This blog is here to collect enough stories and memories to fill a book to be given to Grandpa Glenn and Grandma Doris this Christmas. It's a secret, so don't mention it to them! Feel free to post 1, 5, or 20 (or more!) memories. It can be one paragraph or many or maybe even a sentence. And encourage the rest of our family to participate! We'd love to compile as many stories as possible to show Grandma and Grandpa how much we've appreciated the Beach House over the past 25 years.
Comment below to add your thoughts and stories about Easter, family reunions, the 4th of July, the Strand, the beach, the canal, dynamite in the backyard, your family's summer vacation, etc. etc. Be sure to sign your entry so we will know to whom the memory belongs. We'll take the finished log and edit it, then get it printed in book form.
Thanks so much for participating! Visit often as someone else's memories may stir your own even further! There's not a whole lot of time to do this, so think and write fast!
45 comments:
I remember fish fries under the decking downstairs. Everyone patiently (?) waiting for Grandpa to make the fries, and then the fish, and finally the shrimp!!!
I remember walks on the beach at dusk.
I remember Valerie stepping on a board with a nail stuck through it as we were walking along the beach at dusk.
I remember taking the kids to the beach for a week at a time - just me and the 3 of them. Steve would come on the weekend after working all week.
I remember mosquitoes. And flies.
I remember family reunions - Billy losing his ring one year, and bringing a metal detector another year and finding the ring!
I remember Lacey breaking her foot playing volleyball at one of the reunions, right after it had just healed from another break.
I remember Valerie falling out of the top bunk in the middle of the night when she was about 4 years old. She landed on one of those little plastic tables. She spent the rest of the night sleeping with me on my bed so I could listen to her breathe. She never knew she had fallen and didn't understand why she was in my bed when she woke up the next morning!
I remember Ginger crashing the motorcycle (not the moped, but the motorcycle) when she was about 12.
I remember a trip to the emergency room when Clay was about 3 months old and was having a drug reaction. There was a guy convulsing on the floor in the waiting room having OD'd on drugs. Steve waited in the car with the girls.
-kerry
I remember Aaron getting a stomach virus and Mom, Shane and I getting it as well after eating Kentucky Fried Chicken and Kraft Mac N Cheese. I couldn't eat either for years.
I remember eating lunch while sitting on a boogey board. Throwing the bread crusts to the seagulls. Then putting on an old race shirt so that our shoulders wouldn't burn. The white shirts would eventually be brown after swimming in the lovely water.
I remember bringing Derek to the beach and taking a picture of the pyramid of cousins.
I remember purple, burned feet after someone not putting on sunscreen. The younger boy cousins put sunscreen on their feet for years.
I remember wearing cut-off jean shorts two sizes two big over my bathing suit bottoms.
I remember trying to do a model smile when we took our ladies picture in all white. It ended up looking like a too wide grin and I never smiled like that again.
I remember Greg always making a big hoel at the beach for Amy to use as a pool. Eventually all the cousins would end up making sand castles around the pool.
-Shannon
I think my favorite memory - or one of them, was the year that we set off the fireworks and then saw the sheriff coming. The fireworks were thrown into the downstairs shower and everyone ran. Poor Joannie. Poor, poor Joannie. We made her answer the door.
I remember the number of dogs growing as the years went on.
I remember peacocks yelling for help.
I remember Bill and those dang ducks.
I remember Shane Chasers and Kathy laughing at them.
I remember Grandpa taking naps on the floor.
I remember dying eggs, icing eggs, and eating eggs at the kitchen table.
I remember trying to sleep out on the deck in sleeping bags and having to go in because of the rain in the middle of the night.
I remember skittles and baking soda as a remedy for jelly fish stings.
THE PURCHASE
In August 1982, Mom and Dad began their hunt for a house in Galveston. Now that they were having more grandchildren, they knew it was not feasible to continue to take family vacations in Cancun. So, what better way to spend family vacations than a beach house of our own.
Kerry and I accompanied them on one of their final search which included a house near the 61st Street exit off I45, another in a very formal neighborhood near the airport and even a townhouse on Seawall Blvd just west of Wal Mart. Frankly, we were all becoming somewhat discouraged when the realtor mentioned a new listing in an area on the West end of the island called Pirate's Cove.
We made what seemed to be a long drive to 12 Mile Road. There was a convenience store called "Sasser's" but nothing else. We drove by a golf course and then entered into the subdivision. There were not many houses.
We toured a home at 13807 Cutlass which was occupied by its builder, Mr. Gautier. Mr. Gautier, a somewhat shady character, showed us around. Frankly, the house was dirty and smelled like a kennel. However, after a short deliberation, Dad made an offer not only for the house, but also the vacant lot on the West side. Mr. Gautier balked at selling the lot but finally relented and agreed to sell the whole package.
Of course, when Snuf and Kathy learned that we now had Galveston property, they were anxious to see it for themselves. When Kerry and I took them down there, we drove to a couple dilapidated beach shacks and told them that this was it (per Dad's instructions). To their credit, they put on a happy face. After all, we had greatly enjoyed the beach shacks in Gilcrest and these were about on the same par. When we finally arrived at 13807 Cutlass, they first refused to believe this was it. After being convinced, they were ecstatic. At that moment, the planning started...we needed bunk beds, a dinette, sail boat, motor boat, fishing rods, etc. Poor Greg and Tim, we would call them and say "you owe $200 for these essentials".
There were only 4 granchildren at the time. Shannon was 4, Aaron was about 3, Shane 2 and Ginger 8 months old. Our first cook out was hot dogs on the lot between our house and Bill's. Of course, Bill's house didn't exist at the time.
HURRICANE ALICIA
One year later, Hurricane Alicia hit Galveston and did considerable damage. The National Guard would only permit residents of the island to enter to prevent looting. My next door neighbor had a beach house in Jamaica Beach and was headed down soon after to inspect his property. He invited me to accompany him. Before we crossed the Causeway, we had already seen large boats washed up beside the highway. We encountered a road block at the west end of the Sea Wall manned by armed Army Reservists. After showing a copy of a utility bill and a picture of the beach house, we were permitted to pass.
