Boiling Antelope Heads and Babysitting

Yes, you read the title correctly. Matine and I are still in Oklahoma, LOVING every minute of our time here with our family and friends. I have endless stories to tell but will start with one. The trip started in Arcadia where we stayed with Micca and Josh for a few days. Actually the trip started on our little Frontier Airlines prop-planes, but that is an entirely different story that deserves its own post, coming soon.

Micca, Matine and I had a blast. Matine absolutely loves Micca. I am not just saying that to make anyone feel better or impose my adoration of my best friend on my daughter. She clicked with Micca the second we stepped out of the car in the same way Micca and I "clicked" on the 10th floor of Drummond during Rush Week at OSU. I could have disappeared for 3 days and Matine would not have cared (if only I could have left my boob with a supply of milk).

They laughed, giggled, tickled, played until it was absolutely too late for Matine to keep her little peepers open. On Sunday, Josh sweetly offered to watch Matine so Micca and I could go out, have some alone time and do something that neither of us would ever do if we weren't together. We tried to go get a pedicure, but alas, it's Oklahoma on a Sunday and this State actually observes the Sabbath.

Thanks to the power of the mighty dollar and capitalism, the Mall was open and that is something neither of us EVER endure without each other. It was great. We shopped, I made Micca buy things she normally wouldn't (shirts with color and that aren't gray, white or black), I got a little make-over and got some new make-up, and we did some grueling bra-shopping.

We left Matine napping and I knew she'd be asleep for a good 2-3 hours and Josh was ordered to call as soon as she woke up to give us a status on her mood and composure. 2 hours into our excursion into the City he texts: "the little lady is up, but we are all happy, don't rush home."

happy baby in borrowed bouncy seat - thank you Kim and Beau!

She remained in a great mood the ENTIRE time we were gone - even our final text on our way home, "still doing great." Josh has the magic touch!

Well, when we get home we see what Matine and Josh have been up to - Matine is on the shady beautiful deck in her bouncy / neglecto-saucer thing bouncing away, he says they went for a walk to see the horses, played a bit, and then Josh got busy boiling an entire antelope head (with rack) in a large steaming cauldron, all while drinking a chilled PBR. FYI - the boiling of the head is to get all the skin and guts off of it so it can be properly mounted. It was CLASSIC Josh Rasp. We laughed so hard...

notice the happy bouncing baby with steaming antelope and beer in background

Matine was right at home with dead game, the wind in her face, and the company of Josh. Pete will be glad to hear that she was in proper company and learning such important lessons about big game while she was in Oklahoma.

steaming dead antelope

You can see an entire album of pictures that were taken at the Rasp's house here.