Category Archives: Uncategorized

Wednesday, December 26, 2018 – Happy Day After

Whether you are celebrating Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, St. Stephens Day, something else or just the day after Christmas Day, I hope you are enjoying it.

It was a wonderful and blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at my house of celebration. I had to get this Red Flyer to help carry my new items back to Bryan.

These are a few of my favorite things; Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens … Yeah, I know you’ll be singing it all day.

Santa really nailed this year. I got two puzzles; three calendars (No, that is not too many), gift cards to Barnes & Noble, socks, slippers, a super cool flashlight, the ever popular money, and so much more.

I got a beautiful, plush gray bathrobe that is so soft I may never take it off. Bathrobes have always been somewhat of a luxury item so it has been a long time since I have owned one. I think if I add a nice pin or a lovely brooch and pair it with a lovely contrasting scarf, I can wear it as a dress. I could be overdressed at Wal-Mart though.

You cannot tell me that my sister Dale was not there. You could taste the love in the gumbo, the Natchitoches meat pies, chocolate roll and in the Nanny cake. I also know that at some point she and Santa came into the room where I was sleeping soundly in the dark and turned on my Christmas hat with the lights.  Nice touch to slam the door on the way out so I woke up to flashing lights. Thought I had passed out on the dance floor again.

And if you need more proof that both she and Mama were hanging around check out this text that was shared last night.

Merry Christmas. I had to share I am using 2 of your mom’s recipes today thinking of her and you all. Love love

At least two of us (I was one) were actually eating a piece of that cake when the text came through. Over the years it has been called a Pound Cake, a Doy Cake, Honeyboy’s Birthday Cake, Honeyboy’s Christmas present and now The Nanny Cake. I guess at one time it was called a Butter Cake.

HB was there too. I know this because he always got puzzles; three calendars, gift cards, socks, a robe, slippers, a super cool flashlight, the ever popular money and so much more. Same things I got this year. And as he would say “There is lots to be thankful for.” I am.

Monday, December 24, 2018 – Christmas Eve

May all the blessings and joys of this the most precious holiday shine brightly you and all of your loved ones.

I hope you hear these words tonight!

“Peace on earth, goodwill to all.”

“… and I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight – Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

If you listen very closely, you might hear Santa say…

“And on January 13, in the year 2020 in the city of New Orleans – the Aggies will win and will be Number One!” WHOOP!

Thursday, December 20, 2018 – The Daily Bowl Game

Tonight on ESPN at 7:00 pm the bowls featuring the smaller universities continue in the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl. What is a gasparilla? I am assuming you know what a bad boy is and what a mower is.

Gasparilla is inspired by the Legend of Pirate Jose Gaspar, Ye Mystic Krew of Gasparilla is dedicated to enriching the vitality and imagination of Tampa Bay.

https://www.gasparillabowl.com/what-is-gasparilla/

If you look at the pictures from the link, you see people dressed as pirates, toasting with adult looking beverages and very crowded on the decks of boats. It somewhat resembles Last Splash on Lake Travis at Hippie Hollow.

If you have ever spent any time in Florida or read any of Carl Hiassen’s hilarious mysteries set in Florida, you would realize Florida doesn’t need much to enrich its imagination. It is already fruitcakes because the Cosmic bakers took the people there out of the oven too soon. So says, the great 20th Century philosopher, Jimmy Buffet. Happy Birthday Jimmy.  Any parrot head knows his birthday is December 25.

Anyway, enjoy watching the Thundering Herd of Marshall and South Florida Bulls. Perhaps it will be a thundering herd of bulls in freshly mowed grass.

It might prove to be two equally matched teams in a game that benefits the culture and community of Tampa. But still it is not the Sugar Bowl – is it, Charlie? (RL, may be the only one who catches the last sentence.)

No Snarky Friday tomorrow because I am trying not to be naughty before Santa arrives. But I will be posting the Christmas game I developed. Stay tuned.

Monday, December 17, 2018 – The National Football Championship Returns to Texas

And the championship trophy belongs to the Crusaders of Mary Hardin Baylor University from beautiful downtown Belton, Texas. This is the second time the Crusaders have won the title in three years. They beat Mt. Union 24-16 in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the Division III National Football Championship.

The Stagg Bowl was played in Shenandoah, Texas in the Woodforest Bank Stadium. The Stadium is also the home to the Oak Ridge High School Eagles, The Woodlands High School Highlanders, the Houston Dutch Lions, The Woodlands College Park High School Cavaliers and The Woodlands Wildcats.

