Rock Stars And Planes Don't Mix...

"Randy Rhoads On March 18th, 1982, the metal guitar whiz was on his way to a festival in Orlando, Florida, touring as part of Ozzy Osbourne’s band. The band bunked down for the night at the bus driver’s house in Leesburg, Florida. Early the next morning, the driver took Rhoads and one other crewmember on an early morning airplane joyride. Once in the air, the bus driver — who had cocaine in his system and was flying on an expired pilot’s license — decided it’d be a great idea to “buzz” the tour bus where Ozzy was still sleeping. Their first three low-altitude passes were successful, but on their fourth flyby, the plane’s right wing hit the tour bus, puncturing its side panel. The plane then took out a pine tree before slamming into a house and bursting into flames. Neither the house, the plane nor the three passengers aboard it survived. "Blender.com

Have a happy New Year, be sexy and good luck!

My patients goodbye wishes this morning on leaving the clinic. English is not his first language.

Monday's Missives

Team America is gonna wipe those smug grins off those ugly mugs- you just wait. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

Battlefield pickup 1911 from Corregidor. Note the hammer is in the cocked position.

The requisite sunburst through the antiaircraft  sight picture.

Aussie tank from WWII. The hull gunner was killed by the explosion evidenced by that gaping hole.

Hatch from the Arizona. The hole above the door was cut to look for survivors.

Vest worn by USO girl during WWII. It was signed by service members and adorned with ranks and unit crests etc. Pedolph!?

During the Nimitz museum tour- my guess is he wasn't kidding.

Hey guys- whats up? My owner is a total tool for letting me run loose without a leash but we're cool- right?

No? Ok, you're sucky humans. I didn't want to play with you anyway.

I'm huge on Enchanted Rock.

Hawk eviscerating a pigeon behind the house. What a weird privilege it was to see him work. I missed him bringing it down though- that would have been cool.

Satanic squirrel near Pedernales Falls.

Lightening rod on LBJ's boyhood home.

Kev napping on Enchanted Rock waiting for sunset. 

From the trail near P Falls

In olden times in Texas primitive man would paint porch ceilings blue so mud daubers would think it was the sky and wouldn't build nests.

Back to the sunset on Enchanted Rock.

I digress- a weird sculpture on Sculpture Ranch.

He was with a group from Austin. Don't ask me why I know they were from Austin but I assure you, I'm right.

After I snapped this the sun disappeared. One second it was there, the next it was gone- just like us.

• Air supply- Making Love Out Of Nothing At All. The song is about the singers wife who happens to play the girl in the video.
• An odd thing I remember about others memories of seeing ELO live- I've heard their concerts were not only one of the best live shows you'd ever see, but the loudest.
• No one believed me when just over 5 years ago I told them Zachary's mom was pregnant. It was like they were waiting for the punchline...
• Life is carazy isn't it?
• If I can't grill the best burger in the world, I promise you I can cook you among the very best you've ever eaten in your life.
• Among the ingredients: fresh 1015 onion, fresh coarse ground black pepper, chili powder and Worcestershire Sauce.
• Teamwork- It Keeps Our Employees Gruntled. A motto from from a fake commercial for a fake company the characters in Better Off Ted work at.  Better Off Ted was a good show whose very goodness and/or the fact I liked it insured its early demise.
• Fredericksburg has exploded. I do remember reading multiple articles years ago about the surrounding area becoming The Texas Wine Country but wow- there were tour buses everywhere, new hotels every 50 feet and tourists walking nose to tail on Main. Soon, if it isn't true already the articles will be about the water crisis created by the population boon and watering all those grapes and making all that wine.
• Site # 16 at Pedernales State Park is very pretty. It was the last non occupied site and in fact somebody had it reserved. Thankfully, the girl behind the counter had the hots for me.
• Everybody should watch the sunset from Enchanted Rock at least once in their life.

Friday's Dispatch

Eew

Does this look infected to you? The skin over my first knuckle is red, warm and hurts.

I found this in my glove box. It is at least 2 years old and hard as a rock.

