ROYAL WEDDING WATCHERS

My tiara is all shined up!  I pulled it out of the bottom of the toy box.  (Four little grandaughters love that cheap plastic crown!)

The countdown is on and it'll be just a couple of days before all of England and half of America witnesses Kate and Will tie the knot! I plan to place that familiy heriloom of a crown on my head, cuddle up in my jammies and watch the whole thing on  TV this Friday am. Perhaps a champagne toast will be appropriate as well.  (Can I toast the TV?)

Talk about hype.  The whole affair is receiving world wide attention, yet there are a few men I know that look upon this whole business with disgust.  Can you believe it?

It's the wedding of the century!!!   EVERY woman wants to see the DRESS.  And we're waiting with nervous anticipation for the walk down the aisle, the children serving as attendants, and the guests arriving with those god-awful hats. We'll hold our breath and strain our eyes to get a glimpse of Will as he gets his first glimpse of his bride. We'll sniffle during the music and break into a wail IF we see the new couple kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. We'll remember his mother and be sad that she isn't in the family pictures.  We'll watch Harry watch the available young women attending! We'll try to ignore Charles and Camilla and laugh at the Queen's ever present purse! Yes, those royals ARE entertaining!

EVERY woman loves a wedding AND a fairy tale wedding is the icing on the fancy cake. This fairy tale seems to be the one that actually might have a happy ending.  BUT, then again, I thought that as I watched Diana navigate that 25 foot train down the aisle of Westminster Abbey so many years ago.  (I'll never understand the attraction of being married in a tomb!)

Honeybuns will sleep through the ceremony, he could  care less. He's perturbed that the wedding is receiving any attention from the media at all.  There's so many more important problems to consider and solve.

I on the other hand will not miss a minute of the festivities. A future king just doesn't marry the future queen just every day!

A royal wedding is a break, a relief, an escape from reality. Grab the Kleenexes, let's have a good cry over something happy for a change.

EASTER SUNDAY 2011

Easter Sunday is the High Holy Day for the Christian community.  I've loved it as the best holiday of the year for many years!

The eggs and the bunny are fun, the flowers blooming after a hard winter are very welcome, and the promise of spring brings hope to the heart and mind.

BUT, it is the Risen Savior that takes center stage and HE makes this holiday supreme.  I feel it should be celebrated in a way unequal to any other party!

This past Sunday was no disappointment.  We went to church with our youngest son and his family at Park Cities Presbyterian in Dallas.  It's a wonderful old building  and it was filled to capacity with Moms and Grandmoms, Dad's and Papa's, and beautiful children of every size imaginable.  It was standing room only in that cavernous marble place.

The altar was full of choir members in their red robes, the orchestra and organ delighting everyone  present with heavenly music.  The prayers, the sermon, the offertory were divine. Those Presbyterian ministers looked like they'd just stepped out of the history books, their robes flowing as they walked. The formality and liturgy were fitting the occasion.

"He is Risen! " " He is Risen Indeed," replied the congregation in unison. Ancient hymns declaring sound solid theology soared above our heads and floated about the tall ceiling.  Hundreds of people stood as the Hallelujah chorus was performed flawlessly.

Celebrating the resurrection cannot be taken lightly!  It is THE most critical message of the Christian faith.  Without the resurrection of Jesus there is NO reason to believe anything else the Bible proclaims.  He was who He said He was (GOD) or He was a lunatic.  Those are the only two options to consider. 

Christmas is wonderful but it is the prerequisite for Easter.  The God-Baby came to this earth FOR Easter Sunday, the fulfillment of the festival of First Fruits to the Hebrew people,  Jesus being the First Fruit of the gound with millions of others to follow.

Easter ended the  ancient sacrificial system established eons before to demonstrate the seriousness of sin and the blood requirement for justice to be served. No more bulls or goats ever need to fear the day of Atonement again.

In fact, the reason Christians go to church on Sunday rather than Saturday is because the early church met on the first day of the week to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.  It was early on the first day of the week that the women found the tomb empty.
I think I'll follow their example and start celebrating Easter EVERY SUNDAY!  What a novel idea! We could call it RESURRECTION DAY!

 HE IS RISEN, HE IS RISEN INDEED!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBY!

This little cutie just turned FOUR!   Has it been four years since we first met? 

Most grandmothers meet their new grand babies in a hospital nursery or a sweet home setting.  I met Gabby at the Tulsa airport.  She'd just arrived from her native home of Rwanda.  She was small with over sized brown eyes looking up at me from her stroller.  Her new American mommy had spent days jumping through all the crazy hoops that government had established to get her to that airport.  It was a relief and a joyous celebration to have her on Oklahoma soil.

She'd come a long way!  Her birth mother deposited her at the gate of an African orphanage where she spent a cold and lonely night before being discovered by the guard.  Her first few months were spent at that orphanage until word got out that she was available for adoption. Through a series of unplanned events, phone calls and visits from American friends Jamie learned of her existence.  And as they say, the rest is history.

When we first met she was a sweet little helpless baby.  It was impossible NOT to love her immediately.

