My Mom used to tell her Avion Travelcade friends
that I peddled my A@#$&* all over town, that's
when I rode to work on a two wheeler. New
and better scenery for my rides. I have on my
"5 o'clock somewhere sweater" it was still a
little breezy at this point. When I hit the
Gulf Road, I stopped and removed the sweater.
Blue skies smiling at me......Nothing but
Blue skies, did I see..........
It is just a little ship, probably
full of oil headed to the refinery.
It isn't a fishing boat, not enough
birds flying around it and attacking
the catch. Sun came out two hours
after they predicted on Friday. I
was content, met a great man, he is
opening a restaurant and gave me a
coupon for a discount! Better stop
in on the bike ride.....
A day without rain, time on the beach, a great bike ride
along the Gulf Road with hazards. On the way to SPI it was 64
and very cloudy, dropping to 59 at one point. The highest
I saw on the Jimmy, 75....at 1045 PM it is 61, 9 in Ankeny.
Now this is what I was hoping for weather wise for my first
winter in Texas. The furnace just kicked on, the weather
man said it could be down to 40 tonight. Just gotta laugh,
just like at the USPS............you never know what to
expect and what are the new policies..........
Two weeks ago I walked over the bridge and we had a little sunshine
that Saturday and a little on Sunday. Last Sunday we had about 2-3
hours of sunshine at the most.....Stretching it a bit, maybe 4-6 hours
of total sunshine, in two weeks,.......WELL, we had more than that today!
I took some blue sky pictures, will post them later, since I need dinner before the
Iowa women's BB game starts. I will get to watch them on chicago
Comcast.
I went to the Winter Texan event today. Free food, sandwiches from a
deli and ice cream from DQ. The DQ girls said they cut up 60 cakes.
They also had entertainment from Branson, MO., good if you like
that type of music. LOTS of door prizes. Finally I was a winner. I
won a one month membership to a sports club. I am happy about
that, since the weather is not supposed to be any better after Sunday,
back to rain!
I also had a bike ride, riding to San Juan to the liquor store corner
and back is about 6 miles round trip. I will ride again this week end,
they told me to go to the Park in Mission, they have a ten mile trail!
GO HAWKS........beat minnesota...........
Wow, It has been so long....At 10 AM,it might be only 46 degrees, but I
see blue skies! That is a big deal for Texas, since the last two weeks have
been all rain, except for my walk across the bridge and a couple hours
the last two Sundays. Other than these exceptions, it has been rain.
Up north it would be snow and ice......I am happy aboutthat, but this too
shall pass I hope. My golf game is not improving, can't play, there isn't
the drainage in Texas that we have up home. Therefore, the courses
are flooded. A neighbor drove down the alley yesterday and slid
sideways and was stuck in the mud. I bet they worked on it for at
least an hour before getting out of the hole he dug!
Off to a Winter Texan event, it ends at noon, so I better beat feet....
the laundry is done.....more later.......cal.........
He is a week old and I have not mentioned it yet. My dear friends Mark and Marla
are grandparents! Baby Bucky, so nicknamed by his Granny Nanny while in the
womb, was born 15 days early, on a Holiday, Jan 15, 722 AM, 8 lb 8 oz, 19",
brownish hair, blonde eyelashes and brown eyes. Granny wanted to be in the
delivery room, but Bucky had different ideas. They were back in Iowa and had
to wait out the snow and ice thru Iowa, Mo and Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas,
before they left Dayton again. All is well in AZ, Granny has her babe in arms.
PS. His new name is Andrew Jacob Thiel, he will be called Drew since Dad
is Andrew also.....I wonder if Dad Andy's middle name is Jacob?
Rock the cradle.......
What a crazy winter in Texas. Rain again today. I finished planting the
bougainvilleas, naming them Louie and DoggieHawk.....my mom's
nickname and my love for the Truman/Drake Bulldogs and W'loo-
Ankeny-IOWA Hawks..Not much to do in the rain, so I have to go
pick up a photo I had enlarged to enter in the Ankeny Photo Contest.
Then I will come back home and work on my crafts, gluing seashells
onto picture frames. I received a big box of stuff from the boys,
two weeks of newspapers, the Press Citizen and the comics and
some sports pages. Guess I have some reading to do or work on the
iMovie? or watch a movie? Wow, turn on the TV before 5 PM? I think
there is a law against that.....Stay dry and keep the home fires burning.
Buenos Tardes........
NO, it ain't the summer temps that I hoped for. I have only golfed
a few times, I don't like to golf with a bunch of clothes on, so I guess
I will wait for warmer temps. At least the gas prices are helping. A week
ago I filled up before traveling to the island, at $2.11.9 per gallon.
