meeting at 7:30 am Friday morning. We signed up for this seminar because we are toying with the idea of taking our business to a different kind of service business, actually back to how we started it. I was a little apprehensive about all of this and so went into the first meeting a little edgy but with an open mind. We listened for two whole days as a real gung-ho guy talked and talked and talked. Truth be told if he would have been holding a Bible in his hand I would have sworn I was at a revival meeting. But it was definitely not that kind of subject (thank goodness).

For awhile now I have been blogging about my boredom with work and The Hubby has been telling me how bored he is with it too. He is also finding it hard to get up the enthusiasm to continue everyday. He is burned out and so am I. We know we have to continue because it is our bread and butter and it has done quite well for us but to maintain the level we are at is a bitch and to add exhausting too. There are many times we have to work the weekends and evenings to get billing done and that leaves us just dead. We are tired and this new idea of flat rate pricing for us is intriguing. If it is set up right you can leave your people to run the business and you can take time off. Right now we are at taking separate vacations because we can't be gone too long together without the whole thing cratering. We just can't continue for another 10 or 15 years like this. It has been 28 years already and we are just about done.

So the 6 hour drive back home yesterday was almost constant talking about changing our future and the more I think about it I'm in for it. I'm ready. I'm ready to take the next step in our lives.

Can we quit rehashing the subject PLEASE!

Can we quit rehashing the subject PLEASE! The subject, well there are several subjects and they all include money and kids. Tonight The Hubby and I were discussing an old friend that he saw today and I asked how the old friends kids were. Well, the "college" word came up and then The Hubby went off on when #2 daughter comes back home she will go to the junior college and then cheap college for her bachelors, etc. I went off again on him. AGAIN...I told him that first of all #2 daughter is not coming home from California, she loves it there. Second she will not go to college, she hated it when she tried and I barely got her through high school because she hated it so bad. He just can't seem to get that "college" thing out of his mind. We've done quite well for ourselves even though we didn't have college (I got my bachelors AFTER we had kids) but he thinks she won't amount to anything without college. Then he leap-frogged to #1 daughter's college days. He said that #1 should have gone to a cheap college because it cost so much for her to go to the Ivy League school(his words) that she graduated from. He went off on how much we had to pay and I had to correct him. I told him that all but the last semester came out of her college fund that I began for her as a baby. He said I never told him that which is a big fat lie. He then started in about how I never show him the finances and blah, blah, blah. OH MY GOD! He is about it again. Granted I take care of all the finances and always have because he didn't have time to mess with them. I also do all the money stuff for our business. He doesn't have room to gripe because with my handling the finances I have been able to keep us totally out of debt with two houses paid for and a business paid for and our only debt is a car payment so RASPBERRIES!!!!!!!! to him.

I'm Done!

I'm done. Done with what you say. Well, I am officially not a Mary Kay consultant anymore. Don't get me wrong, I will continue to use the products because I truly love it. I just don't want to work at it anymore. So, I now have so much room in my room that I'm LOVING it. I spent all day Sunday cleaning out my stock and creating new space for more "stuff" in my room. It's so very nice to actually see floor.

Now maybe I can start my book I'm always talking about writing although I have a really good idea but just need to find the right starting place. Wish me luck!

Sunday Morning

I am home this morning, not sitting in the wonderful screened porch at the lake which is my favorite thing to do on weekend mornings. So I decide to get up and enjoy my in-town back porch. I gather up my coffee, my journal, my book of the moment and the Sunday paper and head to the porch. I fill my bird feeders so I have something to watch and then unfurl the paper. The sky is blue and the temperture is very pleasant for July. All of a sudden the light dims and the sky starts to rumble and the wind begins to blow sending my paper out of my hands and the bird feeders swaying. Oh No! Not more rain. My goodness I have had enough of the wet stuff for a bit. I really would not mind if I was at the lake in my screened porch but I don't have that luxury here in town, yet. So I gather up my Sunday newspaper, my journal, my coffee, my book and head indoors to my favorite chair to again start the morning.

I'm torn as to what to do today. The Hubby is going into the office to work and if he even half-way thinks that I'm going to accompany him he's got another thing coming. I'm tossing the idea of going to the new Harry Potter movie but I also need to work on my little room and clear out some stuff that I have yet to tackle. Maybe I'll work in the room and then we'll go to the movie tonight, together. That might work. I've got to pack up my Mary Kay stuff because I've decided to quit selling it and it is taking up a lot of room in here. I'm hoping my director will by my stock so I can get it gone. Don't get me wrong, I will still use the stuff, just not be a consultant. Didn't work it well anyway, my heart wasn't in it. In fact my director was supposed to meet me for lunch last Thursday at Olive Garden but didn't show. I waited for 30 minutes but no one so I had lunch all by myself. I found out that her daughter wrecked her car, the rental car that she had a week 'cause she wrecked her other car the week before. YIKES! At least she could have called me since the wreck was the night before and it was a fender bender only...you think! Can you tell I'm a little pissed. I hate to be stood up and it seems to happen to me a lot, even when I was dating - high school, since I married a year out.

