You probably think I am going to share with you about the Bad Lands or The One Armed Bandit/Johnny Payne (one of my classmates) but the answer is NOPE. I am talking about the parents of the spouse which I commonly refer to as the Outlaws vs. Inlaws. Fact is that reminds me of an old ????????
What is the definition of "Mixed Emotions"? That is when your Mother-n-law drives over a cliff in your new Cadillac.
Well I have to say that I have been pretty lucky in that my Outlaws are pretty good or I should say "have been so far" because "it ain't over till it is over". I knew I had a pretty good deal when I first met my mother-n-outlaw over 40 years ago. My future wife / girlfriend and I went to El Reno and her mother was making chocolate chip cookies. Now my mom made the best or maybe it was my sister, Debbie, but my mother-n-outlaw is right up there with them. Now it was not the quality of her cookies that made the deal with her daughter seem like a good deal but the fact that she allowed me to test the cookie dough before it was cooked! Yea! My Mom would whack your hand for that. It was not allowed to test the cookie dough or anything else in the kitchen. Naomi (alias for mother-n-outlaw) even allowed me to snitch potato chips.
But my favorite story of the first time I met her was even better, at least for me. She was preparing t-bone steaks and she wanted to know how I like my steaks. Shouna told her I liked them medium to just past rare. Naomi said in her sweet voice and her eyes and forehead wrinkled so as to say, you have got to be kidding, " why no one likes it like that". And she was not asking a question but stating a fact. It was one of those very sweet moments that make you know you have a keeper in an Outlaw.
Now I have to tell you about the father-n-outlaw. I suppose he was a little disappointed in that he expected his daughter to bring home someone who could carry a tune more than on the car radio or at least could play a guitar or something. Dale Davis never learned to read music but could play and sing any tune and any instrument and still does today at 87 years of age. In fact he had surgery last year on his finger so he could play the guitar. He had his finger made to permanently bend!
Every time I ever went to the house everyone was taken to the garage where there was a permanent band set up with piano, guitars and speakers. I should probably tell you about that garage. I don't think there was ever a car parked in it and it was huge. Dale got to have a little space for tools and lawn mower but the rest was for Naomi. She was and is the most thrifty person in the world. I learned very quickly she was the "Garage Sale Queen". For years we never had to buy much of nothing as she found everything at garage sales, clothes, tools, furniture, you name it - she found it. Now I will have to say a few times I got a shirt that was a little too wild for me but she saved us thousands of dollars. Shouna told me that growing up she had more clothes options than anyone and it was because of her mother and those garage sales. The point is the garage and every ounce of space was utilized for Naomi's treasures. I know I am having a little fun at her expense but she is by far the best blessing for a mother-n-outlaw you could ever have.
Even last night in the hospital after she had major surgery she discovered I had not eaten lunch and dinner and she started digging for food in her purse/bag while she was connected to all kinds of tubes and monitors. That brings another point up about her. After her surgery on Wednesday we named her "Iron Woman". She woke up like nothing happened and started talking and has taken virtually NO pain medication and today is Friday. She is tough. I guess if you consider that Naomi is from Kiowa (down by MacAlester) and Dale is from Calvin (same) they must be pretty good country folks.
Well this is getting a little long and I do have lots more stories about the Outlaws which I will share.
So what do you learn in the Osage?
What is the definition of "Mixed Emotions"? That is when your Mother-n-law drives over a cliff in your new Cadillac.
Well I have to say that I have been pretty lucky in that my Outlaws are pretty good or I should say "have been so far" because "it ain't over till it is over". I knew I had a pretty good deal when I first met my mother-n-outlaw over 40 years ago. My future wife / girlfriend and I went to El Reno and her mother was making chocolate chip cookies. Now my mom made the best or maybe it was my sister, Debbie, but my mother-n-outlaw is right up there with them. Now it was not the quality of her cookies that made the deal with her daughter seem like a good deal but the fact that she allowed me to test the cookie dough before it was cooked! Yea! My Mom would whack your hand for that. It was not allowed to test the cookie dough or anything else in the kitchen. Naomi (alias for mother-n-outlaw) even allowed me to snitch potato chips.
But my favorite story of the first time I met her was even better, at least for me. She was preparing t-bone steaks and she wanted to know how I like my steaks. Shouna told her I liked them medium to just past rare. Naomi said in her sweet voice and her eyes and forehead wrinkled so as to say, you have got to be kidding, " why no one likes it like that". And she was not asking a question but stating a fact. It was one of those very sweet moments that make you know you have a keeper in an Outlaw.
Now I have to tell you about the father-n-outlaw. I suppose he was a little disappointed in that he expected his daughter to bring home someone who could carry a tune more than on the car radio or at least could play a guitar or something. Dale Davis never learned to read music but could play and sing any tune and any instrument and still does today at 87 years of age. In fact he had surgery last year on his finger so he could play the guitar. He had his finger made to permanently bend!
Every time I ever went to the house everyone was taken to the garage where there was a permanent band set up with piano, guitars and speakers. I should probably tell you about that garage. I don't think there was ever a car parked in it and it was huge. Dale got to have a little space for tools and lawn mower but the rest was for Naomi. She was and is the most thrifty person in the world. I learned very quickly she was the "Garage Sale Queen". For years we never had to buy much of nothing as she found everything at garage sales, clothes, tools, furniture, you name it - she found it. Now I will have to say a few times I got a shirt that was a little too wild for me but she saved us thousands of dollars. Shouna told me that growing up she had more clothes options than anyone and it was because of her mother and those garage sales. The point is the garage and every ounce of space was utilized for Naomi's treasures. I know I am having a little fun at her expense but she is by far the best blessing for a mother-n-outlaw you could ever have.
Even last night in the hospital after she had major surgery she discovered I had not eaten lunch and dinner and she started digging for food in her purse/bag while she was connected to all kinds of tubes and monitors. That brings another point up about her. After her surgery on Wednesday we named her "Iron Woman". She woke up like nothing happened and started talking and has taken virtually NO pain medication and today is Friday. She is tough. I guess if you consider that Naomi is from Kiowa (down by MacAlester) and Dale is from Calvin (same) they must be pretty good country folks.
Well this is getting a little long and I do have lots more stories about the Outlaws which I will share.
So what do you learn in the Osage?
- If you want to find a good woman, talk to her mom first
- Second, talk to her dad
- If a girl can cook and looks good you might consider keeping her for the long haul
In December we will be married 40 years, 25 happy years. Not bad 25 out of 40! Just kidding.
Thanks for your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com
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