Halloween is a Holy Day Around Here...

Happy Birthday today (tubas play) to Rose and her husband Juan and Cathy's brother John, all little spooks who are another year older. Oct. 31 was also Granny Wallace's birthday. This was the day all those years ago I asked Cathy to marry me. I was trying to trick her. So you can see we have a lot to celebrate.

Not really too much going on for Halloween this year, if you see us out we are the ones dressed as Cleopatrick and Julia Cesar. A couple of scaries did stop by the house, here's a day of the dead doll hiding in the bushes.
A really scary thing, the Progressive girl. Nothing scares me more that anything to do with insurance.

High Atop the Sears Tower...

That's Chicago from the Sears Tower on our recent visit. They don't call it that anymore, it's called Willis all serious building or something like that. It's the highest building in the world, certainly the highest one I have been in.













They had a little plexi glass observation box you could stand on, kind of like standing on air.
It reminded me of some lyrics by Todd Snider, I have been making good use of quotes this week, too lazy to write my own stuff.

"That a man technically hasn't flown 'til he lands
If you're coming into land and you crash and die, All you really did for sure was get too high.
You ever get too high? No. Neither have I.
But I will have to, to prove to you guys
I'm so turned around I could calm up a riot. Fighting for peace?
That's like screaming for quiet"

Go Vote Next Week...

In the campaigns leading up to this election I think I have heard some election strategies very similar to this quote I came upon the other day:

"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

Herman Goering, at the Nuremberg War Crime Trials, April 18th 1946.

Please vote.

Coraline...

Coraline says "Grandma coming!"
A proud Dad grins.

Coraline is already getting motherly advice, see, she listens closely.















Grandma lets it slobber all over itself and then hands it back to the parents.

New Truck New Boat...

Not for me, but for Morgan. Looks like he is doing all the good with a new Toyoda Tundra and a great deal on a boat from friends Roxane and Gary.



I sometimes feel neglectful that all my kids were raised with boats that had steering wheels and oil injection. At least on this 90s model 25hp Johnson Morgan with get to mix a little oil and gas, (my Dad always got the mix too rich and fouled a plug) an old Wallace family tradition.

Feel free to give Morgan a call. Guided trips are now available on Lakes Belton and Stillhouse Hollow. I only see one life jacket in the photo, it's bring your own.

More Chicago Photos...

Different city, same subjects as usual. Here's the tall ship Windy, docked at Navy Pier with the city skyline in the background. Navy Pier is a kind of boardwalk type area with eateries, a few ride, shops and such. Kind of slow going on this Saturday morning, seems a lot of the outdoor type activities are winding down for Chicagoans as the month of October draws to a close.














Lake front marina with Lake Michigan in the back ground. No pontoons in sight.




Sunny, breezy, and cool Carl and Cathy prepare to take a bath for cheap at the Free Chicago City Public Bathing Fountains. Like Navy Pier, business at these slow during the cooling October weather with only the most dirty making use of the fine city facilities. I emerged from the bath, my crusty hide scrubbed a shiny glowing pink and stood on the lip of the fountain shouting down with naked disgust at all those who are naysayers for the kind of big government entitlements that make services like these available to the great unwashed like me.

Just Back From Chicago...

Did some traveling this weekend. Me and Cathy flew up to Chicago to visit Katie who has been living there for a couple of months now. Here is a photo of Cathy and Katie standing on the shores of Lake Michigan. The weather was perfect, sunny and brilliant with coats occasionally feeling comfortable. In the background you see me taking a swim. You know how I get around water, just a little crazy.


And if I get a little crazy around water you know how Cathy gets. She starts itching to fish. Luckily we were able to fit our pontoon in our carry on (you really should fly Southwest, they are very accommodating) and here you see Cathy with the big net out trolling along to banks of the Chicago River which winds through downtown.








As usual when fishing we had good luck. Most of our travels around town were by trains, subway or the elevated "L" as they call it and this was how, just like the locals, we transported our catch home each day. Katie and boyfriend Peter were glad to help out with this and here you see them riding the train with their feet on a big catfish to keep it from flopping around and bothering the other passengers. Thanks guys, for all your great help and hospitality.

The Baby Says...

"Those look like man boobs to me."

First Fishing Pole...

This picture is a few months old, Juan has bought Coraline her
first fishing pole. If develpomental reports coming out of Lake Jackson are accurate she may be able to use it soon.

Church Festival Pictures...

A few church festival pictures from the Fiestas Patrias/Our Lady of LaSallette celebration a few weeks ago. I think I got some pictures of this same band that from last years fest, they were good again.

Not much festival participation from me this year. Just bought raffle tickets, aqua frescas and a nice Bishop Eduardo t-shirt.

That guitar is called a bajo sexto.


















Songs of amore.

S

Happy Birthday David...

Today is my cousin David's birthday. He was down for some fishing this week.
Here we are striking a pose at the new Dr. Bill Shelton Pavilion on Sam Rayburn. This is the lake view with Monterrey Park where we like to launch and the hills surrounding the old Popher's Creek bottom in the background. Very nice covered pavilion with the biggest ceiling fan I have ever seen and some nice stone and wood work. Should have made a picture but I bet you can find one online for yourself.

Tub full of Monday's final catch at the cleaning table.
Another shot of the new boat ramp with our boat at the dock in the back ground. Nice hills around the old Popher's Creek bottom. Legend has it there was an Indian Chief named Popher. His son killed a white man. When the posse came the son had fled. Chief Popher offered himself to the posse and they were happy with that, hanging him on the banks of this Creek. They figured one Indian was as good as another. Sad to say we still do that now and then here in Texas.

Cousin David Comes Fishing...

Cousin David was in from Plano for a fishing trip Monday. We fished and hunted together with our Dads and we had a good chance to renew this family legacy yesterday. The catfish were cooperative also. Their participation totaled 29, some of which swim in our bellies now.
A cool October morning looking south on Big Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
David takes a turn at the wheel with the Highway 147 bridge in the background.












A very good fishing day. I think my wife Cathy may have taken big fish and most fish honors.

Will post a few more pictures later.

A

Love the Season Change...

Mudbelly is out looking at fall foliage today.