tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53377266250240624952023-11-16T01:36:36.027-06:00rantings of a Blue Hair WannabeBluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-5581053246745201002016-08-21T07:13:00.001-05:002016-08-21T07:13:56.930-05:00Happy Birthday PeanutI have had more memory feeds about you in the past month on social media.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KrP7Cy7vM9cMSJi0dXiy8IHTFfM9kKgNgn4yyZclJXsZramv-exCxlgZ5h6Ha7zcP-JFMuX1Kli8La3L3FedPSyf6OuGh22z5DalhyQvIkRvDPYoKAW9StIJFB839309X3Fpp7_hyphenhyphentUK/s1600/brigadoon2+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KrP7Cy7vM9cMSJi0dXiy8IHTFfM9kKgNgn4yyZclJXsZramv-exCxlgZ5h6Ha7zcP-JFMuX1Kli8La3L3FedPSyf6OuGh22z5DalhyQvIkRvDPYoKAW9StIJFB839309X3Fpp7_hyphenhyphentUK/s320/brigadoon2+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
All the costumes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhC4hFzc6kei97TrChT2bubAzty6cXmMcJXg1hQ2pPoGHafvIYMb48dh5Wccg3go2KlFNH7_vzNaUc0tYBdQPYc-LEFwAvkbgXSJUnkFZI9P4lW0AyXjVBs5frFzUSO8qHgSGtCdSomAl/s1600/Wiz+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhC4hFzc6kei97TrChT2bubAzty6cXmMcJXg1hQ2pPoGHafvIYMb48dh5Wccg3go2KlFNH7_vzNaUc0tYBdQPYc-LEFwAvkbgXSJUnkFZI9P4lW0AyXjVBs5frFzUSO8qHgSGtCdSomAl/s320/Wiz+031.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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All the interesting people.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx2mHpp3VhQortv5kyU8NQ115pQo1PcLalUTiTK_9ahzRe1qp__YE3Ipix2S1RBT6rU_D5bULP4iud8EGPrcWqsGbjmb9rD2qe3yAF9nZm4_TRlRFdVrLIK6CLCD9irKnoRBHpRUF9MKP/s1600/3march08+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx2mHpp3VhQortv5kyU8NQ115pQo1PcLalUTiTK_9ahzRe1qp__YE3Ipix2S1RBT6rU_D5bULP4iud8EGPrcWqsGbjmb9rD2qe3yAF9nZm4_TRlRFdVrLIK6CLCD9irKnoRBHpRUF9MKP/s200/3march08+090.JPG" width="146" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0GDV24Vyaw1mmy5k-7gjYuB9Oic1cbVyfgeEuRFhPEO5ry5HtZmeuGxJIDBNPotqhYr-TB0_4H7_IpmhsEPWo7i5I1nkvQdANwvoS1kQ1Oy5uOU92BTw4Lk1bvL944fzclhsipKdWekF/s1600/jazz+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0GDV24Vyaw1mmy5k-7gjYuB9Oic1cbVyfgeEuRFhPEO5ry5HtZmeuGxJIDBNPotqhYr-TB0_4H7_IpmhsEPWo7i5I1nkvQdANwvoS1kQ1Oy5uOU92BTw4Lk1bvL944fzclhsipKdWekF/s200/jazz+021.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
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All the glamour.<br />
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All the lights.<br />
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I miss seeing your bubbly self around the house. I hope you have some sparkles on your birthday under that beautiful western sky.<br />
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I love you.<br />
MomBluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-36039031472680537162015-12-25T15:17:00.000-06:002015-12-25T15:17:02.914-06:00Scents of Smell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The lines have been drawn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Smells.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Breathing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A lot has changed over the last eighteen months since I went back to school. I think the biggest one I am noticing is my scents of smell. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes. I wrote that correctly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My scents-itivity has gone haywire and it directly impacts my breathing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tall Man has taken on a new hobby - one that has never bothered me in the past. </span><br />
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<a href="https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/kxEZih.1PhThYbseYcW0ZQ--/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9OTAwO3E9OTU7dz05MDA-/http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/400329116864-0-1/s-l1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="... 5x3" Lubricating Gun Oil Field Wipes Air Rifle Shotgun Cleaning | eBay" border="0" height="200" src="https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/kxEZih.1PhThYbseYcW0ZQ--/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9OTAwO3E9OTU7dz05MDA-/http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/400329116864-0-1/s-l1000.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The smell of this now leaves me breathless. So, Tall Man's solution is to add an air freshener to the mix. Not just any air freshener. For some strange reason he chose strawberry banana....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is not helping the issue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I finally had to speak to him this morning and suggest a change of plan. He will allow me to choose a smell of my choice....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and in the interim... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yup. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tall Man is helping the neighborhood smell better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We don't want it to go to waste...</span>Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-61962035894137680852014-08-12T08:11:00.000-05:002014-10-26T14:55:30.306-05:00Searching For SupermomHere I go.<br />
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I am going back to school.<br />
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Yup.<br />
You heard me. <br />
I am really going to do it.<br />
<br />
I have applied.<br />
I have been accepted.<br />
I have spoken to advisors........<br />
<br />
......CRAP!<br />
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What the h&!! am I doing?<br />
<br />
I may need my cape back.<br />
I need to be organized.<br />
I need to meet deadlines.<br />
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I need Art Classes?<br />
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Deep breathing exercises.<br />
<br />
Fetal position.<br />
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Additional hours in the day.<br />
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I think I need a super hero cape...... <br />
.......it is in the closet somewhere.<br />
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<br />
<span style="color: red;">I Used To Be A Supermom</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span>is where this all started.<br />
The realization that I was failing.<br />
Failing? Is that right?<br />
<br />
No. Older?? Let's not go there either. <br />
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I have a week to find that cape.<br />
School starts in my classroom in a week.<br />
Classes start online and at the university in a week and a half.<br />
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I can do this...but I am sure I will be ranting a lot!<br />
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<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-19363134609945244522014-07-16T07:37:00.001-05:002014-07-18T07:02:27.281-05:00Adventures with the Man Child - Senior Pictures with Ben Shirk!The difference between getting photos for girls and boys. Girls love to dress up, put on make-up, do the foo foo thing.....<br />
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.......boys, ah, no. I really didn't know what to expect with the Man Child. He is always behind the curtain on stage or up in the tech booth pushing buttons and switches. He does<i> not</i> like to be in the limelight AT ALL. Then the Blue Hair announces, "It's picture time! It<i> IS</i> your senior year and we <i>WILL</i> get photos!" The look on his face....well, there was no look. It was that mouth hanging open, blank stare thing with small utterance of, "Wha.....no, nope, don't wanna......"<br />
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Man Child is the one that always faces backwards in our family photos. He told me that he hasn't brought home the envelope from school pictures for the past seven years.....huh, that explains why I have no pictures of him!<br />
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I gave Ben Shirk of<span style="color: #741b47;"> <a href="http://www.shirkphotography.com/" target="_blank">Shirk Photography</a></span> a call*. We talked about fifteen minutes in the initial call. Ben does a great job getting a feel for what you are looking for, but most important, the personality and likes of his subject. We even received a questionnaire for Man Child to fill out with his likes and dislikes listed. In his personality profile for Ben, Man Child said his least favorite feature was.....his face. This should have been a red flag right there. I was a little nervous. I really didn't know what to expect out of the Man Child. I had this image in my head of a mass lump in the middle of the photography studio.....he's a boy! We should poke him with a stick....<br />
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By the way....this is child number two for me at Ben's studio. Frog had a BLAST at her senior photo session (she graduated in 2012). She saw a photo that Ben did with a couch in the middle of a huge field and the princess power clicked.....she had to have her photos there. He captured <i>exactly</i> what she wanted...<i>.vintage</i>!<br />
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So, off we went.<br />
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We were greeted in studio, bright and early with everything the Man Child owns. We learned from that experience with Frog....take everything, and just a few more props. Nope, take a lot of props. If you like it, if you collect it, <i>take it....</i>you might just use it. <br />
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Ben has an awesome eye to put whatever you bring into a situation. We brought about twelve possibilities of complete outfits for a four outfit session. He started asking what were favorites of the Man Child and shifting a moving layers around. We had our final four outfit choices and the ideas were clicking in Ben's head. <br />
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The morning was gorgeous and we set out the door of the studio immediately to catch the incredible clouds in the sky.<br />
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I do need to interject the sadness of the trip ..... the one "prop" we had hoped to have with us....the Man Child's "new" truck.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytklUCi_tzKukE_t2QmiLYSwLVujchltDx12Vm_-9p0KqJ7HbkZsxXUEi6K3nXN9907g6ZuzObwm4ZIISUd7XvjwLFV4boIJ1mpe8Ks1dPVIAAkFbBgzH6NxgCNT2-Nh0NQC-lg_mEa2t/s1600/truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytklUCi_tzKukE_t2QmiLYSwLVujchltDx12Vm_-9p0KqJ7HbkZsxXUEi6K3nXN9907g6ZuzObwm4ZIISUd7XvjwLFV4boIJ1mpe8Ks1dPVIAAkFbBgzH6NxgCNT2-Nh0NQC-lg_mEa2t/s1600/truck.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "new" truck was left at home for the photo shoot.</td></tr>
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He has worked hard to get this truck in the driveway, and we thought it was up and running....until the fuel pump started leaking. We determined it wasn't safe for him to drive it the thirty miles to Wilton, but Ben had some ideas of places he knew had old cars and trucks parked in fields. <br />
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We set off for one farm and hit.......the mother load! There were Internationals <i>everywhere</i>! Man Child had his pick of a dozen vehicles and pieces sitting around the farmer's pastures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDWyF5zQJ5xiuDMwCAgvqrzcdqlDgq1jRy73733W_knkNl7hyphenhyphenN6Yl7MA6kLv1qUXnxrXCAr5muqmAqdu_1YrvIzYV4bKdNTAyd6n2VSSH8mOWEfcxSSTpanJNNnB28-GASBlhJ27OY9tc/s1600/IMG_2345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDWyF5zQJ5xiuDMwCAgvqrzcdqlDgq1jRy73733W_knkNl7hyphenhyphenN6Yl7MA6kLv1qUXnxrXCAr5muqmAqdu_1YrvIzYV4bKdNTAyd6n2VSSH8mOWEfcxSSTpanJNNnB28-GASBlhJ27OY9tc/s1600/IMG_2345.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We even had an audience.</td></tr>
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It was International Heaven in the middle of a sheep pasture! Ben seems to have a great relationship with his neighbors in Wilton. He told me he only found this site a year or so ago. There are hidden treasures all over....if you just slow down and look. The thing that slowed him down? A chimney standing by itself in a pasture. That is when he saw all of the trucks...<i>what a find! </i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2P9QmwuCq_x3X9qW-7NUC2ctLZsEmAlZQrnsCeBSV5diLrrhU7gw56mFFd23wbwwBm2Uo3owW08QvaiqUtQ-p3gMCYuUAyT83EuDYteNkn5VYb25dKqkcZS_2hh6KuJl2yh9x0CmFjVHW/s1600/IMG_2342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2P9QmwuCq_x3X9qW-7NUC2ctLZsEmAlZQrnsCeBSV5diLrrhU7gw56mFFd23wbwwBm2Uo3owW08QvaiqUtQ-p3gMCYuUAyT83EuDYteNkn5VYb25dKqkcZS_2hh6KuJl2yh9x0CmFjVHW/s1600/IMG_2342.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talk about commitment to your client....Ben was willing to<br />
get down and dirty in the sheep poo to get that perfect shot!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVy6RChWSDNgRiMFxiLj-vXCmKuZGylSoNB45MpSQQPQryEvXazxWqZiEmhWpqUY6L9vFqZjvXDSYMoAwk1_sxi7lrorafMbYtR-4LdP6gGxSsACKMZs3YPevAhI2ah9uidWauni0d4gvj/s1600/IMG_2348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVy6RChWSDNgRiMFxiLj-vXCmKuZGylSoNB45MpSQQPQryEvXazxWqZiEmhWpqUY6L9vFqZjvXDSYMoAwk1_sxi7lrorafMbYtR-4LdP6gGxSsACKMZs3YPevAhI2ah9uidWauni0d4gvj/s1600/IMG_2348.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben was always looking for the color....the textures....<br />
...the angles....to fit his subject's personality!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna6GJ8mNOPDPrpuDtMx9hj5ryIOvzdPllz4vS8XLEqABeprZDf-WyDnaMGDjpCpdOIKJSuWZz5mb_ldoM0DFTjnt7PsTBLTyuIO00vpy9xyyOK-By2zbftLb0lh3-tMNgCmNicGo-3X1-/s1600/IMG_2359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna6GJ8mNOPDPrpuDtMx9hj5ryIOvzdPllz4vS8XLEqABeprZDf-WyDnaMGDjpCpdOIKJSuWZz5mb_ldoM0DFTjnt7PsTBLTyuIO00vpy9xyyOK-By2zbftLb0lh3-tMNgCmNicGo-3X1-/s1600/IMG_2359.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What did I tell you about those clouds!<br />
