Went to lunch in Temple today to meet a blogger.

His name is Jerry Wiley, and his blog is called Back Home Again. Check him out some time.



He was driving down from Indiana to visit a sister in Austin, and to do some job related stuff in Houston. The weather hasn't been very nice to him, with drivin' and pissin' rain most of the way through Texas, havin' to dodge trucks and other heavy traffic, and the chilly temps, but he's made it alright so far.

I was tryin' to think of where we should meet, and I came up with the idea of takin' him to a local favorite out in Zabcikville, about 10 minutes east of Temple. Green's Sausage House is famous, and well loved by most folks in this area. I was gettin' myself all ready to consume mass quantities of BBQ sausage and brisket sandwiches, but then I checked their web site and found out they're only open in Sunday for deer processing. Damn. So, since I talk about it all the time on my blog, I thought I'd just take him to the great Chinese food place I take Dad to in Fridays. Turned out to be a busy day for them. Lots of folks stoppin' by after church I guess. We talked and ate for at least an hour or so and had a great time.

Turns out Jerry and I had a lot in common, and will probably try to get together again. I think he's the kind of guy I could sit and talk music and computers with for hours and not get tired.

I've had a great time meeting the few bloggers that I've met so far. They've all turned out to be pretty cool. I told Jerry I think I have closer friends through blogging than I've ever had in my daily life. Of course, you tell anyone else you're gonna go meet a blogger off the Internet and they act like you're crazy, like you' might end up with your head in a freezer, not to mention your virtue being in grave danger. Well, I guess other folks just don't get it, and probably never will. Anyway, I'm big enough to take care of myself, and anyone who wants to threaten my virtue should just say so and step up. You'll probably need to bring a gun to keep Denise at bay, but it's your funeral.

Anyway, it was a fun time. I hope we get a chance to do it again.

After lunch I went over to the folks house to surprise my mom. Monday is her 80th birthday. I have to work till 7PM, so we probably won't be able to get together. I'll work on it, but it's hard to get them out of the house after 6:30 or so, understandably.

Last weekend, on the stop through Llano on the way to Fredericksburg, we stopped in a few antique stores. I picked up some nice old silver candle holders with etched glass bowls. They were reasonably priced, and very pretty. Right up her alley. I actually got them for myself, but while I was paying for them it hit me that they'd be perfect for mom. Worked out great.

I stopped at the grocery store to get a few cards, a smelly candle and some Worther's candies (her favorites), and went over and sprung it all one her. She was surprised and happy. I love that woman to death. She's my sweetheart.

My other sweetheart is comin' back into town tonight from Kentucky, so I'll be pickin' her up at the airport late tonight and bringin' her back here for a lengthy reunion. I've missed her a lot. I used to be happy here by myself. Told myself I was better off that way, but it was all bullshit. I told myself that to make the loneliness less painful. I've gotten used to havin' someone around now, so the loneliness of her absence makes the emptiness of this place that much more noticeable. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I guess I'm finally growing up, at the ripe old age of 47. I've wasted a lot of my life being an idiot, and the price I'm paying now for that is huge.

I was in the store today getting new windshield wipers for the car. The rain always reminds me how worn out the old ones were. Anyway, I was standing in line behind a young woman with her baby in the carrier propped up on the grocery basket. The kid was looking up at me as if to say "What the hell is THAT!", so I started smiling and making faces at the little critter. He smiled back, grinning and giggling. I kept it up till it was my turn at the checkout, and then they rolled off somewhere and I turned to the business at hand.

Every so often now it hits me that I'll never have kids, and that I'll never have grand kids. I wasted all the time when I was supposed to be doing those things being an idiot. I didn't mind it then. I told myself I didn't want children, but the truth was that I felt and told myself that no decent woman would have me. Now, after the changes that have taken place in my life this last year, the possibilities that I ignored because they always seemed out of reach are just beginning to come into focus, but it feels like it's too late. I see young couples at the grocery store, laughing and playing with their little kids, and sometimes I almost burst into tears. People who love me tell me it's not too late, but who the hell wants to be driven to the high school prom by a dad who's dottering around in his 70s, I mean, other than Hugh Hefner's kids. Fuck, he could adopt me now.

Anyway, everyone's got some shit they have to deal with, and that's mine. I hope I didn't harsh your mellow on this chilly Sunday night. Take care of yourselves. You all mean the world to me. Cheers.