Introductions

I met a new group of ladies this weekend and made a new friend or two. Allow me to introduce you?

My online friend, Georgie, of Decisionally Challenged, AKA Mrs. Bundy (how's that for an introduction?), lives just up the road from me (maybe five miles?) and though we've been blog buddies for a couple of years, we'd never met. I've been threatening to plant irises in her front yard for a couple of seasons now. Here's me and Georgie on Friday night at the Full Moon Cafe, a dueling piano bar in downtown Tulsa:

Isn't she adorable? I wanted to scoop her up and take her home. But she wouldn't fit in my pocket OR my purse, so that was out.

And why were we finally getting together after two years of promises to get together and missing each other? The ladies at the RHOK, the Real Housewives of Oklahoma, were having a get together! Georgie is one of the principle bloggers for the RHOK. I think I'm a member (just barely, and only because Georgie invited me to be).

So, a couple of ladies whose company I enjoyed have their own blogs. Just want to give them a shout out here, as well as another Tulsa bloggers I've recently gotten to know.

First, the founder of the RHOK, Dawn, AKA Mrs. Albright, at Dawn's Diversions - I sat across from her and we talked thyroid. She's a real sweetie. Second was a cutie making the rounds of the table, she of The Mom Mayhem. I wish I remembered what we'd talked about, but by then I'd finished my one hard pear cider and short term memory was blinking *FULL*. Then I left because I've heard the dueling pianos and they're loud. And I was seated on the closest corner to one of the pianos. And I'm an introvert. So I was done socializing. So there.

My new friend, Jillian, is in the writer's group I started at my church last fall. She's creative and tidy and moves furniture on a regular basis. How do I know all this? Because I read her blog, The Greenest Version! Plus, we have things in common. Like moving here from central Florida! Only, she spent most of her life there until recently and I think she misses it some. I can't blame her this time of year. We're supposed to get ice and snow dumped on us tonight and tomorrow.

Now go read my new friends' blogs and leave me alone. I have some stockpiling to do before snowmaggedon arrives.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Wish You Were Here!

This has been the most glorious weekend weather-wise! I'm going to step out on a limb and guess (hope) that many of you have had some milder weather as well, and have enjoyed being out of doors? Right this very second the garage door is open and a couple of teenagers are out there using dad's power tools. They check in every half hour or so to show me their intact fingers. It's all good.

That photo? Me. Yesterday. In a t-shirt. I love Tulsa in January. Monday night, though, the weather gurus are calling for ice, then snow. Maybe as much as ten inches! I LOVE TULSA IN JANUARY!!!!! *swoon*

So. Who's coming to visit? Come while the visiting is good! Whatever you do, don't visit in August. Come now!

Until I write again ...

Flea

Nearly All Better ...

... thank you.

The stomach bug, which I initially thought might be all four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding through my stomach, is gone. The cold is nearly gone. I'm taking the day off tomorrow. To sleep.

The End.

Until I write again ...

Flea

P.S. Thank you all for your words of help and encouragement!

Sick and Tired

I am so tempted to crawl back through the last year's posts to see how often I was sick. But I figure I probably didn't post much when I was.

Well I'm sick now and I'm posting.

This is my second major cold/creeping into a sinus infection in a month. The NetiPot and Vicks on the feet at night, covered with socks, has handily defeated it both times. I despise the Neti. It's vile. It gags me. The whole sensation is just WRONG. But it works. Unplugs and takes away the pain of stopped up sinuses. Still hate it.

And the Vicks on the feet! Shocked, but it really works, too! One night was all it took! Thank goodness. It was that or a doctor's visit for antibiotics. I hate being on antibiotics more than I hate the Neti.

It's a good thing that the Neti and the Vicks worked (I did both last night), because I awoke to severe stomach pain at four AM. And tossed cookies for about 10 minutes at about seven. The most ... remarkable? ... thing about this is that I DON'T THROW UP. Ever. I can count on one hand the number of times in the last 20 years.

Slept all freakin' day. Major pain. Totally dehydrated. Joints ached.

And then my Hunny came home from work. He brought ginger ale. And chicken noodle soup. He cleaned the tub and ran a hot bath for me. He even brought fresh Vicks - some which hasn't expired in the last 8 years.

I love my Hunny.

And I'm going back to bed. I plan on waking well tomorrow. Doing laundry. Stuff. Y'know? Have a great weekend everyone!

Until I write again ...

Flea

Third Generation Geeks

We're geeks. You all know that. But there are times when the reality of it hits me.

Like tonight, when we're having dinner and the boys are discussing binary clocks and some kind of 16 code. I think this is what they were talking about, but I'm not sure.