Yum, I love coffee! I'm actually going to enjoy having the house to myself without the hubby hanging around. Just his presense seems to get in my way in my mind. I can't seem to get motivated when he is lurking around. I know that sounds crazy but he is a perfectionist and anything I do he critiques, maybe not with words but with actions and especially his eyes. Trust me it is there. You would think after 31 years I would be used to it but sometimes I just can't handle it. He really doesn't realize he does it but he does. Funny thing...Friday night we were at the cabin and the neighbors hollored to come over for dinner and bring whatever we brought to eat, joining forces to speak. I love that about the lake and I LOVE my friends and neighbors there. Anyway, The Hubby rolled his eyes and said he felt guilty that we were always going somewhere else to eat and not reciprocating the offers at our place. I reminded him of a few weeks ago when we hosted 12 people there for dinner and the numerous occasions of us hosting dinners and then I told him we were taking a WHOLE roasted chicken over there for dinner. I called him his mother's name because that would be EXACTLY the response his mother would have. Funny guy. Sometimes he is too nice and tries to be too proper. My God it is the lake and in the country. It's not the WhiteHouse. What a man. Anyway, we had great food and a fabulous time laughing, eating and drinking a lot of wine. Cheers!

Woody Gutherie Festival

The #1 daughter begged and pleaded for The Hubby and I to come to the Woody Guthrie Festival this weekend; 1. To meet her boyfriend's father since the boyfriend is from Woody Guthrie's hometown, and 2. To see her jewelry she makes (see Sheezkrafty)that she sells there. So we left the comfort of the weekend cabin and found our way to Okemah to attend the Woody Guthrie Festival. It was really fun even though we didn't stay for too much of the music. We got to see the Red Dirt Rangers which are very good and enjoyed a few glasses of wine at The Grape Ranch. Leaving the festival we found our way through the towns of Wetumpka and Weleetka on our way home. I have lived my whole life in Oklahoma and had never been to Okemah, Wetumpka or Weleetka so I have to mark the occasion.

Bored Again!

Well, here I sit. It is Friday afternoon about 1:40 pm and I am sitting in our office, ALONE! It has been that way all week long. It wouldn't be so bad but the TV program/hookup The Hubby put in my computer has a bug or something and so I'm alone, really alone this week. I'm going crazy sitting here with absolutely NOTHING to do (did I mention no windows to speak of). I read a book this week but finished it yesterday and forgot to bring a new one with me today. I thought we would be leaving early to go to the cabin but OH NO that is not happening. I know, I know, he's busy bringing in the bread, the moolah, the money, but why do I have to sit here all day long and wait for him to come back in sometime to get an invoice, just one invoice ready for me to type, probably about 3:30 or 4 when I want to go home. He cannot understand why I really don't want to be here anymore or at least not all the time. The #1 daughter has asked if she can come to work for us if she quits her other job (another story about hating where she is right now)and I'm absolutely all for it. (It would be temporary.) First of all, she needs to be able to help either The Hubby out if I'm "gone" or the other way around, or even both of us, so it would be a great learning experience for her. Second, I could use some time off while she gets the place organized. I'm just so depressed and bored out of my mind sitting here that I can not do anything. I have no desire, energy, or just plain interest in it at all right now. The Hubby just doesn't understand my feelings about it all. He wouldn't understand since he goes out all day long running around, checking on the jobsites, giving quotes, visiting with people. I know he sometimes hates it but I envy him and always have, and in return he envies me. I just need a break, and I know the spa trip was supposed to give me that but that was a tease, just a tease. I'M BORED, I'M DEPRESSED, I'M BORED, BORED, BORED...

100 Years

Just some interesting triva about Oklahoma!


Oklahoma Centennial

Oklahoma is celebrating its 100th anniversary of
statehood this year. Because most people think of the
stage play "Oklahoma!" when they hear the state's name
mentioned, citizens are attempting to update the
state's image by sharing interesting state facts with
others as we celebrate our Centennial.

Oklahoma is not only the home of Ado Annie and Aunt
Eller from "Oklahoma!" but of the parking meter
(invented in OKC) and the shopping cart (invented in
Ardmore).

The electric guitar also was invented in Oklahoma, by
a Beggs musician named Bob Dunn. The first "Yield"
sign was installed in Tulsa.

**Environmental Protection Agency recognizes Oklahoma
as having the most diverse terrain of any state in the nation. The state, according to EPA, boasts 11 distinct eco-regions.

The state has more man-made lakes than any other
state, which give us more than a million surface-acres
of water and 2,000 more miles of shoreline than the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts combined.

The Sooner State has produced more astronauts than any
other state in the union. Owen Garriott is an Enid
boy, of course, while Tom Stafford is from
Weatherford, Shannon Lucid from Oklahoma City, William
Pogue from Okemah and the late Gordon Cooper from
Shawnee.

Oklahoma is home to the Amateur Softball Association
and Hall of Fame, a world class zoo in OKC and more F4
and F5 tornadoes than any other state.

Oklahoma is the third-largest gas-producing state in
the nation and ranks fourth in the production of
wheat, cattle and calves, fifth in the production of
pecans, sixth in peanuts and eighth in peaches.

The state's colors are neither OU's crimson and cream
nor the orange and black of OSU but green and white.

Oklahomans practice 73 major religions. The largest is
the Southern Baptist Convention, with nearly 1,600
church and more than 960,000 members.

Oklahoma gave birth to Dick Tracy (cartoonist Chester
Gould is a native of Pawnee) and Donald Duck (Clarence
"Ducky" Nash, the original voice of Walt Disney's
Donald, grew up in Watonga).

Oklahomans have survived the Dust Bowl, any number of
killer tornadoes, the 1995 bombing of Oklahoma City's
Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and various oil
booms and busts. Oklahoma is populated by people who
are caring, giving, hard-working, patriotic and
fiercely independent. Oklahoma is a good place to
live, work and play.

The challenge in this, our centennial year, is to make
the rest of America aware of what Oklahoma has to
offer, besides "beautiful mornings," "fringe-laden
surreys" and "a girl who cain't say no."

