Adrienne Culpepper: August 2010 Archives

A couple random reasons for nearly not passing your State Vehicle Inspection :

1. the threads on your gas cap are not "big enough".  This actually happened to me last month and it was a first.  I'm there at the service station - a truly captive audience since my car and all my keys are 8 feet off the ground - and the guy's standing there with my inadequate gas cap in hand asking me if I want a new one or if I want to fail the inspection.  

"Well how much do you charge for a new cap?" I asked, and to myself "...that I suspect you now keep a handy inventory of around the corner!"   I suddenly felt like Clark Griswold after he drove the family truckster off the desert road and found himself in front of the shady mechanic who demanded all his money for the repairs:

Mechanic: Ain't never seen anyone so shit-all stupid as you driving off that road.
                             You musta got manure for your brains.

Clark: Yeah, well, we're from out of town. How much do I owe you?

Mechanic: How much you got?

Clark: No, I'm asking how much the repairs are.

Mechanic: I'm asking how much you got!

Clark: You're out of your mind. Look, I don't have time to fool around so how much is

                    it?

Mechanic: All of it, boy!

Clark: What does the sheriff think of your business practice?

[Mechanic laughs and shows his sheriff's badge]

So I paid the $8.99 for the new and improved gas cap that looked oddly similar to my old one and went on my way with my passing grade.

2. your horn is too weak.  I guess I can understand this one because it's probably a safety issue, but when it happened to Eddy this morning he was a bit at a loss as to what to do next...  So he came to Mechanic Mikie and what ensued should really be the next entry on "There, I Fixed It.com" although since there was no duct tape invovled I think that's an automatic dismissal:

          Eddy: So they said my truck wouldn't pass inspection with the horn not working... Got
                   any ideas?
          Mikie: Have you checked the connections?  Let's do that first...
                    [They check the connections, realizing the horn is shot] 
          Mikie: I think I've got an idea... 
          Eddy: [Giggling as he knows with Mikie that could mean anything] Okay!

The end result?  Eddy's vehicle is now equipped with a boat horn...  Guess that's what happens when you go to a nautical store to outfit a truck...  And in case you're wondering if that sort of thing is acceptable per the Texas Department of Public Safety, just ask newly legal driver Eddy to give you a demo!

It's sorta funny the evolution that naturally occurs when doing a major renovation on a building that's pretty much a shell.  Michael and I were talking/reminiscing about the steps we've taken as we continue to work on the new-old building for the shop - here we are 18 months into it and although we've come a long way, there's still a LOT to do... 

Basically, we've done stuff in order of what naturally seemed the most important:

1. shelter: get the thing stabilized and make sure it doesn't fall on our heads.  start by manually pumping off the 30,000 gallons of water on the roof.  check.
2. water: be able to successfully flush...  which may or may not require (in our case, it did) the additional assistance of a very resourceful friend who's simply not afraid to get dirty... I'm talkin' sewer pipe dirty here and that's a whooooole different breed of dirty... check.
3. electricity: although not totally essential to survival, being able to plug in a cell phone charger, laptop and eventually credit card machine do come in quite handy when trying to operate a legit biz.  West End Electric - check plus.
4. climate control: HOLY. FREAKING. COW.  I LOVE YOU. 

Since September 13th, 2008 we haven't had climate control.  I know a lot of folks have been in the same boat so I certainly can't complain - in fact, I will readily admit that it truly hasn't been that bad.  I mean our former East End house was built well before climate control of any kind existed - shoot it was built before water ran through any pipes.  So really it was designed with balmy Gulf Coast summers in mind - lots of windows, shaded porches, and hallways that shot straight through the center of the house so air circulation was a cinch. 

But, since we sold the house (small amount of sadness, but we know she's in good hands with the new owners)  and have continued work at the new shop sans such fancy advancements like "windows that open" or "climate control", many people have looked at us like we're crazy.  And I now realize they were right.  All of them.

On Wednesday, our office took a giant leap into the 19th century and became air conditioned.  Check, check and check.  Man, is it glorious.  It's our one little personal piece of heaven now - aside from our fave watering hole next door, of course.  But they insist on you wearing pants over there, so it's not completely the same.  (I don't think Will was privy to that memo...) 

All I can say is that we are truly blessed.  And man is my husband handy...

Although I had another title picked out for this post, Michael suggested it might be "borderline shady" so, being a good wifie I gave in...  This is the fifth edition of IBC's monthly column for Galveston Monthly.  You can pick up a free Galveston Monthly at many local locations across the Island.

Usually Sunday mornings involve a whole lot of nothing for us Culpeppers.  Feed the dogs (or suffer the consequences which include cold, wet noses contacting any exposed facial skin followed by loud, never.ending.barking), go back to bed, and eventually open up the Nautical shop at 11am. 

This Sunday morning, however we did things a bit differently.  I wanted to share a little bit about one of our personal favorite "touristy" things to do on the Island, but to be honest, it had been a while since the last time we had the opportunity to ride the "Treasure Isle Tour Train" so I wanted a refresher first.  (This being the Sunday morning after a Galveston Artwalk, it was especially challenging to rouse ourselves for the task at hand, but it was truly worth the effort!)

The unmistakable pink Treasure Isle Tour Train has been operating on the Island since 1962 - our friendly driver and tour guide, David, was quick to point out that in 48 years of operation, the Tour Train has never missed a year of service!  Although I was sad to learn that the locomotive-looking Jeep that used to pull the "train" was lost to Hurricane Ike's floodwaters in 2008, it doesn't seem to have dampened the spirit - or enjoyment of the Tour Train experience one bit.

At 9:30am, the sun was already heating things up when we left the pickup/drop-off station at 25^th and Seawall to begin the tour, but the steady breeze we enjoyed for the rest of the trip made the ride pretty darn comfortable.  The Tour Train began its journey along the historic Seawall with a recorded narrative of the Island's historic beginnings, notable landmarks, and local facts and trivia thrown in live by tour guide David.  It wound through the Island's historic districts and past some of the oldest homes, churches and noteworthy sites including the 1839 Samuel May Williams Home (36^th & Ave P), the Texas Heroes Monument  (*I beg to differ with this link's 1st line description of "formerly-great", just for the record) @ 25^th & Broadway, and along the waterfront at Pier 21 for a glimpse of the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa.

Overall, the tour lasts roughly an hour and 45 minutes, give or take a bit depending on traffic.  It truly has something for everyone - information for the history buffs, great scenery for the shutter bugs, and for the kiddos, well who wouldn't have fun riding an open-air train?!  There's even a brief pit stop downtown at one of my favorite places - MOD coffeehouse if you want something to sip on for the 2^nd half of the ride.

Before bidding farewell to the pink train, David mentioned to me that he's had long time Galvestonians admit that they too learned something new about this great place we call home while aboard the Treasure Isle Tour Train.  I know I sure did when I learned how one solitary drummer was instrumental in the successful 4' raising of Trinity Church (22^nd & Winnie) in the early 1900s. 

So whether you're visiting Galveston or you're a local looking for something fun to do on any given day of the week, think pink and hop on board the Tour Train.

What are some of your favorite Gtown touristy things to do?  

Actually, its just a pair of 'em - lucky bulls, known as "toritos" and they were brought back from Peru by my good friend Annie.  Apparently these little guys are all over the rooftops of Peruvian homes and they are supposed to bring prosperity (yay!) and fertility (yikes!... and my apologies for the reference linked here!) to that household...  Maybe we'll just put the prosperous bull on the rooftop at the shop and let his fertile friend sit this one out...