Cool Arizona Pool With Theo Driving Ruby On Handlebars

Saturday saw an Arizona relative gathering at Aunt Jackie and Uncle Jack's house in Chandler. This gathering gathered in one place all the fun Jones relatives currently in Arizona, plus some friends of Theo and Ruby's who had moved from Tacoma to Maricopa.

A few hours into the gathering Miss Daisy directed us to go to the nearby park, rolling down the street with a Macklemore Downtown soundtrack, with Ruby leading the way., which is what you see above.

But, before that happened there was a water balloon street battle, which eventually moved to the backyard where the unexpected happened, photo documented in the next two photos.

The five kids were at pool's edge, David, Theo, Ruby and the two kids from Maricopa, whose names I have already forgotten due to age related memory limitations. Theo asked the Maricopa kid's mom if they could get in the pool. She indicated she had no problem with this but that the other parents needed to approve.

I then said I was the designated parent of Theo and Ruby and it was okay with me. I said Uncle Jake was the designated parent of David and asked if it was okay with him. Jake gave his go ahead, and almost instantly Theo jumped in the pool, followed by a loud shriek of horror from the actual parental units who were looking out from inside the house.

Soon all kids were in the pool, deemed way too cool by all the adults in attendance, but one. Aunt Jackie came out and asked why I was not jumping in. I said I did not bring my swimsuit.

No problem, said Aunt Jackie.

Soon I was in a new swimming suit, still with its price tag attached.

And here we see me lifting David out of the pool. In the photo above that photo that splash you see in the pool is the result of Theo pushing brother David into the pool. David was the last to participate before I joined in.

The Arizona weather babies seemed not to understand that the unheated pool was my Texas norm, and that just a few days prior I had been shivering at 3 degrees below zero.

After an hour, give or take a minute or two, we all got out of the pool and hot tub for the BBQ part of the day.

The BBQ was followed by that walk to the park we saw at the top.

Here we see Aunt Jackie being Miss Daisy's driver, in the park, whilst Miss Daisy holds her new best friend, whose name I have already forgotten, again due to that age relative memory problem. Miss Daisy's new best friend lives with nephew Christoper (aka CJ) and semi-niece in-law, Carrisa.

At some point during the park visit Aunt Jackie arrived on her bike. I soon found myself helping Theo try to ride the bike. But lowering the seat to its lowest turned out not to be low enough. I tried pushing Theo on the bike, but that soon turn out to be too aerobically stimulating.

Years ago when Aunt Jackie was a wee little thing I used to give her bike rides whilst  she balanced on my handlebars. Theo was onboard for trying this. Soon Theo mastered balancing on the handlebars. And soon after that I found myself giving handlebar bike rides to all the kids, including Ruby, who was the easiest, due to being the lightest.

While the bike rides were happening Cousin Jeremy (aka JR) showed up on his skateboard. Theo soon was asking if we could return to homebase to get a skateboard. We used the ride on the bike's handlebars method to ride to get the skateboard. We then left the bike in the garage and drove Miss Daisy's vehicle back to the park.

Well.

Actually Theo did most of the driving. His first time behind the wheel. Theo did a good job of driving. But, when Theo told brother David that he got to drive, David did not believe him.

And so, when playing at the park was over and everyone headed back to home base, Theo drove back, with me doing video documenting, which you can see below.

In the video you will see Theo drive by all his favorite Arizona relatives, including Miss Daisy...

Fountain Hills Frappe With Miss Daisy On Beeline Bush Roller Coaster

Due to my erratic internet connections my blog postings will be being a bit out of sync for the next 10 days, give or take a day or two.

Right now I am successfully connected to the internet at Miss Daisy's Clubhouse.

This is an open wi-fi connection.

At the DFW airport Google did not like an open wi-fi connection. It took a few minutes before Google objected. If this gets posted, successfully, I guess Google did not object.

I have yet to be able to blog about all which happened on Friday, except for the horse riding/McDonald's part of the day, with the rest of Friday consisting of things such as playing in the two best playgrounds I have ever played in.

Or Saturday's fun which included a re-enactment of Macklemore's Downtown video, along with a little Butch Cassidy raindrops falling on the head bike handlebar fun. Plus a swimming pool incident which seemed to shock those not used to year round swimming. And a new Arizona Little Library.