The official statehood celebration will be in
November. In the meantime, individual cities are
restaging various events associated with statehood and
the settling of Indian Territory which eventually
became our state. It's a great time to be an Oklahoman
and I wanted to share this with you!

Pass this on to friends who might not know anything
about our state. Especially, since the quarter design
won't show anything informative about OKLAHOMA other
than we have scissor-tailed flycatchers and
sunflowers.

The Pensacola Dam, built in 1940 is still the World's Longest Multiple Arch Dam. At 6,565 feet in length, the dam is located on the south shores of Grand Lake O' the Cherokees between Langley and Disney.

Originally, the state of Oklahoma was set aside for the exclusive use of the Indians and was called Indian Territory . However, in 1889, the land was opened to settlers in what became known as the " Oklahoma Land Rush." On the first opening day on April 22, 1889, 50,000 people swarmed into the area. Those who tried to beat the noon starting gun were called Sooners. Hence the state's nickname

The official State Meal of Oklahoma is chicken fried steak, fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, black eyed peas and pecan pie.

FAMOUS PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA
(this is not a complete list but just naming a few)
*Garth Brooks was born in Tulsa and grew up in Yukon, Oklahoma .
*Gene Autry,Sapulpa, Actor, musician
*Johnny Bench,Baseball great
*William "Hopalong Cassidy" Boyd,Tulsa, Actor
*Paul and Thomas Braniff, Okla. City, Aviation pioneers
*Anita Bryant, Tulsa, Entertainer
*Lon Chaney
*Roy Clark, Tulsa, Musician, Actor
*Bart Conner, Olympic gold medal winner, gymnastics
*Leroy Gordon Cooper, Of Shawnee, was among the original seven US astronauts. He orbited the earth 22 times in 1963

*Joan Crawford, Lawton, Actress
*Admiral William Crowe, Former Head of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff.
*Dizzy Dean, Baseball great
*John Denver, Born, Clinton, Musician
*Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd Akins, Sallisaw, Outlaw
*Owen K. Gariott, Of Enid, US astronaut
*James Garner, Actor
*Geronimo, Fort Sill, Apache Warrior
*Vince Gill, Country singer
*Woody Guthrie, Considered by most to be the father of American Folk music, was born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie in Okemah, OK, July 14, 1912

*Mary Hart, Okla. City, TV anchorwoman
*Paul Harvey, Tulsa, Broadcast journalist
*Ron Howard, Duncan, Actor/Director
*Toby Keith, Moore, Musician
*Jean Kirkpatrick, Ambassador to the United Nations
*Gordon William "Pawnee Bill" Lillie, Pawnee, Wild West Show
*Dr. Shannon Lucid, Of Oklahoma City, a US astronaut. She was on board the space shuttle Atlantis during its flight in October of 1989

*Reba McEntire, Country and western music entertainer, actor
*Phillip C McGraw "Dr. Phil", Oklahoma City, TV Host
*Mickey Mantle, Baseball great.
*Pepper Martin, Baseball great
*Shannon Miller, Edmond, Gymnast
*Kenny Monday, Great wrestler and athlete
*Bobby Murcer, Oklahoma City, Baseball great.
*Carry Nation, Of Guthrie, led the fight for prohibition
*Bill Pickett, Ponca City, Invented bulldogging
*Brad Pitt, Shawnee, Actor
*William R. Pogue,of Okemah, among the original seven US astronauts. He returned to earth on February 8, 1974 after 84 days in space.

*Wiley Post, A Native Oklahoman and a pioneer in the field of aviation. He was the first to discover the jet stream and the first ever to design and wear a space suit

*Lynn Riggs, Author, writer "Green Grow The Lilacs" from which script Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote the Broadway musical hit "Oklahoma!"

*Will Rogers, Humorist, entertainer, ambassador-at-large
*John Smith, Great wrestler and athlete
*Thomas P Stafford, Of Weatherford, US astronaut who commanded the joint United States-Soviet

*Belle Starr, Outlaw 1846-1889, was called the "Queen of the Outlaws" , "a female Jesse James"

*Willie Stargell, Baseball great

*Bill Tilghman, Bat Masterson called him "The greatest of us all." Bill Tilghman was a fearless gunfighter who rode with a badge throughout Indian Territory in the 1890's as one of the "Three Guardsmen." He was responsible of arresting dozens of hardened outlaws and criminals during his life and participated in many gunfights. After retiring from law enforcement, he was coaxed into wearing his badge one more time in 1924 at the age of 70 in a wild and woolly oil boom town of Cromwell, Oklahoma where a young drunk shot and killed him without provocation

*Bob Tway, Of Edmond, he won the PGA Championship in 1986

*Jim Thorpe, One of Oklahoma's greatest athletes. At the 1912 Olympics, the King of Sweden declared that Thorpe was "the greatest athlete in the world."

*Wayman Tisdale, Great basketball player and athlete
*Carrie Underwood, Of Checotah. American Idol winner 2005.

*Paul and Lloyd Waner, Outfielders from Harrah, OK. The only brothers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame

*JC Watts, Sooner quarterback, U.S. congressman
*Bud Wilkerson, Norman, Football

The Hubby sitting on the old caretakers fireplace July 4

The old caretakers fireplace underwater July 7



Canoe racks under water



The meadow underwater

...and the water should crest, according to the Corp of Engineers THIS Thursday... OH MY

Flooding pictures

Well, Blogger is giving me fits with uploading pictures so I only have one here today. It is the wigwam at the lake underwater. Hopefully I will have more if this site cooperates.

