Friday

Merry Christmas Everyone.....

It's Christmas Eve and quickly approaching midnight. I have just finished wrapping my 4 gifts as I was not able to do much Christmas shopping this year. Dave went out the other day and purchased a small 4 ft. tree fitted out with lights. He said it would go great in the trailer once we are on the road.

I'm three weeks and three days out from my surgery and have 85 degrees of bend in my knee. It seems to be a slower process this surgery. But with time I know I will get the bend that I need.

Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and may we never lose the reason for the season.

Happy Trails.....

Saturday

Round Two...

This will be a short blog today as I am tired and drugged. Tuesday I had a total knee replacement surgery on my right knee. The good news is that I had it in time the bad news was my right knee cap was only 10 millimeters thick and getting thinner. Normal kneecaps are 24 milimeters thick. Mine had deep grooves in the back so it made it much more difficult to resurface and attache the plastic glider that moves over the joint.


I have become proficient in giving myself the lovenox (blood thinner) injections. Trying to miss the scartissue on my stomach is like trying to miss the salmon swimming up stream during migration season.


The pain meds are a trip. Every 4 hours. In and out of lala land. As the good Doctor said, he didn't want the pain getting a head of me as I would be real miserable, and I have no reason to not to believe him.

Am watching the Oklahoma ~ Nebraska game. This is the last match-up for these two teams for the Big XXII Championship. As it goes away after January 1. I hope I can stay awake for all of it, as it doesn't take much to put me to sleep. Oklahoma had better get on the stick here and start making plays. At the moment they're not doing well at all.

I start physical therapy Monday. Getting tired so Happy Trails for now.

Thursday

A Slight Change of Plans...

While I was at the dentist today getting a deep cleaning and laser treatment for my gingivitis a phone call came into the home phone. It was my Orthopedic Surgeons office saying they were changing my surgery date and that it would be a day earlier. For some people that would not be a problem. But for me it creates a problem.

First I have already applied and have been granted my FMLA(Family Medical Leave Act) request at work and now we have to redo the paperwork, also I have to get a Dr's note stating why he is moving the surgery up. You know the whole documentation thing. The last Dr's note cost me $25.00 for him to fill out the paperwork for my FMLA. Two, the 30th is the last day of the month. So....you say, well for me that's a problem because I am the principal data entry person in our office and the last day is the busiest day of the month for us, as we have lots of units who wait until the last day to turn paperwork in to be processed.

The reason for the move...he is the team Dr. for the schools basketball program as well as the football program and they require him to travel with the team and on December 1, he will be in Fayettville, AR on TV. Maybe I will see him, maybe I won't, you know...good drugs...sleeping!

I guess I can sacrifice a day for the team. Go Sooners....

Happy trails and be safe out there...

Monday

A Tribute...Margie's Oatmeal Recipe

It's hard to believe that it's been 4 weeks since we lost one of our favorite RVing couples, Margie and Bruce Mallin in a tragic accident. How I have missed reading their blogs.

While going through some papers on my desk over the weekend I came across Margie's recipe for Blueberry Oatmeal that I had copied. My hubby loves oatmeal and eats it every day. What better way could I honor Margie and Bruce but to print out her oatmeal recipe for everyone to enjoy.

Margie's Oatmeal

Makes 2 servings

3/4 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup of brown rice
1/4 cup of barley
dash of salt, if desired
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
4 cups of water
1 cup of frozen blueberries (no need to thaw)

Spray the heck out of that crock pot insert with Pam spray, or you can use a crock pot liner (easy clean up).
Add oats, brown rice, and barley to crock pot. Sprinkle the salt (if desired) and the cinnamon over the grains. Stir up with a fork. Add the 4 cups of water and the vanilla flavoring. Stir again. Place lid on crock pot and plug in. Let it cook overnight. in the morning, give it a stir and add 1 cup of frozen blueberries. Stir it again. replace the lid. Go for and hour walk and then be ready to enjoy with 1 cup of skim milk.


From all that I have read lots of people will miss Margie and Bruce but I can say one thing, her oatmeal recipe will live on.


Happy trails...

Saturday

The Doldrums.....German Chicken Barley Soup

A state of inactivity or stagnation. That is what I'm going through at the moment mentally, the calm before the storm. I'm trying to get everything squared away at work and here at home before my surgery. Other than that life plods on.

Our weather here at the moment reminds me of south Florida in December light, breezy with pretty sunsets, but there is a storm brewing on the horizon. Am I ready for cold weather? No! Do I wish we were on our way to someplace else...warmer perhaps? Yes! Two years from now is our target date to get out on the byways and highways of this great country. Am I looking forward to this? You bet, so much that I can taste it! But there is so much to do before we can get to that point. Follow me on The Countdown as we try to achieve our goal to fulltiming. We have a new follower on The Countdown, welcome Donna aka Froggie and Stu, hope to meet you one day.


Key West, Florida Picture taken by our daughter Christie, December, 2001.


We have never operated on a true budget so trying to create one and sticking to it will be something new for us. But I can see where in the future it will be a necessity. So there is no time like now to start one, therefore I have been looking at items that we seem to splurge on...like eating out, which we do way too much and shopping on a whim for stuff. Those habits will have to change if we want to achieve our goal of fulltiming. We have lived in the land of excess for a long time, now we are going to have to make a shift to living in the land of the lean if we wish to achieve our goal.

Today I am making a wonderful soup that is a main stay in our family. It's a hearty German Chicken Barley soup. The original recipe calls for chicken gizzards ground up but since I don't like gizzards I use a whole chicken instead. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

German Chicken Barley Soup

1 Whole Stewing Chicken
2 Large Yellow Onions chopped
4 Cloves Garlic Crushed
1 lb Carrots ground (I use my Kitchen Miracle Chopper)
1 Bunch Celery ground
1-1/2 Cup Pearled Barley (Quaker Oats)
4 whole Peppercorns
4 whole Cloves
3 Tbs. Osem Chicken Consume Crystals (Found in the Kosher Section of your grocery store)
Sea Salt
2 Bay Leaves
1 Loaf French Bread
Butter

Instructions:
In a large pot place chicken and cover with water. Add 2Tbs. of Sea Salt and 2 Bay Leaves. Place on simmer and let cook until done and bones start to remove easily. During the cooking process skim foam from top of water and discard.

Remove chicken from water when done and let cool. Once cooled remove skin and bones from chicken. Shred chicken and set aside.

