TUNICA, MISSISSIPPI

As I begin to compose this latest posting on my Blog, I do so with mixed emotions. The fun began on Sunday as my girlfriend, Geneva, and I boarded the bus, along with 45 other hopefuls of "hitting a jackpot", enroute to Tunica, MS. This trip had been planned since February and it finally had arrived. There was a gray cloud over us from the time we left Sunday (pouring down rain) until we arrived back home Tuesday night (tired and broke). The two nights and three days we were gone were very enjoyable, even if we didn't come back to reality (home) with our pockets and purses heavy with winnings. Well, at least I made it home with 25 cents.

Geneva is a great traveling companion and roommate. One night we laughed until we cried over something that now neither one of us can remember what we were laughing about. The TV show Dancing With The Stars was on Monday night when we returned to our room, and the dancers were doing a "cha cha cha" when Geneva started dancing and shaking her hips with more rhythm than the dancers on the show. What a sight for my tired eyes!! I am laughing as I am writing this just thinking about it. I won't tell everything because "what happens in Tunica, stays in Tunica". Since both of us became widows, we have become fast friends and have spent many enjoyable moments together, either traveling or gabbing on the telephone. It doesn't take a lot to entertain either of us.

On this trip we stayed at the Gold Strike Casino Resort. We always use Pat Walker Travels for our gambling trips. She is very organized and likeable. Pat had Geneva and me sitting in the seats directly behind her and the three of us had some tall tales to tell. The three of us would like to ride the Heartland Flyer train to Ft. Worth and shop if we can ever work it out where we are all free at the same time. We met a lot of nice people on the bus and even exchanged e-mail addresses with a couple of them. We had homemade fried pies, homemade cookies and an assortment of candies to eat on the bus. What nice people to make these homemade items to share with the whole bus. I had not had a homemade fried pie since my mother used to make them. The pies brought back good memories of my deceased mother.

We went to four casinos and each casino gave us a buffet or playing money. In the two nights and three days we were there, we ate five delicious buffets. Geneva and I had a margarita and mixed drink on a couple of occasions. Need I say that I returned packing an extra five pounds. I will have to eat less and walk more for several days.

Our next gambling trip is not until June 2-3. We signed to go to the Cherokee (Tulsa) and Firelake (Shawnee) Casinos on an overnight trip. We stay the night at the Cherokee Casino. Neither Geneva nor I have stayed overnight at the Cherokee Hotel and Casino. It will be something new and different for us to do.

My neighbor, Sandy, and I walked in the neighborhood this morning. My son and his fiancee fertilized my yard while I was gone to Tunica and since it had not rained since they fertilized, I had to water down the yard this morning. This took a big part of my morning. An antique dealer came to see about an item I had agreed to sell, and numerous telephone calls have kept me busy today.

It was good to go and good to get back home. THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!!

NIGHT BEFORE TUNICA

I am posting on my Blog early today and won't be posting for a few days because I am going to Tunica, MS to try to HIT THE JACKPOT. Someone has to do it and it might as well be me!!

Geneva and I have been to Tunica a couple of times together and have such fun. Our mouths never close the whole trip. We try to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, but we are still talking until we just have to shut up so we can get up and start all over again. Both of us are dreading the long bus trip -- leave at 7:00 am and arrive in Tunica at 4:00 pm. The bus is as comfortable as a bus can be, but we only make two stops and we get awfully tired sitting. We are looking forward to staying at the Gold Strike Hotel, one of the nicest, if not the nicest in Tunica. We go to several casinos in the vicinity of the Gold Strike. We will each gain a few pounds as we get all the delicious buffets provided. I am looking forward to coconut cake and coconut pie. It seems all the buffets serve these and I can never get enough of either.

I have also been to Tunica with my friend, Lorene. The first time I went was with Lorene. She had been going for several years with her friend, Rose. Rose had moved and Lorene was looking for someone to go with her. I had recently become a widow and it was nice to have something to plan for and a friend to share the experience. So Lorene is to blame for my GAMBLING ADDICTION. (Ha)

I have had many telephone calls today, one from an antique dealer who wants to buy some items from me. I am to call her when I return next week. She told me of day trips that she goes on and that are sponsored by the Continuing Education at Rose State. The next trip is to the Amish community here in Oklahoma. Lunch will be served by the Amish ladies. The trips are the last Friday each month and I plan to inquire more about them and maybe Geneva and I could go on some, if not all of them. Yesterday they went to Drumright, OK and toured the railroad museum. They then had dinner at Joseph's Restaurant there in Drumright. My late husband and I have been there several times and enjoyed the food immensely. Other telephone callers have been my son, and my friends. I have also instant messaged with Kelly, my son's fiancee.

