The warmth before the Artic blast

It turned out to be a beautiful, warm and sunny day.  Took my solar lights outside to get charged as the cold front arrives tomorrow and it will be cloudy, rainy and miserable for a couple of days.

I picked up all the things that might become projectiles in the high winds and even raked and bagged leaves in the backyard. Watered my plants and brought them in this evening.

Drove into town and filled up my gasoline tank at $2.19 per gallon.  HEB has had a packed parking lot for days now so decided to drive to the old HEB which locals affectionately refer to as "little HEB".  I was in and out in no time flat and scored two 1/2 gallon eggnog's which from prior experience go fast at the main HEB.

Stopped at our locally owned smokehouse, Hot Pit Bar-b-q...purchased three turkey legs for our New Year's meal... as you know my culinary skills are limited to nonexistent :-(

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Spurs Corner

Even though we lost tonight, I am not too upset about it.  Detroit is cold and we are not used to those God-awful temperatures.

We may even lose our next game to the New York Knicks next Tuesday. Does anybody know if each player gets their own hotel room or do they have to share one with a couple of guys?

GSG!!!

December 2017 trip to Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila - Mexico

My uncle had sent us a package after we got back from Houston but it did not arrive in Ciudad Acuña until after my mother's fall. We finally had a chance to go pick it up yesterday.

There was very little traffic going to Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila but OMG the traffic heading back to Del Rio was backed up past the toll booths in Mexico!  Maybe December 26th was not the best day to head there but it is only going to get worst in the following days as more people who headed to Mexico for the holidays make their way back home.

I was hoping the line would go down but there is a cable channel on Mexican television that lets you look at the cameras at the international bridge and gauge the traffic flow.  It was evident the line was only getting worst.

I did make a stop at Aurrera but at the small one in the central part of Ciudad Acuña. The price of tomatoes remains high so the only vegetables I bought were papaya and a hand full of serranos. The high peso to dollar ratio is really affecting the pockets of the regular Mexican citizen. One has to take into account that the minimum wage in Mexico depending on the exchange rate fluctuates between $4.00 and $4.25 US dollars.  In Mexico, the minimum wage is not per hour but per day.

As expected when we arrived at the Mexican toll booths they were backed up. Some people were turning around but we had no other choice but to proceed.  It took us 2 hours 11 minutes to cross to the USA. You know how I feel about waiting in lines.

It pisses me off that we have two international bridges in Del Rio but the one at Amistad Dam closes at 5:00 p.m.  I think during high congestion holidays like Christmas, New Year's and Easter they should be open at least till 10:00 p.m.  However, I do not think the Department of Homeland Security is interested in my opinion.

I need to mention that there is one special lane called Express Lane (or something to that effect) this is for people who do not have anything to declare. They usually only have one lane open but today they had two. By the time I realized it, they was no way anybody was going to let me cut into the other lanes. I apologized to the officer whom I have to say was very understanding and kind.

We got back just in time because it started drizzling as soon as we cleared US Customs. Today was a cloudy, cold and wintery day. I am glad we went to Mexico yesterday as I do not think I would have wanted to go today.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

A long day

Man, it has been a long day!  Got up at six this morning and have been going strong up until eleven o'clock this evening.  When I worked in the oil patch, I never knew what time I would get home.  Working 12 to 14 hour days were the norm.  At the time I thought those were long hours, I laugh at that thought now.  It is more taxing physically and emotionally now that I do not work...as in a paying job...but more demanding than I ever thought possible.

This afternoon mother finally got her MRI.  Actually, it was two MRI's...MRI Thoracic Spine...and MRI Lumbar Spine.  Her primary physician is on vacation next week so I have no idea when we will know the results. The good thing is that her pain levels are down and by default her intake of pain medication.

Yesterday I was happy to see regular gasoline going for $2.03 a gallon and inching closer to the less than two dollars a gallon benchmark. I was disappointed to see that the price had jumped six cents overnight to $2.09 per gallon.

It rained this morning but was still warm and humid. The cold front hit around noon, mainly it was the winds that made it feel colder.  The good thing is that our "winter" is about six weeks long.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Use it or lose it

I had a coupon for 10% off of my total purchase at Tractor & Supply that expires at the end of the month.  I would have normally used it by now but since my little strays abandoned me or somehow met with foul play, I have not had a reason to go back to the store.

I have seen several commercials touting the effects of O'Keeffe's Working Hands cream and decided to give it a try. I wash my hands a lot and just in the five hours I have used it, I am already seeing a difference. Will write a review at some future date.

While there decided to buy some Horse Pine Pellets...remember my post on making a cheap port-a-potty? I am trying to put a link to the post but Blogger is telling me it does not exist...grrrrrrrrrr...Yes, it does!

No, I did not buy them for that expressed purpose but in case water comes into the house as we are expecting rain and a cold front this Friday.

I give myself a treat once a week and indulge in moderation in the foods I would otherwise avoid.  Had another coupon for a free Whataburger that also expires at the end of the month. So headed to claim it...it was delicious!

Hope everyone has finished or is closed to finishing their Christmas shopping.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Spurs Corner

I think the Spurs want to give me a heart attack!  Tonight was another close game.  We were very fortunate to have won considering all the turnovers.

GSG!!!

Blogger is screwing up!

I do not know what is going on with Blogger but for some reason three of my readers' comments were marked as Spam and Blogger did not post them.

My apologies to RedEyeMule, Rob, and Andy V.  I have no idea why you were targeted as at least Rob and Andy V,  frequently comment on this blog.

Only Gypsy and JO's comment made the cut.  If it wasn't because Blogger sends me an email for each comment made, I would have never known I had additional ones that went unpublished.

It was a cold, cloudy and miserable day today...in the 40's...and while some readers from up north may be laughing...to us in West Texas, that is considered to be cold!  It also rained which did not help matters.

We are supposed to have a cold front this Friday and many San Antonio television stations are toying with the word "snow"...as long as it is just a dusting, I am Ok with it.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Sleepless in Del Rio

Here it is, way past 4:30 a.m. central time and I still can not go to sleep. So what is a person supposed to do to keep entertained at this god-awful hour?  Well, in my case, I like to listen to music from the 70's, 80's and 90's...music that when you look back...made me feel alive and brought so much happiness into my life.

Music not just from one genre but from multiple ones as my profile indicates. https://www.blogger.com/profile/09035993834877022676

I love how just one particular song can transport me back in time... to a far away era and undoubtedly...a much happier one or at least one not so complicated.  Back when I was naive and had no idea what the future held for me.  Thank you, YouTube!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

The downside of living in a small town

Mother was scheduled to have an MRI this past Friday, we were about to leave when they called to let us know that the machine had broken down and a repair person was on his way from San Antonio but they could not guarantee it would be fixed that day. He tentatively re-scheduled her for Saturday.

First thing Saturday I called to make sure the machine was up and running but it wasn't. Was informed that they would call us sometime next week to re-schedule. Our local hospital is the only place in town that has said machine.