In separate skillet add 2 cups of stock, onions and garlic. Let cook and start to to turn golden. Add more stock to pan and de-glaze, add all of mixture to the stock in the large pot. Add celery, carrots, peppercorns, whole cloves,barley and shredded chicken to stock pot. Cook on simmer, taste, add salt if necessary(This is personal choice). If you need more chicken flavor add in another Tbs. of chicken crystals.

Soup is done when barley is swollen and tender.

Serve with buttered slices of french bread and a side salad.

Makes 15 servings.

17 Days and counting until surgery day, 12 days until Thanksgiving. Time is flying by, before long we will be into a new year. I wonder what 2011 holds for us.

Happy Trails and be safe out there...

Wednesday

Appointments, Appointments...

Like last year the days leading up to my knee replacement surgery are filled with appointments. Unlike last year I don't have as many, thank you very much. First off I have to get my teeth deep cleaned and lasered as I have the beginnings of gingivitis and I don't need for it to progress any further. I really don't look forward to this procedure but I know I will feel better once I have it done as I have a rear molar that is really starting to bother me. Plus I don't need to have an infection brewing somewhere in my body as that would knock me out of having the knee surgery.

The next appointment will be my pre-op appointment with Mr. Phil at the McBride Clinic . Phil is a great guy and Physicians Assistant to Dr. Schnebel. He has been with the good Doc for a long, long time. There I will get the low down refresher course on do's and do not's of before and after surgery. Then I will get an x-ray, blood work, EKG, lab work and anything else they can think of and sock me for about $850.00.

I got the final cost on my surgery yesterday and I will be out pocket to the tune of about $3,500.00 on a $46,000.00 surgery. I know that sounds like a lot but the cost is nothing compared to how good my left knee feels and I know that my right knee will feel just as good. The surgery is well worth it but there is one thing that you really have to do and that is to do everything your Dr. and Physical Therapist tells you to do, because if you don't there is a price to pay and you won't like the outcome.

As I did with last year I will keep everyone posted on how the surgery goes and how I progress. I am so ready to get all of this over with. It's been a long time coming, since I was 26...I knew what was in store for me, all of this is almost over and done with and when I am released in June I will be ready for some camping.

The big day? December 1st. So please keep me in your thoughts and prayers on that day and the days that follow.

Happy Trails to you all...

Monday

Taco Soup...

Ok...I have had several requests now for Taco soup. It is one of the mainstays at our house and since we are getting into the soup season I thought I would go ahead a give you all out there in blogger land the recipe that my son-in-law gave to me. It's one of those recipes that does not require you to do a lot, except for grocery shopping. Keep in mind that I buy certain things in bulk at Sam's Club, such as French's Chili-O and Hidden Valley buttermilk mix in the large container and measure out 1 oz. actually you can eyeball it. I keep these two items in hand as I am always using them and it is cheaper to buy them in bulk.

Taco Soup

2 lbs. Ground Meat ( If you are a vegetarian you can get the Morning Star veggie crumbles)
1 large Yellow Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Package of French's Chili-O
1 Package (1 oz.) Hidden Valley Buttermilk Dressing Mix
1 Can Pinto or Ranch Style Beans
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Kidney Beans
1 Can Corn or Golden Hominy
1 Can Rotel Mild
1 6 oz can Tomato Sauce
2 Cans of Mexican Diced Tomatoes
1 Package of Yellow Corn Tortillas
1 8 oz. container Sour Cream
1 Package of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup canola oil
California Garlic Salt or Zing (found at Golden Chick restaurants)
In a soup pot combine and cook the first three ingredients until meat is cooked through.
Add in Chili-O and Buttermilk dressing mix.
Open all the cans and start dumping them in.
Add some hot water (half a can) to a can and swill it around and dump into next can getting all the leftovers out of all the cans and dump into soup.
Stir and turn fire down to simmer, cover and let soup come up to temperature, stirring occasionally.

Take a pizza cutter and cut tortillas into thin strips. Fry up in hot oil until golden, drain on paper towels and add garlic salt or Zing and enjoy with the Taco soup. Serve with a salad.

Add, if you desire, sour cream and or shredded cheese and chopped onion.

Makes 10 to 12 servings Total cost to make, about $14.00, which comes to about $1.17 per serving.

Next time I will share my Potato Soup...

Until then, Happy Trails...

Thursday

All Hallows Eve Time

It's that time of year again when summer is finished, the crops are in and we celebrate the harvest and coming of winter. All Hallows Eve or as we know it Halloween is upon us. The link that I provided is a great description of how we come to celebrate Halloween. I find that it's an interesting read.

All that aside, I think that Halloween is one of my favorite days. It's fun to watch all the children dress up. Each year I wonder what the costume of preference will be. When we first moved into our neighborhood there were lots of children so we would have a great turnout of little ghouls and goblins. One year I dressed up as the witch from Hansel and Gretel and sat in a dark entry and as the children would approach I would sing "Nibble nibble mousy, whose nibbling at my housy" then would cackle. Believe me the little ones had really big eyes after that. Then I would get up and approach them with the candy bucket, you should have seen their faces when they saw me in costume.

But over the years the children and their parents started going to the malls for trick or treating and it didn't take long for our neighborhood to see the demise of trick or treating. Even though we purchased our candy and had the porch light on last year, no one came to our house. So Dave had a sugar high.

This year we will once again purchase the candy and leave the porch light on and set out our little witch and her kitty all lit up as I have invited some of the children of my co-workers to come by.

Another reason I love this time of year is the house decorations. I love creative people who have an eye for such things. I'm creative but in different ways. Dave and I spied these two houses as we were coming back from dinner one evening and I just had to have a picture of them.
























We had a fun day at work Friday, most everyone dressed up and we brought food and ate all day long. I fixed Taco Soup, Someone brought chopped brisket sandwiches, another brought Texas Caviar as well as little smokies, then there were veggie and fruit plates, doughnuts and cookies and cupcakes. We had a lot of fun with all the costumes and pranks we played on each other. Here is a group of us and some of the zany outfits we had on. Others were dressed but not able to be in the picture so their individual pictures are below.







One person brought up a teacup pot belly pig names Spartacus, and you guessed it...I will leave that for you to figure out. Farmer Teddy and Spartacus Moose, the only pig I know that has his own Facebook page.
It was fun to sit on my front porch last night and listen to the OU Pride perform music from The Rocky Horror Show, The Munsters and other selection down at the soccer field for the Bedlam game between OU and OSU. They had over 2000 fans show up. Unfortunately OU lost to OSU 2-0. Maybe next year. But the girls did make it to the Big XII championship, so we are proud of their efforts.
Stay safe and Happy Halloween...and Happy Trails until next time.

