tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76387456373818870212024-03-19T07:53:51.749-05:00Okie Book WomanReading and Writing Books for KidsOkie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-68359334056305841022011-12-20T18:30:00.008-06:002011-12-20T21:00:10.546-06:00I'm Interrupting My Silence For This Announcement<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688375392542234578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3VYUFCMXmGNGnbYHwukMEyqP-_Dao-n0xvhHbiEbeeogZd-xYmUu3cMW2Ff_bF5Ct6JVJbIoP4kGG4LVR5J8QKAiVY8rx315IlVyW0T-F3zKqfrTmDx4KvgDY7TxBmkJjM-LLoQdk91k/s400/DSC00417.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><br />.<br /><br />I have LOTS of things to write about, but I've been busy, busy, busy. Dr. Lobo and I have been traveling. I was away from home for 47 days straight, which is a new record for me. We took a 28 day cruise, in which we went through the Panama Canal TWICE, as well as to other interesting places. We also spent some time in southern California with my brother and sister-in-law. (I got to see my sweet 89 year old aunt while I was there, too.) Next I flew to Cleveland, Ohio to be with The Singer (Best Friend Forever) during her husband's heart surgery and early days of recovery. As you can tell from this brief summary, it's been a busy and interesting fall and early winter.<br /><br />.<br />Eventually I'll get back to writing my blog posts, but not until after Christmas.<br /><br />.<br />Today I wanted to post an announcement that I'm sure some of my Oklahoma friends would like to know about. Last year I wrote about the incredible Lego exhibit.<br />.<br />(See <a href="http://okiebookwoman.blogspot.com/2011/02/oklahoma-city-lego-style.html">http://okiebookwoman.blogspot.com/2011/02/oklahoma-city-lego-style.html</a>.)<br /><br />.<br />Several people said they wished they'd known about it. Well, it's back! But only through the end of the year. Here is the information about it:<br /><br />.<br /><a href="http://www.downtownindecember.com/OKCityScape.aspx">http://www.downtownindecember.com/OKCityScape.aspx</a><br /><br />.<br />Sweet Girl and The Writer will be here for Christmas, and if they're interested, we'll go see it. Maybe we'll see you there.<br /><br />.<br />You'll hear from me again, I promise!Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-72335776678259836182011-09-29T09:52:00.006-05:002011-09-29T16:03:09.783-05:00That's What Friends Are For<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 343px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657802544829564002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVJhQ-u0WgLpfcyqsyfUlaM7SPahXQAPwSkBUxF9cX24oAwiNIwLyxlvrL-fCwaYTybqNpScLi-HSi3HAqKzQGyDcONU-SAC2_7Jfi2lM20JcstHTkyiseJkHUwLOxJqshIJpPrTQdrxo/s400/DSC01076a.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I wouldn’t do it for just anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But the lady with the beautiful smile in the photo above is my Best Friend Forever. In my blog, I refer to her as The Singer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you’re confused because I’ve </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">posted her picture in the past, and this doesn’t look like the same person, it’s because she’s lost a large amount of weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sets a great example for me when we’re eating together, but unfortunately, I usually don’t follow it.</span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Her pseudonym was chosen because (a) she has a beautiful voice and (b) she sang at some of the important events of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sang at our wedding, forty-four years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She and her (also musically gifted) husband sang at my daughter’s wedding and at my mother’s memorial service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We’ve been friends since college, way back in the sixties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We struggled through raising our kids together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Once while we each had preschoolers and were attempting to have a telephone conversation but were repeatedly interrupted by our offspring, she said, “I give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll call you back after our boys are in kindergarten.”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She can make me laugh over ANYTHING; my children could always tell when I was talking to her on the phone because of the amount of hysterical laughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She sobbed when I told her that my father had died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And on those times when I was ready to leave Dr. Lobo, she listened to me until I calmed down and came to my senses.</span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We have a long, laughter and tear filled history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So when she had a need that I could fill, I didn’t think twice about coming to her rescue.</span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Every week we meet for lunch, go to a movie, and enjoy coffee at Starbuck’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Last week we sat in the theater and watched previews until The Singer said, “I’m cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m going back to my car for my jacket.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But before she could get more than a few feet down the aisle, the movie started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She decided that rather than miss the opening scene, she’d freeze through the movie.</span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I happened to be wearing my denim skirt that has buttons all the way down the front.</span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657802541918736994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10HELQvXwLA573Gv39wgBpQrCRl5-G7SYRNaE82dSKjpMKkni3yvtmbiQ-1QlT7_pCaZZhe2M6Rf_A_kRqunngLFV70YuNHA7SseK4Fc_IaU5_Dl00JmVH0jbi6-HZ5kG6JiaCbh7SqwY/s400/DSC01212a.jpg" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10HELQvXwLA573Gv39wgBpQrCRl5-G7SYRNaE82dSKjpMKkni3yvtmbiQ-1QlT7_pCaZZhe2M6Rf_A_kRqunngLFV70YuNHA7SseK4Fc_IaU5_Dl00JmVH0jbi6-HZ5kG6JiaCbh7SqwY/s1600/DSC01212a.jpg"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We were seated in the back of a dark theater, with only a handful of other movie-goers, so I unbuttoned my skirt, took it off and gave it to The Singer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She wrapped it around her arms and watched the movie in comfort. Just before the lights came on, she returned my skirt and I put it back on.</span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When Dr. Lobo heard this story, he shook his head and (not for the first time) said, “You two are dangerous together.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I wouldn’t take off my skirt for just anyone. My BFF is special.</span></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /></span></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-62887807541730841492011-09-02T14:37:00.010-05:002011-09-02T15:41:46.329-05:00The Train Was Late—Very Late! (Part Two)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QNsQ-QUjFq1aN2Hyy5HRtHxodQtNWHM5AEyoyG0cTFuZ9EusLL6v9bFrfvlqAndkvtDoNIyrKvc6zKQDGSyyc4yTpTUSoHXYRjMec-Whwlly1Giga3s-jQ16cRupj9FqE-9wLHeG79od/s1600/DSC01104.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647857166529860562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QNsQ-QUjFq1aN2Hyy5HRtHxodQtNWHM5AEyoyG0cTFuZ9EusLL6v9bFrfvlqAndkvtDoNIyrKvc6zKQDGSyyc4yTpTUSoHXYRjMec-Whwlly1Giga3s-jQ16cRupj9FqE-9wLHeG79od/s400/DSC01104.JPG" /></a>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">(If you have not yet read Part One of this tale, do it now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You might also want to get something to drink, as this will be a long post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll wait for you.)</p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Okay, now that we’re all on the same page—literally—here’s the rest of the story:</p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Crazy Man wore flip-flops and a “vest” that had enjoyed a former life as a long sleeved shirt before the amputation of its sleeves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His jeans were cut upward about nine inches from the hem every inch or so, creating a fringe effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As he talked to me, he acted out each story with dramatic flair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Early on, he explained that he has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had already surmised that fact. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">This guy has an interesting real life as well as a rich fantasy life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here are just a few of the things he told me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’d had an altercation with a man that caused him to spend three days in jail in Granby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Somehow, though, he’d also just left the hospital because during his fight, he broke two ribs and his lung collapsed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The medication he took at the hospital caused him to chase the nurses around while “buck naked.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He was traveling to Glenwood Springs to settle a judicial matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He didn’t have a train ticket, but that was all right because a judge had given him a paper for the conductor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Crazy Man grew up on a cattle ranch in Texas, where his people were wealthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At nine years old, he inherited millions of dollars from his grandfather, but his dad stole it from him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>But he still had plenty of money, even though he didn’t carry any of it with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He had even set up a foundation “to help people” and he had just given $1400 to a church to supply coffee for an AA group that met there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of his current projects involves working with some bigwigs to build a monument to the USS Indianapolis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’d joined the Navy after dropping out of high school thirty years ago, and in fact, he’s been training to become a Navy Seal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many times he has talked with high-ranking military personnel, and they always like his ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He has met Condoleezza Rice, and he once lived across the street from Sammy Davis, Jr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’s an expert on neuroscience, and he is familiar with all the psychotropic drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When he was messed up on heroin, he did things like cut off the appendages of cows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But he’s been sober for 21 years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He goes to AA, NA, OA, GA and all the other twelve-step programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Crazy Man talked nonstop for two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally I interrupted him by saying “I HAVE to go to the bathroom!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">At that point, the train was over half an hour late, and three other (normal) passengers had arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Crazy Man went off to find a maintenance guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When he returned, he announced that the train would not come for another hour and a half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He left to find an AA meeting.</p></span>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647857162822278322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIs3IpWR7btTKgnlfbKcSCEW2WXEcA2VjMmScZf4ywvN6M651MWRSFhTjCvIkjVBtmoPON4FbsdC3pFlBoAKJQAR52h7DFL4-4GEAedNludo66tDIOc0dXxz0hbU3a4wnS9lU1zHDIMYi/s400/DSC01105.JPG" /></span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">An hour or so later, Crazy Man returned, carrying a sandwich and cigarettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>People at AA had given him ten bucks, he said.</span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">More time passed, and the California Zephyr was nowhere to be seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I spent a lot of time staring at my environment and avoiding eye contact with Crazy Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p>
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647857158141601362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRMYSmF1icyqyeE96-DaBffa8huRVyv6kOqSLo9Ccd2wp11qubJec5M3SdYOR9xj3QxYgzG6MticLIvGy4NRJRiqYGtu59VRAa3mN1HVeBIMKzVQu82R6CQ7rjCkKLici6gxTJfgVmYC-/s400/DSC01112.JPG" />
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<br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647857150434591010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgnOqRfmikKxpqIff9ZRFQkqvmqQG4N05-ADs-vjQlAERafevCkW_MxsYpy_wIOUMRva6KR0d2CeRrbw_GSBMTrL-kukXbnWi7P1pLNulQLq2tkl4LeoBuA53ltkEaK5DrTNLAhJab18u/s400/DSC01111.JPG" />
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<br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647854836853851090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRAwE29Ns4A_URWiOvpm-RUoKUaJ_X_b5Cnx4QITr9brEflKQsO1D7qp_tod54-ag76er4wGeqCl3Qx8MAWP27ySi_PFMQxn6wFvFRXGTzr_tcHQobNt-CHYWyJmjgrNa2obfOa3233Tf/s400/DSC01107.JPG" />
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">One of the other passengers called Amtrak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She was told that it would be another hour and a half or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The (normal) men walked into Granby and bought sandwiches for all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(I had long since devoured all the snacks I’d taken from Margie’s pantry.)</span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We watched several freight trains go through.</span></p>
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647854832659191330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXexIvwdnf-AHXc8l3zL_FqoQbYTkabjrOOIZ3Sihkwr5afyw_9RnkTmsGPvC_-gzKd3x-wKgVKeOiiJ9oFVVKgeOY8BIlBFc1k4iuREIWBZ0YWzl0b9OYK3EuVPnUT2P1WqBFeepWaFv/s400/DSC01116.JPG" />
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647854824910710530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN1mjXNx9fUoC59P__SRHoOZXTjykLcIbFu64b9BFyJqUhUE7nXW8Jkn24osP1TGDfbAOrWF6cM9YkaeoZ1SHjY5BvGvuOcb82z3wZUZr3SsPrcIaP_XvIoSQSRTC3NHMeTJqhQ54T8VF/s400/DSC01118.JPG" /></p></div>
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Crazy Man left again, but returned wearing a jacket. Hmmmm . . . interesting.</span>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The eastbound train arrived, only thirty minutes late, and picked up a couple of passengers.</span></p>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647854820792067154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVM14ORsIKYFPZXLjpGLqLOXKODyhVAN3WcYRnAyT9_ZhXe-Pjkj2zqifDgKCngms9vBEB60Zmtz6pWlZEPIux8AWgXgP2T-XnJN9LUt0o0_B6L_sUg3Um93KCs2CPPfTxdquaPv_mc0M/s400/HeatherT-Late-PocketWatch%255B1%255D.jpg" />
<br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Amtrak status update gave us an estimated time of arrival of 4:55.</span>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 292px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647854817809034626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_w6Hd9fE9U0rH-LAar9zVuecjRHiIZfE6T8p738vzrGEnPbRt1cUStFO28FDY_bhyFVSgUfRpRPQjq2gnZweem801m0mHyzShbvPZwmSY2eF49Ec75TAHusTdKzxJVW-oQK7bZQf_13R/s400/late%255B1%255D.jpg" />
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We waited, then waited some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We all tried to avoid talking to Crazy Man, which wasn’t easy.</span>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Around five o’clock, we heard a whistle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All of us scurried outside and gazed into the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sure enough, we saw a light down the track.</span></p>
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 363px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647852293998582178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1nEBwKm1bPKoxRNDYH23lPyEQy6NQrmJSMd7INYDU5__RMTd-IEJej4SLxWrYXXDKldLXso0BHSoxjj6oPIhLTS3eeoz5_i1MpxrEc8c4CU18B4L1xBg8iZIK3DUo9xPwG4FOI6TMYBQ/s400/DSC01119b.jpg" />
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The California Zephyr pulled into the station!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Six hours and 23 minutes behind schedule.</span></p>
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 379px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647852278595639266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81D44XSArWiFFS-XtmHIfjs1LN7DvcvC1-QI6OJLdDzeCJW7YoQSfkICvRaXJf2yfqY4Cq4cMuqmKZsa2hvwSDrBM7SHfqRzI96vKf7AFFUmVM2M9tnqdn2olG_sUCVLbsw6A2v3W1j-f/s400/DSC01120a.jpg" />
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">With the (unrequested) help of Crazy Man, I got my suitcase onto the train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Crazy Man walked past me to find someone else to entertain.</span></div>
<br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 229px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 220px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647852272335001282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxDVrQRGH_PQy48e8PYnagLLzpEvU1BtHPCQyf06PxT_c4jZKb5dljg8CREuwoEqnuUyo0VjNAO6GyB1kHlyJHqz2xbSJI7aGH6Vmy7TvurAVoriZ8WG-4eDW1ugL9aP9sjiDmT6nx5N1/s400/imagesCAPQNU93.jpg" />
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<br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The train ride itself was delightful, and the scenery was beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647852271197533810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmITP3ZUbb2GFkj9bBRivHs6WdSLVy_RffRPXJ84Gd_pJz0Rs0N0IZqo45rWYci6S0c_scxvZu4ZZlRHT04PVj0uu9Ts9lDjiYuGFzJSk315G91qXY5MIECkjh4XfmpT51QSJvTeCHBVQy/s400/DSC01132.JPG" />
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647852266522024130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSgbcI4WcFprQCgh05attdyMuxnNIc8bGdsdK4Q4nluOBbhXQLU3is4hyjudkC1vHuFdMK-BIhpAcRVxGBemk_uOf1RsCm1kEpZo5eNIWrtrX1j6zLRvlkN7llZZmKzljSYGHm8SXfUYv/s400/DSC01145.JPG" />
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647849658976290626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBYuc7k-vYvId6_r7N-LMeM5ku6xMQbV9z5XZ8i9asE5yvlEFlgy7Di26tEGq0vUgxkhC3T8WJDPQlf0J0rjC2T9e_UGdKyx8SSBal_i8mabqsqpT971atztS83K4tZPb9wSjVQF655XO/s400/DSC01153.JPG" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647849651419952018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGk-haRUMCZux_gAZHLLWi_a1Esa_NF7aNUawgc4q2x1Egc9jT7SvYPzuYVYW7H21NlmRiWNLeSMt1zNggW7U-gWa_7lOUgYw7-0M1VZpqg7nue5G_iFd9CKxTxCgjqLW2gvojSh-tbVW4/s400/DSC01165.JPG" />
