August 1

    I would like to tell you about my best friend (outside of Hilda, my significant other, that is). He and I met in Tombstone in 1970 or so. We did stunt work together, we drank together (a lot), and we talked together (again, a lot).

    Dr Stanley S. McGowen (of Weatherford, Texas) has been blind for twenty years. He was in the U.S. Army when it happened. He had been an Infantry Platoon Leader in Vietnam, Military Intelligence Officer with the 101st Airborne, helicopter pilot and Company Commander. He served 21 years in the Army. He resigned his commission when President Carter pardoned the draft dodgers. However, he missed the Army a lot and went back in after a few years and had to take a Warrant Officer slot as a helicopter pilot, as there were no Major's slots available.  
   A plane crash in 1990 took his sight. After multiple operations, "Valdez" (as we call him) went back to college at Texas Christian and got his MA and  PhD in History. After teaching college for ten years and writing a few books he decided to retire. You really should get a copy of 'Horse Sweat and Powder Smoke ... The 1st Texas Cavalry in the Civil War'. It is published by Texas A&M University Press. Although it is a history book, it is a really good read. You also might like his book of stories from Vietnam titled "You Ain't Gonna Believe This, But ...". It is published by Trafford Press. I believe that both are available online.
    Valdez was the coordinator of the “Texas Project,”which was inaugurated by the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF). It offered America’s injured veterans the opportunity to participate in various outdoor events.  During those years as Texas Project Coordinator, and member of Safari Club International’s Veteran’s Committee, McGowen organized programs that allowed over 200 injured Veterans and family members to participate in hunting and other outdoor activities.  Recently Dr. McGowen was instrumental in the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) initiating legislation which permits legally blind hunters to utilize laser sights to hunt game animals in Texas, greatly enhancing visually impaired hunters’s chance of success.
   Stan (Valdez) was the first and only  blind person to kill the Cape Buffalo in the wild in Africa. He has many kills of game animals in the U.S. and Canada and also in Africa. He has killed an elephant (a rogue, that was bothering villagers) ... at night. Every time that life starts to get me down, I think of Stan and how he has dealt with what has been handed to him. He is a remarkable human being and I am proud that he is my friend. Hilda and I and my nietos (G-kids) love him and his wife Jolene to death.
                  Go get 'em Valdez!
   He just returned from another trip to Africa, and sent me this e-mail:

  The hunt was bought 2 years ago at auction. I was trying to bid up the hunt to make more money for our SCI chapter and got caught when bidding stopped. The hunt was for Gemsbok (Oryx) mostly, but for other plains game, including black wildebeest. Hunt was successful as you may see.

                                       

Last Day of July

   Here it is the last day of July 2011 A.D. (Anno Domini ... in the year of our Lord) that's what I was taught. But some people wrongly believe it means After Death. The Liberals extant call it C.E. for Common Era (I always tell them that it means Christian Era), but I'm an "A.D." man. Your upbringing has a lot to do with a lot of things I guess. 

   Nothing much going on here in the desert Southwest. My nieto (grandson) Abel Anthony Rigney is still living with Hilda and me and still looking for work. His brother Devin (16) and his cousin Stevie (13) were up here with us for a week. It was great seeing them. It is amazing how much they have grown. You only notice that when you are away from them for a while.

Steve Jr., Abel Anthony, me and Devin

    Hilda has been really sick the last few days with the flu. It bothers me when she is suffering. I am hope she gets better soon. I was at the American Legion Post 36 this AM doing some paperwork (I am the Commander this year) and then I got the Sunday paper and came home. Have to go back there this afternoon and tomorrow some. Met the Department Commander's wife today. He was down from Phoenix and stopped by to see me at the Legion.

   Got a cute joke the other day:

                 If you know baseball, then tell me what's going on in this game.

                           

   O.K. ... "5 to 4, ... bottom of the fifth, ... one out, ... and no one on!   Simple, huh?

