I HEARD FROM YOU

I know some of you must read the blog, because some of you answered my request to let me hear from you. The first one is a followup to the climate change post. It's from my faithful reader, PAUL MOTA. He led an interesting life, but from the following I discovered it was also a little dangerous. At least to me.

"Just a quick story relating to earthquakes: 

In Japan we lived in a 3-story building, which supposedly was on rollers to absorb the impact of an earthquake. We could usually feel the movement, but we got used to it and it was hardly noticed after a while. After the third year we mostly ignored it, but at first it was scary. What was amazing was when we read the time of the quake, and sometimes we realized we had been on a railroad/subway at the time. It was amazing how the train stayed on the tracks."  It's amazing to me, too, PAUL! Lucky you.

While I was typing PAUL's story, I received the following from DENNY

HILL - another faithful reader:

"I distinctly remember, back in high school, when there was an enormous amount of water flowing over the dam in the park in Ballinger, much more than in your photo. The space below the dam was filled, and there were giant, very dangerous looking whirlpools, with uprooted trees, etc. And of course, some parts of the park itself were flooded.

"It is indeed strange...while I hear about the severe weather in parts of the middle of the country, here on Long Island we had almost no winter, in the sense of essentially no snow, except for maybe a couple of light ones that melted immediately."

I guess I neglected to give credit to the flood photos of Ballinger City Park. I found them on the Abilene Reporter News website, which had credited them to a photographer for the San Angelo Standard-Times. I did post some of my own flood photos when the park flooded during the time I moved back to Ballinger for the 50th reunion.

As for "almost no winter", DENNY, isn't that a pretty strong sign of "climate change"?

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On another note, my good friend JUNE HASH CURRY shared some news about her son Scott Curry's daughter Morgan. Her granddaughter Morgan will graduate from Oklahoma University in a couple of weeks with a degree in Public Relations. It really makes us grandparents proud - and optimistic about the future to watch our grandchildren grow and accomplish so much that will be beneficial to our country's welfare. Morgan is a beautiful young woman.. she could very well be a talented journalist in the near future..maybe on Television? She comes from such a kind, spiritual family that she would be a refreshing replacement for some of those in today's broadcast industry. 

Let me hear from more of you.

Peace and Love,

Marilyn

And the rains keep coming..

The weather has been crazy all over the country this spring. GENE ROUTH said they were lucky a while back when the so-called snow "bomb cyclone" in Colorado missed them. I emailed him to see if they were okay. He replied: "Snowing now, but the wind has not started. The blizzard last month was bad, lots of trees down and 5 to 6 foot drifts closed the roads all around us. Interstate 25 between Colorado Springs and Denver was closed for 24 hours, That caused major problems and Denver International Airport closed for 30 hours and cancelled about 3000 flights. We just stay home and listen to all the road and street and accident reports. Hope all is well with everyone."

Here in Austin we have had roller coaster weather, breaking records for high and low temperatures. We had temperatures in the 20s in March, with highs in the 80s. It has already hit the 90s in April. We do have cool nights though. We had over 3 inches of rain near my home below Mansfield Dam, with most parts of Austin in the 1" to 2" totals this past week. The storms were wicked sounding though. Lots of lightning. The strong winds, rain, and hail made horrendous noises on my metal roof. Almost kept me awake.

The rain total for Austin during the first week of April this year was nearly 5 inches. Those were historic numbers, and caused quite a bit of local flooding. Luckily, the Low Water Crossing on our road where the Sheriff's Deputy drowned in 2015 Tragedy Along With The Good stayed open. April is not over yet, and we are due for more rain beginning Tuesday. At least our Lakes are full -- but now we hope they don't reach flood stage like last year.

NANCY THOMPSON BAKER told me about the Ballinger City Park flooding this past week. 

(Elm Creek Dam overflowing April 24, 2019)
(Below: Foot Bridge in City Park)

The storms that pushed through San Angelo/Ballinger as well as Austin this past week continued on causing devastation as they moved to the East Coast. Thank goodness, we didn't have tornadoes like those that followed the path to East Texas and beyond. I didn't wish to hide in my closet again!

