Comments:
Well, I thought I would clarify what transpired after leaving school in ‘68 so you won’t have to guess...”Right now and for the past 17 years, I am a "small game hunter". That is, I'm a Pest Control Operator and own my business for about 17 years. I was in engineering-design and management in the petrochemical fabrication industry for over 21 years, but transitioned into a pretty diverse field after the fabrication plant went under to financial loss when it was sold.
First, I owned a retail nursery in Angleton for about 8 years and became one of the first 50 Texas Master Certified Nurserymen, then the big "Divorce" came into my life. Yes, divorce was at hand after 24 years of marriage. I just about lost interest in life and moved to Houston where I tried to stay in the same industry but wasn't as successful doing that as I was in Brazosport. I had some pretty rough times, so one day I was looking at the newspaper trying to figure out what to do and decided to apply for and I got into pest control by accident and fell head over heels in love with it. (Don’t tell anyone, bugs don’t talk back and you don’t have to baby-sit them like some employees.)
I had an experience at the Mayor’s Greater Houston Prayer Breakfast about five years ago when I was invited by a pest control customer who was different from most of my other customers. He had a certain “peace about himself” that I didn’t know at the time what it was. All I knew was I wanted some of whatever he had. It turned out that he re-introduced the Lord Jesus to me and I began a journey through the bible learning more about our precious Lord. That is the absolute best thing that has happened to me in the past 17 years. I tried to stay close to Helen but after 16 years of trying, I gave up and looked to someone else to complete me and become my constant companion.
As I was going through the bible for almost two years, I began pursuing an undergrad degree in Entomology at Texas A&M. I already had 51 hours accumulated when I had first gone to TAMU in ’76 and wanted to be (of all things – a doctor and as it turned out, I was on and stayed on the Dean’s list for several semesters, I couldn’t keep it up and quit). The most fortuitous aspect was when the counselor in the TAMU system told me that those 26 year-old hours of credit were still good. It still doesn’t take a “rocket scientist to see a good deal when it rears it’s head, so I went for it. In fact, I after graduating in May of 2007, I decided to go for my Board Certification in Entomology from the Entomological Society of America, I got that and learned that I am the only one in Houston in the Urban and Structural residential pest control specialty I’m in.
After my divorce, I got certified as a SCUBA diver and have never been since about 1992. I'm not afraid to tell you that I’ve been a single-engine pilot since 1967! That would rather date me...but what the heck…we’re among same aged friends now.
You all probably know that I married Helen when I was 17 and that lasted for 24 years. We have two grown boys (Todd who is 40 this year and Scott who is 30 in November and they both live in Moulton (About 90 miles west down I 10 toward San Antonio) in the same town Helen lives.
Todd is in business for himself like his dad, except he is in the security business for commercial businesses an residences.
I am very proud of both my boys (men now) and I almost forgot to say that Scott (my youngest) proposed to his girlfriend Paula (in Moulton). They haven’t set a date, but he did it right when he asked her dad if he could have his daughters hand in marriage. He told me: “Dad…I’m just trying to do this right”. That makes me proud.
It was my fault for the divorce (I know it takes two to make a choice to divorce so she should get some of the blame. Well I can’t do that in all honesty because I was the one who didn’t live up to my vows of marriage. All she did was get mad as a “wet-hen” and asked me for a divorce.
Hey, when I get on a roll...well sometimes I lose track of time and I do want to hear more about what all of you have been up to. After reading many of the articles you have posted, I can see that I went to school with some high achievers…how about it? Come on, now…tell me everything about your family and yourself…okay?
UPDATE: I found my precious Leydy Carmen, who is from Venezuela and she agreed to marry this old guy. I am the happiest guy in the world now. She is chemical engineer and we will retire in the next couple of years in Colombia where her parents live. Must learn Spanish soon!!
ANOTHER UPDATE:
We are in Colombia now and are still working on our retirement home. Will it ever be over? No, I don't think so. Everybody knows that homes are full time affairs.
We are putting in a new sauna today. We have one now, but the new one is a "more better one". We have room in our home and sauna...come on down and enjoy beautiful Colombia. A short drive to Ecuador will take us to the natural volcanic hot springs, pools and natural rock (cave) saunas. The place is great...and the drug-lords and his helpers are not a bother at all.
Hope you all have a God Blessed Day and rest of 2013!!
UPDATE: Divorced from Leyday Carmen in October of 2016.
Miles