It was a perfect day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KRzjEO0r4axCzSkqgwG8pnkotNsOWjDzgcsFDKCmuihDAyMOG3hBp5_vXNoonCjug6f4YkGhdR43jo2UL3ittUfHNeDcVwGfm-hefvdc8QvxHb6WjeTjHNxFE7QSDLRSU7Rmw97x135V/s1600/IMG_2361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KRzjEO0r4axCzSkqgwG8pnkotNsOWjDzgcsFDKCmuihDAyMOG3hBp5_vXNoonCjug6f4YkGhdR43jo2UL3ittUfHNeDcVwGfm-hefvdc8QvxHb6WjeTjHNxFE7QSDLRSU7Rmw97x135V/s1600/IMG_2361.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always showing those great shots to Man <br />
Child as we went along...love the attention <br />
to detail and the quest for feedback!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got some other great shots in different locations, along with a "costume change" in the truck before we headed back to the studio for some of the more traditional shots.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBLuBWHprC1_WFUNx8YKZKVQcdNr10GDlEyloEk0bQ3nxeJ0Qv4jZxN7_7xXebdQafFTD0vR7kLagKK8wEtaYNRc48h-U6Y_UMvMcfgH_Qg2oGe6qKHghXo3a5WufTWJwRQDeugc6SR5y/s1600/IMG_2368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBLuBWHprC1_WFUNx8YKZKVQcdNr10GDlEyloEk0bQ3nxeJ0Qv4jZxN7_7xXebdQafFTD0vR7kLagKK8wEtaYNRc48h-U6Y_UMvMcfgH_Qg2oGe6qKHghXo3a5WufTWJwRQDeugc6SR5y/s1600/IMG_2368.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man Child all suited up! Thank you<br />
to Men's Wearhouse for a great suit!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got a few traditional shots to make the Blue Hair in me and the Yearbook happy....and then it was back to some fun shots again. Ben was constantly on the move, shifting lights, chairs, pianos.....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYBPzDaBK5ZM-6CMnYoyIF2n0_8gy1dUG7yE7bThxZ1jGcBZOWsr3uy1bMAMj2FrKZ0p9ntJH2NligNdmTzToF6IFKZzzY0doYlAJZspIdnLyFPxUkjE05er_w4Q6EjBbxfubBAlLxWO6/s1600/IMG_2373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYBPzDaBK5ZM-6CMnYoyIF2n0_8gy1dUG7yE7bThxZ1jGcBZOWsr3uy1bMAMj2FrKZ0p9ntJH2NligNdmTzToF6IFKZzzY0doYlAJZspIdnLyFPxUkjE05er_w4Q6EjBbxfubBAlLxWO6/s1600/IMG_2373.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was hard to get a shot that<br />
Ben wasn't a blur of motion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBlvDwifA9VT2w_0WoxUgrXAYrT4vxm_k3rtG-1zDukAspvbF_SNWpWCaoeSGrZlyd8eQgnYJIw5TYvxQ4UEMf986goEUzvkfjPZAswLxjbT516tYrlsXgbN1S7ntXUtEfEGFxiM3hxtS/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBlvDwifA9VT2w_0WoxUgrXAYrT4vxm_k3rtG-1zDukAspvbF_SNWpWCaoeSGrZlyd8eQgnYJIw5TYvxQ4UEMf986goEUzvkfjPZAswLxjbT516tYrlsXgbN1S7ntXUtEfEGFxiM3hxtS/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My novice shot of the action....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33GN1Ar9_UFwB-Rsc0mn9ygi4JelQch-tuUKSIF3gOD87mInmGABrNbN8fCJiBWnK3bHzgO9bT6NIyeNDrKx0rVhPTKuXYO2H-tUliv1PH3_TJZaxE2_QBIvEF7I8eh0yuJrsvFfJmcz1/s1600/IMG_2379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33GN1Ar9_UFwB-Rsc0mn9ygi4JelQch-tuUKSIF3gOD87mInmGABrNbN8fCJiBWnK3bHzgO9bT6NIyeNDrKx0rVhPTKuXYO2H-tUliv1PH3_TJZaxE2_QBIvEF7I8eh0yuJrsvFfJmcz1/s1600/IMG_2379.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hey - let's stand on the<br />
piano for the next shot!" </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy6Bd1Npc4JQovIEkmlWt2ftvg1LC6moJLcI68-8BnLeKe4-Dxl-Em3K-0TM7HkbMjHTrqoJZPCFMo0O1tdHKqADFr_YGR7xjzx8vY3hCfi6SB1R4ndVMk9gLSEYRoM7SE1hWu4mzPpQn/s1600/IMG_2383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy6Bd1Npc4JQovIEkmlWt2ftvg1LC6moJLcI68-8BnLeKe4-Dxl-Em3K-0TM7HkbMjHTrqoJZPCFMo0O1tdHKqADFr_YGR7xjzx8vY3hCfi6SB1R4ndVMk9gLSEYRoM7SE1hWu4mzPpQn/s1600/IMG_2383.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How about some moody jazz shots....<br />
or some jazzy mood shots!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
.....and for a finale.....do you want to do anything else? A trampoline......<br />
......what Man Child doesn't want to jump on a trampoline in a suit!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3afeK8Px9UZr-ZuMN_wEqggIWi4ogzXRMKGmFcmhs-WKbf_lz8LW5Xa2k7PfJLO7CR0k7ro19-kfILaJvY9jsn2Y7nxdJJNgj4Rc0WoefHlYJUAHXSdxS23Pzb6c-oOCw5Lsry9SCgpv0/s1600/IMG_2387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3afeK8Px9UZr-ZuMN_wEqggIWi4ogzXRMKGmFcmhs-WKbf_lz8LW5Xa2k7PfJLO7CR0k7ro19-kfILaJvY9jsn2Y7nxdJJNgj4Rc0WoefHlYJUAHXSdxS23Pzb6c-oOCw5Lsry9SCgpv0/s1600/IMG_2387.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Time to get comfy again and pack everything up. Man Child and I set out for a quick lunch and about an hour later received a text that the photos were ready for viewing. <i> An hour! </i>This is one of those awesome perks the Ben is offering for time. Time that Man Child didn't have to take off work again. Time that I didn't have to lose from vacation....precious time.<br />
<br />
It was very difficult to narrow down the photos that we wanted to keep. If I could afford ALL the images, I would have them. Every one a piece of art...and they were still in raw form. I can't wait for that email that the proofs are ready. To see all of the images we picked in a clean format with some fun Photoshop opportunities in a couple of the shots. And I can't wait to see the new piece of art for my wall.<br />
<br />
Man Child - I hope you had fun stepping out of your comfort zone for a day. I hope this isn't a once in a lifetime event for you. You need to step into the spotlight a little more often. You are a bright light in my life.<br />
<br />
<br />
Ben,<br />
<br />
Thank you for helping my son step out from behind the theatre curtain to show off a little of his sunshine in the lens of your camera. You have a gift in bringing out individual personalities in your portraits. After the fun of the photo shoot, your patience is gold, dealing with crazy Blue Hair Mamas and what they want and what they can budget for. You make the selection process fun and easy. I wish I could get every single image that you took because they are all winners in my photo album. Thank you, thank you, thank you..... for the most wonderful day in your studio. I know the Man Child had a blast.<br />
<br />
Signed,<br />
The Blue Hair Wannabe<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
--------------------------------------</div>
*By the way....I <i>love</i> going to <a href="http://www.shirkphotography.com/mp_includes/body.asp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Shirk Photography</span></a>! Check out his website and his images online by clicking on the studio link highlighted.<br />
<br />
Ben Shirk is located in Wilton, Iowa and is a three time PPA Iowa Photographer of the Year and a three time PPA International Photographer of the Year. In other words......he is <i>fabulous!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>---------------------------------------</i></div>
A big thank you to Ben Shirk for allowing me to photograph and blog the Man Child's adventures in today. It is a great opportunity and, I think one of my favorite things to do, is to watch Ben work.<br />
<br />
His creative force is massive.<br />
His smile is infectious.<br />
He is an artist with his camera!<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-31285208441983694172014-07-11T12:57:00.004-05:002014-07-11T12:57:45.346-05:00Citizenship 101 Taught By A ChildI hate crowds.<br />
<br />
Well, maybe hate is a strong word. If there is an event where there is a large crowd, I will usually be at home, in a crowd of markers and pencils.<br />
<br />
This 4th of July, we had plans to relax a little......until.....<br />
<br />
Frog finally found an apartment! We looked at calendars and tried to coordinate a time to get <i>stuff</i> from Iowa.......all the way over to Nebraska. <br />
<br />
As the holiday approached, I asked Tall Man if he would take a small break and drive out with me.....honestly, so he could<i> lift all the heavy stuff!</i><br />
<br />
We also surprised Frog with <i>PUPPY!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuLfoTWLae3zi7ZMmpwGNVRdOTW97bTKnGgUteYJqF4GFvumKMwYHTWYOPvbzWWlzIbV3BDyV5YFpKpgR5f5WW3iaSuEFH1SdLXd_nX2IuYWz9Ib3mQAkcZ2uK_GzwuoHzg4TA5Kb_Ggg/s1600/IMG_2278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuLfoTWLae3zi7ZMmpwGNVRdOTW97bTKnGgUteYJqF4GFvumKMwYHTWYOPvbzWWlzIbV3BDyV5YFpKpgR5f5WW3iaSuEFH1SdLXd_nX2IuYWz9Ib3mQAkcZ2uK_GzwuoHzg4TA5Kb_Ggg/s1600/IMG_2278.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So happy together......Puppy was <i>glued</i> to Frog the whole time!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I stuck around to help with cleaning and putting some of Frog's things away. Frog and her beau decided I had to go see the celebrations downtown. Did I mention that it was the Fourth of July? And did I mention that Frog lives in "America's Small Town 4th of July City" otherwise known as Seward, Nebraska?<br />
<br />
We walked downtown to check out the food, the crafts, the food, vendors, the food, events at the bandshell, the food, and the highlight was ...... the parade!<br />
<br />
I do love a parade.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60971Dzp7GlZqIaAwCwBVLgucNChYvdoU7sZY8f3SzimjU7oNH5cHwU8K7obMP3WyeXfajSd1Zy-O6-4cJaE1kCua95A2BXcjufWJyHMuwrb5xdUAxY0yVZnHSe-vn6e0XD5Ionp9VLBC/s1600/IMG_2283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60971Dzp7GlZqIaAwCwBVLgucNChYvdoU7sZY8f3SzimjU7oNH5cHwU8K7obMP3WyeXfajSd1Zy-O6-4cJaE1kCua95A2BXcjufWJyHMuwrb5xdUAxY0yVZnHSe-vn6e0XD5Ionp9VLBC/s1600/IMG_2283.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTu4Vvc8OEsB0LF32JzgzvTm2Bytl988RkWB2iTNncHV_Pdez4uqqrofZr16SsL2cRt4ZBBluqQLiWGW-jgnadh3whr-d4GE3ZikUq-JLOLdaTQ5-YiGiY5RMGJWOS4NYvHkNY1ZhUs1B/s1600/IMG_2280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTu4Vvc8OEsB0LF32JzgzvTm2Bytl988RkWB2iTNncHV_Pdez4uqqrofZr16SsL2cRt4ZBBluqQLiWGW-jgnadh3whr-d4GE3ZikUq-JLOLdaTQ5-YiGiY5RMGJWOS4NYvHkNY1ZhUs1B/s1600/IMG_2280.JPG" height="194" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I love the people watching of a parade,<br />
but I still hate the crowds.<br />
<br />
There were some very obnoxious teens and more obnoxious parents, so we walked the parade route. I knew I wanted to get pictures of this event and blog about it. We stopped in an open spot, with a nice view of all of the floats!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6CJd5dsJGjpKJu3A71uB1x3ooqSFd6GLvgX5Eokwj8a6McTcv32hPt2nq4KPsbMr7nocPAOqvi2O9JOq30zmtj7tGPDCzNUNJTadDo9Nx7wVKhThqigd4dgjFxYzlci_6HD59iNPnTFe/s1600/IMG_2288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6CJd5dsJGjpKJu3A71uB1x3ooqSFd6GLvgX5Eokwj8a6McTcv32hPt2nq4KPsbMr7nocPAOqvi2O9JOq30zmtj7tGPDCzNUNJTadDo9Nx7wVKhThqigd4dgjFxYzlci_6HD59iNPnTFe/s1600/IMG_2288.JPG" height="320" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and this! We haven't quite figured this guy out yet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was all the normal parade stuff. Firetrucks, cars with grand marshals, pretty girls, and....<br />
<br />
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<br />
....this! I wonder if she went beyond peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for this award!<br />
<br />
Then I saw her. See her in the picture above too?<br />
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<br />
She waved at the parade as it passed by, she chatted with other kids waiting for candy to be thrown, she bartered with other kids so she could get different candies, or maybe her favorite candies.....the joy in her smile, the wonder in her eyes, the happiness of a parade.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwx4dfAYNXRis-R61EZlL8VnH0iSHp7m-zXx3mnFdZ62BsSiJvtaGkgio7KObl7__LXZs5oxn0fPaSd2GLTPhw6aaKhw79wN2FdrwVLdyGm6CvQOGDrf4YXD8gS9-zmjAaWo_GO-xqWYqE/s1600/IMG_2297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwx4dfAYNXRis-R61EZlL8VnH0iSHp7m-zXx3mnFdZ62BsSiJvtaGkgio7KObl7__LXZs5oxn0fPaSd2GLTPhw6aaKhw79wN2FdrwVLdyGm6CvQOGDrf4YXD8gS9-zmjAaWo_GO-xqWYqE/s1600/IMG_2297.JPG" height="184" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
What she did next though......<br />
She stood out on the street, gathering, collecting the treasures that were thrown and then she walked back to the curbside and.....<br />
<br />
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<br />
.......gave it all away.....<br />
<br />
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<br />
...again and again.<br />
<br />
This is what it means to be a neighbor.<br />
This is what it means to be a friend.<br />
This is compassion.<br />
<br />
This is citizenship.<br />
This is America.<br />
<br />
I have tears, even now as I write this.<br />
This little girl stirred a passion in me.....<br />
.......to give without any thought of self.....<br />
.......to love my neighbor, even if they are a stranger to me.<br />
<br />
I bent down and told her mother that she should be so proud of her daughter. She is a very special soul. Her mom explained that she is actually fifteen years old and she is a special needs child.<br />
<br />
I corrected the mom.<br />
<br />
Her daughter is a very <i>SPECIAL</i> child!<br />
<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-12910205859467956862014-06-29T11:28:00.000-05:002014-06-29T11:28:25.520-05:00It's Raining DeerTwo weeks ago, whilst on vacation, I get a phone call that the Man Child killed a deer.<br />
<br />
My first thought was.....<br />
<br />
......CRAP! He was in my car, wasn't he!<br />
<br />
As my blood pressure was escalating, I calmly asked about the extent of the damage to the vehicle....<br />
...and, oh yes......is Man Child alright.<br />
<br />
"What do you mean, damage to the vehicle? I didn't say he<i> HIT</i> the deer. I said that the Man Child <i>KILLED</i> a deer."<br />
<br />
Okay. I guess I had vacation brain, or something. Isn't that the same thing? I know that it is not deer season, so no tags have been acquired and no shotguns have discharged......<br />
<br />
I'll bite then......the story went like this:<br />
<br />
