A new dawning???

NO, No and no.

Ok, so I slept in this morn'n. Got lot's on my mind and no wheres to start. This day is all downhill, I can see right now. This ain't gonna be a good day. Oh yeah, it's beautiful outside, nice and cool sit'n inside, but when ya feel like you're world is clos'n in on ya, there is no beauty and there is no comfort.

Today Billy Bob ain't too happy. But the day has just begun....things have been known to change. Ya see, it's like this.....I was think'n last night. I've always been a thinker and a do'er of some sorts.....ya know. Think bout this, think bout that, do this, do that.....you know what I'm talk'n bout. But dag blame it....(that ain't the words I use to describe my situation), old Billy Bob is up against a wall...in a corner, with no way to turn. I've used up all my youth in the last 70 years and all I have left is my dying days to look forward to....what ain't what I had in mind. To sit back "do'n nuttin" ain't so bad when you're able to do stuff, but to sit back "do'n nuttin" when that's all you can do....now, that sucks.

What I'm get'n at here is the ago old "whinn'n" bout things I can't do no more. Take this trip for instance. It was planned to be a hair raising adventure, motorboat'n round in a hunnert mile a hour blow up speedboat on the lakes of Texas. Well yeah, here I am on my 4th Texas lake and ain't done a hunnert mile a hour yet. Almost sunk one time, but that was an unplanned experience. I've figger out that at 70 year old, ya ain't get'n no younger....ya gotta give up some them things you so dearly love to do. Or want to do. When there's no easy way to do it, ya got to either give it up and take up knitting or hurt yourself try'n to do it. Some choice HUH?

When I finally crawled out of bed this morning bout 8am, I knew I was in for a bad day. I had'a pee so bad I thought I were gonna blow up. At the same time I had one them leg cramps. Then spill coffee grounds all over the floor. Step in a sticker burr what Sadie brung in "da house". Jump in the shower.....holy shit, that water cold. That how I started my day. Any questions????

Well here it is noon already. Ain't done a thing. 102 degs outside. "Now what ya gonna do Billy Bob"??? I suppose I could take a ride around the park....see what all the other campers are do'n this Labor Day weekend. I know one thing, they sure are noisy and have no respect. Neighbors two doors over was still at it strong at midnight.....laugh'n and hee haw'n....kids run'n round scream'n top their lungs. At midnight, mind you. I swings open the door and holler top my lungs..."HEY, SHUT THE Fk UP". All was quiet....for bout 5 minutes. That was funny. Did I ever tell ya bout the time....I walk in a biker bar and yell them same words. Boy howdy, I never do that again.  Remember "tinker bell"??? Same bar. You crazy Billy Bob.

Now see, this is what I'm talk'n bout. The battery was down on the "that jeep". Won't start....jist go.....grrrrrr.

Out of wind

Yesterday I took a walk. I headed off across the street, through a neighbors yard, down the hill, across some rocks and to the edge of the lake. Found me a place to sit down on the shore and had a peaceful moment. That was down hill. The trip back up hill was a struggling experience. Upon arrival back at "da house" I was out of wind....didn't think I was gonna make it. Then last night I decided to go check out my boat launching area and throw a few lures at the birds. Well it was all down hill again, not too bad. But then I had to go back up that hill. My God, could hardly breath by the time I got back to "that jeep". Is hunnert mile a hour boating and big lunker fishing one more thing I have to give up? I ain't got much left ya know. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy camp'n out 2011 style, sit'n outside on "da porch", sip'n a cup and do'n a little think'n.

I had planned on taking the boat to the water this morning, chunk some fish'n lures, catch me up a big ol' bass... but holy cows, I feel like a wet rag. Lower back and hip is killing me this morning. Had I been more thoughtful when I was younger, I wouldn't be in the shape I'm in today. Did stuff no human being should be do'n. Pick'n up big ol' heavy stuff what weighed more than I did. Yes sir ree bob, I were Mr.Macho man what could lift anything. Now a 5# sack of sugar is a chore. Sheesh, wore that body slap out.

