Adiós...José José - 1948 to 2019

Today the Latino - Hispanic community lost another legendary music icon.

His birth name was José Rómulo Sosa who lost his battle to pancreatic cancer at the age of 71.  Darn that freaking cancer that has left no family in the world untouched!

At the start of his career, he had a privileged voice that catapulted him to early fame that would later turn out to be his worst enemy.  He battled addictions for a very long time.  He was the first Mexican singer to go international and lead the way for others.

I heard of his passing in the afternoon as I was channel surfing tired of the news that has dominated our airwaves this week. The two main Spanish speaking networks in the USA did a good job of covering this sad event. They had live coverage both in the USA and Mexico.

Many people went to his Hollywood star in Los Angeles to lay flowers on it. While in Mexico City the place of his birth they played tribute to him in his former neighborhood by singing his songs and taking up a "coperacha" (collection) so they could hire professional mariachis to play his unforgettable music by the statue that was erected in his memory many years ago.

José José was a naturalized American citizen who lived in Florida.  Here is a short synopsis of his life https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/28/entertainment/jose-jose-death/index.html

Both networks indicated that he was a trending topic not just in Mexico and the USA but worldwide.  Since I do not know how to navigate around social media I have no idea how that played out.

My favorite song by him...La Nave del Olvido  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIi5W1zGQRw

My second favorite songs El Triste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSAEGMPXT8


Rest in peace...El Principe de la Canción...you will be missed :-(

When is this heat going to go away?

I am aware I sound like a broken record but I just can't stand these summer temperatures in the Fall. Today we had a high of 99 with a low of 77 and a heat index of 100 degrees.

There were showers in Val Verde County today but mostly in the northern part of the county.  The Texas drought report comes out every Thursday and this area is under a severe one.

Got an e-mail yesterday notifying me that Spectrum would be conducting maintenance overnight yet this morning I had a hard time going online and it was super slow.  Later learned that it was not just in Del Rio it was statewide.

Where has this week gone?  I can not believe tomorrow is already Friday!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

 Saying of the Day

September 2019 trip to Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila - México

I needed to run some errands in Ciudad Acuña so decided to go today rather than later on in the week. Was glad to see that the former toll booths were finally being demolished.

 In the Mexican side, they are building inspection lanes at their new Immigration headquarters.

After seeing the long lines going to the USA, I decided I would cross the border at the Amistad Dam Port of Entry on the way back. Once I finished my errands stopped at Bodegas Aurrera to tap into their WIFI and to pick up a bottle of Kahlua.

Here are the exchange rates for today so you can have an idea of the prices.

I have been eyeing this washing machine for years (I like pink) but they do not deliver and I do not have a pick-up truck. This is the first time I see what I thought was a smaller washing machine that would fit in my trunk only to learn it was a dryer.

$3,342.00 divided by 17.70 = $188.82 USD
$1,629.00 divided by 17.70 = $92.03 USD

Avocados have been high for a while but they had a good price on them.  Five avocados in a mesh bag $29.90 divided by 17.70= $1.69 divided by five = .34 cents each a real bargain but you are not allowed to bring them back to the USA so had to pass.

They had this HUGE display of Bud Light 6-packs for $80.00 Pesos that would be $4.52 USD

I do not drink coffee but a reader had asked me to take a picture of the coffee section for price comparison purposes. Unfortunately, I am using my cell phone and it does not take good pictures or perhaps it is the user that takes lousy ones :D

Once again the liquor section was not well stocked and there was not a single bottle of Kahlua to be had. That is a shame as you do not have to pay liquor tax when you cross at the Amistad Dam Port of Entry.

Bodegas Aurrera is located in the only Mall in Ciudad Acuña so stopped by a shoe store to price hiking boots. I liked the ones with the pink shoelaces but I did not buy them.  I would mess them up in a day in the rugged Terlingua terrain.

$359.00 divided by 17.70 = $20.28 USD

Considered driving to Soriana another grocery store that I am sure had Kahlua in stock but I was tired and it was so hot I decided to head home instead.

