My minute of fame

Stand back, people.  One at a time.  No need to crowd in, everybody'll get an autograph.


It's pouring down here.  Been raining since late yesterday and there have been waves of thunderstorms rolling through the area (dogs are hiding in the closet). Lots of local flooding.  Funny how just a few months ago I was commenting on how bad our drought has been.  Lots of trees lost, cracked sidewalks, rivers dried up, lakes were turning into dust bowls.  At one point, we were ~27 inches behind for the year.  A lot of "doom & gloom" projections on how this was the start of a 10 year droughts.  Somewhere after Christmas, the skies opened up and it has been raining off and on throughout January and February.  We may have missed out on a cold winter (it ain't over yet) but we are definitely making up ground on the rainfall.  The local park where I let the dogs run has a 3 acre pond adjacent to it.  Towards the latter part of the year, it had pretty much turned into a swamp where there was grass growing in the middle of it.  Several old concrete culverts were left in the middle of the pond when it was dredged out many years ago and you normally don't see them when the water is up.  During the drought, all the culverts were exposed (8 or so) with several sitting on dry land.  After the latest round of storms, the pond is almost overflowing. 

Drought?  What drought?

Many lifetimes ago, back when I was in college and still had hair, I took a road trip to Colorado.  I joined the Texas A&M Ski club (yes, we had a ski club in the middle of Texas) for a week long trip to Winter Park, Colorado in early January '79.  We left campus early Saturday morning with the intent of driving straight through to Winter Park to arrive some time on Sunday.  Forecast was for cold/icy weather but we had hoped to skirt that and make it to Colorado.  Somewhere north of Waco, the roads started to ice over and driving got dicey.  Lots of wrecks, spin outs.  First time in my life I had ever seen anyone put chains on a bus.  We limped into Fort Worth late as a stop over and were told that they were not letting us leave until the storm had passed.  There was talk about cancelling the trip (not well received).  So, basically, you have a bus load of college students stuck in the downtown bus terminal on Saturday night looking for trouble.  Interesting to note what life's like downtown on Saturday night during an ice storm.  The bus company put us up in one of the downtown hotels and we ate dinner at the local greasy spoon.  You run into lots of interesting characters on the streets downtown at night.  Eventually, the storm passed, the roads were cleared and we were able to get back on the road by Sunday afternoon to hit the slopes.  While waiting word on what to do, we roamed the bus station looking for things to do.  Of course, this was in the dark days before smart phones, laptops, iPads, WIFi, nintendos, gameboys, PDAs.  We played a lot of card games, dominoes, read books, talked.  I had my own deck of cards and I had a few lame card tricks (aspiring magician) I would show, if I had an audience.  At one point during the whole adventure, we ran across a photographer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  He was taking lots of "life pictures" of the ice storm and how it was affecting everyone (wrecks, frozen ponds, icicles) and he took a bunch of pictures of the group.  Didn't really pay him much attention as we were too busy trying to look cool.  Much to my surprise, in the morning when we went down to the greasy spoon for breakfast, my face was plastered on the Sunday edition of the Telegram.  I became the de facto celebrity for the group.  I even got an award for "Most Photogenic".  Of course, my "girlfriend/future bride" at the time (sitting to the right) was initially identified as just "a friend" (she wasn't happy with that description).    

Card shark

Always wanted to see my face on the front page 

I thought it was kinda cool until I talked with my parents.  You see, we didn't call to let them know were stuck in downtown Fort Worth (we had gotten in late in the evening).  Since we got back on the road Sunday, I figured it was a only a minor delay and no need to worry the parental units.  What I forgot to account for was that most of my relatives lived Fort Worth/Arlington area and take the Star-Telegram.  Needless to say, mom got a lot of calls on Sunday morning.    

Turning the page

World travelers

Junior's come and gone.  It has been whirlwind week with him from when he arrived back in town from his world tour until he left to go back to Austin in Wednesday.  One day later than he planned, but momma was happy for the extra time.  We got to spend time with my parents for a some Mexican food (in short supply in Europe) and a post birthday celebration.  I even got to spend some valuable windshield time with him mano-a-mano on our trip across town.  I don't like to grill him for details, momma likes to pry on his plans but I was able to get some intel out of him (without resorting to waterboarding).  He is heading back to Austin to start his new job next week right after Labor Day and is excited/nervous to join the workforce.  Nothing confirmed, but I was able to glean some info out of him and I think that the two lovebirds might be planning a June/July event (but don't quote me).  