<br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Not so delightful or beautiful were the butts of the four different groups of people who mooned us as we passed by, but I guess that’s the thing to do when a train comes along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Popular culture never ceases to amaze me.</span></div>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Darkness fell long before we arrived in Grand Junction at around 10:00 p.m.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have been pleased to see Dr. Lobo on many occasions, but I was extra happy to see him waiting on the platform when we pulled into the station.</span></p>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next day we explored the gorgeous land east of Grand Junction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647849640319836338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCJzkAGAwZeVnDK8aA7mDPrgXB-iPPiim8-Es-7gvvKJTbM3twHBapmUcEjc9vM_gS_iClE47-oaB5UkiHyjTZH79xgee7PKnzw1Xgzz8x4rQJijqoTkC3UqzqD7NCh1xQ3qt96nQ04La/s400/DSC01189.JPG" />
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647849633240318562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKdwbR0WHyym3KwbUn7aKDn7Mo9cklzX5IHU5FhIea8MFWDNIXvUFUaCyvg50p7SDSF6RjZS4GbLSctpblWhnYPjEo1VU7lYhriVNN0e0Bu0rk4ljW4G68BIVyqatPxfSAki3NdYaK42B/s400/DSC01179.JPG" />
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I wish I’d been able to view that area from the observation car of the California Zephyr during daylight hours, but . . . well, you know—the train was running late.</span></p>
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<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzJfFYDfT_EPI8VVsjViS1gt-x5sbOiWwJ16vXtSDS7QDZFyrVb7dWTXEBBgkROt1ZB_xf3qZwMa0og0DDOifLgYEK4gaNj5WjH0bGT6MPnysyoQ6zx_G86E9rSNV-DoudR-kj6_wBjKH/s1600/a-day-late-and-a-dollar-short2%255B1%255D.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 291px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647849628032156994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzJfFYDfT_EPI8VVsjViS1gt-x5sbOiWwJ16vXtSDS7QDZFyrVb7dWTXEBBgkROt1ZB_xf3qZwMa0og0DDOifLgYEK4gaNj5WjH0bGT6MPnysyoQ6zx_G86E9rSNV-DoudR-kj6_wBjKH/s400/a-day-late-and-a-dollar-short2%255B1%255D.gif" /></a>
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<br />Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-24241303599733457162011-08-24T18:08:00.006-05:002011-08-24T18:27:05.896-05:00The Train Was Late--Very Late (Part One)
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHC8DbsbjBLMbxf8YGfoYmhmyytA27z7LtHhRZZ5YpIBX8fPxN27TmystTZ-688UhVz3SPA0SWRI0x6HuzeHu2fYXHrqfniZyr-HfIhe5BCD_1-K8ahyphenhyphenmq3wxx0e24uW1vXf7TclxCHx_w/s1600/Toy-Train_0.jpg9b7ee62c-135a-4ae6-9103-d5eb6acf073bLarge%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644565096170775506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHC8DbsbjBLMbxf8YGfoYmhmyytA27z7LtHhRZZ5YpIBX8fPxN27TmystTZ-688UhVz3SPA0SWRI0x6HuzeHu2fYXHrqfniZyr-HfIhe5BCD_1-K8ahyphenhyphenmq3wxx0e24uW1vXf7TclxCHx_w/s400/Toy-Train_0.jpg9b7ee62c-135a-4ae6-9103-d5eb6acf073bLarge%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When I bought my ticket for Amtrak’s California Zephyr train from Granby, Colorado to Grand Junction, Colorado, the clerk warned me that the train might be a bit late—maybe as much as two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Still, it seemed like a good solution to our problem.</span>
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<br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 348px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644565092357004882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMVBYVBigLMhAKnH7kWwJLhMQ1pvTJPuWlM9112O3-l4q1mSZWShruuu_7Cg4skNKT7j9RCG0eMMju9h0SjKYxeo3elJRFC0UiVHw3niO5bgNhwmoTi9VtsUP8HH1yfI5hFPET3IfMfzF/s400/californiazephyr_c_1%255B1%255D.gif" /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We spent a week driving to Seattle so that we could go on our Alaskan cruise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Yes, I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most people fly from Oklahoma City to Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even those who drive take less than a week to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But we travel by the “Ten to Three” plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It works like this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The motel’s check out time is ten, so we leave then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We drive for a couple of hours, then stop for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After a leisurely lunch, we drive until three, when we can check into the next motel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We then have time for a swim in the pool or even a nap before supper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This routine continues throughout our trip.)</span>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 335px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644565082287524514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1qml_ox6RGOw2qkM5Wck1BZTJi3sCDYuBS657sZvHdqmumYmM_n90cKsv5Ly9jMcbKnf1mC4uPkqaknAe7GLw9tQbvgzzsJDxvuClQy5HI1W6P6KAdi4H6UMHbzmupVGYNxy_oi1REZCy/s400/motels2%255B1%255D.jpg" />
<br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Okay, I’ve had my little ADD break, so I’ll go on with my story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We spent two weeks on the cruise, followed by about ten days in Oregon playing on the coast and visiting Wild Child, The Blonde, and the Grand Dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(More about that later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Isn’t he a great looking dog?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644564076750091282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BS6aMx-5_VYKUrZWt32gun5MLScSWg89VvZyp_zEPuILyO-x9mHJ7HNutKHptRw3niymsCCG01THzecnnTut75Q2kIOpHpuqNG0VKpcF6zDDg-1SRMH_5LULsZR536NK5UXjZ1uFATpV/s400/DSC01060.JPG" />
<br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Next, Dr. Lobo left me at the Portland airport so that I could fly to Denver in preparation for my annual “Gabfest” with college friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While I gabbed with my friends, he drove toward Colorado, following the Ten to Three plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We thought he might need extra time to get to Granby, where Gabfest takes place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The California Zephyr stops in Granby, so we decided we would shorten his eastward drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would take a westbound train and meet him in Grand Junction.</span></p>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 155px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644564071344160354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0u5CRPjjS9lVKfDFSGK_07VuMmZuBg2uqDFySVztYwneCrOx33x29-eriLzjGc8KIRpaoHgBaaLPqTS2N2tm4XkcqORxf7KALLABrfpRuct2DSskcDk3EpaKEMdYxMadxGmg0dIHFUhU8/s400/image22%255B1%255D.gif" />
<br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US">Sounds simple, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, it would have been, except for a few complicating factors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First, although the train was scheduled to arrive at 10:37 a.m., my friends needed to drop me off at the train station at 7:45 so they could get to the Denver airport in time for the Gabfesters’ flights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Okay, no problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I can entertain myself for long periods of time with a book, a notebook, and a pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Granby train station is merely a waiting area, with no clerks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I figured I could get a lot of writing done with all that solitude.</span>
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<br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644564066156578930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqIZhP-m-tjlK3_xlebjxlS22C3ISnCfo-on1CvBT7JwRKOJIHLCTN-xB61bqQZGiESD7_ILJvd3i9P6_7978JJk0EOC720J7k-LV8ccvLI63IGDTPU45EPiGPfxJ1KXWP_rz3UQRRPFy/s400/DSC01106.JPG" /> </div>
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<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The first hour and a half were lovely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, what should appear but . . . </span></p></div>
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 289px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 322px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644564058700888226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0eZxRHt97Kdl72oy4WK7fPUhNRgdXP1vmSMNIiOtvtHZIN0w4xuYpDIaP3HkH4Oa9cIRNPL8e6xhbclqdB9Jpi2ld3LV_pgFim_5xGSfF0riyshv9qse9yGSM5hs-tweEZEaqVpvR9pU/s400/OneCrazyManAnimate%255B2%255D.gif" /> <span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">To be continued . . . </span>
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<br />Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-43934840724027718432011-08-10T12:38:00.025-05:002011-08-10T23:40:40.116-05:00Cruising Along<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639448044005633714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmiuDN3Bmnkm98_Zw_-ZmcAEGvaChSP4IHrw0YUqIF0UHB6JIq5FxgoeBAk2eoT4yD6WGmgDm7e2dlLXwRLiUyIDZmtGQDTky97X10S0gD78snqb-Z9xl6vDXXFu51dTPAZrmXJ47kCGk/s400/DSC00451.JPG" />
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<br /><div>I've never thought of myself as a person who would love cruising.
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<br /><div>I thought cruise people were wealthy.
<br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 384px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639446169369985458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rkLg5ofx9nKcCTcE4dh2yAtVUgTBllD0KwVIiMvaBIFaABqRC4-7qS5-O6ddiKVvIH2_Mb_FR3tKAIv8G7gnj_KBNiFE53-jSVnmuCSzWhSzAW_N2PlxciQlR80B9GLNFnn408GcUqUU/s400/wq-money-woman%255B1%255D.jpg" />I thought cruise people were sophisticated.
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 188px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639446168245145666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4uLuJ9hYGX7A1Mgrg3ONED6FmRMpeHVQ96CF02iqZeRn4lQ-sdXabsY_b0FN7FP_6iUJmiIcfdU9_Yyy8zxr-TgxbbSmoM2XnixsDhnsenBdLhPGSBo3rAQyWZZsnoROF1391X0IAHx1/s400/imagesCAX8JWK2.jpg" />I thought cruise people were big time partiers.
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 235px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639446164208432450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRv0aQhxknKf-zXtI8zZ2KQiyxSyLqcA7AkEpSztEAabcVFetM8zcjkYAPutSgdP6bGgNNviWIY3M6tLt26nUNglQ4hcfZ3uhVg3b-YKaJk7BZ_5hzm8GAiipOzkJRdYNLoPRnOOoQVM6/s400/al%255B1%255D.jpg" />Since I'm not wealthy, sophisticated, or a partier, I figured cruising would never be my thing.
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<br />But Dr. Lobo had been to every U.S. state except Alaska, so of course we had to go there. We decided a cruise might be our best option. During the cool days of November, we booked an Alaskan cruise on Holland America's MS Amsterdam. That decision enabled us to escape Oklahoma City's hottest July on record.
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639446160369407266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBxd_1PUewXlX5H2fgLe2rJG_je0gmzy8tvKcXXj-AjWdsOjmNA67M0tvTG_Lk0zhcChJ2LoCSMN_pdsgSNoWCXh3_5X7ieSSiK4b_Tf-Q8K57KpHyIAXc99Zc0bnFCR92gvfKAKpdm-S/s400/hot_weather-truck%255B1%255D.jpg" />
<br />Here is my first view of the ship that would be my "home" for two weeks.
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639441836407516322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OUzkDB8efQoTfjEPaybNyA7cxTlhjg45qUtJf6ojB91YHRHltFo81zmuylBCmwbPJVR829_jG9iO8-DQ9_bSK_V2WYEeLPaXhcm1tLUPRpu9lhxDENVqvD7BZeXDq8CT-7oSs89YT8QR/s400/DSC08993.JPG" />Embarking at Seattle, we entered a different world.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMB8dFpeGvKSxC6Px_6yvDcC8-2nl9dH1aOvfMznMoosNVRum80-lMZ5AzQZlFDPmjcL5cdWlxoZlKx9dijM1NBtS6uoNwZHrgPfK6SzYHipm2cTzg6Qz-uhARcfUVRJBh9lBQRlvFdre/s1600/DSC08995.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639441830085261522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMB8dFpeGvKSxC6Px_6yvDcC8-2nl9dH1aOvfMznMoosNVRum80-lMZ5AzQZlFDPmjcL5cdWlxoZlKx9dijM1NBtS6uoNwZHrgPfK6SzYHipm2cTzg6Qz-uhARcfUVRJBh9lBQRlvFdre/s400/DSC08995.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwhQ3Hozurag4gq2OO1tdAWDVbMiYgc0FsJhG-iMwoOsQyIsoJQ5-Nhs52Vb4LZETDs1gMCSqAxnc7iwg7-RcnF206R2DGJHIbL5MzM17b8-ojYw7ZGTxXnkKdnUBDsxuvms1MwioaNAc/s1600/DSC09027.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639440431673449890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwhQ3Hozurag4gq2OO1tdAWDVbMiYgc0FsJhG-iMwoOsQyIsoJQ5-Nhs52Vb4LZETDs1gMCSqAxnc7iwg7-RcnF206R2DGJHIbL5MzM17b8-ojYw7ZGTxXnkKdnUBDsxuvms1MwioaNAc/s400/DSC09027.JPG" /></a>As we pulled away from the dock, I had to call a couple of special people and share my excitement. I may have squealed.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAa26yrCbYj9t7rOG59DZ3aSLLFiZEIgOLRVK7j-H__jzIcA_QS4qcF6-xXVr0ltDTCdUyaw8d00fmL3LlYcTZ0CIH1C3sxKEY0NyhE0CzBjV7t_QCVQVU4XUWDm5zyIVlDgTOxv7xnPW/s1600/DSC09028.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639440422529266530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAa26yrCbYj9t7rOG59DZ3aSLLFiZEIgOLRVK7j-H__jzIcA_QS4qcF6-xXVr0ltDTCdUyaw8d00fmL3LlYcTZ0CIH1C3sxKEY0NyhE0CzBjV7t_QCVQVU4XUWDm5zyIVlDgTOxv7xnPW/s400/DSC09028.JPG" /></a>My quick adaptation to cruise life amazed and worried Dr. Lobo. But how could I not love it? Smiling people cooked and served my meals, made my bed, and cleaned up my messes. (This does not happen at home.)
<br />
<br />The scenery was breathtaking, of course, and each port was interesting and fun. But even at sea, a multitude of activities kept me busy and happy: movies, team trivia games, lectures, shopping, Tai Chi, listening to the stringed quartet, reading in the library, nightly entertainment, participating in an On Deck for the Cure walk (breast cancer), new friends, and more. I even went to the gym (once).
<br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KZ77Iy6hkDfqxPHehRlht8Q4NlIxdeb0P4YBFwUAm9pppF_GDrC3wBnbAFEz_BIyvyl0tK8Z1pZj6CZNlBPhB0_r8cLjYFUX1J4nYUoZtYvtoxNcn5geWWYID96EoGvZSdqpzDpvANfA/s1600/DSC00897.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639439085680436226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KZ77Iy6hkDfqxPHehRlht8Q4NlIxdeb0P4YBFwUAm9pppF_GDrC3wBnbAFEz_BIyvyl0tK8Z1pZj6CZNlBPhB0_r8cLjYFUX1J4nYUoZtYvtoxNcn5geWWYID96EoGvZSdqpzDpvANfA/s400/DSC00897.JPG" /></a>
<br />Then there was the food--always available and generally excellent. I tried to counter the calories with exercise. (Eat a chocolate cream puff; walk around the promenade deck). I haven't worked up the courage to weigh myself, but judging from the fit of my pants, I'm sure the calories won. They had a definite advantage, thanks to the "Dessert Extravaganza."
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gbxVkGoR-0UivGx-eAEcpOW6XivhvOcDLQlEDm843HelxO7J1VW2Vvet-P5bcmfTQhCbpkk10qzVvNpmc4iJCC1VbsuK_4kfepApyB1qwLfIC7hpJ3DsAQ78Fv9pnxSm-jRyiomtEUbI/s1600/DSC00856.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639439081729089362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gbxVkGoR-0UivGx-eAEcpOW6XivhvOcDLQlEDm843HelxO7J1VW2Vvet-P5bcmfTQhCbpkk10qzVvNpmc4iJCC1VbsuK_4kfepApyB1qwLfIC7hpJ3DsAQ78Fv9pnxSm-jRyiomtEUbI/s400/DSC00856.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxx8pD8GBXbe_M2Pghyphenhyphen-w7QjwCgaXkGjad9ZONRnaFbGwFEfIcJ9NKiernmi3Fp1JACs17yZ6CpXgEJe903PcSMoscQY5soGhndeiZBPrVQrOgBoZ_D33PmzcIKkVpJI9RJ8sJoqd-Xkx4/s1600/DSC00872.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639436778649603570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxx8pD8GBXbe_M2Pghyphenhyphen-w7QjwCgaXkGjad9ZONRnaFbGwFEfIcJ9NKiernmi3Fp1JACs17yZ6CpXgEJe903PcSMoscQY5soGhndeiZBPrVQrOgBoZ_D33PmzcIKkVpJI9RJ8sJoqd-Xkx4/s400/DSC00872.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp8C_Fb8GNn_bc90nITHjx7fIhXz0d_nqjtmBU_juqghScLhVoZbcfWOTa2w9IoL44OkXw9DcJjC0hMzFcOhbprTR3XdrCPrty0UuMhWhvyWS7Gelmre_Ph5niUza_Njz1Jtkl1-Z_D8V/s1600/DSC00845.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639436766234944114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLp8C_Fb8GNn_bc90nITHjx7fIhXz0d_nqjtmBU_juqghScLhVoZbcfWOTa2w9IoL44OkXw9DcJjC0hMzFcOhbprTR3XdrCPrty0UuMhWhvyWS7Gelmre_Ph5niUza_Njz1Jtkl1-Z_D8V/s400/DSC00845.JPG" /></a>Each night when we returned to our room, a cute animal shaped from a hand towel greeted us.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gKc3vbEXxSyGTtwrvLQQuYZQ4MTw1hbxnfByNLuD8U6T-YjOX04CQE_R2o9DRbnUEbw1oQYUz-CQoRy95XYxRsn5dZuTLLcBGzq7vCplC0uTp3m1PD_9OzA_8_XluDegouH8asyy13DH/s1600/DSC00766.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639434429351667762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gKc3vbEXxSyGTtwrvLQQuYZQ4MTw1hbxnfByNLuD8U6T-YjOX04CQE_R2o9DRbnUEbw1oQYUz-CQoRy95XYxRsn5dZuTLLcBGzq7vCplC0uTp3m1PD_9OzA_8_XluDegouH8asyy13DH/s400/DSC00766.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z5GzmA11tvHCAHP-3kH4WlRvlL1K_VrshS5k6O904v9i9oq8CdiTnTgOlOaQQrQosdRyXMazhWS-ShByjuxB1B5MCcUallyb15yTYe3a2S-fdFwSlqPjY4XwTQeZdS4KgAp1W5UPi6Jk/s1600/DSC00764.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639434428169375682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z5GzmA11tvHCAHP-3kH4WlRvlL1K_VrshS5k6O904v9i9oq8CdiTnTgOlOaQQrQosdRyXMazhWS-ShByjuxB1B5MCcUallyb15yTYe3a2S-fdFwSlqPjY4XwTQeZdS4KgAp1W5UPi6Jk/s400/DSC00764.JPG" /></a>
<br />Cabin stewards left chocolate on our bed. I put those away instantly. I wanted to keep my cabin tidy, you know.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqI5Vkj8nB241prstSKwLVslZ56ytMWNpNCyMn7g9T57pkTzHRyfv0W1FU-oJfeigPfXTVdb2CPxlIIAclTFA744KpWcj1JKUaW_wP4mptomCtk9PfSMIBEtTmKDiLTw21-r2ymlKyOtW/s1600/DSC00765.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639434422918814130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqI5Vkj8nB241prstSKwLVslZ56ytMWNpNCyMn7g9T57pkTzHRyfv0W1FU-oJfeigPfXTVdb2CPxlIIAclTFA744KpWcj1JKUaW_wP4mptomCtk9PfSMIBEtTmKDiLTw21-r2ymlKyOtW/s400/DSC00765.JPG" /></a>
<br />Our grandbear, Junior, accompanied us. We enjoyed his company except that he kept asking to be taken to the buffet line for salmon.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9ORSVkd_XsMpbohHoCDP2WqaKtjZg7HS1WPhJ5UbDKaoWv76sRoVdxi8oPmMmwTUH2pBj_1tzRMWgY1EUWKyEL71BWx_9tAly6G1bvrnf9-pSr-PH4irxWgKmvjHNAQlTdOw6TcCaw-Q/s1600/DSC00935.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639431992197746546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9ORSVkd_XsMpbohHoCDP2WqaKtjZg7HS1WPhJ5UbDKaoWv76sRoVdxi8oPmMmwTUH2pBj_1tzRMWgY1EUWKyEL71BWx_9tAly6G1bvrnf9-pSr-PH4irxWgKmvjHNAQlTdOw6TcCaw-Q/s400/DSC00935.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileSAvoI6n0AccKeQ4rlmB2K37SZ6gYqkc3XkUcCxyrKOS_FKXKvgLQ7h1vS4paOlmXVCDzRU1D0YVqfhntErcdl3X-D3XpurYWo36zxp3yLfpnMs7TMLzwhZUrbvoYqkVtiKv8f41sBTk/s1600/DSC09322.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639430789356820754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileSAvoI6n0AccKeQ4rlmB2K37SZ6gYqkc3XkUcCxyrKOS_FKXKvgLQ7h1vS4paOlmXVCDzRU1D0YVqfhntErcdl3X-D3XpurYWo36zxp3yLfpnMs7TMLzwhZUrbvoYqkVtiKv8f41sBTk/s400/DSC09322.JPG" /></a>
<br />Dr. Lobo has to maintain his reputation as a curmudgeon, so he won't admit to liking the cruise, but he can't fool me. He had fun.
