Early November provided consistently great winter Texan weather, but the end of the month, December, and January were largely cold, wet, and overcast, at least by Rio Grande Valley standards.  However, this week saw weather in the mid-60s to low 80s with lots of sun.  With encouragement from neighbor Chuck, we did 3 bike rides this week, increasing the distance on each successive ride so that our latest ride on Thursday was 13.0 miles with a slow average speed of 8.8 miles per hour.  And, on the last ride we saw 3 Roadrunners, and the last two posed for photographs on the trail.

Al, Sharon, Kay, and I attended a mariachi concert at Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle – National Shrine where the Rio Grande City middle and high school mariachi bands, the La Joya high school mariachi band, and the Basilica’s mariachi band all performed.  The level of talent, even for the middle school, is amazing—some of the best male and female vocalists and trumpet players we’ve heard.

On Sunday, February 15, Kay returned to Arkansas to assist with childcare for Ridge and Acker, and to see progress on the new house.  She made it safely, despite a plane problem in Houston.  Unfortunately, freezing rain, possible snow, and cold temperatures are arriving there tonight.