"... Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered… not yelled.
Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway.
Don’t judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life… Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.
Don ‘t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t bothering you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.
If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around..
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.
"Most times, it just gets down to common sense." ..."
~ Michael Traveler, Cowboy Poet
[ Michael Traveler, author of Michael Traveler, and author of Postcards from the Backroads ... Read more about it HERE or find out how to get your own copy ... ]
CONCLUSION
Suggestion: Commit these little sayings to memory, and pull one out now and again.
____________________Reference
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20343849-postcards-from-the-backroads?from_search=true
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Rufus the Cairn Terrier
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown]
It was always easy to get Rufus disoriented. In his younger days when he would wander off he would wind up on the porch of a house three or four blocks away situated on a street the same as our house was situated on our street.
We would put up a lost dog sign and he always was returned home. Some of the times he had his collar on with our phone number ans some of the time he didn't.
He dearly loved to dig in the grass for grub worms and prowl through shrubs for lizards. He delighted in snapping at flying insects, and sometimes when he would catch a wasp or a bee, the sting would make him dizzy for a spell.
He didn't really care much for other dogs and mostly just seemed to tolerate them. There was one exception, a dog named Poochie, who enticed Rufus to run off with him several times. They were great friends.
Rufus was a great digger, which was his nature, and if he wanted to get out he usually did. However, most of the time he was content with his own yard.
He had a large vocabulary and fully understood many things that were said to him.
He was sturdy and healthy most of his life, except for allergies and hook worms, things that were pretty easily taken care of. His thick hair required constant grooming and lots of times it was a hit or miss operation. However, in his later years Jerre took care of his grooming very regularly.
He was a great friend and comfort to all of us who lived with him. Especially a comfort to Jerre when I would be out of town. She was glad to know that old Rufus was out there guarding things.
It is a sad time. The sturdy little dog, Rufus passed away last Friday.
On Wednesday Jerre and I went out to play nine holes of golf. Rufus was lying by the front door and looked sick. Jerre remarked that he was probably frightened by gunshots that could be heard in the distance.
Thursday it was obvious that he was pretty sick, so Jerre took him to the vet. The vet said he would have to run tests and take samples. Jerre brought Rufus back home and he continued to sleep mostly.
Then he died Friday while we were waiting word from the vet. When the diagnosis came it was that he had [a rare disease] and there is really no treatment for that in dogs.
Rufus had a good life and enjoyed it to the fullest.
One of the things that got him most excited was going for a walk. He didn't really walk but spent his time nosing and smelling everything in every yard.
Another of his passions was barking at thunder. When there would be a thunderstorm he would dash madly about the yard barking at the sky. When the thunder stopped he would sit in the rain looking up at the sky until the lightening flashed. Then he would get poised for another dash at the thunder.
He always barked furiously at the garbage men and when they were coming down the street one would think that a lion was raging in the backyard.
Likewise with the postman by if he ever got out he just greeted the postman like a member of the family.
It was always easy to get Rufus disoriented. In his younger days when he would wander off he would wind up on the porch of a house three or four blocks away situated on a street the same as our house was situated on our street.
We would put up a lost dog sign and he always was returned home. Some of the times he had his collar on with our phone number ans some of the time he didn't.
He dearly loved to dig in the grass for grub worms and prowl through shrubs for lizards. He delighted in snapping at flying insects, and sometimes when he would catch a wasp or a bee, the sting would make him dizzy for a spell.
He didn't really care much for other dogs and mostly just seemed to tolerate them. There was one exception, a dog named Poochie, who enticed Rufus to run off with him several times. They were great friends.
Rufus was a great digger, which was his nature, and if he wanted to get out he usually did. However, most of the time he was content with his own yard.
He had a large vocabulary and fully understood many things that were said to him.
He was sturdy and healthy most of his life, except for allergies and hook worms, things that were pretty easily taken care of. His thick hair required constant grooming and lots of times it was a hit or miss operation. However, in his later years Jerre took care of his grooming very regularly.
He was a great friend and comfort to all of us who lived with him. Especially a comfort to Jerre when I would be out of town. She was glad to know that old Rufus was out there guarding things.
It is a sad time. The sturdy little dog, Rufus passed away last Friday.
On Wednesday Jerre and I went out to play nine holes of golf. Rufus was lying by the front door and looked sick. Jerre remarked that he was probably frightened by gunshots that could be heard in the distance.
Thursday it was obvious that he was pretty sick, so Jerre took him to the vet. The vet said he would have to run tests and take samples. Jerre brought Rufus back home and he continued to sleep mostly.
Then he died Friday while we were waiting word from the vet. When the diagnosis came it was that he had [a rare disease] and there is really no treatment for that in dogs.
Rufus had a good life and enjoyed it to the fullest.
One of the things that got him most excited was going for a walk. He didn't really walk but spent his time nosing and smelling everything in every yard.
Another of his passions was barking at thunder. When there would be a thunderstorm he would dash madly about the yard barking at the sky. When the thunder stopped he would sit in the rain looking up at the sky until the lightening flashed. Then he would get poised for another dash at the thunder.
He always barked furiously at the garbage men and when they were coming down the street one would think that a lion was raging in the backyard.
Likewise with the postman by if he ever got out he just greeted the postman like a member of the family.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Texas-Tennessee Coalition Chili Formula MXVII
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown, Note: Jack Moore was 85 years old]
A few weeks ago we went to College Station to see Jack Moore from Abilene, who was one of Robert's early sponsors in his high school years. Jack was partly responsible for forming Robert's lovely personality. He is such a good old boy.
We hadn't seen Jack in 30 years and he's getting on up there in years now -- eighty-five. It was a nice visit with him, his wife, Ann, daughter, June Ford, her daughter Janie and several of Jack's grandchildren. Becky was specially glad to meet one of the grandsons, Clay, who is a senior in high school. He took her on a tour of the A&M campus which really made a hit with Becky.
It was at that visit during a weak moment that Rob and Jerre agreed to enter the great chili cook-off which was coming up October 24th in Flatonia. Jerre cooks chili at home for the family and it is good but it is not the hot, spicy, greasy, vaporizing, lava melting, belly scorching brand that you usually find at chili cook-offs.
Never-the-less we entered and the week before the contest Jerre and Rob bought all the ingredients except the meat. Jack got that from old Mack Eplen's Butcher Shop in Abilene. It was Mack Eplen's super number one chili ground brisket. They wrote a song about Old Mack Eplen, "Mack the Knife." and Jack Moore is legendary like a Pecos Bill, but those are other stories.
Jerre and Bob worked with their formula all week and practiced with cooking procedures. They named the chili "Texas-Tennessee Coalition Chili Formula MXVII."
David, David, and Jennifer planned to go to the cook off, but had to cancel at the last minute because of a big real estate deal that David had pending on Saturday. Sylvia and 'Lish talked about going but Sylvia had to work.
Bright and early Saturday morning, like 5 AM, Jerre, Bob and Beck got loaded up with the pots, cooker, utensils, ingredients, chairs and table, and headed for Flatonia which is a little over 100 miles West of Houston. Houston is 140 miles SE of Austin, and Austin is 65 miles NW of Round Top.
Well, they rolled on out and stopped in Columbus at the City Cafe for breakfast. The City Cafe is one of the few places left where a family almost any size can eat breakfast and the bill is still under $10.00.
They arrived at the neat little town of Flatonia and found all the streets blocked to traffic and everything shut down for the "Czhilispiel." They located the registration tent and were assigned their cooking spot. It turned out that there were two hundred cooks and they were lined up all up and down Flatonia's Main Street.
After some maneuvering with the traffic patrolman we were able to park our car in the cooking spot and spread our stuff out beside it. Jack and Ann showed up at the same time we did and they parked down by the lumber yard. We set up our table and chairs and started a charcoal fire in the cooker. It was soon pretty obvious what amateurs we were because everyone else was cooking with kerosene cookers and we were the only ones using charcoal.
Also we were cooking too much chili. Most everyone was cooking only two or three gallons, and we had a ten gallon pot.
Becky was assigned as the official onion chopper and that plus the smoke from the charcoal fire made her cry. She attracted several young Kikkers who wanted to rescue her from her Cinderella job. Especially they wanted to be sure that she survived so she could be at the dance that night. They asked why she was crying, and she said because she didn't want to eat her Daddy's cooking -- it made her sick and that's why she is so skinny. They asked her why she didn't eat her Mother's cooking and she said her Mother was too busy to cook.
With our charcoal fire and ten gallon pot, we had trouble browning our meat, so we decided to cut our formula to about 3/4. We finally got it all worked out and Chili started simmering pretty good.
The beer drinking started immediately on arrival. Everybody went directly past "Go" to the beer keg and that operation continued all day long and went smoothly without a hitch.
Our booth was just across from the bandstand so we had a front row at the music. This is the same band stand where Willie Nelson started and from which many other famous musicians have played.
Beck and Clay and some of the small fry went off to the kiddy rides and the armadillo races. The older ones sat around and told stories.
Jack told about the time he was eating dinner with a farm family in West Texas. The mother put a dish of butter on the table into which she stirred some good old syrup. One of the kids stuck his knife in the bowl and licked it. Then he stuck it back in and threw it on the floor.
His old Paw back-handed him out of his chair and yelled: "How many times I told yew -- Don't throw yer knife on the floor without lickin' it!"
Then old Rob told about the time he was traveling up in East Texas for Stauffer Chemical. He was looking for a Mobil Gas Plant up around Bobo and Blair. It was a hot summer day and the way was dusty and sweaty and Rob was wishing he had a cold drink of water.
He saw an old farm house by the road with a well in the yard. He stopped. It was a run down unpainted house with a rusty tin roof and a junky yard. He had his doubts but went ahead up to the door and knocked. A woman came to the door who was the dirtiest woman he had ever seen. Her dress had dirt and stains from months of wear. Her hair was greasy and stringy -- dirty hands -- dirty feet.
"What 'cher want?"
"Well, I was er... uh... thinking ... ahem. Uh, could I have a drink of water from your well?"
The husband came up behind the woman and he was just as dirty as she was. Then four little kids showed up and they were dirtier than the parents. Not only dirty clothes but soiled diapers and snotty noses as well.
Then as Rob was drawing the water from the well the old Grand Paw came around the corner from the back yard. Now that old man was so dirty he made the others look almost clean. That man was old and never had washed in his whole life.
The water was up and the community dipper was hanging there so Rob had to go ahead and get a drink.
He took the dipper and looked at it -- dipped the water -- and started twisting the dipper around the way you do, trying to drink out of a spot where no one else drinks out of it. He had it twisted around almost 360 degrees until his hand and wrist were inverted and he was drinking next to the handle on the other side when he heard one of the kids say:
"Look Maw, he drinks just like Grand Paw does."
Jerre was promenading around checking all the action when a handsome young feller gave her a big hug and kiss because she looked so delectable. She was all a'flutter the rest of the day. The Kikkers and Stompers were really prowling that day.
While moseying around Robert ran into Leon Hale. Robert reads Leon's column in the Houston Post every morning and often cites him in his conversations. He introduced Leon to Jerre, Jack, Ann, Beck, June, and Clay and they were glad to meet the celebrated columnist. Leon was one of the judges in the Chili Cookoff.
Our booth consisted of a card table, chairs, cooker and pot -- but most others were decorated up with a theme -- Wild men from Borneo, Convicts from Huntsville, Devils Den, Long Rifles, Civil War Canoneers ,,,
Playful Pleasure Saloon gave out free shots of Tequilla and Nachos. They were very popular.
Swiss Chalet with shots and sox... they yodeled. Hawaiians with their portable grass shack.
The Hornydillas -- Queen Bee with her drones buzzing all over the place.
Mexican Hot -- shots and many, many more.
Little shops scattered around selling coffee, Cokes, hot chocolate, Kolaches, hot dogs, nachos, hamburgers ... etc.
The portable chemical heads were a top attraction. Long lines queued before them all day.
One lady was giving free squirts of Tequila out of an enema bottle. None of our crowd would take any. Finicky stomachs.
The weatherman participated beautifully. Crisp -- cool all day -- no rain -- no heat -- no cold -- just right.
After all the chili cooking, chili tasting, walking and talking and drinking and more chili tasting we were plenty tired by five o'clock when the winners were to be announced.
We waited expectantly but when they did not call out our number we felt sure some mistake had been made. But decided not to file a protest, and just let the judging stand.
We all packed it in and headed for our respective homes about six. Jerre, Rob, and Becky headed for Houston. They stopped at Frank's -- one of the world's great highway restaurants -- in Schulenburg for supper. They had some chili and chili dogs ... then on home.
Please pass the bicarb, Pappy.
end
A few weeks ago we went to College Station to see Jack Moore from Abilene, who was one of Robert's early sponsors in his high school years. Jack was partly responsible for forming Robert's lovely personality. He is such a good old boy.
