A SKUNK RUNS THRU IT....

A skunk runs thru it...our yard that is.
2:30 a.m.....3 nights ago.
Bennie met and chased the skunk.
Score: skunk 1 point....Bennie none.
Maybe I should give the skunk only a half point since he got only a drop or 2 of stench ON the dog.
Maybe I should give Bennie a half point for scaring the hell outta the skunk.
Now, some dogs LIKE the stink of skunk....they'll roll in a dead skunk if they find one.
Super diva(o), prima donna(o) Bennie does NOT like the smell.
He brought the smell onto my bed and kept jumping off the bed and getting back up there and saying "P.U.!"
We went thru 3 dog blankets and a towel before he was satisfied and went back to sleep.
This picture is not our actual skunk...I just got it off the internet.

This other picture is of golden eagle rays off the Yucatan Peninsula. It was taken last week. They measure 7 feet across and were looking for more desirable waters....a migration sort of.

I was taking out the trash from Needleworks today and saw an empty shotgun shell on the ground next to my car...only in Pecos. Wierdos.

There was a scathing half page ad in the Monday newspaper by the new Pecos Humane Society...thought i was GOING TO ACTUALLY PUKE!!!!!!!!! It told about horrible conditions at our city animal shelter....I didn't even know it was still open. Dogs packed into cages with no food or water. They were drinking urine and eating feces because they were so hungry and thirsty.
It asked "how bad do the conditions have to be before the State or City shuts down the pound??" GOD ALMIGHTY.....HOW BASIC IS IT TO GIVE AN ANIMAL SOME F-ING WATER????????????? It takes like a few minutes.
WHERE IS OUR NEW ANIMAL SHELTER ...that we've been promised for months?
THE SHAME, SHAME, SHAME of PECOS!!!!
Someone make it stop already!!!

I won't even get into the story I want to tell about our inept police dept. and school system.
I have friends who experienced this ridiculous excuse for both agencies last week.

I'm off to Dallas tomorrow for my niece Laurie's wedding...should I come back?

Love, mary

Awwww...It's Another Nuthin' Sorta Sunday In Pecos.

George bought a new motorcycle in El Paso yesterday...it's a Buell. Even though he doesn't look like it in this photo he was SO proud and SO excited! He stopped by on his way back to Pyote to show it to us. He teaches at the West Texas State School with Gene.

Speaking of that....it's now called the "Rattlesnake High School"!

Gene had to go to training in Iraan last Monday and Tuesday and Odessa on Wednesday....that's a total of 495 miles.
He was tired and glad it is over.
AND the stupid Iraan ISD did not pay for the gas.

I worked 6 days last week.
Hope I don't have to do the same this week.
My co-worker Lucy was out of town for a couple of days.
Peggy got pneumonia at a show in Witchita Falls last weekend and had to go to the E.R. in an ambulance.
She hasn't been so well since her car accidnet 18 months ago and seems to be in denial about that.
SSshhhhhh....don't tell her I said that.

We had a big water leak that we didn't know about until the water meter reader came and notified us that the meter was spinnin' around like a tornado.
Luckily we have American Home Shield Insurance...and they sent out Carl-the-plumber to fix it. It took 4 or 5 days to get him out here since he's the only accredited plumber in town....and ALWAYS VERY BUSY!!
Our water bill was $473.00!!!! We had used 153,000 gallons of water....I FELT SOOOOOO GUILTY! Gee Wally, we could've had a couple swimming pools for that!
Double lucky that we don't have to pay all that bill!
The water Dept. is a-workin' with us on that.
It's usually $80. or $120.

For Mi Familia Only:
I loaned Grandaddy Gray's memoirs to this guy Jim Davis and he sent me the nicest note. He lives in Kermit with his Mama who is 102 years old. It says:
Dear Mary,
What a story. He mentions places ad events almost in passing that would have been one's adventure of a lifetime. Thanks for letting me read it.
Biography is what I read the most as it is a story that really happened.
My Dad had an old framed photograph of Gen. Pershing and I would like you all to have it. I'll bring it next time I'm over (when I can locate it).
Thanks again,
Jim Davis

Isn't that nice? I don't even know him really. Sib just dragged him over to our open house in July.

