A New Start....

It's always good to start out the new year with something brand new. One something brand new of which we are very proud is our new website at The Sibley Nature Center.

Thanks to the very hard work and creative ingenuity of web designer Eric Siegmund the website has an all new look and many more areas of interest to enthrall those of us who are interested in all aspects of our life here on the lower Llano Estacado. Of particular interest to me [I am also the moderator] is the new photo section where the public can upload their photographic images that pertain to our biosphere and those who inhabit it. Also we have added a message board so that anyone can comment on or ask questions about areas of interest to them.

The website is only one aspect of change at the Sibley Center where we have rededicated our efforts in order to become a regional learning center for both school age children and adults. In the future look for a lecture series, special speakers and events...like our new annual "living history day". I hope you'll take a peek at the website.

A Big Day....

Today is a very big day for us and a day when a special blessing was bestowed upon me. A day when life changed for the better with the addition of two special people [and a dog!] in my life.

Please view our big day card!

"Hey" Mr. Speaker.....

So I'm at the Ace Hardware this afternoon shopping for carpentry brackets when I hear a voice behind me ask, "Hi Wallace, how are you doing?" When one turns around at the Ace Hardware, one hardly expects to find the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives asking how you are. But this is Midland and one never knows who he will see, from cabinet members to first families.

Mr. Speaker, Tom Craddick, is someone I've known for decades and he and I have always hit it off for some reason. Or.....maybe that's why he has been an elected official for so long, he gets along well with everyone. I originally met him because his sister Bonnie set in front of me in "home room" for four years in high school, we sat in alphabetical order and in those days had home room every single day. Cowden, Craddick, Craig, I got to know Bonnie very well.

The Speaker was in Ace Hardware to get a key made and to buy some assorted hardware. He, like me, was dressed in his Ace Hardware attire, a sweatshirt and shorts. As we shopped we had a nice chat and I had the opportunity to thank him for the funding for our planetarium renovation which he arranged and to put a bug in his ear about several other projects I'm involved in. He was interested to know about the Chaparral raceway project [he is a good friend of Jim Hall] and also said he would check into help from UTPB with the large broadband connection we need to link the planetarium to McDonald Observatory for live shots of what they are seeing down there. I'll see the Speaker again on January 11th for our planetarium renovation announcement party.

As I said above, if your timing is right you can run into some interesting folks in Midland. As an example, we are planning a reunion for Midland and Lee High Schools this summer, for the classes that graduated in the 1960's. On the invitation list are.... the Speaker, the former Secretary of Commerce [his wife and he actually], Gen. Tommy Franks and the First Lady and her husband, what's his name.

Christmas Day.....

I'll make today's post a short and sweet synopsis of our Christmas season so far. You are busy with your family and I with mine. We hope your Christmas day is as wonderful as ours. Compared to the last two years we are in Yuletide paradise.

Two years ago we were moving Julie and preparing for our wedding to be held five days after Christmas. Last year, of course, I was lying in Cardiac Recovery.

Since Wednesday and as of almost noon today we have been to Ruidoso, New Mexico, attended late night Christmas Eve church, opened Julie, Jack's and Wallace's presents and are preparing to host my folks for their gift opening and Christmas lunch.

Julie and Jack went to see her folks newly finished home in New Mexico and her Dad and I went up on Friday. It's a lovely home located in the pines about 7,500 feet up in the Sangre de Christo Mountains. On the way up Don and I stopped at artist Peter Hurd's Ranch at San Patricio where we had a nice visit with Peter's son, Michael [at right above]and Mike was able to finally identify and give a name to a Peter Hurd seriograph that I have. While in Ruidoso Jack, Don and I played miniature golf and rode go-karts, the weather being extremely warm for the season and the mountains mostly bare of snow which nixed Jack's skiing opportunities. We also went furniture shopping.....something for the new house and a new front bench for the Bedford Dr. estate.

Julie, Jack and I drove back Saturday afternoon and after a brief respite and finishing up our gift wrapping it was off to late church where Jack had acolyte duties. Once home Jack and I listened to some rousing Doobie Brothers music and then off to bed while dreaming of sugar plums dancing in our heads. Santa also had his duties putting Jack's new bike out under the tree.