We hadn't seen Jack in 30 years and he's getting on up there in years now -- eighty-five. It was a nice visit with him, his wife, Ann, daughter, June Ford, her daughter Janie and several of Jack's grandchildren. Becky was specially glad to meet one of the grandsons, Clay, who is a senior in high school. He took her on a tour of the A&M campus which really made a hit with Becky.
It was at that visit during a weak moment that Rob and Jerre agreed to enter the great chili cook-off which was coming up October 24th in Flatonia. Jerre cooks chili at home for the family and it is good but it is not the hot, spicy, greasy, vaporizing, lava melting, belly scorching brand that you usually find at chili cook-offs.
Never-the-less we entered and the week before the contest Jerre and Rob bought all the ingredients except the meat. Jack got that from old Mack Eplen's Butcher Shop in Abilene. It was Mack Eplen's super number one chili ground brisket. They wrote a song about Old Mack Eplen, "Mack the Knife." and Jack Moore is legendary like a Pecos Bill, but those are other stories.
Jerre and Bob worked with their formula all week and practiced with cooking procedures. They named the chili "Texas-Tennessee Coalition Chili Formula MXVII."
David, David, and Jennifer planned to go to the cook off, but had to cancel at the last minute because of a big real estate deal that David had pending on Saturday. Sylvia and 'Lish talked about going but Sylvia had to work.
Bright and early Saturday morning, like 5 AM, Jerre, Bob and Beck got loaded up with the pots, cooker, utensils, ingredients, chairs and table, and headed for Flatonia which is a little over 100 miles West of Houston. Houston is 140 miles SE of Austin, and Austin is 65 miles NW of Round Top.
Well, they rolled on out and stopped in Columbus at the City Cafe for breakfast. The City Cafe is one of the few places left where a family almost any size can eat breakfast and the bill is still under $10.00.
They arrived at the neat little town of Flatonia and found all the streets blocked to traffic and everything shut down for the "Czhilispiel." They located the registration tent and were assigned their cooking spot. It turned out that there were two hundred cooks and they were lined up all up and down Flatonia's Main Street.
After some maneuvering with the traffic patrolman we were able to park our car in the cooking spot and spread our stuff out beside it. Jack and Ann showed up at the same time we did and they parked down by the lumber yard. We set up our table and chairs and started a charcoal fire in the cooker. It was soon pretty obvious what amateurs we were because everyone else was cooking with kerosene cookers and we were the only ones using charcoal.
Also we were cooking too much chili. Most everyone was cooking only two or three gallons, and we had a ten gallon pot.
Becky was assigned as the official onion chopper and that plus the smoke from the charcoal fire made her cry. She attracted several young Kikkers who wanted to rescue her from her Cinderella job. Especially they wanted to be sure that she survived so she could be at the dance that night. They asked why she was crying, and she said because she didn't want to eat her Daddy's cooking -- it made her sick and that's why she is so skinny. They asked her why she didn't eat her Mother's cooking and she said her Mother was too busy to cook.
With our charcoal fire and ten gallon pot, we had trouble browning our meat, so we decided to cut our formula to about 3/4. We finally got it all worked out and Chili started simmering pretty good.
The beer drinking started immediately on arrival. Everybody went directly past "Go" to the beer keg and that operation continued all day long and went smoothly without a hitch.
Our booth was just across from the bandstand so we had a front row at the music. This is the same band stand where Willie Nelson started and from which many other famous musicians have played.
Beck and Clay and some of the small fry went off to the kiddy rides and the armadillo races. The older ones sat around and told stories.
Jack told about the time he was eating dinner with a farm family in West Texas. The mother put a dish of butter on the table into which she stirred some good old syrup. One of the kids stuck his knife in the bowl and licked it. Then he stuck it back in and threw it on the floor.
His old Paw back-handed him out of his chair and yelled: "How many times I told yew -- Don't throw yer knife on the floor without lickin' it!"
Then old Rob told about the time he was traveling up in East Texas for Stauffer Chemical. He was looking for a Mobil Gas Plant up around Bobo and Blair. It was a hot summer day and the way was dusty and sweaty and Rob was wishing he had a cold drink of water.
He saw an old farm house by the road with a well in the yard. He stopped. It was a run down unpainted house with a rusty tin roof and a junky yard. He had his doubts but went ahead up to the door and knocked. A woman came to the door who was the dirtiest woman he had ever seen. Her dress had dirt and stains from months of wear. Her hair was greasy and stringy -- dirty hands -- dirty feet.
"What 'cher want?"
"Well, I was er... uh... thinking ... ahem. Uh, could I have a drink of water from your well?"
The husband came up behind the woman and he was just as dirty as she was. Then four little kids showed up and they were dirtier than the parents. Not only dirty clothes but soiled diapers and snotty noses as well.
Then as Rob was drawing the water from the well the old Grand Paw came around the corner from the back yard. Now that old man was so dirty he made the others look almost clean. That man was old and never had washed in his whole life.
The water was up and the community dipper was hanging there so Rob had to go ahead and get a drink.
He took the dipper and looked at it -- dipped the water -- and started twisting the dipper around the way you do, trying to drink out of a spot where no one else drinks out of it. He had it twisted around almost 360 degrees until his hand and wrist were inverted and he was drinking next to the handle on the other side when he heard one of the kids say:
"Look Maw, he drinks just like Grand Paw does."
***
Jerre was promenading around checking all the action when a handsome young feller gave her a big hug and kiss because she looked so delectable. She was all a'flutter the rest of the day. The Kikkers and Stompers were really prowling that day.
While moseying around Robert ran into Leon Hale. Robert reads Leon's column in the Houston Post every morning and often cites him in his conversations. He introduced Leon to Jerre, Jack, Ann, Beck, June, and Clay and they were glad to meet the celebrated columnist. Leon was one of the judges in the Chili Cookoff.
Our booth consisted of a card table, chairs, cooker and pot -- but most others were decorated up with a theme -- Wild men from Borneo, Convicts from Huntsville, Devils Den, Long Rifles, Civil War Canoneers ,,,
Playful Pleasure Saloon gave out free shots of Tequilla and Nachos. They were very popular.
Swiss Chalet with shots and sox... they yodeled. Hawaiians with their portable grass shack.
The Hornydillas -- Queen Bee with her drones buzzing all over the place.
Mexican Hot -- shots and many, many more.
Little shops scattered around selling coffee, Cokes, hot chocolate, Kolaches, hot dogs, nachos, hamburgers ... etc.
The portable chemical heads were a top attraction. Long lines queued before them all day.
One lady was giving free squirts of Tequila out of an enema bottle. None of our crowd would take any. Finicky stomachs.
The weatherman participated beautifully. Crisp -- cool all day -- no rain -- no heat -- no cold -- just right.
After all the chili cooking, chili tasting, walking and talking and drinking and more chili tasting we were plenty tired by five o'clock when the winners were to be announced.
We waited expectantly but when they did not call out our number we felt sure some mistake had been made. But decided not to file a protest, and just let the judging stand.
We all packed it in and headed for our respective homes about six. Jerre, Rob, and Becky headed for Houston. They stopped at Frank's -- one of the world's great highway restaurants -- in Schulenburg for supper. They had some chili and chili dogs ... then on home.
Please pass the bicarb, Pappy.
end
Saturday, January 24, 2015
December 31, 1979, New Year's Eve
By Robert Darnell
Last night December 31, 1979, New Years Eve, Jerre and Bob went to the Bluebonnet Bowl Football game. A contest between the Purdue Boiler-Makers and the Tennessee Volunteers.
When they go to the game they were hungry because it started so early they were not ready to eat before leaving home. So they stopped at a snack stand and got a hamburger, a hot dog, some potato chips and two beers. A funny thing happened on the way to their seats.
They were carrying their chow in a paper tray and just as Bob was about to sit down a guy following him jostled the tray and he poured beer over the head and down the back of a Boiler-Maker in the row in front of him.
There were eight of the Boiler-Makers sitting in a row. The dad and mom, grandmother, and five children and in-laws. You could tell they were Boiler-Makers because they wore jackets and waved black and gold pom-poms.
The Boiler-Maker who got the beer poured on him was the Father. He turned and gave Bob a dirty look and mumbled something. Bob very bravely said, "It wasn't my fault, it was this guy over here who jostled my arm. He is also a Boiler-Maker." The old guy wiped the beer off with a Kleenex as best he could.
When the game was over the old guy turned to Bob and said, "Maybe next time you will keep the beer for drinking rather than spilling."
Bob said, "Just remember the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, on New Years Eve 1979, my cup runneth over and your head was anointed with beer.
And the Boiler-Makers won in a real good game, 27 -- 22.
Last night December 31, 1979, New Years Eve, Jerre and Bob went to the Bluebonnet Bowl Football game. A contest between the Purdue Boiler-Makers and the Tennessee Volunteers.
When they go to the game they were hungry because it started so early they were not ready to eat before leaving home. So they stopped at a snack stand and got a hamburger, a hot dog, some potato chips and two beers. A funny thing happened on the way to their seats.
They were carrying their chow in a paper tray and just as Bob was about to sit down a guy following him jostled the tray and he poured beer over the head and down the back of a Boiler-Maker in the row in front of him.
There were eight of the Boiler-Makers sitting in a row. The dad and mom, grandmother, and five children and in-laws. You could tell they were Boiler-Makers because they wore jackets and waved black and gold pom-poms.
The Boiler-Maker who got the beer poured on him was the Father. He turned and gave Bob a dirty look and mumbled something. Bob very bravely said, "It wasn't my fault, it was this guy over here who jostled my arm. He is also a Boiler-Maker." The old guy wiped the beer off with a Kleenex as best he could.
When the game was over the old guy turned to Bob and said, "Maybe next time you will keep the beer for drinking rather than spilling."
Bob said, "Just remember the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, on New Years Eve 1979, my cup runneth over and your head was anointed with beer.
And the Boiler-Makers won in a real good game, 27 -- 22.
Christmas Eve Letter to Old Mom
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown]
Thought you might like to hear about our Christmas Eve.
Our next door neighbor, Richard and Doris Malliet went to Louisiana for Christmas. They asked us to watch their house. They left their key with us, also their phone number in La.
When it got dark Christmas Eve we picked up Sylvia and Alicia and drove around for a couple of hours looking at decorations and lights.
Then at eleven o'clock we went to candlelight services at the Church. It was very pretty and impressive. Everybody enjoyed it very much and really got the old Christmas Spirit.
We got home about twelve-thirty and it was pretty nippy. As we drove up we noticed a white van in the Malliet's driveway which hadn't been there before and since they weren't home it looked pretty suspicious.
We called our block patrol captain and he said to call the police. While waiting for them we all sneaked around out in the yard trying to see if anyone was in the house.
Jerre called Doris Malliet in Louisiana to see if anyone should be over there with a white van, and she said, "No," and was mighty worried. But we told her we would take care of it and let her know what was going on.
Then we decided to go to the house on the other side of them and see if they knew about the van. Sure enough they had visitors and someone had parked the van there, knowing that the Malliet's were out of town.
So that cleared everything up and when the cops finally came everybody wished everybody a Merry Christmas and went home.
So that's all there is to it, Old Mom, Hunter, not much of a story but better than nothing.
Happy New Years.
Thought you might like to hear about our Christmas Eve.
Our next door neighbor, Richard and Doris Malliet went to Louisiana for Christmas. They asked us to watch their house. They left their key with us, also their phone number in La.
When it got dark Christmas Eve we picked up Sylvia and Alicia and drove around for a couple of hours looking at decorations and lights.
Then at eleven o'clock we went to candlelight services at the Church. It was very pretty and impressive. Everybody enjoyed it very much and really got the old Christmas Spirit.
We got home about twelve-thirty and it was pretty nippy. As we drove up we noticed a white van in the Malliet's driveway which hadn't been there before and since they weren't home it looked pretty suspicious.
We called our block patrol captain and he said to call the police. While waiting for them we all sneaked around out in the yard trying to see if anyone was in the house.
Jerre called Doris Malliet in Louisiana to see if anyone should be over there with a white van, and she said, "No," and was mighty worried. But we told her we would take care of it and let her know what was going on.
Then we decided to go to the house on the other side of them and see if they knew about the van. Sure enough they had visitors and someone had parked the van there, knowing that the Malliet's were out of town.
So that cleared everything up and when the cops finally came everybody wished everybody a Merry Christmas and went home.
So that's all there is to it, Old Mom, Hunter, not much of a story but better than nothing.
Happy New Years.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Trip to NASA
By Robert Darnell
We all come to each occasion different directions and the great variety offered by that fact is what makes life so downright interesting.
We here in Houston think of love, live with, communicate. With Hunter, Old Mom, Mrs Lloyd O, and our own special term -- behind her back, of course -- "The Old Bitch" from our own direction.
