The Last Wednesday Of June Dawns Blue In Texas With A Thunderstorm On The Menu

As you can see, gazing skyward above the bars of my patio prison cell, the last Wednesday of June is yet one more blue sky morning in Texas.

The forecast for today has been greatly altered from what it was yesterday, with a predicted real temperature of 103, really feeling like 111.

The new forecast for today is for it to only get to 99 degrees with it really feeling like 105.

With a Thunderstorm now added to the prediction.

I must remember to email CatsPaw today regarding a visit to the Paradise Center.

But, before I remember to do that, I must remember to go swimming. As in right now.

95 Degrees Walking With My Sister Along Village Creek Looking At A Blue Heron

The last time I went walking at Village Creek Natural Historic Area my mom went walking with me.

Today I took my sister, known as Cbonesmom, who lives in Chandler, walking with me. Chandler is a Phoenix suburb in Arizona.

My sister and I walked quite a long distance. And then the battery on my phone ran out just as my sister was telling me something very interesting.

I called my sister after I took the picture, you see above, of a Blue Heron looking for fish in Village Creek.

The Blue Heron must not have gotten the memo about the safety of eating the fish you catch in Village Creek.

Actually, now that you are making me think about it, fish caught in Village Creek must be okay to eat, because one often sees people fishing in Village Creek and there are no signs warning about the consumption of any fish you might catch.

I did not ask my sister how HOT it was in the Arizona desert today. Likely it is hotter than the relatively chilly 98 degrees I am currently being cooled to.

The forecast for today was 103, if I remember right, with a Heat Index of 110 or 111. I don't know why it is so much colder than the forecast, currently with a Heat Index of only 106.

I blogged on my Durango Roadtripping blog for the 2nd time this year, this morning, in a blogging titled, "Opinions About the Top Ten Best National Park Hikes in America."

My swimming pool has been successfully shocked, so tomorrow morning I can be back in my regular swimming rut. What a relief.

80 Degrees This Last Tuesday Of June In Texas While Up North It Has Been 296 Days Since Seattle Hit 80 Degrees

I was up late last night, thus up slightly late this last Tuesday of June of 2011. As you can sort of see, looking out one of my viewing portals on the world, it is yet one more rainless day in Texas.

And HOT. Heading to a predicted Heat Index today of 110.

When I woke up the computer this morning my computer temperature monitoring device indicated it was 80 degrees in the outer world.

There was an amusing story in the Seattle P-I this morning with the headline, "When Will We Reach 80 Degrees."

Apparently it has been 296 days since the last time Seattle hit 80 degrees, on September 3, 2010, when Seattle was heated to a torrid 84.

I remember being up in the Seattle zone in August of 2004. The temperatures were in the high 70s, low 80s, with the Seattle P-I having an article about the locals sweltering in the "Heat Wave." I recollect taking that article back with me to Texas for the amusement of the HOT Texas locals.

I will not be cooling off in the swimming pool this morning. It got its weekly shock treatment late yesterday.

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.