My Oklahoma City Trip

The only thing wrong with my trip was that it was too short in duration.  Yes, I missed my kits, and they appeared to have missed me, but I really needed a lot more time in Oklahoma City to see what I wanted to see at my leisure...  and I don't know what I would have done if there was, indeed, a championship horse show going on at the same time.  As I've written in earlier blogs, I arrived shortly after noon on Monday at the Will Rogers Airport and checked into the Biltmore Hotel.  The Biltmore has new ownership, and they are currently in the process of re-carpeting all the rooms and making some cosmetic repairs throughout the building.  Personally, I had no complaints - I had a single room, non-smoking, with a king size bed, a love seat and a chair, a bureau, the TV and a standard hotel bathroom.  The only thing "wrong" that I saw was that there were very tiny burn holes in my coverlet - as if a cigar had been dropped, and bits of the ash had made lace of the cloth.
   I walked outside to get my bearings, and saw a Yellow Cab parked in the shade of the building.  I approached the driver, and asked if he would take me to Langston's (Western Wear) in the Stockyards. I had a map of OKC, with places I wanted to go marked on it; and I had looked up the mileage between my hotel and the sites I wanted to see on Mapquest, so I wouldn't be taken advantage of.  This cab, number 11, had an OKC man as the driver, and he drove me straight to Langston's.  I asked if he had a card with his number on it, so I could use him as my regular driver while I was in town.  He gave me his card, and he drove me all around OKC while I was there.  He drove straight, true routes and didn't try to drive aimlessly and "pad" his fare.  I highly recommend Mike (cab # 11) as the best taxi driver in Oklahoma City - if you can get him, you'll be in good hands.
   I wandered through Langston's, then over into the Stockyards themselves; after looking at cattle, the auction, and a lot of cowboys, I wandered back into the town area to visit the other shops.  I had a wonderful time looking at saddles and bridles, halters, boots, hats, saddle blankets, and just about anything you could want for your horse, your self, or your house in the way of Western related items.  Afterwards, I went into the Cattlemen's Restaurant (across the street from Langston's) and had a huge supper - their extra-thick cut Top Sirloin, with a baked potato, steamed broccoli with cheese sauce, a salad, and fresh baked rolls.  It was more than worth the cost - absolutely delicious!
  Mike was off duty when I was ready to return to the Biltmore.  I called the cab company, and was picked up by a man who drove me all around town before taking me to the hotel.  He had driven until the fare calculator said $24.75 was due.  The trip to the exact same spot with Mike was $6.  I paid the driver $10, and left, after telling him I knew he was trying to scam me...  (And, boy, did Mike get mad, when I told him about it the next morning!)
  Tuesday I spent at the 45th Infantry Division Museum with my cousin and her family, who drove down from Wichita to see me.  The 45th has a long history and has reason to be proud of it, and their heritage.   It was amazing to see some of the photos, equipment, and memorabilia on display.  The 45th fought at Anzio and on up into Germany; they liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp; and they were the first US troops to enter Hitler's apartment in Berlin, the bunker, and his vacation home.  Quite a few items "liberated" from Hitler's personal quarters can be seen at this free museum.  I am truly in awe of the men who fought and served our country in any capacity, and in all of our conflicts.
   The rest of the week will appear tomorrow...

Mike Is Leaving...

My thermostat says it's 65 degrees here in the apartment, but my body doesn't believe that - it feels more like 55... When I arrived home last night, I let the kids run outside for 10 minutes before I got cold enough to close the door, and both kits were back inside. Then we watched the end of the Packers-Lions game, and went to bed and snuggled all night. When I went out at 7 this morning, it was 17, and the wind was blowing... Chilly! They say we'll have seasonal temperatures this week, but no snow. That means highs in the low 40s and lows around 20, so I guess I'll have to dig out my long johns so I can stay warm while walking the dogs.

   Mike is due to move to Hawaii on Friday, and I don't know when I'll see him before he leaves. Normally, we'd have a family get-together - at least a close family dinner - before he leaves, but he's scheduling times to see friends and folks that he grew up with, so Kathy, Jim, Sarah, and I might not really get to spend time with him before he flies away. Just last New Year's eve, he asked Annie to marry him, and had purchased a 1.5 carat solitaire for the engagement ring. Annie said yes, they had a quiet weekend together, and then she shipped out for Basic Training. Mike and she had discussed their life together, including kids, and Mike's being the stay-at-home Dad, while Annie got her medical degree via the Army. She didn't read the fine print in her contract, and now wants out. She didn't save any part of her salary, and has spent all her pay on clothes and new gadgets. Mike had a big spring bash for Annie, at his folks' house, to celebrate her finishing training and their engagement. After the party, she admitted that she had had to borrow the plane fare from her parents, had already sold her engagement ring, and was sorry, but didn't think she could spend her life with Mike. (She had been asked about the whereabouts of the ring, and had told him that she couldn't wear the ring while doing her Basic, had gotten into the habit of not wearing it, and had forgotten it and left it back at camp.) Mike felt like he had been rolled over a cliff and stomped by buffalo at the bottom. He decided to get rid of all extraneous belongings and start over - in Hawaii. One of his best friends has family there, and they will help him settle in and get a job... I'll miss the young man.

  The Fern Lake fire up in Rocky Mountain National Park has been covered by over six inches of snow - but some large trees and areas are still smoldering. Officials said that the fire is 80% contained today, and that they expect it to be burned out and dead by December 31. Only one cabin was burned in the fire, but over 7 square miles of pasture, brush and trees has been burnt. The following photo was taken last week of the only burned building; it is copyrighted by Scripps Media: