Tuesday Morning With Broccoli Soup & Water Missing From My Pool & Another Texas Earthquake

Looking out the window the Tuesday morning of November 9 I can see about half the water is missing from my pool.

So, there will be no pool for this fool this morning. Which is a sad sad thing due to the temperature having risen to a level sufficient to make the thrill of the chill tolerable. As in it is 55 out there right now.

I learned quite some time ago, now, that if the temperature averages during a 24 hour period at 50 degrees, or above, frostbite does not set it.

Betty Jo Bouvier asked me this morning if I got something she sent me. I have not. I can not help but wonder what Betty Jo has sent me. I hope it isn't a flu virus.

Broccoli Soup is on the menu for lunch today. Before that I will need to get in some salubrious aerobic activity to overcompensate for my pool being unavailable.

I forgot to explain that the reason water is missing from the pool is because it is being drained so repairs can be made to some tile grout which cracked soon after it was grouted last summer. It takes a long time to drain the pool. And a long time to fill it.

What a waste of water in these parched parts.

Sunday night we had yet one more earthquake here in mostly shake-free North Texas. Once again it was Cleburne that got shook.

Back in summer of 2009 Cleburne had 8 Richter Scale Measurable Tremors. Sunday's quake was a 2.5 shaker. You feel a quake that small if you are near the epicenter, but not if you are a few miles distant from it.

Cleburne is about 40 miles southwest of my location. So, I felt no earthquake on Sunday. I did feel the earth move last night. But I think that may have been caused by a big truck passing.

Purple Is The New Trendy Color On The Tandy Hills Along With Lost T-Shirts & Talking To My Mom

November 8 and wildflowers are still busy blooming on the Tandy Hills, with the appearance, all over the hills, of this purple daisy-like wildflower you see in the picture.

I read a couple days ago that purple is the current hot, trendy color. So, the Tandy Hills, it being quite trendy, is being right on trend with these purple daisies.

My troubles with having things stolen. Or lost. Continued today.

I went to the Tandy Hills not as over dressed as the previous visit. Cargo shorts, with a t-shirt, with a long sleeved shirt on top of the t-shirt. I was not long on the hills when I took the long sleeved shirt off, and a short time after that I took the t-shirt off.

And some time after that I must have dropped the t-shirt, because by the time I got to the base of Mount Tandy I no longer had a t-shirt. So, if you find a white t-shirt on the Tandy Hills, it's mine. But you are welcome to it.

My mama called last night, a couple times. I did not see the voice mail messages on the phone til this morning. I'd not talked to my mom and dad since their return from Albuquerque where they spent 5 days in some sort of rental property, with my dad's siblings and siblings-in-law. Seems they had themselves a fine time in New Mexico. I don't know how one could not have themselves a fine time in New Mexico.

I must go blog about the Twinkie Diet on one of my other blogs now.

Monday Morning Thinking About Shadows, Train Wrecks, Swimming & Leaving Texas

Seems like November just started up, yet it is already the 2nd Monday of November. In less than 2 months 2011 will be here. I'm feeling like I am on the fast track to being an old man.

But, I guess we are all on that same fast track, with mine, I hope, going no faster than anyone else's.

This morning when I went to take my ritual morning picture of my woeful view, I saw my shadow. I do not know why my shadow showed up this morning. Nothing was any different, same lights were on. And yet a shadow showed up.

I wish I could be at a Train Wreck next Saturday to observe some natives in their native habitat, but I never get out of Texas, so it is unlikely there will any native observing by me.

It is not even 7 yet and already the sun has lit up the place. And warmed up the place to a relatively balmy 51. I think I'll go swimming now, before it gets any hotter.

In Fort Worth Texas God Is Good Hot Beef Stew

It is Sunday. Sunday is the day of the week when I feel more religious than the other days of the week, but only slightly so.

Several times a week I drive down John T. White Road. I think it is at the intersection with Sandy Lane, on the northeast side of the intersection, that there is a rundown, old strip mall. With a gas station, a barber shop, maybe a couple other stores. And a restaurant.

I think the name is Kountry Kitchen.

For weeks, both heading east and west, on both sides of the sign you see in the picture, it says, "GOD IS GOOD HOT BEEF STEW."

I likely am exhibiting how simple-minded I can be at times, but I find this sign amusing.

