Physical Terrorist

Dale began physical therapy this week with his favorite "Physical Terrorist" Diane.... at Warm Springs in Victoria.  She had the pleasure of working with him on his two previous knee replacements....and of course she just loved him!!!  After greeting all our old friends and relating the circumstances of his accident that brought us back so soon, they measured Dale's range of motion in the injured foot and then in the good foot.  They also tested his strength in the injured foot and were very happy with the results.  Diane gave him an additional exercise.....writing the alphabet in the air with his injured foot several times a day.  She also suggested getting him in the therapy pool and getting a good workout in the deep end of the heated pool.  Today was his first time in the pool and he thought it was well worth the trip.  So all and all, I guess things are progessing according to the Doctor's plan!  We return to the doctor in mid January and hope he will be able to start walking with the boot on.

Ho! Ho! Ho! 2012

We had our family Christmas get together on Friday, December 21 at Sky Restaurant, where we enjoyed a wonderful meal.  Chuck had taken off work early to drive in from Conroe, but Kim was on call and unable to join us.   Then it was off to Grandma's house for dessert and gifts.  A Chinese Christmas was the first plan of action....with some funny gifts.  A few steals, with Lexi about to trade off her gift without really checking it out to find the Cinemark Theater gift card.  We exchanged gifts and enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate, and desserts.  Of course I had to grab some photos of the group!  It was a nice evening!

Rats....still on crutches!

Another week of recovery draws to an end, and a trip to the doctor in San Antonio to see how things are mending.  We arrived, the foot was x-rayed  and we met with the doctor.  She said all looked good, as she checked the movement and flexibility in the foot.....a result of the exercises Dale had been doing at home all month.  She gave him a new exercise to work on and decided to send him for physical therapy in Victoria...so back to Warm Springs  we will go.  They worked with him after both knee replacements, so they are very familiar with Dale. She wants us to come back in one month and they MIGHT let him start walking on the foot with the boot on......good news and a new goal!  So for now, he his still on the crutches and his walker......but the finish line might be in sight!

Prayers!

Hump Week!

                               Hump Week
Well, we have reached the half way point in this adventure.....and survived!  The foot is looking much better, swelling less, and Dale has no problem getting a good night's sleep.  We have ventured out more..... attending a retirement party, a visitation for one of Dale's old friends, and enjoyed lunch with his "Lunch Bunch" group this week.  On Tuesday, some of his pilot buddies picked him up for lunch out with the guys from the airport....lots of airplane talk! We return to the doctor next week and hope the news is good that the heel is healing properly.  Guess this was our "Hump" week in the recovery process!

Dale Ditty

I have a friend in Texas

A retired bad ass cop

He recently

fell out of a tree

Now all he can do

is hop

He hobbles around

Grumbling and cursing

But it is his patient wife

who does all the nursing

Soon he will be 

up and around

Though from what I hear

He is restricted from trees

Feet only on the ground

His wife is planning trips

He will get the bill

I am sure he won't care

Cause being able to walk again

Will be such a thrill!

 

Friends Ivan and Barb from Canada wrote this little ditty!

On the Mend!

Things around here have settled into a routine and recovery continues.  Dale has gotten pretty adept at maneuvering around on crutches......we are even attempting a party this weekend. Three times a day he exercises with a big rubber band to strengthen his foot.....at home rehab!
We make trips to town to run errands and he usually sits in the car while I do the shopping.  The other day he managed to sneak in the store on crutches while I was shopping and buy me a big bouquet of flowers, hiding them in the car until we got home......such a sweetie!
Last weekend he gave me the day off, and I headed to the coast with a gal pal for a day of sand, sun, and seafood.  I fixed  lunch before I left, so all he had to do was heat it in the microwave.  He promised he would be good and I called to check on him.
It was good to have a break from my nursing duties!

Life is Better at the Beach!

Dale, my patient gave me a day off.....so my friend, Karen and I headed to Port Aransas for some sun, sand, salt air, and seafood.  It was a good chance on the drive down to catch up on what is happening in each others lives.  We boarded the ferry, and were soon on the island.  First stop, Karen bought some fresh Gulf shrimp off a boat in the harbor to take home.  Next stop the beach....we parked, laid out on a blanket and sat down to soak up some sea air.  We took a walk along the shoreline before heading to lunch a Beach Station Street Grill.  Boy did we pig out!  Back to the beach after lunch to catch a surfing contest near the pier and watch a surfing dog!!!  We tried to walk our lunch off and enjoyed our toes in the sand and surf.  All to soon we had to head back home, so we packed up, and did grab a yummy gelato before boarding the ferry.
It was a wonderful day...the weather was perfect for December 1 and it was great to unwind with a long time friend!

Calgon Take Me Away!

