This is a short stone because I left it out on purpose.
I have a fear - if you talk about the wrong thing - a burglar or criminal or crook or scum will read and know when to rob your house. We have so little to rob - plus we have the dogs here - plus the alarm system on the house - plus my machine gun and rocket launcher mounted on the roof of the garage - automatic with radar.
Anyway, son Roger just had an operation in Arlington about 3-4 weeks ago. Now I won't get this totally correct and Roger is welcome to add corrections at the bottom of the page - think blogville calls them comments.
His knee has been bad for some time. My left knee had the cleanout process back in about 2002 or so -- I was marching in a parade through downtown Manor and stepped into a pot hole - the left knee was never the same. My stone: Had it cut into the week of Thanksgiving that year. By the time I returned to school the following week, I could hobble just fine. As an fyi, I learned that when you come home from day surgery and are collasped on your recliner trying to return to the world of real people -- never drink a coke and eat a banana at the same time. I became a fountain of banana Coke - good thing someone found a bucket fast.
Back to Roger. They cut open his knee and downward. The replace the entire top part of his bottom leg - not the femur but the tibula - man my 10th grade biology is failin me now. What do I care, stupid coach teacher, really knew little about biology - but that is a different stone.
Roger had a bone transplant. No, i don't know where they got the bone. It was the cartlidge, cartlege, cartelegesthing -- that plastic stuff between your knee and the leg bone. They sliced off part of his bone and slipped the new one over it with good plastic stuff - not really plastic, I just cannot spell Kartelegedges. I choose to not look it up. Being smart about this is not my priority right now.
So his leg is healing - 6-% weight on it now. Isn't it amazing they can replace part of a leg bone. Amazing.
that's enough. It is this operation and subsequent resting of the Roger that encouraged us to take the granddaughters for 2 weeks of GrammyCamp 2011. that's it. g'night.
m3
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Sunday, July 31, 2011
Grammy Camp 2011, Day 1
In our world, we have Grammy Camp. Three granddaughters come to visit for a week. It is Grammy Camp. This year, the traditional week has morphed into nearly 2 weeks. I suppose this works out for all.
We drove to Cisco, TX to meet Roger & Penney driving in from Lubbock. Somehow we had to drive 20 minutes longer than Roger did, but he did treat me for a feast at the Cisco Dairy Queen.
The trip home - with 3 in the back seat - was relative uneventful. Sure we had a couple of "Stop that" and "Quick Singing" - you get the idea -- "she's touching me" Surely you remember your own youth or kids. I think back to my youth - I was the youngest for years and the smallest - I touched nobody. My two older brothers could make me hurt. but I degress.
The trip home worked out fine. We arrive here, unloaded the trunk, let the dogs out of the Pit, ate burgers, did one craft activity, walked out on the dock (we seem to have about 4 ft of water still - the lake is sinking fast) -- baths, bed, and hopefully silence for a while.
Tomorrow day 2 of Grammy Camp. I will try to give a report as time goes by.
oh yeah, never heard of this, our craft - G'girl oldest, 11, Megan, told us about how to tie unfilled small balloons to the crossbars of flipflops. You just tie a little knot till the whole strap is covered in multi-colored balloons (un-aired). Sorta cute and they love em. So we bought 2 packages of balloons and new $2 flip flops at Walmart. Tomorrow we buy another 4 packages of balloons = 2 will never be enough if you buy only 2 to start with..... That IS a law of nature.
MORE TOMORROW - GRAMMY CAMP 2011
We drove to Cisco, TX to meet Roger & Penney driving in from Lubbock. Somehow we had to drive 20 minutes longer than Roger did, but he did treat me for a feast at the Cisco Dairy Queen.
The trip home - with 3 in the back seat - was relative uneventful. Sure we had a couple of "Stop that" and "Quick Singing" - you get the idea -- "she's touching me" Surely you remember your own youth or kids. I think back to my youth - I was the youngest for years and the smallest - I touched nobody. My two older brothers could make me hurt. but I degress.
