Wednesday Evening, 29 April 2015 - Just in case I forgot to mention it, I guess I'm a Texan again. The house in SLC has sold and it's all final.
                  I headed over to the Texas City Library today to take advantage of their free WiFi to update several pieces of my software and spent almost all afternoon there. I got my updating done, but in the process, found a good book to read, so I got educated, too. In order to update on their WiFi, I have to turn off my own HotSpot and turn WiFi on. When I returned to the motorhome and started to check my email, I realized that I hadn't reversed the process to use my HotSpot. However, low and behold, my laptop automatically tried to sign on to the city's free WiFi, so I let it. This is the second city that I've been to that has city-wide free WiFi. Corpus Christi did too. I'm back out on the Texas City Dike and it works just fine. I don't have to use up my monthly data allotment from T-Mobile. I wish I'd discovered that sooner.

Thursday, 30 April - A beautiful day here. Not a cloud in the sky. I went for a bike ride for a couple of hours in shorts and short sleeved T-shirt in perfect temperatures. I rode one section of the Texas City Levee, which, in total is 17 miles long, 23 feet high, and about 190 feet wide. Much of it is really pretty with expanses of grass, the bay on on side and fresh water on the other, and this section is all park with educational pavilions, a half scale lighthouse replica, hiking trails, a couple of airplanes, sculptures and large artwork, kids playgrounds, tennis courts, an amphitheater, and more. Lots of sea and shore birds and as I crossed one bridge, I could see well over 50 hard and soft shell turtles in the water and along the banks.
                  There was a fellow flying a paraglider very early this morning over at the levee that I could see from the dike. I couldn't see how he was getting so much lift off the levee with the little wind that we had. Then he came over to the dike and buzzed me. Obviously not a paraglider, but one of Hooks friends on a paraplane; a parachute and a pusher prop strapped to his back. I probably didn't get tho term quite right. I know Hook's parachute actually has a three wheeled frame with pusher engine and prop hanging below it. Straighten me out Hook. What are the correct terms for the two devices. Anyway, this guy went clear out to the end of the dike, back to the levee, then out over town before he disappeared from my view, then he came back, then disappeared again. I'm sure he was in the air for about 3 hours or more.
                  After my ride, I did a little (very little) maintenance on the motorhome and trailer, extended the awning, sat in the shade and had a Dr. Pepper.

Friday, 1 May 2015 - I awoke this morning at 6:00am and decided to head back up to Kemah in anticipation of viewing the CSY at Houston Yacht Club. Around 11:00, since I hadn't heard from its owner Gary Banks, I decided to call him to set up a meeting time. Bad news, they are still too busy, so I'll have to kill another week. I think they are preparing a house for sale after having moved his mother or mother-in-law into a retirement center. He was up on a ladder when I called, painting. I'll go out to dinner with Gary and Lorrie Powers this evening and spend the rest of the weekend around here, then head back to the Texas City Dike for mid-week. Went out for Thai food - had Catfish in Green Curry, very good.
                  I sat next to a very interesting lady. She teaches English as a second language and has worked as crew and volunteer on an 1877 square rigged barque named "Elissa" in Galveston for twenty something years. Elissa is a surviving square rigged ship, not a replica. One of a dying breed for sure.

Here is Elissa's web site.

Saturday, 2 May - I went over to Waterford Marina and took a look at a couple of boats; one suggested to me by people at dinner last night, a Shannon ketch, and the other a revisit of the boat that I had traveled to Galveston to see with a broker, a Catalina 400. The Shannon appears to be a really nice blue water boat, but hasn't been sailed since 2005. They've recently done some work on her to get her ready to sell, but isn't really on the market yet. The engine won't start and it looks like all the running and standing rigging needs to be looked at very closely and much of it replaced and much more.
                  The Catalina is a much newer boat, but probably out of my price range.
                  I returned to the motorhome and moved it to the parking lot of a Target store. They close at 10:00pm and are pretty slow on Sunday. Their large lot assures that I won't be in the way. After arriving, I notice that a lot of classic and muscle cars were driving past and many were pulling into this parking lot. I was busy, not paying attention, then realized that, sure enough, there was a car show going on just behind me, so I went over to take a look. There were some real beauties: lots of Mustangs and Corvettes, Camaros, a couple of Lamborghinies, several Dodge Challengers, GTOs, a Shelby Cobra, VW Bugs, many 40s and 50s classics, many much older, even a '43 Willy's Jeep fully restored. Probably about 150 cars total. Pretty cool.

Sunday, 3 May - Was spent trying to figure out how to use Apple's photo program and/or iCloud to make some of my snapshots available to my friends, but to no avail. I'm going to have to go take another class at the Apple Store. I hate Apple's promotional materials. They tell you all about what their devices and programs are capable of doing, but not HOW to do them. As with anything capable of accomplishing lots of things, it's all VERY complex.

Monday, 4 May - I spent all day at the Apple Store, again. I arrived early, hoping that even though I didn't have an appointment, maybe they could squeeze me in or fill a no-show spot with ME. No luck. I had to make an appointment and that didn't help either...but they had a class on iCloud scheduled for 6:00pm, so I signed up, again. I've taken that class before, but didn't learn what I needed to know. At 5:30, I was tired of what seemed like wasting my time, so I almost left. Thank God I didn't. As it worked out, I was the only person to sign up for the class, so rather than sit through the presentation again, I actually had a one-on-one private lesson with a VERY patient and knowledgeable instructor, so there may be images with either this or next week's update.

Tuesday, 5 May - Cinco de Mayo, my mother's birthday. I went to the gas station. Put the usual $100 worth of gas in my tank, (They shut off the pump at $100) and figured my gas mileage for this tank - 4.123 mpg; but it's so low because even though I haven't been on the road, I've been running the generator to watch TV. After that, I headed south, emptied my holding tanks, then drove on down to the Texas City Dike for some windsurfing. Had a nice afternoon sailing a mid-size sail with about 21 mph winds. A very good afternoon. I even had a visitor. Another sailboarder showed up late, then accepted my invitation to come have a beer before he headed back to North Houston.
                  It's about 10:45pm and I'm going to start reading my previous updates to see which images I need to link to which episode.

Wednesday, 6 May - I woke up late since I'd worked late reviewing my previous posts, started to have breakfast and John Price, the fellow that I sailed with yesterday drove up behind me and knocked on the door. After leaving here last evening, he decided to avoid the drive home and stay in Galveston for the night so he could sail this morning. The wind is back and so is he. He rigged and got in a little sailing while I had breakfast, then I joined him for a nice session, then he packed up to head home. While he was here, he volunteered to take a few pictures of me with my camera and I took him up on the offer. Now you'll be able to see my bright, pretty face sailing at the Dike. Since he left, I've been uploading the images for the trip so far. It's still rather complex and time consuming, so I hope I got it right. If I screwed up the titles, the links, or anything else, let me know.
                  I hope everybody enjoys the photos.
                  I've added links to the pictures that match each episode on my main Travels page, so to see them, click on the "Previous Episodes and Photos" link below.

            The wind is still blowing, so I need to get back out there.
                        Have a great week.