New Wildlife

Last night Katie came out of her bedroom and was so excited. "Mama there's a stinky squirrel in the front yard!" Of course my response was "Huh?" After I took a gander out of her window, I spied a skunk. So from this point forward skunks will be known as stinky squirrels here on Corinth West.

To Catch Up

Cody ate my second pair of glasses. Like an idiot I put them on the breakfast bar then walked into the bathroom. Zip, they were destroyed. I don't know if I was more upset at myself or the dog. Thank goodness I had purchased dog-ate-my-glasses insurance for them and thank goodness Rick wasn't home. Rick was so mad when I told him about the eaten glasses that had Rick been home Cody would have been packed and out of here to a new home that day. They make humane muzzles and I quickly ordered one. It should be here Friday. Until then, I guard my glasses and sunglasses with my life. I don't like to think about how much monetarily Cody has cost us. Just with the two pair of glasses, one pair of sunglasses and kitchen floor the total is running in the thousands. Do I regret getting Cody? Yes, yes I do. I should have stuck to my guns and gotten a White German Shepherd.

 Cody 2, glasses 0.

Yesterday Katie was trying on one of the new swimsuits that I bought her. (Target has their swimsuits on clearance and I only paid a little over $6 per swimsuit.) She was modeling a swimsuit when she told me that she needed to get her tummy "like this" and she sucked in her stomach. She informed me that according to TV she has to have a flat tummy before summer. I was heart broken. I told her TV lies, lies, lies and had a long conversation about how great she looked now. No matter how careful you are with what your child watches, some evil commercial will stick in her head.

When Rick was away last week in Valley Forge, PA he picked up a surprise for Katie. It was Bug Hunter gear. Here she is out on her quest. The gun acts like a vacuum and sucks up a bug that you then put into a container. The look on her face reminds me of a great explorer looking to the horizon.

 In the above picture you can also see our grass or where our grass should be. We are in a severe drought and in the Abilene Reporter they published an article about our conditions and a quote from a local man
". . .  longtime Abilene resident Bill Wright said a friend recently was talking about having experienced three great droughts — the Dust Bowl, the one in the 1950s, and today's.'And they weren't sure that today's wasn't worse than the '50s,' he said." We have had 100+ degree temperatures since mid-May. According to the newspaper we are in the 40th consecutive day of 100+. You will also notice in the above picture how green the mesquite are which means their roots are pretty deep. It is not uncommon for the tap root to go down 90'. Though I hate mesquite I am thankful for the shade and the bit of green they add to the scene. Without that green it would look like John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. Also, needless to say, it is like a tinder box out there. One spark from a fence welder and acres can burn in minutes. One careless smoker can take out a whole ranch just like that. According to Texas Fires 2011  "Since fire season began on Nov. 15, 2010, Texas Forest Service and local firefighters have responded to 15,188 fires that have burned a record-setting 3,327,484 acres." Even for a state the size of Texas, that is a lot of land." As for the cotton crop, I have yet to see any field with cotton plants. It looks like cotton will be a total failure here in West Texas. The people that plant the cotton on our land were pretty sure that this year was going to be a very dry year and we insured our crop in accordance to their prediction. I am amazed at the old farmers around here knowing if it will be a good crop year or not. They can read weather maps and trends better than any meteorologist I have ever seen.

As stated, Rick is out of town again this week. He is in Springfield, IL, land of Lincoln. He will be home next week, but then goes back to Springfield for the following two weeks. His brother's family is motorhoming across country this summer and will be stopping here sometime next week. Boy have they picked a time to visit West Texas.

Rick got a new toy, a Schonstedt MAC-51BX. Basically it is used to find electrical lines, water pipes, survey markers, etc. It is essential for bringing permanent electric and water to the base. Look how happy he looks.

MOPS is starting to gear up for the new season. As you know this will be the last year and it will be sad to go to MOPS without the Doodlebug. It is hard to imagine Katie being gone all day. As I said before, I don't get teary-eyed about her being in school all day. I get teary-eyed when I think of her climbing on that big bus and riding to school.

Yesterday I delivered some MOPS brochures to Abilene Regional Medical Center/Hospital. I told Katie that she was born at ARMC so after dropping off the brochures we went into the hospital and toured around a bit. She got to walk out of the doors that she did almost 5 years ago. I told her that right at that very spot was the first time she was in the great outdoors. She loves hearing stories about herself so this blog will be valuable to her once she can read. My regret is that I did not start this before she was born.

Well, off to  "enjoy" the 100 degree heat. However, there is a rare cloud floating over the missile base maybe it will be a tad cooler. Katie wants to swim and I need to clean the pool. We are not doing taekwondo today--we did it twice yesterday--so this is one precious day where I am not driving to Abilene.

PS:  Here is Eye-Glass-Chewing Cody. If you think he is the cutest dog that you have ever seen, email me your address. He will be there tomorrow.