Now here we are four years later with many wonderful memories.  She is absolutely delightful!  She is happy, funny and a powerhouse of energy.  Her smile would melt an iron heart.  She loves her family and all of life.  She bounces rather than walks through her day.  She is polite and kind yet never lets her  three big brothers get away with anything! (Her mommy calls that "squawking.")

I've seen her race down a hill on her trike, ski down a mountain, and jump fearlessly into a huge pool.  She runs and jumps into her Daddy's arms and says "thank you" over the phone like an adult.  Her little body is nothing but muscle and her skinny legs still look like toothpicks and are hard to fit.  She loves frilly skirts and hi-heeled shoes, even if they belong to mommy.

Gabby is a gift to enjoy!  I can't imagine life without her!!!   HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY GIRL!

MOM'S PANEL

Later this morning I'm joining several unbelievably fabulous mothers for a "brain storming" session as we assembly our Mom's Panel.

The idea was not mine and it's not a new concept, but it's a good one, I love it.  Six of us that have had the wonderful experience of raising children are coming together to form a panel of "expertise."  (The word "expert" is used loosely in this case.)

Each of us has formed a list titled, "The Top Ten Things I Have Learned or Am Learning'" about specific areas of child rearing.  One delightful young woman will share what she has learned about parenting her 4 yr. old son, Jack.  Another will share experiences of elementary age children, another the teen years and another college lessons.  My task is to discuss the years of being a mom to married children with children of their own.  A very lovely woman will share how her life as a widow affected her children and their relationship.

We plan to have a Q&A  session following the presentation in order to encourage women  that there is indeed hope and help.
We're discovering that parenting is often the most lonely career choice a woman can undertake.

We plan to be available for women's groups where such a panel might be appropriate. 

I am stunned at the maturity and wisdom of the women I've met that comprise this panel.  They are strong and weak, humble and proud,  brave and fearful, all at the same moment. They are confident and insecure, vocal and yet silent, filled with joy and at the same time marked with a tinge of sadness. These women are full of faith and at the same time very prayerful for their children's futures.

No doubt there is much wisdom in all the "how to" books on the shelves. But to look into a mother's eyes as she honestly relates her experiences is powerful.  We've already laughed, fussed, and cried together, marveling at the depth of love we have for our children regardless of their age or stage of life.

There will be 60 important lessons shared.  What a vast resource of encouragement! 

I hope this little panel will become just one tool of bringing young moms and older moms together for some interesting dialogue.  After all is said and done we're in this  scary and most- rewarding  business of parenting together!  Who knows, maybe some precious kiddos will benefit as well.

HOLY WEEK

Today is the official beginning, but I think we began observing Holy Week last night.  We attended a concert and Guy Penrod nearly brought down the house by singing the grand finale, a new arrangement of  "The Cross."  It was incredible! 

This morning, Palm Sunday, the choir of our church nearly brought down the back wall as they sang  triumphantly those eloquent praises found in "high church" music!  Trumpets and palm leaves added to the joyous service. 

After the incredible music there was a baby dedication!  How very appropriate!  There in front of God and everyone a precious little boy was prayed over as his parents vowed to raise him in the shelter and love of the church. His new little life was on display!

It's a great start, but we have seven more days to go. And this week must NOT go by as just another period of time where hours and days run together.  THIS week is the holiest of all for the Christian community everywhere. The culmination of THIS week gives us the reason for Christmas = EASTER!

This week, 2000 year ago, time was forever divided.  We live on the cross side of time called  GRACE,  after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  Everything before the cross was simply preparation as to what was to happen that very first holy week.

During those  seven days prophecies were fulfilled and God's calendar found in Leviticus chapter 23 came alive before the people of that time. Minute detail of God's plan became visible.

Most went about their every day chores and duties ignorant that of the facts. God Himself was on stage and nothing would ever be the same after that!!  Some  folks DID slow down long enough to realize what was happening:  Peter, Simon of Cyrene, Mary,  the soldiers, John, and my favorite, the Centurion.  They were all eyewitnesses to that defining moment in history.

I have a plan.  I'll read "No Wonder They Called Him the Savior" by Max Lucado,  perhaps watch the movie "The Passion of Christ," marvel at the resurrection of the life of my Iris's and Roses, and dig out the appropriate sections of Handel's "Messiah."  I think I'll look through the scrapbook I made of our trip to Israel and weep.  I always weep as I remember the Garden of Gethsemane and the powerful stillness and peace that is there.  I'll play "The Holy City" on the piano and sing those words describing Jerusalem but only when there is no one around to listen.

This week must NOT go by and in reflection be described as just another seven ordinary days, just another week of living my normal schedule. This is a week of  personal preparation for next Sunday,  EASTER SUNDAY, the day that divided TIME!

TAKE A SNIFF OF THIS!

This is the view outside my bedroom window.  The smell is intoxicating.  We planted this old fashioned lilac three years ago and have now learned that it takes about three years for any plant to get established! 

I think this is just the beginning of what is about to happen in my backyard!  The Hybrid Iris are growing FAST. I can almost watch the leaves and stems getting taller by the minute.  They will break out into pure joy in a few weeks. (I'll post pictures of that, too, I'm sure.)

The spirea  bush is loaded with buds and will look like a bridal gown when it blooms.  (It's doing a terrific job of hiding some "very important" metal thingy sticking up about 3 feet out of the ground!)

