Busy Saturday

We had a very busy day here on Mt. Krumpit. We slept on the couch last night. Woke up around 6:30 this morning and have barely stopped going.

After breakfast and coffee, two loads of laundry, stripping the bed, Mommie went shopping. Nicole and Ryan were the beneficiaries of todays trip. Tomorrow I'll go to the grocery store and prepare for the roadtrip to Willie.

I have vacuumed, dusted, washed dishes, changed and laundered the sheets on the bed, ironed - all the house work is complete. To the point that I have been on my feet so long that my bum knee began complaining. So I ran a hot bath while the Redbirds play the Royals and added some aching muscle smell good stuff. (sorry Clint - we are making the Royals pay for beating us 4 in a row) When I came out of the bath I had to grab the camera. Toby was sound asleep on the bed - Millie was passed out on the couch. It must've been a very tough day for them as well.

Then Millie hid from the camera by burying herself under the blankie. Well she was alerted to a cat and this is what I saw...

Go then there are other worlds than this...

When is a Rose just a Rose?

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed..."

If you have read TammieLand at all you know my favorite author is the King himself. Just read the header. I have read the complete Dark Tower series including the comics.

Mayhap you already know of the rose that is protected in New York City. If anything happens to it - the tower collapses and the universe will dissappear. Roland and his ka-tet find themselves traveling between worlds to save the rose as they seek the Tower. Their mission isn't easy, the Man in Black and his minion are always a step and a half ahead.

Imagine my surprise when while mowing I found a single rose growing in a place that it had not been planted. Growing despite the fact that gravel surrounded it and cars surely drove over it. Growing despite the world around it. Ye kennit? I am going to dig it up and plant it in a planter and take loving care of it. I'm certain this is the sign that my dinh will be arriving soon...

"Go then, there are other worlds than these."

Softball

Summer is here, finally.

That means plenty of baseball - and when I can't find a baseball game, there is usually a softball game available.

Last week the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless held is 2nd Annual Homerun for the Homeless. It is a softball game that pits Radio stars against TV stars. This is a very good cause. Last year they netted $50,000 from the game. This year - the TV team captain was News Channel 8's very own - Frank Mitchell. Pitching for the TV team was Clint Boone and playing Center and lead Cha Cha dancer - Burt Mummolo. It was a lot of fun, I hope it raised even more this year.

Last night I made my first venture out to see the News Channel 8 softball team play. Again, lots of fun. Carlton was our pitcher. Linda played first base - and OMG what a softball player she is. I'm wondering if it was on her resume' or if we just lucked into it. We won the first game. It was 10pm and well past my bedtime, so I wished them luck and left confident that we would bring in a second victory. I'm told that just as I walked away from the left field fence, everything fell apart. Mayhap I should stay longer next week.

Nothing else new. Exercise training is coming along. The Texas trip is next week.

Long days and pleasant nights to ye.

Country Fever 2008

Country Fever 2008 was a lot of fun, for me anyway. Friday night was Red Dirt night, and you know I was totally there for Dierks! ;-)

Seriously, if you have seen the slide show of the pics that my camera brought back, you know that only 2 artists, maybe 4 -were there.

Barbara managed to snag John Cooper - Red Dirt Godfather - for our 6pm interview with Frank. He was awesome. In the meantime, she led us into the VIP tent to meet the man and Stoney LaRue. I was literally 2 feet from Jason Boland and Stoney! Unfortunately, I had to leave before they began playing - Jo and Missy tell me that it was the most incredible experience. This totally makes up for the Billy Bob's thing, Jo!

JB gave us 4 new songs off the new CD that has been promised in August. They, of course, are absolutely wonderful. I had already heard two of them. You know I don't see the man in concert very often at all. Pat was, PAT and actually cleaned up his show a bit - for the families. Kevin Fowler, on the other hand, was his absolutely wonderfully incredible self - mouth and all.

Mom and Dad attended Sunday's concerts with me. Willie was incredible. The whole 3 or 4 songs I saw before the skies opened up and let loose. It reminded me of the ending of Needful Things. The battle of good and evil culminated in a huge storm over one small area. That was kinda what happened. The storm formed directly over the Country Fever grounds when Willie took the stage. Kinda awe inspiring.

Before I go, want to pitch Johnny Cooper. This kid is absolutely incredible. Jo and I first saw him a couple years ago at the Calf Fry. His voice caught our attention and we made our way to the stage. We were stunned. He looks all of 12. He was actually 17 at the time. Now at 19 his show has greatly improved, his voice is still incredible and growing stronger. He has a CD - and let me tell you - it ROCKS. If you get the chance to see him, I strongly advise you go.

