SAGiles-writing about life!

This last weekend was the 40 year reunion for my husband and myself for our high school.  We graduated from a class of 763 students.  And yes! you can go home and still know people, and have so much fun!!!  We did anyway!!  A number of our old friends have remained friends for all of these years, so that was easy,  but many who were friends had drifted to other areas, have lived great lives and yet, as we did, found their way home for a three day reunion.  

Some people, I never did recognize--even with name tags it was almost impossible to know who they were, or even to remember later.  Several, had not changed, and I mean that.  One of our cheerleaders for our senior year, still looked at though she was 17.  Most of the men had the most dramatic change, and yet there again, several looked as though they belonged still at the high school.  Several had been in law enforcement--as in the ATF and DEA.  One in the IRS as an investigator for the treasury department--hope you all have paid your taxes!  One who started a business in his garage and is now a multi-millionaire--(not Bill Gates).  If you have heard of Kickbox Boom Boxes, well he is married to the gal who looks 17.

We have all lived life to the fullest for 40 years, and hope to do so for many more.  The 50th reunion is already in the planning stages! 

But then, on the down side.  We have already lost over 50 of our classmates.  Too many on the deceased list for there to be total joy!

Our hometown has changed, just as we don't look the same, neither does it! 

But all in all!  We really had a great time!

Heading soon to the big 40 year high school reunion so if you don't hear from me about this weekend's OU football and other great college games, it is because the lap top is not going with us, and well in my little hometown in Okla. I am not sure about computers that might be available.  I know our one remaining relative who lives there doesn't have a computer.  Maybe our hotel will, but no guarantee for that.  So, next week I will give you all the low down on what a 40 year high school reunion is like in Okla.  I know that my husband and I have received more e-mails from people we haven't heard from in 40 years as to what we are wearing to the big dinner/dance on Sat.  As if we are the ones to determine the fashion for that???

Anyway, Friday night is the big meet and great and football game that is also homecoming.  Now, at one time that would have been exciting as our high school was state champs for all 3 years that we were in high school for 6AA high school.  My husband, first string all 3 years, no, I wasn't a cheerleader, but VP of our pep squad the bravettes.  Yeh that was the 60's when such organiztions existed and everyone belonged!!!  Now, the football team hasn't won a game in forever and I think they have another new coach this year, so the expectations for the game on Friday night aren't all that great, except it will be fun to see old friends and talk and laugh--and maybe party like we did in 1967!!!! Well, at least until about 11:00 if we can stay awake!!

This should for us be a truly entertaining weekend.

Mac Brown had a wonderful coaching career at the University of Texas!  And when he went to Heaven, God greeted him and took him on a tour.  "Mac, not very many who come here get to have their own house in which to reside for eternity, but because you were the "great" coach of the long horns, we have found you a house."  As they approached the humble, somewhat small house, Mac noticed that sure enough there was a long horn flag out front.  Mac said, "well this will be o.k., but it is smaller than what I was used to in Austin."  God just shrugged.  As they continued their tour, they turned a corner and there was a huge house.  Mac said, " Now that would be more my style, this is even larger than my home in Austin."  And then he noticed that there was a huge OU flag in front of this house.  "God, why does Bob Stoops get such a huge house, and me, the great long horn coach only gets that humble little house?" complained Mac.   God said, "Mac, that is My house."

GO OU!!!!

I am not a sport's reporter.  I certainly am not into page after page of statistics.  But, I do appreciate good football(something my dad taught me at an early age--1st OU football game at the age of 4 years old!!! ) , and yesterday was another great weekend  for the college football season and the hunt for the winner of the BCS trophy!

My OU Sooners Win!!!!!  Sorry Miami--it was our turn in this match.  Texas A&M in triple overtime--wow was that an interesting one--they win over Fresno State. 

And I am sad to report--and yet I know those of you who wear burnt orange will appreciate this--Texas beat TCU, and I have always liked TCU over Texas, so this made me sad that the Horn Frogs began with such strength only to have Bevo stomp them.  I just don't like it when TCU beats OU!

But let's face it, the BIG 12 has the offering of great football on Saturdays for the next 10 weeks before all the bowl games and BCS take place. 

My favorites:  OU,  Texas A&M, Okla. State, and even though not a Big 12 team TCU!!!

Can OU go all the way to be a contender in the BCS bowl game this year?  The season has many good matches any of which with the perfect game can beat OU and make the season end with not as many W's in the win column as are needed to be in the BCS.

