Tulsa, OK

We have been in Tulsa, OK for the past couple of days.  We used to live here.  It has been fun riding around seeing how things have changed.  We lived in Broken Arrow just outside of Tulsa.  When we were there it was a relatively small community.  Today it has spread far and wide.

This area seems to be doing well economically, unlike back home in Florida.  They are building everywhere.  Stores are filled with people.  Maybe that is because the daytime temperature is 105 degrees.  Better to spend the weekend in a air conditioned store than to run you air at home.

We drove by our old house on S. Date St.  It looks about the same now as it did then.  In those days, that was the new part of town.  Today it is an old established neighborhood with tall trees.  When we lived there there was no shade.  Only very small trees lined the streets.

We drove by our children's school.  Arrow Springs Elementary was not far from our house.  Pete and Jason could walk to school each day.  Seeing this old neighborhood brought back many memories of old friends and acquaintances.   We drove by the little park where the boys discovered turtles that climb trees. I didn't believe their tale so they had to take me to see them.  Sure enough, there is a turtle here that does indeed climb trees.  We wondered if there were still any around.

We remembered the day the boys dragged a dog home.  They said it was a stray and it just followed them.  I am not so sure about that.  They begged to keep it.  I relented and "Daisy" became a part of our family.  Daisy didn't reveal a little secret she had though.  A few weeks later we were greeted with four little puppies.  One of them was pure silver in color.  They were all so cute they were all adopted in no time.

When we moved back to Florida, Daisy came along.  She loved to lie out in the middle of the street and sleep.  It wasn't a busy street but we always feared she would be hit.  Keeping her out of it was impossible.  When the kids were outside so was Daisy.

One day a car came down the street and ran right over here.  She just got up and walked away.  Another time she was hit by a dump truck.  I thought she was done for that time but with the kids praying fervently for her revival, she regained her strength and was soon back to being Daisy.  After this encounter we nicknamed her "Rubber Dog".  We have laughed about that many times.

By the time we moved over to Cape Coral, Daisy was very old.  We let her out one day and she returned all torn up.  At that time we had a couple of bobcats that hung around our house.  We were way out in the undeveloped area of the city at that time.  I suspect she tangled with one of them and lost.  Her wounds would not heal.  She began a spiral downward.  It was time for Daisy to be put down.  I will never forget the pleading look in her eyes as she was taken away.  She seemed to know this was the end.

Now I have another dog.  I didn't want a dog.  I inherited our granddog from our son when he decided to go into the Marines.  Our intent was to keep her until he returned but she became part of our home.  She travels with us today.  We love her company.  It is like having a kid all over again.  We spoil her and make a fuss over here all the time.  She is almost nine years old now.  She is turning gray.  In the back of my mine I know that day will come when she too will have to go.  I hate to think about it.  I didn't want her but now I don't want to be without her.

My son had Buddy's sister.  Her name was Aubrey.  They loved getting together to play when John would visit or we would visit John.  Buddy seemed to know when we were going to see her sister.  She would get all excited when we were near her house.

Sadly, Aubrey developed bone cancer.  Our son had to put her down a few weeks ago.  I know the pain he feels losing a best friend like that.  She was always there to greet him when he came home each night.  We have encouraged him to get another dog but he is reluctant.  I know if I was in his position I don't think I would want another dog right away either.   I would always be comparing it to Buddy.  I would be expecting it to behave like Buddy.  That wouldn't be fair to the new dog.

Isn't it strange how your thoughts wander sometimes?  We have spent much time this weekend thinking about the days that have gone by.  When we were in our youth and our kids still looked to us for everything.  We fondly recall, "Mommy, wipe my hinney."  Those truly were the best days of our lives.