Looking across at Oatmeal Head, his t-shirt read, Friends Don't Let Friends Have Mullets. Yesterday's said Donut Whisperer. Goof Ball has one which reads, AD/HD and looks like an AC/DC shirt. My own favorite is my shirt with the outline of a drill and it says, Remain Calm. This Is Only a Drill. Just like this guy's shirt, but it looks better on me. Just sayin'.

What really hit home, though, was realizing that the kids are third generation geek. My mom, Grandma, was over one afternoon when Goof Ball wore his shirt which says 11Cheers for Binary! Grandma asked, "Shouldn't that read two cheers for binary?"

I love my geek family.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Tuesday Review, Wuthering Heights

The things I do for you people. Sheesh. I'd rather not be reviewing today's book, but one of my kids' teen friends asked me to read and review Wuthering Heights. He says it's one of his favorite books. *swoon*

This agreement was a mistake on my part. I remember reading it in high school, as I'm sure many of you did, and loving the book unconditionally. I should know better than to ruin good memories with adult reality.

I read Gone With the Wind in high school and HATED it. Got to about page 900 and skipped to the last chapter to see how it ended (I never skip to the end. Ever). I hated Scarlett that much. I refuse to read it as an adult.

How on earth could I have had any fond emotions for Heathcliff or Cathy?!? I can't even tell you how tempting it was to skip to the end of the book a little more than half way through. But I had to know if there were any redeeming characters in this novel. At all. Because the first half? Makes today's dysfuntional families look like Family Circus.

The book only got better the last tenth of it. I say tenth because I read it on the Kindle and have no clue about pages. And by better I mean that a lot of people died. Good riddance. And that the two people we're supposed to view as innocents who were never given a chance finally get their chance. Crap. The whole thing is crap.

That's about all the review you're going to get. A friend on FaceCrack said she read a book wherein the entire Wuthering Heights group goes into therapy. Would never happen. They were all too self-centered. None of them were interested in having anything to do with the outside world. None of them, Heathcliff especially, would have agreed to counseling. I guess it reminds me way too much of a life I left. Exponentially magnified. By a gazillion.

Only read this, as an adult, if you are feeling particularly blue and want to feel better, and if reading about people far more miserable than you makes you feel better.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Listening

Another week, a third Gospel finished. Luke is thorough. He seems to have talked at length with Mary, Jesus' mother, as he says several times that she treasured things in her heart, holding onto what was precious about everything that happened. He also seems to have spoken at length with Peter, as Peter's view is strong.

My friend, Heather, is also listening. She made the observation that the Gospels are a beautiful transition from the God of the Old Testament - a God many people associate with wrath and smiting - and the God of the New Testament. Reading through the OT seriously reveals a God who is tender but just. Smiting happens. But He keeps reaching out to His children, drawing them in, embracing them.

Jesus is obviously the God of the Old Testament, but His harsh words and actions are directed to the hypocrites, the legalists, the selfish leaders. The people I find myself connecting to. The tender, compassionate side of Christ is obvious, seen as he heals, sets people free, draws children to Himself, is patient with His thick-headed followers.

My Hunny struggled with the side of Jesus which was never so obvious to him as now, the harsh side. I reminded him that Acts is just around the corner, that everything changes soon. A third view of God and how He loves His people will be evident in a few short chapters. Hang in there.

Hunny told me, last night, that he caught a glimpse of that side of Jesus. So cool that Jesus embodies His Father, Himself and the Spirit all at once. The miracle and mystery of God being three and one at once.

At the end of Luke is a story of Jesus walking with His disciples - it's after His resurrection and they don't realize who He is - deep in conversation. The followers are appalled that this stranger doesn't know what's been happening in Jerusalem the last couple of weeks, that He's unaware of the political prisoner - a prophet, His brutal death, the entire city in an uproar. And Jesus patiently lays out, one by one, the prophecies in the Old Testament which foretold His birth, life, death and resurrection.

The followers, when they finally understand that this is Jesus, that He's alive and with them, are overcome. My heart warms and melts as I read these lines. He loves them. He didn't leave them. The lost child inside of me is tugged toward Him as He lets them know He's not gone forever.

Again, there's a strong crossover with the Narnian books. Somehow, though, the Narnian chronicles allow the Gospels to become even more alive and real to me now. I love that.

So. I guess I'll leave it at that. I'm thinking we'll be in Acts by this time next week. That should be challenging for me. There's a lot there I don't understand. I struggle with some of it.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Christmas Photos

Okay, so I do things a little late. Slow. Backwards. Call me what you will. I was sick at Christmas. Better late than never, right? At least, that's what we procrastinators tell ourselves to feel better about life.

It was a week after New Year's. I still hadn't taken the Christmas photo. Looked like it wasn't going to happen for the whole family. And definitely not in dress clothes. I had to do SOMETHING.

