The New Face of Food Stamps: Working-Age Americans - ABC News

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Cuero Texas and Pat

Down town Cuero, Texas.  Cute little town about a hundred miles South of Austin.  All I know about it so far is that there are a lot of little antique shops, a Coffee house and some Killer BBQ. Where the Post Office is, where to get LPG and the local HEB and Building supply.  The usual suspects I look for when I'm posted somewhere nearby.  Oh, forgot to find the Laundromat.   Wikipedia calls it the Turkey capitol of Texas.  Population of about 6800.  Either way, we are only 19 miles out and will be here or near here for the next several weeks.  Kind of a fresh perspective after spending so much time outside Kenedy.

We are monitoring truck traffic outside a heated Frac Pond, across the highway from I think a five well Frac job.   Our Boss has presented us with a very intriguing offer.  A two week rotation with another couple ad infinitum.  Job comes with a substantial raise. Means substantial free Beach and fishing time along with some Mountains I'm thinking.  Hopefully this will pan out.

We change hats periodically.  Principally Guards are hired to reduce theft and protect property.Both the Company's and the Land Owner's.  As well as keeping unwanted types from hanging around onsite because several workers actually stay here in large bunk trailers.   Because of the heavy Truck traffic we advise drivers of the Rules of the Road.  Sometime's if it is a more critical type of operation our role becomes much larger and actually filtering traffic to only include essential personnel. Monitoring for PPE, cell phone use,facial hair and ensuring everyone entering the facility is aware of the rules.  Goes something like this:  Conoco Phillips would like you to be aware of company policy that prohibits firearms, alcohol, drugs, paraphernalia explosives and PORNOGRAPHY on site.  Yeah that last part subjects us to much examination and jokes.

I have long since lost my sense of humor about this and when asked by Drivers or Contractors my usual response is "Becuz" and leave it at that.

Lisa on the other hand, God bless her I love her, explains that upper management probably doesn't allow Porn on site because the young guys would probably be stealing it from each other and fighting over it causing substantial disruption.  Better it not be around at all.  This answer seems to satisfy everybody who asks much more than my response. Telling it like it is: My Wife/ Mom/former PO.



                                   Today I learned my friend Pat died.   

I'll grieve for Pat. I was looking forward to seeing him in a couple of weeks and buying him lunch,  Guess that will have to wait.  I'm not sure he would have grieved, even for himself. Hardheaded SOB. Possessed the darkest sense of humor of anyone I have ever known.  But you know what?   He was funny and no matter how sacred the subject, Pat laughed at it.  An Obituary will come out and I won't step on any toes of the family here I hope but Pat could really fill a room.  I have known Pat since I was 19.  I had been on the high school Varsity wrestling team as a Sophomore and I could hold my own with almost anyone except Pat's younger brother Danny who would just take me out.  Bamm.  Danny wouldn't be nice about it and there would be substantial humiliation and trash talk along with the whupping which I kind of learned was the signature of the Touchette's.  After I graduated, I went to work in a local Pizza joint Me'n Eds.  There I thought I saw Danny in the kitchen and  I wasn't looking forward to that experience again.   Then I noticed that this one was a huge hulking Touchette who seemed even meaner.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  Back then Pat was extremely loyal to his friends.  But the rest of the world, holy cow.  A couple of tours as a Scout Sniper in Vietnam probably also helped shape his already one in a million personality I'm sure.  But some of the life experiences Pat told me over the years starting with how when his father, a military and commercial pilot was stationed in the Middle East.  His mother home alone with Pat and his other siblings killed an intruder who had climbed into the apartment from a balcony.  He joined the Marines at a really young age and went to war, a couple of times.  I guess that was his mantra the rest of his life, Pat was always going to war, mostly with Authority. But occasionally Pat could do that with style. He told me about confronting an Administrator years past who he suspected was planting illicit drugs on an inmate.  I suspect the story true but despite his colorful life, Pat also embellished a bit for whatever reason I'll never know.  He followed up with law enforcement, if memory serves me right initially in Los Angeles CA.  and Dept of Corrections.  In 1981 Pat was one of the small team sent in to reclaim the Prison during the 1981 riot when the inmates destroyed the institution.  He is seen on old news reels describing the crises at that time in riot gear carrying an M16.  Later on he got in a lot of trouble for shooting an automatic weapon through the roof of a tent set up to house the rebellious convicts who had destroyed the cell blocks. He got his point across.  He later became a TFPD Police Officer and finally ended his career as a Parole Officer whom I worked with for several years.  Two incidents really stand out in my mind.  The first being when we were  sent out to check on a young man in a rural location.  Wound up being a big drug bust for which we didn't get an ounce of credit for as is customary for the ID Dept of Correction.  But after taking up positions in front and behind the house I heard Pat calling for my help.  I ran into the front door as I heard scuffling in the back. A guy barricaded himself in the back room.  He had opened the door naked swinging a sword.  Pat told the guy he was going to shoot him, so the guy ran.  He eventually gave up but this forever became the "There can be only One Hahhhh Hahhh Hahhhh" incident as anybody who knew him knew that laugh.  Later years when Pat's vision and hearing went all to hell but he still insisted on driving, I was riding with him one night.   We had just barely made a corner that he hadn't seen until the last second when I started yelling "Family of Skunks" "huh"? FAMILY OF SKUNKS"  "HUH"? We missed em but then he started yelling at me "Why didn't you say something?'  As a PO he dished out legendary Ass Chewings but also came down hard on one drug using woman who was pregnant.  Setting her up with medical and prenatal Vitamins. Most former probationers I have run into over the years have mostly said good things about Pat.   I remember how he treated my children and invited me to Easter service his family with my toddler daughter who sat on his shoulders for half the service.  The last time I saw Pat was in Home Depot in Twin Falls.  He was talking about his upcoming trip to Greece and I was talking about hitting the road.  Folks will have feelings both ends of the Spectrum for Pat but if I can die leaving as big a hole as he did, I'll feel pretty good about myself.  Guess I'll shut up now but I was really looking forward to that lunch.  Hard headed ol Bastard.  RIP Bud.

