Views of the Neighborhood – Potpourri

September 4, 2022September 3, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 95 Comments

Since not much is happening in Lakeway this week, I thought we would just take a bike ride and check up on a few things. I’ve still ordered catering from Dee Dee’s Thai food truck in Austin. Our entertainment is Allman Brothers.

Pad KaPow – Spicy stir-fried pork sauteed in our homemade chili paste, with fried Thai basil & fried egg. Comes on jasmine rice, a side of chili fish sauce, “pik nam pla,” & sliced cucumber.

Laab Moo – VERY SPICY!! North-eastern style minced pork cooked in our slow roasted herbal chili rice powder, Thai herbs, mint, lime, onion & cilantro. Served with sticky rice & sliced cucumber.

Om Gai (Stew) – Spicy rustic herbal chicken in our homemade chili-paste broth, with dill, lemongrass, spring onion & Thai basil. Served with sticky rice.

Tofu Stir-fry – Tofu, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Stir-fried in our homemade chili paste, Northern Thai sauces & spices.

Som Tom (Papaya Salad – Original) – Fresh green papaya salad bashed to order with cherry tomatoes, green beans, Thai chilis & peanuts in our tamarind fish sauce. Served with sticky rice.

Isaan Som Tom (Fermented Pungent Papaya Salad) – VERY SPICY! Pungent, funky papaya salad with our house fermented fish sauce & salted crab shell (“Puu Plaa Raa”) with Thai chilis bashed to order. Served with sticky rice.

Moo Ping – Single order is snack size with two sweet & savory pork skewers, marinated in our special sauce for 48 hours. Served with a small side of sticky rice & tamarind-based dipping sauce. Eat with your hands! To make it meal size, double the order!

Pickled Salad – Light and refreshing vegetable side dish. 8oz container.

Mango & Sticky Rice – Mildly sweet Thai dessert. Sticky rice massaged & soaked in coconut milk overnight w/ sliced ripe mango and a coconut milk drizzle on top.

Thai Iced Tea – Black tea over ice with condensed milk and a splash of half and half.

Plus anything else you want to drink.

So hop on your bike, and let’s go.

A reminder that we live with the deer.

And as luck would have it, we come upon a yard full of deer and a Toyota.

Looks like the monster house is starting to get ready for Halloween already.

Thes bouganvilla look terrific. Had to use the zoom feature to get them, which is a little blurry.

The Texas sage is in bloom from the rain. Here is what a well-trimmed bush looks like.

Here is what a not trimmed bush looks like. Way more blooms.

An older fawn crossing the road.

Two younger fawns out on their own.

A deer and Labor Day decorations.

Vinca flowers everywhere.

Mexican birds of paradise in the foreground and crape myrtle in the background.

I hope you enjoyed the bike ride and will have a super week. Kick off those sports shoes and relax with Thai food and the Allman Brothers. Rambling Man described the post today.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – “Start with Why.”

September 3, 2022September 2, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 90 Comments

Why does the sun go on shining? Why does the sea rush to shore? Don’t they know it’s the end of the world? Cause you don’t love me anymore. Dusty Springfield’s song End of the World goes through my head as the espresso machine orders a descale before dispensing my life-saving fluid. More time and more waiting lead to a friendly smiley face on the control screen, followed by the unmistakable snorts of the brewing process.

Ten ounces of Columbia’s most well-known liquid safely in the mug allows the contemplation of another Saturday. A move to the back porch promises a relaxing interlude with nature. Unfortunately, such a promise is broken by an annoying whistle that continues to increase in volume. It suddenly dawns on my caffeine-starved awareness center that the increasing volume indicates something falling from the sky. The closer, the louder until the pain of the sound is almost unbearable, and tightly closed eyes have the wish that it will cease.

Like a miracle, suddenly, it stops and is followed by what can only be described as an undulation of the earth and a debris downpour. Yes, as you may have surmised, something big has fallen from the sky and into the backyard. The coffee in my mug has been half emptied by the force of the contact and then magically half filled by small pieces of dirt. Since it is no longer serviceable, I set it down and walk cautiously toward the steaming crater in the turf.

Reaching the edge of the hole, the words Mosler Safe are clearly visible on the front of the steel rectangle. There is a combination lock and handle just waiting for closer inspection. Climbing into the crater, I touch the combination dial, which is still warm. I always crack safes by inputting the date of Christmas, so I turn the dial to the right to twelve, then back left past twelve to two, and then to five. There is a loud click, and sure enough, the handle allows me to open the door.

