...well, at least I hope it is.
What, you may ask, is true?
That the summers in central Oklahoma really aren't always as bad as the ones I've lived through since moving here.
It was 104 this past Thursday, and I thought, yeah...right...
It was in the 90's leading up to that 104 this past week...but, really, given the fact that this was the first really hot week this year, and the past 3 summers all started to get that hot by the end of May...I was starting to maybe sort of believe the stories.
But then.
Then....
The forecast said it would "only" be 90 yesterday, and in the 60s last night.
And.
It happened.
Right now, in the middle of the afternoon on the last day of June, 2013, it's ONLY 82 degrees, and the HEAT INDEX? THE HEAT INDEX IS 81!!!
NOT KIDDING!
Last 4th of July it was 112, if I recall correctly. It was 98 that night when we were trying to watch fireworks from a roof top parking garage down town.
It had been in the low 100's every day for weeks by then last summer.
The summer before was the hottest summer ever recorded in any place at any time.
The forecast for all of this coming week?
80's during the days, and 60's at night. This is what I have been told is "more normal" until about August. THEN, in August, it goes up into the 90s and 100's.
But my past 3 summers have been literally 3 solid months of over 100 degrees every. single. day.
Dave and his son are at the movies today, but to me, this day is such a glorious gift, I could not handle the thought of sitting in a cool movie theater to escape this kind of beauty!
SO I have been out pulling weeds, and doing some yard work, or just sitting on the porch, or under the willow tree out front.
It's HEAVENLY out there!
I even convinced Dave to open the windows this morning, and leave them that way for me. I hate having to live in air conditioning 24/7. It makes my bones hurt! So this day is a true respite, and it's perfect!
In other news, there is no other news.
I realized that the lady I was waiting to hear from about the possible job was on vacation last week, because her daughter, the person who put her and me in touch with each other, was posting pictures of the family's annual vacation. The FAMILY ALL GOES.
My potential boss neglected to tell me that she would be out of town last week when she called me the week before to go fill out paperwork.
So, when I realized there was not going to be a phone call last week, I was able to let go of that little shred of anxiety.
Then, my condo tenant did NOT SEND ME an intent to vacate notice last week, either....and now his time is up, so I have to assume he's staying another year.
There went that little shred of anxiety.
Ahhh.....
Felt really sick last night, and went to bed while it was still light out. Never did throw up, but sat on the bathroom floor next to the toilet for an hour in anticipation. Ugh. Skipped dinner, so there's that much extra left overs for lunches this week.
That little shred of anxiety is gone...
Anyway, slept all the way til 7 this morning and feel much better today. Drinking coconut water and had miso soup for lunch. That's helping restore my internal balance.
Back outside now....need to pull up the garlic I planted last fall. The bulbs are small, but if I don't pull them, they'll just rot in the ground. Home grown garlic....I hope it's good!!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
vacation sum up
This past week has been the bees' knees!
Sleeping late and being at ease Saturday through Wednesday.... got errands done without pressure, did cooking projects without pressure... we even got pedicures!
( I think I mentioned that in my last post?)
We took bike rides, and we did a little work in the yard, and we took walks. Those first 5 days passed BLISSFULLY slowly.
I actually relaxed, and laughed, and felt like myself for a while!!! Ahhhh......
Wednesday, I got an email from the potential job. I called, and they said that they were sorry, but I still have to fill out the official paperwork for the job app, and the back ground check.
Since their office flooded with those storms that knocked out our power, and they've been experiencing some chaos as a result, I could forgive that.
So, after our pedicures, I went over there in my flip flops and tie dye, and filled out the forms.
She said it would be at least 5 days for the background and credit checks. Yes, they do credit checks now as part of pre employment screening.
What the fuck? But it's the norm these days.
She said, and I quote, "I'd like to make you an offer, but I can't until you get through the checks."
So...that was good news. It caused me some anxiety on Wednesday, but I got over it.
Anyway, all in all, Saturday through Wednesday were LOVELY!!!
