Van Horn basketball

Cut this out of the paper.

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MARFA -- (that would be in Texas for non- Texan - down near the border sorta out in the middle of nowhere - with this posting I would wonder if it is  in the middle of Know-where?)

I quote:Investigators are trying to determine who smuggled nearly 500 pounds of marijuana aboard a West Texas school bus hauling student athletes.

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border Patrol officials say the duffel bags of marijuana were discovered Monday night (that would be about 11-15-12) in the bus transporting Van Horn basketball players.  

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the bus stopped at a Marfa convenience store.  Border Patrol spokesman bill Brooks said Wednesday that an agent who happened to be at the store confiscated the marijuana.  No one was arrested.

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Brings up a question to me:  How did he know to confiscate the duffel bags?

Perhaps you might have other questions.   I betchas  somebody associated with the team / school knows more than we do.

m

operation

This past week was not too much fun.   My oldest daughter had an operation scheduled for this past Thursday.  We - being the lovable parents - drove down on Wednesday, all 5 dogs in tow, to help her get through the process.    Our 5 dogs added to her 3 make 8 - but who's counting.
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If there was one blessing, we didn't have to be at the hospital till 10.   It was at the North Austin hospital off Mopac.  It is really a pretty bldg and the folks are quite nice.    15 minutes we arrived early.   We sat and waited.
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Bored, I informed the females that I was going over "there" and get a diet coke.  And as expected they came after us when I was out of pocket digging for change.  We were moved to room 19 for pre-opt.  Check-in at 10, operation to start at noon.
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There are so many things that the staff does prior to an operation - I simply cannot recite all of them.  Again, they were really gushy being helpful.  I sensed a desire for us to be quite happy and to not sue at the end of the day.   It is a shame that we have to be treated with kid gloves instead of just people.   Since this daughter works in a hospital lab, she was able to communicate with the nurses in their language.  That was another blessing.
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Noon came and went.  No operation.  We were informed that doctor had called and it would 1 p.m.   Then another phone call and it would be 2 pm.  The wife and I were getting hungry.  Recognizing it would be another hour, we tripped down to the cafeteria.  Hospital cafeterias have their own life.  We both got a burger and chips.  Over, back to room 19,
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The daughter was dressed.   It seems - and I won't get into things I don't understand here - The doctor was at another hospital doing a surgery in the morning.  That sick person had a major problem inside the stomach walls - additional surgeons were called in - and major operation continued.  We left the hospital and she had a sandwich.
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The rest of the day and the next day were spent in conversations about rescheduling.  Nothing has been decided as of this writing.  I am sure we will make another trip south soon as soon as veteran's day and the scheduling person gets together with the doctor.
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meanwhile my daughter waits to begin the long process again.  It has to be hard to go through all that prep and have to start over.    More info will follow.

Local Newspaper

Sometimes I am motivated to post;  sometimes I am not motivated to post; sometimes I am just not motivated.

The Corsicana Daily Sun - a wonderful paper  (some will read as truth; others will read as sarcasm - the choice will be yours)...the paper had a photo last Friday of the Corsicana H.S. candidates for Homecoming Queen, King, Prince, Princess, Head Bubba and Bubbarina - I am sure they have a name for that.  Don't know it.  Don't care to know.  Already too much stuff in my brain to use anyway.

What I find interesting is the first names of the contestants - and they have a million.  What happened to the good ole days when there were 3 guys and 3 dolls?  They have 20 in the newspaper photo.  I am going to recite all of their first names.  That is what I enjoy.  Here we go:
Will, Trey, Breyon, Alonzo, Dean, Zack, Adrian, Holden, Pedro, Bobby, Cassidy, Bridgett, Autumn, Tabitha, Lauren, Shamyron, Isidra, Tia, Fatima, and Kelsey.   Where are the Mikes? the Toms?  the Harrys? the Jims?  the Marys?  the Joans?  and yes, the Brendas?  Times are a-changing.

While I am perusing the newspaper, the article underneath the Royalty (above) is a listing of 20 people:  Grand Jury indicts 20 Thursday.  It lists names and offenses.  We had the robberies, the hitting of a cop, the theft by check, aggravated assaults, possessions, etc.  They have different first names:  Lisa, Joel, Juan, Lindsey, Ismael, Amelio, Sean, Dena, Jacob etc.  2 Jameseseses.  My favorite is someone named  Echo Hooks.   There must be a story connected with that name.

Moving on:  Politics .... not really, but yes - in the paper.  Apparently we are having a heated election for sheriff.  A guy named John Barlow is running against Elmer Tanner.  Not that it matters, but it seems to me that anyone named Elmer will be better Sheriff than a John.... just take that anyway you want.

You really want to read that article.  John wrote a 599-word post addressed as an open letter to Elmer and "his gang of thugs."Yes, he wrote it on facebook.   599 words.  Who counted them?  Someone needs a better hobby.   John called Elmer a "DUMB-@%%"    I quoted from the paper.    He was complaining that his signs were being stolen (eventually asked by paper - seems 3 or 4 signs)  His rant must have been good.   His rant closing was  (off color warning)   all caps, of course.   "THIS IS FOR YOU, YOUR THUGS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SO STUPID THAT THEY WRITE STUPID COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE.  (F**K YOU)"

132 Friends on facebook he has.  I'm thinkin' one of those may not be a true friend.  The local police chief G.M. Cox said "..this kind of posting is below what I would expect a a man who wants to serve as sheriff."

I have probably spent enough time with that issue of the paper.  The local paper is always good for a bit of fun.

My trip to the scope man

I am going to do this as a "running" post.  Saving it to be posted after things have developed.

6:35 p.m.   I have just consumed my liquid.   I am timing the period before I must journey into the reading room.   The doctor has given me two  6 ounce bottles to drink.   Number one was just finished.  I put it into  the plastic glass - provided with the process - put another 16 oz of Sprite into the glass.   I was able to drink it down in about 3 massive swallows.   Now I sit and wait.   It will cleanse me completely.   The last time I had to do this, about 10 yrs back,  I had maybe a gallon of the stuff to drink - prolonged over several hours.
Apparently studious experimental types have discovered a way to wipe my innards clean with just the one glass full.   I sit and wait.   I have a 2nd six ounce treat to be finished off at 6 a.m. tomorrow.  Sitting.   Waiting. Waiting.
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7:35  almost to the exact one hour after drinking the slime, the urge hit.   Urges continued to hit for an hour and a half - such a pleasant way to end a day.

5:45 a..m. the next morn.   Don't know how I woke without help at this ungodly hour.  I have had my 2nd bottle of goop and am sitting here writing.  Outside the window - not far away - two different owls are talking back and forth.   They do a  hoo-hoooooo  hoo hoo.  One recites and the other responds in a slightly lower voice.   I expect to leave this correspondence in just one moment.  After that, all other writings will probably be completed this evening.
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I am to check in at 10 a.m.


I started this posting a couple of weeks ago.  Entitled or grouped under "entertainment."  That was 2 weeks ago.  Finished the process.  It was not entertaining.   Had a terrible time.  Doc says nothing is wrong with me.  I did my check in at 10; Navarro Regional Hospital.  Met a nice lady or two at the check-in.  A nice ole gent led me to my port of call.   I dressed properly, met several doctors and nurses - and, I think, one trainee - who was dressed in all pink while the others looked a lot older.  She put the needle in my right hand for the drip and knock-out juice.  I tried to talk nice to her explaining that I wouldn't watch and asked if she minded if I cried when she stuck me.  She was so involved with that need and the larger nurse watching, never cracked a smile.

