For someone who has lived in a small bucolic town, I have been in a constant state of surprise…

So much has happened here in recent days!

This Sunday, was certainly a great reward for living far away from the center of the city and at the edge of Galveston Bay.

The “Annual Regatta Elissa” in honor of the vessel with the same name, considered the “official tall ship of Texas, took 8 years to be restored, and is maintained and preserved by a group of wonderful volunteers.

This boat is 123 years old and floating, and is not a replica. It’s a survivor that worked for 90 years carrying everything she could, from port to port around the world. Her name is taken from a Phoenician princess who fled Africa and founded Carthage near Tunis .

“ELISSA” can be seen at Pier 21 of the “Seaport Museum” in Galveston Texas.

Back to regatta…

Since the Houston Yacht Club is also close, we were there, on a very beautiful spring day with the north wind blowing full steam! The wind was so strong that the race finished well ahead of schedule.

This club was founded by a group of yachtsmen in 1897, with the purpose of maintaining our bay clean and healthy, and they seem to have achieved this, because large fat fish are constantly jumping whenever I’m close to the water. Always. No exaggeration. And look, I don’t fish…

The club has been promoting this event for 24 years, and has been established here since 1927, in a beautiful Spanish style building known as “The Pink Palace.”

It was there another race took place, that of the Consuls, as you can see by the flags around the pool.

Watchful and silent as always, also participating, my innumerable neighbors… And when I say innumerable, it’s because they were.

I consider them one of the rewards of my simple life and they’re probably here for the abundance of food that is found here.

Now a little more of the beauty of this fascinating sport.

But having to mention it again: do you see the huge community of white pelicans and birds lined up huddled in the background? I almost couldn’t believe my eyes !

And everyone smiled for a photo.

Like I said, the north wind was so strong…..

Hold on, Julia!

“Look at everything as if it were the first or last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” (Betty Smith)

I have said, suggested and inspired that you have “pointless style weekends” of doing things, not too much work, … And weekends, in fact, do not count, unless you spend them this way…

But what about the last one, which brought us a combination of fun, see old friends again and at the same time, being environmentally friendly…?

Arriving in Houston. A lot of creativity in the pedestrian.

No barking allowed at red hair standing on end.

More creativity still…

It is the fourth time I’ve been to the George Brown Convention Center.

To honor …

An ecological marathon, where competitors came from various parts of the world, show how one can go far, far away, with the minimum of fuel. Various types of them.

As with solar energy…

The sad thing was at that counter, finding out that the Brazilian team had to go back home, without participating in the competition. Why…?

But the most joyful part was unexpectedly see old friends again…

Now the crazy race:  way past L.O.V.E.A.B.L.E.

The three above were my favorites.

Did you see the size of the cart in proportion to the people…?

It hurts when one breaks down, because behind the scenes, we visited each team, all university students. This one won the award for perseverance in the face of adversity.

And the winners were:

But I’ll still be puzzled until they tell me why Brazil couldn’t not be in the race.

Can someone tell me…?

Tips from my dentist to keep a white smile.

To keep is the key word here.

You have to sit in the dentist’s chair first or buy the product they sell, and be faithful at using it at home. I used the product.

I love my dentist, and he’s the biggest clown and we laugh and tease each other all the time. I sware.

I just didn’t find it funny to have to pay almost $ 22.000 to redo my smile, but that’s okay, that’s already passed, he’s already been paid and we are still good friends.

Here in America they are very expensive!

Another day I’ll talk more about it, but know that he is one of the best.

Ok, here are the tips and at the end there is an at-home treatment.

1-Brush teeth, of course, always after eating, but if you can’t, use sugarless gum and at the end of the meal have fruit and crunchy vegetables, such as apples and celery. Both increase saliva flow and clean the teeth.

2-Always keep in stock a touch up whitening product with you, like Go Smile Flashlite that has peroxide and use after having coffee, red wine or dark colored fruits. ($10 for 7 in gosmile.com)

3-Once a week, brush your teeth with this at-home treatment: one drop of hydrogen peroxide with baking soda, mix the two and apply it to the tooth brush. Or buy toothpaste for deep cleaning that has silicas, such as Crest Weekly Clean Intensive Cleaning, which costs about $4.

Don’t mix various products and methods at the same time, because it increases the sensitivity of the teeth.

This is my funny dentist, and they don’t have any idea that I’m talking about them, and they’re not my sponsors in any way shape or form.

I hate to stand in line for anything, and I believe I speak for everyone, but especially… if it’s to pay a fine! We have to miss work, delays are hard to be explained, and it takes at least 2 hours! Just in line!

Thank God that this being totally changed here in Houston because the kiosks to pay fines, are coming to Malls (Shopping Centers) and the places visited by the public such as supermarkets etc.. What a relief!

Because now you can pay your fine at one of them, at the Municipal Court, without standing the queue by paying an extra $2 with cash or credit card.

Each of these kiosks cost $ 19,000 and I hope I never have to use them. I’ve already paid a fine here, yes, for speeding (5 miles above the acceptable) and it was a boring and tiring process.

Now, in hindsight, the fines are much better than other types of punishments, and may even be far more effective because the offender, generates money for the state, and if it is well used, like for me, in the case of kiosks, we’re all benefited!

But for now, what I really prefer is using the kiosk at the corner, paying $1 and renting my favorite movies.