Walking Backache Pain Free At Village Creek Not Wanting To Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

I think it was a virtual visit with my therapist, Dr. L.C., that made my back pain go away.

I'm feeling recovered.

I went on a non-strenuous walk in the Village Creek Natural Historic Area to stretch the formerly aching back area.

Walking amongst the ghosts of Village Creek seemed particularly poignant today, due to re-reading Dee Brown's Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.

The Indian tribes had already been run out of Texas by the time covered in Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.

Two things of interest in the Village Creek Bayou today. One is the bird head sticking up through the greenery. The other was several water snakes out in the water, past the bird. I've no idea if they were water moccasins. They were big, though.

I've had more than one conversation with Washingtonians today that have me being a bit of a melancholy baby. I'll get over it. I hope.

Spencer Jack Is Not The Uncle Of David, Theo & Ruby

My favorite ex-sister-in-law read the blogging yesterday about Spencer Jack and noticed I'd made an error.

So, my favorite ex-sister-in-law sent me another email, subject line: "I believe there is an error on the blog."

In the erroneous blogging I said...

"I had to ponder it a bit, and I think after pondering I have it right. That being that since I met Spencer he has acquired 2 new uncles and a new aunt. Who are all younger than Spencer is. The uncles are David Jay and Theo John. The aunt is Ruby Jean."

Regarding the above paragraph my favorite ex-sister-in-law said...

"I believe that Spencer’s relation to Michele’s children is first cousin, once removed.  When/If Michele’s kids have kids, those kids would be second cousins."

In the middle of the night I had a bout of not being able to sleep and got to pondering the Spencer being David, Theo and Ruby's uncle thing and realized that that could not be right. But there is no way I would have figured out the actual relationship being first cousin, once removed, because I just don't know about that type stuff.

That's what I have a favorite ex-sister-in-law for.

I forgot to mention, in the picture above, Spencer Jack is tiptoeing through one of the Skagit Valley tulip fields, sometime within the past couple months.

The Middle Of June With A Texas-Sized Aching Back

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell, on this 15th day of June, we can see it is yet one more blue sky morning in Texas.

I heard thunder booming in the middle of the night. At least I assume the booming was thunder.

I am starting this Wednesday with a major pain I've not had in a long long time. That being my lower back is in full ache mode. I think I strained my back moving a BIG TV.

I read this morning that tomorrow around a quarter million Dallas Mavericks fans are expected at a Victory Parade. A quarter million is a lot of people. Out in the heat. I have no idea on what Dallas streets the Victory Parade is taking place.

In my current state of aching decrepitude I do not know if swimming would exacerbate the ache or make it better. What I do know is I am medicating myself with ibuprofen.

My Grand Nephew Spencer Jack Jones Is 4 Years, 3 Months & 1 Week Old Today And Building Trains

My favorite ex-sister-in-law emailed me a picture of my favorite grand nephew today.

Spencer Jack Jones is 4 years, 3 months and 1 week old today. I learned this from Spencer's blog.

Spencer's 4th birthday was on March 7. I did not get to attend Spencer's birthday party.

I have only gotten to play with Spencer once. I think it was August 6 of 2008. I know it was at Bay View State Park in the beautiful Skagit Valley of the state of Washington.

I saw on Spencer's blog that my ex-wife, who's name inspired Spencer's name, left a nice happy birthday comment on Spencer's blog.

I find it odd that my grand nephew is named after my ex-wife and she sees him much more frequently than I do.

It is a blessing to be part of a convoluted, confusing, confounding family. With a couple thousand mile buffer.

Previously Spencer had a thing where he was very fond of vacuum cleaners. Collecting them. Toy versions. Spencer's dad, my nephew Jason, had a thing for ferry boats. When Jason was a kid he replicated the entire Washington State Ferry fleet in model form. That is a lot of boats.

Spencer's new thing is trains. He built the train track you see in the picture, at my favorite ex-sister-in-law's house. Then Spencer wanted my FESIL to take a picture of the train to show his dad. Hence, eventually, the picture being sent to me.

I had to ponder it a bit, and I think after pondering I have it right. That being that since I met Spencer he has acquired 2 new uncles and a new aunt. Who are all younger than Spencer is. The uncles are David Jay and Theo John. The aunt is Ruby Jean.

I have no idea if Spencer has met his new uncles and aunt yet. I know I have not.

Spencer sure looks a lot like his grandpa, that being my brother, when my brother was a little kid. Near as I can remember. I find it odd that I hear from my favorite ex-sister-in-law more frequently than I do from my brother she was married to.

Like I said, it is a blessing to be part of a convoluted, confusing, confounding family. With a couple thousand mile buffer.