The trip home worked out fine. We arrive here, unloaded the trunk, let the dogs out of the Pit, ate burgers, did one craft activity, walked out on the dock (we seem to have about 4 ft of water still - the lake is sinking fast) -- baths, bed, and hopefully silence for a while.
Tomorrow day 2 of Grammy Camp. I will try to give a report as time goes by.
oh yeah, never heard of this, our craft - G'girl oldest, 11, Megan, told us about how to tie unfilled small balloons to the crossbars of flipflops. You just tie a little knot till the whole strap is covered in multi-colored balloons (un-aired). Sorta cute and they love em. So we bought 2 packages of balloons and new $2 flip flops at Walmart. Tomorrow we buy another 4 packages of balloons = 2 will never be enough if you buy only 2 to start with..... That IS a law of nature.
MORE TOMORROW - GRAMMY CAMP 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
internet wisdom jewel
Bailey sent me this jewel:
===================
"The trouble with the internet is you can't always be sure of quote accuracy"- George Washington
===================
"The trouble with the internet is you can't always be sure of quote accuracy"- George Washington
Monday, June 27, 2011
Dallas Morning News
The FBI is serving a search warrant at the Dallas County commissioner’s offices in downtown Dallas, sources say. More details to come.
================================================================
In my email - I just got this notice from the Dallas Morning News -- "yippers" (Bro Jim's famous word), the newspaper is going to be more fun to read soon.
You'd think conflicts would settle down once in a while. Just give us one month of peace - just one month...oh, wait, I don't live in Dallas County. I wonder if the local TV stations will be there with helicopters like following OJ down the highway. I do hope so. That would prempt Oprah and all the soaps. GLORY BE !!!
================================================================
In my email - I just got this notice from the Dallas Morning News -- "yippers" (Bro Jim's famous word), the newspaper is going to be more fun to read soon.
You'd think conflicts would settle down once in a while. Just give us one month of peace - just one month...oh, wait, I don't live in Dallas County. I wonder if the local TV stations will be there with helicopters like following OJ down the highway. I do hope so. That would prempt Oprah and all the soaps. GLORY BE !!!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Greta the snake dog again
Greta, the snake dog, has struck again.
I mowed the dog pit and other level areas up next to the house this morning. It was only 80 degrees - the wind was blowing - only had to use 2 sweat bands to finish the project. Not too bad considering.
I had only made one small pass in the dog Pit when I upset a small copperhead - it still had its lime green tail. Before any dog saw it - the critter was stomped into the ground till he became deceased (dead for those of you who need definitions). In case you are curious, I am a right footed snake stomper.) I grabbed it by the tail and showed it to Oscar - he jumped back as quick and far as he could. good dog. He was bit last year.
Next Bruno had a sniff. He didn't jump back until I made loud noises and waved it in his face. He was more cautious on the 2nd sniff. He was bit last year on the nose.
Fritz was next in line. He back off too. But, he did want to take a short sniff. Fritz was bit last year.
Liesl moved up to take a gander and moved away fairly fast. She ain't nobody's fool either. Liesl was bit last year.
Greta was 30 to 40 yards away at the bottom of the hill. She looked up and saw that snake dangling from my hands. She made a bee-line for me and jumped up to grab it. Keeping in mind that she weighs under 10 lbs and is only 8 inches or so tall, her leap into the air didn't score a hit. Greta followed me to the fence banging on my leg, leaping with furor - but to no avail. The snake went over the fence - I demonstrated my empty hands to her - and she was satisfied. Greta was bit last year on the side of her tongue.
============================
The flat areas on top of the hill were mowed. Fired up my weed eater to clean up the area and eliminate potential snake habitats. Not 2 minutes into the work, I looked up to see my wife bolting out of the house to grab a shovel. Right there on the porch Greta had another of the varmits. The snake had already been bit in semi-half at this time when I saw Greta (followed nearby by Fritz) grab and shake the snake - throwing it back to the cement. My wife was there by this time striking that copperhead over and over with the shovel. It stopped moving.
