Isn't this great?!?  This past weekend the son and I were headed to Owasso to buy groceries.  To get to HWY 169 we go west on the Winganon Road.  This cement drum has been on the side of the road for the past 30 or so years.  I guess you could say it has become a "landmark" around here.  Well, the past few years it has been painted red, white, and blue.  But......Saturday we saw someone just beginning to work on it and this morning the son called while on his way to work and told me what he was seeing.  I jumped up, grabbed my camera and headed out the door.  This is so cool!!!  I posted it on Facebook and the News on Six website.  It quickly  became one of their website headlines, WOW!!!  I don't know if it will make it to the news on tv tonite or not, but that's ok, at least it got some recognition.  The people who did it deserve to be applauded for their work......they did a great job!!
This past weekend was a busy one around here.  It actually started before the weekend.....Ritzy and I took Wyatt and Halley (great-nephew & great-niece) to the Chelsea Jamboree Thursday nite.  For $20 each they could ride all the rides as many times as they wanted all nite.  We grabbed some of that wonderful "carnival food" also.  Then Friday, Ritzy came in the house and was checking out the utility room when he discovered water around the water heater...............well, we then went to Bartlesville to pick up a new water heater.  Ritzy waited on the son to get home so they could install it.  Saturday we were all running in different directions, Ritzy was busy with his woodcutting, and the son and I went grocery shopping.  Sunday was church and Sunday nite we had a cookout at the church.  So.......I am hoping for a quiet week coming up.....we'll see.
The son just called and asked if i could meet him at the highway around 4:45 this evening.  He needs some clothes. I guess he is going down to help his sister and her hubby move some furniture.  I have told the daughter ( who, I remind you is carrying those precious twins) to not do any heavy lifting or straining!!!!
Puts kind of a "kink" in my dinner preparations but I guess we can just eat a little later than I had planned ;-)
Someone just came to the door and as I was standing there talking to them, I realized how beautiful it was outside and then asked myself why in the world I was in the house and not out there enjoying the wonderful weather...........
That being said.....Ritzywife is out!!!!







 

I know people and things change all the time, but here recently the changes have been quite dramatic.
After going thru a summer of 100+ degree temps, today the temperature stayed in the 50's.   WOW!!!!
I am needing a blanket on the bed tonite......gonna soon be time for the electric blankie......
I fixed chili for supper tonite, it just seemed the right thing to cook after the cooler temps.  The daughter and son-in-law came over for supper.  It is so fun to watch the daughter going thru the "changes" that pregnancy is bringing about in her.....
I have been seeing the "change" in my sister, niece and the whole family after the niece's biopsy last month.  Our niece has gone to my sister's and her husband's home to be taken care of.  She is unable to do anything for herself.  They had to "change" out the bathroom to make it handicap accessible.  There is now a hospital bed in their living room for the niece to sleep in.  She has to get around by wheelchair or the Hoveround that Mom and Dad found at at an  unbelievably low price.   Someone has to be there 24/7 to help her.  This "change" in my niece affects the whole family.  Everyone is having to adapt and help out where needed.    I have been watching the toll it is taking on her kids also.  They are wondering when their mama will be "normal" again.  That is a hard one!!!!!!  They are wondering why she just can't talk like and do what she used to .
You know, I learned a couple of years ago when Ritzy was deployed that our "normal" can be changed in an instant, and we had better be able to cope and adapt or we are in a lot of trouble.
Ritzy and I took the two older kids to the Bluegrass & Chili Festival this last weekend.  We had a lot of fun.  The weather was finally cool enough to enjoy the event this year.  I haven't gone in years past because it was just so darned hot.  I could never understand why they would hold a chili festival near the end of summer. 
I can hardly believe summer is almost gone and Fall is soon going to be here.  I need to start getting my fall decorations out.  I hope I can remember what I did with them, hahaha!!!!   no seriously.......
Another "change" that happens as we get older, I guess ;-)
I played the piano for my Dad's cousin's funeral today.  There were a lot of family members there.  I had the chance to talk to a few Aunts & Uncles and friends.
Like I said earlier, changes are all around us.......it's up to us how we react.  We can fight it or we can find a way to just do the best we can with what we have and be thankful for what we do have.
That being said.................Ritzywife is out!

WOW it's September 1st already......although is is still supposed to be over 100 degrees here in Oklahoma for the next couple of days.  But in a few days our temps will be in the 80's. WOO HOO!!!!!!  I have forgotten how that feels.  This will be a wonderful Labor Day Weekend.
I have been busy running back and forth to the hospital to visit my niece.  She is now in Rehab and will be there for the next 2-4 weeks.  the rehab will be very hard, but something that has to be done to improve her life.  She still has to deal with the tumor after rehab is done.  I know she misses her kids and home and they miss her.  She has been in the hospital since August 3rd.  This has been quite a "learning experience" for all of us. 
Our family cookout is monday, and it won't be quite the same knowing the niece is in the hospital.  Her husband and her mom (my sister) will probably be there and they might take the kids down to see her.  I told Ritzy last nite we all should just take the "cookout" to her.......
Ritzy is busy getting his firewood ready for his customers.  It will be time to start up the woodstoves, fireplaces before long and they want that wood in place and ready to go.
I spent time yesterday with the daughter.  We did some errands and ate lunch together.  I told her to keep taking good care of those "babies"..... I just feel for her having to deal with the nausea part of being pregnant.  I told her that once those babies are born, she will realize that everything she had to go thru will have been well worth it ;-)
That's about all I have for now...........Ritzywife out......

