I recently wrote a Tale about a Cattle Trading trip with my Grand Dad Rosenauer when I was a young boy. Because some days you can say Good Morning to me at Sunrise and I am stuck for an answer till Noon, it caught me by surprise when this Tale came to mind while right in the middle of writing the first one.
So, I figured I better put it to paper right quick before it “melted away” into that dark empty crevice called My Brain, to be lost forever. I mentioned how my Grand Dad would “meander around” a while before coming up with an amount to buy or sell something.
My Dad was the exact opposite most of the time. He had enough of the livestock business growing up in La Brasada, and never owned a cow or horse in his life as an adult. But besides his family and hunting, he sure did love to “mess with guns”.
My Dad would tinker and work with a gun and reload for it, until it shot as good as the rifle possibly could. Then he would lose interest in it and go to the next one. My Momma said it was a good thing he did not have the same attitude about his Wife and Kids!
As an adult I came to realize Dad had about 6 or 8 “gun nuts buddies” (his words not mine) who shared this passion. I don’t think they ever made much money on their many trades, but they sure did “swap” a lot of guns around.
Please keep in mind that was a VERY different point in time and all those men know each other very well. I guess a few “outside sales” did occur every once in a while. But mostly they simply traded among themselves.
I distinctly remember one time Dad had a sweet rifle that fit me, and I shot it really well. I told him not to sell it, and about the 3rd or 4th time it came back into his gun cabinet I asked how much he wanted for that gun. He told me and I wrote him a check for it on the spot. I clearly and somewhat strongly said it was now mine. But he could keep and use it. Just don’t ever sell it again. I believe he shot that gun for 11 more years before sending it “Home” with me. And I used it till the barrel wore slap dab out!
My Dad’s negotiating techniques were somewhat limited in style and format. His words were almost the same:
“I dont’ have to seel this gun and don’t owe no money on it. My family is gonna eat whether it sells or not. So, pay me $XXX or let’s forget about trading and talk about something else.”
As a reasonably successful marketing teacher, speaker, writer, and sales practitioner, I was always trying to point out other strategies or options to them. Grand Dad would “wander around in the desert” with his approach and Dad was a “take it or leave it” kind of a guy.
Far be it from me to question the integrity or character of these two significant role models for me and others. But is sure does seem like having a few more “sales tools in your selling portfolio” was a good thing. But then what does an old backwoods south Texas Aggie Doc know about much anyway? After all I am still trying to come up with a prompt response to Good Morning!
Author: admin
Summer desserts
All I can say about our weather is: Hot, hotter and hottest. With all the days with triple digit temperatures, it’s definitely a heat wave. A local friend of mine commented that the Devine area was having even more heat than we are. She had been watching a weathercast on the news and they mentioned it.
My week was not too busy, just two half-days in the gift shop, but my weekend was wonderful. It started out that two of my daughters were coming to visit, my youngest and my eldest. It went down to just one coming in, and we had talked about shopping rather than crafting. We had a supper Friday night of one of her favorite dishes, fried catfish, with a salad and some French fries, cleaned up the kitchen and then we mostly sat and visited afterwards and played a couple games of Rummikub. She also did some chores that have gotten a little difficult for me, and then before we knew it, bedtime was upon us. Since she had worked all day and then driven for several hours, she was worn out. Saturday morning, we were both up, having breakfast, and deciding what we were going to do, and the shopping trip was looking great! She has not been here in a while and thought about maybe Ross and a couple of other places. As we were sitting with our coffee and talking, I turned around at a sound behind me and there was my eldest daughter! Talk about a surprise, it turned out that some plans changed, and she was able to be with us after all, and yes, the daughter who came in on Friday knew all about it, so the surprise was for me. We sat and visited and drank coffee most of the morning, then decided that with the heat, and because the daughter who had just come in had an injured foot, that we just needed to stay cool, so that is what we did. We took a short drive to town to get a couple of things, and then came home for the day, had a quick lunch (that my daughter brought in with her), and then spent the rest of the day playing Rummikub, in front of the AC and a fan, nice and cool! Since my older daughter wasn’t staying overnight, she left to go back home and the other one checked out a couple of electronic problems I was having, had a supper of boiled shrimp and some leftovers from Friday, played a few more games of Rummikub and called it a night.
I got up early Sunday morning for church, and came home, to find she had already dried the sheets we put in the washer late Saturday evening and had her bed stripped and these sheets washed and dried. We had breakfast and then decided to go to the next town to Wal-Mart for some things she needed, for a totally fun morning. We had an early lunch and by 1:00 p.m. she was on the road to home. And, it goes without saying, she left the kitchen spotless and the whole house neatened up!
