"I do not claim that I can tell a story as it ought to be told. I only claim to know how a story ought to be told." -Mark Twain









1.31.2012

Tell All Tuesday--Names

Southern parents love to name their babies
double names.
And yes, I realize we are in Oklahoma, and not the deep South, but we are Southern to the core.
I realize that most people have a first name and
a middle name,
but in the South,
that first name and middle name
becomesonename.
And if you expect someone to answer by just the 
first name,
well think again!

For instance, I grew up on a Leave It To Beaver
kind of street.
My mother's best friends..(on said street) were:
Mary Sue, Mary Lou, Mary Frances, Betty Lou.
Esther Ruth lived just around the corner.
(And then there was Shirley, but she was a Yankee, so that does not count!) 
We love our double names.

Then there is my mother's name...
You didn't think she would be left out of the
double-name-game-did you?
(When I was little I thought one could only become a mother if they had a double name.)
(And were a Republican!!!!)
My mother's name is
Nina Gay.
That would be a long I...on the Nina.
(As opposed to Nina' of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.)


Whenever my mom gets phone calls at home
and the caller asks for Nina' Gay (and says it like the ship), or just Nina (either pronunciation) she knows it is no one she needs to talk to!
Family legend has it that my
great-great-grandmother got the "Gay"
part of the name from a street in New Orleans.
My great-grandmother was the first Nina Gay.
I also have a cousin named Nina Gay.
And while we are on the names of cousins, we also have a:
Norma Zae, Nelda Faye, Norma Dean, and Nina Beth.
(I have many other cousins as well, but their names don't match the story as well!)
When I was born,
as the oldest,
bore was fortunate enough to be named
after both of my parents.
The "Lori" comes from my dad "Larry" 
(I wonder how many Lori/Larry father-daughter tandems are in this world????)
And then the "Gay" came from my mother, Nina Gay.
She loved keeping the "Gay" middle name going...
four or five generations 
after that street in New Orleans discovery.
(Let's face it...29 52 years ago, the word had a different meaning.)
And so it would be that to my
mother
and dadsometimes
and grandparents
and family
and my best friend Lisa,
and the Hubby
I would be known as 
Lorigay.
Two words. The first and middle name thing.
But said quickly enough to become
Lorigay.
If I even mention to my mother
that I am not a big fan of
mymiddlename
she pouts.
Then she tells me (and I quote)
"Well, Lorrrriiiiiiii. Gay means happy. It's a beautiful name."

As I got older I learned that it was just one of 
those battles I could not win.
I quit fighting it and just answered
(with a smirk)
to 
Lorigay.
My sister, (who is one of 6-people-with-Kathleen-for-a- middle-name-in-the-family, but that is it's own blog post)
LOVES to revel in the fact that
I was blessed with 
Lorigay.
In fact, she is the one that bought me the magnet, pictured above.
(A side-track story: My sister's children call me Gay-Gay. My cousin Nina Gay's granddaughter calls her Gay-Gay. When we were on vacation together in Seaside, there was always some little one calling out, "Hey Gay Gay"...to one of us. Hmmm. Just imagine how cute that was!)
OK...back to the story....(as I am sure you are on the edge of your seat).

When we bought our new (old) house
 I have mentioned it came with zero appliances.
The lady that had the house 
had bought it for a Bed and Breakfast.
She never got the B and B open before 
she lost the house.
That is all the info our real estate agent 
had about our house almost becoming a B and B. 

we still needed to get a fridge.
We wanted a brand new one, and began to look around
at any deals we could find.
Finally, we found one that
was Lorigay
approved
and affordable.
We drove to OKC to buy it.
We looked all around, and then looked around some more,
then FINALLY were ready to purchase.
The salesman took us up front to pay
and get our address for delivery.
We gave him our address and he said, 
"Oh yes. We already have you in our system."
(Hmmmm. I don't think so. I am a Craigslist Queen).
What I actually did say to him was, 
"Really?  I don't know how that would be, 
as we have not bought any appliances here before."
To which The Salesman said to us, 
"Yes. A whole kitchen full of appliances...
 sent to
Norma Mae's Get-Away."

