Wheels

After what seems like days of staying inside due to eating blowing dirt every time you exit your car, home, or office, I am playing catch up today.  There is the same piddling around the house that everyone else does.  Laundry, load and empty the dishwasher, try to eliminate piles that have accumulated throughout the last week or so -- it all seems neverending.  I feel like I spend most of my time spinning my wheels.

Speaking of wheels, I am a car girl.  I like cars.  All cars -- new, old, souped up, sporty, luxurious -- not too picky.  Now gadgets are my weakness.  I do love me some car gadgets.  There are a few things that are required in my cars.  Many cup holders, mandatory.  I need storage, lots of it.  Good lighting, inside the car as well as out.  The headlights can't be dinky.  I can drive a standard transmission, but is that really necessary anymore?  I will if I have to, but I prefer to hold my Coca-Cola with that hand.  Then they started putting more power ports in the cars.  Great when I had kids who had a tech device that needed charging, but the 12-volt chargers aren't too speedy.   The first car I owned that had a 110 volt plug-in put me over the moon.  Didn't use it too often, but hey, if I needed it, it was there.  I thought it was the coolest thing ever.  Once, totally by accident, I ended up with a car that had heated seats.  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  Now I can't live without them.  Ridiculous!  Then they added air conditioning to those same seats.  I'm totally spoiled.  And I'm not even going to talk about my tech things.  You would roll your eyes.  I swear.  Navigation, satellite radio, MP3 and USB plugs, just tech me out to the N'th degree.

Maybe you figured out I am shopping for a car.  No hurry.  I really like the one I have, and I think I have owned it longer than almost any other car in my life.  But it has no rattles, no problems -- it's a dream.  And it is for sale... just saying.  2010 Lexus GX 460 loaded, new tires, 54K miles.  Check the blue book and give me a call if you want to look at it.

I happen to carry a family gene that gravitates me to cars, and a few of the new ones are catching my eye.  Plus, some new gadgets have come out in the last 5 years.  

I might need them.  

The problem lies in the shopping for the new car.  Wouldn't you rather have a root canal?  As soon as someone simplifies this process, makes it more pleasant, and keeps me from overpaying for a car, please share that information.  I don't like to consolidate a group of workers and criticize them on the whole, but I can definitely say, I have had more painful experiences that were a waste of time than I have had smooth and reasonable ones when buying cars.  Gosh, it can be irritating.

It seems like a salesperson has nothing to do all day but sell me a car.  I, on the other hand, do not want to spend all day buying a car.  You can't talk me into it.  You have what I am looking for, or you don't.  So when I finally find what I am looking for, the fun begins.  I got into an argument with a guy in Dallas yesterday over insurance and why he couldn't sell me this car without a change to my insurance card.  The story is too long to tell, but he made the mistake of saying "we are required by law..."  Oops.  You want to talk about laws?  Pretty sure I told you I worked in a law office.  I repeated my question and asked to speak to his supervisor.  The supervisor, new car sales manager for the whole dealership says, "yes, Texas state law requires..."  So I said that I needed to see that statute, and please note the article and section where I can read that for myself.  Guess what!  He didn't know the exact statute, and he wasn't willing to check.... I know, shocking.  Realizing how clueless they all were, I was more polite than I should have been, and I ended this conversation.  

This was after over an hour on the phone. 

Good.  Bye.

Heck, it's nearly May.  Might as well wait and see what 2015 has to offer.

They usually come out in the fall...

I need to go rotate that laundry.

Wheels

I'm Flaky

Remember all that positivity I was sending out the other day?  I changed my mind.  It's gone.  I am not tough enough to be a pioneer.  Not gonna lie.  That wind is getting on my last nerve!  My weather app says highest gust so far is 58 mph.  That's unreasonable.  Good grief!

This picture does not accurately depict the strength of the winds today.  These trees were at a 45º angle as I tried to get a decent picture.  The normally blue sky is brown.  Lovely east view off my back porch.

Yes, and off to the direct north, we have the airport.  Less than a mile as the crow flies from our back porch... check out the twin engine preparing for take off.  You can't even see the tetrahedron to the left which helps determine the wind's current direction.  It's out of the north, but there is some west cross to it.  I watched this guy take off, and from the porch, I could hear him rev his engines up to what sounded like as high as they could go.  Then he started creeping, I mean like a turtle, down the runway.  This wasn't looking too good from my angle, but I was confident the pilot knew what he was doing.  It took what seemed like forever, but sure enough, due to the ridiculously high winds, he was lifting off that runway far prior to the halfway point.  Flying straight into the great brown yonder.  Poor guy.  Or gal.

 I feel obligated to show you every direction.  It's a need to prove that my crankiness is warranted.  Looking south, I fear these trees could snap at any moment.  Pictures don't do it justice.  I should have used a video clip, but that would have been irritating to you because I couldn't hold the camera still.

