SortaCrunchy

ablaze

2009-11-10T07:44:14-06:00

How the sky turns to fire
against a telephone wire
And even I'm getting tired
of useless desires

-- "Useless Desires," Patty Griffin

Few things make my heart expand like an autumn sunset.

A few weeks ago, I stood at my kitchen sink doing dishes when I glanced up and saw the sky in the last few moments of spectacular blaze. Normally I work to avoid the telephone and other utility wires that clutter up shots in our backyard, but the way this shot spoke of that song? Irresistible.

(This shot is straight out of the camera and though the composition irritates me, it also reminds me that sometimes you have just a second or two to accept God's invitation to beauty and then the sky fades and navy blue extinguishes the flames that just seconds before glorified the clouds above. Sometimes you have to abandon the perfect shot to get the shot.)

Tell me - when was the last time you were startled by unexpected beauty?

Tales from the Back of the Line (or the night I met the Pioneer Woman). Part Two

2009-11-06T14:09:49-06:00

(as it turns out, this may be my longest post ever. Feel free to digest it over the weekend. Or skim. Or skip it entirely.)

My evening spent standing in line to meet The Pioneer Woman, part two (continued from part one):

So, where did I leave off?

Oh, right. My boots.

So $30 and a long walk later, I found myself near the end of the line. I thought. Except more and more and more people kept filling in behind me. I immediately realized most everyone in line was there as part of a group.

I discovered right off that the cute group of mid-twenty-somethings directly behind me were part of a supper club because they spent the first half-hour pouring through their cookbooks and noting which recipes they should make for upcoming meetings of The Supper Club. They were cute girls, and they talked and laughed at a reasonable volume that provided very satisfactory eavesdropping pleasure.

Directly in front of me were two younger-than-me women, one with a darling two year old. Quite a few women, actually, had kids with them. Early in my plan-making, I had considered taking one of the girls with me, and as the reality of the line ahead of me began to sink in, I was so glad I had opted not. No way would either of my children made it ten minutes in that line.

And yes, most everyone in line was a woman, however at some point in the first half-hour of line-standing, a middle-aged man in an OU athletic jacket sort of cut in line behind me. No one said anything to him. I think most of us wondered if he was lost.

Now, you'll have to remember that I didn't have my copy of the cookbook. In fact, I had no reading material. Worse yet, I had no pen and no paper. I had my cell phone, and I texted back and forth with Laura and my sister a little bit, but it was too loud in the echo-y halls of the building we were in for me to catch up on returning any phone calls.

So it was just me and my mad eavesdropping skills.

And my boots.

About forty-five minutes in, I began to severely regret my choice in footwear. SEVERELY. There wasn't anywhere to sit for the vast majority of the line-standing, and for only the first hour or so was there a wall to lean against. It was mostly just standing. And standing. And shifting my weight. And daydreaming about my Crocs Adaras, and standing some more.

When I had been in line for about an hour, someone brought Ree's older kids back to see the line. They were all just as beautiful as her photos capture, and it was clear by the look on each of their faces that they were stunned to see the turnout. Eyebrows raised and slightly grinning, their faces spoke of disbelief. She's PW to so many, but to them, she's just Mom.

Around 7:45 (I had been there since shortly after 6 PM), a couple of women came back to talk to a group of their friends who were standing a few people in front of me. These women were absolutely flushed and beaming and had clearly just been in her presence. They reported, none-too-quietly, that Ree wouldn't be able to stay any later than 8:30 because she had to be at a dinner/reception being given in her honor.

As that little tidbit made its way through the line (telephone-style), there was nearly an instant change in energy. Where there had once been excitement, smiles, and anticipation, there was now furrowed brows, pursed lips, and, well, deflation.

We hadn't even made it out of the hallway that housed the end of the line yet. Not just a few behind me gathered their things and left. I think it was around this time The Supper Club departed. I exchanged glances with the two women in front of me, and we all just kind of shrugged our shoulders.

