Merry Christmas & Happy New Decade From Tootsie Tonasket

This morning in my mailbox I found a Christmas card from one of my favorite Eastern Wsshingtonians.

Aunt Alice.

Also known as Tootsie Tonasket.

I first came to know Tootsie Tonasket back near the start of the current century when Tootsie emailed me a question after she saw my webpage about the Branch-Davidians and Mount Carmel.

Somehow Tootsie mis-understood and thought I was a survivor of that massacre and so she had some rather interesting questions to ask the answers to which I did not have.

Thus begun what is now almost two decades of emails, text messages, letters and phone calls.

I have seen Aunt Alice through getting on MySpace, and then Facebook, finding a long lost sister, getting rid of Uncle Albert, SWAT raids due suspected purloined deer, the shock of Cousin Wade being murdered by an Omak policeman.

And much much more.

Aunt Alice has now rid herself of the house she shared with Uncle Albert, and has now moved atop a mountain near Tonasket, where she is currently in the process of acquiring a she shed and possibly a snow plow due to already having way too much of the white stuff piling up.

I thought Aunt Alice would make a good roommate for mom, but that arrangement never came to fruition.

Getting this card and letter today from Aunt Alice has reminded me that I have some letter writing to do. Along with some happy birthday wishing.

Merry Christmas, Aunt Alice.

And I'm sure the new decade is gonna be your best ever...

Pre Winter Communing On Wichita Bluff Nature Area

Already we are at day 11 of the 2019 version of December.

Only ten more days, give or take a day, til winter arrives.

Today I felt the need to commune with nature, and so I used my mechanized motor device to take me to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area where I soon found myself sitting on my favorite bench doing that communing with nature thing, whilst gazing north across the prairie bluff listening to the roar of jets doing their training thing.

Today before getting benched I came upon a trio of French mademoiselles speaking loudly in their nature tongue. One frequently comes upon foreigners whilst hiking the bluffs.

Or in ALDI.

Usually the foreigners are in this land which is foreign to them due an association with Sheppard Air Force Base, which is a NATO training facility.

I always wonder if Wichita Falls is these foreigners only exposure to America.

Some of that which one sees in Wichita Falls, and other towns I have seen in Texas, I never saw the likes of til I arrived in the South.

I was just remarking on this fact today whilst driving from the Bluffs to ALDI, driving north on Lawrence road, asking the co-pilot if he had any memory of ever seeing anything like this in any other west coast town.

For some reason when a building goes defunct in Texas, like a motel, or any business, the structure is allowed to deteriorate into being a rundown eyesore. I have never understood why this is considered okay in Texas.

When asking about this I get told nonsense about property rights. They are big on property rights, apparently, except when it comes to abusing eminent domain to take someone's property. A phenomenon which I also never witnessed whilst observing west coast towns.

Perplexing...

Mystery Of Missing Tacoma Amazon Package Solved

Yesterday I made mention of the fact of an Amazon package that had not arrived which the sender told me was supposed to have been already delivered multi days prior.

As in last Wednesday.

I was told this was a large package, thus it likely would not have gone airborne in a strong wind if Amazon had left the package on my porch.

Yesterday I also mentioned another package, one that had arrived, but which, though the address was correct, the recipient does not reside at my address.

So, this morning I ventured to the mailroom where I passed off the erroneous package to someone else to handle. I then made mention of the fact of the missing Amazon package. I was then informed that several packages were in the mailroom, awaiting being united with their rightful recipient.

And so the mystery of the missing Amazon package was solved.

I soon secured a hand-truck so as to easily roll the HUGE package back to my abode. Eventually I was able to navigate up a series of stairs and into my entry zone where I posed the HUGE box for photo documentation purposes.

Which is what you see above.

I then texted the sender of the HUGE box to ask if this was something I should open now, or was it intended that I wait for the regular Christmas package opening time frame.

I was quickly advised that I should open the box now. I proceeded to do so, to soon find something inside the box which I suspect will be greatly improving the days to follow in a mighty fine way.

Thanks, Tacoma Trio & Parental Units. I needed that...

Missing Tacoma Amazon Package With Erroneous Package From Akron

Yesterday, with that day being the one known as Saturday, I checked to see if anything was in my mailbox, and found a key which opened a bigger mailbox in which I found that which you see here.

I looked at the label to see who it was who sent this to me to see a name, Brenda K, from Akron, Ohio, with the recipient being Cary C, at my specific address.

I know no Brenda K, and there is no Cary C at my address, so this package was not for me. I could see this was an Ebay thing, with Brenda trying to send something to Cary, which went awry somehow, into my mailbox.