The best part of this day has been able to visit with my grandson home visiting for the weekend. He mowed my grass while he was here today and what a help that is to me. I won't see him again until sometime in May when he brings his under 11 boys soccer team to Enid, OK for some games. I imagine his dad and his fiancee, his mom and sister, and I will all try to go to the games and see Ryan coaching. He is so patient and likeable and such a great soccer player himself. I can just imagine the boys and their parents all enjoying Ryan coaching their sons' team. They don't have a great win record yet, but have won more than the team did last year with some other coach. Keep up the good work Ryan!!

So, the next time I Blog will be after I return from Tunica, a winner!!

SECOND THURSDAY AT THE MUSEUM

I again worked at the 45th Infantry Division Museum and found myself really getting into my work. All the men were so attentive and helpful and I spent a large part of the morning just wandering around acquainting myself with the layout of the museum. It is such a wonderful military museum and covers all the wars to the present time. The guys like having a woman working there because they have someone new to tell their individual war stories to. Their wives are probably sick of hearing the same thing over and over. Several visitors came in just before I left at 1:30, a class of 12 from a nearby training school, and several individuals. The class is training to deploy to Iraq and one young man looked so young and I asked him how old he was and he said 20. He looked about 16 and to think he is someone's son going off to fight in Iraq. The museum's director asked that I be trained to also work in the gift shop. No one trained me today but I am sure they will next Thursday. I was shown how to make coffee!!! There is a small, but well-equipped room with refrigerator, coffee bar, and microwave. A lot of the guys just hang out in there telling their stories to each other and the stories get bigger and better each time they are told.

My friend, Geneva, called and we decided to go out for dinner at Catfish Cabin's Restaurant. We met at 4:45 PM and had a catfish dinner. Neither one of us was pleased with our dinner. It has been under new ownership for a few months and the quality has gone down, at least we think so. We decided we won't be going back there again.


After dinner I came home and changed shoes and went to the mall to do my daily walking. I met my friends Willis and Lois at the mall and stopped and had a long conversation with them. Everywhere I go it seems I see someone I know. I have lived in this community almost 40 years, so I guess it is logical that I would see people I know.

Last night my friend, Lorene, called and she had gone to Winstar Casino with her boyfriend and her name was called from a drawing and she won $200.00 just for being there. Once I won $20.00 from a drawing but never $200.00. She was so pleased!!!

I had several telephone calls last night after I had posted my Blog for the day. One call was from my niece, Megan, who lives in Kentucky. It was such a pleasant surprise to hear from her. Her sister, Paula, that lives in Ohio, had called a few day earlier and that, too, was such a surprise. I had not heard from either niece for quite some time. I hope now that we have exchanged e-mail addresses to keep in closer touch with them. Their mother, MaryLinn, and their father, Johnnie, are both deceased. Each of the girls have two children. Paula has a son and daughter and Megan has two sons. I wish I lived near the girls where we could all visit once in a while.

My grandson, Ryan, is coming back home to Oklahoma City for the week-end. He will stay with his dad tonight and his mom the rest of the time. He will return back to his college in Kansas on Sunday. He called today to let me know he will see me tomorrow. I do love this guy. We have always been so proud of him and he has not once let us down. Too bad all young people can't be as responsible and reliable as Ryan. You can always depend on him to make the right decisions.

APRIL 23, 1927 - FEBRUARY 23, 2003

The year that my late husband, George, was born (1927) the President of the United States was Calvin Coolidge and the Vice President was Charles G. Dawes. So many years and so many changes have occurred since that year. We now have our first woman, first black, and the oldest candidate ever running for president.

The only thing that didn't change through the years was GEORGE!!! He was always the same. He was born into a loving family and died part of a loving family. His high school prophecy was: "Why hurry I have a lifetime to live" His lifetime ended on February 23, 2003, but the memories of his life that began on this date (April 23) will never end for me, his two sons, his surviving brothers and sisters, his two grandchildren, the rest of his family, and his friends. Everyone that knew George liked him. He was a true friend in every sense of the word. He lived up to his high school prophecy and was never in a hurry. George only saw the good in everyone and everything.

