Into The Sprawl Like A Hero

 

So what's up? You sip strong covefe on the back porch of your compound and watch the sun rise through pecan trees, casting golden light on dewy grass. Such is rural Texas at the end of September, not bad at all. Next?

Thank God for the beauty of it all, say Morning Prayer (1928 BCP) and steel yourself for the day ahead. Why steel, that sounds extreme and somehow absurd. Not so fast, punters, steel's the word because the mission ahead meant driving into the DFW Metrosprawl to a lawyer's office in a place called "Arlington." And let's make no mistake, driving into the 'sprawl from the country takes nerve.

I took the scenic route. I35 E towards Dallas, exit 287 to Midlothian, which has nothing to do with Gladstone, veer onto 360 Toll, exit I30 West to Fort Worth, hook a left on Collins, marveling at the sheer sprawl of the thing, and reach your target. Collect your box of documents from the law dog and drive back from whence you came.

Like wow. South Fort Worth is exploding with new apartment blocks, condos and mega churches. They look mighty flimsy, and I30 is insanely spaghetti junction. OK, all hail prosperity and Texas, but is this the best we can do? As in, "Why live in a city when we can live on a road." You''ll note, dear readers, that the latter turns us into a kind of hobo.

Anyway, made it back from the different planet that is Mega City DFW, it's the size of Connecticut btw, to the relative tranquility of the Compound. Mission accomplished. But hey, have to tell you, really pleased I'm back in the country; the 'sprawl connurb is a whole different thing.

Speaking of which, someone's turned up to mow the acre of so of compound/church yard, in the dark. Huh. Guess I'd better check on that mowop.

Cheers,

LSP

Traffic

 

Why is Texas so awesome? Perhaps because of its light and sky, which point to higher things, a vast frontier with all the freedom therein. That said, I35's a nightmare in the Waco chokehold. Get 'round that by exiting the highway and taking 84 through what's left of town to 6 and rejoining 35 from there. Presto, you've missed the hideous traffic jam.

In other news, the POC who shot up a school in metrosprawl Arlington has been released from jail on a 75k bond, as opposed to the Kenosha Kid who shot 3 skateboard revolutionaries in self-defense and spent months in prison and's on a $2 million bond.  Such systemic white privilege. Don't say whitewashed sepulchers of Pharisaical grift, corruption and malfeasance. 

Speaking of privilege, my eldest's been running around the local park, he's on an incredibly racist Columbus Day weekend pass, with something like 80 Lbs weight, maybe more. "Easy, tiger," I urged with paternal affection, "Don't hurt yourself." But what can I say, the youth of today.

Your Old Friend,

LSP

Memorial Day

I know, you're busy setting up firewalls and improving your IT security architecture in case the Kremlin hacks your grill and ruins all those steaks and hamburgers. But still, take some time to remember the fallen. Here's a prayer:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead: We give thee thanks for all thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence; and give us such a lively sense of thy righteous will, that the work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.

God bless,

LSP

LSP in the City

If you're fortunate enough not to get killed by insane drivers, you can drive to Dallas from the Compound in around 45 minutes, all thanks to Texas' own "corridor of fame," I35. I did exactly that on Monday.

The Eye Liars

But why, LSP? You ask wonderingly. Because I had to take Ma LSP to the eye surgeon early Tuesday morning, in a place they call "Arlington." What is this "Arlington?" I'll tell you, it's a road. In fact it's many roads, and it's a strip mall, make that many strip malls. It's like a vision of ersatz eateries in the midst of a traffic experiment. People live there, too, lots of them and there's Eye Surgeons.

Oh Look, a Strip Mall

So we climbed in the rig and headed off for Mid-Cities metrosprawl action and we didn't want to be late, because the surgery was scheduled for 10 am. Be there on time, went the implicit warning, or you'll miss the eye doc.

See it? A Fake Eatery

Ma LSP went under the laser at around 11 am. Good time keeping, Eye Liars, leaving me to knock about the health services strip park while gazing over the highway at the strip mall.  And then it was done, cataract gone, and back to Dallas HQ.

On The Road

What was it like in the big city? A bit dislocating after the country, the roads are a right menace, and why does there have to be so many fake eateries in phony town centers, aka strip malls. That aside, there's an energy to Dallas which I like and the skyline looks neat at night.

Drive safe,

LSP