Durango Texas

Remembering A Peaceful Bath Interrupted By Mount St. Helens Exploding Almost Half A Century Ago

2026-05-18T13:59:20.899-05:00

Today, Monday, May 18, 2026, on Facebook, I have seen multiple posts making note of the fact that it was on this date, 46 years ago, that Mount St. Helens blew her top.

One of the Facebook posts, from a Washingtonian, asked people to say where they were and what they were doing when the mountain exploded.

Well, it was early in the morning, a Sunday. I was having a peaceful soak in the bathtub. Suddenly my peaceful soak was interrupted by what sounded like three loud, concussive explosions. I had just returned from a trip to Southern California where at one point I found myself camped near a military base which was doing practice stuff which involved explosions. That is what the sound I heard whilst tub soaking, sounded like.

I heard one of my roommates in the kitchen. I hollered at her, asking what those booms were. She came into the tub zone to tell me she had no idea what it was.

About 15 minutes later the next-door neighbor showed up to ask if we'd heard that the mountain had blown.

From that point on the TV was on all day, with nonstop coverage. We were advised to prepare for possible incoming ash dust. We got masks and some other stuff I am not remembering. Maybe some special added filter on the vehicles.

Not much ash ever made it to the Skagit Valley, but other parts of Washington had to deal with a lot of falling volcanic ash.

It was to be a couple years later I first ventured into the eruption zone and looked close up at the remains of Mount St. Helens.

Then, a short time before the move to Texas, I drove a group to the newly opened Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, stopping at each of the Visitor's Centers, ending with the final one, gazing right into Mount St. Helens gaping crater.

If you ever find yourself driving Interstate 5 into Washington, it is well worth it to take the exit that takes you to the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

It is hard for me to believe it is almost a half century ago, 46 years, that this event happened. It had a long lead-up, with little eruptions, a large zone had been evacuated. Mount St. Helens dominated the news in Washington, before, during and after the final eruption.

Today's Possible Record Breaking High In Wichita Falls

2026-05-13T11:07:54.903-05:00

Apparently, the record high for this day in May is 98 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method. The current prediction is for today's high to be three degrees short of the record. But, the weather predictions here are frequently inaccurate, so it won't shock me if we get over 98 degrees today.

And, it is over a month til Summer arrives. I suspect we are heading towards a record-breaking HOT Summer.

My A/C just cycled on, and is currently keeping me cool.

A few winters ago, a severe Winter storm knocked out power to most of Texas, with a couple days the temperature going below zero.

I hope I don't get to find out if it worse to have the power go out when the temperature is in the near 100-degree zone.

Remembering Mom & Dad Visiting Texas

2026-05-13T09:50:38.966-05:00

This morning, whilst looking through my HUGE archive of photos, I came upon a folder of photos taken the first time my mom and dad came to visit me in Texas.

I am not sure, but I think the year was 2005. I have zero clue as to the month, but clearly, judging by mom and dad's attire, this was a visit which did not happen during the HOT time of the year.

I do recollect giving mom and dad cowboy hats and insisting they put them on when I was taking a photo of them

The location of the above photo is Lake Grapevine, that I remember, for sure. One of my favorite locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone.

On their first visit to Texas mom and dad were coming from Washington, I think, via their RV. I remember they stayed in an RV park in Arlington.

Their second, and final visit to Texas, took place, I think, in 2012. That time they drove a non-RV vehicle from their Yuma location in Arizona. I remember visiting mom and dad in Yuma, way back near the turn of the century, on a drive back to Texas, from Washington.

If mom and dad's last Texas visit was in 2012 that would have been after I'd begun documenting my existence in blog form. I shall see if I can find blog posts documenting mom and dad's final Texas visit, but not right now.

UPDATE: I was wrong. It was in November of 2009 mom and dad made their final Texas visit. I blogged about it several times, with the first being Mom & Dad Are Here In Texas.

Wichita Falls Sunday Nature Communing In Lucy Park

2026-05-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

For a variety of reasons, some weather related, some not weather related, I have not had myself any salubrious nature communing and that activity's resulting endorphins, for several days, until this first Sunday of the 5th month of 2026, also known as May 3.

