Lazy W Marie

Carpeing all the diems in semi-rural Oklahoma...xoxo

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Tiny T: Episode 9

October 18, 2013

   T thought for a moment about Olivia’s response, measuring her effervescent voice and testing his own cravings. As he took a breath to speak, he glanced upward. The willowy blonde in the pencil skirt was standing right in front of him, smiling quite directly while eating a fried shrimp po’ boy. Standing elegantly on those vaulted high heels, she rattled him more than women usually do. He scowled and looked away, having to make an effort now to focus on his conversation with Olivia.

   “Well, if you want to have some real fun, let me help, ” he said into his phone as he made a quarter turn away. “You girls shouldn’t be wandering around town alone anyway. It’s just not safe. Let me meet you.” It felt a bit too aggressive really, but the blonde’s stare was ramping him up and he felt this strange need to assert himself in her presence. Plus, he didn’t want to lose the chance to see Olivia again.

   “Umm, okay, what did you have in mind?” Olivia answered gently and with curiosity. Despite a faltering cell phone connection, T had her full attention now. “We are on our way to Frenchman Street now, to see some antique stores. Carly knows the owner of one and my hotel is nearby.”

   “Okay. Just hang loose. I’ll find you.” He clicked his phone off, locked it, and slipped in into his pocket, making a point not to look at the blonde. But he definitely felt her watching him still and after a few seconds couldn’t resist. He squared his considerable shoulders once more and made deliberate eye contact.

   “Hi,” she opened. “I’m Heather.”  Her voice was sticky sweet and decidedly Southern, unlikely to ever give utterance to a stray word or an uncalculated invitation.

   “Hey. I’m T.” He noted the vivid difference he already felt with this woman compared to Olivia. With Heather, he already wasn’t sure who was in charge. Or whether he could trust himself.

   “So where are you rushing off to? And no lunch?” She teased him a little and continued to eat her paper-wrapped meal.

   “Yeah, no lunch after all. I’m meeting some friends across town.” T was surprised by his choice of the words friends and waited for her response.

   “Girl friends? How many do you have?” She pulsed one shoulder up and winked playfully. The fact that she was eavesdropping didn’t surprise him, but the fact that she admitted it freely did. She wiped hot sauce from the corner of her mouth, still made up with lipstick, and took a sip from her drink.

   T had spent so much time digesting the small interactions with Olivia and deciding what to do, and felt so confident with her, that this was really confusing. He just scowled at Heather, trying to not let her hear him breathing harder.

   “It’s okay, You don’t have to answer,” Heather teased again and feigned injury. “But if this city isn’t safe for two women, it sure can’t be safe for one. Walk me back to my office? I’m sure your friends won’t mind.” She grinned and nodded toward a chromed sky scraper behind them. Of course, it was in the opposite direction of Frenchman Street, where music and antiques and a soft, mysterious brunette waited for him.

   “Yeah, sure, of course.” T had chivalry built into his DNA, protectiveness programmed into every aspect of his character, so no matter the circumstances he was powerless against the needful requests of women. They didn’t even have to be attractive women to enslave him to their service, but Heather certainly was. And she seemed to know it.

   “Good! Let’s go.” Heather pitched what remained of her po’ boy into a nearby trash can and twirled the straw of her drink with her tongue, chewing on it a little. She slid one arm through his crooked, muscular elbow and spun him around like they were dancing.

   He had created a small, delicious mess for himself. With less than an hour and a half before his downtown meeting with the journalist, he had promised to find Olivia and Carly on the opposite end of the Quarter and show them a good time. And for what? He really had to idea where it would lead. The sweet, funny, slightly awkward but beautiful brunette was going home soon. Now this tall blonde woman, clearly flirting and leaving no room for doubt about what she wanted, was imposing herself into his day.

   Audience Participation!
Bring it.
xoxoxoxo

 

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Filed Under: Tiny T 31 Days Lookin for Love

Tiny T: Episode Eight

October 18, 2013

   T only had to deliberate with himself for a moment before deciding to call her. Of course he was always going to call her. How many of his hours since last night on Bourbon street had passed without him thinking of her? He moved to the side of the po’ boy stand and under the shade of an ancient magnolia tree. He studied the phone number once more, admiring her handwriting, then folded it and slipped it back into his wallet. Did he really need to keep the paper scrap once he dialed the number? No. He grinned to himself while dialing.

   It rang three times, then a long pause, then he heard her voice giggling and trying to say “Hello?”

   “Hello? Hey. It’s me, T.”

   “T? Oh my gosh, hello! I… Hello! I can’t believe you called. I sort of didn’t expect you to.”

   “Why?” He felt steady in the wake of her flustered sentences. And he liked the idea of being her ballast.