Monday the healthcare worker assigned to mother got on the phone as soon as she found out to try to schedule the first available appointment but surprise...the closest date she could book was in two weeks. This is when I miss living in Houston where there are hundreds of options.

Today I went to stock up on groceries as I try to avoid going to stores the week before Christmas.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Let it snow...

It has been cold and raining for two solid days.  I barely slept last night as I kept on getting up to check the kitchen for leaks, fortunately, we did not get any.

The "S" word had been in the forecast for areas northwest of us but I generally do not believe the weather people.  The alarm went off this morning but I have it far away from me so I can not reach it unless I get up. I have it set to a local radio station where I learned that it had snowed heavily in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila as well as other states and then crossed the border into Texas.

While Del Rio did not receive snow, Brackettville (30 miles away) and Eagle Pass (60 miles south of us), as well as other little towns in between, were lucky enough to see it.  I have a love-hate relationship with snow.  When I was going to school at Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas it snowed a lot and I fell on more than one occasion.

However, snow is not common in Houston or for that matter Del Rio so I do not mind experiencing it every decade or so.  As I was watching the 6:00 p.m. news the anchors were very excited because it was snowing in Uvalde, Hondo and then moved into the northern part of San Antonio.

Then it started reaching other areas of San Antonio and it was snowing heavily. The official reading at the airport was 1.9 inches and everyone was excited including me!  Last time they had measurable snow was back in 1985...32 years ago.

Loved watching videos of little kids experiencing their first snowfall.  I did not experience mine until I was nine years old.  I will never forget back in high school when an exchange student from Africa started crying because she had never seen snow in her life. She was lucky as it took place in April and by that time it is already in the 90's here.

If it snows it will happen in the early morning hours so the chance of me seeing it are slim to none. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....:-)

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

CRS vs I have no recollection?

Was talking to my friend Linda Lou who is 15 years older than I am. She can not believe that I can not remember people or events within our circle of acquaintances going back 25 to 30 years ago. Gee, am I the only one that suffers from CRS?  That or I have early dementia :-(

Speaking of lack of memory, my doctor suggested I try Ginkgo Biloba and I have been taking it for the past seven months and at least in my case, I have seen no benefits... so as soon as I finish this bottle...I am done!

Perhaps, rather than saying I suffer from CRS...I should say "I have no recollection"?  Then maybe more people could sympathize with my plight?

The trees have shed most of their leaves in the last two days when normally they don't until mid to late December. I think the fact that I did not water them this summer may have had something to do with it.

We are expecting rain late tonight and all day tomorrow. We really need the precipitation as it has not rained in weeks.  I am still conducting my experiment of being able to live off of my primitive rain catchment system.  Unfortunately, if I was living off grid I would have run out of water two weeks ago.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Spurs Corner

I am so proud of my guys, in particular, the young talent. They played a fantastic game against the OKC Thunder that was winnable and could have gone either way. They played against the starters, not the bench players. Though we lost, it really felt like a win...our future looks bright!

GSG!!!

Give credit where credit is due...

My mother's primary physician assigned her a home health care worker after her latest fall and all I can say is that I owe her a debt of gratitude.  She has a straight line to him and his staff and in particular, today have proven to be of great help.

She was on vacation last week but is back on the job. She left us a couple of telephone messages Tuesday but since we were in San Antonio I did not have a chance to get back to her until today (Wednesday). Thanks to her I did not have to make an appointment to take mother to his office to obtain an X-ray order or have to call in for additional medication (no refills on pain medication).

She takes great pride in her work and actually wanted to call 911 to have an ambulance take mother to the ER. She was afraid she might have a pelvic rather than a spine fracture and that getting her in and out of the car would cause her additional injury. I nixed that idea since I had to take her to the hospital anyway for her wound therapy so there would be no benefit if I had to eventually bring her back home in the car...to which she agreed to.

She called the wound care therapy department to let me know that the doctor's office was faxing the order and for me to go down as soon as possible to the Admittance Department as they closed at 5:00 p.m. and if I did not register her she would not be able to have the X-ray's done until tomorrow.

Mother was in severe pain and crying and the lady in the X-ray department showed great compassion. She brought her water, kleenex and got on the phone to expedite her X-ray.  For this wonderful angel, I am grateful as well.

Right now we are waiting to see what the X-ray's show and then proceed accordingly. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the readers that have reached out to me on this blog as well as via e-mail...thank you kindly!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

One step forward, two steps back...

I thought it odd that mother asked my help to get up from her power chair.  If you are not familiar with a power chair it is an electric recliner with a remote control that helps an individual recline or it lifts you up to an almost standing position. We purchased one a few years ago after she had to undergo two Vertebroplasty procedures. https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/back-surgery/vertebroplasty-procedure

The wound therapy specialist was confused when he finished the treatment and mother continued to shed tears and be in intense pain and he was not even touching her.  It soon became clear that while she had pain in her leg, the pain coming from her spine was the main culprit.  This happened Monday and we had an appointment in San Antonio on Tuesday that we could not cancel as it had already been re-scheduled and we needed to get the results of her most recent cat scan.

This is her former Uvalde, Texas doctor that we followed to San Antonio as he is such a knowledgeable, caring and compassionate individual well worth the 340-mile round trip. We were very happy to hear that both her cat scan and blood work came back clear.

This was our third visit to this new location and I still do not have it down pat.  On our way back home took a wrong turn and got lost so decided to put my rarely used smartphone to use.  We were at the height of rush hour traffic so I chose the option of the shortest route and went through areas I had never been to before.  All I have to say is why did I not try this sooner?

We had considered spending the night in San Antonio but after getting lost decided to head home instead and if my night vision failed me to stay in one of the many small towns in between.  Fortunately, with the half moon, there was plenty of light to illuminate my way back to Del Rio.

We got home and just when I thought everything was fine and dandy...I could not get mother out of the car.  She was in so much pain she could barely move and just when she got to the point of being able to get out of the car, she had no strength to stand up much less walk.  Gave her a pain pill and proceeded to unload the car while it took effect. Ultimately, I was finally able to get her in the house.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Got up very early this morning to cancel an appointment I had no idea mother had as I had not written it down on my calendar. Yesterday I received a reminder on our answering machine after we got back from her wound therapy session.  I was fortunate to be able to re-schedule it without facing a $25.00 fee for canceling without giving a 24-hour notice.

Needed to buy some over the counter items but rather than go to a super packed HEB decided to go to CVS across the street.  Goodness, they are very expensive!  Since I had initially ruled out HEB reluctantly made my way to Walmart expecting it to be as jammed packed...thankfully that was not the case...yeah!

Since there is no way I am going to cook a turkey, headed to Hot Pit Bar-b-q across the street from HEB but it did not open until 11:00 a.m.  After my trip to Walmart drove back to buy some turkey legs but someone beat me to them and they only had one left...so mother and I will share it tomorrow.

Gasoline prices only went down by one cent, the going price around town today was $2.18 per gallon for unleaded gasoline which is a real bargain in comparison to other parts of the state and nation.