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc5M9y2zFsFxRgbkTNknGQoQgjOW2u06hZOyVOpOk3fZtimvY3Kdd3n_b0AjKWaZKtYJ4-gvE1oiDm-DqJhUEVYBT_a3YytbBMX_PGc-2FCL0336tuBLoD25asEPdINKwVMmDV18trIYa/s1600/DSC00921.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639430779270748146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqc5M9y2zFsFxRgbkTNknGQoQgjOW2u06hZOyVOpOk3fZtimvY3Kdd3n_b0AjKWaZKtYJ4-gvE1oiDm-DqJhUEVYBT_a3YytbBMX_PGc-2FCL0336tuBLoD25asEPdINKwVMmDV18trIYa/s400/DSC00921.JPG" /></a>
<br />We spent fourteen glorious days in this alternate universe. Three days after disembarking, I booked our next cruise.
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 253px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639348059063407250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUg_hCuD6sIeslAIO7YzVKUXuwPsWyAWPolMDJp1MwVp2v8QfVb5nPPKX7PChYF1Tjpt7WQGjmCIN0xkjdMWioBnWtaQwMOvVg8oflLZMAhJqGro-iArigyWfk1rAi0GYVi52VLVG8IVj/s400/TP1F28%255B1%255D.jpg" />
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 222px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639348055830654946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V3k1y7wuZueWU2-0m9oJz2Dy9Wr9ihWxEinq4VmatcO_ExirL6GA3uWh9HG9hH-9QWSFKkIfFre-IlJVGW1VMWYrE5Uqcr-ruzuEHlvykfupuLjPOaN6XVl_Y9qDz3NgLPbMpq7pQHkA/s400/PA00-00248w630%255B1%255D.jpg" />
<br />I am indeed a person who loves cruising.
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<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 329px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639348056887054962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTHfLTRAsJ5MV2gLytEBH52RlgfKe9AB4JgOZ9T9bGkvELdbM34fBX6gYC8w0kOOHodahlp3MdXNvGThtZ0lp40KremHVam2OsO0J8xZKVWDpBmzlbQRlc2NifWiMHbld1zu6aAlsOV29/s400/340x%255B1%255D.jpg" />
<br />Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-52954426325166223792011-07-01T19:44:00.003-05:002011-07-01T20:07:34.438-05:00July 1, 1967<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeATYcZ5XU6XMkoF0NftxEu4briYMX8I2BpBqrA0z_GWQ6f58CWcrkAR4FmRhPamA_x3v-V7w24ToQJC18PdxU6ikWo81sxtsKPuUF1pZSROOqJHk8V61Yp0T4y3LrcmY9QKm-IxxlJEO/s1600/271016_2143199135836_1121950230_32531222_3725686_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeATYcZ5XU6XMkoF0NftxEu4briYMX8I2BpBqrA0z_GWQ6f58CWcrkAR4FmRhPamA_x3v-V7w24ToQJC18PdxU6ikWo81sxtsKPuUF1pZSROOqJHk8V61Yp0T4y3LrcmY9QKm-IxxlJEO/s400/271016_2143199135836_1121950230_32531222_3725686_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624549522077632482" /></a><br /><div>Awwwww. Isn't that sweet? Weren't they skinny? Don't they look happy and hopeful?</div><div><br /></div><div>Fast forward to July 1, 2011. Okie Book Woman and Dr. Lobo are now "greatly enhanced," size wise. They both have gray hair. But they are still married, and most days, they're even happy. Both of them remain hopeful that there are still good days to come. </div><div><br /></div><div>Forty-four years of marriage is a long, long time, but the odds are good that they'll stay together a while longer. Inertia is a powerful force!</div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-76192000629238165372011-06-23T11:09:00.002-05:002011-06-23T11:16:31.757-05:00Flamingo Invasion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfP38BYrwo674RzWCEHgVulj6YRRLfMkmJtkDODxP1BYY30seII_fKxzGC6kwfuLLKFWeTmR9jwz0m7gkuRUeb-erGeR-YIHORTcy1pBuy15GM75bWzDhZz8T0R1e3CWS_zyUlDS-RQ5Nw/s1600/DSC00704.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621448774733765458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfP38BYrwo674RzWCEHgVulj6YRRLfMkmJtkDODxP1BYY30seII_fKxzGC6kwfuLLKFWeTmR9jwz0m7gkuRUeb-erGeR-YIHORTcy1pBuy15GM75bWzDhZz8T0R1e3CWS_zyUlDS-RQ5Nw/s400/DSC00704.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>My neighbor had a birthday this week. Everyone in the neighborhood knows it.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Flamingos covered his lawn from one end . . .<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621448759970591938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdFd7Ard_dGasr4bDbkV1_oIEhspnyove5BiXP21ZMdk3eMB0MXaJ-tFDEowow5M78bt4o-huEZZSgPSBXPRs7MY_WM5BsEeJZavkpJHPHs3lqLrZq2MgkffIWT5MsrrtnxQYD5-gXrlp/s400/DSC00705.JPG" />to the other.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621448756109421538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUypcom75kKTG4FYRc-eOn2rCbRWHnZ-ytFLLwCIV6UrPN9iuCnEveEa4UpWUaXh4p-5KoO4eht1kSNdCa3AeHzl_zSwQpjkep7C5JbYWsm2psbSAzomyMphyphenhyphenDX9ibrQCQl8UcnuhhyHcz/s400/DSC00702.JPG" />One plastic flamingo for each year. Forty is a LOT of flamingos!<br /></div><br /><div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-89390846015542335202011-06-09T15:29:00.006-05:002011-06-09T16:03:44.161-05:00This Was Not Part of the Plan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKlNeAtjTyyRyVtZ7kdS6wKP1h7cBxp11pz132Oh-VpfZJUQARSYTl58v97tZS5p16cd3L4C5sbGRNEV_9-eW2CLMC6r_woxL6HvHbB9vdiTV6WycBPZvHkPg1iiFgUpqyBRHcxW-_hs7/s1600/img313%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616324685112512034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKlNeAtjTyyRyVtZ7kdS6wKP1h7cBxp11pz132Oh-VpfZJUQARSYTl58v97tZS5p16cd3L4C5sbGRNEV_9-eW2CLMC6r_woxL6HvHbB9vdiTV6WycBPZvHkPg1iiFgUpqyBRHcxW-_hs7/s400/img313%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We didn’t plan to have a third child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But one night in 1979, Dr. Lobo and I got “friendly.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Shall I get up and put in my diaphragm?” I asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dr. Lobo paused, shrugged, and said, “What the hell?” The result of that night of unprotected playfulness came to be known as our “What the Hell Child.”</span></p><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616324683305662578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UYOP-otAv_yC-_mwenPQdboCRR5m3evPHwxy6H3ctZNT9zy8vrUM17dPqm_mCZD-_KUs6GfVzAEUK4fWF2gODKikhel0OjswC8xQ5pNndGGqRBB1peuhgf0w_kkxae0h6KTmKQHBVtEJ/s400/img312%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Obviously, if we’d felt strongly about limiting our family size, we would have made a different choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I come from a family of three children, and Dr. Lobo had four siblings, so two kids didn’t seem quite enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We rather liked the idea of having another child, but couldn’t quite justify it, considering our limited time, energy, and money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Besides, as my mother-in-law frequently pointed out, we already had both a girl and a boy.</span></p><br /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616323603386607234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LgCg0oUkSuIBARyexh5QAD2u311Cw8uxNELrAUvVWfufCk-rCCU6RfvMBqOXkIX8Pg5pO2FIN3BrcBHT4f1XYEhu-LaaUQlVCi8ryxprPN9GiNo5Z7SQKcP16HXgBKvsMe3DOSCYm9dr/s400/250509_2060638311867_1121950230_32460094_5725131_n%255B1%255D.jpg" /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Our “accident” arrived on June 9, 1980, nine days past due date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My sister, who had planned to be there for the birth, had been visiting for two weeks, but returned to California less than 24 hours before his appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Our other babies came before their due dates.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My best friend, who had been present for Wild Child’s birth, missed the big day, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From the beginning, Little Guy had his own agenda.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616323598287360674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l2-Y9VEUSPfPEy3-Xo45pYcz6eFcmNC7ozmov-POrzk-DInebA_ku43v4eZFqRh9cY8sFarGQSeCxXHla2elhfAxFT2o-4duvDxSkdZuHVUjbqFU622gelK6NVKiiWhZWXN7bC-23LFO/s400/img311%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I fell totally in love with that beautiful ten pound, one ounce baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Over ten pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Yet another unexpected aspect of Little Guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our other babies were a respectable weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This kid couldn’t even fit into the newborn size clothes.)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616323594413103410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9uLGDrT4c0J2Te_LrXe9V_hyLhGtrTYtenL0qyKpoZME2tqsYMvXO5SLTzYIeRy5oCvS4W-wvvUm2Xd-qNqjI5SiKdByzmUTe83iVDc7oG5Urif0SoirllFcpVcXnWiHY-1O07_XKfnI/s400/img314%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Throughout the years, I’ve often tried to imagine my life without Little Guy, and I just can’t do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each child brings gifts to the world, but somehow his gifts seem to be special blessings simply because we could so easily have never experienced them.</span> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616321508046788546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiPDqKSzm9Oa8nI6c4o-77jw7hVg2aX-UijydPJ5l2HI2XowBc8HqtxDVKLLpaooQA7KCfGFRtv1DO8KU3TQ8p5hRGFDdy37Fvb4sllPKn_3TYxDBNaCjjP3pNurDBy6HcPKOsmeqMJf9/s400/File1888.bmp" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">What is so endearing about this young man?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First, as I’ve often said, he is the kindest person I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>His sensitivity and his compassionate heart often bring him pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He fights for justice, searches for truth, and cannot tolerate hypocrisy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He’s smart, funny and affectionate, and he’s always seen the world a bit differently from other folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Little Guy, all 6’4” of him, is a jewel, and I love him with all my heart.</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616321502700327010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKo2e5ibFPuJE9_Oz7h0OU-eeG8tqETNQd8o3HVPK0PI9U8bk7e1XU_w3BF_TSAS5V2aW5RXf_7IutBDUCVQa1L30AX-QX141GP1aoXvPb_wZmEIHku3yDfo9Az14KSmCjTLyiT-zklWkK/s400/XMAS2001+09.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sometimes the best things in our lives are the things we didn’t exactly plan.</span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Happy Birthday, Little Guy.</span></p><br /><div></div><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616321494920338626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZoBXYWUOMW9D6xohL_vTXOTswAMlkiNeRfyy1jXZMmNVEbj9o0XN7FnnJH60yLjGyLnoguQ4rq1UTTpm1MsknGepoEibbdMqYYk5Lpv5QLbEVpxPso6_aXcAZG-aeOGGPFjFI9HPVbBj/s400/MVC-003F.jpg" /></span></o:p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-22699499256160459852011-04-21T11:43:00.006-05:002011-04-21T12:10:37.918-05:00Holy Week and Monkey Mind<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlOy84DoVT6kbFUrwfbuy7Kq2dyNpAHLc8nsbt2YTteYTGeURsTc7MlMt1NiD-ycx52YtRQ34Jo7qkhQMlak4Mg6F3t8y2DOWgn0JtVfbIRMSJAJR7aqOr8LRzeE-Mffqd6-VwpEA_7AO/s1600/Holy_Week%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598080194151797058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlOy84DoVT6kbFUrwfbuy7Kq2dyNpAHLc8nsbt2YTteYTGeURsTc7MlMt1NiD-ycx52YtRQ34Jo7qkhQMlak4Mg6F3t8y2DOWgn0JtVfbIRMSJAJR7aqOr8LRzeE-Mffqd6-VwpEA_7AO/s400/Holy_Week%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It’s Holy Week, but as usual, I’m having a hard time being holy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh, I put on a good show of religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s a rare Sunday that you won’t find me in my favorite pew, worshipping with my church family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Most of the time, whenever the church doors open for an activity, I’m there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I even teach Sunday School.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This is the third year in a row that I’ve given up desserts for Lent—and if that isn’t a serious spiritual discipline, I don’t know what is!</span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598080191342941634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WtMOXEYWC5rGmVHyA6sLfAI3dL78ewGMqS-LNkL1X-EZXq6E4JVZMQ3wUS9LghwIrYd36yIX6eUSVOSjWH-xe1-6S8IPyQAUoh0ydWyQIZ7ji9qkKoB7JkR12pOeFC7PW851k4ddgOHH/s400/DSC00665a.jpg" /><br /><br /><div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Still, I can’t quite pull off this holiness thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Take walking the labyrinth, for example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In recent years, my church has offered a labyrinth for a few days during Lent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each person follows a pathway toward the center of the labyrinth, which represents God’s presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While walking in prayer and silent meditation, we try to release everything that keeps us from experiencing the presence of God. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We seek to become fully present with the divine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, having experienced the healing and renewing power of God, we follow the path back to the beginning, ready to serve God and neighbor.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598080185661498050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kGyvXQxGl0UXFBobUS60VWtd7Ftm9F-PA3LFxbvoC8Y-DnSzsTJ4omJZbnP8BIhwPAmktHkGLYIODqxAceQoW4CD7E5JD08uGZIVJcLVjmLQ066tj_7PodpVvnYMdU18M4_9OFm13I20/s400/DSC00667a.jpg" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I love the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I really do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But if I were graded on labyrinth walking, I’d get a D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each time I do this, my ADD gives me a severe case of monkey mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You know—that chattering in your head as you jump from thought to thought like a monkey swinging from tree to tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(And to demonstrate once more that I’m not joking about having ADD, I have to share a quote from Frank Coppola:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I prefer to distinguish ADD as attention abundance disorder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everything is just so interesting . . . remarkably at the same time.”)</span></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 196px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 217px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598079112882054866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0eUybed19f9V9ljYRASRQ-aRAgKg8952hFTqfVvoOBlgbgWsu0LfiMtPi47BqLZfFDmEoqIYSV1tioyz-1Gd4laXpoJCblbw5GxEtyTwAeyXYviyn8NFjUrKunQr34q3ox-6VxjtbDzA/s400/monkey_on_branch%255B1%255D.gif" /></div><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Back to the theme of this blog post . . . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I try to focus on God as I walk the labyrinth, but without much success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So I keep putting one foot in front of the other, following the path that’s set before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sometimes I’m walking far from the center; sometimes I’m closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This year I was surprised when all of a sudden, without noticing my proximity to the center, I arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It reminded me that many of the holy moments of my life have come when I least expected them.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 237px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598079114951806818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0iLtGGvogMz76WpNZdIaapz5o6tQC9zQxPKEkvZgik1vJQHaeQleJZW2jCt5apMOl6ieMQSZmKLspupY6wNDK5I5SDcOpoEVDYUXxLvsY0WTX2OhOhkp_va7-Sg-sTJsqOLhHdpy7WAO/s400/DSC00663a.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Not all of my holy moments happen in church; in fact, most do not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But participating in a church gives me more of those times than I would otherwise experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So tonight I’ll go to the Maundy Thursday service, and on Sunday I’ll be in my pew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ll continue to walk the path, struggling to quiet my monkey mind and hoping for glimpses of the holy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598079107337896898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVds31VB7UBwpVYO2b6AXzP-qW2GS_WGqJ04_fAeZTy6Kc1NlA5rPvyfePWmX-u1_JBi4mZ0SxLYRRG3giHwz71IMK5aWbDmL30Z5sSh7Y8_I64UvLbaOMxvUW5zVOlgFT7E4soMPntOp/s400/DSC00668a.jpg" /> </p><br /><div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 143px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 132px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598079101779962802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB69zWLYGUlLhb6NsRw13vKCUdYd_IGpzYq0YUVlmQ9_mpgZLy-09NFpuSx1THBZSAQh7i3oi_XcFB2PkPQf4khkzW_YzNDPKZsiVqpDO4VvPIENwhl5dirnm6Czi9gk-sWpPQzjvgcKaU/s400/e%252520monkey%255B1%255D.gif" /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-71692060173636164272011-04-07T19:10:00.005-05:002011-04-07T19:56:07.471-05:00Not So Reassured Now<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNPL9alSvdKBbkti2Sj3ZX0b8iZr14H0QpeM3mCd9WD9zIBYWRRb9MEvW6Eg3_HhRiqR-S8WqXRsHYcVSVsUX_Qo_oCaHdy5P6J4VMLBCV5OR203gTTk1696xOJgJtWyXjfaE7q300uS2/s1600/images%255B7%255D+%25284%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 204px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593002962129698946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNPL9alSvdKBbkti2Sj3ZX0b8iZr14H0QpeM3mCd9WD9zIBYWRRb9MEvW6Eg3_HhRiqR-S8WqXRsHYcVSVsUX_Qo_oCaHdy5P6J4VMLBCV5OR203gTTk1696xOJgJtWyXjfaE7q300uS2/s400/images%255B7%255D+%25284%2529.jpg" /></a> <br /><div></div><br /><div>For nearly 34 years, I've felt reassured by the fact that a fire station stands only two blocks from my house.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593002958718312450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyXHK11w0fpgCv5qwbw3PdlT0CMridJnvVYQXtJBfFyXZ0o6Dt-7gAKqPx2BmvzRbTWfs0aSNKRLwQ7OYOao1aGjyXKIagc8xJQl8A9dtt8y_2jjzJOpDkM_shQ7gFnBO8u0F_rdDPZJP/s400/DSC00635.