Several years ago back when Ruby, our reddish Golden Retriever, still had 4 legs, we took a ride in the golf cart all the way down to Caplen in search of the perfect shell. It was a Sunday in early fall, a nice warm day, not a lot of wind. People were just rebuilding, there were new houses springing up everywhere. I hardly ever have to put Ruby on a leash, this being one of those times, as there was nobody

Everyone probably has a special time of their lives they’ll never forget. Most of the time, we remember our “happy times,” the “not so happy times” get swept under the carpet or simply buried back in the recesses of our minds. As a kid who grew up a military brat, moving around every three years from one part of the country to the other, being born on foreign soil, I did establish some roots

Wondering lately if there should be such a thing as “Grandmother School?” Granted we spent at least 1/3 of our lives raising children, but after a break of 40 years or so, it’s a little hard to be quite as thorough as we used to be. Thank goodness, at about the age of 5, they begin reminding you what you’re supposed to do. Last week, I had the privilege of flying back home with my daughter and her three

By Georgia Osten
We bought our beach house in February or March of 2007. We were still working, no thoughts of retirement, and we could only come down on weekends. I remember leaving work on a Friday, picking up Ruby and heading down. First thing Ruby and I would do is jump in the golf cart and head down to the beach to walk in the water and see what the tides

By Georgia Osten
Well, it’s been a long time…waiting in the carpool lane this afternoon for my Grandson. I’m back and forth to babysit my two oldest grandchildren this week. Shouldn’t say “babysit,” it’s really like teenager sit. Anyway, as I’m sitting in the carpool lane, enjoying my book, the school security guard comes and taps on my window. The line had totally

By Georgia Osten
There’s nothing like the beach on a good ol’ Christian holiday weekend! Family and friends flock to the beach to soak up the goodness. I had the pleasure of having our son visit for the weekend and I recruited him to help me out with the Lions, serving at the Stingaree Easter Buffet. What a trooper, he wore his Dad’s vest at my request. Matthew and I

By Georgia Osten
Here’s another of my life’s revelations – Life is Too Short! And here’s what I’ve come up with over the years, some may sound wasteful to you, but just think about it, some are pretty simple and easy to accomplish. Like, for instance, fruit…you can never really tell what a cantaloupe or a watermelon are going to taste like, will it be sweet and juicy? Will you want

We had family come in for the weekend, so out to Stingaree we went on Friday night. The band was great and the company so wonderful! We got up early Saturday to set up for the Cook Out, cooked and served all day Saturday. The Spring Break crowds were plentiful, for as little advertising as we managed to get out before the event. We bought 3 dozen crabs from Joe’s, cleaned and cooked them up with some

I was recently invited to the Fishing Club Dinner. It’s a potluck held once a month, usually with a theme – this was “Rodeo” BBQ. It falls on a Friday, right in the middle of Lent, which was a bit of a challenge for a Catholic. I was a little worried and didn’t want to look like I didn’t appreciate the feast. Man, was I wrong … potato salad, a green salad, broccoli cornbread (gotta get this recipe), baked beans,

By Georgia Osten
The Patton Cemetery clean up, Round 1, happened this past Saturday. About 15 people gathered with their mowers, weed wackers, rakes, gloves and loppers to begin clearing all the brush around this historic old cemetery. Three visible graves are out there amongst the palmettos. Bobby Mistrot from the water slide came out with his bush hog and got us started and Tracey had chicken and sausage gumbo waiting for us when we were finished.

And the story goes, as told by a local resident,

I know I’ve said this before, but what an amazing Community! We have such a hodge podge of folks: retirees, young families, middle class families, some working on the Peninsula, some commuting to Galveston, League City, even Houston. And some, like we used to do, some spending weekends here, then going home to their weekly work schedules. I think it was Christmas, and I went to the Post Office to mail my bundle of Christmas cards. I knew

By Georgia Osten
Board games, card games, Las Vegas, washers, you name it, I love them all! I guess I was deprived as a child, I don’t remember playing games with my family, except for my step-brothers teaching me poker and Booray. I “married into” a game playin’ family indeed! Even when we moved away from the family to California and had a group over

By Georgia Osten
I think the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil (say that 5 times), DIDN’T see his shadow, which means an early Spring. This little critter was watched in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania, by thousands in freezing weather. Come on people, is this crazy or what? Besides, who ever heard of Gobbler’s Knob? “Punx,” as I like to call him, has a handler, really, someone trained

