Day Before Christmas Eve Colorful Fun at Walmart

No, that is not my vehicle, festively decorated with Christmas spirit. This vehicle was parked next to me when I returned to my vehicle after enduring the throngs crowding in Walmart.

The above was the second photo I snapped of this truck, with the first photo snapping just as the vehicle owner returned.

I thought the person might object to being photographed, but I took a second photo, anyway, after the truck's door was opened with the owner not positioned in a way able to see a camera, well, phone, aimed at them.

Why would someone paint Christmas lights on their vehicle, even if somehow only temporary?

Yesterday, after the day's sun illumination had ended, I saw another truck, totally covered with blinking LED type lights in multiple colors.

Why is such not considered to be a road hazard distracting fellow drivers who might suffer from being easily distracted, such as myself?

A Closer Look at MSU's Fantasy of Lights Dorothy and the Old Shoe Lady

Yesterday, after I blogged about a short visit to the Midwestern State University (MSU) campus with a quick look at the annual Fantasy of Lights installation, with the sole photo documentation, of such, being a look at Dorothy and Toto and their fellow Yellow Brick Road travelers.

Someone, after seeing the photo of Dorothy and Toto, anonymously asked if a close-up look could be had, so as to determine if the MSU Fantasy of Lights Dorothy looks like Judy Garland.

So, on my way to eventually get to ALDI, I stopped at MSU, again, this time for a longer look at the Fantasy of Lights, followed by a walk around the deserted MSU campus. 

I believe today was the first time I have walked around the MSU campus since before COVID. Before COVID I frequented the MSU campus frequently.

Looking critically at Dorothy and Toto, I quickly saw, as you can see above, neither look at all like their Wizard of Oz movie counterparts.

Soon after leaving the Emerald City I came upon the Old Lady who lived in a shoe, who had so many kids she did not know what to do.

Well, the lady who lives in that shoe, with all those kids, does not look old enough to have so many kids.

The Old Lady does appear to be adequately endowed to adequately nourish multiple kids. 

Far from the Old Lady and her show house I came upon the homage to the MSU Mustangs.

Normally the herd of four Mustangs is frolicking through a pool of water, with water appearing to splash.

But, today the pool was dried up. Likely part of being prepared for the harsh winter to come.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, the second day of winter, at my location, is no longer cloud-free, unlike yesterday's cloud-free totally blue sky first day of Winter.

The ALDI visit finished my Christmas prep. I now have all the ingredients to make the big Christmas Lasagna that will be my Christmas centerpiece, along with peach and cherry pie...

Visiting Toto, Dorothy and the Boys at MSU's Fantasy of Light

On my way to my eventual destination, driving by Midwestern State University, I decided to make a quick stop to take a photo of this year's iteration of the Burns/MSU Fantasy of Lights.

Which would make that Toto, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin Man heading to the Yellow Brick Road to take them to the Emerald City, you are seeing in the photo documentation.

I have not been to the Fantasy of Lights, after dark, when the lights are all on, since the December before COVID struck. 

The Fantasy of Lights draws a large crowd after dark.

But, I do not know how large that crowd is when the outer world gets cold, like it did last night, chilling to 28 degrees.

As you can see, on this first day of Winter, the shortest day of the year, hours of daylight-wise, there is not a cloud to be seen in the current cold clear blue sky, as seen from my North Texas location...

Wichita Falls Backyard Ski Hill Not Opening Tomorrow

Saw that which you see here and immediately thought it to be one of those things I see in a Washington online news source which I would never see in one of my local Texas news sources about a similar thing happening.

I saw this news about Seattle's backyard ski hill, this morning, in the Seattle Times.

Now, Wichita Falls does have a hill. I call it Mount Wichita. It is located in Lake Wichita Park. Mount Wichita is a manmade mountain. Made by piling up the residue that resulted from dredging Sikes Lake, late in the previous century.

Snow does fall in Wichita Falls. Sometimes in copious amounts, coating the outer world in a semi-deep layer of snow.

But, even covered with snow, it would not be feasible to ski on Mount Wichita. Too steep for cross-country skis, impossible to ski with regular downhill type skis. Impossible due to there being no ski lift to take one to the summit of Mount Wichita.

I am fairly certain there are no locations in Texas where one can ski. One needs to go to either New Mexico or Colorado to find a ski resort, with New Mexico likely being the closest, either Ruidoso or Taos. 