Carl and Loris New House

 Bemused sitting here under the AC on January 19th outside Cuero, Texas whilst the temp in Idaho reads in the low forties and their are blizzard warnings abounding throughout the US.  Unlike here however.  (Course Idaho and other places probably experience the same jubilation when Texas is under some other natural disaster phenom)  Anywhoo, our newest jobsite is a two week rotation with another couple on a Water Heater near a Frac Pond.  Quite the sweet gig.  Anyway getting ahead of myself.  After Livingston we made the 250 mile drive back to Austin to Visit Carl and Loris.  Arriving about Ten PM on a Saturday night.  Because of our careful planning we hit the Saturday night downtown traffic just at it's peak.  Yeah, like we planned.  Actually, I don't think we have come this close to death our entire trip.  The freeway traffic consisted of about half vehicles and half loaded tractor trailers moving bumper to bumper at 70 plus mph.  The tiny ramps afforded us allowed the little 302 pulling the big lard assed trailer, mine included, to be making only about 35mph which we were trying to futiley merge with this traffic stream of Doom.  (there I said it) Eventually though we managed to make our way through side roads, alleys and back yards to where we were going.  As a result,I am a little grayer and a little balder.    But, Austin is much closer to the area where we usually work in the event we got called back to be assigned a gate.  In addition to fixing the Clutch to the tune of a thousand bucks, once in Austin I also needed to replace the front Brakes on the Bronco and also finally installed the scissor jacks on our little Castle.   Mostly, however we wanted to see the just finished new home that Carl and Loris had built,  that was just being started when we left, and  is the topic of conversation and curiosity of various family members.  That Carl and Loris would move from the House located across the street and where they have lived the past 40 odd years.  

Anyway, they enlisted the help of Darcy Baylis.  Oldest daughter and my Cousin.  Darcy got into this thirteen years ago after a short teaching career https://www.facebook.com/AubreyHomesInc

View from the front

                                         


                     View from foyer after entering the front door

Gorgeous Garage Door

The Elusive Carl kept hopping to get out of the picture hehe.

So anyway, following the "Call" we headed out at Three AM to avoid a repeat of the Austin Nightmare.  Guess what detached from the Tranny just as we were leaving.  Really, now?  Figured how to get it out of low range but really?, now.

Came across a couple of cool things.  One plan that is in the works.  The bottom one.

This is from a nonrev site called Dargal.  But I am sure a comparable deal is available somewhere else and If I find it I will list it here.  This is a ship reposition to Europe and one is forced to find transportation back elsewhere.  Obviously, we will go for the last minute.  But still trying to hammer the details.  Anyone care to join?  Also checked flights from Barcelona to Amsterdam and tickets as low as 81.00, because, obviously we intend to followup Barcelona with Amsterdam.  

Speaking of travelling, we recently enrolled in Good Sam.  They have an emergency evacuation policy for the year in the event of injury or illness. The whole roadside assistance and traveller's package was a little over a hundred bucks.  Paid for itself on the first tow out of Livingston.

Finally, after all of the Brewhaha (have no idea how that is spelled) we elected to get ourselves insured.  After looking over the plans on Healthcare.gov rather than choosing online, we thought it would be better if we could speak with a representative who could answer our questions.  We really have to think in terms of budget and because we imagine anyway that we are pretty healthy we went with HMO.  Fairly high deductible but frankly I am happier with it than the $450.00 monthly policy I had carried the past couple of years.  Came out to $177.00 per month.  90 minute phone call and hopefully we will have coverage as of the first of February. We got right through and recieved a policy and ID number.  Pretty painless.  Supposedly Blue Cross is two weeks behind and we were unable to pay right away but were told we will have coverage the day we pay.

Likely will be driving back to Idaho in prep for another trip to Las Algadones for some follow up Dental.  Otherwise just not a whole lot exciting going on.  Ending with this little tidbit that I acquired of FB the other day that only old folks will remember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOy6M_X2MO8&feature=share