Fri, Jan 13
Quite cool out today, and Gil & Lois still very stuffed up and suffering, so we took it easy . They showed us around SPI, Port Isabella and Brownsville (the town on the Texas side of the Mexican border). Travel across the border is not recommended due to the violence on the Mexican side, but a Mexican market has started up in Brownsville to cater to the "winter Texans".

We went to the Tourist Info Centre to pick up some maps and brochures, then got some groceries at H.E.B. We also picked up the movie "Soul Surfer" at the Redbox for tonite. Lois & Gil have filled us in on Redbox - they are red movie and game vending machines at the Stripes gas stations. It costs only $1.30 to rent a movie (you can check all the ones they have available online) - you pay with your credit card and then return it to the Redbox machine. Lois says they have them at home at the Safeway stores. Will have to check on that at home.

Sat, Jan 14
We've had trouble the last two mornings with the TV not working. They have had some intermittant service with the TV, internet and phone being flaky (all from the same provider), so assumed it was that . Turns out I have been shutting the cable off on the TV at night. Gil has been mucking with the wiring and stuff, so wasn't terribly impressed with his little sister when we figured it out. LMAO.

The TV in Gil & Lois' bedroom was being replaced by the condo managers today. Gil didn't like how they installed it, so was mucking around with it later ... with his accomplice. ;o)

NFL football games on today and tomorrow - Gil has cancelled golfing for this weekend, I think partly because he's still not feeling that good, and partly because of the football games. We went walking on the beach, and Lois and I went out for a bit this afternoon - checked out the Bird Watching area, and drove past Andy Howie Park and the Shores "ritzy" housing developing on the outskirts. Then we went over to Port Isabel to run some errands.

We also stopped by the Tourist Information to ask about the pelican warning lights on the bridge. They said that a lot of pelicans normally winter here, and they cause havoc on the bridge - the stand on the road, land/fly into cars, etc and cause accidents. So when there are a lot of them here (usually Dec - Feb), they run the flashing lights constantly. However, they are also controlled manually by the bird watching station - if there isn't a big flock of them hanging about, they'll turn the lights off (which is the case right now). And there you have it.

Lois and I played scrabble after supper while Gil & Roger watched the second football game. We had a barn burner - her and I were very closely matched. :) Roger lost $2 to Gil on the football games - he's hoping to recoup his losses on Sunday.