Having a moment here

Grandpa Paul and Emily


Grandma Marjie and Patrick


It involves the George Winston CD, December, hot tea, nutty buns and my computer. Ahhhh....... ok, sitting in the motor home in a casino RV park in the Potawatomi Reservation. Nice view of trees, green hills and blue water. We joined the casino club and got $25 each in free chips. I made around $50 on the $1 slots, they were pretty loose. Gave my winnings to Paul and came back to the motor home. I have a very short casino attention span. Won enough for prime rib dinner tonight. This is a lovely casino and hotel, much smaller than Soaring Eagle in Mt. P, but simular.







We had a lovely time with the kids in Kansas and are pretty tired. Patrick is darling, there is a birth mark on his butt that says "engineer" in Japanese. I taught Anna how to play Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook. She likes the computer. Megan is a big help and taller again, up to my chin at 8 years old. Emily laughs and flirts, wants to be walked around all the time, teething. Julie is thin as a rail and does a back breaking amount of laundry. I don't know how she can stand it. And Sean is working hard as usual.

Patrick Is a Worker

Grandpa Paul and Patrick were playing outside on Friday afternoon. Thinking it was time for the lawn guy to come and mow the lawn, Paul asked Patrick to pick up the pail and spades and put them away.


Then he put away the pots.

Watered the flowers.

Put his car in the garage.

And his scooter.

And his bike.

to the garage.

And Grandpa's sandals.

Then it was time for a well deserved drink!

In the morning he helped me do the laundry. He (helps) throw it in the washer, presses the button, puts it in the dryer, presses the button, cleans out the lint filter and empties the dryer.

He loves to work around the house. I am thinking for his birthday a vacuum cleaner and a tool kit.

Finally Rain In Kansas

Anna and Megan, Sean to the right.

Even before we got here, early last week, the predictions were for rain all week in Kansas, all the better to wash away the pollen in the air, and coating everything with light green dust. So we enjoyed many sunny dry days until this morning. I finally gave up and started my zithro pills for sinus infection. Felt better within 12 hours. I tried the decongestant that Larry recommended, cetirizine, which put me into a coma for 10 hours, followed by 14 hours of zoned out. Gosh I love those 24 hour pills, nothing like a full day of misery. Anyway, back to real sudifed and Mexican pills.

Megan's First Communion was very nice, traditional. Sharon and I traded stories from the 70s with out kids first communions. Very different. Traditions are so for a reason. Glad they are back to white dresses and veils. Megan is so beautiful, tall and slender, perfect features. Ok, I am a prejudiced grandma. They are all beautiful, but sometimes it takes me by surprise. I will get some edited pics on the blog soon. More later

Kansas, Pollen Center of the World

Yes, this is the spot for pollen. I am suffering here, but no sinus infection yet.

We had a good trip up, and am enjoying the grand kids a lot. Sean's parents, Sharon and Timer were here for the weekend and First Communion. We had a great time. I have lots of pics that I have to polish up before I post them.

Sand Fest Part Two

Above from the amateur division.

This was in the pairs competition

I missed one whole section of sculptures, the Masters solo. In my defense it was hidden behind the food and jewerly vendors. Hope to get back and see them today, it hasn't rained so hard that they will be ruined.

SandFest in Port Aransas

Now this is an intriguing inflatable toy, a bucking bull. It went very gently for the children.

Friday and Saturday were perfect beach days, Paul helped at the Sand Fest. On Sunday, it was cool and cloudy and started sprinkling rain about 4 pm. I did not get many pics, very hectic. Saturday was the busiest day. Our friend, Joyce, works in a restaurant here and she said it was ten times more busy than spring break. Which was very busy. I will try to get some pics and post them.

