Category: Musings

To fly or not to fly…

On By DGThomaIn Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, Travel, Writing1 Comment

It used to be easier to decide whether to fly or drive.  I’d simply weigh the cost of flying against the cost of driving.

As the cost of gas rose I often chose to fly more often than drive.  Post 911, the added levels of security threw a new slant on the picture increasing the overall travel time.  Today my decision point depends upon my mood as much as time constraints and monetary costs.

Driving to my daughter’s house is usually a ten-hour drive.  It’s just far enough to require a few breaks for food and fuel along the way that add to the travel time.

Unless my visit is longer than three days in duration, I prefer to fly.  A few years ago I could fly one way for less than 100 U.S dollars.  It’s more than twice that now so I search for a bargain every chance I get.

I decided to visit last weekend on the spur of the moment.  20 hours of driving would take a huge chunk out of a weekend visit.  Unexpectedly, I discovered I had enough American Airline miles for the flight out.  Score!  I snagged the only flight that fit with my schedule.  Although it was silly to fly to Chicago (1,165 miles) to get to Tulsa, Ok (452 miles) it was free!

I arrived at the airport an hour and a half before departure.    I had no bags to check and the security lines seemed short, so I anticipated having an hour or so of downtime to catch up on reading.

I breezed to the front of the line quickly.  My boarding pass checked, I stepped to the line for the scanners.  Shedding my coat, shoes, belts and emptying pockets, I moved toward the stall for my full body scan.  Scanned from head to toe, I was directed to stand on the second set of footprints.  I guess the first set was reserved for the another unsuspecting traveler.  The female agent asked me to step aside and examined my watch without touching it.  She directed me to rotate my hand to examine the other side of the band.  I passed that test and padded to the conveyer belt to retrieve my shoes and other possessions.

Not so fast…..  The agent manning the machine grabbed my bin as it exited the cavernous opening.  “Is this yours?” she asked.  Yes, it sure was.  As she indicated she was going to run it through the machine again, I waited patiently for it to complete the process one more time.  After what felt much longer than it was, my belongings made their way down the belt toward me.  Honestly, I’m okay with all the checking.  I want to feel safe when I’m flying the friendly skies.

Finding my gate was easy and I settled in a seat and searched for my Kindle to read.  Instead I spotted my Sudoku book scrunched into the pocket of my backpack and pulled it free, deciding to work on it instead. Burrowing to the bottom of my purse, I found a pencil and something else I had completely forgotten about.

My multipurpose pocket knife with the handy compass, wine opener and more was buried among my pens and pencils.  Mortified, I pulled the pencil out and guiltily shoved the knife under anything I could find.  There wasn’t a thing I could do but put my purse aside and try not to look guilty.  No wonder they had to rescan my purse!

I managed to forget about the offending object in my purse and board my flight to Chicago.  I had a two-hour layover in Chicago and worried I would dump my purse while I dug for cash to pay for my lunch.  My black bean and goat cheese salad bowl did a great job at taking my mind off of it for a while.20160108_185245

The layover was without incident and I completely forgot about the contraband knife in my purse.  When I finally arrived in Tulsa, about 8 hours after being dropped off at the airport, I pulled my backpack from the overhead bin and went in search of the exit.

An airport worker held open a side door for us.  As I fell in with my fellow passengers, we filed through.  Immediately when I walked through, alarms started sounding.  On the outside looking back, several of us glanced around as in wondering what happened.  Thankfully no one pulled us back in and searched us, after all we were leaving.  I don’t know if the small pocket knife had any effect on the alarm but I was relieved to get in the car and toss into the center console!

The next time I fly, I’m sure I’ll completely empty my purse before I leave home.

New Year, Clean Slate…. 2016

On By DGThomaIn 2016, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, Writing1 Comment

The New Year doesn’t find me zealously making resolutions.  It doesn’t seem like a good idea to welcome 2016 with a to do list of things I should have done last year.  Those things are probably not going to get done this year either.  I’m just saying….

Who knows what I’m supposed to get accomplished in 2016?  I sure don’t.  The rabbit ears on my crystal ball don’t get great reception.

The things I believed were incredibly important in January 2015 were off my radar by December 2015.

Of course I have things that are top priority.  I don’t need a list to remind me of those.  Instead of a list of resolutions, I’m voting for a clean slate…. or whiteboard, whichever you prefer.

Today is the first day of…   You know the rest.

The big decision today?  Is it raining?  Better grab an umbrella.  Cold?  I should hunt for my coat.