Let's wait and see . . .

As 8:30 approached, my section of the line made it out of the hallway and into the wide open of the main courtyard area of the building. I called my sister Emily and to tell her my feet were killing me. I told her about the 8:30 news and how I was bummed that I had essentially wasted 2 1/2 hours, but I was going to stick it out, particularly since my book was somewhere up there at the table where Ree sat, lovingly signing books for those who were wise enough to stake out a claim far earlier than I had.

(Sidenote: in this general time frame, an absolutely precious woman came back through the line holding a darling toddler. She and the older, distinguished-looking woman with her were just as friendly as could be, stopping and talking with people in line in such a way that I thought they were friends with some of the women in front of me. I looked and looked at the younger of the two women, and kept thinking, I KNOW HER. I could not place her for the life of me. Then I heard her say, "Oh, this is Ree's mom." It was then that I realized that the women I could swear I knew was Betsy, and that I knew her because Ree's post on resisting the temptation to over-edit is one of my favorites, and it feature's Betsy's lovely face.)

I don't think it's my imagination - I really do think the line sped up briefly as the clock neared 8:30. The impending deadline must have inspired disillusion in more than one fan, and we picked up the pace quite a bit. Additionally, it was around this time that Marlboro Man himself began working his way down the line, talking with fans and signing books. The ladies in front of me and I agreed that this must be the consolation prize for those of us who wouldn't make it to Ree.

And girls, let me tell you. I have seen some consolation prizes in my day, but I do not think I have ever seen one the likes of Marlboro Man.

I'm going to try to keep my composure as I describe this part of the evening (out of respect for my own beloved man), but listen to me. You might think when you hear Ree describe his "steely blue eyes" or see pictures of him on PW that maybe she is embellishing her description or perhaps tweaking the color of his eyes a bit in Photoshop. Let me assure you, no. There is no embellishment. I've never seen anything quite like Marlboro Man, but I can completely see how a chance run-in with him would persuade Ree to drop her law-school-in-Chicago plans and transplant herself right on out to that ranch.

It was hysterical to see what would happen as he approached each part of the line. Women - grown women, quite a few who were quite a bit older than me - were laughing and giggling and blushing like teenagers. When he would take a book to sign, the owner of that book would suddenly get all tongue-tied, and I don't think it was my imagination - I think some eyelashes may have been batted.

Not only is he easy on the eyes, he has a voice that would pretty much stop you in your tracks.

I better stop now.

Focusing. Focusing.

Okay, so again, we were all convinced this was it. It was like 8:29 and we were miles away from Ree. I decided to go into Full Circle to see if I could get my book so I could leave. One of the clerks at the desk said, "Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" And when I told her about the 8:30 cut-off we had heard about, both clerks sucked in their breath and began exhaling at the same time, "Oh! No, no, no! That's not true at all! The author has said she'll stay as late as she needs to so that everyone who wants to can get their book signed."

I heart Ree.

So I went back to my spot in line (without my book, because at this point, I seriously didn't have the mental energy to process words), and shared the happy news. A few minutes later, both clerks came out and began announcing to everyone still in line that Ree, in fact, would be signing until the very last person made it to the table. I think a small cheer went up. I called Kyle and told him what was going on and that I could expect to be there for a few more hours. I wondered if I should stay.

"Oh, you have to stay now. You are totally invested."

And so, stay I did.

Aching, throbbing feet and all. Oh, and a hungry tummy. I hadn't eaten any of the meatloaf and mashed potatoes I had served for dinner because it was early when I left (5:15 or so), and I thought I would be there maybe an hour or two, and then I could grab something on my way home. Because have I mentioned I had no! i! dea! there would be so many people?

Thankfully, one of the building restaurants was still open, so I was able to grab some quesadillas and Diet Coke while the sweet ladies in front of me held my place. (I could write a completely separate post on the group dynamics of line-standing, because that sort of thing fascinates me. I'm afraid, however, I might be alone in that fascination, so I'll save you that snooze fest.)

