Can you ever go back?

Holly says....

Is there ever a time when you can go back and relive something from your childhood and it be as good as you remembered it? I ask this because there is a commercial on the radio right now that uses Speak 'N Spell to spell out words. I don't remember what it's advertising, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, I loved my Speak 'N Spell and actually wore it out, causing my mom to buy me another one to get me to leave her alone. (The math one didn't do much for me.)

Anyway, I suspect that if I were to buy one now that it would be slow and silly and not give me that feeling of triumph I had as a kid when I spelled a word correctly and heard, "That is correct. Next, spell ____." So I think I probably won't try because I don't want to ruin a good memory.

This subject came about as I was lying in bed last night, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. What's nice about our ceiling is that I have an alarm clock that shines the time up above you. Justin bought it for me for Christmas 3 years ago and I can honestly say it is one of the best gifts I can remember (of my adult life anyway.) What's so great about it is that my grandparents had one in their bedroom when I was a little girl. If I had a bad dream I would run in their room and climb into bed with them, on Mom's side, and watch the time change on the ceiling. The only difference is that theirs shone orange and mine is red. I think this may be one of the few things that is just as good as the original memory.

So I guess the answer is yes, you can really go back and its worth it sometimes. But don't expect every attempt to be as fulfilling as my alarm clock. Thanks Justin.

Open Invite to Ethan:

In response to the most gracious invitation, I humbly accept your invitation to have a meal together. I suggest we make plans for an afternoon or evening during this up coming Labor Day weekend. I am open any day but Saturday. If anybody else will be in town for the weekend and would like to join the cool kids, please let us me know. Now booking for Labor Day!

J

Messages from Armand

In all my life, I have never received so many phone calls and garbled messages from someone, yet never actually talked to them. Three times now, yes three, I have checked my phone to see ‘Missed Call’ proudly displayed on my screen. Most times than not these are from my father. In fact ‘Dad Cell’ is on my list so much that when I want to call him I simply enter into the Missed Call List and press send. Not that I am complaining. I am glad my dad and I talk as often as we do. I do wish he had better ESP and didn’t call while Holly and I are watching Big Brother on TIVO. I digress. Three times I see ‘Missed Call’. I check to see who it is and it is Armand! Cool, I don’t get to talk to Armand very often.

After I clear the missed call, I get excited to see ‘1 New Msg’! I love messages. I love messages so much that I go to great lengths to leave people messages in hopes that I get one in return. I love messages so much that if I leave you one and you don’t return it, I get ticked. I quickly hit the send button to hear the messages.

The first message was pretty clear. Armand was eating at some sort of fast food restaurant talking about Superman. I never really got the full gist, as it is hard to understand everything from the inside of a pocket. The second message was a little less clear. I think he was discussing home decorating. The final message was pure pocket.

So if you ever miss me, follow Armand’s lead. Stick your cell phone or Bluetooth headset in your pocket and dial me up! I love messages, remember?

Secret Stairwells

by Justin

Yesterday at work, around the 3 o’clock hour, the sirens went off and the lights started flashing. A very computerized voice came over the emergency system stating the following: “May I have your attention please? An emergency has been declared in the building. Please proceed to the nearest marked stairwell and exit the building.” To me these statements are absolutely hilarious.

First off it asks for your attention. What if I say no? Am I then able to not respond? What if I am on the phone, will it wait till I can give it my full attention?

Second it declares an emergency, but does not tell you what it is. Is it a fire? Is it a tornado? Is it a bomb threat? Has the executive office run out of cigarettes? It could be many things. Holly said maybe the cafeteria simply ran out of hotdogs. Could that be the emergency?

Lastly, you are to proceed to the nearest marked stairwell. That implies that there are unmarked stairwells. This intrigues me, secret stairwells in the building? Where do they go? How do you become an insider into these passages? If they don’t exit the building, why exactly have we built them? I am now on a new quest for secret stairwells.

All of this and it was 103 outside. We were told it wasn’t a drill, and it sure didn’t last long enough to be one. I for one think they sounded the alarm on being out of hotdogs a little prematurely. Wal-mart is around the corner, you know!

