Today I Did Not Get A Speeding Ticket In Pantego Before Not Falling Off A Steep Slope With Quacking Ducks

I found myself in Pantego this morning. Pantego is a little town surrounded by Arlington.

Pantego is famous, locally, for its imaginative speed traps.

I have never been caught in a Pantego speed trap, but I know someone who was caught in a Pantego speed trap, but beat the trap rap because on the ticket the cop neglected to write down the speed the speeder was alleged to have been speeding.

Pantego is close to Arlington's Veterans Park. So, after I successfully avoided Pantego's imaginative speed traps I had myself a walk.

I had never noticed the STEEP SLOPE warning sign you see here, during my previous Veterans Park walks.

The sign makes one think this trail is a bit dangerous, with a steep slope that is best avoided lest one find oneself tumbling over like the illustration on the sign.

Eventually, at the top of the hill, at the end of the paved trail, one does come to some steep areas. But I do not think it can be those steep areas to which this sign refers.

Before I got to the point on the trail were I was in danger of tumbling off a steep slope I had an encounter with a flock of ducks clacking loud.

I walked cross the dam that forms the Veterans Park duck/turtle pond when I came upon the above flock resting in the shade of a tree. The duck looking at me, slightly to the right of center, with the white bill, objected quite vociferously to my intrusion.

During a short stand off I stood still, aiming my camera, while the lead duck quacked what sounded like a warning. I anticipated the possibility that I might need to make haste in the other direction to avoid a duck attack. But, eventually the lead duck led his flock away from me, with all of the flock quacking their disapproval.

The Veterans Park ducks are bigger and feistier than the ducks I visit at Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park. I think they may be ex-military....

Walking Over The Pantego Flood Channel Thinking About The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Replacing J.D. Granger With Jerry Jones

The City Of Pantego Flood Diversion Channel

No, that is not Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Unneeded Flood Diversion Channel you're looking at in the picture.

I believe we are years away from seeing  the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Unneeded Flood Diversion Channel.

I may be wrong, because I often am, but I think at least one of the non-signature bridges, that will span the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Unneeded Flood Diversion Channel, is currently early in its construction phase.

I don't quite understand why, if it so needed to protect Fort Worth from a killer flood, the construction of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle is so incredibly slow.

I know how some of the locals love it when I compare something in Fort Worth to something in Seattle. But, I just need to mention that in Seattle there is an over $4 billion project underway to replace a floating bridge, among other things. This project is slated to be completed by 2014. This isn't a non-signature bridge that is being built. It will be the longest floating bridge in the world.

I suppose public works projects get done faster in a place like Washington because the funding does not rely on a local congresswoman's earmarking. Motivated to be helpful because the project gives her son a job for which he has no qualifications.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle should fire J.D. Granger and hire someone else with no experience. I think Jerry Jones would be an excellent replacement for J.D.

Jerry Jones got the new Dallas Cowboys stadium built in just a few years. That stadium cost quite a bit more than the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's current projected cost of still being under a billion dollars.

Jerry Jones is really good at abusing eminent domain to take citizen's property from them. That skill could come in handy.

Changing the subject from Jerry Jones and the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle to the flood diversion channel picture at the top.

That particular flood channel runs through the City of Pantego. That particular picture was taken from a bridge across the channel in Pantego's Bicentennial Park.

Pantego's Bicentennial Park is a very well done little park. As you wander along the paved trails you pass many clever statues. I'm calling them statues, but I think there is likely a better name for the various artworks that are installed all over the park.

Walking With My Mom Along Village Creek While Gar The Texan Suggests The Queen Of Wink & I Are Ignorant

Before noon I took off for Pantego. My route there takes me by one of my favorite parks.

In the picture you are looking at the dam/bridge across Village Creek in the Village Creek Natural Historic Area in Arlington.

On both sides of the dam/bridge are Wildflower Areas which no longer have wildflowers blooming.

I thought due to last night's rain that Village Creek might be in flood mode with the park closed. I thought wrong. Village Creek was not running at all high.

As you can see we are being a bit overcast today in North Texas. And relatively cold. It is only 87 degrees right now at 3:14.

I called my mom and dad whilst walking today. Mom answered. Usually I call my mom when I get gas. I got gas yesterday and did not call. I felt sort of guilty about that, hence the non-gas related call today. My mom was in a chatty mood today, walking with me almost the entire Village Creek walk.

I am not sure, mostly due to the difficult to understand verbiage, rendered so, I think, by the fractured logic that is being attempted to be verbalized, or blogalized, but I think that Gar the Texan suggested, on his blog, that the Queen of Wink and I are ignorant.

I was appalled.

This may have been yet one more of the boy's alcohol fueled rantings. I could not tell for sure.

The Queen of Wink and I had consulted previously on how to handle it when Gar the Texan has an episode, with the decision being to simply ignore it. In this case, to ignore Gar the Texan suggesting the Queen of Wink and I are ignorant.

