A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Office

Scene: Wednesday morning around 8:30 AM on 290 East just outside of Houston, Texas.
Characters: A woman nearing 50; her husband (offstage)
(A woman in a black pick-up truck is making her morning commute to the office. Her husband is about fifteen minutes ahead of her on the same route.
As she approaches a very narrow section of highway that is under major road construction, she notices something littering the shoulder. Upon moving closer, she recognizes the debris as approximately a dozen watermelons in various degrees of fragmentation -- from a whole (yet cracked) melon to barely identifiable segments.)
She picks up her phone to call her husband. [A legal action in the state of Texas, by the way.]
The phone rings through her Bluetooth.
Husband: "Hello."
Wife: "Hey, Baby. Are you busy?"
Husband : "Not really. Been on the phone."
Wife: "Do you remember the comedian, Gallagher?"
Husband : (warily) "Yes, why?"
Wife: (coyly) "Do you happen to know if he has been in Houston recently?"
Husband : (confused and very drawn out) "No. Why?"
Wife: (smiling at her own wit). "Because I just saw a load of smashed watermelons on 290."
(At this point, the husband dies laughing and the wife, feeling pleased with her great sense of humor, sighs with relief. She knew it was cheesy and had feared a less receptive response--at the very least, a pained groan.)
Husband: (still laughing)
Wife: "Did you see them on your way through?"
Husband: (chuckling) "No, but just as you called I watched the car ahead of me dodge two watermelons that rolled out of the back of the white pick-up ahead of him."
(The wife frowns, realizing yet again that it is not her sense of humor that cracks him up. But her sense of timing certainly does!)
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Location:Thompson Rd,Waller,United States

Flashback Friday: What's All The Commotion About?

Commotion: 
1. A condition of turbulent motion.
2. a. An agitated disturbance; a hubbub.
   b. Civil disturbance or insurrection; disorder.
                   (Definition taken from The Free Dictionary)

Back in February, I walked outside one morning to the sound of thunder that was so intense that I immediately lifted my eyes to the sky to see if maybe lightning were about to strike me.  But the skies were calm.

I walked around the end of the house to see this:

I got so tickled watching Titter headbutt the water trough that I could barely hold the camera still to zoom in closer.

Our bull is sometimes certifiable!

The Herd

Have you seen our herd lately?  

We are up to eleven (11!!!!) head of cattle!  

Miss January

Miss March

Titter

Daddy's Girl

Wild Child

Arya

"The Steer"

Joker's Wild

Yoo-hoo

Black Bart

& the yet to be named baby bull

Watching them graze causes a calm to wrap around you like a warm blanket on a cool morning.

And then THEY see YOU and the bellowing begins.

..so enjoy the calm while you can.

The Ultimate Cliffhanger

As most of you know, I love to read!  Reading relaxes me...it stretches my imagination...and it makes me think.  But nothing has ever stretched me as far as The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett.

Linked to Amazon

This book has been on my "To Read" list for quite some time.  Imagine my surprise when I found a hardback copy of it languishing on a shelf at Half Price Books back in April.  And it was marked for $1.99!  What luck!  What providence!  I knew that I would soon be making a trip to Arkansas for my mother's surgery and this book would be a perfect companion for my stay.  Short.  Interesting.  Easy to read.

So, I packed it for BOTH trips.  It accompanied me to Little Rock when the surgery was suddenly rescheduled for the following week.  It then traveled with me to Branson, MO on vacation with my mother-in-law, back to her home in Pocahontus, AR and then across the northern top of the state to Fayetteville for my niece's graduation from the University of Arkansas.  All of that travel and I still hadn't cracked it's cover.  This was being saved for the day of the five hour surgery.  It was to be my distraction.

The following week, I decided to fly back to Little Rock instead of making the eight hour drive for the second time in just a few days.  I opened the book and began reading on the flight over.  It was to be less than an hour in the air and I knew I would still have plenty of goodness left over to entertain me during surgery the next day.

Well, thankfully surgery took only 30 minutes.  The surgeon found the infection to be MUCH, MUCH less invasive than they had feared.  Mom's five day hospital stay turned into two days...and she was up and moving around almost immediately.  Due to all of those factors, I had very little time to read before my flight back home on Thursday.  So, I devoured as much of it as I could during my trip back to Houston and looked forward to finishing it over the weekend.

