First Tornado Storm Of The Year Kills 8 In Oklahoma

Last night's first T-Storm of 2009 produced a killer Tornado, about 100 miles north of my location, in the town of Lone Grove, Oklahoma. That's a bit west of Ardmore, about 20 miles south of Turner Falls Park.

Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, the Thunderstorm and its accompanying high wind and heavy hail, ripped off roofs in Colleyville. Colleyville is a town about 10 miles north of my location, which I will be driving through in about 2 hours, on my way to Southlake.

My location was on the southern fringe of the storm. The lightning stayed north of me, no overhead strikes. I could hear the booming and see flashes in the distance. I experienced one short outbreak of heavy rain and hail. My bedroom window was open, due to me forgetting to close it. This resulted in a very slight flood. I doubt I will report it to FEMA.

There were reports of Tornado sightings in the Metroplex, but no reports of a Tornado touching down in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone. Daylight may change that, as the damage is assessed, in the bright light of day. And it is a bright light today with the return of blue sky here in North Texas.

First Texas Tornado Storm Warning of 2009

Just this morning in response to a question from a Pacific Northwesterner I said today's predicted storm was not a tornado storm, as far as I knew, just a Thunderstorm. With a lot of rain and wind.

But, those often turn into Tornado storms, so I should have known better than to say today we weren't in tornado danger.

Because at 4:04PM, Central Time, the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch until midnight.

It is already looking a bit unsettled out there, a little rain has hit the windows. But, so far, it's not looking like anything major. But, I've learned, in Texas, that can change very very quickly.

Here's the NWS Urgent Warning....

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 12:00AM CST

Urgent - Immediate Broadcast Requested Tornado Watch Number 10 Nws Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 340 PM CST Tue Feb 10 2009

The Nws Storm Prediction Center Has Issued A Tornado Watch For Portions Of Far Southwest Arkansas Mccurtain County Oklahoma Central Into Northeast Texas Effective This Tuesday Afternoon From 340 PM Until Midnight CST.

Tornadoes... Hail To 2.5 Inches In Diameter... Thunderstorm Wind Gusts To 80 Mph... And Dangerous Lightning Are Possible In These Areas.

The Tornado Watch Area Is Approximately Along And 75 Statute Miles North And South Of A Line From 20 Miles West Of Stephenville Texas To 20 Miles South Of Texarkana Arkansas.

Remember... A Tornado Watch Means Conditions Are Favorable For Tornadoes And Severe Thunderstorms In And Close To The Watch Area. Persons In These Areas Should Be On The Lookout For Threatening Weather Conditions And Listen For Later Statements And Possible Warnings.

Fort Worth's Connection To America's First Serial Killer

If I remember right, I think I've mentioned before that one of my favorite genres is the true crime book, with Ann Rule being my favorite author.

Yesterday I started reading a new true crime book, that being Depraved: The Shocking True Story of America's First Serial Killer, by Harold Schechter.

It truly is shocking. I'm only 100 pages in and it's truly shocking. And little did I know, when I started reading this book, that the story would come to Fort Worth.

Even though I'm from the Northwest, the land that breeds serial killers, I've never actually met one, that I know of. I did go to a company picnic with Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway. I went to the same college as Spokane serial killer, Robert Lee Yates. Ted Bundy took one of his victims from the university I attended my last 2 years of college.

So, I've come close to serial killers, may even have laid my eyes on one, for all I know. But, for personal true crime contact, my only actual personal contact has been getting someone out of the D/FW jail a few weeks ago and my long ago acquaintance with a Northwest criminal who had done time for crime.

So, in this Depraved book, this guy named Herman Webster Mudgett, who goes by a lot of aliases, the main one being Dr. H. H. Holmes, was a very prolific serial killer in the 1880-90s. It is believed he killed between 20-230.

Where this story goes totally macabre is the means by which this guy did his deeds. He was a highly evolved con man, committing all sorts of frauds. In Chicago he managed to build a huge building that the locals dubbed "The Castle." The Castle was 3 stories tall. He lived on the top floor. The second floor was a confusing labyrinth of rooms that he would rent out. The top floor had a coffin sized safe, sound proof rooms and a chute that went to the basement. In the basement he had a kiln, acid baths, an operating table and assorted other tools to help him do his bad deeds.

