Last Day Of March HOTTEST Day Of The New Year In Fort Worth

It is past 5. I think we've hit our high for the day. The temperature did not make it to the predicted 88 high. It didn't even make it to the Anonymous Confederate's predicted high of 84. Almost though.

At 83.2 this is the HOTTEST day of the new year. I think it portends well for a HOT summer. Last summer was not all that HOT. Only a few days over 100.

My first summer in Texas was my HOTTEST summer in Texas. If I remember right there were something like 40 days over 100.

The Wild Woman of Woolley, Miss CVB, reports it is only 48 in Woolley. Woolley is in Washington. How do those people live in such a cold climate?

Due to the temperature finally getting back to what it is supposed to be in Texas I stayed in the pool for a long time this morning. That was a really good thing.

I was in the North Metroplex zone for a few hours today. That pushed my daily strenuous hike off a few hours. I returned from that a bit after 5.

All in all, a very good day. I'm happy being semi-HOT, windows open, ceiling fan spinning. No A/C running. Weather perfection.

Sarah Palin & The Anonymous Confederacy Of Dunces

Way back on November 29, 2009, I blogged about Sarah Palin, the Confederacy of Dunces and the bizarre incident where the mayor of Fort Worth, Mike Moncrief, attempted to dye the Trinity River purple.

Yesterday I got several bizarrely dunce-like Anonymous comments to various bloggings, which were just a tad off. Well, actually, more than a tad.

This morning in the Dallas Morning News there was a letter to the editor about Sarah Palin which brought to mind the Confederacy of Dunces.

I'll copy the letter below, and below that, a YouTube video I've posted previously which shows a bunch of Anonymous dunces being dunce-like regarding Sarah Palin...

Why This Palin Mystique?

The Republicans must have taken leave of their collective minds to keep listening to this charlatan, Sarah Palin. A group that wouldn't let someone mow their lawn without a thorough background check has been duped by someone with fewer skins on the wall than the average mayor of a small U.S. city. Oh, wait! That's what she was five years ago.

Her public appearances are nothing but conservative rabble-rousing, have little substance, consist of right-wing talking point generality-speak (tax cuts, less government, blah, blah), and yet she holds sway over these people like some messiah.

If she weren't physically attractive, her 15 minutes would have been up long ago. She wouldn't even last 15 minutes in a political/foreign policy debate with a community college poly-sci teacher, much less President Barack Obama or former President Bill Clinton -- yet her handlers have her somehow blindly criticizing the president on every issue.

Going rogue? Oxford's dictionary defines rogue as an unprincipled, undisciplined, stray, irresponsible member of a group of otherwise acceptable specimens in a social setting. What a gorgeously ironic title for Palin's book -- no doubt totally lost on her, I'm sure.

Bret Davis, Forney

Does Hell Have No Fury Like A Fort Worth Congresswoman Scorned?

I got a couple comments from Anonymous this morning. I thought I might turn the comments into Blogging Fodder, so I did not hit the "PUBLISH" button on them.

That and there was a sort of not niceness to Anonymous that I figured if you want to be not nice, do so not as Anonymous.

One of the Anonymous comments was to this morning's blogging about the hell of experiencing the fury of a scorned woman.

The other Anonymous comment was to the blogging of a day or two ago where I indicated I was Fed Up with Texas and was plotting my escape and return to civilization.

One of the things I mentioned being Fed Up with was Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision and the corrupt way this vision has been foisted on Fort Worth. I mentioned Fort Worth Congresswoman Kay Granger and her boy, J.D., who she had installed, though he had no qualifications to do so, to run the $1 billion TRV project.

Prior to the blogging about being Fed Up, I'd blogged in more detail about Kay Granger and the Trinity River Vision and Kay Granger's efforts to solve the flash flooding problem in the Haltom City watershed zone, with legislation requiring the installation of weather radios in new trailers.

If I remember right I heaped a good dose of SCORN on Congresswoman Granger in those bloggings. I believe I used the word "loopy."

I'm thinking the 2 Anonymous comments I got today, regarding scorned Texas women and me leaving Texas, came from Kay Granger or one of her minions.

In the Fed Up Anonymous comment Anonymous indicated that it was great that I was leaving Texas, advising me to leave soon and to be careful not to let the door hit me on the butt.

Very original.

Anonymous also opined that, I'll quote this one directly by copying and pasting, "I feel sure that the average IQ of both Texas and the state you move to will both increase."

It was when I read the loopy comment, between the quotation marks, that it looked to have Kay Granger's earmarked fingerprints all over it. The poor woman has no clue she makes no sense. It's sad really that the Fort Worth Oligarchy uses such a person as a puppet.

The Scorned Woman comment was something like go back to Washington and leave Texas women alone.

I'd forgotten, til today's Anonymous comments jarred my memory, that I got a comment a long time ago, with the person not being Anonymous, but instead claiming to work for Congresswoman Granger. Obviously I've no way to verify such a thing. An inquiry to Granger's office only generates gibberish responses.

Anyway, that long ago comment was in reaction to me making a rather obvious joke about the little train that runs through Fort Worth's Trinity Park.

I'm sorry I have felt compelled to scorn Congresswoman Granger, but her fury really does not seem all that hellish to me. Maybe when we have our dinner date I'll get to experience the Full Fury.

I'm all atwitter in anticipation at experiencing some Hellish Loopy Fury.

We Are Having A Texas Heat Wave For The End Of March

This afternoon I saw WeatherBug, on my computer, hit 80 for the first time in 2010. Also for the first time in 2010 I have the ceiling fan spinning above me.

Maybe the Texas I've experienced the 10 years previous has returned and I won't have to depart this state seeking a better climate more conducive to mitigating the myriad woes fracturing my fragile health.

Then again, the return of warm temperatures may have heated up the air, but it sure has not cleaned it up. I'm still breathng air contaminated by who knows what, spewed by the thousands of natural gas wells that have been poked into the Barnett Shale in Texas, including one right across the street from my abode.

When you leave Texas, via motorized transport, heading northwest, it's about when you cross into Colorado that the air starts smelling fresher. By the time the motorized transport crosses the Cascade Mountains into Western Washington the air smells like Christmas trees and seems to sparkle. That sensation does not last long.

89 for the high tomorrow. That is only 11 shy of 100. Can Level Red Ozone Alerts be far behind?

A New Road Ruts Up Fort Worth's Tandy Hills With Sewer Seepage Making A Green Belt

I parked by the tower on top of Mount Tandy today. As I drove in a lady was exiting with her dog. After I parked and disembarked I saw a group of 4 exiting the park. This, thus was the biggest crowd I've seen at this location. I tell you, hiking the Tandy Hills is getting super popular.

As is, apparently, driving on the Tandy Hills. The road ruts you see in the picture run along side the main trail that runs into the Tandy Hills off View Street.

