Here's to You Mrs. Robinson

At the request of my mother, I am digging up my blog, dusting it off, and starting to write again. This is the one way she can keep track of my adventures through Texas without having to hear me drone on and on through phone conversations. So, here is to you Mom....

A lot has changed in the few months (9???) since I stopped writing in this blog. My intent when I started writing a year ago was to catalog my adventures West (with hopes of one day selling them as a cracked up memoir of such). However, life took over, school started, and nine months later here we sit in a completely different place then intended. When we left Virginia for Oklahoma last year, my intent was to begin school in the fall to fulfill requirements toward pharmacy school. And, I did just that. I took 18 credit hours of Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, and Physics. And, if I do say so myself, I kicked ass. However, I quickly realized that commuting two hours a day, working my ass off, and being poor was not what I wanted at 31 years old. So, at the end of the spring semester I ditched school (farewell freshman biology) and decided to return to the working world. I have always been a firm believer that things happen for a reason. After I made the decision to leave school I began scurrying to find a job. I applied for mental health positions, teaching (subbing) positions, and even considered waitressing. We were not desperate money but I was desperate for some sort of stimulus.

I applied for a job one evening at about 1:00 am out of pure desperation. There was an add in the local Republican (YEE HAW!) paper advertising an education position with the United Way. They were looking for someone with a master's, experience in education, and non-profit experience. Figuring that I had two out of the three I sent my resume to the e-mail address listed. I was called early the next morning for an interview and told that this was the last day they were interviewing. I quickly gathered myself and my belongings and tried to fake non-profit experience (RFP's...sure, I've written those (NOT!), grants...tons of experience...NOT!). The interview process went extremely well (or at least I would like to think it did), but I was competing against twelve other people for this position. For the second interview I was given a scenario that I had to research and present an idea on. I pulled out all the stops...flashy powerpoint, colorful presentation packet, winning smile. Needless to say, they called me two hours after my second interview and offered me the position.

I have been working for the United Way since February 16. I have learned more than I ever though possible. In three short months I have formed committees, been interviewed for TV, participated in the writing of both a 2.6 and 20 million dollar grant, and formed incredible connections with people. This job is a blessing because I am allowed to be incredibly creative and advocate for education.

While it may seem that I have given up on my dreams of further education...nothing could be further from the truth. My position at the United Way is flexible enough that I can attend school to work toward a PhD. Next fall I will start classes at Texas Woman's University for a PhD in school psychology. This program will allow me to combine my teaching and counseling background into one profession (praise JESUS!). The program is five years and will conclude with a dissertation. I am excited, pumped, and ready to finally work toward a terminal degree.

Another big change is that Susan and I moved from Lawton, Oklahoma to Wichita Falls, Texas. Once I accepted the position with the United Way we both agreed that there was zero point in staying in Lawton. Lawton is 65 miles from the college and we were spending upwards on $400 a month in gas. In my spiffy (neurotic??) fashion I found us a house within four days. We are now living five minutes from the university and five minutes from the United Way. BLISS!!! Our house is a little over 2000 sq ft, newly remodeled, and most importantly...it has a pool. We decided to rent because we are very truly uncertain of how long we will be in Texas. And, with the housing market in its current state (hello...you can buy a house in the good section of Wichita Falls for 80k) we don't want to be responsible for selling a home. So, for now we are content paying someone else's mortgage, knowing we could walk away if need be, while floating in the pool.

Like usual...this whole journal entry has been about me...but least we forget, SUSAN! She has set the world a fire down here in Texas. She has met the music department head on with higher standards, academic integrity, and more energy than anyone knew she possessed. She has completed her first year as a professor, had to give her first F, and started a brand new graduate program. Her dedication is truly unmatched!!!

Now that I am back and blogging I will be sure to update with pictures of our adventures. We are headed to the Texas coast in a week and have a trip to Colorado planned. Also...if you are good...there will a pictorial essay of Wichita Falls posted!

