Well, it is Friday, and like most holiday weeks it came up fast. Always seems strange to have a new year. I keep putting 2108 on things that require a date. I should be squared away sometime in July.
In moving around WP lately, I’m wondering if all of you who have ad-supported blogs realize what is being advertised. This photo is one I have wondered about.
To each his own I guess.
Since we are starting a new year, this week’s JohnKu talks to expectations.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday and this weeks prompt is “Ask Someone Else.” Linda Hill says we should ask someone else for a prompt word. I did, and the word came back. It is “storage.” If you would like to run around and chase perfect strangers all the while begging for a prompt word, visit Linda’s blog and find out how you can uplift yourself to this level of social interaction. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2018/12/28/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-29-18/
I normally have a story today, but with deep sadness I want you to know that Bailey has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. On Sunday it was clear she was starting to experience difficulty. The time came to seek help in ending her journey here and let her begin a new chapter over the Rainbow bridge.
I have posted a few photos that have been seen on the A Little Personal feature.
We will miss her.
Thank you for all the support and helpful words during this time of challenge for our family.
“Why, yes Pops. I am beautiful.”
“Hey, you guys. What are you doing?”
“Summer and a back roll. Nothing finer.”
“Do I really need to play with that Little Potato?”
“This is living.”
“I’m telling you little one, this water will be deep, so be careful.”
This Top Ten list of what not to do continues with a historical backdrop. On December 24th, 1818 the Christmas carol “Silent Night” composed by Franz Xaver Gruber was first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria. If you time travel there here is a list that might keep you from making a mistake and prepare you for a Merry Christmas.
10 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not sing off-key. If you do, at best the crowd will cover you up. At worst, the choir director will call a couple of big guys and have you removed. (We know you love to sing, Gerrald. You just have to sing more quietly.)
9 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not try to avoid making a contribution in the collection plate being passed by Tiny the WWF champ. If you do, at best Tiny won’t notice. At worst, Tiny who has just promised 10% of his earnings to the church, will take offense. (Being held upside down and shaken until the coins fall is not the best thing, Gerritt. Sure beats a windmill body slam though.)
8 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not wear your “Happy Birthday JC,” Christmas sweater. If you do, at best most will not understand the message. At worst, a six foot seven Knight of the Templer will take it upon himself to eliminate your sweater ( I think I would offer to take the garment off and do some kind of penance, Giacomo. Otherwise, he is going to keep applying pressure to your head.)
7 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not arrive late for the service. If you do, at best there will be a seat in the back pew. At worst, you will be directed to the front bench. (While you are taking that long walk, Gibson the director is holding his baton in mid-air waiting for you to reach your seat. Good thing you wore a red scarf. Your face matches it correctly.)
6 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not think you know the words and avoid using the hymnal. If you do, at best you’ll only be noticed by a few. At worst, the entire congregation will be nudging each other and pointing as you get most wrong. ( You can almost feel the mocking, can’t you, Gille? Wait until you turn around to leave.)
5 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not fall asleep during the sermon. If you so, at best only the priest will know. At worst, your snoring is the subject of more than a few giggles. (Sadly, the priest decides to use you as an example of the sinning world. Oh, and don’t compliment the priest on his sermon on the way out, Gimle)
4 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not finish that 32-ounce tankard before you arrive at the service. If you do, at best the service will be short. At worst, the service turns into the highest mass with the most ritual possible. (After the first hour you are now beginning to openly sweat, Girisha. I would pray harder for mercy.)
3 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not wear your Long Live France t-shirt. If you do, at best most will not remember the War of the Seventh Coalition in 1815. At worst, most of the congregation are veterans of the war. (It looks like you have hit a sore point, Guiliano. I think you might want to exit through the side door.)
2 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not go a-wassailing for too many wassails before the service. If you do, at best the cold night air will straighten you out. At worst, you’ll accidentally do a header into the pew in front of you. (I know you just meant to bow your head, Gleipnif. Try telling that to the spinster on whom you are laying.)
1 If you are at the first singing of Silent Night, do not try to sneak out without shaking the priest’s hand. If you do, at best the side door will be unlocked. At worse, you choose the wrong door and realize you are now in the priest’s vestment room. (Funny how that door locked behind you, Godfrey. You will now have the pleasure of explaining precisely what you are doing here once the priest is finished shaking hands.)
