Wishing We Had Some Of This Bygone Rain Now.

This entry popped up in my Facebook memories from 9 years ago.  I had just returned from visiting Mama and I was complaining about the rain. LOL. These days, with a month of greater than 100F days, all I want is some of that drated rain. Never satisfied. 

July 29, 2013

Home again safe and sound after a week in the Non-Sunshine State. Non because it rained daily the two weeks before I arrived, and the daily monsoons continued during the week I was there. 

It rained so much, both of the trucks a friend has were molding because they couldn't dry out. Mama's driveway was home to a school of pan-sized catfish. At mid-day the skeeters were so thick, their wingspan obliterated the sun when it peeked out of the clouds. Mama's garden-that-used-to-be-pond was a pond once more. In a frantic attempt to find a dry place, a cute little  wet tree frog jumped (multiple times) inside my SUV--the last time I sat it down and explained to him I wasn't being mean--I was showing him "Tough Love" for his own good--he would dehydrate and die in the Texas draught. I think our little talk finally sank in--at least I haven't seen the little stow-a-way. Yet. 

But the worst part of their darkness was the fact that they have not been converted to the Better Way--it's hit-or-miss on places that carry Diet Dr Pepper.  

Many of the grocery stores don't even carry it fully loaded.  You can't count on it being at convenience stores--there's not even an empty slot to give an impression of hope that "one day" it might be stocked. Even Wal-Mart, which has everything, frequently has fewer than two rows of the liquid gold.  I beat up children and the original LOLs (Little Old Ladies) on delivery day. I cultivated relationships with the DDP vendors to obtain my fix. All but one lone fast food chain were dumbstruck when I inquired if they supplied the stuff. The only lone shining light leading the way to convert the Heathens to the light of DDP was Sonic. Their sign was a beacon that drew me quicker than an open door drew the black cloud of skeeters hovering outside every door--waiting for their chance to gain entry into a dry space. 

Do you know how many meals you can eat daily at Sonic before they start to charge you rental space? Six. The three main meals, plus your mid-morning snack, mid-afternoon snack, and midnight snack.  My servers, Sally Jo, Jasper Dale, and The Twins (Lovey-Lu and Dovey-Lu) became my newest and dearest BFFs. I tipped them in mosquito repellent and rain gear. We became so close, Sally Jo is naming her first born after me. I hope it's a girl.

Keep Me on Your Prayer Request

Okay. So I've kept this under wraps for fear of jinxing it...

I'm getting ready for my third date with a very nice  young man. A friend called me a cougar but I really don't think that fits.

I met "EL" (his initials) at a clinic a few months back and we hit it off from the get go. We sat there for over an hour-and-a-half talking and getting to know each other. Actually, HE asked almost  all the questions--and he LISTENED to everything I said. He is very smart and attentive.  I  can not tell you how refreshing it is to be heard. And understood. Since he's medical he also "gets" my irreverently morbid sense of humor.  😉  The fact that he is 23 years my junior doesn't even give me cause for concern. At least not anymore.  Well kinda. Okay, so I am having a few qualms--but nothing bad enough to cancel our date.

Our second date occured about a month later (the drawback of  seeing a doctor--you have to work dates around his schedule). Again it was just about perfect. I decided he's my "one." At soon to be 63 (late November😉)  I had stopped looking for my "one." The only dates I saw were in the produce isle at HEB.  I was fine with winding down my life with just my FurKids, Friends, and extended Family. I enjoy my peace and quite--and not being  accountable to/for other people. Singlehood suits me. 

The fact that he's married does brother me--but I'm so sure he's MY one--so I'm not going to let that one detail stop me from continuing this relationship.

Don't judge. Just keep reading with an open heart and I think you will end up agreeing with me.  He's MY one.

Our "third date" is fast approaching.

Monday morning we will meet before breakfast and spend the day together....just talking and walking.  Maybe gab a light lunch, and walk and talk some more. He's really into healthy stuff.  Since it's our "third date" I'm also going nightie shopping--we've already discussed  me spending the night at his place.  Don't worry, I'm going to insist on  having my own room. 