There was considerable damage on the west end of the island. Most of the homes closest to beach were gone or considerably damaged, power lines were down, garbage and building materials were scattered everywhere.
My neighbor dropped me off on his way to Jamaica Beach. There was considerable damage to 2 - 3 homes in our subdivision caused by a tornado. Dad had asked me to assess and phtograph the damages. The outside didn't look too bad but the inside was soaked because an air vent was blown off the roof causing several inches of water to pour through and soak the carpets.
I proceeded to pull out all the carpet on the kithchen level of the house. That was, without a doubt, the hardest work I have ever done. The carpet was heavy, the house was hot and steamy and I almost passed out from the awful odor of pet urine.
Next, I found a ladder and climbed up to the top of the roof to cover the air vent hole. That was no problem. The problem was getting down. Looking down appeared much steeper than looking up. I spent at least 2 hours burning up on that roof before finding the nerve to slide down.
On the positive side, insurance eventually paid for new carpet and Dad installed hurricane blinds.
THE BOAT LAUNCH
For the first 10 years, one of the most entertaining ways to spend an evening was to wait for boaters and fishermen to return to the boat launch across the canal from our house. The boat launch was later removed when a new canal was dug to connect to Lafitte's Cove.
The biggest mistake people made was backing their boat trailers too far down the concrete ramp. They could not see where the ramp ended and dropped several feet. They invariably backed their trailers to where the wheels would drop off the ramp and therefore could not pull out their trailer. One fellow kept spinning his wheels in an effort to pull the trailer out. After considerable study, he let out enough cable to permit him to move his truck beyond the top of the ramp, ensuring good traction. He then revved his engine and took off managing to pull off the front of his trailer. As this portion of his trailer was drug across the shell parking lot, the rest of his trailer proceeded to roll down the ramp and sinking into the depths of the canal. Laurel and Hardy would have been proud.
Another grat memory was when Snuf, Tim, Greg and I witnessed a fellow with a big boat also back his trailer too far. He could not pull out his trailer because the wheels had dropped off the edge of the ramp.
Having drunk several beers and feeling indestructible and magnanimous, the four of us leaped into the canal and swam to the boat launch. We dove underwater and lifted up the trailer as the man pulled it with his truck. The trailer was freed and the man was very pleased. So pleased in fact, that later that evening, the door bell rang and the man with the trailer stepped in with a case of Heineken exclaiming, "SON OF A ***, YOU GUYS WERE AMAZING!!!"_
The truly amazing thing is that none of us was injured or drowned.
Family reunions were a lot of fun, if for no other reason than the seeminly limitless supply of cokes in the long line of coolers. I probably drank 4 or 5 cokes in one afternoon, just because I could. There were so many people around (and so many trashcans!) that I could finish a coke, throw it away, and grab another one before my parents could notice.
One summer Shane and Aaron had brought their water balloon slingshot. We ran out of water balloons at the reunion so someone had the bright idea to use the next best thing...chicken bones! We would race downstairs, grab a couple mini chicken wings, and eat them as fast as we could while running up the stairs. Then we'd put them in the slingshot and fire them away at people, the canal, and passing boats. I'm sure I thought it was the most hilarious thing I had ever witnessed in my life.
Some people's memories are clearer than others. "Anonymous", aka Steve, evidently has a foggy one from time to time. It wasn't Snuf and Kathy that we took out to the end of a deserted row of shacks and pointed to one as being the new "purchase." It was TIM AND GREG!!! They were both very relieved when we showed them the real thing....
-kerry
No better place in America to have a BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!!
Beno's, dog races, putt putt, margarita's, shuffle board, volleyball, injured old men, horseshoes, flapping tent, sunburn, couple of cold ones, competition, fishing, hamburgers, no cell phones or computers, stay on the beach until 5:00 pm, girls vs guys, Glen McDaniel cleaning the shower wall with his butt instead of the wall scraper, 16 adults eating boiled shrimp in the kitchen as if it was their last meal on earth, Morby boys vs Wenzel, Glen and Snuf in a friendly game of volleyball, loose shorts around your ankles at Beno's, fishing in the bay under a full moon, 16 adults sitting under a 10x10 tent and being the center of attention on the entire beach, creative birthday t-shirts, ac on 60 degrees, country western dancing, standing in the water for two hours and talking about nothing....only at the BEACH HOUSE!
Random thoughts:
Night Creatures-
I was sleeping on a mattress on the floor when I was awakened by something crawling across my throat. Instintively, I grabbed at whatever it was and threw it. When I turned on the light, I saw one of the biggest roaches ever crawling up the wall.
Palm Trees
The 3 tall palm trees near the boat house were planted over 20 years ago. We found the palms in the area to the north of the sewage treatment plant and carried them back in 5 gallon buckets.
Sewage Plant
Speaking of the sewage treatment plant, I recall a July 4th weekend when we saw sewage overflowing the top and pouring down the sides because there were so many people in Pirates' Cove at that time...either that or Snuf had just used the plunger again.
The Boat House-
Building the boat house was an adventure and everyone pitched in. However, I resolved that I would never work that close with Dad again. What was apparent in his own mind was never that clear in my own. We had some frank discussions.
The Big Freeze-
About 20 years ago, Galveston reached a low of 9 degrees. As a result, pipes froze in the garage, and under sinks including the sink where the TV sits. The ice broke the pipes and we had water everywhere. Greg volunteered to go into the crawl space under the stairs and repair a pipe. We cut a small hole under the bathroom sink and he crawled into that dark space with a flashlight. I think he still has nightmares about being back there in that tomb. A few years later, we discovered by accident that there was a much easier way to get into that area by simply pulling out the stereo cabinet. Now you know why we cut off the water and empty the pipes in the winter.
Smokers-
I volunteered to cook about 30 lbs of brisket on the big smoker for a reunion. I put the meat on at about 10:00pm and woke up to an alarm every 2 hours to go check the fire. By the time of the reunion, the meat still wasn't tender. We stuck it in the oven but it still was only fair. I decided next time I would buy it already smoked.
