Hiking The Tandy Hills Then Passing Out For The First Time This Century

Something is happening here. What it is is not exactly clear.

I passed out this afternoon and fell asleep in nap mode.

I can not tell you the last time this has happened. I am fairly certain I have not passed out in a nap in this century.

Nor likely in the last decade of the last century.

I got a good night's sleep. No reason to be tired.

And to make it even more disturbing, I passed out in nap mode after drinking a cup of iced coffee. Which should have semi-stimulated me. One would think.

Due to air temperature issues and my pool still not being back at 100% I have temporarily lost the ability to swim. I don't think this is causing some sort of metabolic collapse.

I took off from here sometime after 11 to go to the Tandy Hills for some much needed salubrious aerobicizing. That went fine. Felt no compulsion to fall asleep with Mother Nature.

I did call my sister in Phoenix, well, the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, while I was on the Tandy Hills. I do not think that made me sleepy because I called whilst my sister was busy in an intense card game with visitors from Washington, so we spoke very briefly.

I was a semi-blogging maniac this morning and webpage maker, but not really that much more than the norm. Certainly not enough to cause me to pass out. I don't think I was as maniacal this morning, word-spewing wise, as I was yesterday when I broke a record for most bloggings on my Durango TV Blog. Yesterday I blogged about The Amazing Race. Then later The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Then I saw an amusing video of Sarah Palin's Reality TV Show on TLC, so I blogged about Sarah Palin's Alaska. Hours after that I blogged about Sarah's Daughter Bristol on Dancing with the Stars.

On my Durango Washington Blog this morning, I blogged about I-90  over Snoqualmie Pass.

Meanwhile, on my DurangObesity Blog, this morning I blogged about Gar the Texan's sister's bad experience with having a surgeon alter her body shape for the worse.

Even now I am still feeling groggy.

In the words of my therapist, Dr. L.C., I'm a mess.

A Fort Worth Outpouring Of Support Saves Mimi From The Corrupt Fort Worth Municipal Court System

Yesterday, seriously wounded Iraq Vet Steven Woods' dog, Mimi, thanks to Fort Worth Citizen's efforts, was spared from the Fort Worth Dog Execution Chamber, stopping a Veterans Day Execution Order, issued by yet one more Fort Worth Judge who does not take evidence into account before passing judgement.

Multiple witnesses testified that Mimi was not the biter.

Other evidence showed that Mimi was not even in Fort Worth at the time she was alleged to have committed the biting crime.

Texas has a long sorry history of putting innocents to death. This is just the latest example of a judicial system gone awry.

A few weeks ago Fort Worth's city officials were all atwitter with worry over the damage being done to Fort Worth's pristine reputation, due to one of Fort Worth's neighborhoods being named as the 15th Most Dangerous in America.

I have not read of any Fort Worth city official being all atwitter with worry over the national and maybe international embarrassment that will likely be coming Fort Worth's way when the story of the Iraq Vet, who's dog was sentenced to death on Veterans Day, hits the national airwaves.

I have not read any mention of this latest Fort Worth scandal in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Maybe I missed it. I did see the Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy mentioned the Mimi story on Facebook.

Last night Channel 33, that being the local news source that broke the Mimi Story, reported that some $18,000 has been raised to help Steven Woods and Mimi.

Yesterday, I got an interesting comment from "FW Sucks" about Fort Worth's corrupt Municipal Court System and the lackey judges who help corrupt it...

The municipal courts are just an inept "legal" money-making machine for this corrupt city government. They work hand in glove with the police dept. and code enforcement dept. who write tickets that only take them a few minutes to do but will cost the citizen lots of time and effort to challenge, often without the benefit of a lawyer in going up against the "Night Court" type of city lawyers. Or the citizen can simply give in and pay whatever hundreds of dollars big brother wants to extract from them. Fortunately for this Vet and Mimi there is one local lawyer actually willing to help them (and serve Justice). Of course, the people once again exhibited common decency and generosity that are big parts of the American Way. The judge and the city's system of nonsensical fines and financial demands are consistent with the @#$%$ FW Way. Kudos to citizen reporters like you and the Star Telegraph.