Finally

I finally found a picture for my profile that I kind of like. The other one I was stuffing my face with sushi for my 51st birthday at In The Raw. Yummy, but it was a terrible picture. Anyway, this weekend we stayed in town, or least part of the weekend to attend the 1st birthday of a little girl named Abigail. She is the granddaughter of one of my/our best friends, Gail, that passed away one year ago March. It should be a quick little party and then we will be off to the lake to see how the water rises. We got a call Friday that there was over 2' of water in the wigwam (community house) and can't wait to check it out and hopefully have pictures. All this water though has another BIG downside, snakes. Yup, the copperheads and water moccasions are on the move to dryer ground and that means with us humans that are quite vunerable. Last Saturday night in the meadow there was a family shooting off fireworks and their college age daughter was bit by a copperhead. YIKES!!!! I DO NOT LIKE THAT! My greatgrandmother was bit twice on the ankle when she stepped out her back door when I was a child. Very scary stuff. Can't wait till fall and winter when they go back in their little holes and leave us humans ALONE!

My World is Complete

Today at lunch The Hubby asked if I minded running an errand with him. "Sure" I tell him. We make our way through lunch hour traffic and pull up in front of, wait for it.....Hubcap Kingdom. My world is now complete. I've seen it all. Wow, a whole store of hubcaps. Funny don't you think.

Last night was the beginning of the new Big Brother 8 and this season should be full of fireworks. It actually made me feel a little uncomfortable sitting and watching ex's, old hated friends and the father daughter thing start to unfold. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some physical altercations that happen, mark my word on that, at least between the ex's.

Going up!

The water is still rising at the lake place and by last night there was about 2' of water in the wigwam. Will have more pictures this weekend.

Your Taste in Music:

80's Pop: Highest Influence 90's Pop: High Influence 90's Rock: High Influence Alternative Rock: High Influence 80's Rock: Medium Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

Fireworks

Last night I was coerced into going to the Riverparks to watch the fireworks. This is not something I like to do and I have successfully avoided being among the crowds for a number of years, up until now. My excuse before was because our little dog was scared and I didn't want to leave her home alone while the boom-boom-boom's went off, but since our little one passed away last year I have no excuses left. Our oldest daughter works in a building close by the river and they always have a huge party and BBQ cookout and she has begged for me to join them. The Hubby has been every year. It wasn't that bad and the fireworks show was great fun and since it was our Centennial it was extra special.

Water, Water Everywhere

Here are the latest pictures of our lake getaway. The water is a rising very fast and should be in the wigwam tonight...one picture is the wigwam and the water approaching and the other is of the dam that is completely underwater.

I'm Back

It was absolutely WONDERFUL!!!! I had such a fabulous time at the spa and I encourage everyone to try a destination spa, especially Lake Austin Spa. The place was everything I thought it would be and more. The food was DELICIOUS and the place is gorgeous. I had a rosemary scrub and massage, a pumpkin wrap and massage, and a glycolic glo facial. I got to sit around the pool, when it wasn't raining or threatening to flood and I read 4 books while there. I could have taken hikes or worked out in classes or the really nice workout room but since I do that 5 days a week my motive was to rest and relax and just veg out. I'm going to save my pennies to go back.

Spa trip almost over

Yesterday was spent watching the water rise and rise in the lake. It didn't rain yesterday until about 9:30 last night and it was (as my mother would say) a gully washer. This morning the watch of the rising water is on again as they are opening more gates and there is more rain predicted. I haven't really minded too much as I have spent time in massages and under a canopied area reading numerous books. I finished Calamaity and Other Stories, Janet Evanovich's most recent Lean Mean Thirteen, and now am halfway through Water for Elephants which I enjoying immensly. Today I have a pumpkin scrub, wrap and massage. Tomorrow is the facial stuff and then sadly Saturday I will flying back home, so sad. This place is absolutely wonderful and it has lived up to my expectations.

Lake Austin Spa Update-anybody got an umbrella

Well, it is Wednesday and it is very soggy here. I went to bed with it raining and today the weather report said it was 100% rain. The bad thing is that the upper part of the lake system here has had 18 inches of rain overnight (8 in 1 hour). They have opened 2 gates in the dam and are going to open two more. There are a system of dams so they are opening them slowly up the river/lake system. I have watched one of the little floating docks go under water and they are bringing in a huge truck with pallets of sand bags to shore up the main building. My cabin is very high so I'm not worried but if the power goes out they will close down so not sure what will happen then. I will keep you posted. glub, glub, glub...

Massage

Well, today was my first full day at the spa and I spent the morning around the pool dodging the rain off and on. Finally I was able to go into the Lake House Spa for my Gifts of the Garden massage....yummy....I got to choose the herb they used in my scrub, shower gel and lotion, I chose rosemary. The day was awesome. Tomorrow I hope there is more sun so I can sunbathe in the morning before my aloe vera pedicure and manicure wraps. Update tomorrow.

I'm HERE!

I'm finally here and having the best quiet time. The place is absolutely beautiful and so far lives up to my expectations. I'm walking the beautiful grounds and taking a lot of pictures to share of my adventure. It's funny to eat dinner and sit next to mother and daughters (there have been two sets) and eavesdrop on their conversation of calories and working out and just diet crap. I would worry about those kinds of discussions. Oh well, I don't do the "D" word but I do watch what I eat and that is quite easy here as there is healthy food in abundance. Lots of fish dishes, fruit, egg white omelets and ton's of water. Not a carbonated drink in sight and that will be my hardest thing as I do love a Diet Pepsi at least a couple of times a week. Toodles all and I will share later....oh.....quick funny story...

