Day 38

41 degrees right now which is warmer than most of the state. But winds are gusting 40 miles per hour and it feels like 29 degrees. Hard freeze warning. People have taken all manner of cloth to cover their tropical plants. I have given up on saving my pots that are downstairs in the sand. I would have taken photos of these odd looking coverings, but I wimped out due to being cold. I decided to go for the 3D fish that is sitting on my back porch table. Getting ready for the real drama of the day: Go horns!

Day 37

The weather report is predicting sleet, ice and frigid temps for the next two days. It is not here yet. My artroom at school was hot and even the principal said we coud wear jeans and warm clothes the next few days to stay warm...it didn't have to be professional. However, the wind does seem to be howling through our sliding doors facing the beach.

Douglas send a spring bouquet of flowers to my school today because "he loves me." It was so thoughtful and sweet. My students are progressing on the Chinese New Year lesson that I borrowed from Crystal. Here's looking at ya kid!!!! I miss all my friends at Frisco, but am looking forward to the next few months here in Galveston. Doug and I will be making masks for our mardi gras parade celebration. I will also be entering the Galveston ARt League show this month. Stay tuned to that one. Facebook has some flowers from today. I'm posting one of my previous Kyla shots. I have raw food cooking in the oven--chicken, onions, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers. I was doing so well eating properly until I walked into the teacher's workroom today and they had FUDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 36

Moonshells everywhere on the beach today! I've never seen so many small and light ones. They had floated to the edge of the tidal line. All the shells had lost their animals and were empty. You could see the holes where some critter hd siphoned the animal out of its shell. Okay, my secret is out. I'm a closet scientist.

I decided to leave school at 1:30 today because I could. It was hard to go back after two weeks off. On the way home, I stopped in the middle of the street and took photos of BP and the chemical plants. The smoke stacked was interesting and light and airy beside the heavy structural gas pipes in the distance. It was interesting and remember, I just had my students create a lesson on interlocking contour line pipes with connectors that turn. Cooked homemade vegetable/sausage gumbo for supper. Yum. Took the post and beach photo as I turned onto my sandy road home.

Day 35

Back to school inservice for teachers was halfway interesting today. We heard this New Yorker named Prensky talk about digital natives and digital immigrants. I would be of the later. In other words, i wasn't born to the computer. I came to know computers later. Those 15 years and under are natives. Almost ready for he kids to return tomorrow. We will make a Chinese New Year Dragon. Also, had a request from an AP for my art department to do a mural in the cafeteria. A culturally aware mural. Hmmm. Decided to stop for petrofina on the way home because I think today will be the warmest day we have all week. The photos are the view from the Valero station where I regularly trade. Watching tonight's TCU bowl game. Cousin Brenda should be there in Phoenix with her son, Brandon. Go Frogs!

Day 34

I've done everything I can possibly do except write two more annual letters to friends which I'll do shortly. The cowboy game is not on here so I've turned my attention to el gato. You might think she loves the beach because she gazes out at the water so often. But inside that sleeping, purring interior is a hostile angry wildcat waiting to leap off the deck and snatch one of those sandpipers. The seagulls taunt her and she pays them no mind. No, her real prey is the cute, fast moving sandpipers because she likes a challenge!

Day 33

Just poured myself a cup of hot chocolate with REAL marshmellows into my teacher cup that a student gave me for Christmas. That's about the only perk from middle school is that they still give the teacher presents. Ha!

Gorgeous chamber of commerce day today in Galveston. I went into town shopping and ate lunch at Ramon's Mexican Restaurant and had REAL crunchy tacos and a strange looking and HOT green verde sauce with chips and ice tea. Can you believe they were out of Dr. Pepper? Total tab was $3.25. Saw this corvette club parked on the seawall. Impressive for corvette lovers such as my big sis and my principal. Came home and took my giant purple plastic bucket and walked on the beach and gathered seashells. It was not so warm by late afternoon and I didn't last very long. Photos are in wrong order of morning, afternoon and noon shots.

Day 32

Started the New Year 2010 with a bit of exercise. Doug pumped up the tires and away we went down the beach. Coming back against the wind was decidedly rough, but we made it. Cooked black-eyed peas with mexican cornbread for lunch. Keeping all the luck I can get! Lovely way to begin a year! Doug was in hog heaven watching the Oregon Ducks play the Ohio State Buckeyes. All I can think is suie.