Green acres is the place for me

So we're two weeks into country life. The moving officially ended this weekend, for which I am extremely grateful. I am getting too old for this nonsense. My body might never forgive me.

I downsized about 400 sq feet from my old apartment to this place. It is a challenge, but has also given me the chance to downsize a lot of stuff. If I didn't have any sewing stuff, I'd have the perfect amount of storage space. D'oh.

The farm is amazing. My landlords are incredibly generous. All the fresh veggies and eggs I can handle. Fresh chicken, fresh pork, fresh goat milk.

The dogs are in hog heaven. There's always something for them to watch or play with or what not.

There are challenges. Bugs. Distance. Dirt.

But really... forget Manhattan, just gimmie that countryside. Today at least. :)

Moving is the pits, but sort of exciting too, I guess.

Dogs at the new digs. Standing by my future garden.

I hate moving. This is an understatement.

To be fair, there is some sense of anticipation of a clean slate. Something new. Blah blah blah.

Last year I moved to Norman in unfortunate circumstances. It was last minute, not my decision, and beyond my control. I didn't feel comfortable with my knowledge of the options in Norman. I found a nice place, thankfully, and had a good experience there (shout out to Elite Properties if you're looking for Norman rentals!). But I never really unpacked. Never hung things up on the wall. Very much viewed the apartment as a part time pit stop. It was my apartment and not my home.

Similarly, for the past year, whenever I have got back into downtown or midtown OKC, it has broken my heart. I missed it so much and had such good memories there.

But last weekend when I was in OKC, I drove through my old neighborhood, by my old house, and just felt happy memories. I realized that now I'm looking forward to the future and accepting the past with thankfulness.

Don't get me wrong. A couple of days ago I had my first moment of OMG WHAT ON EARTH AM I DOING THIS IS CRAZY PANTS WHY ARE YOU MOVING TO A CHICKEN FARM IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE YOU WILL NEVER HAVE ANY FRIENDS AND HAVE TO JOIN FARMERSONLY.COM !

It is pretty crazy. After I calmed down a bit, I reminded myself that the most fun times in my life are when I just leaned into the crazy.

There are still things that get under my skin. I'm in my 30's and I'm still renting a house in a place I don't see myself in indefinitely. I get so jealous when I think of my friends who have settled down in a house or a city or a place where they see themselves for the long haul. I'm still not to that point yet. It's no secret that I hope to move back to Texas sometime in the next few years.

I guess many of us have a bit of homesickness in our hearts. Sometimes you're not even sure what it means that you want, but it is there. In the meantime, lean into the craziness. :)

I'm not good with the predictable

I'm not sure when it started, but after college I moved abroad. Twice.

Then I came back to Oklahoma of all things, so I lived in the heart of Midtown OKC at the beginning of the area's renewal.

Then I moved to Norman. Life has been so... normal. And I think I'd rather have things be interesting than predictable. Life is better with the unexpected.

So since my lease is up, I knew I wanted to move. Life with 2 dogs is not conducive to apartment life (although it is doable, but that's another rant for another day).

For years I've daydreamed about living in the country and joked about living off the grid. So imagine my shock when I stumbled upon a guest house for rent on a free-range chicken farm in the middle of the country.

I made an appointment to go out and see it, figuring that even if it was horrifying, it would be a good story (see above). But lo and behold, it is delightful. So out to the country I go. Fresh eggs and organic produce will abound.

The dogs will love it. And no, I don't think they'll chase the chickens. They have a few acres behind my landlord's house to wander about on, behind chicken wire.

Green acres is the place for me...

Perfect Oatmeal

I do not oft claim to have super-human cooking powers, but there are some things that I am the bomb diggity at making. Oatmeal is one of those things. Let me share my secrets with you.

First of all, if you eat instant oatmeal... I'm just sorry. That is sad.

Second of all, if you make oatmeal in the microwave... please just stop.

Ingredients

• Half cup rolled oats
• One cup milk/almond milk
• Cinnamon to taste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. On medium heat on the stove top, bring milk to simmering or a slight boil. 
2. Add in oats. If it begins a rolling boil, turn heat down. You don't want to scorch the bottom. Simmering would be just fine.
3. Allow to simmer for 15 or so minutes, until fully cooked.
4. Add toppings of choice.

Yes, it takes longer, but by golly, it's 1000x better. Some notes below.

I use almond milk because I'm trying to cut out a lot of dairy. It's great, but cow milk is better. It's even BETTER to throw a dash of heavy cream or half and half in. Just sayin. Milk makes all the difference to oatmeal.

I add blueberries and strawberries as I have them. Strawberries in this oatmeal are ridiculously good. Add them at the end.

I increase this recipe by 50% because I want it to fill me up til lunch. Adjust recipe as you wish.