Oh, and this makes me happy.  Clean windows 5 days ago.

Just sprinkles, no rain, followed by blowing dirt = more work.

This is always what happens when I wash my car.

Here is a selfie demonstrating the wildness of the winds.  Do you suppose there is a reason my hair is blowing up to look like devil horns?  I could barely stand still.  I took it facing glass doors, and yes, I am under the complete cover of the porch. 

Forgive me for telling you how I really feel.  I prefer to sugar coat things.

I'm Flaky

God Speaks

Not sure exactly why, but I skipped church this morning.  I heard the wind howling even worse than yesterday.  Walls and windows were rattling.  We have a weather station in the house, and it was showing winds between 35 and 55 miles per hour.  Chief, who leaves the house every morning very early, and on Sundays, he makes it back to town in time for church -- called and said the wind was blowing. 

 (Oh, really?  Thanks.)  Here was his proof.  He thinks he is a comedian.  

 This is what a farmer does when the wind is unbelievably high, and your farm ground (top soil) starts to blow away.  You go out there with tractors, and you try to 'rough it up' so to speak, to keep it from blowing until the ground is slick-smooth.  After I saw this picture he sent, I didn't move very quickly to get out the door.  I peeked out the windows in every direction.  Same view.  Brown-ness.   Somehow the idea of eating dirt and my skirt possibly blowing over my head kept me at home.

I've told you about my problems with breakfast, so I poured myself a giant glass of iced tea, and found that Joel Osteen was just starting on tv.  Next best thing, I thought.  His message was about God speaking to us and how we have to listen.  We have to have open minds and be receptive to every thought that pops in there, because that's one way God moves us.  Even when we think, no, that can't be right -- God is always right.  We have to listen.  We have to be receptive.  He gave several real life examples of this happening in his life, his dad's life, and even strangers who had shared their tiny nudges and their choices to listen or wish later they had.

After Joel finished, I was left wanting more.  I was flipping around looking for another minister to listen to, when I got a text.  It was unusual, and it was from a friend from out of town.  My friend texted me from church to tell me something hilarious that was happening in the praise band at their church right that moment.  It was funny, but I sent a quick text back (correctly predicting the sermon reference) and decided we would finish this later. 

Sure enough, my friend contacted me almost immediately upon returning home, and we continued this conversation.  Their family is dealing with some heavy stuff, and they aren't sure where to turn for the type of help they need.  The problem is not new.  We talked a little about where they had been, where they were headed, the history of the situation, and recent scary events.  If I hadn't have been home, I would have missed this.  I'm not sure if I was helpful to the friend, or if the help and conversation was for me.  But I was listening.

I am having a hard time believing that God wanted me to stay home this morning.  Maybe I really did need to be available for the conversation with the friend that I ended up having.  Sometimes you are listening and you don't even know you are listening.

God Speaks

Positive Things Anyone Can Do

Last week, I was reading an article about Ginger Zee, a broadcast meteorologist on Good Morning America.  She is a beautiful, spunky 33 year old, engaged young woman, and she is preparing for her upcoming wedding.  She said she does squats while she is brushing her teeth and that she has always done that.  She started doing it in college.  What a great idea!  And what other similar exercises could one do in the privacy of their own home that would have awesome effects?  This isn't Ginger, but I found this You Tube video showing proper form.

I have this exercise I do that I never do in front of anyone.  My laundry room is on the opposite end of my house from my bedroom.  When I am doing laundry and making the trips back and forth from one end of the house to the other, I do deep lunges.  My arms are usually full, so I'm working on balance, as well as doing the lunges, which are supposedly one of the most magic exercises you can do for your legs.  I sometimes have a hard time getting to my organized exercise class, so any substitute thing I can do makes me feel like I'm getting benefits.  

Found another You Tube video showing proper form!

Positive doesn't have to mean physical exercise.  A kind word, saying hello to a stranger -- there are tons of ways to share positivity every day.

Nothing makes me happier than to receive a handwritten note in the mail.  There is something vintage and cozy-feeling about it.  I have people in my life who are really good at this, and I don't know if they know the impact it has.  I don't do it as often as I should, but every time I receive one, I vow to do it better.  In fact, I have a box.  When a personal note is particularly touching (most of them), I toss it in that box.  By the way, if you haven't watched Jimmy Fallon write his Thank You notes on Friday nights, you are really missing something!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  This is what I have been told.  So my positive advice for you is, eat a good and healthy breakfast.  BUT.  Here I am, beyond middle-aged, and I cannot find a breakfast plan that works for me.  It's a real struggle.  When I wake up, I am simply not hungry.  For my entire life, I have found it difficult to eat if I am not hungry.  It makes me feel nauseated.  Usually, I have no problem making it to lunch -- and until I find a breakfast plan, I'm out.