Jack, of course, was up at dawn ready for the days treat and thrilled with his new bike.....complete with "double pegs". I received very nice workout/walking outfits which I needed, a cool multiple DVD set of the early Andy Griffith TV series and a stocking full of life's essentials! Fool that I was I thought that I could buy Julie's gift last week, an IPod. There was not one to be found in Midland [except at Sam's Julie tells me now!] so she had to settle for the gift card version.

This morning we have been enjoying our gifts, cleaning up and preparing for my folks. Jack and I had the first annual "poop n' hoops" contest. The first one to make a basketball hook shot got out of the big pooper scooper duties for the day. I was a shoo-in, but Jack surprised even himself by making the first hook. I've just completed the poop patrol.

Have a great Christmas........!

We wish you the merriest of Christmases and the most Happy New Year. A time to rejoice in all that we have to be grateful for. Click on the Christmas image above for the Craig family digital holiday card.....and a short movie of the crew!

Deck the halls.....or maybe an old lady!

I decided to get an early start on my Christmas shopping, so I began today. You laugh, I usually start in earnest on the 23rd. Frankly it has gotten easier as members of my family get older and less interested in the gift than the thought involved. Gotten much easier with a Bride who is very interested in shopping and doesn't mind picking up things, especially for my nieces. I've never really developed a knack for shopping for 6 and 8 y.o. girls. She also suggests things that I can get for other family members.

Modern technology has made it much easier too. Gift cards are not too emotional but they are very handy and a card bought here at a major retailer is good at any city in the land and the recepient can chose what he likes. My parents love a Luby's card, my nephew prefers Best Buy. My Mom likes Barnes and Nobles and the bride likes Talbot's [note: for prying eyes, not this year].

The Internet has matured into a great way to shop also. I first tried to order online in 1998 and I'll have to say it was a disappointing experience. Busy webservers, poor personal contact if need be and the agony of going through the shopping basket only to have an "out of stock" appear at the end of the ordeal. Today the poorly run sites have gone out of business or been purchased by the people who know what they're doing. I surf up my gift choice and then choose to use the 800 number to make the order. My preference the last several years has been the Stockyards. A great high end meat purveyor in Chicago that has not disappointed.

But today there were a few items I needed that caused me to visit some real life stores. My Mom, who says she wants nothing, actually needs a new Boom Box. Her current model has a defective CD player. So to Best Buy I went. I picked up the gift cards for the nephew, the Boom Box and something for Jack. Though crowded the shopping and checkout was actually not too bad. But on the drive out of the parking lot it happened. One of the reasons I prefer to shop online if possible.

To my way of thinking there are two classes of drivers at Christmas time. Those who consider the season and are extra polite and their opposite, those who consider the season a time to act out their worst behavior. I ran into one of those this morning.

Driving down the main internal road of the shopping center where Best Buy is located a 60'ish woman in an Expedition [i.e. land monster] was exiting one of the side parking areas and decided that she didn't need to stop for the flow of traffic. Turning at a goodly speed into the line of cars she had the nerve to honk at me and gesticulate wildly, I could see her mouthing something. Merry Christmas, I'm sure.

I wanted to stop and ask her what the cop who gave me a speeding ticket some weeks ago said, snidely I might add. "Lady is there some kind of medical emergency that's causing you to drive this way". Or is it just the Christmas spirit. I don't and won't ever understand some people.

Blizzard.....!

Blizzard may be a little melodramatic, but we did awaken to a heavy and beautiful snowfall this morning. I like our regularly occasional snowfalls and this is the first of the season, but my initial thought was, Uh Oh! I was nervous because of several activities occuring early today. The most important of which is my Dad's

release from rehab today for which my Mom will have to drive across town.