Well, I first learned about Mimi in the Star Telegraph. I only repeated what I read, worded in my own words. No kudos for reporting are deserved by me.

As I understand it, Mimi is still not home with her Vet. A protective fence must be installed first.

Is there not a way an imaginative lawyer could sue the City of Fort Worth, on Mimi and Steven's behalf, for this outrageous violation of Steven Woods' rights? And the mistreatment of Mimi?

A Little Texas Thunder Action Last Night With Ibuprofen Taking Away My Pain

You are looking out my window at a visual representation of my aches and pains on this Tuesday morning of Wednesday, November 16.

I am starting to wonder and worry if I might not be developing an "itis" or an "ism."

As in arthritis, bursitis or rheumatism. I don't recollect doing anything strainful, but something has strained my right shoulder to the point that the pain can be excruciating, especially whilst trying to roll over in bed.

Last night I resorted to taking pain/anti-inflammatory meds in the form of Ibuprofen. This seemed to quickly lessen the aggravation. I'm not a big fan of taking Ibuprofen. But, I am also not a big fan of having an aching pain.

Other than a few bouts of excruciating pain I had a most excellent night's sleep, with no disturbing nightmares that I recollect. And I woke up without the feeling of impending doom that haunted me yesterday.

I heard one thunderclap last night, sometime before midnight. Rain fell for a very short time. Weakest Texas Thunderstorm in my memory. Looking outside this morning at the blue sky and dry ground you'd never guess we had any weather action last night.

Criminally Insensitive Incompetent Fort Worth Judge Issues Veterans Day Execution Order Of A Wounded Iraq War Vet's Innocent Dog, Mimi

You are looking at part of the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, from the Tandy Hills, today around noon.

That is not a Flying Saucer that has landed in downtown Fort Worth. That is a part of the Fort Worth Convention Center that desperately needs to be replaced, due, in part, to it being a very bad example of very bad architecture that is seriously at odds with its surroundings and the rest of the Convention Center.

I read a disturbing blog post on one of the news sources in Fort Worth that prints news the Fort Worth Star Telegram doesn't tell you about. I had to read it in the Star-Telegraph.

Apparently a badly injured Iraq Vet had a dog which his psychiatrist thought would help in the Vet's recovery.  This is a house dog named Mimi. A neighbor accused Mimi of biting his finger. Mimi was arrested and thrown in to Fort Worth Dog Jail, where she quickly lost weight.

On Veterans Day, yet one more bad Fort Worth judge, who probably should not be a judge, sentenced Mimi to death, despite multiple character witnesses attesting to her innocence.

The judge ordered Mimi's execution unless, within 15 days, the Vet comes up with $1,000 of fees, $100,000 liability insurance and a 6 foot enclosure on his property.

I have seen embarrassing things happen in Fort Worth, before, but this outrageously horrible treatment of a Vet and the abusive treatment of his dog, Mimi. And the sentencing of yet one more innocent Texan to death, with no evidence proving guilt. Well. I am appalled.

There are some reports, that I have been unable to confirm, that this travesty has a happy ending. That Mimi has had a stay of execution and has been reunited with the Vet, who calls her "my little girl."

UPDATE: The Star-Telegraph is now reporting that all the money needed to rescue Mimi has been raised. Mimi will be released from custody, after she is spayed, and returned to the Vet, Steven Woods. A Veterinarian has agreed to provide Mimi free medical service for life.

Fort Worth is full of very nice, very generous, very decent people, sadly, with a city government and municipal court system not worthy of the people.

Impending Doom In Texas On The Ides Of November

As you can see looking out the window of my computer room, it is yet one more nice day in Texas.

It is already the Ides of November, Monday, November 15.

It seems just like yesterday I was lamenting it being the Ides of October, with time zipping so quickly Halloween would soon be upon us, followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My least favorite time of the year. I think possibly due to repressed memories of childhood Christmas trauma.

I had myself a night of nightmares last night. It was not pleasant.