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Lately, not so much. That fire station stands only one block from this house. <br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593002948873787746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQYDLhL_nPSuyXgyb6bnzuJHkbvhp72aUOwb4mpPlrs0rUFUfxy27lM09mmEkIj1sfdIZ-sUMkays8ds8C4stTPGHgC587wM9XpyCI9xQzYK3zF8wcOLWrPCCIgNqAwsAPUNSILFlKncg/s400/DSC00620.JPG" /> <br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593002942741562098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mRLKa_Hg4JyMX5sx_JAt1ZCbT-g5YB9GupUmT33fGP1Oq2kVW8j5YF6G-k9dzNCcdGb3O5GAIvQZuBUA7RHJ7X6mJQsgS43hPW7ZUNi2tZzHuOsFgdRM5pbhHUUhJxdFqrnv-L3NpHU_/s400/DSC00621.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593002942115456194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1BFB76tHGFsvAINOalnxdDFpSTOxE93bpYRBzva_jKf-FZLsGH23UUIc5ivNwJbL4UK7uyx3lR1Z2mlUjzfUdaoa7VlJc95fHlKTsBsJ7qz7AJGJbEwel-_mC9sBNMzdP2vrWHFuFghE/s400/DSC00623.JPG" /> <br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593001911969994082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNmphrpu3YR623y45mSaofkuTmx6LyUMH6Gksqz1usL8gEo56khoR8FxWlQ-nP2SIRcU4MSmqP8QYF9eJSQZNfcLnpwfag03xKTG2mZHQ6__hju301KOv2u_ZvGyqvCtLCddjvpa40G3-/s400/DSC00624.JPG" /></div><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593001905372434322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQL-Z9LUxEF220TXBBuBqEgqg-gOCxG4GZin-MfonQYXZcMOqXF00ndi4kPypCttlwnp_nZD5pJ2ksfAQGiUFk2pKBNFSsZPQ0X18NtqeGiIKnP3NZUZRHRBQjYo791K8AW8F5nsxFOYw/s400/DSC00626.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593001890927655378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsOKD0h8KKkxN8PcM2Oc_QWVzVT1nCQ6lP2Y9XJeFz6LzOhF5Cme2sML6_hPRcQZb0KB1RhzYfDkrU2x65xnQmAVsM6b99SqbnoQSSVKgCyweSfOb_qdGQ8iCBsHCMQ8quQ1JefUYfj8i/s400/DSC00627.JPG" /> <br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593001883114273010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJB0WoBF3cdmOJv-LXx5FGnCR_PVhyphenhyphenO9AZiph3CI45QeTZqQwXczIzhzKHvHvRPxULUs5qjlRPNxHZddKRCe2FYzkyMx1y863wi-H_fOvpWzixZcPeWV_ZiwY0YnRQyypiW9xspxRTkUc/s400/DSC00629.JPG" /> <br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593001873704402690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFWblldBcvPZlTh3FQvEueO6nQvm_AS3vbaXtN3N8JuX6vdLBm5-bk2KZ0-HdMNNzr2SAB2riyJp2ax-a1HILThYhneELYRuC29BAe2o_RpTLNgpWwwu7x5Gz0CWr-zJjbIEgRgx2YC6B/s400/DSC00632.JPG" /></div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592999059454695586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlJgjGU1BgNMsAhMQSK4el7bokZkXMnpehATDLQG8uqIto-Srv6GIgQgUt2UpghUNTqHsWcVl0EaQvxY4twy4m0Nav0h5H6soQd8h4Rq20YB1Aqv0BrQdNiyQpkLWn3wDSGVrn7XIPNjY/s400/DSC00634.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div>Do you have one of these handy? <br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592999051853351058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-dr9u5crOMF1IblX4ws8YPPFlo9BqzCW1SdI2zScUwtjLJrgJDsJt2Us2nI5iqhwGTe1ULblsYHxMSWvUwpKGhWHsBVOX7V8xV31tgHzcGXzIRhFwooUdkIzwijGdt7XngRn2io9f2Vt/s400/imagesCA2DURCK.jpg" /> <br /><div>Just saying.</div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-63264837616206738222011-03-29T16:42:00.007-05:002011-03-29T17:31:23.248-05:00The Bricktown Water Taxi<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 329px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589625064566462306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MNG0wS1sp3JMEEDNwUjk85LBQFrf8wgWH2Zy49GITsTeaEWLFgruogmGQxBS2Zc7jNi2yWKEzoaTPIpA6pN8DoViRfp71X7UlMWXxmmoRWP8cJ6NlUPFNnwwTm4X9BvHwJdJO1X-WvLS/s400/DSC00574a.jpg" /> We've had the canal boats, or water taxis (taxies?), in Bricktown since 1999, but like most people, we haven't checked out some of the tourist attractions in our own city. So when Sweet Girl and The Writer visited us last week, we decided to head down to Bricktown. It was a beautiful spring day. (This is Oklahoma, so of course winter returned this week, but on that day, spring was in the air.) Flowers were blooming and ducks were enjoying the sunshine. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589625054264091618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh576CzMklXcTrTZ01D0xtqRyRvovlYIIbHq4egJD4hDQ-zSt74PzbKSg1wF5R8g4XwK4_7I2m-1co3LM4bQUzplmvnrSmbVon8BvAv2j54ZYBpCtREsg478qaeScJ2HvbfkhVoi-wNQTur/s400/DSC00583.JPG" />The redbud trees were gorgeous. <br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589625049495137762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciFx-oFK0pC1MCfj-W8fMDIhIOAw2ykfQ8SFohQiTEOwAFI1JcvAruVLzo5X9TstZ_QF7f6bXIZQIvFhcBP4q5L1YEpg_1hjCaJsgesLYcoUiqzHUsdfPpKRvNyQeYc5F8jKp4-cn3hcq/s400/DSC00576.JPG" />We enjoyed the sights from our water taxi, and our informative and humorous guide offered lots of fun facts about Oklahoma City. <br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589625022695472466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvaFmw9ZyNBQ6DcdhGfX2mRv6NRqWjMVFQay8ucoVS3O0kdCq8RtkGLU15HUyteiVNsbmlLrDxc5-DpKIyMAJUz7hg6s2W0O-m1ty7bBTiAYSAg20l-e8kmlnVTOzMTnGaaPvejTM68Ql/s400/DSC00579.JPG" /> <br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589625013831251362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2LWoAF0yrw8d6rAurUeyKaYbVbDrnWFvuT-59cxdSWsmRQwWPODp6j5KCGr1MI1mGskRj_LcxZ1Nb80HCXhb76CY0djDfqvBCFRT1rGwcw3FD14q9NYzCFu9vlM1prZRXWxuvn3v2ngp/s400/DSC00580.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Wonderful murals covered brick walls along the way. <br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589624166510431810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8Qoc8eiDFwfBvjY-gX23b5l6D9ucWgL6njBNV4HXTf7J0ICCR-rKPkoJ5rJ2qrMwjs3aJgYkEKLdJNFNVxSuwAOibc_Oz-PXYEs-GSTtWdWjEA3-C1Mbq45xtNsAfuCdnA1IbGfhCrmu/s400/DSC00584.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589624159446050354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTd_2UC7lWmpAL5SY3c_UkJMga2HI8OUzY2Pxq_ctEQKibbcWs8KauYZgcXmK0T4z7MSu2ywfANu0Kkz9ijBk18UtV7jR3s18lDjiLTU4dLzu_i34X_ACZEkbQJvsgN3rg4rm2Mbv4Jtv7/s400/DSC00585.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589624149007800674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8vJu-tcQgay81h5ECXLZetqAskPmPdAuJNaWARvrILKFCMpnoRG6vxIXiatRWdHXEbjaFFwWKVVktYGaimgCPmRfEgYqLkGOE-l_LLaUY3RjyGJXfoOhwtj0udE-iK6aed2Fkh7LWxBo/s400/DSC00586.JPG" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589624145519739170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3Db8Fv0ggWsTD3GtAc-I5a3COClCO7wzPDdW_DSux2cnSx2JPId3sPBB9-iUUXmA7_PlYEvCUBmQgCLVSzIrr67mwNDrufsgjg7NDpF5iW3bJvRa0qLmpWiNGxTVj3pq5GbyuFQOO-A6/s400/DSC00590a.jpg" /> <br /><div></div>We saw bridges . . . <br /><div><br /><div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589623066988783154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYChyfOyq-ngAxgOKNb9E9SVnWQ6RD-_vSPYomNUzdSaQZ3unZAqYpilh2Ei86oBmUtpyCDC3AgDfnC_HFHFne6aAGLUxEyf3_ccEM9jhM5aTmPZptzxUUu96khaHw17jA2lSoDovM-7O/s400/DSC00594a.jpg" /> <br /><div></div>and waterfalls . . . <br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589623056669834706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJDUry8paURl2FnFm0EU-o_WbdBym9EEpQGsDDAoww_UnQDsdtrxAV3KJWgPOf4d-8DkESzzRI9SAPcuF909nIwEDmVBdIvjlvjVOwD14cwMxAUgUY35Fy2E9sEio1qdW4WAx5vtPhLX-/s400/DSC00595.JPG" /></div><br /><div>and statues. <br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 301px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589623053220746242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NHmy5MdyWl0mI-cOHWJAFXaReQltmGdT8YmPuV37XRNDoCn3DlvWHIqm_MO__eH0Gn5s2VGmxmJNhLCAk0xTvYkNUGQ01Aha5CL7gkmcrWBJIxg8TXlcM08h7chKi9v_Cg_aJzXc3Vyt/s400/DSC00596a.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589623045483610626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWgGuGwMF77Z6Akf_q6W4AFW4fv_OhL6teQUpG5E8GUzemT-_dMiV3vqLKcJleEOz2ovo_SRua1bY2ckmEbxlOrIuZjvqvf3EmhBBejfhoZeXxuP1j_TcNHw8l9kPEF1ewrKayYZJZ1-k/s400/DSC00601a.jpg" /> <br /><div></div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589622310030882034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyJQgM_-GsLn5QC4U23cfTt3JXM_Va4ZaS1mv9q-AzTG5JnNmFPBpDhQ0CTUVRXFx7Uhqo-d7GIt_KAAA6OawSdEJ0GEIdvN4qs8vhHoHQ5cg1Ot9IpGF-w86QMX5bACeCXqN-4fytzti/s400/DSC00602a.jpg" /> <br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4urvHPrvfK6rvuLjQF8XihYGxZIN7tZv38TPZov2u9oBPbfd9dA4xzVZNfWY2xTSwNZKFq0MkRjODaBJPFCF9Xi2-O3jgNNDt8iPcp4r9LrkGTKnzqh8Kf6EzSUgN1-vkMxmRH4cZNXs/s1600/DSC00596a.jpg"></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589622300627200226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5I0bcM-vKmmEdSp42EtuRy1LXxOUkihx1NiRx_mLCMNpTiKSh8AckZZymDI9LYTJ4dXuRv-ZmqS8cOiz6VGc_VTPAdatr8Z0pi-PkmJovPBzyaAKWjK1WS_SA_brc4LOK3XQaR7YPJ0U/s400/DSC00606.JPG" /> </div><br /><div>It was a fun ride. If you haven't yet experienced the Bricktown Water Taxi Ride, I encourage you to give it a try. <br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYju3CCzEc8QznkcxjjhK0hQsxHBZkstTQIuYDmrkwxoj6XMsm4sAdWC0dvzs8I5XzSw5XfYn8huR3BDB_yi0AkijQAUUiFZ3ffSOO-gz71nRERJTCx84xcA2bnowYKigD4PcRhQPw4uq/s1600/DSC00601a.jpg"></a></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589622295080407330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKA5R3qoAm8mQexpgF-FfIO1SEaXnWPmrxJOb141zW3aTBM_bPSn29LQ4A6TQVAcG-cqiaZ83QLTk0Tyg9XJ53yU7hRjrOVkFqmeQaujt1BZRgxUiQhxSrnaDrofZJqergyGGKQ7vEhmFA/s400/DSC00593.JPG" /> <br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-14343583713013993252011-03-12T17:58:00.009-06:002011-03-12T18:47:55.094-06:00Another Excuse to Eat Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4KNCNgk4fFNZg6mUVNjPyzy7W2wsZt1YQl0-8AxQc_eDBWPykkjd-SzgJAt9m1VRGQCSFNvNJ15rh-ZjI5r9328WaVzX14h2xrmjUlPA5uZWZ4b2_VPIJ4dohjtCRm_UJX1lJp2XTkY5/s1600/birthday_cupcake-WEB%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 399px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583357931987184722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4KNCNgk4fFNZg6mUVNjPyzy7W2wsZt1YQl0-8AxQc_eDBWPykkjd-SzgJAt9m1VRGQCSFNvNJ15rh-ZjI5r9328WaVzX14h2xrmjUlPA5uZWZ4b2_VPIJ4dohjtCRm_UJX1lJp2XTkY5/s400/birthday_cupcake-WEB%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div>It's your day, Sweet Girl! </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>You were a precious baby,<br /></div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 322px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583357498487454722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiwhvQL7-__ggAfrBgMKDm1FKcLPIlkuNO44A_nqG0febOW1y18x0rzfwu038dCdhFuZoW6PcU6oiW4nYGivCNtoK3Jh2RkclyYP8xqjFuz04lMPYFjCNP2oSnn2atTMt4RD542TyiEfV4/s400/File0046.jpg" /><br /><div>a terrific child,<br /><br /><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 287px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583357497816109138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoC0CIVbGvC9gHSrV6Z1kk8m2eH0IYb2PIRf2XGP8N-CSXx9bc4bXXGYfKDmXSkn-_F9j2CgHnSvDpNy1ZEpO5pmCJDXgWR_14vcdIGgm1yhNlmMiHCn5GSWhkTQLZiDu2xkgWNtYXKni/s400/File2248+5x7.jpg" /><br />and a delightful teenager.<br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 303px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583357493974407698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQ7JJrYNK5rDjYRth4CD9bTfePUBedjasiaVA_RyYtL9fcsT0vw3C8etjSdV2d6H65kXvxp-Ysvgarax4Uki5LzPtCD8HK9yIZm-m_0ZynFYz6Kk0nhcufq-INUYYbBuRX4OyGkyPzxE5/s400/june+27+1992+cr+nw+classen.jpg" /><br /></div>Now you're an amazing woman.<br /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583354667453105970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00y-Oy_xnj2UXNOBscQ05U-yjlu-qF-k6ISkBuJkV24Q8H4pqrjygdg4sVlqJaBL3VmVF-WdY-qM-1cQ_4uNJUFcsHtnqczb8potIGHLWBauYOtJ-_S-bOUpOAWRlP8TXWsLdf1Al_rtn/s400/cr+and+percy.jpg" /><br /><br />Happy Birthday to the kid who made us parents, and who keeps making us proud. </div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 256px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583354663760393794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEmYUjeS-l16m08CLKXcW3pSLsxrYfftZ30k145mYCQNPoKwFpfuonz-QHVJNrIV_2CwLt8x2VOyOOn29-2jwCARhon4vwa3leJoFdgWSZ7wd8Vq-ACBdNG9wT641zFJbAzmg6dLmLt-7/s400/Cr+with+mom+and+dad.jpg" /><br />I am so glad to be your mom.<br /><br /></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-76355749086985787592011-02-27T21:50:00.004-06:002011-02-27T21:58:58.520-06:00Sixty-six<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhLR2wDBG6BZZNXT9J94S1eKJmOdz_LqCIvk7VHmEjgOTjUosd3ofIPcAqVRHgSK21Fm_4V8lA8aaocYgvevbjFEcAwaCh7KUHuXkGapW2BR3p5JTRYNL0x01AvNYLN9GJO2_W8_R1n_4/s1600/HappyBirthday44%255B1%255D.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 350px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578583295722675778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhLR2wDBG6BZZNXT9J94S1eKJmOdz_LqCIvk7VHmEjgOTjUosd3ofIPcAqVRHgSK21Fm_4V8lA8aaocYgvevbjFEcAwaCh7KUHuXkGapW2BR3p5JTRYNL0x01AvNYLN9GJO2_W8_R1n_4/s400/HappyBirthday44%255B1%255D.gif" /></a><br /><p><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Dr. Lobo turned sixty-six today, and we celebrated the event in our usual low-key way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That means we didn’t do much more than we usually do on Sundays, which is very little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We went to Hideaway Pizza for supper, however, accompanied by Little Guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When I referred to Dr. Lobo as the Birthday Boy, our waitress brought him a very large, warm chocolate chip cookie, with chocolate drizzled over it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was happy that it turned out that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If Hideaway had been one of those obnoxious places where the wait staff sings Happy Birthday to the celebrant, I would have been in big trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dr. Lobo does not like to be the center of attention in public places.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> .</span></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">He has decided that this is the year for traveling along every mile of old Route 66.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He is studying the atlas, which is one of his favorite things to do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> .</span></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">So we’ll be getting our kicks along Route 66 in the not-too-distant future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sounds like a very good way to celebrate being sixty-six.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"></span> </p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578583293610368242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_8xzp8ijFO2VE0A_BAD-c5NI02ivSJx5Jcx0fTrd7c7d7N15g4sWCNwNK4mRdbGD0tkZd0d8v3tsPQ_4W3GLqBJcOzrOzLai44K330SZjaB_SADbqVwtFOnN1StD3n3FPjZjJwRq85hf8/s400/66map%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-66581833379169760132011-02-21T15:35:00.013-06:002011-02-21T16:51:32.355-06:00Oklahoma City, Lego Style<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576269698039723698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lbjlDjG2oePQNSKbQAkyRUU7-BsYhyphenhyphenLrducH1C0cKO7s9O7Uxf5OCAfkmg8pW3xDf-Odgokv-3BNjsdvS4wMkeacoA_qySvmPSepawg0H4HcTF8zIRKe2IsDYPZXsmUZvKTNcZgcCkoa/s400/DSC00496.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Although many noises are associated with childhood, one specific sound stands out in my mind whenever I remember Little Guy as—well, as a little guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It's the stirring of Legos as he searched through the tub to find a particular piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For many years, he asked for Legos for his birthday and Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Dr. Lobo would protest, saying “We are NOT bringing more Legos into this house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He already has millions of pieces!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“I know,” I would respond, “but that’s about the only thing he plays with.”</span></p>.<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A couple of months ago, we heard about the Oklahoma City Lego exhibit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course we had to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was awesome.</span><br />.<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576269686860711602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidCEmT4dicaG91izehfWMA3ZWoYO_Qt57pLhgwLImsFNmdPM38wOBFSvuvX61vBM3AAfrjO05g0iRc_t3WpMWuH_WrvZS5OKgbsTUWwtJXIvA3yjNPWVcoHGpW-bTMzrPogFaoFhr1yuc/s400/DSC07911.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">“Big Kids” who love Legos recreated some of Oklahoma City’s landmarks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></div>.<br /><br /><div></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Bombing Memorial and Reflecting Pool</span></p><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576269683558549490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQw4X5uLJlJundmJjFd4IsB-mwm1vZ9SePCmRI-KYvYHW-gHBv1NQ9SCS0WBQusdhePFAi0n7xPkQ0Esf9qR6N2rGcsDcwYRpxqvAjIkoMFq6OhBODvSJq-nJNm4aFvnvDliQs_axP7FR/s400/DSC00487.JPG" /><br /></div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bricktown and the Canal</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576267256279771794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHujvE4AaW7jfuh4-ju7qinAjQ4cCniXrlTzbKKTEeGeH7yOrNY39fDEXtlis73mo62GOqY7QiszO6s5zS0D6lVRaW4YhcTtavPj-sHKF4HlXFM0sFClm-pxOPvbUwNa40POCUGa21uCl/s400/DSC00471.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Myriad Gardens tube</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576267246822995250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3VlEfBBVTEeqJO1F7G9Tz30yH2HJjHqPoMuDAwk0pjujiOARtr3a94sCLZ9Z2odu0ZZ5tbQTuSMpFekFx7_7KkbM41wGZ4RQCfenz0DxNs9mprCIST2jFaR-Q3RzWrfwX-dsgTnCuDXF/s400/DSC07932.JPG" /> <div><div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576267241789546786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Sn_GjmqCj7aNbsU8pAG-5zFB8mlj82yng6ENGHUO29nNwNWgLfTXHAIBBztsJrbHzRG66gh6wMyssTDpuQ0QvPKCugGGkXIPIjDR78SKj5WWE6DSZsUX4SYIsFEvbtYEn0FOx7XiwtBR/s400/DSC07934.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Chesapeake Energy Campus</span></p></div><div>.</div><div><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576266687219674034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6CAlswZMLn7grOa7gVPu9FGBh76S4JF3n0gCsQb19Ty88Jxr9Gzq8sRIcE80ZGArTggVKs3ZTBXbU4E9JVDkTHY5SoXYl11wQhYq4mdW1GxgjNChP2uXlNKRKqK6yNgMmfVdFJKTIdL2/s400/DSC07919.