Jelly Fish-
Ginger had a string of bad luck with jelly fish stings. One time, I was pulling her on an inner tube behind the old gray boat when she hit a jelly fish out in the bay. She screamed all the way back.
Ed Brooks-
Remember our great neighbor Ed Brooks and his poodles named Bibi? He was always friendly and always dressed immaculately, even when he was mowing. He was a classy man who was genuinely interested in all of us.
Bunk Bed adventures-
Snuf purchased all the matresses and bunk bed frames from a company in Waco and he either brought them down or had them delivered. I was to drive down the following weekend to assemble it all. Kerry and Ginger were on their way to Georgia. I stopped at the KPC on 61st and got some chicken. It smelled so good that I pulled out a thigh and took a bite as I drove through an intersection. I guy ran a red light and slammed into my side and the chicken went flying, especially the wing.
The car was totaled, a taxi took me to the beach house and I called Tim. He came down and we assembled the beds.
Fun with the kids-
When Shannon was about 7, we took her, Shane, Aaaron and Ginger to a park on Stewart Rd. to blow off steam. Snuf was driving his big land yaht, the Caprice station wagon. On the way back, the kids were hitting each other, crying, and screaming. Snuf looked in his rear view mirror and said "hey!..remember what they say on Sesame Street?...COOPERATION.
There was a momentary lull and the hitting and screaming resumed.
Glenn great to see you last weekend at the beach house. I should not have been surprised to see you at the beach house WORKING!!
Three memories for me:
The first two come from beach house #1.
1. Could it have been any hotter in that house at night when there was no wind!!!
2. The famous beer tasting event you set up to prove that no one could tell the difference in the good beer we bought and the really cheap beer you bought..one of the cans you found in the boat that had to be 10 years old...you won!!!
The third memory comes from beach house #2. It was one of our couples trips and Snuf and Kathy and me and Sarah went down early to "get things ready"...when we got to the house about 9:00pm or so your Mr. Organized son-in-law realized he forgot the key!! We didn't want to break in so after a few calls he found out you were in High Island fishing...by this time it was about 10:30 or so and Snuf got you on the phone, told the story and you said "I'll be there" and hung up...well we waited and waited then on the main road we heard this car coming about 100 miles an hour....when you slid to a stop in the driveway, you got out, walked to the door, unlocked it, got back in the car and burned rubber as you left..Snuf barely had time to admit how stupid he was for forgetting the key...It was a classic!!!!!!
enjoy the memories.....
I remember that child labor laws were not in effect in Galveston. If you could walk, then you could mow, edge, sweep, move heavy objects, paddle broken boats, assist in house projects, and carry luggage to and from the car.
I remember how everyone except the Smiths had a dog and now only the Smiths bring their dogs.
I remember Clay's typical lunch- a coke and a few slices of bread in which he would eat one and throw the rest to the birds.
I remember those 4th of July parades and how every year was the last year and each year, they seem to materialize. Funny, I never knew why we stopped coming on 4th of July.
I remember when all the kids slept outside and yet, I was the only one left in the rain. The beach house- a free-for-all when it comes to food and sleeping quarters.
I remember Grandma getting on to us for bringing the PlayStation and yet somehow, we managed to play 8+ hours a day. Clay's response: Grandma, they are just evil computer polygons that must be defeated.
I remember all those weird people descending on our house only to realize they were distant relatives and we were having a 'reunion'.
I remember when Kaki spent her first night at the beach house and said she couldn't sleep because it sounded like an airport with the 3 noise makers and 2 fans on full blast.
I also remember when Kaki's dad gave her mucho dinero to buy fireworks and the younger male cousins thought she was the greatest. Sorry guys, Kaki is off the father's payroll. Next time will be metal sparklers and smoke bombs.
I remember watching the 3 stooges video...over and over...and over...and over. Grandma, do you know where that video is? Me neither!!
I remember looking like white trash sitting under a painters tarp held up by 6 pvc pipes. Classy...you would have thought we were all NASCAR fans!!
I'm glad to see Shane bring up the 4th of July parades, stole the words right out of my mouth.
It wasn't just the three stooges video, it was the Barney video as well. As you all know I'm the one that hid/threw those things away. And we've been better off because of it.
I remember doing a bunch of things that I'm still not going to confess publicly for fear of Grandpa's wrath.
I remember my other cousin Amy (on Dad's side) not quite being able to make the turn on our street on the moped and crashing into one of the big bushes at the neighbor's house. I just stood there and stared as everyone else ran to help her.
I remember sliding down the stairs on pillows.
I remember tying bedsheets to the balcony and trying to climb up and down before getting caught by mom.
I remember the distant family member at the reunion that purposely threw a paddle in the canal and watched it sink. I don't think he was ever invited back.
I remember the 2 times the big yellow boat was used, and the 2 people that are allowed to drive the new boat.
I know far too many of the Olsen Twins songs because of the Beachhouse.
I believe that I have also viewed some sort of 80's Sports Bloopers video 50+ times.
No one believes me when I tell them that we dug holes in the ground and filled them with Easter Grass and wild flowers - so that the "Bunny" could come and find them during church. I guess the Easter Bunny is like Grandpa. They both don't like the Cha-Cha church.
I remember the first time Derek came to the beachhouse was for the 4th of July. Not only was he included in the panoramic family photo in all of our red, white and blue (a little presumptious?) but he drove everyone in the parade. he had the only truck at the beachhouse and got to drive someone wearing a crown and waving the Miss America wave to a bunch of college kids down the street.
I remember taking cousin pictures along the banister and making sure the little cousins didn't get their heads' stuck between the railings.
I remember the clams all washed ashore and dead (great smell) and the sting rays circling in the shallow end.
I remember watching Jaws at a slumber party in 1st grade. I thought he would get me in that brown water for years.
I remember trying to flush out crabs from their holes at the beach and trying to catch them.
I remember catching waves from the second sandbar during a tropical storm brewing in the gulf. A jellyfish got in my onepiece (when was the last time I wore one of those) and I had to pull it out once I got thrown on the shore. It stung for hours and I of course wined and threw a fit.
