#53 A little of This + A Little of that

What a great Friday y'all!! I'll let the pictures do the talking of my day

I woke up with this song on my mind.  I couldn't stop singing it while I was getting ready for work.

Can you imagine this happening on a random day. It's on my bucket list.
My amazing sister showed this to me several years ago. It's still gets me every time. 

These were my views. 

I mean come on!! You have me feeling all kinds of ways today Texas!

Then there was this last night that I forgot to add to my post. 

They call it a cotton candy sky. I'll try to get a better view of it for y'all tonight. 

Today was a very GOOD thing for sure. 

Till tomorrow sweet readers. 

#52 H O T

H O T can stand for a couple of things around these part.  

Heart Of Texas 

 

Or 

HOT as in August Texas hot. It's similar to SoCal HOT but in a damp, sweaty, bad hair kinda way.  I'll still take this over 120 any day of the week. 

Texas you did me so wrong today but I still love ya. 

106 but feels like 114? No thank you

#51 Call me Ferdinand

Today I feel blissfully at peace. The possibilities of the day seem endless. Isn't it amazing how in what seems to be the midst of the storm, God sends peace.  The situation hasn't changed but your perspective has. Oh y'all can you feel it?  Just to be happy to be alive.

I'll just be here under the tree admiring the beauty of it all

If you haven't read the story about Ferdinand the Bull, you should.  I read it to my kids and grandchildren.

Ferdinand's goal in life was to smell the flowers. He wasn't interested in the day to day of being a Bull. He just wanted to take in the beauty of the world.

"Young Ferdinand does not enjoy butting heads with other young bulls, preferring instead to lie under a tree smelling the flowers."

It can be easy to go about "the butting of heads" of the day if you will.  To get caught up in the minutia of it all. However I find it so much more pleasurable and easy to live when we just stop and smell the flowers. Look at the beauty of life. Admire God's handy work.

Also Ferdinand got stung by a bee while doing just that. Hmm sound like anyone we know?
Just call me Ferdinand.

Is anyone else excited to see the movie? I know I am. Grand kids or not I will be there to see it.

Nothing else to report of the day except that there will be ribs and Mac N Cheese for dinner. Y E S!!

#50 Frankenfoot + Tippy Toes

Two more weeks y'all!!! Two more weeks with this Frankenfoot. Have Mercy...

However, the good news is that it's healing. Doc says it's just slow going. He mentioned thin bones?
Osteoporosis!? These are words doctors use with my mama. I am not ready for these types of talks yet. Almost 50? The dreaded M...pause word! When did this all happen I ask you? (Sorry all you male readers. All one of you. We'll get back to better topics soon promise)

In other news,  it's Taco Tuesday and we are having Poor Mans Chop Suey (It's actually really good. Thanks Aunt Rita for showing us your Filipino ways) for dinner . I mean come on! The Gentry's are slipping in all kinds of ways. On the upside I can see Thirsty Thursday if I stand on my tippy toes. Or is it tipsy toes? Either way I feel like a drink will be in my near future.

Till tomorrow sweet friends.

#49 Sharks + Monday

HA this made me actually LOL at work

Does anyone really LOL? I mean really?

Yes...yes I do!

In the Reception Area

Probably Louder than I should have

It's honestly probably not that funny but I LOL'ed anyway. I'm weird like that 

Be a SHARK Y'all

Happy Monday

P.S. I understand it's shark week on Animal Planet or NatGeo, one of those networks, and that Michael Phelps was supposed to race one. I haven't looked at why yet but I hear it might have been an epic fail. Who would win? Will the shark stay in his own lane? Great Gold Vs Great White! Ha made me laugh again.
(click the link to read that article that I haven't actually yet read, but am still using as a reference. I loved the tag lines though. It must be super correct and newsworthy right? I am doing this whole blog/journal thing all wrong. I am sure of it)

Why do people try to race animals? I just don't understand it. Hmm I'm probably wrong though.  Mister does say I'm a party pooper.

This also may have made me laugh just a little louder than I should have.

This was me snorkeling with my bestie in La Jolla Cove. 

Swim she said. You'll be fine she said. 

N O!!!

No I was not fine!!

#48 Hart of Dixie + Rain + Caldo De Res

Not much happened today except a whole lot of sitting with mama watching Hart Of Dixie.

We would watch a few episodes and then get some chores done. Come back and watch a few more. We've almost finished season one.

There is something I love so much about cheesy television. I can't wait for Signed, Sealed, Delivered to come back on. What a sucker (wait, we discussed that yesterday).

We finally got some rain today. We hadn't had any for a couple of weeks. I love a good rain now. At first when we moved here, the thunder and lightning would scare me.  Now I hear the rumble in the distance and I run to open the door. Oh the smell, the breeze, the sound of it coming down. I now get why there are so many songs written about rain. It puts you in such a peaceful state of mind. I'm still not a fan of those crazy storms, the ones where it sounds like the world is about to come to an end right over your house. Yeah I can do without those.