Well......we've  checked another week off the recovery/rehab calendar!  The heel is mending and looking better all the time...a good night's sleep is much more common around here!  With this, also comes Dale trying to do more to help me out around the house.  The definition of "Toe Touch"and putting weight on the foot has been a matter of "HEATED" debate around here many times.  I know he hates sitting around do nothing, but I feel we should do everything possible to ensure a good outcome.  So after a few tears and some much needed alcohol...I have decided he is a big boy and I need to cut him some slack!  Yesterday he even spent some time alone as I was at the hospital for my daughter's foot surgery.
I was questioning my actions and emotions....and mostly blamed my OCD for making me the nurse from Hell in regards to doing everything by the book.  Then something popped into my head while having lunch with Dale in town.  I had quit my HRT on the advice of my doctor just about the time this adventure began!  No wonder I was in a heap.......a hubby on crutches for 3 months and under foot so to speak and NO HORMONES?  Dale and I had a good laugh over it!  He now understands why my head spins around and steam comes out my ears!

Hopalong Atchetee!

Hard to believe it has been 3 weeks.....seems like 3 years! At least we aren't scheduled to go back to San Antonio for a month....that's a relief! Dale got a big boot this week which he can remove when he sleeps at night and also got a list of exercises to start getting some movement in the foot and ankle. We've both suffered from a bad case of "Cabin Fever" and have begun to make brief trips

to have lunch in town and to the airport to check on the airplane. I've tackled some new chores around the place to prepare for winter....things my hubby took care of before! Thanksgiving was very quite....we were both exhausted from the trip to SA the day before! 

That's about it from the Atchetee House of Rehab!
Gosh....... time flies when you're having fun!

My Hoblin Goblin!

What do you call a ghost with a broken foot? Hoblin Goblin!
Well today marks two weeks down on our journey....only ten more to go!! Dale has gotten quite adept at maneuvering around on his walker or crutches. This is our last week with a splint and next week when we visit the doctor he is getting a cast.....I think he should get a pink one....real men wear pink! I have been busy getting all the travel insurance claims filed for the two trips we had to cancel. Seems like the hours are filled with things to get done....meals to cook, clothes to wash, bills and correspondence to keep up with, but I do find time to do some reading when Dale is resting. Dale, the all time non sports fan has even taken up watching some football games. I pray he continues to heal and that his surgery was a success!

How does a frog feel when he has a broken leg? A: Unhoppy......

How does a frog feel when he has a broken leg? A: Unhoppy........
Well Dale is "Unhoppy"!  We are lucky we have been able to control his pain with Tylenol, especially after all the problems he had with the narcotics after his two knee replacements in 2010.  We go back to San Antonio to the doctor this week....gonna be a long day on the road!  We are still experimenting with the crutches and the walker for him to get around. Only 86 days days to go!

Fall Risk!

I thought I would give you an update from the Atchetee House of Rehab!  On Saturday, Oct. 27 Dale took a bad spill from about 10 feet while trimming oak trees in our yard.  After a visit to the emergency room and x-rays it was determined he had a bad fracture of his left heel.  On Monday we contacted the Orthopedic doctor in our town, that said we needed to go to San Antonio to a Orthopedic Specialist that specializes in this type of injury.  So off we went and after a CT it was determined that he would need surgery to repair it.  This past Friday, Nov. 2 Dale had surgery in San Antonio and we returned home yesterday.  The doctor put 6 screws and a plate in the heel to repair it and Dale can not put any weight on it for 3 months.  So we are experimenting with crutches, a walker, and a wheelchair to find the best way for him to get around the house.    the doctor said No Weight....that means the foot should never touch the ground, not easy!
Luckily he did not injure his two knees which were replaced in 2010 and suffered no other injuries in his fall.  So I guess it could have been worse!!!  The three month sentence of No Weight sounds like a long, long, time to Dale and will be hard!!!!  Weight on the foot could cause the screws to pull out and the repair to fail....not good!
We will return to San Antonio this coming week and I'm sure we will keeping the pavement hot between our town and the doctor's office over the next three months.
The whole foot and part of the leg is in an enormous splint and bandage...Dale said it feels like an elephant's foot!  They put a bracelet on him in the hospital that said "FALL RISK" guess I should have put that on him at the house before he crashed.
So for now we are grounded....no flying, no fishing, no traveling, no dancing, no more tree trimming.........pretty much no nothing for the next three months!!!!  It is gonna be tough, but we will survive!  It may take alcohol or drugs, but we will survive!!!
So keep us in your thoughts and a few prayers couldn't hurt either.  If you want you can drop him an email at wzyteck@gmail.com......be sure to give him a hard time!
As Head Nurse, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, Chauffeur, Maid, and Lawn Boy my plate is going to be full, but I figure he is going to owe me lots of dive trips when this adventure is over!!

Fish Tales!

Fish tales.......Up very early, we unloaded the boat at twilight, turned on our lights and left the dock for our favorite spot.  We were soon casting our lines into the indigo water of the bay....before the sun even peeped above the horizon.  The water swirled as reds hit our gold spoons, puting up a good fight, before being landed and put in the ice chest.  Soon we had five nice reds  and it wasn't long before Dale landed #6, the legal limit for the day.  Hooray!!! Then Dale measured his catch....it was just barely legal......but legal and it was only 8:39 am!  WOW!  Dale looked at his catch and decided to pitch him back in hopes of catching a bigger fish.  OMG....boy did I give him a hard time!  So we fished and fished for about the next two hours.....unable to catch a legal size fish.  We tried a couple of different spots and finally moved back to the spot we started at and finally we landed the sixth red at 10:33 am.  We had lots of laughs and I gave him a really hard time....even telling him no lunch until we got our 6th red!  Lunch was at Cathy's in Port O'Connor....yummy fried shrimp.