Welcome to your awesome life. 

The day Lady saved me from a coyote

Yesterday was exciting. I go to a local state park with the dogs most every weekend, but yesterday was a first for us.

Lady likes to chase deer. And I let her. Davy likes to chase Lady and act like he's a big dog.

Yesterday as we approached the deer (in a spot we've gone to dozens and dozens of times), I noticed the deer were moving towards us, even though they saw us. I thought that was odd, but figured there were some walkers or hikers or something on the other side we couldn't see.

So Lady does her stalking and chasing.




She does her thing, comes back, and she and Davy find some deer bones and sniff around. Suddenly I look up and see something unusual. A gray dog with a huge puffy tail- aka a coyote. Looking at me. Coming towards me.

Whuuuuuuuut!

My first thought was, "Oh crap, I don't want Lady to chase that coyote. I don't want her to fight it. AAAAAAAAAAAH!" So she sees it, goes on point, then chases. I was flipping out. Of course Davy chases after her, and I was like, "Dang it, Davy! You're like a chicken nugget to a coyote!"

So I'm freaking out, because Lady and the coyote have gone into the woods and I can't see them. Lucky Davy doesn't run that far, and he's about 100 yards from me. Finally Lady runs back out and I was so relived. Lady and Davy pick up deer bones and run about a quarter mile the other direction, so I start walking behind them. A minutes or two later I look around and realize the coyote is back. Again, coming up behind me.

Suddenly it dawns on me. The bones, the patches of fur... we are walking in the middle of an area where a coyote has taken down a deer, and he wants to finish his meal.

So I start running back to the car!

And I called the dogs to follow me, which they do, but Davy, oh sweet Davy. Lady is fast and running ahead of me, but I keep looking back to make sure Davy is coming. And that stubborn dog will not relinquish the huge deer hip he has found.

So that is my adventure with a coyote. Luckily I only saw one- I am assuming it had a partner somewhere nearby. Beware when you tread atop a coyote's dinner!

Do I think the coyote would have been aggressive towards me? I don't know. They're typically shy, and the fact that it was clearly coming towards me and I was between it and its food gave me serious concern, though.

Lady got some special treatment the rest of the day. She really is the best. :)

Dearly departed

A week and a half ago my mother's father passed away. He lived a long, full life- 98 years. Even when death is a relief, it still hurts as a loss.

My grandad lived a vibrant life. He overcame a lot of odds to do so. He had polio as a child, then had corrective surgery that enabled him to walk, although that involved fusing his ankle bones. He grew up without his father, and my great-grandmother and her brother, both single parents, decided to raise their families together. My grandfather and grandmother married late in life for that time- 33 and 28, and had their only child 8 years later.

They traveled a lot of the southwest. He took a ton of photographs, which I treasure. He collected guns and listened to music. He was a good worker and an honest, kind man.

His wife, my grandmother, died 11 years ago. Although it goes against what I've theologically believed most of my life, it gives me a great deal of peace to think of them being reunited in some way and resting in peace next to each other.

My grandad's life gives me hope that rough starts don't define you. An adventurous spirit can take you beyond where anyone thought you could go. And love is true and faithful.

And it was poignant to sit next to my nephew during the service. Life does go on, and though it is sometimes sad, this is the way it should be. I was reminded of the Chris Rice lyric-

Like a swing set in a graveyard, like a bloom in the desert sands, love is gonna break through.

The truth about dogs

If you follow me on any social media outlet besides my blog, you know that being a dog owner has become a major part of my life over the past 8 months. I am aware that I dance the line of being a crazy dog lady, and now I just went and got another. But I figure it's time to talk about what having a dog has meant to me and how it has made me grow, maybe explaining some of the enthusiasm.

I got Lady on the day that I moved into my apartment in Norman. Even though I was only moving 30 minutes away, I had the foresight to know it'd feel a lot further. When you're single and an introvert, it is easy to become very inwardly focused. In the grand scheme of life's trade-offs, while my situation means freedom, it also can become a petri dish for selfishness and loneliness.

I've noticed in relationships over the years (romantic and platonic) that I have a hard time letting go of doing things my way and allowing for changes of plans, because that's all I've known for 8 years. So one of the reasons I wanted a dog is because I want to let go of some self-centeredness. A dog is a good place to start, because even though they can be demanding, they also only give you crazy love and no hostility (my dog, at least). If I can learn to adapt my own desires around an animal that loves me totally, that should be a good warm up for an imperfect person. :)

And I have to say, it's worked. Lady is demanding of attention, but it's been so good for me. We went almost 300 miles in 2012, many of which I would have been sitting on my lazy butt for if it hadn't been for her. She gives me something to move forward with besides myself. The first months in Norman when life felt upside down, there were many days I wanted to sit and pout over change I didn't think I could handle, but she kept me looking forward.
 

