Marlboro Man is a Zombie

I've posted here a few times about my vivid dreams. Go to the right side bar and type "dreams" in the search box to read a few stories.

It is my custom to read blogs every night before I go to bed. The other night I read Pioneer Woman's "Chasing Sunsets" post and all I could think of while looking at the photos is the sunset looked like fire.

My dream started with me and a group of people at a function at Pioneer Woman's Lodge. As we looked over Oklahoma's Osage County from the Lodge deck, we saw fire in the distance. Marlboro Man and others left hurriedly to fight the fire.

In the blink of an eye, they were running up the slope towards the Lodge screaming, "Run, run! Zombies!" As we looked again over Osage County, we saw an army of zombies approaching rapidly.

People scrambled off the deck and started running away from the zombies. There was a barn in the distance and women were hearding the children toward the barn, with the men bringing up the rear of the crowd. Unfortunately, the zombies caught some of the men, Marlboro Man included. Once those men converted to zombies, they began chasing their human friends and families.

The humans were close to the barn and beginning to go inside, when the zombies caught up with the stragglers. Marlboro Man caught up with their sons (which, in my dream were older than their daughters) and converted them to zombies.

As the humans entered the barn, we saw it was set up for a party. There were round tables for 8 with tablecloths and place settings and a buffet table for food. The humans were herded through the party area and up a staircase to a loft. Everyone stood in the loft and watched as the zombies entered the barn. We thought for sure we were at the end, but a funny thing happened. The zombies sat down at the tables, as if they were the original party guests!

One of the humans yelled, "There's a back staircase. Let's leave while they are busy!" The humans raced down the stairs and across the pasture to the nearest small town. The last time I saw Pioneer Woman she was sheparding her two girls toward town. The End.

I've never met Pioneer Woman, hence I have never been to her Lodge.

I understand that reading her sunset post and viewing the photos could have made me think of prairie fires, because we had a lot of fires in 2011 in Oklahoma.

I understand that I could dream of zombies and barns, because I'm a big fan of The Walking Dead and their mid-season finale featured a barn full of zombies.

What I don't understand is how I could (or would) put Pioneer Woman and The Walking Dead in the same dream. Was the common link barns? Barns owned by the Drummonds and the barn on The Walking Dead? Why? I had not read anything about The Walking Dead or seen anything on TV about the show prior to retiring for the night.

I can only hope two things:

1. I don't have this dream again.
2. Pioneer Woman will forgive me. Or better yet, Marlboro Man will forgive me!

This is similiar to when I dreamed that Bradley Whitford lived under my bed.

Have you had any crazy dreams recently?

Livestock Marketing Center

Can't we just call it what it is?

It's a sale barn, people!

Bradley Whitford Lives Under My Bed

Last weekend, I read a blurb in David Inman's column in the weekly Tulsa World TV Guide about Bradley Whitford playing the character of serial killer Red John on "The Mentalist." (Here's a link to another story.)

I've watched 3 or 4 episodes of "The Mentalist" and think it's a decent show, but I've never been a regular viewer. I did, however, know that a serial killer named Red John had killed Patrick's wife. 

When I read that Bradley Whitford had played the killer, I was surprised. I love his acting and watched all the episodes of "West Wing" (who didn't?) and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," among other things. I thought "Wow, that's against type for him."

I didn't think anything else about this nugget of knowledge and happily went to bed and to sleep that night.

And that's when the dream started. 

Yes, the dream that Red John (Bradley Whitford) was stalking me and getting in my house whenever he wanted. The police and I couldn't figure out how he was getting in. We set up all kinds of perimeter security and had cameras everywhere outside, but could never catch him.

We couldn't catch him because he was already in the house. Living under my bed. In a room. UNDER MY BED!

The next morning, The Husband says to me, "Did you have a bad dream last night?" 

I reply, "Why, yes I did. Why do you ask?"

The Husband shakes his head and says, "You kept thrashing around and yelling 'What do you want? What do you want?', so I just turned my back to you and hoped you wouldn't knock me out of the bed with all your thrashing."

Um, gee thanks honey!

So, who (or what) lives under your bed?

{I've told you about my weird dreams before. You can read them again by clicking on the label "dreams" on the right side of the page.}

Vivid Dreams

I'm a vivid dreamer. I always have been.