Man Child was driving home from work at oh-dark-early in the morning, and a cute little deer was standing in the road. The cutie patootie was just standing there, in the middle of the road, minding his own business. I am confident that if there was a mirror available, he would have been admiring his lovely little four-point rack he was sprouting. <br />
<br />
Man Child slowed the car.<br />
The deer stood...still minding his own business.<br />
Man Child rolled closer, the gravel crunching under the tires<br />
of my mighty V-Dub.<br />
The deer stood, holding firm to his little piece of roadway.....<br />
<br />
Man Child rolled down the window, leaned his head out quietly.....<br />
........and yelped with all his might,<br />
<br />
"<i>DEER!</i>"<br />
<br />
It frighted the poor dear (ha, did you see the switch in the letters from deer to <i>dear</i>?) so badly that he leapt into the air and promptly hopped, skipped, and jumped <i>OVER</i> the bridge.<br />
<br />
He plummeted to his death onto the highway below.<br />
<br />
The strangest part of this story was, Tall Man was returning home via said highway below, and witnessed the strange phenomena of the deer falling over the bridge. <br />
<br />
<i>What are the chances!?!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinB1tv1lD3Ws7d4DxZh_zc_4D55JL9OTw7VxP51tRfxgIJvU7aow7JyOVQmZz0qM-bgunqQOLA3llMJAtvS51joBerALDCMRiKy7rV2jJK3LBRiPt9qKStxhNUJiG64wZjcV-hWPz4GsdT/s1600/robin+hood.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinB1tv1lD3Ws7d4DxZh_zc_4D55JL9OTw7VxP51tRfxgIJvU7aow7JyOVQmZz0qM-bgunqQOLA3llMJAtvS51joBerALDCMRiKy7rV2jJK3LBRiPt9qKStxhNUJiG64wZjcV-hWPz4GsdT/s1600/robin+hood.png" height="320" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man Child as Robin Hood way back when...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, I will tell you the chances......<br />
<br />
Bambi's girlfriends were standing on the same corner this morning, obviously up to no good.<br />
<br />
Man Child, once again, rolls slowly to a stop.<br />
No flinch from Bambi's girlfriends......<br />
Man Child creeps forward.<br />
He must have been using his cloaking device....<br />
He rolls down the window and with the same yelp as before, hollers, "DEER!"<br />
<br />
You guessed it......<br />
Jane Doe Number One takes a flying leap over the bridge.<br />
<br />
Man Child said it was like watching a slow motion re-enactment of the previous incident. The sweet thing tried quickly to correct herself, flipping in the air. She must have thought she could flip around and grab onto the ledge of the bridge. She forgot a vital piece of information though......<br />
<br />
.......deer do not have thumbs!<br />
<br />
Man Child quickly called Tall Man and a nice policeman. <br />
He had dreams of venison jerky from this one.<br />
She didn't hit hard at all......and then.....<br />
<br />
......she jumped up and ran up the hill, leaping to safety over the fence. The boys searched for a bit, but never did find her. <br />
Denied venison once again.<br />
<br />
<br />
The message here?<br />
<br />
Watch out folks.....<br />
.......it's raining deer in Iowa!<br />
<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-22451206404281546682014-06-26T18:18:00.000-05:002014-06-26T18:19:21.294-05:00Preferred LanguageForms.<br />
<br />
We all love filling them out....don't we?<br />
<br />
Do you ever feel a little twitchy as you fill in line after line of what is "expected"? The stress of some of the questions....and the answers we want to give.<br />
<br />
Marital Status: Happily<br />
<br />
Ethnicity: Why do I have to be Hispanic or Non-Hispanic?<br />
Why can't I be Anglo European?<br />
<br />
Preferred language:<br />
<br />
Koine Greek?<br />
Latin?<br />
Pig Latin?<br />
Swear Like a Pirate?<br />
<br />
Any more, if you list some obscure language, chances are the establishment might actually pull the rabbit out of their hat and have someone who speaks that language. We have become a global society.<br />
<br />
So what is the winning answer of Preferred language is........<br />
<br />
Appropriate.<br />
<br />
What do you think that will get me?Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-59947849625261647092014-06-26T15:05:00.000-05:002014-06-26T15:05:28.893-05:00God, the ArtistI have been cleaning and moving things around my studio for a few days now. <br />
<br />
I have a list....<br />
.....the art I want to make.....<br />
.....the ideas in my head........<br />
<br />
I almost have a few areas rearranged and even pulled<br />
a few items out of drawers to start brainstorming on.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gT9Alh6mZ1551ZUOkjU1okQu8q0hCSYlz0-3veQeUtmhEVF6xmpY16W_ubCIqKSeBkXbssgMz4cJh0XETIifGZGm4FCf0RvXlK5kSO8nTepUUW9ab8eizXUZSpBi3jc8rNKpg6lp3drH/s1600/IMG_2271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gT9Alh6mZ1551ZUOkjU1okQu8q0hCSYlz0-3veQeUtmhEVF6xmpY16W_ubCIqKSeBkXbssgMz4cJh0XETIifGZGm4FCf0RvXlK5kSO8nTepUUW9ab8eizXUZSpBi3jc8rNKpg6lp3drH/s1600/IMG_2271.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant aerial photos....the possibilities!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Xho29_syH2sFTYEnMegCyq46aN-J1QPbqzgW3OGGYEt4I93IY_ztqfWt3v1WFPxLslnwpDgiQ7qxyvUFYi5eZBlmHq6dWn_WwnZBj21rKtxN1TZBtddbqfLrCykSGTCdBUmWa56uHtK0/s1600/IMG_2272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Xho29_syH2sFTYEnMegCyq46aN-J1QPbqzgW3OGGYEt4I93IY_ztqfWt3v1WFPxLslnwpDgiQ7qxyvUFYi5eZBlmHq6dWn_WwnZBj21rKtxN1TZBtddbqfLrCykSGTCdBUmWa56uHtK0/s1600/IMG_2272.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sketchbook from vacation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
....and then I just had to go outside!<br />
<br />
Not just <i>ANYWHERE</i> outside,<br />
but a trip out to Miss Effie's for some flowers. <br />
This has been a strange year in my own garden...battling the weeds and not able to find any flowers in the tangles of grasses and purslane (let's not get started on that blasted purslane).<br />
<br />
She had already sold fifteen buckets of flowers...<br />
...it was <i>one o'clock</i>!<br />
<br />
There wasn't much left out there today....lots of buds though! <br />
Her flower beds are about ready to explode in color!<br />
<br />
Miss Effie walked me around and helped me find a few flowers though for about a half a bucket of flowers. What I brought home though.....<i>God is an artist</i>!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Vw9rtTVQj-O9XzUnWPDA1RsmPyryjuiXl-CU6Sz8SBxl1f8cPY6cVQKbvMhOxX91NyILLg2wQYdBC9oy1bekZXQ4qIAtU4gsSN2VdcAjqpMEh79XB5xCCLyTHQXyHQC7AAcUcVhFbELx/s1600/IMG_8966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Vw9rtTVQj-O9XzUnWPDA1RsmPyryjuiXl-CU6Sz8SBxl1f8cPY6cVQKbvMhOxX91NyILLg2wQYdBC9oy1bekZXQ4qIAtU4gsSN2VdcAjqpMEh79XB5xCCLyTHQXyHQC7AAcUcVhFbELx/s1600/IMG_8966.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small bouquet No. 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixf0P6-x3fcbhgXVGe6YmBqv92ukyjeVcNmpswmdt9zeImaSod3HCI7Ulk5IoTLf_hIEDqXfRO7ZLJFC3qKLCzpdBMZsZUAKheYLXEPiSr_ea04Q0vzTPIa6HyHmApReRamTSF2xe8b517/s1600/IMG_8967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixf0P6-x3fcbhgXVGe6YmBqv92ukyjeVcNmpswmdt9zeImaSod3HCI7Ulk5IoTLf_hIEDqXfRO7ZLJFC3qKLCzpdBMZsZUAKheYLXEPiSr_ea04Q0vzTPIa6HyHmApReRamTSF2xe8b517/s1600/IMG_8967.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check this one out! A malformed flower. <br />I think <i>two heads are better than one</i>!<br />Beautiful!<br /><i>Amazing!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRNMHP3Ind75lFmo23Ktyjt7Hu-HBqBLkn7mLh-odEvYopsc0-54Y8cvf_qBGPehh0xf5fBU0wi5fh_IUVCVoH_X0pgQ0pLr1h2fHBM0hXIoXuIQ7B55gdRMb6WmnO6zbcv-SFUFzMwU8/s1600/IMG_8968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRNMHP3Ind75lFmo23Ktyjt7Hu-HBqBLkn7mLh-odEvYopsc0-54Y8cvf_qBGPehh0xf5fBU0wi5fh_IUVCVoH_X0pgQ0pLr1h2fHBM0hXIoXuIQ7B55gdRMb6WmnO6zbcv-SFUFzMwU8/s1600/IMG_8968.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny bouquet No. 2 for my vanity.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYcOTd7k-0MLHQoYSpvPejwiGlDE3PrMih_rEQV4ATS5P_WZ85hCd85qufCEY4erKouMzbfkF7FZeSZJ-yFtk6NZwmDqW8bmitDvQLbEHs7fyYNvI3-Fnm9Na5cAZsQZgO3IkX7G9xC2a/s1600/IMG_8971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghYcOTd7k-0MLHQoYSpvPejwiGlDE3PrMih_rEQV4ATS5P_WZ85hCd85qufCEY4erKouMzbfkF7FZeSZJ-yFtk6NZwmDqW8bmitDvQLbEHs7fyYNvI3-Fnm9Na5cAZsQZgO3IkX7G9xC2a/s1600/IMG_8971.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny bouquet No 3. for my desk!<br />The <i>colors</i>!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZpH19_lmrTFRSPWtek-rHmcy7b8P3qZJn8wc-LWdcWdCKmLH7flxdj9MRtDTdAdXZF5Orgi8OjD3O1Z_-br-Am9Q1a5jYdwtTO5VeN5OydYpAMd_AziEhhpqCAxct7BDsO2KD4Vm8I1B/s1600/IMG_8977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZpH19_lmrTFRSPWtek-rHmcy7b8P3qZJn8wc-LWdcWdCKmLH7flxdj9MRtDTdAdXZF5Orgi8OjD3O1Z_-br-Am9Q1a5jYdwtTO5VeN5OydYpAMd_AziEhhpqCAxct7BDsO2KD4Vm8I1B/s1600/IMG_8977.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bouquet No. 4 for my kitchen table...love that yarrow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And then this little one peeked out at me......<br />
......the brushstrokes are perfect!<br />
....and the color! This little beauty is only about 6 inches tall, so I found a special little bottle my mother-in-law just gave me (she knows how much I love blue glass) and I tucked this precious jewel into it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK93qNpV6eAMxWrHBwq5tvu9zxZNp98ttll77WYaF8CN4n3NCSso8pYp_rmtV4amtbxUL9wBb39pDIshSQsAVn-BSpM2BC08QWwe3i85OAdJGRNyxrYM5AR6sxzvUY3FltaIDTgzKBqce/s1600/IMG_8974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK93qNpV6eAMxWrHBwq5tvu9zxZNp98ttll77WYaF8CN4n3NCSso8pYp_rmtV4amtbxUL9wBb39pDIshSQsAVn-BSpM2BC08QWwe3i85OAdJGRNyxrYM5AR6sxzvUY3FltaIDTgzKBqce/s1600/IMG_8974.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">God is so talented!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Peace found in nature.....thank you Miss Effie!<br />
<br />
You can find more on Miss Effie by clicking<a href="http://www.misseffiesflowers.com/" target="_blank"> HERE </a>for her website,<br />
and find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Effies-Country-Flowers-and-Garden-Stuff/169181420474" target="_blank">Facebook</a> too!<br />
<br />
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<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-58604133800007070042014-06-21T06:18:00.001-05:002014-06-21T06:19:26.478-05:00..heavy sigh.....Yes.<br />
<br />
It is that time.<br />
<br />
Time to start packing the car.<br />
<br />
Time to begin the migration.<br />
<br />
North.<br />
<br />
The sand is still calling.<br />
<br />
It is calling my name....louder every day.<br />
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So many fun times....great stories......<br />
many laughs......fabulous food....<br />
<br />
So much to share.<br />
<br />
For now though, know that the stories and pictures are in my little box on my lap. They will all go home with me and I will begin to write.....and to share.....and to laugh again with all of you.<br />
<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-74084383428846045162014-06-15T17:30:00.000-05:002014-06-15T18:54:40.133-05:00A Road Well Traveled 2014.3.5: The Rest of the StoryYeah - I know. My post about yesterday was just because of the song stuck in my head. I love that song.....always makes me think about that movie with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant....<br />
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You know me though....there is always another spin to the story. <br />
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We rocketed out of Huntsville as early as we could get started. We really thought that we might hit a "little" traffic around Birmingham, but nothing like what we encountered.<br />
<br />
We started rolling along fast.....like "rocket" fast! Is it something about people that live around Space Centers? Do they really need to drive "that" fast? I don't want to point fingers or name names, because I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Let me just say that my darling brother, let's call him OpSec, drives much faster than the posted speed limit, and for some insane reason, Dad decided he needed to keep up. I hinted around for awhile, trying to be polite, but OpSec just didn't get the clue.<br />
<br />
We slowly moved along by zipping and braking....and zipping and braking.......the whole way. It was truly the idea of "hurry up and wait." As we drove along, I kept seeing election signs along the roadway. I love reading the names on those signs....and sometimes you get one that is just AWESOME! The treat of the day was.....<br />
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<br />
.....Chip Beeker! His resume reads: prior to running for office in Alabama, he worked in the laboratory in the Beast's Castle....ha...ha....get it? I laughed all the way through the state trying to get that picture!<br />
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We finally took a pit stop.....remember this picture from earlier?<br />
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I had to snap a picture of this strange phenomenon. As we pulled into the rest stop in a straight line, all of the car doors opened in unison and lines of people began to file into the restrooms. It was like synchronized swimming....or would it be synchronized stopping....or would it be synchronized peeing! The choreography was fabulous! I wish I had video for the occasion!<br />
<br />
This is when I finally had to say something and told OpSec that he had to slow down. I seriously thought I was going to have an accident if he didn't back off just a little bit.....it was just too fast for the driving conditions. (I know....I am a party pooper!) I also said something to the Boss (my sister-in-law) while we were in the restroom....I knew she would say something as we pulled out again.<br />
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As we got back on the road, my phone rang:<br />
<br />
Me: "Hello?"<br />
OpSec: "Are we on speaker?"<br />
Me: ".....no."<br />
OpSec: "What is this about how fast we are travelling?"<br />
Me: "Oh. Don't worry about that anymore."<br />
Opsec: "What?"<br />
