Saturday

Sometimes the world is just really strange. I had two plans for today. I was going to a prop swap in Katy—where photographers take their props they are no longer using and swap out with other photographers. Then I was going to attend an opening at an art gallery in the Heights.  Did neither. Even though I took a large number of photographs it wasn’t much of a photography day, but it was an absolutely great day.

Debi called at 7:30am and asked if I was in Katy—I had just gotten out of bed. I thought the swap began at 10, but it began at 7. No shave, no shower I headed for Katy. Met Debi at Whataburger where I grabbed breakfast and we headed over. The roads were blocked by the Katy Rodeo Parade so we shot the parade. That wasn’t on the schedule. Actually I wasn’t really prepared to take photographs. Before the day was over I filled up one 16gb card and most of another but was very concerned that my battery that I had not charged would hold out. Grabbed coffee at Snappy’s to await the clearing out of the crowds but by then the swap was over so we went to look at a building that the owner is turning into a rental photography studio. They were closed but the owner was there and gave us a great tour of the building and the rest of the property. Looks like an interesting spot to hold a Reading Meeting. Then we went to another interesting place called Multiplicity where on Saturday the food trucks line the street and you eat in the back yard. Interesting place.

Then we drove over to the rodeo grounds and toured the pigs and sheep before hitting the carnival. The livestock area reminded me of why I left the farm—and yes, you can take the farm out of the boy. I’m not good at the barnyard shuffle any longer. Decided to hit Snappy’s again for lunch and come back to the carnival near sundown. Ate, drove over to Debi’s where she showed me ten 30x40 inch canvases she had prepared for Foto Fest—very, very, very impressive. Back to the carnival at dusk then headed home—missed the gallery opening.

 I often say I live a very undeservedly blessed life. Tooling along at about 65 along side an eighteen-wheeler on 610 I heard this weird nose, thought it was the truck. Getting ahead of the truck I realized that it was me that was making the noise and noticed the tire indicator on the dash. I must have hit something because there was a half inch hole, I mean a hole, nothing there but air in my tire. Unable to make the first exit, took the second and pulled into an Exxon station. By that time the tire was shredded. The interesting thing was that walking from the car to the carnival Debi and I had gotten into a conversation about Triple A and I mentioned that I had only used them once since getting the Escape when I locked the keys in the car. Now I have used them twice. I think we are put exactly where we are needed, where we are supposed to be at that point in time. And for some reason I think it was intended for me to be stranded on the corner of North Loop and Yale this afternoon. I’m glad I was. Got a couple of small opportunities to pay back a little and that is always good. But, if anyone is listening; a simple mention and I would have been more than happy to have parked there for an hour or so without having to go buy a new tire. Just saying.