   “Well, I missed our breakfast date, I mean I tried to make it, but the guy told me I’d just missed you. I am so sorry!” She rattled out her feelings like an overtime buzzer was about to disconnect their call. Her friendly desperation pleased him a little.

   “Well, it happens,” he said smoothly, “and I pity the fool who can’t understand that.”

   “Oh, well thank you so much. And thanks for the spinach croissant too. That was so sweet of you.”

   He cleared his throat.

   “It’s almost lunchtime, are you leaving town soon?” He was excited to learn whether he had a chance of seeing her again. While he stood beneath that magnolia tree, chatting with her and avoiding eye contact with another po’ boy customer, a tall willowy blonde woman wearing heels and a pencil skirt, he noticed himself standing even taller than normal and holding his shoulders even more squarely. Was he sucking in a little too? Nah.

   “Well, I really should. Yes. I need to be home by tomorrow morning and had planned to drive to at least Shreveport by nightfall. The thing is, I met this girl and we are having so much fun! I kinda don’t want to leave!” More giggling now, including some from another female voice in the background.

   Audience Participation:
Does T interpret her answer as a brush-off?
or does he jump on the opportunity 
to convince her to stay in town?
Or does he do something completely different?

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Filed Under: Tiny T 31 Days Lookin for Love

Tiny T: Episode 7

October 17, 2013

   Once the young women were clear of Ben’s duplicitous gaze, escaped from the wide open vulnerability of Fortune Tellers’ Row, they slowed down to a comfortable stroll. Each had one arm wrapped around the other’s waist, and both were laughing and trying to catch their breath.

   “So I guess you’ll never know whether he’s the one,” Carly teased.
   “I guess not,” Olivia admitted playfully and with a false air of drama, “my love life remains a mystery.”  Then, after a pause, she said, “I wonder, do you think Zane found him?”
   “I bet he did. He sounds like he’s pretty hard to miss.” 
   “That is for sure!” Olivia giggled and had no trouble recalling her mysterious date’s features. A pang of guilt lingered in her belly, and she hoped his feelings weren’t hurt. 
   “So what’s next, since you won’t have your palm read?” 
   “Well, I could definitely eat something. Are you hungry?”
   “Always!” And just like that, they followed their noses to the nearest greasy spoon local cafe, dragging a cloud of giggles behind them.

********************

   T couldn’t tell exactly whether it was his run in the brisk morning air, or the hearty breakfast, or the plain and simple magic of his favorite city, but he was feeling a maximum charge, both bodily and mentally. Having returned all of his emails and firmed up his next move for work, he showered and dressed in fresh clothes then took that same elevator back downstairs to that same ornate hotel lobby.  Piano music was still lilting across the ferns, and his thoughts drifted to the brunette. He had to admit, it felt wonderful that she hadn’t skipped their breakfast meeting. That she had reached out to him, better late than not at all, had to be part of the charge he felt.
   He pushed through the tall brass-framed doors to the street outside. Almost midday now, the sun was warming up and the humidity was thickening, but the air was still fresh and comfortable enough to enjoy a walk. He had an hour and a half to burn before a meeting with a journalist downtown, so T strolled easily down the sidewalk toward Louis Armstrong Park, hoping to catch more street musicians. The Quarter did not disappoint. Every other block offered a different sound, a different dream expressed, a different face or collection of faces. 
   Half a block away from the park, T stopped at a walk-up po’ boy stand to buy a quick lunch and soft drink. Inside his billfold was the torn off piece of the paper bag where Olivia’s cell phone number was written. He looked at it in the glare of sunlight and smiled. Then he slid his i-Phone out from his back pocket and stared at it, considering…
 

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Filed Under: Tiny T 31 Days Lookin for Love

Pause to Praise the Garden

October 16, 2013

   I garden for a million and a half reasons. In the garden I find poetry, purpose, art, science, sustenance, exercise, rest, imagination, miracles, defeat, and hope. Lots of my like-minded friends are fond of saying that the garden is all sex and death, and I absolutely agree.

   It’s mid-October now, and Oklahoma is moving gently into autumn while trying not to think too much about the fierce winter predicted. While most of the growing and harvesting activity is tapering off, plenty is still happening if you pay attention. And a lot of it is edible. See these gorgeous hot peppers? All harvested this past week. And about ten times as many are still green, on the plants. Plus bell peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers. I am not even kidding you. I know.

   Don’t even get me STARTED on the herbs and all the beauty and potential there. Swoon.

   Well, a few days ago I was taking stock of the herb garden, just sort of checking things out and maybe planning a few things in my head… when I got the nicest surprise. The marigold plants had all grown pretty big and fluffy, and more than half of the orange blooms were going to seed. So I stooped down to collect them into an empty mushroom tray and squat-scooted around the garden, exploring. That is when I found a stray watermelon vine, still bright green and well hydrated! Overly excited, like I was on a spontaneous Easter egg hunt or something, I followed it out from the plant.