I want to wish all my readers and their loved ones a Very Happy Thanksgiving.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.
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When will I finally find a quality Internet Service Provider?

After three months with Spectrum, I can definitively say that the honeymoon is over!  Actually, it was over prior to that but I so wanted to give it a chance. Every two or three weeks I get a recorded call saying that they will be working on the equipment and that the telephone, as well as internet, will not be available from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.

This morning I tried to make a call only to see the telephone display "No Line". I had no idea where my last bill was so I could not locate a telephone number to call. Tried going online to report it but it was out as well.  My uncle calls my mother every night so she was not a happy camper.

By 3:00 p.m. I was furious and decided to drive into town to report it. Have I mentioned that I hate to wait in long lines?  After patiently (not really) waiting for 20 minutes...all they could offer me was to send a technician tomorrow...being that we have two doctor appointments...I had to decline.

Headed to HEB and once again found the whole town there, even ran into some friends from Ciudad Acuña. Could not help but note how ironic it was that Mexican residents come to Del Rio to shop even with the high dollar to peso ratio, while I go to Ciudad Acuña to exploit the favorable peso to dollar exchange.

With our trip to Houston and then my mother's fall, I have not had a chance to do a grocery run to Mexico. Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Mexico or at least I thought it wasn't.  My friends informed me that they liked this tradition and have adopted it along with many other Mexican citizens that reside along the border with the United States.

Here I thought that Mexicans came to purchase turkeys for their Christmas as well as New Year's dinner as turkeys are very expensive in Mexico.

While they informed me that that was indeed the case, the Mexican government was wise to it and now banned the entrance of turkeys (seemingly to protect the national product) until close to Thanksgiving if not on that very day.

This evening (which is now yesterday) both the telephone and internet came back on to my mother's delight.  How I wish Google Fiber would see fit to bring their service to this area...but I won't hold my breath on that :-(

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Crappy Weather / Fill-up / Appointments Galore

We have had crappy weather lately. It has been cloudy, humid and rainy but at least this has kept the temperatures down.

Finally filled up my car at $2.19 per gallon for regular unleaded.  I usually fill up at Stripes and noticed that a lot of pumps were out of gas...perhaps people made a run on it before the next price hike?

Monday we had two separate doctor's appointments, today the home health care worker came over, tomorrow we have another appointment at the Wound Care Unit of the local hospital. At least she is making progress even though by looking at a picture you would not know it unless one was knowledgeable about this type of things which I do not happen to be.

Monday the doctor finally authorized the use of a topical numbing ointment as well as Tramadol to deal with the pain because believe me she is in a LOT of pain.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Spurs Corner

I do not know why I thought tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks would be a cakewalk because it wasn't.

Manu never ceases to amaze me.  Can hardly wait until Kawhi and Tony are healthy and playing again.

GSG!!!

Tiny Teardrop

Earlier this week had to make a run to Walmart where I spotted this cute little teardrop being towed by a motorcycle.

It is the smallest teardrop I have ever seen.

I took the first two pictures before I spotted a guy eating in the picnic area and I asked him if it was his...he said it was and I asked his permission to take this last picture and he graciously allowed me to.

Would have loved to have asked him a couple of questions but I respected his privacy as he was eating and obviously passing through town.

When I came back out he was no longer there so I do not know if he was shopping or taking a nap but his teardrop was a hit as other people were snapping pictures right and left.

On another note, gasoline prices have gone up by .05 cents in two days. Regular unleaded is now selling for $2.19 per gallon.

Today we had another appointment at the wound care unit of our local hospital.  I have to take mother there three times a week. Wednesday and today were sheer torture as they had to remove the yellow part of the wound. Thankfully her doctor finally prescribed some pain medication as Tylenol and Aleve are basically useless in her case.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

The Harvey Effect at the 2017 CASI Chili Cook-Off

While I was unable to make my yearly pilgrimage to my favorite desert this year, my two dearest friends and their entourage were.

I was told that there certainly was a Harvey effect (Hurricane Harvey that hit the Texas Gulf Coast in Aug 2017)...attendance was visibly down and there were not as many booths in participation on Saturday when they give out a lot of trinkets and have showmanship teams.

There are usually two bands going on at the same time. One at the main Pavilion and another at Krazy Flats (the wildest one).  The bands traditionally play on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday on both stages.  This year the bands only played on Thursday and Friday.

Krazy Flats being the spectator's area and where most of the younger attendees camp...was per my friends...awfully tame and low key than in prior years. There is a big camp there complete with dance poles and non-stop music that simply did not show up this year.

There were many other camps that are staples that were a no-show. Of course, that did not keep my friends from having a great time on their own. My best friend Ms.D even did a "Grito" on my behalf.  Lol, I can only imagine if you are not from Texas, you might be wondering what the heck that might be? I will just let you Google it...jajajajajajaja...:D

Not to be presumptuous but I was given a standing ovation in Buenos Aires, Argentina for said "Grito"...Ok, let's just say I had a bit too much wine at the time, but I did strike a note for my Mexican origins...as I firmly believe one must never forget where one comes from.

I spoke to my friends as they made their way back to Houston. I was promised pictures and videos but if you are new to my blog you must know that it takes at least a week if not more of rest to get back to your old self and recoup after partying in the desert for a week..unless you are under thirty and that is not the case with either myself or my friends!

So hold tight as I will sooner or later post pictures of both the 2017 CASI Chili Cook-off as well as of the Día de Los Muertos celebration held at the Terlingua Cemetery.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

HEB shopping on Saturday

I am becoming loonier by the day...so much so that I actually went to HEB at 11:00 a.m. While I avoid grocery shopping on weekends, I had to go buy some medication for mother as she has been in a lot of pain since she fell.

We only have two grocery stores in Del Rio...HEB and Walmart...but this town is growing by leaps and bounds and it's time to allow some more competition to set up shop here.  I swear the whole town was there.  Even ran into people I had not seen in a long time, some whom I would have preferred not to have seen.

They have been remodeling this store and have moved everything around. Took me longer than expected due to all this rearrangement.  They have even added a curbside pick-up area something I needed a couple of years back when I was diagnosed with Fibromyositis and could barely get around.

Considered running more errands but the crowds at HEB zapped my energy and decided to go home. I will NEVER come back on a Saturday unless it is a matter of life or death!

Temperatures have been in the 80's and the humidity has been high but a cold front is expected by Wednesday, can hardly wait!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Spurs Corner

I am so glad we broke our losing streak.  I enjoyed the game last night and seeing the young acquisitions in action...I was quite impressed!

Congratulations to the Houston Astros!

I am so happy that the Houston Astros won their first World Series...it was a long time in the making...our city really needed something like this after Hurricane Harvey.  Congratulations!!!

Courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

I can only imagine how crazy it must have gotten in Terlingua last night!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Happy Halloween

It has been cold for a couple of days but I had not had a chance to call the A/C company to see why the new unit was not putting out heat.  I remember from our last air conditioner the same thing happened and it was because according to the repair tech since they installed it in the summer they had not turned on the heating element.

