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Dak appeared to be not as accurate as I would have expected, though he was rushed all night. And, he did not seem to be so nimble on his feet for runs out of protection breakdowns...

It was a good game though.

01/17/22 10:12 AM

#23501

Lowell,

It looked to me like the Cowboy defensive line needs anger management classes. Their penalties cost us the game. Thank God, now the only NFL games I have to sully my TV with is Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. That's my last dog in the hunt.

Hope you recover from your surgery well. If you have some spare time to read while you recuperate, pick up a copy of the book "Goodbye to a River" by John Graves. It will bring back fond memories of your canoe trip down the Brazos.

01/17/22 11:21 AM

#23502

Steve, I get your "sully" comment on watching the NFL on TV. So much I back tracked two years and three years on the forum to see what comments were in Jan 18 and Jan 2019. None about football or the NFL in the 2-3 pages I reviewed.

I would guess a lot of NFL "haters?" came back a little bit to watch the Cowboys try again. Two and Three years ago, Cowboys in the playoffs just one game...lost. What does this say?

It's now been 26 years since our team has won a playoff game, but at least the last one was a Super Bowl.

Edit' Sorry, i miss read the site I looked it up on. They have won a couple of first round games in 26 years. 1996, 2009, 2014, and 2018.

There was some forum banter to remember. Darryl and Royce were in action..

01/17/22 12:55 PM

#23503

Jim Bedwell

Air Stagnation.

That's the description I read on-line last night for "current conditions". WAY BETTER than hurricane warning, ice storm, heat wave. I'll take AIR STAGNATION any day of the week! Currently it's 39 and sunny here - AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PEAK OF THE 9-MONTH RAINY SEASON! YEE HAW!

01/17/22 01:56 PM

#23504

MISSED CHANCES THAT HAUNT ME

I remember back in 2004. I had just gotten back on my feet after recovering at my parents from the lingering effect of the Diverticulus and Peritonitus that sent me to the hospital for 30 days, 17 of them in intensive care on a ventilator. I sold some oil royalty that I had for $6000 which gave me enough money to move to Carl's Corner and pay first and last month's rent on a purchase to own 5 acre tract with a double wide trailer. I resurrected my tire casing business, though I could not pick up one truck tire when previously I could load 50 tires in ten minutes and never look back. I began hiring an illegal worker to ride with me and do the loading while I smoozed my customer base. He cost $8 an hour and lunch and I soon wondered why I had not had one with me from the beginning.

Once I began making money again, I paid for my daughters' private schooling at Saint Thomas and then Bishop Lynch. I also began taking the girls who were ten or eleven to nice places to eat when it was my weekend mainly because I was tired of hearing about the places my ex was taking them. She, who had filed for divorce from me when it looked like I wasn't going to survive

I took the girls to Watel's, Cafe Pacific and Old Warsaw among others. One day I had asked my ex to send them dressed up and we went early to Old Warsaw where I hadn't eaten since my bell captain days twelve years before. There were only about 6 tables filled there, but they had a pianist playing dance tunes and a beautiful dance floor. I was still recovering from the affects of my ordeal and my energy ran out pretty fast. I remember the owner coming over and greeting us as we had our shirley temples and roy rogers drinks. He suggested I dance with the girls. My energy was low and I never particularly liked to dance anyway, especially when I was the only one dancing because I was self concious. I looked at the girls who had such hopefull looks as I now recall. I declined with a variety of excuses.

I never realized that after that hospital stay that I would never be the verile, strong and unstoppable man that I once was. i have since watched the girls grow up, graduate from college, get jobs, fall in love and get married. I will never ever have that chance to be their hero and the Dad of their dreams that I could have been that day. I lie awake at night and that image haunts me till this day. You only get chances to have those special moments so few times in one's lifetime. That is some advice that I intend to pass on to my sons and son-in-laws. "Look for those special moments. You never get a second chance!"

01/17/22 03:25 PM

#23505

Steve said: "I would never be the virile, strong and unstoppable man that I once was."

David responds: "I am showing great restraint not to comment on that statement."

I didn't know about that serious health issue in 2004. Very sorry.

About missed opportunities, I have often thought about not taking my son Christopher fishing. He had asked me, but I always thought there would always be another time. Only there wasn't. Now, he isn't interested in fishing. Time to watch Parenthood with Steve Martin. Watched Dan in Real Life with Steve Carrell a couple of days ago. Parents must be graded on a curve.