Here are a couple cool desserts using lemons. These desserts are always so cool and tasty, especially in this hot weather.
Luscious Lemon Dessert
1 can fruit cocktail
1 can sliced peaches, (cut into smaller pieces)
1 can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 box instant lemon pudding mix
Pour fruit cocktail and peaches with their liquid into serving bowl, add drained Mandarin oranges, stir in pudding mix. Stir well. Chill before serving. Can be served with whipped topping if desired.
Lemon Pie in a Bowl
1 box instant lemon pudding and pie filling
1 carton (8-oz) whipped topping, thawed
Mix the pudding according to directions on box. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the whipped topping. Serve in bowls. With this dessert, the first time I made it, I had baked a pie shell and it broke, so instead of putting the filling in the shell, I mixed the whipped topping into the pudding, poured it into a bowl and broke the pie shell into pieces and stuck them into the mixture. As my daughter always says; “When you get hold of a lemon, make lemonade”. Cooking flops are not always that simple to fix, but many times with a little imagination, you can salvage what you have messed up and fix it!
Dewey Lemon Salad
2 packages (3-oz size) sugar-free lemon gelatin
1 can (16-oz size) crushed pineapple
1 can (21-oz size) lemon pie filling
2 bananas, sliced
2 cups hot water
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup Cool Whip
Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Add pineapple juice and cool until it begins to set. Fold in fruits and marshmallows, then place in either a 9×13 pan or a 9×9-inch dish. Chill until firm. Combine pie filling and Cool Whip, then spread over gelatin. Chill. Yield: 10 servings.
Inflation is over 9%
Think I might need to replace my rain gauge. Dang thing hasn’t been used in so long, I think it quit working or the battery died or something. Then, the rain was sent and I found out that it still worked. Got 4.2 inches on Thursday.
We canceled the Budget Meeting for Thursday evening and rescheduled it for Tuesday at 9 AM. Hope some got the message on Facebook cuz this comes out after the meeting.
Went to my Appraisal protest hearing. Shoulda stayed home. They don’t care what you present, the number is set. When I asked for a comparable sale in the area, the District could not produce one. I believe that Johnette Dixon took offense to me printing a story about her raise. Guess she didn’t want to advertise it. I would sure like to be on the Appraisal Board once I retire from this job on January 1st next year.
I sure hope some of you have contacted your Commissioner and explained how tough times are now. According to the news stations, it costs the average family over $450 more a month to maintain their level of existence without increasing their income. Inflation is over 9%, people are selling off their cattle cause the cost of feeding them is too high, fertilizer to put on crops is outrageous and it’s almost too late to plant anything that could produce in a timely manner. We need to do something about taxes soon….mid-term elections is a good place to start. Term limits is another place to start.
Concerning property taxes, if you have a 7 or 8 figure bank account, a couple hunnerd dollars don’t affect you. But, this happens EVERY year and it mounts up. If you are living on Social Security and a fixed income, it is a big burden. Sometimes, it’s pay your bills and skip eating or eat and let the electricity get cut off.
I have asked our County Judge and our Tax Assessor/Collector to look into the possibility of County taxpayers getting a break. Why can’t we (County) offer the 65 and over crowd a break like the Schools do? Why can’t we freeze their taxes too? Just my opinion but, I think the school system needs an overhaul as well…
This year is my last and my focus is not on improving the financial status of a couple hunnerd employees without taking into consideration the 50,000+ taxpayers of our County that fund this endeavor that some call a circus. Nowadays, if you have a job that is a blessing.
I am fixing to be one of those living on a fixed income. Hopefully, my retirement checks and my Social Security check will suffice enough so that we don’t have to deplete our savings accounts.
Hope that I don’t have to find a job after retiring a second time. If I could make a living on the advice given by Bubba Hanson and Mike Schott on Wednesday mornings at Las Palmas, I would try but, that advice ain’t useful at all….colorful but not useful.
Heard that rain falls on the just and the unjust so, just in case, keep praying for rain even though some of us got some…
A Little Reprieve
We got a little reprieve last week; we only had 38 calls for service! Officers had some extra time on their hands and conducted 110 traffic stops. Of those traffic stops, 94 resulted in a citation and 16 were warnings.