Other important events that occurred in the year 1927 are also interesting. Al Jolson appeared in the first "talkie" the "Jazz Singer", Whiskery won the Kentucky Derby, and Harry Belefonte, Neil Simon, Gina Lollobrigida, Doc Severinsen, and Harvey Korman were born. Charles Lindbergh flew the "Spirit of St. Louis" from New York to Paris, and the U.S. was the land of the automobile -- one per every six Americans.

I don't know what kind of weather they were having in Illinois on April 23rd when George was born, but I do know the sun was shining on the world for his having entered it. Today when I visited his grave it was cloudy, misting and gloomy -- the way I felt while I was there. We all miss George and wish he could be with us on his birthday, but everything changes with time and it was his time to leave us on February 23, 2003.

EARTH DAY

I didn't plant a tree or ride a bike today, but I am aware that each of us need to do more to LIVE GREEN to reduce our impact on the environment. Several of my newspaper comics went green today and there has been a lot of coverage on TV and the newspapers have covered Earth Day with several stories. I did plant several flowers and had my hands in the earth today, but there is so much more I need to start thinking about in the future, for the future.

I did finish watching the DVD "Juno" last night. I can't say I really liked it, and I wouldn't recommend it as a favorite of mine, but you have to see it and judge it yourself. I watched Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor last night and tonight I will watch Dancing With the Stars, American Idol, and Boston Legal.

Geneva and I have talked several times on the telephone today making plans for our trip to Tunica, MS. We change our minds constantly on what to wear and what to pack for the trip.
Having a close friend like Geneva has been so comforting to me. When either of us feels lonely, we just pick up the telephone and call or e-mail. We confide in each other and almost know what the other one is going to say before she says it. Everyone needs friends and I have several.

I had good news and bad news yesterday. The good news is my son, Scott, got to remove the medical boot that he has been wearing after having the cast removed from his broken ankle. He can now starting driving and once again become independent and self-reliant. The bad news is my granddaughter, Rayna, found out that she has to have knee surgery. She has had pain
several months and had continued to play volleyball on an organized team. It has finally been decided surgery is needed. No date for surgery has been set as of this writing.

A TIME TO REMEMBER

On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh took away Oklahoma City's innocence forever when he bombed the Murrah Building and 168 innocent people died. Today a memorial was held on the site to honor and to remember the people killed and also to remember the survivors of that horrible day. One survivor, PJ Allen, lived and still lives across the street from my son, Keith. He was only a baby (I think about 15 months old) when the bombing occurred. PJ was in the children's daycare center the day of the bombing and, by a miracle, lived and has grown into a handsome, intelligent teenager. To this day PJ represents the horror of the bombing to me and I still cannot think of PJ without tears coming into my eyes. I was asked if I wanted to go to the bombing site today by my son's fiancee, but I can't to this day go to the site. It would be too emotional for me, so I know not to put myself in that position. Life goes on after a horrific event such as this, but today I thank God that my family was spared this tragedy.

What a beautiful day this has been! At the time of this writing, it is 82 degrees, sunny, and at last the wind has subsided. My son came and sprayed some of the weeds in my yard. I mowed the yard where he did not spray, but I am finding pulling the cord to start the lawnmower is too hard on my back. I guess I will have to concede that I am not as young as I used to be.

Neighbors, friends, and family have all been in touch with me today. I have a good support system that watches out for me ever since I became a widow. My grandson, Ryan, called and his under eleven year old boys soccer team is playing in a tournament today and tomorrow in Hutchinson, KS. The team lost the first game played today and won the second game. They play at least one game tomorrow. Ryan is maturing into such a fine young man.

FEED BACK FROM MY DAY OF VOLUNTEERING

I have had the usual Friday with errands, post office, bank, Wal-Mart, and City Hall to pay a bill.

The weather has been the same the last few days, windy and cloudy but no rain. The week-end weather is forecasted to be like a summer day, possibly in the 80's.

My friend, Lorene, went to the 45th Infantry Division Museum today to meet her boyfriend and the guys were all telling her what a nice person I am and how glad they are that I've decided to be a regular volunteer. Bill, the director of the museum, told Lorene that I was a "keeper". Yesterday Bill told me that for the first day I had earned an "A". I am looking forward going back this next Thursday.

