Spring Break

Made a quick trip to the bunker this weekend mostly to drop off a really big water tank that's been taking up room in the truck and to go to Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine. What a neat thing for anyone to see. One of the best recitals was from a lady from Alberta who embodied the Texas spirit like a native. She closed her presentation
by saying that her next of kin card in her billfold lists the Lone Star.
So many new citizens have moved to Texas in the past four years that you can see the spirit draining away in a city like Austin. One of the things you hear from a newcomer is that everyone is so confident and open. Well that is true unless you are in a group of newcomers who start every sentence with "back in (wherever) we did it this way.
You don't have to be born in Texas to be a Texan, you are recognized as a Texan by your actions. You can tell if a man is a Texan by the way he walks and how he tips his hat and looks you in the eyes whether he speaks to you or not. How he pitches in to help without needing to be asked and then gets embarrassed when you try to thank him. The newcomer begins to feel these things and one day he knows he is home. He feels the pride swell in him when another Texan acknowledges him without a word being spoken. We have a lot to be proud of here in the Lone Star state and we are willing to share it with another Texan, no matter where they came from.

From the Fire

I'm writing this from the keyboard of my Kindle Fire. The technology is way above my level. I have just now figured out the spell check scheme, maybe. These are cold days at the bunker so we are staying close to Austin. Cold here too but winter is almost over by my reckoning the first of March is the end around here 90% of the time. I had a chance to buy an old tractor to play with this spring and was saved at the last minute by someone getting there first. The seller called me to save me the trip. Oh, well. I could rent one twenty times for the same money and not have it sit there mocking me every day.
This is hard so I'll see you later.

Mom's Piece

Buying a hand gun is a touch and go thing. We have been through no fewer than four, trying to find one that is just right. Well the one above may just be the one. The first thing you have to get used to is the price goes up with each new gun. Well that sure happened here. But if it fits the bill then it's OK.
Oh, it's a SIg Sauer P238 in .380 caliber called the Lady. It is red with silver engraving and has a gold rose on top of the slide. Like all gun buyers we ran right out to the range to see if it worked. I'm surprised how nice it feels for such a small gun. We had rented one last week and there is a big difference in new and broken in but we will break it in in no time. It is the same size as the KelTec and the Ruger and just a little heavier than the S&W Bodyguard. After a couple of boxes of shells we called it good and from now on it will be her carry piece.

New year

Time has flown and here it is February. I know I should write something every day or so but without touching the taboos like politics and religion there's not much to write about. I do have definite opinions on both of those subjects but I'll keep them to myself. I am a rather square peg here in the round hole of Austin. This is the Mamby of Mamby Pamby cities and you have to have a certain outlook to over look a lot of what happens here. I am getting close to one of those taboos so I'll drop it.

As you can see from the picture things are returning to normal. The yuccas are surviving even though they were burned to the ground. Many plants have sprung up and there are even flowers blooming they are weeds but the flowers are pretty. We spent a few days last month finishing up a few little projects and getting ready to install a large patio cover on the West side. I repaired the railing along the back of the roof and just generally cleaned up around the place.