When you see your own wife handle a shovel like that - it gives you pause about complaining about lunch - or other household matters. One must use caution around snakes and wives. She scooped the snake up on the shovel, and I discarded it over the fence. Two down.
It wasn't long till BJ interrupted my weed eating for help getting a benedryl inside Greta's mouth. Yes, BIG G was bit either on the tongue, side of her mouth, or somewhere nearby. There was a bit of blood. Called the vet. BJ took her to town for an alergy type shot (see misspelling of Benedryl above) == and back to the house. Greta is resting - there is some fresh blood around her lip - she has had pain pills and other medicine. The vet told us she'd probably be okay.
And, you know, if you put another snake down in front of her - she would attack that thing without any thought of danger. She is a midget hunter and killer of all things "not dog." Wish I could teach her to use a shovel.
m3 / mtz
I mowed the dog pit and other level areas up next to the house this morning. It was only 80 degrees - the wind was blowing - only had to use 2 sweat bands to finish the project. Not too bad considering.
I had only made one small pass in the dog Pit when I upset a small copperhead - it still had its lime green tail. Before any dog saw it - the critter was stomped into the ground till he became deceased (dead for those of you who need definitions). In case you are curious, I am a right footed snake stomper.) I grabbed it by the tail and showed it to Oscar - he jumped back as quick and far as he could. good dog. He was bit last year.
Next Bruno had a sniff. He didn't jump back until I made loud noises and waved it in his face. He was more cautious on the 2nd sniff. He was bit last year on the nose.
Fritz was next in line. He back off too. But, he did want to take a short sniff. Fritz was bit last year.
Liesl moved up to take a gander and moved away fairly fast. She ain't nobody's fool either. Liesl was bit last year.
Greta was 30 to 40 yards away at the bottom of the hill. She looked up and saw that snake dangling from my hands. She made a bee-line for me and jumped up to grab it. Keeping in mind that she weighs under 10 lbs and is only 8 inches or so tall, her leap into the air didn't score a hit. Greta followed me to the fence banging on my leg, leaping with furor - but to no avail. The snake went over the fence - I demonstrated my empty hands to her - and she was satisfied. Greta was bit last year on the side of her tongue.
============================
The flat areas on top of the hill were mowed. Fired up my weed eater to clean up the area and eliminate potential snake habitats. Not 2 minutes into the work, I looked up to see my wife bolting out of the house to grab a shovel. Right there on the porch Greta had another of the varmits. The snake had already been bit in semi-half at this time when I saw Greta (followed nearby by Fritz) grab and shake the snake - throwing it back to the cement. My wife was there by this time striking that copperhead over and over with the shovel. It stopped moving.
When you see your own wife handle a shovel like that - it gives you pause about complaining about lunch - or other household matters. One must use caution around snakes and wives. She scooped the snake up on the shovel, and I discarded it over the fence. Two down.
It wasn't long till BJ interrupted my weed eating for help getting a benedryl inside Greta's mouth. Yes, BIG G was bit either on the tongue, side of her mouth, or somewhere nearby. There was a bit of blood. Called the vet. BJ took her to town for an alergy type shot (see misspelling of Benedryl above) == and back to the house. Greta is resting - there is some fresh blood around her lip - she has had pain pills and other medicine. The vet told us she'd probably be okay.
And, you know, if you put another snake down in front of her - she would attack that thing without any thought of danger. She is a midget hunter and killer of all things "not dog." Wish I could teach her to use a shovel.
m3 / mtz
Monday, June 20, 2011
youth
I am not sure of all of the towns I lived in as a child. I know that I was born in Tecumseh, Okla. I was in that town a few years ago, and my statue still has not been finished. You would think they would get that finished.
I do know that certain town names exist in my childhood memory bank. Both of my parents - at one time or another - were band directors. My mom was a violin player through her early years - piano too, I'd guess. Her father, my grandfather, was a barber in a small western Oklahoma town which now lies under a man made lake. Webb City was a nice place I'd imagine. Hopefully, my brother Jim or some of my cousins who read this will add some knowledge to all of this.