Me: "Well....I put some quarters in a machine back there at the rest stop and got myself a pair of <i>OOPS, I CRAPPED MY PANTS! </i> I'm good now.....don't worry about me.....<i>seriously! Slow Down!</i>"<br />
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(After the laughter cleared in both cars, the speed became a little better...)<br />
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We slowed down a little and traffic started getting a little more manageable. We were moving at about normal speed......and finally crossed the state line.<br />
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We continued into the fabulous land of Florida, just in time to see the harvest of......<br />
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<br />
the <i>Marshmallow</i> crops! I was so excited to see this elusive crop harvested......<br />
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When all was said and done, this ended up being a very long day in the car. We all needed some humor, a beer, and some pizza. We all felt like we had been to.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QxWj3zj5U33Js5Of6fc1_blAW8BZ1IZrZK8P9i4svNXMcL8uDRQ65IfHY_CgfMlvBqtVewBrwO445dXtd-IxmLnbsoPUsnbKVVR8rc4Ghs6kqlJ8AoFFj5PaDB7ZymTK3jRCfette8un/s1600/IMG_1950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QxWj3zj5U33Js5Of6fc1_blAW8BZ1IZrZK8P9i4svNXMcL8uDRQ65IfHY_CgfMlvBqtVewBrwO445dXtd-IxmLnbsoPUsnbKVVR8rc4Ghs6kqlJ8AoFFj5PaDB7ZymTK3jRCfette8un/s1600/IMG_1950.JPG" height="320" width="218" /></a></div>
<br />
...... hell and back.....did you know they had special parking for Hell? But I guess just if you plan to come back.....<br />
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....but we finally made it to.....<br />
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....Paradise!Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-83353442838841750712014-06-15T07:48:00.001-05:002014-06-15T07:48:45.927-05:00A Road Well Traveled - 2014.3: They Paved Paradise and Put Up A Parking Lot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kKxV76nNkl1cxuITUddSoUp6RlwgKLfb0Cn6US-7YkU58kG1HvcHAdZU44MxGN03ZkBwXTB8p0oGK3KF8wKtSmjUVJudCcSl8UnrQMo_21_3VZc2JKzg15J2xK6eW8O7J_9Uy7AUrlvm/s1600/IMG_1906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kKxV76nNkl1cxuITUddSoUp6RlwgKLfb0Cn6US-7YkU58kG1HvcHAdZU44MxGN03ZkBwXTB8p0oGK3KF8wKtSmjUVJudCcSl8UnrQMo_21_3VZc2JKzg15J2xK6eW8O7J_9Uy7AUrlvm/s1600/IMG_1906.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interstate was a parking lot most of the trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">They paved paradise </span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And put up a parking lot </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
With a pink hotel, a boutique </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And a swinging hot spot </div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't it always seem to go </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
That you don't know what you've got </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Till it's gone </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
They paved paradise </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And put up a parking lot</div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3rJgq7RBlzsv4aRrKTYR2RJaV_XNSiAiVsPwHyz-yzAJEECkuq6BnZrl6F-dw5dWYZteEvcSD2OsP_nWSnLAZUD72yn3oECj3rFNOs94V248w9HVIwg10i2QcswAfv0ZWV4KsYb8SGjr/s1600/IMG_1911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3rJgq7RBlzsv4aRrKTYR2RJaV_XNSiAiVsPwHyz-yzAJEECkuq6BnZrl6F-dw5dWYZteEvcSD2OsP_nWSnLAZUD72yn3oECj3rFNOs94V248w9HVIwg10i2QcswAfv0ZWV4KsYb8SGjr/s1600/IMG_1911.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More parking lot....and bridges that don't quite line up?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They took all the trees </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Put 'em in a tree museum * </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
And they charged the people </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
A dollar and a half just to see 'em </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClhSDhyh5I-Pjkx-lmpGCRywFSZaUMZK8QIQyXxPYhIo_AZwuLBjvom3J9s5EMvI9tWwGwMoXmi0Aj-VQZs0CMmkVFFVJr58pLLPnzEDvJlJTxT7n5PsFuH4zHQKa_mE4zKiPI_fckUWa/s1600/IMG_1925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgClhSDhyh5I-Pjkx-lmpGCRywFSZaUMZK8QIQyXxPYhIo_AZwuLBjvom3J9s5EMvI9tWwGwMoXmi0Aj-VQZs0CMmkVFFVJr58pLLPnzEDvJlJTxT7n5PsFuH4zHQKa_mE4zKiPI_fckUWa/s1600/IMG_1925.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pit row at the Rest Stop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Don't it always seem to go </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
That you don't know what you've got </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
Till it's gone </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
They paved paradise </div>
</span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
And put up a parking lot</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbMu9gYS3ioqqRbl1x-GuNE-BtAUXm-vlpkToeaVebhKp7wygyKTjf1jpM9zfAcmUpiKDl0HWefEJE4XSvGVHZKGAd48yEtdorLoKpCM65-pTJltYqxGZyWSBNRZnAi6ou97G8_P7tWmO/s1600/IMG_1955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbMu9gYS3ioqqRbl1x-GuNE-BtAUXm-vlpkToeaVebhKp7wygyKTjf1jpM9zfAcmUpiKDl0HWefEJE4XSvGVHZKGAd48yEtdorLoKpCM65-pTJltYqxGZyWSBNRZnAi6ou97G8_P7tWmO/s1600/IMG_1955.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're here! Paved Paradise and lines of cars. </td></tr>
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<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">Don't it always seem to go</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">That you don't know what you've got</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">Till it's gone</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">They paved paradise</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">And put up a parking lot</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">They paved paradise</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">And put up a parking lot</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">lyrics taken from </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">http://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=208</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">© Siquomb Publishing Company</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;"> </span></div>
</span>Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-87798348515004530182014-06-14T09:09:00.000-05:002014-06-14T09:09:25.737-05:00A Road Well Traveled 2014.2: Multi-state TrekkingFor the past couple of years, I have trekked across a state with Thelma and Louise....<br />
<br />
.....<i>A </i>state.......one.....at a time.....<br />
<br />
This is a new kind of trip this year. A cross-country journey. Many more days in the car than the typical three days, averaging about twelve hours a day in the car as we run from cool site, to cool site, to cool site.<br />
<br />
My travel mates this year are my parental units. Mom is <i>thrilled</i> with the idea of stopping and seeing some of these American gems.......Dad not so much. He is trying. He is attempting to "let go" and be adventurous, but he also wants to get to the final destination and just <i>get out of the car</i>! I keep hearing the statement, "I never knew this was here!"<br />
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We set off on Day Two from glorious Paducah, Kentucky. The town was packed, the hotels were packed, the restaurants were packed......there was a dog show AND a church convention in town. Picture thousands of people with a dog leash in one hand a a bible and a drink in the other. Big hair....on the dogs and the women.....and all those poor dogs in their cones of shame.<br />
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We were going to stop for breakfast, but F.N. Hamm did not like out first choice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTRnuX7qnmxHsS_nRAa0yD7CKNob1CboT8nt1ipQewGBVNSy4Dog2vTyvWn0KE37jrH1WIR4VS5VKNPOzkMoPBReONRUwJujMQ8BmTZAqtE-fMjf4ef4CPAEuD7yOQjtwPsQS77DskOU6/s1600/IMG_1874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTRnuX7qnmxHsS_nRAa0yD7CKNob1CboT8nt1ipQewGBVNSy4Dog2vTyvWn0KE37jrH1WIR4VS5VKNPOzkMoPBReONRUwJujMQ8BmTZAqtE-fMjf4ef4CPAEuD7yOQjtwPsQS77DskOU6/s1600/IMG_1874.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He was sweatin' it at this stop!</td></tr>
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The special was Ham and Eggs for $2.99! <i>Eeeek</i>!<br />
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We set off down through Kentucky. It was rainy. It was yucky. We didn't wee anything except trees on the roadside....and no fun attractions that we just HAD to stop to see.<br />
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I was delighted when we finally saw the light at the end of the short tunnel and saw the sign for....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MD2Ud1Yu0gnPuK9o80rJi3VYGvgITHmx8wThrv3wc7naCfvJPJGTAXLtnNuhLZD4k9QMBaB8Rw28Y54KnxfOkpo4DgLZt_o0BPZ-knY8NcW0g7OwYxETQqty3Ft04Bxdmtxuq5gn6rk0/s1600/Welcome+to+Tennesssee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8MD2Ud1Yu0gnPuK9o80rJi3VYGvgITHmx8wThrv3wc7naCfvJPJGTAXLtnNuhLZD4k9QMBaB8Rw28Y54KnxfOkpo4DgLZt_o0BPZ-knY8NcW0g7OwYxETQqty3Ft04Bxdmtxuq5gn6rk0/s1600/Welcome+to+Tennesssee.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F.N. Hamm was excited to see the sign!</td></tr>
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....Tennessee!<br />
We pulled into the Welcome Center<br />
and the first place the Iowa boy stops?<br />
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The Weather Channel. You can take the Iowan out of Iowa,<br />
but you can't take the Weather Cannel out of the Iowan....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dolly was nice enough to hold F.N. Hamm for the picture.</td></tr>
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Our official greeter was Dolly! This is as close as we are going to get to Dollywood OR the Grand Ole Opry, so ....... <i>cheese</i>!</div>
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We had one planned stop by Mom. Beachhaven Winery in Clarksville. We stopped to check out the unique gift shoppe and to do a little sampling.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Zd0NqZVLMOg57phFEEp2pkLqxk4xTtMOStLWXwwee3i_jADM2gIdwRqwXsHETdU7QLQfrPpN2iWdOyQ8svg_xiQEuktFe8ojkhk9YTMXG7IiZeHqkgVXdIsfyRJD5rW17FNSqUq9kQr/s1600/jazz+pig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Zd0NqZVLMOg57phFEEp2pkLqxk4xTtMOStLWXwwee3i_jADM2gIdwRqwXsHETdU7QLQfrPpN2iWdOyQ8svg_xiQEuktFe8ojkhk9YTMXG7IiZeHqkgVXdIsfyRJD5rW17FNSqUq9kQr/s1600/jazz+pig.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jazz pig!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj88zbulUnV_jC0CsekmRd1DuElbQU_VIticmAwbPNB1SUKwmz3c-rLGpFAym9svZREbym-m8Hftgr5gSGvsLk-_UZo6-lGc_xqOyIKporVGLy9qrsSGA9jnE9jHpsvhfHU2CqEh1kEQYd/s1600/wine+tasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj88zbulUnV_jC0CsekmRd1DuElbQU_VIticmAwbPNB1SUKwmz3c-rLGpFAym9svZREbym-m8Hftgr5gSGvsLk-_UZo6-lGc_xqOyIKporVGLy9qrsSGA9jnE9jHpsvhfHU2CqEh1kEQYd/s1600/wine+tasting.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine sampling....can you cure bacon in wine?<br /><i>shhhhh......</i></td></tr>
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We were off and running again to glorious Nashville! </div>
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No detours here....that were planned anyway.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheAuil-dNMtgdDHbCVATm4YIaldFSZIKsHjUM9UfQ-p68x-SH3oTmQ7tL8RB-iG28ZB30-amnjAdG-QfRo0fGHla2KARMJR8MH4iXgeJQxX2jwQvoDvZlC3uskERHXllh4dcOl_2CkV4u/s1600/danger+ahead%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheAuil-dNMtgdDHbCVATm4YIaldFSZIKsHjUM9UfQ-p68x-SH3oTmQ7tL8RB-iG28ZB30-amnjAdG-QfRo0fGHla2KARMJR8MH4iXgeJQxX2jwQvoDvZlC3uskERHXllh4dcOl_2CkV4u/s1600/danger+ahead%2521.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F.N. points out danger ahead!<br /><i>Warning! Warning!</i></td></tr>
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We did a little of Dad's tourism along the way.....</div>
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...quick....take that picture!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzakx5Hp8gsrDm5oKJqnmzAbRdnS82Saco7r50ZuK8fbm6YAaGoGumQhTuf_N137199TDebAzbwbPSZrxJPPdX3KuSA0OlL183u0ooAa_So0BfCk7Sj2UbRMGvnxFo4n2qEsmYewO-PPv/s1600/Nashville%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzakx5Hp8gsrDm5oKJqnmzAbRdnS82Saco7r50ZuK8fbm6YAaGoGumQhTuf_N137199TDebAzbwbPSZrxJPPdX3KuSA0OlL183u0ooAa_So0BfCk7Sj2UbRMGvnxFo4n2qEsmYewO-PPv/s1600/Nashville%2521.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look....it's the Batman Building in Nashville!</td></tr>
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Our final have-to stop in Tennessee was to see the Giant Chicken Chef at the Elkton, TN exit along I-65. We were nervous it wouldn't be there. It was rumored that the gas station was being torn down last year.....but surprise!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you find F.N. in the fork?<br />Guess what's for breakfast?<br /><i>BACON!</i></td></tr>
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They built a NEW Shell station and left the chicken! I was so excited!</div>
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We pulled into Bro's house in the afternoon and spent the day relaxing. We are off on our continuing trip with the whole family now. I can't wait to see what adventures we have ahead of us.....</div>
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Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-36659474593782569242014-06-12T21:15:00.000-05:002014-06-12T21:15:37.475-05:00A Road Well Traveled: 2014.1 New Travel PartnersAh....summer.<br />
How I love thee.....finally......you are here.<br />
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I has been a long, never-seeming-to-end winter. All I can say is.....snow days!<br />