Gray skies...Good Fishing!

Gray, cloudy, overcast skies made for an eerie ride this morning as we skimmed across the mirror like surface of the water on our way to our favorite fishing spot. Pelicans watched us, as they perched on abandoned duck blinds and waterfowl loudly announced our arrival. With five nice reds in the ice chest before noon, we headed in to clean the fish and enjoy a seafood lunch on our way home at Bubba's in Seadrift.

Cayman With Friends

After a generous invite from my friends Dennis and Tamara, I was off to Grand Cayman to get in one more dive trip for the year..landing I picked up my rental car and gathered up all my courage to drive out to the East End on the wrong side of the road.  Safely arriving I checked in, unloaded and unpacked my stuff...it  great to see all my old friends at Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers.
I walked over to the Dietzel's condo where Dennis was preparing to grill steaks for dinner for all of us.  I had brought a bottle of a good Texas Merlot to enjoy with our dinner...it was great to see my old diving buddies.
The next morning I checked in to my dive boat for the upcoming week, Eastern Skies where I would be diving with Dennis and Tamara.  The skies were clear, winds calm....making for great visibility underwater.  We got in two great dives before lunch.  After lunch Tamara rode with me to the grocery store so I could pick up some stuff for my condo.
Diving was good most of the week.....but I did have a rough ride my last day of divng with five foot seas.  I had signed up to do the Kittiwake Dive and was lucky enough to find some Texas folks to drive into Georgetown with to catch the dive boat after lunch.   I was a little disappointed in that not much growth had occured on the ship and not much marine life was living in the structure.   After our dive we had lunch at Guy Harvey's Restaurant.

I signed up to do a photography class with Elly Wray, a very talented young woman that is the photographer on staff at Ocean Frontiers.  I am always looking for ways to improve my underwater photography skills.  Elly had me take photos,  look at the screen and then adjust my settings to improve the photo.  On the end of our dive, another diver alerted us to a seahorse which is always a welcome find.  I took several photos , hoping to get a great shot.
Dennis and Tamara invited me over for a party they were having for the staff around the pool after they got off work.  It was fun sitting around the pool visiting with everyone and talking diving.
I invited Dennis and Tamara to join me for dinner at a local East End restaurant, Southern Coast Bar and Grill on their last night on the island.  It was a great way to end the week and express my appreciation for their generosity.
I got in 13 dives during the week.....seeing lobster, rays, sharks, anemones, seahorse and lots of creatures.  The water was nice and warm, and we had no current on almost all dive sites.  It was a great week of diving.....with good friends....old and new!!
On Friday night the resort had a BBQ for divers up on the pool deck around the training pool.  Ribs, Chicken, Curried Goat, Poatato Salad, Rice and Beans, Cornbread, and Cake were on the menu....plus we watched photos and film of the dives the past week.  I enjoyed dinner with my new Texas Friends...Linda, Tammy and BJ.
After my last two dives on Saturday I drove down to eat at Vivines, a local place just down the rode.  I enjoyed my fried fish and fritters, with a ginger beer while overlooking the turquoise water of the Caribbean.
Packed and ready to go, I headed back to the airport to turn in my rental car before catching my flight home.  I was lucky enough to have all 3 seats to myself and strected out to watch a movie on the flight home.  We landed a little early and soon I was in my car headed home to my husband.  Another good dive trip in the books!!!
Goodbye Cayman!

Junkin Fun!!

Fall signaled it was again time for the Warrenton/Round Top Antique Fair….so Karen and I made plans again to attend.  We arrived just as the booths on the square in Round Top were opening up.  Making our way to our favorite vendors, we tried on some clothes in a makeshift dressing room…. after Karen cleaned the mirror so we could see.  I wanted to take some photos and we had lots of laughs trying to get a good photo of the two of us.   

We stopped strangers trying to get a photo taken to document our trip.  Hungry we drove over to Carmine to have lunch at JW’S Steakhouse.  Since I had been out of town for Karen’s birthday….I told her this was her birthday lunch.  A cute birthday card and a funny gift……travel size hand cleaner for my germ phobic friend.  Lunch was yummy and her birthday cake was a piece of coconut cream pie…..which we split!

Back on the road to Warrenton, we stopped at a large group of vendors we usually don’t stop at…didn’t find a thing we needed or wanted.  We did see a mermaid statue covered completely in flattened bottle caps......only $9,800.  In Warrenton we parked and split up to cover more area.  I was on the hunt for a pearl necklace for my new blouse and Karen was looking for a shirt.  We even stopped to try on some 10 gallon cowboy hats…but couldn’t make a deal on two of them. Our goals accomplished we hit the road home……a fun day!  Miles and miles of stuff!  Good fun, food……with a good friend!

