The Third Friday Of February With A Big Lone Star Of Texas Headache

Three emails and two phone calls asking me if something is wrong due to me not having done my ritualistic morning blogging that starts with that morning's view from one of my viewing portals on the outer world has me feeling compelled to blog to say the only thing wrong is I am currently ailing.

I think I have been fighting getting sick for the first time this century for about two weeks, maybe longer.

The cold meds I am taking make me groggy and turns typing into a bit of a challenge, looking at the monitor through blurry eyes.

In other words, simply put, I am a mess.

It has been awhile, maybe at least a week, since someone has suggested I high tail it out of Texas. This morning someone calling him or herself "Lone Star" spoke for all of Texas in suggesting I leave this fine state.

Lone Star has left a new comment on your post "When Will The Walls Of Chesapeake Energy Come Tumbling Down..."

Y'know, I've read your blog for some time and I have come to the conclusion that you really don't like Texas. But this is a free country. No one says that you have to stay here. You might be happier if you moved on to someplace else that suits you better. And we'd be happier if you did, too... Texas isn't meant for everyone, and not everyone is meant for Texas. That's why they make these things called U-hauls, y'all.

I am appalled, appalled I tell you, that Lone Star for some reason thinks I don't like Texas. While it is absolutely true that I don't like somethings in Texas, including some Texans, it is really an outrageous overstatement to say I don't like Texas.

Texas is my 9th favorite state after Washington, Oregon, Utah, California, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Arizona.

I am sort of impressed at Lone Star's suggestion that me leaving Texas would make Texas a happier place. I had no idea I could have that sort of impact.

Well, I am currently scheduled to leave Texas.

For a year.

In 2020.

Til then, Texas is stuck with me. Unless I decide to un-stick myself.

When Will The Walls Of Chesapeake Energy Come Tumbling Down?

The Walls Of Fort Chesapeake

Due to the fact that I am a bit groggy due to being medicated with Suphedrine, I did not think it a good plan today to do something foolish like drive somewhere to go on a salubrious, endorphin inducing walk to get some aerobic stimulation.

In my current state of ill-being I don't think there is any amount of strenuous walking that could have a salubrious effect.

I decided my noon time walk today would be to my neighborhood Albertsons to get this week's Fort Worth Weekly.

Across the street from the Albertsons parking lot is my neighborhood Fort Chesapeake that I have made mention of previously.

Recently the well inside the walls of Fort Chesapeake was fracked. A fracked well means the shale far below has been fractured, releasing the natural gas.

Well.

Currently my neighborhood Fort Chesapeake gas well is capped and not moving any gas. If gas ever does flow from this well, I can not help but wonder where the non-odorized gas pipeline will run.

To the south you have the Albertsons strip mall. To the west and north you have big apartment complexes. To the east you have the Loop 820 freeway. There is not much frontage land under which a pipeline might run.

So, where will my neighborhood Fort Chesapeake gas flow?

Another things struck my groggy mind today when I took a picture of the walls of my neighborhood Fort Chesapeake.

That being, this particular Fort Chesapeake is in an area zoned residential and commercial. Hence the apartment complexes, houses and Albertsons. It is not zoned industrial.

If Albertsons or any of the apartment complexes by my neighborhood Fort Chesapeake erected a tall, ugly wall around their property methinks this would be frowned upon, even here, where so much gets by with so little frowning.

So, how long does Chesapeake Energy get to have this wall eyesore in place?

In perpetuity?

The Dawn Of The 3rd Thursday Of February Feeling Thoroughly Medicated

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world, on this morning of day 16 of the 2nd month of 2012, I see a slightly hazy sky.

What I can not see looking out my primary viewing portal on the world is what my computer based temperature monitoring device tells me, that being that it is currently 41 degrees at my location. Heading to a high in the high 50s.

I have now resigned myself to the fact that I am currently experiencing my first actual 'cold' event of the new century.

By 'cold' I do not mean anything to do with the temperature in the outer world. By 'cold' I am referring to the sickening effects a 'cold' virus has had on me.

I am currently on 'cold' meds. These seem to have somewhat abated the symptoms.

In other news, yesterday I mentioned that the BOLO (Be On The Lookout) for Elsie Hotpepper resulted in Elsie Hotpepper being located.

