Monday, June 30, 2014

I'm definately hooked!!!

For years I have heard about how good fresh herbs are in a dish. I've had cooking shows tell me I needed to grow my own.

Well, I got some about 5 years ago to grow. I watered and I watered and they died. Flat out turned yellow and died.

So I asked Andrew and Holly and Holly told me they didn't water their herbs until they started to look wilty in the pot.

I went to the store and got some more. I let them get wilty.

They DIED!!!

Two years later we get a new nursery in town---well not a new one they just relocated and expanded at the same time.

Lynn and Keith came and got us and we went to the Grand Opening of the shop. I got two kinds of basil, some parsley, some cilantro seeds and some rosemary.

They are just so happy in their pots. I did over water the parsley, but poured that water out and its growing again!

Everyday I go outside and take a leaf off both kinds of basil, a little parsley, couple of rosemary leaves and some cilantro.

That combination is good for the colon. If you know what I mean. Ahem!!

The Rosemary, Hot Basil, and parsley and to the left is the radishes.

 This is the sweet Basil.  It smells soooo good!
 On the porch in the terracotta pots is the Cilantro. I have never tasted cilantro straight off the stalk. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh. so good!!


 And this last is in honor of my mom. She's been gone now 62 years. But I still remember the red Geraniums on the stairs every year. And she loved iced coffee.


I now drink iced coffee and remember the fun things that we would do.

More about that later, Linda


Friday, June 27, 2014

Who is the THEY i hear about?

I have ALWAYS heard about the mysterious THEY......they don't like that-----they really would look down on your clothes----they?

It has taken me considerable time to realize that THEY are just a group of invisible beings that THINK they have the upper hand on unsuspecting people.

I used to really have a hangup about the THEYs in this world. My mom would tell me that they would rather have braids in my hair than leave it loose. Now I have really fine hair. I used to have a lot of hair. I used to have a tender scalp. Not so much anymore. But when I had a lot of hair and that tender scalp I really didn't like THEYs.

My mom must have been a saint, because I would scream whenever she came at me with a brush. I cried when she would make me lay on the counter top next to the sink so she could wash my hair. And braiding my hair-----OMG what it must have been like for her. I laugh now but then I was an absolute mess.

So THERE you go THEYs. I will NOT let you take over my life anymore.

I am me. I don't deliberately set out to hurt others. In fact I, mostly, just listen and let it go. I like my life and all the people in it.

I morn for some who are not happy and don't believe that HAPPY is a choice. I pray for those who are addicted. And I am happy myself.

They is not me. I am me.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

There are four letter words and then there are FOUR letter words.

When I was a clown our alley went to Houston for a big conference. It was so much fun!! Even Jerry had a good time. Learned how to do more than a dog balloon. Learned how to spray water out of our mouths. I got more on me than on anyone else. YUCK!!!

We learned how to work at hospitals and children's parties. How to quiet down a weepy child and one other good thing that I had never thought about.

As a clown, parents want the kids to be accept the clowns presence. Making the crying child come closer or be held by the clown.

This is what I had never thought about. People are always making their kids hug the clown or Uncle Joe or Grandpa or the man from next door. Kids are really intuitive. They know who they want to hug and who they don't. If they don't want to hug -- that's OK. It's more than OK its the ONLY way. Next time you try to make your child hug someone think on this. If you make them do that they will learn that even though they have a not so good feeling about that person they have to hug them anyway they might just feel like they HAVE to do what a stranger says -- like help them find the puppy, or go for ice cream -- or -- you get the drift.

Now we go on to the four letter words. I can think of a few that would really describe one of those perverts. SORRY it just makes my blood boil.

Four letter words can be !!!! or @@@@ or #### or even !@#$

OR they can be love or pray or nice or bath or dogs or cats or any other happy thing.

Kids really need more HAPPY!!

More later, Linda

Monday, June 23, 2014

Here they come!!!





The trash men came today.

How did I know?? Well EAGLE ears starting jumping around and barking!!

My friends!!  They're here!!! Bark!! Bark!! Jump! Bark!!!
I love it when they come to see me!!!

Did you see them MOM??

More later, Linda

Thief!!!

Jerry was having ham for a snack. Along with some boost and peanut butter crackers.  

Sarah made it as long as she could. Then she took a big bite oh ham!!!! 

More later,Linda 

The little missus sleeps!!

We've had three Yorkies. Well, actually two. Sarah can't be full blooded and here's why. 

Sarah doesn't jump--she doesn't chase--she doesn't cuddle,she doesn't shake when it thunders and when lightening strikes, she does not do like other Yorkies. 

She's sweet tempered. She loves us 
And she loves the trash truck. 

