Street Face...

So old Mary got off to the dorm last week. She has been a picture subject and co-colabrator for many of the adventures documented by this site and seems her contributions may still loom large with the posting of a couple of pictures from her high school photography class.

These were taken somewhere downtown, an unidentified man on the street. He was agreeable to be photographed, hopefully he won't mind making an appearance worldwide.

Good timeless weird old America quality, I would think that on first glance it would be hard to guess what decade this was taken.






These photos kind of bring to mind the old downtown strip of sidewalk across from the court house that was call "Spit and Whittle." Now a nice little line of reconstructed old store fronts that contain the offices of lawyers. I have heard it was the site of the original Brookshire Brothers Grocery. In the late 60s/early 70s it was an important area to me because one of the old stores along here was Jeff's Hobby Shop, a dusty disorganized place of the pre big box store era of anything you want now where a young tinkerer could hopefully find a part to repair a model car's crash or an Estes rocket engine capable of blasting a carefully constructed project into never found land.

Guys kind of like this, I think the spit and whittle crowd was mostly white since at this time it was probably pretty easy for a black man to get hassled for squatting in the street front shade near a court house across the tracks from where some thought he should be, were standing around and I passed them intent on my adolescent experiments. I look at this picture and it makes me think that those old guys, possibly this guy four decades later were stuck and idle, uncertain with the changing times. That's one thing for certain, times change, and people spit and whittle their way through it.

Went Fishing Once This Week...

It was late Monday evening, just now getting the results up. We played music for a funeral that day at 4pm, had the boat hooked up and ran out for a little late afternoon trolling.

One pass down the 147 bridge yielded no results so we headed over to Calhoun Point and Mary and Cathy picked up a nice hat full of under size hybrid stripers and Kentucky spotted bass. I hung one, but lost him. We have been hunting big stripers a few times lately and while our efforts have been turning up little ones no big boys yet.

Vintage equipment note, the rod Mary is holding (reel is a new spin cast, heavy duty because this is where the action is) is a mid 70s Lew's Speed Stick. Sold back then for about $11 which was half a days or better wages for a high school student. We thought that was a little expensive, my dad probably bought this one. It was a stiff rod, more so than we liked what was then known as a worm rod. I looked these up on ebay, one exactly like this sold yesterday for $65. This is the black model, I have a brown one, action more to my liking with some broken guides, maybe I should fix it up.

Now days I use a rod I bought at Academy, fast smooth taper I prefer, that has caught several #5 pound cats this year. It costs $5 bucks. I worked just a few minutes to make that much money. If it breaks, likely the reel seat or guides, the rod blank seems solid, I throw it away and get another one.

We had a Parade...

Around town in Rose's new red VW convertible. I remember when parades were harder, you had to walk and stuff. If there were just a few in the parade it was hard to tell you were having a parade. Now what with red top down everyone knows. I guess this little scene really captures one of the many meanings of this blog, how it used to be hard.







We even got my Mom and brother Glenn involved, fun for all ages.

Happy Birthday Miguel...

I'll stop by your work later with the tuba. Play happy birthday. Don't worry, you will like it and when other people see the services I am capable of offering I'll get some other gigs so it will be a good thing for both of us.

More Family Photos...

A few more pictures from last weekend, slow week around here, just riding on the wave of fun done had. Here's Sandy in the back, Kevin holds Grayson and there's old Mary in front as usual.

Mary makes the final exit to college next week. I know it's been a long swan song on these pages what with boots to the behind, ancient ceremonies and such. Might be a lot less pictures appear here without a dynamic subject present 24/7.
Cathy and her dad.
John pulls one from the pond. Low water in the late summer slows the action.

Requests for Pictures and a New Hobby...

Got a Facebook request for a close up of Margaret and Grayson, this might be the best I got from their visit. There is also a picture of Kevin and Grayson, but no one asked for that.

Cathy thought the sack top and skirt combo she is wearing made her butt look big. All that changed when she took off the long brown skirt and just wore the sack top as a dress. Made her look skinny.










Geneva requested this picture, made of Wallace and Cooney cousins in the porch swing at the land. Seems she has one made when all these kids were little sitting in same swing and wanted a remake now that they are grown.












And for my new hobby, making pictures of guys passed out at parties. That might seem weird, but not really, after all this is the Older you will get...This guy slept right through a cunga line, a didgeridoo sonata, a shaving and a blueing.

