Wednesday, May 26, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister, Donna. Hope it's a good one!

I worked all day...off and on, from 6 a to 10:30 p Patrick had an "awards" ceremony at school that I went to. They are not allowed to give out awards (eyes rolling) so they each went to the microphone and told what they liked about 4th grade.

All this political correctness is really getting to be a bore.

American Idol winner announced tonight. I think it will be Lee. I think Crystal is more talented...natural talent, but I think he is going to win....kinda' an underdog thing. I think she will be better off not winning and getting her record deal quicker and be able to do it on her own terms, which is more her style.

I'll watch the TIVO'd results tomorrow.

Tuesday, 5/25/10

Work, school. regular schedule. Today I was walking and 2 strange birds flew over...I think they were those birds that you always see around cows...can't think of the name of them. Anyway, right after that, a few steps further, a rabbit ran out in front of me and stopped on the other side of the yard and we just watched each other for awhile. I think it is really cool that all of this is in my own backyard. The stuff we take for granted. We have lived here for 14 years (next month) and we have had skunks that eat cat food in our garage, raccoons that shared the cat food with the skunks. I have seen a fox (once), coyotes (many times), vultures, owls, rabbits. I know if they are around all the time they can be destructive, but I'm the type that puts food out for them. I like having them around. Who would have thought when we bought the place in the middle of the city we would have all this wildlife in our own backyard?

Monday, 5/24/10

Regular day of work and school. When I went to pick up Addison, she was asleep and had not been down long, so I left her for Ty to pick up. When he got home, we went to Joe T's for Bobby Cathey's party...they were in town and all their friends got together out there. It was a good time. Found out Bobby and Kerri live close to the gulf shore so I invited us up to visit this summer! The boys were all excited about that! Bobby says they are staying about 3 more years and then will come back to Texas.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Worked this a.m. so I can go to Patrick's end of year stuff at school. After that, took the kids to the water park for the first time this year. If only the water could stay as clean and clear all season as it was today! It was great today, no lines, perfect weather. I took Addison on the big white slide with the green tubes. I did not realize little kids could ride it, but they can, and she said she wanted to, so I took her. We only stayed a couple of hours. Came home and put her down for a nap and fell asleep myself. Got up and worked more, then had dinner, updated blog to today, and went to bed!

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Just another lazy day of accomplishing nothing. That's pretty much been my Saturdays for months now.

The boys spent the day getting ready for racing...Addie and I hung out. Donna came over in the evening and we went to Kincaid's (Southlake location) for a burger. Love their fries!

http://www.kincaidshamburgers.com/

I spent a good hour this morning trying to update blog, adding pictures from the trip, etc., and as soon as I was done, I clicked the wrong thing and closed it out and lost it all. I was so mad! So, came back in later and did it all again and then left my office to get something and came back and Addie had closed it out...lost it again. I quit after that (did it today). How frustrating!!

Friday, May 21, 2010

I have been walking on my lunch hour, and sometimes in the mornings. I'm not doing much...just around the whole back yard a couple laps each time. I don't have any idea how long that is but it's a start. I do it when I need to take a break and get up and move around from typing...

Anyway, today I had a visitor on my walk. I looked up and saw a bird and thought to myself "wow, he looks really big." he, she, whatever? I don't know the difference. Just thought he looked big. Then I get closer to the house and I just happen to glance into the neighbors yard and up on their barn is a "giant" vulture. Wow. I went and got my camera and put the zoom lens on it. When I came out, he was gone. So, I put the camera up and came back out to do another lap. When I came out, he was back. So I went back in to get the camera. I did not just walk with the camera because the zoom lens makes it heavy and it was around my neck and it was humid and made my neck sticky/sweaty, did not want to carry it around. Anyway, Finally, he stayed put and I was able to get some pictures. Only problem is, my zoom did not want to focus. got what I could.

There is something fascinating about birds of prey...

I don't know...are they considered birds of prey if they only feed on dead carcass'? and what is the pleural of carcass? :)

anyway, it was a treat to see him. I can remember Josh (the grandson of the couple that lives there) telling us a few years back there was a family of them living in there.

So, here are some more pictures from the trip to the capital...

This is in the rotunda, looking straight up. All the way at the top of the dome is the star and "T-E-X-A-S" It is just Gorgeous!!

This is the senate chambers. My picture s in this room did not turn out great because of all the windows/light, wrong settings. someday I WILL take a photography course!! anyway, up above is where the spectators sit. The desks are the originals - complete with ink wells. Those holes for the ink well are now used to hold a microphone.

Here's a close up with the zoom lens from the dome, looking up in the rotunda.

This is looking up in the rotunda, also, not all the way to the top, to show the different floors/levels. They just don't build stuff like this anymore. It's a shame.

Are you tired of hearing about the trip yet? :)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Addie stayed home with me today. Mom and Dad went to meet with a home builder at their land...I think he is going to design a house that will fit their lot. The one they had picked out would have required $14 grand worth of dirt to be hauled in...

Anyway, back to the capital!

After we left the land building, we went to the capital for our tour. We took a class photo outside on the steps, and then i had someone take one of me and Pat

When you enter the capital, you are in a large foyer, and then you go into the rotunda. The rotunda is very impressive. Lining the walls all the way around are portraits of past Governors. When you are standing in the doorway looking into the rotunda, the portrait on your right is the most recent Governor. They go all the way around to the left side. When they put up a new portrait, the one on the left side moves up to the 2nd floor and takes the first spot on the right, and all those rotate, and the last goes up to the 3rd floor, and so on. I thought that sounded like a lot of work, but it's a cool tradition. I got pictures of George and Ann...






I think these are both VERY good portraits of them...

to be continued...