One down, two to go.

I finished up classes in Florence yesterday morning. I'd given the kids their finals Monday, but had to go in to finish grading, post the grades to both the high schools web site and CTCs, and finish up some paperwork.

Thing is, the folks there didn't think I'd be comin' back. The janitor was already washin' down the white boards and cleanin' the gum from under the desks. I got myself situated there at my desk and got to work, but soon received a text message.

My buddy Dave (Willingham), who teaches down the hall, thought I was done and sleepin' in. He sent me a text reading "Slacker!" That's a little joke between us. Now and then when I get down there and see that there's a substitute in his room, that he's taken the day off, I text him and call him a Slacker.

I immediately walked over to his room, busted in and said "Like hell I am!" he laughed his ass off when he saw that I was there. He and I are thinkin' that we want to ride his horses in the San Saba Rodeo Parade on the 12th. John Hoenow, my buddy out at the jail, told me Monday that he and his wife are gonna ride mules in the parade. I told Dave about it and he said that if they can get us registered, he can drive some horse up and we'll ride. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Anyway, I got the stuff done that needed to get done, all posted, signed and finished, and was out of there by 10AM. That means I could make it to San Saba in time for the Dairy Mart to open it's doors at 11AM.



Yep, I made it there in time for a nice, calm sit down lunch (my only real meal of the day). When the proprietor brought me my usual, a jalapeno sourdough bread bacon cheeseburger and large order of onion rings, he said somethin' like "That's a hungry man." I laughed and told him this burger was a friggin' work of art. That he needs to be written up in Texas Monthly.



Here's and old close-up, just in case you're hungry or anything (Sully, this is for you). Look at the size of that bacon strip. Mmmmmm, good.

I finished eating and got out to the jail early, givin' me time to relax a bit before the convicts descended on me. That's always nice... Havin' time to take a relaxed shit and get a drink before the bum rush of rusty-assed losers forces me to go to class.

I got the class through the Constitution and part way through Federalism, and ended up getting out of Saba late, about 3PM. I stopped at a local grocery store for something to drink and then headed strait to Fort Hood. It was rainin' like CRAZY by then, at times blockin' my ability to see the road. But the rain abated by the time I got to the base and I was able to get to my classroom without gettin' soaked.

Once I got there I realized that they'd finally hooked up the Internet in my room. It's handy to be able to check my mail, both official and private, when I'm not lecturing. Of course, I have this laptop there in class with me. I like to play Freecell while I lecture. I find it slows me down. Less chance of the students getting Carpel Tunnel.

I had to finish both Fort Hood classes last night... Finish up the lectures and review the classes for their finals, which will be given on Thursday. So I was there later than usual. Didn't get home till about 10:15PM. So it was a long day. But without that drive to Florence, I get to relax now in the morning. I still get up when Denise does, fix her her morning milk coffee, and then I sit here and vegetate on this thing until it's time to drive to Saba.

It's time to go now. I've got to shower, go over to the local pharmacy to renew my blood pressure meds, and then head to Saba in time to eat before I get to the jail. That'll give me more time in the afternoon to relax at the library until my evening class.

So, Florence is over (I'll got to their graduation ceremony Friday night, but won't go back to class until late August), Ft. Hood is almost over (It'll end Thursday and then I'll have 10 weeks off from there), and I've got about six weeks left of San Saba. When the semester ends there, mid July, it'll be road trip time again.

In the meantime, next week is gonna be a whole different kind of blast. I'll tell you about that later. Cheers.