Anecdotes, Antidotes, and Anodes

Hope Carlton . . . The Perfect Touch

 

There are few things that are more fun than 'planning' an impromptu outing.

Planning and impromptu probably don't belong in the same sentence, do they ? 

But, the other day when I had the opportunity to take a trip to Denver with my friend, Hope, I didn't waste any time jumping into the car with her.

Hope has been mentioned here before.

Just recently she transformed my granddaughter and her friend into these adorable characters.

Makayla chose to be a pink tiger/leopard, and Parker designed her own creation.  (Her mom said she looked like the love child of an Avatar and a Care Bear. )  The girls were thrilled with their new looks.

Now, back to the road trip.

Hope has been booked solid this summer making beautiful brides even more beautiful all over the state of Colorado.

To learn more about Hope Carlton and Perfect Touch and to view some incredibly beautiful photos, click the link below:

   PERFECT TOUCH Makeup Artistry.

If you enjoy before and after photos, you will certainly have fun scrolling through these photos from Hope's last wedding make-over event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, last but certainly not least,  the bride . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a Pinterest Idea for a Wedding:  At least 52 days before the wedding,  each day write on a card why you love the person you are marrying ! 

Perfect Touch Facebook

The video below sums up this post:

 

Proud as Punch

There are very few things that a retired teacher likes more than to hear from a former student who starts off with, "Remember when . . . "

Unless it's to learn that a former student is doing well and has become quite successful.

That's what today's post is all about !

But first, let me preface his story with this story.

Way back in 1973 in a small town in southeastern "Okrahoma," I was starting the second year of my teaching career.  Now, please understand that everyone in this small town called Antlers knew everyone else and was quite possibly, 'kin' to everyone else.

At least, everyone else thought they knew everything about what was going on in everyone else's lives. If they didn't, they would just make up something.  So is the life in a small town.

But I regress digress.

Imagine my surprise to look at the new class list for my fifth-grade class and learn that my high school football coach's son was now one of my students. 

And that his grandmother was the secretary at our  high school.

And that his mother's dad was a very good friend of my dad's.

And that his aunt had married one of my best friend's brother.

And that his mom and dad owned a restaurant in town where we ate at least twice a week. 

And that my favorite meal off their menu was chicken fried steak, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. 

You get the picture ?

Well, here's a picture . . .

. . . of Rick when he was in my fifth grade class.

And here is a picture . . .

. . . of Rick when he was in my sixth grade class.

And here is a picture . . .

of Rick as a senior . . . and as . . .

senior class president, which anyone could have predicted he would do well in life.

Now that you've met Rick in his younger days, let's fast forward to the present.

Rick now owns his own restaurant.

In fact, Rick owns Rick's Chophouse.

If you want to know more about Rick's Chophouse, CLICK THIS LINK.

Rick's Chophouse just won a prestigious award from . . .

This is what Rick posted on his Facebook Wall:

"I would like to brag on our Rick's Chophouse team!

We just received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2012.

Please join me in toasting Ian, Donald and everyone that has worked so hard to make it happen!"

And here is . . .

. . . Rick today !

If you are ever in the vicinity of McKinney, Texas, stop in at Rick's Chophouse, 107 North Kentucky Street. 

Tell him Mrs. Winters sent you !

Here's Your Sign

Sometimes the stories posted here may seem as though I exaggerate, or hyperbolize, or overstate, or magnify, or amplify, or . . . , but, I don't.  I really don't.

This post was prefaced with that statement just in case you don't believe this one.

In an attempt to organize my life, boxes and closets and drawers of 'stuff' at my house are being dumped, turned up-side-down, trashed, and relocated. 

Magazines that I've never had a chance to look at, much less read were loaded into the truck and hauled to the library. 

I called first and told them what I had: 

Better Homes and Gardens.  I never subscribed to this magazine and as far as I know, have never paid for it.  They just keep showing up in my mailbox.  The collection went back to 2004.  I kept thinking I would get around to looking at them. I never did.

Sunset.  This is a wonderful magazine.  But, who needs 100 issues of it ?

Fitness:  I did read this one.  And, no matter how many times I read the diets and looked at the diagrams of the exercises, nothing spectacular happened to my body, except maybe get rounder.

So, the gal at the library was thrilled and told me to bring them in.  She said to come through the front entrance and take them downstairs.  She also informed me there was an elevator.

Not being familiar with our library, and not knowing where the elevator was, I took in a small box full of magazines and used the stairs.

Once down there, I told the gal that the next box was much larger and heavier and that I would like to use the elevator . . . where is it ?