Beach Birthday Gift!

Collecting on a birthday gift, we booked a condo in Port Aransas for a few days.  After a short drive we arrived, unpacked, and Dale grabbed a short nap before joining me in the swimming pool for a swim.  We walked down to the beach before dinner and enjoyed a long walk on the uncrowded sand.  Dinner was yummy spaghetti dinner, salad, and garlic bread with a glass of wine.  

We decided to do some wade fishing the next morning, and had fun even if we didn't catch a keeper.  Lunch was at our favorite place....Beach Station Street Grill.....yummy seafood.  Back at the condo, we relaxed, took a dip in the pool. Before sunset we grabbed two chairs and a bottle of wine...making the short walk over the boardwalk to the beach.  It was nice sitting at the water's edge as the day ended.  Boiled shrimp with a pasta salad on the porch was a perfect end to the day.
It was a great gift....perfect for me!  Guess he knows how much I love the beach?

Sunrise on the Water

Up very early, we unloaded the boat before the sun peaked over the horizon. We skimmed across the slick bay heading to our favorite fishing spot. The skies were clear and a hint of fall was in the air. A beautiful sunrise greeted us as we began to cast our lines in hopes of landing a nice red. I watched as the sun rose and grabbed my camera to catch a great photo of Dale silhouetted against the sunrise. Only minutes after our first cast we had a nice red in the ice chest. 
We drifted across the bay with the assistance of the North
wind catching a red now and then, but most had to be

thrown back to grow larger. Fishing done, a few reds in the ice chest, we headed back to the dock and loaded the boat. A stop at Bubba's in Seadrift for lunch was a perfect ending for a good day!

Colorado and Utah Bound!