Mudgett/Holmes did his crimes during the same time as Jack the Ripper in London. He likely would have been more infamous with his crimes existing in the popular imagination, had Jack the Ripper not garnered so much attention worldwide.

If Mudgett/Holmes had not been a serial killer, his serial bigamy would likely have made him famous. He was married many times, never got a divorce. His preferred means of separation was murder. The first of his wives that he killed in The Castle, he turned into a skeleton and sold to a local teaching university. Same with the next wife. Who was pregnant. Mudgett/Holmes had quite a sideline of selling skeletons.

On it went. The hugely popular 1883 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition brought people from all over America and the world to Chicago. It is estimated about 45 people came to Chicago and never returned home. Likely temporary dwellers of the Mudgett/Holmes Castle.

Eventually things in Chicago got dicey. So, Mudgett/Holmes loaded up his latest bride and his confederate (later victim) Benjamin Pitezel and headed to Fort Worth, where earlier Mudgett/Holmes had conned a former mistress, Minnie Williams, out of valuable land she had inherited from her uncle. He'd already used up the cash Minnie had inherited.

The property consisted of a large, vacant lot on the corner of Second and Russell Streets, close to the Tarrant County Courthouse. Mudgett/Holmes proceeded to scam locals out of money and services, sort of a precursor of a century later when entities, like Cabelas, would succeed at similar fleecings in Fort Worth.

But, in Fort Worth, it all caught up with Mudgett/Holmes faster than it had in Chicago. Just when his situation in Fort Worth was getting dicey, Mudgett/Holmes somehow magaged to steal a boxcar full of horses, which he shipped off to Chicago. The theft was discovered and he was charged with horse theft. In Texas, horse theft is taken quite seriously.

With the law nipping at his heels, Mudgett/Holmes and Benjamin and wife, Georgiana, fled Fort Worth in the middle of the night. From then on he was on the lam, city to city, running his cons and keeping one step ahead of the law. Til he was caught, tried. And hanged.

I'm going to west Fort Worth today. Maybe I'll pop into downtown Fort Worth and see what stands nowadays at the corner of Second and Russell Streets. A historical monument? I doubt it.

Village Creek & Kitchen Injury

That's a leafless oak tree at Village Creek Natural Historical Area, today, about noon. It rained last night, but not hard, so Village Creek was just a little higher than usual. When we have downpours, Village Creek often floods, causing the park to be closed til the water goes down.

I thought due to the rain and the warm temperatures that there would be an army of armadilloes out busy trying to root out something to eat. But I did not see a single one of the cute little beasts.

When Village Creek floods it goes over the dam/bridge you see in the photo. The rapids can get quite wild. Sometimes after a good flood a lot of garfish and water moccasins are flushed out of Lake Arlington and you'll see them by the dam/bridge. I saw none today.

Snow is in the forecast in the Northwest, or so I have been told. Here in the South, in North Texas, I've got my windows open and it's in the sultry low 70s.

I made Lemon/Orange Peanut Pork with Green Peppers, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Carrot, Celery, Broccoli & Cilantro over Sesame Brown Rice for lunch. It was tasty. But somehow during the cutting up vegetables process I suddenly saw a lot of blood on the counter top. I didn't know where it was coming from. And then I saw it gushing from one of my fingers. I have no idea how I poked a hole in my finger, it didn't hurt, I felt nothing. I had to go find a bandage to get the bleeding to stop.

I'm outta here, heading to the library to do some research. I'll be back soon. If I'm seeming a bit scatter-brained, please keep in mind I've had some serious blood loss.

What Is The Point Of Lake Worth?

Yesterday, that being Sunday, the weather was not conducive to my hoped for bike ride. Overnight we had a lot of wind and rain, with the wind knocking out power for thousands, here in the D/FW Metroplex.

Yesterday, some time between 3 and 4, against my better judgment, I was convinced that it would be fun to go to Happy Hour at The Point on Lake Worth for burgers, and, well, Happy Hour.

Happy Hour lasts all day, Sunday, at The Point. I am not used to libations in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday. This morning I have a headache.

I had not been to The Point in a long time. I used to go there quite frequently. I like the outdoor patio and the view.

