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Ah Mardi Gras.  How I love you.

Yep.  It's time again.  Time for 2010 to welcome the "fat Tuesday."

Be sure to investigate the link in the calendar of events section in order to check into all that is Mardi Gras this year.  The weather is clearing up (as I type this the sun is shining), and tomorrow is projected to be top-notch.

Mardi Gras is one of my favorite times of the year on the Island.  But I'm curious.  What's yours?

So last weekend was plenty cold, huh?  My lady friend and I tried to make all the necessary preparations we could in order to combat the frigid nature that seized the Island.  We let certain faucets drip, including our outside hose bibs (which in turn created wondrous contorted ice sculptures).  We made a rather feeble attempt at covering plants (but I wouldn't let my lady place any substantial blankets or quilts outside for fear the bums might "shop").  We let the hounds sleep in the main part of the house to stay cozy.  And.  We made sure to offer accommodations to the Culpeppers (who may as well be camping at their house).

Thankfully, we ended up problem-less.  In our house.

Briefly, the two houses next door to us are owned but are not habitable since the storm.  In fact the owner has hardly shown herself since Ike.  To our surprise Saturday afternoon, we heard a running water noise coming from under our house.  I was immediately alarmed and walked outside around the side of the house expecting to see busted pipes.  I did find busted pipes.  Just not on our house.  The house next door had a main pipe that busted and it began flooding all under our house as well.  I later noticed that the next house down also had a busted pipe.  And a mini-geyser shot up into the air.  Now, my initial shock was the fact that the two houses had water running to them at all.  As I mentioned earlier these houses have not been lived in since Ike

After a few moments of panic I grabbed my industrial strength water meter key and went hunting for the meters.  And if anyone has never hunted water meters in this town let me tell you this, you're lucky if you find one at all (at least from personal experience).  You're better off grabbing one of those Y shaped water finding sticks and letting it lead you.  But I found them.  Finally.  And after struggling for several moments I conquered the leaks and shut off the meters.

Did anybody else find any frozen adventures last weekend?

Last week, my lady friend and I paid a long overdue visit to Galveston's bigger sister New Orleans.  NOLA is commonly known as the Big Easy, mostly because during the prohibition era the town festered as one exquisitely large speak-easy.  You see, the Feds had "difficulties" enforcing alcohol sales during this time.  Oh well, huh?

Since I moved here in 2005, I've heard that Galveston is at times referenced as the Little Easy.  Whether or not there's any real merit to this or not is left to be determined.  Or proven for that matter.  So I will now make a quite random attempt to do so.

1.  A friend of mine from New Orleans has stated that Galveston is basically a mini-NOLA.  This is probably my best argument.

2.  Both NOLA and Galveston demonstrate devastatingly handsome examples of some of the finest architecture in the country.  This again is not proven.  Strictly opinion driven.

3.  Tourism is the salt in the water.  Did you get that?  Or is it too esoteric?

4.  Mardi Gras celebrations.

5.  Hurricanes.

Now.  I leave it to you good people of the inter-web.  Speak up.  Let me know why else Galveston may justify itself as the Little Easy.

I just want to take the moment to say Merry Christmas to all. 

Can you believe it's only a week away?  I know.  It seems like just yesterday we were all wiping sweat from our bodies, and now it's time for Christmas.  Then, it'll be 2010.  Crazy.

Is all your gift shopping finished?  Is your tree up?  Do you have Christmas in your heart?

So.  Merry Christmas Galveston.  Have a wonderful Christmas week.  And I'll see you in 2010.

Well hello again.  Just want to make sure my fellow Islanders don't forget about tomorrow night's Santa Pub Crawl put on by IBC.

If you need the info., follow the link to the original post or scroll down.  It's sure to be santa-riffic good time.  And'll deifinitely spread some Christmas cheer.  And beer.

Well.  See you there.

Wow.  If today's chance of snow makes it down to the Island, then it will be the second year in a row for an early December snowfall.  If you can remember, I blogged about not being in the Christmas spirit last year around this time, and I asked for snow on my wish list.  And we got it.

How nice it would be to tinkle around on our tippy-toes in snow flakes again.  Hopefully the lord of wintry weather will once again bless the Island with a freezing blanket of fun.

And hey.  Do NOT forget about Dickens on the Strand this weekend.  Yes.  It will be cold cold cold, but all the better for creating the festive mood (in my opinion).

And on a personal note.  My lady friend and I receive our new couch today.  BIG NEWS!!  I mean it's only been six months since we started our seek and purchase mission.  Early Christmas for us.  Woohoo!

Ok Galveston.  Next week is Thanksgiving.  Time to let everybody know what you're thankful for.  So.  Let's hear it.
 

The other night, I had another brief run in with one of Galveston's finest (dripping with sarcasm here).  I don't know his name.  Don't really care to either.  In fact, I wish I didn't even know him at all.  You see, he's a bum.  Or homeless person for the politically correct in the crowd.  And the unfortunate part of the whole thing for me is that he frequents my block.

