Borrowed Thoughts

I borrowed the following thoughts from my friend, Coby, who forwarded them to me in an email:

1. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
2. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
3. There is a great need for a sarcasm font.
4. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.
5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in a paper bag(s).
7. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer's history if you die.(adding this to my Will immediately)
8. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
9. Was learning to write in cursive really necessary?
10. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
11. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
12. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front.. Stay strong, brothers & sisters!
13. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
14. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
15. Bad decisions make good stories.
16. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
17. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
18. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if Iwant to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
19. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail.What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
20. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
21. It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
22. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
23. I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact thatI was not aware of my condition in college.
24. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
25. It really ticks me off when I want to read a story on *CNN.com* and the link takes me to a video instead.
26. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

SMILE ----- it makes people wonder.

December Thoughts

1. THE BRIDGE IS FINALLY OPEN! THE BRIDGE IS FINALLY OPEN!
2. My usual internet radio station is already playing holiday music 24/7. Dial has been changed.
3. Today is my father-in-law's birthday.
4. I have a greater appreciation for Eric Clapton's music now that I am older.
5. Hoping I will get a clothesline for Christmas --- the yard fence isn't ideal for hanging out sheets.
6. Mike and Ivan made deer jerky last weekend and it is wonderful!
7. Ordered my own set of the Twilight saga books; sharing with Kris isn't feasible.
8. We should all be at least one person's priority in life.
9. Happiness is contagious.
10. Be careful you don't take others for granted. They may not be there the next time you need them.
11. Tomorrow is Marshall's birthday.
12. Discovered three tree ornaments under the bed....the cats swear it isn't their fault.
13. Daisy Duke is currently residing with us while Kris is studying for finals.
14. Do people really eat fruit cakes?
15. Presenting oral book reports terrified me. Did anybody but the teacher really listen??
16. Eggnog....bleck.
17. Retirement simply means a change in employment.
18. I removed the tag from a mattress last weekend. Expecting the mattress tag police to show up any day now.
19. Handwritten poster on a house in my old neighborhood: "THANK ABOUT JESUS"
20. Glitter is a pretty mess.

My New Hobby

It has finally happened. I am a new member of the Bird Watching Society. I have been feeding and watching hummingbirds for years. But at the end of the summer I put up the feeders and wait until the next hummer season to start over. As I was looking out the kitchen window a couple of weeks ago, I noticed several birds flitting in and around the oak trees. And the light bulb went off. Why not put up a bird seed feeder?

My trusty friend, Laurrie, set me up with a hanger that holds a block of seed and a regular bird seed feeder. I hung the block seed feeder to the north of the house. I hung the regular seed feeder in the oak tree on the south terrace. For two days, NO BIRDS even paid any attention to the feeders. I called Laurrie to file a complaint. I told her she must have sold me some bad seed. Patience, she told me. Be patient and you will be spending more money on bird seed than you do on your own groceries. Sam's reaction when he noticed the feeders: "What the hell is that?!" He mumbled and grumbled and shook his head as he walked out the door.

Last Saturday evening, one lone female cardinal was perched on the seed block. On Sunday, there were a couple of finch looking birds on the south bird feeder. By the middle of the week, I was beginning to notice more birds showing up on both feeders. On Wednesday, I branched out and bought another feeder that is shaped like an outhouse with a copper roof and put it in the same oak tree with the regular feeder. This morning all three feeders are covered in all kinds of birds. No, I haven't a clue what kind of birds they are. I recognized the cardinals and the robins and the doves. Shannon said she is going to get me a bird book for Christmas but I don't think I can wait that long to begin identifying "my" birds.

Gray Cat can't decide which feeder to sit under. So maybe I should change my title to "OUR New Hobby". The doves won't stand a chance if they get lazy.

The Man Room

Sam is an avid outdoorsman. He is also quite the hunter. I'm talking "trophy hunter". As a matter of fact, he is on his annual mule deer hunt this weekend. And he has been to Africa...TWICE.

Enter "The Man Room".

Dead animals hanging on the walls freaked me out as a child. Papa Coke had head shoulder mounts of white tail and elk in the big room at his house. And when I was 4 years old and standing in front of the fireplace to get warm, I swear those animals' eyes were focused on me and followed my every move in that room. The big room was sprinkled with oriental rugs and Wedgewood vases. But it was still "The Man Room".

The Man Room at the Back Forty sports two kudu shoulder mounts, a red sable shoulder mount on a pedestal, a water buffalo, a warthog, two whitetail shoulder mounts and twenty-one whitetail antler mounts. Oops, forgot the springbok thing that is from Africa and is a shoulder mount. (I think that is what it is called.) And there is the African alter that consists of a zebra skin covering an antique table. Bottles of Castle Rock beer, masks, spears, carvings out of some type of wood of elephants, a rhino and a warthog and kudu horns that have carvings of African animals grace the alter. And on the fireplace mantle we have more carvings in kudu horns of African animals and wood carvings of more African creatures. A 3-foot tall giraffe guards the doorway between the Man Room and the dining area. There are a couple of walking sticks (one disguises a knife in the handle) as well.

I didn't infiltrate too many of my belongings into the Man Room. I respect the Man Room and am careful not to womanize it because that would be sacreligious.

However, did I mention the four antler mule deer mounts and one mule deer shoulder mount in the master bedroom? I swear that mule deer's eyes are watching my every move in that room....kinda creepy....

Football Fever

Got a call from Rana on Saturday afternoon with a dilemma on her hands.

There is always the "go to" person in jail houses. You know the one who can score anything and everything from cigarettes to posters of Farah Fawcett. Rana is the "go to" person for most everything in the outside world. She hooked me up with the headphones that Sam now wears to listen to the television instead of sharing the program with everybody within a 5 mile radius. Yes, the volume was that loud. Thanks, Rana. I do believe you saved my marriage!

So, I get this phone call from Rana. The Little Town Eagles were playing at 1:30pm for the Bi-District title against Bracketville. The game was played in Hondo and she wanted to know if I knew anybody that might be attending the game. The dilemma: JHS Alumni "go to" Rana for football updates on their beloved Eagles. Rana's "go to" person for game updates was out of commission for this particular game. I assured her that I could contact someone at the game and have them text updates to Rana's phone (which is permanently attached to her hip).

And then the lightbulb began to glow. We may not be very civilized at the Back Forty but we are able to pick up the local radio station that broadcasts the Eagles' football games. Armed with cold beer and the keyboard, I emailed updates to Rana's Red Blackberry throughout the game and she would work whatever kind of magic it is that she does to pass the information on to Eagle fans. I wasn't sure how detailed the JHS Alumni expected my updates to be. Sometimes the plays happened quicker than I could type. And Sam needed my assistance a few times while he was working on the mule. (tailgate issues this time) And of course I had to make a couple of beer runs during the course of the game.

A confession I must now make. That was the very first high school football game that I have ever listened to from kickoff to final play of the game. Rana thanked me profusely for doing such a wonderful job as keyboard reporter. All I did was type what the announcers were saying. And you know what? I enjoyed being a part of the chain that zipped information to cyberspace. So much so that I will be perched at the computer firing off updates when the Eagles take on Yorktown in the next round of playoffs. GO BLACK!

The Mule

For at least three years, Mike has wanted a "mule". Not the four legged kind that bray at anything and everything. The mule he is talking about runs on unleaded fuel and drives like a golf cart. He explained how handy one would be at the Back Forty for hauling feed and especially how nice it would be during hunting season. Sam would just nod in agreement and tell him, "Son, if you've got the money to buy one then by all means do so."

I work across the street from a mechanic shop. About three weeks ago, I noticed an older model Kawasaki mule was parked over there. There wasn't a "For Sale" on it but my curiosity was piqued. Come to find out, it was for sale. After some negotiations and mechanical work, Mike became the proud new owner of a not-so-new mule.

The mule was hauled to the ranch last Thursday. Sam took it for another test drive to make sure the mechanics had done all that they said they would do. After 15 minutes, the damn mule quit running. I made a trip to town on Saturday and picked up a new fuel filter and spark plugs. Parts were replaced but the mule still did not want to cooperate. So it was hauled back to the mechanic on Monday. Seems that a couple of more things need to be done to it for it to work properly. It should be ready to roll this afternoon.

Remember when referrring to a mule meant it was actually a four-legged creature that was fueled with grass and water??? Could still be the cheaper route to go.....

Some More Random Thoughts

1. Mama is on vacation....in Australia!
2. There is a difference between loving someone and being in love with someone.
3. Property taxes.....no comment.
4. Grandmom let us drink our coke floats out of the good crystal.
5. Rumor has it that the bridge project should be completed in two months.
6. Carnival people scare me more than the rickety rides do.
7. Fairy tales made sense when I was six years old; then I realized they are warped stories from the minds of opium addicts.
8. I am currently reading "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks.
9. NO MORE REALITY SHOWS!
10. I do not recommend tequila as the solution to any problem.
11. Old people with grocery carts should have their own aisles.
12. Attending an AC/DC concert is not for the weak hearted.
13. Remember when school assemblies cost a quarter?
14. Marshall and I cracked open a Magic 8 Ball to see what the magic was. Disappointed...
15. Homemade hot fudge pudding with cream....OMG!
16. One must first play the lottery to have a chance of winning the lottery.
17. Alice in Wonderland....see #7.
18. My daily commute consists of 7 miles of caliche road and 5 miles of paved road.
19. Never could make the connection between the Easter Bunny and eggs.
20. Do kids still fly kites?

The Gypsy Lady

Costumes, candy, jack o'lanterns, and Aunt Ginny's popcorn balls. Growing up in Little Town meant not having to worry about razor blades in apples or rat poison in the candy. If the porch light was on, we were knocking on the door with "TRICK OR TREAT!" Rarely did we get tricked but it was always more fun when the adult opening the door was dressed in costume.

