I will try to make this fast.
.
Yesterday we buried our little boy Fritz. He had major complications of dog diabetes. The vet had his ashes returned to us. We put his box of ashes in a plastic container and placed it in a small hole near the lake. A pretty concrete block was placed on top of the hole appropriately.
.
As many of you who have lost a pet know, this has not been an easy week for us. I keep remembering situations and places and events that Fritz shared with us. Fritz was born on January 7, 2002 and died March 19, 2014. He was in bad shape those last few days. He would lay down and not move except to eat - even to the end, eating was his favorite choice of activities. He was a good boy.
.
We were living in Pflugerville when my girl Mandy died. This left little Greta all alone during the day while we were at school. We searched the want-advs and computer for a black and tan wire-hair dachshund. Pepper Creek farms near Hearne advertised a litter. We called and made an appointment to drive up there.
.
We took Greta thinking we would need to see her reaction to a new puppy. They brought this little pup - we put Greta on the floor - the puppy paid no attention to Greta - Greta paid zero attention to the little boy. In our discussions, we had decided to find a boy and breed him to Greta.
They were a great pair...played together...ate together...were a great pair.
.
When it came breeding time, Fritz had the right idea, but his skills were lacking - AND - we were not experienced enough to help the situation any. We had no puppies and both dogs were fixed soon after. Greta was probably too little for kids anyway.
.
That is enough. I could tell tales. I won't. We miss Fritz. I am still unable to talk about his out loud. It may take a while. He was a good hunter, a great dog, a bad lover, quick to voice his opinions, and a terrific eater, able to eat anything at a drop of a morsel. Ice - the boy would kill for a bowl of crushed ice. He had a particularly annoying high pitched yelp when he needed to go outside. I miss the sound of his voice.
m
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Sunday, March 30, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Preamble Ramble
Here is the premise...in one of those "Dear-Abby" type columns, a person wrote that her grandmother had turned 91. The Grd-ma sat down and told her kids and grandkids: "I am here. Ask me any question you might have." I wish I had been awake enough years ago to ask my great grandmother some things. Grandma LeBarre we called her. She died around 101 yrs old and was a full blooded Indian. There were arguments about which tribe. I had always heard Cherokee. Then, once I heard the term Wa-Ha. It was explained that the Wa-Ha tribe lived down by the creek - Creek dwellers you might say. I had the impression that her tribe was not considered high class. Anyway, she remarried a couple times before and after having my grandparent. The name LeBarre came in one of those remarrys I think.
.
I don't know. She had a couple of other boys Pete and Ed LeBarre. Ed was really named Clarence. They lived in Lawton, Okla. I assume the boys have died now and all of their info has flown away. There was a half brother Jamie - Jamie Metz - who, last count, lived in Burkburnet, TX and has children up there. We have lost contact. There is no excuse for that; but, we have.
.
So the newspaper column sorta reminded me of what I am doing in this bluggy { "blog" for those who are challenged by my use of the word blug }. My own children have their own memories of their grandparents - on both sides of the family. The memories are limited and varied depending upon the child and the interaction they had with that grandparent. Roger, my youngest, was born in 1970. Both my father and my wife's (Brenda) mother died of a cancer in 1974. My own mother lived till 1986 and wife's father in 2008.
.
How much can Roger remember about my father and my wife's mother since he was only 4 years old? He has memories of things we have said. Christine, my oldest, was born in 1964. She would have been 10 years old and had more memories. [ I will be in trouble if I leave Laura out who was born in 1967. I am sure she must have a memory too. ]
.
Of course, none of my children knew my own grandparents as well as my own grandchildren never knew our parents. Things like that happen when children don't marry and have 2 1/2 kids by age 15. So their only memories are what we pass on - and, I might add, what we pass on when the grandchildren are mature enough to pay attention and care what one might relay. How many times have I said something / anything to my grand-girls and it passed straight into one ear and out the other?
.
It is possible that these girls may never care about any family thing from the past, but, you never know. One of their children might really want to learn about the family's past. It could be that a future generation will not be so consumed by cellphones, facebook, jeans with bling on the back pockets and so forth. Ya never know. It would be nice to be remembered by someone.
