Ending in Sad News

I believe this blog has come to an end.

I can't even begin to think about writing here when I shared so much with my writing partner... who is now gone. Circe will be greatly missed and my heart breaks for her. She was so full of life!

I love you Circe! Rest in Peace.

K.

I'm Not Surprised

Seriously!?!

Another one!?!?

At some point (like way before baby 19) don't people decide they've had enough? Maybe when you're oldest if having a baby and you're gonna be gpa and gma... maybe its time to throw the towel in? I'm just saying... God thinks its ok to use B.C.

Some RAGBRAI pictures

Hairball performed in one of the pass-thru towns. If you ever get the chance... see them. What a great show!


Richard, Me, Sheri and John after we'd finished 7 days of RAGBRAI


Me and Sal SO happy that the week has ended. We successfully rode the 442 miles, dipped our tires and now taking our aching legs back to the bus/Coach. This was the first time i'd ridden with Sal... what a hoot! He's from New York and has that sassy New Yorker attitude. LOVE IT!!!


Our group, including Larry and Troy (our drivers). We wouldn't have made it without those guys driving the bus and Coach every morning to our next overnight town, setting up and getting ready for us when we pedaled into town. Then tearing it all down the next morning and moving to the next town in time to be ready for us when we pedaled in again. They made it all so much easier!!!


One of the many HELL hills.


Our bikes all lined up nice & neat... ready to roll out the next morning.


Me and Mac enjoying the expo!


Our cycling club, Blood, Sweat & Gears, on the morning of the first day of RAGBRAI

RAGBRAI

We just completed our 5th day of RAGBRAI and I'm happy to report all is well! Everyone on our team (of 12 this year!) is injury free and recovering from all aches and pains from sitting hours on end on that little sliver of a seat and pedaling up one side of the mountains and pedaling even faster down the other side.... to get a head start on the next one! The next two days will be relatively flat in comparison to what we've done the past few days and on the final day we begin to dive downwards... to dip our tire in the river. I'll have pics soon!

Just Cuz

Well, it was one hectic week during cousin Ron's visit. Hectic but enjoyable. Sis and I shared him with his spending most days with us and every night with her clan. We had a cookout, a small dinner party and also treated him to the best steakhouse in town. TBC helped tremendously with the hosting and yes, he did show him where Twister was filmed! We pretty much spoiled him rotten but if any man deserves it, he does. I knew my aunt was a BITCH but after things he told us, I was ready to race to California and cheerfully ring her scrawny worthless little neck myself. How he didn't become a serial killer after her abusive treatment of him during his childhood is beyond me. And while I don't necessarily mean physical abuse, she inflicted enough pain, suffering, and humiliation complete with permanent mental scars to last more than one lifetime. I realize I am hearing his side, but you must understand I have seen her in action throughout the years during visits and heard enough stories from my mom to know these are not exaggerated fabrications. Were that it was. Anywho, for two solid days we doggedly poured through old picture albums that he brought along. Mz MotheroftheYear saved everything. And I do mean everything!!! She even had old grade school report cards and old picture IDs from every company she ever worked for. And enough pics of her to choke a horse. Course, she thought she was a seductive hottie, and while she was attractive, I wouldn't call her a great beauty by any stretch of the imagination. Sheesh! Ron, on the other hand, is one handsome guy. Must take after his dad. *snicker* And that's a whole other can of worms we won't even get into. After all the rectangular perusing, we hit the genealogy packets in our possession and that helped determine who some of the ancient, nameless faces were. Without boring you to total tears, our grandmother's side came over from Denmark in the mid-1800s while our grandfather's side came from Wales in 1659! They were practically on board with the first Pilgrims and/or Puritans. I had no idea the fam went back that far. On my dad's side, I'm clueless in terms of dates but I know they were from England and Germany.

That pretty much describes the highlights of his visit. I think it was 2001 the last time either of us saw him so it had been awhile and he had never come out this way. I guess it's all about the wife's family at his house because except for sis and I, there is NO contact with our other cousins (I think they're in Michigan) and with his being an only child, he feels outnumbered and voiceless. Hopefully, he felt loved and cherished amid his adoring (transplanted) Okie relatives. :) Three cheers for cousins!

Fact

Hooters wings stop tasting good when a man becomes the father...of a daughter!

How Now Brown Cow

After many months of the caring and feeding of Boy George (I have no clue why TBC named him that. Does he look like a "Boy George" to you?), we recently had him sent to the er, well, you know and he has morphed into tasty steaks, roasts and hamburger. Yum! Thankfully, I did not get to know him on a personal basis and am able to partake of his bovine goodness with nary a tear. He was an attractive steer--part Texas longhorn and part Mexican longhorn--as you can see in the pic. This was taken not long after we purchased him though I did not snap anymore to show his growth and downright ornyness. And he was quite orny! If you recall, he and I had one run-in last summer when I was on the riding mower in his pasture and he came trotting up to check me out. I was terrified and screamed bloody murder thus sending our neighbors on both sides scurrying out to see if TBC was beating the crap out of me. I think I may have blogged about it. TBC kept telling me to just keep going and Mr Steer would run away. He did NOT. However, he did slowly saunter out of my way but not in a scared manner whatsoever. I continued my mowing but kept a watchful eye on him and never did attempt mowing in his territory again. Anyway, TBC bought him for the sole purpose of future meat in our freezer and frankly my dears, this is Oklahoma and we eat meat out here in the wild west. Circe Carnivore!

My fav cousin, Ron, is coming to visit this weekend from California and sis and I could not be more excited. He will only stay from Sat-Thurs but hopefully it will be a wonderful visit. Two cookouts complete with extra relatives are planned not to mention a boat ride on the lake thanks to "K". He'll also get the Grand Toure of Podunkville though I'm scratching my head what that will entail. There just ain't that much to see 'round these here parts. Oil wells? Flat plains? Um, the place they filmed the movie Twister (which is very close to us)? Guess we'll play that by ear.

Our main bathroom renovation is thankfully 95% complete. It's got a brand new bathtub, tile, walls, paint, floor, window, fixtures, etc. The toilet was replaced not that long ago and for now the vanity was just repainted though that will eventually need replacement. I plan on a beach theme (shock there, eh?) so I just need to pick up a few extra touches. He'll be staying in sis' gorgeous log house so I don't have to gussy up the guest bedroom. I still need to do some major cleaning in the next few days and I'm working on a menu for his gastronomic pleasure. Oh, did I tell you I totally cleaned and rearranged the bedroom? Yeah, Sat morning I was attempting to watch one of my fav shows, Property Ladder, when thanks to pouring rain, lightning and thunder, the satellite dish went out. This prompted me to get off my lazy arse and do something I considered doing months ago. There is alot more room with the changes but it's funny how you can clean something thoroughly and no one but you can really tell the work that went into it. I've also got new drapes ordered from Penneys so it should really look pretty when they arrive.

I would be remiss not to mention July 6th was our BLOGAVERSARY! Funny I remember the date but not the year. I'm thinking it's our 4th or 5th but I'll need a ruling on that from Mz Kerbear.

smooches,
circe