Message Forum

DOD, I have a solution for your sock drawer dilemma. Select the most worn pair and convert it to rice socks or just throw it away. Voila, 48 pairs of socks in the sock drawer. One of my grandads, Jack Knox, used to tell a tale about evening things out. When he and my grandmother Sue used to get together with their good friends the Smiths, Pete and Opal, one of the favorite meals was pinto beans and cornbread to go with ham or brisket. My gandad and Pete were always concerned about making the beans and cornbread come out even. Supposedly this mismanagemen of portion control required several extra servings of beans and additonal pieces of cornbread. Don't know if it is the same thing you are struggling with but it sounds like more fun than counting socks.

Beau since you're invloved with this Extreme Makeover project maybe you can ask someone a question that came to my mind when I read the article in the paper the other day. They have torn down the house that the family was livinging in. It was a 720 sq. ft., one bedroom house that a family of seven was living in in the Third Ward. According to the the Chronicle it was dilapidated. So now the TV hotshots are going to build them a 4500 sq. ft home. How are they going to be able to pay utilities, higher taxes and maintenance and repair on that big a house when they couldn't keep up 720 sq. ft. Helping people out is a wonderful thing but it's not wonderful to set them up to fail. I'm just curious as to what their response would be. Just one of the many things I don't understand.

Your gate does look good. BJ has a very good point. 12 hrs. in this heat isn't a good thing. Pacing yourself is the ticket. Remember only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun.

Just an update on Liz. The Purina Puppy Chow is still working. She's growing. She can now reach over the edge of the kitchen counter. I was making a batch of rolls last night. Had my yeast proofing in a measuring cup. Miss Liz comes trotting around the corner, jumps up and put her delicate paw right on the edge of cup and over it goes. At least it was only a quarter cup of liquid. She's also suddently decided that throw pillows make dandy toys. I think the next few months will be a trial. When the mess is cleaned up and the rolls are in the oven she wants to crawl up in my lap to make up. Was I smart enough to not let her. Heck no. Doggy dad is too big a softy. I've got to come to some other arrangement with her though. With the growth path she is on it won't work in my favor for her to be a lap dog. She is 4 mos. old and weighing in at a lean 22 lbs. She is really going to be a great dog when she is grown.

Every day is a gift, that's why it's called the present,

Rich LH

07/27/10 03:43 PM

#2929

Hey Beau, good luck to you and Coop at your first training session. Based on the pics you've been sending out, Coop's biggest challenge is going to be staying awake while being read to.

I'm up for lunch while you're off the leash. We'll have to go somewhere good. Any man that has been subjected to Chef Boyardee needs good food in his body quickly. Let me know.

07/27/10 10:59 PM

#2930

remember those who are still grieving,pat and skeeter and all who have met tragedy.i think;what a great group of boys and girls turned out to be a great group of friends.i enjoy reading and remembering and thinking good thoughts and reliving good times.god bless you all.

burge

07/28/10 10:42 AM

#2931

I'll give you another AMEN on that Burge! Remembering the good times of the past is very important. It's also very important to have current good times. This Forum is a good time. I've gotten to know people here and at Fuddruckers that I didn't know well or at all in HS. Getting to know the people you did know on an adult level is a good thing too. It's comforting to know there are people you can reach out to who will reach back. For whatever reason we stay too isolated in our society. Much of it self imposed. Anyway everyone stay in touch it's important!

DOD, how did Cooper do on his first night of Service Dog Training? Does he get a say in what is read to him? Is he a John Steinbeck fan or Louis L'Amour, Robert B. Parker or perhaps Ernest Hemingway?

And keep on dancing,

Rich LH

07/28/10 07:15 PM

#2932

RichLH, Sir Cooper was dognificent. Couldnt a been more proud of him if he had been my own dog...well, burn my clothes, he is!!!!! The event was held at my "little country church in the city", so I saw quite a few volunteers from there, working on paper work and the logistics! When we first got there, the parking lot was packed, which looked funny, because it is never packed! I thought we had shown up at the wrongest place at the wrongest time!!! We went inside, and there were about 10 or more dogs already there, and they were still coming in after we were inside!!! All in all, about 20 dogs and 50 or more people! I was surprised at the turnout! And nervous! Coop gets a little antsy when other dogs are around!