Remind yourself of the rights afforded to you by the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights (the first 10 amendments), and the later amendments.  I prefer to interpret these kinds of things myself.  Everyone that can read and comprehend these documents should do exactly that.  Same reason I won't talk about politics or anything related here.  

We can make this world a better place by showing kindness and dropping the negativity.  In my world, it is not appreciated.  :)

Positive Things Anyone Can Do

Jets

Last year, I got an unbelievable opportunity to fly in an Aero L-39 Albatros.  

This is a Czech designed and built aircraft with some Soviet Union parts, like the engine.  It is still in use today by some Soviet allies.  I talked about my ride last August, but it was brought to the forefront of my mind today when I read a story about my buddy, Dan Bailey, former Oklahoma State University football kicker, and now the ever-consistent kicker for the Dallas Cowboys, going on a ride very similar to mine.  His ride was with the Blue Angels.

 

Here is the link to his flight prep and some of the footage of him in the flight.

Dan Bailey - Blue Angels Flight Video

Just like Dan, when our jet left the runway, we started a steep climb and banked hard to the right.  It kind of takes your breath away when you realize, "of course I am sitting back hard in my seat, 

I should have expected we would get right to it."

I have similar video of myself during my flight, and it makes me know I need to get that edited and put up on You Tube.  I sat down to do that once, and with two cameras, each with over 90 minutes of video, 

it became time consuming and overwhelming.

In Dan Bailey's video, he keeps his composure.  In his video, he has a stern or serious look on his face.  In my video, all you can see is my teeth, I am smiling so big.  I am yelling, I am talking, and I am asking questions.  After what feels like 30 minutes, I get quiet.  The enormity of what I am doing and how I will probably never do it again sets in.  I start to look around in every direction.  There were beautiful clouds in the sky that day, and I will never forget the silence and the 180 degree view from my left shoulder all the way up and over to my right shoulder.

Apparently, I have a stomach of steel.  And I was able to fly, control, roll and loop-tee-do our jet.  Dan doesn't mention whether or not he got to actually steer or fly his plane.  I'm sure he did.  My bet is on the fact that he is not allowed to talk about it.  He pulls 7 G's.  Pssssshhhhhhh............ 

Yeah, well, I can't kick a football between the uprights.

Yet again, being an NFL player must have its perks, because I was not allowed to consider riding along on a U.S. military jet.  I believe I was permitted to accompany my friend, Dan, (different Dan) the pilot, on a training mission" after signing my name in 23 places on some document taking full responsibility for my choice to ride along and holding no one responsible by doing so.  The video I have really is quite amazing.  As soon as I can find the time, I will pull that together.

Jets

Lily and Chief Welcome Their First

I don't even know where to start.  We were encouraged by our kids to pick our grandparent names.  As part of my year-long 50th birthday celebration/rebellion, I thought we had to think of names that might sound kind of hip.  We wanted names that wouldn't sound ridiculous when our future-25-year-old grandkids called us by the name they grew up calling us.  Lily was a no-brainer.  But Chief is hilarious because he is the only one in our little nuclear family that doesn't have an Indian blood card.   As of now, that's what we are called.  If she wants to change it, all bets are off.  She might be running this show at our house...  

You have two grandparents-to-be that have no idea what to expect, and everyone we have asked has said, "oh, it's just the best thing ever!" -and- "there's nothing like it!"  I have had almost a full week to digest the fact that we are grandparents.  In the flesh.  She is here.  And she is perfect.

We got the call at 4:15-ish A.M. on 4-14-14.  "Details unnecessary, but the baby is definitely coming today."  The kids were in the car on icy, slick roads driving the 100 miles to the hospital where our first grandchild would be born.  Frankly, I was not all that calm. 

So here is what I did.  Yes, it was almost April 15th, and I had a few tax details to finish up before we left.  I went into the office, and finished up all my paperwork, prepared everything for mailing, and answered a few emails.  Then, I jumped in the shower, and put on my makeup -- just like a normal day, but it was now 7:25 A.M.  Yeah, the unusual part of it is that I would not normally do all of that prior to 7:25 A.M.  Under these circumstances, three busy hours enabled me to tie up the loose ends.  I grabbed a few comfortable things to wear, all my cameras and chargers, threw it all in a cute grandma bag, and off I went.

And here is what Chief did.  He rolled over and went back to sleep.  His exact words were, "Really, Liz, what do you expect me to do?"  He got up and went to the ranch as usual at 6:30 A.M.  After the initial rounds, he headed toward the hospital, too.

