Jinxed?

I feel I need to mention a little problem we seem to be having with our new personalized camo license plates.  It may just be coincidence...but I don't think so. 

We were coming back from the cabin weekend before last.  We were just coming out of the mountains on 82 in New Mexico and I got pulled over by our favorite NM State Trooper.  I don't know what his name is but he is VERY rude!  Let me preface this by saying that I was NOT speeding.  In fact, I had done nothing wrong.  He was in an un-marked vehicle that just looked like an SUV to me.  He pulled up right on my bumper and was following me really closely.  So I pulled over to the shoulder to let him pass.  I did this a couple of times because I wanted him to pass me.  Then the lights came on.

He told me I seemed to have trouble staying in my lane!  And then he told me he couldn't tell from my license plate what State I was from and that was illegal.  Of course, the plate has a big white TEXAS on it but whatever!  I didn't get a ticket, he just wanted to check out the plate I think.

Then, on our way to Fort Worth last Friday, everyone around me was going 82 or 83 on I-20.  I was going 79 in a 75.  We saw exactly one State Trooper and he stopped ME!  Once again, I did not get a ticket...I think he was just wondering about the license plate.  I am beginning to think it might be jinxed.  We are driving back to the cabin for the weekend.  I will keep you posted!

A Texas Treasure!

Mike and I went to Fort Worth this weekend to visit our kids and see their new house.  And while we were there I got to go to the Fort Worth Stockyards for the first time in all the years I have lived in Texas!  Now, we talk about Billy Bob's tickets, etc. but I have never actually been there.  I have always thought "The Stockyards" would be a big fenced-in area with lots of cow poop and, of course, the cows that go with that.

Nooooo.  The Stockyards are really old Fort Worth!  Wonderful old brick streets, great old buildings, antique stores, Billy Bobs (of course) and some fabulous restaurants!  They still run cattle through the streets a couple times a day, so be prepared.  It is truly the taste of Texas that you imagine it to be.

We had a late dinner at "Cattleman's" restaurant (look for the big cow on the sign) and it was the best filet I have EVER had!  And there was just a hint of cow in the air when we walked to the car after dinner.  Perfect!

Little Library's!

I ran across a little story the other day about a man named Todd Bol.  Todd built a tiny version of a one-room schoolhouse and mounted it on a post in front of his home in Wisconsin.  Then, to honor his mother, a teacher, he filled it with books for neighbors to borrow!

Now, three years later, there are 6,500 "little libraries" across the nation!  What a fantastic idea!!!  If you live in a neighborhood with kids you could fill it with Dr. Seuss or books for tweens.  If you live in a neighborhood full of retired folks, you could fill it with books that would appeal to them.  You could literally tailor your "little library" to your very own neighborhood. 

I have decided to do this up at our cabin.  It is pretty isolated (50 minutes one way to the nearest library) and I know the folks in the canyon would love this idea! 

Is It Worth The Money?

During our discussion with Nashville Kat this morning, she mentioned that Martina McBride just got a new Dyson vacuum and she was complaining about how technical it was.  Really?  I am a self-proclaimed "vacuum expert".  My friends used to always come to me if their vacuums broke because I always had one I had used for awhile and gotten frustrated with and put in a closet.

Then I got a Dyson.

It must be said, I am a picky housekeeper.  I can't stand furry floors or sticky countertops.  The furry floors part is tough because we have 5 cats and 3 dogs in our house.  The vacuuming never stops!  Then there is the West Texas dust.  That, alone has stopped the suction on many vacuums in the past.  Not the Dyson.

Now, I know they are expensive.  Over $500 for most of them.  But I know I spent more than that in one year on a collection of vacuums that stopped sucking!  Don't go for any of the really fancy ones.  The simple ball vacuum model is perfect for every floor surface.  My Dyson has been working without fail for 7 years.  And as for Martina's technical issues...I gotta say, this is also the easiest vacuum to take apart and clean that I have ever used.  So, maybe Miss McBride needs to let her teenager teach her how to use it.

Happy Ending

Last friday morning, my daughter found a beautiful chocolate lab sleeping under the bushes in our front drive.  He was sweet, gentle and graying a bit around his muzzle.  She brought him into the house, gave him a bath and asked "Can I keep him?"  I had already called Beth at Lonestar Sanctuary for Animals.  But he was so sweet and seemed to be really attached to my daughter so we let him stay.  He seemed so tired and hungry. 

She called him Buddy.  He ate, slept and was extremely tolerant of all the cats and dogs in the house.  But he was so well trained and clearly had been loved that I couldn't stop thinking that some family was really missing their beloved pet. 

