Greetings 2006!!

Best Wishes to all our friends and family!

Great Gift Idea for Last Minute Shoppers

Merry Christmas and Yule Tide Greetings to you and yours!

The included link could fit as a nifty gift for any family member, office friend, or just to have for a possible forgotten neighbor or drop-in acquaintance ---

http://redriderleglamps.com/

Ride 'em cowboys - watch out they could put your eye out!

Also makes a great stocking stuffer!!

Icey Bridges

Decade after decade these signs go unneeded and laughable in Texas. On trips across the state in the summer we point and tee hee over the waste of taxpayer money at these ridiculous signs.

Yesterday, I actually got to see real 'ice on bridges' on my drive home from work at 5:00 pm. After piling up decade upon decade of not driving on icey bridges I was white-knuckling it home, although I tried to keep my face set in a pleasant nonchalant half-smile and my shoulders not too jutted forward. My eyes were just bugged out a little.

As I entered Highway 287 in Arlington, evidently these people had seen horror on the highway and they were all obediently creeping along at 30 miles per hour. There was not one outlaw among them. I began to think that I would safely arrive home in 3 to 4 hours (normally 1/2 hour) but, in one piece.

Oh no, we merge into I20 and it got hairy, my cautious fellow drivers were overtaken my crazed SUVS, jacked up 4-Wheel drive Trucks who apparently felt the need to get home at the normal 70 miles per hour. Believe me, this does not mix with the people who feel the need to go 20 mph over total ice on long bridges hunched over their steering wheels with gritted teeth. It is not comforting to pass cars facing backwards and on their roofs.

But hey, for my practically first dry at driving on icey bridges I did really excellent. Only once, in my own neighborhood, where I was on an incline did I feel the need to run a stop sign. So, I got home in one piece (with only one for two desires to do manual signs at a few drivers who are obviously not from Texas).

Let it snow.

Gobbler Calls for Turkey Day

For those of you who want to go back to nature for your Thanksgiving dining pleasure, I've provided the handy-dandy link for turkey calls at Cabelas: (Frank may be the only one who takes me up on this one)

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/common/search/search-results1.jsp?hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=turkey+call&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=turkey+call&noImage=0

To save you the trouble here's some all time favorites-
Quaker Box Easy Yelper
Strut Li'l Strut
Button Yelper II
Cherry Bomb
Raspy Hen Box
Grave Digger

I'm 'calling mine up' at the back aisle of Krogers this year with the Ultimate Silver Queen Friction Diaphragm. I'll be standing an arm's length away at $.65 a pound. I will give it a special soak in a brine bath and cook in a Turkey Oven Bag, stuffed with 2 sticks of butter (some other onions celery and stuff lying around) until hopefully moist and juicy.

M.C.

Calico Blues

Okay, I've been daydreaming for a few weeks that the perfect present for myself from a loving family member would be a little Calico Kitten for Christmas. Now of course I'm keeping this under wraps and not telling a soul. Just watching cat food commercials with my mouth watering.

Dreamily looking at pictures of furry kittys. This is what I've been thinking would replace a certain emptiness in my life since a certain little furry crazed animal left our planet.

Well, the skids have been knocked out from under me. Reality has come home.

1. We are getting new carpet in three bedrooms. Hmmm. Kitten my have accidents.
2. Frank hates all animals of all sects, religions and genders.
3. Trey posted on his blog that he hates cats (and that made me remember that he is allergic to cat hair) I really want him to still come home for visits.

AAARGH. I may have to settle for clean carpet, a good husband and son and a warm blanket.

Do you think??? ...

Monster Maddox - Girls Be Afraid

Next Blog, Next Blog - Stolen Thoughts

Racking my brain for a creative blog it arrived almost effortlessly in my lap. I have also traveled into the "next blog" world. You just go NEXT BLOG, NEXT BLOG, NEXT BLOG in the upper right hand corner.

So here are what my neighbors are up to today-

1. Ferrari is making LCD monitors for computers

2. Two doors down the guy is from Jakarta, Indonesia

3. "Current world events are providing factual evidence that the end times are upon us. Will you be prepared?" (This guy in Baton Rouge had cool "woo ooo oo ooo" sound effect that played for you so we could be entertained as we sat on this timebomb earth.)

