Banner Day

Today is a very special day here at the old Boggy Thicket.
It's the day Honey and I celebrate our 55th wedding anniversary, and this year it is also the day all of our new furniture is being delivered.  I'm pretty sure which one has my darling bride more excited, but I know better than to ask.
We're still camping in the back yard, but may actually celebrate New Year's Day in our refurbished home.

Almost There

The stove I mentioned in my last post did get sold, along with the microwave.  So did the old washer and dryer.

We now have a 120V outlet for the new range, but the propane line is behind some built-in cabinets about three or four feet from where it needs to be. The contractor is supposed to be sending a guy out today to run a new line so the new range can be hooked up tomorrow.  We haven't seen him yet, but he better show up - we have had Buster Brown Propane scheduled to come tomorrow to do the natural gas to LP conversion and install the range.  They have a wait list, and it's been scheduled for the past three weeks.

We have painters, a sheet-rock guy and the carpet installers all working in the house today.  It's a madhouse in there.

Our contractor says we will be in our house by New Years Day.  It won't be a minute too soon.

Saga of the Kitchen Stove

We bought a new kitchen range and microwave to be installed as part of the re-do on our flooded house.  The physical dimensions on both match the ones being replaced, so it ought to be  pretty straightforward, right? 

Nope. Not even close.

The old range was electric and the replacement is propane.  The range we had before the one we're replacing was propane, so there is a propane source in the wall, but they sheet-rocked over it and now they have to knock out part of the wall to find the pipe.  The new stove also needs a 120 volt power source but the only power available right now is the 240 volt wire that powered the electric range.  It ain't rocket science, it can all be corrected, but it is a pain.

I sold the old range and microwave to a lady who is converting her trailer to all electric.  She was supposed to come get them last weekend, but for one reason or another, pickup keeps getting postponed.  I just had a call from her and she said that she has the money in hand, but didn't want to come get them in the rain.  She begged me not to sell them to anyone else, and swears they will come get them this next weekend.

Aside from waiting (which I despise and am not good at doing at all) the biggest pain the old stove has created is that I had told her the appliances got really dirty during the kitchen demo and that I was selling them as-is.  Then this past weekend, when we thought she was coming to get them, Honey announced that she was not letting anything leave here looking like that, so we spent a couple hours cleaning them up.

Christmas Puppy

We woke yesterday to find this cute little puppy underneath our 5th wheel.  She was well fed, so we really didn't think she had been abandoned. 

Honey made some calls, and I posted her picture on Facebook. Someone said they thought they had seen her at a house on the other side of the block.  We took her over there, and sure enough, there were two dogs in their front yard that were older, but looked just like her - probably from a previous litter.  They greeted her like a long lost friend, so we decided that must be where she belonged, and we left her there.

Later, we learned that our neighbors, the Gedmans, had four puppies in their yard.  Honey told her what we had done with the one we found, and they took their four over and left them at the same house.  

While they were there, a woman came by - another neighbor we didn't know - and asked Angie if she had lost a puppy.  She told her no that she was dropping some off.  The lady said "Okay." and left hers there. too.

We are pretty sure the pups got back where they came from, but there was nobody home to ask.  

If that's not where they belonged, those folks got a hell of a surprise when they did get home.

Progress

Lots of activity at the old Boggy Thicket today. 

Our driveway looks like a used car lot. 

We have four painters, and three granite counter guys here already. and the main granite guy is on the way with the granite in his truck. Earlier, the plumber was here for a few minutes taking measurements, then left.

Workers are scurrying around inside the house like bees in a hive.

It almost makes me believe that we may actually get back in our house at some point.

Last Day In The 5th Wheel -- Lat day of November, that is

We got a call yesterday morning and the guy on the other end identified himself as a delivery driver and said that our furniture would be arriving in about 30 minutes.  

We have bought quite a bit of furniture to replace what was ruined by the flood, but the delivery was on hold until we had someplace to put it.  We are definitely not ready to receive it yet - probably won't be for another month at least. While Honey talked to the driver, I called the furniture saleslady.  Between us we were able to get the delivery turned around and sent back to the warehouse.

That was the most excitement we've had in days.