On Sunday, we decided that he needed to go to Lonestar in case he had an identity chip and someone was looking for him.  On our way home from work yesterday, I got a text from Beth at Lonestar asking if we still had that chocolate lab because someone had called about missing their dog.  Mike took him right over and he was reunited with his very anxious family!  A happy ending...and his name was Jackson.

Counting My Blessings

We were watching a movie the other night, and in it the couple was really having a hard time "in this economy" surviving.  He had lost his job, she was having a tough time selling houses and their mortgage was 90 days overdue.  It made me think how lucky we have been here in West Texas! 

The economic nightmare that has hit most of the world...is not here in Texas.  All we have to complain about is the traffic and the long wait in restaurants!  So now when I think "I want to live someplace where it rains and things turn green" I stop and thank God I live in West Texas.  People are friendly, business is booming, and I can pay my mortgage!  How great is that!

WATER!

It's amazing how much you miss water when you can't have it anymore!  We live in a patio home and have very little real "yard".  What garden we do have, we have re-planted with drought tolerant plantings and put down a lot of mulch. 

The problem is, we have a central, saltillo tiled patio.  It has a fountain (over three feet tall so we can't use it) and 4 rooflines dump down into it.  When the dust blows it has a lovely (that is sarcasm) cyclone effect in our patio.  In years past, I have been able to keep it pretty clean with a good power wash about once a month.  But now, because of restrictions, I have not been able to wash it off for over a year.  We have our own little dust bowl in the center of our house!

Yesterday, when we were driving home we noticed a river of water running down several streets, into the storm drain.  I have no idea where it was coming from, probably someone's swimming pool, but it sure made me remember how nice it was to be able to use water to do things like wash your car, water your lawn, run your fountain, and wash off your patio!

A Ringer!

The ConocoPhillips - Bad Boy Blast sporting clay shoot benefiting the Midland and Odessa Police Departments and Midland and Ector County Sheriff's Offices and Odessa Crime Stoppers is this Friday and Saturday at Windwalker Farms. 

I am going to be out there about 7am on Friday for the 8am flight.  Now, I am confessing that I will not be shooting.  I am bringing a ringer.  Our son, Eric, is a Cav Scout Sniper.  I am pretty sure he shoots better than me.  I am excited to see him in action.  He has been in the Army for almost two years, can shoot from a Blackhawk helicopter and has fired every single weapon the military has.  But can he shoot sporting clays?

Thanks to the great folks at the Bad Boy Blast for inviting us out for the fun.  And for giving me a chance to see my own "Bad Boy" in action!

Freedom!

I rarely ever wish I was back in elementary school.  In fact, I only think about it around this time of year.  Summer. 

Summer was freedom.  No alarm clock, no bedtime, no shoes and no idea what each day would bring.  My only restriction was that I had to take care of my little brother.  No problem, we just got into trouble together!!  Troy was great, he always ate my undercooked "Easy Bake Oven" concoctions!  When we found a bunch of Atlas Moving wardrobe boxes, we made a complete town!  Each box was a different store.

After a summer storm, Boulder Creek (Boulder, Colorado) flooded and left behind the biggest mud hole you have ever seen.  Troy and I had a blast just playing in the mud along with every other kid in our neighborhood.  We had to throw those clothes away afterward but it was soooo WORTH IT!! Sure, we had summer camps and day camps that we went to off and on just "to keep us out of trouble" but those are not the summer memories I keep in my heart and to this day my brother Troy can make me laugh like no other person in the world.

To a kid, summer is freedom...and we adults need to stop over-thinking (and over-planning) it!

Country Music = Heart!

I just love being a part of the Country Music Community.  I have never worked in any other musical format and I never will.  Country music is about the melody, the lyrics, the story, and the heart. 

Country artists drop what they are doing every summer just to return to Nashville to meet with, and entertain their fans at the CMA Music Fest.  Garth Brooks once signed autographs there for 36 straight hours!!  This is also a format that pays attention to radio.  They understand that about 90% of Americans still get their first introduction to new music ON THE RADIO!!  They also understand the absolute necessity of connecting with their fans.  And no format does that better than Country Music.

What I love most though, is that Country Music is about everything we love.  God, family, the United States Of America, and helping neighbors.  That is what Country Music did last night during "Healing In The Heartland".  They opened their hearts, showed their tears, shared their talent AND their money, and they helped people heal.  Nothing does that better than music, and no music does that better than Country!

Wedding Season

Weddings.  If your first thought is "expensive" you are probably right!  However, think back to the most memorable weddings you have been to.  What is it that you remember most?  The dress?  Bridesmaids?  Flowers or cake?  No.  The most memorable weddings are fun, unusual, and comfortable!  If you are sitting around all dressed up and miserable it doesn't matter how much money was spent on the day...YOUR memory is of misery!