Eventually I was rolled out to a small room and rolled over.  From that point, who knows what happened.  We left the room - have not eaten in over 24 hours - went to the local Sirloin Stockade buffet and consumed.  Over and done.  They told me to not do any business or whatever for 24 hours.   I think I was still under the whammeee of the drug.   One of these days, I suppose my wife will explain to me what all those papers were I signed as I was eating.

this blug is over and done.   I hear that my older bro is going under the scope in the near future.  I wish him well and hope "EVERYTHING COMES OUT ALRIGHT!"

p.s. My favorite thing of the day:

Nurse: Are you taking any medicine other than aspirin?

Me: No, other than Diet Coke.

Nurse: What? You are allergic to Diet Coke?

I had to stop and explain what I said.      Sigh.

Ayn Rand

I have never been an intellectual. I've learned certain things over the years perhaps in spite of the teachers or situation. When it comes to literature, I am sorely inadequate. I have started the House of Seven Gables three different times and never understood where it all was going. Of course, I have read all the Hobbit books and the Harry Potter stuff. I. E., I do not read a book a week - or month - so there are lots of things I don't know.

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get the picture?

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The other night, the wife & I had a Netflix night. We have a whole list of movies in the Quece - or however it is spelled. We watch whatever comes up next. So the next movie was Ayn Rand, a documentary. I asked the wife if Ayn Rand was a stripper from the 40s (seems like there was one - but it may have been Sally Rand). My wife didn't know who she was either. We both agreed to having heard her name.

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As we started the movie, I said, "if this thing is too heavy or stupid, we'll just shut it off and go to the next movie on the list."
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We learned that she was born in Russia in 1905. When she was 12 the Communist took over the country and took her father's business. They ended up in the USA. She was a writer. The documentary explained her books and thoughts etc. I was quite intrigued by the lady.

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Her final book was Atlas Shrugged. It came out about 1957 when I was in high school. I had never heard of it. I spent all my time sending text messages on my

i-phone instead of reading the New York Times book lists. Apparently, the book was very popular with people but college teachers didn't like it.... this could explain why I was never introduced in college throughout the years. Last year the book sold over 300,000 copies, and it seems to do that on a regular basis.

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Okay, nuff of that. The movie was "Ayn Rand and the Prophecy of Atlas Shrugged." Really an eye opener.

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The documentary ended. Spouse Brenda and I said, we ought to buy the book. She'll look on Kindle. Within 5 minutes we had bumped, literally bumped into Atlas Shrugged Part I, the movie on netflix. We have it up to watch this week.

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Then last night a TV commercial advertising Atlas Shrugged to come out this Friday in selected theaters. In the background of the commercial is the roman numeral II. So, in my ignorance, I have decided that our netflix movie is part I, and the movie in the theaters on Friday are part II. Seems logical to me.

I believe everyone should go watch this Ayn Rand and the prophecy of Atlas Shrugged. it is a mere documentary which was really interesting. With that I close.

Mtz3

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rain

Never fails.   Watered the yard yesterday and washed the Explorer Sport.

Rain is bearing down upon us.   Guess I shouldn't complain.

Sport & the trip to town

When it rains it pours. Not around this house weatherly speaking. But in other matters it is true.

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We have this little 2001 Ford Explorer Sport which we pull behind our little motorhome - if and when we ever get to go anywhere....  That should be all caps.   IF AND WHEN WE EVER GET TO GO ANYWHERE !!!!   Since our septic system died last spring and we have gone into debt to pay for the little stinker, travel has been limited. 

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It is a smaller Explorer than today's models - 2001 was different.  You may remember when Ford and Firestone had all the problems with roll-overs and bad tires  and Frod Explorers.   If not google it.   Wellppers that is the model we have.   We rarely drive the Sport. I think it has 67,000 miles after 11 years plus. We bought the explorer after our Honda CRV was destroyed in Washington D.C. on a trip to New Hampshire.

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I may have never written that stone on this site.  It was an unpleasant experience.   Brenda & I and daughter Laura in the back seat were out at night looking at the lights of D.C. We turned left with an arrow near the Lincoln Memorial.  It has now been renamed as a Honda CRV memorial. This guy in an older Lincoln - one of those big battleship - came sailing through the intersection and hit the right front fender.    After creaming  us, it took him well over a block to take control and get his Lincoln stopped.   We went in a complete 360 degree twirl. There is more to that stone, but I will let it go till later.

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Today I drove the Sport to town. Bruno had to see the Vet to see if his ears had cured - things growing inside. I might mention that 30 lb Bruno, who has been on a diet for 2 weeks, is now 28.6 lbs. I can't tell it; but, he is. Left the Vet and bought gas at Walmart. The car wouldn't start. Turn key. Silence.

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Now this has happened twice before. The first time BJ had her hairdresser jump start the car with her Ford 350 super duty heavy duty dully pickem up truck. That is trrrruuuuuuck. The next time it happened I was in Walmart parking lot (we spend a lot of time at our Walmart). Turned the key. silence. I walked around back and got the mechanic to jump start our Sport  in order to check the battery. Battery is fine. It was bought July, 2011. Good battery. Roll over. Sit. Don't play dead.

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Today. no startee. Opened the hood - fastened the jumper cables - caught the eye of an old guy in the next gas stall - we were gonna get help from a guy with a big U.T. sticker on his pickup. Bruno was waiting patiently for me; he doesn't care who has what sticker on the back of their truck. As an afterthought, I turned the key; silence. Did it a second time, ROAR. It is not the battery, I tell you. The UT guy (and I) thought, it must be the ignition switch.

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My wife was in town with the Marauder attending the Corsicana Quilt Guild monthly meeting. I got on my phone and called and called and left texts. Drove straight to our repair place. I think I may have found the best auto repair place in the State of Texas.  Eagle Motor - Sales and Service.   Surely I have said that before.   I explained the starting problem, and said that I thought it might be the ignition switch. He disagreed immediately without an ounce of hesitation. Starter Solenoid.  Once again my degree in Music Education paid off.

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I mention that it did not make that RRReeeewsainnnngggg noise that I associate with a bad solenoid. He educated me that the ford explorer has the solenoid on top of the starter thus ...... my eyes glazed over.

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In addition , when I put my foot on the brake I feel a grinding. Years back I would have thought it was dirt on the brake pads - you can feel the grinding. Well, I could be wrong again, couldn't I?   He says it is the automatic braking system. That when something isn't working right you get that feeling in the brake pedal.

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Left my keys. Went outside and sat with Bruno and called the spouse for the umpteenth time. All turned out well. She got out of the quilt meeting - called me back - picked U S up - went home - ate lunch.

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Bruno was anxious to go to the back yard where he was greeted by four curious dogs. There was a lot of nose rubbing and doggy smelling of parts that should go unsmelled in my opinion. Bruno's brother Oscar was first to greet and stayed the longest. After all, They are Twins and have never been apart. I thought it was rather touching...well besides the sniffing and all...

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The Sport is getting spruced up and will be ready to journey hopefully by tomorrow's day end. Tomorrow? well we get to go to our 2nd diabetic cooking class tomorrow. I wonder what treat she will force feed me after class.   That's it.  Y'all take care and pray for a quick fix on the sprt.    Me Mtz

Tech Band & ....

