Derrick Days

This is not meant to make fun.   It may seem that I am, but ... not.
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Most smaller type towns seem to have their special celebrations.  They all create a signature event or claim-to-fame, proclaiming it to the outside world.   My old hometown, Levelland, has their Old Settler's Day.  Buda has their wiener dog races. Ennis, just north of us 20 miles, has a Czech festival.  And, yes, of course, Lubbock has their Buddy Holly festival.
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Some festivals are just worthless --  others, not so much.
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Corsicana has Derrick Days.  For the uninformed, Corsicana had the first producing oil well west of the Mississippi.  The oil field is somewhat pumped out now, but they still are doing some drilling.   Mobil and others seem to have gotten started in this area. Magnolia was a big time company that was bought out several years ago.  Their trade mark was the big red flying horse that Mobil uses now.  Yes, Corsicana, and the surrounding area, grew up as an oil field.
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So, we have our Derrick Days.  Basically  ( a word that is often overused ), the event has booths running down the main drag,  a chili cook-off,  a classic car event,  a tour via bus of the local oil fields with history, stages with music, Gospel stage, a fancy indoor dance, rodeo on Friday night - they use to have basketball tournament 3 on 3 - made up mainly of 3 big guys trouncing 3 other big guys.  It seems like they use to have, maybe still do, free hot dogs downtown on Friday in pocket park.
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Pocket Park is a park on main street where a building use to be.  Rip out the bricks and plant some green - add a bench or two - and it is pocket park.  Good use of wasted space I suppose.  Who is going to try and build a new building in that space? Not me.
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And they have a motorcycle rally.   People come from all over to show off their bikes and be manly (except the female rides, who do it for other reasons I suppose).  The bikers gather and do games.   There is a competition - burn out?? - where they rev the engine and burn rubber for effect.  I am sure these folks have a great time and look forward to returning each year.
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Yesterday's paper - it took me a long time to get here - announced some changes in Derrick Days.  I'm sure you will be pleased that I posted them here.  First of all, Biker Bash is having a new starting point - closer to the police station I am uh thinking - new starting point, new route, and a new finish line.  So there.  The tattoo contests has been cancelled.  They have so many folks riding, new spacious digs were needed. The end will be at the O.T. Sports Bar on the golf course on north Biz 45 - at Hardy Ave.   Hardy = Harley ?? wonder if any will be confused.
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The next is my favorite part:  With the moving of Biker Bash, that area hopes to add a Hispanic music state bringing in a big name such as Jamie Richards.  There you go. Jamie Richards.   Sounds Hispanic to me.  And, they hope to host an act that involves a dancing horse - it may be a combination of the "three."  Re-read this paragraph - I only see 2 things...I am dense at times.  I love horse acts.
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Almost through.   Added Business Olympics with bed races & high heel races.  Fun. There are some negatives:  no golf carts this year with a penalty of a traffic ticket. No parking on 3rd street overnight Friday - newspaper said so - no skateboarders.  But the most important change this year:  no snakes.  Last year some folks showed up carrying boa constrictors and other pet serpents around their shoulders.  This year, the festival will be snake free.   
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Fran Townes, committee chairperson said, "Snakes scare people."
See ya,
m
p.s. I think they should invite Justin Bieber.  He seems to be having problems in Florida and may need a place to hide out.

Faye

On a plain
Far away
Sits a cow
Named Faye
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She was not an ordinary cow.  She was special in so many different ways.  And, trust Faye to leap at each and every opportunity to explain.
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For you see - her name was not just Faye.  but rather it was, as she might gleefully recite,  
Alice
Betty
Clara (after a very well-known cow)
Doris (after her aunt)
Elsa (after another and well-known cow)
Faye
Greta
Harrietta (she thinks this should have been Henrietta since her father's name was Henry)
Ilsa
Janice
Klingenhoffer (a name with an especially lovely sound she thought)
Loretta
Myrna
Cow.
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Who else on the great plain had such a fine and distinguished name?  No-one she knew.
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For now Faye sits, her back legs extending straight out with her front legs parked between.  She was thinking about her very special name and why everyone chose to call her just Faye.  It was such a waste of the other fine names.  All of her brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles had such common names like: Jack, Jersey, John, George and Oreo.
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This last name bothered Faye quite a bit.   What was so great about being named Oreo?  Just because Oreo was black on both ends and white in the middle, is that any reason to pick a name? It is like naming a wiener dog Oscar Meyer  or  a goat Cheese.   Even worse was her very good friend Oink.
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But her very bestest friend of all was Spot.  You can guess what he looked like.
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Now on this particular day, Fay was sitting and thinking.  Some days she sits and thinks, and other days she just sits....
(maybe more later)