Terri has an excellent post to her kids about taking the next step.  Given her exceptional writing skills and ability there is no way I could ever hope to match her soliloquy on leaving the nest.  I agree with her comments/thoughts 110%, even though we are on the other side of the fence.  5 years ago, we drove our only son up to college and helped him set up his room/college life.  It doesn't really seem that long ago.  He has changed over the last 5 years.  Grown up.  Found his own personality.  Got an education.  Earned a degree.  Discovered the love of his life.  When he pulled out on Wednesday, it struck me that he was not leaving for school anymore.  He was heading out to start his new career/life.  This has been long in coming and we are ecstatic that he is doing what he wants to do, but there is some kind poignant moment here.  To paraphrase Terri, he opened the door and stepped through it.  Oh sure, he may be back on the weekends and he will always have a warm bed and cold beer here, but in my mind, he has now embarked on his next big adventure.  Something we have been preparing for for a long, long time, but we are still not ready to accept it. 

Just to drive home the point tonight, when I got home to a pair of needy dogs, I found this on my doorstep...

I guess this makes it official

Changing dynamics (revision 1)

Thanks, Mel, for keeping me straight. 
-----------------------------------------
Life's not interesting unless there is a little drama involved.

A few turns back, I mighta mentioned that junior is getting ready to graduate and we're making plans to head north to help him celebrate (and to make sure it sticks). I might have glossed over a few "minor" details, so for the record, let me clarify the issue. 

Stephen has been going to school for 5+ years. He is getting a BS Computer Science. About 1/2 way through the program, he got a chance to enroll in the Master's Degree program which would let him take classes in tandem with his undergrad courses and enable him to get a graduate degree with just one additional year of school. He applied and got accepted and has been working towards that goal ever since.

This spring, he lacked a few courses to finish up. He elected to push through the graduate courses and leave one final class for the summer session. According to his advisor and college, they told him he could walk come spring with the caveat that he would have to complete the final class before he got any papers. At my insistence, he reconfirmed this note with the admin of his college and thus proceeded to order invitations and regalia. So far, so good. We are on track to see him walk with the understanding he had to finish up one course to make it legal. My parents and brother are booked into the RV park to go to Austin at attend. My parents are 87+ years old and have been to all the various graduations for their sons and grandsons and this is probably their last one they will attend. Does that get everyone up to date?

Now for the drama, a week ago Friday afternoon, junior calls me on my cell.  Keeping in mind that he normally doesn't call me unless there is some financial requirement or car problem or crisis, I tend to pucker up until I know the subject.  Friday's call fell into the latter category. It turns out that the information he was given was wrong. The Graduate School gently informed him that they do not, as a rule, allow students to walk unless they have completed all courses. Even though he had what he thought was clearance, it was non-negotiable. He could attend the big mass ceremony at night that acknowledges the graduating students, but would not be able to walk and get individual recognition. To put it mildly, he was highly disappointed. Momma was even more upset and wanted me to call the school and straighten them out (yea, sure, they'll listen to the parent of one of their 100,000+ students - especially one who attended the rival school). As much as we wanted to help, he did not want our assistance and was going to work through the issue. Needless to say, everyone was a bit bummed but we were still planning on going up to attend the mass ceremony. So, this past Friday, he called me back late in the afternoon and told me that he had petitioned the dean of the undergrad school and they accepted his petition and he can walk with the undergrad class and get recognized for his Bachelor's Degree. He will still get his Graduate degree in July as planned, but he won't be able to walk as a Graduate Student until sometime next year. So, the roller coaster graduation ceremony is back on. We're loading up the wagons and heading north into Longhorn country. And I need a bigger bottle of scotch.

Who ever said being a parent was easy?

One of the seven sins

OK.  I gotta admit, I've got mixed feelings here. 

On one hand, the tightwad in me is glad to have this at an end. 

On the other hand, it marks a new chapter in my son's life.  

One door is closing while another one opens.  

 

If Pride is one of the seven deadly sins, I guess I am guilty.

I feel like a Harry Chapin song. 

past Road Trips

I mentioned briefly of my earlier road trip to Tinseltown.  About 5 years ago junior was on the college circuit looking at various institutions to attend and spend my entire savings.  He was considering several high end academic institutions for his education.  MIT.  Carnegie Mellon.  Caltech.  All private schools.  All muy expensive. 

Now, I come from simplier stock.  I only had a few colleges that I was interested in and most were in Texas.  This was back in the days that, if you applied to one of these state schools and you could pay your bills, you were in.  Not like now where you have to have perfect grades and you have to apply to each university with a 3 page thesis on why you should go to the University of Overpaid Professors and Ugly Mascots.  My choices were down to two:  Stephen F Austin or Texas A&;M.  If I pursued my love of nature, I would have gone into Forestry and SF Austin was the place to be.  But, I am more of an Engineer by nature and blood.  Like to take things apart and put them back together.  Ergo, as an Engineer, A&M was one of the top Engineering Schools in Texas.  Besides, my dad and older brother went there, so it kinda ran in the family.  

