Since Trixie is from Texas, I often find myself inundated with Texan humor. This week there was a meme going around that said, “Only in Texas can you have a burn ban, a drought, an eclipse, an earthquake, tornadoes and a hurricane all in the same week.”
To which I reply, it at least gave us some respite from the Democrats and Republicans fighting about nothing.
For a few minutes though, let’s talk about that storm, named for an invisible rabbit, Harvey. The National Hurricane Center is in charge of naming such storms and the practice goes way back in history. Naming them gives people the ability to talk about them in case two hurricanes are happening at the same time.
Early on in Central America, storms were named after the Saint’s Days closest on the calendar. For example, the great storm of 1928 was known as the San Felipe hurricane.
By some sheer stroke of genius a man by the name of Clement Wragge, a meteorologist of some note from the Commonwealth realm, decided to adopt a formal convention of giving them all women’s name after a rather sticky and uncomfortable divorce from his wife. (Well, part of that is true, anyway. Wragge is the person credited for the naming method.)
Of course someone felt slighted on way or the other so the use of men’s names was included about 1978 and so Harvey got his turn this past week.
I had always thought Harvey was a dinosaur but Trixie was quick to point out that was Barney and so Ol’ Dutch stands corrected, again.
I watched the Weather Channel with baited breath – yes, I know most of you wait with bated breath, but if you knew how good the fishing is down south, you, too, would have watched with baited breath. So, as the storm roared through the Gulf of Mexico I feared the very worst for that area and hence no fishing.  
Two of my friends stayed in South Padre Island during the event but lucky for them, Harvey decided to take a more northerly course and left them unscathed.
Bill was glad to be able to reopen his boat building business and Tom was sad to have to go back to work so soon as a deckhand.
I read with the same baited breath -- sans mouthwash, even though Trixie offered to get me some -- about a man and wife who spent the night in their truck with water up to the dash during the storm. He later was asked if he was scared and replied, “The only thing that scares me is the IRS.”
Since Ol’ Dutch just had a recent run in with those same folks I can certainly relate and would take anything a hurricane can muster instead of dealing with those people ever again.
Harvey hit shore like a binge drinking angry drunk and really made a mess of the whole area. And just like a sad drinking cohort he hung around inflicting further pain trying to shed all the energy in the form of relentless rain on those poor people.
I am not sure why anyone would live where it floods but maybe they just figure they will take their chances with each passing storm and rebuild each time.
One man was quoted as saying “yup, it flooded my house just like the last time.” Such perseverance is to be admired in this day and age when we see mostly whiners on television complaining about statues, safe areas and hurt feelings.
You give me 10 guys like that flooded out old man and I think I could solve most of the world’s problems.
Ol’ Dutch has been around some floods in his life and helped a lot of folks pump out basements and clean up the mud from the waters. It’s a horrible task and I watch the news about the flooding with great appreciation for their losses in Texas.
My prayers today are with all of those in the affected areas and hopes for a speedy recovery to the Gulf coast. Here’s to you, Texas.

Kevin Kirkpatrick and his Yorkie, Cooper, fish, hunt, ATV or hike daily. His email is [email protected]. Additional news can be found at www.troutrepublic.com or on Twitter at TroutRepublic.