More from life its ownself

Another update for the evening... a few thoughts about connections.

I took a nap after my last post and was awakened by a call from the one cousin on my dad's side who makes an effort to stay in touch with me.
We are several years apart in age -- he's 68 and I'm 52. Hard for me to believe there's that big a spread in years. But the fact that he tries so hard to stay in touch means the world to me.
I hadn't yet told him that I had moved -- he got a number for me when he called my old house phone number. So I caught him up on that, and he caught me up on his job, and told me his wife had gastric bypass surgery and had lost 89 pounds, I think he said. She's a tiny thing now, I know that much.
I last saw him at our last aunt's funeral toward the end of October or in early November last year. We didn't have much time to visit then -- he's the kind of guy who has to walk off his grief alone, without talking about it.
And then he told me about our cousin Darla, the daughter of this aunt. Sometime since the funeral, she and her husband of 20-ish years broke up, amicably.
Darla had cared for her mother for many years -- Aunt Geneva had Alzheimer's and Darla had moved her to a nursing home near where they lived.
I suspect that once her role as caretaker was finished, Darla had the time to look around at her own life and realized it wasn't the life she had wanted, that somehow the marriage had emptied itself out over the years when she couldn't give it the attention it needed.
This happens, as we all know, far too often. It happens with marriages and friendships and jobs and all manner of human connection.
And then we all spin off into little cocoons, wrapped up in our own loneliness and pain and misery, feeling as though we could spin off into space unnoticed.
Sometimes, as Cousin Jim said, a person can spin off with someone else, before they even realize it's happening.
The ideal is to see the spin starting and stop it before it tears us apart. More often, though, we can't see the spin until it's turned into a tornado and flung us far away from where we thought we would be, always standing safely in the same place.
Change is hard, and often painful. Standing still, though, has its own pain.
We may not know what or who is waiting for us to show up, finally. We don't know who may be at our next stop, waiting to say "You've finally gotten here!"
We don't know if we'll ever hear that or not.
Sometimes being spun out of our spot tears us out by the roots and we can never be fully transplanted. We get torn out of the garden we know, hoping we'll wind up in a nicer garden. Instead, we may wind up dumped on the compost heap.
All I know is that we have to try to hold on to what is good and helps us grow to be all we can be. If we're blessed, we make that trip to or with someone who can help us grow, and whom we can help grow.
Some of us wind up going through a heavy pruning along the way, feeling like the shears have taken more than we can bear to lose. Eventually, though, we may glimpse a new root sprouting, if our conditions are right.
After talking with my cousin, I found a little tiny root taking shape on my own pruned branch. I got an e-mail from someone who had rediscovered my blog and a particular story I had written about a historic ranch that had a huge impact on this area. And this is a woman who happens to live not far from me now.
Her note helped root me in my history again. Oddly, she was remembering a piece I had written about the ranch, which I am now writing about for a state Centennial project. Her note, from out of the blue, pointed me right back to some information I had forgotten having, which I need right now for this new project!
I don't know how it happens, this phenomenon of coincidence and the universe working together to bring us what we need, most of the time. I just know that for a couple of moments tonight, I felt like I had roots forming again, and I felt tended to and loved, hearing from my cousin.
My connections may be thin sometimes, but as long as I have my Jim, I will know there is someone out there who loves me and makes it his job to stay in touch with me and remind me that we have the same roots.

Updates from Home

Howdy everyone!
Thought it might be time for another update.
My 71-year-old co-worker who has been acting a might mean to me has had a little change of attitude -- once I dressed him down and recited a part of my resume to him. He had said something the other day that just went right over the line -- something about "that comes with experience." This time I didn't just walk away from him. I said "Bob, this is not about experience. This is about you and Kristi not listening to me and giving responses not based on the question I asked. And as for experience, Bob, I've been in this business for 30 years ..." He stopped me there, not believing how long I've been working. I told him I was 52 and went to work for Big Metro Paper while I was still in school.

Funny thing. He thought I was barely in my 30s. Once he found out I was a fogy, he actually started treating me with more respect and has spoken to me much more pleasantly, now that he knows I'm older than his own kids. (Yikes.)

I've finally made an appointment to see a new doctor up here and get back on track treating all my ailments. I made points with another couple of coworkers who like to swap stories about how bad this or that is regarding their health. I asked them to recommend a doctor. Oh how they jumped at the opportunity!

The staff here is smaller than any department I've ever worked in. There's a lifestyles editor, an obit/religion writer, the county reporter, the business editor (by that I mean the woman who takes photos of ribbon cutting ceremonies.)

Then there are two sports guys, a "photographer", Bob the 71-year-old "city editor" (who is the guy who lays out the inside pages) and the managing editor(a brat) and me -- city government and education editor.

I've been here right at 3 months. I cannot imagine being here long-term. Covering city government and writing basically anything I want is all that keeps me going already. Sometimes that's great. Sometimes it's the best I can hope for.

I have another bit of controversy I'll be stirring up next week. It'll be another doozy, kind of in line with the toxic chemical spill of last Friday. I hear the big-city TV reporter that covers this area got chewed out because I scooped him. Too bad, so sad. La-la-la-la-la-- la!

This is one of the rare nights I am actually getting to fix myself supper at home.

Oh, a former employee came by the office a few days ago with a little bitty golden retriever puppy. It took about 30 seconds for me to have that puppy out of her hands and into mine. OH MY LAWD! It was soooo SWEEET and SOFT and CUDDLY! I held it right up against my heart and it just fell right asleep and felt like melted butter. Awwww!
Yeah, I'm bitten by the puppy bug. Must. Resist. At least for a little longer. Awwww!

I reached my limit

It's Sunday evening now, about 9:10 p.m. as I start writing. It's almost time for me to crawl back in bed. It's not that I've done anything strenuous today -- in fact, I haven't done anything heavier than a few loads of laundry. And seriously, that's not any harder than poking the clothes in the washer, pushing some buttons, going back into the house (my machines are in the garage), waiting, going back out and hauling clean clothes to poke into another machine and push a few buttons. After the button pushing comes the hardest part -- taking the clean, dry clothes into the house and hanging them up or folding them up and putting them away. It's a good time to discard the old, the stretched out, the holey or the clothes that can be donated because they are too big now.

And with the stress of this week I am feeling as though I, too, could be donated. Ah, but I'm more like the ugly argyle sweater that no one would take even if it's free. Yep, that's right, I'm feeling pitiful! Nothing new, it's sort of a chronic condition.

I'm homesick for my friends, and for my old house that is no longer my house; the one I spent 11 years MAKING my house. Oh well, I now have the project of making THIS house "my" house.

OK, so I've been in this house for three weeks now and have been staying in a stranger's house all this time. This is the first "at home" day I have had in months, and the first day I've taken to be at home here. I shut off the alarm clocks and slept in today. That's right, I missed church because God and I had an appointment here. He made me lie down. Not necessarily in green pastures, but in my bed.

It's been a hard week for me emotionally. A 71-year-old co-worker was ugly to me and said some things he ought not to have said. I've been stretched thin work-wise, and really was ready to get out of work on Friday with the great hope of not working on Saturday.

Right up at 5 p.m. I got a call about a creek where there was a chemical dumped in the water. The men in the yellow space suits were there vacuuming up the toxic mess and I went out to cover it -- photos and interviews of the landowner and the cleanup crew. They don't know what the chemicals were -- the sample is at the state Department of Environmental Quality. It's a couple of miles upstream of the lake that's our water supply -- not enough of the substance to be any threat to the water supply, but it could have been lethal to the horses that live on the property and the cattle on the pond next downstream.

I've had to do this kind of reporting a LOT in the past, so it's not something new to me. This time, though, I was dressed up -- sweater, nice skirt, pantyhose (YES! Dang PANTYHOSE!) and nice shoes. And I got into an area that had been vacuumed. After a while my feet and legs started stinging and I wanted to get home as fast as possible.

And I had dinner plans with my friend JT and his father, and I was late. Finally I got to the house, washed off the toxic stuff and changed clothes before I could finally meet them. They were very polite about waiting, which I really appreciated, but I felt very bad about making them wait.

Saturday on his way out of town JT stopped by for a little while to see my house. At that point I was feeling more miserable about the fact that I'm still not settled in. My car still has stuff stacked up in it from my temporary apartment.

So today I've stayed at home, feeling the full effects of my case of blues, sleeping late, eating whatever I wanted, pouting over not being able to connect my DSL and fussing to myself about buying a modem last night which so far has not done one thing for my benefit. I've even been listening to all the mopey music I can find.

Pout! Pout!! Pout!!! Whine! Why can't things go my way? Why can't I manage to get anything to work, or get someone else to make things work? WHiiiNEEEEEEE!

Time to see if the load of sheets is dry yet. I need to make my bed and cry myself to sleep. WHHHYYYYYYNE! Poor poor pitiful me.