So if you are planning a wedding, you should think about what you want most.  Is it about YOU wearing a really expensive dress and being a princess for a day?  Mom, is it about impressing the people you invite?  If it is about the celebration of love then make it a celebration!  I think about Blake and Miranda's wedding.  She made it memorable with atmosphere.  It was not her dress others copied...it was the creative "broach bouquets" she had!  She created those because she loves the vintage look.  It was also the wedding arch made of deer antlers covered in twinkle lights.  Chosen because Blake loves deer!

The best wedding I have ever been to (and that includes my own) was my son Adam's.  It was on the beach at South Padre Island.  We were all barefoot, the sun was setting over the Gulf of Mexico, the groom wore khaki, and the party was fabulous!!  I remember the atmosphere of love...not money.

Given the statistic that we talked about a couple of weeks ago:  8 out of 10 marriages that end in the first 5 years end because the couple is financially stressed over paying off a much-too-expensive wedding...

Taking It Personally

So many of you have often told me that when they think of the American Soldier they think of MY American Soldier.  It is no secret that our son, Eric, is in the Army.  He is stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.  He is a United States Army Cavalry Scout.  He is a qualified High Altitude Sniper.  He is still my baby.  Roger Robicheau expressed it in a poem that says it all for me...

My Soldier's Mom

My child, you glow in uniform
In pride I live, my heart so warm

I have such precious thoughts cascade
Some old, some new, not one will fade

How hard that day we said good-bye
The joy, the pain, etched in my eye

You left to serve our country well
My perfect one, my tears did swell

No better soldier could there be
For in my love, that's all I see

Oh how I pray for you each day
Be safe, be well, God guide your way

I keep your home in wait with me
Your Mom will guard it faithfully

How great the day when you'll return
We'll talk and talk, night-lights to burn

My Soldier's Mom, is who I am
While you serve proud, for Uncle Sam

****
Thank You to all who have served, who are serving, and to those who died while serving Our Country!

16 Minutes

As a parent I cannot imagine waiting to hear my child's name yelled through a bull horn to find out if they are alive or dead.  And yet many parents in Moore, Oklahoma are going through this exact scenario.  An act of nature, so powerful and devastating it is unimaginable to most of us, hit their town with less than 16 minutes notice.  What can you do in 16 minutes?  Can you save your child?  Can you get just one more hug?

Please take the time to donate to the American Red Cross.  Text Red Cross to 90999 to donate $10 or go on line to www.redcross.org. 

Carry The Load!

The wonderful state of Texas has a new license plate you can buy...and it is CAMO!!  You can also personalize it, as we already have!  Check it out at www.myplates.com. The best part is that partial proceeds go to "Carry the Load" which is an organization that honors and benefits veterans, active military and all first responders.

According to an artical at WFAA.com, a former Navy SEAL named Clint Bruce co-founded the organization with fellow former SEAL Stephen Holly in 2011 because he was so angry that people had forgotten what Memorial Day is supposed to be honoring.  Last year, Carry the Load lauched a walking relay from West Point to Dallas, and invited anyone along the way to join and he ended up with about 500 walkers.  This year, the murder of Bruce's close friend, Chris Kyle, focused national attention on SEALs and sacrifice.  This year, we felt the deaths of 12 volunteer firefighters in West.

Clint Bruce said, "They did what they did because they thought America was worth it.  We're just challenging America to prove it."  And America seems to be looking for a way to show gratitude.  Suddenly, thousands are stepping up to Carry the Load.  "To go from 500 in 2011, to north of 20,000 this year is pretty spectacular.  It's an encouraging thing about America." 

Clint Bruce is just glad more Americans are pausing to consider the price of a peaceful day, and are willing to carry just a little of the load that was carried for them.  For information on how you can help, go to www.carrytheload.org.

Bravo, Angelina!

Bravo to Angelina Jolie for her brave decision to let the world know about her choice to have a double mastectomy to reduce her chances of getting breast cancer.  She said she made the choice to be tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations and found she had an 86% chance of getting breast cancer.  Her mother died of cancer at the age of 56. 

The test is a simple blood test.  The aftermath is the tough part.  If you have the mutations, a double mastectomy reduces your chances of getting breast cancer by 90 to 95 percent!  Reconstructive surgery is usually done at the same time.  For Angelina Jolie, this has been a three month process, but she can tell her six children that she has less than a 5% chance of breast cancer taking her away from them like it took her mother away from her.