Mystery Date & Parent’s Weekend

One of the amazing benefits of working for an airline is at the last minute you can jump on any plane, so long as a seat is available. Holly and I have been taking advantage of this as much as humanly possible. Holly is also on summer hours, meaning she works longer days Monday thru Thursday and gets to take Friday afternoons off. So I took the afternoon off and we scheduled a much needed date afternoon.

Now I am neither the most spontaneous of persons, nor the most creative when it comes to ideas for dates. There is just something around familiar and regular that I like, thankfully my lovely bride believes so as well. But this was the exception. I actually kept our mystery date a secret right up to the turn into the airport.

Holly picked me up from work, I do work at the airport so that made sense. I then instructed her turn by turn towards the airport. Even after she realized that we were flying for our date, I didn’t let her know where until we were in the terminal. Once in the terminal she successfully guess that we were headed to the San Antonio Riverwalk for the afternoon.

On the Riverwalk we ate lunch at County Line BBQ, saw a 3D IMAX film on wild African animals, went into local shops, bought some Christmas gifts, then ate dinner at Rio Rio. We went back to the airport, caught the last flight to Dallas Love Field and were home around 10. What a good afternoon.

Saturday I planned a ‘Day In Paradise.’ My parents live in Paradise, TX well not really then live in Old Draco or closer to Cottondale, but alas their mailing address is Paradise, so we say they live in Paradise. Not really Paradise if you ask me, but that is another post. I hadn’t seen my parents since Mother’s day and a lot of birthdays and Father’s day have occurred since then.

I actually managed to round up my entire family and grandmother for this event. That is quite an achievement for our family. I hadn’t seen my brother since Father’s Day 2005 at the Ballpark In Arlington. Not even at Christmas or Thanksgiving last year. In that time he has gotten engaged, so I met my future Sister-In-Law for the first time.

My mom made hamburgers; dad cooked them on charcoal. My grandmother made her famous fried potatoes; Holly provided the homemade ice cream. I lost the first game of Yahtzee, but won the second!

Oddly church was a much needed ‘normal’ weekend event for us. After church our Sunday school group went out to lunch at this yummo Italian restaurant that is actually run by Italians.

We took a nap and enjoyed the evening relaxing.

What a great weekend.

Mysteries Outside the Household

I know that I am quite particular and stringently abide by most rules and laws (except for speed limits), however it never ceases to amaze me when people just blatantly disregard common courtesy because it somehow doesn't apply to them. Trey, this may tie into your entry on the anything-but-courteous-customer.

One of my biggest pet peeves is people leaving their shopping carts wherever they see fit in parking lots. This seems to be the worst at Wal-Mart, but does happen at other stores too. My first example was the lady last week that left it on the other side of the barrier. I assume she thought that by having her cart touch the cart return, she at least got partial credit. She didn't. When I came out of the store, it was rolling toward another car and I had to run to catch it. I had a few choice words for her, but alas, she was already gone.

My second example happened yesterday. Mind you, I shop at a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market across the street from our house, so it is small, but still has numerous cart returns. When I came out of the store, there was a cart parked about two feet behind my car. Now, if this isn't bad enough, its one that has the carseat bolted to it, so it didn't fit into my cart. Therefore, I had to push one with each hand to the cart return with the added help of a wheel that wouldn't turn. I'm sure people thought I was crazy as I proclaimed quite loudly, "Of course I don't mind you being lazy and leaving your cart behind my car. I would love to put that up for you!"

I was fuming when I got home. I think I scared both Justin and Trigger. What is it that exempts people from having to think about others? Don't you think they would be upset if a stray cart had scratched their car? Wouldn't they be put out if they had to move a stray cart before they could even back their car out? Please help me understand!

H

Household Mysteries

I'm sure you've all had experience with the disappearing sock in the washer and/or dryer, but has anyone heard of this...

