It's Offical Now...

Got the certificate and have been wearing my new uniform with state champ across the back for a month or so.

Big Screen...

It's been a while so it's time. Every now and then when things slow down I have a give away. I have found that the big screen TV is most effective in whipping visitors here into a fervor of excitement.

In fact I am going to give away two big screens. Here's a picture of the prizes, expertly positioned so you can spot the many features. See the fine wood grain of the cabinet. Note the slim line styling, allows for installation in any home, any room. See the high quality hardware, makes fine tuning a breeze, with the Fox News Channel pre-selected for your information pleasure.

I am sorry to report that with high gas prices we at the older you will get have been effected just like everyone else. We can no longer offer shipping and delivery. The winner will have to pick up these prizes themselves.

People...

No extravagant pictures today, it was a people weekend.

I worked, saw patients Saturday at the hospital, they are people too you know.

Saturday evening I volunteered at State Representative Jim McReynolds booth at the Texas State Forest Festival. Talked to a lot of people there, handed out buttons, stickers, info and voter registration cards.

Sunday morning I helped out with RCIA at church, lots of seeking people of all kinds there.

Sunday evening I played music at Mass, gathered to worship with the people of my church community.

Should take a sample sometime how many people we actually talk to in a weekend. Of course all these people were not total strangers. Saw quite a few folks I knew at the forest festival, some of my patients were known to me, and of course after 20 years or so at St Patrick's I have a few friends there. Still I was able to meet some new people and I did not mention this blog to any of them.

Yet.

Few More Fiesta Photos...

I think all these speak for themselves.

Can You Say Cumbia...

Some photos this past weekend, made on the grounds at St Patrick's, of the Fiestias Patrias Festival. Fiestas Patrias is one of many Mexician Independance days.

Lots of traditional dances celebrated.


Two chords. A red (or in this case a bajo sexto) guitar. The truth. Any questions?










I was trying to capture the dancers with the church in the background, kind of life of the parish thing. I have more I might post later.

I did eat some Chile rellenos that made my belly smile. Lots of good food booths to sample, too many to visit them all.

Lufkin Band Pictures...

Thanks to MaHuggy, Longview band parent for leaving nice comments about the Lufkin Band a couple of post back. The competition can be fierce when these two schools get together, nice to see band folks pull together.

Here's some photos from the game. Here are the drum line co section leaders.
Lufkin is putting together a complex drill for contest this year. Mr. Williams says it's the "wildest thing he has ever done." It's been tough going, the band is big, lots of rained out practices and lots and lots of freshmen getting big time marching baptism.
More cow bell! The drum line gets down on "Low Rider." Do they know that was a hit song when I was in high school band?
Email all drummer jokes to this girl.

Firewood...

One thing about a hurricane is that firewood gets easy to come by. I guess if this tree had fell on my house I might not be so happy, but at least I could have burned it up with extreme malice.

Me and Cathy cut most of a downed tree at Pop and Geneva's this past weekend. Makes you feel like a good hippie, recycle the fallen tree, let nothing go to waste. Just let that old cold John McCain get elected, we will be warm this winter.


Lumberjack Song
I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.
I sleep all night. I work all day.
He's a lumberjack, and he's okay.
He sleeps all night and he works all day.
I cut down trees. I eat my lunch.
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shoppin' And have buttered scones for tea.

Chorus : I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay. I sleep all night and I work all day.I cut down trees. I skip and jump. I like to press wild flowers. I put on women's clothing And hang around in bars.

Never know what you get when you google lumberjack. Oh well, the older you will get...

Got Power Back...

The power came on Friday night. We were out of town at the Lufkin/Longview game, a real thriller, a triple overtime that ended in defeat for the Panthers. I was sure glad to turn in the driveway late late that night to see the house shining bright.

Anyway things are fine around here. For more spot on reporting of Hurricane Ike I suggest you check the Raggedy Resa link on the side bar. She is in the High Island area.