I tend to remember the mistakes I made, and they often leap into my consciousness for no particular reason. The good acts don't come to mind as readily or as frequently.

01/17/22 03:34 PM

#23506

Jim Bedwell

Thanks, Steve, for the truly touching story.

Although the last part, "You never get a second chance" - that's what she said, except I think it was more, "You better stop now. You'll never have a second chance.".

01/17/22 05:28 PM

#23507

Jerry May

Steve, David and all,

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not promised. There is only TODAY!" (family member) I know this was phrased

differently in original form, but meant more to me this way.

Never too late to do other things, or communicate more with our loved ones. No matter how small or minute, anything you do for them......will pay dividends now.
I know it may sound silly......but I don't know how many times I've called my sons, and said "Just wanted to speak with you." Many of those conversations lasted an hour or more......just to say "Hi"

Haven't fished in a long time, but have been to movies and shot pool!

01/17/22 08:20 PM

#23508

It has been a melancholy day and that's the truth.

Usually I would be telling you I went over to the neighbor's house and he was playing with his dog. We decided to try and teach the dog to fetch. We started with melons from the field. Another melon Collie Monday, hey..hey.... Pardon me, I had to Monkee around with the Song title some.

01/17/22 08:37 PM

#23509

Jerry,

It's a small consolation, but the girls tell me I am way ahead on Dad jokes.

01/18/22 06:48 AM

#23510

Cat's in the Cradle always gets to me. Reminds me of when my late son Rob was about five years old. I was very involved in the community and spent a lot of time going to meetings, many in the evening. One time at dinner Rob asked me, "Are you going to be at home tonight, Daddy." I will never, ever be able to make it up to young Rob, or get those words out of my mind. I did spend a lot of time with him in later years, though.

Steve, let's find a date when you can come here for dinner and comedy movie. You can even spend the night if that works better for you.

01/18/22 12:05 PM

#23511

Jim Bedwell

We've heard the last few weeks about as much about Dak's MVP chances as you do anything positive about Biden & Co, even from the legacy media apparently (haven't had much time lately to watch FNC to hear what the other media is repeating verbatim sans truth or insight).

01/18/22 02:36 PM

#23512

There are two issues that might be of interest to some classmates, but I am not sure how reliable the information is. Does anyone know anything about either of these two concepts?

1. Quotation from Kiplinger concerning Texas: --

"In addition, a homeowner who is 65 or older may qualify to defer their property taxes until after he or she no longer owns or occupies the home as a residence. Property taxes (and interest) continue to accrue during the deferral period. Once the deferral ends, the taxes and interest must be paid."

Is this correct, and what is meant by "may qualify"?

2. I have read that the property tax freeze for 65+ individuals in Texas is somewhat transferable. That is, for example, let's say your property taxes were frozen at $4,000 but would be $5,000 without the freeze. That ratio of 80% could be carried to a new property. I'm not sure of exactly how it works, or if it really exists. But let's say you sell your house and buy a new one that has property taxes of $6,000. According to this formula, your taxes would be 0.80 X $6,000 = $4,800.

I don't know if 2 above really exists, what the formula is, or what restrictions there are, e.g. must be in the same city, county, school district, or whatever.

Does anyone know anything about these two concepts?

01/18/22 05:12 PM

#23513

David, i recall trying to understand #1....I am not sure all the propery taxes would or could be deferred. school, ESD's, and County taxes are different in that regard.

I do know a mortgage company will not allow taxes to be defferred. But if you are 65 I believe taxing entities are not allowed to take the home away from a homestead for not paying the taxes.

The interest rate on taxes defferred is 8%. I think there are also attorney fees in paying back deferred property taxes tacked onto the interest. The same happens with taxes which are not paid.

But, this may be attractive to someone who wants to stay iin their home and owes no mortgage...and does not need any credit extended (doing this wrecks your credit.)

Say you were left a house valued at 235,000. You live in it for 15 years, paying the taxes each year. Now, it is appraised at 400,000. The taxes are 10,000 a year. You turn 65. Stop paying property taxes after 65 exemption is applied. I can see this as being beneficial.

I don't understand your part 2 question. Can't find anything on that....I would guess a person who handles title transfers in sales understands that. They would be the ones paying the deserving districts the taxes on the new property. They would have seen persons using that transfer.

