Debbie Delozier :: A Casual Affair

This is Casey and Kristin;  as of Saturday at 2:00 they are Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah.  J and I met them last October in Shreveport, LA and the 4 of us became fast friends.  Casey works for the city of Fort Smith so he and J chat every once in a while.

Casey and Kristin have been a couple for a number of years and, as a matter of fact, have known each other since they were small children.  Knowing this, J and I have asked them what they’ve been waiting for (we think any engagement longer than a few weeks is just wasted time).  We had a chance to heckle them about it last March when we stopped in Ft Smith on our return trip from Hot Springs.  A few months later Casey called asking for our home address so Kristin could mail a wedding invitation.

They are a sweet young couple and we wish them many, many happy years together.

J and I drove down (over? whichever way Arkansas is from here) Friday afternoon.   Last time we were in Ft Smith we visited the Old Town bordello “Ms. Laura’s where we had an interesting tour.  This time we strolled downtown and took in a few more sights.  They have a little amusement park with a ferris wheel and an old-fashioned carousel.  We’d read that they have an old railroad car where they serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights:   J and I discussed having dinner there until we got down there and found out all they have is amusement park type foods and we weren’t really in the mood for that.  Here’s a closer photo of the diner cow all dressed up with her gunbelt & hat.We also found out that Ft Smith has a Planter’s/Kraft/Keebler plant, so we most certainly had to stop and meet Mr. Peanut.He looks just as young as ever, doesn’t he.

It was a very enjoyable trip, although next time we make a trip I’m really going to have to watch what we eat a little better.  With all the wedding cake and chocolate covered fruit at the wedding and then stopping at Abuelo’s on the way home later that evening, my stomach (which isn’t used to this much partying) decided to revolt and show me who is really in charge.  So, after a full night of being reminded of just how much I can “stomach” I ended up having to miss church Sunday morning, and I do mean miss church.

I’m feeling better and am (as I told Rob today) good as new, or would that be old.  We both decided to go with new (heehee).  It’s good that I’m my old self again as it’s already shaping up to be a busy, busy week that will include 3 trips to Tulsa.  The trips to Tulsa are well worth the drive though;  Tuesday evening we are having dinner with my cousins who I haven’t seen in quite a while, Wednesday will be a late lunch with my beautiful oldest daughter and then a quick trip by Sam’s before heading home so I can make class at 5 followed by a church meeting.  Thursday afternoon I will return to Tulsa with other members from our church to volunteer our help at the food bank distribution center.  We will be packing boxes (and boxes and boxes) with non-perishable foods that will go to other organizations that will then distribute the foods to those who are in need of it.

That’s how it’s shaping up around here.  Now it’s about time to start supper;  J has been wanting baked potatoes, so I best be getting them cleaned and in the oven.

Wishing you a great week.

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WARNING:  if you are squeamish stop here!!!

One of my cousins and I (and J) spent a few days together at the cabin here while back.  As always happens (once you’re older anyway) when family gets together, most of your sentences begin with:  Remember when. . .

One of our “remember whens” was about the time my  family lived in a little 2 bedroom white house.  I don’t think this house had any central heat or air and the one thing my sisters and I will always remember was how very, very cold the bathroom was in the wintertime.  Whenever we had to visit that room we’d say; “Gotta go to Alaska, be right back”.  Once Mom threw wet sheets on top of the drier (waiting on one load to finish before putting them in to dry) and before she got back to them they were frozen.  Did I say it was very cold in that area of the house?

But this post isn’t about how cold the house was, this post is about chickens.  While we lived here we had a few barnyard animals;  3 Shetland ponies (Peanuts, Britches and Sassy), 2 pigs (Herbie and Sue Okie), and chickens.

One summer it seemed we had more chickens than we needed for our little farm, so Mom decided we’d put some in the freezer, after all she had 3 teen-aged girls, a couple of her sisters and a handful of cousins to help.

Mom built a large fire out back and set a huge (huge) pot of water over the fire to get hot.  Once the chickens were killed we would dunk them in the hot water, this would make it easier to pluck the feathers off.  Once the feathers were gone Mom and her sisters would clean the chickens and bag them for the freezer.

