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Lloyd Pond

Received an email about a Springfield Mass. guy 102 years old who owned his 1928 Rolls Royce Picadilly Roadster since it was new. He donated to the Springfield museum and it is still in pristine condition inside and out with 170,000 miles. Sweeeeet!

Susan Howard (Bowman)

You are so right, Jimmie - most of us gals didn't have our own cars, especially in highschool.  My parents had a sporty little Dodge that I loved to drive - it was blue, with a black vinyl top and the gear shift was on the floor - I loved that car!!  I always wanted a Mustang - candy apple red!  When I was working making my own money and taking classes at night my dad took me shopping for a car!  He was so wise!  He knew how badly I wanted a Mustang (this was in 1966) so we went to a Ford dealership first!  Of course I had no idea how much Mustangs cost and that about blew my mind, especially when I realized there was no way I could afford one on my meager income!  Plus I was paying for school!  Then he offered me an alternative - we went to the Dodge dealership and I was able to buy a brand-new Dodge Dart for $3,000.00.  It was practical and affordable (had bench seats, UGH!) and I drove that car for 150,000 miles!  I have to admit, however, that I would still love to have a Mustang, only a convertible, still candy-apple red!

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Me again!  Any recommendations for a retirement community in the hill country of Texas?  Thinking about moving back.  You can take the gal out of Texas, but not Texas out of the gal, plus the winters up here are fierce!

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Susan,

Lloyd and Ferrell are in Austin and probably have good recommendations.  Robbie Boswell is in Marble Falls, I believe, and Lake LBJ is there.  So many of those great hill country towns have grown and living is expensive.  Kerrville and Fredericksburg have traffic problems I've heard - can you believe it?

We always wanted to retire to Lake Travis (my brother has a home on the lake there), but traffic congestion getting through Austin and then Round Rock to get there, turned us off that idea.  We'll just stay in hot McKinney - rated 5th best city in America to live by Money Magazine.  Besides all our kids are here.

Lloyd Pond

Come on home! There is still plenty of romm. Lets see, Georgetown is about 30 miles north of Austin and has one of those Sun City places. WE have some friends who moved there and like it. Georgetown is growing like crazy, so it will not be too long before everything you could imagine will be around the developement. Out on Lake Travis there should be several places, Steiner Ranch is the newest one that I can think of. One of the original developments was called Lakeway, Ferrell and I went out there just after we got married to look at lots and get a free dinner! Wish we could have bought a then. I think they are not too expensive. Good Luck!

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Thanks Jimmie and Lloyd!  I have contacted some places in Georgetown to go see when I am in Houston the end of September - one of them is the Del Webb community at Georgetown that you suggested, Lloyd.  My son says that is too far from where he lives in Katy, but I know I don't want to live in Houston, either.  It's hard to believe all of those places that used to be "small towns" have grown so!  I also want to look in the Brenham/College Station area.  There is a Del Webb community planned for the Richmond-Rosenburg area, too, but it is on hold right now until the economy picks up, so by the time I get ready to move maybe it will be moving along! 

Keep the ideas coming! 

Beau Wann, Jr.

Good Morrow mine waltripians! Just back from Dawn Patrol, extra long walks today, and alls quiet on the western front! Saw mama ducks and some of the babies cavorting in Cole Creek, along with the white Ibis and blue heron and other crane like birds! Turtles were out sunning themselves! Creek level down a bit, and a tad stagnant! We did get about 30 minutes of rain yesterday, although not enough, but we will take whatever we can get!!! Suns coming up right under the Bolivia street bridge this time of year! Pretty sight it is!!! Yall notice the sun is now coming in the southern windows of the house??? Wont be long, and we can complain about the cold! Although after the last couple of summers, I'm inclined not to complain again about colder weather!

Computer has been down! I pushed the wrong button or something! I added a new printer, as the old one was stuck on not wanting to print, generally a prerequisite as far as what we expect from them! Diane had offered to help me install it, but noooooooo, I had to do it! Well, she wound up having to install it and get my computer up and running, whilst I fell asleep!

The subject of Retirement communities has been broached...I must confess, I have never thought about a "retirement community" ever, not even now! I have thought of great places to live, like Austin use to be, or New Braunfels, or Wimberly, Kerrville, Brenham, Bellville, Columbus...Our grandkids live in Katy, and I toyed with the idea of moving to Columbus, and still contemplating! But seems alot hinges on the economy and the housing market!

