If

[DonnaFlood]

Old Blue Eyes sang this song around the time we were living in Dallas and I was always partial to it.
The words struck home with me because it was the way I felt about living there. If I could have been in
two places at one time, I would have been in Dallas yet.

Here on the Rhonda Lou time marches along with all of us doing the best we can. About the most interesting news of late is that of my neighbor calling me to get the phone number of the Osage agency.

“I have an archeologist on my back door step telling me they are going to drill for oil directly over the fence just steps away from my patio.” The man was emotional and upset, no doubt, about that. “My heavens, they have that whole pasture, why are they drilling at my backdoor?”

I tried to make my voice soothing and calm as I mentioned it was a holiday and he would have to wait until the next day to call. I related how the oil company had drilled on Mother’s land and spilled salt water over several pecan trees, killing them. He stopped long enough to listen. In my mind I’m thinking, “An archeologist or a geologist?” I didn’t dare ask, though.

When I mentioned the call to my grandson he said, “Oh boy! You aren’t going to get much sleep for the next month or so!”

“Really?” I exclaimed.

“No you won’t, and I hope they don’t come down his drive way. That will make a mess of the road out front.” My grandson is wise about such things?

I’m not much concerned, we will endure, as always. IF they drill, IF it is noisy, IF the road gets torn up,
there will have to be a way to cope with all that. I’ll think about it while we may have to muffle the noise out with tunes like Old Blue Eyes sings, the road isn’t that swift anyway, and maybe they will come in through the pasture in back. IF they do, all's the better.

[Diane]

Re: If

Hey Donna,
Hope you are doing good. They drill all around us as well. They are very loud obviously, and they work all night long with huge night lights. Then after you think they are finally done, they come back to do some "repairs". The only good thing is that at least here, when they are done, they clean up the area so very nice. If they had to put in a rock road for access, it is perfect when they leave. They leave the property as spotless as possible. Maybe it is the law or something. Hope they get through as fast as possible for ya. I probably would not listen to Sinatra though!!

[FriedaKateM]

Re: If

Hello, Donna....I have always loved Frank Sinatra, & my very favorite of his was "My Funny Valentine." I can remember being at a dance in Munich, Germany (while in college), dancing with a blond guy named Bill, & BOY OH, BOY!!! What a great song. When this GI wrote to me afterwards, he'd call me his "funny valentine!" Came to nought, though. I went to Virginia with my family of origin, & he eventually went back to New Jersey!!!!

Many a slip twixt the cup & the lips, eh??!!?? Joan :redrose:

[DonnaFlood]

Re: If

Diane,
Seems to me you certainly have some experiece with the oil drilling crews! It is the law that they clean up but on
Mother's Pecan tree land it is really out of the way, close to the river so they have done pretty much what they want.
I read today there are several people holding up the pay out of the Cobelle law suit. . . . darn them. <grin> Mother left her trust land to my son, so I won't get any of the money but be nice for someone in the family to have it.

Donna

[Diane]

Re: If

Hey Donna,
Maybe they are cutting corners on your mom's property as it isn't occupied, right? Save a buck everywhere they can. And about not really liking "old Blue Eyes", I was just a generation behind him. I do remember how much my folks loved that music. They still do. My most vivid memory was when I was young and my mom would be cleaning the house. She would put on the old style records and dust to Doris Day's "Whatever Will Be Will Be". I didn't even really know what the title meant. I would get to giggling, especially since my mom couldn't sing, and then she would get to giggling. It is a great memory and I am blessed to have them both still with me.

[Alastair]

Re: If

When I first saw this thread I did think it was about Rudyard Kipling's poem but as it wasn't I thought I'd include it here...

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Alastair