WEST NEWS AND WEST RODEO

Last weekend was the biggest rodeo we've had in 10-15 years. It was a record number at the gate and all the vendors did well. The rodeo parade last Friday was also one of the biggest ones we've had in recent years. ( I had to miss it because of Drs. appointment). A total of 378 contestants participated in the two-night even as $22,842.29 was given to the winning contestants.

I'm posting pictures from the West News and they were all taken by Larry Knapek who does all the photos for the paper and does an excellent job.

School starts August 24. but the St. Mary's School kids are already in classrooms. Good news Devin (Inky's kid) is going to be on varsity football team. So my Friday's will now be spent in the stands of the West High School Trojans rooting for the kid. He has grown so much. When I first met him he was a little fat kid...just the cutest thing you ever saw..Then he started growing. He's now 6' tall and weighs 180. I'll get some pictures for sure of the games. I expect Anessa and I to be permanently banned from all games by the third game of the season. You should have heard us when he played baseball...Holy Shit!...We were rowdy. to say the least. Inky just sat there shaking his head.

The West Lady Trojans opened the 2009 season with a win against Abbott Lady Panthers. We always have a great girls volleyball and basketball team, plus our softball teams kick ass.

Westfest is just over two weeks away and they are still running around trying to get it all organized. It will be from Sept. 4 through 6. It all kicks off on Sept. 4th with the Miss Westfest Pageant at 7 p.m. Country music artists Bart Crow and Johnny Cooper will be the entertainment. Every year they get people more obscure than the year before. If they don't get rid of all the old farts on the committee and get some young blood on there so they can start catering to a younger crowd, no one is going to be showing up at all. When they started this over 30+ years ago they had some decent musicians from Asleep at the Wheel to several big name country stars..Now? Not so much. Every year the prices go up and the entertainment gets worse. Fuck!. Adult admission for Friday night's preview party is $12, children 12 and under with adults are free. Saturday and Sunday admission is $8 for adults, and $4 for senior citizens(hot damn for being an old fart..of course in West a senior citizen is 80), military with ID and children 6-12. Parking is available on the grounds at $3 per vehicle or $2 in an area adjacent to the festival. (I can walk from the apartments..now 20+ years ago I couldn't walk it as I was usually drunk before during and after the Friday kick off at the street dance.)

Festival activities include cultural dancers and performers from across Texas and a variety of Czech Polka bands. There is also a 5K Fun Run, Kolache baking contest, a Czech Taroky tournament and and antique tractor pull and a variety of arts and crafts.

The expanded carnival, which was introduced at the fest last year will be returning and there is also an crap load of Czech food an pivo.

There is a traditional Polka Mass set for 10:15 a.m. Sunday in the Westfest cultural Amphitheater. Father Ed, pastor of St. Mary's will celebrate the Mass.

If you want more information about the fest you can go on line at http://www.westfest.com/.

I think I have even badgered Babs enough that she promises to go at least one night. If I have to drag her ass she's going. We'll also do the parade this year too. There won't be a Grassroots Democrat float this year (I don't think) so will just watch the parade. Although maybe I can convince Family Dollar to pay to decorate the white truck for Family dollar and spring for candy money and I can drive the truck and Babs can toss candy to the kids. Hmm, this could be very entertaining...at least for me and Babs.

Mr. and Mrs Harley Smith celebrated their 40th anniversary. Delciey Leighanne Anderson is going to marry Brian Joseph Petter at St. Mary's on December 12, 2009. Agnes Lamere just turned 50 and I'm sure she kicked it up on her birthday.

Wendy Kubla and Craig Sustala were married on July 25th at St. Mary's.

We lost Lawrence Raymond Ondrej 78 ,on August 15th. 84 year old Marie Lydia (Urbanovsky) Matula passed away in Hillsbororo on the 15th also. Robert Cannon, Sr. passes away August 17th at his residence.

Girl Scout Troop 7076 from West visited Austin and learned about caverns and bats. In case you don't know, in Austin every evening when the sunsets the bats come out in the thousands from under the Commerce bridge..It is awesome. First time I saw it the kids and I freaked out. The boys and I had just read Salem's Lot and the sight of all those bats sent us back to the car and we rolled the windows up and hauled ass out of there.

Both grocery stores have Dr Pepper on sale, 3 -12 packs for $11.

There is a new listing for 6.7 acres of tall trees creating a wall of privacy for a 3-bedroom, 2 bath brick house. Formal dining room/living room, family room with FP, stock ponds, covered patio, and 2-car garage. It's on Tokio Road which is my road, but it's way out in the country. It's going for $199,000. Not bad for all that land and ponds.

Well, this will probably be the last West post until Westfest. Which for the first time in a long time, I'm actually excited about. I had a ball last year because Vicki(Junebugg) came down and so did Gaddy from North Texas. So far no one's coming down. Couple of my cousins from Houston are mulling it over. Whee...But it's ok, they're pagan tolerant. ha

y'all come back and see me'ya'hea?