It's raining . . . STILL!!!!  As I recall, over the past few months, I've written a lot about the deluge of rain that continues to plague us in Oklahoma.  This has been an unreal, record breaking 18 (or is it 19) straight days of heavy rains with lots of localized flooding.

I made a complete weather idiot out of myself yesterday afternoon.  I was going about my business when my sister/friend Tangi called around 2pm to ask if I had seen the storm info moving our way.  I immediately turned on the television and set it to a local station and The Weather Channel - flipping furiously between the two.

TV word was:  We had several bands of torrential rain moving this way from Texas and EACH band could produce 3" of rain per hour.  We've had lots of flash floods, but they (the TV people) predicted this would be the worst of what we've seen.  They guaranteed all the usual flood prone areas would be under water and we would see lots of "new" flood areas form because of this heavy band of water being dumped.

1)  I had a 4pm psychologist appointment on the waaaay north side of town for Luci and canceled it at 2:30pm as this "monster rainfall" continued to head our way, with dire warnings being predicted by the weather crews.  I know the doctor's office area is "hilly" and is prone to deep water when it rains, so I told the receptionist to "be prepared" and keep an eye on a television.

2)  I called Luci's daycare (1/2 mile from my house), even though she was home with me yesterday, to let them know they might want to tune into a weather channel AND "prepare" for this doomsday rain that was fast approaching. 

3)  I also text messaged my oldest daughter (she was at work) to let her know how "BAD" this rainfall would be and to tell her to carefully choose what roads she used to drive home. 

By 3:45pm the sky was the most clear blue color it's been in 3 days.  The sun was peeking its head out by 4pm.  Wispy white clouds were all that lingered in the sky.  And, it continued to be dry (without ONE SINGLE DROP OF RAIN) until we went to bed at 10pm!!!!

Explanation:  Everything had shifted slightly to the east of Oklahoma City.   BUT . . . we would STILL get heavy rain again through the night and it would continue through today (Saturday) causing major flooding.

I've awakened to a still dry patio, birds chirping, and light cloud cover.  The cats and dog have been playing in the backyard.  The weather radar has spotty, SMALL patches of rain here and there south of us and into Texas.

DO I LOOK LIKE A WEATHER ALARMIST, OR WHAT?????? 

Stephanie called last night and said she never got my text message (thankfully, or should would have told everyone at work what her mom had said!!!!) and I told her to just erase it if it eventually came through on her cell phone!

I called Luci's daycare at 4pm and said (in my most important sounding weather authority voice) obviously it had "shifted to the east" and things were okay.  They had asked me to keep an eye on the weather and to let them know.  It's the week end, so I don't have to face them until Monday AND they are closed for the 4th of July holiday next week.  I'm hoping by next week they forget my phone call and near hysteria voice.

Luci's therapist is going on vacation until the end of July, so I won't have to go back there for quite a few weeks.  I'm hoping the whole "weather incident" is forgotten by the time we have our next appointment!  I do remember the receptionist smugly (at least I think she was being smug) saying, "Well . . . I think we should all just close up the office and go home right now."

My dilemma . . . what do I do the next time we get a "bad weather report" ????  Do I just let people be swallowed up by the flood waters and think (after the fact) that it's too bad they weren't prepared?  Or . . . Do I risk looking like a weather idiot one more time?!!!

How embarrassing!

My brother in law and niece left around noon today and the house seems eerily silent!  And that's WITH my 2 older girls and husband at home! 

Today, they arrived at the OKC airport to find out our rainy weather had delayed their departing flight from leaving on time.  That caused them to miss their connection in Denver.  In Denver they were quickly shuffled to a flight going to Portland, OR - not exactly Tacoma/Seattle, WA!  I think they have to wait an hour in Oregon and THEN fly on up to Washington.  Instead of their arriving home at 4:30pm, it will be closer to 8pm.  I imagine their own beds will feel so very good tonight!