This may have limited appeal to family.  It may have limited appeal to the everyone.

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The wife and I drove to an estate sale today in Corsicana. An elderly lady from our church was going into a old folks home and her stuff was up for sale. We like estate sales because we like to look at the houses. Some house are depressing - some are beautiful. All of the stuff for sale can be depressing. You can see what these people valued - their toys and treasures. I see my stuff in their things - all for sale to grabbing strangers.

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We walked in today. The sale had been on for 3 days. In the first room was a stack of 33 1/3rd LP records. Musicals, Louis Armstrong, Tijuana Brass, all of the music that I have heard since whenever....even Handle's Messiah full boxed set recording. On top....

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There was a record on top: FAMOUS FOOTBALL SONGS of the Southwest Conference. The record was a Columbia special product by Columbia Records apparently recorded for ENCO. Enco, I believe, was ESSO or HUMBLE or I can't remember all the names they had. It made me think this record was given away by gas stations. I don't know that.

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Flip the album over and there are all 8 SW conf schools listed with a fairly long article about each

University of Arkansas "Marching Razorbacks"

Baylor University "Golden Wave" Band

The Rice University Band

Southern Methodist University "Mustang" Band

University of Texas "Longhorn" Band

Texas A&M "Aggie" Band

Texas christian University "Horned Frog" Band

Texas Tech "Red Raider" Band

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I don't know when the record came out. In the SMU paragraph it mentions that in 1962 the band proclaimed to be the Best dressed band in America. I remember traveling to SMU and they changed uniforms 3 or 4 times during the game. I graduated in 1962 so this would have been my Master year, fall of 62.

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Before I continue: Our father recorded all of these band performances from our days in the band through Pat's days. Therefore, this record is a recording that he probably made.

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The Tech contributions: one side is Texas Tech On Parade

the other side is Fight Raiders Fight.

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I have no record player. The paragraph talks about the 285 piece band. I'll show you the record if anyone ever comes to see us. Bring your own record player.

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I have a prize here.  I hope my children appreciate it when I go into a home

m3

m

Mystery of the green spots

If you read this at all, you know I have 5 wirehair dachshunds. Greta, Fritz, Liesl, Oscar, and Bruno.  In order:  blond (wheaten), black (black & tan), white (white + various spots - dapple), chocolate, and chocolate dapple.  As varied as their colors so goes their personalities and quirks.
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Big G, Greta, blondie is the smallest and the oldest.  She is a doll who has her own way about anything & everything.  She is afraid of nothing, well, except a roll upped newspaper.  She goes to bed early and will sleep past 8 a.m., nearly 3 hours after the others have rolled out to beg for breakfast.   Generally she eats every other day.  Food has minor interest to her.  Still she has grown to 12 lbs.  The diet has started.
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We left the house the other day and isolated the dogs while away.  It was lunch time when we returned.  All dogs came into the house, the kitchen to be more specific.  My wife was preparing some delicious lunch for me.  Greta walked across the kitchen, picked up her empty food dish and threw it as best she can.   I can take a hint.
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Greta did not want to eat breakfast that morning.  Popping her dish meant something to her and to us.  She did it again.  Fritz sat close watching and hoping.  Nothing makes Fritz happier than a bit of spilt food (and before you say it:  Spilt is a word.  I don't care what any book says or the spell check on this machine - spilt is a word !!)  Spilt food is good.
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I dumped a half cup of dry Iams in her dish and she ate.  Important fact....the food dish is right beside a water dish.  She finished.  I picked up the dish.  We ate lunch.  Fritz was sad that she didn't SPILT anything.
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Lunch over and the wife is cleaning up a bit.  She said, "What are these green spots on the floor?" There was a string of green 1/2 inch spots making a curved line across the kitchen floor starting near the water dish.   We looked and studied,  Green spots.  The wife said something about them starting where Greta was eating.  I joked maybe she was bleeding green blood.  Not funny.
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So I picked the fuzzball up.  The pad of her left front paw was green.  We took a wet towel and washed the pad.  Green just kept coming off....The mystery:  what did she get into that left something green on her foot.  When she ate, the paw hit water activating the green dye.  It must be a grandular something that she stepped into and it stuck between the toes.
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The lovely spouse and I have searched the house over, the garage over, the back porch over -- nowhere is there anything that produces green dye.  It looks a bit like the color of that green fertilizer that puts out nitrogen for small plants.   Can't find any of that messed up.    Where did the green dye come from?  She won't tell - prolly afraid of the roll upped newspaper.   I am open to suggestions.
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as I type, Greta is asleep on a pillow by my toes.  She just had a dream and moaned her way through it.  She is such a dear and the diet has begun.
Think little green spots.
out
mtz

Hatch Peppers

History:

Roger called last week before heading to Cisco to meet us and pick up his girls from Grammy Camp. United Food in Lubbock had fresh Hatch Chile Peppers for $1.28 lb - and they were selling them cooked (or raw) - apparently cooking them on the grill at the store. I had Roger pick me up a bunch of cooked and 3 lbs of uncooked (raw).

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Got home with the cooked ones and peeled off the skins - freezing the critters in smaller bags. The wife cooked beans this week and make corn bread muffins with Hatch Chiles in them.   That was pretty good.    She found a "green chile" beef stew recipe that was pretty yummy too. . . . . even though I think we both like our pork green chile stew a bit more.

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Went to our HEB grocery store Tuesday - there were Hatch Peppers. Now remember the $1.28 above - when Roger was at his store and learned the price - telling me over the phone, I made the comment that $1.28 seemed to be pretty cheap. We didn't have any bigger peppers in Corsicana for anywhere near that price. The Lubbock store guy made a comment about having to pay shipping to get peppers to Corsicana.

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Our local store calls these Hatch Peppers - but my grocery receipt says Anaheim Peppers. Nevermind. Locally, our HEB price is 97 cents a lb. Now THAT is a bargain. Our Jalapenos are 68 cents a pound. That is a bigger bargain. I bought a couple pounds of the Hatch peppers.

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Tonight, I fired up the outside grill - I cooked my peppers - made about 3 bags full - into the freezer. Might just buy a few more tomorrow if the prices have held.

That's it.  Keep the faith (whoever she is).