I do not know what the reason was this time around but they were here for a while and at last, my mom who is always cold is in a toasty house though by tomorrow temperatures will be in the high 80's and the A/C will once again come back on.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and this year it is bittersweet since I usually am in Terlingua at this time.  My Houston friends arrived this past Saturday and I am sure tonight they will have a BIG celebration.  Drink one for me guys!!!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

So you are new to camping - How to make a cheap port-a-potty...UPDATED

In my endeavor to make life a little easier to Chili Cook-off heads and Terlingua Chili Cook-off "Virgins", I will tackle the long-taboo subject of port-a-potties in the desert.

First of all, you must know that the TICC (Terlingua International Chili Cook-off) does not open up its port-o-potties until Wednesday prior to the Thursday grand opening ceremonies.  So how do regular attendee's deal with that problem?

Actually, there are several ways...one you can cut the ties that lock the port-a-potties or you can make your own.  Since I like to follow rules, I won't do that. In my 20 plus years of attending I have tried practically everything, from Double Doodie bags as per the picture indicates and in case you are wondering...NO... they do not work, they stink and are pricey.  Have also experimented with kitty litter and peat moss with more success as well as a small portable toilet but that has to be dumped.

First and foremost try to buy a shower tent.  It is here that you can use such tent as a port-a-potty and as a shower.  If you do not want to go this route, you can use a five-gallon bucket as a bathroom inside your tent. At night it might be a good idea to move it there as it gets pretty dark and there are snakes lurking around.

I wish I could remember what website I got this from but as you know I suffer from CRS!  All I remember is that it was a lady who was once a girl scout.

From Walter (the neighbor's horse)  and his grazing on mother's property, I know that horses pee a lot!  For those that have horses, you know that having horse pine pellets in their stables will soak up all the urine while not causing any additional odors and make cleaning up a snap.

So how does this help you at the Chili Cook-off?  Well, if you bring a 5-gallon bucket lined with two heavy duty trash bags, horse pine pellets, and sawdust shavings....it equals an odorless and earth-friendly bathroom...and as a plus you do not have to put up with smelly port-a-potties with long lines.

If you have space in your vehicle it would be great to bring a port-a-potty for #1 and one for #2 but if space is an issue...it is not a problem...you can accommodate both if you add pine shavings to the mix.

So to make this perfectly clear... you pee in your 5 gallon bucket lined with two heavy duty trash bags with horse pine pellets... if you do #2 you cover your deposit with pine shavings and you will never encounter any bad odors.  After a while, the pee will weigh down on your pellets so I recommend changing it daily in particular if more than one person are using it. I also recommend that you use  heavy duty trash bags, cheap flimsy bags will not work.

Now we address the toilet seat.  You can buy a plastic snap on lid at Walmart or Amazon but I found they are cheaper at Academy.  I bought mine at Academy for $4.99 which was a bargain at the time.

You can also use plastic noodles, the kind kids use when they swim.  You can pick them up for a dollar at The Dollar Store. The benefit of going this route is that it holds your trash bags in place and cushions your tush.  It is all a matter of preference.

Hope this works out for you.  Please leave any comments that might be helpful to other readers.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Cold front on the way

We have had several cool fronts this month something rare for this part of Texas, tonight we are expecting a "cold front" for us that is in the 40's.  I am not going to complain as it is a welcome respite from the hellish summer-like temperatures we have been experiencing.

After taking mother twice to have her leg wound treated at the doctor's office, today we had a nurse come to the house to change her dressing and will continue coming for a week.  Thank goodness for home health care!

After three years I finally filled up my SD Card in my camera.  I have another one but no telling where it is.  It is sad to think how organized I have been all my working life but not so much anymore.

I am trying to upload the pictures I took with my cell phone to the computer but I have not had any success, it won't even upload to Dropbox.  Where is my tall weather cowboy with his computer knowledge?

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.


Spurs Corner

Good to see them getting off to a good start, well up until tonight.  I do not feel bad that we lost because we played lousy.  My second favorite player in the NBA...Jonathan Simmons, a former Spur played his heart out for his new team the Orlando Magic.

I said it before and I will say it again, hope we don't regret letting him go.  Simmons is destined to become a great player.

Go Spurs Go!!!

Time does not pass in vain

It has been a week today since we got back from Houston and I am still tired. You would have thought that instead of spending a week deep cleaning my house and pruning trees, I had spent a week partying in my favorite desert...time does not pass in vain :-(

This darn vertigo does not want to go away. In Houston, while on a ladder cleaning the ceiling fans or pruning trees I got dizzy and almost fell on more than one occasion.

Sunday morning I left mother listening to her church service as I made a quick trip into town. Came back to find her laying on the floor...while this is not the first time...it never gets any easier! I have a bad back and though she only weighs 92 pounds, there was no way I could get her up.

I do not know why she did not just stay in the dining room instead of dragging herself to the living room and further injuring herself.  She did not want me to call 911 because she did not want the neighbors to know...I could care less about the neighbors!  Two EMS ladies came to our rescue, got her up and bandaged her up.

I tried to remove the bandages yesterday as per their instructions but the gauze had stuck to the skin so decided to have her doctor do it.  She was put through the torture chamber but I think she has finally understood that if she falls she needs to stay put.

On a different note it had been seven years since mother had been to my house and at the time she mostly got around using her cane. Now she uses her walker and it quickly became clear that my house will not work for me in my "Golden Years".  The doors into both bathrooms are too small to maneuver using a walker and the only way in...is going in sideways.  Hopefully, I have a few more years before I have to address that issue.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

A trip home

Just got back tonight from a week's stay at my home in Houston, Texas.  I am so grateful that Mom decided to accompany me on this trip as it was thanks to her sacrifice that I was able to pull it off.

While my neighborhood was spared the terrible flooding that Hurricane Harvey brought to Texas, I did not know for a fact that water had not gotten in through the old windows in my house or through the kitchen door where water manages to sip in during heavy downpours.  That is the manner how many of my neighbors were surprised by water damage in an otherwise unflooded area.

I am glad to report that there were no signs of water damage and a big weight lifted off my shoulders. I did not fare so well during Hurricane Ike back in September 2008 when the tree in my front yard took out my chimney and left a hole in my roof.  If that was not enough I also had my neighbor's tree fall on my bedroom. Thankfully both trees somehow managed to block water from coming inside my house.  To add insult to injury neither one of us had home insurance.  I have since rectified that situation.

Had a lot to do since the last time I was home was 14 months ago and prior to that three and a half years.  I went to bed every night almost dead from so much work but with a great sense of accomplishment.

I was going to take a TV with me but I am glad I chose not to as I do not think I could have accomplished as much as I did with one around.  I still had my phone if something important happened that I absolutely needed to know. Found that without a television set, mother and I had the opportunity to bond more.  My next posts will be about my trip home but this is all for tonight as I am very tired.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

A welcome taste of Autumn

Woke up at 4:45 a.m. to heavy rain pounding my bedroom window and some strong winds.  As much as I wanted to continue my Terlingua Dreams had to get up to check the kitchen for leaks before they became my Del Rio nightmare.

