Having A Bad Day Of Senility Signs & Train Blocks On The 3rd Day Of May In Texas

The picture is a perfect metaphor for how I'm feeling.

Blocked.

I had myself a rough night of rough nightmares and that had me waking up feeling beat up.

I thought swimming in really cold water would break me out of it, like shock therapy. This did not work. But it made me very cold.

My brain is just not working right today.

Well before noon I took off from here, heading to Pantego. I had multiple reasons to be going to Pantego.

The way to Pantego goes by Village Creek Natural Historic Area. I thought maybe a short walk was what I needed to get the synapses in my failing brain firing right again.

I was wrong. The walk provide no noticeable benefit.

I'm so badly malfunctioning I could not even manage to take a decent picture of the Village Creek Natural Wildflower area and the sign that tells you that that is what the sparse patch of wildflowers is.

Eventually this morning, at one point, I ended up in an ALDI Food Market. When I checked out my brain was still checked out, which caused me to use the wrong debit card. This was no big deal, but did require changing what I'd planned to do during the bank visit that was also part of this morning's adventure in minor senility.

When I left ALDI is when I came to the train blocking my way. I've heard more than once that Arlington is the only major city in America that allows itself to be cut in two by a train several times a day. There are only a couple ways to get past the track in Arlington.

That seems really odd to me. The little town I used to live in, Mount Vernon, has a train track running through it. There are several ways to get over the tracks. But, I do remember getting stuck waiting for a train a time or two on College Way, which was the main route I'd take back to my house.

It seems like a big waste of gas to have so many vehicles stopped and waiting for a train several times a day. A lot of money was spent fixing up the I-30 freeway in Arlington, with new bridges and new freeway that really does not seem to be all that big of an improvement.

Eventually the double-decker train came to an end and I was able to continue on my way.

Right now it is half past 3 in the afternoon and I feel so beat up I'm ready to go to bed. But, I don't see that happening for a few hours. In the meantime maybe I'll go try some more cold water pool therapy and do some sun lounging now that it is almost 70 degrees out there.

Calling Honey Lulu While Walking With Cbonesmom In Veterans Park & Hearing Lame Excuses From Elsie Hotpepper

Today I wanted to go to ALDI in Pantego. Veterans Park in Arlington is in the neighborhood, so I went there for a virtual walk with my sister, Cbonesmom, in Arizona.

By virtual walk, I mean I called and we talked while I walked.

I had a few questions to ask regarding my plans to go to Phoenix in April.

Cbonesmom is going to Tacoma for a few weeks in April to see my new nephews and niece, David Jay, Theodore Ryan and Ruby Jean. She said she can change her flight north so she can be in Arizona when I'm there. I'll just push off going to AZ so my sister doesn't have to change her plans.

Cbonesmom is my sister's email nickname. She is CJ and JR's mom. I've no idea what Cbones means. I don't think I've ever asked.

Before calling Cbonesmom I called Honey Lulu. Honey Lulu called me at midnight last night. I did not know this until I flipped my phone open this morning. I called Honey Lulu 12 hours after she called me. I got voice mail. Until a few months ago Honey Lulu lived on Oahu, where she regularly appeared on a TV show called LOST. Honey Lulu is now back on the mainland, having trouble adjusting to the cold Washington winter weather.

This morning Elsie Hotpepper called. Her excuse for not showing up at last night's TRIP event was that she forgot. And her phone was supposedly dead, which is why she was not reachable by phone. Elsie Hotpepper is so unimaginative with her excuses.

I need to call Elsie Hotpepper to tell her we are going to Finn MacCools next weekend to meet some Special Powers. Finn MacCools is a pub. I think they may serve alcoholic beverages there.

Driving around today it sure does not appear that people are cutting back on their driving due to the big jump in the price of gas. There were a lot of people having fun at Veterans Park. ALDI was real busy. Yesterday Town Talk was the busiest I've ever seen it. For the first time ever I had trouble finding a parking space.

I rarely get headaches. I have a slight one right now. I think it may be from spending too much time on the phone today. I don't like spending too much time on the phone.

I forgot to mention, though earlier today I said I would not be going swimming due to the temperature being below freezing, I later re-thought that and realized the water would be significantly warmer than the air. So, I managed about 15 minutes of swimming in water noticeably colder than it was yesterday.

And then I got in the hot tub.

A Soldier Under A Stormy Looking Arlington Sky With Me Botching Spaghetti With Kettle Korn

Today I stopped at Veterans Park in Arlington on my way to Pantego to go to ALDI.

The picture I took of the soldier guarding the Veterans Park Memorial makes it appear way stormier than it actually was. A very strong wind was blowing around noon, coming from the south.

I did not like walking in the wind, so I did not walk for long.

On weekends there are a lot of groups playing Disc Golf at Veterans Park.

I really think Disc Golf should have its own park, instead of being in a mixed use park. I nearly got hit by one of those hard spinning discs today, likely blown far from where its thrower intended it to go by the strong wind.

When I got back here from ALDI I made lunch. Spaghetti. I was in superfast cook mode, which caused me to grab the wrong thing when I reached for garlic powder. Instead I sprinkled Kettle Korn Seasoning into the spaghetti sauce. I thought this would ruin it. But it didn't.

Speaking of Kettle Korn Seasoning, if you like Kettle Korn, but don't like the amount of fat and sugar involved, you can make do it yourself Kettle Korn that tastes just like the real thing.

With the Kettle Korn Seasoning only adding 5 calories per 1/4 teaspoon.

Of course, I don't need to tell you to make air-popped popcorn and spray it with butter-flavored non-stick/fat-free spray so the Kettle Korn Seasoning will stick to the popcorn.

Having Myself A Very Merry Wet Slippery Christmas Eve In Texas

Rain began dropping around 11 this morning. Around noon I took off, out of here, heading to ALDI in Pantego.

A year ago, today, we were being pelted with frozen rain in the form of snowflakes, which piled up quickly.

I was reminded of what Christmas Eve was like last year when I opened a Christmas card from Steve Doeung and daughter Elizabeth, and saw both of them surrounded by a Winter Wonderland. With flags.

The view in the picture is heading south on Dottie Lynn Parkway in Arlington, about to take a left on to Division Street.

You might be thinking what sort of fool drives along in treacherous conditions taking pictures. Well, a short time after this picture was taken I was thinking the same thing.

Because, when I turned from Dottie Lynn Parkway on to Division my vehicle suddenly spun out of control. It just sort of slid sideways, rather than making the turn.

No. There was no ice on the road. It is not cold enough for ice to be on the road.

It has not rained in a long time. This can cause oily greasy spots that become like ice when covered with a lot of water. Like today.

When I was in ALDI the lady behind me in line was going on about how slippery it was. We then commiserated about our driving misery.

So far I have not seen nor heard any of the predicted Thunderstorm action. Maybe that is scheduled for later in the day.

I won't be going out in it again this Christmas Eve, unless someone somehow strongly motivates me to do so.