Houston, Texas

---

!!!!Newsflash!!!! Don has completed his cross country bike ride and is now joining me on completing our travel back home to Oregon.

Don and I have settled down for about one month in Houston Texas. Our friends James and Rita greeted us, opened there home, and we are still here. Warning: Be careful when you offer a place for friends to stay. It worked out that we could house sit for them while they visited beautiful sunny Costa Rica for a couple weeks. I really enjoyed having a full kitchen to cook in. Right away Don and I started to cook some incredible foods. BBQ, salads, cold beer, roasted vegetables. Rita's kitchen is built and equipped with everything a person needs to be creative. A very short walk and we could access an open market to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and so much more. Across the street is a Mexican bakery with incredible sweet treats, and in the other direction is a meat market. All are very Latino based so we got to practice our Spanish and try new foods at a great price.

The last night before arriving in Houston was at Sea Rim State Park, near Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico. It was the State Park from mosquito hell. We have travelled to many areas with mosquitoes and yes, they are pesky little things. This experience was like non other that I have had, heard of, read about, or seen on TV. Don took a video and I wish I could show it on here. When you see him, ask to see it...you'll have nightmares. As I laid in the back end of the car fighting the useless pest from hell, I was smashing them on the roof of the car. The alternative was loose a pint or two of blood. After the blood bath battle, our car was covered inside and out with mosquito carcasses. We had to get it detailed to remove the carnage. Lola (if you remember I named my Outback) is now sparkling, fresh, clean and zero sign of the war.

Mid December brought a cold front of 17 F degree temperatures to the area. Luckily the home owners were back to tend to the pool, plumbing and plants. Whew! However the evening walks in shorts stopped and the gas fireplace ran all day. There was only a few days of freezing then it jumped back up to the 70's and once again I am wearing shorts and t-shirt. Texas homes, pets, and plants are not equipped to handle those temperatures for any extended amount of time. It was interesting to see how the people prepared and delt with the freeze. Downtown Houston had all hands on deck wrapping plants and draining pipes. Neighbors were also wrapping plants and spigots the day before. Needless to say The Home Depot is sold out of replacement plumbing parts now.

Hank and Alesha are friends that we met through James and Rita. They live only a few blocks away so we met up with them for dinner one night. It was so nice to walk outside mid December in shorts and t-shirt comfortably at night. My mind, body and soul crave this type of weather pattern. We met up with them later at the Christmas holiday to meet Hank's incredible family, ate delicious foods, and drank until I was forced to be Merry. Very good people that I am so blessed to have met and spent time with.

Now that James and Rita are home to love on their cats, the holidays are behind us, Don and I are getting itchy to get on the road again. It was so relaxing traveling to Austin to see Bain family members, sightsee this part of Texas, and sleep in actual beds. Our plan is to fly out tomorrow to Guatemala for 6 weeks. The main objective is to participate in a Spanish Immersion school program. I will hopefully check in again while we are there. Wish us luck...we need it.

English: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

Spanish: La vida comienza al final de tu zona de confort.

Michelle

---

Photos

New Year collage
A small collage of the great things that I have had the pleasure of experiencing in the year 2022.

Guinea hens
A flock of 6-8 hens pass through every day. Their calls are so loud, but when I hear them I am drawn in to watch.

Guinea hens
In this nice neighborhood, the birds are treated like royalty. Not fed, but certainly looked after. Thankfully, after the freezing temperatures, all birds were accounted for pecking the ground for food. Nature is powerful in all directions.

Making ourselves at home
House sitting for James and Rita. We were concerned that we wouldn't feel "at home" while staying there. Ummmm, ya. No problem! They welcomed with open arms and we accepted.

When in TX...BBQ
Don prepared this amazing flank steak on the BBQ.

Texas
"The Good Company" pecan pie is a friends favorite. For a good reason. The pie is done to perfection every time, must be preordered, and arrives in a wood box with Texas strong comments burnt into the wood.

Don and Puma
Puma trying to distract us from studying our Spanish lesson.

Second Chance
Chance for short, is one of the cat we looked after while we were house sitting. She loved the cold weather because the gas fireplace was on. She laid in front of it for HOURS...so did I. :-)

Puma
Puma is the other cat we watched. She has the most...um...personality.

Detailed
The car is detailed and ready for the last leg of adventure to take us back to Oregon. Home sweet home.