Along the fence the lilies are returning and I spotted an Easter lily popping up in the flower bed.
Yep, spring is busting out all over!  Maybe that awful cold snap didn't kill everything after all.

And  just WHEN was it I became a horticulturalist? And WHEN was it I began to tolerate and actually  appreciate that 'funeral home smell' that permeates everything as I bring all those cut flowers into the house?

SPRING IN OKLAHOMA IS WONDERFUL!

HE'S BACK

I'm sure it's the same one. We first met last spring, I could pick him out in a police line-up.  He made his first  appearance this year just a few days ago.   He showed up at my bedroom window and later in the morning again at the living room window.  I was hoping that was a fluke, a one time visit. But alas, this morning he appeared again.

After being up awake in the predawn hours with an allergy attack,  I was back in dreamland sleeping just FINE until about 7:30.  I heard the familiar and rapid, "peck, peck, peck" on the bedroom window.  Honeybuns heard it as well.   His words were next, "we need a bee bee gun!"

Mr. Robin waited then  jumped from one high window ledge to another, pecking and staring in at us until he was absolutely sure all four eyes were open and fixed on him!  He is one determined narcissistic creature.

Honeybuns gave up on sleep and started his day.  I tried to ignore Robin and buried my head in the pillows.  There was blessed silence for about thirty minutes.

He returned.  Evidently he was not satisfied that just one of us had surrendered in the battle of the sheets. This time he chose the window nearest my head and gain started his drumming, jumping and staring.  I stared back, but to no avail.  He is NOT intimidated by my courage, anger, or size!

My familiar-with-bird-activity friend reminded me that a couple of years ago  a bird nest  was wedged onto that window ledge and  perhaps this bird was just coming home. (Think Salmon!)  OR it could be he is just admiring his own reflection in the glass. 

Well, I can go with either theory IF he were just celebrating a reunion or primping in the bedroom windows alone.  BUT, he follows me, appearing at the windows of the room I am in throughout the day.  He's a STALKER BIRD!  Are there laws against this?

He's a PEEPING TOM bird, or perhaps a SERIAL KILLER bird.  Soon he'll be the HE DROVE HER CRAZY bird!

That's what they'll put on my tombstone,  Here lies....(me).....driven insane,  she lost the BATTLE OF THE BIRDS.

I'm putting it in writing on this day.  IF anything happens to me,  ARREST the bird!

JUST DREAMIN'

My friend and I have a dream!  We enter into each other's dream and move about freely.  (Think of the movie: INCEPTION!)
She  often sends me pictures via facebook and invites me to join her for a while.  It's always a great time.  I/we can spend hours in this dream state.

We both DREAM of owing one of these.  They're called VINTAGE travel trailers and we've longed for this for YEARS.   If necessary we could own one JOINTLY, as in shared custody.  She might need to take it out for a spin in her Florida neighborhood or I could travel over to Grand Lakes for a sunny weekend to watch the fish swim by.  We might just park it in her backyard and  sit on  folding "web - style" lawn chairs and just enjoy the view.  Or we could roll over the interstate to visit a grandchild or two.  

We have plans to purchase our dream, probably off the Internet. We've each been doing research.  (Our husbands know nothing of this, it's going to be a surprise!! We'll invite them on trips only if they prove they are NOT claustrophobic! )  There ARE places where these little babies are stored, restored and then sold for a tidy sum.

We are not proud, we might just buy a "fixer-upper."  There is no doubt that we would quickly come to an agreement as to the style of the interior.  The "50's" look would suit both of us just fine. Husbands would be enlisted to do the dirty work while we went shopping for just the right curtains and Formica topped tiny table, red probably!  I can smell the OLD design even as I write this. Nope, none of that modern, sleek, slick stuff for us! All linens, fabrics, carpet, etc. will need to be washed out and sporting a few holes.

A/C, electricity and a bathroom are top priorities.  Other than that we're flexible.  I could do without a kitchen, but she'll need a coffee pot!

We'll need some outfits to match our little cutie, perhaps  colorful striped "pedal pushers" with  outrageous floral shirts.  Straw hats and flip flops are critical.   We'll need a couple of plastic pink flamingos to keep watch.  Green "astro-terf" will be rolled out to tickle our tootsies.  Cheap ugly plastic flowers will fill pots to brighten the "patio."

There will be a need for a matching car to pull us down the road IF we should happen to feel the need for a road trip.  There will be no plans, no map, no final destination spot.  All we'll need is a sunny day and some gas, at $.25 a gallon.

YAWN!  I think I'll stay  here for a while.  It's SO pleasant!

BEER CAN CHICKEN

There is it!  A chicken sitting on a can!  Can you see it?  It's that piece of white metal just between the place where the feet SHOULD be. This recipe came to me via a new cookbook I was just sure I needed.  (I added it to the 100+ already on my pantry shelf.)  The magical trick for this delectable edible is what's IN the can.   Stuck right into that chicken's rear is a can of beer!!! 

Yes, I know it seems odd, but as the book stated, if we followed the directions exactly we would be dining on the most delicious chicken known to mankind.

