Category Archives: Texana

Bibi to Obamalot: Return to 1845 borders

Posted on May 20, 2011 | Comments Off on Bibi to Obamalot: Return to 1845 borders

“Netanyahu spoke of the injustice and hardship Mexicans have endured since American forces annexed Texas in 1845.

“‘Tens of thousands of ordinary Mexicans were driven out of their homes – the only homes they had known for centuries – and forced to live in poverty and squalor south of the border imposed by American aggression,’ Netanyahu said. ‘The Israeli and Mexican people agree on this: This festering wound will never heal until America takes bold steps to return to the internationally accepted lines of 1845.'”

Nice joke. Hits the spot. I certainly wouldn’t miss California.

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Posted in Israel, Obamalot, Texana, The War

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Texas at 175

Posted on May 20, 2011 | Comments Off on Texas at 175

 

 

 

Texian volunteer at the Alamo, a reenactor on this 175th anniversary of the Texas Revolution.

At least his physique is plausible.

Too many reenactors these days, particularly Civil War ones, are aging fatsos with white hair. Reflecting our overfed, indulgent culture, rather than the more austere 19th century.

Photo by San Antonio author Celia Hayes whose good gallery of such snaps is here.

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Posted in Library, Scribbles, South of the Border, Texana

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It’s hard to leave Texas

Posted on May 14, 2011 | Comments Off on It’s hard to leave Texas

D.G. Meyers, the online editor of Commentary Magazine, who once taught English lit at Texas A&M, but now lives and works in Ohio:

“My four kids are Texans. For twenty years I was an interloper in Texas—an Orthodox Jew who lived without benefit of barbecue. I’ve only been gone nine months now, and I miss the hell out of the place. None of my exes live in Texas, but I left my heart there.”

His A Commonplace Blog is a great stop for new (and old) book advice.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Library, Scribbles, Texana

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Be careful what you wish for

Posted on May 12, 2011 | Comments Off on Be careful what you wish for

UPDATE: Well, it looked bad here on radar, but it was moving fast. We got a nice soaking of two-and-a-half  inches at the rancho. But other than some minor street flooding elsewhere in the city, there was no frog-strangler to disrupt anything. And now, at 5:20 p.m., it hasn’t rained at all for several hours.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Finally, some rain

Posted on May 11, 2011 | Comments Off on Finally, some rain

Not a lot of rain, but some. Brilliant lightning display last night, across the hills northwest of town. Mostly horizontal flashes, only a few sky-to-ground. The rain only lasted a short while, but more is promised today, tonight and tomorrow. What we really need is a good, old-fashioned, frog-strangling flood. Which, after all, is the way most Texas droughts end.

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Posted in Blogosphere, Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

Where have all the flowers gone?

Posted on April 30, 2011 | Comments Off on Where have all the flowers gone?

Texas wildflowers are scarce this spring, done in by the drought, the heat of the past few weeks, and, last but hardly least, the wildfires that have scorched the landscape.

It’s made for a sad season, as Austin’s KXAN shows in this video report.

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Posted in Scribbles, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Waiting for the AC guy

Posted on April 22, 2011 | Comments Off on Waiting for the AC guy

All the windows are open and the ceiling fans chucking around. Got heavy objects on the loose papers in the study to keep them in place. Fortunately it’s only in the upper 80s lower 90s and there’s a nice breeze. Regular old-timer Texas (pre-AC) feel to the day so far.

Part of the sheet rock ceiling in the garage fell in last night, bombarding Mrs. C.’s car. No damage to the car, fortunately. She and Mr. B. left an hour ago on their planned Houston weekend. The AC core coil unit’s evaporation pan (above the sheet rock) apparently is rusted through and leaking pretty bad. Soaked the sheet rock real good.

The AC guy, who is busy these days of unexpected April heat, says he can clean the pan of rust and spread epoxy across it. If that doesn’t work, it’ll be time to replace the core coil unit, pan and all. Several thousand bucks, for sure. So, natch, I’m going with the stop gap. But I’ll wait until it’s all  settled before I fix the ceiling.

Nice thing about the ceiling collapse is that when/if (probably, according to a Google search) the leak resumes, it will do so into the garage so we’ll know it’s happening and not be surprised again.

Meanwhile, it’s a balmy Texas spring day here at the rancho. Sans AC. I’ll just pretend it’s the 1940s. Wonder how the Berlin Airlift is going? Have to wait for the radio news to find out.

UPDATE:  The bozo never showed up. Finally got an estimate from him this Saturday morning. Less than I thought, just $1,275. Feeling vindictive, however, I went with an outfit that installs the brand, even though they want $300 more and can’t do it until Monday.

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Posted in Mr. Boy, Mrs. Charm, Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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