Just an update

Hello, any one who is interested.

So winter is here and motorcycle riding has diminished but I did get it out yesterday and ride to work. Of course you do have to bundle up some when it is 32 degrees. Still it was a nice ride. They always are. I gotta tell you, I feel the urge to make another cross country trip coming on. West is always a good direction, but I will wait till spring or so. This photo is from my return from Oregon, and that was a good trip. I don't have the goldwing any more and this bike did ok. It started every time and that is a good thing. Maybe I will get another Goldwing after the car is paid off. Sharon might decide to go with me then. Then, this bike will be hers again.
     My hair is almost long enough to donate again. It will be nice to have it gone.

Thanksgiving was a good day.

    Howdy Y'all. 

We had a special day with some good friends of ours with all the traditional stuff. We took our turkey fryer over to their house and deep fryed a nice turkey. That is the best way to cook a turkey, you know? 

Except, when I first started doing that, My fryer was propane powered and was dangerous but we now have an electric fryer, and it can be done indoors.

    While we were there, Lee, (our friend),  showed me how he hooks his computer up to his tv and I think I will try it. I have all the needed stuff.

Y'all be good now, you hear?

The swing

Now then this is the last of the videos that were made at Zero Gravity. This is actually the first one we rode and it was kind of tame compared to the others. There was one other ride that was literally a slingshot, but
it is still very large.
     For those of you that like to mess with video cameras and then want to change the format of the video,
go to,
http://online.movavi.com/
and they make it pretty easy.
    Traffic in Dallas was miserable. The Texas Longhorns were playing Oklahoma University on the day that we went to the State Fair, and it took an hour to go one mile on the freeway. Sharon got the Dallas map out and we went through town and made pretty good time that way.
     We saw the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, in Fort Worth and it is one of only two places where they print money.  Sharon wanted a page of uncut bills and we wound up with not a complete page which would have 32 bills on it, but a quarter page. Her page has eight one dollar bills and oddly enough, the government makes a profit on the money they sell that way. That was a good tour though, but they make you leave almost everything that is normally in the pocket, outside, like Mace, knives, guns and so forth.
       I missed the free sample portion of the tour.

How about another one

Well the videos seem to work so I will stick another one in here but this is a one time only experience for me.

One more time, bad language.

The videos are large and maybe that is why I am having trouble getting them in here. This one should not be too big though, as it is slightly bigger than 7 mb. We will see.
    While we were in Dallas we went to Heritage Village. It is a Civil War era mueseum of buildings that you would expect to find at that time, and the people dress in period clothing and tell you stuff. The thing is it is right in the middle of Dallas with Skyscrapers all around.
     Ok, Sharon's video made it. Should I try another? Nah they all look too big so I may have to try to change the format to a smaller kind. Once again, I don't know what the people had to say when Sharon dropped, but it is not something for me to control. The two people waiting on the tower still are a couple of young men who were new to the army and about to ship out. They were looking for some fun before they left.

bad language

Well I stuck the video in that last blog but there were some people still in the tower waiting thier turn and they chose to use a little bad language so please excuse some unknown persons lack of  proper comunications.

Cool stuff in Dallas

Well you know it has been quite a spell since I tried to update this blog but I have been busy.
The city of Booker sent me to school in Amarillo and I bought a unicycle while I was there. I am learning to ride the thing, (again). I figured it would be like riding a bicycle, once learned not forgotten but it isn't so. Of course it has been 20 years since I rode one so that might have something to do with it.
     How about a video. If I can make this work, it is me doing nothing but net. We will try.

If this works it is from a tower the height of a ten story building. Whole lot of fun.
Maybe it did. I will publish this one and go from there.
Later, Y'all.

