Merry Christmas & Happy New Decade From Tootsie Tonasket

This morning in my mailbox I found a Christmas card from one of my favorite Eastern Wsshingtonians.

Aunt Alice.

Also known as Tootsie Tonasket.

I first came to know Tootsie Tonasket back near the start of the current century when Tootsie emailed me a question after she saw my webpage about the Branch-Davidians and Mount Carmel.

Somehow Tootsie mis-understood and thought I was a survivor of that massacre and so she had some rather interesting questions to ask the answers to which I did not have.

Thus begun what is now almost two decades of emails, text messages, letters and phone calls.

I have seen Aunt Alice through getting on MySpace, and then Facebook, finding a long lost sister, getting rid of Uncle Albert, SWAT raids due suspected purloined deer, the shock of Cousin Wade being murdered by an Omak policeman.

And much much more.

Aunt Alice has now rid herself of the house she shared with Uncle Albert, and has now moved atop a mountain near Tonasket, where she is currently in the process of acquiring a she shed and possibly a snow plow due to already having way too much of the white stuff piling up.

I thought Aunt Alice would make a good roommate for mom, but that arrangement never came to fruition.

Getting this card and letter today from Aunt Alice has reminded me that I have some letter writing to do. Along with some happy birthday wishing.

Merry Christmas, Aunt Alice.

And I'm sure the new decade is gonna be your best ever...

Tootsie Tonasket Picketing Okanogan County Courthouse Seeking Justice

The lovely lady you see here is known by various names. Tootsie Tonasket. Aunt Alice. Alice Odella. And Alice Hudson.

On Monday Aunt Alice and family and friends ventured to Okanogan to stage a protest in front of the Okanogan County Courthouse.

I blogged about this this morning on my Washington blog in Wade Hudson Family & Friends Picket Okanogan Courthouse For Justice.

For those who do not not know what happened to Wade Hudson that is causing his family and friends to protest I will copy an explanatory paragraph from previous bloggings....

On Saturday, September 26, 2015 33 year old Wade Hudson was brutally beaten to death in Omak, Washington by police person Shane Schaefer. Wade was murdered because he had a series of epileptic seizures from which he had not fully recovered and was not able to respond to the demands of this very aggressive, abusive killer in uniform. There is a civil law suit filed by Wade's parents against this murderer and a congressman helping to ask for an independent investigation into this death. The Omak, WA police agency has done an internal investigation and found the killer not guilty of murder. The evidence and witnesses do not support their decision. Please help us, Wade's family send this evil cop to prison and get him off the streets before he kills more innocent citizens for being very ill and disabled.

Washington's Wildfires Cause Maxine A Smoky Laundry Illusion With Tootsie Tonasket

A couple days ago  I asked Maxine if this year's Washington dire fire situation was the worst she can remember, because that is how it is seeming to me from my vantage point a couple thousand miles distant.

I also asked Maxine for a hiking report, which I enjoy reading due to it causing that homesick feeling I enjoy so much.

Today Maxine emailed in a hiking and fire report, with three photos, including the one you see here. The other two photos show how badly the smoke from the fires has cut visibility.

Maxine's message, including the explanation for that which you see above....

Good Monday, 

Definitely the worst fires in my memory. Saturday was very smoky, I thought the smoke had discolored the white laundry I’d hung out to dry but Mike pointed out that it was just looking thru the air that caused  the illusion of discoloration.  At one point we couldn’t see the hills across the valley from our house.

Sunday we hiked the Skyline Divide trail. We did it a couple of years ago but it was very foggy and we couldn’t see anything. This time we were at the trailhead by 7 a.m ., had to take lots of breaks on the trail because the air quality was so poor.  Once we got out of the trees Mt. Baker was clear and beautiful-we followed the trail up and around until we were standing right in front of the backside of Baker. The smoke was settling in by the time we headed back down the trail and we could barely make out the outline of the mountain even though it was a clear day.

Our house is surrounded by trees. So far there aren’t any fires near us. There is a very small fire behind Whitehorse Mountain and that is the only fire of any significance on this side that I know of.

Maxine

______________________________________________

Maxine's location is about 30 miles, as a crow flies, southwest of the Newhalem fire in North Cascades National Park, which has been in the news the past several days.

Meanwhile, in Eastern Washington, Okanogan County remains on fire at multiple locations. Aunt Alice, aka Tootsie, in Tonasket, is working hard to stay optimistic, while having trouble breathing due to the thick smoke.