Minutes after I returned to my abode I texted my Tacoma sibling to thank her for the card, with photos of David, Theo and Ruby, I had received the day before. I blogged about that card and photos in Happy December Thanksgiving From Tacoma.

Seconds later a text came back asking "Did you happen to get a package as well?"

This seemed just a tad spooky, asking me this minutes after getting the erroneous package from Ohio.

Turns out this was nothing but a coincidence. My sister had nothing to do with the package from Ohio. Apparently the package my sister was asking about was sent via Amazon and Amazon had indicated to my sister that the package had been delivered last Wednesday.

Later last night, as I found myself wondering what my sister was sending me, I remembered one of the text messages telling me it was a large package, the size of multiple shoe boxes.

Last month I had lamented with my sister about never having mom's Christmas cookies again, particularly the almond paste based versions.

My sister then told me she had a supply of almond paste along with mom's recipes, and that when I am in Tacoma next summer perhaps we could try and replicate mom's baking.

So, last night a momentary light bulb came on in my imagination and I thought, oh, it must be Christmas cookies that is stuck in mailing limbo.

And then I remembered the missing package was from Amazon, not a Tacoma kitchen.

So, the mystery continues...

Boardwalk Coming To Lake Wichita Park Place

The long talked about Lake Wichita Revitalization Project finally has a project underway.

Earth began being moved this past week near the Lake Wichita spillway, which is near the long gone former Lake Wichita boardwalk and pavilion.

I rolled my bike wheels to Lake Wichita dam this first Saturday of the 2019 version of December to find the spur off the Circle Trail atop the dam blocked by the orange fence you see my handlebars pointing at.

An earthmoving device was moving from the lake to the nearby parking lot. But I could not discern what was being moved. Or where it was being moved. All I was able to make note of was the earthmoving device was doing something to one spot on the parking lot.

It was a couple years ago I attended, along with a lot of other people, some sorta ceremony at this same location marking the start of some aspect of the lake's revitalization. I remember a half million buck check being given by Patterson Auto. And speechifying about the Army Corps of Engineers having approved something which was going to facilitate this project finally being realized.

And then nothing much has been happening, til now.

Above I am standing at the same location, but oriented to the northwest, looking across the current fishing pier and Mount Wichita hovering over the horizon in the distance.

As you can see, today was a dead calm day, no wind, pleasant temperature. A perfect day for a long bike ride.

And then I got home to find something disturbing in my mailbox. I may make mention of that tomorrow...

Happy December Thanksgiving From Tacoma Trio

I did not check my mailbox yesterday til after dark.

I'm talking about the old-fashioned mailbox, the one which holds envelopes on which stamps have been attached. A few days can go by between times I check the mailbox. I think the most recent checking was on Wednesday.

Anyway, last night I found an envelope from Tacoma. When I opened the envelope I found a card. When I opened the card three photos fell out.

And on the card I saw "Happy Thanksgiving" written by mama Michele.

The three photos were Ruby, David and Theo.

I arranged the photos and the card on my computer table and took the photo you see above.

A few months ago I was fairly certain I was going to be seeing Ruby, David and Theo, and their parental units, in Arizona, during the week in which Thanksgiving occurred. But, that did not come to pass.

My current next expected time to see Ruby, David and Theo is next summer. I am looking forward to having myself a mighty fine time with that fun trio. I am also hoping to see Spencer Jack. And Spencer's cousin, Hank Frank, for the first time. Along with Spencer and Hank's parental units.

I have not yet decided whether or not it is a good idea to bring my mountain bike along. Theo has become quite the mountain biker since last I rolled with him and his siblings. And Tacoma has some mighty fine mountain bike trails.

Shocked US News Did Not Rank Texas Best State In America

Email last night from Spencer Jack's Mount Vernon, Washington office.

The email only included that which you see here, along with a link to a US News & World Report report titled Best States Rankings Measuring outcomes for citizens using more than 70 metrics.

Of course I assumed the reason Spencer Jack and Jason were emailing me this had to be that Texas had come in #1 when US News & World Report ranked the states.

I clicked on the link and read the first two paragraphs of the article before I got to the rankings, where I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to see which state ranked #1.

First those first two paragraphs...

Some states shine in health care. Some soar in education. Some excel in both – or in much more. The Best States ranking of U.S. states draws on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the metrics take into account a state’s economy, its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, its public safety, the fiscal stability of state government, and the opportunity it affords its residents.

More weight was accorded to some state measures than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people. Health care and education were weighted most heavily. Then came state economies, infrastructure, and the opportunity states offer their citizens. Fiscal stability followed closely in weighting, followed by measures of crime & corrections and a state's natural environment.

Well, reading some of what the criteria is for these rankings had me worrying maybe Texas might not have done as well as I had presumed, what with the metrics measuring health care, education, roads, bridges, the state's economy, public safety and opportunity.

But, I am always hearing, from Texas locals (of the right wing nut job type) about the Texas Miracle.

I have never understood what in the world is meant by that "Texas Miracle" phrase, but it always seems to be tied to supposedly so many Americans escaping their supposedly liberal high tax states to move to cheap liberty loving Texas.

Usually it is Californians escaping California for Texas which are mentioned. With no understanding of the fact that California has a big population, hence statistically you are gonna have more Californians moving around the country, than any other state.

That and the fact that California has what would be the world's 5th largest economy if it were an independent nation. California businesses, when expanding to other less prosperous states, such as Texas, move some of their California employees to run whatever business moved part of an operation to Texas.

Now, let us finally find out which state US News & World Report ranked as the Best State in America.

Oh my, I am truly shocked, it is my old home state of Washington which is the Best State in America.

I am additionally shocked that Texas is not even in the Top Ten. This must be fake news. Or a product of the corrupt left wing media.

Let's scroll down the list til we find Texas.

Okay, scrolling past the Top Ten, we are almost to the Bottom Ten when we finally find the Texas location on the Best State list, coming in at #38.

That does not seem too good a place to be for an imaginary miracle.

When I saw that in the "Natural Environment" category Washington only ranked #14 I was perplexed. I figured natural environment meant something like ranking a state for scenery diversity, or some similar type thing.

The article explains what is meant... "The natural environment ranking looks at the quality of air and water in a state, as well as exposure to pollution and toxins."

Still perplexing, what with Washington having relatively clean air and water, at least compared to other locations I have witnessed. That and a lot less litter.

If the ranking for "Natural Environment" had been based on scenic diversity I would have had California at #1, what with that state's long coastline, beaches, mountains, Yosemite, Death Valley, redwood, sequoias, along with manmade scenic wonders like the Golden Gate Bridge.

Utah would be my pick for most scenic state, though that state does not have the most diverse scenery. Arizona is also rather scenic, as are Wyoming, Montana, Oregon and several others. Like Alaska, Hawaii and Florida.

I would never have guessed the state US News ranks as #1 for quality of air and water and exposure to pollution and toxins. Or scenic diversity.

Rhode Island.

Are there lakes and rivers in Rhode Island? Is the state big enough to account for any air pollution which might hover above?

I will be returning to the Best State in America next summer, for the first time since 2017. Big Ed is also returning to his former old home state, for the first time since 2002. He has been back to modern America since 2002, only once, that being a month in Arizona in 2018. He experienced some culture shock at that point in time, and now we learn that Arizona is only the 34th Best State in America, barely better than Texas, so that Arizona shock was nothing compared to what awaits on the west coast.

Yes, Washington is going to be a bit of culture shock for Big Ed.

The air clear, clean and smelling of Christmas trees. Little litter. Everything looking clean and new. The state liquor stores closed, with booze now sold in grocery stores (unlike Texas where large parts of the state haven't gotten the memo that Prohibition ended a long time ago). Pot stores. Many more casinos than when last Big Ed visited Washington. Multiple Cabela's sporting goods stores (you know the store that was gonna give Fort Worth the imaginary biggest tourist attraction in Texas). Ballot boxes like mailboxes, for easy voting. Light rail now covering many miles, with many more under construction. The Seattle skyline hugely altered, after years of never seeing the Fort Worth skyline change. The Seahawk stadium where the Kingdome used to be. The Amazon campus. The new transit tunnel under downtown Seattle which began construction at the same time Fort Worth started trying to build three little bridges over dry land. The embarrassing homeless camps along I-5 through downtown Seattle. And much much more, like the Tacoma waterfront.

I wonder what it would take to make a state in the condition Texas is in into the Best State in America? Better education? A dose of progressive enlightenment? Better leaders? An end to Republican dominance? More Californians moving east...

Lillian Mae McGregor Candy Canes Burns MSU Fantasy Of Lights

I do not remember if that which you see above was something I have seen previously whilst visiting the MSU Burns Fantasy of Lights. I know I have previously known the story told on this installation, explaining how the Fantasy of Lights came to be.

You can read the text on the historical marker type sign below, and then below that a closeup look at Lillian Mae McGregor, in Christmas mode, with candy canes, near the end of her life in Wichita Falls...

 Christmas 1916 

 Lillian Mae McGregor and Lester Thomas Burns were newlyweds living in Wichita Falls. They displayed a small Christmas tree on their front porch for neighbors to enjoy and thus was born the "fantasy of lights." In 1928 Lillian and L.T. built a home on the corner of Clarinda St. and Harrison Blvd. and each year added a new display. For the next forty-three years, sharing the Christmas spirit was their passion. Midwestern State University adopted the displays and continues this wonderful tradition. Lillian and L.T.'s spirits live on for all children and adults to enjoy. Look around, you might even see her handing out candy canes! 

