Wednesday, March25, 2015

Second last shopping day!  We had a buffet lunch in a chinese restaurant - the first chinese food I've had in Texas that has actually been good!

March 23, 2015

Finally - back into the nice weather!  Glad as I am that it wasn't snow, I was still affected by the constant rain and dreary conditions.  Sun is back!!

Work being done on the back field

Caughtya, Dora!

Not too long before the oleanders will bloom

Mini-golf course at JBRV

Monday, March 16, 2015

Rodeo day!  I spent last night at Luanne's house and today we went to the Houston Rodeo!  Not at all what I expected: I've been to the equivalent of rodeos in Australia, and they've been all about the competition events - bull riding, calf roping, bronco busting, etc.- but this was a full day of livestock observation, plus hog showings and then, at 6:45p.m., rodeo events lasting two hours, followed by a concert starring Dierks Bentley. Luckily, we didn't arrive until around 2:00 p.m. and spent a few hours wandering around, looking at the baby animals, the cattle, the stores selling leather good, and the pig showings.  The pigs were actually quite fascinating - kids from 4H clubs and YFA (Young Farmers of America) had raised pigs and walked them around a ring, while judges observed and picked winners, based on sale-ability.  The judges had a vocabulary all their own, with which they judged the amount of meat on each pig.  The winning pigs would be auctionned off this coming Friday.  I would think that this would be kind of hard on the kids who had raised them, but a parent in the stands assured us that that was not the case - the kids understood the whole process . . .
The rodeo itself was great - although our seats were in the nosebleed section, thus making our view less than optimal!!  Concert was the same story. There were a number of huge screens hanging from the ceiling, however, so it was definitely possible to see everything close up.

The main hall in the NRG building

Pretty much every variety and colour of cowboy hat is available!

One of the food courts outside

Just look at the size of that turkey leg!

Chicken fried bacon -  could there possibly be anything more artery-clogging?

One of the mamas

Mom and baby

Cute little piglets

Cute little lambs!

Hog being walked to the ring by his owner

In the pig ring

A cowboy chair . . . 

Inside an RV with a part in the back for livestock

Rodeo entrance parade

More of that RV

Calf roping

Chuck wagons

Lining up for the calf scramble

Cool special effects!

End of the show - audience with cell phones glowing!

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Sunday:  Luanne and I got up at 6:30 (actually, she set her alarm for 6:00 by mistake, so she was up before me!), which was actually a feat, since this was the time change day, so our bodies told us that it was really 5:30 a.m.  zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz    We went to the 7:30 service at the Roman Catholic church down the street - a rather magnificent building which used to be the Cathedral for the Diocese, but which is now apparently a co-Cathedral - the main one being in Houston.  It's been a while since I've attended mass in an RC church, although not as long as Luanne, who grew up Roman Catholic but hasn't darkened a church door for about 20 years.  She was astounded at the informality of the service.  I was once again reminded of the popularity of the Catholic church - the church was crowded, even at this early hour!  It was fun singing music I wasn't familiar with - the Missals had the music in them, which was very helpful!
For lunch, we went to the Sunflower Cafe, one of my favourites - then drove to Tiki Island.  I've passed the turnoff many, many times and assumed that this was a very small community just on the other side of the causeway to the mainland - and I know that they have an rv park there;  however, I was amazed at the actual size of the community - and the houses are huge and very expensive looking! In fact, it's very similar to Jamaica Beach - but larger!  Who knew that all that land and all those houses existed on Tiki Island??

I didn't take any photos of the church today - so this is a nghttime shot from a number of months ago

It was a grey, drizzly day as we entered the village of Tiki Island

Lok at the size of this one - and it's right on the water

Check out the decorated propane tank

Most houses have waterfronts - or backs, I guess

Love those palm trees

Cool entranceway

Sweeeeeeping stairway!

The causeway bridge in the background - Tiki Island really is just off the middle of the causeway

Shell decorated postbox

Luanne and I got a kick out of the misspelling of "duct"

Cool welcome sign

Not sure how they got away with this roof!

An rv park in the downtown Galveston area, where Luanne's friend Shelly lives

Luanne's car and the office / clubhouse building in the rv park.  I'm glad I found Jamaica Beach RV Park!!!