I have been to both those New Mexico locations. But, never when snow is on the ground...

Theo & Ruby's Happy 2024 Birthday

This blog post was first posted five years ago, and has been slightly updated for today...

On this day, in the year 2010, the Mother Ship landed two new inhabitants on this planet.

Theo & Ruby, born December 17, 2010 in Tacoma, Washington.

And now, on this day in 2024, Theo & Ruby are 14 years old, born during the reign of a good president, turning 14 years old near the return of a bad president with a likely follow-up embarrassing reign.

Theo & Ruby are politically minded, even at their relatively young age. That type thing happens when one is born in many locations in the progressive, liberal, better educated, more modern parts of America, such as Western Washington.

I recollect the last time I was in Washington, summer of 2017, Theo & Ruby directed mama Michele to drive us to downtown Seattle, to a Dick's Drive-In, and to see the Amazon spheres.

At some point on that drive through downtown Seattle we came upon a cluster of protesters protesting some Trump nonsense. One, or both twins, or maybe it was older brother, David, shouted out, loudly, "IMPEACH TRUMP!" I do not remember if the vehicle's windows were open.

Today, on Theo & Ruby's birthday, let's take a look at some photo documentation I found on my computer, documenting fun times I have had with Theo & Ruby (and David).

In the year 2019, in the month of March, I got to watch Theo & Ruby practice their cowboy and cowgirl skills, on horseback. Good preparation for that day in the future when they visit Texas for the first time.

The twins waving goodbye as they mosey out into the Arizona desert.

I do not remember where the above photo of the twin cutie pies was taken. My best guess would be Birch Bay.

Now, I know where the above photo was taken. This photo was taken during a water balloon battle on the street in front of Aunt Jackie's Chandler abode.

And here we see Ruby & Theo coaxing their uncle to slide down a slide of rollers in a fun park in Mesa, Arizona.

Here Ruby is driving Theo and David in a pedal powered surrey on the paved trail on the Tacoma waterfront.

And now the trio has let me get on board to continue the Tacoma waterfront tour.

Above I know for certain is Birch Bay. Theo is mounting a final defense against the incoming tide. Ruby surrendered a few minutes prior to this and headed to shore. I am hoping to help Ruby and Theo (and David, if he is cooperative this time) build sandcastles some future summer when we return to Birch Bay.

The last morning of that 2017 summer visit to Birch Bay Theo and I discovered that the elevator took us to a rooftop lookout where we were able to look down on the beach and see the remains of the sand fort we had built the day before. Those remains are visible due left of Theo, in the middle of the sand bar.

The photo above was taken on what turned out to be the funnest day of many fun days we all had that  March in 2019 in Arizona. Here we see Ruby leading us to the park near Aunt Jackie's house. That is David right behind Ruby, and Theo with the basketball. Someone cropped my face out of the photo, but that is me pushing Miss Daisy, also known as Grandma Shirley, behind Ruby.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THEO & RUBY!!!!

Microsoft OneDrive Reminds Us Of Aunt Alice's Affair With Santa Claus

Day after day, despite my best efforts to resist, the Christmas spirit draws me back in.

That totally Christmas image, which you see above, showed up via my daily Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day.

This particular memory was from several years ago. 

Aunt Alice, in the town of Tonasket, in Eastern Washington. got herself involved with the guy who, for years, had been the Tonasket Santa Claus.

Holding court on a throne in downtown Tonasket, passing out candy canes to kids waiting to sit on his lap and share their Christmas wishes.

Aunt Alice, recently free of Uncle Albert, soon found herself having a whimsical affair with the Tonasket Santa Claus.

For two Christmas seasons, Aunt Alice agreed to play the role of Mrs. Santa Claus, which we see her enjoying in the photo documentation.

Aunt Alice's relationship with Santa Claus came to an end when Santa wanted to formalize the relationship, but Aunt Alice was not yet ready for such, still trying to recover from her years with Uncle Albert...

Sunday Lucy Park HOT Walk With Desiccated Backwoods Jungle

Today, one day short of being halfway through December, with the outer world almost balmy, warmed today into the 70s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured today for the first time in a week or two, to briskly walk around the Lucy Park backwoods jungle, which, as you can see, via the photo documentation, is no longer in jungle mode, due to the trees losing most of their leaves, and the ground cover no longer green.

Yesterday was also not cold, so it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured to commune with nature whilst burning calories and enjoying feeling good from endorphins.

