Wednesday

We got up early and caught our flight to SLC then connected to Las Vegas. When we arrived and got back to our motel via the shuttle, I found my battery dead. I called Judy and she came to our rescue and jumped us. We then went to indoor outlets on the South and the outdoor outlets on the North for some more shopping. We ate sushi at Makino's and it was really good. Then we came home and I took a nap. Tamara stayed up with the kids and then went to bed early. It is good to be home.

Tuesday

We got up, cleaned, and left and drove to San Antonio. We went to Rudy's BBQ for lunch at about 3pm when we arrived and it was great. You order by the pound and they stack all your food on paper and throw it in a pop (2 liter) crate. We got the potato salad, cole slaw, beans, and their cream corn was the best. For meat we got a little moist brisket, lean brisket, turkey, spare ribs, baby back ribs, chopped (beef, pork, and turkey chopped fine with sauce), and sausage. We then went and found my old apartment. Then to the new temple dedicated 5 years ago. Then to the mall. We then turned in our car and settled down in our motel room to watch game 3 of the NBA finals.

Monday

Today we just cleaned up, lounged around, and got ready to leave for tomorrow. For lunch we went to a Texas fast food icon-Whataburger. While we were out in the high heat we shopped around to get gifts for the kids. We couldn't find anything in any of the beach stores. We rented a few more movies, went back to the condo, and watched the movies. It is Tam's kind of vacation.

Sunday

We fasted today and went to a Spanish branch in Port Isabel. There were about 30 people for sacrament meeting. We met in a rented store in the back of the strip mall - it brought back memories. We then went to redbox and got 3 movies to watch and sat around all day Sunday and watched movies until the NBA game 2 finals. What a relaxing day. After the game we walked down to the beach and strolled along hand in hand feeling the sand between our toes and listening to the waves crash on the beach...until I was hit in the back by a flying venomous insect the size of a small bird which caused me to fly forward landing on the sand on my face. I yelled for help to get it off and the only person around would not come to my aid. Instead she stood there on the beach jumping and flapping her hands and screaming, "Eewwwww." Finally a 2x4 was seen laying nearby and as she wielded the huge stick and swung it toward the awful beast sucking my life out of me through my back, it let go with its fangs and was dislodged as we both were hit with the board. I could not reach the swelling mound on my back as I screamed for mud to be used to lessen the pain. Again, no response to my ailing cries for help. I drug myself through the sand leaving a trench as a mark of my path looking for solace. Finally I reached my condo and was able to get into my bed which became quickly soaked with sweat as I fought the poison in my body that was trying to take my life and my vacation from me. As I fought on during the night I was continually being propped up on a angle more and more as a result of the swelling on my back increasing. The next morning I woke to find that I had survived the attack and was able to go on. I did received a rub on my back by my would be rescuer with the comforting words, "Quite being a baby, it is fine."

Saturday

Today we slept in, had cereal for breakfast, then watched a movie in bed. By the time we got out it was too hot to do anything; in fact, Tam walked in the sand on the beach in her flip flops and the sand was so hot it still burned her feet when it was deep. We went and returned the movie and did a little shopping and site-seeing in Port Isabel. We fixed lunch at the condo and watched another movie. For dinner we went to Louie's and had a seafood buffet, it was really good but the it was too hot, I was sweating while eating and I wasn't eating hot stuff. This is on the shore of Laguna Madre where you can eat while watching the sun set. When we got out it was dark and across the street is a little amusement park where we watched several people bungie jump. We were gonna walk the beach tonight but decided to go to bed since church is early.

Friday

We got up this morning and got packed and out the door by about 9am. We ate at Denny's in downtown San Antonio then hit the road. We arrived in Laredo and found my old address but no pink palace (I lived in a pink trailer next to a house), they had it hauled off. We then went to Mcallen and found one of the old apartments and then to Brownsville and found my old apartment to the side of a house. I didn't have the address in McAllen and was able to find it and the one in Brownsville hadn't changed. But still, I really didn't think things would have changed so much but they have. I guess if I compare it to St. George 23 years ago the same holds true. We then drove to South Padre Island where a friend from McAllen so many years ago has a condo and allowed us to stay there. We got in late, bought some food, supplies, and rented a video at the grocery store and set up camp in the condo. We are about 1 block from the beach.

Thursday

Today we got out of the conference early. Fred Frese was the closing speaker and was very good. He is a Ph.d. Psychologist who has Schizophrenia. When I got back to the hotel room Tam was all packed up and ready to leave. I reminded her that we were leaving tomorrow - it was pretty funny seeing her there sitting waiting for me with her suitcase beside her ready to go as I walked in the door. The look on her face was great as I told her we weren't leaving until tomorrow. We then went downtown and did some sightseeing then we went to Mi Tierra for lunch. I had carne asada, carnitas, and a tamale. Tam had enchiladas and a tamale. It was very good, better than yesterday. Later we went to County Line for BBQ, it was OK but I'm probably picky about my smoke. I had the sampler platter with beef ribs, pork ribs, brisket, turkey, and sausage. Tam had salmon. We watched the first half of the game there and then came back to our motel room and watched the last half. I don't have a preference, I like both teams and root for the great plays no matter who makes them and tonight I have been rooting more for the Lakers.

Wednesday

Today Tam was sleeping when I left to go to class. I didn't get to see her at lunch as there was an awards luncheon all the coordinator's attended - salad, rosemary chicken, beans, potatoes, chocolate cheesecake with cherries. After classes Tam and I went over to a friend's house in San Antonio and did laundry. We then went out to eat with everyone from Utah at El Mirador - Tam got enchiladas and a taco and I got the special with two different types of enchiladas, empanada, and taco. It was suppose to be the authentic place but I wasn't too impressed.