Terlingua Texas

Terlingua, Texas

Took a ride out to Terlingua today to get Mom(S' Mom). Brought Connor so he could meet her. Then brought her home with us for the night. We took her to Walmart and K-Bob's Steakhouse for dinner. We all ate too much and came home about to explode. It is a beautiful night in Fort Stockton, Texas. I can honestly say I have never been happier. I have found my little piece of paradise with my one and only, my kids and Mom Lewis (S's mom). I have loved Scott and his mom since I was 15 years old. They are my family and very special to me. I hope one day my children have people in their lives that are that special to them.

So this has been a great day for all of us. Captain McQuary is off until Wednesday.

Driving---Boredom!

Long drive boredom....this is what we do. Or Lindsey's idea to lay in the middle of the highway and take turn taking our picture...NOT!

Thursday--Road Trip To Midland

Midland trip was fairly uneventful. We went to Walmart, Target, had lunch at Cracker Barrel, per Ms. Linz Thang's request. Then went to the movies. Lindsey and I saw, "Friends with Benefits", cute but sometimes too much detail about sex. Connor slept through almost the whole movie. It had a sweet ending, left me in tears. Travis saw Horrible Bosses, and from the sounds of that I am quite sure it was a horrible but funny movie.

We got home about 6:00 pm, and the Captain came in shortly after that. Things are getting much better for him at the unit. He is getting more acclimated and getting things handled. The warden asked him if he was married to a Hispanic, he of course said no. The warden said he was screwed then. :) Apparently, the Hispanic workers like or accept the white bosses better if they have an Hispanic partner. Kind of a culture acceptance, if you will. So, guess I am going to get a really dark tan and learn Spanish real quick like.....NOT! Haven't met a Hispanic person that didn't like me yet. Of course, I could have told Scott that he can tell them I am not Hispanic but I have Hispanic family....(Norma Stephens, Jennifer Montez) maybe that will work. You think?

Things are moving along fine here on the home front. Getting things put up, turned on, addresses changed, billing info changed. Connor has adjusted just fine, has a great time riding his Lightning McQueen car all over the house and back deck. His speech has really improved since his surgery, he talks all the time. Repeats everything. He has his own room but his bed hasn't arrived yet. We got him one from Walmart....A twin Lightning McQueen car bed. Will post pics once I get his room all set up. The kid loves Lightning McQueen. Can spot anything with that on it in any store from anywhere. Unreal.

Lindsey is adjusting, finding cute boys everywhere...UGH!

Big adventures tomorrow, we are taking Connor out to Terlingua, to my MOM-inlaws. This will be their first meeting. Then she is going to come home with us and stay the night or maybe a few days. Looking forward to seeing her, I miss her so much and love that we live so close to her now. Still loving my little desert paradise.

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Catch you later!

Alpine, Texas

We took a little trip to Alpine, Texas today. Our bank is there so Lindsey, Connor and I decided to look around some and take some desert pictures. This little town is the county seat of Brewster County, Texas. The population at last count was 5,906 people. The area had been a campsite for cattlemen tending their herds between 1878 and the spring of 1882, when a town of tents was created by railroad workers and their families. Because the section of the railroad was called Osborne, that was the name of the small community for a brief time. The railroad needed access to water from springs owned by brothers named Daniel and Thomas Murphy, so it entered into an agreement with the Murphys to change the name of the section and settlement to Murphyville in exchange for a contract to use the spring. In November 1883 the Murphys registered a plat for the town of Murphyville with the county clerk of Presidio County. The town's name was changed to Alpine on February 3, 1888 following a petition by its residents. At this time a description of the town mentioned a dozen houses, three saloons, a hotel and rooming house, a livery stable, a butcher shop, and a drugstore, which also housed the post office.

Alpine grew very slowly until Sul Ross State Normal College (now Sul Ross State University), was opened in 1921. The opening of Big Bend National Park in the 1940s further spurred the growth of the town. The population was estimated at 396 in 1904. By 1927 it had risen to 3,000. The 1950 census reported Alpine's population at 5,256, but the 1960 census reported only 4,740 residents. A high of approximately 6,200 was reached by 1976. In 1980 residents numbered 5,465 and businesses 108. In 1990 the population was 5,637. To its now 5906 in 2011.

We took a few pictures of things in the town and the University. Sul Ross State is well known for its rodeos and agricultural emphasis. 

As we were driving home we saw little sand cyclones in the desert, we tried to get a picture of one as you will see in the pictures above. 

Let me fill you in on Captain McQuary.