Hahahahahahahahaha!!
Really.
What are the chances?
We had gone into OKC to buy the fridge.
There were a million places we could have gone.
And we picked the one place that had a connection 
to our home!
So the almost-was-B&B
would have been
"Norma Mae's Get-Away"....
.....Just another sign
that this house was meant to be...
for me us...
"Lorigay's Get-Away"!

Now that was a heck of a yawn yarn wasn't it?
Here's to 
Norma Zae, Nina Gay, Norma Dean, Nelda Fay, (the other) 
Nina Gay and Nina Beth...and everyone else that is blessed
with 
twonamesasone!

Edited to add: We have no idea where all those appliances are that were bought for Norma Mae's Get-Away. There was nothing here but an ugly sink. And NO! I did not name either of my daughters' my middle name. The long tradition was broken. YES! My mother pouts about that still !!!!







1.29.2012

Simple Sundays



The quote is by one of my favorite's....Oscar Wilde.

1.26.2012

I LOVE Craig(s List)


You might remember that we went the entire summer and part of the fall with absolutely no stove, oven or burners in our new (old) house.  When we bought the house the kitchen was completely empty, save for a row of very (EXTREMELY) ugly cabinets.  ...Oh yea, and an even worse sink. 
All pics were taken as we were grilling and cooking tonight. (Sorry for the mess!)

Since we were starting with nothing
I could basically pick out any color of appliance I wanted.
I was pretty sure I wanted stainless, as it went with
so many other things we owned. 

Have I ever told you before 
how much I love Craig?
As in Craigslist?
Oh yeah!
Many a wonderful thing has been bought there!
Including this stove.
I knew I wanted a gas stove,
because that is just how I roll.
I kept looking....
and looking...
and looking...
throughout the summer. 
Finally this fall, I found the stove I wanted.
It was a six burner gas. Stainless.
The middle part has a grill that can be put in
place of two burners.
We use that grill all.the.time!
(As seen in the photos from tonight!!)
Not only that, but it is also a convection oven 
as well as a regular oven.
One little switch 
changes things over.
We had the convection on tonight
making baked potatoes.
So cool.
Plus it has a cute little drawer on the bottom
to store the grill and/or burners in
when not in use.
Oh, and did I mention 
that it also has not one, but TWO
instant boil burners!
Waaahoooo!!!!
Hold the ponies! There is more.
It also came with this microwave.
The micro is the 
over-the-stove-type
with the blowers, lights, etc....
But obviously,
in my beautiful kitchen
it is not up yet.
We just use it from its 
cute little table.
Patience. Patience.
I know you are wondering....
well they both came wrapped in plastic.
Someone bought them for their kitchen
then changed their mind
during the remodel.
So they sat in that garage. Unused.
Until I bought the set...yes, the set...
for $750.00.
For. Real.
New and just waiting to be loved!
Ok....you want to know more reasons I love Craig(s List)?

Say hello to a hardworking dishwasher.
Also bought from Craig(s List).
Also wrapped in plastic....in the box.
Another waaaahoooooo!
You might not be able to tell 
by this picture,
but the dishwasher is a 30 inch model.
It can hold over 10 place settings
at a time.
Stainless inside as well as out.
Since we did not have a conventional kitchen
there was only a hole that the dishwasher should go in.
Weirdly enough, that hole was for a 30 inch
dishwasher. 
(Most dishwashers are 24 inches wide.) 
Weird that we had that hole big enough....
This dishwasher...let me just say...we got at a 90% discount.
New. Unused.