Junior, on the other hand, followed a different path.  He was going for computers.  Most of the schools I listed before were the top placed for computer geeks, but, honestly, they were obscenely expensive.  I cringed at the tuition requirements, but I did not want to hold him back from his dream.  We took a road trip out to LA to check out Caltech in Spring 2006.  Great weather.  Got to tour the general area around Pasedena, CA.  Being an A/R sort, I planned ahead and score us some tickets to the Tonight Show (yes, we met Jay Leno).  We did Six Flags California, toured the Rose Bowl, did the Walk of Fame, oogled Grauman's Chinese, toured NASA JPL, got hit on by a hooker.  An outstanding road trip. 

Waiting to get into the Tonight Show

Grauman's Chinese Theater





Voyager

Will try to score more pictures this time, if time allows.  Not sure I can do a good video, but I'll try.

Homestretch

As a part time runner, I've always liked that term. 
Homestretch.  According to Webster's, it is that part of the track between the final turn and the finish line.  The end is in sight.  My favorite part of a run.  Sweating like a horse, heart rate up, legs tired, knee complaining, but somehow, the site of the finish line seems to spur me on for one final sprint to the end.  That last burst of adrenalin that pushes you across the line.  If you ever look at finish line photos, a lot of people (like me) look ragged/beat.  Some people are able to cross the finish line looking like a model, not me.  But, Lord knows, I'm not in it for the looks.  At the end, mixed in with feeling tired/sore is the feeling of accomplishment.  Another milestone achieved, another challenge overcome, another obstacle conquered.

But I tend to ramble on.  It is with mixed emotions that I read my son's facebook page the other night.  Yes, we do try to keep up with our little offspring via various means.  He has granted us permission to a small peek at his life.  He friended us on facebook and we can see some of his activities.  I still maintain a very low profile on facebook.  Rarely do I make a comment.  My wife, however, has come out of her shell on facebook and has a regular commenter on a lot of friends' pages (Including her son's).  To me, having your mom or dad make comments on your facebook page is tantamount to having one of your parental units drive you to school as a senior (or be a chaperon for the prom).  

My son is an infrequent poster on facebook, but he does, on occasion, add some comments about what he is working on or where they have been or what show he was watching.  What got my attention this week was his short post that basically said:  "Last first day of school".  Very prophetic.  After 4.5 years of college, the end is in sight.  Just  as with a race, I have a mixed set of emotions on this.  Pride, melancholy, relief (no more tuition payments!!!), sadness (he is about to embark upon the world).

Top Ten

I'm leaving on a jet plane.  Don't know when I'll be back again. 
Heading out at 0 dark thirty in the morning to catch a flight to California.  Just trying to decide what to wear for my TSA appointment...  

As we roll/stumble/stagger back to work, I thought I would pass along an amusing (but true) list I got today.  First let me set up the back story.  Ever since junior went off to college in Austin 4 years ago, we have worked on ways to keep in touch with him to make sure he was doing ok.  During the parent orientation, the Campus Police handed out information to make sure everyone is safe and protects their belongings.  On of the services the Campus Police provides is an online listing of their blotter report of what has happened over the past week.  The report has become quite popular and the cops who write up the report have been know to inject their warped sense of humor/wit into the situation.  The report has grown so popular, that they now publish their "Top 10" reports for the year.  For those who have been there, these stories might seem familiar.  For those with kids in college, you might be wondering just how little Susie or Johnny have been spending your money.  For those with kids going to college, start hiding the tequila.  
----------------------------
Best Blotter Reports of 2010

Number 10
GOLDSMITH HALL, #5 West Mall
Suspicious Activity: A UT staff member reported a non-UT subject wearing a tan hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans appeared to be sleeping next to a tree inside a planter box. The subject did not respond to constant verbal encouragements to wake up. The subject continued to maintain its inanimate sleeping composure and refused to respond. Officers were soon to discover the subject was actually made out of last week’s news and glue. The papier-mâché mannequin was removed to a more appropriate location, the trash can. Occurred on: 3-31-10, at 6:39 AM.

Number 9 (two nominees)
LITTLEFIELD DORMITORY, 201 West Dean Keeton
Indecent Exposure: A UT staff member observed a non-UT subject “looking like a fool with his pants on the ground” exposing himself to several individuals waiting at the bus stop. During the investigation, the subject was located and was taken into custody for Indecent Exposure and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 8-26-10, at 8:07 AM.

DKR TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM, 405 East 23rd Street
Public Intoxication: A non-UT adult female was observed laying in a fetal position yelling and crying. The female became more emotional when she explained that she could not find her dad and her dad was mad at her for being an Aggie. The officers detected a very strong odor of alcohol on her breath and noted other signs of intoxication. The subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 11-25-10, at 7:43 PM.

