The Ides Of October Dawns Polluted Semi Deep In The Heart Of Texas

I'm appalled it is already the Ides of October. Day 15. The 3rd Saturday of the 10th month of 2011.

Time flies ever faster and I don't like it.

I also do not like the air that I breathe. I seem to be becoming evermore stuffed up with every passing day. Nasal spray intervention seems to be increasingly ineffective.

As you can sort of tell via the view from my secondary viewing portal on the world I am up about the same time as the sun this morning.

I think the diminished oxygen intake caused by my diminished air flow due to my diminished nasal passages is causing me cerebral pain in the form of a mild headache.

I am hoping a return to what I hope is a dried out Tandy Hills has some sort of restorative effect on me. But, before that I am going to see if going swimming has some restorative value.

Talk to you later.

Pat B. Wonders What Exactly Are J.D. Granger's Daily Responsibilities?

I got an email this morning from Pat B. asking me questions about the Trinity River Vision due to Pat B. being unable to find answers to questions via info searching.

Below is Pat. B.'s email....

Mr. Durango,

About six months ago my mind started wandering, as it often does, and I somehow became really interested in this TRV project. I have found it really difficult, even with extensive surfing of the net, to find much of any useful info and really not much info at all, considering the amount of money being spent. Several times during my searches I am led to your blog, which is helpful in that I find I am not the only person curious about what is going on with this project.

I wish I had known about the TRIP meeting at the Botanical Garden, because I would have loved to attend.

It seems strange to me that we are obtaining and demolishing properties to make room for some investor to build their restaurant or whatever there. Can you point me in the right direction to get my questions answered? 

I would especially like to know what work is being done presently, what with Kay Granger's earmarks drying up.

Also what exactly are J.D. Granger's daily responsibilities? We seem to be paying him a pretty hefty salary to organize tube parties in the nasty Trinity.

I grew up living on the shores of Lake Worth and spent many days in that mud hole and I still wouldn't put my pinkie toe in the Trinity. Sorry off subject. Seriously, I would like some answers, but can't seem to find out where to get them. 

Enjoy your blog BTW.

Thanks for your time,
Pat B.

Well, Pat B., I can sort of answer some of your questions.

I have no idea what J.D. Granger's responsibilities are, for which he is well paid. I do know they do not include appearing at public forums devoted to trying to understand what is being done to the Trinity River.

I don't believe any building was demolished to build Tim Love's new Woodshed restaurant. I don't even think it is on the land that encompasses the Trinity River Vision zone. I believe the Woodshed is upriver, on land controlled by the Tarrant Regional Water District. The TRWD oversees, or is part of, or is somehow involved with the Trinity River Vision. But, it must be a loose association, because TRWD board member, Jim Lane, was unable to convince J.D. Granger to join him on stage, on Wednesday, at the Trinity River Vision Discussion Forum.

If you drive Northside Drive between I-35 and Main Street you will see some of the Trinity River Vision Underway. And some parts of the project completed. Like the very important, very necessary Cowtown Wakeboard Park, referred to by some as the Cowtown Waterboard Park, for some torturous reason.

If you go here you will see some pictures I took on September 10, 2010 of what was going on then with the Trinity River Vision along Northside Drive.

If you go to Gateway Park by the Fort Woof Dog Park you will see some excellent Trinity River Vision signage explaining what the Trinity River Vision sees for Gateway Park.

The Trinity River Vision is quite good at signage. And brochures. The Trinity River Vision also has a well made website. I suspect you might not be able to find answers to many of your questions, though, on the Trinity River Vision website.

Looking For Armadillos, Wild Boars, Bobcats & Snakes Today In River Legacy Park In Arlington

River Legacy Trail Bridge Across Trinity River West Fork

I'd not been across the trail bridge across the West Fork of the Trinity River to the north side of River Legacy Park since last October. The month my bike was stolen.

I'd read that the Huffine's development, the name of which I can not remember (is it Veridian?) was back under construction. The development came to a halt during the economic meltdown of 2008.

It appeared that the Huffine's development was back being developed. I saw a lot of heavy equipment activity moving dirt.

The Great Texas Drought of 2011 seemed to have greatly diminished the undergrowth that grows under the HUGE old growth trees, along the river, making it so you could see deep into the woods. Thus no herds of armadillos, wild boars, bobcats or snakes could easily hide from view. Previously this had been a visually impenetrable jungle.

