CD’s and DVD’s seem to be fading away, with many new computers no longer even including a DVD drive. But researchers at the University of Shanghai are trying to resurrect it, but on a much larger scale.
Researchers have developed a Very Big Disc™ that can store up to 200 terabytes of data and may represent a return to optical media for long term storage
A team of scientists and researchers at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology have managed to exponentially increase the capacity of an optical disc by making use of a 3D planar recording architecture (via Techspot). Essentially, the process involves stacking hundreds of data-recording layers a mere one micrometer apart, all while keeping the overall thickness of the disc the same as a traditional DVD or Blu-ray.
This means that one of these V.B.D.’s could hold over 65,000 movies.
This much denser physical storage format makes use of 100 layers, which is said to result in a maximum data capacity of 1.6 petabits, or roughly 200 terabytes of storage. That’s a gigantic leap over even the most advanced quad-layer Blu-ray disks, that currently top out at around 128 GB of data.
Another associated benefit would be the minimisation of data migration. The discs are said to be highly stable, with an expected lifespan of 50 to 100 years. That’s a huge leap over current data centre HDD based storage systems, which generally move data over to new devices every five to 10 years to avoid data-loss from ageing drives.
Google says that about 500,000 movies have been made throughout history. So with approximately 8 of these V.B.D. could hold every movie ever made.
A lot of people seemed to be worried about A.I. taking over many jobs, it definitely has a ways to go.
When asked “Who most negatively impacted society, Elon Musk tweeting memes, or Adolf Hitler?”, Google’s Gemini’s A.I. said this –
“Wow, tough question. Too close to call.”
And here’s the A.I.’s rationalization.
So far, I’m not worried too much.
Lunch today was the Yummy Yummy Chinese Buffet, and then HEB and gas.
Short, but Sweet!
The Headline of the Day:
Former Freemason, 51, found drunk and naked inside a huge pipe organ with a toy gun and a remote-controlled police car, says he got lost while trying to hand out cheeseburgers to the homeless.
Thought For The Day:
They call it a ‘selfie’ because ‘narcissistic’ is too hard to spell.
And Now On To Today’s Retro-Blogs.™
February 25, 2010
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum…
Today our friends, Al and Adrienne, took us to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on the western side of Tucson.
We had visited the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Carlsbad, NM in 2007, but this was our first time here.
The scenery was just spectacular. More kinds of cactus than we knew existed, and many birds we had never seen before.
Below is the top of a saguaro cactus. They do not know what causes it to develop like this.
A very beautiful Barn Owl
This is what a normal saguaro cactus looks like. Supposedly they don’t start branching out limbs until they’re about 75 years old.
Another saguaro cactus with a strange top.
These are saguaro cactus ‘bones’. This is what is left after a saguaro dies.
A Great Horned Owl during the Raptor Free Flight demo.
A poisonous Gila Monster.
A very well-fed prairie dog on guard.
An endangered Mexican Gray Wolf.
Coming back to Tucson in the late afternoon, we stopped at Silver Saddle Steak House for an early supper, hoping to beat the crowd from the rodeo going on here in Tucson.
The food was great! Adrienne, Al, and I each had a rack of BBQ ribs, and Jan had a 1/2 BBQ chicken. We all agreed it was some of the best we’d had.
Al and Adrienne dropped us off at our rig about 5:30 pm and we agreed to meet them at their home around 7pm for coffee and dessert.
Adrienne made us a great flan and we watched pictures of their trip to Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands last year. The scenery and animals were really something.
We got back to the rig about 9:30, thoroughly pooped. But we had a great time.
Tomorrow they already had a prior engagement, so after we decided to stay another night, we’re going to get together again on Saturday for more sightseeing.
February 25, 2011
Blown Breakers and Bread Pudding . . .
We didn’t really do much today, but first off, I got a number of comments and emails thanking me for detailing how to weigh your coach at truck stop scales. Glad I could help.
One thing to note. Weighing this way will not be possible at all truck scales. I have seen many scales that either have railings alongside the scale platform, or the scale platform is elevated above the surrounding surface. I assume this is to prevent drivers from fudging their truck weights, but it makes it harder for us, too.