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Ghouls on Parade</span></p></div><div>.</div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576266676284872146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxpzCdIr_tHo4BhpCiQ3uLpSe5CgfgWo4VsmW0Mndi3hHJ-2XVxPaz47Cuz32rnmAjmPq3e2yUMt9lIKQOqmDNIzYwH4F1ckj82wcMOwt9NW9KVmRa1_XxXFb0IA1SCSkLY6jkAmcZ3ZH/s400/DSC00428.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">An Oklahoma City Thunder Game</span></div></div><div>.</div><div><div><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576266673321985698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjknGDBP-Coyt1oxf-HxlatzUVRIzISoiko-OmPrReUzfYY9YFxPY9fbxLgyvUOYHSOCN_3IQ8rB3c9bPGh_AqQ1vPJA7pxakO5Hh5Xa1CZ0_zP2mUP9uW88h_R_OTxFsCFtl3-D4jQ2o/s400/DSC07944.JPG" /><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576265981185158578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9V1A9pm7fcstYAmdnnX7P2CrH_3mjUfBE13wfEpDypmaQML10A0SgShkD6fkIls4aoiu1pkOtO0bIkgWPTtbZst96APwKTh8Q2NWIWRmUNP5ST7wV0DD3S5FoWnxw9cYMWht66aL8INF/s400/DSC07946.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576265970334306018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LImd1VxGUJ7iHdi2VOmASx7e9cgxqwxK8mQ8vT_VpHNe0o0yuWSRzzTBbFE1og68X-IsmG0wk6C6MRdQLwYelWkWzxU6_KGZDen1Mh9a6V3zFFzKF6WVqlcfw3SpdF4r7gjDs6gsTM_M/s400/DSC07947.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Devon Energy and Chase Bank</span></div>.<br /><div><div><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576265969215552530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioA_G4ce0JnC9n-o3-dINLtsFWDhIPZbj8r0hnXoiXDf8MGjJDimeonaZHiMHLBnIuViiagV6Y5Cpsd78D5JOcH8zcpJCjtIwrEPVyoRlBNBLAVRL4frXbmQ5Gs5PmnaUWTsNR3qvFnFi-/s400/DSC00415.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bank of Oklahoma and OG & E</span></p></div><div>.</div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576265229343109298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5-iwOx0jIVCv9dd-_fOq3wxxLIm7XZdRNEijvidhxH0G_Y24F8LZ1l0qnQ-A0RvI9yGUxmW3Txf47r9JdOczXl0pRKpHUMOrBYiueQXmMVt6VE2PlpgAGMX_uPYbEmgw2t8pMyyDTtAV/s400/DSC00433.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Oklahoma Publishing Company (OPUBCO)</span></p><div>.<br /></div><div><div><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576265225907939842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UcorB3OMpue9rRa6TC_S4cD2LSLgOatNRudmIvDCs8Z5UFR4SyQvOcm_UMoI5BCTmsPNKmfwVlzwQa_RwnipXRgHP8IcezuQ0N8nYOnx4yzPI4kmOilDTIjeZBqPHucFTNZ65_2XtMhW/s400/DSC00438.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Hudiburg Chevrolet</span> </div><div>.</div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576265217122114626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4XZvOq_IrmhE48EB2WzHWnzRk9A8dfubEGTgFHaXl527yBdq2zCB6qsfpJD0awDolFUOG3597P_snAkECcJdUjsOtBxMyN7XvKfuMFNvC_3KlRTeZ7Dr5Q5t3RT_HQf0ph-kgzs_tSUH/s400/DSC00422.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Plaza Court</span></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576264547183212386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhlUtNnILYfNeFQd47v7OzTlpyJGAI9YiLe70jdtI9WG7cijoGrowoGW3p9LSF0jsRcUsNjB55iOvi78H-PyqrZxNdortggMoHuDadgLLDASZX1XvzMfMZDMjTfUrjmTQSc5PXD9TDm6j/s400/DSC00420.JPG" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Devon Tower (currently under construction) as it will look upon completion</span></div>.</div><div><div><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576264538402752658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOYbHDLQZg-GIh2MVxLF9ZFyhejN0PWWCPsBfkn6t3AEkAI3OMLv1MTPqGsLs2jTdIgvydUTaBN7qx2daEDVqoh1JTwsQExbclNVYzx88YuBpL7A_N-39P85lASc-nkJafYrCbtFnvBHy/s400/DSC00442.JPG" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The Colcord Hotel</span> </div><div>.</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576264534059127154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VtxcK9f2jfKPCv3hDvL0uYv_2kjg4IcPCkcl_z4tBgAsWBg2i77DbtaqW_WvVkt4fPzOSI51oC1D6MJXvlVabKAqw14ujekMBhCHf_8Lvy76NQIzRDS1tDzviYYWzAuNK2UAxO5P7cph/s400/DSC00439.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Court in Session</span> </div></div><div>.</div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576261647330162386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKC9-j0nsT4caK0YRfoOpQheK4nmvX1SU8nvfr687MnvXmzf_WhdCO8tQ-UcfMdkuhjONtcjIYTmItNQ8Gi5-xLTke1fL-29y6oVRm79EmUPdRtpucjDD08yjg7jVyz5S2PqLUxUkFRegf/s400/DSC00445.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Inside View of Hospital</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576261641223454386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W8OUtl5wiO8HQxqOGzAVR2EZVUnbTuNMy5sPup2M6NOz-6wOwk89_85g890s9Nvlsld2OJ88B1cNFXN4FrMqXo2pR0f2D6WNmlWqjS8b7f7GvSmjVPMeb9MhIJBMVn8taXujh7-KfCUK/s400/DSC00435.JPG" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We took lots of pictures!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576261634825621154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylNN5H05WaL6B79LJgBczkEwjO6B22irmRYGiSrW3J1_90F0p6WJRs_Bxa2xLHq0aAw68qWvRRmfer8-iZbXBeRtPWQh6SOCgxO5CS5jfiITg9bVAAyOJaRYQRfxcyP8a-udxHy1UMKd0/s400/DSC07940.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576261629801670018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJhyphenhyphenoLCb1ys6NM559FVaV12yrQCdqHC_GFTH0QMhFvVktJDukENmAE6-7diUmwIxoYhw86WKm-EfMnTQjPr2Av0G4_CIwBbpjsovuJJ-10Yd74yEGvIUyHEjgOXas5BP2TDii9mehxzlu/s400/DSC00446.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Does Little Guy still like Legos?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well, let’s just say that Santa Claus has brought him Lego sets for the last two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After all, that’s about the only thing he plays with.</span><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576261620717226370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVx_DL27tac8MKxZBlPPC8rLmCExLmjbyKtTShgquN7fzUmJLoQO7xht865jZlc7mxMWwJ97147nR1LwC3JQF1HG4KOnpJdLxHspR-D_491v54VTJS8v-yJ9qtdKDkDPnCtZZZvrSSPha/s400/DSC00455.JPG" /> </div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-45405512789325338932011-02-05T10:16:00.007-06:002011-02-05T11:28:40.030-06:00How I Survived the Blizzard of 2011<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPq6DgHzaeYROY9xyRSygcpS9azTSdF4c40xY6xm4Gsps6h8pkT7Q0l3L5OBWwDoLFPJhy5uWOmKGT71VEiyDBH4JENQnqftAcFxYuEOmvFm9IYSZpiMmybu8hE1klKceqNrtp3D1SyKhH/s1600/DSC00531.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570242549056349922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPq6DgHzaeYROY9xyRSygcpS9azTSdF4c40xY6xm4Gsps6h8pkT7Q0l3L5OBWwDoLFPJhy5uWOmKGT71VEiyDBH4JENQnqftAcFxYuEOmvFm9IYSZpiMmybu8hE1klKceqNrtp3D1SyKhH/s400/DSC00531.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><br /><div><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Well, I think we’ve survived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The snow has taken a short break, but the roads are still snow packed and slippery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Except for those unfortunate souls who have to work, only the hardy or foolish are venturing forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I’m hopeful that we’ve survived the worst of it.</span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570242546861615618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRqfKQv5Xj2s4mtClaxma4g8DIBvaNaEgMdQvqUlXye0J-6TsXJIFmgw38O0Zztf8bdREbfs_J_yP7WQ8wsE_k7L7rSC2YCCnBun-21KXcFA0LpKdPDBbhktMJYwUTcMecEJAS6Eg5mWr/s400/DSC00533a.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It’s been brutally cold, with some wind chill temperatures considerably below zero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even with our reliable floor furnace working its little heart out, it’s been hard to keep this nearly one hundred year old house warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To keep the pipes from freezing, we’ve run heaters and kept the faucets dripping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even so, pipes under the house froze, and the sinks could not drain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Water from dripping faucets accumulates at a surprising pace, so we have bailed gallons of water.</span></p><br /><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570250434581050082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD_iawjFbj0HcfNLy7Bvqkz65C15VPUNwJgLwP1cqlhNYmoi11Adr9iTCT5yERj0wSqfmw0bc2IxSwDSfc0CMYFpnJLrEYV5VFv16vYUCErFKxBhRoRTv3-CzXd-7j80P8DSgDMGhlS7I/s400/5298183801_9f73b0d1f1%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Sharing our space with the cats has been like living with teenage girls who have been grounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They’re used to coming and going as they please, and they complain frequently and loudly about this forced confinement.</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570242532803421506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-koPw3LGNhp7MrblnkhfSFcQStkRXt5Aq9oAdiGP-W0XI_T7lHXhWjP_1srx6uiwBTXHqNdBPu__yPhocbz-cgdSRsTswe4VAU0tpnLX4e_bjlNOoruEhHXPk0vKguDcXUb-j8QmTyra3/s400/DSC05084.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-: minor-latinfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12;" >We’ve developed a few coping techniques, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here are my suggestions for surviving a blizzard.</span><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570242529058888498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1z4y2tCviT76CTq7HyjoTTWkVyjQiKwy4R_dH4fs-UDngQdSThfSokZeT-b7J_484JDG98-S6yc2mCO_BoVv5eT5Yi7PURlo4_Ftk5Eqy621NDoKb_oah9drY-theM0Q-_cetAwhjXVy/s400/DSC00530.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Wear several layers of clothing and get under a blanket or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s especially important to keep your feet warm.</span></div><div><div><div><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570241152571572754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpZZM9e6Op9E55sW_XB6eCHcbj0dICAdrPQIycL4R5DNuK7qgaw8ZGKBGYAJDN1dqqoBx81016myhvIbc91V1U8mrJu5Vt-Eab3xkCX8c_rdHC6RaJ6rU9dvgXePHV3XZ_xcufcFfiw7t/s400/DSC00537.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Eat plenty of warm comfort food and hope that you don’t gain ten pounds from the excess of hot chocolate and banana bread and the absence of exercise.</span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570241136419834722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJx3aUu4ODkUc_4fQ1PCS_Eyezmw-nZaDPhethI3t2MKE2ZMF4qUqFC1kX9UjRe7rx9hTb5H-dFl51QLDjBoq49RoYf823XMfwD-wiSp8cs49qveGq0oqwREnn_hiiTLkLm5R0_56nkMS/s400/DSC00535.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Entertain yourself with a marathon of some kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(We’re watching Mad Men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You may choose something more active.)</span></p><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570241127689174370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1S3C9Cqz8VoLxYFa4mg1V_v11578XooMqYxiSs2A-O8HfEuHloTTpABTkJ7MRJfZZMcaC4gLHQW94xOQBZZGIrq__rVdNndczGcl7H6DK5xsUjKhC4vHqcO45OcHXkPPQDNBBDx5657o_/s400/DSC00538.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Keep at least one cat on your lap at all times.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570241122065796002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AVAvkWm190rHEf_LI9uSeuLC378WYhg3nPafNmJp8BzGarxCDjS2_6HvTJzcNQW94ix_Ucnbj52AZ4wt6STfWvmn-0vmfUXlcDOUlneCaDN7lY646kLt57MSXM1JQgFmWzBM-0_8TVy4/s400/DSC00544.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We’ve done well coping with the weather, but we’re beginning to face a new problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In Oklahoma, snow and ice usually melt away within a couple of days, so we’re not used to being snowbound this long. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I’m finding it a bit challenging to live with Dr. Lobo 24/7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think we’ve survived the blizzard, but if I don’t get out of this house soon, I’m not sure our marriage will survive.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 277px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570241108932750690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqSfzkfMwsuMIMPjCvnIMHgQ_DmYyVzp9aYsvEPNXItMauxR3T4aWCX_eFO_Hte9TKdTRE7BAtzuDvRbJi77GhpuQzBZ8oMxl-tFXUtiyLxPL2E3oK2p4mXIWD-2D8xJv4r1lJotqspKF/s400/cabin%252520fever%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-52667414984180919082011-01-21T16:36:00.010-06:002011-01-21T17:08:03.433-06:00Confused and Gray, But Ready to Travel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-pFXozMYJ8OaYa3i6Apimi4Z3KFIekX6oXNUrFLBKh1V1YlKX5eMJnTfmyZGsrw3pe1D_V1VZtN5M4puJNoR9EG95b462XU2G9J6BB_b1SWdceJGJNyRFzDKpCeJ6mVWqiuaNk_hfm2p/s1600/us-passport%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564778137515384690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-pFXozMYJ8OaYa3i6Apimi4Z3KFIekX6oXNUrFLBKh1V1YlKX5eMJnTfmyZGsrw3pe1D_V1VZtN5M4puJNoR9EG95b462XU2G9J6BB_b1SWdceJGJNyRFzDKpCeJ6mVWqiuaNk_hfm2p/s400/us-passport%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Last week I applied for a United States passport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One of the questions on the application was “Have you ever gone by any other name?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I pondered for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I go by a nickname, and I have a “writing name.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I don’t use either of those names for anything official, like bank accounts, social security, or driver’s license.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So I answered “No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It wasn’t until much later that I realized I’d answered the question incorrectly.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6Z9OfoDJmuI58qfMaNxisv_3R9-nRmpYQhu9ZHOl9mRZp0yqH15waeXDtrC8J27MLilGlD9QgAtXDoZfphpM0Kt1vcEeuEGTMka3-TxtjKLM2H3mpeoKZO1s4wFd_ppRaPsSOSt6ro2e/s1600/jerusalem_usa_passport%255B1%255D.jpg"></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564775419438585698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhqLPv75yitmu_jSbGnV02eEa7pgAxthTqv-wy9zS5KEq8lnjrxgm6aCz6IippsDVvG7o2Ri4MMde2cXrZEO-1UJowsLGsB3bMNK6zHfRRJkySfG3v8duB8NjTcGQrzpAJbOAVlR-_Ck_/s400/questions%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Once upon a time, long, long ago, I did go by another name—my maiden name!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I only used it for twenty years, and I’ve used my married name for over 43 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Still . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m glad the application didn’t ask any questions about my memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The U.S. Department of State might have decided I’m too senile to travel. </span></p><div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 191px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564775415192349586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofknz5tKXeoSupTaf08RyuU0yhDbKjtjB7DFCQZTGJYsWL8vktp6JwatvlFnUqfl6NT6bPLAdgIF6sHdUIY10HARQZH2owrTCUhd_fZCVnejBnDxU1OACaSGCZHfWo6x6ibVk94iaY12m/s400/jerusalem_usa_passport%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Another sobering part of filling out the application was realizing that both Dr. Lobo and I now have gray hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sure, I’d realized that on some level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For several years I’ve been describing my hair color as brown and gray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On the application, however, I could only choose one color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had to admit that my hair is more gray than brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The passport photo confirmed my answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Actually, I rather like our gray hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think we look distinguished, although I guess some people would disagree.</span></p><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 319px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564774192412037138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKJCvhE0Q1UdMyqloR5Splep5Ti93aj-KPDNsH7injwPKsTWm5eih4VeBw7bFxSaCJUO61gKCr0Yn7ShVkZg8GZmrbaOa1RQaJAV-DtFxgjLVOiS4VAP23FhxhIl_B4cYsck8zEnjB0uG/s400/GrayHair%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I admit that the idea of someone describing us as “that couple over there with the gray hair” is a bit disconcerting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I’ve decided to embrace my authentic self, gray hair and all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 204px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564773083190014114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjut3DETG-6NY60dWjZXWTLdK6VPoup77xVRnDs3o4g2eyfrjs8y5KBbMHYsg3HmPTAQAJRMQTT3r-g0ICbT7VUv3QV4mL-Wnc45tJdmN2oMsKeJBqHQNKcbwNM52EYjuXSg7R5fRZXMJD4/s400/imagesCADDJ2QJ.jpg" /><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-: minor-latinfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12;" >Just don’t ask if I’ve ever gone by any other name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It might confuse me.</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 386px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564773076941042466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuYvZyJxF-0v1i3z0zUC67dQv2LjSdQRgYEqYBSS2TLyko3AqZPggJ8-r8Lj69T-D_1tSNgluofE5E-4Xom7Q6xfk24-ypF8FOi_kw2_cJTHt9SxKwkfJG2lkaEd3eIIFue_L62gcNpOh/s400/32672%255B1%255D.gif" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-50632391866085662612010-12-31T23:13:00.003-06:002010-12-31T23:25:37.490-06:00Goodbye, 2010!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiW787hSiw0gka_KrWicCGJ6uPDhlo44clB31sbvtlyB9LtCXeG57VYoYUE8tI4iRQhq8K8VrI6kcXeK_dPj_pmtCCLZ8-fh8JAimByBbwxRm1RdmL92_8CTXYdPVJn53J2wfknOmHQlA/s1600/2010_printable_calendar%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 324px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557082512459375538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiW787hSiw0gka_KrWicCGJ6uPDhlo44clB31sbvtlyB9LtCXeG57VYoYUE8tI4iRQhq8K8VrI6kcXeK_dPj_pmtCCLZ8-fh8JAimByBbwxRm1RdmL92_8CTXYdPVJn53J2wfknOmHQlA/s400/2010_printable_calendar%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At the end of 2009, I reviewed my year in a blog post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s not happening this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some very good things happened in 2010, but for the most part, I’d rather not think too hard about the past year.