Part 6

Lydia knew he was going to ask that question. She should have kept her head together, but being so close to him for the last few days had her reeling. "I'm not sure I know exactly what you're asking," she replied instead. "I'm also not sure this is a conversation I want to have with you," she said quickly as she disentangled herself, grabbing her robe and scooting from the bed before he could reach her. She found his pants and threw them at him. "Get dressed," she said, walking down the hallway.

Tyler was angry now. They had just shared an amazing experience, and she needed to know how special it had been. But she was angry, her back straight, her head high. He shoved his legs into his pants, looking for his shirt. He shrugged into it, marching up the hall after her.

"If you're asking why you, I certainly didn't plan this. And I can guarantee I wasn't waiting for you to come back and sweep me off my feet," she said with a little bite in her voice.

"That's not what I meant," Tyler started. "If you would give me a minute, I could explain."

"Whatever," she said. "I know you don't want to hear my sob story."

"Why are you so angry with me?" he demanded. He stalked across the kitchen, grabbing her arm and turning her. Now she was forced to look at him. Tears were the last thing he expected to see. He couldn't handle tears. "Baby, don't cry," he said helplessly.

"I really think that you should go," she said, wrenching herself from his arms, again. She liked it better when his arms were wrapped tightly around her, but he was getting a little too close to some very touchy subjects. She felt his warmth against her back as he came to stand behind her. She liked the symbolism, but knew he wouldn't always be there for her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, his breath brushing her ear. He felt her stiffen at that comment. This was not going to end well.

"Yes you are," she replied fiercely. "When the wedding is over, you're gone. And that's part of the problem, Tyler. You're leaving again." She took a deep breath and wiped her face. She turned back to him, her face blank. "I think you need to go back to the apartment now."

That went well, Tyler thought angrily as he stalked across the yard to the little garage apartment. For the last few days he had been with her way too much. He had felt the pull when Josiah had told him who the apartment belonged to, but he had tried to ignore what he had been feeling. She was right, too. When the wedding was over, he was leaving. He was going back to his island without her. That didn't make him as happy as it should have. Not looking forward to another sleepless night, he climbed the stairs to the tiny apartment, resisting the urge to slam the door off its hinges as he entered.



The bells above the door tinkled and Josie looked up. She grinned as Tyler came through the door of her music store. She liked Josiah's friend. Not only was he sexy, but he was intelligent, polite, and he made Lydia smile. "You look like hell. What's up?" she asked cheerfully.

She was rewarded with a smirk that made her laugh. There was only one reason for this mood. It could only be her best friend.

"What is Lydia's deal?" he asked. There was no point beating around the bush. Games were not on his agenda for today. Neither was the way that Josie laughed at him.

"I knew it had to be her. You aren't the first one to ask me that," she couldn't help but tease him. He was in such a bad mood, she had to.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," he said through clenched teeth. He stopped, took a deep breath, and started over.

"What have I done that made her so mad at me?" he asked.

Suddenly Josie knew what had happened. When she had spoken to Lydia that morning, she had seemed out of sorts. Now Tyler was asking about her. The haggard, sleepless look on his face was another clue. "You had sex with her, didn't you?" she whispered. They were alone in the store, but this was still not news that needed to be broadcast in this little town. "Oh, Tyler, what have you done?"

Tyler took offense to that. "We are both consenting adults," he replied in a hushed whisper of his own. "It's not like I forced her."

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Josie hurriedly tried to placate him. "She hasn't had the easiest time over the last few years. But this is really something that she should tell you."

"She won't talk to me. I can't get her to stop long enough to look at me, much less have a conversation."

Josie fought with herself. She could help Tyler out, knowing that her friend must have deep feelings for him. But did she want to hurt her friend even more by pushing her closer to a man that wasn't staying? Were they all wrong?, she wondered. Would he stay for the right reason?

Making a snap decison, hoping her intuition was right, she blurted out quickly, "She's teaching a dance class tonight at 6. She's done by 7. Make her talk to you."

Fric and Frac

I was putting together a lasagna and listening to the news when I heard an interesting story. The government is now going to recognize the same sex partners of their government employees who are overseas at diplomatic posts. If your partner is with you, they will now get the same treatment as spouses. I think this is a great move. We had people over there that had received no self defense or combat training, they were not eligible to be evacuated, and they were not eligible for medical treatment. I think that's crazy to begin with. If our government is trying to micromanage every move it's citizens make here, they could at least micromanage overseas as well. I think this is a big step in gay rights. Maybe there will start to be some recognition of partners in other areas.

