Went to the ranch today to check on things and as I rounded the corner I could not see my bunk house building.  My first thought was that someone had stolen my building.  My next thought was that a tornado had carried it off.  However, as I pulled in the yard it was there but it had burned to the ground.  I was totally at a loss for words and thoughts actually.  It took me a few minutes to remember that we had a violent thunderstorm night before last and much lightning.  I am sure that a bolt hit the house and the house just burned until the rain put the fire out.  Total loss of building and contents.  Had several things that were and are going to be hard to replace.  A teak table and chair set was our main dining table out of the porch.  A big rocking chair that the kids gave me.  An old oak chair that was like the kind that were in school houses years ago.  We have been working on that building for a couple of years and had it just about perfect for our needs.  With Kyle’s excellent help we were able to get it finished out without too much difficulty and expense.  That wont be so easy this time.

We are back to one building, the kitchen, living room and dining room and have fallen back in the evolutionary chain to the point of using the outhouse. Glad I didn’t tear the thing down as some folks had suggested.  A sack of lime and refill the Tupperware toilet paper tub and that baby is good to go.  Oh, may have to do something about the large lizard that seems to like the area right above the door.  It is disconcerting, to say the least, when you are sitting there contemplating the meaning of life and look up into the eyes of a very large lizard.  Oh, we are back to bathing under the water tank.  I can turn the water well on, turn a faucet and it fills the water tank to overflow and the water cascades down just like a very nice waterfall.  It is kind of open-air but will put up some type of tarp arrangement so that folks will not have to see nakedness.  It aint pretty.  Surely before winter I can have things back to normal.

Thats all of my report for this evening.  Sometimes I sit back and think about how dull life has become.  You know, at the edge of idleness, and then some caca like this happens.  I am just not sure but what I should make some minor changes in how I look at things.  Maybe dull as a cub scouts pocket knife is how I ought to let my life become.

Naw, it aint worth it.

GC

There is not much going on today.  Waiting until time to go to Physical therapy session.  I have been having problems with my hamstring and Dr. finally decided that 6 weeks of PT ought to do the trick.  Went Tuesday for first session and never saw so many therapy techs.  They were all about 20 years old, thin as a rail and could all do yoga exercises.  Hope they understand that old men can’t bend over and kiss the floor.  A couple of the routines hurt like a sumbitch.  I don’t think they understood that i was in there to stop the pain, not increase it.  Oh well.

Went to Vegas last week for a quickie.  Saw Celine and she was a good show.  Gambling, not so much.  I love watching people and Vegas would be a people watching nirvana if the casinos would put some benches in critical places so old men could sit and watch the parade of people.  The current fashion in young ladies dresses is hard to understand.  I saw them, and a number of them, wearing dresses that were so short( and tight) that you could see about 2 inches of their lower butt cheek.  Had they lifted their arms above their head, maybe in an attempt to keep from being hit by falling object, they would expose a lot of things that I am sure their mother warned them to keep covered.  I don’t know but I would be so nervous trying to keep my Hooch from showing I would be unable to have a good time.  I could tell that few of them were worried at all.  Went to dinner at “the” japanese restaurant in Vegas and the hostesses were all dressed in the same attire.  For sure the mini skirt and hot pants have been replaced by the really mini dress and no pants.

Gary-the guy from west Texas

Late in June we will return to Pecos for a multiclass reunion and are planning on attending one nights performance of the “RODEO”.  Havent been to one in years. That time of year used to bring a lot of excitement for Pecos.  We had a parade, which we usually watched from the side yard of my grandparents house on Hwy 80.  Ideal location.  It always meant that it was birthday time for me. (July 1st) .  That is not very exciting anymore as the Rodeo is now in June and I am not all that enthused that I am having another birthday.  This will mark a year that many of us can attend the “old Timers gathering” and actually be old timers.  That is depressing as hell actually.  After a certain age I quit going to the Rodeo and diverted my attention to the post performance dance held at the Posse barn.  That was great excitement because I dont remember ever going to a dance that a fight did not erupt.  Bull riders were notoriously dangerous.  The current leader in bull riding points looks like he is about 12 years old. A fight with him would be considered child endangerment.  My son, Eric , worked for the rodeo production company one year.  He was able to stay up really late at night, hang around people who dipped snuff and was exposed to unnamed vices I am sure.  As I remember, he spent all the money he was paid that week for a black satin jacket that had the company’s logo on the back.  Not many folks wear jackets in Pecos during the month of July.  I am not sure if he still has the jacket.  My in-laws loved the rodeo, especially my mother-in-law.  She loved to enter the Calcutta in roping.  For those not in the know, that is a form of betting on sports events that doesn’t sound like betting but allows you all the thrills of winning at betting.  You purchase a certain team or individual that is participating and should he win you receive a portion of all the money in the Calcutta pool.

I don’t think many from my particular graduating class will be there but, of course, will know almost everyone who will be, so  it will be a lot of fun.  We are planning on going to Ft. Davis and the swimming pool at Balmorhea.  We are going to show off those areas to a friend that is a visitor to where we grew up.  We will regale him with tales of daring do and maybe even a few lies thrown in just to embellish the story.  I used to love going to the mountains.  It was always cooler up there and sometimes there was water running in the creeks.  Very good places for a Sunday afternoon picnic.  Best fried chicken I ever ate was on a picnic like that.  Mrs. Jim Bennett cooked the chicken, and she was the best there ever was at that particular culinary skill, and we had buttered bread that had warmed above the back seat of the car.  Lord it was good eating.  And at that time the company was pretty good also.

I think all of us will miss Bens Spanish Inn.  That would be a real attraction if it suddenly reopened for the week.  Probably couldnt get in the door.  I could use a chile relleno about now.  Saw a variation of one last week that consisted of stuffed jalapenos.  I am thinking of trying the recipe.

Just rambling a bit, thinking of exciting times in the near future.  I wish more of you were coming to the reunion but some of you are not as spry as we used to be.  I understand.  I have been having problems with my hamstring.  Can you imagine, me, with a hammie.  I found out that you can develop a hamstring problem from sitting at a desk.  Hell, I always thought the only thing dangerous about being an accountant was if you spilled coffee in your calculator and got electrocuted.  I think I will tell everyone I got a hammie from walking the mall.

GC