Who Pooped in the Pavilion Potty (when the water was off)

      Gotcha! I'm guessing you clicked on this blog because of my well thought out title. The bad news is; Someone did poop in the pavilion when the water was off and we're on the case. I'll get to that in a few paragraphs.😏😏

     But before I get to the #2 of the story, I'm going to start with the #1 of the story and that is living in small town America is both a blessing and a curse.

Covid Vaccine Day/Cogdell Memorial Hospital

     One of the best blessings about life in Snyder, America is our local hospital, Cogdell Memorial Hospital. No time was this more evident than this past Saturday for at least the second of our hospitals Covid Vaccine Days.

     Teresa and I took mom to get her second dose. It took more time for us to walk from our car to the door of the hospital and back to our car than it took for Marianne to get her second shot. This is not only a big deal thanks to the staff's efficiency, but also factor in that Marianne's a professional visitor. 😆😆Cudo's to CMH staff and friends. Y'all did great... better than great. Thank you. 

The Sushi House/Snyder, TX

     You know what is a curse in a small town is the variety of good places to eat. Don't misunderstand me. Snyder, America does have some really good places to eat, but we like variety like I suppose most of small town America.

     But, we do have sushi and it's really, really good. Who'd think Snyder would have a Shushi House? I'm not sure if I like the sushi as much as I like the soy sauce, but whichever it is it's still pretty good. So, I guess a curse is now a blessing.

The Gentle-ist Termite

     Did anyone know Teresa's solitaire nickname was the Gentleist Termite? I write that 'it was' her nickname because she's since graduated to Ace Astronaut. I watched her play Solitaire for 10-plus years during our travels and quiet times and had no idea she had such a funny alias. So, imagine my surprise just the other day when T announced the 'game' changed her name to Ace Astronaut. I think she was very proud of the apparent upgrade.

     Now to the mystery pooper... This part of the story is messy on a few different levels. First of all, Eww. Second, it's creepy. Third, and I think we've all been there when, we flush a toilet somewhere other than our home and the flush is inadequate. Well, that's what happened in this case.

The Mystery Pooper Place/Windmill Ranch Preserve

    The problem began when we had to turn off ranch water due to a busted valve. That meant, no water to sinks, toilets, nothing. That was on a Friday. We went back Saturday. There were remnants in the pavilion toilet, if you get my meaning, and the toilet tank was empty.

     Somebody pooped, flushed and then about 10-seconds later said to themselves: "Oh crap." And then when they tried to flush again, they said "OH CRAP!" Pardon the pun(s). Anyway, no harm/no foul. 

Bill Robertson (2/21/21,) Again, a VERY BIG thank you to the team at Snyder's Cogdell Memorial Hospital.

     

     

A Wedding, A Camaro and A BMW

      Most recently, I wrote a blog that included news about my youngest son, Joe, getting married to his

   college sweetheart Sharon. 

Joe & Sharon/November 2020

       Like so many other couples in 2020, they had to push their wedding back from the original date in April to the new date in November. It didn't matter because everything worked out great and the whole event ran like clock work. 

McCarron Airport/Las Vegas

     This story begins after a long day of traveling from Lubbock to Nashville via McCarron airport in Las Vegas. By the time we got to Nashville, the place was deserted and our standard-run of the mill rental car had been taken by more timely customers. So, we got our first of two upgrades.

The Camaro/Nashville

     We wanted something like a standard Chevy, but we got this souped up Camaro. It had the roar, the speed, a bunch of fancy buttons, but  all our luggage wouldn't fit in the trunk and it was so low to the ground I think I scrapped my tush on the pavement. The night only got more funky, but that's another story.

The BMW

    We returned the camaro the next morning and that's when we got seriously upgraded to this fine, black BMW sedan. It's also when you could've stamped "Country Bumpkin" on our foreheads.

     This fine piece of German engineering was so complicated that we literally pulled over in the airport parking garage to call a friend with a similar car. Teresa and I couldn't even figure out how to get the side mirrors to go from 'retract' to 'operational.' I promise, this is absolutely true. Thanks to our friend, we stayed with the Beamer but it really tested our intellect.😂😂

     
         November was at the peak or near the peak of  Covid. Few people were taking chances being around people they didn't know. Teresa and I realized that very quickly but were still able to enjoy much of what Music City has the offer.

Nashville Greenways

     Nashville has many great "Green-Ways" around the city. We found one near our place and walked and walked without seeing hardly anyone. The peace and quiet was fantastic, but also very spooky. This place would normally be full of people, but we saw hardly any on our visit.

North Italia/Nashville

     Nashville's known for its music but the food's pretty good too. This is what the most popular, Italian restaurant in town looked like at 12:00pm on a weekday.  We shared Squash soup, grilled bread with olive oil and Spaghetti & Meatballs and it was WOW!