I thought maybe a Fort Worth Parks crew had been busy rutting up the place so that they could haul out the bags of trash collected by the Tandy Hills Trash & Brush Bashers a couple months ago.

I had previously made note of the deteriorating condition of the black trash bags. Black plastic and the sun do not get along well together.

By the time I got to where the new road ended I could see the black trash bags were still sitting on the ground.

The Tandy Trash Bags look like they are melting. A truly astonishing amount of trash was found littering up the hills and stuck in bags. It'd be a real shame to see all that hard work wasted.

I saw something a bit odd today that has sprung up quickly with the un-springing of Spring.

The picture does not do it justice, but what you are looking at is a lush, thick, section of tall, deeply green, grass. Currently, by far, the greenest spot on the Tandy Hills. See the flat object in the picture? That is a lid that says "Sanitary Sewer" on it.

Last Fall I was in this exact spot after a heavy rainstorm. Material was oozing out of the Sanitary Sewer lid. It appears that whatever oozed out did an excellent job of fertilizing this little area.

As you walk about the Tandy Hills you come across evidence of its pre-natural days before it became the Tandy Hills Natural Area. I didn't realize the sewer pipes that run under the park were still being used, til I saw the oozing.

So, that's been some of my Texas rut today, finding ruts on the Tandy Hills. That and I heard from one of those scorned Texas women I mentioned earlier. I think it may have been Kay Granger, calling herself Anonymous.

Hell Has No Fury Worse Than What Happens If You Scorn Some Texas Women

William Congreve was an English playwright and poet. Born January 24, 1670, died January 19, 1729.

Congreve wrote his most famous play, The Mourning Bride, in 1697.

The Mourning Bride is known for two turns of phrase that are fairly universally known, though the passage of time, with centuries of repetition, have slightly altered the famous phrases from the words written by Congreve.

The first famous phrase was spoken by Almeria in Act I, Scene 1, saying "Music has charms to soothe a savage breast." In modern times this is often changed to "Music hath charms to soothe a savage beast."

The change to beast makes sense to me, the changing of has to hath, less so.

And then there is the most famous thing Congreve ever wrote, spoken by Zara in Act 3, "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."

Time has changed Congreve's words to "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

I have eye-witnessed the behavior, a time or two, of scorned women. The fury is not a pretty sight. I've seen it a time or two in Washington, three times in Texas. The Texas scorning is out of proportion to the time I've spent in Texas, compared to Washington.

The fury of a scorned Texas woman, at least in my experience, is far more hellish than a scorned Washington woman. I know my sampling of scorned women, in either state, is not large enough to be able to make any sort of statistically significant conclusion.

Suffice to say, in my experience, I'd rather experience the hell of a scorned Washington woman that a scorned Texas woman. Most Washington women do not pack heat.

Getting Caught By The Richland Hills Texas Red Light District

I found a fun surprise this morning in my mailbox. A letter from the City of Richland Hills, Texas Red Light Photo Enforcement Program.

Also known as the Richland Hills Revenue Enhancement Program.

It was a little surprising to see a closeup picture of my license plate.

On the "Notice of Violation," under the picture showing the plate image, it says, "To view a video and the before and after pictures of the violation, please go to www.photonotice.com. Enter City Code: RCHLD."

Photonotice.com is run by Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona.

I logged into Photonotice.com, after entering the city code, the notice number and the license plate, and watched the video. Til I watched the video I could not remember being in Richland Hills and having the opportunity to run a red light.

With the video refreshing my memory I remember a couple weeks ago I needed to be at a specific location in North Richland Hills, at noon. That day, when I left my abode, I could see my usual route to North Richland Hills, I-820, was not moving. So, I took surface streets north.

This had me eventually on Highway 183, which I learned, from the Notice of Violation, is also known as Baker Boulevard. Baker Boulevard had few vehicles on it that day before noon. The red light running took place at the intersection of Baker and Vance Park. Whatever Vance Park is. I recollect where the red light was run, it was like there was a stoplight with no real crossroad.

The memory of the lack of a real crossroad is reinforced by viewing the video and the picture above.

So, what's the deal here? Does Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. send agents out to cash hungry towns and sell them on the idea of installing red light traps to tempt drivers to ignore the seemingly unnecessary red light?

I must return and take pictures of the scene of the crime.

In the meantime, be careful out there. Big Brother is Watching.

I Am Living On Sunset Boulevard In Texas Waiting For Norma Desmond To Shoot Me

I watched Sunset Boulevard a couple days ago. This was not the first time I've watched Sunset Boulevard. It's a good movie.

Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond. That's Norma moving in for her close up in the picture. By picture, I don't mean Motion Picture, I mean, photo.

There is a scene towards the end of Sunset Boulevard, shortly before Norma shoots and kills Joe, where Joe catches Norma calling Betty, a screenwriter with whom Joe was working on a screenplay.

Norma was calling Betty to let Betty know what a Bad Boy Joe was.

But, Norma's real motive was to try and preserve her hold on Joe.

For reasons unsettling to me, I found Norma's behavior disturbing in a way I did not find it on previous viewings of Sunset Boulevard.

It seems I am in the midst of my own twisted Southern Gothic Texas version of Sunset Boulevard, with a twisted Norma Desmond playing sadistic mindgames on a young, sweet, innocent Texas Betty.

When Norma shot Joe he ended up floating in Norma's pool. I'm almost certain I will not meet a similar end in the pool I swim in. But you never know. Norma's are difficult to predict.

It's always something. And, have I mentioned? I am Fed Up.

5th Annual Fort Worth Prairie Fest Littering Up The Tandy Hills With Flyers

Today is Day 2 of Project 20, a clandestine effort in cahoots with a Washington cohort. It is easier to use the words "cahoots" and "cohort" in one sentence than you might think.

My pool has warmed up enough that I managed to, almost, make being in it, aerobic, this morning. But, having failed to truly achieve water aerobia, I really amped it up on the Tandy Hills today. Hiked for about an hour. Fast up 6 hills instead of my standard 4. I think I will easily be ready for a Port Aransas beach in a month or so.

I found some well-preserved litter whilst hiking the Tandy Hills today. Flyers advertising the April 24, 2010 5th Annual Fort Worth Prairie Fest.

I made it to Prairie Fests 3 and 4. I don't know if I'll make it to Prairie Fest 5.

Fed Up & Ready To Escape Texas & Return To Civilization

I got an email a couple days ago asking me about the current status of the Carter Avenue/Chesapeake Energy Natural Gas Pipeline fiasco.

I have no idea regarding the current status of that particular fiasco.

The emailer also mentioned that I have not been making comments, of late, about the Chesapeakegate Scandals or Fort Worth's corrupt, on the take, mayor, Mike Moncrief or the shenanigans of the dishonorable Judge Vincent Sprinkle or the shenanigans of J.D. Granger and his mother Kay and their pet Trinity River Vision Project.

