Dreaming - Gates, Bridges, and Rivers

This is a good one! I was with a friend, I don't know who. We were walking and then we were driving, I was driving. We went to the 12th Street Bridge. I have no idea where that may be, but it was the 12th Street Bridge in my dream. It ended up being a bridge that was only accessible through gates, three gates to be exact. I'm still driving, and we passed one, went through it, and so forth (they were painted blue as was the bridge, and sort of like draw bridges that just lifted up). We made it to the bridge, but it was more like a balcony. Rather than crossing the river which was in front of me, I was overseeing it. The balcony came right to the edge. It wasn't on the best side of town, but I felt safe.

So, I looked it up. I came to the conclusion that gates or gateways are symbols of change and challenge in our lives. They represent the new and the unknown perhaps. They are also warnings as they don't always open up immediately, we may have to push it, we have the options at times. These gates, my gates, opened as I came to them as if by remote or magic. I drove my car with my friend onto the bridge, and as it was still a bridge when I arrived, the symbolic reasoning was similar to that of the gates. I was and I am crossing over into a new part of my life. I am about to reach prosperity, I am about to experience life from another point of view. I am about to be placed and living where I have not before - on the other side.

The balcony overlooking the river is important. I haven't quite gotten to the River of Life Changes just yet - it is JUST in front of me, and it will be up to me to dive in, jump over, swim, whatever it is that I must do. Right now I'm looking at it. I'm fine with jumping in. I felt safe even if the 12th Street Bridge (wherever that is) seemed cold because it as made of iron, it was painted brightly, and it was very much a part of my life's new beginning. The color blue in a dream represents fully the spiritual identity of your soul at the time. You have clarity of whatever it is you are seeking if you see it in blue. I was leaving the norm for me, and going to the new, it is up to me to make the decisions - and I have made them. I'm letting God take full charge of what I do, where I go, what I say, and who I am with.

This is going to be great!

I Don't Write Often Enough About Laura

Laura, Laura Cakes, Laura Ashleigh, Laura Leigh, Lau-Lau, The Red Head, and Big Sister. This is my little girl Laura, who apparently I don't write enough about. I have two very good reasons for this oversight: One, I'm pissed at her for not sending me the pictures of her when she recently went to the Japanese anime convention in Tulsa, where she painted herself blue to be the character Mystique, and secondly, I have Caity in front of me all the time! Laura moved away - we who love the Oklahoma University Sooners have a hard time admitting to the world that our offspring would lower themselves to move UP NORTH to the city where the OTHER team resides - therefore, we tend to not write about such wayward and strange children. However, this precious baby deserves a little more air time, and I am pleased to report on her for the sole purpose of letting the world know that she has once again decided to move in with me and leach off of me for many years to come. 

 Laura has been living in Still....Still....dammit....STILLWATER, Oklahoma for sometime. (The word doesn't come out easily for me, I apologize) She works for a grocery store in the Butcher's Block. It's funny because Caity and I are vegetarians, and I just know that Laura is up that way wielding her big knife and stabbing cows and pigs in order to ease any and all frustrations she may have that stem from being related to either of us. I know she's slicing and dicing the meat with vengeance at times and a big smile spreading across her face. There's something else I know about her that perhaps she doesn't know that I know - but mother's have spies! Laura sings when she works! YES, she has been caught on tape by a good friend of mine who then podcasted the girl and sent her to me through bluetooth. I could make a Laura ringtone if I wanted to! Laura sings in Japanese and in English. Sometimes because she can, or perhaps she forgets the Japanese word, she sings in Japlish - sort of like Spanglish, but with Japanese overtones and less Hispanic flavor. She gets caught holding a lamb's leg up as a microphone and has to grin it off - she can do that, she's good!

 You can hear her singing at her Showcase site: www.smule.com/lauraropen  and you can tell her what you think of her. The pressures of working and living away from home have caught up with my little tall girl - all 5'8" of her will be driving back to live with me soon. We're thinking of moving to California so that we can be closer to the people we need to be close to relating not only to my career, Faith's career, but also to Laura's singing and Caity's alternative modeling career - it seems like the little condo plan I had going on will be thwarted for a house now - and my once given freedom will be replaced with sisterly fighting, screaming, and possible curling-iron battles. I'm taking the blue girl if weapons are involved, the bratty white haired monster if it's simply verbal abuse with a little kicking thrown in. I can't forget to mention that Laura is an official Yellow Belt now - it only took four years for her to get around to giving up the White Belt. She's slow, I admit that, but she's thorough...Taurus 100%. THERE..I have written about Laura..Leave me alone Jeannie!! (LOL)

Hillary - A Farewell

This is Hillary - Often called Hoya by the students of Georgetown University.

The following is a memorial message on the website of the breeder of this beautiful dog. When Hillary was about 7 and she was retired from professionally showing, she was given to my literary agent Carole Sargent. Carole has loved and cared for Hillary for more than 8 additional years. During her tenure with Carole at Georgetown, Hillary was given a beloved alias by the students. She was called Hoya and was part of a dynamic duo of beautiful standard poodles who were unofficial mascots for the Bulldogs as they bolted their way year after year into the contingency for the Final Four each basketball season. Hillary and I never met, but she was so dear and precious to my new friend and agent, that I wanted you to have the opportunity to pray for Carole during these hard and celebrated times. I wanted you to know a little about Hillary in hopes that she may spread just that much more light on you today!

*****************************************************************
In Memory of Ch. Pinafore Parrish Hill
(July 1, 1993 - August 27, 2008)

Hillary was the foundation bitch for ParrisHill. After retirement she lived in Washington, DC, with her daughter Bettina until she passed peacefully in the arms of her devoted owner.

Hillary led a truly charmed life. She was a service dog who loved to travel. She finished her championship shown by Kaz Hosaka. She met Justice Sandra Day O'Connor; Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm; former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; and Roger Straus, one of the founders of the publishing house Farrar, Straus & Giroux. She visited Random House in New York, she rode to the top of Seattle's Space Needle, and she went to San Francisco, Charleston, Philadelphia, and many more exciting cities. She marched with Provost James J. O'Donnell in the New Student Convocation at Georgetown University, and her exploits with Bettina were featured twice in Poodle Review! Until her twilight years, her days were filled with outdoor romps, and she loved leaping to catch tennis balls.

This photo was taken March 16, 2008; she turned 15 on July 1, still healthy and active. Hillary was the oldest-living alumna of ParrisHill Standard Poodles.

www.parrishill.com

GOD is Just So Awesome To Me! THANK YOU

The Wall Brown Butterfly - this one was drawn by Alexandra Jones of the UK.

Could there be a more common, ordinary flying bug than the wall brown butterfly, other than maybe the common blowfly? I was blessed, absolutely blessed to the core of my soul today when I was greeted by one today. You know how it is that you are there, you see it, you know it exists, you pass it, you never give it notice, and then after praying about your life purpose, and what it is that you're suppose to do God just sends the exact answer...and it happens to be what you've seen, what you've known, what you've passed, but never noticed? (That was a really long sentence!)

Well there I was today, outside looking at the pond. I thought about how the geese on that pond will show up and be seen. When they are not on the pond they are being seen elsewhere and the thought occurred to me that they are being seen where they are most needed at the time that they are most needed - when they are needed. They travel and they go here and there, but they are always seen and for the most part everyone that does partake of their beauty is blessed - - but what about me? Am I being seen the way I'm suppose to be seen in order to be the best blessing I can be to someone, or to God? Or am I just sitting around waiting? I've told God a number of times that I will go where He wants me, I will say what He directs, and I will do what He asks...and I sealed it in a book, a journal. I wrote out my promise to an all-knowing, Almighty God.

The second I closed the book I was truly visited. I am 46 years old and a butterfly has never landed on my arm before with such awareness. I noticed immediately that she was beaten. She had been hurt, she was battered, but altogether so very beautiful. Her color, though very very ordinary was a perfect segway between an Indian Summer and a glorious new promise of autumn. She was a common and ordinary flying bug - or was she? I had never in all of my life noted the ribs on the antenna of a butterfly, but clearly saw hers. I even saw the tiny tiny tiny bumps on her extremely small tongue, if that's what it is that curls and unravels to taste me. I watched her. I looked at her, and I began to cry - I don't know why exactly, but maybe it was because she was hurt - she was obviously tired - she used my arm for rest, and as her arms or wings slowly unfurled I saw a beautiful set of "eyes" on them. They winked with each flap, slowly opening and closing - and I cried even more.

