Dreams are Made of These

Forewarning:  I'll write about anything so here goes..........Dreams are Made of These.


We (the hubby and I) needed a ride home after the event we were attending in downtown Oklahoma City.  The three friends of mine said they'd take us home.  We get to their car and it is a clapped out 1958 4-door Chevy with the back passenger window missing, but covered with cardboard. 


Off we go and as the near the intersection, the hubby leans to me and asks me if they know where we live.  I reply that we will know soon because we are nearing the intersection where we turn left to go home or right--the wrong way.  As soon as they hit the blinker, we knew....going the wrong way.  After we tell them where we live, they apologize and head up the ramp, still heading in the wrong direction.  That is where it gets strange.  They park the car on the ramp and we all climb out of the car and start walking up the wrong ramp, cross over the interstate and go back down the correct on ramp.  The attendant at the ramp told us we couldn't park our car at that exit ramp, but it would be okay where it was.  He could see it and would make sure it was safe.  We continue walking until we get back to the convention center.


Once in the convention center, we go up to the top tier, the nose bleed section and walk on our knees across the backs of the seats because even with the seats up there was no room to walk.  Very tight quarters up in the nose bleed tier.  Finally we are out of that section and at our destination, the General's office (yes, Tinker AFB General's office--Is this home?), but without Johnny; lost him along the way. 


The general's secretary is very nice to us all, giving us all the chocolate Easter bunnies and candy we could eat.  I introduced her to the three other woman who are here on TDY.  I thanked them profusely for getting us to our destination and asked the secretary for a piece of paper for the ladies to write their names so I could send them thank you notes and also to continue our friendship. 


The next thing I know I am at Sonic and discover their car parked in the last stall.  Someone was kind enough to move it from the ramp to Sonic.  Everything was the same on the old car except now the cardboard is missing which makes it much more convenient to throw our things in.


I have disjointed dreams like this every night.  Every night!  I start to tell the hubby my dreams and he just shakes his head and tells me I'm weird.  I would love for someone to analyze these dreams for I cannot find any correlation between this dream, especially, and any part of my life.  Probably a very good thing.  Does anyone else have dreams like this?????  Doesn't everyone consider the General's office home? 


Dreams are made of these.  I won't exactly call them sweet dreams.


I love you. 

A Day in the Life

A day in the life of Mr. Tucker.


It started when he needed to get the Christmas star down from the pole.  Don't even ask why the Christmas star is still up in April...almost May for Pete's sake...that's a whole other story.  He couldn't ratchet the pole down because the pole was caught in a tree limb.  Now he has to cut down the tree to get that limb to get the pole to get the star.  He informed me later that he had trouble with that tree last year and besides, we want to get rid of more blackjack trees...pesky ugly trees.  So he gets the chainsaw and starts cutting down the tree.  I'm on the ZTR and as I circle closer to him, I notice him down on the ground working on the chainsaw.........another familiar sight.  It took about a half hour, but he finally got it started to cut the tree to get the limb to get the pole to get the star.  I don't think he has ever owned a chain saw that he hasn't had to work on.  The next step was to get the Kabota and trailer to take off the fallen tree.  He backed the tractor up to the trailer and the thing dies.  It is completely out of gas!  Now for those of you city folks, the Kabota should never run out of gas or you will have more work than you bargain for.  Lots of work because he now has to bleed the fuel line because it has air in it.  Finally after quite a while, he got the Kabota working once again, but this time he was stopped from cleaning up the fallen tree by mother nature.  It was pouring!


So..........the star is still on the pole (but the pole is down to the ground so removal will be easy tomorrow).  So............the tree is down (but needs to be hauled off).  So..............the tractor is working (but not hooked to the trailer yet).  I think tomorrow will be the day!  Kind of said that today, too. 


Have you ever had a day like the hubby did today?


I love you.    

Spam Salad

I was looking at Pinterest this morning and someone I know pinned a recipe for Ham Salad.  Of course that brought to mind the old Spam Salad my aunts used to make. 


It seemed like at least once a month, my mother and her sisters would gather at my grandma's house and have a cleaning day.  Surely it was just twice a year, but to me it was every month.  Nonetheless, they always had to come up with something that they and all their kids would eat.  I don't know who ever told them that kids like Spam Salad, but they were definitely wrong!!!  Again, nonetheless, Spam Salad is what we got!  Spam Salad.  So without further ado, here's how you make it........gag!!


Shred one can of Spam (I can still picture my Aunt Wilma shredding it on the handheld grater.)
Chopped tomatoes (AND this is where it went wrong...tomatoes)
Chopped pickles (I don't remember whether they were sweet or dill.)
Chopped boiled eggs
Mayonnaise


Mix together.  All the ingredients were added to taste or perhaps to make it go further.  Spread on bread.  Be prepared for your children to gag.