Two Months

We have now been living in our 5th wheel trailer in the back yard for two months, and the end is nowhere in sight.  We met with our contractor this morning, and he confirmed that he will definitely not be through with the house before the first of next year.
All things considered, it really hasn't been all that bad, but even a big trailer starts to get very small after a while.

Nautical Ditty

When an eel bites your thigh,

And you bleed out and die,

That’s a Moray!

Beyond the Fringe

Anyone under the age of 60 or so may have missed out on Beyond the Fringe, a British production starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in some of the most outrageous comedy ever produced.  Here's one of my favorite sketches from the pair....

  

Shopping Spree II

Went to Star Furniture yesterday to get some replacement furniture for the house.

 We bought the sofa and love seat pictured above along with a matching recliner - 

They are all top grain leather with electrically adjustable head and foot rests.  The color is Ocean Blue.

Then we got a TV stand to replace the old entertainment center - 

We also purchased a small dining room table and chairs -

And  a set of desks for the office -

We've still got more stuff yet to buy, but this could become addictive. Spending money like drunken sailors is something we've never been able to do before. 

Shopping Spree

Yesterday, Honey and I went on a shopping spree.  

We needed lots of new appliances for the house and both Lowes and Home Depot had just started what they are calling "pre-Black Friday sales."

We had been to both stores in the past few weeks but were holding off because the house wasn't ready and we had been told to expect price drops about now.  

We went to the Home Depot in Porter and worked with a salesman named Bob.  We bought a new refrigerator (with an ice maker), a dishwasher, washer and dryer, a new microwave and a new kitchen stove.  

I think Honey is most excited about the new range.  When we got our last range we got a ceramic top electric range because she wanted a convection oven, and back then nobody made a gas range with a convection oven option.

Our new Samsung range is gas, with a self-cleaning convection oven, and it features a long oval burner in the center of the stove top with a removable griddle.

Once we had all the items selected, I told Bob that Lowes was offering rebates and in-store coupons based on the amount of stuff you bought, and asked if they were doing anything like that.  He said no, but asked if I had ever been in the military.  I told him I had, but didn't have a copy of my DD-214 in my pocket.  He replied that if I knew what it was that was good enough for him, and he gave us an additional 10% discount on the entire purchase!

We were already congratulating ourselves over the great buys we had made when we stopped by the Hobby Lobby in Humble to pick up two mirrors we had selected for our bathrooms. We walked in to discover that yesterday all mirrors were 50% off - icing on an already excellent cake.

Harbinger

I don't suppose it actually qualifies as good news, but maybe it portends good news to come.  
We learned yesterday that our insurance adjuster has completed her report and forwarded it to the carrier.  That means that we should know in the next few days how much money we'll have to finish fixing the house.

Ouch

I had a Mohs procedure done on my arm yesterday. This is a surgical procedure to insure that all of a cancerous growth is removed - in my case it was a squamous cell carcinoma.

With the huge bandage they put on, it looks a lot worse than it was.  The surgeon removed a chunk of my arm about the size and shape of a poker chip.  They do a frozen section while you wait, then go back and remove some more if all the edges aren't clear. It took a couple of hours, didn't hurt, and I drove myself back home after.

When I say it didn't hurt that isn't entirely correct.  It woke me up about 2 a.m. but most of the soreness was from holding my arm in unusual positions trying not to make anything worse.

The good news is that they got it all - the bad news is I'm back where I was after the cataract surgery with strict orders not to lift anything heavier than a loaf of bread.

Birthday

November

November is here and there has been very little progress toward getting us back in our house.  Plumbers came and rerouted some pipes so the tile people can get started on  our bathrooms next week.  
Otherwise, nothing to report.
We get up each morning, spend a little time on the internet, check email, and read - I'm running through books like crazy - and by noon we're out of anything to do, anything that actually needs doing, anyway.  
Really, in terms of what needs doing, nothing is all that different from living in our house - but it certainly feels different, and it's getting on our nerves.

Just When ----3

As we wait around to have our home restored, it seems that we also have to keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.  We have learned that, like Mrs. Marcos, Hurricane Imelda has a Hell of a lot of shoes, and they just keep on coming.

