Keep Fort Worth Beautiful, Don't Litter-Put It In The Can!

As soon as I drove into Oakland Lake Park today I noticed green barrels with yellow signs stuck on them.

I'd not been to Oakland Lake Park for several weeks. The last time I was there the grass was being mowed. It'd not been mowed since and now almost looks like it's ready to be harvested for hay.

I've seen green litter cans in Oakland Lake Park, previously. They seemed to have reproduced. As in there were a lot of litter cans.

It struck me as ironic that green litter cans were, well, littering up the park. And further ironic that the unbeautiful green litter cans had a sign stuck on them admonishing park goers to Keep Fort Worth Beautiful.

I don't know if sticking dozens of green cans across the landscape of a park is really the route to go to help Keep Fort Worth Beautiful. Something a tad more discreet and not quite so proliferate might be the way to go.

No Luck Fishing Fosdic Lake For Contaminated Seafood

I am the Duck Whisperer. The quackers are drawn to me for some reason. I think they think I'm a fellow waddling quacker.

I decided, just this morning, that I do not eat enough contaminated seafood. So, it seemed like a good idea to brave the extreme Sunday humidity and do some fishing in Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park.

A guy on the opposite side of the lake was operating one of those big barrel Texas BBQs, putting off a lot of wood smoke that smelled really good.

When I tired of not catching any seafood I walked to the BBQ side of the lake and saw the vast array of meat products being BBQed.

This made me hungry, so I soon headed away from the lake and towards lunch. Sadly, there was no seafood in my lunch. Just Brown Rice, Stir-Fry Turkey & Vegetables with Duck Sauce. And Vietnamese Spring Rolls.

I wonder if the Fosdic Ducks are edible? They'd likely be good with Duck Sauce.

Feeling Peculiar With A Vixen Texan

Yesterday was an interesting Saturday, pretty much from the time I got out of bed.

Soon after swimming I was perplexed, on Facebook, to read of the vexations one of my Facebook Friends was having due to being confused about how she felt about the Peculiar boys, Joe and Moe.

Soon after being confounded by the Peculiar conundrum my sister called with the news about my Uncle Mel.

Awhile after that I was to learn that one of my Texas friends is in the throes of marital misery, to the extent that the one in marital misery is thinking of escaping by leaving the country. That is a pretty dire dose of misery.

And then I called another Texas friend, a sweet ol' good Texas girl. Or so I thought. Imagine my shock, when she told me that she is a Vixen. I was not quite certain what a Vixen was, but it sounded like it must be something shocking. I was driving at the time and thus unable to Google "Vixen."

Later, when I was back with Google access, I was to learn that a Vixen is a female fox. I have trouble remembering details. I am not quite certain why I was informed about the Vixen thing. I do remember that somehow, in the context, this information was shocking.

Shocking may be too strong a word. My vocabulary is lacking, so shocking is the best I can come up with.

I don't blog, usually, about what goes on after 5. Suffice to say that last night I had a penguin encounter, after hours, at the Fort Worth Zoo, among other encounters. I got back here, exhausted, around midnight. I've not stayed up that late since December 5 of 2008.

I'm hoping for a nice, peaceful, sedate Sunday. Though, Miss Puerto Rico did call me, really early, wanting to know why I'd not let her know Puerto Rico had had an earthquake. What am I? A personal news service?

I'm likely going over to Miss Puerto Rico's, later. That always turns into something. Latinas are such Drama Vixens.

Seattle's Economy Strongest In America With Dallas Fort Worth #10

According to a research business called Policom, which I never heard of til today, the Seattle area has the strongest economy in the United States in 2010. Metropolitan areas were ranked based on 2 dozen economic factors, including positive things like per-capita earnings and wages. And negative factors like welfare and Medicaid costs.

My current location, that being the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, ranks #10. Houston ranks #4. Austin #12.

I will have to think about it, for awhile, to see if this might be the latest omen that it is time to move back to the Pacific Northwest.

