Thursday night at Wal-Mart

Folks, I think it is official...I have lost my mind!

What have you done now Belinda?  I was silly enough to think that since this was the first time that Wal-Mart starts its pre-Black Friday sale on Thursday afternoon...people would have rather stayed home, watch football and enjoyed being with their family and not venture out till Friday!

How did I come to this conclusion?  Have no idea...I tell you I'm NUTS!!!

I knew I had to get there at least by 4:00 p.m. to even have a chance to grab some of the 6:00 p.m. specials, but I had things to do and did not arrived till 6:15 p.m.  There was not a single parking space to be had.  People were parked at adjacent lots, in closed restaurants or at the bank which was the only place I found a parking spot.

Knowing fully well that there would be no shopping carts...I scored one from a lucky person that got there early enough to get the things they wanted and was on her way home.  Getting a shopping cart can be good if you find something heavy or it can be a hindrance as it is hard to navigate around the sea of people.

You might be wondering what special was so important to put myself in this predicament?  SD cards...yep, since my Photobucket account is full and my computer wont let me create another one I can not erase my pictures and I am running low on space.  Their PNY 8GB SD card was going to be on sale for $4.88 and a Sony 16GB for $7.88 as part of their 8:00 p.m. specials.

None of the employees seemed to know anything...they all gave you different answers.  The last one that actually worked in that department, told me I had to get in line and wait until 8:00 p.m.  Lol, me wait in line?  That was not going to happen!

Another reason I ventured out was for some camping gear for my future Terlingua trips.  As I mentioned on my series of Chili Cook-off reports my air mattress has seen its last day and they had an Intex Queen Airbed with raised pillow rest and pump for $25.00 as well as a 29" steel fire pit for $22.00.  With all the wind in Terlingua...you need one to keep the ambers under control and not start a fire.

Was I lucky enough to find any of these items?  NOPE...not a one!  The only thing I bought was a Stanley bottle thermos that keeps things hot or cold for 24 plus hours and could also come in handy in the desert.

I gave up my cart to a very grateful lady who could not even see in front of her with all the boxes of toys she was carrying.  Then I got in line to pay for my ONE item in the fast check out lane which as you can imagine...was not fast at all.

I started to feel sorry for the two guys in front of me who were obviously from out-of-town.  What were they buying?  A two or two and a half dozen carton of eggs, about 4 gallons of milk, chips and hot sauce. Yet they were trapped in this sea of people buying up everything but groceries.

Started up a conversation with them...one was about 35 years old said he was from I believe Angleton. He had come to spend Thanksgiving at his father-in-law's who lived out towards the lake. The other guy was about 25 years old ...said his grandmother was going to make homemade egg nog and she needed these ingredients.  Even with the crowds he said it was worth it, because she made a great tasting egg nog.  I have no doubt about that.

By and large the most popular item this day and in the carts of their new owners was the 50" Emerson TV that was selling for $288.00 some people had more than one.  I explained to the guys that a lot of people from Mexico come and buy them and then re-sell them in their country. Electronic items go for about three or four times more in Mexico.  Re-sellers can probably expect to make more at these low prices.

As I was walking back to the bank, the guys were pulling out and they waved good-bye.  Nice fellows...wished them a pleasant stay in Del Rio.

Gasoline prices this Thursday night in Del Rio...

$3.07 at Wal-Mart
I apologize for the poor quality

At HEB

Readers e-mails

Apart from being cold, wet and dreary there really is nothing to blog about because I haven't done anything that would merit a blog post.

To the rescue come readers e-mails...that I try to answer in a prompt manner.  However, there are some e-mails that ask about the same topic or that are unique...so I thought I would answer in a post just in case there were other readers out there wondering the same thing.

You sound like you had a nightmarish trip this year to Terlingua do you think you will go again?

I did not mean to make it sound like it was a nightmare.  I already knew about the heavy presence of law enforcement officers that descend on the area and I chose to go out in it. I was just a little upset at being the target of their scrutiny but no big deal they were only doing their job.

The rain on Sunday...well that was a fluke...if you look at all the pictures I posted previous to that...the skies are a beautiful blue :)

If I am alive and well...I will definitively go next year...my 19th year.

Anything you would do different?

