Ned Mercer

I think that everyone knows that my dear Ned passed away June 23, 2012. Just in case there are some of my blog readers who didn't know, I want to share with you what I shared on Facebook.

Rest in Peace
Ned Mercer
October 19, 1936 to June 23, 2012

A few days before he died Ned and I had this conversation.....

Ned - You know what I dreamed last night?

Me - No, what did you dream?

Ned - I dreamed that this trapeze (the apparatus he pulled up on to get out of bed) and all the ceiling was covered with flowers.


Me - What kind of flowers?


Ned - All colors, beautiful flowers.


Me - That sounds really beautiful.

I helped him get back in bed for a nap. I couldn't say anything else. Just kissed him on the forehead.
Ned has moved on to higher ground where the beautiful flowers are.

Needless to say the last five weeks have been very emotional and incredible difficult. I certainly have not felt like writing in this blog. And I'm not sure what the future of the blog is but yesterday something happened that I thought I should write about. I'm not making any promises but maybe.........

Farmer's Market on Airline Road

This week we went to Houston's Farmer's Market. It has been near downtown on Airline Road forever and ever. It isn't an organic market and it isn't what it use to be at least not the public part. But for me it is still pretty special. It is in a huge building and out back are covered stalls. But what is in the building are huge 24 by 72" sided tables. Each one holds one kind, at the most two kinds of vegetables. They also have some shelves of canned and preserved fruits, salsas and vegetables. Not canned by Del Monte or one of the big food companies but canned by small regional kitchens. It isn't  hermetically sealed and air conditioned. Instead it is cooled by giant fans. I love that fresh produce smell.

Okay, you may be thinking, why do you drive across town to go there when you have two grocery stores right near your apartment. There are several reasons. The first is that it reminds me of the mercados in San Miguel that I'm missing. Of course, since I've been going to the Farmer's Market on Airline for 40 years...maybe longer...it could be that the mercados in San Miguel remind me of home. Whichever way it works, this Farmer's Market makes me happy with its abundance, color and smells.

The second reason is I like to pick out each tomato, or okra, or ear of corn or cucumber. More and more in the grocery stores, food is getting packaged----four ears of shucked corn in a styrofoam box and wrapped in plastic, little plastic tubs of cut up melon and fruit, a plastic box of okra. I've never liked the prepackaged produce but now that we are starting to hear more about what can leach out of the plastic and into our bodies I like it even less.

While we were picking out okra, we struck up a conversation with another man who was also picking out okra. And that is the third reason I like shopping at the Farmer's Market.....community. The conversation was about what we were going to cook with the okra which of course led to talking about gumbo. He made my mouth water when he said that he had some crabs to put in his gumbo. It isn't unusual at all for a conversation to start up while you fill your bag, "My, these tomatoes sure look good." "Yes, they are. I think I'll make up a pot of tomato sauce." "That would be good. How do you make yours?" And so it goes.

I always see a lot of stately black women shopping there with their baskets filled with okra, greens, tomatoes, peas......Oh, I wish they would take me home with them. I know that I would have a meal filled with soul.

And the fourth reason I shop there is because they have produce that I can't find in the grocery stores. This week they had purple hull peas, lima beans, speckled butter beans, and pinto beans. They were blanched and frozen, just like I would do them if I bought a bushel of beans and shelled them. They are not the same as Swanson frozen black-eyed peas and they certainly taste differently than dried beans and peas. Have you ever eaten fresh pinto beans? They are so fabulous, the same with the speckled butter beans, fabulous. If I hit the market at the right time during May, I might be able to buy a bushel of fresh pinto beans and shell them like I use to do but that was back when we were a family of five. It isn't practical for just the two of us. So I'm really grateful to find them already shelled and frozen.

One other thing I love about this market, Food Trucks. I know that these days food trucks are the IN thing. As long as I have been going to the Farmer's Market on Airline, there have been food trucks and they have all had some kind of Mexican street food. We try to time our trips there so we can eat from one of them.

So now you know why I drive across town to shop at the old Framer's Market on Airline.

The Fast Lane

If you have been wondering where I have been, I have been in the Fast Lane. We flew into Housto for Ned's check up a few days after I wrote the last blog entry.  That started a series of tests which showed that Ned's cancer is still around. We flew back to San Miguel, gathered up the car and the dog and drove back to Houston so that Ned could start another round of radiation. Actually it was two rounds of radiation. One for the spots in the brain and another for a spot in his shoulder. I'm telling you he has had so much radiation I may start to glow in the dark just from sleeping with him.

Radiation took up the whole day because we had to go to one place for the shoulder and another for the brain. The high tech machines could have an issue one day and would have to be recalibrated or whatever they do to them and so we did not have a fixed schedule. In fact, Tuesday of the second week was typical. Tuesday morning at the brain location we were given the schedule for Wednesday which included the weekly visit with the doctor. By the time we arrived at the shoulder radiation location, it had been changed.

But the good news is that Ned is feeling better AND he is eating again.