Any reference to or about Old Mom, that Grand Lady, is always with the highest respect and admiration. We have no lows or negatives regarding her.
What we have are fond memories of our time spent with her. Time which goes way, way back. Of course there are so many things to think about we could write volumes.
But one of the recent days that we spent together was this Spring. We all wanted to go out to NASA to tour the Space Museum and Rocket Park.
It was a raw, windy grayish day and when we parked we were happy that the museum was all inside and comfortable. But it didn't turn out that way because the exhibit encompassed many buildings spaced out over a least a mile.
Hunter wanted to see it all, so we plowed through those buildings and down those windy stretches like a group of Japanese tourists. Old Mom posed for a picture by a moon landing vehicle and she said: "Does that really go to the moon? I'd like to take a ride in that."
After we walked our legs off up to our knees we went down to Kemah to find some seafood. After checking around to find a place that suited our needs and tastes we found one sticking out over the water, up two flights of stairs. Bob was pulling, catching, helping Old Mom up the stairs and I tell you she was like a limp rag doll by the time they got to the top.
She said, "Whew, Bob, that was some climb. Let's get some of that fish and hot coffee."
That night when we got back home and cozy-ed down, Old Mom didn't have to take any sleeping pills. Nor did any of the others. Our tribute to her is that she is a true scout, a participant, a non-complainer, a good companion. We love her.
That's the direction that we come from in our tribute to Old Mom. We will be waiting expectantly until she comes next year and we can get on with it.
We all come to each occasion different directions and the great variety offered by that fact is what makes life so downright interesting.
We here in Houston think of love, live with, communicate. With Hunter, Old Mom, Mrs Lloyd O, and our own special term -- behind her back, of course -- "The Old Bitch" from our own direction.
Any reference to or about Old Mom, that Grand Lady, is always with the highest respect and admiration. We have no lows or negatives regarding her.
What we have are fond memories of our time spent with her. Time which goes way, way back. Of course there are so many things to think about we could write volumes.
But one of the recent days that we spent together was this Spring. We all wanted to go out to NASA to tour the Space Museum and Rocket Park.
It was a raw, windy grayish day and when we parked we were happy that the museum was all inside and comfortable. But it didn't turn out that way because the exhibit encompassed many buildings spaced out over a least a mile.
Hunter wanted to see it all, so we plowed through those buildings and down those windy stretches like a group of Japanese tourists. Old Mom posed for a picture by a moon landing vehicle and she said: "Does that really go to the moon? I'd like to take a ride in that."
After we walked our legs off up to our knees we went down to Kemah to find some seafood. After checking around to find a place that suited our needs and tastes we found one sticking out over the water, up two flights of stairs. Bob was pulling, catching, helping Old Mom up the stairs and I tell you she was like a limp rag doll by the time they got to the top.
She said, "Whew, Bob, that was some climb. Let's get some of that fish and hot coffee."
That night when we got back home and cozy-ed down, Old Mom didn't have to take any sleeping pills. Nor did any of the others. Our tribute to her is that she is a true scout, a participant, a non-complainer, a good companion. We love her.
That's the direction that we come from in our tribute to Old Mom. We will be waiting expectantly until she comes next year and we can get on with it.
Sick on 4TH of July
By Robert Darnell
Our plans were to get up real early on the fourth and go to New Braunfels. We were going to stop at Columbus for breakfast at the Main Street Cafe. Eggs, bacon, hot biscuits, coffee, and orange juice -- costs about $1.00 there and it's good.
At New Braunfels we were going to check in at Camp Warnecke and ride the rapids all day. After dinner at Krause's or the Pines Inn we would come on back to Houston that night.
But along about two o'clock Sunday night our plans were changed but we didn't know it at the time. Robert woke up -- he had been feeling out of sorts when he went to bed and then at two o'clock he was really getting sick. His stomach hurt, his head hurt, and he had to go to the bathroom.
Almost exactly the same time Becky woke up sick and vomiting. They both continued this for the rest of the night and Jerre was up all night taking care of them. Monday, Robert tried to go to work but couldn't make it, so stayed in bed all day. Becky did too, so they both just laid there flaked out in the sack. Some time late in the day they ate some jello and chicken noodle soup. Jerre continued to buzz around taking care of things and the doctor prescribed some pills which helped.
Along about sundown Jerre said "Whoops, I think I've got it." And got sick in the bathroom. She plopped in bed and all three slept through the night.
When they woke up on the 4TH Robert and Becky were over their sickness, but feeling weak. Jerre slept all day, until late in the afternoon at which time she felt better and ate some jello and drank some coffee.
Surprisingly now that the sickness is over we feel so rested and refreshed it's unbelievable. So obviously some good came of staying home and resting and relaxing.
Anyway in a short time we are going on up to New Braunfels and spend a weekend riding the rapids.
Our plans were to get up real early on the fourth and go to New Braunfels. We were going to stop at Columbus for breakfast at the Main Street Cafe. Eggs, bacon, hot biscuits, coffee, and orange juice -- costs about $1.00 there and it's good.
At New Braunfels we were going to check in at Camp Warnecke and ride the rapids all day. After dinner at Krause's or the Pines Inn we would come on back to Houston that night.
But along about two o'clock Sunday night our plans were changed but we didn't know it at the time. Robert woke up -- he had been feeling out of sorts when he went to bed and then at two o'clock he was really getting sick. His stomach hurt, his head hurt, and he had to go to the bathroom.
Almost exactly the same time Becky woke up sick and vomiting. They both continued this for the rest of the night and Jerre was up all night taking care of them. Monday, Robert tried to go to work but couldn't make it, so stayed in bed all day. Becky did too, so they both just laid there flaked out in the sack. Some time late in the day they ate some jello and chicken noodle soup. Jerre continued to buzz around taking care of things and the doctor prescribed some pills which helped.
Along about sundown Jerre said "Whoops, I think I've got it." And got sick in the bathroom. She plopped in bed and all three slept through the night.
When they woke up on the 4TH Robert and Becky were over their sickness, but feeling weak. Jerre slept all day, until late in the afternoon at which time she felt better and ate some jello and drank some coffee.
Surprisingly now that the sickness is over we feel so rested and refreshed it's unbelievable. So obviously some good came of staying home and resting and relaxing.
Anyway in a short time we are going on up to New Braunfels and spend a weekend riding the rapids.
New Year 1976
By Robert Darnell
Old Mom and Old Pop came in from the Ranch.
Pat working at Ernie Cole's.
Becky playing with Amy and Sara.
Jerre and I went to Shumway's New Years Eve Party. People we saw:
Lanier
Liz
Shumway
Fay
John Reed
Jean
Jackson
Artie Lee
Roy Bray
Tom Draper and wife
Harry Reed
Chester Reed and wife
Dick Skinner
Dana Roberts
David Cayan and wife
John Sowell
Rust Staub
Dick Collier and wife
Joe Evans and wife
Ron Marney
Chuck Reagan
Annette
John Sutly and wife
Bill Shepherd
Don Clark
Perry Penny and wife
Otis Cable and wife
Sam Jeffry and wife
Shirley Rowe
Bill
It was a good party -- good food -- drink -- we whooped it up at midnight. Danced a little -- not very good music.
Got home about 2 or 3 -- Pat came in about the time we did. He had been to Baker;s. Old P and M stayed up and watched Guy Lombardi that new comer on television.
New Years Day -- Pat went to Corpus Christi. Jan and David and David and Ron and Sylvia came over. (Hogs and Dogs). We watched:
Cotton Bowl Ark 31 -- Ga 10
Rose Bowl UCLA 16 -- Ohio St 10
Sugar Bowl Okla 14 -- Mich 3
Food -- Sm Turk -- Beef -- Venison -- Black-eyed Peas -- Cheese and cheese dip -- Onion dip -- etc.
Weather cloudy -- great day.
Charlie Madden and Claudia came over -- Took picture of family.
Jenny visited Becky and Becky spent night with Jenny.
end
Old Mom and Old Pop came in from the Ranch.
Pat working at Ernie Cole's.
Becky playing with Amy and Sara.
Jerre and I went to Shumway's New Years Eve Party. People we saw:
Lanier
Liz
Shumway
Fay
John Reed
Jean
Jackson
Artie Lee
Roy Bray
Tom Draper and wife
Harry Reed
Chester Reed and wife
Dick Skinner
Dana Roberts
David Cayan and wife
John Sowell
Rust Staub
Dick Collier and wife
Joe Evans and wife
Ron Marney
Chuck Reagan
Annette
John Sutly and wife
Bill Shepherd
Don Clark
Perry Penny and wife
Otis Cable and wife
Sam Jeffry and wife
Shirley Rowe
Bill
It was a good party -- good food -- drink -- we whooped it up at midnight. Danced a little -- not very good music.
Got home about 2 or 3 -- Pat came in about the time we did. He had been to Baker;s. Old P and M stayed up and watched Guy Lombardi that new comer on television.
New Years Day -- Pat went to Corpus Christi. Jan and David and David and Ron and Sylvia came over. (Hogs and Dogs). We watched:
Cotton Bowl Ark 31 -- Ga 10
Rose Bowl UCLA 16 -- Ohio St 10
Sugar Bowl Okla 14 -- Mich 3
Food -- Sm Turk -- Beef -- Venison -- Black-eyed Peas -- Cheese and cheese dip -- Onion dip -- etc.
Weather cloudy -- great day.
Charlie Madden and Claudia came over -- Took picture of family.
Jenny visited Becky and Becky spent night with Jenny.
end
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Rufus
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown]
Listen and I'll tell you a story about a little black dog, "Rufus."
Bob and Jerre went to Chicago to visit with their fine young son, Pat, his beautiful wife, Diana, and delightful grand-daughter, Samantha.
While they were gone Rufus stayed in a hotel: The Pampered Pet Inn. His room was a 5 x 8 concrete and wire fence run -- very light, airy, and clean. He took his own sleeping equipment, sheet, food and pedigree papers.
When he checked in he was scared to death. All that yapping, clatter and noise, he had never been in before. He flopped down on the floor thinking his world had come to an end.
After Bob left the noise slackened, and all the guests settled down to a quiet conversation.
"Where you from?" they asked Rufus.
"I'm from Country Place. It's a nice open place with small trees and bushes and lots of grass," Rufus replied.
"What do you do?"
"Mostly I just lay around in the garage and sleep. I get up and bark when Bob or Jerre come around to let them know I'm guarding things. I'd wander off on the golf course but I don't because they yell at me and threaten to kick me."
"Have they ever kicked you?!"
"No."
"Well, don't worry about it. If you want to wander off, go ahead. They won't do anything but yell, and people's yells are worse than their spanks."
"What do you eat?"
"I only eat once a day -- two patties. When they put it out I stretch it out and come up slowly. Only nibble at first."
"That's no way to do it. When they are doing the food you want to come running and jumping. Get up close and almost take it out of their hand. Even maybe get a bite of the hand every once in a while. That way you'll get more attention and extra food now and then. Boy, you sure have a lot to learn about being a dog."
"Sounds good to me. I really appreciate all the tips and I'm going to start doing it that way when I get home!"
"Another thing I like to do is root around for grub worms in the grass, but they won't let do that because I tear up the yard like an armadillo. They yell and act like they are going to spank me!"
"What do you do?"
"I walk away with my tail between my legs and look back over my shoulder very pitifully."
"Have they ever spanked you?"
"No."
"See, no harm will come just a little yelling. Go ahead and grub for the worms all you want to. The grass will grow back sometime."
"Another thing I like to do is bark at garbage men. I run up and down inside the fence and really bark. I hope I never do get out because if I got close to those garbage men they'd probably throw me in the truck."
"If you like to bark at garbage men why don't you bark at other people and things?"
"I hadn't thought about that, but as soon as I get back home I'm going to bark at everybody."
"Good for you."
"One thing that I really like to do is bark at the thunder. Every time we have a storm I run around the yard real crazy like and bark at the thunder. Bob and Jerre don't seem to mind if I do that. They stand around and watch and laugh. They say, 'He's getting a good bath out on that rain and I bet he'll sleep good tonight. Tomorrow morning he won't want to move.'"
"They're right. I do get sore and stiff chasing that thunder, but I'm hooked on it. I'm not going to stop."
When Rufus came home after four days in the company of those other dogs, he ran off constantly, gulped his food, barked at everything, dug up the yard every time his masters' backs were turned, and just reared up and laughed when they yelled at him.
In fact he's getting very arrogant and hard to live with. They are probably going to spank that little mutt.
end
Listen and I'll tell you a story about a little black dog, "Rufus."
Bob and Jerre went to Chicago to visit with their fine young son, Pat, his beautiful wife, Diana, and delightful grand-daughter, Samantha.
