Pose for me...

I have posted a couple snapshots of Rufus - phone grabs.  It is time for something a bit nicer... I got the Nikon out today while he was sitting on his tower...

 

Being handsome all the time is tiring...

 Nah, I'm kidding - it comes natural for him; no work at all.  He does let me know when it is time for chow, though...

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A look down the canal today - I have missed this view...

It has been a long time since I've seen it without the dredge equipment.

For the record, the dredge folks have left one of their dredges and some pipe in our canals - not blocking anything, but it should have been outta here a long time ago.  Word is our management has given them 10 days to move it out of here or it will be sold as salvage.

When I mentioned...

... that Rufus sits on my arm, I don't mean he is sitting beside me.  I mean this...

Yeah, he's sweet.  Kinda tough to use the keyboard on the computer, though.  Small price to pay for some cat snuggles.  ;-)

Ya buy 'em toys and...

... they play with the box...

Nah, he plays with his toys.  This box from Amazon came today - it's ready to go to the garbage.  Rufus said, "Can we keep it??  It's just my size!"

This boy makes me smile.

:-)

A day off...

A friend once asked about the downsides (if any) of being retired: unlike work, you're never done.  ;-)

After the drive home, the unloading process, putting the motorhome away, and getting to Randy's memorial, we needed a "veg" day.  Sunday is a day of rest; also a day of movie watching.

There are still things that need to get done around the house to be fully moved back in... like the deck needs to get set up.  Joan has a day of bookwork on her agenda.  After breakfast, and before tackling the deck, I took my e-bike out for a ride.

We didn't take the e-bikes with us on this last trip to Phoenix.  I wasn't sure what to expect with the lithium-ion battery after sitting, but it was still showing a full charge.  I'm impressed.  I thought that may drop off in a short time, but after 5 miles of pedal-assist, it was still showing a full charge.  In an effort to get the battery indicator to drop, I ran the bike with the throttle (like an electric scooter) - after about a mile of full throttle (yes, I was exceeding the speed limit on our island - the bike will do around 20 mph with the throttle), it finally dropped to 3/4.  As soon as a let off the throttle, it went back up to full.

After my ride, I put both bikes on their chargers... walking up the steps to the deck, I could feel a few aches after several months of not pedaling.  Yeah, I'm going to have to stay on that - these creaky ol' bones aren't getting any more limber.

77º and 80% humidity when I got back.  In the desert, you sweat, but it is so dry that it evaporates right away.  Here in a sub-tropical climate, the sweat you feel when you get the bike out is still around for you to enjoy when you get back from your ride.  Oh, it was OK as long as you aren't pedaling northwest with a southeast wind... 'cause then you really feel the humidity.

I told Joan I needed to get this post made while it was all still fresh in my mind - the reality is: I needed the a/c and a rest for my back before taking on the deck.

And Rufus?  Thanks for asking.  He is settling in.  Sitting on my arm right now while I try to type this.  Definitely less skittish with "the big move," and has gotten very playful - he is enjoying his toys, including kicking the snot out of a little pop up tent and dragging it all over the house.  Joan thinks he may be more "kitten" than we think, or maybe his life before becoming a part of our family didn't include any playtime?  He's getting plenty of that in now.

:-)

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The deck is ready for occupancy...

I thought spring break was over...

Well, it is pretty much over, but there is something going on almost every weekend on South Padre Island.

Last night, Joan said she'd like to do lunch at Burger Fi today... yeah, I'm in.  Other than taking the mnotorhome to storage and going to Randy's memorial yesterday, we haven't left the house since we got back.  Today, we're doing lunch out.

It was a pleasant, but humid, start to the day: 78º when I got up this morning.  Hardly any breeze.  A hazy overcast.  The weather weasels were calling for a front bringing wind and rain to come in "around noon" today.  At noon, it was 80º.  At 2:00, it was 82º; no wind no precip.

Around 2:30, ready to head out for lunch, and the front blew in: winds gusting over 30 mph and sideways blowing drizzle.  We put on rain jackets and headed out.  It looked like it should be freezing out there... it wasn't.  Still 80º when we pulled out of the driveway.  Crossing the causeway, the winds were kicking up some snotty chop in the Laguna Madre below us.  We saw people in a pontoon boat fighting the wind, rain, and waves... that would not be a pleasant ride.  By the time we got to the far end of the causeway (2 1/2 miles), the temperature had dropped 10º.  Joan said she saw two other small boats out there - I didn't see them, I was busy driving.

And, traffic.  The island was lousy with traffic.  Seemed to be an inordinate amount of Jeeps... raised Jeeps, Grand Cherokees, topless Wranglers (which would be no fun in this wind and rain)... and plenty of other traffic.  It has been years since we've been here during Spring Break (yeah, it's a good time to be away) - that's what this reminded me of, traffic all the way up the island to Burger Fi.

