By the time we got to...

Galveston, I had that Glen Campbell song stuck firmly in my head. It was raining pretty good so we didn't do a whole heck of a lot when we got there. Found our house, did some grocery shopping, stopped to buy umbrellas, let the dog get used to her new environment, listened to it rain and went to bed.

The next morning dawned bright blue and beautiful. The house we rented was steps from the beach and we took Olive over to check out the surf, which is her favorite thing.

We were also just a short distance from the Pleasure Pier, but with neither of us really being “ride” people, we knew we wouldn't be taking advantage of that, but I must admit, it makes a nice, colorful background.

In general, we had a nice relaxing time in Galveston doing some leisurely exploring on The Strand, roaming around and taking in the Tree Sculptures, which are carved out of oaks destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008. The Tree Sculpture Tour took us through a beautiful Victorian neighborhood.

I spotted this little girl on The Strand, where it is fashionable to have your clothes match your candy, apparently.

This Tree Sculpture of the Tin Man & Toto is in the yard of the house where King Vidor, one of the directors of The Wizard of Oz, was born in the front downstairs bedroom.

In Memoriam - Galveston's Lost Oaks - September 13, 2008

One day, we went to Sonny's where Greg was happy to order their mug of oysters. I said, “Yuk!” as I always do when Greg has oysters and had an excellent muffaletta for myself.

When we got to Galveston, I could only remember one verse of the Glen Campbell song about Galveston and it went through my brain over and over and over, so I looked it up on the interweb when I got a chance. Apparently, it is a song about a soldier missing his girl back in Galveston, written by Jimmy Webb, who wrote so many of the songs I grew up with.

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowin'

I still see her dark eyes glowin'

She was 21 when I left Galveston

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea waves crashing

While I watch the cannons flashing

I clean my gun and dream of Galveston

I still see her standing by the water

Standing there lookin' out to sea

And is she waiting there for me?

On the beach where we used to run

Galveston, oh Galveston, I am so afraid of dying

Before I dry the tears she's crying

Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun

At Galveston, at Galveston

Sorry for the earworm.

By the way, here's some travel advice from me. If you stop to buy umbrellas, it won't rain for the rest of your trip. At least that's what has happened for us so far.