When she had been revived she left me - but she will never actually leave me. I realized that we are all very ordinary but all so very beautiful. We are often tired, but there is someone there, God's person perhaps that we can land on, lean on, rest and be with. We can say thank you with our eyes or our wings - and as the little creature (creation) flew away I thanked her Maker and mine for our little encounter - I will go and I will say and I will do exactly what I'm told to do, and if my wings get beaten, if I get tired there will be someone there to help me. This is my promise, this is my security.

Thank you Jesus for it. Thank you. Let it be.

It Got A Great Deal Worse

Next Tuesday, after I clear up a very serious but strange matter, I will explain my point of view just a bit better. Suffice it to say that there was strife and misunderstandings happening to me this past week involving not only the law, but my bank account which in this case happened to be an innocent by-stander.

Because I'm such a proponent for positive thinking, going so far as to try to live by the Law of Attraction as often as I can - - this was certainly a challenge. Oh, don't get me wrong, I could handle the police issue, it was a misunderstanding between insurance companies: I picked up one, dropped another, and somehow the government wasn't informed....I can prove all that. I can even handle the fact that my bank account was emptied by teenagers, I asked for an investigation, and then they did it again - I can do that!! I can so handle that...but what I cannot handle is the fact that when the same little girl stole the money out of my wallet I didn't have enough money to buy coffee. Seriously! I did not have coffee in my house, I was planning on stopping by Starbucks before I go to the grocery store so I could buy more, but NO - not happening - money gone - NO COFFEE!!!

Immediately I felt my face fall. I felt the need to repeat a few affirmations, but I couldn't think of one. I couldn't think of one single good thing to think of so I could put my mind at ease, bring peace back to me, and that led me to make one of the silliest moves I've made in a very very long time. I took a demi cup to the office manager where I live and I asked her for .... Folgers. Yes, she had the stuff, she had a bunch of it, she had it by the pounds over pounds, but it was all 100% NON-Starbucks. It looked different, it smelled different, and you know as well as I know, it didn't taste like my Verona, my Italian, or even my House Blend Starbucks. I really did think long and hard about it - I knew the bank was going to clear everything up before the close of day. I knew I could go out and get myself a free cup of java at "the club" as I call my personal favorite Starbucks...I could beg, but I took the high road - I humbled myself. I drank the Folgers.

Now, I'm not a drinker really - I have a little wine. I used to have a few bottles of vodka, tequila, and even a nice bottle of Captain Morgan's Private Stock, but the same teen that took my money cleared that cabinet out as well - seems she doesn't know what Ouzo is, or perhaps she does, but doesn't see herself widening her horizons. I only mention that I'm not a drinker so I can explain why I chose Baileys over coffee creamer - it was FOLGERS!! The really good thing is, since the liquor is gone I don't feel the need to replace it. I got it for the next Pyrate Nyte, and with the things that have bee happening with me this week - there will be a gooooood Pyrate Nyte this weekend! THIS VERY WEEKEND...you don't go without Starbucks for more than 24 hours and not smoke 2 or 3 cigars and dance on a pole! You just have to get that aggravation out somehow - positively. LOL

My friends are so cool. They sat by me and held my hand while I sipped on the brew that was so lovingly and wonderfully given to me by my beautiful and gifted office manager - I have good friends - but they don't have the same addiction as I do. They don't care if they run out of Starbucks because they don't buy Starbucks. NIKI BAUER buys instant coffee! THERE, I told the world Niki! I told the world! Jeannie doesn't drink coffee - these are my two best friends...I have sisters and brothers of the addiction who would, if I knew their names, come by and take care of me I know they would. I really thought about begging my sweet boyish-faced Barista, I did, but the fact is, I need to toughen up. I need to practice this event because it could, God forbid, happen again!

