Stuff.

Haven't had the chance to post anything in a while. Been busy with yard work and stuff.

Denise and I went to a big graduation ceremony for the college we work for last Friday afternoon. I sat up in the middle of it all with the faculty and Denise stood guard over the graduates. I get to dress up in a flowing robe and look official while she herds cats. It's always fun. I sat in the chair there with my buddy Dave Lazarus, the BBQ cook-off guy. Then we all went to BJs in Temple for lunch.

After lots of good food and drink (no, I didn't take any pictures), I drove to Belton to pick up a clock that's been in the shop for a while. It's one of the old clocks my Dad bought in England when I was a kid. The clock man says it's an English Fusee, dating from the 1820s or 30s or so. Still runs like a charm, but was in need of dusting. He's still got my Cuckoo.

Dad brought that one back from Germany in the late 1940s. It's in need of work too. When I get that one back I'll take in my third clock. It's a beautiful British clock that's designed to sit on a mantle piece. All three of these clocks were broken, their faces torn off, when those fuckers robbed my house back in 2005. They've been busted ever since. It's great to hear the tick tock again. Though Denise has yet to get used to it, it's music to my ears.

I got home at about 2PM Friday afternoon and crashed, sleeping till about 7PM. Needless to say, there was no dinner with Mom on Friday. Denise and Mom were both cool with that. Denise was tired too. We relaxed the rest of the night and then slept in Saturday.

Saturday was a furious day of house and Yard work. Denise tore me a new one, outworkin' me on every level. We'd pulled weeds in the back yard the previous weekend, till we'd gotten through about half of them. About mid-week, Denise went to Lowe's and got me a new mower. So, Saturday afternoon I put the mower together and ran it through the front yard and into the back. It's a doozie. Runs like a charm.

We pulled and hacked through the rest of the big weeds in the back and then mowed over the rest, taking multiple wheelbarrow loads of crap to the field across the road from the house. In the end, we both sat on the swing on the back porch and admired our handiwork. We still have stuff to do, but it'll get done in time.

Saturday night we celebrated with a great dinner at The Outback Steakhouse. Then we went to see the new Star Trek movie. It was cool as hell. I recommend it. Sunday was a lazy day, spent rollin' around on the couch and enjoyin' one another's company. Then I drove Mom and Sis to Austin and we ate a great Mexican meal at Pappasito's

Aren't you happy I'm sparing you all those tantalizing food pictures? No time. Gotta go.

Monday night, Denise and I went back to Belton and watched a few of our friends go through their Masters Degree commencement. Dave Lazarus, the same BBQ cook-off guy and his colleague Elke Jensen. I've know these folks for years, so it was a lot of fun to see them do the walk. It was cool, until I realized that it's been 20 years since I got my masters degree. I did my walk back in 1988. Makes me wonder what the hell I've been doing with my life since then.

After that we all went to a local place to relax. After a bit, Denise and I went over to the house of another friend of hers to celebrate her commencement She'd gotten her Masters the same day. That's when and where the booze began to flow. I had to turn the keys over to Denise after lots of shots and such. It was fun.

Tonight, I'm finishing up my lectures on base and reviewing these folks for their finals on Thursday. When I get out of here I'm gonna go home, change clothes and pack the car for a drive north to Mineral Wells. I found out over the weekend that a good friend of mine lost his battle with Muscular Dystrophy and Heart Disease. My buddy Jim's father in law, Tom Myers, passed away over the weekend. Denise and I are gonna drive up tonight and attend the funeral there tomorrow at 10AM.

Jim's been a wonderful friend to me for over twenty years. His wife Terry is hurtin' bad. Tom was always a great guy to me, and his wife Judy is a sweetheart who's always been a rock to that family. I want to be there to offer them whatever comfort I can. of course, missing my San Saba classes tomorrow means I'll have to drive out there and make them up this Friday. So there'll be no Friday feed with Mom this week ether. We'll have to make it up over the weekend.

Finally, my friend from Grad School who lives in Wales, Russell, is flying in with his British girlfriend Saturday night. We'll drive up to Dallas and hang out there Sunday, and maybe by Memorial Day weekend they'll be coming back around to visit us here. He's gonna take her around Dallas, San Antone and Fredeicksburg over the space of a week. They should have a good time. It'll be good to see him again.

Anyway, I'm off. You guys have a great week and we'll talk after all this mess is over. Cheers!