No bucket list, no resolutions!  As long as I can keep upright with minimum effort and move forward (no matter how slowly) I’m on the right track.

The Quiet After the Tempests

On By DGThomaIn Animal Stories, Family, Musings, Travel, WritingLeave a comment

Last year I persistently clacked the keyboard, determined to put some small entertainment on the blank page.   If not entertainment, then perhaps grammatically correct sentences.  Doggedly producing words, I waited for a gem to flow through my fingers.

Then I faltered.  I’ve been away from the page for a while, pulled by distractions and obligations.

It began with Thanksgiving, the gentle nudge away from writing.  The busy work and family obligations wooed me.  I allowed myself to let writing slide for a while, missing a blog post, then two and three.  My novel (s) in waiting went unopened for weeks.  New ideas blossomed in my head and faded; notepads empty and computers idle.

Today I attempted to regain focus.  Christmas has passed and Christmas future is far away.  I took a deep breath, mentally rather than physically and opened a beautifully blank page.

Behind the computer screen, through the windowpane, two red cardinals play in the leaves.  I smile and watch them foraging when suddenly the leaves around the bright spots of red became alive with movement.  Bobbing in and out of the fallen oak leaves are numerous female cardinals.  Their slight movement camouflaged, their coloring matching the dried leaves.  Enjoying the activity, I see a squirrel has entered the scene.  He too is easy to miss as he darts among the reds and browns of the winter landscape.

Past the tall barren oaks and through splashes of green from the fir trees, my neighbors walk their large white dog down our country lane; his full coat and bushy tail appear at odd intervals through the kaleidoscope of nature.

I recall the many cities I visited in the last few weeks and the family stories I intend to share, later.  Now, I’m going to relax and enjoy nature.  I’ll be back to catch up on travel and family a little later.

 

 

It’s the Little things 

On By DGThomaIn Friends, MusingsLeave a comment

Today a very nice thing happened.  As I sat at the desk, crunching numbers, someone stepped to the door and tapped on the frame.  I glanced up and shared a smile with the pleasant young lady framed in the doorway.

She said, “I was nearby for a meeting and couldn’t leave without stopping by to tell you how much I appreciate you.”  She related how much she enjoyed working with me and how helpful and patient I had always been.

Basking in the praise, I responded, “Thank you so much!  I appreciate it, but…. What is your name?”  “Danielle,” she said and memories surfaced.    To be fair, the last time I saw her, she had sported a short blond bob instead of the red hair that now skimmed her shoulders.

For the next five minutes she sang my praises and bestowed far more accolades than I deserved.  I don’t think I ever went out of my way to help her.  I just did my job.

Danielle takes time to say “Thank you” for things most take for granted.

Passing it on…

Rainbows and Lollipops

On By DGThomaIn Friends, Musings, Writing2 Comments

Normally, I am happy and contented and suffer only occasional bouts of frustration.  I mean, we all have to deal with reality checks at times.

I spend more than a little effort trying to do the right thing because I believe karma can be powerful, both good and bad.  Generally good triumphs over evil and doing the right thing pays off.  Of course, not always.

Let’s face it, sometimes when you bend to smell the flowers, you get a nose covered in fertilizer.  The past few weeks have really been busy and everything has been overly complicated.  It’s that time of year when numerous projects are wrapping up, while others are just beginning.  Everything and everyone has been clamoring for my attention (at least from my totally unbiased perspective).  But as a co-worker said, “Sometimes you’ve got to laugh and keep on going.”

We’ve been working long hours…..

Leaving at 6:30 AM for the office

 

Returning home late from the office.

Returning home late from the office.

As you can see, I’m definitely not getting enough sunshine!

I thought I was internalizing my grumpiness pretty well, but I may not have been as successful as I thought.

A good friend stopped by my office with a gift.  She said this can be for now or later, you decide.  Well of course I chose to open it immediately.  It was a present after all.  What was inside, made me smile and tear up a little.  Underneath a plump stuffed gray elephant lay a book, titled, “You’re Here for a Reason”, by Nancy Tillman.  20151028_190401

I’m very fortunate to have a caring and generous friend to remind me what is important.  The rest of the story……

My friend is very close to her great nieces.  They were out shopping and she has bought me gifts before when they were with her.  They are all between 4 – 8 years old.  They showed her the book and said, “If someone is having a really bad day, this is the bestest book to read.”  Of course she bought it immediately and that is why it ended up on my desk last night.

I will cherish it always and any time I’m feeling down, I think I know just what I want to read.

Take Me Home Country Roads, to a place…….