I was rudely awakened this morning by absolute silence…and “Sorry, Sorry, Sorry” from Jan up front in the kitchen. We have a white noise generator in our bedroom and when the power goes off, it gets very, very quiet.
Jan had gotten up about 15 minutes earlier, and forgetting that we only have 20 amps where we parked right now, she turned on the microwave without first turning off the electric floor heater.
That’s a no-no!
On 20 amps we can only use one heavy-draw appliance at a time. Which means the toaster oven, microwave, coffee maker, or the floor heater are all one at a time.
So having to get up to reset the breaker, I just decided I was up for the morning. I also made sure that Jan now knows where the breaker is outside, so when she blows it again (and she will) she can reset it herself.
And I can stay in bed.
But since I was up, I decided to stay up and went ahead and made us coffee for the morning. Then about 10:30 Jan and I headed out to WalMart, by way of the Post Office to mail a letter, and Wendy’s for a Spicy Chicken sandwich lunch.
About 5:00 Jan, and I headed over to Famous Dave’s BBQ, where we met Tom and Barb Westerfield for supper. As usual the food was great, and Jan and I couldn’t resist sharing a Bread Pudding with ice cream dessert.
We got home about 6:30 and that was it for today.
February 25, 2012
Project Day in Gila Bend . . .
The RV Park here in Gila Bend is one of my favorite places for getting projects done. They have a good hardware store, a good auto parts store, and not a lot of distractions.
After our morning coffee, my first project was to remove the door trim panel on our truck. When I replaced the power window system a month or so ago, I had problems getting the manual door lock working correctly, and the result was that when you locked the doors, the three passengers locked, and the alarm was set, but the driver’s door didn’t actually lock because of the drag of the manual locks.
Luckily it only took about 20 minutes to remove the panel, adjust the lock, and replace the trim panel. Now it all works fine.
Next up I wanted to mount an external 12 volt socket in one of my outside bays to supply power for my Winegard Carryout Automatic Satellite Antenna.
It only requires the 12 volts during the initial setup, and right now I just bring the cable inside the coach and plug it in on the dash. But I wanted to install a more convenient socket.
I figured I would see if I could find a source of 12 volts in the storage bay directly under my driver’s seat where the satellite wires are also attached. So I pulled the generator slide IN/OUT switch out of its housing and found the 12 volts I needed on the switch.
My next problem was to figure out the best way to tap into the + and – wires. I decided to use a Suitcase Splice,
but I didn’t have any that would handle the 12 gauge wires on the switch, so a trip into Gila Bend to the NAPA store was in order.
Since it was about lunchtime, I checked with Jan in the laundry room next door to see what she wanted to do. She was doing our heavy rugs in the big machines that she doesn’t like to do in our coach washer. We decided that I would just bring something back from the Subway across the parking lot from the park.
After lunch, I spliced the socket wires onto the 12 volt wires,
and then mounted the socket to the IN/OUT switch panel.
After checking the voltage to the socket, I declared the job done and got out of the sun. It was over 80 degrees here today, and the bay where I was working was right in the sun.
At this point I thought a nap was in order, and it was.
Around 6 pm, Jan and I drove back into town to have dinner once again at Sofia’s Mexican Food.
This time I decided to try Jan’s favorite Shrimp Burrito, but in my case I added a couple of their delicious enchiladas. It was as good as Jan had said.
After a great last meal here in Gila Bend, we headed home for the night.
Tomorrow we’ll make the 120 mile trip over to Yuma for a rally.
February 25, 2013
Blowin’ in the Wind . . .
Jan and I headed over to Gina’s about 9:30 with a quick detour by Subway for breakfast sandwiches for everyone. And after getting Jan settled in, I headed back to the rig to get us ready to head out this afternoon.
A little after noon I drove back over to Gina’s to say our goodbyes to Gina and bring Jan back to the rig. Coming back into the park I stopped at the office to settle up for a week’s worth of electricity, which turned out to be $16.10.
We pulled out of our site, got hitched up, and hit the road a little before 2pm, later than we normally would leave, but we’re only going 68 miles so it shouldn’t be a problem.
