2011 was a good year....

It's been a good year when ya can sit back and count your accomplishments and fulfilled goals. Lifes toils and tribulations are soon forgotten when you look forward to a brighter day tomorrow.

The old Billy Bob had an exceptionally good year considering all the turmoil in the world and at home USA. Wars and rumors of war have no place in my life. Falling markets and rising gas prices have not effected my lifestyle. The ups and downs of everyday life have been outweighed by pleasure and happiness of doing whatever and whenever I so desire. So what if I have bitched and moaned from time to time throughout the year when things didn't go my way. They were soon forgotten and the good life carried on. Count your blessings, we got another year beginning tomorrow. I don't make new years resolutions 'cause they are way too easy to break.

Woke up this morning to another heavy fog bank....visability bout a hunnert yards. Another cold front is due in the area sunday evening with winds out of the north at 18 mile a hour. This is gonna affect my travel plans for monday, even though I have only 30 miles to go. And then, the highways is gonna be crowded with tourist and hung over travelers. Maybe I should leave a day early and avoid the rush and the extreme cold temps.

Toad hunt'n part #2

Boy howdy, it's all foggy outside this morning. And I mean foggy......

Had some good comments on my hunt for a "toad". I think River hit it right when he asked what I gonna use a toad for. Since "Sally da house" is also my home, I carry a lot of stuff with me. Some of this "stuff" is transported in the toad. You know what I'm talk'n bout....a storage shed on wheels. So, I need something big enough to hold it all. I can do without 4 wheel drive since I gave up gold prospecting and am no longer located in the desert and mountains. Most importantly, I need a motor big enough to get the full effects of a "cherry bomb" exhaust system. Billy Bob likes it loud ya know. Anything less than a V-6 is out of the question. Then there is the weight equation. It's not that "Sally da house" doesn't have enough horsepower to pull a toad full of "stuff" down the road do'n a hunnert mile a hour, but the fact of being overloaded and the possibility of damaging the motor and transmission....what I probably am tow'n "that jeep". From past experience, I will be "toad" hunt'n for a small size V-6 pick'em up (Ranger, S-10 or Dakota or equivalent ) with a topper or a medium size SUV.

Speak'n of toads.......years ago my daughter Angela had a sleep over party for her birthday or something like that. Well, I was the coordinator for all the games and such. We lived right next to the local cemetery, so midnight we all headed off frog hunt'n. The biggest toad won the prize....what ever it was I don't remember. Now if'n ya ain't never been in a cemetery at midnight with a bunch of 10 an' 12 year old girls, ya don't know what ya miss'n. And to talk a little girl into pick'n up a frog.....Oh my God. It was fun fun hilariously funny for a solid hour. Naturally a ghost story was told before going to bed at somewheres bout 2am. Wonder if any them girls still remember "toad" hunt'n in the cemetery?  

Had a wonderful visit from Barney the OFM yesterday afternoon. We went up the the Mexican food eat'n place and overindulged. With full bellies, we cruised around to a few of my old secret fish'n holes. Well hell no we didn't catch no fish. We was jist fish'n, not catch'n. 

One of the most dreaded chores of a full time RV'er is laundry. Well, old Billy Bob is down to a couple pair of socks and cream of the crop holey underdrawers. That should last another couple weeks, but I need to get'er done in the next 3 days before I head off to "el Rancho Abraham" in Sinton, Texas. Maybe today, but don't bet your last dollar on it.



 

Toad hunt'n

Boy howdy, it's gonna be another beautiful day.

Yesterday, me and Sadie Mae took off for Corpus Christi look'n at "toads" (a towed vehicle behind your motorhome). We started hit'n used car dealerships. I was surprised to find that most lots had nothing under the year of 2008 and what few they did have, were either way overpriced for the year model, or would not serve as a "toad". I have but three choices, a standard shift 2 wheel drive, a standard shift 4 wheel drive or automatic 4 wheel drive. That's it. Surprisingly, there are not many choices online either. But I did find 2 Ford Ranger pick ups in San Antonio that may be worth the travel distance to look at.

Photo removed 'cause it was an automatic 2WD

Chunked a few lures down at the "secret hole" and not a bite. There just ain't nobody catch'n fish out of the secret holes. Ya got to have a boat to get to where the fish live....and I ain't talk'n no little "bubba boat". Although, there are many places the "bubba boat" would be perfect.  Remember when I was tell'n ya bout them ships blow'n their horn at me to get out the way when I was out there in my little 22 foots sailboat? I was younger back then and I weren't skeered of nuttin, but let me tell ya, that day I was skeered. Well, I ain't gonna be out there in the "bubba boat" when a ship comes by.....that's for sure.

12 noon....
Well here I am back later. Got the dishes done, trash out and took me a shower. Now what I gonna do.

Did some research on "that jeep". Fount out that the "Billy Bob" don't know what the hell he's talk'n bout. The "that jeep" don't weigh almost 6000 pound like I said it do. It's right at 4000 pound curb weight and 5500 GVWD....duh. Then I check the curb weight of a 2002 Frord Ranger 4x4 pick'em up truck. Weight almost the same as do the "that jeep". So what do I do in a case like this??? I guess I could spend another $3000 on the Jeep, but what would I have if'n I took that route? That's an easy question. I would have a $8000 piece of junk Jeep. Man.....decisions never cease.

The OFM Barney is on his way over to visit and go eat 'em up some Mexican food. Maybe we'll get a chance to toss some lures in the water.

Ok....got things to do

A visit to Rockport

New glasses and a well deserved fish'n reel is a good decision. But.....did you know you can put the fish'n line on the reel backwards. Well, that what I did. On the first cast, I got me one them "birdsnests" like ya ain't never see in your life. A great big ol' wad of fish'n line all tangle up on my brand spank'n new reel. I says...."My God, would you take a look at that".

Me and Sadie Mae loaded up "that jeep" and went off to take a look at the water. We was go'n fish'n ya know. Well the tidal current was go'n out through the ship channel bout a hunnert mile a hour. So we ain't gonna be fish'n there. Then we discussed go'n to to the Packery Channel, an outlet from the bays to the Gulf of Mexico. It gonna be boil'n out there too. So we jump on the ferry boat an' head 'em off to Rockport. We gonna go visit with the OFM Barney. On the way we stopped a few places and chunked a few lures in the water. That where I got that birdsnest. We had a nice visit cruis'n round Rockport look'n at stuff. Holy cows, the changes in the last 10 to 15 years amazed me. Nuttin is the same as I remember it.

Don't know what to do today. It's a beautiful sunshiny day bout 70 degs...so far. This is outside weather. I rekon I aught to charge up the battery for the "bubba boat" just in case I get up enough nerve to launch that thing. I sure don't like the idea of get'n wet, but with a "bubba boat" there ain't much choice. Why the hell didn't I but me some waders???

Well "that jeep" done popped up with another problem. I was go'n down the road, hit a bump an' the freak'n motor quit. Not once, bout three times. Then I see the little "check engine" light is on. What the hell is the deal now? I'm at the point that I don't trust this thing to drive to the grocery store 2 mile away. If'n I had a big enough gun I would blow that thing to smitherines...or whatever. Then probably go to jail. Gonna reset the computer and see what happens. I may even yank the performance chip out of it and throw it in the dumpster. But that's like work, so maybe I should leave it for another day.

Oh yeah....Barney was tell'n me yesterday the finer points of my little camera. Well, it's worse than that now. Ya see, I were gonna take a pic of Sadie Mae on the ferry boat an' I drop my camera. It hit the asphalt deck of the ferry boat and broke something.....the lens protector thingy. It don't open no more when ya turn it on. So old Billy Bob fix it right up. I yank them lens protector thingys right slap out of the lens with my trusty switch blade knife. Springs go fly'n. But, the camera still works. I can fix anything.

Ok....got things to do.

Christmas shopp'n....

There ain't nuttin better than to wake up to a beautiful day. Well there might be, but this is best I can do this morn'n.

Yesterday I jump in that old "that jeep" an' head 'em up to Corpus Christi with two things on my mind. Get new glasses and go Christmas shopp'n. Got 'em both done as you can see. Ok, where the hell did the big Walmart on SPID go? It's gone.....either that or I needed glasses worse than I thought.

I don't know where everybody else gets their glasses but I get mine from LenCrafters. Been do'n it for 15 years now without a hitch. Total cost was just $35 to the examination place right next door to the glasses place. Ain't insurance great?  Ain't being able to see great?

Now I got to figger out what I gonna do today with all this beautiful sunshine. It's free so I rekon I better take advantage of it. Now if'n I could figger out where the fishes are hiding at, maybe I could eat fish for supper tonight. If I catch any, they will probably be too big to keep, but shoot, fish'n is fun anyhows....even if ya don't catch none. All excitis bout try'n out that brand spank'n new fish'n reel.

10:30am.....
Guess I'll load up this damn dog an' go somewheres. I know there's a fish out there just wait'n for me to show up. So' I'm off to adventure on the gulf coast. Ain't ya excitis for me? I am.

Check back laters and see all the pics of oversize fish I catched.

Chang'n mind

Ok....mak'n a major decision here this morning...

I used to tell the kids "no" a lot. Then they would run off to their mama whinn'n that I always said "no". She would tell them, "just wait a few minutes, he'll change his mind". What I usually did. Well, that's what happened last night. Ya see, it's like this, I was look'n at the extended weather forecast. We gonna have some nice weather for the next week or so. Sunshine and upper 60's every day. Now that's fish'n weather. Do'n stuff outside weather. Tak'n care of business weather. And that what I gonna do. I'll be extending my stay in Port Aransas for another week.

