A loaf of bread and some seagulls

I'm wearing my fat pants. 

I know I was secretive this week, and I apologize.  However, it is a sick, SICK, world, and I could just see some freak tracking me down, or Ron. 

I went to Galveston.  Ron had talked about it for a while, and made reservations.  I was thrilled.  I love Galveston.  I would be happy only vacationing in Galveston. 

In my "I just won the lotto" dreams, a starring role is played by a lovely, Galveston, condo on the Seawall.  Many exist, but just the thought of living in Galveston makes me grin. 

However, God wants me living in Houston.  I don't think, in the long run, I'd enjoy living in a tourist destination. 

So, I kept my mouth shut, packed my bags, and then Ron said "I don't think I'll have any fun.  I'm going to stay home". 

Well.  That was a wrench in the plans.  I told my aunt, and she talked to Ron. 

"Heather," she said "I think it would be a good idea if you went by yourself."  OK.  She's like, my benchmark "Normal" person, so if she thought... I continued to plan. 

Ron paid for the hotel room.  It is a lovely little motel.  Clean.  Quiet.  Wonderful showerheads (boy, let me tell you, I used 2 people's worth of water), and cute rooms.  Very good location.  Not expensive.  I could have paid for the room.  I didn't.  I love staying there, so I will not share the name. 

Ron also gave me some spending money.  I accepted.  My aunt offered a ride, which I accepted. 

I can get to Galveston on my own, but it takes a little doing.  First, I have to ride a bus downtown.  Then, walk to the Grayhound bus station.  Buy the ticket, and ride to the Galveston bus station (about a mile). 

Today, as I watched the bus pull up, the Galveston Taxicab brigade proceeded into the parking lot.  TWO Yellow cabs, and an Island cab, pulled in, eagerly waiting for people to disembark.  

It's easy to get a cab, from the bus station!  I would have taken the cab to the hotel. 

As it was, my aunt picked me up at the house, in the morning, after rush hour.  We took the Car People route (the Grayhound goes through Texas City).  We got there, signed in (I love the hotel, they let me check in early), put up my stuff, and off we went.  We did some exploring, ate a fantastic lunch at Millers (I have to take Dad there when they come to visit), looked at a gift shop, went to Academy Sports, and ran by the grocery store.  I got soda, and 4 loaves of bread.  I'd be there a day and a half, I wanted to feed some seagulls.  To me, the perfect vacation ALWAYS features me, a loaf of bread, and some seagulls.



We went back to my room, and said goodbye.  She headed home. 

I tried to take a nap, but was pretty wound up.  I took my loaf of bread, a couple of Diet Dr Peppers, the folding chair I'd purchased at Academy, and hit the beach. 

Aaaaah.  I started tearing off bits of bread and flinging them.  The seagulls showed up and had a good time.  One pigeon kept flapping right by my head, so I tried an experiment.  I held a piece of bread in my hand, out at shoulder level.  The pigeon landed on my hand and began pecking at the bread. 

It was a rather awkward arrangement for us, so I shifted the bread to the left hand.  Pigeon on right hand, pecking at bread in left hand.  I wish someone had taken my picture!   I did this with a couple of different pigeons.  I got a few seagulls to take bread from my hand as they flew by, but the majority of them stood on the sand, cawing excitedly, as I flung them bits of bread. 

NOW, I was on vacation.  I haven't had one in two years.  I have never had a vacation away from Ron.  Like my Dad said, "Heather, you're always 'On' with the caregiving.  You need a break where you just focus on yourself."  Apparently, someone's been doing some reading on caregiver burnout! 

I sat in my chair, a few hopeful gulls lurking as I read my book (I brought my Kindle).  I drank my soda, and felt terrible when I put my "empty" in the empty bread bag - the poor gulls got so excited when they saw the empty bread bag! 

I wasn't really hungry, I'd had a huge lunch.  I decided I needed to eat; the sun was thinking about setting, and I chose a frozen custard shop.  I got a vanilla, in a waffle cone.  When I got back to the hotel I took my pills. 

I had a little bit of a learning curve, trying to operate the shower.  I spent about 5 minutes shivering in tepid, at best, water, before I figured it out.  [laughing]  I felt rather foolish when I did figure it out. 

Oh, they have the best showerheads.  You can get all kinds of settings, from a pulse massage, to a soft rainy mist.  Like I said, I used up 2 people's worth of water!  

I finally got out and dried off.  Nice towels, I like the way they were folded.  The room was great, painted in turquoise and chocolate.  Wonderful, soft bed. 

We had requested a room with 2 queen sized beds.  Ron likes his own bed. 

So, I had two beds.  Ron had teased me about sleeping in both of them.  I chose the bed I liked, and stole ALL the pillows off the other bed.  I am a pillow hog. 

I slept pretty well, but I woke up, convinced I had overslept.  I looked out the window.  It was dark.  I turned on my cell phone.  It was 3 AM.   Happy Birthday.  I set an alarm and went back to sleep. 