Here’s what I’m thinking. Everything is bigger in Texas. Football is so big in Texas that small universities play in large, urban high school football stadiums.

Happy Birthday to Maggie Lou in Heaven.

Happy Birthday to DeeWee. You kinda look like this picture even today.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018 – Two Weeks from Today

Christmas Day is two weeks away from today. You have two weeks to get in the Christmas spirit. There was a question asked on Twitter this morning. How do you honor the memory of a deceased loved during the holiday season? Here are some of my favorite responses. What do you do to remember your loved ones who are at THE Big Birthday party in Heaven?

• We have an extra place setting at the table with an empty chair and a flower.
• We cook their favorite foods following their favorite recipes.
• We decorate the tree with her/his ornaments.
• We lost a son at six months of age fourteen years ago. Since his death we adopt a family that has a son who would be the same age as ours.
• We decorate with our dad’s trains and have the Christmas tree in his train room.
• Our son was killed in Afghanistan. We donate to Wounded Warriors.
• We play their favorite songs.
• I read A Visit from St. Nicholas (The Night Before Christmas) to the family, just like Daddy used to.
• Donate to a local charity.
• We go to the cemetery and have a toast of Jameson to our father.
• We tell some of our relatives’ favorite jokes.
• We put a photo in chair, light a candle on the table and tell a favorite story.
• We put poinsettias on the graves and say a prayer.
• Our church holds a mass for them.
• We go to candlelight services at church on Christmas Eve.
• We donate to the food bank in our community.
• Cry a little bit but carry on with memories.
• Celebrate for them.
  

  Dale, I never took down your Christmas tree from last year because you still light up our family. And Peach and Meela have not yet torn it down so that’s a plus.

Thursday, December 6, 2018 – 4141 Train and Flyover

Magnolia, Texas was one of the premier sites to see the train carrying the casket of former president George H. W. Bush. I was so blessed to capture some photographs of a historic time in our nation’s history.

For those familiar with Magnolia, I am standing on a Constable truck near the Library.

Looking south toward Pinehurst

Looking north toward FM 1488

I was also blessed to get back to College Station to see the flyover. There were five contingents of four jets. I tried to give some perspective of how low the formations were. The missing man formation was done over the George Bush Library. The lone aircraft took various directions. One actually flew back over the National Hamburger of Texas.

You can hardly see the aircraft. Visibility was becoming terrible.

Tuesday, December 04, 2018 – The George H. W. Bush Library

Friday, November 30, 2018 – Championship Snarky Friday

It is championship weekend in college football. By Sunday we will know Who’s In the Big Four and who is left crying in the rain awaiting their crappy bowl destination.

Since it is a special weekend the Snark has devised a sing-a-long to commemorate the occasion.

Our weekend begins tonight on Fox at 7:00 with Utah and Washington in the Pac 12 championship. (Sung to California Here We Come because game is in California)

California here we come; the Utes and Huskies to have some fun; That’s why we can hardly wait as the Huskies come undone; Go Utes!

December 1 at 11:00 on ABC we have THE University of Texas and Oklahoma University in the Red River Rivalry Redux for the Big 12 Championship. (Sung to well, you know)

I’ve been working on the railroad, all the live long day; Yes, I’ve been working on the railroad this one will slip away; Boomer Sooner will play often as Kyler throws the ball; Yes, OU will be the champions and will be # 4 Ya’ll.

At 3:00 on CBS we have Alabama and Georgia in their redux of the SEC Championship. (sung to While We Are Marching in Through Georgia )

Hoorah, hoorah, we’ll sing the jubilee; Hoorah, hoorah the Tide will roll in free; So we sing a chorus from Atlanta to the sea; While we were rolling in through Georgia!

At the 7:00 hour on ABC we have Clemson and Pitt for the ACC Champion (sung to Jingle Bells)

Tiger stripes; Tiger stripes; nothing rhymes with orange, but Clemson will be # 2 and in the playoff forms;

Opposite Clemson and Pitt at 7:00 on Fox Northwestern and Ohio State playing for the Big 10 Championship

(Sung to Hang on Sloopy) Here is the Ohio State Band in 2006 introducing this as one of their official songs. Ohio State is just weird. Maybe it’s the pot leaves.

Hang on Sloopy; Sloopy hang on…

https://youtu.be/5oPiBSktp6M