My night of nightmares last night has me filled with a sense of dread this morning. The overarching feeling that something real bad is about to happen.

I don't know if this premonition of impending doom is something that happens to me personally. Or some awful other event, like a nuclear bomb accidentally exploding.

All I know, for sure, is I've got the jitters and drinking coffee this morning is not helping.

Overheating On The Tandy Hills While Talking To The Queen Of Wink & Tootsie Tonasket

I overheated on the Tandy Hills today, slightly. Wearing a long sleeve t-shirt over another t-shirt was a mistake. I thought it was in the lower 40s when I left my abode. I thought wrong.

The leaves on some of the Tandy Hills trees looked like they'd aged overnight.

I just got off the phone with the Queen of Wink. She told me it froze last night in Wink. I'm wondering if it froze here last night? That would explain the change in  the Tandy Hill's tree's leaf condition.

I had an encounter with 2 very large dogs today. They saw me and turned and ran, I assume back to their human. But, they made me nervous, so I took off running. I did not realize I was so easily able to run.

That is not a re-enactment of me running in the picture above. That is just regular hiking, not running.

Tootsie Tonasket called on the way to the Tandy Hills to talk about her new restaurant, named Alice's Restaurant. You can't get everything you want at Alice's Restaurant. Just sandwiches, soup, cookies and pies. Tootsie Tonasket is a gourmet level cook. Her blackberry pie and cookies are legendary in Tonasket.

Cooking Cod & Shivering On A Cold Texas Sunday Morning

It is only 5 degrees above freezing this Sunday morning of November 14. The temperature differential between inside and outside has condensation clouding the windows, slightly, for the first time of this current cold time of the year.

I awakened with a slight headache. I am almost 100% certain this was not caused by last night's Trainwreck experience in Burlington.

It was 3 weeks ago, yesterday, that I discovered my bike had been stolen. The feeling of having my security violated is fading. Somewhat.

I have absolutely no idea what I am doing today, besides cooking the cod I caught at Town Talk yesterday.

Blog Post 3,002 With The Return Of The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Thin Man & Obese Chinese

I was off by 2 in my count of the number of postings on this blog. Yesterday I said that there were currently 2,997 bloggings.

However, the number was actually 2,999, which made last night's blogging about Nick and Nora Charles' Thin Man Heavy Drinking the 3,000th blogging.

With this current blogging, when I hit the publish button, being blogging 3,002.

Anyway, today the Shadow of the Thin Man was able to return to the Tandy Hills, which were mostly totally dried out from Friday's water soaking.

It was in the high 40s, maybe low 50s, when I hit the hills around noon. I felt no inclination to remove any clothing due to overheating. I did pull up the long sleeves after a bit of hiking.

I'm thinking we must be in some sort of perfect conditions to produce spectacular color this fall in Texas. There are some trees on a golf course I see on Randol Mill Road with leaves that glow with an unnatural reddish orange. I have seen this every fall since I have been in this location. But this fall the unnatural reddish orange seems to have been amped up. I must try to get a picture.

Betty Jo Bouvier was exchanging emails with me this morning, until it made her head hurt with the onset of crankiness. Betty Jo needs to be in a good mood because she is going to be in a Trainwreck later today.

Tootsie Tonasket called with a question whilst I was hill hiking today. I can't say what the question was because I don't know the answer.

Big Ed went with me hiking the Tandy Hills today. That never goes well. Today it was respiratory failure, with wheezing and extremely labored breathing. I think he needs an oxygen tank like the Scrabble Queen of Washington mentioned to me this week. I really don't think people with serious respiratory problems should be doing heavy duty hiking.

I got cod at Town Talk today. I used to get cod for free. Fresh cod. Caught via the fishing method out in the San Juan Islands in Washington. Coincidentally I blogged about the San Juan Islands on my Washington Blog this morning.

On my DurangObese blog this morning I blogged about the Chinese Obesity Epidemic. I had no idea there were 215 million obese Chinese people. More obese Chinese than obese Americans.

November 13 and my windows are open. Not normal.