A River Legacy Sign With A Baby Bobcat

I saw no armadillos, wild boars, bobcats or snakes today. I wonder what effect the Great Texas Drought of 2011 has had on the population of armadillos, wild boars, bobcats and snakes?

I did see a new sign that has been added at the north side of the bridge. On that sign there is a picture of a bobcat cub.

On one May day of several years ago I was pedaling the River Legacy Park trail, on the north side of the river and I came upon 3 different sets of armadillo babies, out foraging with their moms.

The biggest snake I've seen in Texas was at River Legacy Park. It was sprawled across the paved trail. You'll see that snake if you go to my River Legacy Park webpage. You will also see photos of my previous bobcat encounters.

Hot Coffee On A Cold Morning With The Shadow Of The Asthmatic Skinny Dipping Thin Man

You can't see my cup of coffee steaming as I take a drink as I stand outside to survey the current weather conditions on this 14th morning of October, Thursday number 2.

It is 56 degrees this morning at my location. When the air gets conditioned to 50 or under is when going swimming gets a bit challenging.

I did not go swimming yesterday, or do any other endorphin producing aerobic activity. I will make up for that today.

Changing the subject from my failing health to Google. Yesterday Google announced higher than expected ad earnings. That same day my ad revenue from Google, from my blogs and websites, was the highest it has ever been.

Changing the subject back from Google to my failing health. The allergy woe I've been experiencing is really starting to get on my nerves. I have never been a fan of having my nasal passages plugged up. Or of having to squirt nasal spray in order to breathe easily. I've never had much of an allergy problem. Til lately.

I know the North Texas gas drilling zone has a far higher incidence level of kids having asthma problems than  parts of Texas where the air isn't being contaminated. But, I've not read of the asthma problem being worse for adults in this forsaken part of the planet.

I'm going swimming now and try and forget about my woeful woes.

Some Of The People Of Fort Worth Are Trying To Understand J.D. Granger's Bad Boy Behavior

J.D. Granger With Adult Beverage

J.D. Granger's refusal to keep his commitment to appear at last night's TRIP forum at Fort Worth's Botanic Garden was causing a lot of muttering before the event started and real loud booing after the event started and the crowd was informed that this particular public employee was refusing to face the public.

I heard several speculators speculating as to why J.D. decided to bail.

One of the more amusing speculations was that J.D. decided he did not want to attend when he learned there would be no Open Bar.

The event did take place during Happy Hour, after all, and everyone knows, or should know, including TRIP, that J.D. Granger is a big aficionado of Happy Hours. An example of this is J.D.'s instigation of the Rockin' the River Inner Tube Happy Hour Floats on the Trinity River.

The sound was a bit muted last night at times, but I think I heard a Trinity River Vision apologist explain that encouraging the consumption of alcohol, on the river, was designed to counteract against the dangers of e. coli contamination. I'd not heard, before, that alcohol kills e. coli bacteria.

My favorite comment maker, someone named Anonymous, made an anonymous comment on last night's blogging about last night's forum that J.D. bailed on.

This is what Anonymous had to say........

I heard J.D. Granger cancelled on the TRIP debate because he'd gotten burned at some other meeting where someone asked a question about his personal life that he didn't like being asked. I also heard J.D. was afraid he'd be asked questions about remodelling done to his house that looks like Tim Love's new Woodshed restaurant, with people insinuating that some under the table dirty dealing was done, since Tim Love's new restaurant is sort of tied to the Trinity River Vision, which J.D. Granger oversees.

I don't buy the Anonymous explanation for J.D.'s absence. I think the absence of a Happy Hour Open Bar makes a lot more sense as to the why of J.D.'s rude no-show.

The Blue Sky Dawn Of Day 13 Of October In Formerly Totally Parched Texas

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the world on this 13th day of October it appears a totally blue sky has returned to this formerly totally parched part of the planet.

Currently it is only 22 degrees above freezing at a relatively chilly 57. Heading to a high of around 77 today.

My pool got a shock treatment late yesterday. So, swimming is not doable this morning.

My current chronic woe of aching arm joints is being particularly achy today. I do not know if this is related to sitting too long on one spot last night at the TRIP forum that J.D. Granger bailed on.

I have a doctor's appointment in the noon time frame, up in Hurst, today. This will wreak havoc with my regular noon time walking/hiking constitutional. I need some aerobically induced endorphins to help abate my aching pains.

Boos Greets News That J.D. Granger Bailed At Last Minute On Tonight's Trinity River Vision Open Discussion Forum

J.D. Granger's Empty Chair

If I remember right, I clearly verbalized the fact that J.D. Granger participating in tonight's Trinity River Vision Open Discussion Forum was my main draw to attending the TRIP event.