When we got there, one dog was barking a high pitched constant bark, which prompted a couple of others to chime in, which prompted Big Coop to voice his opinion! After a couple of plaster cracking, window rattling barks from the big guy, the others shut up. "Im here, so shut up" coop seemed to be saying! But the one dog that had started it all, continued. Gave me and everyone around a headache! Finally, after a headsplitting 30 minutes of nonstop barking, the dumb owner, went to another part of the hall. I was amazed at how Cooper remained calm! Normally he is very inquisitive and nervous!!! The dog that was doing all the barking, was a Hjbpqzdf Heeler!!! I know, I dont have a clue what they said it was, all I heard was Heeler, and there was no Blue in front of it! All the big dogs, like Coop, were very laid back and docile! He laid at my feet as did all the other big dogs did with their respective owners!

There was one Golden Retriever, that was just the most beautiful dog I have everseen, and I have only seen beautiful dogs! Her eyes looked like they had makeup on them. She was so proud walking, head held high, struting her stuff!!! WOW!!! She seemed to know she was beautiful, it sure showed in her attitude!!! I wish you all could have seen her!!!!!

When it came time for nervous me and Cooper to perform, ie work from a list of commands and maneuvers, Coop performed wonderfully, and almost without flaw! The hardes thing was for me to go out of Coopers sight for 3 minutes! Not hard for cooper, but for me! I kept peeking out from behind the door to see that he was ok! Not to worry, he was entertaining the folks with his antics of wanting to shake everyones hand and lick their chin! He probably didnt know I wasnt in the room! Plus all the kids and some of the adults were ooohing and awing over him, which he just eats up!!!

WE MADE IT!!!! We have our certificate to be a service dog, and just have to send it to the AKC for accreditation, and a wall hanging certificate! Now we have two more classes and COOP WILL BE A BONIFIDE BACKPACK SERVICE DOG!!!!!! Well, HE doesnt fit in abackpack for me to carry, thank goodness, he wears one, which we already have! Yeaaaaaaa!!!!!

They will assign a school to us, and I dont know if it will always be the same school, but we have to volunteer at least 1 and a half hours a week! I dont think that will be a problem! Hey Rich, I'll bet Liz would be a natural at this, when she is ready for school!!!

There is another program that some of the dogs qualified for last night, and I think it was Dogs for Christ or Christian Dogs, or something like that! Now, I'm not trying to be funny here, or facetious, but these dogs will be sponsored by churches, and will go to hospitals and nursing homes. I may also enroll Coop into that program too! He just lives and loves to greet people!!! Needless to say, he had a field day last night! Plus folks perk up when they see him coming!!! In fact, there is a couple of older men in the hood, that are on walkers, assissted by a physical therapist, that we see on our patrol! Coop greets them and they seem to love it! One cant speak because of a stroke, but he speaks volumes with his eyes!!!

One of the tasks Cooper had to perform, was walking in a crowd without bolting or jumping or barking or any other disruptive activity you might expect from a critter! He passed with flying colors. I was nervous about it, because as we walked through the crowd, he kept looking at each child and person and grinning and wanting them to love on him, which they were not allowed to do! But he did great!!!

On the command to sit, and "stay", he kept raising his right paw for me to shake! I was supposed to turn my back and walk about 20 feet away, and then turn and come back! Coop wanted to shake hands instead! But to his credit, he stayed put and shook my hand when I walked back to him, which seemed to be a crowd pleaser! Ol coop was just working that crowd!!! Had to tell him to stay, and then turn my back and go 20 feet and then turn and call him! God love him, he just sat there and raised that right paw!!! So I get down on the floor and call him, and he slooooowwwwly saunters over to me where he promptly sat and shook my hand and licked my chin! That boy!!!!!