James and Aolani stayed an extra week due to him becoming ill the night he arrived at our house.  Their 3 1/2 day stay turned into 10 1/2 days and it was a great visit.  The extra time made us feel more relaxed about showing him how the city has grown and changed since he moved away 18 years ago.  We shopped some.  We took him to downtown Oklahoma City.  They have a mini-San Antonio River Walk with canal boat rides which is an old warehouse district that has been renovated.  We took him to visit his mother twice (Jesse isn't on friendly terms with her, nor am I) and he got to meet and visit with some of Jesse's friends on several occasions.  We finished up shopping for gifts for his family back home . . . AND . . . we definitely ate at all of his favorite places!!!

Having them an extra week wasn't a bit of trouble for me as far as being a hostess, despite the fact we were homebound so much because of the torrential rains that came almost daily.  They were very easy guests and I enjoyed getting to know them better, as did our 3 girls.  I will say, without question, James and Aolani are used to eating out a lot more than we do.  We joked with him about the fact we had eaten out more in these past 10 days than the entire past year!   At this point, I don't care if I ever eat Mexican food again!  What we didn't finish at Mexican restaurants left us eating leftovers the next day at home . . . before leaving for another restaurant!  James said the Mexican food wasn't as good in Washington and those few local speciality drive-in restaurants we have here are places he really craves.

Today after they left and Jesse had returned home from the airport, we had heated up (even more!!!) Mexican leftovers for lunch.  I called the girls, "Time to eat!" and Annamarie ran to her bedroom.  I hollered, "Where are you going?" and she replied, "I'm getting my shoes."  Puzzled I hollered again, "Why?" and she said, "Cause it's time to eat.  Where are we going?"  Jesse and I had a good laugh over that!

All in all we had a very good visit, got to know each other much better, and James was the sweetest guy when he hugged me while saying good bye and told me how very glad he was to have finally spent time with me and to get to know me.  Jesse and I have been married almost 10 years!

I'm sure Aolani will like being back home, too, but will miss having 3 girls to play with IN her home!  She goes to school, but it's not the same as living with people your age!  It all has it's pros and cons.  Having to share things - not so great!  Built in playmates 24/7 - priceless!

I don't have much time to write today, but I am going to remember my first experience to my last experience of drinking coffee.

I remember my family going to Yosemite Nat'l Park to "camp" which consisted of a small cabin with 2 double beds, a light bulb on a wire dangling from the ceiling, and a community restroom you had to walk to (better than none at all) when you had to go.  In the morning, it was so cold and I absolutely couldn't warm up.  I must have been about 10 years old.  My dad had his old WWII looking thermos filled with black coffee and he offered me a cup to get something warm in me.  It was the worst stuff I'd ever tasted.  Just like dirt!  I could barely get it past my teeth.

Next experience was when I was a bit older (maybe 13 years old) and did a lot of late night rehearsals at a professional theater.  There was a snack room with the four "important" basic machines:  a junk food machine, a cigarette machine, a soda pop machine, and a coffee & hot chocolate machine.  I soon found that coffee was far superior to drinking hot chocolate when I needed to stay awake and alert.  I began to acquire a taste for coffee from machines.

When I was around 16 years old, I found that coffee (made correctly) was actually very pleasant, although I never drank it unless I went out to eat or was at a friend's house.  Maybe I was too rushed in the mornings to stop and drink a cup - after all, I didn't even have time to eat breakfast.

Finally, through my adult years, I came to depend on and enjoy coffee.  The caffeine never bothered me until I was older, as far as keeping me awake at night.  That happened when I was in my late-30's.  By that point, even Pepsi and tea kept me awake if I drank it after 6pm.

In the past ten years, I've tried Starbucks and the fancy coffee at Barnes & Noble.  I've found coffee could be a "treat" - as well as very, VERY expensive!

My last coffee experience was with Tully's brand from Seattle.  Jesse brought back some after his trip last month to Tacoma/Seattle.  Colombian is the only brand I've tried and theirs is out of this world.  Not cheap for a pound, but still much cheaper than a cup from the local Starbucks drive through!

I've had to cut back on how much I drink (severe insomnia) and I have to be careful about WHEN I drink it.  That being the case, I want what I DO drink to be the very best flavor (in my old age) because I deserve it!

