So you've wandered up the driveway and in here, eh? Welcome, and watch your head. This is an eclectic gathering of info, fun, pointers, signposts, and the all-important links. Like most garages, there's cool things to look at, to trip over, to ooh and ah over, to learn from, and lots of projects to work on.
Last updated on July 15, 2007.
Important info: 2001 is the *real* start of the "New" Millennium. 2000 is the *LAST* year of the second millennium. And 2000 was the LAST year of the 20th century; while 2001 was the first year of the 21st Century. Don't make a fool out of yourself by getting them mixed up. ;-)
***** Most Important Info of This or Any Other Millennium: Chevelle got hitched to The Princess! That's right, on Sept. 9 in the year 2000, the frog actually got The Princess! Here's her photo: The Princess
You may want to check out this little essay: "A Primer For The Thermostatically Challenged"click here
Crepe myrtle or crape myrtle? There IS a difference! mash here
We had a little storm called Rita
in Sept. 2005
Winds here were measured at 165mph sustained, around 200mph gusts.
Up in Woodville, about 100 miles inland, winds were recorded at 123mph
sustained, 157mph gusts. Most of the trees were blown down, from
north to south. Old-timers up there had never seen anything like
it. Electric repair crews who had worked many storms said this was
the worst damage they had ever seen, even worse than Katrina. Yet
the National Weather Service says the winds were only 115mph sustained!
They lie. At 115 mph, their instruments were destroyed by the
storm. An oceangoing ship in the Orange harbor and chemical plants
in Orange all recorded winds of 165mph sustained and near 200mph gusts.
Look at the photos of damage and tell me 115mph winds could do that!!
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Dutch Price was the runner-up in the 1978 "Mr. Texas" Competition. This pic was at the South Texas State Fair a few years ago. Dutch is shorter than me (hint). |
Older cars and trucks need parts replaced from time to time. Tune-up parts for the engine, of course, but occasionally they need a bit of chrome, a fender, a tie rod or a snazzy accessory they've always wanted to wear. I'm still looking for the snazzlefoowt option... Some of you may have parts I need, and I might have parts in the garage that you need, or we might know where a part can be found. Enjoy!
Patrick's Antique Parts...an old-truck purist's wonderland. Speed parts!
Paddock West...a Chevelle and El Camino wonderland.
Year One...More classic car parts; do some comparison shopping.
Trim Parts...for those hard-to-find trim parts.
Harmon's...Great catalog, .
Vintage Parts...Old gas pumps. car collectibles and more.
My Classic Car...Info and links on the cars Detroit should still be producing.
The Auto Channel...more car stuff
These are pretty good sources. I have addresses for several other companies that specialize in parts for older vehicles; Email me for the addresses.
Do you like jeeps, the kind from WW2 and maybe some other military vehicles? Jeeps of that era are lovingly referred to as "flatfenders". Check out my brother's page at GPJoe's .... I am heartbroken to say that cancer got Joe at the age of 47; another great Jeepster went over the Great Divide. -- In Memory of Joe Van Slyke, Dec. 6, 1953 - Oct. 30, 2001 -- His dear wife Jody is keeping the website up.
If you want your engine rebuilt so it will work the way you want it to, and last for 100,000 miles or more (if you take care of it properly), go to Procell Performance at 105 Green Avenue in Orange, Texas. They build race engines too, and install them cleanly.
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On the left, a nice view of my '66 300 Deluxe Chevelle. |
| On the right, the Chevelle with a partial view of the 5-window '51 Chevy truck I had a few years ago. |
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Do you like to do a good deed once in a while? Do you like to have fun? Do you want to learn valuable career skills such as Management, Leadership, and Personal Skills? Do you want to do all these things at once? Well, Bunkie, we've got just the place for you! The Orange Jaycees have been doing good things and having incredible fun since the club was formed in August of 1936, at the old Holland Hotel downtown. Hundreds of Orange's successful businessmen and businesswomen and civic leaders got started in the Jaycees by helping put together and running projects. Fundraisers for worthy causes, short 'n sweet training seminars, trips to conventions, networking, and best of all, making new friends. I'm talking about good friends, not fair-weather friends. And if there's something in the community that needs doing and nobody has thought of it before, or has given up on it, here's how to get it done: Tell a Jaycee that it can't be done. That'll just fire 'em up more, and it'll get done. Lead, follow or get out of the way of The United States Jaycees !