I remember being a trooper and playing dogeball with the cousins. carter, while trying to show off to other friends, smacked me with the ball during a time out. His father quickly handled the situation from there.
I remember countless trips to the strand as all 3 Smith kids started driving. Always had to stop at the candy store and Yaga for "mo' cheap tings" upstairs.
I remember Hilary having a stars and stripes bikini.
I remember Monty and Molly and how they are still some of my favorite dogs of all times.
I remember chasing a slinky down the stairs and falling down half of them. My mom's response? "What did you expect?"
I remember chasing crabs at night down at the beach with flashlights.
I remember a kidney stone in the middle of the night, having to go to the emergency room, and returning to the house as everyone else was cleaning up to go home. I was too zonked on painkillers to help. I barely remember eating at Benno's for lunch and then riding in the back of the mini-van all the way back to Plano. Oh, and I passed the stone before we left for lunch - in case you all were wondering.
I remember Clay losing his glasses in the surf as he washed off for the last time before we left the beach for the summer.
I remember the Easter service we did at the beach house on our own. Kathy gave the "children's sermon," and Steve played our little keyboard. We sang a few hymns. The only Easter service Grandpa attended down there...
I remember when Aaron fell off his chair and into the canal while he was fishing. Grandpa just leaned over the bulkhead and asked if he was okay. Aaron was doing the dog-paddle, and Grandpa held an oar out to him and pulled him out.
I remember the sunfish sailboat. The rudder pin quit working, and the rudder would pop out of the water so that you couldn't steer the silly thing.
I remember great meals with 21 people crammed into that kitchen.
-kerry
Here are a few things I remember and love about the MORBY beach house:
M- More people and dogs in one house that I ever thought possible. But it is always so much fun when everyone is there!
O- Overhead fans plus even more on the floor! I'd never seen that before the Morby beach house!
R- Ridiculous idea to use Shane's small Honda to get the two person kayak back to the beach house. Shane and I ended up buying new beach towels to place on the roof of the car then we bought twine to attempt to tie the kayak down to the roof. We had to drive about 20 mph the whole way back to the beach house with our arms out the windows to try and keep the kayak from shifting.
B- Beach, not the prettiest, but great for laying out, playing frisbee or football, walking and looking for shells as well as allowing Putter to play around and drink all the water and sand he can.
Y- Yard games that start up in the evenings. Anything from washers to that "dynamite" game that I still don't know all of the rules to and I don't think anyone else does either!
~Kaki
Kathy Morby on HELL-
On our first trip to the new beachhouse with all the STUFF, we left early before dawn with 3 little ones, a small flatbottomed boat piled high with riding hot wheeled toys, fishing gear, etc. and hit Houston about 6:30 A.M. I looked out the car window, saw the massive traffic jam at a standstill and thought to myself, "Surely, this is what hell is like...."
Kathy on HEAVEN-
John F. Kennedy loved the sea. He said since the ocean had the same amount of salt in the water as our body fluids contained, we had a chemical connection to the sea. I agree. It is a part of me and you. Other heavenly things:
getting out of that downstairs shower after a day on the beach & air drying in the hammock in the shade.
Finishing your meal duties and relaxing the rest of the time eating someone else's fixings.
Sunrises, sunsets & moonshine going from the source, over the water and right up to the beach. It seemed as if you could walk on the light up to the sky.
Smelling the salt air and hearing the waves crash. Is there any better feeling than coming up over 61st Street & seeing that sight?! Only when you slipped into the water 45 minutes later...!
Swimming at the country club on Mondays and the dads swinging each kid up high into the air into the pool.
Evening tours on the boats, from flatbottomed to the newest boat in our slip. So relaxing....
Kathy on FISH-
Granny always wanted to see the catch.
I remember mending/tending nets like the 12 disciples.
Sharks would circle your stringer of fish when you were out on the 2nd or 3rd sandbar...bad feeling! And then a big porpoise would jump out of the water by you and scare you to death!
Seining for whatever and catching sea horses, minnows, crabs, sea weed, shrimp, mullet, jelly fish, etc. and all the kids on the beach going crazy to see!
The huge rolling carp in the canal would surface like a sea monster and the neighbor would chase it down with his bow and arrows?!
Watching 1000s of shad swim across the WATCHTHEFISH.COM lights and look like one big fish in the book SWIMMY.
Seeing irridescent(SP?) jellyfish at night in the canal.
Shane getting hit by a jellyfish in the canal. He cried out in pain,"Why did Adam and Eve have to sin?"
Catches in the past-ribbon fish, sheepheads with real human looking teeth,big fat, flat flounder,red fish, speckled trout, croaker that really croaked, catching a skimmer bird in our fishing line in the canal and getting it untangled watching out for that sharp beak.
Mom wanting to kill all catfish/gafftop after getting finned by a 2" fish and ending up in the hospital. "Kill them all by smahing them to death on the bulkhead!!!"
Al Smith seining in the marsh and getting hit by a stingray. Lotta pain and no one in the ER wanting to touch a dirty wound. HOT WATER is the immediate treatment for pain relief.
Kathy on BIRDS:
Roseate spoonbills seen off our porch.
All kinds of ducks.
Brown pelicans in formation with the lead bird flapping, then the 2nd row flapping, then the third row starting to flap, on down... a natural contagion!
The first purple martins arriving for the spring, usually to Ed's birdhouse.
Dad and I were witness to a major bird fallout over at Lafitte's Cove. After 61 mph winds on Good Friday, early Saturday morning we went to the fields and saw lime green jays, painted buntings(look like little parrots), azure buntings, scarlet tanengers, yellow canaries,azure grosbeaks.... It looked like an aviary! They had battled the north winds across the Gulf of Mexico and had fallen out on the highest point on the island to rest and feed. Later there were 100s of birders all over the fields but the birds had moved on.
Dad took me over the ferry, past Stingerees, past the nude beach, past Hugh Landrum's old place to the High Island rookery. 1000s of herons, egrets, spoonbills, terns raising their young just a stone's throw from our viewing. The island where they were nesting was created by the oil companies and kept foxes, raccoons and other predators at bay. Land management at it's best!
