scrabble scrap

About every other Friday night, Mark and I go to Ruth's house for dinner and a game or two of Scrabble. Tonight it was no different. After some yummy broccoli and cheddar soup, we brought out the Scrabble board.

In the book I'm reading right now, Ofglen gets to play Scrabble with the Commander, secretly, so it's enjoyed much more. She mentions words that you can only spell on the best of games, so it was a bit of a motivator to hold out for the more complex words.

The second game came around after I came in second to Mark in the first. I sped ahead of Mark and Ruth when I spelled a word that gave me 39 points. At the end, I had 219 points! Mark only had 194 or something lower like that. Mark was skeptical, so he checked my math. Now, I have kept score for all other games we have played until now, so I thought he was trying to get me all riled up. As he was checking it, he started to laugh. I had added 30 extra points to my score, and added 3 to his he shouldn't have gotten, and didn't give Ruth 3 that she deserved. I was so embarrassed! Ruth started to laugh so hard at me, Mark was laughing, and so of course, I joined in. It's not that funny looking back, but it looked like I had been trying too hard to win. Mark was pretty pleased that his wife didn't know how to add because he ended up winning.

*The picture above is of the boxer Rocky Marciano. Wik says he still remains to be the only heavyweight boxer to retire having won every fight in his professional career. In the picture they have of him there, his nose is pretty flat.

7 things

Last week Mark caught the inevitable cold that was buzzing around Altus, poor guy! I avoided it longer than I thought I would be able to, but yesterday ... I got it.

So here I am blogging because I don't want to be only a fair weathered blogger. Don't worry about wishing me well, because I think I'll kick this pretty quickly. Hopefully that's not just wishful thinking! In the mean time, I have Lost, The Handmaid's Tale, and orange juice to keep my mind occupied.

HSF tagged me last September to write about 7 things [most] people probably don't know me. Here we go. Put your seat belts on!

1. The first thing that comes to mind are the things that still surprise myself: I have been bungee jumping twice. (my folks weren't too excited about that) The first time with Megan Cole (at the time it was her 7th jump) and the second time was with Brock Nelson. Both times were at AJ Hackett in Las Vegas; the highest in all the U.S. = 17 stories high, or 172 feet. There was a pool at the bottom, but I didn't want to be dunked. It was scary enough! I was most worried about the 'bungee' whip lash. But that was the best part! It was nice and smooth and it felt like you were flying. The second time I went, it was the last week they were there in Las Vegas; their lease was up and they wanted to go to New Zealand, so that's where they went!

2. I have been to Brazil. For those of you who have served a mission, it might not be that special, but I will always remember it! When I was a junior in High School my good friend Corin and her family asked if I wanted to accompany them to a little island called Fernando de Noronha. It's a very small (7 mile long) island about 300 miles off the Atlantic Coast of Brazil. Then we went to Fortaleza for a few nights at the end. It was one of the greatest vacations I've ever been on. So much fun being somewhere different where you had to learn a different way to say "thank you" - simple, but it was very exciting trying to understand their language and ways of life. Things I enjoyed there: the biggest rain drops I've seen, and the funnest lunch: whole crabs that you beat open with a wooden stick and you need to suck out the crab meat. Sorry if you don't like crabs, but it was delicious. Once you got past all the leg hair!

3. I'm a better listener than I am a talker. I can talk your ear off if I'm trying to get you to open up, but once that's happened, I just sit back and listen. Learning about people's lives and stories is a thing I've always been interested in hearing about. I think Mark fell in love with me when I asked a 2-star General how he became a 2-star General (which is something you just don't do)! Granted, he fell in love with me AFTER he realized that the General was entertained, and not offended, by this non-frequented question. That weekend the General taught me how to fish and treated me more like a daughter than someone he just met. My dad still laughs when he hears this story. Mark is still relieved that things happened the way they did that weekend.

4. Wolves terrify me. Along with sharks. Nothing surprising there, but what is surprising is: I'm even afraid of werewolves. I know they don't exist, but just the idea of them makes me start to shake. You know the things in The Village? Yeah, that's what I used to picture them as. I think M. Night Shaymalan got in my head before making that movie and before Lady in the Water. Lately in Anchorage there have been wolf-packs giving people trouble. Uh-oh.