I figured we wouldnt pass, because ol coop was just gonna lay around and do nothing, or be distracted by the other dogs! I was wrong!!! He did everything right!!! He was, however, looking for a couch to lay down on! When his couch didnot materialize, he just lay down at my feet!!!

Met some good folks and good dogs last night! Always a plus in my book!!!

I guess Coop was still "head up" from last night, because he hardly touched his breakfast this morn! Always worries me when my critters, which are creatures of habit, break that mold or habit and do something out of character! But, he ate a good dinner, and all of it too!!!

You know, after almost three years, I still have to show cooper where his dinner bowl is, and his water, and it has been in the same place for all that time!!!Plus, I have to tell him it's ok to eat!!! If the rug at the door is not just right when he comes back in the house, or if a cat is in the way, or if anything is out of place, Cooper wont come in, until you; A: remove the cat, and B: remember how everything was when he went out, and get it right!!!! Sometimes his neurotic behavior does get exasperating!!!

Heard from My girls, they were at Cafe' DuMonde! They are having a great time! Went to a AAA ball game last night, the Zephers! To the Aquairium today! Tomorrow they are gonna ride a Paddle wheeler. That one makes me nervous!!! For them!!!!

Gonna go out on patrol with my men...DOD

07/29/10 09:36 PM

#2933

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Hee hee......Beauman, never! But have fun and report in to us out here. For myself I will be more responsive when I get back to work (er...school in Sept.)

07/30/10 05:09 AM

#2934

Bj Brady '65

Beau- I for one (of many) love your interesting reports. There are currently

very few new Forum entries on the Waltrip 65 site. Could be that our

classmates are just busy taking care of daily chores. No need to take

it personally, my friend. Keep it going. BJ

07/30/10 07:03 AM

#2935

its been another cool morning up here in the 'hinderland';a good sign for me and i hope it will continue.heat is the bane of all who like to feel fresh.i guess if you live on a tropical island and love the sand and surf you can disagree.

old beau,you burning out buddy?i think you just miss the girls and are in a quandry as to what that means.keep your bearings and dont give up.i am the pariah,not you.by the way;did george soros invite you to the big wedding?all the new aristocracy will be there,i havnt recieved my invite yet but there is a daily runner from hope ark.who sometime gets out of breath over the thirty miles to texarkana.i remain hopeful that my invitation is just slow getting here.eternal hope and change;when will that damn revolution get here anyway?"they" have been talking about it for 6,000 years now and just cant seem to get it right.but i have faith in our government,after all;they know better than god what is best.i feel their pain.im sure they suffer more than napoleon about the rights of man.how dare we enjoy 'laurel and hardy' or 'buffalo bob' when people in india are hungry.how about a nice steak for all the hindus and a pork chop for the starving of egypt?george soros has enough money to feed china;why doesnt he foot the bill instead of the american tax-payer? thats just such a minor problem to the educated elite of today;i dont know why i bother to even think about it.im as dumb as a box of hammers and twice as slow.

THE 'UPPITY-BUTT' FAMILY IN PARA-PARADISE

07/30/10 07:10 PM

#2936

Robert Derrick

Beau, Rh, etal,

Don't you dare drop out. You all just don't know how many and how often a lot of us sign in and enjoy all your opines.

Stay young everybody

07/31/10 02:55 PM

#2937

Jim Taylor

From HISD July 30 newsletter

Barbara McKay Thornhill

High School Improvement Officer Barbara Thornhill: who previously served as the district's West Region Superintendent, is retiring. Her last day will be August 31, 2010.

07/31/10 08:39 PM

#2938

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Hey BroBeau, Burge, Richard, Jim, Robert D, BJ, Kay and all --- you better believe there's lots of folks on the forum --- they may not join in, but they're reading and enjoying!!!!! Congrats on Coop -- he's a very special dog and will do a fine job just like his master. Richard, Liz is really growing - she can reach the counter and she's just 4 months old - oh, my! And Burge - loved the pics of your "family" even if it was a "behind" photo - cute!