I wanted to watch the sun rise, so I got up around 6.  I ate, sort of missed the sunrise, but got a nice photo anyway.  I had a pecan waffle and an "adequate" ham omlette.  This morning, I just went for the waffle. 

The loaf of bread, Kindle, Dr Pepper stash, folding chair, and matching purple folding umbrella walked to the beach.  I like that I'm an active person. 

It was the middle of the week.  In September.  I pretty much had the beach to myself.  Fed the seagulls, no one sat on my hand.  Sat down and read my book, the sun got brighter.  I heard the faint strains of Jimmy Buffet from the pier.   It was beautifully sunny, breezy, and about 90 degrees.  I set up my umbrella, and it worked great.  My forearms and lower legs were more exposed, and they got a little red. 

I have some Native blood, and one feature (other than really nice cheekbones), is the fact that I seldom burn.  I get red, and tan the next day.  Nice.  Thank you, Lord. 

I finished my book, and the last of my soda.  I used the port-a-pottie, which wasn't bad, considering.  I took the chair back to my room, and got some more frozen custard (it is very good) for lunch. 

Ron and I loved the 61st street fishing pier.  They had an observation deck, out on the water, about a quarter mile from the shore.  

When my Dad comes to visit next month, we plan to visit Galveston.  Ron, too.  I needed to find something Ron-able. 

I was also eager to see the "new" pier.  The lower deck is designed for fishing, but if you buy a snack you can go up on the top deck.  It's beautiful, nice breezes, quiet, and you can look into the water, which was beautifully clear that day. 

I bought a diet soda, and headed upstairs.  I happily noted the fact they have a second-story bathroom.  Ron could do that.  They did have a mix CD playing on speakers, he might not like that so much. 

But it was my birthday, MY vacation, and I wanted to sit on the deck.  I did that and watched the water.  I took a few photos, read dozens of Happy Birthday wishes from Facebook friends, and sighed happily.  I watched schools of fish, the fishermen, various tourists, and a couple of seagulls fighting over a fisherman-discarded fish head. 

Speaking of fish, getting a little hungry.  Hm.  What's for dinner?  I wanted something good, local, not a chain.  Ron called and got a recommendation for me.  I'd check that out later. 

I took my shoes off and waded in the water for quite a while.  It was so warm and lovely.  I wanted to stay forever. 

I really hope Heaven is a lot like Galveston.  I will be so happy.

I'm sure God has something even better! 

I got out of the water and changed into a nice tunic top and my black capris.  Time for my birthday dinner.  I checked out "Ron's" recommendation - the restaurant was completely empty and I had a very bad vibe. 

I listen to my gut.  I left before anyone saw me. 

Then I went to another restaurant and got some coconut shrimp for dinner.  And some custard, from the shop, for dessert. 

I went back to my room, talked to Dad when he called, and watched a little TV.  Then I told myself, I can watch TV anytime.  I set my alarm, and took another nice long shower. 

I went to bed, slept fine except for the people next door who talked outside as they checked in, and 1 AM.  I was a little peeved, but not much.  More along the lines of "Come on, really?"  I also had an evil thought about my last loaf of bread, seagulls, and 6 AM outside THEIR door! 

I DIDN'T! 

When my alarm went off I made sure I'd packed everything.  I took my last loaf of bread to the beach.  It was too early, apparently, for feeding seagulls.  I saw them and threw bread but they were more interested in some THING that had washed up during the night. 

I watched the sunrise, and went to breakfast.  Ron called me a cab (we talked a pretty good amount, but kept it light), and I went to the bus station. 

Actually, it is a gas station - see why I had to keep this quiet?  It would have been too easy to find me.  I waited outside with a couple of over-the-road truckers who talked shop.  A married couple, and a single guy.  The single guy sure had a lot to say, and say, and did not shut up for one minute. 

I waited, with my tote bag, backpack, and chair ensemble.  A ticket home cost about $20. 

I had to use the onboard, bus, toilet.  It was surprisingly clean. 

I got an even bigger shock when I got to downtown Houston.  I got a little dehydrated, and had to drink a lot of fluid to compensate.  I had to urinate, again. 

The last time I went into a Grayhound bus station bathroom, it was beyond filthy.  I wanted to take a bath in disinfectant.  That was 2 years ago. 

This time, it was spotless.  The bathroom had CLEARLY just been cleaned.  A pleasant aroma of disinfectant, sparkling clean everything.  Soap, toilet paper, hand towels.  Awesome. 

I called Ron, and told him that I felt I was in a different reality.  We laughed. 

Houston public transit is a lot like a spiderweb.  Pretty much every route originates from downtown.  You just have to find the stop.  I did. 

By the time I got home, I had to urinate again.  Ron, happily, had unlocked the door when I called. 

He was very happy to see me.  So was the cat! 

Happy anniversary - 19 years today.