And a fine good morning to you!

It's early morning, with the sun turning the sky silver and the birds waking up. I have a minute or so to post before I get ready for my day. I've already had my orange juice, trying to give my body some of the healthy things it needs.

I had a prayer answered last night. With all the strain of moving, I've been having some lower back pain which seems to like to switch from side to side each day. So last night before I went to sleep I prayed for relief. I immediately found a comfortable position lying on my back with my knees bent. This allowed me to press the small of my back into the mattress and poof, the pain was gone. I feel great this morning, too. In the wee hours I got up for a bottle of water. I know part of the pain is caused by being dehydrated. I need to pay much closer attention to my water intake for a while.

Another touch of good news. I went to Wal-Mart last night and checked my blood pressure. This doesn't sound like it should be a celebration, but it is, albeit a small one. For the first time in a couple of years, at least, my upper number was less than 200. Yahoo! Now that I've been at this job for a couple of months, I have health insurance again and need to make an appointment with a doctor so I can get back on my medications. Yahoo!

Yesterday was a little exciting. The city's board of commissioners went to tour Kaw Dam and I went with them. I can honestly say this was a new experience -- I have never, ever been inside a dam before. We were taken into the deep-deep parts of the dam where the turbines turn and the butterfly valve allows the water to do its work to create power. Very cool, very massive, very overwhelming. Also very hot. Heat plus wearing a hard hat is a sure way to get the worst case of "hat hair" ever. I was physically drained when we got back on the bus to return to city hall.

Today I'll be writing about that tour and another story about code enforcement efforts. I'm also mulling over my plans for another deep but secret story that will take quite a bit of effort and may be another FOI case. I also have some history to write for our state centennial coverage.

Time to quit listing and start doing. Talk to you later.

Oh, a quick note. Since I've been offline I haven't been able to visit some of my other favored blogs. Last night I had time to visit Posie Gets Cozy and was devastated to learn that the author, photographer and creative force behind the blog and her husband have suffered the loss of their Corgi, Audrey. Dear Audrey, who was a star of the blog, was found to have cancer of the spine and abdomen and in a move of compassion was not allowed to suffer any longer. Her people, Alicia and Andy, are mourning as are all of us who had the chance to peer into their lives through the net. Be at peace, dear Audrey. The world misses you.

Whoa, Nellie!

I've been working like the dickens trying to find certain personal treasures in all of my yet-unpacked boxes. It seems like I have been unpacking up to a dozen boxes a day ... maybe half that but it feels like 100. One of the most-sought treasures has been my computer modem.

AT LAST! Today I found it, and it was by pure chance and luck, or God's blessing. I'm thinking the last.

The church I've been attending (and which I probably will join in September) had a potluck lunch today. I was invited to come along, though I had not prepared anything to bring. They said that was OK since I'm still new. Their handbell choir was beginning rehearsals today and I really wanted to go. It started at 6:15. I made a deal with myself that I could go, but only if I finished getting EVERYTHING out of my temporary apartment. There were little dribs and drabs left, and I just had to get it done.

It amounted to about two cars-full of the most basic things one needs for survival. I had the second load packed when something told me I needed to check the "hobbit closet" -- a small closet with a door just my size (about 5 feet) which was tucked into a corner of the living room beneath the center stairwell.

I didn't remember putting anything into this closet, and I had completely cleaned out everything else, so I did a final look just to be sure.

WAH-LA, there was a plastic box in which I had put my modem, a router and splitter that I had once used to connect a couple of computers to one monitor and keyboard. Now I have been working hard trying desperately to find the modem so I could use my computer from home. Halleluyer!! There it was.

Problem is, I'm not sure I'm really correctly connected to MY rightful connection. The only connection I can get to work properly seems to be a nearby wireless connection that's not secured.

I've bought my own wireless router and really want MY connection all to myself, just as anyone would. But hey, if I have to piggyback tonight, I'm happy it's there. Maybe there's an answer to this puzzle somewhere in the mail I've let stack up this week. Before bedtime I'll glance at the bundle and see if I can learn something. I probably should write a few checks, too.

Anyway, for the moment I am typing to you from the card table which is set up in mid-dining room for now. I am totally unorganized, even for me. I've had a pretty productive weekend, complete with plenty of napping and time just for myself and my own interests. I did work for a while yesterday, but stopped at a reasonable half day. It was the shortest Saturday work time I've put in yet.

I know this isn't much of an update. Well, here's a little of what I've discovered in my unpacking frenzy: The people who packed me lack all common sense. A precious dresser set that belonged to my grandmother (delicate porcelain made in Germany about 100 years ago) was casually tossed into a box unwrapped, then topped with several books from my night stand. I am grateful it survived without a nick.

On the other hand, one box contained this item: A recently emptied Mr. Peanut jar (without the lid, mind you), carefully wrapped in layers of newspaper and positioned so it wouldn't get bounced around or bruised. Oh yes, the newspapers? Samples of my work, wadded up to fill the box. Thanks a lot.

Then there was a T-shirt, packed in another box, carefully secured in a metal pail that had been a media give-away treat. It was in a box along with some crystal boxes that held some of my small collection of jewelry -- sentimental pieces such as my great-aunt's ivory broach and a ring that a dear friend gave me one year when we were on vacation.

It made no sense at all to me, but it makes me fearful of a couple of other pieces I have not yet found. One is a tiny Chinese man carved from ivory that my mother had long before she married my father in 1953. It is tiny and delicate and very detailed, and if it is harmed I may hurt someone. The other is a vase that my grandmother won in a drawing in 1911 -- she had written a long personal history of the piece and tucked it down inside the vase. Let's hope they are both safely tucked in one of the many boxes still on the screened porch.

I wish I was finished with the unpacking. We had some rain today and I worry about some of the boxes getting wet where they are, but there is no place for them here in the house.

In other news: Work is going well. I have stirred up controversy with a series on restaurant inspections and a few stories about how poorly 9th grade students have been doing. My mind is already working on this coming week's stories. I do wish I could turn that off at will. I know my fellow journalists will agree that this is not possible, though.

I've been going through my old high school yearbooks. Many of my former classmates are on the boards and committees I cover. That's kind of fun.

Oh, a bit of irony. A historic home that was determined eligible to be on the National Register of Historic Places missed out because the mayor and city commissioners decided to go ahead and put vinyl siding and new windows on the house at the request of the garden council, against the recommendations of the historic places advisory panel. Well, just this week, about two weeks after that decision, Laura Bush announced that we are now a Preserve America city because we value our historic buildings and our community's history. We're now eligible to apply for grants to maintain our historic places. The grants range from $20,000 to $150,000 I believe. Another touch of the ol' irony is that the niece of one of the commissioners earned her Girl Scout Gold Project by helping the city apply for this designation. Said commissioner voted against preserving the historic home in its original state. Yep, he's a vinyl siding kind of leader. I hope he appreciates this kinky twist!

There will be more to come now that I'm connected, by hook or by crook.

Oh yeah -- bell choir practice was fun. These bells are much lighter than the ones from my previous church, though. I about let my bell fly the first time I rang it. It will be hard to relearn how much effort it takes to ring.

Well, my friends, it is about time for me to head for bed. It's already 9 p.m.! I've become a real old fogey, it seems, being in the "early to bed, early to rise" camp for the first time ever. I real never thought I'd be able to overcome my night-owl tendencies. I am sleeping much better now that I'm out of the temporary apartment! That place really was giving me the heebie-jeebies. Did I mention that the upstairs neighbor just blithely walked into my apartment the other day because I had the door open trying to load out a few things? Didn't even knock. I think she had intentions of seeing what was left and deciding if she wanted to help herself to it. YUCK!

Can you believe it's been this long?

I was skipping back through my blog this morning looking for a post from the past about pork tenderloin. Imagine my surprise when I realized my bloggyversary is coming up this next Thursday! It's not the first anniversary, or the second, but SURPRISE! It's anniversary #3!

It is hard for me to fathom that this circle of friends on the web have been linked together that long. E.R. over at Erudite Redneck is the one who got me hooked. Countless others have contributed to my blog in various ways and even more out there have inspired me or touched my heart with their own blogs.

Here lately my blog has not been what I want it to be. Time and life has gotten in the way, especially the past couple of months, but I have hopes of recharging this and making some changes. It's time for me to shake things up here, the way the rest of my life has been shaken.

No time to get into it this morning, because I have to write up the police and sheriff's report for the Sunday paper, and there's a parade in 45 minutes. I'll be going to meet with a pair of guys who were co-drum majors in their class as they watch the parade together today. Now, at 58, they are scattered to other places, but one last hurrah with today's parade.

Stay tooned to this station!

Hello, old friends!

