Mammoth Takes Mother (to the ocean)

Tuesday 9 May 2023

Call this the "Mother to Port A" trip because that's what we planned it for and that's what we did. She had a strong desire to see Port Aransas one last time, and knowing that we went to the coast at least twice a year, conscripted us into taking her. Against all better judgement we planned the route to bypass our home twice--one the way down and the way back--but not stop there. There were factors at play beyond logic and reason--that's all I can say.

So on "Day 1" we drove to Arkansas and went out to eat. At that crummy steakhouse that smothers all the food in grease and fat. My spicy chicken-tortilla soup was very tasty but awfully healthy with all the chicken in it. They could have made a better soup with no meat at all, but that's not the "steakhouse way".

Despite the low expectations for the trip, I was glad to leave my lonesome house. On the last few days I was so busy that I barely had time to be lonesome--jogging, grocery shopping, putting away, cooking, loading, cleaning up, cooking more, then watering trees and plants and stuff. It was horrid and I wasn't done until suppertime and then some. But true, I didn't have much time to miss the family.

At dusk, during our evening dog walk, Molly and I heard the coolest bird racket. It was LOUD!  A quick check on allaboutbirds.org confirmed that it was a Chuck-Will's Widow...with an attitude. I couldn't hear the "chuck" part of the song most of the time, but the rest of it sounded exactly like the recording. Wow.

Birds seen (before dark): male summer tanager, blue jay, and some sort of totally gray vireo in the trees by the campsite. Birds heard: Wood Thrush, Peewee, Red-Eyed Vireo, Chuck-Will's Widow.

On the way to town I saw a groundhog scurrying across the road!  And a delightful toad at camp...same one as last year? Hope so.

It was good to see Ed's Mom again, but how long it will be until the goodness wears off? Time will tell. Tomorrow they will feed us breakfast and then we're off! Hopefully before the rain moves in.