In Texas, spring brings rains.  While it is good to focus on the refilling of the water reservoirs, the excessive rains produce the inevitable flooding.  And, my wife has found running after the dog when there is so much moisture in the air can be quite “dampening” to her clothing.  Unfortunately, when the rains settle in for a week or so, the humidity and overall dampness elevates a couple of “normal” things to near life threatening.

Yesterday, as I was driving my daughters to school, I was grateful the rain had stopped…..if not completely stopped, just a light mist.  It was so light I had turned off the windshield wiper.  As I drove west on a 3 lane city street, I was in the far left lane.  Right after clearing a set of train tracks, the road had a low spot.  My lane was completely water free, but the car to the right of me had a different path.  As he hit the low spot, my windshield was deluged with massive (when you are driving at 40 mph, any amount of water preventing safe visibility is WAY to much) amounts of water.  I was trying to keep the car in my lane until I remembered where the windshield wiper switch was at.  The girls gasps in the back seat elevated the pressure slightly.  Instincts were still operating so what seemed like 5 seconds was likely only a fraction of one.  The rapidly cleared windshield allowed the the “daughter delivery” to take place without incident.  (This morning following another night of rain, I was in the middle lane.  The driver in the far right lane hit the low spot again.  Very temporary panic was almost immediately replaced with full windshield visibility.  I think I have the reflex practically automated now–like the hand on hot surface.  Old dogs can still learn new tricks!!)

Last nights grilling of hot dogs and hamburgers nearly turned into an event where I lost my face.  After scraping the cooking service of the grill, I lowered the lid of the grill.  I turned all 4 burners on and hit the “starter” button a couple of times.  After  hearing the clicking sound a couple of times without hearing the “whoosh-like” sound of the flames claiming all of the fuel within the closed grill, I thought maybe the propane tank was out of fuel.  As I thought about this possibility briefly, I starting smelling propane leaking out of the cracks in the grill.  Although the smell should have immediately caused me to run OR turn off the gas, I did not.  Almost immediately thereafter while I was lost in my thoughts, the major WHOOSH engulfed the grill.  Flames temporary claimed the propane in the storage area below the grill.  My utterance of an “Uhhhhh”, the display of what could only have been a look of horror with mouth agape, and rapidly backing up 5 steps (one more step would have taken me into the pool) even caused my daughter to open the back door to check on me.  Since she never worries about me on the grill, I can only guess my outdoor exclamation penetrated the walls of the house with little loss of volume.  While still mentally regrouping, it was good to know the 911 call would have gone out quickly should this adventure have gone a different direction.

As the meat was loaned to the grill to be ravaged there, I willingly sacrificed the hairs on my arms to its consuming desire.  In retrospect, the grill igniter or other components were a little damp to immediately perform their required function.  This pitfall of humidity was a new experience BUT one not quickly forgotten.

While waiting for my daughter’s softball game to start, we could not help but pause and watch the t-ball kids play.  It seems whether playing soccer or t-ball or probably any other sport when kids in the 4-5 age range are involved, they pose extra challenges to coaches, referees and the fans.

1. The coaching staff is not sitting on the bench.  Every one of them is out there on the field trying to keep the kids focused on the ball….at least at the point where the batter’s bat impacts the ball off of the tee.
2. It is expected the base runners will jump up and down on the bases.  They will also wave at their parents in the stands.  They may leave the base as they become distracted.  One thing they rarely if ever need to worry about is being tagged out.  “Force” outs seem to the only way you will get out. (Unless you hit the ball and forget to run to first base….then they may get tagged out.)
3. The coach of the team at bat needs to be very careful while putting the ball on the tee.  Unexpected enthusiasm could make his head look like a ball on a tee.
4. The umpire is really a coach with an asterisk.  In the brief time we were watching, I saw him pick up a player and move him to another part of the field.  Not sure why…?
5. No kids are on the bench.  And, no kids are in the outfield.  Almost every square meter of the infield has a kid kicking up his required cloud of dust.
6. From the kids perspectives, getting an out is not the goal.  Being the first one of the swarm to pounce on the ball is enough.  If you get the ball first and make an effort to chase the base runner to the bag, your parents will probably buy you a Happy Meal.
7. Little kids in uniforms are kind of like when a person wears the uniform of the armed forces.  The military person always looks brave.  The kid just looks cute.  There are pony tails (it was co-ed), neon cleats and ill fitting gloves.  The batting helmets may not fit snugly and wobble a bit.  They are wearing uniforms that are similar to those of major league teams but shrunk to 1/4 of their previous size.  It almost gives the kids a “midget” like look.  It brings a smile to your face to watch them!

