Central Texas

A quiet night in central Texas. El Jefe and family, plus assorted and sundry friends, relatives and hangers-on, are staying at the El Jefe country Schloss between Sealy and Columbus, Texas. I sat out by the pond this afternoon with my dull book (so SWMBO assures me), quietly reading, and soon forgot all about the French and the Germans and whatever was going on in the book and fell fast asleep. No noise but a cow mooing occasionally someplace to the south. Perfectly clear sky.

The leaves are coming down, and there is plenty of dry wood all over the place, a good deal of which we gathered up today. We made a big fire this evening, which has only just now died down a bit. Saw no snakes: presumably they are holed up wherever snakes go, no doubt plotting the spring offensive.

Internet is a recent innovation out here, and I'm not sure I like it so much. It enables me to make this post, and to keep up, but is that a good thing ? I rather liked being able to come out here for a few days and be out of the loop for a few days. I have this funny idea that most of us in this world would be much happier if we were not all wired so tightly into each other's business.

Terrible news out of Lebanon about the assassination of the Industry Minister, Pierre Gemayel. Not the first tragedy in that very influential family by any means: some may remember Mr. Gemayel's uncle, Bashir Gemayel, president-elect of Lebanon, assassinated (probably by Syrian intelligence) before he could take office in 1982.

This most recent murder also has Syrian military intelligence written all over it. The Syrians have just served notice on the Lebanese that they are coming back. It astonishes me (1) that this murder has received so little press here; and (2) that there are people seriously suggesting the government look to Iran and Syria for help finding solutions in Iraq. We're in the process of folding -- why would those governments possibly give us anything, other than laughter and a list of demands ?

Gee, I'm just making my point from a few paragraphs back. . .that I'd probably be happier without the Internet here, because getting diverted from my main point: how gorgeous it is away from the city. There must be a billion stars up there tonight, and it's dark enough to see all of them. I still remember a few constellations, and lots of them were visible tonight.

All kinds of places to go out in those stars -- I hope somebody makes it someday. I don't get the atheists: the universe is so huge. Who or what made all that ? How does anybody think there could not be a God ?

Yeah, I'm all over the map, aren't I ? Probably a sign it's time to end this post and wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving.