We are taking the new "Family Truckster" out for the first time this weekend. The Family Truckster is the nickname we have given our new motorhome (borrowed from National Lampoons Family Vacation). Camper Coaches RV in Lubbock went over everything with us, of course. But that was weeks ago and we have forgotten nearly all of it. So it is a trial by fire, if you will, this weekend.
We are just going down to Fort Davis. We used to camp there with the kids when they were younger, then we bought the cabin in 2004 and have not been camping since. So we are excited to go back and enjoy the State Park again!
The Family Truckster is just a 23 footer, which is all Mike and I thought we could handle on the road. But it has all the systems like the generator, propane fridge, and 30 amp electrical service. None of which we remember how to use. So if you see two people in Fort Davis, in a Coachmen motorhome with no lights, roasting hot dogs over the firepit...HELP!!
Friday, March 1, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Learn To Laugh!
I saw a picture of Carrie Fisher this morning and I did not recognize her. She lost some weight and looked terrific in photos after that but now she has "had some work done" and looks NOTHING like herself anymore. It makes me wonder when enough is enough?
Carrie is not the first one to go under the knife to look younger. Dolly, Tanya Tucker, Marie Osmond, Carole Burnette, Reba and many, many more. The problem is, when do you say enough? When it makes you nearly un-recognizable! Tanya Tucker's surgeon made her look like someone else entirely. Dolly has had one too many now but she has a really talented surgeon for sure!! Reba has had some work done but still looks like herself so now is the time for her to say STOP! And some I will not mention (Kenny Rogers) just look like clowns!
Then there are the lovely women who have let themselves age gracefully. Diane Keaton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Loretta Lynn, Meryl Streep, Martina McBride and others. I cannot begin to imagine the pressure the women in Hollywood feel when they want a role meant for a woman of 30 and they are 50. Shaving a few years off your face can mean losing the face you, and everyone else, knows. And there is a point when they can't add any more soft focus without being completely blurry, when you have to face it...you are aging.
So, no matter what age you are, I recommend laughing. Laugh at yourself, laugh with others, laugh at the ridiculous, laugh with your kids, husband, parents and friends. I plan to be one of those ladies with grey hair and lots of laugh lines...like Lily Tomlin!
Carrie is not the first one to go under the knife to look younger. Dolly, Tanya Tucker, Marie Osmond, Carole Burnette, Reba and many, many more. The problem is, when do you say enough? When it makes you nearly un-recognizable! Tanya Tucker's surgeon made her look like someone else entirely. Dolly has had one too many now but she has a really talented surgeon for sure!! Reba has had some work done but still looks like herself so now is the time for her to say STOP! And some I will not mention (Kenny Rogers) just look like clowns!
Then there are the lovely women who have let themselves age gracefully. Diane Keaton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Loretta Lynn, Meryl Streep, Martina McBride and others. I cannot begin to imagine the pressure the women in Hollywood feel when they want a role meant for a woman of 30 and they are 50. Shaving a few years off your face can mean losing the face you, and everyone else, knows. And there is a point when they can't add any more soft focus without being completely blurry, when you have to face it...you are aging.
So, no matter what age you are, I recommend laughing. Laugh at yourself, laugh with others, laugh at the ridiculous, laugh with your kids, husband, parents and friends. I plan to be one of those ladies with grey hair and lots of laugh lines...like Lily Tomlin!
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Passing It Forward
The "Great Depression" generation (my mother's) have very interesting characteristics. Mike and I keep running into them with her and sometimes they are a little difficult to understand. I know where it comes from, years of making do with very little, making things last, fixing things that are broken, and figuring out how to fix a meal with what you have in the house because you can't go to the store. She was born in Oklahoma in 1935 and her family left their farm there during the Dust Bowl. She is familiar with doing without.
My mother's late husband, who came here from Germany in 1939, could never understand why she insisted on having a second refrigerator and freezer in the basement. He could never understand her need to always have extra food on hand "just in case". She still does.