Let me tell ya boy howdy.....what a beautiful morn'n. "That's all I have to say bout that"...(GUMP).

Ok....."da porch" time....see ya in a bit.

3pm......Ok where that cool weather y'all was talk'n bout was gonna be here today? Holy crap, it's 108 degs out there again today. Sit'n in "da house" all afternoon ain't what I call hav'n fun. I did get some nice porch time this morning....bout an hour outside. Walked over to my neighbors house to let him know his house was on fire. Seen smoke com'n off his awning. When I got there, fount out it weren't nuttin but one them water spray doozies....supposed to make ya feel cooler.

Ain't nuttin excit'n go'n on here....and not likely to be, so I gonna crack open a book. See what them outlaws is do'n out there in the badlands.

Castaway dreams

Today's title comes from a dreamer. All my life I have had dreams, good dreams, wonderful dreams, exciting dreams. Now at a much older age, most of those dreams have fallen to the wayside , been fulfilled or were just plain too silly. But to take a perfectly wonderful dream, build on it, invest time, planning and $$$$, only to toss it out the window.....is insane.  Yes I'm talk'n bout that old grouchy Ben and his dream to go traveling in an RV.
Mistake Ben, big mistake. (open for discussion)
'To let a dream die, is to die inside'
'To kill a dream is murder'

Boy howdy what a beautiful morning. What more could ya ask for than to get up feel'n good, well rested after a hard day at the office, sun shin'n down on ya,  birds fly'n round, squills crawl'n in the trees.....yes, another beautiful day.

Had a guy ask me not long ago if I talk the same as I write. Well no I don't. I went to skool ya know. When I write, I use carefully picked words to match the way I was brung up to say them....the ways they sound. In a person to person conversation, I am very careful to pronounce each and every word to perfection....what would make any English scholar proud. Writing words the way I do takes lots of practice and a tremendous amount of research of Old English, backwoods sayings, a little redneck here and there, folk lore and everyday beer drink'n slurred conversation. "Bring me another beer honey".

Well I want you lookie here. I went out to take a look at "bubba boat" this morn'n and that sucker still full of air. Hot damn Billy Bob, you either good or lucky. That leak is fixed. Now all I gotta do is figger out how to get it in the water with out fall'n on my ass. It's all downhill ya know. Boat ramp seems the best spot. Bout 3 trips up and down that ramp load'n up all my necessary gear and I be ready to go catch me up some them fishes.

Ok...."da porch" time....sip' a cup ya know.

Damn it hot....107 degs. That why I took me up a big ol' nap. Was able to sit'n outside "do'n stuff" till almost noon....Sadie Mae was sit'n at the door huff'n an' pant'n "we go'n in yet"??

See I tole ya there was trees....and leaves all over the place.....

This is where "bubba boat" gonna ride down to the lake.

From Bob from Athens comment, maybe the old feller has helped me out. I done got to think'n bout where I gonna go next and after his comment, I gonna do some check'n out on that Lake Fork. Got to find me a campground right on the water ya know. Holy cows.....there lots of stuff to look at.
Post and come back.....thanks Bob.

A visit from "cone nose"

Holy crap....I were sit'n here, sip'n a cup and a big ol' bug crawls across the table. What the hell is that? I seen a pic of one these one time.....hmmmm, google cone nose beetle. Yup, that what it were....squished that sucker good. What the hell he do'n in "da house"? He belong outside with all the other critters.

Yesterday was a good day. The 280 mile trip up here went as planned. Pulled out of Lake Fayette Park at 10:30am pointed north. After mile after mile of hilly narrow back roads, I arrived at Tawakoni State Park at 5pm. It was a beautiful drive if ya like look'n at fences and trees. Never see so many white fences in my life.