Is it saying that "God is good hot beef stew?" Or is it saying "God is Good." And then mentioning that the restaurant serves "Hot Beef Stew?"

I prefer to think the sign is saying "God is good hot beef stew." I like hot beef stew. Like my mama used to make.

Speaking of my mama. I got gas today, so I called my mama to tell her I got gas, just like I always do. Got the answering machine. I don't know if they are still in New Mexico or have returned to Phoenix. I think they should be back in Arizona by now.

A Fort Worth Chesapeake Fresh-Water Frac Pond's Unnatural Shade Of Blue

I have shown you this Chesapeake Energy pond previously. This pond is located at the northeast corner of Cooks Lane and Brentwood Stair Road in far East Fort Worth.

Lately it seems to have taken on an even more unnatural shade of blue than previously.

And a couple pieces of heavy equipment have been added. I assume these are pumps. They were not pumping today. There is a lot of pipeline running along Cooks Lane, near the Chesapeake pond.

Another thing I noticed today is the signage has been changed. I do not remember what the signage said previously, but I know it definitely did not say "This fresh-water frac pond is operated by Chesapeake Operating, Inc."

Fresh-water frac pond?

Take a look through the chain link fence at the fresh-water frac pond. As you can see, this "fresh-water" is a different shade of blue than the natural blue sky. Sort of a milky turquoise.

What chemicals are in this "fresh-water?" What happens to a bird that lands thinking it's going to take a refreshing drink of real fresh-water? What makes the Chesapeake "fresh-water" such an unnatural shade of blue? Do chemicals flash off the "fresh-water" into the air? What is the quality of the pond liner that keeps the Chesapeake "fresh-water" from migrating to real fresh-water?

If the water in the pond is safe, why is there a chain link fence around it? The pond at Veterans Park does not have a chain link fence around it. Happy Elkins Lake by Veterans Park does not have a chain link fence around it.

More than anything, I would like to know why this "fresh-water" is such an unnatural shade of blue?

Sunday Disc Golfing At Veterans Park In Arlington

I needed to go to Pantego today. On the way I thought I'd go on a walk around Veterans Park. As I turned on to the road that leads to the north parking lot, I saw cars parked on the road. And that the parking lot was full.

I continued on to the south parking lot. It also looked full, but I drove in anyway. And found two open spots. So I took one.

It did not take me long to see why the Veterans Park parking lots were full. Dozens upon dozens of guys and a few gals were playing Disc Golf.

Due to all the flying discs it was not feasible to proceed with my plan to hike the hilly wild part of the park. I have been hit by a flying disc once. It is a hit you do not want to repeat.

Disc Golf seems to be getting very popular. I don't get the appeal. But then, the appeal of regular golf is totally lost on me, too. Disc Golf does seems to be funner than regular golf. There are no Disc Golf Carts. The Disc Golfers have to walk up and down the hills, throwing their discs and hunting for them. So, there is exercise involved. You don't see old geezers playing Disc Golf like you do regular golf.

There is also a Disc Golf Course in Gateway Park in Fort Worth. I've seen a couple people playing there a couple times. But never in the Veterans Park numbers.

Happy That Daylight Savings Time Ended At 2AM This Morning

I am up a bit late this Sunday morning of November 7. As you can see, the sun has already arrived.

The sun arrived an hour earlier than yesterday, thanks to the Daylight Savings Time nonsense coming to an end at 2am this morning.

It is 42 degrees out there right now. I think that is 2 degrees warmer than yesterday morning. Maybe that extra 2 degrees will have the pool warmed up enough to be tolerable. I'll soon find out. Minimally I'll get a good bracing bit of shock therapy.

I believe yesterday, for the first time ever, I blogged something on all my blogs.

On the Durango TV blog I blogged about the aftermath of the ending of the most recent iteration of Project Runway, with a bizarre video of winner Gretchen Jones.

On the DurangObese blog I blogged about the 10 Fattest and 10 Fittest Cities in America. Texas leads the nation with 3 cities listed among the Top 10 Fattest, those being San Antonio, Houston and El Paso. Dallas/Fort Worth did not crack the Top Ten Fattest, only managing a relatively lean 14th place. No Texas city managed to be in the Top 10 Fittest Cities. But Austin did manage to be the 17th Fittest City.

