Sleepless in Midland

Fox Friday 5-28-21

Red breasted fox. Actually, the dim light of the setting sun has distorted the color, and the reds look redder than they really are.

Here he is a few minutes later -- the colors are more realistic.

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3:19 PM 5/30/2021

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Fox Friday 5-21-21

Calling his pals.

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4:46 PM 5/21/2021

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Newly rebuilt Fire Station #5 on the verge of opening -- Midland, Texas

The new station looks to be ready for opening within days.

It was two years ago that a few city government emissaries held a dog and pony show for the proposed station. This PDF  is a scan of the brochure they handed out to the citizens who attended. There are seven bed rooms, including one which is ADA appropriate, and there are four bath rooms, including one which is ADA appropriate -- all on the second floor. There's a stair well but no elevator.

Incidentally, there's a handicap parking spot in the parking lot. One has to wonder if the firefighter training class has to accommodate disabled students and how many disabled firefighters are on the staff. Not that we have any problem with it. But hopefully the handicapped firefighter can ascend the stairs without assistance. Getting down should be no problem -- read on.

Now, two years later, the new station appears at the location where the old station once was.

The photo on the right shows the most exiting feature of the station -- a slide for firefighters to easily descend from the second floor. It looks like loads of fun!

Although there are only two floors, the building is as tall as a three story office building. And the windows on the top floor look out over the neighborhood and down into the neighbors' yards, perhaps as a fire lookout post so the firefighters can watch for smoke.

Anyway, the entire cost was in the low seven figures. But the project came about when the city government had money to burn due to the booming economy. The city burned through it. But now the local economy is struggling, inflation is rising, and the city government wants to raise taxes.

Ironic isn't it? When times are good, they spend like there's no tomorrow. When time are bad, they raise taxes because, gosh darn it, the tax revenue just isn't high enough to keep living like there's no tomorrow.

Maybe they can raise money by charging a fee for citizens who want to slide down that slide.

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4:03 PM 5/19/2021

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Fox Friday 5-14-21

Sneaking up on his food.

White beard.

Looking our way.

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6:35 AM 5/16/2021

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Fox Friday 5-7-21

When the foxes come around before dark we get photos in living color.

What a gorgeous animal.

Same fox, different pose.

I'm amazed at the way the foxes are so well camouflaged - the colors blend into the environment so flawlessly. I guess evolution has allowed the one who hide well to survive and multiply.

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3:27 PM 5/7/2021

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