Knocked Up East of 61st: March 2011 Archives

First question Islanders.  What are these?!

Here's a closer look:

They kinda look a bit like glass.

These were washed up all over the beach (on your way to Palisade Palms) with what I know to be Man o' Wars:

I was on my way down to the water's edge with GB in tow when Mondo hollered, "halt!"  I mean, I saw these things but it being so early, it didn't register that maybe they are/were alive.  They look like dark, smooth river stones until you bend down closer.  Mondo thinks they are baby Portuguese Man o' Wars.

Why were we on the beach this early, nonetheless during Spring Break?  Because sleeping in around the Mondo house is pretty much non-existent these days.  And like I mentioned in my Galveston Monthly column, we are rediscovering and discovering for the first time aspects of our beloved Island due to the fantastic addition to our family.

My fellow Islanders, I have a truly shameful confession here.  I don't think Mondo and I have actually ever watched the sunrise on the Island. 

Even a cheap digital camera does well with Gtown sunrises!

I keep thinking that this is false: I have all of these glorious images that spring to mind, and then I realize they are not from actually witnessing this fantastic feat of nature.  Nope.  I'm recalling Billy & Ruthie's breathtaking photography from gtownsurf.com  Apparently, their artistry is so stunning that they have infiltrated my memories! :0)

Mondo had a much better idea than our usual loafing for Sunday morning, "let's go to the beach and watch the sunrise!"  So fun!  GB's first trip to the beach and her first sunrise.  Thank goodness we keep a beach bag stocked year round and our coffeepot is swift. 

So, firsts all around for the Mondo clan include both a first trip to the beach - first sand between the toes! (and in mouth) - and our first Island sunrise.  Doesn't get any better.

 

 

 

I just didn't realize that with our bouncing bundle of BOI, my mobility in and around the Island would be severely altered if not destroyed completely.  It started out as keeping GB around the house until her 2 month old shots and because she was born in the midst of flu season.  And then we got slammed with two Arctic blasts (so weird when I think about this past summer's Africa heat).  The first blast resulted in a pipe burst in the attic which decimated her room (thankfully she still sleeps in our room with us).  Then all of the Mondos got sick.  Like for the entire month of February.  Needless to say, I'm sure some of our friends believe we have been abducted.


This in turn has affected my ability to blog about my love for the Island and all she's got going on with her bad self.

So when it came around again for my turn to write the IBC column in the March issue of Galveston Monthly (one of us IBCers does an IBC column each month), I was sweating bullets.  I implored my fellow IBCs - "what do I write about?"  Aside from work, an occasional trip to Target, GB's school, or a stroll around our neighborhood, we've mostly roved about the Island in the Rogue.  Otherwise I have been luxuriating (read: trapped) in the house.  When I stopped to really think about it though, I realized that my perspective of Galveston had changed since she was born simply because she had entered our lives.  Thankfully, this led me to the subject of my column.

 . . . Which then led me back here to blogging (ahem, lack thereof).  I can't write some of the same stuff that I had before I was even Knocked Up East of 61st.  Again, I'm not out and about.  I mean, we missed the entire first weekend of Mardi Gras because Mondo had bronchitis, GB was trying to kick what was either one slammin' cold or the dreaded RSV, and I was trying to kick the remnants of whatever GB had given to me.  We loafed in our living room in pajamas all weekend enjoying the intermittent sounds of GB's nebulizer and fireworks and catching glimpses of floats that cut through our neighborhood.  Bless smart phones and Facebook for photo uploads.

 

But, this weekend.  Nothing is gonna stop us.

We're all pretty much well now.  The grandparents are coming to town (been humming this line to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town").  And we have spots on a Mardi Gras float for the Momus parade.  Yes Sireee.

We are so excited, we are effervescing!  You know why?  We have been out of the house alone, together, for more than 30 minutes exactly two times since GB was born.  So, we're ready to put this Saturday night on blast.

And I'll finally have something to blog about.  Woo-hoo!