Sure Enough

 Or as we say here in East Texas " Sure 'nuff." 

As I have written earlier, my wife and I have planned to travel to Israel since, well, April of 2020. The flight, the hotels, the transportation, the tour has been cancelled now 4 times. 

It is now schedule for the Fall of 2021. Tentatively. 

Tentatively. 

I am not holding my breath. 

In the past 72-96 hours, the nation of Israel has required all people visiting their country to get some sort of "Tourist Health Passport." ( Looks like it will be an app through our cell phones.)

And a number of the people scheduled to go on the tour with us, well, they refuse to take the vaccine. 

All very religious people.

They are scared of the vaccine, afraid the vaccine wasn't tested enough, don't think Covid is actually a " Thing" that Covid is all drummed up. 

Some, I am sure, just do not trust science. 

I am however one of these people who will be the first to say..." Because....Science." 

I don't get this religious world and their lack of trust of the Science Community. I really do not. I am afraid these are the people that will keep Covid around because they are afraid. These are the same people who say they look forward to the hereafter, but won't take a vaccine because they think it will kill them....A vaccine for an illness that might kill them, or kill people they come in contact with, perhaps some they love. 

I've had both of my Pfizer vaccines. Deb has had both her vaccines. Yes, the second one made me ill, but if there was a third vaccine required, I would still take the shot. 

It took some doing, but we finally got my 90 year old Mom her first Moderna shot here in Orange County this past week. And she was gung-ho to get it because, well...." Because.....Science." ( I don't know why Orange County is behind all the surrounding counties on the vaccines. It makes you wonder? More people in Jasper County have been vaccinated than Orange County.)

It seriously is looking like it will be Deb and me alone on the tour. I am still thinking we would be better off alone, like most of our other trips. 

I don't know, it seems like we are going backwards intellectually in this nation....

You Are Fired!

 So, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that says you can't discriminate against someone in the LGBQT world. 

That would include the workplace, juries,  housing, credit, public accommodation, etc. 

This of course would include churches/religion from discrimination against the LGBQT community. 

And I don't see why you'd not want to not hire the best person for the job , even if the were LGBQT. I mean, you'd hire a person who was on wife/husband number 6-7. And not even think anything about it. 

Look, I have worked at everyplace I have been employed and there were gay folks there. In many case, the best person for the job. Literally you're not going to find anyone any better. 

I understand churches don't want to hire gay folks, but you know, we had a denomination who had pedophiles in their ranks that when found out, were moved around, often to teach at schools or work with youth in other churches. And gay folks are not interested in children. They are attracted to adults. 

Your faith is not going to be encroached because you go into a store or business or school and a gay person is working there. For the most part how is that going to affect you? 

I am friends with people in the gay community. I had a friend in college who was gay. Went camping/fishing with him, went to social events with him. He never made a 'pass' at me and I never said anything about who he dated.  ( I always said I just wasn't " handsome enough for him." ;) )

The only problem I have is the "T" community competing in certain sports. 

You know, I know Connecticut is having trouble in high school girl sports because some of the transgender people in girl's sports are former males who have not started to transition to females, or started their change after they were Sophomore/ Juniors/Seniors in HS and still have all the male body appearances and body type. Even though they identity as females, their body is still male. It is still a guy competing against girls

Likewise, the Texas UIL had a student transitioning from female to male compete in the female wrestling division, this after the student was taking male hormones as part of their transfer.  They of course dominated the wrestling weight division. It was a boy against girls. ( UIL should have let them compete against the boys....But UIL has ruled to compete you must compete in the sex in which you are born.) 

When the bakery refused to bake a cake for a gay couple getting married, the Christian community was all supportive. Said they had the right to refuse them. Why them and not the person who wanted a cake for their 6th wedding? Or why a not a cake for a businessman in the community who they know is involved in shady practices? I'm sure they had not trouble baking a cake for a baby shower, even if the mother wasn't married. Or baking a cake for anyone else who they would consider is involved in some sort of "sin." 

I don't get this hatred of gays over all others. I really do not....Then again, I have ex-students who think my son's marriage to April is a sin. Heck, I have former students who think being married to a Catholic is a sin. Shoot, I have previous students who think I am going to Hell because I think instruments in church is a wonderful thing...Then again, they think I am going to Hell because I am not a member of their denomination. ( Actually more than one denomination.)

