Seeing the Sites in Temple...

First photo is the building of Morgan's new employer, Carpenter, a job he will start on graduation for A&M in August. I think that's his parking place right in front. Carpenter makes foam as in the stuff you find in pillows, mattresses, furniture and so on, you probably have some of their products in your house. I don't think Morgan will really be touching product all that much. I have had jobs in places like these before but it all ways involved touching product, usually one right after another as it came off some kind of assembly line.


There is a nearby fishing possibility, Lake Belton. Created by a dam on the Leon river it's framed by stone bluffs, a little different from the scenery around here. TPWL web site mentions catfish fair, stripers excellent.






Cathy, Morgan and Ali after a Belton swim.

Where's Moose...?

Few more photos from Morgan's rock house of inlay ed animal figures. Here's rabbit. What's it mean? Be ye fast, be ye meek, may you jump high?















This is an easy one, owl. Be wise.













I did not get this photo centered so well, this is squirrel. He is looking for moose, or may be the three pecan trees in the back yard.

In the Balkan brass band/punk music favored by Cathy rabbit, rooster and goat are reoccurring themes. The culture of the central Texas area has been influenced by the Czech, Polish and German immigrants who settled here so these things may well be intertwined in some way. Message for me is if you build something, make it your own. It will then last.

Temple Visit...

A visit to Temple Texas that is, where you see me, Ali and Morgan in a cell phone picture taken by Cathy, (the lens is smudged from the constant grip of her greasy little hands) on the porch of the temple looking structure rented by Morgan to be his abode when he begins his job at Carpenter after graduation next month.











There is quite a few interesting little things about the home. We will picture them here over the next week barring anymore pressing news. Check out the crystal/quartz type formations set in the stone work.












Same believe that crystals have powers. I know there was one night that I slept all night and never had to get up to go to the bathroom so maybe they do.

Get Your Cat Clothes On...

That's what Carl Perkins said one time. I am better able to say that myself with a recent customization to my DeArmond hollow body guitar that helps turn it into a powerful rockabilly/western machine.

A little history here, you may have seen this guitar pictured better on these pages in Mary's photo class pictures. She made it look like art. Guess I don't really know how to do that but as you see this Fender corporation instrument I have owned for about 10 years has had a Bigsby Vibrato added. It's the little handle device anchored just below the bridge. It's otherwise known as a "talent lever." I'm playing better already.

This instrument is a copy of what Guild guitars were like in the 1950s at the birth of rock and roll and modern country. Powerful DeArmatron pick ups make this baby howl and in addition to the cool warbling produced by the Bigsby I think the added mass of the base to the hollow top has projected a deeper sound.

Thanks to Kelly of Action Sound in Hawkins Texas for the modifications.

T

Grandma says...

To Coraline, don't be scared, pet the nice raccoon.

What's Going on Here...

No Juan is not readying for sterile diper changes, it's just a getting prepared picture taken the day of Coraline's birth. We are going to use it for a comparision.









Is Coraline making her Juan face? See above picture again.

May be, but the question I have is what is the device in the upper left corner? First hair cut?


That big old baby says, "What are you going to do to me now?"

I Like Rap Music...

Music is important around here, we are busy with it all the time, listening and playing. Music is always changing and the news I have for all is that rap music is here to stay. Many of my generation get pretty worked up over a car with booming speakers driven through their neighborhood so just remember, every generation has it's rebellious teenagers just as every generation has produced examples of forgettable tunes.

Rap is here to stay. It's synthesizing with many other styles and providing interesting social commentary. Here's a link to one I liked:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtH7vH4yRcY

First Bath...

Rose and Juan say, "This is how to make a baby cry."




















Crazy Aunt Mary says, "I not only have the wrong shoes but I wear them wrong, besides baths are for the weak."

Miguel says "A week?"











Katie says "Peter says without our parent's good dental plans we would be scaring this baby with mouths of goat teeth."











The engineer says "Science!"

Hands on the Car Ladies...

For Mary's birthday I was going to wear the bullet proof vest and let her shoot me. My mom would not let us.

I had Juan arrest them both.

More Family Visits to Coraline...

Great Grand Ma Bessie, Morgan and Ali, Katie and Peter all visit Lake Jackson this weekend.

Happy Birthday Mary...

Mary puts on the birthday hat today, she turns 19.

Coraline Heads Home...

All head home from hospital today with Coraline in the monkey seat.

Couple of Coraline Day 2 Photos...

...sleeping peacefully when I left the hospital yesterday.











Cathy sent me this photo by phone after I arrived home last night. Coraline awoke, asked where Grand Pa went.

Meet Coraline Lillian...

Rose and Juan give birth to our first grandchild, Coraline 7/6/10 at 2:22pm. Mother, Father, Baby and Grandparents are doing fine.

We are posting right now from Texas Woman's in Houston on an unfamiliar lap topif this post looks kind of messy, more pictures later.

Few More Strat Kat Photos...

This one, along with a couple more was on the Lufkin Daily News website, made by photographer Joel Andrews. I was on the KTRE website last weekend, Cathy got a picture in the Catholic East Texas, now this who says the media doesn't do a good job?


Patriotic Peace Freak, need more of them.















Mary takes nap on washboard.















Miguel on alto. He's got a tenor sax now look for it at future gigs.

July 4th with the Strat Kats...

The Strat Kats played this afternoon at the local July Forth Festivities. We were the second band, played pretty good even with brutal temps that had us all sweat soaked. Left to right you have Larry on guitar, Danny on harp and guitar, Mudbelly on bass, Runt on guitar, Dan on drums, Miguel on flute, sax and percussion and of course...


... Mary on washboard. Sound guys making us loud had plenty of washboard in my monitor. Not complaining, Mary is rock solid, I have had worse in the monitors.














Wait a minute, looks here like that washboard is looking at music! Not fair, my side of the stage did not have music!






I guess me and Dan did ok today, bass amps and drums same for each band to simplify set up, we did not have the advantage of our endorsed products, closed back Fender speaker cabinets and Sonar drums. Hey, can I get by wearing that shirt as a dress next gig? Pretty long, pretty short depends how you look at it.

Many bands played, only heard the first before us. Me Mary and Miguel lit out and played at church after this. Then I mowed the yard till the rain stopped me. such is rock and roll.

Thanks to Ruth for pictures with my camera, might get some from her camera later.