It's been incredibly busy for the past week or more. I know it's been a good long time since I posted last, but I've gone through some H-U-G-E changes with very close timing (I wouldn't quite say split-second timing, but for a while there it was down to a matter of minutes of getting everything through at the right times.)
Quick summary: I had to do a special back-to-school section at work last Wednesday -- it really got dumped on me and was more than I could handle, all things considered and with a big dose of BAD timing. It was a 24 page section for which I had to write all the stories, take the photos and put the pages together. My boss was sick the day it all was going together. (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but that's another dramatic story). My hope was to leave town at 5 p.m. Wednesday, but I didn't even get out of the office until 8:30 p.m.
I also had the final walk-through on the house I was buying and went to the pre-closing. Everything was set on this end; just waiting for the closing company on the old house to wire the money Friday to complete this transaction.
Thursday I was anxious to get to the preclosing on the old house. But I had to see what my insurance company would cover on the roof, which had to be replaced in order for the buyer to get the house insured. The agent had faxed me a statement Wednesday night while I was still at work and told me he'd have a draft for me Thursday morning. I picked that up at 9:30, got it in the bank and went to the closing promptly at 10 a.m.
Of all the closings I've ever been to (and I've owned 7 houses now), this was the most interesting. It was almost a party atmosphere at the title and abstract company, with happy people shaking hands, smiling and positively giddy about their transactions. The waiting room was full! And then...
Mr. Chicken came out in full birdy regalia. Actually, it was the Schwann's man who was having to do a chicken promotion and was forced to wear a chicken suit. He had customers who worked at the title company, and hey, what better way to keep the kids in these families entertained while the parents did their transactions? It was great fun. My closing took three minutes and I was out of there.
Had lunch Thursday with my best friend and her mom, who came up from Dallas just to help pack up some of my things. Now I ask you, isn't that great? It's one thing to have a friend or friends who are willing to go through such torture for you, but when the mom shows up and packs about 6011 boxes of books for you, that's some kind of angel at work.
Friday the movers came and loaded up the truck. I finally had a meltdown when it came time to load out the garage. I just could not take it one more second and just shut down emotionally and physically. I told the guys I was just going to have to walk away from doing the garage. They were good enough to go ahead and load up the things they KNEW I would need to take (crappy neighbor had stolen my mower, so that was one less thing.) Anyway, I was waiting to hear from my Realtor to make sure the abstract company had wired the money to the abstract company in the new town. The company handling my purchase was having all kinds of technical problems with computers and other stuff and could not confirm the transfer.
At one point I had to pull off the highway onto a dirt road and pull out my briefcase from the back seat to get the contact numbers so my buying Realtor could call the selling abstract company.
I arrived in town about an hour later and called the Realtor again to see if the wire had come through. She said she would meet me at the title company. Just as I pulled up, the movers called to say they were in my new house and wanted to know which bedroom was going to be the master. I had a fit! Not only did I walk past the title company door and try to go in the wrong business while I was distracted, but I had to tell this guy I didn't even have a key yet and how did he get into the house anyway?
Well, turns out the back door had been left unlocked when the plumber came to fix the outdoor faucet.
I sit in the title company for another 20 minutes before the FED number came in to confirm the wire transfer. My closer came running out with a paper for me to sign and the keys to the house.
By now it was close to 4:20 p.m. The movers had unpacked half the truck already. They were really hauling!
At 4:50, I got a call from the title company saying they had finished writing my check for the balance owed to me (the excess from what my old house sold for that was above what I paid for the new house.) I got there at 4:59 after the movers finally got on the road, and got it to the bank across the street promptly at 5 p.m. It was a miracle of timing, because there are no extended hours at small-town banks!

I've been unpacking boxes like a possessed woman since last Friday, trying desperately to find my laptop and camera, which they packed without telling me. I finally found them tonight. Now I just need to find my little box that has the modem and all the wires and I'll be able to be online from the privacy of my own new house! I haven't been able to do that for two months!

I'll catch up more later. These are the high points for now.

Congrats, Tech, on all your good fortunes with the new book! Can't wait for payday so I can order my own copy!

Keep up the good work on your house, E.R.

Frenzied, thanks for letting people know I was still kickin'.

Everyone else.... I hope to hear from all of you again soon, and will be back in conversations with you before much longer! I can't wait! Too much has happened without me knowing!

Oooooh! Scary!

You want proof there are ghosts? Watch this video then, and tell me you don't believe! It's terrifying!
Ghost caught on video

Some People Don't Know When They Are Winning!

Tonight I attended the Park and Recreation Board meeting. The board is an advisory panel to the town's City Commission.
It was a HOT meeting tonight because the big issue on the agenda was consideration of a plan to build a BMX track and skate park. There were 16 teen-age boys there with their skateboards in hand. They were doing fine, listening to the discussion, until they got bored. Actually, they didn't get bored until two idiot mothers who hadn't been paying attention to the fact that their kids were winning what they wanted started mouthing off about "why can't we use so-and-so's big parking lot they never use it the kids have no place to play life is unfair."

Um. Duh. Check the minutes, please. A panel of adults had JUST finished presenting a proposal for the perfect location for both interests, in a city park near the edge of town where visitors to the city could easily congregate for BMX events -- city, regional and national events. The city is even agreeing to provide aerial photos and help the sponsors lay out the track. The City Manager promised it! There's already a junior baseball league that meets and plays in this park which has been interested in expanding a baseball field on the far side of the park, away from this proposed track and skate park. Every possible thing sponsors presented was agreed to. The park panel just asked the apparent leaders of this to come to the next meeting with enough of a plan that the panel could vote for a motion to present it to the City Commission with enough information and enough of a plan to get it passed.

Yeah. OK ladies, repeat after me. When you are ahead, shut up. Stop talking about how you just moved here from Perry where they couldn't get anything going for the kids there EITHER and they let an application for a grant expire. Hello! Listen the the old bald man who JUST said "This is a great idea and the best plan that has been presented. The location is well suited for this and the outlay would be minimal for the city. If we had to buy land, we probably would not be able to do what we can do in this park for you. It's a win-win situation."

Mom the Second, who also apparently has hearing problems, pipes up to say "So who is in charge of making this decision? I mean, who is the man who says yes or no?"

I refer you back to the old bald man you just interrupted. Just hush, OK? Don't start moaning about how you give your kid $20 in the morning, tell him to get something to eat and drink, and then don't see him until it's supper time. I'll call DHS on you if you don't just hush, OK? You're WINNING. Bald man is THE MAN to get you what you want if you're smart enough to listen. So LISTEN!

Despite these two intrusions, the plan will go forward to get the kids and the adults who are behind them everything they want. Several members of the panel are actually going to take their weekend and drive 250+ miles round trip to go to Yukon to see a BMX competition and get a better idea what a track takes and how the operation can be successful. In late August we're going to see a skate park company bring a sample park to town and set it up on the parking lot behind the library so the kids can try it out and decide what kind of materials they like the best and the advantages of concrete and modular systems, so they get what they want most!

OK ladies, quit asking about the abandoned school tennis courts. They've been turned into teachers' parking lots. They aren't what your kids want and need for skateboarding. Let us build them their dream track, OK? We want them to have a place to play, too. Ask the old bald man. He still has the scar from the time when he nailed his skates to a board and rode it down the spillway at the lake. Was doing well, he said, until he hit the sand at the bottom of the ramp.

God does provide, don't doubt!

OK, this is nowhere near on par with the tragedies in Darfur or any other atrocities.

It's just a simple lesson in trusting God in our daily lives to meet our needs. He gives us all we need and most of what we want, I've discovered.

Every single time in my life when I've been down to my last dime, so to speak, I've trusted God's providence to keep me going. He has never let me down. Whether it's remembering I have a piggy bank seeded with $1 bills and filled with quarters, or finding a stash of canned soup I had forgotten, He has gotten me through those lean days until payday.

It happened again this week. I had gotten the news that I have to replace the starter switch on my car, which will take at least one paycheck in the very near future. My new bank account is running on vapors until my check comes on Thursday.

I visited my original home church, the sanctuary where I was baptized, on Sunday. The good folks there invited me to join them for an indoor picnic after the service. I ran into people I knew 35+ years ago AND got to eat a real live, old-fashioned church dinner, with all the salads ever known to church cooks and plenty of fried chicken.

When I got home, I found enough quarters on my dresser to do two loads of laundry, enough to last a couple of weeks, hopefully until I get moved to my new house. At any rate, I felt like I could conquer the world if I have clothes to wear to work.

When the last drawer was closed after putting the clothes away, I remembered that a dear friend had given me a $20 gift card from Wal-Mart when I moved. Blessed holy day! Groceries for the week!

I had no doubt the week would go well once I had groceries in the fridge and cupboard. I am set.

Then Monday night I came home and found a $50 check from my insurance company -- a dividend!

God IS good! All the time!

