Trippy

Did you know we went to Oklahoma and Texas for a couple of weeks? Well, we did. And I have visual proof.

We started out in Oklahoma visiting with my parents and one of my dad's sisters whom I haven't seen since I was a teenager. I had a good time with her.



I also had a mini-class reunion/get-together with some folks I haven't seen since...well...a long time ago.



Then, we headed to Texas!

Here is the hunting/fishing lodge we stayed in. It was pretty nice until the family started wandering in from their respective sleep houses. Then the AC decided that it would freeze up on us. We toughed it out for a while then headed into town to a cousin's house to swim or to shoot pool. Or both. (Not at the same time, sillies.)



This is the lane going up to another cousin's house. Her and her husband have 80 or so acres to toodle around on.



We took their off-road vehicle thingie and explored the wildlife. I miss the smell of the plants in the country.



We had to stop to take photos of this little guy (girl?).



A Texas cousin, two California cousins and I made a day of it in Lubbock. We shopped some and ate ourselves sillier at The Cracker Barrel. Chicken and Dumplins...yum.



We stopped at Sonic for a beverage on the way home and later, we had to go to Dairy Queen (Had to, I tell ya!) I had totally forgotten about the DQ Dude (Steak Sandwich). I ordered one of those and enjoyed every bite of it.



Back to Oklahoma and a quick trip over to see some friends in Stillwater. We ate lunch at Mexico Joe's. OMG, I miss those people (and that salsa and blue corn enchiladas with Sonoran sauce!)



Back at Mom's...she made me make my Granny's homemade banana pudding. I had to stir that mess for 15+ minutes! It is worth it though...



Oklahoma sent us off with a gorgeous sunset.



And Iowa welcomed us back with an also gorgeous sunset.



So I'm tired. But I'm back home where it is cool!

And now for something a little more upbeat.

1. It's 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely:

Somewhere else. (This is pretty easy so far.)

2. What's the last thing you spent more than $100 on?

The disaster that was the National Bowliing Tournament (Tourney, plane ticket and hotel. I could have bought a fancy new mattress!)

3. What do your bank checks look like?

They're rectangular. And were free.

4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from?

It was a used t-shirt swap from Swapbot.

5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list:

I would like a new mattress.

6. What color is your toothbrush?

White and pink.

7. Name something you collect and tell us about it.

Dust. You can write your name in it, just don't date it.

8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it?

Los Agaves. Me and the family. Good as usual.

9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for?

I'm into the whole rubber stamping thing so I make homemade cards now. And I can't remember that far back.

10. What is your worst bad habit?

I recently acquired a twitch in my left arm when I drive. I don't know why and I'm trying to stop. (Is that a habit?)

11. Name a magazine to which you subscribe?

How about the ones I want? People and Readers' Digest. I actually get Mad Magazine and M@rth@ Stew@rt's Everyday Food (Shut up. It was free. I hate it.)

12. Your favorite pizza toppings?

Ham and Pineapple or Pork Sausage and Jalepeno.

13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book?
Why? What did you see?

The Dogs' Inn. I needed to board the dogs. I saw their number. Duh.

14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most?

Love love or like love? No fair. I'm not taking sides.

15. What is the last thing you cooked?

I'm making meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and garlic herb biscuits as I type this!

16. Name something you wouldn't want to buy used.

Underbritches.

17. Which shoe do you put on first?

I don't play favorites.

18. What is the last thing you remember losing?

I can't find my set of keys to my husband's vehicle. They'll show up.

19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house?

I like everything in this joint, but I guess I would have to say the sofa in the basement that has the one cushion that Scotch decided to make a meal of. It has a slipcover on it so you can't really tell.

20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning?

Nothing in a long time.

21. What perfume/cologne do you wear?

I have been spritzing with Bath and Bodyworks Sensual Amber. I don't think they make it any more, but SprawlMart has a knockoff.

22. Your favorite board game?

Sorry!

23. What was the last board game you played?

Sorry! or Spongebob's Life.

24. Where did your vehicle come from?

Johnson's of Enid, Oklahoma. As did the vehicle before it.

25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be?

Bobby Brown's That's My Prerogative.

26. You're sad, who can cheer you up easily?

Vinny.

27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?

Uh....the bride wore white. I don't know. I don't pay attention to that stuff.


28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most?

Dishes!


29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken?

Sitting at Eischen's with my friends. And with a side of fried Okra with Ranch for dipping.

30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is?

Not chocolate and has that crazy good Crisco frosting like they used to make years ago.

Don't let me interrupt your interruption

I'm not as forgiving as I used to be.

I used to get interrupted every now and then and I suppose I was just used to it, but lately, that nonesense has worked my nerves.

Just recently (and this happened MORE THAN ONCE! with various people, both young and old), I was talking to person "B" and out of nowhere, person "C" would start talking to "B" and then "B" would turn to "C" and totally leave me hanging.

I felt like yelling, "Hello! I was talking here!"

We teach kids (for the most part) to not interrupt and to wait until someone is finished talking before they ask a question or put their two cents in. And while many kids grasp this concept, it isn't sinking in for some and for some adults, if it did sink in, it fell out the bottom.

So what should I have done? Waiting until they were finished talking and complete what I was saying? Waiting until they were finished and refuse to continue what I was saying? Jumping in on their conversation to let them know how rude they were?

I started thinking that I was just boring people to death and they relished the interruption, but then I remembered what a brilliant personality I have and realized that wasn't the problem.

Africa Hot

Oklahoma is hot and wet.

Texas is hot and dry.

Either way...it's hot down here.

But the fun I'm having kinda evens it out...honing my pool playing skills...eating good snacks (ask me about the peanut butter fudge!!!)...seeing relatives I haven't seen in many years...seeing friends I haven't seen in a couple of years...

I'm tired of driving for hours on end, but just one more long jaunt and I'll be home on Friday.

Photos later.