It all started a few years ago (yes... he is a storm survivor... somehow).  He came knocking on my front door one weekend asking for money.  I thought it rather ball-sy of the man (I really couldn't believe that someone would go door-to-door begging for money).  So for that reason (and the fact that he honestly scared me) I gave him some loose change I had sitting by the front door.  I think it was like 50 cents.  Let me tell you why he frightened me a bit.  He has the tear drop tattoo.  You know the one people apparently get in prison.  Because they killed somebody.  Yep.  He's got one.  And he was intoxicated.  And just seemed rather off-his-rocker-esque, if you can dig.

Fast forward a few months and he's back.  Knocking on the front door.  This time my favorite lady friend answered the door.  He asked for me specifically ("lemme talk to yer husband").  When I got to the door I told him that I would not give him any more money and that I didn't want him repeating this behvaior.  He tried to convince me that with a few dollars he could get himself some soups that would last him for a while.  I stood my ground and told him no.  He attempted to get a little agitated.  But he left.  Still money-less.

About another six months or so go by.  I'd seen him around the neighborhood, but he hadn't bothered us.  One night about 9:30 that special lady and I were watching TV.  And.  BOOM!  BOOM!  BOOM!  He's back.  Banging on our front door like he owns the place and forgot his key.  (Let me preface this by saying that I was in the middle of a rather stressful month at work.  And I tend to bottle my frustrations until they explode.)  I opened the front door after I peeked out the side window and saw hime making some kind of motion like he wanted to use my phone.  I gave him no time to say anything.  Instead, I cussed him all the way down the front steps.  Threatening to call the cops.  He ran off (I'd like to think he was quaking in his boots as he did so).

So I still see him from time to time around the neighborhood.  I saw him just a few weeks ago at ARToberFEST getting escorted out by Ara 13 (the human weapon).  And he in turn was arrested for public intoxication (he had been harassing folks outside Mod).

Which leads me to this week.  As he stumbled his way past our house, he stopped.  Held out his hand and mumbled something.  I told him to bo on about his business.  He stumbled off and voiced some form of an expletive.  And disappeared in the shadows.

If I'd only been wearing my high heels.  Have a splendid weekend G-town.

Tomorrow is Halloween.  And it's on a weekend this year.  I remember as a kid that when Halloween fell on a weekend, everybody had a little more giddy-up.  We could stay out much later and get oursleves into more mischief.  Older now, I still find myself a little more juiced.

I remember one Halloween I chose not to go trick-or-treating.  Instead, I stayed home and tried to create my own little spooky adventure for would-be candy hunters.  I painted my face white, and with my mom's help I darkened circles around my eyes.  Trying to appear dead.  I had an old blue felt cowboy that I roughed up a bit, a torn up T-shirt, an old camo jacket, ripped up jeans, and my old pop gun (man I miss those).  Instead of candy, I figured I'd try to give out some of my favorite "trail mix."  This consisted of mostly dead leaves.  A few pine cones.  Pine needles.  And a few dead roaches that I just so happened to find around the house.

My whole scheme was this.  Me.  Sitting in a little rocking chair.  Gently rocking.  Pretending to clean my rifle (er... pop gun).  As the trick-or-treater approached the front patio, they might notice me.  Most did, but they pretended not to.  If they moved toward me I would offer them some of my good ol' "trail mix."  Nobody ever wanted any.  Instead settling for some real candy.  Yep.  I pretty much failed at scaring anybody.

One Halloween several years ago (when my lady friend and I still lived in suburban hell), we planned on going to Six Flags for the night.  We handed out candy until we needed to leave.  So when we left, we left the rest of the candy in a plastic bag hanging from the front door handle along with a note that said to only take one piece because we'd be watching.  As we drove off and made the block, we watched the first group approach the door and read the note.  They actually looked around to make sure no one was watching, then made off with the sack.  Rascals.

Then, a few years back (maybe even our first Halloween on the Island), the lady friend and I went over to a neighbor's house to help hand out candy.  Of course all of maybe six kids came to the door.  And in true G-town style, our house was egged.  Probably because the front porch light was on, but the front gate was locked.  This may actually be the only true Halloween night memory I have since moving to the Island.  That'll change tomorrow night.

So Happy Halloween everybody.  Enjoy your night.  And don't forget.  We get to stay out an hour later because it's "turn back the clock night."

Anybody got any good Halloween memories they wanna share??

So last weekend we all got to enjoy beautiful art and unique treasures at ARToberFEST.  Now.  This weekend, we get to enjoy fine German cuisine.  Music.  And beer!  That's right.  It's time for First Evangelical Lutheran Church's annual Oktoberfest celebration.

This year marks the 28th year the church has put the event on.  Last year's Oktberfest (otherwise known as Ike's-over-fest) was a bit scaled down since it happened shortly after the storm.  But this year's Oktoberfest seems to be bigger and better than ever.  (Be sure to click on the link to visit the website for full details.)

Oktoberfest takes place tonight, starting at 5 p.m.  Then on Saturday, the event begins at 11 a.m. and lasts until 7 p.m.  Live music will be played both evenings.  Just make your way north on 24th Street and when you get to Winnie you'll see the commotion.

Be sure to visit Noel and taste his sausage, especially prepared for you.  Tender and juicy even.

On a side note: Galveston made it on MSN's homepage this morning as one of America's top port cities.  Pretty neat (even if they were way off on the population... 280,000... wow... maybe in the county).  Here's the link.