When I have my papers in my hands from the police stating that I'm in the clear, when I get my bank account back on track, and have the peace of knowing that these little teenagers will never be inside my house again - - my precious Starbucks will be stocked up! I will buy a freezer to store it if I have to! LOL

The Eye of God

WHO KNEW GOD HAD BLUE EYES?

What is so freakin' cool about this shot is that it is real. It is a real photo of a real event taking place in space and it really does resemble an eyeball looking right out of the Heavens onto those of us on this Earth. If I had to be really philosophical about it I would say we needed it. I would say that God's eye is not really blue, it's not really round with an iris and pupil, it probably has a new shape that we can't even describe, but then again, we were created in His image - maybe He does have actual eyeballs. But what I find to be really really cool is that He decided to show us something in space that resembles Him looking at us so we can have that much more peace about the fact that He does actually watch over us. He really is there, and whether we understand it, want it, accept it or believe it, He is there loving us!

I was playing with my dogs today outside in the absolutely beautiful day that God created and I thought out loud "Wow! You are there! You do care!" It dawned on me that God made us to enjoy Him and His work. I don't understand one thing about biology, I don't get it, I can't call out more than the obvious pieces of our body, and yet I made 3 people. (I didn't do it alone, but I was involved) I bought a dog, I found a dog, and I adopted a dog - I have three very different biological creatures that for whatever reason have decided to sit by me, love me, care for me, protect me, give to me, take from me, and just be with me. They enjoy me. I guess if I were cynical I could say we were like dogs to God, but that would be a good thing. It would not be an insult, it would be a blessing to both me and to God. I truly enjoy, love, and cherish my furries and so does God.

The eye ball helps me. It just makes me feel like if I could get in a rocket ship and go up to it I could see it wink! It would move around Space while the mouth, so very far away we can't see it, laughs at me for being arrogant enough to fly up to the eye ball in the first place! I just love God. He's so tremendously wonderful...so incredibly powerful, and He created me....That's HUGE. Oh, and just in case you're wondering why I called God a HE...and not a SHE...get this, and it is simply MY OPINION, but God can't be a woman because a woman would NEVER let her only son go to the cross for morons like me. It just wouldn't happen. I know I wouldn't let my son go. I'd be dragging him back by his ankles and screaming NNNNNOOOOOO! I would be beating off the guards, zapping everyone, putting curses and plagues on any and everyone trying to take my son! HELLLLLL no, God is masculine for sure....and blue eyed apparently...but I don't believe that, it must be the way the light hits it.

I love you God!

I Have Found My Halloween Lawn Sculpture!

OMG - this is hilarious! (Not my picture, but mine will be uploaded soon)

This is the funniest thing I have seen in Halloween lawn decor since the first time I saw the smashed witch hitting the tree! I mean 10 years later the plastic smashed witch isn't anywhere near as funny as the originals were. This is a great idea and YES I'm so doing it. I should still be living in Oklahoma around Halloween - I can do this. I'll even dress my little pumpkin head in a Sooner Sweatshirt! I know, I know, I'm a bumpkin. Get over it.

We didn't have a lawn worth decorating for a while, and we don't really have one now - it belongs to the commons, but I am pretty sure we can have this guy up and running without much of a hitch. Sharon, Miguel, Lorenzo and I will at least get the biggest laugh out of it even if it only stays up a few nights before someone (jealous) tears him down. I'm sure he'll even win the best of the city sculptures if I can get him seen fast enough - - around Halloween there's a bit of competition for the best lawn scene and we Okies aren't about to lose our old Boomer Sooner tradition of out doing the next guy - especially if the next guy is wearing OSU (Oklahoma State) colors, which happen to be orange and black!

I'm just saying I may be the biggest hick for admitting that I'm going to do this, but I'm so going to do this - to the best of my abilities...that or let Caity pull her pants down after I black out her front teeth, and make her wear a straw hat.

One or the other!

Simply Not That Cool - Yet

I guess I'm not cool yet. I don't have an IMDB account where people can look up my name and see all of my stage, screen, and writing credits. Oh well - time will fix that I'm sure. For now I'll have to be satisfied with being the person I am. Oh, but that's OK because I like me. I'd want to be my friend if I met me on the street, and I know I'd want to date me if I were some sort of a guy but I'm not, so I can't, and I won't. The truth is I don't date, so I probably would tell myself no anyway - which wouldn't make me cry if you think about it, since I was the one saying no. OK I'm must be bored today!

