Storms

Many years ago I lived in a small town in Texas smack dab in Tornado Alley. Storms didn't much bother me until the night that Wichita Falls was hit so bad. April 10, 1979. Terrible Tuesday. We got hit pretty bad that night too, 60 miles away

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From that night on, I was terrified at the threat of severe storms. If the forecast said "Partly cloudy with a chance of storms, some possibly severe", I got the closet ready. It got to the point with me, that I couldn't enjoy a beautiful Texas spring day, cause I was worried about that "some possibly severe" thing. My eyes didn't see white puffy clouds, my eyes saw black swirling clouds. I spent way too much time going from window to window to door, checking the sky. I  even went to a counselor to try to get over this fear.

One day I woke up really late. Jim (the ex) was home and had Joe out on the front porch. It was about 10am but it was dark as night. I was terrified. I got the closet ready while they went to the donut shop down the street, oblivious to our impending doom. I curled up on the couch. I called my counselor. She said, "I don't know what to tell ya hon, I've been to the cellar 3 times myself today." I was on my own.

I made it through that scary day, and one day found myself in the craft section of a local store. There it was. A needlepoint kit for a pillow with the best advice I'd ever heard on it. It said....YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT YOU CAN RUIN THE PRESENT, BY WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

Omg...did that ever speak to ME!...It was just what I needed to hear. Why had nobody said that to me before? Anyway, I bought the kit, whipped it together, and built a frame for it and hung it on my wall. From that day on, no matter how many times we moved, it was the last thing packed, and the first thing unpacked. Those 16 simple words even helped my son get over his own fear of storms, years later.

I found out that my fear was because I liked to be in control. And I could not control the weather. Once I quit fretting over what I couldn't control, and let God control it, my fear was gone. I even sat on the back porch and watched a tornado skip down the highway behind my house, not 100 yards away. This was March 2000 when downtown Ft Worth got torn up.

Oh, I still have a healthy respect for storms, but I was no longer paralyzed by a fear of "what if". No more getting the closet ready before it was necessary. No more tummy knots.

My fear was probably more than most people's, but if those words can help you through some tough days....I'm glad I told you my story.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT YOU CAN RUIN THE PRESENT, BY WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

I Now Pronounce You ......

....BROKE!!!


Since when did weddings become these huge sit-down-dinner, all-night-long affairs?


Reality TV addict that I am, I've been watching this show called Four Weddings. In case you haven't seen it, there are 4 brides who attend each other's weddings and then rate their 'overall experience' on a scale of 1-10. Then they critique the dress, the venue, and the food. Everything is added up later and the winner gets to watch her groom step out of a limo with flowers and a card telling them where they are going on a dream honeymoon. Which is a good thing, because after these horribly expensive affairs, who can afford a honeymoon?

Oh my garsh, you should see some of these weddings. They start out with a fairly  normal ceremony. The 3 'guest brides' usually have something nasty to say about the weather or the decorations or the seating. Then they move into 'cocktail hour'. What the hell?!?!? Cocktail hour???? Appetizers and some sort of silly 'signature drink' that was created especially for the bride and groom. This is where the guest brides really unload their opinions. One bad cocktail hour can ruin their whole 'overall experience'.

Then it's on to the reception, where we get a fist-pumping entrance by the newlyweds. Sometimes the new Mrs. has even changed her dress so that she can get her groove on. When a wedding dress costs a minimum of $2000 (See: Say Yes To The Dress) who can afford a second dress?


And that's another thing....when did wedding dresses lose their meaning? They were supposed to show the bride as sweet and innocent and virginal, even if she was a Bridezilla.  Now they all have that horrid mermaid shape that only looks good on 2% of the population, I don't care how proud you are of your 'curves' (AKA: tits) Who can sit in one of those, much less dance? And WHITE, ladies. Not red, not turquoise, not black.....white.

Back to the reception....it's time for dinner. Dinner. When did a wedding reception start requiring a sit down dinner...with your choice of entrees? Steak, chicken or fish. With potatoes and a veg on the side. Oh and if it comes to the table less than piping hot and perfectly seasoned, you can bet those 3 guest brides will have plenty to say about it.

Dinner is followed by a few hours of music chosen by some random DJ for the sole reason of getting all the drunken masses out on the dance floor to sweat out some of the free booze.Whatever happened to a nice waltz or the Father's dance or even the bride and groom swaying back and forth, trying not to step on toes, and gazing into each other's eyes, oblivious to the crowd around them? 

So..now it seems that the average small wedding costs at least $10,000 and lasts most of the afternoon and into the night. I don't mean to sound selfish, but I'd rather have a simple ceremony and reception, and spend the rest of it on the honeymoon.


When I got married in 1972, in my beautiful white A-line dress, there was no cocktail hour, no DJ, no sit down dinner. My guests came because they wanted to share our happiness, not be spoiled and entertained. My reception lasted maybe 30 minutes. We cut the cake, the guests were served cake, punch, mixed nuts and butter mints. All on one plate....keep the line moving please, we've got better things to do than hang around and entertain everyone. Like leaving for our dream honeymoon at the Desert Village Motel out on Highway 80 West. Wonder how the guest brides would score that?

Don't Pay The Ransom, Honey.....

I've escaped!!

Felony kidnapping is the only excuse I can come up with for not writing in so long.

Everybody here at Limpdik Park had been behaving themselves. Monday bingo keeps them off the streets and out of trouble, so nothing to write about there. Maybe when the weather changes the LoonyTunes will emerge again.

Seems like all I do is either cook, or clean up from cooking. I kinda wish we could  have our meals like the gum that Violet chewed in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Just chew a while and you get a full 4 course meal. No cooking, no cleaning up. Of course the blue puffy thing would be kind of a bummer.

My Dave has started writing a blog called All Things 49. It's very interesting. It's all about his life (he was born in 1949)...his love of the San Francisco 49ers (in their heyday, anyway)....and the years he spent prospecting for gold (like the original gold rush 49ers). He tells interesting stories, but he does tend to ramble sometimes, so  I've been doing a lot of editing for him. Feel free to pop on over there and take a look. We're still working on jazzing the place up, so forgive the blank walls.

http://bigd49blog.blogspot.com/

My reality shows are all on right now, so I have to watch those:

The Next Food Network Star...Masterchef...Hell's Kitchen...Design Star...The Bachelorette....plus there are new ones about to start...like Craft Wars...that one looks good.

I've been crocheting a lot lately. Here is the latest thing I made. It's for my BFF Yvonne's baby granddaughter, Kolbi. She's 8 months old. It's a bikini, sunhat, and sandals. I can feel my hands getting worse, so I think I'm trying to do all I can, while I can.

Well, the cleaning lady is coming tomorrow, so I'd better go tidy up the kitchen and swish a brush in the toilet.....Yeah I know...but there are some things you just don't want other people to see.