Moving to another place would be great, but I do not want the added expense and work of having to hang onto this house, or to give it away because there is no market for it!!! My cousin and her husband are moving to a small town or community up by Kerrville! Dont remember the name of it! They have a home in Jersey Village, and are preparing it for the market, such as it is! They also have a..."mansion" up on a mountain in Colorado, that I think would be sufficient for retirement, but they want to maintain their "Texas roots", and cant say that I blame them! I love Texas!!!!!

Who woulda ever thought we would be in "retirement" mode??? Never thought about it! In fact I just talked to my mom, who is 90 and living in Las Cruces, NM., but maintains, or should I say, I maintain her house on DeMilo! She is almost blind now, and in, I guess standard health for someone approaching a century in age. Her  remark, or lament, was, "no one prepared us for getting old"...thought about that one for a long time! Conclusion???? There is no preparation for growing old, other than trying to take care of our bodies and minds for the shock of growing old! Best achieved, I think,  with good family ties and good friends!!! But when we are young, we are "Ten foot tall and bullet proof", and have no clue what the future holds for us! We plan, and plans change, and we go east, and wind up west...Hmmm!!!

Some of the folks older than I, have expressed a desire to be close to the Medical center in Houston, and close is I guess, a short helicopter ride! Houston does have the top medical community in the whirld! My mom and dad bought a house right on the water at lake Livingston, and I watched them run from lake house to house on DeMilo, "gotta mow the yard, gotta fertilize" etc! They sure made a lot of work for themselves! Dont know if they really enjoyed it or not! Doesnt seem like they did! My Dad died in 96 at 76 years of age! I tried to get them to relax and enjoy, but that just wasnt in their "genes" I suppose! I guess growing up in the era they did, and having worked from the time they could walk till...well, was the defining factor in their lives! I believe though, that I would rather wear out than rust out!

One of our classmates, Karin and her husband, live in Hiltop Lakes up by Herne and Normangee or somewhere around there! Dont know about the amenities on site, but it is close to Bryan and College station, 30 or 45 minutes, and those two cities are pretty populated and spread out nowdays! I like Navasota and Brenham and Columbus! Brenham and Bellville have become top retirement communities so to speak! Wimberly was a retirement community some 30 years ago! Beautiful town, as is New Braunfels and Bandera and Kerrville! 

Diane and I like town squares! Brenham has a nice one, and if a person could buy a space on the square, and open up some sort of business, antique, or coffee shop, that could be fun! But, to make it, you would have to own the space, and have a nice retirement package in place, because not many small businesses make it anymore! 

Here's an idear, there are a gazillion condos in downtown houston that have been forclosed on, and are up for auction! Many of them have never been lived in! Downtown Houston is quite beautiful, if they would quit tearing it up to make it beautiful! Lots of eateries, and a Randalls and Specs, which is the mecca of delis, the disneyland of food and drink, if you will! dont know what department stores are still left on Main street, where the hooterville train runs, but probably a few! Macys maybe!!!

Here's something, I thought retiring in Oak Forest, would be ideal, and still do! Although property is at a premium! Heights lots were bringing 200K, just for the lot, and now Oak Forest and Garden oaks seem to be commanding the same price! One of the older couples from our church, have passed on, and their house on the corner of Glebe and DeMilo sold for under 200K, and "FLIPPERS" bought it and did some improvments, new fence and roof, and looks like new wooden blinds, and I dont know what else, but they are now asking 359,000 for it! Way too much in my opinion! I wouldnt pay that for it even if price was of no consideration!!! There are new homes in Oak Forest, as those of us live here know, that are priced at 6 to 700K! Even if a person could afford that, they could never resell it for that, at least that is my thinking!

Should we move, a major consideration for us, is a suitable Church! Well, not too far from the grandkids, although one is a Junior this year, and the other just entered 5th grade! They are both of the age where they have a plethora of friends they would rather hang out with than say, grandmaw and grandpaw, and rightly so!!!!

Anyone like to get together for lunch this week???? Anyplace is a good place, and anytime is a good time for me! Got the yard work done yessterday morn...HOT??? Too hot!!!!  But I lived through it!  Got a ton, really, a ton of feed to take up to the ranch sometime this week or next, no hurry, other than to get it out of my garage, but other than that, not commited to anything!

Cooper and I dont start our BAK PAK CRITTERS reading program till September.  Sat and read with Cooper last night as I do everynight, and he did good! Well, he ate through one of the pages looking for ol Oscar Mayer because I was too slow turning the page! Probably stop putting treats between the pages next week! He's pretty good at turning the pages without treats, so far! 

