Day 89

Big day in Katy, Texas at the Southwest Equestrian Center Reining Show. Teresa won 1st in intermediate non-pro. Pictures will be downloaded tomorrow. Arrived at beach house and walked the shoreline. Great photos of the dunes and a picket fence.

Day 88

Arose with extremely low tide and flat surface. Large angel wings and cockle shells. Photographed shrimp boats in the distance as they came along the shore trolling. Doug had to move the mailbox and put up a rope so people would stop turning around in our drive and churning up the sand so it became soft and starting to get me stuck. After that,Doug worked on the wooden ramp downstairs all day except for a brief outing to Pirate's Beach for deli hamburgers by two gentlemen from Philadelphia. Next time, we will try their philly cheese sandwiches. Finished taxes to be mailed in Monday. Yipppppeee. Wrote thanks yous for my birthday presents. Cable guy fixed the TV in the bedroom. Going into Galveston shortly to run errands.Note: can you tell the difference between my pocket camera and the rebel cannon images? horses are taken with both, women inhats by rebel as well as latest posted shoreline.

Day 87

2nd day of GRI Finance course here at the Galveston Board of Realtors. Disected the residential contract and discussed 50 plues ways to negotiate it and how many times earnest money can be returned that is noted in contract, etc. Lunch with 5 other realtors at Gino's Italian. Stopped on seawall to take high wave and mist action photos on the way home. Doug had comcast come out for the 3rd time to try to get online set up. There is one guy in our development that the box is located in his house and he is only here on weekends so the can't go and reset it without him here. When he leaves he turns the breaker off and we go offline. Crazy. Mother called about Daddy needing open heart surgery next week. Teresa will be there to stay with mother. Called all boys to discuss. Doug and I took photos from our deck of the strong wind and wave action before heading into Landry's Restaurant on the Seawall for casears, steak, potatoe and deluxe brownie. Met a new friend while waiting for our tables. More later. Came home and watched Apolo disqualified from skating in Olympics.

Day 86

Played hookey today and attended my first GRI class for real estate. Instructor Barbara was from Dallas and a dynamite teacher. Learned mucho and made new friends. All pumped up about rejoining the real estate world on a more active level. Spoke to Sterling about the real estate website and facebook page to come.

Because of my schedule, stayed home one hour later and was able to capture this sunrise with el sol visible. Tilapia fish tacos for supper were excellent in my kitchen.

Day 85

Started off cold and ended up very pleasant today. I took 14 student entries to the duck derby poster contest after school. Stopped on 71st street off 45th and took photos of a group of small sail boats learning their manuevers. They were in front of Moody Gardens in the inlet from the intracoastal. Because of a faculty meeting and TAKS training, Doug beat me home and was walking along the beach when I drove up the sandy road. He treated me to homemade veggie noodle alfredo for dinner. Yum.

Day 84

The cold was creeping back. No freezing on Galveston Island, but Houston was going to get snowflakes. Received birthday gift in the mail from Seth and Amber....darling Walk like an egyptian song card and cute, cute kitty cat houseshoes. Fed ex delivered a 'teacher t shirt' from sterling that says "Students are Coming" with a panic striken skeleton teacher on front. ha. Jan wrote and can't believe we are really 68. Me neither.

Took photo of our Bermuda Beach sign yesterday. And today I photographed the finished Sea Trigger(get it--Roy Roger's horse), 1st in my series of sea horses. I also took photos in stages for posterity sake. Also, received website of Armando Montelongo, the flip houses guru. His methods and funding ideas are worth studying.

Day 83

Could not wait to get home and work on my newest painting, "Sea Trigger." I'm combing real horse images with the seahorse pipefish version. After lime sherbet and salad--no those do not go together---I took a break to watch John Travolta in Civil Action. Must get ready for my jury duty. Ha!

It struck me on the way home how a boat can be used in many ways to market businesses. I took this photo on the seawall of a sign that one of the condo's uses with a boat. Frankly, I like the idea..but might put something more than dead plants in it.

Day 82

Happy Birthday to me! I'm as old as the hills as my aunt ida used to say. OMG do I have GREEEAAAAT photos. Doug gave me a new lens and we drove around Galveston taking photos today after having a fabulous brunch at the historic Hotel Galvez. It was the best!!!! Enough said. Look at these PHOTOS!

Day 81

Wonderful day until just a few minutes ago. For some reason, my absolutely fabulous photos from today will NOT download! I suspect it is because of the norton upgrade Doug put on it today!!!!!!!!!! Okay...we'll work on it tomorrow. Deep breathing now.

Breakfast at Waffle House this morning was omelet and biscuits and gravy! That's what I'm talking about. We went to an estate sale at a fabulous mansion on Broadway and bought some art books for 50 cents. Came home and finished catagorizing my taxes. Then worked on my newest painting by drawing in the image of a seahorse. That drawing is going well! Keith and Alison had flowers and Russell Stover chocolates delivered to me today! Yum! (I have photos.)

We drove along the seawall in Galveston and ate at Mario's Italian REstaurant for supper. (I have photos.) Enjoyed parmesan encrusted redfish with shrimp and crab, stuffed artichokes, fresh mediterrean salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert. So stuffed I can't move. Great news from Pernie about VASE in North Texas. Likewise good news from Paula about VASE in San Antonio.

Day 80

TGIF....Had spicy gumbo and rice for supper. Photos of the street sign behind me and the dead end sign at the beach before you turn onto my sandy beach road. Isn't it interesting that the road to my street is called Pabst like the Blue Ribbon Beer. It's a sign. LITERALLY. I can't blog tonight for I have to work on taxes so I can play tomorrow.

Day 79

Took photos on the way to work this morning and when I came home shot 42 more. Took a long walk along the beach about 5 pm today. 3 shrimp boats were straight out from the beach dregging. Did photo a dead fish on beach as well as the ever present seagulls. Picked up a few shells, but the wind became cold and turned around and headed back. Noticed that the neighbor's palm tree has a big mark on it to be destroyed. It's only been 1 1/2 years since the damage from Ike. Spagetti and turkey meat sauce for dinner. Yummy.