A better experience

Here are some tips on how to view the Hobbs Holler website. While the mobile version is fine, it does not show the links and information on the right-hand side of the site.

On the desktop/PC version, everything shows up. To get the same experience on a mobile device, go all the way to the bottom and click on "View web version". Then you won't miss a thing.

I have not found out how to remove the link at the bottom that says "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)". As far as I can tell it goes nowhere.

I suggest bookmarking the site if you want to keep up with it.

I had to turn off comments a year or two ago because I was getting 20 comments a day about how I could...whatever. Some kind of spam.

If you want to comment, you can click on the Blogger icon in the upper left on the desktop/PC version, or the words "Blogger" at the bottom of the mobile one. You will have to create an account or sign in with your Google ID. You can also post anonymously by clicking on "No Comments" at the bottom of posts. You're welcome to put your name in the comment.

Thanks for reading!

McMurtry book store legacy continues

Since I was on a Larry McMurtry redux this week, I decided to look up his book store in Archer City to see how it was faring.

Booked Up is no longer a physical store front, but books are available online. 

Khristal Merklin, McMurtry's book-selling partner, sold the buildings and books that were left to her after his death.

She brought the store name back in virtual form in 2022. It looks like a good source for researchers and readers alike.

Of course, you can also find McMurtry's books for sale there. Personally, I would like one of those t-shirts Merklin is wearing in her photo on the About Us page.

According to the Archer County Appraisal District website, the current owners of the former stores on South Central are the First Baptist Church, on the west side, and The Archer City Writers Workshop on the east.

Notes from the west Jan 2025

- Cats rule -

It was so cold this morning that the cat was hogging the heater. She sat her little chin on the bar and gave no thought to my comfort.

I went out to the mailbox to post a letter just as a fellow working for the appraisal district was slowly driving by in the barditch. He got out and introduced himself, but I didn't catch his name. It's too bad he had to see me in my pajamas.

The commissioners meeting yesterday was a two part deal, both very short. Stuart Posey, the new commissioner for precinct three, had his first day with the court. 

It was good to see that Jeanna Parks, county treasurer, was there.

The quorum went into a closed session about 10 minutes into assembly, then returned for about six minutes before adjourning.

One thing that caught my interest was something said by Micah Evans, the commissioner for precinct four. The meeting had resumed after the closed session and a motion was made by Judge Ken Holt for approval on a professional services contract with Sterling Burleson, agenda item 12.

Right before a unanimous vote of yes was given, Evans said, "This is just in regards to the case that's...".

I wonder what case that is. I'm hoping to see some clues in the next issue of the Double Mountain Chronicle.

Commissioners meeting

Fisher County Commissioners held a meeting at 9 a.m. this morning. The agenda and the meeting (2 part) can be accessed from the home page of Fisher County, Texas. Click the YouTube link in the upper right hand corner for the videos.

McMurtry got it right

- Scott's Corner & Rotan -

When I get frustrated with all things political in Fisher County and the outlandish behavior of some local high profile individuals, I am just going to think about Larry McMurtry's Texasville and know he hit the nail on the head. It's not so far-fetched that a giant wall of tumbleweeds would take out the town. Not at all.

The water line project has gotten to Scott's Corner. Further lines have been staked out along FM 611, going east towards Rotan.

Now that Dollar General in Roby is open, I can make a little drive to Rotan to get .25¢ gallon jugs of filtered water from the kiosk next to Dairy Queen, then on to Roby for shopping. It's nice to wheel a cart around a brand-spanking new store and pick up some essentials.

The Rotan DG looks finished and the lights are on, but the building is sitting empty at this time.

Ace Hardware is coming along. There are a lot of workers there finishing up the store.

The condemned house is still standing on the corner lot of Sammy Baugh and North Richard in Rotan. City council talked about getting someone to tear it down in their meeting this week.

The old hospital hasn't had any work on it since the city sold it, but the grass is cut and foliage is trimmed.

The photos are of Scott's Corner, Ace, the condemned trailer house and the Callan Hospital building.

Another new sheriff

During a special meeting, called for December 31, Fisher County Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint John "Pat" Dickson as sheriff.

Commissioner Micah Evans, Precinct 4, advised Dickson that his duties would be administrative. This is due to Dickson not holding a peace officer license. 

Officers who have been appointed to fill a vacancy in an elective office have two years to get licensed.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to accept Sheriff Tom Pohlman's resignation.

Commissioners call special meeting, 2024 final

Fisher County Commissioners have called a special meeting for December 31, 2024, 9 a.m.

The only item of action listed on the meeting agenda is to appoint a sheriff.

A treasure trove for Kindle readers

- my kindle -

For those who are using an older Kindle, the Project Gutenberg website is a boon.

You can download free ebooks to your device using your Send-to-Kindle E-mail.