We had very heavy rain yesterday, at a rate in excess of an inch per hour, and last night as we prepared for bed, Honey discovered a wet spot.  Water had dripped in from the crank in the ceiling that raises/lowers the TV antenna.

Luckily, it was just a small spot and I was able to soak up the water that was still in the crank with a rag. We're washing and drying the sheets, etc. this morning.

I grabbed what I thought I might need and climbed up on the roof this morning.  We have more rain expected with a cold front coming in this evening, so I really didn't have a choice.

Here was the problem - 

The weather-proof boot that is supposed to seal the opening where the coax comes through the roof was out of place, about an inch and a half or so up the cable from the nipple it was supposed to fit over. No idea how that happened, but at least it was a quick and easy fix.

Just When You Thought --- 2

In my last post, I mentioned the broken gray tank on our trailer.  That was over a week ago, and all I know at this point is that our repair guy is having a Hell of a time locating a replacement.  I know there are repair kits available, but he tells me they never work well.  I'm about ready to try one anyway.

Otherwise, nothing much has changed.  

I've occasionally spent some "woe is me" time - like last week when I should have been driving to Austin for my grandson's wedding, and instead was sitting in my opthmatologist's chair having a suture removed from my eye ball. Things like that can warp your day.

Still, we are faring better than our next door neighbors. She took him to the ER Saturday, and they both ended up being admitted to the hospital.

All things considered, maybe things aren't so bad after all.

Imelda - Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Worse

Repairs on our house have begun, but we're a long way from completion.  So far, they've only done sheetrock replacement and tape and float.
We are still in our 5th Wheel, and things were going pretty well.  Then yesterday afternoon, we heard a loud bang, followed by a big thump.

The support holding up one of our grey water tanks - the one for the bathroom sink and shower - broke and the tank dropped.  I had just emptied the tanks, so there wasn't much water involved, but it will be sometime today or tomorrow before we know what it will take to fix it, and whether it is covered by our extended warranty plan.

Imelda Update

Remember Imelda?  

Unless you got flooded like we did, chances are you have moved on to other things and that little hurricane is no longer on your mind.  We, on the other hand, can think of little else.

It's the fourth Thursday since the storm hit, and we are living in our fifth wheel trailer in the back yard.  Most of our earthly possessions - at least what we could salvage - are stacked in our garage.  

The contractor completed removal and replacement of sheetrock, and began taping and floating yesterday.

Dealing with the flood insurance folks has run the gamut from delightful to frustrating to infuriating.  The latest is a letter stating that they were denying the cost of sheetrock removal and replacement in our garage, because they paid for that after hurricane Harvey, and we had failed to provide proof that we had had the repairs done.  Well, they never asked us for proof!  

Of course we did have it done, but all the records we had saved after Harvey were destroyed by Imelda.  Luckily, that work was done by a neighbor and he will be giving us a duplicate invoice this evening.

On the bright side....

Sitting outside the camper with her first cup of coffee this morning, Honey spotted a buck grazing over by the drainage ditch. We have a little superstition about that. During our travels, any morning Honey saw a deer always ended up being a great day.  Here's hoping the same rule applies when camping out at home.

Lots of Updates

It's been a week since I posted anything.  Not because I had nothing to report, but because we have been so damn busy. 

My second cataract surgery - originally scheduled for the day we flooded - was finally done yesterday afternoon, and everything went well.

*

I have lost eight pounds hauling junk to the street over the past few days, but my hauling days are over. I have strict orders from the surgeon to not lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for the next few weeks.

*

The other day we were sitting in our Coleman camp chairs outside the camper taking a much deserved break.  Honey looked down and there, coiled up within two inches of her right foot, was a Copperhead!  It wasn't the biggest snake we've ever seen, about 10 or 11 inches long, but my darling wife considers all snakes poisonous and 10 feet long.  She managed to lift both feet up and hold them while I went a found a shovel, and only put them back down after I had dispatched the critter to viper Valhalla, collected the carcass and threw it into the woods. 

*

We got our first check from the flood insurance folks, and we did find a contractor  He began demolition on the house this morning.  They are taking out all the sheetrock to a level of four feet.  He explained that it would prove cheaper in the long run to do it that way.

