LDKBox

I was lucky enough to be able to spend two days in the wonderful city of Galveston, Texas for Mother’s Day with my wife.  We had a few plans made to keep us active but it certainly was not a activity filled weekend either.  It was nice to be able to go somewhere and choose to not do something just as well as it is to choose to do something.  Often times I get caught up in the doing instead of the relaxing part.    I think  this time my wife Ellen and I did a good job of  just having fun.  The weather was warm,  humidity was HIGH, and the wind was constant.  As we sat on the beach adjacent to Seawall BLVD.   I really enjoyed the warmth of the sun, the humidity of the air,  the smell of the sand,  and the wind that kept me cool and comfortable in 90 degree weather.  

The hotel that we stayed had a small pool that I did not use but beside the pool was the jacuzzi.  Something…. I did use!!.  Man,  I like me some Jacuzzis,   now !!!!  Since I am an early riser I broke the rules of the hotel and went into the jacuzzi about 5 a.m. the first morning.  Calm and serene does not do it justice.  I was in an element that I would very much like to duplicate here in Harker Heights.  Alas, that is not going to happen.  I spend my money as I please but no matter what…. I do not have enough anything… money or otherwise… to  beg, buy,  or build a jacuzzi that nice.  Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.   I made it the second morning as well…with my wife….alone…. in a jacuzzi…  far from home…Oh, yeah this is a blog.  I kind of drifted off there for a moment.  Such was the weekend.

Another thing that we did this week end was attend an I-Max theatre.  We watched the latest movie of the Star Trek series.  I am a total Trekkie.  I have been since my junior year in high school.  Unfortunately I  missed every one of the series original tv shows.  Immediately one wonders….WHY?  Well,  that year I had received my operators license.  Because of that license I was allowed to go to Thursday night practice of the Senior Choir of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.  We never missed church and I never got to drive to church but on Thursday night I headed out of the house at 7:15 pm to make it to practice. Practice lasted until 8:30.  With a quick trip down the loop of main street with all the Dutchmen and their shiny cars I would return home to see the end of each episode.   I really liked singing in the choir but back then the ability to drive was my driving force.  Because of that force I did not get  to see the start of any of the tv series originals.   Yes,  I really loved old James T. Kirk from somewhere in Iowa.  Even then I was a dreamer.  I can say the same for the latest movie.  It made me dream.  I really loved the film.  I have to tell every reader of my blog.  Don’t go to an I-Max theatre to watch a space movie.  Space is great but when it comes to scenes of people the 60 ft. screen is not an advantage.  It is just my opinion and I want everyone to know that that this opinion is worth exactly what it costs.   Just in case there are some I-Max theatre lovers out there. (Hey it worked for the girl in California who did not get ifred for stating her opinion at a beauty pagent…???)

We also attended a garden park (the name escapes me at the moment) that had all kinds of events and sites.  We went to an Aquarium, viewed a panoply of forests, a lot of fossils and bones on display.  Quite a lot of walking that seemed easier than it actually was for this old dirt head.  Luckily,  there were a lot of elevators and most of the displays could be viewed from the top down.  So the walking was either flat or down hill.  I like downhill walking….Alot!!  It is our second time to Galveston.  I have good memories of both trips.  Look forward to another this summer with the family.  It is my hope that I get enough smarts to figure out how to post pictures onto my blog by the time we take our 5 day cruise later in the summer.  Maybe then I would not  be so verbose.

More on the water tomorrow.  I kind of drifted into another topic as I typed.  OOPS!!

Comments (0) May 14 2009

A few months back it was decided that the family would introduce a dog to the house.  I really wanted to have a dog for a multitude of reasons.  High on the list was my son Kellen or LD as I prefer to call him on this blog.   It has been funny working with both of them.  Each is so similar that it is almost comical.   I am enjoying the dog immensely.   The family as well is finding ways to enjoy the dog.  Each in there own way.

