Brutus, The Flying Dingo Turns Eight

It's not often, I suppose, that a dog (especially in our care) turns eight, but our Flying Dingo has made it! Princess Annie informed me that we will be throwing a birthday party for our birthday boy Friday night between the times of 6PM and 8PM. She even made invitations with some suggestions for gifts for the amazing Flying Dingo...an old shoe, tennis ball or even an old sock. He's rather easy to please.

In preparation of the big event, I cut and made ready the side lot. The side lot always is home to our own natural prairie, fire pit and totem pole. Spring and Summer evenings spent around a small tidy fire make way for magical memories and Friday will not disappoint.

I received an email from Mr. Robins informing me that he received some information from the man that runs the Orbison Museum in Nashville. Seems that the curator also has a daughter that writes songs and sings. He sent me a link to a little ditty with a touch of country and a bit of rock. It's lively and upbeat and a real gem.

Romping In The Playground In My Mind

Simply breathtaking. That is the only choice of words I have to describe this day of February. My previous day's company arrived mid afternoon and the wonderful relaxing times never ceased to abound.

Annie had a couple of her friends over to play. Yes, Annie is a girl, but her closest friends are boys. She's not one of them girly girl types. She would much rather play outside, climb trees and build forts. Last night, the trio built a campfire and then implored for it to become real. A real fire to roast hot dogs and melt marshmallows, I, of course, complied.

The three laughed and ate hot dogs, drank Dr. Pepper, burned marshmallows and released into the dusk...tales of apparitions and ghostly visitors. As I watched from the kitchen window, a smile of contentment spread slowly across my face, because while she basked in the glory of being a child maturing into a teenager...I knew that way too soon, she'll trade her tennis shoes for high heels, her bubble gum for lipstick and her baseball caps for ear rings.

Be a story teller...captivate your audience, whether it be two ten year old boys or a coliseum filled with avid fans. Chance is a gift, so act on chance when given the opportunity.

Annie's First Ever Plane Ride

Don't have a recollection of my first plane ride. May be because I took that flight at the tender age of six months. Later in life I had many rides I remember well. Annie flew for the first time at a much older age than myself, her hall of flight memory, nine. I like that she experienced it at nine. I tell her all the time that this is her final year of being a single digit. Never ever again will her age only contain a spot for one number.

The thought of it saddens me, but also brings to mind the next few years of being a pre-teen. Not feeling old enough to do anything, feeling too old to do some things and yet wishing all the while to be a teenager. Or at least...that's how I remembered it.

Her first flight, that of one hour and fifteen minutes into Denver went without any surprises. Of course, though on a normal lift off, you get that usual rumbling sound. Except it doesn't feel usual when it's your first time. Annie's eyes widened, her tiny hands gripped the arm rests and she peered deep into my eyes for the reassuring look of comfort. Finding it, she relaxed and witnessed for the first time the ground below her growing minuscule through a tiny window.

She inquired ahead of time of many people what she should expect and how she could prepare for the plane ride. Some offered the advice of chewing gum to alleviate ear clogging problems. Of course, armed with that nifty piece of advice...she repeatedly asked me if I remembered to bring gum.
Another told her that she would need coinage in order to use the bathroom, but that may be she shouldn't use the bathroom for the fear of it sucking her out the plane. Annie decided against using the facilities and passed up a soda in order to prevent the need for a bathroom trip.

Did I mention how the princess loves to be prepared and plan well?

School's Out for Summer Flying To Denver

This most anticipated and longed for day has finally arrived! It's the last day of school before graduations and summer vacations. The last day to hand in assignments, find missing books, clean out your locker, check the lost and found for that jacket your mom is still pissed about you losing...the last day...ahhh.

Bittersweet feelings trickle through my mind and course throughout my being as a creek meandering along the hilly grassy slope of some quiet place. TYC will close the doors forever on the state school. Teaching at the state school for the past two years proved challenging mixed with hidden delightful surprises.

There's always a diamond in the ruff, and with these boys there were several. I taught English and Writing. They tested for me back in March. I received their results yesterday. The exit level testers...100%. The sophomores...83%. The freshmen...80%. I celebrated the victory with them, serving pizza and sodas...bidding them goodbye and continued success.

It's bittersweet also because of the bonds and friendships I formed with my fellow teachers. And am I ever so proud of Mrs. Cummings! She took and passed her EC-4 certification test! You've come a long way baby!

As soon as school is out the princess and I will be flying to Denver via Albuquerque. We'll be riding with Jesse to keep him company on his way to a relative's graduation. Annie has made it known that she is no longer speaking to Jesse because he rolled down the window when we rode through the cemetery to allow the ghosts to get her. To her chagrin, she was not gotten by ghosts. We'll see how long that no speaking to Jesse lasts when we get to the first convenience store and she's wanting beef jerky!

A New Dog Walk On County Road 209

Annie and I normally take the doggies for a run out at the caliche pit by the Winkler County airport, but the owner of the caliche pit has closed off access to the public. This left us with a task of finding a new place to run the doggies.

Our doggies aren't the best behaved, they pretty much go and do what they want. The worst offender is our one eyed wonder, Lucy the Rottweiler. Her behavior reminds me of the behavior of the oil and gas industry, in that they never follow the rules, they pee on everything and they go anywhere they want regardless of whose property they're on.

In securing a new place for the doggies, we have to make sure it's off the main highway and pretty deserted. Finding a place like that is rather easy to find out in Wink and we did that today.

Annie and I loaded up the doggies, with plenty of water and headed out towards Monahans. We came to County Rd 209, it wasn't marked no trespassing and looked inviting. About a mile from the highway, there was a cow road off to the left, we parked the truck there and proceeded to run the doggies.

West Texas is populated with the interesting Mesquite Tree. Many people use the mesquite for flavoring when grilling. Ranchers despise the tree because of their two inch thorns which can cause injury to livestock, not to mention the trees are nearly impossible to get rid of!

I'm rather fond of the Mesquite Tree, especially in the Winter time when the foliage is missing. The leafless branches create quite a contrast against the blue background of the West Texas sky. Plus, since Halloween is my favorite holiday, don't the trees look all Tim Burton Sleepy Hollow like?

We spotted a couple of jack rabbits. They're not in the pictures because of how fast they are, but the dogs had a blast chasing them all over the place. Shelby, our smallest dog, got very excited when seeing the jack rabbit, probably because it was her first time to see one.

On our way back to the truck, Annie decided it would be nice to feel the sand between her toes, so she walked back barefooted. Normally, there'd be too many goatheads. Not real goatheads, but stickers that hurt really bad when you step on them. Upon inspection of the ground, there didn't seem to be any goatheads around. We also saw a pretty red cactus flower.

Humble Pie

A few days ago when my daughter asked me to grill hamburgers, I replied with, "Wait till Thursday." My innocent reply brought a stream of tears to my precious one's eyes, causing her to think we were poorer than dirt. I was admonished by some at my lack of handling my finances correctly, starving my poor child and pretty much just being an awful hack. So, to restore the good faith of all in my abilities to be a proper mother and provider of nutrition....voila...hamburgers, chips and bottled Dr. Pepper for Princess Annie.