 | Most people are welcome here at the estate but due to the volume of traffic in and out at all hours I've had to lay down a few ground rules. I could see the neighbors getting anxious. Read the sign, if it applies this means You, No Expections! |
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
The enigma.....
Over the weekend I went to an AA celebration for a member who just attained 45 years of sobriety....that's a long time between cold beers. One of the speakers was remarking on how hard it is for "outsiders" to understand exactly what AA is all about, why it means so much to us and how it works. As an example he said, "you know outsiders just don't get it when we laugh so hard at stories of now sober members and their trials. We laugh when someone describes being thrown out of his home, losing his wife or going to jail, but we cry so easily when the same person talks about being sober and getting back the wife, children, home, job and how happy he is now." We laugh and we cry because, in one form or another, most of us have been there too. It's the laughter and tears of drowning men and women resuced from the shipwreck all having survived together.
I had one of those moments this weekend, I was the subject of one of those moments of laughter. A woman who has been in and out of AA for many years was speaking; she now has 3 years of sobriety and is a model citizen. She wasn't always that way. "T" was almost crying when she spoke of her downward spiral and how, many times over the years she had tried AA, but it wasn't her time, she wasn't ready. She ended up saying that when she first came into the program in 1992 she wasn't sure she really was an alcoholic and used any excuse to justify her continued drinking.
Looking at the large audience she said, "in fact I see Wallace sitting there. I remember Wallace from my first days in 1992 at the old 710 AA Club, and I remember thinking that surely I'm not as bad as he is, I can't be an alcoholic....I'm not that bad". "T" had said this quite honestly and from the heart, not directed as a hurt for me, just what she remembered of herself.
The audience howled and none more so than me, for I was "that bad" before I got sober in March of 1994. I went to AA often in those pre 1994 days......most usually under the influence, which is not recommended. And after years of that, not too much appreciated by the sober and recovering members; many of those that were laughing so much Saturday night had been there in the 1990's and remember that I was "that bad". In fact my good friend Brooks, told me after I was sober for some years, that the members of the 710 Club had actually talked about not letting me come back....the first person in memory to be thrown out of AA.
Everyone laughed and smiled, including me, and I felt a little proud in the way that outsiders might not understand. I felt good because I had been "that bad" and had almost been thrown out of AA, but in a little over a month I'll have 13 years clean and sober. Where else but AA can you be "that bad" and end up a role model. I guess if I can make it, anyone can.
Over the weekend I went to an AA celebration for a member who just attained 45 years of sobriety....that's a long time between cold beers. One of the speakers was remarking on how hard it is for "outsiders" to understand exactly what AA is all about, why it means so much to us and how it works. As an example he said, "you know outsiders just don't get it when we laugh so hard at stories of now sober members and their trials. We laugh when someone describes being thrown out of his home, losing his wife or going to jail, but we cry so easily when the same person talks about being sober and getting back the wife, children, home, job and how happy he is now." We laugh and we cry because, in one form or another, most of us have been there too. It's the laughter and tears of drowning men and women resuced from the shipwreck all having survived together.
I had one of those moments this weekend, I was the subject of one of those moments of laughter. A woman who has been in and out of AA for many years was speaking; she now has 3 years of sobriety and is a model citizen. She wasn't always that way. "T" was almost crying when she spoke of her downward spiral and how, many times over the years she had tried AA, but it wasn't her time, she wasn't ready. She ended up saying that when she first came into the program in 1992 she wasn't sure she really was an alcoholic and used any excuse to justify her continued drinking.
Looking at the large audience she said, "in fact I see Wallace sitting there. I remember Wallace from my first days in 1992 at the old 710 AA Club, and I remember thinking that surely I'm not as bad as he is, I can't be an alcoholic....I'm not that bad". "T" had said this quite honestly and from the heart, not directed as a hurt for me, just what she remembered of herself.
The audience howled and none more so than me, for I was "that bad" before I got sober in March of 1994. I went to AA often in those pre 1994 days......most usually under the influence, which is not recommended. And after years of that, not too much appreciated by the sober and recovering members; many of those that were laughing so much Saturday night had been there in the 1990's and remember that I was "that bad". In fact my good friend Brooks, told me after I was sober for some years, that the members of the 710 Club had actually talked about not letting me come back....the first person in memory to be thrown out of AA.
Everyone laughed and smiled, including me, and I felt a little proud in the way that outsiders might not understand. I felt good because I had been "that bad" and had almost been thrown out of AA, but in a little over a month I'll have 13 years clean and sober. Where else but AA can you be "that bad" and end up a role model. I guess if I can make it, anyone can.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Remembrances and Melancholy....
It was two months ago today that my Dad passed away. Strangely it seems like an eternity ago; and then at other times it seems that he's not gone at all.
When I go to my Mom's house I still have the feeling that I'll be seeing them both. I've noticed too that as we walk down the hall both my Mom and I still turn and look into the room where he lay resting for most of his last two weeks as if he should still be there. In the den his chair still remains vacant when we sit in that room, it was his chair, where he sat.
At my house I sometimes expect to see the Big Gold Dog, Tres, laying in his spot in the hall and at night when I hear the branches rustling I believe, or want to believe, that it's his paws hitting the wall like they used to when he was lying there dreaming, running in his sleep. Tres has been gone only four months, but his memory is still very much alive.
And it was not long before the deaths of my Dad and Tres that there were other lively voices here in the house. I miss them all and at times the quiet and sadness is almost overwhelming. But we are responsible for our own wellfare and happiness is not an end destination; it is the result of how we live our lives. So, I drift out of the melancholy and concentrate on those who remain that need my assistance.
It was two months ago today that my Dad passed away. Strangely it seems like an eternity ago; and then at other times it seems that he's not gone at all.