Why have I not made mention, of late, of these subjects and others?

Because I'm Fed Up with it all. Fed Up.

When I realized that I'm living in a place where a judge can lie to a courtroom full of fully functioning ears. And get away with it, with the scandalous behavior not being reported anywhere, but in blogs that few read. Fed Up.

Blogs that also make note of the corruption in Fort Worth's city government, to no avail. No one cares, no one, who can do anything about it, listens. Did Chesapeake Energy pay-off the FBI? Fed Up.

Gestapo Raids by the city of Fort Worth for no appropriate reason, with no one asking who ordered the raids. Fed Up.

Yesterday I read that the first stage of Seattle's $4 billion Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement will be put out to bid in early April. That article mentioned, just matter of fact, like it's just the ordinary course of things, that a Seattle Activist had filed a lawsuit objecting to some aspect of the project.

Activist? What a concept. Fort Worth Activist? Some try. To no avail. Can you imagine reading an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and mention being made of a Fort Worth Activist filing a lawsuit regarding some aspect of the project?

I don't know, maybe a lawsuit regarding the nepotism involved in hiring the project manager. Or eminent domain abuse being used on a project on which the public has not voted.

Fed Up. Fed Up I tell you.

I have decided it is time to plot my escape from Texas. I'm ready to return to civilization.

I Support Confederate History Month But Don't Support Texas Textbook Revisionism

I remember when I first realized I was in the Confederacy. It was on a trip to Fort Worth, May of 1998, to see if it was feasible to make the drastic move to Texas.

We were out in Weatherford, walking around the Parker County Courthouse, my first look at what was to become many looks at various impressive Texas County Courthouses, with the one in Waxahachie being the best that I've seen.

On the grounds surrounding the Parker County Courthouse there is a Civil War Memorial. I don't remember if this said Confederate States of America on it, but I was looking at this memorial when I realized for the first time I was in Rebel Territory.

At Pioneer Plaza, in Dallas, between the cemetery and the Convention Center, sits the biggest monument to the Confederacy that I've seen. The monument has statues of several stars of the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and one other I'm forgetting. I am almost 100% certain it was not John Wilkes Booth.

A few weeks ago the guy who replaced Gar the Texan as the smartest Guy in Texas, Jovan Gonzalez, blogged about his dismay at Texas re-writing history in new textbooks. And the appalling reality that, apparently, Texas textbooks are used by other states.

On March 24, I did not read it, but the Fort Worth Star-Telegram printed a letter from Paul R. Schattman in which Mr. Schattman complained about the Texas textbook revisionism. Apparently Jefferson Davis gets a re-do. Davis was the President of the Confederacy.

I believe Jefferson Davis was arrested at the end of the Civil War. If I remember right he was caught while trying to escape to the West. I don't remember if he did any jail time.

So, Mr. Schattman's letter (and opinion) generated some amusing follow up letters. In one of them the letter writer asserts that at one point Robert E. Lee was considered the best military tactician of all time. The writer did not say who made this consideration.

Anyway, for your reading enjoyment and enlightenment, Letters from the Confederacy...

Rewriting History

If there was any question as to the wisdom of the State Board of Education dedicating space in its new textbooks for Jefferson Davis, then Paul R. Schattman's "Honoring traitors, not heroes" letter of March 24 provides a conclusive answer.

Anyone who name-calls Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee as "traitor" and "secessionist trash," comparing these men and all others who fought and sacrificed for the cause of Southern independence as the equivalent of those who represent "al Qaeda and the Taliban," is in serious need of a proper education.

I am hopeful that Schattman will at some point return to school and avail himself of the new text.

-- Scott Bowden, Arlington

The ignorance of Paul R. Schattman amazes me. People such as he concern me much more than al Qaeda or the Taliban.

-- Greg Pitts, Carrollton

The State Board of Education is charged with reporting history, not rewriting it. Schattman calls people "traitors, incompetent leaders, vainglorious fools"? If he knew his Civil War history, he would know that Gen. Robert E. Lee was offered command of the Union Army but rejected it to represent the Army of Virginia. Also, before we decided to not win wars but accept political settlements, Lee was considered the best military tactician of all time.

Some malcontents would rewrite history, not teach it. I would like my grandchildren to learn historical facts.

-- Philip E. Orr Jr., North Richland Hills

Sunday In Texas Trying To Reverse My Failing Health

I decided yesterday that the reason my health is failing is because I don't get enough exercise. And I eat too much.

So, I'm amping up #1 and cutting back #2. Hopefully I'll be able to get my high blood pressure back under the you're about to have a stroke level.

This morning I took the temperature of the water in the pool for the first time in awhile. The last time I checked the temperature it was under 50. This morning it was 64.

So, with the water temperature being about the temperature of a Washington lake, in Summer, I convinced myself it was Summer in Washington and I was swimming in Samish Lake. I was able to maintain the delusion for about 15 minutes.

After swimming and wasting too many hours fixing webpages, I drove to the Tandy Hills and increased my speed and doubled my number of hill climbs. I had a bit of an adrenalin pump when I heard something coming up behind me and turned around to see a little white ankle biter in silent stealth mode running at full speed towards me.

Lucky for me I had picked up a whacking stick. I brandished the whacking stick at the ankle biter and after a few barks the likely rabid beast tucked tail and run.

Very few Wildflowers have yet to color up the Tandy Hills. This is very unusual, or so it seems to me. Sure does not match my previous Springs in Texas.

I did see something unusual and colorful on the Tandy Hills today. A large cluster of balloons had been snagged by a Tandy tree. That is what you are looking at in the picture at the top.

10 Years Since Killer Tornado Hits Fort Worth & Seattle's Kingdome Implodes

It's is being a bit difficult for me to believe it has been 10 years ago this very day of March 28, that I had my first up close experience with a tornado.

I did not actually see the tornado. I did see the huge greenish gray storm wall that contained the tornado.

If I remember right there were several tornadoes touching down during that storm, with the worst being one that start ripping its way across the west side of the Trinity River on its way to doing a lot of damage to downtown Fort Worth.

It took awhile for some of the damage to be repaired, the most notorious being the Bank One skyscraper. It is now a nice looking residential tower, but for a lot of years it was a covered with plywood eyesore.

The tornado damage sort of turned into an urban renewal project. The replacement for the destroyed Cash America building is a much better looking structure. Where a church once stood a Pier One Imports Headquarters was built. A very nice looking piece of architecture that Pier One could not afford, so it now is the base from which Chesapeake Energy runs Fort Worth.

The Montgomery Wards building took quite a hit. The store closed and the building was renovated with that area of Fort Worth, now, possibly, the most thriving property in town.

The day after the tornado struck downtown Fort Worth, the downtown was closed. But, I was able to ride my bike into the damaged area. I'd really never seen anything like this before. I took pictures and webpaged what I saw.