Summer is under way

101 yesterday and not as bad today but the heat will still be around for a while.
    So what can I tell you folks? This weekend I am on back up call schedule but Sharon and I took a drive to Booker to let her sample Mulberrys. She has had them in the past but the tree she tried them from did not produce good tasting berrys. I know of one in Booker and the berrys are very sweet. I would not mind a mulberry tree at our place but they can be messy trees.
    While we were there I saw a poster for a trap shoot that will happen next Saturday, and I am considering entering. I don't know if I will take my shot gun or Sharon's, maybe both. That is something I have never tried but said I would. Maybe I will go to the range tomorrow and practise a little.
    While we were at Booker, we decided to eat something, so we went to the Mexican resturant and we both ordered Chicken fajitas, but the waiter messed up and brought us Beef. We did not want to push the issue and we both like beef, so it really wasn't a big deal. They were good any way.
     Today I will try to finish a puzzle I made to challenge the co-workers. It is a Burr puzzle and most commonly burr puzzles will have 6 pieces, but this one has 18. It is a hard one.
     Every year, we turn the gas off to the house in the summer, to save a little money. The only thing we have in the house that is gas is the furnace, but what ever we might save is probably spent in electricty cost as we begin to use the airconditioners more.
That is plenty for now.
Y'all be good.

just a moment to catch up.

      Well, you know, you turn around a few times and the weeds have overgrown the house and then you notice that it has been a month or so since you tried to update the blog.
    Yup. Thats Texas for you.
Maybe I'll do it tomorrow.

Just stuff

It is Saturday and I am at the house by myself. Sharon made a trip to Amarillo

to pick up some oil filters for the motorcycles so that I can change the oil soon.
We plan to ride them to Arkansas in July for another family reunion. My valves are tapping a
little and I thought I should have them adjusted, but the mechanic told me the lifters were
hydraulic and not adjustable.
Yesterday, on the way home from work, I saw a flag flying over a buisness and thought

it was neat so I took a picture of it. I will include it.
 

The local radio station has a daily trivia question, and the winner gets a few prizes,

like, a free breakfast at one of the resturants, a T shirt, maybe a free car wash, but
those that win the daily trivia question are entered into a monthly drawing for a vacation.
Yesterday Sharon called me and told me she won the vacation. They offer 12 different places
to choose from and they put you up in a nice Hotel for 3 nights and supply tickets to
whatever attractions are in that particular area. I don't know which one she will decide
on but it will be nice, I am sure. We will have to supply our own transportation but that is
ok.
    Y'all be good now, Y'hear?

Little kids, baseball bats, and mailboxes

      Once upon a time our mail box was pretty much like everyone else's until a couple of small boys decided to prove their powers and subject the mail box to abuse that no item should be put through. They managed to overcome the mail box and went on feeling victorious, not knowing that the horrible crime was observed.

Well, Sharon and I went after the villans escorted by one of the local law officers. They had not made it very far and we found them in a nearby park. As we approached they hid the baseball bat in a trash can. Any way we gave the little kids a scare and let them go, but now our mailbox is in sad shape.
Not wanting a beat up old mailbox, we decided to make a stronger version that would stand up to vicious attacks in the future.
      I poured a small cement slab and constructed a post with cinder blocks which also have more concrete inside them along with rebar connecting all of it together.

What good is a solid post if it doesn't support a substantial mailbox? So off we go to the hardware store and bought stuff to finish this project that included

a very large mailbox, a regular sized mailbox, more concrete, and very long bolts to sink into the concrete holding it together.  We put the smaller mailbox inside the large one and you guessed it. More concrete.

       

There it is folks. The story of our mailbox. Have yourselves a good day, now you hear?                                                                                                                                                               

It has been a nice week.

     Well I will tell you, after the folks surprised me by dropping in on us, (Sharon knew) I took some time off work and we had a very nice nine days or so. We ate too much. While they were here I deep fryed a turkey and will have turkey sandwiches for some time to come. We made a trip to Wheeler and saw Sharon's parents for a spell the other day and the day before that we made a trip to Groom Texas and saw the Cross Monument. I thought I had a picture but it is on Sharon's computer instead.
     Any way, I used my new talent to make a scarf and it is not my choice of colors, but Mom likes it.

There it is.
     They plan to leave in the morning, so they are getting ready to pack up. They are going to stay tonight in a motel so they can leave at thier leisure in the morning.
It was great having them here.
Y'all be good now, you hear?