Number 8
ALMETRIS DUREN HALL, 2624 Whitis Ave
Public Intoxication / Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT student was discovered sitting on a bench while creating a Splash Zone that would have made Shamu proud. After she completed her physical reaction to the over consumption of alcohol, the officer noted the student was attempting to stagger back to the front doors of the dormitory. During the investigation, the officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol in addition to the wafting odor of vomit on the student’s breath. The officer learned the student had been to a local downtown establishment and could not remember how much alcohol she had consumed. The officer was able to determine the student was under the legal age of 21. The officer allowed the student to contact a sober friend to take care custody and control of her until she sobered up. Prior to being released to the sober friend the student was issued two court appearance citations for Public Intoxication and Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. Occurred on: 12-03-10, at 1:14 AM.

Number 7
100 EAST 21st STREET
Public Intoxication / Disorderly Conduct (Fighting in a Public Place) ¬ 2 counts: A UT student and a non-UT subject were observed holding down and striking another UT student. The UT student who was being struck told officers he was very drunk as he had “way too much to drink” so he asked his friends to hit him. The student who was hit was indeed found to have consumed “way too much” as he was found to be intoxicated to the point he was a danger to himself. Occurred on 03/12/10 at 2:35 AM.
Crime Prevention Tip: I have heard of several urban legends to speed up the sobriety time frame; coffee drinking, cold showers and exercise just to name a few but being voluntarily assaulted is a new one to me. Makes me wonder why anyone would ever want to drink at all. The best advice I can give is to not drink and if you wish to consume alcoholic beverages, do so responsibly and in moderation or at least keep friends who do not hit very hard.


Number 6
2500 BLOCK WHITIS AVE
Theft / Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor / Failure to Identify / Possession of more than One Valid DL: A UT Police Officer observed two UT students carrying two framed pictures. When the students observed the police vehicle, they quickly attempted to hide the framed pictured behind a tree. During the investigation, the officers detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the breaths of both students. Both stated they were pledging a fraternity and had wanted to make a name for themselves so they had been to another fraternity house located in the 2500 Block Nueces and removed the two framed pictures. As the investigation continued, one student informed the officers that he did not have his driver’s license with him and provided a name that was later determined to have been made up when the officer located the subject’s wallet. A wallet that contained two valid driver’s licenses. The student was taken into custody for Failure to Identify / Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and was transported to Central Booking. The second student was issued a field release citation for Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor and released at the scene. Charges for Theft are still pending. Occurred on: 8-25-10, at 2:47 AM.

Number 5
100 BLOCK EAST 27th STREET
Public Intoxication / Failure to Identify: A UT Police Officer observed a subject swaying back and forth as he was attempting to walk. The subject walked head first into a street sign and pole with enough force, he turned 90 degrees. The subject acknowledged the sign and apologized for running into it and continued his wobbling trek. The officer stopped the subject after he walked into a retaining wall. During the investigation, the officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the UT student’s breath. The subject handed the officer a California Driver’s License. The picture did not match the student. When asked about the license, the student could not remember the information printed on it. The officer soon discovered the subject’s true identify after being taken into custody for Public Intoxication. The subject was transported to Central Booking. Occurred on: 5-08-10, at 2:51 AM.

Number 4
200 WEST 6TH STREET
Driving While Intoxicated / Failure to ID: UT Police Officers responded to a report of a collision involving a blue Chevrolet Cobalt. Upon arrival, the officers discovered evidence of the driver having suffered a severe physical reaction to the over-consumption of alcoholic beverages. That evidence was found on the driver’s pants and floorboard of the vehicle. The driver, a UT student, handed the officer her cell phone and affirmed the phone was her driver’s license. The driver stated she was “straight up driving.” This claim was proven untrue as her driving was anything but “straight” as she was found to have jumped a curb and struck a building while driving. The driver also proved she was not a Geography Major as she believed she was currently located at the corner of “Bourbon and Coke.” The driver was found to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point she was deemed to have been driving while intoxicated. A passenger in the vehicle, who was also a UT student, provided officers with a fictitious name and date of birth. When officers began to investigate the offense of failure to identify, that student exclaimed she had done nothing wrong and referred to her friend and driver of the car as the one who was drunk. Occurred on 03/19/10 at 2:33 AM.

