Finding Fish Brewing Olympia Tumwater Porter In Wichita Falls ALDI

I had barely passed through the ALDI entry chamber's second automatic door when  I saw that which you see here, an item which I was surprised to find so far from its creation zone.

Tumwater Porter.

Brewed & Bottled by Fish Brewing Company in Olympia, Washington.

Apparently the proud recipient of the 2015 World's Best Beer Award.

No mention made of who it was who decided this was the World's Best Beer. If this was a Texas thing I would assume it to be a simple act of inflated brag based on nothing substantial.

I have never heard of the Fish Brewing Company.

Tumwater, however, is quite familiar to me.

Tumwater is the location, in Olympia, of the former  Olympia Brewery, the brewer of the once extremely popular Olympia Beer.

I have never known why, or how, it was Olympia Beer went out of business. Like I said, it used to be very popular. I recollect at one point in time Clint Eastwood indicated it was his favorite beer.

I remember once on our way to the coast stopping in Tumwater to take the Olympia Brewery tour. My mom and dad are not consumers of adult beverages, not then, not now. The Olympia Brewery tour ended in a tasting room. My mom and dad were given mugs of beer. My siblings and I were given mugs of the soft drink of our choice.

Mom and dad were unable to take more than a sip or two of their Olympia libation, whilst  my siblings and I finished ours.  I think we got refills.

Seeking Endorphins On The First Drippy Friday Of December

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell, late in the morning of the first Friday of the last month of 2014, with the outer world a bit damp, but warmed to the relatively balmy temperature of 69 degrees, I am feeling in dire need of some serious aerobic stimulation and that stimulation's resultant endorphins.

I was in the Hot Tub and Pool last night and real early this morning. The Hot Tub and Pool really don't give me the level of endorphins that I get from bike riding or hill hiking.

I had a rough night last night, way too many disturbing nightmares. I really should not watch any Mama's Family sketches from the Carol Burnett Show prior to sleep time.

In the middle of the night during one of my awake bouts I had what at the time seemed to be a really good blogging inspiration. Suffice to say the subject was Fort Worth and the phrase "Where the Best Begins" played a prominent role. But, that particular blogging inspiration is currently stalled. Maybe a dose of endorphins would help re-stimulate me, inspiration-wise.

Yesterday's drizzle had me in Haltom City in the noon time frame for the Grand Opening of a new ALDI. I got a lot of freebies during the course of the ALDI visit. Plus some amusing aggravation when somehow a single bag of carrots at $1.39 rang up as 7 bags of carrots at $9.73. I think the embarrassment at the embarrassing mistake is why I ended up being given extra canvas ALDI shopping bags,  filled with goodies, most of which is not the type stuff I eat.

Candy bars.

I did not even like candy bars when I was a kid. In the canvas bags were a couple versions of bags of peanuts, a sweet and salty almond all natural bar, which was tasty, and a couple bags of popcorn. So, all that ALDI gave me was not of the candy bar sort, but most of it was.

I think I will hit the publish button on this blogging and then hit the outer world and see if I can find myself some of those elusive endorphins....

Confessions Of A Thanksgiving Party Pumpkin Pie Baker Gone Bad

On the left you are looking at a rare late afternoon look through the bars of my patio prison cell.

As you can see, I am not currently in the hot tub. Or pool.

I suspect when the sun leaves for the day I may find myself having a salubrious soak in the hot tub.

This blogging thing is such a burdensome responsibility. If I don't hit the publish button on a blogging by a certain time I start getting emails, text messages and phone calls inquiring about my well being.

Up til an hour or two ago my head was feeling like it might explode. This potential explosion was made more possible when I added to the head pressure by trying to fix some serious problems on the index page of my #1 website.

Apparently tablets and phones running Google's Android do not like webpages with table upon table nested inside tables.

By around noon I got the index page fixed and tablet worthy. I think. So, I decided to roll my wheels around my neighborhood. I thought that would fix the headache. Instead it made it worse.

So, what caused this horrific pain that has now abated? Well, last night I found myself at a pumpkin pie baking party. At that party I was given various adult libations. Whilst I was drinking these adult libations it did not seem like a bad idea. By morning it became obvious I should not drink adult libations while helping bake pumpkin pies.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, and who isn't? I just got back from ALDI. I have never seen  ALDI so busy, nor ALDI's parking lot nearly full. When I left my abode I saw that I-820 was a stalled traffic jam heading north. When I left ALDI I had intended to return via westbound I-30. However when I got to the freeway entry I saw that I-30 was also a stalled traffic jam, as far as I could see in both directions.