Gas prices are going up again. Isn't that lovely? At first the excuse was that the oil companies were changing to their summer blend. That's for tea, not gas. You cannot tell me that gas changes that much from season to season. That's like saying you can't wear white after Labor Day. I can, and I do. They are trying to make more money over the holiday weekend. Oil prices went up as well. I think we should put a cap on what gas can cost. That would certainly curtail the price gouging and record profits. Not that it's going to do them much good with several car companies going out of business and cutting production. Not only that, but the employees that they laid off can't afford the gas anyway. Does anyone see a cycle besides me?

While we're talking about the price of gas, the price of diesel is lower than the cost of regular unleaded. I remember when gas prices first started going up, the oil companies said it was more expensive to produce diesel than regular gas. I hope they don't think that they are not being watched. With the bank scandals, mortgage crisis, and the war, maybe they think people aren't paying attention. Guess what? We're still paying attention.

There was a new discovery in Germany that has the scientific world just jumping for joy. The recent remains that they found are said to be a "missing link' between our former selves and our new selves. The picture I saw of the skeleton had a tail. That's a little nuts. It also has opposable thumbs. Gee, it couldn't be a primate of some kind? I know we are, too, but you aren't really going to believe that are you? This thing is not a missing link. Want to know how they dated it? The same way they do other things-carbon dating. They dated the rocks around it and that means the find was that old. Carbon dating isn't the most reliable test they could ever do.

We teach creation science in our home. That means that God created the Earth and all things on it in six days. We do discuss evolution, but I have the smartest kids ever. They don't believe it either. We can understand that some parts of our bodies have evolved and changed due to lifestyle and progress, but we do not believe that we developed from apes. If that were the case, why do we still have monkeys and apes? Wouldn't they have all evolved? Just a question.

And do you really think I would let this opportunity go by without saying a few words about our leader? He has to appoint a new justice to the Supreme Court. Any time this happens, it scares me. I am hoping for a judge that can take the law, look at it without bias, and make a fair and informed ruling. I live in the land called Perfect. You should join me. Our opinions and views are shaped by the way we were raised, how we live, our environment and belief system. That clouds the judgement of even the best person. I am just praying that Obama has the common sense that others seem to think he has and will use good, sound judgement. I am very against picking a person to fill a minority quota of some kind. I fill all kinds of minority quotas, but I want to be chosen because of my intelligence and the ability to do the job, not because I fit three different statistics.

I could go on and on, but I smell lasagna and I'm hungry. Keep an eye on our leaders. They all need to know that we are the people that are being represented. And if it's too good to be true, it usually is.

Don't Mess With Texas

On Facebook, I had put on my wall that I miss Texas and I do. I shall now wax poetic about the greatest place ever.

Texas history is rich and full and colorful. It had influences from Mexico, Spain, France, Native American, and from wherever all the settlers came from. Texans fought hard for independence and the right to govern themselves. And they won that right. Even after it joined the US, it still reserved the right to remove itself and become a country unto itself. How freakin' great is that?

The state of Texas is vast and seemingly endless in some places. It encompasses many different types of geography. It has a little bit of something for everyone. There are the Piney Woods of East Texas. You could always go Hill Country in South Central Texas. There is always the Gulf Coast of Texas. The mountains of West Texas and the desert.

I am from North Central Texas. I grew up outside of Ft. Worth, Texas in a little bitty town. At that time it was small and when football season was over, there really wasn't anything else to do. We did live close enough to Ft. Worth that big city was only fifteen minutes away. I had the best of both worlds. Our malls were big and our hair was bigger. We had high school rivalries and used to cruise Camp Bowie. That was just nuts, but it was fun too.

Football rules in Texas. Friday night is the best night ever and there are so many ways to soak up the essence and be a part of Friday Night Football. I was in marching band. I loved it. It was one of the funnest things I have ever done. People who think it's easy should try to memorize several songs, and marching steps and counts at the same time. Sometimes you're running and playing at the same time. You have to maintain your playing while you're racing to get to your next spot. Every week, a different group was highlighted. We had drill team, flag core, and majorettes. They were actually very good.

Our football team was very good. They made the playoffs several times and even got to go to State. That was incredible. It certainly brought everyone in town out and together and showing solidarity for their home town boys. The town was empty of people on those Friday nights.

Our cheerleaders were fantastic. Most of them were gymnasts of some level. We even had a couple that could have trained for the Olympics and had been scouted for that reason. They made it all the way to Nationals and got to go to Florida for the National Championships. They got more and more daring every year and always had great routines.