So I texted all of my children, told them we were taking our Christmas photo, to get their butts downstairs. What you are about to witness is the result of hormones and humor. Let the record show that Maybelline was in no mood to have her picture taken.

Oh my. Not at all what I had in mind.

Hmm. Better. But not a genuine smile.

Alrighty then! No more comments about the smile. Got it.

No. We're NOT done yet. Maybe it's time to try something different.

Sombreros! That'll do the trick!

Yeeeaaaah. Again with that cheesy smile. Huh.

Oatmeal Head is pushing it. The Queen is not amused.

Definitely not liking the sombreros - or her brothers

Our only real smile - hooray!

Aaaaand she's done

Trying to convince a 17 year old girl that this is the right time to take family photos - next to impossible.

Until I write again ...

Flea

That's What I Get

I have so much fun torturing my Hunny with clowns that I sometimes forget about payback. Yeah. It's everything they say it is.

See this cute little clown?

It was waiting on my Hunny's dresser, tucked away, staring at him as he stepped to his closet to get dressed, Friday. I thought it was amusing. He didn't say much about it.

This weekend we rearranged the living room. If it was up to me, we'd leave every piece of furniture in the house exactly where it is for the rest of our lives. That would work for me. But my brilliant Hunny likes to move things. And I'm usually happier once we get things shifted. This time it opened up our living room and made a huge difference. Me like.

In the moving, some things were unearthed which we haven't seen in awhile. Books, especially. We have hundreds of them downstairs. I bagged up a few dozen to give away, a few dozen more to take to the used bookstore. And we found a toy which had been tucked away.

The kids like using him to freak each other out. They put him on each other's beds, in the bathroom, in the fridge, wherever. I walked through the dining room yesterday (the stuff left to be put away is on the table) and found him like this:

See?

Totally creeped me out.

I was gone all day. Came home and he'd left the basket. Gone. Freaking me out just a little, I won't lie to you.

So. I can't say it was my Hunny. Might have been one of the kids. But the ante has been upped. Just sayin'.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Listening

So I'm listening to the New Testament along with my church. Forty days to go through the entire thing. We're on day seven.

I'm listening to the dramatic telling and, I gotta tell ya, I'm not usually a good listener. By that I mean my attention drifts when I listen to a book, so I tend to read with my eyes. The tactile experience of the words and feel of the page, anticipating the turn of the page and how many are left ...

As an aside, the Kindle may frustrate me because of that. Dang. I hope not.

So we're nearly through the book of Mark, the second book of the New Testament, and I'm struck by the similarities. See, Mark is only about half the length of the first book, Matthew. Initially, Mark made me laugh when I realized why it's so short. He says, "and immediately" every other sentence.

It's tough to pay attention when in your head Jesus and His disciples are the Keystone Cops, racing in ridiculous fashion, wearing robes, no less.

Matthew was a tough book to listen to. Jesus seems harsh. He's tender and compassionate to the crowds, to the people who are hurting. People manage to surprise Him at times. It's wonderful. But there's one group that He harps on the entire book and just doesn't let go. Almost like He's goading them into some kind of action.

They take action alright. He pisses them off so badly that they have Him killed. Even at the end, He doesn't back down. And He has compassion on the ones who hurt.

It's been an interesting week, full of conflicting emotions about this Man I call Savior and Friend. He doesn't take hypocrisy lightly. I love Him. I'm unnerved by Him.

Feel free to catch up if you'd like to read along. Today brought us through the 11th chapter of Mark. I may do Friday updates of the week. We'll see.

Until I write again ...

Flea

My Favorite Things

I love blogging from my phone. I'm home. The computer's in the next room. I'm too lazy to walk over there and type. Heh.

So for Christmas my Hunny upgraded my iPhone from a 3G to a 4. My 3G wasn't working properly, as in I couldn't talk on the phone without using speaker. But I insisted we didn't need to spend money on a new phone.

Two things: I was due an upgrade, and we gave the old phone to Goof Ball for Christmas to use as an iTouch. Rock on. And I love the 4!

My other big gift was a Kindle. My Hunny's boss bought an iPad right after getting the Kindle, so he got it half price. Very nice. However, I'm slow to warm up to technology. So help, bloggy friends! How do I best find the free books? What's your favorite game or feature on your Kindle? I need a jump start.

I wish I could say I had a favorite gift. The sock monkey jack-in-the-box from my bff? Maybe? Fork necklace from my Hunny? Possibly? Anytime toffee from my sis-in-law? Quite probably. Having the best Christmas ever? Definitely.

Sorry to revisit Christmas. I'm learning to use my new toys and thought I'd share. And ask for help. With the Kindle. Help!

Until I write again ...

