Sunday Funday

So I was over at Ferrari's on friday evening just hangin with him and Reid. Celia was off doing something aquatic as usual so she came later. Since we had a couple of beers, I decided to roll with Celia home leaving my truck there. No big deal. Well I didn't need it on Saturday but by mid-day Sunday, it was time to get it back. I decided to ride my bike from my place to Richard's to retrieve the truck because I had never done it and plus Celia would think that I am awesome. So I had to plan my trip to avoid major roads and maximize park routes using Google maps. When all was said and done, the journey was to be just a touch under 14 miles. Pretty much halfway across Dallas. Sweet.

I decided to take my camera and document some of the trip for this blog. One thing is for sure, Dallas drivers do not pay attention to cyclists so within the first 2 miles, an old man in a Range Rover pulled out in front of me and I had to lock my brakes to keep from smashing myself on his passenger door. He was totally freaked out but I just wanted to keep going. So as he sat there with his face in his hands, I pedalled on. I made a map so that you can see where everything went down.I stopped in the park for a rest on a bench about half way. Dallas has great bike trails. Once I crossed 75 on Royal, it was mostly park trails until the last mile or so.My trusty backpack. I have had this thing for 10 years now and it has been everywhere with me. Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, and of course all over the states. Love it.I powered on toward White Rock Lake which was sure to be all abustle on a Sunday with light breezes and temps hanging in the low 80's.

The sailors were out if force.As were the people flying kites. I'll have to do that sometime. I haven't had a kite since I was a kid.Further down the trail folks were kayaking and paddle surfing. Well maybe not paddle surfing per se, perhaps just paddling.

Then there I was, the final couple of miles. They were sweet and I was almost sad that it was over. I arrived at Richards and knocked, no one home. So I took one last pic of my LeMond Reno in his front yard as proof of my 1 hour and 15 minute journey that covered 13.87 miles. As I was about to load up the bike in my truck, he and Sarah rolled up. Good times and a small wander for me.

Laters,

jth

Culinary Perfection with Opposable Thumbs

So Lorraine came over to make stuffed peppers. It was a blast so I'll give you the play by play:

Lorraine shows up and dons the apron my mom and sister brought me from France. I had to crop the picture for not so obvious reasons on this blog. But if you saw it in real life, you would get it immediately.

And if Lorraine shows up, then you know Diablo's not too far behind.

Chris came in from the back porch to hang and prepare some delicious fruit and put on some music.

Lorraine started making the stuffing for the peppers which smells really good.

So then Moseley showed up in the kitchen.

It was time to stuff the peppers and throw them in the oven. So this:

Turned into this:

Then this

As Celia strode in, the peppers finished up cooking and everyone had delicious foods for dinner and Chris put on some music for us as the night wound down.

Cooking is fun for the whole family and also for friends... But not dogs, stuffed peppers will give your dog the trots. And I have never seen a dog cook but I imagine it would be a huge disaster since they don't have opposable thumbs.

Laters,

jth

Nate Kills It

Seriously, watch the video. This is my youngest brother in law dominating the world on his guitar. I heard him play over Thanksgiving and was impressed.. but this is pure unadulterated genius.



Nate, when you play the American Airlines Center here in Dallas, I want back stage passes. Keep it up brother.

Laters,
jth
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Dr. Hughes is Lost...

So it's been a bit since I last reported anything. Well, not alot has been going on. We had freezing temps, a couple of birthdays, a holiday or two. Winter is my least favorite part of the year. Anyway, where is my dad? Has anyone seen him; I always thought he might be a spy and now the photos that I receive from him via email somewhat confirm my long lived suspicions. Either way, Dr. Hughes is lost!

No not really, he is working with Dolphin Energy in Abu Dhabi. Of course when he got there, he had to buy a car, this is what he came up with.

It's a new 4x4 Nissan Xterra... sweet. So then I imagine one day he was driving between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and saw strange, wonderful animals and miles and miles of desert sand. Maybe something like this: So what did he decide to do then? Well he decided to do what any of us in the same situation would do...this: Some spies never grow up I suppose. Since I am not wandering, it's good to see someone is. Have fun dad, see you soon.

Laters,

jth

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The Prettiest Girl at the Dance

Well actually we think if the Killer Bee as a boy; but staying the course (pun intended) of nautical tradition, in this blog entry the Bee is a hot chick. In human form, something like this:Because otherwise, if its a dude bee, you end up with the following:

Ok, enough of the nonsense. Days are getting shorter and for the Bee, that means time to get cleaned up and winterized for the coming cold. So Ferrari and I brought the boat to my house to clean it up and ready for storage. We have never done it before; usually we pay to have it done but this year we decided to take a crack at it. 5 hours and lots of cleaning supplies later the bee was the finest vessel in North Texas once again.
We also tested everything to make sure it made it through the summer ok. We blasted the stereo which I am sure the neighbors loved... $5k can get you one hell of a stereo in a boat. We even polished the speakers hanging from the tower. Shiny. Next was the lights. The series of 6 directional lights on top of the tower don't look very bright in the sunlight.. but at night on the water, it is like the second sun. Good for wakeboarding at night... WHICH WE NEVER DO BECAUSE THAT IS ILLEGAL! (for any legal inquiries into our wakebarding practices, please direct all questions to Tailim Song Esq.)As evening fell, we covered her up for transport and a long winters nap. It was tough.. I mean it is the equivalent of taking a hot chick in a bikini and wrapping her in a snuggie. But there is nothing like unwrapping a beautiful boat in the spring and rocketing across a glassy lake for the first time of the season. Sleep well little brother.