Seagulls looking like they were dressed up in tuxedos.
Great blue herons on our dock.
White pelicans folding up their wings to divebomb into the ocean for a fish.
Watching a heron catch a fish sideways in it's beak, toss it up in the air numerous times until it was ready to go head first down the hatch. Pretty good for a bird that has no arms or hands!
Kathy on FOOD:
Dad and Snuf trying to eat the lion's share of cobbler without the other one noticing.
Pyramids of cereal boxes for breakfast.
Sneaky kids hiding their favorite cereals the night before breakfast.
Orange dreamsicle ice cream;chocolate ripple ice cream-how come we don't buy that kind anymore???
coffee on the deck in the mornings; hot chocolate on the deck in the mornings with melted Peeps in the middle(just the eyeballs showing).
Pork-sausage, bacon, links, patties, ham,ribs....
Dad making BBQ from random leftover meats.
Steve's Viking meatathons with bread, a favorite brew and of course, CANDY,CANDY,CANDY or CHOCOLATE,CHOCOLATE,CHOCOLATE!
Greg slipping in wild game or fresh fish.
Assembly lines for sandwiches on the beach.
Jesse's chips.
The time I had no pecans for the banana bread and used peanuts. It was just awful!
Margaritas make Joannie and Pam quite competitive shuffleboard players.
Kathy on REUNIONS:
competive volleyball.
cold watermelon.
fresh tomato sandwiches from Uncle Dan & Aunt Kathryn.
Aunt Linda's deviled eggs. Just eat 5 while in the food line and have more on your plate. Steve did the same thing.
Family tree stickers, charts,and nametags made by Valerie.
Uncle Billy's huge family.
Ed Fontenot's endless jokes.
Ed playing hymns on his guitar while we sang and Mammaw King looked like she was in heaven.
Group photos with matching race shirts from Snuf.
EGG TOSS
Faith Fischer as a little thing going up the stairs of the beach house, up the stairs in the beach house, up to the bunk beds, to sit on top of the top bunk to be the "highest of all!"
Bear hugs from Pappaw King.
Weiners in the crockpot on the deck with hot coffee in the downstairs bathroom.
Uncle Dan's dad recycling cans and we laughed. He got the last laugh as he traveled overseas with his can money. We gathered cans all weekend, smashed them, took them home in a soggy bag that leaked and cashed them in for a whopping $8.
Kathy on STORMS-
We were trying to sleep as the exhaust fan over the stove rattled and the beach house was rocking in the 80 mph winds. We had had a good day catching monstrous waves and we were worn out. The hurricane was coming in hours sooner than expected and we decided to flee in the dark. The rain was sideways and I thought we would blow off the causeway bridge. Everyone of the evacuees seemed to stop in Huntsville for breakfast at McDonald's and everyone in the place looked like hell. We had Shannon's friend with us. What must Jaime have thought? Her mom got us a beautiful crystal bowl as a thank you gift.
Kathy on FINDS-
Hugh brown seashells only at Easter.
Used fireworks on July 5th and using them in firework forts.
Boogie boards, sandpails, a note in a bottle, golfballs, sharks teeth, horseshoe crab shells, hermit crabs, digging for little clams, and our friends who steamed 100s of them for their kids to eat over rice.
A real live dead blowfish, blown up!
Sand dollars, 50 cents, quarters, dimes and sand pennies.
PEACOCK FEATHERS.
Ropes from ocean vessels.
Bouys.
A runaway Boston Whaler, unmanned in the canal going out to the bay. Snuf and the Morby boys rescued it and the grateful neighbors brought over a thankyou bottle of wine.
Kathy's HOW MANYS:
How many backrubs, trips to Sasser's, golf cart runs, different Easter services,golf balls hit to the water treatment plant,bottles of suntan lotion, from the Smiths #4 to Kerry's 60+++.
How many dogs-Rocket,Pearlie,Eightball,Chewie, Monte,Molly, Roxy, Putter, Grace, Snickers, Brownie, Kelly and her kids,Bailey....
Thanks, Mom and Dad for the memories, and the house payments, the utilities paid, insurance, taxes, repairs covered. PRICELESS!!!
My first stay at the beach house I remember the ceiling fan falling on Shane during the middle of the night. The Smith’s were in one room and the Morby’s in the other upstairs room. He rolled the fan off and went back to bed. Since no one woke up I thought I was dreaming.
I spent Easter 2005 at the beachhouse. Kathy had planned a birthday celebration with cookie cake for Shannon, Glenn and myself. It was a special time! I felt a part of the family that weekend.
This summer Aaron and I planned our summer vacation at the beachhouse. We enjoyed our daytime naps, Moody gardens, sitting on the deck in the evenings, and Schlitterbaun. Thank you for the beachhouse and the wonderful memories!
- Elise
Greg -
YES!
I not only remember but still love to enjoy time at the beachhouse shorthly after several things: Steve has cleaned the garage, Kathy has sterilized the entire upstairs, Dad's friend Jimmy has left all sort's of stuff. Or finding out that someone was staying an extra day and would finish the laundry, vacuuming, mopping.
#%!
I do not like to show up at the beach after someone took the only key after locking the house and I had to: connect a small paint roller to an extension, squeeze my arm through the blinds, coax open the window nearest the sliding door and then continue to try to open the sliding door lock with the my 'rig' while not remebering if the use raise or lower the lock to unlock it. 30 minutes later in the heat & humidity we are in.
Sports
I remember doing permanent damage to my shoulder throwing a wet volleyball in dynamite....but oh what a sport....sanctioned opportunity to hit one of your own children with a volleyball as hard as you can. No head shots though. Clay flying in the air when his feet are knocked out from under him. Arguing over rules that never really existed.
Wiffle ball in the lot is great.
Walking up the stairs in the morning after running or fishing and smelling bacon cooking.
Avoiding dad as he looks for 'help' for a project.
Amy singing on the swing with her headphones on with music full blast.