100 Degrees Again With A Feces Flag Stuck On The Tandy Hills

On the prairie on top of Mount Tandy, where there is currently a lot of Barnett Shale Seismic Testing cable laying on the ground, there is also a large number of orange flags, like the one in the picture, stuck in the ground.

But the one in the picture is not on top of Mount Tandy. I found it stuck in the ground, well, more precisely, stuck in some feces and then the ground, in a location deep in the heart of the Tandy Hills Natural Area.

I was on this exact trail yesterday and at that point in time there was no orange feces flag stuck in the ground.

Is this yet one more example of Tandy Hills Guerrilla Art? Like the Tandy Bamboo Teepee?

We have hit 100 again today, according to my computer temperature monitor.

I've been hearing from people up in Washington who seem to think I should be heading that way in a few days.

At this point in time, in the town I lived in before I moved to Texas, that being Mount Vernon, Washington, it is 57 degrees.

The last time I was in Washington was in 2008, from July 20 til August 20. I seldom stopped shivering. I guess this time I'd know to pack winter clothes, instead of having to go buy a jacket and long pants.

I must go install Miss Puerto Rico's new computer sound system this afternoon. Yesterday's attempt was aborted when I realized I did not have the power supply.

When it comes to high tech things I am very inept. But, I did finally figure out how to turn on my new TV.

Up After The Sun Thinking About Basketball Fanatics, Republicans & Bachelorettes

I am up after the sun, looking out my bedroom window at water colored turquoise. I do not think I will go swimming in the turquoise colored water this morning.

I am trying to break free of being a creature of habit.

I admit that, beyond knowing the Dallas Mavericks were playing in the final round of the NBA championship, I really paid no attention.

So, I did not realize til this morning that the final game was played in Miami's American Airline Center, not the Dallas American Airline Center.

I had seen the news footage of the huge crowd going nuts in downtown Dallas outside the American Airline Center and wrongly concluded this is where the game was played. Why was there such a large crowd in downtown Dallas during the final basketball game if it was not being played in downtown Dallas? Was the game being shown on big screen TVs?

Sports fanatics perplex me.

But not nearly as much as Republicans. I watched last night's Presidential Debate on CNN til it wore on my last nerve. So I switched to watching The Bachelorette til it wore on my last nerve.

And on a HOT temperature note. Yesterday the official temperature measuring station at D/FW Airport made it official. Yesterday was our first 100 degree day of the year.

We are currently scheduled to only get to 99 today. Brrrr.

Both North Texas & Elsie Hotpepper Are HOT Today

Well.

It finally happened. After day after day of a predicted high of 100 or higher, today my weather monitor is telling me it is currently 101 and feeling like 102.

It was nice and breezy on the Tandy Hills today, which always has a cooling effect.

What happens to the bacterial level in the Trinity River when we start in with the HEAT waves of day after day over 100?

Speaking of being HOT. I heard from Elsie Hotpepper today. She was in super HOT pepper mode, with the entire male gender the object of her ire. I do not know if this contributed to today finally going over the century mark in these parts.

Hiking The Non-Toxic Tandy Hills After A Morning Of Toxic TV Trouble

I've been having me a day and it's only the middle of the afternoon.

This morning an unexpected complication kept me from going swimming.

The lack of swimming started the day off without my usual salubrious endorphin stimulation.

Yesterday I acquired a big TV. Too big. It has overwhelmed by technical abilities to get it to work with the AT & T U-Verse DVR deal.

When I first plugged in the new TV it instantly worked fine. But, after I installed it where I wanted it to sit and turned it on again, all I get is snow. I thought maybe the cable was malfunctioning, so I plugged in the old TV. At first it did not work. And then it did.

I have now, for now, given up on getting this new TV to work again.

I recollect having TV trouble at my sister's in Kent. She was in California on vacation. I was unable to figure out how to turn on the TV til my sister called and walked me through it.

After I gave up on the TV I called my bank and got a problem fixed. That pleased me.

And then I went hiking on the Tandy Hills. That also pleased me. The Barnett Shale Seismic Testers have made no further intrusion on to the Tandy Hills.

I told Miss Puerto Rico I'd install new speakers and sub-woofer on her computer today. I suspect that will go about as well as the TV installation.

There Was No Rioting In My Neighborhood After Dallas Mavericks Won NBA Championship

I got up about the same time the sun did to look through the bars of my patio prison cell at the Monday morning of the 13th day of June.

There was little or no rioting in my neighborhood after the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship last night.

But, a few miles west of my location, in Dallas, a huge number of cops, many on horses, were assembled to stifle the celebrating fans.

I don't quite understand why the fans needed to be stifled.

It is only 79 degrees right now. I've got my windows open. But, I seem to be overheating. We still have not hit 100 in my location, despite day after day of 100 or higher being the prediction.

I think I'll go swimming now.

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.