You can find your personal Kindle email by using this path: Kindle Home page (default page when you turn it on)>Menu (button with a lot of little lines, second from right)>Settings>Scroll to second page (using forward button). Save that email in your contacts list to make things easier later on.

Go to the Gutenberg website and search for a book and click on it. Several options for downloading will be given. I use "EPUB (no images, for older E-Readers)". Click to download to your computer. If that file won't download, try a different one.

Find the download on your computer (I have a downloads shortcut file on my desktop). Rename the file to the book title. Don't change the file type (.epub). This is so when you send it to your Kindle, you can find the book easier. Otherwise, it shows up as "page2812" or somesuch. 

Open your email program, click on New mail, put your Send-to-Kindle E-mail address in the To box. The subject doesn't matter. Then: Insert>Attach File>Browse This Computer. Find the renamed book file and double click it to attach it to the email, then hit Send. You'll get an error email from Amazon if the file won't work for your device. Try another one!

Go to your Kindle device. The new book will show up on the top of the Home page. If it doesn't, look in Archives. Sometimes it is a little slower than when a book is ordered from Amazon, but it shouldn't take too much longer. Sync as needed. The last one I got from Gutenberg showed up faintly in Archives, then sent itself to the Home page.

Some experimentation may be necessary. The same download file might not work for you, or it may show up in a different place on your device. But you can figure it out! Once you do, you won't be at a loss for the next book to read.

Almost never nice

I wish I could be fulfilled by writing inspiring and entertaining articles, like journalists Tumbleweed Smith, Don Newbury and Chet Garner. I enjoy their stories about human interests and humor, but my style tends toward looking for a fly in the ointment; the rule that is broken; the lie that is told.

I do have some funny family stories that have no foe in them. 

There's the year my mom and dad were stripping cotton by themselves. My mom's job was to stand in the trailer and distribute cotton while Dad drove the stripper. Well, they had a bumper crop that year, some unbelievable bales per acre. Dad said he was going along when he looked back to see Mom covered nearly to the top of her head in cotton. He said she was pretty mad about that.

Or the time my dad sent my son chasing an armadillo. Dad, my son and I were down in the pasture when we spooked an armadillo. My dad said "Get him!" and my son, being about 11 or 12, tore after it. It went down a hole and sonny boy had tight hold of that critter's tail. I was alarmed, but my dad was laughing himself silly. He said, "He'll never be able to pull that armadillo out of that hole!" He was right.

Then there's the one about when my grandpa decided he was going to be independent. He had been living with and working for his grandfather. My grandpa took a lease on a farm on the river, north of Rotan. "I'm going out on my own," he declared. But every Saturday he would be downtown asking his grandfather for some money to get him by.

There are so many stories: the time Grandpa decided to neuter all the cats; the tribulations of Oscar the cat; escapades about the dogs Spot and Lightning; coon hunting incidents; the day the goat disappeared, and on and on.

Hey, maybe I can write about something without a cynical view or skepticism. I've just written this, haven't I?

Look another direction

In regard to politics, I've always thought it was better to cast the eye locally rather than nationally, because the votes count one for one in a county or city, making the power of a constituent stronger. 

I am coming around to the idea that the closer view is no more enlightening or meaningful than that of an unknown horizon. 

Fisher County is starting out the year with three appointed people in elected positions. The sheriff, the county treasurer and the county lawyer have been chosen by the commissioners, not by the voters. 

The treasurer's change has not been announced officially. I'm reading between the lines. In the first commissioners meeting of December, the county judge, Ken Holt, said the signature card on the county accounts needed to be changed to Brandi Duniven, because "Jeanna is...". That's all. Fill in the blank.

It is a tragedy to lose Jeanna Parks as treasurer, if that is what's happening. I consider her to be the voice of basic, factual reason; steadfast; no hiding or dodging. Her numbers don't lie. They are posted with the commissioners court minutes. They are transparent. In Parks' case, that word is meaningful, not just thrown out there as a cover-your-ass blanket statement.

The special meeting called by the commissioners mid-December, with an agenda that indicated it was for precinct three funding to wrap up the year, seemed to really be about commissioners Gordon Pippin (precinct one) and Preston Martin (precinct three, final term) to have one last go at each other. There are other, more important issues that could have justified a meeting. More is not said, than is said, at these get-togethers.

So, Duniven, administrative assistant to the Fisher County Treasurer, will be taking over Parks' role, it looks like; Morgan Brooks, Sweetwater lawyer, and soon to be Nolan County Attorney, has been appointed to take over Michael Hall's spot as Fisher County Attorney; an unknown person will be taking over as Fisher County Sheriff in January, whether that person is Tom Pohlman, the currently appointed sheriff, or another individual chosen by the commissioners court.

This is the view of a citizen from the west side of the county, with no courthouse affiliations. This is what it looks like from the outside.