It has been an impressive thing to witness to see how the people of Tonasket and Okanogan County are using Facebook to connect people and to let the helpers know who needs help.

Let me see if I can find an example of a person on Facebook connecting the Okanogan County community. Found one. Patrick Plumb, go to Patrick Plumb's Facebook page. I think he may be the mayor of Tonasket or the chief chief of the Tonasket Tribe.

I hope relief in the form of rain comes soon to all the states currently on fire....

Hiking The Tandy Hills With Tootsie Tonasket On The First Day Of Spring

Tootsie Tonasket, the #1 Squaw of the Tonasket Tribe in Washington, hiked the Tandy Hills with me for over an hour, this fine First Day of Spring Sunday.

In the picture we are looking west from the top of Mount Tandy at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

Now this is amusing. I tried to put (sarcasm) stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth (sarcasm/), but since using <> is HTML, it was removed, because (sarcasm) is not legit HTML code, I'm guessing. 

As you can see, it is a semi-cloudy blue sky day in North Texas. What you can not see is the air is currently heated to 76 degrees.

I have heard no reports of earthquakes, ultra high tides or any other calamities caused by the Super Moon.

I am expecting some personal calamity later this afternoon when I go over to Miss Puerto Rico's to book a flight for her off the mainland, back to her home island. It seems like I just did this. Miss Puerto Rico is out of here, April 13. April 13 falls on a Wednesday, not a Friday.

With Miss Puerto Rico's history of flying woes, I do not think it would be a good idea for her to fly anywhere on a Friday the 13th.

I am growing a bit tired of my Fire Ant caused diseased looking arms. I never had much of an acne problem during the years some people did. I feel like I'm sort of getting to experience that which I missed during my formative years. Maybe I need to go get myself some Clearasil.

That is Tootsie Tonasket, on the right, in her formal tribal attire. I think this may have been at the annual Tonasket Days Celebration, but I'm not sure.

I think I'll go for another swim.

And then go over to Miss Puerto Rico's for some aggravation.

The Warm Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Thin Man Returns With Tootsie Tonasket & a Revolting Elsie Hotpepper

The Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man returned today to the Tandy Hills.

Wearing no coat. Overdressed, with long pants on. It is currently 65, with my windows open, in formerly frigid Fort Worth.

And, according to the forecast, below, you can see we are heading into a week in the 70s. I suspect a dip in a swimming pool is in my future in the coming days.

This morning I sent a Facebook message to one of my Washington  Facebook Friends, Mrs. Dirtwash*, to make an inquiry regarding my favorite sister-in-law, who I'd not heard from in awhile. A short time later my favorite sister-in-law called.

We talked for an hour.

My favorite sister-in-law is technically my ex-sister-in-law, but the reality is, she really is the only sister-in-law I've ever had, in a meaningful way. I've not really known any of my brother's subsequent wives.

My favorite sister-in-law is my grand nephew, Spencer Jack's, grandma.

On the way to the Tandy Hills, Tootsie Tonasket called. I think I've mentioned previously that Tootsie Tonasket is a bit of a drama magnet, surrounded by small town soap opera antics.

It is a tossup between Tootsie Tonasket and Elsie Hotpepper who is the bigger Drama Queen.

Currently Elsie Hotpepper is very mad at me because she told me she needed a revolution. I then told Elsie something like you really don't wanna be any more revolting than you already are do you, so why would you need a revolution?

And that is the last I've heard from Elsie Hotpepper. And below you can see we are about to become almost as hot as a hotpepper...

*Some names on this blog are changed, slightly, to protect the identify of those who need their identities protected..

The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Fat Man On The 2nd Day Of The New Year

I hauled my bloated carcass to the Tandy Hills today, parked on top of Mount Tandy. I was optimistic that the hills had dried out and were no longer muddy.

As is way too often the case, my optimism had no basis in reality.

Too much mud was quickly adding too many inches to my height.

I don't know what the deal was with the sun and the shadow today, but it appears I have gained a lot of weight since I last saw the formerly thin shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man.

Once I realized I'd picked up some mud, I decided to continue on, since the damage was already done. I had a fairly brisk hike. During most of it I was talking to Tootsie Tonasket, who had gotten me on the phone on the way to the Hills. Tootsie invited me over for Key Lime Pie.

And after that, Aunt Alice invited me over for ham cooked in ginger ale. I don't know if that sounds good, or not.