Friday

Another Week Gone...

It's Friday and heading into the weekend. At the moment we're getting ready to get soaked again as another round of rain passes through the area. Don't get me wrong we really need the rain, but my poor little dog just hates thunder. At about 1:10 a.m. this morning he started whining as he jumped up on my bed and proceeded to sit on my head shaking up a storm. He does that when he is scared. After arousing me from a great sleep, I had to get up and put him in his crate. it seems to be the only thing that calms him. It took me awhile to get back to sleep but sleep I did until the alarm went off at 6:40 a.m. We had the attic fan running and the cool night air was wonderful.


I love to wake up slowly and unhurried as my day just seems to go better when I do. So I generally hit the snooze button and turn on Fox and Friends to see what has happened overnight. I will toggle between that and one of the local stations to see what is going on with the weather. I then put out the dogs and wake Dave so he can make the coffee. I bring in the dogs and finish getting dressed, grab my cuppa coffee and out the door we go so Dave can take me to work. I just wish I could sleep in on the weekends. That would be loverly.

What's on my plate this weekend? More of getting rid of stuff. Between the big dog and Dave I have managed to downsize my collection of bowls this week. I had some beef grease in a bowl at the back of the stove, letting it solidify and the big boy got up and pulled that down breaking the bowl, and Dave was soaping up a bowl to clean it and it slipped out of his hands and broke in the sink. So that is two less of what I have to get rid of.

We will most likely watch the Sooners play Missouri and watch some Sunday Pro football, will have to see who is playing though. But that is it for our weekend. Nothing exciting going on unless we decide to go somewhere. Just chillin before Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 come out next month. We can hardly wait.

I will say this though...I will be glad when this election cycle is over. I'm fed up with all the campaign phone calls we get each day. I know...they're trying to get the pulse of the voter but enough already, I don't need 10+ calls a day of campaign messages and pollsters taking polls.

Well that's it for now, pizza night tonight and a movie, The Half Blood Prince, a Harry Potter film . So...getting ready to go grab one of our favorites, Pepperoni and Mushroom on a thin crust. Have a good Friday everyone.

Happy trails...

Wednesday

Just an Ordinary Day....NOT!!!!!!

What started out as a normal mundane Wednesday turned out so far to be far from mundane. Around 9 o'clock this morning while sitting at my desk a low rumble started then cresendoed into a solid shake of the building lasting four seconds but for me lasted longer than that. EARTHQUAKE!!!!! 5.1 on the Richter scale. I've never experienced an earthquake before. At first thought that it was jets doing a very low flyover when I realized that there was no jet noise. The adrenalin started rising and everyone in the office started talking at once. "What was going on?" "Was that an earthquake?"

The quake was located about 6 miles east of Norman out by Lake Thunderbird near Highway 9. Jones, Oklahoma which is north of us gets lots of 3. quakes which are not felt here. But this one was felt in Kansas City, KS and Grapevine, TX

One of the skylights in one of our tall buildings here on campus cracke severly so they evacuated the building for precautionary measures. I called Dave and he said the pictures on the wall were bouncing all over the place.

Just as we were all starting to lower the adrenalin levels, the fire alarm went off in the building. False alarm or not we have to evacuate. So I grabbed my purse, blue book (I am the official head counter), cell phone and out the door I went with the rest of the crew. Once down 4 flights of stairs and out the door we learn that it's a false alarm. Adrenalin rising again and trying to come back down, I quipped "well to complete the drill for the day we just need a tornado and the day will be complete." Oops did I just say that? The day is not over and yet and it's Oklahoma. As Will Rogers said "Wait a minute and the weather will change."

Well so much for an ordinary day!

Happy trails....

Thursday

And Behind Door Number 2....

Is a beautiful pre-op room just waiting for you...today starts the countdown to my next knee surgery which will take place on December 1st. 55 days and counting. I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet since I don't know if I will have health care next year provided by the university or not. Everything is so up in the air and such a mess.

Once this is taken care of I will for the first time in over 25 years be able to bend down normally and pick something up off the floor without pain. Acting like a giraffe all these years has not exactly been pleasurable. One of the side effects from the first surgery has been that my left foot has been hurting me. When I talked to the Dr. today he informed me that once we get the other leg done that my feet will be in their normal walking position and the pain should stop so in the meantime, I am to wear inserts to support the arch and to keep the foot from rolling inward. We will see how that goes.

I know I'm going to have a lot of work ahead of me. I so looked forward to the first surgery last year in getting my left knee fixed. Don't get me wrong. I am looking forward to this surgery as well but with less enthusiasm since I know all the hard work involved in getting better. But done it must be, so without further adieu...So with true American fortitude...Onward Ho!

Happy Trails.....

Senior Day at the Fair

Yesterday we made our annual trek to the State Fair of Oklahoma via Riverwind Casino for breakfast. In years past the breakfast was free for seniors on Wednesdays. This year it was $2.50 a person. Still it was very reasonable, $5.00 for the two of us.

Then we headed up to the fair. This year I don't think it was as crowded as in years past. I had one particular thing that I wanted. It's called a Miracle Kitchen Plus. I watched the demonstration and tasted the salsa that was made with it and knew I had to have one, some of the best homemade salsa I have ever tasted. The other thing that sold me was when we start to full-time it will come in handy when we don't have access to power while boondocking. Things at the fair are not always the bargins they would have you to believe. I paid $35.00 for the machine, Ginsu knife and cheese grater. I went on line and found them on sale for $17.95. So I plan to pick up two of them and give them to the girls for Christmas presents since the girls asked me if I got them one.

This year we decided not to eat at the fair....I know, tis a sacriglige...but to go to Bunny's Onion Burger stand instead. After having a totally awesome burger we went back to Norman to let the dogs out and then head over to Floyd's RV center. Yes Bobbie, we started looking at 5th wheels yesterday. So many to see, so much to absorb. No wonder it takes two years to make up your mind.
Today my tootsies are sore from all the walking we did for 6 hours. How the kids (Workampers) at Amazon.com manage for 12 hours I do not know. I don't think I could do it. Glad it's Friday tomorrow and the weekend is here. More clearing of junk to be done.
Happy Trails...

The Tale of the Traveling Vanilla...

While we were in Colorado last year we met several wonderful couples at the campground we were staying in. Jim and Bobbie were the camping hosts and Charlie and Dawna were the campers across from us. When we arrived at Big Meadows just outside of South Fork, Colorado Bobbie gave me a hug like a long lost friend. When we got our campsite in Loop A and got set up, Charlie came over and said hello and told us if we needed help with anything just to let him know. We had a great time at the campground and when we became stranded with car trouble both of these couples helped us out.
Charlie is standing on the bench with his hand on Dawna, Jim and Bobbie are in the camp host uniforms. We all had dinner with Charlie and Dawna, homemade beans and ham with cornbread. It was good!

