Hiking the HOT Tandy Hills While Trying To Identify People In Washington

In the picture you are looking north on Lost Sunglasses Ridge in the Tandy Hills Natural Sanatorium Area today around noon.

I came upon a couple other hikers on the hills today. This was unusual. Not many people have discovered the salubrious effects of subjecting oneself to a natural sauna/steam at 94 degrees with the humidity making it feel like 108.

Us who were not there have been busily conducting a forensic examination of the photo evidence to try and figure out who was at the Neff Ranch in the Skagit Valley this past Saturday.

The majority of the photos were somewhat easy to identify.

But, near as we can tell, several people have had serious work done to their faces, which has greatly altered their appearance from what we remember from decades ago.

Just minutes ago I got email from Betty Jo Bouvier asking if I was able to identify photos #4, 11, 24 and 27.

Typing this out I just realized the photos Betty Jo is talking about. I thought she was referencing a group photo.

I must go answer Betty Jo's question correctly and then have lunch. Sirloin steak that I got from Town Talk today.

I Am Up Early In Texas Thinking Old People Should Moisturize & Stay Out Of The Heat

As you can see looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at the swimming pool below I am up before the sun on this last Monday of June of 2011.

I woke up in the middle of the night with a strange pain across my chest zone. I lay there wondering if this is what a heart attack feels like. And then the pain went away and remains away.

Speaking of being old enough to have a heart attack, I just looked at 37 photos of old people. As I was looking at the photos I thought to myself that some people really need to learn to use a moisturizing lotion.

Speaking of moisturizing, I think I'll go get wet in the pool now, but before I do that I must mention that tomorrow we are currently scheduled to have a HEAT INDEX of 111. That is HOT.

Using Face Recognition Software With Honey Lulu To Identify Strangers In Washington

I was looking at the picture you are looking at, which was taken some time yesterday, at a ranch in the Skagit Valley of Washington, when I flipped open my phone for the first time today and saw several missed calls.

One of the calls was from Honey Lulu, last night at 8:35.

I was staring at the picture trying to figure out who these strangers were, thinking I'd call Honey Lulu back as soon as I blogged about Fort Worth's swimming pool woes, when the phone lit up with an incoming call from Honey Lulu.

Both Honey Lulu and I had the aforementioned picture on our screen. We then tried to figure out who these people were. We think we correctly identified all but one or two or three.

In another 20 years correctly identifying all but one or two or three will likely be more difficult than it was today.

Hiking The HOT Tandy Hills Thinking About Using Eminent Domain To Get The Fort Worth Public A Place To Swim

The Tandy Hills were heated to the low 90s when I hit the hills around noon. It is 97 right now. We are back with 100 degrees, or more, in the forecast, starting tomorrow.

Every time we go to flash flood mode more of the Fort Worth Water Works "bridge" across Tandy Creek washes away. Soon the blue pipe will be completely exposed.

Would you not think the FWWW would come clean up this mess?

Speaking of Fort Worth water, Fort Worth has no plans to open any of its closed swimming pools. Supposedly it would take $6.1 million in repairs to make the pools swimmable.

The population of Fort Worth is over 700,000. I wonder if the All-American City of Fort Worth is the biggest city in America with no public pools?

I wonder if Fort Worth is the biggest city in America with no public beaches? Like those one might find on a lake in other municipalities.

The only other big city with which I am familiar in detail is Seattle. Seattle has several lakes one can swim in. Like Green Lake. Or Lake Washington. There are also several Puget Sound beaches, in Seattle, where one can swim. Like Alki Beach.

I know a creek must flow in to and out of Green Lake, but I don't think I've ever seen it. How is it that Seattle keeps Green Lake clean enough to swim in? While one can not eat the fish one catches in Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake, or swim.

Recently a new "lake" opened in Fort Worth. The Cowtown Wakeboard Park Lake. If part of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle was to build a large, swimmable lake with a beach, it would seem slightly less boondoggly to me.

Has the Cowtown Wakeboard Park gone out of business yet?