I realized, whilst navigating the mud, that today is exactly one year since the Tandy Hills Manly Men & Wild Women Hike. An event where about 100 hikers were strung out for miles on the Tandy Hills.

The Queen of Wink and Princess Annie drove all the way from their realm in West Texas in order to hike the Manly Men/Wild Women Hike. However, the hiking soon proved too strenuous for the Queen, when she developed a serious case of the vapors.

To recover from the vapors I drove to Arlington, to Sweet Tomatoes, where we found food. If I remember right, I then drove back to the Tandy Hills with the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie driving off into the sunset. Almost never to be seen again.

A year goes by so fast. And yet so much happens and changes during the course of a year. I'm looking forward to 2012. It's only about 364 days away.

Walking In Village Creek Natural Historic Area & Hearing About Theo John and Ruby Jean

You are looking at Village Creek in Village Creek Natural Historic Area around noon today. It was being a perfect walking temperature.

I called Tootsie Tonasket on my way to Village Creek because she'd left an urgent message asking for some counseling due to a terrifying Wal-Mart experience. I know how terrifying those Wal-Mart experiences can be.

But, I was unable to counsel Tootsie due to Tootsie not answering her phone. No one has heard from Tootsie today. This has Tootsie's legion of Facebook Friends very worried.

Me? Not so much.

When I got to Village Creek Natural Historic Area I called my sister. The one who lives in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. I'd not gotten an account of Ronald McDonald singing happy birthday to my dad last Sunday, til today.

I also learned that I sort of have a new nephew and niece. My youngest sister, the one who lives in Tacoma and likes to argue and mind other people's business because she somehow feels entitled to do so due to being a lawyer, adopted a little boy named David awhile back. David is a little over 2, I think. He is a redhead.

My sister also has 2 poodles, Blue & Max. Blue & Max used to have a blog. If I remember right I made it for them. Over the years, I've lost track.

When I was up in Tacoma, in July and August of 2008, I was surprised to learn all sorts of things. One of them is my little sister has some sort of disorder where she can not stand repetitive noises. Even noises as benign as the beeps a camera makes. Or the soothing sound of a waterfall. And God help you if you talk louder than the allowed decibel level.

So, I was a little surprised when my sister started taking in foster kids. Kids can be noisy. At one point she had 3 of the little darlings at one time.

Now, my sister, she being the youngest of my siblings, had no experience with what it is like when a newborn arrives. As in it can be very noisy. Off and on all night long. When my little sister was a baby, she was not all that noisy, but the next youngest sister, she being the one who now lives in Arizona, now that was one noisy baby. I can still remember how sleep deprived it made me. I think my grades took a hit. I would have been a 2nd grader. That was one tough year in school. In many ways I never recovered.

Many months ago I was a bit surprised when my mom told my sister was going to be having twins. Now I was told about the baby making plan when I was in Tacoma in 2008. I was even shown photos of the Dutch male participant in the plan. But that plan was thwarted with the arrival of the foster kids.

Or so I thought.

Well, the twins arrived on Thursday, I think that's what my sister told me. She is going up to Tacoma to help in a couple weeks. The twins names are Theodore John Jones and Ruby Jean Jones. I know the Dutch donor, who's picture I was shown, is not the father. With these particular names I am wondering if the donor dad is possibly African-American.

That'd be a first in our family, I think.

I have not talked to my mom since this blessed event. Mom and dad have no current plans to visit their latest, uh, well, grandchildren, I guess is what they are. Nor do I.

My Arizona sister has seen pictures of my new, uh, well, nephew and niece and she's says they are darn cute. I have seen babies barely out of the oven before and they never look cute to me. The twins must be an exception to that.

Tootsie Tonasket Tandy Talking Thinking About Eastern Washington & Coulees

Today I had a gestalt moment of awareness as to one of the reasons I am drawn so frequently to the Tandy Hills.

It reminds me of home.

Tootsie Tonasket got me on the phone as I was driving to the Tandy Hills today. Tootsie lives in Eastern Washington.

Eastern Washington is a totally different landscape from the green of Western Washington. Much of Eastern Washington is desert with rolling hills covered with brown grass in summer.

As a kid I always thought the Eastern Washington hills looked like the upholstery on a sofa. If you removed the trees from the Tandy Hills and just left the current golden tall grass, it would look like the hills of Eastern Washington.