I know some of you get all upset about LGBQT people, but how does it really effect you? Makes you uncomfortable? You think it is a sin? Well, not everyone does.

You need to learn to let people live their lives. 

Well, That Was Fun?

 As most of you know, I had my second Covid vaccine yesterday at the Baptist Hospital in Beaumont. Nice folks, could not have been nicer. 

That said, I am sick as a dog today. Had about 101F temp a while ago, but Motrin has brought down the temp. 

That said, I get sick after every vaccine I take, have since I was a kid. ( I'll admit, not this sick however. But, I will survive.)

In truth, not only did I get the vaccine to protect me from the Covid, I got the shots so I can travel. 

I have been reading and most nations are not going to let you enter without having a vaccine. 

We have put off, 4 times now, our trip to Israel. It is now scheduled for October of 2021....We will see if the country is open. I am betting 50-50 on us going in October. ( And Miss Debbie has already planned England and Wales for Spring 2022.)

This all said, we are going or are 'supposed' to be going with people who refuse to take the Covid vaccine.

All of these folks "religious" folks. 

Afraid of the vaccine for whatever reason. Not tested enough, not pro-vaccine, whatever. 

Heck, it might be just Deb and I. If so, we might rent a car and drive wherever we want. ( Can't in the West Bank. Jericho, Bethlehem, Jordan River are all on the West Bank. May see about a tour bus in those regions.)  I know I want to pray at the " Wailing Wall" in Jerusalem and place a written prayer into the wall, and have my Kippah( Yarmulke) ready to go.  And I want to visit the Dome of the Rock( I know I can't enter), and I doubt those bunch of Baptist will be game for that.

You know, there are risks for everything.....Driving on I-10 from Orange to Beaumont is a risk...Heck, might be a bigger risk than taking the vaccine. 

Folks, take the vaccine.

I Almost Teared-Up

 So, over the last few days, I have heard from 3 ex-students, two of which will go nameless, for reasons, well, they are fairly private people...All three wondering if I needed some sort of help, plumbing, whatever, due to the freeze. 

I almost teared-up. 

It makes you well, " feel good" that they thought enough of you to check on you....

One and I'll mention his name here because, well, if I didn't "pick-at" him, he'd think I was mad at him. 

I don't know if this is " synchronicity" or just what?

I was thinking about Bunky Askew one evening before I went to sleep.

Was he dead?

Was he is jail? And if so, did I need to pass the hat for bail? Or had he screwed up so badly I just needed to let him sit in a jail cell and think about what he had done? 

Anyway, the next morning, I found an email he had sent me, checking on me......

One of those "Wow" moments. 

Anyway, thank you to the people who checked on me. Made the old man feel good.

You Ain't Going to Get Past This are You?

 I try and keep up with the Current Events of my former denomination....The Southern Baptists. And the fact the Baptist are trying to keep the world at about 1952. Some sort of "Leave it to Beaver" never really happened world....

I'm not even going to discuss denominational leadership being all upset because some church call females, " Children's Ministers." They can't handle the world minister being attached to a woman....Never mind they have some sorry, sorry men ministers they won't get rid of...

So, the Baptist leadership in several areas of the country are looking at kicking out member churches simply because they are allowing gay couples to attend. And the denomination really went wild because one couple had their 3 adopted children attended with them....

Why according to the Baptists is this a "worse sin" than every other sin that's going on in that church?

You know, every church has teenage boys in the congregation......And a teenage boy in nothing but a hormone about to bust wide open....Don't tell me they have not looked at some girl in the church with "Lust"( Matt 5 : 27-28. ). Probably that morning in Sunday School..... Heck most of the men in that that church have seen a woman or two, or three in the past week and thought, " Man, I'd like to spend a 3 day weekend with her in Opelousas." ( I'll bet even the preacher has.)  And Jesus said that was sin.

Heck, most females have looked a man and gone, "Man, I'd like to get a hold of that." 

Look, if there was not an attraction, and lot of it sexual, most of us would never get married. And that lust before marriage was a sin according to Jesus.