3 different hmmmmmmm

            Grammy Camp is over.  The girls are back in Lubbock.  This was a short Grammy Camp because their parents stayed here through Monday taking the three to Six Flags.  While here we:
made leather goods engraved; went to a Planeterium - locally - presentation was not exciting but the gift shop was okay;  road the boat; colored and painted by numbers; (Megan==>) sent txt messages to friends back home - I assume they were home friends and not some guy being held in prison wanting her to be his "pen" pal;  watched TV unsupervised in the sewing room - that may not seem like a big deal; but, Roger has only the one big TV in his living room - when push comes to shove, they watch what the parents like, not stupid teen-age shows or cartoons [not that Roger doesn't like cartoons.  I think he does]; went swimming at local pool (little Kayla is doing a front flip off the low board);  made striped sugar cookies; ate cake;  that is close to the bottom line.
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            Before the girls got here this week - that would be last week then - somebody north of us had a storm.  We had the power outage.  It seems we have power outages regularly.  Might add that we have power outages usually when the computer is turned on.  We all know that puters must be turned off properly, and I do that - unless there is a power outage.  My last computer use to put a little message on the screen that was obviously written by some hack to embarrass me and harass.  This machine is nicer to my feelings.
              While girls were here during a 2 day span, we had three (3) power outages.  Each outage lasted less than a second but long enough to shut off computer, TV, all electric clocks.   It is really starting to get to me.
              I had a vision.  When we have a crowd here, the PC runs most of the day.  In addition I turn on my laptop.  Normally the laptop may stay off for over a month.  So so so It had like 128 updates to install.  {I made up that number.}  It downloaded and reconfigured for a good half day.  When all is updated, you must turn the laptop off / on to finish the process.
             We had a power outage.  All I have to do now is to turn it back on and all is updated.  Right?  Right?  Wrong.  The laptop has a battery.  It never shut down - not bothered by the power outage.   Yes, I had a vision.  Battery backup.
              As we returned from delivering the precious few, stopped at a Best Buy.  I truly love Best Buy.    Surely they make a backup for a PC....surely (as they say, don't call me Shirley).  I figured this would be another couple hundred dollars - too much for my budget at this time.   Such a nice young man guided me on my search - wife at my elbow, watching, learning, remembering our budget.  Bottom Line:  how much?   I figured $200 to $250.   I was ready to forget the whole thing.
             Well I was wrong, bat breath.  Cheapest $29.95 up to $200 plus.   The wife had a vision.  Her sewing machine is a computer basically that does wonderful things.  We bought  two battery backups  - one for the computer and one for the sewing machine.  Now we wait.  C'mon power outage, we be waitin' fer ya.   My prediction is that we will never have another power outage  - ever.  ever.  ever.
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                While I have your attention { and I must or you never would have last through the battery episode }.   I found this interesting - never had thought about it.   I have a place here in town on I-45 where I get refills for my 44 oz drink _ I call all 44 oz drinks Big Gulps ... different company here - purple Styrofoam cup instead.  My refills are 30 cents plus 2 cents tax;  i.e., 32 cent big gulp.   That is cheaper than buying a 12 pack of cokes at the store and drinking a 12 oz can of diet coke.  Do the math.
                When I have the chance, I pull in - refill my purple cup - slap my 32 cents down - and enjoy my slurps.  We are leaving town yesterday to deliver above named wonderful precious children back into their parents grasp.  Pulled into coke place and filled my cup with Diet Coke - one of the few drinks allowed me in my sugary predicament.   I slide up behind this young girl who is buying two bottled Sprite drinks, a couple of scratch off tickets, and misc. stuff.  She is low 30s or upper 20 yrs old....alone, no children in tow.  What do I know about age?  Everybody looks young to me now.
                    She starts to pay and stops saying, "Oh yes, I need a couple rolls of quarters."   Say what?   2 sprites,  scratch offs, misc sweets, and now two rolls of quarters.   The hired help didn't flinch, he went to the machine and took out two rolls of quarters.   Then I noticed her bill increase more than $20.   Yes, she had paid extra to get 2 rolls of quarters.  That made no sense to me at all.   She left, and I was up next.  
                   As I paid for the big gulp (all 32 cents), I said, "  You sell quarters?"  When I ran video arcades, I was selfish with my quarters.  They are Mine Mine Do you hear me?  Mine.   Politely he explained.  Go ahead and guess before the next paragraph.
                  It seems that this station is on the direct route to Huntsville, the State Prison.  People buy quarters to take to the prisoners since all drinks etc. take quarters in the Pen.   Banks don't like to hand out quarters, so two different stations in Corsicana have taken on this task.  They sell rolls of quarters for a profit.  What a business.  Therefore, it is safe to assume this young lady with her two rolls of quarters clenched in her fist was headed for the State Pen to see some young dude who waits weekly for his quarters.   Never would have crossed my mind.
                I have more but it will have to wait. 
                Take care and save those quarters.  You just never know.....
mtz

  

This week is Grammy Camp week.  The 3 g-girls are here and we are doing stuff.  I know that I wrote more last year about G.C. - somehow this year's adventures  don't call for as much typing.  Yesterday we stopped at a Braums Ice Cream - today:  Cici's pizza, Slushies and a couple of hot hours at the  local swimming pool.  Last day of camp will be Saturday.  I think they are having a good time.  What do I know?
====================
        Relaxing on the couch (divan) watching the Olympics.   My little boy Oscar prances up and tells me that I need to hold him.  I  picked him up and laid him on my stomach with his head resting on my chest - eyes closed, starting to sleep.   He cradled into my left elbow with the long dachshund nose directly below my nose.
          He closed his eyes;  I pet his side.  His head popped up & he looked me in the eye.  He turned the nose slightly and blew it out - exhaled loudly if you will.   Then re-looking me in the eye he planted his head on my shoulder, nose away from my chess.
           Now I ask.   If I am breathing on the nose of a dog and he exhales, moving his nose away from yours - HOW BAD DOES MY BREATH SMELL?  I mean, if a dog is offended by my breath, how bad can it be?  First chance I had, I used some sin-sin, a clove, and gargled a jug of listerine.    poor dog.
==========================
               A final note - TODAY - how LONG has it been? -  I caught a mouse in the garage.  Dead;  thrown out; re-baited.

2nd misc. in a row

Do you like root beer?   I do to an extent.  How about diet root beer?  In my opinion nobody has made a good diet root beer and since they want me to leave sugar alone = diet is the only possibility.    So I was in Atwood this past week (you can look www.atwoods.com on the net - farm & ranch place with lots of other stuff....last week they had diet root beer in these big brown bottles that look like a quart of real beer - I have seen them in the past.  


I bought 2.   Took them home and told wife we would open them during our next Netflix festival.   Finally remembered to pop the cap (unscrew the plastic lid off a soft plastic bottle)   It is good root beer.  The bottles are so large that neither of us finished it.  Go to Atwoods and get urself a bottle $1.19.   I spelt urself that weigh for mi cousin Barbera since shee implied that I hav acutally made grammmmaticale errors in my blug.  (The preceding was to rass my cous cause she was so nice in the way she said it._)


Today:   my new tires for the Gorilla Cart are here.  Tomorrow they will be in use.   Took the motorhome  to a place in town and had the oil changed.  Those are the good days.   Went to the courthouse and voted.   While I was at the courthouse, got my license updated for the M.H.   And now I sits.  Sometimes I sits and thinks; othertimes I just sits.  This evening I sits.
m

Nuthin' in particularrrr

Here are a few thoughts of minor importance.  Sidebar:  I reread the below writing and have decided that not one giggle is present.  I'll try harder next time.
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1.  For those who have kept up with the garage mouse:   He/she/it/they/them are somewhere.  There are 5 traps in the garage, various locations, all loaded with creamy peanut butter.  Nothing.  Nothing.  The traps are not even spring, but my Liesl (white spotted dog) knows that we have garage company.  She hunts the garage every chance she has.  Nothing.  Nothing.   The search continues.
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I put these lines in between stuff because it helps my emails look better and read easier.
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2.   Yesterday I had this email which advertised a cooking show in Dallas with guest appearances by Paula Dean and Bobby Flay.  Now that sounded interesting - coming sometime in September - perhaps I could pass tickets off as a birthday present for my wife.
        I went to the website:    http://www.metrocookingdallas.com/