I love a good staycation.
Then, Thursday (here's the part I didn't want to post about until it was over....not good to advertise that you're going out of town!), we headed up to Kansas City and Independence, MO for a meet up with my sister, brother in law, and some of his family.
I was really surprised at how pretty northern OK and Kansas are! There was a stretch of the trip that was absolutely gorgeous.... just the highway, pastures, and the sky. No billboards, no utility poles, no buildings...just green, rolling hills.
Anyway, the meetup was a good time! We stayed at a quirky little hotel that used to be an office building with a fall out shelter! It was located right across the street from Harry and Bess Truman's house. How cool is that?
That was all a pleasant surprise for me, because I had no idea we were staying in Independence, and I further did not remember that Mr. President called that his home town!
So that was a big bonus! I wish I could have told my Grandma about it...she was a HUGE Harry Truman supporter and fan, being a regular gal herself.
Did you know he had no college education? He was just a regular joe, who ended up in the white house. It's no wonder she loved him.
We did a little bit of the walking tour in our "neighborhood," which was so nice and quiet, and we explored the old downtown of Independence. Such a cute town! We loved it!
Even stopped at the soda fountain in the place that used to be the drug store where Harry Truman worked his first job as a teen. It's not the old fashioned drug store anymore, but it DOES still have the original soda fountain!
We also spent lots of time with my sister and brother in law and his relations. Ate some rather disappointing barbecue at a couple of different places (either I just don't like KC style bbq, or we never found the good stuff), went to a Kansas City Royals baseball game against the Chicago White Sox. It was a pathetic game.
And I'm a Cubs fan...I KNOW FROM PATHETIC!!
Of course, the White Sox fans among us thought the game was GREAT! *roll eyes*
Toured the Boulevard Brewing Company factory. We can buy Boulevard beers in OKC, but apparently, it's not available back home. That was fun, and pretty interesting!
Took a tour of the Truman house, and saw the Truman library, before we met up for good byes on Saturday.
On the way home, we stopped at a winery we had seen signs for in Kansas. Got some traditional elderberry wine, some rose`, and some absolutely fabulous elderberry mead!!
We took our time coming home, and got in around 9 pm Saturday. I did the laundry last night to get it over with, and soaked in a nice bath before bed.
Then, despite having to get up a couple of times in the night, I slept SO WELL in my own bed!!
All in all, it was only one full day there, with the addition of Thursday night, and Saturday morning.
Not enough time, that's for sure. But lots of fun packed into the time we DID have.
Today's finale to our 9 days of vacation? Grocery shopping, and just hanging around the house. I cooked up some breakfast items for the week, and since I took time during the week off to stock up for lunches, that was all I HAD to get done today.
It's 8 pm on the last day....for me, this is a very sad feeling, since I really hate my job, and hate to have to go back...but I have a little ray of hope, at least.....maybe I'll get a new job offer before this next week is over.
Maybe.
Sleeping late and being at ease Saturday through Wednesday.... got errands done without pressure, did cooking projects without pressure... we even got pedicures!
( I think I mentioned that in my last post?)
We took bike rides, and we did a little work in the yard, and we took walks. Those first 5 days passed BLISSFULLY slowly.
I actually relaxed, and laughed, and felt like myself for a while!!! Ahhhh......
Wednesday, I got an email from the potential job. I called, and they said that they were sorry, but I still have to fill out the official paperwork for the job app, and the back ground check.
Since their office flooded with those storms that knocked out our power, and they've been experiencing some chaos as a result, I could forgive that.
So, after our pedicures, I went over there in my flip flops and tie dye, and filled out the forms.
She said it would be at least 5 days for the background and credit checks. Yes, they do credit checks now as part of pre employment screening.
What the fuck? But it's the norm these days.
She said, and I quote, "I'd like to make you an offer, but I can't until you get through the checks."
So...that was good news. It caused me some anxiety on Wednesday, but I got over it.
Anyway, all in all, Saturday through Wednesday were LOVELY!!!