The congregation is full of gossips, hypocrites, cheaters, drunks ( Yes in the Baptist church.) people who have had divorces, and according to what I have read in the Bible, all sins. 

No, that church is right, let the gay folks attend.  You can't pray the gay away, just like I have blue eyes, and a bald head, it's in their DNA.

Rush & Ted Cruz

 I didn't know my post on the death of Rush Limbaugh would cause such a controversy....Hell, in truth, I should have realized. 

He was just another symptom of the divide in this country. 

I stopped listening Rush years before I was even hired at Buna. Heck, quit talk radio about that time. 

Look, I am sorry, Rush was an entertainer. He appealed mostly to a 65+ audience in recent years. He would tell you what you wanted to hear, not what was necessarily the truth. 

One of the things that lost me on Rush was years ago an Indian ( India) group had set up a 'Soup Kitchen' in their city and were serving Indian food to those in need...Rush had a fit by saying " They shouldn't be serving that, they need to be serving ' American Food.'. "

What is American food? Pizza? Roast, potatoes, and carrots? ( BTW That's the traditional "Sunday Roast" in England.) Heck everything we eat in this country pretty much started someplace else.

Then what really sealed the deal was his remarks about Mexicans " Being guests in this country." 

As many of you know, I was affiliated with the old  'Home Mission Board' of the Southern Baptists, and was a missionary in the Valley of Texas and in Idaho.( I was sent to convert Mormons, instead I would talk Mormon theology with them and a good time was had by all. Seriously. Mormons don't need converting. They're Christians in my book as are Catholics, and most others who follow Christ.Why they sent me, I do not know?) And many of those "Mexicans" had been in South Texas 200 years before Rush's family even came to America.

Come on, the man was not a fan of teachers. Why should I like him? He thought we were "Give up your gun liberals" and I have been told that more than once by school patrons there in Buna....And those of you who know me know I believe full auto weapons should be available without a tax stamp. 

Did Rush go to Heaven or Hell? I don't know. You don't either. He may have had a 'Constantinian Death Bed' conversion. 

Finally I see Texas' Junior Senator, Ted Cruz decided we were just peasants and took his family to Cancun. 

Sorry, that just looks bad....Millions of Texans freezing and he leaves the country for warmer climates.

Been a Long Time Boys and Girls

 It has been a long time since we've actually had a serious winter. Oh, it snowed 3-4 years ago, and looked nice, but it was gone within 24 hours. 

This morning we had an ice storm at the Compound here in Lemonville. The pines are white with ice. This is after the local Aggie " weather guessers" said we really shouldn't get much ice. 

I am hoping to make it through the next couple of days without any more trouble, or blackouts from Entergy. 

I am pretty aggravated at the utility companies. Millions of Texans are without power. And don't go blaming the wind turbines. They are less than 10% of electricity in Texas. Most of our power plants are run by natural gas. And these plants failed. Just were not ready for the freeze and many of them went out of service. 

I know Speaker Phelan is planning to hold hearing on the power outages, but it makes you wonder if anything will actually be done? 

Good thing is this, we only have weeks like this one every decade or so...My next one will be when I am 73...Who knows, maybe I'll miss it?

Be Safe

 Be careful folks. Very careful. 

I know last evening the Buna ISD made the call, along with other ISD's in the area. 

If you have to work tomorrow, be ever so careful, ever so careful. 

You don't know,I don't know what the weather is going to be over the next 36 hours...To 72 hours....

I remember as a mere child the 10 inch snow in 1960. Being from SETX, you just don't forget such things. 

We could get sleet.... Snow pellets.....An ice storm to rival '97.....A snowstorm......Or NUTHIN'.  

I am most concerned about Monday night/Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service is saying 13F here in Lemonville....11F in Buna.......I know my wife received a text message this morning and her center will be closed both Monday and Tuesday. 

We ain't built for this weather.

Been a long time since it's been this cold here.....A long time. 

Be safe folks......Be safe....

Who the Hell is St. Valentine?

 Well, in truth, we do not know...

It may be several people. There was a Valentine who was a priest who was killed by Emperor Claudius II for marrying Christian couples.....There was also a Valentine who was a bishop in Italy. He was martyred about 270A.D. He was killed ( we think) for trying to convert people to Christianity. 

