First Monday Trade Days

Who in the hell knew that Canton, Texas hosts one of the biggest flea markets in the world?  Found out by chance and before hitting the road West drove East for an hour to Canton.  Fun, fun, fun.  HUGE flea market, The bone spur in my heel aches to prove it. Arrived at 8am, left around 2pm.  Got some good stuff for the house in Y. Gifts for CA cohorts and of course snapped pics.

Yep, pelts.

Back to an era when "she bangs" had a whole other meaning.

Is it just me or is there a wise man is under Joesph's gown?

"These are mine. Whatcha going to do about it?"

Yep, Texas.

Way early before the onslaught.

Giddy up.

Stuff

Tie dye knows no borders.

Interesting.

Mid day.

Did I mention the food?

Did I?

This is just wrong!?!

Any 2 items for $5!

Okay Maude "Let's Ride!"

Actually in downtown Canton. A mother load!

Ya'll come back now ya hear.

Given The Boot

Literally and figuratively.  Fox cancelled the show late yesterday.  Not unexpected.  Our office knew before the production office only because I'd googled, "Lone Star News."  Posted 11 minutes earlier on the Hollywood Reporter website was the cancelation news. C'est la vie.  Happens all the time in this biz.  Some folks were sad.  Some had tears.  Many felt relief. You move on. Heading back to the Land of La by way of New Mexico. Have always wanted to explore Carlsbad Caverns. Now I can. Gonna mosey. So long Big D.

Ratings Reality

Ratings for the show sucked premiere night and again last night. Seems no one is watching. Might be the time slot or for whatever reason people aren't interested in the premise. All I know here is that we are hearing there isn't a script for the next episode so we are in limbo. Playing a waiting game to hear if we are a goner or not.  Whatever the outcome I'm okay with it.  

At least the weather has changed enough to be bearable.  Even have a hoodie on today as there was a chill in the air this morning.  Like Fall here whereas the triple digit heat has moved to CA. And people snicker at global warning.  Really?!? 

This past weekend was my first to actually enjoy so I did.  Drove to Canton (an hour east) to do some shopping and snapped pics along the way.  This is what I eye spied.....

Ain't No Hick Town

Back in The Saddle

Never fell off actually. Simply referring to finally having time write.  Time where I'm relaxed and  not thinking about work. today I'm focusing on my SF Giants. Hoping they are going to make the playoffs and having friends looking for tickets. Was commenting the other day that it's wonderful to see the newest player, Buster Posey and a baseball veteran, Aubrey Huff, kicking butt and taking names. The team has gelled just at the right time. Great stuff. And now more images of 

the Lone Star State.

Ebb and Flow

A heart attack from clogged arteries won't kill me. Not before my MD does.  Poor guy. He'll look at me when my blood test results come back, then hit the roof when he reviews my cholesterol numbers. Why am I saying this? Because with the late, late hours, the continuous unwavering stress engulfing me, I do what many do, I eat and I eat poorly.  Dinner has been popcorn and M & M's because I'm simply too knackered to even make a peanut butter sandwich.  Green food?  You jest.  The 2 bags of salad mix I bought turned the shade of texas dirt.  Fruit? Naners and red apples daily but that's still not enough.  No. Chocolate, Dorritos, pita chips and diet Dr. Pepper seem to be my mainstay.  Maybe I'll forget scheduling the end of the year physical.  It's not like I don't know I'm overweight, eating poorly and not exercising enough.  If the damn Texas heat wasn't so miserable I'd be out with the dog more.  But she hates it as much as I do and prefers the comfort of the king size bed in the air conditioned apartment.  Smart dog.