If I watched more of their games, I am sure I would have noticed more.   Not only did watching bring a smile, but it also brought back memories of a coach I knew 10 or 15 years ago who got the privilege of feeling the pride of coaching his own kids.  And, maybe that was the best part of my brief time Saturday as a tee ball fan.

The dentist visit on Thursday was not as rosy as the visits of my youth.   Since my mouth and the associated gums are now past the half century mark, new issues are emerging. My gums are not as fit as they once were.  My enamel may still be the hardest substance in my body, but there is less of it now then when I began my adult journey.  As the dentist fixed the necessary issues to hopefully stretch me out until 6 months hence, he gave me the lecture on sweetened drinks.  So, while I thought I had done myself a favor by doing an 80/20 sweetened black mango tea mix, it now appears I need to go full 100% non-sweet…..

The local Quik Trips (QT) come in two styles.  The low end style had the 6 tea options – regular, black mango, and pineapple/papaya with sweet and non-sweet version of each.  The higher end locations have these flavors plus raspberry, passion fruit and maybe one other–all with sweet and non-sweet options.  As a long time fan of the black mango tea with a new found need to try and  eliminate any sweetener, I first attempted to get a cup of black mango tea on a recent high-end QT visit.  With my taste buds and brain anticipating the flavor from previous tea purchases, I was virtually assured of being disappointed.  And, of course, I was.  The goal now was to find the best tasting non-sweetened tea.

I am not gifted enough to make this taste testing exciting enough to fill multiple paragraphs.  I did end up trying the passion fruit non-sweetened.  After a quick sip, I was intrigued enough to buy a full cup.  As the drink followed me to my daughter’s softball game, my wife also had a chance to be pleased when she sampled the new flavor.  Until it is not the winner, non-sweetened passion fruit tea will be my high-end QT drink of choice.

While I use this post to note my change in tea, it really is how I choose to manage my aging body.  If an expert has an interest in keeping me the best me I can be and if he/she gives me advice, I would be foolish to not heed there recommendations.  If an expert told me to give up a food I really liked, I would be dancing with the devil (or allowing him to pick out some music) if I did not modify my behavior based on their guidance.  All during our lives, we have the ability to alter behavior based on the instructions of those who have wisdom in a specific area.  Whether the advice is free or paid for, life is a series of choices.  Educated choices will get you ahead more often than emotional ones.  When my body practically turns to dust while I look at it in the mirror, I will error on the side of less dust….

When you are perceived as being patriotic does it make your house sell better?  The “Coming Soon” realtor sign continues to be in our neighbor’s yard.  I have no recollection prior to them listing their house of EVER seeing a flag in their yard.  Assuming their realtor is worth anything at all, I can see no reason why they would start doing something new when all of their actions could be interpreted in a negative way by any possible buyers.  So, using this logic, it only seems logical being patriotic is good.  And, by extension, does that mean the political party that seems more proud of the flag is a better bet than the party that is not know for waving the flag?  I suppose part of the question will be answered in November, and the other question will be answered in the coming days. (Assuming they realtor and the flag theory are accurate.)

My daughter has been trying to “work” with the family to make us healthier.  While, in my opinion, we, as a family, have not done badly.  We don’t eat out often.  We attempt to have sit down meals more nights per week than not.  And, rarely do we neglect vegetables and/or fruit with our meals.  We have tried to work with her to make this a reality for our family meals.

I thought my breakfast was immune to the healthier options – toast with peanut butter and 2 cups of coffee.  On my own, I have attempted to only toast “healthy” non-white bread.  Little did I know chia seeds were a necessary part of my healthier options.  Beginning last summer, I began sprinkling a couple of pinches of chia seeds on each of my slices of bread.  (Occasionally a bagel)  If I chose to neglect the chia seeds one day and my daughter noticed, she would volunteer to “help” me out.  In almost all cases since then, toast w/peanut butter is accompanied by chia seeds.

Last fall, a visit to the dentist didn’t go well.  After letting me know I had a few cavities or near cavities, he kindly lectured me on my need to limit my drinking of sweet tea and eating of sweet items.  I accepted his assessment.  I didn’t give up sweet tea, but I did dilute it more.  I didn’t give up sweets entirely, but the yummy gummy bears and other sweets that like to adhere to teeth were eliminated.  I flossed with more commitment (I made sure the floss fully circulated in all of the areas between my teeth).  I brushed with more attention to the areas where the decay seemed to be the most consistently showing up.

