New Zealand Family's Seattle Visit Reminds Me Of Fort Worth's Infamous Trinity River Vision Boondoggle

I blogged about that which you see, in the above screencap, on my Washington blog, in a blog post titled Visiting Seattle With The New Zealand Family.

Click the link to read the reason I was visiting Seattle with the New Zealanders. And how I came to know this family of four.

The reason I am making mention of this on my Texas blog is because one part of the video made me think of something in Texas which has bugged me for decades now.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle.

Ironically, the very day I posted the blog post about the New Zealanders visiting Seattle, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram had a long article about the current sad status of America's slowest, dumbest, most inept public works project.

I'll blog about this latest piece of distorted Star-Telegram propaganda later.

Back to the above screen cap of the mom and dad New Zealanders. They are walking on the re-built Seattle Waterfront.

This video, which you can see via clicking the above link, is the first time I have seen video of the new Seattle Waterfront. To say I was impressed is to understate. I was super impressed. Gone is the double decker elevated highway, replaced with a wider road and wider promenade, and other features.

That and a new transit tunnel under downtown Seattle, replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

The rebuilding of the Seattle Waterfront was a complex engineering feat, involving removing a highway, digging a tunnel. And other things.

All of which began about a decade after Fort Worth began its pitiful Trinity River Vision, a supposed vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme. So vitally needed the Fort Worth public was never asked to vote to support a bond issue to pay for it. The bizarre vision was touted as being transformative, creating a Fort Worth waterfront, with an imaginary island, connected to the Fort Worth mainland by three little freeway overpass type bridges, which took an astonishing seven years to build.

Over dry land.

If I remember correctly, the Seattle Waterfront project was started around the time Fort Worth had a TNT exploding ceremony to celebrate the start of constructing those bridges, with Seattle's waterfront renovation completed well before the seven years Fort Worth took to build those three little bridges over dry land, with, years later, those bridges still waiting for a cement lined ditch to be dug under them, with Trinity River water diverted into the ditch, creating the imaginary island, with the three bridges connecting that imaginary island to the Fort Worth mainland.

I can't imagine how long it might take Fort Worth to try to do something like dig a transit tunnel under its puny downtown. A half century?

The Polar Vortex Has Arrived Chilling Wichita Falls

Usually the temperature gets warmer as the hours of the day pass by, before going down when the sun dips under the horizon.

But, as you can see, via the screencap, this fifth day of the new year of 2025 is not behaving normally, with the temperature getting colder and colder after the sun's return.

The predicted damaging wind has also arrived, wreaking havoc with my patio furniture.

I will not be doing any extensive salubrious outdoor walking today, what with the windchill making 33 degrees really feel like 18 degrees.

I may do my daily hiking at Walmart....
 

Incoming Polar Vortex Coming In Strong Tomorrow

Snow has now been dropped from the coming, second week of 2024 weather forecast. With the incoming Polar Vortex still coming in Sunday, as previously predicted.

Today's predicted drizzling has yet to drizzle. 

Sunday's predicted damaging winds must be expected to be caused by strong gusts, not mentioned in the NW 22 mph steady wind forecast.

Winter is only a couple weeks old, and I am already tired of it...

Remembering Pawnee Lane, Elsie Hotpepper & Rumors About Being Forced Out of Fort Worth

Last night I found myself scrolling through my email archive, finding myself disturbed a time or two to come upon an email, which had been opened, which I didn't remember reading. These were all from the last year, so not all that long ago.

Age related memory loss is my explanation.

Among the emails I did not remember was one from my Favorite Nephew Jason, aka FNJ.

The house I built before moving to Texas was on the market again. Jason emailed me the listing and the above photo he took of the deck above the carport, with Jason remarking "I always loved your house on Pawnee and the big roof deck."

I can see a screen door has been added. Which looks tacky. When I had control of this roof deck it was covered with plants, hanging baskets, a couple barrels with big blueberry bushes, planters for strawberries and herbs, like basil. I miss having a constant supply of fresh basil.