We used to have carnivals to celebrate the arrival of the fall season and Halloween. A street was blocked off by the courthouse. Local clubs and organizations would set up booths that included the cake walk, a haunted house and even a gypsy reading futures of fortune of fame. There was a costume parade in which prizes were given for various types of costumes. My mother made me a bat costume one year and that was as close as I got to being a vampire.

One year I was extremely intrigued by the gypsy lady who was set up in a very colorful tent. She had the most beautiful black hair pulled in a bun and natural olive skin. She wore a long red dress with long sleeves. On her fingers were rings of many sizes -- some with stones that glistened when she moved her hands over her crystal ball. She wore big gold hoop earrings and dark makeup on her eyes. The red lipstick she wore could only look so pretty on a real gypsy.

I stood in line for quite a while waiting my turn to hear what the gypsy could tell me about my future. As I stepped into the tent, I was enchanted by the smell of sandlewood incense. The gypsy smiled as she took my hands. She "read" my palms and talked about my life line. She knew my name. She knew how many siblings I had. She knew my birthday. She knew how I got the scar on my arm. Her voice was mesmermizing as she told me that I would destined for great things in life. She encouraged me to study hard and be a good person at all times. It was important for me to heed her advice because it was the key to my good fortune which was on the horizon.

As Mama was driving my siblings and me home, we all discussed our favorite part of the carnival. Marshall liked the ring toss and Holli liked the cake walk (she won a chocolate cake). I was bubbling with excitement about the gypsy. I kept asking Mama, "You believe she was real, don't you?" Mama knowingly smiled and said, "Yes, Robin. She is very real."

After the sugar rush subsided from all the candy we had eaten and good-nights were being said, Mama whispered to me, "Don't forget to be a good person at all times." It dawned on me then that my mother was the beautiful gypsy lady. We still have a good laugh about that carnival and how she pulled the best "trick" of all on me.

The Good China and the Silver Bell

It has been over 30 years since I saw someone served any kind of meal on a tray. (TV dinners on a TV tray do not count.) Papa insisted on sitting at the table with the rest of the family for all meals. But as he got older, it became easier for Grandmom to serve his meals to him while he sat in his easy chair. Granted, Grandmom didn't serve the cream of mushroom soup with a rose in a vase but she did use the best silver in the house. She served his sweet tea in the best crystal glass as well. The bowl containing the soup was fine china with gold inlay on the outer edge of the bowl.

My first meal on a tray was when I was four years old and suffering a bout of strep throat. Grandmom made sure I was comfortable on the couch with a blanket and my favorite stuffed animals. She hand-picked a couple of books from her personal library and left me with a glass of apple juice. Just as I was drifting into a nap I glanced over at the round table by the couch. And there sat the most beautiful silver bell. It was the "sick bell". If I needed Grandmom, all I had to do was ring the bell. A four year old can think of all kinds of reasons to ring a silver bell. And a grandmother needs only one reason to take the bell away.

Grandmom served me lunch on a tray and although I do not remember what the meal consisted of, I do remember the linen napkin, the silver spoon and milk in a crystal glass. I felt like a princess even though I was battling being sick. Years later, I would ask Grandmom if I could have my lunch on a tray like Papa. As we ate our sandwiches and soup, we would pretend that we were guests of some royal family and take turns telling stories about our gallant adventures around the kingdom.

As Papa got older, Grandmom always made sure the silver bell was on his nightstand as she tucked him for the night. The last time he rang the silver bell was the last night he spent in his home. I remember jumping out of bed when I heard the tinkling of the bell. Grandmom ushered me back to bed and told me to go back to sleep. After Papa left, I thought that if I rang the silver bell that he would come back home.

So put to use the fine china and crystal and silver because it isn't doing any good collecting dust in the china cabinet. What is the point of having it anyway? Make every day a good china day! And ring that silver bell if only to hear the beautiful noise it can make.

A Rare Find

Last weekend, Sam suggested that I go through the "recipe drawer" in the kitchen. There were cookbooks belonging to the ex-wife (that I graciously gave to Shannon to give to her mother) as well as recipes and cookbooks belonging to Sam's grandmother. I stumbled upon recipes written on the back of shower invitations, invoice envelopes, scraps of paper and even on the back of a blank check from JNB.

The find of the day was the "The Parent-Teacher Association" Cook Book dated December 1927. The book's cover is made of some kind of soft and supple fabric that is frayed on all edges. The paper on which the recipes are printed are dog-eared and stained with any number of ingredients.

What really caught my eye are the following advertisements:

"Wahl Bros. & Schraub, Phone 94, Across from the Fritz Hotel" (what we know as the Las Lomas Hotel)

"Kindrick's Grocery, Keeps on hand at all times the CHOICEST GROCERIES to fill all the recipes in this book."

"GANN GROCERY COMPANY, Groceries, Feed and Lumber"

"SAVAGE & SONS, Proprietors, All kinds of fresh meats and packing house products. Eggs, butter and cheese."

"Have you tried === Junction Grocery Co.? They probably have it! Phone 10"

"HAZELWOOD LAUNDRY, Hazelwood & Sons, Proprietors, For quick and dependable service. Prices reasonable. Phone 96"

"LOEFFLER MOTOR CO. Garage, Phone 33, Ford Sales and Service"

"N.H. Skaggs, SAENAN MILK GOATS, Young Registered Does"

"Stevenson, Baker & Knetsch, Lawyers"

"Riley, Holekamp & Denman, Insurance - Farm Loans - Radiolas"

"Mrs. Pierce Hoggett, Seasonable Cut Flowers, Pot Plants, Funeral Work, Will wire flowers anywhere, Phone 73"

"For Real Service and up to date work come to BUSTER'S BARBER SHOP. Electric Hair Dryer and Baths."

"Building Material. For that new home you contemplate; or for repairs on the old house or barn. Everything for Building. Junction Wool & Mohair Company, Menard"

"Standifer Hosptial -- Dr. Lilburn E. Standifer, Physician in Charge *** This is now the building where Laurrie and her family conduct their feed and grain business.***"

"Mrs. Irene Chase Brown, Teacher of Piano, Public School Bldg."

"THE CITY CAFE, (Formerly the Williams Cafe), Short Orders at all hours. Fish and oysters in season. SPECIAL PLATE LUNCH, 50 cents. The two best places in the world to eat are home and the City Cafe."

"Be Fashion Wise and shop at -- THE VOGUE SHOPPE. The most exclusive gowns and millinery. A complete Dressmaking room."

"Mrs. Guy E. Wynne, Teacher of Piano and Voice at Schreiner High School. Representing the New England Conservatory Method. Courses include theory, harmony and history of music. Of special interet in choral clubs now being organized."

And there is a picture of the "NEW FRITZ HOTEL" on the last page of the cookbook.

Thank you for allowing me to share this rare find with each one of you. The P.T.A. cook book speaks of so much more than just recipes.

The Moving of the Plants

Saturday found me at Mama's house with a strong back and a weak mind. Saturday marked the semi-annual "Moving of the Plants". The move indoors takes place in October. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with Mama and this is a small favor which she calls upon me to help with. But let's just say her back porch looks like a jungle during the warm months of the year.

Mama has green hands --- which is much stronger than a green thumb. There is nothing that the woman cannot and will not try to grow. Some of the plants are dog-ass ugly but she still believes all plants deserve a chance to shine. And so it is not unusual to find two or three different kinds of plants occupying the same clay pot. She just sticks one of the these in with one of those and BAM! it grows. At one time we counted over 100 potted plants including trees to be moved to various indoor and then outdoor locations in and around Mama's house.

Mama has downsized to about 75 plants. Armed with little red wagons we hauled plants to their winter locations. I asked her, "Mama, do you really need all these plants?" Her reply was, "No. Not really. But I can't find it in my heart to just let them die." She has one plant that her aunt gave to her which I named "Nell" in honor of her aunt. I have no idea what kind of funky plant it is but Mama insists on keeping it alive for sentimental reasons. And then there is another plant that she had when she was married to my dad. So that plant has to be at least 25 years old. It derserves a place of honor year round. And thank goodness she no longer has the thorny tall plants that required wearing oven mitts when we moved them.

And so we have survived "The Moving of the Plants" one more time with a minimum of scratches and bruises. It will be my luck to inherit "Nell" one day and I will think to myself, "I can't find it in my heart to just it die."

Compensation

The title company I work for has been in business for several years. The branch located in Little Town was established about 5-1/2 years ago. And for the first time in this company's history, we were told to close our office on Colombus Day.

We were notified earlier in the year that our employer was no longer going to be footing the full amount of our health insurance premium. We would be expected to pay half and the company would pay half. That came to about $200 more coming out of my paycheck each month. (Can't bitch too much since I at least have health insurance.) My immediate supervisor and I were not surprised at this announcement especially in light of today's economy and the fact that we did not receive any kind of Christmas bonus in 2008.

But a company has to give its employees some kind of incentive from time to time. Giving an occasional paid holiday to us seems to be the way we are to be compensated for cut backs in other areas. We are only a two person office in Little Town but seem to generate more income for the company than any other branch of our title company. (There are six branches not including the home office.)

Post offices, banks and even the local school district are closed today. Do I feel guilty about doing not much of anything today? Oh, hell no! It is a rare treat to have a 3-day weekend and I intend on taking full advantage of being absolutely worthless today.

Fair Weather Sports Fan

I ventured to Waco last weekend anticipating attending the Baylor vs Kent State football game. I promised my daughter that I would attend a football game with her this year.

Kris and I made our HEB trip on Friday so that we would have that chore out of the way. Saturday morning found us "wogging" the Bear Trail which is 2-1/2 miles. We ventured around campus for another hour which brought our total mileage to over 4 miles. We felt we had earned a trip to IHOP for brunch. After that, we motored to a strip mall with the idea of looking at rugs at Ashley's. Have you been to an Ashley's store lately? OMG --- do people really pay $500-$800 for a 10' x 12' rug?