Just a few months following this visit (not the 6 months typically seen between visits), my teeth (one tooth actually) decided they needed some additional dental TLC.  At first glance, I seemed to be imagining the pain.  An x-ray confirmed I would be the proud parent of another filling.  This cavity, as many of the others from a few months ago, was right in the area between my teeth – it was not on the top or sides.

With the most recent visit less than two months in the past and my 6 month checkup only a few weeks in the future, I was finding my teeth beginning to rebel again.  Yesterday, a “filling” (really a covering for the exposed lower tooth due to my receding gums) came loose and was nearly swallowed.  As I sought to see the partially naked tooth this morning in the mirror, I realized how the gaps between my teeth (not all , but 5 or 6) were still the “proud” owners of there very own chia seed wrapped in a bit of mostly chewed bread with a little peanut butter on the side.  It is then I recalled a comment I made to my daughter earlier this week, “The great thing about eating chia seeds is you get to taste them throughout the day.”

As I played detective and assembled the evidence and the comments of my dentist, “I don’t know if I have ever seen decay this rapid.”, I can’t help but blame the chia seeds.  Since I do have some gum recession, the chia seeds have a nice snug place to hide for a few hours until my tongue finds them every day.  While they hide in the comfort of my teeth and the bread, every drink of semi-sweet tea and every other sweet thing that enters my mouth is easily absorbed by the bread.  The chia seed keeps its “family” tucked tightly into my teeth gaps until my tongue sets it free.  But, while there, it is giving everything sweet that enters my mouth and is absorbed by the bread a license to damage my teeth in any way possible.

I know the chia seeds visit my various teeth randomly.  I know they are not being vindictive–just a little ornery.  I cannot judge all chia seeds in everyone’s mouth, but as for me and my mouth, chia seeds are not their friend.

When it gets right down to it, I like every time of the year for one reason or another.  I like certain seasons over others because of the weather.  I hate the Texas summer heat, but I like it because I don’t have to play taxi getting my girls back and forth to school.  I like the winter because I have fewer outdoor projects and can read more.  And, the winter seems to be the time for one of my favorite fruits, clementines.

(I am now retracing my personal memories of clementines.  I am really not interested if it is the actual truth.  It is my truth, and it is good enough for me.)

Growing up, I don’t remember clementines.  The only time citrus seemed to enter our house was when we bought fruit from the FFA(Future Farmers of America).  [We did have an older couple who also sent us a box from Florida nearly every summer.]  In my youth, I don’t remember eating many oranges. (We did almost always take vitamins)  I know my parents had grapefruit cut in sections for breakfast, so I believe the box was heavier on grapefruit then on anything else.  Other than that, my memory of clementines, the little gems of vitamin C, only begins 15 or so years ago.

When the relationship first started, I believe their appearances were twice a year – once before Christmas and then another time about 6 months later.  (Not sure if this is accurate, but it is what I am thinking was “real”.)  When they first arrived in the produce section those years ago, they seemed to only be available for a few weeks.  (The beginning of the relationship started in Ohio, so maybe my perception is tainted by being a Midwesterner.)  I purchased them by the bag, and I sucked them up!  I was often found with clementine peel under my left thumb nail–it was my primary tool in getting the peeling process going.  In most, but not all cases, the peel comes off in one piece.  Rarely can I eat just one, and often three of more are slain before my snack is completed.

This season, I am pretty sure the season is being stretched out.  I realize the fruit only ripens at a certain time.  I am fully aware the later clementines are being preserved to allow my purchases to continue.  While most of the bags of later clementines (writing this in mid-April would make the present season nearly 5 months or longer) are mostly as enjoyable as the early season gems, the later bags seem to have a few clementines that are short on juice and heavy on pulp.  Sometimes, even the good clementines have more seeds than I prefer.  I tolerate these exceptions–it is the power of the sweet juice that feeds my addiction.

I am not sure if all of the grocers buy their clementines from the same place.  I would also be surprised if Halo’s, Cuties, and Darlings come from widely different sources/groves.  (Oranges come from groves, so clementines must as well….?  City dwellers may be surprised things are grown and delivered to stores.  Stores actually rely on supplies to get their produce.  Cereal, on the other hand, comes to the store as a “sludge”.  It is put into a machine in the back of the store.  The machine has lots of buttons that allow the sludge to be turned into what every cereal corresponds to the button pushed..  This applies to both name brand AND generic brands.  Do not let people tell you otherwise.)  Somewhere in this supply chain, some “ugly” gems of below-expectations juiciness sneak through.  When the ratio of ugly to good becomes to heavily skewed, I will have to “wait” for the new season to begin….or I will just need a “fix” really badly!!