Is this day before Thanksgiving bad traffic a prelude to traffic gridlock on Black Friday? Will the only means to escape the crowded roads and crowded stores be to take a Fort Worth bus to downtown Fort Worth, the least busy big city downtown in America on the busiest shopping day of the year?

I must go boil some cranberries now.....

A Pre-Halloween Visit With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Prior To Trick Or Treating With Butter From ALDI

Today I needed to get myself a pound of butter at ALDI, along with other weight gain nutrients, so I decided prior to getting fat gain enablers, I'd go to Arlington to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to check in on the Indian Ghosts on the day before one of their favorite holidays.

Halloween.

All of which explains why you see my handlebars parked on the Village Creek paved trail.

Upon arrival at the Natural Area's paved parking lot I saw an Arlington Animal Control Officer releasing several opossums back to the semi-wild. I see this so often I can not help but conclude that Arlington is over run with possums.

I did not get any candy type material at ALDI to hand out to trick or treaters tomorrow. I get no trick or treaters. I am behind a security fence which blocks trick or treaters.

When I lived in Mount Vernon I would get 100s of trick or treaters on a good night with good weather. A rainy Halloween would cut down the number of beggars. My house was mid way up a steep cul-de-sac, with the walk to the front door up a long flight of stairs.

Due to it being a nice neighborhood people would come from other areas to trick or treat me and my neighbors. This never bothered me. A couple days ago I read on Facebook a discussion among people taking umbrage at the gall someone from another neighborhood would intrude to do some candy begging.

This attitude seemed sort of offputting to me. That and sort of meanspirited.

Anyway, it's time for lunch now. Oodles of butter will be incorporated into that which I will be eating, but no candy....

With The Indian Ghosts At The Village Creek Green Bayou Thinking About The Sand Creek Massacre & Stupid Smart Cars

To the left you are looking at the formerly blue Blue Bayou of Village Creek, which has now become the Green Bayou of Village Creek.

How is the Green Bayou managing to be so green, what with the ongoing Great North Texas Drought, I pondered as I gazed out from the Green Bayou Overlook.

I did not think mountain biking was likely doable at Gateway Park today, due to rain a few days ago. I thought the same thing might have muddied the Tandy Hills.

So, since I was not in the neighborhood, I opted out of my semi-regular Saturday Town Talk treasure hunt.

This morning I was reading the chapter of Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee that covers the Sand Creek Massacre, that being the mass murder of Black Kettle's band of Cheyenne, along with some of their Arapaho friends, with the murderers led  by the notorious mass murderer, the Methodist preacher named John Chivington, who was never held accountable for his crimes, thus never executed, like many thought was the just thing to do.

So, with the Sand Creek Massacre fresh in my memory, my walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area was naturally a bit more poignant than the norm today.

Even though today is Flag Day, I only saw two flags flying today whilst I was out and about.

After I finished my Indian Ghost Walk I dropped in on ALDI for a couple needed provisions. Leaving ALDI I was perplexed by the heavy oncoming traffic on Ederville Road. I looked over at  I-30 and saw traffic moving, so thought a jammed freeway was not the explanation.

But then at the next point on Ederville Road when I can see the freeway I saw the eastbound lanes were totally frozen, indicating to me that at some point west of the Cook's Lane exit there must have been a very bad accident.

In Texas when a freeway comes to a standstill, due to there usually being frontage roads, many drivers escape the freeway by free wheeling it over the grass buffer between the freeway and frontage road. This can lead to some difficulties for some vehicles not equipped for such adventurous cross country driving.

As in today I saw a SMART car stuck in no-man's land, trying to escape the traffic jam. The SMART car sort of looked swallowed up by a deep dip in the no-man's land.

SMART cars look fun, but you'd have to be sort of dumb to take a SMART car off-road....

Back With Arlington's Village Creek Indian Ghosts Finding No Crime Scene Tape Before Helping A Hugely Obese Woman

Seems like I just had myself a mighty fine time visiting the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area, because, well, I had had myself a mighty fine time doing so, on Sunday.

On Sunday I biked with the Indian Ghosts, today I walked.