Here are some shots of the day Ike hit here. I was a little worried about that big oak you see in the picture. It looks much bigger in person than in the picture, but seems to lean away from the house. Mary was right there on the spot to combat flooding and clean up.
Those tall skinny pines behind the red barn sure swayed in the wind, but all held.
Feeding the hungry.

Thanks to Clarence and Judy Huggins, they live a few houses down from my mother and they got power on last Sunday night. Their freezer provided a safe place for the 30lbs of catfish to stay comfortable frozen till the power came on here.

Still no Power...

Still no power at The Older You Will Get Headquaters. I am posting from my brothers computer. He just got power this evening.

All ok around the house, no damage and I finished cleaning up the yard today so it looks like not much happened. Just been working this week, cooking up thawed freezer food on the fish cooker and reading by a floating crappie light rigged to a mike stand powered by a car battery.

Hope all visitors here are doing fine in the afetrmath of hurricane Ike.

More when we get back up around the house.

Red Sky at Night...

Mary took this westward looking shot a few minutes ago.

What's going on where you are...

Pretty quiet here. El Guapo is excited. Maybe he know something I don't.

Things seem pretty quiet in Lake Jackson. I'll post the latest email from Rose, seems she is out of action:

AT THIS POINT IN TIME I WOULD LIKE TO SAY GOD WORKS IN VERY WEIRD WAYS. I HAVE BECOME SICK AND THERE FOR MY DISPATCH SUPERVISOR HAS KICKED ME OUT OF THE PD. I AM NOW REPORTING FROM THE SEA CENTER. THE WIND IS STARTING TO KICK UP AND IM NOT SURE HOW FAST BUT WE ARE STILL ABLE TO MOVE AROUND. BY THE WAY THE SICKNESS IS A 101 FEVER AND LOTS OF CONGESTION SORE THROAT AND COUGH. MY SUPER SUPPERVISOR SAID I COULD NOT STAY AND INFECT EVERYONE ELSE. KINDA WEIRD THATS ALL THAT I WOULD GET SICK RIGHT NOW AND HAVE TO LEAVE MY POST. I FELT TERRIBLE ABOUT IT BUT THEY DO HAVE IT COVERED AND THERE IS A LOT TO BE DONE HERE WITH JUAN. BY THE WAY ITS PRETTY FUNNY TO WATCH HIM RUNNING AROUND WITH MY TRUSTIE DICKIE RING ON. WE HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE RAIN KINDA LIKE A SPRAY BOTTLE THAT IS BEING SPRAYED EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO PUT INTO A RAIN GUAGE. IM STILL A LITTLE SCARED BUT I THINK WE WILL BE OK. I HOPE WE ARE DODGING A BULLET. I THINK IVE PRAYED MORE TODAY THAN IN MY WHOLE LIFE. KINDA LIKE A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING. ANY WAY THERE IS NOT MUCH MORE TO REPORT JUST NOW ONE OF THE BOARDS THAT IS ON A WINDOW AT THE SEA CENTER BLEW OFF. SO MUCH FOR MARINE BIOLOGIST ENGINERING. NOW THERE IS STARTING TO BE MORE RAIN AND THE SKY IS A FUNNKY YELLOW IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE TORNADO WEATHER. THE WIND IS STILL AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP AND IT IS NOW DIFFICULT TO OPEN DOORS WITH OUT THEM BEING BLOWN OUT OF YOUR HAND IN A BIG GUST. ALL THE ANIMALS ARE DOING FINE. 2 OF THE CATS ARE ACTING LIKE IT IS THE END OF THE WORLDAND HIDING IN ANY LITTLE NOOK OR CORRNER THEY CAN FIND AND THE BABY CAT (STUMMPY) IS RUNNING AROUND CHASING SHADDOWS AND WATCHING THE WEATHER HAVING A GOOD TIME. TRIGGER THE DOG IS CRING ANY TIME WE LEAVE HIM ALONE AND BEING A COMPLETE DRAMA QUEEN. YOU WOULD THINK WW III HAS COME AND RAINED DOWN ON HIM. THE BIRDS ARE A GENERAL PAIN. WE HAVE THEM IN THE SAME ROOM WHERE WE WILL BE SLEEPING AND THEY DONT SHUT UP. JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE RAMIREZ ZOO. I AM VERY GLAD TO KNOW THAT YOUARE PRAYING FOR US AND IN FACT IT IS A GREAT COMFORT TO ME. HOPEFULY THE POWER DOES NOT GO OUT AND I CAN KEEP REPORTING AND HEARING FROM YOU ALL. WE LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND THANKS FOR THE DONATIONS IN ADVANCE(LOLAL)