I am not going to tell you that you are going to love this because, most definitely, you are not.  It will make do.


Yum, Yum, Spam Salad.  Now that I have that out of the way, I would like for my three sisters and my sister-in-law to come and clean my house.  I will not give you Spam Salad.  Bruschetta it is!!!!  Or maybe Mexican food.  I got you, hook, line, and sinker, on that one, didn't I girls?  I will get the cleaning supplies ready.  See you in a bit.


I love you.

Easter Album 2014

He is risen!  Easter 2014.

 

This is just a Grandmother’s scrapbook of Easter 2014, 20 April.  I am sad that I didn’t get a picture of Brenda and Johnny and me.   

This little lady joined our Easter celebration, but she didn’t eat a thing.  This time next year, she will definitely be eating some mashed potatoes.  Why are the best pictures of babies the one in their car seat?  Maybe they know they are going home.

Shawna and Audrey, 1 month old yesterday, the 19th.

 

I think this might be the Easter bunny.

 

The Easter bunny with his big brother, my handsome grandsons.

My daughter’s family.

 

A very proud brother.

 

They are still having fun hunting eggs. 

 

Steven and Angie.

Chuck and Audrey.

My pretty girls.

I love you all. 

Logan–Now 7 Years Old

This little guy turned 7 years old last week.  Until almost three weeks ago, he was my youngest grandchild, my youngest grandson.  Now he is my middle grandchild, but will always be my youngest grandson.  He is unique in so many ways, but even at 7 years old, he is still just a little boy.

Logan decided a couple of months ago that he didn’t want a birthday party, but instead he wanted to go to the Embassy Suites and play in the pool.  After his new sister’s hospital stay, mom decided that the Embassy Suites would be put on hold until Audrey was better.  After an hour or so of disappointment, this little guy decided a postponement would be fine.  So on Thursday, it was just the family…….Dad, Mom, Blaine, Audrey, Nana, and Grandpa.  AND HE HAD THE BEST TIME. 

 

He and his brother decided sometime through the last 7 years that the toys they received on their birthdays would be shared.  Here they are talking about the little soldiers Logan got and how they were going to play with them in the new helicopter Logan received from Mom and Dad.  They were still playing with them the next morning.

 

Logan was looking at his grandpa as we were singing “Happy Birthday”.  Grandpa might have been a little off-key.

Still looking at Grandpa, one of his favorite people on earth.  Mom and Audrey, 2 weeks and 1 day old, are at his birthday.  Earlier in the week, we weren’t so certain that they would be home.

Blowing out his candles of his Oreo Cheesecake…………..almost an adult.

 

I love you.

 

Little Audrey was born since my last post and she will most definitely have her own post soon.

 

Another Perfectly Boring Saturday Evening

Good Saturday evening everyone.  I have so much news, but I will go into all that in another post.  Tonight, after a perfectly wonderful week welcoming a perfectly wonderful new granddaughter, we are home enjoying what some might consider a boring Saturday night.  We are watching The Lawrence Welk Show.  Yes, that shows our age. 


I have written about my memories of this show before.  For many years I didn't have warm memories of this show and never wanted to watch it again.  Mom and Dad would grocery stop on Saturday nights and often (even most of the time) we kids would stay with Grandma and Grandpa Dawkins.  I am sure Mom and Dad wanted (needed) a night out without five children.  Now I loved my grandparents dearly, two of my favorite people in the whole world, but I had visions of my parents  going to Hamburger King and staying home meant I wasn't getting to eat out, too.  If you know me, then you know my love of hamburgers.


But tonight, I am watching the show with a different perspective.  Back when the Welk show was on in prime time it was definitely a gentler time.  It was a beautiful show in every way.  The music was always light and uplifting.  No rap with bad lyrics, nobody was scantily dressed and there was nothing for which you had to send your children to the other room.  The clothes worn on the show were just stunning; the colors -- bright and cheerful.  The entertainers, whether dancers, singers, or musicians, were always dressed to the hilt.  Their hair was coiffed in elaborate styles, but very becoming.  Nobody looked or acted like they were drunk or stoned.  It was a very pretty show.


Tonight when the camera scanned the audience, I really get nostalgic for those people.....for those are the people of my past.  I see my aunts and uncles, my grandparents.  I see the clothes they wore.  I see my grandmothers' eyeglasses.  The hairdos were much as I remember in the late 60s and 70s.  Yes, those people are my relatives............ 


