Happy New Year...

From the folks here at "the older you will get" and my sponsor:
 http://www.nonalcoholicwinesonline.com/catalog/

That Guy Has My Tuba and Other Things You Encounter Out of Town...

Never can resist a used record store and in the hip little neighborhood we recently stayed in in Chicago had one. It also had a Guitar Center Store which is kind of like the Wal-Mart of instrument shopping, nice stuff at all price points which if I had been buying, just like at Wal-Mart there would have been something there for me. In fact it was kind of frighteningly like the Guitar Center on 1960 in Houston which I recently visited and did not stock the item I wanted. At least in Chicago they were nice enough to let me browse around carrying two go boxes of Eduardo's pizza. The Guitar Center not the record store which is really what I started to write about. I did not get the guitars or the records greasy with pizza even though I have proved that a bucket of fried chicken eaten before each gig gives a maple Fender guitar neck a yellow shine that some mistakenly call "mojo." That same bucket of chicken also makes my belly shine out the untucked tails of my snap button western shirts making me understand more so the immortal words of Guitar Slim when it get in the the way of the "Things That I Used To Do."  

Anyway the record were at all price points from groove worn 99 cent trash to high dollar collectible to the  (bet you did not vinyl is big) $20-$30 new releases. Me and Cathy found a couple in between, her a reading by Danny Kay of Hans Christian Anderson (you know you need it) to this Fletcher Henderson the cover of which is scanned in on my too small scanner here with a band what am a band from 1923-1937.  I could not pass it up because it looks like the guy in your upper right has my tuba.  Could be, mine's a 1936 model. This record is marked "not perfect condition" but I have not found a skip yet. It's a double record. I think a good buy. You know you need it.   

What if I Ran for Office...

I'd need a platform. The only thing I can think of right now is "Free Greens." No one else has thought of this yet. It's a slogan that could be rich in metaphor and allegory. Just the thing for great campaign speeches most effective delivered when standing where else but in the green patch.

Come get 'em folks!  

It's Christmas, Goodwill to Men and Let me Help...

Coraline says, "I think you need a little help opening that present GG."
















Coraline says,"Excuses me Glenn, I think that was supposed to be for me." 















Coraline says "Next please!"
















Coraline says "I am surprised that Miguel has been good enough to get a present this year, but let's go ahead and get this sucker opened."

It's Christmas Eve Man...

Tree is up.















I think I hear stick horse reindeer in the house...

It's Time for the Christmas Card Count...

Set against the photos I made of Holy Name Cathedral where we attended Mass while in Chicago it's time for me to make the annual Secular vs. Religious Christmas card count. Looks like Secular wins again this year with the score 21 to 12. I suppose the race is not yet over with at least one mail day left before we can declare the polls closed. I suggest if you intend to try to throw this contest one way or the other it would be best to use the Huntington, Tx post office since they seem to be quite capable of delivering an over night letter to Texas cities within a three hour drive.

This count does include a secular type Christmas card from the President and family. It's a pretty neutral type card, no good you know with an election year coming to stir up trouble, it has his dog on the front. I did not consider that  too unusual since I received at least four other cards with a collage layout of family members that also included their dogs. With election filing deadlines still approaching I don't know if this is some kind of
political wave I am witnessing the crest of with announcements of the offices sought soon expected.

So for the record and I did not have anything to do with the work involved. My wife did it. She sent out religious cards. I am glad she did.     

China Doll House...

Here are some photos of the place we stayed for the PK wedding in Chicago. It was one of those Home Away type rentals in a great little neighborhood with plenty of near by restaurants, a guitar store two doors down and a used record shop around the corner. Here, Cathy opens the door. Looks like this was once a stand alone garage or stable made out of some pretty old looking brick. I like old brick.









Living room. It was decorated in an Asian theme, get it,  China Doll House.














Dining area. It was a three bedroom, two and a half bath, upstairs and downstairs.













"I think I broke something."

Pop sits in the living room.

Does this look Christmas Enough...

Changed my hair, hope this makes all feel a little more like Christmas.

Back Porch Band Gig...

These photos from a back Porch Band gig this weekend, the Kam Care Home Health Company Christmas party in Livingston, Tx.


















Buck sat in on steel for us, great job, is was a sub gig for him he has played one gig with us before.














You know how those country music bass line go, sometimes I take a little nap during songs.

Working on the Seperation Anxiety Thing...

Actually I think that term would have to be explained to Coraline seen here held by the mascot of the Chicago Wolves Hockey team. You might take that look for anxiety but I think it's more of a "things happening so fast I can't take it all in" thing.

How about a punch in the nose fellow? I think she looks just like Rose in this photo.


















On yeah I was at a fight a a hockey game broke out. I think hockey is my new hobby. This team plays in the same league as the Houston Aeros.

Action moves fast, not much downtime and pretty easy to tell what's going on.

I Think the News is Out All Over Town...

Mary and Miguel are officially engaged. They got a ring and everything. Families of both are very happy. Date is in 2013.

Lake Nacogdoces Fishing...

Good day on Lake Nac. Started slow, I caught one fish in the first couple of hours of fishing, They suddenly turned on and we caught 9 fish in about 20 minutes. The count for the day was 10 fish that weighted 40 pounds. The two biggest were 5.5 and 5.11 pounds each.

This catch was a double. I lifted my fish in the boat and netted Cathy's.

Stacked like cord wood.

Cathy has big fish for the day. A couple of these big fillets are swimming in my belly.

PK Wedding Photos Posted...

Visit my online albums for Photos of Katie and Peter's wedding.

http://www.pbase.com/wallace_6/pk_wedding

Thought I Would Get Some Decorations Up...

Fixing up the old place trying to get in the Christmas spirit I hope I did not over do it.

But I like red...

Horns are the big thing this season...

The Hair, The Hair...

Katie fixed her hair real nice for her wedding. I am sure there was some help from the wedding party of Mary and Ashley. these are some good photos that show it off, one by me, one by Mary.

She changed it the next day. Lucky for the new husband it was easy to notice.

Navy Pier...

Got a lot of pictures to go through from the PK wedding weekend. Here is one of the kids, left to right Morgan, Miguel, Mary, Rose, Coraline in stroller and Juan during a visit to Chicago's Navy Pier. It's a self portrait made with Juan's camera on a timer.

Katie Did Ask for Marrige Advice...

...And Cathy said:

"Do you know what your Dad just did..."

More Wedding Photos...

Best man Will, keeps groom Peter in place as they wait for the bride to arrive.

You can see the speed and efficiency that the parents of the bide use to get the bride in place on a rainy Chicago Saturday.

I think they say it's good luck if you have rain on your wedding day.