In the photo documentation we are at the replacement for the burned-out Lucy Park Pagoda, looking north at the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

Green is currently the dominant color at my Texas location. That won't last long til the green begins to fade to shades of brown.

There were a surprisingly large number of fellow nature communers at Lucy Park this Sunday morning. I suspect after so many days in a row of chilly, unstable weather, people were eager to get outdoors under the cloud-free, clear blue sky, with the temperature in the pleasant 70s.

I have not felt the need to activate the air-conditioning system the past few days. I suspect that will change later today...

Wichita Falls Tuesday Thunderstorming

2026-04-28T09:53:00.003-05:00

A storm arrived around the same time, this morning, that the sun arrived to begin its daily illumination duty on this final Tuesday of the 2026 version of April.

The storm consisted of a drenching downpour of rain, without the big balls of hail which pummeled us last Saturday. But, like last Saturday, multiple bolts of lightning brought multiple loud booms of thunder.

But, unlike Saturday, the tornado sirens did not start blaring this morning.

On Saturday the tornado sirens began blaring between 5 and 6 in the afternoon. It was not til the following morning I was to learn a couple tornadoes had done some twisting, and damage, at the north end of town, near Sheppard Air Force Base.

This was the first time I had heard the Wichita Falls tornado sirens making noise for an actual tornado, and not the regular Monday testing of the sirens.

I forgot to mention, the photo documentation at the top is the view from my kitchen window, this morning, I tried to catch a lightning strike, unsuccessfully. But the photo does manage to give some idea of how stormy this storm was being.

The last several days the local weather forecasting has been remarkably accurate, a total change from the recent bout of predicted storms not materializing.

Today's forecast is forecasting another thunderstorm arriving about an hour before noon, a little over an hour from now. Currently the outer world does not look too menacing, but that can quickly change.

Severe Saturday Wichita Falls Thunderstorming With 3 Inch Hail

2026-04-25T18:11:00.003-05:00

What you see above is the view from my kitchen window, late afternoon, on the final Saturday of the 2026 version of April.

Around 5 this afternoon I ventured to my nearby Walmart, soon seeing lightning strikes and hearing thunder booms as I drove.

By the time I left Walmart, precipitation had begun precipitating.

Soon the rain switched to violent downpour mode.

And then all hail broke loose. Balls of ice the size of golf balls. What a scary racket they made hitting my vehicle's windows and roof.

Those white spots you see in the photo documentation of the view from my kitchen window are those aforementioned golf balls of hail.

The thunder storming seems to have calmed down some, but hail is still making a lot of noise.

The NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE just sent my phone a dire "Imminent Severe Alert" warning of violent thunderstorms and hail three inches in diameter. Advising to seek shelter and stay away from windows.

This violent storming is causing me to even more eagerly look forward to my upcoming visit to my old Washington home zone, where the weather is usually dependably mild...

Windy Thursday At Sikes Lake Pushing Baby Strollers

2026-04-23T11:11:00.001-05:00

It was back to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured on this next to last Thursday of the 2026 version of April, for some windy, cloudy nature communing via fast walking and that activity's resulting mood-enhancing endorphins.

That would make the photo documentation the view looking south from the rocky east shore of Sikes Lake.

For some reason the weather today somehow seemed extremely conducive to causing way more people than the norm to be out joining me whilst nature communing.

And, just like I experienced a couple ago walking around Sikes Lake there were a large number of babies being rolled around the lake in strollers. Two of the baby pushers were operating two strollers. That looked a bit awkward.

When I encountered the first baby pusher pushing two strollers, I offered to push one of them. I was thanked for the kind offer, but the mother said it was not problem easily pushing two strollers.

We are at that time of the year when the weather can be unpredictable. Today the unpredictable prediction is there is a chance of some severe storming in the form of thunderstorms, downpours and possible tornadoes.

So far the only extreme weather today has been the wind gusts.

