I will never be smug about the wonderful South Texas weather. Right now when I should be on a plane to Tokyo I am sitting at my desk pounding out this blog, grateful to at least have electricity since many of my neighbors and friends don’t. Day before yesterday, my house was without power for more than eight hours so I feel very lucky right now.

However, a couple of little problems exist…like no hot water and no cable, little minor inconveniences. I realize I have no pioneer spirit when it comes to taking a cold shower when the temp outside is 32.

What is particularly bad is that I emailed some of my northern colleagues who I am meeting in Japan and gave them a bad time about leaving from Chicago and Indianapolis. Now, they will arrive before me, plus they will never let me live this down.

I have been in South Texas 14 years and never seen anything like this. Several years ago we had snow at Christmas and at that time it had been 104 years since the last snow. This time we had a few flakes but mainly ice. My palm trees and other beautiful plants are laden with ice and my grass I bragged about mowing this last week looks pretty pale.

This too shall pass and in a week the temps will be back in the low 80s and everyone will be wearing shorts and flip flops. But mind you, I’m not bragging. And by the way, where’s Al Gore when we need him? This global warming stuff is making me crazy!!!

Will write more from Japan if I ever get there!!



This past weekend was the annual longest Queen Isabella Causeway run and walk, and I was among the nearly 4,000 people who participated. I would like to say I ran the six mile race, but I must admit I was a mere three mile walker. It was a lot of fun……….and I survived!

Actually, a friend who talked me into joining in came in first place in her age division of the race and her husband finished fifth in his. Those of us who walked were, of course, very proud of them and helped them celebrate afterwards, which proved to be even more fun that the walk itself.

The whole experience was great because most of the money goes to charity after the prizes were distributed. No awards or prizes came my way, but I can tell you that watching the dolphins as I made my way over the bridge and feeling the brisk wind in my face was priceless, not to mention sharing it with old friends and making new ones at the same time.

As I approach another age milestone, I look around at some of the folks that I think are older than me, and wonder what in the world they are thinking as they get these huge new tattoos.

Yesterday, I saw a woman who had to be five or more years older than me in shorts with a very large flower tattooed on her very large leg, which only brought attention to that fact. And right above it were so many varicose veins that it was hard to tell where the tattoo started and stopped.

It all looked fairly new—the tattoo, not the veins! Usually, I can tell by the fresh color of the ink, but who knows, it might have been a rose bud on her butt many years ago and finally made it down to her leg. The bud had definitely opened over the years if that was the case!!

And earlier this week, I saw an old man who looked at least 80 with his legs covered in brightly colored tattoos. See, when you live at the water, you get to see a lot of legs! And that is usually not a pretty sight when the Winter Texans arrive.

Now these tattoos on this ol’ guy weren’t Korean War ones done on a Navy ship. Best I can tell they didn’t do dragons in loud blues, greens and oranges and such like he had on his skinny, scrawny legs back in those days!! Nor do I know of many veterans with them even on their legs! What was worse is that he also had big loop earrings and no teeth!!! I wondered why he didn’t take some of the money he had used for those expensive tattoos and buy some dentures. I don’t know about you, but if I had to choose, I’d take teeth over tattoos any old day!

I think the picture says it all. This weekend I was at Boomerang Billy’s Beach Bar and noticed many folks wearing lime green shirts with “International Idiots Club” marked in bright letters on the back.

Apparently, I am way out of touch because I learned that this group has been in action for almost seven years. In spite of how stupid they look—this weekend they had fake flowers pinned to their shirts to signify “blooming idiots,” the group does quite a large amount of charitable work and has a lot of fun doing it.

They give money to the Chamber, the SPCA, the endangered turtles, and the list goes on. They are also the fan club for Leslie, who sings at the bar every Saturday and Sunday. It truly is a lot of fun, but will I join? I think not! I do enough incredibly silly and goofy things without having to advertise it in a bright lime green shirt!

Sandcastle Days South Padre

Sandcastle Days this past weekend was, I think, the best ever with the most “castles” I have seen.

