Friday, January 29, 2010

Slick trip

On a particularly snowy day some 20 years ago, my phone rang mid-morning, not long after I had learned school was out and just before I started to curl back up in bed to enjoy the short vacation.


“What are you doing?” my friend Ron said.

My Shepherd

I spent most of yesterday thinking the weather had knocked out our Internet service. Then I noticed the lights on the router weren’t even on. Darn cats! They had managed to bounce out the power cord somehow during the night.

I appreciated the fact that the local news stations so diligently kept us in the know of yesterday’s winter storm pattern, but if they were going to interrupt all regular television from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., I would have liked to at least have seen a snow flake.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The straight and narrow can be the best way home

I didn’t have to walk to school very often, but I did walk home quite a bit.


I never really minded the walk. It was short and gave me a few minutes of thinking time before I hit the front door. There is no telling how many plots and ideas and schemes resulted from that walk home.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Flat Stanley back from Alaska

If you read the previous blog regarding Jaynee’s Flat Stanley project, then I’m sure you have been anxiously awaiting the results.


I am happy to say Flat Stanley is safe and sound with Medford second grade, and he most certainly took a grand adventure, thanks to my friend and former classmate, Tony Azbill, who lives in Alaska.

I am the Q-bert Master

We watched the movie “Twilight” last night. I’m sure we were the last two people on the planet who had not seen it. Now, we’ve seen it.


My generation’s big vampire movie was “The Lost Boys.” I rate it a tad more exciting than Twilight. I was tempted to doze off on more than one occasion last night, and I don’t recall ever falling asleep or even considering closing my eyes during any viewing of The Lost Boys, which I’ve seen probably 10,000 times.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Ketch-up

What's that lame joke in the movie Pulp Fiction?

Papa Tomato, Mama Tomato and Baby Tomato are walking along together. When Baby Tomato starts lagging behind, Papa Tomato stomps on him and says, "Ketch-up!"

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Let me tell you about my motive

For the most part, readers have accepted my reasons for closing the paper with well-wishes and a sort of enthusiasm. Letters and e-mails have come in almost every day from individuals expressing good luck with notes of understanding. And even though some have conveyed feelings of disappointment, almost each letter has been uplifting.


However, the old saying is true: one bad apple spoils the bunch.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Brilliant, I say! Just brilliant!

I haven’t blogged in a few days, but I am pleased to announce that I am a bit smarter now.


Jeromy and I had to take the blue beast to Enid the other day to unload the stockpile of papers I’ve been hoarding for the last three and a half years. The paper recycling bins in Enid are located directly behind the Enid News & Eagle, in downtown Enid, just off Washington and Main. (We talked about this on Facebook the other day, in case you missed it, and a few people wanted to know where the Enid bins are located.)

Friday, January 15, 2010

Picking up the pieces and using them to rebuild

Jeromy spent the day yesterday hauling tools and machinery and piles and piles of materials – everything he had stored at the lumber yard, which closed Dec. 22, 2009 – to different locations throughout the county.

He took three loads to a farm in Wakita and found a lot here in town to store his trailers.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Ever heard your kid on the radio?

The radio was tuned to 89.7 The House FM, as usual, last Thursday when I was delivering papers for the last time.

I was going through all sorts of emotions. I’d tear up a little when I thought about not writing the news anymore. The tears were overcome with joy, however, when I thought about not having to deliver papers anymore. Back and forth, from high to low, I went all day.

Thoughts on the color purple

My favorite movie of all time is “The Color Purple,” and one of my favorite lines in the movie comes from a conversation between Margaret Avery, who plays Shug Avery, and Whoopi Goldberg, who plays Celie Harris Johnson.


They are walking through a field of purple daisies when Shug says, “More than anything God love admiration.”

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Flattening flattery and flatulence

Jaynee brought Flat Stanley home with her last week. I was so excited to see him; we swiftly shipped him off to Alaska.

Sound a little freaky?

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Thank God for roadside flea markets

Anyone who has seen the front of my car knows where I came up with the idea for the title of this blog. I have a pink and white tag that reads: “TGIF: Thank God I’m Female.”


I love to watch people, particularly men, walk by the car, stop, read the tag, smile and shake their heads as they think about the true meaning of the tag.

Monday, January 11, 2010

'Spring' cleaning

It’s house cleaning week.

When I announced to the kids we were closing the paper, the first words out of Joseph’s mouth was, “Yes! We’ll finally have a clean house again!”

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Quick catch-up

Not much time to write today. I’m taking Joseph to his family’s Christmas party in Attica, Kan. Although they are my ex-in-laws, I love them and can’t wait to see them all. They have been gracious enough to welcome me at several Domnick Christmas parties, and I am grateful and blessed by that.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Season's by Jaynee Schneider

When we got home from school today, Jaynee handed me a poem she wrote.

(Published as written by my fine second-grader.)

Season’s


Summer, Fall, winter, spring,

There all a season no matter what you say.
Summer is sunny, Fall is falling leaves, winter is snowy
It’s all just a way.

Spring is when flowers bloom.
Thank mother nature she’s the one who.
There’s lot’s of animals that like the seasons,
Like in sprig a cow will just tell you moo.


There’s books about seasons.
Go to the library you will see.
I’ll help you look
And you will be.

Perfect timing

A friend of mine gave me a copy of a poem when I was a sophomore in high school. It was a short poem, and she Xeroxed it, cut it out and handed it to me one day.

“This is my favorite poem,” she said. “I want you to have a copy.”

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

What do PETA and journalism have in common?

“There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” - Acts 4:34-35

Day 6 - calm in the midst of a storm

Today’s readings:


Matthew 3:13-17

Acts 4:1-22

Psalm 6

Genesis 15-17

Day 5 - Little red notes get me a little hot under the collar

On the fifth day of my endeavor, I read the following:


Matthew 3:1-12

Acts 3

Psalm 5

Genesis 12-14

Day 4 - truth brings peace

Today I read:


Matthew 2:13-23

Acts 2:22-47

Psalm 4

Genesis 9-11

Day 3 - shopping on the menu

Today’s readings:


Matthew 2:1-12

Acts 2:1-21

Psalm 3

Genesis 5-8

Day 2 - Day 1 of the rest of my life

Today’s readings:


Matthew 1:18-25

Acts 1:12-26

Psalm 2

Genesis 3, 4

Day 1 - Feels like I'm born again

I started a "read the Bible in one year" plan today, so i'm going to post everyday what I read to hopefully keep me accountable for my readings.