Advantages of Land Life

On one of our cruising anniversaries, I listed reasons for our love of that life. So, in the interest of fair play, I will now list the joys of land life:

1. Warmth when "the weather outside is frightful," as it was for a few days last week.

2. Physical comfort in general.

3. Ease of cooking, baking, eating, and clean-up: full-size, easily-accessed refrigerator and freezer; well-insulated, full-sized oven and microwave; good stovetop; full-sized food processor; dishwasher, and so on and so on.

4. Automobiles at the ready.

5. Familiarity with the area.

6. Nearness of old friends and family.

7. Opportunity to participate in long-term activities (volunteer, social, educational, community) and make long-term commitments.

8. Never any concern about wi-fi or television reception or battery consumption or heads.

My goodness, this land life is one of ease and comfort! But never fear, we still plan to resume our cruising in the spring. Too much comfort makes Doris a complacent girl.

BBQ Cookoff . . . And the Winner Is . . .

Jumping in with both feet to Clear Lake Shores, Tom and I have attended a civic club and a city council meeting, and it was there that he learned of the Barbecue cook-off slated for November 8. Without hesitation, and taking courage from his well-received brisket at last winter's party at the pool house, he decided to enter.

"Take an e-mail," he instructed, and so I did, inviting a few friends to join the team, which he had, again unhesitatingly, named "Mudsharks."

"What is a mudshark?"

"A catfish with attitude."*

And so a legend, and quite an undertaking, was born.

Barbecue pit: Gerri Lynn's

T-shirts: Ray and Karen's talent, working off an image I found on Google Images.* A willing and skilled islander able to put the image into vector, whatever that may mean. Crown Trophy in Seabrook, able to turn the order around quickly.

It takes a village to have as good a time, create as good a product, and make as light work of the day (and preceding night) as we did, and we have joined a most excellent village. Love these guys!

We took 2nd place in brisket, by the way, competing against a dozen other teams, some of whom were semi-pros. It was a great experience.

 Karen, Tina, Doris, Ray, Debbie S. (barely), Debbie A, Nancy, Randy, Tommy standing. In front: Tom and Scott. What a team!

                                        Don't know why I was sent up to get the trophy.

Tommy joined Tom on the driveway for the practice run. And he joined Tom at the park at midnight the night before the event; they lit the fire, put the meat on about 1:30 in the morning, and had a good old time, punctuated by sleep in folding chairs. Tom said that, having been a public employee in his working life, he felt right at home with his work consisting of throwing on a log every hour or so. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Tom came home and crashed from about 6 to 8 a.m., then returned for the duration. Tommy crashed later and then joined the festivities again. By that time, Ray had become the main cooker man:

He was ably assisted by Ken and Randy (who had flown in, with little sleep, from Saudi Arabia the night before):

And Debbie and Karen were there all day with snacks and drinks, encouragement and organization.

There was general visiting (here with Al, city coucilman) and drinking among the troops.

And other friends, such as Jane here, came by to cheer us on and enjoy the party:

Korkie and Kathie were in attendance, and you may be able to see Larry back in the background.

*Tom was once a member of a softball team in Beaumont, made up of Curtis and other Golden Triangle natives; Tom was the outlander, but was still allowed to be a Mudshark. It was only after the decision was made to take that name for our cooking team that we learned from Tommy that this is also a derogatory (at least it seems so from looking at the images on Google,which I can confirm) term for a white woman who goes out with a black man. Oops. Hope we didn't offend anyone.

 

Fall Events in CLS

Fishing Derby

 Yes, I believe we are in Mayberry.

Barktoberfest

 This is definitely a dog community. They tolerate those of us without a dog.

 

There is always something going on here!

Fall

I keep moving the pumpkins around.

Tina

We met Tommy and Tina a year or so after we had moved to Baytown, so we have known one another for over twenty years, and it is through them that we have met so many Clear Lake Shores folks. They (T and T) are wonderful, and, seeing that I have few photo posts of her, I am creating a post of her alone.

At Debbie A's house, celebrating her birthday late, as she had barely gotten home from Austin on her actual birthday -- she had been there to greet her new grandson. And this CLS group does not let a birthday go unmarked.

Cheers, Tina, and thanks for being such a good friend, as well as for easing our transition into the hood with your thoughtfulness. Goes for Tommy, too.