Pleasant Monday Sikes Lake Stroll With Beautiful Babes

2026-04-20T11:10:00.002-05:00

On this next to last Monday of the 2026 version of April it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some much-needed salubrious nature communing and aerobic stimulation and that stimulation's resulting flood of endorphins.

As you can see it is a nice calm, almost totally clear blue-sky day. If I was on the west coast, looking east, I would likely think that which you see hovering about the lake, in the distance, to be a mountain range.

There are no mountain ranges to see at my current location, no matter what direction one looks.

That line of gray on the horizon is today's predicted wall of rain clouds making their way northeast.

Which would make the view from the rocky east shore of Sikes Lake to be looking southwest.

Dozens of other nature communers were enjoying the almost chilly, at 52 degrees, temperature, and the lack of any wind making it feel colder.

I counted seven babies being strolled around the lake as I did my nature communing.

Is it some law of nature that all babies look cute? That sure seems to be the case. I have been frequently making note of that of late.

Seeing THOR Getting Hosed Crossing The Wichita River

2026-04-19T11:06:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I blogged about Saturday's Lucy Park Texoma Hellacious Obstacle Run Muddy Fun.

I did not get any up-close photos that showed what was Hellacious about the Obstacle Run known as THOR, short for Texoma Hellacious Obstacle Run.

My fellow nature communer yesterday did get some up-close photos. As we drove away from Lucy Park that fellow nature communer made mention of seeing people getting hosed whilst they were in the river. I did not understand what was being described.

Until photo documentation was emailed to me.

Yesterday I did not walk by the Lucy Park Suspension Bridge. I did see it in the distance, but not all that far away. I saw no humans near the bridge.

Had I walked closer I would have seen the scene above. A man spraying water on Obstacle Runners as they waded across the Wichita River.

That actually is my idea of something Hellacious, getting wet in the murky red Wichita River.

Saturday's Lucy Park Texoma Hellacious Obstacle Run Muddy Fun

2026-04-18T13:05:00.000-05:00

It was to Lucy Park I ventured this third Saturday of the 2026 version of April, for the first time in quite a few days, for some salubrious nature communing in chilly temperatures requiring outer wear not usually needed this time of the year at this location on the planet.

Arriving at Lucy Park I was surprised to see virtually every parking spot in the park already occupied. It took some driving to finally find a parking spot. Lucy Park is a big park, with a lot of parking spots.

So, what was going on? I soon learned the congestion was caused by something called T.H.O.R.

Texoma's Hellacious Obstacle Run

When I got back to computer access I Googled "THOR Village Lucy Park Wichita Falls Texas" because that was what I saw on a sign upon entering the park Googling I came to a THOR website with the following explanation...

T.H.O.R. represents everything that is right with the world today – mud, guts and everybody nuts. Experience the insanity and the awesome adrenaline rush.

The off-road adventure starts in Lucy Park and winds along the Wichita River, past the Falls, through Camp Fillers, and back to Lucy Park. Fierce obstacles and mud riddled trails stand between you and victTHORy. They will have food, beverages and music for participants and spectators to enjoy while experiencing this fun adventure event. Step up to the starting line and face the 20+ challenging obstacles that await you, including several new surprises every year! You think you’re tough enough? Come test your THORtitude at Texoma’s roughest run on record!

Many of the obstacles were muddy, hence seeing so many people covered with mud. The end of the course had a hosing station to wash off some of the mud. This obstacle run had no appeal to me, but it sure looked like a lot of people were having a lot of fun. Hundreds upon hundreds of muddy people.

I took the above photo soon upon beginning my nature communing, because I was struck by how much greener the landscape had become since my last Lucy Park visit. The above photo documentation was an area where no THOR people could be seen. This was south of the part of the park I refer to as the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

The Backwoods Jungle was where some of the obstacles were, such as the one in the photo documentation at the top.

Saturday Nature Communing Fishing Sikes Lake

2026-04-11T11:32:00.002-05:00

On this second Saturday of the 2026 version of April, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some cloudy nature communing.

