Tinker Friends

Good Afternoon All.  I just came back from lunching with my friend......my work friend.  There is never enough time to say all the things we need to say in one hour.  We just jump from one conversation to the next trying to get in a month's worth of news in 60 short minutes. 

Today was a little different because after lunch I decided to go visit the "old" office, my pre-retirement home.  Everything has changed, yet nothing has changed.  The walls are the same old walls, but they seem darker somehow.  Maybe that is because I have a lot of windows now in my post-retirement home.  There are rips or tears in some of the wall coverings that were there five long-short years ago.  Nothing has changed.

The maze to the old office is exactly the same.  Some of the faces have changed in those cubicles lining the maze, but the turn to the right, turn to the left, turn to the right, turn to the left, turn to the right, turn to the left, etc. is exactly the same.  I could walk it in total darkness.  I'd still like to know the story of the plastic wrap over the heads of a couple employees in their cubicle.

The same old people, with a couple of new faces, are still playing cards during lunch.  Some working during lunch, some sleeping, some just surfing the Internet.  Nothing much has changed with the remaining folks that I remember from five years ago.  Change of workloads maybe, new grand babies, a little weight lost or a little weight gained on some...........basically the same-o same-o. 

Here I am writing my blog this afternoon, not writing a letter to maintenance about why or why not they are doing certain things.  "Remember........in that last meeting you said you were going to do this.....AND now you are doing WHAT?"  Writing a blog post trumps writing a nasty-gram any day of the week; however, nothing tops my Tinker friends.

It was a lot of fun to visit for a few minutes, but what was more fun was driving off base knowing I no longer a part of the big Tinker picture.  I am grateful that Tinker gave me career opportunities that I could not have gotten elsewhere, but I am even more grateful that retirement is my life now. 

Nothing tops my Tinker friends, even five years later.  I love you.

Fall In Love

I am back again.  This whirlwind of life really messes up my schedule.  I think I am back on track once again........maybe...........until the phone rings.

A couple of years ago I wrote about a coffee that I like.  I wait patiently every year for this seasonal coffee to make its appearance on Marshall's shelves.  FALL IN LOVE ground coffee!  Yep, that is the name of it.  FALL IN LOVE. 

 

 

See what I mean!  Fall leaves in the shape of a heart.  How cute.

This year I also have Pumpkin Spice.

 

 

For those of you who only buy ground coffee from America, rest at ease for this is roasted and ground to perfection by Paramount Coffee in Lansing, Michigan.  They told me so.  Check them out at www.paramountcoffee.com  You can buy different flavors directly from their website; however, I purchased mine from Marshall's and at a cost savings.  My daughter also found them at T.J Maxx and I suspect they will also be at the new Home Goods store coming later this month. 

 

The packaging designer hit a home run with this product.  I would buy this for autumn decorating even if I didn't drink coffee.  Just kidding......I think.  I remember a time when my sister-in-law and I bought cinnamon tea leaves just for the fragrance.  There are even a couple of quotes on the side panels.  All this detail.........don't you love it when a company goes "the extra mile" to product something this lovely?

 

Love sweetens life, and Life sometimes destroys Love.  Beauty is desirable and Deformity detestable; Therefore Beauty is not Deformity nor Deformity, Beauty.  Hope springs eternal in the human Breast, I hope to be happier next Fall than I am at present, and this Hope makes me happier now than I should be without it.

 

-----John Adams, 1763

 

I look back to the early days of our acquaintance, and Friendship, as to the day of Love and Innocence; and with an indescribably pleasure I have seen near a score of years roll over our Heads, with an affection heightened and improved by time--nor have the dreary years of absence in the smallest degree effaced from my mind the Image of the dear untitled man to whom I gave my Heart.

 

----Abigail Adams, 1783  

 

Here's to you John and Abigail.  Here's to you Paramount Coffee.  Here's to you Fall in Love.  Here's to you!  Enjoy your Fall.

I love you.

White Jeans

Just about this time every year, I start planning my summer only to find that it is drawing to a close rather quickly.  Our 2013 summer has been one of the strangest summers ever, from the weather to my very busy day to day life.  It was a summer that began very sadly with the death of the hubby's sister.  The month of June was almost unbearably sad, but as with life, it must go on.