I just need something nice to wear--in case I "happen" to bump into him in the hallway after dinner that evening...or during the night. Because, you KNOW if I'm not dressed nice that's gonna happen.

When it happens, I want to be wearing something easy, breezy, and playful--while I love my UMHB t-shirts and baggy sleep pants--they just aren't what I want him to be seeing me wearing on  our first overnight. I want something new for our first overnight. 

I'll save my comfy sleepwear for the next overnight.  😉

I also haven't got a good nickname for him yet.  I started out calling him EL, for his initials. Then, because he's a doc I've been calling him DrEL (which has turned into something like "durell"--which sounds more like he's my homeboy). The other day an eppisode of "Gilligan's Island" came on, and I remembered how much I adored the classiness of "Lovey," and even though that was a girl's nickname, I've toyed with calling him "Lovey."  I'm kind of afraid that might be a little bit forward.  Even for me. What do you think?

Okay, before we go any further, you can take me off your prayer list--or at least change the reason you will be praying for me.  I am NOT sleeping over at a married mans home next week. 

I been "funnin' ya."

"Lovey" is my orthopedic surgeon.

Our third date WILL  be an all day affair--because he will be replacing my right knee. I will arrive at the hospital before breakfast. Midmorning he will fix my knee. And by lunch I'll be up and walking. 

I may stay over at his "place" (also known as the hospital at which he  has surgical privileges). 

So you can re-add me back on your prayer lists--not as a homewrecking 

cougar--but for speedy healing and pain control. 

And pray for God's wisdom and a steady hand for Dr. Lovria. 😉

Thank you! I love you all! 

2012 Facebook Memory

Ten of the eleven Border Patrol Officers we saw this weekend indicated we were okay and sent us on our way.  I'm afraid my conversations with Officers 5-9, were rather one-sided though. It seemed it was all about me--where I currently live, what I'd  done, where I'd been that day, and where I was headed. That sort of thing.  Officers 5 and 6 displayed the most interest--they even wanted to know where I was born.  I'm just glad they didn't ask the year--a girls gotta have some secrets.  

Officers 1-4 and 11 were only slightly interested, and really didn't engage us much at all.  Officer Ten was a whole different species.  I'll get to Officer Ten in a minute. 

This past weekend Bandit and I went ISO a mystery to solve. While I did not solve the "Marfa Mystery Lights," I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt:  I saw something out of the ordinary. Appropriately, it was Friday 13th.  

The lights  were not as playful in "person" as the lights I saw on the 1990s newscast--but they did play a little bit.  Most stayed around the horizon, but one ventured pretty high up in the night sky. As one light grew brighter, another dimmed. It almost appeared to be a hide-and-seek type game they were playing.  Another light jerked back and forth, and one darted faster than what appeared to be possible:they were the racier lights. I saw no rhyme or reason for any of the movements, but  I saw them--both with my naked eyes, and through the viewing telescopes. 

Could they be some sort of natural gas phenomenon as some have surmised? Absolutely. In fact, that, in reality, is probably what they are. But that theory isn't very fanciful or mysterious, and it certainly wouldn't support any tourist trade. 

Like I said, I didn't solve the mystery, but I'm pretty sure of what they are not.  I'm sure they are not mere headlights or country folk out to dupe city slickers as some have suggested.  And they couldn't be aliens because Bandit and I were not abducted. 

Speaking of aliens, that brings me back to the Border Patrol and Officer Ten. He really was a "10."  He was of German descent.  Highly intelligent, soft spoken, and sharp as a whip. He was a no nonsense kind of guy. No smiles.  No jokes.  A professional in every way. He was what you might call a lean, mean, fighting machine. It was instant attraction for me.  He barley even acknowledged my existence.   A snooty little sniff and he was on his way.  I was deeply offended. I was clearly more interested in him than he was in me--isn't that always my luck?!  But he did give me a thumbs up. 

Actually, he gave me a four paws up and sent me on my way. The dog.