Long days and pleasant nights.

Health & Exercise

I wasn't going to bore you with the details of my Health Assessment, but the result of boring one of my favorite people is too good to pass up.

According to Nader - my new trainer - I am very healthy. I survived the 1 minute of situps (barely and not without whining) and the 6 minutes on the treadmill while attached to a heart monitor. I even managed to survive the finger prick for blood. He is going to start me on a primarily aerobic exercise program.

I sent all the details to a very few people. This list included my Tio T. (For those of you that aren't privy to our correspondence - that's Uncle NT. ) Anywho, he has challenged me to be his "exercise buddy." I've accepted and the challenge is on!

So, while I sweat away at the gym, Tio will be sweating away at home. The toughest part for him will be to exercise instead of eating all the time. =) That's a Dellinger trait - we do love our food.

Long days and pleasant nights.

Quick Max Update

This is the "New" Max.

I'm told he no longer fears jumping up and down from the couch or the bed or anything else. When Aunt Tammie was there he was so pitiful. He had to be lifted on and off the furniture. He would just lie around and cry until someone picked him up. Naturally, this didn't go over very well with his Daddy, who accused Aunt Tammie of spoiling him. Please, do you know of any four-legged critters that I have spoiled?

Anywho, I promised a picture after the first Barber visit.

Long days and pleasant nights.

My Studs!

What a weekend.

Saturday was a lot of fun. You all know I love my job. Well, I "volunteered" to be a staff person assisting talent in handing out Matt Holliday figurines. Creative Services loves it when I volunteer. You see, I'm a bit over-protective of "my" anchors. I was given the duty of being the point person for the evening.

We had a blast at the gates. Mark and Kristin tackling Frank and Carole to prove they could hand out more than anyone else. Frank and Mark flirting with the really cute Driller's girls. Linda, Jody and I just trying to keep up.

Frank threw out the first pitch. He kinda threw it in the dirt. But he plays softball, not baseball. I was allowed to go on the field as Frank's photographer and manager. I took the opportunity to get a picture with Frank and Hornsby. As Frank stated - my two studs!

Since we were workers - we were given tickets to the Sponsor suite. Talk about awesome! Watching a good game from an airconditioned box - with free food and drink! I haven't even mentioned the wonderful company.

Linda invited her husband Bill to the party with us. Bill is a Red Sox fan. If I liked the AL - I would probably be a Red Sox fan. Manny is incredible to watch. Anyway, a couple weeks ago Linda told me she was upset that she won't be able to go to KC with Bill and see the BoSox play the Royals. I was trying to be helpful and told her I would go in her place, just so that she could feel like she's there. Last night she introduced me to Bill as "the woman that's going to KC with you..." By the end of the game, I was also invited to go on a Denver road trip with them. I had also managed to get Linda a tryout for Frank's softball team today. I'll be going to the games, as moral support. Linda tells me that I should also bring a glove and bat, just in case someone needs to jump in at the last minute. Not sure if I can be prepared to "jump in" and "pretty" at the same time.

Long days and pleasant nights.

Fun at Work

Four times a year we have a Staff meeting. Really it's more of an excuse for us to eat and for Pat to remind us who's the boss - Amy.

Each department takes a turn footing the bill and planning out the festivities, so to speak. June is the month that News is responsible for the lunch - translated - Tammie plans the June Staff meeting. The last two books have been unusually gruelling. We still have our solid #2 rating and, in fact, are about to take 1st in a couple of the newscasts. WOO HOO!!!

So, for this luncheon I wanted something "special." Carlton approved my idea and allowed me some flexibility. Three weeks ago I ordered the food from Andele's. If you like Mexican - HIGHLY recommend this place. I was able to keep the "fun" part a secret up until the luncheon.

Frank and Chuck agreed to be bartenders. Carole and Kristin were door greeters. Traditionally News doesn't get to participate in the luncheons. We are always too busy with the Coverage You Can Count On... However, I was able to convince a majority of the staff to attend.

The margarita machine was a HIT!

Carole and Kristin made the rounds as the official greeters and everyone had smiles. Oddly, the tip jars for Frank and Chuck were empty at the end of the day.

We were wondering what it would have been like to have "real" margarita's and then put on 3 newscasts...

Long days and pleasant nights.

Tucson Part III: Cliff's Notes

I really want to tell you Part III of the Tucson story. It really was totally AWESOME. But I also want to talk Politics. I've decided to just brief you on the Saturday and Sunday pieces of the trip.