My sisters, myself, and some of our braver cousins, were given the job of killing and plucking the chickens.  I won’t go into detail about how we did the job, I’ll just say that my younger sister and I were on the small side and it took both of us to kill 1 chicken.  The memory my cousin had was watching the chickens once the killing was done.  This is where the phrase “running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off” comes from.  Once the chickens were still again, we’d grab them by the feet, dunk them in the hot, hot water and pluck them.

We put up quite a few chickens that summer.  It was an experience for sure, not one I’ve (gratefully) ever had to relive.

We talked about many of our childhood memories;  some great, some harder to relive.  It’s all in the past and now they are just memories.  But, as Bob Hope’s song used to say;  thanks for the memories!!

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In fact, a number of my loves will be covered in this little Monday post.

Saturday, J (my first and foremost love) and I  had nothing on our schedule other than yard chores and it was just too hot, hot, hot to spend the day mowing, weeding, etc., etc..    Mid-morning  J asked me if I’d like to jump in the car (a new, fun love) for a nice, day-long, romantic drive (a long time love of both of ours).   With no destination in mind, we hopped in the car (top down to catch the mildness of the mid-morning sun and breeze)  and headed down the highway.

About noon we stopped at a little Mexican restaurant (Mexican food is, unquestionably, a love for both of us) for lunch.

The food was enjoyable and reminded us of the little Mexican restaurant that used to be in our hometown years ago.

After lunch the heat of the sun was beginning to take a stranglehold on the day and the breeze was no longer mild so we put up the top and headed on down the road.   We ended up down in the Tahlequah area, so we drove through town and by a few of the places J remembered from his college days there.  We parked and took a little stroll through town, stopping here and there in one or two of the little shops.   We ended up down by the river  where we both removed our shoes and waded through the water a bit.

We returned to the car and headed on down the highway, just enjoying the afternoon together.  We held hands (love, love) off and on,  talked about the things that were, are, and will be, chatted about nothing and everything, and stopped for a cold drink now and again.  The sun began to go down so we returned the car top to the down position so we could once again enjoy the breeze and coolness of the evening.  We found ourselves in Owasso so we stopped for a salad at Ruby Tuesday’s (a tasty love).  If you’ve never enjoyed a trip or 2 to their wonderful salad bar go tonight, really.  Make it a date and go tonight, they have a marvelous salad bar, complete with tasty baby beets, shelled edamame, zucchini sticks and so many other tasty treats.  Note to the Magpie:  I think I had way more than the 9 is divine.

From Owasso we drove north toward home where the yard is still needing the attention that we decided to show to each other instead.

We finished our weekend off with Sunday morning church services (love, love, love), a wonderful lunch made by my friend Merrillyn (another love) and a little church meeting.  J and I continued our slow, romantic weekend by watching a movie we’d ordered over the Apple box followed by a nap and a light dinner.

It was a lover-ly weekend.

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Yesterday, Kati made the trip from Stillwater to Tulsa to get a new pair of glasses.  I went to Tulsa also, to take her a few things she had forgotten to haul off to college with her.  We met up at the 1 hour glasses place which actually took closer to 2 hours and 45 minutes, after we chose our style, but I’m not griping (really).

Kati tried on at least 15 different frames before making a selection (or 2).  She picked up a very large, round frame and tried it on.  She says “Mom, look how funny these look”.  I told her I used to (way back when) wear very large frames, it was the style many years ago, you know.  Because I’ve been wearing glasses (or contacts, off & on, in the 80s and 90s)  since I was in the 4th grade I’ve worn many, many different styles;  we won’t talk about the clear, cat-eye shaped, rhinestone ones back in elementary school.

So here you are Kati, a look at me, from way back before you were born, with frames as large as my face.

While I was looking through photos to find this picture, I started noticing the many hairstyles throughout the years.  I noticed the many hairstyles of all the women in my family; don’t worry ladies, you’re safe, I’m only showing mine (this time, heehee).

So here you go;  a few of my different looks.

I’m thinking this was in 1979 or 1980.  J and I were still in our little 1 bedroom apartment in town.  I probably wasn’t wearing my glasses most of the time back then.

This was at some point in the 80s.  I was working with the local chamber of commerce and this was an ad in the paper.  Take a look at that perm;  I think I’d started wearing contacts a few years before this.

This was in winter, late 1981 or early 1982.  I was pregnant with our Cassie and I guess my crazy hormones made me chop my hair off.  Contacts again.