Jim, so Barbara McKay is retiring from HISD -- I'll have to give her a call - we all need to celebrate her retirement. Way to go Barbara!

More good news - Johnny Sheffield is a grandpa again! His daughter gave birth Friday morning at 4:05 a.m. to a beautiful little girl --- Raylea Grace - 7 lbs 13 oz. - 21 inches. Congrats Johnny and Becky!

My daughter, son-in-law and precious grandsons are driving from Kansas and will arrive end of next week and spend the following week with me - so grandma is cleaning, grocery shopping, etc!!!!! It's always amazing how these spare bedrooms seem to "gather" stuff --- so clearing out!

Continue to pray for those on our prayer list - remember the fundraiser for Lindsey Apostolo is on August 14, hope to see many there. If you cannot attend, please help by sending a donation - Skeeter sends his thanks to all for helping and praying for his daughter. Larry Reid '63 and his wife are donating some art work for the silent auction. If you need more info, please see under Announcements on Homepage.

Hugs,

08/01/10 04:10 AM

#2939

beau-beau, put the creedence clearwater hoo-doo to work;thing is i cant type very well and enjoy the subtlty of those backwoods strokes-really different;my mother even liked them-"down on the bayou",cool.i need cool.i like "cool"!

about that "uppity-butt family";every time we "pack";its a joy to watch these little prancer clowns.the chinese bred the demeaner of this most confident critter and gave him an extra skin to protect,and to be autonomous.the high rear and acrched tail says in 'dog body language something like"check it out ;'i can handle it' ". i laugh at them every time i look at the silly things,they know their stuff.this shot i took on a walk this spring;ping is leader,her puppy following mama,and that gentleman boy dog watching "flank". ive loved dogs since i can remember.when we lived on chippendale we found a little mutt with a stunted tail and called him 'stubby'.he was a hoot and when my father died he hung around mother like a little shepherd.she would break down in tears and little stubby would sit by her;sometimes his sad face would make her smile.stubby liked to chase cars so another sad day finally came.cats can soothe the intellect;dogs are viseral and will fight to the death for their master.for me;i appreciate a scout or two;its an old habit from the counter-insurgency days;it will never end.i enjoyed an operational emperative of a need to know.my street now does not look like the streets i recall;from the streets of oak forest to "the street without joy"(viet nam highway#1 between danang and saigon;so named by bernard fall and his book on the french 1st indo-china war.);the streets of houston,...well; they changed faster than my knowledge of them. i survived secret wars and the vice and now i wait.its good to have my little pets,ive owned all kinds of dogs and these seem to suit me in semi-isolation.

beau,i have a friend here in texarkana who was a marine sniper at danang and just retired from the sheriffs office as hefe of swat.they used the remmington in 308 with an uberti scope with range finder.when i was in cid,my supervisor took me over to introduce me to the armorer(marine corp supply at albany georgia) and i got to examine the rifles set up for each sniper and marksman in the marine corps (including quantico va.).i also was introduced to col.muir;(the brother of my former btn.commander in viet nam,col joseph muir).its a small world.col muir was chief of the warehouse where the forty foot long 'minutemen' were stored.it was all good.the range of the newer rifles are designed for those long desert and mountain shots.a sniper in vietnam could have a hundred yard shot and still remain concealed and be able to navigate an already prepaired escape.though it may seem "unfair"at first blush,the target in most cases is of such value that by the sacrifice of that one life;hundreds or perhaps thousands (recall 9/11)may be spared.who can make such a decision? ultimately its potus; those who take an oath and have completed the war college prescription;almost like studying for the priesthood.history,philosophy,international law,ethics,people like a certain general who is a phd.and has an i.q. of 182.he led the gulf war-whats his name that i cant spell? anyway,down the chain of command you have the operator;at a trigger or a joystick 10,000 miles away from the target and drone over his head.they are authorised to take a target of oppertunity,the authority shifts but rarely goes rouge.they are warriors,they are hunted.

