my favorite things about staying at my sister's house...

1. Cinammon Toast Crunch (CTC)
2. Air Matress
3. Discovery HD
4. Staying up late with Olivia
5. Dual dog slobber wake up calls at 6am (Thanks Millie and Lucy)

"The Beard Experiment: Part 2"

Call it curiosity, call it vanity, or call it plain stupidity...I like to think of my beard as an ongoing sociological experiment. The variable is my facial hair, and the subjects of my experiment are everyone I know or come into contact with. What am I looking for? What do I hope to learn from this experiment? Truth is, I don't know. I guess that's why part one didn't satisfy me. So, get ready everyone...here comes part 2! This one is sure to be longer, hairier, and much much more hard core than before!

CB Top 5

I made it back from Colorado. We did some biking, climbing, hiking, swimming, and lots of eating!!! Here's a list of a few highlights from Crested Butte...

1. The absolutely AWESOME shooting star that we saw Friday night.
2. Pad Thai at the Ginger Cafe.
3. Swimming across Long Lake.
4. Pancakes Saturday morning.
5. All the super cool houses on Pitchfork (including Elena's house)

on the move

So, I'm off to Colorado this week for a short summer vacation. Gonna breathe some of that clean mountain air, swim in the cool flowing waters, and pick gravel out of my shins and teeth after my body remembers how long it has been since it's ridden a bike, loses control, and plows down the face of whatever mountain I'm on.

"We were all delighted, we all realized we were leaving confusion and nonsense behind and performing our one and noble function of the time, move."
--Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Manual Transmission...Manual Labor

Today I started my new job. I'll be managing the renovation of my grandmother's house over the next couple of months. I jumped right into some tree trimming today. I'd much rather be inside painting or refinishing floors. Unfortunately, the next couple of weeks will be on the manual labor side of things, but in the mean time I am learning to drive a standard transmission. My grandpa is loaning me his old truck this summer, and I have never driven a stick. I had a few bad experiences with it today, but for the most part I love it!!! At the end of this I hope to be a few pounds lighter, a bit darker, and actually able to take my cousin's '66 Mustang Fastback out for a joy ride.

On Death

"Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance."
-Kahlil Gibran, from THE PROPHET

Up Before The Sun

I love early morning, just before sunrise. The lone sounds of birds chirping...the cool still air...and the saturated colors that only moring light can create. Oklahoma must have some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the world. I challenge you to find one more beautiful. So if you don't already, get up once this week to see the sun rise. Off to work now...

She Has No Time

Helen Elaine Davis passed away early Saturday morning, April 9, 2005 in the Cushing Regional Hospital at the age of 84 years.
The daughter of the late Reuben E. Johnson and Mabel L. Johnson, Helen was born on Sept. 13, 1920 in Duncan, OK and was reared and educated in Duncan graduating from Duncan High School. Following high school she attended Jr. College and Business College and for several years was a secretary at the Oklahoma National Bank in Duncan.
She was united in marriage to A. Leo Davis on Oct. 6, 1946, making their home in Cushing, where they owned and operated the Davis Funeral Home. Leo preceded her in death in July of 1984.
Helen was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church. She loved her church and attended regularly. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and especially her grandchildren, Olivia and Kristopher, who were the light of her life.
She was a member of the Hypatia Club, P.E.O., and the Cushing Country Club and for many years had been a member of the Ladies Golf Association. Helen enjoyed reading, playing golf, playing bridge, and when Leo was still living, they enjoyed traveling, especially their trips to Hawaii.
While her daughter was in grade school, she was active in P.T.A., Brownies, and Girl Scouts.
Survivors include her loving family; one daughter Denise Elaine Kinzie and her husband Kris of Cushing; grandchildren, Olivia Elaine Porter and her husband Matthew of Tulsa and Kristopher Davis Kinzie, of Norman, and other relatives and friends
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by one sister, Jean Tarwater and her husband Bill; her in-laws, Harry and Mary Alice Davis and a brother-in-law, Dr. Orville Davis.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 at 2 P.M. in the First United Methodist Church with Reverend Ted Uhlig, officiating.
Special music will be provided by Holly Tichenor and Pam Birch, both of Tulsa.
Serving as casket bearers will be Kristopher Kinzie, Matthew Porter, Dr. Jeff Fielding, Ken Hibbard, Dr. Frank Denney and Charlie Meyers. Burial will follow in the Fairlawn Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church to be used for new hymnals, in her memory. Condolences may be e-mailed to the Davis family at DavisFHCushing@sbcgloabl.net. Services are under the direction of the Davis Funeral Home.