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I finally packed up my classroom, spent a couple days at home getting life in a kind of order and.....<br />
.......I'm OFF!<br />
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This year I am road tripping with Mommy and Daddy! They have been so overjoyed on our trip today, anxiously awaiting to see what adventure awaited us around the next bend in the road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xocjIDHNb1lPoCJWd2BYwEG6t8ZDqArIL-fW6BWpbVibasEP4ofzLzbhDsV2KX5zoC-1XQR7MdKANE1M1uQ2AkoxRBvnV9p26LLdDsbrgph2QsedI_Z4GjHyzTgA_W40UzlRmpSGqbhV/s1600/1910+gas+station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xocjIDHNb1lPoCJWd2BYwEG6t8ZDqArIL-fW6BWpbVibasEP4ofzLzbhDsV2KX5zoC-1XQR7MdKANE1M1uQ2AkoxRBvnV9p26LLdDsbrgph2QsedI_Z4GjHyzTgA_W40UzlRmpSGqbhV/s1600/1910+gas+station.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad getting gassed up!</td></tr>
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Our first stop was in Effingham, Illinois, along I-57. Daddy kept asking, "How far off the road do we have to drive?" Dad is not one to go off the beaten path....never has been. He was definitely out of his comfort zone on this trip. <br />
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I picked this first one, because I really thought he might like stopping at a replica of a 1910 gas station. It was pretty cool to see. The idea was you can pull your car up and have a photo op "filling" your car with gas. I was worried that the mighty Durango might not fit in that little drive, so I didn't mention this opportunity to the parental units. I could just see the news crews showing up to show the crazy Iowa family that got stuck at the fake gas station.....yeah - I would have waved!<br />
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The bonus was a museum call My Garage with a Corvette display and some awesome VW stuff! Did I mention that this was<i> FREE</i>?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsobbQcQgpMrSV0iiV0_SPkf4B6ly12Hm__gLO-XbenJuoG2JqdczHHBZYKUQx6rzP5pl376DTQwg3oouvKC06gHnJu02sLfmLEkNHFNLotXTVpr67-pnUMYO09jBao3ECDHLWWTFHo1RY/s1600/my+garage+cow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsobbQcQgpMrSV0iiV0_SPkf4B6ly12Hm__gLO-XbenJuoG2JqdczHHBZYKUQx6rzP5pl376DTQwg3oouvKC06gHnJu02sLfmLEkNHFNLotXTVpr67-pnUMYO09jBao3ECDHLWWTFHo1RY/s1600/my+garage+cow.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nifty VW Cow!<br />
I named it Farfegnugen.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeqQ5C4V6K67GJnk8kVdmwEQt8E7jooZv1zJ2mAxFYk_Pc8bCFcP7c3x8eg5Mmf71-EvrFaGoJ-PCMCKWeuvNnTjQz0uTcVvMwN5fqatkvU1DJXXDf33QjXxev3g9zZMZZ8kkOkQjXFiz/s1600/roller+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeqQ5C4V6K67GJnk8kVdmwEQt8E7jooZv1zJ2mAxFYk_Pc8bCFcP7c3x8eg5Mmf71-EvrFaGoJ-PCMCKWeuvNnTjQz0uTcVvMwN5fqatkvU1DJXXDf33QjXxev3g9zZMZZ8kkOkQjXFiz/s1600/roller+girl.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High five at the Drive-In!</td></tr>
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The coolest thing we found in the gift shop was this awesome bucket of PIGS! The idea is to take the pig and photograph it where ever you go on vacation. Guess which piggy came home with me?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAqcYiEKgYGBxbDbXAulhrRQdarS-g8j7MpcCmdkPFY1BvXtIkXif0130Or_hBM7f_2Jr0O9cOdJcL7J7h3rqfJ5Nrwxwd8jFB6OA2oQjxcMbV-zrKfWkdhF_bbiqXUEK30VfzydU2BCK/s1600/Effingham+pig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAqcYiEKgYGBxbDbXAulhrRQdarS-g8j7MpcCmdkPFY1BvXtIkXif0130Or_hBM7f_2Jr0O9cOdJcL7J7h3rqfJ5Nrwxwd8jFB6OA2oQjxcMbV-zrKfWkdhF_bbiqXUEK30VfzydU2BCK/s1600/Effingham+pig.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Pick me, Pick me!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Yup....do you see him peeking? Have Pig....Will Travel!<br />
<br />
On our way out of Effingham, the pig showed us the other site they are famous for....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei7uEFAM99-lLYw2nw1eAjReLslRVv8mFhyphenhyphenJsBmirmF6aNi4wmFfH4hnIL32nRQJcTvt3WCYaAqW6zuMkkWq8mLKgsU5sKvir58uLMEGyoLV0739ADgCLEK6mJne4bCQnpcW989EvbxYI/s1600/pig+leaving+Effingham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei7uEFAM99-lLYw2nw1eAjReLslRVv8mFhyphenhyphenJsBmirmF6aNi4wmFfH4hnIL32nRQJcTvt3WCYaAqW6zuMkkWq8mLKgsU5sKvir58uLMEGyoLV0739ADgCLEK6mJne4bCQnpcW989EvbxYI/s1600/pig+leaving+Effingham.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
The Cross at the Crossroads. <br />
It is located at the junction of I-57 and I-70. <br />
Holy Buckets was it TALL!<br />
That'll do pig, that'll do.<br />
<br />
We did a Dad tourism trip for our next site. It goes kinda like this.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefCXNiYw2256H4Gyj5W6PRw6RoAf_JtxGS7EVYkg0UeimgYHhCW7Xyk1FxMHFNzqRG3BXT4ITbbNgvkssVvFyK2qkQyazzvYR0rXLZ3XFKePbBAVZEaCjp7fLR7_EDoOgvQjd7H383WYe/s1600/mini+Washington+Monument.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgefCXNiYw2256H4Gyj5W6PRw6RoAf_JtxGS7EVYkg0UeimgYHhCW7Xyk1FxMHFNzqRG3BXT4ITbbNgvkssVvFyK2qkQyazzvYR0rXLZ3XFKePbBAVZEaCjp7fLR7_EDoOgvQjd7H383WYe/s1600/mini+Washington+Monument.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
"Hey, look! There is that Mini Washington Monument you wanted to see! Quick pull out your camera and snap a picture! Why even stop at that one....it is soooo close to the road!" This is Dad's idea of vacation. You can see the sites of DC and never have to leave Illinois! Whoo hoo! Bonus points!<br />
<br />
Our final stop for the day was Metropolis.......the home of <i>SUPERMAN! </i>I was so excited to get my picture with the statue, or maybe even see the Man of Steel<i> HIMSELF!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Little did I know that it is Superman Celebration Weekend! I am talking carnival rides and a Superman on every corner. This became another dream vacation for Dad. Drive by photos, no museum lines....no funnel cakes. Ugh.....so not fair!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXVS3CT63za7FcGXFrI3gf6uV53QttAsdjz89iQUvmMM-3ty9nfjO_Wjefian9KgjmsArKdLGPbAM-1e5g4x8IGYB2dO37wJBsgHLIhkmAMEOtt6Y7kciRNx5EUpRAxSangSGO9VPVIhL/s1600/superman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXVS3CT63za7FcGXFrI3gf6uV53QttAsdjz89iQUvmMM-3ty9nfjO_Wjefian9KgjmsArKdLGPbAM-1e5g4x8IGYB2dO37wJBsgHLIhkmAMEOtt6Y7kciRNx5EUpRAxSangSGO9VPVIhL/s1600/superman.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is as close as we could get without having to walk blocks through the chaos. The small bonus was a twofer. The huge statue AND the Man of Steel. Thank goodness for a telephoto lens on my camera! If only a shop would have been open to get a cape of my very own....dreaming now, I know.<br />
<br />
So we got turned around to head back out of the mighty Metropolis and finally......<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTdm7SzgdV5zLQHx-whaCfGDhCugfjBQKC2IXBERlo6BnWk0rpjI3oXmyQ_jQqtJXmg-z-NX8RLgb_Lg_dQgmMWWg52s4P4yDle1dUMxMK9-I8tMpqqwd2ruqAI0jBqwZg6i-KmPA1yaJ/s1600/leaving+Illinois.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTdm7SzgdV5zLQHx-whaCfGDhCugfjBQKC2IXBERlo6BnWk0rpjI3oXmyQ_jQqtJXmg-z-NX8RLgb_Lg_dQgmMWWg52s4P4yDle1dUMxMK9-I8tMpqqwd2ruqAI0jBqwZg6i-KmPA1yaJ/s1600/leaving+Illinois.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
......out of Illinois. <br />
Day one complete.<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-8403613638166289562014-03-18T08:59:00.000-05:002014-03-18T08:59:36.573-05:00Car Troubles<div class="MsoNormal">
I woke this morning under a little stress. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday we took one of our cars in for a check engine
light. The estimate came back a little
higher than we thought it would, but, such is life in the modern age of too
many cars and children.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the afternoon, my darling Tall Man decided to treat me
with cleaning my car for me, de-winterizing it of all the salt and sand of a
very long winter. I received this report
from the Man Child as soon as I walked in the door from school. It went something like this……. “I <i>told</i> him he
should <i>not</i> be doing all the work in the garage with the car radio on, but he
didn't listen……he broke your car.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>….deep breath…….deep breath……deep breath……</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My head is scrambled.
How am I going to squeeze this out of a budget that is already screaming
this month from all the other unexpected bills that have crept up a little
earlier than expected.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It will be fine. This
will all work out. Don’t worry. Don’t stress.
God will provide. <i>……deep breath……deep
breath……don’t hyperventilate……</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We woke up this morning to take the car down. Tall Man said he would just take it and wait
for the ride to bring him back home. Is
he guilting me? Is he using those puppy
dog eyes on me? I will shower…..I will
come get moving here and drive down too.
It will be magical bonding time…..time alone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He set off a little earlier than me. Come to find out, it was because he had to
drive a little slower than normal. One
of the missed details from yesterday was that the moon roof was stuck open and
the screen that lets the ENTIRE top of the car exposed to the elements. It was a brisk morning drive down to the
dealership with the glorious <i>whomp whomp whomp</i> of the driving with the windows
open.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I finally pulled up to the Luxury Dealership to the darling
Tall Man standing with two cups of glorious Starbucks steaming in his
hands. We just pull out of the parking
space to head home and his phone rings. “Your
car is done!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Five minutes. That is
how much time elapsed from the drop off.
Five minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We drove around the lot and pulled back into the garage pass
through. They just had to reset the
timing from the battery running down. No
fuses. No sensors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
….No charge……..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So let’s recap. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stress.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fret.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Worry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deep breathing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lay it out to God in prayer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No bill.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Starbucks and a Pop Tart in the Luxury Lounge.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Add it all together and get a romantic date in our marriage………<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-17136006352686792992014-03-07T21:56:00.001-06:002014-03-07T21:56:48.963-06:00Goats Can't Read<div class="MsoNormal">
While we were living in the area of Detroit, it never failed
that the telephone would ring during dinner time. Our general rule was never to answer the phone
during meal time. Dinner was the time to unwind, to relax, to enjoy family and
stories of the day…….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The phone rang for about a week….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
….about the same
time…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
……every night…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tall Man finally excused himself and said it was time to
find out what was so important.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He answers the phone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a magazine sales telemarketer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hear Tall Man explain that he doesn't read magazines and
he really wasn't interested.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now….this is where I must paraphrase and guess on some of
the conversation. I was only hearing one
side of this conversation, and I must say I was intrigued by the responses of
the Tall Man. So…here it goes…the
conversation went something like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Well, there must be <i>something</i> we have that you might be
interested in. What type of hobbies do
you have, sir?)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know, I<i> am</i> a goat herder. Do you have anything specific for goat
herders?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( That is a new one for me, but let me look. I am sure I can find something that you would
like...... I do see some magazines for
farming.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No. I don’t farm. I
just herd goats.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( I do have one here called Goat Rancher. It might take a little longer for you to get
set up through us, but I do believe I can arrange it for you. Do you have another hobby or interest?)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I do enjoy mountain climbing with my goats.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Yes.... I do think I can find a publication that you would
enjoy on that topic. I have a few titles
you could choose from. ( I am not quite
sure what titles were given at this point because I was rolling on the floor
laughing about now. The telemarketer
listed of a few choices and Tall Man agreed to something.) Do you have one more hobby or interest? We have a special right now that if you
choose three magazines, I can give you the three magazines for the price of
two!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My only other hobby is weaving. I <i>love</i> to make ponchos from the goat fiber I
collect after I give them a good brushing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( Absolutely, sir! I
am confident I can find a magazine from Interweave Press!) <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is just wonderful.