Some mornings, I recite elaborate, strange dreams to my husband before we ever get out of bed.

I can remember the most minute details, as long as I tell someone the dream as soon as I awake. If I don't, by afternoon the details have faded and all I can remember is if it was strange, exciting, scary, etc.

Friday night we stayed home. Late in the evening, we watched the first episode of The History Channel's Swamp People, followed by an episode of Animal Planet's Hillbilly Handfishin'.

Jealous, aren't you? Go ahead, admit it. I'll wait.

Over it now? Okay, let's proceed with my story.

We went to bed and I dreamed of a bizarre combination of those two shows, plus a healthy sprinkling of some of my favorite post-apocalyptic books such as The Stand, Lucifer's Hammer and The Road.

I dreamt of the world as we know it ending and the only people who survived were those who had skills like alligator hunting or fishing by hand.

I woke up several times during the night. And every time I fell asleep again, I fell back into the same dream.

"As God is my witness," I drank only ice tea Friday evening.

Seriously.

I either need to more carefully choose the shows I watch or have a cocktail or two before bedtime!

Questions:
Perhaps I should learn to noodle and hunt alligators? Would I then feel more prepared and not have dreams on this topic? Or, should I quit reading post-apocalyptic books? Or, quit watching those tv shows? Or, go for counseling? The possibilities are endless.

Mullinville, Kansas - Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose

After leaving Dodge City, we drove and drove and ended up in:

This was a very interesting little town for a couple of reasons. First was a Yard Art Studio.

The artist making one, of many, statements:

The artist has created an OVERWHELMING amount of yard art. We took the following video, in an attempt to give you an idea of the quantity. Let me just say, the video does not capture the awe inspiring reality.

As we drove around the town (all the better to get the video), we saw that a number of the houses proudly displayed items from this artist. We took photos of a few pieces in a couple of yards.

Yard # 1:

Yard # 2:

Second interesting item, as we drove out of town:

Our thoughts were "Not the kind of sign a person expects to see in Kansas."

As we continued motoring down the road, we came to the town of Greensburg, KS. On May 4, 2007, an EF5 tornado destroyed 95% of the town and killed 11 people. Greensburg is rebuilding as a "green" town. As we drove through town, everywhere we looked there were signs of construction, which equates to progress in the rebuilding effort.

The contrast in these two towns made me think:

• It just goes to show, it can be "fun & games" in one location, while it is "life & death" in another location not far away.
• Practice tolerance. (You don't have to accept, but peacefully tolerate).
• Support others through their tragedies.
• Enjoy life every day.

Thanks, Kansas, for providing an interesting drive.

Job Specific Yard Art

I had no idea the firefighters in Woodward, OK were yard art connoisseurs! We drove by the station recently and snapped a couple of photos.

See part of the fire department sign and the truck through the window?

Now, look closely under the flagpole:

                               

A fireman and a fireplug! How appropriate...and cute...and subtle, very, very subtle!

I've been following and playing The Yard Art Game for a few months. I wonder how many points the Mistress of the game will give me for this report?

Update on Buford

As I reported on June 26th, Buford - the mascot for Harvard Meats - was injured in an encounter with two children.

We recently stopped in to purchase some of the fine meats available there and I took the opportunity to inquire about Buford's condition.

He is currently recovering inside the facility. His horns have been re-attached.

Left:

Right:

I was not aware until this visit that Buford has also suffered from a broken tail. He was a bit embarrased to let me take this photo, but finally gave permission:

I had planned to tell all Tulsans to go visit Buford and give him a hug or a pat, but he is very skittish now and has posted a sign on himself asking that people "don't touch please." I can't say that I blame him.

Buford did seem to enjoy my conversation with him. The fact that I was interested in his recovery seemed to perk him up.

Go now and visit Buford! Cheer him up and buy some meat! You'll won't regret either!

NOTE: I am in no way affiliated with Harvard Meats and was given no compensation for these posts. We patronize the shop because they are a locally owned business and they have great meat. These posts are simply a by product of my strange sense of humor!

Buford Has Been Injured!

I found out today that Buford, the mascot for Harvard Meats, has been injured.

