Great Day

Well we had Thanksgiving over at my Mother-in-Law’s house.

There was a whole houseful people. And a little bit of food. It wasn’t exactly like feeding the multitudes with a few fish and loaves.

We had lots to eat and lots to talk about. And of course everybody was happy that the Dallas Cowboys beat the Miami Dolphins… well at least I was happy:)

Below is Sue Carol. She is Sweetie’s aunt and a retired school teacher.

My favorite were these pots. It’s kind of a double self portrait.

What was in them was good also.

Anyway, we had a great Thanksgiving. How was your day?

Thanksgiving

Whoever you are with,

and Whatever you are eating,

Have a great Thanksgiving,

from our family to you and your family

Curiosity and Mars

I just found out this morning that NASA is about to launch a new Mars rover vehicle named Curiousity.

Curiosity weighs over a ton and is loaded with all sorts of scientific instruments. It is so big that they are going to lower it on the surface via a crane from a hovering craft above the surface. How NASA can do that from a gazillion miles away is beyond me!

Once there it will roll around on it’s six wheels, collect samples and engage aliens.

One thing I’ve never understood is how such a fragile machine that has to be assembled in a clean room can survive a thundering ride aboard a Saturn V rocket.

Used to be everybody was excited about space exploration, especially kids. We all wanted to be astronauts or scientists. Now most of the kids I talk with want to be video game designers.

Check out the NASA Curiosity site, lots of good stuff there for grownups, kids, and teachers.

Oklahoma Autism Conference

Sweetie and I attended the Oklahoma Statewide Autism Conference last weekend in Norman, Oklahoma.

The conference was about the nuts and bolts of autism and its treatment. Not about what causes autism or what is going to cure it. It was about basic information on therapies and interventions. Plus how to deal with the ongoing war that parents have with public schools trying to get the education and help that their children have a right to.

(I got a bad case of “conferencitis” and had to get outside and get myself centered. The conference was held out in the middle of nowhere. Nothing like good honest grass, trees, and skies to get my head back on straight.)

I attended three dynamite presentations. Dan Coulter gave the keynote address. He He got diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in 2009 at age 59. He gave us Aspie parents hope about our kids future as he discussed his career as a public relations executive with AT&T and later Lucent Technologies and the business that he started and runs.

(I saw lots of places to place an “Autism Conference Geocache” next year. To help other folks with conferencitis who have to get outside and get some fresh air.)

Registered dietitian Elizabeth Strickland gave a great talk about nutrition and gut problems in kids with autism and what can be done about it.

(A general aviation airport nearby. I love the control tower, I love what I call “Okie mid century modern red brick” architecture. I hope the mid century modern Nazi’s stay off my butt. Then can’t even agree among themselves what mid-century modern but they jump all over my butt. whenever I venture a comment on the subject.)

Dianne Twachtman-Cullen, PhD, editor in chief of Autism Quarterly presented on the importance of Executive Function supports in the school setting. It was very eye opening.

There were many other presentations. It was nice to get away and learn new things. There were other Autism parents from Tulsa that we hung out with.

Check out my first link above. It will take you to links where you can download the presentations and notes.

Ruby Red Zoo Train

Train at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

Ruby Tuesday

Ascension

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” Acts 1:9 NIV

Tree stump sculpture found on the Oral Roberts University campus.

Perfect Pairings

Metal Art

At the Garden Diva in Tulsa. Right across the street from The Church (see yesterday’s post.)

Signs, Signs

The Church

Leon Russell owned the recording studio in Tulsa known as the “The Church“ in the 1960’s and 1970’s and according to Wikipedia he still records there on occasion. Interior Shots. It is an icon of Tulsa musical history.

Boomer Sooner!

At the Autism Center of Tulsa‘s Smarts and Arts trivia game fundraiser last Friday a University of Oklahoma football helmet signed by head coach Bob Stoops was one of the top items in the Silent Auction.

Fellow blogger and chair of the event, Jonni, demonstrates how the helmet is used. As you can tell from her shirt Jonni is a Sooner. Don’t feel sorry for though as she has mostly overcome that.

(Photo ripped off by me from Jonni’s Facebook page)

Ruby Tuesday

Getting My Head on Straight

Saturday afternoon, Sweetie went shopping with her Mother and SuperPizzaBoy went to hang out with his friend, Agent Q. So I went geocaching. I ended up in a park in the Tulsa suburb of Bixby.

Part of the reason I love geocaching and trail running is that I can get outside. I love the sound of the wind through the trees and how the sunlight feels on my face. It gets rid of the noise in my head.

There was a cache in a remote area of the park. It took a while to get through the thorns, shrubs, and brambles to get to it.

There was an old structure there. It looks kind of like an old railroad bridge but not near heavy duty enough, in my opinion.

I looked high and low, over and around, here and there, and everywhere. But I just couldn’t find it.

I knew it was there. Several people had found it the day before. M5 the cacher that hid it is known for his wickedly hard to find geocaches.

I finally gave up and walked on out. I wish that I had found it but that’s part of the game. I enjoyed myself thoroughly and was living totally in the moment while I was looking. Nobody in the whole world knew where I was. I love being lost that way. (I hope that it doesn’t bite me in the butt someday.)