The burgers are good. So are the catfish, fries and onion rings. The Point is a bit tricky to find, if you are wanting to go there. It is in Fort Worth, at the south end of Lake Worth, near the Lockheed plant's west side, at 1349 Bomber Plant Road. Actually, The Point is at the end of Bomber Plant Road.

It Ain't Over Til The Fat Lady Sings (in Texas)

I was looking for images of a Fat Woman having a temper tantrum for a blogging I was going to write about Only Child Syndrome, due to me being amazed at how many people came to my blog yesterday looking for help in dealing with OCS (Only Child Syndrome).

I think it'll wait for another day to write some more about the particularly disturbing OCS problem which seems to be plaguing the earth. People seem to be looking for help from all over the world.

Except China. There are more Only Children in China than anywhere else on the planet, due to China's "One Child" policy. One would think China would be having some sort of national nervous breakdown due to dealing with all those Only Children. Instead China has what may be the world's strongest economy. It's a conundrum.

So, when I was looking for images of a Fat Woman having a temper tantrum I came upon a book about classic Texas sports quotes, with the title being "...Til the Fat Lady Sings..."

I had no idea, and still don't, that the famous, "It ain't over til the fat lady sings" cliche was of Texas origin.

The book is by Alan Burton, the illustrations, including the cover, are by Kent Gamble.

A short synopses of the book follows...

Everybody knows that Texans take their sports seriously. Whether it's a high school football clash on Friday night, a college baseball game on Saturday afternoon, or a pro basketball matchup on Sunday morning, sports is serious business in the Lone Star State.

How serious? Ask Don Meredith to comment on former Dallas Cowboy Coach Tom Landry: "He's a perfectionist. If he was married to Racquel Welch, he'd expect her to cook." Or talk to golf pro Lee Treviño about the tour: "You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work." And if you're still not convinced, read what former Texas Rangers manager Whitey Herzog had to say in 1973: "We need just two players to be a contender. Just Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax."

These quotes and hundreds more are included in this collection of classic Texas sports quotes. More than ten years in the making, "'Til the Fat Lady Sings" features approximately 400 quotes from more than a hundred different sources. Coaches, sports writers, athletes, broadcasters, fans, politicians, actors, and team owners all speak out with wit and wisdom about the games and the names of Texas sports. This book is a must have for everyone who plays and enjoys the game of life.

The Chapters...

Shut the Door and Amen
Sex, Blackmail, and Payoffs
The Phantom of the Opera and the Fat Lady
Ho-Hum, the Eyes of Texas Are Upon You
Pickup Trucks, Cold Beer, Barbecued Ribs, Gumbo, and Chewing Tobacco
The Eighth Wonder of the World
The Big Shootouts
Baseball and Pets

Texas Sunday In The Dark, Not The Park

That's the view looking down on my pool, about an hour til noon, Sunday, February 8. The forecast had me hoping for something better, as in nice clear blue sky along with warm temperatures. And no rain.

Instead, when I went to Krogers about 9am, to get milk, I was greeted by falling wet stuff.

This has wreaked havoc with my plans to BBQ pork and ride my bike from Gateway Park to the Fort Worth Stockyards, a ride I have not pedaled in months.

I am on Day 6 of Detox and Night 5 of no insomnia. Blood Pressure 118/49, Pulse 52. I am being one healthy specimen. We won't talk about what my BP was a couple months ago. Suffice to say, a stroke was eminent.

A lot of doctors either don't know, or don't tell you, so I will. Removing all Toxic People from your existence will knock between 10 to 30 points off your BP readings. With the side benefit of enjoying a much more peaceful, healthy present moment, with no threat of incoming toxicity.

I must resign myself to the fact that this does not appear to be a bike riding day. I must now search for a Plan B.

February Texas Heat Wave & Grapefruits

I think I'm on LOST and I've been Flashed ahead to summer. I'm sweltering here. Windows open. Verge of turning on the A/C. That just ain't right. It's barely February. Let's see if the ceiling fan brings some relief from this humid hothouse.

As predicted earlier, I went to Grapevine today, did me some hiking on the Horseshoe Trails. That's some kids, in the first picture, debating whether or not they want to go down a steep dropoff on the BMX bike part of the trails. They opted out.