I think when I see the Tandy Hills it touches some deep, buried happy place in my memory. Nothing made me happier, as a kid, than our family camping trips over to Eastern Washington. With my favorite place being Sun Lakes. On the way to Sun Lakes you drive past a lot of rolling brown upholstered hills, but at Sun Lakes you see no rolling hills, due to it being on the canyon floor of the Lower Grand Coulee.

It was cold and windy hiking the Tandy Hills today. It was colder where Tootsie Tonasket was calling from. Yesterday I was on the Tandy Hills in shorts and a t-shirt. Today it was long pants, 2 shirt layers, a windbreaker, a wool cap over my ears. And gloves.

Tomorrow will be colder. I must do a search for my long underwear.

Overheating On The Tandy Hills While Talking To The Queen Of Wink & Tootsie Tonasket

I overheated on the Tandy Hills today, slightly. Wearing a long sleeve t-shirt over another t-shirt was a mistake. I thought it was in the lower 40s when I left my abode. I thought wrong.

The leaves on some of the Tandy Hills trees looked like they'd aged overnight.

I just got off the phone with the Queen of Wink. She told me it froze last night in Wink. I'm wondering if it froze here last night? That would explain the change in  the Tandy Hill's tree's leaf condition.

I had an encounter with 2 very large dogs today. They saw me and turned and ran, I assume back to their human. But, they made me nervous, so I took off running. I did not realize I was so easily able to run.

That is not a re-enactment of me running in the picture above. That is just regular hiking, not running.

Tootsie Tonasket called on the way to the Tandy Hills to talk about her new restaurant, named Alice's Restaurant. You can't get everything you want at Alice's Restaurant. Just sandwiches, soup, cookies and pies. Tootsie Tonasket is a gourmet level cook. Her blackberry pie and cookies are legendary in Tonasket.

Walking With Texas Indian Ghosts While Talking To Tootsie Tonasket

You are looking at the paved trail in Village Creek Natural Historic Area in Arlington, Texas. The picture was taken about an hour ago, a minute or two after I was untangled from the leash of a passing Doberman. You can see the Doberman and its humans in the distance in the picture if you look real hard.

My one longtime reader may remember me mentioning, yesterday, that Tootsie Tonasket had sent me a rather disturbing email detailing the latest chapter in Tootsie's ongoing roller coaster of a soap opera.

So, I called Tootsie Tonasket today while I walked and talked for an hour or so. I gave Tootsie excellent advice as to how to handle the latest Tootsie Travail. I'm sure my excellent advice will be totally ignored.

I tell you, the troubles that people find themselves accidentally getting into, make me grateful I pretty much live a trouble-free existence. As long as I stay out of Tacoma and its Vortex of Weirdness.

I think I broke my record in the pool this morning, time-wise. It was feeling so salubrious I did not want to get out. I was in the water very soon after the sun arrived, so I had musical bird tweeting helping create a soothing jungle atmosphere.

I was in Boerne, Texas, virtually, all morning. I'll be returning there again, virtually, this afternoon. Interesting town.

Time for lunch now. Burgers, with salad, oven-baked spud rounds and lemonade.

Paying Homage To The Tandy Hills Shrine While Talking To My Mom, Worrying About Tootsie Tonasket & Thinking About The Tacoma Queen Of Chocolate

You are looking at the newly restored Tandy Hills Shrine on top of Mount Tandy. The oracle known as Stenotrophomonas prophesied that new balls would migrate their way to the shrine. As it was prophesied, so it has come to be.

Before I say anything else about anything else, I must tell you the nice homeless doggy I introduced you to has found a home. At this very moment he is getting a haircut. And then it's off to the Dog Doctor for a check-up and shots.

It is like the nice homeless doggy knew something good was happening. He'd been a bit skittish, we did not know how we'd get him in a dog carrier cage for transport to the Dog Fixers. Instead, the cage door was opened and the no longer homeless doggy walked right in. Liked he'd seen this before and knew it led to good things.

Enough of the dog. Back to me. On the way to the Tandy Hills I got gas, so, like I always do when I get gas, I called my mom. Mom was being chatty, so the chattiness continued after I arrived at the Tandy Hills. After my mom stopped being chatty I called Tootsie Tonasket, because Tootsie had emailed me regarding a rather urgent matter that she wanted to talk to me about. I got voice mail.

Tootsie just called back, but I'm blogging right now and not in the mood to talk about Tootsie's Travail.

I heard from the Chocolate Queen of Tacoma, this morning, that she's been reading my blogs.