Friday again. It is the last Friday before Christmas. I hope you have all your shopping done. I know I do. (Thank heavens)
This week has been busy. I finally got some help from Grammarly. Guess what they came up with? Uninstall the existing program and reinstall a new one. Can you say DUH? I mean if that was the solution why give me a trial and error week? I should have just done that myself. (Gotta stop again. After all, it is the Holidays and I have a working program.)
Bailey is beginning to be picky about her food. We just got in a supply of the food she loved and she now doesn’t like it. We have gone to chicken which she thinks is fine for now. If and when she is no longer interested in food, we know she is telling us the time is near. We will keep offering her choices in order not to make the mistake of thinking she is asking for some relief. As long as she is eating we know she is interested in being with us. Sadly the end result is known and it is hard to imagine we will have to let her go. Bailey came to us nine years ago on Christmas.
As her stewards, we need to keep her interests as primary. Today’s John Ku tries to avoid the obvious and talks about the best Christmas gifts.
“Lucy. Wake up. I hear Friday at the door.” “It’s only Wednesday Little Potato. Hit snooze.”
It is Wednesday Story Day, and last week we went with Larry to question Ned Dixon about what he might know regarding any money connection to Sandusky’s murder. We were shocked to find out Sandusky had set up a trust for an unnamed beneficiary that is now worth fifteen million dollars. We also found out that whoever tries to claim the money must show up at the bank with a key to Sandusky’s safe deposit box. The box contains a protocol which the beneficiary must satisfy. I think we were gobsmacked to find all this out. You have to wonder what Larry thinks of all of this. Wait there was another point. Sandusky took out a loan based on an agreement signed by the notorious cartel leader, Cortez. Let’s go to Larry’s office and find out what he is thinking.
“So, Andrew. Do you believe all this shit?”
“I must say there are more twists in this case than a rattler on an anthill.”
“Where di you get that saying?”
“I just made it up.”
”You are on the East Coast for heaven’s sake. That good ole boy analogy doesn’t seem to fit.”
“I guess it must be these new boots I bought.”
“Handsome for sure. Drop the Western crap.”
“Yes sir, boss.”
“Can do without cool hand Luke as well.”
“What is bothering you today.”
“We are no closer to finding out who killed Sandusky than we were before we started. Also, we know that Cortez is somehow wrapped up in this thing which has the potential to make our lives a living nightmare.”
“Maybe we should just let sleeping dogs lie.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t have a spirit hounding you every night.”
“We need to think this one through. Gloria said to follow the money, and now we have more questions than answers.”
“Let’s take a step back then. We know Sandusky and Louis were successful in developing a new surgical procedure, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“We also know Cortez signed an agreement to pay for it.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“We do not know what the Cartel wanted to do with the procedure.”
“So far you are stating the obvious.”
“We have to ask ourselves another question.”
“Which is?”
“Why did we have to hear all this from the banker and not Louis?”
“Well, now that is an excellent question.”
“Is it possible the cartel did pay Louis, and he stiffed the bank?”
“Another good question.”
“The answers are with Louis. We need to talk to him again. I’ll bet he can tell us what the cartel intended to do with the procedure as well.”
“I have a feeling you are right. So follow the money leads back to Louis.”
“Yup. There is also one good point about talking to Louis.”
“Which is?”
“We put off trying to talk to Cortez.”
“Which means we put off a major hell till later. I’m all about that.”
Every year the Art Center of Port Aransas has n art show featuring the art of high school and middle school students. The competition is juried and open to students from Port Aransas, Flour Bluff, and Seashore Academy. I thought you would like to see the level of art being taught in the local schools. I don’t have too many comments as the art can speak for itself.
Let’s start with the sixth grade. Where you see a ribbon that student’s piece took a prize
Another view.
Seventh grade.
Eighth grade
Ninth Grade
Tenth Grade
Eleventh Grade
One view of the Twelfth grade
Another View of the Twelfth Grade.
The Best in Show is the purple ribbon.
As you can see there is a large turnout. Here in Port Aransas art is taken very seriously. I hope you enjoyed the walk through the Art Center.
“I’m just going to rest my eyes. Don’t let me miss Friday.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again and last week Larry and Andrew decided they needed to talk to Ned Dixon the banker. The reason is Gloria (Larry’s deceased wife) advised Larry in a séance to follow the money. Ned is the only one involved who is near money. Larry wants a face to face meeting hoping he can get Ned to divulge details he might not do over the phone. I see that Larry has an appointment with Ned and is going into Ned’s office now.