She pointed across the room and said, "Over there."

Then she said, and I quote, "It pretty much like, just goes straight up and like, ends up on the floor above." 

And, then, she like, pointed "up there."

Like, made my day, totally. 

I so wanted to say, "Here's your sign."

Wolf Woman & Equoni Guessed the Blue Angels !

No Fair !  The two of you have an unfair advantage over other readers.

Yesterday I asked for guesses about the two young men pictured with the Indian theHansMan.

 

Paul is pictured in several of the photos below.

 

Chris will fly with the team next year.

 

 

 

 

 

Good job Wolf Woman and Equoni. Yes, you both win something from my garage, but you have to come here to choose it. And yes, if you can load the beerefrigerator into your car, you can have it.

BLUE ANGELS Official Site

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Yes, I know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and that I usually have posted something pink by now. 

In the few minutes that it took you to read this post, at least two women were diagnosed with Breast Cancer. By the time you get up from your computer, pour another cup of coffee and drink it, a women will have died of Breast Cancer.
Think about it.
When was your last mammogram?
When was you last self-exam?
Remember:  Early Detection Saves Lives.
I know.
It saved mine.

Stay tuned for my new campaign about Early Detection and Breast Cancer. You can be a part of it.

Where Did All These Indians Come From ?

After seeing yesterday's post and then this one, you are probably wondering the same thing Custer did, "Where did all these Indians come from?"

But, today's post has nothing to do with the Indian, it has to do with the other two gentlemen pictured with the Indian.

Care to guess what these young men do in their spare time?

 

I'll post the answer tomorrow.

Evaporative Cooler. . . aka: Swamp Cooler

 

Just in case you are a real-life person with a real life and don't want to read all the non-sense below, here is a web-site that will give you information about how to turn your swamp cooler back into an evaporative cooler, for just pennies a year.  You can navigate through many pages of this site that explain how this product works and even order it on-line.

BON-AIRE SUNFLOWER ZINC ANODE  (By clicking on this link, the fishy smell in your house will disappear like magic...well, almost...after you install the Sunflower ! 
Look just to your right on the side bar, and you'll see a picture of the most amazing product ever created for fishy smelling evaporative coolers. Clicking on it will also take you to more information you'll ever need about how dangerous breathing swamp cooler air can be.

 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

You may have noticed that there are no advertisements on my blog. There are a couple of reasons for that:
1)  I probably don't receive enough hits per day to warrant the time it would take to put them there.
2)  I really don't know how to do it.

Well, today I've decided to post one big commercial that is directed to those who live in arid-type climates. Areas where evaporative coolers are used instead of 'air conditioning.' 

When I lived in Oklahoma, I was vaguely familiar with evaporative coolers because we had one in the window of our Vet Village college apartment in Doo-rant, Oklahoma.  It didn't work too well in that very humid climate, but at least it moved the air around.

For those who are still reading and have never heard of an evaporative cooler or how it works, I'll explain in detail:   Lick the back of your hand.  Blow on it. That's how it works. 

Most coolers are installed on roofs of houses, schools, businesses, etc.  There is a water pan full of, you guessed it, WATER. The water is pulled up and through pads. Air is blown through the pads and into a venting system throughout the house. Hence, the air is cooled.

The upside of evaporative coolers is that they are less costly to run than air conditioning.

There are several downsides of evaporative coolers. 

Evaporative coolers are also known as SWAMP COOLERS. There is a reason for this. These coolers make your house smell like a swamp. Let me give you a visual:  TRY BREATHING IN A FISH TANK !

"Why," you ask, "does it make my house smell like a swamp?"

Because that water sitting on your roof, heating up during the day, grows all kind of bacteria. This bacteria will make your house begin to smell like a swamp...literally: A SWAMP !  

HOW? That bacteria is sucked up and deposited into the pads and then blown into your home, school, office, etc. Most people's immune systems are strong enough to battle this bacteria. But those with asthma, weakened immune system due to chemotherapy or other reasons, very young children, the elderly, etc. cannot fight off the effects of this bacteria.  They experience all kinds of health problems:  pneumonia, diarrhea (diaherra)*  dizziness, itchy eyes, rash, all kinds of allergies...you get the picture. 
*I never know how to spell that word, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about !

Most people do not associate these problems with that swamp cooler sitting on their roof. Usually, they think it has something to do with outdoor pollution and pollens. They never realize that their Indoor Air Quality is worse than bad with a SWAMP COOLER on their roof.

I'll stop rambling and send you to a place that has a plethora of information about this...

