Happy New Year!

A quiet evening in for us.  We are not big on the crowds and amateurs on these "drinking holidays."

Joan made us platters of snacky-type foods, topped off with fresh baked cookies.  I opened a bottle of bubbly, and we made our first toast at 10:00.  There are two fireworks displays tonight: at 10:00 at Louie's om the bay, then at midnight at Clayton's on the beach Gulf-side.  I walked down to the corner at 10:00 where I could get a glimpse between the houses and palm trees.  If we make it to midnight, I'll be ready for bed.

In years past, we would anchor out in the bay and get a "ring-side seat" for the fireworks, then spend the night on the boat... not quite the same experience with our small pontoon.

We'll watch the ball drop in the comfort of our home.

Happy New Year - we wish you a joyous 2020!

A Bob Dylan cover...

My music partner Mark came back from a family wedding in Jamaica with this Bob Dylan song.  He sent me tracks with piano and guitar; I added bass drums and vocal.

https://soundcloud.com/captainjimb/make-you-feel-my-lovue

Perhaps the most covered Dylan song, as it is a frequent choice for weddings.

Yes, mention of weddings gives me the willies, not because I have anything against marriage, but rather flashbacks from doing weddings when I worked for Jack Bobier, and would have to face the wrath of "Who shot this shit?"... and breathe a sigh of relief when it wasn't me.  We had quite a few stringers (people who just shot weddings), so they didn't have to see Jack as he looked through proofs.  Besides shooting in the studio, it was also my job to get equipment ready for all the stringers, and then have to get everyone's film ready for the lab and get equipment checked over.  We did hundreds of weddings each year, and I think every bride and groom thought they were going to get Jack... so we all had an uphill struggle when getting to the church and it is the first time you have seen the bride and groom.  I had the advantage of having shot some of their engagement sessions or bridal portraits, so I may have met them ahead of time.  Weddings, to me, were big stress.  When we had our own studio, it was greatly improved by having a face-to-face with every wedding couple ahead of time.  But, I digress.  This post is about the music.

Whew!

Last ride of the year...

Probably.

A bit chilly today, but we were both ready for some scootin'.  Northeast wind at 18 gusting to 25.  Temps hovered in the mid-60s.  It felt good to be out on the scoots again.

We rode out towards the National Wildlife Refuge...

Joan got me a small double-wall drink container to use with my cup holder on the bike.  We stopped at a wildlife parking area, and I got to use my new container...

I can't use it while going down the road - it takes two hands to undo the lid, and I have to take the chin-bar off my helmet to get access to drink.  But, it's right there.

After riding for a while, the usual lunch discussion came up; and discussions are easy with the helmet communicators.  I was in the mood for pasta, so it was over the causeway and onto South Padre Island for a late lunch at Russo's...

The food was good.  With the number of cars on the causeway, we expected the restaurant to be packed; I guess it was after any lunch rush since we didn't get there until 2:30 or so.  It was pretty quiet in there.

After chow, it was back across the causeway and home.  This is the coolest day in the past week, but still decent riding.

And, Rufus got a nice walk-about when we got home.  A good day all around.

Looking ahead...

2019 is almost a wrap.  We all have milestones and time markers.  For me, this year will be "the year of the hip."  The pain I was having to walk from the parking lot to a store was slowing me down; and no doubt, getting me down.  I made the decision that I had to do something about that as soon as we got home (April).  It has been 8 months now since the hip replacement.

When I got back from riding 6 miles on my bicycle this morning, Joan said, "You look better... healthier."  Nice of her to say that.  I feel better and healthier.  I make it a point to move more.  I can pretty much walk as far as I want, or until I'm tired... which is different from until it hurts too much.  The hip still hurts; but certainly less than it did before the surgery and in a different way.

I am looking ahead; looking forward to 2020.

Time flies...

We take Steph and Dan to the airport this evening.  The time with them here has gone by so fast.  We have played a lot of games (Christmas family tradition, and this year it was a cards version of Monopoly), eaten a lot of food, and had some fun outings.  Some after-Christmas shopping that netted them good deals on some stuff for their students, an ugly Christmas sweater, and a Christmas onesie... I have been told that Dan gets the sweater and Steph gets the onesie, but it could go either way.