LD has not been able to understand that the dog needs to know that you are a human and not an equal.  The first thing LD does is get on the floor and let the dog get on top of him and start licking and scratching him until it hurts.  Then LD dispenses admonishments to the little dog.  The dog does not know that LD is the boss because LD has shown his stomach to the dog.  Making the dog feel that LD is submitting and the dog is dominant.  I try to explain that to LD but all he wants to do is play.  He is not interested in training the dog.  LD really thinks that the dog will listen when spoken too.  I think the same thing when I speak to KD.  So far that has not worked either LD or Nick.  Each wears you down.  Slowly shaping their world to their needs.  Each has trained me to get what they want. 

One of the unexpected moments has been the individual time that my step-son, Johnathan, has had with the dog.  I have noticed that Johnathan takes a little time each day to play with and hold the dog.  Often times he will stop at  Nick’s kennel  and give him some warm fuzzies, a treat, or an encouraging word.  Nick’s tail is wagging profusely so I know that Nick likes the time spent with Johnathan.  On the other side I know that Johnathan is enjoying it also since it has happened repeatedly and the time spent is growing.  Hopefully Johnatahn will get through to Nick.

I,  on the other hand,  have watched as LD and Nick have turned inside out to get what they want.  The passive agressive nature of Nick is wearing me down.  I have had so many different facets of my personality come out that poor Nick does not know what to think of me.  He knows that I am the feeder.  The one with the food so he allows me to have some decorum of dog and master.  He knows that I am bigger so he is reticent to be near me.   Yet,  if I have a treat he is on my lap immediately.  As soon as the treat is gone so is Nick.  This date, Nick had been outside for his potty break.  He did his business right away.  He then came to the door and started barking.  Your thinking this is his way of letting me know to let him in, right?  Wrong, this actually was his way of letting me know that he was not going to listen to me.   For when I opened the patio door Nick would not come in.  No matter what I did,  Nick was not listening to me.  So I went outside and gathered him up and returned him to hsi little kennel.  An hour goes by and I let Nick out of his kennel.  Within five minutes he had gone into the living room and left his mark.  It was not like he had to pee.  He did it to mark his spot.  Just like LD, Nick peed on the floor because he could.  He really thinks he is an equal in this house.  OF course I guess I am to blame for this because I let the dog train me rather than me train the dog. 

Well,  the pee spot has been cleaned up and the dog is in his kennel.  I guess he showed me.

Comments (0) May 12 2009

This a personal update on how I feel.  I guess this is of interest for me today so I guess I will run with it.  It should be easy to write the thoughts of a retired “Dirt Head”.   All I have to do is keep up with my thoughts  as I type.  Since I am a thirty word a minute typer I suspect that that should be no problem.  LOL!!

Woke up this morning thinking of my younger brother.  What a guy he is… I mean he is such a nice fellow to be around.  Takes care of his business and also was/is there for you know who(me) when ever there was/is a time …need or not…he was/is there.  Of course the same can be said of all of my siblings but I did not wake up thinking of them this date.  More on them later in life. 

Karl is planning a trip to Iowa for the 4th of July.  Little Detailer(LD) and I will be making the trip at the same time.  It will be very funny to have us all together again.  Hopefully everyone will be healthy and happy at the house of our mother and father while we get ready for the estate sale of the items left of our parents home.  Hopefully,  Karl will get a ticket that lands some place on the way for LD and I.   It would be nice to have the extra time withKarl since we are so far apart physically.  With the departure of our Mother I fear that the core of the family is making the natural course correction into there own individual family and grandchildren.  I guess we are becoming our parents. 

The weather here in Texas has been most tolerable.  We have had a lot of rain of late with moderate temperatures and cool night breezes.   Of course the breezes have wreaked havoc on the vegetables this year.  I think I have figured out what I have been doing wrong and will try to avoid the pitfalls of  first year garden the next time that I plant.  LD has enjoyed the plants growing.  He is particularly interested in the radishes.  He said,   “They may look ugly but the are quite spicy and tasty.”  He has eaten everyone of the harvested radishes to date.  I wish that I had planted more than a two foot row.  But that is all I was strong enough to weed.  Or….am I admitting that I have only so much work in me before I become lazy.  I do not like to face the fact that I am lazy.  But I am continuing on after Mother’s Day the best that I am able.

Comments (0) May 11 2009