Yesterday and today the sweat pants stayed in the closet, back in shorts and t-shirt was I.

As if summer had returned.

When I was a Washingtonian, living on the west side of the Cascade Mountain range, in December, a day with the temperature in the 70s is rare.

In Western Washington, in summer, the temperature being in the 70s is considered a HOT day. On the rare days the temperature soars into the 80s and 90s, it is considered a blistering heat wave.

I did not have air-conditioning in any of my Washington abodes. The house I lived in before moving to air-conditioned Texas had a passive cooling system that worked well.

Merry Christmas From Hank Frank Slotemaker Family

Friday the 13th a Happy Holidays card from one of the Arizona-based Weston branches of the Slotemaker-Jones-Weston Clan arrived in my mailbox.

That card featured the youngest member of the SJW Clan, a wee lad named Cade Weston.

The next day, Saturday the 14rh, a more specific holiday card arrived in my mailbox, wishing me a Merry Christmas.

This latest incoming card was from another of the Slotemaker branches of the Slotemaker-Jones-Weston Clan. One of the few branches of the SJW Clan still residing in Washington's Skagit Valley.

This Merry Christmas card featured the second youngest member of the SJW Clan, Henry Francis, also known as Hank Frank. 

In the above scan of the incoming card, that would be Hank Frank sitting by one of my two favorite Nieces-in-Law, Monique, with Hank Frank's proud papa, my Favorite Nephew Joey, closest to the camera.

If this card trend continues, Monday's mail should include a card featuring Cade and Hank Frank's cousin, Spencer Jack.

Spencer Jack is a few years older than his two cousins. Spencer Jack already has his driver's license and is out of high school. It will be a few years before Cade and Hank Frank get driver's licenses and get out of high school.

I enjoy getting these Happy Holidays Merry Christmas type cards. I have no idea why I have never enjoyed sending such, more specifically, I do not think I have ever sent anyone a Happy Holidays Merry Christmas type card.

I really do not think it true, as some have suggested, that I have a Scrooge mentality...

Happy Holidays From Arizona's Cade Weston

The Happy Holiday card you see here arrived in my mailbox yesterday, on Friday the 13th. I was quite pleased to see this rather happy Happy Holidays card.

In the center of the card we are seeing Cade Weston, the youngest member of the Slotemaker-Jones-Weston clan.

The Cade Weston branch of the SJW clan live in Arizona, the town of Chandler, to be precise.

Cade's parental units are my Favorite Nephew Christopher, usually known as CJ, and one of my two Favorite Neice-in-laws, Carissa.

Time flies by way too fast.

I may be wrong, but I would guess Cade to be not quite two years old. Last I talked to Cade's grandma, my Favorite Sister Jackie, she was having fun tending to Cade, who was having his first walking attempts. 

I assume by now Cade is a skilled walker.

I'm so old I can remember when Cade's grandma first walked. It was a big event at the time.

Cade sure looks just like his dad did when he was a small fry. Cade's dad was such a fun little kid. I have been told Cade also takes after his dad in that being a fun little kid aspect.

Cade's dad is known as CJ, due to CJ being the initials of his first and middle name, Christopher Jay. Cade's middle name is Christopher. 

Cade's one and only uncle, Jeremy, is known as JR, due to his full name, minus the last name, being Jeremy Ryan.

Are we already calling Cade "CC"?

I do not know. I suspect such may be the case...

A Look At Why Fort Worth Is Not One Of The World's Best Cities

In the past week or two I have seen mention made of a list made of the 100 Best Cities in the World.

The first time I saw this mentioned was in the Dallas Observer, which was observing the fact that Dallas ranked only #56, with two Texans towns thought to be better than Dallas, with Houston at #40 and Austin at #53.

The second time I saw this global list mentioned was in the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, online, which began their article with...

Perhaps your city claims one of the best new restaurants, or best overall restaurants in the country. Maybe it was even named one of the best U.S. cities to live in.

But the true test of greatness is on the global scale.

Resonance Consultancy, a real estate and tourism consulting firm, has released a report ranking the top 100 best cities in the world. Three Texas cities earned a spot on the list.

There are more American towns on this list than any other country, with New York at #2, San Francisco at #12, Los Angeles at #14, Chicago at #12, Seattle at #19 and on to many other American cities.

Fort Worth, Texas is not on this list.

Fort Worth is never on any of this type list.

