At the end of 2025, both my shrimp and I were on the edge of disaster. Now, at the beginning of 2026, I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel (and hopefully it's not a train.) There is hope. Clearer, warmer waters are ahead. Sometimes those of us who have been in business a long time get complacent. We think we’ve seen it all. We think nothing can take us down. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Most people don’t regret painting brick right away. That’s the problem. The damage doesn’t show up while the paint is fresh and the compliments are rolling in. It shows up years later—when paint begins to bubble, when brick faces start popping off, or when moisture appears inside a building with no obvious source. By the time it’s visible, the brick has already been compromised.

There are moments when a town loses more than a building.On the night of December 19, my hometown of Winnsboro, Texas, lost a piece of its soul. Thee Hubbell House is gone.