.. may not impede ...

Bicycles. 

Who didn't love to ride bikes when they were a kid?  Who doesn't recognize bicycling as a great form of exercise, especially as an adult?  Who doesn't see bicyclers riding to raise money for charity?  Texas hosts several MS-150 rides every year.

So, why do I feel more than a little angst when I see cyclists traveling "my" back country roads?  Why do I have a hard time even SAYING the word 'bicycle' without a bit of a scowl?

It seems so may cyclists - in my area anyway - have this 'entitlement mentality'.  They ride as though they are entitled to the entire road.  These roads are small, two lane, no shoulder farm roads.  They curve and they rise and fall with many areas that are blind to oncoming traffic.

How many times I've come around a curve, started up a hill, only to discover two cyclists riding abreast, taking up the entire lane, oblivious to the world around them.  My choices?  Slam on my brakes or cross the double yellow lines to try and pass them.  I brake.  They continue to take up the entire lane, impeding my progress until we crest the hill and I have clear view to pass.

Oh, and many cyclists will tell you that they HAVE the right to the road and cars MUST yield to them.  So I did a quick google search of Texas laws.

Sec. 551.103.  .. a person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway

(c) Persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast. Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway shall ride in a single lane. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway. Persons may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles.

Just Sayin' ....

Congratulations Jus and Jen !!

10/10/10

Whatever the meaning of this day is because of the numbers ..  ?? ..  it is now special to me because my only nephew is marrying his love!

Congrats you two .. love you and wish I could be there!

Aunt Debbie

A Glimpse of the Small Town I Love.

Montgomery, Texas. 

When I moved out here 22 years ago, Montgomery was an intersection of two two-lane Texas farm roads with a gas station on each corner, a donut shop, and some antique shops.  Everyone knew everyone - and everyone's business.  You could still buy stuff at the feed store and sign a ticket for credit.

Now we are 5 lanes in two directions, grocery store, gas stations, and McDonald's where cow pastures used to be.  Just down the road are apartment complexes, and a Walmart.  Businessess are thriving and weekends are busy in this small town. 

And while progress isn't neccesarily a bad thing, it does cause a town to lose that "small town" feel and some days I can go into Montgomery and not see anyone I know.  -- shocking, right??

So, today when I filled my truck up at the gas station in front of the grocery store - you know, the one with 24 pumps -- I was surprised and touched by a glimpse of that small town I love.

We have to back up more than two weeks ago when my daughter and I had to rendezvous at that same gas station so we could both fill up. 

I was on the motorcycle and was waiting on her.  The little man that works the service booth at the station was sweeping and such and we had a little conversation until she showed up.  After filling, I took off on the motorcycle only to realize on the other side of Montgomery that I didn't have my sunglasses on.  I had left them on top of the pump.

Already running late, I decided to ride on into work without them and just stop at Target on the way home and buy another pair .. which I did.

Fast forward to today .. I'm in my truck filling up and the little man walks up to chat (he is a friendly bloke) and he says "Don't you have a motorcycle?" .. I replied "Oh yes, but it's been a little chilly for me to ride in the mornings."  He says "I have your sunglasses."

This dear sweet man found my sunglasses after I pulled out two weeks ago and had put them in a ziplock bag.

"I figured I'd see you again sometime."  he says.  "Have a nice day!"

God, I love these small towns .........

A year ago today ... Ugh, Rain!

This was my post on BackyardChickens.com this time last year.

Ugh .. any other time, I love this time of year .. the fronts move in .. spectacular thunderstorms .. cooler weather .. mud .. fog .. everything screaming "Fall is here .. winter on the way" ...

But "RAIN" has become a "four letter word" in our house .. Until the slab and piers are poured, not a whole lot else can be accomplished. Everything is WET and MUDDY ...

So, THANKFULLY, there was a bit of a break in the weather this week and they managed to get the piers poured. What is visible in the pictures are the forms that are above the ground. What you do not see are the holes they drilled way down into the ground, and filled up with concrete ..

Here is the garage slab form .. still filled up with water .. unable to be poured yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We've come a long way, baby. April 2010

"The Divine Chromosome"

October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

A few weeks ago I happened upon a blog called Daily Smiles .  This beautiful blog lead me from link to link and blog to blog about one Down Syndrome child after another; the joys and challenges of parenting; processes of adopting; and medical issues of children with this chromosome disorder.

Although not a parent of a Down Syndrome child, I have known several and interacted with many.  There is something undescribably special about these children (and adults).  Emotions are pure, love is genuine, joy is tangible.

I could never say it as lovely as Doug Billings did in his article Down Syndrome and the Devine Chromosome.  His writing about his son, Michael, is a "have to" read.  A small excert is as follows:

"He has something inside of him that purges prejudice, eliminates personality venom, deletes pride and encourages happiness, promotes joy and sustains unconditional love.
If we each had just a little bit of what these people have in them, the world would be a better place."

and

"To identify what it is about these special people that allow us to glimpse the divine isn't difficult. It's something most of us pursue and long for - even if only subconsciously. It's the purity and innocence they have within them.
I suppose I could credit that small, extra chromosome #21 for this. That's why I call it the "divine chromosome"."

There is more to this disorder, and these children,  than their unique physical features, their medical conditions, and their delay in development. 

Doug nails it perfectly in his article.

Southern Comfort

Comfort, Texas actually.

Several years ago, while Steve and I were visiting the Texas Hill Country, we discovered this little town.  Complete with antique shops, historic buildings, and wineries .. it was our choice for a first stop on our Texas Hill Country visit this year.

We'll be spending two nights at the Holekamp House Bed and Breakfast. It should be a relaxing couple of days .. of course, I'm not sure how excited they are going to be to see us arrive on our motorcycles ..  LOL.

Then on to Bandera and the Three Sisters (or the Twisted Sisters, if you prefer).  These are 3 very scenic and very curvey highways that God put on this planet strictly for motorcyclists  -- well, not really, but we like to think so.

Can October 14 come any sooner??

Home, sweet Chicken Coop.

It's finally finished ..  well, apart from the built-in nestboxes and the yard.

It all went well right up until the time I put Cocoa .. the wicked hen of the west .. in the coop.  She has to terrorize all the youngsters ..

It all worked out .. except for the silky (Whoopie) .. she's just tooo passive, so I had to take her out and put her in her own pen .. which suits her just fine.