There is not much to report this week, so brace yourself for boredom. We only had one property crime: #1 – The Animal Control Director reported a possible burglary at Diamond S Buildings (19650 IH-35 Access Rd.). We discovered that someone pushed out a window AC unit and made entry. The owner reported 2 Takamine acoustic guitars were missing; they were valued at $350 each. Somewhere, some crooks are strumming on those guitars. If you happened to hear them, give us a call.
Officers made two arrests this past week: #1 – Officer S. Pena observed a Hondo ATV being operated on a public roadway. He attempted to make a traffic stop but the ATV rider opted to “run.” A pursuit ensued and with the help of Ofc. J. Cortez and ACSO Deputy E. Lopez the suspect was taken into custody. He was booked on a felony charge of evading arrests. #2 – Officer J. Cortez (assisted by Ofc. Pena) conducted a traffic stop on Main St. at Bank. A female was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and a handgun was seized (the serial number had been altered). More charges are pending.
What else is happening around town? To put it simply; lots of growth. The city has three new subdivisions in various stages. Saddle Ridge Estates (which got out of the gate first) is building strong, by Halloween that will be some prime “Trick or Treat” territory.
The 7-Eleven / Stripes is getting close to completion. They were hoping to open in early August, but it looks like it will be a little later. The old Days Inn (originally the El Cid) hotel is long gone, replaced by fuel pumps and Slurpee machines.
I can’t believe it, but school starts in less than a month! August 11th will be the first day back for students at Lytle I.S.D. This year, like all the years in the past, the Lytle P.D. will do our part to get this school year started on a good note. Please take notice of the school zones and be understanding of the heavy congestion that comes along with the first few days of school. After the first few days it becomes just moderate congestion.
Don L. Hoover
Don L. Hoover of Castroville, Texas was born on February 2, 1961 in Hondo, Texas to Herbert Norman Hoover and Julia Leal Hoover passed away on July 12, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas at the age of 61.
Don had worked as Interim Chief for Eagle Lake Police Dept.
He is preceded in death by his father: Herbert Norman Hoover; his mother: Julia Garza; his wife Betty Hoover (Sept. 1, 2020) and his niece: Delsa Osti and nephew: Noah Hoover.
He is survived by his sons: Sean H. Hoover and wife Mia of Angleton, TX and Joshua P. Hoover and wife Heather of Spring, TX; six grandchildren: Jasmine Hoover, Jaiden Hoover, Hayes Hoover, Mila Hoover, Brenden Burgos and Emma Hoover; great grandsons: Ezra and Adonis Hoover; brothers: Daniel Hoover and wife Angel of Castroville, TX and Delbert Hoover of Natalia, TX; sisters: Dalia Hoover of Natalia, TX, Dora Osti and husband Antonio of Natalia, TX and Darlene Sanchez of Natalia, TX; nieces, nephews and other relatives.
A Rosary will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 11:00a.m. at Hurley Funeral Home-Devine Chapel led by Deacon Jerry Whitley followed with a Funeral Service at 11:30 a.m. at Hurley Funeral Home with Deacon Jerry Whitley officiating. Graveside Services at 1:00 p.m. with Deacon Jerry Whitley officiating. Internment of his cremains (along with his wife’s) to follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Devine, TX.
Ronald Martinez
Mr. Ronald Martinez, of Devine, age 48, passed away on July 10, 2022.
Ronald was born in Denver Colorado, on December 13, 1973 to Eusebio Martinez and Sylvia Lopez.
He was preceded in death by his father Eusebio; his maternal grandfather: Antonio Lopez; and uncles: Danny Lopez, Tony Lopez and Ruby Lopez.
Survivors: include his mother Sylvia Lopez of Devine, TX; his daughters: Clarisse Martinez of Abilene, TX, Vanessa Martinez of San Antonio, TX and Cecilia N. Martinez of Devine, TX brother: Juan Antonio Guardiola of Phoenix, AZ; sister: Avilia Guardiola of San Antonio, TX; Grandmother: Minnie Lopez; 5 grandchildren; and numerous other relatives.
Visitation will be held Friday, July 15, 2022 from 5:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. at Primera Iglesia Bautista Bethania, 404 E. Hondo, Devine, TX 78016. A Prayer Service will be held at 7:00p.m. that evening. Services to conclude at the church. Ronald’s family has elected cremation.
Maria Jovita Lopez
Maria Jovita Lopez was born on February 6, 1933, in La Coste, Texas and passed away on June 28, 2022, at the age of 89 in Lytle, Texas. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernesto G. Lopez Sr., son, Ernest V. Lopez Jr., and grandson, Jose Humberto Ramirez.