With only time to kill, we ended up cruising through Pier One (where I bought a bag that was originally priced for $15 and marked down to $4 -- it's a deal!). On to Bed, Bath and Beyond and then to Marshall's. And then the rain hit. Kickoff inched closer and the rain kept falling. About 45 minutes before the game started I told Kris that I was obviously not a true blue Baylor Bear fan because I was not going to stand in rain and watch a college football game. We agreed that ordering a pizza for supper was the best way to sooth our disappointment for not going to the game. We located the game on the tv and probably had the best seats in the house.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am a fair weather sports fan. And so I am planning another trip to Waco in the near future to watch a football game. Love the rain but hope the skies are clear on my next trip to Waco.

Meshing Memories

Last Monday evening we were blessed with more rain. HOWEVER, receiving 2-1/2 inches of rain in 45 minutes was something we could've done without. Sam and I both took off Tuesday from our paying jobs in order to tend to repairing water gaps. Armed with wire, wire stretcher and wire cutters, we headed out for the daunting task of clearing debris and getting fences back where they belong. Several hours and several gaps later, I was ready to get out of my wet shoes and call it a day. Not to mention I had already exhausted my vast vocabulary of cuss words. The blessing was that only the gaps in the front part of the ranch had to be repaired. It would've taken us until dark if we would have had to work on every gap on the ranch.

And as if that wasn't enough manual labor for the day, Sam asked me to help him with a water trough project that he had been working on for over a week. Hell, why not. I was already dirty and what else was I going to do? Eat bon-bons and watch Oprah? So, without further ado, we ventured to his trough project and got it to a point that he could finish it up at a later date. (Had to let the mortar set up.)

At the end of the day, I allowed myself the luxury of visiting old memories. Several popped into my mind which involved working with my dad when he needed an extra pair of hands. He would take me with him even though I was only old enough to hand him tools and "step and fetch". While working, my dad would sometimes mumble a cuss word or two or three and I would tuck those words into my "cuss word box" in the back corner of my memory bank. Little did I know I was being groomed for future application of said cuss words (see above reference).

Ah, the joys of living on a ranch and having new memories mesh with old memories. We've only just begun....

Recharging Batteries

It is twilight on Sunday and there is a cool breeze flowing through the house. In reflection of the weekend, I am blessed to have had a near-perfect one.


Kris came home on Friday night after having her hair styled in Little Town. Misty was kind enough to not only work on her day off but also to accommodate Kris' class schedule by working on a Friday evening.


Saturday morning found Kris reading and studying college work. I went through my usual cleaning routine so that I could enjoy my time with Kris when she finished her studying. Sam spent the day clearing cedar with the bull dozer. That is an endless job.

Sam settled in his recliner to watch the Texas Tech/Houston game. Kris and I were more interested in looking for star constellations and ventured outside to find a good spot to star gaze. We built a small fire to ward away the mosquitos and other bothersome bugs. The night noises, smell of fire and the company of the cats made for a perfect atmosphere to be outside. We talked of the past, the present and the future. It was a time to ponder and wonder about what was, is and will be.

Sunday brought the promise of a warm day and we decided to surprise Sam with a picnic lunch. Armed with blankets and a basket full of food, Kris and I motored on 4-wheelers to Sam's location in the middle of a cedar break. Except for the gnats, we had a lovely lunch under the shade of oak trees.

And so I ask, how can it get any better than spending time with the ones you love? It still tugs at my heart strings when I have to let my daughter return to the hustle and bustle of college life. As I hugged her this afternoon she told me, "Mama, I feel better now that I got my batteries recharged. I will be able to focus better on my studies this week." And that's what coming home is all about.

The grass really is greener......

....on both sides of the fence. Hard to believe that it is the end of September and the land looks like April. We are going into the cooler months with KR Blue Stem being four feet high in the pastures. The cows look like butterballs and Sam said, "I believe they're going to make it through the winter." Ranching is no longer a way to make a living but is too expensive to call a hobby. There is something in the blood of ranching families that keeps us optimistic even through the lean times.

The oak trees have produced a bumper crop of acorns. Our house sports a metal roof that extends over the porch. There are three oak trees on the south side of the house and one oak tree on the west side of the house. This year the acorns adorn the oak trees like clusters of grapes. All day and all night the acorns fall like pecans with a THWUMP and roll down the roof. Sometimes the acorn is so big it sounds like gun shot when it hits the metal roof. I swear those acorns are the size of a golf ball.

One never likes to brag about rainfall but we have truly been blessed in the last couple of months. We are experiencing our first cold front of the season and I am resisting the urge to light a fire in the fire place. The smell of autumn is intoxicating and I'm sitting on go to enjoy it during my first year living at the Back Forty.

So if the grass is green on both sides of the fence, why do the goats insist on trying to get to the grass on the opposite side of the fence?

Setting the World On Fire

Pyromania: a mania for setting things on fire.

Sam and I have been waiting, impatiently I might add, to burn several piles of brush/cedar on the Back Forty. With the recent rains and cooler days, Friday evening offered the perfect set-up to torch some piles. Armed with a cooler of beer, diesel and a firestick (lighter) we set out to enjoy a "date night".

Sam has to keep me on a short leash when it comes to burning piles. Some women get a gleam in their eye when the word "shopping" is mentioned. I, on the other hand, become absolutely giddy when the word "fire" is mentioned. Marshall and I would fight over who got to strike the first match when burning the household trash. And then we would search for more stuff to throw in the burn barrel just to watch the flames.

Our house had a wood-burning fireplace in it which was the utlimate for a family of pyromaniacs. Dennis kept a small whisk broom on the hearth that was used to sweep up ashes. Marshall and I had a field day breaking off one straw at a time from the broom and playing in the fire with the pieces of straw. It wasn't until the broom was practically bald that Dennis figured out what we were doing. In Africa, Sam said the natives refer to watching a fire in a fire pit as "Bushman's TV". Fires are mesmerizing.

After lighting at least 15 piles on fire, I relinquished the firestick to Sam. He probably set at least 8 more piles on fire. I monitored the burning piles from the back of the pickup while drinking a cold beer. The sky was as clear as I have ever seen it. Caught a glimpse of some falling stars and watched the flames flicker and dance and listened to the cedar pop and crackle.

We got home and there was a message from the neighboring ranch wanting to know if we were the responsible party for "setting the world on fire". Guilty as charged and there are more piles to be burned......just waiting for the stars and planets to line up just right to ensure a safe burn time.

Wild Kingdom

For those of you who don't know, Sam supplements his teacher salary with an exotic hunting business. I am not an authority on any kind of animal other than I can sometimes identify what kind of animal it is. I leave the rest to the professionals. I can't even correctly spell the names of the majority of the animals that reside on the Back Forty.

It just so happens that the pasture that contains the exotic creatures is about a hundred yards (and I'm guessing here) from the house. In the still of the night, I swear the chupacabra (sp?) is right outside the window. The elks are bugling and the axis are whistling. You gotta really be in touch with nature to truly appreciate the amazing sounds these animals make.


Now throw in a metal grinding noise at 4am.....took me a few minutes but its the windmill that is between the house and the exotic pasture. My first brush with this noise was when I was about five years old. Dennis told me it was a "Windmill Bird". I believed there really was such a creature until I was at least eight or nine years old.


And then there are the goats that sometimes retire for the evening just south of the house. They like to congregate right along the yard fence. Gray Cat has yet to determine if the goats pose any kind of threat to his new domain.


Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom is alive and well and I'm living right smack dab in the middle of it.

No Pain, No Gain

In all honesty, I could just kick myself for slacking off on the excercise program. I worked really hard for about three months, got married and POOF. Excercise? What excercise? So on Monday I started over.

I swear the track at the high school used to be a lot shorter. Nonetheless, I tackled my plan to get two miles under my belt during my lunch hour. After adjusting my iPod shuffle and taking a very deep breath, I walked the straights and "wogged" the curves. I felt pretty darn good until I started the third lap. I thought someone was tapping me on the shoulder but it was just my butt trying to keep up the pace. Leg muscles were screaming at me and my body was gasping for more oxygen. I managed to get through eight laps without collapsing. I walked one more lap just to catch my breath.

Tuesday morning found me moving rather slowly. But my determination prevailed. I had a previous engagement at lunch so I had to wait until after work to do some form of excercise. The track was full of walkers and jaw-jackers when I drove by the school so I decided to hit the 3-1/2 mile trek at the Back Forty. I didn't quite make the full hike due to waiting so late in the evening to get started. And let's just say that the incline for the first mile is a bitch. I never heard so much huffing and puffing in all my life. But the sunset was absolutely gorgeous on my hike back to the house.

Today will mark another milestone in the new chapter of my life. My hair dresser has agreed that we need to do update the hair style. No more ponytails on bad hair days. (I think Sam is struggling with the idea of me with short hair.)

My workout bag is packed for my noon excursion. This may sound crazy but I'm actually looking forward to it. Two miles isn't really that far.....when traveling in a car!

The Beginning of a New Chapter

With the coming and going of my 45th birthday, I've decided to make some changes in my life. I dusted off my cookbook that has recipes geared towards my blood type. I've done this before and managed to drop almost 30 pounds. I did it once, I can do it again. I'm going to miss my dairy products --- cheese is a staple that I must always have on hand. No wheat products --- this includes breads and pastas. No potatoes unless they are of the yam family. And the list goes on.

My excercise routine has been close to non-existent since I moved to the Back Forty. Morning walks are out of the question due to lack of streetlights at 5am. Getting to the treadmill at the EMS building requires waiting in line if I try to get to it after work. Why not do an evening walk? Well, that's what it comes down to. Other chores can wait until later in the day. The evenings are getting cooler so I don't have to worry about becoming a puddle of mush in 100 degree weather.

And then there is this hideous excuse of a hairdo I have. I made an appointment with my hairdresser for next Wednesday. I told her that it is time to change the hairstyle. She got a look of glee in her eyes and a smile that said, "Oh, goody goody gum drops!" She sent me out the door with a couple of "hair style guides" and told me to look through them for hairdo ideas. This ought to be interesting....

