Happy Birthday, Oliver!

Yesterday was Oliver's first birthday. Amazing that a year has passed already. Happy Birthday, young man. And many more!

Love Nana, Opie, Megan and Kelsey.

Your voice changed

but your breath smells the same.

My business partner is having a meeting with a couple of contractors. One of them is standing next to my office door talking on his cell phone. He just ripped off a huge fart. Didn't even change the tone in his voice or nothin'. Dude! I'm trying to work in here! sheesh.

Giant Rearing Horse

A local Catholic school contacted me and wants me to help them construct a foundation for this giant bronze sculpture. How do you make a giant rearing horse stand up in a 90 mph Oklahoma thunderstorm or with a bunch of kids climbing on it during a pep rally photo op? Dunno? Me either. Should be interesting.

Weenie Roaster

Eleanor, do you remember when we were at the Target in Texas a few weeks ago and you were looking at those telescoping weenie roasting sticks? Well, maybe this will work better. LOL. Debbie sent this to me in an email about "rednecks." Hey, sometimes those folks aren't as dumb as they look. hee hee. I'll bring the gas grill for the steak and taters, you bring the rake for the weenie roast.

Wicked

Yesterday, Debbie, Megan, Shawn and Kelsey went to Tulsa and saw the musical, Wicked. Apparently, it is very good. All of them liked it alot. I guess the wicked witch really isn't all that wicked and the good witch wasn't all that good. Man, just when you think you have things figured out...

Old Building in OKC

Several weeks ago, maybe months ago, I posted about an old building in downtown OKC that I was asked to help a guy renovate into some offices for his construction company. The building is at least 80 years old. It was used to manufacture vanilla flavoring. Pretty sure the building was used to make whisky and other spirits during Prohibition, but no one knows for sure. Anyway, the bridge next to the building (kinda visible behind the building in the first photo) is one that I drive over alot. I've looked at this building for years and the cracks in the wall nearest the bridge. Always thought someone should demolish the building before it fell down. As luck would have it, I'm working with the owner to determine how to stabilize and restore the structural integrity of the building. These are photos of the building. The top photo is the front. The next two photos show the two giant cracks that are clearly visible from an automobile passing across the bridge. The next photo is a view of the basement where the owner has removed the floor slab down to the soil. The next photo is a typical view of the first floor and the wood framing. The last photo is at the 2nd floor level. Those columns are not painted black. They are charred... from a pretty severe fire that occurred sometime in the past. The roof was replaced, but the previous owner kept the charred columns. All of the columns and roof framing in the last photo will be completely replaced. The black stuff in the other photos is mostly crud. Alot of the wood joists will need to be replaced at the 2nd floor and first floor levels. Got my work cut out for me. I thought the architect gave me some renderings showing what the finished building will look like, but I can't find them. Must have just shown them to me during a meeting. Anyway, thought some of you might be interested.

Hello! This is your captain speaking!

We have been getting a bunch of telemarketing calls at the office during the last several months. Most of them are those automated recordings. A few minutes ago, the phone rang and I answered. I heard what sounded like a fog horn blasting in my ear. Then a man's voice said, "Hello! This is your captain speaking!" LMAO. It was a recorded message about sending your employees on a working vacation aboard a cruise ship. Hilarious and aggravating at the same time.

WHERE'S MY CAR, DUDE??!!

I just looked outside and my car wasn't in the usual parking spot. I freaked out momentarily. Then I remembered. Oh, wait. Debbie kept the car today. Nevermind. Dang. Short term memory problem almost caused a sphincter breach.

Dad gummit

Tara, I have something to tell ya. After you dropped the kiddos off at our house, Kelsey and Megan were there and we were all playing around. Maggie was picking on me and dropped something on the floor. I said, "Dad gummit!" Maggie started saying it a bunch of times. Megan and Kelsey were cracking up. Hopefully she doesn't get dyslexic and say something else. Sunday morning, Maggie was saying, "Doggonnit!" I don't remember saying that one, so I'll blame that on someone else. Dunno what else the little parrot will repeat. hee hee. :o

Monkless

Well, the house is quiet for the first time in a few days. The monks are gone. We took Evie, Maggie and Oliver to Eleanor's for a custody exchange with Tara and John. Had a good visit and good dinner. Tara and John headed back to Texas with two little girls jabbering about a million words a minute. Welcome back, Momma. hee hee.

We stopped at the Buffalo Ranch convenience store for some water. Getting on the turnpike at the Afton gate, I had a major brain fart and took the Joplin exit instead of the Tulsa exit. 10 minute detour to the Miami turnpike gate. Went thru the pikepass lane and did a u-turn. As we drove thru the other pikepass gate, I coulda sworn I heard the toll booth attendant yell, "Go back to Arkansas!" Shaddup, Maynard. Anyway, we made it to Tulsa without another incident. Debbie said she wanted to stop at Braum's. Well, I missed the exit for that, too. After a couple of roundy-rounds and passing the darn place one more time, we made it to Braum's. Not without alot of grief from the three backseat drivers making comments about having a GPS system and not using it cuz if we did we wouldn't be taking the 3-hour tour just to get to Braums. Smart alecks. If it wasn't for getting lost and missing exits, we wouldn't have such wonderful family memories and stories to tell later. There is a method to my madness. Yeah. Right. I didn't miss any more exits between Tulsa and Stillwater. Glad to be home finally. Missing the monks.

Megan and Kelsey just got back from Wally World buying anti-fungal cream and Preparation-H. Um, some things are better left unasked and unanswered.

Have a good one.

Auntie Kelsey

Auntie Meg

Pilot to Co-pilot

Dress-up

SNAKE!!!!!

The children's museum has several reptiles on display. As we were looking at them, one of the volunteers took a small python out of a cage. The girls scattered. Oliver and I hung around to check it out. Nana maintained a respectable distance to take photos. Good thing for a zoom feature on a camera. hee hee. Guess what, Tara? You can't get botulism by touching reptiles. Dunno where you heard that nonsense. LOL

Alien and Astronaut

Blowing air and floating balls

Sandbox

OK, Tara. You need to let this boy play in the dirt a little. He wasn't to sure about touching the sand. LOL

Grocery shoppin'

Adventure Quest

Adventure Quest is a giant wooden playground with many levels and mazes throughout. Lots fun.