CID

"better run through the jungle"

p.s. my dogs like creedence clearwater revival too,they are just laying around my desk like they own the place.

08/02/10 05:41 AM

#2940

beau;dont remember who said it: "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".you painted a good picture of the well intended showing up pay their dues.a well behaved mob but a mob nonetheless.those who could;cant,for the mob.mabe catch a sight of sj lee.

ho!hum!

man,these fu dogs are uugly!

08/02/10 10:15 AM

#2941

DOD. I'll add a little to your horror story on the Extreme Makeover house. Which I think should be renamed Extreme Stupid House. As we discussed last week the possibility of this family being able to keep and maintain this house is about 10%. I picked up a little extra info that I haven't seen in the paper. I'm on the Board of the Jaycee Urban Development Foundation. We make donations to various civic projects that can improve life for the citizens of Houston. We got an "emergency" call last week about this EM project. Apparently some of the folks involved just couldn't stand it that the neighbors were being left out. So a 501C3 corporation, that is run by a lady who was another recipient of EM down around Seabrook, called Jonah's Landing was going to paint up and fix up the surrounding homes. Apparently these homes were as dilapidated as the one that is being replaced. Then the project expanded to giving these homeowners window units and window fans. Then they were going to pain the inside of the homes. then they needed to do "lipstick" landscaping (whatever the heck that is) so everything would look good for TV. The they added backpacks for all the kids. Keeps getting more insane doesn't it? Well all this was budgeted at $50,000. As of Friday they had managed to raise $10,000 of the $50,000. Couldn't we just send them $5,000 for the paint. They would fill out the grant request with documentation later, promise! I think we will decline the request completely even though one of our directors wants to give them $2,500 "with no strings attached". Not the way we operate. I think we could do just as much good if we set fire to the money. These people were just amazing that we really should do it because we would get the foundation name in the credits. And there is going to be a full page ad in the Chronicle thanking all contributors! Whoopee!!! It seems that anything involving Hollywood has a definite lack of good sense, but full of shallow , self serving attitudes. But there always seems to be people who want to get on TV! narcissism runs rampant out there! Helping people who need it is wonderful but this deal is using people to get a TV show filmed. Then the beautiful people from Hollywood are off to their next "project". Your experience with EM sort of reminds me of the old movie, "The Russsians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming", when Johnathan Winters, playing the local Sheriff, spends the whole movie going around saying,"We've got to get organized. We've got to get organized". A little trivia for Burge. Winters might be nominated for the least likely Marine. He served 2 1/2 yrs. in the Pacific during WWII.

Burge I like your pics of your HU dogs. They've got personality.

Well the adventures with Liz continue. She was just full of energy this weekend. Also full of mischief. When came out of the house I find her gnawing on the remains of one my pepper plants. So I fuss at her and replant what's left. She comes trotting up gives it one sniff, grabs it and goes tearing around the yard. One big game to her. So I run her down (good that the yard is small). I repot the the remains of this bedraggled plant and move it to the fenced dog run. Is that ironic? So I go get some tools out of the garage for a project, come back to the yard and she's laying on her bed eating a bell pepper she has pulled off another plant. She had also pulled up an onion and a beet and eaten most of them. So all three bell pepper plants are now residing in the dog run. She doesn't seem to have any interest in the hot pepperers Since it is fairly large (8 X15) that may become the dog excluded area of the yard until she grows up some.She's still frisky this morning. I was out watering the plants around 6:30. She thinks it's great fun to get as soaked as possible grabbing the water wand. Oh well it saves having to bathe her. Even as aggravating as she can be it's still pretty funny watching her!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Boy was it warm or what? August is definitely here! No hurricane this summer. . .a great summer!

Keep on dancing,

Rich LH

Stay Calm, Carry On!