SO!!!
A reporter from the newspaper (Peggy McCracken) came over last Thursday and interviewed me for a "feature article"....er....uh-huh....we'll see how THAT turns out.
"WEIRDO OUT OF TOWNERS MAKE BOTTLE CAP SNAKES!!!!"
It might be out tomorrow.
The paper comes out Monday and Friday and costs a damn DOLLAR!
It's usually all of EIGHT pages.

RADIO HOTLINE:
For Sale:
WWII paratrooper survival rifle.
Box of paint ball guns and supplies- $50. (Ouch.)
Wanted:
Someone to remove a dead dog from under house. (Ick.)
Apple Decorations.

That's all folks.
Thanks for doing the bloggity thing.
love, mary

VAYA CON DIOS TO THE "VATO FROM McALLEN."

I got the sad news today that Rob Watkins passed away 8/15/08 in Seguin, Texas.
He was 53 years old.
We had not seen Rob in about 10 years but he used to be such a big part of our lives during the R-12 Cafe years...beginning in 1984.
We enjoyed seeing him play at The Center Reef in San Marcos on Sundays.
For many years in the 80's and 90's he entertained folks in the beer garden at The Grist Mill Restaurant in Gruene, Texas while they waited for a table to open up.
These pictures were taken there in June 1990.
All the tourists LOVED it when he ran thru his repertoire of T.V. show theme songs....The Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan's Island etc.

He was so talented....and so funny.
He wrote a song called "R-12 Cafe" and when I was manager there....every time I'd close up shop and lock the door....I'd put that song on and crank it up real loud while we all cleaned the cafe at the end of another busy night.
"IT'S A NICE PLACE TO GO...SO I GO THERE ALOT!"
We served him many a meal and many a bottle of Chimay Ale.
He was great pals with Kyle Kimbrough (the owner) and Mike Yates (our head cook).

We loved his songs "Vato from McAllen"....( yes, he was from there.)...and his song "Roberto Chile".
We have attended birthday parties and weddings where he played.
I remember a wedding we went to where he played an Elvis song as the couple exited the ceremony.

He brought alot of joy to people with his special brand of music.

My sympathies to his parents and brother.

M.D.P.

MINIATURE SUNDAY NEWS..

Click on this picture...make it big to read about Stetson Chapeaus.

The weather here has been cloudy and cool yesterday, today and will remain so tomorrow and Tuesday.
It's in the 70's and 80's for a high.
Of course we're loving it...but...it's strange for August...it sorta creeps me out.

We had a visit from Blue the parakeet yesterday.

UGH...our neighbors...3 doors down got roosters again...they are LOUD!
Glad we don't live right next door to them.
Luckily one of the neighbors right next to them is hard of hearing.
Damn Chicken Fighters...I DESPISE THEM!!

Gene brought home a baby pine tree from his trip to Weed, New Mexico.
He planted it in the backyard.
This morning our cat Harold was trying to sharpen his claws on it....and then was grabbing the needles etc.
BAD CAT!

Went to the grocery store this morning and my favorite cashier Frances Bryan checked me out....she's been checking groceries for 66 years.
She told me that her husband used to put WD-40 on his knees when they hurt.
I was laughing cos I thought she was kidding.
She wasn't.
He said it worked.

Gene will doing training in Odessa in Iraan this week.
Odessa is 70 miles away....Iraan is 115 miles away.
That's alot of driving and they have to pay for their own gas.
He now officially works for Iraan ISD and not TYC.
Whatever...I'm so tired of hearing about it.

Regarding wind turbines/windmills.
It's a jaw dropper to see a wind turbine blade or other part being transported down the highway. Some of the larger turbines around Big Spring reach a "hub" height of 300 ft. (at the center of the blade) with each of the blades stretching 140 ft.

M.D.P.

CLICK ON THIS PICTURE AND MAKE IT BIG.

Because it's really cool and it's the only one I have today.