I know we have always had bad weather, but somehow it seems to be worse than I remember from the past. Did Ballinger City Park ever flood when we were in school? The only thing I do remember that was weather-related was the San Angelo tornado that happened shortly after I moved to Ballinger with my family in 1953. Lake View Tornado My dad drove us to Lake View to see the devastation. That's the only time I've ever witnessed anything like that.

I don't ever remember earthquakes in our part of the States. I found this statistic that just amazes me: "In the past decade, Oklahoma, which used to have just one or two earthquakes per year, saw their number rise to more than 800. Texas saw an earthquake increase of 600 percent.Nov 28, 2017" JUNE HASH CURRY has often spoken of the many "minor" earthquakes where she lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. Even a "minor" quake would set me on edge! Apparently, they are attributed to the "fracking" taking place in the surrounding area. Just another example of human activity contributing to the changes in our planet's conditions such as climate, tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, volcanic activity, etc. 

But then, so many of our politicians keep telling us there is no such thing as "climate change"! I wonder where they live. Give me your thoughts on this subject, please.

Thanks to NANCY for the update on Ballinger's floods. Her good news was that she and husband Jake attended their grandson Spencer Jones' wedding to his fiancee Nikki this past Saturday. She said it was a beautiful affair. I'm hoping someone shares pictures of the ceremony with her, so I can share with you!

I always enjoy emails from any of you. I hear from JUNE CURRY, DENNY HILL, NANCY BAKER, and TRUMAN CONNER more than anyone. Surely some of you have grandchildren (or even great-grandchildren) graduating, getting married, or having babies you would like to brag about. Send me your news and any photos you wish to share. I know a lot of you are on Facebook and get class news from there. However, many of us are not on there! Think about it.

Until next time..

Peace and love,

Marilyn

HOW AND WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Occasionally, I contact one or the other of you just to touch base and see how you are. It thrills me to hear from someone I might have been worried about. It also thrills me to get back a newsy update on what's going on in your life. So, please, share your news, your hobbies, any updates or challenges to your health. We have some wonderful "prayer warriors" willing to put in a good word for you when needed. The following email I received from PAUL MOTA:

"It was nice reading your last blog. I don't want to ruin a good day, but I will be honest about my health and what is happening with me. Even if I am having a hard time at the moment, I have had what I think is a pretty nice life. I have seen and done a lot of things, and thankfully, I have a wife who does a lot for me. I am doing pretty good considering I could be a lot worse off.

About 2- or 3-years ago they diagnosed me with pulmonary fibrosis. I think it was from heavy smoking, but the doctor says that was probably not the reason for my problem. I have a portable (oxygen) unit which I try to use most of the time, but my breathing is still labored. I recently turned 82, and (since) I'm alive and walking, it could be worse. I just wanted to let you know how things are going from this end.

I wish everyone a wonderful spring. Thanks for lending an ear. Please do not feel bad. I feel real lucky for all the things I have seen and done".... PAUL 

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Carajean and Me

When I received the above email from PAUL, I responded with a health challenge of my own. Years of smoking began to take its toll on me in the late nineties. A bout of flu put me in the hospital in 1999, and the doctor told me that my lungs showed emphysema. I quit smoking immediately, and made my promise to God, "I swear I will never smoke another cigarette!" And I haven't. But lung diseases such as mine and PAUL's cannot be undone. We learn to live with them.

I continued to lose my ability to do anything that took a lot of energy for several years. It became harder and harder to lift things, bend, do housework (that one didn't bother me so much!), swim, and even talk. As I have been called a "compulsive communicator" in the past, that has been the hardest for me. Of course, it may be the Universe telling me to "listen more." After all, we were given two ears and only one mouth!