08/02/10 03:31 PM

#2942

i really enjoyed"fantasyland",as per walt disney that is.its not pretty what can become of charity when the film crowd gets ahold of it.what did they call it rich?"lipstick landscaping"? is that like "lipstick on a pig"? no wonder we appear to most of the sighted world to have become petty and thoughtless.ive been through hollywood a couple of times and witnesed the anthill of restless and wreckless ambition.fun to visit a little while,wouldnt want to live there.one day soon it will become a ghost town,no more able to produce anything close to art;no more "lawrence of arabia"or "to kill a mockingbird";no more steinbeck,no more "east of eden".the art will become sterile imitation that will be so computerized(sin city)and tricked out that only the 14- 24 yearolds can desipher it.they are the ones with the fast minds and fast cash.

hold on a minute;ill ask this pooch what he thinks about it:

08/02/10 04:44 PM

#2943

Beau , I think Capt. Kangaroo's real name is or was (not sure about his current status) Bob Keeshan. The reason I mentioned Jonathan Winters and being surprised that he was a marine is that someone whose most famous TV character was Maude Frickert just doesn't seem like the sterotypical marine to me. But that's just me. Thanks for the tip about onions. Had not heard that before. I think Liz's main thing was just the fun of pulling them out of the ground. She is such a sweet dog it's hard to stay angry with her since she is just being a pup.

In that same vein for anyone that doesn't know it things that are toxic for dogs that I know about are oleanders, sago palms, chocolate, grapes and raisins. A vet I talked to said that dogs will not survive if they eat oleanders or sago palms. She told me that oleanders are so toxic that one leaf will kill a 400 lb. steer. I know oleanders are toxic to humans. I don't know about Sagos. Just to be on the safe side I take my grapes in the liquid, fermented form.

Burge I'll be interested to hear what your pooch's thoughts on the EM subject are. Living in paradise must give them a good perspective.

Jackie, last week there was an article in the paper about a guy in Brazoria County who raises bamboo to sell to nurseries and landscapers. he has one variety that grows 3 ft. a day. I'm thinking about Bamboo being Liz's nickname. She's edging up to where she can almost see on the counter tops now. She is convinced that all that good stuff I'm prparing for me would be just right for a pooch too! I'll post a picture soon that gives some perspective on her growth. I may need to contact the EM people to help out to make the house big enough for Liz!

Keep on dancing,

Rich LH

08/02/10 04:49 PM

#2944

I just checked, Bob Keeshan was Capt. Kangaroo. He passed away on January 23, 2004. I did not know that he was the original Clarabell the Clown on the Howdy Doody Show.

FYI,

Rich LH

08/02/10 10:18 PM

#2945

well rich;i think the em project is kinda a half yawn:

08/03/10 09:39 AM

#2946

Burge, I think your pooch got it right because a yawn or half yawn oftens precedes a snooze. Which describes the EM project!

Stay Calm, Carry On,

Rich LH

and Keep on dancing

08/03/10 12:30 PM

#2947

A half yawn, or a full nelson and a hammer lock from the quarter back...what has this to do with anything??? Trix are for kids!!!!
Good morrow mine waltripfuddians...HOT???? Hell damn RD, it's hot!

Stop the presses and alert the meedja,(british for media) Attila the hun, slept till 9:03 this morn. A feat unheard of, at least in this huns memory! And, I went to bed before midnight too! HA, now how you gonna be!!! Of course, sleeping in like that threw me almost 4 hours behind schedule!!! Didnt start our patrols till 10 and by 1130 I were a drowned cooked goose! MY LORD, WHO LEFT THE OVEN ON??? I know, I know, it's summer in Houston!!!

You want to know how hot it is??? Well, I will tell you...It is so hot, I turned down a MC ride with my leatherneck friends...something I have never done. My LN friend Frankie called me and said they just cut it short because it was so hot! Now I dont feel so bad! But, I am about 10 years older than Frankie! I did ride yesterday, just ran a few errands, picking up T-Rex food for the cats and a couple of cigars for me and Frankie etc...Bike was acting up it was so hot...died on me twice, and almost didnt start leaving specs!

