June 3, 2006 - Lake Texoma, OK
We've sort of settled into a routine here. Barb working at the office Monday through Thursday from 9 to 1 has shifted some of the "pink" jobs to the "blue" job person. Mondays I'll take her to work, then continue into town (Denison, TX) to do the laundry and hit Wally World for groceries, etc., then pick her up on my way home. Unless there's a delay someplace along the line, in which case I'll take her to work on Tuesday as well and do the shopping then. Of course, we'll vary the routine and she'll drive herself to work and when she comes home we'll go shopping together. Then once we're home we'll have lunch, and pretty much spend the rest of the day enjoying our air-conditioning.
If I happen to think the fishing will be any good, I'll get up at 5:30 and fish for an hour or so before coming home to fix breakfast for us. Haven't been catching anything yet. But neither have the guys who are good at it, so I'm not feeling badly. Spent $24 on a longer, stiffer rod the other day. First time I've bought a rod since one of the neighbor boys stepped on one of mine sometime around 1990. Tough decision. We're surrounded by good bait shops, Wal-Mart, and Gander Mountain. All good sources for all kinds of fishing gear.
In the evenings we'll usually take a walk, gawk at the other campers, and watch the water to see if any striped bass are feeding. During the days Barb takes herself to work, I'll busy myself trying to get the finish on the Road Abode to look decent again. I let the driver's side go too long between waxing, and the 5 months of sitting in salt water air didn't help any either. Finally broke down and bought a Porter Cable 7424 dual-action buffer. What a gem! Makes me wonder why I waited so long to buy it. While not making the job fall into the "fun" category, it sure comes close. Using some rubbing compound to get the dull oxidized finish to shine, and then using it again to apply the polish. Sure does make the job easier and quicker. Also managed to talk myself into buying those great Mothers polishing balls for the wheels. Haven't tried them yet, but at the rate this 7424 makes the job go, I'll probably be doing the wheels by the end of the week. Then we'll really get a workout as I move up onto the roof (you wouldn't believe the mess from the cottonwood tree). It's never been done, and really needs it badly. Wish me luck!
Here's a neighbor, and some neighbors to be, if they make it. Killdeers all over the place here, and the maintenance guy, Rick, who does the mowing avoids running over the nests when he can. This one is very near the shortcut people from the boat ramp use to go to the pit toilets, and we've got raccoons and snakes, and a feral cat running around. I don't give them much of a chance, but Barb is hoping for all she's worth that she gets to see the little fuzz balls running around following their mama.
And speaking of snakes, I think this is a Texas Rat Snake, but I'm not sure. That's why I'm using the fishing rod to raise its head so I can see what coloration it has on its underside. Besides, we're in Oklahoma, not Texas. Barb spotted it right behind the Road Abode. Pretty blue eyes, eh? About 4-5' long and pretty skinny with an oval shaped head and very pointed end to its tail, so I was pretty sure it wasn't venomous. Pretty sure. Not positive.
Up, up, and away!! While I was taking shots of that one on the ground, we noticed a mocking bird giving somebody a bad time at the site next to us. It was charging and yelling at the base of their cottonwood tree. I went over, the bird left, and here's a second snake just like the one I'd been taking pictures of, and this one is going up the tree! Since it's rare for us to see snakes climbing trees, we had to take some pictures of it. Whoever was living in that hole must have been surprised. We know they do that, and we enjoyed the way the red caucaded woodpecker in Florida will drill around its home hole so the sap will run out and keep the snakes out (they won't cross the sticky line), but we'd never actually watched a snake climb a tree before.
When you go into the Denison, TX, dam office to see Barb, this cat will greet you. Won't say much because it's mouth is full.
Nice job of taxidermy on both the bobcat and Chinese ring necked pheasant. And there's Eva, the woman that wanted to capture Barb the moment she found out we were interested in volunteering and that Barb had office experience.
From left to right Stephanie, Barb, Vivian (moving to a new job in El Paso, TX, next week), Pat (another volunteer), and Eva. Just as we were leaving, Biz, Pat's husband and also volunteer (checks people in at the gatehouse), came to pick up some stuff for Pat and I caught them both.
There's my hard working bride at her very own desk (it's really been a long time since that happened). Then on the way out, we spotted this scissor-tailed flycatcher. You can easily see it's not always facing in this direction! A delicately colored bird, half of whose total length consists of tail which opens up like scissors in flight.
We love to watch these little birds fly. It's easy to see how they got their name. Then it showed us its armpit (wingpit?) and left. Pretty colors, eh?
Even on a slow day, something is going on. These orioles (formerly Baltimore, now Northern) are tough to catch sitting or standing still, but they sure are colorful. Would you look at the feet on that bug sitting on my shoe (which was on the picnic table drying). And its horns. To say nothing of its obviously jointed antenna. Wicked looking mouth too. Sure glad it's not horse sized!
If you'd like to receive an e-mail notifying you whenever an update is done, just send a message telling us. Your address will go no further than my personal address book.