Turner Falls

We went to Turner Falls this last weekend. Oklahoma's waterfall.  It's a pretty and quaint spot in the Arbuckle Moutnains right outside of Davis, OK.  If you are from Oklahoma and haven't been, you need to.  It's not a might waterfall, but it is beautiful and peaceful in it's own way.  There are also areas to camp, and caves to explore, as well as a meandering "castle" built by a professor in the 1930's that is now just walls and gates...

The site as a whole also hearkens back to a time when families explored interesting spots along highways, places for adventure, novelty, and beauty.  It's a good place to visit.

Steve's Reunion!

About a week and a half ago we travelled back to the eastern side of the state for Steve's 30th high school reunion.  It was everything a reunion should be!  We planned and hosted the golf scramble (which is really funny since Steve is NOT a golfer...but Shelley, fortunately, is!).  It was a good event, and Shelley even made a good showing (she really did well on hole 7 where her ball was used from first drive to last putt on a tricky par 4!). 

It was wonderful seeing old friends, and catching up on life without the stresses of previous reunions...this one was just friends seeing friends, remembering old times, and enjoying each others' company.

Life's journey can be difficult at times, but it sure is nice when moments of fun and respite come along.  Thanks to WHS class of 1980 for a very memorable time.

It was most excellent.

Medicine Park

We spent last week in Medicine Park, just outside of the Wichita Mountain National Refuge.  It's a quaint little town with fun shopping and great eating!  It's a great little place with lots to see and do, while, at the same time, a quiet little getaway.  It is, according to some of the business-folk there, growing.  I hope they do it well and don't lose the charm they have at present!

http://www.medicinepark.com/

Wichita Mountains

Oklahoma has, believe it or not, several small mountain groups:  The Arbuckles,  the Ouachita's, part of the Ozarks, and the Wichita's.  We have always confined our travels to the first three, in eastern and south central Oklahoma, but this last weekend we went further afield and ended up in the Wichita.  It was an eye opener.  While not as big as the Ouachita's or Ozark's, and while not containing the surprises (Turner Falls) of the Arbuckles, the Wichitas have their own beauty...Buffalo, many small lakes, rugged terrain and room for hiking and climbing.  It was a beautiful place! If you are ever in the neighborhood of Lawton, go!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Well, today is Shelley's birthday, another hallmark in life!  We've seen two movies this weekend, had some super meals, and celebrated the 4th of July with family with fireworks and food!  What a great thing!  Birthdays, whether personal or of a country, are pretty special events.  Here's hoping you and your friends and family celebrated our country's birthday well!

And, Happy Birthday Shelley, may we share many more wonderful years together!

Car Shopping

We have been looking at vehicles (nothing like shopping for cars!).  Shelley wants a Murano, a really good vehicle, and we found one we'd like!  But even better, we found a good car dealership and salesman.  Imagine a person that didn't pressure, showed you the vehicles you wanted, talked to you, said he would like to make a deal but didn't push, didn't throw paperwork at us.  He rather just said, "I'd like to have your business."

I'm not absolutely positive we are purchasing the vehicle we looked at on his lot, but, the likelihood is high.  Good experiences in buying cars are rare, and this was one of them.  Kudos to Bob Moore Nissan in Norman for having a good sales staff.

Karate and Kung Fu, Oh My!

Well, we went to see the new Karate Kid with Jackie Chan and Jaiden Smith.  And it was really good.  Although we will always hold a special place in our hearts for Mr. Miyagi, Jackie Chan does a great job as the new teacher, Mr. Han.  And Jaiden's performance as Dre was nothing short of spectacular.

It is nice to see a film that shows a boy growing both in skills and character, and where political correctness is limited to a short blurb on how Americans should turn off their hot water.  This was a great film, and well worth seeing.  The story is very similar to that of the first Karate Kid, but the setting is China.  Replace karate with Kung Fu, and you have the gist of the film.  The setting was pretty spectacular, and there are some really good nods to the cultural differences  between east and west here.  There are a couple of bad words (Dre is a very upset boy, with reason), but nothing that a 4th grader or older probably hasn't heard wherever they live.   Now, I can hardly wait to see it again, when our son gets back from traveling with his grandparents!