This is kind of exciting to get some magazines. It might be enjoyable to sit down, pet my
favorite goat, and read a bit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
( That sounds wonderful, sir! Is there anything else you can think of that
I could help you with or find for you? Otherwise, I will just finalize this order
and let you get back to your dinner.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do these magazines come in braille editions?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Excuse me, sir?)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I am a blind goat herder, and I am confident that my
goats won’t be able to read them to me......do they come in braille?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<<click>><o:p></o:p></div>
Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-23947994578560964112014-01-21T20:14:00.000-06:002014-01-21T20:14:51.471-06:00The T-Shirt Incident<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4BIqVg-iN7abtSM2QxQfLPV3-myYQ7NYtGWCmdOy8kshweg3Rs0TCm4lC2D21Uf51yXS8o35otDSbwyMqWh4O6bFU__XGxLbgIDohIaLjy7_G9NUZo_Wx2i-oDLGVntfdPXzsjW_VpOE/s1600/bear.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4BIqVg-iN7abtSM2QxQfLPV3-myYQ7NYtGWCmdOy8kshweg3Rs0TCm4lC2D21Uf51yXS8o35otDSbwyMqWh4O6bFU__XGxLbgIDohIaLjy7_G9NUZo_Wx2i-oDLGVntfdPXzsjW_VpOE/s1600/bear.png" height="264" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This image has been circulating on Facebook lately and it got me thinking about another time......<br />
<br />
<br />A long, long time ago, in a magical land called Germany, there lived a young prince and princess. They had been married a little over a year and the young prince had just returned from a small battle in a sandbox in a far, distant land.<br />
<br />
The princess wanted to take her handsome prince to see the sights of this glorious land they were residing in. There were beautiful castles and lakes and forests that needed to be explored! <br />
<br />
There was a castle hidden in the magical Spessart forests that the young princess knew her handsome prince would love!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T30v5eLhzu601xGQYzAAXb1SMoLOWYRmDjYNRzzXdsy1NXC656vRgWcDAM1UM2EMtiShW6ghwd-4R3FZ2ymbzI4fZ-lSvQoTlhyphenhyphenGyVIUJr9NtS1y1RNkj2NghAXXV90mvdE0LwRMwCbW/s1600/wasserschloss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T30v5eLhzu601xGQYzAAXb1SMoLOWYRmDjYNRzzXdsy1NXC656vRgWcDAM1UM2EMtiShW6ghwd-4R3FZ2ymbzI4fZ-lSvQoTlhyphenhyphenGyVIUJr9NtS1y1RNkj2NghAXXV90mvdE0LwRMwCbW/s1600/wasserschloss.png" height="205" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It was referred to as the wasserschloss (water castle) because of the moat surrounding the lodge, but it was really known for being a hunting lodge. The prince loved the hunt and was excited to go see this choice piece of real estate.<br />
<br />
Along the way, was a small village that sold snacks, candies and souvenirs to the common tourist. The prince and princess weren't interested in these trivial tokens because they knew the memory of the day, strolling through the woods, holding hands, and seeing history come to life would be a lasting memory in itself. <br />
<br />
A tiny, elderly villager caught the eye of the young prince, and beckoned him to her booth. She cast a spell upon him and enticed him with the magical essence of marzipan!<br />
<br />
The young prince was overtaken with the magical marzipan fruits<br />
and ate<br />
.......every.....<br />
.........last.....<br />
............one of them.<br />
<br />
As the young couple strolled through the properties and viewed the trophies in the Great Hall, the young prince began to not feel well. He decided he should look for the Royal Honey-bucket and set off with a quick step.<br />
<br />
The princess began to worry when the young prince did not return as quickly as she thought. She began to look for him around the village and the honey-bucket, but he was no where to be seen. She settled on the bridge to wait for her handsome prince to return to her. When he finally emerged from the forest, she was fearful of his appearance. She was frightened that he had settled upon some malady.<br />
<br />
The young prince exclaimed that the honey-buckets of this strange land required coinage to enter! He had never heard of such a thing and did not have the coinage of this land (since he had just returned from a far away sandbox). He had thought of breaking down the door with his strong, handsome prince shoulders, but he got the stink eye from a squire standing near by. So he slipped into the woods where no coins would be needed.<br />
<br />
The princess was aghast! She asked the prince if he would like some of the coins of the land so he could "clean himself up".<br />
<br />
He exclaimed he was fine and just a little chilly. <br />
He was also missing the back of his royal t-shirt.....<br />
<br />
Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-22216500497456314632013-12-09T10:13:00.001-06:002013-12-09T10:13:26.937-06:00Life in a Christmas VillageDad always wanted a Christmas village. A few years ago, the parents added a great room to their house, with a beautiful bay window and fireplace mantle.<br />
<br />
As a gift, the children purchased a village for the parents.....<br />
<br />
Now...this is where I have to insert the disclaimer on my family. I am sure you have all figured out that I don't come from the average, normal family. We have an odd sense of humor. It comes from my dad.....it is all from my dad. Life was always interesting at the dinner table. Spinach will always hold a special place in my childhood memory...but that is another story.<br />
<br />
The year we gave my parents the Christmas Village, my dad went in for heart surgery. It was scary. He was originally supposed to have knee surgery, but pre-op work up showed some heart issues and - BAM - open heart surgery was scheduled quickly. What a crazy Christmas that year.<br />
<br />
We set up the beautiful little village on the window ledge where he could see it from his recliner. He could enjoy the lights while he lounged with his huge, puffy heart pillow that he was awarded for surviving his ordeal of surgery.<br />
<br />
Our beautiful little village has a Christmas Lodge, a church, a shopping district and a green house. We also added people. Each person in the village is a member of our family. I will admit now, that I get my creativity from Dad. He sat and enjoyed his little village and began to make a story about it. <br />
<br />
This was his view during his recovery:<br />
<br />
Welcome to the happy little village of Dennyville. <br />
<br />
Every village should be centered around it's church. It is the foundation of family.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKg9PclyJhK6GPbw9pkvd9HXy17cc8FqlAOI0RQgVa_Z4OSdDbvmIScCciSVqYYzcwRgp16Olleisao1oDFEOTWuH16X1t3uOgjLZlRbTgxdYz5uxC6rmixBOKvp-EsluLcWQ0ILDMysw/s1600/DSCN1347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKg9PclyJhK6GPbw9pkvd9HXy17cc8FqlAOI0RQgVa_Z4OSdDbvmIScCciSVqYYzcwRgp16Olleisao1oDFEOTWuH16X1t3uOgjLZlRbTgxdYz5uxC6rmixBOKvp-EsluLcWQ0ILDMysw/s320/DSCN1347.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out that parsonage! It is bigger than the church!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The carolers are some of the grandchildren of the mayor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8-Ids5RJIxyjxLmfvbExc8LIUo1Anb9V54zz9aQuRb3m2tiZu6M-bfzweyHNX4ZA1PK94gjoZazle8pz4_zcHXap3bkTv5hOk0SIfsTYs2FyuDISdJtq_44Hu_LFFdRUQB1QOiO_TC-E/s1600/DSCN1341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8-Ids5RJIxyjxLmfvbExc8LIUo1Anb9V54zz9aQuRb3m2tiZu6M-bfzweyHNX4ZA1PK94gjoZazle8pz4_zcHXap3bkTv5hOk0SIfsTYs2FyuDISdJtq_44Hu_LFFdRUQB1QOiO_TC-E/s320/DSCN1341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">left to right<br />Kaleigh, Sam, Emma and Lew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The village has a nice little shopping village with a Christmas shop and a candy store for the children. According to Dad though, this is really a brothel. Just check out those lights strung up and flashing all night. When I asked why there was a candy store downstairs, I was informed it was just a cover to make it look nice as people walked by on the street.<br />
<br />
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<br />
There is always plenty of activity on the street....<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /> David and Janie. <br />Really the perfect image of them. <br />(Jane is in a wheelchair in real life)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A year after the original village went up, the mayor allowed a brewery to be built on the edge of town.<br />
<br />
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<br />
As I was setting the village up this year, Dad told me to be sure to put Tye coming out of the brewery. I pointed out that she normally is coming out of the greenhouse with a poinsettia for her Mom. Dad let me know though that Tye stopped for a drink before she went home.....<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least Tye remembered her poinsettia<br />before leaving the pub.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The last two couples are the mayor's wonderful children. <br />
The <i>older</i> couple sitting on the park bench making out....<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darin and Angie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
....and the cutie, <i>young</i> couple, stealing a kiss in front of the green house.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksAVWWI89-aFA6naz8q4A6hbrapyOgpQvPQb_aVdlWLmpbuIKpuEQEMZ1_nWTKlHGXApokcEvHGodR7_ZaenO0bBWOxMIsoJBDbq6ddnk28l6KKvqx8bnvaXFThNtjFNsjkQptbmulY06/s1600/DSCN1343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksAVWWI89-aFA6naz8q4A6hbrapyOgpQvPQb_aVdlWLmpbuIKpuEQEMZ1_nWTKlHGXApokcEvHGodR7_ZaenO0bBWOxMIsoJBDbq6ddnk28l6KKvqx8bnvaXFThNtjFNsjkQptbmulY06/s320/DSCN1343.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and Julie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We added a new member to our family this year. Lew was married in November to Kathleen. I am on the hunt for a new villager and possibly a new building. I am thinking we should find a vet clinic......just for Lew and Katie. (Yup, they are both vets.)<br />
<br />
Wishing you all a very, merry Christmas! <br />
May your family enjoy a blessed and safe holiday together with laughter and joy abounding.<br />
<br />
Love to you all,<br />
Bluehair<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-83816300377512568102013-10-20T19:59:00.001-05:002013-10-20T19:59:35.218-05:00Listing.....I know....it has been forEVER!<br />
<br />
If I only had an extra four hours in a day, I might accomplish everything on my list. Yes, I have lists.<br />
<br />
Lists of art that needs to be done.<br />
Lists of chores.<br />
Lists of bills.<br />
Lists of appointments.<br />
Lists of to do's.<br />
Lists of school work...mine and Man Child's.<br />
Lists of meetings.<br />
<br />
I have my alarm set every morning, but there is 3:18 AM ... again.<br />
<br />
I am surviving.<br />
I am accomplishing what needs to be done.<br />
<br />
I am looking for a rainbow.<br />
<br />
....... and I am ready to cross one thing off my list.<br />
<br />
I am presenting at the Lutheran Educator's Association Convocation this Friday in Milwaukee. Two Classes. Slides are done. Boxes are packed.<br />
<br />
I still have a:<br />
<br />
List of supplies to double check.<br />
List for packing.<br />
List for groceries before I go.<br />
<br />
I hope for a relaxing - and educational - experience this week. I am hoping to kick back a little......<br />
<br />
....and maybe....<br />
<br />
I won't make lists for four days while I am in Milwaukee.Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-54909777336807348662013-09-23T09:02:00.000-05:002013-09-23T09:02:52.159-05:00My HeroEvery other Sunday, the pastor will announce from the lectern, "The children are invited up to gather around for the Children's Message."<br />
<br />
About this time, Man Child will look at me with those darling 9 year old eyes and say, "<i>Can I go?</i>"<br />
<br />
Yeah, he is SIXTEEN now, but will always be my NINE year old. The little boy full of big dreams and energy. The little boy who looked at me and said, "<i>Mommy, I will always stay home and take care of you</i>."<br />
<br />
Melt my heart.<br />
<br />
He knows he will always be that little boy who stole my heart.<br />
<br />
Of course I always nudge him and say,<br />
"<i>Yes! Go if you would like to!</i>"<br />
<br />
....and I get that giggle as he settles back in his seat.<br />
<br />
There was a surprise this week though.<br />
<br />
The family sitting in the pew with us.....a Mom and two of her daughters. The littlest one in her sparkly princess dress, ready for the Princess Birthday Party she had been invited to after church and the older daughter in her zipped up, sporty, nylon jacket....the tomboy showing through this Sunday. Little Princess immediately jumped from her seat and excused her way passed my knees and Man Child's knees. She turned to look at her sister who remained seated. Her pleading eyes saying.....<i>come on, let's go, it's time!</i> Mom looks at her with warm eyes and whispers, "<i>Your sister doesn't want to go up today</i>."<br />
<br />
As her eyes fell to the ground in sadness, I nudged the Man Child.<br />
<br />
His hand went out immediately and he asked if he could go up with her. Her eyes lit with such joy as she grabbed his hand and led him up toward the altar of the church and proudly sat down. Her smile stretch ear to ear.<br />
<br />
Man Child sat down, criss-cross applesauce, next to his new friend, a tower of a man compared to the small children that surrounded him. He listened with her. He prayed with her. She watched him so carefully.<br />
<br />
Little Princess had such joy in her new friend and I was so proud of him. As the kids stood up at the end of the message, he reached to take her hand to return to our pew. All I could think was.....<br />
<br />
<br />
Man Child, you are my hero!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-26478242615664864062013-09-07T21:03:00.001-05:002013-09-07T21:03:16.115-05:00New-fangled Dishwasher?<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why is there Tupperware in the washing machine?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What? What did I just hear coming out of the Man Child’s
mouth? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tupperware? Washing
machine?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ran down to see what he was talking about, and in his hand…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…a round, red Ziploc plastic container in one hand….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
….the screw on lid in the other hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh….no…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flashback to yesterday.