I decided after dinner last night that I needed to brush the chicken pesto out of the fronts of my teeth so I went back to my beautiful cabin/room and grabbed my toothbrush out of the ziploc bag. I reached in the stuffed bag and grabbed a small white tube and squirted it on my brush. Putting in my mouth and scrubbing my first reaction was there was no fizzing or bubbling. My first thought was Preparation H and I was right. I quickly spit and sputtered and ran lots of fresh water through my mouth and found the real toothpaste and brushed all the junk out of my mouth. The only reaction was a little numbness on my lips.....lol, lol, lol...

Oops

My mind wanders today as my head is in the clothes dryer or bent over the ironing board about my friend that I think I've offended. I have never, never, ever been the kind of person that offended anybody (except my kiddo's) but this past month I have successfully offended two people I dearly love and I just don't know what is the matter with me. I seem to open my mouth and out spills crap. Yesterday I offended my Mother-in-law and it was totally unintential as I had no clue that the idea she had and I was saying was horrible and yuck about was her idea, I thought it was The Hubby's. I made tears come up in her nearly 80 year old eyes. Granted she was stressed to the max with having 75 people in her house for the family reunion and she is a perfectionist and I was rocking her little boat. I felt bad but you know lately I just spill stuff out of mouth and will just have to deal with the fallout.

Nervous

I'm up this morning, 6 am, which is an hour extra of sleep. My eyes popped open and my first thoughts were of the airport and finding where I get my ticket, my gate, walking through the security, ALONE. I'm so very nervous that I didn't think I could drink my coffee. My whole body is tingling with anticipation of my big day. I keep telling myself it is all good, I just wish my stomach was listening to my head. Today will be so full of stuff I won't really have time to think about. We have a huge family reunion at the Mother-in-Law's house for a few hours and then we rush home to doll up for a wedding reception of friends who were married in Antiqua (sp) last week. What a whirlwind day. Oh no it has started to rain AGAIN. My poor MIL is probably paniced because she has invited over 75 people to the reunion and it's going to be a fish fry OUTDOORS!

Time is running short

I'm nervous. Yes I'm nervous and time is running short for my trek to my spa trip. I'm going on this little adventure by myself which is a big deal in itself. I've NEVER flown by myself before. I'm not afraid of flying (used to be) but I'm nervous about the security and finding my gate and getting my ticket printed...arghhhhh all of the stuff. This is because of 9-11 but is an old fear of authority I've always had. It was so intense when I was a child that I was terrified of getting into and kind of trouble to the point that I didn't. I never did anything wrong (except when I was a toddler). I'm a rule follower to the nth degree. My sister used to call me "Little Miss Goodie Two-Shoes" because I was always good. I can't help it. So I'm afraid to even go to the airport just in case I look at someone cross-eyed and make someone mad or do something wrong or ... oh my stomach. I don't know if I can make it through the weekend. My blood pressure is up because I'm on pins and needles but I'm also very excited for this trip. This is something I've wanted to do for over 10 years and I'm going to do it. By myself. A big step for me at 51 years old.

Thinking

I've been doing a lot of thinking the past couple of weeks. A lot of things have happened and are going to happen. First the big news is (as you can see from my counter) a mere few days away and I will be on my way to my spa trip. I've been wanting to go to the Lake Austin Spa for about 10 years and really wanted to go last year for my 50th birthday but with the state of my mother that was an impossibility. I'm a little nervous because I'm flying by myself for the first time and that is making my stomach really on edge but I'm willing to go through it.


This week we went to a memorial service for a young man that left this world by his own way. It was a very sad situation. He was raised with his siblings in Egypt by his missionary parents. He came back to the US (along with his siblings) to finish out their high school years and to let them get used to living in the US and the American people. When he finished high school he decided to join the Marines. He spoke fluent Arabic and the military wanted him to be an interpreter but he wanted to be on the front lines and he was and still ended up being both. He was 24 years old and married for a year. I met this young man one time and it struck me that he was extremely quiet and sullen and looked sad. When The Hubby told me he had passed away my first question was, "Did he commit suicide?" The Hubby didn't know for a few days but I just knew it. What a huge conflict in his head to be raised missionary and then go into the war conflict and be a major part of it. How very, very sad. (The memorial service was 1-1/2 hours long.)

British You've Got Talent..Great

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

Taking a Break

Taking a Break

Live from Dallas (actually Richardson, TX)

Here I am at the Hampton Inn, Richardson, Texas at The Hubby's family reunion. We made the drive with the MIL and it was quite pleasant. We had a little scare driving down when a semi loaded with flat sandstone (HUGE) pavers began to lose its load. The Hubby started to slow and pointed to the semi ahead and we watched as two smaller cars were along side and were amazed that they did not see the sliding paver. Suddenly the stone fell off and the two cars veered to the shoulder of the road while the stone shattered into dust and chunks. Fortunately the cars avoided any hits. The Hubby got on his cell phone and called the highway patrol and reported the semi who was getting ready to lose another rock. The driver was totally unaware of the situation. We got close enough to see the license plate and were able to report the truck to the police. Whew, pretty scary stuff and quickly got the adrenaline up for the remainder of the trip. Oh, and The Hubby's new Avalanche truck window was hit by a small rock from another semi truck before the other incident that was hauling rock. He was pissed off let me tell you.