Most complicated website I ever made was for the Chocolate Queen of Tacoma. The complicated one, that I made, has been replaced by a less complicated, but far better, version.

Next time I'm in Tacoma I'll be visiting the Chocolate Queen. There is a chance if I do that I might get to taste some exotic chocolate. Most chocolate I've ever consumed, occurred during a 10 day period in February of 2004, while I put chocolate products on Amazon for the Queen of Chocolate. I probably had more chocolate during that 10 day period than the entirety of my life up to that point.

When I flew up to Washington, in February of 2004, I weighed 206. When I returned to Texas, 10 days later, I weighed almost 220.

The 10 days of overeating were topped off with a 10 hour layover in Phoenix, where I had McDonald's All You Can Eat, twice, within an hour, once, when I landed, again when my sister landed. A few hours later it was off to Happy Hour at some place with cheap Happy Hour appetizers. After that I was stuffed, but then it was off to my first visit to an In-N-Out, where I learned why they are so highly regarded, by having two burgers.

After In-N-Out they took me back to the airport where I slowly waddled in, eventually barely able to secure a seatbelt around me. I was very happy there were very few on board. I had a whole section of the plane all to myself.

Even though we got down to only 35 degrees above freezing, last night, the sun has managed to heat us up again, to 93, so the A/C is back doing its cooling thing.

100 Degree Streak Ends Yesterday In North Texas With Return To Super HOT Today

As you can see, odd clouds are above me as I sip coffee out on my patio this morning, the day after the North Texas Hot Streak ended. As in, we did not reach the 100 degree mark yesterday, due to being under a cloud cover for most of the day, insulating us, a little, from the sun's brutal rays.

But, today, apparently, there will be no respite from the sun's brutal rays, with a return to heating us to over 100 degrees.

The sun is coming back with such a vengeance today that the National Weather Service issued a HEAT ADVISORY for today and tomorrow.

I believe this is the first time this HOT season that the NWS has issued such an advisory.

With it being a HOT day you'd think I would start it off by going swimming. Well, you'd be thinking wrong. My pool is in treatment mode, as in it has been shocked. It takes a delicate balance of chemicals to keep the pool water crystal clear when it gets subjected to day after day after day over of over 100 degree temperatures.

Meanwhile, up in Eastern Washington, Tootsie Tonasket sweltered yesterday in 109 degree heat. Due to being in Eastern Washington, where it's sort of a desert-like climate, I don't believe humidity would have been a factor in making Tootsie feel even hotter.

Unlike people in Western Washington, as in, on the west side of the Cascade Mountains, those on the east side of the mountains have air conditioning. So, Tootsie was able to stay cool.

Visiting South Padre Island, Cheap ALDI Milk, Fosdic Lake Shade & Tootsie Tonasket Raids

I don't remember when I got up this morning. I do remember going swimming. The water has become colder. I'm starting to think we aren't going to have any real 100 degree days here, except for those muggy humidity caused Heat Index 100 degree plus days.

This morning I took a virtual trip to South Padre Island. I'd not been there before. I believe this is where Elsie Hotpepper goes whenever she's got a hankering to find a new husband.

Around noon I went north to Southlake, then south to Hurst. Since I was in Hurst I went to ALDI. Milk is now $1.19 a gallon. What is happening to the price of milk? Are cows being milkier?

A little after 3 this afternoon I decided I needed outdoor exposure, so I headed to Oakland Lake Park to gaze out at Fosdic Lake from my favorite shaded picnic table. Gusts of wind made it quite pleasant, though a couple times I lost control of the items I had spread in front of me, like notebooks, books, camera cases and a cell phone.

Tootsie Tonasket called me during my picnic table commune with nature. Tootsie is an entrepreneur at heart. But her ideas on how to make money can be a bit dicey at times. Without being at all detailed, suffice to say that Tootsie is pondering whether a certain Nevada business model might find success in Washington. I told Tootsie I thought not.

Tootsie and her tribe have been cleared of all charges regarding that deer poaching incident that led to a raid on Tootsie's tribe, with all arrested and hauled off to jail except for Tonasket Tribe Leader, Tootsie. I don't remember if I mentioned this incident on this blog, it may have been on my Washington Blog that I blogged about this shocking scandal.

I'll go see if I can find the blogging about the Tootsie Tonasket Raid.

Okay, I see there were two bloggings about the bad doings in Tonasket...

Okanogan Sheriff Gestapo Stormtroopers Terrorize Tonasket Washington Family

and...

