Rodeo

Just when you were wondering what to do on a rainy Thursday evening in the waterworld that is rural Texas, a kind friend came to the rescue with tickets to the RAM Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo in Waco. So off we went.

The Coliseum was pretty much empty, probably on account of everyone staying home to protect their flooded compounds from looters. But that didn't detract from the event, far from it. Bronc, roping, barrels, bull riding and more, big fun.

What's best? Hard to say but perhaps barrel riding comes out on top for me; it's great to watch the girls fly around the arena. Fast action, outstanding riding. Then again, saddle bronc's high adrenaline too, right out of the chute.

And what's wrong with bull riding? Nothing, unless you get kicked and gored by a ferocious bull. Most definitely a job for the young and insanely fearless. But it's all good.

Junior LSP, it was his first rodeo, had a blast, "Dad, now I want to go riding." I feel the same and maybe we'll do that tomorrow if dry land emerges from the waters of the flood.

Ride on,

LSP

Waterworld!

I won't lie, it's raining like fury and it's been doing that all day. Obviously the Weather's revenge for the great state of Texas kicking the new messiah god king, Beto, to the curb.

Our common enemy, the Weather, didn't enjoy the spectacle of its millionaire socialist ally being left behind like Satan's discarded toy. So it's trying to drown us out.

The Enemy Looms

But we're not worried, we've faced off against the Weather before and we'll do it again, no matter how hard it tries to force us to become mindless socialist drones of the Illuminati hive mind.

Speaking of which, the Democrats are trying to steal elections in Florida and Arizona. For that matter, they're trying to steal the entire process of suffrage through open border immigration. And all in the name of tolerance, openness, freedom from tyranny and, you know, enlightenment.

She Broke Her Ribs

The calculus goes something like this. We hate the West and its people, so we destroy its hateful families, religion and culture and replace it with something else, namely immigrants from our former colonies. And guess what? They vote for us, unlike the people we've displaced.

Then, goal achieved, our ruling tech, political and celeb elite can kick back in their private islands' infinity pools while everyone else looks out at the awesomeness of their shack before psyching up to work in an Amazon warehouse.

I Will Give You My Ribs, Mistress!

But hey, that warehouse employment policy is trans inclusive so don't worry, workers, you're living in a utopian paradise.

In other news, Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) has broken its ribs and landed in hospital, provoking Alyssa Milano to offer her ribs to keep the ancient Justice running.

Surely this doesn't augur another SCOTUS vacancy for the hated Orangeman to fill?

Stand by the Jams,

LSP

Texas Crazy Rain

One of the things the team looks forward to after Sunday Mass is fishing, and not just any old fishing. No, we like to go to a secret location somewhere in Texas and catch enormous, absurdly large, leviathan size Bass on light rods. Just a whole lot of fun.

That plan didn't work out because of the threat of rain and because one of the team decided to go fishing in Venice instead, which is ironic, given that the place is flooded. So I went down another route, and drove to Lake Aquilla.

Not a bad option. As the storm was coming in, thunderclouds looming, boats were pulling into the ramp and the scene was soon deserted. Just me, the still-before-the-storm water, distant lighting flickering across the sky and the pleasure of trying to lure a Bass onto an enticing topwater spook.

Thrash! One of the fierce predators was lurking right near the bank and attacked the lure at the end of my retrieve. A good fight with a decent Widemouth, who lived to fight again another day. There were a few more close calls, with a small school of fish surging up and out of the water around the spook, but no strike. Still, even that was action, and action against the dramatic backdrop of the lake.

It's a new lake, like most in Texas, and before its creeks were dammed, an archeological survey was done on the soon to be flooded area and what became the lake shore. There were any number of Indian campsites and small settlements, some of them dating from the not so distant past. They'd be hard to recognize if you're not an expert; mostly charred stones from campfires and the occasional worked piece of stone. Some of the sites remain, if you have eyes to see.

I imagined those Indians as I fished, under the big, threatening sky. There they had been, hunting and fishing on Aquilla and Hackleberry creeks, in the vastness of the land. Well, the land's still vast and the sky's still the same, and before long it began to crash down with a vengeance.

Time to get back to the Compound, a glass of wine and the latest awful news from the Jihad. But before that, the sky turned ominously green and it started to rain in earnest, Texas-style. No fooling, and a good thing I had a truck because the streets were flooding as I drove into town.

If the rain continues, it will all be underwater. Is there a moral in this story?

If you care to draw it.

Your Buddy,

LSP

Super Spook

A lot of people are saying that the Team's gone off-mission. They think that the primary objective of fighting the War on Weather, building an ARK (Advanced Rescue Kraft) and fishing has been forgotten. Forgotten and replaced by theological reflection. I understand, it's a concern, but you can do both. 

