Random Information

I thought I would post some odds and ends.
1. I think exmark mowers are the best ever made. If you are thinking about getting a commercial mower buy an exmark, they are not cheap but they are the best. I also like Shindaiwa trimmers and Stihl everything else. I like the torque on the Shindaiwas but the stihl 4mix engine is hard to beat. I know that means nothing to most who read this.
2. Tonight we are meeting some friends at Buffalo Wild Wings. I think I will order the mango habanero, Caribbean jerk and a beer. Yes it is good.
3. Tomorrow I am helping my friend Kirk get his house packed up. They finally bought a house and Christy, his wife is pregnant. We have been telling them to buy even if they move in a few they will still not be throwing their money away. Lubbock is a great renters market.
4. I was looking at a list of things I want to do. I was wondering, 'what am I waiting for.' I have been very blessed to get to this point in my life why wont I just do it. I guess I like quiet routine too much.
5. I am a protagonist. Jennifer would laugh if she heard that and say, "you should say you are really a protagonist."
6. I love to teach, in fact I think I was made for it. I am not a minister anymore, in the traditional sense anyway, but nothing gets me going like teaching through scripture. Scripture was intended to be studied from front to back. I hate the proof texting that resulted from the reformation. Pick whichever text suits you without the context, makes me gag. I am really looking forward to teaching through the letters of Paul this summer at church.
7. I wish I lived closer to water. I love the South Plains but I grew up with a few ponds, a lake and river all within a bike ride from my house. I bet I drove 15 miles a day with a pole over the handlebars and a tackle box strapped under the seat. I don't get to fish much. It's my fault though I got invited last weekend by Kirk to go to Allen Henry and didn't go.
8. I miss some old friends. I am a loner but I like BBQ and hanging out.
9. I am considering taking a photography class. I want to do a coffee table book of abandoned W. Texas towns and need to have some good pictures. If you have been to my facebook/myspace you know I am not a great photographer.
10. I want to live on a house in the middle of four sections I own. 2 grass, 1 grain and 1 wheat or hay. I want to be far away from others and have a sustainable operation. Some day I think it will happen, not anytime soon.
I have to go eat hot wings.

Last Night

What a night. I sleep pretty light but lately I have been way too tired to care about the dogs barkings, a big fly in the room or the homey's bass pumping down the block. Last night was an exception. The dogs would not be quiet. I go to bed really late, like 1 or later usually. I went outside several times and told the dogs to hush. They usually listen the first time and bow their heads as if to say 'sorry daddy.' Well I told them a few times and was too tired to see what they were barking about. I just closed my eyes, prayed and with drool on chin I dreamed of my life in St.Lucia. The alarm went off at 6 and the dogs were still barking. What in the world is their problem. Really my first thought was how embarrassed I was to have "those" dogs on the block that never shut up. I went outside and Aja, my lab, had a possum against the fence. She wouldn't touch it because it was under the hot wire I put on the bottom of the fence, she didn't know it wasn't plugged in. It was about 6 so Jennifer was sound asleep, I think she was dreaming of my life in St. Lucia. I called to Jennifer, she came to the window but without her glasses. She has really bad eyesight. So bad in fact she ran to the bedroom, grabbed the pistol in the night stand and said "go shoot that Sasquatch." It's a possum, calm down. Anyway I had to lock the dogs in the dog house to let the possum out. I think that he/she looked at me with a very thankful look as if to say 'I just wanted some dog food, I didn't want the neighbors to think you had "that" dog.' Thanks Mr. Possum, were cool.

Ten things I want to do, in no particular order, other than 1 to 10.
1. Backpack all over Europe with Jennifer.
2. Go to Mass at the Vatican.
3. Write a BBQ cook book.
4. Take my nephews to Disneyland.
5. Skydive.
6. Become humble and patient.
7. Do a pictorial coffee table book of ghost towns in Panhandle and South Plains.
8. Visit Tristan da Cunha.
9. Get my restricted Ornamental spraying license.
10. Do a deer grand slam with a bow.

The dark truth about Puppy.

Before you read popular blogs about things like "what I'd like to do in Europe" I think you should know what Jennifer and I are dealing with. I have decided to allow you into the dark secret of our life. We have created the economic crisis by allowing "puppy" to live in peace and harmony in our back yard. Even though the recession is ending it is true that puppy has been a role model and guide to all that has created these troubles. Allow me to explain. We found puppy after church one night in Tulia. He was outside the door when we left and Jennifer and I felt sorry for him. This should have been our first clue. You know, he hangs around waiting for someone to feel sorry for him when he is capable of walking home by himself. We took him home, gave him a bath and fed him. I told Jennifer "we are not keeping that dog." After giving him a nice bath and some vittles we set out to find puppy's home. Everyone shrugged their shoulders...he's not ours and we don't know whose he is. The first sign-responsibility for the problem would not be taken. We learned to like puppy. He jumped on my lap and "kissed" me. OK we can keep him. Little did I know this would result in the US economic collapse. You see puppy is a prototype, a foreshadowing if you will, of what was to come. Why do I say this? Well let's look at the evidence.
Puppy is a mooch. I know what you're thinking, "he's a dog." WRONG! He is what is wrong with America. Hanging out where good hearted people congregate to get something for free hoping someone will 'pick up the tab' while he smiles and looks cute giving the conciliatory lick on the face when needed. Puppy also doesn't want to claim responsibility and refuses to stay clean. Did I hear someone say deregulation and laziness? I thought so. However, it is our fault because we have allowed puppy to live in the lap of luxury while we struggle to survive so we can feed him. He who does not work, refuses to be regulated by baths and looks the other way when called to accountability. I am not an economist but I think the real problem is Puppy. Please follow Bob Barker's advice have your pet spayed or neutered and refuse to partake in the shenanigans of Puppy the great deceiver.

I couldn't make this up

Me and my brother in law were playing golf last week. It was a perfect day and we had a great time. There was a huge group of people in front of us who were playing really slow. I am not a great golfer but I hit it long off the tee and I hit into them two times in a row. I would like to say it was an accident but I wanted them to speed up. After the ball hit the tire on their cart they sped up. Well there was a twosome behind us and, of course, they caught up to us. They seemed to be nice and after asking we decided to let them play with us. I thought it would be fun. On the next hole one of the guys in the group asked us what we did for a living. "I own a print screening company...I run a small lawn business..." so on a so forth. Their response, "ok so you're not cops." Well no we are not police officers. We didn't know and didn't really care why he asked. I mean alot of people drink too much beer when they play golf, that's the best time to play for quarters. Then the man says "well I like to smoke pot when I play golf." We both laughed, we thought he was joking. We played a few holes, they were great to play with. We got to the next tbox and the questioner goes to his bag and kneels down for a while. All of the sudden I could smell what he was smoking. He was not joking. It was pretty awkward but we laughed about it later. Well we played a few more on the back nine. We were by far better golfers. We are not great but they were not good. We stopped at the turn, got a hot dog, hit the head and looked at the score card. As we were driving to 10 they asked if we wanted to play for money. Like real money. "No, I don't like to do that." We were playing pretty well. Them...not so much. He goes to hit his pipe and we look up and there are two police officers on the course. The guy was freaking out. We were laughing so hard. The officers were there for something else. He then told us he couldn't play golf very well because he was too high. I asked him, "so you all still want to play for money."