And a BBQ grill. I did a lot of BBQing. There was also a deck on the other side of the house, out of the kitchen. That deck had multiple levels. The intention was to put a hot tub there, but that never happened.

Another of the emails I found, which I did not remember, was one I would have thought I would have remembered, what with the fact I replied to the sender and forwarded it to the party referenced in the email.

Way back when I lived in the D/FW zone, east Fort Worth to be precise, I was a bit of a rabble rouser. A rabble rousing cohort rabble roused with me, who I came to refer to as Elsie Hotpepper. Elsie Hotpepper started up a blog to have a venue to verbalize about D'FW issues.

Anyway, here is that email, which referenced concern for Elsie Hotpepper's welfare and blog, from April of 2023, with names omitted...

Hi

I am trying to find out what happened to the blogger on the Star Telegraph that has been blogging forever but suddenly disappears in October 2022. I ask because Tarrant County is known for its brutal retaliation towards truth tellers, and I was wondering if you might know if this person is okay. I am scared to death to even be writing this as this county is so corrupt in every sector and I find out more and more each day. Unfortunately, whistleblowers are taken out in Texas. Anyway, thank you for your time….

To which, back in April of 2023, I replied with...

She is fine. She just got less motivated to post on her blog. Just last week she text messaged something she wanted me to put on her long dormant blog. I told her she forgot she had to send me such via email so I could copy and paste. That was days ago. She has not gotten around to emailing me the info. It's about the current TRWD Board election. I often did her postings, at her direction. I was who talked her into doing the blogging thing, years ago. I sure do not miss living in Tarrant County.

And then this more elaborate reply to my reply...

Haha, I was trying to hide my email but that didn’t work. I’m in big trouble. I have found out way too much and I need to walk away because I will lose everything with the way they retaliate here. It’s brutal. I was just trying to be a voice for the voiceless, our wildlife. They literally have nowhere to go as the destruction of habitat in Northwest Tarrant is out of control and zoning commissioner LF has been approving at an unprecedented rate. I can tell you more later how this got started, my curiosity. 

Every safe person I feel is trustworthy ends up not being so, not even the Texas Scorecard. Well, I have my suspicions.

 Anyway, I read somewhere that you were forced out or something along those lines and maybe you were joking, but knowing what is going on here, it wouldn’t surprise me. I have finally, after a year of digging, found what I suspected and have proof but don’t want to go missing, incarcerated or hurt my family who have deep connections here. 

Also, I’ve been following these two, PM and LF, for over a year and you are the only one who commented recently on PM and him running. Is everyone here blind or just scared to say anything? All anyone has to do is look up each and every campaign contribution and you are well on your way. They have no shame; the writing is literally on the wall.

Anyway, hope you doing okay. I know I don’t know you but feel like I do because of your work. Please know, all that contribute to the Telegraph, you are being followed, your blogs are being read, and people want to comment but I truly believe people are scared. Thanks for having no fear as I am envious of that. 

_________________________

Never heard from this lady again. I do not recollect ever feeling too threatened, except for one incident where I blogged I was heading to Gateway Park to photo document what I thought was a fracking violation, sucking water out of the Trinity River. 

I got to the location. As I was taking photos a couple trucks showed up, with several men looking a bit menacing. I headed back to my van, walking around the group of menacing looking men. I got to my van to find more trucks showing up, with one blocking my exit. 

I got in the van, started the engine, and then rolled down the window and made it look like I was calling and talking to someone, acting like I was reading vehicle licenses. Suddenly the boss of the group made a signal, signaling everyone to back off and get out of my way.

UPDATE:
Last night, after being unable to find the one email I had actually been looking for, it being one from FNJ, Jason quickly emailed me back confirming my memory of the information was accurate. In my email to FNJ I made mention of seeing another email from him which I did not remember, the one with the photo of the deck in front of my Mount Vernon house you see at the top.