Murphy's Law of Pills

It's been a while since I posted to my blog, and there's a whole lot happening.  We were flooded out by Imelda and will be living in our 5th wheel for the foreseeable future, but I'm tired of thinking about that, so....

If you take a handful of pills (like I do every morning) the one that doesn't go down the first time will always be the one that tastes the nastiest.

Don't Write About Mice

I was just logging on to my blog yesterday morning when my wife walked by and said "Don't write anything about mice."

MICE?

I hadn't even thought about writing anything about mice, but once she said that, I couldn't think of anything else.  I finally gave up and didn't write anything at all.

I'm writing this quick before she can tell me again.

Just Tell Me I Can't

There are at least a dozen projects here at the Boggy Thicket that I have been postponing/avoiding all summer - washing the camper, pressure washing the house, etc.

The eye surgeon told me the other day that, with my second cataract surgery coming up next week, it will be at least a month before I can even consider doing any of those tasks.

It's driving me nuts, and I can't wait until I can do them.

Of course, knowing me, they'll seem a lot less important once I'm able to do them, and they may get postponed again.

Surgery 2

Surgery went well yesterday, and Honey got us home without incident.
Back to the office for a follow-up today, and the doctor was very pleased with the results.

Surgery

My first cataract surgery is scheduled for tomorrow.  
To my mind, the worst part about it is that we have to get up early enough to drive 45 miles across Houston to the surgery center and get there by 5:30 a.m.
Ask Honey and she will tell you the worst part about it is that she will have to drive home.

Outlet Checker

When I actually worked for a living, I carried an outlet checker like this one in my tool kit, and used it quite often.  It is truly amazing how many electrical outlets are wired incorrectly - usually with the hot and neutral reversed.  Often such miswiring doesn't cause any problem at all, but on sensitive electronic gear, it can spell disaster,
I mention this today because the new refrigerator in the 5th wheel would not work on A-C, and kept blowing the breaker.  The guy who installed it came out, checked everything and disconnected the ground wire from the refrigerator's circuit board.
Once he did that, the refrigerator now works fine, but I would bet the farm that there are some wires reversed somewhere.

Truth In Advertising

I have seen several similar pictures on Facebook, but I always thought they were fake - somebody's idea a a photoshop joke.  This one is real - shot with my cell phone at WalMart in New Caney on 8/27/2019.
Either somebody has very poor math skills, doesn't understand the concept of Roll Back, or is way too honest to work at WalMart.

Parking Lot Poem

I just realized that it's been a week since I posted anything.  Not much new to report so I thought I would share a poem I originally posted to the Addicted to Limericks page on Facebook.....

I patiently sat while she made up her face

Before backing out of that parking space

She pulled out, I started in

You zipped in ahead with a triumphant grin

The champion of the parking lot race

Yes, I was upset, but I didn’t cry

You must need that parking spot much more than I

But I hope you contract S-T-Ds

Your home is invaded by roaches and fleas

And you watch your pet parakeet curl up and die

May your daughter run off with her boyfriend the pimp

Your son get arrested with a truckload of hemp

May your engine stop working right there in that space

And spill oil and coolant all over the place

And your Viagra quit working leaving you limp

May your mom write a book called My Life as a Whore

Your wife run away with the woman next door
May your teeth all fall out and your gums start to itch
For stealing my spot, you son of a bitch
Now have you had enough, cause I’ve got a lot more

Finally

I have mentioned several times over the past months that we have owls who take advantage of our birdbaths, and I have been trying all this time to get a picture.  I finally got one this morning.  It's not a good picture - taken from about 60 feet away with my cell phone - but at least you should be able to tell that he is there, and not just a figment of my imagination.

Fonda Wisdom

It was reported that Peter Fonda died yesterday.  
I didn't like his politics, and recently posted about trying to watch Easy Rider and finding it too bad to stay with it more than the first half hour. I do think it is sad that, in what I see as a desperate attempt to  stay relevant, he made that horrible statement about Barron Trump.
But - He did say something on the old Tonight Show that I have remembered for about fifty years.  I tried a search for the clip, but it didn't come up so I'll have to paraphrase.
When Johnny Carson expressed surprise that Fonda was a gun owner, he explained that he was not only a gun owner but also an avid hunter, and that some of his fondest memories of his father were of hunting trips they had taken when he was growing up.
Then he said, "We never hunted for trophies or just for sport. My father had one hard and fast rule - you eat what you shoot."  
He went on to say "I think if that rule was universally applied we could end war."