6 degrees of separation

The one thing I have learned from Lawton in the short time I've been here, is that you are never too far from your beginnings. My parents lived in Lawton 34 years ago. My father was stationed at Fort Sill and he and my mother drove from Virginia to Fort Sill, Oklahoma in a shiny new car with a travel trailer behind it (or at least this is how my father told it to me). My mother wanted me to venture out and find the trailer park (yes...you heard it right...TRAILER PARK!) where she and my dad lived when they first arrived in Lawton. So, last Saturday Susan and I loaded up the dogs and decided to venture out into the great unknowns of Oklahoma to find this trailer park. We stumbled upon many interesting things along the way.....

We started down the road toward Meers, Oklahoma to find Oklahoma's biggest hamburger (Susan's idea...NOT MINE!!) on our way to the trailer park. Meers is a tiny tiny town north of Lawton that has only four residents. The residents run the only restaurant in the town which is known for their huge hamburgers (made from longhorn beef), BBQ, and fresh baked pie. On our way to Meers we saw HUGE windmills which Oklahoma uses to harness the power of the wind to produce electricity (I wonder if I can get one for the back yard).

Right down the road from the herd of windmills we took a left onto a country road that reminded me of the Virginia back roads that I used to drive (home sweet home). The scenery is a bit different on the Great Plains but it was still nice to feel like you could lose yourself in the country for a little while.

About three miles down this country road we saw the beginnings of Meers, Oklahoma. We knew we were there because cars were lined up on the side of the road. This is apparently the only parking available for the Meers Restaurant. And...I give you...The Meers Restaurant.

Hold your applause. It may not be much to look at...but judging by the cars in the "parking lot (by the side of the road" it is very popular. Susan has determined that she wishes to celebrate her birthday here (she always picks the most high class establishments!), so we will be returning next weekend.

After doing a drive up on the Meers Restaurant we proceeded to drive toward the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. My personal hope was to see the prairie dogs again (love me some prairie dog). Instead, we decided to drive up Mount Scott (not really a mountain...but in Oklahoma terms it might as well be Everest). I discovered many things about Comanche County while on top of this "mountain"...there is a lake!!! I had no clue....

After our adventure to the top of Mount Scott we decided to leave the wildlife refuge. On our way out I saw something meandering on the side of the road. Just slowly ambling along on the edge of the pavement without a care in the world.

Susan rolled down the window so I could get a good picture. Not only did the dogs go nuts...but a smell filled the truck unlike anything ever experienced before. It was like locker room, mixed with dog poop, rolled in pig slop, and left out to dry for 300 years. The smell is still in the upholstery of the truck....

Our last stop on our way home was the humble beginnings on my parents. The trailer park. So, for you mom....here is home sweet home.

In a pickle

Since moving to Lawton, OK the good doctor and I have been on an extreme budget. This is due to my leaving the working world to pursue a PharmD. We are attempting to live off of her income alone (which is helped by the absence of rent/mortgage..THANKS MOM!!). In this quest for the budget we have started to look for ways to save money on groceries. Next year we are going to plant a garden to provide for summer veggies and produce for canning. Susan wanted to branch out early and can our own pickles. This was brought on by the fact that we had just opened our last jar of pickles from her mother. Mama Harvey cans the most incredible pickles that meld so well in egg salad.

We have officially made the most expensive pickles...EVER! Mama Harvey was nice enough to provide us with her recipe for bread and butter pickles and we bought vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, tumeric, and celery seed. The next step was the procurement of cucumbers. Susan insisted that ho

me grown cucumbers were the way to go. According to her, they would have a better flavor and texture than the cucumbers from Wal Mart. So, we woke up at 6:00 am last Wednesday in preparation for the farmer's market. We were out the door by 7:15 and arrived at the farm

er's market by 7:55. Little did I know that the farmer's market is like a yard sale. If it is advertised to open at 8:00 am, you must arrive an hour early to get the best deals. By the time we arrived at the farmer's market there were only tomatoes and watermelons left over. So, Susan surrendered and we went to Wal Mart to buy wax covered cucumbers.

The pickle making process is a two day process. It begins with slicing and icing the cucumbers and ends with cooking and canning.

We started slicing cucumbers around 11:00 pm on Thursday evening. We quickly realized our food processor was not equipped to handle whole vegetables, so we ran off to Wal Mart (5 mins from the house) to buy a wide mouth food processor. When Dr. Harvey did the calculations she determined that we needed 35 cucumbers (yes, you heard that correctly...35). So, rather than hand slice 35 cucumbers we bought a new food processor. We are quickly on our way to the world's most expensive pickles.