SOOOOOO, lunch anyone, anyone???

Well, ok...got to sign off for now...

DOD 

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Hey All,

BroBeau, glad to see you back on forum - was getting a little concerned, knew there was a good reason.

Speaking of retiring --- well, always thought I'd go back to my childhood roots -- Austin.  But just recently sold my Mom and Dad's house there that had been leased since 1956 and now my Aunt's house - so guess that dream is over.  Anyway, most of my Crowe family has moved to Round Rock and Pflugerville and all my kids live elsewhere.  So guess Oak Forest will be my retirement -- but still hard for me to accept that I'm getting to that age --- still in denial ---RETIREMENT-- just a foreign word. 

As you'll note, I've added to Military Salute and if I've overlooked any of our classmates, please let me know.  Also I want to see more old military pictures --- and any additional information/stories you have while serving, please send to me - and keep looking, you'll find them.  And of course any of your family and friends that have served or are now serving.

Have a good week.

Hugs

J

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Jackie,

Thanks for all the hard work you do on our Waltrip website.  The new military tribute is so appreciated by all of us.

Jackie, you may retire from your "paying" job, but we'll never let you retire from your Waltrip Website command.  You've done so much to provide lots of pleasurable moments for all of us in the past few years.  Charles and I truly appreciate all you've done.

Scotty Croom

lola and i recently discussed where 50 yrs. have gone to...she celebrates 50 yrs. as hs. senior...then we celebrate 50 yrs. of waltrip....where have all the years gone to.....

Teddie Jordan

Amen Jimmie Lee. Thank you Jackie for all you have done and all you continue to do for our class.

I think it's neat how our classmates who live out of state never lose their special feeling for Texas and home. I know B. J. Brady '65 just moved back to Texas from out of state and you could just tell from his messages that he was truly excited to be coming home. I see the same thing in your posts Susan, and good for you.

Susan, knowing you have kids and grandkids in the Houston area, don't discount the many fine senior opportunities around here. The hill counrty is beautiful, but a lot of it has gotten pretty pricey and there could be some correction due in values at some point in the future. The Houston area on the other hand is still for the most part a good real estate value. I know that the Woodlands has several senior projects. Our classmate Lynell Carapezza lives in one of them and seems to really like it, so you might want to check with her.

Our youngest daughter Nicole and her family live in Gleannloch Farms, a master planned community on the old Marshall Ranch south of Tomball, and I know they have one or more senior communities up there.

As Beau mentioned, there are also a number of really nice high rise apartment and condo projects all around Houston, even a few way out in the suburbs, and for people who think they would like vertical living and almost complete security and availablity of full services, one of those would be a good fit.

Like I said, we are lucky to have grown up in an area and a state that we have special memories of and feelings for. Years ago I took a client from New York who lived in New Jersey to an Astro's playoff game, and he was in awe of the giant Texas flag on the Astrodome scoreboard. He made a comment that I'll never forget. He said that no matter where you go in the world you can show someone a picture of the Texas flag and most people will know what it is, the Lone Star. But he  said that you could probably show citizens of New Jersey their own state flag and more than half of them wouldn't recognize it. That's the difference, and like I said, aren't we lucky!

Years ago, in the mid seventies,  before I started my own business, I worked for a company headquartered in the beautiful wine country north of San Francisco. As things worked out they started trying to talk me in to transferring out there and accepting a promotion. Fran and I went out several times, and they wined and dined us. The weather was the best you could ever hope for, cool summers and temperate winters. The countryside was perfectly beautiful. You had San Francisco and all of its charm to take advantage of on the weekends. The people were just as nice as they could be. But when we finally had to make a decision, it just wasn't home. Things worked out fine and we have never regretted the decision, and we still enjoy going out there from time to time and visiting old friends and enjoying the area.

Anyway, Susan you've got many options and all of them are good. We will look forward to seeing you more often at Fudd's when you do get back home.

Teddie Jordan

Scotty, when I want to know where all of those years have gone, all I have to do is hold my senior picture up beside my face and look in the mirror.

Just today, as I was holding Fran's 85 year old mom's arm and helping her to the car at Barbeque Inn, Fran stopped and talked to two ladies we regularly see there. One of them asked her if that was her mom and dad that just went to the car!!!

She always told me I should try some Greecian Formula!!! Oh well, what the heck. We had a good laugh.

Kay Watters '65 (Greene)

Beau Wann, Jr.