On By DGThomaIn Animal Stories, Family, Food, Musings, Travel, Writing2 Comments

I belong….

Last Friday evening, my husband and I traveled to Houston, Texas.  We stayed in a lovely hotel near the George R. Brown Convention Center.  The hotel joined the convention center via a skywalk, which made getting to our conference a breeze.  Houston is a large metroplex, nearing 2.1 million in population.  There is plenty to do and see.

Houston 2

We had a wonderful time on Saturday and it was great being able to access the conference without venturing out into the Texas heat. As we drove away from the conference on Saturday afternoon, the traffic was heavy and the roads were speckled with construction cones.

While we searched for a nice place to eat, all I could think was “How soon can I get back home?”  We found a nice hibachi style restaurant and happily celebrated my husband’s birthday.  And then we headed home…..

Sunday morning, we slept in until 7:30 AM before rising to head outside for a run down the country road near our house.  It was a cool 64 degrees and I couldn’t help but contrast the bustling streets and bright lights of Houston to the quiet country lane.

Purple hued morning glories bobbed in the light breeze, waving a good morning as we passed.  Knowing the short lived blooms would already be fading by the time we passed back on our way home, I savored glimpses of them as I ran by. Morning Glory

 

 

We passed these beautiful horses peering over the fence curiously as we neared their pond.  I’m sure they were wondering where we were headed and if they might come along.

White Horses                                             More white horses

The vultures watched carefully from the tree tops but I assured them we were still alive and well!  I encouraged them to move along as we weren’t done in just yet!  They were certainly not intimidated by this makeshift scarecrow!

Vultures                                       Scarecrow of sorts

I enjoyed the trip to Houston, the conference and I met many wonderful people; but there is no place like home.

Running down a country road is where I belong…..  with the roadrunners!

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Colorado River, Good Food and Laundromats

On By DGThomaIn Food, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, News and Reviews, Writing3 Comments

I find myself becoming more conservative as I age.  That’s a fact.  I’m not frugal in all things, but if I can save a few dollars without much effort I usually take advantage.

So when we went to our local dry cleaners to drop off a couple of comforters, I balked at the 100 dollar price quote.  One comforter was labeled as dry clean only but the other was marked machine washable.  Knowing there was no way the bulky comforter would fit in my home washing machine, I left the dry clean comforter with the experts and set off to find a commercial laundromat to wash the other one.

The closest laundromat with machines large enough to handle a comforter was in Bastrop, TX about 20 miles from my home.  Bastrop is a small town in Central Texas with a downtown that has maintained many of its historic buildings.  The Colorado River flowing through town, just off Main Street makes it a lovely place to visit, even if you are looking for a laundromat.

20150822_151920   Dining Room

We decided to eat lunch before we tackled our laundry project and found ourselves at Neighbors, a local restaurant overlooking the banks of the Colorado River.  It had been awhile since we visited this restaurant and I’d forgotten the pleasant atmosphere.  The Colorado River peeked through the trees as we enjoyed the cool air inside.  20150822_140232

We started off with Garlic Knots which are exactly like they sound, yummy yeast rolls twisted into knots with just the right amount of butter and garlic.  I would have taken a picture, but they disappeared too fast!

Neighbors is famous for its pizza, but we chose to forgo the usual and try something different.  We opted for The City Slicker Salad, a meatball sandwich and a meat calzone.  The salad came topped with apples, walnuts and goat cheese and was served with a lemon poppy seed dressing.  Delicious!  Ron tackled the calzone, stuffed with pepperoni, sausage and cheese.Rich had the meatball sandwich which speaks for itself.  It’s meatballs after all!  It was a wonderfully relaxing and delicious meal.

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After such a wonderful meal I wasn’t nearly so excited about the laundromat!  Putting it off a while longer, we ducked into Best Buy for a quick errand and then found ourselves at Baskin Robbins.  I mean there is always room for ice cream, right!  Honestly, I don’t often eat dessert, but Baskin Robbins can almost always tempt me.

Finally out of excuses, we pulled up in front of the laundromat.  It’s been years since I lived without a washer and dryer.  The few times I find myself at the laundromat I am always grateful that I don’t have to be there very often.  Digging for quarters, we shoved the comforter into the oversized machine and settled in for a half hour watching laundromat activity.  This laundromat has a television, arcade games and booths.  It’s quite interesting watching people come and go and feed the machines.  Finally the washer cycle completed and we moved the comforter to the dryer.  Thirty minutes later, the dryer was done, the comforter was folded and we were headed back home.