I love a good staycation.
Then, Thursday (here's the part I didn't want to post about until it was over....not good to advertise that you're going out of town!), we headed up to Kansas City and Independence, MO for a meet up with my sister, brother in law, and some of his family.
I was really surprised at how pretty northern OK and Kansas are! There was a stretch of the trip that was absolutely gorgeous.... just the highway, pastures, and the sky. No billboards, no utility poles, no buildings...just green, rolling hills.
Anyway, the meetup was a good time! We stayed at a quirky little hotel that used to be an office building with a fall out shelter! It was located right across the street from Harry and Bess Truman's house. How cool is that?
That was all a pleasant surprise for me, because I had no idea we were staying in Independence, and I further did not remember that Mr. President called that his home town!
So that was a big bonus! I wish I could have told my Grandma about it...she was a HUGE Harry Truman supporter and fan, being a regular gal herself.
Did you know he had no college education? He was just a regular joe, who ended up in the white house. It's no wonder she loved him.
We did a little bit of the walking tour in our "neighborhood," which was so nice and quiet, and we explored the old downtown of Independence. Such a cute town! We loved it!
Even stopped at the soda fountain in the place that used to be the drug store where Harry Truman worked his first job as a teen. It's not the old fashioned drug store anymore, but it DOES still have the original soda fountain!
We also spent lots of time with my sister and brother in law and his relations. Ate some rather disappointing barbecue at a couple of different places (either I just don't like KC style bbq, or we never found the good stuff), went to a Kansas City Royals baseball game against the Chicago White Sox. It was a pathetic game.
And I'm a Cubs fan...I KNOW FROM PATHETIC!!
Of course, the White Sox fans among us thought the game was GREAT! *roll eyes*
Toured the Boulevard Brewing Company factory. We can buy Boulevard beers in OKC, but apparently, it's not available back home. That was fun, and pretty interesting!
Took a tour of the Truman house, and saw the Truman library, before we met up for good byes on Saturday.
On the way home, we stopped at a winery we had seen signs for in Kansas. Got some traditional elderberry wine, some rose`, and some absolutely fabulous elderberry mead!!
We took our time coming home, and got in around 9 pm Saturday. I did the laundry last night to get it over with, and soaked in a nice bath before bed.
Then, despite having to get up a couple of times in the night, I slept SO WELL in my own bed!!
All in all, it was only one full day there, with the addition of Thursday night, and Saturday morning.
Not enough time, that's for sure. But lots of fun packed into the time we DID have.
Today's finale to our 9 days of vacation? Grocery shopping, and just hanging around the house. I cooked up some breakfast items for the week, and since I took time during the week off to stock up for lunches, that was all I HAD to get done today.
It's 8 pm on the last day....for me, this is a very sad feeling, since I really hate my job, and hate to have to go back...but I have a little ray of hope, at least.....maybe I'll get a new job offer before this next week is over.
Maybe.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Vacation
So, we decided to take a week off, even though we aren't really going anywhere for vacation this year.
I, for one, REALLY NEEDED time off from work. The tension is incredible. People are quitting and not being replaced, and the politics are heating up.
There will be a scramble for whatever jobs are left after the outsource.
I had an interview a couple of weeks ago, and got a call back to go take a test. No news yet.
They had said they hoped to have a decision (it's between me and two internal applicants) by this past Friday.
Oh well.
I either didn't get it, which would be okay, or they didn't decide yet.
It was kind of a fluke. When the horrible tornado ripped through Moore on May 20, I struggled for a couple of days to get in touch with a former co worker who lives down there.
When we finally made contact (she and her entire family were all fine), we messaged back and forth a bit, we talked about how she left our office at a good time...and she said her mom's company was probably going to be hiring soon.
SO it was an opportunity that just sort of presented itself.
Anyway, cooking stuff today. Made a big breakfast casserole/crustless quiche kind of thing that will freeze nicely. Pulled pork is going in the crock pot, and later, Coq au Vin.