Saw Jen play in a championship Soccer game early Saturday morning. She played on a terribly swolen ankle, 'nuther reason NOT to play soccer. Went to lunch with the "gang." Took a nice nap on the air mattress - attacked by Max the Wild Beast. Watched Brandon Webb and the DBacks shut-out the Nationals. Learned that Jeff likes Colbert just as much as I do. Went to Mt Lemmon and now totally believe that Jeff was telling the truth about trees. Was stuck in DFW for a terribly long time, used the time to convert a young Republican to the Correct Side. Sidenote: Check out the Cutest Dellingers to your right. I know we are the cutest because we took a vote and it was unanimous.

Now, what I really want to talk about. We (and I do mean my party) have made History. We have totally gone out of the box. We have given a man that is a first generation American on his father's side the chance at the White House. You all know my first choice was Edwards. I would still like him on the ticket.

We have also made History by the fact that we kept a woman going so far. This has truly been an incredible primary season. I am proud of the fact that we are seemingly looking at the candidates for their beliefs and not the shallow things as in the past. I pray that we can get beyond the fear mongering that is yet to come from the GOP. We are not any less vulnerable to a terrorist attack today than we were on Sept 10, 2001. I'm fairly sure that you can still buy enough fertilizer to blow up a pretty big building. Yet we are now in a debt that my great-grandchildren will be paying back. The World as a whole hates us. We are the laughing stock of this very small planet.

The next president will face a world that has "moved on." He will have to lead us/the world into a global economy that has already begun. He will have to help us embrace this and become leaders. He will also have to squarely face global warming. It is not a myth. Climate change does happen, yet we have accelerated it to an alarming pace that may already be too late to slow. He must also mend a lot of fences. That includes with our best friends, England and Canada. Don't expect the person that you elect to be able to make the price of gas go down, or stop your home foreclosure.

My hope is that in November we elect the person that the world can look to as a true leader and not someone that will continue the deception and arrogance. There is no good preemptive strike. Preemptive means you are the playground bully. No "good" has come from war. Don't go throwing WWII in my face on this one. That was the last and possibly only war that had a true and clear good vs evil ideology going. The only other time in US history that we have started a war - was when we declared our freedom from England. Call me a conservative, but let's go back to those days!

We must also look at the people running for election to the Senate and Congress. Frankly, I think it is time for Inhoffe to go. He is taking total credit for the Tar Creek buy-out. (Pre-tornado) If you look up the facts he didn't give a rat's butt until Congressman Carson started asking questions. He also allows most of Oklahoma's tax money to go to other states for road and highway improvement, even though he is chairman of the committee that oversees that money. We get back less than 50 cents for every dollar we pay in.

Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Independent - I beg you to begin paying attention, again or for the first time. Whether you agree with my vote or not - Please VOTE.

Long days and pleasant nights...

Tucson Part II: Day One

The flight out was uneventful. Which is always good when you can get it. I was traveling light. Didn't check bags since the plans were to leave Friday come home Sunday. Millie protested being left at summer camp. The last time they loved it there.

Jeff totally didn't recognize me when I arrived. I almost literally had to introduce myself to him. At least that's my story. It surely wasn't that he was watching for me to come down the escalator and instead I got lost and walked around the airport an extra couple of minutes before finding the backstairs and sneaking up on Jeff. Cuz' I don't get lost.

Tucson sits in the desert. However, I learned there are mountains surrounding the city. That was way cool. From my vantage point on the airplane, I saw one mountain with a huge A on it. I inquired and turns out the mountain's name is "A Mountain" wow those Tucsonians are too clever.

This is Jeff's home. He has a nice condo. A swimming pool and hot tub exclusively his, due to the fact that evidently all the other residents are over the age of way old. Jeff being merely old. =)

This is Jeff's roomie, Max. Max is a real killer. Until you get to know him. He even inspected my bag and protected me from the evil gum that had somehow been packed in it. What a good boy. He had the last of his puppy shots on Friday afternoon. Jeff is taking him to his first barber visit Thursday. I've requested pictures.

Then we were off to a fun sports bar & grill. Jen (current gfriend) joined us there. We picked up Scotty and were off to the Sidewinders game. I feel lucky to have been there. This is the last season that the Sidewinders will be in Tucson. They are moving to Reno after this season. The four of us had a lot of fun. I even met a nice sleestak from the land of the lost. I'm pretty sure the Sidewinders won but can't guarantee the fact. I also met Denise (first wife) at this game. She hooked us up with awesome tickets.

The day ended. I realized I had been up for some 20 hours.

The man in black fled across the desert...

Tucson Part I: Worth

Trip to Tucson - $300

Tickets to the Ballgame - $120

Having your picture taken with a Sleestak! - PRICELESS

More later... It was a very long day.

Long days and pleasant nights...