.
With this blog I am trying to create a bit of a family history here. I wish my wife and all my kids - hey, and my brothers and their kids -- I wish they would write stuff here about our family and childhood too - prolly won't happen. I'd give them the password if they'd care to write.
.
I could probably write a book just about my band directing adventures too. It is all simply what I happen to think about at the time. My next posting will have to do with food....unless I decide to take a nap first. That sounds pretty good right now.
.
Final Bit: All of you start writing down things. Keep a book. I worry this blog won't have the staying power until my great grandchildren start to read and comprehend. Perhaps I should do a bit of printing and archiving. What cha think?
m
.
I don't know. She had a couple of other boys Pete and Ed LeBarre. Ed was really named Clarence. They lived in Lawton, Okla. I assume the boys have died now and all of their info has flown away. There was a half brother Jamie - Jamie Metz - who, last count, lived in Burkburnet, TX and has children up there. We have lost contact. There is no excuse for that; but, we have.
.
So the newspaper column sorta reminded me of what I am doing in this bluggy { "blog" for those who are challenged by my use of the word blug }. My own children have their own memories of their grandparents - on both sides of the family. The memories are limited and varied depending upon the child and the interaction they had with that grandparent. Roger, my youngest, was born in 1970. Both my father and my wife's (Brenda) mother died of a cancer in 1974. My own mother lived till 1986 and wife's father in 2008.
.
How much can Roger remember about my father and my wife's mother since he was only 4 years old? He has memories of things we have said. Christine, my oldest, was born in 1964. She would have been 10 years old and had more memories. [ I will be in trouble if I leave Laura out who was born in 1967. I am sure she must have a memory too. ]
.
Of course, none of my children knew my own grandparents as well as my own grandchildren never knew our parents. Things like that happen when children don't marry and have 2 1/2 kids by age 15. So their only memories are what we pass on - and, I might add, what we pass on when the grandchildren are mature enough to pay attention and care what one might relay. How many times have I said something / anything to my grand-girls and it passed straight into one ear and out the other?
.
It is possible that these girls may never care about any family thing from the past, but, you never know. One of their children might really want to learn about the family's past. It could be that a future generation will not be so consumed by cellphones, facebook, jeans with bling on the back pockets and so forth. Ya never know. It would be nice to be remembered by someone.
.
With this blog I am trying to create a bit of a family history here. I wish my wife and all my kids - hey, and my brothers and their kids -- I wish they would write stuff here about our family and childhood too - prolly won't happen. I'd give them the password if they'd care to write.
.
I could probably write a book just about my band directing adventures too. It is all simply what I happen to think about at the time. My next posting will have to do with food....unless I decide to take a nap first. That sounds pretty good right now.
.
Final Bit: All of you start writing down things. Keep a book. I worry this blog won't have the staying power until my great grandchildren start to read and comprehend. Perhaps I should do a bit of printing and archiving. What cha think?
m
Thursday, March 6, 2014
cold
I am so tired of cold weather. What must people who live in Wisconsin or Maine or, yes, New Hampshire be feeling? The people in Alaska chose that area. I am not sure I feel sorry for any of these folks. I think I was living in Amarillo the last time I felt this way.
.
I can remember when I was in high school in Levelland - west of Lubbock. We always had to go sing at our church's Easter sunrise service, and it was always cold on Easter morning.
.
My plum tree was covered with flowers. Now, all are gone. Before long it will be nice outside, then, without much warning - summer will Blast in. Our weather man said that an El Nino is forming - or is it El Nina? Anyway it will cause us to have more rain NEXT FALL and Winter. No help is foreseen for the summer months. The only blessing that I can see is that I won't be teaching marching band next fall if there is more rain. Thanks for small blessings.
.
About a month ago, we went to the Dallas Car Show. They had 700 cars to see. I like things like that. We have been thinking about a new car since the Marauder is at 160,000 miles. I want to keep the Marauder till I croak. So we need to reduce its yearly mileage. At the Ford booth, the lady offered us a $50 Visa card if we test drove a Ford product before the end of March. I signed u p.