When I go to my Mom's house I still have the feeling that I'll be seeing them both. I've noticed too that as we walk down the hall both my Mom and I still turn and look into the room where he lay resting for most of his last two weeks as if he should still be there. In the den his chair still remains vacant when we sit in that room, it was his chair, where he sat.
At my house I sometimes expect to see the Big Gold Dog, Tres, laying in his spot in the hall and at night when I hear the branches rustling I believe, or want to believe, that it's his paws hitting the wall like they used to when he was lying there dreaming, running in his sleep. Tres has been gone only four months, but his memory is still very much alive.
And it was not long before the deaths of my Dad and Tres that there were other lively voices here in the house. I miss them all and at times the quiet and sadness is almost overwhelming. But we are responsible for our own wellfare and happiness is not an end destination; it is the result of how we live our lives. So, I drift out of the melancholy and concentrate on those who remain that need my assistance.
Friday, January 26, 2007
What excitement.....
It has been an exciting day!
Daphne got a new rope toy and I bought a new bedspread. Daphne chewed a hole in the last spread. It wasn't her fault, she was emotionally distraught. And... I sent a big check to the IRS to repay a "disagreement" incurred around 1987
And no, I didn't just blow off the IRS for the last 20 years, just 3 or 4. They are my friends now, I talk to them alot. Actually in '87 I had made a fair sum in the real estate business in Dallas and my CPA put me in some tax shelters that were later disallowed. Unfortunately the disallowances coincided with my unfortunate "non sober" period. Being "non sober" renders one much more likely to blow off the IRS than otherwise, also "non sobriety" tends to make one earn less money to pay back the IRS even if he wanted to. Therefore the disallowances with penalties and interest were befitting a rich person, which at the time I was not.
So one of my first acts when I was rendered "sober" was to march myself into the Midland IRS office to make amends and throw myself on their mercy. Luckily I found a very nice IRS women who understood "non sobriety" due to an ex husband and she helped me out, arranging a settlement of my mid five figure debt. And she put me on a payment plan which I have been dutifully fulfilling for years since.
But since the debt is now down to higher four figures I thought I'd just pay the remainder off. The IRS charges about 300% a year compounded at every mealtime, my mineral holdings have been growing at 12-20%, so it was a no-brainer to make the payoff. I even settled for a little less than I owed due to the lump-sum payoff.
I've learned how to get along well with the IRS through all of these years. We are now always in total agreement. They say, "you owe $xxxx, and if you don't pay, we'll take everything you own." I always say, "OK, I'll pay". A great arrangement. I do have to say though that through all these years I have noticed a postive change when I call the IRS. In the early years, waiting a full hour to talk to a human being was not uncommon, it's usually minutes now. These days the people are also a little nicer and willing to listen, I think they finally realized that they can do anything to you they want, so why be nasty about it....and when you have to wait they have really good Musak on the phone. Tschaichovsky I think.
It has been an exciting day!
Daphne got a new rope toy and I bought a new bedspread. Daphne chewed a hole in the last spread. It wasn't her fault, she was emotionally distraught. And... I sent a big check to the IRS to repay a "disagreement" incurred around 1987
And no, I didn't just blow off the IRS for the last 20 years, just 3 or 4. They are my friends now, I talk to them alot. Actually in '87 I had made a fair sum in the real estate business in Dallas and my CPA put me in some tax shelters that were later disallowed. Unfortunately the disallowances coincided with my unfortunate "non sober" period. Being "non sober" renders one much more likely to blow off the IRS than otherwise, also "non sobriety" tends to make one earn less money to pay back the IRS even if he wanted to. Therefore the disallowances with penalties and interest were befitting a rich person, which at the time I was not.
So one of my first acts when I was rendered "sober" was to march myself into the Midland IRS office to make amends and throw myself on their mercy. Luckily I found a very nice IRS women who understood "non sobriety" due to an ex husband and she helped me out, arranging a settlement of my mid five figure debt. And she put me on a payment plan which I have been dutifully fulfilling for years since.
But since the debt is now down to higher four figures I thought I'd just pay the remainder off. The IRS charges about 300% a year compounded at every mealtime, my mineral holdings have been growing at 12-20%, so it was a no-brainer to make the payoff. I even settled for a little less than I owed due to the lump-sum payoff.
I've learned how to get along well with the IRS through all of these years. We are now always in total agreement. They say, "you owe $xxxx, and if you don't pay, we'll take everything you own." I always say, "OK, I'll pay". A great arrangement. I do have to say though that through all these years I have noticed a postive change when I call the IRS. In the early years, waiting a full hour to talk to a human being was not uncommon, it's usually minutes now. These days the people are also a little nicer and willing to listen, I think they finally realized that they can do anything to you they want, so why be nasty about it....and when you have to wait they have really good Musak on the phone. Tschaichovsky I think.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Hiatus....
Faithful readers of Streams, all four of you, may have noticed an absence of late. A forced hiatus.
The event started with the best of intentions, to move the domain registration of BigGoldDog.com, the parent domain, to another registrar at the same time that the domain came up for renewal. Normally an easy switch, unless of course you are dealing with "Nerdwork Solutions"* I won't go into details, but trying to deal with them by email results in such responses as "Our Customer Support Representatives will investigate your inquiry and send you a response within 3 business days"
Three days? This is the Internet where things keep getting faster all the time...unless of course you are Nerdwork Solutions. Seeing such messages forced me to use the telephone number provided, where I talked to an international variety of "help" sounding like they were in India, Sweden or Timbuktu. Finally I found a helpful helper who actually was in the U.S. of A. She grasped the problem where the others had not and helped me get the site back up. But only temporarily until they figure out who I am and verify my true identity. I hope they figure it out...I've only been with them for ten years.
As soon as I'm officially re-registered you can be sure the domain is going to Australia and my good friends at Server101 who certainly know who I am and usually get back to me in less than three hours...not three days. To add insult to injury, what did I get from Nerdwork Solutions this morning. An email saying that I was randomly selected to participate in a survey rating their service. I really don't think they want to hear from me.