Rode that bad boy straight home and put a fan on him!!!!

Now, after a long cold shower, I am firmly ensconsed in the Attila the Hun Chair, with a wooly mammoth firmly ensconsed on my lap!

the above picture is what I was telling you about Big Oliver...making love to table cloths and clothes etc...In this picture, he has completely removed a table cloth from the, where else, the table! Fortunately there were no dishes on it!!!

Here is one of the duck familys on cole creek where me and the boys walk patrol. They are all gone now, off on their separate ways.

Ok, lunch time. How about a liverwurst on rye? sounds good to me!!

See ya

DOD

08/03/10 09:48 PM

#2948

Lloyd Pond

Love those whistling ducks and duckies!

Ferrell and I had a wonderful trip to Virginia and the Blue Ridge/Shenandoah regions. Visited classmate Cathie Parker and loved all the beautiful scenery, history, bluegrass music, Saw a black bear, first one I have ever seen. We drove all over those mountains put on 1700 miles on the rent car .. a little side trip into West Virginia just to say I've been there.. still haven't been to Kentucky.

08/04/10 10:09 AM

#2949

LP it sounds like a great trip. Sorry you missed some of our "warm" weather. You'll be able to catch up over the next six weeks.

DOD, have you ever thought about going to Milwaukee and getting a new HD at the factory and riding it back to Houston? Well if you have, you better do it quickly. HD is considering moving out of Milwaukee. I guess if they do all you HD riders will have to come up with a new nickname for your bikes. You won't be able to call them "Milwaukee iron" anymore. Apparently HD has been hammered by the recession and costs are too high in Milwaukee. I read that article on MSN.

Burge, are your mornings still cool in Almost Arkansas? I would categorize ours as cooler that the afternoon temps. The more I see the pics of your pups the more I like them. They've got character.

There don't seem to be many sports fans on the forum but how about those Astros? They've won 7 in a row and thumped St. Louis last night 18 to 4. Kind of a bright spot in a down season! I think college football teams start preseason practice next week. Yeah. Lloyd, Tony, Larry, et al do you guys miss two-a-days? I don't think I've ever had that thought cross my mind.

Sort of in the vein of college football . . .I heard on the radio that there is a new power retailer, Texas Longhorn Energy (?) and they're using the Bevo logo. Apparently UT has licensed someone to use their trademark. Since I don't have any details I'm withholding judgment. Does anyone know anything about this?

DOD, keep that wooly mammoth under control.

Keep on dancing,

Rich LH

Stay Calm, Carry On

08/04/10 10:52 AM

#2950

Lloyd, welcome back!!! Glad you had a safe trip as well as fun! We will, of course, be waiting for the book, movie, and or slide show! Put some of em on the forum! I love pictures...but then a simple mind...

What river is that that runs along the side of the skyway, or parkway, or maybe I'm mixed up! But the winding road that DW and I took had a river running beside it, and bus loads of people with inner tubes and rafts loading and unloading! Bout 20 mph is all you could do! It was so beautiful! Was it the Occoquan River??? We, I, am looking forward to seeing some of your pics...if you will share a few with us!!!! Last time we were there was 91! In fact, 91 was the last time DW and I have been on vacation together!
Too many critters to board, plus havent found a satisfactory pet sitter...no one loves our pets like we do, so they wouldnt take as good care of them as we do!!!

Hey ladies...Guess what???...A Woman is now the commander of a CARRIER GROUP, which consists of the Aircraft Carrier USS George H W Bush; four guided missile cruisers; Destroyer Squadron 22, which includes six guided-missile destroyers and two frigates, and Carrier Air Wing 8, with eight squadrons of aircraft. She is Rear Admiral Nora W. Tyson!!! And now, they will start allowing women on board Submarines.

