Category Archives: Christmas

First Snow

We had our first snow of the year on Friday. It started with sleet and ice on Thursday during drive time home (fun, fun, fun, rednecks on ice!) and the snow started early Friday. Rather than play bumper cars I worked from home. I just love having that option.

And I shoveled the driveway. It was a wet snow and it pretty much did me in. And again, for the thirteen years that we have lived in the house our driveway was shoveled first. Then three of my neighbors came out and shoveled theirs. I think I shamed them into it. I don’t feel bad, they shame me into mowing my yard in the summer. Our four driveways were the only ones shoveled in our part of the neighborhood.

I was glad we had put our Christmas lights up outside while it was still warm. I hate putting up lights when it is cold and it is impossible with snow. It is not supposed to get above freezing until Wednesday. Oh, I’m already hearing the moans of sympathy from those who live in Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, and Maine for me having to bear our brutish temperatures.

So I turned on the outside lights while I shoveled. Sorry, I think lights with snow is pretty.

Inside I got our gas log going. That’s Chrissy the Christmas Cat, our big, fat, lazy, Maine Coon. She’s going to not move from that fireplace except for eating and pooping until April.

Heather worked hard decorating the house all day. She does a heck of a job and I’ll post some of her handiwork later. She has quite a collection of snowmen. These are just a few. She says she needs a snowman clock for kitchen and you know I think she does. Maybe we can get out today. The street in front is a solid sheet of ice but maybe it will be passable once the sun gets up.

The annual University of Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State University football game (called the Bedlam game) is being played today at 11 am. It is going to be below 20 degrees at game time. Lots of people I know are going. Those are known as crazy people. I just can’t imagine being interested in going to a game and freezing in a crowd. I am a casual fan of both teams. I prefer the professional version of the sport personally. Uh, I mean, the National Football League version.

So, how is Winter going for you so far?

Rhema Bible Church Christmas Light Display

Monday night, Heather, Logan, Me and a dog named Rascal loaded up and drove over to the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow to check out the Rhema Bible Church Christmas Light Display. It has been going on for 30 years and just keeps getting bigger and better all the time.

Being the wimps we generally just drive by with the seat warmers going this time though the temperature was mild so parked and walked around a little bit.

Its best seen on foot where you can get in amongst the lights. It really is magical with the bright bulbs and reflections. There are a lot of people there but it is not packed and everybody is in a good mood.

There are not too many rules and there are no minders barking at people. Mainly just stay on the walkway is the only thing they ask.

There are no fees for anything. They do have drinks and snacks for sale. They just ask that people have a good time. There was no problem with that. Lots of smiles and picture taking was going on.

The most popular decoration was a bridge of lights over a pond. The colors changed constantly to the beat of music.

All I can say is that Logan, Heather, Me, and a dog named Rascal all got our Christmas Spirit going. Kudos to Rhema Bible Church for putting this on. Public Service Company of Oklahoma probably has them on the Christmas card list. I do that for my best customers.

If you are somebody who celebrates Christmas what are doing to get your Christmas Spirit going?

Christmas with the Critters

Sorry, I’m still posting about Christmas. There’s twelve days of Christmas, right. I’m not sure what that means but I’m standing by it. If the Tea Partiers and Democrats can stand by their beliefs without understanding them so can I! This is America by goodness!

(Abigail, left and Rascal checking out SuperPizzaBoy’s stocking)

We are shameless about our animals. Yesterday, Nana brought over her two dogs, Fiona, and Reba, and with those to and our three plus our two cats, the critters outnumbered the people seven to four.

(More of Rascal)

Yep, we buy them presents and give them stockings and such. We give them treats but only sparingly. If you think kids get fussy and sick with too many treats, dogs are worse.

(Left to Right, Chrissy, LJ, Ginger, Abigail) Sweetie is helping them open their gifts.)

Sweetie is the pet magnet. Here she is attended by four.

Do you celebrate Christmas with your critters?

And kudos to all the people who worked so that many of us could have a warm and safe Christmas. Tulsa dodged a bullet on snow but our city trucks were out spreading sand and salt, the Highway Patrolmen (and Patrolwomen) were out and about. We don’t take you men and women for granted.

Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours!

Here is wishing everybody a very Merry Christmas from Oklahoma.

Ruby Tuesday 2- First Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve!!

Fourteen Years ago SuperPizzaBoy thought Christmas was pretty cool. (He still does!)

Such balance!!

From our house to yours, Merry Christmas!!

Ruby Tuesday 2

Christmas – The Home Stretch

(Sweeties delicious gluten free Gingerbread Men)

The Christmas Season is heating up just a few more days.

(Large balls that came rolling down the street during a windstorm.)

And the big day will be here. The preachers have been preaching to us to slow down, pause, reflect. Doesn’t seem like anybody ever does it.

(One of many building Christmas Trees in downtown Tulsa)

Hustle and Bustle, get this, get that, do this, do that. Drives me crazy, although I don’t have to do any of that. Sweetie bears the brunt of Christmas in hour house. Hats off to her. She does a great job but it is exhausting.

