DW

 Today I lost the best friend that I ever had. Not only was he my friend, he was my cousin. We grew up together and we fought from time to time, but I can honestly say we never were mad at each other. I do have to say that some of my worst ideas and best of times included him.
 Volumes could be written about Daryl, but I'm going to only tell you about a few things we did growing up and as grown ups.
 Daryl was probably the most plain spoken person I ever knew. He was the real deal. what you saw was what you got. If he liked you, he'd do anything in the world for you; he was just that loyal to his friends. Case in point; when we were in our 20's, my mother called me about a situation regarding one of my sisters. Me being the big brother, I decided a little justice needed meting out to the person that had had laid hands on a member of my family. I told mom I was on my way pretty soon and would check on my sister and make sure she was ok. Mom told me not to take a gun so I wouldn't do anything rash. I told her not to worry,won't need a gun, Daryl was going with me. Mom then said Oh God, I'd rather you took a gun. She finally talked me out of going, but I do regret not making that road trip with DW.
 Speaking of road trips, I can't not tell this one. When I was about 17 and  Daryl was all of 15, we told my mother we were going down to Yuma to camp out and fish for a couple days. Little did she know we had a side excursion planned down to this little border town called San Luis. We were having a great time and got a little too boisterous to suit the local law. Needless to say we wound up in the local la carsa.. Now mind you there are no juvie cells in those places. We were tossed in with killers, smugglers and the like. The next morning, using my car as collateral, I was able to get out to arrange to pay the fine.. 15.00 each or fifteen days in jail. But seeing as how the bondsman had taken all our money as a ''fee'' I had to hitchhike back to Yuma to get money for the fine. I told Daryl of the plan and he asked why he couldn't go instead of me. I said fine, you go and call mom and tell her where we are and need money to get out of jail. He never hesitated when he said, " hurry back''.
 I could go on, but to me, the best times with Daryl were always at our family reunions. We played golf, we toobed, we drank a lot of beer and we just hung out. That's where some of the best ''Darylisms'' were born. This one is my favorite: One night a bunch of us went over to Gruene Hall to listen to some music and drink a few beers. Daryl wasn't drinking at the time, so for once he was the designated driver. We were laughing and joking when I noticed a strange look on his face. When I asked what was up, he just shook his head slowly and said, '' since I quit drinking, you people ain't as near f*****g funny as you think you are."
 Well, that's Daryl in a nutshell. I'm going to close with this, if you have or have had a Daryl in your life, your lucky. If you haven't, then you have truly missed out.

 DW toobin

 Workin' the pit 

I have no words

 

 DW

 With my daughter Kenzie

 Just chillin'

 The Original ''Outlaws''

  

 Daryl as ''ZZSOT"

Our favorite adult beverage

Daryl, we gonna miss you.

You were truly one of a kind!

Gonna Miss You

[Click on link for a little music]

An Open Letter to Millenials

Dear children,

    This is what I hope to be an eye opener to every child (I am loathe to call you adults as you have shown little inclination to act as adults) that thinks the world should be a safe happy place where everybody gets a  gets a trophy and no one gets left behind. You tell us that even with your limited life experiences that you already know what's best for the country and are not bashful about letting us know.
   Allow me to illuminate you on a few things you might want to ponder:

• Guns: You don't like guns, then don't get one. Just don't try to take mine.
• Free speech: you wanna protest a speaker, okay; just don't hinder my right to listen to him.
• Religion: Don't believe in God? okay, even though I feel sorry for you, I accept that. But don't try to restrict my beliefs by crying separation of Church and State
• $15.00 per hour minimum wage? Acquire a skill set that will make you that valuable.
• Recycling/Going Green: We have been doing that our whole lives. Jeans that were bought in the fall for school became shorts in the summer when the knees wore through. We lined our trash cans with newspapers and covered our school books with paper bags our mothers brought the groceries home in. Ever hear of hand me downs? We wasted nothing.
• Fossil fuels:  Did you ever wonder how we will get along without plastics? Or how much electricity is generated by coal and natural gas? Probably not.
• Don't like a certain program,change the channel.
• Abortion?I don't believe in it, but it's your choice. However do not try to justify it by saying it's  your body then saying I have no right to buy a 32 oz Dr Pepper because it's harmful to my body in the same breath.
• Constitutional Rights? The Constitution is the framework of our government. If you read it, you will see it does not grant you rights, but restricts the government from taking your rights from you. Big difference.
• Immigration?  I'm all for it, but knock on the door and not break in through the window.
• Global Warming/Climate Change? I learned in 6th grade science all about that. It's called seasons! I do have one question about man made climate change: What caused the last Ice Age and what ended it?
• Government subsidized college education: who decides who gets in and what will be the deciding criteria? That which the government gives, it can also take away.
• Stomping/burning the American Flag as a form of expression of your feelings: I'll give you that as long as you realize that I will consider stomping on you for doing that as a form of  expression of my feelings.

   Well kids, if I have hurt your feelings or made you feel threatened, too bad. Life is funny that way. It always seems to balance out. But it's not fair. It only gives you back what you are willing to put into it. that may not sound fair to you, but it works for most of us.





                                                                                     Sincerely,
                                                             A Gun Owning Bible Clinging Baby Boomer

Me

 Howdy,
   Ever what wonder what you are? How cool you are? How smart you are? When I was not so much younger, these questions and many more used to run through my mind and it has occurred to me that I might oughta get around to answering them. Soooo with out further hemmin' and hawin', I'll do my best to tell you how I came to see things like this in my head...

•  If you find yourself asking if you are cool, most likely you aren't. take for example my quintessential example of cool: Steve McQueen. You think he ever had doubts? Of course he did, but did it show? Have you ever tried to act cool and trip over your tongue or feet? I have, but now I try to be just me. It's much easier.
• If you have to ask if you're funny, most likely you aren't. Most people by nature have a sense of humor, but most don't have the timing or the instinct for being funny on demand.
• If you have to tell people how smart you are.. you might wanna rethink that. To my way of thinkin',I'll take common sense over genius any day. Give me some one that can reason something out than a person with a 190 IQ that couldn't pour pee from a boot.
• this is from a a movie, but it fits: "If you find yourself at a poker table and can't spot the patsy real quick, it's you". Best you rack your chips and find another table. This goes for your life as well.
• But, on the other hand, if you find yourself asking if you are a coward, most likely you aren't. I think it takes a lot of courage to really ask yourself that question. When I was younger, I let what I took for fear hold me back from doing something fairly dangerous and afterwards to compensate, I had  a serious propensity for mistaking rash and foolhardy acts for courage. As I've gotten older, I've learned that doing something both foolhardy and dangerous isn't brave, it's kinda stupid. Courage is being able to say,'' I think I'll pass on that but thank you for offering''.

  Well, those are my thoughts. I'm fairly positive that I'm not the only one has had these thoughts pop into their head from time to time and we all have our own ways with dealing with these questions.

Remembering

   The sun is up now and the guns are quiet and the only sounds to be heard now are the moans of the wounded,and the crackling of the pyre burning as the rebels are being cremated. The Mexican soldiers seem to be moving as if in a trance as the toss the bodies unceremoniously into the fire. It had been a brief albeit savage battle with no quarter asked and none given. 
     Santa Anna had decided to erase all traces of the rebels by cremating them and scattering their ashes, yet he wanted the Texians to know and remember what happens to rebels and those who would defy the Central Government.  What he didn't realize were those ashes were seeds. Seeds that would grow into a nation that would would one day become a state in a country that would become a light for freedom for peoples all over the world. Those seeds grew into a people called Texans that are fiercely proud and independent, loyal and friendly. Those people, The citizens of Texas have made their state an example of what determination and hard work can accomplish.
 So on this Sunday morning, let us remember, along with the defenders, our forefathers and all the people who helped to make this state what it was and is today: TEXAS!

                                            

                                                        REMEMBER!