When we started slicing cucumbers with the new food processor the good doctor quickly became silent and contemplative. After approximatly 10 cucumbers (16 cups) she said to me, "I think we have too many cucumbers". Turns out that a PhD doesn't guarantee the ability to modify a recipe. = ) Her calcuations were sligh

tly (yes SLIGHTLY) off and she accidently quadrupled the batch. So, instead of 7 pints of pickles we were going to have 28 jars of pickles. Yes....28.

That is the OPPS! look.

We started cooking pickles at noon yesterday and finished around 9:00 pm. We canned 28 pints of pickles. We chose to can some quart size jars to send to friends and family. It was a long day, but I successfully made it through my first canning.

If anyone would like a jar of homemade bread and butter pickles (offical name: Zinger's Bread and Butter Yummers) please leave your address as a comment and I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to send a jar (or 28).

The Dog Days of Summer

The temperatures in Oklahoma and Texas have been reaching well above 100 degrees since we arrived at the beginning of July. The weather here is much more forgiving than the eat coast. We don't have the humidity that is common in July and August in Virginia. Even though it isn't as oppressive, I am still looking for a way to keep the dogs cool. Kira loved to swim in the pond at Wind Dancer and we used to take her to Goshen Pass outside of Lexington. So, because I cannot afford to build her the ideal pool, we improvised.

Radleigh, in true little sister fashion, stole the pool from Kira. Eventually Kira decided to partake in the fun.

The dogs are beginning to settle in and so are we. The majority of the last six weeks has been spent repairing the house. When we first moved in the contractor was finishing the paint and carpet. Shortly after, the air conditioning failed and the whole heat pump had to be ripped out and replaced (along with duct work and the furnace). We then had some electrical work done on the house followed by a handful of citations delivered to the mailbox from t he city of Lawton. Apparently the brush in the back yard was impeding the way to the utilities and had to be cut back. So, the majority of time has been spent managing these issues. Just this weekend we have begun to focus on putting together the house, unpacking boxes, and making it more habitable.

I am truly enjoying living in Oklahoma because for the first time EVER I have a sense of ownership in this house. I have always been a renter and have never been allowed to personalize my living space (outside of furniture/pictures/etc.). Our house in Oklahoma is basically a blank canvas. We have already begun to personalize it by taking down the 1970's doors that separated the den from the kitchen (these doors looked like something straight out of That 70's Show). I then decided I was going to learn to install light fixtures, ceiling fans, and outlets. The first thing I tackled was a ceiling fan. The one that was in the kitchen was covered in some kind of grease (chicken grease??) that would fling off the fan and stick to your feet every time it was turned on. It took three attempts and six hours of work (and one phone call to my father) but the ceiling fan was successfully installed. I am extremely proud of my work because now I don't feel like I have to pay someone $80 to install at $60 fan.

The next project was to install a new hallway light and kitchen light (there is a second light besides the ceiling fan in the kitchen). We ended up having to call an electrician to come install the lights (because of confusing wiring). Today though, we tackled our final project before the beginning of the school year. We installed a new bathroom light.

I am proud of myself for learning how to take care of these common household things. There comes a sense of ownership with learning to customize your house. We are going to continue to update this house with hopes that it brings a higher resale when the times comes. We would love to remodel the kitchen (the stove and range and from the 1930's....no lie...I swear...I'll take pictures).

Bringing the flag back out....

I've not had much to write about the last week or so. The days have consisted of staying out of the heat and unpacking in the afternoon. The good doctor continues to teach summer school and is wading through her students bad grammar. She only has three days left and then she has completed her first class as a college professor.

Outside of the unpacking and setting up house we have been attempting to balance our budget (after a pay cut that was HUGE) and find the means for me to attend school. I am headed back to Midwestern to take five classes in the fall. The purpose of the classes is to fulfill the requirements for admittance to PharmD school (doctorate in pharmacology). Because I was an English major as an undergrad I am missing a large portion of classes (science, math, etc.). My fall schedule is enough to make even the biggest math geek sick (chem I, zoology, botany, physics, and calculus). I am not a glutton for punishment; I just simply have a short amount of time to finish all of the classes. Somehow we have managed to find the way for me not to work for a year while completing the requirements for pharmacy school. It has been the combination of many people coming together that has allowed me to take a year off of work. Because seriously, what 31 year old can really stop working for a whole year (by choice)?

