Columns & Opinions

Flooding prompts disaster declaration

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Heavy rains through Texas last week caused flooding, particularly in the Dallas area, prompting Gov. Greg Abbott to issue a disaster declaration for 23 affected counties. Texans who were affected by the rain, which dumped more than 10 inches in Dallas, are encouraged to file insurance claims with their providers and to complete the voluntary Self Reporting Damage Survey issued by the Texas Department of Emergency Management by visiting damage.tdem.texas.gov. The survey helps the state identify damage across Texas to gain an understanding of what areas were affected during the recent severe weather.

Weather or not

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If you wondered why the recent rains came, you can thank me and Zack. And the folks who prayed for it. We learned years ago what works for calling down precious moisture. We don’t use our magic, rain-making superpowers except in dire emergencies. Well, that time had come. 2022 didn’t need to add continued, severe drought to its growing list of crazy.

Farmer’s Almanac predicting a white winter

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As Texas gets at least a temporary reprieve this week from the heat, with a nice round of rain blanketing much of the state, the Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting January will bring significant snowfall to the state.

Texas gas prices lowest in nation

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While gas prices nationwide dropped below $4 per gallon average last week, the state boasts the lowest prices in the country at an average of $3.49 — 50 cents below the national average, according to AAA Texas.

Welcome to my (imaginary) world

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Many people don’t realize that Zack and I have produced the weekly Ranch Tails comic strip above my columns for over 12 years. We previously also provided a weekly editorial cartoon during most of those years. The thousandth cartoon should see print in a year. Or less--- depending on the correctness of my calculations. Math was never my favorite subject. Well, perhaps geometry, which is thankfully visual, a “right-brained” thing. However, Google tells me that the right brain/ left brain theory was debunked in 2013! But I digress. Zack helps make my ideas funnier or my writing more succinct for the cartoons. So he tells everyone he writes them all. This isn’t technically true, but he does author most of them. Sometimes I need to rein him in or admit I don’t “get” his humor. He’s convinced he’s far funnier, and that I have no sense of humor. I can’t control what he thinks, so silent, I smile my knowing smile even when he’s wrong. Besides, I do all the drawing.

Still waters run deep

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LLook how cool, I am--- about to use an abbreviation that isn’t over 50 years old: I’m LMAO about all this “virtue signaling” <--- cool again using new lingo invented by whoever makes this stuff up for the media and directs them to pass it all along to us. Apparently we need new lingo for the weird times in which we now find ourselves.

Drivers urged to be alert as school starts

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Millions of Texas children are heading back to school this month, as early as this week in some districts. The Texas Department of Transportation urges drivers to be especially alert and focused when driving in school zones and near bus stops.

Drawer full of dusty memories

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I’ve been asking Zack for years to help me flip over our ancient, enamel-top kitchen table. I needed to repair a drawer that drops down and backward every time it’s closed, making it almost impossible to reopen. Over the years I gave up both on him ever making time for this--- and ever getting into that drawer again. I was sure if I could just turn it over, I could fix it myself--- well enough to be serviceable. Suddenly, Zack came up with the wonderful idea that we should repair that table! Will wonders never cease? I believe he’s currently in between huge projects, and it’s too hot to paint large buildings that desperately need it. Things around here move more quickly when they’re Zack’s idea. My “ideas” seem to languish in his shop until he assumes I’ve forgotten--- and appropriates whatever item it was that I needed repaired. I lose a lot of great stuff that way.

DSHS gets nearly 15,000 monkeypox vaccines

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The Texas Department of State Health Services has received and distributed 14,780 doses of the monkey pox vaccine to local health departments and DSHS regional offices. Another 27,000 doses could be made available by the Strategic National Stockpile.

Things we file away

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In life, some things are forgotten--- or rather not thought of often. Even big things. If we remembered everything all the time, our heads would probably explode. So a corner of our brains stockpiles old file folders that we can take out, dust off and have a read for old time’s sake. I was exchanging messages with a childhood friend with whom I lose touch with from time to time--- until one of us opens that file cabinet, and we catch up. This most recent spate of emails began with, “Please recommend some books.” This led to literary commentary and stories. Which led to other memories.