We left SPI this morning at around 10:30, heading for Rosenberg, Texas. Our reservation for New Orleans starts Saturday, so we have 2.5 days to drive about 800 miles. No problem! Tomorrow we plan to stay in Lafayette, which is only a couple of hrs outside New Orleans.

Today was an uneventful 6 .5 hrs. The most excitement we had was a federal agent Inspection Station a couple of hrs outside of SPI. The lineup took about 20 min, and they had dope sniffing dogs and everything. When we got to the front, they only asked us where we were from and where we were going, then waved us on. Phew, had us worried for a minute. As a result of the storms last nite, we saw quite a bit of standing water in the fields. Texas has needed moisture, so it's good except for the trucks under water. :(

We are in Rosenberg now. Brrr - only 19 degrees here compared to 30 degrees yesterday at the zoo.

We ate supper at a cute little diner beside our Motel 6, called the Waffle House. We felt like we were in the middle of one of those diners on "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" (Food Network). :o) The waitress was super Texan and loud (and sweet, even though she kept calling me ma'am), and she was shouting when she called orders and talked to the two other guys who were cooking. There was the old style counter with the attached, swivel stools, and funny little red booths. When anyone paid, she said "Thanks y'all ... and AMEN".

I had a grilled cheese sandwich & chili for $4!! And Roger had an omelet with hash browns (he had a choice of twelve different toppings, but stuck with "just plain, thanks") and a bisquit with jelly. He could have had grits but we forgot what those were so he didn't risk it. We looked it up when we got home ... yah, good he passed on them cuz they look like corn porridge.

From the internet:
Grits consist of coarsely ground corn, or sometimes alkali-treated corn (hominy) - we have seen canned hominy in the grocery stores. Grits are similar to thick porridge. They are often served with grated cheese, butter, sausage or country ham red-eye gravy. Grits have also been known to be served with fish such as fried catfish or salmon croquettes. Grits can also be fried in a pan or molded to create a firm block, which can be cut with a knife or wire, and the slices fried in a oil, butter or bacon grease.