Definitively...for one I would not take that worthless tent I took.  Cheap mesh tents have no place in the desert...they get full of dirt, in strong wind they tear easily and in rain...well they are a piece of crap!

2)  I would not have taken as much clothes as I did

3)  I would have car camped

Any chance of getting you to post or e-mail me some pictures of naked girls?

jajajajajaja...sorry, that was so funny, I had to laugh :D

I have not gone to the "boob contest" in years!  I would have no reason to photograph "naked girls". However, it just so happened that as I was taking pictures of passer-byes this girl appeared on my shot. Then the guys invited her and her entourage for tequila shots.

Only because you and several others have asked I am sending you a picture of last year's contest winner as well...but be forewarned...it ain't pretty!

WARNING....If you are sensitive to offensive words and/or nudity...exit the blog at this point.

Ladies, just goes to show...you do not have to be a Sul Ross State University co-ed or have an hour glass figure to have a good time in Terlingua.

 

I liked this t-shirt...

WARNING....LOOK AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!

The winner of last year's "boob contest" and many previous ones as well...is Betty...a lady in her 80's

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams and/or Nightmares. :)

How could I forget about the plants!

I tell you, I think my CRS is getting worst by the day!  I was well aware there was a cold front on the way, moved a lot of things on the northern part of the house to the back bathroom/shed/catch all room but forgot all about the plants!

Early this morning I heard the rain and wind and woke up in a panic remembering I had not brought them in. My mother's avocado tree came to mind as well as my poor hanging baskets. Where is my jacket?  Oh yeah...it is still caked in mud and sitting in dad's old car waiting patiently for me to take her to the laundromat :-(

Grabbed a towel and draped it around me...went to bring in the plants and along with them...more mosquitoes!!!  Turned on the heater and went back to bed.

I love the first freeze...though it was not a real freeze as it only got to 39.  That is close enough to freezing for this early in the season...after all, it is still Autumn.

This afternoon I was tired...I laid down for a nap but had no idea it would be a three and a half hour one. When I woke up the clock read 7:57 and for a minute there...I thought I had slept through the night!

Good night, bundle up and may you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Water bill mystery

If you are new to my blog...I live in Houston...well, at least according to the 2010 census. However, I spend most of my time in Del Rio, Texas.

Was making out my monthly check to my MUD (Municipal Utility District) when I noticed that my water consumption was not zero like it is every month.  A little worry some as I have not been home since March.

The first thing that came to mind is my lovely neighbor Miss Town Crier and her equally lovely family.  It would not be the first time that they have had one of their utilities cut off for lack of payment.  I actually do not mind if they used the water but I sure would have liked to have been asked.  She has my phone number...I do not have hers...again for lack of payment.

Last night my mind went into overtime...what if it was not her?  What if I have a leak in the house? Or worst, what if someone broke into my house and is now living there?

Had to remind myself...I have an alarm system and the guy that cuts my yard surely would have noticed as well as the only two decent neighbors I have?  Darn...another mystery!

I'm thinking it is time for a trip home.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Wil Mosher

I would like to give a warm welcome to Wil Mosher who officially becomes my 59th blog follower. Thank you for signing on and for taking the time to read me.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Darn gas prices on the rise :-(

Last time I ventured out was last Wednesday, November 13th and only because I needed to buy Walter's pellets.  I was overdue for a trip into town and today was the day.  The first thing I noticed as I passed HEB was that the price of gasoline had gone up.  Last week it was going for $2.91 at this location.

The one thing I can not complain about, is the gas mileage I get from the Toyota.  Last time I filled it up was in Alpine on my way home from the cook-off.  I still had half a tank left.

Price at the local Exxon...

As much as I hate to have to buy gasoline cards to get a discount at the pump I had no choice today because the new Stripes had the best price in town...if you used their card that is.

$2.88 if you used their card

$2.91 if you didn't

My darn foot is still sore from the run in with the cacti...so I did not get to complete all my errands...maybe tomorrow?

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Warm temperatures

Yesterday it got to 88 and today we reached 84 degrees...though it was on the cloudy side.

Not the first time I had a run in with this cacti but it certainly was the last!

I accidentally stepped on a thorny cacti and it still hurts. I dug it up and then started pruning some other variety of equally thorny bushes.  I have been wearing my long sleeve sweat shirt when I go outside as the mosquitoes have been biting with a vengeance.

