The Baby Sister Prevails...

The title is just a teaser.  You're going to have to read all the way to the end to find out "the rest of the story," but let me just loosen you up with an account of our Oklahoma day.  As noted in last night's blog we started a little somberly and spent several more hours than we thought we would but we landed for lunch at Toby Keith's bar and grill down at Oklahoma City's famed brickyard.  I don't know whether Toby ever prepared a thing for himself but boy by howdy is the food great!  I had the world's best Prime Rib Roast french dip sandwich EVER! I also got a waitress with one of the most pronounced southern drawls ever and was able to resist talking out loud in the same exact voice which is one of my unfortunate tendencies.  I also got to wander the dining room taking photos of the kitchy stuff all over the walls. 

Not really sure what the horse thought about this thing but it was sure shiny!

Toby apparently had the same parking difficulty I had a couple of day's ago....

You simply cannot believe how many country music stars come from Oklahoma!  Nor will those of you who know Beth at all well believe where we went next! 

That's right loved ones, friends and voyeurs...Beth lovingly and with great patience paraded through the Hee Haw Museum Hall of Fame.  I must say, Barry was as happy as a Pig in a Poke (I'm clearly not sure what that is, or why a pig would want to be poked - but there you have it!)  I will tell you that I did detect a bit of a swagger in my cowboy-hatted man and there may have been a hint of a twang to his words as we exited the exhibit...

Now the HEE HAW exhibit was actually just one hall in the much larger Oklahoma Museum of History which was absolutely one of the best museums I've been in.  I'm telling you, these Okies know how to do a museum!  I love the Smithsonian's but these guys give even them a run for their money.  Speaking of "running," we saw quite an interesting exhibit on the Great Oklahoma Land rush and I was disappointed to see that the night Wendi and I spent trying to sleep in the excursion to buy the Antioch house was absolutely NOTHING like the Land Rush even though we called it the Great AntiOklahoma Land Rush. Even having to potty in the bushes didn't come close to what these folks endured.  The exhibit did remind me of a great book I read last year though.  It is "Half Broke Horses" and deals with the settling of Oklahoma - better than it sounds, I promise.

Well, besides HEE HAW and the Land Rush the most quintessential of Oklahoma sites, and perhaps the one I anticipated seeing most, was the vehicle I almost ran right into.  See for yourself - this is an Oklahoman's version of parking....

Wow! Well, okay then.

Now, I know you've all been waiting with baited breath, hearts a flutter and minds all agog to find out the disposition of the last half of the Mexican Train Domino contest.  I just wish to say my brother did not fail to disappoint.  My little brain was just spinning for the first 5 rounds of the last half of play.  I began to believe he had some kind of freakish laser sight and knew exactly which tiles I had in my hand - I even checked window and television reflection and, finally, in self-defense built a little "wall" around my dominos.  He messed with my line, somehow knowing exactly the wrong domino to place in my strategically placed train line.

But in a well-timed quirk of talent, skill and cunning Beth pulled ahead at the last moment and trounced not only Wick but Barry, too!  Ah sweet victory - won without subterfuge and swonking on somebody else's parade!  Yeah for me!  I do believe a lesson has been taught and a brother humbled!