Do I sound like a spokesperson for Tully's???!!!!

Today I am remembering birthdays from my early childhood. 

No one birthday, in particular, stands out from the rest.  I have a conglomerate memory of bits and pieces from different parties, yet they all must have been very much the same, year after year.

I remember inviting boys and girls.  I remember they all came dressed in their Sunday best.  That was in the days when your best church clothes and shoes were also your party clothes.  Girls came in frilly dresses and boys in their suits or, at least slacks, shirts & ties.  Gifts were wrapped with pretty paper and REAL bows, and there was no such thing as gift bags!

I remember how we sent out invitation cards well in advance so there was time for those invited to plan on attending!  I DON'T remember theme birthdays like they have now.  No Care Bears, Mickey Mouse, Superman, etc.  Just pink for girls and bright primary colors for boys.  I wasn't the only deprived child because no one's party I attended had theme parties, either!  Maybe a few boys had cowboys and Indians, but nothing for girls.  Barbies had barely been invented.  A few girls had cakes made with plastic dolls inside and the cake was a dome shaped HUGE dress with frosting for the frills and lace on the skirt of the dress.

I remember my mother setting the formal dining room table with extra leaves in the table and using a table cloth.  Pink plates, cups and napkins decorated the table and there were balloons everywhere.  I sat at the head of the oval table like a queen.  There were no party favors or gifts for the guests except hats and blow outs (if they were lucky) and balloons were usually the only thing sent home.  No helium or fancy balloons.  They were the kind of balloons your mom and dad blew up.

We played games like Musical Chairs, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Hard-boiled Egg or Potato Spoon Races, and other "old fashioned" games.  Not everyone won a game and not everyone went home with a prize.  But, everyone somehow survived the fact that there were winners and losers and nothing was done "politically correct."  Somehow children were genuinely happy when others won (and they lost) at the games; and, I don't remember one child whining or crying because of loosing.

My gifts were "girly" things like "Tinkerbell" brand cologne, bubble bath, bars of soap, play make up, etc. or small stuffed animals.  Gifts were limited to $1.00 each.  Those with wealthy families sometimes sprang for a $2.00 game like "Chutes and Ladders" or "Operation."

I wasn't asked what flavor of cake or what type of party I wanted.  I took what I got and was grateful.  My mother took great pleasure in "surprising me" each year with an angel food cake with confetti candies inside and strawberry ice cream, keeping with the "pink theme," I guess!  And, every single year, after the party, I remember lying on my bed with a stomach ache.  I have never cared for angel food cake OR strawberry ice cream, and . . . I still don't like it.  Angel food cake still gives me a stomach ache!  But I would have never dreamed of telling my mother I didn't like what she did for me or telling her I wanted something else.

It seemed my birthdays were better than other children's parties.  That might have had something to do with the way my mother could coordinate things to make them appear special.  I have a few pictures from those early birthdays and my memory is accurate.  They WERE pretty and girly.

Funny thing . . . the guests were served cake and ice cream and that was it.  No meals, no grab bags stuffed with candy - just cake and ice cream with Kool Aide or something similar.  And, everyone thought that was sufficient.  No one EVER complained that they didn't get a big enough piece of cake or said they hated the type of cake or ice cream.  My mother was always kind to ask each child if they wanted cake AND ice cream and if they wanted their ice cream ON the cake or on the side of the cake.

When I got older, maybe in fourth or fifth grade, my mother would ask me what I wanted for my birthday dinner and every year I chose the same thing.  Sirloin steak, Noodles Romanoff (by Rice a Roni), and a tossed salad.  She stopped making the angel food cakes and I think that's when I voiced my request for chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream.  Mom bought Neapolitan ice cream to keep "everyone" happy!  I wasn't made to eat the vanilla or strawberry parts of the ice cream, which was a VERY big deal to me!  I was allowed to invite 2 or 3 guests to dinner and that was it.  THAT was my party.  I never complained.  Never asked for more.