• Takabisha roller coater in Japan. The big drop is 140 ft and 121 degrees. 121 degrees- is that even possible?  Regardless, it looks like the devil.
• Today (0218/2013) Zac and I built a pirate ship kit from Lowes and I got a new watch- what a day. Except for the wind- yikes it was windy. We didn't stay out any longer than we had to and came in and lazed around and watched nature shows. That kid loves Bear Grylls. I spend the whole time watching his show trying not roll my eyes and sigh too much and then being sad for the animals he wastes by killing them.
• We head out for KCMO this weekend. I intend to nap after work Thursday and leave about midnight. I say intend because you know as well as I'll sleepily say, Lets just leave first thing in the morning- pwease, I seepy boy.
• We're going to Merrimac Caverns, KCMO Zoo and the aquarium and visit Stell KS where one of the the world's two portals to Hell are (the other is in India). There is evidently a haunted cemetery there as well.
• It has been nice knowing you.
• 02222013 edit: The Midwest is a disaster zone- we're heading south to Pedernales State Park and then to multiple attractions within about a 100 mile radius. Travis' letter from the Alamo is back there for the first time since 1836 and will be on display for 13 days. Confidence is fairly high we'll make it there. We're kinda wingin' it- I just chunked everything out on the dining room table and friend-girl is packing and sorting. 
• Dream with the feathers of angels stuffed beneath your head... Come with me and walk the longest mile... Here is what I'm listening to 
• The road calls. Later world- I love you in spite of yourself.

No Thanks - I Choose Life

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Wednesday's Digressions

This track from the wily and elusive whitetail deer is from a deer that  I promise is not as big as his track might fool you into thinking- it was distorted by the mud.

Somebody is getting miffed at my photographical antics.

Need more lens! A majestic prairie dog stands guard.

A neat self contained set up. The tank being set in the ground allows the bison to drink more naturally .

Left to see dirty rodents and acorns

You could plainly see where the deer who slipped and slid up this small incline changed direction on the run and wheeled  left into the brush. The tracks were only hours old. Hikers out earlier than us probably spooked and barely missed seeing him.

Erosion is a big problem on the Fort Worth Nature Center trails

• Kate Bush Army Dreamers
• If your shopping and the person with you or the voice in your head says, Sure, we have plenty! to the question of, do we have toilet paper, paper towels or trash bags (choose one or all 3) don't take their word for it and buy 1 of each. They never go bad and you'll always need them.
• When I see a theoretical physicist in an interview style interaction on a documentary talking about the Big Bang I feel like I'm talking to a member of a religion other than my own that I suspect is actually a cult- however benign and whatever good points they may have in some ways.
• An odd flashback from day before yesterday I'm still trying to sort out: Years ago (probably dangerously close to 20) my buddy and I were out in West Texas shooting our guns. I set a grapefruit sized rock on top of another and using his .223 shot it from about 40-50 feet. It exploded with a loud bang and pieces of it whizzed and cracked by heads sounding for all the world like close calls from rifle fire being directed at us. I have no answer for what caused it but it was attention getting enough he still occasionally randomly says, Do you remember that time you shot that rock...? I had shot a gazillion rocks before that day. Normally, they just disintegrate and fall around where the rock started and some sometimes pieces might spray out in a fan downrange but that thing literally exploded.
• The ENO hammock shelter came in day before yesterday. It looks good and seems lighter than the reported weight. We may or may not go out tonight and use it. We also received the compasses I ordered. My Silva Trekker looks and feel really good. With a brief search I couldn't find orienteering maps for the places we frequent but they're bound to be out there. I am no doubt rusty but being able to navigate cross country with a map and compass is a very satisfying feeling. I started Zac with just looking for North with his compass. He kept it around his neck and periodically stopped and check it. He would then confidently point a direct out and say, That way is North.
• We saw two black headed vultures eating a whitetail buck. It was a cool sight but man I wish I would have had more lens.
• That country music singer lady Mindy McCready apparently killed herself. I hope no one is surprised. Besides the fact she was being investigated for killing a boyfriend she always looked incredibly sad and troubled- like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.