METRO AREA	2010 RANK	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue (Wash.)	1	12	11	23	51	34	11
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (D.C., Va., Md.)	2	2	2	1	3	1	3
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield (Colo.)	3	7	17	19	14	9	4
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown (Texas)	4	1	8	26	29	32	24
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville (Calif.)	5	11	5	10	19	35	40
Salt Lake City (Utah)	6	10	9	28	18	6	17
Des Moines-West Des Moines (Iowa)	7	13	12	11	13	15	28
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos (Calif.)	8	8	3	6	21	21	5
Madison (Wisc.)	9	6	15	8	20	7	13
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (Texas)	10	4	7	22	16	13	12
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill (N.C., S.C.)	11	3	1	2	1	3	1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (Texas)	12	19	39	37	45	22	15
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin (Tenn.)	13	5	4	4	2	4	7
Olympia (Wash.)	14	26	33	54	66	46	58
Raleigh-Cary (N.C.)	15	15	24	30	25	19	9

Another Day Another Uncle With LaVerne & Shirley

Yesterday morning I learned of the passing of my Uncle Mel. This morning I checked in on the Bellingham Herald obituary section, looking for Uncle Mel.

And what do I see at the top of the list?

Willard Wilder.

Who is Wilder Wilder? He is my uncle. My mom's older brother.

I saw the picture and thought, okay, I've not seen Willard in awhile, that looks like him with a few extra pounds.

I started to read the obituary, thinking to myself, I'm going to have to call my mom, due to me thinking, no one else would have seen this who might call her.

Then, I started reading the obit. It said Willard lived in Blaine. I thought, well, they must have moved from Custer. Then it said Willard was born to Willard and Marieta Wilder. I thought, that ain't right, it should say LaVerne and Vera Wilder. Then it said Willard married Kathryn Wilson, in Custer.

So, I'm thinking, well, that makes since, married in Custer, that's where they lived. But Kathryn? I know Willard's wife as Aunt Shotty? Is her real name Kathryn?

And then I read Willard was preceded in death by his sister, Shirley Rozelle? Huh? My mom's name is Shirley. From that point on none of the info was right and I knew this was a different Willard Wilder.

How bizarre. That there would be two Willard Wilder's in Whatcom County, both with a sister named Shirley.

So, I called my mom and asked her if she knew there was another Willard Wilder in Whatcom County. Mom was aware of this. But she did not know that Willard #2 also had a sister named Shirley.

Did you catch that my mom's dad's name was LaVerne. That means he and my mom were LaVerne & Shirley. Years before they became a hit sit-com.

Remembering Uncle Mel & The Burned Green Beans

That is my Uncle Mel, with a cow, somewhere in Whatcom County in Washington, back in the late 1940s, or early 1950s.

Uncle Mel was born March 18, 1939 in Lynden, Washington. Uncle Mel died, yesterday, May 14, 2010.

Uncle Mel was diagnosed with prostate cancer, shortly after July 27, 2002. I remember that date because it was the date of the biggest family reunion in my family's history. It took place in Lynden.

Uncle Mel seemed fine when I talked to him at that reunion, so I was quite surprised to learn a short time later that he had cancer and that it had metastasized. The prognosis was not good.

But, somehow Uncle Mel fought the cancer for 8 years. During those 8 years Uncle Mel and my Aunt Judy traveled the country visiting relatives. On at least 2, maybe 3 occasions, all of Uncle Mel's siblings, including my dad, met up somewhere in America. Once it was at Salt Lake City. Another time it was in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

I had 2 uncles after whom I modeled my extremely successful uncle career, one was Uncle Mooch, the other Uncle Mel.

Soon after we moved from the town I was born in, Eugene, Oregon, to Mount Vernon, Washington, Uncle Mel moved in with us, for awhile, while he went to college across the street at the newly opened Skagit Valley College. I think it had a different name back then.

My memory is a bit foggy, I don't remember how long Uncle Mel went to Skagit. I do remember an incident where he was supposed to be watching after me and my siblings, and dinner, that was on the stove, cooking. I don't know where my mom was, but Uncle Mel fell asleep. And the green beans burned. I remember this as a big deal at the time and the source of much amusement.

In early 1961 Uncle Mel married Aunt Judy. That wedding remains one of the most mysterious to ever occur in my family. Soon after getting married Uncle Mel enlisted in the Air Force. He was stationed in Turkey.

And Texas.

One of my cousins was born in San Angelo and another was born in Waco.

Unlike me, my Uncle Mel and family quickly escaped Texas and returned to the Northwest, eventually building a house outside Lynden, where my cousin, Mike, built the most elaborate treehouse I have ever seen.

Uncle Mel retired in 1998, 4 years before he was to learn he had cancer.

The last time I saw my Uncle Mel was in April of 2006, at my nephew's wedding reception in Mount Vernon. I remember a picture was taken with me and my siblings and Uncle Mel. I'll see if I can find it.

Okay, found it, that's Uncle Mel and Aunt Judy in the middle. I'm on the far right in my controversial brown cargo pants.