Welcome to Jeep Beach South Padre - that is what is going on this weekend, and it has obviously brought in a lot of people.  Outside of city limits, you can drive on the beach.  The sudden change in weather means that there are hoards of people getting off the beach, looking for someplace else to be.  Most of the restaurants were busy as we drove by.  Good for the local economy.

There were only two couples ahead of us to order at Burger Fi.  Tables available.  By the time we ordered and sat down the line to order was about 20 people deep.  Good timing.  Good burgers.

Joan wanted to stop at the grocery store on the island on the way home; surprisingly, it wasn't packed.  Traffic had thinned out by the time we left the store, so it was easy to get back on the main road through town.  We decided on a trip through Isla Blanca Park (great beach park) before heading home.  Ugly waves, with the wind and rain... but, there were still a few people on the beach and in the water.  I'm guessing their Momma never taught them to come in out of the rain.  The temperature was now down to 65º.

We left the park, heading for the causeway to get back to our island... I mentioned it was 2 1/2 miles long - the traffic was backed up and stopped, at least two miles...

Traffic started moving at a crawl - it took us about 15 minutes to cover that 2 miles.  There were a lot of people looking to get off the island!  When we got to the other side, the temp was 62º - a 20 degree drop in an hour and a half.  100% humidity.

This weather front has the characteristics of a norther - I know they are getting snow in Oklahoma this weekend.  Nothing like that will be happening here, but it is supposed to get down to 57º here tonight.  Not exactly "winter weather"... but, we won't need the a/c tonight.  ;-)

A fine memorial...

I don't like funerals.  Yeah, I know: no one likes funerals.

Today was the memorial for my friend Randy who passed away last week.  This was not a typical funeral, it was a true memorial: there was no casket, no body (ashes), no hearse.  While there were grieving people there, it truly was a celebration of Randy's life.  Three people spoke: a guy who had been Randy's friend since they were small kids; Randy's brother-in-law; and a "newer" friend of 20 years.

They all related good times and what a good guy Randy was.  Moments were sad because of the loss, but it was all very upbeat.  The funeral home was packed... as in: every seat in every pew was full and there were people standing.  Randy had a lot of friends.  A lot of what was said revolved around sailing.  And, Randy's good nature.

We will miss him.

I had to stop to take this photo as we left...

That is a vintage Rolls Royce - it has been Randy's Dad's, and then Randy's.  There were stories of Randy driving his friends around in that car when they were in high school... taking it to the drive-in... pizza parties in the back seat.  Not easy to keep it in driving condition, but Randy loved that car and the memories.  Almost as much as he loved the sailboat that has been in the canal across the street from our house... since he first got it in the 80s.  Another labor of love.

Randy leaves behind his wife Cindy, two daughters,  Brittany and Hillary, and a grandson, Cooper.  And, many, many friends.

A good night...

Well, I'd like to tell you what a good night we had with Rufus's first night in the house... but, that would be a big fat lie.  I was thinking Rufus would be excited with all this extra room to run - that may come with time and learning where everything is, but as of this morning, he is pretty agitated.  OK, he had a restless night, too.  Which means we all had a restless night.

Apparently, this house is full of all kinds of cat-scary things.

This morning, he has gone from room to room meowing.  Loudly.  When we coax him onto a lap, he is quiet and content... for a moment, then continues the wandering and meowing.  Joan thinks he is concerned that his world is all different; I think he is checking acoustics.  ;-)

He did stop the meowing long enough to eat his breakfast.  Then, back to the pacing and meowing.

He went into another room, and the meowing stopped... Joan looked at me and said, "Now, you're wondering what he's up to, aren't you?"

Well, I wasn't... until you said that.

Once he learns that this is "all his," he will settle in.  I hope.

;-)

In the meantime, we still have much of the coach to unload.  I'm going to need a nap.

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On edit: Rufus found a new place to hide: under the "listening chair" in the guitar room.  He managed to slither under it - we never would have found him, if not for the very quiet meow when we were calling his name.  Joan tilted the chair back and he came out.  Cats seem to be "shape-shifters," since it doesn't appear that there is room for him to get under that chair.

I got my X20 off the wall and went to the couch to play some music while Joan made us a delightful breakfast... yeah, the furry boy came to sit by my side while I was playing...

Bed-head and jammies.  Me, not him.  He is happy to have some music.  I am happy to be playing the X20.  Real happy for the great breakfast that is coming.  After his morning concert, Rufus stopped the vocals and hiding.

Joan and I went to work with the continued unloading process: she started in the motorhome, I went to work on the cargo trailer (getting the bikes unstrapped and the extra stuff we carry in there put away).  I was just finishing up the trailer when Joan was ready to haul a large load into the house... and Mother Nature was ready to start the precip again.

All that's left in the coach is our hanging clothes, and then cleaning.  Joan can do the inside regardless of what Mother Nature gives us; the exterior will have to wait for another day... out at the storage unit... when the humidity is lower... so, December or so.  ;-)