The one obstacle we have come up against is the money for tuition. Because I already have a master's degree I do not qualify for financial aid to go back and work on undergrad work. I have tried grants, loans, scholarships. Also, I am a fish out of water in Texas. Texas is an area that likes to support their own. They offer all sorts of aid if you are a resident; but if you are new to the area you are out of luck. Both Susan and I were hoping to take advantage of the tuition remission that is offered to dependent children and spouses of faculty. While I understand that I am in the belt buckle of the Bible Belt, I have become accustomed to a higher education system that is liberal, opened minded, and forward thinking.

How wrong could I have been?

The policy for tuition remission states that dependent children, spouses, and common law spouses are eligible for a full tuition remission. What this means for us is over $10,000 in savings. My tuition for the first semester is $5000. This is every penny I have saved from working two jobs for the last two years. The tuition for second semester would have to come from my tax return and the tuition for summer school would have to literally be pulled out of thin air. When I first read the policy I thought for sure the school covered domestic partnerships because 1) it's higher education (and not Liberty), 2) the cover COMMON LAW marriages, and 3) because I've been in an accepting community for so long that being gay is not who I am, it is just a part of me.

This afternoon we received a call from the dean of the college of arts and sciences who, God love him, has been working on this matter. His daughter is gay and lives with her partner and children in a much more accepting neck of the woods. The dean visited with the head of human resources who stated simply that it was her job to follow code and code state tuition remission is offered to 1) dependent children, 2) spouses, and 3) common law spouses. Not domestic partnerships (and domestic partnerships is not even my term...this is a government term. Susan is as much my spouse as any hetero-sexual couple. We have the same issues, the same depth of emotion, and the same human characteristics. We are spouses (minus the lavish, expensive ceremony). After the dean received the answer from the head of human resources he went to the provost of the university (who is in charge of all personnel matters). Apparently the answer there was also negative. Because at 6:00pm, when Susan was on her way home from teaching, she received a call requesting her return to the university. She happily obliged hoping for good news, which would ultimately mean that we were granted the same rights as any other couple.

I will not be granted tuition remission for the fall.

Now I am struggling with the choice of giving a university my hard HARD earned money (did I mention it was hard earned) in order to advanced my wishes and dreams; even though they have policies that prohibit this? At this point, I feel as if I might as well be handing my money over to Jerry Falwell. I need these classes to apply to pharmacy school, to pursue a PhD, and to secure my financial future. But I hate the thought of emptying my checking account into the hands of an establishment that won't recognize who I am and the place I hold in someones life. Because ultimately, without our "domestic partnership" they would not have the good doctor. I wrote the cover letter, rearranged the CV, pulled the job advertisements, and sent the applications off because NO ONE has ever believed in anyone more than what I believe in Susan. She belongs in higher education teaching future educators and I am glad we could work together to make her dreams come true.

Now the question is, at what cost do we work to make mine come true?

There is no place like home.....

The good doctor and I spent the weekend hauling various things into the house and a lot out. The living room is coming together with the addition of the Susan's futon and my coffee table. The find of the weekend was a roll top desk from Craigslist. When I was ten years old I begged for a roll top desk for Christmas. I cut pictures out of a catalog and tried to convince my father that every ten year old girl needed a roll top desk. He did not fall for my pleading (and frankly, I don't blame him). So, now twenty years later I have purchased my roll top desk. After bringing the desk home from Wichita Falls we went to Lowe's and purchased new hardware for the drawers. This gave the desk a much more modern look.

This is a before picture of the desk that I yanked from Craigslist. I will upload a new picture of the desk when the house is complete and we post pictures.

