Wildorado and Vega are like sister towns. Everybody knows everybody and for the most part the kids are bright and very nice.

I could never enjoy living in a big city again.

I planted grass at the school in this video. The guy I worked for planting grass on Wind Farms volunteered to do the grass planting at the school.

Why doesn't that surprise me, Doug?

Why doesn't that surprise me, Doug?

You're are a very hard guy to surprise, Jim.

My coming here almost 30 years ago was a blessing from God. I had never lived in a small town and had never even considered it. I have had three jobs over the years. I cooked for a couple years, then I was a farm and ranch hand for 15 years, and do similar work now as a ranch hand and equipment operator of sorts. This life is so different than what I had done earlier in life. It pays far less and I like it a lot more !

I honestly believe it was God's will that I landed here.It's been good for me and has been a sanctuary. Texas is full of towns like this one. There are a lot of good hard working independent folks in these towns as well as some that have succumbed to the free lunch program provided by the FEDS to ensnare the farmers.

This place has the feeling of community where folks help each other when necessary without hesitation. I am very fortunate to have stumbled into this place and thank God every day for my blessings !

I want to mention that the FEDS had designated this place to be a nuclear waste/disposal area just before I moved here. The people here made the govt people feel uncomfortable and unwelcome so they decided on another place. When I arrived there was a sign (billboard) that said "Don't Mess with Texas" next to the highway at the location that was supposed to become a nuclear dump. These are good, God fearing people, that will likely see things in the not so distant future that will be very hard for them to understand.

One of the county commissioners and I were talking the other day. He jokingly tagged me "Dangerous Doug" when I originally moved here. He was a young buck running a ranch. He and his crew of cowboys would eat at my cafe on a regular basis. He had a couple of young sons that are now grown men with families (both college grads) working with their dad on a huge farm and ranch. As we spoke I reminded him of that nick name and said "you don't have any idea how close you called it with the Dangerous Doug thing. I was very angry at the time and itchin for a fight. Now your black hair is grey and my nick name has been downgraded to crazy Doug !!!"

I was living here when I went to Kerrville, Texas with a friend and where I met Bill and Christine, at a patriot gathering. I also met several others there that I had only known through alternative radio and patriot publications. Al Adask, Davey *actually Mark* from Dallas, Randy Weaver, and ate some good food that was cooked on Lod's grill that he had loaned to Christine. That was a long time ago but I'll never forget it.

Here's what a now retired rural ISD superintendent friend wrote (he was born on the eastern side of the panhandle)

Great story, Jim-

Jessie’s Cafe in Wildorado has a killer banana blueberry pie. This program, and others similar, are the backbone of the 700 rural ISD’s in Texas.

Thanks for sending this one.

And my friend, maintenance man, and talk-show call in legend, Doug from Bastrop, must be mentioned here. RIP

No shit ! I almost did mention him but I wasn't certain that I met him there, though I knew him from the radio and actual phone conversations.

The only guy I've ever known that had to go to his truck to listen to the internet radio.

(After a few brewskis !)

(After a few brewskis !)

This reminds me of one time after working a concert in Chicago. The crew was trying to decide where to go afterward.

They were talking about going to this place for quarter beers.

I said, "Why don't you come over to the neighborhood place. They will give you a free drink or two."

They went for quarter beers and I went to the neighborhood place.

As soon as I walked in, the guy behind the bar said, "We're happy to see you. We got a Bachelor party going on next door and our doorman didn't show."

I got to eat and drink as much as I wanted and watch these babes get lubed up and wrestle on a tarp.

You should have seen the looks on their faces when I told them what they missed. ROTFLMAO!

Great story, Jim-

You were thinking about Doug, not me. As a prisoner behind the lines in Hoosier Hickistan, I'm a nobody.

I've decided to try and do right, be nice, and have a good time today.

OK, so what bar do you want to meet at after you give her the toaster ???

EDIT: Sorry, CONGRATULATIONS !