That's right.....the daughter called yesterday and informed me of this little fact.  I asked her if she was "toying" with me and said it wasn't funny.  She said NO, Really Mom......Oh my gosh, when I finally composed myself-- I was so happy.  I got to see the ultrasound pics today.  They are 6 weeks and 2 days along according to the ultrasound.    Those precious babies are beautiful.   My prayer is that they be safe along with our daughter/their mother.  I called my sister and she was just silent and shocked, the sister-in-law just squealed.  I called and told Ritzy and he just said---Are you kidding me?  It was just so funny the way he said it.  He sounded very happy.  I was kidding the daughter, because my mom always told me that a person pays for their raising.  Well I "smarted off" and told mom that she must have been really bad if I was her payment.  she failed to see the humor in that.  Well I told Keri that if she was having twins then she must have been twice as bad as I was, haha!!!  I have to say that her hubby is elated also.  The "morning sickness" isn't necessarily in the morning and seems to show itself when she eats anything spicy or fatty, or fried.  I told her she may have to change her eating habits for a while and to really watch what she eats.  I really feel for her, because as any mom will tell you-----Morning sickness is NOT fun!!!!!!
My mom and I spent some time at the hospital with my niece today.  She still is having trouble expressing her thoughts and identifying pictures that her therapist shows her and remembering things that just come so easy for us.  Her right side movement is still very limited.  I don't know if this is all from that new tumor or the biopsies performed.  We are also still waiting on the second biopsy report.  These results will decide the next course of action.  She will likely be put into rehabilitation in the hospital for a while after it is decided how to handle this new tumor growth.  It is not going to be easy either way.  It is so hard to see her in this way, knowing the way her life was just 2 weeks ago.  It may never be the same.   She is separated from her kids.  You know they miss her and she misses them.  The two oldest ones started school today.  The son is in the fourth grade and the daughter is in Kindergarten.  The other two girls are soon going to be 3 & 2.
It is just so strange....the feelings we experience knowing the heartache we are going thru with our niece, and the elation we feel about the daughter's pregnancy.
That's about all I have for now.......Ritzywife out..........................

I have been pretty busy with running to the hospital the past couple of weeks.  My niece has had 2 brain surgeries in the past 10 days.  The first one did not give the results the surgeon was hoping for, so yesterday she underwent another.  These were only biopsies, but they were sure hard on her.  She was just getting better when they did the second one.  by saying better i mean that she was starting to be able to say words that could be understood and moving her right arm and leg a little bit.  Last night after her second surgery, i saw her for a few minutes before we had to go and she was talking a little plainer and had some movement on her right side.  That was so good to see!!!!!   But........the fact remains that she is unable to care for herself in this condition, let alone her kids.  That is what is hard face.  Another thing to remember is that tumor is still in there, growing and causing problems.  They won't do anything about the treatment until they know what they are treating, so we sit and wait on the pathology reports.  The Dr. thinks it is either problems caused by radiation or the cancer has come back as a different type.  We all knew this was possible two years ago.
Now on to some "venting"......I use Facebook and see people write comments about their perception of events and it just really has me scratching my head.  I see comments about my niece doing better, or doing just fine etc... and  then see others comment about how God is good, awesome, in control..etc. You know what I mean.  Well....... our circumstances do not dictate how God is doing.  FYI, people---He is all those things, all the time!!!!!   It does not matter if things could not be any better, or be any worse for us,  God never changes.  What are these people going to say when tragedy strikes--they are the ones who will be saying "well, it must have been God's will"......to that I say-- "B A L O N E Y" ( I have another b-word, but better not use it)  Sometimes things happen to us that are not God's will, but because we live in a flawed world and we ourselves are flawed, we are faced with tragedy, heartache, & troubles.....the one thing God does promise is that He will be there for us, whenever we call out to Him.  Ok, I guess I can get off my "soapbox"  now....
To change the subject...My daughter just called and told me they were bringing over steaks to cook out tonite.  YUMMY!!!!  I would be a fool to turn that down ;-)
Also, this same daughter has confirmed that a grandchild is definitely on the way.  Ritzy and I are so happy for the daughter and her hubby and for ourselves I might add ;-)
This is gonna be fun!!!!!!  This kid is gonna be Cherokee/Delaware (daughter) & Creek (son-in-law) indian.  He/she better come out lookin' like a little indian baby, hahahaha!!!!
With that.....Ritzywife is out!!!!