Owl Bath

I didn't take this picture - our owls visit our birdbaths often in this hot dry weather, but usually in the very early morning or very late evening when it's too dark to take a photo.

They are much more sedate and dignified bathers than the jays, cardinals and bluebirds that visit during the day.  They don't splash a lot, but they will squat and get their chests wet.

Last night was the first time we've seen two in the birdbath together, and it was in the small metal birdbath that is only about 20 inches in diameter.  To say they filled it up is an understatement, but they seemed happy enough, and we watched them for about five minutes before they flew away.

Smile

Trickle

The water pressure at the old Boggy Thicket had dropped off significantly, so I called Robbie Eshee at R & D Water Wells to come out and take a look.  
It turned out that the pressure switch that was supposed to turn the pump on at 35 lbs. was not coming on until the pressure dropped below 20. Robbie replaced the switch (the new one turns on at 40 lbs.) and everything is back to, or better than, normal.

Seventy-Seven

I never expected to live this long, but, here I am - 77 years old.
I could say  I don't feel a day over 60, or 55 for that matter, but the truth is that I have slowed down a bit. I get tired sooner, and the heat bothers me more than it used to.
Part of the problem is that I've allowed myself to become more sedentary - I know I'm not getting enough exercise.  Maybe I'll do something about that... Sometime soon - whenever I get around to it.

When A Compliment Makes You Sad

I was out running an errand and Honey was sitting under the pergola when the young man came by to read our light meter yesterday.
She said, "Hi. How are you doing." and he said he was fine.
After he read the meter, he stopped and said, "You know, the world needs more people like you and your husband."
She asked him what he meant and he said "Every time I come by here, you always greet me with a friendly word and a smile.  Most places, the people either ignore me or frown and watch me like they think I'm about to steal something. You folks make my day."
She thanked him and he went on his way.
When she told me, we got to thinking about it.  It never occurred to us that we were doing anything special, it was just the way we were raised.  
What a shame it is that common courtesy isn't common any more. 

Birthday

If you had asked my mother, she would have told you that I was born on August 8th.  I wasn't, but she got it wrong for most of my life.
She explained it this way -

• When she learned she was pregnant, she was given a due date of August 8th.
• She went into labor on the 8th.
• She checked into the hospital on the 8th.
• Her water broke on the 8th.

So, if I didn't arrive until the 9th, it wasn't her fault.

Say It Ain't So, Dan

Referring to the mass shootings last weekend, my representative, Dan Crenshaw, posted the following recently -

The solutions aren’t obvious, even if we pretend they are. But we must try. Let’s start with the TAPS Act. Maybe also implement state “red flag” laws, or gun violence restraining orders. Stop them before they can hurt someone. I have been a Crenshaw supporter from day one, but I hope he will reconsider. His first sentence is absolutely true, but denying anyone their constitutional rights because they might do something wrong in the future goes against the very concepts our country was founded upon. I don't have an answer to the scourge of mass shootings, but I'm pretty sure the TAPS act isn't it.

Eyes

Went to the eye doctor yesterday. 
I guess I had a premonition, because I chose not to go to the optometrist I've been seeing and decided to go to the opthmatologist that did Honey's surgery last year.  He confirmed that I do have cataracts in both eyes and am a candidate for surgery.

Catch 22

During a thunderstorm the other night, a tree at the south end of our property fell and knocked down the Suddenlink cable.  It isn't causing us any problem, but the cable is now hanging a couple feet off the ground and blocking the driveways at our next door neighbor's place.

I tried calling the cable company, and the Suddenlink representative told me that, since I was not a customer, she could not take a repair request and that my only option was to call their local store in Kingwood.  

I said "OK, give me that number." to which she replied,

"The only number I have for the Kingwood store would route you right back to me.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Last Saturday

There is a move afoot to change the date of Halloween from October 31st to the last Saturday of October.  

As of yesterday, the on-line petition - sponsored by Change.Org and the Halloween and Costume Association - had 63,000 signatures, and once they reach 75,000 the petition will be sent to President Trump.