Pelican Club Dining

Me and Brenda and excellent sushi


Pete

Brenda

Our last night together we ate at the Pelican Club and it was excellent as usual. We sat on the deck, no wind, no rain, just perfect weather. Brenda ordered California Roll and Susan Sushi, it was very good. One had crab and the other shrimp. We wanted the ribs but they ran out, the table next to us getting the last order. We carped at them until they gave us one, Paul got it because he doesn't do sushi. Brenda ate the tiny lamb chops, very excellent. Pete had shrimp on pasta, Paul had filet with crab, I had the red snapper on asparagus and pasta. Same as I got last time. It didn't sound the same. Anyway, it was good. We shared a chocolate silk pie, it had a brown sugar pecan crust. Very good.

Miss Roma


Paul, Brenda and Pete

Brenda and a brown pelican

Paul's new do, and Pete

On Tuesday, Brenda got a wonderful hair cut from Heidi. Then we went to lunch at Seafood and Spaghetti House, good as usual. Then we sat at the park for awhile and watched the dolphins frolic. Then we went swimming at their hotel, nice heated pool. Then it was time for dinner at James and Roma's. We brought steak to grill, salad and chocolate mousse cake. James and Roma made hot pepper stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon, on the grill. And huge baked potatoes.

It was excellent and fun. Then Brenda wanted to sing karaoke. We check all over and didn't find it on Tuesday nights. Had a drink at the Dog and went home. busy day.

Pete has mentioned the culture shock down here. Yup, there is that. Last night at the Salty Dog there was a dog, of course. Bowls of water on the floor. The doors were wide open, as usual. Everyone is so friendly too, not happening up north. We love it here, not for everyone.

Vitums Celebrate Easter in Port A

Javiar, Paul, Beth and Susan


Susan, Kathleen and Sandy

Shawn and Pete

Sudie, Brenda and Sadie Dog

Pete and Brenda rolled into Port Aransas Sunday a.m. We met them on the beach after church. Then we went to Hooks for lunch, meeting Javiar, Susan, Carlie, and friends.

Later we cooked out at Javiar and Susan's. Then, just to make sure that Pete was totally exhausted, we went to Bernies to hear the band. They were great. Then home to crash. They are staying at the Plantation, very reasonable, bleachy clean and heated pool. Very satisified there.

I keep forgetting to take pics. Monday we went to Corpus to shop a bit. Academy, Sam's, Walmart, HEB for shrimp. Lunch at Soup and Salad, which was excellent. Will definately go back there. Fresh homemade soups, mac and cheese. Great salad fixins. A crawl through the drive in at Sonic for limeades. Oh yum. Paul and Pete were less than thrilled with the wait, but me and Brenda thought it was worthwhile. If it was a bar drive through ...... that would be a different thing.

Then we all worked on our sun burns at the beach, Brenda and I walked. Some people drank. I had limeade yet and did not add rum. What was I thinking?

Then we got ready for dinner, washing the sand out of ears, hair, necks. We planned to go to La Playa, good coastal Mexican. Closed. Went to the Gaff to discuss options with Javiar. Had a great visit with Heidi, who is cutting Brenda's hair Tuesday. She is so funny and fun. After a pitcher of Fat Tire, we decided to try Pepita's in Aransas Pass. No ferry line at all. Brenda saw dolphins in the channel. Very excited! Pepita's is lovely, clean, new, clean kitchen, friendly staff. The menu was much like Rosario's in San Antonio, but cheaper. Authentic south Texas Mexican. I had the chicken verdi, and it was excellent. The also had chicken mole, I have to get there again and try it. They served many shrimp dishes. The guy at the next table, manager of Myron's Steak House in New Braunfiles, TX, had three dishes, one might have been a nacho, then shrimp chulupas (awsome looking) and something else, yummy. As we left he was just finishing up. Good eater he was. Knew his way around a menu. We were all very happy with our food. Nothing we ordered was over $7 and the refried beans were also superior.

Took the ferry across the creek, home, crash into bed. Tuesday, start over again.

Easter Surprise

Paul looked out our window and wondered what all the white was in the trees around the pond. Went out to check, and they were many egrets. A surprise for Easter morning.

I threw a sweatshirt over my cowgirl pajamas, and flipped flopped through the fog and wet, snake infested, field to get the pics. As I got closer, they flew up in the sky, as soon as I turned my back, they returned. It was beautiful.

Walking the dog


Beach bums