Seven Days on the Road and We Made it Home Last Night...

This has been the season of the great spring break celebration. First we camped at Beaver's Bend with our grandchildren Warren and Coraline and the Zamora family and this week we completed a tour that included a flight to see the Tulloch family in Chicago and a flight to see the Wallace family in South Carolina. It was nice that everyone had different spring breaks because if it was all at once the grandkids would have ganged up and been busy with each other but here we were able to spend time with each family not to mention the cooler late winter climate of Chicago, the costal spring of Charleston where we met the Wallaces as well as a good dose of government shutdown TSA screening line delays in Houston.   

The Tullochs downtown in Maggie Daly Park. 

With the Wallace family in Charleston.

It was a seven day, three flight trip with lots of good eating. Since Katie and Peter live so close to Chinatown the Asian food is great. 

In Charleston the southern seafood cooking is top notch. They have a saying, "eat till you are tired and wake up hungry." I had shrimp and grits for breakfast three days in a row. 

Some people had a dip in the Atlantic Ocean.

Some people were busy babysitting a friend's big lizard. 

We all had fun and the TSA lines were much easier in Chicago and Charleston for what ever reason.  This vacation was so good I'm ready for another. We don't have a big camper trip scheduled till mid May but a campsite by the water somewhere is calling me. 

 

 

 

Chicago Visit...

I guess I am keeping stats on my travels this year. I may not keep the short range in state trips but for this trip to Chicago to see the PK family, meandering through Memphis and a lunch stop with cousin Carylon we totaled 20230.1 miles on our Prius Hybrid. That's 42.9 gallons of gas and the MPG was probably higher because I did not reset the meter but that's still considerably better than the closer trip to the beach towing the camper.   

It was a pretty low Key visit to see the Chicago grandkids, Wallace and Hamish. Our old friend Darwin accompanied us. Darwin has know Katie since she was a little girl so it makes good sense for him to get to know her kids. We left Darwin in Chicago with a reservation at a downtown hotel so he can cruise the city on his own a few days and then return to Texas by Amtrak. 

Here's Darwin at The Museum of Science and Industry. He kind of looks like a confused old man but he did manage to find his way out of the maze so I guess only the age related mental decline we all face. 

Spring is just springing in Chicago with night time temps dipping into the 40s and trees just budding. It makes it a bit cool for Texas folks who have already stowed winter clothes and some times as Peter shows here it's more comfortable to play indoors.  

We transported the fish me. Darwin and Milo caught the other day and Katie cooked us and friends Zac and Jen a fine Sam Rayburn catfish dinner.   

I know my blog fans enjoy travel photos and some call it "adventures" but I am mostly doing free stuff like looking at old spooky houses. We also hit a flea market and the used book store. I got a fine Mexican Belt but failed to find the last two books of a trilogy I am reading. Things like that keep you searching.  

When grandkids are present things go smooth if everyone gets to look at a train. Hey brother man, this pictures for you! 

The next Chicago visit is planned for July with a real Canadian adventure included. 

 

Looks Like I Won't Get That Tree Up This Year or What is This Christmas Spirit...

Looks like we won't get that tree up this Christmas. I haven't even bought any presents. There's been stuff going on such as Cathy's shoulder replacement, Morgan and family moving to South Carolina, the fact that our planned Christmas Gathering/Wild Rumpus won't actually be until February when MOST of us will be able to be in one room and one thing or another.

We do have three poinsettias, good grandparenting there to put a poisonous plants is a room that regular hosts small children and a friend gave me a dancing tuba player that when you push a button on his boot plays Jingle Bells. Despite these meager outward signs there is some Christmas spirit in the air and I will play Jingle Bells if you push my button.     

 There will be some family gatherings before the end of the month with Morgan, Ali and crew this weekend with Texas family including Rose, Tim and kids to see them off and Katie and the boys will drive down from Chicago immediately after Christmas to have a last Texas visit. 

The past week I played Santa for the St. Patrick School Program. The kids all acted and sang great and that was inspirational to me to bring my best acting skills to the table and since it was a pancake supper I was at the table but this song reminded me of the Balkan Beatbox tune Part of the Glory:

Everybody wants to be King of the World 

Everybody wants to turn dust into gold 

Everybody wants to be like me on the mic

Like me on the mic...   