End of the day, I started stacking all of the items I needed to bring
home from school; computer bag, laundry basket with wet paint rags, purse, and,
I almost forgot, my container of oatmeal that I never took time to eat for
breakfast. Holy buckets, that would have
been pretty gross Tuesday morning when I came back in to work. I bundled everything up and tossed the red Ziploc
container into my laundry basket laden full of red classroom rags. Got home….scooped laundry into the washer and
swooped down to the studio.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward to my laundry room this morning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yup. A Man Child holding a spanky, clean Ziploc container
and a washer full of........</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…..glued rags.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peanut wondered out loud…… ”How does this stuff always happen
to you?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess I am just blessed!<o:p></o:p></div>
Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-35335626990139411882013-08-03T07:25:00.000-05:002013-08-03T07:25:08.994-05:00School Supplies....New Undies!<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to school.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This had a whole new meaning to me 8 years ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had just been hired to teach art at a Lutheran school in
town. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was nervous…..I make art…..<i>Teach?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyHmAl5pQTq6sTym5a1IjZEdppsdCZ9xvbExV6ecyMAre8pDTGXwPn95EKxHE8URCnPo68Uz0FDEU7ThG8XXyAB8I6nbvNXGiQKkdEt-LYwq7T1SZzciCb61lQimFmHhejzIgvZ9pRhmW/s1600/princess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyHmAl5pQTq6sTym5a1IjZEdppsdCZ9xvbExV6ecyMAre8pDTGXwPn95EKxHE8URCnPo68Uz0FDEU7ThG8XXyAB8I6nbvNXGiQKkdEt-LYwq7T1SZzciCb61lQimFmHhejzIgvZ9pRhmW/s320/princess.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"My princess has laser eyes!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wasn’t nervous about the techniques or WHAT I was going to
teach. It was the classroom management
part of it. I had those pictures in my
head of kindergarten students running around with scissors….paint flying
through the air….<i>what was I thinking</i>?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Things went smoothly the first couple of weeks. It was all the rules and process of how we
will make our art….the basics.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
….and then….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had the most excited kindergarten walk in and exclaim, “We
are painting today!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The joy in their brush strokes, the smiles on their faces…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…..ahhhhh, watercolor…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We painted color. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We painted motion. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We started clean-up. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Directions were given and the excitement was still there. All the kids were so
thrilled to share their paintings with me as they neared the drying rack. “Look at mine! Look at mine!!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was carefully, but quickly, trying to load that rack with
those wet, soggy papers, when the last couple of tables got up and set off in
my direction. Little did I know they had decided to add
some more color to their paintings while I was loading the first groups. They jumped up from their seats with their
papers….dripping a rainbow on the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am not quite sure how they managed to keep the lake of water
on top of their papers, but I could feel that lake begin to drip….down my
backside….. as I continued loading other papers in that drying rack.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was soaked….down my backside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I could feel the cold water running down the back of my
legs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you GOD that this was my last class of the day!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I drove home, feeling a little damp and embarrassed, and only
then did I realize the full impact of the class project……<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I peeled off my black pants to change, I saw my beautiful……<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
... newly designed...<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
…rainbow underwear!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With that memory in
my mind last evening, I went school supply shopping to purchase my new canvas
for the school year…..<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
……..my new pack of undies!
Clean, bright, and white…..ready for a new year of watercolor students.<o:p></o:p></div>
Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-82603888931616941922013-07-22T07:20:00.002-05:002013-07-22T07:20:41.889-05:00Brain Fog RevealedI have been off again.<br />
So many things on my list to accomplish<br />
before I head back to school once again.<br />
<br />
Do I take time to write?<br />
Do I take time to snap pictures?<br />
<br />
No.<br />
<br />
......but this morning......<br />
<br />
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<br />
What an awesome sight.....the town across the field disappeared in the fog. Completely enveloped and lost in the gray mist.<br />
<br />
This is my life....feeling swallowed by this mist.<br />
<br />
....and as quickly as the fog dropped on our lazy little town....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sLuB70ddCH2m4ZYnqhsiGC6rGPwz1FOKS_x0YcxM-gECwx6cj4xNFAaU2DfV09K2f8jv-fXdfAtmnR2B5NOxmK6xOPy_vPUZvERAt7lXS0HN6_wAK2vCbreJ4_JRIXzHfPjAHL5gmiU5/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sLuB70ddCH2m4ZYnqhsiGC6rGPwz1FOKS_x0YcxM-gECwx6cj4xNFAaU2DfV09K2f8jv-fXdfAtmnR2B5NOxmK6xOPy_vPUZvERAt7lXS0HN6_wAK2vCbreJ4_JRIXzHfPjAHL5gmiU5/s320/IMG_0146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
...it was gone.<br />
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Sunny skies ahead.Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-47787811138625270552013-07-07T20:45:00.000-05:002013-07-07T20:45:07.407-05:00The Road Well Traveled 2013 : 3.3 Finding JesusAs we prepared to leave Wisconsin....<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJQQ_8XIyQE3hzcLYAC9ra-KyEtQHaie43sfXyHoXfcFz9UoRI4XVvmxsL_8HKOv2HIIVlMn1Rf4eseRzwDFyHMRqlAcKcdMvgXjA-CE-Weuuszg9SRp7OEAA1Kell3uehxS8sS8bp0ek/s1600/IMG_9965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJQQ_8XIyQE3hzcLYAC9ra-KyEtQHaie43sfXyHoXfcFz9UoRI4XVvmxsL_8HKOv2HIIVlMn1Rf4eseRzwDFyHMRqlAcKcdMvgXjA-CE-Weuuszg9SRp7OEAA1Kell3uehxS8sS8bp0ek/s320/IMG_9965.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful country!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
...we saw a few unexpected treasures we just had to stop to see.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlgpY6z6TCPfYyTjTNl4R5QXgg8fq2Qf4nMZLxMXgKmWM80g-R6IGQ0i01_XKFwvOPXCSGXmPzPgPmCiiod3i1yQUStNHgyNVZEbZjf8_gKSp0-gH2TLGkl6Utp4ejbloj1XZu809o7_D/s1600/IMG_9967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlgpY6z6TCPfYyTjTNl4R5QXgg8fq2Qf4nMZLxMXgKmWM80g-R6IGQ0i01_XKFwvOPXCSGXmPzPgPmCiiod3i1yQUStNHgyNVZEbZjf8_gKSp0-gH2TLGkl6Utp4ejbloj1XZu809o7_D/s320/IMG_9967.JPG" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Igor.....I'm Thelma!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ649i1mSGc0ZDZMB-SyfUJ1Y8qMggY0kpevGe7GDN6Rxj-iL4oEXsMzEvmONkdBodRsgAO1Vp0gJziC9XIgXQnaNViNGI8SEqDFFmrV3l16ZR5jQsKNXxZdUq6_w1mg6lznw2uMtID_CP/s1600/IMG_9968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ649i1mSGc0ZDZMB-SyfUJ1Y8qMggY0kpevGe7GDN6Rxj-iL4oEXsMzEvmONkdBodRsgAO1Vp0gJziC9XIgXQnaNViNGI8SEqDFFmrV3l16ZR5jQsKNXxZdUq6_w1mg6lznw2uMtID_CP/s320/IMG_9968.JPG" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Igor...I'm Stella!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijo-ipreefNHXpeqBY1UMAzW6C0HA1QYb8H5YG202Wlr5GS3dSWsrAWR2pctkpwxefbNpM42fP_wxxikX6hwP1sBEr3NWf5Yj2bhhZf8IYMK0Sz8f0TOtaJ7sk2oj6wRHcp7NqnRIDZY9C/s1600/IMG_9969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijo-ipreefNHXpeqBY1UMAzW6C0HA1QYb8H5YG202Wlr5GS3dSWsrAWR2pctkpwxefbNpM42fP_wxxikX6hwP1sBEr3NWf5Yj2bhhZf8IYMK0Sz8f0TOtaJ7sk2oj6wRHcp7NqnRIDZY9C/s320/IMG_9969.JPG" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Igor.....I don't like spiders....<br />and my name is Thelma!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
We had one more stop before we crossed the border. You see, our entire trip, we were searching for Jesus. <br />
<br />
I know, I know. We looked for Jesus last year and found him in Sioux City, Iowa. If you remember, that Jesus was 33 feet tall and we had a terrible time finding him, even with GPS. You can read about that adventure<a href="http://bluehairwannabe.blogspot.com/2012/07/road-well-traveledfinding-jesus.html" target="_blank"> here </a>.<br />
<br />
We tried to find Jesus on our first day, but night came too quickly and we had a few hours to go before a hotel.<br />
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On day 2, we concluded Jesus was not in the Northwoods.<br />
<br />
We had one, final day.<br />
<br />
We were on a mission.<br />
<br />
While searching the roadways for our final supply run of<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImbz3cgaVtdfZBhpuIY_UYxdRp1XY-AMXDNEpRKDjxniSS7Q9U2EdYzDGaVlKLe65TNVaUgTIciEoGhOKd0I1LegRzneJJo_-rc7Uvz__-cipf2P9IOY9IuBp2lHmYTroLM6X9fxrG6tp/s1600/IMG_9970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImbz3cgaVtdfZBhpuIY_UYxdRp1XY-AMXDNEpRKDjxniSS7Q9U2EdYzDGaVlKLe65TNVaUgTIciEoGhOKd0I1LegRzneJJo_-rc7Uvz__-cipf2P9IOY9IuBp2lHmYTroLM6X9fxrG6tp/s320/IMG_9970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I "spotted" some cows in a field along the road.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpnzaTapzgZZHdXLIAUr4oSlFuoF82FsoR1GTlaTvD2t2HxZuT_gASws_jRRUrxmvjOYfFCJjSsD-1eiCmpR554SS2s3G8ITZSw0c58L6FObgvMB0DiRowlWX74vYINlKOUaTrRMXdrSe/s1600/IMG_9976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpnzaTapzgZZHdXLIAUr4oSlFuoF82FsoR1GTlaTvD2t2HxZuT_gASws_jRRUrxmvjOYfFCJjSsD-1eiCmpR554SS2s3G8ITZSw0c58L6FObgvMB0DiRowlWX74vYINlKOUaTrRMXdrSe/s320/IMG_9976.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who could ask for anything more?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oh, yes.....those are "spotted" cows, dinosaurs AND a flying sauce WITH a little green man inside.....<i>.pay dirt</i>!<br />
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We drove on the ROAD for awhile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglD5piURB-277Iy1OvPs0SooNULObqszvUeuF_V_QqxAWlnS7yA2ZQ69Zqd6tHrPIkbJunohEeyTu4daEtrwKf21GEVU-aH4Qv1VoW-ezvDXj1B3s_kRjRC0ooxejVndL6m5ei_pgRiNuU/s1600/IMG_9981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglD5piURB-277Iy1OvPs0SooNULObqszvUeuF_V_QqxAWlnS7yA2ZQ69Zqd6tHrPIkbJunohEeyTu4daEtrwKf21GEVU-aH4Qv1VoW-ezvDXj1B3s_kRjRC0ooxejVndL6m5ei_pgRiNuU/s320/IMG_9981.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn6qGnPYbx92T2Iu08_DnwnbzkArn0Tgg3LC5xK5SCtcMy0vo1nX_I8LRkxuR1Wstg3D9MyAu3fqqULe3CIO1kbMtqytkIVG60DSI9uEdckZLD9ykAAATPGa_LcJ7rmGfiCsMNxPX7O8l/s1600/IMG_9982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn6qGnPYbx92T2Iu08_DnwnbzkArn0Tgg3LC5xK5SCtcMy0vo1nX_I8LRkxuR1Wstg3D9MyAu3fqqULe3CIO1kbMtqytkIVG60DSI9uEdckZLD9ykAAATPGa_LcJ7rmGfiCsMNxPX7O8l/s320/IMG_9982.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And there....in the distance...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGz_D0lKGfYYjBlS38J2RC5LR2rvBWZ75XNq0hVKYTSAGsTNN9MSFov9aYVZLEmGRg_rWhpKbaJvUDhBg5kVeKE46o2OT9MXqAoGIbWWfXcYBfhoUGPMBOq8HQxWHC21xEwl_Zkm4ZWin/s1600/IMG_9990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGz_D0lKGfYYjBlS38J2RC5LR2rvBWZ75XNq0hVKYTSAGsTNN9MSFov9aYVZLEmGRg_rWhpKbaJvUDhBg5kVeKE46o2OT9MXqAoGIbWWfXcYBfhoUGPMBOq8HQxWHC21xEwl_Zkm4ZWin/s320/IMG_9990.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
