The blessed relief of cooler — sometimes downright cold — temperatures has given me much-needed energy to tackle a number of outdoor projects here at Three Geese Farm, which never lacks for things to do. On a brisk autumn morning in mid-November, I mowed everything that can be mowed one last time with the zero-turn — about six hours perched on that beast, noise-canceling ear buds playing music. There will be no more mowing with that Bad Boy (the actual name of this model) until May, after the wildflowers go to seed. That means I now have time for other tasks.
Speaking of wildflowers, I ordered...
Read more...
Ten years ago, on Nov. 26, 2013, our family’s lives were forever changed. On a rainy morning two days before Thanksgiving, my father-in-law, Harris K. Teel, sat in the waiting room of Good Shepherd’s Ambulatory Surgical Center. His son, also named Harris, was having a routine procedure done. Harris the elder was there to drive him home.
At my wife’s request, since she was taking our daughter Abbie and a friend to Dallas, I pulled into the center’s parking lot garage to check on Mr. Teel, then walked down to the elevators at about 7:45. I noticed there was a lot of activity in the lobby...
Read more...
My Beautiful Mystery Companion decided in mid-October to skip the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations that usually grace our home and go straight to Christmas. Since she is in charge of decorating, something I happily acquiesce to, my primary job was helping to get the plastic crates out of the attic. Actually, she had most of them down before I realized what was happening, since I often live in a state of unawareness. I wasn’t much help anyway, given my bum shoulder.
A word about attic stairs. Ours are in the garage ceiling, a typical pull-down contraption likely designed by the same sadist...
Read more...
We bought a new (to us) vehicle last week, a gently used 2021 Toyota 4Runner Limited still under warranty, that a friend wanted to sell. She had ended up with more vehicles than she needed. Been there, done that. It was a mutually beneficial transaction consummated without the interference of pushy car salespeople.
Buying a new ride is a slow process for My Beautiful Mystery Companion and me. We have been discussing this for at least five years, visiting dealerships, and cruising lots on Sundays when they’re closed. Our last two visits with dealerships left us both with sour tastes in our mouths....
Read more...
The “friend” request came on Facebook. For a moment, the name didn’t look familiar: Jaime Leòn Vàsquez. I get a lot of random requests from people I have no connection, which I decline. Then it hit me. Jaime! He worked for me for nearly a decade, toiling nearly every weekend at whatever house I owned at the time, in Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Longview. He was a skilled painter and handyman, familiar with cattle and fence mending, and basically did whatever needed to be done — cheerfully and efficiently. As he said, “Lo que.” Whatever.
I first met Jaime in the spring of 2000, when...
Read more...