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a telephone call from my sister-in-law, Lori. She and Ben have been in AZ and AL for the winter and will be going back home to Michigan May 1st. She had talked to another of my sisters-in-law in IL regarding the large earthquake that occurred early this morning in Illinois. Melinda was sleeping and felt the bed movement and dishes rattling in the kitchen. This earthquake was felt all the way to Wisconsin. Lori really called me to find out about my attending the Doobie Brothers concert in Norman with my friend, Steve. Everyone has been encouraging me with their support and everyone wants to see me having some fun!!!

Lorene and Art went to Remington Park Casino today for an hour and while they were there, a lady next to them won $6,000. Why can't I ever win? Lady Luck will hit one of these days.

My friend, Geneva called and asked if I would like to go out to dinner with her. We decided to go to City Bites in North Park Mall. It was a fun time as it was totally spur-of -the-moment. Geneva and I have been friends and neighbors for many years, but she has moved from the neighborhood now. We still see each other often and we have a trip to Tunica, MS planned. We walked around the mall and oohed and aahed at all the clothing displayed in the windows. There was a style show and luncheon in the mall today and I saw Congresswoman, Mary Fallin and a TV co-anchor, Meg Alexander. I didn't participate in the festivities. I was just there to walk but there were a lot of gawkers standing around, including me.

I am staying in tonight and watching the DVD "Juno". Some people that have seen it liked it and others haven't liked it very much. I usually like the movies that my son and his fiancee like and I believe they said they liked this DVD. Any who, I will be my own judge and will tell in a later posting to my blog if I liked it.

A DAY AT THE 45TH INFANTRY DIVISION MUSEUM

Finally, I had my first volunteer day at the 45th Infantry Division Museum, and it was quite a learning experience. I met Leon, Bob, Ed, Norris, Bill and others who each had their own war experiences to tell me. Each of them had served in the National Guard or the Regular Army and were so helpful to me. They all had very impressive ranks and several had their pictures in the museum. The museum is laid out where it flows from Indian Territory Days to the present. I am very impressed with the display of the original World War II cartoon drawings by Bill Mauldin. Bill served on the staff of the 45th Division News. I am also impressed with items on display from Hitler's home, apartment, and bunker. We had a few visitors today, two from California, and one young 21 year old soldier home from Iraq for three weeks and then back to Iraq where he had been since June 2007. He was quite interesting to talk to. A few locals also visited. The museum will have a lot of visitors during the summer and I am told they come from all over the world to visit the museum because it is Oklahoma's only state operated museum dedicated to military history. The museum director, Bill, brought me a Missouri Pacific Railroad pass issued to his father on April 9, 1924. He knows my interest really is the railroad, and it was very kind of him to share this with me. I will see if the Oklahoma Railroad Museum is interested in having this piece of memorabilia. I was issued a jacket and an identification badge and will report back to the museum next Thursday at 9:00 am. Everyone should visit this military museum at least once.

Weather has been unpredictable today, cloudy, windy, a few raindrops, and now as the evening is here, it has turned much colder than earlier in the day.

I am thankful that my family and friends are all well at the close of this day. I hope they all experienced a fun-filled day.

TAX DAY

The wind has been horrible today. Not a good day to be out, especially for someone with allergies. Thankfully I don't have allergies!! I remowed my lawn today because the dandelions are taking over. The weathermen are forecasting warm weather, possibly in the 80's, for the week-end. Everyone is ready for nice weather.

Had to get the oil changed in my car this morning. I was waiting at 7:00 AM when they opened for business. I was the first one in line and was back home by 7:45 AM. That is something else I have had to take over since I became a widow. Women don't realize how much their husbands do until after they are gone. I ran several errands today. It seems there is always something to do.

I took care of paying my taxes earlier in the month, so I didn't have to rush around to get them in the mail today, the 15th. I bet there are a lot of procrastinators that will be lined up at the post office at 12:00 AM, just in time for the deadline. My next door neighbor is a CPA and has been working long hours since January. It ends tonight for her.

I love spur-of-the-moment activities and a neighbor asked me to go to dinner at a chinese restaurant unexpectantly. I just returned and I am so uncomfortable from overeating. That is what buffets are good for, you want a taste of everything, so you always overeat.