I mean, with reviews like this on Amazon...who wouldn't look forward to finishing it?

• "A deliciously funny novella that celebrates the pleasure of reading." 
• "And just at the point at which the reader might wonder how Bennett will ever end this wonderful romp, he surprises us with an absolutely perfect ending, which takes place on the Queen's eightieth birthday. Like the dramatist that he is, Bennett knows exactly when to stop. And does". Mary Whipple
• "There's a little treasure around every corner in this wry book. The final scene is pure theater of the absurd, and the final paragraph will probably make you laugh out loud. Highly recommended." Linda Bulger, 2008

So, imagine my surprise, shock and aggravation when I turned that next to last page only to find the FINAL PAGE MISSING!!!  Ripped from the binding with just a few jagged edges lying against the back cover.  That "absolutely perfect ending" that I still don't know.  That "final paragraph" that "will probably make you laugh out loud" and I never got to laugh...out loud or otherwise!  And lest you think I haven't been trying to finish one of the most interesting reads of the year -- I look in every bookstore I walk into for a copy.  After all, I don't want to buy another book just to read the very last paragraph!  

So, if any of you out there happen to have a copy, would you mind emailing me the last page?  LOL!

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

Hope your day is as special as you are.

We love you to the moon and back!

Mom & Dad

Flashback Friday: The Ultimate One

As I was looking through my draft file this week, I found the Ultimate Flashback Friday to share with you guys. These pictures were taken years ago, loaded and never posted. These come from back when we only had three grandchildren!

Maddux and his chubby cheek grin

Brooke coloring...not much has changed

Davin, Brianne, Brooke, Kelli, Maddux and Meagan

These pictures were snapped at Chili's one afternoon when Meagan and I met the rest for lunch.  I think these were taken just after she started to work for us...and Brianne was keeping Davin for her. I also think this was the last time Kelli cut her hair because it is now super long!

Sweet pictures!  I just have no idea the date that they were taken!  Maybe Spring/Summer 2011?

The Skies Of Houston

The skies of Houston are heavy laden with rain these days.

Don't get me wrong.  We have needed the rain...still need it.

But as I drove in to work this morning, the thought struck me as to how much these skies reminded me of my  own heart.

Heavy laden over...

                   ....a friend who lost her dad,
                   ....a friend who lost her husband,
                   ....another who is losing her son-in-law to cancer,
                   ....an employee who is battling his second type of cancer in less than two years,
                   ....families in pain,
                   ....marriages in crisis,
                   ....relationships broken,
                   ....illnesses that can't be explained,

...you get the point.

All of this to say: if the Lord brings someone to your mind today, would you please take a moment to pray for them -- and perhaps let them know that you are thinking of them too.

After all, Galatians 6:2 instructs us to, "bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ." (NASB)  You and I might need someone to come alongside us one day soon.

Love you much!

Key West: The Final Day

On our last full day in Key West, we finally made our way to Blue Heaven for breakfast. It was something that we had talked about doing since arriving...but hadn't made the time.  I am so glad we didn't miss it!

Artists at work in the waiting area

Stacy and Robin...the best part of this annual trip is time spent with these two ladies.

The ambiance...an open air cafe

with chickens running amok!

The crazy thing about our visit wasn't the rooster perched on umbrellas or the hen with her little chicks running under our table.  No, it was the hostess who was walking near our table when an iguana tinkled on her head.  Talking about freaking everyone out for a minute... that did it!

Even so, if you find yourself in the Keys at brunch time... this is a place you have to take in!  You will want to spend your day just sitting there...and the food was delicious!

Next we took in a few more of the sights we had been meaning to get to...but Island Time just kept sucking us in.

The Lighthouse

Ernest Hemingway's house: I had just finished reading The Sun Also Rises before our visit.

After our stop at the Hemingway House, we made our way to Truman's Little White House.  Our tour tickets were delayed due to the tour before us taking too long and we had reservations for dinner...so we left without getting to take the tour.  (But I did pick up a Christmas ornament to remember our visit.)

After getting back to the hotel to change for dinner, we decided that we would rather call off dinner and sit out by the water.  You would think we would have spent a lot of time sitting by water in Key West...but this was our only down time.

The man-made beach at the hotel...but the water was beautiful!