Bringing You Up To Date

The last time I posted the rodeo was still going on. We did attend the remaining nights of the rodeo and had a memorable time. Because we bought the box this year, we will have first dibs on the box next year, which means we will also be front row sitting next year.

About two weeks ago Cody ate my glasses. I had Lenscrafters order me a replacement pair. This time I bought insurance for the glasses. (Being eaten by a yellow dog named Cody is covered. Had we named him Brody it would not be covered. JK) I also ordered prescription sunglasses. A week later I stopped in Lenscrafters to see if the sunglasses had arrived and found out that the frame that I liked would not work with my prescription. The frame was curved and for my prescription the frame and therefore the lens needed to be more flat. I did find another frame that I liked and I will be picking up the sunglasses tomorrow. Speaking of Cody and glasses, he ate Rick's sunglasses this morning so Cody is a dead man walking. It has come down to two options. Either he is kenneled when he is in the house or muzzled when he is in the house. Both options are crappy, but I am leaning toward muzzling. Because of the heat he does not stay outside for an extended period of time which means he would be in a cage most of the day. Also with muzzling, he can have free roam of the house. The downside to muzzling is that I will have to remove the muzzle at set times so he can drink and eat. Eric and Max did not chew like Cody does. I guess that Labs are known as chewers. Had I known that before acquiring Cody I doubt I would have got him. Here's another Cody fact. He has never, ever barked meanly at an approaching stranger. Matter of fact he will run behind me. A job as a protection dog is not and will never be in his future.

This weekend I had my MOPS Steering Team Retreat. We met at a members house and planned for the upcoming MOPS year. This will be my last year at MOPS because you get kicked out once your child completes kindergarten. I can't be too angry about the booting since MOPS stands for Mother of Pre Schoolers. I knew it going into the group. Anyhoodles, I can't imagine what I will do without those group of ladies. It really is my only source of socialization. Back to the retreat. The retreat was an overnight meeting so I brought a book and my book light with me figuring if everyone was in bed early I could read until I feel asleep. I didn't need to pack them because except for one lady, everyone stayed up until 2:00 am in the hot tub. I didn't sleep well despite having my comfortable twin air mattress. A few years ago I started having problems when I sleep away from home. I never really fall into a deep sleep. Last year we just did an one day retreat and the year before that we did an overnighter. Rick was in Brazil at the time so I had to take Katie. Katie refused to stay in her borrowed bedroom so I ended up leaving  that evening. This time she stayed home with Rick and from the reports, she was a good girl and had a good time. For the days before I left, she kept on whining about my leaving for a night. At one point she was talking on my iPod and told the person on the other end that I wasn't coming to the retreat. Friday night Rick and Katie went to the Tye truck stop for dinner. (They often eat there together if I am gone.) The truck stop also has a store attached to it. Katie picked out a necklace and earrings for me so I had a wrapped surprise and card waiting for me Saturday afternoon. Katie really is a very giving and compassionate person.

Rick is in Valley Forge this week. (No, he is not doing a Revolutionary War reenactment.) Rick has been home for the last 4+ weeks, so it is sad and odd not to have him here. Actually the weirdest it has ever felt here alone.

Casey and Lance, our workers, have gotten a lot done around the Missile Base. They are not lightening fast, but with the heat it is somewhat understandable. They will be here only two days this week, so I don't have to be the slave driver for too long. I really struggle paying someone to do things that I can do. For example, there was a small, itty-bitty branch in the front yard's tree that blocked the view of the hanging flowers. Rick told me to have one of the guys to prune it. I felt so uncomfortable that Rick had to tell Lance what I needed done but I still had to show Lance which twiggy branch it was. I felt like a helpless, pampered female. I almost apologized to Lance for how small the branch was and how petty it seemed to have him cut it.

Our Disney vacation is fast approaching. I need to loosely plan out our days. Rick made a bunch of restaurant reservations, but I want to make sure Katie gets to experience her interests. Chances are we will spend at least two days in Magic Kingdom. We will be staying at the Comtemporary and have upgraded the room to one with a balcony that offers a view of Magic Kingdom and the nightly fireworks. The Comtemporary is one of their older hotels and too contemporary (imagine that) for Rick's taste but it is the best hotel for fireworks viewing. On Katie's birthday she has an appointment at the Bippity Bop Boutique for the deluxe make over which includes a princess gown. We will then lunch with the Disney Princesses in Cinderella's Castle. That evening we will have lunch with the Disney Princesses at Norway in Epcot. I am excited to be taking a "real" family vacation. Sad fact is that it will also be Rick and my first true vacation together. Rick and I have traveled a lot together but those trips have been to visit family or business trips. Rick seriously needs a vacation that removes him from work and all of the work that needs to be done at the Missile Base. Not that Disney will be a relaxing and stress free vacation, but leaving the cell phones and the laptops at home will be freeing for both Rick and I.

