We Are About To Hit 100 In The D/FW Metroplex

The National Weather Service is predicting a significant HEAT WAVE is heading our way, in North Texas.

The average date for the first 100 degree day of the year is July 1. Last year the first triple-digit day was on June 23. Followed by 21 more days over 100 before the slow slide to the snows of winter.

I think I've already said I'm not acclimating to the HEAT as well as Texas HOT times past. It is not helpful that my swimming pool is currently not working.

Fort Worth Mayor Supports Fort Worth Nude Beach

The above is not something I see likely happening here, a city sanctioned Fort Worth clothing optional beach, even if the city had a beach where such a thing were possible.

Fort Worth and Seattle have an awful lot in common, well, actually I can only think of one. Both have mayors with the first name of Mike.

Seattle's Mayor Mike has been asking Seattlites what they'd like to see in their town. A lot of people have told the mayor they'd like to see a nude beach, like what Vancouver has in Wreck Beach.

So, the Mayor of Seattle is on board with the idea of turning one of Seattle's beaches into a swimsuit-free zone.

In the picture you are looking at what may be an artist's rendering of what beautiful downtown Fort Worth might look like if its Trinity River Vision Boondoggle ever actually builds a tiny lake on the north end of downtown.

I can't say that I have ever seen a beach anywhere in Fort Worth. It is a good thing to have a beach or two in town.

I don't really see the people of Fort Worth to likely be clamoring for a clothing optional beach in their town, or Fort Worth's Mayor Mike pushing such a proposal, in the same ardent manner he pushes giving breaks to the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drillers and tax breaks to RadioShack.

So, I guess I'll have to go south to Austin, to Hippie Hollow, to work on my all over tan.

The Toxin-Free Future Of DISH Mayor Calvin Tilllman

That is DISH, Texas Mayor Calvin Tillman, on the right, in front of the Tarrant County Courthouse, early on the morning of March 4, 2010, attending the Carter Avenue Rescue Operation rally.

DISH has not been treated well by the state of Texas and the Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling Industry.

DISH has three metering stations, 11 compressor stations, and over 20 pipelines, in less than 2 square miles. This makes for a lot of noise and pollution and property disruption in a very small area.

And serious health issues.

Yesterday Mayor Tillman blogged about just how dire the DISH situation had become for him. The last sentence said to please feel free to share with others.

And so I am....

It is with great difficulty that I post this message.

There have been many of you that have supported me through our battle to save this tiny community. Some of you have supported me for several years now. Some of you have donated to the town’s legal fees, and I appreciate that support. However, I am reaching my breaking point in the fight. On the surface it would appear that this tiny community has won the battle, and in many aspects that is accurate. We have greatly improved the noise level, the aesthetics, and apparently the air quality at the natural gas compressor site. If you were to look at many similar facilities throughout this area, you will find that we likely are home to one the nicest, if not the nicest compressor sites in the entire Barnett Shale. However, we are now starting to get some interesting water out of our water wells. There will be more on our water troubles soon. One thing that troubles me is that almost every night the levels spike in chemicals detected by continuous air monitor that coincides with the odor that we have grown accustomed to.

The continuous air monitor shows us that our air is not toxic and in some cases it is good. However, with the nightly spikes and odor issues, I still have concerns. When these odor events happen, I still get the same old scratchy throat and burning eyes that coincides with the odor. That is not the biggest problem that concerns me. The biggest problem that concerns me is that one of my children frequently is awakened with a nose bleed, an this also seems to coincide with the odor. The monitor shows spikes, but none of the things like benzene gets too elevated. It is possible that something that is not tested for is causing the nosebleeds, or maybe this is just coincidence, but it disturbs me nonetheless. Therefore, it is very likely that I will put my house on the market in the very near future to ensure my children's safety. It is very likely that this will cost me tens of thousands of dollars, but I this point I am considering cutting my losses and just moving on. It is very clear that our state agencies are only in existence to protect the industry, not the general public, so in my view it would be best to be somewhere that you do not need to count on these agencies for your protection.

It is unlikely that the house will sell, even at a bargain, and until it sells it will be my primary residence and therefore, I will remain the mayor of DISH. As long as I am the mayor of DISH, decisions will be made as though I will live here forever. I will do everything in my power to continue helping and supporting the citizens of this community. However, if by some miracle, someone was willing to purchase the property, I would then be forced to resign as mayor. This does not mean that I would walk away from this issue completely; it is just that I would not be able to be in the battle as an elected official, which may hurt my effectivity on the matter.