On August 27, we loaded the car, and headed out early in the morning for Colorado and Utah. We had a long drive the first day, across Texas and spent the night in Dumas, Texas in the Texas Panhandle. Back on the road the next morning we soon crossed into New Mexico, enjoying a yummy lunch in Taos at Orlando's. We had some excitement as we got delayed by a film crew shooting a movie....The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. Arriving in Durango at Country Sunshine B & B we were warmly greeted by old friends, Walter and Jodi. It was great to be back and they began to spoil us as usual, especially Walter with his fantastic breakfast, warm cookies, and desserts at night. Jodi had booked our Durango/Silverton train tickets and we caught the train at Rockwood the next morning after Walter's wonderful breakfast. The weather was great and much warmer than our previous trip. Arriving in Silverton we walked over to Handlebars for lunch, then we walked around Silverton taking photos. I made sure to get a "After" photo of Dale with the wooden cowboy to compare with a previous pre-knee surgery photo I had taken of him in 2009. Soon it was time to board the train and return to Rockwood. We stopped in Hermosa and picked up a Calzone and salad to take back to the B&B for dinner on the porch. A glass of wine and a soak in the hot tub ended the day. The next day we booked a half-day Animas River float....even though the river was low we enjoyed an afternoon on the river, and our guide was very good...he even endured Dale's financial advice. Dinner that night was at Zia Tagueria in Durango...yummy Fish Tacos. Walter put on a show that evening serving all the guest Bananas Foster over ice cream....awesome! Our three night stay completed we packed and said our goodbyes heading onward and upward to Ouray. The drive up the million dollar highway provided breathtaking views and lots of photo opportunities. Arriving in Ouray we stopped to have a picnic lunch in a park....but the rain forced our picnic to be in the car. Spangler House B&B was our next stop and we checked in and unpacked. I had a surprise in store for Dale and told him I was taking him out for steaks at the Outlaw Restaurant for his birthday, which was the next day. Dinner was good and we were stuffed! I gave Dale his birthday card with his surprise...an all day jeep tour with San Juan Tours the next day. After a soak in the hot tub, we turned in early since we had to be up early the next morning for our tour. I had requested a driver called "Wild Bill"...little did I know he was 85 years old and quite the character...a Texas boy to boot. We had 3 other folks on the tour and off we went with "Wild Bill" at the wheel over Black Bear Pass to Telluride. OMG....what a ride it was...the road better known as a "Goat Trail" was narrow and very steep with numerous switchbacks...all which Bill handled like a pro! We had a few sprinkles and then we had a few minutes of hail on top of the pass. Dale loved Bill, who was an old WWII veteran and they really bonded. Arriving in Telluride Bill dropped us off for lunch at the Floradora Saloon, where the owner had a table ready for us. Bill joined us after he parked the jeep...more tall tales and stories kept us laughing with lunch. Back on the road we were headed across Imogene Pass at 13,114 ft., a very rough ride with what seemed like large boulders in the road...but Bill handled it like the skilled driver he was. We arrived back in Ouray about 5:30 p.m.....just in time for Happy Hour Bill said! It was a great day, Dale loved it and we had a fantastic time with Bill. The next day we decided to visit the Ouray Hot Springs for a long soak in the hot water. Since it was a weekend it was kind of crowded but we enjoyed our soak until lightning forced us out. After walking up and down the main drag we decided to have dinner that night was at O'Brien's Pub & Grill. Our stay ended we packed and prepared to leave the next morning for Grand Junction. The drive to Grand Junction was pretty bleak, not much to see in this arid, dry part of Colorado....Grand Junction sprawls across the Grand Valley and is an oasis. The Grand Mesa in one direction and the Colorado National Monument in the other. Sam and Judy were waiting for us at Bookcliffs B&B and welcomed us into their home. WE enjoyed visiting with them and listening to how they had made their home into a B&B. After breakfast the next morning we drove out to the Gateway Car Museum. We were lucky, that an elderly gentleman took us under his wing and showed us each vehicle...complete with the history of the vehicle. It sure did make our time at the museum special, and we got to see the latest purchase...a Oldsmobile F88 that they paid 3.2 million dollars for....WOW! After a picnic lunch on the way back we drove over the Grand Mesa, a beautiful landscape with Aspens already displaying their fall colors and home to more than 300 lakes. A stop in Palisades, Colorado the home of the famous peaches and lots of vineyards ended the day. Our final day in Grand Junction was spent with a drive out to the Colorado National Monument. A breathtaking drive with lots to see and lots of photos to take! We made another stop in Palisades to tour the orchards, vineyards, and wineries....plus pick up a few more goodies. Saying our goodbyes we were on the road again to Utah. We picked a drive to Moab along the river and were rewarded with a beautiful scenery and breathtaking views. We arrived at the Mayor's House B&B and were greeted by Dave...he quickly showed us around the place and we unpacked. The B&B had a large heated pool and an inviting hot tub with a beautiful red rock backdrop. After a yummy breakfast the next morning fixed by Carey, we drove out to Arches National Park. I've never seen so many red rocks....arches, windows, towers, plus other formations Mother Nature has carved out. I got some great photos and even attempted to get a photo of me holding a giant boulder...like Hercules! Dinner that night was Mexican food and then a swim and soak. After enjoying breakfast the next morning with all the guest, we packed up again and left for Colorado. The drive to Pagosa Springs took us by Mesa Verde, but we decided to skip it this trip and went on to Mancos for lunch at the Absolute Bakery & Cafe...a very good choice! Arriving back in Pagosa Springs we stopped at the grocery store for a few items, then headed out to our cabin at the Fireside Inn. Our cabin was so cute, we loved it. Relaxing down by the river was so peaceful and a great spot for a glass of wine. Driving back into town we went in search of the "Balloon Glow" that was taking place in the park. It was fun to see them fill the balloons and the "Glow" was very pretty after dark...got some good photos. Up early, early the next morning, temperature was about 39 degrees....5:30 am to be exact, we were off to find the Colorfest Hot Air Balloon Rally launch. Dale followed some balloon trucks and trailers and got us a good spot for the launch. Soon 17 ballons were in the air...OMG what a site!!! The setting was beautiful...the greens of a golf course, a small lake, the mountains in the distance, and lots of green pine trees. I was going crazy trying to get pictures with all three of my cameras. We even followed two ballons and saw them touch down and let the air out of the balloon....it was great! The next day we planned to visit the Pagosa Hot Springs after a yummy pizza for lunch. The Springs were not crowded, the weather was perfect and we had a relaxing last day in Colorado. We ended the day down by the river with a glass of wine....a perfect ending to a wonderful trip. Up early, we were off to Fort Stockton, Texas...the first leg of our trip home. It was a long day of driving and we pulled into the motel about 6 pm. After a good nights sleep we were back on the road and headed home to Victoria. Safely we arrived home after over a 3,200 mile trip. Dale had done a great job of "Driving Miss Daisy" ...that is what he likes to call our road trips. Colorado was beautiful, the temperatures were a welcome relief after our hot Texas summer. The Bed and Breakfasts were all different and unique....we saw many things, made new friends, and had a GREAT time! We are truly blessed to have experienced such a wonderful trip!

Aggressor Belize Dive Trip

COUNTDOWN CLOCK WEBSITE

Chillaxing on the Comal!

Met up with Karen and we took off for our float trip on the Guadalupe River.  Arriving at our destination, Karen immediately noticed how low the river looked and how many rocks were exposed.  Stopping in at the tube rental place, they told us it would be a 6-7 hour float, with lots of butt dragging and rock bumping.  Older and wiser we decided to change our plans and we went back to New Braunfels to float the Comal River.  After a short adventure trying to find Texas Tubes with the GPS on my i Phone and involving a train...we arrived.  Rented tubes, stocked up our ice chest with goodies and we slipped into the refreshing cool water of the Comal for a 2 1/2 float.  The water was clear and cool with a flow that meant no paddling! No butt dragging this trip, although I did hit a large boulder coming out of one of the chutes.  We stopped   once for a snack break.  Getting out at the Last Exit and we climbed aboard our shuttle for a trip back to Texas Tubes.  We decided to try it again and did another 2 1/2 hour float....which seemed to go faster than the first.