I am sure many of you are familiar with the former XERF radio station.  It was owned by the infamous Dr. John R. Brinkley but at that time its call letters were XER-AM and was once the most powerful radio station in the world.

It launched the career of Wolfman Jack whom many stayed up late at night to listen to, myself included.

It does not look like much and has been shut down for years. The gate has a sign saying "Federal Property".  Again I apologize for the poor quality as the sun was blinding me.

 Approaching Amistad Dam.

Lake levels are miserably low.

More land is being exposed daily.

Saved myself more than an hour's wait in line by making this trip.  Only two cars in front of me and I was back in the good old United States of America.  I had no idea the immigration officers had a uniform that included shorts. The lady agent was sporting one with this heat I do not blame her.

The following picture is exclusively for Jeelbare :)

We welcomed Fall with a high of 100  and a low of 77 degrees today.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

If you could live anywhere in the world...where would that be?

If you could live anywhere in the world...where would that be?

I was watching a show that posed this question to their viewers.  I always felt I had the answer but this week it left me in a quandary.  When did my views change and why was I not aware of it until this moment in time?

I suppose it had a lot to do with hurricane Dorian and tropical storm Imelda.  You see, I have NEVER liked the beach, while there are beautiful places year around in the Carribean as well as the Mayan Riviera my respect for Mother Nature and fear of her wrath has been solidified this past couple of weeks.

I have several friends and acquaintances that have gone through not one but MULTIPLE tropical storms, hurricanes, had their lives turned upside down after being flooded yet choose to remain in their homes.  Maybe I am hardheaded but I just do not understand that rationale.

Then I go back to what I would have replied as far back as a few weeks ago...Terlingua, Texas...of course!  Though the thought of having to put up with the brutal desert summers even with air conditioning is no longer appealing to me. To be fair it never has been as I would have to be totally out of mind to even consider that option. The desert is a place that calls out to me but only in the winter months.

So that leaves me to where I would spend the rest of the year?  Have NO idea but it certainly would not be Houston or Del Rio.  Then again do I have a choice?

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.



Saying of the Day

Storming Area 51

With everything that has been going on in our country this past week, I needed a little time out for rest, relaxation, and a pause from cable news. What is more relaxing than live streaming from Area 51?

Had I been 20 years younger and known that the temperature in the Nevada desert this weekend were going to be cool enough that people would be wearing sweaters and jackets...I might have "considered" attending :D

While the two million people that were initially expected never showed up, it still looked like a lot of fun.  Kind of a free Burning Man event or a pre-Terlingua Chili Cook-off. Thank goodness for YouTube.

I was watching some dudes from Los Angeles, California live streaming while at the same time asking for and getting a lot of new subscribers to their channel.  People were tipping them from as far away as Russia, actually from all over the world.

Loved how people dressed like aliens for the event and some guy who showed up with the Korean flag...jajajajajaja...they really had a good sense of humor.  They began late so I only got to watch for about an hour but I am catching up now.

Here is an article from The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/21/us/area-51-alienstock.html

Laughed so hard when I learned that Bud Light was offering "Free Beer" to any aliens that escaped Area 51...hope they lower their standards and gave some free beer to the 3,000 people that actually showed up.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Tropical Storm Imelda, Record highs for Del Rio

Hope my readers and friends in the Greater Houston area are doing well with all the rains that Tropical Storm Imelda is bringing.  Most of them live in Southern Harris County and even after all the storms and hurricanes they have endured would not consider moving to another part of the city.

My part of town has not received as much rainfall and thankfully in the thirty-plus years that I have owned my house it has never flooded and hope it remains that way.  Was going to e-mail my friends after the evening news last night but fell asleep before they even began.  It is no wonder I have been up since 3:57 a.m. this morning.

Yesterday we broke another record in Del Rio.  I wrote it down but can not find it (darn CRS) will update the blog later with that information as this blog serves as my Cyber Journal.  We are also expected to equal or top another record high today and tomorrow.  Just wish we could get a little bit of rain.