While they were gone Rufus stayed in a hotel: The Pampered Pet Inn. His room was a 5 x 8 concrete and wire fence run -- very light, airy, and clean. He took his own sleeping equipment, sheet, food and pedigree papers.
When he checked in he was scared to death. All that yapping, clatter and noise, he had never been in before. He flopped down on the floor thinking his world had come to an end.
After Bob left the noise slackened, and all the guests settled down to a quiet conversation.
"Where you from?" they asked Rufus.
"I'm from Country Place. It's a nice open place with small trees and bushes and lots of grass," Rufus replied.
"What do you do?"
"Mostly I just lay around in the garage and sleep. I get up and bark when Bob or Jerre come around to let them know I'm guarding things. I'd wander off on the golf course but I don't because they yell at me and threaten to kick me."
"Have they ever kicked you?!"
"No."
"Well, don't worry about it. If you want to wander off, go ahead. They won't do anything but yell, and people's yells are worse than their spanks."
"What do you eat?"
"I only eat once a day -- two patties. When they put it out I stretch it out and come up slowly. Only nibble at first."
"That's no way to do it. When they are doing the food you want to come running and jumping. Get up close and almost take it out of their hand. Even maybe get a bite of the hand every once in a while. That way you'll get more attention and extra food now and then. Boy, you sure have a lot to learn about being a dog."
"Sounds good to me. I really appreciate all the tips and I'm going to start doing it that way when I get home!"
"Another thing I like to do is root around for grub worms in the grass, but they won't let do that because I tear up the yard like an armadillo. They yell and act like they are going to spank me!"
"What do you do?"
"I walk away with my tail between my legs and look back over my shoulder very pitifully."
"Have they ever spanked you?"
"No."
"See, no harm will come just a little yelling. Go ahead and grub for the worms all you want to. The grass will grow back sometime."
"Another thing I like to do is bark at garbage men. I run up and down inside the fence and really bark. I hope I never do get out because if I got close to those garbage men they'd probably throw me in the truck."
"If you like to bark at garbage men why don't you bark at other people and things?"
"I hadn't thought about that, but as soon as I get back home I'm going to bark at everybody."
"Good for you."
"One thing that I really like to do is bark at the thunder. Every time we have a storm I run around the yard real crazy like and bark at the thunder. Bob and Jerre don't seem to mind if I do that. They stand around and watch and laugh. They say, 'He's getting a good bath out on that rain and I bet he'll sleep good tonight. Tomorrow morning he won't want to move.'"
"They're right. I do get sore and stiff chasing that thunder, but I'm hooked on it. I'm not going to stop."
When Rufus came home after four days in the company of those other dogs, he ran off constantly, gulped his food, barked at everything, dug up the yard every time his masters' backs were turned, and just reared up and laughed when they yelled at him.
In fact he's getting very arrogant and hard to live with. They are probably going to spank that little mutt.
end
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Letter from Nassau
Nassau Beach Hotel, Nassau, Bahamas
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown, written on Nassau Beach Hotel letterhead from Hotel's 20th anniversary 1959--1979]
We decided to go back to Nassau. Jerre and I remembered our trip there 10 years ago with Clemensons, Harveys, Novells [sp]... and stayed at the neat little Emerald Beach Hotel. Big wide uncrowded beach. Powdery white sand and azure water. We made out plans for an eight day trip. Got away from Houston on Tuesday morning. The flight was uneventful. Changed planes in Miami and then got to Nassau about 3:30.
Rented a Volkswagen and went to the Hotel. It had changed so much we didn't recognize it. Found out that the old one had burned and they had only rebuilt one wing. Their schedule was off and they didn't have a room for us so sent us to the Ambassador.
We stayed there one night but didn't like the room, so next morning moved to Nassau Beach Hotel.
Jerre and Becky spent more time on the beach than the sand crabs.
First night we ate downtown at an old native restaurant. Rum swiggles and grand food.
As usual, eating is a big problem. We eat a big breakfast at one of the hotels -- not much lunch and then try to pick a good place at night. Most of them are too high and too much food.
Took a trip around the island in our VW. Looked at beaches, condos, and caves. Saw one small native village. Talked to some boys, went in a restaurant and took some pictures. It was a nice day for driving because it rained a lot and was nice and cool.
You drive on the left side of the road here and it took 5 or 10 minutes to get used to it. Will he forget to drive on the right when he gets home?
Stopped at the rum brewery and had a free one. Took more pictures. Saw some old caves where the early ones lived. More pictures.
Ate lunch at the Cafe de la Mer. It was neat until they shut the curtains because of rain. Made it hot. Ate some conch chowder which is what we eat most of. They had hot bread and butter which made the whole thing worthwhile.
Jerre and Beck keep hitting the beach and old crabby Rob drifts down every once in a while. They are brown as nuts and he uses sun screen so he is as brown as a clear sheet.
We hit the Paradise Island Casino one night but only walked around and played the slot machines. The cheapest chips they had to Black Jack and other games was $5, so we couldn't afford it.
They also have a small Casino in the Ambassador where we stayed the first night.
This left-hand side of the road driving is interesting to say the least. Jerre is always saying "Oooooh, look out," and Becky says "Oh shut up," and Rob says, "Two heads are better than one. Whoops -- that was close!"
Then there was the morning we went down town. Jerre and Beck went shopping on Bay Street. Rob walked all over town. He went to the government house, the water tower, a fort, a church, the Queen's Staircase. Met them at Avita's for a cool one. It was coffee but they were so hot the coffee tasted cool. Jerre and Beck had been to the old Nassau Straw Market and they wanted Rob to go back and take pictures, which we did. Horse-drawn surreys, shops, natives, and long boats. What a mob.
Becky bought a visor and the little sales guy was about half as tall as she is. He would reach up and put one on her, No -- too big -- here try this one -- looks good -- or, maybe you like this one better. Here, that's a good one. I'll take it. Beck to the beach again. What a basking.
The water is unbelievably clear. You can see bottom at 20 feet like it was drinking water. We snorkeled some but Rob's snorkel was too little, so didn't do much.
Made a trip to the Botanic Gardens and some more gardens. Beautiful flora and fauna -- more pictures -- another feast. Pictures!
Nearly every morning we eat a buffet breakfast. Fruit, rolls, bacon, ham, sausage, eggs, pancakes, juice, coffee.
On the trip Jerre is reading "Random Winds," Rob's reading "Kane and Abel," Becky is reading four books.
We all went out in the bay to Para-sail. Rob and Becky para-sailed and Jerre took pictures. Becky went first and she took off like a feather and when she came back in she landed like a butterfly.
When Rob took off he took off like a rock, and they dipped him in the water for about thirty seconds. Then as he went up he was spewing seawater out of his mouth like a faucet. When he landed he came in like a hippopotamus, and they landed him in the water off the platform.
We all three took a sail boat ride -- cruised around in the coral sea and landed on a small "isle."
A convention group was having a buffet and show one night down in the garden under our balcony. We ate room service and listened the native bongo's most of the night.
Most of the people are from Germany, England, France. Met some from Miami, Canada, and Pennsylvania.
One night we went to a Polynesian restaurant and had Chinese food. The atmosphere was great. They had thunder and lightning which made Jerre say, "Ooh" -- Beck would say "Oh, shut up," And Rob would say, "Two heads are better than one" -- Whoops, that doesn't go here.
end
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown, written on Nassau Beach Hotel letterhead from Hotel's 20th anniversary 1959--1979]
We decided to go back to Nassau. Jerre and I remembered our trip there 10 years ago with Clemensons, Harveys, Novells [sp]... and stayed at the neat little Emerald Beach Hotel. Big wide uncrowded beach. Powdery white sand and azure water. We made out plans for an eight day trip. Got away from Houston on Tuesday morning. The flight was uneventful. Changed planes in Miami and then got to Nassau about 3:30.
Rented a Volkswagen and went to the Hotel. It had changed so much we didn't recognize it. Found out that the old one had burned and they had only rebuilt one wing. Their schedule was off and they didn't have a room for us so sent us to the Ambassador.
We stayed there one night but didn't like the room, so next morning moved to Nassau Beach Hotel.
Jerre and Becky spent more time on the beach than the sand crabs.
First night we ate downtown at an old native restaurant. Rum swiggles and grand food.
As usual, eating is a big problem. We eat a big breakfast at one of the hotels -- not much lunch and then try to pick a good place at night. Most of them are too high and too much food.
Took a trip around the island in our VW. Looked at beaches, condos, and caves. Saw one small native village. Talked to some boys, went in a restaurant and took some pictures. It was a nice day for driving because it rained a lot and was nice and cool.
You drive on the left side of the road here and it took 5 or 10 minutes to get used to it. Will he forget to drive on the right when he gets home?
Stopped at the rum brewery and had a free one. Took more pictures. Saw some old caves where the early ones lived. More pictures.
Ate lunch at the Cafe de la Mer. It was neat until they shut the curtains because of rain. Made it hot. Ate some conch chowder which is what we eat most of. They had hot bread and butter which made the whole thing worthwhile.
Jerre and Beck keep hitting the beach and old crabby Rob drifts down every once in a while. They are brown as nuts and he uses sun screen so he is as brown as a clear sheet.
We hit the Paradise Island Casino one night but only walked around and played the slot machines. The cheapest chips they had to Black Jack and other games was $5, so we couldn't afford it.
They also have a small Casino in the Ambassador where we stayed the first night.
This left-hand side of the road driving is interesting to say the least. Jerre is always saying "Oooooh, look out," and Becky says "Oh shut up," and Rob says, "Two heads are better than one. Whoops -- that was close!"
Then there was the morning we went down town. Jerre and Beck went shopping on Bay Street. Rob walked all over town. He went to the government house, the water tower, a fort, a church, the Queen's Staircase. Met them at Avita's for a cool one. It was coffee but they were so hot the coffee tasted cool. Jerre and Beck had been to the old Nassau Straw Market and they wanted Rob to go back and take pictures, which we did. Horse-drawn surreys, shops, natives, and long boats. What a mob.
Becky bought a visor and the little sales guy was about half as tall as she is. He would reach up and put one on her, No -- too big -- here try this one -- looks good -- or, maybe you like this one better. Here, that's a good one. I'll take it. Beck to the beach again. What a basking.
The water is unbelievably clear. You can see bottom at 20 feet like it was drinking water. We snorkeled some but Rob's snorkel was too little, so didn't do much.
Made a trip to the Botanic Gardens and some more gardens. Beautiful flora and fauna -- more pictures -- another feast. Pictures!
Nearly every morning we eat a buffet breakfast. Fruit, rolls, bacon, ham, sausage, eggs, pancakes, juice, coffee.
On the trip Jerre is reading "Random Winds," Rob's reading "Kane and Abel," Becky is reading four books.
We all went out in the bay to Para-sail. Rob and Becky para-sailed and Jerre took pictures. Becky went first and she took off like a feather and when she came back in she landed like a butterfly.
When Rob took off he took off like a rock, and they dipped him in the water for about thirty seconds. Then as he went up he was spewing seawater out of his mouth like a faucet. When he landed he came in like a hippopotamus, and they landed him in the water off the platform.
We all three took a sail boat ride -- cruised around in the coral sea and landed on a small "isle."
A convention group was having a buffet and show one night down in the garden under our balcony. We ate room service and listened the native bongo's most of the night.
Most of the people are from Germany, England, France. Met some from Miami, Canada, and Pennsylvania.
One night we went to a Polynesian restaurant and had Chinese food. The atmosphere was great. They had thunder and lightning which made Jerre say, "Ooh" -- Beck would say "Oh, shut up," And Rob would say, "Two heads are better than one" -- Whoops, that doesn't go here.
end
Poem by Dad
By Robert [Date unknown]
It is two o'clock in the morning
There is no one in the house awake but me
... So please just set 'em up Dad
... And we'll all be so glad
We should be back asleep by three.
It is two o'clock in the morning
There is no one in the house awake but me
... So please just set 'em up Dad
... And we'll all be so glad
We should be back asleep by three.
Letter from Maui
Hotel Inter-Continental, Maui, PO Box 779, Maui, Hawaii, 96753
By Robert Darnell [Date Unknown]
Aloha there from the Makani Koffee Shop on Maui. We just imbibed our first cup of java since breakfast and that's a long time for two old coffee heads like me and Jerre.
All we did today was get up at seven -- Houston which is two here. Walked over the grounds and beaches till six here, when the coffee shop opened. We hit the beach about nine, sunned, swam, and jogged down to the lava point at the other end.
The NBA is having a convention at the hotel, and, we never saw so many tall people in our lives. Becky only comes to their knee-caps. They are having a luau out on the lawn tonight and Jerre is going out there and steal some pork and poi.
After we left the beach this morning Becky and Robert played tennis for a little while over at the tennis club. It was hot and pooped us out pretty quick. Becky is improving as a player.