Which would make the view in the photo documentation, the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake, looking southwest, at a lone fisherman fishing at the lake's edge.

Soon, after seeing that guy angling, I saw another guy with something hooked on his line giving quite a fight. I did not linger to see what, if anything, got caught.

At various times of the year Sikes Lake, and other Wichita Falls lakes, get stocked with trout and catfish.

Serious weather drama is on the menu for today and several days to follow. With predictions of heavy rain, hail, gusting winds, thunderstorms and tornadoes possible.

So far, today, nothing dramatic, weather-wise, has happened.

Getting Gassed At $3.58 In Wichita Falls Texas

2026-04-10T11:23:00.002-05:00

That $3.58 a gallon gas price you see photo documented above, was photo documented about an hour ago, at my neighborhood Walmart's gas station.

Down 11 cents from yesterday's $3.69, which is currently is the highest I've seen at my North Texas location.

From what I've read, and been told, $3.58 is way cheaper than what many of you are paying.

The gas price increase has not seemed to have slowed traffic at my location. If I remember correctly, and sometimes I do, back during the worst of COVID traffic was greatly reduced.

Is the current average gas price across the nation breaking the record of the previous period when events caused the price to rise? I don't remember.

I have not recently checked what it currently is costing to fly out of here.

To Washington, or elsewhere.

I was thinking of flying to Washington this summer. I do not like flying. My last two times flying were disasters. With the last time being a 12 hour wait in D/FW before flying to Arizona, arriving in Phoenix after midnight.

I have not driven back to Washington since July of 2001. I do not know if I would like doing that, a quarter century later.

Wichita River Circle Trail Hiking With The Goslings

2026-04-07T11:36:00.001-05:00

It was to the eastern parking lot for the Circle Trail access to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I parked this fine Spring morning, also known as the first Tuesday of the 2026 version of April.

But, it was not to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area direction I commenced nature communing. It was the other direction, on the Circle Trail, curious to see how the trail connection to the Lucy Park terminus of the Circle Trail was coming along.

On the way to check out the current trail construction status I came upon the goose family you see above.

Mom and dad with a little flock of goslings. They did not seem to mind me getting close and politely posed for the photo documentation.

The red liquid you see beyond the geese is the Wichita River, running high due to the recent rain.

And above we are as far as one can go on this section of the Circle Trail. This evidenced a lot of progress since I was last at this location. At that point in time the trail ended with a cement wall, with a solid forest of trees beyond the cement wall.

Building this couple mile section of the Circle Trail has been going on for a couple years, or so it seems.

When this section is completed there is then only a short other section to complete to make the Circle Trail a complete circle. That section is at the west end of Lake Wichita. Some stubborn property owners have stifled the completion of that section.

I do not understand why the property owners would not see the trail as being an asset, which is what the Circle Trail has rendered in other parts of town which originally objected to the wide paved trail coming through their neighborhood.

The hiking temperature was perfect this morning. 65 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method. I was comfortably attired in sweat pants and a t-shirt.

Chilly Windy Pre-Easter Saturday Storywalk Around Sikes Lake

2026-04-04T11:13:00.004-05:00

Copious amounts of precipitation precipitated last night, along with a couple thunder booms.

So, on this first Saturday of the 2026 version of April, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured to enjoy the chilly wind whilst nature communing, along with a number of other nature communists.

Sufficient rain fell to raise Sikes Lake enough to activate the Sikes Lake Waterfall, also known as the Sikes Lake Dam Spillway, as you can see via the above photo documentation.

There was an odd thing happening at Sikes Lake today, which I had not seen previous years. An Easter themed odd thing, which you will see photo documented below.

Alongside the trail, all around Sikes Lake, there were installations like you see above, and below. The above Easter-themed image had a caption asking us to "Look at the disciples' faces. I wonder what they are thinking...."

I would think they may be thinking along the line of wondering what the meaning is of these colorful plastic eggs.

Apparently the above indicated I was at the end of something called "the Storywalk." This was at the bridge at the north end of the lake.