I know, it's been a while.  I've been waiting on my internet to get back up to speed.  This Oklahoma weather has gone  extreme this past year.  Back in the winter we were -30 degrees and now it is 109 degrees  and climbing as I write this.  Our garden started with so much promise, we had beautiful green bean plants, bell and hot pepper plants, okra, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes.  But because of all the hot, dry weather there wasn't much to harvest.  The potatoes were few and  small.  The green beans didn't even get a chance to produce a "mess".  The pepper plants have given up very  few peppers.  Usually okra does really well in the hot weather, but this summer the weather is so darn hot even the okra is having a hard time.  The saddest thing of all is the tomato plants.  I've gotten a few tomatoes..... the plants have looked the best of any Ritzy and I have ever had, but this weather is really doing a "number" on them.  Ritzy told me last night that he wasn't sure he could do anything else.  He has been watering them every evening, but that is no competition to the 100+ degree temps we have had since June.  I went outside yesterday afternoon just to see how hot it felt sitting in the sun.  took a thermometer with me and that thing went up to 120 degrees (in the sun).  I didn't last long out there.  I came back in to the comfort of my a/c.  I really feel for the people who have to work out in this mess.
Heard on the news that July was one of the hottest on record in our state.  June was also a hot one.  We were getting August weather in June this year.  I remember last year we only had a couple of 100 degree days.  This year is totally different!!!!!  I keep asking Ritzy, the son and the son-in-law if they are being careful out in this heat. I know they are "big boys"  and able to take care of themselves, but I told them that was just the "mama" in me ;-)
My daughter informed me the other night that there might be a grandchild on the way. WOO HOO!!!!!! This will be Ritzy and my first one....and it is about time!
My niece goes into the hospital tomorrow for her 2nd brain surgery in 2 1/2 years.  We are all a little anxious. It's gonna be a long day.....  I don't know how things are going to turn out, but I do know that  we will all be there for each other no matter what.......
Ritzy and I celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary last weekend. (7.30.1983)...I cannot believe how fast these years have gone by.  He asked what I wanted to do, and I told him that going to see a movie was ok by me because last weekend we had 2 birthday parties,  and a family reunion to attend.  I realized that the movie "Cowboys & Aliens" was playing and asked him if  we could go see a movie with that handsome Harrison Ford in it for OUR anniversary, haha!!  We both enjoyed the movie and our time together.   
Last night I watched "Rango" at home with the son.....Now that movie was "cheesy".  More dumb than funny.
I still enjoyed watching a movie with my son, tho.  Ritzy was outside getting wood ready for the winter.  He is crazy....!!
I hope everyone is able to stay cool.....Ritzywife out!!!!!

It is almost 2:00 am and I am sitting here at this darn computer.  Too much is racing thru this poor little mind of mine.  My niece's brain tumor has decided to come back.  It has been only 6 months since she stopped her chemotherapy and had her last MRI which showed nothing.  Well in only 6 months time that thing has regrown to the  size of a golf ball and starting to cause her problems.  A couple of weeks ago she had a couple of bad seizures, which is how we found out it was back.  She has been seeing her team of Doctors and is waiting now on the ok for surgery. Tonight she experienced more seizures.  Her husband took her to the hospital, I guess they took another look and said nothing had changed and sent her home.  WHAT'S WITH THAT??????  Good grief, they know that thing is gonna come out.......but they have to wait on the procedure to be "approved".  Meanwhile we all sit and wait.  I told my sister (her mom) tonight that I was so sorry they were having to go thru this ordeal. I realize the whole family is experiencing  this nightmare,  but they are a lot closer to the situation than we are.    I just feel so bad for her kids and husband.  It seems that now she will not be able to be alone.......just in case she needs help.  she has a one year old, a two year old, a 5 year old and an 8 year old. 
Our  daughter has had a rough week.  She saw a doctor about a problem with her hand and they prescribed some steroids for her.  Well after a couple of days taking them she started to get dizzy.  This kept happening until finally today when she said she has felt better.   She was worried about that hand because that is how she makes her living.  She is a massage therapist, and a darned good one I might add.  Well, after giving the hand some rest, she says  it is doing better.  I sure hope so.  It is not a good experience to see your kids or family hurting and not be able to do anything about it.
My niece's surgery should be anytime during the next couple of weeks to end of the month.  That is all fine and ok, except Ritzy and I had rescheduled our trip to Wisconsin for the end of the month and now it looks as if it might get put off again.  Things sure are taking a crazy turn this year.
We will EVENTUALLY get up there.......
Oklahoma is drying up fast.   Lawns and gardens all around us  are begging for water.  It sure got hot and dry early this year.  Ritzy has been watering our garden. The few veggies we have been able to pick  have been wonderful.  Even tho he is watering, a good rain still can't be beat.  And the heat is keeping the plants from producing like they normally would.  I think they go into "survival mode"........
Well, I think I am finally getting sleepy.....gonna get off here and try to get some rest.
Ritzywife out...................................