Domingo Delicioso #9

Wow. Where have I been, what have I been doing, and who all’s missed me?

Well, like these tortoises, my life’s been moving faster than it looks lately.

It all started with my birthday. After celebrating with my family a day early, the next night and day our car club hosted some fellow PT Cruisers, Big D Cruisers from Dallas. We went out to the Texas Roadhouse for supper that Friday for some fellowship and fun. Only part of it wasn’t very fun for me…see you know those birthday things restaurants do? Well, one of my so-called friends, who’s supposed to know me well enough to know better, told the server it was my birthday. So they come over and make me haul my fat butt onto a kiddie saddle while they sing happy birthday to me. I hated it. Look at the fat lady on the little saddle! Saddle? What saddle? I know. I didn’t hear this out loud, but in my mind it was screaming. I try so hard not to attract too much attention to myself…well, I do. (Y’all quit snickering. I mean it!) I suppose I’ll live, but it was awful.

The rest of the night went well, though, and we had a lot of fun. They made up for it later by surprising me with a cake that had our club logo and a nice birthday wish on it. Awwww!

The next day, we all went out to Palo Duro Canyon for a cookout and to see the outdoor drama TEXAS. It was pretty hot…but it was beautiful in the canyon because of the rain we’ve been blessed with this year. Wildflowers and greenery everywhere. And the creek was filled with water too…we went wading. Now, when I was a kid, we did these canyon cookouts all the time, and I didn’t hesitate to plop into the water with barefooted abandon. These days, though, now that I’m all growed up and have pampered, pedicured tootsies, those rocks dug right in and hurt! But rather than look like some kind of sissy, I wiggled my toes into the red clay of the bottom and splashed around with the others.

Until someone said, “Snake!”

I’m done. One of the girls hopped out of the water as soon as I did, and as we were drying off our feet and sliding on our shoes, the other girl with us wondered what kind of snake it was.

“Water moccasin,” I answer as I watch the reptile in question wiggle through the water from beneath the spillway of the crossing.

“No, it’s not a water moccasin,” this transplanted Yankee comments, as sure as she was when she told me that one of the wildflowers I pointed out to her earlier definitely wasn’t a thistle. (I know doggone well it was, as I’d just had this discussion with a friend a few days before, complete with library confirmation.)

Dadgummit, woman, I really like ya, but I know what I’m talkin’ about here, I thought. But you don’t say things like that out loud to guests.

Do you know what she does then? She tries to catch the snake! Insane, I tell ya. And even though this snake is a predator, and I have NO sympathy for snakes and I’d as soon kill them as not, (though I’m cool with lizards and horned toads) I actually felt a little sorry for the snake as it writhed frantically to stay out of the grip of a determined tourist. It got away, and we avoided potential disaster.

The outdoor drama was great. At the beginning of the program, a lone trumpet plays through the speakers, and a rider on a horse trots along the top rim of the canyon, holding a giant Texas flag backlit by the setting sun. My heart swells with pride. (See the second video in my VodPod widget in the sidebar.) After dark, we can look up and see the stars sparkling, much like they must have when the Comanche camped there and, later, when the cowboys sang to their herds. The music of the canyon itself sings through the tunes and dancing of the play; cicadas, frogs, crickets and the whisper of the evening breeze. I was so proud to show off this gem of the Texas Panhandle to our friends from Dallas.

After the show, we went out to our Cruisers and lit them up and showed them off in an impromptu show and shine for those leaving the production. That was pretty neat. I get so tickled at my husband. He’s really put a lot of work into his car, with the neon, chrome and his latest addition of the Lambo doors. (See my pics in the Flickr strip to the side.) I’m glad he has so much fun with it.

There’s been a lot more going on…Toddler came and stayed with us for a week, my Dad’s brother, who we haven’t seen since the funeral 6 years ago, surprised us with a visit, we hosted the Panhandle Council of Car Clubs Cruise night, and then, sadly, Ronda’s funeral… I have a lot more to tell you, but it’s more than one blog entry will hold.

I’m NEVER this busy. Weird. But fun.

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C-man is back in town! I’ve hardly seen him all summer. . .Oh yeah I got the eyebrows up from my husband on the new lighter blond me.

It stinks when kids get more vacations that the grown-ups! Oh, and Squirrel, are you sure you meant ‘eyebrows?’ Glad hubby liked the new you!

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You can get it with “Finlandia University” written out, or just the university’s initials. Me? I’m definitely an initial kind of gal. . . I’ve said it before, all Finlandia University needs is a School of Business, and I’d buy mugs by the gross. Hell, I’d even consider taking a few courses, just so I could be a proud alumnus of good old, F.U., S.O.B.

HA! Ms. Karen, this reminds me of the movie The Odd Couple. Oscar is railing at Felix about all his annoying OCD habits, including the notes Felix left on his pillow signed “FU.” Oscar says, “It took me forever to figure out that ‘FU’ meant Felix Unger!”

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This evening when I went out, I noticed a snail without a house. It was moving across the patio. Some of you might call it a slug.

Ewww, Steve, I’ve caught THREE of these INSIDE my house lately. yuck yuck yuck. What makes them abandon their cozy homes that way? And how come are they oozing into my house? ewww. The pups get so excited, and seem to laugh as I freak out. ugh.

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I also attended the Frontiers in Writing Conference in Amarillo, Texas where I caught up with old friends and made some new ones.

Ahh, Britta! So sorry I missed you! I go out of town every summer at the same time for a family reunion, so I never make this conference! I hope to get to see you next time you get to town! Looking forward to your next book!

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CURSE YOU, BEETLE SCUM!!! (and your bald-headed friends, too!)

Quick, Groovy, to the hamper! Must enable happy pants! Where’s the washer?!

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Right now I’m getting close and cuddly with a bag of frozen peas. Desperate times call for desperate measures. heh. . . My diet lately consists of ICE/WATER/Some new slushy fruit thing by Dole (I think)/ Dryers Popsicles/ and apples.

Oooh, dink, I hate heat like that. As I type, I am parked in front of my A/C. (Not to rub it in, or anything. )Hope yours gets fixed–SOON!

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THIS is so cool, Elizabeth!

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“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!”

Oh, Gabrielle, this made me laugh so hard!

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Yes, I really am that big of nerd.

Well, count me in, Kelly. We’ve already been to see it, too!

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And, just for grins: