Has Anyone Seen Spencer Jack's Missing Tooth?

Spencer Jack's Letter to the Tooth Fairy

Disturbing news from Spencer Jack's dad this morning.

Spencer Jack has lost a tooth.

Literally lost a tooth.

Below is the redacted version of the email from Spencer Jack's dad, with gory details omitted...

Spencer Jack had a loose tooth for a week. I dropped him off at school this morning.  At that time he had 20 teeth.  Upon the 3 p.m. pick-up, he had 19.  He was proud to show me that his tooth was missing.  Naturally, I was wondering what he did with his tooth. And I obviously quizzed him on the whereabouts of his missing tooth. He was confused. He said he ate lunch and after lunch, the tooth was missing. Spencer Jack rarely has hot lunch. Today he did. During lunch, which consisted of 5 chicken nuggets, brown rice and a trip to the salad bar, he ended up toothless. Lucky for us, his dentist is across the street.  Spencer Jack and I stopped by in hopes of seeking medical advice on a 6 year old swallowing a tooth. The dentist politely explained that swallowing a loose tooth is no big deal...(gory details redacted)...We are hoping the tooth fairy will stop by.  But currently there is no tooth under the pillow---only a letter----hand written  by Spencer Jack, explaining today's ordeal. 

Below is what Spencer Jack had to say to the Tooth Fairy...

Dear Tooth Fairy,

I lost my first tooth today but I'm sorry I don't know where it is. Please still come tonight.

Love, Spencer

Below is photo confirmation, for the Tooth Fairy, that Spencer Jack has lost a tooth...

Getting Books Via My Fort Worth Greenbelt With Blue & My Bird Watching Nephews & Niece

In the picture you are looking at my East Fort Worth Neighborhood's Greenbelt.

As you can see, the Greenbelt is getting very green. Almost Emerald.

I wonder if all the negative ions buzzing overheard somehow help amp up the ultra greening?

I was in need of books, so today I took the Greenbelt route to my nearby East Regional Fort Worth Library. This seemed like a very time efficient thing to be doing, combining my daily endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation with a trip to the library.

I was about to walk into the library when I got a call from Miss Puerto Rico.

Miss Puerto Rico was hoping I could get her a bottle of her non-prescription nerve calming medicine. I told Miss Puerto Rico I was not in a motorized conveyance and was no where near her medicine supplier.

Two days til Spring springs. The Vernal Equinox is still on schedule to arrive March 20. I think about the only thing that could stop this from happening would be a big meteorite striking the planet causing an axis wobble.

Speaking of wobbling axis. This morning was the second day in a row I was able to stay in my cool pool as long as I wanted without getting too cool. I think we may have reached that time of the year where I can rely on going swimming for a good early morning dose of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

Changing the subject from swimming to German Blitzkriegs.

I have had an inquiry, or two, asking how my poodle nephew, Blue is doing. A couple weeks ago I blogged about Blue being the victim of a savage German Shepherd attack.

This morning I asked one of Blue's parental units how he is doing. Max & Blue had not been blogging lately so I was a bit concerned. Well, Blue is doing well. The wounds have scabbed over. Blue is no longer wearing the Cone of Shame.

Changing the subject from Blue to my niece and nephews who Blue  & Max look after.

In the picture that is nephew David on the left, niece Ruby in the middle, with nephew Theo on the right.

No, the kids are not looking out the window at Blue. They are looking out the window at their bird feeder. Apparently the kids spend a lot of time monitoring their bird feeder, even when there are no birds feeding.

This particular bird feeder is in Blue & Max's backyard. A second bird feeder has been added to the front yard. I suspect there is a lot of running back and forth between the backyard and frontyard views.

Changing the subject from bird feeders to me going to the Pacific Northwest for a visit.

This afternoon I heard from my favorite ex-sister-in-law regarding me making a visit to the Skagit Valley. A hike in Anacortes was mentioned, among other things.