.
After much to do, the email authorization came through. In the meantime, we received a recall on our motorhome's Michelin tires. We had to go to a Ford dealer for the recall. Soooooooo, we drove over to Athens ( in Texas, not Greece ) and left the motorhome. Why waste the opportunity, we test drove a couple of Fords: Flex and Explorer. I thought they were both nice to drive. My wife liked the Flex the most. Our Visa card should show up in a few days. Now, we are counting pennies to see if buying is viable. When we drove the Explorer, the computer said we had 12 miles of gasoline left in the car. That doesn't seem too brilliant if you ask me. You'd think they would plan better than that.
.
By the way, have you seen the rices of cars now-a-days?
.
That was yesterday. The Ford salesman called today. It will be interesting to see how many times he calls before we answer the phone. This brings me to another subject. We don't answer the phone if the caller ID says "unknown" or "private caller" or any of those handles. My Ford salesman had one of those "names" along with his phone number. Still, I didn't recognize that phone number. The phone went unanswered as it should.
.
stopping now - too depressing and too cold
m
.
I can remember when I was in high school in Levelland - west of Lubbock. We always had to go sing at our church's Easter sunrise service, and it was always cold on Easter morning.
.
My plum tree was covered with flowers. Now, all are gone. Before long it will be nice outside, then, without much warning - summer will Blast in. Our weather man said that an El Nino is forming - or is it El Nina? Anyway it will cause us to have more rain NEXT FALL and Winter. No help is foreseen for the summer months. The only blessing that I can see is that I won't be teaching marching band next fall if there is more rain. Thanks for small blessings.
.
About a month ago, we went to the Dallas Car Show. They had 700 cars to see. I like things like that. We have been thinking about a new car since the Marauder is at 160,000 miles. I want to keep the Marauder till I croak. So we need to reduce its yearly mileage. At the Ford booth, the lady offered us a $50 Visa card if we test drove a Ford product before the end of March. I signed u p.
.
After much to do, the email authorization came through. In the meantime, we received a recall on our motorhome's Michelin tires. We had to go to a Ford dealer for the recall. Soooooooo, we drove over to Athens ( in Texas, not Greece ) and left the motorhome. Why waste the opportunity, we test drove a couple of Fords: Flex and Explorer. I thought they were both nice to drive. My wife liked the Flex the most. Our Visa card should show up in a few days. Now, we are counting pennies to see if buying is viable. When we drove the Explorer, the computer said we had 12 miles of gasoline left in the car. That doesn't seem too brilliant if you ask me. You'd think they would plan better than that.
.
By the way, have you seen the rices of cars now-a-days?
.
That was yesterday. The Ford salesman called today. It will be interesting to see how many times he calls before we answer the phone. This brings me to another subject. We don't answer the phone if the caller ID says "unknown" or "private caller" or any of those handles. My Ford salesman had one of those "names" along with his phone number. Still, I didn't recognize that phone number. The phone went unanswered as it should.
.
stopping now - too depressing and too cold
m
Monday, March 3, 2014
weather and
There is not much worse ( in my little world ) then being stuck inside with dogs while it is 20 degrees outside covered with ice and sleet. The ball boy still wants to play ball. The others do not want to sleep 24-7. Threw bird food out in the front and back on top of the frozen sleet. It is being enjoyed by a wide variety of birds - I just love looking at cardinals. I found a dead frozen black spider on the back porch. I held no funeral; instead I stomped on it discovering it was one frozen hard rock spider.
.
Our plum tree was blooming. The 20 degrees of frozen probably has done away with our crop. For that I am sad not just for me, but for the little birds that seem to enjoy grabbing a bite of purple plum. Maybe next year things will be better.
.
Our water sprinkler is in working order. I went out Sunday and drained the pump and as much of the water lines as I could. I fear it was a wasted effort. 20 degrees in March!!! It is time to move further south.
enough of the whine.
see ya later.
m
.
