Fraidy Hole

Everyone in Oklahoma should have one.

I have one.

And it's a big one...as you can see...in proportion to the aesthetically handcrafted charcoal grill placed strategically on top.

But here's the problem.

There's about 9 inches of water standing in the bottom.  And who knows what else?  I'm talking living, swimming, crawling, croaking creatures.

And this (I believe) is the reason for the problem.

Someone forgot the rule: Measure Twice -- Cut Once.

So.  Until I find someone to make me a new door, we'll have to keep the Tornado Party at the Ringle's.

Hope all my peeps found a fraidy hole last night.

This is what I live for...

Great Bible study this morning!  Uninterrupted time of meditation is so very precious.

Just have to share what God revealed to me today.  Maybe it's not a new thought for you, but it really stirred my heart.

Death.  It's what we live for!

We find it all around us.  Friends...loved ones...loved ones of friends...we can't escape it.  It brings us sadness and grief.  BUT.  Barring the second coming...it's the only portal to a literal face-to-face with the Creator of the universe. It's the means to get to our destination.

And although it's a joyful event in heaven, God knows that we will mourn.  So he comforts us.  Jesus went so far as to bring some back to life on earth. Not because this was a better place, but because he knew how we perceive death.

I know.  We have other purposes while we're alive in our human bodies.  And our journey is filled with blessings and opportunities.  But in the end, when I'm on death's doorstep I hope I will say, "Death, where is your victory?  This is what I've lived for!"

Never Again!

Never say never.  But somebody please slap me back to reality if I EVER book the last Thursday night flight from Tulsa to Houston again.

Throughout the day, the website continued to show more and more delays.  Last status check showed departure at 9:40 p.m.!!!  I had reserved a rental car, so at least Neal wouldn't have to pick me up...but since the resort gate closes at 9:00, he would have to let me in.  Actually, we ended up boarding around 8:00.  It was an airline miracle.

The flight was turbulent, to say the least.  The person sitting next to me jabbered away in Viet Namese.  The family behind me conversed in Spanish.  I was trying to read Harry Potter. Yes, I'm not only way behind the times, but I'm reading a juvenile novel...judge me if you like.  I will not apologize.  (I also try to read it in a British accent, 'cause I'm just that weird, which became very challenging, given the foreign conversations surrounding me.)

We landed around 9:40, but sat on the tarmac for almost an hour before we got a gate assignment.  Nope, you can't get up and potty, we may be moving any second now.  The flight attendant obviously didn't know I'd had a Diet Coke before leaving and a water during the flight.  Nor did she care.

Finally.  Arrival at the gate and a full stop.  Yay!!!  Oh but wait.  They have to find a jet way to unload all of us.  Are you kidding me?  So close....and yet so far.  Did they not know we were coming? Can't you just open up the slide/chute thingy and let us jump off?

Walking through the airport was very unsettling.  I can't tell you how many times I've flown into Houston Hobby, but nothing looked familiar.  I started wondering if I had even been on the right plane.  Kept looking for signs that said "Hobby" but to no avail.  My mind was cloudy and I was finding it difficult to keep my balance.  I should never have taken that little siesta while waiting on the tarmac.

Baggage claim was a nightmare.  Note to self:  Only carry-ons from now on.

Collecting my rental car should be easy, right?  After filling out all the forms, I went to the lot to fetch my car in space C-11.  Wouldn't you know it?  There's C-9.  C-10.  Space.  Space. C-15.  C-16.  It's a conspiracy, I say.  They're trying to make me think I've gone completely bonkers.  Now I'd have to wait while they serviced other customers before they could re-assign me a car.

In my younger years, I was very adventurous.  Didn't really get rattled much.  But driving an unfamiliar car--which by the way I hate 'cause the brakes are too touchy and I need a pillow so I can see over the steering wheel--on wet roads, in the dark, not knowing where I'm going, IN HOUSTON is an adventure I can do without.  I brought my gps, but could not find a place in the car to plug it in!  So I just prayed that the battery would last until I saw familiar exit signs.  


Arrived at my destination at 12:02, and even though Neal was on his way to the gate, there just happened to be a cadillac entering right in front of me.  I don't think the resort staff was too happy with me.  The little security golf cart with the flashing yellow light on top followed me all the way to the RV.  "Believe me, Barney.  You do not want to mess with me tonight."