This option is not set in stone and we could still possibly go in a different direction. There are also a number of questions, such as where am I going to move? Is it worth buying property in Texas, knowing what I now know? How far will the commute be if I can find a place where there is confidence in the air and water quality? So this may or may not happen. It may be that we move into an apartment or a condo, and keep our primary residence in DISH, and just maintain an additional household until the air clears. But currently I am extremely concerned about the health of my children.

There are several things that must be accomplished prior to putting the house on the market, so it will likely be a while before it is listed. In the meanwhile I will be thinking about way that I can can stay involved in this issue. It is also very unlikely that I will be able to sell it for anywhere near what it should be worth. My home is modest, but it sits on six acres, is fenced for horses and has two horse barns. I will try to find comparable property outside of the Barnett Shale and compare to what mine will be on the market for. This may be a very good illustration of exactly how bad this activity can hurt property values, if not accomplished responsibly.

I tell you this so that there is no confusion when word gets out that my house in on the market. We have accomplished many things here in DISH; we have built a nice park, finished out our town hall building, and will soon have one of the nicest libraries in this area, and that will be tough to walk away from. I also have a wonderful group of citizens that have been extremely supportive, who I will fight for till the end. All of this talk may be for nothing, but I wanted all of the good people who have helped and supported me to know the story, before the nasty rumors begin. Thanks again for everything, and please know that I will not stop doing the things I am doing no matter what happens. Please feel free to share with others.

Hiking The Fort Worth Mountains On The 1st Day Of June

You are looking at the 1st day of June Noon view, looking north from atop one of the Tandy Hills.

My swimming pool remains disabled. The filter damage may be worse than feared. Plus the hot tub piping mechanism has developed a woe.

The last time the pool was disabled, if I remember right, weight gain quickly followed. I'll try to not have that happen this time.

My new pseudo doctor, Ph.D Somaphx, prescribed adding lime juice to my hiking water supply. I always do what my doctors tell me, particularly the pseudo ones.

So, I did not have a case of the dizzy vapors today whilst hiking. I do not know if the lime juice helped or if it was that a good wind was blowing and it was only 88 degrees.

Speaking of my doctors, Dr. L.C. rarely tells me what to do anymore. All she ever does is once or twice a day ask me if I'm doing OK. Sometimes I say yes, sometimes I say no.

Crowley Texas School Bunsen Burner Gas Leak Sends 7 To Hospital

A few minutes ago I got an email telling me that there'd been a gas incident at a school in Crowley, Texas which sent 7 people to an area hospital.

The emailer knew no details.

Naturally, I thought the worst, that a Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling Operation had had an accident.

Turns out it was a Bunsen Burner leaking gas, this morning, Tuesday, June 1, in a Crowley 9th grade science lab, causing a teacher to pass out and making several students not feel so good.

Five students and two adults were taken to the hospital.

The school building was evacuated, with the kids allowed back in after it was determined all was well.

Now, here is where this story turned weird, for me. To find the info I Googled "Crowley School Gas Leak."

This brought up the local NBC news story about the link, in the #1 position. In #3, at that time, was this very blog, specifically a blogging yesterday about an Armadillo Roadkill. That being a blogging in which no mention was made of an event which had not yet occurred.

The excerpt in the Google link to my blog said...

Durango Texas: Memorial Day Armadillo Roadkill Blocking My Way On... May 31, 2010 ... I soon saw my first Armadillo Roadkill of the year. Recently I had remarked that the armadillos did not seem to be making their usual busy...Gas leak has shut down a school in Crowley, injuries reported...

The last line, in bold, was nothing I'd written, but was verbatim in the email telling me about the leak! And showed up in the Google search link.

Very perplexing.

The Monday Morning 1st Day Of June Texas Blues

I believe we are looking at Elsie Hotpepper, in the picture, previous to her recent makeover, madeover prior to graduating, on Memorial Day, with yet one more post-graduate degree.

There is such a thing as being too smart. Elsie Hotpepper may be the poster girl for that concept.

I have not heard from the Queen of Wink. I do not know if she made it back from Denver, to Wink, with a new car. I am sort of concerned.

The Queen of Wink's blog was updated on Memorial Day, with a Memorial Day memorial to the Queen's own birth, which the blogging said was on Memorial Day.

However, I do not believe May 31 is the Queen of Wink's birthday.

Calling the Queen of Wink gets no answer, or voice mail, thus indicating her phone is off or she is not in a service area.

Maybe I should try and get Somaphx to drive up from Marfa to check in on the Wink Queen's welfare.