While we are hanging out here we may take some day-trips or even get back to Port Aransas for a few days so I can do some more photography there. In the meantime I have been doing some photography here. One day I headed over to an older part of Houston and took a few photographs.  I'm not working on a "project" but getting out does exercise my foto-eye.

This building was built by Gus Koschany in 1936 as his mechanic shop. It is on a large corner lot with a house. The house faces one way and the shop faces the other direction on the side street. While I was photographing the building the lady who lives next door came out and we chatted for a while about the neighborhood. I love that photography sometimes helps me make a connection with people that I never would in any other way.

Shopping Day

Today I had a personal shopping day. I headed to the Galleria. I took the camera with me and made a few shots from the hip. If I would have brought my big "professional" looking camera to my eye, I would have had a security guard on me in no time. It would be easier to get what I want in the frame but on the other hand it is kind of fun to see what shows up while I'm walking through the store with my finger lightly on the camera ready to push the shutter while I'm looking the other way. I know it is silly but I feel a bit like I'm flirting with danger.

There were serious shoppers out today. Every place I went I saw women loading up the trunk of their car with their purchases. Oh, I did see one man at Costco. He was loading the trunk of his car with liquor and wine. I'm thinking some stuff about the division of labor between the sexes at Christmas time but I think I'll just let it go. Ho, Ho, Ho.

Yesterday's Commerce #1

I've gotten out a time or two to photograph around Houston. This image is from the area of Houston near downtown called the Heights. If you will look closely you can see that the Rose Motor Co. Inc. use to reside in this building. There are a lot of these old buildings in the inner-city of Houston. Don't know that this is a project but it gives me something to look for when I'm out and about. I'll call these yesterday's commerce #XX for now.  We'll see where this goes.

Our Apartment

We are living in a fairly large apartment complex. I think God had a hand in putting us here. This was the first apartment that we looked at. It is close to two of our sons, to the medical center, has security gates, the grounds are very well maintained  and our apartment is on the ground floor. I don't worry about walking Carly around the complex at night. And we can walk to two grocery stores, a drug store and several restaurants....as least we can now that the weather isn't over 100 degrees everyday. The rooms are large and there is a lot of storage space.

By the way, what is it with storage space. It just seems to fill up on its own. The walk-in closet in the bedroom/office is almost full. The exceptions are the two walk-in closets in our bedroom. We have very few clothes in them. We always seem to come to Houston with clothes for two weeks or so and then end up staying for months. It takes keeping the washing machine and dryer busy on a regular basis but it is amazing how long you can go with just a few clothes. It is getting a little harder right now because of the change in seasons. I mean, really, one can't go on wearing white cropped pants after the first of September. If you are old enough and from the South I'm sure you know that RULE.

Another thing that we are really appreciating in our apartment complex is the staff. They pick up our garbage at our door four times a week. If something breaks, they can usually fix it the same day. Last night about 8:00 PM we realized that the AC wasn't working. This morning at 8:00 AM they were at the door to fix it. Now we are sitting cool and comfortable. In a private home, I'm sure we could not have gotten anyone out to fix it until Monday or later. And God knows what it would cost.

I've never wanted to live in an apartment complex. Too many people, loss of privacy, no yard. But after living wall-to-wall in our Mexican colonia with only a patio and terrace, where every neighbor knows when you come and go, I guess I feel a little differently about apartment living.

Easter

Easter was a quiet day for us. Although I still managed to overcook a key lime pie. I put the pie in the oven, checked the time and thought, I have 30 minutes. So I went to do some more research on the computer for a project. Poof! One hour later I thought about the pie. So that one went in the garbage and I went to the store to get the ingredients for another key lime pie. This time while I waited for the pie to cook, I did a bit of ironing. No way I'll get so distracted by ironing that I'll forget about the pie.

We went to Mike and Betsy's for Easter dinner. She made a wonderful dinner of lamb chops, peas, baby carrots and roasted potatoes but it wasn't just lamb chops, peas, carrots and potatoes. She added a special touch to each dish. The weather was so nice that we sat outside on the terrace. It is such a blessing to have a meal with the family. Just wish Doug and Susan and their boys could have been with us.

In case you are wondering, going around the table from the guy in the shorts, Mike, Gary, Ned, Will, Jack (who probably grew 1/4 inch while we were having dinner) and the marvelous cook, Betsy.

Night Lights #17

I am not through with the Christmas lights. There are still more places, lots of places, on my list. Son #1 has said he wants to take me to see some huge light displays that are choreographed for sequences of several minutes. And I'd still like to get to the neighborhoods in Southeast Houston where Ned and I grew up. What surprises me is that I have only seen one nativity scene and I saw it in the daylight so I've got to get back there at night and see if it is lit so I can get you a photograph.