Today, a week and a half later.....$1.95.9......what a big drop! I hope
Iowa is dropping as well. I was raised on limited TV as opposed to
today's availability to see sporting events. #63 on the Bears is from
this area, however, I was a big fan of Johnny Unitas and stayed with
them until they snuck out of Baltimore in the middle of the night.
I hooked up with Joe and the 49ers and in the last couple years have
also been looking back at my Colts. Going to INDY for the last six
years for Big 10 BB has helped, so I am rooting for the Colts in two
weeks, but will not be disappointed if the Bears win. It would be
easier if one of these teams had lost, who do I root for? It is similar
to the game, Drake vs Iowa.........Raised on Drake Men's BB at Vet's.
Stay warm, don't hurt your back moving the snow, if you do....come
on down to the Valley and recouperate.....Hang loose mis amigos........
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Just a little early morning stroll of 3.5 miles from Port Isabel to
South Padre Island. Starting just south of the Lighthouse, over the
bridge and then the party at Louie's Backyard. The runner/walkers
don't party like the softball players used to.....go figure.........
49 degrees at 945 PM in Alamo
14 degrees in Ankeny.
this is a little test, to see if I can
remember how to download photos. I need
to do more of this so I can just do it
every day. I take a picture every day,
why can't I donwload a photo everyday so
you can see what I am doing?
Planted the bougainvillea's today, I gave
four of them names. From right to left,
Mark, Bucky, Granny Nanny and Cindo. the
other two are not planted yet, I don't
have names for them.
Petunias are blooming, life is good. I would
just like some sunshine........at least there
is NO SNOW........
Let's go to the beach.......
You might remember my love of ice......a whole year working INSIDE the PO with the
QUEEN and SLUGGO! A year from H#$%&LL......Well, we didn't get the bad cold along
with all of this rain. It is comical how they panic in the Valey, close schools, cancel
meetings, they warn you you stay HOME if there is ice! almost as bad as Iowa when
there MIGHT be 3 inches of snow.
Mexico was fun on Thursday. I picked up a few curios for projects and some peanuts
for cocktail hour. We always shop a the Canadian store, have two-fer cocktails at La
Galeria and lunch at Arturo's. I talked with fellow Iowans from Renwick and near
Manning. That's why I wear my Iowa jacket out and about, it is always a conversation
starter. I wore a Nebraska tee shirt to the store one day, met up with a Cyclone fan
as well as several folks from Kansas.
Today I will uncover the tomatoes and flowers and once again, clean. Pick up the junk and
maybe put in the new window. It is 46 right now to 9 in ankeny, 834 AM. By mid afternoon
is should be in the 50's......well, at least I have missed the snow and ice.........
OHH, I am Aunt Cyndy again. Bucky was born two weeks early, on Monday, the 15th.
Finally he has a real name, Andrew Jacob Thiel, aka DREW. He came in at 8 lbs 8 oz,
19 inches and "kinda" brownish hair. No word on his eye color....Granny Nanny Marla
and Mark headed out on Wed AM. I bet she was unbearable while waiting for the ice
to melt and get on the road. Their entire route was ice covered!
Carry on...........
I can hear the chuckles coming from the NORTH! I guess Texas has
winter once in a while also, but today it is all rain. It was 50 at 8 AM when I
checked the dashboard, going down.....I planted tomatoes and
petunias last week, tonight I have to cover them up to save them.
Tim Smith, the channel 5 weatherman, says...."close to freezing"..
I had a wonderful time on the island over the week end. I left Alamo
bright and early on Saturday, 718 AM to be exact. The plan was to
walk across the Queen Isabella Causeway from Port Isabel to South
Padre Island. they expected at least 1200 people in the two events,
a 10K and the 3.5 mile walk. They only shut down one lane of traffic
and the people in the cars took pictures, honked their horns, even
one Hawkeye came across that I yelled at GO HAWKS and they did
the same. The after race event was at this huge restaurant/bar, Louie's
backyard. It was over by 1 PM. I did the walk in under one and a half
hours, due to slowing down to take pictures, imagine? I saw the
90 year old lady that registered when I did and she was moving right
along! They estimated over 2000 people. The winning run time was
a man from Kenya, 31 min 41 seconds. @nd 31:44 and 3rd, 31:46....
The lady winner was 34 min I think. They had entrants in the 80
year range running.....time around one hour.......next year maybe!
After the race I went to two stores, checked into the motel, watched
the first half of the ISU men's BB game with Kansas, hit the beach
for a few hours, bought some dinner and went to the hot tub. My
room had a fridge and a microwave oven. the hot tub felt great, my
legs and feet ached. I forgot how walking the cement affects your
feet, six months from walking the Ankeny streets.