But, before I get to any of that I will just stick with today.

David, Theo and Ruby flew their parental units back to Washington this morning. I have received text message confirmation of their safe arrival.

Around the mid-morning time frame Miss Daisy directed her driver to drive north to Fountain Hills. That  may have been the driver's idea.

Way back in 2012 on the first day of an Arizona visit, a rainy day, dad drove Miss Daisy and me to Fountain Hills, and then on a mountain road, at high speed, which was quite memorable to me. I was not sure upon departure that I would be able to find that road, even with Miss Daisy's detailed help.

So, we headed north on Highway 87 where it is known as Arizona Avenue in Chandler, which turns into Country Club Avenue in Mesa, before becoming the Beeline Highway when Highway 87 leaves civilization surrounded by saguaro infested desert.

Finally reaching Fountain Hills Miss Daisy asked if I have ever had a McDonald's frappe. One gets asked this question frequently. Soon I found myself in a McDonald's drive-thru duo line ordering two medium frappes, costing $3.99 each. This seemed to me to be an absurd price to pay for such a thing. But, what do I know?

After exiting McDonald's Miss Daisy directed me to the heart of downtown Fountain Hills, where we found the lake and the giant fountain. The Fountain Hills fountain erupts on the hour (like Yellowstone's Old Faithful) with one of the biggest fountain eruptions on the planet.

There were hundreds of people walking, jogging, biking and blading the paved trail around the lake. Miss Daisy did not want to join them while she still had some McDonald's frappe to deal with.

We did not get to see the fountain erupt.

Exiting Fountain Hills I continued on Highway 87, making a beeline for the Fort McDowell Casino, which I quickly passed until exiting on to the Bush Highway., which is the wild ride I was looking forward to driving.

The Bush Highway did not disappoint. I thought it was a rock and roll roller coaster when dad was doing the driving. It remained as such with me driving much slower.

The Bush Highway had a lot of traffic, which made it funner. There are a lot of recreational opportunities along this highway, including hiking, mountain biking, boating, inner tubing, kayaking and horse riding.

I do not know if the Bush Highway is named after 'those' Bush people, or what Bush, if any.

Another interesting thing today. Due to all the rain which has fallen on the Arizona desert the landscape was not its usual brown, instead tinted green.

With wildflowers.

I am almost certain the blue wildflowers I saw alongside the road today were what we call bluebonnets in Texas. But, I am not registered horticulturist, so what do I know?

Riding Horses With Miss Daisy, David, Theo & Ruby

I am once again back at an Internet connection.

Actually when I wrote that previous sentence I was at my mom's, without an Internet connection. But, I thought maybe I would be able to describe my Friday day today and then turn what I typed and the photos I took yesterday into a few blog posts.

The first major event of the day, yesterday, was driving Miss Daisy to an equestrian center in west Chandler.

David, Theo and Ruby were scheduled to do some trail riding, with Miss Daisy, Grandma Janet, Grandpa Gary, Mamas Michele and Kristen, Aunt Jackie and me watching the pre-ride preparation and training inside a corral, before the trio reached a skill level sufficient for the teaching cowgirl to have her horse open the corral gate.

The kids then disappeared into the desert, returning about a half hour later.

That is the corral practice you see at the top, with next photo being the wave goodbye as the trio trotted out into the desert.

There was a moment of high anxiety when one of the Equestrian Center's cowboys took off at high gallop, heading in the direction where we had last seen David, Theo and Ruby disappear into the horizon. And then a few minutes later the trio appeared in the distance, heading our direction. All was well.

Here we see Ruby on top of 27 year old Alice, who was heavy with child.

David rode Butch, named after the Sundance Kid's Cassidy partner in crime.

And then we have Theo on Eyeore. Theo had a little trouble shifting Eyeore out of first gear.

And above we see the  trio as they leave civilization to head out into the wild, with David and Ruby leading Theo and Eyeore.

After the horse portion of the morning was completed it was off to the nearest McDonald's where Aunt Jackie and Uncle Jack had arranged a special McDonald's welcome. We entered McDonald's greeted by Miss Ricki who had Happy Meal boxes filled with every one of the current Happy Meal toys which usually require multiple McDonald's visits to acquire.