Wont be long and there will be no men allowed in the Navy! Of course there are all the snickers and jokes from all the other branches of service that the Navy is nothing but women! Well, there are women that take off and land on the moving deck of a carrier, a job so dangerous, only a couple of hundred people in the whirld can do that! I think I would be proud to serve with them!!! There aint much we all cant do, together!

I wanted to join the Marines in the first place, but my friend, Shorty, wanted to join the Navy on the Buddy plan and see the whirld together! So we joined on the buddy plan, and buddy did they have a plan for us. After the first day in boot camp, I never saw Him again! I think I saw him in the early 70s. Came to our house for a hour or two! Sure would like to see him again!!!

I did see a picture of Rear Admiral Tyson, and her shoulder board had only one star??????? A rear admiral is a Two Star position, unless they changed it! A one star was reserved for a "Commodore" and in time of war only! A rear admiral was two stars, lower half and upper half! This always frosted the brigadier generals of the other branches of service, because an admiral of the same rank as brigadier had two stars, where as the brigadier had just one measly little ol star!!! I looked up the ranks in my trusty and well worn THE BLUE JACKET MANUAL, I received in Bootcamp, and sure nuff, I was right! But, it was copyright 1938 and in its seventeenth edition, first printing December 1963, second printing November 1964! Think I will google and see if they changed officer ranking!!!!

Got up earlier this morn, 7, which is still 2 hours behind, but better than 4 hours behind! Seems I just dont want to get up and get moving! Took the boys out on patrol about 8, which is still hot and humid, but not as it is at noon!!!

Hey, me and Coop and the lovely DW went to coops 2nd BAK PAK Dog class last night! Had to take his blankie and some treats, and he was just wonderful! Very patient for almost two hours! Last night the instructor said we were going to start teaching our dogs TO READ!!!!

Yup, that same thought ran through my mind as I'm sure ran through yours! "SAY WHAT"????? You think you are going to teach Cooper to read??? The same dog that I have to show where his dinner bowl is everyday, for 3 years, and where the water bowl is (both in the same place) for three years, the same dog that gets up off the couch and goes and lays in the library, when no one tells him to get up???? My dog??? Ol Short bus Cooper???? To Read???? NAH!!!! Aint gonna happen!!!!

Oh me of little faith!!! There is of course a method to her madness! And before long ol coop was nosing through the book she passed out to each of us! Of course, there were treats between the pages! Gonna work with him on that, because it's cute to see him nosing the pages of a book!
We were given a list of schools to pick one and an alternate for us to visit once or twice a week for an hour and a half. Probably 4 kids for about 15 mins apiece! Only the CyFair district has the BAK PAK Reading Dog program! Now, it's not just some looney that thought this up, child psychologists were involved as well as competent dog trainers etc...well, maybe some looneys!!!

Should be interesting if not fun!!!! I cooked up some of Oscar Mayers finest for our Phd Cooper, and he would nose through a volcano to get at those babies! Come to think of it, I like em too! "Hey teach, I can read"!!!

There were plenty kids there last night to sit with each pup. Coop had a cute blond about 6 or seven methinks, she was soooo smart and had such a personality! I think she sat with all the dogs! She was even taking pictures of all the dogs! She would take a picture , and then come show me the results! What a sweetheart!!! Ol coop liked her too! Well, he likes anyone that has Oscar Mayers in their hands, and that rubs his head, not necessarily in that order!!!

This morn, I have Lacy in my lap instead of Big Oliver! They are both the same color, only about 15 pounds lighter than big oliver! Maybe I have a picture...Hmmm...would you like to see her????

Here she is in my bomber jacket I laid on the bed for a minute! You lay anything down, and the cats will get on it or in it!!! She is a Turkish Van kitty! has perfect orange angel wings on her back, and an orange cap and beautiful green eyes, that look like she has make up on! She is 8 or 9 now methinks, and just as sweet a kitty as you could ever have!!!

well, I've hogged the forum long enough, and besides, gotta get ready for lunch!

See ya

DOD the dog readerer

08/04/10 01:36 PM

#2951