This is a long post but I know there is so much more that I wanted to record so Katie will have a diary of her pre-school years. Ah yes, school. There is something on which I want to expound. I really don't know how I will react to Katie's first day of school but I know that letting her take the bus to school will be hard. It will be her first adventure into the world without Rick and/or I at her side. She will have this whole new world of which I will not be a part. She was mine for five years and now the cutting of the apron strings will begin. I doubt she will, but I hope Katie doesn't cry. It would rip my heart out if I had to send her off with tears streaking down her face. I often think of the time before Katie could walk. I wish I could go back to that time and just hug her and hold her. I know that in a short time I will feel the same way about the years before she went to school. One of my favorite sayings is a favorite because it is true. "The days are long but the years are short." It eloquently describes what it is like to be a mother. So on that bittersweet and a tad bit melancholy note, I bid you adieu but not before I inundate you with pictures.

 These young ladies are from San Angelo and do synchronized riding, if that is the correct term.

 Katie with our neighbors' two daughters in the middle of the ring after the rodeo.

 National Anthem with Patriotic Horse.

(The horse bowed his head also.)

 Bucking bronc.

(Minutes later the cowboy was airborn.)

 Barrel racing fascinates me when I see pictures of how angled the horse is when he whips around a barrel.

 Ah, Katie. The rodeo is the other way.

 Pool and Water Gun.

(This picture is a little creepy because of her serene smile and the huge, plastic AK-47.)

 Chef Katie grilling along side her Daddy. Katie got her grill as a reward for advancing to a new belt in Tae Kwon Do.

 The Eyeglass Eater.

Breakfast Outside

(Don't judge me too harshly for what she is eating for breakfast. Also, don't be envious of our lush, green grass. At least with this drought Rick doesn't have to mow the yard.)

So there you go and here I go to bed.

Yee Haw! Nights Two and Three

Happy 4th of July, dear readers. In the north, and particularly in Michigan, summer is half over. However, here in West Texas we are not even close. We have a mountain of hot, hot, hot days yet to be lived.

Tonight is the last of the four nights of the Rodeo. We have enjoyed ourselves each night although Katie was wound up the second night. I discovered at a later point that Katie had been kidnapping Tootsie Rolls from the parade candy dish ALL DAY long. It explains her out-of-control demeanor. I tell you, some experts say sugar does not affect children. I say come on over and watch my daughter after she ingests sugar. She becomes defiant and basically ignores both Rick and I. Needless to say she is back on her sugar-free diet. Life is just easier that way.

Below are a few pictures from the previous two nights at the rodeo.

 Calf Scramble

The Kids' Calf Scramble was held on June 30 and July 1. In this picture I cannot pick out Katie. She had a pink shirt on, but Thursday was Tough Enough to Wear Pink night so a lot of scramblers had pink on. She didn't get a ribbon from one of the calves, but had fun racing up and down the rodeo ring. On the second night's Calf Scramble she didn't do any better and she was upset. Crying upset. However, she did have fun and I almost had a heart attack. After all of the ribbons were taken, the calves and kids continued running in the ring. Katie was a few steps outside of our box with Rick a few feet away when a herd of calves come running at her. You know, that child did not move. She just stood there and let the calves part around her and seemed to enjoy being in the middle of a running herd of calves. I think she didn't want to miss her chance to grab one of the ribbons. She is fearless. . . or not very smart. I had visions of seeing my daughter being bulled over by the calves and then getting stepped on.  

Katie and Rick after the rodeo. They are standing in the ring.

 Katie and I with all of our friends. It must have been something I said and not how I smelled because I had taken a shower before the rodeo! Actually this is after the rodeo ended and most of the people vacated the arena. Each night after the rodeo a few cowboys come into the ring and attempt to qualify. I don't know why they don't do it during the performance.

These ladies are from San Angelo. They do synchronized riding. It was pretty amazing and made me want to get on a horse. Being in a box seat and right up front, I am amazed at all of the riders and their skills.

Here's Katie with Noel. Last night we invited two friends and their oldest son (Noel) as well as one of our workers and his girlfriend. Katie kept on feeding Kasey cheddar fish crackers. Being the mannered and polite guy that he is, he ate everyone.

That's it for now. Gotta take that shower and make dinner before 7:30 pm. Hopefully I will get that "one" picture of the rodeo that has eluded me so far.

"Ooooohhh, say can you see. . ."

We had a blast being in the TCR Parade. We decorated the golf cart as spangly as we could and threw out oodles and oodles of candy. A lot of people commented, "I like your golf cart." However, maybe they were buttering us up so that we would throw them huge handfuls of candy. It worked. A few hours after the parade, we went to the rodeo. Our friends and fellow missile base owners joined us, as well as their grandson. This year we will be going each night and I am keeping track of the scores and times. I feel a lot more involved that way. Below are a few pictures from yesterday. My rodeo pictures aren't that great, but I have three more nights to get that one perfect picture.