I have a Facebook account and I've been talking to a few people. I asked one guy a question about himself and he directed me to his IMDB account at www.imdb.com I looked him up, there he is! He's a really cool actor, writer, director, producer, and to think that I didn't know that probably upset him a bit. I'm not a star-struck person so I don't keep up. I just now found out that Lindsay was getting married to Sam Ronson - doesn't make me smile, but it shows you how lame I am when it comes to Hollywood. I turned on the TV the other day and Showbiz Tonight was on. The first thing out of the woman's mouth (No, I don't know her name) was something about the controversies between this star and that star - my response was to switch the channel. I don't care if Jessica is bashing on Carrie or if Paris is dating someone's boyfriend. What I really care about is how I'm going to get my books into a real publisher, or if the books I ordered for a show are going to be delivered on time. But I guess there is a market out there for that stuff - or it wouldn't have it's own TV show!

Can you imagine the low rating on a show that was called "Everyone is Doing Just Fine"? They could show positive reactions and positive conversations between this actor and that one. That way a few people would watch to see the actor or actress walk around in new clothes and watering their plants or something. The show would focus on everyone getting along, helping each other out, driving each other home and talking about saving the environment and maybe throwing in a few laughable statements about their political views or things they wish they could support and change. Wow - I may be the only person I know that would watch that show! But I would watch it. I'd write in too and say "Let your actors wear old clothes! Let them be more real. Let them go without makeup and be like the rest of us?" I'd be sure to watch it if Starbucks was a sponsor.

Nope, I am just not that cool yet.

I Have Neglected My Post

Baby Boy!

I have a very very good excuse for not having up to date posts. My son was home for 17 days and I had to take as much time as I could to love on him sufficiently. He was really in need of some good homemade food, he needed hugs, he needed rest, and above all he needed to be reminded how to get to Grandma's house. It never fails, this kid just doesn't remember from one week to the next which highway is the one that takes him to the best stew money cannot buy. He'll point at an overpass and say "Is that it?" and I'll turn to him and say "No son, we're on the highway that takes us to Grandma's house." To which he will nod and stay put.

If I had to guess I would say the Army has it's work cut out for it - - they have completed their mission in training this young one to kill, and kill without being caught. They have completed their mission in training him how to read radars, maps, contouring and even plotting - but please, I do hope no one asks him to actually drive from point A to point B without a good navigator. He's just not going to show up on time.

While he was here he did a few things that mothers really don't need to know about. He even told me all about them so I wouldn't be surprised should one of his sisters decide to tattle - and that begs the question as to how they would know. They didn't spend that much time with him really this last time. He traveled the entire state saying good bye to everyone. He showed up during the week(s) that the colleges start back up and therefore he was driving from Weatherford to Norman, from Norman to Edmond, and from Edmond to Still...Still...hell, it's hard for a Sooner fan to say where the location of the State school is - he went up North! That's how we say it here - They went up North to go to school. Why disgrace a friend or relative and actually tell anyone that someone you love enrolled in State? (LOL)

Baby Boy also got a new tattoo while he was here. He wanted to make it a family affair, but he couldn't get his sisters to go along with him. I was there! I said "Yes, as long as it's nothing bad you know." We were going to get a fighting griffin with 3 stars as it represents our family crest. Then we found out the stars were added in the 1950's and it lost a little appeal. We found out it could have been a lion rather than a griffin, the wires were crossed on that one as well - genealogy being what it is. Our name Stringfellow was actually Strong Fellow from the 12th Century, do we go with it, or do we go with the newer more modern and longer name? We opted out of the family tattoo and Reuben put what looks like a big target in the center of his back - that's always good when you're a soldier and you're going to the Middle East! It even has a LONE STAR in the middle of it - and that's always "good" too son! We're from Oklahoma - did you forget? No, he tells me it's Captain America's shield....oh, OK....I get it.