Tomorrow, maybe get pedicures (Dave LOVES them), and then I work at the studio.
Dance class Tuesday night.
During the course of the week, I hope to cook more healthy stuff to stock up. We got into bad habits when Louie was sick, and have not broken them again yet.
We know that we maintain our weight and our well being a LOT better when we follow a mostly "paleo" diet style. Gotta get back to it. Thus today's projects.
As the week progresses, we'll also go thrift shopping, see a movie, and enjoy, most of all, no 5:45 alarms!!
Nothing really planned for a few days. It's a good thing!!!
I, for one, REALLY NEEDED time off from work. The tension is incredible. People are quitting and not being replaced, and the politics are heating up.
There will be a scramble for whatever jobs are left after the outsource.
I had an interview a couple of weeks ago, and got a call back to go take a test. No news yet.
They had said they hoped to have a decision (it's between me and two internal applicants) by this past Friday.
Oh well.
I either didn't get it, which would be okay, or they didn't decide yet.
It was kind of a fluke. When the horrible tornado ripped through Moore on May 20, I struggled for a couple of days to get in touch with a former co worker who lives down there.
When we finally made contact (she and her entire family were all fine), we messaged back and forth a bit, we talked about how she left our office at a good time...and she said her mom's company was probably going to be hiring soon.
SO it was an opportunity that just sort of presented itself.
Anyway, cooking stuff today. Made a big breakfast casserole/crustless quiche kind of thing that will freeze nicely. Pulled pork is going in the crock pot, and later, Coq au Vin.
Tomorrow, maybe get pedicures (Dave LOVES them), and then I work at the studio.
Dance class Tuesday night.
During the course of the week, I hope to cook more healthy stuff to stock up. We got into bad habits when Louie was sick, and have not broken them again yet.
We know that we maintain our weight and our well being a LOT better when we follow a mostly "paleo" diet style. Gotta get back to it. Thus today's projects.
As the week progresses, we'll also go thrift shopping, see a movie, and enjoy, most of all, no 5:45 alarms!!
Nothing really planned for a few days. It's a good thing!!!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
little road trip
Since there's no way we could go to Illinois this year for vacation, we're planning a few long weekends here and there.
This weekend, we took Friday off and headed down to the Dallas area.
I'd never been to Texas, and wanted to see Dealey Plaza, and I'd also heard that there are Trader Joe's grocery stores in Texas.
Dave had also discovered, as I think I mentioned in a previous post, that there is a REAL GREEK restaurant in Plano, the town with the nearest Trader Joe's, and we both wanted to plan to meet up with one of our "imaginary internet friends" who lives in Denton.
This friend had sent me a big stack of Grateful Dead live concert cd's a few years ago, which I then passed along to my brother by way of an "I'll send them to you, if you share them with someone else" agreement.
So, off we went on Friday morning. After grabbing breakfast at Panera, we headed south.
I was really surprised at how pretty the landscape gets going south through Oklahoma. There are hills, and trees, and even the Arbuckle Mountains. It was quite scenic and I enjoyed it completely.
Then, in the area of Texas where we spent most of the next 24 hours, it was really quite beautiful!
We hit a good deal of traffic heading into Dallas, but eventually made our way to Dealey Plaza. Seeing the place in person was...chilling.
We went into the old book depository building, to check out the "6th floor museum," but when we saw that admission would be $32 for both of us, we decided not to do it. That's just crazy!
We wandered around, and then got back in the car to go back to Plano to find our hotel.
After about an hour or so sitting in dead stopped traffic, we finally broke free, and went to find our place. In the process, though, we found a bar called The Brick House, and I had my first Lone Star. After a hot day in the car, and sight seeing, it was really quite refreshing!
Then, finally, we headed to our room. It was at the Hampton Inn, and it was really VERY nice. We got the room at the very end of the 4th floor hallway, and even though the place was FULL of kids' sports teams, we didn't hear anything all night.