I guess I got up too quick and my head started spinning...darn it all...just when I thought my problems with Vertigo were a thing of the past! On the positive side, it only lasted for a little while.

So glad to report that there were no leaks.  Opened the door to let some fresh air in and it was actually a little cool, it felt wonderful even though it will only last for two days.

This month I have to go get my labs done and then go see the doctor so I am being really really good and sticking to my diet.  Just as I was going to fix me some horrible oatmeal which I had just opened yesterday, I noticed black ants inside the packaging....grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

It's funny because I had just commented on Gypsy's blog how I had gotten rid of my ants and all of a sudden they decided to show up.  Did they come in for comfort food and to get away from the cool temperatures?  Guess I will put it out for our neighbor's free-range hens who frequent Mom's property.

While I am currently happy with Spectrum through whom I have TV, Internet, and telephone service I had no idea that when they ported my mother's telephone number it would do away with her name and be in mine.

A new low was reached today...home flippers are calling the house now that the telephone is in my name.  I do not know why but I thought they would somehow slow down after Harvey...guess not :-(

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Dirty dishes

I had every intention to drive into town and finish all the things I did not get to yesterday but I just did not have the energy to do so.  That does not mean I just laid around at home.  I had fine washables as well as dishes that were calling my name.

I used to have an aversion to seeing dirty dishes sitting in the kitchen sink, not just mine but if I went to my friends home and I saw that, I immediately began to rectify the situation. I remember my friends' children upon seeing clean dishes drying on the rack would say..."Belinda has been here!".

The aversion has not gone away but I have found ways to work around it.  I have learned that an unused ice chest can become your best friend...well, at least for me...I can hide my dirty dishes and nobody is the wiser...though sooner or later I have to address the issue and today was the day :-(

I guess anything is better than having to face the reality of yet another hurricane or wondering what the hell does "the calm before the storm" means.  By this please do not think that I am trying to interject politics into my blog, but it is an issue that personally deeply troubles me.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Rains / Linda Lou / Worthless DISH

I am so sick of rain if it wasn't because I had to take mother to have her labs done, I would have stayed home. I have noticed that if I go somewhere the next day I feel very tired. I don't know if it is my Fibromyositis, my age or both.

Used the pharmacy drive-thru window to pick up a prescription.  Was headed to the post office when it began to pour so decided to head back home instead.

Yesterday I finally heard back from my friend Linda Lou, she left me a message saying that this past Monday her telephone (a landline) was finally fixed. more than five weeks after hurricane Harvey hit.

I am also mad as heck with worthless DISH, they have yet to refund the money they charged my credit card even though I had already disconnected my service. I had a bad headache this afternoon but I hope to tackle this soon. Learn from my mistake...do NOT higher DISH!!!!!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

October 2017 trip to México

It has been almost three months since we last went to México, we decided to rectify that today. I have mentioned in previous posts that the new toll booths had taken an awfully long time to be built. Glad to report they are finally operational. Took out my camera when I came to them but the SD card was locked and I had cars behind me, will try to get a picture on my next visit.

I asked the toll booth operator when they had opened and she said since Sunday, October 1st. It looked like they were going to start the demolition of the old structures. Decided to take one final picture for posterity sake.

Our first stop was at the Beauty Shop, we were her first customers and were in and out in less than an hour. Her family moved to Ciudad Acuña from Mexico City after the big earthquake of September 1985.  Her cousins were so shaken after the last three earthquakes this past September that they are considering doing the same.

It was a rather warm day so I left mother with the car running as I went to grab a couple of items at Aurrera and Gutierrez.  The heavy rains in México have affected the crops and it is reflected in the prices. I only bought a couple of tomatoes, a papaya and some serranos,

Was surprised that it being Tuesday there were long lines to return to the USA. However, they had most lanes opened so it was not a long wait.

Our beautiful flag flying at half-staff in honor of the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Good night,  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Last post for September 2017

I dread going back to see my doctor next month, I think my labs are going to be horrible. I have not been faithful to my diet and my blood pressure numbers have not been good either.I will place the blame on all the stress I have been through these past five weeks and leave it at that.

Got to Stripes too late for breakfast but just in time for lunch.  As you know I hate to cook and prefer to pick-up my meals here. Perhaps that is why my BP numbers are high, they at times tend to go overboard with the salt.

Gasoline prices are slowly going down but not as fast as they went up after Harvey.

Today was another cloudy and drizzly day but at least that kept temperatures in the 70's.  Had hoped to make it to the laundromat but with all the rains this past week they are very crowded and as you know I do not do crowds (except for the Chili Cook-off).

So this is my last post for September 2017...time sure flies!!!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

The type of speech a true leader gives

I am so bummed about what is going in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane María and the total lack of coordination and inefficiency from part of the Federal government and outrageous statements from our leaders. My goodness, these are AMERICAN citizens!!!

I never thought I would see another Katrina but I stand corrected this is so unacceptable.  How is it that a celebrity chef can go there on his own dime and manage to get volunteers to help him feed so many people including doctors, nurses, hospital patients not to mention regular people?

Why is it that FEMA has not even managed to pass out water to the population?  I am not looking for answers...I am just venting and wondering out loud.

If you have been reading me for a while you know that I do not bring up politics, religion or other controversial subjects on my blog and no longer follow blogs that do so.  With that said, this blog is about my life and I must admit that many of the natural disasters that have taken place lately have deeply impacted me.

Just when I thought nothing could snap me out of it,  I heard a speech delivered by Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria - Superintendent U.S. Air Force Academy after some Afro-American cadets were victims of racial slurs.  This is the type of speech a true leader gives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU0RfhvYN8s

After listening to it, it made me even prouder to be an American and to know that our military has men and women of this high moral character.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Mother nature is still angry

I had cleared my calendar in order to finally go to Houston to check on my house after the passage of Hurricane Harvey a month ago.  However, mother nature had the last laugh. We are under flash flood warnings and it has been raining heavily and will continue to do so for a couple more days.

Actually, it would be difficult to even try to make it to San Antonio as Uvalde, Texas has received a lot of precipitation and many roads are closed.  I was surprised that one of San Antonio's television stations sent a reporter to Del Rio to cover the expected deluge.

This morning my arms, legs, and back hurt from bailing all the water yesterday.  Mom's old house needs a lot of TLC.

I had to go into town as we were running low on everything.  At both HEB and Walmart had to wait for the rain to die down but at least we are stocked up in case they put up the barricades out of the subdivision as is the case when it rains a lot.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

One hellish month

This past month has been one of the worst that I have had to live through.  While only Hurricane Harvey personally impacted me, Hurricane Irma and María plus three earthquakes in Mexico also took a toll on me.

My heart aches for all the Texans, Floridians, Puerto Ricans, people from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the Caribbean Islands.  There has been so much devastation caused by three major hurricanes in such a short time span.