4. Heather's Fitness Diary - She did "45 on an Elliptical all week" ???

5. Next "Whips and Chains, Your Great Danes..." Oil States, my Company, blocked it.

6. Kimmays Blog - Cute pictured high school girls with accompanying great music provided. All the posts told too much about a young girl and her friends. She is learning to drive and types everything in that email and instant messaging shorthand. Someone like me (a grandmother) should warn her not reveal her Marysville, Ohio location to the entire perverted internet population.

7. Several polital rants, George W, blah, blah, blah

8. Oh dear, more blocked blogs

9. Lots of foreign words blogs, bon jour

10. Chaos Theory Blog - hmmmm... I will google this for more details, I'm afraid this goes against my Christian upbringing.

11. And for your viewing pleasure - www.collagecabaret.blogspot.com



[I can't get the link to work for the viewing blog!-HUMPH]

Anyway, amazingly many of these featured blogs had already posted Today. This is just a mini-micro-teeny-tiny view! Isn't blogging fun. So join me in jumping around the blog world with Matt Lauer.
M.C.

Dreamland

Dreaming is pretty big with me. Last night I drifted in and out of several scenarios. Since the time change I haven't changed my bedside clock so I wake up several times during the night, go back to sleep, per chance to dream and thus my dreams change.

Here's how part of my night played out -

It was drifty and foggy on a ledge and Doris my deceased mother-in-law (who I always loved) and I were stock-piling clothing. We have been to several stores or somewhere (it seemed like Mervyns?) to buy some unknown mid-size clothing for some unknown reason. The feeling was we needed a lot, like for a hurricane or a tornado that was coming. We rushed to carefully fold and stack them with their tags still on and place them in a wooden cabinet or piece of furniture like an armoire. This piece of furniture was floating out on the foggy ledge. .... , okay, wake up to compute the time.

Now I'm dressed in a off-grey, dusty clown suit with grey, gloomy clown make-up with small bowler hat like a man clown. I'm on a cloudy, dusty, grey small stage with poor lighting. I'm shuffling my feet to some off-stage music and softly singing "I'm Mr. Cellophane" from the movie "Chicago". (this is done by the sad husband of Renee Zelweger in the movie) I'm not a good singer but I can clearly hear the tune of "I tell ya, Cellophane, I'm Mr. Cellophane, should have been my name, Mr. Cellophane, 'cause you can look right through me, walk right by me, And never know I'm there!" (it's done very slow and melancholy) Of course there is nobody in the old shabby theater. ...., okay, wake up to compute the time.

Now, new place don't know where and Steve Tate (Frank's cousin and our friend) and I are trying pretty franticly to take our blood sugar. I'm diabetic but he is not. We try over and over to prick our fingers. The lancets are no good or the meters do not register to get a drop of blood. People are looking over our shoulder and waiting impatiently. A crowd is growing, I'm sweating. Lots of pressure. The little lancets are piling up at our feet, my fingers hurt from all the pricking. I feel like B. B. King.

...., okay, wake up it's 7:25 a.m. on the clock, no that's wrong, 6:25 a.m. and I'm going to have to hustle be on time to work in Arlington.

Yikes, M.C.

Hallowean not ween

I'm not getting to see my children or grandkids today - Pumpkin Day - and I am feeling blue not orange. I am not all a'glow with candles in pumpkins and candy apples and the smell of spices in the air. Boo Hoo. Not Boo.

I will be pouting and waiting for pictures of some or all. Poooooo........

Dallas County vs Tarrant County Traffic

Just a Cowtown thumbs up for Tarrant County. We made a quick sashay east to Garland yesterday and the drivers and the red lights and traffic over there is heads up worse than in our neck of the woods. It is kill or be killed. OK, not that bad. But, it is lots more cars going hurry up and then scrunch on the brakes. It lots more red lights with people cutting in behind you and in front of you. Pull on you Parnelli gloves and stay alert. For a nice Sunday afternoon, everyone seemed to have their jaws jutted out and determined look in their eye.

Alright, I'm just riding Dallas County a little hard. We here 'in the West' don't mind letting someone slide into the flow of traffic if their trapped in a shopping center. We give them the short Cowboy wave and nod. (now mind you, you let them in if this does not deter other traffic flow behind or beside you, be safety minded)

We will continue to risk our necks on a regular basis to see the grandkids. No problema.