It's T-Ball Weather

Emma.  Enjoying the game.  A game.  Some game.

Weekend Highlights

Saturday morning, a man in my yoga class started snoring during the last savasana (corpse pose).  Which proves my theory that clearing one's mind is much simpler for men than women.  Men just have to clear one thought, while the task is much greater for women, who have a million to-do's, worries and ideas bouncing around in their brains.

Enjoyed a wonderfully delicious luncheon among good friends to celebrate our neighbor's graduation from TU.

Drove 22 miles to purchase flowers and tomato plants.  Found a great parking place, right next to the garden department. Reached for my purse and realized I'd left it at home.  Drove 22 miles back home, then 22 miles back to the store, and of course...22 miles back home.  That's right.  Eight-eight miles.  That's roughly $16 worth of gas. Fortunately, my thoughtful bosses had given me a gift card for Secretary's Day that covered the cost of the flowers. I found an equally good parking spot on the second trip and had a great visit with an old friend in the checkout line.  I think that's called a serendipity or a "lagniappe" if you're Cajun.

I intended to buy "Big Boy" and "Beefsteak" tomato plants.  But got home with "Big Boy" and "Bush Cherry."  I'm not a fan of cherry tomatoes.  But neither am I a fan of driving another 44 miles round trip to return them.  So I will have plenty of cherry tomatoes to give away in August.

I got carried away and decided to plant flowers in the gate posts.

You probably can't tell, but the planters are taller than me.  Which explains why I haven't bothered before.  But being the resourceful person that I am, I drove this

right up to the posts and stood in the bed to do my planting.  All the while, shouting to passersby, "Yes!  I'm a crazy woman!"

But won't they feel silly (and just a tad bit envious) when these beauties start vining down the posts?

Who'll be crazy then? I ask.  Who will be crazy then?

Breaking News

Sand Springs Sandites are Regional Champions! SS 10, Stillwater 6. {insert happy dance}

My b-i-l in Michigan took over my screen and walked me through my external hard drive predicament. {more happy dancing}

I ate healthier today.  Well, except for the Tostitos (with a hint of jalepeno) and guacamole.  But that's "good" fat, right?  Now I will "happy dance" for at least 30 minutes to work off the chips.

This Week

The Sandites are playing in the Regionals.  And I am once again in a familiar place--on the bleachers.

Big win yesterday.  Sandites 10, Del City 0.
.

Another win today.  Close game with rivals from Sapulpa. Championship game tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

In other news....

I have an external hard drive for back-up that's been sitting unopened for two months.  Yesterday, I finally plugged it in.  Now I need a Mac expert to tell me what the heck I'm doing wrong.  Anyone?  Anyone?

And now, I will dispel all misconceptions that I have any self-discipline whatsover...

...here's what I ate today:  Egg McMuffin (could be worse), chocolate candy (bad), 22 oz. frozen cappuccino (bad), turkey sandwich (go me!), pastry from Ann's Bakery (weally, weally bad), and finally....three...count 'em...three slices of leftover pizza.  I will now go run a mile and do 138 sit-ups.  Or maybe just go to bed.

Summer is Coming!

At least that's what I thought yesterday.  Today it is cold and rainy and feels like November.

But yesterday.  Ahhhh.  Yesterday was glorious!

We got tons of outdoor work done and still made time for our little munchkins.

Lauren was pretty happy that we got the porch swing fixed.  I won't mention the incident that broke it.  Let's just say...from now on we'll limit the swing occupancy to two.

She's usually cooperative when it comes to picture posing.

But I had to do some coaxing to get her out in front of the purple irises.

What she really wanted to do was open the pool.  When I convinced her that that would not be happening today, she resorted to sitting on the diving board and dreaming about the hot summer days ahead.

Hmmm.  Maybe just one foot.

Jacob and Papa fished.

Jacob was a tick magnet.

Don't even ask.

 He's also obsessed with sticks.

 He managed to retrieve frog eggs from the pond and attach them to his stick.

Don't look, Trista....He also found a frog.

....and threw in some sticks.

This looks like a great stick.

 He told me this caterpillar was a boy.  How did he know?

'Cause it has a blue stripe on its side.  Of course, I should've known.

He and Papa were ecstatic to have a good reason to shoot the Red Ryder BB Gun.

I wasn't so thrilled with the reason.

I think the snake is still out there somewhere.