Flash forward: Bobbie and Jim are full time RVers and wintered in Arizona this past winter. While there, Bobbie and Jim went into Old Mexico for several day trips. On one of those trips she picked up some Mexican Vanilla for me as during one of our discussions the previous summer I had mentioned that I had run out of my Mexican Vanilla and missed baking with it. You have to understand that Mexican Vanilla is much stronger than the regular vanilla that you purchase at the store so it gives a different flavor to what you are preparing. The question was, how to get it to me.

Fast forward some more: It turns out that Charlie and Dawna live not far from us and they were heading on vacation up to Yellowstone and coming back through South Fork to stay at Park Creek campground where Bobbie and Jim were camp hosts this year. So the Mexican Vanilla got handed off to Charlie and Dawna to bring back to us.

Last weekend we met up. Charlie and Dawna came down for the OU - Air Force football game and passed off the Mexican Vanilla. They parked at our house where I ran them up to the stadium so they could attend the game. Afterwards I picked them up and we all went to dinner at Goldie's Patio Grill and had a wonderful time discussing RVing.
On our way to dinner I spied a man’s wallet in the road. I gave it to Dawna and she went through it trying to find some identification and we came up with a AAA card. She called and left her number and the young man who lost it called and came to Goldie's to pick it up. As it turns out it was our next door neighbor’s wallet. He was very thankful that it was us who found it and returned it intact.

It's amazing how friendships develop and come full circle.

Happy Trails.....

Saturday

A Marine's Send Off....

I have a friend at work whose Marine son who left three weeks ago to go back to Camp Pendleton, where he and his group were shipped out yesterday to Afghanistan for a years deployment. He's was home on a three week leave enjoying his time with friends and family before his deployment.Dave and I went to his deployment party at his parents house. There were lots of people there to wish the young man well. I told him to keep his head down and I would see him in a year for his homecoming party.

His mom had a beautiful cake made, too bad we did not get there before it was cut into but you can sort of see what it looked like.

There was lots of food to eat and drinks to drink, my favorite was the jumbo Oscar Mayer hot dogs that were grilled to perfection.

We need to remember to keep our brave men and women, who have volunteered their service to our country, in our prayers at night. By doing so we honor them and their families, who have given them up to us, to defend our great nation.


PSALM 23
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
Amen.

Wednesday

Noah's Baptism....

Last week we made the trip to Texas for the Labor Day weekend and Noah's baptism. After an uneventful drive with three dogs, we arrived and settled in. The kids place is looking good but we all pitched in Saturday to get it tidied up for the festivities on Sunday. Noah was being baptised and there was to be a cookout after church.

The dogs stayed out most of the time on the back porch or out in the yard. They had never been out that much and was enjoying their new found freedom.

You forget how much gear is needed to take a baby someplace, baby carriers, diaper bags etc....on top of it, Noah was being somewhat fussy so if we made a stop, one person would go in for something and we would have to drive around the parking lot to keep him quiet. We shopped for Hot dogs and all their fixing's and hamburgers plus all their fixing's. I decided that I would make Tabouli Salad and proceeded to purchase the ingredients for it. I managed to get everything at Kroger's except for the Tabouli Wheat, they never heard of Tabouli wheat, which is cracked Bulgar wheat. I then went to Wal-Mart, no luck, same blank expression on the sales clerks faces. At the Wal-Mart in Norman the Tabouli wheat is found in the salad area, not so in East Texas. I was begining to become frustrated and decided that you know your in East Texas where they don't know what Tabouli wheat is. Finally, finally at Albertson's I found the Tabouli wheat in the rice isle. I had to purchase two boxes of it to get the portion that I needed. Normally it comes in a plastic bag, sometimes it already has dry ingrediants in it. I do not purchase that, I only purchase the wheat itself. It's a fairly simple recipe to put together.


Tabouli Salad / Half recipe
1 box or half bag of Tabouli Wheat
1 box of Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade thawed
1/3 Cup Soy Free Canola Oil or Olive Oil
2 Lg. Ripe Tomatoes diced
2 Medium Cucumbers diced
1 Bunch Green Onions cleaned and thinly sliced
1 Bunch Parsley cleaned and stem tips trimmed and chopped finely(can be processed in food processor)
Sea Salt

In large mixing bowl soak wheat in hot water for 10 minutes, drain and squeeze dry.

Add in all the ingredients except for salt, mixing well. The salt is a personal preference. I add in 1 Tbs. You may want more salt. Be careful not to add too much. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is best if allowed to sit overnight so all the flavors can meld. The longer it sits the better it gets. You will want to stir it ever so ofter so as to get the juices over the wheat so it will swell up. The wheat will turn white the longer it sits.


Noah decided to become real fussy and I could just see him at church the next day. Saturday night I said a little prayer asking that Noah be a wonderful little boy on Sunday. My prayers were answered. He slept through the whole thing and most of the day and night. We were amazed. The kids said he had never slept that much at one time. Of course his daddy held him all the way through the service, and has that wonderful calming quality about him.

The little prince still asleep through all the singing, service, having water poured over his head and paraded around the church.

His baptism outfit was beautiful, his grandmother's sister handmade the whole thing, everything was crocheted, the hat the gown and the onesy for underneath. I had not seen that kind of handwork in a long time and to think it's becoming a lost art saddens me.

I stood in for my younger daughter as she was to be Noah's Godmother. The kids had to get special permission from the Bishop as she is not Catholic. It was a beautiful service and Noah was the little angel.

The cookout was a success and everyone enjoyed themselves. Dave spent Monday morning pulling weeds and trimming trees. We had lunch and bid the kids goodbye and loaded up the car with all our belongings and dogs and headed home. 5 1/2 hours later we pulled into our driveway and unloaded and had time to wind down before bed.

Our weekend was wonderful and we had a great time. While we were out shopping this week I found Noah's Halloween costume and sent it down to Texas. An OU Boomer outfit. His daddy will have to paint his face and his auntie will have to put a drawstring on the hoodie to keep it in place but it will be cute. Besides I just couldn't let him go as a Longhorn (Look for pictures in November).
Happy Trails....

Saturday

Angel Food...

With Christie living on such a limited budget in Georgia, I decided to enroll her in the Angel Food Ministries program for August. Just to see what it's like, I enrolled as well. I wanted to see what she was getting for my money.