At the Lake...

Cathy and niece Grayson drive the boat. We figure that by the time Grayson comes next year she will be able to take the boat out by herself.












Fishing was a little slow, or so they told me. I had to work. They caught 8 catfish but with the freezer stock we were able to cook up a good meal to swim in our bellies.

Cathy shows off big catch of the day. Even when fishing is slow you can still work on certain techniques such as posing for the biggest fish picture. Note the extended arm, closer to the camera. Makes your fish look bigger. That was actually a twig but with a little attention to detail you can turn it into a whopper.

Participants on this trip were, Cathy, Mary, Margaret, John, Grayson, Pop and Geneva. My mother came and ate with us.

Weekend at the Land...

In honor of a visit by Margaret, Kevin and Grayson there was a big get together at the land Saturday. Took a shot at the old group picture, sorry Uncle Art, you only owe half the $39,000 since you are somewhat cut out of the picture.
Of course there was an episode of "girls go gator"














Mary took awards for smallest fish caught.

No Pushing Please...

Almost set up with a new computer.

All pictures and music survived the move, having a little trouble with printer set up.

Business as usual in a few days.

Computer Woes...

Out of action for now, check back later.

Hope to be bigger and better.

Catechetical Conference in Tyler...

Had a great time yesterday in Tyler as our St Patrick's Christian Initiation Team presented a work shop "Christian Initiation of Adults - Passing of Faith for a Lifetime." There were numerous other topics available by various folks and we had good interest from around the Diocese of Tyler as 96 people signed up for the two sessions we presented.


In this photo me, Angela and Brenda get the music ready.

I discovered that being a public presenter at a conference like this caused a lot of folks to approach with questions in an informal setting between sessions. Fortunately I had answers. Stuff like "Where did you get that guitar?" It was a gift. "How do I get my daughter in law to be Catholic?" We are all on a faith journey, just at different places. "Why don't more people punch you in the face? " I'm lucky today, everyone here is a Christian and acting like it.

Our team of presenters were 6 great people, really easy to work with to prepare for this. Here's one of them, Father Paul. He might be a new blog character, I can't remember, but I will grant him absolution from the usual $39,000 fee for appearing on these pages.

For the serious version of these events click on the St Patrick's Catholic Church Christian Initiation and Renewal Blog link on the side bar.

Whoops, Here's the Pictures...

Girls in Galveston....

While some work, some play. My camera, whoops, our camera goes on a girl trip to Galveston that has Cathy, Mary and Rose pricelining a room at the historic Galvez Hotel.
Relax at pool side, big ugly nap time. Didn't I teach you kids to make fun of people who did this while the beach and real water are right across the street?
Cathy says we stayed at this storm tilted beach house one summer. If I remember correctly this was a second or third row location without a good unobstructed view of the beach. As they say on the Gulf Coast during hurricane season, "there goes the neighborhood."
Galveston is a popular destination for rest and relaxation. Currently trendy is getting a finger stuck up your nose on the beach. Not a lot of followers yet, but sure to catch on in your town soon.

Music and Dancing...

Don't get a lot of pictures of our little church choir, Stained Glass as we are sometimes known. Not just a whole bunch of folks running up to the edge of the choir area making them googly eyes at you and taking cell phone pictures, holding up iphone lighter apps and stuff. Here's Angela, Monica and Cathy.
Mission control, where the bass player stands. You know how it is, wave your guitar this way, the congregation goes that way. Lean back the other way and they all go to the left. All musicians know how these things work. Takes some one who has been there done that to keep a hand on the tiller so to speak.
From the Quencerana, traditional dances.













Speaking of music check this photo album of Altura Musical pictures from this evening and a couple of other recent gigs:
http://www.pbase.com/wallace_6/altura_musical_

Click the link to give them some love.

Quinceanera...

Attended Crystal's Quineceria yesterday and our little church choir played for the Mass.

Google Quinceanera if you don't know what it is. It has it's roots in Aztec culture back to around 500 BC. Here's the Chambelanis and Damas that make up her court. Mary and Miguel were in the court.
The Zamoras.
Cathy thought this was a good picture. Taken right before things got started at the church it captures friends and family all caught up in preparations for the big day.

Actually the preparations have been ongoing for some time, planning, dance rehearsals, food arrangements and so on.
The dance afterwards was held at the Civic center with music by Altura Musical.

Took a lot of pictures, get them up later this week.