Although I'm not the most thrifty of persons (I find clipping coupons a hassle and don't see the overall reward), I do try to stretch some household items a little longer than they may have originally lasted. Take the bar of soap in the shower, for example. Sure, it may be annoying to try to get a few suds out of a paper thin bar, but it can be done. I got in the shower the other day to find, that's right, no soap! Now, I know when I took a shower the day before, the bar was getting small, but it had a good two to three days left. I was truly puzzled. So, I washed with the shower gel and then later quizzed my husband as to this curious disappearance of the soap.

Any guesses? Yes, he had stuffed the soap down the drain to make a point that he will not use paper-flake soap and that we can in fact afford a new bar. Now, if I try to stretch the bar a little longer, he says, "I'll put it down the drain. You know I will."

So I ask you all, where does this rank when compared with not replacing the toilet paper roll? Is there some grand master list out there of household sins?

H

Here's to New Friends!

Happy Monday everyone! I wanted to take the opportunity to tell everyone how much I've enjoyed blogging with you all, even though I drug my feet at first and thought you were wasting time. :)

I hope that you all will take a moment to note that we have redone our buddies list, splitting it into Justin's Buddies and Holly's Buddies. The two ladies listed under my name our fabulous girls I have known since third grade, fellow Friona folks! Aimee and Abbey are excited to be on blogspot and Aimee has already commented that you guys are all funny. I know its different when you don't know everyone you're blogging with, but just wanted to give you a little background if you see their names on our comments.

Aimee is living in Edmond, OK with her husband Seth and two boys, Rhett and Noah. She is an avid scrapbooker and the coolest mom ever! Abbey lives in McKinney, just a few minutes from us, with her husband Joel and their dog Woody. Abbey is a Deaf Education teacher and is quite crafty herself. I love you guys!

Welcome to blogspot Ladies!

Holly

New Years 2007

So Holly and I have been wracking our brains over New Years plans. The joys of being married always include the inevitable switching of holidays between parents homes. Unfortunately for us our parental units live some 8 hours apart, still in the same state mind you! This causes us to spend Christmas with one set of parents and New Years with the other. With our limited time off, I just do not see any way that we will ever be able to avoid this.

Alas, I have a suggestion. It seems that getting everyone together on New Years is becoming difficult. Could we entertain a change of dates? What if we met the weekend after New Years, January 5-7th in Omaha?

Any thoughts?

The Mysteries of Self Consciousness

I am not an overly fit or attractive person. My wife thinks I am hot, and that is all that really matters. I try to keep balance between overly obsessed with looks and not caring at all. I believe this balance has been lost in our society.

There is nothing like working at a large company headquarters to see all the different realms of self consciousness play out. You have what my Team lead terms ‘over-groomers’ and you have those who you are pretty sure wore those same clothes yesterday. You have the perfume bomber in the elevator and stink bomb in the bathroom. You have the skinny mini and the not so skinny mini.

Now let me start by saying; “I am a true believer in being you.” I believe people should take care of themselves but understand that may be different than how I choose to take care of myself. All I really ask is that your style, or lack there of, shows that you care.

I do however have one piece of advice. If by chance you have inherited, or have acquired either by default or on purpose, the body style in which your rear end has expanded beyond you shoulders, please do NOT place a tied up jacket across it to cover it up.

It doesn’t work.

Today while walking around the building I was just in a mood of people watching. I was completing my normal analysis of people’s choice of personal appearance and noticed four ladies who choose to tie a jacket around their waste with the body of the jacket dangling over their rear end. Now I know not the reason, but if it is to hide this body part, it doesn’t work. It in fact draws attention to the area by the flipping and flopping of the hood. It accentuates your round middle part by creating a circular band around the section with the arms tied. It looks even worse if your can just barely tie the arms together in the front, making you look even larger than you are trying to hide.

My advice: “Be Yourself.” Get over the fact of things you can do little if nothing about. Choose clothes that do not require you to hide your body, but focus attention on your positive features. Please do NOT attempt to cover anything up, choose to focus on the positive. And if by chance you choose to wear the jacket in case you get cold, just throw it over your shoulder, it is a better option, promise.

