When you find yourself frustrated, choose right then and there to raise your awareness to a higher level. See how useless and unnecessary that frustration really is.

Flag Counter started April 3, 2008

Richard and I spent 3 days in Osage Beach (Tan-Tar-A) at his work annual conference. While we were there and even this morning the temps were in the high 60s! However, it’s dropping fast now! We returned this afternoon to rush around and prepare for the first winter storm in 2-3 years. Here’s the warning they have issued. I’ll let you know tomorrow how close they came! Well, if I have electricity that is!

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS EVENING INTO THURSDAY MORNING ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI. GROUND TEMPERATURES REMAIN WARM… SO ICE ACCUMULATIONS ON THE GROUND WILL BE SLOWER TO OCCUR. HOWEVER ELEVATED SURFACES… SUCH AS POWER LINES… TREE BRANCHES AND BRIDGES WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS… AND EVENTUALLY THE ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL OCCUR ON THE GROUND. TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF INCH ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN DOWNED POWER LINES AND POWER OUTAGES.

THE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL TURN COMPLETELY TO SNOW BY THURSDAY MORNING… WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES THOUGH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED NORTHWEST OF INTERSTATE 44. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH WILL COMBINE WITH THE FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW TO MAKE DRIVING HAZARDOUS.

SHARPLY COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM WITH WIND CHILL VALUES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS THURSDAY. RESIDENTS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND THE MISSOURI OZARKS… INCLUDING THE SPRINGFIELD AREA… ARE URGED TO TAKE THIS WEATHER SITUATION SERIOUSLY. BEGIN PREPARING FOR THIS WINTER STORM NOW. AGAIN… BEGINNING TONIGHT… ROAD CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY DETERIORATE AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY BY THE MORNING COMMUTE. ADDITIONALLY… SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE ON TOP OF THE ICE THROUGH TOMORROW.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW… SLEET… AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS.

I’ve got video of Garland which I will post later. Watch for them!

Here’s a pan of the stadium while the teams were warming up. Remember to click the small photo and see a larger photo.

Left: Garland (middle) waiting for the game to begin. Right: the coin toss.

Here’s the first touchdown.

And the second one.

And yet another touchdown! I put the cheerleader photos in for Garland and Richard!

Here he’s going across the goal-line at the far left . . .

. . . and the ref calls the touchdown!

Another touchdown,

Here’s the snap.

He didn’t score on this long run, but they did on the next one!

Here’s the score going in for half-time.

Here’s a series of four photos to a touchdown.

Above, click to see the larger photo here and notice the intense fight for the ball!

Here’s the final scoreboard shot!

Lining up for the award after the game.

The award plaque and the team!

Here’s Garland and Richard getting to visit for a bit after the game.

Garland’s high school football team won the Missouri State Championship game yesterday, and Richard and I got to witness it! I’ve got some photos and even a movie clip of Garland getting to play in one play, however, it might be a day or two before I get them posted.

Click here for the Kansas City Star report of the game.

Here’s the crew for Thanksgiving Breakfast at Jessica and Andy’s House: Curtis, Richard, Jennifer, Delilah, Bryce, Jessica and Andy. Notice the handprints on the wall? There’s one for everyone!

Jessica asked me to take a family photo for them today, and the best one (left) happened before Jessica got her make-up done!

“On your mark, get set, GO!” The weather was so warm, we enjoyed playing outside.

Left is me and all my girls! Aren’t they growing up pretty?Above I’m trying not to look like a dork, but barely succeeding!

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord… Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God…

—Deuteronomy 8:10-14

I want ALL of my friends and family to be aware of this potential danger! I don’t know how many of you shop at Sam’s Club or Costco, but this may be useful to know. I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping. This happened to me and it could happen to you!!

Here’s how the scam works: Two seriously good-looking 23-year-old, well-built guys come over to your car as you are packing your shopping in the trunk. They both are shirtless and start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their highly-defined chest muscles and rock-hard abs exposed. It’s impossible not to look.

When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say ‘No’ and instead ask you for a ride to another Sam’s Club or Costco. You agree and they get in the back seat.

On the way, they start talking dirty about what they want to do to you. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and begins kissing your neck and begs you to pull over so he can make love to you!

BEWARE! While this is going on the other guy steals your purse!

I had my purse stolen last Tuesday, Wednesday, twice on Thursday, again on Saturday, and also yesterday and most likely tomorrow. I’m running out of purses … PLEASE SEND ME ANY PURSES YOU ARE NO LONGER USING! You know I’m living on a fixed income and doing without food trying to keep the purses stocked!

Thank you in advance!

Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.

During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.

A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34F in the refrigerator.