I walked only 1 mile today at the mall. I had good intentions to go back this evening, but now I am too full to walk. It is a good TV night, American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, and Boston Legal.

LAWN MOWING DAY

My lawn has rapidly been growing with all the rain and warm weather. My grass is full of weeds this year, mostly dandelions. My son, Keith, came and mowed this morning , and it looks a lot better, but he wants to do something to get rid of the weeds and crabgrass. All the lawns surrounding mine look the same, no better, no worse. We all have our work cut out for us during the Spring and Summer. Keith is good to come mow anytime I need him. Prior to Keith mowing, my grandson, Ryan mowed for me.

It is sunny, windy, and quite cool today here in Oklahoma City. My son in Santa Fe, NM woke up to three inches of snow, but by late afternoon, the snow was all gone. My grandson is in Kansas City this weekend to attend a Wizard's soccer game, and, we understand, there have been snow flurries there and is quite cold. I just talked to my sister-in-law in Illinois and, they too, have seen snow flurries today. I don't want to see snow here until Winter!!!

I still haven't done any errands today, but there is a tomorrow. Only time I have been gone today was to the mall for the daily walk. I have movies to watch tonight. I watched "Into the Wild" last night, a true story. It was very good and I highly recommend it.

MY FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY

Today is a big birthday for my friend Judy. We e-mailed each other today and remembered when our husbands worked together and we were all so young and full of it. Times have changed for both of us, both husbands are deceased and, therefore, our lives have changed drastically. Her sister and brother-in-law from Kansas are flying into the Guthrie Airport tomorrow to spend the day with her. She will meet them at the airport. Her only child, Rob, called and sent her a card. He and his family live in Broken Arrow, OK. She is to attend a club's cookout tonight and said since it was her birthday, she would bring the cake. Have fun Judy!!

My son and his fiancee and I just returned from eating at the Oklahoma Station Barbecue. It is always good and tonight was no exception. I appreciate them including me in their lives. Kelly is becoming a dear friend to me and we e-mail jokes back and forth. I am glad she has come into my son's life.

I just talked to my friend, Geneva. Today she and her two sisters-in-law had a full massage. She said it was so relaxing and enjoyable. It made her aches and pains more bearable. She plans to go back in the future. She felt like she had died and gone to heaven when it was all over. I have never had a massage, but I think it would feel heavenly to have your neck and back massaged. I would probably fall asleep.

I didn't do errands today but walked the mall for forty minutes, 2 miles. Tomorrow is another day. I have all the time in the world to do errands, if not tomorrow, whenever!! My life has never been so filled, even when I was married. Of course, I do get lonely at times, but something usually comes up with family or friends to fill the void.

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

I am ready for the sun to shine, rain to stop, wind to quit blowing, and to have warmer weather. After all it is Spring -- It is shorts, sleeveless shirts, and barefoot time. I shouldn't be complaining!! My son that lives in Santa Fe, NM called yesterday and they were having snowflakes in the air and it is Springtime there also.

I have had computer problems today, probably due to the high winds. I felt lost without being able to access the internet, and I just got my first computer a few months ago. I was told how much fun computers are and also how addictive they can become. GUESS WHAT -- I admit it --I have become addicted. Computers have opened another way to communicate now that I have a blog, e-mail, and can instant message friends and family. I need to give thanks to my son, Keith, who patiently irons out all my mistakes and also taught me how to use the computer.

Another so so day for me. Did my usual walking at the mall. Somedays it is hard to get motivated to walk and it is harder some days to walk my goal of two miles daily. I get mentally and physically tired.

The sun is going down and the sky is sand colored. This day is coming to a close. I am looking forward to tomorrow. The weather can only get better. I have a lot of errands to run tomorrow.

ANOTHER MUSEUM VISIT

I was invited back to the Oklahoma 45th Infantry Division Museum today to talk to the Curator about becoming a volunteer. I usually make up my mind quickly, but I am retired and I hate to commit to anything, so I took an application and I have the pick of Thursday, Friday or Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM to decide when I want to volunteer. I would be at the front desk to greet visitors to the museum and it would be very interesting talking to all the tourists, especially in the Summer months.