I went this morning to pick up my order and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of food I received. All the meats and vegetables in the Signature box were flash frozen. I was amazed at the quality of the fresh vegetables and fruits in the Veggie box. The peaches are big and juicy. I plan to make a peach-mango-onion salsa to go on my chicken. I also got a box of 12 seasoned chicken breasts for $22 as we love to grill.

I paid $52.00 for Christie's boxes of food, $2.00 extra for being an Internet order. And $74.00 for our Internet order. For all that I got, I feel like it's a lot of food.

Angel Food is open to participation to anyone of any income level. It would be a great deal for RVers and I'm sure lots of full-timers take advantage of it. This morning I saw college students, single mothers and dads, families with little ones in tow all helping to get the food to their cars.

I was told the local Angel Food group was trying to get more participation as the more that is ordered, free boxes of food are added to the total order so the church group can offer those free boxes to the local food bank and homeless families who could not otherwise afford them. This program is all across the US. I was pleased that I participated and hoped I made a difference in someones life.

Another nice feature is you don't have to purchase the signature box before you can purchase a specialty box. You can pick and choose what boxes you would like. Just be sure to take shopping bags or a box in which to put your food in.

I talked to Christie after she picked up her order and she was commenting on how much food there was and she seemed pleased in what all she got. She was in the process of thawing out the hamburger meat to make spaghetti for dinner.

If you've not tried the Angel Food program yet, click on the link and check it out. I think you will be pleased. I know I am.

Happy trails....

P.S. I have new followers, welcome anonymous and Mountain Born. Glad to have you aboard.

Thursday

Move In Day...

Today started like any other day at our house, getting ready for work, feeding the dogs, making coffee and heading out the door to go to work. Except what I forgot was, that it was move in day for thousands of students with their parents in tow, helping them move in over the next 4 days.

The line-up of cars was unbelievable just to find a parking spot to unload the necessary things for dorm life, the all important mini refrigerator, the rolling 3 drawer storage unit loaded with who knows what. Mattress, bedding, suitcases, on and on it went. Then everyone heads to Wal-Mart afterwards to pick up those all so important items to finish out their move, once again with Mom or Dad in tow "the purse strings", to purchase a hefty supply of the oh so needed study snacks, paper plates, toilet paper and the ever so important bottled water. Heaven forbid if one should forget the bottled water.

Trying to get me to work was a feat in itself. We had to figure out detours and round abouts to avoid the mayhem less than a half a block away from where I work.

From my fourth floor office window, the students moving into housing looked like an army of ants hurrying and scurrying to get their cars unloaded. Oh so many trips to accomplish this. To top the day off, the power went down across the campus due to an overheated air-conditioning chiller. We were down for about 30 to 45 minutes. One of our employees was briefly stuck in the elevator but luckily she was able to get out in spite of her short lived panic.

Tents were set up so parking and transportation employees could inform not only the students but parents about parking procedures at the school and if your student who is not an Honors dorm student parks in an Honors dorm students parking spot, he or she will get a ticket and a hefty one at that. All sorts of kiosks were set about between the housing towers with tons of information spewing from them to the waiting hands of the wide eyed but unknowing new incoming students.

When I left work today at five, it still looked like an army of ants on the move. I would have to say another school year has started and the City of Norman wipes the summer sleep from her eyes and prepares for another 9 months of college life and football Saturdays.

Hopefully when we go to work on Monday we will be able to get our parking spots back.

BOOMER SOONER!

Sunday

More Clutter Cleared...

A few weeks ago I wrote about clearing clutter while Dave was gone to Georgia. Today we resumed our endeavors and cleared and moved furniture, removed more pet hair, got the potato crop harvested and corralled the dust bunnies. It's amazing how stuff multiples when your not looking. We moved the piano (which is for sale)over toward the window and the credenza from under the window to where the piano use to be. Boy does it make a difference in how large it makes the room look. I also got the bookcase cleaned and moved under the window. Christie did not take her Harry Potter books so they now have a place to reside. I've been looking at trailers, my friend Bobbie steered me toward Jayco trailers and I found the one that I'm interested in. It is a Jayco Eagle 322FKS. I like the fact that it has a King bed and the shower is separate from the john. It's got a larger than normal kitchen and I know I won't feel cramped working in it. Now we wait for a year or so, so the price can drop some more on a used trailer and we will be set to go.

If you've ever read the comic strip Zits you know that Jeremy is a teenage boy whose parents are electronically challenged and trying to fit in with texting and such. Well that is us. We have managed to not text until this week when we upgraded our phones. Guess what! We like it. I can now get instant pictures of the our grandson. Both Dave and I got the Samsung Sunburst ,for a free phone it sure is a nice one. We are having a ball learning how to use it, however it is nice to actually talk to someone in a long conversation, but for that quick question texting is ok. Old dog learns new tricks.

I have a lot of recipes hanging around and another RV friend suggested that I scan them and put them on a flash drive so...that is what I did this evening. While cleaning out a basket of papers I came across recipes that dated back to 1995. Ya never know what you'll find lurking in the shadows.

Well...clothes to fold and showers to take, another work week awaits us.

Happy trails.

Wednesday

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy days of Summer

Bring on the soda, pretzel and beer. I sure could use some iced tea or water though. I am not a beer drinker because I'm allergic to the hops that is used to make it. I can have a sip now and then but to drink a full beer will make me swell up like a toad. Sodas...I can do without the sugar but will have one once in a great while. Wine, I can drink and I like it.

I like summer, I really do especially if I am in a cooler spot than where I am now. Another 103+ day here and suppose to be 104+ tomorrow, keep in mind that is with the heat index. The heat is oppressive due to the humidity and the tropical storm that is moving ashore in Louisiana is not helping. Our section of the United State is locked in under a high pressure dome and the heat is miserable. We may have a chance of rain Sunday or Monday but I wouldn't hold my breath. Everything is drying up and shriveling on the vine so to speak.

The OU pool looks inviting and I just may partake this weekend since I can swim for free.

I've asked Dave to get my bike out so I can get it tuned up and start riding it this fall. Last week I borrowed a bike to get back and forth to work while Dave was gone and I could tell that it really helped my leg and knee. The only draw back was that I was drenched by the time I got to work.

Need to mow the yard as the dogs are starting to get lost again in the growth. It never ends unless your out on the road.

Happy trails...

Thursday

Georgia on my mind update...

