“We know we belong to the land … and the land we belong to is grand!”

OooooooooooooooK-lahoma, where the _____________  (finish the lyric … everybody else has! LOL).  WHAT a lovely time we had in the 46th state!!   Thank you many times over to my host, the beautiful, talented, shining and amazing Ms. Marcie Fay Barrett Falcone!!!  She & her 4 children are the stars of this post, as they brought me everywhere in Oklahoma City!  So glad I could see Marcie (after all this time), and finally meet her two sets of twins (Fay and Pete, 8, and Michael and Aidan, 12.)  The older boys “don’t do” photos, but they made the visit perfect just by virtue of meeting them!

When last we met, Lulu & I had left Memphis, and were headed to OKC.  Lulu was skunked when it came to posing with the “Welcome to Arkansas” sign, as it occurs when one crosses over the Mississippi River, on Interstate 40, going with 70 MPH.  (**IMPORTANT NOTE TO MY FOLLOWERS** – I unequivocally did NOT take this photo while driving!  I scooped it from Google images. 🙂

Between bathroom stops and filling station stops (and a 20-minute nap along the way, when I had JUST hit the wall), the 467 miles between Memphis and Oklahoma City pretty much ate up the day.  Here we are at the Oklahoma state line, with just over 183 miles to go, and the sun had begun its’ descent!

After driving for WAY TOO MANY HOURS, Lulu & I finally showed up at Marcie & company’s! (We barely made it before dark, but we MADE IT!)  I took this photo on my way out of the neighborhood 2 days later … I only WISH I could have captured my arrival with 8-year-olds Fay & Pete, jumping up & down in the driveway!!  🙂

Thursday was my one FULL DAY in Oklahoma City, and we sure did MAKE IT COUNT!!   We had lunch in OKC’s legendary Cattleman’s!  Here’s Lulu with THE Cattleman.  Love the mural in the background!

  

Pete and Fay were quite tickled to pose with Lulu at the drop of a cowboy hat!  And Lulu was as horrified as I was to see the delicacy on Cattleman’s menu:   Lamb Fries (< aka testicles)

Noooooooooooooooooo thank you!!

Next stop was the American Banjo Museum!!  (And let me stop here & say how much I appreciate the minimal grousing by the Falcone offspring, as Miss Marcie & I drug ’em all over creation for the benefit of my sight-seeing!)

The American Banjo Museum was small but entertaining!  I was highly impressed by the sheer volume of banjos available for viewing, as well as a few for playing!

Lulu can really relate to Miss Marilyn!

“These are my two favorite banjo players!” exclaimed Lulu.

Fay, mugging with Lulu wearing the gold dress!

Fay being Fay … and making us laugh for DAYS!

The Steve Martin exhibit was really awesome!

Marcie & I (and Lulu) in the museum lobby.  American Banjo Museum.  Who knew???  🙂

Next, we drove over a large portion of the Oklahoma City outskirts, including farmland belonging to Marcie’s aunt.  Along this road, Marcie suggested we stop & take some pictures of “the sunflower patch”.   This “patch” is ___ONE HUNDRED ACRES___  of sunflowers!!!!!  Lulu was delighted to perch on one of the tall, beautiful flowers!

After returning home, and having my head spin while watching Marcie tote various kids to piano lessons, tutoring, arrange for basketball pickup, fixing dinner, etc. … we went back out again, and journeyed to the downtown area to view the Oklahoma City National Memorial, a place of quiet reflection, honoring victims, survivors, rescuers and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995 due to an office building that was bombed.

As funny as this blog can be, sometimes a serious tone is in order which is why Lulu stayed safely tucked away during our visit to the memorial.  It is a beautiful and somber place.

Words unnecessary.

Thank you, my DEAR, DEAR Miss Marcie, for a WONDERFUL few days in Oklahoma City!  I will never forget this trip BECAUSE OF YOU!

Next (and FINAL!) stop on the Big Road Trip:  Fort Worth, TX!!