Thursday, December 24, 2009
White Christmas Eve
By looking at this picture, you wouldn't know it was in the 60s here in OKC a couple days ago. But here we are on Christmas Eve, in the middle of Oklahoma City's first blizzard warning in who knows how long.
Update
Here's an updated picture. People are getting stuck all over town. Including in front of my building...
Update
Well, it's Christmas morning, and it's still white outside, so, we got a White Christmas after all. Typically in Oklahoma we get snow that doesn't stick, doesn't last beyond a day, or is just plain ice (which lasts a week).
Update
Here's an updated picture. People are getting stuck all over town. Including in front of my building...
Update
Well, it's Christmas morning, and it's still white outside, so, we got a White Christmas after all. Typically in Oklahoma we get snow that doesn't stick, doesn't last beyond a day, or is just plain ice (which lasts a week).
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Last night of Fall
It was a nice, crisp final Autumn evening, spent partially admiring the Christmas lights at the Botanical Gardens in downtown OKC. I just wanted to take a moment to thank Autumn for being mostly kind to us this year. I wish you didn't have to go. I'm not a big fan of your frigid sister.
Labels: OKC
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Ghouls and Guitars
Oklahoma City's increasingly popular Ghouls Gone Wild parade was tonight and I was glad we were able to make it. Well, part of it anyway. The parade started at 7pm and we had something else to do at 8pm, but I think we got a pretty good sampling of the event this year. We learned a lot and will be much better prepared to see more of the show from the right location next year.
Being dark out, most of my pictures did not come out well. But here are a few that did or mostly did, along with a decent video clip.
After we left "GGW", we went to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, which has a VERY nice single-screen theater for independent film showings, to see "It Might Get Loud", which was a GREAT film. The timing was particularly nice because less than a week ago I had gone to a U2 concert, and this film featured the band's "The Edge". If you love rock and roll like I do, particularly guitar rock, you should not miss this film. If you're in the OKC area, you can still catch this show tomorrow at the OKC MOA.
Being dark out, most of my pictures did not come out well. But here are a few that did or mostly did, along with a decent video clip.
After we left "GGW", we went to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, which has a VERY nice single-screen theater for independent film showings, to see "It Might Get Loud", which was a GREAT film. The timing was particularly nice because less than a week ago I had gone to a U2 concert, and this film featured the band's "The Edge". If you love rock and roll like I do, particularly guitar rock, you should not miss this film. If you're in the OKC area, you can still catch this show tomorrow at the OKC MOA.
Labels: holiday, movies, OKC, opinion, review
My Foliage View
A number of OKC area bloggers have been posting pics of area foliage, so I figure I should take a turn. Only I won't do the close-up neighborhood views most are doing as we probably have enough of that. It helps that I have a slightly elevated perspective, but these aren't actually that great. I may post more later as it gets more apparent at this scale.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
No sn'ews is good sn'ews
Parts of Oklahoma got more than a foot of snow in yesterdays' blizzard. Metro OKC was promised anywhere from 1-6 inches depending on when and what channel you watched.
I prefer the actual outcome... a dusting on rooftops and lawns.
Update
Hmmm... perhaps I spoke too soon... twenty minutes later and it's snowing again.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Snow-tubing into second base
I must say, if there were ever a better use for a ballpark in December (aside from Fall-ball for those with the privilege), I haven't seen it. The last couple years they've been converting our downtown ballpark into a snow-tubing facility, and while it's not a cheap adventure, it's quite a lot of fun. The manufactured snow-hill slides you right into second base (and I have to wonder if that was by design), so I can't say I've ever slid into second in such style.
The girls had a blast, though Shelby was frightened to tears (literally) at first because of the height of the hill. I sort of guilt-tripped her into going through with it, but she led the way on subsequent attempts since she liked it so much. We continued our tubing fun for more than an hour before walking a half-mile to the Botanical Gardens to check out the Christmas lights.
The whole deal (and more) is part of OKC's "Downtown in December" events, which I highly recommend. If you live in the area and haven't partaken, shame on you. You can catch more pics of our adventures in the album.
