Walking The Mean Streets Of Fort Worth Texas With Bad Luck & Good Luck

I have had me a day. I skipped the morning swim due to the temperature being in the 30s. So, that started the day off bad.

Big Ed had an appointment in west Forth Worth, a bit west of University Drive. I wanted to go to Panther City Bicycles and finally get my wobbly wheel fixed. So, I set out on a car pooling adventure.

I dropped Big Ed off at his destination, then continued on to mine, about 2 miles away. I got to Panther City Bicycles to see a "Back in 5 Minutes" note on the door. Not a good sign. I was going to Panther City Bicycles because Fort Worth Weekly every year has it being the best bike shop in the area.

Well, FW Weekly greatly oversold this little hole in the wall. FW Weekly said the place had a test track out back. There was no such thing. So, I sat there for 5 minutes or so and then decided I didn't think I wanted to trust this place. So, I decided to head back to University Drive.

And that's when the fun started. My bike van would not start. I opened the hood, looked at the battery cables, tried again. Totally dead.

I decided to walk back to where I'd dropped Big Ed off, which seemed to make sense at the time. I take off walking, going from Magnolia to Rosedale. But then at the point where Rosedale heads over the Trinity River it did not look like safe walking.

So, I took a left and headed south into the Mistletoe Heights neighborhood. Beautiful homes, the road sort of meandered. About a mile or so later I realized that I had to get back across the Trinity River and that the first crossing was the University Drive bridge. Finally I came to Forest Park Boulevard and then to Colonial Parkway. I knew I was nearing the Fort Worth Zoo, so I was no longer disoriented.

About a mile later I was where I'd dropped Big Ed off. I went into a Barnes & Noble and waited for a phone call. It was now about 3:30. Phone rang. Found Big Ed, explained the problem. I figured we could take the bus back to Magnolia, but then we realized we had no clue how to do that. So, we started walking. This time I knew to go up Rosedale and not worry about it looking unsafe.

Got back to the bike van about a half hour later. Opened the hood. Tightened the battery connections. Tried to start it again. Still dead. Then a guy walks up, says he's a Mobile Mechanic, asks if we need a jump. Yes, please. He says he'll be right back. A few minutes go by, no mobile mechanic. So, I call AAA. They are on the line sending someone to help when the Mobile Mechanic shows up.

The Mobile Mechanic sticks on the cable, the bike van starts right up. Headed east towards home, needing a new battery. Or so I thought. After a few miles it became clear that something else was wrong. By about mile 10 it was decided that maybe the alternator was malfunctioning.

I decided to go to Super Wal-Mart. That's where I'd bought my last battery. Drive up, left the bike van running, saw a mechanic, asked if he installed batteries, explained the problem, he had me park the van in his garage and go buy a battery.

Then the battery mechanic, named Jonathon, very nice guy, discovered the alternator was, indeed, malfunctioning. Jonathon said the alternator was easy to replace, that he'd be willing to do so, tomorrow. So, we headed to O'Reilly's Auto Parts, bought a new alternator and Jonathon is coming here to install it tomorrow.

I tell you, I have the best luck with vehicle problems. It goes back to my first car, a 1965 Mustang Fastback. That car caused me so many fun breakdown adventures. I remember the best was the clutch going out after watching a taping of Laverne & Shirley at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. Spent the night in a Chevron parking lot.

You Are Invited To Wimberley Texas For The Winter's Eve Festival

Wimberley is a little tourist town in Texas Hill Country, a bit northwest of San Marcos, a bit southwest of Austin. Wimberley is known for its artist community, with many small shops and a lot of bed and breakfasts.

Cypress Creek flows out of Jacob's Well with crystal clear water that flows through the Wimberley Valley and makes for some good, popular swimming holes.

Market Days is held the first Saturday of every month, drawing tourists from all over America.

Yesterday I got an invitation from Sarah Barlow to Wimberley's Winter's Eve Festival. Ms. Barlow is with the Wimberley Merchants Association.

I'll copy the invitation below....

The Wimberley Merchants Association would like to invite you to join us on for the Winter’s Eve Festival on the Wimberley Square on December 5, 2009 starting at 5:00 pm. Enjoy two stages of live entertainment, gourmet food booths, including wine and beer. Santa will be arriving around 7:00 pm and over 90 shops around the Wimberley Square will be open for holiday shopping. This is a free event for the family. The Wimberley Square will be adorned with holiday lighting as well. Come to the Texas Hill Country for an enchanting holiday event! Click for more information.

So, who wants to drive down to Wimberley with me on the first Saturday of December?

It Appears The City Of Fort Worth Has Added Graffiti To Tandy Hills Park Benches

In the blogging previous to this one, from earlier this afternoon, I mentioned seeing some ornamentation being added to benches at the playground field by Tandy Hills Natural Area.

I erroneously thought this was some sort of Christmas decoration when I got my short glance, earlier today, while the "art" was being installed.

As you can see, the seat of the bench spells out "FORT WORTH." So did the bench back. Now the bench back looks as if it has had some graffiti sprayed on it.