Above you see Theo, Ruby, David and Miss Daisy enjoying their Happy Meal toys.

I knew a visit to a Scottsdale Mexican Burrito purveyor was scheduled for later in the day, so I only had myself a limited selection from the McDonald's buffet. A fish sandwich, the new french fries smothered with cheese and bacon option (okay one time, not a second time), with a few random things thrown in, such as some of Miss Daisy's chicken tenders.

I have a lot of blogging material from yesterday. With more incoming from today. But, my current typing position is not conducive to being quick about it. That and I hear a party blaring nearby which requires my attention.

More later...

Driving Miss Daisy To Swim In And Out To Tucson

I have discovered the world's best exercise guaranteed to strain every muscle in ones body to the edge of failure.

Play with three kids in a swimming pool for three hours. Or more.

I'm glad we got mom two transport chairs. I may need to use the second one by tomorrow....

Okay, the above was written yesterday whilst I was still in recovery mode from hours of swimming.

In the photo documentation of this I believe that is David in the foreground, myself on the left, and Theo directly behind me.

Eventually I was sent to Grandma's kitchen to bring back some sort of treat before heading to In 'n Out for a different type treat. The In 'n Out was in Gilbert, a distance from the swimming location in Sun Lakes. David, Theo & Ruby's grandma provided navigation direction to the Gilbert location. Thus adding to the exploration adventure element. Eventually we reached the location we long sought.

Above we are still at the pool in Sun Lakes. You are looking at Ruby, David and Theo's favorite aunt and uncles, Jackie, Jake and myself. Can you tell we are now sunburned?

After getting our fill of burgers, David, Theo and Ruby directed their parental units to a nearby shoe store whilst Miss Daisy directed her driver to head south to Sprouts to get some Irish Soda bread before heading to the Oasis Veterans Park, in Chandler, so David, Theo and Ruby could take turns driving Miss Daisy.

Above that is Theo driving Miss Daisy to the main trail around the Oasis Veterans Park lake, with me providing directional oversight.

David, Theo and Ruby liked visiting the snakes, cougars and bobcats housed in the Oasis Veterans Park Visitors Center. That and finding all the jackrabbits and regular rabbits hopping all around the park, along with the dozens of fishing poles angling at the lake's edge.

Today David, Theo and Ruby had their mother drive Miss Daisy to Tucson to see their other grandma and walk through Tucson's Desert Museum before leaving their non-driving maternal parental unit behind with her parental units.

Aunt Jackie and I are now back in Chandler after doing some extensive area explorations, preparing for tomorrow morning's horse ride. We are currently awaiting the return of Miss Daisy, David, Theo, Ruby and whoever is currently driving Miss Daisy, most likely Mama Michele.

Miss Daisy lost her wi-fi connection since my last Arizona visit. And so my only connection so far with the Internet has been at my current location, at Chandler's Casa Weston.

I went swimming again this morning, eventually with a crowd of a couple dozen Sun Lakes ladies doing their daily water aerobics tuned to loud rock music.

I am liking being back at a location where the air is warm...

Star-Telegram Has No Clue What's Going On With Fort Worth's Panther Island Boondoggle

What is up with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram?

Has whoever decides such things decided to start having a daily front page propaganda piece about the Panther Island debacle?

Today's iteration is titled What’s going on with Panther Island? Fort Worth readers have questions.

Really?

How did these probing questions get asked? The questions certainly were not in the form of comments from readers reading the Star-Telegram propaganda.

More than once the Trinity River Vision propaganda has spewed the nonsense that all the various wonders of what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle are the result of almost 100 public meetings where the public made suggestions.

And yet no one I know has ever heard of one of those apparently imaginary meetings, including Fort Worth citizens living directly in the area affected by the Boondoggle.

So, does this latest Star-Telegram article actually answer any questions a reader might actually ask, or has actually asked? Or is it just more propaganda in cahoots with the Boondoggle?

Read it for yourself and see what you think.

To me the article seemed to by yet more rationalizing excuse making for the fact that there is so little to show after so many years and so much money wasted.

I have asked more than once if anyone knows how much money the Boondoggle has spent on the salaries of all those employed by the Trinity River Vision who are headquartered on the ground floor of the Star-Telegram building.