More info about the Orange Jaycees
And here's one of the ongoing projects of the Orange Jaycees: A children's storybook/coloring book titled "Kenny And The Angel Cat". Proceeds go to local charities.Got your attention now! Everybody likes good food, especially when it's not expensive and tastes great. The Sunshine Food Co-Op of Orange has been supplying healthy foods to Orange for 15 years, at least. The members either meet and pool their money on case lots, or call in their order to the bookkeeper before the monthly deadline; the order is compiled and faxed to the warehouse in the Ozarks. A week later, a refrigerated truck comes to a prearranged location for delivery. The co-op members unload the truck, divide the order, pay the bookkeeper and go home to stock up the pantry with great items like low-salt canned goods, cheeses made of whole milk and no additives, fresh yogurt, big sacks of whole grains or flour, healthy snacks for the kids, delicious sodas and juices without any nasty additives, some old-time kitchen and household utensils, pet supplies... I could go on and on, but I'd have to get up and go raid the pantry if we mention more food. A complete guide and price list can be yours if you call Sandy Wagner, 883-2105, but not after 9pm, please ;-)
Those were the days -- hanging a dummy from the water tower the night before the Senior Trip to Lake Tejas, putting a trash can on top of the school flagpole, having a good (wild?) time in drafting or biology -- and most of us are still around, raising cain and grandkids. We've had a 5 year reunion, 10, 15, then 20, and we had the 25 year reunion during the July 4 holidays in 1998. In the summer of 2003 we had the 30-year reunion, and it was great to see everyone. It's hard to keep in touch with the remaining group that started out as 315 folks, but somehow we do. If you're one of these lucky Tigers who found this page, drop me a line about what you're doing and where you are. Get in touch with Craig Nugent at 409-735-8513 or Mary Jane Wallace Parsons at 409-727-4674. This Web stuff may help us keep in touch better, waddaya think? chevelle@pnx.com There's a list of alumni of Orange schools on the West Orange-Cove page that you can sign up on, and leave a link to your own page. Some of the folks listed are *really* old! ;-)
1998 Reunion picture...... 1993 Reunion picture 2003 Reunion picture
Here in the South, we are proud of our Southern ways and traditions.
Our history and heritage is kept alive and passed on from one person to
another. There is an organization of Southerners dedicated to
preserving, protecting and teaching the Southern past --
The Sons of
Confederate Veterans. It's a lot of fun in the
reenactments, it's hard work to research your ancestors and all the
history, and it's inspiring to talk with students about the true causes
of the War for Southern Independence. The Orange chapter is
here.
Check 'em out!
Look on the links page for Confederate Radio and lots of great info!
Yep, everybody has their favorite places to go. I left out some of the usual ones that nearly everybody knows about.
Here's a starter link to Beagles: Beagles On The Web. I had Barney the Wonder Beagle for 6-1/2 great years until cancer got him on May 22, 2000. Now I have Zeke, an 11-year old male beagle who used to be a rabbit-hunter. Here's a pic of Caron, Monet, Zeke and Burrito: Yard ... Monet is a 15-year-old Brittany Spaniel/chow mix, and Burrito is a 7-year-old orange tomcat. (update -- Burrito died of a feline illness on Jan. 2, 2006; Monet died of complications from a fast-moving cancer on Feb, 2, 2006. Zeke escaped the back yard on Friday, Oct. 20 2006 and was probably hit by a vehicle; I didn't see it happen. I found him sitting by the driveway looking pained, with a gash on one hind leg, a skinned tail and not much else. I cleaned and bandaged his wounds and thought he would be okay until I could get him to the vet the next morning. I made him a soft towel bed in front of the washer. But he must have had internal injuries, because I found him stiff and cold the next morning. ;-(
Around late March 2006, we were given a wonderful lady Bassett Hound named Austen. She's 7, gets along with all the cats and stays indoors most of the time, and is lots of fun.