Well he's gone again. He'll see me in 7 or 8 months about 1/2 way through his tour of duty. Because I may be in California at the time he's informed me that WE ARE FROM OKLAHOMA and that when he comes home to visit he will come HOME to visit. Looks like I'll be needing a plane ticket and a rental car - someone has to drive the boy to Pop and Grandma's from the airport! He'd be in Kansas before he figured it out if I don't. Godspeed my little boy, Godspeed. (and THANK YOU for your service)

While he was here he did do a couple of cool things. He gave me a banner for my window to show my son is in the service. He also got me a couple of pins to put on my lapels, and he ate every pancake I made him even though he only wanted 2 at a time. He gained 3 pounds just for me.

A Brand New Goal - Gotta Love the Olympics!

This is the next big thing in Caity's life! (Maybe)

Reuben and I have decided (and we do that, we make all these life decisions for everyone we know and for whatever reason we think it's OK.) that Caity should focus on her NEXT four years. We're thinking she could be the next American to win the Gold in Air pistol...here's how we got there:

A couple years ago we (family) took a trip to Seattle and visited the Ft. Lewis simulators for fun. I chose to sit it out, I wasn't into shooting people whether they were real or not. I understand the need to learn, I want to practice, but there was something about the simulator that freaked me out. It may have been the 3-D goggles, the sound, the smells, something - but the kids absolutely loved it. Well, there she was - Caity - shooting both with her left hand and her right hand. She is a natural left-handed person, but guns and everything else in the world (for the most part) are made for right-handed people. She was awesome. She was just taking the fun of it - her face was focused and she was a killing machine.

When the results came in after all the games they played over several hours, Caity was the one that came out on top! She flat out surpassed anyone's expectations. She wasn't even 16 at the time. Soldiers were staring at her - asking her if she was thinking about it or it just came naturally to be such an assassin...we know the answer - she's been pissed for years!

There's a joke about Oklahomans - it goes like this: You know you're from Oklahoma when the weatherman(woman) calls for a tornado and you go outside to watch it. That's Caity. She goes out to GREET it because that storm is so very much akin to what she is thinking, what she is breathing, what she is feeling - she's like a little twister; anything can be destroyed, but it does take the right elements to start the debris flying, she's not going to combust instantaneously - there's usually a bit of a build up - a warning - a reason to go out and watch!

So, Reuben and I decided that we're going to encourage Caity to embrace both her passions and her talents - she wants to shoot something - shoot something! She wants to be famous, be famous! She wants to be a stand out - STAND OUT - with a gun in your hand girl - as long as it's controlled and inside where she can be watched, monitored, guided, coached and held accountable! ON A TEAM! (She played volleyball once, she knows what a team is.)

That's right - 2012 in London! Caity! Caity! CAITY! I think it could work - what damage can she do with an air pistol? Don't ask....and don't give her any ideas either. She needs to realize there are limits - - I'm just not going to be the one to break that news to her. LOL....I've learned. Hey, I put in my 18 years!

Dead Men Tell No Tales! PYRATE NIGHT!!

I just bought this flag!!

This one flies tonight!! Over the pool, over the charcoals! To be honest, we're not cooking meat tonight, but the smell of burning charcoals bring the men to the fence! Hahahaha...oh, but they can't come through the gates! Not if they want to leave standing. It is Pyrate Night! August! HOT SUMMER NIGHTS...and for tonight that means a PERFECT 7 of us. We're all celebrating, or blowing off a little heat for whatever reasons. (Craig can figure mine out) Niki's had to work several double shifts this week, Julie's never been to one of these all-girl parties, but she's looking forward to it, her husband's been a bit of a bother lately. Jeannie has a perfect husband, but even he has his days right? Well, tonight she has HER NIGHT!! We have Valorie, her twin sister Malorie, two dancing queens - look out stereo, we're rockin' the 80's, and just to round it out we're asking Kelly to come by with her portable stripper pole! You never know exactly what you'll see at that point - but you know what you'll hear! HOOTIE, YOAKAM, BOSTON, JOURNEY, CHEAP TRICK, FOREIGNER, TRAVIS TRITT - and of course a little DYLAN....of course, a little Dylan.