Aha, bad son you say to make your Mom do this alone. Well, the other event occuring today is the cleaning of our carpets by "Sonny" and his Mom for which I need to be at home because the Bride is at the dentist. "Sonny" is about 68 y.o. so you do the math on how old "Mom" is. But she's a worker and they are great carpet cleaners and so cheap we almost feel like we're guilty of elder abuse for what we pay them. I would heartily recommend them and will provide their number for local residents.

{.....Time passes}

Now.....Sonny is here, alone, and is busily cleaning the carpets, the snow is tapering off and all is well at the estate. I'll be off now to check on my Dad and then possibly arrive at the office just in time for lunch. This snow is beautiful especially because it is not bitterly cold out and it should be melted and gone by tomorrow when the temperature will reach the 50's.

{Update....yet more time passes}

My Dad is safely home from rehab and when asked if the roads were any problem my Mom's answer was, "It's nothing. I used to drive in real blizzards in Missouri". As I type Sonny is loading his equipment and the carpets look immaculate! Now I hate to walk on them they look so fresh. As noted above Sonny came without Mom this time and when I asked why he said that though she hated to she had to give up work when she turned 90! And on a sad note due to poor circulation she had to have a leg amputated. She's been to rehab and is now home learning to walk on her new artifical limb.......at the age of 92. The will to go on burns brightly in some people.....

Twelve [12].......

Our little Jack, not so little anymore, is 12 today! Since he will be gone tonight we had his little family birthday party at 7:30 this morning complete with cards, cake and one present. Not that he is deprived and only received one gift, but he discovered several more yesterday and got them then. This included a new jacket for knocking around in and a spectacular flat screen video monitor capable of carrying feeds from computer, TV, DVD and PlayStation. I hope that We He enjoys it!

Several nights ago while his Mother was out at another of her "girl" Christmas parties, Jack and I had a nice bedside chat about growing up and the responsibilities involved. A heart to heart talk where I described some of the pitfalls I had encountered and the talk where I warned him that if he tried any of the things I used to do he would be grounded until he left for college. He is truly a gem and I couldn't have asked for a better step-son, I love him dearly.

In addition to his little party this morning we took him out to the newly reopened Johnnie's Bar-B-Que last night. Johnnies, as I've written before, is a Midland legend that recently caught fire and just reopened on Monday. For local folks, it has not changed a whit except that now it looks and smells clean, but this did not ruin our dining experience. The only sad part of the fire was that Johnnie lost all of the mementoes that been hung on the walls over the decades. I asked the manager if we might bring some new memories in to hang, and he said he would be most appreciatative.

Outstanding in the street......

Several years ago I decided to drive the 20 or so miles over to Stanton, Texas on a photographic tour. For as long as anyone can remember, Stanton has had a sign outside of town that says, "Stanton, home to 3000 friendly souls....and a few old soreheads". The "old sorehead" theme has grown into somewhat of a town motto and now even the quarterly antiques show is called, "Old Sorehead Trade Days." Julie was almost blown up in a big butane explosion there last year...but that tale can be found in the archives.

The Big Gold Dog decided he wanted to go to Stanton that Sunday afternoon and I'm glad he did for we had a good time walking around the main business district. And it's good to know that there are some towns left in America where a man and his dog can just stop and sit down right in the middle of the main street!

Seven [7].......

Seven [7] is the proverbial lucky number. I like the number seven [7]and I feel like it has been lucky for me too. Especially today because seven [7] was the temperature when I walked the Big Gold Dog and I was lucky to make it home without becoming a cold weather statistic.

I have the cold weather gear available to wear but frankly living in the desert climes of West Texas I have gotten used to not having to wear it. And I have been in some really serious cold weather before in Minnesota....down close to -30° but I really prefer not to endure this kind of cold anymore. But it is supposed to warm all the way up to a balmy 35° today which will seem like summer in the tropics and by Saturday a heat wave all the way to 60° is expected.

For those out of towners reading, seven [7] in Midland is really not something that is for the record books, the actual record being 11° below zero. Still seven [7] is purdy darned cool when you were wearing shorts just several days ago.

Down at the fire house....

Several months ago, at the height of my period of feeling poorly, I was shopping at one of the large local grocery stores and I started to sense that I was getting light headed. More than usual. I was near check out so I 'soldiered' through with the intent of paying and driving home to rest. This feeling had come over me before, though not so intense, but I thought I could make it.