Who wants onions?
My neighbors Sib & Bill bought 50 lbs. for $8.
That's twice the price it used to be....of course.
They shared them w/ us...and Mmmmmmmm!
Sometimes they just boil 'em and put pepper on them and eat them just like that.
We cut them in half and soaked them in teriyaki sauce and then grilled the halves w/ chicken.
They have no name and better than Vedalias.

The neighborhood SKUNK continues to reek havoc.
Last Friday I awoke at 4:30 a.m. to the stink of SKUNK!
It smelled like that varmint was right under my bed.
I guess he sprayed out back by the jet engined A/C units....I dunno...but it was bad.
I have researched online......
and I leave no pet food outside....garbage can is secured....etc.etc.
UGH.
It's O.K. ....IF he doesn't spray...and especially doesn't spray the dogs-n-cats.
I worry about skunks being RABIES carriers!!

I think I'm going to the TYC in Pyote tomorrow for the 1st time.
It's for a lunch for a married couple that are retiring.
I like them alot.
RATTLESNAKE BOMBER BASE....HERE I COME!!

The newspaper on Monday was actually worth the dollar they charge!!
There's an article about T.B. Pruett's brother P.H. Pruett moving to Ft. Davis in the 1880's etc...(which I've written about before.)
And there's going to be a fun gathering at the West of the Pecos Museum in September regarding Texas Rangers.
Stay tuned!!!!!

Radio Hotline:
For Sale:
Monkey figurines. (Ew.)
Found:
3 Legged Dog. (It's not mine.)
Give:
4 and a half lab puppies. (Uh....O.K. I guess it's that they are giving puppies that are half labs....but it looked FUNNY!)

A BIG SCARY STORM!

Wow!! Eight tenths of an inch! And Gene had JUST watered the yard. I looked at radar on my computer at 6 p.m. and didn't see anything...then at 9 p.m. we got all that rain in about half an hour. The wind blew between 50 and 60 m.p.h. with lots of lightening and thunder. Our lawn chairs blew 20 ft. into the yard from the patio, a few limbs are down this morning around our neighborhood, the dogs were cowering in our laps, a bit of water blew in under a few windows and doors, plants blown all over the yard etc.
Big excitement.
Some of the ranchers around here were thinking of having to sell some of their cattle because they had no grass and buying them feed is so expensive. They can't afford to do that very long. So the rain we've had the last month or so has been a big blessing for them.

I missed 2 good photo ops last week. Maybe I should just take camera everywhere I go. At the grocery store they were roasting big banana peppers. They put them in a big wire hopper outside (like a bingo hopper) and then there are gas jets of fire shooting out under them as they turn the wire hopper. Alot of folks have not seen this before and would think it was interesting.
Then at the Quik Stop store I saw a little dog sitting on his owner's lap in a car and he was wearing "doggles". At first I thought he just had on somebody's sunglasses to look cute. I've seen these doggie goggles on T.V. and in catalogs but never seen a dog actually wearing them. So he could hang his head out the car window in safety.

A lady who has lived here all her life and is around 80 years old...I won't name her....she might not like it....was heard to say: "I b'lieve if Pecos opened a whore house...it'd go out of business." I think she's right.

So, we are starting to get a little busy at Needleworks with folks buying Pecos Eagle shirts etc.
We make little girl's cheerleader outfits all during the year so we can have alot ready at this time of year. They are a skirt and top (with the kid's name monogrammed on it) for $50.
People call up and ask if it's too late to order them or do we take measurements for them etc.
Stupid.
C'mon folks this isn't couture! It's off the rack!

Our electric bill is absolutely KILLIN' us!
It's impolite to say how much...but it's HUGE!!

On that note...I better get ready for monogramming at Needleworks....I need the money.

Thanks for blogging!
Love, Mary
P.S. For my familia only: I heard Dad in my head the other day saying: "Rouse McNouse!"

YAY! WE GET TO STAY ONE MORE YEAR!