And we Baby Boomers who have grown up in an "everything is disposable" culture get frustrated with her because she wants to hold on to an old chair that has been re-upholstered several times, or old end tables that are no longer in style and need a lot of work and refinishing. And, quite frankly, it is faster and easier to buy new than it is to refinish or re-upholster.
So we will help her give some things we are replacing at the house to charity. Which is how I got ALL the furniture for my first apartment! And I refinished and upholstered and made that $20 chair look new. So I guess we can call it "passing it forward"!
My mother's late husband, who came here from Germany in 1939, could never understand why she insisted on having a second refrigerator and freezer in the basement. He could never understand her need to always have extra food on hand "just in case". She still does.
And we Baby Boomers who have grown up in an "everything is disposable" culture get frustrated with her because she wants to hold on to an old chair that has been re-upholstered several times, or old end tables that are no longer in style and need a lot of work and refinishing. And, quite frankly, it is faster and easier to buy new than it is to refinish or re-upholster.
So we will help her give some things we are replacing at the house to charity. Which is how I got ALL the furniture for my first apartment! And I refinished and upholstered and made that $20 chair look new. So I guess we can call it "passing it forward"!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Thank God For The CHL Class!
Mike spent all day Saturday taking the concealed handgun license class. Thank God! Am I glad because I will feel safer now that he can have a gun with him at all times? No. Let me take you back to last week...
We were doing our regular shopping at Wal Mart. Mike got out of the truck with his phone in his hands "checking the scores" he says. I kind of guided him through the parking lot as he stared at his phone. Then, when we got to the entrance, I tripped. My boot heel caught on something and I went flying. I would have landed on my face and REALLY hurt myself if a stranger hadn't caught me and kept me from falling.
Mike never looked up from his phone! He absently said, "Sorry honey" but he never looked up! I said, "Just glad you didn't drop your phone sweetie!" Sure it was snarky but I was really upset!
One of the first things they were taught in this all-day class on Saturday was to NEVER walk through a parking lot looking at your phone!! It just makes you a target. You have to be aware of everything and everyone in all situations. I just want him to be aware of me falling on my ass in the parking lot! I feel safer already.
We were doing our regular shopping at Wal Mart. Mike got out of the truck with his phone in his hands "checking the scores" he says. I kind of guided him through the parking lot as he stared at his phone. Then, when we got to the entrance, I tripped. My boot heel caught on something and I went flying. I would have landed on my face and REALLY hurt myself if a stranger hadn't caught me and kept me from falling.
Mike never looked up from his phone! He absently said, "Sorry honey" but he never looked up! I said, "Just glad you didn't drop your phone sweetie!" Sure it was snarky but I was really upset!
One of the first things they were taught in this all-day class on Saturday was to NEVER walk through a parking lot looking at your phone!! It just makes you a target. You have to be aware of everything and everyone in all situations. I just want him to be aware of me falling on my ass in the parking lot! I feel safer already.
Monday, February 25, 2013
THE OSCARS!
It has been YEARS since Mike and I have watched the Oscars. We are not crazy about Hollywood and think most actors live in a bubble that has nothing to do with real life. However, we watched last night just to see how Seth MacFarlane did. And we were not disappointed!
The whole bit with the sock puppets doing "Flight" was hilarious. We were in tears! And the "We Saw Your Boobs" song was great! Loved the camera cuts to see how the actresses who are mentioned in the song reacted! Sure he made some questionable jokes. He writes "Family Guy"! Did you expect tasteful? Seth was actually more careful than I would have expected but I imagine the director had something to do with that!
There were awkward moments, as there always are. And the acceptance speeches were long, dull, and did I mention long? The stats show that in the 60's the acceptance speeches were an average of :40 seconds long. Last night they averaged over 2 minutes! We loved the shark music (theme from Jaws) as the warning to wrap it up! Clever AND funny!
What amazes both of us every year is that the big country music award shows like the CMA's and ACM's ALWAYS end right on time. The Oscars NEVER do! I think it all comes down to manners. Country people understand your time is valuable. Hollywood people think they are valuable. And that why we are in Country radio!
