MY TOP TEN!!

I got nothin', so how about a top ten list of stuff I like in and around the place that I live. In absolutely no particular order, just as they come to me.

10 - I like the feeling you get by owning a home versus renting. You know that all the repairs are on you. You can't call the landlord and have it done. I learned this a little in Abilene, but for the most part in Justin. I would wake up on a Saturday morning and know that I had things to do, and after doing a few things I knew that I didn't actually have to rely on someone else to do them. How great is that.

9 - Reading my wife's blog. I love her perspective on things. She is usually upbeat, not always, but usually. She has a way of making me see things differently, a way that I never got from talking to her, wierd, isn't it?

8 - Used to absolutely love living close to my brother. Bobby and I would talk every day. He was always close if he or I needed help. We have never been close before, and probably never will be again. I mean we will not live close to each other again, we will always be close personally, we are brothers.

7 - The Russ Martin Show. I know that nobody outside of the Metroplex has even heard of this show, but it makes me laugh. He is from Dallas, talks about Dallas, and is very funny. It takes about 2 weeks to get caught up on all the inside jokes, but after that you feel like you are in a club with them.

6 - My new neighbors. Paul and Luty are nice people. Mike is a big 'ol woman, even Angie says this, about 6'4" or 5" around 290-310lbs, not much fat. If he comes over, you better be ready to talk, or listen for a few hours, hell, I'm afraid to tell him to go away. They will both help out if you ever need anything though, so how could I complain? Oh, and yeah, only two neighbors, how great is that?

5 - My buddy, Kelly. He moved here about 2 years after I did. I met him in Carlsbad, then he transfered here, and I really like that. We talk almost every day. He comes and plays poker whenever we have a game, we eat lunch whenever we can. I see him every time I pick up Matthew and Natalie from school. It's nice to have friends that are close.

4 - My new house. How could I not like this thing, we designed it ourselves. It is perfect for us, and that is all we could ask for. Everything is in the right place. I love the land around us, the children and I have room to roam at will, and the view is great, night or day, even though the coyotes have stopped coming around.

3 - The fact that Decatur is small, but you can still get almost anything that you need without going into Fort Worth. We have a damn Walmart, and soon a Lowes, so really what else do you need. Also, a couple of the best family owned Mexican and Italian restuarants that I have ever eaten at.

2 - The Decatur Schools. Natalie and Matthew both enjoy their schools. Matthew's school is almost brand new, and Natalie's is very old, but they don't care about things like that. Their teachers are very good and that is what matters. They both have fun while learning. Matthew has had all good days at school, and I am surprised because he talks all the time at home, but I guess he keeps it in check at school. Natalie is more in love with school than an 10 year old girl should be. She loves the fact that her home room is in the basement. She told me a joke that her Science teacher told the class the other day...... If you are an American in the living room, what are you in the bathroom? European!!!! Funny stuff!

1 - Just being happy where we are at, and with our situation. Yes, we have some great friends in other parts of the state, but we are happy here. We all really do get along, for the most part. Angie has the opportunity to work from home and raise Brayden, instead of him being in daycare. In the summer, all the children are here with her instead of being at daycare. I know it gets frustrating for Angie, but I also know she really loves it. I have nothing against daycare or people that leave their children there, but I guarantee everyone of them would trade with Angie if they could. I know the world today makes it necessary for people to leave their children at daycare so they can earn a living. We did it for years, so don't misunderstand what I am trying to say. I love the fact that we don't have to do that anymore, and we would not have had the opportunity if we were not here, I don't think so anyway.

Want a top ten of things I hate about here?

OK

10 - Rock trucks
9 - Rock trucks
8 - Rock trucks
7 - Rock trucks
6 - Oil field trucks on our road
5 - Rock trucks
4 - Rock trucks
3 - Rock trucks
2 - Rock trucks
1 - That son-of-a-bitch, and his friends, that robbed us. But we did, I should say, Angie did, find out that he lives in Justin now. Maybe someday, I will meet him. I can't help but hope so.

Later,

Jim

Uninspired

I don't know what to write about anymore. I'm not up as late, so I am usually busy right up till I go to bed. I'll give it a try, if it doesn't I'll just stay up late tonight and post again.