* After a recent bad experience with the so-called Humane Society, I
would not recommend them to anyone for anything. *
I have rescued stray dogs and cats aplenty, found good homes for them,
and never asked for a dime in compensation. If you are looking for
a dog or cat for your family, check with me, I might be caring for a
furry friend who needs a home.
In addition to Austen, we have Jill and Maggy. Jill's mother is a
beagle, and from Jill's features we figure the father was a bluetick
coonhound. Maggy looks like a German Shepherd/Golden Retriever
mix. They were both strays, picked up by someone and given to me.
They are wonderful dogs.
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These are some links that may be off the beaten path:
Summertime fun in the South! July 8, 2007, Dublin, GA -- the annual Redneck Games!
Nectar of the gods. Brewed in the little ole Spoetzel Brewery right here in Texas. Six or seven brews to choose from. With great beer like Shiner, why would anyone ever want to drink a Bud or a Miller, commonly referred to as "pale yellow belch propellant"? You ain't had beer unless you've had a Shiner!.
Patron Saint of Beer. Brewed on the northwest side of Houston, Texas. Mostly ales, a few beer varieties. All of them are great! Amber Ale is a year-round favorite, and the seasonal brews seem to fit the time of year perfectly. They now have some old-fashioned yummy Root Beer, too! Free tours and full glasses on Saturdays and several community events each month. How many other brewery owners have you seen get out and shake hands and host a pub crawl? They sponsor a team every year in the MS150 Houston-to-Austin bicycle ride to help raise money to fight Multiple Sclerosis. You gotta try a Saint Arnold's!.
Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) Here you can find info about "Austin City Limits", "This Old House", University of Houston "classes on TV", all the specials and series, and links to various PBS station's home pages. KUHT-Houston was the first PBS station to have a Web page.
Austin's talented singer. She has a pile of albums that you'll fall in love with, all of them recorded before her appearance on MTV with Hootie and the Blowfish. And her contribution to Hootie's new album is excellent.
News Flash ! ==== Nanci's newest album is now available! "Hearts In Mind", featuring Nanci's excellent Blue Moon Orchestra. So get your favorite record shop to order it for you, if they don't already have it ! For more info on Our aNGel, or to read the latest chapter of her book, check out this link : Gulf Coast Highway Page And when you find a link to the Townes Van Zandt page, check that out too. He wrote and sang many hundreds of songs, spent a lot of time in Houston. Some of his most famous songs are "Pancho and Lefty" and "If I Needed You".
Phil was a singer/songwriter of the 60s and 70s, sometimes referred to as "topical", "protest" or "folk". Biting sarcasm, pointed commentary and incredible wit are Phil's lyrical trademarks, with the added attraction of excellent melodies. Abbie Hoffman, the original Yippie, was a poet and activist from the 60s through the 90s. Read any of his books you can find!
Hey, everybody knows Hootie. I like their "Fairweather Johnson" album, with Nanci Griffith singing harmony on two tracks.
Hey, hey, we're the artist-formerly-associated-with-the-Monkees..... With his headquarters now at Videoranch in New Mexico, you can get one of his many CDs or cassettes. His music has been recorded by Linda Ronstadt ("Different Drum") and guest artists include Greg "Fingers" Taylor, Lonnie Mack, Glen Campbell, Jose Feliciano along with the excellent musicians in his band(s). Start with "Tropical Campfires", then read a few chapters of his new book; the first few chapters are online!
Jimmy Buffet is mixing a fresh batch in Margaritaville... If you've ever bought margarita ingredients instead of groceries... you may be a Parrothead. If you like being on the water and soaking up the sun while listening to the easygoing sounds of Jimmy Buffett... you're definitely a Parrothead. Go to Margaritaville , and check out the All-Buffett Internet Radio! If you get up late on Sundays, no problem; go to the Church of Buffett, Orthodox . Here on the Gulf Coast, where any of the chemical plants could have an explosion at any time, we like to listen to the Buffett-like sounds of Key West . Back around 1994, I went to a crawfish boil in Crystal Beach and ended up at Stingaree's, listening to Key West and joining in the conga line that went around the restaurant and over the tables. Yeah, that was fun, and Key West made it possible! Get their latest CDs, and the "Gulf Coast Girls Calendar"!