Navigating the page is a pain for the computer illiterate.  After much to do I discovered that metro cooking dallas is a cooking type show on the floor of a building with booths - maybe you pay to taste.  I  don't know; don't care really.  Found a line that said something about the theater show being extra.   I clicked on it.
          Reducing this stone to fewer lines, let me just say that I was able to find ticket info for Flay and Dean. With Paula's face shining out to me, I clicked and discovered you can buy special tickets which will let you meet the twins and have a photo op in addition to the special seating for the show.   Only 38 of these special tickets are left.  That's for me.  Special.  Photo Op.  Shake hands and make chit chat.  Thassss me.
$400 a ticket.   Some things are worth repeating.   Four Hundred Dollas a ticket and there are ONLY  38 of these tickets left.  Whoop-de-doo !!!  I better get right on that.  $400 for me and $400 for the wife....could that be ONLY  $800 total (plus taxes and fees)?
           So I ask myself.   Shall I buy two $400 tickets or shall I spend this money on a cemetery plot - or buy 240 gallons of gas (today's price) - 400 new mice traps - 2500 refills for my 44 oz big drink - enough, you get the idea.  I'm staying home.   but, wait,  they have another big deal.  
          They are doing a show in Houston on the preceding weekend with Giana - I can get a special deal for that 2 shows for a reduced price.   Sure.  I did go see what regular tickets cost for Dallas.  Their computer program wouldn't let me search for the cheapest price....Mid auditorium were $135 per ticket.   Staying home - watching TV.
================
3.  Voted early in the Texas runoff election today.  Those voting machines are simply fascinating to me. My age shows.
====================
4.   We are getting the grand-girls next week for Grammy Camp.  G.C. updates will follow as time goes by.
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5.   Last:  I have a small John Deere riding mower.   It is good.   When we moved out here I bought a 4 wheel Gorilla Cart for moving stuff here in the wilderness.   This cart can hold up to 1200 lbs of stuff.  I love it.  Last year as I backed the trailer attached to mower, not paying enough attention, I bent the handle 90 degrees.  Contacted Gorilla Cart folks and got a grumpy guy - but we bought a new handle.
     This year the front tires have started to fall off.  Sometimes these tires ride at a 45 degree angle to the cart.  We sludge along.  I emailed Gorilla Cart folks and got a very nice sweet lady who helped me order the tires (wheels)....the bearings are just shot.  I sit here today waiting for a delivery truck and my 4 new wheels. Then, once again, I shall attack the back yard moving dirt, rock, sticks, twigs, mountains of limbs - or the world if I must.  

yum yum

12:15 Sat afternoon.   In the oven right now - in the oven - 25 jalapenos, stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and 12 of them wrapped with bacon - in the oven -   I know many folks like cream cheese or other cheeses - but, that matters little to me.  We have Monterey Jack here right now and the peppers to cook.


In our trips to Canton and other points of interest, we have purchased devices to seed and devein peppers. I used all 3 today plus a small knife with a cute curved end for digging deep - also have a tool to stuff cheese into the bottom of the pepper.  Forever I have used my pinkie finger for that.  This tool is better - really stuffs the peppers good.   


The wife, spouse, BJ, Bren, Brenda Joy, gir, Ernie's big sis = whathaveyou  = is in the process of slicing potatoes and onions to be fried into a wonderful mass.  On TV we saw a special on Napolean - he is said to love onions and potatoes fried together - even had his favorite meal the night before Waterloo.  I figure that I am Napolean reincarnated - at least when it comes to fried potatoes and onions.  Wanna decorate them a bit, sprinkle a bit of paprika and cayenne on the final product.  My mouth waters.


This morning same wife mentioned above put a pot of beans on in the slow cooker.   Next, going into the oven will be a pan of cornbread.


Now let's see if you understand our luncheon menu:  
Beans - slow cooked
Cornbread muffins
Fried Onions and Potatoes with a slight sprinkle of red
Baked jalapeno peppers stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese wrapped in bacon
Peach Tea


and all the time, my boy Fritz is laying on the floor hoping we drop just one small morsel.   I think the boy (and his brothers and sisters)  need a chew stick.


Y'all take care now - I am looking forward to a fairly long nap this afternoon followed by a Netflix movie of the spouses choosing.
m

Mouse Wars #2

Let's review.   
#1   fire ants in motorhome cover.   Problem solved.  Critters are gone/ dead/ kaput.  Rolled up the cover today and stuffed into its bag.  Originally, the bag was about a foot or so high - now, with my rolling skills, it is over 3 ft.  Big bunch of material stuffed into a too small container.  But over and done with.


#2   As you may remember, I gave up on the Victory mouse traps with plastic thingy.  Frustration with mouse traps does not become me.  You'd think at my age, I could make a mouse trap work.  You'd think.


To town.  Got haircut.  I am cute again.


Drove to Atwoods  (you can find them online).     Mouse traps are hard to find in a Farm & Ranch store.  I get lost looking at the shelves of great farm stuff.   Atwoods has more than one style of trap.   I bought 3 styles (some were on close out).   They are fab.    Made a trip to grocery and bought creamy peanut butter - that extra crunchy just won't work for me.


I brought them home = headed for the garage - my boy (dog) Fritz followed along to visit his personal restroom in the dog pit.   I worked away.   One trap was positioned followed by a 2nd - differnet style.  These were against the wall.  I built a barrier to keep dogs at bay.   Gave my attention to traps 3 & 4 for the far corner.  Done.


It was time to leave - bundled up my equipment when I hear a noise.  Fritz had moved the barriers and was finishing off the peanut butter on those traps.   He got the job done without injury.  How did he do dat?   I don't know;  I just don't know.   Boy, Fritz got fussed at and chased back into the house.   He moved pretty fast for having such short legs.


Re-did the first 2 traps.   That was 6 plus hours ago.   No dead mice yet.   I hate to think that a mouse is smarter than I.   And that's a fact.


m

Mouse Wars

Let's review from a few days back.   I had two dilemmas:  fireants in an old motorhome cover  and  a mouse in the garage.


#1  The cover has now been rained on 4 times.  The cover has been spread out on the driveway and turned and changed and altered over the same days.   I have sprayed portions of the cover with bug spray.   Most of the ants have left the building.  I am pleased.  With luck and no rain, the cover will be rolled up and hidden in the garage away from mama fire aunt.


#2  The mice are winning.  Bought two traps at HEB.  They have a plastic piece in which the long metal rod is placed...similar to the old ones but plastic piece.   I put cheese on it.  Many of you suggested - and I think you for your suggestions - that I replace the gourmet cheese with peanut butter.  I did.  All we have is extra crunchy peanut butter which will not spread on a piece of plastic.  Then the plastic sticks to the bottom wood and won't move to push in the metal bar.


I put the two down with peanut butter.


Yesterday I started the lawn mowing process - takes 3 days including the weed eating - Two of my dogs roamed the garage as I mowed.   I don't know which one - I can guess it is Greta the Snake Dog - but one was able to squeeze and squirm in a most tiny area and get one of the traps.   When we found it - no peanut butter - the plastic piece was gone, never to be seen again.  The other trap was secure in its hiding.  Lucky for that mouse that it is hidden just so finely.