Breakfast or Brunch

 CBS Sunday Morning News is one of my favorite programs so I was watching when a couple of Sunday's ago, they ran this segment,  Breakfast or Brunch, narrated by Mo Rocca.  All of a sudden I was off of the couch. Rocca was not talking about some New York City restaurants. He was talking about Houston. Not just Houston but my old neighborhood, the neighborhood where I grew up and where we bought our first home. He was talking about breakfast at the Tel-Wink Grill. It had been 40+ years since I had eaten at the Tel-Wink but so many memories came back.....going there with the kids when they were small or with some other families after church on Sunday night.....the booths, the pies, the milk shakes, the burgers. You know, the basic food groups.

 Then the segment compared a diner breakfast to brunch at The Backstreet Cafe. Another restaurant that I know and love but it is upscale food.  I don't have any photographs from The Backstreet Cafe although we did eat there one night last weekend. The food and the drinks were definitely a bit more refined than at the Tel-Wink but that bit of video had awakened my curiosity after all of these years about the Tel-Wink. Today we went there with friends for breakfast.

It was a strange experience. It looked like the Tel-Wink with an addition built on the back. Same booths, same ceramic coffee mugs, the same counter, different but the same waitresses, lots of the same things on the menu. But something was just different. I wondered if the Tel-Wink was different and I was the same or if the Tel-Wink was the same and I was different. I've since heard that they are in a different building just across the street from where they were. At any rate they served a hearty breakfast and I mean hearty. I haven't been hungry all day.

It was good to see such a humble Houston diner get recognition on national TV but out of all the diners that serve breakfast in Houston, how did Mo Rocca find the Tel-Wink Grill?

Night Lights #16

Another contemporary home decorated with restraint. A wreath on the door and the plastic-sack luminary lights. I love the simplicity. It goes with the house. I wonder who the architect was for this house. It pays homage to the front porch but it isn't a copy of  a house from the 1920's. I'd like to meet the owners.

Outside My Door

A little change of pace from the Christmas lights.

 Houston doesn't have a lot of Fall color but this afternoon while I was walking Carly I noticed that the crape myrtles still have some leaves and they looked like flames in the bright sunlight. This tree was right outside our apartment door. My heart was filled with joy to see this brief moment of beauty. The sun isn't shining on them now and their color is dulled. In another day or so they will be gone but that one instant in time was precious.

I'm making myself a promise to look for and cherish more of those special moments whether it is with the natural world around me or with my family and friends. And also, capture them with the camera.

Night Lights #15

Merry Modern Minimal or Christmas Contemporary.....whatever you want to call this house. The lights are actually red, green and white but the camera just sees them as the lightest light source in the frame. I like the way one-half is red and warm and the other half is blue and cold.

Night Lights #14

Frosty, the snowman. Trust me, there is no snow on the ground. I don't know how Frosty can look so cheerful in 60-70 degrees.

Night Lights #13

WOW! This month is going by fast and I still have lots of Night Lights I want to photograph. Sometimes when we go out I see places I want to photograph but something about the light isn't right....like they don't have the lights turned on. Here at the River Oaks Shopping Center....the lights were on.

Today Ned is taking his last Chemo treatment and in spite of all the damage from radiation and chemo he is doing really well. The  issue that remains is eating. You never know what might taste good to him. Sometimes even mentioning a food will sound unappetizing to him. Sometimes he thinks something will be good but it doesn't taste good when he starts to eat it. Two things that are his fallback foods are Ensure and canned soups but not all canned soups.

Last year when he took chemo, it was pork that he couldn't abide. This year it is bread. Some of his favorite vegetables, even green salads, have dropped off his list for now as well. However, I know the secret to his stomach on chemo. If he hasn't eaten very well for a day or so, I'll prepare some kind of fried meat, mashed potatoes,cream gravy, and green beans....the fried diet....and he will eat. Maybe even two helpings. He surprised me by eating cold boiled shrimp for lunch one day and pecan pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast another day.

We have good reports from a couple of his doctors. The last MRI showed no signs of tumor. As soon as we can get away after Christmas, we will be back in San Miguel ready to roll.

Night Lights #12

This house was shot in the Old Sixth Ward. The house just glowed with warmth and Christmas cheer.

Night Lights #11

As we drove down a street looking for Christmas lights in Eastwood, I caught just a glimpse of this house on a side street, glowing from the blue icicle lights hanging from the eaves. So strange looking like a blue glow from a space ship in a 1960 science-fiction movie. We circled around the block so I could  photograph it.

Night Lights #10

Last night we went to Eastwood, the neighborhood where we own a lot....just in case we want to build another house someday. I thought that we would see more Christmas lights up than we did. Maybe there will be more after this weekend.  Between the weird colors and the high contrast, these images are hard to process. And just when I think I have them okay, I bring them into Blogger and they change again.

Night Lights #9

Wells Fargo Plaza, Houston, Texas

Night Lights #8

Rockefeller Center doesn't have anything on Houston. Houston has it's own giant tree in front of City Hall.

And while Rockefeller Center has a skating rink in front of their tree, we have a reflection pond. Houston's Christmas ice skating rink is located somewhere else. It is a marvel to me that they can keep ice on that rink since during this time of the year, Houston can have 40 degree weather one day and the next it could be  80 degrees.

Night Lights #7

Another decorated house in the Heights.