Saturdays, the TV, I am set for 10 + weeks of great entertainment.

Now, YES!! I want the Horn Frogs to beat Texas University this evening!!! And why would I want that??? Because today OU is ranked #5, Texas #7, and OU Beat Miami today, another resounding victory for Stoops and Company!!! Sam the Man, our #1 quarterback could not be beat.   When I saw 6 completed passes in a row from our young quarterback, I just had to smile, and then chant  SOONERS!!!BOOMER SOONER!!!!  Because it might just be the return of Sooner Magic!!!  It is still a bit too early to be too confident, but for two games, the BIG RED team from North of the Red River looked AWSOME!!!! 

SO, to support the title of my blog for today--go TCU!!! Horn Frog Fever is what is needed in Austin tonight!!!! Knock those long horns off Bevo, and send the UT squad out of the top 10!!!

I know you UT fans out there don't like that OU is ahead of them in the polls right now, and yet, I will be realistic because I know that come OCT. 6, you may just be laughing so hard at this Sooner fan! 

It is going to be a great college football season!!!

Off next week for the reunion trip, and I doubt I will have access to a computer, so in advance--GO OU beat Utah State!!!!

I am now moving up the age range for this as I have discovered that as I get closer to 60 that the 50 year olds really aren't ready to relate to this! 

Two weeks from now I will have just spent a weekend with my old high school friends at our 40 year reunion.  Now, I haven't been to a reunion since our 20th.  There have been 2 that my husband and I just couldn't attend.  But we felt this was significant as the next one will be our 50th, and who knows who will still be around!

I wrote a few months back that I was questioning whether to attend.  My husband was even less enthusiastic.  But, now with the days fast approaching, we are excited to scream, "Well, you haven't changed a bit"  (who was that person--I don't know him/her).  I have heard from friends that I haven's talked to or written to in years.  And we are still friends!!!!  I even have a good friend that we were friends in jr. high, high school, and then lost touch in college even though she also attended OU.  And low and behold she and her husband have children who live in the area and they are now moving to Plano--so we are again in touch and closer as friends then before.  Gee, we have grown up!

I am having low keyed expectations for the final outcome of this event.  If I get to geared up for it, I am afraid I will be very disappointed.  I guess  I will find out if you can go home again or not. 

So, what should I look forward to, or prepare for with this upcoming event?  If you have experienced a 40 or 50 year high school reunion let me know how I need to prepare for this!

BOOMER SOONER! BOOMER SOONER!  And is Sooner Magic back??? Well, at least for this first game of the season we can certainly say "YES"!  UNT played as well as they could against a lightening fast offense, a solid defense, and quarterbacks that can really throw the ball to the receiver.  Oh, and the receivers actually caught the balls with little effort.  A safety , a defensive player scoring a touchdown, and the Sooners didn't have to depend on a slew of field goals to win this first game of the season!  Come on Sooner fans--and I know you are out there!  Don't hide your PRIDE--this is a season that will again test our resolve I am sure of that!  Next week, Miami--and I may be crying in my beer at the end of that one--but who knows!  And Texas, Oct. 6--that is never one to be predicted until it is completely over! 

BUT, tonight!  I go to sleep with the sounds of  "Boomer Sooner" playing happily through the recesses of my mind!  And a sweeter sound has never lulled me to sleep on the first day of the college football season!!!  BCS--well , maybe Stoops will sing a different tune too this year!!!!!!

Sooner fans, don't be afraid!  Give your team a cheer for this victory!  And, Lee, I know you must have watched some of this game--so let us know that you too thought it was thrilling to watch!

OU Football begins today!!!!!  GO SOONERS!!!  I know other Sooner fans are out there, so let's all give a shout out for the beginning of what may be a great season!  No controversy so far with players.  No one is in jail.  And they have all been out doing community projects like Habitat for Humanity for team building exercises.  Bob Stoops is as always low keyed, but very optomistic about this team and the healthy return of so many key players!!!  NO. 8 for now, but maybe not for long---can you see a NO. 1 in the Sooner future??? Who knows!  6:00 tonight on FoxSports--UNT at OU--go BIG RED!

Well, now that I am writing this, I just put my brain in gear and I should have taken pictures before today.