I do not know when this Storywalk took place, or if it is yet to take place. Or maybe it was taking place whilst I was lake walking without me realizing I was on a Storywalk.

Wichita Falls does not have a local newspaper even remotely coming close to managing to do even a mediocre job of covering local news, or events, such as this Storywalk around Sikes Lake.

Thunderstorm Rain Rises Sikes Lake & Sprouts Texas Wildflowers

2026-04-02T10:53:00.008-05:00

The predicted thunderstorm arrived last night, a little later than predicted, beginning booming around the time Trump babbled his embarrassing primetime address to the nation.

The thunderstorm dropped the most rain that has been dropped in quite some time. This rain rose the level of Sikes Lake, which was quite noticeable upon arriving at my nature communing destination this morning.

As you can see, via the view from the rocky east shore of Sikes Lake, looking southwest, some wind action is making for some wave action, and for pleasant walking conditions, which appeared to attract a larger than the norm number of fellow nature lovers.

The precipitation the past couple days appears to have triggered some wildflower spouting.

There were patches of pink evening primroses sprouting in the greenery all around the lake. Such does not quite rise to the colorful landscape I would be seeing right now if I were at my old home zone of the Skagit Valley, with its masses of tulips, daffodils, and other bloomers.

However, the Texas wildflowers are natural, whilst the Skagit Valley fields of color are commercial bulb farms, planted by man, not by Mother Nature.

Whether natural or manmade, seeing a lot of color brightening the landscape is always a pleasant thing to see....

Nephew Jason Early Skagit Valley Tulip Report

2026-03-31T12:43:00.000-05:00

The above photo illustrated the following email from my Favorite Nephew Jason...

FUD -

Our mild Spring has brought the Skagit Valley Tulips to an early bloom. If you are heading this way to enjoy the spectacle, the next few weeks would be ideal.

Hope all is well in Texas.

-FNJ

FUD is short for Favorite Uncle Durango. You can likely intuit what FNJ is short for.

Those tulips which Jason photo documented are part of the landscaping at his Fidalgo Drive-In, in Anacortes.

I have not flown out of this town since way back in July of 2019. Flying up to Washington in April would be a bit jarring, as in I am already used to HOT weather. We've gone over 100 degrees, already, this year. A mild Spring in Washington is way colder than a mild Spring in Texas.

I remember way back in July of 2008, flying up to Washington, to spend a month. I was shivering cold the entire time. My little sister got so tired of me whining about being cold she bought me a jacket at Costco, which still hangs in my closet.

Final Day Of March Hiking Green Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle

2026-03-31T11:02:00.002-05:00

It was to Lucy Park I ventured on this final day of the 2026 version of March, to hike the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle, which was significantly greener when last I hiked this location.

Spring has definitely sprung. Two weeks ago, at this Lucy Park location, the color scheme was primarily brown, with very little green.

Today may be the last time I hike the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle for a while, what with thunderstorms and rain on the menu for later today, and following days. With heavy downpours and tornado potential.

Tomorrow there is going to be the biggest statewide test of the Emergency Notification system, with radio warnings, phone text messages, sirens and who knows what else, starting around 10:30 in the morning, if the info I heard on the radio is accurate.

Skagit Valley Scenic Yellow Daffodil Scene

2026-03-31T09:20:00.004-05:00

Saw that which you see above, on Facebook. A scenic scene in my old home zone of the Skagit Valley.

That is a field of yellow daffodils. Daffodils are the first of the flowers to bloom every Spring, followed by tulips and other colorful blooms.

That mound rising on the horizon is known as Little Mountain. Little Mountain is in the Mount Vernon city limits. Mount Vernon is the biggest town in the Skagit Valley. Population around 35,000.

If such a mound were visible in my super flat Texas location, it would likely not be known as Little Mountain, more likely it'd be known as Big Mountain.

Linda Lou's Skagit Valley No Kings Protest Report With Wichita Falls Protest Against Trump

2026-03-28T18:33:00.002-05:00

The Skagit Valley of Washington's Linda Lou called me this afternoon whilst I was on my way to WINCO to tell me about today's NO KINGS PROTEST in my old home zone.

