Monthly Archives: July 2014

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Today is Post 115.

I have a personal trainer. I meet with her three times per week for an hour of torture at 8 AM. Yes, that is 8 in the morning. If you think that is early, I am her fourth client of the day. We are both crazy. So I have decided to give her a name. It is Killer Queen, from the song by who else, my favorite – Queen! I hope she is not offended by this. I like to think of myself as described in KQ too. The opening lines “She keeps Moet Et Chandon in her pretty cabinet; ‘Let them eat cake’ she says Just like Marie Antoinette” describe us as ladies, who can whip your ass both literally and figuratively. But here are the words that really describe us both: “Gunpowder, gelatin, dynamite with a laser beam, guaranteed to blow your mind.” I am going to call her Killer Queen because not only do the words describe us, she kills me for an hour, but is the Queen of doing it. Have I mentioned I haven’t worn my current size pants or shorts since Clinton was president? Actually I wore this size when I was in college and the college was Stephen F. Austin in 1970. Aside from the killer body that Killer Queen is creating, most importantly is that I have cut out two meds with normal blood pressure and blood sugar. So what Queen best song describes you? Oh, Fat Bottom Girls? Ouch. How’s that for dynamite with a laser beam?

Happy Birthday, Cousin Nancy. I still miss you so much.

July 3 – July 7, 2014

Food, Fun and Friendship in the Brazos Valley

You know the saying about fish and company and smelling after three days? Since my friend, Karen Y. doesn’t read this, I can say it was a long visit. But it was a most fun visit. On Thursday, July 3, we had a great dinner at Napa Flats and then enjoyed a glass of wine at the Benjamin Knox Wine Bar and Gallery. Friday, July 4 was spent at the George H. W. Bush Library. We had free watermelon and Blue Bell was a dollar. The Brazos Valley Symphony entertained us with patriot songs. The fireworks were a good, Republican modest type. Not too bright and not too showy, probably about a thousand points of light per explosion. But I am pleased with my first attempt at night photography.

On Saturday, we started the day about noon with a burger from Grub Burger. In spite of the possibility that the burgers were made with actual grubs (another TAMU experiment), they turned out to be delicious and gave us enough energy to tour campus.

Walking in the hot temperatures, however, soon created an intense thirst. So we went to the Dixie Chicken for a pitcher. I mean a picture. I was glad the rattlesnakes were gone. Nothing, but a ply board covers the glass where they used to be.

On Sunday morning, we went to the Bonfire Memorial. Each of the twelve who died in the collapse is memorialized by a column that faces their hometown. On one side of the column is an engraved image of their face and information about their Aggie life. On the opposite column is their signature and personal attributes by family and friends creating a legacy of their sacrifice and what the world missed with their untimely deaths. I was unable to read those because of the blur by the tears because “We are the Aggies; the Aggies are we.”

It was only fitting that Sunday evening was spent at Lake Bryan watching the sunset from the deck of the Ice House.

That’s it from the Brazos Valley today.

July 4, 2014

Friday, July 4, 2014 – “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to loose…” And the singer of that song is? Extra credit if you can name the song and extra extra credit if you can name the songwriter. Today is July 4 – the birthday of our country. To celebrate the occasion, I am going to the George HW Bush (# 41) library celebration this evening. I will be wearing my Republican red shorts, from L.L. Bean and made in China and a beautiful white T-shirt with an American flag that was made in Mexico. How American is that? Wearing cloths imported from another country. I am going to watch the fireworks. But the George Bush library is open from 9 am to 8:15 this evening. Admission is free. One can take a shuttle bus to the library. It is free also. The Brazos Valley Symphony is playing. Yeah, I was surprised BCS has a symphony too. So not only is this a celebration of freedom, it is a celebration of Republicans doing something for free. However freedom is not free and praise is given to those who serve to keep that freedom. So regardless of political affiliations and beliefs, remember we live the greatest country in the world. Thank a soldier today – whether he or she is on active duty or retired. The singer was Janis Joplin; the song Me and Bobby McGee, written by Kris Kristofferson. Factoid – did you know Joplin and Kristofferson are from Texas?