See the blonde in black, second from the left? That is my sister who lives in the Phoenix zone. This morning my phone rang, I saw it was her. I knew it was not good news. I flipped open the phone and asked, "What's happened?" "Uncle Mel has died," she said. My mom and dad had given my sister the call the siblings job.

Uncle Mel, April of 2006, in Mount Vernon

Learning About A Baby's Heartbeat At Veterans Park in Arlington

I was housebound all day yesterday, except for my early morning pool escape.

Today, Saturday, I had to get outside. My options were limited, due to yesterday's deluging. I decided to go to Veterans Park in Arlington, and then to ALDI in Pantego.

When Veterans Park came in to view I could see it was busy. And that there were signs stuck along the paved trail.

I could not make out what the signs were saying as I drove by, til I slowed up to enter the parking lot to read a sign telling me that "A Baby's Heartbeat Begins 21 Days After Conception."

Why is this message greeting me, as I entered the park, I drove and wondered.

Was this an anti-abortion thing? Is that an appropriate type of propaganda to display all over a public park?

I think not.

Eventually I figured out it was some sort of church event. I saw a couple different churches named on signs. Other signs advertised Hot Dogs & Chips for $1.50.

The churches also had one of those annoyingly noisy bounce houses, plus live music coming from the bandstand. You can see the bounce house above the wildflowers, on the right.

I have no idea if this was an anti-abortion deal, or what. Veterans Park has a very well done War Memorial. I was thinking that putting up signs protesting war, now that would seem appropriate in Veterans Park.

Identifying Steve Doeung's Mysterious Phantom Lawyer Ed Fitzgerald

My West Fort Worth Investigator, CD, believes this to be a photograph of the mysterious lawyer who calls himself Ed Fitzgerald.

In the picture, Fitzgerald is making the peace sign in the now defunct JJ's Hideaway. This was reportedly Fitzgerald's favorite watering hole until he moved on to Oscar's Pub on Camp Bowie Boulevard.

Ed Fitzgerald is the lawyer who was acting as Steve Doeung's lawyer in the Carter Avenue/Chesapeake Energy Abuse of Eminent Domain Case, without Steve Doeung having engaged this guy as his lawyer.

To this day, Steve Doeung has not met Ed Fitzgerald. We have yet to figure out how it is someone came to represent Steve Doeung without Steve Doeung's permission.

Or without Steve Doeung being informed that someone was acting as his lawyer.

The closest we have gotten to an explanation is to be told that this is "The Fort Worth Way."

The Raging Storm Over At Miss Puerto Rico's

That is the Stormy Friday view from Miss Puerto Rico's, looking north at a menacing 4 in the afternoon Spring Sky in Texas.

I was able to get in an early morning swim before inclement weather arrived. The incoming wetness put a halt to any further salubrious aerobicizing.

Consequently, I am currently suffering severely from endorphin withdrawal.

Acute crankiness will likely soon arrive.

I may have to dodge the puddles of water to make a return to the big puddle of water to try and work up some endorphins via swimming.

Elsie Hotpepper is being in slight umbrage mode this afternoon. Something to do with Elsie thinking I somehow suggested she was too skinny. I vehemently deny ever making such an erroneous suggestion.

Meanwhile, the Queen of Wink told me I was a piece of candy. What? Sweet and sticky? Empty calories? I am very perplexed.

A Stormy Fort Worth Friday In Texas

I sat down to eat lunch, windows open, a nice breeze blowing. And then it hit. Heavy rain and heavy wind.

You're looking at trees blowing in the wind outside my patio.

Rain was being blown indoors, so the windows had to be closed.

About a half hour into the rain I started hearing thunder in the distance. I had a cable station on on the TV, I think it was the Military History Channel. One of those incoming nuclear bomb type warnings went off, you know, that dire, this is a test of the Emergency Broadcasting System type warning.

Only it was a warning for an incoming Severe Thunderstorm. I'd never seen this type warning on the cable stations before. I'd assumed that if I weren't watching network TV that I was safe from localized Weather Drama Queening.

Apparently that is yet one more of my many erroneous assumptions.

The Severe Thunderstorm Watch is now over. For now.

I have no idea if the inclement weather is wreaking havoc with the big American Idol event that starts about 4 this afternoon in the Fort Worth Stockyards. I do know that Casey James is making his way across the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and that this morning he was at a Meet & Greet at an AT&T Store in Grapevine, where he got a text message with the extremely exciting news that he'd be singing John Mayer's "Daughters" on Tuesday.

I don't care for that song.