Gene got his contract in the mail yesterday. He has been rehired by Iraan ISD to keep the job he now has with TYC.
And while Pecos is not my first choice as a place to live.....it's nice to have the unemployment worry off our backs!
I'm sure the neighbors get tired of us always telling them that we are probably moving.
We are the little boy that cried "wolf"...or "coyote".

So, I was strolling through Walmart yesterday and the music that they play just makes me DIE laughing.
It was "Only in My Dreams" by Debbie Gibson...how 80's!
I had to sing along...all the other shoppers are oblivious of course...they think it's normal.

Our neighborhood skunk continues to stink the area.
That nasty stray cat that beat up my cat Harold last year(the vet bill was $120.) was a-layin' in the alley yesterday morning....a-dead.
I felt sorry for him but am glad he is gone.
He looked diseased and was breeding with all the other strays and would come and piss on our back door and awful stuff like that.

The flies are bad.
Gene and I sit around swatting dozens of them and then the other day we fed the freshly dead flies to these big red ants that were around....ugh...were are SO easily amused!

Look! My little baby cactus had a little baby flower.
This is 11 year old Hartley wearing the necklace that she made on her 2nd craft afternoon here with me.
Isn't she lovely?
I found that rock w/ a hole in our front yard.
Ya almost never see one with a hole around here...much less one small enough for a necklace.

RADIO HOTLINE:
Give-
japanese bobtail cats. (huh? What the hell are those?)
For Sale-
Kermit crabs. (haha...this lady called 'em that instead of "hermit"...it's funny because there's a town called Kermit near here.)
Roping horse to trade for 2 cows.
Wanted-
asbestos tile for siding. (isn't that something that most healthy folks DON'T want?)

That's all bloggers!
love, mary

GOD BLESS RUTH LUSTER.

I found a lost chihuahua today in front of Needleworks.
Drove around with it looking for it's owner.
No luck.
This dog belongs to someone...it was well fed and very friendly. I just hope they care enough to look for the dog....alot of folks do not.

Took it over to Ruth with a bag of dog food and a twenty dollar bill.
She said to just make sure it didn't have fleas or ticks...and it didn't but does have some kind of skin condition.
I felt very guilty and neglectful because Ruth has called me a couple of times in the last 6 weeks or so and I didn't call her back.

She always answers the door with a smile on her face....today with a baby kitten in one hand a bottle of milk in the other....and a swarm of dogs at her feet.
Today she had 20 dogs and puppies and 23 cats and kittens!!! And her house is TINY!!! There are big cages, small cages and baby gates all over the place.
She's in her 70's and has a crippled back...she walks all bent over.
I just don't know what Pecos would do without Ruth....they better get it figured out because someday she won't be around.
If she didn't give of herself the way she does...who would?
And there's still PLENTY of homeless cats-n-dogs in town.
AND there's still people breeding dogs on purpose all over this area.
Everyday on the Radio Hotline there are 3 or 4 or 5 kinds of dogs for sale...it makes me want to puke!!!

Right now Pecos does not have an animal shelter. It was closed because it was in so many violations of blah, blah, blah.
The good news is that the city has approved a motion to get a building to house all these animals that they are currently taking to poor Ruth....and they have gotten money from the state and now have a tax I.D. number etc.
The rent would be only $1,200. a year on the building they are looking at.
A kind woman from Midland sent Ruth a check for a couple of thousand dollars to add animal pens in her backyard....but instead she can use the money to do improvements on this afore mentioned building.

It'd be great if they could use a tiny corner of the building for a thrift shop to benefit the shelter. Folks throw away perfectly good stuff everyday. Ft. Davis has a very successful animal shelter, thrift shop and adoption program....but Ruth can't do it all by herself!
She would like her house back!
SO C'MON EVERYBODY....ESPECIALLY YOU LOCAL LURKERS OF MY BLOG!!!!
I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!!!
Call Ruth at 445-1815 to offer food or a few dollars or any kind of help....when the time comes they'll need volunteers to help fix up this building.
Or just mail her a check for any amount...even $5. will help.
Her address is:
Ruth Luster-1913 W. Adams St. Pecos TX 79772