Written: 1-17-09 (Fourth in a four- part series) Typed: 1-22-09
The host's father (a crew advisor) woke us up from a very sound sleep at 8 p.m. and passed the word that we would be joining Venture Crew 1171 for breakfast. I did not know that they had apparently rented the whole Applebees restaurant out. The father bought our tickets in advance. The food was homemade, and the event was a fundraiser, probably for that trip to the Grand Canyon, that they told me about. If only Crew 1316 outta' Sugar Land could do that. I miss the excitement from Crew 1202, when we did high adventure activities all the time. My youngest brother spent the night at another friend's house, so we're picking him him up later today.
Check that. My brother's friend is bringing him here. We plan to leave out around noon, so we can get back to Houston before dark. It has been a bittersweet trip. Bitter, because things weren't remotely the same. I expected a little change, but this much in two years!? I'm reminded of a word that a long- lost friend made- up: sweetness. It perfectly describes the situation that I was in last night. That made the trip last night, getting to visit with some old friends!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Denton Record- Chronicles: Day Three
Written: 1-16-09 (Third in a four- part series) Typed: 1-21-09
At last... sleep. The chance to sleepwalk, as I might very well do again like oh, so long ago when I first listened to the New World Symphony. After the 52nd rendition that was played out on my iRiver last night, I was barely awake to put it back in my pack. Dvorak's music kind of has that effect on you. It is down to earth-ish. But, sleep I did, and late, as well. 10' till 11 a.m. Once again, my brothers were out last night going to a friend's, brother's, girlfriend's party, or something like that. Then they came back, and went out again until 3 or 4 a.m. The chickens were still comatose, guys! Both hosts and my little brother are out early, doing I know not what, contrary to yesterday when they woke up at the crack of noon and nothing could budge them except a grappling hook and explosives. Instead, I was the last one up. I believe we're in for a quiet day. I called my other best friend's parents, and they invited me to dinner at 5:15 p.m.
It's 11 p.m. 10 minutes after I got back to my hosts home. We sure had a great time at my friend's house, even though he wasn't there. We spent most of the time talking over what had transpired since we had last seen each other. What have they been feeding those kids, Miracle Grow? They're so different! Guns, politics, school, scouts, hobbies were just the tip of the iceberg of subjects we discussed. I'm sure I'll come with more topics that I missed tomorrow when I can think with a clear head. The next to youngest dude surprised me the most. He's really grow up, and is smarter than I. He was solving a Rubix Cube every two minutes! I hear he plays chess too. I'd like to place him in a game against my middle brother. This family is one that I respect and like for several reasons: They're down-to-earth-people, not afraid to show who they are, and they truly home-school (not private-school like we get so often down here), and vote conscientously, rather than with the majority. The youngest girl, now 10, has grown the most. last time I saw her, she was at last four or more feet below me. I didn't even recognize the eldest, 18, (I put that in there specifically for you, R, if you're reading this) I spent 5 1/2 hours, and could have spent another just talking about old times, save for all of the phone calls I was receiving, and my brothers having to pull me outta' there, against my will, at 11 p.m. I got to take updated family photos and a photo of their family crest. Gotta' skeedaddle by noon tomorrow, so I best be turnin' in.
At last... sleep. The chance to sleepwalk, as I might very well do again like oh, so long ago when I first listened to the New World Symphony. After the 52nd rendition that was played out on my iRiver last night, I was barely awake to put it back in my pack. Dvorak's music kind of has that effect on you. It is down to earth-ish. But, sleep I did, and late, as well. 10' till 11 a.m. Once again, my brothers were out last night going to a friend's, brother's, girlfriend's party, or something like that. Then they came back, and went out again until 3 or 4 a.m. The chickens were still comatose, guys! Both hosts and my little brother are out early, doing I know not what, contrary to yesterday when they woke up at the crack of noon and nothing could budge them except a grappling hook and explosives. Instead, I was the last one up. I believe we're in for a quiet day. I called my other best friend's parents, and they invited me to dinner at 5:15 p.m.