Our plum tree was blooming. The 20 degrees of frozen probably has done away with our crop. For that I am sad not just for me, but for the little birds that seem to enjoy grabbing a bite of purple plum. Maybe next year things will be better.
.
Our water sprinkler is in working order. I went out Sunday and drained the pump and as much of the water lines as I could. I fear it was a wasted effort. 20 degrees in March!!! It is time to move further south.
enough of the whine.
see ya later.
m
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Bad guy is lectured
Yesterday's paper had an article by Jennifer Emily of the Dallas Morning News. I do wonder about someone who lives with two first names.... but, not important now. It is sorta like someone who is blessed by his parents with two last names - There are lots of those folks. I just suppose the parents thought it was classy and would give the kid an advantage in the world. Perhaps, being female and having two first names might work at a disadvantage to a tough female trying to get ahead in the man's world of journalism.
.
Of course, of course, I am making all this premise up. In case she searches for her name online sometime, I'm trying to get her attention. Sweet thing. Had another waitress call me "Hon" the other day. Old is not for the weak.
.
Her article:
Seems that State District Judge Mike Snipes sentenced a serial bad guy - he preyed on 10 and 12 yr old girls with duck tape and other deeds - Jose Rico - an illegal alien who had been deported before - makes you think - this guy was back being bad. What I found funny is that the judge lectured this turkey before giving him a life sentence. We have an illegal alien turkey standing before an educated Judge - What goes through the jerks head ( he has no brain ) as he hears the judge recite:
.
"So, if I could sentence you to the fate of Prometheus,
I would.
If I could sentence you to the fate of Sisyphus,
I would.
If I could sentence you to the Eighth Ring of Dante's Inferno,
I would.
If I could sentence you to a trillion year in jail,
I would.
But, I cannot. I must follow the law.
And so, I will sentence you to the maximum sentence I can under law.
I sentence you to life imprisonment."
.
And poor Jose looked at the judge and said, "Porque?"
[ actually, I made up that last part ]
.
Of course, of course, I am making all this premise up. In case she searches for her name online sometime, I'm trying to get her attention. Sweet thing. Had another waitress call me "Hon" the other day. Old is not for the weak.
.
Her article:
Seems that State District Judge Mike Snipes sentenced a serial bad guy - he preyed on 10 and 12 yr old girls with duck tape and other deeds - Jose Rico - an illegal alien who had been deported before - makes you think - this guy was back being bad. What I found funny is that the judge lectured this turkey before giving him a life sentence. We have an illegal alien turkey standing before an educated Judge - What goes through the jerks head ( he has no brain ) as he hears the judge recite:
.
"So, if I could sentence you to the fate of Prometheus,
I would.
If I could sentence you to the fate of Sisyphus,
I would.
If I could sentence you to the Eighth Ring of Dante's Inferno,
I would.
If I could sentence you to a trillion year in jail,
I would.
But, I cannot. I must follow the law.
And so, I will sentence you to the maximum sentence I can under law.
I sentence you to life imprisonment."
.
And poor Jose looked at the judge and said, "Porque?"
[ actually, I made up that last part ]
Monday, February 10, 2014
Some stuff from news and other Ramblings
Glory Glory Glory ( demonstrative words need to come in trips )
2 bluggies in one day.
#1 The Westminster Dog show is tonight and tomorrow night. I am thinking I will record it so I don't miss seeing the wire-hair dachshund. Here is a story posted by AOL.
#3 Speaking of tubas. I have one for sale. A Yamaha 4 valve upright tuba. They are expensive, and I can make you a good deal. Perfect shape? you ask. I don't think so. If you have a need. Find me.
.
#2 We missed it, but last Saturday was the Ennis Czech Music Festival with such fine bands as the Moravians, the Ennis Czech boys, the Czech Harvesters and the Jodie Mikula Orchestra. If you want to see more about it: www.ennisczechmusicfestival.com Did I mention it was held in Ennis? The big Ennis festival comes later in the spring. They have several nights of Czech music and a big-ole parade full of people pretending to be of Czech descent. My wife's - as you may know - mother was 100% Czech and did not speak English until she went to elementary school.