I was in the Indian Ghosts' neighborhood due to needing some supplies from ALDI which I'd forgotten I needed when I was at ALDI on Saturday.

Damn age related memory woes.

As you can see via the above photo documentation the crime scene tape has been removed from the Village Creek Dam Bridge. In addition to the crime scene tape being removed the massive pile of litter and logs has also been removed, thus allowing Village Creek to smoothly flow under the Dam Bridge.

On the weather menu for today, at my location on the planet, is possible incoming thunderstorms, with possible large balls of hail, along with possible heavy rain which could lead to possible flash floods.

So far none of what is possible has happened today.

If the sky does go into downpour mode today it is likely that by tomorrow the litter log jam will have re-appeared at the Village Creek Dam Bridge, followed by more crime scene tape.

Changing the subject, wait a minute, my phone just made its notification noise, so after reading what my phone had to tell me I am staying on the weather subject a bit longer before changing the subject. According to my phone AccuWeather is informing me that the National Weather Service is suggesting we be on a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, currently, in my vicinity.

Okay, now I am changing the subject and sticking with the change, this time.

So, at ALDI today I learned one must look over ones receipt. I did so and saw a bag of Red Delicious apples listed among the items I'd just paid for.

First off, I only eat Red Delicious apples if I am in Washington, where they are grown, and if I have just picked the apple from its home tree.

So, after bagging that which I bought, I walked back to the nice checkout lady who always seems to enjoy teasing me. She is hugely pregnant, due to pop on the 4th of July. She is one of those type pregnant ladies who glows. She looked at the receipt and said, "you didn't buy any apples." She then realized she'd  hit the key number for bags of Red Delicious apples instead of celery, which is what I actually bought.

A few key strokes later, and after a manager's override, the hugely pregnant checkout lady handed me back the two extra dollars I'd paid for the celery.

After that ALDI unpleasantness was taken care of I saw that an enormously obese woman was having trouble getting out of the ALDI motorized shopping cart which obese people ride to go grocery shopping. Eventually she got vertical, but then she was struggling to get what she bought out of the motorized shopping cart and into a non-mechanized shopping cart so she could roll her stuff to her vehicle.

I helped the enormously obese woman get her stuff from one cart to the other. It really was a logistics nightmare. It all started when I was fussing over apples, with the enormously obese woman trying to get someone to pay attention to her need for a shopping cart. Being told she needed a quarter to get a shopping cart was useless information. Eventually the store manager told the hugely pregnant checkout lady to give the enormously obese lady a shopping cart.

It was at that point I lent my assistance.

As I was inserting my own bags of stuff into the interior of my motorized transport device I saw the enormously obese woman slowly making her way to her car, holding on to the shopping cart for dear life.

She'd already profusely thanked  me for my assistance. I resisted the temptation to offer further assistance. I was on my way before she got into her vehicle and started it moving. I assumed that that would not be a pretty thing to witness, as there likely is a lot of physical struggling involved.

What perplexes me often about enormously obese people, and which perplexed me about this particular woman, is why in the world would you go get yourself tattoos when you are in this condition? And body piercing? Is the body self image so distorted out of reality that it is thought that tattoos and piercings just add to the overall attractiveness?

Like I said, very perplexing......

A Warm Walk With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Ends Cold

I got rained on whilst in the pool and hot tub this morning. The drippage was quite refreshing.

This morning's bout in the cool pool and the less cool hot tub did not give me as many aerobically induced endorphins as I need to make myself feel mighty fine.

So, with the outer world temperature at my location in the 70s I used my motorized vehicular transporter to take myself to Arlington to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to go on a walk with the Indian ghosts, optimistic, was I, that I would not need a bumbershoot to do so.

Turns out, for once, my optimism proved to be warranted. Nothing dripped on me whilst walking with the Indian ghosts today.

When I got to the area of the Village Creek Blue Bayou I saw tire tracks leading from the paved trail. I followed the trail of the tire tracks and eventually came to the big white pipeline you see above, hovering above the creek that brings water to the Village Creek Blue Bayou.

I have no idea what is being piped across the creek and into the natural area.

After walking with the Indian ghosts I dropped in on the very conveniently located, newly opened, ALDI to get myself some needed vittles.

At the ALDI point in time the outer world air was still semi-balmy, warm, and very humid.

And then, in the less than three mile distance from ALDI to my abode, I arrived at my parking location and exited my vehicle to discover the predicted temperature drop had arrived sooner than I thought it was predicted to.