And so until I find the Fountain of Youth, I do know I need to take better care of what I have been given to work with. I really am going to miss my cheese.

Knock, knock.....

....who is there? 45. 45 who? Your 45th birthday. oh, joy joy.

Just going to get through the day one hour at a time. Gone are the days of twisting off until the wee hours of the night. A cocktail with dinner will suffice.....

More Random Thoughts

1. You know its going to be a bad day when bird poop lands on your head.

2. "She just looks so good and peaceful." Commented by my step-grandfather at his wife's wake.

3. And who really wants to grab a tiger by the tail or a bull by the horns?

4. I was forced to learn how to do a one-handed cartwheel when I sprained my left wrist in the fourth grade.

5. Do they still give away free sno-cones at the ball park when you retrieve and return baseballs hit out of the park?

6. Beginning to wonder if the river bridge project will be completed in my lifetime.

7. During the '70s, Sunday evenings found us gathered around the television set to watch "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom".

8. I do not like to ride on ferris wheels.

9. I listened to Richard Nixon's resignation speech on the radio tuned to WOAI at the kitchen table with my grandparents.

10. Is it really necessary for people to talk loudly on their cell phones in a restaurant?

11. Somebody is always going to get hurt during a rock fight.

12. My food of choice when I was pregnant with Kris was peanut butter crackers with bean dip.

13. Mrs. Campbell gave me licks in the sixth grade because I was chewing gum in class.

14. Family game night....good luck with that.

15. Marshall roped me off my bicycle when we were 8 and 12 years old.

16. Barbie's hair does not grow back once it has been cut; been there, done that.

17. When you're covered in blood (yours or your sibling's), do not tell your mother that "nothing" happened.

18. AC/DC and KISS --- touring together? No comment.

19. Chef Ramsey (of Hell's Kitchen) should attend an anger management class.

20. There are 114 days left until Christmas.

Rattlesnakes

I have the upmost respect for snakes --- especially those sporting rattles. Growing up in the country requires being on alert for the reptiles that scare the hell out of me. There is no such thing as a gentle reminder when one comes across a rattlesnake. The survival instinct kicks in and that usually means running the opposite direction of the snake.

Sam came across one last weekend while operating the bulldozer. He said he "chased" the rattlesnake with the dozer and was so proud for not damaging the rattles. The trophy boasts sixteen rattles and a button. That, my friends, is a big ass snake.

Daisy survived a rattlesnake bite that she received about five years ago. The fur never did grow back where she was struck and the scar reaches from her paw to her shoulder.

I've come close to being struck by a snake several times in my life. They would be drawn to the patio due to the warmth of the concrete at the end of the day. I once opened the screen door and reached for the wooden door when I heard "BBZZZZZZZ"! There was a rattlesnake coiled up on the threshold of the door. I slammed the door and ran like hell. I was only 10 years old at the time.

In walking through tall grass in a field a couple of years ago with Sam and Trey, we came across a slithering snake. I stepped on the snake and let out a "SON OF A BITCH!" and went the opposite direction. In turn, Trey was high stepping it to the road. And Sam? He stopped and was looking for rocks to throw at the snake. Sam - 1; Snake - 0. The only time I feel brave around a snake is when I'm in my vehicle and I can run over the damn thing.

As I was walking to the shearing barn today to turn off the water pump breaker, I catch a glimpse of something in the grass. SON OF A BITCH! It's a snake! And by the time I realize I have access to an endless supply of rocks, I lose sight of the snake. I am not brave enough to go scouting around in the grass to find it. My biggest fear? Where there is one snake there are bound to be several more.....

The Closing of the Doors

Little Town has always boasted about having access to two grocery stores. This ensured competitive prices and the townsfolk didn't have to travel 50 miles one way to grab a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. My family were loyal "Barker's" shoppers. Nick, the head honcho of the meat market, would always give kids a sliver of Longhorn Cheddar Cheese as we wandered up and down the aisles of the locally owned and operated grocery store. There were actual wood planking floors in the produce department. It was the only business in town that had automatic doors --- an enter and an exit door. (Got my butt busted once for activating the doors over and over and over again while waiting for my mother to get through with her shopping.) Super S moved to town and Barker's closed their doors. The building currently houses a home furnishings store.

The other grocery store was also locally owned and operated. An act of arson by a couple of kids resulted in the remodeling of Liverman's. Due to circumstances beyond the family's control, Liverman's sold to IGA who then sold to Food Basket. Local folks were kept on as employees even though management changed on a regular basis. It was announced last week that Food Basket has been bought by Super S. Food Basket will be closing its doors at the end of the business day on Labor Day. Super S will then have the corner market for groceries in Little Town.

Wonder how much a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread will cost with no competition in town?

The Alpha Male

"Some people say man is the most dangerous animal on the planet. Obviously those people have never met an angry cat." Lillian Johnson

Coalie rules the roost in the yard at the Back Forty. Coalie is a neutered black cat that has resided at the ranch since Sam and I started seeing each other. I have no idea how hold he is but I'm guessing at least ten cat years. A couple of years ago I accidentally kicked Coalie while trying to get to the front door. It took him six months to forgive me for that incident. Coalie is a drooler. He expects a chin rub any time I am outside. And then here comes the drool. He may not be as spry as he once was but he has an air about him that says, "Don't f#&% with me."

Coalie and I have a mutual understanding at feeding time in the mornings. I feed the common cats in a pan that is located by the front yard gate. Then I put Coalie's food in a designated spot on the porch. I guess its more out of respect for Coalie since he is an old cat and is still the best hunter on the place. I then stand guard for a few minutes to ensure he gets enough to eat before the other cats realize what is going on.

This morning Simba decided to introduce himself to Coalie. Both cats are very sweet and good natured......so long as they know their boundaries. I explained to Simba that the yard is ruled by Coalie and that includes the porch. Hhmmm. In one ear and out the other. Coalie insisted on a chin scratching which raised Simba's hackles. Then came the hissing and the threatening growls from both cats. DO.NOT.ATTEMPT.TO.BREAK.UP.A.CAT.FIGHT. EVER! I ducked under the porch to coax Simba to come back inside the house. Coalie must've thought I was the bad guy because he swatted at me from the porch rail. To hell with both of them. I expect they will work out their differences by the time I get home this afternoon.

As if that wasn't enough, Gray Cat decided he needed to check out what was going on. He insisted he be let outside before I left for work. So be it. Let the fur fly and may the best cat be declared the alpha male of the feline species. I've got my vet's number on speed dial....just in case.

Weekend in Waco

Kris and I spent the weekend accessorizing her apartment. Daisy Duke has settled in quite nicely in her new home. Kris keeps catnip in Daisy's scratching board so I guess that might explain why Daisy is so laid back about her new surroundings.

We tangled with tax-free weekend shoppers in the parking lots and stores. Crazy-ass-people. Kris' roommate works at a shop in the mall. She told us on Sunday morning that the young women's apparel shop had $31,000 in sales on Saturday. That is more than it ran on Black Friday last November. Makes me just want to run out and get my Christmas shopping done. Not.

We assembled a baker's rack and bookcase. Sounds like a lot of work but what got us both were the stupid curtain rod screws. A bit of temper came out when the screws wouldn't go far enough into the wall. Problem solved after we got a good night's sleep. We ended up finding and using shorter screws.

As always, the visit is too short. As I was entering the road that leads me out of Waco, I looked over at the vehicle next to me. It appeared to be occupied by a set of parents that had just left their child at Baylor. The mother was crying and dabbing her eyes. The father was pointing his finger at her as if to tell her, "Now honey. You know you can't fall apart like this every time we leave. We will see our son/daughter in a couple of weeks. We have to let him/her go and everybody has to move on." Lady, I feel your pain.

When it rains.....

.....it pours. After replacing the water pump in my vehicle to the tune of $291.00, I am now waiting to hear how much it will cost to work on the brakes. It is the nature of the beast to have the money cushion deflated every time it gets a little plump.

Here's a little run down on college expenses for Kris for the fall semester:

General Student Fee $1,295.00 (what the hell is a general student fee?)
Auto Registration $ 225.00 (awfully expensive parking decal)
Lab/Course Fee $ 167.00 (please don't break anything in the lab)
Baylor Ring Savings Plan $ 75.00 (total will be $600 when she graduates)
Tuition/Fall Undergrad $12,660.00 (WTF?!)

This does not include books and supplies and general living expenses. Throw in rent, electricity, car insurance and fuel, groceries and personal items and you've got one helluva tab. Kris is a very disciplined student and works hard to ensure she maintains the GPA required by scholarship(s) guidelines. Financial aid to the rescue!

Ring, ring! It is my mechanic.....not looking forward this phone call.

The Stench

NOTE: DO NOT READ THIS ENTRY IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH!


There has been a strange rattle and clunking noise going on underneath the hood of my trailblazer for over a week. It is worse when I first crank it up and then the noise would "level out" and I wouldn't notice it again until the next morning. I asked Sam to please listen to the noise every day last week. Finally on Saturday morning, he relented and told me to pop the hood and crank the ignition.

As the fan began to run, I saw what I thought were feathers shoot out from somewhere in the mechanics of the vehicle. No other noise other than the fan clunking and hitting on the housing. Without any further ado, I kiledl the engine and didn't think twice about the incident until this morning. As I walked towards my vehicle, I got a whiff of the worst dead animal smell EVER. My first thought was that it was a coon or skunk that one of the boys had killed south of the house and the wind was blowing the stench towards the house.

Got into my vehicle and cranked it up --- Oh.My.God. My gag reflex kicked in and I truly thought my cranapple juice was going to end up on the ground. And the lightbulb clicked on. I had noticed only two instead of three kittens around the house on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. I'll be damned. I had a dead kitten underneath the hood and it had been there for two very long and very hot days. I drove to town with all four windows down. Yep, I am still sporting the wind blown look.