Loading
The fun of loading up food, drinks, shovels, horseshoes, chairs, lubing up and heading to the beach with 20 family members.
Deception
Pretending we were interested in property so we could ride on the yacht and then all the grandkids yelling hello to grandpa as he sat on the deck waving to us.
Where are Steve or Snuf or Tim???
I remember driving down to help dad launch the new pontoon boat and adjust the width of the boat dock. Dad of course had done much work already...that is a given. However after applying Morby insect repellant....diesel applied directly to exposed skin to ward off mosquitoes and ensure increased cancer risk....we moved the cables on the lift and cut some boards. Then the big moment, dad is in old blue backing down the ramp at the Pirates marina, the trcuk stops and dad gets out then the truck and everything begin to roll backwards. Dad hops back in the cab at the last moment and places the truck in PARK. We launch the boat. Dad gets back in old blue to pull just the trailer out and old blue can't get up the ramp. Truck makes noise and spews some blue smoke but it ain't moving. Fortunately there are not many people on the deck at Waterman's watching the redneck entertainment. We hook the winch cable from the trailer to the bumper. Disconnect the trailer. Drive old blue to the top of the ramp. Then use the hand winch on the trailer to pull the trailer out of the water, up the ramp and eventually to the truck. Dad nicely ask if I'd like to drive the boat around to the house. I pass.
Three Stooges
As many of you are aware, AMy has special needs. One thing that made her happy was watching the three stooges tape over and over and over and over and over. Wonder what happened to that tape.....
Chasing seagulls and digging huge holes in the sand chasing sand crabs crabs. The way the sand looked on my face. Downstairs meals. Lying on the cool cement under the house for hours (or days). Lying in the warm sun for hours (or days). Lying in the cool air conditioned house for hours (or days).
Watching the following dogs leave: Grace, Roxie, Chewie(Sp??), Monte, other large hairy dogs whose name escape me. Playing with Tipper, Toes, and Eight Ball. Rides on the pontoon boat.
Dynamite:
I remember playing a fierce game of dynamite out on the lawn while the neighbors across canal played a nice quiet game of wiffle ball. The contrast between the two situations made me laugh.
I remember Clay jumping to avoid every ball thrown his way, which usually resulted in his legs being taken from underneath him.
Moped:
I remember when Shane crashed the moped on the street and tried to conceal the cut on his arm by wearing a white long-sleeve shirt. Lets just say that his plan did not last through the fish fry.
Seagulls:
I remember when we tried to feed the seagulls a firecracker wrapped in bread.
Sand Castles:
I remember building forts on the beach with all the dads and cousins.
Living Room:
I remember making a zip-line for small airplanes that ran from the upstairs balcony to the couches downstairs.
4th of July:
I remember when Carter, Clay, and I used the PVC pipe in the garage to shoot fireworks off of the boat deck.
I remember Dawson "helping" grandpa with the fish fries, but only to satisfy his common interest in eating french fries.
I remember catching a stingray with one of my friends and staring at it as it gave birth on the land in front or our feet. We thought it was pooping out its intestines.
I remember filling the floor of the whole upstaires bedroom with floor mats and pillows to make the best wresteling arena. We would also jump off the top bunk onto them only when grandpa wasnt there.
I remember a man standing on a boat, taunting my aim with a water balloon launcher. Next thing he new he had been hit in the chest.
I remember asking Kaki why her eye kept twitching.
I remember tears rolling down grandmas face as we listened to the harmanaka at the cha cha church
I remember Clay being slapped in the back with a bag full of water by the fat kid across the street.
I remember Shane forgetting to put sunscreen on one part of his chest.
I remember rashes on my chest from the boogie boards.
I remember playing dynomite with complete strangers.
I remember not being able to wait to go to the beach house because I couldn't wait to see the coolest people in the world.
I remember waking up every morning to a feast on the kitchen table....and I was always excited for Kathy's banana bread with the gooey middle!!
I remember the Runts from Sassers!!
I remember the time when the uncles thought it would be funny to have me take turns in mowing the yard!!
I remember the family reunion when I got stung in the canal and felt the jellyfish's tentacles wrapping around my leg and pushing Dawson out of the way even so he wouldn't get stung even though he swore that he did!!
I remember the time when a hermit crab caught a hold of my finger and wouldnt let go and my Dad thought we should use pliers or burn him off....not really caring about what would happen to my finger!!
I remember when Shane got so burned on his back and Steve thought it would be funny to slap it!! I think thats the only time I saw Shane cry!!
Certainly a prevailing memory of mine is sitting in the shade of the house and visiting with family or good friends in the late afternoon when it is sunny.... but no longer so hot, the breeze is nice, and kids are occupied with fishing or swinging from the rope swing or other activities. When the day just eases by as you visit and laugh. That is when I really think about what a blessing the house and family are.
EARLY EVENING
"Ow, whyd you throw it so hard, its not fair", I'd whine as Shane beaned we with a volleyball. and then "DAWSON, ITS TIME." grandpa bellowed as he called me over to help with the fish fry. Then I'd taste one fry, it would obiously be a good batch so I'd eat them until my mom would tell me to stop. then I'd go ahead and sneak some more. Then dynamite would end and carter would waddle over and reach for the fries... Id scream NO WAIT UNTIL DINNER!!!! Then I would act like a big ole' monarch and try to boss everyone around. Little did I know he would come back to get me while we played video games when the parents went to sleep. Id whine and Carter would say shhhhh!!! They are sleeping. So I would go to bed.