And thanks, God, for public libraries, public sidewalks, churches, free cell phone calls and the U.S. mail. I'm so grateful to be in a place where I can walk just about anywhere I need to go, and to most places where I want to go. Life is good!

This will make moving easier!

The woman who is buying my house is interested in some of my furniture. I asked her to make a list. She says she is interested in all of the living room furniture, all of the dining room furniture and all of the master bedroom furniture! Yahoo!! There may be a piece or two in that mix that I want to keep, but Yahoo!!! I'm trying to talk her into wanting the large armoire in my office, too. Hee hee -- that one piece (which is two pieces) will be a bear to move, I'm afraid.
This sure cuts down drastically what I'll have to load up and move!
Now, is anyone interested in buying a bunch of boxes that have been packed up? They are ready to go to the highest bidder!

Guess what I did after work yesterday?

Well, first, I picked up my sick car. I can't afford to get it fixed right now.

Now, yes, I know this statement will make the next statement sound ridiculous, but really, honestly, it's not.

I made an offer on a house. Yes I did. The house went on the market yesterday. I may be the only person who has seen it.

Why? you may ask. Well, because I need someplace to move my stuff to when I close on the sale of my house. And I need desperately to get out of the temporary apartment. Especially after having my sleep interrupted again at 2 a.m., and 3 a.m., and 3:30 a.m. today. I grow weary of neighbors stomping over my head and their children crying and them playing loud music in the middle of the night. And I weary of trash raining down on me from the balcony.

Plus the house is well suited for my needs. Nice house, nice neighborhood, convenient location, inexpensive. It's a two-bed, one-bath mid-century special. It has a tandem garage and carport. The wood floors have been refinished; the interior repainted (I still may have to choose my own colors and do that over in the not-distant future.). Good storage. Kitchen and dining room. And a nice screened porch on the back which is well shaded in the evenings. The front lawn features two glorious huge trees which provide nearly constant shade.

I wrote my offer last night and am waiting for a reply from the sellers. It is a block from the main north-south street and three blocks from the main east-west street. Ten blocks due east of my office. Walk, bike or drive, it's all good. It's about the same distance from the library and city hall as I am currently. Just on the opposite side.

So I did this now so I'd have a place to move to. My hope is to take off Aug. 2 and pack a moving truck, then close on the old house in the morning of Aug. 3, have the money wired to my bank account in Ponca City and close on the new house at the last appointment on Aug. 3. Then the unloading of the truck can commence.

I also need to talk to the buyer of my house to see what furniture she may want to buy from my house. She's indicated at least a couple of things, but right now I'd happily sell her everything that is not a family heirloom. More sold, less to move!

Keep your fingers crossed that the right thing happen!

Enough of the bad stuff, please!

OK, so now I have neighbors in the two upstairs apartments of my building. Perhaps I should say pigs have moved in. This people on both sides are the epitome of white trash! I hate saying terrible things, but that's the only way I have of describing them. The people in both apartments seem bent on making life miserable for everyone else -- throwing trash off their balconies and never picking it up, carrying on loud cell phone calls on their balconies, as they tell whoever is on the other end just how miserable they are living here because of "those people," and worst of all, neglecting their children.

Seriously, I don't know how people can live this way and expect life to be good. I'll spare you the details. Just suffice it to say I'll be glad when I can move to a house of my own again.

Speaking of which, after being ripped to shreds by one of the monster neighbors yesterday while my lunch grew cold, I went out to look at houses -- again. I saw one that was good and drove by several that I'm interested in seeing in more detail.

However, while I was out my car developed problems. A major headache, actually. It kept dying on me and wouldn't start without this weird contortion of holding the key in the "start" position and popping the car into gear. Then it would just randomly die on me. First the radio would nod off, then the air conditioner would take a nap, and finally the WHOLE car just fell asleep. Nothing worse than a narcoleptic car!

Well, I took it to the local Honda dealer. He called me just a bit ago to tell me I need a new ignition switch, which is about what I figured. Then he asked if I was sitting down.

It's going to cost $630 to put in a new switch. That knocked the breath out of me! I've got about a week and a half before my next payday and not much left until then. Somehow I have to come up with the money before Aug. 3, which is the day I close on my house!

I suppose I can try getting a short loan from the bank. I don't like that, but what are you going to do? Well, I guess I could just hang tight and rent a car to get to Oklahoma City . This is all confusing me because I haven't had time to sort out all that I am thinking about.

I also need to figure out moving. Where? When? How? GAH!!!! Maybe I'll just sell my furniture and put the money in my pocket (and then in the pocket of the car guy.)

Someone throw me a lifeline, please!!! I can 't even think straight.

Since I had to work Saturday, I wound up writing 17 stories as well as police and sheriff's notes. Today I've written 3 stories and 90 inches of police notes. I thought that was pretty good until the publisher came out to gripe at the editor in charge that that was a LOT of police notes. He was not pleased. I don't know what would have been the right thing to do. I didn't even get to the sheriff's notes.

Tonight I have a Board of City Commissioners meeting and the Board of Education. Commissioners start at 5:30 and Education at 6. I've never yet made it to the Board of Education meeting. Why did they assign me to cover both of these beats when they know they meet at the same time every time!?!?!?!

Like said before ... someone throw me a lifeline! I need chocolate.

Oh. Now it's pouring rain. My car is a couple of miles away. I'll have to take a company car to the meeting(s) tonight. I hope it stops raining before I have to walk home this evening, even if it is just a block.

I think I need a nap. And chocolate.

I sold my house!

I had the offer in my e-mail this morning! The buyer wants to close by Aug. 3. So I have just under a month to find my own new place!

The buyer is my Realtor's assistant, so basically she was making an offer before the sign ever went in the yard. Before I knew about it, she already had been pre-approved and had a written good-faith estimate of her costs. She made a good, fair offer and she may be interested in buying some of my furniture to boot, like the corner units in the dining room. I would like to sell some of those things so I don't have to move them or figure out just how I'll use them in a new house.

This is a positive turn of events after discovering my lawnmower was stolen. Two neighbors saw the same two men in my back yard and I confronted one, a neighbor a couple of houses down. Anyway, his lies kept getting more and more fantastical the more he tried to cover his backside.

Well, off to the library to print out the contract and put my signatures on it, so I can keep this ball going. I'll also be checking out the newest house listings so I can start my renewed search.

A funeral under guard

Never in my life have I attended a funeral that was heavily guarded -- by city police, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Patriot Guard.
My young friend Derek, killed in Iraq on June 23, was buried today. As promised, members of Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS, were present. They were kept out of the boundaries around the church to protect mourners from their vile spewing of hatred.

On each corner of each of the church's parking lots, Oklahoma City police cars were positioned to enforce the boundaries and as a sign of respect.

Motorcycle squads from the Oklahoma City Police, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Patriot Guard passed by the front of the church in progression before the beginning of the service. Huge American flags streamed from the rear cycle of the Patriot Guard's squad and yellow ribbons were tied on all of the motorcycles. The reverberations from their engines was palpable, resonating in the chests of all within the immediate vicinity.

Derek, who was like a nephew to me and the closest I will ever have to a son of my own, was well loved by all who knew him. That was apparent from the packed congregation at South Lindsay Baptist Church this morning.

Before the family was seated, members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard filled the left front section of the sanctuary. Other sections were filled by church members, Derek's pals and school mates, friends and other loved ones of the family.

Here's the newspaper story on the metropolitan newspaper's web site this evening:

By Jay F. Marks
Staff Writer
A hero was laid to rest this morning as hundreds of people at South Lindsay Baptist Church mourned the loss of Army Spc. Derek Alan Calhoun.
Calhoun, 23, was the last of four Oklahoma soldiers killed in Iraq in a three-day span last month.
Pastor C. Wayne Childers said Calhoun's family joined the church at 3300 S Lindsay in Oklahoma City 6 months before he was born.
"Derek was not just another soldier,” Childers said. "He was one of ours.
"He was a Southside boy.”
Childers said the church's congregation gave Calhoun a standing ovation after he got his orders for Iraq.
"That's how much we respected and loved this young man,” he said.
Calhoun, an armored tank driver, died in Baghdad on June 23 after a Humvee he was riding in struck a bomb.
He is the 62nd service member from Oklahoma to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan since the ongoing war on terror began in October 2001. Nearly 4,000 Americans service members have died in that time.

-30-

Several times during the funeral, the congregation rose in one motion, spontaneously, out of respect for Derek and his service. In all honesty, there was little that was serene or peaceful about this service; how could there be? But there was respect and love overflowing; memories happy and sad and proud and painful. His uncle, my partner for more than six years, put together a slide show of photos chronicling Derek's life. Many of them were photos I took early in Derek's life; others were at family gatherings I attended. I could relive those days all over.

Despite three songs by a soloist, two preachers giving homilies and eulogies, a message from an Army representative, the photo presentations and the painful wailing of those assembled, the service seemed to end in relatively short order.