Took my vehicle across the street to one of the local mechanic shops. I warned them that there was a dead kitten underneath my hood that would probably need to be tended to before they could locate and repair the clunking noise going on with my fan. A young kid named Billy drew the short stick and he had to disengage vehicle parts in order to completely remove pieces of kitten carcass. That chore took him over an hour. After giving my vehicle time to air out, the water pump was found to be the cause of the noise and it was replaced.

I bought some of those icky smelling Christmas Tree deodorizers (New Car, Vanilla and Pine Tree) in hopes that it will overpower the smell that is still oozing from underneath the hood. I've started with New Car Scent. I really ought to hang one around my ears so the tree can dangle beneath my nose when I drive home this afternoon.

Four Showers and A Lot of Sweat

I truly believe the Dog Days of Summer are upon us. Could the sun be any f-n hotter?

Got up at 6:30am with the intention of getting a jump on the day while it was cool. Took a shower so I'd feel all clean and fresh and it could only improve my attitude. Fired up the push mower at 8:30am. It was a done deal by the time I went once around the upper yard --- south wind and sweat on my brow. I was covered in grass particles in no time flat. Got through and took another shower to wash off the debris and the sweat.

Decided at 11:15am to pack a picnic lunch and go find Sam on the south side of the ranch. I didn't apply sunscreen because the round trip would only take about an hour at the most. At 12:42pm, I gave up on finding him and headed back to the house. I was blistered and not so happy. Called Mike and he told me that Sam had moved the dozer (duh!) and how to find him. Off I went again. Neglected to remember to apply sunscreen for the second time so I'm paying for it now. Found Sam. Got back to the house about 2:15pm. Took another shower to wash off the dust and sweat from my adventure on the 4 wheeler.

Took a breather and then decided I needed to be productive. There is a "dog pen" right here at the house and I took it upon myself to pull weeds and clean it up for about an hour. More sweat. More dirt. Beginning to question my ability to understand what Sundays are really all about. Came back inside and took yet another shower. I am beginning to think I no longer have fingerprints.

I still have at least 3 hours of daylight left. And if I try really hard I bet I can find yet another project I need to tackle before the sun goes down. Or not......

Room Mate

Ah, the joys of having a room mate. Personally, I haven't kept up with any of my college room mates since the day I moved out of each apartment.

Kris informed me last night that she has decided it will be okay to have a room mate. In this case, it is a childhood friend who is also attending Baylor. They have had their share of snits and fits with each other since the second grade but have always worked out their differences. Alicia has been living with her boyfriend this summer but the relationship has come to an end. It just so happened that Kris has a two bedroom apartment and things worked out for Alicia to move in with Kris.

Now, I have my misgivings about this arrangement that I will not go into at this time. Kris tells me that the pros outweigh the cons especially in the financial department. Sam assures me that everything will be fine and I am worrying for nothing. It is time I let Kris go out on a limb, make her own decisions and live with the consequences. That is tough for Mama Bear to do.

Remember what I said about Kris being anal about a clean house?? That is just the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned for updates as the year progresses.....

Unexpected Rain

A rumble in the northern sky yesterday afternoon prompted me to check the radar. WHOA! Pop, pop, pop and another pop --- heat induced thunderstorms covered our part of the state. Sam called me around 4:30pm and said we had already gotten an inch of rain at the headquarters of the Back Forty. Oh and what a lovely drop in the temperature. 82 degrees never felt so heavenly.

And just when we thought the rain was over and the gauges were emptied, another cell came over us from the west and dumped another quarter of an inch on us. The lightening was intense as it bounced all around us. The electricity was off for a short period of time but the temperature was cool enough that I wasn't too bothered by the lack of circulating air in the house.

The Little Town received nada in the rain department yesterday but a nice shower came through today as I was leaving city limits headed for home.

The hummingbirds are migrating south. I am now down to one feeder from four feeders. It seemed to have happened overnight that the majority of the birds left this area. There will be a few stragglers hanging around for a while taking advantage of the welfare feeder. Come the end of the month I suspect they will all be gone.

Think I'll head to the porch for a few minutes of quiet time....with my adult beverage, of course.

Moving Daisy Duke

Moving Daisy to Waco wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be. It was decided during the summer that Daisy would be happier living with her human instead of at the Back Forty. Daisy and Kris were inseparable for three years. Daisy and Kris both had to adjust to the change when Kris began her freshman year of college. Daisy would spend days moping around the house after a weekend visit from Kris. It got so bad that I would call Kris and have her talk to Daisy on the phone. Yep, I am a certified member of the Crazy Cat Lady Club.

After tricking Daisy to get into the cat carrier, Kris opted to take Daisy with her in her little car. As our convoy got about 15 miles northwest from Little Town, Kris radioed me and said that if a cat could look pale, Daisy was definitely changing colors. I told her to put air on her. That didn't work and Kris said she thought Daisy needed to be sitting higher up than the front seat of the little car. So we pulled over and I took over the responsiblity of hauling Daisy to College Town. We still had a three and a half hour trip ahead of us.

I put the cat carrier next to me in the front seat of the pickup, directed two air vents towards Daisy and told her to be quiet. She yowled for another 5 minutes and settled down. She would voice her disapproval every 30 minutes or so but managed not to get sick. Needless to say, we did not make stops along the way until we got to the apartment complex.

Daisy did not settle down very well during her first night in her new home. She managed to keep me awake most of the night with her prowling and yowling. I woke her up every time I found her napping yesterday. Shame on me. When I checked in with Kris last night, Daisy was doing better and not quite so freaked out about her new surroundings.

As for future hauling of the cat, I will contact Dr. Dave's office and have his assistant send drugs to Kris for her to dispense to Daisy before traveling.

It wasn't any easier.....

.....to move and leave my little girl at college this year. James, Kris and I loaded and moved her personal belongings (in 105 degree weather) to Waco yesterday. The only casualty of the move was the red tortilla warmer blowing out of the back of James' pickup. Kris, being the frugal child that she is, turned around and went to look for it in the bar ditch. Gave up after realizing it meant getting out into the tall grass to really search for it.

Kris is living in an apartment during her sophomore year at school. She opted NOT to have a roommate which is probably a good thing. The child is more anal than I am about cleanliness and neatness. I wish her luck in finding a member of the opposite sex who will be able to adhere to her rules about keeping house. (I'm thinking along the lines of "MONK".) She lives on the 4th floor but we were able to utilize an elevator for hauling her stuff to her apartment. I gazed longingly at the pool every time I passed by it yesterday afternoon. I could picture myself on a lounge chair, reading a good book and drinking a very, very, very cold beer. As in ice melting down the neck of the bottle. Instead we spent the afternoon sweating and moving and moving and sweating. And I don't dare tell anybody how much was spent at WalMart for just cleaning supplies and "getting started" supplies.

After spending this morning cleaning and putting together her kitchen, I bid her farewell. James is going to take Kris back to WalMart to get some more essential items this evening. I bid him good luck. I got that familiar lump in my throat as I loaded up the pickup to leave today. The feeling is still with me that I am throwing her to the wolves as she continues her quest of becoming a nurse. I look forward to spending time with her during the school year as her schedule allows such.

Oh, I looked for the red tortilla warmer in the bar ditch on my way home today but to no avail.

Silver Wings

A classmate of mine, David S., taught me how to two-step when we were in the 5th grade. Red Stegall and his band were belting out "Silver Wings"at the dance after the race meet. David S. said, "This is it. I am going to teach you how to dance right now." So with sweaty palms and a nervous stomach I allowed myself to be led right to the middle of the dance floor. The concrete slab had already been literally dusted with cedar shavings to ensure a smooth boot scoot. It took me about four songs to quit counting out loud and stop watching my feet as David S. led me around the dance floor. He then taught me how to do the "Cotton Eyed Joe" and of course I already knew the "Bunny Hop". He waited until I was in the 6th grade before teaching me how to waltz. The "Jitterbug" was a little more complicated and we improvised some steps. We dubbed "Silver Wings" as our song. As we grew up and attended school dances and summer dances at the HCFA pavilion, David S. would always come find me when "Silver Wings" was played.

Fate doesn't always deal us a fair hand in life. We lost David S. our senior year in high school along with another good friend. They were involved in a car accident just three months before graduation. David S. shared with me one of the most treasured gifts in life --- the gift of dancing.

"Silver wings shining in the sunlight, roaring engines headed somewhere in flight.
They're taking you away, leaving me lonely, silver wings slowly fading out of sight.
Don't leave me I cry, don't take that airplane ride.
But you locked me out of your mind, left me standing here behind.
Silver wings shining in the sunlight, roaring engines headed somewhere in flight.
Their taking you away, leaving me lonely, silver wings slowly fading out of sight.
Silver wings shining in the sunlight, roaring engines headed somewhere in flight, they're taking you away.
Leaving me lonely. Silver wings slowly fading out of sight.Slowly fading out of sight."

Gray Cat and the Pecan Tree

"A cat can climb down from a tree without the assistance of the fire department or any other agency. The proof is that no one has ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree." Anonymous

One afternoon I heard a kitten crying outside. Sure enough Gray Cat had climbed the tallest pecan tree in the front yard. As I called to him to come down, he only climbed higher. And higher. And higher. He ran out of tree to climb and was hanging there and crying and crying. My neighbors, all being cat people and concerned, offered suggestions on how to get Gray Cat out of the tree. The sun was setting so I knew I had to do something because my heart wouldn't let that poor little kitten spend the night in the tree. And he certainly had no intention of climbing down. Daisy was no help --- I tried to coax her into chirping for her boy kitten to work his furry butt back down the tree.