Number 3
2400 BLOCK GUADALUPE
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: A UT Police Officer discovered a UT student sitting on retaining wall spitting after having had an extreme physical reaction to the over consumption of alcohol. During the investigation, the officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the student’s breath from several feet away. The student admitted to have visited several fraternity parties where he had consumed several alcoholic adult beverages. The officer soon learned the subject was at UT attending Freshman Orientation. The subject was issued a field release citation for Consumption of Alcohol by and a Minor as well as a referral to the Dean of Student’s Office. The student was released at the scene. Occurred on: 6-16-10, at 3:00 AM.
Crime Prevention Tip: Parents dropping you off for orientation. Meeting your future Longhorn classmates. Attending your first college party and then your first meeting with a University of Texas Police Officer. Starting off your college career on the right foot? Some may think that this was a good day at UT, while others know better. This student will now be required to do the following before the first official class day: Return to Austin to speak to a judge. Set up an appointment to speak with the Dean of Student’s Office. Surrendering his Driver’s License for a 30 day time period. Attend an 8 hours Drug and Alcohol Class while also doing 20 hours of Community Service. Then paying a fine and court costs. The hard part, letting your parents know.

Number 2
JESTER WEST DORMITORY, 201 East 21st Street
Criminal Mischief: A UT student reported another UT student sprayed air freshener into his container of jerky then threw a chair across the room. During the investigation, the officers located the suspect and learned the suspect was having a bad day. No charges were filed, but the suspect was referred to the Dean of Student’s Office. Loss value: $60.00. Occurred on: 11-15-10, at 9:10 PM.

NUMBER 1 (Two Entries Tied - Drum Roll)
PERRY-CASTANEDA LIBRARY, 101 East 21st Street
Suspicious Activity: Two UT students reported hearing strange and disturbing noises coming from inside a secured 4th floor office. The students reported the noises were disturbing those students that were studying. During the investigation, the officers discovered two sheepishly smiling students inside the office. Occurred on: 3-23-10, at 12:32 AM.

BRACKENRIDGE DORMITORY, 207 EAST 21st STREET
Found Property: A UT staff member found a clear plastic baggie containing a green leafy substance inside a stairwell. The staff member quickly notified the UT Police Department The officer took care, custody and control of the baggie and secured it for safe keeping. Occurred on: 11-09-10, at 2:17 AM.
Commentary: If you or someone you know is missing a clear plastic baggie containing a green leafy substance please stop by the UT Police Department to claim it. After a brief chemical analysis the police will determine if you are allowed to possess this substance, we look forward to seeing you.

23 years young

One year to go.  Stephen starts his 5th & final year of college tomorrow.  He's already completed most hours to earn a bachelor's degree, but he was given an opportunity to earn a Master's degree with just an additional year of classes.  I have mixed emotions about the whole deal.  On one hand, my checkbook would love to see that little expense over & done with.  On the other hand, I am elated to see that he has done so well and will graduate with tremendous potential.  As parents, we tend to worry about our children as they grow up.  Will they do well in life?  Will they be successes?  Will they find love?  Will they ever move out?  I've always been a closet worrier about him and how he will do out in the real world.  Did we teach him enough?  Did we shelter him too much?  Momma is constantly worried about her baby and how he is doing.  

It was during Stephen's first stint as an intern in Seattle three years ago that I stopped worrying about him.  Oh sure, he was only 2440 miles from home living in an apartment with four other college students for the entire summer.  No car.  Half a country away.  No direct parental support.  Not sure who grew up more back then.  At one point during this gig, his girlfriend flew up to visit with him for a week (her parents really like him).  Boat tours, duck rides, climbed Mt Rainer.  The trip went very well for the both of them and they got to see a lot of the Pacific Northwest region.  It was during the departure to the airport that chaos ensued.  Seems that girlfriend left her purse on the bus which contained such minor items like her driver's license, plane tickets, credit cards, etc. on the bus to the airport.  She had no ID, no money, no way to get on the plane to Houston.  Normally, this could have been a minor inconvenience, but Stephen was also due to fly out of town to Minneapolis for a company trip.  This is a situation that with my experience all sorts of back up plans would have kicked in, but I was in Milwaukee on an audit and totally out of the loop and they were on their own.  Between the two of them, they came up with a plan.  He gave her his apartment keys and his credit card and put her back on the bus to the apartment and got on his flight to Minnesota.  She was able to regroup, call the bus company and discovered they had found her purse with nothing missing.  She was able to catch another flight home the following day safe & sound.  Of course, just to give me more gray hair, the same time I was flying out of Milwaukee, Stephen was heading to the airport to fly back to Seattle on the same day of the I35 Bridge collapse.  After all that drama, I figured that those two had a pretty darned good bead on life and didn't need my help. 

Tomorrow marks his 23rd year on this rock.  We were planning a road trip to Austin next week to visit with him, but some issues have arisen to keep us close to home.  In the meantime, we have mailed him a gift and called in a decadent delivery of cookies/brownies from Tiff's Treats.  My suggestion was a basket of beer but that idea got voted down. 

