Raccoons are enjoying new celebrity, thanks to Rocket Raccoon and the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Rocket even has his own Wikipedia page (and there you’ll learn that he’s actually more than forty years old). But raccoons are really better in theory (and movies) than in reality. Many of you already know this. We thought… Continue reading Guardian of the Galaxy? Nope, just a Destroyer of the Lawn.
It’s a zoo around here…
Update (2022): I’m not particularly proud of the first part of the following post. As I’ve become better educated about the snakes in this area — and in particular, cottonmouths — I’ve come to realize that there’s almost no reason to kill one of these creatures. You, of course, are entitled to your own opinion… Continue reading It’s a zoo around here…
Toilet Wars
A female friend posted this on Facebook a few days ago: The ensuing comments provided a preview of the nuclear equivalent of the War of the Sexes, with each side accusing the other of being less sanitary or courteous when it comes to the state of public restrooms. Scholarly studies were quoted; personal anecdotes were… Continue reading Toilet Wars
Armadillo by Morning
Note: For reasons to be revealed later, you didn’t see this post. In fact, once you’re finished here, please extract your memory and destroy it, Mission Impossible-style. Thanks for your cooperation. Note 2: I conceived the title for this post when I briefly woke in the middle of the night, one of the few times… Continue reading Armadillo by Morning
The Greatest Generation: A POW’s Story
As they marched us back from the river, one soldier was carrying an American flag. That flag was a beautiful sight. I wish that flag could have the same meaning to everyone in this country now. — Loy Dean Lawler Dr. Loy Dean Lawler was an optometrist who practiced for many years in Mount Pleasant,… Continue reading The Greatest Generation: A POW’s Story
A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 3: Paranoid Hiking
[Part 1] [Part 2] Trigger Warning: Here there be dragons. Or, at least, serpents. Elizabeth, you’ve been warned. Having survived the Great Coax Caper and the Putrid Possum Pestilence, we were looking forward to a relaxing hike on the newly-christened Horseshoe Creek Trail with The Nephew, his wife, and their dog Sophie. (I briefly introduced… Continue reading A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 3: Paranoid Hiking
A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 2: Close Encounters of the Putrid Kind
[Part 1] Now, where were we? Oh, yes…I had completed a successful repair of a shredded coax cable that restored our satellite TV access, and life was good. Except…something was slightly amiss in the air. There was a lingering odor, a smell that seemed to grow stronger depending on which way the breeze was blowing,… Continue reading A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 2: Close Encounters of the Putrid Kind
A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 1: Adventures in Coax
After a month-long family crisis that ended in a bittersweet manner, we headed for our Hill Country hideaway for a long weekend of regenerative relaxation. We looked forward to a time of recuperation, both emotional and physical. But, you know what they say about telling God your plans. Here’s a hint: don’t. Our first indication… Continue reading A “Relaxing” Weekend – Pt. 1: Adventures in Coax
Nocona, Texas: A pleasant surprise
The town of Nocona, Texas, was an unexpectedly interesting destination for us.
PSA: Ballroom Music for DJs
I received an email a few months ago from a DJ in Alabama who was preparing for an upcoming event where a number of ballroom dancers would be present, and he wanted some help in preparing a playlist. He admitted that he tended to play the same songs over and over when he got requests… Continue reading PSA: Ballroom Music for DJs