I had anticipated that J.D.'s well known persuasive powers might likely sway me from being a Trinity River Vision Boondoggler to being on the Trinity River Vision Bandwagon.

However.

Minutes after my arrival at the Conservatory at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden I was pulled aside by the star of Up A Creek and informed that J.D. Granger had pulled out at the last minute. After having clearly committed to being in attendance.

As the crowd milled around outside the auditorium, waiting for the forum to begin, I heard some muttering about J.D. Granger's bad behavior, with one person saying "He's a gutless wonder."

When the forum began and it was announced that J.D. Granger was a no show, this news was greeted with a room full of loud booing.

Methinks J.D. Granger did the Trinity River Vision a disservice tonight.

I spotted several Fort Worth politicos in the crowd, including Cathy Hirt, who was sitting in front of me.

The panel was supposed to have consisted of Jim Lane, J.D. Granger (bailed), Mark Rauscher (bailed), Clyde Picht, John Basham and Steve Hollern.

FW Weekly's Gayle Reeves On Far Left, Then Jim Lane,
Clyde Picht, John Basham & Steve Hollern

All the guys who were brave enough to show up did a really good job of making their points.

I was particularly surprised to find myself really liking Jim Lane. I thought it was real interesting how Jim Lane explained how he tried to get people to participate in making the decisions that led to the Trinity River Vision, but no one showed up.

And now, all these years later, with the vision sort of coming into focus, Jim Lane found himself at a forum where a lot of people showed up who were interested in making sure this project does not become the biggest Fort Worth boondoggle ever.

I'd tell you the reason I was told that J.D. Granger bailed. But it is sort of embarrassing. I got the idea that Jim Lane was not too pleased with J.D. Granger's refusal to participate. Jim Lane seemed to indicate that when a man of honor commits to doing something, he does what he's committed himself to.

Arlington's Village Creek Flooding After Last Night's Thunderstorm Downpours

I was a little surprised when I reached the parking lot at Village Creek Natural Historical Area, off Dottie Lynn Parkway, to find the entry closed.

Due to flooding.

We did get some downpouring last night, but at my location not enough hit the ground to cause the type of flooding that closed Village Creek Natural Historical Area today.

Not able to enter the Natural Area from the west, I drove to Interlochen to see how much water was flooding through Village Creek.

As you can see in the picture, flooding is blocking the ability to cross the dam/bridge that leads in to Village Creek Natural Historical Area from the east.

So, I called a distant relative, who I had not spoken to for over 5 years, and proceeded to walk along the Bob Findlay Linear Park trail that leads out of the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Early Morning Texas Thunder Booming Thinking About Singing The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Blues With J.D. Granger Tonight At Fort Worth's Botanic Gardens

Looking through my patio prison cell bars you can not tell it is raining before the arrival of the sun on this 2nd Wednesday 12th day of October.

Thunder began booming sometime around 3 this morning. Some of the lightning strikes were so close the flash and the boom occurred at the same time.

After a few explosions the downpours started.

And the wind.

My computer was being a bad girl, overheating whilst running some Microsoft Security Essentials thing that seems to be the worst virus/infection/malware annoyance I regularly experience.

So, I decided to walk away from the computer before doing my morning blogging duties and go swimming instead.

I'd not gone swimming since Sunday morning in the rain. The rain had ceased by the time I hit the surprisingly warm water this morning.

Tonight, at 6:30, at Fort Worth's Botanic Garden's Conservatory's Lecture Hall I may be singing the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Blues with J.D. Granger. See you there.

Fosdic Turtles Basking In An Overflowing Fosdic Lake With No Elsie Hotpepper In View

I hauled my aching carcass to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake precisely at noon today.

Sunday's mini-deluge removed the Fosdic beaches and had water spilling over the Fosdic Dam spillway for the first time in a long while.

The Fosdic turtle population seemed to be in a celebratory mood, not acting their usual skittish selves, the turtles willingly cooperated with posing for pictures, without instantly diving off their log perch, like they usually do.

Tomorrow there is a TRIP forum at Fort Worth's Botanic Garden, at 6:30. I hope I'm feeling up to attending this. Three of my favorite Fort Worth people will be taking part in the forum, Clyde Picht, Jim Lane and J.D. Granger.

I had intended to get Elsie Hotpepper to go to the TRIP forum with me, but Elsie seems to have gone missing. Again.