Take Time to Smell the Horses

Saturday afternoon our company picnic will be at Lone Star Park for dinner and the races. Well, I'm fired up. I'm on the annual party committee and we seem to have hit on a winner this year. We have had a huge turnout. Oil States is providing parking, admittance, programs, Lone Star Bucks and dinner for two adults. This is a pretty big deal and the employees are coming in droves. We are barely going to fit into the Pavilion Garden that we have reserved.

I have always loved horses, they just seem cool. We have been to Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie and it is incredible to see those animals churn and pull and drive when they come out of the starting gates. You have to go right down to the fences to get a real feel for what these powerful horses were bred to do.

The best part of this year's event is the Park is doing everything. The Party Committee just has to show up and eat and watch and enjoy. (at least, I hope, there can usually be some grumbling over something.)

Guess I'd better go study up on Trifectas, Quinellas and Daily Doubles. I understand my grandmother could always pick em and always bet on the first grey horse.

I Love October

Alrighty! Sometime last night, it finally became fall. It is cool at last. Our six month Texas summer may finally be over, leaves will change colors. And with the rising energy costs we are going to turn off the air conditioner and light candles and roast hot dogs. I like October a lot because there are no high pressure holidays just good ole Halloween. It is the perfect month to be a grandmother.

M.C. dba MiMi

Doggone

Well... I have allowed myself two weeks of searching for our dog Molly and I must admit to the world now that Molly disappeared from our backyard and it is a total mystery.

I will just say that we have made every effort in our neighborhood to locate this little black and white terrier. We searched night and day calling and whistling. I have made two trips to the Humane Society and the Fort Worth City Pound (these are heart-breaking trips in themselves). I have posted flyers throughout our neighborhood.

I have been encouraged by family and friends to make peace with the fact that probably Molly may not be coming back. This is difficult and the mystery of not knowing is worse. I know with time it will get easier, she was a frantic, bouncy Jack Russell terrier yet we loved her.

Children and now Grandchildren

You know I decided the day my oldest grand-daughter was born that my mission in her life would be to rarely say "no" to her whenever possible. Teehee. This was dedicated with a twinkle in my eye towards my darling daughter who would most certainly have to say no a lot.

Well, you say 'how's that working out for you?' Great! It is always a pleasure for our grandkids to come and visit. They come for the weekend and we 'take them on the town'. These four kids range in age from nine down to 10 months and so far the sky is the limit. Indulge, indulge, indulge. It's amazing what a trip to Claires and a kid's movie with popcorn and candy can be to a wonderful set of grand-daughters. (Grand-son too young for movies yet.)

OK, yes, it will all change in time, but these young years are so innocent and what are MiMi and Grandy good for? We look through old family photographs and tell stories about our growing up years to the kids sometimes. Our most precious part of the weekend visit is Sunday mornings at church. We pass on our Christian heritage and show them they we believe just as strongly what Mom and Dad are teaching them at home. And HaHa, the "March of Happiness" down the center aisle while Mimi shows off Madison and McKenzie to every member possible is a big part of the morning.

M.C. aka MiMi

Not So Lovely Rita

"Oh, Lovely Rita meter maid,
where would I be without you.
Give us a wink and make us think about you."

As the Beatles so lovely sang, I'm afraid that Rita won't just wink on us this time.

Big prayer going up.

My Surface of 'Surface'

OK, saw Surface. Now didn't the producers kind of already tip their hat that the kids are breeding and communicating with the SURFACITTES? (harken, to 'Gremlins') Yes, I was in a work coma while viewing, but I'm already picking up on the "Close Encounter of a Third Kind" bit. You know, where the Government is controlling things and messing things up between the 'good guys' and the SURFACITTES?

I did like the main girl (pictured above),the water skiier and the Cajun guys a lot. You knew these guys didn't stand a chance against the authority FBI/CIA/NASA/SENATE/CSI/ETC when they started stuttering out the horrors they had witnessed first hand. However, the special effects so far look like a hazy whale slash manatee slash squid. (blah)

Ok, just scratched the surface. I'll Tivo it one more time.

