Several Years Ago

While I was "home" for my class reunion, I ran across this photo. It was taken the day of my dad's funeral. These tiny men are almost as big in person as they are in my memories. Don, Hershal and Sundance(Billy Joe)Essary. I don't know if you can see the regular size coffee cup in Sundance's hand. These guys my friends, are true blue, good as gold. Imagine being a little girl, riding on those shoulders. That's a long way from the ground, I'm here to testify.

Horney Ranch

 

When I told my friend Mike Rackler that we spent the afternoon at Horney Ranch, poking around, he got the wrong idea. But we really did. My sisters and I had a couple of hours together, so we drove out to the old ranch house on the Horney Ranch. Jany is salvaging the hardwood floors and beams. I wish there had been more time, but we enjoyed ourselves and found a few treasures and some good laughs. At this point our feet were knee deep in grass burrs.

Hip Update

The meeting with Dr. Schmidt in Ft. Worth went well. We have a couple of tests to run, bone density, and MRI but the surgery is scheduled. He thinks that resurfacing is the way to go. October 29th, is the date scheduled...but my boss has asked that I try and move it closer to the holidays, when we are usually slow.

30th Anniversary Class Reunion

This weekend, Paul, Bo and I drove to Portales, NM for my class reuion. We left early Friday morning so that we could get there early enough to visit with Judy and Don before the Friday evening get-together at my old classmate's house. It was a beautiful NM evening. (Being from central Texas, made it even more wonderful.)

Let me just say up front, what a blessing it is to have a husband that is secure and supportive. He can relax and enjoy himself, make friends and just be cool, while I flit around trying to visit with every old but familiar face.

It was a shame more folks didn't make it, but being so close to the beginning of school kept a lot of parents home I'm sure. Friday at Penny's is what a reunion needs to be about. Relaxed, unstructured, and intimate backyard setting. The invitation said 6 to 9... and I'm sure we overstayed our welcome...but we got back to Judy's at 1am.

http://picasaweb.google.com/skitexas/ClassOf1978

I have some old and new photos of the Portales High School Class of 1978 on the above photo album.

Still Buds after all these years

 

Brian Harris and met in fourth grade. He was the new kid, having just moved to NM from Florida. After 37 years we can pick up right where we left off. We really enjoyed see the folks that made it to the reunion. See below what a difference those years have made.

 

Brian Harris and me.

 

Ever seen a 26' Windmill blade? We stopped my Mr. & Mrs. Dalley's Windmill collection while in Portales. It is just awesome. Every kind of windmill you can think of... and tons you never knew about. They are looking to sell it.

Birthday Trip

 

I will not be able to attend JaiceyBelle's 3rd birthday party on the 23rd. But PoPo and I took her to the beach for her early birthday present.

A Sunny Day in Fairbanks

 

Wendy and Asa enjoying a sunny day for a change. They have had a lot of rain this summer. But the clouds broke briefly while Logan was there. Just not on the day they went to Denali. So alas... no photos of tallest mountian in North America.

Pipeline and memories

 

Recently home from Fairbanks, Alaska, Logan is finally getting her photo's downloaded. This is a photo of the famous Alaskan Pipeline. Logan poses here with Asa, whose granddaddy helped built it. Paul's has grown up hearing about Uncle Jimmy's adventures. His work on the Alaskan pipeline is just one of many.

Miracle Update

Paul and I just returned from visiting Kay at home. Yep, after literally dieing several times, being in a drug induced coma for almost a month, with a machine pumping her blood for her.... she is home. Truely a day we never thought we would see. So, I'm just letting you all know we have witnessed a miracle. I can't even begin to know how many folks were praying for her, and Brooke and Billy. If you were one of them, thank you.
She has a pace-maker and defibulator, and a home nurse comes out during the day. She is getting better every day. Her father had gallbladder surgery today, and is doing well. (It wasn't his heart afterall)
Being home from the hospital does not mean however that the excitement is over. Last night as they sat down to eat, the dogs started going nuts. Brooke and Jarrod went outside to check and found that they were after a rattlesnake under the hot-tub. Brooke put the dogs in with Kay, who can't get out of her chair. She could tell by looking that one dog's nose was already swelling. Thirteen shotgun blasts later... they had shot everything Jarrod hadn't chopped with the shovel. Adult and baby snakes.UGH. The two dogs that got bit, are still with us. They have huge snouts, but Budette and Mia will survive.
If it were me... there were have been a hurd of guineas there by noon.