Like I already said, when I left my abode the outer world was in the 70 degree zone. When I returned, less than two hours later, the temperature in the outer world at my abode had plummeted into the 40s.

I do not know when the predicted thunderstorm action is predicted to arrive. Flash flooding is also in the forecast.

I am prepared. My hatches have been totally battened.

One second, please, someone is knocking on my door....

United States Postal Service mailman hand delivering a package from Washington. A year ago, almost to the day, a month long delivery failure ensued with the USPS that eventually ended with the successful delivery of a  box of stale Christmas cookies.

Walking With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Before Lunch At An ALDI Grand Opening

After the first fall freeze the Village Creek Natural Historical Area totally changes its decor. Gone is the lush jungle that arrives in the spring and thrives through summer and into the fall, until that aforementioned first freeze.

I like the de-jungled time of year at the Village Creek Natural Historical Area. It is far less claustrophobic without all that foliage blocking the sun.

Speaking of the sun.

Today the outer world at my location in North Texas is being heated to the temperature of a cool summer day, as in currently the outer world is being heated to 74 degrees at my location.

The outer world was heated to 61 this morning when the sun showed up and I exited my abode for a bout of cycling from the cool pool to the hot tub to get myself some water-based endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

Apparently another potential ice storm is being predicted for our near future, with the current return to summer soon to return to winter-like cold, with the predicted potential ice storm currently scheduled for Saturday.

I do not like ice storms. I have never been hit directly by a tornado or a hurricane, which makes ice storms my least favorite weather event that I have experienced.

After having myself a mighty fine time walking with the Village Creek Indian ghosts I drove a short distance north to the Grand Opening of my new neighbor.

An ALDI Food Market.

As you can see via the photo documentation, the ALDI Grand Opening filled up the ALDI parking lot.

That is not my new HUMMER in the foreground.

I'd not been to an ALDI Grand Opening before.

It was a really grand Grand Opening. My mom would have loved it, what with more free samples available than any sane person could possibly consume, including a lot of chocolate products, a variety of chip and cracker products, hot off a grill quesadillas and other stuff I am not remembering.

I had my ALDI recyclable bags with me, but they were not needed. ALDI people loaded up my stuff in new ALDI recyclable bags and upon exiting I was given an ALDI canvas recyclable bag that was stuffed with freebies, like microwave popcorn, oatmeal, candy bars, granola bars, cookies and more stuff I am not remembering.

The layout of this ALDI was different than the other two ALDIs I have been to, those being the one in Hurst and the one in Pantego. I suspect I will never be in those other ALDIs ever again. This new ALDI is bigger, with the store layout in reverse from what I'm used to. Which confused me momentarily upon entry.

I am easily confused....

An ALDI Stop Then A Walk & Talk With My Mom & The Village Creek Indian Ghosts

That is not crime scene tape you see surrounding the ALDI FOOD MARKET you are looking at in the picture.

That is construction tape.

Last summer, en route to Arlington's Village Creek Natural Area, I noticed a construction project starting up. A couple months after that a sign went up that indicated an ALDI was coming soon.

Two months ago I was in the Pantego ALDI and asked if the checkout  person knew when the Eastchase ALDI was opening. She told me they were aiming for an early December opening.

By how ALDI looked today, landscaping complete, workers inside on a Sunday, methinks it is an early November opening that will be happening.

Having an ALDI located between my abode and one of the locations I frequent, that being the location of my regular walk with the Indian ghosts who haunt their former home along Village Creek, will be very convenient.

I stopped to take the above picture of the soon to open ALDI and then continued on for the Indian ghost walk with my mom.

I had a nice walk and talk with my mom.

Changing the subject from my mom to my favorite subject. The weather.

The 24 hour temperature average was above 50 when I went swimming this morning. At that point in time the outer world air was being chilled to 46. I was able to have myself a mighty fine swim, albeit with two warming bouts in the hot tub.

Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. Maybe by morning I will be able to go swimming in the rain. Likely not.

A Discombobulating Detour Through Haltom City

Today started off fine with my regular early morning swim.

As noon approached a doctor's visit in Euless began to have a discombobulating effect on the day.

After an uneventful lunch I decided to drive north the short 6 mile distance to ALDI.

Driving to the ALDI in Hurst takes me through the 121/820 road construction mess.

