Cinquanta - Fünfzig - Hanner Cant

I am fifty today!

Here is me when I first started out:

Here I am fifty years later:

Road Trip

Earlier this month, Randy and I headed off to spend a couple of days in Mountain Home, Arkansas.  Mountain Home is in the northern part of the state - in the Ozarks.  Oh my - this area is the prettiest area I have ever seen.  Even in that dreary, icky part of the year in between the new year and spring, when nothing looks good, it's beautiful. 

For me, that time of year right after Christmas, and before spring springs is the gloomiest of all times.  Not just because of it supposedly being the letdown after the holidays whoey, but because there isn’t any color in anything at all.  I know I should find the beauty in all things that God has made, but He really stretches my ability to do that in the dead of winter.

Anyway ~

You Just Gotta Have One

When I Take Over My World, Everyone Over Nine Years Old Will Own an iPad

Who needs health care?   I think as Americans, we would all be better off if we were given iPads when we turned nine years old.  I had to use nine because that is how old Sammy is.  I was going to say ten years old, but she would miss out if this was made into a law before October 19th this year.

Randy pleaded and begged me to pre-order the iPad back in April when they became available.  He knows all to well of my aversion to electronic devices.    He knows, that left on my own, I would still be using a corded phone and the first computer that we ever bought in the early ’90’s - the one so large we had to add a room onto the house for it.  But he nagged, he cajoled, he reasoned and I resisted, resisted, resisted until I couldn’t take it any more.  For the sake of wedded bliss and peace and quiet (and until the next new gadget arrived on the market) I bowed under the pressure and ordered an iPad, a case and the camera connection kit.

We Got the Easy Part

A few weeks back, on moving day for Cristy and Shaun, we made a surprise morning visit to their house to see if there was any help that we could offer.    Randy and I figured we could load our car with boxes, and then head over to their new house.  I could then find a clipboard and a pen and do what I do best.  Supervise.  Our contribution to the moving effort ended up getting Will and Sammy out from under their parents’ feet.  I call it the grandchildren protection plan.  If the g-kids wouldn’t have come with us for the day, I am sure that tears - for grownups and kids alike - would have been shed.  There quite possibly even could have been even bloodshed.

Who's That at My Door?

Recently, our doorbell rang.  Now as a rule, I don't normally answer the door.  Most everybody that we want in our house comes in through the garage at the back of the house.

I especially refuse to answer the door on Halloween.  But that's an explanation that will have to wait until October.  That is, if I am still doing this blogging thing.

Father's Day

Today is Father’s Day.  Randy and I took lasagna, a delicious concoction of layers of cream cheese and Cool Whip, topped with strawberry jello mixed with sliced fresh strawberries over a pretzel crust and dessert, which is a new recipe that is called Chocolate Cobbler over to Cristy and Shaun’s for dinner.

That was a run-on sentence if I ever wrote one.

Dislike Immensely

HATE |hāt|

verb [ trans.]

feel intense or passionate dislike for (someone):

the boys hate each other / he was particularly hated by the extreme right.

have a strong aversion to (something):

he hates flying / [with infinitive ] I'd hate to live there.

[with infinitive] used politely to express one's regret or embarrassment at doing something:

I hate to bother you.

noun intense or passionate dislike:

feelings of hate and revenge.

[as adj.] denoting hostile actions motivated by intense dislike or prejudice:

a hate campaign.

~~~

I do not like the word 'hate'. So instead of using that word, I use 'dislike immensely'.

I'm Watching You

People watching is a great activity.  One of the all time best places to watch people is at a boat launch.  If you go on a sunny weekend there is so much to keep you amused, entertained and shocked.  My personal belief is that many a divorce originated at a boat launch.  The mall at Christmas time is another great people watching place.  I love to grab a cookie and a coffee, sit on a bench in the mall and just watch.  Or maybe that is just an excuse to have a cookie...  Hmmm...  I must delve into this more.

Mise En Place

Mise En Place is a French phase for 'everything in its place."  When it comes to cooking and baking, I have terrible mise en place.  I barely read a recipe through, let alone am able to keep the kitchen organized and tidy while I cook.  I don't even take the time to close the doors to the cupboards.  Why waste the time?  I am going to open them again sooner or later.  Those hinges have only so many opens and closes.  And yes, I have injured myself more than once, wasting any time saved in swearing and applying bandaids.

Randy, on the other hand, has wonderful mise en place.  He does everything perfectly, right down to washing not only the dishes he used in cooking, but any other dishes that need to be done.  

Ohhh, This is Exciting

Shaun, Cristy and the g-kids have moved to the Plano house and are working diligently on getting settled.  Well, Cristy and Shaun are.  I am not sure how helpful Will and Sammy are.  The plan for them to move there has been in the works since the first of this year.  While Cristy was packing and preparing for the move, I think they all were a bit subdued on the excitement level on the days leading up to the move.

Until the day Randy and I were able to meet Shaun and Cristy at the house.

Yes, the grass needs mowing!

Living On the Edge

I took a gamble and lost.  

I don't put a lot of stock in the expiration dates on food.  I go more by my own common sense.  Yes, folks, you can use common sense and not have someone tell you what to do.  God gave us noses and eyes, it's not that hard to tell if something has spoiled.

My morning coffee is very precious to me.  Coffee in general is precious.  Not in a 'I have to have caffeine right now kind of way'.  But in a 'I really, really like my coffee' kind of way.

Although, I don't want to be Randy on a morning when I don't have my coffee.  Few and far between they are, but painful nonetheless.

You Know You Are Getting Old When...

Nothing makes you realize your advancing years more than current music.  I know now why Dad disliked the bass thrump-thrump-thrump in the music Deb and I listened to when we were teenagers.  If ever there was a reason to get the ‘glare over the top of his glasses’ look, ‘our’ music was in the top five.

Why do I wake up with song lyrics stuck in my head?  It’s never the songs I like, either.  Most mornings, it’s something like Lady GaGa's 'Bad Romance':

"Rah-rah-ah-ah-ahRoma, roma-maGaGa, ooh la la"

Is she singing about roma tomatoes?

Guess which one is not a roma tomato!

Look And Be Silent

There is a bevy of bunnies on our back patio this morning.  So far, I have counted four, hopping back and forth in front of the window where I am sitting.

I would like to sneak out there and take a few pictures, but I don’t feel right about disturbing their morning, since they aren’t disturbing mine.

I have found that there is quite a bit to look at if I just be quiet and look.

There is a tiny spider who made a great big web in the gardenias in front of the window.

SOOC

I just realized that my Photoshop phobia has a name.  Straight Out Of the Camera - or SOOC.  'Cause that's what I do - use my pictures right out of the ole camera.

It's always good when you are able to put a name on an affliction.  It is the first step in resolve-ation.  

Thackerville OK

The other weekend, Randy and I drove to Throckmorton, Oklahoma to the new WinStar casino to attend a car show. Actually, the casino is in Thackerville, but I can't get Throckmorton out of my mind for some reason.