Kay, 105 yesterday in Anderson??? 102 yesterday here in the hinterlands, now 99 both places today! What? a cold front came in and nobody told us??? getting ready to break out the jackets and coats! Seems like only last month I took them upstairs...wait, it was just last month! I was slow moving this year!

Yes, Jimmie Lee, Sister Jackie has a lifetime commitment and job maintaining the website! What a wonderful job she has done! 

Where has the time gone????  All that sitting around at the Pig Stand and Princes in our cars, is where the time has gone!!! My dad told me it was gonna sneak up on me one of these days! It really didnt sneak up, I felt it stompin up and down on my joints and back, long before the candles on my cake could set the house on fire!

I remember my ironworkin days with my dad and the wildbunch, and I strained my back totin 150 pound Oxygen bottles, and some 15 foot long number 11 rebar, on my shoulder that weighed about the same, and after work,  I went by the house on DeMilo, and had supper with my folks! I told my dad that my back hurt, and he promptly said, "your back is suppose to hurt", and ate another bite of chicken fried steak! End of discussion!!!! Well, danged if he wasnt right! My back still hurts, and if thats the rule, I believe thats one rule I would like to break!!!

Kay, how is your back??? You get any relief from the pain??? You try the old "rice filled tube socks" yet???  They do help, and you never have to remember if you left the heating pad on!!! Pain is your friend...Dave...yes, Dave, in time you will thank me...just listen to HAL...Dave...?

I got a new catalog in the mail today, VERMONT COUNTRY STORE!!! you want to see some old timey things we use to have when we were kids, go to their website, and order a catalog! Bay rum, witch hazel after shave, ovaltine, salve and other goodies! Shaving mugs and soap, and brushes! Oh, and old time candy too!!!

Do any of youse youtes watch Antique roadshow??? I love it! lots of interesting items! Some of the old metal toys we use to play with, and cost a dollar or less, are now big bucks! Bout the only toy I have from my childhood, is the teddy bear I got when I was found under a cabbage leaf! My wife still has hers too! And hers is larger than mine...no fair!!!

Talking to my mom, after her one of many hospital stays last week, she is pretty upset about it! Here I am trying to console her, and give her words of encouragement and pearls of wisdom, and I thought, not too long ago, it was the other way round! She has always been the level headed one, unflappable, cool under pressure...but then I guess thats why they are Moms! What a hard job they had raising us!  Had to get 4 lunches and breakfasts ready before their own! Always put us first...and after talking to some of our very own moms in the class of 64, they did exactly the same thing!!!

Dont know if my mom is reaching the end of her days, she sounds different, or it could be just me worrying! Lots of medical problems with her and Jake, he is 92, and still a ramrod straight United States Marine! They have both led very good and productive lives! Two of my moms daughters turned out great, but her son, well the jury is still out on him! yeah scotty...where has the time gone???

The first time I took Diane over to meet my mom and dad, some 28 years ago, Diane looked so young, my dad thought she was my oldests sons girlfriend! "Pickin em kinda young there aint you boy"! You sure she's of age"???? Yeah dad, it's cool! "Trust me" I said!!! "yeah, thats what you said about taking the 59 chevy out and denting the fender"! Thats the only time I borrowed one of his cars, and somebody banged into the fender! Never got to use any of them again! Well, I dont really blame him, trouble just seem to follow me around, waiting to happen!!!!

Where has the time gone...we're still looking through the same eyes we looked through when we were 18, although a bit blurry now...still hear the same tunes through the same ears...well, not very well, but I recognize some of the music and words!!!
Anyone watch Lawrence Welk??? I just started to glance at it! That was a show my mom and dad watched religiously! Ed Sullivan, Red Skelton, Sid Ceasar, Perry Como, et al...pretty good entertainment. Saw Jimmy Durante in an old movie the other day!  There's no mistaken that voice and schnozeola!!! Those old shows always made me feel so good! They seemed to fit and be as comfortable as an old pair of jeans with holes in the knees! On DuBarry, I could lay under my moms ironing board, whilst she ironed, and watch whatever Dad had on the tube! I just felt safe and comfortable, even though I got a little wet from my mom shaking water on the clothes from an old RC bottle! I still have that bottle around here somewhere!

Yeah Teddie, we grew up in just about the best time ever! Things were not only new to us, but new to the whirld! Television...even though it was first seen in the 30's, there were none in any households till the 50's, that I know of! Elvis, Rock and Roll, a vaccine for polio!  Helicopters, Jets, transistor radios! Did you good folks know, that Bell Labs invented the Transistor, and sold it to the Japanese for about 35K dollars! Then the Japanese made a gazillion dollars from it selling it back to us in the form of radios! Two of our classmates had polio back in them good ol days! Both grew up and I guess turned out to be fine men! Havent seen either since 63-64!!!