Flea

Change Happens

There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

A right time for birth and another for death,

A right time to plant and another to reap,

A right time to kill and another to heal,

A right time to destroy and another to construct,

A right time to cry and another to laugh,

A right time to lament and another to cheer,

A right time to make love and another to abstain,

A right time to embrace and another to part,

A right time to search and another to count your losses,

A right time to hold on and another to let go,

A right time to rip out and another to mend,

A right time to shut up and another to speak up,

A right time to love and another to hate,

A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do - busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time - but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it - eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift. I've also concluded that whatever God does, that's the way it's going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God's done it and that's it. That's so we'll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14, The Old Testament, The Message

I don't usually like sitting through a sermon with a new or different preacher. I like my preacher, thankyouverymuch. There are several stand-ins at our church that I have trouble listening to. The stand-in yesterday, though, was spot on. I'm stealing part of what he said. Paraphrased, mind you. With me added in.

It's a new year. Time for change, we always hope. This was a good year, but it could always be better, right? And for a lot of you, this last was a bad year. Change is something you anticipate with bated breath.

Personally, I hate change. Most change.

Here's a question the preacher asked: What was your biggest change this year?

I'm still chewing on the answer. It might be the loss of internet connection for awhile. Wouldn't that be sad. I can't think of another big change. I liked the last year. My grandma died, which was huge for all of us, but that was the end of 2009. Hmm.

Regardless, change is inevitable. Pastor said that every change is death. The old status quo is dead. We mourn what's dead or lost. Do we? Do we always mourn what we lose in change?

Every change is also rebirth. We celebrate change or birth.

Oo! Calum! Not really my change, but my sister had her first child this year. Holding him for a week, cuddling, baby-talking, loving my teeny nephew, all brought home that I ADORE babies. And that I'll be content to enjoy my sister's. And wait for grandchildren.

I think I'd been mourning the loss of babies for awhile (we'd discussed adoption off and on, but I was pretty much done). I was able to celebrate the new birth with my sister. And now I can celebrate my own change of life, my own step away from babies and small children and into another phase of life.

Celebrating - do we celebrate all changes? Seriously - celebrating the onset of menopause? The insanity, forgetfulness, weariness. I can celebrate the beginning of a new stage of life, though. I can celebrate stepping into being someone other than I've been, because that's how I feel, like someone else.

Chris Colvin, you did a nice job. Made me think. Made me a little sad. Especially thinking about how futile things sometimes seem. But I'm looking forward, now, to 2011. Thank you. Looking forward to reading through the New Testament this next month and a half with the church. Looking forward to being active, not passive. Looking forward to seeing Calum in the spring. Looking forward to that most of all, I think.

Until I write again ...

Flea

Happy Second Day of the New Year

My blog friend, Daisy, did something wonderful on her blog. And I decided that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. No? So. In honor of my Composting friend, I'm posting the links to the first post of each month this last year. And in honor of my own erratic posting, I'm not posting this on the first, but on the second day of the new year. So there.

Ready? Set? Go!

December: Changes Suck is a social commentary on menopause. Okay, there's a really funny music video. Happy now? Go watch it and laugh, people.

November: The Demise of a Clown - I must say, I'm disappointed that no one has sent me a clown yet. Very sad. Fortunately for me, my friend, Heather, has been collecting clowns for blog amusement. Expect to see more clown torture in 2011.

October: Harry Eyeball - the photo really speaks for itself. I love this kid.

September: It's Why Women's Minds Are Cleaner Than Men's - Aaaaand I've changed it again. I give up. No grad school for me in the immediate future. At this rate I'd crash and burn before the first semester ended. *le sigh*

August: Shh! I'm Not Here - I fixed the "o" button. James Thurber would be pleased.

July: Intermission - one little post in July! P.S. I didn't die. P.P.S. I was a better parent for it. Not having internet, I mean, not the not dying part. Though that probably helped, too.

June: Funny Bone Monday (for and about old people) - I was winding down and wearing thin at this point.

May: Funny Bone Monday (the Chuck Norris Edition) - who doesn't love Chuck? In fact, Goof Ball got a book of Chuck facts for Christmas. I now love Norris slightly less. Shh! Don't tell him or I'll die by round house kick to the head. No one wants that. Well, I don't want that.

April: The Thyroid, I Don't Want It - I call this my whining stage. I should be going in for more labs this week. I'm exhausted again.

March: Another Funny Bone Monday! Dang. I almost miss those. Almost.

February: Stink! Yet ANOTHER Funny Bone Monday! I must say, I like the Ninja version. Ninja farts are funny stuff.

January: Kettle Contest - I swear I never want to see another cow again. And MPM? The kettle up and disappeared one day. I owe you something fun.

Well, y'all. Nothing earth shattering there. Have a great year, will ya?

Until I write again ...

Flea