Christie got her car back yesterday evening after some additional work on the car and it's running great. The mechanic decided to wash the engine on the car because it was so greasy and discovered a pin hole leak in her radiator hose. He called her and asked if she wanted it repaired, cost $50.00, of course she said yes. When she went in to pick the car up she found out that he had gone ahead and flushed her radiator as well, no extra charge. She checked into having it flushed before she left at a local business here in Norman but they wanted $148.00 to do it and she decided not to have it done at that time. The mechanic in Marietta said her radiator had mud in it. Mud? Yes you read right, mud. He said it was a miracle that the car did not overheat on the trip over. I said it most likely was the mud that was plugging the hole in the hose. She also has an oil sensor plug that is not working which causes the light on her dashboard to stay on. He said that if she brings her car back in next Saturday he will fix it for $20.00, it should take about 2 hours. So it sounds like we have a mechanic lined up for the Jeep. Someone up there is looking out for her and I thank Him.

Dave is on his way home this morning and I will see him sometime tomorrow evening. Ah Pizza night.

Happy trails...

Wednesday

Georgia On My Mind.....

Well not really, more like my hubby and daughter on my mind. Dave was all set to come home Monday when Christie's car broke down. Missing fuel filter, no where to be found, and an out of service fuel pump. Thank goodness there was not much gas in the tank, so not a huge loss there. However, she has an older Jeep and from what they are telling me quite expensive to repair. I really can't complain as she's had the car since 2003, it's a '97 Jeep Cherokee, and the only things we have had done to it is a tune-up, two sets of tires, one set of brakes, some air-conditioner work and a fuel pump. So really we have been very fortunate not to have had more pumped into this little car. It has been a good fit for her but I think it is time to upgrade to something newer. She's wanting a Ford Edge, so time to start looking I guess.

I'm glad all of this happened before Dave left to come home as he's been taking her to work and getting her back home in the evenings. Depending on if she gets her car back today he will start home tomorrow. He sounded really tired on the phone last night. They have been having a good time looking at antique shops in the area and going to the specialty grocery stores near her apartment. I can't wait to see pictures of her apartment, it sounds really nice.

I signed her up for the
Angel Food Ministries food service. So that will help her out some. August's food box looks good, she is getting the standard box plus the fruit and vegetable box for $52.00. I signed us up for one as well. I wanted to see what it was she was getting and if it was good or not. They say it is enough food for one person for a month. If she's careful she may be able to stretch it out that long. Her daddy took her grocery shopping and spent about $100.00 on the basics for her. So when she picks up the box in two weeks she won't have to shop for things like peanut butter, ketchup, mustard etc...

She's making friends at work and says it will be an interesting year. She's going job hunting this weekend to get a part-time job to supplement her income if she's to survive.

I on the other hand have been dealing with 3 dogs, big, medium and small. They have decided that they need to sleep in my room so I now have 3 roommates. They are great protection and I really don't mind them being there. I'm doing all the things around the house that Dave would deal with and in general being on my own for a week. It's been somewhat of an experience since I've been without motorized vehicular transportation and I'm ready for Dave to be home. I've been very fortunate to be able to work with a great bunch of people. My boss loaned me a bicycle to get to and from work. One of them has let me borrow her truck so I can get home at noon to let the dogs out and not ride the bike in the 103 degree heat we are having at the moment. How can I repay them for their kindness? I will think of something.

I have poop patrol this afternoon when I go home for lunch as our neighbor is going to mow the dog's pen for me. The grass is now taller that the smallest dog and that is not good. I would mow it but I've never used our new lawnmower and Dave doesn't want me to do it until he shows me how to work it. Today was trash day and recycle day. I managed to get everything out before the pick-up time. So as Dave would say, I did good.

I have to finish up the living room mess that I started and do a few more chores before Dave gets home so I will be busy tonight and tomorrow night. Ah...so much for being by ones self. Until the next post...

Happy trails...

Saturday

Downsizing...

While Dave is in Georgia with Christie helping her get moved into her new apartment, yes... she finally was able to jump through all the hoops, I decided to tackle the dinning room and do a bit of downsizing. I don't know if it is actual downsizing but it is an arrangement that makes it look like there is less in the area.

First I cleared and moved my great-grandmother's Singer treadle sewing machine from the dinning room to the entry way. The credenza that was in the entry way was cleared and moved to the dinning room making a side board. I then took my great-grandmother's chair and put it under a painting in the dinning room. Then I took the leaf out of the dinning table reducing it from a 6 person setting to a 4 person setting creating more room in the area. Then I removed a small bookcase that holds my cookbooks and put a chair in that space. Now if I can get Dave to remove the shredder and his paper pile it will look good in there.

I'm trying to get a sense of space in the living room as we have some over sized furniture which includes a piano, which catches lots of clutter, a leather couch, 2 leather chairs and ottomans, coffee table, credenza, 2 side tables and a unit to hold the electronic equipment. The two rooms make one big room. I think if I get rid of the piano it will help besides I don't play it anymore. The demarcation line is the dinning room which has parky flooring with a rug and the living room has carpet. I'm contemplating pulling up the carpet and vinyl tile underneath and putting in Mexican tile. With the heat here in the summer a tile floor would help keep the house cooler, for winter I have area rugs I can put down to help the area stay warm.

While the troops have been gone I have been keeping the house at 75 degrees on the inside, day and night. It really is quite comfortable. Dave likes to knock it down to 72 at night but with the ceiling fans 75 is fine with me.

Sunday is laundry day and I have much more to do before Dave gets home on Tuesday so...

Happy trails...

Thursday

Leaving The Nest...

Over the past week I have been writing about our youngest daughter who is moving to Georgia for a new job in her field. It has been an experience in finding an apartment, getting services turned on, all the while doing it long distance, packing up and all that goes with that.

The most frustrating thing I have experienced is the apartment manager people. They have been doling out information in piece mill style instead of giving all of it to us up front. After my husband an daughter got on the road today we were informed that the card that we were going to use for her deposit, now has to be in the form of a money order or a check. So happens hubby did not take his checkbook with him. I am now having to transfer money from the card to the bank and hopefully he can withdraw the full amount and get the money order. Such a pain.

She had to say goodbye to her dogs this morning and believe me they knew something was amiss. At the moment they are moping, poor babies. We will have them for a year. It will be interesting to see if they remember her when she gets back, I'm sure they will.

Darling daughter saying good-bye to her big boy Fitz William Darcy (Fitz) all 96 lbs. of him.

Here she is giving big hugs to her Miss Elizabeth Bennett (Lizzy) a sweet natured little lady.


All packed up and getting ready to pull out. Two cars and a U-Haul Trailer. Where would we be without U-Haul.

