Wow! This has been an exhausting week both physically and emotionally. Some may remember my posts about Jesse. He's my best friend over here in Wink and the best workout partner I've ever had. Jesse remains a positive figure in my life and has time and time again helped me sort through the jumbled mess that's in my head.
I completed my week of Census Training and now I am officially a NRFU Agent. I'll see if you can figure out what acronym NRFU is. There were TONS of acronyms in the NRFU training manual. HU, WHEHU, EQ and various other such tid bits of exciting information.
I had an amazing weekend full of fun and excitement. Early Saturday morning I baked muffins for a benefit of which the proceeds would be donated to the Hope House in Midland, Texas. The bake sale was part of an all day event taking place in Wink, Texas at the school's fitness center. The event was spectacular and proved to be a huge success!
The KISS party wagon attended providing us with great dance music and the DJ giving updates on the tournament. We had a few young dancers that partook in the day's festive atmosphere. The DJ was also an avid supporter of the benefit and showed this by buying TONS of goodies from the bake sale.
There were nine teams that showed to play in the tournament. Some of our players had to forfeit due to being called out to work, the industry just never takes a break. Jesse, our tourney coordinator also played and has more details to come on just who won and the prizes awarded. I do know that every participant received a very nice T-shirt and gift bag.
On a more somber note, posters in dedication lined the wall of the fitness center reminding all of us that cancer doesn't affect just a few, but that everyone of us is touched by it in some way, either through a friend or relative...or perhaps being a cancer survivor.
Wink is an itty bitty town...maybe only 900 people or so. And yet, these people have the most generous caring giving spirit I've ever had the pleasure to come in contact with. The official count isn't done, but I've been told that the little benefit has raised over $5000 dollars for Hope House. Isn't that amazing?!? Which makes me even sadder when I think about the call I received from Steve Doeung this morning. I'm in a state of melancholy and outrage just thinking about the events that have unfolded...you will be too.
Jesse, my work out buddy and best friend, is a true cancer warrior. Not only did Jesse beat a brain tumor, but he has been vigilant in aiding his sister, Ramona, battle Melanoma. They left for a new cancer study down in San Antonio this morning and they won't be back until Saturday of next week. Luckily for Jesse and Ramona, they have family that will board them for the duration.
I grew up in Mississippi along the Gulf of Mexico, I'm a far way from home. I'm used to when crossing a bridge, that that bridge would convey you across some type of water, not dry land, which seems to be the case out here in West Texas. Why would it be that in West Texas, Wink specifically, there would be bridges conveying people across dry dusty desert land?
While I was taking some pictures, Cowboy Tim stopped by to ask what I was up to. I had never met Cowboy Tim before and for some reason he knew exactly what I did for a living. Yep, a teacher...I asked him how he knew of such a thing about somebody he'd never met before and he replied it was because I was nice and what else would a woman do out here in these parts? Isn't Cowboy Tim sweet?
I've spent the afternoon taking down the Christmas tree, putting away holiday decorations and removing all things Christmas like. Being de Christmasized didn't hurt that much and it definitely wasn't at all what I had expected, but it had to be done.
This has been one mighty cold wintry day. Went to bed with it snowing and woke up to it snowing. The temperature rose a bit above freezing, which melted and cleared the roads right nice like allowing me ample time to pick Annie up from school and get over to Kermit to take care of some banking and insurance.
Not to be outdone, I waited a bit and then went out and made myself a snowball, which I then pelted her with. You can see the cold white powder hiding within her brunette locks. We played this game for quite a while, until our hands were red and very cold.
This is what I'm talking about! If I'm going to be cold and frigid, I better get some snow to make it worth it! School was delayed until 9AM which found Annie and myself outside romping and playing in the glorious white powder. Annie noticed that the snow is rather dry and thus can't be fashioned into a lively snowman.
Well, I better make sure I've got wintry supplies. I might also have to make an emergency trip to the Ft Worth area, to assist Mr. Durango in a much needed Intervention of the mysterious drinking and blogging AA.