After a quick shower and dry clothes it was time for some Texas BBQ at Cooper's.....brisket, sausage, pork ribs, pinto beans, potato salad and gallons of ice tea was just what we needed.  Stuffed we skipped the fruit cobbler dessert!  It was great CHILLAXING with my friend, floating along under the big Cypress trees that lined the bank.

Shrimp Flight!

On a mission, we took off for Port Aransas early on Friday morning for lunch at Beach Station Street Grill. Flying the Texas coast, the Gulf was green and flying the beach was interesting. Grabbing the trolley we made a stop at the beach for some "Sand Between My Toes" time, then back on the trolley to lunch....YUM! Our stomachs full we jumped back on the trolley for a ride back to the airport and a flight home at about 3,500 feet.

The Ladies Do Cozumel

I was the first to arrive in Cozumel and grabbed a taxi to Scuba Club Cozumel to await the other members of the Lady Go Divers group.  As I was enjoying lunch my roomie, Amy walked in and joined me for lunch.  Soon our fearless leader, Patty arrived and we all got checked in to our fourth floor rooms with awesome views of the Caribbean.  Patty also brought news that Beth, Amelia, Cheryl, and Pat were delayed because their flight was cancelled and would arrive the next day.  We got unpacked, checked into the dive shop and stored our gear in lockers by the dive shop.  We were assigned to Scuba II, a smaller boat for the week with two other couples.  Since the gang wasn't all together we decided to just eat at the resort and turn in early.
Up the next morning we enjoyed breakfast and prepared for our first dives......Manuel was to be our DM for the week.  Patty requested two shallow dives and it was great to be back in the water enjoying drift dives. Lunch was ready when we got back and then we waited for the rest of the gang to arrive.


Sunday night we grabbed a taxi and went to town to have dinner at Casa Dennis....it was hot and stuffy around the square and a group of fire dancers behind Cheryl and Pat really heated things up.  We walked around the square, watched the locals dance in the square and then headed back to Scuba Club Cozumel.  The coffee klatch on the deck each morning, thanks to Mr. Mario was a perfect start to the day. With all Lady Go Divers accounted for we enjoyed breakfast and loaded our gear for two great dives.  Janet and Eric from California and Tommy and D.J. from Tyler were a great addition to our boat for the week.  We did enjoy jumping off the top deck of the boat, synchronized swimming during our surface interval and a fish water gun fight with photos to document the event.  Dinner that night was at La Mission were Amelia worked her charms and got us some delicious free flan and a liquor shots. With big sombreros atop our heads we had pictures taken that turned out great.....a real keepsake.  Cheryl ordered the Mexican coffee which was quite a production.


Diving the next day, we enjoyed some very photogenic turtles, nice lobsters and lots of fish.  We did manage to lose our divemaster, but never fear Miss Patty kept the group together and we safely surfaced even though her safety sausage was a little limp!  Especias was our choice for dinner, since Gayla was delivering batteries to Adrian.  We did meet a (Rich)Texan, John that had owed a dive shop in Waco and he bought a red long stem rose for all of us.  Adrian was his usually charming self and all the gals enjoyed meeting him.  Dinner was great and the music of a young man playing a guitar provided an enjoyable evening for all.  Adrian wouldn't let us leave without Tequila shots for all and some funny pictures with a giant tequila bottle.  Diving the next day, our boat had engine problems and we were loaded onto another big boat with other divers from the resort....not as much fun as our group.  Casa Mission provided wonderful ambiance with awesome food surrounded by beautiful gardens.  Dinner was very relaxing, with lots of laughs and interesting conversation.  Our last day of diving was the Devil's Throat.....a deeper dive into a underwater cave.  With flashlights in hand we entered the opening at about 90 feet winding our way around, going up and down deeper before finally exiting at about 125 feet.....a feather in our cap!  The last dive of the week was a long shallow dive with lots to see, including a nurse shark sleeping under a over hang.  The piece de resistance was a small group of pilot whales that we spotted on our way back to the resort....a great experience.  During the Happy Hour of wine, cheese and crackers in Patty's room Cheryl surprised us with beautiful gifts of pashminas....thanks Cheryl.  Patty as usual had little surprise gifts each day for us.....Thanks Patty!  Guido's was the spot for our dinner and we invited our divemaster, Manuel to join us.  The food was great, but a rain shower forced us to go inside which was very loud.  Our final day was spent relaxing, shopping, and lounging at the beach at the Monkey Bar.....plus we began the packing process.  Dinner at Primo's was a perfect ending to a perfect trip with the ladies of Lady Go Divers.  A breathtaking view high above Cozumel with great food and drinks were enjoyed by all.  Amelia was served a large piece of Tiramisu after we sang Happy Birthday to her, which we all enjoyed.
After we strolled back to the resort we all grabbed a hammock down by the water to relax, talk, and laugh.
The week had flown by, new friends were made, stories were shared, and a great time with a group of amazing women was enjoyed by all.  Talk and plans of our next trip were already discussed.  As we each left the resort and headed to the airport our hearts were filled with bonds of sisterhood and friendship!

Fish Pics in Cozumel

Fluttering Around!

