Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

Where's Charlie ?

Many of you will recognize three of our grandchildren in this video...Hair-wee, Wee-sey, and Char-wee.

No explanation is needed for this one...

When you're the youngest, it helps to carry around a weapon...in this case, your bouncey ball.

Cousin Benjamin and the Water Hose

You have met my little cousin, Benjamin, before when he was surrounded by some colored eggs and also at his first birthday party.  (Clink the links.)

This week, he and his mommy stopped by for a visit. 

The following photos, with the help of Benjamin, tell the story of what happens when a one-year-old finds a water hose...

Hey, Mom !  Look what I found !

This cold water doesn't bother me at all.

Wow !  Look what happens when you hold your thumb over the end of the hose. . .

. . .or wave it in the air . . .

. . .or point it toward your face !

I think Cousin Kathy's plants might need a little more water.

Her deck needs some more water, too.

Do you think I can get my shirt any wetter than this ?

Wait !  Is that Ginger ?

Wonder if Ginger will like this water as much as I do ?

Let's see if I can . .

. . . spray her in the face.  Yup !  Got 'er.

Aw, Mom.  She likes it.

See. She's saying, "More, Benjamin. More."

Sheesh !  What kind of scary face is that, Ginger ?

P-f-f-f-f-f !  I don't need to take these clothes off.  They aren't wet at all !  My shoes might be a little bit squishy, though.

Ta-Da !

The Girl Who Played with Fire

No, we're not still lost at the Palisade Peach Festival.  WE weren't actually lost.  It was the FESTIVAL that was lost.  And for those of you who are familiar with Palisade, yes, I know it's a small town, if you're driving.  But, if you're walking, it doesn't matter how small the town is.  A mile is a mile...uphill both ways.

This is the only peach left from the box HansMan bought that day.  Keep your hands off it.  It's mine.  It's the kind of peach that when you bite into it, the juice drips off your elbow. 

Yum !  But, peaches aren't the reason I haven't posted this week.  This is :

I was reading as fast as I could to finish it before I saw the movie. 

Have you read any of the books in the trilogy ?

What do you think ?

Palisade Peach Festival

                                                                            

Because it's been a few years since HansMan and I went to the Palisade Peach Festival, we were unaware the venue location (is that redundant?) had changed. 

No wonder we were able to park the car so close. 

Once realizing no one was where they were supposed to be, we started looking around for tents, listening for the music, and smelling for the turkey legs and roasted corn.

Par for the course, HansMan said let's just follow those people.  After walking about ten blocks, we deduced those people either weren't going the the festival or they were lost, too.

Because those ten blocks were downhill, we realized the trek back would be uphill all the way. Never mind that it's a blistering ninety-eight degrees. But, it's a dry heat.  It's also my understanding that so is a blast furnace.

That's when I spotted a taxi.

Once we arrived back to where we started, HansMan said,  "Let's follow those people." 

(The bruise on his arm isn't that bad. )

Here's how the rest of the conversation went among him, me, and a couple of people directing traffic, AND a good reason why asking for directions won't always get you to where you need to be.

Let me set the stage for you... All the streets in this little community are roped off.  There are those bright orange cones everywhere.  There are people wearing glow-in-the dark orange and yellow vests and hard hats everywhere.  Any street without ropes across it have barricades across it. And, evidently, we are not the only ones who don't know where the peaches are.  There are cars going every-which-a-way.

Keep this in mind...very important...we are WALKING.

We approach one of those people directing traffic and has control today.  You know the kind.  Those people who have authority for a few hours and think they can boss everyone around.

HansMan:  Where's the festival ?

Young Man with Authority:  The what ?

HansMan:  The peach festival.

Young Man with Authority: The what kind of festival ?

HansMans: The festival that all these people are trying to find that you're directing traffic to.  (Or in this case. . . away from. )

Young Man with Authority: I don't know.

Period of silence as I look into his eyes to see if anyone is under that hard hat.

We continue walking and approach a young lady dressed in the same attire with the same amount of authority...these drivers' and their passengers lives are in the hands of these people with the vests and hard hats...

HansMans:  We're trying to figure out how to get to the festival.

Young Lady with Authority:  The what ?

Me:  There aren't any signs telling us where the festival is.

Young Lady with Authority:  There are signs EVERYWHERE (emphasis on EVERYWHERE) telling you where to park.

Now I know why they were both holding signs that said, "SLOW."

No Time to Blog

For anyone who has been here for the past few days, and you keep seeing those Thrifty Car Rental Keys welded together, it has probably occurred to you (or not) that I have other things at the top of my list of things to do beside blogging. 

For anyone who has wondered why the rental car places do this (or not), it's still a mystery.  The gal who checked me in had no idea why they do that.  I asked her.

Then I asked her to consult with her superior.

She looked at me with a deer-in-the-headlight-look. 

Please rest assured, I WILL get to the bottom of this.

Until then...

I have arrived home from Okrahoma where it was more than just hot, humid, muggy, and downright miserable.  Even though I loved being there, the sauna-type atmosphere was almost more than my body could handle.

This morning in the High Desert, it was an arid and cool 59 degrees.  I could breathe ! 

The eleven days I was in Okrahoma was filled with pure joy and sheer delight...most of the time.

The only thing I have time to leave you with is this...

Quote from someone approaching her 90's, whom I admire very much:

"Sure, I'm for gay marriage.  Let 'em get married and be as miserable as the rest of us."

Until the next time...I'm swinging in my sky chair with a good book...

That's what's at the top of my list of things to do !

Thrifty Rental Car...I have a question !

There's no telling how many times we have rented cars. This time from Thrifty, but also from Alamo, from Enterprise, from Fox  ( yes HansMan has rented from a place called Fox before)...and even from Not Exactly !