She is survived by her daughters; Criselda (Norman) Glaze, Enitra (Jesus) Juarez, Excilla (Vince) Ramirez, and Yunila (John) Espinosa; grandchildren; Jessica, Jesus Jr., Megan, Jonathan, Ernest III and Christian; great-grandchildren, Britny, Excilla, Kasey, Anthony, Joshua, Joseph, Joshua, Jathan, Javian, Jaeliana, Jaxson; great-great-grandchildren, Eli, Peyton, Braydon, Sawyer, Meredith, Barrett, Bentley, and Hazel, along with numerous nephews and nieces all whom she dearly loved.
She will be greatly missed by all her family and especially her grandkids. They will miss her many meals made with so much love. Her witty remarks and or comebacks that filled the rooms with continuous laughter. She loved to be in her yard with her beautiful roses and talking to her neighbors. She also loved attending and watching all her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids events. She has left us with so many fond memories.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 9:30 am – 11:00 am at Hurley Funeral Home Chapel, 14822 Main Street, Lytle, Texas 78052.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 am at Hurley Funeral Home.
Interment will follow at Lytle Community Cemetery.
For personal acknowledgements, please visit www.hurleyfuneralhome.com
Arrangements entrusted to Hurley Funeral Home, 14822 Main Street, Lytle, Texas 78052.
Florentina Pedroza Perez
Florentina Pedroza Perez, also known as, “Quata”, passed away on Saturday, July 2, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 66 years, 0 months and 12 days.
Florentina was born in Natalia, Texas on June 20, 1956, to Gavino Pedroza and Guadalupe Reyes. She resided in Natalia, Texas for 66 years.
Florentina leaves behind wonderful memories for all of her friends and family.
May she be with God forever.
She is preceded in death by her father; Gavino Pedroza, mother; Guadalupe Reyes, and 2 brothers; Jose Pedroza and Estevan Pedroza.
She survived by her daughter(s); April Martinez, San Antonio, Texas; Maricella Martinez Nash, Somerset, Texas; Veronica Martinez Cerda/ Jesse Cerda; Natalia, Texas and her Son; Raul Martinez Jr., Natalia, Texas. Florentina’s sisters, Sylvia Garcia/ Tony Garcia Florida; Dora Pedroza; Florida; Christina Davila/ Ricardo Davila; Florida; Maryann Pedroza; Florida. Florentina’s brothers, Twin: Silverio Pedroza; Somerset, Texas; Carlos Pedroza/Lupe Pedroza; Florida; Roman Pedroza/Sandy Pedroza; San Antonio, Texas. Florentina had 11 Grandchildren; Natalie Justine Martinez, Adriana Danielle Martinez, Raul Martinez III, Julianne Martinez, John Anthony Martinez, Meranda Michelle Constante, Jose Luis Constante III, Victoria Nicole Lugo, Christopher Kelly Nash, Zaida Rose Nash, and Ezra Roy Martinez-Leyva. 6 Great grandchildren; Autumn Janelle Martinez, Abby Jade Frias, Taylor McKenzie Martinez, Mayjor Felan, Laurel McConnell, and Hayden McConnell.
Services are as follow:
Visitation: St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Natalia, Texas 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Rosary: 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Mass: 11:00 a.m.
Place of rest, St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Devine, Texas
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Franklin Funeral Home of Floresville, Texas.
Dr. Sam Houston Ridgway, DVM, PhD
Dr. Sam Ridgway, distinguished marine mammal veterinarian and scientist, passed away peacefully at home in San Diego, surrounded by beloved family and friends. Sam was a humble man of heroic accomplishment, with a quick wit, kind heart, and gentle soul. He will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
Sam was born in Bigfoot, Texas, son to Morris Shepard and Florence Lipscomb Ridgway. In 1960, he married his sweetheart, Dr. Jeanette Fuller Ridgway, PhD, of Richards, Texas. They enjoyed almost 60 years of marriage before she passed in 2020. Sam is survived by his brother Don Ridgway (wife Jo Layne), brother Sid Ridgway (wife Mary Jay), and their families.
He earned his undergraduate and veterinary degrees from Texas A&M University and was a loyal fan of the Aggies’ football team. Sam was commissioned in the Air Force as a veterinary officer for military service animals. Upon moving to California, he became the attending veterinarian for the US Navy’s marine mammals, which launched his career in marine mammal medicine and science. In 1970, he received a Navy fellowship to study under Sir Richard Harrison at Cambridge University, where he earned a PhD in neuroscience. He applied this knowledge to understanding the behavior and physiology of marine mammals, especially bottlenose dolphins.