My favorite uncle (mom's baby brother), as well as my cousin (the son of my mother's late sister), live in Mexico City.  As you can surmise my mother is not in the best of health and I had to think long and hard before I gave her the news.  It did not help that I was not able to get in touch with them as everyone was probably trying to do the same and saturated the already congested telephone lines.

I am so glad I dumped DISH because with Spectrum I have free long distance service in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.  Within an hour I was finally able to contact them and ascertain that while shook up, they and their home had fared well. I am very sorry for all those people who lost it all and will never be able to go back into their homes to retrieve what little they have left because their apartments, condos, and houses are on the verge of collapsing and to do so could cost them their lives.

The first thing I do in the morning is turn on the television to CNN.  My heart skipped a beat to learn that there had been another earthquake with a 6.2 magnitude early this morning.  What the hell is going on?  Three major earthquakes in the span of less than a month?

Once again grateful that I have free long distance service and could reach my family. I could tell that my uncle was visibly shaken and I stayed on the line for almost two hours to help reassure him. Invited him to come stay with us but he declined.

If that was not enough the rhetoric between us and North Korea seems to be escalating and who in their right mind wants nuclear holocaust?  Dang, makes one wonder how much longer civilization as we know it will exist!  Sorry for all the doomsday talk but this has been one hellish month.

Good night.  Hope you all have Terlingua Dreams because I think I am going to have Doomsday nightmares...wish I was in Terlingua!

Equifax data breach

With the aftermath of both Hurricane Harvey and now Hurricane Irma and watching continuous television coverage of both, I have neglected to take care of other things.  One of those being the Equifax data breach.

I am still angry that Equifax kept the breach concealed for so long. Unfortunately, today I learned that I am one of the millions of Americans whose information was compromised.

From what I have read freezing my credit report with the three credit agencies is probably the only thing I can do. It pisses me off that I am going to have to pay to do this.  The only way to unfreeze it is by entering a PIN number and now I read that this number and the way it is generated is not safe either. What a nightmare!

I wonder who the hackers were and what they are going to do with all this information?  There are definitively more questions than answers.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

A day of long lines

We left early this morning for San Antonio, Texas.  It is a good thing that I give myself a little wiggle room for unforeseeable events. There was a long line just before we left Brackettville city limits after all this is Highway 90 East a very heavily traveled highway. I figured there must have been a serious accident and they were waiting to clear the scene.  However, that did not turn out to be the case, the TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) guy said the railroad was fixing their lines and we would have to detour through a country road to reach Uvalde, Texas.

This country road was very narrow and it had far too much traffic for comfort including speeding eighteen wheelers whom you could literally touch if you stuck your hand out the window. There was no shoulder and if you tried to pull over the grass was extremely high and you could possibly start a grass fire.

Then traffic came to a halt and for those that might be worried that our borders would not be secure...well lord and behold Homeland Security and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) had set up a temporary Border Patrol Check Point with at least 20 agents. They did this because the road closure circumvented their permanent facility on Highway 90 East. Had to roll down the passenger window and while I appreciated that they did not question my mother...with a suspicious glance was asked to verbally state the country of my citizenship...so wanted to say "same as yours"...but figured I would probably delay the line even further and possibly risk being arrested. Lordy, lordy, long lines wreak havoc on my nerves and patience!

It takes me one hour and ten minutes to reach Uvalde, today it took two hours and fifteen minutes. We arrived at the doctor's office fifteen minutes before her appointment time.

We left the doctor's office at exactly 5:00 p.m. at the beginning of rush hour. It has been a while since I have been right in the middle of so much traffic. It took us 55 minutes just to get out of San Antonio. I was hauling as I knew I would not be able to reach Del Rio before sundown and my night vision leaves a lot to be desired in particular having to go back down an unfamiliar country road in the dark.

Stopped in Uvalde to gas up at Stripes, while they had plenty of fuel this morning that was not the case this afternoon, but at least some pumps had gasoline and no lines...yeah!!!  Filled up at $2.49 per gallon for regular unleaded.

It only got better, the detour route was no longer in effect so I was able to cruise back to Del Rio at 70 miles per hour versus the 40 to 45 mph we had to endure this morning.  When we got back home we picked up some KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and stuffed our face :D

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Have I lost my taste buds?

I continue to watch what I eat as I do not want my doctor to put me back on Statins. However one day a week I allow myself to eat what I like within moderation.  Today I treated myself to an avocado and bacon burger at Whataburger.  It did not taste as good as I remember it tasting.

Two weeks ago I bought some menudo and the same thing happened.  While this is good as it will keep me from purchasing it again, it makes me wonder if I have lost my taste buds.  The worst part is that I have lost my taste for beer!!!  What am I suppose to do now, drink wine?

I have been trying to cut down on following news coverage of all the tragedies.  Three hurricanes and a major earthquake just this week has had me on edge. That is without taking into consideration Hurricane Harvey and the trip that I have yet to make to Houston.

Just because my home did not flood does not mean water did not come in through the windows. My homeowner association lady friend installed energy efficient windows two years ago and water still managed to trickle through. I have the same builder grade windows from when I bought the house.

Sometimes I think I should listen to my mechanic. He told me to sell it to one of the multiple flippers who constantly bombard me with offers and just pretend that my house burnt down!  That is easy for him to say as it is not his house or belongings.

To all the people in the path of Hurricane Irma, stay strong, positive and safe.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Finally no lines!

Ordinarily, I would not be concerned about gassing up but we have an upcoming doctor's appointment in San Antonio. Unbelievable that two weeks after Hurricane Harvey there are still gasoline shortages all over the State of Texas. HEB and Walmart are the only stores that have not run out of this vital commodity but you have to form long lines. This gal swore off such lines when I left Houston.

I had 3/4 of a tank left so could have made it to San Antonio, getting back might have been a little tricky but I think I could have managed to do so even though the car might have been running on fumes. I was therefore overjoyed to see that the Stripes I patronize had received a new shipment but most importantly that there were no lines...yeah!!!

They only had regular unleaded and remain out of diesel and premium.  Though I last filled up at $2.02, I was more than happy to pay $2.389 per gallon. On a full tank, I can make the round trip without any problem.

This week I also purchased propane as we were running low.  I have no idea if the higher price had anything to do with Hurricane Harvey and since this guy was new did not bother to ask him. Purchased 100 gallons and we should be good for another six months.

I hope everyone in Hurricane Irma's path has evacuated or soon will do so. Take care and be safe.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Long lines in Del Rio?

Drove into town this afternoon and could not believe the long lines at the gas pumps at HEB. The two Stripes (convenience stores) I passed on the way were completely out of gas as well as smaller gas stations.
http://delrionewsherald.com/news/collection_bbdfd1d0-8eae-11e7-aad6-530025fa005e.html

I can understand this happening in larger cities but in Del Rio?  This is a small town and unless you work by the lake or at Laughlin Air Force Base you do not have a long commute. I can easily go a month on a tank of gasoline unless I have to make a trip to San Antonio.