3.00 for the washer, 1.50 for the dryer  saved me 45.00 dollars.  Happy and contented, I dozed comfortably all the way home.

The Phone Rings…..

On By DGThomaIn Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, WritingLeave a comment

How often does that happen anymore?  It is rare for me to receive a call.  I keep a house phone simply for the convenience of the answering machine.  I give out my home number when I am asked for one by a business or individual I’m not familiar with.    20150722_200818

Every month, on my cell phone invoice the minutes used are minimal.  Everyone I know texts.  My daughter and one of my sisters are both great at calling.  And my dad, one of my aunt’s, my granddaughter…..  Ok, maybe it’s a few more people than I first thought.

When my cell phone rings, it’s like getting a call in the middle of the night.  I immediately picture chaos and mayhem.

Tonight, as I was leaving work my cell phone rang.  Halfway down the stairs, I began to shift my lunch bag so I could dig through the suitcase I call a purse in search of the vibration tingling my hip.  Just as I pulled it free from the tangle of phone chargers, lipstick etc., it stopped ringing.

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I smiled when I saw it was my sister. I immediately returned the call.  She answered and said, “Hey, I haven’t talked to you in a while and wanted to see how you are doing.”  Then she waited for an answer and actually listened for a response.

It was an amazing thing!  A real conversation, listening, talking and listening some more.  How lovely is that!

With a smile on my face and well caught up on the family news, I said goodbye to my sister and tossed the phone back into my purse.  Immediately, I felt it vibrate once again.

This time it was my daughter.  After a too brief conversation, I hung up smiling even more broadly and declared it to be “The Night of Phone Calls!”

A lovely surprise which I highly recommend!  Maybe I should try it myself occasionally!

Pick a Little, Talk a Little…….

A Change of Plans…

On By DGThomaIn Family, Food, Friends, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, Travel, Writing5 Comments

July 4, 2015… Well it actually started July 2nd.

When my Dad called to say he wanted to come for a visit, we decided to rent a cabin for a couple of nights at the lake.  Knowing the cabins would fill quickly over the 4th of July, we made reservations months ago.  My dad loves to fish, which is obvious from his nickname “Fishhook”.  We made sure to get a waterfront cabin so he could fish as much as he wanted.  I’m not a fan of water and I don’t have the heart to go fishing, but Dad loves it!

In anticipation of our time together, we postponed our Father’s Day celebration.  We decided to celebrate Father’s day and my birthday together.  (my birthday falls on the 6th of July).

My daughter, Kat planned to swing by and pick up the boys, (my grandson’s) and my Dad.  They all live about six hours away and although Dad is perfectly capable of driving here himself, at 82 I hate for him to be on the road.

We reserved the cabin for Thursday night and Friday night.  We planned to drive to Corpus to see my older sister Saturday morning.  She and I share a birthday even though we are three years apart.  My Dad wanted to visit both of us on our birthday.  Rarely do she and I have an opportunity to spend time together and it’s been years since Dad was able to join us on our birthday.

As often happens, our plans went awry.  The boys had rehearsals for their community theater production and couldn’t get away.  Dad lost his critter sitter and didn’t want to leave his dogs.  He was also feeling a bit under the weather.

We thought about cancelling the trip and just gathering at home, but decided against it.  The cabin was only 20 minutes or so from our house, but tucked away among the trees and nestled on the bank of the lake made it feel worlds apart.20150703_165613

We left for the cabin on Thursday, picking up my goddaughter, Dez and my son, Rich on the way.  Dez, loves to fish and had eagerly anticipated fishing with my Dad.  Rich on the other hand has never really enjoyed fishing as much as his sister does.  My daughter was bringing her fishing gear and planned to arrive Thursday evening.  She and Dez would be our fisherwomen for the weekend.20150703_120614

The cabin was very basic.  It had five beds, an air conditioner and a trail leading to a shared shower and restroom facility.  It also had a beautiful view of the lake, fresh air, an outdoor grill and a picnic table.

During the weekend we played games, rented a canoe, ate too much food and created unbelievable memories.  My son discovered an enjoyment of fishing (much to his surprise), my daughter discovered a slug in her tennis shoe and a June bug in her swimsuit cover-up and my granddaughter, Jilly discovered a beetle in her nightshirt.

I discovered the delight of sitting in the middle of a canoe, lightly rowing and watching my Kat and Dez cast their lines.  We laughed so hard trying to launch the canoe we almost didn’t get in the water.  Even when the wind picked up and the rain fell, we laughed and fished and rowed.20150703_165844

 

 

Father’s Day was celebrated on Thursday night.  We celebrated my birthday on Friday night, with Kat and Jilly surprised me with a cake and everyone sang happy birthday.