What tugs at my hearts, though, are the smiles.  The smiles of the people watching a totally entertaining show; the smiles of the audience who are dressed in their own personal finest.  There was not one bit of worry when they left the house that they would encounter language inappropriate for their youngest grandchild or their 90 year-old mother.  These days you cannot even take you grandchild to Target without worry that they will hear several inappropriate words even from children in the toy aisle. 


So..........we are enjoying another perfectly boring Saturday evening.


I love you.


Next week, expect to be bombed with baby pictures.








 








 

Happy St. Paddy's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.


Green day.  I put on my green earrings this morning, not that anyone would pinch me if I didn't have on green.  It is just the hubby and me and he is going out to have lunch with old engineers later.  Who knew that engineers have a patron saint?  And you guessed it, St. Patrick. 


One of my favorite scents is lavender.  You'd think it would be growing all over these five acres.  NO!  I planted several plants last summer so we will see whether they made it through our particularly cold winter.  Anyway, this morning as my ode to Ireland, I used my lavender soap and my lavender body scrub.  That and my earrings are about as close as I come to actually celebrating the Irish holiday.  No Corned Beef and Cabbage and no green beer. 


So {glasses raised} Happy St. Paddy's Day my friends.  I hope your day is full of Irish Blessings. 

I love you guys.

My Dear Work Friends

Good morning everyone.  The weatherman promised us rain, but none yet I am sad to report.  Oh, we need rain; let's pray that we don't have another long, hot, dry summer.


If you are retired, do you ever miss your work friends?  There are some days, I really, really miss my work friends.  Yesterday was such a day.  It all started when I dropped off something to my dear friend who happened to be having lunch with the office, my old office.  I knew that she was having lunch with them, but I didn't expect the feelings I felt when I left.  I had that old lump in my throat like I was missing something.


I was missing something alright and that something was my friends.  It was wonderful seeing them, but at the same time, it was terrible.  I was now an outsider.  In the old days, I would have been right in the middle, right in the thick of things.  We'd be exchanging tidbits of information that is only given out to the "group". 


I could not stay and visit with my friends, 1) because I had errands to run and another friend waiting in the car, and 2) because they were leaving the restaurant.  But I wanted to just pull up a chair and chat with everyone; chat while everyone was relaxed and not at their desks with phones ringing and emails popping up.......or do they just text these days.


Do I want to go back to work?  Not really, but I sure miss those lunches and I sure miss my Dear Work Friends!


I love my friends.

Restaurants, Come and Gone

Good Morning Family and Friends.  What a day it is going to be.


A few days ago I wrote about some of the now defunct restaurants we used to haunt that hold fond memories for me.  Here's just a few memories. 


Der Dutchman's hush puppies and peel and eat shrimp they served on Monday's.  Everyone loved Der Dutchman when they were new to OKC.  One was located by Founder's Tower and if that rings a bell then we are of the same generation.  It also might be the restaurant where my sister went in the men's restroom and accused my brother-in-law (who was also in there) of being in the women's. 


Casa Bonita's buffet with the little flag.  Remember the one on NW 39th?  Fun times and good food.  You raised the little flag if you wanted another enchilada, taco, etc.  I wonder if that has any relation to Oklahomans being overweight....




Tony's Via Roma's lasagna and veal parmigiana............and ooh their appetizers, especially the fried eggplant, fried ravioli, and fried zucchini.  This restaurant was one of our absolute favorites; heavy red velvet drapes to divide the more intimate tables.  Wonderful food, white table clothes, candles burning in Chianti bottles.  This is also the restaurant where my little 9 month old daughter threw her first fit.  We had her and her 3 year old brother dressed to the nines, ready to enjoy our meal.  We had just placed our order when our baby decided she would throw a fit, crying without ceasing.  Our happy outing ended quit abruptly.  Hubby took her to the car, brought her back in when she calmed down, but it started all over again.  Then it was my turn in the car.  Hubby finished his meal alone.


Glen's Hik-ry Inn - EVERYTHING!  I will start with a fillet mignon, a lobster tail, and sautéed chicken livers...........their house dressing.  As they seated you, they'd bring a small tray of celery, carrots, and olives.  A few years after we married, we were at Glen's having a special meal for a special occasion, rarely done since we were now watching our budget.  In drives the Prague High School band bus and a bus load of kids came storming in.  Katrina was there.  When did Prague High School buses start stopping at upscale restaurants?  Dairy Queen was always the best we could do back in my day.




Underwood's barbeque beef sandwich with their sauce.  The last one we remember was in Norman--a buffet line, but good sandwiches.