Happy birthday, son.  Make the most out of life.   

Younger days

Been on a mission.  After working with my brother last weekend to send him old family  pictures for the parents, I have gotten a bug in me to scan a lot of my older pictures.  Started with several albums from college and working my way backwards.  Some of these pictures have faded over time (as have we) so I am trying to capture some of them electronically so that they will not be lost. 

Watch out ladies!

Got lots of embarrasing pictures from the past that I've been posting on facebook.

A few loose nuts from my outfit

Whirlwind weekend

As if things weren't hectic enough, we took off for the weekend to head out to Kerrville to attend a graduation ceremony for my nephew.  At 28, this has been a long time coming.  He hasn't had the easiest time getting to this point and there have been a lot of challenges along the way and, quite frankly, we weren't certain this was going to happen, but Andrew finally earned his sheepskin this weekend.  So the entire family (sans brother #2 in Seattle) made the trek out to west Texas to attend the ceremony.  Even my kid drove out from Austin to make it just under the wire to watch Andrew walk across.  Small university with about 250 graduating seniors.  This is the last child of 4 for my oldest brother, so they can finally claim they have no kids in school after a very long time.  We are grateful for our only one.  My parents made it out for the gig.  At 88+, they are not sure how many more they will be able to attend, but we have one more to go (for the grand kids).  My son is on target to graduate next spring in Austin.  Already making tentative plans for next spring.  In the meantime, I will have to go back to Austin later this month to help extract him out of his apartment.  He and his buddy are renting a house up in Austin this summer and he has landed another internship in Austin this year, so he will  much closer to home and momma.  Not sure where he will be staying, but he has a plan (just would be nice to know what it is).  

Was a good, but long road trip.  The parents, the older brother and us took our trailers out to Kerrville Friday to camp out before the ceremony.  Kerrville is a long haul from here without a rig to tow.  At least 1.5 hours west of San Antonio, it took us 5 hours to make the trek out and 6 coming back.  Traffic was OK, just slow at spots.  The country out past San Antonio is very beautiful (IMHO).  Start of the Texas Hill Country with lots of small hills and scrub oaks.  The blue bonnets were all gone, but a lot of flowers still remained.  Weather was iffy, so no good photo ops.  The dogs travelled very well for the first long road trip.  They were well behaved and the darling of everyone at the campground.  Goldens are typical magnets and love any attention they get.  Biggest problem I had was with the grass burrs.  Since Kerrville is a very dry country, most of the grass was dried up with lots of weeks and burrs.  Every time I walked the dogs, even for a short walk around the RV park, I wound up picking burrs out of their feet/coats for 20 minutes afterwards.  Both were very patient, but Claire has developed a tendency/preference to walk in the road rather than the grass.  One woman had a pair of huge, white Great Pyrenees that dwarfed Grayson & Claire.  Gorgeous dogs, very gentle & calm.  They were happy to see our Goldens as that us the only dog they are allowed to play with (due to their size & stature).  These were trained herding dogs and could typically herd sheep in an open field.  At 150+ lbs each, Grayson was somewhat intimidated by their size.  With the grass burr problem, when I ran into this woman, both dogs look like they had been rolling in a field of burrs.  Probably took half the day to dethatch them.

And momma & I had a great, quiet anniversary last week.  Dinner out at The Cheesecake Factory and, as like last year, the son ordered us a Cheesecake (Godiva Chocolate).  One slice has enough calories to sustain a person for weeks.  A funny corollary to our anniversary was with the cards.  While shopping for an anniversary card (I prefer the funny ones), I spotted a card with two Golden Retrievers sitting side by side.  The inside comment was "Another Year Closer to Looking like Each Other".  I liked the card, but thought it was more of a card to give to another couple, so I bought it to give to my brother and his wife next month.  Brought the card home and momma spotted it on the desk and noted that she has bought the same card before realizing it was more of a "give to someone else card".  Funny.  What makes this ironic is that, our darling son who is miles away in Austin, sent us a card for our anniversary and take a guess as what card he sent us.  Freaky.  Que the twilight zone music... 

Reunions...

are for old people. Wait, I think I be one.

Such a innocent looking bunch...

Hard to believe it has been 30 years. Just got back this afternoon from our reunion. We really had a really good time. The weather finally turned cooler (~59 degrees)down here and it was damp/drizzley for most of the football game. Spent some time roaming around campus trying to remember where we had classes and just griping on how many new buildings have gone up since we left. We got to see a whole bunch of people at the reception and meetings, many of which I did not recongnize. The good news is that most of the guys from my outfit made it to this year's gig so we were able to spend a lot of time trying to remember the old war stories. Most of the formal meetings/gatherings were more of a trying to remember somebody's name or where they've been over the last 30 years or how many kids (or wives) they've had. One of my guys lives in town and we all met at his house Saturday after the game and spent about 6 hours reliving the glory days.