Spoke to my best friend who lives in Houston and things have not gotten any better. Long lines at the grocery stores...eggs, bread, and milk...very hard to come by.  She lives in the city of Deer Park so is also under a curfew as most cities in the Greater Houston area are.  Her boyfriend and she gassed up before Hurricane Harvey and stocked up on provisions but after more than a week are running low.

She noted that there are very few eating establishments open. She advised me to not even try to come at this time. With what is going on in the world, namely with North Korea and Russia, we may not be around much longer and I won't even have to plan a trip.

I have yet to hear from Linda Lou, she lives with her daughter and her family so I know she is safe somewhere.  She has a regular landline phone so I do not understand why her calls go directly to her answering machine without even ringing.

I have been glued to CNN and the Weather Channel since last Thursday.  Believe it or not, have not even watched my Colombian soap opera.  I picked the perfect time to pull the plug on Dish as they do not carry the Weather Channel in their line-up. This channel was instrumental in me being able to follow what was happening back home.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Good riddance Harvey!

It has been a very trying week for the residents of the State of Texas.  I am so glad Harvey has finally left the Lone Star State, I sincerely hope they retire that hurricane name.

My nerves have been on edge and with my CRS, I misplaced my cell phone charger.  While I can look up the telephone numbers of my friends that still have a landline phone, that is not the case for those that have cell phones. If my friends are reading this please do not call or text my cell phone as I will never be able to get your messages. Call me at my mother's house or e-mail me.

Spoke to the only two neighbors I trust and was relieved to find out that my house did not flood. While that is good news for me, it makes me sad for all those that were not as fortunate and whose lives changed overnight.

The only friend from the City of South Houston that I have heard back from, actually I heard about it from a mutual acquaintance is that her home flooded once again. She recently lost her husband and now she has lost her home and vehicle and is understandably devastated.

Gasoline prices have skyrocketed, I drove into town yesterday and gasoline prices ranged from between $2.19 to $2.25, I am sure they are much higher today. Saw where people were panic buying all over the state and there were long lines at the gasoline stations.

Finally dropped off the DISH equipment at the UPS store.  They sent me two nasty emails last week saying if I did not return their equipment I would be charged X number of dollars. I was furious! Called them and told them I had yet to receive the boxes they were supposed to send me.  He looked it up and sure enough, they were still in transit.

In the instructions on what equipment to return, they actually wanted me to retrieve two things that I would have had to climb on the roof for. On a YouTube video read a comment from a gentleman who told them he was handicap and could not climb on the roof...after checking with their supervisor, he was informed he did not have to return it.  I do not believe in lying so I told the guy the truth...I have a fear of heights and suffer from vertigo, so he told me the same thing.

In the same instructions, it said that if I needed tape to seal the box this would be provided free of charge at UPS. Needless to say, I was pissed when I found this was not the case.  I had just taken mother to the doctor and I was not about to go shopping for packing tape in 95-degree weather. Those UPS price gougers charged me $7.95 plus tax for the same tape I could have bought for a dollar at Dollar Tree. I am so glad I dropped that worthless DISH!!!!  OK...end of rant!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

The worst of Mother Nature...the best of Human Nature!

For those new to my blog, let me give you a little background on myself. I moved to Houston as a young adult in the late 70's after graduating from college.  I loved this town, it had everything I ever wanted and did not have in Del Rio.  No matter the day of the week there was always something to do, an event, a get-together, a party or a concert to attend...Yes, even on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.

One of the downsides to living on the coast is the threat of hurricanes, tropical storms, flooding and tornadoes. After 30 years of living here, I have been through many of them.  I am an only child, my father passed away many years ago and mother has always had health issues. That was the main reason we reluctantly moved from Austin, Texas to Del Rio in order to be close to affordable medical care... by that I mean close to Mexico.

Things changed back in 2013 when she had two back surgeries and could no longer live by herself. She refused to move to Houston so I moved back home to Del Rio though I still would go to Houston regularly to mow the lawn and make sure my house was ok. It was a no brainer, my mother took precedence over a house. That is why I currently live in Del Rio though my home is in Houston.

With that said, now you may understand why I have been following Harvey so closely.  Though I have to be discreet and keep my feelings to myself as I do not want my mother to feel guilty that I am here with her but worried about what is going on in Houston. By that, I don't just mean my house but I am also worried about my friends, neighbors, and acquaintances.

I have been watching the Weather Channel and CNN non-stop as sleeping does not come easily to me (I suffer from insomnia).  It is here that I have seen the worst of Mother Nature and the best of Human Nature. I am so proud of all the good Samaritans who decided to go out in the storm in their own boats and rescue people they did not even know. People carrying the elderly, the wheelchair bound, the most vulnerable of people.

I heard so many stories of people helping friends, neighbors and total strangers.  Just saw a young man about 15 or 16 years old taking water to people who had been dropped off at a staging area under the bridge at I-45 and Tidwell just because he thought they might need some water. It is so heartwarming to see such acts of kindness. These wonderful stories were repeated area wise and bear mentioning. It makes me so proud to be a Houstonian!

The worst if not over, we have received in three days the equivalent of a year's worth of rain and more rain is in the forecast. If you are so inclined, please pray for Houston...we really need it.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Catastrophic flooding in the Greater Houston area

I am kind of numb from seeing all the flooding and evacuations taking place in the Greater Houston area. I have lived through a lot of storms the first one being tropical storm Claudette in 1979 that dumped 42 inches in one day in the city of Alvin, Texas.

Lived through tropical storm Allison in 2001 which I thought would be the worst flooding I would ever see.  Water came mid way up to my driveway.  I never in my wildest dreams thought it could get any worst but tropical storm Harvey has proven me wrong.

I was finally able to talk to two of my neighbors and both say that so far the water has not come into the houses. This could change as the area where my house is located is expected to receive another 12 inches this evening.

Was able to text two of my closest friends and they and their families are doing well. Can not reach my friend who lives in the City of South Houston, that city floods very easily.

Leilani, if you can read this I hope you and yours are safe and dry.  I sincerely hope all the people in the path of these catastrophic rain storms fair well.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Hurricane Harvey

I stayed up watching the Weather Channel, so when the alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. I turned it off and went back to sleep.  By 8:00 a.m. I was back monitoring said channel and saw that power outages were possible for our area. Knowing that we lose power at the drop of a hat decided to go purchase some additional canned goods, batteries, and water.

HEB was not packed like I expected and there was plenty of water available. Refilled mother's medication just to be on the safe side.  Later in the afternoon went to Walmart and purchased an additional trash can in case I needed it (to bail water). By this time their water supplies were running low. Saw a lot of people that were obviously fleeing the storm, many vehicles jammed packed with household belonging. It made me feel thankful that my family and I did not have to evacuate.