Our United plane landed at Honolulu Thursday night and we had to change to Hawaiian Airlines for the hop over to Maui. At first we got bumped and they left us standing with our bags out in the lobby. We screamed and yelled real loud, so they came back and told us if we sprint one-half mile in five minutes we could catch the plane. We made the sprint okay, but when Robert went through the concealed weapons check-point the alarm sounded, so he had to go through again after emptying his pockets. The alarm went off again, so they made him take off his belt. The plane was beginning to move, and he was running as best he could with his pants down around his ankles.
Becky and Jerre were sprinting out the gate with the cosmetic kit, two purses, two tennis rackets, books and magazines, and papers waving in the wind. They all finally grabbed onto the steps just as they were moving away and, with a last mad dash, got in the plane.
There were just three seats left scattered throughout the plane and they plopped in them completely out of breath. As soon as Robert could breath again and get his pants back up with the belt on, he started checking all their loose stuff. He yelled back at Jerre if she had the camera and she said "No."
He started cursing and yelling, "Stop the damn plane."
We left our camera back at the check point and that camera has more sentimental value than this whole plane.
It took the pilot, tour guide, and two stewards males to quieten him and they told him that would get the camera and bring it over to Maui the next morning. He quieted down.
When we got to the hotel which is really beautiful, fine, plush, neat, and cool, the baggage did not arrive. This got Jerre upset because her hair rollers were in a suitcase and she damn well is not going to do without those rollers. However, the baggage did come on in shortly, so everything was okay then.
Friday we rented a neat Jeep and went to Lahaina Whaling Village. It is a fine old town with shops and restaurants and art galleries. We saw the biggest tree we've ever seen -- a Banyan tree about the size of a city block.
They have an old whaling boat museum, and a mission built about 1790. Then we drove up in the mountains where it is very green and cool with water falls.
We at lunch at a very quaint restaurant sticking out over the beach with sail boats anchored all around.
It's now midnight Saturday night -- Houston -- and all our legs are so tired we walk stiff. We are going to eat at the Tennis Club and tomorrow morning hop over to Waikiki.
end
By Robert Darnell [Date Unknown]
Aloha there from the Makani Koffee Shop on Maui. We just imbibed our first cup of java since breakfast and that's a long time for two old coffee heads like me and Jerre.
All we did today was get up at seven -- Houston which is two here. Walked over the grounds and beaches till six here, when the coffee shop opened. We hit the beach about nine, sunned, swam, and jogged down to the lava point at the other end.
The NBA is having a convention at the hotel, and, we never saw so many tall people in our lives. Becky only comes to their knee-caps. They are having a luau out on the lawn tonight and Jerre is going out there and steal some pork and poi.
After we left the beach this morning Becky and Robert played tennis for a little while over at the tennis club. It was hot and pooped us out pretty quick. Becky is improving as a player.
Our United plane landed at Honolulu Thursday night and we had to change to Hawaiian Airlines for the hop over to Maui. At first we got bumped and they left us standing with our bags out in the lobby. We screamed and yelled real loud, so they came back and told us if we sprint one-half mile in five minutes we could catch the plane. We made the sprint okay, but when Robert went through the concealed weapons check-point the alarm sounded, so he had to go through again after emptying his pockets. The alarm went off again, so they made him take off his belt. The plane was beginning to move, and he was running as best he could with his pants down around his ankles.
Becky and Jerre were sprinting out the gate with the cosmetic kit, two purses, two tennis rackets, books and magazines, and papers waving in the wind. They all finally grabbed onto the steps just as they were moving away and, with a last mad dash, got in the plane.
There were just three seats left scattered throughout the plane and they plopped in them completely out of breath. As soon as Robert could breath again and get his pants back up with the belt on, he started checking all their loose stuff. He yelled back at Jerre if she had the camera and she said "No."
He started cursing and yelling, "Stop the damn plane."
We left our camera back at the check point and that camera has more sentimental value than this whole plane.
It took the pilot, tour guide, and two stewards males to quieten him and they told him that would get the camera and bring it over to Maui the next morning. He quieted down.
When we got to the hotel which is really beautiful, fine, plush, neat, and cool, the baggage did not arrive. This got Jerre upset because her hair rollers were in a suitcase and she damn well is not going to do without those rollers. However, the baggage did come on in shortly, so everything was okay then.
Friday we rented a neat Jeep and went to Lahaina Whaling Village. It is a fine old town with shops and restaurants and art galleries. We saw the biggest tree we've ever seen -- a Banyan tree about the size of a city block.
They have an old whaling boat museum, and a mission built about 1790. Then we drove up in the mountains where it is very green and cool with water falls.
We at lunch at a very quaint restaurant sticking out over the beach with sail boats anchored all around.
It's now midnight Saturday night -- Houston -- and all our legs are so tired we walk stiff. We are going to eat at the Tennis Club and tomorrow morning hop over to Waikiki.
end
Letter from Santa
R D Darnell's ... by Robert Darnell [Date unknown]
Your house was really very quiet tonight. Only two real snores and one embryonic snore. And a little breathing from the back yard. It's not like it used to be. Not even like last year when the house was full of snores.
I got on down the chimbly. Your chimbly is easy -- nice and clean and smooth -- and left a few things for what's left of you.
Had a glass of nog. I like your nog because you use that good stuff -- Crown Royal. I didn't find any cocoanut cake this year. I guess the little folks were the only ones who thought of that. Rufus came sniffing around but he didn't bark or bother me. I guess he now knows that I'm coming on Christmas and he doesn't get excited about it. The only one that used to bite me every time was that punk "Baby."
I really have been busy tonight. There's a lot more people that there used to be and a lot of them out of work. They sure need old Santie's help this year.
I noticed you all went down to Grace Pres to a candle-light service in honor of the one we are all working for. I peeked in on it and it sure was a cheerful celebration. That singing was really good and I thought old Rob was the best one there.
Jerre stayed up so late wrapping that I almost had to pass you by, but she went to bed just in time. I thought that when the Darnell family split up and spread out into three other domiciles she wouldn't have as much to do but it seems like she has more.
I caught all three of the other domiciles and they were all a big load for me. That's the way it is. Where there once was one there is now four. It really keeps me busy with all this expansion. Oh well, it's better to wear out that to rust out. Becky's domicile will soon make it five.
Like the man said: "...Let's all remember to stop and smell the roses."
Ho ho ho -- a Merry Christmas to all,
Old Santa
end
Your house was really very quiet tonight. Only two real snores and one embryonic snore. And a little breathing from the back yard. It's not like it used to be. Not even like last year when the house was full of snores.
I got on down the chimbly. Your chimbly is easy -- nice and clean and smooth -- and left a few things for what's left of you.
Had a glass of nog. I like your nog because you use that good stuff -- Crown Royal. I didn't find any cocoanut cake this year. I guess the little folks were the only ones who thought of that. Rufus came sniffing around but he didn't bark or bother me. I guess he now knows that I'm coming on Christmas and he doesn't get excited about it. The only one that used to bite me every time was that punk "Baby."
I really have been busy tonight. There's a lot more people that there used to be and a lot of them out of work. They sure need old Santie's help this year.
I noticed you all went down to Grace Pres to a candle-light service in honor of the one we are all working for. I peeked in on it and it sure was a cheerful celebration. That singing was really good and I thought old Rob was the best one there.
Jerre stayed up so late wrapping that I almost had to pass you by, but she went to bed just in time. I thought that when the Darnell family split up and spread out into three other domiciles she wouldn't have as much to do but it seems like she has more.
I caught all three of the other domiciles and they were all a big load for me. That's the way it is. Where there once was one there is now four. It really keeps me busy with all this expansion. Oh well, it's better to wear out that to rust out. Becky's domicile will soon make it five.
Like the man said: "...Let's all remember to stop and smell the roses."
Ho ho ho -- a Merry Christmas to all,
Old Santa
end
Good Article :: "Getting Grief Right - NYTimes.com"
Getting Grief Right - NYTimes.com: "To be sure, some people who come to see me exhibit serious, diagnosable symptoms that require treatment. Many, however, seek help only because they and the people around them believe that time is up on their grief. The truth is that grief is as unique as a fingerprint, conforms to no timetable or societal expectation."
'via Blog this'
_______________________Reference
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/10/getting-grief-right/?_r=0
'via Blog this'
_______________________Reference
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/10/getting-grief-right/?_r=0
Friday, January 16, 2015
The Houston Open
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown: when Becky was thirteen]
I'm rather an old fellow and never collected an autograph in my life.
Last year I went out to the Houston Open on Friday and that night was telling my wife and 13 year old daughter about all the famous golfers I had watched that day.
Becky, my daughter, asked why I didn't get her some autographs. I said "Becky, you don't collect autographs." She replied, "Well, I'd start if you had got me some."
On Sunday I went back to the Open with Jerre, my wife. While we were standing around the 18th hole watching all the great pros come in I thought I might as well try for a few autographs.
I had a program and borrowed a pen. The first one that came plowing through was Lee Trevino. Me an old grand-dad, and a bunch of little kids were all holding out our pens. Trevino went storming on by muttering to himself, but no signatures.
The next one I tried was Arnie Palmer. They said he was over by the clubhouse. When I got there he was in the locker room, I started in but the door keeper said, "Whoa, man, where you goin?'"
I said "I was going to get Palmer's autograph."
He said "Hey, you can't do that ... dummy...."
The next one I noticed was JC Snead. He was carrying a load of equipment in both arms with some small packages of golf balls on top. One package of balls fell off so I picked it up with a smile and gave it to him and asked for his autograph. "Naw, I can't do that," he said, "I'm loaded and in a hurry." So I replaced the package of balls and went off.
I though, "Crud, it's not so easy to get these things."
I saw an old guy standing there whom I recognized. He was mopping his brow and saying, "I'm going to get me a tall cool one." I asked for his autograph and he said, "Sure," and signed my program. "Gee, thanks." I'd gotten one.
When I got home I showed my program to Becky and said, "See, I got you an autograph."
She asked, "Who's that?"
And i told her, Julios Boros."
"Who's he?" she asked.
Oh, well.
end
I'm rather an old fellow and never collected an autograph in my life.
Last year I went out to the Houston Open on Friday and that night was telling my wife and 13 year old daughter about all the famous golfers I had watched that day.
Becky, my daughter, asked why I didn't get her some autographs. I said "Becky, you don't collect autographs." She replied, "Well, I'd start if you had got me some."
On Sunday I went back to the Open with Jerre, my wife. While we were standing around the 18th hole watching all the great pros come in I thought I might as well try for a few autographs.
I had a program and borrowed a pen. The first one that came plowing through was Lee Trevino. Me an old grand-dad, and a bunch of little kids were all holding out our pens. Trevino went storming on by muttering to himself, but no signatures.
The next one I tried was Arnie Palmer. They said he was over by the clubhouse. When I got there he was in the locker room, I started in but the door keeper said, "Whoa, man, where you goin?'"
I said "I was going to get Palmer's autograph."
He said "Hey, you can't do that ... dummy...."
The next one I noticed was JC Snead. He was carrying a load of equipment in both arms with some small packages of golf balls on top. One package of balls fell off so I picked it up with a smile and gave it to him and asked for his autograph. "Naw, I can't do that," he said, "I'm loaded and in a hurry." So I replaced the package of balls and went off.
I though, "Crud, it's not so easy to get these things."
I saw an old guy standing there whom I recognized. He was mopping his brow and saying, "I'm going to get me a tall cool one." I asked for his autograph and he said, "Sure," and signed my program. "Gee, thanks." I'd gotten one.
When I got home I showed my program to Becky and said, "See, I got you an autograph."
She asked, "Who's that?"
And i told her, Julios Boros."
"Who's he?" she asked.
Oh, well.
end
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Jerre Mailed some Snacks to Becky
By Robert Darnell [Date unknown]
It was ten o'clock in the morning and just as Jerre was going out the door for a workout, the postman came.
He had a letter from Becky up at Camp Arnold and Becky said that the food was terrible and that she was hungry. Not really, but she wasn't eating much. Jerre thought, "Oh my, I really ought to send her something to nibble on even though it's against the camp rules." She decided to go down to Jumbo's and get some snacks to mail.
At Jumbo's she got some Pringles and squirt can of cheese. They were things that she thought could be mailed to camp without being noticed. She brought the stuff home to wrap it for mailing.
She called the Post office then to get the requirements for wrapping food for mailing. They told her it had to be sealed with stick 'em on tight -- no break 'em tape which she did not have any of. Scotch tape would not do.
She went ahead and wrapped the package intending to go after the tape a little later.
Then she decided to make some blonde brownies to mail the next day. After she made the brownies with subsequent mess, she started to clean up. She opened a package of new rubber gloves to use while cleaning up, but found that they were both for left hands.
Jerre wouldn't clean up without the gloves and wouldn't leave the mess so she had to run down and exchange the gloves.