You will experience pain...believe you me if you step on one
of these...especially wearing flip flops 

This afternoon I had had enough!  I went and got my Ant and Roach spray and believe it or not...it helped. Wish I could use it inside the house but my mother is allergic to all sorts of sprays.

I am very tired and my arms ache.  I think I will turn in early for a change.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Sunday Debacle

Post for Sunday - November 3, 2013 - Terlingua, Texas

As I entered my tent to go to bed, noticed that the air mattress had deflated.  Looked around for the air pump and it was dead.  Oh well...will not be the first time that I sleep on a flatten air mattress.  As you know I suffer from insomnia so I laid there for what seemed like hours until I finally fell asleep.

Woke up to what sounded like rain drops.  It could not be...the forecast I saw did not mention rain.  Then I remembered that the last time I checked the weather report was last Saturday and not Thursday when I actually came.  In all my years coming here it has never rained...it has snowed, there have been hurricane force winds, it has been cold and we have had dreary days...but not rain!

Looked at my watch and it was 6:00 a.m. but since the time changed tonight it was really 5:00 a.m.  Heard the guys breaking camp and then the rain drops ceased.  I went back to sleep knowing I had dodged a bullet.

Two hours later woke up again to the sound of rain drops that quickly turned into a full fledged shower.  It was 7:00 a.m. or a little after and it was still dark.  Heard people all around me breaking camp.  I thought to myself...why oh why did I not listen to my gut feeling?

It kept on raining and water was beginning to sip in through the back window and front door...worthless mesh tent!!!  I started packing up the stuff that I had inside as I mopped up the water with a towel. This continued for several hours as I waited for a lull so I could put my things in the car and then break camp.

That lull never came and I was beginning to get concerned because from reading accounts from several area blogs...I knew I could get stuck and never make it up the hill to exit CASI.  If I did make it, there is a wash on the way to Study Butte that can easily flood the highway and there had already been flooding earlier in the week and it had not rained as hard as it was raining now.

Finally it ceased raining and a rainbow could be seen...then a double rainbow.  Too bad my cheap camera could not capture it in its true glory.

Nothing went back in the car the way it came.  I am so glad I did not bring half the things I usually bring or we would have had a problem.  As I entered the tent to retrieve my things I dragged in tons of mud.  Then it started raining again!!!

I was wearing a white sweat shirt that by the time I broke camp looked brown.  My jacket luckily had a hood on it and it was totally drenched which in turn soaked my jeans.  I was a soggy and dirty mess.  I wanted to change but couldn't as my clothes were deep in the trunk and I had placed my shower as well as that cheap tent in big black trash bags hoping they did not break and spill it muddy waters.

As soon as I got in the car I turned on the heater on high hoping to keep from getting sick and hauled it out of there.  Was hoping to stop and visit with area bloggers but not in the sorry state I was in...sorry guys :-(

It rained almost all the way home.  I stopped at the Pecos River bridge rest area to dump the water from my tarps which unbelievably did not rupture as well as from the black bags.  One thing I forgot to mention as a tip for future chili-heads...bring large strong garbage bags to throw in your wet camping gear.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Should I break camp?

Post for Saturday - November 2, 2013 in the afternoon

After arriving from my wanderings around Lajitas and Terlingua, I inspected my shower and found it was dry as a bone and ready to be packed away.  My gut instinct was telling me to go ahead and take it down as I was not going to use it anymore...but NO....I ignored my feeling.

Then I looked in my first night/last night tent and it was a darn mess.  Though it is a veteran of many Chili Cook-off's...I had never set it up here.  It is 9 x 9 whereas a little smaller my Kodiak Canvas tent is 8 x 9. I can stand up in my Kodiak Canvas tent...it is like a hotel in the desert. While the 9 x 9 is a cheap dome mesh tent that you have to bend down to be able to enter it...not a good thing when you have a bad back.

My sixth sense was telling me to pack away all the unnecessary items...but again I choose to ignore my gut feeling.  What did I do instead?  I went riding around all over CASI with the guys in their mule.  By the time we got back the rest of the guys camp had dinner ready.

Let me explain a little about Saturday or at least the camps in my immediate area.  Most have been here a week or more and are looking forward to going back home and sleeping in their own bed.  They do not want to take anything back with them.  Everyone cooks up what they did not consume and shares it with their neighbor.