Storms were moving in, so once we got settled in our room, we set the GPS for the Greek place, and headed out for dinner. It was almost 8pm by this time, and we figured we'd missed the rush.
It stormed while we were there, with lots of cold rain and loud thunder (I knew the rain was cold because of the ankle deep puddle I stepped in as we left). They had some pretty decent Greek food, retsina wine, and ouso for afters.
We enjoyed our dinner completely! I wish there were something resembling real Greek food in the Great State of Oklahoma, but there just. Is. Not.
This will be a place we visit again!
Before we went back to the room, we stopped at a Walgreens to buy some wine, just because we COULD (no such thing in OK), and then we went back to the hotel.
I took a hot bath to soak the road out of my back, and Dave watched a REALLY weird movie on tv. We sipped our wine, and eventually went to sleep. It was SOO nice and quiet.
Saturday morning, we availed ourselves of the awful free breakfast offered by the Hampton, showered, and packed up.
First stop, IKEA! This was Dave's idea, actually. No, seriously!
He was impressed! We wandered there for a good hour and half, and came out with a new blanket for our bed, which we really needed, and some cool glass bottles for our home made limoncello, arancello, and kahlua!
Next stop was to meet our friend John in a town called Flower Mound where we had discovered they had a CULVER'S burger joint! Culver's is a fave of mine from back home. They're based in Wisconsin, and have spread out over the upper midwest. To find one all the way in Texas (when there are NONE in OK) was a total surprise, so we HAD to eat lunch there!
Our friend lives relatively nearby, and he met us there just as we arrived. We had a really good visit, but time passed quickly, and we still had to go all the way back to Plano for my Trader Joe's shopping spree.
It was a lovely day for driving, and I enjoyed the sights. Back to Plano for TJ's., where I spent almost all of the $100 I had budgeted for.
I got simmer sauces, lemonade, coffee, and frozen fish, scallops, and a frozen chocolate genache cake.... it was SO FUN! I miss TJ's so much! But since they sell wine and beer, they can't come into Oklahoma, which has arcane, stupid liquor laws.
Back to the car, cold stuff into a cooler, ice procured...then...the highway home.
It was very dark and rainy almost all the way home, but it was not dangerous, and the traffic was moving.
We took I 35 all the way up, which we had purposely avoided part of going down.... because it passes through the disaster area from the May 20th EF5 tornado that barely missed my in laws' house.
Going back, I felt ready to see what we had avoided on the way down. I felt strong enough to see it.
But...
Seeing the little bit of the devastation that's visible from the highway was utterly overwhelming. I felt the air being sucked out of me, and the tears just formed of their own accord, and slipped silently, and steadily, down my cheeks.
I grasped my belly with one hand, and the other flew to my mouth, which was agape in terror, awe, shock.
Right near the road, I could see two things that I think were once cars, and beyond them, a swath of ... empty space with huge piles of just....rubble, bounded by old trees that were sheered off.
These piles of rubble were once peoples' homes on what were once tree lined streets. People lived there. They loved and lived and cried and died there.
I could not speak. I could not breathe. It was like nothing else I'd ever seen in my life.
Then, later that night, Dave talked to his son.
His son helped bury the 247 dead horses that were killed at the horse farm that made the news.
His son works for a crane company, and the crane company was called into action in the disaster. And, as a result, his son unburied one of the teachers and one of the students in that school that made the news.
So....yesterday was kind of tough, after we got back up here.
There are no words.
I live here now. This is my home now. Stuff like this happens here.
It's altering my perspective.
Anyway, the pantry has cool stuff in it, the errands are done, and the grill is ready for tonight's pork chops.
Life goes on....
This weekend, we took Friday off and headed down to the Dallas area.
I'd never been to Texas, and wanted to see Dealey Plaza, and I'd also heard that there are Trader Joe's grocery stores in Texas.
Dave had also discovered, as I think I mentioned in a previous post, that there is a REAL GREEK restaurant in Plano, the town with the nearest Trader Joe's, and we both wanted to plan to meet up with one of our "imaginary internet friends" who lives in Denton.