When I arrived the temp was sit'n right on 108 to 109 degs....boy howdy I mean to tell ya....that's hot. Drove around the park bout three times look'n for a "great" campsite before I picked out a "mediocre". If'n ya look real close, ya can see the lake through them trees over there. I picked this "mediocre" site 'cause it's close to the boat ramp and swim'n an picnic'n  area.

After I brung that "bubba boat" air tube in "da house" to attempt to locate the leak.....what I didn't, I took it down to the boat ramp and sunk it. Still no leak....what the hell??? Now my thoughts are to fill that sucker with water and see where the water come out. If'n air leaks out, wouldn't water leak out??? What ya think????

OK....time to go see the nice lady at the headquarters office....or what ever they call it, pay my dues for a week. Sip me up a cup and wait for the cooler weather to get here.....come on cold front. A big Texas norther...yeah!!!

The following photos is for Gypsy and Trouble............

 The first one is of the air tube removed from the boat to find a leak. Not a water leak silly....a air leak. Ya got to blow this thing up with air ya know.

This photo is of the air tube all blowed up after I changed the old patches what I put on it last week, or so, at Inks Lake. I filled that long sucker half full of water, topped off with a hunnert pound of air, sit back sip'n a cup and wait'n for that water come out. It never did....not a drop. So I drain all the water out, yank the old patches off'n there and replaced with brand spank'n new ones....same brand, same color. If'n ya look really close, you can see them little green patches just above the battery. Burn 2 little hole in there with a cigarette ya know. "NO SMOKING in da boat Billy Bob".

Got my yard raked, awning out, a couple chairs out and been work really hard on that air tube.
It's been a good morning.
107 degs at 2:10pm.

"da house" departs

Well here it is departure day and I ain't at all excited. It's more like work than an adventure. But that's ok....I been on these kind'a trips before. In a couple months I can look back and say...."you had a good trip Billy Bob". But in the mean time......

Boy howdy, that slide out had me worried last night. It was strain'n and groan'n like a hunnert year old Beatty, Nevada prostitute. Finally it was in. Got everything loaded up ready to hit the road again. Gotta be out of here in 2 hours. What I got left to do is a 10 minute job, but old Billy Bob will make it an hour...you can bet your paycheck on that. I always say, don't rush into something that can be done after while. Plus coffee breaks ya know.

Well that "bubba boat" air tube still has air in it this morning. Ok....so where's the freak'n leak?

I haven't really changed my mind yet, but I fount me another lake that caught my eye. As you know, I had decided to move a few miles north look'n for cooler weather. Just a few mile from "Bob from Athens" house is Lake Tawakoni where I am headed to. But just down the road a piece is another lake....Cooper Lake. Out of the 2, I should find a place, as Barney the OFM would say, "hav'n toooo much fun".

My son decided to jump in with both feets and start up hisself a blog. Now you got to understand, my son Billy is just like his daddy.....and he's a Georgia cop. His theme for the blog is "down at the jailhouse" or something like that. Should be some good read'n once he learns how to blog. I should say something bout his partner Britt here, but I'm not sure if he's a Georgia redneck or not. Ya see, ya can say stuff to a redneck and they don't get "all puffed up" and offended. But if he's one them thin skin folk from across the tracks....well you know what I'm talk'n bout. Good luck with your blog Billy Boy.

Ok...things to do.....see ya down the road a piece.

Holy crap Billy Bob, you way up the road....somewheres. Now how the hell I did that, I don't know.... I turn to the left when I should'a go straight. But it don't matter, all roads go to the same place. I'm about to get on Interstate 45 here in a few minutes. Look like I'm bout half way there....where ever there is at.  No, I can't be that far....shoot it were 275 mile to Lake Tawikoni and I been on the road for 2 hour. I'm think'n I only made 100 mile in them 2 hours. Ain't it wonderful to drive the back roads of Texas? Weren't nuttin to take a pic of, so forget it. Up and down road all the way, but some beautiful fences along the road. Somebody got some bucks.