Sunday, I used up all of my rent time doing soduko puzzles and
when the sun finally came out, I took off for the beach. I went to
two stores with these big sales: buy one tee shirt at regular price
and get three or four FREE.....The shirts were $20. OR, buy one-
get one free, those were $10 shirts or the cheapy deluxe ones were
3 for $10, everything must go!
I parked at the park where I always go, there is a bathroom if needed.
Hopped on the bike and rode the route north almost back to the motel,
round trip about 10 miles, on the way back, into the wind!
I burned my nose, forgot the lotion, it was in the back of the Jimmy,
I was too lazy to crawl back there to get it. The bike and rack were
also on the backend, not again! The lotion will be in the beach bag.
Home about 6 PM, before dark. I popped out a lens on my glasses and
didn't have a small screwdriver along, so I had to get home before
dark.
Today, it is miserable, so I am doing housework......YUK! Laundry and I
fixed the blinds in the bathroom and I need some plugs to tighten one
towel bar......grocery store.....maybe the mall, I have to get this new
CD and Target didn't have it. I dread thinking about going to Wally
World........
According to Sidney Friedman, "Folks, pull down your pants and slide
on the ice." Have a good one.......BRRRRRRRRR............
That's right, I am very happy. The weather is what I had hoped for, that's
why I am in Texas. HOWEVER......there is always bad that goes with the good........
It's next week, the temps are back to fall temps in Iowa, the 50's.
I have plans for indoor activity, we are also going to make a run to
Progresso, we can wear jackets and stay inside at Arturo's for lunch
and visit La Galleria for margaritas and Tecate.....We will make it.....
What was that song? I shall survive?
Between now and then.....I will carry on.....old mail jeeps are in use
down here in the Valley, painted all white with a banner below the back
door that says.....USPS on two lines.....They must not have sold all of
those good old jeeps. They would not work anymore, since management
has added onto every route,doubled up on the work, how would we
fit all of the mail into those old jeeps.......go figure.........
On the road again.......off to the island in the AM......early to bed, early
to rise....overnight since there is a big party...........I hope I meet some
Iowans, I will be wearing my Tiger Hawk Hat, in case i get on TV.........
Keep smiling.......I planted my tomatoes yesterday..............C
Are you sick of this yet? yes, I spent the day at the beach. First I signed up for the
Wellness 10K or walk event this week end at Port Isabel and S Padre Is. We walk 3.5
miles, start in PI and walk across the 2.5 mile Causeway Bridge to SPI.....I am #127
and am glad I am doing this, a lady 90 years old came in right behind me to sign up.
If she can do....so can I!
Then I tried to sign up for the WinterTexan golf scramble. They had 6 teams open, I
could not sign up as a single and hope for other singles to sign up. Guess I am screwed
again! SO, after locating Louie's Backyard, a big restaurant/bar, where the after walk/
race party is held, I went to the beach. I took my plastic bag and headed out. I walked
about one mile north on the beach before turning around, at the end of the day I had
walked about 3.5 miles. I picked up a bag full of shells. I am cleaning them and am
going to send them to the groovy granny in Osakis for a grand kids craft event!
Due to road destruction, all of the stores are having big sales....I only went to two
stores, spent about $30. I think I will have to make all of my purchases before
the spring break kids arrive, then the prices will go up! I think we are supposed
to stay away from the island starting about March 1, but I'd love to go see all of
the activities and drunk teenagers........
Home by 530 PM and 65 degrees. The neighborhood kids were playing cops and
robbers. One was hiding behind my mobile. He said, don't let them know I am here.
I went outside to shoot pictures of the beautiful sunset and he wants a copy! Too bad
they are building that new house to my west side! It interferes with sunset photos.
Still regular jobs to do, tomorrow I pick up the new piece of glass for the window in
the small bedroom. It fell out when I was washing windows the first week of Dec. The
last person that replaced the window did NOT put in the seal to hold the window in
place. Two inches higher and I would have been in the emergency room! Was it Jeff
that didn't do the full job????
The week is supposed to be warm again, high 70's into the 80's. I think I will get in
a round of golf. No real grass on the fareways and the greens are really rough, so
not much practice during the winter, that is.....to improve my game. No putting
help!
Keep it in the middle.....fairways and greens.........XXOO.......Paca :o)
Every once in a while, I get that feeling......life is sweet. I think it is the
weather and the fact I don't have to buy anything as a NEED for the
mobile home.