Linda Lou told me today's protest dwarfed the previous two.

This will mean nothing to anyone who does not know the town, but both sides of Mount Vernon's College Way were lined 7 - 8 deep, from I-5, all the way to Skagit Valley College. That is a couple miles.

Meanwhile, a couple miles north, in the town I grew up in, Burlington, Burlington Boulevard was lined up deep on both sides of the road, all the way from the Skagit River bridge to Fairhaven Avenue, in downtown Burlington.

Linda Lou reported seeing a surprising number of protest signs.

It was windy and cold this morning, so I opted not to go to the Wichita Falls NO KINGS PROTEST, which took place in downtown Wichita Falls. I had gone to the two previous protests.

When I got back from WINCO, I woke up my computer, clicked on the link to the local newspaper's online version of the Wichita Falls Times Record News, a news source I have repeatedly complained does a bad job of covering local news.

Well, the Times Record News was right on top of today's big story, as you can see via the screen cap above.

I'll hit the publish button on this and then go check out the local news sources in my old home zone and see if I can see some photo documentation of Mount Vernon and Burlington's protests.

Feeling Homesick For Skagit Valley Tulips With Texas Wildflowers

2026-03-28T13:22:00.001-05:00

I saw that which you see above, this final Saturday of March, on Facebook. Several photos taken in my old home zone of Washington. The Skagit Flats, to be precise. Which this time of year become colorful due to the blooming of multiple types of flowers.

The photographer is someone named Lisa Ketcham. The photos were posted by something called KOMO SoNorthwest Photography. KOMO is Seattle's ABC TV affiliate.

For those seeing these photos, who are the Texas flatlander sorts, those landforms rising in the background of the photos are mountains. The foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range, to be precise.

I do not remember what year the Skagit Tulip Festival started up, other than it was several decades ago, and I was living in West Mount Vernon, at the time, oblivious to the fact that a new festival had started up, with my first awareness of this coming from the massive traffic jam clogging the road I had to drive to go anywhere from my abode.

The Skagit Tulip Festival has grown bigger, year after year, adding things like Tulip Town, Roozengarde, with the various towns in the valley hosting various events.

If my memory is serving me accurately, and sometimes it does, the last time I was in Washington, whilst the Skagit Valley tulips were blooming, was in April of 2006.

I'd flown up for my Favorite Nephew Jason's first wedding. But, we did not drive out to the Tulip zone. It was a one day zip up from Kent, that is a south of Seattle suburb, to Burlington, where the nuptials took place, then to Eaglemont Pavilion, in Mount Vernon, for the post wedding party, and then back to Kent.

Now, I have made mention of the fact that my current location in Texas is free of any mountain scenery, no matter what direction you look.

And there may not be any tulip fields, but Texas does have colorful wildflowers.

I first learned Texas wildflowers existed when I drove to Texas to check out the possibility of moving to the Lone Star State. The last stop before arriving in DFW was a motel in Amarillo. The next morning, heading southeast on Highway 287, I was surprised by seeing a lot of color on the side of the road. Mostly yellow, with some pink, and a little blue. I was later to learn the yellow blooms were known as Evening Primroses.

A few years after the move to Texas I found myself in what is known as Texas Hill Country, which is an area known for its wildflowers. At Fredericksburg there is a wildflower farm with big fields of wildflowers, looking a lot like the fields of color you see in the Skagit Valley at Tulip Festival time.

I have been feeling a bit homesick, of late. Seeing those photos of the Skagit flowers, and the mountains, added to the homesick feeling. I miss mountains, saltwater beaches, fresh Dungeness crabs and clams, and many other things....

Apparently Washington Does Not Care How It's Done In Texas

2026-03-26T10:51:00.001-05:00

I saw that which you see above, yesterday, on Facebook, and thought it amusing, partly because it is about my old home state, and makes mentions of Texas, the state I am currently in.

The below text sort of explains the thinking behind the sign...

