January - February 2026 Ft Worth, Austin, Seattle
The New Year brought a full schedule to keep us busy, you know what they say about idle minds. After taking care of routine home chores in Austin we decided to fly up to Ft. Worth this three week trip to manage a family estate. Our good friend Jeffery in Aledo had given us the name of a driver he uses to go to and from Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport. Turns out better service and cheaper than Uber with a personal touch! We arrived on a sunny warm day and the traffic was not to bad on the drive to the West side of Ft. Worth.
January
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One of the first things we did was organize yet another lunch with our Dallas/Ft Worth friends. Martti, Cookie, Roxanne, Jeff, and me.
Seems everyone had plenty to talk about.
Before we left Seattle I became aware that my friend Jeff had bought a go-cart frame in the Portland Oregon area. Jeff has been racing and messing around with Go Carts since I knew him in Jr. High. His younger brother, who lives in Portland, has been storing the go-cart in his garage for nearly a year. Jeff knows that Martti and I both travel to and from the PNW on a regular basis and wondered if we might be able to stop by his brothers home and bring the go-cart back to Texas. Well, I took this mission on and started trying to plan a way to get that cart to Texas. Fortunately I have a very bright granddaughter who lives in Portland and she helped me figure out a solution. Due to connections we were able to arrange to have it shipped back to Texas and I really did not know how well this would turn out. After a call to Jeffs brother in Portland, he agreed to build a shipping crate for the go-cart. The rest just fell into place. |
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| Phil obviously has great woodworking skills! |
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| This is as professional job as it can be! |
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| While waiting for the cart to arrive Jeff agreed to take a mini-bike that had been in the Ft Worth family since the 50's. He knew all about it and knew what to do with it! |
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| An imposing sunset in Ft. Worth, weather is on its way for sure! |
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth |
The Air Force Reserve Command's Tenth Air Force (10 AF) headquarters and the 301st Fighter Wing and its flying squadron the 457th Fighter Squadron continue to be based at the installation. The Wing is currently (2024) converting to the F-35 Lightning II after operating the F-16 for 32 years. The 136th Airlift Wing of the Texas Air National Guard and its flying components.
The South end of the runway at NAS JRB Ft, Worth is just a mile from the shop. Several times a day 3-4 of these F-35 Lightening take off or land and fly directly over the shop. They are extremely loud of you are outside when they fly directly overhead. She shop is located in this small industrial area. To Hear it See: https://youtube.com/shorts/AzIQB1CCL28 ,but turn your volume up to Max! |
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| Small Town Texas Lawyer visit to take care of some documents. |
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| The weather showed up, This ain't snow, its all sleet and a few inches deep, when you step on it it is like a very slick ice cap, your feet do not even sink down in it! |
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| We were marooned along with the rest of the neighborhood and city for 5 days!, on the 5th day the sun came out and it all began to melt. I borrowed a shovel from the next door neighbor and started shoveling the drive way, Shoveling hard ice stuck to the concrete was nothing like shoveling snow! |
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| The Amazing thing is Jeff's Go Cart frame was delivered during this weather event, What a Driver! Getting a true Texas work out today! |
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| After I shoveled our drive I went next door and shoveled a neighbors drive so she could get out and get to a grocery store. That afternoon we drove to the shop and I shoveled out the drive way there because the very next day a crowd was showing up to pick up whatever they bought during the online auction to liquidate the contents of the shop. I was sore for a few days but my muscles needed the work out anyway. |
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| We had a couple of boxes we filled with things to take to the Tarrant County Archives, They were thrilled to get this gem, one of the archivist there was actually a Roller Derby Girl! |
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| We never thought of donating the several vintage yardsticks, this exhibit at the Archives. |
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| We inadvertently hit the wrong elevator button as we were leaving the Archives but we got to revisit this Auditorium named for the Admirals, Step Uncle. |
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| We had a sunny afternoon with a couple of hours between appointments so we took the short drive to hang out at the Ft Worth Stock yards, it happens to be during the 2026 Ft Worth Stock Show events so it was busy down there! |
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| Hahh! This pony ride reminded me of my days in Big Spring, TX. My dad put a pony ride just like this out front of his Clover Bowl Bowling Alley to draw customers in for bowling, thinking that they would bring their kids and bowl while they were there. He paid me to run the pony ride. There was a small stables in the back lot of the Bowling alley. I would saddle up the ponies, walk or ride them down, hitch them up to the carousel and wait for customers, I was about 8 years old. But this was Big Spring, TX most kids already had a horse! |
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| You can get your picture on a Longhorn |
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| There was a crowd gathered here to hear the history of the introduction of Longhorns in Texas. |
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| Billy Bob's, we didn't have time to go in but it was fun to walk by. |
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| Do you watch Landman? The Admiral wanted to visit the Bowie House for noon tea. This hotel, bar, and restaurant was in several scenes in the series Landman. Rooms here go for $600+ a night. Since the Hotel is just near the Will Rogers Coliseum and Stock Yards and just a short drive from the Ft, Worth Stock Yards and Rodeo, and since the Rodeo and Stock Show was in full swing it had to be interesting to hang out there, and it was. |
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| We had green tea with Ritz and Dip! |
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| There were some very interesting dressed folks coming and going but this is not the place to be taking those kind of pics. |
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| Make no mistake about Ft. Worth |
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| A couple of days later we had another lunch with friend Jeff who was instrumental in helping us by providing the perfect recommendations for persons who could help us navigate property management concerns. |
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| This is in Aledo, Texas and while it's not as good as Luling its pretty darn close and since I eat a full plate of BBQ about every two years I was thrilled. |
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Our job is done here for now. A online auction company liquidated the contents of this 3,000 sq ft. building and even swept the floors before they left!
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| Clearing skies |
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| With the newer "truck that can" packed, we headed back to Austin. |