I only made two children cry. This photo might cause confusion, not my house. It's a studio backdrop.  

One of the criers was my own grandchild. 

I also played a tuba Christmas solo show in the park. There were a few walkers and joggers to play for but it was mostly just me but it was something that needed to be done and if I have time I'll do it again. 

If you don't get that tree up that's ok. Just remember the reason for the season and when the Wise Men show up on Epiphany, Jan 6th that means it's Mardi Gras.  

 

Haiti and Pete Rose, More Alike Than You Think...

 If I get a chance I always go see Haitian music. There's a lot to unpack in that music and it beats standing at a show counting a 1, 2, 3, 4 rock beat. I don't go to baseball games as much as I would like to but I take in the Astros when I can and when in Chicago have been able to see the Cubs at Wrigley Field and since the PK are on the Sox side of town I've been there also. My dad took us to Astros games in the Dome and it's possible I saw Pete Rose play as a child but I really don't remember. With Haitians in the news and Pete's passing it occurred to me how much they are alike.

The Haitian Revolution, slaves rose up against rose up against French rule to free themselves 1791-1804. It was a terrible bloody time but the French and later the British and Spanish who all came to be involved in the conflict were pretty impressed with former enslaved people's initiative and organization and American slave owners were so scared by it that they banned anyone from Haiti (some slipped into New Orleans) and by 1808 had banned importation of Africans preferring homegrown enslaved people to anyone than might cause trouble. The war probably helped the USA in the fact that the horrible losses of troops suffered by the colonial powers blunted their ambitions in this hemisphere but Haiti was left destitute when in 1825 France sent warships to demand repatriations for those that owned land and slaves. Haiti was forced to take out loans which hurt prosperity and though paid off in 1947 the country has never recovered and is rife with gangs and occupied by U.N. police forces. 

That's the history of the Haitian Revolution in a nutshell as I read in Ned Sublette's books which pile many interesting tidbits on history, culture and music together. Apparently some are still taking it out on Haiti by claiming immigrants in the U.S. fleeing the current chaos eat household pets. That's a long grudge. 

Pete Rose, the all time hits leader in major league baseball bet on baseball and as a manager he bet on his own team. He admitted these things. Pete's nickname was Charlie Hustle and by all reports may not have been all that nice of a guy having led a controversial life and baseball seems to have it in for him by basically ignoring attempts at reinstatement (hind of like Haiti) while other people have been tarnished by betting without suspension and as long as I check the box that says I'll old enough I can download an app to bet on sports from my phone. Don't tell my wife about that as she's all in for Mahomes and I don't want her that far in.   

I think we can connect the dots pretty easily between Pete and Haiti. Both are on the outs with the powers that be. The question is how do you get back in? Do we summon Papa Legba? I may be asking this myself by the time the other hand, which we are never watching reads this blog. 

             

   

     

Chicago, Evansville and All Points in Between...

 We made a great trip to see family in Chicago and Evansville, In. this past week. It's traveling and living and while we are not visiting the Grand Canyon with specular views we are enjoying the company of people we love the most. It can be a little hard to rationalize the joy we have in our lives with the terrible things going on in the world such as storms, war and political unrest but maybe we just do the things we can as we can and pray for the best. 

One thing that might have an effect on the world and something that made me as well as my pocket book happy was the performance of out hybrid gas electric Toyota automobile. We racked up 2049 miles driven getting 50.1 miles per gallon, used 40 gallons of gas and spent $110 dollars on fuel. Maybe I won't save the planet today as my next trip to the beach my Ford F 150 will use 40 gallons to and from my favorite shark fishing spot but driving a hybrid to met the needs we can is a start and a start is what we need. 

Speaking of starts we saw these wind farms along the way. Actually Texas leads the nation in wind farms but the are mostly in southern Texas where I don't often travel. Illinois and Indian, though we saw many do not even make the top 5 list.

We also saw quite a few solar farms. Texas rates number 6 on solar. In Chicago Katie and Peter have a solar plan for panels on the roof which requires and investment but the plan is that by their retirement and of course taking in developing technology that the harvest of power will amount to a passive income stream. 