     You know that moment in time when you look around and feel like something is different but it takes you a minute to figure out what it is?
    Well I encountered one of those moments recently.
Sharon called me while I was at work and said, "Mom and Dad are in town running some errands and want to meet us at Money's for dinner."
     Money's is a steakhouse here in Perryton and it is a good place to eat. Any way, we don't get to see Sharon's parents real often because they live 90 miles from here. So, sure, we can have dinner with them, no problem.
    So we walk into Money's right behind some square dancers all dressed up in thier western outfits, and people start taking pictures of the square dancers.
    Then here comes the moment I mentioned. The hostess took the square dancers to be seated and the cameras continue to flash in Our (Sharon and I) direction. One of the flashes comes from the lady that helps run the resturant and  Mom's camera and I suddenly realize, Hmmm, Mom's camera? Now why in the world would Mom be photographing square dancers?
     Yup, sure enough, There were the Folks taking pictures of square dancers.

All in all, It made a very nice surprise. Yesterday we took a drive to Canadian to eat at a gas station and afterwards we walked across the old wagon bridge located there.

So far it has been a very nice visit and the shoe is on the other foot this time.

    I am usually the one that surprises them.

     Have a good day every body.

Spring is almost here, time to ride

Well you know, my bike has been out of commission for a while now and I was forced to ride Sharon's motorcycle for a spell. It is ok and it made it to Oregon and back with no trouble. That is her's on the left there and that is what it looked like during my ride but that was in the October of last year. That photo was just out of Mojave, California.
I need to make a sissy bar and luggage rack for the little bike because Sharon can haul a bunch of stuff on a bike if she can just strap it down.
     She currently has a Yamaha V Star 650. It is a nice little bike.

     I ride a Goldwing and it had some battery troubles lately but now it functions again.
    This picture was last July when I rode the Goldwing to California. I missed it when it was down and even started looking at harleys. They just aren't the same though.
     That is not what I have to tell you though.
I told Y'all that my bragging got me a ball of yarn and a hook.
     I made one scarf just to prove I could and then made another one just like the first. Pictures were promised and so here they are.

Well Y'all, have a good day and be grateful that the snow is gone.

Prove it!

    The  Woman and I have been married for better than 34 years and during that entire time she has made one afgan after another. Countless miles of yarn consumed and her method is "Crochet."
     Well, not long ago I told her "that after watching her crochet for so many years, I could probably do it."
So the next thing I know is she gives me some yarn and a needle and says "Show me".

     Bear in mind the length of time she has been doing this compared to the time I have spent on it and understand that she is a little better at it than I am. I have completed one scarf and am half way through the second one. I gave the first one away as soon as I finished it.
     Also please excuse the poor picture quality, as I used the cell phone to photograph it.
       The second one will be just like the first one.  I will try to get better pictures when the next one is finished.
     Y'all have a good day now, Ya hear?

Valentines day is coming.

Not only is Feburary 14th my sister's birthday, it also seems to hold some special significance to a whole lot of other Women and Girls. Myself, eh, it is just another day but I think a husband could truly forget an anniversary, (which I've done) and get by but do not forget Valentines day.
     That having been said, I feel real safe in telling the whole world what My Wife will be recieving on that day, because I don't think she has ever checked out this site. Too bad for her because she could have advanced knowledge of  "What's in the Box".  No it isn't chocolate or pretty rocks on a chain. I shop at electronic stores.
     She will recieve a turntable with USB connectivity, with input jacks for alternate materials. Vinyl, cassette, CD's, you name it.
     She has a pile of old 45's that she wants to save so this is the way I'll do it.
So unless one of Y'all tell her in the next week, my secret is safe. Here is a picture of my wonderful Wife.

Well folks, Y'all have a good day now, You hear?

Did I mention not having a fondness for snow?

     I don't like it any more today, but it is still here so we will move on.
I tried to get out of the driveway for about 2 hours yesterday, and finally gave up and called work and told them I could not make it. The last time it snowed any to speak of, the same thing happened. Maybe I need a taller car.
     This morning I tried to get Sharon's car out and quickly gave up. She walked to work. I considered walking with her, briefly, and then developed a little sense and told her to be careful and came back in the house.
This morning it was 3 degrees. I know a person who tells me that this is the first time they've seen snow and it is still magical to him. At the end of the week that might change.
Later Y'all.

I hate the snow.

I Hate the snow.

Yup, that pretty well sums it up. Oh sure, it is good for the wheat but if it never snowed here again, I would not miss it.

This truck was stuck across the road when we got up this morning.

Just generally all around Hate it.
Y'all be good.