The student fans are the ones that really make a football game. They have such a great energy and are really fun. They would yell really loud and paint their faces and their bodies and just show off. I loved 'em.

People in Texas drive as fast as they can all the time. They are not afraid to speed, and the cops are not afraid to pull you over. The problem is deciding who to pull over. It's like shooting fish in a fish bowl. None of them know how to use their brakes that's for sure. If you do the speed limit, you will get run over. It doesn't matter if you are in the slow lane or not. The slow lane is not slow, it's just not as fast as everyone else. Buckle up and hold on is the best advice I can give you.

We like things big in Texas, and that includes our vehicles. The bigger the better. Usually the bigger the truck, the smaller the woman driving it. My sister has a Suburban and will not trade it for anything, except another Suburban. She drives that thing like it's a Mini Cooper. She can get in and out of anywhere in that bad boy. That's how they make 'em in Texas.

I always say that any good Texan is a proud Texan. I am a good Texan. I am proud to call that state my home. I don't live there now, but I yearn to go back. My heart pulls me that way each day. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I have recently reconnected with several friends that still live close to the area that we grew up in. My problem with that is that I have so many new friends here that I would miss if I were to go back. Decisions, decisions, but not for right now.

If you get a chance to go to Texas, I would highly recommend it. There is art and culture; outdoor activities like kayaking, rafting, and rock climbing; hunting and fishing is abundant; beaches and islands to explore; theme parks and fairs and so much more. Find something you like to do and you can do it in Texas. Enjoy!

Part 5

I need to take a little license if you don't mind. I just can't get the conversation where I want it, so I'm skipping that part until I can get it right. If it works out, I'll post it. Thank you for your cooperation.


"Tyler, you need a haircut," Josie pronounced at dinner.

Somehow, they had managed dinner together every night. Josie knew that Josiah wanted to spend time with Tyler, and she was willing to give him that. But she wanted her time, too. The compromise was dinner together and then the boys could go play. Lydia was trying to decide who was trying to push her and Tyler together worse- Josie, Josiah, or Tyler himself.

Lydia wasn't having any of it from any of them. She already had way too many feelings for Tyler, feelings that had apparently not gone anywhere in eight years. He wasn't staying, though. He was going back to his island to hide. Hide from what, she could only imagine. But she knew he was running from his own demons. She needed a man that could be there for her, not holding her close one minute then pushing away. She had decided that love was not meant to be easy for her.

"I don't want a haircut," Tyler complained. He could already feel it. Josie was working those big, doe eyes of hers. Josiah had warned him. Josie always got what she wanted. "Fine, I'll get a haircut," he said, rolling his eyes at Lydia, watching the smile light up her face.

"Lydia took so cosmotology classes. She's actually very good," Josie said, looking at her friend.

Lydia just rolled her eyes. "I know what you're doing," she replied to her friend. "Tyler should really go to Paula's, if he knows what's good for him."

"I'll let you do it," he interjected quietly. "If it's too bad, we'll buzz it when you're done."

Lydia turned her head to look at him. He pinned her to her seat with the heat, and she forced herself to look away. I will not let this happen, she said to herself, yet feeling like the mantra was no longer true. She remained quiet through the rest of dessert. Unlike the previous two nights, Josie left with Josiah, instead of Tyler. That left Tyler and Lydia, and the walk back to the house.


"If you don't hold still, I'm going to cut your ear," Lydia slapped at Tyler's hands one more time. "I might cut off a finger."

"How much are you cuttin' off?" Tyler asked loudly. "There's a ton of hair down on the floor."

"You haven't had a hair cut in almost a year, so get over it," she replied. "You wanted me to do this, so stop. Be still." She slapped at his hand again, not quite able to help the smile from forming. He was like a little boy sitting in his first barber chair.

"Alright, but hurry. I want to see what you've done to me."

Lydia's hands in his hair were about to send Tyler into over load. Her hands were on his body, pleasure swelling into goosebumps all over his body. She was close enough that he could inhale and gorge himself on her scent. She smelled clean, with a hint of vanilla and lavender. His hands itched to touch her. It was all he could do to keep his hands in his lap. That part was noticing how close she was, too. The first time he had a female induced one of these in over a year and it was Lydia. After what finally seemed like forever, she stopped cutting.

"Let me see, and then I'll let you see," she said, a little breathless. Touching Tyler, being this close to him, was not good for her. It did things for her body that almost guaranteed a really bad haircut. She stepped in front of him, between his legs to check the top, and found herself trapped. He had placed his hands on her hips and brought his legs closer together, keeping her in place. She looked down and caught his eyes. Her lips parted on a smal breath as she saw the emotions that played and warred with each other.