We said our goodbyes and kept in contact during the day, aren't cell phones wonderful? They arrived safe and sound at their first stop. I even utilized gasbuddy to get them to a station on the road with a reasonable gas price. I will sleep well tonight.

I miss her already. But this is the beginning of a new chapter in her life. God speed sweet one.


Happy trails...

Wednesday

Lasagna...A Dinner Fit for a....

Our daughter Christie is leaving for Georgia tomorrow and I wanted to fix a nice dinner for her before she left. Yesterday I let her make the decision as to what she wanted. After mulling it around for the day she decided on her grandmother's lasagna. My dad loved lasagna but didn't like the texture of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, therefore my mom decided to try it with cream cheese instead, and it became an instant hit with the family. Here's the recipe that my mom would fix the family.
Teena’s Lasagna (Full recipe)
2 Lbs ground beef (we prefer lean meat)
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
4 Large cloves garlic mashed
1 Large Onion diced
1 large Green Pepper diced
2 bricks of cream cheese sliced short side (you may want to put in freezer for a few minutes before slicing)
1 package of lasagna noodles (cooked al-dente)
1 small can tomato paste 6 oz.
can of water (use tomato paste can)
1 Bag of Mozzarella Cheese
salt
pepper
1-2 Tbs. Basil
Spaghetti sauce mix. Nothing that has cumin or chili spice in it.
1 Large Jar of favorite Spaghetti sauce. I like Prego and or Bertolli Onion, Basil, Garlic sauce

In a large HOT skillet add oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic let sear for 1-2 minutes while stirring, turn fire to low cover and let cook stirring occasionally until onions are opaque. Remove from skillet into a large bowl.

Get skillet hot again and add a quarter of a pound of meat and brown, remove to bowl and repeat process until the whole two pounds are cooked.

Pour all of mixture back in skillet. Add tomato paste, half a can of water, spaghetti sauce mix, Basil, salt and pepper to taste. Don’t use too much salt, save the salt shaker for the table. Mix all together. If too stiff add more water or about a 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. Don’t get it soupy.

Cook noodles according to package. Warm your spaghetti sauce in a pan.

Assembling the lasagna

In a large 3 qt. rectangular baking dish spray bottom with cooking spray. Put a drizzle of spaghetti sauce in bottom of baking dish, put in three strips of lasagna noodles. Cover with a layer of meat mixture, lay in a piece of cream cheese into every spot you want a serving to be. Large casserole I figure 1 brick per layer, cover with spaghetti sauce and a light dusting of Mozzarella cheese. Repeat the same with next layer. Last layer leave off cream cheese and top out with rest of bag of Mozzarella cheese covering whole casserole.

Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes or until Mozzarella cheese is bubbly and has a nice light brown crust. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. I suggest putting dish on a heavy duty baking tray to catch any drips. Also this will make it easier to remove from the oven. Makes 9 servings.

Serve with a tossed salad and Italian Garlic Bread Sticks.

Dinner is served.
Happy trails...


Thursday

One Year and 38 Years

Last year at this time I started blogging after returning from our first vacation minus kids. Something I had never done before was to journal. Growing up I could never get into the habit of keeping a diary or journaling, I never found anything I had to say worth writing down. But over the course of this past year I have read about the adventures of Bobbie and Jim, (Bobbie was the one who started me blogging) Laurie and Odel, Alan and Joan, The Bayfield Bunch, Mountain Born, Bill and Leslie, The Gypsy Journal with Bad Nick and a whole host of other RV'ers out there enjoying life on the open road and living out their dreams. Through your posts I feel like I have a wonderful world of new found friends that I can't wait to meet. So after reading all the wonderful posts, the lot of you have inspired me to journal or blog our experiences.

I find that I enjoy writing this blog, that it is very cathartic and helps me to release feelings and emotions that from time to time get pent up. It allows me to venture out with photos of food and snowy day photos and experiences I would normally not mention. I don't know if my writing has improved over the course of the year but I feel better about it than I did when I started.

Another year has passed and so many things have happened over that year. Dave and I have become grandparents to baby Noah. Our youngest daughter has found an internship in her field at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia and is preparing to move there for the next year. Dave and I will become empty nesters as of next weekend. I will feel the loss of this extraordinarily talented young woman and miss her presence in our house. I have had her around for 27 years, time for her to move on and start her life. Unfortunately she will not be able to take her dogs with her at this time and she is quite sad about leaving behind her Fitz and Lizzy. We don't mind taking care of them. Fitz is a rambunctious boy and Lizzy is ever the little lady with an ornery streak in her.Our oldest daughter came through a surgery that allowed her to have children. She and her darling husband bought their first house and now have a beautiful baby. Life couldn't be better.

Dave and I are celebrating 38 wonderful blessed years together today. It's amazing how fast those years go by. You blink and so much life passes by you and you find yourself wondering where the time went. Hold tight to the ones you love and let them know each and every day how you feel. Don't let a day go by without saying "I love you". That way you will never have any regrets.

Life is indeed beautiful!

Happy trails.

Sunday

A Bit of Kick...

This morning while reclining in my adjustable bed, drinking a cup of java (it's a Sunday morning thing) I happened to turn on the cooking channel with Bobby Flay who was grilling up Korean Style Grilled Chicken (This was after watching Sunday Morning on CBS about all of us overweight Americans). It looked so good that it got my creative juices going and I decided that "I" could come up with a marinade for my own grilled Asian Chicken. "It can't be all that hard" I said to myself. A little bit of this and a bit of that, stir it together and pour over the frozen chicken breasts and then let thaw all day and let that marinade get worked in.

I pulled my ingredients and utensils together and started in. In a few minutes, after a few minor adjustments...what was it that Bobby Flay said about cardamon and curry? I have a bad habit of not measuring, I'm sort of a pour and go with it kind of gal. Instead of mashing out my garlic like Guy Fieri I have this cool little apparatus that quickly does it. I can then brush it off into my bowl. Hmmmmm...a bit more of this...ah...my marinade was ready and to me it was outstanding. Such flavor with a touch of hot. I can hardly wait to heat the grill up this evening. But what to have with it? Ah...I know, grilled potato fingerling's, sweet onions, peppers with a few broccoli florets thrown in for green. I would do a zucchini but Dave is not that fond of that particular vegetable, what the heck, I will do a zucchini anyways because Christie and I like them.

Ok, I know you're wondering what I put in my marinade, well here goes.