Pope Gelasius officially dedicated Feb. 14th to St. Valentine in 496 A.D. And there are two reasons for that date.....Either Valentine was killed/buried on that day....Or ( what I think) the date was chosen in an attempt to Christianize the pagan feast of Lupercalia which involved drinking and beating people with animal hides while naked. 

Lupercalia which was associated with fertility, might be the reason Valentine's Day is associated with romantic love. 

Valentine's Day falls near Galentin's Day, a holiday celebrated by the Normans( Who conquered England in 1066?  The Normans) And Galentin means " Lover of women."

There are many who blame Geoffrey Chaucer for the holiday....Remember him...Mrs. Burke's Class? Mrs. Boyd's Class? He called the day " when every fowl cometh to chose his mate." 

So, there is no clear answer. But, there was a Valentine.....

Eat your damn candy and be glad you got it.....

My Goodness Gracious, Heaven's Sakes....

"My Goodness Gracious, Heaven's Sakes.... "

Quoting my Irish grandmother this morning. 

Man, who would have thought. 

Today is Chinese New Year's and as I posted earlier on FB, who would have known I would now know, and care?

We have even started to adopt certain Chinese traditions...Just sort of "snuck" in there. 

We now have "Lucky Bowls." " Lucky Spoons." " Lucky Cups." "Lucky Glasses." And refer to them as such. And use them before any thing else, heck, we'll wash them in the sink so we can use them next time.

I can now use chopsticks. 

I now regularly eat a bowl of noodles with chopsticks for lunch, a traditional Chinese lunch.

I now take my shoes off coming into anyone's house. 

We refuse to eat American-Chinese buffets, Panda Express, etc.....They suck and suck badly. Have real Chinese and you'll never go back.  

Five years ago I would have never dreamed....

 

Rumors, Rumors, Rumors....

 I have gotten more rumors over the last 24 hours. 

Some I can confirm....Some just "wild ass shit."

Again, while I will carry news always from Buna, Buna ISD, South Jasper County, well, this is not the blog. 

And I always will, after-all most of the readers of the blog are either from, or still live in the Buna area. 

I don't want to have to change the name of the blog to " Slippin' Through the Slough." Or "Nekkid in Gist" Or "Carrying on Down Caillier Loop." Or " Sneaking Down 1004." 

Thanks for reading the blog. 

Big, I mean huge hits yesterday. 

Again folks, be careful, don't let " chasing tail" ruin your life. Because it damn sure will....

As always any information you have, send me a private message, I will investigate.

Okay Boys, Pay Damn Attention, This is Important

 I've gone over this for 30+ years that I know of.....

Boys ( And to a lesser extent girls) don't be playing ' slap and ticket' who is your subordinate....Hell, I wouldn't even have a romantic involvement with some at the workplace.....Hell, I wouldn't even work with my wife. 

You know, in the end, it ain't going to end very well. 

You've got to stop thinking with that " Little Head."

In this day in age not only will you probably lose your job, you may get the hell sued out of you. Hell, if you're a teacher you'll lose your job, your certification, and make license plates in Huntsville for a few years.

 As a friend of mine I've known for 30+ years says " Bad sex is better than no sex." But at what cost???

That same friend explained it this way, in this day of online pornography, you " Go home, find whatever interests you, put on some KY and go to town." The entire business will be over in 15 minutes....And you can think clearly afterward....

Just thoughts for a Wednesday afternoon......

Rumors at Buna ISD

 I am going to post what I know as fact. 

The truth will at some point be known. 

As of Friday the Principal at the Buna High School resigned. 

I have heard so many wild rumors at this point, I am not going to even try and speculate what the heck really happened. 

It sort of upsets me because I knew the man as a lowly history instructor and always loved to improve his history knowledge. ( Sorry, you'll never learn it all....)

You know sometimes, well, sometimes you don't shit where you eat.

I'll just leave it there.

Will You?

 Was going to write a heavy theological blog this morning after my prayers......But it'll wait. Yes, I spoke to Jesus on your account this morning....Prayed harder than normal this AM. Felt like we all needed it.

No, going to " lighten up" a little this Sunday morning. 

Are you going to watch the "Super Bowl" this evening? 