How many of us have acheived what we started out in life to achieve??? I never asked all of life that which I thought I could have, or was entitled to! I never dreamed much, just trying to live life through the child that I was! I never knew you could actually have dreams, let alone live one of them! No one ever told me I could be this or that, lawyer, Doctor, cowboy etc! Of all though, a cowboy is what I really would rather have been! Oh, I'm not lamenting, just reflecting! I am where I am suppose to be, like it or not, and I like it just fine! I would have liked to have been more helpful to folks I've met along the way, but like I said, I am where I am suppose to be, travelled down the path I was suppose to travel! I suppose all of us are where we are needed!!! 

Fame and fortune??? I have all the fame and fortune I need! A great loving family, and 8 adoring critters that love me, no matter how good or bad a day I have had! Happiness??? That comes from within, or true happiness does...Hmmm...

"Happiness is like a crystal, fair and exquisite and clear, Broken in a million pieces, shattered, scattered far and near.
Now and then along life's pathway, Lo! some shining fragments fall; But there are so many pieces no one ever finds them all.

You may find a bit of beauty, or an honest share of wealth, while another just beside you gathers honor, love and health.
Vain to choose or grasp unduly, broken is the perfect ball; and there are so many pieces no one ever finds them all.

Yet the wise as on they journey, treasure every fragment clear, fit them as they may together, imaging the shattered sphere, learning ever to be thankful, though their share of it is small;
For it has so many pieces no one ever finds them all."

Priscilla Leonard

So many great books and poems, so little time...

DOD

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions!  You have been very helpful!  It will be a while before we move, so I have time to really explore all of the options!  Thanks again!

Also, I will say once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH to Jackie for all your hard work in putting this website together.  Thanks to Jimmie I discovered the Message Forum!  I know it is a labor of love on your part, Jackie, but without it we would not have the close contact we do.  It is especially great for me since I live so far away!

Beau, my mom will be 94 in September.  She still lives in the house in Ella Lee Forest that we moved into when I started Black in 7th. grade.  She still drives a little and is in great shape both mentally (really important) and physically.  She is a wonderful lady that everybody loves - has company constantly - neices, nephews, grandchildren, children.  I feel so blessed!  Actually, I could live with her when I move back to Texas ):  (could, but wouldn't).  We are fortunate to still have our moms!

Have a great day everybody! 

Beau Wann, Jr.

Susan, your mom is 94???? and still drives???? And enjoying good health!!!  Outstanding. Did you know Mike Collins? He lived in Ella Lee Forest! 

If you need a place to call home, when you come back, heck fire, you can have the whole 2nd floor of our house! I dont go up there anymore. Diane only goes up there to access her computer to pay bills etc. You would have your own bath, bedroom, office and game room equipped with a reg custom pool table, several pool cues to choose from, several guitars, two tvs, a plethora of movies, mostly old john wayne, "DVD and VHS, a DJ system, and a plethora of pictures of old people, of which some of em might be me...just to keep the vermin away!  Oh, plus you would have someone intelligent to talk to...my wife of course!!! I guess you could talk to me, but I'd throw in sign language as an extra added caution, lest you are telling me something real important, like, "the house is on fire"! With out sign language, the above could be interpreted by me as something like..."A mouse is for hire"...something that makes sense!!!!!

I'd even throw in a microwave, and a coffee pot for up there! Plus, and here is a big plus, that I know just might sway the deal, you get your pick of any or all of the critters!!! Well, cept maybe the dogs! They dont venture upstairs! I think it might be haunted, I dont know, they just kinda look towards the stairs sometimes and let out a bark, back away, and leave it alone!!! (ever now and again, I do hear weird noises emanating from the second floor!) Sounds something like, "GET OOOOUUUT"!!!!! I keep hollarin back at it, "believe me if I could get out, I'd be gone", or words to that effect!!!

  UH, you do know something about cement ponds, dont you? If you felt like you needed to earn your keep, and this is of course an option, you could work on the pool and swim till your hearts content! The dogs and cats wont bother you whilst you are in the cement pond! Outside of drinking it, and splashing it all over the kitchen floor,  none of them like water all that much!!! It has no alligators in it, just a suicidal frog from time to time, and on one occasion, a lawnmower, and a cell phone, hopefully never to be repeated again! If it does happen again, I am just gonna leave it at the bottom, and charge admission!!!