Tootsie Gets Raided by the Tonasket Gestapo Stormtroopers Again

I've had myself a day, I should be more tired than I am. I likely will sleep well tonight and get up real early and do it all over again tomorrow, creature of habit that I be.

Walking Fosdic Lake With Tootsie Tonasket & Baby Turtles

Last Saturday I was walking around Fosdic Lake, talking to Tootsie Tonasket, when I came upon a big turtle evacuating the lake.

This Saturday I was walking around Fosdic Lake, talking to Tootsie Tonasket, and I came upon another turtle evacuating Fosdic Lake.

Today's lake evacuee was a little turtle, obviously a pre-turtle puberty, so he was not off on some mating mission like I thought last week's bigger turtle might have been.

So, what's happened? Did the turtles get the memo that there are bad toxins in their home?

It's sort of disturbing seeing turtles out where they probably should not be.

Tootsie Tonasket was being particularly amusing today. I think she may have been being giddy because her zone of Eastern Washington is finally getting some hot temperatures. As in the 100s.

This morning I blogged about Winthrop. That's not a person, it's a tourist town near where Tootsie lives. I asked Tootsie when she was last in Winthrop, curious was I about what's changed since I was last there, at least 10 years ago. Tootsie had been in Winthrop in the past year, having burgers on the deck of one of the riverside restaurants.

Other than that, Tootsie did not have a lot of information for me about Winthrop.

I just got an emergency call from Miss Puerto Rico. She is out of ice. I guess I'll go cool her down.

Another HOT Fort Worth Day With Flash Floods Heading Our Way From The Gulf

It's another HOT day in the Fort.

We may get a bit of a cool down tomorrow. The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Alert, starting tomorrow morning, through Thursday evening, due to a big mass of wet tropical air heading our way from the oil-slick laden Gulf of Mexico.

I am currently surrounded by a big renovation project that turned noisy this afternoon with pneumatic hammers banging wood and circular saws sawing.

About 3, this afternoon, I needed a dose of quiet, so I went to Miss Puerto Rico's to hang out on her balcony for a nice view north. And hopefully to catch a cooling breeze.

Tootsie Tonasket called today, while I was unable to answer my phone, due to being in the midst of the Tandy Hills. So, I called Tootsie back, while I was overheating on Miss Puerto Rico's balcony, where I was unable to catch a cooling breeze.

Tootsie wanted to know if I knew any good motels in Wenatchee and Richland.

I have not been to Wenatchee since 2001. I don't remember the last time I've been in Richland. So, I was of no use to Tootsie regarding her motel search.

One of my daily corespondents corresponded this morning about going to that game played professionally, by grown men, in which they hit a ball, with a stick, while others try to catch the ball and throw it. My corespondent has put me on a do-not-identify-her-by-name moratorium. I think it has something to do with being undercover and the CIA. But I'm not sure.

Just as I was typing the above paragraph, the corespondent referenced in that paragraph emailed, saying the moratorium is no longer in effect. Something to do with it being too damn HOT for a moratorium. Or something like that.

I just got a comment from the Queen of Wink about her stirring performance in Hair in New Orleans. I fear a new moratorium may be in the works.

The Tootsie Tonasket Memorial Day Tribute

That is Tootsie Tonasket you are looking at. Also known as Princess Thunder Rump of the Tonasket Tribe. The Tonasket Tribe is one of the few in Washington that don't have a casino.

I have known Tootsie since 2001. She emailed me way back then, confused, as people often are, by one of my webpages, with Tootsie thinking, like people often do, that I am somehow connected officially with whatever I'm webpaging.

In Tootsie's case she thought I was a Branch-Davidian, associated with the David Koresh group down by Waco. I don't recollect what exactly Tootsie asked me, but I know it was something along the line of telling me it was awful what had been done to my people.

And with that began a merry go round of funny confusion.

At first, due mostly to Tootsie's fractured English and oddball reactions and misunderstandings, I thought she might have some issue of the psychological sort. And then one day it finally dawned on me that Tootsie was playing with me.

The first time I spoke to Tootsie she seemed really downcast and sad. That might have been way back in 2003. Back then she just really exuded a lack of self confidence.

Well, one of the pleasures of knowing Tootsie Tonasket has been observing her gain confidence over the years. Tootsie has some health issues borne of childhood disease, one effect being memory lapses.

Tootsie grew up thinking she was not very smart. Well, by 2005, or thereabouts, I recollect telling Tootsie that I find her highly intelligent. And that she writes well. Because she does.

