More of Nothing In Particular

I just dropped Sam off at the Doggy Detailers in Galveston. He needs to clean up his act for Christmas. This is the first time I've taken him there and his reaction surprised me. Usually he is excited to go somewhere new and loves meeting new people. This time he locked his legs and squatted his hind end down. They had to drag him past the desk (tile floors). The beagle ahead of us was doing everything he could to not go in the door so maybe that spooked Sam.

UPDATE: The Doggy Detailers just called and said Sam keeps opening the door to the pen he's in, we need to go pick him up now. LOL We have two deadbolts on our entry door and he can open both of them. When he wants out, he wants out.

How about some random thoughts?

Where has the time gone? I’m 60 but it seems like a short while ago that I was fresh out of high school, working full time and attending college at night. I’ve got a head full of memories, most good, that seem to get more vivid each day. My memory of things that have happened in the last week is foggier. I can remember the taste of my grandmother’s home fries from 50 years ago but can’t remember if I had breakfast last Sunday. How does that make sense? Anybody else have this problem?

Sometimes when I think back on my life I wonder how the hell I got this old. My friends and I did some very stupid things. Youth sure does make you feel indestructible. Now I worry every time the kids go anywhere or do anything.

All week it’s been in the 40s and 50s with wind and rain. I’ve been miserable. When I lived in NY this would have been a pleasant mid-winter break from sub-freezing temperatures and snow. Am I spoiled by the nice weather we have 95% of the time or just turning into a crotchety old man? I’m hoping it’s the former but afraid it’s the latter. Will retirement cure this? I hope so.

When I do retire I hereby promise that I will not drive during rush hour unless I’m at least keeping up with traffic. I also will not go to the post office at noon or the grocery store at 5:00. What the hell is the matter with these old coots? Are they just trying to aggravate those of us who still have to work? Is it a requirement that you do these things in order to join the retired club?

I love watching kids at Christmas. Can there be a more exciting time in life than being seven years old and getting up to a tree loaded with evidence that you’ve been good all year? I really feel bad for the kids in the homes that Connie’s organization runs. No kid should be without at Christmas.

How come sitting in a boat watching the sunrise or sunset makes your mind go to God? I see sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico almost every day on my way to work. It's always different. I enjoy it but when I see it from a boat I always find myself wondering about God and His plan for me. Here's a couple of sunsets over the bay:

Do the rest of you fishermen feel like it’s been a poor fishing trip if you don’t catch any? I love to catch fish but it really doesn’t matter to me if I do. I’ve even sat in the boat, line in the water, without bait on the hook. My fishing partner on the other hand is in a competition with the fish. When she misses one I try to stay out of her way until she calms down. I think the maddest I ever saw her while fishing was when she had hooked a flounder in the 7 to 8 pound range. She got it to the boat and I knocked it off the hook with the landing net. I don’t think I said a word for 2 hours. Fear can be crippling.
Here's a shot of our best fishing day ever, 2 full limits of speckled trout.

Acouple more of my fishing partner showing off her catch:

We have had some great times fishing and boating where we live. Sometimes when I think about it I almost regret our decision to sell the place. It lasts about 10 seconds then I think about all the new adventures we’re going to share when we hit the road.

I’m looking forward to the RV show in Houston on Feb. 10th thru the 14th. I’ve looked at the website and it doesn’t appear there will be a Carriage dealer there but we’ll get to check out their competition. Carriage is our top choice so far in the search for our new home on wheels. The Carri-Lite is the model line we like but financially the Cameo is probably what we’ll end up with. That could all change if I pick the right numbers in the redneck retirement system on one of these Wednesdays or Saturdays.

Adios for now, enjoy the day.