Tuesday 11-25-08

We went to Lindseyville (near Alto) at 11:00 a.m. to have lunch with Jean & JD. The Bar-B-Que sauce was better than most places we've visited this year. The restaurant is the country-home cooking-family operated kind.

Tomorrow we order the decking and the last of the lumber for the bridge. Rain is forecast for Thursday and then I work 4 days. SO, the bridge construction will be on hold for a while.

Today was a beautiful day - much nicer than either New York or London!! Ha!

Bye!!

Sunday 11-23-08

We have had beautiful Fall weather for the past few weeks. The trees are changing colors although most of them around here are simply brown!

Here is a photo of Ike having his breakfast this morning.

The Bandit River Bridge frame is almost complete. Next will be the truss frame and the deck. I can actually cross the creek with ease now!! Moving, placing, and attaching the 2"x10"x16 ft treated boards was not easy. The muscle ointment was used often and in great quantities!

Bye!!

Wed. 11-19-08

Well, the State of Texas has not changed!! I discovered this afternoon that I must be in Rosharon, Texas tomorrow (Thursday) at 10:00 a.m. at the gun range for annual pistol qualification. See, retired state officers still have to qualify each year in order to legally carry a firearm. We also are photographed for our new identification cards (they expire December 1st each year).

Sure wish I had a few day's notice...

I did get a little work done on the bridge. I bought what I hope is all the hardware except for the screws for the deck.

Bye!!

Tuesday 11-18-08

Yea!!! The west end of the bridge has been poured. A total of 950 pounds of cement has been poured to anchor each end. Tomorrow, I can start placing the main deck supports. We will be in West Texas Friday through Sunday. Hopefully I can get a lot of construction completed before and after the trip.

The pet squirrel occasionally comes to the patio door early in the morning and shakes the screen to get Linda to bring him some breakfast.

Bye!!

Thurs. 11-13-08

The west side of the bridge is beginning to take shape. However, construction will have to stop for the next four days while I attend my part-time job. Hang in there - the grand opening will be soon.

Bye!!

11-12-08 Wednesday

Here is a drawing of the bridge that I intended to build across our creek - known as "Bandit River".

However, budget and labor shortages has resulted in the bridge pictured below:

The object is to get to the other side of Bandit River. This bridge achieves that goal economically.

Tuesday 11-04-08 10:47 p.m.

We have our first Black president. He did not win in Texas but, luckily, the majority of the nation did vote for him and against the Bush Republican Party!!

I feel good about the outcome. I know many people who are outraged at the thought of a Black president. Hopefully we will all support him.

Tuesday 11-04-08 Election Day

Well, Linda & I have pizza for the evening while we watch the election results. I sincerely believe that there should be no election reports until the very last polling place has closed. Fox News is already projecting the results in the few states that have closed. Texas and everyone west of here are still voting. Many people watching the TV could now go vote with the knowledge that, at this early moment, McCain is leading in the popular vote.

It is my opinion that many white voters may publicly claim to have voted Republican when, in fact, they voted for Obama. They do not want to tell their fellow white friends that they voted for a Black man.

I will post again as the election winds down. Bye!

Sun. 11-02-08

It's true! Our youngest is now 29 years old! Good Lord!!!

Construction of the bridge to somewhere has begun. It will resume later this week. A photo will be posted when the thang is finished. That might be later this Spring...

Halloween was quiet. We had about 30 trick-or-treaters. Still have too much left over candy. None of it chocolate, darn!!

We closed the funeral home early today. Linda & I went for a drive. Drove east then north to Hwy 7 through the pretty hills of East Texas. We ate supper at a Nacogdoches bar-b-que restaurant. From there we drove to Forest, Texas near Alto. We went to the house we had considered buying. Yep! It had been sold. Two pickups and a jeep now reside there. We then stopped to visit Wayne and Carolyn for a few minutes before driving back to Lufkin. The total was 116 miles.

Next Saturday, we will be attending the Veterans Day arade in Lufkin. Next Sunday we will be in Rowlett (near Mesquite) for the day to visit Kathy Wright.

That all for now. Bye!!