She's good company. And she needed company while I was gone 40 hours a week at work, so enter Davy Crockett. :) He's a 3 year old fox terrier. He was rescued from a case of animal cruelty, and recently recovered from some serious medical issues. But the kid has spirit. He is brave and sweet and feisty. He and Lady are having a grand time.

Maybe I'm well on my way to becoming a "crazy dog lady" (although there are NO plans for more dogs! I always knew I'd plan to get a 2nd eventually, and now that's done), but frankly, I'd prefer to be a crazy dog lady compared to the alternative of where'd I'd be without them. For me, dogs have been good for my soul.

Om

A few months ago, I bought a package of yoga classes from Ashtanga Yoga Studio. It was about to expire, which spurred me to use it (as is true with most of my group buying experiences).

I've gone to two Level One classes. The first time I was kind of like... are we sure this is an intro class? Everyone else seemed like a pro! But the teacher, Andrew (and owner of the studio) is great. There's no feeling that you should be able to do anything crazy, he just wants you to focus on breathing and doing what is comfortable.

This is Andrew:

This is how I look:

Anyhoo, so far it's been great. But I'm blogging about it because Andrew said 2 things that have made me think.

He talked about how everyone knows that physical exercise makes you feel better mentally, but yoga is the only exercise developed to take care of the mind, rather than train you to be an athlete or whatever. Hmm, good observation.

Also, he leads us in meditation for the last 15 minutes of class, and he said that mental peace is integral to any other kind of physical peace. He said, "You know that some people are trapped inside a hell of their mind?" Yes, I do know people like that. It's sad and pathetic. And I'm thankful I am not one of those.

Will I keep going to Ashtanga? Yes, I think so. The people are genuinely welcoming and kind, and I am enjoying yoga. Will I become a full fledged yogi? Doubt it. But stranger things have happened. :)

Aunt Annie

No, this post is not about  me. It's about my great-aunt Annie. Her name is actually Sylvia, but everyone calls her Annie.

She lives next door to my grandparents. My dad grew up living at her house. She has a beautiful garden, she is an amazing cook, and she has been a nurse for most of her life. She started out in the Army, and then worked in family practice til she retired.

She doesn't have her own biological kids, but has been integral in the raising of every kid on my dad's side of the family.

3 of her brothers and sisters still eat lunch at her house every day. I'm 95% sure she's kept most of them alive through health care and feeding throughout the years. :)

She's gentle and wise and caring. When I was so sick in the hospital in OKC a few years ago, she and my other aunt Myra came to stay with me a week so my parents could go back to Texas for a while. While they were there, my doctor pulled me off all my pain medications and I went through horrible withdrawals for 48 hours. The only thing that made me feel better is when Annie rubbed my back. She said, "when I was a nurse in the army, this was our main treatment for soldiers when we didn't have medicine available." Such a blessing.

The older I get, the more I see myself in her. And that's a great thing.

With her brothers and sisters- Annie is third from the left

Avian bone syndrome

Let's start with gratuitous shots of my nephew. 

The kid has started smiling. My heart has melted.

Anyhoo, time has flown since I moved to Norman. Next week will be 6 months at my new job! Whaaaa?!

Lady Bird and I have gone many miles. Approximately 175 that I've tracked. That's just how many I've gone; I imagine LB goes about 50% more than me. We've had a lot of fun. She's gotten very dirty. You might know that we've had some setbacks. I broke my ankle in June- stress fracture. For those counting at home, this is my second stress fracture and third non-traumatic bone break.

Lady did not approve of my immobility. I did not remind her that this was indirectly her fault.

In my old age, I am a terrible patient. I hated being in that stupid cast and hated crutches more. But I tried to comply with "inactivity" and "rest" for about a month. It was lame. But now I have another bone to keep my eye on. 

A few weeks ago I had a coughing fit and think I cracked a rib. I am a delicate flower. 

Lady had a set back as well. I think (because I did not witness it, but based on evidence) that she got into a fight with a raccoon last week. She is fine, just some scratches and has had the vet's OK. Like I said, I didn't see it, but I imagine it went like this.

Another event in my life has been fostering two dogs this summer. 

Leo the miniature dachshund came from Second Chance Animal Sanctuary and was only with us a week until he was adopted. Such a sweet boy.

Dobie the lab/doberman mix was from the Oklahoma Humane Society. He was with us two weeks. It took Lady a while to warm up to him, but he was a big ol' sweetheart who loved everyone.

If you like animals, consider fostering. It's a nice short term way to help out, by both giving the shelter more space and helping socialize and train the animals.