Also along the way I noted many service stations advertising EV charging. Granted with the technology we have now I could not have driven 12 hours straight from Indiana to sleep in my own bed with the neighbor's cows mooing in the backyard but as with the energy changes we saw it will happen one day. The naysayers may say it won't and that you can't charge your car when the power goes out but one day you will.  

Like I say I did not view the Grand Canyon but while in this save the planet mode I hit several thrift stores and picked up several records (another blog post), a pair of skinny leg black pants and a couple of used climate fiction change books.  

Kim Standley Robinson is a noted climate change author and I've read several of his books. He includes the science to back his stories up. Afterglow is a short story compilation and so far the resounding vibe I get from the stories is hope and that mankind does not start to make changes until it is apparent there is a disaster about to happen and then while the world becomes a quite different place it also becomes a better place while the planet begins to bloom and grow again so do the people. 

That's also a good pattern for us, to love, to travel, to bloom, grow and change.     

     

       

Chicago Trip...

We made a trip to Chicago this past weekend to see Kathie, Peter, Wallace and Hamish. It was the final celebration of the long drawn out winter holiday known as Wallace Christmas. Our Chicago family were grounded by a big storm on the date they were heading to East Texas for a more seasonal timed celebration but late is better than never when it comes to celebration. There was also the added bonus to have Cathy's sister Margaret, Kevin Grayson and Addison in for Grayson's volleyball tournament.  

Here's the gang hanging out for a meal at Miller's Pub. It was a favorite hangout of people like Marilyn Monroe and Jimmy Durante where they were in town. It was Good Friday and Lent so I had the fried haddock. No word on what Marilyn liked to eat there.  

Late Christmas presents flown in just for you! 

Sitting around in the PJ's just like Christmas morning. Being it was Easter weekend we even went to church

I drove to the airport for my gas guzzling flight in my hybrid but I rode around town in the Tulloch's EV and made use of public transit when I could.  

We saw several games at Grayson's volleyball tournament and it reminded me of the tournaments we used to go to in the old Taekwondo days. 

We took a few walks to the park for outside play and sitting on the play ground watching the grandkids I got some fishing tips from a guy that said he often fished the quarry pond there. They were pretty much like fishing tips you get anywhere, use a plastic worm, a rattletrap, a frog. Maybe next trip I'll brig some baits of my own. 

A nice visit and good to see the grandkids but winter still hangs on in Chicago. The trees are not quite leafing yet and temps at night dropped to the 30s. On arriving back home I soaked in the hot tube and sat on the back deck till I was dry. 

Everyone should travel and see distant family. It makes coming home sweeter.  

 

The Wallace Christmas Gathering or is it Over Yet?...

I think someone told me the other day, "Christmas, it's over, it's just over." Well I guess they have never played in a band called Drum and Tuba Christmas or they never tried to herd all these cats, cool cats that is to get them under one roof to have a Christmas, a late winter gathering or some other such event. Success was only medium as the Texas kids, in-laws and grandkids made it ahead of the winter weather but for the Tulloch family they got stuck in Chicago because Southwest Airlines canceled all flights.   

Santa came anyway. the Tullochs will come at a less icy time or get theirs shipped, all that's beyond my paygrade but if they want a scary man Santa I will make one.  

We had a big Saturday night dinner at the new Napoli's in Lufkin in the basement of the old Perry building. Spaghetti and pizza pleased all appetites although I know some people's spaghetti has been critiqued "not as good as grandma's.    

Firepits, plenty of firewood and propane fishcookers made for a good warm porch as the temps were not too bad ahead of the front but today I am happy to play inside in front of an indoor fire.   

Katie was supposed to come and practice her fish frying skills to keep sharp. With their trip canceled I passed the torch on frying fish to the handiest people. Morgan and Cullen picked it up while I made the broiled fish and crème sauce served over noodles and egg plant.   

A plate of fried fish with my new mustard dressing and the broiled fish. There was some discussion of bottling and selling the cream sauce but I aint working anymore unless it involves a tuba. 

Everyone liked their Christmas gifts and some played to hard they got hot and took off clothes. 