     We are awaiting some more monsoonal rains today. We haven't had much here in the Tucson valley. The mountains that loom over the city have gotten a lot. But, we are better off than our Texas friends and family. They are dryer than a popcorn fart. Brother Mickey in Ft Worth and Valdez (Dr. McGowen) 40 miles west of there in Weatherford are experiencing hot and dry weather.

    Not many interesting birthdays today, except for J.K. (Joanne) Rowling (46) who gave us Harry Potter. But yesterday we had (among others):

Arnold Schwarzeneger turned 64 ... he looks 75

Ed "Kookie" Byrnes  was 78 ... if you can remember him, U R old! (like me)

Paul Anka turned 70

Delta Burke was 55

Hilary Swank turned 47 ... two time Oscar winner and still beautiful

Vivica Fox made 47 ... she was Will Smith's girlfriend in 
     Independence Day (I just re-watched that)

Also of note - Casey Stengal ... born in 1891 and Henry Ford born in 1863.

Also important in history yesterday:

In 1619, the first elected legislative assembly in the New World, the House of Burgesses, convened in the choir loft of the town's church in Jamestown, Virginia.
In 1729, Baltimore, Maryland was founded.

In 1936, author Margaret Mitchell sold the film rights for "Gone With the Wind" to MGM for $50,000 (not a lot in today's money), most ever for a first novel.  

In 1956, President Dwight 'Ike' Eisenhower signs "In God We Trust" into law.

Sunday the 10th

We are straightening out items in the new apartment and should feel at home in a day or so. We have gotten a few monsoonal showers, but nothing huge yet. Here are a few views from our 3rd floor apartment. These were taken during our rain the other day.

 

July 7th et al

   Thursday night (and Friday morning) here at the new Casita de Poeta Baracho (in English ... the little house of the drunken poet). We are starting to relax, even though the new apartment is still a mess. It will become "Home" when the picture of the 'Old Man' (a painting that I have, done by Tony Russell in the 70's) is hanging on the wall. That should happen tomorrow.

   The lovely Ms Hilda's blood sugar has been giving her (and me) fits. It has dropped drastically every day at least once. Hopefully it will chill out after a while. I am (and will probably remain) extremely tired ... between the move, working all last week and the "Commander" thing at the Legion. But it too shall pass (as they say).

   Tomorrow, after a morning at the Legion doing business ... I shall start on some picture hanging, et al at the casita.

 

    A man is sitting at home alone when he hears a knock on the front door. When he opens the door he finds two deputy sheriffs. Understandably, he asks if there is a problem. One of the deputies asks if he is married and, if so, could they see a picture of his wife. The guy says, "Sure," removes his wallet and opens it to a photo of his wife. The deputy says, "I'm sorry sir, but it looks as if  your wife has been hit by a truck." The man replies, "I know, but she has a great personality and she is an excellent cook."

 

July 7th is my late mother's birthday and is also the birthday of my sister-in-law Patricia (Mickey's wife). It is also the birthday of:

 

** Ringo Starr born Richard Starkey July 7 in 1940 (age 71) ... we (my generation) are getting OLD!. He was under-rated at the time for his drumming, but with passing years has become a great influence on other drummers stylistically. His drumming style with the Beatles was not flashy as most of the drummers of the day were. But, in these days since, he is recognized as a good drummer.

 

** In 1927, Charlie Louvin, half (with his brother Ira) of the country duet/group The Louvin Brothers. They were known for their tight harmonies and influenced people like Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, and others.Their real last name was  Loudermilk. He was a cousin of songwriter John D. Loudermilk. He left the Brother-Act to serve in the military in WWII and in Korea.

 

Events on July 7th:

1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy ... 25 years after her death

1550 - Chocolate was introduced

1753 - British Museum founded by an Act of Parliament (opens in 1759)

 

On July 8th, we have birthdays for:  Toby Keith ... 1961, Kevin Bacon ...1958, Nelson Rockefeller 1908 and his grandfather John D Rockefeller (the founder of Standard Oil ... Esso, Conaco, et al).

 

On July 9th, we have Tom Hanks ... 1956, and O.J. Simpson ... 1947.