Born and raised in Meridian, Mississippi, Steve is a mixture of Delta blues, folkabilly, rockin' Stones and balladeer. He went to Noo Yawk City in the 80s and made believers out of 'em. Check him out!
With a band called The Nervous Wrecks, the "Alright Guy" tickles your ear and your gut with everything from folk, hard rock, "intelligent country", talking blues, and some ballads that touch your soul. Watch his videos online at Todd Snider's Home Page . Check out these pics from a show at Austin's La Zona Rosa back in 2000 -- Todd , Keith Sykes .
If you liked these folks' music, check out the WebRadio broadcast of Austin's premier music station, KGSR . They have a great set of links, info on the current music scene, and lots of history.
General Motors Corp. ... Want to look at the new lineup of cars and trucks? Sit in a "virtual" driver's seat and look around? Price your favorite wheels? This is the place!
Ford Motor Co.... The same setup for Ford. Forget the foreign cars, buy American!
Directory of many kinds of games... Doom, Quake, Half-Life .... shoot-em-up games are so much fun! Get free downloads of extra levels, find cheat codes, latest info and more.
Football's biggest event!... Anything you want to know about the current Superbowl, or any past Superbowls, is here, with NFL links.
Mental Health Infosource ...it isn't just for crazy people. Benjamin Franklin said, "There is no one sane but me and thee, and I'm not so sure about thee". You can find the latest research in psychiatric disorders here; nearly all mental disorders are caused by a chemical imbalance that can be cured with proper diagnosis and medication. And this site has some great cards and gifts for sale.
Mother Jones magazine... All the news the other guys suppress. These guys break the *really* important stories, the others just copy them. Mother Jones was the original "hellraiser".
Houston Chronicle online...The daily paper, and more.
You're NOT anonymous on the Web!..."Cybercookies", the little snippets of info you provide to a web site just by showing up, are used by "marketer researchers" (yeah, sure!) to compile statistics on Web surfers. They can see where you're calling from, what type computer you have, what browser you're using, and more. If this worries you, Anonymizer has a service you can click on that will allow you to surf anonymously, with no charge. Big Brother is watching......
Smithsonian Institution... Need we say more? Mesmerizing.
American Association of University Women... They do a lot more than book sales, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at all they do.
Dealey Plaza Museum... The famous Dallas location, with an EarthCam of the view out the infamous sixth floor window.
Joe Bob Briggs ...The world's best Drive-In Critic, formerly with the Dallas Morning News, hosted a double-feature Monstervision each Saturday night, with commentary guaranteed to inform and entertain you. Unfortunately, it isn't on anymore, thanks to corporate weasels. If you want to see what Joe Bob is doing now, check out Joe Bob Briggs He might be showing up soon on the new Horror network cable channel. Ain't no highbrows here. Four stars. Check it out.
Quantum Leap...Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell leap from one human drama to the next, redirecting bad choices into good ones. Wish I could do that.
Doctor Who...The man from Gallifrey explores space and time in a non-violent manner, with a mischevious twinkle in his eye. BBC runs this on Sunday afternoons. And check out the BBC site.
***News flash! The new BBC Dr. Who season will be broadcast in the US on the Sci-Fi Channel in July 2007!
The X-Files...The truth is out there. Trust no one.
The Discovery Channel... Find the listing of interesting shows, info about current shows, fascinating stuff.
Texas...Our many-faceted state guv'mint
Window on Texas Gov't...The public relations facet, kept current by Comptroller Strayhorn and her staff of wizards.
Autodesk...The mother of all drawing programs.
Tucows -- Winsock and Netscape ...The latest versions of Netscape and other Web surfing essentials, for all platforms.
Land's End ...Casual and outdoor clothing
Emergency Services info... For fire, police and medical service personnel.
Digicrime...Transfer money from the Rockefellers to you, tap phones, all sorts of espionage and mayhem. It's all in good fun, I don't *think* it's real, but....