The trip to the cemetery, however, seemed endless. Before the hearse and family car were prepared to depart, two motorcycle officers cleared a path for a federal van which tore down the street at a high speed. That was alarming to witness; I couldn't tell if it was the Guard leaving ahead of the family to prepare their positions at the cemetery or if there had been an arrest of the Phelps gang. I want to think it was the Guard.

I was in about the middle of the procession. From that vantage point I could see that the line of cars covered nearly three miles. At every single intersection along the route, a patrol officer or trooper blocked traffic, giving this hero clear way to his final mission.

People from the neighborhood around the church lined the streets for several blocks, holding large American flags, standing with hands over their hearts, for the full length of the procession. Even miles down the road people who had been working in their yards stopped, stood at attention and knew a hero was in their midst.

At the cemetery, mourners were greeted with the Patriot Guard which circled the grave site with huge American flags. Veterans stood in formation to honor their fallen brother and the Army National Guard were in place for their role.

There was the playing of Taps, a 21-gun salute, the presentation of the flag to his mother and father, and the presentation of many medals, a posthumus promotion from Specialist to Corporal, and his dog tags. A bagpipe player ended the ritual by walking off away from the assembled while playing Amazing Grace.

Family and friends held on to each other and sobbed uncontrollably. Derek's uncle asked for me and we spent many minutes folded into each other, crying to the point of not being able to breathe as others passed through the line before the casket to pay their respects to the family.

Finally, with grief exhausted for a time, the family gathered to watch the lowering of the casket. They graciously included me in this final goodbye, and invited me to join them back at the church for lunch.

The memorial which started at 11 a.m. ended about 3:30 p.m. I'm grateful to say there was a limousine at the door to take the exhausted family home. They would not have been able to drive themselves.

Derek, my dear boy, you are loved beyond measure here where we are missing you, but what greater measure of love you are receiving in heaven today. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

The Bride -- Almost Ready

My dear friends Anne and Cliff were married last night, despite a rain-out of their plans for an outdoor wedding. Just a few of the 350+ photos I shot. Anne is one beautiful bride, wouldn't you agree? Cliff is pretty handsome, too, all duded up!

I'm rated "G" for "GREAT!"

Mingle² - Online Dating

I may have sold my house

I don't want to say it too loudly for fear of jinxing it, but the person has already gotten a good-faith estimate of costs from a lender.
They just put the sign in the yard -- but it turns out this potential buyer was interested before that. She works for the Realtor. She's even interested in buying some of my furniture -- some of the stuff I don't want to move!
Say your prayers for me, please.

Oh, and the house I wanted in Ponca City? It was sold yesterday.
Tuesday night I drove around and said a prayer about it, as I've been doing frequently. This time, though, I changed the prayer to the prayer that never fails -- "Thy will be done." Wednesday morning, in the rain, they put the "sold" sign out.

Next time I go looking it will be with money ready to negotiate. God knows what He's doing and I will find my next home. I know it.

Gut-wrenching news

Saturday afternoon about 5 p.m. I went to the laundromat a stone's throw from my apartment. Just as I'd put the last quarters in the third washing machine, my cell phone rang and my heart leaped with joy for the thought of a conversation with a friendly voice while I waited for the suds to do my duds.

It was not to be a happy call, however. Anything but. This was probably the worst news I could ever receive, as a matter of fact.

It was from a good friend, who by all rights should have been my mother-in-law years ago. Her son and I had a long relationship and I was accepted as part of the family, even though he never did what it took to make that official.

What she had to tell me was that her grandson, my equivalent of a nephew, had been killed in Iraq yesterday. That's all I got from her -- I have no details.

I refer you back to a post I wrote in late February, when this same young man was wounded over there and we prayed that he would be sent home. Unfortunately, at that time, he was not. Now he is being sent home, in a wooden box. And it sickens me.

The Wounded Veteran

Posting from my second home

This old hometown of mine has changed some. There are now several (a handful at least) restaurants downtown now. Used to be there was one burger joint that was open for lunch. One of the new places is called Ponca Townsite Company, giving a nod toward our history during the Cherokee Strip Land Run where people staked their claim and then recorded it at the township office.

I eat here a lot. Tonight I ordered a personal size bacon, lettuce and tomato pizza and I'm sitting here with my laptop, talking to you and listening to Josh Groban. Life is good! (So is the pizza. I just took a bite; wish I could offer you one through the screen!)

I'm settling into a comfortable routine, coming here after work. Usually I go by my apartment first, just to see what kind of excitement is going on. Today the building was red-tagged for trash violations. People are very sloppy about the very few and very small trash cans for the two buildings that share them. And people are very very bad about dumping old furniture out there too. It is just a little toooo Sanford and Son-ish for my likes. To tell you the truth, I would have talked to the city guys who regulate such things myself, but looks like they caught it on a drive-by, or the sanitation truck called it in themselves. I may call my buddy Billy about the bats since he's the building inspector.

Anyway, enough griping about nonsense. I had gotten into the habit of walking over here, but since I caught on to the wireless part of the place, I've been hauling butt and laptop over here in the car. I have a large, heavy laptop and would prefer not to be mugged for it some night at closing.

This is a great help with my austerity movement. I'm not having to pay for an internet connection, plus I have my people here to feed me and clean up after me and remind me when it is time to go home and go to bed. AND they have the best ice cream EVAH here. I think I'll try the Red Velvet tonight if I have room after the pizza.

I had to cover a special meeting of the city commissioners today -- a work session. It was about a new plan to save the city lots of money with a fancy system to replace the water meters and the electric meters and put in a new system that is centrally monitored. It'll cost a bundle but save the city even more, Professor Higgins said in his presentation.

We shall see. I see wonderful things happening here, after decades of status quo. There is a new senior citizens apartment complex in the works, a new YMCA rec center, lots and lots of fancy things. Unfortunately, part of this progress means the demise of one of the very few drive-in theaters left in the state. The Airline will take its final bow, probably, this summer.

Lots is going on in preparation for the Centennial activities. The City Commission announced this afternoon that the city's centennial float will be displayed on the city plaza Monday night before the commission's regular meeting. I'll take photos!

I haven't had much time for photo-taking, which makes me sad, but my friends are getting married June 29 and I will more than make up for it at that illustrious occasion. We have all waited for this for so long, I practically expect the Queen of England to show up with a present!

My Mitford reading compulsion continues. I'm halfway through book 4, which I picked up yesterday after work. And I have book 5 on hand just so I don't run out!

I expect to stay here this weekend, for the first time. Oh the mere thought of it delights me, although I won't have the chance to sleep in late Saturday morning, which would make it perfect. I'll have to work, at least for a little while. The only thing I know for sure that I have to do is pick up the police notes. Lord, you would think it was a suicide bomb the way people try to avoid having to do them! I'd do them gladly if that was a spoken part of my assignment, but most of my hours are full with slightly more important projects.

One thing I'm working on with a co-worker has been done by bigger papers, including the one for which I previously worked. We're going to report on the county restaurant inspections. We've already had a battle with the county health department, invoking the state Open Record Act and involving the District Attorney who gave them a blistering lecture and changed their attitude for the better. Anyway, that aside, it will be a good project for a small town newspaper.

I'll leave you now and spend some time surfing around, reading what you've written to entertain me. It better be good, or else! Just kidding. You all make me happy with your writings and your comments that you leave here. I've missed spending time on the blog, but hey, now I have things to write about. And a nice restaurant in which to write them, with a pretty good inspection score, as I recall.

See you later!
Life is good!

A sweet blessing today

Today I covered a technical meeting of the Board of Construction Appeals in a little room tucked in the back of city hall. The handful of board members were considering adopting changes in three building codes to comply with International Building Standards. There are bunches of these codes, ranging from plumbing to electric to who knows what all. They are updated every couple of years or so, usually when better information becomes available as standard practice in the construction industries.

Anyway, I was the first to arrive, and was fiddling with addressing a letter to a friend to drop in the mailbox after this meeting. The clerk who would be taking the minutes was next in, and behind her was a nice-looking gentleman about my age.

He was a field inspector for the state's construction industry board, attending the meeting to give some explanation to some of the changes in the codes. His main office is in the state capital, just a couple of miles from the house I'm now trying to sell.

Either she or he mentioned his name -- Buddy O.

"Buddy O!" I said. "Did you go to school here?" I asked.
"Yep," he replied.
"Jefferson?" I asked?
"Yep."

I sat there dumbfounded, trying to get my mind around this chance reunion. Three weeks ago I wasn't even in this town, but here I was today, in this little room with Buddy!

He and the clerk took their seats and he looked straight at me, then turned to the clerk.

"Bxxxxx Sxxxxx" he called me by name (no, my name is not Bxxxxx Sxxxx, but pretend you know my maiden name if you don't.)

"She was my first grade sweetheart," he explained to the clerk, with a beaming smile.