Well Captain McQuary got home at almost 7pm last night. This prison is quite a bit different than his unit in Dayton. I have a feeling Hightower was much more organized then this unit. One of the issues here is that they can't keep Lieutenants, not sure the exact reason has been pinpointed. Most of the people there just don't want the responsibility of the title, I think. Needless to say, Capt hasn't been able to do much Captaining. He has had to run the unit in other areas. They are talking about putting the Captains on a shift card of 4 days on and 4 days off consisting of 12 hour days. Scott is okay with that part, but unsure when that will start. I think I will like that too, cause he will have 4 days at home with me. It will allow us time to go see Mom (Scott's Mom). He was exhausted when he got in yesterday and very hoarse. He had been yelling at inmates all day. Those of you that worked with him are very familiar with this from him.  He told us a story about a 50/150 inmate or several that is. Apparently this one inmate hit his cellmate. The injured cellmate said that he knows the one that hit him has been going into his locker. The lockers as described by Scott are not able to be broken into by anyone. Scott asked the injured inmate a series of questions, how is your cellmate doing this, have you see him? The answer was I saw him but I don't know how he did it. But I know he did. The inmate just came saying the same thing over and over.  Scott then said you aren't all there are you? The guy says no I am not.  Of course, this is a cleaner version recited to us by Scott then actually happened. 

He said he got to see his office only twice yesterday and that was to allow the Immigration Officers in and out. He said they needed to take a few of the white guys too. haha.

He was exhausted when he got home and thinks he may have to work this weekend too but he hasn't been told yet. I think he will be a great addition to this unit and play a major part in getting it running as it should and more smoothly. And if any of  you Sargents (wanting to promote) or Lieuts in Dayton want to come West, come on...you can stay with us until you find a place. You are greatly needed and welcome. 

Well that's it for today, we are going to Midland tomorrow the kids and I to hang out maybe catch a movie or ChuckECheese. 

My Desert Sunrise

This is what I saw when I looked out my front door this morning after Scott left for work at 7:00. Words just can't describe that view.

Well today was eventful, I finally feel like we are getting somewhere with all this stuff. Internet was installed by 11 as well as our home phone line. It didn't seem as hot in here today as it has been, so I was able to put some things up in the kitchen. Lindsey and I got out and went to Walmart and got some things we needed for the house. Namely another fan!

Went to KFC/Taco Bell today and that was a trip....We placed our order and of course if you know Lindsey that is a task within itself. So the lady reads it back to us and it was correct. We get to the window and she asks us what we ordered, so we tell her..Grilled Chicken Boneless Fillet was one of the items. She leaves, comes back gives me a taco salad and burrito. Then she brings us a grilled breast and a breaded breast..not boneless. I tell her this is not our order. We watch as they talk in Spanish back and forth then she comes back and says oh that will be 6 minutes, please pull up. Ok...at this point I am beginning to think we aren't going to get what we ordered. In the car we sit for 10 minutes, no order. So, I go in and ask the manager for our order, more Spanish and confusion. Then he says, we don't have the grilled boneless fillets anymore. REALLY? ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? He hands me the breaded boneless fillets and apologizes. I said, I sat out there for 20 minutes for you to tell me you don't have what I was supposedly waiting on....GIVE ME A BREAK. Now to tell Lindsey that her beloved boneless grilled chicken breast is not going to happen. The fun never ends. She took it fairly well, but was really wanting that chicken.

About 1:30, I still hadn't heard from the AC guy, so I give him a call to see if this thing is getting fixed today. His wife says, "Oh I have no idea he didn't say anything, let me call him".
I am thinking, if this was your AC and you were in his ear bitching all the time, I bet you would know something. She calls me back about 10 minutes later says he was waiting on a blower motor and it has arrived so he was headed to get it and then come to my house. An hour and a half later, here he comes. Don't know if you all know this but Fort Stockton, isn't that big that it takes more than 5 minutes to get from one place to the next. But nonetheless, he arrives, Lindsey opens the door, I am standing there too and he walks right by us, no hello, kiss my butt, screw you, nothing! After a few bangs and screwdriver noises, he says it is done and goodbye. When Scott went to his interview, the warden told him the work ethic here is different. They have a "get to it" kind of attitude. I understand exactly what the warden meant after dealing with a few of these people. But again, he was about to "get to" see my attitude if this wasn't fixed today. But....AC is working :)

Well it's 4:46 and soon Capt. McQuary will be home to tell me about his day. I will keep you all posted.

Monday----Day One of Captain position

Monday Monday....first day of Captain McQuary's position at Lynaugh Unit, Fort Stockton, Tx. Overall, he had a good day, a little bored he said. But I think that is normal in any new position until you get acclimated. He did run into two inmates he knew from Hightower and found out he has to pull some shift work from time to time. He shares an office with a council substitute, that person wasn't there today. Day one down and many more to come and lots of learning to do.