Fritz

Today:   January 7th  is my little boy Fritz's 12th birthday.   We bought him at a little ranch north of Hearne. We drove to Hearne on that Feb/March day to see what they had.  Our 2 year old Greta rode in the back seat sleeping.  Greeting us was a monstrous white dog - Pyrenees - This big dog hung out and protected their doxies and goats against bad animals.  My Marauder still sports a scratch where that big dog stood on the side of my car and stuck his head inside to lick.
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We went inside and a little black and tan wirehair puppy was placed in front of us on the floor.  It was so cute that it hurt.   Having been told that one's older dog needs to meet the new puppy before buying, we brought Greta inside.   At 8 pounds she towered over that little boy.  We had visions of breeding grandeur with this pair.  That never worked out as Fritz had problems getting the process down.  You do realize that his inability to understand English interfered with me explaining the process.
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Dutifully we place Greta beside the tiny puppy.  She looked at him, took a sniff or two, and moved on to other things. So the great introduction experiment sailed out the window.  Paying our money, Fritz joined our household.  I believe he rode on my wife's lap all the way home wrapped in a towel.  Such a good puppy.
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Fritz at 12 and Greta at 14 means we have several sad days in front of us. Dachshunds seem to live about 15 - 16 years or so.  Our little Liesl is a year younger than Fritz.  The twins turned four this year.  I say all this as Greta stands at my feet popping my leg with her nose:  "Pick me up!"
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We had a birthday party this evening - no hats or little horns.  Instead my wife and I sang Happy Birthday to Fritz (after paying the royalty fees to the composer of course) and each dog was given some doggy ice cream - puppy paws or something like that. Man that was a treat.  Since Fritz, we believe, is becoming a bit deaf, ya might just say that our excellent music fell on deaf ears.  He could care less.  
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Earline  -- our heart transplant girl (see previous posts) has a birthday tomorrow.  If she gets doggy ice cream, it will not be because we drive to Dallas with a quart.  
But, should she read this  - then -
Happy Birthday Earline   
and   
Happy Birthday Fritz
You such a good hungry boy.

more pot pouring

Today is Monday.  My wife had quilt guild this morning and I had a dermatology appt this afternoon.  They froze 5 little things off my face and said to come back in a year.  I hate doctor visits.
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Yesterday was a trip to Dallas to visit Jim & E after heart transplant.  9 days ago was the transplant.  She is living in an apartment near Baylor Hospital.  She makes many a trip over to Baylor for medical stuff.  We packed up in the car - she in her mask and house shoes - and ate at Cindy's on Central Expwy.  Interesting and busy restaurant. Our dogs were quite pleased to see our return (after dark).      They were chilled and hungry.  Greta even finished off her bowl before Oscar - that is a rarity.
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Daughter Christine came to visit over the weekend and we went to Canton on Sat. Bought absolutely nothing except a diet coke or two.  I love going to Canton.  The varied merchandise is fun to see - plus - we got to see the puppies in Dog Town. Lunch was eaten at a Chinese Buffet.  My fortune cookie told me "Now is a good time to expand your repertoire of skills and knowledge."   So I went back for an extra egg roll.  Some skills need practice.
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Where they froze my face, it itches.  Man does it itch.  For your FYI info:  laser surgery to correct a torn retina hurts a lot more during the process than freezing the smile on your face - not that you asked.
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With 20 degree weather outside, my dogs are staying inside unless pushed out to irrigate the soil.  My ball-playing ball boy Oscar is going stir crazy - I believe it would be known as cabin fever.  The others sit and stare, but not Oscar.  I am looking forward to his bedtime.  The north wind coming off the lake is just flat brutal.  Ice has formed along the shoreline.  Tough weather.
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I do have some other fortune cookie things:
Only talent people get help from others  (saying is over my understanding head)
One thought driven home is better than 3 left on base (  ah soooo)
Let hatred turn into friendship because of your existence.   (not for me)
Luck sometimes visits a fool, but it never sits down with him.
You are the evening star in someone's romantic eyes.
You have a deep appreciation of the arts and music.  (wife got this one while I got the           romantic eyes one)
Keep it simple.  The more you say, the less people remember.
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With that one I should close.  
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I have started on the new journey of re-reading the Hobbit - see previous post about the annotated edition given to me by daughter Laura -  I work through about one chapter per day reading all the footnotes and additions.  Frankly, it is quite interesting. You should try it.   I may do the Lord of the Rings again next.  
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The spouse started the new season of Down-Town-Abbey last night.  She sat in front of that TV for 2 hours and didn't fall asleep.  Amazing - almost as amazing as someone getting a heart transplant or Greta eating faster than Oscar...nobody beats Fritz to the bottom of the bowl.  Off track:  I am pleased that i did not get hooked on the Abbey show.  It might be really good; but, now, I don't HAVE to watch it.
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As I type Oscar is behind me on the floor with the ball in his mouth whining - waiting for me to throw the ball - inside.  I'll keep it simple and close.  More later.
m