It's worth noting that as I waited for my order in the restaurant, a fellow end-of-the-line-stander was waiting for hers and we chit-chatted for a minute. She told me she had been reading PW for years, and when she had heard about the book signing tonight, she thought to herself, "Oh, I hope a few people will turn out for her." So, see? I wasn't the only delusional one there that night.

Sooooooooo. Probably enough talk for now.

Here's the outside of Full Circle. Nice and blurry, just like you like it. You're welcome.

Okay, so here is Pearl the Buffalo.

I mean bison.

I grew up in Oklahoma and I still have no idea what the heck the difference is between the two.

Pearl the Bison is the mascot (of sorts) for Full Circle books. She stands around and champions Oklahoma writers and books about Oklahoma. If you are into that sort of thing, you can read all about her plight and her passion here.

I was thrilled to have something to look at, so I took several shots of her. Just for you, friends.

At 10:30, I called Emily back. She answered by saying, "Are you done? Did you meet her?"

No, sister. I just crossed the threshold that led into Full Circle.

Photo-worthy:

I'm surprised you can't see that by this point, my feet are just about to burst right out of my boots they were so swollen.

(Second sidenote: Just before I crossed over, I got a few texts and then a phone call from my friend Trisha who had been in the cafe when Ree arrived. We were sad to have missed each other, and I was REALLY sad I didn't know she was going to be there so early!)

Onward.

Here's what awaited us line-standers as we crossed into Full Circle. I took a shot of that table because it features a book by an author near and dear to our current hometown.

If only the line had snaked through the bookstore instead of through the building . . . Can you imagine what heaven that would have been? A forced stay of several hours inside a bookstore? Heaven, I tell you.

Oh! I almost forgot to tell about the Aussie ladies. So by this point, the people ahead of and behind me were a completely new crowd than I had started with. OU Guy had long since dropped out (I surmised from his phone conversations he was going to get it signed as a surprise for his wife. I guess the later it got, the less he had a believable excuse for not being home yet).

I was delighted that the last 45 minutes of the ordeal evening, I was in the presence of a group of three women from Austrailia. You have no idea how pleasant that was. I could have listened to them talk for hours, they were so lovely and enchanting. Just a wonderful gift to keep up my energy for the last leg of this marathon.

Finally, finally, FINALLY!!!

11:00 PM. Finally. And can I just say, BLESS REE'S HEART?!!! She had been smiling and chatting and signing books for almost five hours at this point, and you just cannot believe how gracious and charming and kind she was.

Here's MM keeping Ree company. This shot in no way does justice . . .

And here we are again.

It was absolutely, completely worth it. You know why? The book I had signed? It's not for me. It's a gift for someone I love very much. And I would stand that line all over again to get that book signed.

This time in sneakers, perhaps. With a pillow. And snacks. And a book. Or at the very least, a pen and paper.

Southern Baptist since nine months before she was born

2009-11-05T10:08:56-06:00

Dacey wore her first piece of "witness wear" to school today.

Do you know what this says? I asked.

It says "Jesus loves me, and He loves you, too!" she said.

Mission-minded, that one is. My Girls In Action leaders would be so proud.

(I know, I know, the PW line tale needs conclusion. Almost ready.)

intermission

2009-10-31T11:11:45-05:00

There's just no way getting around the fact that I won't have time to finish my Tales from the Back of the Line before I begin traveling to my grandmother's funeral. I assure you, no need to feel that much suspense . . . after all, it's really just the story of standing in line, and you know the ending already anyway, right?

I will say that the rest of the story will involve Australia, Ree's Marlboro Man, and a buffalo named Pearl.

In the meantime, I can't believe I left this picture out of my first part of the story. It's one of my favorites from my little mini road trip:

Not sure when I'll be back at the keyboard, but I'm hoping wherever you are that the blue skies beneath give brilliance to the clouds behind you . . .

Tales From the Back of the Line (or the night I met the Pioneer Woman). Part One.

