10 Texas Phrases

When we travel and meet Texans, there are lots of times when they make note of our accent. They cite our use of “eh” as concrete evidence we are Canadians. So I will take this moment to turn it around a bit.

Almost everyone has heard the phrase “Everything’s bigger in Texas”. Well, here are nine other phrases that have caught our attention in the past two months – phrases learned through conversations or during our travels. They are in no particular order:

1. “The best car you can buy in Texas is a truck.” I’ve never seen so many trucks – way more than in Northern Ontario!

2. “Don’t mess with Texas.” Officially, this slogan refers directly to the state highway (or beach) littering program and the related high-dollar fines.

3. “I’m fuller ‘n a dawg-tick.” This is used to describe how you feel after a big meal. Brings a vision to mind, doesn’t it?

4. “A dawg on hunt doesn’t scratch his fleas.” Hunting is a huge sport in Texas. I gather a dog doesn’t get to his fleas until after the hunt.

5. “Texas – where folks know when you’re sick… and care when you die.” This is from Lyndon Baines Johnson. It was on an audio tape when we visited the LBJ Ranch near Johnsonville, TX.

6. “Other states were carved or born. Texas grew from hide and horn.” This is from a poem about the longhorn cattle drives.

7. “Never squat on your spurs.” This one fits cowboys or cowgirls!

8. “No firearms allowed.” This one is truly an original - we saw it on the entrance doors to the local movie theatre.

And last but not least,

9. “Beer: so much more than a breakfast drink!" This one certainly applies to more locations than Texas!

There are others but we thought you’d enjoy these…

We are headed into Louisiana by the end of the week. Talk to you then… m.

Milan, Nancy and LBJ

Last winter in Florida, we met Jerry and Nancy who are from Iowa. Like us, they are active, interested in the local culture and willing to just 'let things happen'. Over the spring and summer, we emailed back and forth and concluded we had a chance to re-connect in San Antonio this winter for about 10 days. And so we have spent some real quality time with them and enjoyed every minute. Nancy is a news junkie like me so it was on this track that the following story came to be:

Yesterday, it was January 25th. We toured Hill Country and part of that experience just 'had' to include the LBJ Ranch when you are a news junkie. The ranch is a place where you drive through and across the ranch grounds, see the airstrip, visit LBJ's office in the house and view the family cemetery where LBJ, Lady Bird and his parents are buried.

Interestingly, it is the cemetery that brought us the most excitement. From the car, we could see the cemetery was over-sized for the 7 or so head stones that were there. The area was completely gated and there was a marker just outside the gate that had information engraved thereon. Nancy and I got out of the car and left John and Jerry there in the front seat to wait for us on the small road. Nancy and I stood at the marker and both read the words out loud together. We noted the fact that the Reverend Billy Graham delivered the graveside address. Then at the end was the date it was delivered - we both saw it at the same time and said out loud together, "January 25th?" as if it were a question. We immediately looked at each other with startled eyes and faces and both said out loud, "That's today!"

Now, neither of us expected LBJ or Lady Bird to jump up out of their graves but it WAS pretty eerie. We were so spooked that we turned on our heels, grabbed each other around the shoulders (making sure we were running at the same speed) and raced back to the car - as if we were scared little school girls! We were in the back seat of the car with our seat belts fastened before John and Jerry even got a chance to ask us, "what happened?"

"Oh nothing", we both said and giggled in the safety and comfort of the car. As we drove away, we looked back at the cemetery and Nancy asked to stop so she could take a picture. I haven't seen ths photo yet but it may show a ghost or two! or three!

Anyway, after this experiecne, I doubt Nancy and I will ever forget the day of LBJs burial. We may forget it was 1973 but never will we forget it was January 25th! Even though we did eventually tell John and Jerry, we are not sure they understood what it meant to be scared little school girls!

"Remember the Alamo!"

The San Antonio area has been 2 weeks of solid entertainment.

Not long after arriving, we drove to Hill Country (Boerne and Bandera, Texas) where we discovered two firsts: a store that catered solely to cowboys and a saloon with swinging doors and hitching posts with real horses. At the cowboy store, we decided not to buy the $945 cowboy hat! And when we approached the horses, I was glad I asked if it was OK to touch them since the cowgirl immediately advised against it! I’m sure she was thinking ‘damn tourists’! Oh well...

We took 3 trips into San Antonio and the absolute best was our visit to the Alamo. Until that moment, Crockett, Travis and Bowie were really only characters from folklore stories or parts played by actors in movies. Being there at the Mission, imagining the 13 days the 185 Texans held off 4000 Mexicans, and feeling the timelessness of the whole area was amazing – truly hallowed ground.

On another trip, we took a tour around the city on Segways – and here’s a pic of Johnnie getting ready to ride. I’m not sure you’ve ever tried one of these but, believe me, the balancing experience is a treat. Now, I might add that taking photographs as you zoom along is not so easy but I managed to catch a few.

We spent lots of time walking (not Segway-ing) around the downtown area and on the Riverwalk. Like the Rideau River winds through Ottawa, the San Antonio River weaves through San Antonio. What’s different are the two stories of eclectic shops, fantastic restaurants and the leisurely open boat ride along the canal system. And just off the canal is La Villita. This collection of wee adobe houses and cobblestone walkways are completely restored and now house art galleries, artisan shops and a museum. After that day, man, were we exhausted!