This friend had sent me a big stack of Grateful Dead live concert cd's a few years ago, which I then passed along to my brother by way of an "I'll send them to you, if you share them with someone else" agreement.
So, off we went on Friday morning. After grabbing breakfast at Panera, we headed south.
I was really surprised at how pretty the landscape gets going south through Oklahoma. There are hills, and trees, and even the Arbuckle Mountains. It was quite scenic and I enjoyed it completely.
Then, in the area of Texas where we spent most of the next 24 hours, it was really quite beautiful!
We hit a good deal of traffic heading into Dallas, but eventually made our way to Dealey Plaza. Seeing the place in person was...chilling.
We went into the old book depository building, to check out the "6th floor museum," but when we saw that admission would be $32 for both of us, we decided not to do it. That's just crazy!
We wandered around, and then got back in the car to go back to Plano to find our hotel.
After about an hour or so sitting in dead stopped traffic, we finally broke free, and went to find our place. In the process, though, we found a bar called The Brick House, and I had my first Lone Star. After a hot day in the car, and sight seeing, it was really quite refreshing!
Then, finally, we headed to our room. It was at the Hampton Inn, and it was really VERY nice. We got the room at the very end of the 4th floor hallway, and even though the place was FULL of kids' sports teams, we didn't hear anything all night.
Storms were moving in, so once we got settled in our room, we set the GPS for the Greek place, and headed out for dinner. It was almost 8pm by this time, and we figured we'd missed the rush.
It stormed while we were there, with lots of cold rain and loud thunder (I knew the rain was cold because of the ankle deep puddle I stepped in as we left). They had some pretty decent Greek food, retsina wine, and ouso for afters.
We enjoyed our dinner completely! I wish there were something resembling real Greek food in the Great State of Oklahoma, but there just. Is. Not.
This will be a place we visit again!
Before we went back to the room, we stopped at a Walgreens to buy some wine, just because we COULD (no such thing in OK), and then we went back to the hotel.
I took a hot bath to soak the road out of my back, and Dave watched a REALLY weird movie on tv. We sipped our wine, and eventually went to sleep. It was SOO nice and quiet.
Saturday morning, we availed ourselves of the awful free breakfast offered by the Hampton, showered, and packed up.
First stop, IKEA! This was Dave's idea, actually. No, seriously!
He was impressed! We wandered there for a good hour and half, and came out with a new blanket for our bed, which we really needed, and some cool glass bottles for our home made limoncello, arancello, and kahlua!
Next stop was to meet our friend John in a town called Flower Mound where we had discovered they had a CULVER'S burger joint! Culver's is a fave of mine from back home. They're based in Wisconsin, and have spread out over the upper midwest. To find one all the way in Texas (when there are NONE in OK) was a total surprise, so we HAD to eat lunch there!
Our friend lives relatively nearby, and he met us there just as we arrived. We had a really good visit, but time passed quickly, and we still had to go all the way back to Plano for my Trader Joe's shopping spree.
It was a lovely day for driving, and I enjoyed the sights. Back to Plano for TJ's., where I spent almost all of the $100 I had budgeted for.
I got simmer sauces, lemonade, coffee, and frozen fish, scallops, and a frozen chocolate genache cake.... it was SO FUN! I miss TJ's so much! But since they sell wine and beer, they can't come into Oklahoma, which has arcane, stupid liquor laws.
Back to the car, cold stuff into a cooler, ice procured...then...the highway home.
It was very dark and rainy almost all the way home, but it was not dangerous, and the traffic was moving.
We took I 35 all the way up, which we had purposely avoided part of going down.... because it passes through the disaster area from the May 20th EF5 tornado that barely missed my in laws' house.
Going back, I felt ready to see what we had avoided on the way down. I felt strong enough to see it.
But...
Seeing the little bit of the devastation that's visible from the highway was utterly overwhelming. I felt the air being sucked out of me, and the tears just formed of their own accord, and slipped silently, and steadily, down my cheeks.