MUCH LOVE
ROSE, JUAN, TRIGGER, MARMALAID, SPOTZILLA,STUMPY, SKY CAPTIN, STORM, & THE FISHES

Getting ready for Ike...

So here we go again, looks like we are going to be part of the bullseye for this one. Winds predicted for this area by the NOAA are >73 miles per hour. Lots of traffic passing through town. Disaster team meetings called at the hospital. The Lufkin Nacogdoches football game, the oldest rivalry,has been canceled. Not like they needed to play it, Lufkin leads in the series 39,000 to 3 or something like that but that is just another example of how big this is.

Here is an email from someone right on the spot, daughter Rose and son in law Juan. Rose is police dispatch for the city of Brazoria and Juan, while still at his TPWL job works part time as a patrolman for the Jones Creek marshals office. I had talked to Rose about 6:30 and she said the tide is coming in causing water to rise and it will not go out while the storm pushes on in. Don't sound good. But here's the email:

I HAVE JUST ARRIVED AT WORK AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HOPPEN. WE HAVE THE PIT GOING AND DRINKS ICED. THE SKY IS A LITTLE BIT CLOUDY BUT STILL VERY NICE. JUST REMEMBER TO KEEP THE EMAILS THE WAY IT SOUNDS AROUND HERE THESE COULD BE MY LAST COMMUNICATIONS (LOL). I HAVE SCOUTED THE PD AND FOUND A PLACE TO STAKE MY CLAIM. I WILL FEND THEM OFF WITH MY TRUSTIE DUCKIE FLOAT. WE ARE FIXING TO EAT AND LAUGH JUAN SAID HELLO HE IS STANDING HERE AND OH BY THE WAY THE DONATIONS FOR IKE ARE CARE OF ROSE RAMIREZ @ BRAZORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT. HA HA HA HA HA JUST KIDDING WE LOVE YOU ALL WILL POST AN UPDATE LATER IN THE NIGHT. WE ARE EXPECTING TROPICAL FORCE WINDS BY 0700 HRS.

LOVE ROSE AND JUAN

Rose likes that all caps business. Anyone surprised?

I have to work tomorrow, off this weekend with the option to go sit around the hospital to wait if I am needed. I told them to call me. I hope I can sit around here and get the news out if the power stays up. Anyway here's the Mary Star of the sea prayer again:

O, Mary, Star of the Sea, Mother of God, we present ourselves in Thy sight in all humility to thank Thee for Thy maternal protection. We who are in constant danger from the perils of storms and flooding humbly thank Thee for Thy loving protection, which Thou hast shown our entire area these past years. We offer this through Jesus Christ, Your only Son who lives and reigns with one God forever and ever. Amen.

Ladies and Gentlemen I am a Cook...

That's what we say around here. It's a quote from the side of the Stubb's BBQ sauce bottle attributed to the great man himself.

This little paper plate special was prepared by none other than Mary. On the menu we had pigs in a blanket with cheese, cheese mac and chetos. Start eating orange! It's healthy.

It's always a comfort for a parent to know, what with Mary's planned departure for college next year, that she is capable of gathering up nourshiment for herself.

Got in a Little Fishing...

Until I got called to come to work that is. Long story, but at least I got to enjoy Pop and Geneva's company for a couple of hours.