If they still have bottles of liquor those too are shared with passerby's.  We had a couple of virgins that arrived from Austin, Texas on Friday night and the guys graciously shared their food and liquor with them. The virgins were very surprised with the guys generosity...but that is just the way the guys are...a true class act...like their late daddy Mr. A :-)

Now back to breaking camp.....when I first started coming in the mid 90's no one broke camp early.  People cooked breakfast, had coffee said their good-bye's and then commenced the arduous task of breaking camp on Sunday.  I think the Guy's Camp changed all that at least around us.  Their camp is pretty big and though they do not have far to go...they want to be home, unpacked and ready to watch the Cowboys play on Sunday.

They started breaking camp Saturday evening and my contribution to their efforts was shining my Wakawaka light on them which in case you are contemplating buying one...DON'T...it is worthless!  My shower and tent beckoned my attention and once more I choose to ignore my gut feeling.

Once again lots of gallons of water were wasted as people do not bring empty milk jugs or water containers to bottle up the precious liquid.  Most people do not want to drive back home with full or partly full  fresh water tank.  I donated my six one gallon milk jugs to save some of the liquid but more than 200 gallons were dumped by the guys camp alone.

For the first time this year they had two bands playing.  One in the main pavilion and another one at Krazy Flats. I camp right smack in the middle of the two but being along the ravine facing Krazy Flats I get to hear them better.  In the past a lot of people went to the dances but for some reason very few attend now.  Most would rather enjoy a roaring campfire with their friends accompanied with a cold adult beverage which is what I chose to do.

 

Stay tuned for more tales from the desert and pictures to back it up.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Paranoid...ME?

In my list of things to do on Saturday, the number one was to be the designated driver that afternoon to the Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Terlingua Cemetery, whose organizers go to great lengths to follow the original Mexican traditions associated with this date and do a wonderful job of it.
 

If you ever have the opportunity to attend, I would encourage you to do so, especially if you are not of Hispanic origin.  Even if like myself you are...it is an experience that will not disappoint and will enrich your understanding of other cultures.

Even being Hispanic...Mexican-American to be exact... I had never been part of the celebrations that take place on this date.  Sure I had seen them on TV and in movies but it was not until 2010 in Terlingua that I had the privilege to be part of them in person.

Like I mentioned I had every intention of being the designated driver but I changed my mind.  Why?  Call me paranoid if you like but as I was walking to my car after I got off to photograph the "other" cook-off...I caught the attention of a Sheriff's patrol vehicle.

He stopped on the opposite side of the road and watched me walk to my car.  I got in and was going to head to Study Butte to meet one of my blog followers who works there.  Well, this patrol car decided to follow me.

I pulled over on the shoulder, let him pass me then made a U-turn as I decided to head back to CASI.  He decided to turn around as well.  I tried to see if it was only my paranoia...so I turned off at the Old Ghost town...I will be darn if he did not turn in too!

In order to "shake" him...decided to park and get off at the cemetery...he looked my way and continued on towards "The Porch". No one was there yet as the celebration takes place at dusk. I walked around the cemetery as I waited for the patrol car to head back to where ever.  Decided I had had enough law enforcement attention for one day and went back to my camp.

What profile did I fit?  Out-of town middle age woman wearing a back brace and taking pictures???  Except for the back brace I think there are plenty of middle age women taking pictures especially this time of the year...OK...call me paranoid if you must!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

The "other" Cook-off

I am not going to bore you with the history of the Chili Cook-off or why there are now two.  I am sure you can google it and read to your hearts content.  I did find a short version  http://cravedfw.com/2012/10/31/the-colorful-history-of-the-chili-cook-off/

 

If you ask almost anyone in the area or that has been to a cook-off...they will tell you "The Original" is the tame one and the CASI one is the "wild one".

Like I have mentioned before I do not leave the confines of the CASI grounds once Wednesday arrives unless somebody else is driving.  If I have not done it by Tuesday it is not going to get done, visited or purchased.

It is known as "The Home of the Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-off" a mouthful but more commonly known as the cook-off behind the Store.  It has its followers including a neighbor up the street from Mom's house.  Have heard nothing but good things about the event, however, it is not for me...at least not yet.

I always heard that it was a rather small gathering but I had never seen it with my own eyes.  Now I can confirm that.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.