She can hear the trash truck before it even comes over the hill. She barks and runs then. You betcha !!

It's so cute. She stands where she can cut her eyes at us and barks. If we don't let her out she does it again. Questions in her eyes. 

Don't you understand??  It's my guys here. Open the door and let me out!!!!!

Her favorite outdoor activity is chasing frogs and watching birds. 

But her most favorite thing to do is thus

I know this is why she's on RD food. Whatever RD means. It's supposed to be less fattening. And it might be if she would run or chase things or even jump into the car. 

She's a sweetie. But not like Mandy or Georgie. Maybe I should have called her Sarahie. 

Later,Linda 

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Tech TROUBLE

I got an email from Donna today with some really good information for my business.

There is one problem---or two---it might be three--i don't know I just know that I can't figure it out.

Here's the problem.  I downloaded some things to print.  No it is NOT that. I do, after all, know how to print a copy.

The problem is that when I printed 2 different documents only HALF of the document printed. So I went to the print preview and found where I could make the print differing percentages of whats on the screen.  OK I got down to 50% and I couldn't even read it. BUT any bigger and it showed that only half of the document would print.

UGH!!!!!

FRIZZLE!!

FRAZZLE!!!

H-----E------L-------P

More later, Linda

Friday, June 20, 2014

I know ii's late but-----!!!

I just had a thought and, yes, some of you think that that's a terrible thing for me to have this late at night.

But I will make this sweet and simple. Tonight is the shortest night of the year. What does that mean??

It means that the days will start to get shorter from now until the winter solstice. And then it all starts over again.

When we lived in England there were nights in June that it never got really dark. Drapes were very heavy and usually had dark liners so that when we would go to bed the light wouldn't keep us awake.

And then in the winter, when the kids got home from school at 3.30 it was already dark and extremely dark by 4.30.

It plays with the entire system. You can sleep or you can't when its daylight all 24 hours in a day.
And the same goes for sleeping or not when the lights have to go on by 4 in the afternoon.

So, my thought  is this---how do you adjust to the differences in light and dark to sleep or not or sleep!!

I mean, it's really light at 6 these days and yet I have learned how to sleep until 6.30. or so. sometimes even 7.30. I sleep until I wake up.

How do people do it that can't sleep when it's light or when it's dark??

I just don't know.

Well, that's what I was wondering.

More later, Linda

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Retirement.

Jerry retired in 2008. That's been 6 years. I used to have some me time. Retirement changed that. Now , it's back to the way it was before. He does and I put up with it. 

Years ago I spoiled him. I never made plans because I just did what he wanted. 

When he bought a Harley did I complain?? NOT!!

Did I go on that 2500 mile trip the first time we got on he bike?  YES!!

Did I enjoy it?  YES!!

But I learned how toake things work. When it comes time and I need my space I tell him I'm going byyself. And I mean it. 
He knows I mean it and I have a good time. 

I cook what I want to and we go out if I really don't want to cook. No squaling from either of us. 

It works good for us. 

He does what he wants to and I get time to do what I want. 

What took me so long to think of the solution that was becoming a problem for me. 

More later, Linda. 

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Gardening!!

For the last four years we have not had a garden. The first 2 years we had temperature highs of 120 every day for 3+ months. Not good for plants!!!

We watered a every day. NOT good. Plants didn't grow. Even the WEEDS didn't grow!

Last year we had frosts until the middle if May. Too late to plant.

This year we are trying another way to have a garden.

POTS!!!

It's amazing what you can grow in pots.

We have radishes, basil, two kinds, parsley, chard, japaleno pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and I think that's it. We had to put the tomato plant into a bigger pot because it was holding too much water and was drowning.

The herbs are wonderful. I have never had fresh herbs before and I go out everyday at least once and take a leaf off every herb plant.

YUMMMMMO!!!

I for one think it is a good way to have a garden. It gives us fresh food and makes a really wonderful curb appeal space.

Later, Linda


Sunday, June 15, 2014

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day!  My dad passed in1990. I know this is natural but some things just make us teary eyed. 

 My dad loved baseball. In fact he was announcer for the LAAngels that eventually became the California Angels. And in the summer months we would go with him to games--and sit in the press box. Right behind home plate. 

So when we took Nonie to see the Texas Rangers play it threw me off because we were at first base 10 rows up. Then it hit me. The last time I had been to a game I sat in the press box. There's a lot of difference from behind home plate and looking at first base. 

Nonie loved baseball. She played one summer. Jerry and I went once to watch her. It was right after dad passed. It brought tears to my eyes because I knew he would have enjoyed watching her and would never get the chance. 