As I neared the check out station I soon started to sense that I was about to keel over, as in pass out. It was then that I spied them, a whole crew of Midland firefighters who were also getting ready to check out. My manly sense of not being a baby and asking for help was overcome by my reluctance to end up face down on the floor so I approached them and said, "Guys, I'm not feeling too well". They agreed that I looked pretty pale and escorted me out to their fire engine where they checked my blood pressure and other vital signs of life. We agreed that I should not attempt to drive home so I called The Bride to come get me.

While we waited I had a nice conversation with the guys about one of my old friends who had just retired from the fire department, photography and the Internet. The Bride soon arrived, I thanked them profusely and we went on our way. I went back to report to my crack medical team this sad turn of events and we decided that my blood pressure medication was the culprit of my ill health. I'm now off the medication and feeling 100% more wonderful.

But today as I was driving out to our storage unit north of town I realized that I would pass directly by the fire station where my caretakers are stationed, so I decided to stop in. As luck would have it the same crew of guys was on duty when I arrived and after a moment of reflection they all recognized me. It was lunchtime and I hated to disturb them but we had a nice visit and I was able to thank them again. I have to say I had a flashback to the old "Emergency" TV show. The one where much of the action was in the fire house, where the guys would be sitting around eating until that infernal buzzer gong doohickey went off sending them on their next mission. Anyway it was good to see these guys again and hear them say that they had visited Big Gold Dog.Com where they had been interested in my photos of old Midland, they even offered to contribute some photos to the site.

Thanks again guys. The next time you see a firefighter thank him or her, you never know when you'll need them.

Pink Eye...

I've been fighting an illness most of this week. I keep seeing a purplish-pink to pure pastel pink shading over everythng I view. At first it just flashes and then it turns totally pink for long periods.

Thank goodness it's not my body nor my eyes...it's my computer screen. A not totally uncommon occurance when something starts to go on the fritz with ones computer video system. It could possibly be the graphics card, but most probably it is my trusted and wonderful 19" Swedish monitor. For the first year that I had my computer I suffered through the use of the stock 15" screen that came with the computer. Yes, this was back in the dark ages of yore...my computer is that old. I thought that the box would go first but it just keeps plugging along.

I switched to the 19" monitor after I started flying a WWII flight simulator. The squinting to see the Focke-Wolfe 190's was killing my eyes. The 19" opened up a new world especially after I coupled it with a new Diamond Viper graphics card. Great viewing and really good for doing all the photographic work that I do.

But now the end is apparently near and I can't believe it but it is hard to find a new CRT monitor. The world has gone to flatscreen LCD. I'm not opposed to flatscreen nor LCD, it works for most people. However I have a corner computer desk unit so space is not a problem and I still think that CRT's have more vivid, deep colors for photography purposes.

One day during the week I went for several hours without a pink cast to my viewing and I thought that perhaps the monitor had found a cure for itself. But, alas, the pink is back and I'm afraid things are terminal. Julie has several old monitors at her office that I can use temporarily but decisions must be made.....

By the way, the pink effect has cast a new light on playing solitaire. With a pink overcast to the screen, reds are effectively cancelled out so a game is now much harder when one can't tell hearts and diamonds apart. Try it, it's very challenging.

All stressed out...

Today was a big day. A stressful day....by design. The occasion was my "almost one year from the big operation cardiac stress test". Not to keep you in suspense, all the studying for the test that I did paid off. I passed with flying colors, flying so high that I was in the top category. Whew! The stress passed away with that diagnosis.

I have been walking without fail every day, working my way up from stumbling just up the block a week after the operation last Christmas to three fast miles a day recently. My ace cardiologist Dr. Steve Brown, besides being a fine guy, is a great cardiologist full of useful knowledge and facts. He tells me that my "exercise quotient" is very high and that being in that category, studies show that my risk of a heart attack in the next 5 years is low to nil. I asked for a guarantee a little further out, but could not get him to commit to that. But he did say, that all indications are that I'm doing well.

