Getting Old Ain't For Sissies

During a recent gathering of a dozen or so high school friends the conversation turned to what prescription drugs we were taking. As the discussion went around the circle and the discussion of what statin drugs each was taking, who was on blood pressure medication, blood thinners, etc., it occurred to me that we were getting old. ese
A further survey revealed two hip replacements, four total knee replacements, one quadruple bypass, a couple of cancer surgeries and some other recent minor surgeries.
And, for the most part, these guys are in pretty good physical condition for 1962 high school graduates.

In addition to various physical ailments, topics of politics, 401ks and the Astros surfaced.

The real indicator of the fact that we were getting old was when we realized not one time did the subject of "girls" come up.

The Grass is Always Greener on the Football Field

Forty-five years ago I was in college and had a couple of part time jobs. One job, I had my entire college career. Bobby Katz, a life long friend, and myself were the "straw bosses" of two yard mowing crews. It was a part time job my Dad had contracted with the FHA to clean and keep up repossessed houses until they could be sold. Mostly, it consisted of mowing the grass. In the summer each crew would mow as many as 25 yards/day. This was before Zero turn mowers, sun screen and OFF insect repellent. Well, my Dad, not to be content with just the houses, got the job of mowing the grass on the new Lamar University (nee Tech) stadium. We were to mow it every two weeks until the contractor turned it over to the University. Bobby and I figured out that the two crews would meet at the stadium in the afternoon and cut the grass together. We had six mowers and eight workers, therefore two would sit out about 20 minutes each. Jerry Northcutt and my brother, Chub drew the first bleacher time. By this time of day it was HOT! and the mosquitos were awful. Unless you grew up in the wetlands in the 60s, you can't imagine. Needless to say everyone was tired and tempers were a little on edge. When it was time to shift jobs, the "bleacher bums" had it figured differently and refused to come down. Long story, short, Bobby and I fired them and made them walk home without pay. They were later reinstated by my Dad, but our decision was held to be right and just.

We mowed the stadium grass a few more times after that. However, we lost our contract when the mower I was using lost one oil plug and we left a streak of oil from one sideline to the other one. The grass soon died.

I was in the stands cheering the Cardinals on for the first game played in Cardinal Stadium. Lamar dropped football after 1989 and this is the first year to field a team since then. I will be in the stands for the first game to be played in the newly renovated stadium on Sept. 11. Since the new playing surface is synthetic field turf, I won't be self conscious about a dead streak of grass across the field.

The Nail Job

Yesterday I was caught off guard. For many years I owned rental property and a lot of it was not in the best part of town. I am accustomed to being approached by vagrants, beggars, panhandlers and con men/women. Some have unique stories, but, most want gas money or just money. Usually, they have recently run out of gas or they don't have enough fuel to get to California. They seem to hang around convenience stores the most. I never give them money. It is always interesting to watch their reaction when you say, "I can't give you any money, but I do have a gallon of gas I can put in your car" I have never had to go that far. They have some other excuse. Usually, they don't even have a car.

Yesterday about 1:11pm I had stopped at a nice Exxon filling station/convenience store to "fill 'er up". It was 95 degrees. I left the nozzle in the truck pumping and went inside to get me a soda water. When I came out I noticed an Asian looking lady talking to the guy on the other side of the pump. I removed the pump nozzle and started to open the door, she stepped toward me and said something. I thought, uh oh, another panhandler wanting some money to buy a bus ticket to Disney World. She had a thick accent and I asked her to repeat herself several times before I realized what she was saying. She said, "You want to come to my room and do whatever you want?" Since I had just recently had a pedicure, I said, "No thank you" and left. Reflecting back, I now realize that she was wanting to polish more than my nails.

Hey, at least she was working and not begging. Must have been raised a Republican.

Water Flows Down Hill Or Does It?

A bayou is defined as a slow moving body of water, or something like that.

In late September of 2008 Pine Island Bayou showed something I had never seen before. I have seen the bayou overflow it's banks and stand six feet in my barn. In 1994 it even reached my house. But on the day this photo was taken it was about 11.1 feet and very shallow. It was about 6:00pm and Hurricane Ike was in the Gulf of Mexico and landfall was projected due south of Bevil Oaks around 2:00am the next day. We had boarded the windows on the house, put away the lawn chairs and parked our cars in the garage. Now, all we had to do was wait for the blow. We had decided against evacuating and were set to ride it out. I had the generator in place and my tractor strategically located so no trees could take it out. Ike was a Category II storm which was less powerful than Rita. However, it was pushing a storm surge one would expect of a Cat IV.

When I decided to take some pictures before the storm, it was quite, no wind was blowing, the skies were clear and it was hot. A typical afternoon for September. As I stood on the banks of the bayou and snapped the photo above, somethng felt eerie. Maybe it was the quite. Or, maybe some fear of our decision to stay versus evacuating. As I looked at the water something was not right. After a closer look and a throwing a few twigs and leaves into the water, my questions were answered. The Bayou was flowing backwards. The storm surge had already reached land and due to the low river levels, the water was backing up and Hurricane Ike was still 8 hours away.

The hurricane hit us head on. We could hear the trees falling during the night. All told 27 were down. One cut the barn in half, but not a single tree hit the house.

As soon as it was daylight the clean up began. The rain had stopped and the bayou was back to normal.