Sweet Sassy Molassy - It's Mange !

Well - it's official. Our vet has diagnosed Sweet Sassy Molassy, or Molly, with MANGE. You should have been there to see the horrified, disgusted, flustered denials from Frank and I. Averted eyes and hung heads.

It all started with a routine check-up and we had un-wittingly even pointed out the little spot of skin where the hair was gone. We thought she had skinned her leg in the back yard. Oh no.

Dr. Morris efficiently brought in a microscope so our horrified eyes could look at mange first hand. He said you could best describe it as teeny tiny alligators. AAAARRRGHGH! We saw them! They moved! Our dog is a four legged plague. We pleaded openly "We sleep with this dog". Her favorite sleeping position is under the covers with no oxygen.

The term “mange” is used to describe a dog skin disease caused by a variety of microscopic mites. It is believed to feed on fluids present in the hair follicle. It causes inflammation in the hair follicle. This inflammation damages the hair follicle and the surrounding skin causing the hair to fall out. It is believed that all puppies acquire a small number of mites during nursing and dogs normally have a small number of mites in their skin. It is believed that susceptibility to mange can also be inherited.

Googled off the Internet

Well, God and Dr. Morris has blessed our household - humans don't get mange. Hallelujah! She has started on her antibiotic which she likes best stuffed into white meat chicken bites. She is currently "our" dog (2 sons have evaporated) and is eleven months old, is longer legged and is not quite the little adorable baby pictured above. She is a good girl at home alone with us, but a crazed MANIAC when ANYONE or anydog or anybird or anybug comes to our house. She wants to greet you with a holy kiss on the lips (literally). She needs some manners. She is truly a Jack Russell terrior through and through. Crazy...

Traversing in Oregon

Straight from Travis in Oregon-
everything is fine here. Its getting colder and the first rain started today. We will be picking wild blackberries this morning. We are jarring organic veggies as well. I'm learning so much about the ecology of this area. Soon we will check out the old growth forest just south of here, the trees there are over 1000 years old and are epic. The forest service over the last 100 years has allowed logging companys to destroy over 90 percent of the old growth forest.

People here are very environmentally friendly. I've already been inspired greatly in the fine art of organic farming. I know how to milk goats and make cheese and yogurt. I felled a few trees with Mooky for posts to make a horse stable. Tell everyone I'm doing fine and having a great time out here in the country.

I'll post periodically from Travis' travels. M.C.

The Not-So-Simple Plan

Well, I just did it! I called George W. Bush. I have a plan. Of course, I got his comment line, but I did get to talk to a nice young man and he listened to my brief synopsis of my plan.

Paraphrased - my statement - " I am a Christian mother, grandmother and support President Bush, but in light of the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, we should take this opportunity to bring home a large portion of our troops from Iraq. We need them here now, for rebuilding because we have a huge undertaking ahead. I know this is very complicated, but this is my suggestion."
I told you it was not simple. M.C.

"Gon" to Oregon

Well, last Wednesday afternoon at 2:45 in the afternoon, Travis, or "Traverse" headed for Oregon with his friend Grayson. They elected to travel by Greyhound bus to Cave Junction, Oregon where they arrived at 5:00 am on Saturday morning. They saw our beautiful sprawling America by way of Amarillo, Flagstaff, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and much, much more. A high point reported was several hands of Texas Hold Em during a ten hour lay over in Las Vegas. A low point was a drunk woman aboard at Sacramento.

Grayson is a seasoned traveler and has been to Oregon many times. The information that has slowly been fed to me, the mom, is they will be staying on a goat farm (goat milk, goat cheese, lots of vegetables) and at a neighbor's land where they have lots of acreage where they will be hiking and camping. Their friend Mookie does have a telephone and Travis has called in. This is what has been told to me so far. I will be updating you as I am updated.

I understand now that Grayson is not coming back for a while. This causes me some concern, because Travis was originally coming back in 4 weeks. Now...... he may stay 4-6 weeks ...

OK, this sounds negative, but when I get over my mother's fear, I am so excited for a young man to have this incredible adventure. He and his buddies have camped in Colorado lots of times and he is between jobs right now so this is a perfect time in his life. Seeing America is something that's incredible, they are just north of the California state line and there are scenic trees, rivers and mountains. They will also go to the coast.