Stacy and Clinton would be proud, right Holly?

Star Blogger

How to win Star Blogger for next month. Just a suggestion.

RFD-TV

Rural America's Most Important Network

Enough said:

Go Big Joe
http://www.rfdtv.com/shows/bigjoe.asp

Updated Links

Introducing the new reward program from the Urban Adventure Blog...

I have decided the in addition to keeping us on track by calling out failed participation in the blog world, I should also point out our star blogger. A positive for a negative is always effective, despite what the military teaches. Push-ups anyone?

Our first Star Blogger of the Month is Viki! She wins based on her outstanding participation, consistent comments on other's blogs, and hilarious out takes from train life. Thanks Viki for keeping the rest of us entertained.

All right, Scott and Ethan you have some catching up to do, so you better get bloggin'.

Fully Restored

Thanks friends. All persons have been fully restored to the actively posted friends list. Let's keep it that, less we return to passive aggressive tendencies.

Rules to Enter Texas

Rules to Enter Texas: Applies to each person as they enter Texas. Learn & remember: East Coast and California-types pay particular attention!

1. Pull your droopy pants up. You look like an idiot.

2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road." I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.

3. They are cattle & oil wells. That's what they smell like to you. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-20 and I-10 go east and west, I-35 goes north and south. Pick one.

4. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 cotton strippers that are driven only 3 weeks a year.

5. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.

6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of doves are coming in, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.

7. Yeah, we eat catfish & crawfish. You really want sushi & caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.

8. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.

9. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women, regardless of age.

10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Order steak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham & turkey.

11. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and Picante Sauce! ; Oh, yeah.... We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat... It AIN'T REAL CHILI!! Chili was born and bred in San
Antonio....and real chili never met a tomato, or beans for that matter! Get them beans outta here!

12. You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice. You bring "Mary Jane" into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

13. College and High School Football is as important here as the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.

14. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards -- it spooks the fish.

15. Colleges? Try Texas Tech, Texas A&M or University of Texas. They come outta there with an education plus a love for God and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when they come for the holidays.

16. We have more folks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, than any other state, so "Don't Mess with Texas," If you do, you will get whipped by the best.

17. Always remember what our great governor Sam Houston once said: "Texas can make it without the United States, but the United States can't make it without Texas!"

Texas is the greatest state ever!! If you are from Texas, you are one bad hombre!!!

Parental Motivation

Although I consider myself to be a clean, organized and generally motivated housekeeper, I find myself in a tornado of anxiety and list- making when my parents come to visit. Let me clarify that- when my mom comes to visit.

My mom is probably the best housekeeper this side of the Mississippi... well, perhaps in the whole country. She panics if there is an inkling of dust or my dad tracks one tiny clod of mud into the house. And don't even get her started on the bathrooms. I'm definitely not saying that this is bad; I've always appreciated her cleanliness and being able to find things in our house.

Needless to say, I've inherited some of her habits and compulsions. Justin would call them obsessions. Since marrying him, I have actually been known to leave a pair of shoes in the living room overnight, and perhaps even a dish or two in the sink for more than 10 minutes. I'm making a concerted effort not to drive my husband to the looney bin.

Well... my parents are coming to visit this weekend. Some of you may know that we painted our bathroom in FEBRUARY. Guess what I've had Justin doing after work the past couple of evenings? That's right- finishing the paint touch-ups around the ceiling. I could just hear my mom saying, "You mean to tell me you let people see your bathroom without the paint being finished?" Well, I'm not giving her the chance. Our to-do list before Friday afternoon also includes such things as: buying new pillows for the guest room (remember a few postings back about the Guest Room!), pulling grass around the trees in the front yard and deep cleaning the laundry room/Trigger's pooper area. Sure, these things have needed attention before now, but there's nothing like hearing your mom's voice filled with disappointment. Perhaps we will have a little energy left to actually enjoy the weekend with them.

We won't tell her that I had Justin research Betty Crocker's Cookbook to learn how to boil an egg! That's a whole different ballgame!

So, here's to clean houses and happy mothers!
H