It is amazing how intricate and beautiful these sand features are. Sculptors come from around the world to build the castles, and they didn’t disappoint. They are true professionals and it shows.

Their creations brought visitors from all over, and many were fashioning their own sand designs in the amateur section. Others were milling around, eating fried shrimp and funnel cakes from various vendors.

This is a great time of year on the island with temps in the mid-80s. It was a fun weekend to ride around in the Jeep, with the top off—of the Jeep, silly!! I don’t want to scare the crowds!

Courtesy of Edalisse Hirst

If this blog doesn’t make sense, it is because I am sleepy. You see, this past weekend was the “Roar at the Shore—Bikers’ Weekend,” on South Padre Island. Now, let me clarify. I am NOT a biker and I didn’t ride into the wee hours of the morning. Instead, I lie listening to the thousands of motors rumbling down Padre Blvd.

Actually, it is an awesome sight to see literally thousands of motorcycles in so many sizes, shapes, colors and models fill the island. The folks riding them are unique stories of their own, dressed in leather pants and Harley t-shirts from all over the country. Bandanas adorned most heads along with a few wildly painted helmets.

These aren’t just your run of the mill “bikes.” Most probably cost as much as my car, and these riders come bearing money that the SPI merchants fight to get by designating “HOG PENS” at every location. People from all over the area lined up as much as two hours early to watch the parade Saturday night, and they were not disappointed.

Biker weekend begins a series of fun autumn and winter activities. I love this time of year and look forward to all the island has to offer—especially the quiet and serene events like sandcastle days. Now, that’s gentle on my ears! Think I’ll go take a nap!

Mosquito Anyone?

Be careful what you ask for is really appropriate these days. I was hoping for rain and within a week we received more than 14 inches. Since I live at sea level there aren’t a lot of places for the water to go, at least not quickly so everything is waterlogged.

That much rain is quite unusual here, although everyone seems to think that rain is prevalent on the Gulf of Mexico. But short of a hurricane or tropical depression, rainfall on South Padre is usually light because it is basically semi-arid here along the border.

We just call it the tropical tip of Texas because that sounds touristy and inviting. Hurricane Karl is the reason for this latest rain, and hopefully, he is the last to come close this year.

Now, I am hoping for cool weather and a peaceful end to hurricane season, but I’m not asking, just hoping!!  Now, I’m more worried about the mosquitoes eating me up than the hurricane blowing me away. Cross your fingers and say a little prayer for those of us on the Gulf Coast.

And if you need a pet mosquito just let me know. I will send one provided I can find a big enough box. That’s all the buzz for today….

Thoughts on fishing

This past weekend was the Redfish Rodeo, a fishing tournament here on the island that includes fisherwomen from all over the U.S. and even a team from Canada. Although we have numerous tournaments, only a few are for women only, which makes them sort of unique.

I doubt if the guys who fish in a tournament dress alike or wear matching visors—or jump up and down and hug when they catch a big trout or redfish. On second thought, maybe they do when no one is looking!!

Perhaps you remember that I wrote about this last year because one of my closest friends was on the winning team. Well, believe it or not, the same team took home the winning trophy and prize money again. This has happened only twice in the sixteen years that the tourney has existed.

Now, I like to fish as well as anyone, but not in the pouring rain for two days. And both days, water fell from the sky in buckets. And in 90 degree weather, rain suits are not for me, and neither is getting up at 5:30 a.m.

But, I need not worry, because I would never be asked to fish in a competitive situation. Actually, in this case I would be like the little kid in elementary school who was picked last for every team. I’m just not that great a fisherwoman, although I have never fallen overboard like a few of my friends. But we won’t even go into that—what happens on the water stays on the water! I did drop a $250.00 rod and reel into the bay one time, but after three hours of drifting back and forth in the murky waters and a whole lot of luck, I retrieved it.

My biggest problem lies in casting. Oh, I can fling it far, send that line flying, but then I spend the next thirty minutes trying to unravel the “bird’s nest.” When this happens, I sit patiently, saying inappropriate words under my breath as I reach for the cooler. It seems to help.