I arrived in the hospital about 10:00 A.M. -- there hadn't been much delivery progress, so I was glad I had taken that extra hour to shower and get organized.  She didn't arrive until about 5:40 P.M.  Glad we had a big lunch, and I started celebrating early with that margarita.  My gut feeling was that I was going to win the most brownie points with my son if I could just be the kind of help they needed.  I didn't want to be in the way, I didn't want to step in the room or knock on the door at the wrong time.  No doubt, I was clueless at the grandparent thing, but I was going to do my darnedest to help or stay out of the way.  Their choice.  But -- oh.  my.  gosh.  Look at her!

This week I have thought a lot about how we are not the first people in the world to be grandparents.  We are not the only people in the world to think we have a beautiful granddaughter.  Really, the only thing that I am beginning to comprehend is the differences between being a parent and being a grandparent.  And it is a big deal!  :)

Is she perfect?  I'm sure of it.  But before this week, I was confident that babies are little miracles, and any way you look at it, they are all perfect.  It is important to me to not minimize anyone else's joys, but I do want to share my excitement and discoveries.  If you are a grandparent, I'm not going to have any news for you.  The deal is, I just have to talk about it.  My perspectives may be too general and unimpressive, but I hope that I can elaborate in an entertaining way. 

This was a good sign.  Happy in the car seat.  A two hour ride home could go one of two ways.  I was told that traveling very much agreed with her.  I don't think she made a peep.

During the whole pregnancy, I wondered what my role would be.  Gosh, it's been a long time since I have held a newborn baby.  And this baby has a direct connection to us -- we are related!  I've already promised her we can watch all the Disney princess movies together, and we can dress up to do it.  And we will sing the songs -- loudly!  Additionally, I have assured her parents that I will have her reading by next week.  I crack myself up.

Baby O is beautiful, and one of her strong points is that she is a phenomenal eater.  Seriously, how many things can you be awesome at when you are one week old?  She is not very fussy, she is a champion burp artist, and her parents are truly goo goo over her -- as are the rest of us.  It is all really great as of today.  Everything is still very new for all of us, but we are in love!

 While we receive congratulations from our friends and other grandparents, I continue to ask any and everyone for grandparent advice.  Usually, the most I get is "oh, it's the best thing ever," and "there is simply nothing like it!"  Today, someone finally gave it to me straight.  This guy at church said, "you just punt."  Bam!  That's what we have been doing, but he and his wife have a little more experience than us, and I believe he nailed it.  Terms I can understand.  Sometimes there is no perfect or right way.  

You just punt.

Lily and Chief Welcome Their First

Prepping

No, I have not let go of the fact that I could be holding a new baby by the end of the week.  A TINY BABY in my arms in the next week to ten days!  It is happening!  We are counting the minutes, but we are trying to be cool.  Part of that being cool thing is because we don't know what the heck is going to happen.  Right, we've seen babies and been around them, but this is going to be totally different.  I think we will feel strongly about and love this little baby girl more than we can even comprehend yet.  Can someone please tell me what is going down?

There is this tiny part of me that is being rebellious.  Really?  Us?  Grandparents?  We have friends who are parents of babies and toddlers.  We do not know where we fit in... so I bought a car seat, we got a 'pack and play,' we have diapers, wipes -- pretty sure we are good to go.

The big event of the weekend was the season premiere of "Mad Men."  Well, that and the Masters golf tournament.  With the expected snow this week (*eyeroll*) -- we built a fire, and while the rancher was on the phone, I put the 'pack and play' together.  As this task was being completed, I became frustrated with the amount of safety tags and safety information affixed to this piece of baby equipment.  He got off the phone just in time to see me pour a glass of wine, and grab another pair of scissors.  He quickly jumped in before anyone got hurt.  See those little owls on the mobile?  Each one had FIVE little tags attached to it.  I swear, we cut 50+ tags off of every part of this thing. 

I know, this shouldn't be what it takes, but Lily likes her fermented grapes.

Seriously?  A 36 page manual did provide some of the answers to the couple of questions I had.  Probably could have figured it out by myself, but I thought the manual might be faster.  Uhm...., no.  The rancher went after the phillips screwdriver and the Exacto knife.  We proceeded to cut and clip every single tag off of all 46 pieces of this very important piece of baby equipment.  The caution and safety tags are senseless.  Who really reads those things?  It's like those permanent safety notices they iron on to the headliner in your car.  I mean, the people that these are meant for, are probably unable or unwilling to read them.  For instance, don't leave the baby on the changing table unattended.  Okay, thanks.  Great idea.  And any person that has any money to buy one of these things, does not need to be told that you should keep plastic away from babies while they are in the bassinet or bed.  How about you keep plastic away from infants at all times?  Oh.  My.  Gosh.  As I've said before, not my first rodeo.  I was just irritated at the assumption that anyone needed to be told these things.  And I was doubly irritated that we had to take approximately 30 minutes, maybe 45, carefully cutting these tags out because they are unattractive and unnecessary.  Sheesh!

Prepping