Lum's ham sandwich.  Now this brings back lots of memories for it was a favorite of the Tinker crowd, especially my friends.  You'd walk in the door and right in front would be a ham and a roast beef on a spit.  Best ham in OKC.  This was located at the SE corner of 15th and Midwest Blvd (before Girlie Pancake House moved there).




Girlie Pancake House's breakfast.  The one we most often frequented was on 29th Street.  Great breakfast place.  Each table had a tray of 8 or 9 different syrups; butter pecan, strawberry, blueberry, etc.



Kip's Big Boy Special, a salad, fries, and their three-bun burger with thousand island dressing.  This was located at the NW corner of 15th and Air Depot next to the theater.  It was a fun place and always reminded me of being on a vacation.




Sirloin Stockade's (circa 1968) sirloin steak.  Another Tinker favorite and where I learned to love a more rare steak...........up until then, I was a "well done" gal.






El Chico's (in Shephard Mall) nachos.  The first time I ever ordered Nachos was at this restaurant...a couple layers of tortilla chips piled high with melted cheddar cheese.  On the top of each chip and cheese was a slice of jalapeno baked right in.  When I order nachos today, the jalapenos have been put on after the nachos come out of the oven.




The Captain's Table view and lobster.  This is the restaurant where we went for lobster; always my favorite.  The restaurant was on the 6th floor, pretty view.  We took my teenage sister her and she told us it was ok, but she'd just as soon be at the McDonald's she saw below.  No accounting for teenage taste.





Shakey's Pizza - the fun.   Live entertainment right there in Del City.




Godfather's pizza.  I have a nice memory of my family and my brother's family eating there....good pizza too, thick and gooey.




Zamudio's cheese enchiladas with chili.  I have so many fond memories of this place.  This is where the Tinker girls took me for my 21st birthday.  Oh how they embarrassed me by making me open embarrassing presents right in front of the other diners.  The food was good, but that memory, and many others, was better. 



Chez Vernon - the best OKC had to offer.  This was located on Classen Blvd somewhere around 15th or maybe it was 23rd.  The building is still there, but the restaurant is long gone.  The menu was on a small blackboard.  I remember there was a full table setting, even spoons at the top of the plate.  I always heard you use the utensils on the outside first, so that is what I did.  It all worked out.  I remember having chocolate mousse for dessert.




Rose's in Midwest City - the best rolls in town.  I could talk for an hour about this place.  Many, many snippets of memories.  It was next to the tire store at 15th and Midwest Blvd.  Another Tinker lunch place.  There was a shortcut to the back door so we'd park in back.  They had lunch plates and always had the best hot roles in town (outside the Tinker cafeteria which were better than all the rest).




Piccadilly's gumbo.  This was in Heritage Park Mall if I have the name correctly.  The best place in town for gumbo....we were limited.



Across the Street's Spaghetti Red.  I think this restaurant was where Checker's is now if memory serves.  I remember having the chili over the spaghetti a lot.




Dairy Mart's fried apricot pies on Thursday.  Now this goes way back.........to my high school days.  My parents told me I could eat out for lunch as long as I had money to pay for it, but they were only going to give me what it costs at the cafeteria, $1.25 a week, a quarter a week.  I could usually come up with a few extra cents a week, but more often than that I could eat for $1.25 a week; 5 days.  On Thursday's, the Lion's Club had their lunch at the Dairy Mart, and that was the day Dairy Mart made fried pies.  I don't remember the exact cost, but I would get a fried pie and ice cream-LUNCH! 



Dairy Boat's Frito chili pies in a bag.  And lime ice!!!!!!!!!!!!  One of the ways I was able to scrounge enough money for the week was Dairy Boat's Frito Chili Pies; a bag of Fritos slit open, chili and cheese over the chips - 15 cents!!!  Those were the days.  Remember the Lime Ice?  Crushed ice with lime juice and salt.  We loved them!


Just a few memories of restaurants that have come and sadly, gone.  Hope you enjoyed reminiscing with me. 


I love you.

The Calm Before the Storm

Well, here it is, 7:21 p.m.  The winds have calmed, the sun is setting, my house is clean, no TV, and it is very quiet.  I have my Pandora radio station tuned to piano solo.  I haven't felt this relaxed in a long, long while.  Very soothing and comforting.  The music reminds me so much of my sisters playing in the evening so long ago. 


This is the quiet before the storm.  Spring break starts tomorrow and my boys will be in and out of our house all week...........no time for soft piano music that's for sure. 


Our lives are sure to change next Thursday.  Nothing will be the same after that day.  Exciting!  Not much longer and dreams become reality.


But for now, tonight, we have the calm before the storm.  Good evening to all. 


I love you.