RIO GRAND VALLEY

Dad was released from “The Heart Hospital” (Corpus Christi Medical Center) (Room 425) about 4 PM Thursday, 26 January 2012.   From there we stopped at the Garcia Library before heading South via Kingsville, Texas.  We ended up sleeping at a rest stop about 10 miles south of Riviera, Texas on route 77.

Overnight Stop

Getting Mexican Insurance

In the morning, we entered the Rio Grande Valley on our way to Brownsville, TX.  There we purchased Mexican car insurance.

On Friday evening we were unable to contact our friend across the Mexican border in Matamoros so Dad decided to rest up in an inexpensive Motel till Tuesday morning (31 January 2012).

At any rate, we’ll be in room 124 of the Plaza Square Motel till tomorrow morning.

Plaza Square Motel

2255 Central Blvd.

Brownsville, Texas  78520

Phone (956) 546-5104

Extension #124

Dad In Motel Room #124

SURPRISE

It's hard to believe that a local Texas cowpoke has already won the heart of the Lone Star cowgirl.  It seems that just yesterday she was out to lasso one of the boys.  So, Thomas and Didymus keep your heads high … she's not the only sweet heart in the candy bag.

Surprise!

HOSPITAL

Dad in the last day or so, Dad had the opportunity to be a patient in the local Heart Hospital (The Corpus Christi Medical Center – Bay Side).    It's a long story but hopefully it's over for now.  Time will tell.  I took a few pictures but forgot to insert the data card so they are on the camera but I don't have the software to upload them to the blog site.

BEACH MAILMAN

Thank you Jay … you have been a great help to us in delivering our snail mail sent from Florida.  Last Friday, 20 January 2012, Jay delivered what we have been waiting for … the Florida registration with license plate yellow renewal sticker good for two years.

  Mail Arrives

Dad Unpeeled Sticker

Good Till 2014

VAN DIES AGAIN

Thursday, 19 December 2012, Dad and I got up very early to head to the Del Mar College Library in Corpus Christi.  We needed to convert a number of PowerPoint files into .pdf files that Public Libraries in Corpus could not convert.  Chris, a local camper needed a ride into town so Dana gave him his seat and sat in the back.  Before long the van began to sputter and buck so we turned around and headed for Island Tire And Automotive.  Needless to say, the van died along the roadway.  After a while we were able to jump start it at the solenoid.  We then made it to Island Tire and Automotive who did the repair without costing us an arm and a leg.  After spending several hours working on it, it was determined that one of the distributer wires needed to be replaced.  Thanks Island Tire and Automotive.  We then dropped Chris off and went to the Del Mar College.

Died On Side Of Roadway

Chris And Island Tire

 

Taking A Test Drive  

Looking Inside  

Another Test Drive

Ditto

Del Mar College Library   

ONLY IN TEXAS

In an effort to further impress a local Texas cowgirl Thomas and Didymus swam out into the Gulf.  When a large school of hungry fish surrounded them, the boys realized the fish were planning on eating them as tasty nuggets.  Fear then entered their bones and in a split second their minds raced as they said good-bye in their hearts to all their loved ones and then prepared for the worst.

Suddenly, from the depths came a triumphant sound and "whoosh" the boys found themselves back on shore in a pile of soft seaweed.  Thomas and Didymus had the scare of their lives and owe them to the famous Coastal Bend Super Hero.  Yes, only in Texas!

Local Texas Cowgirl

Coastal Bend Super Hero

Flyby Caught On Camera

VIEWS FROM JFK CAUSEWAY

Views from the JFK Causeway crossing the Laguna Madre on our return trip to N. Padre Island from a day at the Library and a stop at the H-E-B (Texas supermarket).

 

BLOWING SAND

It got cold and windy (40 mph winds) out of the north in the mid 30's at night and low 50's in the day.  Photo taken from the drivers seat in the van with the window open and sand pouring in.  Burr!

Storm Clouds

Looks like the beginning of a tornado that fizzled out afterwards.

Yvette Pennington

Yvette Pennington

Sept 2011

N. Padre Island

RUSTY WRECK

For a while Dad and I thought the rusty hulk in the Gulf was some sort of small boat.  Only when locals informed us that it was the remains of a van did we recognize the steering column and vertical post that once formed the body of the van, etc.  About 3 years ago the driver went to sleep inside the van and was unaware of the incoming tide until it was too late.  That's one story.  The other story is that he was wide awake but waited too long to get out of the incoming tide and the van sunk in the softer wet sand.

The sign at the entrance of the beach says no driving within 50 feet of the water's edge.  Nobody pays any heed to it as the hard sand is from the water's edge to the 100 foot level where everyone drives at low tide.  The sign is apparently to protect the city and counties from any frivolous law suits should people get stuck which they do all the time especially at high tide when the hard sand area is covered with salt water.

CAMPFIRES

Thursday evening 29 December 2011 Raymond and his dog, a beautiful extra furry German Shepherd named Bullet, walked up to our ocean front campsite while Dana was finishing up the dishes and putting away the Coleman camp stove.  He invited us to his nearby campfire where we heard stories of his life as an "Island Boy", "Oil Well Driller", and a "US Marine".

The Campfire

Then, on 1 January 2012, while many of you were watching the Dallas Cowboys get beat by the Giants we were sitting on the beach (N. Padre Island) under a cloudless sky enjoying this campfire:

1 January 2012 Campfire

The next morning while Dana was gathering driftwood two Texans (1) Curtis from Kerrville and (2) Caleb from Corpus Christi pulled alongside to chat.  They had seen Dana collecting wood earlier and had decided to load their trunk full of firewood.  Later, while Dana was out jogging they caught up to him and together they gathered additional firewood.  But, it didn't stop there.  Dad even went along on the next foraging expedition.  Still, it wasn't enough for our two friends as they continued to rain firewood, Oak and Mesquite upon our campfire.  Thanks guys!  The temperature dropped into the mid 30's that night but around the fire we didn't know it.  Dana even took a nighttime shower in his swimsuit after the two had gone home and he did not get cold … well not until after freezing his feet in the Gulf to get buckets of salt water to extinguish the fire.  That's when he realized how cold it really was.

COINCIDENTALLY MAYAN

Last Friday morning (30 December 2011) when thick fog rolled in we went to the Garcia Library where Dana added "An Interesting Date" to our website.  That brief text describes modern events written in terms of ancient history by the prophet Jeremiah which begin coincidentally with what many are calling Mayan Prophecy for 2012 (i.e. December 21, 2012).

http://sites.google.com/site/briansestate/an-interesting-date