Cross Monument

Well, Howdy there Y'all.
      Greetings from the Texas panhandle.
This country is so flat, that I watched my dog run away for 3 days.
      Nah, just kidding. I never have had a dog run away. My dogs all seem to like me well enough. In fact, one of my dogs named Emily could probably be attached to my ankle with a one foot leash, and never would take all the slack out of the leash.
      That's not what this portion of blog is all about though, seeing as how I titled it Cross Monument, it probably should be about that.
     You know?
Here in Texas when you ask "How far is it?",  the answer you get is not Miles, but time. I never really liked that because I might drive a little slower than some one else.
     So about 2 hours from here is an enormous Cross and is really worth seeing. My photos were taken at night and are blurry and dark so if you want to check out better pictures then go to;
http://crossministries.net/

     This is the largest free standing cross in America.
This first picture is from about five miles away. As you get closer,
the enormousness of this cross comes through to you.
Like I said it is well worth seeing and all around the base, are sculptures depicting The Crucifixion of Christ.

The second picture is from the parking lot.













In this last picture I am standing at the base of the Cross so maybe you can start to see, this is big.
      Of course, everything is bigger in Texas.

More later.

animal control

       Well I suppose that if a person is going to title a monolog as "animal control" there ought to be a reason to do so. Well it is not that I wear a badge and take the dogs in cages to another cage somewhere and all the stuff that goes along with that job. What I mean to say about animal control will be evident shortly and it is truly not even something I had control over at all. It was the animals in question that had the control.
     So I will tell you about the animals. I once had a favorite puppy that I selected from a large group and I introduced that puppy to my constant company. She went every where with me inside my jacket, starting before her eyes were opened. Well this meant that naturally she would spend some time riding motorcycles with me. Her name was Chopper. After awhile, she became too big for the coat, and so I had to move her out onto the gas tank.
     She still went everywhere but then I aquired another dog named Melodie. Melodie did not want to stay home by her self and would chase us when we left the house so one day I just stopped and said "C'mon". Without hesitation she jumped right into an empty spot behind Chopper. We rode for a good spell like that and Chopper taught Melodie that when I went into the store I would be back eventually so they might as well sit a spell. They would stay on the bike for a long time.
     Then, if I remember right, we got Blondie, a small dog who also wanted to get some wind in her face. We still had an open area under Chopper, so that is where Blondie would ride.
       At the time I worked on an oilfield rig, #56 to be exact. There was a dog who became our rig dog and so naturally her name was 56. To make a long story shorter, 56 became Sharon and my dog and you guessed it, She wanted to ride.
56 rode behind me, Melodie, Chopper and Blondie in front and they all learned from Chopper to stay on the Bike. I would come out of a store and people would be sitting around waiting to see how I managed. While those dogs were alive, Perryton people knew me not by name but as "The Guy With The Dogs".

Here they are.
    Y'all have a good day now, You hear?

riding to work with Rick

So, I have a blog web page. That means I am control of what to write about and when and all that stuff. Well then let's  blog. Some how that sounds almost like something you might step in. Where do these words come from? Anyway, we're off.


Hmmm. Writer's cramp the first time out.
     Nah, not really.
As I said I will tell all a Y'all about the Texas Panhandle among other things. One thing, to get me started is that here in the Texas Panhandle, we have the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets, especially if there are a few clouds scattered around. Let me see if I can figure out how to show you.

       Ah, there we go.

I often carry a small camera in my pocket and just whip it out and push the button while zooming down the road and these two are taken exactly in that manner.

     So please excuse the windshield and any blurriness and possible bug splatters.

One thing that makes our sunrises and sunsets so outstanding is the fact that there are very few things sticking up from the horizon to interfere with the view. If it sticks up, it is probably man made.

     More later, folks.

Have a good day.

You know something. It looks like it is working.

Well, Here goes.
Howdy, there Y'all. Greetings from Texas and I hope all is well with every body. I will try this for a spell and see if I like it.
Blogging, as I understand it, is pretty much just telling the whole world what is going on in an individuals life, with some interesting stuff thrown in.
Today is the start of a new experience for me so bear with me while I talk about Texas, particularly the Panhandle, that is most familiar to me.
So for starters, stay tuned for news and updates about My Wife and Myself, all the animals and just generally anything that comes to mind.