Here we are just a day away from Labor Day Weekend, and sadly, here we are wrapping up the summer attending another funeral.  When I get back, I am going to start my summer.  Do you reckon (reckon----an Oklahoma expression) I can wear my white pants?

Yes, this weekend I will be wearing my white jeans trying to get the most out of my favorite summer attire.  White jeans in summer.......just love 'em.  It was been well drilled into my head all my life that I should not wear white after Labor Day.  No white shoes........well no white shoes EVER......no matter what the season.  No white jeans.  No white jackets.  ..................JUST NO WHITE. 

So as the season comes to the end, I will saturate myself in white clothing.  Come Tuesday, they will all be put away for the winter.  They will be safely tucked away, waiting for me come next May and then my happy dance will begin again. 

Here's to white jeans.

I love you!

No Batteries Required

NO BATTERIES REQUIRED

 

NO ELECTRICITY NEEDED

 

NO ADULT SUPERVISION NEEDED

 

My boys spent the night last night.

They light up my life just like a Debbie Boone song.

They were having the best time making roads for their little cars. 

No batteries required and no adult supervision. 

 

Innocent child's play.

No batteries required.

 

I Love Them

 

A long time ago, one of my friends told me about finding her 13 year old son in his closet playing with his little hot wheels.  She almost cried as she told me the story.  You see, the teenager was having an identity crisis; embarrassed that he was playing with cars.  Sadly my friend died at a very young age and just a few short years later, that little boy died, too. 

It is sad that society pushes our children to grow up TOO soon.

What difference does it make?

 

I love you, too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Into the Woodwork

What to wear?  In just a few days we are going to an event that we never, ever, ever thought about attending.  We were given tickets to an event on the west coast and air fare.....can't beat that!  The trouble is we are not "event" type people............so what to wear??????

You girls out there will understand my dilemma with the clothes.  I had no other option than to try to find something appropriate without buying something that I will never wear again.  I finally found something that will work there and equally well in Oklahoma City. 

No, neither of us will stand out for neither of us will be wearing anything memorable.  The hubby assured me as long as we don't wear our hillbilly teeth and clown glasses, nobody will remember even seeing us 15 seconds after passing us."  That is exactly what I want, to blend right into the woodwork or in this case, blend right into the grass. 

So you won't be seeing me in clown glasses, you won't be seeing me with my hillbilly teeth, and you won't be seeing me in my sheer lace slacks (I did see that yesterday; a woman at least 85 in lace pants...in public....Shawna, please don't let me ever do that even if I beg.)  Did I say sheer?  Double take, sheer, see-through.....nuf said!

Maybe in a few weeks, I will post some pictures and you can tell me if I blended into the woodwork as I plan.

I love you. 

Yea for Tinker

This morning my oldest grandson asked me if Tinker AFB was the only job I ever had.  It almost was, but briefly I worked for the state of Oklahoma and had Tinker not come through, I more than likely would be counting down the hours until I could retire at 65.  Yea for Tinker!!!

That two week stint working for the state allowed me my very first paycheck and it came just in time for Christmas, 1966.  It was more money than I thought I would ever see at one time.  I could buy almost anything I could think of for my family that year.  Rather than the ten cent paper dolls, I could spend at least $5 each on my sisters.  Oh, yea for Tinker!!!

The hubby and I had a little discussion of how the world has changed, financially speaking, over the last 45 or so years.  What once was a luxury is now considered a necessity.  So many things in our lives today were not even dreamt of back in 1966.  

Our conversation transitioned to today's news about a famous personality who wanted to look at a $38,000 purse.  You heard that right, a $38,000 purse.  Never mind all the hoopla regarding that news story......that is their story.....but can you even fathom that there is a $38,000 purse out there?  Seriously?  If you take away one zero, would even a $3,800 purse be justifiable?  Seriously?  Maybe, maybe, maybe a handmade purse might be justified at $380 for all the workmanship that would go into it, but seriously???  $38,000??????