She finally got the mess cleaned up and the package wrapped so she piled everything on the table including her purse while she changed clothes to go back to the store for the stick 'em on tight -- no break 'em tape, and then to the post office to mail the package.
Then for some reason all the stuff she piled on the table fell off onto the floor. This sort of rattled her so she took everything out to the car and locked the house doors, but she left all her keys on the table. She was locked out -- no car keys, no house keys.
One of her bedroom windows was unlocked so she got a yard chair to stand on, to crawl in the window.Then she realized that she needed a screw driver to get the screen off so she went to the garage for one. Just as she came out of the garage a cloud burst opened up and absolutely buckets of water dumped on her before she could get out of it.
The rain only lasted for a few minutes so she got the screen off and the window open. As she went through the small window head first she realized why women are referred to as broads.
Anyway, she got the keys and on out to the car and back to Jumbo's for the tape. She looked for fifteen minutes but couldn't find the tape so asked for some help. The girl said "Sure. I know where it is." But after they looked for another fifteen minutes she finally concluded that they didn't carry stick 'em on tight -- no break 'em tape except around Christmas time.
Jerre left Jumbo's just about in tears and beginning to think there was just about no way that she could get the Pringles and squirt cheese mailed to Becky that day.
However, as she was leaving the store someone said that, "... Maybe the drug store down on the corner had some of the tape..." So she went on down there. Glory be, oh happy day, they had some. She ran into Dr Webber in the drug store and had a cheerful chat with him, so began to feel better.
She got the tape and went out to the car to finish the wrapping. So there the package was all legally wrapped and ready for mailing. As she was driving out of the parking lot onto Westheimer Road, she noticed that traffic was piled up in all lanes as far as she could see.
"My goodness, is this the five o'clock traffic? I started out at ten this morning to mail Becky a package and here is it five!"
Luckily the traffic was courteous and let her work her way out into the left-turn-lane so she could get on down to the Post office. She got it mailed and on back home about five forty-five.
She got out of the car and into the kitchen and laid her purse down and was taking a deep breath. The front door banged open and Robert barged in: "What's for dinner?!"
end
It was ten o'clock in the morning and just as Jerre was going out the door for a workout, the postman came.
He had a letter from Becky up at Camp Arnold and Becky said that the food was terrible and that she was hungry. Not really, but she wasn't eating much. Jerre thought, "Oh my, I really ought to send her something to nibble on even though it's against the camp rules." She decided to go down to Jumbo's and get some snacks to mail.
At Jumbo's she got some Pringles and squirt can of cheese. They were things that she thought could be mailed to camp without being noticed. She brought the stuff home to wrap it for mailing.
She called the Post office then to get the requirements for wrapping food for mailing. They told her it had to be sealed with stick 'em on tight -- no break 'em tape which she did not have any of. Scotch tape would not do.
She went ahead and wrapped the package intending to go after the tape a little later.
Then she decided to make some blonde brownies to mail the next day. After she made the brownies with subsequent mess, she started to clean up. She opened a package of new rubber gloves to use while cleaning up, but found that they were both for left hands.
Jerre wouldn't clean up without the gloves and wouldn't leave the mess so she had to run down and exchange the gloves.
She finally got the mess cleaned up and the package wrapped so she piled everything on the table including her purse while she changed clothes to go back to the store for the stick 'em on tight -- no break 'em tape, and then to the post office to mail the package.
Then for some reason all the stuff she piled on the table fell off onto the floor. This sort of rattled her so she took everything out to the car and locked the house doors, but she left all her keys on the table. She was locked out -- no car keys, no house keys.
One of her bedroom windows was unlocked so she got a yard chair to stand on, to crawl in the window.Then she realized that she needed a screw driver to get the screen off so she went to the garage for one. Just as she came out of the garage a cloud burst opened up and absolutely buckets of water dumped on her before she could get out of it.
The rain only lasted for a few minutes so she got the screen off and the window open. As she went through the small window head first she realized why women are referred to as broads.
Anyway, she got the keys and on out to the car and back to Jumbo's for the tape. She looked for fifteen minutes but couldn't find the tape so asked for some help. The girl said "Sure. I know where it is." But after they looked for another fifteen minutes she finally concluded that they didn't carry stick 'em on tight -- no break 'em tape except around Christmas time.
Jerre left Jumbo's just about in tears and beginning to think there was just about no way that she could get the Pringles and squirt cheese mailed to Becky that day.
However, as she was leaving the store someone said that, "... Maybe the drug store down on the corner had some of the tape..." So she went on down there. Glory be, oh happy day, they had some. She ran into Dr Webber in the drug store and had a cheerful chat with him, so began to feel better.
She got the tape and went out to the car to finish the wrapping. So there the package was all legally wrapped and ready for mailing. As she was driving out of the parking lot onto Westheimer Road, she noticed that traffic was piled up in all lanes as far as she could see.
"My goodness, is this the five o'clock traffic? I started out at ten this morning to mail Becky a package and here is it five!"
Luckily the traffic was courteous and let her work her way out into the left-turn-lane so she could get on down to the Post office. She got it mailed and on back home about five forty-five.
She got out of the car and into the kitchen and laid her purse down and was taking a deep breath. The front door banged open and Robert barged in: "What's for dinner?!"
end
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Numero Uno
by Robert Darnell [Date: 3/7/87]
My name is Myrl and my brother's name is Myrl. We grew up on a beautiful mountain over looking the sparkling Caribbean.
We grew and developed and basked in the glory and accomplishments of our older brother, Larry. It was he who became Numero Uno first. We followed his adventures and travels to the great U.S. and to Chicago, on to Texas, Houston, and finally, Country Place.
After hearing of his experiences all us young brown blooded tobacco leaves could only dream of following in his footsteps. We stretched and we grew and we developed. Then the day came and we were picked. And sure enough justo like Larry we were made into Numero Uno's. Numero Uno, wow, just like Larry and every body congratulated us.
Next we were shipped and thanks to the God of Tobacco Plants, it must have been Larry's influence because we were shipped to our kind of town, Chicago, U.S.A.
The owner of the fabulous tobacco store to which we had been assigned took one look at us and thought to himself "Those two, Myrl and Myrl, would surely like to go to the same place that Larry went to. The deserve it and the people there deserve them.
Zoom, were on an airplane and zoom, zoom, we were at Country Place in Texas, the ultimate destination.
Here we are today on a table looking out on the golf course and there is the tribute to Larry -- his box on a place of honor in the humidor. And there we will join him as soon as we have finished our final act and wafted the flavor of a Numero Uno into the winds of Country Place.
Reply [3/87] :
Mr. Darnell,
It is rare indeed when a customer is so inspired by one of our products as you were, or rather, I'd prefer to think that many are so inspired, but we just rarely hear about it!
Thanks to your son, I have taken the liberty of rewarding your efforts.
Dennis DiPiazza, Manager.
end
My name is Myrl and my brother's name is Myrl. We grew up on a beautiful mountain over looking the sparkling Caribbean.
We grew and developed and basked in the glory and accomplishments of our older brother, Larry. It was he who became Numero Uno first. We followed his adventures and travels to the great U.S. and to Chicago, on to Texas, Houston, and finally, Country Place.
After hearing of his experiences all us young brown blooded tobacco leaves could only dream of following in his footsteps. We stretched and we grew and we developed. Then the day came and we were picked. And sure enough justo like Larry we were made into Numero Uno's. Numero Uno, wow, just like Larry and every body congratulated us.
Next we were shipped and thanks to the God of Tobacco Plants, it must have been Larry's influence because we were shipped to our kind of town, Chicago, U.S.A.
The owner of the fabulous tobacco store to which we had been assigned took one look at us and thought to himself "Those two, Myrl and Myrl, would surely like to go to the same place that Larry went to. The deserve it and the people there deserve them.
Zoom, were on an airplane and zoom, zoom, we were at Country Place in Texas, the ultimate destination.
Here we are today on a table looking out on the golf course and there is the tribute to Larry -- his box on a place of honor in the humidor. And there we will join him as soon as we have finished our final act and wafted the flavor of a Numero Uno into the winds of Country Place.
***
Reply [3/87] :
Mr. Darnell,
It is rare indeed when a customer is so inspired by one of our products as you were, or rather, I'd prefer to think that many are so inspired, but we just rarely hear about it!
Thanks to your son, I have taken the liberty of rewarding your efforts.
Dennis DiPiazza, Manager.
end
Syncopation, in Sync with Patrick
by Jerre Darnell
Ignore the door
There's no one there
A knock and a ring
Can't hear a thing
Up and down the stairs
Playing musical chairs
Pop Culture's got our ear
There's no fear, we're in gear
Ignore the door
It's now the floor.
[circa 2000]
Ignore the door
There's no one there
A knock and a ring
Can't hear a thing
Up and down the stairs
Playing musical chairs
Pop Culture's got our ear
There's no fear, we're in gear
Ignore the door
It's now the floor.
[circa 2000]
Monday, January 12, 2015
Spain
by Robert Darnell [Date unknown]
Monday
Jerre and I took off with great anticipation for the DFW Airport to catch out plane to Spain. It was exciting to be going to Europe and the Med for the first time. Stopped at Sam's in Fairfield for some good BBQ.
The plane left on time and headed East. The sun receded fast behind us and it got dark quickly. It came up again in about five hours. we had a good dinner, watched a movie. listened to music and slept.
Got to Madrid about 11:00 and thought we would have a 3 hour layover. But somehow we lost and hour and it took a long time to change planes so we didn't see any of Madrid. Got to Malaga in an hour and missed our tour guide. Had to handle our bags and get to the hotel on our own. Our name was not on the tour list so we did not have a reservation at the hotel but we had no trouble getting a room. Got settled in and started gawking around like good tourists. The hotel had three pools, a short walk to the beach, and a golf course. It was an old hotel but of the luxury class so was adequate.
It had one big restaurant where you could eat most anytime except maybe right in the middle of the night. There were three small eating places in back of the hotel. One a pizza place, one a Swedish coffee shop, and one a health food bar.
The place also had a health club and sauna bath.
Tangiers
We left the hotel at 7:00 AM to go down to [...] to catch a boat across the Strait Of Gibraltar, to Morocco. The bus ride was scenic and the weather very cool. The boat was rather large with several lounges, a dining room, a couple of lounge decks and a small swimming pool. It was cold enough out on the Med that you could use a sweater, but we didn't have any.
We lounged and sunned. Saw a school of porpoises that followed the ship for a while. Africa loomed up pretty quickly and then there were the white buildings of Tangiers. No tall buildings but spread out over the hillsides and along the beaches.
As soon as we landed our tour guide told us that we better not get separated from him or we never would find our way out of Tangiers. It is just one massive maze of narrow streets and alleys with no visible rhyme or reason to anything. Everybody is either running a shop trying to sell something or walking around on the streets trying to sell something. Our guide even bought a drink of water from a street vendor who was selling water out of a goatskin to be drunk out of a community cup he was carrying.
We walked thru the street markets and shops midst the constant clamor and pandemonium of ten or twenty street vendors pulling at you all the time.
Went to a rug market which consisted of mysterious rooms, stairways, and doorways, with rugs everywhere. The rugs were really great bargains but nobody in our group bought anything because there was no way to carry them.
We toured in the bus up the hillsides in the better residential areas. Saw the mansion of the Sultan of Saudi Arabia. It was elaborate beyond description. He maintained it just in case he might want to come there sometime.
We rode some camels and took pictures. Saw the US Consulate which was very nice and in good taste. Not gaudy. Many of the areas were served by water fountains from which everyone gathered their water. Much like ancient times. The men wore robes. The women wore robes and veils.
We ate at one of their better restaurants. First course was soup, second, Shish-ka-bob, third, chicken, last a tart served with beer and wine. Plenty of hard bread.
Had a band of five old men playing Moroccan music, and one belly dancer. Enjoyed the meal very much but didn't eat much.
The only things we bought were a leather bag and a T-shirt.
Saw miles and miles of Atlantic beaches which were not used at all. Very beautiful beaches but too far from town.
The open markets were full of vegetables, meat, bread, ... etc. all laying out in the open with flies getting on it.
The beach near the middle of town was very crowded in the afternoon.
We took the boat back late in the afternoon. It passed close by the Rock of Gibraltar.
end
Monday
Jerre and I took off with great anticipation for the DFW Airport to catch out plane to Spain. It was exciting to be going to Europe and the Med for the first time. Stopped at Sam's in Fairfield for some good BBQ.
The plane left on time and headed East. The sun receded fast behind us and it got dark quickly. It came up again in about five hours. we had a good dinner, watched a movie. listened to music and slept.