This hurricane came in as a Category 4 storm and it is going to be catastrophic. San Antonio, Austin, and Houston will be hard hit. The only major city in Texas that will not be affected is the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

I am glad Barney of OFM fame is not in Rockport at this time and that Billy Bob is no longer in Sinton, Texas.  I sincerely hope their family and friends are safe as the reports out of Port Aransas and Rockport are not good.  A senior center and a high school are reported to have collapsed with people in them in Rockport. News reports are constantly coming in with grim news.

Circumstances were so dire, Rockport mayor who issued a mandatory evacuation, told citizens who chose to stay, to write their name and social security number on their arm so they could be identified.

I have not had a chance to contact my Houston friends and neighbors but to those that read my blog and have not evacuated, please leave and come to Del Rio. We do not expect heavy rains or winds. Harvey's effects are expected to be minimal here. Everyone, please stay safe!

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Cone of uncertainty

What a difference a day makes, yesterday I was streaming my favorite Houston news channel and seeing how people were preparing for tropical storm Harvey.  Was a little worried that my particular part of town was forecasted to receive 10 to 12 inches of rain.

This morning the cone of uncertainty has changed and San Antonio and surrounding area look like a more likely target for Harvey.  This is going to be a very rainy event and heavy flooding is likely.  I bought an additional 32-gallon trash can but I think I should have bought two for my primitive rain catchment system.

Gasoline prices have gone down, took the opportunity to fill the tank at $2.02 per gallon for regular unleaded.  While at Stripes I remembered that the Powerball lottery was around $700 million so for the first time in my life bought one. The clerk threw me for a loop when she asked if I wanted the $2 or the $3 ticket...perhaps I should have Googled it?

I used to buy the Texas lottery and it is in my budget but I seldom if ever purchase one. That one costs $1.00 or at least it used to. This morning I read that some lucky person or persons in Massachusetts held the winning ticket.

For three days in a row, we have been lucky enough not to have gone over the 100-degree mark. We had rain showers yesterday bringing the temperatures down to the eighties, a welcome reprieve.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Jessy Serrata, "Mr. Iron Throat"

I have been a little bummed since I learned last night that one of my favorite Tejano singers died. Tejano Legend Jessy Serrata, also known as "Mr. Iron Throat" passed away on August 4, 2017, he was 63 years old and succumbed to Stage 3 Kidney cancer. He played with several bands throughout his career. I met him when he played with Bobby Naranjo and Dirección.

I once mentioned a very popular Tejano nightclub in Houston that did not advertise and one only knew of its existence by word of mouth. That is where I was fortunate enough to meet him and be able to see his metamorphosis into the legend he was destined to become. RIP Jessy.

If you would like to a listen to sample of this musical genius, here is a sampling...https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=ObZysMAkvb4

Would have loved to have been able to drive to a location where I could have experienced the solar eclipse in its totality...if I am alive in seven years...I hope to be able to see it from Del Rio, Kerrville or wherever I may be at that time.

I am still having problems with Windows 10 after yesterday's update and now I am wondering if it is not on purpose.  For some reason, it keeps on wanting me to use Microsoft Edge as my browser. Where is my tall weathered cowboy who is computer savvy?

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Early start to my day

Got an early start to my day as we are pretty much out of everything since I have not been able to make a grocery run to Ciudad Acuña.  To wake up I stopped and bought me some coffee, it was not the wisest thing to do as coffee affects me differently than it does most people.  I have had a headache all day and even at this late hour, I am very jittery.

This evening Windows 10 did an update and the darn computer froze on me, I could not even get the keyboard to work. It is still not working properly and all kinds of windows are popping up...darn, when it is not one thing, it is another!

One thing for sure is that I will never upgrade my Windows 7 laptop to Windows 10 no matter how many times it suggests I do so.  That was the computer I used to go online earlier.  I must say that it was a real treat being able to click on a video on one of the many blogs I follow and be able to watch it without all the buffering.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Heat / Eclipse Sunglasses

We have been experiencing three digits temperatures for a while. It makes me lethargic and takes away any kind of motivation to tackle the weeds and vegetation due to the heavy rains we have received. I am now having to deal with the mosquitoes generated by said rains. Though on the positive side it has made the purple sage bloom like crazy all over town.

I contemplated driving to the lake to take pictures as I am sure the purple sage blooms are hardier there because the northern part of Val Verde County has received considerably more rain than the City of Del Rio or for that matter the Southern part of the county where we live. But like I previously mentioned, the heat even in an air-conditioned vehicle makes me sluggish.

I  have to admit that after nine years of living in Del Rio, I have finally fallen victim to the small town mentality that thinks that driving the ten or so miles to the lake...is too far...imagine that!  I am sure my Houston friends will die laughing when they read this as I thought nothing of driving from Northwest Houston to Pasadena, Channelview, Deer Park or the City of South of Houston on a whim.

The last time I was at the library they were giving away special eyeglasses to view the upcoming eclipse. Took them up on it before they run out like they have in San Antonio at the events where a local television station (KSAT12) has held such give aways.

I can not believe that now that I actually have a fast internet connection, this is only the second time I go online since I got it.  I do not know if to blame my Fibromyositis, my laziness or the hellish temperatures for my lack of energy.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Good-bye, good riddance!

I should have done this a long time ago but I finally gave DISH the boot!  I hope to never have to decry my new Internet Service Provider, only time will tell.

I hope to soon be able to catch up with the blogs I follow now that I have no more data caps.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Heavy downpours / No Electricity

The skies got dark and thunder and lightning made themselves present around 6:30 p.m.  My mother only has one show she watches and that is the Lawrence Welk Show on PBS. Informed her that with our worthless Dish satellite that goes out at the slightest hint of rain or wind, she would probably miss it.

True to form we lost the signal and soon after the electricity went out at approximately 6:50 p.m. We were hammered by strong winds and heavy downpours. Once again we got so much water in such a short period that had it not been for the fact that I used mulch bags to dam up the windows where the water got in the other time it would have been a repeat performance.

Unactivated horse pine pellets

This time I could not go outside to bail water as there was lighting involved. The house got hot fast and it brought back memories of the two weeks where we suffered without air conditioning. After the storms passed, the neighbors began to congregate outside in their effort to keep cool. With the storms gone, I had to go bail water once more.

I only had half a sack of horse pine pellets but they certainly came in handy.  If you are not familiar with them, they are used to facilitate the clean up of horse stalls and soak up horse urine. In my case, they soaked up backed up water,

Once wet the horse pine pellets look like vomit

By 9:00 p.m. the neighbors across the street had their electric service restored. Our side of the street and the neighbors in back of us stayed without electricity.  To make matters worst, since I seldom use my cell phone it had not been charged in days and the battery was down to 20 percent.

In an effort to contain our mail clutter, I signed up mother for e-bills on most of her utilities. Thankfully, I remembered that I still had the bills I had to present at the Department of Public Safety so Mom could get a Texas ID card and was able to report the outage. The service tech said it would not be until midnight, so we went to bed early.  At 3:55 a.m. I felt the cold breeze of the A/C hitting me in the face. We were without power for nine hours and I still do not know why. With no more internet data available and speeds worst than dial-up will have to wait until someone fills me in.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.