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David really likes Sniff, too.

David Holt made me this birdhouse some time ago.  Today I heard cheeping and went closer to see.  Yep!  That’s a hungry baby beak!

This week we bring you another installment of Stacy does Texas.  I like to call this one Great Beginning—Debacle—Pleasant Interlude-–Debacle—Great Ending.

So, I go down to Houston to visit my Aunt Jane ,Uncle Garland, Sandy, and Pattie and to kayak Buffalo Bayou.  This trail was featured on an email list that I receive from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.  Apparently they started cleaning it up about five or six years ago because it was so skanky.  I was a little worried about it being just too gross to go on because kayaks by their nature take on some water as you paddle.  Jane and I went to check it out on Friday and decided it looked okay.    Jane then dropped me off at Sandy’s place and we went to eat dinner with Pattie.  I had a wonderful time just hanging out and visiting with them – they are such neat people. I forgot my camera though!  (End of Great Beginning)

The next morning I’m up and ready for the Bayou by around 10:15.  We find the sign for the paddling trail. 

The “road”

See this trail?  Looks like a road, doesn’t it?  We thought that the put-in might be down this road.  We head down it for quite a ways and then there is a utility pole pretty much blocking the road.  We try to get around it and realize that we are STUCK IN SAND!!!!!!!  I kind of freak but Jane says to back up down the little incline and try to get a head of steam up and see if I can barrel back up there.  I try this four times and it’s very scary as the bed is fish-tailing the entire way!  We discussed calling AAA at that point but it would have been a fortune.  Jane says to try to go to the right of the utility pole because there are pine needles and such on that side.  I was VERY nervous about this as there was no real room for error.  But I did it anyway.  First time, no go.  Second time – success, thank God!!!!!   (End of the first debacle.)

At this point, I was really ready to bag the whole thing but Jane urged me on and I agreed that after all of this it would be a shame to not go.  We head back looking for the launch spot again and Jane finds a place that we can launch, but it is very primitive.  I’m still jumpy from the First Debacle and very tentative but at last I get in and get going with encouragement from Jane and two other kayakers.  They asked me if I knew how to swim as I had this big freaking life jacket on.  I said no, my aunt makes me wear this (SHOUT OUT TO NANCY) .  It took me about thirty minutes to calm down and not think snakes, etc . were going to get me.  But once I did, I started having a great time!  These pictures don’t do the Bayou justice.  The first part runs through downtown  and then it kind of has some prettier spots There were also a few rapids that had a depth of like two inches, forcing me to get out and pull the boat through.  Kayaks are hard to get in and out of , but they are great once you are actually IN one!  There was also a lot of debris  that I had to navigate through.  There were plastic bags up in the trees L and other signs of Ike.  I like this picture because the red clay reminds me of Georgia!

I also saw an alligator gar – eek! There were a lot of fish jumping.  One huge one jumped up partially under my boat and scared the bejeebus out of me!  I also saw a lot of birds.   This picture is interesting I think because you can see the bird’s shadow as s/he takes off.  (End of the Pleasant Interlude)

I had been paddling for 2 hours and 15 minutes and the paddle was supposed to 2.5-3 hours so I called Jane when I saw that I was under the Shepherd Bridge and asked if she knew where I was.  She did and said that I needed to try to get out soon.  I told her I’d look for a place and call her back.  I saw a park on my right and the sign for the paddling trail there, but the water was down so low from the drought that you couldn’t get out on that side.  Plus it was all concrete on that side (this was under the Waugh Bridge.)  I look to the left and there’s about a 12 foot high spot that I thought I might could get out of.  I called Jane and told her.   About this time, I started realizing that it smelled like urine. And I’m hearing this high pitched cheep cheep noise.  Then I see a bat in the water and realize that I am standing in tons of guano!!  YUCK!!!  But I suck it up and start trying to get the kayak up the rise.  It is 60 lbs and underneath the guano was (you guessed it!) SAND.  So I’m not really able to get good purchase with my feet.  Consequently, I am pulling it up about an 2-3 inches at a time before I have to rest (remember – I had been paddling for the last two hours).  I get it this far and realize that I can’t do it.  See all that guano??

Long story short but I had to sit in bat crap for about 40 minutes before Garland could get there and help me get it out because I was afraid to leave the kayak.  Ugh! (end Second Debacle)

I get back to Jane’s and take about a 20 minute shower because I’m so grossed out.  But then Garland cooked up some AWESOME steaks with my Grandaddy’s sauce recipe and my Uncle Bill had got us tickets to see Cabaret so we went to the show.  It was FABULOSO!! But it was kind of lewd too which made me feel uncomfortable sitting next to my aunt, LOL.

As I was leaving today, Jane and Garland also gave me a set of golf clubs! When it cools off, I hope David will give me some lessons.  Thanks to Jane and Garland for a great weekend! (end Great Ending)

If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for reading.  I needed to vent!

Today we made a quick roadtrip to Houston for my aunt and uncle’s 50th anniversary party.  What an accomplishment!  FIFTY years!!

My cousin, Diane, who along with her brother and their spouses did such a great job putting this together!

Jane makes a toast:

What is so funny?

Uncle Bill even flew in for the occasion!

Cutting the cake again, fifty years later:

Partying can wear you out!

Tonight we went to Benihana to celebrate Mom’s birthday! Started off with sushi, which was divine and even better was at happy hour pricing! W00t!

Here we are waiting for the chef:

You know the “show” is usually the best part – Hook e’m!

But not tonight! I was in hysterics watching the birthday girl! ROFL!!

Singing and clapping:

Happy birthday, Mom!!!!