SEVENTY

Could this man really be 70?

05/06/14 - Brennan's

It was a mild celebration - he didn't want to make a big deal about it - so we had a great dinner at Brennan's and then Norma dropped by with some balloons that Elvis enjoyed as much as Jerry.

The Wabash Feed Store

Living in the fourth largest city in the U.S., you wouldn't think you could find a feed store within the city limits - much less about 5 miles from Downtown - but you can.  If you've never been, the Wabash is just across Washington Ave. from El Tiempo Restaurant and it's right by the car wash we frequent on the weekends.

I know it's silly, and it's probably because they're all gone now and I just like thinking about growing up and going to McVoy's in Rockdale with my grandmother, but there's something fun about a feed store.  A REAL one ... with plants and fertilizer and tacky iron "sculptures" in the yard ... and someone's too-young kittens and puppies in a pen - waiting to be adopted ... and chickens (fancy & plain) ... hay and the inevitable "barn cat".

This cat is tiny, but super friendly and usually greets us and let's me carry him around the store as we look at all the stuff we don't need.  Today we arrived to find him sacked out on top of the hay bales.

Lots of chickens and they were all working on their eggs ... particularly the one in the corner.

As we were leaving, we looked back and this is the condition "black kitty" was in ... it's a shame he can't relax

Next time you need farming supplies, or just want to step back in time for a little while, visit the Wabash!

Herman Park & Interesting Art

Jerry and I like to get out to different spots around the City for our "long walks" on the Sundays we're in town.  The relatively new hike and bike paths around Buffalo Bayou downtown are a favorite, as is the path around Herman Park - with a detour across the suspension bridge near the golf course.

You never know what you're going to see on these adventures and while we don't know anything about this "rope art", we thought it was pretty cool!

Our other favorite thing about this path - aside from the beautiful bridge - are the huge catfish easily visible in the bayou.

And one last wide shot with the bridge and the large rope art installation on the other side of the bayou ...

Maine Coon Madness at the Omni

Since they weren't stressed out enough with all of our April travels, Jerry scheduled a massive carpet cleaning and floor refinishing job the week after Crescent City.  After meeting with the technician and being told that the cats and I could remain in the house while this was being done, the night before they begin work, Jerry reads the instructions that clearly state pets and children cannot walk on the floors until the stain-proofing and stone sealant has been dry 8 hours.  Now, with every floor in every room being worked on, over a 48 hour period, I wasn't exactly sure where that left us.

Enter the Omni!  They were so nice to us - said they have lots of guests who live out remodeling projects with their pets at the hotel.  Now the boys are accustomed to getting in the car, but they know the pattern.  If only one cat goes and they're put in the small carrier, that means they're going to the vet ... SCARY.  If both cats go and they're put in the big car kennel - and both Jerry and I are in the car - they know they're going to Galveston.  So this morning, when I loaded them and some supplies into the car kennel - without Jerry - they KNEW something bad was going down.

This feeling was reinforced when we arrived at the Omni.  Jerry had walked over from his office to help get them in the room, but those "helpful valets" didn't seem to understand that it's different with cats checking into a hotel than it is with dogs!  I would have taken a photo of them riding on the luggage cart inside their kennel, but I was too focused on praying that Elvis would not break through the mesh and take out the bellman's legs.

For some time after we arrived in the room, Elvis was in the back of the kennel, UNDER his bed!  This was uncharted territory and he wasn't happy.

He's quick to "spark" and fairly quick to adjust ... within a short time, he was making himself at home.

Maybe a little TOO much at home!

By the next morning, they were feeling pretty confident - except when someone from the hotel knocked on the door or dared to enter the room with a room service order.

At one point, Denny appointed himself "door guard" and did a good job of keeping us safe.

I guess you know it's time to go when the cats get in their kennel - clearly wanting to go home.  We checked out the evening of the second day - thinking the carpets (cleaned first) should be safe for them that night.

It was not easy, moving half the contents of the house into the garage and hauling the cats to a hotel, but they did a good job and I won't have to deal with that again for a while!