Coulda, woulda, shoulda...

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched ' Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain' . . . And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few days ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now . . . go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to . . . not something on your 'SHOULD DO' list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting? I had a friend from high school that I was always going to call and never did. The other day her name was in the obituaries so we never had that chat.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask, 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' and in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi'?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift . . .. thrown away.

Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

- author unknown

Turn water into what?

A young Nun who worked for a local home health care agency was out making her rounds when she ran out of gas. As luck would have it, there was a gas station just one block away. She walked to the station to borrow a can with enough gas to start the car and drive to the station for a fill up. The attendant regretfully told her that the only gas can he owned had just been loaned out, but if she would care to wait he was sure it would be back shortly.

Since the nun was on the way to see a patient, she decided not to wait and walked back to her car. After looking through her car for something to carry to the station to fill with gas, she spotted a bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always resourceful, she carried it to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried it back to her car. As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her car, two men watched her from across the street. One of them turned to the other and said: "I know that the Lord turned water into wine, but if that car starts, I'm going to church every Sunday for the rest of my life."

Spreading the word about the many uses of service dogs...

Several of our service dogs and participants did an interview today with the Oklahoman Newspaper. Not sure when it will be in the paper, but it was great to spread the word about service dogs and what they can offer people to make their day to day life easier. Service dogs are not just for those who are sight impaired, and this article will hopefully shed light on the other great types of service dogs available.

 

Kim Morgan, Director

High Plains Service Dogs and Therapeutic Riding Center

Types of Undergarments

A man walked into the ladies' department of a Macy's and shyly walked up to the woman behind the counter and said, "I'd like to buy a bra for my wife."

"What type of bra?" asked the clerk.

"Type?" inquired the man. "There is more than one type?"

"Look around," said the saleslady, as she showed a sea of bras in every shape, size, color and material. "Actually, even with all of this variety, there are really only four types of bras," she replied. Confused, the man asked what the types were. The saleslady replied, "The Catholic type, the Salvation Army type, the Presbyterian type, and the Baptist type. Which one do you need?"

Still confused, the man asked, "What is the difference between them?"

The lady responded, "It is all really quite simple...the Catholic type supports the masses, the Salvation Army type lifts up the fallen, the Presbyterian type keeps them staunch and upright, and the Baptist type makes mountains out of molehills."

Accused murderer escapes from jail in Purcell. Please read details and spread the word...

This is a message from McClain County Emergency Management. An escaped convict, arrested for triple homicide, has escaped the McClain County Jail.

Shaun Bosse escaped at ten twenty today and was last seen driving north on I-35 in a two thousand four black Pontiac Grand Am, four door, with a paper tag.

Keep your doors and vehicles locked. He will probably be looking for a replacement vehicle.

If you see a car matching this description, call nine one one

Things You'll Never Hear In A Western Movie

"I reckon I'll have me a half-caf double latte with a twist. IN A DIRTY MUG!"

"Gentlemen, rather than get caught up in mindless reaction, let's draw upon our feminine selves for a more intuitive solution."

"Can we postpone this duel till 12:05? I gotta use the little boys room."

"Injuns! Quick, pull the wagons into an irregular dodecagon!"

"Y'know, Badlands Pete... a roaring campfire, good coffee, nice prairie breeze, just you 'n' me... what say we put on the rhinestone gowns and dance a jig or two?"

"Let's see... hardtack and pemmican... that's three grams of fat, seven grams of protein, and two starches."

"You 'n' Slim round up them strays, and I'll tell Cookie to get started on the gazpacho and the fondue."

"That's him! That's the yella-bellied varmint who shot my therapist!"

"He was a strong man, a good marshal, and I reckon he had a keen eye for interior decoration."

"Hey, Buck, do these chaps make my butt look big?"

"It's like I keep tellin' ya, Earl: men is from Tombstone, women is from Dodge."

"HANG HIM HIGH, BOYS!! ...Okay, now a little to the left... Oooh! Stop right there. Perfect!"

Can you see the horse in this picture?

How would YOU like for a jet-black 1600 pound horse to come out of the dark toward you?

When people see my truck with the antennas and windmill on top, they ask "are you a storm chaser?" Those of us affiliated with the weather service or emergency management prefer "storm spotter." We generally stay in the same geographic area (city or county) and pick a safe vantage point to watch from rather than chasing and getting as close to the action as possible. The chasers for the TV stations take more risk and generally experience more damage to their vehicles.

It's also not just about tornadoes. Most years, lightning and floods each kill more people than tornadoes. Then there is snow, ice, and extreme heat. You might see me driving in the snow testing for safety or blocking a flooded road to keep cars from driving into deep water.

Our reports help the National Weather Service focus warnings where they are needed and tell emergency services where they might soon be needed. If the worst happens, many of us are trained in search & rescue and first aid. We can start taking care of people while waiting for professional help and then transition to support roles after it arrives.

For some it's the excitement of the chase. For me it's the excitement of being able to help people in need.

If you're interested in learning how to help your family and neighbors after a disaster, check out http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/

PS- The big white sticker says "Service to others is the rent we pay for our space here on Earth."

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center set up in Blanchard for McClain County storm victims...

This is an important message from the McClain County Board of Commissioners and the Office of Emergency Management.

In an effort to provide aid to those who sustained damage from the tornadoes of May 24, FEMA has set up a Disaster Recovery Center for Individual losses at the Blanchard Intermediate School Cafeteria, located at 400 North Harris. Office will open Friday June 10, at 9AM. This location will be open Monday through Saturday from 9AM to 7PM and Sunday noon to 6PM.

For those driving into Blanchard on highway 62, there is a traffic light at the Intersection of State Highway 62 and Tyler. The intermediate school parking lot is on the north side of that intersection.

Please bring receipts for work completed, and proof of ownership of the damaged property. McClain County Building Permits will be available at this site, as well.

Thank you for your help in getting this message out to those needing assistance.

(copied from email)

Delta Airlines is not evil and viral videos can be misleading.

So after you get past the headlines it turns out that United and American had the same policy - only 3 bags allowed free in coach class. The military didn't concern itself with the details and told soldiers they could take 4 bags. Four bags were allowed in first class but how many soldiers traveling on orders get to fly first class?

I'm no fan of Delta, but they're getting a rap they don't deserve and as soon as it hit the fan they raised the limit to conform with what is expected.

Someone near and dear to me suggested that Delta could have made an exception for the soldiers. While this is possible with some small companies it doesn't happen in corporate culture. The workers at the ticket counter don't have authority to waive hard-set prices.

Ok, I'm finished. Let the bashing begin.

What's the big deal? Oscar Mayer has been uploading pictures of his weiner for years.

Our baby (2 years old) is finally showing some spots. She might turn into an appaloosa yet.