J.D. Granger is currently being paid a salary over $200K a year, plus perks and benefits. Others have similar high salaries, including J.D.'s ex-employee girlfriend, current wife, Shanna Cate Granger (I am assuming the nuptials took place as planned, though I have had no confirmation of this).

Because the Boondoggle has been boondoggling along way more years than any sane person would think such a simple project could last, J.D. and his merry band of fellow fun lovers have received way more money, as in taxpayer public funds, than as would be the case if this public works project worked like such things do in non-corrupt, modern locations in America.

Where is the accounting of how much money the Boondoggle has spent on advertising, signage, propaganda print publications, websites and the like?

Earlier this year Deep Moat III sent me a link to interesting information hidden in plain sight right on the Trinity River Vision Authority website.

A TRVA Quarterly Project Status Report.

Click on that link and you will soon be looking at all sorts of financial records recording how much has been allocated, spent, and remains to be spent on various aspects of what has become America's Biggest Boondoggle.

There is also astonishing project timeline information.

But in all the numbers there is nothing accounting for the taxpayer funds spent on salaries for entities like J.D. Granger, or any of the others benefiting from nepotism.

There is no accounting for the money spent on the various events such as the Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, or the music events at the imaginary world class music venue, the ice skating rink, the Octoberfest beer party, or any of the other like nonsense which would seem to be not related to flood control, or actual economic development.

This all continues to be so perplexing...

Heading To Arizona Twice As HOT As Texas

A few minutes ago I checked in on the current temperature at my current location, and the current temperature at the location I will arrive at later today.

In addition to this temperature information I also learned what the current time difference is between my current location in Texas and my future location in Arizona.

The time difference often confuses me, due to all of Arizona south of the Grand Canyon not playing along with the antiquated Daylight Savings Time nonsense.

Speaking of which, don't we soon switch back to Daylight Savings Time? Maybe that will have happened by the time I return to Texas, along with, I hope, warmer temperatures.

I thought it interesting when I checked on the temperature, at 9 am my time, that Phoenix was precisely twice as hot as where I am right now.

Last night Spencer Jack and Henry's grandpa text messaged me a couple times and in one of those messages told me 85 was the predicted high today in the Valley of the Sun.

I suspect tomorrow morning I will find myself in a swimming pool.

Tonight, an hour after I arrive in Arizona, if my flight is not delayed like it was the last time, sister Jackie and mom and I will make our way to the Alaskan terminal to pick up David, Theo and Ruby, along with their parental units.

I do not know what I will be getting to do with David, Theo and Ruby. I am hoping I get to drive them to the summit of South Mountain, and to the Chicago Cubs Wrigley Park playground. What I do know for sure is I am scheduled to go horse riding with David, Theo and Ruby on Friday. Well, to be perfectly accurate, I will be watching David, Theo and Ruby go horse riding.

For almost two decades now I have refused to get on top of a horse, due to an incident where a horse tried to kill me, or so it seemed, at a location I was unfortunate to live at, at the time, in the north of Fort Worth suburb of Haslet...

Why Can't Star-Telegram Tell Why Fort Worth's Panther Island Is So Complicated?

Yesterday on the day known as Sunday, after Elsie Hotpepper and Mr. Wayneman pointed me to it, I found myself opinionizing about that to which I had been pointed, that is the Sunday edition of the hard copy Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The result of that blogging is what you see here, a screen cap of part of the aforementioned opinionizing post titled Is Fort Worth Star-Telegram Finally Truthfully Reporting About Panther Island Boondoggle?

In that blogging I mentioned that I would withhold judgement on whether or not Fort Worth finally has a real newspaper til I could read the entire article to see if those feeling optimistic that their local newspaper was finally going to act as one, by accurately reporting on the mess which has become America's Biggest Boondoggle, or if the article was yet one more instance of incompetent reporting, combined with blatant propaganda.

The online version of the article in question showed up this morning, on this first Monday of March. The title of the article has been changed from the hard copy version, now acting as if the article is going to answer the question "Why Panther Island is so costly and complicated".

The screen cap from this morning's online Star-Telegram $1.2 billion and no end in sight: Why Panther Island is so costly and complicated article is what you see below...