I called a friend of mine who is a volunteer member of the fire department. I explained the situation and that I needed a really tall ladder to reach the top of the tree. He laughed and said he'd be there shortly. I made the mistake of asking him to be quiet about coming to rescue the kitten. Five minutes later I could hear a fire truck with the siren blaring heading our direction. Oh, crap. And if that wasn't enough to draw attention, the red and blue strobe lights were flashing. My friend had picked up another volunteer and they were decked out in bunker gear. And then Sam showed up. He shook his head and suggested a .22 caliber gun as his solution.

The JVFD rescued Gray Cat after battling 20 branches to get to his location. And I haven't lived it down yet that I called the fire department to rescue a kitten out of a tree. That was about four years ago. Gray Cat didn't climb trees after that experience. Until this morning. I heard a THUMP on the porch roof and there he was. He had climbed a tree close to the house and jumped onto the roof. I just shook my head and told him he was on his own in getting back to terra firma. Thirty minutes later he was meowing at the back door. Guess my baby boy kitty has overcome his phobia of climbing trees.

And now he is trying to catch a hummingbird....good luck with that!

"The reason cats climb is so they can look down on almost every other animal. It's also the reason they hate birds." K.C. Buffington

Spa Day

In order to celebrate our birthdays (August and September), Kris and I indulged ourselves with a Carribean Massage at La Cantera on Saturday. OMG....I would be much easier to get along with if I could have one of those massages once a week. It was, it was, it was.....I don't know that I can fully express how wonderful it was with mere words.

It started with a dry exfoliation of the back and soles of the feet. That was step one on the road to relaxation. A "seaweed" concoction was then applied to the back and soles of the feet. A warm towel was then placed on top of the seaweed mixture. As the wrap was working its magic, my massage began with the left arm and then the right arm. I was sinking further into oblivion. The seaweed gunk was then cleaned from my back with more warm towels. Magic fingers began working out the kinks in my back and shoulders and neck. I felt numb and in a state of complete relaxation. I could hear the birds chirping and violins playing as I struggled to remain conscious of my surroundings. And by the time I received the scalp massage, I was deep into Neverland. I could smell the colors and taste the rainbow. It was an effort to focus after 90 minutes of pure heaven.

Kris and I managed to regroup and headed to Red Lobster for a drink and late lunch. As we pulled out of the parking lot, we decided we needed to walk off our calorie-laden lunch and headed to the mall at La Cantera. People, here's the deal: If it is too small or too short, don't wear it in public. And stilletto heels do not go well with denim shorts and halter tops. And black bras with white tops? And halter tops trying to cover size DD without any support? And middle aged women sporting bellyrings? Egads, my conservatism is surfacing! Talk about my butt all you want to but at least its covered up. I am not a shopper but managed to last a couple of hours before beginning to whine about the heat, the crowded shops and the rude people.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Spa Day and have decided it will be our annual gift to ourselves. Throw in a little People Watching on the side and you've got yourself a day to be remembered!

JoJo, the tomato-eating cat

In light of the death of a very dear friend's furry family member, I find myself feeling out of sorts today. Dorey was the light of Rana's life for 14 years and offered Rana's blog readers all kinds of inspiration even on the dreariest of days. Yesterday, Rana posted the most spectacular picture of Dorey that captured his very soul.

When we moved to the ranch, there seemed to be an endless supply of mama cats and kittens. Mama raised the most beautiful gray and black tiger striped cat she called "Tiger Lily". Tiger Lily had a bob-tail and tufts on her ears that suggested she had lynx in her blood. We had our favorites through the years but one of the most favorite was one of Tiger Lily's kittens who grew to be a larger version of her. We called him "JoJo".

JoJo was more devoted to us than any dog we ever had. He would follow us when we rode our bikes. He would follow us when we hiked up on the hill behind the house. He would chirp at us if we got too scattered from him. And JoJo loved cherry tomatoes! The first clue we got was when tomato plants started growing in odd places. We'd find them behind the playhouse and on the edge of the sand pile. We never thought twice about JoJo following us in to the summer garden. And then Daddy confirmed it when he actually caught JoJo batting a ripe tomato from the vine. Damn cat carried off the tomato in his mouth like he had just killed the prize dove at the county fair.

We had to return to school in the fall but JoJo was always waiting for us when we got home in the evening. I'm pretty sure Daddy snuck store bought tomatoes to JoJo after the garden stopped producing fresh ones. I wish I could say that JoJo lived a long and prosperous life at the ranch but that isn't so. This particular fall Daddy had "day hunters" during hunting season. A man and his wife came out to hunt for whitetail. The woman saw Tiger Lily and JoJo and offered money for both of them. Daddy explained to the woman that Tiger Lily was Mama's pride and joy and JoJo was very attached to his humans as were his humans to him. The woman offered more money. Daddy said no. End of discussion. Daddy took the couple back to town after the hunt and deposited them at a local motel. The next day Daddy had a different group of hunters and was gone from the house most of the morning. He came in for lunch and noticed that JoJo wasn't at the back door waiting for him. Daddy called and called for JoJo but couldn't find him. Daddy noticed a set of tire tracks in the driveway that didn't belong to any of our vehicles. And then it dawned on him: That bitch from Houston came out and catnapped JoJo. Daddy rushed to town to the motel but of course the couple had already checked out. And the attendant told Daddy that the woman had a cat with her when they checked out. Said she bought it from a rancher because his kids were mean to the poor thing. It was a sad day at our house when Daddy had to tell us that JoJo was gone. Holli and I were prepared to go to Houston and find JoJo. (We didn't understand the logistics of going to Houston.) And we learned one of many life lessons on that dreary evening about the human race.

JoJo, the tomato-eating cat, lives forever in my memory. And I am proud to have been one of his humans.

19 years ago

Hard to believe I gave birth to the most precious child in the world 19 years ago. Kris came into this world with a maturity that still amazes me. Her delivery was short and sweet and she has always been the one to try not to inconvenience any one that comes into her life. Born on August 1, 1990 at 9:03pm, she hardly made a peep when the glare of the lights hit her little face.

Having been the oldest of four children, I kind of knew what to expect with a little one. Changing diapers and feeding times, etc. But no where, no way, did ANYBODY prepare me for the "changing of the guard" at least five times a night. Lord, have mercy! That little peep at delivery time turned into a howling banshee at midnight, 1:30am, 2:45am, 4am, 5:50am and anytime in between when Poop Patrol was also on call.

Watching Kris grow through the years is an experience that I hold near and dear to my heart. I wasn't always the best mother in the world but I have done my best to prepare her for the real world. And there were times when she was the one to keep me grounded and give me advice. We are close and I am thankful for her existance in my life. We always like to brag on our offspring but I hope Kris presents herself to others as the sweet and kind person I know. And of course all parents hope their children actually execute their manners when they are away from home. "Elbows off the table. Please don't slurp or smack. Use your napkin!"

19 years ago I was resting in a hospital bed thinking, "Lord, please give me the strength to be the best mother I can be to this precious angel. And please give me the ability to explain right and wrong to her. And remind me to enjoy the little miracles that are in my life every day." Little did I know that as I was encouraging Kris to take her first step that I was also paving the road for me to become the person I am today.

Guardian Angel on Overtime

I had to see Andrew's pickup damage for myself yesterday morning. Dare I say, "OUCH"?

I didn't have my camera with me or I would post pictures. For those of you who have access to Facebook you may be able to see them on Andrew's page. (I'm too dumb to figure out how MySpace and Facebook and whatever else is available all works.) Good luck with that.

It appears that the pickup will be "totaled". The entire driver's side is f(#*$ed up as well as a crushed cab and lots of broken glass. Lisa tells me that the boys had to climb out of the passenger back door. Sure wish I could get a hold of one of the wheels off his truck. Back in October, Sam drove his 2008 Ford 150 too far on a flat tire and it ruined the wheel. This was a couple of weeks after his incident with the bull so Marshall, Dennis and I had to come to Sam's rescue. We've been trying to find a replacement wheel since then at various salvage places but to no avail because of the year model of the vehicle. Andrew's truck has FOUR wheels that would match perfectly.

As I was leaving work yesterday, I met Andrew on the street driving the Maxima. And you know I had to call him and tell him that he was looking HOT behind the wheel of the little white car! I suggested that he give his guardian angel a break since it appears that his angel has been working overtime.

Seat Belt Reality Check

"Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly."

My nephew, Andrew, and one of his best friends, Kyle, were very fortunate yesterday evening. Andrew's truck? Not so much. Andrew and Kyle were involved in an accident which totalled Andrew's Christmas present.

According to Marshall, there is a built-up cattleguard on the county road about a mile from Kyle's house. Andrew went over said cattleguard going a little too fast which caused him to over-correct the vehicle, hit a cedar tree and was launched hard enough to flip the 4-door Ford pickup onto its cab. Both boys had their seatbelts on which kept them from being ejected from the pickup. After they realized they were okay, they counted to three and released themselves from the seatbelts. Both landed pretty hard and said that hurt worse than the actual wreck.

I checked in with my sister-in-law, Lisa, this morning. Andrew was still in bed and I suspect he will be sore for a couple of days. The pickup was towed to their house and waiting for the insurance adjustor to confirm that it is beyond repair.

Seat belts. You can cuss them or be thankful for them. I was at a snail's pace when the gentleman ran the stop sign and broad-sided me several months ago. My seat belt kept me from hitting the steering wheel. I'll take a few bumps and bruises over the alternative.

Looks like Andrew gets to drive the 1995 Nissan Maxima (Kris' first car) to Texas Tech next month instead of his 2008 Ford F-150.......or catch a ride with Kyle.....

Filling Stations, Motels and Restaurants

Rain gauge measured 80 points at the Back Forty this morning. I checked our neighbor's gauge 4 miles down the road and it measured 85 points. All in all, a wonderful rain for our parched land.