Man, what studs...

Now, I know that many people may not like or go to reunions because they tend to be dry and boring filled with old farts trying to relive their youth. Most of the participation at these reunions comes from the people who were in the corps and some of these guys have yet to grow up. I consider myself lucky in that a lot of the guys in my outfit still communicate with each other. Out of the 16 young, cocky, hot heads that survived the freshman year, we graduated 13 guys (some took longer than 4 years) and 9 showed up this weekend (two from out of state) for this shindig. I spend 4+ intense years with these guys and we formed as bond that still exists today. It is funny to sit with these guys 30 years later and try to remember all of the crap we did when were were young and invincible (& stupid). Looking back, I am surprised we made it out alive. Interesting to break bread with guys I used to get drunk with or fight with or study with. Most of these guys are bit older, a bit grayer, a bit heavier, have less hair, and have 2-3 kids (plus 2 grandkids) that are our age when were we were in college. I asked my old roommate if he would let his daugher date a guy like he was back in our days (did not get an answer). It was heartening to see that most of the guys were still married/hitched to the same partner that they knew in college (all of the wives know each other from back then). Everybody has kids, everybody is doing well, everyone is in good health.

After all the votes are in, I'd have to say that a good time had by all.

Addendum: As typical with any football game weekend, accomodations were sparse and not cheap. I was able to find a room at the local LaQuinta across from campus that served us well. The interesting point about this factoid is that this is the exact same hotel that my wife and I stayed in after we got married and before we headed out on our honeymoon. Pretty good shape for a 30+ year old hotel, but then again, I don't recall too much of the decor the last time we stayed there...

Back to the stone age

Off to my 30 year college reunion.

Get to see a bunch of old farts reminisce about the good old days back in the 70's. Back when there was:

• Only one Star Wars movie
• The first gas crisis
• Smokey & The Bandit
• CB Radios
• Disco
• Billy Beer
• Sony Walkmans
• Three Mile Island
• Pink Floyd - "The Wall"
• Gloria Gainer - "I Will Survive"
• The Eagles - "Hotel California"
• First Cell Phones
• Happy Days
• Charlies Angels
• MASH
• Space Invaders
• Transalaskan Pipe Line opens
• The King Dies
• Roots

All of a sudden, I feel old.

Friday Follies

Another week down. It's been another one of those weeks where you come skidding into the weekend all beat up and bruised but feeling glad to be alive.

Weather has been pretty darn good down here (for south Texas). Moderate temps and cloudy/rainy, but after a summer of no rain and blistering heat, this feels great. Makes for great hunting weather. Work lumbers on with its typical fire drills, political infighting, and mindless projects. This week has been no less chaotic. We staged a mock disaster drill where we shut down operations simulating major disaster to our facility (like a hurricane) and moved operations across town for half the day. My role was to insure we had communications with our suppliers to contact them in case we needed emergency shipments, but basically I was on the computer testing our system and answering e-mails. Typical dog & pony show. Looked good in theory and on paper, but when the real crap hits the fan, who's gonna stick around town and be here to keep the fires burning? When Ike hit last year, most of the area south of us evacuated north and were not in town to help recover. I was one of the "dedicated" ones who stayed in town and "volunteered" to help run the place when the rest of Houston was shut down. The rest of the week was pretty much the same stuff. Meetings with suppliers, chasing down part issues, trying to finish up our testing and keeping the lid on minor issues. I would complain, but that's part of my job: part firefighter, part magician, part sage, part hall monitor.

One of my ancillary chores has been making plans to attend our 30 year college reunion in October. 30 years? Geeze I feel old. Can you recall what you were doing 30 years ago? Part of me wants to go and see my old friends/roommate/outfit but part of me is hesitant. I like to think that, in all of these years, we've grown up a bit, but some people never seemed to have left college. I'll go just to see what 30 years and several kids & pounds have done to a few people. Of course, it is always interesting to see how many are on their second (or third) marriage (I'm still working on my first) or how many kids they have or who took the longest to graduate. Past reunions were a visit to the past to see how successful you've become and how much you have changed (in a few cases it wasn't that much). At this stage, we're at the age where we can start comparing grandchildren and retirement homes (none for me, yet).

I'll let you know how it turns out.

We're baaack...

Short trip. Dog tired. Just got back an hour ago. Helped junior relocate to Austin along with all of his worldly possessions (or so it seemed like it).