On the way north through the mess the signage confused me, the new road alignment added to the confusion. I thought I was on the correct lane, the one heading to D/FW Airport and Precinct Line Road. Instead I was on the flyover that exits to Davis Boulevard.

No big deal.

I had intended to take the TCC/Davis Boulevard exit if the freeway appeared jammed when I got to that location.

When I got to ALDI I saw that Precinct Line Road was backed up worse than I'd ever seen it. My intention had been to take backroads to return to my abode, after ALDI.

When I exited ALDI and turned on to Precinct Line Road it soon became apparent that the 5 southbound lanes were being squeezed down to two. But, the freeway entry lane option was clear sailing. So, I changed my mind and decided to take the freeway, 5 minutes to home, option.

Big mistake.

Again the construction had changed the road alignment since I'd last passed through this mess. The signage again confused me. And before I could fix the mistake I found myself heading west on 820 for the first time in years.

I figured I'd get off at the first exit and make my way south on surface streets. Good plan, but there were no exits. All were closed. Til I got to Rufe Snow Road. Eventually, after waiting through maybe 5 green light cycles I reached the spot you see in the photo above.

I took a left when that light turned green and headed south on Rufe Snow. Eventually I came to 183. I headed west on 183, thinking I'd quickly come to Beach Street, then make my way past Town Talk, then home on Randol Mill.

Eventually I did make it to Beach Street, but not before a mighty fine tour of beautiful downtown Haltom City where I saw that the Haltom City Theater is celebrating being alive for 65 years and is in need of some sprucing up.

I think today was the most driving I have done in the D/FW zone since my mom and dad were here in 2009. By the time I got back to air-conditioned comfort I felt like I'd driven 70 to 80 miles. But, my odometer indicated the reality was I'd only driven 22 miles.

I don't think I will be driving to the Hurst ALDI anymore til the road construction is complete. Why is it seeming like deja vu, me saying that?

An Indian Ghost Walk With A Giant Great Dane & Mexican Hot Dogs

In the picture you are looking at one of the two spots designated as being a Wildflower Area in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Today the Wildflower Areas were not looking too colorful.

This morning a couple hours after my morning swim I drove up to Hurst to ALDI. It had been two months since I'd driven up to the Hurst ALDI.

Since my last drive to the HURST ALDI the highway construction at the 820/121 junction, and beyond, has grown even more adventurous than the last time I navigated this obstacle.

Somehow, within the past 2 months, at the Precinct Line exit off of 121, a new Outback Steakhouse has sprouted up and is open. When I drove by this spot 2 months ago all I recollect seeing was a big open space where, I think, a grocery store once stood, with nothing under construction.

In Texas some things are built amazingly fast, like some road construction projects and restaurants, like this new Outback Steakhouse. Whilst other things, like the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, seem to be built on a slow motion time table.

The most interesting thing I saw walking with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts today was a Giant Great Dane and the lady walking the Giant Great Dane. The Giant Great Dane was an extremely friendly dog, who seemed to be smiling. The lady walking the Giant Great Dane was also extremely friendly.

But what made the lady walking the Giant Great Dane interesting was what she was wearing. Tie dyed leggings with a tie dyed top that matched the tie dyed leggings, with a matching tie dyed bandanna. I would think wearing leggings on a HOT day would be extremely HOT. Aren't leggings sort of like wearing long underwear? Only tighter?

I used to know an extremely large lady who stuffed herself into leggings, with the leggings frequently splitting apart due to the stress of containing more flesh, under extreme pressure, than any fabric can withstand. It also perplexed me as to why an extremely large lady would want to stuff herself into tight leggings. Is it to show off that voluptuous figure?

Speaking of stuffing something into something.

Yesterday I mentioned getting Poblano Batard Bread and Chorizo at Town Talk and that I was going to see if those two items, together, made for a tasty Mexican Hot Dog.

Well, lunch is now history and I can report that the next time I'm at Town Talk if Poblano Batard Bread and Chorizo are in the Town Talk freezer I am buying some to stick in my freezer.

Palm Sunday Windy Chill In Texas Has Me Housebound

Today, the view of my cool pool is a bit different than the rainy view from my patio I blog posted yesterday.

The cool pool was really cool this morning. At the pool point in time, soon after the sun rose, the temperature was 36, with a very strong wind making the outer world really feel like 23.

23 is cool. But I still got in the pool. Three cycles in and out of the cool pool in to the not cool hot tub.