Well, since we had the crappiest
cabinets ever, 
I am always looking on 
Craigslist for new cabinets.
I have seen several that I liked, but 
not scored a complete set yet.
I did get this little 
all-wood-heavier-than-heck-set.
I got this for 
$100.
It took my three big sons 
and my husband
to huff-and-puff it into the house.
I used it as an island for the whole summer.
My long-term goal was to paint it an accent color,
cover the sides with beadboard too, 
and put some little bun feet on it
as it fulfilled its island duties...
(hopefully with a granite or butcher block top).
Then the day before Thanksgiving 
I bought this $150 guy from Craig(s List).
Oh. My. Gosh.
Love it (said in a singing voice).
Talk about heavy!
It has a massive butcher block top...

With great big 
galvanized legs.
And in my world...
galvanized and stainless
are kissing cousins
and look great in the 
same room!

It has a great galvanized bottom shelf too.
The top is all scratched......and loved!
One day one of my sons got out the 
cutting board
to cut 
on this island!
I shrieked!
"Are you kidding me???  Get that 
knife of yours cutting right on 
top of that island!"
It is SO hard to untrain children!!
This 'ole island
got a workout
during the holidays!
There is a place on one
edge where there is a 
groove...
kind of the shape of a 
bowl. Or plate...
I tried to take a picture of it,
but it is kindahard.
Just trust me. It is so cool.
This table was used in a BBQ restaurant
and they said that is where they chopped
the briskets
each and every day.
Love it. (same singing voice).
Sometimes if we scrub the 
butcher block really hard
we can get a smokehouse smell.
Sometimes.
I keep trying!
One of my favorite pieces I have 
found with the help of my love, Craig(s List)
is this big heavy tin sign.
It is massive.
My grandmother was a Stogsdill
and her mama was a
Gooch.
As in Gooch's Best.
Aren't those cool names?
Stogsdill. Gooch.
Say those three times together!
I paid $100 for the sign.
I felt like that was a little much...
except I knew I could 
build my kitchen around it...
and I 
really, really, really, really wanted it.
I had to send my oldest son to get it for me.
It was not a local yokel.
But it all worked out...
and I see the sign and think of 
relatives from long ago...
with really cool names.
By the way,
since this guy got relieved
of his island duties
we just pushed hauled him
along one wall
and use him
for all his drawers and cabinet
as a wall unit.
Our idea right now is to 
eventually use him as a base cabinet
once we remodel since he is so
heavy and good.
Once again...Patience. Patience!
I told Hubby that by the time we
start and finish the kitchen
then we can just say,
"Hey let's go in the Craig and make supper."
Get it?
You know, instead of the kitchen we could just say the Craig
since everything in it has come from Craig(s List).
Ok. It was a dumb joke, (but I liked it!)

1.24.2012

Tell All Tuesday--The State of MY Union

Sometimes when I think about what I am going to say on "Tell All Tuesdays", I am just bursting with ideas.  Then when it actually comes down to writing it, I think "Hmmm... maybe not!"  I'm still trying to decide!
Since tonight was the annual "State of the Union" address, I thought I would use that as a little play on words as my own "state of MY union"!

My Hubby and I got married at a very young age.
(None of our children have fallen in our footsteps. Of the five, only Fielding is married and he was 28 when he married.)
I guarantee you that
over half of the people that attended 
our very large wedding,
thought we would never ever last.
A lot of that probably had to do with our age.

We were in college when we got married,
and seriously,
it could not have been more fun.

We had met when we were both very young...
(Like 1st and 2nd grade young!!)
But we would not meet again until high school.
Our parents knew each other, but Hubby lived in the big city and I was the small-town-gal.
He was a fantastic athlete, and I am sure I was drawn to that.
The fact that he is funny, clever
and EXTREMELY kind
made it perfect!