(Christmas Tree at SPB’s school)

Christmas is many different things to many different people. It’s a Christian holiday to be sure but other faiths join in also. Personally I think there is room for everybody at Christmas.

(SuperPizzaBoy, Gramps, and Brother Bob at Philbrook Museum during Thanksgiving.)

One big thing for me is a rest time. I love taking time off and spending it with the family. Especially this year. The energy industry is going berserk. Sometimes I just cannot believe the amount of money being spent. Billions of dollars in high stakes investments. It is paying off though. The USA is on its way to being a net energy exporter. In the natural gas industry there is genuine excitement with the producing companies I deal with. The technology they are applying to locating where to drill, the drilling process, and especially the fracturing and completion of the wells is awesome. It is also very expensive. Some areas about $12 million dollars per well. We are dealing with producers who have “pilot projects” involving 50 wells, 600 Million dollars.

Sorry, I’ll get back to Christmas. I am looking forward to resting for a week or so. Then it is back at it. Exciting times, but stressful also.

(Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Christmas Tree, Devon’s new $760 million building in the background)

I love Christmas even though I am the only person in the world who doesn’t understand what the “Spirit of Christmas” is. I am also puzzled but the abrupt end. We spend two months gearing up for it and then it is like a car driving a 100 miles per hour that hits a bridge abutment. Its the sudden stop that gets me. It takes me me while to gear up and just when I’m really into it is over with. Yeah we may leave the tree up for a few days but now we gotta get ready for New Years Day, the ball dropping, the Rose Bowl parade and football. Whatever happened to the twelve days of Christmas?

Merry Christmas from Yogi, Sweetie, and SuperPizzaBoy!

Many bloggers quit during the Christmas season. I am not one of them. I’ll be at it every day probably. But if I don’t see you have a great Christmas, or Holiday Season as you prefer.

Christmas on Automobile Alley

I am in Oklahoma City on business for a day or two. Usually I just buzz down the turnpike and back but not this time. My hotel is in the downtown area so I was looking forward to checking in and doing either some night time geocaching or photography. I got off the freeway exit and turned down Broadway to make my to my hotel when I saw buildings ablaze with light.

It was flat amazing. Each building was decorated with a single color of lights. So xnay on the old geocaching plan, (although I think they do have geocaches). I walked up and down and over across the streets taking pictures.

This section of Broadway north of downtown is called “Automobile Alley” because way back when in the early 20th century that is where most of Oklahoma City’s Automobile Dealers were here. It is not redone and gentrified with cool restaurants and shops.

I remember reading about these lights on my favorite Oklahoma Blog JenX67. She wrote about the lights here and here. I go to Oklahoma City quite often but usually during the day and with somebody. My coworkers are very patient with me but I don’t take them on too many wild photography and geocaching adventures.

This store is just off Automobile Alley but they have upped the ante.

But nothing like the building right next to it. I’d hate to pay their electric bill. But I love the wild zaniness of the lights.

It was getting kind of late. I spotted this nice wine merchant. I went inside and spotted a nice Oyster Bay Pinot Noir and then I went back across the street to Hideaway Pizza and had their BBQ Chicken. Superb!!

Have you seen any good Christmas lights lately?

Automobile Alley Signs

Christmas 2011

Yogi here with a Christmas report from Oklahoma

It was dry, sunny, and warm!! You can have your White Christmases, you really can. For me I like the warm sun.

Christmas Eve we spent at Nana’s house. Here is mother and daughter. I like that dynamic flip in Sweetie’s hair.

We brought our three mutts to mix and mingle with Nana’s two mutts. It was mutt mania Christmas Eve especially when Sweetie broke out the treats.

After an excellent meal of tacos and tamales courtesy of Nana and a nice long relaxed visit, we went home and watched “A Christmas Story” in our jammies. SuperPizzaBoy loves that movie and laughs hard. It’s fun watching him. Sorry, no pj photos folks. I don’t think SuperPizzaBoy would mind, Sweetie would. Anyway, after the movie he went off to bed and then Santa came (wink, wink, to all the parents out there). Santa ate the two gingerbread cookies and was nice enough to leave a note.

Next morning, coffee and more gingerbread cookies. I know I said no pj pcs, but you know I lie a lot. You can tell when I’m lying. If my lips are moving, I’m lying.

Nana and I showing off our favorite gifts, hand knitted scarves from Sweetie.

Ginger, got a hedgehog. Notice the wild eyed neurotic look. The hedgehog never did give her any milk, and Ginger tried all day long.

Nana gave me two cameras, a special fisheye film camera on the right, and an old Kodak Brownie on the right. She gave me some 120 film for the Brownie, the shutter worked, I cleaned up the lens as best I could and snapped a few pics outside. If I can find a place to process the film, and if there are pics halfway presentable I’ll share them. The fisheye camera will be interesting I know the flash is powerful. I took a pic of Sweetie and she reeled. I think I could stop the Russian Army with the flash. It is powerful.

Sweetie worked hard preparing a variety of tasty dishes, I smoked some chicken quarters and a turkey breast and we ate very well. We had a coworker of mine who joined us. It’s always nice to have somebody join our foursome.

We missed being with the rest of my family who gathered at my Sister’s house in Colorado Springs.