I searched the grocery store over for just the right brand of beer.   Now...just what is the right brand for this occasion?  Is it the Milwaukee, St. Louis or German kind?  Since I know nothing about beer, it was a challenge.  (Personally I think beer tastes like rotten apples, but over 2/3 of America disagrees so who am I to say?)

Also, much to my dismay, you can't buy just ONE can of beer to flavor a chicken, it only comes in 6-packs.  So....I chose the can that seemed a little bit  more  "artistic"  than the others and loaded it into my grocery buggy. I had plans of making this recipe at least SIX times!

When Honeybuns opened the fridge last Sat. he was sure I'd taken up drinking and I let him think that for a while!  It's good to shake him up every so often.

After cleaning the chicken the night before and dropping it into a bowl of  24 oz.  of COCA-COLA for the night, that fowl was ready for the can and the grill.  I propped him/her (?) up on that can and set the grill ablaze.  1 1/2 hours later dinner was ready.

Getting the "chicken with can" OFF the grill was another challenge.  That process alone was another candidate for the Funniest Home Video contest.  We were both armed with tongs, pans, & oven gloves and finally got the thing into the house without dropping it on the concrete patio first.  I'm really sad that the neighbors did not witness that ordeal, it was priceless!  There was much yelling, tossing and a few burned fingers, but we were convinced beyond all doubt that our taste buds would appreciate the effort!

The directions said to let it "rest" for 15 minutes. What's that about?  Has this chicken been working???? Why does it now need a rest??

Getting  it OFF the can was another trick but not quite as traumatic. 

FINALLY, the moment had arrived.  The pre-dinner taste test!  WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!  It tasted  like......

CHICKEN!

Normal old chicken, nothing extraordinary....just chicken.

Well, that's just great!  Now I have a choice.  I can make FIVE more recipes of this mediocre chicken, or DRINK FIVE cans of beer!

I had no idea that being a gourmet chef would involve so many decisions! It could drive one to drink!

SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT ANYONE??

This past Saturday we went to lunch in Tulsa.  No big deal.  When we're out and about around lunchtime on Sat. it's the normal thing to do. This week was different.

As Honeybuns paid the cashier at our favorite buffet, that woman took one look and in a loud voice asked, "Anyone over 60?"

I turned around to see what elderly couple must have been standing behind us.  Getting ready to offer a polite hello to the aged,  I quickly realized there was NO ONE standing behind me.  She was asking ME if I was over 60!! She was offering ME the senior citizen discount!

Honeybuns saw the look of anger, confusion, horror, and disbelief on my face and began laughing out loud!!  Yes, that young twit had the audacity to suggest that one of us, ME, MIGHT be 60 or above. 

I wondered why she would think such a thing!  The view I have of myself certainly wouldn't prompt such a question.  In my mind's eye, I have the taunt olive skin and healthy shiny hair of a 35 year old cutie.  In my imagination I'm still a size 8!  (Yes, I try to stay away from mirrors!) I felt a little pity for the gal, she obviously needed to visit Pearl Vision Center.

After a resounding NO, I recovered from the whole degrading situation and sat down to enjoy lunch.

The waitress  immediately came by to introduce herself and remarked that my outfit reminded her of her MOTHER!  She smiled and declared that her mother often wore polka dots, but that her poor mom had been GONE now several years.  I was speechless.
How does one recover from that?

Honeybuns was having way too much fun with all this senseless chatter!  I'd been insulted twice  and he was having the time of his life.

Since HE'S the one that refuses to dye his gray hair, I often refer to myself  as his trophy wife!  He always gets a good laugh out of that one, too!

Well, for now, that will be the last time we go to that restuarant UNTIL we are truly seniors.  Oh!.....that would be JULY!!

MOLLIE APPRECIATION DAY

Four years ago today this little cutie made her entrance into this world!  I remember holding her tiny body and weeping at the wonder and miracle of Mollie Caroline!

This is my favorite picture of her because it captures her spirit!  She is happy, quick,
funny, and simply delightful. She talks all the time, plays hard, and befriends everyone she meets.  She mesmerizes everyone in her family.   It was HER idea to ride her Shamu in her little blow-up backyard swimming pool.  She was certain she was in the wildest part of the Pacific Ocean as she and her buddy did "whale tricks" just like they do at Sea World.
There is no doubt in my mind that she will grab life and happily hang on for the ride.
It's going to be so fun to watch her tackle her dreams.

We're celebrating Mollie today....declaring this the first annual " Mollie Appreciation Day!"  I'm sending her 1000 hugs and this message, "I love you to the moon and back."

MOVIN' ON UP

You can't ALWAYS find what you want on the Internet OR at the local shops.   Last week I went hunting for a birdhouse, three actually.  It was time to update the "neighborhood" at our back fence.

After driving for miles, checking every conceivable bird-lovers haunt in Tulsa and the surrounding area I turned to the Internet.  There are plenty to choose from there!  But who in their right mind pays $50 - $750  (plus shipping) for such a dwelling?  No one in this household!

Saturday I showed Honeybuns my ideas for new construction for our feathered friends and he promptly announced he could MAKE THEM!  Yippee!  We were off to Lowe's, our favorite weekend  hang-out!

After two  sunny afternoons of measuring, sawing, painting and fitting the pieces together we have finished the project!  What fun! 

