Yoli here.

First, let me say....RAIN!!! MORE $&^#! RAIN!!!

I was wakened by thunder, lightning, and the roar of heavy rain.

Ash(leigh) is out of town so I'm all alone.

So here I sit at the keyboard, fleecy robe and furry slippers and all, with a nice mug of hot chocolate (w/marshmallows!).

It's 4:15 AM, San Antonio Daylight Time.

I was s'posed to sleep, or so I hoped, until 8, then get self and stuff together to drive to my parent's home to help prepare for a party they're throwing. Well, the weather service says we'd better plan to entertain and cook indoors...for over 50 people. The outdoor cooking can still take place since my folks have a huge cabana with a brick pit in the middle of it in their back yard.

Anyway...

Yesterday, at the San Antonio Zoo, a rare Sumatran Tiger attacked a young zoo employee. The place was packed with visitors and many of them apparently heard and witnessed the attack.

He was airlifted by helo (learned that word from Lt.Col. BigGuy) and was conscious at that time. No further news as yet.

Interesting tidbit; The news reported that he suffered injuries to his head AND other portions of his body and that the nature of said injuries were not being revealed. You don't suppose his ...Nooooooooo!

Normally, I'm told, an animal that has attacked a keeper is "put down" as was a female elephant that killed her keeper here a few years ago. In this case, however, it has been announced that the tiger will NOT be killed 'cause Sumatran Tigers are rather rare.

Well, should I ever be attacked by a tiger and I survive to fight another day, I guarantee you that his species will become even rarer so soon as I can lay hands on my deer rifle (Yes, Yoli is a huntress as well.)

In other news...

I went bassfishing yesterday at Canyon Lake. Up at 2AM, left here at 4AM, launched a friend's new toy, a 21 foot long Champion bass boat with a 250 HP Yamaha motor, at 5AM.

We fished under cloudy skies for a few hours, catching the occasional bass, then the heavens opened up. We fished for two more hours in pouring rain. Luckily, no lightning. When one is holding a 7 foot long graphite rod one is asking for it.

I was soaked to the skin and shivering but we persevered. We wound up with 17 bass caught AND released, and I had "big bass" with a nice one a little over 5 pounds. I also had most bass, 9 to his 8. He was not amused. His wife, who just sat in the driver's seat and read a book the whole day, WAS amused. She and I are good friends, BTW, but in a purely platonic way...darn it.

SHE commented on how my nipples were on high-beam, despite my wearing a bra, so maybe, just maybe...LOL!

Well, that's it from the New Third World. Anyone need a hot chocolate? I'm making more.

Love to all,

Yoli

Rain Goddess

Curious--I know that dedicated bass fishermen consider largemouths the ultimate game fish. But is there any good trout fishing anywhere in Texas? I presume they would have been planted, perhaps brown trout.

Also, I've never heard of mahseer being introduced into any area outside Asia. And Texas probably isn't the optimum place to plant them. But knowing how many non-native animals are on game farms and also feral in Texas, it seems possible that somebody would have put a few mahseer into a lake or river there some time. Does anyone know of any of them in Texas, or anywhere else in the U.S.?