6.49.2021

Quite a bit to go over today and pressed for time so here goes. Where are we ? The British Open was won by another Jap on Sunday so short story HOWEVER there are details and highlights begging to be disclosed.

From the Sports world and golf, I saw only a very small amount of the coverage at a dive bar in Galveston and then checked the final leader board this morning to check on all of my homies or favs.

My buddy Jon Rahm finished T3. Good showing and good on him. Such a finish leaves room to improve next time. Luis Oosty also T3 after leading going into Day IV. I was rooting for him but not over JR.

The next REAL fav was Paul Casey at T15 but there were too many ‘also-ran’ favs in there in between too mention so moving along …

HOW WAS GALVESTON?

OMG … in 25 words or less ?

Math puzzle: 19 Jy 21 … Solve for Jy. Jy = 20.

There was or were some business opportunities that fizzled this trip but then again a couple more sparked interest for the future.

The real estate investment property first, I got a bad vibe before and prior to getting to the site. I starting noticing the number of three (3) story houses versus two (2) stories. Not even close with dos FAR outnumbering the higher risers. Sure enough, once actually on the physical site ALL the houses were only two stories. No bueno.

I took a few pictures to share with my contractor friend and as I was walking and snapping pictures, I noticed, approached and engaged an elderly lady working in her yard.

I am guessing she was an octogenarian and she was a terrific source of local intel which I gathered and soaked in like a saltwater sponge. (sorry)

She had lived on the island for twenty-some (20+) years and moved into the place behind her when they sold their house closer to the beach a few years ago opting for the smaller apartment-size quarters. Made perfect sense to me.

When I probed about the places I was most interested in across the street she turned into a fountain of information.

NICE WORK !!

Tell me …

One house was a single Family home, was turned into apartments and then recently went back to a single Family.

Another was a single Family and converted to a duplex. She said on a number of occasions over the years speculating investors (such as I was considering …) began and soon found out the quicksand when they over estimated a) the costs of material(s) and b) the cost of the artisans that actually do that sort of work. I KNEW both of these points were still dead-on and true.

Most sold before completing the project(s) hence the houses were looking a bit shabby and run down.

Still I wrote down the names of a couple of realtors she gave me. I’ll pass these along to my friend that dabbles in real estate for she will LOVE to check, delve and dive in to such a thing and watch that area for something to come open.

This way at least I will get a look see for future consideration and reference. However right now, everything else being equal, I am good and will hold the venture cap funds until a better opportunity comes along.

NO SENSE forcing something.

And on Sunday morning as I am preparing for lift off, I am tooling around the historic district and spotted TWO (2) places that I saw as potential opportunities.

REALLY? SERIOUSLY??

The first was what looked like a small factory or a shop with ‘Island City Wood Working Co. Lumber & Millwork’.

Gears immediately started churning, belts burning and wondering if I might move some of my buddy Glen’s wood of which he has a couple of warehouses full.

Must touch base with Glen first for a green light or go ahead but knowing Glen, I am sure he is going to say ‘go for it’ OR ‘Heck (hell) yes.'

Lots of logistics but can still harmlessly make Plan(s).

Then there was a green building, an odd shade, a simple box-like building rather nondescript with windows and a single sign proclaiming ‘Seafarers Center’ over the entry.

This I found curious and most interesting and an investigation and report will be initiated fairly soon. Like what is it and what is its purpose?

Could it be a museum of some sort OR perhaps it is some sort of lodging. Ich weiß nicht.

Earlier while still on foot and after checking out of the hotel and just before breakfast, I spotted ‘Galveston Bookshop’. The sign said ‘open’ but I was slowed up because I was THINKING maybe that was just how the light was hitting the sign.

I approached the front door and sure enough, Sunday hours were listed as 10-4. I checked my wrist time measuring & reporting device and it registered 10:17.

I went in and had a nice chat with Dale who was most knowledgeable about all things books and I bought a ‘ghost stories’ and ‘history of…’ Galveston. Very cool.

I set him on a search for Incidents of Travel in Yucatan by John L Stephens for my collection. He said that they have customers and clients around the globe and a new highly-searchable database so they MAY come across something.

I told him a little history that I had read the account of their second jpourney twice and would not hesitate doing so a third time it was that well written and entertaining.

When I got to the road out of town, traffic was well behaved until Houston and it took about two (2) hours for the normally 30-45 minute drive.

From Houston to Dallas also had a couple of mild to moderate traffic stops & goes at times resembling a parking lot.

That’s about it except for the Easy 40K ride this morning. At 16.37km in it started to rain and now it looks like dark ALL day.

Silver needed attention so I took care of that and then things are developing for later in the week. A rising priority now is completing the next, final and last commission in houe so getting after that. Design and start looking for materials. Included is checking with the customer re design changes and high level (still) of interest. IOW, is he still wanting the sign?

If time allows I think painting some tropical fish will be a good activity.

Cheers peeps.