Walmart tonight:  bought more mouse traps.  They have ONLY the same brand.   I bought creamy peanut butter, a small jar.   Let's cut to the chase:   The old trap I sprung - the plastic piece flew off and has gone into hiding.  That makes 2 in the trash.  The four new ones:  I worked for 30 minutes to get just one of them to set.  I could not.  The metal piece won't fit in the plastic and catch.  The creamy peanut butter oozes through the holes and sticks the plastic piece to the wood like glue.


I had to stop and come into the house for a sweat band for my brow.   I was drenched in sweat.  Made me mad.  I took all four traps and the peanut butter into the kitchen and plopped them down to stay.  Tomorrow I will go to Tractor Supply and Atwoods looking for a mouse trap that will work.  Can't use poison - poison, in case you didn't know - will kill the mouse but it will also kill the dog that finds the body and mauls it.


With this I close.   Tomorrow?  I may report on a fund raiser attended tonight.   Interesting adventure.


luv and ksses
May the mouse be with you.
m3

Bushel and a Peck

On Dallas radio  770 AM  - play good music - they are playing a Doris Day song:  "Bushel And A Peck."  That was such a nice happy song:  "I love you -  a bushel and a peck - a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck...."


What I remember is many years back visiting my Uncle Jack and Aunt Doris.  The had 5 boys and one girl.  The girl (Vickie or Vicky) was half of a set of twins (Victor being the other half).  


We visited them one time when the twins were quite young - toddlers.  Vickie sang Bushel and a Peck for us during that visit.   Everyone thought she was so cute.  I assume that Victor was singing too - but he was just another one of the boys.


That was a fun place to visit.   Maybe I will ramble about some of those memories later.
m

Vinegar Pie (100 year old)

I had a request for this pie recipe from someone - out of the 1986 Navarro county sesquicentennial cookbook. Well, I had to type it - so you get it too.

Nyah Nyah mtz3

===================================================

vinegar pie recipe!!!

100 YEAR OLD VINEGAR PIE

2 T. Butter

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. flour

1 egg

1 c. water

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. allspice

2 T. vinegar

1 pie shell

Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and spices. Add to cream mixture. Then add egg, vinegar, and water. Cook on top of double boiler until thick. Bake pie shell 2 or 3 minutes then add filling and bake at 350 degrees until done.

by Joyce Morris

2 dilemmas

2 dilemmas

part one: My dogs have been hunting in the garage. I didn't know what fer. Day before yesterday, I saw the backend of a mouse scurrying across the floor. A trip to H E B and 2 mousetraps. They are making them out of plastic now of course.

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I set the traps w/ cheese--good cheese, not this cheapy stuff. Found a corner away from dog "huntings." Planted. Waited overnight.

---

Checked the traps this morning; no mice. No cheese either. The mouse took the cheese and left the traps un-sprung; yes, the mouse did both traps. Plastics!! Re-cheesed the two traps and have set them out. Last time. If this doesn't work, go somewhere else and buy traps; write nasty message to mousetrap company (yep, their web address is on the trap); and we shall try again. Stupid little beggard.

==============================

part two: I had a cover for my old motorhome. The MH was 34 ft long - the cover is the same plus front, back, and sides. When the old MH left us, I rolled the old cover up and put it outside on a trailer - At the time it was to be temporary because the cover's COVER (BAG) was in garage filled with boat life preservers.

---

time passed.

---

Day b4 yesterday, I got the energy to take care of the cover. unroll it, dry it out, re-roll it properly, put it in the bag.

---

Driveway. I started unrolling the cover to dry. It is invested with fire ants. What did I expect? Of course it was going to have spiders, crickets, and bugs (Oh my) - but not fire ants. I spread it out on the driveway using thick gloves and killing ants as I went.

---

I tried to wash them off with a hose. That didn't work. Too many nooks and crannies to catch them, and the little twirps can hang on under 5,000 lbs of water pressure. I spread the cover out to the best of my abilities. Last night it rained. The cover is wetter. Where did the ants go? into the nooks and crannies and under the tarp. Flipped it over; tried washing off more; stomped a bunch. I didn't make a dent.

---

My plan: leave it on driveway for afternoon heat. Turn it over in time. Turn it over again. Stomp. Wait. Stomp. Rotate. Give it up. Roll the little jerks up in the tarp and stuff in the bag. Strap it to the top of my car. Take it to Houston and find a place that can immerse it in poisonous liquid. Go from there to one of those automobile pressing places and have it squashed. Southwest of Houston is one of those Nuclear power plants - loan it to them for a month. Drag it behind a fishing trawler in the Gulf - preferably near a BP oil derrick. Book it on the next Chinese rocket ship. Hang it out to dry in outer space. Bring it home and repackage for further use - assuming the ants are gone.

---

open to suggestions.

Mtz

Visit www.mikemetze.com when you can.

(Number 3 - is dilemma spelled:   delimma or dilemma? Naturally it is not spelled as it sounds.....trying this larger font one time just to see how it goes...see ya)

tank fantasy

I read the newspaper daily - I read most every word - sometimes some words twice - depends upon my distractions.
Today:  dallas morning news - Section K, page 1 at the bottom - the Travel Section.


FULFILL YOUR TANK FANTASY  by Jeff Baenen, The Associated Press


I'll abbreviated even thought the article didn't.  Bottom line:  You can go to Kasota, Minn.  and rent a tank - big army type tank.  You can drive around a while and shoot the machine gun.    If you pay extra, more perks.


Prices:  Basic package that includes driving a tank and shooting a machine gun is $399.   More expensive trips if you shoot other weapons such as assault rifles.  If you want to smash a car - pay an additional $549;  for about $3,500 you can drive you tank through a trailer house.  Think of yourself as a tornado on a mission, merely $3,500 more.   the article has more.


They have sold more than 600 packages this year.  


A quote from the last paragraph:  "To have that much weight on just two brake handles, it's awesome," said Ostling after the tank rolled over a car and rained glass around his head.  The car "was like a tin can," he said.


Drive a Tank is in Kasota, Minn. about 75 miles southwest of Minneapolis.    Reservations are accepted.  507-931-7385.


Now was that worth a read or not?
over and out
Bang Bang Crash Boom THUD!!

Quickie - movie

Thanks to U.T. Johnny, my wife and I have an Apple TV box which allows us to watch Netflix as much as we want, whenever we wish.  It is really an interesting box. I know there are probably other TV boxes out there too.   I like this one.   I might point out that the box uses the HDMI cable which is plugged directly into the TV.  The the box communicates with my WiFi to get the movies - blogs - and lots of other stuff.
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 Before the Box, we received one Netflix DVD at a time - averaged about 3 or so every 2 weeks.  When it came in the mail, that night (afternoon) it was watched immediately so "back into the mailbox" it could go.  We selected our list off the Netflix website via our computer.
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The AppleTV Box eliminates that bit and Netflix costs the same - box or delivered DVD..  One problem I have with the box is the selection of movies process.  It was certainly easier to find DVDs on the computer to order for future watching.  There is probably a way to use the computer with this box too - probably should spend some time to figure it out.   Probably.
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This evening we watched a pretty good older type movie - James Cagney was Admiral William Halsey running the war in the Pacific --  that would be  W W  II  for the novice reader.  Some of the movie was obviously hokey (maybe spelled hokie) but the story line was okay and James Cagney was true to his form. . . but he didn't dance or sing once.  Chester from Gunsmoke had a goodly part in the movie too.
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What I enjoyed about the movie ---  THE  GALLANT  HOURS  ....   was the music.  From my college days, the great choral group to hear was the Roger Wagner Chorale.  They were fine.   My younger wipper-snapper readers who enjoy choral music, should watch this movie with the sound up.   It was good stuff.  As a band person, I missed that great opening march which accompany most war movies -  the Roger Wagner Chorale made up for it.   There is something about a Men's Choir that is stirring.  There were SATB songs too.  I really enjoyed the opening Men's Choir presentation.
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The movie ended before I could figure out if we won the war.
====
Reminds me of a TV series years ago about the war in the Pacific.  The theme song was the Navy Hymn.  If I had been in the Navy, I would request that song to be sung at my funeral.  Maybe I still can....along with Carmina Burana & In The Mood & & &.
====
Final bit - in my stuff in the living room is the complete copy of the TV Series:  Victory At Sea  with all that great Richard Rogers music.  It is VHS, still wrapped up in its original packaging.  Never had opened them.
see ya
Mtz

cookbook & estate sales & ...