About three years ago, the kids and I thought about selling the house and moving back to Colorado. The thought, a gentle shove, had us selling off things, painting, landscaping and fixing up the place right nice like. One of the items that sold rather quickly was a slide/swing set/fort type jungle gym. This back yard delight, purchased in 2002, was a favorite of Justin's and then soon became Annie's favorite place in the backyard as well.
Every summer, it hosted the water balloon fights, water slide, hide and go seek and bubble fairy game. Once that childhood memory was sold, I was absolutely sure that soon the house would follow and then us as well. Well, you know about the best laid plans and all that jazz and it so happens that the "PLAN" never came to fruition.
Normally, I don't ask for anything for Christmas, but this year I did. I asked my daddy and my ex hubby to build a tree house/fort/play thingy in the back yard for Annie over the Thanksgiving break. It's a difficult situation for a young child, especially a little girl, to only see her daddy four or five times a year, but I'm hoping and believing that the tree house symbolizes everything good for those shared visits.
It's not completed yet, but the foundation is strong. The wood is recycled and old, with knotholes here and there and the smell of pine still lingers within its walls. Each hammered nail broadened the smile on my little girl's face. Everyone needs a hiding place, a place of refuge, somewhere that floods your soul with pleasure. I'm believing that this is her place.
I moved to Wink the first time in 1985...kicking and screaming the whole way. I left the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast and it's miles of beach. Going north from the coast would put you into contact immediately with rolling green hills cascading with clover and Pine trees as far as the eye could see. If you know anything about Wink, well then you'd understand why all the kicking and screaming.
There were a couple of new events such as arm wrestling. You paid and could challenge anyone you wanted to a high stakes game of arm wrestling. The winner would receive a really neato prize. Nano Galindo won his match of arm wrestling and was tickled orange with his championship lolly.
Another interesting new time attraction was the dungeon of terror. A person could pay to have another person put in the dungeon for a full five minutes of terror. I thought the warning sign for the dungeon was quite convincing.
I spent a relaxing evening at the ranch of two local brothers. The ranch sets outside of Wink and about a mile and a half from the highway. The Wolf brothers call the ranch Loco Lobos, Robbie is the black wolf while Charles is the white wolf. The Wolf brothers normally don't have a woman hanging around, but they made an exception seeing that I was interested in taking a few pictures and possibly lending a hand in the future when it comes to doing a little poop scooping, uh...I mean cow paddy scooping.
I know what you're thinking...I gave up coffee and settled for tea instead. Well, if that's what you're thinking, then you're thinking wrong. 'Cause darlin'...that's what just came out of my faucet. I'm guessing that's part of the reason why the water was shut off. The City of Wink was exhausted due to the influx of phone calls coming in stating that the water resembled cloudy tea. I haven't seen any notices not to drink the water. I may be a blonde, but I got enough common sense not to drink that stuff!
I only have a few pleasures in life. One of those pleasures is having a good cup of coffee. So, as I was driving home from work, I fantasized about a great cup of coffee. I rushed inside, turned the oven on, put the chicken in for baking, of course after adding a few spices and garlic and onion. Selected the veggies for the evening, straightened up the living room and then proceeded to brew a most righteous cup of java. Turned the faucet on and no water.
Since Justin started on Varsity this year, I wanted to commemorate the first year of varsity football in a special way. Every home game, I prepare a pregame meal and send an open invite to all the football players. Our first pregame meal had twelve of the fellas showing up. We've had as many as twenty two and as few as nine, but regardless of how many come, it's always been a lot of fun.
Tonight is not only the last home game of the season, but it's also parents'
Whisky has been missing now for two weeks. Whisky was our new kitty and while we were away for a few days, Whisky went on his own vacation and hasn't returned. This year's jack'o'laterns are all themed around cats in honor of our missing beloved Whisky. We didn't have him long, but he definitely made a huge impression on this humble family.
During the Roy Orbison Festival, Shelby Richardson was crowned Pretty Woman. Durango commented that all Wink Women look alike, well...I'm here to provide some evidence that, that's not the case. Several new Wink beauties were caught on film, strutting the latest designs and hair-dos. Some might even say they look like a gaggle of angels or maybe a flock of seagulls.
