goo gooby goo

Facebook rules my life right now (not really) so I laid this blog down for a nap.  It's still napping, but every once in awhile I try to lift it up again and remember how much fun I had playing with it.

It's still sleeping, but I'm just about to lower the crib side and see if it can stand up for a moment.  Come to mama ...

Ooh, the knees are a bit wobbly.  The feet are struggling to stand ... but that hand is reaching out for the pacifier.  And a bottle.  And ... an entire box of Arrowroot cookies.  Yep, that's my child.

While the ol' blog is blinking and trying to get a feel for the world again ... let me grace you with this little bitty napper.  She was mad at her daddy for leaving her ... and going off to the military to save the world ... and save Kauai from Hurricane Iniki.

When they were reunited ... well, I'm just glad I had my camera rolling.

:)

else ... what else ... know what else?

We're moving on because I just reread my previous post ... and suddenly it looked RIDICULOUS that I was posting photos of TOILETS!  Sorry about that.  No more, I promise.

Anyway, I was super efficient and accomplished and busy over the break.  Not just a traveller to Oklahoma ... I also did THIS while I was off.   Yep, I'm proud.  How could I not be.

I know.  I get all teary thinking about it, too.

I got even more teary when I saw this:

I love my dog.

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okie from muskog ... aw, skip it.

My dear, darling daughter and I headed to Oklahoma this past week for the long-anticipated viewing of THAT home.  The one that my new mom was holed up in for quite awhile, awaiting her escape.  This was something I certainly never expected to see ... never even thought I'd ever find out what city all of this happened in, even.  (That's a lot of qualifying words, I know.)  But find it, I did ... and we were in search of the famous bus station, too ... the one that dear ol' dad got arrested in.  The one that new mom escaped to and tried to hide her two year old son in.  The one that had a women's restroom that she ran to and just stood at the sink and cried.  Yeah, THAT one.

True, we did find (and photograph aplenty) the house that my new mom was held hostage in ... but more than that, we found that bus station.  I don't know why the bus station was more jaw-dropping than the house, but it was.  I felt completely punched in the gut seeing that.

Did it look like I expected?  Not at all.  But it still worked for my imagination.  It still fit the description.

And here's the photo proofs:

The house:

Held hostage in this house for about 1 1/2 months.  Apparently she was held in a different house, in Sacramento, CA for the entire year prior.  But this is the house that she did eventually escape from once Lancey drove down the driveway.

And below is the sidewalk that she ran down with her 2 year old son in tow.  She was pregnant, holding the hand of her son and holding a suitcase in the other.  She had also grabbed a handful of change off of the dresser in Lancey's room, which she used to give to the nice man who drove her to the bus station that day.

And below is the house of that nice man who, thankfully, was home and available and willing to drive a young (17 year old) girl to the bus station with her small son.

All fine and all good ... 

... but the eerie part is the images below.  Not sure why they affected me so.

Just right off the freeway.  Very unassuming.  This station had no idea that it would still be the center of my attention some 59 years later.

So, let's head inside ...

It was a simple place.  A small place.  Several people were in line at the counter and this one gentleman was just sitting waiting for his bus.  Imagine if he'd been there that day ... and all of the commotion he'd have witnessed.

A simple waiting room that you see the first moment you step inside.

Down this little hallway towards the restroom ... and the patron is no longer sitting there.

I fully realize that the entire station and, of course, the restroom have been modernized, but I'm sure that they are still in the same locations.  My imagination was fed well here.

Elizabeth ventured in first.  I followed, timidly.

First up, you view the sink.  The one that she stood at and just bawled.  She was finally free ... although she didn't know it yet.  She couldn't have.

Turning to your right, you see the stalls.  Only three.  About what I imagined, though.

Turning back around you see a mirror (and me) and a trashcan.  I don't know if bathrooms had mirrors back then, but I imagine they did.

I do remember hand dryers from my childhood ... so maybe?

And the piece de resistance' ...

Toilet #1

Toilet #3

Now I KNOW they didn't have handicapped toilets back then ... but there was still probably a toilet in this spot.

Elizabeth chose to use it, too.

Good for her.

A peek at toilets #2 and #3.

That's all the toilets and stalls.  Had to be one of these that she headed into.

Looking back out of the bathroom doorway, you'd see this.  The bus station parking lot.  Actually the BUS parking lot.  Not sure how or why Lancey knew where she went but he obviously saw her in there.

Above are all of the windows that Lancey could've peeked into looking for her.

So, that's the tour.  THIS is what I've been searching for for many months.  I have been obsessed with finding out what city the kidnapping came to an end in ... and once I found it, I became obsessed with finding it all in person.

Ever seen the movie "Lion?"

Yeah, that's me.

Obsessed.

Know what?  Obsessions pay off.

;)

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ezra ...

... has already changed his name.   No more Ezra Cake.

INSTEAD ... we have   Azlan Joseph.  Wait.  That should not be pink.  Pretend it's blue.

So much for my sister's insistence that the child had to have four letters in his name.  Let's see.  Child #1 is Josiah.  Nope, not four letters.

#2 is Sarah.  Nope.
#3 is Logan.  Nope.

#4 is Jude.  WINNER!
#5 is Boaz.  WINNER, again!