In visiting with the gentleman who owns and operates the garage across the street from my workplace, he told me that "back in the day" there were 24 filling stations in full operation in Little Town. That was before Interstate was built and traffic is now routed around our community. Filling stations, motels and restaurants kept us on the map for years and years as a stopping point for weary travelers. Said gentleman is originally from Marfa and I found it interesting that he was up to speed on some of our local history. He told me a story about going to the local parts store on a Wednesday. He noticed the Weekly Wipe on the counter and made the comment about how he didn't get his paper delivered until Thursday. An elderly man consuming his morning cup of coffee behind the counter grumbled, "That's because you're not from around here."

Enough said. The natives will continue to circle the wagons around their own. Newcomers will always be labeled as "not from around here" even after 20 years of claiming Little Town as their residence. If we can't trace your family tree to the 1800's then you are most definitely going to be kept at arm's length until such time as we deem you have proven yourself worthy of being welcomed into our circle. This isn't a bad thing --- it's just the way we are. And that can be one helluva long wait.

Back in the Real World

It took most of Monday for me to get back into the swing of things at the work place. I managed to get through the day without any mishaps. A really nice thunderstorm came through late in the afternoon and dumped various amounts of rain in our area. Back Forty only got 20 points whereas the neighboring ranch got 80 points. As much as 2.25 was reported on the opposite side of the county. Every little bit is greatly appreciated!

Tuesday promises to be much busier with mid-year reports due. Yahoo.

Little Town is still busy with summer visitors. I catch myself growling when I try to get out of the parking lot onto Main Street. I'm doing good if I recognize one out of every ten vehicles I meet on the street. Good for the economy so I best not bitch too much about the traffic. Hunters are beginning to trickle in to check on their leases and make sure the feeders are being tended to. Our hunters are from Louisana so it is easier for them to pay Mike to keep the feeders full until they start making their trips to the Back Forty in October.

Construction crews are on Interstate repairing guardrail on a bridge that spans the river. I noticed this morning that the crew members are using safety harnesses which makes me wonder if they ever consider actually testing the harnesses and do a little "bungee jumping". Probably not but it gives me something to think about when I drive through the construction zone.

Oh, and the plumbing project that began on Saturday afternoon has now been completed. Took a lot of patience and colorful language but the leak has been repaired in the master bathroom. I don't think Sam is eager to do any more plumbing in the near future.

I plan on posting wedding pictures if not late today then hopefully tomorrow. Phone is ringing and people are wanting this and that. Sigh. I am back in the real world.

It's always something....

Made it to the Back Forty with zero battle wounds from my trip to Acalpulco. It was a very lovely trip and I hope to go back again someday. And so we've made it to the one week mark without any damage.

The sky is currently promising rain but I'm afraid it has slipped to the south and west of us. The temps are mild enough that I haven't had to turn on the air conditioner today. The house is usually akin to a wind tunnel this time of day. The goats are looking for shelter so maybe they know something I don't when it comes to the weather forecast. I tentatively planned on going to the river but guess I will save that trip for a sunny day. I suspect that day will be right around the corner.

It will have been six days since I have been to town (trip to Little Big Town doesn't count) and around people other than family. Good grief. I am turning into a hermit. I guess that would drive most folks crazy but it has been wonderful in a way that only country folks can understand. Laurrie has been my lifeline to any news I needed to know. Rana keeps me posted on the goings-on in her part of the world. I haven't watched or listened to any national or global news since before I got married.

I have created another plumbing repair job for Mr. Sam. Seems that I overloaded the shower caddy and when it crashed today...well, it crashed in a way such that it broke (as in sheared off) the hot water control knob of the tub/shower. It just so happens that Sam and his kids are in Little Big Town today so I sent a 911 message to Mike about the plumbing situation. I feel quite sure Sam will be calling me from Lowe's or Home Depot asking me for specific information to ensure that he gets the right parts for the repair job. He had no doubt that I had screwed up something when he got the message . HA -- RIGHT ON CUE, Sam just called. Gotta get some measurements for him.....oh joy. See what I have to look forward to this evening?

Sam Went Home

Lo and behold! I got back to the room this morning from snorkling and found a note from Sam. He had enough of Acalpulco and was catching the next plane back to Texas. Left me a credit card and said "see you at the Back Forty." Ah, well. I'm sure I can entertain myself for another day. Girls, this one is for you! I'm going shopping and hope I can get through customs with my goods.

Already got the lawn mowed this morning. Only downfall on a morning mow is that one cannot relax with a cold beer on the porch after mowing at 8am. In watching my hummingbirds this morning, I noticed that a Balitmore Oriole (sp?) is helping himself to the sugar water. Upon closer inspection, he has knocked off one of the yellow covers in order to get his beak into the sugar water. I looked on the ground and around the area for said cover but it is not to be found. Damn bird is smarter than I give him credit for. Warning to Bird Lovers: He will meet his Maker sooner than later if he continues to scare off my hummingbirds. Alternative would be to hang up bird feeders but that would require 1) going to town and 2) buying said feeders and bird seed. Not going to happen any time soon.

In holding to tradition, I must get to the beach for my morning Bloody Mary. Need to clear the cobwebs from my brain due to a late night of singing old Beatles songs with the lounge band last night. Beach towel? check! Sunscreen? check! Book? Sunglasses? check and check! Credit card? Crap, where did I put the credit card?

Ice cold Corona in one hand and a good book in the other hand while soaking up the Mexican sun. Life just cannot possibly get any better than this. I've been through six cans of sunscreen and can't wait to show off my tan. And yes, I do have tan lines. My new European friends ---- not so much on the tan lines.

Kris and I made it to the Little Big Town and I was able to dodge lines and get my business taken care of at each stop we made in record time. We met the nicest father and daughter at the Social Security Administration office. Both are legally blind but yet the daughter insisted on leading the father. We talked about the weather and gardens and making jelly. Kris visited with a woman at the DPS license office. The woman was thumbing through a magazine that was geared to "the larger women" in our society. Large Woman pointed out a dress that a slim model was wearing to Kris and said, "This dress would look so cute on you. For me, it would have to have a lot more material to cover my arms and legs." Large Woman made the comment that it didn't make much sense to have slim models advertising clothes that large people would never wear in public. I won't get on that soap box today.

Grabbed a bite to eat at Chili's and made it with time to spare to watch "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". You have to be a true-blue Harry Potter fan to sit through a two and a half hour movie with no bathroom breaks. I have read all of the Harry Potter books and the books are always better than the movies.

I might try my hand at snorkling tomorrow. Our honeymoon trip is coming to a close and I need to get out there and be a little more adventurous. Bubba and Sam are still hanging out in the lobby.....and still watching ESPN. Waiter, una mas cerveza, por favor!

Missed the Boat

Not so sure my new European friends are a good influence on me. Since Sunday, my diet has consisted of tortillas and lots of fruity alcoholic beverages. As we were lounging around the pool yesterday, the European named Jaquelyn said she bought tickets for us to go on some boat ride to a nearby island. The boat would leave around 6pm and return at 9pm. I quipped, "A three hour tour? We know what happened to the last group of people that opted to take that boat ride." They didn't get it.


Sam put in eight hours on his bulldozer yesterday. A representative from the NRCS office is scheduled to inspect Sam's progress this morning. "The only good cedar is a dead cedar." Kris and I delivered lunch to Sam and gave him a break from the daunting task of clearing several acres of cedar. Kris stepped up to the plate when Sam asked her if she wanted a lesson on operating the bulldozer. With Sam giving her directions, she held her own as she operated the machine for about 10 minutes. Kris pushed over a handful of cedar trees and was willing to clear out even more.


Cheryl has a Wedding Pictures CD ready for me but it will be next week before I pick it up. I don't plan on going back to town until next Monday morning when I report back to the work place. I promise to post pictures of the wedding though.


As fate would have it, I missed the boat ride. Too much sun and too many fruity drinks served in hollowed out pineapples created the perfect atmosphere for a siesta. Oh, and I found Sam! He was in the resort lobby drinking draft beer and watching ESPN with some guy named Bubba who hails from Smithville. Small world; huh? Think I may try my hand at snorkling this morning. After I wash down a tortilla with a fruity beverage.

New Adventure

Today I am going to try parasailing! I made some new friends from Europe yesterday evening while shooting shots of Patron. Seems I made quite an impression on them with my rendition of "Jingle Bells". Anyway, we are to meet at 7am on the beach and draw straws as to who goes up in the air first.

This morning actually finds me with a list of errands to run in Little Town. First and foremost, I have to have the county clerk's office duly execute the marriage license so I can play the name change game for the next several months. EVERYBODY has to have proof that I really did get married. As if the rings and my word aren't enough? I know, welcome to the world of red tape.

Life moves at a slower pace on the Back Forty and it is a rare treat to be able to kick back and not do anything for a couple of days. Sure, there are all kinds of chores just waiting to tend to but they can wait. I have an enemy and its name is "Stress". I am going to dodge that son of a bitch for as long as I can. Need to build up some strength before the next battle.

Time to grab a tortilla and some fruit before heading to the beach. I'll try to remember to drop some postcards in the mail to you folks back in the States. Not sure when we're coming home. That reminds me, I haven't seen much of Sam since we got off the plane. Or did he get off the plane? The Mai Tais were pretty strong on the flight over and the landing is a little fuzzy.....

Acapulco

WOW -- finally! Acalpulco is absolutely gorgeous! The white sand and crystal blue water just leave me speechless. The air is fresh and fragrant with the scent of sunshine and salt water. Yeah, whatever.....

I am currently taking in the view of my hummingbirds enjoying the sprinkler I have set beneath their bird feeders. They like to perch on the fence and "air out" with the water misting on their little bodies. I have to keep an eye on Coalie, the black ranch cat, in case he decides to take advantage of bath time and pounce on a bird. Believe it or not, he actually catches one from time to time.

Sunday found us all very, very sluggish. The stress from the past couple of weeks had caught up with all of us. I managed to make it to my mother's house for lunch and to say good bye to my siblings and their families. I am so thankful everyone is supportive and helped me so much to pull off the wedding and "reception". We had a strong show of friends and family. Cheryl took some amazing pictures and I will post some pictures just as soon as I get a copy of the CD from her.