Saturday Morning With A Pool Half Empty, A Divorce From Skinny, A Horror Story From Carlotta & A Weird Email From A Cousin With Deep Fried Turkey

Looking out from my patio prison cell bars you'd think the pool was back full of water, due to looking blue again. You would be wrong. It is only about a third full. It will likely take til late Sunday to get full.

I don't think we got any of the predicted rain and lightning, yesterday, in my zone of Texas. We did get a lot of wind. Which blew down a tree across John T. White Road, which made an interesting return, last night, as I was heading west, back to here.

This morning I was shocked to see a message from "Skinny" in which he or she says he or she is divorcing me, due to my inability to learn the proper nomenclature for critter and flora sightings on the Tandy Hills. "Skinny" suggests I focus some attention on the best part of Texas. That being the Trans Pecos area of West Texas.

But I have already been all over Big Bend Country, to places like Terlingua and Marfa and Fort Davis and Alpine and Wink. I just have not gone there (too much) on this blog.

I heard from Carlotta Camano this morning, telling me a teacher horror story. I used to think teachers were paid sufficiently, what with that long summer vacation they get every year. For some time now I have changed my mind and think teachers are underpaid.

I also heard from one of my cousins and his wife this morning, via email. I'd not heard from them in a long time. I don't know what to make of this bizarre email.

Subject: URGENT HELP NEEDED!!! Mike & Karen Jones

Am so sorry that I didn't inform you about our trip,I'm writing this with tears in my eyes,I came down here to Wales,United Kingdom for a short vacation unfortunately I Was mugged at the park of the hotel where We Logged all cash,credit card and cell were stolen Away From us but luckily for me i still have my Life And passports with me

I've been to the embassy and the Police here but they're not helping issues at all and my flight leaves in less than hours from now but having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager won't let me leave until i settle the bills,I'm freaked out at the moment.

Thanks
Mike & Karen Jones

Are they trying to be funny? Is this some sort of Nigerian scam parody? I don't get it. This email was sent to multiple "undisclosed recipients."

Tonight I expect to be connected, via I-Phone Face Talk, or whatever it is called, to a virtual visit to the Trainwreck in Burlington, Washington. I await this virtual visit with eager anticipation.

Switching the subject to Thanksgiving. This is the time of year my Eyes on Texas website gets a lot of hits due to people looking for info about Deep Frying Turkey. A couple days ago a guy named Dave told me the method I described to measure the amount of oil needed was erroneous and could lead to a bad accident. Like a fire. I don't know where I got the original frying instructions. They seemed completely credible to me.

The sun has now totally lit up the place. But no swimming for me.

UPDATE: Above my memory failed me when I said we got none of yesterday's predicted rain and lightning yesterday in my zone of Texas. I forgot that around noon heavy rain thwarted my plan to go hiking on the Tandy Hills. I saw no lightning, though, and heard no thunder.

The Shadow Of The Thin Man Was Not On The Texas Tandy Hills Today

Clouds rendered no Shadow on the Tandy Hills, today, of this particular Thin Man. Meaning me.

The re-filling process of my pool has begun. It takes a long time. I hope a heavy downpour is incoming to help with the process.

The Thin Man movies, starring one of my all time favorite actresses, she being Myrna Loy, as Nora Charles and William Powell, as Nick Charles, may be my favorite movie series. Hollywood just does not make them like this anymore.

Nick and Nora's heavy drinking, just shortly after the ending of Prohibition, seems borderline scandalous, looking back at it, now, from our more Puritan times.

If you've not watched any of the Thin Man movies, you really should. But start with the early ones, not the ones towards the end of the series. The early ones are the classics.

The first Thin Man movie was, appropriately, titled The Thin Man. It came out in 1934. Followed by After the Thin Man in 1936. Then Another Thin Man in 1939. Shadow of the Thin Man in 1941. The Thin Man Goes Home in 1945. And the last of the series, Song of the Thin Man in 1947.

Below is a video compilation of Nick and Nora Charles and their boozy behavior in the Thin Man movies....