I know I have written many, many times
how sports-minded our lives have been
as we raised the children.
It all started because Hubby and myself 
both played---and loved---sports.
The Hubs played baseball in college and
I was his #1 fan.
Now that the children are 
through with their sporting days,
the Hubs spends hours and hours
playing golf.
That leaves me with hours and hours
to fix up my house
or scour for 
the fun old items I like to decorate with.
I tell him to golf barefoot, but he just won't listen!
There are many ways that we could not be
more opposite.
But when it came down to the principles 
of our marriage,
religion,
politics (ha!),
and University loyalty (haha!),
we are dead on!
I say "ha", but 
I guarantee you
that has kept us
from many a fight!
(Notice I did not say 'ha' about religion. That I take seriously.)
Probably one of the 
biggest differences 
between us
is TV.
I could really care less about TV.
My husband could not live without it.
Even for a day.
I read incessantly...anything I can get my hands on.
He could care less about reading.
BUT....I feed his (bad) habit by 
buying bigger TV's, and telling the cable people to 
put boxes all over the place in the new (old) house.
He returns the favor 
by buying me books....or a Nook...or 
building me new computers.
We love to go to 
any kind of ballgame
together.
Even now that we have
no personal involvement,
you can still find us at ballgames
on any given night.

When our oldest first began
extra-curricular activities,
I said then that we should put $1 (apiece) 
in an account 
any time we 
went to any type of children's events.
Then when the youngest graduated,
we would take that money and go 
on a grand vacation...
just the two of us.
Well life got busy, and busier,
and we never did do that!
Dang. 
That would have been one heck of a
vacation!
(Five children X a kajillion events!!)
What a great idea that would-have-been!
(If you are young and reading this, try that!)
Our daughters were in Ireland when we had these pics taken and the girls are STILL MAD that we took the pics without them!
We have made
a concerted effort
to take a picture 
each year 
on (or close to) 
our wedding anniversary
of our family.
How fun those pictures are to look 
back on
the family growing...
......each year! (a big HA!)

Both of us are 
laid back people.
The Hubs even more so than me.
That makes it easy for both of us.

I will have to say that 
most of the time
I get my way.
But again, in return I have 
made sure that everything 
runs smoothly at home.
It has made for a great team.
I heard...(or probably read)
two quotes that we used and referenced  
many times
through the years.

The first is by Billy Graham's wife, Ruth.
(Paraphrased) "If two people in a marriage
are just alike,
then there is only need 
for one of them."

What wonderful and wise words those are!

And the other is so logical and so true as well.
"Marriage is not about each partner giving 50/50,
it's about each partner giving 100/100."

The state of MY union
is very happy...
and working together
...for the greater good of the whole.
(Too bad the politicians don't do the same!)

We are looking happily forward
to yet another chapter
in our good life.




1.23.2012

Scientifically Speaking.........

Scientifically speaking.......
male brains and female brains are verrrrryyyyy different!
Scientifically speaking.....
male brains can sometimes
pleasantly surprise
female brains.
Such was the case when my Hubby
brought home to me
a bunch of various
science lab glassware
that was headed for the trash!
Several kinds of test tubes,
a beaker
a big measuring glass
a mortar and pestle
a cute little ridged glass jar with a black lid...

Several little chemical glass containers
with the cutest little lids.
DON'T WORRY!!  He scrubbed everything out
(wearing gloves)
long before he gave them to me!
Scientifically speaking...
my heart did a quick pitter-patter
when I saw the gifts he had brought to me.
Scientifically speaking....
my gifts were as well received
as if he had given me a
 flower bouquet....


The big measuring container, where it usually is on the hutch.


I put the 
little treasures 
throughout the house,
using them for flowers,
glass ornaments at Christmas,
in the bathroom as decoration,
or just grouped together.
Scientifically speaking 
I was as happy as I could be....
until Hubby just happened to mention....
That there were two or three
Periodic Table of Elements 
in the trash too...
but they were old...
and worn out looking...
and he didn't know if I'd like them!
Scientifically speaking....
sometimes they just don't get it!!!
Linking this to Metamorphosis Monday.

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