2009-10-30T17:07:41-05:00

Pull up a chair and pour a cup. We're gonna be here awhile.

PROLOGUE

This has not been the best week ever.

I haven't written about it here yet because I want to save my words for a while and continue in the practice of not telling things out loud, but the mid-point of this week was marked by the passing of my ninety-two year old grandmother. On either side of that mid-point were dreary days, continual persistent sickness (it just gets to you after a while, doesn't it), financial woes, and shuffling of plans and schedules and all manner of unsettledness.

Yesterday, Dacey woke up with a fever which threatened to disrupt our plan for traveling to my grandmother's funeral, and it completely derailed the two days of the week she had been most looking forward to at school: Pajama Day and Scarecrow Day. I was bummed over that and just convinced Kyle would not feel comfortable staying home with a sick preschooler on his own while I took off on my planned outing to go to Ree's book signing at Full Circle Books in Oklahoma City.

At lunch, Kyle sensed I was not at ease. I poured out all of my not-greatness, and finished by saying, "And I guess I'm not going to get to go see the Pioneer Woman tonight after all." I may have concluded that sentence with a pitiful sigh. Details are sketchy.

"No! Go! Go. We'll be fine. You should go."

Happy sigh.

The Tale

So I pushed forward with my plan for a fun outing on my own. My friend Elizabeth had gone to see Ree in Tulsa on Tuesday night, and she prepared me for the fact that though she got there early, it was still crowded. The signing in OKC started at 6:30, so I figured getting to the bookstore around 6ish would be reasonable.

Because obviously I had no idea.

NO IDEA.

No idea.

I fixed up a meatloaf dinner for my family (complete with instant mashed potatoes, and when I noticed the irony of serving that up to my family as I waltzed out the door to be graced by the presence of The One who creates these, I laughed. Quite a bit.)

I felt good in my favorite pair of jeans, my go-to black silk turtleneck sweater (Oh Harold's, how I miss thee!), and my love-em-yes-I-do black boots. I felt even better when I hopped in Kyle's pick-up truck, fired it up, and wouldn't ya know it? There were playin' me some George on the radio!

Friends, I felt positively sassy as I pulled out of town. I tapped my toes and sang my heart out when the DJ played some Old School Shania (ANY MAN OF MIIIIIIINE, BETTER WALK THE LIIIIINE . . .). My girls were happy to be at home with Daddy, I was headed to The City to one of my favorite bookstores ever, and a little group of the PW faithful were going to get to mix and mingle and get us some cookbooks signed.

Sassy, I tell you.

I was right on time by my clock as I pulled into the bookstore parking lot. Sure, it was packed, and yes, there were quite a few women streaming in, clutching Ree's cookbook and grinning. It was nearing time to start, so it made sense that this would be when this little group of groupies would thicken en masse.

When I walked in and saw the line was stretched not only out of the bookstore, but snaked for yards and yards and feet and feet all the way through the building that houses the Full Circle and on into perpetuity it seemed. Well. I'm not gonna lie to you, friends. A Schedule II curse escaped my lips. I couldn't help it, really. There were just so many people. So many people!! I can't even begin to estimate. Hundreds. All of them thumbing through their books.

Did I mention that I did not have a book when I arrived? I did not have a book because there is nowhere in my little town to buy a copy of Ree's cookbook and I only just discovered that this event was taking place and I figured I'd just pick up a copy at Full Circle. You know, the bookstore. Hosting this little book signing.

At this point, I had a decision to make. Stay? Go? I had solid child care and not a whole lot else to do, so I opted to stay. I fought my way to the check-out desk at Full Circle and discovered oh.

The book is sold out.

Oh.

But wait! Ree was bringing more copies with her! The darling, precious, young clerk at the desk explained that if I wanted to, I could buy a copy, hang on to my receipt, and my book would be waiting for me when I got to the book signing table.