This week finds me looking forward to DOWN TIME. No hurry to do anything or go anywhere. Well, I do have to make a trip to the closest DPS office to update my driver's license and to the social security office to do the same. Might as well throw in a trip to HEB and Wally World while I am at it. Arrgg. Not a big fan of any kind of shopping so I will have to work myself up to actually making the trip.

As much as I'd like to continue to rattle on about my planned week of leisure, I am off to get a Pina Colada and sit on the beach for a while. I have a stack of books I've been longing to read and a new bottle of sunscreen that needs to be opened. I'll be thinking of each of you as I bask in the Mexican sun and work on my tan.......sigh, it is good to be me!

THE BIG EVENT

7-11, Home of the Big Gulp -- Ding! Ding!

Kinda corny but at least Sam will always remember the anniversary of his second wedding. This morning started out crazy but what did I expect? I stress over the smallest of ordeals so you can only imagine how wired I was when I hit the floor at 6am. Deep breath.

We initiated the new porch by exchanging wedding vows on the south side of the cabin on the porch. Sam had Mike and Shannon standing up for him and I had Kris, Kelli and Holli. Before we started the ceremony, I told Sam to behave and not make me laugh. As our family and close friends gathered around, Lewis began the service.

I will never forget this part: During a prayer, I heard this "BBBZZZZZ" and when I opened my eyes, there was the most beautiful hummingbird hovering over my bouquet of flowers. The bird flit from my bouquet to Kris' to Kelli's to Holli's flowers. It was amazing! After "Amen", the pastor asked me, "Did you see that?" I said, "Did you?" He said, "That is a blessing."

Sam repeated his vows and I repeated my vows. We did the whole ring thing and with some effort made it without any tears. Yet. Another prayer and there he was again! The hummingbird proceeded to buzz us again! I had to lean forward and wipe my face on Sam's sleeve during the prayer because the tears were about to flow.

And so now I am a married woman and I feel extremely settled. The week was crazy and I did experience a few meltdowns but it was all worth it to feel as loved as I do today. My family and friends are very supportive and I am so very blessed. I look forward to this chapter of my life!

7-11, Home of the Big Gulp! Ding-Ding!

The Lists

...so much to do and so little time to get it done. I had three lists going yesterday and in a fit of rebellion I threw all three lists away. Not only did I throw them away, I shredded the damn things. And so now I have two lists going today. It all started when I made a trip to Copperas this morning before work to check the progress of the porch.

Sam was already covered in saw dust when I found him at 7:45am. He proceeded to tell me that he needs some kind of screws or nuts or something that is kept in a plastic container. (I can find it either in this place or that place.) And would I please bring that out tomorrow morning? Oh, and then he needs his eletrical tester that is located on the filing cabinet. And also two more changes of clothes because it will be Friday before the porch is completed. Oh, and be sure to take the pork out of the freezer to ensure that it is thaw by Friday. And wait, call Noe and make arrangements to get the briskets, sausage and pork to him to cook for Saturday's meal. And try to remember to bring that twin mattress out to put on one of the bunk beds. And tell my lawyer that I'll be in tomorrow to sign that legal document. And, and, and.....WTF?!?! Like I don't have anything else to f-n deal with right now??

So I have a "Sam List" and I have a "Robin List". My list consists of groceries and items I will need to gather for the BIG EVENT on Saturday. Beer is now at the top of my list. Ibuprofen is second on the list. Let's hope I don't have a major meltdown between now and 10am on July 11th.

5 Days and Counting

Tick.Tock. Only five days until the BIG EVENT. I was handling it all pretty well until it hit me today that I have lists of lists of things to get done between now and Saturday.

In talking with my youngest sister, Kelli, this morning it dawned on me that I really cannot get this all accomplished by myself. Kelli has graciously volunteered to be here late Thursday so she can help me on Friday. She is going to rope our middle sister, Boo, into helping as well. The plan is to get everything done early enough on Friday so that we can enjoy some time at the river on Friday afternoon. God knows I am going to need a few hours of no phones and no lists.

I have a hard time delegating jobs to other people but I believe this is the time to learn to do just that. Sure hope I can maintain my sanity and not be so stressed that I can't enjoy myself with family and friends on July 11th......

Taking the Day Off

Just checked the weather forecast and we're shooting for 100 today. That is as good a reason as any to just do nothing today. I figure this day has been a long time in coming in light of all that I have accomplished in the past seven days.


We had a wonderful evening at our neighbor's house for the 4th of July. Laurrie and Bob are to be commended for taking the time to gather up friends for burgers and beer. If laughing is good excercise then we all burned a lot of calories last night. Laurrie's display of red, white and blue yard decorations definitely set the tone for Independence Day. Got in a good visit with Candy, Buzzy, Mark and Kay. KK was in the mix as well and I always enjoy her company. Bill, Colt, Mike and Ivan arrived just as the dinner bell was ringing. But boys will be boys and they disappeared shortly after the meal.

Sam and Kennon will begin yet another project at Copperas this week. They plan on having a porch built at the cabin by the end of the week. Just in time for the Big Event on July 11. I guess I should be stressing about getting married but I'm just now recuperating from the Big Move. One stress at a time. And, no, I do not know what I am wearing. As Sam says, "We're just having a BBQ with a wedding on the side." You might be a redneck.......

So today will be about doing nothing. It is hard for me to do nothing but I'm going to give it my best shot.

4th of July

Happy Birthday, America!


The computer desk at the ranch faces the eastern sky. I can see two of my four hummingbird feeders with a beautiful sunrise in the background. The birds are swarming for their morning feast. There is just enough breeze on the porch to stir my wind chimes. (Sam swears he is going to use the chimes for target practice with his shotgun.) Kitty Kats are claiming their morning nap spots in and around the house.


Thirty years ago found me with my family camping out at the river. Our camping spot was only a mile from the house but it was camping nonetheless. My parents would invite their closest friends and families to share the 4th of July weekend on the river with us. Talk about looking like a bunch of rednecks! I seldom stayed the night at a campout. The temptation of my own bed and electricity less than a mile away was a call that I couldn't and wouldn't resist. I would ride my bike to and from the campsite. I always made sure I was back in time for breakfast. Nothing better than eggs and bacon cooked over an open flame.


We would shoot fireworks over the water to ensure no fires. Remember the Roman Candles? Nobody bothered to read the instructions or maybe there were no instructions because we held the sticks in our hands. You could feel the "THWUMP" as each fireball shot out of the candle. And who can forget SPARKLERS! Couldn't get any safer than that....

More cleaning to do today but I am looking forward to an evening of leisure with friends and food. I might even call it quits earlier than usual today and enjoy the outdoors before it gets too damn hot to do so. After all, it is a national holiday......HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Water Leak

About 8:40pm on Thursday night.....

Robin - "Sam, it seems to be a little wet around the base of the toilet in my bathroom."

Sam - "I think it's coming from the shower. Let me take a look."

Robin - "Oh. Don't worry about it right now."

Sam - "Hold on, hon. Let me get a flashlight."

And so here's the rest of the story. Sam ends up tightening screws somewhere underneath the tank of the toilet. Then he realizes that the tub actually needs to be re-caulked. This requires a screwdriver, a pocketknife and caulk gun and tube of caulk. I offer moral support by standing in the doorway of the bathroom and make little comments like, "I didn't mean to cause a major ordeal." And I sigh a lot. At one point, Sam was on his side and wedged in between the wall and the toilet and cussing a lot. I just sighed again.

In the meantime, I was just getting interested in one of the worst movies of all times "Urban Cowboy." It was the scene where Sissy insists on riding the mechanical bull and Bud is arguing with her. OMG, I had forgotten how bad the characters portrayed cowboy hats. Ugh.

From the bathroom, "Robin. Will you please come here and help me get this crap (kleenex box and a Lysol can and a few crossword books) off the top of the tank so I see what's going on in here?"

I sigh, again. I comment, "Sorry about all of this." Sam's reply, "You're not helping any. You're just pissing me off." I had to laugh to myself because this is just the first of many domestic ordeals to come our way. And we sometimes don't work real well together.

So by 9:30pm, I lost interest in the movie and shut off the tv. As most carpenters and plumbers do, Sam had made a helluva mess in the tub and on the floor but it appears that it was a good thing we tended to the water problem when we did. As he was picking up his tools of the trade, Sam gently says, "Welcome to living in the country."

Sigh.

Music Makes the World Go 'Round

"El Paso" by Marty Robbins is piping through my computer speakers. Before that it was "Four Walls" by Jim Reeves. I have stumbled upon Country's Greatest Hits of All Times and it has shot me back to my childhood.

AM Radio was our only form of media while growing up at the ranch. KKYX out of San Antonio was as good as it got but you could only tune in to the station when on top of a hill. The local station in Little Town didn't quite have enough power to reach our homestead 16 miles from the city limits. During inclement weather, I can remember my school teachers reminding us to listen to KMBL for any morning announcements relating to cancelled classes or "late start" times. We relied on common sense in that department.

And now we've got Loretta Lynn belting out "Coal Miner's Daughter". I grew up in a house filled with all types of music. Mama introduced us to The Beatles, Tanya Tucker, Linda Rondstadt, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, Simon & Garfunkel, just to name a few. She had a console stereo that would hold at least 10 LP records at a time. Saturday mornings would find us helping clean house to the tunes according to Mama's mood on that particular day.

If we missed the morning school bus (which happened 90% of the time), Mama would cart us to town on her way to work. That meant listening to KTSA, also out of San Antonio, and "(Sky Rockets in Flight) Afternoon Delight" and "Dancing Queen" and "The Pina Colada Song".

So here's to music lovers everywhere! May music always trigger a memory whether it be good, bad or indifferent. Except for "Achy-Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus....arg. Still struggling to decide on which category that falls into.

Hats off to "Sunday Morning Coming Down" by Johnny Cash!