I grasped my belly with one hand, and the other flew to my mouth, which was agape in terror, awe, shock.
Right near the road, I could see two things that I think were once cars, and beyond them, a swath of ... empty space with huge piles of just....rubble, bounded by old trees that were sheered off.
These piles of rubble were once peoples' homes on what were once tree lined streets. People lived there. They loved and lived and cried and died there.
I could not speak. I could not breathe. It was like nothing else I'd ever seen in my life.
Then, later that night, Dave talked to his son.
His son helped bury the 247 dead horses that were killed at the horse farm that made the news.
His son works for a crane company, and the crane company was called into action in the disaster. And, as a result, his son unburied one of the teachers and one of the students in that school that made the news.
So....yesterday was kind of tough, after we got back up here.
There are no words.
I live here now. This is my home now. Stuff like this happens here.
It's altering my perspective.
Anyway, the pantry has cool stuff in it, the errands are done, and the grill is ready for tonight's pork chops.
Life goes on....
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Weekend Land
One of the dj's on my home town favorite radio station used to say, at about 5:30 pm on your average Friday, that it was irrevocably weekend land....
Well, this week, for me, it comes on THURSDAY!
We took tomorrow off to extend the holiday weekend. I really need a few days' break from the stress at work.
Plano, Texas is a couple of hours away, and we are going to head down there tomorrow so I can shop at the closest Trader Joe's!! YAY!
There is also supposedly a real Greek restaurant there. That remains to be seen, but we will go take a look.
Nice to know it's not too far away, and can be done in a day trip.
We're also going to try to meet up with one of our imaginary internet friends while we're there, so that should be fun!
I'm sure everyone knows about the horrific tornadoes in Oklahoma on Monday.
My in-laws' house is about a half mile from ground zero, as they're calling it. They were blessed. They lost utilities for a mere 24 hours, and had no damage.
We actually both left work and went down there on Tuesday to try to remove them from their home, but while we were negotiating (it was pretty dramatic and stressful for a while there), the power and water came back on, and has not been interrupted since.
The mood through out the area is pretty strange. This horrific storm has had a palpable effect on everyone, even for folks with no direct connection to the death and destruction.
My step son worked for that big horse farm that was all over the news. They let him in to help with the clean up. They had to bury 200 horses, so he said. Devastating.
In other news, Annabel Lee is growing, Jack is tolerating her better, and it's finally raining in Oklahoma.
I have put out a few feelers for jobs, but nothing is coming through yet.
There's a dance show coming up in 2 weeks, on June 8. We are having an extra rehearsal tonight because we are so far behind.
That seems to happen with this teacher a lot. I like her, but it can get a little stressful when she misses classes at the beginning and then we have to scramble to make up for it.
Well, speaking of that, I'd better get changed and start putting something together for dinner.
Well, this week, for me, it comes on THURSDAY!
We took tomorrow off to extend the holiday weekend. I really need a few days' break from the stress at work.
Plano, Texas is a couple of hours away, and we are going to head down there tomorrow so I can shop at the closest Trader Joe's!! YAY!
There is also supposedly a real Greek restaurant there. That remains to be seen, but we will go take a look.
Nice to know it's not too far away, and can be done in a day trip.
We're also going to try to meet up with one of our imaginary internet friends while we're there, so that should be fun!
I'm sure everyone knows about the horrific tornadoes in Oklahoma on Monday.
My in-laws' house is about a half mile from ground zero, as they're calling it. They were blessed. They lost utilities for a mere 24 hours, and had no damage.
We actually both left work and went down there on Tuesday to try to remove them from their home, but while we were negotiating (it was pretty dramatic and stressful for a while there), the power and water came back on, and has not been interrupted since.
The mood through out the area is pretty strange. This horrific storm has had a palpable effect on everyone, even for folks with no direct connection to the death and destruction.
My step son worked for that big horse farm that was all over the news. They let him in to help with the clean up. They had to bury 200 horses, so he said. Devastating.