My best guess as to what the added artwork is supposed to be is green bushes alternating with blue prickly pear cactus.

All 5 of the benches in the park had this treatment done to them. I think it would be interesting to know how the decision was made, and by whom, to spend money on this. And how much money was spent.

About a year ago another mysterious thing was added to the Tandy Hills Playground. Over the course of several weeks I wondered what was being constructed. First, I saw a form built. Then cement poured into the form, with posts added. Eventually rails were added to the posts, making sort of an aluminum fence. But it fences nothing. And is only about 50 feet long.

You can see 2 of the 5 tarted up benches in the distance in the above picture of the fence to nowhere.

The fence to nowhere sits to the northeast of playground equipment, like swings. Long ago I gave up trying to figure out what the fence was built for.

And now these bench enhancements.

It's all very perplexing.

The Big Chill In Today In Texas

Two days ago I went hiking the Tandy Hills shirtless in shorts. It was almost 80. Two days later I went hiking the Tandy Hills Natural Area wearing sweatpants, a long sleeved shirt, a windbreaker and the knit stalking cap I wear to keep me warm when I go swimming.

That's today chilled Tandy Hills view in the picture. You can not tell it due to my weak photographer skills, but you are looking west up a very steep part of the Tandy Trails in the picture.

Wind chill of around 40, today, when I was shivering over the Tandy Hills. It is 51 out in the cold, right now, here in frigid Fort Worth, with a windchill of 46. Yes. It is windy today.

I saw some Fort Worth city workers putting some Christmas type decoration on one of the benches near the main trail that leads to the Tandy Hills trails. This bench is quite a distance from the road. Few will see this decoration.

Two guys were working on the bench. They'd driven a City of Fort Worth pickup on to the lawn to park by the bench.

Now, Fort Worth is cutting back on library hours, cutting back on all sorts of things. Yet money is somehow found to put a decoration on an isolated bench? I've got to go the Post Office. Maybe I'll swing by and get a picture of what Fort Worth spent some money on today.

See you later, maybe with a picture of a bench.

Winter Arrives In Fort Worth, Cold & Windy

That is the foggy view looking through my patio door this morning in Fort Worth. We have had a reversal of temperature fortunes, careening down into the low 40s from days nearing 80. Brrrrr.

And it is being very windy, with the windchill factor making it feel like it is the 30s out there.

Again. Brrrrrr.

But, even though it is a bit chilly out there, I managed to go swimming this morning. The water was actually quite a bit warmer than the air, so it was very easy to get in the pool.

I discovered something new this morning. I wanted to make ham and eggs and hashbrowns, but could find not any spuds hiding in here. But, I did find a sweet potato. So, I shredded it and made sweet potato hash browns. Turned out quite tasty. And way more nutritious than a hash browned spud.

It rained a bit yesterday, but I don't think enough of the wet stuff fell to muddy up the Tandy Hills. So, I see a cold hilly hike in my future for the day.

Middle Of November Sunday Storming In Texas

That's my stormy 4 in the afternoon view this mid-November Sunday in Texas. There has been some dripping, no hard rain. And, so far, none of the predicted thunderstorming.

I was in the pool this morning when the sky was relatively blue. And again about an hour ago when the sky was relatively not blue.

After the afternoon swimming I lounged on a lounge chair. Tootsie Tonasket called. I talked to Tootsie til little pinpricks of concentrated cold started hitting me.

I have convinced Tootsie Tonasket to start blogging. She has many tales to tell about the town she lives in in Eastern Washington and the characters who reside there. We'll see how that goes.

Earlier today, in anticipation of the expected incoming deluge, I went over to Miss Puerto Rico's to help her put a new cover on her jeep. That quickly turned into a boondoggle. Today I realized every time I've tried to help Miss Puerto Rico do something with her jeep it turns into a boondoggle. Today I really could not even tell what problem we were trying to solve.

So, that's been my Sunday in Texas. Possibly a tornado to top off the day.

Deep Fried Thanksgiving Turkey In Texas

I had never heard of Deep Fried Turkey til I moved to Texas. I knew all sorts of unlikely things get the deep fried treatment in Texas, but I thought it was some sort of joke when deep frying a turkey was first mentioned to me.

And then I was in Krogers and saw stacks of Turkey Fryer kits, next to jugs of peanut oil. So, I bought a Turkey Frying kit. It came with a high-powered burner, a 34 quart pot, a turkey stand and turkey lifter, thermometer and injector.

I've never used the injector. You use it to squirt marinades into the bird.

Before I had my first taste of deep-fried turkey I assumed it would be real greasy. I was wrong. There is not even the slightest hint of greasiness. The turkey comes out the most golden brown I've ever seen a turkey be. With the meat very moist.

You have to fry the turkey outdoors. Don't even think of frying it in your garage. A covered patio is the best location. You'll want to get yourself some heavy duty work gloves to insulate yourself from the heat and the burn of splatters.

You heat the oil to about 350 degrees, then slowly lower the turkey. You use the lifter to lower and raise the turkey. There will be some splattering when the bird first hits the oil.