They will need to get home so they can actually get some rest.  ;-)  And, of course, get back to their kitties.

Rufus has been good about sharing the love, understanding that Steph and Dan both needed some kitty time.  And Steph helped us with getting Rufus's nether region trimmed... no kitty downers this time, but it did take three of us to get the job done.  Fortunately, Rufus does not hold a grudge.

In a "one in a row" situation, Mother Nature has been very kind while they've been here.  It absolutely could not have been nicer when we went out on the boat for some dolphin watching and sight-seeing.


There will be hugs when we get them to the airport, but no one should be teary - we'll be out to see them next month.

And, speaking of next month: when the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve, it will be a new minute, a new hour, a new day, a new month, a new year, and a new decade.


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We just got back from taking Steph and Dan to the airport.  We were careful to look through bags and give Steph a pat-down... just to make sure she wasn't trying to smuggle Rufus out under her jacket.

During their stay, Steph kept telling Rufus that she is "his sister."  Rufus asked about this when we got home... "Is she really your daughter, 'cause she doesn't look like the rest of us."

That Rufus - what a kidder.  ;-)

That novelty wore off fast...

No, not a Christmas toy.

Two days ago, Steph rode with me on my morning bicycle ride (we have two e-bikes, same model).  Yesterday, Dan rode with me.  This morning, I asked if either of them wanted to go for a morning wake-up ride... no takers.

That's OK, I'll just go ride by myself... all alone.  In the wind.  (insert sorry-for-myself emoji here). 

Yes, I'm kidding; I enjoy my morning ride.  This morning, I could push harder, fire up some music, and pedal away.

It's a warm, but windy morning (70º, wind SE @ 19 and building).  It will be blowing in the mid-20s by noon, if you can trust the weather weasels.  I'm glad we got out on the boat yesterday - it was another of those "Chamber of Commerce" kinda days.  Today will be a "making the kite surfers happy" kinda day.

Pelicans and Dolphins...

Both are fun to watch.  And on a gorgeous day like this, some boat time to see them is the way to go.

We took off just before noon...

Out our canal and heading towards the turning basin, we saw the first dorsal fin...

Yep, coming right up to the boat...

The running joke in our family is about Steph's bad karma with being on a boat - the dolphins can sense that.  Apparently, Steph has gotten beyond that, and we were blessed with dolphins swimming up to the boat...

And under the boat (above).  While they were feeding, we watched the pelicans and dolphins plying the same water...

We saw this bait shrimper coming our way...

Sometimes we see dolphins behind them, but this one didn't have their nets down - they are heading home.

We cruised down the ship channel to South Bay so Steph and Dan could see Space-X, from a distance...

Heading for home.  White pelicans, with the lighthouse at Port Isabel visible in the background...

The white pelicans are winter visitors - they had to be enjoying this lovely day in the Tropical Tip.  It was in the mid-70s while we were out and about.

We stopped to check out this pufferfish...

We showed Steph and Dan a couple roseate spoonbills...

One (above) with some pelicans.  Solo below...

We pointed out other birds and points of interest, including some local color.  They got to see where fuel barges will be unloading in our local port, starting next month.  We talked about the wildlife.  It was a fun outing, being able to see a bunch in a relatively short time.  Of course, the dolphins were the highlight.

And, they're off!

No, we didn't send Steph and Dan home already.

After some early shopping (teacher stuff), breakfast at Manuel's, and taking Steph on a bicycle ride, we headed for Isla Blanca Park, at the southern tip of South Padre Island.  There is a sea turtle release scheduled for noon.

This isn't baby turtles.  The cold spell we had a couple weeks ago resulted in quite a few turtles that were cold-shocked by the rapid change in the water temperature.  Many of the rescued turtles were taken to Sea Turtle, Inc., where they have been rehabilitated so they can be released back into the Gulf.  These are mostly adolescent turtles, 2 to 8 pounds.

We parked at the beach parking and walked a bit on the boardwalk...