Children decided to hang off his horns. You can guess what happened. Both horns broke off his head. The account we heard was that the parents were right there when their children injured Buford. I will say no more on this part of the story.

Horn reconstruction was being attempted on poor Buford when we were at the shop Saturday. Fingers crossed the surgery is successful.

Next time you see Buford, give him a pat or a hug. He needs one.

A Case of Mistaken Identity

The Husband and I left Tulsa last Thursday afternoon to drive to Indiana. Our plan was to drive a few hours and stop for the night. We pulled into a small Missouri town, which shall remain nameless, and checked into a hotel. As is our habit, we asked for a recommendation for a locally owned restaurant for dinner.

The restaurant was a nice steakhouse, which was not busy when we arrived. We had our choice of seats and settled on a spot across the room from a party of 3 couples. We chatted with the waitress, ordered cocktails, reviewed the menu and placed our food order.

We never paid any attention to the party of 6 just a few feet away. They paid their bill and started making their way past our table to the door. I had my back to the group. The Husband looked up and, being the polite guy that he is, smiled as they passed.

One of the men paused at our table and said to The Husband, "Nice to see you again." The Husband said in response "Nice to see you also."

At the same time, one of the women had turned back and was directing a very disgusted look at me.

As the group walked out the door, The Husband and I looked at each other and I said, "That man must have thought he knew you."

He said, "I know and that woman was giving you a really dirty look as she walked to the table."

We began laughing, speculating that those folks thought someone they knew was stepping out with a strange woman.

We later told the waitress the story and asked if she knew the people because we wanted her to tell them we were strangers in town and my husband is not who they thought. She knew one couple by sight, but not the others.

She went back to the kitchen and told the story. The staff agreed my husband looks like the former editor of newspaper, who has lived there years and years. Plus, his first name and my husband's first name are the same, so the group could have also heard me calling him by name.

And, to top it all off, as the waitress said "And you look NOTHING like his wife."

So there you have it. We may have unintentionally besmirched one poor guy's good reputation with a few folks in a small Missouri town.

We told the waitress we were depending on her to straighten it out, next time she sees those folks!

I'm Baaaaaaack!

I just arrived home a short while ago.

I'll have stories to tell you over the next few days.

Beautiful Blogger Award From Jenn

Jenn, over at Perspective Required, gave me the Beautiful Blogger award:

The original rules of this award were to list 7 interesting things about yourself. Jenn modified the rules and listed 7 bizarre little quirks and/or weird chapters from her past. Now she wants to know the same about me! Here it goes:

1) I count things. All the time. All things. The Husband knows if we are out driving and pass a field of cows, he can ask me how many cows were there and I can tell him. (OCD, anyone?)

2) I check, re-check and re-check to make sure the doors are locked every evening. (OCD, anyone?)

3) I only allow myself to eat Funyons in the car while on a long road trip. Otherwise, I'd want them all the time.

4) I love laundry. I love the whole act of taking a pile of dirty clothes and making them clean, fresh smelling and put away in their correct places.

5) I've read Mrs. Mike at least 25 times since I was a young teenager. I just love this book!

6) The Husband has banned me from looking up any illness on the internet. If I have a common cold, after looking on the internet I will be convinced I have the most bizarre ailment. He uses "that" tone of voice and tells me, "Do NOT look on the internet, Cindy."

7) I have been a Trekkie since the original show was first aired. I've seen all the movies based on the original show. I've also seen most of the Star Trek, The Next Generation episodes. I absolutely adore the comedy "The Big Bang Theory" because the guys are such geeks and quote Star Trek a lot.

There you have it, Jenn. A little peek into what makes me, me. Hope it doesn't scare you away!

Now, all of you go visit Jenn and get to know her! Perspective Required

Monday, October 5th - Accomplishments

1) I cleaned the front flower bed of weeds & magnolia leaves

2) I cleaned our front porch of cobwebs

3) I cleaned the front porch furniture of dust

4) I purchased fabric to make tableclothes for Fall, Halloween & Thanksgiving

5) I did needlework for 1.5 hours today

6) I cooked a fabulous meal tonight

7) I cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes

Tasks 4-7 were done while wearing pearls. (Channeling June Cleaver!)

Thank you. Thank you, very much!

(Channeling Elvis!)