The wife and I have been going to Estate Sales of late. You see a lot of stuff that nobody wants. You see stuff that people should want, but it has been left behind to be pawed over by strangers: things like: old family photos, cosmetics in the bath room, clothes of all sizes, a book collection with questionable titles - you get the idea. But what we enjoy the most ( I think it is we ) is looking at the houses.

========

Some are old - some fairly new. We were in a 3 floor house last year that was amazing with lead glass stained windows. We were told that the grandchildren use to roller skate in the attic (3rd floor) - big room.

========

Today we ended up in a 1970s single story ranch type house with over 5300 square feet of space and a 4 car garage plus guest house and more. In the kitchen was a built in BBQ cooker, right there in the wall with a chimney going out the ceiling....briquets, the whole shooting match. it was quite a house.

=========

We bought two things today. One was a bottle. Green glass with the words American Bicentennial on the bottom side and Corsicana on the other. one side with an eagle and 200 & an American flag -- the other side says: "Texas First oil Well" with the oil derrick on the bottle. These are not painted on - but actually part of the glass bottle. the top takes a cork to close. I love this bottle. oh, on the bottom are words CHATTANOD GLASS CO 75 YEARS

============

The wife found a loose leaf cookbook: Navarro County Sesquicentennial Cookbook 1836-1986. It is your local cookbook with recipes from the locals. Thought it would be fun to have since it has recipes from people we know.

=============

Pay Attention Now - This is exactly how it is found in the book.

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Page 215

GRANDMOTHER WELCH'S COCOA RECIPE

2 c sugar 1 T. flour

2 T. cocoa 1 c. milk or water

Mix ingredients together and cook until thick. Pour over Mama-made biscuits and serve.

History: This recipe came from my great-grandmother. Daddy was raised eating this; I was raised eating this; I raised four children eating this; now they are raising their children on this. I know of four generations.

Nell Crum

====================================================

A RARE RECIPE FROM A SLAVE COOK

Gather your pees 'bout sun down. The folrin day, 'bout leven o'clock, gowge out your pees with your thum nale, like gowgin out a man's eyeball at a kote house. Rense your pees, parbile them, then fry 'em with sum several slices uv streekt middlin, incouragin uf the gravy to seep out and intermarry with your pees. When modritly brown, but not scorcht, empty intoo a dish. Mash 'em gently with a spune, mix with raw tomaters sprinkled with a little brown shugar and the immortal dis ar quite ready. Eat a hepe. Eat mo and mo. it is good for your genral helth uv mind and body. It fattens you up, makes you sassy, goes throo and throo your very soul. But why don't you eat: eat on. By Jings. Eat. Stop? Never, while thar is a pee in the dish.

History: This was found in an old church cookbook. Fropm the 1800's and published in 1879 in "Housekeeping in Old Virginia".

Peggy Garner

==============================

couple more:

WIENERS SUPREME

Select the number of wieners you plan to serve. Cut in half each weiner, leaving one end intact. Place strip of cheese and thinly sliced onions inside each wiener. Wrap a strip of bacon tightly around each wiener. Place all wieners in shallow pan or Pyrex dish and cook at 350 degrees until bacon is done.

Elizabeth Slater

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KING RANCH CHICKEN (I knew it had to be in here, page 113)

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100 YEAR OLD VINEGAR PIE page 202

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that's nuff for now.   Y'all keep the faith now;  Y'hear?

mike

Saturday plus other memories

Today the wife heads for Lubbock for a week to (she says) babysit two of our g'girls while the other one goes to a church camp.  She and Christine are going while I stay behind with the dogs.


I have a dance job (+ rehearsals) coming up.  I feel obligated to stay here and do the band thing.   I do enjoy the band thing.


The dance is a Senior Prom.   No, not for H.S. seniors.  It is for the elderly types - "seniors" prom.   The Corsicana Swing Orchestra fits right into that group.  I did have a thought though.  Swing was popular in the 40s....that would be people in their 80s.   My group of swingers    -  in our 70s  -   grew up with the beginnings of rock and roll, Elvis, that bunch.  I wonder if they shouldn't be having a rockabilly 50s band to play for this prom.


Y'know, in my home town of Levelland, my class didn't really have a senior prom.   It was not like it is today.  Dancing was considered such a sin by many of the Levelland powers - make that POWERS - that dancing was not allowed for kids too much in public.    Now in the spring of 57, there was a dance down in the big room of the new hotel.   The group I played with in high school - doc, jimmy, and a few others, played for that dance.   We played a while then another group, a guitar type group, played a while.  We shared.  The guitar group was known as the Sparkles - and I still see their name in and around Lubbock playing for things even now.  I don't know if it is the same group, but the name is the same.  I want to say Jimmy blakely was their boss.  I forget.


I remember our group (cutely called The Saints - semi dixieland music & so forth)  had this little riff we would play - then take solos, making up whatever possessed us.  We played that fairly on in the job.  A bit later, kids started coming up to us and requesting we play Tequila again.  We had no idea what Tequila was. We figured it out.  Yep, we figured it out.  Our riff was the Tequila rhythm.  I bet we played that thing 5 times during the night.  The Sparkles had nothing like it in the book.  We were so groovy.


Reminds me of another Levelland job about that same time.  We were booked to play a dance - it seems to me out at the rodeo arena or inside a bldg at the arena.  Jim, Doc, & Me - may have Bob (guitar) or that "funny" kid playing the piano - and a strange man that I had never met who played a guitar.   I think he was suppose to be our 'steady' factor to keep us going in the right direction.


Doc McKay was our drummer, good friend of brother Jim.  His parents had influence in and around town.  They booked us for more than one job.   Well we had our songs - I had my fake book and could play any song that came around.  But this man - let's call him Billy Bob - tall, lanky, tough skin, rough,  played guitar in the key of E.   I had never faced the key of E with such regularity.   (little band stuff here - on trumpet, that would be the key of F # - and unbearable number of sharps).  We survived the night even though it must have  lacked  some professional-lity - maybe for Levelland, it was quite good.  Nobody yelled.


I have one lasting memory of that night.  The guy said, "Do y'all know The Shriek of Arabie"?   (is that spelled Arabie or Araby or Aire-uh-beeee ?).  We had never heard of that song.  Doc could play it, drummer and all.   Our other guitar player (bob) could - after all it was in E.   Before the night, I had learned that song - played it over and over and over.  I know the Shiek - just noticed I spelled it Shriek up above - Or  is it Sheik?   My speel chek dudn't lake it any durection I goe.   Looked it up on spell check - it prefers Shrek - modern spell check I suppose.