Ok....gone on down the road. See ya laters....somewheres

"Well shoot Billy Bob, I knowed ya could do it". After 7 hours sit'n behind that wheel, steer'n 22,000 pounds down the road with a 6,000 pound tag along behind (called a toad), ya made it. Took me forever to pick out a campsite. Ain't none them close to the water, but I'm real close to the picnic area and boat ramp. Both are on the water. Or I suppose they are....lake is 5.5 feets low.

Now, that nice lady tole me on the phone that they catch'n fish all around the State Park. That's good news to me, but the bad news is that "bubba boat" still has a leak. It's 108 degs out there so I ain't look'n for no leak till it cool down some. Maybe bring the tube in "da house" and search for it. Bubble water all over the floor and carpet.....yeah, that'll work.

I gonna go move that picnic table soon nobody is look'n. Put it where I want it. It's way too far for old Billy Bob to walk....way over there by the fire pit. May have to break out the rake....get them leaves out my yard.

Anyhows, I reserved this site for a whole week. Only on the nice ladies word that the fish'n was excellent and I would just "love" the lake. Well hell, I ain't even see the lake yet. I'm sooo freak'n easy!!!

About internet connection. It ain't good. I have one little bar on my Verizon air card. If I don't make a post tomorrow, you know the reason why.

Dazed and confused

So much a'do bout these damn critter bites I got. I do appreciate all the suggestions and remedies, but I got to figger out what it is before I can fix it. I've had chiggers before, and like MsB says, they suck. But I don't think it's chiggers. I have only two bite in my lower extremities, that would be my ankles and feets. Four bites on my left arm with a brand spank'n new one this morning.  One bite on my right hand. Does that sound like chiggers???  What ever it is, them critters knowed what they was do'n....."let's keep that Billy Bob feller awake at night...he ain't miserable enough with just the heat".

One more little tid bit on them bites. That little hole I was tell'n ya bout, well at 3am I got up, takes a toothpick, sticks it in that little hole.....holy crap that hurts. Then I start squeez'n. Water come out that little hole....or something like that. Then the pain subsided. What the hell????

Now, as I always say...."what ya gonna do now Billy Bob"? I gonna tell ya right now, I ain't hav'n fun like I was expect'n. I got to think'n bout that and come to the conclusion.....old men should stay at home, eat oatmeal, take their Geritol, turn out all the lights and sleep. How exciting is that? But that's about what I been do'n for the last week. I don't want to move on to the next destination (???) 'cause I know what to expect when I get there.

As you know, I been travel'n east and a southerly direction. Actually, I could almost spit on Houston...if'n I had a slight breeze behind me. Steven F. Austin State Park is out of the question for a next stop. They booked up full. So here I sit with walk'n papers in my hand to leave tomorrow.

Ok, so let's look at what we got here. Poor old "bubba boat" is just sit'n out there on the picnic table. And you know, "bubba boat" is designed to be in the water do'n a hunnert mile a hour. That's what this trip was all about....get wet, catch a fish and have an adventure. But I got options. This was a planned 3 month trip. One month is dead and gone. I were gonna say it was a wasted month, but it ain't been.....I had a wonderful 2 weeks at Inks Lake State Park. One option is to head north bout 300 mile or so. I could be there in a couple days. I could jump my ass on I-10 and head back to Deming...stop'n along the way to enjoy another couple weeks of 105 degs plus temps. Or I could just continue on south to Port Aransas to the pure gold (99.999%) humidity. What ever I do it will probably be a bad decision one way or the other.

Boy howdy, is today's blog gonna be a long one or what? That what happen when ya sit in "da house" all day long with nuttin better to do. It's only 94 degs outside so maybe I better head for "da porch, sip a cup and do some think'n.
Be back laters......