The online article begins with a video, which is what you see above, above the title. The elderly gentlemen in the video is Woody Frossard, Tarrant Regional Water District Engineer. At the start of the video we are told via a caption "Engineer explains Panther Island flood prevention project".

But what Woody actually does in the video is bizarrely describe why it is impractical to raise the Trinity River levees (which have prevented flooding for well over half a century).

I think this raising the levees bogeyman is what is known as a straw man. As already mentioned, flooding has not been an issue for over a half century in the area claimed to be in vital need of new flood control. That is how this was sold to the apparently gullible public early in this century, that the Trinity River Vision was a flood control and economic development project.

And yet, if this flood control is so vitally needed, why has this project limped along in slow motion ever since it was foisted on the public?

Despite its title the article does not explain what is supposedly so complicated about this project, which seems to be a relatively simple project, compared to actual feats of engineering, such as something like the Golden Gate Bridge (built in less than four years over actual deep, moving, dangerous water), or the Panama Canal, or the new tunnel under downtown Seattle (also built in less than four years).

The majority of America's interstate highway system was built over fewer years than Fort Worth's embarrassing Boondoggle has been boondoggling along.

It always amazes me how few comments are generated by what should seem to be a controversial article in the Star-Telegram, compared to other online newspapers I read, such as the Seattle Times, which on the morning of an article's publication can generate 100s of intelligent, responsive comments, whilst this morning's $1.2 billion and no end in sight: Why Panther Island is so costly and complicated in the Star-Telegram, covering a controversial subject, had generated only one comment by the time I read the article this morning, and that comment is a good one, which speaks to what I have already mentioned...

Beeks Land
Has anyone ever said exactly how much it would have to rain and for how long for the water to crest the levees in the vast majority of the river, from what I see the river has to rise up and out of its banks, then rise another 50 feet in some areas before it goes over the levees. This boondoggle will have a very hard time getting completed with the current leadership, however it looks like everyone will just look the other way and let it drag on. Stay on them for some accountability.

________________

Speaking of that which Beeks Land mentioned about the current leadership of this project.

No mention is made of the recent J.D. Granger controversies. No mention of the hostile work environment he created by having an extra-marital office affair with one of his sub-ordinates. Then promoting the girl friend to a job title for which she, like her boy friend, was not qualified.

No mention was made in this article over the public outrage over learning how much J.D. Granger and former girl friend (now wife, if the Caribbean wedding took place as planned in February) are paid in salary and perks and benefits.

Unless I missed it this article purporting to tell us why this hapless project is so costly, and complicated, does neither. Nor does the article give us an explanation as to why it is taking so long to build three simple little bridges over dry land.

So perplexing...

Is Fort Worth Star-Telegram Finally Truthfully Reporting About Panther Island Boondoggle?

I was in the midst of writing a relating blog post somewhat about this subject, and then this came in, which seemed more timely.

Apparently what you see here is the front page of the Sunday, March 3, 2019 edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Moments ago Elsie Hotpepper text messaged this to me via my phone.

Seconds later I saw myself flagged on Facebook via Mr. Wayneman. I went to Facebook to see this is also appearing on Facebook's "Panther Island Boondoggle" page.

I am not sure I remember if I knew there was such a Facebook page.

On that Panther Island Boondoggle Facebook page, regarding Sunday's Star-Telegram, Mr. Wayneman had this to say...

WOW did a journalist wake up from a coma to report some real news at the Star Telegram? It's been ages since I've bought an edition, but I might actually go out and get this one.

I was able to read the part of the article which is on the front page. At my current location I do not have access to the hard copy Star-Telegram.

From what I was able to read I am not sure if a journalist has actually woken from a coma to actually honestly, accurately report about this ridiculous absurdity which has been boondoggling along most of this century.

With no end in sight.

Does the article make mention of the Star-Telegram's complicity in this debacle? Starting with that long ago, early in this century, Sunday edition headline trumpeting "Trinity Uptown to turn Fort Worth Into Vancouver of the South?"

And all the following years of not accurately reporting on all the various aspects of this, which in the end may end up being some sort of criminal conspiracy of the RICO racketeering sort.

Will the Star-Telegram now report on all the dozens upon dozens of instances of eminent domain abuse which have left hundreds hurt by this project? With their property taken years ago, their land gone, some of which is now covered by those pitiful little bridges stuck in slow motion construction, over dry land?

