I have really enjoyed the recent posts to the Pecos gab about the theatres in Pecos.  The drive-ins were a real part of our lives and it is amazing that Pecos actually had 3 open for several years.  They turned from being novelties to a major part of our lives.  The mothers of dating aged young ladies were certain that a date to the drive-in was a road to perdition so they insisted that a corset or “Merry Widow” had to be worn.  The daughters were also instructed not to let the date park on the back row.  To further strengthen that concept, the ” HOOK” was invented.  This was a serial killer who prayed on unsuspecting, parked, teenagers.  He was recognizable by the hook that he had on one arm.  This was a replacement for the hand he lost one night as he grabbed on to a car door just as the car drove off and his hand was yanked from his body. Nobody ever thought about the fact that cars were parked within 3 feet of each other and it would be about the same as making out on a picnic table in a park where your family was holding a reunion.  Most of us had at least 20 relatives at the drive-in on any given night and half of them were just dying to see something that they could tell your parents. But with all those obstacles, going to the drive-in was about as much fun as could be had during those times in our lives.

I dont go to the movies much anymore.  They are too loud,  However, I think I might go if a good drive-in were to spring up here in Corpus.  Of course, it would have to have a really good snack bar, featuring a really good chili dog, and good popcorn and good fountain coke.  And the price would have to be $1.00 per car load.

Chewey

Is there a single word in the dictionary that has a more negative connotation than the word probe?  I think not.  We will probe the enemy.  Mr. Cowan, we will have to do a probe to see what is wrong with you. 

We have spent $ 24.5 billion dollars sending a probe to Mars.  The probe, which appears to have been made using an erector set and a tube of tinker toys, is sending back pictures that I have seen before.  Last October I went to Study Butte and Terlingua, Texas and I saw the same country that the probe is showing from Mars.  They claim to be making a real discoveries up there but I can assure them they could be doing the same thing in West Texas.  Did you happen to see how elated the room of people were that were tracking this probe?  You would have thought they hit the LOTTO,  It took 8 months for that little thing to get up there.  What were those people doing for 8 months.  I can assure you that they had not been furlowed at half pay or some sinsible thing like that.

Had they given a fraction of that money to me, say 10%, the next mega reunion would have been on me.  Full ride to Vegas for everyone alive who ever went to Pecos High.  There would have been some cash in everybodys pocket also.  It took me years to see the reason for the space race.  As soon as I found out that we werent going to be bombed with chimpanese poop I pretty much figured the old space race was a boondoggle.  However, they eventually came up with communications satellites and enabled us to keep up with each other at almost every single spot on the planet.  It is embarrassing to be on the pottie and have your banker or preacher call.  Of course they always ask if you are busy, and you lie and say no.  Just sitting around.

I am just sitting here wondering if anybody called those Martians and asked if they wanted to be probed.

Chewey

Along about the 24th or so Dorothy and I will receive a visit from one of our German daughters, Anna.  She was our first exchange student and we have been blessed with a visit from her every year since she left to go back home.  We even visited Germany one year to see her homeland.  We were also blessed with having her little sister stay with us when it was time for her to do the exchange student program.  Different girls but the same in many ways.  I think I have probably bored some people to death with tales of how much we have enjoyed them both over the years, but, well, I cant help myself. 

If you never tried the exchange program you missed an opportunity to meet some fine young people.  You missed the opportunity to show off our country at its very best.  That being the fact that our day to day lives are not affected in the same way, by government, as in some other parts of the world.  The simple fact that a ladies dress store has 5 thousand dresses to choose from instead of 50.  The girls thought the gap was a suburb of heaven.  Dorothy has been busy locating another store for Anna to shop at.  She can do some major league shopping while she is here.  Its always exciting to weigh her luggage before she goes home.

It will be a little sad this year as they have lost both their dad and granddad this last year.  However, we will do all we can do to cheer her up and make her visit a nice one. 

We kid our own children that the girls will share in their inheritance, but we do love them all.  When Anna found out the date of Kyle’s wedding, she immediately went to her boss and secured time off to come to Texas for the wedding.  Dont think she would have missed it for the world.

I am glad that it is warm here during her visit as she loves the weather and loves to go to the bay front to run in the mornings.  Anna has recently become a triathlon competitor and marathon runner.  Glad it is her and not me.

Its Monday morning, time to load up the calculator and run out and audit the hell out of somebody.  The word auditor is fun to say.  If I am in a clients office and some of their employees are staring at me, wondering who I am, all I have to say is that I am an auditor and that will clear a room faster than a hand granade.  If you let slip the letters IRS, they vacate the building.  I always try to get their names before I say anything about who I am, they then spend the day worrying that I am somehow after them.  I have even had people come by later in the day and ask if I am looking at them.  Guilt?

Chewey, the CPA

I finally convinced myself that I needed to take the concealed handgun class and become a certified and licensed carrier of a concealed gun.  Why, you ask, should a CPA need to carry a firearm.  Well, CPAing is hazardous work.  Have you thought about the ramifications of explaining to a client that abortion charges for his mistress are not medical deductions? Have you considered how mad some clients get when you remove vet bills from their list of medical?  Think about trying to explain that someone’s maid is not considered a dependent.  I dont care if you do think you fully support her.  And I sometimes go to remote places. 

The process for getting the license consists of a lengthy questionaire, having a couple of passport pictures taken and getting your fingerprints done.  The fingerprint process is where it happened.  I was led into a room where two young ladies were.  One I judged to be about 16 and she was training the younger one.  They said they were ready if I was.  I asked if it was going to hurt and was assured that it would neither hurt or get my clothes messy.  Everything went splendid until we got to the pinkie finger of my left hand.  The computer kept rejecting it.  We tried about 6 different poses, but alas, nothing.  It was rejected time and time again.  I inquired as to the problem and was told that they could only say that my finger was too wrinkled.  They did not know of what would happen since I only had 7 fingers printed.  I asked about amputees and they knew nothing.  Seems to me that further training is necessary for both of these young ladies. 

We submitted what I had and hopes are high that I am not rejected because of a wrinkled pinkie finger.  I am now wondering whether I should have taken some positive action, such as rubbing that finger with preparation H prior to the test.

The local Heb will have its annual Hatch chile fiesta tomorrow.  They will char the chiles and sell them or you can buy and char your own.  I like going because it always gets me in the mood to think about Ben’s.  Why in the world didnt I court one of ole Ben Mata’s daughters, get the recipe, and then sell out like that dog on the Bush’s Baked beans commercial.  I could have been eating those chiles my whole life instead of drooling over the thought of how I remember them tasting.  Oh well, another one of life’s little misfortunes.

I will use a new recipe tomorrow and let you know if it is worth trying.  I am a bit concerned that I dont remember the sauce that went on top of the ones that Ben made.  Any suggestions would help. 

This is a first attempt at this blog business.  Give me a few days and I am sure that I can figure out how to save the world, make you laugh until you tinkle, or perhaps just get you to thinking about something.

I think there is an area on the blog page where you can answer or reply. If there is something you would like to start a discussion on, hey, give me a hint.  ie:  Should the commander in chief bring every single soldier home before Christmas?