About 5 years later I was to see something that instantly brought the Fort Worth tornado damage to mind, that being the bizarre sight of all those homes and apartments destroyed in Arlington by the Jerry Jones Eminent Domain Abuse Tornado.

I did not realize til reading it this morning that the Implosion of the Kingdome also occurred 10 years ago, March 26, 2000. I got to watch that implosion, but I don't remember how, it must have been live on CNN. I remember being on the phone with my sisters who were watching it live from my little sister's office in a downtown Seattle skyscraper. Elliot Bay was filled with people on boats.

Ten years goes by awfully fast. Then again, a lot has happened in those 10 years. On March 28, 2000 we were a year and a half until 9/11/2001.

Watching the YouTube video, when the Kingdome implodes, it brought 9/11 to mind. The Seattle destruction probably made more of a mess than the Jerry Jones Arlington destruction. Key difference being in Seattle only the Seahawks lost their home, in Arlington, thousands lost their home.

Breaking Out Of My Texas Rut With Arlington Veterans Park Easter Egg Hunting & Disk Golfing

I didn't find any money today at Veterans Park. The last time I was there I found 17 pennies. That was the best thing that happened to me that week.

When I drove into the Veterans Park parking lot it was quickly obvious something was happening. Soon I saw a giant Easter Bunny. An Easter Egg Hunt had just taken place.

This caused me to wonder if Easter was tomorrow. I'm oblivious to such things. I subsequently found out that Easter is not tomorrow.

When I reached the spot where I had my 17 penny windfall I found no money. But I did find a Golf Disk. Veterans Park has a Disk Golf Course. There were no Disk Golfers to be seen.

So, I now have a Disk Golf Disk in my possession. I've seen a lot of people over the years throwing Golf Disks. It looks easy. Like throwing a Frisbee. However, I was not able to cause the Golf Disk to fly very far. Two tries later I was tired of Disk Golfing.

Earlier today I mentioned that someone had told me I was in a tiresome rut and needed to do something different to break out of my tiresome rut.

I feel that finding and throwing a Golf Disk qualifies as doing something different. But I still feel stuck in a tiresome rut.

I did have one other exciting thing happen today. I was cooking some burger material in a frying pan. And roasting oven-baked fries in the oven. A sort of pleasant smoky smell was wafting about. I thought it was coming from inside the oven, looked there, saw nothing unusual.

After the burgers were done I lifted the frying pan off the thing that gets hot, the name of which I'm not remembering right now, and found a large chunk of burned paper towel. I guess I'm lucky it did not go to flame. How it got so black and did not catch fire, I don't know. And why did I see no smoke? I was sort of distracted, due to worrying about that tiresome rut thing, maybe there was smoke. But the smoke alarms did not go off.

Maybe I should check the smoke alarm batteries.

Leaving My Texas Rut To Fly Over Camano Island In Washington

No, in the picture you are not looking at the Pacific Ocean from a Hawaiian Island. You are looking at Puget Sound from a Washington Island named Camano.

This morning someone with whom, in the distant past, I frequently drove, told me I was in a rut and needed to take a Roadtrip.

That sounds like a reasonable prescription to me.

But, I don't see that happening today, so instead I flew up to Washington via Google Earth to fly over Perry Mason's sister, Lori's, house on Camano Island.

From Perry Mason's sister's house you can see the Olympic Mountains and Mount Baker. Mount Baker is a volcano. One of 5 in the Washington Cascades. Mount Baker last erupted some time in the 1800s. Here in Texas we don't have to worry about mountains blowing up, we just have to worry about manmade things blowing up, like natural gas pipelines.

I could see Mount Baker from my house in Mount Vernon. I miss seeing mountains.

I miss a lot of things.

A short distance from PMS's house is Ustalady Point Park. We are looking west from Ustalady Point in the picture.

This morning, back in Texas, my therapist, Dr. L.C., seems to be enjoying being a Drama Queen, arguing with Elsie Hotpepper. Why can't people try harder to just get along?

Meanwhile back to Washington, I'm worried about Tootsie Tonasket and people not getting along in her world, which seems to be driving Tootsie to drink. That's not good.

So, it's another Saturday in my Texas rut. It's a warmer Saturday than the last one, which saw snow falling.

Sticking The Wild Woman Of Woolley In My Mustang's Trunk

Earlier today I mentioned the Wild Woolley Woman, Miss CVB, and her resemblance to her beautiful daughter.

So, I told Miss CVB that I'd recently come across some ancient photos of her teenage years. Today I had to scan a bunch of documents, so I figured, since I was doing some scanning, the first thing I'd scan was some evidentiary photos of Miss CVB, back when she was still Miss CV.

That is my first car in which Miss CV is trunk sitting. It was a 1965 Mustang Fastback. If it were still alive today it would be worth a small fortune.

I bought my Mustang in October of my Senior High School year. A lot of fun was had in that car.

I've been feeling a bit homesick for Washington lately, the scenery, the clean air, the good weather, the people. Washington is like living in a theme park. In Texas there is a nearby theme park that I can go to, Six Flags Over Texas, that I don't like. In Washington I could go a few miles east and be in the mountains, a few miles west and be on a saltwater beach.

In Washington I had so many favorite places to go hiking within a 25 miles radius. The Tandy Hills is nice, compared to other choices in my current Texas locale, but the Tandy Hills would not be hike worthy if they were nearby where I lived in Washington. I doubt they'd even have any trails. Why would they?

So, why is Miss CV in the trunk of my car? Well, we were wild kids. Miss CV was practicing for going to see a drive-in movie. She'd hide in the trunk and then once I was safely parked she'd climb through the panel door that opened from the trunk. We ended this practice after being caught at the drive-in in Bellingham. It was a little embarrassing.

I can't remember for sure if the car next to mine is Miss CV's or Miss Beth's, aka Miss Oahu's? If I remember right Miss CV had a Mustang and Miss Beth had a Cougar. I suck at identifying cars. If forced to guess I'd guess it is Miss CV's Mustang, mostly because I can tell the cars are sitting on her driveway.

The passage of a lot of time has dulled a lot of what I'm able to remember. The aforementioned Miss Beth wrote something in my annual about never forgetting a moonlit night at Bay View. I had no memory of what she was talking about. But, Miss CV claims this references an incident where it was real warm, with myself, Misses Beth and CV at Bay View, late, feeling like going swimming, but with no swimsuits, going swimming in our underwear. It bothers me because one would think I would remember this.

In the black and white picture I think me and Miss CV were up in the North Cascades, maybe. I remember having a picnic and pulling out the easy to remove back seat to use to sit on.

Okay, enough time spent on Nostalgia Road.