2 years ago I planned my own trip to the house with friends. I was thrilled to be playing hostess in the house. We pulled into the driveway around 11:30 or so at night. I quickly ran to open the house, turn on the air conditioning, and then headed to try and turn on the water. I couldn't find the outdoor lights, so I stood in the dark trying to twist the knob on the side of the house. I had a miniature light on my key chain that I would pull out to shine every once in a while. The handle would not budge, my friends came down to watch the show, and slowly my thoughts were filled with shouts of #*%@!. I could not get it to turn. Nothing I did was helping. Of course there were plenty of mosquitos and sweat was starting to pour down my face. So, what's a girl to do? I called my dad. "DAD! I CAN'T GET THE WATER ON." Dad groggily tried to coach me through turning it. "Have you tried turning it the other way? Why don't you find some pliers?" I'm not sure if it has been replaced yet, but I broke off several prongs on the knob that night. The water finally turned on, and then it proceeded to rain every day we were there. Nothing like putting together a puzzle...again. :)
I remember spending every Easter since 1985(except 2) at the beach house. I remember Easter services at the outdoor musical theater ("Jerusalem!") where we wore sweatshirts and brought towels to wipe the seats down before we could sit in them; services at the Cha-cha church ("The Angel Rolled the Stone Away") and all our kids providing the musical "offering" for the early service; Kathy's sermon when we decided to have our own service; and the 1 service we attended at the Baptist church in Jamaica Beach where the nursery was in the back corner of the room.
I remember the kids picking out their spots to dig their holes for the Easter bunny to deposit his special eggs and presents. I remember trying to keep the kids all inside the house while the dads went downstairs to "photograph" the decorated holes with the goodies inside (and ensure that all the plastic, filled Easter eggs had been sufficiently hidden for the big hunt). I remember the cool candy that the Smiths always brought from M&M/Mars/Starburst. I remember filling said eggs late the night before, sitting on the floor in some bedroom, with candy, coins, and various bills. I remember someone always pouting and/or crying because he/she didn't find their allotted number of plastic eggs. I remember that Grandpa always made the potato salad for lunch while we were all at church. And it seems like it was always cold for Easter. Or colder than we would have wanted it to be.
-kerry
My first trip was an initiation into the Morby family dynamics. My then boyfriend left me the entire time to spend it with his dad and brothers. I was left to fend upstairs with his Mom and sister and sister'n'laws. Very nice people, but a lousy date. I then had to get used to going to sleep at 8:00 because the butt-load of babies were going to sleep and I have since learned the Smiths and grandma and grandpa go to sleep then,too. It only took until Amy that I learned how much I loved going to the beach house. I couldn't wait to get there and never wanted to miss an opportunity! Being at the beachhouse, more than any thing, has taught me what family is, how beautiful cousins and aunts and uncles are and how much I had (and have) to learn about love.
When Carter and Nick saw the stingray giving birth they made sure everyone kept it quiet because she was under a lot of stress.
When our friend, Scott, was stung by a stingray no one cared how that doggone stingray felt!
I remember Kerry making many yummy batches of margaritas, especially at Snuf's parties. What happened to them. He keeps having birthdays!
I don't like flying my Southewestern University flag on the bannister. It's ugly.
Amy got stung by a man-o-war. Doris said urine would help, you will have to guess if it did or not.
Carter got his love of fishing. Forever, his best friend was grandpa. There was a Psalty song about "Grandpa and Me" and he loved listening to it.
Dawson loves to spend time with anyone who will ride with him in the golf cart. But he loves the canal boat rides more. Best of all is time with grandpa and french fries.
Brownie loves everyone outside with her.
Kelly loves me anywhere I am at the beachhouse.
I remember the picture in white. I remember being really, really, really cold and Steve saying, "stand in the water. Wait, let me get some more shots". Sure, he had on a jacket, and shoes, and we wasn't getting wet!
I like being with my cousins, aunts and uncles, the food and going to the beach with everybody.
I like being included.
I like digging in the sand and finding the shells.
I like swinging and singing.
I like to dance and twirl and inviting people to my shows.
I like waking up there and going downstairs to family.
When the kids were younger and we'd drive to the beach the first noteworthy moment was our first sight of water there near Texas City. For years, almost in unison, the kids would exclaim WATER at the first sighting. They then knew we were close to fun at the beach house.
In more recent years it's fun to observe all the kid-cousins wrestling on the water trampoline, or overhearing some of their conversations, or watching them load up to go to the Strand or Sassers... er I mean Trammel's....er I mean Hummels. It has been just truly great to see them have a relationship with cousins, aunts/uncles, and grandparents.
Our family competed to be the first child to spot a palm tree.
Grandpa:"Don't slam the...(door slam)
I remember a reuinion where older people started throwing ketchup and mustard on each other. I remember thinking "this is my family?".
I always enjoyed when Kathy switched into kid mode and joined in on whatever was going on...laughing hysterically while throwing water balloons.
I recall countless concerts, wiffle ball games, gymnastic competitions, and dynomite games on the lawn.
Washing off the beach chairs upon returning to the house was not a bad job to have, anything involving loading up a car was not.
The worst car ride? Generally someone sitting in the front seat screaming about a jellyfish.
When I picture Aaron at the beach house I see him laying across Grandma's lap getting his back scratched.
When I was asked in school classes to write about my favorite place on earth, or to picture myself in a perfect place...I would always put myself in the hammock downstairs.
A big thank you to Grandpa for buying the house, paying the bills, and then sleeping in the kitchen.
I didn't always enjoy the added strangers to the volleyball games on the beach, but then again, I'm not immediate friends with everyone in the entire world like the Smiths. :)
How many times can you reinact a jaws scene on a boogey board in the canal?
Yellow boom box, coolers, shovels, towels, matts with holes, rust covered chairs, tar covered boogie boards, pvc pips, tarps, buckets, and 6 kids in a giant hole.
-Leaving Plano at 5 am to get to the beach by lunchtime - for 15 years.
-Always something to do, someplace to go, someone to do it with.
-Sunsets - timing your walk to that corner lot to watch the sun kiss the bay right before it sinks below the horizon.
-Christmas Tree Point - and its evolution through the years.
-Fishing for sand trout on the bulkhead at Christmas Tree point. Steve, not paying attention, as he concentrated on his fishing line and walked right off the end into the canal!
-Every spring & summer holiday vacation spent with family.
-Tricycles, bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, and the golf cart!!
-Floats in the canal, the sailboat, the paddle boat, the john boat, the inflatable boat, the trampoline, the kayak, the yellow boat, the "new" boat, the ride on the yacht!
-The rope swing!