On the Durango Washington blog I blogged about lamenting not being able to fly like a bat with a wingsuit here in Texas, with a very cool video of 4 guys wingsuiting over Seattle with a fly by of the Space Needle. If you've never had a good look at downtown Seattle and all the water that surrounds Seattle, this video will show it to you. For those looking at this from Fort Worth, all that water is courtesy of Mother Nature, no public works projects making fake town lakes.

On the Durango Roadtripping blog I blogged about my favorite Roadtrip movie, National Lampoon's Vacation. I've sort of run out of material for the Roadtripping blog.

I doubt I will be blogging something on all my blogs today. But I never know where the day will take me. Right now it is taking me outside.

The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Thin Man Sequel

If you look closely at today's Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man compared to Thursday's Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man compared to the Last Day of October's Shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man you can spot a disturbing trend.

As in the last 7 days has seen a huge increase in the amount of clothing worn to hike the Tandy Hills.

Today was not a warm one in my favorite hiking zone. For the first time in a long time I was on the Tandy Hills in long pants. And a  long-sleeved shirt over a t-shirt.

Eventually I warmed up. A little.

Just like last Saturday I came upon a pair of Tandy Hills newbies. I tell you, the hills are almost coming alive with the sound of humans.

After I was done hiking I went to Town Talk. Have I ever mentioned how much I appreciate Don Young pointing me to Town Talk? I never know what I am going to find there. And the people who work at Town Talk are very nice. And efficient.

I have not heard from Elsie Hotpepper today. I don't know if I should be concerned or not. I've not spoken to Elsie since she called a couple days ago, all fired up in total Hot Pepper mode, cursing like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

Such language, I'd not heard, since Gar the Texan lost his temper over a bunch of annoying Germans in Germany, which caused him to unleash F-Bombs for the first time in my experience with the usually meek, mild mannered Gar the Texan. The poor guy was married to a German for awhile. This may have caused his inner Hitler to be released.

Speaking of people who have little impulse control, when it comes to spewing profanely, I've not been over to Miss Puerto Rico's since her return from her home island.

Because English is Miss Puerto Rico's second language her use of Americanized profanity is sort of out of whack. I have wondered if she realizes these words she uses so frequently are known as profanity? I think she picks up the verbiage by watching too much cable TV, and then it goes through a strange Puerto Rican morph. And comes out sounding a bit crazy.

@#%$*&!!!!!

I forgot to mention that Tootsie Tonasket called while I was on my way to the Tandy Hills. I talked to Tootsie for about half of my hill hiking. The ol' gal has a lot going on. This week she plead "not guilty" to being a deer poacher. Apparently those in the courtroom were giggling as the judge read the charges. Even the judge was, supposedly, acting bemused by what the little ol' lady was being accused of.

I blogged on my Washington Blog about the Ruby Ridge-like Raid on Tootsie Tonasket's Poaching Gang Headquarters, back when it happened, last March. Since then, Tootsie's neighbor has set up sophisticated monitoring equipment, supposedly because he feels in danger, due to the proximity of the Tootsie Tonasket Gang.

The National Debt Road Trip Routes Through Dallas & Fort Worth

Below is a very clever video with a very clever way of illustrating the out of control American National Debt. With George W. Bush we were almost breaking the freeway speed limit. With Barack Obama we are speeding across America at well over 100 miles per hour. I fear without stoplights, airbags or seatbelts.

Anyway, watch the clever video with a very clever way of illustrating the out of control American National Debt below. Don't blink or you will miss the ride as it passes through Dallas and Fort Worth.

Thinking About Moving Back To Washington On A Cold Saturday Morning In Texas

40 degrees this November 6 Saturday morning in Texas as the sun starts to try to light up the place.

The aches and pains and burning eyes that yesterday had me thinking I was coming down with something, have abated, somewhat.

I had nightmares last night involving moving back to Washington. I kept getting thwarted. And bit by bit I kept losing the stuff I was trying to move with me. Eventually I could not even keep a light lit.

I'm sure it was all very Freudian. Particularly the unable to keep a light lit part.

I think if I still had a house waiting for me in Washington, I'd move back. But, my house was sold in 2002. I think it was 2002. It may have been 2003.

I am wondering if I want to take a shock treatment this morning by getting a chill thrill in the pool.

I know for certain I am going to the Tandy Hills today and get myself a heavy duty endorphin fix.