My Foul Mood And A Wildflower Blooming In Texas On The Tandy Hills

I am having one of my rare why do I bother days. Someone recently told me that Peckish and Durango were synonymous. I had to look up Peckish to see that Someone was right.

Today my therapist, Dr. L.C., is in one of her men are way too difficult moods, something to do with cats being easier to herd. I am not sure if I am among the difficult to herd, or not.

My dear Mom mailed me a lot of vacation house rental info, sent March 15, that I did not get til today, because today is the first day I've gone to the Post Office in awhile. The house rental info is for Perry Mason's little sister, Lori, who is up in Washington. I love convolutions. So, now I guess I'm mailing my mom's house rental info to Washington.

Speaking of my dear Mom, today I heard from my Mom's youngest, my little sister, the shyster, I mean, lawyer. Little sister is having a major back woe, something called Piriformis Syndrome, which causes the Sciatic Nerve to be pinched, with a lot of pain being the result.

Made me feel bad reading my little sister's description. I'd emailed her to remind her of a Running Challenge, that is 17 years old, and which is triggered on her next birthday, which is April 13. This Running Challenge takes place at Washington Park in Anacortes in Washington. Late summer is the earliest my little sister thinks she might be up for the Running Challenge.

Meanwhile, I am currently Sore in Texas due to the Twister Push-Up Challenge. I believe I overdid it, because I'm sore from the waist north. This may be due to that slippery mud sliding incident on Wednesday on the treacherous Tandy Hills, but I doubt it.

Speaking of which, due to my foul mood of feeling foul, I went to the Tandy Hills today, hoping they'd be dried out and I could strain my bad mood into oblivion. Well, the Tandy Hills were still muddy, but I was able to get off the trails and cross country it for the needed mood elevation.

It is hell being addicted to endorphins.

A couple signs of Wildflowers finally starting to show up, including that pink wild flower you see at the top. The Texas Wildflowers are being really late this year. Something to do with the long cold Winter?

One of the most ubiquitous Texas Wildflowers is the State Wildflower of Texas, the Bluebonnet. I saw Bluebonnets on Wednesday, and again today, but not on the Tandy Hills, but in the yards of homes by the Tandy Hills. How does that happen?

Wild Woman of Woolley Nightmares While Sleeping In Texas

I had a nightmare last night that had the Wild Woman of Woolley, Miss CVB, in it. (I had not noticed before, til just typing it, that CVB are in that exact order on the low row of the QWERTY keyboard)

A couple days ago Miss CVB sent me a picture of her daughter. That is her in pink. It seems recent in my memory, but it was long ago, that I saw Miss CVB's daughter, in person. She was just a baby.

I'll spare you the rest of my memory on this subject. Suffice to say that Miss CVB's daughter puts me in mind of Miss CVB all those years ago.

So, last night, I'm having a nightmare. I was back in the Skagit Valley. At the Mount Vernon Mall. It's dark. I run into Miss CVB, well, actually, at that point in time she was Miss CV. I asked if she wanted to go have pizza. Sure, she said.

So, we go in this dark pizza joint, sit at a table, I go order pizza, then go back to the table to find Miss CV missing. I figure she had to go do something but would be right back. So, I sit. I do not wait well, but I continued waiting. Eventually I realized Miss CV was not coming back. I then woke up.

After that I could not go back to sleep. I started obsessing over the Mount Vernon Mall. There were two malls in Mount Vernon, one on each side of College Way, on the east side of I-5. These malls were built in the 1970s. Then torn down in the 1990s and replaced with more modern strip malls. I think.

And that's what kept me awake. Trying to remember what replaced the 2 malls. I could remember Albertsons and Ernst on the south side and a huge Safeway on the north side. And, awhile after that, a Wal-Mart. But then I go blank.

I do recollect being back in Mount Vernon, after I moved to Texas, for a funeral, staying at the Day's Inn in Mount Vernon and roller blading from the Day's Inn all over the Wal-Mart and Safeway parking lots. But, I can't remember what was there besides those 2 stores and a Jamba Juice joint.

I wonder if I am exhibiting early Alzheimer's and what the Freudian implications are of last night's Miss CV nightmare? If any.

Falling In Texas With Other Pains At Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake

I think I mentioned that I talked to Elsie Hotpepper this morning. Elsie was not long out of bed. I think she was only half awake and not at all recovered from the previous night's shenanigans, which somehow left Elsie's voice about 2 octaves lower than normal and her Texas drawl about 2 octaves lower, as well.

And then I heard from my therapist, Dr. L.C., grilling me about why I'm getting up so early. Dr. L.C. does not sounds as raspy as Elsie Hotpepper.

I don't know why my therapist is now concerned with when I get up in the morning. Yesterday it was concern about how late I have lunch. I tell you I live with an Orwellian level of Big Brother monitoring. It's very stifling.

To get temporary relief from feeling stifled, around noon, I went to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake. My quest to find Oakland Lake remains a quest. As you can see, in the picture, it was not being even remotely sunny when I was out walking.

I ended up only slightly sore from yesterday's fall. The slip and slide incident was not painful, unlike last week's ankle twisting fall by my mailbox. There seems to be an epidemic of falls and backaches among those I know.

My little sister is out of commission with an aching back. The Scrabble Queen of Washington is currently in back pain. Perry Mason's little sister, Lori, took a bad fall while gardening. Elsie Hotpepper falls regularly during her nightly shenanigans. Tootsie Tonasket took a tumble, on Sunday, whilst trying to chase a deer from her garden.

I'm sure I am forgetting some aches and pains. But, you know who you are.

Buying An ALDI Bag While Finding Pool Treasure & Recovering From Yesterday's Texas Storm

Yesterday when I was in Hurst I went to another of the newly opened ALDI Food Markets. I did not have my ALDI bag. I didn't get much and only needed one bag. On my first ALDI visit the ALDI checkout person told me you get one ALDI bag free, extras cost a dime each.

So, imagine my shock when I looked at my ALDI receipt, later, to find I'd been charged a dime for an ALDI bag, plus a penny tax, for a grand total for the ALDI bag of 11 cents.

Now, to most people 11 cents is no big deal, but to me 11 cents is a significant percentage of my daily income.

And then something happened this morning that is like some fortuitous sign from above that my lifelong bad luck is about to change.

Just as I was about to step into the pool, as I looked down to take my first wet step, what do I see? A dime and a penny. Here I'd been fretting about being charged 11 cents for that ALDI bag, to find myself, this morning, mysteriously reimbursed for my loss.

It is the dawn of a new lease on the future or something like that.

Meanwhile, Elsie Hotpepper left me an urgent text message last night, insisting I call her at once. I did as ordered, but it was after I found my 11 cent windfall, that I saw the text message. I called Elsie. I can't tell you what Elsie needed to talk to me about. Suffice to say it had something to do with the fight against corruption in the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of the World, Tarrant County, Texas.