The time is currently a couple minutes before noon. The wind is still blowing hard. The temperature has climbed to 41, but that wind blowing still has the air really feeling like it is freezing.

I thought we were done with big chills til sometime next October. I thought we were at the time of the year when I could easily have myself a reliably long endorphin inducing, aerobically stimulating swim.

I braced myself against the wind and the cold and drove up to Hurst, to ALDI, this morning. I should have worn a coat. I got gas at the Fast Trac across the street from ALDI. Seven gallons in the tank and I could not take the shivering a gallon longer, and so I stopped the pumping.

It is rare for a day to pass without me getting myself some endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation via some fast walking or hill hiking.

I am not going to bundle up and go on a walk or hike today. I would need to wear gloves, lest frostbite set in. Seems more sensible just to stay inside and throw another log in the fireplace....

Swimsuit Issues Stop Me From Swimming At The Hurst Chisholm Park Aquatic Center Today

Santa and his Hurst Castle

This morning I was out of German groceries, so I decided to drive up to the ALDI Food Market in Hurst to re-supply my schnitzel stash.

Since I was up in Hurst I decided to go for a walk in Hurst's Chisholm Park prior to getting my German goods.

Continuing with my theme of almost constant Holiday Cheer I decided I should share with all of you fellow cheery sorts a picture of the cool Hurst castle that sort of guards, with no moat, the eastern edge of Chisholm Park.

As you can see, Santa and some helpers, and maybe Mrs. Santa, or Santa's gray-haired girl friend, or a secretary, are malingering in front of the castle.

Chisholm Park has a very nice Aquatic Center. I have my own Aquatic Center which was totally usable this morning, what with the morning low being only 67, with yesterday's high in the 80s. The same high temps have been heating me today, to the point that I ran my A/C when I got back from Hurst, due to it being too hot in here.

Running the A/C in December? I do not remember doing this before.

I thought a cooling dip in the Chishom Park Aquatic Center's pool might be refreshing. But, when I got to the Aquatic Center's entry I saw the sign you see on the left, rather demandingly demanding that one must be in a swimsuit to enter the water.

I did not have what is considered a proper swimsuit with me, so that put an end to the getting cool in the Hurst pool plan. That and the Aquatic Center was closed.

I got a half dozen German Pomegranates at ALDI today. Ever since I figured out how to free the Pomegranate fruit I have been liking this particular Superfood.

I also got an ALDI German ham today. Ham and Pomegranates seem as if they should go good together.

Day After Day Of Being HOT Makes Cool Western Washington Very Inviting

We are already to the second Sunday of July. I think I've mentioned previously that I tire of time seeming to fly by ever faster.

This morning I drove up to Hurst to go to ALDI. Driving through the 820/121 road construction zone is getting very adventurous. I've not driven west on 121 since the construction project began. I believe the drive is adventurous is multiple locations.

I don't know what is wrong with my picture taking ability. Or my camera. I took the picture you are looking at at around 11 this morning. Looking at the picture one would think it is dark and stormy here. Even though the forecaster's forecast for today is for dark and stormy, currently the outer world at my location is mostly sunny.

Sunny and humid. Though the temperature is only 82 it apparently feels like 97 due to that vexing humidity being at 71%.

To escape HOT Texas the itinerant Galtex's decided to escape the HEAT by going to Chicago. Where it is even HOTTER than Texas.

I am hoping to escape the Texas HEAT by going to Washington in August.

My weather luck will probably be like the Galtex's, with me arriving just in time for the annual heat wave.

A heat wave in Washington, well, Western Washington, is 3 days in a row over 80. Heat waves in Western Washington rarely last longer than 3 days due to all that HOT air causing a cooling marine air flow to blow in from the Pacific, bringing natural air-conditioning.

I was in the pool for over an hour this morning. I think that may be a record. The temperature has now gone up to 87 in just the few minutes I've spent typing this blogging. With the humidity now making it feel like 101.

I guess that means it is time for me to take my daily steam bath. Today's will be with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Listening To Bird Jazz With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts & Finding The Gate To Fort Chesapeake Still Open

A very cloudy sky made for a not very blue Village Creek Blue Bayou today.

Today I think there were more vehicles parked in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's parking lot than I've ever seen before.

Apparently walking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Village Creek is growing popular with the locals.

I can understand why walking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Village Creek is growing popular with the locals.