Here is another short hairstyle.  Also another pair of large glasses.  I’m thinking this was probably taken during the mid 1990s because I was still fairly thin.  I didn’t really start gaining weight until 2001 when I quit smoking.

I’m thinking this was taken sometime late 1991 or early 1992 because it is taken at J’s Grandma Gatewood’s house.  Looks like I’m growing my hair back out.

Of course now I’m wondering about my current hairstyle, 10 years from now am I going to look at photos and wonder why in the world I would cut my hair like this.

Hope you had fun seeing some of my different looks, maybe you even had a good laugh or 2.  You know I did.

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Believe me; I’m being conservative with this figure, as anyone who has gone to college or paid for someone to go to college knows very well.  Both our girls have gone to OSU, and I figure this will be the minimum of what I have and will be paying to OSU before it is all over.

Our Kati loaded her car (to the very brim) and headed back to Stillwater yesterday.  I followed in my own car which held the odds and ends that wouldn’t fit in her little Jetta.  The closer she got to Stillwater, the faster that little car went.  Did I tell you she was very anxious to get back,  back to college life and all her friends?

We drove all the way in pouring down rain.  It took us 45 minutes just to get through Tulsa between the downpour and the construction which caused an unplanned detour due to my not knowing that part of the construction had been finished and that we could drive on the new (old) road.

By the time we arrived at our destination the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to make an appearance.  We were so happy we would not have to unload the cars and carry everything in through the rain.

Kati loves (loves, loves, loves) her new digs.  She shares a common area with 3 other girls, a bathroom with 1 of them and has her own bedroom/study area (hope she uses that part,  heehee,  just ribbing ya Sis).  She and the girl she shares her bathroom with are both Sophomores and the other 2 girls we are assuming are Freshmen and will move in today.  Just down the hall from her room is a kitchen with a (real) range and oven, refrigerator and sink.  She was really thrilled that she is so close to a functioning kitchen; the girl just loves to cook.

Now J and I are “emptynesters”  again, and although we miss the kiddo a little, I really can’t say I’m upset about it.  I really enjoyed  a little less responsibility and one less person to take care of  while Kati was at school last year.  We already have plans to “get away” the weekend of the 28th on a little trip to Fort Smith.  We will be attending the wedding of a young couple we’ve met through our travels and gadding about.  They’ve been dating for years (for a few before we even met them too) and we’ve told them the last few times we’ve had dinner that it’s time to take that step and “tie that ol’ knot”.  They’ve decided to take the leap and have asked us to join them for their special day and we couldn’t be happier to make the trip and join them for this happy event.

And now, I need to get off here and get about my 1st responsibility free day.  Enjoy your day too.

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It’s August which means school is in session in most towns in northeast Oklahoma.   Kati has been packing off and on, deciding what she needs to take back to Stillwater when she leaves next week.  It turns out that I will have a free from cooking Tuesday so I will be able to help her take a load or two when she goes, not that a whole lot will fit in my new little car.

With the 1st day of school having come I was thinking about the girls and their 1st days.  Both the girls were very anxious to start school.  Neither one of them cried or begged me to stay there with them.  Actually, Cassie wanted to just wave me good-bye at the door (she’s always been the “I can handle this on my own” type of girl).  Kati wanted me to stay while she looked around and was familiar with her surroundings but then it was “bye Mom, see ya later”.

Here is Cassie standing outside the school, I think her Kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Warwick.

Here is Kati’s first day of school and her teacher was Mrs. Collier:This seems like a hundred years ago to me;  my babies having, both, turned into competent young women.  Kati is heading off for her 2nd year of college and already thinking about staying in Stillwater and working through the next summer.  Cassie getting her own business off the ground and having it featured in a write up in The Tulsa World’s weekend magazine.

Their first days of school have come and gone but they both still have so many “firsts” left to enjoy.  I imagine we all still have “firsts” to enjoy as long as we’re out in the world;  I think I’ll go see if I can enjoy some of my own.

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INGREDIENTS:

Sunshine
A lake full of water
20 or so friends
A smoker full of meat

Place everything on a patio behind a lakehouse and mix thoroughly.

J and I had a few friends over to the cabin this weekend and had a wonderful time playing in the sun, swimming, boating  and just spending quality time with great people.  Mom and Dad D loved having a patio full of people and sitting and chatting with everyone.

