THE RSVP I AM SURE OF

For all the family and extended family today I am extending to you all the opportunity to be a part of History unsurpassed in all of our Family's colorful history. This opportunity could be further expanded to close friends as well. The most important thing for now is to get on the list ASAP don't wait for someone to read about this in the Baytown Sun and feel sorry you were left out. You are advised that the Royal Odds makers are now raising the odds on a "ROYAL WEDDING OF EPIC PROPORTIONS"

Thru our Great Grand Mother Mathis, who is our direct blood link to Her Majesty , Queen Elizabeth, we will have as FAMILY invitations sent directly from Buckingham Palace.

This Wedding WILL be much larger than Diana's and all the world will be beholden to the British Royal Court during this historic event across the pond.

HRH Prince William is soon to announce engagement to Kate Middleton and because of the Olympics being in England in 2012 details of a Royal Wedding are in the works but the logistics are extremely tight. It takes well over one year to plan such a Wedding not to mention the Olympics adding to the mix.

We all can begin making plans to attend this event , allocating resources, fashion shopping, and generally reviewing the modern British Culture scene we will be a part of soon. There are many volumes of publications available to review so don't panic if you don't currently know how to take your tea and what to order off the Royal Menu. We will learn all this together and at a later date. And it is OK to let them know we are from the Green Linage of Texas. This they know well and will have proper Credentials made in advance.

Sir William Green of Lancaster England or his Son Sir Richard Green of Lincolnshire, Rippingdale England also our direct Blood relation may be the source of routing for our place and pecking order in Royal Protocol? This is information that is unknown to us at this time but only adds to the excitement as to where we will all be seated at the Official Reception and Gala Ball and Wedding Festivities.

My advice is we may want to take out a couple of AMEX lines of credit convertible to the Pound and Euro but we don't need to get to far ahead of ourselves.

Just stay calm take a deep breath and hope the best for William and Kate.

DUST BOWL REVISITED

Our truck last Friday high tailing it across the Raton Pass/Texas Panhandle route back home. And for 18 non-stop hours the Ford kept ahead of what was once called "A Black Blizzard". At times one could not even be heard talking in the truck cab. It was a bucking loud blow of epic proportions for hours on end. The gas gauge steady dropped, the wind speed later reported above 60 mph and gusting . What a novelty to see tumbleweeds crossing in front of you every few minutes. One knew the worst was nearly over BUT not so it blew and blew nearly all the way to Fort Worth. Arriving in Amarillo before dark a brief rest stop was made at the Route 66 Steak Ranch. If you never heard of this one , it is a legendary stop for nearly 50 years to those who think they are hungry for a Texas Sized Steak? At $1.00 per ounce this 72 ounce steak is free to anyone who can eat it within 60 minutes. They said they get a sucker in there most every day to try and when he/she fails well they fork up $72.00 for the 59 minutes of fame and attention they get here at Big Tex. Knowing the Big Blow is catching up outside our 12 ounce steak was divided into 3 portions , one portion went for our dog, the other two was probably the best Prime West Texas Beef ever eaten. At least after all the Hype of the 50 year history from this place our sand parched taste buds were well pleased but the savory taste enhancements were short lived. There was a Dust Bowl blowing in and we had to get out of there FAST. *note..watch it live at http://www.bigtexan.com/

Back on the trail it was noticed that all the Truck rest areas were packed? You think a Baytown resident and experienced cross country traveler would have took note of the rest areas all being full? At least a dim light bulb could have lit up and told us just maybe the driving conditions were a tad bit hazardous??? That logic didn't enter into the plans because a dead line was looming. We had a meeting time set with a man who had been waiting for the last 25-30 years and we were not going to miss this no matter how hard the wind and dust kicked up. We had to make Estelline Texas before dark and the last 58 miles and sunset were closing fast.

Estelline is not much of a town these days with a population of 128 our meeting place had to be a easy find. Slowing at the City Limits there it was in bold green letters proudly displaying Estelline's main land mark "CEMETERY" pointing down a sand filled dirt road that ran in the middle of a long wheat field about 1.5 miles ahead. Our meeting place with Great Grand Paw Tom Tyner! The distance from the thumb and little finger placed just on the horizon showed just slightly more than 15 minutes of day light and there were at least 75-100 tomb stones all of which I am sure were Grand Paw Toms friends and relatives. Skidding in the sand to a full stop the door flew open and a huge puff of that Black Blizzard's leading edge wind gust sent my ball cap tumbling down the second row of graves to the far East end of the cemetery where .... you guessed it, lay, in the most peaceful setting one could imagine in this parched sandy blown land my loving long lost Great Grandfather Tom. The sun was casting it's last light on his tomb stone, all his family along side him were all smiling up at me as I snapped their pictures and the tears crept out as the full weight of the moment came down on me. You see I didn't find Great Grand Paw Tom, he found me 'cause I know without a doubt Tom and his family, there in that peaceful place, had caused that gust of wind to blow my ball cap right up to them. It would have taken hours on end to locate them without his help.

That Black Blizzard was a way of life of those pioneers and while it didn't stop them from living out their lives there is no way they were going to let it stop a Great Grand Son from making a brief visit to see where they had lived, loved and died so many years ago.

THANKS for the help GREAT GREAT PAPA you are not forgotten.