Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Many First
I started this entry on February 2nd and found it in my drafts. I was re-reading it and it made me smile and chuckle.
As I was looking out the window at the bay, I realized that there have been many "first experiences" since we bought the vacation house.
The first time we actually did without cable for a whole week. We only get two channels. One is decent reception, the other you can hear really well, but get snowy reception. We contemplate getting satellite, but can't justify the cost for 10 days of viewing. Besides, the only time we want to watch TV is during bad weather. Isn't that when satellites have problems? Oh, and we only get six radio stations really well. Out there we get Christian, Country, Oldies and Spanish/Tejano. Personally, not my type of music. I lean more toward pop.
The first time I caught a flounder, sheepshead, and black drum. Scott can't wait until I catch a redfish (also known as a red drum). He says if you catch a big one it is like having your line caught on the bumper of a fast moving car. I'll have to take his word on that because I never rode a bike, skates, skateboard holding on to the bumper of car. Since, I wrote this in February, I have caught a "legal size" redfish. It pulled hard, but not like Scott described it. He told me to wait until I catch a redfish that is larger size, then I will know what it like to get hooked on bumper of a car.
The first time I became interested in doing outdoors type activities. Sometimes we drive 40 miles a way to Matagorda Beach and picnic even though it is the middle of winter. We get the whole beach to ourselves. I am starting to have quite a collection of shells. When my mom heard about my collection she said it didn't surprise her since I used to love to go fossil hunting.
The first time I have been able to talk myself out of buying a new car vehicle because I have the buying bug. I instead reason with myself and ask how I can invest the extra money.
The first time family decided our bay house was a better place to have Thanksgiving than having it in Austin. The family is already talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas 2007. Scott's mom is excited to spending the Christmas holiday on the Texas bay.
The first time Scott and his dad spent more than a few hours together. Just as a bonus he got a chance to meet my family as well as one of Scott's cousin who hadn't seen since he was a toddler. Scott and his dad were not on speaking terms until last April. Scott's dad wasn't around while Scott was growing up and then they briefly met when Scott was in his mid-20's. That visit didn't go to well. Anyway, Scott wanted to tell his dad he forgave him so he wouldn't be a hypocrite asking his own children for forgiveness. His dad was difficult to find, but after a few months of internet searching I finally was able to piece together a few slivers of information. To make a long story short, his dad and I got along well. He mentioned to Scott before departing that Scott married a good woman. Perhaps it was because I didn't judge him and asked him to show me how to cook a few of his favorite dishes.
This was the first Christmas in a decade since Scott's mom had all her children under the same roof with her. Not to say we haven't been under the same room, but it was under Scott's half brother's dad. Yeah, Scott still keeps in touch with his ex-step dad. That was because of me too. I told him he should reach out to his ex-step dad so his half brother wouldn't feel so awkward talking about his dad's family. Apparently, Scott and his ex-step dad had falling out when Scott's mom decided to get a divorce. Scott naturally took his mother's side. Scott and his ex-stepdad had a falling out. However, that is water under the bridge and his ex-step dad now calls on a regular basis. Note: I guess family is very important to me. You can't choose your family, so you make the best of it. My motto is don't cast stones at the glass house. We aren't perfect, so we shouldn't judge our family based on their behaviour. Sometimes they don't act in the most appropriate or civil way. I think Scott has benefited quite a bit from my view on "men" kinfolk. The majority of mine are known to be scoundrels, rakes, gamblers, and drunks. You can't make them change their ways. So, I accept them as is. I can't change them if they don't want to change their ways. Scott says I have a good heart because I always try to see the good in people.
The first time I have seen such a variety species of birds. The coast is a winter nesting ground for several birds. It is quite frustrating to see a bird for the first time and not know what it is. I've seen spoonbills who are white, but their feathers are tinged with various shades of light pink because of all the shrimp they eat. Sandhill cranes which are as huge as ostridges. I've also seens loons, kingfisher, ducks, white pelicans, and brown pelicans. All of these from the outside of my window. I can watch them for hours.
The first time I got to see a wild dolphin up close. I was sitting on the dock (of the bay - bad pun) and had the crap scared out of me. I didn't realize there was a dolphin in the area. I was day dreaming and heard a violent commotion in the water. The dolphin was only a few feet from me when it attacked a school of bait fish. I got a close up look at its face, dorsel, and fins. I love watching them swim in the bay. They do it a lot in the fall, but this winter only a few times. The bay where our house is at is an inner bay, so the water level is usually shallow during the winter.
The first time I experienced life in a really tiny town. It is a challenge to do things that I take for granted in Austin. Such as a variety of furniture or appliance stores, having a drugstore open 24 x 7, stores being open on Sunday, being able to buy a good imported beer, high speed internet, having a Lowes or Home Depot down the road, having more than one channel on TV, having city sewage rather than a septic tank. There are trade offs though. It is a sleepy town with a really nice beach close by. The small town used to have a nice man made beach, but the last hurricane washed most of it away. The town is slowly recovering.
The first time seeing what the chemical plant burnoff looks like at night. This totally scared the crap out of both of us. It was about 7:30 pm on a Saturday night when we heard a boom and felt the ground shake. The shake turned into a low rumble. We looked out the window and saw a bright fire glow in the horizon. We almost packed up and left. It was a few hours later when we realized that there was no danger based on how our neighbors were reacting. Umm..they had no reaction. Nobody was looking out there windows. We felt like total morons.