My first reaction to this was "These people have way too much time on their hands." and then I wondered why involve the President in something that isn't a national holiday.  

They do point out safety concerns - unaccompanied children wandering around the streets on weeknights, etc. - so I guess there is some validity to their effort.

Here at the Boggy Thicket, there is a neighborhood party and hayride that has become a tradition.  It has typically been held on the Saturday before Halloween, and we have not had a trick-or-treater come to our door on October 31 in at least 15 years. 

Laundramat

I'll admit I never saw that sign, but in our travels over the past few years, we've seen things at definitely qualify as odd - including some stuff that makes you glad you own a washer and dryer at home.

The sign did remind me of something I'd forgotten, and the statute of limitations must have run out years ago, so....

A college friend -I'll call him Larry - landed a job as the attendant at a washeteria.  He kept the filters emptied and the change machine and soap dispensers filled.  For that, he got a very small salary and an apartment on the second floor above the laundromat.

One night, after a night on the town, we decided to stop by and see him.  I honestly don't remember whose idea it was (probably John Stuckey, but it might have been me) but we put a six pack of empty beer cans in a dryer put in some coins and turned it on.

It was remarkable how quick Larry made it out of bed and down the stairs.  He didn't think it was a darn bit funny, but we were laughing too hard to care.

Apollo Eleven

Today is the 50th anniversary of Man's first landing on the moon, and I can still remember how excited we were watching the event on television.  
It is sort of sad that my girls, and every generation since, has never known a time when we hadn't been to the moon.  To them it is no big deal - they'll never really understand what a truly momentous accomplishment it was.

In A Rut

Finally got our 5th wheel home Tuesday, and getting it back into the yard was, to put it nicely, a real comedy of errors.

The trailer is too long, the turn radius on our truck is too small and the road is too narrow to make it into the driveway without running off the road.  I typically have the front wheels in the grass across the street as I complete the turn, and if it is the least bit muddy, it's a recipe for disaster.

After several unsuccessful attempts, and some deep ruts in our yard, Honey called Ronnie Warman. our neighbor who used to run hotshot deliveries with a 42 foot gooseneck and he put it in like it was on rails - one try - smooth as silk.

I am now into the second day of filling in the ruts.  It is amazing how much dirt it is taking.

Morning Surprise

Just before sunrise, Honey was sitting out under the pergola enjoying her first cigarette and first cup of coffee of the day.
She heard a  noise behind her, and turned around to see that a pair of raccoons had joined her on the deck.

She admits to being a little frightened, but more surprised than anything.  When she scooted her chair back, they jumped off the deck, and by the time she got to the house, they were back over the fence and out of sight.

I Feel Lucky

Honey had her semiannual checkup at the Dermatologist yesterday.  Her doctor is one of the most delightful people I've ever met, we had a most enjoyable visit, and the checkup went without a hitch. 
Once we got home, Honey said "We're up and dressed with nothing to do.  Want to go to the casino?"
Well, you don't have to tell me twice, so just before  noon we were on our way to Livingston.
Twelve hours later, we were back home with the same amount of money we left with.  That qualifies as a very successful trip.
We were lucky, but the casino not so much.  
They were installing a whole bunch of new slot machines, and somehow took down the network that controls stuff.  Some slots would not issue pay stubs, and for about half the casino, the stubs that were issued could not be read in the machines that convert them to cash.
That led to a mob of about a hundred people at the pay window waiting (in some cases, two hours or more) for their cash.
They eventually got the problem fixed, but not before having to delay three buses waiting to return folks to Houston.

Orchid

One of the orchids in our kitchen window box is blooming, but it's kind of sad.  It only has three blossoms, and instead of having a tall straight shaft it is a sort of a raggedy spiral.

I've named it Quasimodo.

That One Bird

They call them Cattle Egrets for a reason.  They are attracted to cattle, and the cows (or in this case, bulls) tolerate them because they pick bugs off their backs.

You could probably just as easily call them Mower Egrets because it is almost impossible in this part of the world to see a tractor mowing a field without a flock of Egrets in its wake.  