My breath left me suddenly. I was flooded with wonderful sweet memories of our early years, playing on the playground, sneaking to the edge of the school lawn, sitting holding hands and k-i-s-s-i-n-g the way 6-year-olds used to do before they ever had a real clue about grown-up kissing. Such joy just started running like hot water through my blood vessels.

I couldn't believe he so readily remembered my name and could place it with this face, some 46 years later. (I guess my kisses back then really carried an impact, you know what I mean? LOL! When I kissed 'em, they stay kissed for decades!!!)

Oh my, I can't tell you what happy thoughts have filled me up. And to see how well he's done, and to know how well I've done, I was thinking how proud Miss Bradshaw would have been of those 6-year-olds, if she just hadn't had to tell them to cut out that mushy stuff.

*Sigh*

BATS!

Here's a story from the new land:

Last night about 10, as I was consuming the third book in the Mitford series, the neighbor on the other side of this here fourplex pounded on the door. I finally answered, first yelling a "WHO IS IT?" through the door. Well, so, then I peek out through a barely-opened door to find him and a lady friend (perhaps caretaker?) and he's holding a glass jar.

With a bat in it.

Which he had just caught in his living room.

Yes, it appears the space between the first floor and the upstairs units is filled with a colony of bats! They had entered his apartment through a hole in the ceiling.

"I want to get those holes fixed! " he exclaimed. "But first I want the bats out of there!"

No kidding. Me too!

Most things don't creep me out too bad. Rodents do, for sure. I freak. And bats. Add bats to my freak-out list.

Not sure how this batty issue will resolve. I'll check with the landlord myself to make sure my neighbor reports this to him.

But I do have one card I can play. The city property inspector was an old friend of mine way back in high school days, and was one of the first city officials I ran into in an official capacity when I started working here. I've got his number. If anyone will have an answer, it'll be Billy -- er, Bill, as they call him now.

Consider it an understatement when I say I had a leeeetle trouble getting to sleep after that!

After the first week

Here are a few thoughts I collected during my first week in my new/old hometown. I find myself being somewhat repetitive about how nice it is, so I guess that must mean it's true, right??

Here you go, written sort of in a journal style as the sections were written on different days.

Monday, first day at the new place! I got to my apartment about 1 a.m. Sleeping was a little hard, being in a new place, especially as close to the railroad tracks as this temporary apartment is. But it was fairly easy getting up, and I really enjoyed my block-long walk to work. I learned that the employee entrance is on the side of the building closest to my apartment, so I don't have to walk around to the opposite side.

Still much to learn, but I can tell that the procedures will make sense once I get more familiar with it.

Tomorrow night I will cover a meeting for someone else who is overloaded. It will be fun. It's a public hearing on allocation of water resources. (The kind of geeky things I get into.)

I walked downtown for lunch, a block in the opposite direction from my apartment. It was cool and I was able to do some window shopping. I get an hour for lunch but I was so involved in the desk-cleaning that I didn't get away right on time and lost about 15 minutes of my time. But that is OK, because I really didn't take even 45 minutes.

Tomorrow I will have to try to run some errands -- set up a bank account, get deposits on utilities, etc.

Next Tuesday evening we'll have a company picnic at the shelter out at the park near the lake. The company is providing all the food. Everyone is so nice, I think this will be a good place to work.

Tuesday. Last night was so relaxing. After I finished work, I walked to the library to try to get a library card, but didn't have any proof of my new address. I thought I had my lease at the apartment, so I thought I'd be able to find it and go back to get my card.

On the way, I stopped at a new restaurant (to me, and apparently fairly new in town.) I had the most incredible wrap and decided this is going to become "my" place. They have a cyber cafe set up but not working -- they aren't sure they're going to keep the computers. But they do have wireless so I can hang out there with my laptop, when I bring it up. Nice people too, and they have live music on Friday and Saturday. It's a five-minute walk to my place.

So I went home after I ate, changed clothes, looked for the lease and gave up. Went back to the library, and they had me put my address on a post card. When it gets to me I can take that back as proof of my address and get my library card.

While I was there I found a cozy alcove, right where I used to sit on the floor during the summers when I was in grade school, reading books. It was so comfy I dozed off and dropped the book. I figured that was a sign to go home.

I stopped at the same restaurant to try some of their ice cream. It was incredible. I got cinnamon and I'm afraid I may be hooked.

Life is good!


Wednesday. It's pretty darn wonderful so far, I have to admit. I feel sorta cosmopolitan, what with the living and working downtown and the new restaurants that are down here too. I've only been in my car once since Sunday, and that was to go to Wal-Mart. There's just something cool and reminiscent about being able to walk everywhere I want to go. Can't wait to get my library card so I can have more internet access outside of work. I feel uncomfortable doing anything online that's not work related, but no one has told me not to.

I am enjoying not having a land-line phone, microwave, TV or computer. I'm finding I like the trade-off. A lot. Slow food, slow pace, less stress. Less noisy intrusions into my life.

I also enjoy the work I'm doing so far, covering local government. Not so enjoying typing the honor roll lists and that kind of thing, but hope to get some education stories going that have some substance other than being a clip to mail to grandma.

I am at the library (where I am currently typing). On Monday, since I couldn't get my library card, I searched for the Jan Karon books and found "At Home in Mitford." I've wanted to read the Mitford series after serious encouragement from an aunt, a cousin and a couple of dear friends.

I was so overwhelmed by nostalgia and all the walking that I dozed off and dropped my book. I had to rush back here today after I got my address verification card for two reasons: 1, to play on the computer without fear of being watched; and 2, to check out the book! I have many Mitfordish scenes running through my head in these past few days that I wish I had my laptop so I could write!

I was disappointed this morning when I woke up and realized I didn't hear the train last night. Since I've been here, I've stirred as the train goes through at 3 a.m., just three blocks west of me. It sounds like it really barrels through town at that hour, instead of the slow, rocking train passing through during the day. It's still rather comforting, imagining that there's someone on that train just making a quick pass through town to make sure everything is OK while the residents sleep. I always drop right back off to sleep after they make their run. But I missed hearing it this morning and I don't know if they didn't make the run or if I slept through it.

Thursday. They won't let us drink anything at our desks if it's not in a particular closed-lid mug. They gave me a mug yesterday to make it official.

I've spent a good deal of time doing some cleaning. I've had to clean off a dozen waste-paper cans' worth of junk off my desk and out of my filing cabinets. It's all been piling up since at least 1993, which was the date on the files at the bottom of the piles. The dust bunnies have been horrible. There are still some messy places behind the desk, between the desk and the computer table on the side. I'll have to wear slacks one day so I can get down there and dig out the junk.

I do get a lot of comments and weird looks when I clean. They may think I have an obsessive need to clean, but they just caught a mouse in a closet behind a co-worker yesterday. I don't want to feel one running across my toes!! Plus everyone is coughing and sneezing -- I'm not. I think it's because I've killed the allergens that are around me. You should have seen the dust buffaloes I corralled! HUGE!

I can't think of anything to add. Photos probably will have to come after my next trip to OKC so I can collect my laptop and photo card reader. I feel like someone lopped off one hand and crippled me without the computer. It's a poor substitute trying to find places where I can steal a little computer time. Not yet as comfortable as my old set-up at my old house.

Friday. All I had to do today was write meeting notices for the Board of Commissioners and the School Board. Both have meetings on Monday night, at the same time, to vote on their budgets for the coming fiscal year. Great. I'm supposed to cover both. I talked to the Managing Editor and we came up with a plan for me to start at the Board of Commissioners' meeting and the run over to the school board. This time I think I'll take a car. The last thing I had to do today was go over and pick up the packet that covers everything on the agenda for the B of C meeting.

Saturday. Road trip! Back to OKC today to do some more packing, organizing, cleaning and other prep for selling my house. I have to find my apartment lease, too. I can't believe it has vanished in just a week. I also have to find my social security card, which I fear is in one of two lock boxes for which I cannot find the keys. I also bundled up my laundry to take with me to wash.

Uh-oh. I got here and realized said bundled laundry is still sitting in the apartment! Good thing I left some clothes here. I'll have to find someplace to wash clothes Sunday evening. I hope the laundromats don't close too early or I'll be in some mess.

Sunday: Posting my thoughts here. Yep, I wound up napping and wasting most of the day yesterday. Well, wasting is too harsh a word. I did get some essential things done: Banking, for one. And I went to the farmers market which is about a mile from my house here. I've never made it over there in all of the 11 years I've lived in this house. So now I drive 100 miles plus a little to go. Hey, I needed some handmade soap and a candle so I can take the smell of "old" out of my apartment.