</span></p><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557082504479285762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2wPp8NAWh0RyE52vzb2juRA5bFCl4FEkBTph98Q_PVsEL8d42W-UP4bzv3-oh0rzKf38NR3ICt5kWcBSPem2rvKozbtJH3UhbnR4uJ-QPKKk9J7jH0TY6P2QTne79p24TK8V4iazkobO/s400/jonahfish%255B1%255D.gif" /><br /></div><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Last summer my pastor preached about times when you’re living in the belly of a big stinky fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You’re alive, but you almost wish you had died, because living in that stinky fish belly is so miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That’s what 2010 felt like for parts of the year.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p></div><div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557082504264504354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyhzPEZhHwtMSc_b-RjxQSyELwpI0okJ5gKaQUjVs-He9ZPeoWvyoEBIEHKhsAaZUAtoSt_zOZMikxeyrGExte7Kz0ZEYof5Q2n_9sekeQPeslKmpT6orPCv9p7NlUy7Zn1cSRHN23Ql4/s400/750px-tenggrengepettowhale%255B1%255D.jpg" /><br /></div><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As the last hours of 2010 go by, I’m grateful to have survived this less than wonderful year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m grateful for my friends who stood by me and listened to me and comforted me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m grateful to my pastor, who sometimes tells me things I don’t want to hear, but that I need to acknowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And I’m grateful to Dr. Lobo, who lived with me in the stinky fish belly and loved me through it.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Tomorrow is the beginning of a new year, and I am greeting it with enthusiasm and hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wish for all of us a very good 2011. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557082499666187874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez-cFtokbOGN0TWr85HsNxnjEGDrSlkHMbMoF_54K2Ghl16XsCGrbJjGQ5AL3LDN4KFJimbMvqz7SFySLp5fnj3V6CR7PoZhZCVajetxveO1nzE-K5qh-E51B6iPtCZidM979YbOuFguD/s400/happy_new_year_2011_sticker-p217009151747699676qjcl_400%255B1%255D.jpg" /></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-14819007344714045902010-12-21T22:59:00.011-06:002010-12-22T00:06:01.909-06:00The Woman Has a Few Nativity Sets on Display<div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553375116853227858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-4YuKxe_SCUECD5IpblIRR7gcOoGnEiCzUj_uI3CnfAHMQOKvlFtKH3ebSmPrilhLqZdMNw_Kht-p6uDcAe6jD3u9E0RZ3DxFR1mAhdDQUu6MVHXF5QbTQTYLse-2lagpiZEN0rTAsG-/s400/DSC00353.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Collecting is about passion.</span></p><div></div><div> </div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553375098792749986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLjWwJ-uWWZqrRjc5HZZfvSQ1QDxYjDn8FNmQ_jWUruWEwmpG9CtpWxLXplnR__xFRV97Yj4cC6z2l9Si3gOhS1chPdHt2eZODhfG19319IXxmAUUhdyUiXMfoBxZSAIGjhWQdM-vgUZb/s400/DSC00327.JPG" /><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Last week I spent a few days in Denver, where some of my favorite people live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I stayed with my friend Susan, who has collected several hundred nativity sets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although she displays some of them throughout the year, during Advent they take over her home.</span></p><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 234px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553374563395839938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHmKxPtaPSmaSIvbjkt4xb1OFeCpG6xfguTLp_gH9aKNn2LyPgOGb4Zl9Zu1kA8K2ruyqOEcaqKtOrnFvYpuh4WMcXNOfMhCz4emFtsC2odje23f1ahVxij0MlxjYS-_vwyfoeswquxC0/s400/DSC00347.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553374562601733202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bpmwHpZQfp3L5wjK_pu2QxPAYSAm41JlaAjvia4Xvgl2eQwnLz1rwE3vgS1NiiVyhpO8umNuKmbZLO1LdbR_0eik80xV-00cqjoUBKLaSu1wOBp51bC9SoUp3EnqKgjvjnvtJjuRLlXX/s400/DSC00346.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Susan’s Christmas tree holds only nativity ornaments.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553374553698907058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxe0bErViMHaGIalcBnvtsmDGRyS3cfIBaTtPBl7d_5c0ogyCjKM9c1gHfJlnNhQiZ02C9VdxTYIFHDB_aL_UMceIHCIFKtVwEo9bO9sD86RQkck_So5S6tI7Wax_itorUhHgZslsljnQb/s400/DSC00326.JPG" /> </p><div><div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553373788733371666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnx3Xzjkkeu0yAUi6Ytg_ojmVwfx9qT4GwFio-QjrNnTaKsDK15pd7NBOrK-V2vs0lK1rihh44sT7EW_uz8fHh2rYcrGHanwC_uOOHWNAVkrToAZczjq_w0hfR1qQVzJhPEiObn6O3WCk/s400/DSC00330.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Her nativities come from all over the world and are made of many different materials.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553373780519278178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrIhWtpe2xiYxzoNTCNddRE7Bt2Zcu4vxgEdKBKYSBzeOQu8hqNLEmEo7C3VPwXQ1IYSL6Km7ywFOE0HnBXrhZqtaAaB7-x0cmVO6fY2ZDEuQ2sUy6DTPuMbCR-vIcT7ZlqMf4UycZVu2H/s400/DSC00339.JPG" /> <div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553373766796890466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQAxASzuW1BycZKajvGgGgedL7F9PrElcEY5nhS-XH8Yipnz4qQhjC02GzQFJ9BCa5Yx-T0FpTkueJIyhzc-l9vdlDXNoI51PqUgNwNZD4iX2pRe6C-tnsdsXruWdvdwDt4igyGN57kJk/s400/DSC00331.JPG" /> <div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjXg7ohsprmwF0Jq_sLvXsXr1Exd0ycO7hPijEgxoxy7-tmda_PQrqRrJSQCHsdDa1pHbIu9Z4ws1U0q0lYyFMqkrs5NUIrxFs8n6TPVpc4GGUJU1GqPp5wrNpO0kApkQnT9aFRCDIkPk/s1600/DSC00341.JPG"></a><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553373090578470034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPYKR_DmY6s7fUX2L0wYXZlhF9-Ctb4lC1s0hsEGr10F4MErG7DIayMXPsGzZnfVF4Cm6h5nh9TcQAnU7u3XLNqYo1FPgMHG6oIZa7iN3nl2K1CFHSu4KB5az6rvvvc4oUopNKGYmUhHp/s400/DSC00328.JPG" /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553373088001828306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBq4rHS2mytKAnCz9trJ5ScTfUCyMlsEVf3faRU_G3FWdcRGYAvK3Nz6rfVv6W9hn-mnSn_GV_eNXSoWktLoJA8ncteKgbIMBnRlYFtJoom2lhhI-xhYVbI6u2QQCoN0B17wGJbEVde9Y/s400/DSC00334.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553373080571564482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWHGrLy7nOTuC5J19u1JZMoBP0oVj-j4FYshs89JAyJE4f74S9QnQr-cmW1Gku_u4lquPfN83mOv0TwA4SOVfPHkfjpgA9byWQ-ApRgp9vfQBFaq55KkZQk_qVvHs6eluLIE2dwFJUi9i/s400/DSC00338.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">They come in various sizes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some of her smallest ones are displayed in a glass case surrounded by mirrors, and I didn’t try to photograph them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She keeps a magnifying glass handy so that her visitors can examine them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While I was there, she dropped a seed that contained a nativity, and when I left two days later, we still hadn’t found it!</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><br /></p><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553372433750697090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQCZt8f49keXLG9NcPn1CAC1pKckE704whW8upPSRN1JdU71cdw4_g0mnAnYoMUEkkfiBp1ThS-fiZWAbTxuB2qJcNjK5QPcEV6f_YwsZiGuOEWZrXM4DqvzMMGhqkKXtKFe2U2EYoCbq/s400/DSC00329.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553372412366215202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wPWaUYm80Z77QiQV2ma1o-ThSS7NkmkbnokZQhtjYttngBqOmMGNQiIO9kT7lwWohs7rHGksVjHAi9g8xnx_EfyEzdQqfFGYe4btwx-j_ktZreHzD-dGEzy5ug6IkhW_trFkPjuJ_Ts_/s400/DSC00343.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553371624254759506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECS_NmG-BwgYh0t01Thi1o-g-bBs2d8wkJ18cuSBQxd_cY-0PycSexGDoJGJJZBfZgQG55CfA5C3eiyX2PnBW0Fr39nqQL06ydiyML9P4lz9Vyp4s7kCfE5_bYmtLLpSG3KD0Y71Bhl3e/s400/DSC00335.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 206px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553371610944948370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfBNNmP7to5zkr_rKcaQ8qXeDcmLUwJy_1tTs4lTapstMBaEnkeZIVuxp1Wvodoh-Z41z7c56IhIh8-RM5JPjRslh92k2JaNtOyD_a_9hDbyR9b9f1neB2rAa_StWU88cvaa37NdSyRfh/s400/DSC00341.JPG" /> <div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 296px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553371603373761922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBTdbWwKQJVciwMoMpY_hukifToirt6xCKgrQIKtWy_KV7KfHc4Z5G2bP5cdursWtk1I72DHIg3uETcI84OmaGYoPwgEIveU9vS-UQdAvQIkT-oHBaRyZDVRuDGe_YPmbzoGbSVdqTU4N/s400/DSC00349.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This armadillo was one of my favorites.</span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553371157926027266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrDmGECLqnhxl3ASWAadghYZTtWHO1gyn2CNh37olMcn0UOrL8tlSd-94WNBLdoKMp_kS-3U7Ru6YFjw30fwio6s9MhQb9iFC2563U3kl0RlWrkz8DSDgq7MPmoEyERTtzyDvhTdVnw5X/s400/DSC00350.JPG" /> <div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553371138855798546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0B5rqcTXazEG35RcMbukaBvTwqg6-27B1wkXiXtQTpdkyLl-ER15BshakCn8Ksyy7eFHf6rTF8LorHpQGPp-qv7C99FU2kQ1gIUonVwk7KmNe3irNDEKe9wqQe-sUcHdrmGkAKpeQ9LCp/s400/DSC00352.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">But my very favorite of Susan’s nativity sets is the one she sent home with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It now sits on my mantle.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><br /></p><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553370418635987026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCyXTPtAkMQ0c_zFtu7-grkq0VWEEHAnCGPqFeFILFUTsVJPf6MBLhxb2FkZrmBeyDoP360T42GeOu0B8kIJnHQdDN1cBg7l1_2Vxx4QPHcSCYQynu32jk-zLsGGU4Dufk9jiYsmQZY7tm/s400/DSC00400b.jpg" /><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553370415775096242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7shEqPosSTohHhyphenhyphendHU8tCxWz-luVgw3qMmkv5H8xVRkikjs7pTW9LrvyZALWYhiJPZkEwYtZnyJtfLlP1ghrMMULgbHlYo9NOaslTTauIuc0QVB0YIzwj4BHzBbzyTxoPERxNeRkvL_Yo/s400/DSC00401.JPG" /><br /><div></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553370402715358338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOS2lvIIrqZzOLpJJF0Hi3VIS1_cpqn7ndbqDDiYQxPEbgm7iVZ-eDmygx93QtLXr8cokB2dZA-3baA97w-VJP3EUl7SKeJOjbAFw4kX2C7EYNBCcy51xhxjj6BDWCY5YAHsy4DwUEIlq/s400/DSC00402.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553368223658757330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTL9UczAzKPtJb_H4nklpAy4JV88ZQ6z7G9xO-1Oq5-2FH3YwDgWVU9ejyv9oPWjVUVWMfvIL1hPOwQW-OUGlx-96NqOL1zuLPPJxlPGdk0WrtyckWxaa9wGYscEWP8z0JR-fP4uNefTKB/s400/DSC00403.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">You probably remember that I have a rather extensive bear collection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know, it doesn’t make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>What can I say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Collecting is about passion.</span></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p><br /><br /></p><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553368214234166130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1DEeBvNqiEaoujOSWEI12V0ilA5qbrRag7XygJfKxis-d5n7a5ep2mnH8SsRhbqX9cBFBfmsjSw0Abs_iDYcZCjscUbDqBVtoV5RgzaBSqasVDekVSd4istEdwrdQzwcwfedpzhUVuO1/s400/DSC00323.JPG" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-29004538872494692772010-12-02T16:27:00.006-06:002010-12-02T16:58:12.121-06:00Timing is Everything<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219818709367298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqFVoIAWpWdPzs_4NkqHFAYRFcSj-Pvf_kkIB9-hDYA_Ab4P_1xV7HjVbExGfKHObLxhP_wYlw0IGEil7_KZhd-MimY5QyGq7S7G852PIIqlBU8ftdSE1144AxOvcNqiF6HwA5GoBN02J/s400/DSC07663.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">For several weeks this fall I considered making a trip to eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wanted to drive the Talimena Scenic Drive between Talihina, Oklahoma and Mena, Arkansas and enjoy the autumn leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But fall came late this year, and once it showed up, I kept finding other things to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Last week Dr. Lobo and I finally made the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although we found a few beautiful trees, we missed the big production.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Repeatedly, we heard “You should have been here two weeks ago.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219817551197202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXK9MEVJZcXSRnxw5oy7NJ8GV9TnxdX12VyP9vWjJ7RsV4E-pW4Gb6dx4LH41Q51woTlSarAzQniOCIYJWS-KT1PagJVEPp6MvGyx2Cw_2oXfUVv1j_TUQcxJQe2QN7eLg6QgyJAu-Nc8/s400/DSC07644.JPG" /> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We had reservations at the Queen Wilhemina Lodge near Mena, but driving up the mountain on a narrow road proved to be an adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Enveloped in a cloud, I felt like we had entered the Twilight Zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m telling you, it was eerie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219160913607058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfA2MutvD4eQQekLCxISeolwurkykS9E1Sd9ReHhib5lk4WXWQ4qvMJAFQnPNM8bViA8k3RL_dzseqoQkZfkaQAkOHILSiXbb4cLa_2l1qOPXN-UMjptdMrIU1KrqHgM7udvHajHP4AyO/s400/DSC07677.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">When we arrived, the lodge looked like this.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219149409717026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPtkoJFK13Rghyphenhyphen1DEj_H1uNhU8eumLTGQE5EplEsYp8ClRU4K8kPclEE7Zeyt2H2zv2TiJ-SpIFniPEw3fNeDtulCIw-Yy9S1U1OpJITp0Y6ugQ7Vke9vDoSAQchKoZzsuETcJi9HVxoA/s400/DSC07647.JPG" /><br /><br /></p><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I hear these are normally gorgeous views, but this is what we got. </span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219145890850690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtSoURpW9Wv34G8VPWqcAT3uZRRxPwmWCGg5K_C8C_r5_fe3t9BU44RuJ3Kuakw_XqTyksXDi2Zbr92rwcgbHomEpneBhrbeQEN73uPo5VapSjeZoMfrhMi-EP2SCC4YHr6SFngivynPG/s400/DSC07672.JPG" /><br /><div></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219141328424354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkwPVDZzMiVFgjty4jbj8_SlKvZLXfFQquZJBRvyx5cdgnrsXDRNvbFS17-3wtYO0FQsVJ1tR5Pvt88SwOn0JY1klI8m-rGB3f5sVFpjjyg6i2VtlJHoet7uqb0d5Xcx394585LfDOZCa/s400/DSC07680.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546219137512294210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsL6zeNClGB9aAgK7JQHdCvky3AfshImVSpNLRaJMMyVNHlMNIuqd6y76lCMy3ZXYYDv224vEDjcpFOXbL4fCU1Mr3L5OEKofK1v38OVE2k2sy0sqeC6qv7zusHew7ZdckJtokq0ZXJ_gp/s400/DSC00203.JPG" /><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Still, we had a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lodge was nice, with a fireplace that burned brightly and comfortable chairs for reading.</span></p><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546218314600754306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewgpTYtdeYs3hyIAZAwreUMa1zW3giJrUuIA8uw_44k-QMldodQHxxIu4njEpPqtVgimpHHWUqMVdtUHqJkkM9VNh5zV4zGObWYMYmqTNrm8_w-cVXZDobCdFweTbU3r9l4-ml1IdseWE/s400/DSC07694.JPG" /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546218308617108066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHJSl1WUcHVy0S82ednJk72Lty0osDyEGhHS4PVagFasssonNI2gMlGKFsztPDQQtA0aCcYjxfknR3DHQmDimmGXZoGfqEDDgDDcqi2pp4-w1tZW24bdyTqpig7J6Dd-moBWRIvihpOTQr/s400/DSC00220.JPG" /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546218299227254162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NCpFGqT8J7BLTN5YubIPx4K5Mq-qZEjxJd9whgE57l8-LuYnQk9x-_aldisCs_CmqpPc6sb01crv8vPgMNoO5Ykr9PlmmckaPaKQH9zuafJ1ccoW2IvShjPdUjV0Yb6siMseJQ15NyIe/s400/DSC00208a.jpg" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The day we left, the weather cleared a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /><div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546218289078366786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXV7Vf3yplKatx5fZd2fJagfb6cG7h__zNS5RUmKChsaDti-JwFLz5qp5R0DNOy4y-TtBanY4kv_jsT_Z9AVwJTX7kmLCDPaXjpSobRqzmwA8iZrFdru9mDhKYOzfPGttd2z-oDPUnWdx/s400/DSC07682.JPG" /> </div><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Yeah, we should have been there two weeks earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Timing is everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span></span></p></div><div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546218285317787858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSesnZRsdf_VuaJxn7mig4MzsP5ExbW1CdxTSbm1jzKXCQHXxHR6FkBW4xcfUJRZDe-XXEtY5qx8QCBBWRlRIl9hcM_6Or-3RGvjTehFFJQ4nd_5S0CM3JQnbq7AX5GMLBRK4aVnx8qSls/s400/DSC00207.JPG" /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-19709918613534659952010-11-26T19:56:00.003-06:002010-11-27T10:39:55.701-06:00Out of Style? Not for Me!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ThMqK0bnqLMNIiqPywqMnC8L6sXrw4OYBCYDgY3tDVfV4aQeRSaRyKElGwvnTX4gaKbdQQh6l0Liuioc6NHCTksJWUNtpoObX4RggQ3eMB7rLQKe7ObynDUW8CD3-W87CEqfwCPTbNSX/s1600/DSC00201.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544045215651329922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ThMqK0bnqLMNIiqPywqMnC8L6sXrw4OYBCYDgY3tDVfV4aQeRSaRyKElGwvnTX4gaKbdQQh6l0Liuioc6NHCTksJWUNtpoObX4RggQ3eMB7rLQKe7ObynDUW8CD3-W87CEqfwCPTbNSX/s400/DSC00201.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I understand all too well that some of my readers weren’t even born in the seventies, but those of you who were around during those years probably remember the crocheted poncho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My clever and crafty sister made this for me in 1972 or 1973.</span><br />.