I can smell it in the air. And a box from Rod's Western Palace confirmed this feeling in my bones.
A horseshow's coming. Athens TX Oct 21-22. 
More bling. White and raspberry on a dark sorrel with flaxen mane.
Cattlemen's crease in my hat. It may seem like I'm a rhinestone cowgirl with this getup. Would I be my parents' daughter if I didn't like to dress up? But Glory knows I'm the real deal and that matters the most in the arena. I am sort of really excited.
Bryant my nephew lives with us on weekends when he is not compelled to stay on base at Ft Hood. It's nice to have him around although I've never seen his hair this long. He jogs a lot.
Here is my non-surgical remedy for the "what-are-you-talking-about?" wrinkles I have between my eyes. They don't cover the ones above that area or my heavily lidded Grandpa Ence eyes (no one told me that the older I get, the more I would remind myself of my Grandpa) but it's the best I can do with a trip to the scrapbook section of Michael's where they sell craft bindi.
I have been sick this week with the souvenir cold Cyler brought home for me from NY. My daughter has missed the lunches I pack, especially since after her whining 2 weeks ago, she has been making them herself. A note inside the bag means more when you don't write it to yourself I suppose. I missed being a mom eventhough I did enjoy catching up on my Bollywood movies.
The freak-of-nature aka "14 year old bottomless pit for a son" has a weird schedule. And an insatiable appetite. He leaves Thursday at 640am comes home 11pm then leaves 540am Fri then I see him 5pm. I don't like it. My mommy love aside, what is this about when Soren has eaten his stuff, some of Ellery's, some of mine and the extra I was hoping to save for lunch tomorrow--then he looks at me with that "come hither--I WANT MORE FOOD" stare. It's stressful--like how I felt when I taught daycare preschool and would wake up in my bed, sweatily dreaming that I had run out of engaging things to occupy the kids.
One way I am coping is portable freezer foods. I have made spinach/beef hot pockets and good ole breakfast burritos. T-day turkey rollups were last week's attempt. 24 turkey lunchmeat slices sliced at a "4" (Walmart has a numeric guide for thickness now at the deli counter. I like it.) Then I prepared a batch of herbed Pepperidge farms stuffing with lots of extra onions and celery. Sliced cheese, 2 packets of instant brown gravy and a can of cranberry sauce. Spoon stuffing on turkey slice. Spoon a bit of gravy over and top with cheese then cranberry. Rollup. Freeze in batches. He can eat them cold or warmed up. Done. Don't look at me like that anymore Soren.