This morning someone named Anonymous informed me that he or she had canceled the Elsie Hotpepper BOLO. And that Anonymous had heard that Miss Hotpepper was currently moonlighting at the Woodshed Smokehouse.

I find Anonymous's claim to be very difficult to believe. Elsie Hotpepper already has a more than full time job that at times means a 12 hour day. I really can't see Elsie Hotpepper going from her regular job to schlepping tables for Tim Love.

In about a month I think I will likely be able to say what I can't say today, that being, I am going swimming now.

Playing With The Lethargic Fosdic Lake Fosducks Today While Sweltering In The Humid Heat

Flock Of Fosdic Fosducks Passed Out

The Fosdic Lake Fosducks were not be their usual skittish selves today at Oakland Lake Park.

Methinks they may be suffering from the same malady of which I am suffering. As in this sudden return to warm temperatures and high humidity does not a perky duck or boy make.

In the mid afternoon time frame it is 72 degrees at my location on the planet.

I have my windows open.

I overheated today walking around Fosdic Lake. Of late, I can not seem to find the correct balance between being overdressed or underdressed. I either overheat, or start shivering, before I realize I am not properly attired to endure the current state of the elements.

Earlier today I mentioned that Elsie Hotpepper had gone missing again. By mid-morning I'd located Miss Hotpepper. So, we can all quit worrying about a missing Elsie Hotpepper.

I am going to Wal-Mart in a short while to stock up on meds. I thought my cold/allergy symptoms had abated when I got up this morning. As is way too often the case, I thought wrong.

I Am Not Being Miserable In Texas On The Morning Of The 15th Day Of February

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at the dawn of the morning of the 3rd Wednesday of the 2nd month of 2012 I think I see an optimistic shade of blue in the sky.

This morning as the sun arrives the outer world is already heated to 54 degrees, heading to what the weather predictors predict will be a high of 71, today, with a chance of lightning strikes.

With it already being February 15, over half the month is already history. Soon it will be Spring and cold temperatures will be a thing of the past.

After an exhausting, miserable day yesterday, a miserable day that had followed a miserable night of miserable insomnia, last night I slept like the proverbial baby. I start Wednesday feeling recovered from yesterday's litany of woes.

Speaking of woes. Last night I had a very close encounter with Jane Fonda in a dream/nightmare. This was not the Jane Fonda of the Barbarella era who visited me, but the Jane Fonda of 2012. We had an interesting conversation about the importance of moisturizing, among other topics.

Elsie Hotpepper has gone missing again. I will send out a search party today.

I Am Being Mr. Miserable In Texas Today

I am almost certain that this too shall pass, but right at this point in time I'm feeling the most miserable I've felt this century.

I think I may have a fever, with my immune system in overdrive trying to fix me.

I'm running on about 2 hours sleep, if that, a throat that is sore, a head that aches, an energy level that is low.

Yes, I am being Mr. Miserable.

Years ago that was my theme song.

Mr. Miserable.

I forget the words. Something like I'm Mr. Miserable, with followup lines that seemed amusing back when I could remember them.

I gave up trying to sleep around 5 this morning. The following hours were spent laboriously adding new images to a website. The image originator, based in Los Angeles, did not do what he was supposed to do with the images. So, I get to fix them.

I will spend a few hours doing image fixing and then I'm going to medicate myself with herbal tea and hope to find some peaceful Nirvana.

Peaceful Nirvana will likely prove be elusive.

Happy Valentine's Day From An Insomniac With Bad Cursive Skills

I am up well before the sun on this 2nd Tuesday of the 2nd month of 2012, also known as Valentine's Day.

It is a very dark view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world this morning.

My computer based weather advisor has issued a Dense Fog Advisory. There does appear to be some fog, but I would not, currently, call it dense.

Last night I had myself a bad bout of insomnia. Real bad. This is not good. I need to be firing on all cylinders today so I can finish an annoying website making project that suddenly became difficult yesterday afternoon.

During one of the brief periods when I did fall asleep last night my phone woke me up with a spam text message.

Changing the subject from my litany of woes to something else.

I was surprised this morning to read in my old hometown newspaper that teaching cursive writing is no longer part of the Washington State Curriculum of Common Core State Standards.

Apparently learning cursive writing is yet one more casualty of the computer age.

I am left handed and have never had very good handwriting. I so seldom hand write anything anymore, that when I do, it is borderline illegible, no matter how hard I try to write nice.