You who live in the D/FW zone and have never hiked in a scenic location, well, just the mention of hiking in Anacortes got me feeling homesick.

On the subject of flying out of here. Christmas before last I acquired a Southwest Airlines gift card. A couple days ago I was in the hot tub and suddenly I thought to myself I had not seen that gift card in a long time and did not know where it was. Two days later I still have not found it. I suspect I had a sleepwalking incident and hid it somewhere. Or threw it away.

Flotsam & Flowers With Sunday's Indian Ghosts In The Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Today I walked again with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area, for my regular Sunday commune with nature.

As you can see, in the picture, a lot of flotsam has floated up against this particular dam bridge which spans Village Creek. The flotsam appears to be greatly impeding the water flow.

The next time we go into flash flood mode, this location might create some interesting water action.

You can also see, in the picture, some of the return of green. Along with some tree color visible in the upper left.

In only 3 days the Vernal Equinox arrives, which is usually followed by the Texas wildflowers springing into action.

Due to the temperature going over 80 on Saturday the pool was not too cool this morning. So, I had myself the longest swim I've had since early February when we had a short hot bout that heated up the cool pool water.

In what seems to be becoming the norm, there were a lot of people, besides myself, walking with the Indian Ghosts today. I remember back years ago when this particular park always seemed to be a Ghost Park, with very very few people ever seen.

Tandy Falls With Fuji Apples & Spencer Jack Serving Ivar's Clam Chowder Since 1967

No. That is not a Boondoggle Designer's model of what Pond Granger will look like if the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle ever becomes anything anyone can see.

What you are looking at is Lake Tandy. That is not a boat floating in Lake Tandy. It is a Coleman Cooler.

Water was flowing over Tandy Falls today. This means somewhere in East Fort Worth there is a water leak, because we have not had rain since the last time I walked past Tandy Falls and at that point in time the falls was bone dry.

Hiking today was in near perfect conditions, with the pleasant temperature, near 80, requiring minimalist outerwear.

Though the conditions were perfect I saw only two other hikers, sitting together atop a Tandy Hill. We exchanged waves. A few days ago I learned why I see few hikers on the Tandy Hills. That being that the people who live in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone are America's least active.

Changing the subject to something else, that being Town Talk.

Last Saturday Town Talk was the busiest I've ever seen it. This Saturday the parking lot was only half full and there were no lines at the checkout counters. Today I got myself three 5 pound bags of Fuji apples from Washington, for only $1.99 a bag. Fujis are my favorite apple. The most unusual thing I got today was fig flavored Greek yogurt. I  learned not to pre-judge yogurt flavors after finding myself liking chocolate yogurt.

Continuing on with the subject being food.

This morning I got email from Spencer Jack's dad, with the message being, "Your latest blog post hinted that you missed both Spencer Jack and fast food. I will attach this month's money saving coupon should your 2013 Spring travel plans include a stop in our neck of the woods."

It is a year ago, almost to the hour, that I sat outside Spencer Jack's Great Aunt Jackie's house in Chandler, Arizona, awaiting the arrival of Spencer Jack, his dad and his girl friend, Brittney.

I have heard rumors that I will be in the Pacific Northwest zone soon. Having a fish burger with Spencer Jack at his dad's Fidalgo Drive-In would be a really good thing.

There is something about his ad that I am not understanding. If I remember right the year Spencer Jack's dad was born was 1979. So, how has he been "Serving the same great taste since 1967!"?

I am also not understanding why Spencer Jack's dad has Ivar's Clam Chowder on the menu, rather than using his grandma's (my mom's) clam chowder recipe?

Mom's Clam Chowder is the best. I've not had Mom's Clam Chowder this century.....

Unstoppable Woman Dina Moor Stopped

I have made a few websites for a few people over the years. The Unstoppable Woman website is one of those websites.

The Unstoppable Woman was Dina Moor. Over her long career, as a model, Dina lived in many locations, including Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle.