“Good Morning Detective Dunfee. Please have a seat.”
“Thank you, Mr. Dixon.”
“You can call me Ned.”
“I am here on official business, Mr. Dixon. Let’s just keep it formal, shall we?”
“Official business? What does that mean?”
“I’m investigating the death of Igor Sandusky and since you have had some dealings with him I need to ask you a few questions.”
“Dealings? I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Weren’t you his banker?”
“This bank did give Mr. Sandusky a loan if that’s what you mean.”
“Who arranged for the loan?”
“Well, I did. That was over ten years ago.”
“Yes, it was. I understand that the loan was in default.”
“Yes. The payments were made routinely up until about six months ago.”
“Wait a minute. Mr. Sandusky was deceased. Who was making those payments?”
“They came from Mr. Sandusky’s trust.”
“Trust? He had a trust?”
“Yes, he did. I also set that up for him.”
“When did you do that?”
“I would guess about two years before he died.”
“Who’s the beneficiary?”
“That is the strange part. At the time he didn’t want to name a beneficiary, so he left that part of the trust open for a person or persons to be named later. Unfortunately, he never named anyone and stipulated that if this were the case the trust would remain in perpetuity until claimed by an heir.”
“Does he have an heir?”
“We have not been contacted. Mr. Sandusky also spelled out a specific identification protocol that the person claiming to be an heir would have to satisfy”
“This protocol is not well-known I take it?”
“No one knows. It is in an envelope put in a safe deposit box by Sandusky himself. It takes two keys to open. One is here at the bank and one was with Sandusky.”
“I’m guessing that whoever is an heir will show up with a key.”
“That is the assumption. But the person needs to satisfy the protocol.”
“Who is the trustee?”
“That would be me in the name of the bank.”
“So, let me get this straight. The bank was the trustee and made payments on the loan.”
“That is correct.”
“Why were the payments stopped?”
“I felt the business opportunities were nil, so I saw no reason to continue the loan.”
“You put Sandusky’s building on the block for the defaulted loan.”
“Yes.”
“So, in essence, the bank caused a default and then is selling the building.”
“True.”
“Where do the proceeds from the sale go?”
“To the bank to satisfy the loan and then any remaining funds to the Sandusky trust.”
“This is legal?”
“Mr. Dunfee. Since we are all formal here are you trying to say I have committed a crime?”
“No, Mr. Dixion. I have to wonder about manipulating a dead man’s affairs to the banks benefit is all.”
“Benefit? Mr. Sandusky took out a loan. The bank in good faith honored its loan agreement. It is a simple matter of paying back what was owed.”
“Did the loan have a pre-payment penalty?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then making all those payments simply gave the bank more interest. Had you sold the building and paid back the loan ten years ago, the trust would have been richer by the saved interest.”
“In theory that is true.”
“Theory has nothing to do with it. Seems like fact to me.”
“Except for the fact that Mr. Chisom wanted to keep the business going.”
“Mr. Chisom? Who is Mr. Chisom?”
“You met him.”
“I don’t recall the name.”
“I think you know him as Louis.”
“I’m confused.”
“About what?”
“Why would a bank keep making payments on a loan simply because one person wanted to keep a job.”
“That was not the reason. Mr. Chisom had a signed agreement to continue the development of the non-invasive surgical technique he and Mr. Sandusky developed.”
“Did you see this agreement.”
“I did. It was the only way I would keep making the payments.”
“Do you know who signed the agreement?”
“I do.”
“Okay, I guess twenty question is the game. Who signed?”
“A person by the name of Cortez.”
“Not Joachim Cortez.”
“Yes, in fact, it was.”
“Of the Cortez cartel?”
“Not familiar with that group.”
“One of the most wanted men on the planet.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that.”
“So what happened to the business?”
“As far as I know, the contract was never paid and hence the business folded. Louis insisted he was going to collect but after so much time I had to pull the cord.”
“So, you believe Louis fulfilled his end of the contract.”
“He told me he did.”
“Follow the money.”
“What?”
“Sorry. I was just repeating what I was told about getting this case wrapped up. The money, in this case, is in a den of vipers.”
“I don’t understand.”
“That’s okay. Thank you for your time. I may have more questions later. You have been helpful. Oh, wait. If it is not against the trust rules can you tell me how much the trust is worth?”
“It is a matter of public record at the IRS. The trust now has fifteen million under management.”