Meanwhile the only person from Wink smarter than the Queen, Gar the Texan, has returned from his soccer vacation in Milan, Italy, and is now playing on a Texas soccer team for semi-geezers. I believe, to get in shape, Gar the Texan has been watching Sex in the City marathons and getting chased all over his house by his housefrau.

The last I've heard from Betty Jo Bouvier she was sharing with me her extremely well reasoned dissertation on "Why Men Are Never Depressed." I believe this may have been a homework assignment in a class Betty Jo is taking. I take umbrage with Betty Jo's description of people, like me, being simple creatures, but other than that...well, read it yourself....

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$200. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24th in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Memorial Day Armadillo Roadkill Blocking My Way On A Texas Highway

After I was done with my Tandy Hills Heat Aversion Therapy I headed to the Beach Street Wal-Mart.

As I drove by Town Talk I was surprised to see the store open. After I was done with Wal-Mart I headed back to Town Talk, hoping for the return of hummus and good cheese.

No Town Talk luck. Though, I did get some apples.

I left Town Talk and headed east, on Randol Mill Road, towards my default location.

I soon saw my first Armadillo Roadkill of the year. Recently I had remarked that the armadillos did not seem to be making their usual busy Spring appearance. This concerned me. I like armadillos. They're cute.

I don't know what the cause of death was for this particular armadillo. Usually it is obvious that an armadillo was hit and run over by a car. As in the armadillo is squished. Today's Armadillo Roadkill seemed fairly intact.

It's perplexing.

Are Memorial Day BBQs Contributing To The Texas Level Orange Air Pollution

Almost a year ago, in a 4th of July related event, the section of the Tandy Hills you're looking at here, burned. In olden times the prairie was renewed, regularly, by wildfires, keeping the prairie healthy and burning off bad stuff.

You can see how wildfires were a good thing, by looking at the change in this Tandy Hills location, compared to the unburned zone.

I did not overheat today. It was a pleasant experience. It helped that it was breezy and only in the mid-80s.

I won't be swimming tomorrow morning. My pool has had a major malfunction. Something was not done right when the pool was re-lined and now the filter is clogged. This may be a quick fix. Or not.

It being Memorial Day, in my immediate vicinity, the smoke from multiple BBQs is contributing, in a pleasant way, to the Level Orange Air Pollution.

LOST Dreaming About A Happy Memorial Day In Texas

It is too early to tell if this is going to be a memorable Memorial Day, for me.

One good indicator is, unlike yesterday, I did not wake up with a headache.

But I did have me a night. Insomnia. Finally fell asleep sometime past 1. And then went into heavy duty full blown epic cinematic dream mode.

I think the epic dreaming may have been triggered by watching war movies on Turner Classic Movies yesterday. The Dirty Dozen really is a pretty ridiculous movie. Guns of Navarone is sort of ridiculous too, but fun to watch.

My dream/nightmare of last night was sort of like an episode of LOST. I did me some time traveling, which included a visit with my grandmas, which was a very Memorial Day appropriate thing.

Somehow bringing Fort Worth's corrupt mayor, Mike Moncrief, to justice, was also involved. I uncovered a huge stash of stolen cash, hidden in giant mayonnaise jars on Costco shelves. That somehow led to Barnett Shale natural gas drilling operations randomly exploding and eventually the collapse life as we know it in Fort Worth.

I think somehow my grandma's were involved in the collapse of Fort Worth.

Needless to say, but I will anyway, I woke up exhausted from way too much nocturnal activity. Woke up early. As in before 6, which led to a very long, very early, bout in the pool.

I am not cooking hot dogs for my Memorial Day lunch. Instead it will be fish & chips. Around 1. Don't be late.

A Tandy Hills Prickly Pear Cactus Did Not Give Me A Headache

I've got me a big, bad headache this last Sunday of May. And no, it is not the result of Saturday night saloon hopping with Elsie Hotpepper.

I was feeling not so good all day yesterday. Worse today. I thought going swimming would fix me. It didn't.

I thought the Tandy Hills Sanatorium would fix me. It didn't.

I think the Sanatorium made matters worse. I overheated real bad. And it's only 91. Maybe all these warnings about not going out in the Level Orange Air Pollution need to be heeded.

But, last year I had no problem with overheating. If I remember right we went to Level Red a time or two last summer without having any dire effect on me that I recall.

I remember the last time I was subjected to a surgeon's scalpel, I was forbidden to have coffee, which caused a really bad coffee withdrawal headache, which instantly went away when some drug was administered via a needle. I wish I had some of whatever was in that needle, right now.

Must eat lunch now.