Big Bang No Longer Theory

Saturday, August 25, 2006 began quietly enough. The automatic coffee maker gurgling and rumbling and hissing; the faint buzz of a distant lawnmower. I methodically went about gathering up what I would need for the day. I didn't want my leaving to alarm the brunette still asleep. Even though we had discussed it for days, I knew she would be anxious about the outcome. It's her way.

Moments later it happened. Just as it had been planned for weeks perhaps months.

Gunfire, tentative at first, but quickly becoming more regimented, ripped through the cool August morning not to end till late afternoon. It was a day that will not be forgotten easily.

It was the second annual Hardeman County 4-H sporting clays shoot. A fund raiser for a great program. Thanks to all for a fun day.

Paranoia? Paranormal? Pluto?

Will they never stop! The risk to civilization was heightened this week when the planet(we thought!)Pluto was benched by psuedo-scientist in an obviously Al Queda backed move to undermine those teaming masses who continue to claw their way out from under the crush of mistrust. I was just regaining enough trust to re-commit after "big brother" dashed my idealism in the Vietnam Era. And now this! Why couldn't they just burn the tapes or whatever that gave evidence of Pluto's lagging gravitational pull? These people won't get me I tell you. Why, I suggest that they're from a galaxy far far away - one where they can't even count out change without a calculating cash register.

Why, my generation, we went to the moon. Didn't we? I saw it on TV! I saw it on TV!

What a Song! What a Redhead!

I haven't seen a redhead sparkle like that in Quanah since Bonnie Gaye twirled three glitter batons at one time in the state twirling contest. Cara Daniel as Louise was great and she wasn't even the leading-role star of "Always...Patsy Cline". That staring role as Patsy Cline was played by Linda Gooch of the Childress Theatre Company and she presented Patsy Cline through her songs in one of the most enjoyable evenings Vickie and I have had in the Quanah area in a long time. It was fast paced and kept your interest from start to finish. And talk about local talent! Which is it Bill Price, great comedian or talented steel guitar player? The live band gave the setting a great feel and the production should be seen by everyone interested in a fun-filled musical evening or matinee performance. The only uncomfortable moment I experienced was when I thought Louis was going to pick me out of the audience as a dance partner. And regrettably, after thinking about it, that would have been fun too. Do yourself a favor and go see it; and, don't hesitate about the facilities. The sound and lighting systems are first rate this season and the newly reworked air-conditioning distribution system made the building very comfortable. Thanks to all at Pease River Productions and to Norma Trolinder for a great evening at the Goodlett Gym.

New Era - No Imposing Edifices Here

Quanah City Hall is continuing to see the results of cost-effective upgrades to the new facility. Learning in a course on architecture that the purpose of imposing architectural edifices for public government and banking buildings is to instill a feeling of faith and confidence in citizens, I know I'm pumped! Aren't you?

But maybe these are students of the architectural school of function.

I Don't Remember Him Being At Lunch

Next?

During lunch some months ago, when the city council races were still unsettled, there was talk of organizing a group to fund a 501c3 to buy up the old abandoned properties in town and create clean open spaces that would then be available for future development and use under a forward-looking master plan for the community (Master Plan as in the one formulated and published for Quanah by the "Big Timber" back in the 1960's). It is an idea of merit. Now, I know it would require burdensome permits and resource allocation discussions since we would be tampering with the habitat of various rodents and reptiles and other players in that particular hierarchy of the food chain. But we could do it. And, I know we are a rural farming community and many feel we need our animals with us here in town. But I hold to the statement made by Mrs. Koch (a formidable Community Advocate) at a city council meeting many years ago, and I quote - loosely, from memory, "farms are for farm animals, communities are for people who want to live together in a community setting and not on the farm".

But, getting back on my main point by reference in the title... as the photo clearly shows, this guy is getting it done and I don't even remember seeing him at lunch.

That's What I'm Talking About!

Waiting On The Resurection

Being in the area of my favorite neighborhood I just wanted to take a moment and note that it has probably been well over ten years, give or take, since this once well-maintained home was destroyed by fire. And, since the feelings I have about my hometown run so deeply that it borders on a religious experience, I could not resist this image with the "cross" in the foreground.

It makes me a little uncomfortable in my pew.

Skunk Not Playing Possum

It was confirmed today that "Treads" the skunk was not playing possum but was actually dead. Saturday, August 5, 2006, was the first day that Treads was noticed lying motionless in the North lane of 3rd Street and after several random observations through Tuesday August 8, 2006 ample time had passed for citizens to declare Treads dead rather than carry on with the thought that Treads was playing possum. This line of thinking growing out of the resulting confusion that no offical government action had been taken up to 2:30pm Tuesday.

And It's Not Just The Lake...The Club Has Turned Over Too

I also remember from times past when I would walk up to the porch at the golf shop at the Country Club or near the putting green; it had a different and distinct flavor too. I'm sure it was the time in my life interacting with the time of their lives like the thermal layers of the lake. But there was a different spirit at work. While it was somewhat intimidating to confront these characters in their lair, it wasn't distasteful to me. In fact, I aspired to be one of those characters. Why? Because they were captains in the community, because they were generally successful businessmen, because they were schoolboard members, because they seemed to belong there as a respite from doing something significant for themselves and the overall good. I mean, rather than just hanging out and drinking beer with no intent to do much more than the same near term or long term. That's distasteful to me too and it just doesn't seem right.

Now, were these captains all worthy of admiration in every respect? Of course not!

Do we have some of those captains around today that still frequent the club? Of course!

But I'm ready to make the seasonal change and complete the cycle and return the waters to a pleasant and pleasing tasteful state of equilibrium. It just seems better for us all.

Is that distasteful?

The Lake Has Turned Over

I remember from times past when seasons would change from winter to spring or summer to fall that as I turned on the tap for a drink of water it would have a different and distinct taste or sometimes an odor. And while it would satisfy my thirst, it would not be pleasant or pleasing. Science can explain this change of course by observing the reaction between the epilimnion and hypolimnion layers of water within the reservoirs where we store our drinking water. But my experience with this phenomenom doesn't require a high level of science. It's simply distasteful and I don't want to necessarily care why beyond that. It just doesn't sit well with me. You know, it just doesn't seem right.