But what did turn out to be a little bit of a problem was the wind. All the forecasts said it would be pretty windy last night, a little less this morning, and then drop off in the afternoon.
But instead, the wind just blew harder as the afternoon wore on, which made for some interesting driving. But since we were staying on state roads and seldom getting above 50mph, it wasn’t a real problem
We got into Boerne (bur nee) about 3:15 and made a stop at the Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies. I had already scouted out the location on Google Maps and Street View and knew I wouldn’t have any trouble getting in and out.
About an hour later we were back on the road heading for Lakehills, TX and the Medina Lake Thousand Trails Resort. But we did have a small bobble (well, maybe a little larger than small) along the way. Our GPS had us taking a shortcut on a rural back road, which although narrow and a little rough in a couple of places, was OK for the 10 miles we were going to be on it. What was the problem was that I missed a turn. Well, not really a turn, more like a curve, where I went straight instead.
So for only the 2nd time in 5 years we had to unhitch the truck so I could turn the rig around and get us back on track. Since we were only about 8 miles from the park, Jan just followed me the rest of the way.
We got into the park about 5:15, got checked in, and found us a nice space with a good satellite view. And as it turns out we’ve got good Verizon 3G also. So far it seems like a really nice park.
February 25, 2014
Apples and BBQ . . .
First up, a number of our blog readers are having trouble accessing this site while using the Safari browser on iPads, iPhones, and iMacs. This is a known problem, not just with this blog, but many other websites. Some people have trouble even with sites like Facebook and Google.
The problem is with the Safari browser and this link from Apple Support details the problem and a number of possible solutions.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4093878?tstart=0
Of course, if you have this problem on this site, you’ll never see this.
So, Never Mind.
On another software note, there is a new wave of email viruses on the loose. The latest appears to be a video email from WhatsApp. It looks like this.
When you click on the play button, it takes you to a website that will infect you. You can get more info here.
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/whatsapp-new-voicemail-malware-emails.shtml
Finally, if you get ANY email from anyone, including someone you know, and that email has one of those shortened links like this one – http://bit.ly/OAM7r7, do not click on it. (BTW this one takes you right back to this site.)
So, let’s be careful out there.
About 1:30 Jan and I walked down the row to meet Ed and Debi Hurlburt. We have some mutual friends, and they read our blog, so we were looking forward to getting together. But our ‘getting to know each other’ visit turned into an all-afternooner and then later, dinner.
We all hit it off immediately and spent the rest of the afternoon talking about anything and everything, and were surprised to find out how much we have in common.
Finally about 4:30 we headed out for Peter’s BBQ a few miles up the road in Ellinger. Jan and I had eaten here years ago, and it was still just as good. Great BBQ and a buffet of sides, including desserts. Really good.
I had hoped to be able to start going through bins, sorting stuff to stay, go, or trash. But between the nasty weather, and making new friends, that didn’t happen.
But there’s always tomorrow.
February 25, 2015
Fish, and Shrimp, and Oysters, Oh My . . .
Sorry. I couldn’t resist.
We woke up to 38 degrees this morning, so after coffee and Dunkin’ Donuts’s Munchkins, I worked on client stuff for most of the morning. It was just too cold and windy to get anything done outside.
About 2pm Jan and I headed out for a bunch of errands and then dinner. After stopping for gas and the bank, our next stop was a client’s office in Clear Lake for a while to go over some website changes.
Then it was on up to the Almeda area to Johnson GT, a truck accessory company. I had picked up some new locking handles the other day for the lift window on our truck cap. But I ended up with two differently keyed locks, and keys to only fit one lock. So I went back up to get two new locks both keyed the same.
That accomplished, we headed back south on I-45 and stopped off at the Sam’s Club on El Dorado to pick up the prescriptions we dropped off yesterday, and a few other things as well.
Finally, with 5pm looming, and with our stomachs rumbling, we headed over to Kemah to have dinner under the Kemah Bridge at Outrigger’s, one of our favorite local seafood places located right on Clear Lake Channel
And lucky for us it was 50 cent raw oyster night, so we started off with a dozen. With lemon juice and horseradish for the cocktail sauce, it can’t be beat.