Got to Madrid about 11:00 and thought we would have a 3 hour layover. But somehow we lost and hour and it took a long time to change planes so we didn't see any of Madrid. Got to Malaga in an hour and missed our tour guide. Had to handle our bags and get to the hotel on our own. Our name was not on the tour list so we did not have a reservation at the hotel but we had no trouble getting a room. Got settled in and started gawking around like good tourists. The hotel had three pools, a short walk to the beach, and a golf course. It was an old hotel but of the luxury class so was adequate.
It had one big restaurant where you could eat most anytime except maybe right in the middle of the night. There were three small eating places in back of the hotel. One a pizza place, one a Swedish coffee shop, and one a health food bar.
The place also had a health club and sauna bath.
Tangiers
We left the hotel at 7:00 AM to go down to [...] to catch a boat across the Strait Of Gibraltar, to Morocco. The bus ride was scenic and the weather very cool. The boat was rather large with several lounges, a dining room, a couple of lounge decks and a small swimming pool. It was cold enough out on the Med that you could use a sweater, but we didn't have any.
We lounged and sunned. Saw a school of porpoises that followed the ship for a while. Africa loomed up pretty quickly and then there were the white buildings of Tangiers. No tall buildings but spread out over the hillsides and along the beaches.
As soon as we landed our tour guide told us that we better not get separated from him or we never would find our way out of Tangiers. It is just one massive maze of narrow streets and alleys with no visible rhyme or reason to anything. Everybody is either running a shop trying to sell something or walking around on the streets trying to sell something. Our guide even bought a drink of water from a street vendor who was selling water out of a goatskin to be drunk out of a community cup he was carrying.
We walked thru the street markets and shops midst the constant clamor and pandemonium of ten or twenty street vendors pulling at you all the time.
Went to a rug market which consisted of mysterious rooms, stairways, and doorways, with rugs everywhere. The rugs were really great bargains but nobody in our group bought anything because there was no way to carry them.
We toured in the bus up the hillsides in the better residential areas. Saw the mansion of the Sultan of Saudi Arabia. It was elaborate beyond description. He maintained it just in case he might want to come there sometime.
We rode some camels and took pictures. Saw the US Consulate which was very nice and in good taste. Not gaudy. Many of the areas were served by water fountains from which everyone gathered their water. Much like ancient times. The men wore robes. The women wore robes and veils.
We ate at one of their better restaurants. First course was soup, second, Shish-ka-bob, third, chicken, last a tart served with beer and wine. Plenty of hard bread.
Had a band of five old men playing Moroccan music, and one belly dancer. Enjoyed the meal very much but didn't eat much.
The only things we bought were a leather bag and a T-shirt.
Saw miles and miles of Atlantic beaches which were not used at all. Very beautiful beaches but too far from town.
The open markets were full of vegetables, meat, bread, ... etc. all laying out in the open with flies getting on it.
The beach near the middle of town was very crowded in the afternoon.
We took the boat back late in the afternoon. It passed close by the Rock of Gibraltar.
end
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Old Mom
A letter by Robert Darnell [Date unknown, Note: Old Mom was 85]
Old Mom,
This is your old friend Bob.
All my friends ask me how my beautiful mother-in-law can be 85, look 60, and act 40?
I tell them it's because she eats apples and carrots and takes a beauty nap every afternoon.
They are all doing that now.
Don't forget I'm going to get you some jogging shoes and work-out suit next birthday.
Have a good time in California. I love you and thanks for your daughter.
Love,
Bob
end
Old Mom,
This is your old friend Bob.
All my friends ask me how my beautiful mother-in-law can be 85, look 60, and act 40?
I tell them it's because she eats apples and carrots and takes a beauty nap every afternoon.
They are all doing that now.
Don't forget I'm going to get you some jogging shoes and work-out suit next birthday.
Have a good time in California. I love you and thanks for your daughter.
Love,
Bob
end
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Reagan :: Andropov
by Robert Darnell [date unknown]
Our Sunday morning paper, "The Houston Post," had an article by Carl Sagan on the possibility of nuclear war and the results.
The article prompts me as one small speck of a speck on this planet, an American citizen, to voice my protest against the horrible possibility of a nuclear war.
Mr. Reagan and Mr Andropov, you are the chosen leaders of our two countries. I would advise you post haste, now, today, pick, and assign, a task force of the greatest minds available from each country using the great computer hardware that we have available to solve the nuclear arms problem.
This is a unique planet that we have here, full of so many interesting living things, with its waters and lands.
None of us with minds want to see this beautiful thing blown up and destroyed by two factions which in the really great scheme of things are truly only minute.
Please, without posturing, politicizing, bullying, bettering, or forcing, put the two task forces to work at once.
In our business we say we don't have problems, only opportunities.
However, that might be it seems to me that you two chosen leaders in assessing your accomplishments -- such as invading Afghanistan or kicking the Cubans out of Granada -- would certainly prefer the accomplishment of eliminating the possibility of nuclear war.
I know that I am saying what is in the heart of every man, and I want to say it.
end
Our Sunday morning paper, "The Houston Post," had an article by Carl Sagan on the possibility of nuclear war and the results.
The article prompts me as one small speck of a speck on this planet, an American citizen, to voice my protest against the horrible possibility of a nuclear war.
Mr. Reagan and Mr Andropov, you are the chosen leaders of our two countries. I would advise you post haste, now, today, pick, and assign, a task force of the greatest minds available from each country using the great computer hardware that we have available to solve the nuclear arms problem.
This is a unique planet that we have here, full of so many interesting living things, with its waters and lands.
None of us with minds want to see this beautiful thing blown up and destroyed by two factions which in the really great scheme of things are truly only minute.
Please, without posturing, politicizing, bullying, bettering, or forcing, put the two task forces to work at once.
In our business we say we don't have problems, only opportunities.
However, that might be it seems to me that you two chosen leaders in assessing your accomplishments -- such as invading Afghanistan or kicking the Cubans out of Granada -- would certainly prefer the accomplishment of eliminating the possibility of nuclear war.
I know that I am saying what is in the heart of every man, and I want to say it.
end
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Labor Day Weekend
by Robert Darnell [date unknown, but note: When Alicia and Jennifer were four]
For Labor Day Weekend Jerre wanted to get a beach house down at Galveston for all the family and everyone else who wanted to come down. Rob was agreeable as he always is so they leased one at Sea Isle on a canal lot. Beck wanted to be on the beach so we changed it and got one on the beach of Jamaica, which is much better.
Jerre, Beck, Alish, and Rob, and David, Jan, David, and Jennifer went down Friday. One of the first things we noticed was how bad the mosquitoes and ants were, so we started swatting, and spraying, and scratching immediately. We stayed down there four days and pretty soon we were used to them and didn't pay them much more attention.
Jerre cooked for a week, enough food for an army, before we went and we really had a car full going down. All four of us rode in the front seat with the back seat loaded to the roof, and trunk piled full of gear and food.
Our house was right on the beach and had a "mountain with trees on it," right off the front deck. The mountain and trees were not what is commonly thought of when you hear those words, but it was four-year-old Alish's description of a big sand dune with driftwood logs in it. Her description was just right.
Friday night Melanie, Fred, Melanie's brother Hot Sam in Lake Jackson, stayed Friday night. Breakfast in the morning with eggs, bacon sizzling in the pan, toast, jelly; it was out of this world.
Several of Becky's friends came down and spent Saturday night: Nat, Lisa, Amy, Sara, Wendy, Chad, Chuck, Chan, Chilly, Chub, Termite, and Micro. They slept on the floor in sleeping bags, blankets, mattresses, and couches. There was a small hassle about separating the boys and girls by it was mild and no problem.
Sylvia didn't come down until Sunday. It was her first time in the sun and she roasted, fried, broiled, baked and basted until she was well-done.
Also, Sunday, some of Jerre's co-workers, Carla, Bitsy, Chuck, Mike, and Dwayne, came and brought a sail boat, catamaran. Dwayne and Mike took everyone sailing who wanted to go. There was a good wind and a great day for sailing. None of them stayed over night, but left late in the evening.
We stuffed our gut all the time we were there. Beer, chicken salad, potato salad, stew, cookies, cake, baked beans ... beer, hamburgers, condiments, beer, dips and chips, and beer.On Monday Joe and Carla Vick came and brought some shrimp. We boiled them and they were just fantastic. There was plenty of booze, beer, and coffee, and cokes for everyone the whole time.
One afternoon we went crabbing back on some old pier, but only caught one crab. Some people were water-skiing just off the jetty's, so we figured they had the crabs jetting. Beck caught the only one and it was a perfect Blue Crab. We were hoping to get about sixteen of those and have a crab boil, but we didn't. We let the lone one go back in the surf. It went dashing off sideways and gave us the claw on the way out.
David and David went down on the seawall to a fishing pier one night to do some pier fishing. Almost 2:30 in the morning, Jennifer woke Jerre up, who woke Bob up and saw that the Daves were not back yet, so off they went looking for them. They looked up and down the seawall and pier for the Davids and then went back to the house. Naturally they were already there and in bed. That's when thirty-year-old David was wondering when he will be old enough to stay out without his Maw and Paw coming to look for him.
Joe Vick in striking up a conversation with Jennifer asked how old she was. "Four." she said.
"What are you going to be when you're grown up?" asked Joe.
"Five," said Jennifer.
All those interested watched the Oilers' game Sunday and they beat Los Angeles so that made everybody happy. Especially with the kick returner's 95 yard kickoff return for the game winning touchdown.
All in all it was a great four days walking on the beach, laying on the beach, surfing, sailing, eating, drinking, fishing, and loafing. Not a bad way, to spend Labor Day, we all say!
end
For Labor Day Weekend Jerre wanted to get a beach house down at Galveston for all the family and everyone else who wanted to come down. Rob was agreeable as he always is so they leased one at Sea Isle on a canal lot. Beck wanted to be on the beach so we changed it and got one on the beach of Jamaica, which is much better.
Jerre, Beck, Alish, and Rob, and David, Jan, David, and Jennifer went down Friday. One of the first things we noticed was how bad the mosquitoes and ants were, so we started swatting, and spraying, and scratching immediately. We stayed down there four days and pretty soon we were used to them and didn't pay them much more attention.
Jerre cooked for a week, enough food for an army, before we went and we really had a car full going down. All four of us rode in the front seat with the back seat loaded to the roof, and trunk piled full of gear and food.
Our house was right on the beach and had a "mountain with trees on it," right off the front deck. The mountain and trees were not what is commonly thought of when you hear those words, but it was four-year-old Alish's description of a big sand dune with driftwood logs in it. Her description was just right.
Friday night Melanie, Fred, Melanie's brother Hot Sam in Lake Jackson, stayed Friday night. Breakfast in the morning with eggs, bacon sizzling in the pan, toast, jelly; it was out of this world.
Several of Becky's friends came down and spent Saturday night: Nat, Lisa, Amy, Sara, Wendy, Chad, Chuck, Chan, Chilly, Chub, Termite, and Micro. They slept on the floor in sleeping bags, blankets, mattresses, and couches. There was a small hassle about separating the boys and girls by it was mild and no problem.
Sylvia didn't come down until Sunday. It was her first time in the sun and she roasted, fried, broiled, baked and basted until she was well-done.
Also, Sunday, some of Jerre's co-workers, Carla, Bitsy, Chuck, Mike, and Dwayne, came and brought a sail boat, catamaran. Dwayne and Mike took everyone sailing who wanted to go. There was a good wind and a great day for sailing. None of them stayed over night, but left late in the evening.
We stuffed our gut all the time we were there. Beer, chicken salad, potato salad, stew, cookies, cake, baked beans ... beer, hamburgers, condiments, beer, dips and chips, and beer.On Monday Joe and Carla Vick came and brought some shrimp. We boiled them and they were just fantastic. There was plenty of booze, beer, and coffee, and cokes for everyone the whole time.
One afternoon we went crabbing back on some old pier, but only caught one crab. Some people were water-skiing just off the jetty's, so we figured they had the crabs jetting. Beck caught the only one and it was a perfect Blue Crab. We were hoping to get about sixteen of those and have a crab boil, but we didn't. We let the lone one go back in the surf. It went dashing off sideways and gave us the claw on the way out.
David and David went down on the seawall to a fishing pier one night to do some pier fishing. Almost 2:30 in the morning, Jennifer woke Jerre up, who woke Bob up and saw that the Daves were not back yet, so off they went looking for them. They looked up and down the seawall and pier for the Davids and then went back to the house. Naturally they were already there and in bed. That's when thirty-year-old David was wondering when he will be old enough to stay out without his Maw and Paw coming to look for him.
Joe Vick in striking up a conversation with Jennifer asked how old she was. "Four." she said.
"What are you going to be when you're grown up?" asked Joe.
"Five," said Jennifer.
All those interested watched the Oilers' game Sunday and they beat Los Angeles so that made everybody happy. Especially with the kick returner's 95 yard kickoff return for the game winning touchdown.