Now I really had a decision to make. If I bought a book this way, I was committed. I was there. Long haul and all that. It took me about three seconds to say, "Okay. Yes. Here's my card."

And that's where Part One will have to leave off for now. Not because I know how to create a suspenseful story, but rather because I've got a Cinderella and Fairy Princess to prepare for Trunk or Treating.

Here's a little taste of what you can expect in the next installment - a whole, whole lot of me starting at these:

sneak peek

2009-10-30T11:09:19-05:00

Last night, I was there and so was she . . .

details (many) to come . . .

SortaCrunchy Recommends: Shaklee Get Clean

2009-10-29T14:54:34-05:00

I've known about the Shaklee Corporation for years because my mother (who has Multiple Sclerosis) is a huge fan of their vitamins. When Shaklee representative Becky Rapinchuk (also of the Clean Mama blog) asked me if I might be interested in trying some of the cleaning products from Shaklee's Get Clean line a try, I was happy to take her up on the offer.

I am always trying to find the best, non-toxic way to clean our home. I've tried all kinds of products through the years - everything from Mrs. Meyers to Clorox Greenworks to basic vinegar and baking soda routines, and I have struggled to find something I am 100% in love with for cleaning our home.

I have to tell y'alll, in all honesty, I am super impressed with the performance of the Get Clean products I tried!

The Basic H2 is probably the best-known of the Get Clean line, and with good reason. A little bit of the concentrate can be used to mix up window cleaner that works out to be about $.01 per 16 oz. spray bottle, or it can mixed to make an all-purpose cleaner that is about $.03 per 16 oz. spray bottle. Additionally, Basic H2 can be mixed up as a degreaser (works out to $.17 per 16 oz. spray bottle). This stuff really, really works, too. It's no secret that I am not the neatest person in the kitchen, but I have yet to come across anything that the Basic H2 couldn't handle. The Scour-Off paste is super effective, and just as with the Basic H2, you only need a little bit to do a lot of work.

With a toddler and preschooler in the house who both make liberal use of art supplies when creating masterpieces, I always need something powerful to take care of stains in the laundry (not to mention the other stuff I launder regularly). Such a treat to find a non-chlorine laundry booster (Nature Bright) that works!

Finally, as anyone who has a little one who uses the potty full-time knows, we always, always have need for quick clean-up products in the bathroom. I've been using rags soaked in vinegar, and while those work fine for the most part, sometimes it's nice to have a convenient container of wipe-up wipes ready to go. Becky sent me some of the Get Clean Germ-Off Disinfecting Wipes, and I have LOVED these! Perfect for the bathroom, the kitchen, and every other place that needs a quick swipe of disinfection (doorknobs, phones, etc.).

Here are some of my favorite things about Shaklee's Get Clean line:

They have been "green" before it was cool, and Shaklee was the first to be certified "Climate Neutral™ (totally offsetting our carbon emissions resulting in a net zero impact on the environment)"
All Shaklee products are free of phthalates, GMOs, toxins, and BPA
Fragrance-free options for cleaning products (since I've begun focusing on non-toxic cleaning, I find that fragranced cleaners irritate me)

Additionally, I have to brag on Becky for a minute. She has been over-the-top helpful, friendly, and wonderful to work with! She has responded to every email with lightening speed, and she has provided me with loads of information. She's a mama with kids at home who understands the quest for a more non-toxic home, and she is devoted to helping others on the path to cleaner living. Just today, she was telling me a little more about Basic-G - a product, though not non-toxic, is EPA registered and is a powerful germicide that kills germs up to 72 hours on surfaces (including Type A and H1N1 strains of the flu!). Read more of Becky's experiences with Basic-G here and here.

Becky and I would both like to see you give the Get Clean line a try. Becky is offering one lucky reader something that we are all looking for these days - help with disinfecting in the form of one container of the Germ-Off Wipes.

To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment here telling a little about your experiences with non-toxic cleaning or a Shaklee product that you might like to try (here's the link to Becky's distributor page).

Winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, November 5th.