“Dagnabit cose that door. You’ll make me catch my death of cold.” The voice is one I recognize, and of course, it is someone who looks like Yosemite Sam, but for some reason, he is in his underwear. I hope I don’t startle him, so I say quietly, “Can I help you?”

“Help me? You dadburn tenderfoot. I’m here to help you. Here take this letter and shut the dadgum door.” I do as he says and walk back to the porch. I open the envelope, and sure enough, it is from Linda Hill. Before wondering how the heck Yosemite Sam got into a Mosler Safe in his underwear, I tear open the letter. It says Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “start with why.” Begin your post with the word “why.” Have fun!

If you want to have, fun, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/09/02/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-3-2022/

The other considerations of how the safe got airborne and then strategically aimed to land in my yard will be left for another time.

“So you leave us up in the air on the why of this adventure?”

“I’m not sure I can answer why.”

“You are the author, for heaven’s sake. You must have an idea.”

‘Well, I just sit and type. I don’t know the motivation for every move.”

“Who’s idea was it to put Yosemite Sam in underwear?”

“His, I think.”

“And why a Mosler Safe?”

“Ever see one of those?”

“No.”

“Heavy and massive. They weigh two tons. Would make a large hole when hitting the ground.”

“From the air?”

“Yup.”

“So, who would toss a two-ton hunk of metal out of an airplane?”

“One of the crew, I suppose.”

“For what reason.”

“To get our attention.”

“Oh. Well, it worked.”

“See, I knew you would come around.”

“I will never understand you, writers.”

“I don’t think you should try. You do understand the call of the sixpack, though.”

“Well, yeah. It’s my second language.”

“Don’t you hear it now?”

“I do. Call Uber, and let’s go.”

“For a couple of beers.”

“Hey, listen. It’s not worth going for just a couple. I’m going for all I want.”

“Calling Uber now.”

“You are the best.”

“I think enabler is more the term.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF Fri-Yay/Goodnews

September 2, 2022August 31, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 77 Comments

Today’s good news comes to us from the Daily Paws. Here is the story unedited.

Elderly, Blind Golden Retriever Returns Home After 3 Weeks Missing in Alaska Wilderness

The Alaskan bush is tough terrain for almost anyone, let alone an elderly, blind, golden retriever.

By Jennifer Huizen August 30, 2022

If you’re a fan of Naked and Afraid, you know how hard it is to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. But let us introduce you to an older, blind golden retriever who held her own in the wild for three weeks alone.

On June 18, the Kubacki family’s beloved fur-baby, Lulu, went missing. “She means everything,” her dad Ted Kubacki told theAssociated Press. “I have five daughters, and they’re 4 to 13 years old, so they’ve spent every day of their life with that dog.”

The entirety of the Kubacki family searched for Lulu for weeks, but to not avail. Cruelly, someone even texted the family, telling them they’d found Lulu—only to then follow up with a “just kidding.”

But on July 5, a construction crew spotted the golden retriever, who they initially mistook for a bear, in a salmonberry bush lining the road they were working on. Lulu was about 15 feet down an embankment off the side of the road, not too far from the Kubacki’s home. Upon closer inspection, the construction workers realized they had found a dog who needed care.

Ted Kubacki told the AP that when he got word Lulu had been discovered, “I called my wife from work and it was just screaming. … She just starts yelling, then she yells to the kids. And I just hear them screaming like crazy.”

But Lulu was in very bad shape after her mistaken romp into the woods. According to the AP, Lulu, normally an 80-pound dog, had dropped 23 pounds and was severely dehydrated, dirty, and had matted fur.

“I just expected to come back and be like, ‘Hey, here’s my dog.’ She’s going to jump up and wag her tail and kiss my face, and she couldn’t even pick up her head,” Kubacki told the AP. “She’d been through the wringer.”

But after medical attention, R & R, and food, Lulu is on the mend.

“Slowly but surely she started eating and she was kind of able to pick her head up. But then yesterday, she propped herself up on her front paws by herself, like nestled into me and gave me a kiss and wagged her tail and it was just so great,” Kubacki told the AP.

Kubacki told the AP he was worried about covering Lulu’s vet bills, but people from their town of Sitka had donated hundreds to foot the bill.