Grilled Bread with Olive Oil/North Italia

     The Main Event of course was Joe and Sharon's wedding. It really was great. They picked a place called Battle Mountain Farm near Franklin, Tennessee. Although they'd originally scheduled their wedding for April, I'd bet the setting was even more scenic in the fall versus the spring.(pic-bmf)

     Everything went off without a hitch. The new couple said their vows. The party continued well into the night. 

I think I'm most impressed that neither Joe nor Sharon let all the Covid crises, tension and turmoil rattle them. They're smiles and their gratefulness put us all in a different time... at least for a weekend.

Bill & Teresa/Williamson Co., TN 11/2020

     Teresa and I enjoyed another of our many visits to middle Tennessee. This time, it was most likely our first time to came across so few people. I think we'd both agree that our time together anywhere is better than any time alone everywhere.

Bill Robertson (2/19/21,) Joe and Sharon got a dog... Boone.

     

Technology is Great When it Works

    Hello  friends. I don't know about any of all, but I love technology. The rub is, technology hates me. I mean technology hates me like I hate liver and martinis. It hates me like some republicans hate democrats and visa versa. But now is the time when I'm very disappointed in technology.

     I inserted a picture of my new fav, White Cheddar Crunchy Cheetos, to illustrate my frustration. Not only have I not been able to write a blog in several months, but I also haven't been able to share what I consider fun, story telling pictures from my exceptionally normal but pretty great life in Snyder, America.

     So, I'm stuck writing this "Test Blog" and inserting a picture of possibly the best snack food ever chemically generated just because I need to conduct a test.

     If you received this blog via being tagged in Facebook, it's because I would really like your reply to a very simple question. And that question is.... Did you receive this email in the very much readable mode called "compose" or did you receive it the very much unreadable mode called HTML?

     I"m gonna insert another picture just to see if I can and if I can move it from right to left or center to left. Stand-by...

     SUCCESS!!!!

Please tell me if you receive this completely "test" blog.

Thank you,

B

 abc def. This a test blog. I can't get out of html mode even though I'm writing in compose mode.

I;m now trying to see if I publish this if it's publish as compose or HTML.

A Good Hooker, Treasure and Freaky Fast Delivery

     We found a good Hooker but it was too expensive. Ashley looked like a pretty good bargain. We found treasure. And, I should've bought the floor model.

Furniture Shopping/Lubbock, Texas

    Hooker and Ashley are furniture brands. T & I went to Lubbock this weekend for most importantly her birthday weekend, but also to do a little house shopping. I wrote in an earlier blog that we sold our little country house which means we have little furniture. So now, we're looking for furniture to fill up a medium to large sized house we may end up buying, renting or squatting.

Too Pricey

     So far, I've learned about Hooker, Mayo, Best and a whole lot more. The common denominators are: Quality isn't cheap and furniture stores play great music. Just today at Haverty's in Lubbock, we walked in at opening (10am) and they were playing Grand Funk Railroad. We were immediately in the buying mood, if it weren't for the high price tags.

Aargh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     Our biggest and most fun purchase in the last couple weeks has been our new Blackstone, 36" gas Griddle. Son Joe had one in Tennessee. He said, "You'll love it" and that was enough for us. So, we bought one. Trouble is, he didn't say "It's a pain in the fanny to put together."

     If there's anything that you should know about me, and that I'm not ashamed to admit, is; I can't drive a nail. I can't put together Legos. I can't do it. I don't like it. I don't have the patience for it!!!! But to my surprise and with a considerable assist from my very patient wife and her best friend, Sarah Fagin Cutrona, we got it put together with a reasonable amount of SON of a %$#^^^$$^%$##%%%!!$%%!!!

Griddle Treasure!!

     But what's a griddle without treasure. We bought treasure this weekend. We bought scrappers, egg rings, pancake rings. We bought metal kind, plastic kind. I think my favorite was the $12.00 pancake ring. I'm not gonna use it for pancakes because that's way off the diet. I plan to use it for fluffy, almost healthy omelets. I'll keep ya'll posted.

Jimmy John's/No So Freaky Fast Drive Through

     One more thing to write about. If Jimmy John's has "Freaky Fast Delivery," then why is there a line in their drive-through? We took this picture today at 50th and Slide in Lubbock. Why is there a line in the drive through but their delivery is Freaky Fast? See what furniture shopping does to a man's mind?

     Gracie Update: She's at her friend's place for the weekend.

     Random Thought of the Day: I'm making Smash Burgers tonight on the griddle.

Bill Robertson, (10/03/20,) We honestly got excited about buying a $10,000 dining room set. Then we looked at one another and said, "Let's leave."

     

      

      

On the Road Again: Texas to Tennessee (Great visit, Great eats and Great restrooms)

     I have absolutely no reason to start this blog with this picture except that I'm hungry and it's the first picture I took on our recent trip to Tennessee to see sons, Jack and Joe, daughter-in-law Allison and Joe's fiance, Sharon. 

