Ol' D's Soda Shop, Harlingen, Texas

We took one of the Winter Ranch bus tours tonight and headed for Harlingen, Texas and the Ol'D's Soda Shop. The owner of Ol'D's used to work at Pepe's before the place was ruined in a flood in 2010. He then bought the place in Harlingen. He and his mother sing together as "Double Decker" and then he has other musicians also. Double Decker is really a good group. We enjoyed listening to them. Then they introduced Bobby Doo Wop and he just really got the crowd howling. Then later Bobby came back as Elvis. He was awesome - really sounded like him and had some good moves. Everyone on the bus really enjoyed it and all of us want to go back again.

We ordered the buffet special since it was faster, however, the next time we go, we're going to get the burgers. They looked really good and everyone who had them thought they were great. JD, our Activity Director, ordered a Double Decker and had to remove a lot of its parts in order to get it in his mouth! They also have a Triple Burger! Lee ordered a milk shake and I took a few bites of it and it was good too.

We really enjoyed the music and the atmosphere of the place. Double Decker was fun to listen to and the owner can really do a jig. He did one to Play Me That Mountain Music. He was great.

Bobby Doo Wop was really good. He flirted with our friend, Donna, all night and she encouraged him so it got funnier and funnier. He ended up giving her a teddy bear as Elvis late in the show as he sang Teddy Bear to her.

Bobby Du Wop

Let's Go To The Hop

Me with Bobby

Miriam and Al

Bobby Singing to Donna Again!

Donna Gives Bobby The Treatment!

Elvis is in the Building

Al, Richard and Lee howling at Donna and Elvis!

Nora looks on as Char gives Elvis a Tip!

Guess who got a teddy bear from Elvis!

Elvis

South Padre Kite Festival

We went with our friends, the Al and Miriam and Donna and Richard, to the South Padre Kite Festival today. We have enjoyed going for years now and were really sad to hear the announcement that this will be the last time B&S Kites will sponsor the event. Then to make matters worse, IQuad (team flyers that we love) are also going to take hiatus for awhile. We saw them the first time in Oregon at the Kite Festival at Lincoln City in October of 2007. That was when we were first introduced to the team flying or any synchronized kite flying to music. We keep hoping that the Chamber will decide to sponsor the event in the future but, if not, we'll have to get back to Oregon and enjoy a festival there. We want to get back that direction anyway!

The festival this year looked to be a great success. There were loads of people in attendance. We managed to get really good seats this year though and so were able to get some awesome pictures and videos.

All sizes and shapes of stationary kites

End of the Line (EOL) Flyers

Me, Al, Miriam, Donna and Richard

Al, Miriam, Donna and Richard

Some of the Crowd

Chuck and Sandy Trimpe

Sandy, Donna and Wilbur Jacobs

Mary Hazlett talking to Sandy

This guy flies two kites at once - one from his belt

That's Us!

The Owner of B&S Kite Store After His Routine

IQuad Circle of Kites

IQuad Kissing Kites - There are 6 of them up there!

IQuad

Us again!

Our Winter Ranch Bus Driver - Jack

That's Big Blue - he will be painted over the summer!

Winter Ranch had a bus scheduled to come to the Kite Festival but it also went to some other event first.  By the time it got here, there wasn't room in the parking lot for them.  They ended up parked behind a sand dune.  

That's most of the Winter Ranchers that came on the bus!

Apparently, they didn't want to walk down to where the action is but all they could see from their vantage point was the stationery kites.