Had I went along with my original plan to move "da house" to Sinton, Texas......bout 30 mile from everything, I would be stuck with long drives to the exciting and adventurous locations. Ya see, what I'm do'n here is justify'n my decision to "change my mind". I need new glasses and it's much closer to Corpus Christi from Port A than it is from Sinton. And Walmart is just across the ferry and down the road a piece bout 10 mile. All my secret fish'n holes are right here....or close by. Yup, I make good decisions.

I'm get'n to worry bout the "OFM" Barney with them silly hats he got for Christmas. He surely wouldn't wear one out in public would he? Now there have been times I wished I had one just like that when I was freez'n to death in some God awful cold environment when I should have been inside snuggled up to a cherry red wood burn'n stove. Men do strange things when they get it in their mind they gonna go fish'n, hunt'n or work'n on an old junk car. Been many time I was at the golf ball swak'n place in 35 deg weather.

Remember the beef stew soup I made a few days ago. Well, I ate me up a big ol' bowl yesterday and it was burnt. Make me sick. Now how the hell can ya burn beef stew soup?  Two gallons to the dumpster.

After I make this morning grand decision to stay in Port Aransas for another week, I made another very important decision. Remind me in the morn'n to tell ya bout it.

Misery of Christmas

Well wouldn't ya know it, the weather is terrible for a holiday. I waked up this morn'n and said...."what the hell". The wind was blow'n a gale, foggy, rain and it's cold outside (51 degs). Even Sadie Mae had doubts as to if she was gonna go out to pee or not. Simple....kick her out the door. Now she's back in bed at 9:45am.

Old Barney come by to see me last night. I rekon he was as bored as I was. Nephew Joseph and his girlfriend/fiance Rena also come by and we all went out to eat up some Mexican food. Was a very pleasant visit all around.

Arrangements were made with Joseph to move "Sally da house" over to "el Rancho Abraham" in Sinton, Tx come monday. While there, we gonna go car shopp'n in Corpus Christi and see if'n I can find a replacement for "that jeep". Something a little lighter and more trustworthy. Also need to go get me some new eye peepers from the eye glasses place. Been see'n double images for the last year, so I rekon it's bout time. It's hell driv'n down the road and see two great big ol' trucks com'n at ya. One passes and you have no idea where the other one went.

Now what does a retired, travel'n, homeless person do for the holidays? Being alone with only an old dog for company and companionship, I ain't gonna be a do'n nuttin. Made up that big pot of beef stew soup yesterday for the occasion, so that's it. Eat soup and lay on my butt over there on the couch an' watch'n what ever on TV. Excit'n huh???

Walk'n on rocks

Don't be let'n that title fool ya, I gonna get to it in a minute.

Bout 11am yesterday, I decided to take advantage of a purty nice day...I went off fish'n. My first stop was an old "secret hole", where in the past, I have caught some nice eat'n fish. But yesterday at the "secret hole" proved unfavorable. In fact, all my old secret holes proved the same. Out of all the different places I throwed the pole in the water, I never seen one fish caught by nobody.

Then.....I went to the jettys at The University of Texas marina. Just 10 years ago I could scramble all over them rocks get'n to a good fish'n spot. Well, old Billy Bob won't be scrambl'n round on them rocks no more. When I got half ways to the end, that's when I knowed I done made a big mistake. It wasn't that I couldn't find a place to put my feet, but the fact I've lost a good deal of my sense of balance. Feet just refused to go where I intended. Walk'n out on them rocks was harder than walk'n on water.....what I gave up on years ago.

Speak'n of walk'n on water......there was a fish'n pier what went out in Galveston Bay just outside Texas City what I fish'ed off of on occasion. I pulls up where it supposed to be and what the hell, it's under water, by bout a foots. High tide ya know right after a storm in the gulf. There were a bunch of wade fishermen close by....waded out bout up to their belly buttons. Well, I didn't come to wade fish, I gonna fish off the pier. So's I start walk'n out on the apparently missing pier....to the amazement of the wade fishermen. From a distance, you could a swore I was "walk'n on water". Not being able to see the submerged pier ya know. That was cool.

Another time I attempted to walk on water was in an old swim hole when I was just a kid. I see them big ol' snakes headed my way an' I was out of there right now. Bout a hunnert mile a hour. But that's another story for another time.

What the deal with all the insurance advertisements in the mail? I went and picked up bout 3 months of mail from my mail people, Port Aransas Business Center, yesterday and more than half of it was offers from insurance companies. The insurance I have now could be considered the best in the world (Medicare and BCBS (Blue Cross Blue Shield)) and probably the cheapest. I think Medicare is $99 a month and my secondary insurance, BCBS, is $124 a quarter. Any medical needs that may arise costs me nuttin. My perscriptions are super cheap, I have dental and vision coverage.....what more could I want? I'm covered 100%.  Remember my open heart surgery bills for close to $250,000......paid 100%.

Today is windy. Nuttin like Deming New Mexico, but still to windy and chilly to lay'n out on the beach in a speedo.