And then I had another surprise this morning. Last night the Queen of Wink blogged about her recent trip to San Antonio and made mention of the fact that she and I had discussed one aspect of that trip, that being going to see a doctor about getting Pamela Andersonized. I naively thought this was a private matter.

But then again, of late, I've had to bear witness to an ongoing discussion regarding my personal pectorals, including reading a comment, this morning, from the just mentioned Queen of Wink, where she verbalizes her opinion and personal experience with the issue in question.

Anyway, here's hoping I find some more treasure laying on the ground today. But I won't be treasure hunting on the Tandy Hills. We had a bit of a storm here yesterday that dropped some water. It did not downpour for too long. I had only one close lightning strike. I experienced none of the predicted strong wind gusts.

A Potential Texas Tornado Storm Brews While I Slip On A Fort Worth Mudslide

Something wicked this way comes. A big storm is brewing. It is heading in from the northwest. By that I mean northwest relative to my location, not the location from whence I moved over a decade ago.

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Alert. Wind gusts to 60, with 2 inch hail. The conditions are such that tornadoes can form from rotating supercells.

I love weather talk. The view in the picture is looking northwest at the incoming storm, after I got back here a little after 5.

On the way back here, after a late in the afternoon hiking on the Tandy Hills, I heard the radio alert about the incoming storm. And mention made of the fact that in a couple days it will be a decade since the killer tornado that struck downtown Fort Worth.

That was my first tornado storm. I lived in the town of Haslet at the time, at the north end of Fort Worth. I was heading to meet up with someone at UNT in West Fort Worth. Ahead I saw an eerie wall of greenish gray clouds. I did not realize at the time I was looking at the wall of clouds that produced the tornado.

I got a call from the person I was heading towards meeting, telling me she was stuck in a basement, due to a tornado. I retreated to my domicile, which was soon to be struck by a barrage of the biggest hail I've ever seen. Between the thunder and that hail it was about the noisiest thing I've ever heard.

Oh, about the mudslide. Hiking the Tandy Hills today I parked by the tower at the top of Tandy Mountain. This put me on trails I'd not been on since the recent deluge. I was heading down a trail and took a grassy detour, due to the trail being muddy. Suddenly I slipped and went sliding down the hill for a short distance.

This covered the entire back of me with mud, and my right arm and hand. I was a mess. Which is ironic, because just hours before, my therapist, Dr. L.C., emailed me saying, simply, "You're a mess." She is very psychic that way. Although her timing is often off.

I don't believe there will be any bruises or aches from this latest mishap.

Now it's time to batten down the hatches and prepare for losing power. By hatches I mean shut the windows.

Fort Chesapeake Guards Tarrant County College While J.D. Granger Drinks Beer

I was heading east on Harwood Road in Hurst around noon when I saw what you're looking at in the picture.

Those of us who live in, well, with, the Barnett Shale, know what this is.

Those outside the Barnett Shale Severe Contamination Pollution Hazardous Zone of Occupation might think this looks like a modernized version of an old Wild West Fort.

If it were, this would be Fort Chesapeake, due to it being a Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale natural gas drilling site. The wall is put up to muffle the disturb the peace sounds these operations emit.

This particular drilling site is near a couple apartment complexes, some businesses and is located on what I believe is Tarrant County College land. I vaguely recollect reading there was a gas drilling operation on college land. The open land, on which Fort Chesapeake sits, continues to the east a short distance, to where the college campus buildings are located.

With all this open land, I could not help wonder why Tarrant County College did not choose to simply expand at this location, rather than spend 100s of millions of dollars trying to build a downtown Fort Worth campus, which was aborted, prior to finishing, in order to move the downtown campus to the aborted Radio Shack headquarters.

Way too many things get aborted in downtown Fort Worth. Or so it seems to me.

New buildings could have been added and a lot of buses bought to transit students in from around the county for a fraction, I would think, of what the Downtown Fort Worth Tarrant County College boondoggle cost.

On to a totally unrelated note, well, it is related in that it involves something in Tarrant County.

So, last night there was a meeting in a church, a public meeting, held to let the public have input into the Riverside Park wetlands abatement part of the Trinity River Vision. At least that is what I think this was about. What I know for sure, because I read it in the Star-Telegraph (please note, that is Telegraph, not Telegram), that the meeting went bizarrely awry.

The infamously nepotistically benefitting son, J.D. Granger, of Fort Worth's favorite corrupt congresswoman, Kay Granger, was in attendance.

J.D. Granger did not speak at this public meeting. I don't know if J.D. did not speak because he was over medicated with his favorite adult beverage, or what.

I got the picture of J.D. knocking back a Shiner from the Star-Telegraph. For those of you not in Texas, a Shiner is the State Beer of Texas.

You can read all of what the Star-Telegraph's Eagle Eye Reporter had to say here...

I Need To Get Out More & Visit The Top 100 Things To See In The Dallas Fort Worth Area

A couple weeks ago the Dallas Morning News had an article listing the Top 100 Places to Go in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area that one needs to experience to be a well-rounded Metroplexer.

Well, it is often said I don't get out much, which must be true, because I have been a Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplexer for over 10 years and have not been to too many of the places on this list of 100.

The List of 100 is divided by category. I'll go through the categories one by one to get an idea of how badly I need to get out more.

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS

Belt Line in Addison
Bishop Arts District
Mockingbird Station
Snider Plaza
Stockyards National Historic District
Sundance Square
Uptown/Knox-Henderson
West End Historic District

Well, I have been to the Fort Worth Stockyards, Mockingbird Station (to ride the DART train), Sundance Square and the West End Historic District. I don't know that I have been to Addison, let alone to Belt Line in Addison, whatever that is.

MUST-SEES

Dallas World Aquarium
Dallas Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
The French Room
Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax and Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
Medieval Times
McKinney Avenue Trolley
Mustangs of Las Colinas at Williams Square
The Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture
Pioneer Plaza
Reunion Tower
Southfork Ranch
White Rock Lake

Well, I've been to the Fort Worth Zoo. Was not favorably impressed. I've walked among the sculptures at Pioneer Plaza. I've seen the similar Mustang sculptures at Los Colinas. I've pedaled my bike around White Rock Lake many times. I've driven by the Palace of Wax and Ripley's and Medieval Times, with no desire to enter. I've ridden by the Dallas Zoo on the DART train. I've driven and walked along Turtle Creek. I've seen the McKinney Avenue Trolley, Reunion Tower and Southfork Ranch. I have no idea what the French Room is.

MUSEUMS

African American Museum
Museum of the American Railroad
American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum
Amon Carter Museum
Cavanaugh Flight Museum
Crow Collection of Asian Art
Dallas Holocaust Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Frontiers of Flight Museum
Kimbell Art Museum
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Museum of Nature and Science
Nasher Sculpture Center
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
SMU Meadows Museum
The Women's Museum

I am very uncultured. I have only been to the Amon Carter Museum, the Modern Art Museum and the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science. I've stood outside the Women's Museum at Dallas Fair Park, same with the Kimball Art Museum, the National Cowgirl Museum and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. I'm pretty sure just standing outside a museum does not let me count it has something I have seen.