The whole bit with the sock puppets doing "Flight" was hilarious. We were in tears! And the "We Saw Your Boobs" song was great! Loved the camera cuts to see how the actresses who are mentioned in the song reacted! Sure he made some questionable jokes. He writes "Family Guy"! Did you expect tasteful? Seth was actually more careful than I would have expected but I imagine the director had something to do with that!
There were awkward moments, as there always are. And the acceptance speeches were long, dull, and did I mention long? The stats show that in the 60's the acceptance speeches were an average of :40 seconds long. Last night they averaged over 2 minutes! We loved the shark music (theme from Jaws) as the warning to wrap it up! Clever AND funny!
What amazes both of us every year is that the big country music award shows like the CMA's and ACM's ALWAYS end right on time. The Oscars NEVER do! I think it all comes down to manners. Country people understand your time is valuable. Hollywood people think they are valuable. And that why we are in Country radio!
Friday, February 22, 2013
You Can Take The Boy Out Of Texas...
We got a text on Saturday night at about 8:10. It said, "I am sucking Texas air!!!" It was from our soldier boy, Eric. We flew him in from Fort Riley, Kansas to pick up his new truck and spend the last day of Celebration with us.
He is so happy when he is home. Not because of us or his sister or friends...but because he is a Texas boy! He had a sergeant once that told him it was the soldiers from Texas that were always willing to go the distance. Whether it was a fight, a battle, a challenge or whatever. Texas boys are a proud breed. While we were at Wal Mart, Eric went over to the Vietnam Veteran who was the greeter. They talked for a while and then I watched as the Veteran took off his glove and shook Eric's hand as they thanked each other for their service. Quite a moment for mom!
He was thrilled he got to stop at Sonic and get a bacon cheeseburger with jalapenos! No Sonic in Junction City, Kansas. He had breakfast at a Whataburger...a jalapeno cheese burger. No Whataburgers in Junction City, Kansas. He also said he couldn't get good jalapenos up there either. Frankly, what he ate on Sunday would have killed me...but he was happy. And sometimes, you just gotta make your soldier happy! Especially if he is still your little boy.
He is so happy when he is home. Not because of us or his sister or friends...but because he is a Texas boy! He had a sergeant once that told him it was the soldiers from Texas that were always willing to go the distance. Whether it was a fight, a battle, a challenge or whatever. Texas boys are a proud breed. While we were at Wal Mart, Eric went over to the Vietnam Veteran who was the greeter. They talked for a while and then I watched as the Veteran took off his glove and shook Eric's hand as they thanked each other for their service. Quite a moment for mom!
He was thrilled he got to stop at Sonic and get a bacon cheeseburger with jalapenos! No Sonic in Junction City, Kansas. He had breakfast at a Whataburger...a jalapeno cheese burger. No Whataburgers in Junction City, Kansas. He also said he couldn't get good jalapenos up there either. Frankly, what he ate on Sunday would have killed me...but he was happy. And sometimes, you just gotta make your soldier happy! Especially if he is still your little boy.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Thank You
Our Kicks Cares For Kids Celebration 2013 for Children's Miracle Network was a great success! Over $160,000 raised for local children's health! Congratulations to all of you who gave this year! You have made an amazing investment in the future of West Texas, our children.
We had amazing stories, great sponsors and a lot of help from the community to make this 4 day broadcast possible. We also had a lot of help from Kelley Peterson getting it on the air, and keeping it on the air! Without Kelley, we never would have been able to do this years broadcast, so thank you KP!
There are also a lot of sacrifices that are made here at the radio ranch when two thirds of the air staff is gone for 7 days. For everyone's patience, Mike and I thank you.
We had amazing stories, great sponsors and a lot of help from the community to make this 4 day broadcast possible. We also had a lot of help from Kelley Peterson getting it on the air, and keeping it on the air! Without Kelley, we never would have been able to do this years broadcast, so thank you KP!
There are also a lot of sacrifices that are made here at the radio ranch when two thirds of the air staff is gone for 7 days. For everyone's patience, Mike and I thank you.
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