We have stayed in an RV park in New Braunfels between San Antonio and Austin. The community was originally settled by Germans in the 1850’s and the small downtown core has retained an active culture around the Guadalupe River. The Friesenhaus offered us at least 20 kinds of German draft and the chance to buy lederhosen. The Naegelin Bakery offered scrumptious rye and pumpernickel bread and we saw any number of businesses related to quilting. All were geared to retain their German history and background.

We went to Gruene and its historic district a couple of times. It’s not far from New Braunfels and it’s where Texas’ oldest dance hall is located. We were there late this aft. The place was absolutely packed with about 200 people and the band will no doubt play on till the wee hours. Care to dance? How about a two-step?

So no, we didn’t see the rodeo (scheduled for mid-February) and the season was not yet open for the inner tube ride down the Guadalupe River (spring and summer) and we didn’t make our way to Seaworld or Six Flags Fiesta. But we experienced some fun stuff and enjoyed learning about why Texans are so proud. And while didn't get a chance to do everything, just like Davy Crockett, William Travis and James Bowie, we will always “Remember the Alamo”.

The Longest Causeway Run and Wellness Walk

The Chambers of Commerce for Port Isabel and South Padre Island jointly organized the 25th Annual Longest Causeway Run and Wellness Walk on January 10/09. I thought, “Hey! I can do this!” My friend Cheryl walks 60 km (or 36 miles) each year in support of Breast Cancer. Surely, I can walk 3 miles! And so I registered.

The Causeway Run/Walk (I walked) started at the Community Centre in Port Isabel, crossed over the Queen Isabella Causeway and ended on touchdown onto South Padre Island. I accompanied a couple of gals from the KOA Kampground and we signed up a few days in advance. In my registration package was my commemorative T-shirt and my official registration number - #11.

So together with 3000 other people, off we went last Saturday morning and walked the Causeway at a very casual pace – the runners went first. We managed the incline without any problem and over the causeway we went. The weather cooperated - not a lot of sun but that was probably a good thing.

And here’s a pic of me on the Causeway taken by a fellow participant:

Needless to say, Johnnie would never permit me to participate in such an event without being in constant contact with him. And so, my Telus radio phone accompanied me. This way, he could find out how I was doing, where I was located on the causeway and when he could expect to see me arrive at the finish line for the walkers. And at the finish line, there he was waiting patiently for me with the Jeep! And, instead of taking the shuttle (school) bus to Louis’ Backyard, the local watering hole, a bunch of us were delivered in style by the one and only Johnnie Grant!

That’s it for the news from South Padre Island. We drove to San Antonio last Sunday. Once we’ve been to Hill Country, New Braunfels, the Alamo, the River Walk, Austin and a bunch of other places, we’ll be back to you! Oh - one more thing - have a good weekend!

Annual Polar Bear Swim - Texas-style

Everywhere that we have lived, the local community has celebrated a Polar Bear Swim on New Year’s Day. So it was no surprise that South Padre Island did the same. Like all communities, the picture of the event was in the local paper the next day. Mind you, the Polar Bear Swims in Sault Ste. Marie (Lake Superior), Ottawa (Rideau River) and Kingston (Lake Ontario), were slightly different than what we experienced on Thursday, January 1, 2009.

What we have seen before over the years is 30 or so people (typically university students) jumping off a dock or into an oversized hole dug out of the ice on the lake or river. The actual time the swimmer spends in the water is about 5 seconds and, on the 6th second when they get out of the water, event supporters cover the participants in heavy towels and blankets and escort them off to safety. Since hypothermia and heart problems are common risks, the emergency vehicles and personnel are always present – just in case. On some past New Year’s Eves, I’ve even considered participating in these frigid conditions but always thought better of it come the New Year’s morning.

Well, in South Padre, things were a bit different and, frankly, pretty funny to watch when you come from the Great White North. At the event here on the island, we met several other observers from the northern US and Canada. We all laughed about the same thing – how can they even call this a “Polar Bear Event”?

First, let me say it was held at Boomerang Billy’s, one of the 4 beach bars on the Gulf side of the island. The 200 or so participants were of all sizes, shapes and ages – most in bathing suits, some in costumes, many with their dogs and all of them lathered in sun block!

When the registrants heard the starter pistol, we thought, "how tough this must be for them (lol):

• all were struggling as they ran helter-skelter in their bare feet on that treacherous sandy beach
• what were they thinking as they approached the waves in the Gulf – I mean they must have guessed it would be a bone-chilling 76 degrees!
• keep in mind they were also fighting the wind chill factor – it must have felt more like 85 degrees! and,
• if that wasn’t enough, imagine having to frolic in the waves for 20 minutes before heading back to Boomerang Billy’s for $2 Margueritas and/or Bloody Mary’s!

How much more brutal can a Polar Bear Swim get? I’m not sure. But I am sure we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the sun, laughing and kicking back the $2 Margs amd Bloody Mary's! And all of us from ‘up north’ agreed - these Polar Bear Swim participants hung around outside (in their bathing suits, costumes and with their dogs) a whole lot longer than they ever would have at ‘home’. All to say, we may have been observers again this year but at least we observed the event first hand instead of just reading about it in the newspaper!

Just so you know, I’m participating next week in a 3-mile walk across the Queen Isabel Causeway. I'll keep you posted on the results of that event once I catch my breath! Hopefully, I’ll also be able to get some good pictures!