It's 11 p.m. 10 minutes after I got back to my hosts home. We sure had a great time at my friend's house, even though he wasn't there. We spent most of the time talking over what had transpired since we had last seen each other. What have they been feeding those kids, Miracle Grow? They're so different! Guns, politics, school, scouts, hobbies were just the tip of the iceberg of subjects we discussed. I'm sure I'll come with more topics that I missed tomorrow when I can think with a clear head. The next to youngest dude surprised me the most. He's really grow up, and is smarter than I. He was solving a Rubix Cube every two minutes! I hear he plays chess too. I'd like to place him in a game against my middle brother. This family is one that I respect and like for several reasons: They're down-to-earth-people, not afraid to show who they are, and they truly home-school (not private-school like we get so often down here), and vote conscientously, rather than with the majority. The youngest girl, now 10, has grown the most. last time I saw her, she was at last four or more feet below me. I didn't even recognize the eldest, 18, (I put that in there specifically for you, R, if you're reading this) I spent 5 1/2 hours, and could have spent another just talking about old times, save for all of the phone calls I was receiving, and my brothers having to pull me outta' there, against my will, at 11 p.m. I got to take updated family photos and a photo of their family crest. Gotta' skeedaddle by noon tomorrow, so I best be turnin' in.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Denton Record- Chronicles: Day Two
Written: 1-15-09 (Second in a four- part series) Typed: 1-19-09
9:35 a.m. and no takers... yet. The four of my friends and brothers stayed up till all hours last night, going out, and getting on their computers. I heard from the friend we were staying with that he had been talking to all sorts of former associates of mine, and my former best friend (whom I haven't seen in dog's years) We've just drifted apart, that's all. I could have done with some more sleep, however. Buddy, the Hibbard's dog, woke me early on, yapping his little head off. He's quiet now. 11:15 a.m. and they're just now starting to show some signs of life. Now I hear that at least two of them were out 'till 3:30 a.m. in the cock-a-doodle. Little wonder they're tired! At least the other pair made it in by midnight. Planning on going to DRMC for a visit. I have a barnfull of friends I would like to see. More later.
Turns out that the hospital has changed, a lot. I expected some, BUT THIS MUCH IN ONLY 2 YEARS?! There's this new director that's over just about everything. He/ She/or It got rid of the complete Outpatient staff, save for the Outpatient PT Lab. They also made external improvements to the hospital courtyard, the outpatient buildings, even the hospital itself. There was even new flooring installed. My doctors had been gone for a year; every, single, one. So I looked to the hospital staff to help me. I tried to go into inpatient PT, and yet, they didn't recognize me as the volunteer who cleaned wheelchairs and emptied paper boxes for five months. I think I recognized one of them, but again, I was wearing my beard. I had to return my pass, which I needed to do anyway. I contacted the volunteer director, and she made me out. I had a long talk with her about this and that, and what the blazes was going on around here! She confirmed that it was indeed a new manager/ director. So far my head's not turning! I went in to the cafeteria, and they were serving chicken- fried steak. So I walk up to the cashier, who's filling the drink machine with ice, and greeted her by name, and she, without turning around, addressed me by mine! I don't how she did it, but it sure made my day. When I went to pick up my steak, the server there remembered me, too. It's nice to come home to a warm, relatively unchanged cafeteria where everyone knows your name. Then I went up to the fifth floor, to the nurses and doctors who cared for those who had just been in strokes etc. and were learning how to use their limbs again. Usually the nurses were very friendly, and they had a candy jar that I kept full for them. They usually looked the other way when I, as a volunteer, went up to help the patients excercise and feed them. That's what I like doing. Today, I was a stranger. Not a person recognized me. Probably becaused the staff was just- hired (in my opinion) and were so young
A few hours ago, the guys assembled in the garage to put my middle brother's Ford Explorer engine back together so we go out to the old house in Aubrey. We got the ol' gal up and runnin' again in about 20 minutes and left out for our destiation. It wasn't quite as we left it. The lawn had completely grown in on one side, and mom's trees were ripped out. The bed on the other side was bare of trees and flowers, and had a black, ugly, weed guard. Who knows what they did with all the rocks that mom had in her beds! They ripped out the bushes in front of the front windows, too. It was just a disappointing day. To recover from it, we went to eat out at Raphaels, a popular Mexican restaurante' just outside Cross Roads, just East of Denton. The food is still as I remember it... terriffic! You can sure tell the Lord God is watching out over us on this trip. The numerous dings, scrapes, and accidents which we could"ve gotten into were navigated safely. Now to the computer's OS. I'm a Window's guy, and my buddy is a Maccer. Now just trying to figure out all of that out, the Mac, was enough for me. I just wanted to burn a cd, and I had to do everything but unplug the computer. I'll just stick with Windows for now. Before I slept, I had a very informative guitar session my pal's younger brother. He's really got some talent, and then he helped me burn my disc, too. It's about 10 after 11 p.m. and I'm bushed. Let's see Buddy wake me up from this one.
9:35 a.m. and no takers... yet. The four of my friends and brothers stayed up till all hours last night, going out, and getting on their computers. I heard from the friend we were staying with that he had been talking to all sorts of former associates of mine, and my former best friend (whom I haven't seen in dog's years) We've just drifted apart, that's all. I could have done with some more sleep, however. Buddy, the Hibbard's dog, woke me early on, yapping his little head off. He's quiet now. 11:15 a.m. and they're just now starting to show some signs of life. Now I hear that at least two of them were out 'till 3:30 a.m. in the cock-a-doodle. Little wonder they're tired! At least the other pair made it in by midnight. Planning on going to DRMC for a visit. I have a barnfull of friends I would like to see. More later.
