Mardi Gras Galveston...

It's what we do. The whole family likes a Mardi Gras and this year we caught the Krew de Esprit Rosaire Parade. It's Galveston's only Black Krewe and their activity supports Morgan and Holy Family Elementary Schools. 

This was Parker's second Mardi Gras and Ezra's first. 

Cathy did ok on the beads, not hoggish or anything since it was kind of a family oriented thing but she was satisfied. 

You might be thinking about the big New Orleans floats and also thinking that a couple of people have got run over and killed by them this year and of course you know that Carl always finds the most dangerous place to be but this Krewe's floats were pretty modest. 

Speaking of run over Miguel teaches the safe way to pick up beads in the street. 

Parker loves her some beads. 

I know grandma has made it a habit to buy the grandkids worthless junk at events like these. Well maybe not totally worthless. I noted that those plastic trumpets made a sound exactly like that blow for the snake instrument I have around here somewhere. 

When the parade riders saw the two little kids they threw stuffed animals. I think they almost filled that wagon up. 

Of course there were tubas, but not very many. 

Mardi Gras beach buggy island style. 

My Mardi Gras costume consisted in part of a Neville Brothers t shirt I bought at one of their shows at my first Mardi Gras. I think that was about 35 years ago. Cathy wore the goat pants as her costume. Just cause it was a small parade does not mean you can't go all out. 

A Job I Used to Have...

On a recent outing with grand children we went to the Texas Forestry Museum in Lufkin, Tx. It has a great kids room and a walking/play area trail out back. There are some renovations and changing of exhibits going on so things look like they are only going to get more interesting. On of the exhibits under construction concerns the history of the old paper mill. I look forward to this since I worked there from 1978-2004 and I made a photo of this old photo of a roll handler at work. 

This was a job I had as I worked my way up the union job chain of progression. I was in the old finishing and shipping department. You started out sweeping the warehouse and picking up paper, a job called extra man and roll handling was the second job up the ladder. The mill was in operation 1939-2004, historically significant because it was the first mill to make paper from southern pine and I'm guessing this photo was made in the 40s, 50s or possibly 60s. By the time I got there this job was petty much still the same including how the guys dressed. This location is in front of the old No. 1 paper machine looking into the machine shop. 

From the looks of that roll of paper it's what we called a cull. The uneven end means something went wrong during the winding process. either way the roll handler still has to move the paper which was done by rolling it up on a slide trolley board set in the floor and pushing it over in from of an elevator that would take the paper down to a conveyor belt to be wrapped. This could be a bad job depending on the number of rolls per set and the speed of production that day. 

In the late 70s for a brief period the No. 2 paper machine was the fastest in the world and I have seen grown men quit the roll handling job after about 45 minutes of work. This was in the good old days where there was the possibility of another job to be had just across town. I have forgotten but I would guess in the late 70s to early 80s roll handling might have paid $5 to $7 an hour. I was too dumb to quit and I stuck it out to rise to the next job in line which was wrapping the rolls of paper for shipment. Wrapping was it's own kind of hell but I'll spare the details till a photo surfaces. 

As always things change and jobs get combined when companies are trying to survive in a competitive market place and that's what happen to this job in the late 90s and 2000s. It was not enough and the mill shut down in 2004. I went on to another good career and the mill is just about torn down now.   

Just a few more photos of the kids at play in the Forestry Museum. 

Play a train song. East Texas is crisscrossed with old train embankments where the trees were hauled from the woods. The old tram in the Canyon area of Lake Sam Rayburn is a great structure where lots of fish hang out. What would I have done without the timber industry? 

I look forward to the opening of the Papermill exhibit. My mom was on the committee when the mill itself had a small history exhibit located onsite and hopefully some of the preservation work she did might show up in the new display. 

Hopefully I won't have to work a roll handling job again. 

Jimbo Mathus and Them Durty Crooks...

We caught a show by Jimbo Mathus and his band Them Durty Crooks at Under the Volcano in Houston, Tx on a Sunday night. It was great and if you don't mind missing that evening Sunday service Jimbo and the boys make a righteous fill in. You may recall Jimbo made a platinum selling record, "Hot" in 1996 with the Squirrel Nut Zippers and recorded with Blues Guitarist Buddy Guy on his Grammy award winning album Blues Singer. SNZ is still in operation and we caught them for a New Year's Eve show in New Orleans several years ago. This was the second time we have seen Jimbo at Under the Volcano.  

If you check out his music or my blog post at the link on the SNZ you will find that Jimbo wears many musical personas. From the SNZ sound of cabaret, 1920s era swing to gypsy New Orleans jazz voodoo he shifts to a Memphis string band, Mississippi hill country blues or as in this performance just plain old country and rock like only southern boys from Mississippi, Memphis and Arkansas can play it. Lots of good country covers last night such as Wasted Days and Wasted Nights, Six Days on the Road, Third Rate Romance and a great but unusual funky version of Hank Williams Hey Good Lookin' in addition to his own hard rocking originals. Don't let anyone tell you this guy can't play guitar.      

For something different check out Jimbo. His latest release, Incinerator, seems to have some kind of "voice in the wilderness" message running through it. I guess because any music you encounter of his might seem so varied from one release to the other you may just have to check it all out. Not being easily put in a category sure makes it certain your music won't be sold at Walmart and with Jimbo that is probably ok. 

If You Need a Roofer,,,

I had a metal roof put on about 30 years ago. Metal roofs are supposed to have a long life but this one was showing a bit of rust and I had learned the weak links can be the hardware that holds it all on. If I live 20 more years that roof will be 50 years old. If I had to replace then it would be from the financial disadvantage of operating from a fixed income instead of the weekly pay check that now keeps me operational. I decided to replace now. 

I took two bids. Both guys seemed a little doubtful the main roof really needed replacing but the garage certainty did. I took two bids. One guy seemed nice but he upsold me on replacing the chimney which he included in the bid without itemizing the cost or mentioning it during his inspection. I hate that kind of thing.. The other guy, Juan who replaced the Zamora's roof recently and came with a good recommendation gave a good bid and had the advantage of me inspecting this previous job.  I choose Juan as my roofer. I suggest you do also and I can give you his number. 

This is a better looking job than I had before. It's finished out nicer. I chose galvanized tin roofing because although I did not take his bid the other guy had a nice website explaining how much heat the various colored roofs hold. Galvanized or probably even the old tin roofs hold the least because they reflect back the sun's heat. 

Without a plan, that seems how most things go we have been on a bit of a home improvement plan. Last year it was the new septic system. This year it's the roof.  If you have an idea on what my next project should be write it on the back of a $20, drop it in the mail and if your suggestion wins I'll split the pot with you. 

I recommend Juan because of a good price, excellent communication and a good work ethic. He builds fences also. I can put you in touch.