Miss Wisabus » Pets

From the past week…

Elizabeth — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:26:17 +0000

My Monkees cassette tapes. Found while cleaning out the closet. I used to think I was going to marry Davy Jones (okay who DIDN’T 14-year-old me think she was going to marry?!) until I found out he was old enough to be my grandpa.

Our dog Clare thinks she is human. My husband encourages it.

This is Penny, our guinea pig. Yes, both of my pets have names of LOST characters. It wasn’t on purpose, though I’m guessing there was some kind of subconscious association. Penny is going to live with a new family soon who will love her and pet her and won’t squeeze her and will bling her out and make her look like the diva she already is.

This is the Rameses hat that I bogarted from my husband when he returned from North Carolina. After seeing his UNC bookstore haul, I suddenly felt okay about my Yankee Candle purchases.

‘Tis the season, y’all.

In the middle of the day yesterday, I get this. What else can I say? I expect Lauren to understand this, but for those of you that don’t, Urban Dictionary is there to help. Thankfully, my husband and I have a shared love of this TV show. And we’re weird together. True love is like that, I guess.

The Passing Storm

Elizabeth — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:38:03 +0000

We knew on Monday that Tuesday afternoon and into the evening was going to be a little bit crazy. I’ve lived here my whole life and I’m used to these things. Kevin came here from half way across the country and started storm-chasing. We’re not easily spooked by these things, but it was very clear from early projections that Tuesday could be really dangerous. I’ve heard, though I didn’t witness this first hand because I was at work, that certain other news stations in Oklahoma City were saying that conditions were right to produce a tornado that “if you aren’t underground, you won’t survive.” Thanks to whoever did that, because it made my afternoon really, really fun. (We can now see though that if one of these tornadoes had gone through a more populated area that the damage and death toll would no doubt be higher.)

Because there were no storms located to the south of us, nor where there any headed directly where we were going, we headed south to my parents’ house. I know some people think that was stupid. NEWSFLASH: Kevin and Elizabeth are adults capable of making their own decisions based upon a number of facts. We are not ignorant, nor are we children that you should talk down to. It turned out this was a good decision. Like we thought it would be. We grabbed our important documents, I got the wedding photos, my laptop, Blanket, and Clare. She sat in the floorboard and behaved herself all the way home.

We listened to KMGL out of OKC and heard as the tornado ripped through Piedmont and surrounding areas. It already sounded terrible as the storm chasers witnessed it mowing through homes.

There was nothing happening in the sky until we made it to Mom and Dad’s and even then it was just a little bit of rain. We sat around for quite a while, watching the news and waiting for some word on what might be heading our way. Here’s my itty bitty rant about coverage during a storm — just like some (most) people in the metro area get mad when there is ANY kind of break in coverage to talk about a tornadic storm in a rural area, it is equally frustrating when you are IN a rural area and your tornadoes are on the backburner when there is one anywhere in the general vicinity of Oklahoma County. I know there are more people up there. I know the meteorologists are doing their best. And I’m really thankful that Gary England did say something along the lines of there being something capable of producing a major tornado moving directly toward Pernell.

(We’re Gary people in my family. Only not Paw Paw, or so I’m told. But you didn’t hear that from me. My great-grandmother hung these tips up in two different hall closets back in the late ’70s or early ’80s. I think it’s fabulous. We’ve left them there.)

Cue text from Kevin’s brother: Where are you guys in Pernell?

FYI for the world-at-large: WE ARE PERNELL OKLAHOMA. The community is a little bit spread out and very rural and there are lots of people who live all around, but that dot on the map is my parents.

(Please don’t stalk them.)

By the time Gary said that, Dad was already parked on a hill south of the house, watching things roll in. It’s a spot where you can see everything as it comes in to the area. He thought the storm would go a bit north of us, but it ended up taking a little turn and going east.

It was then that we headed to the cellar.

(That’s the cellar on a sunny day, NOT when we climbed down into it.)

I need to tell you that the last time I went in this cellar for the purpose of seeking shelter from a deadly tornado was in 1989. I was four. My great-grandfather was alive and my dad wheeled him out there in his wheelchair. The only other times I was in there was when my Granny or Nannie allowed us to play in it, which wasn’t often. And the last time I personally lifted the door, I opened it to find the underside of the door covered in scorpions.