Jason replied with a detailed bit of verbiage, including...

PS — and your Pawnee home pic is in my front room.  I always thought that deck was really cool — especially when covered with plants.

Jason included a photo of the Pawnee home pic in his front room...

I can tell that is Spencer Jack, at the upper right, standing in front of the Riverside bridge across the Skagit River in downtown Mount Vernon. I do not know what to make of the Row to Alaska pamphlet at the lower left. Are those Jason's aunts, Fancy and Clancy, on the cover?

Snow Predicted to Arrive in Texas Second Week of 2025

 Apparently, the predicted incoming Polar Vortex is not coming in til the second week of the New Year.

As you can see, via the above screen cap of the current forecast for my Wichita Falls location, the first Tuesday of the New Year will be the coldest day so far this year, dipping down to 23 degrees.

With the start of the second week of the New Year of 2025 forecasting some snow during next Wednesday's morning.

Last night my interior climate control device was blowing warmed air almost non-stop, or so it seemed, when I'd wake up for a minute or two or three, during the night, hearing that heating device blowing.

I remember when I was younger, significantly younger, I liked a good Winter storm. But that was when I lived on the West Coast, in Western Washington.

I never experienced an Ice Storm til I moved to Texas, experiencing the first of that type disturbing weather event soon upon my arrival in Texas, in December, near the end of the previous century.

Since that first Texas Ice Storm I have experienced many more.

In Western Washington I never experienced the temperature dropping below zero, like it did at my current location, during February, a couple years ago. With the Texas electric grid collapsing, necessitating finding a motel that still had power.

I do not remember a power outage in Washington ever being so dire...

Happy New Year Chilly Walk Around Sikes Lake

I read this morning that something called a Polar Vortex is heading south, due to arrive soon. Last night the temperature at my North Texas location dipped below freezing. 

Does this mean that predicted Polar Vortex is already here?

As you can see, no clouds arrived with the frigidity. The first day of the New Year is a clear blue sky day in Wichita Falls. A chilly blue sky day.

It was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured this New Year's Day morning. As you can see, by seeing the waveless blue lake, the air was dead calm whilst I was doing my nature communing.

I thought there would be a lot of nature communers today, something that always seems to happen at the start of a new year, with a lot of people making a New Year's Resolution to get in better shape.

New Year's Eve Eve Return of The Shadow of the Sikes Lake Thin Man

On this next to last day of 2024, also known as New Year's Eve Eve, it was back to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some high-speed walking.

As you can see, today there is nary a cloud blocking the clear blue sky.

What you cannot see is the temperature was in the 70s, with a strong wind steadily blowing, with gusts gusting, gustily. With some of those gusts gusting so strongly it made remaining vertical difficult.

 As you can see, via the photo documentation of the Shadow of the Sikes Lake Thin Man, the current summer-like heatwave made shorts and a t-shirt the required outerwear today.

Today's heatwave ends tomorrow, if the current forecast turns out to be accurate, with tomorrow's high being in the low 50s.

Today's high is predicted to possibly get into the low 80s.

I do not think today's heatwave will necessitate switching the interior climate control system from heat mode back to air-conditioning mode.

Final 2024 Sunday Using Caution On Mount Wichita

On this final Sunday of 2024, it was to Lake Wichita Park I ventured for some nature communing under a blue sky with the air warmed to a t-shirt and shorts level of warm

When I see the signs warning that one should use caution when climbing the hill, it always causes me to think that I do not think things like hills usually need such a warning.

But, a good steep mountain might warrant such a caution.

And, since the mound I call Mount Wichita is the only thing remotely resembling a mountain anywhere within many miles, methinks the signs should be altered, with the hill word changed to mountain.

Soon after taking the photo of the hill warning sign I saw some mountain climbers braving the steep climb to the summit of Mount Wichita. I could not tell if they were being properly cautious.

After many many months of being nowhere near full pool, Lake Wichita looks to be totally in lake mode, as we head into the new year.