But Dallas was where Dina's roots were and it is in Texas I met Dina Moor.

Of all the people for whom I've made a website, Dina Moor was my favorite to work with. The Unstoppable Woman website is fairly simple. During the week I uploaded my initial version of her website Dina would send me PDF screen caps with circles around items she wanted changed, plus a lot of notes.

Dina knowing what she wanted and being able to so well articulate it is what made her fun to work with. Working with Dina Moor was the total opposite experience to one I was having at the same time with an Elderly Geezer in Tacoma who was totally non-tech savvy and unable to articulate what he wanted, just that he did not like what he saw.

Last March I heard from Dina's sister when Dina's web hosting annual payment to me came back to her. Dina's email was not working at the time and she'd lost my phone number. I called, we chatted. Dina Moor was very amusing to talk to. I remember the re-mailed check arrived the day before I flew to Phoenix last year. I don't think I deposited it til I returned.

Then in mid-April I got a desperate call from Dina. Her Unstoppable Woman website was down. It took me a few minutes to figure out what had happened. Dina had forgotten to renew her domain. I called the place where she registered the domain and got it back up, telling Dina she could pay me for renewing the domain when I billed for the next year's web hosting.

I sent the aforementioned bill for next year's web hosting to Dina several weeks ago. It came back with a Return to Sender Undeliverable type message. I then emailed the bill to Dina's email address. That also bounced back as undeliverable.

I began to be concerned.

I then called Dina and the phone just rang and rang, with no answer, and without going to voice mail.

Then this morning I emailed Dina's sister, who had emailed me last year, to tell her I was concerned about Dina.

Dina's sister quickly replied, letting me now I had reason to be concerned, that Dina had become ill last Fall and passed away in late November.

Last year when Dina's website went down due to the domain not being renewed we talked a long time, at various times, over several days.

Dina was excited about a possible new modeling job. And a couple new Unstoppable Woman books, one based in Northern California with the other in the Austin, Texas zone, if I remember right.

I remember telling Dina to get the books to me when they're ready and I'd put them on the website. I recollect also talking about adding a monthly "What's Up With Dina" type thing to the website. Dina was going to call me back about that, but never did, with me sort of forgetting that Dina was going to call me back.

So, I'm feeling a bit melancholy this afternoon.

And thinking.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls....

A Melancholy Walk With Indian Ghosts A Year Since My Last McDonald's Double Fish Sandwich

Shortly before noon, before leaving for my daily scheduled bout of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation, I got email with news that made it seem like today was a good day to go for a walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

As you can see in the picture of the VCNHA paved trail, green is starting to appear in the outer world at my location. Spring is less than a week away, with the Vernal Equinox currently scheduled for next Wednesday, March 20.

Soon green and other colors will be sprouting in jungle abundance in North Texas.

Speaking of jungles. Since Monday I have been tasked with checking in on Miss Puerto Rico's elderly cat, Tasha, whilst Miss Puerto Rico is on her home island. Miss Puerto Rico is scheduled to arrive back in D/FW tonight at midnight, at which point my cat-sitting duty comes to an end.

I have been unable to get a clear explanation as to why Miss Puerto Rico flew to Puerto Rico for what amounts to 3 days, what with Monday and Friday being spent in the air. Miss Puerto Rico booked this flight herself, with no help from me, or a travel agent, for the first time. This may explain how she managed to fly out at 3 in the morning and is arriving back at midnight, after a two hour layover in Philadelphia.

A year ago today I was in the air, no actually, by now, I was on the ground, in Phoenix. I think, to be even more exact, at this precise point in time, a year ago, I was in a Phoenix McDonald's having myself a Double Fish Sandwich, with my mom and dad and sister.

My Arizona sister used to be my Middle Sister, with my Little Sister being the sister in Tacoma. I used to have a Big Sister, who some of my siblings, and myself, now refer to as BS, or Sister Non Grata. Well, actually it is just me, as far as I know, who refer to BS as Sister Non Grata.