Washington doesn’t need to explain itself

It has mountains that stop you mid-sentence, evergreen backroads, ferry rides, rainy mornings, and the kind of views that make people move here and immediately start acting like they discovered the place.

Come for the scenery, the coffee, the seafood, and the clean mountain air. Stay for the forests, the coast, the weird little towns, and the feeling that nature is always one turn away.

But if you showed up expecting Washington to trade its identity for somebody else’s version of “better,” you’re probably in the wrong state.

Washington isn’t trying to be Texas. Washington isn’t trying to be Florida. Washington is just being Washington.

So, take in the view, grab some salmon, spend a little money, and let the Pacific Northwest keep doing its thing

My Metro by T-Mobile Payment Declined Unfunny Bad Sitcom Day

2026-03-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

Well. I had myself an absurdist sitcom comedy day yesterday. It had to do with my cell phone provider, Metro PCS. For years I have easily paid my monthly phone bill by simply typing "Pay 50.00" when the "Payments are easy!" text message arrived on my phone.

And then, when the 25th of the month arrived a couple months ago, my attempt to pay, which previously got a thank you text in reply, instead got "Payment declined by your financial institution".

I tried to take care of this via the phone, which was totally frustrating, as I was diverted to T-1 Mobile, which now owns Metro PCS. I gave up on that method. I think I was talking to an out of the country call center. So, I logged into my Metro account, online, which I had done previously when updating the credit card info. This proved equally frustrating. The original log-in did not work. I had to go through multiple hoops with proof it's me codes being sent to my phone.

Eventually I was able to get into my Metro account. Decided to update the credit card to a different one. Did so and made the payment whilst logged in.

The next two months paying was no problem. I'd text PAY 50.00, get the thank you message and thought the problem was over.

And then, yesterday, on the 25th, it happened again, but with the new card. This time I was not going to go through the hassle of trying to fix this online, instead just go to the Metro PCS store a short distance away. Did so, go out of my vehicle to see the sign you see photo documented about, that being the sign on the door, which said "Store Closed Due to Internet Outage Please visit 3634 OLD JACKSBORO HWY Sorry for inconvenience."

Not sure where Jacksboro Hwy was I drove back to my home computer, Googled the address to learn it was a couple miles away.

Upon entering the store I did not realize it had just opened and I was the first customer of the day. I explained the problem. The guy I explained it to said this was nothing Metro caused; it was my bank that declined payment. To which I replied that makes no sense, that for years this worked fine, then a couple months ago, it didn't, I switched to a different bank, and then the same thing happens. The Metro guy suggested maybe there were insufficient funds in both accounts, to which I told him both accounts have thousands of dollars banked.

Below are the text messages my phone received yesterday...

Payments are easy! Pay

$50.00 by 03/25/26

for ACC997816494 by

replying 'PAY 50.00'.

Metro by T-Mobile Terms

& Conditions apply. See

mybty-mo.com/terms

Payment declined by

your financial institution.

To pay using MASTER

CARD ***********6435

reply back 'YES". Metro

by T-Mobile terms and

conditions apply. See

www.metrobyt-

mobile.com/terms

Your request was not

understood. Please go to

Metro by T-Mobile.com

to make a payment.

Metro by T-Mobile terms

and conditions apply.

See www.Metro by

T-Mobile.com/terms

When I went to Metro by T-Mobile to try and make a payment the phone took me to a T-Mobile page requiring a log-in. I don't have a T-Mobile log-in. That was the last straw before I took off to find a Metro store.

So, the Metro guy tells me it takes several minutes to get the system up. Those minutes dragged on and on. The Metro guy was going around the store doing various tasks. Eventually I asked if he'd just opened. Yes, was the reply, and that he was late, due to get stuck in traffic in his drive from Dallas. You drove here from Dallas to open this store? Yes, I do that every day. You drive back to Dallas when you close? Yes, every day.

It is about 140 miles between Dallas and Wichita Falls.

I neglected to mention, the Metro guy was Indian. I asked him if he was Indian after he spoke to another guy in what sounded Indian to me. Yes was his reply, to which I thought so, even before you spoke Indian because of your cool sound Indian accent.