3:30pm....
Got a big pot of beef stew soup brew'n on the stove for the next few days of cold weather and go'n out for sizzl'n fajitas with nephew Joseph tonight at Old San Juan's Mexican Restaurant. Will be mov'n "da house to "el Rancho Abraham" in Sinton, Texas come bout monday afternoon.

Being that........I have lived in and retired in Port Aransas, Texas, I know what to expect. It ain't like I'm gonna be surprised by either the weather or the conditions.

My first encounter with Poat A was way back in '64 while I was stationed in Charleston, SC. aboard one of our great warships, a guided missile destroyer escort....or something like that. USS Charles F. Adams DDG 2.

I had an old '56 Ford an' took off for south Texas on a 30 day vacation. Holy crap, what a trip. I pull over in "someplace", Mississippi for gas and here come Barney Fife, the local law enforcement officer. "Whare yer shoes boy"? (I was barefoot) I says..."right there on the front seat". He read me the riot act bout in Mississippi ya gotta have shoes on your feet while driv'n....thought for sure I was gonna go to jail. Finally make it to Texas an' make a mistake of ask'n directions. Nobody ain't never hear of Port Aransas....I were lost....stuck in Beaumont, Texas. Well I knowed it was on the coast by the name.....Port. So's I head on south down the coast highway, State Highway 35...for what seemed days. Texas is big ya know.

When I finally arrived my destination, there was a ferry boat wait for me. Paid my $1 for the short ride across the Corpus Christi ship channel and start hit'n bars. That's where my daddy spent most his time. I finally found him, not by sight, but by sound. He was sing'n "My Philippino Baby" at the top his lungs accompanied by the pounding of a out of tune piano played by "Bob", a screech'n fiddle and a wash tub base strum'ed by "Buttercup". 

Now back in them days, Port A was a wide open town....a little fishing village with a population right bout 500 people. There was a bar on almost every street corner and most had a poker game go'n on in the back rooms. High dollar poker games. I fished. I drank. I cruised the beach. We partied. Holy crap, I done found paradise on the Texas gulf coast. Then my 30 day vacation was up. Back to Charleston, SC.

A year later, I was stationed on an old WWII destroyer (USS Haynesworth DD700) out of Galveston, Texas....only 200 hunnert mile from Port A. Many weekends were spent in Port A till I was know by everybody in town. Then I moved there in 1970.....to stay. Was gone a few years....Atlanta and West by God Virginia. Then back to the Island in 1986....to stay. Went to work for the University of Texas for the next 15 years, bought 5 years of military time and retired in Jan, 2002. Been "on the road again" for the last 10 years in "Alice" an' "Sally da house".

Now here I am, back in Port A. But things have changed. Big changes. It's no longer a little fishing village. They turned it into a tourist trap. Big souvenir shops poped up where once stood adult drink establishments. Condos line the once desolate highway leading into town. Gambling is no longer allowed. Public intoxication is no longer allowed....although it happen occasionally. Bon fires on the beach are no longer allowed and most of the best fish'n holes are closed to fish'n. It's a freak'n City now.

Ok...got things to do.....
Laters

Bitch'n post...

Port Aransas, Texas

First things first. She said....."your blogs are too long, ya write too much". That got me to think'n ya know. What if I was to just make a short post? Something like....

"I ain't happy this morn'n". 

That's it. Nuttin else. Well, somebody gonna be call'n me up on the cell ask'n why I ain't happy this morn'n. Then I got to go into detail with some kind of explanation....bout a hunnert times, an' probably run the batteries down on the cell. Seems to me that if'n I was to 'splain stuff from the begin'n, I won't be hav'n no dead batteries in my cell. An' sides that, I like to write as much nonsense as I can possibly put in a daily blog post. That make sense???

Ok, from what I can figger out so far....I ain't happy this morn'n. Somewheres back up the road a piece I got to think'n...."I sure gonna miss the desert". The farther I went east and south, the more I left the desert behind.....gone, poooof, just like that. And to end up in a place I don't like no more just adds to the equation. Something don't add up. Gonna be do'n some think'n on this in the days to follow.

Back to the question of where I gonna stay. My travel'n days ain't like they used to be where I would just plant "da house" somewheres and be content till I decided to hit the road again. The excitement just ain't there no more.....an' I worry bout little things too much. You know...the what if's an' stuff like that.

Wow, I just get in town and here come the weather right behind me, spoil'n any chance of a wonderful day. Not that I was gonna go down to the beach wear'n nuttin but my "speedo" and lay out watch'n babes. It seems winter brings out the worst in a person....kind of like drink'n half a case of cheap beer. Always something to bitch about. In that case, it's time to post this "whinn'n" and cry'n stuff and get on with my day. Things will be better tomorrow.

What the hell.....

Boy howdy Billy Bob, don't ya watch the weather forecasts?

Here I are sit'n here in  Texas Rest Area on I-37 bout 75 mile north of Corpus Christi and ...."what the hell"? First, it rained all night long....just a little steady drizzle. Then this morn'n, the wind is blow'n a hunnert mile a hour right out of the south.

