The Monday Morning Texas Blues

It is a dark and cloudy last Monday of November, this morning. And a relatively balmy 62 degrees. I bailed on going swimming yesterday. I will not bail this morning.

I heard the pitter patter of rain hitting my window last night. I did not realize that rain had been scheduled.

I do not know if sufficient water hit the ground to dampen the Tandy Hills enough to make mud.

I did not do my usual Tandy Hills hiking yesterday. I did not leave my abode on Sunday. Did not spend one second outdoors.

Which is why I think I have gotten up this Monday morning feeling anxious, cranky and a little headachy. This is the price one pays when one gets oneself addicted to endorphin. I'll be getting multiple fixes today.

Starting right now.

I Got A Heavy Duty Endorphin Fix On The Tandy Hills Tonight With Elsie Hotpepper Saying UGH

I went later to the Tandy Hills tonight than last night, that being a night when I had the sun go down  on me sooner than I had anticipated. I lost the sun tonight too, but the glow of the sunset was sufficient to easily illuminate my way back to the top of Mount Tandy.

In the picture you are standing on top of Mount Tandy, looking west, where the sun has set behind the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

As I was nearing the end of tonight's hike, as I stepped onto the Tandy Highway, I was startled by a guy jogging up from behind me. He let out a warning yell so as to not startle me, which thoroughly startled me.

I did a bit of jogging tonight, too. Running up the hills. There was no wind tonight, unlike last night, but it felt chillier. Which makes sense, because it was chillier. It was the wind last night that made the chilliness, not the temperature.

I don't know if you can tell, but I am a bit blissed out right now due to getting a very strong endorphin fix.

The last I heard from Elsie Hotpepper today all she said was "Ugh." I do not know if she is channeling her inner Indian Princess, or what. "Ugh" can mean so many things.

Thinking About Moving Back To Washington On A Cold Saturday Morning In Texas

40 degrees this November 6 Saturday morning in Texas as the sun starts to try to light up the place.

The aches and pains and burning eyes that yesterday had me thinking I was coming down with something, have abated, somewhat.

I had nightmares last night involving moving back to Washington. I kept getting thwarted. And bit by bit I kept losing the stuff I was trying to move with me. Eventually I could not even keep a light lit.

I'm sure it was all very Freudian. Particularly the unable to keep a light lit part.

I think if I still had a house waiting for me in Washington, I'd move back. But, my house was sold in 2002. I think it was 2002. It may have been 2003.

I am wondering if I want to take a shock treatment this morning by getting a chill thrill in the pool.

I know for certain I am going to the Tandy Hills today and get myself a heavy duty endorphin fix.

Blissed Out From A Fort Worth Endorphin Overdose

You are looking up the Fort Worth Space Needle from the top of Mount Tandy. I was not at the Fort Worth Space Needle for lunch. I was there before lunch.

When I look up at the Fort Worth Space Needle it makes me dizzy, particularly if it is windy, which today it was.

I am trying to figure out how to break my endorphin addiction. It really is a tiresome monkey to have on my back.

Today I got up well before the sun did, was in the pool after the sun showed up. And then coming up on noon that endorphin withdrawal woe started to kick in.

And so I headed to my usual place where I get my endorphin fix, the Tandy Hills.

After today's HOT Hill Hiking I am feeling particularly blissed out by all the endorphins coursing through my veins.

The hiking got off to a semi-bad start today. As I descended Mount Tandy and took a left, heading south from the first junction, I was surprised to see the Fort Worth Water Department back in the Tandy Hills Natural Area, with several trucks, being un-natural. One big truck blocked the trail I was on. That truck's engine was running. I was in no mood to get a dose of diesel fumes in my face, so I reversed direction, altering my carefully planned hiking route for the day.

It all worked out fine in the end. I did not get any diesel fumes in my lungs, that I noticed.

My soul food lunch turned out tasty, particularly the oven-fried chicken. I've only recently discovered this chicken cooking method. It's very easy. I soak the chicken in buttermilk, to which I've mixed in some pepper. Then I roll the chicken in corn meal, to which I've added more pepper, powdered ginger, paprika, thyme, oregano and salt. The chicken goes in a glass cooking dish, on which I've smeared butter, and then stuck in the oven at 375 for an hour.

Tomorrow the leftover chicken gets turned into stir-fry with Vietnamese spring rolls, which are very easy to make.

My noisy construction project is complete, so peace and quiet reigns supreme once more. Between that and the endorphin overdose, I'm feeling blissful.

The feeling likely won't last.

Wednesday Morning Texas Blues

As you can see in the view from my computer room window we are having a very blue Monday here in Fort Worth. Just a few little wisps of white in a sky of blue.

It is barely 9 in the morning and already in the 80s. So, no windows are opening today. The A/C is already cycling off and on.

I suspect it is going to be very HOT today.

Yesterday you may remember me mentioning that Elsie Hotpepper was taking me to Billy Miner's Saloon in downtown Fort Worth in her Elsie Hotpepper Peptomobile.

Well. That did not happen. I was very disappointed to find myself having to fend for myself to find my way to downtown Fort Worth and a cheeseburger.

I had myself a real fine time in the pool this morning. Perfect conditions. I will not be aerobicizing to get my endorphin fix on the Tandy Hills today in the noon time frame. If I get my hill hiking endorphin fix it will have to be later in the afternoon. I hope endorphin withdrawal does not kick in with its attendant grumpy irritability.

I hate it when I get grumpy and irritable.