In the view of Lake Wichita in the photo documentation we are on the Circle Trail, looking west, well, maybe slightly southwest.

We are currently scheduled to have a couple more days of non-winter-like temperatures, and then with the new year arriving, so does a cold front.

Back To Lucy Park One More Time In 2024

On this start of the second week of the 2024 version of Winter, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured, likely for the last time, this year, joining throngs of other nature lovers enjoying the return to a mostly cloud-free blue sky, with a temperature well above freezing.

As you can see, looking over the Lucy Park suspension bridge which crosses over the Wichita River, little foliage remains above ground.

Apparently, the national news has been making it sound as if Texas has been hit with tornadoes and violent thunderstorms, as indicated by the queries I have received about such from multiple Washingtonians.

The current Texas tornadoes and thunderstorms have been far to the south and east of my North Texas Wichita Falls location.

No tornadoes or thunderstorms in the current local forecast for the foreseeable future. 

Today the outer world was warmed into the 60s when I was out walking. T-shirt weather....

Brother Jake Reminds Us To Remember Grandma Vera's Birthday

What you see here is the horizontal device in my bedroom, upon which I usually sleep. Why are you seeing my sleeping device at this point in time, you may be wondering?

Well.

Last night, the evening of December 26, the day after Christmas, a few minutes before I was scheduled to watch Amazon Prime broadcast the Seattle Seahawks trying to win their final game of the season, I got a text message on my phone, from my little brother Jake, he being Spencer Jack and Hank Frank's grandpa, and my nephew's, Jason and Joey's, dad.

The text message said...

"124 years young today..."

The text message included the photo below.

It took me a second or two to realize what the text message meant and how it related to the photo.

Grandma Vera, was my mom's mom. Grandma Vea's birthday was December 26. Apparently, according to my brother's calculations, Grandma Vera would have turned 124 years old yesterday.

Grandma Vera endured dealing with serious arthritis which left her fingers sort of gnarled, and which resulted in constant pain.

To alleviate the pain, somewhat, and to keep her fingers able to function, Grandma Vera was a crocheting and knitting machine, churning out dozens of Afghans, knitted caps, mittens and other things made with yarn and needles.

When we were pre-teenagers, Grandma Vera taught me and my brother how to knit. My brother became quite adept at knitting, able to make mittens using multiple needles, and knitted caps. I was not so talented, only able to make simple things, like a scarf.

When I got my brother's text message about Grandma Vera I replied and said I have some Grandma Vera Afghans stored in my abode. I then went looking for them, finding two and a crocheted pillow in my closet.

I took a phone photo of what I found and sent it to my brother.

Then I took one of the Afghans and installed it in bedspread mode on my bed, which is what you see photo documented at the top.

Til I put the Afghan on my bed I did not realize it was so big.

I do not know how many Afghans Grandma Vera made over the years. I know the total number is somewhere in the multiple dozens. All the relatives have at least one Grandma Vera Afghan, as far as I know.

I remember one time when Grandma Vera was giving me an Afghan she remarked that she hoped these things she made helped us remember her. I recollect telling Grandma Vera I'd always remember her for much more than the nice things she made.

Grandma Vera was my free-spirited relative. It was from Grandma Vera I think I got any free-spiritedness that I may possess. 

It is not only relatives who now have Grandma Vera Afghans. Back in October of 2018, when Linda Lou was visiting my mom, in her abode in Sun Lakes, Arizona, Linda Lou verbalized admiration for a white Afghan Linda Lou saw folded on mom's bed.

Mom then gave that Afghan to Linda Lou.

Linda Lou was flying from Arizona to Palm Springs, and had no room for the Afghan, so I drove it back to Texas and then mailed it to Washington.

Methinks it would greatly please Grandma Vera to know her Afghans are very much in play in 2024, and being talked about via newfangled devices that did not exist in Grandma Vera's time.

Anyway, Happy Birthday, Grandma Vera, a day late!