My grandmother - as most ladies of that era - stayed at home cooking, gardening, cleaning and whatever else they did in the early 1900s in Oklahoma. As an elementary aged kid, we would visit that small town. There was an old barber chair in the back yard - one of the only forms of amusement. We would climb into the chair and others would spin us around and around. Being dizzy in those days was like sniffing glue with less long term wear and tear.
I remember one particular day in that lovely place, we were walking from some point to another with our cousins - I'd guess Danny, Lee, and whoever. We came upon an old house surrounded by a fence and tall weeds. The house had a metal roof as I remember. It was really an old piece of trash. My cousins started spinning a story (pardon me, a stone) about the lady who lived there - crazy & the house was haunted. Now this story must have made quite an impression on this city boy cause I remember it to this day. I was quite innocent.
Some day I must write about my grandparents - both sides of the family. Just not tonight....
Woodward Okla - We lived there for a while - moved to OK City - and Woodward was destroyed by a tornado. The tornado hit in 1947. If you care to read a bit of history try: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ok/county/woodward/intro.html
it started near White Deer, TX and ended in Kansas. It was 1.8 miles wide when it hit Woodward and destroyed 340 houses. I missed it. This was good.
Related bit: When I taught in Ardmore, OK for 10 years....one year we made the playoffs and playoffs and playoffs. Late in the process we traveled to Woodward for a game. It started snowing and was miserable. The Woodward halftime show was a tribute to the tornado and the people who died. The tribute indicates a morbid memory for some of the townsfolks. Yet, if you go to the Woodward City website - nothing is mentioned. Some try to forge they live in the middle of tornado alley.
This has become too long - so I will continue my excursion into the past at a later date. Stay tuned for Dodge City - Crete, Neb. - Odessa and many more.
=================
one last bit of no importance. I was born in Tecumseh, Okla. My mom was the band director at the time. Bro Jim is 16 months older than I. My brother Marshall was the band mascot - somewhere is a photo of him in a little drum major suit with a baton - posed. Putting him in the suit was probably cheaper than getting a baby sitter for games.
Mom used to talk about taking her band to marching contest in those days. She talked about winning these contests. She would have her majorettes (not twirlers, but majorettes) do a flip / cartwheel in front of the judges area. She swore this is why she won. You can form your own opinion. An aside: in 1940, a cartwheel in front of the judge might have carried more weight than actual music. Y'never know.
m3
I do know that certain town names exist in my childhood memory bank. Both of my parents - at one time or another - were band directors. My mom was a violin player through her early years - piano too, I'd guess. Her father, my grandfather, was a barber in a small western Oklahoma town which now lies under a man made lake. Webb City was a nice place I'd imagine. Hopefully, my brother Jim or some of my cousins who read this will add some knowledge to all of this.
My grandmother - as most ladies of that era - stayed at home cooking, gardening, cleaning and whatever else they did in the early 1900s in Oklahoma. As an elementary aged kid, we would visit that small town. There was an old barber chair in the back yard - one of the only forms of amusement. We would climb into the chair and others would spin us around and around. Being dizzy in those days was like sniffing glue with less long term wear and tear.
I remember one particular day in that lovely place, we were walking from some point to another with our cousins - I'd guess Danny, Lee, and whoever. We came upon an old house surrounded by a fence and tall weeds. The house had a metal roof as I remember. It was really an old piece of trash. My cousins started spinning a story (pardon me, a stone) about the lady who lived there - crazy & the house was haunted. Now this story must have made quite an impression on this city boy cause I remember it to this day. I was quite innocent.
Some day I must write about my grandparents - both sides of the family. Just not tonight....
Woodward Okla - We lived there for a while - moved to OK City - and Woodward was destroyed by a tornado. The tornado hit in 1947. If you care to read a bit of history try: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ok/county/woodward/intro.html
it started near White Deer, TX and ended in Kansas. It was 1.8 miles wide when it hit Woodward and destroyed 340 houses. I missed it. This was good.
