2 Days Short But Smooth Times
So a week ago last Tuesday Angie and I went to Texas with a dual purpose. To visit my Mom and feed her some crawfish and fresh off the boat shrimp. The other reason was to get some images for your viewing pleasure. Originally we were going to come home Wednesday, 8 days later. Unfortunately, one call ended our trip 2 days early, when we received a phone call that a family member was ill, and in the hospital back in Louisiana.
Day 1: A Cool Shot And Bad News
Day 1 we went out to get some shots prior to taking my service dog Heather to her vet back in Texas Northside Animal Clinic in Cleburne. I did get one really cool shot that I can’t wait to get edited and exported. A BNSF train had stopped, and I was able to safely stand in the middle of the tracks and get a head on image of the locomotive. I think it’s really going to be a nice shot, especially for all the Sheldons out there. From there we went to the vet, where Dr. Craig Jones informed us Heather has a torn Cranial Cruciate Ligament in her right rear knee and needs surgery. It’s the equivalent to a human torn ACL. Here‘s a video about the surgery that Heather will have to have. Money I just don’t have, but the Vet said she’s not in pain, she limps because the knee is unstable and if she steps wrong, it can hurt. Then a good old Bayou crawfish and shrimp boil in inland Texas with my mom, godmother, her husband and Angie and I.
Day 2: Old Favorites And Scouting
Day 2 Angie and I went to visit some old favorites, the Acton Nature Center, and the Chisolm Trail Outdoor Museum, plus scouted a new location, the Cleburne State Park. We did come across a little creek where there were easily a dozen Black Vultures which got me some really good shots. It was a relaxing day which I needed after the day before with the Vet and Heather.
Day 3: Honey Do’s
Day 3 was for mom. Mom’s getting older and needs help around the house, and it’s hard helping being almost 600 miles away. So I try to do what I can when I come home. Hence my Honey Do, which was cutting back some REALLY overgrown boxwoods in front of the house. All morning and 3 – 96 gallon trash cans later and we were wiped, and with storms forecasted for later, we decided to take the rest of the day off. The storms started rolling in about sunset, and a scared puppy commenced crawling up my butt. I did get some cool shots of the sky though which I will be publishing as we get caught up. A quick note on the storms. The storms were pretty severe, bad enough that one of my favorite places the Chisolm Trail Outdoor Museum was forced to close down for a few weeks.
Day 4: Are You Taking Me Somewhere To Dump My Body?
Day 4 was a fun day for Angie and I. Just driving around, seeing what might make some good images. Now Angie has never really explored Texas, and some of the County roads and stuff I was taking her on started to freak her out some. Gravel roads that would eventually just run out in the middle of nowhere, until she asked if I was taking her somewhere to dump her body. And then there was the invisible drone. I have a radar detector, because I’m Texan and don’t know how to drive slow. So as we’re going down a gravel road in the middle of nowhere my radar detector starts screaming, “laser, laser, laser,” and Angie is looking all around for the drone that is about to launch an air attack on us in the middle of nowhere Texas. I hate to say it, I really do, but more great shots, but they won’t be published…hold on, I think I have one!
Day 5: Fishing Trip And Getting Special Shots
Day 5 We decided to go fishing at Cleburne State Park’s Cedar Lake. Angie has never Bass fished, and it’s been years since my mom went fishing. Now I didn’t hold out much hope for shore fishing for Black Bass, but decided to give it a go. While there, a family come up to do some pan fish fishing. Talking to Dad, we found out his son’s birthday was the day before, and they were going for his first fishing trip. Now this is what I love about being a photographer. Catching that special occasion, especially like a first fishing trip with a dad and son. I remember my first fish with my dad, and those are special times. Unfortunately I didn’t have any releases, so I can’t share the photos. We did get some Great Blue Heron’s though and a Cardinal in my mom’s backyard, (Thank you to @lorimayb61 on twitter for identifying the Great Blue Heron for me.)
Day 6: We Have To Get Back To Louisiana
Day 6 At 3am we’re on the road back to the bayou. We had been told by Angie’s sister-in-law that they had to take Ms. Joy Angie’s mom who lives with us, to the hospital. So we headed back to the bayou cutting our working vacation short. I did take a few shots, when we stopped at the rest stop on I-49 between Lafayette and Alexandria. Other than that, it was pretty much, just driving straight through to the house since we arrived between visiting hours in the ICU.
News Since We Got Home
So, Ms. Joy is out of the hospital and back home. She needs 24 hour care right now, but is getting stronger every day. Soon she’ll be back to browbeating everyone into compliance with her wishes. Good news on the Heather front too. A Veterans organization that I volunteer for has donated $750.00 towards Heather’s surgery, and we are waiting to see when a Vetenarian in Baton Rouge will be available to perform Heather’s surgery for that $750.00. Hopefully the next BLOG post will be a thank you post to everyone that has helped to get Heather back to her normal self.
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