5. Having my back lightly scratched and my hair played with are on my favorites list. It feels so good! I was always one of those little girls in kindergarten, who during story-time the teacher would have to tell the girl sitting behind me that it wasn't beauty hour. I always felt bad for that person because I think it was always my idea. ha ha

6. I didn't get my ears pierced until I was almost 20. ha - in fact, right after I got my ears pierced, Megan and I went bungee jumping. It was a memorable night. On the elevator ride up to the platform, there was a guy there with piercings almost everywhere you could see-pretty gross. I was glad I wasn't him; something about strapping yourself to a big bungee cord with that many medal things in your skin didn't seem too smart to me. ugh.

7. I have just started watching the show Lost because of all the free time I have in this hotel, and because the library had the first two seasons available. Within a weeks time, I will have finished the all of it! It started off slow for me, possibly because I had seen bits and pieces of the show before and knew the beginning of the story line. However, it soon caught on and I was .. yes, hooked. It's pretty good!! Pretty scary sometimes, but pretty exciting. ]

If these were sort of lame, sorry! It was a good time for me. Just to prove I'm not a fair weathered blogger.

Now go ahead and tell me something I might not know about you.

happy things

I love to think I'm involved with people. And when we're moving away from family and new friends a lot of the time, it's nice to know I still have 'my roots'; even if they're rooted in the mess of wires that connects the internet person to person. To know that I can check in on people and people can check in on me are motivation enough to keep on blogging. Even if it's not always about Mark and I, it's a nice outlet to get those cooped up thoughts most people think are nonsense. But us bloggers... we know better.

little criminal

Because of recent moves, we have been smuggling Mr. Buckwheat into our hotel room a couple of times. When a friend of ours offered to keep him at their house we jumped at their generosity. He started off a little jumpy around our friend's dogs, then quickly adjusted to their form of mellow-playing. After a couple of good days, he got sick from eating too much of a different dog food, so we called it quits. (Tim you're a good friend!) We smuggled him in one last time to our hotel room last night and tried to shush a bark from his new found hobby of barking at strange noises. It was pretty funny thinking he might give himself away. But Buckwheat got the other two dogs to howl (we only let Buckers howl at sirens), so I thought it was an even trade. This morning I took him back to the kennel so he can rest easy and bark and howl all he wants (I think he lets it out when he's away from us). What a little trooper! He was actually pretty excited to see the lady in the kennel, so I know he's in good hands.

recent films

This was on my 'to see' list until I saw the previews. I thought it was going to be one slooey-gooey-kissy of a movie. But when I heard my Altus bench marker say she was going to see it with a few others, I decided I would put it back on my list. I'm sure glad I did! I don't know how it slipped me, but I didn't realize that the actress was Hilary Swank! I have been a fan of Hilary Swank's since I saw The Next Karate Kid. Don't laugh! This movie had me laughing and tearing up all the way through. If you appreciate good mail, you'll appreciate this movie.

Another movie I've seen recently was The Great Debaters. When looking up the critic reviews, I read that Denzel Washington had used the same feel-good scheme he had used in Remember the Titans. And because I loved the feel-good scheme in that movie, I figured I'd feel the same about this one. I have a sincere respect for African Americans involved with the Civil Rights Movement, and I think their story should always be told, and remembered, with respect. I think we can all learn something for how hard they had to work to overcome what they faced in their communities and 'free' states.

Take these reviews with a grain of salt, because I like just about every movie I see. But these two deserved a positive review here. Enjoy.

new banner

I photographed this flower pod at the Japanese Temple (mentioned below) while on vacation. The surroundings were pristine; I couldn't let my camera not get a taste.

notion

"I got the notion that life in Hawaii was one, long sweet song" - Jim Dole

A couple things I learned about pineapple this last week:

1. How to pick a ripe pineapple: look on the bottom of the fruit and if the ring is white, it's a good one. If it's yellow, it's not as sweet.