For those who haven't been through this proceedure it is interesting and another example of amazing technology. First a measure of heart activity is done while resting including a sonogram of the heart. It's quite interesting seeing your heart functioning on the monitor. Besides the pictures, of course, the numerous electronic leads attached are recording a continuous EKG. Next it's on to the treadmill where the speed and angle of incline increases every two minutes. The biggest problem for me was not respiratory or cardiovascular, but the fact that my legs are not used to running uphill so after twelve minutes I had to call a halt due to cramps.

Immediately upon quiting the treadmill it's back to the sonogram to get pictures of the heart in this physically active state. Dr. Brown showed me the TiVo reruns while pointing out items of interest including no blockages and extremely good muscle function [picture above]. And that was that, except I asked if I might have a Donut from the box I saw at the front desk. The answer was........NO!

Fall's Glory.....

It has been a glorious fall season in West Texas with the trees in their best autumn colors even days after Thanksgiving. The sunlight, high clouds and gentle warmth have been a true blessing. Captured last evening as the sun was just below the horizon is today's Picture of the Day. A photo rendered just a pleasant memory today as 220 mph winds have shredded most of the leaves and filled the air with dust. Well, OK, maybe not 220 mph winds, but gusts are hitting 50 mph. Good bye sweet autumn.

On ye bulldogs.....next year

The football season for the Midland High Bulldogs came, sadly, to an end this afternoon. The 'Dawgs fell to the Plano Wildcats in a disappointing 20-7 game. Disappointing because it was not the Bulldogs best game and they gave away two turnovers that resulted in Plano scores.

Still...it was a magnificent season, especially if you are a bulldog alum and remember 50+ seasons of not going to the playoffs.....at all! The 'Dawgs have now been in post season play in 3 of the last 4 seasons, having played in the state championship game several years ago. Today was a sad end for the kids and fans but being among the last 8 teams in the state playing at the end of the year is not a bad season at all.

Personally, I'll miss watching the team practicing while I walk around the track at the old Midland Memorial Stadium every afternoon. It was an up close and personal experience with them practicing only yards away and gave me the occasional opportunity to talk with some of the players and coaches. Thanksgiving evening the team practiced at 6 p.m. and as I walked I noticed two kids arrive early and begin to work out before anyone else was on the field so I stopped to chat with them. It turned out to be Baron and Brandon Batch. Baron was the key player on the team and now has the single season MHS rushing record.

Besides the obvious work ethic of being first on the field, Baron and his brother Brandon impressed me with their articlulate conversation and polite manners, "yes sir, no sir". For local fans Baron tells me that he is leaning towards playing at Texas Tech but recently he is being courted hard by Miami, Tennessee and Florida State. These facts caused much chagrin to The Bride, who is a dyed in the wool Red Raider fan.

Great season Bulldogs........

Thanksgiving.......

A day for remembering all the blessings bestowed upon us. Even in rough times we have things that we should be grateful for. We hope your day will be a great one. Here's a little card for you on Thanksgiving Day.

A Special Day......

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, an important day to show our gratitude for all that we have. But today is a very special day too. In fact, there is speculation that the 23rd of November gave rise to Thanksgiving. They say it's your birthday........ da da da.

Snippets....

A couple of quick notes just to let you know I'm still here....

Oh the irony of it all! The Texas Christian Athletic League high school football championship game between Midland's Trinity School and Pasadena South Shaver school was cancelled yesterday after fights broke out in the 2nd quarter. Apparently these were some serious scuffles as the police were called and fans from the two schools had to be led out of seperate gates. Yes, that's the Christian Athletic League!

Midland is an interesting town. On Thursday I went to the funeral of a fine lady who was the mother of one of my high school friends and a church member whom Julie called on periodically. While in the line to sign the guest book I noticed that behind me was Don Evans, recently the Secretary of Commerce. Though I don't really know Don, he is married to the sister of another high school chum, so I introduced myself and caught up on what the chum had been up to all these years. And today, as the bride and I were in line to be served at the First United Methodist Church Thanksgiving lunch, we offered to let a group of older women preceed us in the line. They thanked us and appreciated our gesture. I hope this was noticed in Washington as the group included the President's Mother-in-Law, Mrs. Welch. Acutally it is not unusual to see her at church and social events around town, but I always want to ask her, "How are George and Laura?", thankfully I never have.