I lived in Fort Worth for a few years before moving to my current Texas location. It did not take long living in Fort Worth to come to the realization that the town had some sort of civic inferiority complex. I assumed this had something to do with being paired with the bigger, more well-known town of Dallas.

That Fort Worth inferiority complex manifested in many ways. Including what I came to call the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Green With Envy Syndrome. So called due to that newspaper repeatedly printing an article about some perfectly ordinary thing, claiming that that perfectly ordinary thing was making towns, far and wide, green with envy.

Yes, I know, this sounds ridiculous, but it happened. Over and over again. The syndrome seemed to cease after it was rendered into an embarrassment.

I remember the worst instance of Fort Worth embarrassing itself was the time some Washington, D.C. lobbying group included Fort Worth in a list of ten American towns determined to be the best at the Urban Village concept.

That time the embarrassment did not come from Star-Telegram hyperbole, it was the city government that embarrassed itself. Initiating a citywide celebration celebrating being so listed by an obscure Washington, D.C. lobbying group.

I am not making this up, it really happened, with celebration central happening at Fort Worth's Gateway Park.

During this celebratory period of time, I happened to be up north, in Tacoma, a town which was also on this list of ten best towns with the Urban Village concept.

I had reason to visit with Tacoma's then Deputy Mayor. I asked him if Tacoma had a citywide celebration after receiving this esteemed honor. He laughed and said, no, we politely thanked them and that was it. Why do you ask, the Deputy Mayor asked?

Because Fort Worth had a citywide celebration when they got the same esteemed honor, I told him.

You are kidding, said the Deputy Mayor. Nope, really happened, said I.

Fort Worth has long had a history of what one might characterize as delusions of grandeur, manifesting in multiple ways.

Like the time a sporting goods store opened in Fort Worth called Cabela's. With Fort Worth touting the belief this store would give Fort Worth the #1 tourist attraction in Texas. Not occurring to anyone, apparently, that suggesting such seemed to indicate Texas was a tad weak in the tourist attraction area, which is definitely not the case.

Texas has many attractive tourist attractions, way more attractive than a sporting goods store. San Antonio's Riverwalk comes to mind, as does Galveston, and Big Bend, and much more.

Within a year the Fort Worth Cabela's was no longer the only Cabela's in Texas. One opened in Buda, down south by Austin. And then another Cabela's opened in the D/FW Metroplex. 

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has never fessed up to being party to the bizarre top tourist attraction in Texas con job.

When I see one of these type lists, listing towns by some criteria, with Fort Worth never being on the list, I can not help but wonder how a long time Fort Worth native, subjected to the local hype and propaganda explains it to themselves.

Fort Worth needs to fix a few problems before it can have any hope of ever being on a list of the best cities on the globe.

Such as, fix Fort Worth's downtown, currently a ghost town on the busiest shopping day of the year, on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, a ghost town due to the fact that downtown Fort Worth has no stores of the sort one might do their Christmas shopping in.

Knock of calling a multi-block area of the Fort Worth downtown, Sundance Square. There is no square there. Years after spouting there being something called Sundance Square, a couple parking lots were turned into a sort of square type location, then called Sundance Square Plaza.

This type thing is not the type thing a town wearing its Big City Pants does.

There are two semi-unique attractions in downtown Fort Worth. The Watergardens at the south end of downtown. And Heritage Park at the north end of downtown.

Elsie Hotpepper recently confirmed for me that Heritage Park is still a boarded-up eyesore, a status it has had for over a decade. Which is sort of an adequate metaphor for Fort Worth. A park purporting to celebrate Fort Worth's heritage, doing so by being a messed up eyesore.

And then there is what that Heritage Park eyesore overlooks. Another thing which makes Fort Worth a laughingstock, not worthy of being on any Best Cities listing.

Fort Worth is now in its third decade of a pseudo public works project, originally known as the Trinity River Vision, before morphing, over the years, into the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision.

This Vision purported to see an area in danger of being flooded, even though such had not happened in over half a century, due to flood control levees preventing such. The Vision claimed this to be a vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme, which is so vital it is now limping along in its third decade.

Cities worthy of being considered best in the world do not have these type dawdling, ill-conceived, ineptly implemented projects.

A failed project, currently, after all this time, basically only seeing three little bridges, built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, awaiting a cement lined ditch to go under the bridges carrying diverted Trinity River water.

We could go on with more details regarding Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, but we won't.

Because it is lunch time...