Laters,

jth

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Belizean Dreams

This picture was taken of the sun coming up over the western Carribean Ocean early in the morning off the balcony of our house in Placencia. Tonight as I watch the Rangers try to make it to the world series, I wish I was back there. Every day was fresh and exciting and donn't worry I am not sad... it's just that when I was there, I was surrounded by family and friends and a crisis was running out of beer and having to walk a quarter mile to the store to grab another case of Belikin. Here, there are more things to worry about.

If I happen to dissappear one day and you can't find me, these pictures are of a place where you might want to look...

Laters,

jth

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Hangin' with the boys...

Ignore the video, just listen to the music and bask in Top Gun volleyball scene glory. Because what did I do this weekend? Hangin with the boys. The ladies were out of town so it was full on awesomness. It was myself, Chris, Caven, Ferrari and Reid. There were drinks jokes and Reid actually spelled his full name on the fence with his urine. I swear he is the pee ninja. Sure he is a marine who did several tours in Iraq,,, he can snipe your ass from 300 yards with open sights and a hangover. But his greatest gift bestowed upon him by the USMC is the ability to create caligraphy with his leftover juices. USA! USA! USA!

We ordered pizza, had some drinks, watched multiple episodes of Tosh.O and told stories. Our bodies were warmed by brotherhood, laughs and pinion pine burning white hot in the iron chiminea. Good times. If you are jealous, don't feel bad, you should be....

Laters,

jth

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Nothing But You

Jeg har ingenting
Men jeg har alt
Nar jeg har deg.

This is what I am listeneing to right now. The lyrics are Norwegian and mean: "I have nothing, but I have everything when I have you. Good song and hopefully an ad doesn't pop up before the song starts but if it does, oh well.

I went wandering recently with my dad. We took a road trip out to where I spent my early childhood in far western Oklahoma to see what we could see. It is hard to describe the land to someone who has been up I-35 through OK as this area is much closer to Colorado as it is to Dallas. It doesn't look like what one would think. It is beautifully desolate; the air is soft, sweet and wild. The breaks separate river valleys where the ghosts of native american warriors from intertribal battles and Cavalry massacres wander at night, surveying their lost kingdoms. It feels enchanted to those who know enough to quiet themselves, lonely to outsiders, and like home to lost country boy like me.

We took off on friday as my dad had to work and rolled out of Dallas around 6pm. I will start by saying that it was a truly great road trip as the radio wasn't on once as we just told stories the whole time. We followed blue highways up through northwest TX until we rocketed across the Red River around 10:30. As we rolled down 2 lane country roads we came to a bridge that must have been almost a mile long around midnight. No traffic allowed for us to stop the truck in the middle of the bridge and hang for awhile. The closer we got to Shattuck, the more deer we saw and since he hit one with his truck on this same highway when I was about 6 yrs old, we took caution. Then we were driving a 1 ton, 4 door Chevy dually with a 454 in it. The deer did its damage on that truck so we weren't looking for a repeat performance 20 yrs later in his Chevy half ton. We got a stinky room in the only motel in Shattuck (population 1,207) around 2 am and called it a night. The morning brought bright sun and blue skies that can only be seen hundreds of miles away from any city or interstate for that matter.

We drove around and saw the farmhouse in which we lived, the land where we kept our livestock, Flat Top - the cross crowned diminutive mesa that overlooks the the town from the north. To me the land was beautiful, I could see a long way - from our old house the grain silo in Darrouzett, TX is visible over 20 miles away - the air is very clear as the elevation there is almost half a mile up. We tried to eat at Ed's cafe but it was closed. I got to see my old elementary school with the odd star shaped kindergarted building. We visited a few of my dad's old friends, one a famous knife maker who gifted his own knife to my dad. I listened quietly as they talked about Vietnam the way that retired soldiers do; i enjoyed it. After that it was time to head back south through the Black Kettle National Grasslands through Lawton where we HAD to stop at a couple pawn shops... its a thing.All in all it was a great trip and good bonding time. Now it is especially great since dad is leaving at the end of the month to go work in Abu Dhabi for a couple of years. Oh he'll be back for vacation and stuff and I'll go visit but mostly I am very excited for the adventure he is about to have.. and a little jealous. Mom and Sam are in France right now and I get picture texts from them. Today they are in Dijon so I think they are going to get me some mustard.

So the title of this particular entry is Nothing But You. Of course it is the name of the song I am listening to, but how do I tie it all together in my way. I guess the simple lyrics of the song help me realize that the only thing that we really have are worth anything are family, friends and the experiences we share that turn into memories. And to quote my main man C.W. McCall: "And as I saw the morning star come up over the mountains, I realized that life is just a collection of memories. And memories are like starlight: the go on forever." CW's cowboy poem is just below-

I haven't forgotten about my promise to do my Belize blogs, I will. I feel that since i was there for so long that the teling of the story will be quite an undertaking so I have been putting it off... I know, slacker. I will get it done. Phi phi.
PS, Celia was on tv.. she's hot.

Laters,

jth