<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">No one would ever describe me as being stylish, but even I know that the fashionable woman of today does not dress in a crocheted poncho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I understand that wearing it announces to the world that I am not classy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>During my kids’ teenage years, it gave me great pleasure to wear it, since doing so gave them fits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My daughter once made the comment, “I’ve heard of fashion statements, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">that</i> is a fashion exclamation, and it’s exclaiming ‘OUCH!’”</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I am always happy when the weather gets cool enough to pull out my poncho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I may look like a pathetic old hippie, but underneath all that yarn, I feel young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Thanks, Sis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still love my poncho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, I would love one in pastel colors for spring.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmUbHtY-cX_oKLpL6QDgh7Yu0ni77JaYFU0g1f3x-B18psFkKNYH-LDrDLgvqTuMU4BaYjWZzrBv-Kyaw0lYA_RE-QIEg0Zv6X-SzQrXQGrdhsBrpLzRNp3kL0ZF6iWx-HNTJf-YowCX2/s1600/DSC00200.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544045214574186114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmUbHtY-cX_oKLpL6QDgh7Yu0ni77JaYFU0g1f3x-B18psFkKNYH-LDrDLgvqTuMU4BaYjWZzrBv-Kyaw0lYA_RE-QIEg0Zv6X-SzQrXQGrdhsBrpLzRNp3kL0ZF6iWx-HNTJf-YowCX2/s400/DSC00200.JPG" /></a><br /><div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-53738031285897872172010-11-20T21:12:00.011-06:002010-11-20T23:16:53.087-06:00The Posts I Didn't Write<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541858373955610418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWUfq8kait00I5UO8aLhHijrkkNFV8C0IyDFMttDqwBGGSGUqvkcmRamnJgrSsGwHi5QzpG_Q5bbmCoDk_0CWmIGRcK1IyrQnTYVrmRhUgYE5iuangyLVCo2JSQfg5dVmFA00CiXJFDzR/s400/DSC04266.jpg" /><br /><br /><div> <span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It’s been quite some time since my last post to this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Did you miss me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Oh, I hope so!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Those of you who don’t see or hear from me regularly may have thought I died of food poisoning from the church picnic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(See previous post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And no, no one got food poisoning.)</span></div><div align="left"><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My break from blogging wasn’t intentional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve been busy, but that’s nothing new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Having written 103 posts in less than two years, maybe I’ve said most of what I want to say, but I doubt it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have lots of opinions and stories.</span></div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Recently I read a charming, but strange, little book written by a couple of very old ladies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They called one chapter “The Men We Didn’t Marry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Taking a pointer from them, I thought I’d mention a few things that have happened in my life this fall that I didn’t document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They are all topics I thought about pursuing, but didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So here’s a summary of “The Posts I Didn’t Write.”</span></p><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">ENCYCLOMEDIA 2010</span></p><div align="left"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541858372429100210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT_4LP-P7MHKWNImxwJSgXIlWP7fQYFwgLU5A5wSBZYZZfP9xCPKS3_03xrDrIG6vxKtrRHEp59hRTcpJIJNxiuWSOsm4yNgUViGZpoZiL7rk_-NO7tvHQohZca_ooXzw0Dl6qWhA3HcE/s400/DSC00129.JPG" /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Every year the Oklahoma State Department of Education holds an event designed for educators and librarians called “Encyclomedia.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I met some writers, learned about the latest books, and hung out with my writing friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I didn’t blog about Encyclomedia.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">HOME TOURS</span></div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541856610457093474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30x1d8o15iGqxcAN2eubFP24xKfromCDYCXRfhK7lAV9vag9-MxAXLx_n6gCUdLHnR9b31nX2MqkCcYsIyw-VgaD6StSXGEqFapRggarhBC6F0QnINv1nVcp_mBo3l1XoA9ApnATiOtaN/s400/DSC00183.JPG" /><br /><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I toured two historic neighborhoods (Linwood and Heritage Hills), where I saw some beautiful homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had a great time, the weather was perfect, and the friends who accompanied me were fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I didn’t blog about the home tours.</span></div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541856602202542418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xjtyrD9kcXdzwFOFl_lrTvcyndvx2zo7REeAy2FfhU3VvXgnztNlJ4GDknFoFGFrcGu5jCucRyNnGZ43yxtLFaq0zi_O8lNIqQ1eGWlannZYgOE2ggjuobKgAnYKID4C47H2AgDJ-JvB/s400/DSC00189.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541853336613063746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vo9jobxiJveZNq9fI25mXi9iTXViTGhym_kauVtYlN-E5_WKGSmzIJ8XuL-t4Xv8nALp2yQcb39niATyW_PPSqgiaoJCdteE85l9T4nKZQMV6UVt4Go7u7_oxg44j0Vkq-PSFe767aE8/s400/DSC00195.JPG" /> <div align="center"><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541853327245210594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83AUbr1nC4WQ2lySgO06i3EY6cRX8FkmSn2e1h8x0Ht-wpmGYp0kvUebbYkyMotZC0ZCb47nyLZLf8YI1DdDeNfQAzDl3ZF9gA4VWarttC-sL2ti09Beo4-gICRyfi9k7gvq38uekS79a/s400/DSC00192.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541853321144997570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujnwAdE6Ygk_UJQpjDzrTbuv5eVeERoQVzdbcmkbyyjaM0_rHASq6wuVRzfGvukbZ1kmXir68zfW1gMy7AvlV6DcjXEYme8wg3P5xiKDW5g0vxtmVHlGXNZieqeYk-OYc7ktFBkeQV-HJ/s400/DSC00193.JPG" /><br /></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">A WEDDING</span></p><br /><div align="center"> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541850537357809522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qT6MxvhyphenhyphenomsFnnS_bssZ7b3LGQiAveQLP6NCA7LAsokcGZhmqdEAjoYtfURG8NupUh3jbTeUe44e71RU-BkS73Za3vIXomnQYU6lRK_VphCol5RCOhCwwx0a2J_9vROCUc8yjHQKhUpO/s400/DSC00062.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My friend Randi, from our Mark Twain years, married Steven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a beautiful wedding, and Ienjoyed spending time with school friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I didn’t blog about the wedding.</span></p><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541850529338959410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNaet-11QQIAFZTPlE6tM3W4L43H259CtoAyk-08WZJNFXCuQLl0cjRY9OwoTU1z90_GZ58P5FcNqWi1uLS3y6GMLzcdA-LMjXFl447k1PeT1MGindkPjRke0uHTdVFZSRi6VPMnr7PNB/s400/DSC00072.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">STATE FAIR OF OKLAHOMA </span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541848192965050226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodNRTckP9BVNpn3t3b31D_y1izCZi77v0cV517GPeDrK6oju0vdso2FYAbUVUYrO9ALEu2ABcf7eFEDUpBTTZ1lYd9aMUQycdP0weWwSJMcIZrOa7hcfs_4lFhM5B4zEP0JvXmpKHuZ-g/s400/DSC00047.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I used to love to go to the state fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then everything started to look like the same old stuff I’d seen the previous year, so I stopped going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I don’t know when I last attended, but it has been many, many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In September I decided to check out the fair again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately, it looked like the same old stuff I remembered from way back when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And it cost $3.50 for a soft drink!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I didn’t want to sound cranky, so I didn’t blog about the fair.</span></p><br /><br /><p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541848177572490882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEvrn15B3QYrRDbU4MPj2cNvPzSL2Jao5G6gPf5NL9ZehzHLJt1-AUlAHcVlrxYTk7v7nqnyEX4jlW8xiq1SRY1XTWWC8XYk56Ezk7kyOQIGASxqb6JY0rJlrVBrfxgflFcnNlwRG5Zfo6/s400/DSC00049.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541848164301513714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLYP6KikcfTSOPRXIAV4hrW9f0l-UgcxjnXTEolbm9EC_SC7Rdf_pNK1YjXxoBnQDCiZ4pzBoIjvYoQLyoJbkejN3BvRz6TVrAytDX0fQ3lIhVsr2AlpfrgxQkX9TMXYYiU0inVhGj5Mr/s400/DSC00050.JPG" /> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541846916046348242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe56bUO54kXHZN2m1a3QYFPDH8d0L2y5XeOfztsvXtVPMmtVrn9IwAC5OUsJFD09ucwbhoT7xd7qTtY-8R0dtkiyxN2OSuV2MNRbLZc7vnxwZiWTnAImcB_RQcP6mLbv_lFd4YJxcG-k2/s400/DSC00045.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541846907426522002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaK96rHSuGGLLzqREBOW_gCKwDgQPYXs83ggjNRJarLaPiHOh6f80tzFtUEG8yYh3TGZdMCuBpN0BhZMOgDVFx3-0wW8354hF13yh5Zm84rmxzRfm5E-_yL8ULXz3mqIMeSMIwegLqccf1/s400/DSC00017.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I've also done a lot of very routine or boring things. But I didn't blog about them.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-30221753185342253442010-10-03T22:50:00.011-05:002010-10-03T23:54:27.870-05:00Life's Not Always A Picnic<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524043235856469282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20tSEbLTVVfMWez0BVS_ple4LCuqafe9gcBuNyYindqHRU7kDkqc6p0P4KHR7_7eSalap5WLhr7oRzr59qIeLYa0JRzN2J46R69WCLlNVY2pGk1D1If6Rp6Ed0iaUs4t3rY72cqjz1gK2/s400/DSC00085.JPG" /><br /><div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Life’s not always a picnic, but today it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My church held its annual picnic at Stars and Stripes Park, and we had a great turnout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524043234948855362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSptCzcGMRun6nCanVWVFAcirZrpZSwPnaQfT05vT7wx_EpMlMvSUZ3pj-cCg8Bh39aCMrXepmTzJdqafrNcZom3RGRlJdrdRn_W9plXgO03pHXKNH-XLnTiW1j1GfyAIxlYu5WR1dgkCX/s400/DSC00093.JPG" /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was a perfect October day, offering the kind of beautiful weather that makes you think Oklahoma is a wonderful place to live. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>(Well, personally, I think it’s a good place to live in all kinds of weather, but I have to admit that if I wanted to convince folks from out of state to move here, I’d ask them to visit in April or October.)</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524043229671106802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxXQG-Ji5UKVXoLZbmgGhfipId_TWHRmL-SXjyO-LyAYce6puKn_a-kRxK7si1dkUkkZiKDF4m_bsGznKq4wlFT1KGcOEukNFQ3NXYhgU0Ul7rfn8uoOs-aMJWNfXApiYbW1ALv7JDIVV/s400/DSC00095.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The cooks took their work seriously.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524043221609095698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuTVU93yP0yzqL0zwVEoJtWDKoxTD_T24bjJU-sgU8-Xmu8Ttn8h6AWNtC7nbD7d3ICg941YHLB2x2iydiKXKXwuCI-SjPFdomAX3xbV6E2TIVh17-UVxR9i-q3GYPaH1qw4mvodu1WGP/s400/DSC00107.JPG" /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524040475460962914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcyGkBSlenvdNeuSiC-oKYEjOvDfPG93WcSQSRhyE829MwA7BMeZSbvHQr5JUsgX11UT3-S8Cz0gRIUG3fml4noaJQ1nZH0m9DQfy-lN0cP58NPY56cmTyohn7RdAeRiAigOV679DhdA1/s400/DSC00088.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The designated eaters responded with enthusiasm.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524040464889014642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27jWRW5uLv9GhdKCcaWfNO44Ww-qrKTaNnlOho-ZWQnkSy0I6Fw2JaMOpPQwG6k4MyzstYPLSTuRmKrA0jazoeqQok2WQSuFPs8Tz409qvxNcwem7CEkFSP1eNPfb-sGflNZr7zqaExgb/s400/DSC00094a.jpg" /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 373px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524040462361270658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpdBm_3FcD_BCWJtIrCpfTepJWpt9TAhaHaS_T77fr-Hi4q1jPN6wGNUM9QQXiZJffbN_uHmmeDIwOorJDbv05IyYOWq4K3PVM-6dm_PcUWQh-nteJdkLc1zS36EKuXsorTXnCsB3Ubkz/s400/DSC00111a.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Abe felt a bit overwhelmed by all the choices.</span></p><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 347px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524038220482527698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89Aq3gcVylvPfJnqNZjau2jk1vV8a4SmVWoFeP8nEj3y_TS3v0VRI7Cu9e8W5H68mWgQpsfouWNDCkK0XUa_6OLZgA010MerRydTf84AwbeuzZs29e4ZF_w2rsQLSl62bRhES6aPY62Ag/s400/Abe+close+up.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bryce made a new friend.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524038214797702994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBxua4FBDi6fCgCac8GX3maa3O9hHIoTuCjnQoVtRm55CJe8ltgklZled9JGNR3ky7One_8J0a3AO7Xb4G9q49j1jRynxX4QZpBGtQ1syb-TAf2eLLKYorQrMRYICTL7mJlL39c_oDYJEj/s400/DSC00101a.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Bryce also spent a lot of time checking out this guy.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524038206273741202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAnFjh9hIdj5E_iEHVhnZ9UfvWLIBAtoNfTsfdg7FxehWJ8VegbTpyDHcl4B67YCSqgAysGGUv9sZZjnPuONkdTk4KOks40NSgulY3EomzGqM21u0Wwok_BJou6YFRCXgtmGjEQGC5XL1/s400/DSC00118a.jpg" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Brayden enjoyed time with his grandmother.</span></p><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524036074961400738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikztCVxz2PMfEJoAEV0yETrQj2ev9MLVAYyCGZKFeVhyphenhyphenXcTOR5_1yO8OwYXcLpiVMqT2_eqykx7TBwZ1XB9h77XhOqZDgHbg2DX6MFL97yXkawl4lKZLZmTEeTenTY5T9NgtryE1i0wjjL/s400/DSC00113.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The boys wolfed down their food, then played ball.</span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524036068215895234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8C0RyhWnM60UlUXitXTOm_-4kPSrHSJ_9D28uW3-VbKKQIVLqf1ICmWx68hKc0hPJMKPAYXvlwC9LxI67ekWVdxwiTkJESWwVf2BuWNAWRr7gY9qMWOnyHUG0rr1zUlyI3wEKi0QSzOU-/s400/DSC00108.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524036062278739922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOukTS-tM4HWpHtJZ7niGF5M6m9cKOQPYIyQgy0y964N3Lad_BaxF7gWg7vM10irLNM7kU5F0HsKNZdDzspH9igyyUsP_j4hpIK4GW95xRudAn0ZjnWjQi_jeJoQoyFrz3s6ArEdjlFofm/s400/DSC00103a.jpg" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Good conversations occurred over delicious food.</span></div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div></div><div><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524034570264606114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ifThJnO2yBwZ7pWfr1QXbrh6ef-gmxVsGVVL6YYkFG0_6k7kaEOGU3bXYgvILkzMaaGHlKqEQ8M2i7YmV5zER8mpxoYwYPmXwakhjo2DPAvf4Up8-W0Yu0xXg9KNvCLm9hx33xi6UFaV/s400/DSC00105.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Even after the food was consumed, conversations continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some conversations appeared to be quite serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> T</span>his group of guys is always solving problems. </span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524034561739958162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-71x7xk9KUvj4VmUuFzE1VTBLk2CmP2kY0doXYMLKIlbbE13FWcM6ibYi-69j5r6tRYOtxvKw3sfMm9YCRWtxK7gFY_rKUzE3LJZwDzoquLd3n6bJlnEqh6Eqn-JHJNuRC0hL6Myaa3be/s400/DSC00115.JPG" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Friends exchanged smiles and hugs.</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524034556849730674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSd9tLG7zbdPMKY8Hki0YHoqqZIGLroyIuEZBXpEyBLtTkhCJRJKBedlPlKswXJvx3mhMHQII5M6UT6lp2Qq-2WLFCnXBLg-aTyc4abx7yGDg969xxWbBq-muVupPkxiTCFemuF-TRT3de/s400/DSC00122.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It was an excellent way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon! </span><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-53979893329005111122010-09-08T20:24:00.008-05:002010-09-08T21:00:57.397-05:00Every Writer Starts Somewhere<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQaHC8CfB0OAscd468B43aJa3F9cpq0TwE42zCPSk7H0QTzCtlELEOSPeMA6YrOVjfSA7zNALKtPev52EoKbujdiQur7_f7ra-V2RvFJIHOjrJ0CRWdCk-cFePp5UmWvS-8Mx8-68vFtU/s1600/DSC00016.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514725360337181682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQaHC8CfB0OAscd468B43aJa3F9cpq0TwE42zCPSk7H0QTzCtlELEOSPeMA6YrOVjfSA7zNALKtPev52EoKbujdiQur7_f7ra-V2RvFJIHOjrJ0CRWdCk-cFePp5UmWvS-8Mx8-68vFtU/s400/DSC00016.JPG" /></a><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My mother thought I was brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She also had a sentimental side, causing her to save many things produced by her offspring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Because of her distorted perception of my abilities and her packrat tendencies, I can still put my hands on the first book I ever wrote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This manuscript has been around for more than half a century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s showing its age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But all the elements of a good book seem to be present.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Obviously, the cover needed a graphic artist, but in those days I was blissfully unaware of the need to catch the reader’s interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, I only had to show it to my mother and enjoy her high praise.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">At eight years old, I actually went by the horrible name that my parents gave me, so by looking at the cover, you get information about me that few people have known until now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(At thirteen, I staged a minor rebellion and insisted that my family and friends call me by a nickname, which has stuck.)