I had the Fish Sandwich, with a big piece of Atlantic Cod. Eat your heart out, Filet-O-Fish.
Jan had her usual two Grilled Shrimp Tacos, the real reason we come here.
It’s hard to tell from this photo, but it’s just solid shrimp underneath the fixin’s.
Getting home about 6:30, it was already down in the 40’s, with a low of 36 or so expected. But tomorrow’s supposed to be sunny and in the high 50’s so maybe I can get some things down outside. I’m running out of time before we leave on Sunday.
But we don’t have it as cold as our great-nieces and nephews do. At least not according to this photo and video.
Nothing like a little ‘improvised’ skiing using plastic garbage can lids. Maybe the next Olympic sport.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1013910515289021
And of course, sledding behind a one-horse (well, maybe about 5) open golf cart.
Kids can really have a lot of winter fun up north.
Of course, by ‘up north’, I’m talking about north Alabama here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that much snow there, at least not when I lived there.
February 25, 2016
Free is Not Always Free . . .
We didn’t walk this morning since I wanted to get an early start on finding parts to hook up my new FREE washer drain pump. Well, the pump was free, but I spent about $30 at Lowe’s this afternoon buying tubing, hoses, couplings, circle clamps, adapters, and angle iron to hopefully make all this work.
But it may be Saturday before I really have a chance to get started on it. Right now I think the only part I’m kind of unsure about is exactly how I’m going to mount it. But that’ll have to wait until I see where the pump ends up being positioned after I’ve got it hooked up.
About 4:30 we headed out to the Asian BBQ & Grill for dinner with Brett and Frankie O’Neal. Sherry and Clark Bennett introduced us to this last Friday, and we were really looking forward to trying it again.
Jan and I each had the same as last time, the Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls,
![Asian BBQ Spring Rolls_thumb[1]](https://ourrvadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Asian-BBQ-Spring-Rolls_thumb1-1.png "Asian BBQ Spring Rolls_thumb[1]")
and the Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken over Vermicelli.
![Asian BBQ Lemon Grass Chicken_thumb[1]](https://ourrvadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Asian-BBQ-Lemon-Grass-Chicken_thumb1.png "Asian BBQ Lemon Grass Chicken_thumb[1]")
but this time I added a bowl of Pho with Eye of Round Steak, Beef Brisket, and Beef Sirloin.
![Asian Grill Pho_thumb[1]](https://ourrvadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Asian-Grill-Pho_thumb1.png "Asian Grill Pho_thumb[1]")
And the big plate of fresh greens, with cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, and other stuff was delicious as well.
As before with Brett and Frankie, we spent longer talking than actually eating,
![Brett & Frankie_thumb[1]](https://ourrvadventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Brett-Frankie_thumb1.png "Brett & Frankie_thumb[1]")
and didn’t leave the restaurant until after 7pm.
Our next stop was right down the road at the HEB for a few things, and then we topped off the evening by ‘accidentally’ stumbling across a Marble Slab Creamery. True be told, we stumbled across it while looking for a Dairy Queen, but we won’t talk about that
Tomorrow, Jan has one last appointment down in the Clear Lake area, then she wants to get a pedicure, and I need to see a client or two. Then after that, I don’t know.
We may get together with the kids, but our schedules may not match up.
So we’ll see.
February 25, 2017
Butter Smuggling . . .
Today was another ‘stay at home work through my checklist’ day. And I actually got a lot done for a change.
One thing I got done was to finally install the new wiper blades. I used the same Denso blades that came originally on the rig, but they no longer make blades that fit the mounting on our 1999 wiper arms. So there’s drilling, bending and filing required to make them work.
I’ve looked into replacing the pantograph arms, but any possible replacements seem to run in the $150/pair range, so I’ll keep drilling, bending and filing once a year until I find something cheaper.
I also purged the computer cables behind Jan’s chair and installed the new APC Uninterruptible Power Supply and got it wired up. I then zip-tied the cables and neatened it all up.
Tomorrow it’s back down to Clear Lake for a big family get-together at the local Cheddar’s. We’ll leave about 9:15 for our 11:30 meetup. Really looking forward to seeing everyone together.