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Saturday morning we were supposed to leave by noon but no one was ready to leave.  Anticipating failure, but deciding to try anyway, my husband went to see if we could stay another night.  Our cabin was already booked but the one next door was available.  Rather than make us move, they switched the other guests next door.  After a wonderful breakfast and lunch, my husband and I went to pick up a fresh bundle of firewood from the front office.  When we arrived, they let us know the family that was originally booked in our cabin was insisting that we move and give them our cabin.

Since our reservation had been impromptu and it seemed to be important to the other family, we willing agreed to move.  I rushed into the cabin to interrupt the current game in process and let everyone know we were moving.  We had 5 beds stripped, suitcases moved, dishes and food transitioned and all our outdoor gear moved in about 15 minutes.  By the time the new guests arrived we were already seated in our chairs next door planning our dinner meal.

I decided that if we ever have to go on the run or leave in a hurry, we definitely have the skills!  Slightly sunburned, a few pounds heavier and a heart full of sunshine, we went our separate ways.  It was a wonderfully fulfilling weekend with many stories left to tell…. Like the raccoon and the hotdogs and the snake in the reeds….  All stories for another day.

 

For The Love of Books

On By DGThomaIn Family, Humor/Light Hearted, Musings, WritingLeave a comment

I have always loved reading.  When I was very young, I remember going to the public library over the summer.  I’d get lost in the books and spend hours selecting which I wanted to read. The Edwards Public Library in Henrietta, Texas was approximately 10-12 blocks from my house.  A few times my mother allowed me to walk to the library if my older sister was willing to accompany me.  Most of the time, my mother drove us to the library because she loved books and reading as much as we did.  I signed up for the book worm reading club each summer.  Reading one hundred books over the summer would earn us a small orange striped pin in the shape of a worm. I pinned that worm proudly to my t-shirt when the librarian handed it to me. I doubt if I ever wore it again but I was so proud of earning it.  Reading one hundred books was not a chore for me and I would have easily read them over the summer without any incentive.
Bully

One book I remember checking out from the library was The Bully of Barkham Street by Mary Stolz.  I don’t remember much about the context of the book although I remember I enjoyed it when I read it.  I vividly remember the book because it was one of those hundred books I read that summer when I was eight years old and because of the letter that came in the mail afterward.

I finished my reading list and received my coveted book pin. About a week later my mother received a letter in the mail.   BookWormThe librarian said I had never returned The Bully of Barkham Street.  I was devastated!  I treasured books then as I do now.  I couldn’t imagine being so careless.  I assured my mother they had made a mistake, but she still had to pay for the book. I had never owned a book before and I hated to pay for one I didn’t get to keep.  With five children and a one income family it wasn’t in the budget for my parents to pay for the book.  However, my mother paid for the book and never made me feel bad about it.

A few months later I went out to my favorite reading hide out.  My grandfather had built a handmade camper shell to fit in the back of his 1950ish pickup.  When it was off the truck, I monopolized it for reading.  It was private, comfy and quiet.  I stretched out on the cushions that served as one of the beds and felt a lump under the cushion.  Yep! The Bully of Barkham Street was wedged under the cushions.  It was a bit warped.  It had been sat on and moisture in the air had made it’s way into the camper shell damaging the pages.

I debated throwing it away without telling my mother, but I just couldn’t do it.  I carried it in and showed my mom.  She just shook her head and sighed as she handed it back to me saying, “Well, it’s your’s now.”  Dejected, I carried it to my room.  I’m not sure what happened to that book, but I’m pretty sure I never returned a library book late again.

The first new book I ever owned was a Bobbsey Twins hardcover.  TwinsI have no idea which one, because I eventually read them all.  I was in the hospital for about a week and my Aunt Carol came to visit.  She brought me a pair of pajamas with orange fish on them and two Bobbsey Twin books.  My dad bought me a pair of pajamas with Cowboys and Indians on them trimmed in red rick rack.  Yes, those are very vivid memories for me even years later.

Being the middle child of five, I felt spoiled and very special!  My brother and sisters stood outside my window and we both cried.  We had never been separated before.
I think the two incidents above cemented my love of reading and book ownership.  I have a hard time giving up a book once I purchase it.  At last count my book collection was well over 1500 and growing.  I routinely decide to downsize my collection and cull a few books, but before I know it, they are replaced and more are added.
When I retire, I’ll stick to my plan to downsize but for now…. I think I’ll go read a good book.