The turkey cooks way faster than the old-fashioned in the oven method. Figure about 3.5 minutes per pound. The turkey is done when the thermometer reads 160 degrees when stuck into the thickest part of the breast.

Keep kids and pets away from the frying operation. When the turkey is done be sure to turn off the burner. It will take awhile for the oil to cool. It remains dangerous until it cools. You can re-use the peanut oil if you filter out the turkey remnants.

It is less than 2 weeks til Turkey Day. I still have 2 seats open for Thanksgiving if you want to make a reservation for Deep Fried Turkey Dinner.

Finding Christmas Trees On The Tandy Hills Along With Purple Wildflowers

That is my Christmas tree you see in the foreground on the left. It's in the middle of the Tandy Hills Natural Area. It will be quite a difficult task to haul it out of there, but I like nothing more than a difficult challenge.

As you can see the leaves continue to put on a colorful show. We have not gotten close to having a freeze here in balmy North Texas. Right now, at 3 in the afternoon, on Saturday, we are scorching at 78.

Even though I went swimming this morning, I am going to go again as soon as I finish this blogging. I can not remember the last time I went swimming in the afternoon. It will feel very unnatural. In the pool with the sun overhead instead of the moon.

On Monday, Fort Worth's corrupt mayor, Mike Moncrief, aka Boss Hogg, is going to plant the official Fort Worth Christmas tree in its stand somewhere in the Sundance Square zone in downtown Fort Worth. It seems a little early to be putting up a Christmas tree, but that's what I read this morning, on Monday it goes up.

For you non-Fort Worthians, Sundance Square is what Fort Worth calls the core of its downtown. There really is no square, just some parking lots. It is a pretty pedestrian downtown. I've never figured out why someone felt the need to name it Sundance Square. Or why, if they felt compelled to use the "Square" word, why not actually have a Square?

It is very perplexing.

I forgot to mention. It is almost the middle of November and there are still wildflowers coloring up the Tandy Hills! I do not remember this last year. As you can see the wildflower I saw today is a very delicate little purple thing.

Okay, I am out of here for a bit, to go cool down in some cool water.

The Arabic Christian Fellowship Christian Life Center Of Fort Worth

For years I have been driving on Brentwood Stair Road on my way to Village Creek Natural Historic Area. I have seen the building you see in the picture, set a couple hundred feet north of the road, a short distance east of the Chesapeake Energy drilling site and poison water pond I mentioned a couple days ago.

In all the years of driving by this building I had not noticed that it is a church, despite the cross on top of the roof. And I had not noticed the signage on the building identifying the church as "Arabic Christian Fellowship--A Christian Life Center."

It impresses me that there are enough Arab Christians in east Fort Worth to have a big church. Now some people erroneously think all Arabs are Muslim. There is an Iraqi Christian sect. I don't know how well they get along with the Sunnis and the Shiites.

Due to the recent Muslim terrorist act at Fort Hood there has been a lot of "all Muslims are not evil" type rhetoric. But, I can't help but notice that when a Muslim does a bad deed, in the name of Allah, there does not seem to be any outcry from the good Muslims denouncing what the bad Muslim did. At least, not that I've seen or heard.

The Muslim religion is fragmented into sects, some of whom hate each other. Does a sect, like the Sunnis have a pope-like leader? If so, why does the Sunni pope not tell his people that it is wrong to murder a Shiite girl because she had a Sunni boyfriend? Has there been a Muslim leader who says Osama bin Laden is a bad man?

Then again, the Christians have quite a history of intolerance too. I recollect there was a time when the Protestants and Catholics in Ireland were busy killing each other. That seems to have stopped. Did the Pope tell them to knock it off?

How come all the good Muslims don't insist that the radical Islamists be banned, kicked out of the mosques? Why isn't all that suicide bombing those people seem to enjoy so much not loudly denounced by the leaders of Islam?

I'm really starting to think that if the Muslims do not start behaving in a more civilized manner that maybe it is time to go Medieval on them. Whatever that means.

It's all very perplexing. I would be embarrassed about my religion if I were a good Muslim.

The Evening Of Friday The 13th In Texas & Scary Phones

Til a few minutes ago I was oblivious to the fact that today is Friday the 13th.

I have not made note of having any worse luck than usual today. I am currently hearing screaming in the distance. About an hour ago I commented that I thought hearing screaming might indicate that Six Flags is open. I am almost certain the screaming I'm hearing has nothing to do with Friday the 13th. Or Six Flags.

In sort of a Friday the 13th bad luck type thing, today I got a new cell phone in the mail. It was supposed to arrive ready to go. As in SIM card installed.

Instead, I eventually figured out that the SIM card was this little thing attached to a credit card looking thing. The instructions said to be very careful with the SIM card. But it had to be broken free of the credit card looking thing.

Eventually I got the SIM card free and stuck in its slot and the phone turned on without saying there was no SIM card installed. But, when I call my number my old phone rings.

This new phone has a USB connection, I assume to take photos off the phone and put them on the computer. Maybe I'll figure that out if I can figure out how to make the new phone ring when my number is called. I got this new phone for free. You get what you pay for.