On the home front, we got DISH installed today. So we can at least watch TV while we sweat our butts off. Lindsey and I went out looking for the post office and found historic downtown Fort Stockton. We took pictures of the old jail, the oldest house and some other places. We went to the Comanche Tortilla and Tamale Factory. Got us some awesome tortillas and beef tamales. The real estate company sent over an AC repair man. No go on repair for today, he had to order a new blower motor for us. He advised he would have that done tomorrow. I felt like telling him, come let me show you what its like here with no AC, as I turn the oven on 400 and asked him to stick his head in there and then said....Tomorrow will be fine. So if your wondering how hot it is in this house follow the above example. Of course, those of you in the Houston area will need to take some hot misty water and spray your face as you place your head in the oven. Thank God for no humidity here, or it would be completely unbearable.

Overall, we had a great day today. Hoping for cold AC and more good days to follow.

I promise I will load pics as soon as I have internet on my desktop.

Stay tuned for more Desert Dwellers excitement.

Sunday

Had a great Sunday. Lindsey, Connor and I took my mom to Midland to catch her plane back home. Lindsey was so excited to see "civilization" as she calls it. Midland has everything you can imagine from food places, movie, Home Depot, a mall. So, Lindsey was overjoyed to see that she wasn't too far from all the material things she desires and feels she needs.

Airport was small but quaint. My mom got back home without any issues. Other than losing her toothpaste and lotion at the security checkpoint. Someone must have had dry hands and needed to brush their teeth.

Scott got some things set up and done while I was gone. Got everything ready for his first day as Captain Mac.

Did I say we had a great Sunday, well we did until we discovered the AC is broke! Unbelievable.......at least we Desert Dwellers have NO humidity...gotta be thankful for some things!

Movers......Ugh!

Well the movers made it Saturday, Finally! Just in case your wondering we used All My Sons....never again. Everything the sales guy told me was false. And because of it our brand new leather sectional has a tear in it. I almost had a heart attack when we purchased this couch because of the price. So you only imagine how pissed I am. Handling this today!

But nevertheless, we have our belongings and we are settling in and unpacking.

Day Two

Day 2 of our desert adventures. Our furniture was suppose to be here at noon but after a few calls we discovered it wouldn't actually get here until 7 or 8 pm. Try explaining that to 3 kids. Needless to say, we were not going to sit in this house all day on the floor. Desert Dwellers we may be, but I need a chair. :)

We loaded everyone up in the car and went on a ride. We rode out to the prison and showed the kids and my mom where Scott will be perpetrating employment as Captain McQuary. Then we took a ride down a dirt road (Jason Aldean) to Alpine. Along the way we reminisced about the movie "The Hangover", never fails that movie gets us all laughing and cracking jokes. Then we discovered that Connor had dropped a yellow gummy candy in the seat and Lindsey was sitting on it. Have you ever seen a yellow gummy melted and smashed into the butt of someone's jeans? It looks like snot, just in case you didn't know. So she is leaning into the front seat asking Scott and I to help her get it off her pants. I am driving and trying to use a napkin to remove the sticky mess from her butt. The napkin is sticking to her jeans and the gummy. Can you envision this? Now she has yellow sticky gummy and white napkin stuck to her butt. We were getting no where with this. :)

After an hour and a half on the dirt desert road, a gummy mess later we make it to Alpine. Lovely, lovely little town. Scott and I have been through this town every time we came to visit Mom (S's mom) but we never explored it further than passing through to get to our final destination. We discovered it is a fairly large town and very charming. As we are looking around Lindsey asked if we can go see the donkey's at Jackassic Park. I took her there last year when I came to see Mom before Scott and I were married.

At Jackassic Park, the kids got to pet and love on the donkeys and see a 5 month old baby miniature donkey. (photos to come later)

After being there a short time, we got a call that our movers were getting closer so we decided we needed to head back home.

Next up: the arrival of the moving company with our belongings...to be posted later today.

It's Official

At 8:17 pm on July 22, 2011, the McQuary's are officially Fort Stockton residents or "desert dwellers" as we have been named. When we got out of the car and smelled the beautiful desert rain, it all became real. We are here. Our new adventure has begun.

We stayed in a hotel last night and the movers are scheduled to be here today with all our furniture. Lindsey is a little shell shocked right now and Connor has no clue what this is all about. Scott managed to ride his motorcycle the whole 10 hours here, sunburned and exhausted he vows never to ride that far in one day again.

We miss and love everyone that we left back in Dayton. So many of you have left a forever mark on our hearts and souls. We thank you for all you have done for us as a couple and individually. You are each a part of our family now. We did leave behind our daughter Kaitlyn and granddaughter Kara, we miss and love you both. Be forewarned peeps we will be back to see you.

Monday is Scott's first day at work....stay tuned for more exciting news and pictures from the "Desert Dwellers"....