The Times they are a'Changing

Just a quick update for anyone that is still checking this page for udates. It appears that changes in my Apple account may result in the loss of a great many image links to this blog. I'm not exactly sure what will happen, but whatever happens will happen after June 30, 2012. I've moved most of my random pointless commentary over to Facebook, so if you want to know what's going on with the Petrus family, you'll have to "friend" me if you haven't already done so. Here are a few links to the places I hang out these days:

Keith's Facebook Page
Keith's Boring Food Blog
Icon Creative Services (my main business page)
FTF Geocacher Magazine (another business page)

Geo-Hunting in Huntsville

Sunday, March 13, 2011 -- Josh and I attended the 2011 Texas Challenge this weekend in Huntsville. The "challenge" is an annual geocaching event in which teams from various regions of Texas compete to find caches hidden within the hosting State Park. Josh and I competed with the new South Texas team and, for the second year in a row, our team came in 1st place (we played with the South-East Texas team last year in San Angelo). Photo is of Josh and "Big Sam" outside Hunstville State Park.

Whole Truth

Monday, October 25, 2010 -- I've switched to eating only whole foods. Yesterday I had a whole bowl of menudo, a whole hamburger, and today Cathi brought home a whole pizza!

It's a Beautiful New Day... Again

Friday, October 22, 2010 -- Normally, being awoken by thunder and whining dogs at the crack of dawn would really irritate me. But today, it was just nice to see a beautiful sunrise.

The Hand that Feeds

Wednesday, October 19, 2010 -- The chicks have officially reached their awkward adolescent stage. I convinced Cathi that I had taught one of the chicks,"Connie" (short for Ameraucana), to come when called. I didn't mention that I had been feeding her grasshoppers all day.

Spooks & Jukes

Sunday, October 10, 2010 -- Mom called this morning to invite me over for lunch. Bubba was in town with a stack of pork chop plates from some fundraiser. Bubba mentioned that Mike and William were playing peewee football in Ingleside today so I stopped by on my way to Port Aransas. I missed Mike's game but got to see William play a little. He had been sick and missed a few practices last week, so was mostly sidelined. In Port A, I took my kayak out to Ransom Island to explore the shellcrete ruins at "Ransom Ghost Town," an appropriately named geocache considering the earlier topic of conversation among the crazy aunts (who were crazier than usual today).

Chicken Littles

Thursday, September 30, 2010 -- The feed store called this morning. Our chicks are in! Four Americanas, three Guineas, two Buff Orpingtons, and three Production Reds. The little buggers went PEEP PEEP PEEP all the way home. Now if we can just keep them alive long enough to become layers.

Slow Going

Saturday, September 25, 2010 -- Cathi and I came across this little guy on our way to Corpus. We stopped long enough to see him safely across the road. Cathi humored me this afternoon as I searched for a particularly complicated multi-stage geocache. She even helped a little with the code-cracking while we enjoyed a couple of beers at B&J's. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to find the second stage of the cache. We wrapped up the day with dinner at Joe Cottens, courtesy of Cathi's dad, before heading back to Skidville.

Fire and Water

Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010 -- While paddling my kayak around the horse pasture after today's flooding rains, I spotted this clump of fire ants tenaciously clinging to life.

It's a Beautiful New Day

Saturday, September 18, 2010 -- It's hard to believe this is my first blog post of the year. Is anyone still out there? Sitting in the porch swing, I really enjoyed the lower temperatures this evening. It's starting to feel like fall and, after a long hot summer, I can't wait for jacket-weather.

A Lesson with Eck Robertson

I came across an interesting "Fiddle Hangout" forum discussion about uncle Eck this morning. A Lesson with Eck Robertson

Subs Beer Sushi Beer Subs Beer Steaks Coffee

Sunday, October 4, 2009 -- Cathi and I drove into Houston Thursday for the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) conference. We stayed at the Inn at the Ballpark near Minute Maid stadium and had a nice time visiting the various restaurant/pubs in the area. Spent Sunday afternoon shopping at the Galleria (Apple Store) and one of the outlet shops before dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. It was a little before 10:00 p.m. when we finally returned home. Buddy and Bandit were ecstatic to see we had not actually abandoned them.

Addictive Personality Disorder?

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 -- Like I don't have enough to do already, I started geocaching a while back and now I can't seem to stop (this is not a cry for help). There's just something about GPS-navigating to a little box of junk I find compelling. It has also given me an excuse to make use of my extensive Sharpie marker collection. The little "Green Jay" poker chip in the photo is my own, left in trade for the little wooden nickel. I've started a whole series of painted poker chips. Some guy in Rockport picked up the "Redbird" I left during last weekend's visit.

Poker Chat

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 -- Had the following exchange with the remaining players when our Texas Hold Em poker game froze up.

Becca: not again...
Keith: what's up
Joseph: ya i dont know
Joseph: lol someones hackin
Keith: I'm waiting it out
Joseph: same
Becca: it's been like this for a while
Joseph: i know
Becca: i don't think it's gonna get fixed any time soon
Keith: somebody hit refresh
Becca: it's not gonna do any good
Becca: if the table wasn't so expensive i'd just leave
Keith: I want my play money back
Joseph: wat u mean
Keith: It's hands on a hard body and I'm the devil.
Joseph: wat
Keith: Last to leave the table gets the play money
Becca: no, i tried that, didn't work
Becca: i was last to leave a table and i got nothing
Keith: Yeah Becca, nice try, not lifting my hand
Becca: i'm serious, the only reason i'm still here is incase it unfreezes
Keith: I was once stranded on a freeway during a hurricane evac, people were throwing frisbees in the median
Keith: guess that won't work here
Joseph: lol
Becca: i'm tired, what time is it where u guys r?
Joseph: 9
Keith: That's it Becca, throw in the towel, you've got work tomorrow and it's late
Joseph: lol
Becca: it's 12am where i am
Keith: I'm an hour ahead of you, I win
Joseph: im in BC canada how bout u
Becca: indiana, us
Keith : texas
Keith: I've got a Jack 8, how about ya'll
Becca: i folded
Joseph: two kings
Keith: Joe wins
Keith: Well, looks like we're wasting our time here, good game all, see you!
...
...
...
Becca: r u really leaving?
Keith: psych
Becca: lol, u fooled the other dude
Keith: Joseph bought it
Becca: do u think it'll ever unfreeze?
Keith: nope
Becca: then we're sitting here why?
Becca: this is stupid
Keith: yeah, we need to get a life.

Tired

Trouble

Sunday, June 21, 2009 -- David DuBose payed us a surprise visit this evening and left behind a few of the "tribbles" from a recent office prank. Ronnie & Dianne and I were out at the garden at the time so he had to be rerouted to our location where he listened politely as I mispronounced the names of various nighttime stars and constellations. He was kind enough to give me a ride home once my beverage supply was exhausted. I guess David's reputation is a bit too squeaky clean as Ronnie later asked "Should we have offered him a beer?"

Postcard

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Graduation 2009

IMG_4725
Originally uploaded by Jason Collins

My boy Zach hugs his buddy William Hughes.

Right hand shake, left hand diploma

Thursday, May 28, 2009 -- Josh showed up at my office this afternoon so I treated him to a late lunch at Papa's Market (Chisholm was already closed for the day). I fulfilled my board member duties at this evening's eighth grade graduation. One down, one to go tomorrow as Zach takes the big walk at the Bee County Coliseum.

Swine flu by any other name

Thursday, April 30, 2009 -- Another first this evening as a man walked into Papa's Market wearing a surgical mask. The world is looking more and more like a bad movie.