view member journals

So, this weekend I made a little trip to Caddo Lake. Along the lake lies cities of all sizes and shapes. In the midst of them is a little town called Uncertain. Now, I was staying at the state park down the road but I had to venture out to see what was in this town with a curious name.
� Arriving there I came across a flea market where I met a man who makes amazingly beautiful baskets from old lasso ropes. Using nothing but his hands, a wooden board, and a wood burning tool he solders these lassos into amazing works of art. It takes him hours to do but he sells them for unbelievable prices. He said he gets the rope from the locals and that using the old rope is so much better for the strength of the baskets. It has less wax, making the baskets stronger. I watched as he was working on� another basket. He has them in all sizes and shapes. Some even have more than one rope with different colors layered together. If you get out to east Texas, you must stop into the flea market in Uncertain. It is open the first and third weekend of each month.
� My next stop was at the Uncertain General Store & Grill. They open at 11 am every day but Sunday. I like the fact that they keep their Sundays free. I think more people should give themselves just one day off for rest and relaxation. Speaking of rest and relaxation, this is where you check in to get a tour on a paddlewheel boat. The "Swamp Thing" as they call it was custom designed for clean and dependable tours. It is electric push and can go in waters as low as a foot. It has comfortable seating with awnings to keep the rain out and the sun off your shoulders. The owners are Johnny and LaLette Fletcher. These are some of the nicest people I have met in Texas. If you want some southern charm and to feel like you are at home, they will make you feel just that way.
� Their boat carries up to 16 passengers at a time. We were the only two there early so they welcomed us aboard. I thought we would wait til the boat was filled up but Johnny took us right out. He was so excited about giving us the tour and told us all of the stories of the lake and the truth behind the name Uncertain, Texas. He knew where all the animals were living and took us into the backwoods of the lake. He showed us beavers homes and he knew how big they were and how long they had been there. He told us about the various wildlife and wanted us to see one of each species. We learned all about the natural habitat and the plant life. He was proud of the "Swamp Thing" and told us where each part of it had come from and how it was built. I spent the rest of the night telling everyone I met that they must take a tour with him.
�� In the evening we came back to Uncertain to the General Store & Grill for a taste of Caddo Lake. The owner, Kay, is very friendly and welcoming. You can relax at the back of the diner and watch the lake as the sun falls. They serve frog legs, gator, shrimp, and catfish. You can keep it southern and have a chicken fried steak or even a burger. The sweet tea lets you know that you are home. We had ours and took a glass to go. The gumbo and etouffee was mouth watering and enough to fill us past the full mark. Be sure to get a few souvenirs on your way out the door. Something to remind you that you have certainly been to Uncertain.
�� I can not wait to make my next trip to Caddo Lake. I will definitely be stopping in to see Johnny, LaLette, and Kay once again. I am ready for my next paddlewheel boat ride.

Today I got my nose pierced! I thought it was gonna hurt but it didn't! My eyes didn't even water! I am so proud of myself because I am a complete whimp and I went through with it and didn't scream or anything. Now I'm just trying to keep it from getting infected. But, I love it! Some of my friends like it but others are saying I'm stupid for doing. And you know what I tell all the haters? It doesn't matter what anyone thinks, as long as I like it.

Oh, and I got my hair cut, too. It's a little shorter than I'm used to (right above my shoulders) but I like it. Today has been nothing but change; which I think is a good thing because I needed some change in my life.

I have orientation for school tomorrow. I start back Wed. Ugh! I so don't wanna go back. But, oh well. You gotta do what you gotta do, and I gotta go to school.

I was feeling all right today until I ate too many sweets, though I did eat some banana and grapes.

This week something dawned on me that I really hadn't put much thought into. For 3 1/2 years I had to sit back &�know Mike & Mindy where "friends" when my stomach said she had ill intent. When our break up first started he has asked me to remain his friend &�I took all his calls, texts, &�emails to help ease his pain. He is now telling me I am not his girlfriend &�I don’t have the right to just call &�chit chat that hurts me so much. He doesn't realize I made him my EVERYTHING. He wasn't just my b/f but my best friend. Someone I could always turn to &�count on. Now I am so hurt that I don’t even have that. Everyone says walk away &�he will come back but I really don’t see that happening. Will I ever be able to except that act that my family is forever destroyed. I will never have the chance to make this right again!

I've never had a passport since I was a child and the reason being is, I've never been interested in going anywhere, because I think the UK�is the most beautiful place in the world!

But ever since the Channel Tunnel opened, I've had a need to just have a go on a Eurostar train through the tunnel. Just really for the experience as its an amazing piece or engineering. Just to board a train at the very, very beautiful St Pancras international railway and leave for Paris would be just amazing!! And then travel at 186mph to Paris will be the biz!

So now I have my passport, I have today booked myself on to a Eurostar for Paris. I will be in Paris for 2 hours and then back home.

I'm so so excited :-))

I had an okay day.� I was feeling a little depressed just before I�went to bed.� I�do not know why.� I�hope tomorrow is better

You can create world wealth with your education and intelligence but without goodness you cannot enjoy it in real manner.

I cant do it anymore,

It hurts to think about before...

We had come so close!

Only to have it vanish like a ghost.

�

I dont know where to start,

Because you once held my heart...

And then everything spun out of control,

Cant help but feel like I've lost my soul...

�

No one had been around,

It was just you and me on the ground...

I miss you,

And we both know it true...

�

Because I can still feel the touch of your skin,

And your hand in my hair

And the way you breathed in the summers day air...

PrivateHiceGaurdDuty
PrivateHiceGaurdDuty
Part ONe

On the base at Fort Knox Kentucky UP at five am back to the bus with an all night assignment in the BARRACKS now who pushed my foot against the foot locker wiht foot on top of locker against the bunk who got a chair then tried to asleep but hard to sleep in daytime wearing green fatigues quite camoflauged to crawl in dirt and grass an Army WOrm. At 5 pm on back of truck was handed out an M-16 a weapon with one round. The Sargeant said YOU are Barney Fife. What did you say THAT for who almost cried. ONE ROUND. ONE ROUND. One Round is in your m-16. One round and then it finally dawned who understood him USE it grunt only iff you have too. Pointeing as they drove away it is the Army Way SEE that building ? Walk Around. Who then determined to be Army Green and Mean who walked until almost Eleven oclock then a man got out of an old panel Station Wagon. Who waited until he unlocked the door of the very building he was guarding THEN who came around the Corner of that building FREEZE who cried out just like Barney FIFE. Who took this Major by surprise. WHo told him carefully SHOW ME SOME ID. Surprised He started to argue to do otherwise He said cant you see im a MAJOR in the ARMY? WHo calmly told him the Safety is OFF on this weapon I can FIRE. Is what you are doing worth this ROUND? He paused and reached into his shirt pocket quickly producing a worn out ID card. Thinking they were testing me i told him searching at it quickly it is TWO YEARS OLD this ID card is out of Date and why do you have a Typewriter in that Station Wagon crate. He seemed inpressed and told me it IS his office but he no longer works there and yes the ID is an old one and YES he took the Typewriter BUT he said i still have the KEY to the office. I handed back the card and let him keep the typewriter as well let who now explain. Who decided that WHO was only guarding the building and not the stuff inside. The Major had a key. His story still checked out its something anyone would do on a luckless Friday night. I am running out of room on this google document so there will be part two of this Private Hice Story just let me say now who is glad he did not shoot that Major stealing typewriter out of whos building he was guarding. This is PART ONE of
PrivateHiceGaurdDuty.