2. A pineapple plant takes 20 months to grow the first fruit, then 18 for the second; then the plant is done. Poor, hard working plant!

The Guinness World Record Maze is on the Pineapple Plantation. We stood in line twice because I've always wanted to navigate one, but there was always something yellow, sweet and tasty that deterred us from the 1.5 hr. avg. maze.

The world's first Satellite Concert was claimed by Elvis in Honolulu on Jan. 14, 1973. Mark had been conspicuously looking for this theatre while driving and scared me half to death by shouting "There it is!" while narrowly avoiding traffic as he made a left turn into the parking lot. He now has a talking/singing head of The King.

This Byodo-In Temple was erected entirely without the use of nails. It's a replica of a 900 year old temple in Japan to honor the first Japanese immigrants and their ancient religion, who settled in Hawaii. Beautiful surroundings and the cloudy skies added to the ser-zen-ity. As we left the incensed environment, Mark 'donged' the bell for all to hear. I guess it's to tell the big Buddha you're coming onto the temple grounds (we just reversed it):

In the movie Pearl Harbor, there's a part of the movie where the two pilots drive to an air field and try to take off with the remaining planes as the Japanese fly overhead trying to destroy their air fleet. Mark took me to this place. It's called Bellows Air Station. They have left a part of the airstrip/runway ruined and broken. It's very humbling; it looks old and forgotten. But still it remains beautiful.

At the beach at Bellows, the first POW of WWII was captured as he swam to shore after his midget submarine broke down in the harbor. The same POW returned to Hawaii after a long life (he even worked for Toyota, which we were excited about); upon his return to Japan, his country told him he should have committed suicide rather than be captured; what an awful thing to be told.

And lastly, my favorite part of the island:
On our 2nd to last day there we were nearly running out of things to go see and do. Mark's father recommended that we drive around the back side of the Punchbowl (a volcano-crater with a WWII memorial inside). It was so jungle like and just how I have envisioned how a piece of my own personal heaven would be like. There was a hiking trail that we noticed, so we hopped out of our car and started the ascent. We just got far enough for me to take a few pictures before gangs of mosquitoes started to torture us and as we started to turn back the rain started. Mark and I ran down the muddy hill so fast. It was so fun! Next time I'll wear bug spray and proper shoes. There will a next time.

2008

Happy New Year! I figured this very small sea shell looked more like a firework than any other picture I have taken, so there you go. We are still in Hawai'i, and we'll get home (wherever that is) Thursday at 11 am.

Last night was celebrated with delicious pizza, fireworks, and I woke Mark up to watch the Times Square ball drop with me.

I have taken far too many pictures, and I want to share them all, but I will limit myself. But as for right now, there is a line of people waiting behind me and the other 2 computer users. So farewell, and here's one last one for today:

This is us at the Dole Pineapple Plantation in the middle of O'ahu. Mark has been showing me all these places on the island. I have the more fun ones on my camera still. Goodness it's harder to not have your own computer! Here's us on the Pineapple Princess Train.

Mele Kalikimaka

This would have been a Reeder's Digest, but we didn't do too much. When on vacation with the Judds, we just loaf around and watch the palm trees sway.

Tonight my family (minus my sister who was a little too tired) walked to the hotel three lagoons down to see the huge Christmas tree and hammerhead sharks. The sharks scared me, go figure, so they didn't warrant a picture from me. But here's the picture with the tree; you can see the Hawaiian statues on the top, left.

I hope everyone had a wonderfully, merry Christmas! Mele Kalikimaka!!

Christmas Eve

It's great doing a Hawaiian Christmas again with my family; it's difficult to think of the Christmas season when it's so warm, but oooh, I can't complain. Christmas Eve was spent with my parents, sister, and Mark on the beach by a lagoon. It was nothing short of Heaven.

Happy Christmas Eve!

moved

Moved out, at least.

Another move is done...well almost. On Thursday we moved all our things out of our apartment into a friend's/neighbor's house so we could go on vacation, in peace, and not worry about everything being in our car.

Then Thursday night we cleaned. Oh, did we clean clean clean! Nothing feels better than a good scrub down. Except throwing away all the cleaning supplies. Good riddance. That feels even better.