Oh, did I tell ya bout what happen last night? Ya see, when I pull into the park'n area, I said to myself...."go down to the last space". What I did....but it weren't really a park'n space. I look in front me and behind me....yup, plenty room for them big trucks to get by. Well anyhows....I screwed up. Bout 12:30 I was awaked by a a hunnert angels blow'n trumpets. It was a line of trucks....all pissed off 'cause they couldn't get by. Boy howdy what a nightmare that was. I pulls up a few feet and goes back to bed. Next time I'm gonna park over there in the autos section where there ain't no irate truck drivers.

Ok....here what I gonna do. Well maybe what I'm gonna do. Who knows? I'm serious when I say I don't know where I'm go'n. I ain't got that many choices ya know.

12:30pm.....
Holy crap.....git down on your hands an' knees and praise the lord you made it to Corpus Christi. Ya see, it's like this, I swore a long time ago to never drive in a hurricane again after a close call with my life and a hunnert others. But I did it anyhows, think'n I was one tuff cookie. And let me tell ya right now, it were one scary ride. Never ever will I take that chance again. I was even scar'n them Texas cowboy truck drivers.

Now that I'm here, where the hell am I gonna go? Well that's an easy question.....to a RV park.....duh!!! Ok, in Port Aransas I have bout a dozen or more choices. All of 'em are high price RV resorts what I ain't particularly interested in. What the hell would I do in a freak'n hot tub? I ain't no lobster or a egg ya know. So I guess it's Google time to check some prices. Back laters......

3:30pm....or close to it
Boy howdy I done wore Google slap out. Spend the last 3 hour search'n rv parks in the area. They priced any where's from $150 a month to $650 a month.....plus elect. So here what I gonna do.....pick me out a space at the County park in Port Aransas for a week while I go look'n at reasonable rates by the month. The reasonable rates surely won't be on the Island. They gonna be either Aransas Pass or Rockport where Barney lives. Sure wisht I remember the name of the park where Barney is stay'n. Maybe they are cheap and have an opening.

Ok....headed for the Island. No not Padre Island.....Mustang Island and Port A.....much as I hate to. But business needs took care of before I go off play'n somewheres.

On the road again....

Boy howdy let me tell ya......it's miserable out there. Went out to hook up the "that jeep" and it was drizzl'n rain and cold.....49 degs. Actually I was debat'n on if I should stay here another week till all this terrible weather straighten out, but I said to hell with it, I may as well be miserable closer to the coast as here.

See, I tole ya. It ain't the biggest fish I ever catched, but if ya look real close, it's a fish. Can't wait to get down to the coast and catch me up some eat'n fish....the spotted sea trout, my favorite eat 'em up fish from salt water. My favorite fresh water fish is a toss up between the rainbow trout and the bluegill. Yum 'em both.

Gonna talk me forever to get catch up on all the blogs once I get settled somewheres. That's still the problem....don't know where I want to go. Once I get down the road a piece I can decide on one of 3 or 10 choices. It's hell not know'n where you're go'n. Anyhows, I headed that way.

More laters......

Final update....

Well at least I hope this is a final update. I'm sick of wak'n up every morning to nuttin but clouds and cold. Time to head 'em up. Maybe tomorrow.......
Well crap.....here I am steal'n WIFI and I forgot the card thingy with the fish pic. Shoot!!!

Thursday Dec 15th

I were sit'n here, think'n ya know. We got 4 campers in the park now, plus old Grizz, the camp host. Watch'n each of the other campers is what got me to think'n bout how good I got it. The one up there in a travel trailer, he got hisself a wood'n leg or something like that. He walk funny...carry a big ol' walk'n stick. Then there one in another travel trailer what is all bend over when he walk. Hurts me to watch. The latest is an old feller what cain't hardly walk at all. Heavey set....take a whole minute or more to get in his "toad" (towed vehicle). Now out of us 4 campers, plus Grizz, there ain't but two of us what can walk a straight line.....me and Grizz. And I bitch????

Went off yesterday to do a little fish'n off'n the bank. Drove over to Rough Canyon and walks down there where Barney was catch'n fish back in bout Sept. Flung a few lures an' worms at them fish but they didn't do nuttin. So's I put on a little crank bait lure an' toss it out there. Whammm....it were a fish. That were the only one. Until I puts on a "little spook". Whammmm, it were another fish.....but he got away fore I could land him. Bout the same size the first one....maybe 3 pounder or so. That was it, no more fish. But I had me a good time....that what counts.

Me and Minnisota Mike was gonna go fish'n this morn'n, but he never show his face. No phone call...no nuttin. Probably cause of all the clouds and such. Still a mite chilly too. Maybe tomorrow.