Will the Stat-Telegram finally accurately report about those bridges? About what the construction problems are?

Will the Star-Telegram finally point out that it is a lie to claim those bridges are being built over dry land in order to save time and money.

When there was no option but to build them over dry land.

Because the funds to dig the ditch to go under the bridges do not exist. And if being built over dry land in order to save time, why has the construction now been going on for over four years? With the new completion dates being in the next decade?

Is the Star-Telegram answering those questions? If not, I think their reporter is still in a coma...

Going Around In Circles In Chilly Wichita Falls

March seems to be in roar in like a lion mode at my location in North Texas.

If all goes to current plan I will be in Arizona til the day the winter of 2019 ends, with the eagerly anticipated spring arriving the next day.

I am hoping March will be in lamb mode by the time I get back to Texas.

I do not recollect ever being so offput by offputting weather any year previous, as I have been this year.

Tomorrow, that being the first Sunday of March, possible snow is on the menu. Along with a wind chill nearing zero.

Arizona is going to feel so HOT. I hope.

So, early this morning when I looked out my kitchen window, whilst pouring coffee, I was surprised to see groups of people running and walking on the Circle Trail, heading south towards Lake Wichita.

Such a sight would be unusual on a pleasantly warmed morning, and so seemed extremely unusual considering the current drizzly chill.

And then I saw a group of three who appeared to be attired as Indians. Of the Native American sort, not of the nation of India sort. One was in a robe which reached the ground, all three were carrying what looked to be sticks covered with feathers.

A short while later I looked out the window again and saw a group of two with one carrying a sign, upside down, the message on which I was not able to read.

All quite mysterious.

Then, around 11 this morning, I decided to layer on the outer wear and make my way to the Circle Trail. When I reached the Circle Trail I headed north and soon came upon a chalked message on the cement informing me I needed a green bracelet.

Soon after that I came to the message you see above telling me to "KEEP GOING".

I followed the instruction to keep going, and then after I kept going for a couple hundred feet I came upon the perplexing instruction you see below.

I did as instructed, turned around and headed south, awaiting further instructions which I expected to see after passing the sign which had told me to keep going.

It was just too much for me to process, what with the Circle Trail basically having me going in circles, and so I made my way back to the relatively warm comfort of my interior space...

Sensuous Prairie Note Of Fort Worth's Mountain Range

That which you see above showed up in my email inbox this morning, March 1, 2019, part of the monthly Prairie Notes. This issue being Prairie Notes #147, titled "The Sensuous Prairie".

You can view the entire March Prairie Notes on the Tandy Hills official website by clicking on The Sensuous Prairie.

Looking at the Sensuous Prairie you will see a plethora of photos documenting the best scenic location in all of Fort Worth.

Seems like eons ago I was a regular hiker on the Tandy Hills, with those hills being my primary location to attain aerobically induced endorphins.

I do not do complex math calculations with any degree of reliable accuracy, but, near as I can count it has been at least three years since I have set foot on any one of the Tandy Hills hills.

I can't really say I miss hiking the Tandy Hills, unless I think about it, and then I do sort of miss it. Just like I miss hiking a Cascade Mountain trail if I think about, which I usually don't.

If I remember correctly I have sort of hiked Cascade Mountain type hills since I've hiked the Tandy Hills, that is if hiking and biking the hills of Tacoma counts, which it should, since the hills of Tacoma are more hilly than the Tandy Hills of Fort Worth, which are rather puny hills if you want to be truthful about it.

But, as we all know, Fort Worth is prone to exaggerating, which is a more polite way of saying untruthful.

Calling something a square before there was any semblance of such. Or a public market when such bore little resemblance to an actual public market. Or referring to an industrial wasteland as an island, when no sane person would ever refer to it as such. Or promoting a sporting goods store as becoming the #1 Texas tourist attraction, when anyone with even minimal functioning mental capacity knew was ridiculous. Or propagandizing that Fort Worth is one of America's economic powerhouses.

One can go on and on listing instances of Fort Worth exaggerations.

So, referring to a collection of knobby knolls as hills is extremely minor exaggerating when one considers the Fort Worth norm for exaggerating, which if the pattern were accurately followed the Tandy Hills would be known as the Tandy Mountain Range...