“We have our family member home,” Kubacki said.

The good news here is Lulu never gave up.

Todays JohnKu talks about giving up. I hope you have a great weekend.

Wanting to give up,

And we think the time has come . . .

Think of those we love.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Lucy Hunt a Puma

September 1, 2022August 31, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 101 Comments

“You hear something over there, Little One?”

“Sounds like a puma to me.”

“You think?”

“Shush. I’m not moving a muscle. Might be time to catch it.”

“I think it might be on the move.”

“I say it is in the tree over there.”

“You keep an eye to the left, and I’ll go investigate.”

“I hear it slinking along on the other side of the fence.”

“I don’t think so. I still hear it over here.”

“Maybe it moved toward you. Any scent?”

“The only scent is someone’s dryer and a softener sheet.”

“Don’t let that thing fool you. I’ll bet it can mimic a dryer softener sheet.”

“Haw haw. That’s a good one. Mimic a dryer sheet.”

“I’ve seen those pumas do a lot of things, Lucy.”

“Well, I think I’m going to call it a day on the hunt. I see you have already done so.”

“Yeah, I have to admit it may not have been a puma after all.”

“Don’t give up too soon, Little One. I hear it again.”

“You are right about the dryer sheet. Unfortunately, I think our imagination is getting away from us.”

“Yeah, but what a great way to live. Who else has puma’s in their yard?”

“You’re right, Lucy. We are the luckiest puma hunters on the planet. Thanks for the reminder.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #375 by Keith Channing

August 30, 2022August 29, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

In Keith’s words.

“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put your offering (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before Sunday evening UK time. If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”

The photo.

“Met mo.”

“Moo met mo”

“Mot mon my mife.”

“M’ll mrowl.”

“Mo mahead.”

“Mrrrrrrrr.”

“Making mike a meaf.”

“Poo. That’s it. I can’t take anymore.”

“Ha. Made you give up.”

“It wasn’t that.”

“What was it then.”

“You talking with your mouth full. What the heck was ‘making mike a meaf?'”

“Shaking like a leaf in response to your growl.”

“Should have known. That was not a fun game.”

“I thought it was terrific.”

“Yeah, ’cause you had the rope end.” What’s next?”

“I found this rubber band.”

“You can play with that by yourself. I can see what will happen when we are a few feet apart.”

“Come on, what’s the worst that can happen?”

” A snap to the nose.”

“Well worth the laugh.”

“For you, maybe. Let’s go back to the toy.”

“Heh, heh, heh. So easy.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Top Ten Things Not to do While Watching Football on TV

August 29, 2022August 28, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 64 Comments

Since the American football season is underway, I thought it would be good to pull forward a post that ran on September 25th, 2015. The season starts earlier this year, so hopefully, mistakes can be avoided. I hope you enjoy it.

Top Ten Things Not to do While Watching Football on TV

10 If you are watching football, do not work on your finances. If you do, at best, you might have to redo the numbers every time an announcer mentions a score. At worst, you could have a problem when your bank calls about a deposit slip that reads first and ten. (Sure, you can explain that to the bank teller)

9 If you are watching football, do not try to carry on a conversation. If you do, at best, you will not fool anyone when you answer the wrong question with the wrong answer. At worst, you could be vulnerable to saying yes to one of those tricky issues relating to vacation destinations or furniture style. (Hope you enjoy the 24-hour hot yoga class while on vaycay)

8 If you are watching football, do not try to write a post for Monday. If you do, at best, you may miss a mistook or two. At worst, the logic and care you put into your writing may be lost as you get muddled in your thought process and try desperately to make a comeback but find yourself fighting out of an awkward place and running eighty yards for a touchdown. (This shows you can obviously watch and write at the same time)

7 If you are watching football, do not try to figure out how to install that iPhone app. If you do, at best, you’ll never get your Apple password correct. At worst, you will fail to notice the $99.00 cost of the “Write like Steven King” app you just installed. (You can bet it works too)

6 If you are watching football, do not try to help the kids with their homework. If you do, at best, you will demonstrate why they should never ask again. At worst, your help is the impetus for the remedial intervention program in which they become enrolled at the school. (Well, you did try hard, didn’t you?)

5 If you are watching football, do not try to cook an elaborate meal. If you do, at best, the ingredients you forgot won’t be missed. At worst, you will have made a concoction that the government will want to use to undermine the morale of enemy troops. (You thought it was going to be perfect. Right?)