Now I'm get'n road fever again. Time to move. Sure would like to go straight to Lake Falcon, but I got business to tend to in Port Aransas and Corpus Christi. Yeah, it don't matter if'n ya retired or not, there's still business to tend to. No, not monkey business. Although I have been hanker'n for a beer at one them beer joints down that way. Play a few games of pool. Dance with the ladies. You know what I'm talk'n bout. Boot scoot'n Texas two step. But hell, I ain't got no boots no more. Gave 'em away to a little barefoot Mexican kid a while back.

Saturday Dec 17th

Now listen here feller, I jist come in off the range round'n up a hunnert head of cattle what I gonna drive up to Wichytaw. Been hunkered down out there in that chaperal for the last 2 weeks eat'n jerkey an' hardtack....wash'n it down with steam'n hot Arbuckle. Ain't had no time to take a bath, so don't be mak'n no snide remarks that I smell like a goat herder. Them's are fight'n words feller, so go fer your hog any time ya feel lucky.

Boy howdy, this weather is got to the old Billy Bob. Been read'n them old Louis L'amour westerns till I was think'n I was turn back time. It's too derned uncomfortable to go outside and sit on "da porch" sip'n a cup, so's I been sit'n inside go'n insane. Work on that old piece of dead wood I was tell'n ya bout a while back what I picked up somewheres and it's look'n pretty good. Although, it still looks like an old piece of wood. I wrote a poem bout an old piece of wood one time. Good'ern too. Maybe I can find it in my collection of poems, drawings and writings. Wrote one bout a fish'n spot I knowed, called "My Secret Hole". It were magazine quality but I never send it off to be published. Maybe one day I'll post 'em on here. That is if I can find them.

Guess I'll be pull'n out of here tomorrow since I finally catched me up a fish big enough for a photo. Done give up on my batteries since there ain't been no sunshine in a couple weeks. I'll resume my investigation when I find a place to plant myself where the sun shines down on me. But I just know I gonna be buy'n new batteries before it's all over.

Update

Thursday Dec 8th

Whoa boy howdy, it's still cold in Del Rio. Here's what I'm think'n....it's gonna get warmer....maybe. With no internet I have no way to check the weather forecast so all I can do is walk outside and say...."yup, still cold". Don't ya just hate winter???

Anyhows.....
That old blue eyed cat.
I arrived in Twentynine Palms, Ca. in the year of 1954. Stay'n with the filks of my dads 4th wife. Up the road a piece from where I was stay'n, there lived this lady what collected stray cats. Kept 'em in a fenced in pen out back under the trees. Had must'a been bout 20 or 30 of 'em. They wanted me to come stay at their house and help care for the cats, feed 'em an' such. Being a 13 year old, I were excited as all get out for a new adventure. I pack up my little ditty bag and move in. I was a orphen boy ya know, kick around from place to place.

Inside she had this house cat what didn't like nobody, not even his own self. Walk round through the house hiss'n, growl'n an' smack'n stuff for no reason. He watch me with his evil eye. One day I picks up a broom and start sweep'n the floor an' here come the cat fly'n round the corner...he attack that broom....all puff up, hiss'n, growl'n and bite'n that broom like it were a Burger King Whopper or something. I says...."Whoa, that one mean cat". So's I "pops" him a good'un with that broom, full backswing...hunnert yard drive. He take off like a lightning bolt up under the couch mak'n God awful weird sounds. This was the beginning of a "cat and mouse" game. Every time I pick up that broom, here he come out from under that couch or around the corner....hiss'n an' growl'n....bite'n at that broom. So's I pops him....part of the game ya know. This went on for a couple weeks....puff up, hiss, growl, bite'n at that broom an' I pops him a good'un. What else could I do, it was his game ya know.

One morning I were headed off cross the liv'n room to the kitchen for something to eat. That old blue eye cat come tear'n round the corner like his tail was afire. Grabs holt to my leg with both arms, toenails dig'n in, teeth bared. He were work'n my leg over a good'un. I were  kick'n try'n to get that damn cat off'n my leg and holler'n like I been attack by a mountain lion. Out from the kitchen come the lady of the house....broom in hand....scream'n all kind of cuss'n words at that cat. She whoop'ed up on that cat blow after blow with that broom. That old cat see he was in trouble an' heads for the back door, go right through the screen door like it weren't even there. Then he sit out there on the porch dare'n me to come outside.....all puff up an' hiss'n. I were skeered that cat. He was a mean one, I mean to tell ya. A week later, that cat was gone....pooof, just like that. 

Saturday Dec. 10th.....

Well shoot, I still ain't catch no fish. Me and "Minisota Mike" went out yesterday think'n it were gonna warm up by the time we got to the other side the lake. Forget that, it were cold....50 degs. On the way back, we run that fish'n boat slap agound, dead in the water. Nuttin but rocks under us. Hell, I ain't gonna spend the night out here am I? Well hell no. I gonna walk. But Mike beat me to it. He jump out the boat an' start push'n....right off that stick up we was in.

Oh, did I tell ya it been rain'n? Yep, been do'n it all day long. And it's cold outside. Almost make me pack up an' head south. But wait a minute, the rain has always stopped and maybe this is a good thing.