*Nerdwork Solutions is a ficticious name designed to protect the innocent....namely Me.
Faithful readers of Streams, all four of you, may have noticed an absence of late. A forced hiatus.
The event started with the best of intentions, to move the domain registration of BigGoldDog.com, the parent domain, to another registrar at the same time that the domain came up for renewal. Normally an easy switch, unless of course you are dealing with "Nerdwork Solutions"* I won't go into details, but trying to deal with them by email results in such responses as "Our Customer Support Representatives will investigate your inquiry and send you a response within 3 business days"
Three days? This is the Internet where things keep getting faster all the time...unless of course you are Nerdwork Solutions. Seeing such messages forced me to use the telephone number provided, where I talked to an international variety of "help" sounding like they were in India, Sweden or Timbuktu. Finally I found a helpful helper who actually was in the U.S. of A. She grasped the problem where the others had not and helped me get the site back up. But only temporarily until they figure out who I am and verify my true identity. I hope they figure it out...I've only been with them for ten years.
As soon as I'm officially re-registered you can be sure the domain is going to Australia and my good friends at Server101 who certainly know who I am and usually get back to me in less than three hours...not three days. To add insult to injury, what did I get from Nerdwork Solutions this morning. An email saying that I was randomly selected to participate in a survey rating their service. I really don't think they want to hear from me.
*Nerdwork Solutions is a ficticious name designed to protect the innocent....namely Me.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
We're dining now..!
I'm far from an interior decorator, but like most people I do think I have a modicum of taste. And my modicum tells me that a dining room looks much better with actual dining room furniture. Mine came today. We're planning plenty of fine dining....as soon as I can teach Daphne how to sit in a chair without squirming. When we add the leaf, we can invite everyone we know!
I'm far from an interior decorator, but like most people I do think I have a modicum of taste. And my modicum tells me that a dining room looks much better with actual dining room furniture. Mine came today. We're planning plenty of fine dining....as soon as I can teach Daphne how to sit in a chair without squirming. When we add the leaf, we can invite everyone we know!
Friday, January 19, 2007
On growing up...
Those adolescent urges that so many of us have for complete approval, utter security, and perfect romance--urges quite appropriate to age seventeen--prove to be an impossible way of life at forty-seven or fifty-seven. Since AA began I've taken huge wallops in all these areas because of my failure to grow up, emotionally and spiritually.
Letter from Bill Wilson
Founder of AA
As we grow spiritually, we find that our old attitudes toward our instinctual drives need to undergo drastic revisions. Our demands for emotional security and wealth, for personal prestige and power all have to be tempered and redirected. We learn that the full satisfaction of these demands cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives. We cannot place the cart before the horse, or we shall be pulled backward into disilllusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first--then and only then do we hava a real chance to grow in healthy awareness and mature love.
As Bill Sees It
Those adolescent urges that so many of us have for complete approval, utter security, and perfect romance--urges quite appropriate to age seventeen--prove to be an impossible way of life at forty-seven or fifty-seven. Since AA began I've taken huge wallops in all these areas because of my failure to grow up, emotionally and spiritually.
Letter from Bill Wilson
Founder of AA
As we grow spiritually, we find that our old attitudes toward our instinctual drives need to undergo drastic revisions. Our demands for emotional security and wealth, for personal prestige and power all have to be tempered and redirected. We learn that the full satisfaction of these demands cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives. We cannot place the cart before the horse, or we shall be pulled backward into disilllusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first--then and only then do we hava a real chance to grow in healthy awareness and mature love.
As Bill Sees It
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
In Partnership
"As we made spititual progress, it became clear that, if we ever were to feel emotionally secure, we would have to put our lives on a give-and-take basis; we would have to develop the sense of being in partnership or brotherhood with all those around us. We saw that we would need to give constantly of ourselves without demand for repayment. When we persistently did this, we gradually found that people were attracted to us as never before. And even if they failed us, we could be understanding and not too seriously affected."
"As Bill Sees It"
Alcoholics Anonymous
"As we made spititual progress, it became clear that, if we ever were to feel emotionally secure, we would have to put our lives on a give-and-take basis; we would have to develop the sense of being in partnership or brotherhood with all those around us. We saw that we would need to give constantly of ourselves without demand for repayment. When we persistently did this, we gradually found that people were attracted to us as never before. And even if they failed us, we could be understanding and not too seriously affected."
"As Bill Sees It"
Alcoholics Anonymous
Whatever.....
I'm hopeful that scientists will determine the true cause of Global Warming before I freeze to death here in West Texas.
I'm hopeful that scientists will determine the true cause of Global Warming before I freeze to death here in West Texas.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Welcome back.....
After a short hiatus, I'm glad to see that my friend, Midland native and artiste supreme, Artist Polly has made her return to the world of prose. Besides being a great visual artist, her written stories are well worth the read. I've known of Polly since high school, but we only became well acquainted not more than 10 years ago while she was still living in Santa Fe. A rich, varied and interesting life gives her more than ample subject matter for her stories.
And as if this isn't enough....she was also a Princess on the Midland High Catoico Court!!
After a short hiatus, I'm glad to see that my friend, Midland native and artiste supreme, Artist Polly has made her return to the world of prose. Besides being a great visual artist, her written stories are well worth the read. I've known of Polly since high school, but we only became well acquainted not more than 10 years ago while she was still living in Santa Fe. A rich, varied and interesting life gives her more than ample subject matter for her stories.
And as if this isn't enough....she was also a Princess on the Midland High Catoico Court!!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Cold......
It is cold in Midland. As I write this just after noon it is 26°, hasn't been above freezing since Saturday and not expected to until possibly tomorrow. Below average temps for sure, but not unusual for West Texas. Last years low was 2° above zero.