4 If you are watching football, do not try to talk on the phone to your boss. If you do, at best, your lack of attention will not be held against you. At worst, your boss will think you have some cognitive problem and assume you are drinking. (Too bad your boss has been to rehab cause now you are going)

3 If you are watching football, do not answer the door and have visitors drop in. If you do, at best, you will ignore them. At worst, you will offend the folks who stopped by not paying attention to them, and they happen to be the people in charge of the pre-school home visit staff. (This was the premier pre-school in your state)

2 If you are watching football, do not assume everyone in your household shares your passion. If you do, at best, you will wonder why you are watching the game alone. At worst, you might even find you are home alone, and there is no note telling where everyone has gone. (Hard to believe not everyone wants to watch twelve hours of Football on the weekend, hey, Bucky)

1 If you are watching football, do not commit to watching the kids. If you do, at best, they will not wander out of the house. At worst, you will be investigated by CPS for keeping the kids tied to the couch for a full four quarters. (You might have gotten away with just a half)

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Activity Center Art Show

August 28, 2022August 28, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

Yes, today we are going to the Lakeway Activity Center, where an art show is in progress. These are local artists and in addition to the show at the Activity Center, several artists have opened their studios for visits. We won’t be going to those since I don’t think the artists will be prepared for a visit from our group. We are being catered by Patrizi’s Food truck in Austin. Our entertainment is ZZ Top.

Pomodoro – traditional Italian red sauce made from local tomatoes, garlic confit, and butter served with house farm cheese and a tuft of basil.

Patrizi’s Red Sauce – family recipe tomato sauce stewed with onions, garlic, garden herbs, pork trimmings, and grana Padano cheese

Cacio e Pepe – grana Padano cheese, fresh cracked black pepper, and olive oil

The Great Leopold – basil and arugula pesto served with grana Padano cheese, pepitas, crushed red chilis, and lemon zest.

Carbonara Alexandra – house-cured and smoked pancetta, coddled egg yolks, grana Padano cheese, and gremolata

Karah’s Diavolo – lemon, olive oil, rosemary, egg yolks, red chili, grana Padano chees

Lemon Thyme – lemon, thyme, garlic, egg yolk, grana

Butter Noodles – fettuccine with garlic butter and grana Padano cheese

Garlic Bread – grilled ciabatta, poached garlic, and grana cheese

Patrizi’s House Salad – mixed greens with family recipe creamy Italian dressing, giardiniera, pickled onions, and grana Padano

Rainbow Salad -dinner salad with mixed greens, basil, giardiniera, pickled onions, garlic confit, roasted beets, tomatoes, pepitas, and a vegan creamy lemon vinaigrette dressing

Anything you want to drink

So let’s go.

Here’s a view of some pottery and a succulent display.

This table gives information and ocations of the Artist Studio tour.

A long view of some art.

The Activity Center has many things going on, including dance bands and concerts. Here is a display showing some of them.

Some interesting photos.

A nod to the Avant-Garde.

A portrait selection.

Impressionistic work.

Mostly pastels.

Photographic art.

A little of everything.

Farm scenes.

Pottery and stuff.

A revisit to the succulent table to check out the humorous labels.

Of course, there are food trucks to satisfy the need for a snack while browsing the art.

That’s it. I hope you have a great week. Relax, have some food and enjoy ZZ Top

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt Board/Bored

August 27, 2022August 26, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 84 Comments

A quiet Saturday with no sound other than the death rattle of the coffee maker working on my soul-enhancing cup of the steaming stuff. Looking forward to non-activity that could render me into a condition best described as bored, I take a sip of the Columbian liquid alternative to Bolivian marching powder.

Thinking the paper would be an excellent addition to the bucolic scene created, I open the control board panel and begin the security disengage process. I flip the switches labeled: hot oil, concertina wire, claymore mines, Gatlin guns, iron gate, moat animals, deadbolts, remote crossbows, and locks. Checking the four cameras and seeing no motion or figure, the front door power switch is hit, and the door flies open. All these activities used to be done by hand; now, it is a matter of remote control.