Back to the reunion. Last night we met in a small meeting room and one by one hugged, laughed and reminisced about what has happened to each other in the two years since we all had last met. We have this reunion ever other year. It was really great fun. Today The Hubby went golfing with his uncle and cousins...funny since he has NEVER gone golfing before. I can't wait for the report of his day. Another of his girl cousins, Kim has an antique store so several of the rest of the family will go shopping and visit her store. So, I have a lot of time to kill since we are not getting together till around 1 or 1:30. I am blogging, then I think I will sit around the pool and read a little, but this is Texas so it should get pretty hot pretty quick. I may just sit in the lobby since there is not much else to do.

The MIL is trying to find her niece's (other side of the family) phone number to call and possibly visit while down here. The numbers she had were not any good any more. My BIL came by and said they couldn't seem to find her. I asked if they called the MIL's SIL (brother died) because I knew she would have her daughters phone number. The BIL looked at me and said, "We didn't think of that." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Funny. I couldn't believe it. I also suggested they call the nephew since he would probably be easier to find than the niece since she was married. Excuse me but really not thinking outside of the wrapping on the box....hahahahahaha. I wonder sometimes.

Good News

As in the previous post of "A Phone Call You Don't Want to Get," the #1 daughter had a biopsy of her cervix on Tuesday and has been very nervous for the results. She just called and it is GOOD NEWS sort of. They said it was very mild and on the outside and that the body should resolve the abnormal cells but that she needed to have it checked again in 6 months. She is so very relieved, me too.

Belevedere

Check out the unearthing of time capsule 1957 Belevedere. One of the events to celebrate Oklahoma's Centennial (June 15). http://www.buriedcar.com/

The Long Ride

Tomorrow The Hubby and I will be traveling to Dallas for a family reunion (his family). It's about a 4 hour drive from here which isn't too bad. The one thing that will make this a long ride is that his Mother will be traveling with us. Now don't get me wrong I love my Mother-in-Law. She is a fabulous person. I couldn't have picked out my MIL and had a better one... My MIL is a most wonderful woman. She is elegant, classy, beautiful and gracious. She is still a fine figure of a woman to be getting ready to turn 80 in September. Our #2 daughter has inherited her statuesque beauty and all of the above. I am really looking forward to the reunion because I really like his family. The ride will unfortunately be fraught with chatter, chatter, chatter. The MIL has gotten to the point of age where she will start to tell you a story and somehow get off on another storyline that somewhere fits into the previous story and then finally 30 minutes later will come the conclusion to the beginning story. It's pretty funny really to try to guess where she will go with her line of thinking. So four hours of ring-around-a-story will be played on the highway between here and Dallas tomorrow. Yippee...!!!

51

Yesterday I turned 51 years old. How in heavens did time pass so fast that I am over 50 now. I remember when my parents turned 36. My 51st birthday was a very low key birthday which for some reason all my birthdays tend to be low key. I guess I'm just not a "wild and crazy gal." Anyway, it was nice. I had nice cards, a few gifts from the Jazzercise girls, lots of phone calls and dinner out to my favorite sushi restaurant plus a couple of Cosmo's. I so do not want to be old....NOT, NOT, NOT, NOT, NOT, NOT...that is why I slather my face with creams, color my hair to be the eternal blonde. I'm going into this second half of my life kicking and screaming.

This morning, not unlike every other morning of my boring life, as I was blow drying my hair I was again thinking about my dear friend Gail who passed away last year. Gail was a month younger than I am and never got to turn 50 or 51 and deal with this stuff. I ofter wonder about her sudden death and about how she lived her life. I mean, one minute she was laughing and in conversation and then the next she was dead. Did she think about whether she was happy with her life and how it was going. Was she prepared. Prepared, I'm not even sure I understand that word in this blog but prepared in lots of different ways. Gail was the one who, not unlike my situation, paid all the bills, handled all the money, knew where every important paper was. Was she prepared in saying I love you one more time to her children or even her husband. Was she prepared in leaving her life. She and her husband were at the point that he was going to take early retirement and they were going to travel. When sudden death comes I think no can be prepared in the literal since and definetly not emotionally. Since Gail's death last year I look into the mirror every morning and wonder if I'm prepared. 51, WOW, I just cannot wrap my head around my age. I feel like I'm in high school sometimes but the mirror tells me another story. There is just no stopping this slow moving train of age on a body. As they say we are actually born dying. I don't want to go. I love life, I love my life. Did Gail think of these things. We never really talked about them. I know she was not ready to leave this world. Life can be so unfinished and hers was.

I'm sorry for the sadness but I am sad and blue about all of it. I'm at the stage of re-evaluating my life right now as I have done at different stages in my life and 2006 has caused a lot of this inner reflection.

OH NO!!!!!

Well, The Hubby has found out something and he is extremely upset. Yes, and I knew about it all along but was afraid to tell him. He found out that our #2 daughter's (age 21-June 22 will be 22-living in California) boyfriend is a little older. Yes he is older, 36 to be exact. The Hubby is so upset that all I hear from him is a gush of air as he sighs over his worry of the news. He also found out that the guy was married before too. Yes I know, I know, I know, but what can you do halfway across the country. She is an adult. We have been paying for her rent but that will stop when she MOVES IN WITH HIM in July. The news just piles up on this subject. He thought that we should have pushed harder for her to stay in college but after two attempts and her FAILING every class why should we try. She wants to be in California and feels that is her life, so be it. She will have to find her way. He thinks that she will be calling when the guy gets tired of her little girl temper tantrums but I had to remind him that was while she was home and a CHILD and it was his inability to deal with a whiney girl. He was the youngest of three boys and his experience with girls was nil. Girls are girls and they can be high maintenance and he was just not used to that. He is remembering her life as a little high maintenance girl not a woman that she is. He couldn't understand why his girls choose older men. Hello, the #1 daughter is only 3 years younger than her guy. I also reminded him about the statements he makes to his single older men friends,"go out and get a younger girl." Excuse me but it's happened to his girls and he is freaked out. What's a mother/wife to do. You have to let them go and make their mistakes no matter how hard. She will be OK. I have faith in her and for goodness sake she is so very happy right now and I haven't seen her that happy in a very long time. So be it.

