Thoughts on Moore, Oklahoma

The day the tornado hit Moore, I woke up to the news that Oklahoma etc. might be in for a series of tornadoes.  I said a prayer since there had already been tornadoes damaging one city in Oklahoma already and there was damage in Texas.  Tornadoes are no joke.  My only experience with a tornado warning, sirens, hail falling etc. was when I went back to Wichita with my ex-husband to his home town to visit  his dad and step mom in 2003 before Riley was born.  We were at local restaurant where his dad liked to eat and the sirens began to sound the warning.

We stepped outside to see the sky which had turned a really weird shade of brown and to see the hail fall on the ground... hoping the hail wouldn't dent the car.  A security officer drove up and told us to take cover because "there was a tornado touching down on the corner".  Inside was two TVs set up with the weather man giving us a moment by moment report on what was happening. 

I asked where we were to go if the tornado was going to hit us and was told "the bathroom".  With a big question mark on my face and only the Wizard of Oz to work with... I asked about a basement or a cellar.  I discovered that most places didn't have a place like that for these kinds of emergencies.  I felt helpless!  There was no where really to hide or escape if the tornado was really bad.

My ex's dad just sat in his chair while I ran around trying to figure out what to do.  I actually wished it was an earthquake I was dealing with because then I would know what to do... coming from earthquake country and all.  I couldn't figure out how he could be so calm sitting there in the chair drinking his drink but he had been dealing with tornadoes all his life like I have dealt with earthquakes.

The small tornado that day damaged a parking garage and a few cars but it was nothing compared to what Moore experienced.  I couldn't help but remember the feelings of not knowing where to hide and thought how the people there when facing a EF5 tornado.  I also thought about how they didn't have safe rooms or cellars just like Kansas and wondered why people acted like they would dodge the bullet every time?  But then we aren't always prepared for an earthquake either.  The lesson  here is to get prepared for one.

I am amazed at how many people lived and sad that people, kids, died.  My heart goes out to their families and friends.  I am also going to donate to Hands of Hope which is working with two churches in the area.  God Bless Them!

Our Seattle Adventure

 

It has been a little while since I last posted.  I had got a cold and it kind of knocked me out.  I would come home from work tired and wanting to just sit around or go to bed.  I am still dealing with the cough but not as badly as before.  But if you deal with coughing after a cold, it also can wear out a person.  I keep trucking but it uses up “my gas”.

Last weekend I did manage to go to Seattle as planned with the family.  It has been some time since I have been at Pike’s Market and the waterfront area.  Pikes Market is up on the hill and one can walk down a bunch of stairs to get to the waterfront which is right below.  Pikes Market is very unusual.  It is like a maze and one can easily get lost.  But it has things that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.  It also isn’t so easy since there are crowds to deal with and all kinds of behavior (a few were drunk).  It is what makes it unique and interesting too besides the items they sale.  I believe it was very uncomfortable for the boys who aren’t use to so many people at one time.

I felt we should go down to the waterfront and ease the boy’s anxious feelings.  When we got down there on the waterfront it was a bit better.  Plus, we choose to have lunch at Ivar’s, a famous fish restaurant there.  Ivar’s looks just like it did 20 years ago when I first came to Seattle… and it was good to enjoy it again.  Riley though had enough of the crowds and it affected him in… he was moody and didn’t want to eat which isn’t like him.  We ate and he started to settle down a little.  He didn’t want to go back up to the market so we stayed on the outside of it where there were lots of booths and vendors.  One had a bracelet with his name in beads that I bought for him… and that made him happier.

The parking cost me $17.  I looked up on the Internet to see what it would cost to take the “Link” which is a light rail we have here.  It would cost me $16 for all of us to go round trip to Seattle.  So it would also be less the gas and the traffic.  The Link lets off about a block from Pikes Market, so next time it is the Link all the way.

All and all it was fun to revisit a place I haven’t been for years.  It was good to see how the Link would make it easy for us to visit again in the Fall.  We also bought a BIG bouquet of flowers for $10 for us for Mother’s Day.  Everyone was buying one for their mom and Brady thought we should have one too.  Can’t believe that half of May is gone.  Can you?

Time again... How Am I Doing? Part Five

This is my monthly assessment of how I am doing with my goals.  Instead of making New Years resolutions which would have been forgotten by now, I keep a monthly check on areas in my life I am trying to make changes.

One area is FINANCES which I seem to be doing fine in but there is always room for improvement.  I did my taxes and I have applied  some money towards my savings this month which I am happy about.  I have kept to my budget.  And I assess all the time which areas I seem to use too much money in and could do better... which is going out to lunch or dinner as a family.  We have done that three times this week alone, so I need to cut down on going out and eating at home more.  This month I plan to save some more and get my car oil changed because maintenance is money saving.

Another area is HOME WISE which is doing things to improve the house/ home.  February we changed the living room furniture.  Since March we have been working on the outside of the house in the yard and garden.  We have been recently edging and trimming the yard.  Kari has been mowing and keeping the lawn neat.  This month we will lay down bark.  We just got out the patio furniture and umbrella for the warm weather we have been having this week. 

I enjoy getting books to improve in this area.  I bought a Summer Book by Susan Branch in Sumner the last time we were there.  I have been looking at it for gardening ideas and planning what the summer could look like... such as BBQing etc.

The third area I have been working on is SPIRITUAL.  I have to admit that this area has been harder to work on.  You wouldn't think it so but I want to be totally honest here with you.  I have ideas on what I would like to be doing better and I feel I am lacking.  So I bought a book to do a bible study (Christian Living).  This one is by Joyce Meyers and it is called Changing Habits.  Rather appropriate for what I am trying to do here... and why I might not be reaching my goals completely.  Most of the time, we have something we must deal with in order to make a difference.  I have been soul searching.  I have recently changed churches too so that effects things some what.  And of course, going through a divorce kind of dings things up.  So this category will not be leaving my list too soon.

I added a fourth area, PERSONAL.  It is the area which is for "me".  I usually try to only work on three but I felt I needed to add this one for balance.  It is for health, clothes, hair, finding time for myself etc.  I have been keeping my doctor check ups.  I have been paying better attention to what I eat and must change some these things because of my blood pressure being a little high.  I have noticed when I go for walks, it goes down.  I am trying to drink less diet coke... and making sure I take my meds when I should (and not forgetting). 

In regards to clothes, I bought some new shoes, three new bras, and some jeans.  Maybe you heard about my recent trip to Kohl's?  I am thinning out my closet by getting rid of things I don't use, have replaced (bras) or don't like.  But best of all I am finding time to carve out for myself... to read a book I want to read for pleasure or go spend time walking around the bookstores exploring only topics I am interested in.  Seems easy enough?  Not really.  I can get into ruts.

This month I am going to finish one book and begin another.  Explore my soul again on the topics closest to my heart... my daughter thinks I should get out with a girlfriend one evening.  I might give that a try.

Well, that is my thoughts on my goal areas.  Again I would grade myself high with an A- with room for improvement.  Strongly grading with the idea of "moving forward" is always the main goal like the arrow above... hitting the target.