Day 180

The first day of Memorial Weekend is here! Traffic has picked up on the island and we are expecting family at any minute. Writing this on the deck after eating papaya, sliced apples and sharp cheddar cheese with pink lemonade. People are fishing in waist deep water and a lady just drove by on the beach in a camo 4 wheeler (no vehicles allowed on the beach, but she must be a little slow). Two guys came by with a beautiful dog. There is a catamaran tilted far out and a couple with large straw beach hats on are watching their little boy play on a boogie board in the surf. One of the 4 doctors that owns the beach house next door is in his easy chair reading. Doug has gone to the store to buy ingredients for homemade pizza. I'm making the salad.

Day 179

Lockdown at Texas City ISD due to a local robbery. Held for 65 minutes and after school. Went to Tortuga Restuarant for Mexican food to celebrate Doug's 63rd birthday. Had stuffed avocados and Doug had mango, coconut and shrimp tacos. They treated Doug to a chocolate cake. Tortugas had a very artsy painted turtle mailbox. Nice cool breeze as weather on the island was in the 80's and Houston went up to 94.

Day 178

Doctor appointment at Hermann Memorial in the Medical District near downtown Houston. Got a giant A plus for health. Of course I celebrated by eating a Giradeli Square Chocolate Bar!!!! Once back at Bermuda Beach, I snapped this photo of a trio of horses and their noncommital riders on the beach! It was a full moon this evening and the tide was extremely far out. We walked out past the 2nd sand bar. The cat was enjoying digging for sand crabs.

Day 177

The fans are on full blast in Texas City in my art room. But when I arrive home and open the sliding door towards the beach, the wind blast from the gulf almost knocks the cat over! No AC needed whatsoever with the doors and windows open. Incidentally, we came across the most perfectly constructed house for this beach. Three doors down (not the band) is the concrete house we visited last Saturday and the cross currents inside are designed so that every space in every room has a breeze. It reminded me of some of the elaborate resorts in Mexico with the design. Shown in earlier photos. I forgot to include the rickashaw images and bamboo bicycle that I came across while shopping in The Strand on Saturday. Very unique marketing displays in two separate stores. The only better attention getter that I've seen on the coast was the front half of an old wooden chris craft boat that was made into a bench. That item was purchased off of ebay for The Glass Mermaid Shop in Kemah. Now, why didn't I take a photo. Or did I????? Hmmmmm.

Day 176

Monday, Monday, can't stop that day. Mommas and the Poppas would have harmonized greatly over this mornings sunrise. Photos on Bermuda Beach and some taken at the Seawall. Great day for news. Opportunity knocked and we are headed to the Hill Country when our 6 months are up on Bermuda Beach. Spoke to all the boys and my family today. Everyone celebrated. Made fish tacos for supper and then took a stroll among the seaweed and seagulls before dark.

Day 175

Sunday morning seagulls were all about the seaweed. We were lazying about on the deck overlooking the gulf waters while beachcombers were mulling about. Runners were with their dogs and wives were telling husbands to hurry up. We built up an appetite with all this entertainment, so we made our way through seawall traffic to the Mosquito Cafe on 14th Street near the Strand. Veggie omelets and eggs benedict accompanied raspberry tea. Afterwards, we visited Rene Wiley's studio at 2128 Post Office Street and had a lengthy visit with her husband/manager about the biz. Love her work at www.renewileyart.com Returned at high noon for Jan's last beach walk of the vacation combining exercise with gobs of vitamin D. Escaped the island traffic just in time to meet her Hobby plane departure to Love Field. Could not help ourselves and visited Joe Lee's Cafe for the famous, best Fish Sandwiches this entire Houston area has to offer in League City near Clear Creek High School. Continued to stalk the sailboat on 61st off 45 with photographs on the way home. Began the arduous job of packing for the Big Move well into the evening.