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Borrego Springs, CA

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

A rainy day in Texas

I’ve been here at Anahuac for over three months now, and there has been very little rain.  Today that changed.  We didn’t have major downpours, but a light steady rain for a good share of the day.  I had mostly mundane tasks to accomplish the last two days.  Stuff like laundry, picking up my latest order of sponge candy from the post office, sending off a package to my grandkids in Minnesota, and running the Roomba. 

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                             What?  You want me to show you something special?  Okay, here goes.

One of the things I did was make a reservation for Emma at a kennel in Anahuac.  I’ll be flying out in a little over a week for some grandgirl time up in Dyer, IN.  I’ll be packing my winter coat for sure!

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                                                     Let me spruce up my feathers a bit for you.

I know we all tend to complain about the weather we’re having, but I’m thinking this trip will provide me with a proverbial slap in the face.  47* with rain seems cold down here, but the temps near Chicago should make me appreciate the balmy south.

IMG_5961             Do you see my oil gland right there?  I spread that oil on my feathers so they stay waterproof.

I made a similar trip in February to my daughter Robyn’s house almost exactly six years ago to help her out after she brought baby Avery Jade home from the hospital.  I remember the shock I had as I stepped out of Midway Airport to 13* temperatures.  There’s a good reason I became a full-timer to head south in the winter!  Winking smile

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                                                 Can’t forget those feathers on my head either.

I decided to visit at this time of the year because it’s kind of slow on the refuge, and I’ll be there for Avery’s birthday.  Once we get into March, things will get pretty busy around here as spring migration begins.  As the waterfowl begin to head north, the neo-tropical migrants will begin to arrive from Central and South America.  That also means lots of birders will be ‘migrating’ here to visit the refuge and High Island, TX, hoping for a bird fall out.  I’ll talk more about that as the time nears.

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                                                        There!  Now I’m beautiful!!  Satisfied??

Don’t tell anybody, but I will be giving Avery her first ever pet for her birthday.  Pets with fur (Cat faceDog face)will probably never live in that household, so I’ll be getting her a gold fish!  I’ve been practicing sucking in my cheeks to make a fish face that I’ll teach to Avery so she can communicate with her scaly new friend. Laughing out loud

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

29 comments:

  1. I hope you manage to dodge the canned airline viruses like I got from my grandkid trip last weekend. I would do it again though.

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  2. Oh no, I wouldn't dream of spilling the beans about the goldfish gift! ;-)

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  3. Great grooming pictures - a veritable day spa experience haha!! Enjoy that grandgirl time, as I know you will.

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  4. In spite of the cold, it will be great to see family, I am sure. Gold fish in tow!

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  5. lWe used to get a goldfish or two once in a while at our house when I was young - usually won by one of my sibs in a carnival. We'd have it for about a week and then come home from school one day and ask "Where's the goldfish?" My mom would tell us that it died. When we grew up we realized she just flushed them down the toilet. I later heard rumors that there were giant goldfish in the Ohio River - the results of making it through the sewer system and into the river. Many moms must have been doing the same thing.

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  6. What a wonderful gift. That's going to be one of those 'memory' gifts!! Enjoy you time in the north!! You'll really appreciate the return trip. Safe travels.

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  7. Don't forget to pack them red one piece long johns.

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  8. At the very least your blood will be thicker when you return to the tropical paradise.

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  9. OH MY...BACK TO REALITY!! I BITCH ABOUT THIS WEATHER DOWN HERE..LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE ABOUT TO STEP INTO THE ARCTIC TUNDRA!

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  10. So March will be busy at the refuge, ya think? Hope there's room for us so we can see some of those neo-tropical migrants. :-)

    Have a great time up there in the frozen nawth!

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  11. Perfect gift for Avery! My granddaughter got a gold fish at school. A mom brought every child in her class a fish in a baggie. She has had it for years and it's outgrown two tanks. It's HUGE. I hope Avery's fish lives forever, too. :)

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  12. The northern weather will be very good for you. It will help you appreciate Texas even moah!

    Jo in MN

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  13. I would think that Texas was rejoicing over getting a nice steady rain. You really need to convince the kids to plan those grands for better weather. Have a marvelous time with don't freeze.

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  14. I too will be having weather shock this weekend, flying from Phoenix to Dallas. Not nearly as cold as the northern states but we have been having near 80* until just recently. My trip is also gran kid time. Sure do miss them. Hope you enjoy your trip and the fishie gift is great, no brushing or poop pickup. Becki

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  15. Doing work during rain is difficult. But the climate will be very good. Polishing her feathers from her oil glands and making her look perfect...

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  16. Rain sounds so nice on a motorhome roof.... makes for good reading time. Does the airlines have special rules for carrying on a fish like they do for a dog?

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  17. Glad to hear Texas is getting rain. I have been trying to send some from South Florida anywhere. Way too much here. You could have some mosquitoes to go with it if you want. Great pictures..I'm sure that is what they would say if they could. Safe travels!!

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  18. Hope you will be sending along pictures of you and Avery with the fish faces!
    Have a great time Judy!

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  19. ooooh that Chicago wind will blast right through to your bones.... (I am 100 miles north of there and it's even worse here!)

    are you SURE you really want to do this????? heh heh

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    Karen and Steve
    (Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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  20. We can't wait to get on that plane and head south again--this minus 18 business is not any fun!! A couple more weeks then we are out of here!

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  21. Have a good trip! Poor Emma gets left behind:(

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  22. What? No picture selfie of your fish face? Of course, you could wait until you step out into that cold weather, if that doesn't make you suck in your cheeks, nothing will! :cD

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  23. The goldfish comments made me remember that Bluewater Lake state park in New Mexico has had a problem with goldfish trying to take over the entire lake! Some fishermen had used them for bait and them turned the extras loose at the end of the day!

    Safe flight and a good visit.

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  24. What little rain we've gotten since arriving in PA is much appreciated by the locals ... but it hasn't made a dent in drought. Nice gift for Avery ... an easy way to learn how to care for a pet ... and she won't have to brave the cold temps to take it for a walk.

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  25. We had more snow. But still, I'm glad you are getting up this way to see the grandaughter.

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  26. Don't envy you the cold slap you are going to get. It is fair that we gripe about 45 degrees down here in south Texas.....that is very cold for us and anything below that is just plain ridiculous.

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  27. Chicago has been hit very hard this winter, stay warm

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