If it was a year ago today that I flew to Phoenix, that means tomorrow it will be a year since I saw Spencer Jack, his dad and girl friend Brittney.

Time flies.

I've heard time flies particularly fast when one is having fun. I guess I must have way too much fun....

Walking A Fort Worth Greenbelt With The Fruits Of My Seeds

This morning I had to be up in Hurst. Going to Hurst, from my location, I drive through the 820/121 freeway construction zone. Back at the start of my exile in Texas I soon came upon 2 big freeway exchange construction projects.

One was the downtown Fort Worth Mixmaster. I remember being appalled when I learned that this had been being constructed for many years. The first year or two I did not see much progress. And then, it seemed sort of suddenly, the Mixmaster was open.

The other big freeway exchange construction I saw soon upon arrival in Texas was the original 820/121 complex of overpasses. This was a nuisance to drive through whilst being constructed, but was quickly completed. And now, a decade later, give or take a year, that same freeway exchange is back being a big construction mess. To be completed when? I don't know.

I got back from Hurst in time for my regularly scheduled daily walk. I opted to take a hike in my neighborhood, again. Walking the new, to me, Fort Worth Greenbelt. That's the Greenbelt you see in the picture.

I remember a few years back being appalled to discover the Tandy Hills. With the appalling part being that I lived so close to these hills, for years, and did not know it. I'd drive many miles to Cedar Hills State Park or Rockledge Park in Grapevine or Dinosaur Valley State Park, just to find myself some hills to hike on.

And now in the past month I've learned there are multiple decent walking venues right in my neighborhood.

I wonder how many gallons of gas I've burned over the years driving to find myself a hill to hike on?

The end of my walk today took me to Albertsons to get this week's FW Weekly. Near a couple fast food joints that are next to Albertsons I saw the sign you see below.

I've noticed this sign for what seems years, but I've never bothered to actually read it til today.

Apparently "COMING SOON" my neighborhood will have a Divine Touch Lounge & Grill, along with Lv's Barber & Beauty Salon. And my favorite, Fruits Of My Seeds 24 HR CHILDCARE CENTER.

That is a really interesting mix of businesses. I wonder how soon coming soon is? Sooner than the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle? I expect I will see Fruits Of My Seeds before I ever see the Granger Pond.

Combined With Dallas Fort Worth Is One Of America's Least Favorite Cities

Last week I was really surprised when I learned that Fort Worth is known world-wide as one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

I am a fairly ignorant guy, so me not knowing that Fort Worth is known world-wide as one of the Greatest Cities in the World is not too surprising.

But, now that I know that Fort Worth is one of the Greatest Cities in the World I can't help but wonder how this fact is determined and by what criteria such a claim is made.

A survey in Travel Leisure Magazine online about America's Most Favorite Cities only made me more confused about how it is that Fort Worth is considered, world-wide, to be one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

The survey ranks the Top 35 American Cities by its reputation regarding certain criteria, with the categories labeled Intelligent, Attractive, Tech Savvy, Sports Crazed, Diverse, Stylish, Proud of Their City, Athletic/Active, Driving Ability, Offbeat.

I am most familiar with two of the urban zones on these lists, that being Seattle and Dallas/Fort Worth.  Let's mix another Texas town with the two I'm most familiar with and see how the towns do on some of these lists.

America's Most Intelligent City is Seattle. Austin comes in at #10. Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35. I"m shocked.

America's 13th Most Diverse City is Seattle. Austin is #18. Dallas/Fort Worth did a little better with diversity than in the Intelligence department, coming in at #34.

America's 9th Most Sports Crazed City is Dallas/Fort Worth. Austin is #12. Seattle is #20.

America's 3rd Most Athletic/Active City is Seattle. Austin is almost as Athletic and Active as Seattle, at #4. Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last again, at #35.