The answer from the Compound is this....Why? Are the Dallas Cowboys playing? Are the Houston Texans playing? No? Then I have no interest. 

I see that "Miss Debbie" ( It's what my late dad called my wife. I have a couple of you call her that and others who refer to her as " St. Debbie," or "Debbie the Good.") has bought some fixin' for Super Bowl snacking....

I am sure we won't watch the game.....I see us catching up on the latest episode of " The Bay" on Britbox, and an episode of " All Creatures Great and Small" I have on the DVR. And eating our "junk" food.

So, you watching the ballgame? Or got better things to do?

What the Hell Happened?

 When I was a young man, I had subscriptions to both GQ and Esquire magazine. 

Both went through an evolutionary process, especially Esquire with it floating back and forth between being a " girly" magazine. 

I stopped my subscription during one of its incarnations as a "girly" book. I'm married, I am not out chasing " strange tail." 

I bought both magazines because they taught you how to dress. 

I visit both websites, well all three websites from time to time including the " British" version of GQ. 

Most of the time the "Best Dressed" person looks like, well, a bum. Sorry they just do. 

If anyone is really dressed up in the magazines, they are now dressed up going to some of an awards ceremony, and even there, many look like they just " Rolled out of bed." 

I know the world is changing, I expect it to do so, but damn, how sloppy can we get?

Someone this morning was lamenting the fact we all don't need college degrees. Again, this anti-intellectual movement presently sweeping this country....But don't we need people with college degrees in this nation?  I know some of you think you don't need a degree to teach the "Big Four" academic classes, English, Math, Science, History, but it makes you wonder, just what the hell these people know? ( Vocational classes we understand don't need 4 year degrees, but they should have sort of work internship to teach, at least in the vocational field they are teaching.) I don't know, my son now has 2 master's and when they moved to College Station had several places bidding for his service.

But I digress.....

I just wonder how damn sloppy we can get in this country.... But this comes from a man who want to go back to Hong Kong and get a couple of suits made.

So, Apparently I Upset Someone and Almost was Put in Prison

 Or jail....Or banned for life. 

Apparently you can't say "Coonass" nor "Apu" on Facebook. 

Never mind I have Coonass blood in me and the guy who helped me get my Amazon Dot going had a sense of humor and called himself " Apu." 

I wonder what is next? 

You can't eat Peking Duck or Hot Pot because you are not Chinese?( I am pretty damn proud of myself, at 63 years of age, I have taught myself how to use chopsticks. Not an expert, but I can make them work.)

You can't like Indian Curry as a white guy?

 I can't eat Mexican food because I am not Latino? If that happened half the restaurants in Texas would go out of business.

I should get all upset if you are eating gumbo, or rice and gravy....And you're not "French?"

We should all all get upset here in SETX when the rest of the world realizes how good chili is with rice.  

Think this is silly? Wait, someone will bring this up. 

At some point, this crap has to end.

Oh My Gosh I am Going to Hell, Straight to Hell, Do not Collect $200

 Was looking hard at a white suit. 

Yes, a white suit. 

I'd look like a lawyer from New Orleans or Mobile.....Or perhaps Memphis in the Summer. 

I already have a light blue seersucker suit...this would just top me off.

There would be people who would be convinced I was a homosexual. 

Wearing white, I'd be tempted to say the following.....

" I'm terribly sorry, I've always been a creeper."

" A gentlemen needs to know the difference between velvet and velveteen."

" My Lord, this humid  November weather  gives me the horribles."

" I've been sitting here for 45 years."

" A gentleman must always dress for dinner."

" I need a window seat, because this window is wilting." 

" I'm a bit peckish, I believe I'll call room service for some  étouffée....."

 

Here is if You're Going to Get a Third Stimulus Check-

 This is the latest on the 3rd check. 

The latest proposal Democrats are considering would send $1,400 payments to individuals earning $50,000 or less and $2,800 to married couples earning $100,000 or less.Which has not been publicly released yet and could still change.

This is on either 2019 or 2020 taxes. ( Probably 2019)

About 71 percent of Americans would get the full benefits and another 17 percent would get the partial benefit.

Under the Democratic plan that is taking shape, parents of children would receive an additional $1,400 per child. That means a family of four would receive $5,600.