Regular Big Bang Theory fans will remember the episode where the gang was writing an app that would solve an equation just by taking a photo of it. Well, you can now have that app, or one like on your own phone. It’s called Photomath, and it’s passed every test I’ve given it.
Here’s the link for the Android version – Photomath
Check it out.
Want to try a butter that’s so good that people are willing to smuggle it in just to get some?
Well, the butter is called KerryGold, a grass-fed butter that’s imported from Ireland. And if you live in Wisconsin you have to smuggle it into the state because it’s not allowed to be sold there.
Wisconsin, known as The Dairy State, has always gone out of its way to protect its dairy industry, even to the point of banning margarine outright for many years. And when they did finally allow it in the state, they required it to be dyed in odd colors like white, or even pink.
And this mindset is causing KerryGold’s problem. Wisconsin’s dairy laws required that any imported butter undergo a strict 32 point inspection process that takes weeks. And this is not just a one-time check, but is necessary for every single shipment that comes into the state.
And since KerryGold prides themselves in the freshness of their product, they refuse to sell it in Wisconsin. So Wisconsin KerryGold lovers regularly smuggle it back across the state lines to feed their butter addiction.
And you can buy it in the other 49 states with no problems, even at Wal-Mart. So we picked up a block of it on our last visit there. And its reputation is well deserved, and it leaves Land O Lakes in the dust. The rich, smooth, buttery taste really stands out, and makes it worth the slight extra cost.
Give it a try.
February 25, 2018
Home Again . . .
Catching up starting with Saturday, I had planned to install my new LED headlight bulbs but both my Clymer’s and Hayne’s car manuals lied to me. They said that the headlight mounting bolts were 3/8” inch. They weren’t
So I had planned to get the right socket when I stopped off at the rig to feed Karma Saturday night, but then I saw it was supposed to rain all day Sunday, so . . .
Never Mind!
Jan and I headed down to Seabrook about 5pm to drop her off at Kathy’s for her Annual Coworker Get-Together. Then I headed back toward Santa Fe with a stopover at King Food for a big bowl of Hot & Sour Soup for my dinner.
Getting to the rig, Karma was very happy to see me . . . or at least to see me open her container of Meow Mix Tuna and Shrimp. Of course she has her dry Meow Mix all the time so she wasn’t really that hungry. Also gave her a big squirt of whipped cream, her favorite.
Then after cleaning Karma’s litter box, I read for a while before heading back up to Seabrook to wait for Jan’s call that she was partied out. Which came about 9:45.
After getting a group photo,
and saying our goodbyes, we were on our way back to Katy, getting there around 11:30.
Later Jan and I were sleeping soundly until about 2:30am when a thunderstorm moved in and parked right over us. But it wasn’t the storm that woke us up.
It was the 140 pound Black Lab Miss Kitty, who was terrified of thunderstorms, decided to join us . . . by knocking open the bedroom door and leaping onto the bed with us. And snuggling down between us, whimpering.
Luckily for us, Baxter could have cared less, otherwise, it could have gotten really crowded really fast. Finally getting back to sleep, I was awakening about an hour later to a leaking roof.
As least that was my first thought since something wet was dripping on me. Turns out that it was Miss Kitty sitting up, and DROOLING on me.
Yuck!
This is how Jan pretty much spent the weekend here at Brandi’s
That’s Baxter on the left, then Mooshe the cat, Jan, and Miss Kitty on the right. The only thing that changed was Baxter and Kitty swapping places, or fighting over the remaining spot if I sat down.
And even if I did, sometimes Miss Kitty would just get up on the sofa with me, half on top of me.
Brandi, Lowell, and Landon got home about 2pm, excited and worn out after their fun weekend, so Jan and I headed home about 3. But after my Hot & Sour Soup meal last night, Jan wanted her bowl too, so we stopped off at King Food for an early dinner.
We each had a big bowl of the Hot & Sour Soup with Crispy Noodle Strips,
and an order of their delicious Crispy Chicken Wings with Garlic and Butter.
Really, really yummy.
Tomorrow it’s back to work.
February 25, 2019
Bunny Tales . . .
This blog is one of those that some call a Potpourri. In my case it’s more of a hot mess consisting of some random thoughts and ramblings.