Turns out that the hospital has changed, a lot. I expected some, BUT THIS MUCH IN ONLY 2 YEARS?! There's this new director that's over just about everything. He/ She/or It got rid of the complete Outpatient staff, save for the Outpatient PT Lab. They also made external improvements to the hospital courtyard, the outpatient buildings, even the hospital itself. There was even new flooring installed. My doctors had been gone for a year; every, single, one. So I looked to the hospital staff to help me. I tried to go into inpatient PT, and yet, they didn't recognize me as the volunteer who cleaned wheelchairs and emptied paper boxes for five months. I think I recognized one of them, but again, I was wearing my beard. I had to return my pass, which I needed to do anyway. I contacted the volunteer director, and she made me out. I had a long talk with her about this and that, and what the blazes was going on around here! She confirmed that it was indeed a new manager/ director. So far my head's not turning! I went in to the cafeteria, and they were serving chicken- fried steak. So I walk up to the cashier, who's filling the drink machine with ice, and greeted her by name, and she, without turning around, addressed me by mine! I don't how she did it, but it sure made my day. When I went to pick up my steak, the server there remembered me, too. It's nice to come home to a warm, relatively unchanged cafeteria where everyone knows your name. Then I went up to the fifth floor, to the nurses and doctors who cared for those who had just been in strokes etc. and were learning how to use their limbs again. Usually the nurses were very friendly, and they had a candy jar that I kept full for them. They usually looked the other way when I, as a volunteer, went up to help the patients excercise and feed them. That's what I like doing. Today, I was a stranger. Not a person recognized me. Probably becaused the staff was just- hired (in my opinion) and were so young
A few hours ago, the guys assembled in the garage to put my middle brother's Ford Explorer engine back together so we go out to the old house in Aubrey. We got the ol' gal up and runnin' again in about 20 minutes and left out for our destiation. It wasn't quite as we left it. The lawn had completely grown in on one side, and mom's trees were ripped out. The bed on the other side was bare of trees and flowers, and had a black, ugly, weed guard. Who knows what they did with all the rocks that mom had in her beds! They ripped out the bushes in front of the front windows, too. It was just a disappointing day. To recover from it, we went to eat out at Raphaels, a popular Mexican restaurante' just outside Cross Roads, just East of Denton. The food is still as I remember it... terriffic! You can sure tell the Lord God is watching out over us on this trip. The numerous dings, scrapes, and accidents which we could"ve gotten into were navigated safely. Now to the computer's OS. I'm a Window's guy, and my buddy is a Maccer. Now just trying to figure out all of that out, the Mac, was enough for me. I just wanted to burn a cd, and I had to do everything but unplug the computer. I'll just stick with Windows for now. Before I slept, I had a very informative guitar session my pal's younger brother. He's really got some talent, and then he helped me burn my disc, too. It's about 10 after 11 p.m. and I'm bushed. Let's see Buddy wake me up from this one.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Denton Record- Chronicles: Day One
Written: 1-14-09 (First in a four- part series) Typed: 1-18-09
I woke up this morning after trying to get to sleep for 40 minutes last night. Rushing around today was never planned, and yet was to be expected anyway. We packed up the cars and were on our way before 10 a.m. After a safe and quick journey of nearly six hours up there, we arrived at 3:30 p.m. Almost at once the mechanics trio, my brothers and our friend, got out and talked shop for two hours. His mom and dad not back from work yet, the guys thought that it would be okay to go over to Jack-In-The-Box for a quick snack. After that, we had to share our compadre' with another party, but he assured us he would be right back. Meanwhile, his parents had returned, and cooked for us a really good meal consisting of a chicken base and vegetables. Well, our amigo didn't make it back in time for dinner after all, but there was more for us. His dad and mom ate too as we watched "Knight Rider," and talked for a long while. Then it was back to the computers as fast as their feet could take them; I, on the other hand, sat down to watch tv, scratch Buddy (their Boston Terrier) and finagle with my guitar. His dad, apart from his busy schedule, sat down with my guitar and played on it with the usual elegant, classical style that he displays every time he picks up the instrument.