Working in my flowerbed yesterday afternoon, this silly butterfly just seemed to be yelling out "Take my Picture".....so I grabbed my camera and tried to capture him flying between the lantana and zinnas.  He didn't seem to be bothered by me and posed for his photos.  I thought this was the best pic.

Eels Invade the Brac!

Finally the time had arrived to fly to Miami to meet up with the Eels on Wheels group headed to Cayman Brac.  After checking into my room, I walked over to a local Cuban restaurant, Casa Juan with amazing food.....dodging a big thunderstorm.  My roommate Pasty arrived around midnight and we got a good nights sleep!
We arrived at the airport a couple of hours before our flight, as the group began to gather in anticipation of our Cayman Airways flight to the Brac.  Landing we were whisked off to the resort, greeted with a rum punch, and checked into our room.  This trip I was sharing a room with Jana, a nurse from Austin.  We unpacked, checked into the dive shop, and enjoyed our first yummy meal.

I was assigned to the boat named Big Sister for the week, or as Dr. Joe called it Big Mamma! We also were called the "Blonde Boat" and sometimes the "Booby Boat"! The sky was overcast, the winds blowing, and the seas rough.....but off we went to get in our first two dives.  Mick and Becky were our Dive Masters for the week and we had a great time diving, cracking jokes, and telling stories. I had the good luck of having a young man, Kevin as my dive buddy for the week.  Somehow I ended up with the nickname "Connie".....ask crazy Lynette...a long story!!!
The weather was not great and in fact on Wednesday diving was cancelled because of rough seas.  Our group persevered.....even diving in the rain several days.  I found it hard to stay warm with no sun, cloudy skies, and the wind blowing.  The dives were good, visibility could have been better, and we sure would have liked to see some sunshine.
The food at the resort was awesome.....desserts yummo!  We relaxed around the pool and sat around the bar renewing friendships and telling tales of the days dives.  On Friday night we enjoyed a great BBQ and a local band.  Lynette serenaded Mick with the song "Crazy"......pretty cute!
Saturday morning we were forced to get up in the middle of the night-4 am to catch our ride to the airport for our 6:30 am flight............Not Fun!  We flew to Grand Cayman, changed planes and then to Miami.....the airport I hate the most!  I had a few hours layover before my final flight to Houston.  Landing about 5:30, I called Dale and told him I was waiting to be picked up.....thank you Dale for driving! Sure was glad to see my handsome hunk of a man!

It was a great trip, made new friends, saw old friends, has lots of laughs!  I felt that I received more from the group than I was able to give.....blessed to just be a part of it.  Next year....Bonaire!

The Ladies of Big Sister in Cayman Brac

Make your own scrapbook design

Looking for Reds!

Up early, and on the road to the coast to try our hand at fishing.  It was a beautiful day and the parking lot was full of boat trailers.....guess lots of folks had the same idea.  Our first hour of fishing was quite and things weren't looking good.....but then they began to hit our gold weedless spoons.  The first fish landed was a 27 inch nice big red....with 4 more soon in the ice chest.  Catching the 6th legal red proved to be impossible....seems like only 18 inch guys were biting.  Oh well, we had a good day, a picnic lunch of fried chicken, potato salad, and sliced tomatoes out of the garden. 
Home with the boat washed, we are ready to call it a night!

We're Back at the Brac!

Our flight to Cayman Brac was quite an adventure!  Our plane was delayed by 2 1/2 hours in Houston because of mechanical problems......making catching our connecting flight to the Brac almost impossible.  We landed in Grand Cayman as they were boarding the flight to the Brac.  Dale and I raced off the plane, cleared Immigration, grabbed our bags, cleared Customs and raced to the Cayman Airlines ticket counter.....we looked just like an O. J. Simpson commercial.....leaping over counters and small children.  The lady at the counter informed us we wouldn't be able to make the flight....so we began to beg and plead our case.  She started typing on her computer trying to get us on the flight, and after what seemed like a long time she handed us our boarding passes.  Off we raced....clearing security and Immigration again.....walking up the stairs to our waiting flight....happy we weren't forced to spend the night in Grand Cayman.

Arriving at the Brac, we checked in and enjoyed dinner and crashed!  The next morning the diving began...I was on the Coral Princess for the week.  With two morning dives a day, I had the afternoon to enjoy with Dale relaxing in a hammock at the beach, or floating around the pool with other guest.  The weather was absolutely PERFECT.....clear skies, calm seas, warm water and a gentle breeze.  We had breakfast and dinner in our package and enjoyed lunch at the bar every day.  It was great to see familiar faces, and Omar loved to joke around with Dale.

The diving was good, our boat was very roomy and we usually had about 12 - 14 divers on board each day.  We saw nurse sharks, black tip reef sharks, turtles, rays, eels, crabs, lobster, huge Grouper looking for lunch, bunches of tiny creatures and lots of coral and sponge formations.  The best dives were over at Little Cayman on Bloody Bay Wall.......AWESOME!  The worst dive was a marathon swim we did on an afternoon dive in search of a shark......geeeez quite a workout.  I got to dive the  MV Captain Keith Tibbetts wreck twice during the week, a nice wreck with lots to see.  My deepest dive was about 102 feet on a wall, but the best diving was between 60-80 feet.