My girlfriend's boyfriend took she and I out to lunch at Crossroad's Mall to the chinese buffet that had just recently reopened. They had eaten there many times and recommended it highly. I enjoyed the buffet very much and we noted how clean and fresh everything was. I was ready for a nap after eating such a heavy lunch, but Lorene and I can't pass Remington Park Casino without stopping and playing the slots for an hour or so. It was Seniors Day so we played with their money and won and then lost their money and ended up losing some of our own money. We both know when to leave. She did win $500.00 last Sunday at the Riverwind Casino in Norman. Sounds too good to be true!!!

I slacked off on walking at the mall today, but feel I did walk quite a few steps at various places. I will get back to routine tomorrow.

Kansas won the Final Four Men's Basketball Championship. A great game for the players and Bill Self, the coach. It would be nice if OSU could entice him to come be the basketball coach to replace Sean Sutton.

Last night the weather was quite alarming around the northwest part of the city. I was ready to take cover when the weathermen keep saying it could turn into a tornado at anytime and mentioned several areas close to me. At 4:30 AM the hail, rain, thunder and lightning strikes woke me up.

The day started out being cloudy and dreary and jacket weather, but at the end of the day the sun came out and warmed up considerably.

Nothing planned for this evening but to watch TV. I will be watching Dancing With the Stars and Boston Legal, two of my favorite shows.

GOOD NEWS FOR SCOTT

My son Scott has been in a cast for several weeks due to slipping on ice in Santa Fe where he lives. It has been a rough time for him with no family living in Santa Fe to assist him in the most mundane daily chores. He has been on crutches since the accident and he lives upstairs, so even going up and down the stairs has been difficult. He has been able to continue working but has to rely on taxis and friends for rides to and from work. Friends have been supportive and helpful in his time of need. But, today the DREADED CAST was removed and it appears the bones in his ankle have healed beautifully. After wearing a medical boot for four weeks, and possible physical therapy after that, he should be back to normal (whatever is normal for him). We are thankful that surgery was not necessary.

The usual Monday for me, relaxation after the weekend, walking the mall, window shopping, telephoning, e-mailing, instant messaging, and watching TV. The men's championship basketball game is on tonight between Kansas and Memphis. I will be watching that. I hope Kansas wins.

Oklahoma City is under a tornado watch until 10:00 PM. My sister lives in Burkburnett, TX and she and her granddaughter had to go to the storm cellar late this afternoon. Tornadoes were all around Burkburnett and since my sister's house was destroyed during the big Wichita Falls, TX tornado, she doesn't take chances with their safety.

DOOBIE BROTHERS - WHAT FUN!!!

I had no entry in my blog yesterday because I was saving it until today to tell all about the Doobie Brothers show that I attended at the Riverwind Casino last night.

They performed before a lively, uninhibited, sold out audience. I have not had so much fun in a very long time. Everyone was up out of their seats clapping, dancing, and silently singing along with the group. The performance started at 8:00 PM and they were on the stage, without intermission, until 9:45 PM. What energy and what musicians and singers they are. They were electrifying and the audience responded with loud applause.

I attended the show with Steve, a man whom I met while set-up at the Stillwater Train Show last June. He loves N-Scale model trains and, until recently, was President of the OK N-Rail Model Train Club. I have seen him at all the shows I have set-up at selling my Santa Fe Railroad memorabilia, and have enjoyed having conversations with him at the shows and via e-mails. Both of us enjoyed the show and we ended the evening at my house with pizza and soft drinks. It was a perfect ending to a perfect evening!!!

This has been a very relaxing day. My son and girlfriend came over and stayed a good part of the day with me. My son had smoked meats of several varieties and they came with all the fixings, baked beans, french fries, and hush puppies. It was a joy to have them with me and the day went by so quickly with them here. We worked on my computer and solved some problems and they introduced me to features that neither they nor I knew we could do with my computer. They have been so inventive with their own blogs and I am amazed with all the information and photos they have posted.

After they left I went to the mall and walked 2 1/2 miles with a lady I just met there at the mall. We were the only two walkers so we walked together and had a great conversation. She is a realtor and she usually walks 3 miles each day. A very nice walking partner.

I have had so many telephone calls today asking about my evening out last night. Curiosity is about to get the best of them. I have enjoyed all their inquiries and comments.

I just got finished instant messaging with my granddaughter and I had a telephone call from my grandson. This has been a wonderful day!!!