But when I do catch that elusive fish, I step up and act like a big girl, and take the hook out of its mouth, unless of course, some big guy offers. I certainly don’t want to damage his ego, so if he wants to take that slimy, wiggling thing off the hook, I’ll oblige. Heck, I’ll even let him bait the hook if he’s going to get his feelings hurt. Maybe, that’s why I’m not the best fisherwoman around the island, but then I never claimed to be a sports woman, only a good sport!!!

Queen Isabella Causeway Bridge

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the collapse of the Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway, the bridge to South Padre Island from the mainland. I remember it well for a number of reasons, but primarily because it came so soon after 9/11 that at first we all thought terrorists might have started taking out bridges.

Since it happened at two o’clock at night, all we knew was the bridge had caved in. It wasn’t until mid-morning when we finally understood that four barges had run amuck and hit the bridge’s pilings dead center, knocking out a 240 feet section.

Five people lost their lives as their cars plunged into the water from the two-mile long causeway, the longest bridge in Texas. Since most of those worked in the service industry, they were known by many locals. It was, indeed, a sad time, and just this weekend we talked about those who are still missed.

Since the causeway is the only means of getting to and from the island, those of us living here, along with a number of visitors were virtually “stuck” for a number of days until the Texas Department of Transportation and local officials worked out a ferry system.

Most of the fishermen with large boats and dolphin watch boat owners pitched in to help us get across the Laguna Madre as soon as a docking area was arranged. Yet it was several weeks before anyone could get a car across and once I did, I realized that I didn’t want to get it back until the ferrying was all over.

I remember I waited in line for more than eight hours to put my car on the automobile ferry; I even missed teaching my class at the university.( I don’t remember my students being upset, however.) So, for three months I left a car in Port Isabel at the ferry landing, took my little open air jeep to the South Padre ferry landing and rode a boat across. Needless to say, I had “ferry hair” for the entire three-plus months that the bridge was being repaired.

But with every dark cloud, there is a silver lining, and so it was with this. The thirty minute or so boat ride twice a day (depending on the route) was actually quite pleasant and I made lots of new friends. People are just friendlier on the water it seems. Plus, misery does love company, and as daily travelers we quickly bonded as seafaring friends with windblown hair. I certainly would never want to do it again, but the goodness of people shone through as we made it beyond a difficult time together.

Summertime at Wal-Mart

I love summer, partly because it reminds me of happy times as a kid when vacation meant sleeping late, riding my bike all over the neighborhood, playing softball at the vacant lot around the corner, and going on a trip with my parents.

Summer feels like freedom and lack of responsibility, and although we are never far from that these days, summer just seems less stressful—a time when we can be outside, jump in the pool, or simply curl up and read a good book (I have a suggestion or two—like Keeping Faith or Promises Kept—I hear they are spectacular!!)

Since I live at the beach, I get to watch a lot of other folks enjoy their summer. Sometimes that is good; other times a real pain in the “you know where” because the island gets super busy. I think that going to the grocery store is the biggest issue because for some reason people think they should take everything out of the cart or basket, as we say down here, and put each item directly into a cooler for the beach while others are trying to park or simply drive through to get out of the mayhem.

Afterwards, all the trash is then left to blow around the parking lot.  And putting the basket in the proper place is totally out of the question.

Today, I was at Wal-Mart, of course, and looking for something in the console, which made me slow to get out of my car. Just as I looked up, the group next to me—six kids and two adults squeezed through and left the oldest kid, who appeared to be about 10 or 11, to put all their packages in the trunk.

I remained in the car to watch because this seemed like a comedy act as he wedged all manner of stuff in between towels, a cooler, beach toys, etc. Then, in all his wisdom, he moved the cart back about a foot until it was directly in back of his mother’s Suburban, and jumped in the back seat.

As the driver started the car and proceeded to put it in reverse, I could stand it no longer. I jumped out of the car and grabbed the cart, just before it was a flat shred of wire. What was this kid thinking??? Geez, he needs to be in summer school instead of at the beach!! What’s worse, he’ll be in charge of watching the little ones!!