Captain Morgan reigns supreme tonight, Rum Runner cigars will be held tightly in our mouths as we attempt to hang upside down on the pole by our thighs...I'm actually getting better at this one. I can do it holding on with both hands but the rules require that we let go with one. It may take a while, a bruise or two may have to be incurred, but that's OK with me - badge of honor! No video - and no men - no, no, no, no men - not unless they WANT what we're thinking about - and that could a bit hazardous to any man's health - - even the sturdiest of detectives! NO, keep your distance sir! Let the women play! The flag speaks for itself.

Around 10 we'll stop drinking so we can swim a bit safer than ordinary pyrates. No swimsuits required really - lingerie is best...rum warms you up, and by midnight we can start to say good night as the ladies make excuses about Sunday and their men show up and honk their horns...not one of them brave enough to actually ring the bell or cross the salt line - we do have a salt line - and we know how to use it. LOL

I think I have just about enough time to run by Victoria's Secret and let her whisper in my ear! Forget the Olympics! Let the GAMES begin!

Baby Bird

Poor little baby blue jay. After yesterday's fruitless battle of going head to head with a person pretending to be someone she wasn't - wasting my time, and making me chase down sources she had spread rumors to, it was great to get out of the negative hole she dug for us and into the world of positive thinking again! I swear, every time I allow myself to fall like that I end up really damaging my psyche...I feel drained and worthless for hours - - so I prayed about it, meditated, and got right back in the world of good sense. Poo poo to her and her games. 

THEN, because He is soooo very great, God gave me something really cool to deal with today. A baby bird! I found this little guy in my garden outside. He must have ran into it for cover or protection after he fell from somewhere. I think maybe he fell out of the tree or the porch up above me. He must have broken his leg. He has been sleeping now for a little over an hour and like I did when I had little babies in the house I am constantly getting up and checking on him to make sure he's breathing, make sure he's OK. I can't take him to the bird sanctuary until around 6:00 p.m. so I've got him for another 2 or 3 hours. I did call them to see when their bird lady would be back. She's out gathering up broken and hurt birds until 6:00 p.m. I'll meet her at the gates with this one and she'll take over from there. I love GOD! He just knows my heart. He knows exactly what I need to feel better - I am so happy to have stumbled out into the garden today to see this little guy. 

 Blue Jays are very common for Oklahoma. I don't know if they go all over the country or not, but they are the only bird that I know of (domestic) that you can't tell if they are male or female. The fact that I'm calling this one a boy is significant. My son always breaks his ankles - therefore, this bird is a boy. Had it broken it's wing it would have been a girl - for Laura. I'm calling this one Spunk. He's got it. The first thing I had to do is save him from the new little puppy who wasn't quite sure if he was suppose to help it or eat it. I didn't want him doing either! I have shown Rupert (dog) the bird a few times, he's sleeping and I don't wish to disturb him now - poor baby. I didn't know how to treat him but knew it must be terribly hot for him in the garden. It's 104 degrees outside, maybe 85-90 in the shade of the Lambs Ear that we have in the garden, but still. He only had a couple of stone turtles to keep him company - I do love my little turtles...so sweet and so loving. They weren't much help with catching the broken birdie who still tried to fly away. 

When I caught him I was sure he needed food and water. I called the vet who told me NOT to give him water from a dropper - their little nostrils are under their tongues...I could drown him. Oh, I am so glad I called. He said to put a little cat food in the water and let that soak. The bird would pick at it and get the water out. Wow...now I know why the Jays attacked the cats on the porch! Makes perfect sense. There you have it - I am in the best and most glorious mood again. My bio rhythms are doing just fine. 

Veterans! I LOVE Veterans!

The Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Hospital is one of the greatest places to just go and hang out if you're wanting to meet a bunch of old guys with the best humor known! They were so cute. I wanted to adopt every last one of them.

Faith was asked to do a little rehab film for Better Times Productions. We choose the Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Hospital because we're from OKC, and what better place to show the love? We have some really cool vets here. Many of them were able to wheel themselves down to the dining room to gather in a larger group so we could film their reactions to seeing Faith, but many were not able to come down so we went door to door to greet as many as we could. We didn't take the Beta camera into every room, nothing like that, we were there to film yes, but we were there to love too.