Gar the Texan had the most spectacular bike wreck I ever personally witnessed on these trails. He flew right over his handlebars and then did a head tuck rollover, like some Olympic gymnast doing some sort of fancy dismount. Afterwords he did get a case of the vapors, but the wreck was spectacular, I think of it whenever I go past the spot where Gar the Texan flew.

In the middle of winter the Horseshoe Trails looks barren of greenery. Give it a couple months and it will be back looking like a jungle. Had my biggest Cottonmouth encounter, ever, on these trails. I don't freak out over poisonous snake encounters anymore, not like I did when I was first in Texas. Back then I'd warily walk the long driveway to get my morning paper, snake stick in hand, nervously keeping an eye out for anything that slithered.

Before going to the Horseshoe Trails I ended up going to Costco, despite earlier saying I wasn't going to. Best free sample lunch ever.

After Horseshoe Trails it was on to Sprouts Farmers Market. Found way more good stuff than usual today. Sprouts, and other grocery stores here, have these sanitized towel things that people rub all over their grocery cart's handlebar. I've never done this. A lady blocked my way while she sanitized her grocery cart. I told her I've never done that. I asked her if I'm in any sort of danger. She laughed, but did not answer my important question.

I got some pork products at Sprouts today. I see BBQ in my future for tomorrow. They had Texas Ruby Red Grapefruits, again. Last weeks were so sweet I got a lot more. I've run out of my mom & dad supplied citrus except for a couple dozen oranges.

Enough of my grocery shopping report. I must figure out something to try and make it quit being so sweltering in here. The spinning ceiling fan only offered a little relief.

75 Degrees, Lake Grapevine, Sprouts, Spring Creek Barbeque & Cockroach Invasion

It is early and I've already been having me a day. I am on Day 5 of Detox. I am on Night 4 of no insomnia. I am on Day 199 of TPF (Toxic People Free).

All is good. Except for the new, unfortunate, COCKROACH invasion that happened last night about 7. I turned on the lights in the kitchen to see that a Cockroach D-Day had occurred. Fortunately for me, unlike the Germans, I was well-prepared for the invasion, having myself a full arsenal of counter-attack weapons.

The Cockroaches quickly retreated, suffering major casualties. A couple stragglers made it into my bedroom. And one into my bathtub. They were all quickly dispatched. This morning there were no new signs of Cockroach occupation. I have defensive measures in place, in the form of several Cockroach Hotels.

The Cockroaches may be re-grouping. So, I've gone on a counter-offensive, sort of a Bush-like pre-emptive strike, by spraying all possible hiding places. If my measures meet failure, the earliest I can call in a professional strike team is Monday.

In the meantime, today I am going up to Lake Grapevine to go hiking. The temps may near 80 today. I think I'll skip the weekly free sample lunch at Costco. But I will be doing the weekly stop at Sprouts Farmers Market. Tonight I get to go listen to speeches at Spring Creek Barbeque. That should be interesting, and likely Cockroach-free. I hope.

I Have A Fan Club

Last night I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to learn I have a fan club. Hundreds of subscribers I was aware of, but a fan club?

Apparently, one of my few longtime readers, LC, likes it when I complain about the Fort Worth Star-Telegram or the way things are done here in Fort Worth. Or both. Then she shared that with others, I guess. And the next thing I know there is a fan club.

I asked LC, who, apparently is the President of my fan club, if there are meetings and if refreshments are served. LC confirmed that there are meetings and that refreshments are served.

That was info I wanted to know about, due to the past few days I've learned of group events, with names like Sip and Stitch and Knit and Guzzle, where a group gets together, ostensibly for a noble purpose, but instead it turns into a wine sampling party. I thought that sounded sort of fun.

And, just when I'm thinking that sounds fun, I learn I have a fan club that has meetings and serves refreshments. I don't know if they have some sort of drinking game, like every time I mention that the Star-Telegram sucks, you take a drink of wine. Or every time I mention Chesapeake Energy, same thing. Or complain about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys Stadium Scandal.

Anyway, I'll let you know when LC let's me know when and where the next meeting of my fan club takes place. I can hardly wait.