O-K OZ

Cowardly Lion -"Alright, I'll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch, guards or no guards, I'll tear them apart. I may not come out alive, but I'm going in there. There's only one thing I want you fellows to do."
Tin Woodsman and Scarecrow - "What's that?"
Cowardly Lion - "Talk me out of it."


Amy is seemingly doing better physically. We got out with the intention of doing some Christmas shopping today...I'm not sure we actually did any but we did spend a lot of time amidst the throng of shoppers.

Amy had to pick up something from a friend who sells something one of the girls wanted. I waited in the car and woke up 45 minutes later. That's a good life lesson...never pass up the opportunity for a good nap.

Among the stores we waded into was Sam's and since the weather had suddenly turned frigid I dropped Amy out front while I parked somewhere near Waco and allowed the 20 degree storm gusts to propel me quickly toward the doors. It wasn't until I got inside the giant store that I realized I had left my cell phone in the car. I assured myself I could find Amy sans technology and walked the store perimeter 4 or 5 times availing myself of the free samples each trip around with little or no shame. I never spotted Amy, but I do recommend the fake seafood salad...I don't know what they make fake seafood out of, but I'm fairly certain it's best not to ask.

Eventually I trudged back through the blustering winds to the car and got my phone.

Stores are so big we have to each carry mobile phones lest we lose each other shopping.

Amy was in aisle 34 befuddled by the high price of the 80 pack boxes of gum.

We opted against the gum but still spent 80 dollars, some of which was spent on fake seafood salad at the last minute.

Tiffany and her boyfriend joined us for dinner. When all three kids and Amy sit down to a meal especially when they haven't seen each other for a long time there is no semblance of sanity to the conversation. It took me years to figure out how to listen to what appear to be four different discussions going on at once and realize they're somehow all tied together. Tiffany's boyfriend was completely in the dark. I merely offered him a knowing glance of reassurance. I'm assuming it's like one of those "immersion" language courses, you simply have to be constantly exposed to it and then one day it makes a degree of sense.

He'll learn.

Some days you go shopping in order to sleep, you go walking in order to eat, you realize your only link to sanity is a cell phone and that being confused is easily tolerable if there is food nearby.

There's nothing to fear really....once you find the order amid the chaos

Auntie Em -"Why don't you find a place where there isn't any trouble?"
Dorothy-"A place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away. Behind the moon, beyond the rain."