The sun did shine for awhile today and actually if dressed for it, which I was, it was rather invigorating, especially since the wind was not blowing. The sun felt good and the sky gets that extra azure blue color it has when it's cold and clear. When it's cold though I think back on two experiences in my life involving cold, one fairly pleasant, the other almost deadly.
My first beautiful blonde wife, Anne, was from Brainerd Minnesota; her family was in the resort business in North Central Minnesota. In the summer it was stunning with crystal clear lakes surrounded by pine forests, perfect for fishing, boating and sailing. That's why the resort business was good at their hotels. The winter, as you can imagine, was a different story.
For six years we went up to Brainerd for a week either at Christmas or Thanksgiving and in all those weeks spent there I can't ever recall the temperature being above freezing. Usually the high for the day was somewhere around 8 or 10 degrees with lows at night hovering near 10-15 degrees below zero. The lakes were frozen so hard that ice fishermen drove their Winnebago's out onto the ice or built sheds that were left on the lake all winter. One Christmas the nights dropped down to -30°. So cold that your face had to be covered and the "stuff" in your nose froze every time you inhaled. The sun set at around 4 p.m. so that any warmth accumulated during the short day, quickly left. [as an update at 10 p.m, I checked the weather in Brainerd...it's a balmy -3°]
It was usually a great treat for a Texan though. For southwesterner's, activities like ice sailing, ice fishing, hockey, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling were a blast. A blast for a week anyway, I'm not sure I could handle four months of below freezing temperatures, getting very bundled up every time you venture outside and the "stuff" freezing in my nose every time I took a breath.
The other cold weather experience I recall is one of the four times, that I know of, that I almost bought the farm. One of my best friends in Dallas had a really nice, big airboat. A flat bottomed boat powered by a Chevy 350 c.i. engine with a airplane propeller attached. For years we took the boat to Lake Texhoma to go duck hunting; the boat was a superb way to get into the mudflats where the ducks congregated. When we decided to go hunting, not much could stop us not even frigid weather. We had great gear and years of experience. We never had a problem, until the last time we went.
On a Wednesday in weather much like we have in Midland today, about 25° degrees, we set out before dawn from a secluded boat launch ramp, the airboat loaded with four pals, our gear and a big black lab dog. Only one other boat was at the ramp with us, no one else appeared to be on our part of the lake in such weather. As we left shore we started to see ice, and then more ice on the lake. As heavy as the boat was, we ended up driving on top of large stretches of unbroken ice in the more shallow water. An airboat will do that.
As we arrived at more open waters the ice subsided except near the shore, but it was so cold that the exposed carburator on the engine started to ice up. We decided that if we headed to a nearby island far from shore, and let the engine idle the icing problem might clear up. Even with all the clothes we could wear under hunting waders we were pretty chilled from the ride in an open boat. As we approached the shore the boat hit a rock steady hunk of thick ice and started to tip; with the high center of gravity it became apparent that the boat would not right itself.
The stories you hear about time slowing down in traumatic situations are very real. For what seemed like an eternity I could feel the boat going over and then we were in the water, our gear floating around us and the boat heading to the bottom of the lake. Being suddenly immersed in freezing water is a feeling beyond description. All the breath seems to be sucked right out of your body and to make your limbs function takes supreme effort. Any type of warm clothing is of no protection and in fact tends to make you sink. The only thing that immediately saved me were pockets of air in my waders, but having waders on made it almost impossible to swim the 40 yards to the shore of the island. I was not helped by the big black lab who kept jumping on my head and shoulders pushing me under the water. I can see how, in situations like this, that people just give up and drown.
Luckily, I was in fairly good physical shape and was able to struggle near enough to the island to feel bottom and make it ashore where my exhausted friends awaited me. They had been able to grab onto the floating bags of duck decoys and made it to the island ahead of me.
Saved from the water but our ordeal was not over. We were soaking wet, in subfreezing temperatures on an island a good half of a mile from the main shore. God and experience were on our side though. We all carried a waterproof container of matches with us and God had supplied a large pile of flotsam and wood on the island, which we quickly set onfire and found some relief.
God was more involved that we imagined though, for the only other hunters on this part of the lake, the one's we had seen at the boat ramp an hour ealier had been looking in the right direction from a mile away, had seen the spray thrown up by the propeller hitting the water and came breaking through the ice to get to us. In their small boat it took several hours to get us all back to the boatramp and warmth. I'm one who has no doubt that God does have a plan for me and it wasn't to drown or freeze to death that day.
Amazingly we hired a salvage company in Oklahoma to try and recover the boat, which they did the next day, bringing it up unharmed along with all our guns which had been lashed to the side of the boat. That, however, was our last trip in the airboat for when wives found out about the close call there was no reasoning with them and they ordered the boat sold.
I get cold just thinking and writing about that episode, I think I need to go warm up.
It is cold in Midland. As I write this just after noon it is 26°, hasn't been above freezing since Saturday and not expected to until possibly tomorrow. Below average temps for sure, but not unusual for West Texas. Last years low was 2° above zero.
The sun did shine for awhile today and actually if dressed for it, which I was, it was rather invigorating, especially since the wind was not blowing. The sun felt good and the sky gets that extra azure blue color it has when it's cold and clear. When it's cold though I think back on two experiences in my life involving cold, one fairly pleasant, the other almost deadly.
My first beautiful blonde wife, Anne, was from Brainerd Minnesota; her family was in the resort business in North Central Minnesota. In the summer it was stunning with crystal clear lakes surrounded by pine forests, perfect for fishing, boating and sailing. That's why the resort business was good at their hotels. The winter, as you can imagine, was a different story.
For six years we went up to Brainerd for a week either at Christmas or Thanksgiving and in all those weeks spent there I can't ever recall the temperature being above freezing. Usually the high for the day was somewhere around 8 or 10 degrees with lows at night hovering near 10-15 degrees below zero. The lakes were frozen so hard that ice fishermen drove their Winnebago's out onto the ice or built sheds that were left on the lake all winter. One Christmas the nights dropped down to -30°. So cold that your face had to be covered and the "stuff" in your nose froze every time you inhaled. The sun set at around 4 p.m. so that any warmth accumulated during the short day, quickly left. [as an update at 10 p.m, I checked the weather in Brainerd...it's a balmy -3°]
It was usually a great treat for a Texan though. For southwesterner's, activities like ice sailing, ice fishing, hockey, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling were a blast. A blast for a week anyway, I'm not sure I could handle four months of below freezing temperatures, getting very bundled up every time you venture outside and the "stuff" freezing in my nose every time I took a breath.
The other cold weather experience I recall is one of the four times, that I know of, that I almost bought the farm. One of my best friends in Dallas had a really nice, big airboat. A flat bottomed boat powered by a Chevy 350 c.i. engine with a airplane propeller attached. For years we took the boat to Lake Texhoma to go duck hunting; the boat was a superb way to get into the mudflats where the ducks congregated. When we decided to go hunting, not much could stop us not even frigid weather. We had great gear and years of experience. We never had a problem, until the last time we went.
On a Wednesday in weather much like we have in Midland today, about 25° degrees, we set out before dawn from a secluded boat launch ramp, the airboat loaded with four pals, our gear and a big black lab dog. Only one other boat was at the ramp with us, no one else appeared to be on our part of the lake in such weather. As we left shore we started to see ice, and then more ice on the lake. As heavy as the boat was, we ended up driving on top of large stretches of unbroken ice in the more shallow water. An airboat will do that.
As we arrived at more open waters the ice subsided except near the shore, but it was so cold that the exposed carburator on the engine started to ice up. We decided that if we headed to a nearby island far from shore, and let the engine idle the icing problem might clear up. Even with all the clothes we could wear under hunting waders we were pretty chilled from the ride in an open boat. As we approached the shore the boat hit a rock steady hunk of thick ice and started to tip; with the high center of gravity it became apparent that the boat would not right itself.
The stories you hear about time slowing down in traumatic situations are very real. For what seemed like an eternity I could feel the boat going over and then we were in the water, our gear floating around us and the boat heading to the bottom of the lake. Being suddenly immersed in freezing water is a feeling beyond description. All the breath seems to be sucked right out of your body and to make your limbs function takes supreme effort. Any type of warm clothing is of no protection and in fact tends to make you sink. The only thing that immediately saved me were pockets of air in my waders, but having waders on made it almost impossible to swim the 40 yards to the shore of the island. I was not helped by the big black lab who kept jumping on my head and shoulders pushing me under the water. I can see how, in situations like this, that people just give up and drown.
Luckily, I was in fairly good physical shape and was able to struggle near enough to the island to feel bottom and make it ashore where my exhausted friends awaited me. They had been able to grab onto the floating bags of duck decoys and made it to the island ahead of me.
Saved from the water but our ordeal was not over. We were soaking wet, in subfreezing temperatures on an island a good half of a mile from the main shore. God and experience were on our side though. We all carried a waterproof container of matches with us and God had supplied a large pile of flotsam and wood on the island, which we quickly set onfire and found some relief.
God was more involved that we imagined though, for the only other hunters on this part of the lake, the one's we had seen at the boat ramp an hour ealier had been looking in the right direction from a mile away, had seen the spray thrown up by the propeller hitting the water and came breaking through the ice to get to us. In their small boat it took several hours to get us all back to the boatramp and warmth. I'm one who has no doubt that God does have a plan for me and it wasn't to drown or freeze to death that day.
Amazingly we hired a salvage company in Oklahoma to try and recover the boat, which they did the next day, bringing it up unharmed along with all our guns which had been lashed to the side of the boat. That, however, was our last trip in the airboat for when wives found out about the close call there was no reasoning with them and they ordered the boat sold.
I get cold just thinking and writing about that episode, I think I need to go warm up.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Murphys Law, revisited.....
It was just several months ago that I wrote about Murhphy's Law and it's important adjunct Finagles Corollary... "Anything that can go wrong, will—at the worst possible moment"
Well last night the law [with corollary] came to pass once again. Because of the weather I had decided to stay at home with Daphne watching football in front of a cozy fire. The perfect quiet evening at home for dog and man. It started out that way, until as I was cleaning up in the kitchen I noticed that the water pressure was none existant. Thinking that a city main had burst somewhere I let it pass...for a moment. Then, living in an older home, I decided that the best policy would be to check out in the yard just to make sure. As I stepped into the back yard I heard the roar of liquid being expelled under high pressure into the night, sounding something like a runaway gas well.
My hope was that the water main in the alley had broken, therefore a city problem. But luck was not with me, the sound was emanating from within the confines of my yard. As I shined my flashlight on the spot of most suspicion, the lawn sprinkler main valve, I saw a geyser of great proportions shooting up into the trees. A complete blowout sending all the water destined for the house into the sky. To see how I might somehow fix the problem I had to venture into the spray, not a pleasant task in 26° weather. Once soaked I saw that the problem was not fixable by me so I had to acquire tools and venture into the alley to shut off the main water supply to the house.
This accomplished I thought, "well nothing can be done until morning" so at least I have 5 gallons of water available in the R.O. water tank and hey there is still football on. And it was a very exciting game for five minutes. That's when the TV screen suddenly went blue; loss of signal. Same for the phone and internet connection. Prognosis: Grande Communications has gone down. Just when I was working up a good case of "pissed off" at Grande I noticed that the block of houses across the street, usually well lit, were gone. New prognosis: power failure in that grid, which must have included the Grande switch controlling my communications.
I have to once again thank AA for some degree of serenity, because I surely wanted to kick something really hard. I didn't so I went to bed and built up a new case of premeditated "pissed off" knowing that my expensive lawn sprinkler people [the ones who installed the valve only last May] would find some excuse as to why they couldn't send a repairman out until Monday, leaving me waterless until then.
But as I've also learned in AA, my expectations are usually not met and in this case for the better because with one call early today the landscape company had a very nice young guy out in my yard fixing the problem. I have water, I have TV, life is good. We'll try the cozy fire and football again tonight.
It was just several months ago that I wrote about Murhphy's Law and it's important adjunct Finagles Corollary... "Anything that can go wrong, will—at the worst possible moment"
Well last night the law [with corollary] came to pass once again. Because of the weather I had decided to stay at home with Daphne watching football in front of a cozy fire. The perfect quiet evening at home for dog and man. It started out that way, until as I was cleaning up in the kitchen I noticed that the water pressure was none existant. Thinking that a city main had burst somewhere I let it pass...for a moment. Then, living in an older home, I decided that the best policy would be to check out in the yard just to make sure. As I stepped into the back yard I heard the roar of liquid being expelled under high pressure into the night, sounding something like a runaway gas well.
My hope was that the water main in the alley had broken, therefore a city problem. But luck was not with me, the sound was emanating from within the confines of my yard. As I shined my flashlight on the spot of most suspicion, the lawn sprinkler main valve, I saw a geyser of great proportions shooting up into the trees. A complete blowout sending all the water destined for the house into the sky. To see how I might somehow fix the problem I had to venture into the spray, not a pleasant task in 26° weather. Once soaked I saw that the problem was not fixable by me so I had to acquire tools and venture into the alley to shut off the main water supply to the house.
This accomplished I thought, "well nothing can be done until morning" so at least I have 5 gallons of water available in the R.O. water tank and hey there is still football on. And it was a very exciting game for five minutes. That's when the TV screen suddenly went blue; loss of signal. Same for the phone and internet connection. Prognosis: Grande Communications has gone down. Just when I was working up a good case of "pissed off" at Grande I noticed that the block of houses across the street, usually well lit, were gone. New prognosis: power failure in that grid, which must have included the Grande switch controlling my communications.
I have to once again thank AA for some degree of serenity, because I surely wanted to kick something really hard. I didn't so I went to bed and built up a new case of premeditated "pissed off" knowing that my expensive lawn sprinkler people [the ones who installed the valve only last May] would find some excuse as to why they couldn't send a repairman out until Monday, leaving me waterless until then.
But as I've also learned in AA, my expectations are usually not met and in this case for the better because with one call early today the landscape company had a very nice young guy out in my yard fixing the problem. I have water, I have TV, life is good. We'll try the cozy fire and football again tonight.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Dang it's cold...
 | Whee doggies Jethro it's cold and with a nice wind and freezing drizzle also just kinda' miserable. So what better thing to do than take D. Daphne Dog for a photo ride and then over to my Mom's to fetch her up for a ride for her too. Her ride was out to Manor Park Retirement Center to visit with our retired church leader Dr. Ray Riddle and his wife. Sounds rather ho-hum and so it is, but after my Dad's death I have much gratitude that I'm here and able to do some small things like this for my Mom. Besides, Dr. Riddle is an inspiring guy. |
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The Dog as art....
Some years ago I discovered, quite by accident, that I had a certain knack for sculpting dog heads out of clay. I suppose that spending so much time around dogs just gives me an insight into their shapes and moods.
Anyway yesterday, while cleaning out a closet, I ran across several cans of PlayDough© left by former occupants. So what's a guy to do other than open them up and mess around with the stuff. Instinctively I started on a dog's head and I thought what the heck, I'll do D. Daphne Dog and so I did.
Playdough© is a hard medium to work in. Gravity has more an effect on it than ordinary clay, so I had to work fast before the work of art slowly oozed away. The differing colors resulted from some red stains in otherwise mostly yellow Dough.
Some years ago I discovered, quite by accident, that I had a certain knack for sculpting dog heads out of clay. I suppose that spending so much time around dogs just gives me an insight into their shapes and moods.
Anyway yesterday, while cleaning out a closet, I ran across several cans of PlayDough© left by former occupants. So what's a guy to do other than open them up and mess around with the stuff. Instinctively I started on a dog's head and I thought what the heck, I'll do D. Daphne Dog and so I did.
Playdough© is a hard medium to work in. Gravity has more an effect on it than ordinary clay, so I had to work fast before the work of art slowly oozed away. The differing colors resulted from some red stains in otherwise mostly yellow Dough.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Probate 101....
Our family doctors generally don't make house calls anymore but I'm sure glad our family attorney does. It was much more comfortable listening for an hour and a half to the in's and out's of probate law while sitting on my Mom's couch.
My Mom is the executrix of my Dad's estate, while I have power of attorney for the same, so I always try to be in attendance while the details of my Dad's passing are worked out. My Mom is still very sharp, but it is good to have two sets of ears listening to the sometimes intricate information being given.
Today was a day for some rapt attention as we work towards filing the probate papers and then begin to work on the economics of the estate. My head is still swimming from listening to attorney Ted filling us in on Trust "A" and Trust "B" and how we need to fund both. Trust "A" is non-taxable, estate wise, Trust "B" is taxable and the one my Mom should take her income from. And to fund Trust "A" we need to value the entire estate. Trust "A" is non taxable only up to a certain sum, so we need to have appraisals done on non liquid assets, add the liquid assets to these fixed assets and then subtract my Mom's seperate property from this total and then divide everything up to fund Trust "A" up to the maximum. The remainder goes into Trust "B" to be subject to the onerous and communistic estate tax imposed by Uncle Sugar.
I told my mom this would be a snap, just call CPA Ron and have him do it all.
Our family doctors generally don't make house calls anymore but I'm sure glad our family attorney does. It was much more comfortable listening for an hour and a half to the in's and out's of probate law while sitting on my Mom's couch.
My Mom is the executrix of my Dad's estate, while I have power of attorney for the same, so I always try to be in attendance while the details of my Dad's passing are worked out. My Mom is still very sharp, but it is good to have two sets of ears listening to the sometimes intricate information being given.
Today was a day for some rapt attention as we work towards filing the probate papers and then begin to work on the economics of the estate. My head is still swimming from listening to attorney Ted filling us in on Trust "A" and Trust "B" and how we need to fund both. Trust "A" is non-taxable, estate wise, Trust "B" is taxable and the one my Mom should take her income from. And to fund Trust "A" we need to value the entire estate. Trust "A" is non taxable only up to a certain sum, so we need to have appraisals done on non liquid assets, add the liquid assets to these fixed assets and then subtract my Mom's seperate property from this total and then divide everything up to fund Trust "A" up to the maximum. The remainder goes into Trust "B" to be subject to the onerous and communistic estate tax imposed by Uncle Sugar.
I told my mom this would be a snap, just call CPA Ron and have him do it all.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Jewish Wisdom.....
What you don't see with your eyes, don't invent with your mouth
A hero is someone who can keep his mouth shut when he is right
One old friend is better than two new ones
Old friends, like old wines, don't lose their flavor
You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Furnished....!
Decision made, dining room furniture ordered. It'll be good to have this room look like a dining room once again, instead of a photography holding area. Beautiful furniture [table and sideboard pictured] and a good deal. It pays to stay in touch with old high school cheerleader friends turned furniture consultants.
Decision made, dining room furniture ordered. It'll be good to have this room look like a dining room once again, instead of a photography holding area. Beautiful furniture [table and sideboard pictured] and a good deal. It pays to stay in touch with old high school cheerleader friends turned furniture consultants.
Aliens among us......?
Like many people, I suspect, in smaller news markets such as Midland I read the Obits and the Police Reports daily in the local paper. In a town this size it's a sure bet that on a regular basis you will know someone who has died and trying to help some of the people I do, I'll also occasionally know someone visiting the hoosegaw. In fact I did know someone currently in the Obits and went to his funeral Friday afternoon.
But I sure as hell didn't recognize the name that popped out at me in the police arrest report. If you live in Midland did you know that one, Gemini Uranus, was arrested for tampering with government documents. I'm not making this up, check for yourself in Fridays Midland Reporter-Telegram. If you know this person email me at once and we'll clear up this case.
My first thought was that Gemini gave the cops an alias, but on reflection, I concluded surely that if the authorities knew this person was tampering with official documents they would know his/her real name. This is not like a DWI where they nab the suspect on the streets and he can give them any name he chooses; to arrest someone for tampering with government documents they must have had evidence and been on Mr. Uranus' tail for awhile.
This leads to other postulations, like is there really a Gemini Uranus running around. Is he/she from this earth. Who would from earth would name a child Gemini Uranus? Does he/she have a twin? What would you want to do if you were from a faraway galactic civilization visiting earth? You'd want to look into government records wouldn't you? You might even want to tamper with them.
I suspect a coverup and so I emailed ace reporter Jimmy Patterson early this morning asking him to investigate. But at this late hour I've still received no reply from Mr. Patterson. I hope the Uranus family has not tampered with Jimmy!
Like many people, I suspect, in smaller news markets such as Midland I read the Obits and the Police Reports daily in the local paper. In a town this size it's a sure bet that on a regular basis you will know someone who has died and trying to help some of the people I do, I'll also occasionally know someone visiting the hoosegaw. In fact I did know someone currently in the Obits and went to his funeral Friday afternoon.
But I sure as hell didn't recognize the name that popped out at me in the police arrest report. If you live in Midland did you know that one, Gemini Uranus, was arrested for tampering with government documents. I'm not making this up, check for yourself in Fridays Midland Reporter-Telegram. If you know this person email me at once and we'll clear up this case.
My first thought was that Gemini gave the cops an alias, but on reflection, I concluded surely that if the authorities knew this person was tampering with official documents they would know his/her real name. This is not like a DWI where they nab the suspect on the streets and he can give them any name he chooses; to arrest someone for tampering with government documents they must have had evidence and been on Mr. Uranus' tail for awhile.
This leads to other postulations, like is there really a Gemini Uranus running around. Is he/she from this earth. Who would from earth would name a child Gemini Uranus? Does he/she have a twin? What would you want to do if you were from a faraway galactic civilization visiting earth? You'd want to look into government records wouldn't you? You might even want to tamper with them.
I suspect a coverup and so I emailed ace reporter Jimmy Patterson early this morning asking him to investigate. But at this late hour I've still received no reply from Mr. Patterson. I hope the Uranus family has not tampered with Jimmy!
Friday, January 05, 2007
As Bill Sees It....
Over time I have quoted some philosophy from AA. Hopefully, I've tried to stress that AA is a spititual program and that more than not, discussions in meetings focus on a better and more "right" way to live more than any mention of alcohol or quiting drinking. Quiting is a natural prerequisite for attaining the benefits of the spiritual program but many of the things that caused us to drink or stay with drinking to excess were spiritual maladies. Therefore we work on not returning to our old ways of thinking and doing things.
About ten years ago I helped found a noon AA meeting that read from a book of AA co-founder Bill Wilson's thoughts, called "As Bill Sees It". After attending for a few years I stopped going, but have recently returned and am pleased that there are more people attending than ever. Bill Wilson, besides being the co-founder of AA, was also a great intellect, philosopher and gifted writer. His writings were collected for the book and are a great source of wisdom whether liquor has crossed one's lips or not. This philosophy and manner of living is why, I think, that my very mainsteam, large church minister stated to me, "if it were up to me, everyone who wanted to be members would have to spend a year in AA before they joined our church".
I'll try to throw a bit of this wisdom out from time to time. So, as we say in AA, take what you need and leave the rest.....
Over time I have quoted some philosophy from AA. Hopefully, I've tried to stress that AA is a spititual program and that more than not, discussions in meetings focus on a better and more "right" way to live more than any mention of alcohol or quiting drinking. Quiting is a natural prerequisite for attaining the benefits of the spiritual program but many of the things that caused us to drink or stay with drinking to excess were spiritual maladies. Therefore we work on not returning to our old ways of thinking and doing things.
About ten years ago I helped found a noon AA meeting that read from a book of AA co-founder Bill Wilson's thoughts, called "As Bill Sees It". After attending for a few years I stopped going, but have recently returned and am pleased that there are more people attending than ever. Bill Wilson, besides being the co-founder of AA, was also a great intellect, philosopher and gifted writer. His writings were collected for the book and are a great source of wisdom whether liquor has crossed one's lips or not. This philosophy and manner of living is why, I think, that my very mainsteam, large church minister stated to me, "if it were up to me, everyone who wanted to be members would have to spend a year in AA before they joined our church".
I'll try to throw a bit of this wisdom out from time to time. So, as we say in AA, take what you need and leave the rest.....
Daily Acceptance
"Too much of my life has been spent in dwelling upon the faults of others. This is a most subtle and perverse form of self-satisfaction, which permits us to remain comfortably unaware of our own defects. Too often we are heard to say, "If it weren't for her [him], how happy I'd be.
Our very first problem is to accept our present circumstances as they are, ourselves as we are, and the people about us as they are. This is to adopt a realistic humility without which no genuine progress can even begin."
Letter from Bill Wilson, 1966
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Ellis.....
I was looking again Wednesday afternoon at one of my choices for a new dining table. I was being helped by furniture salesperson Rosemary who is an old friend of mine from high school. As we were talking a nice looking gentleman walked by, turned around and gave me another look. "You look familiar", he said, "did you used to belong to Midland Country Club"? "Yes", I answered "my parents did but they quit the club in 1996, I moved away for many years and I really haven't been out there much since the mid 1960's when I was a young teenager".
"That's what I thought," he said, "That's the time period I remember you from". "My name's Ellis and I used to work there as a waiter with Price and Double "O", I remember you from then". He also remembered Rosemary and her family from that time. Amazing, we are talking about remembering faces from 41-42 years ago. I did remember Ellis and most all the waiters from that far different time, they were rather legendary; very personable, funny and interesting to us teenagers. In fact their names have come up occasionally when my two old high school pals and I have gotten together over the decades.
Ellis, Rosemary and I had a nice chat of remembrance. Ellis has moved on and up and is now a manager with an oil field service company. What a treat to see a face from so long ago and what a memory for faces Ellis has, a trait of a good waiter I suppose!
I was looking again Wednesday afternoon at one of my choices for a new dining table. I was being helped by furniture salesperson Rosemary who is an old friend of mine from high school. As we were talking a nice looking gentleman walked by, turned around and gave me another look. "You look familiar", he said, "did you used to belong to Midland Country Club"? "Yes", I answered "my parents did but they quit the club in 1996, I moved away for many years and I really haven't been out there much since the mid 1960's when I was a young teenager".
"That's what I thought," he said, "That's the time period I remember you from". "My name's Ellis and I used to work there as a waiter with Price and Double "O", I remember you from then". He also remembered Rosemary and her family from that time. Amazing, we are talking about remembering faces from 41-42 years ago. I did remember Ellis and most all the waiters from that far different time, they were rather legendary; very personable, funny and interesting to us teenagers. In fact their names have come up occasionally when my two old high school pals and I have gotten together over the decades.
Ellis, Rosemary and I had a nice chat of remembrance. Ellis has moved on and up and is now a manager with an oil field service company. What a treat to see a face from so long ago and what a memory for faces Ellis has, a trait of a good waiter I suppose!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Furniture....
There is nothing like shopping for new furniture, well perhaps new car shopping tops furniture, but I need furniture not a car. The prospect of new furniture and a change in look at the estate suits me for now. I'm looking for a new dining room table and some easy chairs, whatever those turn out to be.
In a market the size of Midland this is not accomplished as easily as in say, Dallas. I've found a perfect sized and styled [Mission] table, but it is a shade darker than I'd like. I have several more places to go, but a shade darker is OK, I suppose, I like the style.
Easy chairs are not that these days, not easy to find that is; the kinds I like anyway. The "in" style seems to be the darker patterned types. I like the not "in" style colorful and/or colorful stripped.
But I'll keep looking and frankly with the mini boom on in oil country, we do have more choices in where to look than even five years ago.
There is nothing like shopping for new furniture, well perhaps new car shopping tops furniture, but I need furniture not a car. The prospect of new furniture and a change in look at the estate suits me for now. I'm looking for a new dining room table and some easy chairs, whatever those turn out to be.
In a market the size of Midland this is not accomplished as easily as in say, Dallas. I've found a perfect sized and styled [Mission] table, but it is a shade darker than I'd like. I have several more places to go, but a shade darker is OK, I suppose, I like the style.
Easy chairs are not that these days, not easy to find that is; the kinds I like anyway. The "in" style seems to be the darker patterned types. I like the not "in" style colorful and/or colorful stripped.
But I'll keep looking and frankly with the mini boom on in oil country, we do have more choices in where to look than even five years ago.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Welcome back....
Last night Toni called and said that Meagen is in the hospital once again with pneumonia like symptoms and we had better plan on getting together in March. I understand completely...First Things First.
I was looking forward to the trip, so was Daphne, her bag was packed. Tom and I were going to recreate a pilgrimage he and I took in 1980, stopping at every small barbeque joint in the hill country we could find. After the last six months I was looking forward to a change in venue and talking to some different folks. And besides being a bubba, Tom is also one interesting guy. Tom recently retired as a Four Star General in the Army and was the SOUTHCOM Commander, which meant he was in command of all U.S. military forces in Central and South America, including the Islamic Boys Camp at Guantamamo. I was looking forward to getting the inside scope of what's happening. But, stuff happens. Looks like a football day for the Daph and Me. That's OK too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)