Visitors from Spain and talk of other places.

Having got the motorbike we thought we would be able to get out and about but the weather had other ideas. It was cold and windy for a couple of weeks and it rained so hard for a couple of days that it flooded behind the pitch. We collected the hire car in the rain and did some shopping hoping the weather would improve for our visitors. After lunch the next day we headed off to Houston Airport to collect Tony & Pat. We talked all the way back even though they had been travelling for 24 hours. The next day after a lazy morning we took them on a short tour of Rockport and got back in time for happy hour at the pavilion followed by an evening around the fire ring.
The weather is slowing improving but still cold overnight, Tony & Pat decided to take the bicycles into town for a look around. Other days Pat & I went to some crafts classes, made ponchos and braided t-shirts, and when the weather finally got warm we all went to Padre Island for a drive down the beach and lunch at Snoopy’s, where they serve Mahi Mahi and chips. On Saturday night we all went to the dogs! Greyhound racing that is, 18 of us in 4 cars, had a great time and won some money. The following Tuesday we went to Corpus Christi to have a look around the USS Lexington, nicknamed the Blue Ghost by the Japanese who claimed they had sunk her four times but never did. The aircraft carrier was built in 1943 and was on active duty for 40 years before she was decommissioned in1991 and opened as a museum. We spent the day walking through all the public areas including the flight deck, hanger deck, engine room and the Captain’s quarters.

On Valentine’s Day the men did all the work for the evening meal in the clubhouse, including the decorations, the meal and the clearing up. We had grilled fillet steak followed by strawberries dipped in chocolate and lots of chocolate puddings. The next day we joined a group and went to Shinner to visit the brewery. We had lunch at the German restaurant, did the tour looking at all the departments and finished up with free beer in the gift shop. The following week we made a day trip to Aransas Wildlife Park, we saw alligators, armadillo, wild pigs, javelino, white tailed dear, whopping cranes, white & grey herons, coot, tanagers and caracara.

We spent some days searching for parts for Tony & Pat’s camper and then it was time to take them back to the airport for their flight back to Spain. On the way to the airport we received a phone call from Johan & Rena who were already waiting for them at Barcelona airport, seems they had been told the wrong date because the flight is overnight.


The next day was the first day of the Oyster Fest, the town comes alive and a fair sets up on the beach road. We had put own names down to help so we had passes to get into the entertainment for free, we worked on the bar in the early evening and then watched Rip Tide, a local band who are very good, but we couldn’t be late because we had to up early the next morning, we are on the float. Cheryl and her band of helpers had made a float on Jerry’s trailer which Dennis pulled behind his truck and we were entered into the parade. We got 6^th place not bad for a first attempt. After the parade we spent the day at the festival watching the oyster eating competitions, looking around the craft tent, watching the bands and eating and drinking.


The following week people started to pull out, the weather is improving every day it seems and people are starting to head home for the summer. We had a trip out on the bike to look at the wild flowers in Rockport Cemetery, Blue Bonnets the state flower of Texas and a kind of lupin, Indian Blanket (Gaillardia), wild phlox & chocolate daisies. Thursday was the hottest day so far, 34dec, we had happy hour at the pavilion and celebrated the birthdays and anniversaries followed by a weenie roast over the fire ring, most people are taking of when they will be leaving.

Our last pot luck supper was Paddy’s Day, so we made the most of it. The girls did their usual miracle and produced corned beef, cabbage and tats, our contribution was soda bread and Guinness. We stayed up late talking and drinking. The following day Don & Susan left and we are due to leave the day after.