All kidding aside, or just some of it, I remember wanting a two story house for the longest time! Then we got one, and now for the life of me, cant remember why I ever wanted one!

Ok, guess I will go to lunch, somewhere, all by myself, alone...think I'll ride the iron hoss today, heat or no heat...

Your friend and resident knut...attila, the ogre of oak forest

Susan Howard (Bowman)

Oh! Beau!  What a generous offer!  Be careful - I might just take you up on it!!  Critters are my thing, so I would probably get along just fine upstairs.  Sounds like a real "homey" place!  I know what you mean about 2 story houses.  We had a 2 story condo a few years back - it was okay for me but my husband couldn't handle it very well.  So we moved back to a one story house.  He is having a difficult time getting around that these days - facing back surgery in a couple of weeks. He's alot older, so I have concerns here.

I enjoy reading your letters, Beau!  You make me smile alot!!  Keep 'em coming!

Bj Brady '65

Teddy and all-

We found a superb retirement community in San Angelo called Rio Concho,

right on the Concho River. 11-17 percent humidity compared to TN at 80%+.

We are halfway moved in. Trip #1 done, Furniture moving end of Sept. Bought

a patio home. There are 100's of patio homes for sale here and all are gorgeous.

They are all ready for our generation to move here. What a lovely place to live.

It has a pop of 85K and is also a college town and Air Force community, too.

Real nice, updated airport. San Angelo is NOT desert but green and beautiful.

Take a look online at RioConcho.com. There are 3 big lakes here, also !!  BJ Brady

John Burgess Webb

jackie,thanks so much for the military site;you and scotty have done a great job...i know that a lot of our classmates had relatives in the service,a wonderful way to pay respect.

post script

a friend of mine mentioned that he had recieved a letter from the dept.of the army regarding the award of the vietnamese cross of gallentry.all personell who served in vietnam were awarded the gallentry cross with palm.it is the equivalent of the croix de guerre awarded by the french.it is meant as an individual award,authorized by former president nguyen van thieu in1974.a clarification can be found at: wwwtf116.org/pdf/vietnamcrossofgallentry.they are available commercialy.it was not meant to diminish the status of those that were awarded the vcog along with the u.s.silver star prior to 1974...kupec was awarded this medal along with the silver star.it is an honor and meant to recognize the appreciation by the south vietnamese gov.to those who sacrificed in order to keep that country free.in the world of symbols it is the "croix de guerre"and one may be proud to have it,regardless of circumstance.

semper fidelis

pss:   the graffic is from dod;the actual;struck in bronze.

Teddie Jordan

Did anybody in the Houston area beside me feel a slight hint of Fall in the air this morning? It was barely perceptable, maybe a degree cooler and slightly less humid. Maybe it's just wishful thinking but I definitely could discern a little change. I always get excited on the first morning that I detect it. I think it's God's way of telling us to hang in there for a few more weeks of heat until real Fall begins.

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Fall weather?  I don't know, but here in the Dallas area, it was 107 @ DFW yesterday.  But, today, while driving, it registered 70 degrees outside on my car's temp gauge.  So, I turned off the AC and rolled the windows down.  It got only to 77 before I got home. 

Beau Wann, Jr.

Well Susan, I guess you and your hubsand wont be moving in upstairs, with a bad back and all! thats one of the reasons I dont go up there anymore...bad back, bad knees, bad hip joints, ankles, you name it, bad bad bad...I guess we should put in an elevator, eh!!! Nah, thats all I need, add something else to break! I have always wanted a dumb waiter, or a laundry chute, but then I'd have to go upstairs to use em, and I dont think so!!! So now I go out to eat, and get a dumb waiter, and throw my clothes in the washer and say, "shoot"...

FALL??? No, I dont think it's fall yet! It was a tad dryer this morn out on dawn patrol, and on evening patrol! But just still hot as hell...It didnt seem to be the blast furnace as I rode down the freeway, as it usually is, so might just be a little fall in the air! Still hot as hell coming to a light or stopsign!!! Since I couldnt get anyone to go to lunch with me today, I rode my ARN HOSS to Pappas, and had the chili cheese frys!!! OH MY!!!! I probably shouldnt have had those artery clogging beauties, but man on man, they are good! I gave myself a good talking to after lunch, and made myself go to my room and take a nap...That worked out good!!!