It is very relaxing.

Today the walk with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts was both very relaxing and very quiet. The only sound was the symphony of chirping birds tweeting the bird version of improvisational jazz.

After I was done listening to bird jazz I drove to the ALDI Food Market in Pantego to get some food. Like a big spiral cut ham.

Upon arrival back in my home zone I saw that the gates of Fort Chesapeake are still open.

Dodging Trains In Arlington Texas To Make My Way To ALDI In Pantego

ALDI Food Market in Pantego

No hiking or nature walks for this boy today. I am tired after a night with the worst bout of insomnia since I spent a night in a Mexican jail.

I think that may have been in a nightmare that I spent a night in a Mexican jail. It does not seem like  a reality based memory. Keep in mind, I am operating on few cylinders with a lot of sleep deprivation.

Instead of going walking in any of the many parks I have available in my location for that particular activity, I went to Pantego to ALDI to get my Thanksgiving supplies. Well, some of them.

It was the busiest I've ever seen ALDI today. The checkout lady said tomorrow will be an even worse zoo.

On the way to ALDI I was freshly annoyed that Arlington is the biggest town in America that allows itself to be cut in two by a slowing moving train.

I was on Division Street, heading east, when I saw traffic backed up. Nothing was moving on Bowen Street, which is the right turn one takes off Division to ALDI.

I continued east on Division. At Fielder Road there is a badly designed overpass that takes you over the train tracks. One of the few crossings in Arlington. Eventually I made it to ALDI.

I wonder how much gas and time gets wasted because of Arlington's badly designed railroad crossings?

Changing the subject from train crossings and food markets to my favorite subject.

It is currently 57 degrees. It was 47 when I went swimming this morning. My 50 degree 24 hour average plan to determine the doability of swimming continues to seem to be valid.

I wish I was constitutionally capable of taking a nap.

Funhouse Village Creek Mirrors And Getting Cranky About Arlington's Really Bad Train & Transit Woes While Dressing Elsie Hotpepper

I find the Village Creek Natural Historic Area's funhouse mirror very useful. With it I can easily document my huge weight gain's ever swelling beer belly.

Accomplished with no beer consumption.

Well, there was that beer I had against my better judgement, last April, at the Prairie Fest. But, that seems too long ago to account for a beer belly.

Village Creek has shrunk a lot since my last viewing. Unlike my aforementioned beer belly.

After I was done getting fresh air in the shade of giant oak trees I headed to ALDI. The last time I went to ALDI I got stuck behind a malfunctioning train track crossing, heading north on Bowen, after leaving ALDI.

This time the track was stuck as I headed towards ALDI. I was about 10 cars back. Vehicles were getting out of line, turning around and heading the opposite direction. I would then move up a space. When I was 6 vehicles back, with no train and no train whistle, I decide to leave the heard of Sheeple behind and go around the crossing guard rail, or whatever it is the blockage is called.

In my rear view mirror I could see some Sheeple following my bad example.

When I was done at ALDI, about 20 minutes later, getting back on Bowen Street, heading north, back towards the train track, I could see the crossing lights were still flashing, but traffic did not seem to be backed up too bad.

Soon I saw why. There were now 3 Arlington cops directing traffic around the crossing guard rail barrier. Southbound would get a turn, then northbound.

How idiotic.

Arlington is the biggest town in America that is bisected by a train track, with only a couple streets that cross without being blocked. In other words, south/north bound traffic grinds to a halt whenever a train rolls through town.

That's bad enough.

But then you have train traffic signals that apparently regularly malfunction, I assume, unless it is a freak coincidence that I came upon this happening twice in the past 2 weeks.

And then you have the cost of cops being employed to direct traffic due to this malfunction. Is the railroad billed for this?

And then you have all the gas wasted by all the vehicles that can not move.

I really think it would behoove Arlington to spend less time worrying about building and helping pay for sports stadiums and a little more time worrying about and paying for some of Arlington's serious infrastructure woes. Including being the biggest city in America without any public mass transit.

Yes, America, you read that right, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers and Six Flags Over Texas has no public mass transit. Not even a bus system.

I have to go now. I've received an urgent message from Elsie Hotpepper saying she needs help getting dressed.

I Lost My Way To The Farmers Branch Creek Waterfall And Ended Up Walking With Indian Ghosts

Around noon today I left air-conditioned comfort and, as per the suggestion of CatsPaw, intended to head west to hike to the Farmers Branch Creek Waterfall to see a "precious gem" and experience something "unique and natural."