Under the plan that is taking shape, parents of children would receive an additional $1,400 per child. That means a family of four would receive $5,600.

The potential hitch is the Internal Revenue Service typically sends out the payments, and the IRS will be in the middle of a busy tax filing season from mid-February through mid-April.  

I know several of you have not received the $600 yet. It should be to your mailbox soon....I am guessing. 

This comes as Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Thursday will propose providing at least $3,000 per child to millions of American families. 

Romney’s proposal would provide $4,200 per year for every child up to the age of 6, as well as $3,000 per year for every child age 6 to 17.

Unlike Democrats’ plan, Romney’s Family Security Act would be paid for, in part, by eliminating Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a welfare program, as well as other existing federal tax credits for children and working families. Many Democrats are likely to oppose this part of Romney’s plan.

Under Romney’s plan, the size of the benefit would also begin to diminish at above $200,000 in annual income for single tax filers, as well as $400,000 for joint filers.....Call me out of touch, but extending money-for-kids to families making $400,000 a year?

I am sure this will change. 

Will let you know later any changes or how the bill turns out. 

Again upset about receiving these checks, send yours to me. I will go to England on it. Who knows, I might not come back.

Not a Damn Clue Who is This?????

 So, the latest is this country singer Morgan Wallen has had his music pulled off of 400 radio stations in America. 

Not a clue who Morgan is......And do not care....Don't tell me. Please don't.

Country music died for me about 25 years ago. I listen to my own stuff, or 97.1 out of Houston and even 97.1 sucks from time to time. 

Apparently, Wallen is captured on video saying the "N" word after a night of going out and belly full of beer.

Man, you got to talk to your kids. 

Everything you do now is recorded.

If some of the stuff I did in high school or college came to light, well, I am just happy the statute of limitations has run its course.....And there were no smart phones.  

You got to talk to your kids.......Seriously....

 

PROTEST!!!!!!!

 So, this weekend a group of people decided that they needed to protest at Dodger Stadium in Southern California the vaccines that were being give by car as people drove through for the COVID vaccine shot.  

Many were carrying signs saying "It's the end of times." And other apocryphal messages. 

Why is it their business?  Why do they care?

These are the same people who are anti-mask. 

These are the same people who are in the group with the pharmacist who destroyed 500 vials of vaccine....He is a a " Flat Earther." 

Come on man, why is this any of your business. Why do you care? 

Don't want to take the shot, that's your business, but don't keep me from taking one. 

The older I get the more I ask...." What the hell is wrong with you? "

Who Cares?

 I mean seriously, who cares? 

I used to be critical who dressed, acted a little " strange." But hell, I am sure that people see me and ask, " Who the hell is the Englishman?" 

You know, at one time I worked at a school district that required men to wear ties to work, and preferred us to wear coats with the tie. 

I still have a closet full of ties from that time, a lot a tartan ties that are familial or in my case, I have a tie that symbolizes I am a clergyman. 

When I taught at Buna I dressed between an Oxford Don to looking like I had just come from the feeding the cows. 

It didn't make a damn difference between how I taught. 

Oh I know some business have a dress code and even provide uniforms. 

I don't know, I was reading an article about America's " weirdness"  over the past 50 years and think back, hell, there has always been weirdness in the world. Read some of the stuff that came out of Victorian England. 

So, I am sure you're asking by now, " Where the hell are you going with this blog?"

You know, we got to much " Tending other people's business in this country. " 

Telling them no tattoos, you've got to look this way or however. 

Hating folks because they're gay, like they have a say so in the deal. 

Hating people because they fall in love with someone of a different race, hell, in this area I have found out that " Folks are Folks" and my Daughter in Law is a whole lot better than a lot of the " Whites Wimmens" out there. ( I'll get notes now.)

Hell, hating people because they wear cowboy boots and hats. 

Where we start crossing the line is when people what we do starts to effect others. 

Acting a fool on the highway. Making fun of someone who looks different. 

And it can cross the line the other way too. Going after people because they are trying to live their life and you just don't think they are " Woke" enough. And I am convinced that for some you just can't be " woke" enough because the goalpost seems to keep changing. 

At some point we got to let people live their lives, and leave people alone...

I don't know, just something to think about this morning...