Today, while mowing my yard here at the Boggy Thicket, I attracted a couple dozen.  They cover the newly  mown area grabbing up the bounty (bugs, frogs, snakes, etc.) uncovered by the mower.  It's a great example of symbiosis between man and bird.

There is that one bird, though - not the sharpest blade in the drawer - that consistently lands in the unmown grass about 30 feet in front of the mower.  He has just enough time to land, react to the mower moving toward him and take off again.  Then, on the next pass, he does it again.  I can't decide if he is playing a game or just that dumb.

Ouch

 In yesterday's game between the Astros and Angels, there was a collision at home between Jake Marisnick and Angels catcher Jonothan Lucroy.  
Astros fans celebrated a go-ahead run, convinced that Jake was safe - Lucroy obviously leaned into Jakes path, and never had possession of the ball - but Jake was ruled out based on a no collision rule adopted by baseball in 2014.
Lucroy was taken to the hospital, and his manager (former Astros catcher, Brad Ausmus) is calling for an investigation and possible suspension. 
Here's a link to the whole thing - Collision

It Is Our Fault

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy.  

This was originally said  in the early 1800s, and the quote has been attributed both to Alexander Tytler, a Scottish Lord, and to Alexis de Toqueville, the French historian. Whoever said it first, it is undeniably correct, and comes dangerously close to the condition America finds itself in today.

Something for nothing is never a good idea.  Only later do we learn that anything "free" comes with a terrible cost. One look at modern society with all its ills, and if we are honest, we have to admit we brought it on ourselves.

Our parents, and even more so, our own generation and those that have followed, created this situation.  Each wanted their kids to have it better than they did, and each gave their kids everything they could.  

In a sad example of the law of unintended consequences, we created a Participation Trophy Society that doesn't appreciate what they have been given - it is basic human nature to equate free with worthless.  Those things we got without ay effort are never held in high esteem. Even so, today's generation takes what we have given as a God-given right and only clamors for more.

What is true for individual families is even more starkly true on a national level. 

We first proved it was true when we rounded up the Indians and stuck them on reservations.  It only took a generation for once proud nations to degenerate into despondency, alcoholism and disease.  

Not learning our lesson there, we tried the New Deal and the Great Society, and they gave us inner city Hell holes like Detroit, Chicago and Baltimore.

Today's political candidates are in a contest to see who can offer the most "free" stuff - health care, tuition, etc. I can't decide if they just don't understand or if they are willing to sacrifice the country for personal gain.

I'm not sure if there is a formula out there that would stop this downward spiral toward oblivion, but I do know that it will require hard work. 

Ax Scent

Yesterday, a Canadian friend tagged me on Facebook in a post.  He was writing about a friend of his who commented that someone had a strong “American accent.”  He went on to discuss the fact that the various regional accents around the US disproved the idea that an American accent could even exist.

I strongly agree, and would point out that there are at least a half dozen different accents specific to regions of Texas – in fact, there may be at least that many specific to areas of Houston.  There are still pockets of white, East Texas speakers in the Channelview area, Spanish speakers in Denver Harbor, Blacks with a hint of South Louisiana in Fifth Ward, Vietnamese accents in Southwest Houston, etc.  Add to that the influx of refugees from places like California and the Rust Belt, and the more affluent sections of the North and West sides have blended their accents into something that is homogenized – almost generic.

I am reminded of Richard I Fu Ho, my college roommate.  He already had an engineering degree from Tung Hai University on Taiwan, and had come to Austin College to work on his English before entering grad school.  He had an older sister who was a professor at M.I.T.  When he called her on the phone, they would try to converse in English, but she spoke Boston (with a Chinese accent) and he was leaning East Texas (with a Chinese accent) and it soon became clear that they could not communicate without switching to Mandarin.

Farewell Dusty

Dusty, our miniature dachshund, died yesterday.  She was one month short of her fifteenth birthday. 

When her constant companion, Tinker, passed seven months ago, I knew she wouldn't last another year, but she had been doing surprisingly well until yesterday when she suffered a series of seizures, or stokes.  The vet suspects they were the result of a brain tumor.

People always talk about dogs giving unconditional love  - Dusty didn't necessarily give it, but she demanded it.  She always considered herself the Alpha, and we were just members of her pack.  

God, we will miss her.