We've decided to go back on a monthly basis if we can. The boys didn't mind, they were all up for that. One even challenged me to a shuffle board contest when I came really close to beating his score the first time out. I must have the luck of the newby! I was smokin! He just let me have it with his cane too - you gotta watch those men - they've been through battles. They know!

What I found to be so warming and so wonderful were the way they interacted with Faith. She's a little dog first, and handicapped or disabled second. They were just thrilled to see her hop right up and be their buddy. She didn't care if they had missing limbs - she has missing limbs. She was much much more interested in their sandwiches believe me. She was all about the bacon and chicken bits this one lady passed over to her, but she wasn't about to be rude about it - she offered to share! The boys declined, they let her have all of it for herself. They asked us to come back and we made a real promise - a salute was given, and you know you can't break a salute!

Many of the men were less ranked than Faith - they were E4 Specialists and Privates when they became injured in Viet Nam or Korea and had to leave. Her E5 Sgt rank left them feeling a bit giggly when they had to pretend to stand at ease and listen for her to bark out orders - but they did so with grace and love in their eyes as well as their hearts. OH, I love the vets! Can't wait to go back. We will too - you don't promise a soldier something and renege on it - that is NOT American! Love to you guys, Travis - thanks buddy!

The Boy is HOME for 17 Days

It's so easy to see that the boy is home! (Laura was working)

Reuben and Caity have played hard for many years. He used to say he never really missed having a brother because Caity was mean enough for 4 of them. She is too. He can pull on her hair, kick her, roll her over, bite her if he has to, and that's just to free himself! She's not going to give up the fight - - not if the prize is something as great as sitting in the front seat on the way home! We went to the airport when we were suppose to, his plane was a bit early, so she hugged him down in the baggage claim this time. Caity always gets the first hug. We give up the right immediately, we're not stupid. She's very territorial when it comes to these things. We're OK waiting - we're OK with our eyeballs intact.

So, we picked up the boy in his uniform. He always wears his uniform on the way home because he knows how much I like it. Others on the same plane were telling him he didn't have to do so - but the boy said "Yes I do. It's not the Sgt I'm trying to impress this time. It's Mom." They got it. I met a few of them today too. They were a bit disappointed that I didn't bring Faith to the airport. I would have if he had called and asked me to. I have no problems bringing the little girl down to the USO or anywhere there are going to be a few good looking soldiers! We did go out to dinner, and Reuben stated that he enjoyed the attention rather than it all going to the dog - we know where the eyes fall when she's with us. Not a chance!

You can always tell when he's home too. The refrigerator has meat in it again! He went straight to the store and loaded it up. He doesn't like my salads, egg whites, yogurt, and fruit I guess. You'd think I'd be thinner by now, I swear there must be something else going on in my body - I'm doing everything right. Reuben told me he'd give me a few good exercises to do - - I bet. Army diet! I may have to take him up on it. He was 240 when he went in and 185 now. He was also 6'3" when he went in and on paper he's 5'11 so he can drive tanks. Oh, and he just sort of let it slip that he's changing his MOS from 19 Kilo to 11 Bravo. (See, I didn't get it either, but he was pretty adamant about it) which means he'll go from driving tanks to being a filed beater, a man on the street - with a gun I assume. He's going from Strkyer to Ranger soon - after Iraq I think, but before he gets out completely. I haven't figured out the Army talk for "I'm doing this" or "I'm doing that" yet - it's all very official sounding and there are usually colors, numbers, and letters involved.

We ate a big meal - me and my salad, but the boy had a few thousand calories. Caity and he were at it immediately with the evens and odds to decide who carried what, who sat in the front seat, who got to drive to the store, who got to listen to whose CDs, and so forth. It's constant....they'll fight over who sleeps on the couch tonight. (I gave up my 4 bedroom house and got a little apartment when I moved Laura to Stillwater and Caity to her place. She lost her place and lives with me, so now we're really crowded for 2 weeks). Caity won. Reuben's on the air mattress - with the dogs. I could take the dogs, but he wants them...all of them. He doesn't get much dog-sleeping in the Army.

17 days will be just about all I can take of the screaming, cussing, yelling, fighting, rolling, punching, and chasing - but I know I'll miss it again. I always do. MY BOY IS HOME!!!!!!