TGIF

Friday is finally here. We are still soggy in Oklahoma with a 70% chance of rain today and tomorrow. Dang it, no camping this weekend either! Aww shucks. Hubby is back from his short work trip away from home. He returned fairly early yesterday, the rain making work difficult. He is wanting to get some fishing in this weekend, hopefully without moi. I am going to see whats new at the movie theatre. Lately, I've been enjoying a weekend trip to the movies with either my 12yo or a friend, and catching a newly released film. Probably because I cannot watch anything on our TV at home in peace. I would like to see 'An American Haunting'. It looks like a good thriller. Its based on true events that took place in Tennessee during the 1800s, the movie tells the story of the only documented case in U.S. history (validated by the State of Tennessee) where a spirit caused a person’s death. Over 20 books have been written on the subject, and the town that still lives in fear of the spirit return, the story is supposed to be terrifying. It looks promising!

Last nite we had a crisis here at the homestead. My 2 yo's beloved movie "Homeward Bound" cratered. It finally self-destructed. Of course, it was played over and over years ago when my 12 yo was a toddler, a much loved gift from his Auntie J. My 2yo doesnt like part 2 of the movie which means I have to find part 1 on DVD and order it. Here is my conversation with a DVD company I called this morning:
Hola? Puedo ayudarle? Qué producto? Cuál es el número de orden? (or something similar) I do not remember pressing #2 for espanial or whatever. This company is is located in the USA in Tulsa, OK. Why am I required to speak Spanish? I think I'll order it from Amazon.com. I am so sick of having spanish shoved in my face I could scream! So, I have boycotted 'Dora The Explorer' and her cousin 'Diego' from my 2 yo's TV watching. No Mexican food for 1 week. Afterall, I am 'the decider at my house'. Its pretty bad when my 2 yo can count higher in spanish than in plain old American English-ahg!!!!

__________________________________________________________A couple of updates: Yesterday it rained mostly all day, until late afternoon. So, my 2 yo and I took a short road trip and checked out the 2 displaced Katrina Horses in the next county over. On our way I called C. the horses new owner to let her know I was coming by, she was home and was waiting for us as we pulled into her drive. She has a large log-type home in a protected valley, a very peaceful place, somewhere I could easily see myself living. She had told me on my earlier visit that she had 11 acres. It was all pasture with a small barn setup. C.'s fencing was all pipe until the back half of the pasture which was standard barb-wire. The usual design for livestock fencing in Oklahoma. I think her hubby is a welder or works in that field because her pipe work is sturdy, detailed, and attractive. Anyhow, the 2 sorrels were out in the pasture not too far. It was raining pretty steady so my little guy and I retreated into the barn where C. put some grain into each of thier buckets and called the horses up. They trotted up to thier outside feeding areas, and fussed a bit with eachother over the grain buckets. My 2 yo busied himself with a big orange tomcat lounging on a fabric lawnchair. I viewed the 2 sorrels from a short distance and noticed a huge improvement from my visit almost 2 weeks ago. The vet hadnt been back for his scheduled appointment yet, but the farrier had. I was impressed. C. is obviously a very responsible and competent horse owner. I still felt it would be atleast another 3-4 weeks before her 2 horses were ready for any training. Since they are both broke and ground manners seeming fine, not any serious trust issues obvious, the most work will be under saddle. I asked her to discuss it with her vet. C. stated she would and then call me when training could begin. I hope it doesnt interfere with any upcoming planned vacations or trips...

Tuesday morning, I was shopping in the only grocery store in my area. My 8 yo round-up club friend and neighbor's Grandmother was also shopping. She informed me that A.'s mother's attorney withdrew representation and the custody suit was dismissed or dropped by the no-good, drug addict mother of A. (Grandmother wasnt sure of the details) I was happy for A. but still worried for her. It is not fair for this little girl to have this hanging over her head. Her mother needs a good old fashioned ass kicking in my opinion.
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My husband viewed a big cat for about 3 minutes last night, he said it was beautiful but made him a bit uneasy since it was in his oil lease area where he works, often alone. Sightings of Mountain Lions are very rare but they do happen. In my area they are called big cats or panthers. I can count on 1 hand the times I have seen one. The last being months ago on the highway north of our road, it was about dusk, my 12 yo and I were on our way home from shopping in B-ville, and a big cat crossed the road in what appeared to be 2 huge leaps. People in other cars also saw it as well because we all slowed down and I spoke to one driver I knew a few days later about the incident.. But the big cat was gone in a flash. They have the ability to disappear within seconds. My hubby has an oil lease west of our tiny town and our home. The area has been known for years to be populated by big cats. Late last summer, and once in the late fall, he had a total of 3 sightings of a big cat, good sightings because this certain cat doesnt seem to spooked by people. The rancher(also has seen this cat) who leases the pasture has lost a few calfs, possibly to this big cat, maybe to coyotes or something else. Its hard to tell without concrete evidence and these cats are protected in Oklahoma. I am not sure for how long because thier populations are growing and it is only a time before they are either a nuisance or a danger.

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For little kids, the line between reality and fantasy is very thin. "The Backyardigans" is an animated TV show where the characters turn thier backyards into adventures on pirate ships, distant planets, desert dunes, or whatever they can imagine. Every episode they meet in their adjoining backyards to explore wherever their imaginations take them, be it a tropical rainforest, a castle, snowy Yedi search or an ocean voyage. On each adventure, “The Backyardigans” sing and dance to tango or tap, jazz or hip-hop, calypso or operetta, rockabilly or Irish jigs. It’s a musical program. “The Backyardigans” explore different types of music just as they explore the wholewide world without ever leaving their backyards. This is my toddlers favorite TV program. He can do all of thier little jigs and dance routines. the sneaky spy step-dance is his favorite. Unfortunately they are only about 20-25 minutes long and air only once a day. We have purchaed 2 DVD's and he watches them atleast twice a day! Is anyone else's toddler crazy about 'The Backyardigans"?

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