It was a happening!  Neighbors heard the saw buzz and stopped by to see what was going on.  A couple of teen-gers selling something to get themselves on a trip this summer came by and took a look.  They were very impressed!   Joggers and walkers of all shapes and sizes were also curious.  Who knew that a silly little project could create such a stir?

And I'm please to announce that unit #2 and  unit #3 are already occupied!  The bright colors didn't frighten the birds at all.  Are birds color-blind?  One visitor asked if we were trying to attract the  Latino variety?  Or maybe those from South Miami?  Bermuda  builders favor those colors too, I'm told!  I've seen people-houses painted like these in Charleston, S.C. so maybe we'll soon have visitors flying in from that lovely place.

We pride ourselves in being a very interracial, interdenominational, inter-cultural, and inter-chromosomal neighborhood.  Diversity is the spice of life! 

And it's ALWAYS  rewarding to create something (even if it's a bird-house) from an idea!  It's a brief but healthy escape from earthquakes, tsunamis', budgets and wars! 

Perhaps when Honeybuns gets tired of keeping airplanes in the air, he'll turn his talent to CONSTRUCTION and make some birdhouses that will not require applications to Fanny Mae and Fredie Mac!  He'll take orders! 

CHESS ANYONE????

Let's call this BEFORE and AFTER!  Hays loves snowboarding and has been on a team now for several months.  After moving from Branson, MO to Durango, CO and living there just two winters, he's done remarkably well.  He's spent a month of Saturdays and Sundays on the mountain practicing this sport!   He has dreams of following in Shawn White's tracks!

I love it that he's brave and energetic.  I love it that his parents give him the world and all that's in it. I love it that he craves fresh powder and speed!  I love it that he's ALL BOY!

I dont' love the fact that this past Saturday he received the "crash of the year" award.  His jump started off beautifully.  He'd been over those slopes many, many times.  But during this first competition something horrible went wrong.  The nose of his board dipped at the wrong time and he became the new poster boy for the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."  The video is too painful for this BeBe to watch. 

He jumped into the air, twisted end over end and landed on his right side, HARD! Seeing him laying still in the snow was a heart-stopping experience.  Hearing the by-standers shout, "Hays is down, Hays is down!" nearly did me in.

After hours in the ER it was discovered that he now has 6 broken ribs, a broken collar bone and a vertebrae in his back. 

He's smiling in this picture because  he'd  just been given  several potent modern pain killing drugs. 

(I wish those broken bones were mine INSTEAD of his!! Don't we always wish our children's pain could be transferred to us. )

The Dr. said that his helmet saved his life!

He's healing slowly and he's learning to deal with the pain.  He's ready to go back to school, but his body isn't. His snowboarding season is over for now, but there is no doubt that he'll be back at it next fall. He hears that call to the slopes deep in his soul and he'll answer.

I'm going to try to talk him into CHESS!

JAPANESE PEOPLE

I am continually stunned but not surprised by the amount of order, patience and civility exhibited by the Japanese people right now.  Some have lost their homes, jobs, friends and  often family members and yet they weep silently.  Hundreds quietly stand in line waiting for water and food. There is no pushing, wailing, name-calling, or blame placing witnessed. There are no riots in the streets and looting has yet to be seen. Isn't it just amazing?

Before this horrific tragedy occurred their culture was remarkable in this way as well.  Riding their trains, elevators, or airplanes was always a  pleasant experience for us.  Everything they do is orderly. No Japanese would even consider allowing a cell phone to ring, let alone answer it in a crowd.  They never raise their voices in anger, swear or offer obscene gestures while navigating life publicly.  Politeness and patience seem to be in their genes. Their manners are impeccable. Now, their commitment to respect seems to rise to the surface even in their confusion and grief.

I'm so sad for that beautiful land and it's people.  It will take years to recover if they ever do!

We've heard from our friends there and they are fine.  They live in Tokyo and were not in the path of destruction last week.  We are so glad for that news. 

When we asked what they needed the most, their reply was "patience."  If anyone on the planet knows the beauty of that characteristic it is the Japanese people.

I'm wondering if I would react with such poise and strength.  All that devastation puts the petty annoyances of my life into perspective.  Maybe I'll think twice before throwing a hissy fit today!

BOB BARKER - COWBOY UP!

This is Bob Barker!  I know, he looks nothing like the guy we watched on The Price is Right all those years!  BUT...there IS a connection between the two.

Andy received this spring horse for Christmas in 1977 from his Grandma Braner.  We were visiting the Illinois relatives for the holidays and he promptly named his new pal, Bob Barker.  (Could it be we were watching way too much television at the time?) 

We were living in Augusta, Georgia then so we loaded up this humongous/space hogging toy and carried him home to live with us temporarily.  We were sure that like any toy,  the interest would wane and he'd be living with some other deserving child in a year or so.

NOT SO!  If you can imagine, THIS has become a family heirloom of sorts.  Andy rode off into many sunsets on Bob Barker, dressed in cowboy boots,  a 10 gallon hat and  a diaper.  When he out grew his trusty steed, Philip saddled up.  Bob Barker trotted right along when we moved back to Illinois.