Trouble is, I have experienced an awful lot of waterfalls. Roaring, powerful waterfalls, with big drops dropping an awful lot of water.

As the wheels on my vehicular transport began rotating I soon found myself directing the steering wheel to move those wheels in an easterly direction, not west.

Soon I found myself at the Village Creek Natural Historic Area where I walked in the shade til I came to the mysterious mirror on a stick.

It was nearly 100 degrees when I walked to the mysterious mirror on a stick.

Walking over all the crunchy leaves that have fallen on to the paved trail one would think it was already Fall, instead of over a month to go before that particular season of the year begins.

I suspect trees are starting to lose their grip on their leaves due to the drought. I know the drought is causing me to lose my grip on my leaves.

After I was done crunching Village Creek leaves I continued on to ALDI Food Market to get me some vittles.

Having a unique natural experience with the Farmers Branch Creek Waterfall will have to wait for another day.

Tied Yellow Ribbons Around The Veterans Park Oak Trees In Arlington On The Way To ALDI In Pantego

On my way to ALDI in Pantego today I decided to go on a nature walk at Veterans Park in Arlington.

Upon arrival at Veterans Park I found the first parking lot full. Highly unusual. That and I saw few people.

I drove on to the second parking lot and found it full except for 2 spaces. I took one.

When I stepped outside my vehicular transport I expected to hear loud human noises that would explain the full parking lots.

But, at first all I saw was a few disc golfers. And then climbing up the hill towards the first parking lot, where the Veterans Park Veterans Memorial sits, I saw the picnic pavilion overfilled with people.

And most of the surrounding trees tied with a yellow ribbon.

I think you tie a yellow ribbon around a tree when someone escapes captivity, or when you're waiting for them to escape captivity, like when yellow ribbons got tied around trees all over America when the Iranians held the American Embassy staff hostage in Tehran for way too long.

I am not sure, but I think the yellow ribbon around a tree thing started up due to an annoying Tony Orlando song.

I do not know who the yellows ribbons were for today. Someone back from Iraq or Afghanistan? Someone released from Texas prison due to DNA testing?

Anyway, I was not all that into doing the walking thing today. I think I am at a low ebb of the ebb and flow cycle.

Having A Bad Day Of Senility Signs & Train Blocks On The 3rd Day Of May In Texas

The picture is a perfect metaphor for how I'm feeling.

Blocked.

I had myself a rough night of rough nightmares and that had me waking up feeling beat up.

I thought swimming in really cold water would break me out of it, like shock therapy. This did not work. But it made me very cold.

My brain is just not working right today.

Well before noon I took off from here, heading to Pantego. I had multiple reasons to be going to Pantego.

The way to Pantego goes by Village Creek Natural Historic Area. I thought maybe a short walk was what I needed to get the synapses in my failing brain firing right again.

I was wrong. The walk provide no noticeable benefit.

I'm so badly malfunctioning I could not even manage to take a decent picture of the Village Creek Natural Wildflower area and the sign that tells you that that is what the sparse patch of wildflowers is.

Eventually this morning, at one point, I ended up in an ALDI Food Market. When I checked out my brain was still checked out, which caused me to use the wrong debit card. This was no big deal, but did require changing what I'd planned to do during the bank visit that was also part of this morning's adventure in minor senility.

When I left ALDI is when I came to the train blocking my way. I've heard more than once that Arlington is the only major city in America that allows itself to be cut in two by a train several times a day. There are only a couple ways to get past the track in Arlington.

That seems really odd to me. The little town I used to live in, Mount Vernon, has a train track running through it. There are several ways to get over the tracks. But, I do remember getting stuck waiting for a train a time or two on College Way, which was the main route I'd take back to my house.

It seems like a big waste of gas to have so many vehicles stopped and waiting for a train several times a day. A lot of money was spent fixing up the I-30 freeway in Arlington, with new bridges and new freeway that really does not seem to be all that big of an improvement.

Eventually the double-decker train came to an end and I was able to continue on my way.

Right now it is half past 3 in the afternoon and I feel so beat up I'm ready to go to bed. But, I don't see that happening for a few hours. In the meantime maybe I'll go try some more cold water pool therapy and do some sun lounging now that it is almost 70 degrees out there.