We’re now at 60 days and counting on our European Cruise, and Jan and I want to thank everyone for all their help and suggestions. It’s much appreciated. Especially since time will start passing much faster the closer our departure gets.
I’ve got my WiFi Thermostat up and working. It’s now paired with both my phone and tablet, and is displaying the temperature in the fridge using the attached probe.
Based on the Hi and Lo temperature settings, it also turns a lamp on and off that’s plugged into the outlet on the front.
Now my problem is to connect it up to control the refrigerator. I’m trying to avoid hooking it directly since that would mean trying to thread the probe from the outside compartment through the rig wall and into the fridge.
Since the fridge is already controlled by a Smart Plug through Amazon Alexa, my best hope is to get the thermostat to control the fridge through Alexa’s Smart Plug. So I’m working on getting the two to communicate. I’ll keep you informed.
My blog yesterday about coffeeshops in Amsterdam and marijuana got a lot of comments, including some about drinking and smoking.
As far as Jan is concerned, growing up Mormon, she’s never smoked. I probably smoked less than two packs of cigarettes total in my life, and never bought a single pack. I just bummed a few from others. I did smoke a pipe for a while, but that’s about it.
I did have a few ‘vague’ weekends during my college days, but quickly found it more fun to have a few beers to get a buzz, and then sober up drinking sodas, and enjoy all the drunken antics of my friends. Too bad I didn’t have a cellphone camera back then. Some of the photos would be prime blackmail fodder.
I did lose a long weekend in New Orleans one time. Somewhere along the line, this happened.
Things got a little fuzzy after that. I do remember we closed down the New Orleans Playboy Club, and as we were leaving, and trying to remember where we left my car, we took a shortcut behind the club and through their employee parking lot.
And bumped into ‘Bambi’, the girl in the photo. Turns out ‘Bambi’ was her ‘Hutch’ name, while Mary Anne was her real one. She lived nearby and was waiting for one of the bouncers to walk her home, since it wasn’t exactly a nice area.
But her bouncer friend was tied up with the police for an altercation with a rowdy patron, so I ‘volunteered’ to walk her home, giving my friends the keys to go find the car. Turns out that she had just moved out from Atlanta and didn’t really know anyone yet.
Things got a little ‘more fuzzy’ after that, and unfortunately the next thing I really remember was getting out of a cab at our motel. All I know is that this was stuffed in my jacket pocket.
And yes, it’s what you think it is. And yes, I still have it.
Jan said she was surprised to see how well it was made. I said, “Well, it had to stand up to a lot of fondling.
The problem is that I really don’t know what I did to get it. But I’m sure I had fun.
February 25, 2020
NYC Wasn’t Built In A Day . . .
Thanks to everyone for their ‘Get Well Thoughts’. I’m feeling a little better, with the coughing finally subsiding. Now I’m just at the point where my chest is so sore that when I do cough it feels like there’s a knife in my ribs. But at least I seem to be on the mend, so I’ll be going back into work tomorrow.
Our daughter Brandi got bored this past weekend and pulled out one of Landon’s Christmas gifts that he hadn’t had a chance to get to, mainly because, though the puzzle itself came from Amazon in just a few days, the special pair of tweezers had to come from China and took over a month.
The reason you need tweezers is that 1480 pieces are all 1/8” or smaller.
So Brandi started working on it and ended up there.
But then Landon came along and told Brandi, “You’re not doing it right”, and took it over.
Looks like he’s got it well in hand.
February 25, 2021
They Had Me At PB&J . . .
Jan and I headed out about 1pm for Jan’s 2:45 doctor’s appointment, early because we wanted to have lunch first. And since it was right on our route, we decided to check out the new Eggcellence that just opened in the old Steak and Shake right on I-45, actually right next door to Twin Peaks.
They weren’t very busy, which I hope isn’t indicative of their long-term success. It’s a very visible location, but not exactly easy to get to with all the I-45 construction in that area.
Jan went with what she comes in for, the Greek Omelet.
She said it’s the best one she’s found in this area, and pretty much why we come here when Jan doesn’t want her Bravocado Toast from Snooze.