See, I tole ya....I'm back. Now for the bad news. While I were sit'n out there on "da porch" just mind'n my own business, I get a hairy idea to put the "bubba boat" in the water since it were still kind of cool. I reaches up to grab a holt of it and "what the hell....where my air go"? The tube with the repaired hole in it has sprung a leak. Now don't that just shaft ya? Took a couple days for it to go down a little, so I ain't gonna "disassemble" it till I get to my next stop. Just a minor thang.

Speak'n of next stop, I were look'n on Wondermap and fount some cooler weather. Gonna be in the mid 90's in bout 4 more days. Lake Tawakoni bout 60 mile east of Dallas and 260 mile north of where I at now. I can be there in bout 2 or 3 days. If the State park is full up for Labor Day, I'll have to find a cheap rv park and wait it out. Done that before.

Got a word for ya today what I ain't hear in a long time....behunst. That means behind.

I just come back from read'n Troubles blog where she were mak'n a cake. Thought I would post my Cherry Chocolate Cake recipe for ya'all to give a try.
-------*popsters hand-made scratch cherry choc. cake*-------
Go to Walmart and buy a cheap $.97 cake mix, yaller or chocolate will do, a
can of cherries fer pie fill'n(Comstock), a can of that chocolate fudge frosting stuff
and three eggs if you don't have any at home.
The way I do it is to put all that stuff in a big old stew pot. Then I
mix the hell out of it with a egg flapper thingy. Don't be puttin no
water in there or you gonna have youself a huge mess. I use that egg
flapper cause that's all I got that will get it out of that big ol' pot.
Ya puts it in a greased up and floured pan, pop it in the oven and
walla, you be a bonified cake bak'r just like old red neck Billy Bob. I
lets it cool for 10 minutes afore I put on gobs of that frosting stuff. If ya
wait too long, it won't run down the sides and into the cracks.
Nothing left to do but jump in with a big spoon and eat em up!!!

Woke up to another beautiful morning.....after a terrible nights sleep. Ya see, it's like this.....there been some kind of bugs bit'n on me. There a little hole where they took a chomp out me and then the bites turn red, itch up a storm and feel like somebody stick me with a 16 penny nail. First off, it ain't skeeters, although I have seen a few. It ain't ants. I seen a bunch of little bitty black spiders run'n round, so I'm think'n maybe it's them what been chew'n on me. There ain't nuttin else run'n round here.....just skeeters, ants and little bitty spiders.

Went off fish'n again last night. Caught me up bout a dozen big ol' bite size perches or something like that.....probably bluegill. Boy howdy let me tell ya, it were hot out there. I was sweat'n up a storm like one them stuffed hogs. Had to go back to "da house" it were so hot. Weather forecast says today is gonna be "super hot" so old Billy Bob ain't gonna be outside too much. I ain't complain'n ya know, but this crap sucks.

Fount me another super good look'n place to go camp'n an' fish'n when I leave here. Called Coleto Creek Park on the Coleto Creek Reservoir just down the road a piece from Victoria, Texas. But, there is a problem with that. First off the fees are outrageous ($34 a night). I'm think'n old Billy Bob deserves just about what ever his little heart desires, but....holy cows, $34 a night??? What ya think?? Secondly, there is Labor Day weekend com'n up. I ain't gonna spend much time think'n bout it till after I give them a call about reservations. I don't normally do reservations, but this may be an occasion of "have to".  


Ok....gotta get off my ass and do something...even if it ain't right. Go outside, sit on "da porch", sip a cup and do some think'n.
Check back laters....

Not only did I get me a nice nap, I done some more research on cooler places to go and I figger, I ain't got no place to go where it ain't miserabl. My God, everywheres I look it 105 degs plus. Down on the island (Port Aransas) it's 97 degs today. now if'n ya ever been in 97 degs with 85%+ humidity, you know what miserable is. That why Barney left that area.

Maybe this global warming thing ain't a hoax after all. Although I think it is, but then I'm not a democrat....oops, that could be a political statement. Sorry!!!