It seems that all of you people who rent car do the same thing with your keys.

This :

 

You may or may not already know what I'm talking about.  It really doesn't have anything to do with the keys.  It has EVERYTHING to do with that little ring holding them together.

I'm not sure what that little ring is made of, but my guess is that it is some form of re-bar...that bends.

During my days of building and repairing fences in the boonies of southeastern Okrahoma, we had a variety of tools.  Some were ours. Some were our neighbors. But that's beside the point. There is no fence building tool I'm aware of that could cut that little round piece of wire holding those two keys together.

Believe me. I've tried.

Now, you may be asking yourself, "Self, why would she want to separate those two keys ?"

I'll answer your question.

Because when I lock the key up in the rental car, I have locked BOTH keys in the rental car.

Because when I lose the key, I have lost BOTH keys.

Yes, the keys are the same.  They both unlock, lock, start the rental car, and have a panic button on them.  They both will unlock the trunk.  There is no difference in the keys.

Now, I've never been known to be the sharpest crayon in the box.

That's where I need help from all you sharp crayons out there.

Why are these two keys "welded" together ?  I would like to have one in a separate place so that when I do lock my key in the car, I have another one that's hopefully somewhere besides in the car that's has become locked.

Or when I lose one of the keys,  I know where the other one is.

Someone help me.

Please explain why the rental car companies do not want these keys to be separated.

And while you're at it, let me know of any tool you might have in your tool box that can cut that wire !

Ready for Kindergartern, Stinky Face ?

Today was the day that she has waited on for a long, long time.

She read every book ever written about this special day !

Mommy read one of her favorites one more time before heading out the door.

She loves her polka dot backpack (which is almost as big as she is) and her lunch box packed with a peanut butter and blackberry jelly (homemade by MiMi) sandwich in the shape of a butterfly !  (What a special sandwich !)  And pudding and a drink and a napkin...

The traditional family pose that happens with every special day !

A penny for your thoughts, Mommy !

A penny for your thoughts Little Miss P.

And now it's Daddy and baby brother's turn to kiss her good-bye.

Just one more family photo.

Then that special moment when your new teacher gives you a hug.

And on this super-duper special day. . .
what could make it even more special. . .
than a guiding hand from your teacher. . .
and the hand to hold of a best friend ?

Please excuse me while I go find some Kleenex...

Becky Hobbs' Concern for Bartlesville

There are some people in this World who just give and give and give.

Becky Hobbs is one of those people.

She played a concert the other evening in the sweltering-hot-humid-sultry-sweat-inducing-heat at Johnstone Park in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  A LARGE portion of the proceeds from ticket and CD sales went to CONCERN.  (Churches United for Community CONCERN.)   (Clink the Link for info about Concern.)

And guess who showed up to listen to Becky sing and bang out those songs on her piano ? 
Two of Becky's most avid fans:  Baby DubYa and Little Miss P. 
(Yes, that is a "double-knit" quilt that was handmade by my mother.  She used scraps from all the dresses and pants suits she made back in the 70's and 80's.  By most peoples' standards, it would not be considered an heirloom.  But, to our family, that quilt is worth more than all the tea in China.)

It is well advised to keep your nose, and lips, and ears, and chin...away from his sharp little teeth when giving him kisses.

We found Gee-Gee in the crowd who is another one of Becky's fans.
Baby DubYa is not too sure about being sandwiched between Little Miss P and GeeGee.
(When I grow up, I want to be like GeeGee.)

And there's the Beckaroo singing on the platform of the...

...Nellie Johnstone.  (Clink this link for info about the gusher that put Bartlesville on the map.)

Everyone bought a duck. Some bought more than one duck.  Why ? Because the ducks were numbered. After the concert, the ducks were plucked...from the water and prizes were given to the lucky ones whose numbers were called.  Prizes included everything from massages to dinners at Frank and Lola's.

There are just no words for the photos above.
(Except, I'm thinking a few of you might be able to come up with some.)

We stood in line to give The Beckaroo a big 'ole Oklahoma-type hug.  Becky knows all about giving and getting Oklahoma hugs because she is a native Bartian and came all the way from Nashville to play here.
If you don't believe she's an Okie, just ask her to pronounce the word: QUARTER.
OR, just play the Youtube video below and listen to her sing the word: QUARTER.

Later at dinner was the traditional CD autographing for Little Miss P.

CLINK this LINK to hear songs by Becky, including this one:

Nanyehi is the story of Cherokee Beloved Woman, Nancy Ward.  After her husband, Kingfisher, was mortally wounded in battle with the Creek, she took up his fight and led the Cherokee to victory.  She became a Warrior Woman, a Beloved Woman and a leader of her people sitting in Grand Council.  She advocated for peace during the Revolutionary War era, and because of her decisions would forever become a prominent figure in Cherokee history.  She always pleaded
“Let there be Peace.” 
She would marry Bryant Ward and become Nancy Ward.
{Song "Let There Be Peace" written and sung by Becky Hobbs}

Here's a PREVIOUS BLOG POST about The Beckaroo and her husband Duane Sciacqua.

On My Broomstick...Again

 

What do you think these two mourning doves are saying to each other?

Me thinks one of them just said, "Wonder where she's headed on that broomstick of hers today?"

Which brings to mind this:

My friend, Carrie, left this on my Face Book Wall...said it reminded her of me.

"My angel wings are in the repair shop, so today I'm riding the broomstick!"

And, I am headed out to parts unknown. 

Any guesses where ?

Like Two Ships...

...doing what ?

This metaphoric expression came from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Theologian's Tale" (published in Tales of a Wayside Inn, 1873).