I think I've mentioned previously that it is really amazing how many more plus-sized people there are in the D/FW zone than in the Seattle zone. Every time I'm back in the Pacific Northwest it takes me awhile to get used to most of the people looking like they've had the air let out of them. Then I fly back to Texas and its over supply of pumped up balloon people.

The town that came in at #11 with Most Attractive People is Austin. Seattle is #20.  Dallas/Fort Worth is #32.

America's #1 Tech Savvy City is Seattle. Austin is #3. And once again, Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35.

I thought for sure that D/FW would do well in the Friendly category. I thought wrong. Austin is America's 12th Most Friendly town, with Seattle #19. And Dallas/Fort Worth #30.

Austin is the 3rd Most Offbeat City in America. Seattle is #9. And once again Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35.

Combining all the categories for an Overall Ranking has Austin at #5. Seattle at #7. And once again, Dallas/Fort Worth is dead last at #35.

Well, enough of that, you can click on the links and see the lists and all the categories.

So, now I am faced with even more of a conundrum of a mystery. As in by what criteria can Fort Worth possibly be considered one of the World's Greatest Cities?

In this Travel and Leisure survey I think it must be Dallas that brings Fort Worth down to the bottom. I'm almost certain if Fort Worth were judged without having that Dallas noose around its neck that Fort Worth would be at the top, or near it, on all these lists, because, like everyone knows, Fort Worth is one of the Greatest Cities in the World....

Hiking On The Tandy Hills In One Of The Greatest Cities In The World

In the photo you are looking west from the summit of Mount Tandy, from whence a wagon trail heads towards the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, a town some of the locals believe is known planet-wide as one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

More on the Greatest Cities in the World delusion in a subsequent blogging.

Today's hiking conditions were just about perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. And not windy.

With local kids on Spring Break I would have thought there would be some kids doing some hill hiking today. But I saw none.

I heard on the radio whilst driving to the Tandy Hills that traffic was a bit congested in the area around the Fort Worth Zoo due to Wednesday being half price admission day at the zoo, which always draws a big crowd to the zoo during Spring Break.

I've only been to the Fort Worth Zoo once, a long long time ago. There were areas of the Fort Worth Zoo that I liked. And other parts that I did not like. Like the aquarium. Is that aquarium still operating? It smelled bad and looked sort of rundown. Not the type thing you expect to see in the zoo of one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

Speaking of things you don't expect to see. Today I came upon a pile of litter at an unlikely location on the Tandy Hills.

That is the pile of litter I am talking about, above. This pile of litter is located just a short distance south of Tandy Falls. Where did it come from and who left it at this location? The two metal chunks of litter looked like they'd be heavy and cumbersome to carry.

Green is beginning to re-appear on that which has been brown for months. It being March wildflowers should soon be blooming. To my eyes, the best Texas ever looks is when the wildflowers are blooming.

Chesapeake Energy's Weed Infested Welcome To Woodhaven

Every time I take a walking tour of my neighborhood I walk by the increasingly eyesore-ish scene you see in the picture.

This is a Welcome to the Woodhaven neighborhood installation.

Chesapeake Energy uninstalled the original Welcome to the Woodhaven neighborhood installation when Chesapeake Energy dug up this location as part of their installation of an underground pipeline carrying non-odorized natural gas from my neighborhood Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale Natural Gas Extraction Fracking Site.

When Chesapeake Energy installed a new version of the Welcome to the Woodhaven neighborhood installation it was not an eyesore.

Now, a few months later, the welcome to the Woodhaven neighborhood installation is a weed infested mess.

Is this some sort of visual metaphor representing the ongoing damage Chesapeake Energy has done and is doing to Fort Worth and the surrounding area?

The City of Fort Worth used to get cranky with soon to be former Fort Worther, soon to be Marfian, Don Young, because of his natural landscaping. Is the City of Fort Worth going to get equally cranky with Chesapeake Energy over the mess Chesapeake Energy has made at the northwest corner of Boca Raton Boulevard and Bridgewood Drive?

I suspect not. And that is sort of perplexing....