#6 is Marlayna.  Hmmmm.
and
#7 is/will be/might be Azlan.

Ya know?  I'm not seeing very many four lettered names....

SO ....

Goodbye .



Hello

oy vey.

hey, don't tell her I've been playing with her kids' names, okay?

Let's just all ...

;)

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goo

So, we have us a baby due in the new family.  And ... I've been invited up for the birth.  Um, I've never been present for a baby's birth, excepting my own.  I don't remember much about that event.  Oh, wait, I have a child, too ... my dear, darling daughter, Elizabeth.  I was there for her birthing.  I distinctly remember it.

So, never mind, I've seen a baby being born.

Anyhoo ... we've got us a baby coming along on Easter Sunday.  I'm WAS debating whether or not I wanted to go up to Idaho to witness this event or not, fearing a bit of seeing a baby being borned.  But thanks to all of you, I'm okay now with going.

I think.

I'm told it's a boy, to be named Ezra.  I tried to get them to name the baby Kris ... Kristina to be exact, but they didn't seem interested.  My new mommy wanted the name to be Mary ... but she agreed that Mary might not be best for a little boy.   And coming up with a middle name?  Well, that still hasn't happened.  Elizabeth and I decided on Cake for the middle name.  Seriously.  No, SERIOUSLY.  But no one else took us seriously.

I'm still debating on whether I'll go to Idaho for the birth of Ezra Cake, but I'm taking suggestions/ideas/reasons why I should or shouldn't.


ezra

hurry!!

Zestimate for 1743 NW 37th St has increased. 

It's increased, for Pete's sake.  I've got to buy this house before the market crashes!  

Or, at least before anyone else does.  Not that anyone else would.

1743 NW 37th St, Oklahoma City, OK

NOT FOR SALE

Oh.


Okay, never mind.  I'll buy this one instead.
It's got those cool blue-green windows.  I'll feel like I'm at a pool or something.
Or something...

FOR SALE 0 days ago $145,000 2 bd, 1.0 ba, 1,274 sqft, 0.37 mi. away  1904 NW 31st St, Oklahoma City, OK After all, it WAS near the scene of the crime.  It must know something.   And here's why the rush ... SOLD 6 days ago $132,000  1809 NW 37th St Six days??  These HOT homes are selling in SIX DAYS!!! HURRY!!!! Wait.  Why?? Is there a run on 'kidnapper specials' lately? ;) .

in his own handwriting ...

Dear ol' dad.  He's knows it was immoral.  So, what's the problem?

Oh, this would be the problem.  Not guilty.  Wait, didn't he just say...

Coerced.  Love it.  Earlier he said he was not coerced at all.  Dad, Dad, Dad ...

See, NOT coerced.  He said so, himself.

And he admits he did wrong.  He's an upstanding guy.  Yep, he is.

And then:

Can you please lower the sentence?  5 years is too severe.

Because .....

But didn't he just say....?

Nope, he didn't.  'Cuz no crime exists here.  He can prove it.   So much for being that upstanding guy.

And remember how he wasn't coerced?  Suddenly he was.

I love COP shows and criminal shows and Forensic Files and all that stuff.  I just love when the criminal says one thing ... and then says something else.  Yep, I do.  And this dude?  Classic case of saying one thing and then rethinking it and changing his story.  Dork.

Hey, I have connections!  Maybe I CAN get him a stint on COPS.  Why not?  He's already got the dialogue down pat.

;)

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ya' think ...

... you know it all and then suddenly something pops up to CONFIRM what you know ... but your brain can't handle it.  Ya' know?

Huh?

That said, I have been searching and searching and searching for the exact date and location of the kidnapping that led to my birth.  Not exactly exciting to anyone else ... but to me?  THE WORLD.  And today, it arrived on my doorstep.  Well, in my inbox.  It DID!  This would've been even bigger news had it happened earlier but nevertheless, I'm still shaking with excitement.

So, okay, Kris.  You got your facts.  Your details.  Your desired information.  Now what?

Well, I have the kidnapper's confession that my birth mother was indeed kidnapped in Southern California and driven across a few state lines in a stolen car.  She never knew where they went, just that they drove and drove and drove.  I got confirmation today that she was driven from Southern California, up to Sacramento, up to Oregon, to Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and back to California.

Now THAT'S a road trip!    Sure hope he got good gas mileage.  Wanna see the beauty that they travelled in?

'Cept he had it in this color.   

But hey, it was new.  So it probably looked more like this.

All shiny and everything.

Good thing he didn't have it in red.  Wouldn't want to draw attention to himself.

So, anywhoo.  

Details all confirmed.  Minds set at ease.  Minds still to convince.  And one thankful girl to have the information she has.  And don't think for a MINUTE that I won't be picking to pieces what I found today.  It's a hoot.  A HOOT, I tell ya.

He was cute, though.  He asked the judge to go easy on him ... 'cuz he'd already served a whole year in jail.  And ya' know, that just ain't easy.

Don't do the crime if ya' can't do the time.

Thank you, Baretta.

*

I have another thought.  But it'll keep til tomorrow.  I'm too busy imagining myself tooling around in that hot 1957 Beauty from Burbank, CA.   Yep, that's where he stole it from.

God bless 'im.

;)

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