For this little get-together I smoked a 15 lb brisket after marinating it for 24 hours in a wee bit (about 2 1/2 cups) of Jack Daniels and a few other items.   On the smoker, along side the brisket, were 3 racks of ribs.  After hours and hours and hours of being on a smoker we served them with my freezer pickle potato salad, a new 3 P’s salad (pasta, homemade pesto and peas), Mom D’s broccoli and cauliflower salad and a pan full of baked beans, and trays of beautiful, sweet tasting, fresh fruit.

What better way to spend a weekend:  friends, family, food, sun and water.  I recommend you try something close to this as soon as you can.

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Our daughters;  Cassie and Kati.   Cassie is 9 years and 5 days older than Kati.  Cassie adored her baby sister, at least up until Kati entered that pestering age (7-13 or so), and Kati has always adored her older sister.

Cassie would do anything to make her baby sister laugh.  Believe me, those girls LOVE to laugh.  They used to do this trick that worried me to death , but Kati loved doing it.

You see step 1 to the left.

Step 2 gets a bit tricky.

Step 3; This step scared me the most.

Also, Kati was going through potty training here and our method was to not wear panties.

And, last but not least:   TA-DA

Hey girls, do you think you could do this today?

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Where, oh where, has this last week gone?  For that matter; now that we’re into August and those long, hot, sultry dog days of summer have hit, I’m wondering where the heck summer has gone.

Our Kati will spend next week packing up and getting ready to head back to Stillwater (or Stilly as the younger, college set calls it).  She finished up her summer classes early last week, making an A in algebra and a C in history.   She took another look at her OSU classes for this next semester, deciding to change a few that she had previously enrolled in for different ones.

J and I have been on the road a bit, lately in my little red Mustang (J says I finally got the pony I wanted as a little girl, heehee).  Last week he needed to run down to Comanche, OK to drop off a couple of small things, so we decided it would make a nice ‘break-in’ trip for the car.

As you can see by the above picture, we drove through Rush Springs on our way home.  I wish I had August’s 2nd Saturday free and I’d go back and see what the Watermelon Festival is all about.  I do know, they have this festival every year as they are Oklahoma’s Watermelon Capital.  We stopped at one of the road-side markets (there are quite a few along this particular stretch of the highway) and purchased 2 very large cantaloupes and 1 medium sized seedless watermelon.  Each of the melons were juicy and good, but they just didn’t have that taste of summer, as our Kati calls it.  It doesn’t seem like any of the melons we’ve purchased in the markets have had that distinct flavor this year, and many of the farmers I’ve chatted with have said the same about their homegrown produce; they just don’t seem to have that unique sweetness we’ve enjoyed in previous years.

But oh the flavor of those glohaven peaches we purchased on our way through Porter, OK a few weeks ago, now that most certainly was the taste of summer in each and every juicy bite I had;  and I had plenty.  They were all getting very ripe, very quickly, so I spent one morning last week washing, peeling, pitting, slicing and bagging for the freezer.  It will be wonderful one day this winter when we take a bag out and, once again, enjoy that taste of summer.

J and I have been very fortunate this summer and been able to spend quite a number of our weekends at the family cabin at the lake.  We will be heading there again tomorrow for our one and only time this month.  J is taking a day of vacation tomorrow (he’ll be out on the road again Friday) to help me take my larger smoker over there.  I will need the smoker over there on Saturday as J has asked a few of his customers over for a bbq.  Friday I will be preparing a couple of my standard salads (Calico Potato Salad – the best part of this is my freezer pickles; Mom D’s broccoli/cauliflower salad – always a hit; and a pasta pesto salad – I love, love, love this salad), and putting a brisket in a yummy “bourbon-laced” marinade to bathe for 24 hours.  On Saturday we’ll add a dry rub to some ribs and put them and the brisket on the smoker for the day while we boat, swim and enjoy our guests.

As I mentioned, this will be our one and only at the cabin this month.  Next weekend I will be getting ready for a “Back to School Breakfast” at church, the next weekend is reserved by Cass & Travis so they can have a few friends over, (we’ll be moving Kati back to Stillwater that weekend) and for the life of me I can’t remember what I am supposed to be doing the last weekend of August, but there is this little voice inside my head telling me I’ll be busy then.

Now, if I’m going to get much done today I better get to it.  You’re blessed with this day only once in your lifetime; grab it with both hands, enjoy every single minute of it and use it well.

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