Since it is 5:43 a.m I can not wish you a Good Night and Terlingua Dreams.  If you are in Imelda's path please stay safe.



Today's Saying of the Day

Hope you filled up your gasoline tank

When I heard of the attacks on the Saudi Arabian oil fields my first instinct was to drive to town to fill-up before the price went up.  Being the Queen of Procrastination decided it could wait until this morning.

Arrived at the HEB pumps at 9:34 a.m. along with a lot of other people for this time of the day.  Was able to fill up at $2.179 per gallon for unleaded gasoline.  Hope you all were able to fill up today as well.

Was going to head home and come back later but decided to tackle the shopping now that I was already here.  Was glad to see that the price of avocados finally went down to .77 each.

Nothing makes me madder than knowing I have a certain item at home and not being able to find it.  I know I have empty pet food bags that I use to bag up grass clippings and those pesky mesquite pods.  Brokedown and bought the 30-gallon paper lawn and leaf bags.  Hopefully, my procrastination will not get in the way and I can tackle that chore before trash day.

Saturday morning I went to check on the cats only to find that the worthless neighbor's truck was once again parked at his parent's house.  Have not heard a peep out of him for now.  I thought perhaps he had come back without the wife and kids but I think I saw her this afternoon :-(

Today we had a high of 100, a low of 75 with a heat index of 105 degrees.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Betty Boop Saying of the Day

Lots of things going on

This week we have had several appointments along with having run multiple errands. Evidently, I am either in the worst shape of my life or old age is getting to me.  If I have to go anywhere I pay for it the following day.

As you know I have a long-running relationship with insomnia but this week it has not been a problem.  I do not know if it was due to the fact that I was tired or credit Lovastatin (cholesterol lowing medication) that I have to take before bedtime. I hate taking Statins and have avoided doing so though I requested to be put back on them after my prior lab's results. My most recent labs ratted me out so I got back on them. Whichever one I need to credit, the good thing is that I have been going to sleep early.  Usually during the 10:00 p.m. news and/or definitively before eleven o'clock.

The only problem is that I am wide awake by 5:00 a.m. or earlier. This past Wednesday I heard an unfamiliar sound around that time...could it be? Went to the front door and confirmed that we were having a rain shower.

All the towns around us have been the recipients of generous rains but southern Val Verde County has been overlooked. A lot of the trees are losing their foliage, not due to the approach of Autumn but the fact that we are in a drought. In this area, leaves remain in the trees until December and last year two of our trees never even lost theirs.

I went to the library the other day to make copies, read the newspaper and enjoy their super cold A/C. I had forgotten that it has been 50 years since Amistad Dam was inaugurated.  President Nixon and Mexican President Diaz Ordaz along with their respective wives were here to mark the occasion.

I read on the Mexican newspaper El Zocalo that Del Rio would be hosting the First Triathalon in its history this morning.  It is called "First Annual Adventure on the Creek".  It sounds like a lot of fun maybe I will go next year.

This weekend there will be a parade and many activities to commemorate Mexican Independence Day which is celebrated on September 16th both in Ciudad Acuña as well as in Del Rio.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

A Saturday shopping spree

I do not ordinarily drive into town on the weekends but I was not able to run my errands during the week. My first stop was the Recycling Center as they close at noon on Saturday's.  Then I swung by the P.O. Box only to find it crammed full...yeap...it has been a while since I dropped by here.

On the way into town, I passed by the main HEB and the parking lot was overflowing because our border city neighbors from Ciudad Acuña come to do their shopping.  Since I still can not bring myself to go into Walmart after the El Paso mass shooting I headed to little HEB instead.

Few people there as most Del Rioans prefer the bigger store. Was totally out of lettuce for my salads and found a 50% off deal since the product use-by date expires tomorrow but it was not wilted so I think it will last a couple more days.