HISTORY

Chestnut Square Historic Village
Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park
Dealey Plaza
Fair Park
Grapevine Vintage Railroad
John F. Kennedy Memorial
Log Cabin Village
Owens Spring Creek Farm
Sixth Floor Museum

Shouldn't Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum be counted as the same thing? These type lists always seem to have to pad to get to their anointed number. Actually, the John F. Kennedy Memorial is right in the area of Dealey Plaza, too. I've driven by Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth. Nothing I'd be drawn to visiting. I've seen the Grapevine Vintage Railroad, or Tarantula Train, in both Grapevine and at the Fort Worth Stockyards. No desire to ride that train.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Bath House Cultural Center
Dallas Center for Contemporary Art
Latino Cultural Center
McKinney Avenue Contemporary
Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
Texas Sculpture Garden

I've had no art or culture since I've been in Texas, apparently.

NIGHTLIFE

IV
PM Nightlife Lounge
Absinthe Lounge
Billy Bob's Texas
Deep Ellum Entertainment District
Gilley's Dallas
Ghostbar
Havana Social Club
Inwood Theatre
Lee Harvey's
Loft 610 lounge
White Elephant Saloon

I have no night life, I guess. I have been to Deep Ellum, in Dallas, but not at night.

NATURE AND OUTDOORS

Arbor Hills Nature Preserve
Cedar Hill State Park
Cedar Ridge Preserve
Dallas Arboretum
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Fort Worth Nature Center
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
Heard Natural Science Museum
Katy Trail
River Legacy Park
Texas Discovery Gardens
Trinity River Audubon Center

Apparently I am a Nature & Outdoors type guy. In addition to the places I have links to I've also been to Cedar Hills State Park many times, to hike, bike, swim and picnic.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

Dr Pepper Ballpark
Eisenbergs Skatepark
GameWorks
Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie
Malibu SpeedZone
Mesquite Championship Rodeo
Metroplex BMX
Pizza Hut Park
Rangers Ballpark
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motorplex
Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park

It seems I am not much of a Sports & Recreation guy. I've been to Six Flags twice. Did not care for it. I've been to one baseball game in the Ballpark in Arlington, to watch Seattle beat the Rangers or the Rangers beat Seattle, I don't remember who won. I used to live by the Texas Motor Speedway, so I know what and where that is. I've driven by Lone Star Park, I think horses race there. Gameworks is on this list? It's in the Grapevine Mills mall.

SHOPPING

Dallas Farmers Market
First Monday Trade Days in Canton
Galleria Dallas
Ikea Frisco
Neiman Marcus Downtown Dallas
NorthPark Center

I'm not much of a shopper, so I'm surprised I've been to 3 of the Shopping places on this list, with the third being Galleria Dallas.

OFFBEAT

The Cockroach Hall of Fame
Mary Kay Cosmetics tours
Mrs Baird's Bakeries tours

I'm guessing whoever made this list of 100 got to 97 and needed 3 more to make it to 100, hence this Offbeat add-on.

HOT In Texas Getting Advice From Twister & Dr. L.C. Plus Elsie Being A Hotpepper

It is in the 70s this afternoon in North Texas. The Tandy Hills were dried out enough from last Friday's deluge and the weekend freak snowstorm, to be nicely hiked today.

I had no choice but to ignore Twister's advisement to not appear in public shirtless until I had liposuction or some other procedure, the details of which I'm forgetting, but it was hot, I was overheating, I needed minimalist attire.

If I remember right, Twister also advised that one of the reasons I overheat so easily is likely due to all that extra heft I pack around. I refuse to go on a diet. I'm okay with being a Big Ol' Fat Texas Boy.

My therapist, Dr. L.C., was full of therapy today. Apparently I constantly have a very mad look about me that is quite scary. Dr. L.C. also complained about my feeding schedule, saying I eat lunch too late for someone who gets up so early. Without saying so directly, it's clear to me that Dr. L.C. agrees with Twister that I need to do a lot of push-ups to get rid of my disgusting flabbiness.

All this therapy is really starting to hurt my delicate feelings.

And then, for no reason fathomable to me, Elsie Hotpepper claimed I implied she was that word that starts with a 'B' and rhymes with rich. Or itch. Or witch. Or snitch. Or, well, you get the idea.

I was seriously offput by Elsie's erroneous slander. I may have thought such a thing to myself, maybe, but the thought surely never rose to the level of me implying, in anyway noticeable, that I thought such a thing.

Rush Limbaugh & My Ditto Head Facebook Friends

I used to find Rush Limbaugh sort of amusing, back before he morphed into what, way too often, comes across to me, nowadays, as the rantings of the disloyal opposition.

I, like many, have grown a bit disappointed in President Obama. I would have preferred Hillary.

A couple times, during the pre-election period, Obama amazed me with nonsense. Like the day he repeated, several times, that over 10,000 had died in a tornado, in, I think, if I remember right, Kansas.

It appalled me that Obama did not intuitively know that 10,000 number had to be wrong, because, if it were correct, this would make that tornado the worst natural disaster in American history.

And then, just recently, speaking to a group of workers, Obama told them that the Health Care Reform would lower the Health Care Cost of a business by around 3,000 percent. Thus, possibly causing the business owner to give the workers a raise. The sheep roundly applauded.

How could Obama utter that ridiculous 3,000 percent figure and not intuitively know it was ridiculous? I mean, I suck at math, but even I can figure out that if you reduce a cost by just 100%, it now costs zero. But 3,000%?

I don't think things like this are impeachable offenses. But, maybe they should be.

And then we have Rush Limbaugh's Ditto-heads, mindlessly repeating twisted iterations of the stuff they hear him spout.

Just looking at my Facebook page and the comments made by some of my "Friends" is sort of scary.

I'll copy and paste some of them, leaving out the names so as to avoid embarrassing anyone anymore than they should already be embarrassed...

"My flag is upside down in distress. Last nite, our constitution was subverted and perverted by domestic enemies. From a 25 year AF vet."

"All Liberty loving patriots should be flying their flags upside down today and until we can take our country back!"

"We have been putting our flag stamps upside down ever since these dimwits took over our gov't!!! And good to see a lot of people still love the U.S.OF A.!!!!!"

"Well goodbye former United States of America hello United Socialist States of America !! Never will be the same !!!"

"I don't know if I am more sad or angry I can't believe they sold us out . I don't know if I want to cry or scream. All our fore fathers fought for sold out over a stinking lie from a stinking liar. How could anyone fall for his garbage !! Got to vent or I will blow up !!"