Look What The Weather's Done

To prove that, I went Lake Whitney and deployed a Super Spook. No, not a well known member of the Intelligence Community, but a topwater lure. To be honest, I didn't think I'd catch anything, as the lake was choppy and well above its normal water level, all thanks to our enemy, the Weather.

Spook Caught a Fish

Still, I figured the Spook might be large and noisy enough to attract any Bass that were lurking under the waves. So I cast off, and bang, a Hybrid hit the lure like it was going out of style, then another slammed into it. Well done, Spook, you work. 

Those in Peril on The Sea

But so too does our enemy and its not been idle, sending torrential rain down onto the Lone Star State in an apocalyptic display of power. You could see that today on lake Whitney, which resembled a turbulent inland sea.

A Typical Texas Streetscape

Smart Texans are moving to high ground, building ARKs and improving their fishing skills.

Fish on,

LSP

Visit The Sick, in Waco

Waco, on Sunday Morning

I have to visit some people in hospital in Waco. Will the town still be there, and how do hospitals operate underwater anyway?

A Couple of Divers, in Waco

That remains to be seen.

Dive, Dive, Dive!

LSP

Texas Floods, So You Fish

Texas is mostly underwater, which forces us to fish. I tried out the old chicken liver and night crawlers method today, all in the hope of getting a monster catfish.

That meant clambering over the bluffs looking down on lake Whitney, and dropping a Carolina rigged treble hook baited with liver onto a recently submerged limestone ledge. I'd seen two big Channel Cats grazing there, so my hopes were up.

OK, Not a Monster, But Still, A Fish.

I left the rod in its holder and waited for the liver to do its trick while I fished the topwater with lures. Sure enough, after about 10 minutes, down went the float, out played the line, and the rod bent with a vengeance. Big excitement, no doubt about it, and I dropped the one rod and scrambled for the other. Reel that fish in! And I did, or at least started to, then... nothing. Whatever it was dropped the bait. 

Fierce Little Thing

My guess is that a Gar hit the liver and ran with it but let go after discovering something was up, they do that. Nothing was biting after that, so I moved on to less adventurous water and was rewarded by a Catfish and a Sunfish.

Gratuitous Texan Sunset Over Lake Whitney

They hit worms on treble hooks in shallow water with the kind of zeal you'd expect from Bernie Sanders promoting the Communist Manifesto. Aggressive beasts, fish. And that, readers, is that, except that it isn't, because the challenge is still on for a big Cat.

Fish on,

LSP

Texas Floods!

Those of you who know I35 know that it's a difficult, treacherous and brutish highway. Now it's flooded, and desperate refugees make their way over the watery grave of this once great transit corridor on the floating debris of abandoned farms and derelict strip malls. 

A Typical Texas Street Scene

It's like Waterworld, but worse, far worse. Smart people had boats and got to them in time, others had the good fortune, or was it good sense? to live on high ground. They were the lucky ones.

El Nino

If only this once great state had had the foresight and sheer common sense to acknowledge the settled science of anthropocentric global warming and pay its weather tax. If only. Now that opportunity is gone and Texas is yet another victim, a casualty, in the War on Weather.

Your Friend,

LSP

Snake Boots

Thanks to Tropical Storm Bill, Texas is underwater, so wearing the right kind of boots is important. Here's LL's advice, via Virtual Mirage:

LSP: All of those boots look pretty neat, but which ones are the most waterproof? Most of the state is underwater now, so it's worth considering.

LL: And snake proof. I'm sure that it's a water moccasin's and cottonmouth's picnic out there as they're swimming between the homes. Wear the sandal boots and roll the dice...

Typical Sandal Boots

One of the church people here shot 20 snakes the other day at one of his tanks. I do not know if he was wearing sandal boots or not.

Your Friend,

LSP

Go Fishing, Fool

In a mad bid to escape the fawning worshipers of Bruce "Caitlyn" Jenner, I drove to Lake Whitney. The Lake's a good 20' high and areas that are usually used for recreation are flooded. I checked some of those out, to see if there was a fishing opportunity.

Sure enough there was, with catfish readily visible in the shallow water, feeding off worms and bugs. Recce over, I went back to the truck, got a rod, and tried to catch a few fish.

Many different lures later, I was empty-handed, though I saw lots of fish and reckon that the right bait would've produced a good result. Maybe I'll try casting with worms and using chicken liver on a couple of stationary rods.

But whatever, it was good to get out on the bank and cast away. I find it peaceful and recollecting as well as exciting. What if the next cast gets a big strike! I always think. Well, we live and hope.

Fish on,

LSP