Labels: Darby, OKC, pictures, Shelby, snow
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Too soon, but not too safe
I got up at eight. Yes, on a Saturday. We had many things to do. First on the block was a couple of errands. The post office to pick up a package, and then the bank. I thought my post office opened up at 8:30 like on weekdays, but no. Not until ten. So we were too early. Wasted trip.
Next stop was the bank. Also too early. They didn't open until nine. So we sat there and waited the fifteen minutes for it to open. True, the drive-thru was open, but I had a different sort of transaction to make. Today, I rented a safe deposit box.
Ever since the burglary of late 2004, I've been rather concerned for the safe keeping of certain documents and other items. I contemplated getting a safe for the house, but proper and effective installation requires mounting to the floor. Even then, a determined crook (thinking there's something of greater value than papers inside) may eventually get in. Then there's the fire threat. Even high dollar home safes don't stand up infinitely well to certain kinds of fires. So when I learned how incredibly cheap it was to rent a safe deposit box, holy moly I was all over that idea. I looked it up on my bank website on a whim, and at first I thought the rate was monthly. $40/month is a bit steep for such a service. But that much annually is a freakin bargain. So within days of learning of the feasibility of that option, it is now a reality, and my important documents are safe (pun intended).
It didn't take long at the bank (maybe 20 minutes), and we then had breakfast with the girls' mom, since our late morning plans involved school clothes shopping. Much to my dismay, we spent at least a couple hours (if not a few, didn't pay that close attention) at the store spending a ridiculous amount on not as much clothes as I would have liked to walk away with. Granted the single highest dollar item was Darby's gigantic shoes (size 8.5 on a ten year old!), I was rather shocked at the sticker price when it was all totaled up. Man I hope this stuff makes it through the fall in tact.
The girls said bye to their mom and we grabbed some lunch before heading off to a movie. The girls were a bit disappointed that we didn't see a movie last night, so we took care of that today. Material Girls. How on-topic after that shopping spree. Of course the girls loved it. Especially Shelby, the biggest material girl in the house. She already wants to see it again.
After the movie, we walked around Bricktown for a bit, before catching a boat ride. Almost every time we're down there, the girls ask to ride the water taxis, but I always say no because there's always (conveniently) a huge line. Today, for reasons I'm unsure of (oh, yeah, I remember... it was a hundred degrees out), there was NO line. In fact, we were the only three people on the boat. But it worked out well. Mostly. We got a very personalized tour guide presentation, so that was cool. I'm annoyed that I forgot my camera (I almost always have it), and so had to take pics with my disappointing-when-compared-with-my-real-one camera phone (did get a couple shots, below, AND, a video of Shelby having happy birthday sung to her).
I'm also a bit peeved that I knew more about Oklahoma City economic development than our tour guide. He cited several inaccuracies, and somehow missed the news about an Oklahoma City investment group buying the Seattle Supersonics. What rock has he been living under? Tour guides are supposed to have inside info, not staler-than-Philadelphia-street-pretzels info. Sheesh. Don't get me wrong, he was a nice guy, but not so informed as he should be. Don't worry, I still tipped him, so I'm not such a bad sport about it.
Now, at least, I'm off the hook with regard to Bricktown boat rides. Following previous denials of that activity, Shelby has stopped her feet to a statement containing the words "we NEVER get to...". Now that we have, no more of that. I do have some regret about our timing. It was so freakin hot out, that we were all quite literally dripping sweat when we got off the boat. Time for some AC!
And AC we got. Another first for us in Bricktown (because of previously intolerable waits), we had dinner at Toby Keith's restaurant. Not bad. Price-wise or as far as the ambiance. And only a fifteen minute wait to get seated. Though, when we left, I noticed there was a huge crowd at the door, so our timing was good.
So now I'm just way tired. We did a lot of stuff today. I wanted to do something else this evening, but the heat has just caught up with me. I was hoping for a grander send-off for our last pre-school-year Saturday. Well, we still have Labor Day. And Shelby's birthday party next weekend. Ugh.