Susie's Asian Marinade

2 large cloves garlic ground or pasted
3 Tbls. Hoysin Sauce
2 Tbls. Oyster Flavored Sauce
1 Tbls. Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Chinese Sweet Chili Sauce for Chicken
12-15 Dashes of Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar or Rice Vinegar
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 tsp Coriander pressed with mortar and pestle to break seed open
1/8 tsp curry powder (optional)

Mix all together in a bowl, taste for heat, add more Tabasco if necessary, pour over chicken in a Ziploc plastic bag, seal and marinade for 4 to 6 hours. Turn bag over every hour. Make sure you have plenty of wood soaking for your grill. I use mesquite wood. Grill however you would grill it and enjoy.

My garlic grinder plate, yes it's made in China. It grinds the garlic clove making it into a lovely paste and you can grind whole nutmegs and the plate will not hurt your nails or your fingers. You can find them at Walgreen's for around $10.00 in the seen on TV isle. I would not be without this set. Just rinse plate and brush off with water for easy clean-up. You can grind up some garlic add some crushed red pepper and olive oil right in the garlic plate and you have a dipping sauce for Italian bread sticks. Along with the plate and brush is a garlic clove peeler, stick in a clove of garlic, roll it back and forth a few times and walla... it takes the skins right off the garlic clove. Hold the clove by the root end and swirl it with a bit of pressure around the grooves on the plate and you'll have mashed garlic in just a few seconds. Brush garlic off with the brush provided and you are set to go.

Here's my plated Asian Chicken with grilled vegetables. Time to dig in folks. Boy does that look good, hey Dave pass the...

Happy trails...

Wednesday

Kennesaw State University

Our youngest daughter managed to snag an internship at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, doing what she got her Master's in, Athletic Academic Advising and helping to get a Learning Center off the ground. She leaves in 3 weeks with minimal possessions until she is able to find a second job that will support her and her bills. We will truly be empty-nester's then. At this time she will not be able to take her dogs with her which makes her sad.

Kennesaw is about 30 minutes Northwest of Atlanta. From the pictures I have seen it looks like a lovely area steeped in history. With Atlanta so close I'm sure she will be doing a lot of sight seeing of the area. Kennesaw houses
The General which is a type of 4-4-0 steam locomotive that was the subject of the Great Locomotive Chase of the American Civil War. You can read more about it at the link provided.

My only objection is that Kennesaw is 13 hours away so it won't be so easy for her to get home to see family. Somehow she will manage. I look forward to her sending us pictures of the area. I just hope the people are nice there.


Happy trails...

Saturday

Bunny's...

Yesterday evening we decided that we wanted something different for dinner so we hopped in the car and drove to Northwest Oklahoma City to a little hamburger joint called Bunny's. Bunny's is famous for it's Onion Burger, fries and handmade malts and shakes. Nothing artificial here.

Bunny's T-shirt, I just love the pink tie-dye job

The hamburger is simple fare, a bun toasted perfectly on the grill. Onion's that have been sliced, not chopped, piled high on top of the sizzling fresh ground hamburger meat that is cooking on a well seasoned steel surfaced grill. When ready the burger is flipped and the onions that were on top are now being caramelized on the grill the bun top is put on the top of the burger to be softened by the steam rising from the meat and onions. Once done Joey, the grill master, flips the bottom bun pulls the burger and onions to cap it and then plates it with the fries and dill pickles. The french fries are fresh hand cut potatoes fried to perfection. When served the burger is so hot that you have to wrap it in napkins to keep from burning your fingers.

This burger was plated just for this picture as it was a to-go order. To bad you could not see the mound of french fries you would get with it.

Bunny insists on serving fountain coke-a-cola that is very strong. It has that wonderful burn when it hits the back of your throat. I can remember the original coke in the little bottles from the 50's and when you drank one of those ice cold babies it would have that same burn. Mmmmmmm Goooooood! Every bite of the burger brought forth moans of happiness. Oh it is such a good burger.

Kaylee, Joey the grill master and Kialee. These two girls really took good care of us.

Bunny's is located at the corner of 50th and Meridian, 5020 N Meridian Ave. It's right across the road from Putnam City High School so you know what crowd it caters to. We have been having burgers at Bunny's for at least 20 years. Before that it was known as Joe's Onion Burger and we ate there for at 15 years before it became Bunny's. There is now a new south side location at 1023 S. Meridian Ave. It is better situated to I-40.
If you're passing though Oklahoma City and want a great onion burger I suggest hanging your hat at Bunny's and sit a spell and enjoy the food. 2 Thumbs Up!!!!!

Happy trails....

Wednesday

Our New Grandson...

Friday afternoon we slipped out of town to go south to see our new grandson baby Noah. After a marathon journey of 7 hours (which should only take 5) countless accidents and side trips to avoid and get around the accidents, we arrived at the hospital and saw our grandson for the first time.

What a beautiful baby. He is so precious. He's surrounded by a loving family that has lots of aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. So there are a lot of helping hands to assist the new parents. And we will be heading south as often as we can to see the little tyke.

Grandpa was holding Noah when dog child Sam decided that he had to get in on the action, keep in mind that grandpa is very ticklish. Sam has been a member of the family since he was 6 weeks old. So Noah has a great big "brother" and a great playmate when he gets older.
Things will never be so peaceful as they are right now. Give him a few years and Watch Out World Noah Has Arrived.
Here's Noah with his grandpa Jerri. It looks like they're both are tuckered out and having a great snooze. A great past-time for the 4th of July.
Grandma Irene came over on Monday and babysat Noah so we could go out and have lunch and do a wee bit of shopping.
Auntie Christie got a nice big yawn out of her new nephew.
Cousin Dillon holding his new baby cousin Noah.
Aunt Stephanie, Cousins Sydney and Ashley admiring baby Noah.
This is one lucky baby, to have a lot of family close by to love on him. What a wonderful way to come into the world.
Happy trails...


Noah Alexander...

After a 5 year wait and an odyssey to get here, Baby Noah Alexander arrived this morning via a C-section at 9:25, weighing in at a whopping 10 lbs and 20 inches long and he's two weeks early. Can you imagine what he would have weighed if he had gone to term?

Last year it was discovered that Heather had fibroid tumors and she was blessed to find a Doctor in Dallas that would remove them instead of telling her that there was no hope and remove everything. The surgery was a success and in October she was pregnant. Dr. J. Michael Putnam pioneered the instruments and surgery to save a women's uterus so they could have children. We are very thankful for Dr. Putnam and his team of professionals.

Only could our kids come up with a name that would tie into a hurricane that is about to hit the Texas/Mexico coastline. ALEX, is his name fate or coincidence? I wonder if Noah Alexander will live up to the name of his hurricane?
Happy Trails...