I woke up this morning after trying to get to sleep for 40 minutes last night. Rushing around today was never planned, and yet was to be expected anyway. We packed up the cars and were on our way before 10 a.m. After a safe and quick journey of nearly six hours up there, we arrived at 3:30 p.m. Almost at once the mechanics trio, my brothers and our friend, got out and talked shop for two hours. His mom and dad not back from work yet, the guys thought that it would be okay to go over to Jack-In-The-Box for a quick snack. After that, we had to share our compadre' with another party, but he assured us he would be right back. Meanwhile, his parents had returned, and cooked for us a really good meal consisting of a chicken base and vegetables. Well, our amigo didn't make it back in time for dinner after all, but there was more for us. His dad and mom ate too as we watched "Knight Rider," and talked for a long while. Then it was back to the computers as fast as their feet could take them; I, on the other hand, sat down to watch tv, scratch Buddy (their Boston Terrier) and finagle with my guitar. His dad, apart from his busy schedule, sat down with my guitar and played on it with the usual elegant, classical style that he displays every time he picks up the instrument.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Problem Solving Deluxe
I'm on the eve of the biggest thing I've ever pulled, all for 96 hours. No mom. No dad. 300 miles between us and them etc. To be honest, I 've grown closer to them, my family, in these two years I've been away than I have at any other time, but when it's time to go, and all that... I'm 21 for crying out loud, and I have three cold fronts headed my direction this week. It's a safe bet that the friend's house we're driving to is going to have several hard freezes. I hate to become a papoose in someone's car, but you do what you have to in order to see folks. Now it's up to the drivers. I'll be my middle brother's navigator while my younger brother leads outta' Houston. Now, you would think I was packing like there was no tommorrow, but all those "safety" items are now necessary. I can't just pick up and go as I did when I was a boy, but maybe, just maybe, those will not become "the norm." I'm not holding my breath, though I have put myself into the hands of my brothers. (I cringe at the thought)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Home
This title might be deceiving, but I don't care. I'm going home! Up north, I mean. Just for a visit. Now, this trip will be a little wild, as it will entail just my brothers and I going. In other words, I will be the only adult on the trip. We plan on being there, in Denton County, for four days. That's where I did all of my growin' up. 10 years worth. My dad did something like this, driving out to California and all, so we want to have our "roaring days" too. All guys need them, throwing caution to the wind and the like. Apparently, I'm the only one who plans to take a map, a compass, and a GPS. It sounds like I'm paranoid, or overprepared, but when you travel with this bunch, you have to be. They're ready to shoot from the hip, and I want a plan, food and camping- wise. I agree with them on thing: better to campout them to put someone out in their own home. I'm currently making a list of things we'll need, and nobody has to tell me to check it thrice before we leave. Ah, well, I'm probably blowing this thing all out of preportion, but it's better to be prepared than sorry, so far from home.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Numbers
I've noticed a spike in the number of birthdays on the 31st of December, or it could just be me. When we went out to breakfast on my birthday (the 31st, 6 days ago) there was a little girl behind me celebrating her eighth birthday on, you guessed it, the last day of the year! Do you happen to think it was merely a coinkydink that she was sitting right behind me, or was it involved in a higher power? But, wait, there's more! One of my favorite talk show host's (Mike Gallagher) daughter- in law had a daughter on New Year's Eve. Now this is the first year I've become aware of this, so many people I've met having been born on this date. It kind of makes you wonder...
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Legal at Last
21. Not the card game, it's me. I'm legal at last. My birthday was yesterday, New Year's Eve. One of the nice customs about our family is that my brothers and I are all born on the 31st of a month, and my dad is born on the last day of his month. Go figure. We usually get to spend the whole day with our parents, since we don't have many close friends down here, starting with breakfast, and our choice of stores to go pick up gifts. On our way back from breakfast, we stopped at one craft store, and picked out a flag displayer. (Eagle Scout 9-16-04) The flag had been flown over Washington D.C. December 16 2004, I believe. We came home for a while because everyone was getting a little drowsy, but after an hour it was back at it. The next hit: Walmart. I went looking for a watch battery, and came out with a much simpler analog watch. While I was waiting in the checkout line, I saw a lady in front of me with a shirt on which the back read: The Good- Texas; The Bad- Oklahoma; and The Ugly- Texas AM. Naturally wearing my Sooner shirt at the time, I stepped up real close and began to put my items on the belt, and said, "I reckon I must be the bad." She looked kinda' dazed, but that's fine, it made my day. After that, we hit the model places, but there was not the right kind of model to be found, so I'll have to look online. It was late afternoon we made our last stop, a sports store, and we looked around for a few minutes, then it was back home to get my brothers to eat dinner out as a family (I really love that tradition) Afterwards, having two cars, one of my brothers took mom and I home (as I was getting tired. With all the meds you are on, you have to sacrifice some stamina) My other brother and my dad went to Walmart to pick up the items that needed refrigeration, aka: my birthday cheesecake etc. As soon as they came home, we all sat down to one of the new movies, cheesecake in hand of course. Staying up to midnight was no problem for us. As we frequently stay up to 2am, 12 was not a concern, although, what really was a problem were the fireworks going off across the street, and no, these were not the kind you fire in a 10- minute burst, but a 3 hr 15 min blast! Imagine having to listen Roman Candles, and every sort of firework that belongs in a sactioned display. I don't what was going on over there last night, but it was long and loud. Anyway, that was how we welcomed the new year in.
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