Cathy was catching all the fish anyway. Wonder how many shots are on this blog of two folks sitting in the front seats holding up fish.
Since I took off for the hospital Pop took over cleaning duties. he gets a free pass on the $39,000 fee in place of service rendered.












Bloody to the elbows. That's a good thing around here.

Thanks for the hot sauce, I did not get to check it out in your presence, but I am eating it now.

Meet the Panthers Pep Rally...

Ok, what's going on in the drum line, something fishy. Guys, Fiestas Patrias is still a couple of weeks away.

We made it down on the track, has the band director seen us yet?
Bass drums flaunt it!
Stepping out.

Got a Letter This Morning...

Important stuff. Seems this guy who has his name as the letter head thinks I'm slacking, but still considers me a valued and trusted member of his party.
He says his records indicate that I remain on the sidelines.

I got news for Mr. McCain. I have not been on the sidelines. I have been busy, graduating from college to get back on track after a job layoff. I was busy back in the early 80s, voting against President Reagan as his policies weakened the union I was a member of for 25 years. I was in Austin one time for the Austin against the War march. I know that's not much considering what some sacrifice, but it's the best I could do and it was more respect I felt than any thing else for those the war has made sad. I was in Kilgore that time at a Louie Gohmert lecture when he opened it up for questions and the only way he could respond to my question was that he had been called "the meanest man in Washington" on several occasions. I was also there on a tour of a former President's library, and although I can't agree with all that man did I do see some great things that happened for the people of this country during those years that seemed to have slipped away.

There is some less glamorous stuff, might seem like sideline to you, such as teaching Cub Scouts to fold the flag, helping with adult faith formation and singing in the church choir.

So Mr. McCain, I really don't have the time to help you as you mention in your last paragraph with a contribution of "$100, $50, or even $25" as you suggest and I barely had time to read your P.S at the end where you say "at least $25."

Happy Birthday...

...To my brother Glenn, born on this date in 1961.

If I remember correctly my dad also bought a Montgomery Wards Sea King out board Motor, a 15 horse power in red and white that year. It was a very good year as they say, new kid, new boat motor.

Also to link this post to current events, a big hurricane, Carla, formed on this date in the Western Caribbean. It did not strike land till the 11th another infamous date.

So to quote a current radio show I hear some mornings on the way to work, that's why history matters.

Marching in a Hurricane...

Went and watched the High School Band practice, they marched despite a few spatters of rain.

Here are a couple of pictures from Sundays Lufkin News, first is the section leaders, which Mary is one and then band officers, she is the treasurer.

I guess it's ok to double dip on your senior year.

While at the field this evening I searched out Mary's Panther Paw, something they paint on the sidewalk around the stadium to honor the students and the activities they participate in. A small fee is involved, but that's ok.

Waiting on the Rain...

Seems that my crepe myrtle is always a late bloomer. Now I guess high winds and hard rain will beat these already fading blooms down. I like the color here, not too dark, not too pink, kind of like how I eat my steak.

I guess I am thinking of meat, I do have a chicken and a small chuck roast on the grill.

Got one accidental page from the hospital today, thought might have some action up there, but they said sorry, go away.

Speaking of action and sorry, well you never know when you might have to get busy so might as well take a big ugly nap. El Guapo knows something is up, he is staying home today. With legs that short It does not take much of a rain to drown you.

I might try to keep some pictures coming today if Gustav produces anything interesting. Right now looks like those black love bugs are thick outside, maybe driven ahead of the wind. I went to Huntington this morning, several law enforcement agencies had a command post set up at the corner of Main and 69, a blue 8X8 shade cover that they might have to chase down the street before the day is out. Definitely not something that would fall under the category, shelter from the storm.

The Panther Band has marching practice scheduled tonight, to quote the director, "hurricane or no hurricane." When it rains during marching practice old superstitions with ancient meanings swirl about the band. It usually signifies the band director has done something bad.