Fort Worth has another lake where one can pay for the privilege of getting in cool water. It is called Burger's Lake. The lake is a one-acre spring-fed pool in a 30 acre park. Entry to Burger's Lake costs $12 per person age 7 and up. Only $5 if a kid is 1-6 years old.

Fort Worth and Tarrant County is the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of America. Methinks it would be a legit use of eminent domain for the pool-less city of Fort Worth to take Burger's Lake by eminent domain, for the public good, then open the park to the public at a greatly reduced entry fee.

I'm sure Betsy Price will get right on that as soon as she's sworn in as Fort Worth's new mayor.

I Am Back Being HOT In Texas & Not Shivering In Washington

As you can see, looking through the bars of my patio prison cell, I am safely back in Texas, after Saturday's Reunion Ordeal in Washington.

It is currently 77 at my present location. It is currently 46 at the reunion location in chilly Washington.

I am still shivering.

This is already the last Sunday of June. It seems like only yesterday it was the first Sunday of June.

Blink an eye and it will be the 4th of July.

I think I'll go swimming now.

Thinking About Hiking In A Washington Rain Forest While In The Tandy Hills Jungle

No, in the picture I am not in a Washington Rain Forest, walking somewhere in Olympic National Park.

I wish that was where I was, but I'm not.

The greenery in the picture is in the Rain Forest of the Tandy Hills Jungle. In Texas. Around noon today.

Right about now a throng of humanity is descending upon a locale in Washington known as the Neff Ranch.

I had expected to be among that throng, but multiple issues caused that not to happen.

One issue, for me, was the surprisingly early date of this event. I assumed these particular festivities would take place later in summer, after Mother Nature had a chance to warm up the Puget Sound zone.

Right now, at the Neff Ranch, it is 63 degrees. At my current location, right now, it is 96 degrees. I shivered for almost an entire month the last time I was in Washington, from July 20 to August 20, 2008.

Yes, I know I could have come prepared with long johns and gloves. Acclimating to cold is much more difficult than acclimating to heat, in my experience.

And then there is the fact that I don't really need a reunion to see the people I want to see when I am back in Washington. These days with email and Facebook and free long distance calling, it is easy to keep in touch with people you want to keep touching.

A few weeks ago when I'd reached the point in time where I had to make up my mind to book a flight north, or not, I found out that several people who were people who I would have liked to see, would not be seeable, today, due to a variety of reasons.

I still could have made a last minute dash north, as late as Friday. But on Thursday I talked to Carlotta Camano and after that conversation I decided I would not be flying north this week.

I may make a trek north in August.

It Is 52 Degrees This Morning In Washington With Free Food For Me At The Fidalgo Drive-In

As you can see, via one of my viewing portals on the world, the last Saturday of June of 2011 has dawned with a few clouds.

This afternoon, up in Washington, there is a reunion I am expected to attend. The logistics of making that happen become more daunting with each passing hour.

This morning when I flipped open my phone there were two text messages from my nephew Joey asking how things were in Texas and that he'd heard it is hot here.

I figured Joey had been tasked with the job of finding out where I was.

Then this morning there was an email from my sister in Phoenix that confirmed Joey had been tasked with finding out where I was. Below is that email....

Whoever you are playing with in Washington has now confused one of your nephews. CJ received a text tonight asking him to call/text you and ask when you will be getting there. Whoever it is did not say who they were so CJ was confused/worried and called me to ask what he should do. I told him to ignore it becuz of what I've read on your blog. I figured it must have been Jason or Joe cuz I don't know who else would have his phone number!

Then there was a comment to a blogging yesterday regarding Joey's brother's restaurant in Anacortes...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Creating The Illusion Of Hiking The Tandy Hills In...": Fidalgo Drive In weekend special: 'Free food for all out of state visiting relatives.'

Right now in Texas it is 77 degrees, heading to a high of 95.

Right now in Washington it is 52, heading to a high of 63.

Right now, if I am in Washington, I hope I remembered to bring long pants and a sweater, or two.

Right now, I am going swimming. I don't think it is in a motel pool.

Creating The Illusion Of Hiking The Tandy Hills In Texas While Possibly Being In Washington

90 degrees with 30% humidity when I hit the Tandy Hills today around noon.