All in all it was a great four days walking on the beach, laying on the beach, surfing, sailing, eating, drinking, fishing, and loafing. Not a bad way, to spend Labor Day, we all say!
end
Friday, February 3, 2012
Special Occasion
A man opened his wife's drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'
He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it.
He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.
He turned to me and said:
'Never save something for a special occasion.
Every day in your life is a special occasion'.
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day...
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to
The words 'Someday....' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now....
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.
I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one..
If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because, probably, there's someone you care about.
If you're too busy to send this out to other people and you say to yourself that you will send it 'One of these days' , remember that 'One day' is far away... or might never come......
'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'
He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it.
He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.
He turned to me and said:
'Never save something for a special occasion.
Every day in your life is a special occasion'.
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day...
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to
The words 'Someday....' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now....
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.
I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one..
If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because, probably, there's someone you care about.
If you're too busy to send this out to other people and you say to yourself that you will send it 'One of these days' , remember that 'One day' is far away... or might never come......
Hurricane Alicia and the Aftermath
by Robert Darnell, 8/18/83
It rained and it rained and it rained. Wind blew, it thundered, it lightninged, and it rained and the wind blew.
That was Hurricane Alicia, named after our grand daughter, which came in Wednesday night.
We had been watching and listening to reports of the storm for two days as it lay off the coast of Galveston and tried to make up its mind which way to go.
We have watched them so many times here in Houston and most of them go on off to South Texas or Mexico or go back East to Louisiana.
But this one decided to pop right on in over Galveston and on in to Houston Proper. It was blowing pretty steadily and raining lightly on Wednesday night about bed time. No one was home except Jerre and Robert. Becky had gone to Aggie Fish Camp up at Palestine, for Aggie freshmen.
Robert went for a walk before bed time and it was nice and fresh. Very comfortable. Jerre stayed up till 1 o'clock washing clothes in case the water went off during the hurricane.
During the night it really got to popping. You could hear the limbs snapping and falling. We had a steady rain of pine cones on our roof. Rufus barked at the thunder.
The electricity went off about four and actually we got very little sleep all night.
We got up about six and checked things out. We had a good flashlight and lit some candles. The water pressure was low so we took a shower in case the water went off completely and so we would be clean during the storm.
The wind and rain were really coming on. The trees were bending from one side to the other and looked like they would all snap. The yards and streets were waist deep in tree limbs and branches, and it just kept raining and blowing.
Jerre got out some food warmers with candles and cooking alcohol. She cooked us up a good breakfast of eggs, sausage, rolls, jelly and coffee. We ate out on the patio and watched things blow and fall.
About eight thirty the wind quit blowing and everything got pretty still. We were right in the eye of the hurricane. Robert went outside and took some pictures of the litter.
Then in about an hour the wind started blowing again from the Southwest. The eye had passed on and was headed out toward Katy.
Wade called from Possum Kingdom and said it was bright sunshine, hot and dry and one hundred degrees.
Hope they get some of this rain.
We spent most of the day after it quit raining cleaning up fallen trees and limbs. Many big trees fell in the neighborhood. One huge oak tree two houses down fell on the electric line. It'll probably be several days before we get the lights back on.
It's night now and raining again. We're cooking some meat out on the gas cooker on the patio.
All we got is candles. No TV, no air conditioning, woe is us -- alas -- alas ...
Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again.
The Aftermath, by Robert Darnell
"Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again."
When I wrote that, little did I know what it's like to clean up after a hurricane.
The electricity was off two days and the weather got sticky hot. It was just too hot to move and no place to go to get cool.
Jerre and Bob both went to work Friday morning. Everything was on at Jerre's office and she worked all day. Nothing was on at Bob's office, so it was mostly shut down.
He went down to the health club to try to get started and it was all shut down until Monday. Bob took an iron out to the repair shop to get it fixed for Becky to use at College Station. On the way he stopped at twelve stores looking for ice to go in the cooler where we have all our food.
He finally found two bags at a small remote corner grocery.
Most of the neighbors were out raking, cutting, and stacking lumber. The whole neighborhood looked and sounded like a lumber camp. Bob worked for a while and got so hot he thought he would bust.
When Jerre got home they decided to go down to Clear Lake to check on the boat and to ride in the car to stay cool.
The Clear Lake, Kemah area was a battleground of trash and rubble. The water had been up in the whole area about eight feet.
The boat made it out okay and was still tethered in its stall with no damage.
That night they went to bed and thought it would cool off, but it just got hotter and stickier. They spent a miserable night and got up exhausted.
All day Saturday they tried to get things going. they washed some clothes at the washeteria to keep cool. They ate at a restaurant to keep cool, they went shopping to keep cool.
Finally, at five o'clock the electricity came back on and they got the air conditioner and refrigerator to running.
They were feeling quite good about things. The house started cooling down. They washed dishes, and ate supper. Becky came home. She had a great time and was in good spirits from the Fish Camp. She was excited about the hurricane damage.
Then at ten o'clock -- POW -- the lights out again; a transformer had blown. Remembering how hot it was the night before they decided not to stay home and found a room over at the Westchase Hilton. Checked in there about mid-night and got a good night's sleep.
Sunday morning about eleven o'clock the electricity came back on and the house started cooling down again.
It rained and it rained and it rained. Wind blew, it thundered, it lightninged, and it rained and the wind blew.
That was Hurricane Alicia, named after our grand daughter, which came in Wednesday night.
We had been watching and listening to reports of the storm for two days as it lay off the coast of Galveston and tried to make up its mind which way to go.
We have watched them so many times here in Houston and most of them go on off to South Texas or Mexico or go back East to Louisiana.
But this one decided to pop right on in over Galveston and on in to Houston Proper. It was blowing pretty steadily and raining lightly on Wednesday night about bed time. No one was home except Jerre and Robert. Becky had gone to Aggie Fish Camp up at Palestine, for Aggie freshmen.
Robert went for a walk before bed time and it was nice and fresh. Very comfortable. Jerre stayed up till 1 o'clock washing clothes in case the water went off during the hurricane.
During the night it really got to popping. You could hear the limbs snapping and falling. We had a steady rain of pine cones on our roof. Rufus barked at the thunder.
The electricity went off about four and actually we got very little sleep all night.
We got up about six and checked things out. We had a good flashlight and lit some candles. The water pressure was low so we took a shower in case the water went off completely and so we would be clean during the storm.
The wind and rain were really coming on. The trees were bending from one side to the other and looked like they would all snap. The yards and streets were waist deep in tree limbs and branches, and it just kept raining and blowing.
Jerre got out some food warmers with candles and cooking alcohol. She cooked us up a good breakfast of eggs, sausage, rolls, jelly and coffee. We ate out on the patio and watched things blow and fall.
About eight thirty the wind quit blowing and everything got pretty still. We were right in the eye of the hurricane. Robert went outside and took some pictures of the litter.
Then in about an hour the wind started blowing again from the Southwest. The eye had passed on and was headed out toward Katy.
Wade called from Possum Kingdom and said it was bright sunshine, hot and dry and one hundred degrees.
Hope they get some of this rain.
We spent most of the day after it quit raining cleaning up fallen trees and limbs. Many big trees fell in the neighborhood. One huge oak tree two houses down fell on the electric line. It'll probably be several days before we get the lights back on.
It's night now and raining again. We're cooking some meat out on the gas cooker on the patio.
All we got is candles. No TV, no air conditioning, woe is us -- alas -- alas ...
Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again.
***
The Aftermath, by Robert Darnell
"Oh well, tomorrow we'll get it started again."
When I wrote that, little did I know what it's like to clean up after a hurricane.
The electricity was off two days and the weather got sticky hot. It was just too hot to move and no place to go to get cool.
Jerre and Bob both went to work Friday morning. Everything was on at Jerre's office and she worked all day. Nothing was on at Bob's office, so it was mostly shut down.
He went down to the health club to try to get started and it was all shut down until Monday. Bob took an iron out to the repair shop to get it fixed for Becky to use at College Station. On the way he stopped at twelve stores looking for ice to go in the cooler where we have all our food.
He finally found two bags at a small remote corner grocery.
Most of the neighbors were out raking, cutting, and stacking lumber. The whole neighborhood looked and sounded like a lumber camp. Bob worked for a while and got so hot he thought he would bust.
When Jerre got home they decided to go down to Clear Lake to check on the boat and to ride in the car to stay cool.
The Clear Lake, Kemah area was a battleground of trash and rubble. The water had been up in the whole area about eight feet.
The boat made it out okay and was still tethered in its stall with no damage.
That night they went to bed and thought it would cool off, but it just got hotter and stickier. They spent a miserable night and got up exhausted.
All day Saturday they tried to get things going. they washed some clothes at the washeteria to keep cool. They ate at a restaurant to keep cool, they went shopping to keep cool.
Finally, at five o'clock the electricity came back on and they got the air conditioner and refrigerator to running.
They were feeling quite good about things. The house started cooling down. They washed dishes, and ate supper. Becky came home. She had a great time and was in good spirits from the Fish Camp. She was excited about the hurricane damage.
Then at ten o'clock -- POW -- the lights out again; a transformer had blown. Remembering how hot it was the night before they decided not to stay home and found a room over at the Westchase Hilton. Checked in there about mid-night and got a good night's sleep.
Sunday morning about eleven o'clock the electricity came back on and the house started cooling down again.
Coffee in Chicago
by Robert Darnell [date unknown]
Jerre and Robert are coffee heads from way back. That is they enjoy a good cup of coffee quite frequently and especially early in the morning when they first wake up.
Recently they were in Chicago visiting the three -- Pat , Di, and Sam.
The first morning there, everyone was sleeping late except Rob who always gets up early. He stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, trying to be real quiet like a mouse. He found a coffee pot but no cord. He found a can of coffee unopened but no opener. After searching the kitchen silently for a cord and opener with no luck, he finally gave up and went for a walk.
A little later Jerre got up, and then also Pat.
She asked about coffee and he showed her how they make it.
First he knew where the can opener was to open the coffee can, but an opened can of coffee was on top on the refrigerator in a basket where one would naturally expect the coffee to be kept. Then he put exactly two cups of water in a kettle on the stove to boil.
Then he got a large filter from he cabinet and stuck it into a funnel. He poured two spoons of coffee into the filter.
The funnel was then placed into a coffee thermos jug. When the water in the kettle boiled it was poured over the coffee in the filter and ran into the thermos. It was not strong enough the first time through, so was poured through the filter again.
This second time through the filter was wet and soft so it disintegrated into the coffee. The coffee was then poured through a wire strainer to filter the paper out and finally poured into two cups.
Rob came in from the yard and he and Jerre had a cup of coffee.
The procedure was repeated for Pat and Di to have a cup and that's how they make coffee in Chicago.
In the first letter Rob and Jerre got after they got home it said: "Oh, by the way, we got a coffee pot."
end
Jerre and Robert are coffee heads from way back. That is they enjoy a good cup of coffee quite frequently and especially early in the morning when they first wake up.
Recently they were in Chicago visiting the three -- Pat , Di, and Sam.
The first morning there, everyone was sleeping late except Rob who always gets up early. He stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, trying to be real quiet like a mouse. He found a coffee pot but no cord. He found a can of coffee unopened but no opener. After searching the kitchen silently for a cord and opener with no luck, he finally gave up and went for a walk.
A little later Jerre got up, and then also Pat.
She asked about coffee and he showed her how they make it.
First he knew where the can opener was to open the coffee can, but an opened can of coffee was on top on the refrigerator in a basket where one would naturally expect the coffee to be kept. Then he put exactly two cups of water in a kettle on the stove to boil.
Then he got a large filter from he cabinet and stuck it into a funnel. He poured two spoons of coffee into the filter.
The funnel was then placed into a coffee thermos jug. When the water in the kettle boiled it was poured over the coffee in the filter and ran into the thermos. It was not strong enough the first time through, so was poured through the filter again.
This second time through the filter was wet and soft so it disintegrated into the coffee. The coffee was then poured through a wire strainer to filter the paper out and finally poured into two cups.
Rob came in from the yard and he and Jerre had a cup of coffee.
The procedure was repeated for Pat and Di to have a cup and that's how they make coffee in Chicago.
In the first letter Rob and Jerre got after they got home it said: "Oh, by the way, we got a coffee pot."
end
Saturday, January 3, 2015
July 4TH, 1983 :: Ravinia Park ~ Northshore Lake Michigan ~ The North Side of Chicago
by Robert Darnell
Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.
We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.
Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.
Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.
Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.
This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.
Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.
These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.
We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.
Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.
The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.
Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.
Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.
We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.
One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.
One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.
Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.
This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.
Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!
***
The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."
We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.
The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.
end
by Robert Darnell
Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.
We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.
Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.
Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.
Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.
This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.
Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.
These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.
We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.
Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.
The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.
Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.
Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.
We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.
One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.
One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.
Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.
This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.
Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!
***
The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."
We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.
The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.
end
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