Ok, now I'm need'n some technical advice. Ya see, I got battery problems. When I wakes up in the mornings, by batteries are down to 12.20 volts or less. Ain't got nuttin turned on neither. I'm think'n I may have one bad battery, but what the hell do I know? I should know though with all the batteries I screwed up in my lifetime. My poor old uncle used to say..."Billy, did you use the battery out of the truck"? Well yeah, how else I gonna crank up my old jalopy what the battery ain't no good. Boy howdy, I could tell ya some battery stories right now, but I'll wait for a better day.

Sunday Dec. 11th.....

Well crap, it's still ugly outside. I were think'n today would be nice since yesterdsay sucked....rain and all. Now I got some think'n to do. Today is the day I got to make a decision. Do I pack up and head south, or do I pay another $14 for another week of camp'n?

Last night I were think'n bout "the rest of my life"....what I gonna do with it and all that stuff. Ya already know I want to find a new homebase. Somewhere's where I'm comfortable and of course, close to a Walmart. I were think'n real hard bout this and there really ain't no place I wanna to go. I feel like I'm bout wore slap out. What I probably am. Maybe I need to go fish'n an' catch me up a big ol' bass. That would make me feel better.

Old "pesky neighbor" Wayne came through his heart surgery with fly'n colors. Still don't know what they did to him, but he's in recovery and do'n fine. But....they fount a couple plugged up arteries what they gonna fix next, so he gonna be at the hospital for a while...and then off to rehab again.

Monday Dec 11th.....

Well boy howdy, this weather in Del Rio sucks. I waked up this morn'n think'n I was gonne see some sunshine. It ain't no different from what it was yesterday. Drizz'n rain, cloudy and cold. You do consider 50 degs cold, right? Been like this long enough. I'm ready for some sunshine and 70 plus temps.

Well I decided I were gonna stay right here in Del Rio for another 7 days, just to see what would happen. Ain't no new news to speak of other than I have way too much idle time on my hands to do some think'n. Boy howdy that think'n too much can get ya in troube some times. Not that I'm in trouble or anything like that, buy damn, my mind is all mess up now. I were sit'n there on the couch an' look around at "da house". What can I do to change stuff and make it more comfortable? Then I got to think'n...."why". There ain't a thing needs changed and I'm comfortable just like it is. Then I got to think'n....open another business. Why? I'm too old for that kind of stuff. Don't need no money and to waste what little time I got left don't make good sense. Sheesh, I can hardly walk as it is and I'm gonna start up another business??? Don't think so. How bout I just lay back and enjoy what I'm do'n? Even if I don't catch no fish.

Ok.....I'm off to town for some WIFI so's I can post all this nonsense. Been a while ya know.

Cold and stiff

Tuesday Dec. 6th

This may be long.....

Boy howdy let me tell ya, it cold. Just last night I says..."Billy Bob, put that other big ol' blanket on the bed". Slept like a baby with Sadie Mae all balled up under the covers with me. When I got up I says...."Boy howdy let me tell ya, it cold". It were 33 degs outside and not much better inside. Ya see, I don't use heat while I'm sleep'n. That's a waste of propane to keep "da house" warm when you're under covers. Fire up the generator for my morn'n coffee, two electric heaters crank'n full bore and the Mr Heater on full blast. It warm up pretty quick like.

Then here come "Michigan Mike" huff'n an' puff'n down the road. This is the guy what says 55 degs is hot and he ready to go fish'n. Ha....not this old bird. Anyhows, he ran out of batteries early this morn'n....pooof, nuttin. He done broke camp and headed off to the RV park for the next month. Silly man....don't he know he in Texas? It gonna be warm tomorrow, or something like that. So here I sit, all by myself, with no neighbors to pester. Unless ya want to consider "Grizz" the park host or what ever ya call him. It's a lonely life being retired with nuttin to do.

Speak'n of nuttin to do, I got to think'n this morn'n...on my second cup 'o. "What the hell ya gonna do now Billy Bob"? I were look'n at the map, Walmart special ya know, and there ain't no place I want to go. That it's warm anyhows. Were think'n maybe run over to Galveston/Texas City for a couple weeks, but put that out of my mind real quick like. Although, I could go camp on the Texas City dike for free, or ya used to could....maybe catch me up a couple speckled trout fishes for dinner. More an' likely I'll just head off to Port Aransas, spend a chunk of change for a couple weeks of liv'n on the beach, get all bent out of shape at all the "winter Texans" driv'n 10 mile a hour gawk'n at stuff an' ask'n stupit questions. Tourist towns suck.

The old blue eyed cat.
Yesterday I had written bout the old blue eyed cat. After reading it, I decided it contained too much personal information about old Billy Bob....so it has been deleted for a later date. Just to keep ya interested though, I still carry some the scars where that mean ass cat bite the hell out me.