I put on a pot of Caldo de Res and mama and I sat and lazily spent the rest of the afternoon in Blue Bell Alabama with that crazy Lemon Breeland and lovable Zoe Hart. I haven't gotten to season two yet but I am so hoping that Zoe hooks up with Wade Kinsella. I can't see here with George Tucker at all. No spoilers y'all. Mama knows what is about to happen next but I have sworn her to secrecy.

God bless Netflix and good wifi on a rainy Sunday afternoon...the stuff GOOD THINGS are made of.

P.S. Game of Thrones y'all. Lord have mercy.

#47 Trees + Sucker

So my Saturday started off slow. I just wasn't ready to face the day. Then Mister says, "let's go work in the yard for a bit". Hmm "OK" was my quiet reply. I really wasn't feeling the yard at all. I would rather go look at antiques on LaSalle Ave. But I played along. What a sucker I am.

We started here.

This is the Crepe Myrtle behind the house in front of Grans window. I didn't get a before picture but let's just say it was difficult to walk under without getting smacked in the face with a limb.

Electric Saws are being handled with care

"Go get the wheelbarrow to clean it up now"  he said. 

Geez I'm a sucker for sure. 

Let me just stand under here for a bit and look at the neighbors pet.

Off he heads for the dreaded wheelbarrow. 

Uggghhh Acreage...we wanted acreage. Again what a sucker. 

No problem I be right here when your ready he replied. 

These trees were next.  (Can you see the garden? It's growing like crazy)

"Next weekend we're tackling the big tree in the front" he says.  

Have mercy. I think my foot hurts. I need to go lie down. 

He didn't fall for it 

#46 Have A Nice Day

Why thank you Texas, I will do just that.

Should read HAVE A NICE DAY 

I'm not good at taking photos while driving...it's illegal you know

I pass this sign going into work. Today it made me feel extra happy. The thought that someone took the time to type this out. Gosh Texas you make me swoon. 

P.S. In other news today was a very productive! I am now officially a legal Texan, license and all. It's only been a year but who's counting right. Picture is hideous as per the usual with me. 

P. P. S. This is my favorite view of the morning. I hope y'all's (Is that a word...sure why not) Friday is amazing. 

The Drive to my parking lot. Something about it makes the start of my day exciting. Hearing the birds sing and the squirrels run about. You should see it in the Fall. Gosh life is GOOD 

T

#45 Where I come from

So this post is obviously for my Texas friends mostly.

"I bet it's amazing in California" or  "Oh the ocean views and cool weather." these are statements I often hear when people find out where I am from. Then l I tell them what it's actually like. I usually respond with this..."Have you Star Wars... the desert Scenes?" "That is where I am from. Sand Dunes is our playground."

So in the spirit of sharing where the Gentry's come from, I'l let the photos do most of the talking

This is the normal view. You can typically see for miles and miles.

The Imperial Valley is located in the South Eastern corner of California on the Arizona Mexico border.

This is what most of the area looks like six months out of the year.

There is lots of agriculture and that steam you see up in the air is from geothermal plants. Renewable energy is abundant here.

Geothermal, Wind and Solar Energy 

The other six months out of the year the fields are sparse and heat is prevalent. Today's high is supposed to be 111 with about 35% humidity. The low is a cool breezy 85. So it's just plain hot from May to October. 

This is a motto believe it or not. Winters are pretty glorious though if you don't like...well winter. 

We've been in shorts at Christmas before. 

In the winter, this...

Turns into this!!!!

You know that whole sun and winter thing...

My hometown 

Don't be fooled. Prison Inmates in the maximum security prison just outside of town make up about 3,000 of that population. We're cool like that 

This is our claim to fame. 

Mind Blown huh

The top is Sea Level. I've often wondered if it's so hot because we are closer to HELL than anyone else. 

We have a few really cool things as well. 

Salvation Mountain. Google it since I couldn't even begin to describe this awesomeness

People often ask besides my family, what do I miss most? Well here are just a few.

fish tacos

Carne Asada...oh lordy are these good

People in Texas think I'm crazy when I mention Fries with Cheese. 

How can y'all not like Tri Tip? Oh Texas you are missing out. 

I think the Gentry's need to open a Raspados shop. We'd make a killing. So Good.

So the long and short of it is. I come from a place where since there is not too much to do, we spend lots of our time with family and friends eating great food, just the way I think God intended it to be and that is A VERY GOOD THING. 

"Good Food is a celebration of life" Sophia Loren. 

#41 Disconnected + Super Soul Sunday

Fist of all this happened all day long! I may or may not have also watched this movie today. I can't look away when it's on TV.

Our Wifi has been out since yesterday. We are already at 75% of our Data on the phone!! Why O why is country living so hard? Hopefully it comes back up sometime today. I'm writing these journals hoping and praying they post. I am sure though that it's not great loss if they just stay buffering out there in the interwebs of life.

In other news, on Super Soul Sunday the author of The Shack was interviewed. It was so inspirational to hear how he wrote the book as a gift to his children and a few close friends for Christmas as he had nothing else to offer. O what a gift it was.