I don't know if I ever made another game of hers. And that's not good. But I know that we have a good relationship as Nana and Nonie. 

Later,Linda 

Baby Sitting!!

Today we are baby sitting with out grand-dog BELLA!
Bella is a rescue. She and her sister were found on the side of a road. I don't know about the sister but Bella is a runner. She was in the yard running and Sarah got in her way so she just jumped Sarah and kept right on going.

This is Van. Rose and Tyler found him in the Walmart parking lot. Just running around looking for something or someone. Right now he's hot!!! He's a hot dog!!! I love it.

And then there is Rose and Charlie who live in Edmond and we also have the two girls who live in Washington DC.

We don't get to babysit these. Because they live too far away. I don't like this but what can you do when the parent's work takes them so far away.

Now I know why mom's don't like for their kids to move away.

What am I saying???

They didn't move away-------we did.

Our only granddaughter was not even a year old when we went to Tunisia for 5 years.

And we moved to Farmington NM when she was 15 and stayed for 6 years. I made sure that I was home for the summers so I could have some time with the because by then Nonie was working all summer in OKC.

And here they are then and now. Front row is David Ray and Tyler our Dave's sons. Then Andrew our Lynn's son and at the back the Princess Nonie. Nonie couldn't be here for this Labor Day celebration so the boys did their best to recreate the picture for me. I love it.
Thank you guys for doing this for me.

Later, Linda




Saturday, June 14, 2014

Smokin' Joes!!! Yummmmo!

Last night we went with the Friday Night Dinner Ride group. There were 10 of us from Duncan and 13 from OKC. The place is so cute. 

Old oil company signs everywhere. Old barn wood on the walks. There were two long benches against the walls. Looked like old pew benches. 

But the thing was the smiles on all the crew. Smiles everywhere AND they took the time to ask if everything was alright!  

But the best was the bathroom---well the Ladies anyway. I have been in men's rooms but that's a story for another time. 

This is the Ladies. And the mirror is made out if a socket. Cute!  They painted the concrete floor a pretty cerulean blue. Soothing and matches well with the mustard yellow walls. You know the kind if mustard with a little of the crushed seeds in it. 

What else can you ask for. Ambience, good happy wait crew, and excellent food. 

Later,Linda 


Friends!! Wonderful!!

Long years ago I worked four months at Hagger slacks. All I can say is women who work in factoryies have my complete admiration. That is the hardest and most nerve wracking experience I ever went through. I had people looking down my neck all day long. I had to quit because we were going on vacation and I couldn't back out. The bills got caught up and I quit. All in all it was not a good experience. 

But then there was Louise!!

A platinum blonde with a sassy attitude. Just what I needed!!

I don't know when this picture was taken but they still look like this.

Left to right daughter Donna. Middle is Louise. And on the right is Carla. 

On Louise's birthday this year they all got together and came to Duncan and found us again. 


This is them in 2014. Beautiful, confident women. Thank you for coming back into our lives. 

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Giving up or Giving in?

Sometimes in life we have to let go of things that mean a lot to us. Sometimes we do this because it is the right thing to do. Or so we think.

Do we give up what is in it's essence something that fills our soul with joy? Or do we only give up those things that don't really mean anything to us.

So, What's the difference.

I made a decision today to give up something that fills me with wonder and excitement. joy and peace, love and understanding. Because it is the right thing to do. I feel good about my decision.

Does that mean that I won't feel those tugging's of the heart that call me to go. The longing to be where I can't be will fill me with sorrow and tears. It is the honorable thing to do.

Would I feel the same way if I didn't really care about going or staying?

I don't think so. I would have a sense of being let down, but not the gut wrenching feeling that I have now.

It is the right thing to do.

More later, Linda

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Today is May 31!!!!


Today is May 31st and it's 9am and FOGGY!!

Not a British fog, but one that is soft and cool.  I can't get over this cool weather. About 4 years ago by this time it was already over 100 in the daytime and in the 80's at night. That's the summer of 120 days for most of the summer.

We stayed in the house.

May 31st is also a time for me to take stock in what is going on and what I need to do.  When the kids were home it was the time that the swimming pools opened and they wanted to go. Time to make plans for getting that done and working the huge garden that we had. Planning for the canning time--new jars and lids. Vinegar for the pickles and sugar for the jams.

So what are my plans for the rest of the year??

I plan to make Jerry's life as good for him as I can. Keep him happy and not depressed. Some days that's not easy. Today he can't find his wallet. No wallet he can't drive because his driver's license is in his wallet.

I plan to FINALLY get 10 facials on my datebook.

I plan to take a big deep breath and enjoy!

Later, Linda