Anyone out there having fun with web worms in the trees?  Well, for the first time in 15 years our two mulberry trees which are in the back yard have web worms.  And OH! what nasty bags they have spun on the limbs of our two trees.  The arborist have all told me it is because we had so much rain, cooler temperatures in June and July and now suddenly the hot dry weather.  And the fact they love the sweet taste of the leaves.  SO, today we had the wormy creatures sprayed before they could do anymore damage or find their way to other shrubbery or my trees in the front yard!

I am told by the arborists that this is a particularly bad year for this and the areas of Dallas are just coated in these wiggly, fuzzy creatures.  So, they have been sprayed at my house--in Plano.

Nicolas Sarkozy the new French President got a bit upset with two American press photographers.  He was trying to enjoy a pleasant afternoon on a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee when two photographers came along side his boat and tried to snab photos of he and his family.  He took objection--gee I wonder why!  But his reaction was really vocal and he thought nothing of pointing a finger at the phototogs. 

Now, here is the thing, earlier in the day he had met with photographers and reporters and said that after he has some quite time with his family on the boat he would gladly meet with them to answer questions and for photos.  Two photographers obviously missed the meeting or the message he gave to them and he then became over the top angry when the two men in the report tried by moving a boat past the coast quard line of protective boats to move along side the president's boat for their exclusive photos.  His reaction was in fast speaking French, hand waving, finger waving and such, and they got upset as they didn't understand what he was saying or asking.  "Failure to Communicate" , finally a woman in the president's group was able to translate for the photographers--and the reluctanly left--and without camera in tow.

So much for the new relationship of the French leader and Americans.  When first elected he stated he likes Bush, he loves Americans and hoped for a new understanding between our two countries.  AND NOW?

Today sees a new class in the Football Hall of Fame.  The induction ceremony was at times very emotionally filled.  And yet maybe a bit over the top in some cases.  Troy looked bored the whole time, and did not even change his set expression when Michael Irvin acknowledged him.  Jerry Jones was on a lot of caffine--for a while when the camera panned him he looked to be asleep.  But when it was his turn, he was truly animated.  And yet, I felt he gave a very fine introductory and induction speech for Michael.  Now, being the last to speak after most of the inductees brought a bit of a tear to the eyes of those watching,  did Michael disappoint;  NO, he brought tears to his own eyes as he digressed from a very fine acceptance of his playing honor, to one of a sermon.  And a sermon that was trying to raise a point, but just was not the appropriate place or manner of deliverance.  And, he forgot to recognize his mother--and you know she was there, and while he pointed out his two young sons, he really glossed over his wife, and his siblings who were all there.  It was his choice as to what he included in his speech, and maybe he felt being the last one that we would be tired of the common recognitions of the others, wife, mother, father, brothers, the 4-5 children they fathered, but, yet that would have been a just recognition for a wife, who has stuck by him through his off the field antics, and a mother who, with unconditional love still can smile for Michael. Anyway he has been inducted, and sadly before Emmit Smith who I feel deserves to have already been included in that reverent group of football players--all of the m playmakers!!!!!

The early college coaches poll is out--and USC is #1

UT is #4 

But I will gladly take #8  OU is ranked in this position at this point and time in the pre-college football season.  And watch OU climb in the rank this year, so that is a great position to be placed in before we even play a single game. 

So, the football season, both pro and college is getting underway, and true baseball is not over, but I am so ready for football and for supporting my SOONERS--even if they lose a few games, I will swallow that and still say BOOMER SOONER!

Sorry, UT fans, I know you love your team too, and even after living in this great state for 15 years,  and having a son graduate from Texas A & M, I still have to give my football loyalty to OU!!!!

Bring on the SEASON!!!!

Many of you know that my oldest son and his wife live in Minneapolis/St. Paul.  He is a grad student at the Carlson School of Business @ the Univ. of Minnesota, and has traveled that stretch of road from his home to the school a few times, but he found it to be a really terrible road, with a lot of need of repair, which it is getting, but not soon enough!   My son and his wife are just fine--he is doing an internship with 3M this summer and thus drives a different direction to go to St. Paul.  

When we visited them in April our son sent us into the city (we were coming in from Wisconsin) to their home using a route that took us away from that particular stretch of I35--"terrible road" he said, and" they have begun some kind of construction that is backing things up for miles."  So we avoided it, as did both of them.  I am trying to get in touch with a friend of mine who lives in Tulsa as her son and daughter-in-law just moved up there, and live not too far from that highway section.  I assume from what I have seen and heard that they too must be o.k.  

It is just a miracle there are not more victims.  We certainly need to keep all of the families of those who have been impacted by this terrible accident in our prayers!