What is it about books? I find myself, almost, addicted to them. I mean, my “To Be Read” pile is huge. My “I really want to read these” pile is even larger. And, my “These are Next, honest” pile is the largest of all. It’s almost like I can’t help myself. I love going to Barnes & Noble and Borders. However, I think that I enjoy myself most when I’m inside the walls of used bookstores. They are my favorite places to drift off into a different reality. So many books, so many unusal topics, mixed with the classics, and all for a low price. I mean really, who else can have a discounted addiction?

It never fails, at least once (usually more) a month I find myself at each of the used bookstores in my area. There’s one more that I go to about once every 6 months (it’s a little further away). And, without fail, everytime I go to Texas to visit my aunt R, we always go to the Halfprice bookstore. It’s a blast! I think we finally have it set in our minds now, that the prices of those books aren’t marked with pretty colorful dots, nor complicated charts…. if you want to know the price of those books among the shelves, teh ones that aren’t marked? Well, you just simply look at the title of the store. Halfpriced Books. — I can’t tell you how many times the first couple of times we went there, that was the question that always seemed to come up. But now? Now, we are experts!

This has been a good weekend. The wather was wonderful. The storms that we’ve had lately seemed to have just disappeared… at least for the weekend.

My weekend started out wonderfully. I had a decent day at work (something that doesn’t happen that often), relaxed Friday night. On Saturday morning I got up early, took my shower and got ready. I attended a Garden Party with a few of my friends. There were four of us girls, and we met up at one of the girls, M’s, house. It was beautiful. We had colorful dishes and napkins, she baked a magnificent quiche, some delicious mushroom caps that were stuffed with a cheese and baked, she mixed a delightful champagne punch, that just oozed SUMMER. One of the girls brought some delicious scones that were cinnamon and raisin, and the other girl brought a Lemon Triffle. We ate outside on her patio, and enjoyed the sun and food. After a brief encounter with the *mister* that was aligning her patio, and then the frog that tried to ATTACK ME!, okay.. the frog didn’t REALLY try to attack me… but, it did eye me!, we decided to drag our chairs out under one of her huge shade trees. Once under the tree, the weather was perfect. There was just a slight breeze every now and then, to cool us off, and the sun still kept us warm. M’s garden is just beautiful. The colors were so vivid and varied, the bird baths that were all over, the whole atmosphere gave me sucha  peace. I’m not an ‘outside’ person at all. Nature and I, ususally don’t get along. However, being there, with the delicious food, the beautiful surroundings, and of course… the laughter with friends, made for a wonderful day. I love gathering with friends, when you can go from talking about books, music, movies and then go to talking about sex, to relationships, to everything… THOSE are the friends that you treasure and you keep close. They are rare finds, and I’m so blessed to have found so many wonderful, inspirational, women to have in my life.

I visited with my mom and dad before the Garden Party, and then again after it. My mom is my best friend. Without a doubt. Later Saturday night, my aunt and uncle came into town for the night.. My uncle is going to roof my great-aunt (my grandma’s twin)’s house in a couple of weeks and they were down to measure the roof for her. I went back over to my grandparents and visited with everyone some more.

Mothers Day began with a nice breakfast with my grandma and my aunt. My mom wasn’t feeling too well, so she didn’t join us.   Then we had a fun-filled (and exhausting) trip to Wal-Mart. We shopped some, and then headed home so they could get on the road. Then, a trip to the Mall and to the Apple Store, for my very FIRST — OFFICIAL iPod. I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. I have had many mp3 players, but this is my FIRST iPod. It’s cute, it’s silver, and it’s a 2G iPod Nano. I could have gotten a larger one, but this one is just fine…. well, at least for now.   The day ended with some Bath & Body Works, some Tupperware, and a delicious dinner.

Now, I’m exhausted and my body aches from all the running around. (I think that I’m getting old, surely this is a sign). It’s time to get things ready for bed.

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend… regardless if you celebrated Mothers Day or not, it should be enjoyed.

I sometimes feel that I’m living in the wrong place. I could invision myself in someplace fantastic like… Las Vegas, or New York. Though I’ve never been to New York, so my idea of what it’s like there is like two ends of a spectrum. See, there’s the “Sex and the City” type of New York.. THAT’s where I’d like to be. Writing a sex column, living in a nice brownstone, etc. Then of course, there is that other end of the spectrum.. the one that is the rough area, and I’d have to worry about peeking out my window. Yeah, that one? I don’t want to live there. -laughs-  However, I have been to Las Vegas, and I love it. No, really… I LOVE it. I like the excitement, the lights, the action, the atmosphere, and who wouldn’t like to be able to say they are from some place exciting like VEGAS BABY! Oh, but no. That’s not my reality. See, I’m trapped (yes, trapped lol) in a middle of nowhere. Oh sure, we are a ‘city’ and there are a few things here to do. But, in my dreams I’m living in Vegas or NYC. I also have an odd fascination with Ivy League Schools. Mainly Harvard and Yale. Ahhh, to go back and do it all over again.

Now, back to reality… I’m in Oklahoma. And, you know.. we are “OK”. In all seriousness, there are some things that are nice about Oklahoma. The cost of living is fairly low, people are extremely friendly and love to talk, we have casinos (on Indian Land), we can NOW get TATTOOs! (that’s right, welcome to the real world now baby!), we have the lottery (there’s still hope of me winning my millions), and our Bricktown is now becoming a ‘mini’ San Antonio or West End.

Until that day that I’m living in a Dream City, I’ll be here… coming to you from Oklahoma, as if I’m living in the places that I dream of. And I’ll keep being that “City Girl” that’s from a not-so-big city for now.