In other news, Annabel Lee is growing, Jack is tolerating her better, and it's finally raining in Oklahoma.
I have put out a few feelers for jobs, but nothing is coming through yet.
There's a dance show coming up in 2 weeks, on June 8. We are having an extra rehearsal tonight because we are so far behind.
That seems to happen with this teacher a lot. I like her, but it can get a little stressful when she misses classes at the beginning and then we have to scramble to make up for it.
Well, speaking of that, I'd better get changed and start putting something together for dinner.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Kelsey Elisabeth
That was my fantasy daughter's name, way back when I was young, and naive, and thought I might have babies some day.
Back when I was 21, and had told my then-husband that I needed 5 years of marriage under my belt before I would consent to even consider reproducing.
And then he sunk so deep into his addictions during those first 5 years that I was never able to come to a point of being comfortable having his child.
Years passed, he got more and more wasted more and more often, I learned of incest in his family of origin....and the window of opportunity closed.
After the divorce, when he decided to hate me, he said I stole from him his only chance to be a father.
Okay. Well, ass hat, you stole from me my only chance to be a mother.
Because by the time I divorced him, I was past the age of safety. I was almost 40.
30 years ago, at this time of the year in 1983, I was planning my first wedding. This is probably why I am thinking of Kelsey again.
Yes, I sometimes think about Kelsey, and what she might have been like.
My fantasy was that she would have the red or auburn hair that runs on my Dad's side of the family (and in me and my sister and several of our cousins), and the blue eyes that my ex had, as well as both of my parents.
That she would be brilliant, like my parents, but earth-motherly, like me. With infinite common sense, like my Grandma (my mom's mom--the only grandparent left by the time I was born), and able to work with tools, like her father.
That she would be stunningly beautiful, and graceful, and ambitious, and heart breakingly loving. Her smile would be like sunlight, and her laugh, like music.
She exists nowhere but in my imagination, but sometimes.... sometimes.... I think of her.
And I pause. And wonder.
How would my life have turned out if I had given birth? Would I be happier? Would I still be married to that person?
Would I feel more whole? Or less worthy?
Would she have been all of those things I fantasized her to be, or none of them? Would it have mattered?
And would I....could I... ever in a million years.... have been what she needed most?
Kelsey isn't saying.
Back when I was 21, and had told my then-husband that I needed 5 years of marriage under my belt before I would consent to even consider reproducing.
And then he sunk so deep into his addictions during those first 5 years that I was never able to come to a point of being comfortable having his child.
Years passed, he got more and more wasted more and more often, I learned of incest in his family of origin....and the window of opportunity closed.
After the divorce, when he decided to hate me, he said I stole from him his only chance to be a father.
Okay. Well, ass hat, you stole from me my only chance to be a mother.
Because by the time I divorced him, I was past the age of safety. I was almost 40.
30 years ago, at this time of the year in 1983, I was planning my first wedding. This is probably why I am thinking of Kelsey again.
Yes, I sometimes think about Kelsey, and what she might have been like.
My fantasy was that she would have the red or auburn hair that runs on my Dad's side of the family (and in me and my sister and several of our cousins), and the blue eyes that my ex had, as well as both of my parents.
That she would be brilliant, like my parents, but earth-motherly, like me. With infinite common sense, like my Grandma (my mom's mom--the only grandparent left by the time I was born), and able to work with tools, like her father.
That she would be stunningly beautiful, and graceful, and ambitious, and heart breakingly loving. Her smile would be like sunlight, and her laugh, like music.
She exists nowhere but in my imagination, but sometimes.... sometimes.... I think of her.
And I pause. And wonder.
How would my life have turned out if I had given birth? Would I be happier? Would I still be married to that person?
Would I feel more whole? Or less worthy?
Would she have been all of those things I fantasized her to be, or none of them? Would it have mattered?
And would I....could I... ever in a million years.... have been what she needed most?
Kelsey isn't saying.
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