Ya gotta love those college towns especially during move in weekend. Lots of overloaded pick ups, full trailers, frazzled parents and wide eyed kids. Even though it was brutally hot, this year seemed to go easier, perhaps it was because of my stellar planning, or my command of the situation, or the fact it was our 4th year and we pretty much knew the routine (plus having a ground floor apartment this year helped out my back). We were able to drive up, unload and have his apartment set up in about 2-3 hours. Nice place. Older apartments about 3 blocks from campus that have just undergone a serious rennovation. Aside of having a frat house right next door to the complex, seemed to be a nice place. Of course, priorities are different as you get older. Momma and I were focused upon getting the place set up and organized while junior was more focused on getting his system set up and getting the internet hooked up. In the end, they are set up well and ready to hit the ground running come Monday. School starts on Wednesday and they have 2 days to figure out their schedules and get books/supplies. At this point in their academic careers, we are no longer the advisors of what to get or how to prepare, I am more of the logistics/transportation person to help him set up shop. We got done early enough last night to be able to go out to dinner with his girlfriend and her sister and her roommate and their parents. All told, it was a group of 15 people who decended upon Serrano's in Austin (pretty good Tex-Mex) - not that crowded for a Saturday night. Afterwards, we dropped him in his new place and let him alone with his roommate and meandered up to our hotel. Not a bad hotel, but the room seemed hot and we were never cool enough. Shoulda gone down and jumped in the pool but it was after 2300 and it was closed. Slept late (~0630), got up ran 2-3 miles in the heat (was 85 when I started), swam in pool, checked e-mails, ate breakfast, took shower, hit the local wallyworld for supplies, went over to pick up junior to take him out for early lunch at Hut's in downtown Austin. Fantastic burgers (try Arnold's Best). Was able to finish up and drop him off at his new home with the obligatory hugs and good luck before hitting the road south.
Was a pretty smooth ride home, but it was hot this entire weekend (did I mention how hot it was?). Thank goodness for a/c.

Made it home without much fanfare. Momma slept most of the way, so I was jamming to various tunes or the latest Astros loss. Picked up dog from parents and he did not seem too spoiled or worn out. They loved him and he had a good time but was glad to go home to his yard/bed. This is our 4th year and we should be used to it, but it has been a whirlwind week. Nothing like family to make you feel old....

Friday follies

Ever see a really good idea and you just want to steal/copy it?
Well, along the lines of Life is Good and Silver Lining Saturday, I thought I would start a similar thread on my meager blog along the same line and see how long I can keep it up.

Anyway, another week in the bag. Work's about as much fun as trying to give a cat a bath. With one buyer out on a vacation cruise, another buyer out due to a death in the family, my boss is on the road somewhere in Minnesota or Pennsylvania, that only leaves me and one buyer to run the whole she-bang. Between part problems, month end activities, 20 different emergency orders, project testing, and assorted office drama, life has been anything but boring. This is one of those weeks I am glad to have made it to Friday alive.

Weekend looks to be even more fun. Time to hitch up the team and head north to Austin. I am helping my off spring relocate to college this weekend. This is year 4 for him and, this year, he is moving off campus to an (unfurnished) apartment. We are helping with the major stuff (table, chairs, bed) while he is loading up his car with all sorts of essentials (do you really need 2 guitars?). I am planning a commando run to Austin. Gonna try to sneak out from work to pick up a small trailer, go across town to get the bed from my parents (and anything else they try to give to him), check out a new desk at a thrift shop and then head back home for the rest of his junk. The bus pulls out in the morning (not as early as I would prefer) and we should be in Austin by 1300. I figured it was gonna be a late night so I scored a sweet deal on a hotel for almost nothing (did not want to drive back late in the day). My only worry now is what to do with the stinkin' trailer while in Austin. It is way cheaper to rent this rig for two days & drag it all over Texas (~$30) than do the one way drop off thing ($110). Even the dog is getting a treat. Will spend the day getting pampered/spoiled at my parents. I'm sure my mom will cook up a steak for him. We'll see if we can survive the weekend!

Happy Trails, Ya'll!

My dogs are tired

Long day yesterday. Drove up to Austin and back to help the offspring perform a tactical withdrawal from his encampment. 6 (or was it 7) trips up and down the elevator (did I mention he lives on the 14th floor?) with boxes, clothes, rug, chair, bike, etc. to load up the landbarge. Back in my yut, I moved myself into and out of the dorm and was able to fit an entire year's supplies and gear (including a dorm refrigerator) into my 1969 Plymouth Fury III. I have a gift of being able to pack a lot of crap into every available square inch of a vehicle (it looks like something out of the Grapes of Wrath). Anyway, since junior is finishing up his year as dorm RA, he has to stay until Wednesday when they close down the dorms for the year. He kept the essentials to live off of (computer, xbox, electric guitar). I made it home around 2000 hours (8:00 pm) to unload the truck. The breezeway is full of his crap. Let the summer games begin.