Wednesday Dec. 7th

Do ya know what cold is? Well let me tell ya. I got up at 5am to do what most old folks do at that hour and checks the outside temp. It were 22 degs. So's I jumps back under the covers and go back to sleep in anticipation it gonna be warmer when I get up. Yup, it surely was. It were 26 degs outside and 34 degs inside at 8am.

But the cold temps are only part of my problems. I hook up the battery charger to my battery bank and the voltage go up to 14.97 volts at 40 amps charge. Inverter start sing'n a tune bout "voltage too high" or something like that. That ain't right. Today, if'n I don't go fish'n is to check out my battery charger on the "that jeep" battery. If the voltage still goes that high, then the battery charger has bit the dust. If not, then I have a "bad" battery bank problem. Will let ya know the results when it's warm enough to go outside.




Ok, went out there in the freez'n cold and check my battery charger on "that jeep". It bit the dust for sure....15.2 volts.

Talk to old "pesky neighbor" Wayne last night. He will be going to surgery friday morning. They fount something wrong with his heart and they gonna try to fix it like they done mine a while back. He also tole me that Deming got 5 inchs of snow....and there's a peacock run'n round the park. I ain't never seen no peacocks in Deming.

Crank up "da house an' head 'em up to town. Out of propane. Went first to Walmart for a brand spank'n new battery charger.....and they ain't got one like the one I gonna replace (Black and Decker 40 amp smart charger). I have a couple 12 amp chargers so I ain't in no worry bout the new one. So....I pick up a couple bags of dog food and head on down to the propane sell'n place.
Closed!!!
Well I hope they are only out to lunch and will be back shortly. In the mean time, I'm mak'n this post from their front yard.

If'n tomorrow is a nice day, I should be out on the lake catch'n me up a big ol' bass fish. Ha....that's funny, ain't catch one yet.

Catch'n up....

Friday Dec. 2, 1922

Ok, where have all the days gone? I know I missed yesterday and there's a possibility I may miss today too. It's not like I have internet any ol' time I want it. I got to go downtown for that.

Anyhows, yesterday (thursday) started out as a dreary nasty day. It was cold and windy up till bout 3pm or so. And I was out there on the lake fish'n with my neighbor buddy Mike in his big ol' bass boat. Well it ain't really a bass bout, but we was bass fish'n. Catch a fish??? Well hell no I didn't catch no fish. If I had, I would be called a "catcherman", not a "fisherman".

Today totally sucks. It stayed warm all night with the clouds hold'n the heat in from escaping to the moon, or where ever it goes at night. Got up to 54 degs this morning (friday), what ain't bad at all. But it ain't change all day long. It's still 54 degs....give or take a couple. I think more of the same is expected for tomorrow.

When I go off to town to make this post, somebody remind me to write MsB's phone number down....OK??? It's in my email and I can't get to my email without internet.

Saturday.....
Ain't got nuttin to say. Wait for tomorrow.
What's her name came by for a short visit. Ya see, I were cut'n up some taters to fry and I see something out the corner my eye. "What the hell was that"? Someone was sneak'n up on my camp....tak'n pics an' stuff. It were our MsB. Sure do make old Billy Bob feel good when someone come to visit.

Sunday.....December 4th
HUH??? Was I supposed to go to town and find some WIFI??? I ain't gonna do it.
It was a terrible day. Windy, rain and cold.

Monday December 5th....
Well shoot, here it is another week already. Figgered I would stay another week in hopes of catch'n me up a big ol' bass fish, what I ain't done yet. I knows they out there 'cause Minnisota Mike is been catch'n 'em one right after the other.  But then he's on the front of the boat and everybody knows there ain't no fish behind the boat. If there is, I sure ain't fount one.

Been rough, I mean to tell ya, rough, with no internet. Kind of remind me of these young kids what plays all them computer games online. "Oh my god, what I gonna do now...internet down". I remember a time way back before internet when we had to devise instruments of destruction...an' stuff like that, to entertain ourselves. We played outside....rain or shine. Now what do we do? Sit in front of a computer writ'n silly stuff while the TV is blar'n in the background. Don't know bout the rest of ya, but old Billy Bob spend bout 4 hour a day on the internet...research'n, writ'n blogs, email,....silly stuff when I should be outside soak'n up sunshine an' catch'n fish.

Which brings me back to what I been harp'n on for the last 2 years....."I can't do that stuff no more". Boy howdy, does that piss me off when I think how active I used to be. And that ain't been very long ago neither. Ya see, I get me a wild hair and decide I gonna go climb that mountain over there. I goes out and buy me all kind of mountain climb'n stuff, drive to the bottom the mountain and ....pooof, there go that grand idea. Cain't do it.

Me and Mike been talk'n bout run'n down to Zapata, Texas when we leave here. Maybe not together, but none the less, it's an idea.

Ok, it's off to town and find me some WIFI. Well naturally, hit up Walmart for some fish'n stuff.
See all my blog friends on the next trip to town. Have a good'un folks.