...AND the description of  a product that costs less that $25.00 that will not only minimize the bacteria growth, it will also prolong the life of the evaporative cooler by inhibiting rust and corrosion.

That product is called the SUNFLOWER Zinc Anode, is easily installed with one screw and can last up to THREE years depending on the salinity of the water.

SO, if you live in an area that use SWAMP COOLERS or know someone who does, RUN don't walk to THIS PLACE. 

Please note there are several links that will navigate you to research, testamonials, etc.  under MUST READ INORMATION and at the bottom of the page. (It makes for great sleeping material.)

THAT'S MY COMMERCIAL AND I'M STICKIN' TO IT !

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Now, I'm off to the beautiful Pacific Northwest for a few days. There aren't any swamp coolers there.

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If you do go to THIS SITE, your brain may click and say to you, "So, that's why she's called SWAMPwitch!"

 

"He's a Cowboy"... in The Best of the West

If you came looking for Palisade Peaches in Peril, scroll down to the next post. But wait, since you are here, you might as well read about The Pioneer Woman... Grab a cup of coffee and clink the links for a rip-roarin', side-splittin', good 'ole time.

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I don't think there's a blogger in the entire World who doesn't know  Ree, Pioneer Woman, Marlboro Man's Wife, Mom to Four Punks, Calf-Nut Lady, Ethel Merman impersonator, et. al. (Ree does Ethel better than Ethel.

She is an enigma, and I say that in a positive way. She embodies the whole concept of Multiple Personalities Intelligences in that head of hers covered with the long red hair.

Ree is the reason I glob (blog-I'm lysdexic). I had never seen a glob blog until August, 2006. The first post I read (listened to) was her littlest punk asking for a juice bag , and I was hooked. It was his precious little voice pleading for a juice bag and Ree's feigned innocence of not understanding him that captivated me. Not only did I want to read more about her life on an Oklahoma ranch, (my home state), I wanted to know more about globbing blogging. And when I say more, that meant there was a lot to learn. I didn't even know how to post a comment. 

My dream was to someday have a glob blog of my own. Why: To share information about Breast Cancer Awareness in October. That meant there was one month to get my act together.

Now for the rest of today's story...

A few days ago, I was in the state of confusion Washington, sitting in a hotel lobby, waiting to inhale my first cup of coffee so theHansMan would have a good day survive the day. As I shuffled through the magazines on the table, this looked up at me:

(Ok, Ok...So that's not the real title of the magazine but all identities have been hidden to protect the guilty.)

The other guests in that hotel lobby must have thought I had lost my mind.

"I know him. I know him...Well, I don't know HIM, but I know who took this photograph." 

Of course, it wouldn't have been such a chaotic scene, except I didn't just announce that I knew him. It was probably the dance around the table waving the magazine above my head that drew so much attention.

As in most of my encounters with strangers, a few brave people will actually venture over my way. Maybe to inquire if an ambulance needs to be called, if I need to be sedated, or just to be nosy and find out what the ruckus is all about.  Most everyone scattered to the far corners of the lobby casting wary looks my way, including theHansMan.

The rest of my morning consisted of conducting a brief seminar on "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman" for five people who dared to stay. Only one of them had ever seen a glob. And yes, I had my laptop with me, so I could actually prove to them that I really did know what I was talking about...sort of.

This was on the first page inside the magazine:

The post I remembered is here.

But wait ! There's more to the "rest of the story !"  While page perusing in the "Calf-Nut Monthly", I came across this:

Is this who I think it is?
"Hyacinth!"
She really does have her own radio program. Here's proof positive.
Ree, in her own words, "Just keeping it real, people."

All I have to say is that I truly expect to pick up a "National Geographic" someday to find another one of Ree's incredible photographs on the cover. Or maybe, see her on one of the late night talk shows...hosting it.

Ree for President

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner ?

I have to admit, this is a better way to fly than using a broom...

Clink the Link for more information.

...from Fallon, Nevada  (Another link to clink.)

Doug welcomes Thumper...

Box of Rocks ?

Psycho !

The pilots ALWAYS take the time to visit with our young people.

Anna and Lily get their first look at this mighty bird.

No words needed here...

Nothing like having your picture taken with a guy in a uniform...unless it's having your picture taken with THREE guys in uniform.

At the house for a little R & R and some pizza and apple juice.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

Swampy, Over and Out !

Daily Tailhook Briefings

A new blog for those interested in Daily Tailhook Briefings.

There you will find everything from up-to-the-minute news items, to quizzes, to historical data, phenomenal photographs, and much-much more.

Fly Safe Friends ! Watch out for Swampwitch. She's out flying on her broom.