Beach Road Trip

Man! It's been a while since I've written anything. Guess I haven't had much to say. That's an amazing fact just by itself. Me...speechless...quiet...OMG!!!!

So it's the 4th of July weekend...time for a road trip!! I've been stuck behind the computer too much lately so I loaded up mom and grandma (maybe I should be loaded before doing this) and we headed to the beach. Woohoo!!! Look out world... three generations of beach babes are footloose and fancy free!!

We stopped along the way to Sargent, Texas, to soak up the local culture and happenings. Unfortunately, there's been some cattle rustling in these here parts. People, that's just not cool!!

But then our day was brightened by these gorgeous Pride of Barbados bush/flower. I don't know if I've ever seen one. It's leaves and seed pods remind me of a Mimosa tree. Did someone say Mimosa? Yes, please, I'll take one!

We traveled on down the road until we reached this sign. I couldn't go any further. They would be looking for me.

I'm going to take my chances they don't catch me. I have two questionable witnesses with me. Luckily, we made it to Sargent without any incidents only to find tons of sea weed and swarms of mosquitoes ready to suck us dry. I have proof. Only because I was taking a selfie and one lit on my chin. (Yes, I admit it. I took a selfie.)  :P

The tugboats were busy at work. Dolphins were busy playing in the boat's wake. Pelicans were busy dive bombing for fish. The beach wasn't crowded (you can see why) except for a nekkid kid down the way. I thought the nudie beach was further down the coast.  I don't think I'd want to be nekkid in these waters. Some fish might mistake something for the wrong thing. No thank you!

It was a wonderful sunny day in Texas. Until we started to head back. The clouds changed quickly and thunderstorms started popping up. Such is the life in Texas. Just hang around five minutes and the weather will change.

We were getting hungry and needed a pit stop so we headed towards Bay City right behind a humungous thunderstorm. On the way we found a little roadside produce stand with home grown tomatoes and squash and some super-sized, green, striped Sasquatch squash. Grandma and mom loaded up with tomatoes and squash and left Sasquatch on the side of the road.

In Bay City we found a tasty Tex Mex restaraunt, La Casona. Total Tex Mex. HUGE portions. Great enchiladas and a delicious flan. They're original and creative. They serve their cheese puffs upside down. It was a chip bowl with cheese in the bowl. Their tostados come in the same kind of chip bowl but with the bowl upside down and all the fillings on top of the bowl. (O.O)  Huh?!? I was thrilled to see they also served a tasty original treat called "Homemade Mexican Guacamole." I had never had a "Mexican" guacamole and had to try it. It was this mashed up avocados with chopped onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. It was amazing! WOW! So inventive!! It's amazing the things that come from Mexico. This will really take off. What will they think of next?! /snark

Grandma did her usual. "Oh my lands! This is TOO much food!!" and then proceeded to clean her plate. When they asked if we wanted dessert..."I don't think I can eat another bite. But bring me one of those flans." /snort   She scraped her plate clean.

On the way home we drove through Wharton. We had to drive by the famous Teepee Motel. One of these days we're staying the weekend there just to say we've been there. Everybody should be able to say they've stayed here!

It was a wonderful day. It's amazing the world out there behind the computer screen. I'm about to get my fill computers for the next few weeks. Sunshine is good!

Especially Texas sunshine!

Stupid Monkey Award #9

It's been a while since I've had a Stupid Monkey Award. I've been surrounded by stupidity and it was just overwhelming!! LOL

Until today.

Today. O.M.G.

Actually, I saw this car earlier this week but in my uncaffeinated state as I was looking for a parking saw this car and thought I was seeing things. No...it wasn't there. Then the lack of caffeine took over and my head was in a fog and I forgot. POOF! gone.

Until today.

There it was. THE car. THE car that obviously drove to work on the streets of Houston. THE car that drove down busy thoroughfares and probably past a variety of police cars. THE car that has a +/-20-inch muffler extension tied on with blue data cables. THE car with a little red baggy covered in hearts warning motorists behind it not too follow too closely because its muffler is STICKING OUT OVER 20 INCHES!!

Yep. THAT car!!!

I guessing the owner of this car works in an IT department.

I'm guessing this dude isn't married...much less has a girlfriend.

I want to hear this car start up and drive through the parking garage.
vvvvvvvvvvvVVVVVAROOOOOOOOOM!!!!! Cough. Hack. Wheeze.
Followed by a little red baggy flying through the air.

It's hard putting on a gas mask when you're shaking your head.

Albatross Bombing

I was bombed by an albatross overnight.

I woke up in such a fantastic mood this morning. It's Friday! I see my sweetie this weekend! It's an AWESOME day!!

Then I walk out to my car. My basically clean car. My recently washed car. My car.

DAMN!!!!!!!

How did mud get on my car that was parked in my driveway and NOT under any trees?
It didn't rain last night.
I drove through NO mud puddles yesterday.

What is on my car?!?!

OH CRAP! That's not mud!!!

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!
That was one big ass bird with tummy troubles.

It didn't just stay on my windshield...It SPLATTERED onto the hood of my car and all over my wipers.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

I don't dare try to get that off with my windshield wipers. This is a job for the car wash!!

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!

My day got crapped on.

Duck Parade

I had to pause this morning for the duck parade crossing my driveway.

They were out for their morning stroll. Mom and three babies.

I'm SOOOOOO glad they did not nest in my chimney this year.
Relive the egg hunt in my previous post.

Turtle! Turtle!

It rained cats and dogs last night! We got 7 ...SEVEN...  inches of rain in about 4-5 hours. 4 of that in 1.5 hours. It RAINED!!

We needed it but not all at once. I get so tickled with people complaining about drainage. "We should have better drainage so our streets won't flood." People...buy a clue! When you get THAT much rain in THAT short of time frame, our stormsewers cannot handle it THAT fast! The streets did what they're suppose to do...flood. Streets are like giant gutters that take water to the stormsewers which then in turn take it to our bayous. Streets flood so your house does not flood!! Just don't be an idiot and drive through a flooded street!!

As I was coming home from church, I saw a turtle stuck by a curb so I stopped and put him up on the grass away from the cars.

I drove about another 50 feet and there was another turtle...and ANOTHER turtle in the middle of the road. So I got out and put them up on the grass, too.

I think I rescued 8 turtles from roadkill stew this afternoon.

But when I thought I was done saving turtles, I saw this ittle bitty tiny little blip on the road...at first I thought it was just a leaf or a mud clod...BUT NO...it was baby red ear turtle!!! He got rescued, too.

I'm starting to think it rained turtles last night...not cats and dogs!

Do they not use cabooses anymore?
And are multiple cabooses – cabooses, cabeese or caboosi?

I snapped this picture last week on a roadtrip to see my 95-year-old grandmother. The train had traffic stopped as it went back and forth out of the steel plant there before it got to moving forward.

Maybe Union Pacific had budget cuts and the caboose went the way of the Twinkie. I guess now brakemen have to ride in an open railcar.

This might be a job I'd like. Riding in the back of an open railcar seeing the country. Hmmmm...maybe when I retire. Oh wait, don't they call people who do that hobos? :P

I'm going to be a hobo when I retire. :)

Sunshine.

That sums it up nicely.