Sam was a founder of the US Navy’s Marine Mammal Program, which he served for more than 60 years. He was the founding President and CEO of the National Marine Mammal Foundation, a nonprofit he helped establish in 2007. Sam was widely known for establishing novel methods to partner with marine mammals in the open ocean, which allowed humans to observe and interact with animals in their natural environment. This led to great advancements in marine mammal behavior, physiology, and acoustics.
He was one of the largest contributors to marine mammal science, publishing more than 350 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and books. Early in his career, he published a book called Dolphin Doctor, a name that became synonymous with Sam himself. A large volume of his work focused on cetacean neuroscience, anatomy, and physiology. His book Mammals of the Sea, published 50 years ago, remains one of the most comprehensive textbooks on marine mammal physiology.
Sam was affectionately known among his colleagues as the ‘father of marine mammal medicine’ due to his pioneering spirit and ground-breaking discoveries that advanced the health and welfare of dolphins, porpoises, whales, sea lions, and seals. Sam embraced conservation biology and medicine, and he was eager to apply his knowledge and expertise to marine mammals in the wild. His scientific discoveries served as a foundation for the protection and conservation of marine mammals globally.
Throughout his career, Sam mentored hundreds of veterinary and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, marine mammal veterinarians, conservationists, and scientists. He cherished his mentor-mentee relationships and dedicated countless hours to his students. He traveled the world to share his discoveries through lectures and meetings, reaching students and colleagues on every continent. He continued to contribute in his final days, enjoying time spent with members of his Early Scientist Program as they discussed results and finalized publications.
Sam was revered as a leader in the marine mammal community. He was founding President of the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM). He served on the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Marine Mammal Commission, on committees of the National Research Council and National Academy of Sciences, and was elected a fellow of both the Acoustical Society of America and American College of Zoological Medicine. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine; the Lifetime and Clinical Medicine Awards from IAAAM; the Kenneth S. Norris Lifetime Achievement Award of the Society for Marine Mammalogy; and, two Navy awards, the Gilbert H. Curl Award, and the Lauritsen Bennett Award.
Despite his impressive accolades, Sam navigated his life with humility and grace. He touched the minds and hearts of his colleagues with his curiosity and light-hearted nature. When Sam showed his strength, it was always in regard to the animals. He was globally respected and admired for his unwavering commitment to the animals in his care and in the wild. During his lifetime, he inspired students and colleagues all over the world to dedicate their careers to protecting, conserving, and caring for marine mammals.
In 2020, a StoryFile was created of Sam, inspired by long-time friend and colleague Carolyn Schlundt Melka. The StoryFile serves as a living memorial that allows present and future generations to interact with Sam about his personal and professional life.
A memorial service for both Sam and wife Jeanette will be held at First United Methodist Church of San Diego, at a date to be determined. Information about the memorial service will be made available at www.nmmf.org/ridgway. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Marine Mammal Foundation’s Ridgway Fund, to continue Sam’s legacy.
William John Southwell, III
William John Southwell, III was born on January 19, 1933 in Edinburg, TX and went to his eternal home on July 6, 2022 in Hondo, TX
John graduated from McAllen High School in 1951, volunteered for the U.S. Army from 1953-1955, and graduated from the University of Texas in 1957.
During his career, John was President and CEO of two international companies, a homebuilder and realtor as well as a Financial Consultant. He was on the lay staff of Campus Crusade for Christ for several years.
John and his wife, Debbie, moved to Hondo in 2004. Several years later they became CASA volunteers which led them to form HANK, Inc. (Helping Abused & Neglected Kids).
John was predeceased by his parents, Bill and Billie Jo Southwell, and his brother, James W. Southwell. He leaves behind the love of his life, Debbie, son John (Penny) Southwell, daughter Dion (Brian) Lawson, son Mark (Nicole) Southwell, brother Steve (Sheryl) Southwell, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will take place on Saturday, July 16, 2022, at New Fountain United Methodist Church at 1:00 p.m. Please wear bright colors; John wanted this to be a joyous celebration of his life.
Services are under the direction of Hondo Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, John’s wish was that tax-deductible donations be made to HANK, Inc. The mailing address for HANK is 450 County Road 246, Hondo, TX 78861.