Sunday, May 2, 2021

SIGN SIGN - TEXAS/DALLAS IS OPEN - GARDEN PHOTOS

Signsign
Everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery
Breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign?

This sign caught my eye as I entered the "facility". My mind immediately played the lyrics above. For an old man who thinks he may have some memory problems, this played loud and clear. Word for word. Long term-memory; 50 years, check! I'll get back to this pic at blog end.

Annual check-up; blood-work; PCP visit; eyes dilated and checked. New glasses ordered. Apparently, cataract surgery with in a year. All my blood-work indicates I 'm good for another year but have to lose the 25 lbs. East Texas eateries the cause. 

"No second helpings" says PCP. Need to bring that A1C down and I explained that I have lost more weight in my life time than I care to describe. But I agreed. I know my body. I know I have been indulging myself since we got here. May 1st her and I get back on it. 

The nurse checking me in was grounded, easy to talk to. Not a lot of questions, but enough to keep me guessing if the questions she is not suppose to ask were going to be asked. They were not. Her last question and she said it was.

"What is the most important thing to you now in your life?" From out of the blue! Caught me off-guard. A philosophy question and she was serious. "Serious" I asked. She repeated the question. I paused in thought, looked at the question from a health perspective. Figured that is where she was coming from and she was. I loved the question. 

"Do you have two hours?" I responded. She smiled and waited.  And the answer came directly from what my father/mother said to me quite a few times throughout my early years. "If you have your health, you have everything." My parents would then lament that all the choices in the world were open to me. No limitations other than what I decide. A health issue was not setting my limitations. 

"My health" I answered. And from my parents perspective and teachings, it still is and more so now. I think she typed the answer in the computer. 

She was done but surprisingly had time to chat.  

She asked if I had been to "Andys" yet. Nope! "What is Andy's?" Apparently serves Custard and ice cream eats. "Hot fudge and pecan sundae!" I could only see her eyes and there indicated a smile. She told me to trust her. The she asked about "Stanley's?". Nope! "Best BBQ in town." I said thanks as we would appreciate a good BBQ joint option when visiting Tyler. 

I asked her if she had been to "Jimmy's Egg." She said that she has heard about it, but with three little ones, she and her husband have not been able to get the whole family out for that treat. 

And it was good. A real person, good conversation in a "facility." A very nice young lady, spirit, personality, with a side of humor. Refreshing in the times we live in and some of the places we need to visit. 


.. can't you read the sign?" 

Body language of images are loud and clear. What do you think young children see when looking at this sign? Imprints long term me thinks. 
.............

DAY TRIP TO DALLAS

I told my wife that last Sunday was going to be a vacation day. Up early, she would drive as she knows Dallas. I would get to gawk. Maybe get in a little shopping, but breakfast out with brother in law/sister in law was most on my mind. 

We arrived on time and after a few hugs we were on our way to:


At the risk of overdosing here, this Dallas eatery checks every box in the going out to eat experience. Every one.

Arriving early a must as long lines quickly form and the wait is long. Inside the tables were already filled and our wait only 15 minutes. 

The first thing I noticed was that this restaurant was a melting pot of this state. Every color, nationality, size shape, sex that has some pronoun attached to it. And damn if there wasn't full helpings of conversations, laughter, at every table. Families, couples, friends engaged in living. No one hating. 
 
Politeness in every nook and cranny. 

Masks to enter and then off while dining. Staff masked. Ok.


Most every meal option was excellently presented in this spiral binder menu.
Pinnacle of food photography. A menu worth looking at and reading. Part of the tease of what was available. 

The food choices were Guatemalan, Italian, American, Mexican and Texan. Sides of every kind of artisan breads and pastries. Coffee rich and deep with flavor. A dunking paradise if one was so inclined. Often a no no in eating out, but I did not care. Others were dunking. Not the full unabridged dunking of a chocolate cookie in a full glass of milk that we might do at home. Reserved enough. 

When all was said and done, I was able to get out of the restaurant without wearing egg on my shirt. 

Prices and choices most reasonable in the Dallas environment. 

As we left in this northern part (old town) of Dallas, we drove through side streets full of young middle-age walking, shopping the streets and other open afternoon restaurants. Outdoor seating was filling up, hustle bustle of folks finding their spot for a brunch/lunch outing. I thought that this is what New York streets must have looked like in the days of old. Young professional neighborhoods out and about living a wonderful warm Sunday late morning. 

Brother in law pointed to a few fenced in areas under the futuristic cement pillars of overhead freeways. "This area use to be full of homeless people and heading for further deterioration." But Dallas has cleaned up the area and installed fences to block the areas for tents lifestyle and the such. Fences and walls work. Like it or not. Protecting a vibrant economy and neighborhood. 

I see that the folks who hate fencing and walls are among the first to fence and wall off their offices and homes. 

Dallas and Texas are open. People walk the C19/No Restrictions line perfectly. The economy is alive and well.

A GIFT
for the kitchen table.


.................

A SPICE FROM SEED

Dropped two tiny pinhead seeds into 6 small pots a couple weeks ago. Have kept them wet and east Texas rain has also flooded the little pots. I just brought them inside the carport to keep them from drowning and noticed that in each pot, two were born overnight. Finally. 

Can you identify? Answer in next post. Why not?


.............

CRAZY DAYS

Early Release.  From Yahoo.

Just a few days ago, I had a brief conversation with a young gal who said that she had just received her Texas concealed carry permit. I congratulated her. 

She admitted that now that she has the permit, she has many concerns of carrying a loaded handgun. She ran through questions such as how to carry, when to carry, when to use, should she use, should she step into a situation to help and she was realizing the enormity of responsibility and the need for more training. She admitted that she spends time now thinking about the hundreds of questions that comes with this license. I told her she was right on with the questions. 

She was exhibiting all the right concerns and the wanting for more training. Our time was brief. No time to visit more about any of the concerns she was offering up. 

And no, she did not have a loaded pistol with her as she headed to the big city. She is a good decision-maker and will make a very good student for the instruction and instructor she settles with. 

Back to the headline above. To try to spend time understanding some of the decision-making coming out of this state is way beyond the time I want to put in. 

If the prison population is being released into our society in large numbers, who is going to protect us from some very bad people? My bet is many folks are seeing news like this and having similar concerns. My lying eyes tell me I am on my own. 

"Who ya gonna call?"

Being able to take care of ourselves in life-threatening situations is a hard realization and not something many have the skill sets, physical and mental, to do so. 

But the actions coming out this state should serve as a wake-up call for all of us to add new skill sets to our bags of goodies and practice, practice, practice. 

Get with someone who knows what they are doing, has experience and time to help.

Give me another answer!

Example of bad actors.


You may get a failed to load message. Just hang with the video, it does play. I think a good example of how people react when shtf. 

........

East Texas getting rain and sun this past week. Some humidity. Garden (and weeds) exploding. Second growing of radishes on now, lettuce and spinach seemingly over night. Yellow squash are also ready to hit. 


These first moments caught this morning just before publishing. The first pea shoots attaching.



This little guys shoot is resting inside the water drop.

And her rose has quadrupled since arriving here about a year ago.



Thanks for the visit and have a blessed week.




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