107 in Big D little a double L a s...I have been up there a few times in the last mellinium, and one summer in particular, summer of 75 I believe it was, it got up to 106 and it didnt seem that bad at all! No humadidity!!! There looks like a cold front is around Dallas this morn, suppose to bring us rain this weekend! We will see what we will see, right???

I wish there was some reward or award we could give Jackie for this website! I guess I could go mow her yard or something! Bake some cookies, maybe bring her a cat...or two...
Every one needs a cat when they are doing laundry! When I take the clothes out of the dryer, and set them in a chair, ready to fold, and then go back and take the clothes out of the washer, put them in the dryer, and go back to fold the clothes, there is at least one cat and sometimes two in the warm clothes! And they aint moving for anything! I finally get the last piece of clothes out from under em and fold it, and the cats start grumblin at me...what a life!

Happened to see a show on psychic animals today, or half a show...I fell asleep for the second half! Anyway, it says cows can predict which way the wind is blowing...yeah, thats what I thought too...WHAT??? It said cows always face into the wind when they are eating, so the wind will blow the grass into their mouths...and they will put their tails to the wind when the wind is blowing...yeah, I'm ahead of you on that one too...you ever see a cow that wasnt eating grass??? who the hell makes up these shows???

The next psychic animal is the ground hog, or the Marmot. Says it can tell if its spring and time to come out of it's burrow...duh...once again, who makes this stuff up! Isnt it a natural thing, that when the snow is covering up the entrance to the burrow, you stay in where it's nice and warm, and if the snow is gone, you get up and have a big spring breakfast...??? The next psychic animal, was a lady that was a dowser...????????? What has she to do with being an aminal, I dont know, maybe she didnt shave her legs or something!!! But she uses L rods to find a vein of water, and then the dowsing stick to find the best spot to dig your well...how is this psychic!!! Hells bells, I can find water with my lawnmower, and cell phone, and just about any other garden impliment or sensitive electronical gadget  that needs a good dowsing! Need to find your hose??? Just give me a lawnmower, and I'll find that sucker...wont be any good any more, but at least you'll know where it is...garbage can!!!! 

The next psychic animal, was, or is the Cat...now I'm a firm believer in cats being psychic. They know when you are in the kitchen, or even in route to the kitchen! I dont care how quiet you are, they just know! They also know which foot you are going to lead off with! They get underneath and you fall all over the place trying to avoid stepping on them! If you do happen to step on their tail, which is their fault entirely, but they blame you for it,  they cuss you out in real ugly kitty language!!! They also know when you sit down and get all comfortable! Cause you can hear one or more of em gaggin and hackin, just harkin you up a nice present...which is also a sign that you are out of paper towels too!!!!   They know when you have dozed off into a really deep sleep! They jump right in the middle of your stomach, I guess to keep you alert for intruders!!! 

If you lay anything out on the bed to wear, they immediately go and lay on it! If it is white, one of the dark kittys lays on it, if it is dark, one of the white kittys lays on it! I have tried putting out decoy clothes, but they know which one you are going to wear and end up laying on it! If they really dont like your choice of a fashion statement, they will of course help you with your selection, by throwing up on what you have already picked out!!!! Yes sir, cats are psychic alright...just wish they would pick out 6 good numbers for me! 

I've even had one of em show us how dangerous the bed was one night! I know I wrote about it already, but you talk about a psychic awakening! Katy, one of our heayweights, jumped up on the bed after we were already asleep, and the corner of the foot of the bed, on myside of course,  gave way, and hit the floor, and both all of us started sliding off to the aformentioned corner! Other cats were involved also. sort of a cat conspiracy, if you will, and even if you wont!!!! Anyway, the bed was listing to port about 40 degrees, and I was having a hell of a time figuring out just what was wrong! Was there and earthquake??? Was I drunk and just not enjoying it???

Then of course, I put two and three together, and didnt need algebra to figure it out either! What got me to thinking in a logical manner, was the offending kat, katy, had also imperiled herownself as she jumped on the bed and was sliding off along with about 4 other cats and yours truly and my beloved, Katy, as I mentioned, the offending cat, had latched onto one of my legs, in fact it was my only remaining good leg of that particular day. she had attached herself with her built in ginzu knives...and my good leg had a heart attack right there on the spot! To make matters worse, the other heavyweight cat, Big Oliver, the wooly mammoth, had a psychic moment and had to investigate what all the commotion was, and jumped up on the other side, and promptly rolled down and hit me in the head, and it was my only remaining good head I had left also too!!! So now, I have a cat attached at either end, ode to joy!!! I wonder if thats how Beethoven got started, a cat fell on his head!!! Bout the onliest thing left to do, is pray...yup...LORD...I know your there...if you could see your way clear to hep me out of this perdicament, I would be forever greatful...I'm thinking the Lord was up late, and sorta depressed about the whirld, and needed some comic relief, and looked down and saw me and decided he could have some fun...gangs of fun, yes siree, gangs of fun...I'm surprised he didnt just dump me in the pool along with the lawnmower and cell phone...and the bed, cats and all!!! 

