DfC #6: And yes, Nicole did sing all of "Oklahoma!"

I've been slacking, big time.

Yes, I know that I took several photos of downtown Carthage a few weeks ago, and that I haven't posted any of them yet. Call me a slacker, but between getting ready for the wedding in a week and a half, and getting things organized in my (soon to be our) living space, it's been a challenge to find some quality blogging time.

I have been neglecting to give you all a very blogworthy update: I am working again! Yes, I am still a "temp", but I'm not working for an outside agency this time. And the pay is lower than I was making in Portland for similar work, but that's just the overall way things go here. Wages are just lower. However, rent prices are generally lower, and gas is $1.98 a gallon, so there's a little bit of balance.

There was a school shooting over in Joplin today. Hey, quit it, already! You know, I got picked on in school, too, but it didn't take a gun to solve the problem. It just took patience. And Jesus.

Last Saturday Nicole and I had to go to Tulsa so she could have her friend (who works at a salon) do a sort of practice run on her hair for the wedding. We made a morning appointment so that we could spend the rest of the day doing some stress-free activity. We thought it would be fun to take the "long way" back to Carthage, which really means that it was a road-trip day. In fact, we went the exact opposite direction—Oklahoma City—before heading toward home. We went to the site of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, which was quite a moving experience. (Yes, I took pictures, which I will probably post before Thanksgiving.)

From Oklahoma City we drove north on I-35 and US 77 all the way to Kansas, then east toward home. It's just beautiful country out there, and I loved the towns we drove through, like Guthrie, Perry and Winfield. Nicole was super excited to be able to go to Taco Tico for dinner, because she hadn't been in any of that chain's restaurants since she was a kid. It was my first visit, and I must say, their food's pretty good for being Mexican fast food.

I only realized today that we could have driven to the Little House on the Prairie historic site in Kansas if we'd ventured just a few miles north. I think we'll do that on another Saturday driving adventure.

Oh, remember waaaayyy back in aught-five, when I listed all of the counties I'd ever been to? Well, I updated that list a couple of weeks ago, and now, because of Saturday's trip, I can update it again. I also found a big U.S. map that shows its every county, and I have taken it and colored in every one I've stepped foot (or driven tire) in. I'll post it soon.

Hopefully before Christmas.