As I was looking out the window at the bay, I realized that there have been many "first experiences" since we bought the vacation house.
The first time we actually did without cable for a whole week. We only get two channels. One is decent reception, the other you can hear really well, but get snowy reception. We contemplate getting satellite, but can't justify the cost for 10 days of viewing. Besides, the only time we want to watch TV is during bad weather. Isn't that when satellites have problems? Oh, and we only get six radio stations really well. Out there we get Christian, Country, Oldies and Spanish/Tejano. Personally, not my type of music. I lean more toward pop.
The first time I caught a flounder, sheepshead, and black drum. Scott can't wait until I catch a redfish (also known as a red drum). He says if you catch a big one it is like having your line caught on the bumper of a fast moving car. I'll have to take his word on that because I never rode a bike, skates, skateboard holding on to the bumper of car. Since, I wrote this in February, I have caught a "legal size" redfish. It pulled hard, but not like Scott described it. He told me to wait until I catch a redfish that is larger size, then I will know what it like to get hooked on bumper of a car.
The first time I became interested in doing outdoors type activities. Sometimes we drive 40 miles a way to Matagorda Beach and picnic even though it is the middle of winter. We get the whole beach to ourselves. I am starting to have quite a collection of shells. When my mom heard about my collection she said it didn't surprise her since I used to love to go fossil hunting.
The first time I have been able to talk myself out of buying a new car vehicle because I have the buying bug. I instead reason with myself and ask how I can invest the extra money.
The first time family decided our bay house was a better place to have Thanksgiving than having it in Austin. The family is already talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas 2007. Scott's mom is excited to spending the Christmas holiday on the Texas bay.
The first time Scott and his dad spent more than a few hours together. Just as a bonus he got a chance to meet my family as well as one of Scott's cousin who hadn't seen since he was a toddler. Scott and his dad were not on speaking terms until last April. Scott's dad wasn't around while Scott was growing up and then they briefly met when Scott was in his mid-20's. That visit didn't go to well. Anyway, Scott wanted to tell his dad he forgave him so he wouldn't be a hypocrite asking his own children for forgiveness. His dad was difficult to find, but after a few months of internet searching I finally was able to piece together a few slivers of information. To make a long story short, his dad and I got along well. He mentioned to Scott before departing that Scott married a good woman. Perhaps it was because I didn't judge him and asked him to show me how to cook a few of his favorite dishes.
This was the first Christmas in a decade since Scott's mom had all her children under the same roof with her. Not to say we haven't been under the same room, but it was under Scott's half brother's dad. Yeah, Scott still keeps in touch with his ex-step dad. That was because of me too. I told him he should reach out to his ex-step dad so his half brother wouldn't feel so awkward talking about his dad's family. Apparently, Scott and his ex-step dad had falling out when Scott's mom decided to get a divorce. Scott naturally took his mother's side. Scott and his ex-stepdad had a falling out. However, that is water under the bridge and his ex-step dad now calls on a regular basis. Note: I guess family is very important to me. You can't choose your family, so you make the best of it. My motto is don't cast stones at the glass house. We aren't perfect, so we shouldn't judge our family based on their behaviour. Sometimes they don't act in the most appropriate or civil way. I think Scott has benefited quite a bit from my view on "men" kinfolk. The majority of mine are known to be scoundrels, rakes, gamblers, and drunks. You can't make them change their ways. So, I accept them as is. I can't change them if they don't want to change their ways. Scott says I have a good heart because I always try to see the good in people.
The first time I have seen such a variety species of birds. The coast is a winter nesting ground for several birds. It is quite frustrating to see a bird for the first time and not know what it is. I've seen spoonbills who are white, but their feathers are tinged with various shades of light pink because of all the shrimp they eat. Sandhill cranes which are as huge as ostridges. I've also seens loons, kingfisher, ducks, white pelicans, and brown pelicans. All of these from the outside of my window. I can watch them for hours.
The first time I got to see a wild dolphin up close. I was sitting on the dock (of the bay - bad pun) and had the crap scared out of me. I didn't realize there was a dolphin in the area. I was day dreaming and heard a violent commotion in the water. The dolphin was only a few feet from me when it attacked a school of bait fish. I got a close up look at its face, dorsel, and fins. I love watching them swim in the bay. They do it a lot in the fall, but this winter only a few times. The bay where our house is at is an inner bay, so the water level is usually shallow during the winter.
The first time I experienced life in a really tiny town. It is a challenge to do things that I take for granted in Austin. Such as a variety of furniture or appliance stores, having a drugstore open 24 x 7, stores being open on Sunday, being able to buy a good imported beer, high speed internet, having a Lowes or Home Depot down the road, having more than one channel on TV, having city sewage rather than a septic tank. There are trade offs though. It is a sleepy town with a really nice beach close by. The small town used to have a nice man made beach, but the last hurricane washed most of it away. The town is slowly recovering.
The first time seeing what the chemical plant burnoff looks like at night. This totally scared the crap out of both of us. It was about 7:30 pm on a Saturday night when we heard a boom and felt the ground shake. The shake turned into a low rumble. We looked out the window and saw a bright fire glow in the horizon. We almost packed up and left. It was a few hours later when we realized that there was no danger based on how our neighbors were reacting. Umm..they had no reaction. Nobody was looking out there windows. We felt like total morons.