We are looking forward to the spring event and all those accordions and tubas.
.
#4 Moscow seems to be having a crime wave - an epidemic if you must - people are stealing squirrels from parks and selling them for pets. You can get about $5,000 rubles for them - that would be $144 in American currency. The fine for this act of poaching is 20,000 rubles (about $573 in ours).
Of note is Alexandra Mishenko, a local retiree who feeds the squirrels in Moscow's parks. When interviewed, she said (eyes welling with tears), "We should gather people together and pelt the person who does that with snow." Vitnija Saldava of the AP reported this; and, we thank her.
.
#5 Read this in the newspaper - lots of stuff in the paper during February about Black History Month: Songwriter Tom Lehrer, who said at 37 "It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years." The article goes on to talk about MLK being killed at age 39. I'm sure those two facts are related because they were in the same newspaper article and paragraph.
.
#6 This could be a blog in itself. Think of all the songs that came out during WWII. There was Sentimental Journey, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, I'll Walk alone, In the Mood and many other Glenn Miller hits, Swinging on a Star, Don't Fence Me In, All or Nothing at All, Amor, I'll be seeing you, American Patrol, Chattanooga Choo choo, Over There, and on and on and on... That was in the 1940s, well over 50 years ago.
.
Now - the question. Name me one new song that has come out since Afghanistan that will be remembered in 50 years....just one.
.
#7 Number Last - this is an ugly color - try again - There now, that looks better. This was reported in the Dallas Paper on Feb 7 by Martin Fackler of the NY Times. It seems that in Japan, a composer of classical music and others works (I'd guess), Mamoru Samuragochi, has shown to be a fraud A"part time lecturer at a prestigious music college in Tokyo, Takashi Nilgaki, has been ghost writing all of Mamoru's music. He's been doing this since the 1990s. Takashi felt guilty because one of the ghost works is being used by a Japanese figure skater in the Olympics. Mamoru, I should mention, is reported to be deaf, making his compositions even more special - the Japanese Beethoven some said. But, Takashi asserted that Mamoru had never been deaf. So, if I can find a dumb enough musician, I can pay him to my name on his works - I would rocket to fame. Way to go Mamoru.
2 bluggies in one day.
#1 The Westminster Dog show is tonight and tomorrow night. I am thinking I will record it so I don't miss seeing the wire-hair dachshund. Here is a story posted by AOL.
Live streaming of all breed judging is available on http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org and on the official 2014 Westminster show app. There seems to be an app for everything. Evening session will be broadcast live on CNBC from 7 to 10. and on Tuesday: USA channel from 7 - 10. Of course, this will be when they crown the Wirehair Dachshund Best-In-Show. You just wait and see. The time has come.
.#3 Speaking of tubas. I have one for sale. A Yamaha 4 valve upright tuba. They are expensive, and I can make you a good deal. Perfect shape? you ask. I don't think so. If you have a need. Find me.
.
#2 We missed it, but last Saturday was the Ennis Czech Music Festival with such fine bands as the Moravians, the Ennis Czech boys, the Czech Harvesters and the Jodie Mikula Orchestra. If you want to see more about it: www.ennisczechmusicfestival.com Did I mention it was held in Ennis? The big Ennis festival comes later in the spring. They have several nights of Czech music and a big-ole parade full of people pretending to be of Czech descent. My wife's - as you may know - mother was 100% Czech and did not speak English until she went to elementary school.
We are looking forward to the spring event and all those accordions and tubas.
.
#4 Moscow seems to be having a crime wave - an epidemic if you must - people are stealing squirrels from parks and selling them for pets. You can get about $5,000 rubles for them - that would be $144 in American currency. The fine for this act of poaching is 20,000 rubles (about $573 in ours).
Of note is Alexandra Mishenko, a local retiree who feeds the squirrels in Moscow's parks. When interviewed, she said (eyes welling with tears), "We should gather people together and pelt the person who does that with snow." Vitnija Saldava of the AP reported this; and, we thank her.
