State Fair of Oklahoma

I LOVE THE STATE FAIR!!! Just a little bit. Ask me why and I couldn't narrow it down to just a couple of things. I've gone almost every year since I moved back to OK and I nag Spike (the name has been changed because he doesn't want me to blog about him) months ahead of time to take me. To the fair. Let's get that straight. It doesn't really float his boat and he is usually hesitant about going but he goes for me anyway and ends up having a good time. So there. To show you a little about why I love the fair I've included some pictures for your viewing pleasure. Let's peruse, shall we?

First in our guided tour is a pic I took of the arch through the window of the tent containing the guy who turns wooden bowls. Why would you put a window in the top of a tent? I don't know. Go ask him and keep your questions to yourselves. Just kidding. But really.


Next we see a couple examples of Okie fashion.


Okay, so we don't all dress like this. I would, but I'd look like the guys in the first pic...but like a girl...not a guy. Are we clear on that? Moving on.

This is my friend Carol. Carol is holding a blue ribbon. Why? Did she win something? Does she just like carrying around blue ribbons? These questions will be answered later. And please raise your hand before speaking. Let's keep this civilized. I think a few of you might like to explain to Carol why it is sooooo not cool to wear a T-shirt representing a state whose fair your are not attending. I'm just saying is all. Lurve ya, Carol.


This is Josie. Josie is Carol's daughter. Josie likes sea lions and they seem to like her. Wait a minute! Did Josie steal Carol's blue ribbon? Again, all questions will be answered in due course. But, I would like to take a minute to tell Josie that I'm a tad jealous that the sea lions hugged her and not me. That may have something to do with the fact that I didn't try to get them to. Whatever.


Next we move to three gentlemen sitting on a bench.

Why are we looking at three men sitting on a bench? Why do we care that they're sitting on this particular bench? Okay, so I'll answer these questions. It's not that we care that they ARE sitting on this particular bench, it's WHY they're sitting on this particular bench that is causing all the hubbub. Let's have a little quiz. Which of the following is the reason these men are sitting here...on this particular bench:

a) They're watching a hog calling competition
b) They're watching a food eating competition
c) They're at a cattle auction
d) None of the above



If you answered d) then you are correct. These men are sitting on this particular bench watching Irish dancing.
Doy!

Next we come to a trailer selling...wait a minute! Gross! It can't be! Ewwwww!!! If you don't know what these are, I'm not going to tell you. Go talk to The Pioneer Woman. She loves talking about these. Blech!



As we keep walking we come to the Footsie Wootsie machines. Put a quarter in and it's supposed to massage your feet...through your shoes. I say that because I've never seen anybody put their bare feet on one of these machines. Actually I think the only thing this machine really does is make 12-year-old boys scream like girls. Hey! I don't make the news. I just report it.

And speaking of odd machines I would like to state for the record that I find this one particularly disturbing. It's just not right! Downright shameful is what it is. Okay, imagine all that with an Okie twang and it's much funnier. Maybe not.


Next is something the OK State Fair wouldn't be the same without. Yup, you guessed it. Tractors!!! Woo-hoo! I know nothing about tractors except that they're shiny and kinda pretty. Don't tell me I'm weird. You think I don't know?



Now I think my friend Spike told me that this thing is called a Thresher. I could be completely wrong. It happens on occasion. It pulls up corn stalks and ties them together somehow so you can buy them to put on your front porch. I don't really know about that last part. It just sounded good at the time.



Here we have a picture of me taking a picture of Carol taking a picture of me. Got it? Good. Why is Josie walking away so quickly? I'm not stalking her. Really!




Here we are at the dog show. This gentleman, whose name Carol told me but I forgot, is balancing a dog on his hand. Why? Why not. And moving on....hold it right there! He has Carol's ribbon. What is with you people today?!!! And it's in his mouth! Now that's just not sanitary. I don't care who you are.

This tour is getting to be a lot longer than I anticipated so I'm just going to show you a few more pictures. Next we see a couple of geniuses who put a lot of thought in to what they would wear to the Fair.

You know, when I'm going to be walking around the State Fair all day the first thing I think to put on my feet is either flip-flops or cowboy boots. I mean, why not? Nothing says comfort like those two choices. I can see the podiatrists rubbing their hands together and grinning now. Mwahahahahahaha!!!