Memorial Day Weekend!

We've had a full weekend at the lake this Memorial Day Weekend. Friday night we hosted an impromtu chicken cookout at our cabin for 9 people. Saturday morning I was one of three to co-host the community breakfast (74 came to eat.) Saturday The Hubby also invited his childhood buddy (who's wife and our best friend died last year) up for BBQ ribs and fishing for the day. Sunday afternoon was a hamburger cookout at our neighbors for 20 of us. Also, our other neighbor who lives in Houston so does not come up but twice a year surprised us by pulling up at 8:30pm on Saturday night. Since the horrendous ice storm this winter he had not had the water on and low and behold he had a gusher in his cabin when the meter was turned on, so, we had an overnight guest. He didn't leave till noon the next day. I cherish the early mornings running around in my jammies on our screened porch but with the extra guest that had to be curtailed a little.

During the course of the weekend I told The Hubby that he needed to talk to our #2 daughter, not talk, but talk. Their relationship is a little strained because he can't seem to help himself with the telling her what he thinks she is doing wrong and what she should be doing. He has a control issue when it comes to his girls. He keeps asking me about this guy she is seeing and I told him she is VERY serious about him. I didn't tell him he is 30 something and been married twice. That would send him through the roof and it is her place not mine. I told him that I was tired of being the conduit of their relationship, I abdicated the throne of that positon. He needs to find his own way to her, not through me. I'm really afraid that when he does talk to her he will get angry and start yelling and hollering and threaten to completely cut her funds off. He goes from 1 to 60 when it comes to her. I don't know if I can do that but I told her that when she moves in with her beau in July that the money would stop. The Hubby is going to find that out too and that won't be pretty. I don't know if I want to be around for the fireworks when all that comes out. Oh my goodness my insides are jittery because she is going to call him in a little while. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

A phone call you don't want to get.

I just got a phone call from our #1 daughter (27 years old) and I could hardly understand her as she was sobbing. I told her to slow down so I could make out what was so upsetting. When she took a deep breath she told me her gynocologist had called her and said her pap smear came back with abnormal cells...cervical dysplasia. B was almost unconsolable. I explained to her that she need not panic. I explained that Granny had that many years ago in her 50's and she lived till 70. I went on with more examples like that my cousin had it and that our other daughters best friend had it at age 19 and is now happily raising a 6 month old daughter. I tried to calm her down but I was worried also. She tends to get so very scared over health issues and is a hypochroniac over the least little thing. She goes back into the doctor June 5 for a more indepth test but until then she will be a basket case. I did tell her that she was very smart for having her pap smear every year and to realize that so many girls/women don't do that and if she had not just think what the outcome could have been. She has to look on the bright side or she will make herself crazy.

Jewelry

This is my #1 daughters My Space showing the jewelry she makes with her friend. Enjoy... http://http://www.myspace.com/sheezkrafty

Holy Crap!

Well "it" is getting ready to hit the fan, just as soon as The Hubby comes home from the office. He/we are trying to get #2 daughter in California car insurance and off of our insurance. So, The Hubby has been dealing with the insurance lady in California along with #2. Well, #2 has been a little naughty on the streets since she was 16 (she's almost 22 now). She had a speeding ticket, one rolling through a stop sign, and one speeding through a school zone, all at the age of 16. Then last spring she had two speeding tickets (age 21) in Phoenix where she was going to school. Unfortunately, the first three The Hubby didn't know about and I did. Yikes! Yes I know I should have told him but at the time he and she were totally at each others throats to the point that I thought she would leave home. It was horrible and since he pretty much left me to handle most of the everyday upbringing I dealt with it at the time. I can't believe after this weekend of fun with flashlights (haha) I'm going to have to deal with this now. I'm telling you just because they are of age the crap just doesn't stop. I so want her to be on her own and making her own decisions but she's just not there yet so that means I also have to deal with her sometimes unreasonable father. I know he'll be growling but that's just the way things are right now. Man I've got a headache.....

It's Over!

It's finally over...yes the 10th Annual Flashlight Collector's Show is finally over. The Hubby and I hosted the first one and now the 10th one. It was quite fun but I'm glad it is over. There weren't too many people about 35 so it was small. All they talked about during dinner, breaks, after dinner, in the hallways, etc., were flashlights and batteries and rivets, and light bulbs. Even some of the wives were into it and there was even a lone woman who has a really nice collection. Amazing! We had people from Minnesota, California, Michigan, South Dakota, Colorado, Ohio, Wisconsin, Idaho, Texas, and Missouri so it does bring people in. We've been playing host and hostess since Wednesday and boy do I need some quiet time and just plain silence. There is just so much I can take about flashlights. I'm NOT one of the wives who collects or works on the flashlights. I'm just an innocent bystander who tags along as the good wife. I did do a LOT of the work in planning the weekend event and will gladly take credit for it. Since it was so small it was an easy task: hotel, meals, room rates, maps, late night snacks and beverages...you know the usual convention stuff. We seem to have done a marvelous job, according to the participants. Some of the people had never been to Oklahoma, particularly northeastern Oklahoma, called Green Country. They thought anywhere from country towns, dry dust and windy (like Western Oklahoma), and were amazed by how many stores and restaurants there were. It's amazing what people STILL think of us Okie's and our "land." Yes we are uptown around here. I have to give the restaurant Outback Steakhouse a thumbs up. Friday evening we descended upon them 24 strong at 7 pm and they immediately sat 14 of our party and within 15 minutes the last 7 in between the others. The service was fantastic and timely and the little waitress was dead on with our orders and everything. Basically, the whole weekend went off without a hitch and everyone was impressed and appreciative for all we had done. It was actually very easy.