I saw something today on Martel Avenue, on the way to the top of Mount Tandy, that I had not seen before.

Martel Avenue runs north and south on the east side of the Tandy Hills.

Today the Barnett Shale seismic testers were out in force on Martel Avenue. Complete with police protection.

And a lot of high tech equipment. Several trucks had generators running, at least that is what I assume was making the noise. Under the trucks were metal disks about 4 feet in diameter.

My co-hiker know-it-all informed me that those disks sent out a high frequency vibration into the underground formations, then other devices collected the info that bounced back.

There were more high tech seismic testing trucks on the road that leads to the top of Mount Tandy. Way too much activity going on in my usually peaceful sanatorium.

It has been days since we got as hot as 100 in my location. Currently it is only 93. Meanwhile, right now, up in my old location in Washington it is 61 degrees.

Speaking of Washington. I have gotten feedback from a few people who for some reason are assuming I am up in Washington right now.

It occurs to me that it would be easy to be up in Washington, right now, while creating the blogging illusion that I am still in Texas hiking the Tandy Hills.

If I were up in Washington, surreptitiously, right now, it would not be the first time. In August of 2001 I drove, solo, to Washington for my mom and dad's 50th Anniversary party. Mom and dad's anniversary is August 6, Hiroshima Day, the party was August 11, my birthday.

Only my two oldest nephews knew I was going to make it to mom and dad's 50th. If I remember right I took off for Washington on August 1, making it to Seattle on August 3.

I remember there had been a high school reunion a week prior to my departure. I've no memory of why I did not drive up a week earlier to attend that reunion.

My nephews kept the secret of me being in Washington. I arrived at the location of the anniversary party, my sister's house in Kent, a couple hours late. When I arrived at my sister's I called to make a happy anniversary call as I walked to my sister's front door. As I was talking to my mom, my dad suspected I was there and and opened the front door just as I rang the doorbell.

It was a special moment.

So, yeah, I guess I have a history of going north to Washington whilst creating the illusion I am in Texas.

The 4th Day Of Summer Dawns Blue In Texas In More Ways Than One

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell we can see that the morning of the 4th day of summer has dawned with a clear blue sky.

My peaceful slumber was disturbed last night, thus causing me to not be awake when the sun arrived this morning.

I do not like it when my peaceful slumber is disturbed.

Due to my regular schedule being drastically disturbed I will not be going swimming this morning.

I suspect there will be ramifications throughout the day from me having my peaceful slumber disturbed.

Early To The Doctor Makes Me Late To The Tandy Hills Calling Carlotta Camano To Go To Sea-Tac While Elsie Hotpepper Needs To Get Dressed

I think this afternoon was the first time I've gazed upon the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth since it was announced that Fort Worth was named one of 10 towns being 2011's All-America Cities.

A doctor appointment in Hurst, this morning, that lasted past noon, had me later than usual doing my usual daily endorphin inducing aerobic activity.

Today's late aerobic activity took place on the dried out Tandy Hills.

We did not get to 100, again, here in my zone of North Texas. But, it was not being breezy, so the hills seemed HOT.

After my hill hiking I went to Town Talk.

When I left Town Talk I called Carlotta Camano.

Earlier today Carlotta Camano emailed me to tell me she was going to a Seattle Sounders game tonight to celebrate the last day of school. With a Dick's Deluxe Burger on the way to the game.

In Carlotta's email she told me she could pick me up at Sea-Tac, if needed, after the game.

So, when I left Town Talk I called Carlotta to tell her I was waiting to board at Love Field and that I needed her to pick me up at 9:15 at the Southwest Airlines gate zone.

Some hilarity ensued.

Whenever I talk to Carlotta Camano it makes me think I would have enjoyed being a school teacher.

I got to my destination and continued to talk to Carlotta til overheating set in due to there being too much hot air.

When I eventually got back to my current location I was a bit surprised to see an urgent message from Elsie Hotpepper telling me she desperately needed help getting dressed.

I tell you. It is always something. And usually it is something caused by someone of the sex opposite mine.