On the Road Again

Last night I was outside after dark and I heard a strange noise that kept getting louder.  And louder.  Coming from the sky.  It sounded kind of like a tractor motor.  I looked up and did one of those cartoon moves where I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing correctly.  Right up there, crossing in front of the big, full moon, in my funky, weird little Oklahoma City neighborhood was a BLIMP with a rotating sign of lights that said "SUMMER IS COMING...ARE YOU READY?"  It then went on to promote a lawn service.  It just kept circling around and around asking me if I was ready for summer.

And in that moment a couple of things struck me as odd.  1.  Hello...a Blimp...  Something I don't see every day and 2.  OH MY GOSH IT'S ALMOST SUMMER!  I should have been tipped off by the fact that school is out, it's been 90 degrees here for a week, and everyone is making Memorial Day plans, but it took a giant blimp flashing a neon sign to make me realize how quickly time has flown this year and how much there is to do over the next few months!

And because so much has happened, I have so much I want to post on the Dotopotamus! 

But I haven't been home much in the last month, and we are headed out again this evening on our second road trip in three weeks driving from Oklahoma to Washington state.  Another week in Oregon and Washington, getting Randy moved up to McChord Air Force Base.

But someday soon there are things I want to share with you.

Like this!

And this!

And this, too!

But for today I'll settle for this.  It's Memorial Day weekend and I am thinking of those who have served, and currently serve, in our military and I want to say thank you!

Your sacrifices humble me.

Do you read  The Pioneer Woman ?  I love her blog.  Check it out this week - her "photography" section - to see a wonderful selection of photos submitted by her readers called "Coming Home".  Dare you not to cry!

And to that end, I'm really proud of Randy who, yesterday, on his very last day at Altus Air Force Base, received his Meritorious Service Medal for his good works at that base over the last four years.  He's done a great job and now it's off to McChord AFB in Tacoma, Washington for more adventures. 

They Taste Like Chicken

It's no secret that I love small towns.  I love their character.

Mangum, Oklahoma is the Rattlesnake Roundup capital of Oklahoma.  Randy and I decided to check it out.

When I first met Randy and we just started dating we somehow got on the topic of our fears.  Randy shared that he is really afraid of big dogs and rattlesnakes.

Hmmm.....

All I could think of was how it was going to work when I took Randy to the Last Stop to meet my parents and he would meet their 150 pound black lab, Jack, and have to carry a flashlight when walking outside after dark in the spring and summer to scan for rattlers.

I figured that would work itself out all in good time so no need to go into that right away, right?

Anyway, the Mangum Rattlesnake Roundup is pretty fun and definitely funny.  These snake wranglers are SERIOUS about their work. 

Randy does have a righteous pair of rattlesnake skin cowboy boots and when I find the right one I will definitely own a rattlesnake hat band for my cowboy hat someday.  I want one that looks like this one we found in Mangum...DUDE!

Here are some more pictures from our outing.  And remember, if you encounter a rattler stay very still and move away v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y.

The Wild Blue Yonder

I went to my first air show last weekend. In Altus, Oklahoma at the Air Force base.

I had no idea what to expect.

I left inspired! And impressed! And proud to be an American!

You should go to one soon.

Whether it's the awesome Thunderbirds, the WWII Pearl Harbor re-enactment, the graceful gliders, the stunts, or the mighty cargo planes, you will see some cool stuff!

Here's Randy working his shift at the safety booth.  They gave away little bottles of bubbles to the kids that said "Don't blow it...be safe".  *snicker*  They were cute!

Here's Randy AFTER working his shift at the safety booth.

And here I am.  Blurry.  Because the plane was flying by REALLY fast in mid loop-de-loop when someone from the crew took my picture out the window!

Here are my pictures of the Altus Air Show!