Back among us......

My Mother has been an avid and active pursuer of our family's past for many decades now. Her skills in geneology have allowed us to trace our family tree back several centuries and to several European countries. She has researched both her side of the family as well as my Dads.

Doing research into my Dad's family past they have journeyed to Darmstadt Germany and found records about the family before they migrated to the U.S. in the 1870's. They have visited Scotland where she found my namesakes, in the Wallace and the Craig families. They made two trips to County Antrim, Northern Ireland where the name Craig is as common as Patel in India. From here my Dad's grandfather Craig came to America, while his brother, Sir James Craig, stayed and ended up becoming the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

On her side of the family, the King clan, she has traced the lineage all the way back to North Carolina in the 1700's and then mapped out the family over the centuries as it moved west into Tennessee and then into Missouri. One of her great aunt's was even named Missouri Gordon to honor their arrival in that state. Over this long period of time, many family names appear in our line of descendants. One of those is Judkins, my Mother's Great, Great Grandparents.

Some years ago, she and my Dad had heard that there might be a Judkins family cemetery plot somewhere in soutwestern Tennessee and so on a trip to the area they searched for it, coming up empty. I have to add here, that for most of her geneological career she has done her research the old fashioned way, by visiting courthouses, libraries, farmhouses and by writing letters and making phone calls. Apparently she would leave her name and phone number at some of these places should anyone find any pertinent information. And apparently people do save this information.....for last week my Mom got a call from a woman in southwest Tennessee. Her family had recently purchased land in Giles Co. and had found....yes you guessed it, a cemetery deep within the woods and covered with brush.

These fine folks took the time and very great effort to clean up the grave sites and photograph the markers. One of which faintly reads "Robert B. Judkins"......my Great, Great, Great Grandfather, born 1807 in North Carolina , married in Giles Co. Tenn. in 1830 and died there in 1890. A rather amazing story, I think, highlighting a direct link to our past and probably the most gratifying experience of my Mothers long career in geneology.

Veterans Day....

Honestly, I can't remember when I've been so touched at an event for Veterans as I was on Thursday when I attended the annual Rusk Elementary salute to Vets. I admit to shedding a tear.....ok, several tears.

Rusk Elementary School has been holding this event since 1998, I found out today, but this is the first time I have attended on the advice of a friend who helps put it together. The tribute originally started out in the school auditorium as a way to honor Veterans and to teach the elementary school kids what others have sacrificed for their freedom. So successful has it been that it now must be held in the Commemorative Air Force's largest hangar...and it is packed by 100's of Veterans, their families, well wishers and over 300 kids who put on the show.

After the Veterans signed in, we were then directed to walk in front of the stage to greet the kids. I wasn't prepared for the reception. Hordes of smiling, cheering, waving kids all wanted to reach out to shake hands and offer their thanks for our service. It was especially heartfelt to those of us in the Vietnam age group who had missed this type of gratitude 30+ years ago. Bout of tears number 1.

Over an hour of good old fashioned kid generated entertainment followed based around a USO show, entertainment that had obviously taken many hours to put together and rehearse. The crowd of us "old timers" enjoyed seeing kids having a great time. After the show, each and every Vet was presented with a packet of parchment replica documents of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Gettysburg Address. But the special gift was another similar parchment document especially printed and framed for the event. A declaration from the kids to us Vets proclaiming that they would never forget our sacrifice. All the Vets were asked to stand, 100's of us, and we were each presented with this precious document, hand delivered by a child from the school. Bout of tears number 2.

This was a special day and so many thanks go out to the students and teachers who spend so much time working on the event and to sponsors such as Southwest Airlines who lend support to the endeavor. I'll remember this for a long time to come. Some images of the event can be found at: Rusk Veterans Tribute