Texas evolved as an agraian economic state. The homestead exemption is/was to the benefit of old farmers. It turns out to be a pretty good law.

There used to be no second mortgages here. It took the lending industry (banking) some 75 to 80 sessions of the Texas Legislature to get that passed about 2000.

01/18/22 06:15 PM

#23514

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

I can answer the part two of the property tax question, because I have personal experience with it. When my mother sold her home in Fairview (just east of Plano, Texas) about 13 years ago, her taxes were frozen. In fact they were frozen when they bought the property back in 1984 or 1985. They paid cash for the home. When she sold it, her property taxes were just over 2K per year, quite the bargin. She bought a home in Parker County (in Weatherford). We asked the Parker County Appraisal district which was cheaper, the property taxes on the new home (about the same price as the one she sold, but smaller) or her previous address. She was able to choose the older home's property tax value and transfer that, frozen to the new home she bought. I don't know if they still do that. But once upon a time, we did. I don't think it was a percentage. They just let her pay her old property tax based on the value of the home she sold.

01/18/22 07:15 PM

#23515

Wayne Gary

I just ordered my 4 free Covid home tests. www.covidtests.gov. The site opened early. They will send the tests by USPS by end of the month.

01/18/22 07:39 PM

#23516

Wayne Gary

No. 14 Nationally among U.S. institutions in total research & development expenditures, national science foundation

01/19/22 06:10 AM

#23517

Jerry May

Happy Birthday Jim Mulvihill! Have a great 71st!

I was reminded by another classmate......these guys came to Eastfeld!

Several of us were there....

01/19/22 09:17 AM

#23518

Happy Birthday Jim Mulvihill!

01/19/22 09:30 AM

#23519

Happy Birthday, Jim M.

Thanks for the input, Sandra and Lowell.

I assumed that the tax deferral would have an income requirement, i.e., low income.

Sandra's description sounds interesting to me. I thought the "transferable freeze" would be only valid within taxing districts.

Every once in a while I ponder moving to someplace a bit more manageable for septuagenarians (and octogenarians), especially since it looks like I won't have grandchildren..

01/19/22 12:19 PM

#23520

David,

I did not answer your question. Yes, watching a comedy sounds good.

Did you see the piece on Babylon Bee today? The Democrats came out and said the Republicans are trying to steal the election by opposing the Democrats' Voting Bill Designed to Steal the Election.

P.S.: Do you think we can watch a comedy without people with gender issues, or kids that disappoint or containing women who love their husbands or are still alive so you and I can laugh and not wax maudlin? Maybe Mouse Hunt or something.

01/19/22 12:56 PM

#23521

Steve, yes, I saw the Babylon Bee piece. Fitting.

OK, about the property tax issue, I called the Collin County Appraisal District and the Collin County Tax Assessor. This is what I was led to understand.

Anyone with an age-65+ exemption can get a tax deferral intil they die or sell the property. I didn't ask, but I assume the deferral would also stop if you decided to rent out the property because it would no longer be a homestead. The interest rate is 5% I didn't ask if that rate is specific to Collin County or if it is subject to increases/decreases.. According to the Tax Assessor's office, information about the deferral is not provided to credit reporting agencies.

This relates to Plano, Collin County, and people who live elsewhere in Texas should check out their own county's rules. For someone 65+ with a frozen tax situation who moves to another house within Plano, the percentage is maintained. Example: your total property taxes are $8,000 but would be $10,000 without the freeze -- a ratio of 80%. If you sell and buy another house in Plano, you would be taxed at 80% of whatever the tax would be for a young whippersnapper. It becomes more complicated if you were to move from Plano to another city in Collin County because not all of the cities offer a freeze on city taxes. If you were to move to another county, the school tax would benefit from the freeze, but not necessarily the city and county taxes. Of course, the school tax is the big ticket.

Note: anyone who relies on information from me has only himself/herself to blame.

01/19/22 04:15 PM

#23522

I'm going to call Biden's press conference a success because less than a cupful of drool went down his chin.

01/19/22 05:52 PM

#23523

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

How many "high fives" do you think Putin got from his staff when Biden said "A small incursion into Ukraine would probably be an okay deal, with little fretting from us Americans?" (in fewer words, of course)

01/20/22 09:26 AM

#23524