Kemah!

by William Jackson on 2006-01-15

My sister Mary is a genius. I want a digital camera for my birthday, soif you must get me something, send money. It was her idea. Pleasenote: If I owned a real digital camera, this entry would have picturesin it.

I just had a wonderful weekend. My brother Eric came down to pick meup from Austin late Friday afternoon, and we drove to Houston. We got tomy other brotherʼs (Davidʼs) house around 21:30. Eric and I played abouta dozen games of Crazy Eights, but I never won. We played one game ofRummikub, and I won. I guess Crazy Eights just isnʼt my game.

David and his wife Chelsea werenʼt home when we went to sleep (we usedthe hidden key to get in), and they were asleep when we left in themorning. That was kind of funny.

Saturday morning Eric and I left Davidʼs apartment at 07:45 to pick upmy friend Cherry.

Background story: I met Cherry in England. We were both missionaries,and we lived near each other for about three months, in Plymouth. Thatwas about three years ago. Weʼve been in touch, and when she told me shewas coming to Texas for the first time, I did my best to plan to seeher. My plan worked.

Cherry, Eric and I got lost on the way to the temple. A golf courseand a three-way stop got in the way, but we got there just in time. Thetemple was fabulous, as always. It was the first time Iʼve done anendowment session in that particular temple. All the other times I wentI did baptisms.

After the temple the three of us ate lunch at Pappadeaux becauseCherry wanted to try alligator. It was good.

Back at Davidʼs apartment, we decided what to do next. We drove down tothe Gulf of Mexico, to a place called Kemah. First of all, seeingthe Gulf again was awesome. Thereʼs just something about looking to thehorizon and seeing nothing but water that makes me feel … adventurous.

Second of all, we fed stingrays. It was weird! You have to try it. Inshort, the ray swam over my entire arm and sucked a fish out of my hand.Two words: Cool.

Also, if you want use one of those public telescopes that are found onboardwalks and the tops of Empire State Buildings all over America, lookthrough it before you put money in it. It probably already works! Minedid, at least.

After all this fun and more, we went back to Davidʼs apartment, ate adelicious double-decker taco dinner, played a few more card games, anddropped Cherry back where she was staying.

Eric and I drove back to Austin Saturday night, and Eric left for WacoSunday morning.

If Cherry didnʼt go to school 1521.1 miles (as the car drives) fromwhere I do, Iʼd love to do it again sometime.