.
#5 Read this in the newspaper - lots of stuff in the paper during February about Black History Month: Songwriter Tom Lehrer, who said at 37 "It is a sobering thought that when Mozart was my age, he had been dead for two years." The article goes on to talk about MLK being killed at age 39. I'm sure those two facts are related because they were in the same newspaper article and paragraph.
.
#6 This could be a blog in itself. Think of all the songs that came out during WWII. There was Sentimental Journey, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, I'll Walk alone, In the Mood and many other Glenn Miller hits, Swinging on a Star, Don't Fence Me In, All or Nothing at All, Amor, I'll be seeing you, American Patrol, Chattanooga Choo choo, Over There, and on and on and on... That was in the 1940s, well over 50 years ago.
.
Now - the question. Name me one new song that has come out since Afghanistan that will be remembered in 50 years....just one.
.
#7 Number Last - this is an ugly color - try again - There now, that looks better. This was reported in the Dallas Paper on Feb 7 by Martin Fackler of the NY Times. It seems that in Japan, a composer of classical music and others works (I'd guess), Mamoru Samuragochi, has shown to be a fraud A"part time lecturer at a prestigious music college in Tokyo, Takashi Nilgaki, has been ghost writing all of Mamoru's music. He's been doing this since the 1990s. Takashi felt guilty because one of the ghost works is being used by a Japanese figure skater in the Olympics. Mamoru, I should mention, is reported to be deaf, making his compositions even more special - the Japanese Beethoven some said. But, Takashi asserted that Mamoru had never been deaf. So, if I can find a dumb enough musician, I can pay him to my name on his works - I would rocket to fame. Way to go Mamoru.
Greta & dog show info
I realize you folks don't live with our concerns day after day.
Being retired limits our concerns somewhat. When something happens to one of
our dogs, it is a major event. I suppose if we lived near the gran-girls, their
everyday happenings would ring sharply with us too.
.
If you read my previous posting, Greta, our 10 lb blond (wheaten)
13 1/2 yr old dachshund became paralyzed on her right side. She could not move
either leg on the right side. When she tried to walk, she would just roll over
on her back or side with the good legs flailing in the breeze. It was simply
put - pitiful to watch.
.
Our vet has a laser treatment program. When our Liesl lost her
control of her back legs, 3 treatments and she was running in the back yard.
The word "Amazing" is reserved for people who have heart transplants. We will
use "unbelievable" for dogs. How can a laser run down the back - or wherever -
cure a bad spinal column? I don't know. Unbelievable!! I told the vet that
it seemed like black magic to me. Still, it worked for Liesl in one week's
time.
.
His laser program is for seven treatments and $240. Normally they
are spaced about 2 or 3 days apart. Greta has 2 more treatments remaining. One
tomorrow and one while we are set to be out of town (creating a
dilemma).
.
THE BOTTOM LINE: I carried Greta out this morning to wet and pooh
- or in Jim's former words: woo and wee ( I call it Whoopee when they do both
in one setting - UH, sitting ). I placed her on the grass for
a successful Whoopee. That done, she was returned to the back porch where she
began to walk to the back door, over the threshold, into the house, and onto a
cushion. Albeit, she struggled with every step - but her right side is working
enough to move forward and turn corners.
.
Glooorrrrrrrry Beeeeee!! We are so proud of her effort. Frankly,
she has no idea she is making an effort - dogs just do what they do. If she
were a human, we know it would take major thinking, counseling, a lot of tears,
holding hands with relatives, and months of major exertion to arrive at these
result. But, a dog is a dog. She does what she does when she does it. And she
thinks little of it expecting no reward. Aren't they amaz..... wait .....
aren't they unbelievable?
.
So the laser treatments seem to be working - OR perhaps she would
have gotten better on her own and the Vet is simply running a flashlight down
her back with a wink to his assistants. Who knows? For me it is $240 well
spent and the removing of my guilt feelings.
====================================
as a final note to those who have struggled this far
:
The Westminster Dog show is tonight and tomorrow night. Here is a
story posted by AOL.
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