February 25, 2007

After a leasurely morning of laundry we found a high speed wifi and spent
the day interneting. Will spent the day painting a galvenized bucket we had
gotten from Progreso as a gift for Sylvia and John who are celebrating their
third year at the Country Store & Beer Garden. Every Sunday they have a BBQ
and John Harley and the Bayview Bushriders play their country music.

It was sunset when we arrived in Bayview. We squeezed into our parking spot
across the dirt road from Harley's. People were everywhere, inside and out,
in the store and in dance hall. The smell of chicken filled the air coming
from the grills. We presented Sylvia the 3rd anniversary bucket by handing
it to her
daughter, Collita to bring her behind the bar. Sylvia immediately came out
and
gave us hugs and thank yous. It didn't take long before we saw it filled
with beers sitting on one of the tables. We enjoyed the music and people
watching. Tonight the band had big changes: Andrew, the bass guitar, and
Andy, the drummer, were missing and others filled their spots. Both
replacements were
very good. We introduced ourselves to Johny G, the new harmonica player. He
is fantastic! The BBQ was once again a success with brisket, chicken, pork,
and lots of side dishes. A really yummy cake with
big glob icing flowers ended the meal. Tonight music just ended; we were
disappointed that John
didn't end the evening with some of his originals or even Luckenbach, but
others who had gotten up to play just ended. John got up minutes later as
the room cleared and thanked everyone for coming. We went out to the store
area and chatted a bit with Sylvia. Her great granddaughter came up and gave
her a big hug; she is four and very sweet. Will commented on how Collita had
told us the buckets were put on the shelf each night and there they were on
the shelf. Sylvia said, "Of course." Will then turned to look at the Fish
and Wildlife shirt signed and framed and Kathy soon joined him. We exited
and were heading for the roadtrek when Sylvia came out and said someone had
taken the anniversary bucket and asked us to make another. We were in shock,
disbelief and stood dumbfounded trying to figure who and how. We never did
find out. Sylvia tried to give us the $5 "they" had paid for the bucket to
replace it. Will had just spent all day making that one and we could never
replace it; they are each had done individual gifts. Maybe "they" will
return it seeing the print on the back of the bucket, "Presented by Van Go".

We watched a movie and turned in for the night listening to the call of the
whipperwill.