Our view of the sun bathing deck.

Just in case you  doubted we were really in the Conch Republic.  LOL!

Sunset from the opposite side of the island than the Sunset sail.

The moon rising behind us.

The next day we loaded up and headed back to Miami to catch our flight...which was delayed...and then we were deplaned...and we thought we might never get to leave Miami...but as you can see, we did make it home eventually!

Key West: A Sunset Cruise

On Saturday evening of our trip, Robin had booked us passage on the Schooner Jolly II Rover for a sunset sail.

The bar at the Conch Republic Seafood Company...where we awaited our time to board.

Aye, Matey...we were sailing under the pirate flag!

My two partners in crime, er traveling buddies.

Our Captain climbing the mast

Yes, he was UP THERE!

Some of the crew at work...they let the passengers try their hands at hoisting the sails.

The haze in the sky was caused by the burning of the fields in Cuba -- 90 miles away.

Stacy took her turn as First Mate

Isn't this gorgeous?

My favorite picture: the sun set framing the other sail boat

We even got to fire our cannons at them!

Sunset on the water...breathtaking!

Unfortunately for us, the winds were non-existent for most of our time on the water, so we didn't really get to feel the breeze on our face.  We had to option of sailing again on a different day for free, but our time was running out.  The crew was fantastic and we had a lot of fun...despite the weather.

Key West: Under the (Cuban) Influence

Okay, so I was looking in my 'Draft' folder for some Flashback Friday posts when I found several that never made it up from our Grandma's Gone Wild trip to Key West. Since months have passed since then and I can't remember all the details...I'll keep it short and sweet.

Momma hen with her baby chick in the square

On our second day in Key West, we had lunch in an old cigar warehouse that has been turned into a neat Cuban restaurant.  El Meson de Pepe...check it out.

Doesn't this look like a fun place to visit?

I was told that this was the most photographed sign in the whole place.  Anyone wanna join me?

Checking out the menu...and I will say the food was terrific!

Daddy Rooster was waiting for us when we walked outside.

They still hand roll cigars in the gift shop area.  I picked up a box for Jim.

After lunch we walked through the shops at Mallory Square.

The Old Man and The Sea

Cool little gift shop

Palm trees along the beach

Key West has its own vibe...and I think everyone should visit at least once.  I will try to get the rest of the pictures up one day, even if the commentary is short.  Let's just say "What happens in Key West, stays in Key West!"

Flashback Friday: O Say Can You See

Today's flashback goes WAY BACK...all the way back to last Thursday! LOL!

I've been meaning to post pictures from our 4th of July celebration all week.  And since it occurred over a week ago, I figured it could technically count as a Flashback!

Last Thursday, the family gathered at our house for a Independence Day celebration unlike the ones we have grown accustomed to since having grandchildren.  This is usually our Family Vacation week.  But due to unforeseen circumstances, the Lake House that we normally rent is no longer available.  When we searched for an alternate vacation rental, we just couldn't find one that both (a) fit all 15 of us and (b) had a private swimming pool, which is where the women and children spend most of their time.

So instead, we:

...took pictures in our patriotic attire...

Delayne all decked out for her first 4th of July picnic

...went swimming in the wading pool with our favorite cousin...

Brooke and Davin getting ready to jump in the pool

...checked out boxes and boxes of fireworks, discussing who would get to shoot what...

Brooke, Maddux and Davin studying Uncle Josh's fireworks

...took pictures of all the special people visiting around our kitchen table...

Elliot, fresh from a nap, with Kelli

Chelsea listening to Brooke's story

Brian waiting on dessert

Bri, our birthday girl

...turned our favorite cousin into our personal pony ride...

Maddux, Davin and Delayne

...opened birthday presents galore (there are four birthdays to celebrate each July -- not counting Davin, who gets his own party later in the month)...

My new crossbow from my honey, perfume from my grandchildren, and crossbow accessories from my children.

Be afraid!  Be very afraid!  (The bandanna is actually Will's not mine.  Jim just thought this would be a funny photo.)

...and enjoyed to fireworks.

Brian, Will, Derrick, Bri, Josh and Davin
Our own personal arsonists...I mean pyrotechnicians.

Fireworks illuminating the sky.

Is there any better way to spend the 4th?  I think not.