Sunny Side Dinner/Weatherford, TX

     Covid-19 be damned! Teresa and I recently mustarded the gumption to get WAY out of our comfort zone and head east to Nashville. I think we're probably the minority, but we take C-19 very seriously. We take it so seriously that we drove 30-hours round trip vs flying. It's very safe to say that we do not believe that Covid will end on November 3rd. 

Sharon, Joe, Jack & Allison/Nashville,TN

     Covid's interrupted more of our family gatherings than we can count. Joe and Sharon had to postpone their April wedding until November, we had to delay a scheduled trip to Tennessee not once, but twice, we missed our granddaughter's third birthday, we didn't go to Teresa's son Cody's 34th birthda party, Easter didn't happen with family like it's supposed to, Joe and Sharon's west Texas visit disappeared and my niece's college admission and all that excitement came and went. 

     We take Covid seriously, but we finally came to a potentially deadly decision and we don't take it lightly. 

Missed Opportunities

     Our conversation to risk exposing ourselves to Covid went something like this:

    Teresa: "This is terrible. We're missing life with our kids."

    Me: "I know. What should we do?"

    Teresa: "What do you think we should do? We're gonna die somehow-some way. I offer dying by covid is worth it IF it means seeing our kids."

    Bill: "I'm good with that."

     So, Covid be damned we're seeing our kids.

     With that said, we drove 30-hours round trip to see Jack, Joe, Allison and Sharon in Nashville and it was worth every tick on the thermometer even if we came across some very sad, but true circumstances.

Sad Stories/Nashville, TN

     See the lady driving in this picture? That's our Lyft driver. She's normally a full time employee at the Gaylord Nashville. It's a huge place with hundreds of rooms, dozens of conference quarters and at least a dozen restaurants too. But there's a reason she's driving a Lyft.

     Teresa: "So you work at the Gaylord? What's that like right know?"

     Driver: "Slow."

    Teresa: "How slow?"

    Driver: "We're at two percent."

    If you don't think Covid-19 is real, you really gotta get out town. Whole conference centers are still mostly closed. There's not a McDonalds between Snyder, Texas and Nashville open for a clean bathroom stop. A popular tourist area in downtown Little Rock called the RiverMarket is like a ghost town. It's very real and you're fooling yourself if you think November 3rd is the answer.

Puckett's Market & Restaurant/Franklin, TN

     Here's another good example of the terrible effect Covid's having. The above photo is from Puckett's Market & Restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee, arguably the quaintest city in the south. Normally, Puckett's would be wall to wall people with a line outside. Not this visit. We had our table. There was another behind us and only a few more. That's all. It was very sad.

Royse City, Texas

     But what's a trip without some crazy stuff too and by that I mean Buc-ee's. Oh my. What a place. We stopped at the new one in Royse City, east of Dallas. 

Buc-ee's/Royse City, Texas

     We got some treasures, drooled over the donuts and kalaches, picked over the sweet smelling pecans and cashews and we used their amazing restrooms. Have you ever seen so many urinals. If you're ever on the road and need a potty.... Don't pass up a Buc-ee's.

    Random Thought of the Day: It really hurts my heart the division that exists in country these days. November 3rd will not be a Silver Bullet because Covid is real. 

    Gracie update: She stayed with her friends at Klip n' K-9s in Snyder and we're told she loved every minute of it.

Bill Robertson (9/28/20,) Jack, Joe, Allison and Sharon all looked GREAT! 

     Here's a not so chronological list of our fun. 

     

My Favorite Nurse and Crazy Hospital Band-Aids

      My favorite nurse had a birthday today. She's my favorite nurse because I've seen her for about two times a week in the last month or so, since I gashed my right shin falling down stairs.

Whitney & Me

     She's Whitney Brown and she's pretty much held our hand every time we've been told to return to Dr. Burleson for leg inspection.

     Today, we learned it was Whitney's birthday which was the icing on the cake for our relationship with Dr. B's chief nurse. 

Happy Birthday Whitney/Cogdell Memorial Hospital

     I won't tell you how old she is. I didn't ask, but I read it on her Facebook page. She's been through a lot this year. Of course, who hasn't. But to be on the front lines every single day and tell us, "I love my work," that's dedication and caring. So to you Whitney... Thank you for all you do and thank you for the care you've given to me and the peace of mind you've given to Teresa and myself. 

The Lil' Band-Aid That Could

        Sidebar: I still have the band-aid that I got for my Tetanus shot after my fall almost six weeks ago. I don't know what kind of band-aids they use at Cogdell Memorial Hospital, but if you ever fall down stairs, get a Tetanus shot and need a good band-aid... Go to CMH. Great care and weird, sticky band-aids. 

     Random Thought of the Day: My broccoli is smelling up the house. I need to check it.

Bill Robertson (9/9/20,) Did I tell you that Whitney's son is 6'6". Can you imagine the grocery bill. :)