I drove about 360 miles yesterday, mostly on I-10 and I-20, from Fredericksburg to Fort Stockton and then to Midland, and the overriding thought that sticks with me is…”wow, what a noisy drive!” Interstate 10 is a patchwork of road surfaces, and the newest ones are also the loudest. The material used to surface the… Continue reading Driving the Noisy Roads of Texas
Flashback to 1973: When we didn’t need Best Buy
There’s no doubt that television technology has made great strides. We’re on the threshold of having an 85″ 33-megapixel TV to hang on our walls (for most of us, it will have to be in the garage, of course), or if that’s too ostentatious, you can put in an order for Samsung’s new 70 incher,… Continue reading Flashback to 1973: When we didn’t need Best Buy
Random Weinergate Observations
Some random thoughts – serious and not-so – about “Weinergate,” the latest example of how skillful a politician can be in shooting his own foot. If only Rep. Anthony Weiner were so competent as a leader. The seductiveness of the internet to cause one to do stupid things cannot be overstated. It’s worse than alcohol… Continue reading Random Weinergate Observations
Fire Ant Sighting – Singapore
Remember the “Create a Haiku to Win a Cheap Fire Ant Wristband” Contest? An impressive number of you apparently have a lot of time on your hands, because we got some great entries from around the world, literally, including New Zealand and Singapore. I’m still waiting for some photos of those lovely gifts set in… Continue reading Fire Ant Sighting – Singapore
Overheard Bird
All afternoon, while puttering around in the front yard, we’ve been hearing this odd bird call, kind of a plaintive “squawk,” not harsh like a grackle’s, but a bit more melodic. It sounded familiar to me, but I just couldn’t place it. Nor could I discern its source. Then, a few minutes ago, the call… Continue reading Overheard Bird
Passed Grass
So, you’ve finished edging and mowing the yard in the 90 degree heat, and you’re happy to have that chore out of the way. You grab a bottle of water and ease into the chair on the front porch to admire your handiwork. Despite the watering restrictions, the lawn looks pretty darned good. You swing… Continue reading Passed Grass
My Apologies to Internet Explorer Users
I rarely pass up a chance to either make fun of or otherwise denigrate Microsoft’s browser, especially the older versions (I’m looking at you, IE6…and also you, IE7, and to a somewhat lesser extent you, IE8. IE9, you seem to be an OK dude.). The strange behaviors and outright bugs in those browsers create a… Continue reading My Apologies to Internet Explorer Users
Random Holiday Nature Scenes
We had a rather uneventful Memorial Day, without much to report. We did go on a couple of walks around the neighborhood, and I thought I’d share a few sightings of local flora and fauna. The first was actually last night, and not local at all, at least not in the “neighborhood” sense of the… Continue reading Random Holiday Nature Scenes
Front Porch Update (or, “Doo doo doo, lookin’ out my front door”)
It’s important to keep the Historical Records up to date, so here’s what’s happening in the front part of la hacienda: Barn Swallows – When last we checked in on the little #@*%& fellows, their nest was almost complete. It’s now finished and positioned so close to the ceiling that we can’t see inside the… Continue reading Front Porch Update (or, “Doo doo doo, lookin’ out my front door”)
Dancing With The Stars, You’re Dead to Me
It’s been several days and I’m still stewing about the final results from Dancing With The Stars. The fact that Chelsea Kane, by far the best dancer on the show this season, didn’t even make the top two is astounding to begin with, but to think that she was beaten by Kirstie Alley, who was… Continue reading Dancing With The Stars, You’re Dead to Me