Let's see, everyone knows about Beth and Scott being here this past weekend. That was fun. We sat outside Friday night and drank a few beers, just watching the world go by. Saturday we went to HELL, I mean IKEA! What a clusterhump that was. I thought we were going to Six Flags with all the people that were walking into that place. It was crazy, and I will shop there a bunch in the future, online, that is. I will not be back IN that place for a while. I am glad that Beth and Angie had fun, but I am not so interested in shopping that I will put up with that many people. Yeah, I got water spilled all over me at Fridays while we were eating. I thought Angie had a nervous tic going on or something, maybe a seizure. Who the hell knocks over there water out of the clear blue? It ended up being funny, but not initially.

Sunday Beth, Scott and Mason left, and Matt and I went to the MAN STORE, Home Depot. Damn Right, stopped for gatorade on the way and Taco Cabana on the way home. We both had milk on the ride home also, MAN TIME WITH MAN DRINKS. We bought all the lumber for our well house, that has now swelled to a 10' x 10' monster. I got the frame built with little problem, and it looks very good, if I do say so myself. You can't tell that I did it at all. Looks like a contractor was here. The roof is next, and I expect that to be more of a challenge, but so what, I'm just learning anyway. Gary and Kim will be here this weekend, and Gary is a master of any kind of woodcraft, so if I don't get it done, I will be in good hands by noon on Saturday. I do intend to have it done by the time he gets here, though, so we can do other stuff. I kind of want to do it myself, for that sense of accomplishment, ya know? I have never done this before, and I'd like to think that I can pull this off by myself. I do have a friend that is going to come and wire it for electricity though. I'm not going to mess with that, don't want to get hurt. Not my bag.

Other than that, just work. My boss will be here first thing in the morning, so..................., I will definitely stay up late and write another one of these later. I will change the time stamp so it will post just below this one, so read on..................

Later,

Jim

More

Ok, I stayed up late, and I still got nothin'. This used to be so easy. All I had to do was stay up and think, watch the coyotes, listen to the radio, or whatever, and then come type. Yeah, I saved the coyotes for myself, for a while, but I knew I would jinx it, and I did. They have not been back since it rained. I hope they will be back, but I doubt it.

I talked to my neighbor Mike today, and we have a shitload of free pipe to go get, so maybe now I can finally build a damn fence. I need to fence the front of the property, and fence around the house. I will also end up fencing the part of our property that we mow currently, about 2 acres, but that will be last. I need to figure out how to build a gate or gates for the entryway. I will feel more secure knowing that Angie and the kids can lock out intruders if I am ever gone. I want to put an electronic gate on one side so she can open it in the rain, or snow, or when it is cold, or for whatever reason, without getting out of the car. We can also lock up our place if we are ever gone. Since the robbery I have thought about it alot more. Used to be that I was secure in the fact that we were a ways from civilization, but that is of no comfort now. I will be building my shop very soon, and I may need pipe for that, so I am glad that we will have it handy. I have to level a pad, but that won't take much, then form it up, again, not much work. I have only done one cement job, and it was only 8' x 16', so this could be a chore, but I will get it done. Then, something that I am actually good at, a metal building, I have helped on a few, so I get it.

I take the kids to school most mornings, and that is usually a fun time. We listen to the radio, or a cd. Natalie does not care what we listen to, but Matthew asks for music by the band Trapt. They are good, and he learned of them through me, but I don't expect anyone else to know who they are. They are kind of hard rock, but not heavy metal, it's good stuff. How appropriate that he likes the song "Headstrong" the best. That just about sums Matthew up all in one word. I could add a few, like smart, caring, crazy, argumentative, moody, tall, handsome, ill tempered......MY BOY. Natalie is a bit different, she is more introspective, quiet unless provoked, beautiful, smart also, fasion sensitive, helpful, hard headed..............MY GIRL. Brayden is funny, cute, strong, time sensitive - meals of course, mobile now, sweet, and cudly.............MY, uhh, OTHER BOY! OK, MY BABY BOY!! I couldn't have it any better, as far as children go. Of course, Angie and I are wonderfully happy with all of them, as we are with each other. So, as far as our little family goes, we are, in a word, perfect, as I hope you are. Each and every one of you. Hell, you should be, you made the decision to be where you are and with who you are with, so be happy with it. We are.

Till next time, and who knows when that will be,

Jim