another day trip

*Minor changes to the blog layout. I've gone ahead and removed the 'follow by email' function since it's going to be dysfunctional starting in July, no sense in more people signing on that way for just two months or so. I assume those who already get email notices will continue to get them up until then. And I've reinstalled the blogger 'follow me' function. I initially took it down because my follower count stayed stagnant for years and it was depressing to look at. Once again, if you do follow by email you will have to be more proactive to see my posts either through bookmarking or getting a blogger account (no blog required) and follow that way but you will still have to go to it instead of it coming to you.

Our trip to Washington-On-The-Brazos was on Monday. Tuesday besides going to the grocery store and taking the recycling, I worked over at the shop yard cutting up all the dead branches to a more manageable size from the huge yellow bells, purple orchid tree, and the morning glory bush that I pruned off last Sunday hauling it to the burn pile. Wednesday we had planned to go to Galveston for the day but John, our brother who is a very handy guy, got started on a project for Pam at her house replacing the faucet in her sink with a dragon faucet. 

What should have been a simple switch out took one and a half days, two trips to Lowe's, three trips to El Campo, one trip to Tractor Supply, and an order from Amazon and lots of muttering and stomping around. While that was going on, I planted another batch of my zinnia sprouts which may or may not survive.

So we went to Galveston, a two hour drive away, on Thursday instead. Galveston has a touristy historical district called The Strand full of grand old restored buildings,

bars and restaurants, and touristy and other shops. We walked down to one end, had lunch, and walked back on the other side going into this shop or that  where we saw more questionable sodas and clone serum among other things.

Did they really expect to sell clothespins for $1 a piece?

Seed pod nativities,

if only.

We thought these were hilarious back in the far corner of a christmas shop.

Flavored salt and wild beast jerky

    

and jewelry for what ails you (the full list had about 40 items on it).

Part of a big mural on the side of one building.

Then we drove down the seawall and eventually parked and walked down the stairs to the beach. It was overcast and chilly and windy so we didn't tarry long.

About 4:30 we headed back home and were about halfway when Pam's car emitted a soft little whistle. What was that, I asked. Don't know she says, no warning lights on the dash. A few minutes later, another sort of a thunk and a whizz and the battery light came on and the power steering failed. John took over driving Pam's Honda Pilot and we managed another half hour before the automatic transmission started thunking and clunking and jerking so we pulled into a gas station about a half hour from home. John lifted the hood, well, there's the problem, the serpentine belt is gone. The belt that causes all sorts of things to work, like the alternator and the power steering. Called AAA and a tow truck would be forthcoming. Meanwhile I called Marc to come pick John and I up since only one person could ride in the tow truck. He arrived and we waited till the tow truck arrived which was about 20 minutes after that, it was our own Poor Farms wrecker service in Wharton and since he knew where to take the car Pam rode back with us.

So, as they say, all's well that ends well. Pam talked to the mechanic Friday morning and it seems a bolt broke off which caused the loss of the serpentine belt.