When I turned 16, my mother allowed me to invite as many people as I wanted and said we could go to a smorgasbord buffet.  I invited only 3 friends (one wasn't allowed to come because she was grounded) and my mom asked and asked if I was sure I didn't want to invite more people.  I guess I knew that inviting too many people wouldn't be considerate of my parent's tight budget.  I had a WONDERFUL evening with my family and friends the weekend before my birthday.  AND, I went out on the day of my actual birthday (during the week) with a nice guy.

I didn't get a car on my 16th birthday or my 17th or my 18th.  I bought my first car at the end of the summer after I turned 17 (in 1970) with my own savings bonds.  A 1962 Falcon Squire Station Wagon.  Do you think a teenager these days would be happy with an older, out of style car?  I was thrilled.

My birthday memories are mainly made up of the joy shared with the people who joined me to celebrate my day.  It was never about the spectacular gifts I received, because I didn't.  Nor was it about the lavish party my parents had for me, because they didn't. 

I was just as happy to go to someone else's party and be happy for them when it was THEIR birthday.  I remember being so excited for my friends on their special day.

One more thing:  Everyone's party was always on a Saturday afternoon.  It seems parents made the time for a child's party rather than slip it in on a Tuesday night when it was more convenient for the parent.

I made it through another week!  It's the weekend!  Hooray!!!

I don't know why, "It's the weekend!" is an exciting thing for me to say or why it produces a thrill within me whenever I say those words.  My weekends aren't any different from any other day of the week.  Jesse usually works and I have 3 children instead of 2 children to look after.  Guess it's a carry over feeling from those days when I used to work 8-5!  Besides . . .  that phrase, "A woman's work is never done," rings in my ears 7 days a week!  But still, I like saying, "It's the weekend!"

Our air conditioning went out earlier in the week and our friend (the a/c man) is coming this morning to replace the motor.  He fixed it 10 days ago by replacing a fuse, but assured us it would only hold a week.  It lasted about 4 days, instead.  Fortunately, we have 2 units and the one that cools the bedrooms and bathrooms is working great.  So, walking from the hallway into the formal living room provides a nice blast of heat.  Literally, it's like hitting a wall of "hot" when you come out of the hallway.

We have out of town company coming this weekend.  Lori K's family is making their annual trek from Ohio to a church camp here in Oklahoma.  We can hardly wait.  Last year (same time), everyone swam in the pool because it was so oppressively hot.  This year, I haven't set up the pool, yet.  The night's have been chilly, along with a few cooler days.  Lori's birthday is in a week, and we will exchange birthday gifts (mine is in April) with each other.  I'm making a platter of fresh fruit, instead of sweet desserts, because I wasn't sure if the a/c would be fixed.  However, I'm contemplating getting us a birthday cake! 

Luci "graduated" from Pre-K Thursday evening.  They gave them (well, I paid $20.00!) red caps, red gowns, and paper diplomas.  They gave the adults Silly String (that stuff you spray from a can) to spray at the children and the children threw metallic confetti back at the parents.  It was all very dignified and low key!!!!  They served cake and punch afterwards.  We took lots of pictures.  Luci will be in Pre-K AGAIN next year, as she is too emotionally immature for me to start her in my Kindergarten curriculum.  So, I guess that means there will be another Pre-K graduation NEXT year!  In 2008, I will start her in Kindergarten a few weeks after she turns 6 and granddaughter JanaLyn will start with her.  JanaLyn will turn 5yo about 10 days before Luci turns 6yo.

This coming Tuesday is our oldest daughter's (Stephanie) 29th birthday.  Wednesday, Luci and I have a routine medical checkup, then we have our usually appointments on Thursday and Friday.  Friday, around noon, Jesse's brother from Seattle (James) and our niece (Aoloni) are coming for a 5 day visit.  After this week, it will be a long summer stretching in front of us with no other plans except JanaLyn's July birthday and Luci's in August.  I enjoy having company and I'm looking forward to our friends and family coming to see us.

I should stop writing.  It's time to uncover little Tangi Tango's (our cockatiel) cage and empty the dishwasher.

"A woman's work is never done!"