Warning! If you are anything like me the next couple of pics are going to be dangerous for you. You could get kicked out of the State Fair of Oklahoma for doing what I was wanting to. I really, really, REALLY needed...excuse me, wanted...to take one of these home with me.



I'll take this one. I'll call him Bacon. What?

And here are a couple of the Oklahoma State Fair Life Guards.

I feel safer already. Take a look at their feet. The gentleman on the right is going to break his ankle if he stands up too quickly and the other is going to trip. BTW, I have a very strong respect for police officers in general. Please don't find ways to give me tickets because I made fun of you. Please?

Finally we come to the reason for the blue ribbon that's been sneaking up in a few of these pics. That blue ribbon brought about the ultimate procurement of this:


Isn't it pretty? This ribbon was won by the person who took the pics of Josie and the dog balancing guy (dang, what on earth is his name?). See? They didn't steal that ribbon. The competitors of this particular (I seem to like this word today) contest were given a few hours at the Fair to take pictures BUT the blue ribbon had to be in each pic to make sure that you didn't take the pics ahead of time. The two pics that I have shown you were the ones that were chosen between for the final entry in the contest. We have a question!!! Thank you so much for raising your hand. You ask, who took the pics and which one won? I'll think we'll check out the final pic to get your answer.



Congratulations Carol! You are so cool. And way to go dog balancing guy!

I love the State Fair! Other State Fair blogs to follow.

Goodbye Jack

You were loving and loved. You never met a person you didn't like. You licked my tears when I was sad. You cuddled with me on cold winter nights and even sometimes when it was hot outside. You waggled your tail and ran to greet me with your ears flapping in the wind when I came home. You made me laugh by howling at noon every Saturday when the sirens sounded. You flopped over on your back when I was near so I could rub your belly for you. You fell asleep in my arms while we were watching movies. You loved to sit in my lap when we went for rides in the car. You bounced impatiently for me to put new straw in your house and jumped in to get it settled before I was finished. You slept beneath the rosebushes with the sun shining on you. You didn't complain when you got sick. You still wagged your tail and tried to show you loved me when I got home to take care of you. You let me say "Goodbye". I love you for that even though it hurt. I will miss you, my sweet Jackie.

Just Filling Space

I've started a new blog and seem to be neglecting this one. Not that anyone reads it but there you go. My new blog contains my reviews of movies and will also have recipes. It's www.dinnernamovie.blogspot.com. So there.

Resolutions

I have decided that I'm going to actually try to stick to my New Year's resolutions this year. "What?" you say. "You haven't stuck to them in the past?" Shocking...I know. My will-power is usually so much stronger than that. Yeah, right.

So, following is my list of resolutions in no specific order:

- I will become a member of a church and attend regularly.
- I will get back down to the weight it says I am on my driver's license. (I haven't seen that weight in a long, loooooooooong time.
- I will get enough money in savings so that I won't have to freak every time I need to buy a new tire. This does actually happen a lot more than one would think it should.
- I will stop drinking Coke type drinks. I would say I'm going to cut out caffeine altogether but I really like the occasional sweet, iced tea.
- I will ask a man out on a date. No, I don't have anyone particular in mind yet. I've whined for years about how lonely I am and it's high time I did something about it. Granted, this will actually require me doing something outside my comfort zone. Look out world!
- I will stop being such a cynic. I used to be a nice, shy, quiet person. I miss her. I want her back...to some extent.
- I will stop allowing men to make my cry. What is that saying about the man who is worth crying over won't make you cry? I need/want that guy.
- I will get my house clean and keep it that way. I just never go to the trouble for myself. I would really like to come home every day to a clean house. That would be lovely.
- I will start cooking for myself. Something other than sandwiches and frozen pizza.
- I will keep a daily journal even if it's about nothing. I need to set aside time each evening to write and get rid of any stress or be happy for any triumphs.
- I will try to become content with myself and stop letting others dictate my emotions. This one is actually going to be the hardest for me.

Yes, I do realize that this is quite a list but it's things I should already be doing. Well, minus the asking guys out. I still think guys should do the asking. I guess I'm old-fashioned that way.

Christmas

This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love to decorate and bake cookies, candy, etc. and snuggle down to watch Christmas shows. Something is different this year, though. My best friend has said for years that he doesn't like going to the different Christmas events because it's too commercialized. Of course, I disagreed because I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! This year I have started to agree with him somewhat.