 Ready to rock 'n roll in the Gaudy Cart.

 Back of the Star Spangled Golf Cart

 Family Picture

 This was our front view for the entire length of the parade.

 One of my favorite parts of the rodeo is when the parade horses and riders entire the the rodeo grounds.

You can tell this guy is holding on tight, but he doesn't look scared witless. All in a day's work, I guess.

Star Spangled Golf Cart

Shocked you, didn't I? Another post so soon. Anyhoodles, today is the Texas Cowboy Reunion Parade which my darling husband decided that we need to be participants. That means we will be putt-putting along in our decorated golf cart and throwing out candy. Katie is pretty excited and that is why we are doing it so she can experience being in a parade. Originally Rick signed up Katie and I, but Katie wants it to be a family thing. Rick claimed that he couldn't be in the golf cart because he has to take pictures. I said, "You WILL be in the golf cart with us." We'll see how that shakes out. Rick picked up oodles of decorations for the golf cart. I am hoping to make it heart warmingly gaudy. I'll take pictures so you can enjoy it too.

Speaking of the TCR, I can't recall if I told you all or not, but this year we bought a box. A box has eight seats and we are giving seats away to our friends so they too can enjoy the rodeo up close. The rodeo starts tonight and concludes Saturday. It's going to be fun!

That is today's highlight. Kasey and Lance, our hired hands, are washing the golf cart as I type. I can only decorate a few areas at home and the rest I will have to do at the parade staging area. I wish I could decorate all of it here, but the golf cart is going to be on the back of a trailer going 70 mph to Stamford. We'd be decorating the side of US277 and we would arrive in Stamford with a bald golf cart.

Wish us luck in the parade.

Climbing Back on The Blogger World

Once again I fell off of the blogger world. It has not been a relaxing summer, so to speak, but one with something or another scheduled each day.

First and foremost is the weather. We have not had a drop of rain in weeks and weeks. The cotton crop will most likely be a failure, but thankfully we purchased insurance to cover crop failure. The average temperature during the day has been 104 degrees. This has been going on for weeks. Typically we don't have 100 degree temperatures until July or August and even then it lasts for a few days here or there. Last week we went to a friend's house for a swim party. They live on top of a hill by Mulberry Canyon so they had strong winds whipping that cooled the air. The temperature was about 85 degrees and I was cold! It is interesting how quickly we become acclimated to the weather.

In Taekwondo Katie tested for her High Green Belt and passed. It is now her sixth belt. She has seven more belts to go through and countless hours before she has the potential to be a Recommend Black Belt. Below is the post ceremony picture of Kate with her new belt. As a side note, next week is her one year anniversary at Team Chip Taekwondo. She has come a long way. (Wasn't that an old Virginia Slims commercial/ad? "You've come a long way, baby." When you take into consideration that the cigarettes were for women and "baby" was referring to the woman in the ad, it seems rather sexist. I don't take kindly to strangers calling me babe, baby, sugar, sweetie, honey, etc. They are condescending when used by someone who you do not know. Climbing off of the soap box now.)

The Rabbit Show Down has finally ceased and no, I didn't shoot them. I bought metal rabbit fencing for the flower bed around the tree. Now they can just gaze lovingly at the bright colored flower meals. However, each night I have to pick up three flower pots that are too closed to the edge of the patio.

Lately I have seen a Girly-Girly attitude emerge from Katie. She is starting to care more about her appearance. She now combs her hair on a regular basis so she no longer sports a rat's nest hair-do. She prefers to wear dresses or skirts and she likes wearing lipstick. There is a tween clothing store in the mall called Justice, which has become Katie's store. In the picture below she is modeling one of the outfits that we purchased from there. Check out her new purse. We have been trying to find one that was the right size. The sparkly, silver one in the picture met the size requirement, as well as Katie's sparkle requirement. I would have preferred a less brilliant purse, but Katie knows what she likes.

All in all, Katie is maturing and it seems to happen over night. I am having a difficult time remembering her as a newborn. That time went by in a blink of the eye. Today I weighed and measured her. She is 45# and 3'9" tall. The average height and weight for a girl her age is 39.6# and 3' 4". Katie will have her Daddy's height and long legs.

This year we bought a box of eight seats for the Texas Cowboy Reunion Rodeo. It will be great to sit right down at the ring--not sure if that it what it is called--and feel the horses rushing by. The rodeo starts Wednesday and I am looking forward to attending each night.

There seems like there was so much to share, but I have no clue what it all was. That is problem with not blogging on a more consistent basis and because of that, I say, "Ciao."