More Days in the Valley

Monday we headed to Harlingen after the fellows took the propane tanks to get filled. All three of them took bottles and Jay thought he was carrying so much propane that he probably needed a sticker on the truck.

We went to the Iwo Jima memorial at the Marine Museum in Harlingen. This is the original working model created by Felix W. de Weldon to make the bronze memorial that is in Washington, DC. Also here is the grave of Cpl. Harlon H. Block, one of the men depicted, birthplace Weslaco, TX (here in the valley), and killed in action on Iwo Jima on 3/1/1945. He was not identified immediately but his mother kept insisting that was her son and not the person the Marines had identified. Eventually they admitted their mistake and identified Cpl. Block as one of the men raising the flag.







We came back and were able to grill out because the wind was not gusting. It's hard to keep the small propane grill lit when it is so windy.

I watched the marathon "Bachelor" finale and can only say that Jason needs to realize that since he is half of all these "failed relationships" that probably he is part of the problem!

Tuesday we drove to South Padre Island. Ted wanted to hear 12-String Tim play and Jay wanted to eat the seafood buffet at Louie's Backyard on the water. Tim plays there on Tuesday so it all worked out. We drove around the island that has had considerable growth in the past few years and strolled along the beach. Everything happens early here so we were at Louie's before 4:00 when the music started and the restaurant part opened. Tim was very good and we enjoyed his music. There is a webcam at Louie's and Ted called Kara to get on line. She and the kids were able to see us waving at them and talk to us on the phone at the same time. We've done this at the Hilton Waikoloa in Hawaii also but the time difference there makes it harder.



Ted, Stella and Jay enjoyed a great seafood buffet but I opted for a grilled chicken early bird special. We had a coupon for a piece of cake and we ordered it with four forks. It was huge and we all ate on it some but Ted finished it off.

It was just after 7:00 when we got back and it was the first time we needed the number to open the gate. Our time is passing quickly as it always does when you're having fun.