   Somehow, at summer’s end, I had missed a whole, beautiful, unmarred watermelon! Tucked discreetly behind a thick boxwood shrub sat a heavy, striped, dark green watermelon about the size of a volleyball. They curcilue strand of stem directly above it was brown and crispy. This is the surest sign I know that the fruit is ripe. So I snapped the stem and carried my little green baby into the kitchen, more or less dancing all the way.

   A few good whacks from a butcher knife, plus a few scoops with a spoon to remove the plenteous seeds, and I had this beautiful bounty…

   I’m just so happy about this!

   In a few short minutes, without even breaking a sweat, I was rewarded with all of this:

  • a neater flower edge in the herb garden (from deadheading marigolds)
  • marigold seeds to dry and keep for next spring
  • a juicy, healthy, practically FREE snack for me to nibble
  • sweet, crunchy, delicious snack for my horse! (Chanta LOVES watermelon rinds. LOVES em.)
  • watermelon seeds for next summer
   Amazing!

   Truly, instead of trying to answer why DO people garden, I wonder why more people DON’T. Next to reading, it is the most complex and rewarding solitary activity I can imagine.

   Okay. Back to Tiny T soon! Thanks for stopping in!

Grow Yourself Something Wonderful
XOXOXOXO

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Filed Under: daily life, gardening, gratitude

Folded Paper Fortune Teller, an easy peasy tutorial

October 12, 2013

   Hello again! If you have read the most recent episode of Tiny T’s New Orleans story, then perhaps you have the unpleasant aftertaste of Fortune Tellers’ Row in your mouth. It’s okay. I’m here to help.

   Do you remember those fun folded paper fortune tellers from middle school? I was a whiz at making them way back when, and it made me feel like I could do real origami. (My classmates could fold notebook paper into those slender little cranes, remember? Not me.) It also made me feel like I could bestow otherwise untold fortunes upon my audience. Well, today, that’s you. And today your fortune is to learn how to make your own folded paper fortune teller. It is so easy and so much fun! Modern middle schoolers probably have “apps” for this, but those cannot possibly be as much fun as our generation’s version. With this little project, you get to write in your own fortunes! Let’s do it.

If you have square paper, use it. If you have legal sized paper, like this…

Just flip one corner over to the bottom, crease, and trim off the exposed short end. Now you’re square. (haha)
Now fold your square paper in to a triangle, once in each direction, so you get creases in an “X.”
Unfold, then rotate your paper and aim each corner toward the center, creasing.
Then, keeping it folded like this, flip the whole thing over and reinforce your perpendicular creases, between each of the paper edges.
Now aim each new point (folded point) toward the new center.
The square is getting smaller.
Now fold it in half once in each direction, not diagonally, creasing well, and unfold.
Sort of fold the whole thing in on itself a little, toward the new center, gently spreading out and expanding the four corners. When you do this and flip it upside down, this is how it looks…
This is how it looks on your hand… Remember now? How you operate it like a sock puppet, opening first in one direction, then the other, like a weird mouth? Cool.
Now the fun part. Write your choices on each little aspect of the fortune teller…
You can make it themed or whatever you like!
Don’t forget the final aspects on the inside… these are your fortunes. Make ’em good!
So do you remember now? Start with a closed fortune teller. Invite your friend to choose one of the first four corners. Then, spelling out that word, or counting out that number, open the fortune teller in alternating directions one time for each letter or digit. When you get to the end of that choice, your friend gets to make a second choice from the new set of exposed aspects. Spell or count again, then on the third choice you flip open the little triangle where you land to reveal your fortune. So silly and fun! 

I dare you to make one for your kids for their lunch box. Or for your girlfriends. Or your cubicle mate. Or your waitress. Or your spouse (hubba-hubba). 
I made this one for Tiny T, but he as much as he likes a good game, he’s disappointed. “I pity the fool who thinks my hands are that big!”

   Okay, so there you have it! If you are new to the Tiny T saga, please join the fun! Just click over there on the upper right —>>> ^^^  on his photo then follow the series of links at the bottom of his page. More choose-your-own-adventure episode are right around the corner. In the mean time, I would love to hear what fortunes you write in for yourselves, and what fortunes your friends stumble upon.

   Thanks for visiting!

“There are good and bad times,
 but our mood often changes more often
 than our fortune.”
XOXOXOXO

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Filed Under: fortune teller, Tiny T, tutorials

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Hi! I'm Marie. Welcome to the Lazy W. xoxo

Hi! I’m Marie. This is the Lazy W.

A hobby farming, book reading, coffee drinking, romance having, miles running girl in Oklahoma. Soaking up the particular beauty of every day. Blogging on the side. Welcome to the Lazy W!

I Believe Strongly in the Power of Gratitude & Joy Seeking

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