Logan on Ice

Two more stars on her map. Washington and Alaska. Making it to all 50 states is a lofty goal...but she may just make it.

Alaskan Tourist

Wendy sent me this photo of Logan in Alaska. You can't tell by the photo... could be anywhere that gets rain, but we know where she is. I was glad to have it, as the photos Logan sends...are of the inside of toilets, and the like.

Freshman Football

 
Olympics... can't compare to the excitement we are feeling as the football season approaches.

Number 65

 
First there was Ernie Tafoya, then Tommy Sager, then Paul...all number 65. So, naturally, my son needs to be number 65. Saturday was picture day. We weren't sure what number he was going to have... but were happy he got THE number.

Denali

 
Logan and Wendy went to Denali State Park. Rained all day...but Logan was still wowed. She said those things in Colorado that we call mountains....are really just hills in comparison.

Something Borrowed

i am: artistic
i dream: all the time. Sometimes they actually happen
i think: but then I change my mind
i know: all things are possible through God
i want: financial security
i have: a neat family
i wish: I could paint till I'm good at it
i hate: being last on the list
i miss: deep, side splitting laughter
i fear: grinding to a halt / pain
i feel: bad when I am gruff with people
i hear: bagpipes...really
i smell: tearose perfume and think of my mom
i crave: painting at the kitchen table with my sisters
i search: the crowds for someone I know... always, everywhere
i wonder: what I could have done differently
i regret: not learning to drive a motorcycle
i love: hearing my kids cut up
i ache: pretty much all the time
i care: about globle warming
i always: have one cup of coffee before I get going
i am not: dainty or quiet or capable of either
i believe: in God
i dance: in my heart. Wish I still could in realtime
i sing: in the car
i cry: when I don't want to
i don’t always: say the right thing
i fight: when I've had enough or someone wrongs my kids.
i write: prayers
i lose: my mind... but I'm the only one in the house that can find anything.
i never: ___ this area purposely left blank
i listen: to johnny lang, marc broussard, and los lonely boys
i can usually be found: behind a computer
i need: a hip
i am happy about: simple times with my grandbaby
i desire: to be more supportive and not a dream crusher
i hope: my children realize their potential and don't make the same mistakes I have

North, To Alaska

Paul and I dropped Logan and Riddle off at DFW this morning before dawn. She flew out at about 7:30 and with a short 3hr layover in Seattle, she arrived safely in Fairbanks at about 3:30 their time. It's almost 7:00 here and we just got off the phone. She traded with a woman for a window seat on the Seattle/Fairbanks leg, and saw lots of country.
As many of you know, Logan may not know what she wants to be when she grows up, but she has always had a goal of seeing all 50 states. When my sister moved back to TX Logan thought she had lost an opportunity. But the Lord put Paul's cousin Wendy in our path, and she not only offered the invitation, she greased the wheels. She traded Logan airfare, for taking care of Riddle (her dog) until they got settled.
So Logan is off on an adventure. Here's wishing her a spectacular time in the last frontier.

Baby's first day at the Beach

Priceless

Forgetting the key to the apartment and having to fork out the doe for a room $$$
Eating out every meal because you forgot the key to the apartment $$$
Teaching your grandbaby how to make sandcastles.... PRICELESS

No Waves

JaiceyBelle's first trip to the ocean was fun. It was short, and like most of the Bukowski Family Vacations... there were surprises we like to refer to as adventures. Like someone leaving the key to the apartment in his work pants. So when we got to Brooke's apartment at 12:30 am... we couldn't get in.
Then there is the build up, telling JC about the waves. If you look closely, you will see that the ocean was flat on Sunday. No Waves.

prayer requests

Please say a prayer for baby Brooks. You might remember his birth announcement recently in this blog. He is currently in the hospital with viral meningitis. Please pray for his complete healing.
An update on our last prayer request recipient... Kay (Brooke's mom) has now received a pace maker and defib. She has been downgraded on the transplant list, and if they can get her kidneys back into good shape, she might be coming home next week.