Then I headed to Fallas a store that sells factory irregular items at heavily discounted prices.  This is where earlier in the year I bought my $5.00 denim coat and jacket for my future trips to Terlingua.  As I have mentioned before Terlingua is not a place to make a fashion statement. Take inexpensive clothing that you would not mind if they got ruined or someone walked off with them. My purchase of the day was a .50 cent T-shirt.

Made a stop at the bank and then headed to Dollar Tree where I usually do most of my grocery shopping.  As I parked I noticed a banner at the former Sutherland's store that closed down about a year ago.  As I got closer I could not believe my eyes!  Did it really say what I thought it said?  YES...it DID!!!!!

I was just thinking the other day about making a special trip to San Antonio so I could buy some heavy-duty tarps for both the house and for camping.  Stuck my head to ask how long it would be till they opened and the guys working said from six to eight weeks.  I was so happy!

The inside of the future Harbor Freight Tools

The Dollar Tree was full of Halloween merchandise...

They had a nice selection of cereals. Though I do not care for the taste of Maple at 19.8 oz this was a great buy and will also lower my cholesterol.

Cheerios Maple Cereal

On another aisle, I found Peach Cheerios that indicated it was a Limited Edition.  Being Gluten-Free and at 10.8 ounces another great buy for a dollar as well at the Blueberry Chex cereal the largest box of the three at 20.3 oz.

Peach Cheerios and Blueberry Chex cereal

Since I did not come on Friday I missed out on the bread selection. I did, however, purchase Nature's Own 8 Hot Dog Buns 100% Whole Wheat that I will use to prepare mini hoagies.

Very little bread left on the shelves

I was feeling a little light-headed as I had not had breakfast and it was 3:00 p.m. so stopped at Stripes which by this time has little selection but to my surprise still had food and bought us some lunch plates for an early dinner.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Virtual Happy Hour

It is not often that I get to talk to my best friend for an extended amount of time except when we meet up in Terlingua and for those long-time followers you know that I am going on three years of not being able to attend the annual Terlingua Chili Cook-off.

She and her boyfriend have been in Galveston since last Thursday checking out a new RV Resort.  We were texting but my arthritic fingers can not keep up with an experienced texter.  So we decided to have a "Virtual Happy Hour".  It was so nice to be able to talk to her while sharing a virtual beer.  We visited for over three hours finally calling it a night at 3:08 a.m.  No small wonder that I did not wake up in time for my early morning walk as by that time it was just too hot.

I am signed up for automatic withdrawals on all the utilities as well as paperless billing so when I got an e-mail from the Electric Company with this month's bill I hesitated to open it.  As you know we have been having some really hellish temperatures this past month.  Finally got the nerve to do so and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as bad as I thought thanks to turning on the ceiling fans during the day.

Got another e-mail from them asking for us to conserve electricity in the following days from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. as it still remains hot as hell in Texas.

We had a high of 97 a low of 76 with a heat index of 101.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Betty Boop Saying of the Day

Worst Labor Day weekend in my life

What a terrible week this has been probably the worst Labor Day weekend in my life.  A mass shooting in less than a month from the one in El Paso in my beloved state of Texas and to add insult to injury on September 1st, new laws went into effect making it even easier for people to own and or possess guns.  Something is just so very wrong in this world.

My heart goes out to all the people in the Bahamas that have lost everything due to the passage of hurricane  Dorian. That hurricane has been the longest-lasting hurricane that I can remember and it is not even over yet!

It continues to be hot and humid.  Weather forecasters said it would be cloudy today due to the rains that tropical storm Fernand is bringing to south Texas.  There wasn't a single cloud in the sky until this afternoon. While the storm is a long ways from us I am hopeful we might at least get a stray shower.

There is a sliver of good news but I do not want to get my hopes up only to have them dashed.  It appears the wife of the worthless neighbor has gone back home and hopefully he will soon follow.

We had a high of 96 a low of 75 with a heat index of 100 degrees.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.



Betty Boop Saying of the Day