So, yeah. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about walking down in there.

The wind gusted and the rain fell hard and cold. Kevin and I went ahead and went inside in the fear that if there was a tornado it might be rain wrapped and we wouldn’t be able to see it coming. We were down there with both of my brothers, my mom, and one of my younger brother’s friends. Mom was doing pretty well considering the anxiety that these storms cause her. Here’s a little trivia for you — on the day that my mother first moved to Oklahoma back in the early ’80s, she and my grandparents and Aunt Robin were caught in the middle of a bad storm on the highway and had to seek shelter under an overpass. That was back when they recommended doing that. We now know you can get sucked out from those or seriously injured and they aren’t the best place for you.

The rain let up a little and Kevin and I ventured out to see what the sky was doing. About that time the rain completely stopped and the temperature went from cold to very, very warm. We looked up and hovering over us, super close to the ground compared to where I prefer clouds to be, was a tube-like formation circulating in the air. We felt the air pressure change and we knew — it was right on top of us.

There it was, just spinning above us. I have never been so close to one, let alone right underneath, but they are correct when they say that it’s VERY hard to tell what it is when it’s right on top of you. It’s nothing to play around with. This was definitely more than scud because the rotation was very clear and it was sucking the other clouds into it. I would like to know what it looked like from far away.

It passed over us and we were unharmed. Thank the Lord. That storm and others that occurred that afternoon had a lot of potential for serious damage and we were blessed not to suffer any. Others in Oklahoma are suffering right now and some have lost everything. Please keep them in your prayers and if you feel like helping out, seek out the Red Cross.

The sun came out and my dad and I inspected the garden we planted a few weeks ago (post coming soon!). She’s doing just fine.

Thank you to everyone who contacted us to make sure that we were okay and to those of you who were praying for us while we were in the middle of all this. We appreciate it more than I know how to express.

Happy Birthday, Kevin!

Elizabeth — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:57:13 +0000

I was going to write a poem. Then I remembered how much poorly written poems annoy me, even with the sweetest sentiments behind them. And this one was even going to be set to the tune of “Maria” from The Sound of Music — who knows, you might have been impressed, but still. I’m going to skip that and just say that I’m glad you picked me and that you are you and that we are together sharing another year celebrating your birthday.

And I’m also pretty sure that the dog would ditch me if you weren’t here. Let’s face it, we know where her loyalties are. It’s probably because you woke up at 6am on your birthday 3 years ago to drive me out into the stinkin’ boonies to pick the little baby up. You know how much I appreciated that and by the looks of things, so did she.

I love you and hope your birthday is wonderful!

Also note that I did not mention how old you are today. Mostly because you have a blog and I’ll eventually have this birthday, too

(You can wish him a happy birthday!)

Meet Rusty

Elizabeth — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:53:55 +0000

Rusty is a new pal of mine. We met at my Grandma Barbara’s Thanksgiving dinner. While I didn’t capture it on film, he does the cutest little thing where he sits up like a rabbit, balanced on his back end. Then he just looks from person to person, waiting for you to feed him.

I’m not sure how someone says “no” to those eyes.

He’s a friendly chap. He and Truffle waited patiently during the cleanup phase to see if they would get any scraps.

He’s not the dog of this house though. That title belongs to Truffle, Grandma’s poodle. Rusty belongs to my Aunt Robin and you can tell, he just adores her.

Rusty and I quickly realized we were kindred spirits though.

We spent some time in the sunroom, him munching on a Milkbone® and me basking in the warmth of the sun.

See, we get each other, me and Rusty. We’ve got a lot of things in common.

Big, soulful eyes. Hair with a tendency to frizz. And crooked bottom teeth.

But neither of us let that bother ourselves too much. I mean, when I was in junior high and all my classmates were getting braces (that I thought were GORGEOUS sparkling pieces of MOUTH JEWELRY) and I sat there with teeth so straight it looked like they’d been purchased, who could have known that by the time I was 24 and had my wisdom teeth removed that my bottom teeth would look…well, almost like Rusty’s?

In the immortal words of Christina Aguilera, Rusty and I say — “I am beautiful no matter what they say, words won’t bring me down.”

Late Tuesday Night Jumbo Diet Dr. Pepper

Elizabeth — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:58:08 +0000

I have no idea how many ounces this thing is, but it’s too much, too late at night.