Now, all this happened about 2 in the AM morning! What a mess! Diane was hanging on to the high side of the bed with her feet on oliver, who was on my head at the moment! She was shocked, she  thought I had grown hair over night, but it was just the wooly mammoth...So shes hanging on, and I am dislodging cats from all hell and gone, and finally get off the now crooked and droopin bed! Diane was not gonna get up no matter what! So I looked around for something to prop the bed up with, and found a couple of .50 caliber ammo cans, that worked just perfect! I kept em under there till we got a new bed, a couple of years later! I mean, why mess with success!!!! Those ammo cans worked just fine!!! Our new bed, I made sure all the bolts were installed properly and added a few ones for safetys sake!!! I dont want a repeat of that night ever again! I needed counseling after that, years of counseling...

Here's another show that just boggles the mind...WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WHIRLD AFTER ALL LIFE IS GONE...my first thought, is we are gone, so who the hell cares!!!! We will be gone, so we certainly wont care!!! I have seen this show advertised for a year or so! this show musta been financed by taxpayers! No sane person would finance something like that! Does it really matter what happens to the whirld after we are all gone???? Oh well, guess I will call it a night...

happy trails...attila the ogre 

John Burgess Webb

we got a break up here too teddie,it wasnt the transcendental feeling of first fall but it was cool with the windows down and the sunroof open.i went to the orthopedic surgeon today and he prescribed some muscle relaxers to suplement my 'relief';i feel pretty good and i just keep one foot in front of the other.i hope i can get down there next month and see everybody.i have to follow the line of least resistance until i can tack into the wind.

it was cool enough to take a walk down to my neighbors and we watched the last inning of the little league playoffs;a pearland team played for the southwest.i asked eddie if he remembered listening to the ballgames on the radio;he laughed and nodded his head yes.some of my fondest memories are listening to major league baseball on the radio when we lived on chippendale,on cool nights with the windows open,sitting there and staring at that little white bakelite wonder.damn,we are getting old.just a little radio was a pleasure.

Jackie Crowe (Finch)

Thanks all for the kind wonderful words --- the web will never go away as long as I'm around and even then.  At the moment I have Beverly Hengst as my backup administrator and the domain has been renewed for another 5 years (2015) --- so keep it going!

Love and hugs

J

Beau Wann, Jr.

Hey Teddie, I stand corrected, feels like a touch of fall for sure! Couldnt believe that it was comfortable for a change! Took the boys out on patrol last night and again the morn,a nd it was downright pleasant!  So, for your weather prognostication, you win the prestigious DOUG JOHNSON trophy! You are the very first to win it, so you have set the bar high!!!

Just back from Memorial hospital! My ex, my childrens mother has had surgery to remove cancer from her lungs and anywhere else it may have reared it's ugly head! She just got out moments ago, and Doc says they got everything they could see! Had to repossess a rib and some chest cavity wall, but other than that, prognosis is, I guess ok! Doc seems to think so! She will be in for about a week, and then home ah reckon! She will undergo radiation therapy when ever she recovers from the surgery! Boys breathing a little easier I suspect!

I forgot one of the psychic animals from yesterdays program, and that would be, PIGEONS!!! Seems they have extra sensitive legs, and can tell beforehand that an earthquake is imminent!
Makes sense to me!!! If the tree I was sitting in, or statue I was perched on, started to shake, then, I guess that must mean, EARTHQUAKE!!! The chinese said they saved 90K people from a town that suffered a quake! Evaced the whol town before hand! Property sustained major damage! But people were saved. Thanks to the pigeons! Of course now there are 90K homeless people, but I guess thats better than the alternative!

Hey RichLH???? where did you go??? You hit the same button on the computer that I did??? I'll swanny, they should label the buttons you are not suppose to touch, with skull and crossbones, or here's a thought, dont put em on the computer if they dont help!!! Too logical??? Yeah probably!!!

Ok, nap time!!!

Attila the ogre, Hun!!!