Next stop was the bank. Also too early. They didn't open until nine. So we sat there and waited the fifteen minutes for it to open. True, the drive-thru was open, but I had a different sort of transaction to make. Today, I rented a safe deposit box.
Ever since the burglary of late 2004, I've been rather concerned for the safe keeping of certain documents and other items. I contemplated getting a safe for the house, but proper and effective installation requires mounting to the floor. Even then, a determined crook (thinking there's something of greater value than papers inside) may eventually get in. Then there's the fire threat. Even high dollar home safes don't stand up infinitely well to certain kinds of fires. So when I learned how incredibly cheap it was to rent a safe deposit box, holy moly I was all over that idea. I looked it up on my bank website on a whim, and at first I thought the rate was monthly. $40/month is a bit steep for such a service. But that much annually is a freakin bargain. So within days of learning of the feasibility of that option, it is now a reality, and my important documents are safe (pun intended).
It didn't take long at the bank (maybe 20 minutes), and we then had breakfast with the girls' mom, since our late morning plans involved school clothes shopping. Much to my dismay, we spent at least a couple hours (if not a few, didn't pay that close attention) at the store spending a ridiculous amount on not as much clothes as I would have liked to walk away with. Granted the single highest dollar item was Darby's gigantic shoes (size 8.5 on a ten year old!), I was rather shocked at the sticker price when it was all totaled up. Man I hope this stuff makes it through the fall in tact.
The girls said bye to their mom and we grabbed some lunch before heading off to a movie. The girls were a bit disappointed that we didn't see a movie last night, so we took care of that today. Material Girls. How on-topic after that shopping spree. Of course the girls loved it. Especially Shelby, the biggest material girl in the house. She already wants to see it again.
After the movie, we walked around Bricktown for a bit, before catching a boat ride. Almost every time we're down there, the girls ask to ride the water taxis, but I always say no because there's always (conveniently) a huge line. Today, for reasons I'm unsure of (oh, yeah, I remember... it was a hundred degrees out), there was NO line. In fact, we were the only three people on the boat. But it worked out well. Mostly. We got a very personalized tour guide presentation, so that was cool. I'm annoyed that I forgot my camera (I almost always have it), and so had to take pics with my disappointing-when-compared-with-my-real-one camera phone (did get a couple shots, below, AND, a video of Shelby having happy birthday sung to her).
I'm also a bit peeved that I knew more about Oklahoma City economic development than our tour guide. He cited several inaccuracies, and somehow missed the news about an Oklahoma City investment group buying the Seattle Supersonics. What rock has he been living under? Tour guides are supposed to have inside info, not staler-than-Philadelphia-street-pretzels info. Sheesh. Don't get me wrong, he was a nice guy, but not so informed as he should be. Don't worry, I still tipped him, so I'm not such a bad sport about it.
Now, at least, I'm off the hook with regard to Bricktown boat rides. Following previous denials of that activity, Shelby has stopped her feet to a statement containing the words "we NEVER get to...". Now that we have, no more of that. I do have some regret about our timing. It was so freakin hot out, that we were all quite literally dripping sweat when we got off the boat. Time for some AC!
And AC we got. Another first for us in Bricktown (because of previously intolerable waits), we had dinner at Toby Keith's restaurant. Not bad. Price-wise or as far as the ambiance. And only a fifteen minute wait to get seated. Though, when we left, I noticed there was a huge crowd at the door, so our timing was good.
So now I'm just way tired. We did a lot of stuff today. I wanted to do something else this evening, but the heat has just caught up with me. I was hoping for a grander send-off for our last pre-school-year Saturday. Well, we still have Labor Day. And Shelby's birthday party next weekend. Ugh.
Labels: bricktown, OKC, Shelby, video
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Principally intended for use by our friends and families, our news blog is sometimes a record of our memorable family moments, sometimes a place for me to rant about something or other (usually inconsequential), and periodically I simply wax satirical for no apparent reason. By reading these accounts, you agree not to be offended, and not to use this information against us in any way, including for legal prosecution, because for all you know, it could all be made up. :-)