Dale and I met some really nice folks, a really cute couple from South Carolina...Mike and Leslie, a nice couple Meg and Kevin, a gal from New York that was my dive buddy most of the week....Jana, a 70 year old guy from Austin, Tom.  Dale found that some of the guys were pilots, so he had someone to talk to about airplanes.

Our trip home was uneventful.....but a very long day!  We pulled into the driveway about 10:45 pm.

The trip was great, very relaxing and we had picture perfect weather at the Brac.

Cruzin Texas Sand Fest 2012

Hooked the golf cart up to my car and I was off to Port Aransas and our condo for Sand Fest, Karen was driving down later after work.  Staying upstairs I made a bunch of trips up and down the stairs vowing next year to get a room downstairs.  Unpacked, we settled into our condo, enjoyed a seafood dinner at Beach Station Street Grill and relaxed.  Thursday morning we checked out the pool boy....nice eye candy,  hit the grocery store, tried to buy fresh shrimp and cruised the beach in our buggy.  Dinner that night was grilled red fish, Spanish rice and black beans with a garden salad.....YUM!  Friday morning we decorated our cart, "Miss Flower Power" and Sand Fest started........we checked out all the vendors as the sand sculptors began to create their works of art.  Karen and I both got toe rings.....a first for me, but really cute!  I talked Karen into trying a frozen pickle.....she made a terrible face and said it was sour, but I thought it was good.  Saturday we got up early and lined up at the shrimp boat to get some fresh Gulf shrimp...and Karen got some to take home.  We checked out the sand sculptures, checked the vendors, took photos and enjoyed a good old fashion corn dog with lots of mustard.  Dinner that night was grilled steak, and shrimp kabobs, with corn on the cob, and a baked potato....YUM!   Oh, I think the start of this feast was a Pina Colada made with fresh pineapple.  Sunday we slept in and were lazy....had a salad with boiled shrimp before we went to Sand Fest to see the completed works of art.

We had to try the frozen cheesecake dipped in chocolate....good but so rich!  After the winners announced we headed back to the condo after a cruise down the beach.  Pina Coladas on the balcony were a perfect end to the day with a yummy meal of fried shrimp whipped up by Karen.  Monday we went back to the beach to enjoy the sand sculptures up close, the fences had been removed and we got some great photos.  We had planned to spend the day at the beach but the wind prevented us from doing that.....so we laid around the pool.  Later that day we went in to town to do some shopping and looking around...and Karen was on a mission to buy some birthday gifts for the grandsons.  Our week drawing to an end, we loaded up the golf cart for the trip home the next morning.  That night we decided to eat leftovers out of the frig...especially since we had to pack it back downstairs if we didn't eat it!
It was a great week, the golf cart was lots of fun and our cute little cart "Miss Flower Power" got lots of looks and waves.

Vancouver Buddies

Our Vancouver friends, Barb and Ivan decided to visit Texas and we flew down to Rockport to greet them. We met them in December 2010 on a Costa Rica Tour and have kept in touch....so it was great to see them again.
We enjoyed a wonderful seafood lunch, driving around Port A in Ivan's Mustang red convertible and later Dale took Ivan up for a flight. We enjoyed the visit and are expecting them in Victoria next week.

Spring Time in Round Top/Warrenton

Karen and I met at our usual spot and drove up to Warrenton/Round Top for our semi-annual pilgrimage. We arrived just as the vendors were opening their booths around the square in Round Top. We had fun rummaging through treasures....trying on things and having lots of laughs!

It is always fun to see the latest, greatest craze! After a few purchases it was soon time for lunch in Carmine at J&W's Steakhouse, of course we left stuffed. We made one more stop in Round Top before heading to Warrenton to look around and find a couple more things we couldn't live without!

On our way home we made a pit stop for some margaritas and a chance to unwind from our shopping extravaganza. It was a good day with a good friend!!!

Vegas Bound!

Up early, Lanell and I were off to Vegas with a group of gals. We landed, checked into our room at Harrah's and headed to the Mirage for the Terry Fator show.....a great show! The next morning we were up early again to catch the Dam Bus for the Ultimate VIP Dam Tour of Hoover Dam. Our tour guide, Joni was a stand up comic and also a wealth of knowledge about the dam. She was very entertaining and informative.......lots of laughs! After lunch in Boulder City we drove back to Vegas arriving just in time to change to see Garth at the Wynn. The show was AWESOME, but not what I expected! It was just Garth and his guitar, with Trisha joining in for a few songs. Garth traced the music that influenced him growing up and of course played some of his greatest hits. The next day, we shopped, had a late lunch, went to the Minus 5 bar...yes that is the temperature inside the bar....burrr! Lanell and I had dinner before going to Mandalay Bay for the Cirque du Soleil Elvis show. Up early we caught our flight home....it was a jammed packed long weekend in Vegas!