Warren and Mary split firewood and Ezra and Parker raked leaves. I wish I would have had them mound it up to keep the wind out from under the trailer. 

A good time, which can be hard to have with such a large group was truly had by all.  

 

First Fishing Trip of the Year and the 10 year Log...

It started out a tough day on the lake this past Thursday. A little windy, from the West, not dangerously so but brother in law Matt and I stayed up to the north rather than head south to bigger waters. It was where we had the best bite last time out but it was slow going. It might have been because we felt a little under the gun since my daughter Katie was planning on coming from Chicago this weekend and wanted to practice her fish frying skills and we needed fish bad. 

Nothing is so inspirational as being in a bind like this and our deep water holes along the old river channel were just not giving up the fish. We were working a few out and by keeping everything were slowly building a meal. Then we decided to give the shallows a try and sure enough the fat blue cat and big channels were feeding up before the polar vortex that's expected in a few days.   

Last hour of the day was the magic hour as we found the cats about 5' deep under slip corks in the inlet we call "Old Ginormus Cove" in honor of the biggest catfish we ever caught which weighed 32 pounds there.   

Matt with a nice blue. 

This bird, a limpkin shuffled in the shallows all the while we fished the area and paid us no mind. I have seen a bunch of these lately, on the lake at at the Big Slough Wilderness Area also. They are mussel eaters. So are blue cats. I've gathered the freshwater mussels during times of low water like this, shelled them and baited trot lines for good catches of catfish.   

All those bass fishermen pay big money live scope these days. He has it built in 

Look over my shoulder to the right and see the hump and the dark spot in the woods. That's the spot Cathy calls "the horseshoe" because of the shape the trees make as they follow the edge of the water when the lake is up. Usually a good 5' deep against those trees Cathy has pulled 10 pounders out of there. Check the left of the photo at the log horizontal close to the bank. 

I think that log is the same one where I photographed these nutria rats  sometime about 25 to 30 years ago during another period of low water. It has about rotted away and only shows it's self about every 10 years when we have a good drought. Comparing the photos Mother Nature has made some other changes to the area but the fish still follow these old creek channels looking for their supper which feed out to the deeper nearby submerged Angelina River channel. 

I originally had that nutria rat picture on an early internet photo hosting site where one day I noticed it had something like 9000 views. Go figure. I think I also have hard copies of other photos from this day of the rats up close that I may have to dig out and scan.  

Another good blue. You can see the nutria log laying horizontal on your right. That's an osprey nest on the left behind me.  

Final total was 23 good fish. I culled some of the first small ones we kept throwing back at least 5 fish. Katie, Peter and kids got snowed in with all flights out of Chicago canceled due to blizzard. I saved about 6 big fillets for broiled catfish and cream sauce and bagged a big ziplock of frying pieces. 

Good work under pressure if you can get it. The catfish count is off to a good start but I'm tucking it in for a few days. 

 

Thanksgiving Weekend...

 Many Thanksgivings have been non traditional for us. There was often a great catfish round up and then a fry in the place of turkey. This year was a little more Pilgrimy with Rose and Tim and kids celebrating at our house along with the Zamora's, Cathy's brother Matt and my brother Glenn on the day after Thanksgiving. The Morgan's and the Katherine's celebrated in Chicago together. 

Food was a collaborative effort with dressing, smoked turkey, Dad's famous roadside roasted chicken, Dad's famous New Orleans sweet potato casserole, Rose's famous seafood dressing, crock pot beans, salad, with drinks, rolls, dessert and tea by Matt and Glenn. We granted Cathy knife privileges for the day and she served as vegetable chopper.   

Let the young ones handle the selfie duty. 

Grandma supervises the fire pit.   

How some people were not so full to be able to roast smores and eat them is a mystery to me. Must be some hollow legs around here.  

I think Ezra was especially excited for turkey but was still able to choke down them smores.  Luca studies the best was to get a smore all over himself. 

Milo brought his own special brand of lemonade. 

  I can only pray that those people in the world that find themselves in need, at war, or trying to better their circumstances with faith, education, immigration, or hard work enjoy the blessings that I have. My life is so good I want all to experience something similar.