Related bit: When I taught in Ardmore, OK for 10 years....one year we made the playoffs and playoffs and playoffs. Late in the process we traveled to Woodward for a game. It started snowing and was miserable. The Woodward halftime show was a tribute to the tornado and the people who died. The tribute indicates a morbid memory for some of the townsfolks. Yet, if you go to the Woodward City website - nothing is mentioned. Some try to forge they live in the middle of tornado alley.
This has become too long - so I will continue my excursion into the past at a later date. Stay tuned for Dodge City - Crete, Neb. - Odessa and many more.
=================
one last bit of no importance. I was born in Tecumseh, Okla. My mom was the band director at the time. Bro Jim is 16 months older than I. My brother Marshall was the band mascot - somewhere is a photo of him in a little drum major suit with a baton - posed. Putting him in the suit was probably cheaper than getting a baby sitter for games.
Mom used to talk about taking her band to marching contest in those days. She talked about winning these contests. She would have her majorettes (not twirlers, but majorettes) do a flip / cartwheel in front of the judges area. She swore this is why she won. You can form your own opinion. An aside: in 1940, a cartwheel in front of the judge might have carried more weight than actual music. Y'never know.
m3
Monday, June 13, 2011
buggy -fire -one penny
Today was a bit different than my normal get up - eat breakfast - watch TV - water the yard - feed Fritz his supper - more TV - maybe a nap - read the paper - eat my other meals - and so forth.
1st of all I woke at 7:30 - now that is pushing me a bit. At 10:30 the 2 brothers from Farmer's Exterminators showed up. Our precious 5 pups were caged in the living room as the two guys began their daily tasks - they do this day in and day out. The oldest Stan works the inside of the house squirting around all baseboards. He told me that he has been doing this for 39 years, his brother for 37 years -- after they graduated from college. I would be they both graduated from A&M with a buggy degree.
Their truck shoots out a liquid that can reach the top of my house and coat the entire exterior - of course they did the boat dock & boat too. Last week I power washed the house (only the outside, turkey face) - and ended up killing a black widow on the back porch. In the past 2 weeks I have killed 4 scorpions INSIDE the house and another 3 in the garage. It was time to spray.
My only issue is the killing of butterflies who might stop in for a little nectar this afternoon. Bothers me somewhat - I always figured that IF ONE believes in reincarnation, one of these butterflies is my mom visiting. I try to speak to each butterfly with a bit of reference.
One full hour of spraying. They left. The dogs are still caged. Can't let them out until everything has dried.
I asked the guy, "'when I water the yard and the water gets up on the house, will it wash off the spray?" He said that I might get it off with a power washer, but otherwise, it remains for about a year. Now, that is tuff. (misspelled tough, so I could look cool - pronounced KUL).
===============
I got in a 2 hour nap. Right after I awoke, the phone rang. It was Lelanie from next door. If I understood the sequence - was still a bit groggy from waking up --- Her daughter (who is at camp) texted Lelanie saying she had a text from someone else stating that there is a fire in our housing development and Lelanie's house was on fire. I carried the phone outside to see - no fire next door - no smoke in the distance. The wife & I lumped into the car and began to check out things.
Down the block & towards the entrance fire trucks - it was a grass fire and trees of course. They had it beat down. 4 different volunteer fire departments were here squirting, flashing lights, you name it. It was busy. They had two big caterpiller type earth movers creating fire breaks.
A neighbor down the street was out in the unburned field holding a rake. He gave me a few comments, ( he is a talker ) which I now shall list:
1. The fire probably burned at least 500 acres.
2. The fire was heading north behind "that" house and starting to turn towards the lake (my house area)
3. I used to be in the volunteer fire department but I quit. They never would give me a radio and I worked bad hours (at the post office) which interfered with me getting to fires.
4. We hear there is a little blue car driving around the county throwing out fire.
Then he told us about a couple more fires the volunteers left to go put out.