The paper waits on the porch, but if it is a booby trap, the remote robot is sent to retrieve it. As the robot arm is extended to pick up the paper, a flash from my phone signals an alert. Looking up confirms a drone has entered the house. My goodness is a thought that races across the brain. Legs turn to rubber as it seems like my impenetrable inner sanctum has been breached by a dangerous-looking thing with four propellers.

Lucy, the consummate watchdog, jumps from the couch and knocks the thing to the floor. Twiggy immediately stops barking long enough to throw her full force onto the item. The result is a long sigh from the drone and a blinking red light. Thinking the light means imminent detonation, I smash the thing with the coal shovel kept handy for such occasions. (You don’t have to believe that part). The light stops blinking and in the pieces is a rolled-up message.

The unrolled message is from Linda Hill. It says, Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “board/bored.” Use one, or use them both for bonus points. Enjoy! P.S. You owe me $400.00 for the drone.

If you want to join in, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Others are responding to the prompt there too. Here’s the link https://lindaghill.com/2022/08/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-aug-27-2022/

“I hope you weren’t trying to bore us on purpose.”

“Come on. Have a heart.”

“Okay, but I was expecting some kind of cartoon character.”

“Do you know what this feature is called?”

“Yeah, Stream of Consciousness.”

“So today’s stream produced a drone.”

“Couldn’t miss that.”

“Why are you yawning?”

“Oh, excuse me. I guess the excitement of a drone was just too much for me.”

“You are an idiot, you know that?”

“At least I don’t write about drones.”

“You don’t write at all.”

“My point exactly.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I don’t write so I can be an objective reviewer of your work. I’m a representative of all readers.”

“Okay, so you didn’t like the drone.”

“I have to say you did cover the prompt. You fit bored and board in perfectly.”

“Well, that is one good thing.”

“Like the pub.”

“I was wondering how you were going to work that in.”

“Slick, huh?”

“So slick you’ve earned the right to buy.”

“Yeah. Happy to do it. Maybe wash this bitter taste out of my mouth.”

“Please.”

“Yes, that was a bit overdone. A beer will taste good, though.”

“Since when, doesn’t it?”

“Good point. Let’s go.”

“Should I delete the post?”

“Naw, as you say, it’s a Steam of Consciousness from an unconscious streamer.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Let’s go already. We have much to forget and so little time.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Friyay/Good News

August 26, 2022August 24, 2022 ~ John W. Howell ~ 84 Comments

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.

6 High School Football Players Combine Their Strength to Rescue Injured Woman Trapped in a Wrecked Car

Andy Corbley

–

Aug 22, 2022

(From left to right) Rome High School students Cesar Parker, Treyvon Adams, Antwion Carey, Messiah Daniels, Tyson Brown, and Alto Moore made the rescue.

A Georgian woman is thanking her stars that it was nothing less than a group of buff high schooler football players who just happened to be passing by her when she needed help.

Together they leaned their strength to pry open the jammed door of the woman’s wrecked car, which allowed the rescuers to access the badly injured driver.

The Rome City Football Team was out in force that morning, with teammates Treyvon Adams, 16, Antwion Carey, 16, Cesar Parker, 16, Messiah Daniels, Tyson Brown, 17, and Alto Moore, 16, all heading to school together in Adam’s car, or with their mom in the case of Caesar.

As soon as they saw the wrecked car, they leaped into action.

“We just ran as fast we (could) to the lady and check on her to see if she was alright,” Adams told CNN. “We saw she was in pain; she was screaming and asking us to help her.”

The car was totaled and badly bent out of shape. Relying on their brawn more so than their brains, the teens managed to pry the passenger door open, realizing only afterward that the other door had to be removed for her to be reached.

“We used all our muscles,” Adams said. “We’re pretty big people; we’re strong. We play football, so we lift weights a lot, but (the door) was just extremely bent and broke.” It all happened in about a minute.

But when it was over, the teens had freed the woman from the vehicle and carried her on their way back to class after checking on the driver of the other car in the collision.

Adams admitted that the team had been getting a lot of love and recognition for their act, which teachers said they deserved, and the school has helped drive.

In a post on Twitter, the school’s football team wrote, “PROUD of our MEN!” in reference to the story.

At the end of the day, like all great rescuers, the teens admitted that while the recognition was nice, it was something anyone would do.

The good news here is that these guys never hesitated to guarantee this woman’s safety and jumped into action.

Today’s JohnKu talks about heroes. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

What makes a hero?

Someone who has a big heart . . .

And moves very fast.