Please pray for their safety and I will be giving periodic status posts. - The Mom

Hurricane Katrina Catastrophe

God Bless and Heal the Hurricane Survivors

Casting Off to Fourth Grade

First Born Grand - Daughter

Madison

First Day - 4th Grade

Magnificent Purple Cast

received at Iron Springs

Perfect Smile

Blended Pink Outfit

and

Backpack

God Has Smiled on Us

Red River Valley

We had a lovely trip to Red River, NM. I enjoyed sending update comments from a Christian internet cafe and from the Public Library.

Frank is seen at our lodge - The Riverside where we overlooked the river. Yes, we did cook in our little kitchen.

You can see the main drag down through town. I really can't explain the saloon shot (paparazzi).

We rented a jeep and went on a rough and wild jeep trail to the top of Greene Mountain. Frank fished at a lake near the top. It was a great relaxing trip, but it sure is hot back it Cowtown!

On The Road Again - a Band of Two Gypsies

Well, Frank and I will be heading out Saturday for New Mexico. I am so fired up and my spouse is slowly warming up to the thrills of leaving cow city. I am telling you, I have really got to get away. We will headed to North Central NM - first Taos and then to our main destination Red River. We have reservations at a Lodge with a porch that looks out on the river. It has a kitchenette, so you can be assured there will be some serious cookin' going on. Ha! Bagels and Coffee, mostly. We also have a fireplace, so I'm counting on some nice cool weather.

We're planning on taking a jeep ride on the jeep trails, Frank will do fishing and I will do reading and napping. Possible other activities on the burner are: square dancing, arrowhead searching, 50 mile hikes, tree climbing, skinny dipping, buying out all the stores (this one really), of course, horse back riding, snow-boarding, motorcycling, bird-watching, photo-contest picture taking, restaurant eating contests, bear trapping, coon-skin cap making, buying rubber tomahawks, eating some more, napping, napping, napping, ......

NOTE: To All burglars, Travis and all his rowdy friends will be in residence at our house and will be on the look out! No Shenanigans.

Grand Sub-Ette Achieves Age Five

Well as all tiny Sub-ettes are prone to do, one more named McKenzie Grace turned five in August. I thought the world should know. We celebrated with a Hello Kitty party and it was swell. This beautiful girl had a lovely time with eight of her closest friends along with family members. Cake and Cheetos were served. A Hello Kitty Pinata was excitedly deployed and candy distributed. A grand time was had by all.
Yours truly,
Proud MiMi

Birthday Girl

Tiny Male Sub Crawls!

Just short of eight months old little Maddox Jay Losher streaks across his home town in a blistering world-breaking crawl!

Yes, I'd bet he's covering four, five or even six inches at a stretch. BUT, it counts. All us grandparents and kin-folks say it counts.

This child is a sprinter and a genius of note. On a happy note, Maddox is a true smiler as well. At McKenzie's five year birthday he never stopped smiling either. So if you want to see a smiling CRAWLING baby. See Maddox.

Tinted Windows

What's the deal with tinted windows. I found I had to have them.

I have been driving Granny Ruth's car, my Mom's car, now my car for quite a few weeks.

It is a Great Car. It is a 2002 Toyota Avalon with all the goodies EXCEPT tinted windows. It has the most spectacular sound system and plushy leather seats. The suspension must be extra special 'cause it rides like a cloud. Cecil was a dream boat when he picked it out, I knew I loved him, what a great stepdad. Did I mention that we started screaming when we found out the radio told you the name of the songs as it played and you can put six CD's at once. woohooo! I am in stereo heaven.

Two problems with the car though. You may be surprised that I have a problem with the fact that the car has very prominent handicap plates. For some reason I feel like everyone is staring at me like I have a pirate peg leg. I feel like I should roll out an iron lung at every parking lot. Now don't get me wrong, I have been raised with too much guilt to park in a handicap spot. We carried Doris too long who was actually in a wheelchair for me to block a spot that I don't deserve. (and don't any of you do it either) So I'm itching for my Laminack plates to come in and for me to appear to be an average Joe.

