Galveston, Texas, Saturday, April 28, 2012, 9:20 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Howdy!  Marina Hope Ryan here.  Just got back from my morning run on the beach; it's a beautiful day: partly cloudy, albeit a bit humid.  Still, not too shabby; it's supposed to be sunny and warm, with highs in the upper eighties, which is above normal for this time of year.  Still can't complain; I am loving this weather!

And today is even more special because I am off work today!  No going to Murdoch's until 9:00 sharp Monday morning!  I am going to enjoy today!  Probably go to Moody Gardens with my brother Galveston and Steve-O for the day; I always enjoy looking at the flowers and watching the butterflies flitting about.  Or we might go to Houston, which is an hour away, and go to the zoo.  Yeah, that sounds like a good plan ...

We'll decide what to do once Steve-O gets up; he's still abed, sleeping his fool head off and snoring to beat the band.  Gal is in the kitchen, cooking up breakfast, so it shouldn't be too long before the tantalizing odors of eggs and bacon lures Steve out of his slumber.  Gal's been up since six; I've been up since seven.  It's nearly nine thirty as I write this down in my journal.

We had a wonderful time last month with Bill and Louisiana Sandusky, who live in Nashville, Tennessee.  Louisiana was the nurse who had taken care of me when I wound up in the hospital with pneumonia; she did an excellent job and she is very nice.  They came down to Galveston for a week to get away from the demands of family and home life; they both needed a break.  We were more than happy to have them visit. 

I wonder how they are doing.  I know they are taking care of their large family.  She showed me some pictures of the children and I must say that Louie must have the patience of a saint: one kid is hard enough; I can't imagine parenting over sixty, especially since most of her children have special needs!  They are truly amazing!  Her children are absolutely beautiful!  (They range in age from three on up to in their upper twenties.)

I'm just glad she didn't judge my brother and his partner.  So many people do and it pisses me off royally!  I am sure it was hard for her not to say something, but she and Bill both bit their tongue and held their beliefs to themselves, which we all greatly appreciated.  A lot of Christians tend to judge us before they even know the facts and then it's no wonder a lot of people hate Christians because they are doing the very thing they keep telling us NOT to do: judging others!

I have no trouble with Christians as a whole, but I DO have trouble with them passing judgement on people, which, it seems, a lot of them, tend to do.

I do know that Louisiana Sandusky has a Facebook page.  She told me about it.  I will have to request her as a friend.  I bet she has a ton of friends on Facebook!

I am fully recovered from my hospital stay I had earlier this year.  I'm just sorry our trip to the Grand Ole Opry was cut short because I happened to get sick.  Maybe we can go back and try it again.  I hope so!

We are getting new neighbors: the Collinses moved last month; they are both retired and have decided to move to Florida.  I wish Ethel and Philip the best.  I shall miss them; they were both older, but both were very sweet.  I really liked them.  

I know we are getting new neighbors because the "For Sale" sign now has been replaced by a "Sold" sign, and the contractors have been over, getting the place spruced up for the new people that will be coming soon.  We do know it is a couple and their two children, one a teenage boy, and a smaller girl, probably age six or so; she's rather little, or so I have heard.  Hopefully they will be as good as the Collinses were!

They'll probably be here within the month or so.  They are coming from Louisiana.

Well, the beast (Steve-O) has awakened; I hear him yawning in the next room.  LOL  I had best get to the kitchen, then we can sit and plan our day.  Either way, it's going to be fun!  I can't wait!  I will write in here again soon; until then, this is Marina Hope Ryan saying so long! Take care and I'll talk to you again!

~Love, your friend in Galveston, Texas, Marina.  :)