Pretty sure the rules of blogging say that 10:38 on a Tuesday night is the worst time to publish a post, but I’m doing this for the people. Not for whoever makes up those rules.

How much do you spend on groceries each week? One Week of Food could put that into perspective for you.
Very interesting essay on the manipulation and reuse of images in culture.
The Calorie Police (Do you think the ACLU would defend my right to consume calories in whatever form I please? Just asking.) There’s a double standard here, folks.
Micah’s post discussing “slow parenting” was eye-opening for me. It’s exactly what I hope to do someday. My parents raised us that way, to a certain extent. While it was not always on purpose (I know that much), I do appreciate that we were allowed to pursue our interests within reason and that we weren’t on the road every night of the week.
Mango Slaw with Cashews & Mint (This is a recipe for you, Heather)
Chagrin chagrin chagrin. Chagrin? Chagrin. CHAGRIN. Chagrin. (thanks, Rammi )
I’m linking this post because Misti is talking about guys named Make Time and Cob.
“Because I think the world knows just how much NBC, home of Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, among others, has been in the tank for George W. Bush for lo these many years. Their relentless cheerleading for the former president, his domestic initiatives and his foreign policy has made them a laughing-stock among serious news organizations and a network no serious-minded person would admit watching.” – The Friar

Oh, and Clare got a haircut!

Superiority Complex: Example 1

Elizabeth — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:41:34 +0000

If you’re my friend on Facebook, you probably saw the status update I posted last night. If you didn’t, well, add me. I’m easy to find.

A lot of people responded. Most agreed with me. The whole thing was about spelling. Spelling mistakes really annoy me. Now, you’ll have to forgive me whenever I make them because mine are usually things like…I’ll be thinking this (just an example) — “People perceived the reception to be…” and instead I will type “People perception to be…”

See? Valid. My brain is just going going going and I forget to stop and spell. People should understand my mental shorthand, right? Right.

The whole discussion reminded me of something I look at every day. It’s on my refrigerator and I took some photos about 2 years ago, intending to blog about them. Well, here you go.

It’s perfect. I would almost wear it as a badge. Maybe I should. I bought these magnets on Etsy at Nifty Stuff Made by Voz a few years back and I would highly recommend his/her/their? work. Brilliant stuff. There are a number of different magnets and stampers to fit whatever your superiority complex.

Would you rather just share a few truths about yourself? Voz has you all taken care of.

Or…maybe you’re looking for your favorite animal. That’s how I found Voz’s shop in the first place.

It’s a guinea pig!

That’s not all though. I also bought a magnet featuring one of my other favorite animals. I’ve talked about it before.

It’s kind of like a really large guinea pig, but it’s not. It’s a Capybara. And, much like the strange flavors of Sriracha that are only available in Thailand and illegal to import here, it’s just another thing I’m going to have to smuggle into the country. Apparently they have a heinous deer tick problem. Sounds like they’d love Oklahoma.

Umm…so this turned into a magnet advertisement. Sorry about that. I’ve always been one to go around my elbow to get to my thumb. I wasn’t paid. I don’t even know this person. But I love their work!

Miss you, Lu.

Elizabeth — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:29:48 +0000

Hard to believe it’s been two years.

Happy birthday, baby girl!

Elizabeth — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:26:03 +0000

Our resident scamp turned 2-years-old today. The yard is still full of snow and she’s been enjoying it so much over the past week. I’m sure the (far, far) below freezing temps that we are going to get later this week won’t be welcome for the pup, so we will be bringing her inside.

Happy birthday, Clarabel!

In Her Natural State

Elizabeth — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:46:52 +0000

When we bring her in for the night or just walk within a few feet of her, this is what she does. Stop. Drop. Offer tummy.

Out of Stock

Elizabeth — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:59:46 +0000

I did something to my back while bathing my dog. She’s 15 lbs. What will I do with children?

Since I didn’t have time to write the lengthy post I was planning for this morning, I’ll leave you with the following search terms that have recently led a number of individuals to this little blog. All I have to say is…that’s not available here. And that I really hope this isn’t trending and something we need to be watching out for.

edward spanking bella

(Monday Morning Coffee: Okie Blogger Edition will be posted sometime tomorrow!)