Must get up and get going now. If I'm not going to go to church this weekend, I better have something productive and essential to show for my absence. For a while, I'm going to be just a little lax about church attendance. I'm also going to do some visiting to several churches before settling into a new church home. It's been too many years since I've looked at other churches. I think it's something that we should routinely do, so we can find what other people are doing right, in welcoming, missions, mutual support ... and so many other areas. We have much to learn from one another about how to do these things.

There are some boxes in there waiting for me to come put them together and put stuff in them. Pray for me!

The Realtor just left my house

And I am so pleased! She is going to list my house for about $15,000 more than I expected! AND more importantly, she expects to sell it within DAYS. It is so exciting to think that things could happen as quickly as she's saying!

This Realtor is just wonderful. Just this week she has closed two houses worth about $500,000 each, plus a $3.5 million home. (And this is Oklahoma, just to remind you. Our property values tend to be very inexpensive compared to other markets.)

She flat knows what she's doing. I'm completely confident she'll be able to deliver what she promises. She's also willing to do what it takes to make it happen.

Meanwhile, I've moved what I need to a temporary apartment. I start my new job in the morning. I'm going to do a little bit more work here before I leave for the night to drive 2 hours to the new place and get some sleep. In the morning, I'll walk a block to the office to start my new tour of duty.

I might be offline for a while. I'll have to see what the policy is on internet access at the new job. It could be that I'll be going to the library to get my online fix, or to an internet cafe.

I'm at that point where I wish I had another week of prep time, but I don't.

Emotions have been high. I'm desperately going to miss my church and all my friends here, and I was all weepy this morning as goodbyes were said. Well, beyond weepy, to be honest. I was just about to cross over into the ugly cry.

Time to sign off and pack up my underwear, which I forgot to box up yesterday. I've got a little list of things like that that I MUST remember to take for tomorrow.

Don't know for sure when I'll be back here, or back online. I'll catch up with you on the other side!

The house I want

This is the house I saw on Tuesday. I'm going to look at it again and probably make an offer.

The siding is actually yellow, with green trim (yes, it looks white in the photo, but it's not.)

The landscaping, especially in back, is beautiful. And it has a picket fence around back and a workshop building at the back of the yard.

And it has a deck and hot tub that is accessible from the dining room through french doors and the huge master bedroom.

Plus the seller is HIGHLY motivated, I'm told.

It has a large basement (walkaround) with the laundry area. They put in extensive white wire shelving down there for uber storage!

The master suite is huge. I think the closet once was a bedroom. The master bath has been redone, as has the second bathroom.

I think the now-second bedroom once was the master. It's also large.

There is a third bedroom upstairs which I may use as a den/retreat.

Large dining room. Yeah!

All the hardwood floors have been refinished.

And the living room has a fireplace.

I'm kind of inlove with it.


Here's a link to more photos and a description: Are you my house?

Just a quick check-in

It is 8:10 a.m. Thursday and I'm getting ready for the final push to get ready for my move Saturday.

One word: GAH!!!!

Yep, I've got to the point where I have a truck reserved and a place lined up -- temporarily. Let me emphasize the word TEMPORARILY. This is the place I went to see Sunday afternoon. It's a block and a half to the office -- I can see where I work from the front door. Two blocks east is the nice big park. About 5 or 6 blocks to the library, city hall, fire station.

The place itself does not thrill me. But it will be OK. For now. I came to an agreement for a month-by-month tenancy with the landlord, fortunately.

Tuesday I looked at a couple of houses. I happened to drop in to a real estate office and came face-to-face with a former classmate who was able to show me two houses. One is my dream house. I want to make an offer on the house ASAP. I've been talking with a banker up there to see if I can get a bridge loan until I sell my house here. One of today's major tasks is to fill out some forms she e-mailed me and fax them back to her.

My temporary quarters are a one-bedroom apartment in an old fourplex, so I am taking the bare minimum with me for now. One bedroom. One living room. One dining area. I don't want to move my big dining set now, although it would fit in this dining room, surprisingly. I'd rather leave it here as part of the furniture to stage the house, then move it once into my next house.

In a way, this feels a bit like going to summer camp. I don't want to get TOO cozy in this place -- I want it to motivate me to get to the next good place. Frankly, the place is a dump. I dont' want to be there when the weather turns cold; at least the landlord takes care of the mowing. And it is cheap. And I won't have to drive to work unless it rains or snows. (sigh).

Well, I've got some dishes to put in a box. I'm only taking a place setting for four because I think that's all my cabinet will hold. Oh, actually there are two upper cabinets and two lower cabinets. But still. Minimalism will reign.

Goodbye, piano, old friend

I just waved goodbye to my baby grand piano. No, I didn't take photos of its departure -- enough is enough.

I've gifted the piano to my church as a farewell gift. This solves my dilemma of "keeping it in the family" without having to move it and find a place for it. And yes, I fee a H-U-G-E sense of relief and gladness knowing where I'm sending it.

My house looks amazingly bigger. Another huge plus, with the house soon going on the market. The living room is brighter and airy. All those things the professionals recommend when selling real estate!

I'll scale back with my "next" piano -- assuming I have another piano in my future. Frankly I can't imagine my life without a piano. I've had one most of my years since I was 4 years old. There were a few years in there after my first piano left me in my 30s when I didn't have one, but I then did get a Yamaha electric piano when I lived in an apartment, before moving to this house. My baby grand came to live with me 11 years ago, almost to the day.

It's all grown up now, no longer a baby. It's time for it to go to church before those troubled teen years arrive.

Bye, Piano! I'll come visit you!

Just back from today's search for a home

I have been up since the rude hour of 6:30. My handbell choir played at both services (Pachabel's Canon in D and Great Is Thy Faithfulness). As soon as I had put my bells away after the second service, I was on the road up to my soon-to-be-new-hometown to meet with the Realtor and look, look, look some more. I think we saw eight houses today, in addition to the ones I saw last Monday. Three are on my list to consider making offers on. I will get up tomorrow, make a pro and con list of each house, figure out the best price and decide on a house to start the process on. I'll also need to talk to a local banker about the money first.

I'm dead tired tonight -- my eyes are crossing I'm so tired and I can't focus on words right now. So I bid you a good night with good sleep and pleasant dreams. I'll keep you posted.

The hunt is on!

I spent the day yesterday looking for houses in my old new hometown. The two houses in the post below are OFF the list! The Victorian? It was impossible to find a place in the house with a floor that wasn't slanting one direction or the other. It was hideous. The living room and kitchen had laminate flooring, but the rest of the house had really ratty old wood floors (not pretty wood floors). And there was no trim or threshholds to cover the raw edges of the laminate. T-A-C-K-Y!!

I also saw the weirdest thing I've seen in a house in my memory. There was a secondary staircase in the kitchen. I opened the door thinking I'd go upstairs, but the owners were using the stairs as a pantry. And things looked weird. I finally realized the stairs went to the ceiling -- and stopped. And there was a hole in the wall where the rest of the stairs should have been, but weren't. So if you took the stairs up and made the turn, you'd fall flat on your boom-boom on the kitchen floor. Ka-ra-zeee! I couldn't get out of there fast enough!

The Tudor? Interesting, but impractical. The front door wouldn't open. We had to go in through the side door which entered the kitchen. I liked the character of the house, but the basement was wet and there was an old freezer down there that had been there decades, I'm sure. And it smelled.

Also odd: We could not find anywhere where the refrigerator could be plugged in. And believe me, we looked.

The bathroom had all of its original 1930s fixtures. Character, sure, but not practical.

And the two-car garage? It had no doors. And no evidence that there had been doors!

I looked at four or five other houses. I'll have to make another trip to see more than that. I'll also have to look for rentals in case, at least for short term. I have 19 days before I start working up there! The heat is on!

A friend went up with me. We had a great day, working in a tour of the town as we drove around. We had lunch at Enrique's, a Mexican restaurant at the municipal airport. Lots of people fly in from all over just to eat lunch there. It was fun watching them fly in, land and taxi to the gate next to the restaurant door. They were as casual as though they were parking a car.

Well, keep your fingers crossed that I find the place I'll be sleeping three weeks from now. I'm growing faint.

Breaking News of My Own

It took E.R. a while to get to the point of telling us Dr. E.R. had left him for the Rocky Mountains, temporarily. Now he seems to be getting with the program and is imagining himself actually living there too. (See his blog: E.R.'s Rocky Mountain High )

Well, I've been sitting on a secret of my own for a few months. Today I can tell you that I've been offered a job as an education/government reporter at my hometown newspaper in Ponca City, OK.

I've had mixed feelings about this since the beginning, but I'm pretty excited about this opportunity now. One of my major notes in the "pro" column is a sharp reduction in the amount of driving I'll be doing.

The town has a population close to 26,000 and the paper's circulation is 10,000. Both are considerably smaller than I've been used to since 1976, when I looked at it through the rear-view mirror of my 1971 Datsun station wagon headed south.

The newspaper is in the heart of downtown, surrounded by an old residential neighborhood. I've been scoping out houses within walking distance since I first learned there was a job opening there. One house I'm most interested in is an old Victorian about three blocks from the office. Yes, I would WALK to work and use a COMPANY CAR!


Here's a link: First Mayor's Home.


The house is directly across the street from my favorite park, straight across from the bandstand where community concerts have been held every Tuesday evening in the summers for decades (I remember going to the concerts when I was 5, so that should tell you everything!)

This house is also within walking distance of a magnificent public library, the YMCA, the town's old downtown shopping area and banks, City Hall and the Civic Center auditorium, the Poncan Theater and one of the four Methodist churches in town. I'll have to see which of the four churches I'll attend. I'm leaning towards the one where I grew up, because it looks to be a very mission-oriented church and it still feels like home. But I want to check out all the churches so I don't just return there out of habit!

There are several other houses on my "look at" list, and I'll keep shopping until I find the right place. It's the chance for me to find a home with some history - the Victorian I'm looking at so strongly was the home of Ponca City's first mayor. It was moved to its current location to make room for the city hall!

Another home I'm lookiing at was built in 1930 for George Miller of the historic 101 Ranch. It has me all a-quiver just thinking about it! Here's a link: Miller house.



I cannot believe I have to pack all this junk and move! So much to do -- first move would be to call and accept the job and find out when I have to start!! I'll do that in the morning after I have a chance to talk to some friends and sleep on it. I have to have a garage sale. SO MUCH TO DO!!! What have I gotten myself into?????? AGH!

Oh Mercy!

This might be a pretty good indication of what makes Okies different from other people. We've all heard about the devastation caused by the tornadoes this past weekend in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska -- something like 170 tornadoes recorded and watched by us weather freaks.

A couple of my closest friends are United Methodist ministers. Both of them have been appointed to new churches starting June 1. And wouldn't you know it, both of their new churches were scarcely missed by tornadoes this weekend! Lord, change is hard enough. Please let my friends have a church for their ministry when they go where You have led them!

I finally got worn out from watching weather reports last night and went to bed. About 2 a.m. (more or less, I really didn't wake up), I heard very strong rain, wind and was awakened (sort of) by lightning. I was coherent enough to know I needed to reset the alarm clock because there was a brief power outage. I immediately went back to sleep.

I didn't get a chance to watch any weather reports today until the late-night news broadcast. That's when I discovered there was a tornado within three miles of my house that caused the power outage, as I slept.

Yep, I'm an Okie girl, so much so that I ain't 'fraid of no tornadoes!

Your Vocabulary Score: A

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Saw this over at E.R.'s place and decided to accept the challenge.

My group has finished its study

One of the things that has kept me busy for the past four months is leading a Grief Share support group at my church. It's the first time we've offered this curriculum, and though the group was on the small side, it was tremendously effective for those who attended.

It is a 13-week curriculum, but with class breaks due to weather or other obligations, we went 16 weeks. I am surprised, but I found myself somewhat sad this evening as we went through the last session and said our goodbyes at the end.

I hope to lead this group again someday, if the timing allows. Instead of an evening class, I would like to offer it as a morning class. I've been keeping notes about how to offer it to more people, and I've learned that the typical age group that would benefit does not like to get back out at night and drive for a meeting. If they are still driving, it is only during the daytime. It might be a benefit if several people could carpool together for class and then perhaps go to lunch together when the sessions finish.

It's been good material for me to go over, too. Even though I was the leader, I may have learned as much as the others. I have had a lot of losses through the years; all of my nuclear family is gone, as are plenty of other relatives and friends. In my teens and 20s, I had six people -- friends and family -- who died in separate drunken driving accidents. There were others who came too close.

I feel like I'm coming to the end of a good book. The auction is done; that was a happy chapter. Grief Share is completed. Not a giddy chapter, but satisfying and fulfilling.

Nothing is on the immediate horizon to replace these events. But it is summer and my yard is completely out of control. I'm thinking it would be a good thing to put some of that time into creating a fabulous garden. Something nice that would keep me from getting citations from the city and bring a smile to others who have to pass by my house.

I had someone who was willing to come this afternoon to mow my yard, but then we had a floodin' rain come through. I think the grass is 3 inches taller and the mud is 3 inches deeper, so I can only hope I can get a mower through it in the next day or two.

But try I will! I can imagine making myself a chair like those at the auction -- someplace to sit and sip lemonade and enjoy the perfume of fresh-mown grass.

Ta-DA! The results of the auction!

UPDATE: I have learned I can apply for a community grant from Wal-Mart, which will match the funds raised in the auction up to $1,000!!!


The Tie-One-On Chair-ity Auction was held yesterday after church, along with a potluck dinner. I was amazed at the number of chairs and aprons that were brought in! And the quality of work? Amazing also!

I was very pleased to have a guest attend -- blogger buddy and real-life friend ER dropped by for some brisket and side dishes for lunch. He even made a few bids, which boosted bids made by others. I'm sad he didn't win any of the things, but I'm grateful he motivated some competitive bids. In total, we raised $1,440! (I would have been thrilled with $300. So multiply "thrilled" by 4 and you'll know how I feel!)

Every item sold, except for three photographs. I'd held an online photo contest with some friends from all across the U.S. and Canada and sold framed prints.

Here are a few photos -- the auctioneer (Santa Claus, working his off-season job as executive director of Mustard Seed Development Corp., a Partnership With God); some of the aprons and chairs; me, getting a ride around the gym in one of the chairs.

Catching up

OK, I think it's been long enough since my last substantial post. Time to catch up!

It's been a worrisome time, with taxes coming due. The hit is incredibly hard for those of us who are self employed, especially if we make very little money. See, the IRS doesn't much care that income is barely sufficient to cover utility costs. Come April 15, they want a BIG chunk of the year's money, along with Social Security taxes and who knows what else. It stinks having to shell that out along with paying for all the equipment necessary to work and along with car expenses that come out of pocket. And this year, on my 12-year-old car, expenses were extraordinarily high, but not deductible because the car has been primarily a personal vehicle for the duration of the time I've owned it. I can get a little relief for my mileage, but it's not close to helping me.

Throw in the unexpected and immediately urgent cost of having the sewer cleaned out last week, and this little pauper's purse was turned upside down, inside out and every which-way but loose. To say I was suffering a panic attack and anxiety attack daily is no exaggeration!

Enter my friend and accountant Tony. He did my taxes for me and I thought I would have a seizure right then and there. I did start hyperventilating but Tony talked me down from the ledge. We discussed options. Tony is great for that. And after I left his office, I went directly to my bank and applied for a home equity loan.

The banker treated me with dignity and respect, and was as reassuring as Tony that there is a solution. I think I spent all of 10 minutes going through the application. Later that evening, I got a call from the loan processor saying there were just a few things they would need copies of. That will take me about 10 minutes. They need a copy of my driver's license, my last credit card statements, the house insurance policy and copies of my last two tax returns (one in my hand, thanks to Tony, and the one he did for me last year, which is in an envelope in my filing cabinet. I just need to drop them off at my nearest bank branch. We'll close on the loan in 7 to 10 business days. My life will be tolerable again. The 30 percent credit card debts will be gone, absorbed into the 8 percent loan.

I slept like a baby last night. When I awoke today, there was no anxiety attack. It was replaced with a sense of peace.

I was amazed at how simple and fast the process was. Seriously, an investment of 10 minutes at the bank changed my life.

It's funny. With all of the economics courses I took in college, my experience in editing personal finance stories, my personal experience buying, selling and managing real estate, and generally being a well-educated consumer, I had allowed fear and panic to take over. Consolidating these bills all into one loan has given me back my personal power. It's given me a clarity of vision. I don't have to have self doubts any more. They have been a painful illusion, not the truth. I can take care of myself and this was a joyful reminder of that.

I also was reminded that it is OK to let other people help you, even if you just need to have them listen while you consider your options. It's great when they can say "you can do this." It's great when the banker says "That happens sometimes. Let's see what we can do to make it better."

This will get me over a very painful hump as I move on down the road to whatever comes next. Changes are coming, probably long overdue. Somehow I let myself get off track over the past few years and I came to believe that I needed to "settle." Who the heck was I kidding? I don't need to settle! No one does! Why did I believe that?

Maybe it doesn't matter why I thought I needed to accept less. The point is, I see more clearly now my own worth and value. I got lost for a little while, but I don't need to believe the lies any more that have been telling me that I'm not worthy of a full life. I have value and I don't need to keep believing that I should be grateful for a life of deprivation. I'm worth more than that. God loves me enough to provide abundantly, and now I'm walking into that promised life.

No, wait. I'm not walking; I'm running.

On the Lam

This was fun!

Some of my online friends found a site where you can create a cartoon image of yourself to share with others. I thought it worked pretty well! This may be the best photo of myself I've ever had! LOL!