The boys grew and we moved to Arkansas a few years later.  We boarded Bob at Grandma Braners attic and there he collected a little dust for a few years.  As her Illinois great grandchildren came along he was pulled out of the attic, washed down and a new generation rode for miles.

We moved again and Barker continued to enjoy his life in his Illinois "pasture."  Our boys were grown and in college and had no need of a spring horse.

After we moved to Dallas and  our own grandchildren started arriving we decided that he should once again be welcomed back into our barn. We coaxed him away from the Illinois cousins and once again fashioned a stable for him in a room designed for the grand children's visits.

We have pictures!   Hays, Maggie, Dax, Tiki, Gabby, Gracie, Mollie, and now Thompson have all heard the words "cowboy up." Each one learned to ride at about 18 months. Sometime next year a new baby girl will also feel the thrill of bouncing along the imaginary prairie. Counting the two little Illinois girl cousins, this horse has been ridden by 12 toddlers in his lifetime.  How many horses have such history??

Today he even has a stable mate, Belle, a much larger stuffed filly that loves to race him around the track.  They get along great! The two of them have  even competed at the "Kentucky Derby" ridden by tiny Braner jockeys.  It's a photo finish every time.  Little eyes dance as they circle around the imaginary track in my kitchen.

I'm thinking that the real "Price is Right" Bob Barker should hear this story.  It would surely give him a smile!   These two "Barkers" may not resemble each other, but both instigated much joy in the past 34 years!

WHAT A GOOD TIME!

THIS is Cousin Gertie! She was just one of many delightful characters that attended a women's retreat at Camp Paron, AR this past weekend. I believe Gertie lives in Hot Springs Village, AR but she may have been just  visiting from parts unknown.  Yes, I did get her permission to post this picture.

Gertie delighted the audience with stories of life with Carmichael, her husband, and words of wisdom that come  from astute discernment and observations.  I'd like to share a few stories here but as they say,  "what happens at Paron, STAYS at Paron."  I'll just sum it up by saying, she has the therapeutic value of Dr. Phil!  I doubt she realizes the future she could have in, say, ...Hollywood!

Gertie and her pals, Trixie and Dixie, Grace, Rosa and Dr. Essie Belle filled the meetings with laughter and realism.  (Church women take themselves waaaaayyy too seriously most of the time.)

There were plenty of serious moments, for sure, but as Julie Andrews has sung,  "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

I had the best time, ever.  Those women know how to put it together.  Their organizational skills, creativity, joy, and friendliness were  contagious.  I was there to "inspire" them!  What a joke!  Watching them work and interact together was the inspiration.

Most everyone in the group was over 50,  a few young daughters were fortunate enough to have been invited by their mothers! 

I came home wondering how I could help connect the love, WISDOM, patience, joy, WISDOM, tolerance, experience,  & WISDOM these retired professional women possess with the "youngsters" of our world that are struggling to find their way.

Maybe a high school right smack dab in the middle of a retirement community, a kindergarten in a nursing home, or a middle school within a Veterans Home would force generations together.  It would be a win-win for the kids, for sure! Honeybuns thinks a technical school to teach young boys could be staffed by retired men, volunteering 3 mornings a week would work.  (I see him donating time training future airplane mechanics one day.)  He's confidant that older, experienced, educated folks NEED to be needed, and that need is greater than the call of the golf course or bridge table.  Being useful and appreciated cannot compete with a game score.

Perhaps there are programs like that already up and running!  If so, they don't get much press.

I DO know that Cousin Gertie, and her buddies, have a lot to offer.   I am thankful I was on the receiving end for a couple of days!




 

NEW CRIME SCENE

A couple of days ago I got the strangest e-mail.   It was from a sweet friend and the tone of urgency sent my heart into a flutter. 

The message stated that she had taken a trip to London (she's been known to do that!) and while there her purse was stolen along with all her money, credit cards, identification, etc.  She was receiving some help from the American Embassy but in order to come home she needed cash immediately.  There were phone numbers included where she could be reached and the name of the hotel where she was staying.

My mind began whirling as I set plans in motion to get help to her ASAP!     I would go to the bank, withdraw funds and wire the money to her.  I had visions of myself being in a foreign county in such a predicament and the panic I would feel.  My "kick-it-in-gear and do-something-quick" personality trait surfaced.

Instead of calling her London hotel, I decided to try her cell phone.  I had no hope that it would be answered, it was probably in the stolen purse, right?

On the third ring she calmly answered.  She was NOT in London at all but in her apartment in Dallas, right where she was supposed to be!!    It was all a scam!

Evidently a virus on her computer caused the ruckus and everybody in her address book got that same e-mail requesting money QUICK!

What a mess!  Her phone was ringing non-stop and she had to explain over and over again the truth of the situation.  Hopefully NO ONE called the London hotel, received directions and sent the money.

I'm sure the hackers had a plan to trick whoever might make that call!  I wondered how often they'd succeeded in their plot and how much money they'd received.   The plan must work or they wouldn't bother with it at all!

SO....I started thinking about recent cyber crimes in my world. 

A few months ago we got a call from a credit card company asking if we'd been to New Orleans recently.  Someone there had used my bank card, complete with secret pin number, to send a donation to a well-known news agency in IRAQ!  Nope, didn't know a thing about it.