The Internet brought the world to Tootsie. Facebook reconnected her with people she'd long lost touch with. Nowadays Tootsie has all sorts of people letting her know how special she is. And she found a long lost sister.

When I talk to Tootsie now, that hangdog girl is long gone. She sounds upbeat and laughs a lot. Tootsie has a very good sense of humor. Another really admirable thing about Tootsie Tonasket is she has not a single mean bone in her body. She only knows how to be nice.

Tootsie has sent me all sorts of things over the years. My favorite may be a blue denim shirt.

Tootsie is an excellent cook. Her pies are legendary in Tonasket and surrounding environs. Tootsie introduced Thai food to Tonasket with her Coconut Chicken Soup. I sent her the recipe.

Every year at Tonasket Days, Tootsie sings, signaling the end of the show. And with that, this blogging is over.

Walking With Tootsie Tonasket While Thinking About Queen Of Wink Love Shacks With The George & Laura Bush Drunken Divorce

You are looking at part of the Village Creek Natural Historic Area Bayou, in Arlington, today around noon.

I tried to get my camera turned on fast enough to take a picture of a bright red bird that was sitting atop the big stick in the bayou. But the bird flew away before I could catch it.

Tootsie Tonasket went walking with me today. Tootsie picked chamomile whilst we walked along. When she wasn't picking chamomile Tootsie gave me very good instructions as to how to make Chicken Pot Pie. In the last 48 hours I've become obsessed with wanting to make Chicken Pot Pie.

Elsie Hotpepper wants me to do lunch with her. Trouble is, Elsie's is a very odd schedule. She has lunch at something like 4 in the afternoon. I'm usually done with my day's eating by 4 in the afternoon. If I remember right, I've not had lunch with Elsie since she conned me into having a Dirty Love Burger at The Love Shack in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Speaking of Love Shacks, the Queen of Wink called me yesterday afternoon. The Queen wanted my opinion regarding a subject of great import. I was instantly quite concerned. My opinion is rarely solicited, and when it is, often unintended consequences follow.

Back to the subject of Burgers. I read today that In & Out is going to open in Garland.

I was told, at the aforementioned Love Shack outing with Elsie Hotpepper, by one of Elsie's cohorts, he calls himself the White Knight, that In & Out was rumored to be moving into the D/FW Metroplex zone. Today's news confirm the incoming In & Out.

I have only had an In & Out burger twice. It was in Phoenix. I had a 10 hour layover. My sister had taken me to a Happy Hour where I had way too many appetizers. Then we went to In & Out. I was already in no need of food. But, I had 2 In & Out burgers. Best I've ever had.

If In & Out totally invades this zone it should wreak havoc with some of the burger joints locals hold dear, about which I've never understood the reason why. Like Kincaid's, for one. And I was very very disapointed in the aforementioned Dirty Love Burger. That particular burger has gotten a lot of hype, some of which has emanated from outside this propaganda heavy zone I'm currently typing in.

The most disturbing thing I've seen today, so far, was in Wal-Mart. I was walking along on my way to the whole wheat burger buns when I saw headlines on some of those tabloid rags that were profoundly disturbing. Apparently Laura Bush has had enough of living a lie, covering for husband, George's, heavy drinking. Laura wants a divorce.

Shocking.

Not very believable. You see George out and about, mountain biking, all the time, on the various local mountain bike trails in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. George really can not be much of an alcohol consumer and be out and about riding mountain bike trails.

But, now that you are making me think about it, I can not remember the last time I've run into George Bush on one of the area trails. I hope no longer being the Great Decider has not driven the poor guy to drink.

Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake With Tootsie Tonasket

It rained on my zone of Texas this morning for a short duration, but long enough that I figured mud may have returned, temporarily, to the Tandy Hills.

So, when the time came for me to escape to the outside, the place of escape was Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake.

Tootsie Tonasket walked with me. Tootsie is entertaining to talk and walk with. Tootsie does a real good job of laughing at me.

Tootsie lives in her own special world, sort of a combo situation comedy/reality show/cops & robbers soap opera.

Due to Tootsie living in her own special world, that being a world without calendars, Tootsie Tonasket did not know that yesterday was April 1, also known as April Fool's Day. So Tootsie was all worked up over my supposed move to Las Vegas.

A couple minutes after I said, "Tootsie, yesterday was April Fool's Day," she said, "Oh, it was a joke then?"