By Georgia Osten
That statement always conjures up memories of The Wizard of Oz, one of my least favorite movies of all time! I remember my children would get so excited to see it every time it happened to come on TV (far too often). I would try to hide it from them, but the guilt would set in and I would give in. To not let them watch Oz would be like not reading them

By Georgia Osten
Depending on the timing of the ferry is a shot in the dark if you ask me. I needed to make a 7 am flight out of Hobby the other morning and the most practical (did I say “practical”) way is across the ferry and up I-45. I looked online to see the ferry schedule. It appeared I would need to catch the 4:20 am ferry in order to make it to the airport on time. Not

By Georgia Osten
It all happened the other day. We’re expecting another grandchild, the birth has been scheduled, we have our plane tickets, we have someone to watch Ruby, someone to take care of the bird…oops, Note to Self: I haven’t called Shirley yet about the bird. I think it was a Wednesday, we were enjoying an evening at home, not a care in the

By Georgia Osten
I guess it’s not too difficult to imagine that I would be very superstitious. Growing up with parents and a grandmother all born and raised in the deep south, we had plenty of superstitions going around. Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t witches or anything, at least I don’t think we were/are. One superstition that comes to mind, most recently,

Oh what a journey! We left at 4 am on the Saturday before Christmas for our trip to North Carolina to see our youngest daughter, Kelly, 4 year old Addyson, and 2 year old Michael. Daddy is in Afghanistan. The rented RV was rock’n and roll’n, packed to the gills with games, comforters, snacks, DVDs, kindles…you name it, we had it! The six of us merrily chugged along: our League City daughter,

By Georgia Osten
So be good for goodness sake! His name is Elfie, our Elf on the Shelf. He shows up a few weeks before Christmas to watch over us while Santa is preparing his list of toys for good boys and girls. He magically flies back to Santa each night to give a report on the day, and returns before we wake up in the morning. He’ll make his final trip

by Georgia Osten
Being an “only child”, it hasn’t always been easy for me to get up in front of a group of people to talk. Charades was always out of the question – why on earth would I want to act out some subject, flailing my arms, kicking about to get someone to “get it!”

I remember a presentation Human Resources had to

by Georgia Osten
I’m referring to traditions … “My Cup Runneth Over!”
Many years ago, when Leigh went away to college and Kelly and I missed her terribly, is when we became so much closer. We would watch our favorite movies together over and over. We’d get dressed up and go to plays and our favorite event, the Nutcracker Ballet during the Christmas

by Georgia Osten
I was recently reminded of a comedy routine, one of my favorite, by the late George Carlin. It’s called “My Stuff.” I find that the older I get, the more Stuff I accumulate. I wrote a Sand Bucket once where I discussed the fact that moving from the City to the Beach House presented a challenge of where to put everything. I’m over that now, especially

by Georgia Osten
Thanksgiving is officially over, so is Black Friday! I’m scrambling with Cyber Monday, trying to get all the best deals I can before it’s over. Geez, I don’t remember getting so excited about shopping. Don’t get me wrong, I have always loved shopping, I think living on the beach has only intensified the urge. I can’t wait until Wednesdays (my day off) to

Pumpkin pies, cranberry sauce, turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pickles … Pickles! My daughter, Leigh, teases me every year because we have every pickle represented: sweet, dill, bread & butter, gerkins, kosher, you name it, I’ll have them on the table.

This year, my sweet daughter-in-law, Camber, and my son, Matthew, are having the dinner at their brand new,

As the Family Grows…

I love it, soon, I’ll be a Grandma for the 5th time! My youngest daughter, Kelly, is expecting her 3rd in February. She has a girl and a boy and we don’t want to know what this one is. Wait, did I say “we?” Listen to me, the last time I went to visit my sweet daughter, she took me to the ultrasound and I got to see the baby! The Technician carefully moved the wand ever so slowly,

Early voting began a few weeks ago and there’s been a steady stream filing in and out of The Joe Faggard Community Center. Monday was a “day off,” so to speak, so the Chicks With Sticks joined for their regular camaraderie around the tables, knitting, discussing the latest in jewelry making and generally having great fun with one another until lunch time, when they head off to their favorite restaurant-of-choice. Since October 24th, the conscientious

Creativity, don’t get in the way of an artist! I’ve learned, among other things, that I’m not one … artist, that is. Down here at the beach, if you ever thought it was laid back, let me tell you, there’s one thing after another to get involved in.

This past weekend, was Trunk or Treat at The Big Store. My sis-in-law, artiste and visionary, came up with the idea of decorating their golf cart. Well, not wanting to be