At this point I was thinking this is like being in a live version of a foreign call center.

The Metro guy could tell I was beginning to get a bit annoyed, after about the 5th time I asked how much longer til your system is working. He then said he could take down my info, as in phone number and credit card info and make the payment when the system comes up. Oh, and there is a five-dollar payment support charge added for paying in the store.

At that point the Metro guy says, the system is up. He then accesses my account, points me to a card reader. I tell him this card I am using here is the same one that got declined when I tried to pay via the phone.

I stick the card in, do a weird name signing with an electronic pen. The payment goes through, the Metro guy hands me a receipt, to which I said to him "You do see, don't you, why this is totally absurd? That the card worked fine here, and you are charging me five dollars to pay the bill in the store."

How is such a thing even legal.

I left the store, got in my vehicle, at which point the phone makes the incoming text noise. I swiped the screen dreading that it might be another text from Metro PCS, telling me "Payment Declined."

Nope.

Instead, it was a text message with the regular "Thanks for your $50.00 pymt."

Needless to say, despite being happy with Metro PCS til a couple months ago, I will be finding a new cell phone provider before the 25th of next month...

Sunny Hot Sunday Goosing Sikes Lake

2026-03-22T11:23:00.002-05:00

On this third day of Spring, the 4th Sunday of the 2026 version of March, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some salubrious endorphin acquisition.

A nice breeze was blowing, making the 85 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, not feel too HOT.

The temperature predicted for today is 100 degrees. I suspect the high will end up being higher than 100, since yesterday's predicted high of 97 turned out to be 101.

In the above photo documentation, we are on the west side of the lake, looking southeast. That is a flock of geese lined up on that cement structure which spans the lake. I have no clue what the purpose of that cement structure is.

Or why those geese are lined up on it, instead of enjoying floating on the lake.

My old home zone of Washington state is having a record-breaking heat wave, along with the rest of the west coast. The heat wave is causing the snow pack to melt at a flood causing level.

There is no snowpack anywhere near my current Texas location in danger of being melted by the current heatwave.

Hot First Day Of Spring Sikes Lake Nature Communing

2026-03-20T11:22:00.004-05:00

The temperature was almost 80 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, when I ventured to Sikes Lake for some pleasant nature communing, along with a surprisingly large number of fellow nature communers.

As you can see via the photo documentation of the view from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake, looking southwest, it is a clear blue sky day, on what I think is the first day of the season known as Spring. But my wall calendar is telling me yesterday, March 19 was the day Spring arrived.

I must go Google now to find out, for sure, what season I am currently experiencing.

Well, according to Google my calendar is erroneous. The Vernal Equinox is happening today, March 20.

It seems like only a few weeks ago we were experiencing extreme Winter weather, with snow and a couple days with the temperature sub-zero. It seems like only a few weeks ago, because it was just a few weeks ago.

And now look at what our predicted high is two days from now, that being the day known as Sunday.

100 degrees in March just seems wrong. I suspect we are heading towards a record-breaking HOT summer.

Nature Communing Lucy Park's Jungle-Free Backwoods Jungle

2026-03-18T11:29:00.001-05:00

It was to Lucy Park I ventured this third Wednesday morning of the 2026 version of March, for some actual salubrious outdoor nature communing, after several days of avoiding such, due to the chilly windy outdoor conditions, which have now abated, with today's high getting into the 80s, if the prediction is accurate.

I speed hiked the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle today, photo documented above.

I thought the Lucy Park Backwoods might be in near jungle mode, but the Lucy Park trees have not greened up as much as the trees seem to have greened in non-park locations.

Maybe the temperature is a few degrees cooler in Lucy Park, due to the lack of blacktop and heat producing vehicles which warm up the trees lining streets in town, hence causing the Lucy Park trees to more slowly start to sprout leaves.

Anyway, it was mighty nice to get a dose of endorphins, today, after experiencing withdrawal symptoms the past several days.

Thursday the temperature is scheduled to get into the 90s, so I should have another good day of nature communing tomorrow.