His take on life and how to forgive yourself in what seems like insurmountable and unforgivable life choices. How sometimes you just need to NOT be saved from life lessons, all in order to receive the greatest gifts of all. I loved hearing his story and listening to his take on life, faith and how to forgive. I hope your Sunday finds you well and happy. Remember to try and not be so hard on ourselves. Jesus loves us even in our hotmessiness (that's a new word I just made up).

P.S. It rained just a little today. We won't see anymore for a few weeks. That is such a strange concept now. To miss the rain instead of very rarely ever seeing any.

#42 - #44 Turtle Pace + Kitchen Sink

As I mentioned yesterday the internet is down. Well not down exactly but not working still the same. This entry will cover several days since I am unable to update my journal.

"Sweet baby Jesus send us some Wifi miracles... please N thank you

Also forgive some of the words I may have uttered in distress. Windstream is NOT the devil"

I am writing these with hopes they reach you at some point. If not well they can just buffer out there in the universe.  This journal though is only about the good stuff so let's move on.

Our kitchen sink faucet had been on it's last leg for oh about a year now. Yes a year.
Well today we played taps (ha get it) for the poor corroded 1990's (if I had to guess how old) piece of kitchen hardware.  Here now lies the problem. Why is it we always put off what needs to be done? Then when the situation gets VERY REAL we have to scramble to fix it. Thankfully our little WalMart in Marlin Texas, had just the right faucet and the perfect price (you know how things get tight right before payday).

I was almost sure we were going to be the folks washing dishes in the garage sink until Friday. Even worse in the yard in a pail...Have Mercy

"Oh those California folks, they just can't get it together", is what my minds tell me our neighbors think.

Thank you Jesus for sending me to the right store, at the right time, with just the right amount of money left in my wallet. God is so good y'all.

P.S. I promise I will get better about documenting our days with actual photos of real life events, instead of finding meme's that correlate and make me laugh at the same time.

P.P.S Nothing of great importance or significant goodness happened on Tuesday or Wednesday except for the fact that our AC is chuggin' right along. It's hot here but not Imperial Valley HOT so that is A GOOD THING for sure.

Until tomorrow friends or whenever you see this. I will keep repeating "Windstream is not the devil" until I am convinced.

P.P.P.S What movie is the quote from? Any takers? It's one of my favorites. Here's a hint. It's not a movie about turtles but this meme made me laugh. I might have also watched this movie in the last 10 days or so.

Inappropriate song I know. It's the gangster in my I tell ya!

#40 Love thy Brother

So this happened today.

Isn't it so amazing that even animals know how to help one another? Seeing this kindness today melted my heart.

Gus has developed an issue with his eyes and we think he might be going blind. So sad to think of such a thing. He is being a real trooper about it though. He meanders his way through the yard at a glacial pace make sure of each step. However, when there's food or a critter in the yard he gallops at full speed and may or may not cut corners too short or miss the curb or sidewalk just a little. So far nothing too major. He has an appointment with the vet soon.

Dufus' mouth has been hurting him for a bit now. He has some really bad teeth that he will be coming out in the near future. His breath is on a whole other level y'all.

I feel so bad for both my boys. They could use some prayers if you have the time. They truly are such a blessing in our lives.

Moral of today...help another. It's one of the main tasks God asks of us. Above all else, love one another.

P.S. Lots of this is happening this weekend.

#39 Summer Anthems + Sonny Boy

Today during a discussion at work I might have overstated my excitement at the fact Smash Mouth will be preforming at the Backyard here in Waco in August!! To say they were somewhat perplexed is an understatement.

It was the summer of 1997 I believe. My son the preteen was spreading his musical genre wings. That summer he introduced me to Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray and No Doubt. He listened to these CD's (a brand new invention for music listeners) over and over again ALL summer long.

Padrino (click here to listen) is one of my all time faves on this album. Most everyone knows All Star though, and possibly only because of Shrek...just a guess.

Sugar Ray was a good listen but nothing too memorable for me. However, No Doubt was the absolute best thing!! I think I must have heard all these songs a million times that summer. 

He would turn up the music as loud as he thought he could get away with that on that particular day and play his video games with his best friend sitting right beside him on the floor of his filthy room. Dirty cups and empty chip bags strewn about. Oh to be young and free! This memory is up there in the top of all my summers on this earth. If I close my eyes I can hear the music and smell the grass as he was learning how to mow. Keeping a close watch on Ms. Tay as she maneuvered her barbie bike up and down the road at speeds her now gone training wheels would not allow.  

There is something so great about summer anthems! As I am typing this I am trying to remember what anthems were of my youth. Hmm...

Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl

My cousin Cyndi and I must have worn out that record the summer of 1982. Oh the days before Cd's and fast forward. We would run back to the record player and move the needle right back to the begging of that song.  My first real crush was due to this face. Oh Dr Drake Ramoray. 

Prince - I wanna be your lover

Dancing on my bed until I couldn't stand anymore. 

Loverboy - Everybody's working for the weekend

There may have been some extreme air guitar happening privately in my room. 

Oh summer how you can make us feel young, alive and invincible. I type this as I look down at my new shoe couture and realize those days are now far and few between.  

Do you have a favorite? I would love to hear about it.  Post your comment below if you like.