Not long after that we started getting unexplained "gifts" delivered to the front door via UPS.  One beautiful coffee maker arrived, but since we don't even drink coffee it was suspicious!   Following up with that and a recent credit card statement we learned that someone in San Francisco was using my Visa card to purchase all sorts of things.  How those things got sent to OK is still a mystery!

Then there is the horror of identity theft!  We have not experienced that yet...may just be a matter of time.  But I have a friend that spent years trying to regain her reputation, credit standing and personal peace.

Also, a while back Honeybuns got a call from his company's bank asking why his signature was on a sizable withdrawal from the company account. Sure enough his "John Hancock" and that of the company's bookkeeper had authorized the transaction. Only problem there was that they had NO knowledge of this deal. There is no explanation as to how the crooks obtained those signatures.  The bank was very gracious and replied, "it happens all the time."

IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!  WOW....rather than a abnormality, we have entered into a new era where cyber crime is really very common.   How the authorities police that action is beyond my pay scale!

So what's our options?  I don't see our society entering some sort of time machine and erasing all this super duper technology....and frankly I wouldn't want that to happen anyway.  I LOVE my iphone, my computer and all the "instant" freedom those things bring to my life.  My sons will text me back in a micro-second but never answer their land line.  Go figure!  (That is SO foreign to baby boomers!) I can send pictures, check the temperature in 10 different cities, verify my location, actually SEE the houses and streets of people I know, play games, listen to music, send out invites to a party, watch world news instantly as it unfolds,  tune into movies or old TV shows,  on and on...the options are never ending.

I love my credit cards too! And the fun and ease of shopping online! Every store, every designer, every quirky item ever invented can be viewed.  I can buy gifts, necessities and lots of non-essentials in the middle of the night in my jammies.  How cool is that?  Amazon.com has my number!  I can research anything known to man with just two clicks and have answers to my medical questions in  the time it takes to say MD!  And don't get me started about Facebook....I love that, too!  I've reconnected with friends of long ago and  am able to communicate all sorts of happenings and news with new buddies as well. And I can see their faces, their cute kids and enter into their world if they allow it.

Nope, I'm not fighting this new life we've been awarded by Bill Gates and all his geeks.  I embrace it.

I think there is going to be crime as long as there are people on the planet.  There are folks that are driven to spend all their time and energy devising illegal plots for illegal gain.  Nothing new under the sun!  Just a new venue, CYBERSPACE!  WOW, those hackers must be really smart to figure it out! (Really! How many people  KNOW where Cyberspace is?!) You 've got to admire the intellect!

OSCAR PARTY

Our Academy Award Oscar party consisted of just one attendee, ME!  ( Honeybuns could have cared less about it and Thompson was snoozing in his crib.)

We never watch that thing.  It always centers around people we've never heard of and movies we've never seen.  BUT..this year we did get out to the big screen to see "The King's Speech" and I was hoping it would win.  Therefore I held my own little party!  I sat through it from the beginning, pretty much in awe of the dresses and the perfect bodies that were wearing them.   (Some of those gals are so very beautiful until they open their mouths and try to utter a comprehensive sentence!) The designers were acknowledged and should have won some awards for all those beads, trains, sequins and silk.  I too wore my favorite gown as I partied....nightgown that is!

I enjoyed the men, too.  Jeff Bridges should have won something for "True Grit."  Second-place maybe?
My choice of the favorite 10 movies nominated WON!   It actually won best director, best actor and best picture.  What a night for a movie that had no car chase scene, no building's blown up, no aliens appearing, and no "ripping the bodice" sex scene.  For all of those reasons, it should not have even been nominated.

For all of those reasons I know folks that won't even go see it, too boring you know!

I loved the history behind the story, the devotion of the queen, the tenacity of the King who persevered and conquered his speech impediment.  It was an inspiring story.

THEN, tonight when the director was giving his "thank you, everyone" speech he acknowledged his mother.  It seems it was his mother that gave him the idea to make a movie of this true story.  She sat in the audience so proud and so beautiful.  That was almost as rewarding as picking the winner!

Closing the ceremony was a children's choir from Brooklyn, NY, singing "Somewhere, Over the Rainbow."  That was the icing on the cake.  Those fresh, young beautiful children were the stars of the whole event for me.

The night was full of inspiration, beauty, lovely children and a proud mother!

It was a great party.  I'm glad I came!

STOP, LOOK & LIVE

Nothing screams STOP louder than the news of the death of a friend. Normal life just stops immediately, the world ceases to spin for a brief moment.

We came to a screeching halt this past week for a few days.
Hundreds of other folks did as well.  Schedules were trashed, cars and airplanes were gassed up, and black clothing was pulled out of closets as preparations were made.   Quick phone calls to florists and hotels finalized the details.  Friends and family members from all over America and a few co-workers from Japan descended upon San Angelo, Texas. We drove 8 hours across that vast emptiness of west Texas to get there.

Our friend and business associate, Tom, lost his fierce but short battle with cancer.  His diagnosis came just last July while he was in Europe getting ready for a river cruise with his siblings, nieces and nephews.  He became ill and flew home as the rest of his family boarded the boat for another one of those famous  vacations he'd orchestrated and so enjoyed.  He'd never married so all of his attention was focused on his family of origin and his family of friends.  He lived to spoil the people he loved.  The joy of his life was so see another person smile.