*Note- I do not have Avian Bone Syndrome. That is not real. It is from an episode of 30 Rock. I don't have osteoporosis or any medical indication as to why my bones are weak. They just are.

My perfect nephew

Well, this is the most delinquent I've ever been blogging. I would apologize, but I doubt many people have been waiting with bated breath for my next update.

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO HAPPEN SINCE MY LAST UPDATE-

This is my perfect nephew, Wesley.

This kid has auntie wrapped around his finger.

Seriously, he's the coolest.

St. Francis was on to something

St. Francis* is my homeboy

I said something on twitter the other day that got some attention, and I wanted to expand a bit on it. I am officially past the honeymoon of moving. :) I do like Norman, but it is certainly an adjustment.

One of the hardest parts-ok, THE hardest part- is being so far away from friends and things familiar. And I have not been bashful about talking about how much I hate visiting churches.

The other day on twitter, I noted that I can go to any dog park and I'm greeted and welcomed, but I can go to church and no one speaks to me. Some good conversation sparked from that, some wondering why and what we can do to address it in churches. I honestly don't know why this is. Maybe having a dog is such a common denominator that people feel more free to open a conversation with it.

But surely at church, where the common point is loving God and each other, we can find SOMETHING to talk to visitors about.

I will admit that I'm not the most approachable person. I'm a loner at times. I've had enough negative experiences visiting churches that I really don't radiate sunshine when I go. But generally what happens is I go in, no one speaks to me, unless there is that forced, awkward "greet visitors" time, when the people behind me will find out my name, and then I sit through the service and leave.

One person- hello @billyadams- has invited me to visit the church he goes to here in Norman, so I can't pass up the only offer I've got. :) 

All in all, maybe churches who are so focused on being the slickest marketers and using the latest jargon should take a visit to the dog park to figure out how to make people feel welcome. Just a thought.

*Patron saint of animals

Well some things have happened.

A lot has happened since I last posted. After accepting the job with OU, I found out a couple of days later that I was being kicked out of the house I'd been renting for 5 years. I was heartbroken to leave Heritage Hills. It was a wonderful place to live for 5 years, but the timing was perhaps perfect, as I was about to start commuting to Norman.

Bye house

Bye Heritage Hills

Leaving OC was sad, but felt right. I left feeling good about the place and my time there, and I will always love my coworkers.

For a month I stayed with friends in OKC and commuted to Norman. Two words- never. again. I was not made to commute. But I'm so grateful I had that cushion of time to decide where to live once I moved. At first I was tempted to just do everything like I'd done before- same style house, same style lifestyle. I just wanted to replicate everything. Then I realized I could do things differently now, if I wanted to.

One of the biggest manifestations of that was deciding to move into a place that'd let me get a dog. I've wanted a dog for a long time. I did a lot of research into every facet, and ended up with a sweet black lab mix I named Lady Bird. :)

Meet Lady Bird!

I got her the day I moved into my new place. Part of me thinks it was crazy, but when I look at the big picture, I think it was a good move. Everything in my life has been upended, and she has given me some stability and something tangible with which to move forward. She is a sweetheart of a dog. I am glad to have found her, and give a big shout out to the Pets and People animal shelter in Yukon, OK. I had a great experience with them, and they took care of her for almost all of her life.

What else? Oh yes, I started a new job. No pictures to go with that, really. I like it a lot and think it was a positive step in my career. I love the challenge and change of working with adult education in higher ed.

Enough eventfulness for you? Well let's not forget my baby sister got married!  It was a good weekend and celebration with family. She is also going to have my nephew in September! I can't wait!!!

My brother in law and sister

Now... I'm trying to find my new normals. My life involves a lot of walking the dog. We went 70 miles in the first month. Trying to make friends in Norman. Trying to adjust to life in a college town. I know I'll like it, but I grew accustomed to the crack heads and vagrants and gentry of Midtown after 5 years. :)

Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of blogging. That's it for the whirlwind update!

The actual next chapter

After four and a half good years at Oklahoma Christian University, I was offered a job at the University of Oklahoma and I accepted it. 

This is bittersweet in the way these things are. I never could have imagined what my co-workers at OC would come to mean to me; they have been my family in Oklahoma City. I was given the chance to grow a successful career in social media and web communication, with freedom and encouragement I wouldn't have received many places.

I'm so excited! This is a change I need both in my personal and professional life. If you are associated with OC, I want to reassure you that I have never been more hopeful about the future of OC. The timing is unfortunate that I will leave right when John deSteiguer starts his presidency. I admire him as a leader and friend, and assure you that I truly believe- even without my PR hat on- that the best days of OC are ahead.

Thank you for all the support you've been to me over the years. I am more hopeful about my future than I've been in a long time.