So that was another bullet we dodged today.
=================
One last thing - totally unrelated -- went to Waxahachie for new tires on Sat. Killing time till lunch hour, dropped into best buy. I talked to a telephone guy, looked at the TVs, mosy-ed through the store and stopped off at the video games. I like stupid games which take little skill. I don't do the story games - just point and shoot. You match 3 objects and blow them up. Hey, if it costs more than $10, I won't buy it. PC games only.
This is the point of this stone. I picked up a game called butterfly king. I check the pricing label. They had it priced at one cent. I looked twice. It was in a pile of $4.99 games - one cent. Took that rascal and one other cheap game to the front. Bought it for one penny.
This makes me think that other things in that store are priced like that - you just have to research while you are in the store.
that's all
night
m
1st of all I woke at 7:30 - now that is pushing me a bit. At 10:30 the 2 brothers from Farmer's Exterminators showed up. Our precious 5 pups were caged in the living room as the two guys began their daily tasks - they do this day in and day out. The oldest Stan works the inside of the house squirting around all baseboards. He told me that he has been doing this for 39 years, his brother for 37 years -- after they graduated from college. I would be they both graduated from A&M with a buggy degree.
Their truck shoots out a liquid that can reach the top of my house and coat the entire exterior - of course they did the boat dock & boat too. Last week I power washed the house (only the outside, turkey face) - and ended up killing a black widow on the back porch. In the past 2 weeks I have killed 4 scorpions INSIDE the house and another 3 in the garage. It was time to spray.
My only issue is the killing of butterflies who might stop in for a little nectar this afternoon. Bothers me somewhat - I always figured that IF ONE believes in reincarnation, one of these butterflies is my mom visiting. I try to speak to each butterfly with a bit of reference.
One full hour of spraying. They left. The dogs are still caged. Can't let them out until everything has dried.
I asked the guy, "'when I water the yard and the water gets up on the house, will it wash off the spray?" He said that I might get it off with a power washer, but otherwise, it remains for about a year. Now, that is tuff. (misspelled tough, so I could look cool - pronounced KUL).
===============
I got in a 2 hour nap. Right after I awoke, the phone rang. It was Lelanie from next door. If I understood the sequence - was still a bit groggy from waking up --- Her daughter (who is at camp) texted Lelanie saying she had a text from someone else stating that there is a fire in our housing development and Lelanie's house was on fire. I carried the phone outside to see - no fire next door - no smoke in the distance. The wife & I lumped into the car and began to check out things.
Down the block & towards the entrance fire trucks - it was a grass fire and trees of course. They had it beat down. 4 different volunteer fire departments were here squirting, flashing lights, you name it. It was busy. They had two big caterpiller type earth movers creating fire breaks.
A neighbor down the street was out in the unburned field holding a rake. He gave me a few comments, ( he is a talker ) which I now shall list:
1. The fire probably burned at least 500 acres.
2. The fire was heading north behind "that" house and starting to turn towards the lake (my house area)
3. I used to be in the volunteer fire department but I quit. They never would give me a radio and I worked bad hours (at the post office) which interfered with me getting to fires.
4. We hear there is a little blue car driving around the county throwing out fire.
Then he told us about a couple more fires the volunteers left to go put out.
So that was another bullet we dodged today.
=================
One last thing - totally unrelated -- went to Waxahachie for new tires on Sat. Killing time till lunch hour, dropped into best buy. I talked to a telephone guy, looked at the TVs, mosy-ed through the store and stopped off at the video games. I like stupid games which take little skill. I don't do the story games - just point and shoot. You match 3 objects and blow them up. Hey, if it costs more than $10, I won't buy it. PC games only.
This is the point of this stone. I picked up a game called butterfly king. I check the pricing label. They had it priced at one cent. I looked twice. It was in a pile of $4.99 games - one cent. Took that rascal and one other cheap game to the front. Bought it for one penny.
This makes me think that other things in that store are priced like that - you just have to research while you are in the store.
that's all
night
m
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