Today I bought flowers and tomatoes. I will plant them
Tues or Weds. I will probably bring home some tomatoes that are
grown up a little and I will have a head start on the Iowa season.
I bought a half dozen ears of corn at a highway stand. Where are
the sweet yellow ears of corn from the Swanson homestead? the
ears do not look good.... small white corns,but I will eat them asap.....
I paid a dollar for a half dozen....
I have received a large amount of Christmas and Holiday greetings
from ya'll.....thank you. Your letters and Christmas news keeps me
in touch with my last life.....BEFORE RETIREMENT.........
Keep it in the middle...if you are able to knock around a golf ball
up north.....keep your head down and follow through.....or bring
your game down south for a long week end......there are a lot of
beds available.............FORE............Paca,,,,,,,,
Yes, a day at the beach, on the ocean, watching surfers, fishing boats go out and return,
sail boats on the horizon. Windy, but this is the life. I think I better invest in an RV and
live on the beach. This is where I always wanted to be. Our friend at the T Shirt Warehouse
told me not to live here at spring break time.....a zoo....I can sell out Alamo and find
a Park for March, April, etc.
I picked up some fresh shrimp, the real JUMBO shrimp that they advertise in Iowa. A
jumbo shrimp is about 5 inches long. In Hawaii a prawn was 8 " long. I asked the man
at the market how to de vein quicker. He sold me a $2 plastic item and showed me how
to do it.....where have I been all of these years? I just pull off the shell, slice down the
middle, butterfly the shrimp.......this is so easy......
Fireworks are still on sale and are still blasting away at night. Anyone want any fireworks?
Let me know and I will buy them, on sale, buy one, get one or two free......This would be
great at the family reunion next summer, if it is still going to be in Dayton.........
The beach, son of a beach.....I love it. I am also in Hawaii tonight, the PGA is playing at
Kapalua, I played there 20 y ears ago. Bet I can't afford it today......
Sandy feet in Texas........:-)
I am not having much luck with the weather these days. Hopefully by Friday it will be dry and I
am planning on South Padre Island. I went to the convention center today, they were having
a travel show. I came home with a huge bag of brochures, including Nebraska! Most places were
from Mexico, Vera Cruz, Monterray and Texas, all over the south and Austin area. The wine
tasting was crazy, there was about a teaspoon in the cup! Make a putt and win a tee shirt,miss
and get a pin from a 2005 10 K race???? I was able to watch the ISU women play BB tonight
and followed the Hawkeye women on gametracker on the Big 10 web site. The CSTV service that
I am paying for is ridiculous. I upgraded the PC and I still can't get the video or audio service!
Don't waste your money. Go to the DSM Register web site and click on sports and follow it to
College women's basketbal
until you get to "listen to sports on your PC." It says the offer is for $10 a one time charge and
they give you 200 stations. I pay $6.50 a month for the Hawkeye All Access service through
CSTV. I e mailed them to find out if I can access the service with an iMac. Somebody hit a
bank today with his car, on SPI. Wrong pedal and $1,000 or more damage to the bank!
If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death.....
Sam Snead quote.....
When you fall in love with golf, you seldom fall easy. It's obsession at first sight..Thomas Boswell.
For sure. Lots of great deals with the hotels on SPI, with golf, now I just need some sunshine....
Keep your head down and follow through......oops, that for summer time up north....try to Dome!
They really know how to celebrate New Year's Eve in Texas. The Fireworks
started early, about 9 PM. I kept going outside to see the explosions when
Alex the neighbor came over to take me to the party. There was about 15
people celebrating. About 11 PM the kids wanted to start with the fireworks,
one mom and sisters went to buy more and we had a blast, no pun intended.
They saved the big ones for midnight. At the stroke of midnight the skies
opened up and it was loud all over Alamo! Just like Summerfest in Ankeny
when they celebrate my birthday!
Then it was time for the pinata. It is tied up to the tree and one person raises
and lowers it. We didn't put on a blind fold, they just twisted us and we hit.
Alejandra started, then her brother Anem? I hit it about 10 times, but did not
shake loose any candy. Alex really assaulted the pinata and everyone dashed
to pick up candy. After about a dozen assaults, the pinata was done and the
two little kids picked up most of the candy.
The cold duck went down easy, I can't believe I drank the whole bottle! I
lit the FINE CIGAR just before midnight and the boys and I smoked it.
When I finally called it quits and came home, wow...about 145 AM!
I have a great picture of baby Aidan or Andrew, I can't remember, but
all the kids are "A" named. I see the dog came home, Buddy ran off
during the fireworks.
Don't forget to change your calendars! Feliz anos nuevos..............