How do you know if you should be tested?  If you have a close family member (mother, sister, grandmother) who has had the disease you need to get tested.  There is a very good chance your health care will cover the cost.  And one of the things Angelina Jolie stressed is that reconstructive surgery has come a long way in the past few years. 

From The Mom Files

We had lunch yesterday with our youngest child, Rachel, and were laughing over her selective memories from her younger years.  It just made me think about how very different each one of our kids were. 

Even when punishing them, we had to do that differently with each child!  Adam, our first born, was always such a social kid, his worst punishment was being grounded to his room.  He would sit right in the doorway and look out longingly.  Eric was, well, stubborn.  He gets that from his father who is the most stubborn man I have ever known.  I knew Eric had to be tough and stubborn to have survived his early and difficult birth...but geez!!  All I can say now is that that quality serves him well in the military.

Rachel's worst punishment always came from herself.  She doesn't like failure.  She never liked to disappoint, and Mike could make her cry with "The Dad Look".  The most amazing thing about motherhood is finding, after all the raising is done, that you really LIKE the people your children have become.
That is something to hang on to during the long, sleepless nights with your little one in your arms.  Happy Mother's Day!

Laws Schmaws...Let's Just STOP!

How long can we say "It will never happen to me" before it happens to you?  I am sooooo guilty!!  Watch the Tim McGraw video and ask yourself if you have had a close call on the road with your cell phone?  I have.  In fact, I have done just what the girl in the video has done!  Dropped the phone on the floor and tried to pick it up while driving.  I did that just once and nearly killed myself and someone else as well!  In fact, when I looked up I was heading straight for a car with 4 people in it.  They looked terrified and I swerved just in time.  But just how many chances do we get?

I know we talk about laws banning texting and driving, but we have got to start policing ourselves!  We should not need a law to make us stop doing something that is clearly dangerous to ourselves and others.  If you take your mind, attention or eyes off the road for even a second while going 70 mph in a vehicle you could die and take innocent lives with you!  It only takes a second.  I wish I could say that I NEVER look at my phone while driving...I can't.  But I have promised myself that my phone will stay in my purse until I get to where I am going.

How about you?

How To Become Bear Poop!

Shortly after we got to our cabin in New Mexico on Friday, we got a call from our neighbor.  She wanted to warn us that there is a "medium sized bear in the area".  She also told me that three four wheelers with teenagers driving them had been "herding" and chasing the bear.  They finally treed the bear and left.  It climbed down and the teenagers were back!  Our neighbor told them she was going to call the Game Warden if they didn't leave the bear alone.

All I could think of is just how stupid are these kids?  Even a "medium sized bear" can KILL them with one swipe of a paw!!  I have a very healthy respect for bears.  I read the book about bear attacks.  It scared the *#+t out of me!! 

We spent the weekend inside the cabin.

"Divine Appointment"

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who has just unknowingly given a great perpective on a situation you are in?  They might not even have known anything about what you are going through but they say something that comforts you or helps you deal with it?  I call those "divine appointments".  I really believe that God sends people to you with a direct word from Him.  He will use YOU for this purpose as well.

A year ago I had a fantastic opportunity to spend a week (the last week I would ever spend, as it turned out) with my mother-in-law, Maisie.  She told me that every time someone took over doing something she had always done like Thanksgiving Dinner, birthday cake baking, or paying bills (even if it was just to help her out) she felt like she "dissappeared a little bit more".  It just made me realize how we tend to marginalize our parents and grandparents as they age.  I think THAT was a "divine appointment" God set up just for me.

As it turns out, everyone I have shared that story with has also needed to hear it for a special reason.  Keep making those appointments Lord, and I will keep listening...and talking.

Save Your Life!

My dear friend, Rachel Dobbs, was in a car accident on the very deadly intersection of 158 and the Craddick Highway about a week ago.  She was pretty banged up and her car was a total loss but she was  ALIVE!  We were talking about it at her son's wedding shower on Saturday night and she credits the fact that she took a Defensive Driving class in November with helping her minimize the accident as much as possible.

So I spent 6 hours Sunday taking an on-line Defensive Driving class.  It has been 4 years since I took one and many things have changed about the class.  It is no longer really about recognizing warning signs, etc.  Now, defensive driving is about really DRIVING DEFENSIVELY!  What a concept!  I learned so much about how to minimize risks when approacing an intersection, how to create a cushion of safety around your automobile, what to do to avoid an accident, and how to stay in your "adult" mindset while driving. 

Without question, the best thing to do to avoid an accident in almost every situation...SLOW DOWN.  If you haven't taken a defensive driving class in  the last couple of years...think about spending the 25 dollars, and the 6 hours in your pj's on the computer.  You will get a discount on your insurance...and it just might save your life, like it saved the life of my friend.