And............just as we were contemplating that $38,000 purse, we drove by a man who was on the side of the interstate with a shopping cart picking up cans.  The hubby said "Anything to make a dollar."  It saddened me to think of all the injustices in the world.  Believe me, I am a firm believe in working for your money, but things really touch me sometimes.  Some people can afford a $38,000 purse and some don't even own one............nothing...........nothing much in the world.

Just because you can afford a $38,000 purse, should you??????  But I could say that about a lot of things................. Well, that's about all I have to say today except yea for Tinker!!!

I love you. 

 

For Now

Night before last my little grandsons spent the night with me.  I needed them....some grandchildren love.  They needed me....some grandma love.  If you've ever been a grandma, then you know exactly what I am taking about.

I convinced my grandsons that they needed to sleep on pallets just like I did as a child.  Remember those?  Remember sleeping on pallets at Grandma Dawkins' house?  Quilts and other various blankets were spread on the floor and all the cousins would chose our spot and sleep the night away.  I suppose we had a sheet or blanket for cover, but I honestly only remember the quilts under us.  We were young and we were tough and we could sleep anywhere.

Even though my boys are now 9 and 6, they still seemed so little and innocent.  As I told them good night, (they are beginning to be too old for kisses) I held each of their faces in my hands for a moment.  B.....the oldest with his fair complexion, and L....the youngest with his dark complexion.  Their pretty eyes smiling up at me..........again, so innocent, but what struck so close to my heart was how soft and clear their faces still were.  No rough hair stubble.  In fact, no hair at all on those beautiful faces. They are still little boys not quite ready for razors.  Soon...........soon...........soon.  For now I just want to enjoy their soft little faces, to feel that baby skin. 

So for now, we will sleep on pallets.  We will make hot cocoa and popcorn for our movie.  We will eat breakfast on the patio.  We will have ice cream sandwiches three times a day.  We will go to the secret hideout.  We will give hugs.  For now...........

I love you.

Writing Again

Good morning everybody.  I have been absent from this blog for quite a while...........waiting until the moment all was right with the world.  Waiting for the time when someone wasn't hurting, either emotionally or physically.  Waiting until I had the yard work done.  Waiting for the sun to shine.  Waiting for a rainy day.  Waiting till I made the bed.  Waiting till the kids leave.  Waiting till I put on my makeup.  Waiting till morning.  Waiting till evening.  Waiting...........waiting...........waiting.  Waiting for inspiration. 

I have decided that I might not be inspired ever again, but here I am putting something down on this blog.  And why not.  Blogging/writing makes me happy, makes me feel good inside.  Whether I post something funny, something inspirational, something that tugs at your heart (or mine), or even a remembrance of a long ago story..........the posts are all me........my thoughts...........my stories..........my feelings. 

So with that in mind, I will start writing again. 

I love you.

My Mother's Backless Shoes

I've had my coffee.  Had my Pinterest.  Now to get busy.  But first.............

Have you seen all the shoe pictures on Pinterest?  I love them.  I have even pinned a couple of them over the months.  This morning a memory came back to me...........long forgotten, but a sweet little memory. 

Mom had the prettiest suede black backless shoes (were they called mules?) that she saved back for special occasions.  I don't ever remember her wearing them at all, but I am sure she must have.  With five little ones under age 8, wearing pretty high heels was probably not a priority.  When I was about 8, I discovered them.  To me they were the sexiest shoes in the world, but at 8 I had no idea what the word sexy meant.  In fact, I hadn't even heard the word.  I sure knew those shoes were beautiful.............and movie stars wore them.  I remember they were suede, I remember they were black, I remember they were backless, I remember they were kind of pointy toes.  I remember they were beautiful!  I remember trying them on, several sizes to big, but I felt so pretty in them and dreamed of one day wearing them for real.  Sadly, when I was old enough to finally wear them, they had disappeared.

Do you remember your first pair of high heels?  I do!  Mine were white, extremely high, probably 4 inch heels with pointy toes.  Pumps they were called.  I had to practice walking in them.  I was in the 9th grade and had made National Honor Society...........how that happened, I will never know. 

Over the years, I have had some very pretty shoes.  I even had the first pair of square toed shoes of anybody I knew.  I was the height of fashion.  I have had several pairs of backless shoes and have a couple of broken toes to prove it, but I have never had a pair of shoes that were even remotely beautiful as my mothers backless shoes.

I love you.

Another memory.  About the same time as I discovered mom's shoes, I was wearing little Mary Jane shoes.  I can remember thinking how "grown-up" I was when I got my first pair of black patent shoes which had a strap could be turned back to the back of the shoe.  Remember those?  Now I had a pair of grown-up shoes without a strap.  Grown woman, I was!!!! 

All I Wanted To Do...........

All I wanted to do was look for a couch.

So off we went to Hoffman's in Moore to check out the furniture.  I have got a lot of wants and a new couch is just but one of them.  Walked in the door, and the gentleman welcomed us and told us to look around and let him know if we needed any help.  Now that is the way I like my salesman.  Move on back and let me look.  Nothing appealed to me so off we went to Mathis Brothers.

We walk in, hand in hand, and the doors part like the Red Sea.  We are just a step away from the gauntlet.  Hubby grits his teeth and mumbles with non-moving lips, "Watch 'em.  They're after us."  Off to the right we see a little island with a couple of employees looking us over, but they say 'nar a word.  Nope they weren't our vultures.  Somebody else was, but who?  "Try not to make eye contact."  Keep moving.  BUT there she is, perched on a pedestal.  Out of the corner of my eye, I see her slid down.  That's her.  That's our vulture.  She was spending time in the bird cage and our number came up on her dance card.  We were her victims. 

"Welcome to Mathis Brothers.  I'm SO AND SO, and this is my kingdom.  I will lure you and convince you that you will need what I have got whether you want it or not.  It is my job to follow you around like you are going to either pull out a knife and scratch you name on the tables or jump on the couches."  Maybe she didn't actually say those actual words, but in my heart that is what I heard. 

"We are just looking; nothing particular.  We won't need any help."  We move on, then I hear click, click, click of those high heels.  Stop.  Turn around and sure enough, she is looking at me, but she stops dead in her tracks.  I am on to her.  She is going to lurch around.  Turn a corner, look up and there she is again.  "Let me know if you need any help.  We just got this couch.  It's a so and so."  I thought we had discussed this!  I move on.  Bounced on another couch or two, and gee, there she was again, lurching over there, but I catch her eye once again.  She mumbles something and I smile.  I grit my teeth, but I know she sees my lips moving as I sweetly smile.  I kind of hope she could read my lips as I mumbled "Just LEAVE me along and I will more likely buy from you.  Keep walking lady, and I will guarantee you that I won't."  Sure enough she kept on walking.  Then the game began.  I told the hubby I should ask her something about every piece of furniture in the store.  We laughed but we really didn't have time for that game.  We could; however, play the game of criss-crossing the store, weaving in and out, bouncing on couches, jumping up to admire the table across the aisle, and back to the couch.  It became a fun little sick game that I began to enjoy.  The hubby suggested we go separate ways and see who she follows.  It was me.  Guess she thinks I have the purse. 

I was checking out all the reclining chairs when another salesman called her over and whispered something about man about a man who went up stairs, and they both literally ran upstairs.  Don't know what that was about, but she dropped me like a hot potato. 

I feel kind of lonely now.  She is gone.  Told my hubby about our runaway salesman so we decided to go upstairs to see who was more important than we.  Saw her wandering around, but we thought we were off the hook so we enjoyed wandering around in the boutique sections, looking at the discard sections.  There was another young salesman wandering around talking on his phone, irritatingly loud.  We listened and the guy was definitely making personal calls.  He was really concerned about his divorce.  Very personal information that he was openly discussing.  The trouble was, he was just wandering around even more irritating.  Doesn't this guy know he needs to go to the break room for this kind of conversation?  This went on for at least 15 minutes.  Finally he hung up, whirled around as we about ready to go back down and asks, "Do you need any help?  If you do, So and So, the Hispanic lady that greeted you when you came in can help you."  That dude had been sent to dog us.  Then I realized we really were HER victims.  She had won the game. 

"Let's get out of here."  All I wanted to do was look at couches.   

I think this lady irritated me so much was because she reminded me so much, both in physical appearance and attitude, to a certain woman I had the unfortunate task of occasionally working with.  Probably should let it go!

I love you.