Some of you already are aware of this, but in late 2014 I had to go on oxygen and medication. I have been somewhat better since then, and can go without oxygen most days if I am not expending any energy or going out. My son Matthew talked me into giving up driving a couple of years ago. You know what? I love to stay home. Of course, all three of my children and some grandchildren live in Austin now, so I have plenty of company and help when I need it. Computers (and Amazon Fire) make life easier now for everyone. I even order my groceries online for one of my children to pick up for me. And there is always someone available to take me if I need to go anywhere like the doctor, dentist, or family get-together.

If I could be granted a wish now, I wish I had more children! I'm afraid I might wear out the ones I have before I leave this earth! (Please know that this is a joke!)..MARILYN

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DOTTIE BISHOP ROGERS sent the following update:

"I am trudging along great. I am so busy that I sometimes just lock the door and turn out the lights so I can rest.

I had a cancer removed from my leg - just a squamous cell - but they did not get it all the first time, and had to do a "do-over." That meant stitches inside and out, and since it was at the bottom of my knee, I had to wear a half-boot and keep the stitches for 3-weeks. Other than aggravation, I was fine. 

I have entered three art shows this spring so far, and have done well...I no longer play golf. I gave it up when my handicap got so bad. I am too competitive (they tell me). I am still very active at my little church and enjoy it immensely.

I paint mostly in oils, but sometimes do pastels. I have tried watercolor, but I like big-bold-color and my watercolors did not do that for me. I wield a heavy hand brush; therefore, I do large paintings. I go to the lumber yard and get pine 1x4s, split them, and make barn-wood looking frames. (I am fortunate to have my son, grandson, and great grandson to do heavy lifting. My sweet Larry is also always available when I need help.) I need a larger house or more storage because there is not a blank wall in my entire house. 

I had a bug in my bonnet a while back about going to a retirement home, but after visiting one, I realized I am not ready for that, so I refinanced my home and eased my finances a bunch, and I am still going strong.

Give my love to all our friends from class. Take care and enjoy life." ...DOTTIE

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And then there is our Class President, busy as always, JAMES HAYS:

"The West Texas Historical Association will have the annual meeting next Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13, at West Texas A&M, as it is known now, in Canyon. I am presenting a paper in the first round Friday, starting at 10:00 am, my being the third speaker of the first batch. There are three rooms going at a time. The next group will be interesting - lots of Comanche stuff in it. My subject is John Moore’s expedition and fight on the Colorado. The thesis is that the fight happened in southeast Runnels County, not near Colorado City as one well-copied, but poorly informed historian claimed. My goal is to firmly establish this fight for Runnels County. The museum across the street is one of the best in Texas. I will be in Room 220 in the Administration Building. I would be glad to see you there."...JAMES HAYS

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NANCY THOMPSON BAKER has a busy spring ahead. Her grandson Spencer Jones and his fiancee Nikki will be getting married April 20th at the Vineyard/Winery in Florence, Texas. Nikki will graduate from medical school in Reno, Nevada (where they live now) on May 17th, and start her residency at College Station this summer. Spencer (a BHS graduate) is the Continuous Process Improvement Manager for Grifols Plasma Center, and travels all over the United States. He only needs to be near a large airport, so they will live in College Station. This makes NANCY very happy to have him back in Texas. 

Speaking of Nancy, I have a funny story she told me a few months back. I was asking about her dog Beans since she hadn't mentioned it in a while. Seems Beans had passed away and they now had a new German Shepherd named Brandy. She told me this:

"Somehow all our pets have names starting with a "B" - Beans, Brandy,  Bandit, and Bill. One day a man was walking down our side street and Bill started following him.  I hollered 'BILL' and the guy thought I said KILL." I should have asked NANCY if the man took off running!

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Stanley

A little more humor to close on. TRUMAN CONNER has a delightful cat named Stanley. From time to time, he sends a photo of Stanley. This one cracks me up! I asked TRUMAN if he's sure this is a cat?? 

Send me your Good Stuff... I know it's happening!

Peace and Love,

Marilyn