So, if you get a Valentine's Day card in the mail from me today and you can not read what I wrote, you now know why.

Walking Around Fosdic Lake In A Misty Drizzle Thinking About Catching A Dungeness Crab

I did not realize it til I left my abode that a fine drizzling mist was moistening the outer world at my location.

The fine drizzling mist was very much like what frequently happens in a coastal zone, like my old home port in Washington.

I did not want the fine drizzling mist to drizzle on my camera so I took a photo from the Oakland Lake Park picnic shelter, looking through the bars, whose function I don't understand, at Fosdic Lake.

I was hoping going on a walk would make me feel better. It didn't.

I grow very weary of whatever it is, allergy or virus, that is making my respiratory system not function correctly.

Sister Jackie & Nephew David

Yesterday, on Abraham Lincoln's birthday, I was unable to reach my sister to wish her a happy birthday.

This morning on the Blue & Max blog I saw that my sister is up in Tacoma, which explains why she was not answering her land line in Arizona.

For her birthday my sister got Dungeness Crab at Pike Place Market in Seattle.

I have not tasted Dungeness Crab since the last time I was in Tacoma.

I miss fresh seafood.

Catfish does not qualify as seafood.

Monday The 13th of February Is Cold & Dripping In Texas

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this Monday the 13th of February you can not tell that last night's falling ice has melted and turned into falling rain.

No Ice Storm.

I went into nocturnal mode last night fairly certain that I would not be easily mobile this morning due to a thick coating of slippery ice.

Currently at my location on the planet the outer world is being heated to only two degrees above freezing.

That is cold.

My interior space heating device is working hard this morning to counteract the frigidity of the outer world.

I did not get any endorphin stimulating aerobic activity yesterday. This has me feeling a bit unsettled this Monday morning. If rain continues to fall I may need to resort to walking under a bumbershoot later today.

I must go attend to Elsie Hotpepper's need to get properly dressed now. I will talk to you later.

A Storm Of Ice Is Hitting My Windows While I Am Having Trouble With The Air That I Breathe

You are looking at a very rare evening view through the bars of my patio prison cell, this 2nd Sunday night of February.

I am more than just slightly appalled that due to the fact that I did not blog today about any endorphin inducing hiking endeavor that I have been getting emails, phone calls and text messages inquiring as to my well being.

Well, I am being fine.

I did not feel like going out in the COLD today. I am currently enduring a very annoying respiratory woe that is affecting the ease of breathing. I have never been an allergy sufferer.

Til now.

I also have never breathed air polluted by the pollutants that pollute the air that I breathe where I am now doing my breathing.

Special Weather Statement
From The National Weather Service

A few minutes ago ice began hitting my windows.

I really am not in the mood for an Ice Storm. But, I think an Ice Storm may be what is currently happening.

The National Weather Service has issued one of their Special Weather Statements, shouting the statement all in CAPITALS...

...WINTER WEATHER EXPECTED FOR NORTH TEXAS...

A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR OVER MOST OF NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY MORNING. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM EASTLAND TO WEATHERFORD TO DENTON TO MCKINNEY TO PARIS. SOUTHEAST OF THIS ADVISORY AREA...THE REST OF NORTH TEXAS WILL SEE A MIX OF SLEET AND SNOW THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...BECOMING SLEET MIXED WITH RAIN NEAR MIDNIGHT AND THEN ALL RAIN BEFORE SUNRISE IN ALL AREAS EXCEPT THOSE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 30 AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 35. BY MID MORNING THOSE LAST AREAS WILL CHANGE TO RAIN AS WELL. ACCUMULATIONS NEAR THE WINTER ADVISORY AREA MAY REACH UP TO THREE TENTHS OF AN INCH...BUT WITH WARM GROUND TEMPERATURES THESE ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD ONLY AFFECT ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING...BECAUSE IT MAY BE HARD TO SEE ANY ICE ON ROADWAYS BEFORE REACHING IT. AS THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES TO WARM OVERNIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO RAIN AND THE WINTER WEATHER THREAT SHOULD END BY SUNRISE MONDAY WEST OF INTERSTATE 35 AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20...AND BY MID MORNING IN ALL AREAS. AS WITH ALL WINTER EVENTS...THE SITUATION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE. IF ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED FARTHER SOUTH...THE ADVISORY MAY BE EXPANDED.