Second bigger problem -Which is - no - tinted windows. I had a creepy crawly feeling of being in a fish bowl on my thirty minute drive to work every day. Just look around we live in a tinted car window world. Every SUV, truck, minivan has dark, darker windows. It is a mystery what might be going on inside those cars. Smokin', drinkin', lascivious behavior, children drivin', asleep at the wheel, eatin', drinkin' talking on multiple cell phones, reading books and maps, yelling at the kids, scratchin', personal hygiene, etc. Well, I've been wanting to do all those things and people kept honking and pointing. SOOOO, I got my tint job and it was no big deal. I strolled in to Artech and acted like I get it done every day. I made fast friends with the two fellows waiting there and even wandered over to Half Price books and bought two books.

I chose the Medium tint with the Superior quality to avoid fading and scratching. Excellent! I look like a high class Americano. I can now roll my cigarettes and read "Of Mice and Men" and adjust the radio, and call all my children on my drive home everyday. I look with disdain at my fellow drivers with shabby light or 'tisk' non-tinted windows. And about those bubbled up tinted windows, the nerve! Let's have coffee, we'll talk.

Work is filling up too much of my time

I have figured out that working for a living is wearing me out. I need the money so I work. However, I come home too tired to spend it. I come home and dream of all kinds of projects around the house and make plans of cleaning sprees, reading inspiring books and going shopping and NO... I find myself plopped in my recliner. Luckily I have a trusty husband and a trusty grand-dog Molly (lately) to assist in being a couch potato.

I seem to make it through an eight hour work day just fine. My brain works pretty consistently (fueled by coffee and a one hour lunch). I mostly sit at a computer, work with some great people, make quick trips around the office during the day. My thirty minute commute is spent listening to the radio, but I come home and if I sit down, then I'm probably never getting up again. Exhaustion sets in. A tidal wave of inertia settles on top of me. Prayers and fast asleep.

Now life should be just the opposite with your energy going into some fun stuff during the eight hour day which leaves you happily exhausted at the sun's setting. I see myself a a Maui beach bum surfer at heart, a race horse breeder and rider in Kentucky maybe, a Tibetan monk-ett spending hours in blissful prayer on top of a beautiful mountain, possibly just a photographer for National Geographic around the globe. Yeah that's the ticket.

I need a new vocation or at least a vacation I'd say. Some one put me in a resume to monster.com for new exciting exotic office placement. Have gun will travel.

Thanks for the memories

Well, formal thank you notes will be coming out following the death of my mom, but I needed to let everyone know how blessed we felt at her funeral. The service by Wade and Frank was so easy to handle, but the songs were what will always ring in my memory. Emily (composed a new song the day before), Patty, Katie and Maggie - you made my mother's service a send off to heaven! That's all I can say, she had a magic carpet ride of songs into the arms of Jesus. I felt comfort and safety with each note. Thank you all.

It is so peculiar losing a tiny woman called Granny Ruth (4 ft, 7 1/2 " at last count) she was shrinking from a stately 4 ft, 11". Love and guilt go mingled down. A daughter and a mother have a strange and wonderful relationship. I have had several calls this week that I immediately thought that I should call Mom and share with her.... then the realization that there was no mom to call. This is going to be tough for some time I guess. I have to trust that God and Jesus are taking good care of Mom, that she is walking on streets of gold, that there is no pain and suffering any more. She definately was a great example of a Christian mother devoted to having her children in attendance at church and learning the Bible, just as she had learned from her parents. Yes, .... they will rise up and call her blessed.

Ode to Betty Owen

Just a note of remembrance for Betty Owen. She passed this world into heaven on Saturday. She was an example to all the young ladies of Trail Lake Church of Christ and Altamesa Church of Christ. She was our Bible Class teacher for so many years. She was always so well dressed and her manners were perfect. She never spoke a cross word. I have enjoyed a super friendship with Sharron Owen Drury, where, as teenagers, we were invited to sleep-overs, teas, pool parties and then as we grew older bridal showers. Betty Owen hosted my bridal shower and it was a perfect memory for a 20 year old bride-to-be.

Open up the pearly gate - a pearl of great price - Betty Owen is coming in.

VBS GRAND ADVENTURE

Whoa Doggies! What an incredible extravaganza put on by Altamesa.