When I first moved back to OK I was broke. But Christmas must go on. You must find a way to get gifts for everyone. Now that I have a better job (which I still love, by the way) I can afford to get gifts and not have to skip spending money on petty things like bills and food. I thought this would make things easier at Christmas but instead it has become it's own difficulty. Did I get enough for one person. Did I get too much for another?

The last few years I have bought my Christmas presents throughout the year so that everything is ready to go by the time I go to visit the family or they come down here for Thanksgiving. It makes the holiday time a lot less stressful. This year, however, things that shouted "This would be perfect for...(fill in relative's name here)" did not pop in to my line of vision. So, when I received my Christmas bonus I went in to full panic mode. I had no idea what to get anyone. Because I don't live in the same house/city/state as my family and haven't for years I don't know what their new hobbies are nor much else about them that may have changed. How do you shop for someone you don't really know anymore? These are still the same people I know and love but it's suddenly become incredibly difficult to find that perfect gift.

My niece is easy to shop for. She likes...stuff. My mom is relatively easy to shop for. My dad and sister are next to impossible. My sister is picky (not a bad thing) and my dad buys whatever he wants/needs. He has been banned from doing any shopping for himself the month before Christmas or his birthday. He is a pro at buying whatever someone else in the family has just bought him for a gift. I am like my niece. The best thing about shopping for me, though, is that I truly believe that it's the thought that counts. If I know that you went to at least a minimum of trouble and thought for me I will be happy.

I have so digressed from the point of this blog. In the midst of my panic to get the perfect gift and spend as much of my bonus as possible I realized that I was freaking out about...stuff. Yes, I realize that my family would be disappointed if they didn't receive anything but do I really need to freak about it? I am a worrier so it's very important to me to get things that I know they'll love. Or at least dislike as little as possible. I have been in the spend, spend, spend mentality. I receive flyers in the mail advertising this or that gadget/movie/game/toy. Thank goodness I don't watch television or I'd probably be overinundated there also. Instead of relaxing and taking my time I went in to attack mode. I am finished with my shopping. I'm thrilled about that. But, did I put as much thought in to my gifts as I have the past years? I have no idea.

I discovered something else about myself during my shopping breakdown. I completely let go of the real reason for the season. I haven't found the church at which I'm meant to be and haven't been looking as hard lately as I should be. So I have, in a sense, taken myself out of the most important part of the season. I miss the fellowship of having Christian friends around me. I do understand this is my fault and that I can do something about it. I like to use the excuse that I'm very shy. I do have difficulty meeting new people. Once I know you, though, you can't get me to shut up. If you have known me for years and are surprised by the previous statements try to remember back to when we first met.

I am determined to bring the season for me back to what it should be. It is a time for family and giving but it's for so much more. It's a time to remember that first Christmas present. A gift that was given not through riches, parades and pageantry but through humbleness (It is a word. I looked it up). I want to be happy because of the reason for the season not because of the number of gifts underneath my tree. Actually, I just want to be happy in general. I don't think that's too much to ask. I'll work on it.

Boys are Stupid

Enough said.

Picture Pages

Mom, Dad, Tam and Kyra went to Yellowstone in July and had a blast. These are some of the pics Tam took with mom and dad's digital camera. I've decided I want this camera. Not that the camera did all the work by itself. Tam is a darn good picture taker person. The buffalo in the pics tried very hard to keep my family from crossing the bridge on which he was standing. Maybe he was expecting a toll. Or maybe he was protesting the invasion of humans on his stomping grounds. Who knows? But, when it's a buffalo vs. your vehicle you should probably let the buffalo win. They can leave a pretty big spot on your paint job.


This bird is a Western Tanager. At least I think that's what Tam told me. All I know is that it's pretty. The following pic is a moose that Tam spotted. They were all playing the "Spot the Animal" game. Kyra saw a grizzly bear but because (for some reason) they decided to keep their distance the pic came out kind of fuzzy. Or maybe that was just the bear. Anyway, Tam got credit for spotting the moose but dad took the pic.


The final pic is just a pretty spot that Tam liked. She thinks it should have scripture with it. If you have any ideas please forward. She would love feedback.


Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pictures. I hope to go back to Yellowstone some day. I went when I was young (I think I was 9 or 10) and all I remember is Old Faithful. Sad, but true.