Living on Tulsa Time

There is a country song called "Living on Tulsa Time" which of course I sing every time I go to Oklahoma. I think my mother said one of the things that bugged her about my dad (they are now divorced) was that every time they went on a trip, he would keep his watch on Oklahoma time and have to count ahead or behind an hour every time she asked him the time.

I flew to Oklahoma Thursday through Sunday. All my siblings were there, to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday. My mom came too, because she likes to be where her kids are. We kept our parents on separate sides of the room and in separate cars so there were no altercations.


Each time I arrive in Oklahoma, one of the first things I see is men in cowboy hats and boots. You just don't see cowboy hats and boots in North Carolina. Here are some of my family at a restaurant, and you can see a hat in the background.


To commemorate my trip, I bought this cute little purse for a souvenir. I will use it as a little sewing bag (I keep needles, thread, scissors in almost every room in my house.)



There are oil wells everywhere in Oklahoma. The styles have changed over the years, now they don't look like it so much, but there used to be a little metal thing that the oil well appeared to be bending over, and as it pumped up and down it looked to my imagination like a gigantic metal mother ant caring for her baby ant.

Our family toured all over, and I was excited to see Hogshooter Creek (by my childhood home) and also Hellroarin Creek (near where my dad had a rock crusher). I remember it felt naughty as a kid to say "Hellroarin Creek" because it was almost like cussing.