The church was filled with faces and flowers. 

Last Wednesday night after the rosary was read the family allotted time for folks to tell stories and share memories.   There were many! 

Each person that spoke revealed a personal tale of adventure, laughter, generosity and fun.  Soon it became apparent that each one felt that they alone had been treated extra special, that they alone were Tom's best friend.  The room was filled with best friends.  Everyone there had felt that designation by Tom's individual  sensitivity and care.  His influence was wide as folks from all ages shared laughter and tears.

My favorite story was of the time Tom's brother came to visit him at his lakeside home in San Angelo.  Morning came and the mailman pulled up to the house.  The brother watched as this government worker silently walked right through the front door into the kitchen promptly opened Tom's fridge, took out lunch and sat down at the kitchen table to eat.  The brother was a little stunned but then realized that this man too, was another "best friend."  He was welcome anytime to come in, eat whatever Tom had available and rest a spell.

Other residents of San Angelo turned out for this funeral as well. A young priest shared how he'd sought Tom's advice many times as he struggled with  parish decisions.  Others told stories of how  they'd faced a major challenge in their life or sometimes simply the frustrations of daily life and Tom had come to their rescue.  Many times he'd arranged to fly sick folks or heart-sick relatives to nearby towns for medical care,  planned surprise parties for local friends,  or hauled a group of teen-agers into the woods for a night of "roughing it" complete with two inch steaks for their grill. (They'd expected cold hot dogs and beans.)  His motto was, "don't suffer unless you have to." The kids of that church loved him.

Because he knew his time on this earth was coming to an end, he truly got his house in order.  He planned every necessary detail of his funeral, including a huge party at his home following his burial.  He'd ordered a caterer to supply only the finest food, told the funeral home to distribute flowers to local nursing homes,  and listed instructions to cover all his material possessions.  He left his Dallas business to his employees with directions as to how to run it. 

Yes, death screams STOP and remember.  I'm thinking Tom's legacy screams  STOP, TAKE A LOOK AROUND and LIVE LIFE to the max, giving generously to all along the way.

VALENTINES DAY THOUGHTS

Valentines Day is upon us and we're ready.  Got the cards (yes, two each, one funny and one serious) flowers are screaming beauty on the coffee table and I'll make a red velvet cake tomorrow!  We've observed so many of these days, we've got it down to a comfortable science.

These are the days when couples line up to be interviewed on the talk show with advice as to "how they kept love alive," or "tips for newlyweds, " or "whats' the secret for a lasting marraige."  Stuff like that!

Those panels are fun to watch and the magazine articles are fun to read if you haven't got anything else to do.  But, I propose that nobody knows the answers to those questions anyway.

Each couple is so unique, what works for one pair most certainly won't work for another.

SO, how would I answer? What advice would I give?  I have NO idea.

Honeybuns and I have repeated our vows of love for one another for over 40 years.  We'll celebrate our 40th wedding anniversay this next October.  (Odd, since I don't even feel forty years old, mentally that is.)

What has kept the flame alive?  Who knows? 

We've been to all the marriage seminars, conferences and magic weekends and have since vowed to NEVER attend any of those again.  We always ended up fighting over the principles that the expert told us we should be discussing.  We never made any changes they suggested, never followed their lists of do's and don'ts, never took away any nuggets of truth that changed our lives.   Sounds like a stubborn pair, doesn' t it?

For us, enduring love grew and matured over time. It appeared shortly after lust wore thin and has developed into something of substance.  It seems it was birthed during difficult days, child rearing,  problems, job changes, moves,  financial pressures, grief and worry.  It showed it's face as we held tightly to one another and refused to let go when letting go would have been easier and more pleasant.  Throwing up our hands in frustration and giving up was the advice we often heard but never let it penetrate our thinking.
 D-I-V-O-R-C-E was just not an option.   (I'm sure we both allowed the word to flit briefly through our brains at one time or another, right after the word murder! )  Often laughter put everything in it's proper perspective and avoided police calls and bail bondsmen.

Our world says that personal happiness is the goal to be pursued at all costs.  That's too bad, because sometimes personal euphoria must be put aside for the benefit of the other half.  BUT...the result of temporary sacrifice is blessed unity.  It truly is more blessed to give than receive.

I am always sad to hear of young couples that divorce after a year or two of marriage.  They never really got to know one another.  Knowing takes a long time. Enduring love grows with time.

Time is absolutely critical to have shared experiences, secret jokes, and sweet memories. It takes time to learn that the one wronged is the only one that can forgive and repair a rift.  It takes time to be able to read the other's face, to know the meaning of a "look" across a room. It takes time to truly understand the other's goals and desires.

The love of a long time sweetie is far sweeter, and deeper and amazing than young lust.

Don't ever feel sad for the old couple walking slowly down the street holding hands!  They've arrived and you can be sure it wasn't easy.  They're full of innumerable stories of love and laughter, comedy and tragedy, feast and famine, anger and forgiveness, gain and loss.  It's a picture of two people promising to do life together and then enjoying the beautiful results. 

What could be more rewarding than that?   We're there!  Happy Valentines Day, Honeybuns!