-Forth of July fireworks - our own as well as the ones in town and around the neighborhood.
kerry
Justin said:
My mommy kept telling me that the beach was a great place, full of sun and fun times. So my first trip there she throws me in a soft cage in the darkest closet I've ever been in. There were lots of people there but no one seemed to hear me cry out for help. I eventually fell asleep b/c what else can you do when you are in a jail cell in solataire confinement. It was Easter but somehow I wore long sleeves the entire time b/c it was so cold. My dad wouldn't let me spend the night so we had to drive back and forth everyday while mommy got to stay in the dark closets.
I remember G-pa letting me splash around in teh water puddles outside and get dirty - mom doesn't like me to get dirty.
I remember GiGi doing all the mommy stuff while Mom slept - feed me, change my diaper. I still like mommy to bounce me on her leg while singing the "do-do-do" song like GiGi does.
I remember playing hide-and-go seek with Clay on a really high bed. They called it a bunkbed.
I remember boy cousins holding me like I was a snake but eventually making me laugh.
I remember my first taste of sand at a brown beach.
Apparently, anonymous and Kerry did not remember that first visit to show the beach house to Greg and Tim, I was with them.
I remember my first overnight stay, sharing the room with Glenn and Doris. I was on the top bunk and did not remember that when I got up to go to the bathroom. THUMP... Probably woke everyone up!
I remember being the only Morby family with a dog...now almost everyone has one.
I remember Bill always having a collection of dogs that loved the Morby families' pricey running shoes. And when asked, Bill had never seen any of these shoes or their remains.
I remember Hilary's first Easter visit. One night in the downstairs bedroom with her and Tim....that was the longest night ever! And everyone trying to get us to stay another night......
I remember all of the King family reunions. Everyone always scrambling to hide the beer.
I remember my first time to meet Mamaw and Papaw was at a reunion.
I remember all of Snuf's birthday parties and the competitions...I know that I did get better at shuffleboard the more margaritas I drank......or so I thought.
I remember always on the lookout for the next animal to be rescued.
I remember hearing that Glenn had pulled a poor defenseless bird from the dock rafters and had thrown it into the canal. Greg got it out of the water...and there I go after dark to the opposite dock with a flashlight to rescue this poor baby bird that turned out to be a full grown pigeon that hissed and flew at us in the laundry the next morning.
I remember wade fishing with the guys, and catching a huge drum fish and no one would help me pull it in.
I remember sitting out on the dock at night and seeing alligator gar coming to the surface and rolling over. And that is why you will never see me swim in the canal.
I remember all the New Years our family spent at the beach house. Going to Randalls and buying all of the junk food we could find and then just eating all night long.
I remember taking friends to the beach house for weekends and our kids seemed to be the only ones taken to the emergency room for getting fish hooks removed.
I remember all of Doris's birthdays we celebrated during the Fourth of July trips.
I remember the Fourth of July parades that the Morby family started. And the planning....Valerie would be so busy...and always a great job.
I remember all the mornings waking up and drinking coffee on the deck.
I remember all of the kids waiting for the french fries as Glenn cooked them first, then the fish, then the shrimp. What a treat for all.
I remember Tim getting the fryer ready to fry some fish and shrimp, and starting a fire. Quite a scare....
I remember being the last one to shower on the Fourth of July and coming down the stairs to answer the door bell wondering why there was no one around to answer it....I learned pretty quick when I opened the door to the sheriff. Hope everyone had fun shooting off all of those fireworks!
derek said...
My first memory is the King family reunion, 1996. I had never seen a family so large and never met a more "confident" 90 something in my life. Nevertheless, I also remember being taken in from day one as one of your own.
I remember pyramids in the water, parades through the street, a mo-ped working then not working then working then not working (and so forth), instructions in the kitchen, by the front door, in the garage, in the downstairs bathroom, though sadly none by the a/c for reminding us to turn it off when we left (for Aaron's sake anyway).
More than anything, I remember warm breezes on the back porch or along the canal and the laughs of many a Morby somewhere in the background.
Tim remembers...
Snuf's birthday celebrations and
how competitive Kerry was when we played shuffleboard.
During one of Snuf's party get-togethers, I poured a cooler full of ice water on Don Wenzel from the second deck as he relaxed on the lawn below. The shock on his face was priceless.
Hilary's Nutcracker concerts at The Grand in Galveston...the recital and the facility were great.
When I accidentally threw a bag of Joannie's dirty laundry into the dumpster at Sasser's and had nearly arrived home in Houston when we discovered what happened. Yes, I reluctantly drove back that night to retrieve the clothes.
I remember witnessing my first water spout to the southwest of Pirate's Beach.
Hearing a meteorologist claim the night before Hurricane Alicia hit that one would be able to count the number of houses standing after she went through. Fortunately, he was wrong, though there was at least a foot of water in the garage.
Being amazed at how high the tidal surge was from Hurricane Rita, which made landfall over 100 miles to the east. The water line was about 6’ from the driveway.
The big Caribbean-style party that Bill’s oldest son hosted for his law firm, with a calypso band and margarita machine. Fortunately, they invited us to join in. We were down there with friends, one who described it all as “decadent”.
Being one of the few white families driving on the Seawall while the all-black fraternity weekend was taking place on the Island.
All the golf balls that Snuf and the boys would recover from the Galveston Country Club, and then teeing off from the lawn to try and hit the tanks across the water.
Using a long pole to "sound" for the right depth to fish for specs and croakers in the bay.
Working on Hilary's History Fair project while "vacationing" around New Year's.
Joannie's sister Janie falling in after taking a mistep on the dock. Like all good Morby's would do, I couldn't stop laughing.
Rushing to the beach to fish when "green water" appeared.
Mom always being ready to cook eggs and bacon for anyone that wanted it.
Mammaw and Pappaw showing up unexpectedly early for the reunion and dad saying, "Hide the beer!"
After Granny moved to Tyler, dad and I moved her refrigerator to the beach house one evening and after we worked it up the stairs and installed it we ate at what used to be Monterrey House. I recall that being a pleasant & unhurried visit.
Thanks for writing this.
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