What type bird is that that I got a closeup of today? It just stood there, on the grass above the lake, ignoring the other birds, and not acting like I made it nervous.

The prediction was for stormy for today. That rain this morning must have been it. I can't remember the last really good Texas Thunderstorm, of the sort I'd grown sort of fond of.

Mr. Steve A commented on the previous blogging, about gas explosions, and me saying something about big dams, pointing me to a YouTube video of a deadly dam incident in Russia that I'd not heard of before....

A Sunflower Blooms In Texas On A Sunny September Day With Tootsie Tonasket

I was aerobic exercise free for days in a row, til today. Part of the problem was weather related.

Another part was I was obsessed with changing code on pretty much every web page of my durangotexas.com domain, plus altering many of the webpages, changing them all to white, like this blog, no borders, the look of all matching my Eyes on Texas website, getting rid of a lot of color.

When I started spewing out webpages, on which to add Google ads, I made up some about Washington. I don't know what I was thinking regarding the color, I think, maybe I was going for a Washington foggy dawn. I thought it'd be more bother to fix than it was. I am happy with it now.

I went swimming this morning. The water is getting colder. Today there was a slight adjustment time getting used to the temperature that had me thinking how was it that I managed to be getting in the water all last winter?

The Tandy Hills Natural Hiking Area was all dried out from the rain of yesterday, or was it the day before? I saw a flock of sunflowers, I think that is what they are, looking sunny on this sunny day.

While I hiked I talked to Tootsie Tonasket. She is always quite funny describing the hell she is living. I tell you she should write plotlines for soap operas. Tootsie is one of my assistants when it comes to Internet related dilemmas. So, as I walked I talked Tootsie through checking on something for me on her remote computer. Tootsie, if you are reading this, it worked. Thanks.

Tootsie Tonasket is one of those insecure sorts who sort of lacks confidence. But she is quite bright and writes quite well. And she talks without ever saying 'uh' or 'um.' I do not like listening to uhers or ummers. Why is the spell check not flagging uhers or ummers? Those can not possibly be words.

I learned today that the Queen of Wink's cute little daughter, Annie, was inspired by the Tandy Hills prairie being preserved here in Fort Worth, so she took what amounts to being a small fortune in little girl dollars and spent $1,200 buying up empty lots in the Wink zone of West Texas for around $25 per lot.

At $25 per lot, I think I'm gonna move to Wink and pitch a tent. I need a new place to live. Wink seems like it'd be a nice town. I wonder if they have both a Costco and a Sam's Club?

Tootsie Tonasket's Kentucky Grilled Chicken Free Meal Deal Woes

I have not yet tasted Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Apparently a lot of people are having trouble tasting Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

I remember reading awhile back that Oprah had some Kentucky Grilled Chicken Two-Piece Meal Coupon freebie deal on her show. People were told to go to a website to download and print a coupon for their free chicken.

Apparently, in these troubled times, way too many hungry people, with computers and the Internet and some spare time, printed up the coupons and overwhelmed KFC's with their desire to get a free KFC KGC meal deal. Some locations had near riot scenes.

I bring up the Colonel and his business at this point in time because I just got an email from the Freebie Queen of Area Code 506, Tootsie Tonasket, regarding the aftermath of the Oprah/KGC Missing Chicken Scandal.

I don't know where Tootsie's nearest KFC is, I'm almost certain there is none close by, due to Tootsie living in a rather isolated zone of Eastern Washington. But apparently Tootsie printed up one of the Oprah coupons and has been doggedly trying to get her free chicken ever since.

Below is the message sent to Tootsie Tonasket from KFC President, Roger Eaton....

Rain Check Policy from KFC

We are so sorry, but due to the overwhelming response to our FREE Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal coupon, we can no longer redeem the free coupon at this time. But we will honor our commitment to giving you a free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal. Please visit a participating KFC restaurant for a rain check form. Complete the form, attach your original coupon, and give it to the KFC restaurant manager or postmark per the form's instructions, by May 19, 2009, and we'll send you a rain check for your free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal at a later date, plus a free Pepsi with our compliments. Your participating KFC restaurant will provide you with the form you need. Please note that the redemption periods of the rain checks will vary. All other terms and conditions of the original free Kentucky Grilled Chicken coupon will apply. Thank you for your understanding,

Wow! That is a lot of hoops to jump through to get a couple pieces of chicken. Even with that free Pepsi thrown in to the deal. What if they run out of Pepsi? Do you have to fill out another raincheck form?