Flashlights

This week has been filled with rush, rush, rush as The Hubby and I gear up for the 10th Annual Flashlight Collectors Show that we are hosting. We put on the first one on 10 years ago and The Hubby is all excited and rush, rush, rush. Of course when he said we would put the thing on it really meant I would be doing the work. Actually, it's not been too bad. He was responsible for getting the hotel set up but I've been working on the mailings, name tags, food for the hospitality and handling the money. This also means another weekend not laying in my hammock at the cabin and that is a lot for me to give up. So this weekend it's flashlights galore.

Also, the oldest daughter called and informed me that she and her live-in love will be coming up to the cabin Memorial Day weekend. Mind you we didn't invite her up but that is OK, I don't mind (sort of). This would not be a problem but I put my foot in my mouth and said, "No one else has been invited have they." She got hopping mad. I wouldn't have made an issue of this but she is notorious for inviting her "friends" and there a lot of them and I end up cooking for all of them or they're around in my living room, my bathroom, MY HAMMOCK! I've gotten a little...a lot territorial about our little weekend away place and for goodnes sake it is ours not hers and we want to invite who we want to invite. She went off on me about her friends, when they do come to the cabin they camp out by the creek and they bring money to pay for the food. She doesn't understand that they are underfoot and I have to cook for them and clean up and buy the food and prepare and, and, and, and, and...Makes me a little crazy and she just doesn't get it. I like to do those things for the people I want to have up there not her old college friends and their girl/boy-friends. OK...now that I've ranted about this I'll quit and take a breath and continue typing name tags.....tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap

Bunco

Couldn't resist this link...http://www.prilosecotc.com/buncocentral/2006/nationals/index.jsp This is the link for the World Bunco Championship. I saw it on television the other night and it was hysterical. Enjoy

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of my friends and those other Mommies I don't know.

What a beautiful day this morning. I was up at 7 am which is late for me as I get up at 5 am to Jazzercise M-F. I fetched the Sunday paper, made my cold process coffee (Coffee Toddy http://www.toddycoffee.com/shop/product.php?productId=67) and plopped down in my wonderful backyard to read, drink and listen to the sounds of morning. A Carolina Wren was serenading me with his defeaning chortle filling the air. Finishing the paper I moved inside. Now I'm sitting in my special room, in my special chair with the sun streaming over the top of the white shutters tickling my pink painted toes with warmth. (I'm listening to a CD called Jazz after Dark -Playboy which I love.) Mother's Day. Yes it is. How many Mothers' Day's have I had as a mother. Hmmm...Let's see...27 to be exact. Yes the oldest is 27. Lots of those Mommy Days and I have loved everyone of them. Now the pitter-patter of little feet and whispers of little girls as they tried to fix a special breakfast are special memories of the past. This is however the first Mother's Day that I don't have a mother to do for but I do have a special Mother-in-Law that is very special to me so today I will remember my dear sweet Momma and spend time with the MIL and give her a hug and tell her I love her.

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My Favorite Artist

I am linking this to my very favorite artist. I absolutely LOVE his stuff and I have 3 of his prints. My favorite of his stuff are the ones with the women hanging sheets on the line in the sunshine. I love the way he gets the light just perfect and the warmth it exudes. I have always loved to hang laundry on the line so I'm very taken with these pictures. He is a very gifted artist and I hope everyone takes time to view his stuff. His laundry on the line pictures always takes me back to childhood and helping my mother hang laundry. The wet and clean smells that the clothes have as they flap in the sunny breeze just is a pleasing feeling for me. Enjoy...Jeffrey T. Larson.http://www.jeffreytlarson.com/image_list.asp?g=Figures

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Open mouth, insert foot. That famous statement was utilized not by myself but The Hubby to me tonight. The story goes...

Me, "We're having steaks tonight."

The Hubby, "You want me to blacken' them."

Me, "No."

The Hubby, "Why don't you like blackening."

Me, "It's too fattening with all the butter used. It's just not very healthy for you."

The Hubby, "I don't know what you mean since you don't eat healthy anyway."

Me with my jaw hitting the ground, "Excuse Me! I don't season with butter if you haven't noticed."

The Hubby backpeddling his words, "Well, I mean you eat large servings."


He then walked outside for a minute and I was absolutely stunned and shocked by his crap statement. I may look heavy but dammit I work out five days a week and I cook VERY healthly and I do eat healthy. Yesterday at the office as he was digging around in the refrigerator he found a half eaten candy bar and asked me if it was mine and mind you we have 9 other employees that use that fridge. I said, "I don't eat candy bars. Why do you think it has to be mine." I'm telling you I have a fabulous husband who for the major part of our 31 years of marriage is so totally understanding and wonderful and just wonderful but in this area he is HORRIBLE. Mister skinny-minny, Mister workout, I can drop 5 pounds in a day kind of guy just doesn't understand. He who has cholestrol triglycerides stress problems (and I don't at all) just burns me. ARGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!