Tornados and Fa La La

Last week was brutal. Can only pray this week isn't as insane.  Besides the tension of the job the weather caused problems.  First, I got caught downtown when the tornado sirens went off.  Scary and eerie.  Stopped, parked and walked into a building.  Serious stuff as a tornado did hit about 5 miles from downtown and wiped out a wall and damaged a semi truck.  Secondly, the torrential rain mid week caused the gutters to overflow and flood two apartments in the complex.  One being mine.  So I slept 2 nights in a moldy smelling hotel room until I had the time to move today. Call for me tomorrow is in about 6 hours, 2:30am.  Our caterer often gets lost and I need to be at base camp to greet and place him so the teamsters don't box him in AND there's room for the crew cars.  The show premieres tomorrow night and it will be interesting to see the ratings Tuesday morning. Fox has spent a shit load of money on advertising for it. Time for bed. Night.

How Bout Them Cowboys?!?!

Undisciplined. They shoot themselves in the foot.  Love it!!!!
Nice work Redskins.

Settling In

Been a long tough week of shooting but we got it done without too much turmoil and I've recaptured lost hours of sleep by spending most of this weekend in the sack.  The horrific triple digit days of heat have ebbed and it's bearable.  Pooch and I took an early a.m. stroll in a park near the stages. She sniffed, ran, twirled and rolled with excitement.  Ramona likes her daycare but nothing replaces being off leash with me.  I keep finding interesting Texas things and snap pics.  The weekend I headed downtown and by chance realized I was looking directly at the Book Depository Bldg and at THE window caused an emotional release I had not expected.  I burst out sobbing. I then saw that I would be proceeding across the very point JFK was killed. It's a one way and I couldn't turn around.  To say it was surreal is an obvious understatement.  Shook me to my core.

It's as if time has stood still when you see this.

I'm still not used to the two time difference but only as it relates to Sunday football games.

It's 4pm and there hasn't been one yet today.  Cowboys got their asses whopped by the Houston Texans last night but where are the other games.  Odd. Very odd. Then again for the first time in forever I'll get to watch the Emmy broadcast live as opposed to on tape delay.

Here for your enjoyment a few looks at all things Texas.

These were the cows who thought my 4 runner was the early a.m. feed truck.

The creme colored one was pretty miffed when I had no hay or oats or anything of interest. Never realized cows could bellow in disgust. Here's sunrise on location. Notice the hay bale.

After the fact I learned the crew moved said bale and the car that was supposed to ONLY go into the ditch, went into the ditch, over the hedge and into the field instead. Sigh.

Well, Howdy M'am

I know all my liberal friends will rag on me but I can't be negative about the Texas experience so far. The warmth of people of Texas is so refreshing! As I was blabbering about how unusual it was to press a call box at a gated fence in a wealthy community (the LA comparison would be Brentwood or Malibu) have it answered by the owner AND be invited onto the property without question, it was pointed out to me, "Why would they be fearful? They're all armed."  Had to laugh.  They do like the 2nd amendment here but in all honesty it's the genuine excitement, the smiles and the complete lack of being jaded that impresses. I can only pray 3 TV series which are all down here filming right now don't trash and burn the place. We won't. Not on my watch.

I'm also loving the looks down here. If I could spend more time out scouting it would be Kismet.  Our show is supposed to be based in Houston and Midland. Large city, smaller town concept. Ashley, one of the kick ass assistants scouted Cockrell, TX for a Police Station that was to portray one in Midland, TX in the script. OMG, OMG, OMG. The place is too perfect! Police station, municipal court, and library all rolled into. Very small interiors though and for a nano second the director was worried, but after getting promised a smaller camera and even thinking about shooting it hand held...well, Cockrell is "Last Picture Showish" and if you think about it, when someone says small town Texas, that's the look that always pops into your mind's eye isn't it. 

The Sheriff, demonstrating how it sounds when that cell door locks.

Sgt Steve and I weren't fools. We stayed on the other side of the 

cell door.

JB, our Producer.

Later in the day JB asked to find out at what time on Thursday can we get into the municipal court to start prepping.  We are building a set in here.

Ash had done the scout so I called so I asked her to check in on this. "Shouldn't be a problem. The Mayor who was there the day I scouted is also the Judge. They are so excited about the filming he may cancel court."

See, what I am saying about Texas hospitality?