</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I dedicated my book to my grandmother, who also thought I was brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And just look at that table of contents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wasn’t I a precocious child?</span></p><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514725352106733410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3auzEzwm1uChhmW20VsmKTVrMFg6huxLw2-vdC-ACGIbSVnMu_9OlZWndyY1Da_5sGTIycjVl6YdmwXjcZMd1y5dRFedAHoKGj3iI4krD-pEZ4Rs1tEe7eEqNby6V0zCIqyDJKl8D8iWJ/s400/DSC00008.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The first page shows my religious upbringing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m rather impressed by my childish ability to state the essence of Christianity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s the Gospel, pure and simple, in three short sentences.</span></p><br /><div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514724795696413986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19dWXcy58YiubbGCOZ2ECdlb8Knnx6XDtm2h311a4QrtxkKxNcG8fKRownHV9Ukw75E76IzGG1b5smyFYr_4Pkc2xtf7zh8s4TAJAJXdHWrtUaJGYVSfw-3ZoXpRxYUQ8bt0uRQEx3uMY/s400/DSC00010.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">As this page shows, I first aspired to be an artist, but a third grade classmate destroyed that dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Janie could draw much better than I could, so I decided to be a writer instead.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514724785864224130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5mtseZqFP4u2iWnFClwBEBiMlR7gWTebiveVucFEgAZd79dNzOrkIGEe8DslzRGNqVGHDvPrWR87IXQZDl_QCQm1Tou4-MuqRAdt__eq-d4yYzEMxtOR0zzsv-TXKf_gA8Qf2iHMJj-z3/s400/DSC00011.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">In those days I even considered myself a poet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It looks like I favored free verse, although I did have one great rhyme in the middle of the poem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’ve spent years trying to figure out what the heck I meant by that last line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Maybe I was being deliberately obscure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know some poets like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They think that if the poem confuses the reader, it’s deep.</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514724267244036370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVXrTkJl5j18eRKyTJkmZyAbeln3cqwGdH3rucaHHd0MGVqZQkfHxX9VRW0PopIH5GobGbBs0hpGqzi_JJwPsERDmAaZl7bXKlMVOJaokkwigwfb9fydDPyRFHfKNJJjfT8LLq1qp8clK/s400/DSC00012.JPG" /><br /><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-: minor-latinfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12;" >I wasn’t above plagiarism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Notice that I didn’t give credit to the author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514724252263399650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHraSGN0aq3J6D-Hvt09BYzvalHbVth2cJqKL0hyphenhyphen0rDhpoA8arHPRb7cyEr2GIZuiGxlAcpl0hh_yw04LmTDG3X-cuUWiS7Esdej1fndJJ1w0LH_CGIXpWwy0uL-uL-J2xfiPZ2RvhRa9/s400/DSC00013.JPG" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This last story came from my own experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Like seasoned writers, however, I changed the details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here are the facts: (1) At three years old, I spent several weeks in the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(2) When I returned home, my parents got me a puppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My dog’s name was Spotty, but I couldn’t pronounce his name correctly, so he was known as Potty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(4)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Tip was the name of the dog in my first grade reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Does anyone else remember the Tip and Mitten stories from the fifties?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At the time, I thought they were great literature.)</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514723621680733458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7joLMK8UKninqeFmpXc7yro1v57vBWy9HKBcFyPdrpQfWpK3aQiF-NEtBtO7xDL4Rm_Nmt_KrG3cKrloNExcTBjHps8ZhQW3NbtSDtlp5v65ggbaRCSmKlesYss_xeADwDmSCRCQzLKAa/s400/DSC00014.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514723612292237362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBmiYVRbj_wbM2wX1_e1zBI-cpmiofK4ppI313rDznxkjwqlC6wbiHUfNkj1hzlQ-C2topFkDsb1pHz9VKToq5vbk8D7TeKrH0m128ObOcyFkpTo0JdzAcSE4isMUZsho4KdW8dXY5VFN/s400/DSC00015.JPG" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Every once in a while, it’s good for me to look at my humble beginnings and realize how far I’ve come with my writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now I have a filing cabinet full of manuscripts that show far more promise than this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>All I need is a publisher who thinks I’m brilliant.</span><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-76250918737264727542010-08-28T22:16:00.006-05:002010-08-28T22:44:28.751-05:00From THE Sixties to OUR Sixties<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510668756978592290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfD0RYM1ypnYOvxN_BVyWTOz24IbPjgbij3bjPwAMALJY00iH-KcRGO4tvhgbd-_7X3Y1ecylQTiO4c5wKcvjzYbfNJhvKc63AXqrGAUbQxjn58a4yf08ts23gZwlsSaoYnz-Z01UlPVpg/s400/929_0797%5B1%5D.JPG" /><br /><div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I’m one of the old ladies in this photo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not much to look at, are we?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The five of us met at the University of Oklahoma during the sixties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These women were some of my closest friends, and they were part of my wedding, forty-three long years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were all considerably cuter—and thinner—then. </span></p><br /><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 231px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 219px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510668752237550290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu85fl7EUXb6RAOutr59jAP33q-ltm5WVWi6R5kFxxlpKxBSoG-C20Y8iAbnFvaLrtGFzvorv2AMZHJ7afZJQEE6Xr63GRQRiUiW0zKlIaTPV1t2C699loQkA0ZB-JLixiKMXXBhIhXqr/s400/images%5B4%5D.jpg" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510668739715560114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CXA9eg_97Kzf6nZ6MIpQNGhje-hjRRUqc2wYww3M9QStjhhYyYgWSG3QAGaMjM66oSRm-cTGyYeILNt-P5X_QYwyesTWGyaaF0kuQEbVzrbETI4V2NeGdVVkeFPUXS5EY7UbHXKEeQkr/s400/news_oklahoma_4%5B1%5D.jpg" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">After college, we scattered, ending up in three different states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although we saw each other occasionally, forty years passed before we were all together in one place again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510668733334950274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4k3AjpvuC9r5bNwHv-9UINCXDTplQ5J3U10kEN0DnfAn07H31dzzDJP3l0gUhj4Nr8-CF_qiB80IJsw4zGpkn2QhunkhL19Oi0nk46QafOyu_VYHT2uRKxNuxsrBEMO4zkXt8p-IA8Sjx/s400/DSC06341.JPG" /><br /><br /><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Two years ago we held a reunion at Margie’s beautiful Colorado mountain home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For most of four days, we talked almost nonstop, causing us to name our gathering “Gabfest 2008.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At the end of our time together, we vowed to reunite every year for as long as possible.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510668725623000690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihN8HYwHdW-lBBsJLi9eJ5hNtsWEuE2AFK_CZhgq5i-XaaelRixmzWGzH5HaKZAYBpYI96opug2Hj6Q3Lzca81gFZnZ4Sl3aBJEsfgx1byNhKzxEoKG8n56LqZVEYsSwHY4jUu4jKPc1GR/s400/DSC06350.JPG" /></span></o:p></p><br /><br /><div><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-: minor-latinfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12;" >Gabfest 2009 was as wonderful as the original reunion had been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Last week we came together for Gabfest 2010, and once again the magic happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being with these ladies renews my energy and soothes my spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(And being in Margie’s gorgeous house is really cool, too.)</span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510666944029212354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkdmaRRSGTOltjv2b1wAQik8BnzsEmk5-VjG7UCkjkXeVRZV8rx2mIuBDc640oh9bEOAZMa79wEjxTKfgkXm-B34iA7WlUU23ed4WRgLIhUoGQihqnxhYwK1MJqPCvoZIZfkN122Knxzk/s400/DSC06348.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510666929801346706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQZ1yli-i2lC-yQmGaBS72SYc102ahklgL-0jXjc7H5cJIVMeFOCHBSw_DFvgRSwZGfXU6HgrsRmxO8041NqaQ-7zOO7Cv6eNVQa_NfSv7ZVHXFQHid4z1vA_jHVZFGxtyo22vLVYtIzA/s400/DSC06367.JPG" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Friends from that long ago are special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They knew you when you were young, with all your naïve opinions and immature behavior. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>They know your history—your dreams, disappointments, challenges, broken relationships, and triumphs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></div><div> </div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></div><div></div><div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510666922047356994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFUsEFEzGLciIyfpF7IrTn47cGCH5s6dRJ6aHT90DOY9P8M-JTmogfWzjcAkSUvBS96ZZoXq-Z0NqLctIiPga39vwwLBJWb3OD4rZbhqkqTFUrVQh_LlzQglfhN5Swcom1UuKry2mCMwh/s400/DSC00056.JPG" /><br /><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-: minor-latinfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12;" >The five of us have a total of over three hundred years of life experience, and we’ve gained some wisdom along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’ve grown in compassion, tolerance, and understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our senses of humor developed over time as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’re more fun as old broads <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-: minor-latinfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12;" >than we were as college girls.</span></span><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510666917563348482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNbsMz0DRPJISz2b8QMa5Uhug74rSrv2wsWEHq6fAj8fnHDwa8ror0G4gjO-pR7CgOnpdMR4k72aUHCZKZ2b-2NGK3SNkYw0TMig_8c1u-WJ-woggc9E5UEN0EQC021vXMxt8FtuFSQF_y/s400/DSC00058.JPG" /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">From the sixties to our sixties, we’ve changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’re not much to look at these days, but we’re very interesting women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like us better now.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510666903269427634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9HYZzMC4lXRwwhogBQncaP4j-wYvEM_qiiA9CdqjhHimo7Ul6ScL9tmMms1PRx3P5luq8fmKfROIxOsP8qe6IzvFxhoqyS8qo7EAdRylVt8TrR2FuIHuQfMEMhvkFoBJ1x0RTfIpGs5x/s400/929_0809%5B1%5D.JPG" /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7638745637381887021.post-81690490752075809552010-08-08T17:16:00.004-05:002010-08-08T19:36:27.023-05:00Treasure<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502796040332974898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGu4UojozZXfC2UXosLTZD9uwtHhsbEB_FroeTTLdCSbCoiwXwlmgjeWx6Y6PXpsytbvuTH9b2lLlaLfIWzvbwNtSXa1P4iokzFWnN99Nylle17D9MylW53TUVF6iADwCIZF_L5UMj615H/s400/DSC01138.JPG" /><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This week something precious showed up at our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While moving from California to Louisville, Kentucky, my nephew Jesse stopped for an overnight visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He delivered a piece of furniture that has belonged to our family since before my birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Someday I’ll probably write more about Jesse, since he’s a young man destined for an interesting and meaningful life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>This post, however, is about the small table that shared the front seat of his truck for a couple thousand miles.</span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Ten years ago, I sold a piece about this table to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Mature Years</i> magazine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you’ve never read any of my published works, here’s your chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Treasure” was published in the Winter 2001-2002 issue<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i></span></p><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502796030241057650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jAmpFyOuNEk2Cx39NPqZC_fUd2xyf55uMWKRWLTHrA1Jc1CS2bCiJPGETKF-1whQjgqD32lNHzLfEEJWhzDYFz2-GhhU30j3tkoYLNStFjZa4SiD40goyOy7owBrz8Y4tr9Bv0NS5KKV/s400/img305%5B1%5D.jpg" /> <span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">If your eyes are better than mine, you might be able to read my article from the copy below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But for those of us with older/weaker vision, I’ve reproduced it in larger print below the magazine copy.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 382px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503194144152044178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rf7ucybtiKLRmjkkW_CPcpcNeheH8jp7ylw39LgM3fKn6hG9snTy5Wc4gnPqVUupYWgPC26G3ndSxUqmprmwkk_0d04Y0TMJFyr6vYUN6qk0HoWZoCLNps1NpCmY2X9twmttcvJz4eMg/s400/img304%5B1%5D+-+Copy.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5ZOnZ2Ns3fNIiJ_naEx-cH6BSeMQMI1b7wM7OpU_U3iNj25brwRK2SjCQ6WIrUsITK4tfbGXha8QKlm_eeLzrkDWmEm85eMQNi3nG2oMI9rXwLPOWpltcv2VdqbGfhyyyZw0RFj5bz-Y/s1600/img304%5B1%5D.jpg"></a></div><div><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">TREASURE<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">My sister and brother and I had gathered to clean out our childhood home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As we sorted through possessions collected over a period of decades, one item stood out as the treasure each of us most wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">While stationed in India during World War II, our father had bought a small round table, made of beautiful wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each of its three legs is shaped like the head of an elephant, with large ears and trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The table top’s inlaid ivory creates an intricate mosaic of the Taj Mahal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Though it has monetary worth, for family members, its real value is sentimental.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">For each of us, the “India table” was one of our earliest and most constant memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’d crawled around it and explored the legs with baby hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As older children, we showed it to our friends and wondered about the far away place where Daddy had found this wonderful, exotic piece of furniture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>As teenagers, we dusted it; as young adults we protected it from our own curious offspring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each of us loved the table with a passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each of us would treasure it forever.</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">.</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><o:p>For days, as we divided the belongings among us, we laughed and teased each other, saying, "Remember, nothing in this house is more valuable than our good relationship with each other--except, of course, the India table!"</o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Throughout our lives, the three of us have shared tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Child-sized tables and dinner tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Picnic tables and card tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wedding reception tables and church communion tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Around tables we’ve shared stories, games, family celebrations, complaints about homework, and anguished conferences about Mom’s decline and need for care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Eventually, we agreed upon a plan for sharing the India table as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Each of us will have custody of the cherished table for five years at a time, passing it among ourselves until only one of us is left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We are reaffirming what we already knew: nothing in that house could ever be more valuable than our love for each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not even the India table.</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">*****</span></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Thanks, Jesse, for helping your dad and your aunts keep a promise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I hope you know that you are far more precious to us than the India table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And that’s saying a lot!</p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502796022076391586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjkPg-qZmEJRcJY6LryuCJBq3YCDV00EPem004I-zXFQqPWpE4AN8Hs2Vssuix7PVtQXOEnTknvs_Z_i1ScEVE-GE6OKlALFxToYXUQO2hsnHVRt1nlubNuxMEuDHnP_dHS6Zufc_d-pv/s400/DSC01137.JPG" /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="COLOR: #548dd4; mso-theme: 153color:#0e002;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p></span></o:p></span></div></div>Okie Book Womanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00011163462551105694noreply@blogger.com4