Debi and Mary visit Midland

Continental regularly has a $119 roundtrip special from Houston to Midland.  Debi and Mary came out last weekend.  It worked out well because we all went back to Houston together on the same flight on Monday evening.  Then I was in Houston for training at COP for two days. 

On Saturday we went over to a neighbor/coworker's house and met a bunch of other COP people for eating tamales.  Some people showed up earlier to for the making of the tamales; we just came for the eating.  It was nice to hang out with COP folks and even nicer to be able to walk to and from the gathering!  Earlier on Saturday we visited the George Bush childhood home here in Midland.  Mary really like the Bush doghouse:

George HW, George W, Jed, etc. lived here in the early 1950s.

Mary wanted to do some motocross but we didn't have time.  And I wasn't sure she could handle a 250cc bike at age 7...

One nice feature of Midland, TX, is the "duck pond" in a part along A Street.  Mary gave up her cheese creackers to feed the ducks and swans.  I was amazed at the variety of ducks (not shown).

On Sunday we tried to go to some shops, but they were closed.  We eventually went mini-golfing near my house.

 Mary was fond of raising her hand in the air like a champion, which she was: she got the highest score!  We let her think that was good.

On Monday I want to work and Debi and Mary tried to go to the Museum of the Southwest, but it was closed.  So they visited the Haley Library next door and then the (very cool) Midland Public Library.

I didn't take any pictures in Houston!  Too bad.  I like Houston.  I picked up parts for my Subaru Forester, test drove a Golf TDI, ate at Rita's cafe (yum...), had a good 1D basin modeling class, visited friend Ben and his family (several of his kids have chickenpox), and went to GAP in the mall.  But didn't buy anything.  Because I am cheap.