REMEMBRANCE

Today would have been the 110th birthday of my dear father-in-law and I wish to remember him on this day, April 4, 2008. He was born in Sullivan, IL on April 4, 1898, a son of a newspaper family. The family moved to Kansas, IL in 1915 when his father purchased the Kansas Journal. After high school, due to his dad's illness, he assumed charge of the Journal and spent the rest of his life editing and publishing one of the best "country weeklies" in Eastern Illinois. He was known as "A Country Editor". He retired in February 1975 and died on October 17, 1975. So today I remember Harry E. Covey as being kind, gentle, funny, and a loving father and father-in-law .

I had my usual errands to run today, bank, gasoline, grocery store, and my daily walk at the mall. I walked with John, an old buddy of my late husband. John is soon to be 89 and he walked as briskly as I. He walked 1 mile and I walked 2 1/2 miles. Enjoyed talking over old times that he and my husband shared. After each of them retired they met for coffee once or twice a week.

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY

No wind, no rain and 80 degrees as I post this at 6:09 PM. I am glad I live in Oklahoma City on days like this. Tomorrow is another day as threatening storms are predicted to arrive tonight and a cold front is also expected. Weatherman just announced there will not be rain or storms in Oklahoma City tonight. He is predicting a beautiful weekend for us.

Nothing special has occurred in my life today. Had a few errands to run and walked 2 miles at the mall. Stopped at post office and also rented a DVD to watch today.

Gasoline prices reached $3.19/gallon today. I am going to start organizing my daily trips where one trip covers everything I need. I can now see $4.00/gallon in the future. I never thought we would see gasoline rise to that price here in Oklahoma. Oh for the good ole days!!!

Thanks to friends and relatives for telephone calls and e-mails today. I keep in touch daily with them and it is very consoling to know they are well and they are thinking of me.

Opening Day for the Red Hawks baseball team. They are playing the Memphis Redbirds. Good luck Red Hawks !!!

JUST ANOTHER DAY

This has been a day to just stay indoors and play catch-up on everything left undone the first part of this week. I played and today was a day to do those things I should have been doing all week. I had telephone calls to make that I let go, business transactions to see to, bill paying, and the dreaded time of year of sending in payments for income taxes owed. I talked to my CPA about my IRA that is maturing. Interest doesn't look good for the shortterm.

I got back on schedule of walking before noon. I have been walking in the afternoon and while I do love to visit with friends and window shop, I had been slipping on speed and length of walk. I could tell it today when I upped the speed and length and tired more readily. I did not see anyone to deter my walking. It was boring I must admit. I passed one older man while walking and he commented on how spry I was. At the end of my walk he should have seen me dragging (ha).

I am enjoying posting on my Blog each day. Thanks to Keith, my son, I have learned the basics of the computer and can communicate with family and friends easily. I do love receiving all those e-mail jokes.

I have watched part of the DVD "Rendition" today. I'll try to complete it tonight, but several of my favorite TV shows are on tonight, Moment of Truth, American Idol, and Men in Trees.

Hopefully there will not be storms tonight.

BUSY TUESDAY

What fun I have had today!! I have been with friends all day long doing different activities. First, my girlfriend and I went to the Oklahoma 45th Infantry Museum located at N.E. 36th and Eastern. I was seeing if I want to become a volunteer at the reception desk. It seems as though it would be quite interesting as people come into the museum from all over the world. While I was there tourists from several states came in. I haven't made up my mind to really become a volunteer yet but I am giving it serious thought. While at the museum I met a volunteer that had attended the same elementary, junior high and high schools that I attended. He had lived near me while attending these schools. We had a lot of the same teachers and both of us even remembered the kindergarten teacher's name. This really is a small world.

Secondly, my girlfriend and her boyfriend and I went to Remington Park Casino for lunch and to play the slots for an hour. I left with more money than I went with and, in addition, had accumulated enough playing points for a free lunch. The others didn't win today. I guess this was my lucky day.

Lastly, I went to walk at the mall and two girlfriends were there. I was the only one walking. They were there to shop. We went to City Bites and had a soft drink. When we left City Bites ,we ran into another girlfriend that I had not seen since before 1990. When I was working at Gulf/Chevron, occasionally we would go to Happy Hour together. We had a lot of fun together.

I am now ready to take off my shoes and kick back.

I am thankful I have many friends from the past and the present.