"Please," he whispered.

One word had her moving closer, close enough to brush his lips with hers. From that moment, things moved in slow motion, yet sped by at the same time. She couldn't breathe, but had lungs full of air. He carried her upstairs and down the hall to her bedroom. She had always thought that she could get through this without giving in. She hadn't realized that the decison had already been made. She had never really had a choice but to love Tyler Wickam.

They undressed each other without a word. Their bodies, their faces said everything that needed to be said, except one thing. Tyler's eyes widened when he broke through her barrier. He had not expected that, not expected that she had never had a lover. He stilled, looking at Lydia, the shadows playing on her face. He didn't know if he should keep going or stop.

"Please," she whispered.

One word had him moving again, kissing her softly, gently while he brought her closer and closer. He was going to make it special for her. She cried out his name, he cried out hers. She was holding him as tightly as she could. He rolled over, holding her and asked her, "Why?"

George Carlin

While I am not a fan of all of George Carlin's stuff, I still think most of what he did was fabulous. I loved his turn at acting and thought his "Bill & Ted" role made the movie. I got this email from a friend of mine and had to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This is pretty much what I have been trying to tell people with this blog. We have placed importance on the wrong things.


The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings and shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.We've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight or hit delete.

Remember: Spend some time with your loved ones because they are not going to be around forever.

Say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe because that little person will soon grow up and leave your side.

Give a warm hug to the one next to you because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Say "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak. And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And Always Remember:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take your breath away.

George Carlin was a genius in so many ways. He was a comedian that was thought provoking and insightful. He was a treasure to our society and a voice for so many. He will be missed by me. I hope that you take this message to heart and start to realize that things are not important. The next big thing is the next big thing until the next big thing comes around. People are so much more important than anything else. Are you treating people right? Are you being treated the right way? If not, start changing yourself, and then change the ones around you. Go for love and kindness instead of the quickest way out.

Just Tidying Up

It's one of those days when I feel like blogging, I just don't know what to blog about. I guess it's random blog night.

• I really like reading my friend's blogs. I even read blogs of people that I almost got to know. There are some really inspirational blogs out there. One blog I read is always teaching me something about the human race that is positive. I like to read the blogs of the homeschool moms because I get really great ideas. Thanks for the bullet points, Tiffany. I also get a little sympathy and can give sympathy. Safety in numbers, maybe?

• I have really been enjoying downloading pictures into the computer. We have an older camera and software. I didn't really like using it for awhile because I coudn't figure it out. I am not a read the directions kind of girl. I like to think I'm smart enough to figure it out on my own. It took me awhile, but between Facebook and my blogs, I've gotten more comfortable with it. It's alot of fun, too. I can scrapbook with it. With an internet connection, I cna do all kinds of things.

• I am not as computer savvy as I'd like to be. I know alot, but I would like to know more about PowerPoint and Excel. Those are two programs that I never had to use in my professional life, and haven't used in my personal life. One of our co-op moms does a PowerPoint presentation with her lessons. It puts us all to shame.

• Today is hubby's birthday. He didn't want me to tell anybody, so I told everyone at our 10 o'clock service that I could. We usually let the bday person pick the dinner meal, whether eat out or cook at home. Hubby chose to stay home. We bought some crab legs and two beautiful steaks. The steaks got marinated and grilled, the crab legs got boiled. It was so good.

• I made an ice cream cake that was FABULOUS! I got the recipe from a friend of mine. Thank you, D. Everybody loved it. Go to the Homeschoolshus blog for the recipe. It is easy and simple and you can change anything and everything and have a different cake every time.

I guess that's all for now. If something Earth shattering happens, you know I'll be back. I'm looking at the top choices for the Supreme Court. I may blog about that. But I will be back with Part 5 of Tyler and Lydia's story. They are dancing around my brain, but haven't quite decided where they were going. I will update as soon as I know. Thanks for helping me clear out a little room.

God Plant

This is what my neighbor calls a God plant. They grow by the grace of God. You don't have to do anything, He takes care of it. My mother saw it in the neighbor's yard and had to have one. Seeing as she couldn't get it to her home 1500 miles away, we planted it in my yard. Plants for me have to be God plants. I forget about them, don't water them, and kill them. This just does it's thing and I love it. And there's a new shoot this year. I just need to keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't try to take over. If anyone knows the real name of this plant, I would love to know to.