When they parted the Red Sea those kids were really in the sea! Special effects were super, singing and dancing, narrator was extra special, lighting stupendous, set, pharoah, Moses, Aaron, stage loads, Pharoah's son, writers, Ms Jennifer, wow, wow, wow, wizards, writing and songs were INCREDIBLE, extras and choreagraphy - too good! BAFOO - SOCKO. Headed for Broadway! Kids, screaming, auditorium, air conditioning - perfect. Pharoah appearing with his dead son, ohhh myyyy gooossshhhh.... You were all Great.

Praise the Lord.

No Time to Blog

Love to anybody out there. Mom moving to Nursing Home. Life too hectic. Near Tears. VBS is Good. Peace Out. mc

Good Pride

Well I am 2 weeks in to a 3 week marathon of VBS-s . Yippee! are Frank and I having fun. I am bustin' my buttons with pride. We get to see our kids and grandkids more often than ever. I looked and found a wonderful scripture to back up my feelings in II Corinthians 7 "Dear Father, who wills the good of all of your children, May all your holy people open their hearts to each other. Let us have great confidence and pride in one another. "

OK, yes, you're saying my pride is all wound up around my family and myself. But out of this happiness it bounces out to the world around me. I embrace others in the circle of my friendships, and they reach out happily to their friends and so on and so on. Pass it on happens. Good deeds happen. Blogs get read and Blogs get written. I feel pride in Blake Morrison when he says the Governor of Texas. I feel pride for the actors of Saturn Road VBS when they deliver a socko performance. There was an incredible evil queen who could dance quite stunningly. I remember the pride of a first born golden haired son named Ervin Franklin the III, who has become a convincing Childrens Minister. Then there is the third child (I know you think he is the favorite) but just the gentle spirited one who we such a special bond with. Now don't get me started on 4 grandkids! Wow! Of course there is a marriage that has lasted 33 years through some tough tests. We've got plenty to be proud of.

Miss Patty - Emily - Trey - Spectacular!

Spectacular! Spectacular!
First night jitters hit me as I sat in the audience to see the travels of Moses from his humble birth, bundled down the Nile and escaping into the desert. The spotlight came up at R.H. Church and the singing began!! Wow! The packed audience was swept away to a time long past in ancient Egypt.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. The combined talents of so many people in so many ways... A Christian heritage has come full circle. E. D. King and Patty Weaver have given an incredible Christian torch to two incredible (almost grown-up, tee hee) kids to continue a ministry for children and adults as well.

The church entry set the scene for a journey with a wonderful cast, singing, costumes, set, real Baby Bubba Moses, Statue sans Nose, Sound, Big Screen, etc, etc. THE SCRIPT AND THE MUSIC WERE TO DIE FOR. Emily Tate and Trey Laminack, a new generation, are in a league all their own. I couldn't be prouder. OK, enough about the Holbrook genes! These guys are too cool.

Then, quietly homebound, there... lit, 2 billboards in the night sky advertising our kids "Moses" adventure to the Fort Worth area. Call it what you want VBS is here to stay. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.

Emotions, Emails and Now Blogs

On the topic of firing off an email (and now a blog) in the heat of passion, I have been finding out that the recipient(s) can read it totally different from how it was intended. It has been so difficult for me to become a kinder, gentler typist. Evidently, my keyboard fingers go faster than good common sense. Now I am learning I should type it, read it, spell check it, save it for an hour, or maybe a day, sleep on it, then make a decision on whether to send it. Never send an email when your head is spinning [especially when your eyes are rolling back in your head] and you are thinking "I will just fire off a response to bam, bam, bam ..." Oh yeah, cc to a whole herd of friends, families, church members, office workers, -- YIIKKKESS.

It's hard to read into the emotions meant by the sender, you know? I might be just lightly sarcastic, but I come across as "hard and single minded". Just trying to describe this kind of dilemma is almost impossible. I may be trying to be sweet, darling little Mary Poppins, but you may be picturing...



... Composing furiously away. My keyboard spewing forth, scary, bile, stuff that sometimes, ... don't we all, wish I could call back. Picture - trying to be cute, deft, particularly quick with words and instead something like this appears...