"It is a very sad night....but Jesus is coming soon!"

"I don't know if I'm more sad or angry either. I sat on the couch and cried the night Obama was elected because I knew it was going to be the beginning of the end of this great country."

"I did to, it was spiritual we were weeping for our nation. I still am, even knowing Jesus will come soon, but it so hard to see this great country go down to the likes of these thugs it breaks my heart. Honestly it makes me sick to my stomach. We are in for a rocky ride. May God have mercy on us!!"

"WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!!! GOOD BYE TO BEING A WORLD SUPER POWER!!! HELLO 1.2 TRILLION DOLLARS IN DEBT AND CHINA OWNING US!!!!!!!"

Also on Facebook one of my more reasonable "Friends" linked to and commented about a Facebook Fan Page called "Help Rush Limbaugh Remember To Leave The Country."

"On March 9th, 2010, Rush Limbaugh made a promise on his radio show to leave the country if the new healthcare bill passes. Unfortunately, Rush is a very busy guy. That's where we come in. To help Rush with his bucket list, I suggest members of this group send him friendly reminders whenever they have a chance to help remind and encourage him to stick to his guns and help him keep the courage of his convictions."

2010 Fort Worth MAIN ST. Arts Festival

In April, Fort Worth has two BIG festivals. First up is the Main Street Arts Festival, opening Thursday, April 8 at 10am.

Then on Saturday, April 24, the Tandy Hills come alive with the sights and sounds of the Prairie Fest.

I have not gone to the MAIN ST. Arts Festival in a few years. It is by far the best of this type festival that I've gone to. This was the first event type thing I saw in Texas that impressed me as being the best I'd ever seen.

Canton First Monday Trade Days is another Texas event, the likes and size of which, I've seen no where else.

When I was at the Fremont Sunday Market, in Seattle, in August of 2008 a lady showed up, conversed, I noticed the accent, asked if she was from Texas. She was. Austin. She gave me her business card. It had an example of her art. I asked if she'd displayed at the Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival, because her art looked familiar. She said she's there every year. I'll find her, this year, but she won't remember me. Probably.

Click for more info about the Main Street Arts Festival...

Doing Texas Twister Push Ups While Walking Among White Wildflowers In Fort Worth

In my mind I was glaring at Mister Twister when the picture of me doing push-ups was taken.

Yesterday morning, Mister Twister went virtually swimming with me.

Later that day, Mister Twister told me, as best as I can remember, that I am in terrible shape, a big flabby mess and that I needed to start doing a lot of push-ups to get rid of my big ol' man boobs.

Or as Gar the Texan calls them, well his, moobs.

Now, it sort of disturbed me that Mister Twister would focus so much attention on what he said were my pathetically ill-defined sagging pectoral muscles. I think if I thought such thoughts about someone I'd keep it to myself.

Anyway, now that Mister Twister made me aware that I am seriously out of shape, I have followed his advice, as in this morning I did 200 push-ups, or thereabouts. As a result I feel right now as if someone has gut punched me.

Prior to today's amping up of the physical strain I put myself through, my only physical activity has been extremely short pool dips and short walks.

Today I did both the dip and the walk and those 200 push-ups. The walk was around Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park. It seems like the wildflowers are being late to appear. Today I did see several interesting looking fluffy, white flowers.

Yesterday's snowy, extremely cold first day of Spring is now a faded, bad memory. Right now, coming up on 4 in the afternoon it is 66 and I'm back with open windows.

Just as I typed that yesterday's cold is now a faded bad memory I saw incoming email pop up on the other monitor.

In response to me whining about yesterday's Arctic Cold, Miss BS, well, she prefers me to refer to as Miss Oahu, not BS, but that's extra letters to type and I'm all about brevity.

Anyway, Miss O said, "DJ, as the hippy dippy weather man used to say...'tonight's forecast dark with scattered light in the morning...and if you don't like the weather MOVE'. "

Well, turns out I didn't need to MOVE. Yet. It's warm again.

And on a totally unrelated subject, the last of my Missing Persons has been found. The Scrabble Queen of Washington is back in the Evergreen State. And beating me at Scrabble. For the most part. I did score big with "quirk" today. Actually, I score pretty big with "quirk" almost every day, now that you're making me think about it.

Some Genius: Albert Einstein Wanted Socialism To Eliminate The Evils Of Capitalism

There are way too many people, saying way too much, way too often, that the Health Care Reform Bill will ruin the Republic and turn the U.S. into a Socialist State.

It makes my head hurt.

My Uncle Albert liked the idea of Socialism. He seemed to understand what Socialism actually is. In 1949 Albert Einstein had the following to say about Socialism. Does this sound like he's describing the bill that the House passed on Sunday?

"I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate (the) grave evils (of capitalism), namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion. A planned economy, which adjusts production to the needs of the community, would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman, and child. The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow-men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society."

Uncle Albert was a pretty smart guy. He escaped Nazi Germany to come to America.

Canada has Universal Health Care. The last time I visited Canada it did not seem all that much different than America, sort of like America Lite, with an annoying tendency to end every sentence with "eh".

The bill that passed on Sunday does not change the American Health system into a government run, owned and controlled operation.

I'm of the opinion that it would not be a bad thing if somehow a way was found to provide Americans Universal Health Care. I saw a little girl, about 9, last week at Wal-Mart, with a very bad club foot. This is a treatable condition. Anyone seen any 9 year old Canadian kid with a bad club foot?

I don't get how people can rail against this Health Care Reform bill as being a big, bad, socialist thing.

These same people don't seem to be upset by our public school system, which is a socialized school system.

Or with our public road system, which is a socialized road system.

Or with our military, which is a socialized defense system.

Or with NASA, which is a socialized space system.

Or when a state or the federal government builds a dam.

I'm sure there are plenty of other examples where the government does something that benefits everyone.

The presidents prior to, I think, Andrew Jackson, believed it was not the government's business to build roads or canals.

Would America of 2010 be better off if the government did not act for the collective good? If the government left it to private business to build roads, levees, schools, libraries, dams, power plants or space vehicles?

Anyway, those who are all in worry mode that all is lost and we are sliding down a slippery slope towards a Socialist non-Utopia, read the Wikipedia article about Socialism to get an idea what the word actually means.

The Late In The Day First Day Of Spring View From Miss Puerto Rico's Texas Location

You are looking at the First Day of Spring view from Miss Puerto Rico's Fort Texas balcony.

Yes.

It is a very cold March 21 in Texas.

I do not know when I have been colder on the First Day of Spring. Or if I remember another occasion when that day started with snow on the ground.

I am thinking it is time to move to a warmer climate.

I hear it is HOT in West Texas. Maybe that is where I need to relocate. Or return to Washington, which has turned pretty much tropical compared with the newly Arctic Texas.

Has Al Gore been indicted for his Global Warming Hoax yet?