It was hard to imagine that our trip was coming to a close.....and we hadn't found HIM yet. We had one more clue in our arsenal of the Wonderful World of Web.<br />
<br />
According to my sometimes reliable resource, if we just dipped into Dubuque, just a wee bit by the looks of the map, we might be able to find Jesus.<br />
<br />
......and there<br />
<br />
......along the road<br />
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.......Gas Station Jesus!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHZlIAkSP79lhCWAJTD_bTeZTPSNDOsHC6s3K-vLEdSat_miAT5DIDVZOTGe5rr_D2PETN_-6QmWvLGXkTIWBqTIITRFFXCx4HD4rb6jFZVUW1ukg-h1JPnb6a_AuvccMTJ54QNXBeSqA/s1600/IMG_9991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHZlIAkSP79lhCWAJTD_bTeZTPSNDOsHC6s3K-vLEdSat_miAT5DIDVZOTGe5rr_D2PETN_-6QmWvLGXkTIWBqTIITRFFXCx4HD4rb6jFZVUW1ukg-h1JPnb6a_AuvccMTJ54QNXBeSqA/s320/IMG_9991.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, Jesus, it's me....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-suOxJL9-S5SvgvZzxrD0oH9OorzXnKbWf48abELFTV7lEhwbTdrydJcEu2A2uUD62ROh0LATcGcRFftEa13GjaIZE_9iB6WixsA50Vj7jRF4AHA-XM9cjJm54fFVTBvGeQGM0p7ZZbkt/s1600/IMG_9992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-suOxJL9-S5SvgvZzxrD0oH9OorzXnKbWf48abELFTV7lEhwbTdrydJcEu2A2uUD62ROh0LATcGcRFftEa13GjaIZE_9iB6WixsA50Vj7jRF4AHA-XM9cjJm54fFVTBvGeQGM0p7ZZbkt/s320/IMG_9992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...you have a little something in your nose....<br />I can get that for you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxpLudANsqj6NwnbOp_SeGahRnUcT4Tge-_npO1syCpZEkAPd9sUZblBLwKqTBFZErGbZuR0lDg32ms5qeEvlJy1jBJA8ONnCuNp03hzOjf2US45_LJ6jH70Sky5YOWXrTkliEChhnZ5u/s1600/IMG_9994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxpLudANsqj6NwnbOp_SeGahRnUcT4Tge-_npO1syCpZEkAPd9sUZblBLwKqTBFZErGbZuR0lDg32ms5qeEvlJy1jBJA8ONnCuNp03hzOjf2US45_LJ6jH70Sky5YOWXrTkliEChhnZ5u/s320/IMG_9994.JPG" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woot! Your nose is clean now!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TbvZMBP0tLhVOzoacoUkzug-IPfSPaR39qFmb66Y0D2Xw-jnv7a5IZxwc_GPMLKogkk2UneyCcStFCCPaBA8fRDBfNf4tk5TcXloz377k-90fYGvuSJ3vDysocvb6fbWGj5f0mDjWCuy/s1600/IMG_9997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TbvZMBP0tLhVOzoacoUkzug-IPfSPaR39qFmb66Y0D2Xw-jnv7a5IZxwc_GPMLKogkk2UneyCcStFCCPaBA8fRDBfNf4tk5TcXloz377k-90fYGvuSJ3vDysocvb6fbWGj5f0mDjWCuy/s320/IMG_9997.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High Five, Gas Station Jesus!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0-NHJu_FuN0L2tpJXaQGkPG8w6vCWDmFB4dvJ6eqPTtPf4U85YxlqtJ_qiGO7UoLz3hx1bBf2gypyskJyHxuZVR_7DefN1MiFCD7xjDJOzBlThzAp54EfDboTZAZcdZ7XGhCGb3Pu3E2/s1600/IMG_9999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0-NHJu_FuN0L2tpJXaQGkPG8w6vCWDmFB4dvJ6eqPTtPf4U85YxlqtJ_qiGO7UoLz3hx1bBf2gypyskJyHxuZVR_7DefN1MiFCD7xjDJOzBlThzAp54EfDboTZAZcdZ7XGhCGb3Pu3E2/s320/IMG_9999.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah...Louise and I were excited too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our mission was complete, and we realized....<br />
<br />
An hour left of our trip.<br />
An hour on the road until we hit our own beds once again.<br />
An hour left of side splitting, pee your pants, laughter.<br />
<br />
An hour left of what has become my favorite trip of the year.<br />
<br />
This was our second annual Roadside America trip. On Day 2, Stella announced that she has accepted a call to California. She would be leaving us for a state that is going to fall into the ocean.<br />
<br />
This announcement put a small damper on our spirits, but then the question was asked......<br />
<br />
Do you think we need to look for Jesus in California next year??<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-68042990287093046132013-07-07T07:10:00.000-05:002013-07-07T07:10:30.031-05:00The Road Well Traveled 2013 : 3.2 Pilgrimage to Mecca (Wisconsin Style)Wisconsin is so much more than<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75G6URy_CSLC9kkNvL6qiMrbVi42P-K1c0gWMU6IYbwieVpbr-PaQpR6NFiUGmIWsy-0BogVI-PWOFI0ECIAUTArZ6a9WDFojFY_5jToLQ0liGSMke0dyQoVO14yaboiPyWMhSwAqDWD2/s1600/IMG_9893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75G6URy_CSLC9kkNvL6qiMrbVi42P-K1c0gWMU6IYbwieVpbr-PaQpR6NFiUGmIWsy-0BogVI-PWOFI0ECIAUTArZ6a9WDFojFY_5jToLQ0liGSMke0dyQoVO14yaboiPyWMhSwAqDWD2/s320/IMG_9893.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
It is also about<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5GZx2gXW8QnVKYVGCpe5KKR-kviNKPPWJbcWGbkfm7qvqqKV_bzBJ15pD4JaebE4jFml9vFVlO5guqVzDKZo-Hu_8Hdvcny6QkFjvMw1tfg1-b8MaIvXKi7BOcHkZGIRKzA2OZPWIVdF/s1600/IMG_9964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5GZx2gXW8QnVKYVGCpe5KKR-kviNKPPWJbcWGbkfm7qvqqKV_bzBJ15pD4JaebE4jFml9vFVlO5guqVzDKZo-Hu_8Hdvcny6QkFjvMw1tfg1-b8MaIvXKi7BOcHkZGIRKzA2OZPWIVdF/s320/IMG_9964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So where better to take a pilgrimiage to than<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNureRLXpn3E1CRIZhbjTQCBm9sivjFzFg9YCk1It_TYNqPdpr69gwlgI9ddCuv3K5zxbX0pdI_yej78sPGo1CbaF9xiDlKYGw0r25Od7ygCAQepDrkitL7mt5H8LmG8PeHRORajY_ImY/s1600/IMG_9955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNureRLXpn3E1CRIZhbjTQCBm9sivjFzFg9YCk1It_TYNqPdpr69gwlgI9ddCuv3K5zxbX0pdI_yej78sPGo1CbaF9xiDlKYGw0r25Od7ygCAQepDrkitL7mt5H8LmG8PeHRORajY_ImY/s320/IMG_9955.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
beautiful LaCrosse, Wisconsin!<br />
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<br />
Sadly, all of the visitor centers and welcome centers were unwelcoming and closed to visitors. Is there no call for beer tasting?<br />
<br />
Or does the king require all the tasting to himself?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRGimzy8bAtev8_r_OAEG-HougfEb-NZjqAUFiwsH7WPt91KRdcb-bw8BI5IS2Paue3lOjOvM6pd99GRXLoUV7VjA4NQRoyTjZGb1czi2KYXMwBvYg9oyvq96NbVIYT43KM6C_1YNnfxJ/s1600/IMG_9961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRGimzy8bAtev8_r_OAEG-HougfEb-NZjqAUFiwsH7WPt91KRdcb-bw8BI5IS2Paue3lOjOvM6pd99GRXLoUV7VjA4NQRoyTjZGb1czi2KYXMwBvYg9oyvq96NbVIYT43KM6C_1YNnfxJ/s320/IMG_9961.JPG" width="152" /></a></div>
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(I must mention, by this point I had "spotted" many "cows" in BOB (big old Buick), so the pilgrimage was not a complete waste!)Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5337726625024062495.post-30209791995604467422013-07-06T06:58:00.000-05:002013-07-06T06:58:39.776-05:00The Road Well Traveled 2013: 3.1 Can You See Me?Southward, ho!<br />
<br />
On to Sparta, WI to see.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvlW7JE-pgNPtPDstztBWNA2qr6-hhgtyzoX74o20NmzYYh4oaSezIPNIzPvEl5hJTnTP-7n1ecCHsgUbszch4mVhT9dcxMDkWotyfGywLbgUtRga4Z4rQDhFAgGMLfH2k0XY5S2J6rLT/s1600/IMG_9935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvlW7JE-pgNPtPDstztBWNA2qr6-hhgtyzoX74o20NmzYYh4oaSezIPNIzPvEl5hJTnTP-7n1ecCHsgUbszch4mVhT9dcxMDkWotyfGywLbgUtRga4Z4rQDhFAgGMLfH2k0XY5S2J6rLT/s320/IMG_9935.JPG" width="261" /></a></div>
<br />
The World's Largest Eyeball!<br />
We found out at lunch, that we were lucky to have planned our trip when we did. The eyeball is being dismantled and is being shipped to it's new owner in Texas.....<i>'cause all things big go to Texas</i>!<br />
<br />
The eyeball is at the factory that creates ALL the large fiberglass items we see everyday. The ones in parks, swimming pools and mascots such as Big Boy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAU8yAOulJ0wZ3KvaGmwJRPyE_Whj3Ud3QxptTNwHK9D1zDqTLMRd8-YuOdNHa8bNOJHohF4CJBP8RuYQm1cYvB2uL-zaUEgnaoYZ8tNcOAhH-VarF-hqQohWWclQqN6mhBa0aPd7jIiZ/s1600/IMG_9932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAU8yAOulJ0wZ3KvaGmwJRPyE_Whj3Ud3QxptTNwHK9D1zDqTLMRd8-YuOdNHa8bNOJHohF4CJBP8RuYQm1cYvB2uL-zaUEgnaoYZ8tNcOAhH-VarF-hqQohWWclQqN6mhBa0aPd7jIiZ/s320/IMG_9932.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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There was a mass graveyard of molds that stretched forever. We drove through, but a sign warned weary explorers of wasp and hornet nests. YIKES!<br />
<br />
No thank you!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sYULBEaK0RyQRNJVZGjsNoKiPVTyavvZQ6IJayfb2C7FGZLcw81jdlzk3BQJA4TAOVNYch4zqaBUm0MlmdFR_BNVipoyfDA2T6WUzXyGM9s3IHX-9jbGcBZzrsI9RSbpTiH_rgA_ldXd/s1600/IMG_9953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sYULBEaK0RyQRNJVZGjsNoKiPVTyavvZQ6IJayfb2C7FGZLcw81jdlzk3BQJA4TAOVNYch4zqaBUm0MlmdFR_BNVipoyfDA2T6WUzXyGM9s3IHX-9jbGcBZzrsI9RSbpTiH_rgA_ldXd/s320/IMG_9953.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that a Big Boy??</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RizVJHyQ_Y5mgpg7r-rahQPPK5EzAxwPxTs7GHBOZd9FFkx6yxrE6RVveU4bROkKDYV80cO_z5ua2nHJFV9SCCB8a71w9r0B8bdP5mPT4pcZDjdb7oQlgK-7u-x-z0jwxUTjOG8QBbCc/s1600/IMG_9937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3RizVJHyQ_Y5mgpg7r-rahQPPK5EzAxwPxTs7GHBOZd9FFkx6yxrE6RVveU4bROkKDYV80cO_z5ua2nHJFV9SCCB8a71w9r0B8bdP5mPT4pcZDjdb7oQlgK-7u-x-z0jwxUTjOG8QBbCc/s320/IMG_9937.JPG" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey Tall Man! How would this look<br />
mounted on the wall?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7XIGrsNQ3bfJVA5C3IBdnn19G9LLof4QGDy5qgpoWOhGa4PQXOBqn8UL_SU47iYXuGUG1z43tnM9JRcc0NKMWK-ZQEWQPidqswUYv6Q7YQ4p7B6G5Y6i5et_BrTMiUXN2qFWacOauIE2/s1600/IMG_9939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7XIGrsNQ3bfJVA5C3IBdnn19G9LLof4QGDy5qgpoWOhGa4PQXOBqn8UL_SU47iYXuGUG1z43tnM9JRcc0NKMWK-ZQEWQPidqswUYv6Q7YQ4p7B6G5Y6i5et_BrTMiUXN2qFWacOauIE2/s320/IMG_9939.JPG" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let me help...You have a boog right there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQT6Dd0F1otTyjQgEAJA4Sg-9zaVG1UxgWQiLyIaHSkZieCwQoNVAYsk_qqYAii_MLReoUaz_BWnQf7a5AvyD9Ocl9G-eV-mRSnVhIMgmeIIkMRhFGWAev4SscIiUiG_OzNepKwr8XIvv/s1600/IMG_9950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQT6Dd0F1otTyjQgEAJA4Sg-9zaVG1UxgWQiLyIaHSkZieCwQoNVAYsk_qqYAii_MLReoUaz_BWnQf7a5AvyD9Ocl9G-eV-mRSnVhIMgmeIIkMRhFGWAev4SscIiUiG_OzNepKwr8XIvv/s320/IMG_9950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I caught a fish THIS big!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDa0BKXUChjYVppWO4rXHzmJfKsFX2meUIKE6bBvsxN4tMt0qEEREuMhmxo5bIK6haueuYHGTOrzpeQsFe0jl0uxe9TPaT5_V1wy-xsexxo0BlditklL33tFTxiC2jTA2tPex0LJj0-Ngq/s1600/IMG_9945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDa0BKXUChjYVppWO4rXHzmJfKsFX2meUIKE6bBvsxN4tMt0qEEREuMhmxo5bIK6haueuYHGTOrzpeQsFe0jl0uxe9TPaT5_V1wy-xsexxo0BlditklL33tFTxiC2jTA2tPex0LJj0-Ngq/s320/IMG_9945.JPG" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What? A Milk Maid?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6NAq6_QpvKEMBMFn8-B17pYN03ActTpJyRtg7Q9Yq8ZHyErp0LGXqYEhNnMrjJrbs3skP_XV7xz4gc3wrnMfr3dhAmbxwY7SCwM85U3uLi2mwSP8NIxVSafgUWZ89GOnWa1lppnsKDrz/s1600/IMG_9947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6NAq6_QpvKEMBMFn8-B17pYN03ActTpJyRtg7Q9Yq8ZHyErp0LGXqYEhNnMrjJrbs3skP_XV7xz4gc3wrnMfr3dhAmbxwY7SCwM85U3uLi2mwSP8NIxVSafgUWZ89GOnWa1lppnsKDrz/s320/IMG_9947.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No! A Dairy Queen!</td></tr>
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As an added bonus to our adventures here, we saw this on our way out of the parking lot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXp2ONqRH5U3DwbBRighnQSIZ-kix5Y1CkYBwJPDFdY416MIY7f4oDT1ZF1aBxnQil6pOgfaRbcx0CM47obG8zppIQphB2dlAQugjYOHp7SCN75XTyFCVh5T82r9XavleJxLpkx4hmh_pI/s1600/IMG_9952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXp2ONqRH5U3DwbBRighnQSIZ-kix5Y1CkYBwJPDFdY416MIY7f4oDT1ZF1aBxnQil6pOgfaRbcx0CM47obG8zppIQphB2dlAQugjYOHp7SCN75XTyFCVh5T82r9XavleJxLpkx4hmh_pI/s320/IMG_9952.JPG" width="276" /></a></div>
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Like I said before, this is a working factory. They were lifting a hat on a very tall figure. Anyone recognize that hat??<br />
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Bluehairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03605222603096828890noreply@blogger.com0