Nuff of the above.  I enjoyed the night.  We got paid something.  The crowd danced.  No eggs were thrown.  Never saw that long legged lanky stranger and his lonely guitar again.  Quite a guy.  Doc's parents started looking for another gig for us.  

Memo App musings

This is one of those post taken from my memo app on my phone.  I go places or see something & write it on the memo section.  Many times I don't remember what the cryptic note is telling me.  You'll see - mostly just little quips about very little.
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             Last week we had to make a trip to Waxahachie.  We didn't "have" to.  We chose to go to Waxa - my son Roger calls it Wax-A- hachet (probably some sort of rebellion at his age).  I took the Marauder in locally to get it inspected and the oil changed.  I should have checked before I went.  The front tires had wire sticking out on the inside - both tires.  Not good.   Need new tires.  Guy would not issue sticker.
             In one of my more brilliant wastes of cash, 3 years ago I signed up for a front end alignment at National Tire and Battery in Waxahachie.  They had a deal:  3 years of alignments for $139.99 or some such worthless number.  I signed up.  Car needed to be aligned & it all seemed to equal out.  Since that date, I used the "free" alignment once.  So that would be 2 times total.  In March I noticed a bit of wear on the front tires, not bad, just wear.  Was in Waxa and had the things worked on.  That was #3.
             The deal was set to expire on June 22nd of this year.  Back to the inspection.  If the tires were worn - needed new tires - just chose to go up there to get tires and have one final alignment.  Now you see why I needed to go to Waxahachet?   (That took too long to explain.)   I might mention that Waxa has a quilt store that my wife loves.   Did tires - quilt store - alignment - time to eat lunch - which brings me BACK to the phone memo app.
             One of our places to go eat is Ryans.  it is a buffet - you might say a Golden Corral look alike.   Now the wife prefers our Sirloin Stockade because they have meatloaf or Golden Corral because they have the chocolate fountain - have you read my previous post about rolls from Ryans?   We walked into Ryans at 12:55 to eat.   There was a line and it was a week day.  What?   We figured it out.  These were all there to eat together and were waiting for others to arrive - a sort of festival of old folks waiting and eating together in bliss.
             A lady in front of us said, "She says her register won't work it until it is exactly 1  o'clock and that is still another 2 minutes."  "My watch," she continued, " already has one on it."   The register girl looked up sympathetically.   What?  They have a cash register that won't work till 1?  That makes no sense at all.  Much befuddlement later we understand.  
             These are all seniors - they don't know each other at all - they are all waiting till one exactly to go through the line - why?  -  because at Ryans, seniors get free tea between 1 and 3.   So, we backed off and waited too.  Free Tea is NOT to be sneezed at  lightly.    We made it through at 1:05, ate, got the extra roll, and moved out.
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           Speaking of Natl. Tire and Battery.  My Marauder takes special tires.  The front tires are a different size than the back ones. . . back are wider for better racing.  These tires, naturally are more expensive.  The man tried to direct me to a cheaper tire:  Sumitomo tires.  The also have Yokohama tires.  Hmmm.  I asked about the sumitomo - turns out they are house brand.  I went something like "uh huh"  and he immediately went off on how they had had some problems in the past but are just fine now.  That certainly gave me confidence.   Chose the BF Goodrich overpriced tire instead.
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           next memo:   Cedar. Crest.    I don't have the slightest idea what that means.
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             Was out and about - might have been the same above trip.   I saw some young kids with a mama type and a papa type doing stuff.  They all had on a brown and yellow T-shirt - I thought "baseball team."   The mama turned and I read the name of the team.                 The Tators            Yep, the tators.  I could play on that team.
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           Think I mentioned this to someone - remember the solar eclipse last month?  I did hear a female radio announcer - news type - who made a remark about "the solar eclispe tonight."   Should go without comment.
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                 Last one for this post:   My son Roger lives in Lubbock on a street with a clu-de-sac.  Every Christmas he and a few of his neighbors light their houses - they have that computer program which makes the lights turn on and off with the music.   As the music gets louder, the bulbs can get brighter.  It is quite a show.  Cars line the street for 2 to 3 weeks to see the lights.
                 I may have mentioned that my daughter Laura has been through all the process to become a minister in the Methodist Church.  She has been appointed as the preacher for the First United Methodist Church in Cisco, TX.  Her first sermon was on Father's Day.   She and her husband Tom are so excited - every time they call they have to go on and on about how great Cisco is - the people are great - the town is excellent - 
               I had this thought that Laura should did deep into her pocket - light the church or surrounding area and do the Christmas light thing that Roger has.  He could program her computer.  This would be the talk of Cisco.   Now Rog does some secular Christmas music - "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" as an example.  This probably would be wrong for a church.   It was a thought I had.  I put it in the memo app.   Now it will be  erased.  All done.
              see ya guys soon.
mtz  or  m3   or  mm  or  dumbhead - take your choice.

Rolls & Loafs

Once in a while we make it to Waxahachie (Roger calls it Wax-A-Hachet) for different reasons. Waxa has better shopping than Corsicana and a Quilt store. Depending upon the day and time we will eat at Ryans (A Golden Corral lookalike).

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Every buffet has its own little bits / traditions. If you don't stop the waitress at Ryans, she will drop fresh rolls on your table. Sometimes I tell her "no rolls" and she brings them anyway. They have nice yummy rolls. I feel guilty about leaving good rolls on the table, so I will wrap them up in napkins and stuff them in the wife's purse. The plan: she can have a roll tomorrow.

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Back up to last year. We brought a roll home in her purse. By the time we got home we didn't remember the roll. Fast forward to the next morning. My wife wakes and rolls (cute word) out of bed. There at her feet are shredded napkins and an opened purse. The only dog we can blame was Liesl. She had found the roll during the long night and feasted. They are yummy, remember?

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A few months later - ate at Ryans - lady brought rolls - took one home - wife & I forgot about it - in the middle of the night - the purse was hit again - once again it just HAD to be Liesl. That girl can open a zipper in the dark. Smart Dog.

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Sunday was Father's Day. 20 some miles south of here is the town of Fairfield. There is a restaurant on I-45 names SAMS. They run a buffet and have great BBQ, ham, beef, & chicken. Sam's also has a menu - don't use it...buffet works just fine.

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Sam's has a bit where the waitress brings you a wooden board with a small loaf of bread for the table. They use to give you a choice bread or corn bread. The last two times, we had no choice. It is a little loaf of bread that really has a great flavor.

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We ate and had a half loaf of the bread left....can you tell where I am going with this? Wrapped that bread up, put in her purse, zipped up, and came on home. Yes, my wife walked into our house, forgot the bread was in the purse, put the purse on the floor beside the bed, and went about her biz.

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It is my wife's bedtime. She just came in here and got me. On the floor, beside the bed, a torn-to-shreds napkin, an unzipped purse, and no half a loaf of bread. Once again, I can account for the boy dogs all day and Greta slept the day through in the sewing room. It can only be Liesl. I might add she did not finish her supper tonight.

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When asked if she did this....Liesl got real close to the ground, turned he back on us and her little tail started moving really fast. She crawled that-a-way.

The saga continues.

M