Thank you to all of you who have sent Mark and me things; to our old address or to my parents address. It is so fun to have an excuse to send and receive. I must apologize for our lack of Christmas Spirit. It's not like I've been having a baby or anything; congratulations, Jamie and Rod! Perhaps I'll find another sort of excuse to send things out soon.

Christmas films

So many good ones! So many jolly ones! So many that make you want to give something better than your best to those around you. For me, Little Women does the job at putting me in the sort of mood to be most charitable and most appreciative for what we've all been blessed with.

Name some of your favorites. I Triple Dog Dare you!

looming winter

Across the street, next to the now-plowed cotton fields, sits this old forsaken shack. Constructed of rubble and loose wood, I think it's shelter for two horses and a little donkey.

paint swatches

Already, the search has begun for choosing colors for the home we will settle into in Alaska. In our previous home in Texas we had three rooms painted, one wall in another room swathed in dark fabric (a quick fix instead of paint), and repainted our bedroom to a lighter blue. Chelsea, I never got back to you, but that color was Cumberland Fog from Behr.

I've chalked this pasttime of mine up to a hobby. Back in Texas the search began for light spring-like colors for a "winter room" to keep us awake during the dark and dreary days, but I didn't give a much thought about a "summer room" to unwind in when the sun stays up past it's usual bed time. I think I have about... oh I'll just count them.. I have: 29 from tonight + 27 from before = yes, 56 paint swatches. Watch out mom and dad, I'm bringing them to Christmas for us all to stare and awe at. O! I'm just so happy!

happy things

After a cold afternoon of tying quilts and putting screen doors on patios, Mark and I headed over for some delicious Happy Donuts. Compare these to the best, most mouthwatering donuts you can imagine: Winchell's or Dunkin' Donuts. Whichever you like more. That's right. That's how yummy these taste.

frozen rain drops

This 'storm' I mentioned below is beginning to brew. We had made plans to drive to Northern Oklahoma to visit a few friends of ours, but the base wasn't allowing passes because of 'frozen rain' that just ices over all the roads when it lands; almost instantly.

This morning the passenger side of our car was all glossed over with these crystal beads of ice. It was freezing, but very pretty.

Christmas in the city

There is a park downtown that has been decorated with Christmas lights and set-ups throughout. There was even a Santa Clause with a real beautiful white beard. I had seen his poster hanging in a boutique when doing Christmas shopping earlier this week; he must be famous. I thought I saw a man in a car a few weeks ago and thought, "wow! He'd be a great Santa." Perhaps it was him, giving his reindeer a break.

Because of the predicted ice storm this weekend we expected it to be cold. We were right!

It was cooooold. We wore long johns under our jeans, I had two sweatshirts on underneath this 3 layered coat! Then my mom's bear gloves, then the incredibly fun beanie with a pom-pom atop. Mark just looked chic in his magazine-appropriate turtle neck and dark accessories.

on this day

At about 5:30 tonight I drove onto the air base here to pick Mark up after his simulator finished and as I drove around the 'round-about I saw 4 men in uniform pulling the flags up to full staff.

I didn't realize today was a 'half-mass' sort of day. Only when I was driving back past them with Mark in the car did I remember that today marks the 66th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

It was a beautiful reminder to see all those flags at half staff.

unoriginal thought

Wednesday laundry. I don't have a set day for laundry, I just do it when it needs doing. Suppose I like spontaneity in more things than just behavior.

Having a dry week for blogging entries, and a day full to the brim with washing, I thought an ode to laundry would be appropriate. Just to see what was out there, I googled "Ode to Laundry." My, what an unoriginal thought I had.

Blogspots here, typepads there. Everywhere there was an ode to laundry, or an ode to my Japanese laundry line. I didn't read any, thought it would be a bit intrusive on what someone else thought was a fun, original thought.

O Laundry, Laundry, wherefore art thou Laundry!

Folded and stacked away neatly and warm.

Saturday's sunset

After the rain ended and the clouds began to break up, this is what was left behind. This is sans photoshop, just a crop to get out the 'worldy things'.