I am headed to Midwestern with Susan tomorrow to solidify my registration for the fall semester. I recently had the opportunity to interview for a language arts position in Wichita Falls. This would have meant stepping away from my current course toward pharmacy school. When the call came in for the interview I was conflicted because if I were to take the job (this assuming it was offered) it would mean a more secure financial future. It would also mean we could buy one of these insanely cheap houses currently available in Texas (seriously....a four bedroom, three bath house, with an inground pool for $150,000....you can't buy a single wide in Lexington for that much!). It ultimately became a question of instant gratification verses long term goals. I've always known that I was destined to complete a PhD of some sort. I knew it wouldn't be in education (as in teaching), and after completing a master's in counseling, I knew it wouldn't be in counseling (I really have zero desire to be a professor or clinical psychiatrist). However, my mother (the genius that she is) has been saying to me for years, "Jennifer, you should look at pharmacy school...seriously, job security, the money....look at pharmacy school." After working in the counseling field for the last three years I have seen the true inadequacies of psychotropic medications and how people are affected by the fluctuations of medication. The one way I feel I can make the most difference is to study these medications and help to develop more effective pharmaceuticals. Hence...pharmacy school. However, to complete this, I have to complete a year of pre-reqs (stuff I never took as an undergrad...like chem, calc, physics, etc.). So, tomorrow begins my trek toward pharmacy school. My fall schedule will consist of calculus, physics, botany, zoology, and chemistry. Twenty credit hours, an insane schedule. But, when you have only a set amount of time (and a set amount of money) you have to cram as much in as possible.

I pray I am making the right decision. Education is the one of the few things that cannot be taken away. However, I hope I am not putting us in a bad financial position by taking a year off work (and potentially four years if I am accepted into pharm school). Sometimes you have to follow your gut instinct (and the advice of your mother) and eat Ramen noodles (and cat food) to make dreams happen.

Venturing Out

Since arriving in Oklahoma/Republic of Texas three weeks ago I have not left the confines of the house/Wal-Mart/nearest repair shop for air conditioning/plumbing/car. And, since the air conditioning gave out exactly one week ago (during the hottest day of the Oklahoma summer...113 degrees) we have been holed up in one 10 x 10 bedroom in the back of the house with a window unit and Aero-Bed (mind you it has to re-inflated every 10 minutes because Zinger used it as a cat scratching post) attempting to stay cool. So, on a day when no repair men were scheduled at the house we decided to venture out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. We needed a little piece of home (mountains) mixed with a little culture of the area. We took the dogs because I refuse to travel anywhere without them for fear that the air conditioning in the house gives out and I come home to carnage. So, with out any further adieu I give you our venture through the wildlife refuge.

We drove about fifteen miles outside of Lawton through fields of what I believe were soybeans (or maybe marijuana??) to reach the wildlife refuge.

Radleigh (the terrier) was terrified that we were going on another 23 hour car ride through Virginia,

Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. She is not a fan of anything with four wheels.

The "mountains" here look dramatically different than the MOUNTAINS at home (and dare I say they pale in comparison). We are used to the Peaks of Otter, the view from Susan's land; however, for the time being these bumps will provide some comfort (but seriously, are they really mountains???).

Both Whitey The Truck and Susan wanted their picture taken with the wildlife refuge as the back drop. Whitey has been quite the trooper during this whole process. He hauled two dogs, two cats, and three fish all the way to Oklahoma without a hiccup. Mind you, when he arrived and we put Fluffy's Discount Liquor Gas in him, he balked, coughed, hiccuped, and demanded the high grade gas. Susan was just thrilled to have the opportunity venture outside the confines of academia and wanted to mark the occasion with a picture.

There are many beautiful lakes (ponds?) that dot the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Kira very much wanted to get out and swim but Dr. Harvey wouldn't allow it. She was afraid Kira would leave wet doggie prints on Whitey's interior.

My favorite part of the whole trip was seeing the bison that roam free in the wildlife refuge. It has been since I lived in Kansas since I last saw a bison (or anything other than a bun...ummm...BISON BURGERS!).

Apparently this was Radleigh's favorite part also because she decided to attempt to launch herself out of the truck via Kira's back.

But...she didn't know what was up ahead!!

PRARIE DOGS!!!!

The entire Prairie Dog clan was upset because one Prairie Dog escaped and found a piece of bread (it was the fat one....always leave it to the fat one to find extra food).

Thus ended our tour of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. We would like to go back again sans dogs (once we have air conditioning). There is a museum, hiking trails, Mount Scott (not really a mountain...but someone did get lost hiking on it and made the local news the other night), and a gift shop!!!