What’s Happening

I know I haven’t been posting here as much as I’d like. Nothing’s wrong. Mostly I’ve just been lazy.

I got off the rig really late last Thursday. I knew I was going to miss my flight, so I changed it to the next day and booked a hotel in New Orleans. Goes to show me what good it does to plan anything in advance.

I thought I got a really good deal on my flight home from New Orleans by purchasing it in advance. I only paid $65 ($32 for the fare, the rest was taxes/fees). I wound up paying an extra $45 to change it to Thursday night, which would have been fine for a normal crew change. But then I had to pay an extra $40 to change it to the next day since we didn’t even leave the rig til around 2230 Thursday night! Cost me $85 to change it and only $65 to buy it- WOW have the airlines got some scam going!

on the boat getting ready to head to Fourchon and home!

I spent what was left of the night at the Maison Dupuy in the French Quarter. Since I didn’t get there til 0330 Friday morning, I didn’t really get to spend much time there, but what I saw of it, I liked.

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I spent a couple of hours wandering around the French Quarter. Got my fix of coffee and beignets and had to hurry back to the airport for my flight home.

flying in to Houston

I got home late Friday and was too tired for anything but a quick look through the months pile of mail blocking my front door. I spent most of the weekend catching up on both sleep and mail. Tuesday I went to painting class (they were on hiatus for the summer) and the dentist in the afternoon.

I’m not sure what happened there. I went in to fix an old filling (nothing was bothering me). Since that operation, a different tooth has been hurting when I chew on that side of my mouth. Hating the thought of having to make another dentist appointment!

I haven’t really been doing much of anything. Today I’m planning to break out of my torpor and go to the Summertime Bikes & Blues Festival. I’m not a ‘biker chick’ by any means, but I do think some of them look pretty cool. I like a lot of the kinds of people that like bikes, and I like the whole ‘freedom’ thing they promote.

I usually like the music (this year I’m disappointed they canceled a friend of mine’s band). I’ve never heard of any of the bands this year, so just hoping they’ll be up to the usual standard. The food is pretty good, with all kinds of different vendors, from BBQ to shrimp kebobs, popcorn and candy apples. Of course beer and lemonade. 🙂

I hope to have some more pics tomorrow. Next week might be busier. I’m waiting to hear if I can go back to work or not since I left under not quite the best circumstances. In any case, I need to finish up my (2016) taxes. 🙁

County Fair- Contests!

This year I entered a contest at the Brazoria County Fair for the 1st time ever. I’ve been wanting to get involved for years, but I never managed to get ready in time. I was always busy working offshore, so I was never prepared when the time came.

This year, since I joined the Brazosport Art League, I got an email reminder in time to join in. I entered 3 pieces. I won prizes for 2 of them! I was really shocked when I got the call.

Sunset Arch- won 1st prize

Sunset Arch- won 1st prize

Leaves- won 2nd prize

Leaves- won 2nd prize

helped with the intake of art. Getting everyone’s information and helping to hang the art. I was really impressed with how so much of it was so good. One old guy brought in some ducks he had carved. They looked real. He said he spent a couple hundred hours on them, carving each feather, painting each detail. He won 1st prize in sculpture. He definitely deserved it! 🙂

I really enjoyed the whole event. Helping out, I got to meet so many interesting artists and learn about their work. I went to the awards ceremony and got to learn a little about how the judging worked. Afterwards, I spent the rest of the night at the fair.

It may be corny, but I still like to wander around and check out all the animals on show. I like to watch the rodeo. I like the greasy fried fair foods. Gimme a corn dog and a funnel cake or some fried Oreos and I’m happy. I don’t do the rides anymore, but I like to see how much fun people are having. Same with the games. I always like to listen to the bands and watch the dancing.

I missed my friend Chris’s band on Friday night. I was up in Houston with the Sail la Vie club on a dive bar tour. 🙂

I didn’t realize until I went to pick up my artwork that the fair was already over for this year. I hope I’ll be better prepared next year. I do want to enter the photography contest next year, and the fine arts again too. 🙂

red starfish

red starfish

PS- All my art is for sale. Photos, paintings, etc. If you like one of my photos, let me know. I can upload it to Society6 and have it put on t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, towels, clocks, pretty much anything. I’m entering another art show this weekend in Freeport. Sunset Sip. 🙂

Freeport LNG Signs 20-Year Supply Agreement with Toshiba

Freeport LNG Signs 20-Year Supply Agreement with Toshiba | gCaptain

Good news for us 🙂 I live nearby and this should help our local economy out quite a bit. We’ve already had a few LNG ships in the port since they’ve opened this up.

Too bad they make it so hard for the sailors to get ashore. Our local Seamans Center will go to any ship in port and bring the crew to the center, to town, Walmart, the mall, wherever. They have a very nice facility and even offer free lunch on Mondays to all the port workers, truck drivers, seafarers, etc.

The companies need to stop being so obstructive. They’re just using 9-11 for a bad EXCUSE.  It IS the law, both in the USA and international that they MUST provide safe access to the shore! Why are they still allowed to prevent it instead??? 🙁

Hands Off My Home!

The Institute for Justice.

Congratulations to the people of Hackensack! This is what we ALL need to do- throw the bastards ALL out!!!

There has been a growing trend of eminent domain abuse all over the country. We had a case a few years ago locally in Freeport when the city tried to steal the Gore’s property to build a marina. There’s even a book about that episode, “Bulldozed” by Carla Main.They have only gotten worse since then 🙁 

I want to read the book but haven’t got around to it yet. Since I own property in Freeport myself, I already know how hard to deal with those city officials (and everyone associated with the city) are. Enforcing ridiculous rules and regulations that increase the costs of doing repairs or improvements to where no one can afford to do necessary work.  It almost seems like they are trying to deny people the ability to fix their property so eventually the city can come and condemn it. I have been trying to fix my property and all I get from the city is grief! I WISH the people would get together and throw them all out in Freeport too! Good start, then we can work our way up to Congress 🙂 

Here’s a link to some more on what happened in Freeport:

http://ownerscounsel.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-on-texas-developers-attempt-to.html