Gar the Texan does not read my blog, so this still counts as ignoring his remarks about our ignorance. If Gar the Texan did read what I have to say about his suggesting that the Queen of Wink and I are ignorant, he would likely fall back on his standard defense.

That being that we are not only ignorant, we also have reading comprehension problems.

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.

A Soldier Under A Stormy Looking Arlington Sky With Me Botching Spaghetti With Kettle Korn

Today I stopped at Veterans Park in Arlington on my way to Pantego to go to ALDI.

The picture I took of the soldier guarding the Veterans Park Memorial makes it appear way stormier than it actually was. A very strong wind was blowing around noon, coming from the south.

I did not like walking in the wind, so I did not walk for long.

On weekends there are a lot of groups playing Disc Golf at Veterans Park.

I really think Disc Golf should have its own park, instead of being in a mixed use park. I nearly got hit by one of those hard spinning discs today, likely blown far from where its thrower intended it to go by the strong wind.

When I got back here from ALDI I made lunch. Spaghetti. I was in superfast cook mode, which caused me to grab the wrong thing when I reached for garlic powder. Instead I sprinkled Kettle Korn Seasoning into the spaghetti sauce. I thought this would ruin it. But it didn't.

Speaking of Kettle Korn Seasoning, if you like Kettle Korn, but don't like the amount of fat and sugar involved, you can make do it yourself Kettle Korn that tastes just like the real thing.

With the Kettle Korn Seasoning only adding 5 calories per 1/4 teaspoon.

Of course, I don't need to tell you to make air-popped popcorn and spray it with butter-flavored non-stick/fat-free spray so the Kettle Korn Seasoning will stick to the popcorn.

Chase Bank Fun Walking The Mean Streets Of Pantego Because My Vehicle Was Held For Ransom By Iranians

The sign is a warning in Pantego's Bicentennial Park. All suspicious persons are immediately reported. Can't say I was not warned.

So, how did I end up in the Pantego Park? Well. I needed to drop in on a location in Pantego on website related business.

Big Ed needed to be in Arlington on non website related business. Big Ed needed a Big Favor done. I agreed to do the Big Ed Big Favor if he'd take my vehicle in for its emissions test and an oil change, something I do not like doing.

The plan was to drop me off where I needed to be. After I completed my business I'd go to the Pantego Park and read a book til the newly tested vehicle arrived.

On the way I needed to deposit a check. I went to the nearest Chase Bank. The ATMs were being worked on. The bank was busy. Continued on to the Chase Bank in Pantego. The walk-in ATM was out of service and the drive-up one had a long long line.

I decided to go into the bank, make the deposit and get that vexing missing VISA card thing taken care of. I blogged about my fun with Chase Bank a week or two ago. I said at that time that I knew going into the bank was going to turn into yet more silliness.

I'd been told all I had to do was talk to a teller. So, after the teller took the deposit I explained the missing VISA card problem. He listened and then told me this lady out at a kiosk in the middle of the bank could help me. I explained to her what I wanted. She then told me she'd get me a banker. She'd look at one and go, oops, he just got on the phone, after 3 or 4 oops, she led me into the cubicle of this guy named Brandon.

Brandon was very nice. We are doing lunch. He wants to know all about Google ads. I had to show ID, enter my PIN, twice, answer an awful lot of questions, then Brandon made a print out and sprinted across the bank to pick it up. Brandon told me, just like I'd been told before, that the new card will be sent within 2 business days. I asked Brandon for his number so I could call him directly when the card does not show up.

So, after spending way too much time in Chase Bank, it was off to South Pantego where I got dropped off. A half hour later I was in the Pantego Park, acting suspicious, while I read a book by Peggy Noonan.

An hour and a half later Big Ed called. He did not have his wallet. He could not pay for the oil change and emissions test.

The emissions testers would not let Big Ed drive to get me so I could pay for it. I figured I could walk to the emissions testing place, and get there, maybe, before dying from heatstroke. And so I took off walking at high speed. Distance seems way longer walking a road that you'd just driven on. It took me a long while to get to Bowen Street, to head north to Division. I was barely on Bowen when Big Ed called to say they are letting him go, holding his phone hostage til he returns with money.

About 10 minutes later, just as I think heatstroke was starting to happen, Big Ed shows up. I take over driving. The A/C quickly cools me down. We get to the place Big Ed took the vehicle to. Apparently he'd been there before for previous emissions tests. It's run by Iranians, or maybe they were Iraqis. I know for certain they were Middle Eastern and not very conversant in English.

So, I paid the ransom fee and high-tailed it back to the relative safety of Fort Worth, driving without worrying about seeing flashing lights behind me, pulling me over for having an expired emissions test sticker.

So, I am good to go emissions-wise for another year, when I'll be expired by 9/11. I think I've gained at least a half a year by always being late getting the emissions test.