 Merry Christmas to all!

After dark, last night, I found myself driving down Taft Boulevard where I saw the Fantasy of Lights lit up, along with all the lights on all the buildings of MSU. And the nearby Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls neighborhood, also lit up in full holiday season mode.

An impressive display of the Christmas spirit.

And last night the Fantasy of Lights was crowded with holiday celebrators walking the trails through the displays. I think the volume must be turned up when the sun goes down because I could hear the music as I drove by with my windows up.

For my eyes, the Wichita Falls Fantasy of Lights, and the surrounding university and neighborhood, is even more impressive than the formerly most impressive like thing I have ever seen, that being Arlington's Interlochen neighborhood's lighting extravaganza.

This Christmas season I must remember to do an after dark drive through the Wichita Falls Beverly Hills. There is a mansion there in the Southwest Arizona/New Mexico adobe style, which I saw yesterday whilst rolling by on my bike, has luminarias on the ground all over the property.

I first saw luminarias as a Christmas light thing way back in the year 1999, visiting mom and dad over Christmas, in Yuma. Dad drove us to a hilly Yuma neighborhood which lingers strong in my memory due to all the luminarias, and all the people sitting outside, beside the road, offering drinks and treats to those driving by. I had never seen anything like it, previously, or since...

Hank Frank Visits Great-Grandpa Jack & Great-Grandma Shirley's Future Final Home

Incoming text message, with the photo you see above, from Hank Frank and Spencer Jack's grandpa Jake, with the text saying "Henry visited his great-grandpa today."

I can see via this photo that the monument in Lynden's Monumenta Cemetery has already been edited to include mom. Til now I was not aware this had already happened.

We are currently scheduled to move mom into her final home with dad, next August 6, which is mom and dad's anniversary.

I do not do well at math, but I think this will be mom and dad's 69th, or 70th anniversary together.

Why Seattle Seahawks Will Not Beat Dallas Cowboys In Super Bowl

This blogging falls into the category of seeing something in an online west coast newspaper, usually the Seattle Times, which I would not be expecting to see in a Texas newspaper, usually the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, about a similar thing happening in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro zone.

In this case the thing one does not see in D/FW is the local NFL team winning a game and taking over first place in NFC West, East, North or South.

As long as I have been in Texas I have been reading and hearing the North Texas locals lamenting about the Dallas Cowboys never seeming to have themselves a mighty fine winning team.

When I lived in Washington I recollect the Seattle Seahawks being like the Dallas Cowboys, as in never making it to a playoff game, let alone the Super Bowl.

Since I have been in Texas the Seahawks have made it to more than one Super Bowl. I think they won the Super Bowl once, maybe twice. My memory of this type thing ain't all that great, and I don't think the need for the actual number is great enough to warrant consulting Google.

Earlier in this century when the town of Arlington, in cahoots with Jerry Jones, he being the hapless owner of the Dallas Cowboys, went for a record breaking level of abusing eminent domain to dislodge hundreds of citizens and businesses so as to have enough land onto which to build a giant homage to a space ship serving as a football stadium.

Years ago I webpaged this blight of Dallas Cowboy Stadium eminent domain abuse, with that eminent domain abuse being the primary reason Tarrant County is known as the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of America, with that title made even more solid when Fort Worth went in for some outrageous eminent domain abuse in order to take property for its ill-advised, ineptly implemented economic development scheme disguised as un-needed flood control.

Way back when I was shocked to see all the homes, apartment complexes and business taken away for a sports stadium I opined that the bad karma of this will likely keep the Dallas Cowboys from ever being in another Super Bowl, and would put an end to the Cowboys being known as America's Team.

As of 2019, both bad karma results seem to be happening. There are fans of the Dallas Cowboys over a quarter century old who have never seen the team play in a Super Bowl.

Eminent domain was not used or abused to get the land on which to build the Seattle Seahawks stadium. All they had to do was blow up the Kingdome and build a new structure in its place.

I saw the above on Facebook this morning. Seeing this caused me to wonder anew if this will finally be the year I secure an invite to the legendary Knappson Super Bowl Party. Those tickets are even harder to get in a year when the Seahawks are in the big game...

UPDATE: Ex footballer, or long distance jobber, Bruce F., points out that it is impossible for the Seattle Seahawks to play the Dallas Cowboys in a Super Bowl, unless one or the other moves from the NFC to the AFC. I probably should have already realized this...