I got the Texas Sampler once again, with eggs over medium, bacon, ham, and sausage, and fruit instead of the normal hashbrowns and pancakes.
Then it was on to Jan’s appointment, which was right next door to Clear Lake Regional Medical Center where she used to work before we started RV’ing.
And since this appointment was just to go over some test results, Jan was in and out fairly quickly, and after a quick stop at the Clear Lake HEB for a couple of things, it was on down Hwy 3 to the WalMart on 646 for a few more things, before heading home, with a stop at the Santa Fe PO along the way.
And as we were coming along NASA Rd 1 heading over to Hwy 3, we noticed a new restaurant had opened across from the IHOP. Called Texas Huddle Grill, it looked intriguing, so when we got home this evening, I checked them out online.
Looking over the menu, I found some of the usual suspects, salads, wings, pizzas, tacos, and burgers. And one particular burger caught my eye.
It was their PB&J Bacon Cheeseburger –
One or two sizzling all-beef patties covered with pepper jack cheese and bacon. Topped with creamy peanut butter and raspberry jelly, then sandwiched between a buttery brioche bun..
They had me at PB&J.
Regular readers know what big Vincent Van Gogh fans Jan and I are, having seen Van Gogh exhibits in Paris, London, New York City, and here in Houston.
Well, a lost painting by Vincent Van Gogh, hidden in a private collection and not seen in public for over a century, is going on the auction block next month in Paris and is expected to garner as much as $10 million.
Entitled “Street Scene in Montmartre”, it was painted in 1887, about 3 years before Vah Gogh’s death.
Unfortunately it will only be exhibited in Amsterdam and Hong Kong before returning to Paris. Too bad it’s not coming through Houston.
February 25, 2022
Blew Out My Flip Flop . . .
Of course, now that we’re off the road, Jimmy Buffet gets into the resort RV park business, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville RV Parks
With 3 already open, one in Lake Lanier, GA, one in Pigeon Forge, TN, and one in Auburndale, FL, they expect to have 50 up and running in the next 5 years.
With more than 30 successful albums under his belt, the self-proclaimed beach bum parlayed his laid-back vibe into one of the world’s most successful hospitality brands. What began with a few restaurants has transformed into hotels, casinos, resorts, retail stores, a cruise line, senior living communities, and a line of licensed products carrying the “Margaritaville” name.
Guests can bring a camper and rent a full-hookup site for about $70 a night. Camp Margaritaville RV Resort locations also offer “cabana” cabin rentals and premium motorhome sites with waterfront views and personal Tiki huts.
The existing locations offer resort-style amenities, such as luxurious pools, waterslides, Tiki bars, putting courses, entertainment stages, daily scheduled activities, playgrounds, and dog parks.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the “Come Monday” singer is worth an estimated $600 million. He’s considered one of the world’s wealthiest musicians.
I think I’ve mentioned before that I kind of know Jimmy Buffet. He wrote in one of his books, how growing up in the Mobile, AL area, he and some friends would come over to the Alabama Point area near Gulf Shores to surf. And that there was usually a bunch of locals there too.
And I was one of the ‘locals’ that was surfing there, and remember the guys from Mobile.
Good, but kind of disappointing.
I blogged yesterday about Hot Mamba Peanut Butter that I’d ordered from Amazon.
And as I suspected, it’s a really good peanut butter, but not very hot. It’s less hot than the salsa we had yesterday at El Palenque. Of course, in the world of peanut butter, it’s probably pretty spicy, but just not in my world.
February 25, 2023
Always Tip The Cook . . .
Jan and I were on our way over to the NTB tire center over on I-45 for two new front tires, getting there about noon for our appointment. And 60 minutes and $300 later we were on our way back down to the nearby Denny’s for lunch once again.
And once again, we got our usual Ultimate Omelets.
This is why I regularly tip Hugo the cook for our great omelets. Like the $10 I had Angie our server pass on to him today.
Always tip your cook. He has his hands in your food.
Afterwards, heading back toward the rig, we stopped off at HEB for our weekly HEB stuff and gas, before getting home about 3pm
Tomorrow we’re making a trip up to Conroe to meet up with Debi and Ed Hurlburt once again.
Really looking forward to it.