(An Aside-- I'm reminded here that Jack Handey always said that if you drop your car keys in a hot lava pool; forget em' man, they're gone.)

So for those of you who have not gone down the fiery lava tube of scorching words and injuring tender unprepared eyes, I gotta say go easy on your friends. Think before you tap on those lethal keys. Sleep on it. That's what I will do now.

OH No, I'm back-MC

Free Lunch and The Birth of MC's Religiosity

Almost thirty years ago Frank and I, as young marrieds, grudgingly attended the Trail Lake congregation on occasional Sundays. We had both been brought up (just as babies) at West Berry Church of Christ on University Drive, and then at Trail Lake Church of Christ (we were age 5 when our families moved here). West Berry and Trail Lake were the poster children of the old-time 3 songs, a prayer, 1 song, communion, 1 hour sermon, invitation, song, alter call, finish song with no center aisle. Trail lake built our Altamesa congregation in 1976.

We often came late from our apartment in Arlington to Sunday services, just to get a free lunch from Frank's parents, who were the best in-laws anyone could ever have. Now, at this time we didn't have our own faith, but were attending out of a sense of guilt and a (well-enforced) fear of fire and brimstone creeping up on us. Our life style went on for several years, with little commitment from us.

Something changed though -- we had Stacey! Suddenly, we felt a need to bring her to Sunday School and introduce her to Jesus. It was also lots of fun to have all the church members tell us how cute and special she was. We became regular members and began searching for our own faith. (A free Sunday lunch was still a plus.)

Then along came Wade and Patty Weaver, and Ron Beasley, our Youth Minister. We became high school huddle leaders and suddenly realized that we needed to know more about the Bible. We had Bible studies so we could teach the high schoolers. We started to pray earnestly, and developed life-long friendships. Our family grew as Trey and Travis came along and we became a blessed family.

Needless to say, here we are. We've got three independent kids out in the world, a wonderful son-in-law, super-duper grand-daughters, and a baby grandson. Also during all these years the Altamesa congregation has done some incredible growing in wisdom and truth, which has been wonderful to experience. I have to say that we run very, very hot and sometimes a little cold as we seek the right balance with our love of Altamesa, but Jesus remains a constant at the center of our lives.

Family, Pictures, Cars and Sounding Old

On taking pictures. I do it. I get in the way doing it. It's because I have found lots of pictures of ME as a very young child at my parent's house. I have at some times doubted my existence as a well-loved child. Well, finding those old black and white pictures put a concrete seal on my parents adoration of ME at many times in my life.

Childhood and growing up is not always easy and sweet for anyone, but grabbing a snapshot of yourself and a barefoot neighbor with your feet in the grass, along with your dog Talco feels real good. You can say "remember when ...... " The ice cream man, a soap box derby car that ran away, kick-the-can, trick or treating the entire neighborhood, cowboy and indians every afternoon, the flypaper strip by the backdoor, the sheets hanging on the line, sleeping in a hammock cause it was cooler outside ...

So here's the deal-
+Pictures of your kids
+Pictures of your parents
+Pictures of yourself (the mom will never be in the picture cause she always has the camera)
+Pictures of all your cars (that 1955 light blue Oldsmobile 88 was really bloated looking)
+Pictures of your yard, front and back, and your house too
Can you dig it.

Another issue is family genealogy and family reunions. OK, don't get sullen with me. My grandmother, Emma Christine Swanson Retzlaff (1888-1977), worked to keep her husband's family tree up-to-date since the Retzlaff Family Reunion began to meet in 1947. We have many albums of pictures and can trace back nine generations of Retzlaffs. She typed (on a typewriter) and maintained photographs of every year's additions, marriages and deaths.

See Grandmother

Your genes are cool.
My grandmother was cool. (you can see what has continued---

Click for Retzlaff Family History

This is all I've got to say for now. So jump on me.

Welcome to my world

Won't you come right in?

Yes, you are in the mellow mid-world of my existence. It can be quite bleak and quite marvelous. You can hit the peak of peaks and the lowest of valleys.

You are in for a magic carpet ride.

So pull up your crazy boy recliner, watch HOUSE, M.D., with me and we will diagnose the world and what's wrong inside my bloggen.

The only thing I know for sure, is I am not the walrus, KOO KOO KA CHOO.