There was no information given out on exactly where the release would happen, other than "in the park."  We saw one of our local newscasters go by and I asked him where the release would be... "Right down here, where I'm heading..."

People from Sea Turtle, Inc. staked off a corridor, leading into the water.  People quickly assembled on either side.  It reminded me a bit of a sports team heading onto the field.  Steph asked, "Do you supposed the turtles will come out high-5ing people?"

"Yes, I am sure that is how it is going to go down."  (insert sarcastic emoji here)  ;-)

Considering that turtles have very small brains, it is an easy guess they had no idea what was going on, but once placed into the water, each swam off.  Life "out there" isn't likely as easy as being cared for at Sea Turtle, Inc., but "out there" is where they belong.  It was a fun little event.  Well, maybe not so little, there were several hundred people there to see these turtles get a second chance.

They're here!

Merry Christmas.  Another lovely day in the Tropical Tip, made even better since we'll be picking up our daughter and son-in-law at the airport.

We got there just before their plane landed, and texted them a photo that we were doing our Christmas shopping for them at the airport gift shop...

They're here...

They left Phoenix early this morning, so the first order of business was some lunch.  Joan found a Chinese restaurant (cleverly named China Restaurant) that was open today.  A good business decision on their part - the place was packed.  The food was good and we had the time to visit.  Then, a 45 minute drive back to the coast.

Next order of business: make a fuss over Rufus.  When I was done with that, Steph and Dan got to have their turn, too.  ;-)

We sat out on the deck for a while, taking in the lovely day, then inside for some presents...

Rufus was happy to have a box to sit in...

Watching the last rays of the day slip away...

Nice to be together.

T'was the night before Christmas...

No, I am not going to regale you with my poetry prowess... when I try that, the words "from Nantucket" always seem to appear.

On this day before Christmas, we are prepping for the arrival of Steph and Dan tomorrow.  Joan was done with house cleaning by 1:00; she had been hard at it all morning and deserved a bit of a treat.  Just before I was ready to go prep the boat, I saw we had an inquiry about the Hobie kayak we have for sale.  I called those folks (they live in our resort), and they asked if they could come by to see it now.

"Absolutely."

The Hobie is already on the dock, so after getting the stuff that goes with it out, I went to work getting the boat ready to go.  The couple came by and seemed genuinely interested; I asked if they wanted to give it a try (since they've never owned a pedal-type kayak), but they weren't ready for that.  Yet.  They said they'd call back in a couple days.

Back to the boat for us.  On this special day, this is what we'll be keeping watch for...

A beautiful day - sunny, light breeze, got to around 70º, but felt warmer than that when in the sun.  Leaving our canal, we keep an eye open for wildlife...

Out in the Intracoastal, we saw a couple dolphins by the commercial docks...

We watched for a bit, then headed towards the ship channel.  One of those tugs that we passed...

My guess is: this one is waiting for a dock opening in the Port of Brownsville.  In the photo directly above, you can see one of the hands doing some work on the door... on working boats, the work goes on, even during holidays.

We saw more dolphins in the ship channel...

a group of them were following behind this bait shrimper...

They were busy feeding, so no playful activity that we saw today.  Well, not a lot...

Hearing the people on the bow squeal when they saw dolphins brought back memories of driving the whale watch boats.  Well, the whales are a LOT bigger than our bottlenose dolphins, but you can't get as close.

One of my favorite views here, looking east towards South Padre Island...

Heading back towards home, a few more dolphin encounters...

Always a treat to see them.  I am grateful to be doing so on Christmas Eve.  In shirt sleeves.  That is a gift.

When we got home, Joan went to work making us a nice supper: chicken cordon bleu with fettuccine alfredo.  I opened a bottle of Asti.  A nice evening, and now we wait for Santa.

Rufus asked, "Is Santa going to come tonight?  Does he bring something for kitties?  I've been a good boy."

I told him, "Yes, Ruf, you have been a very good boy.  I'm guessing Santa will have you on his Nice List."

"Is there something special you want, buddy?" I asked.

"I have you and Momma - it is all I ever wanted.  Well, a new toy would be fun, too."

He's a good boy.  :-)