Last weekend - just before the latest cold front rolled through - your humble web-wiz, her dad and her sweetie headed down to the beach at the Royale for a "Winter Texans Rule" sand castle party... a sort of 'last hurrah" before the "Spring Breakers Rule" Season.

We would like to wish all of our Winter Texan friends "Happy Trails!" and hope to see you all back here safe and sound next year....

Winter Texan wood carver Frank Salisbury of Laguna Vista took these past few days of beautiful weather to finish this masterpiece.

Photo/Report courtesy of Fred Mallett

"A few seconds after this photo was snapped a couple walked down the beach to observe the sand scoulpting efforts of Sandy Feet and her dad . . . nothing unusual about that. What was unusual was that the guy went down to one knee and supposedly waited for an answer to the question we lovingly carved in the sand.. From our observation, at a discreet distance the answer was positive and the moment tender . . so tender that it brought tears to Sandy Feet. Don remembers making the same gesture, not in the sand, but in Ginny's living room . . 50 years ago on the same date...."

see what else is happening over at dad.cam.com!

"Big Band Phil, the guy who really played in the Big Band era also plays tennis. . . very well. He and three cohorts challenged our Royale foursome. The match was over in an hour, we simply didn't win very many games, but we had a good time and our egos were back to normal the next day!
We are asking for a re-match . . . . and shaking up our team!

Be sure to catch the Big Band Sound at the Bahia Mar, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 to 9"

Photo and report by Don Wierenga

We have it on very good authority that the "Texas Treasure 2" will soon be running gambling cruises out of Port Isabel. This is great news and we thank our friend Mike Santos for sharing it with us.

Read more about this ship on Mike's web site

Amazin' Walter hosts "Open Mic" at Schlitterbahn's Rio Beach Restaurant on monday evenings.
Got a guitar, a singing voice or something else that makes music (other than the radio) and want a place to play? Amazin'Walter has got the place for you ...... All you have to do is show up!

(photo and report by Dennis Barrett)

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Troy Giles is an Island Alderman, Real Estate Guru and a big supporter of the local animal shelter. He recently celebrated his 60th birthday by throwing a party for a couple hundred of his closest friends (3 of whom are pictured with him above.) In lieu of gifts, Troy asked that donations be made to the shelter. We hear that over $1500 was raised, as well as a truck-load of supplies collected... and three of the shelters residents found new homes that night.

Photo by Fred Mallett