This morning we had a very dense fog. It was opening day for the oyster season. I could hear the boats, but could not see them in the fog. It was interesting, later in the day, to see them hop from reef to reef trying to find the best oysters. Later in the season they will work for days on a single reef. This time last year Aransas and Copano Bays were closed to oyster harvesting because of the red tide.

Betty Brooks brother, Junior, was here last weekend. He said they are still in Georgia and doing fine. He didn’t know when they might return. Many have asked me about Betty and Jim. I did hear from Jim Sikes. He and Barbara have left Cloudcroft and should be in Rockport next week.

The first Whooping Crane arrived at the refuge last week. The circus will be in town this weekend. PETA is here to protest the treatment of circus animals. Yesterday, Halloween, I saw a tradition that I never heard of. I was on Austin Street about 5 pm when I saw loads of children in costume being led around by parents. EVERY business in the Austin street area had a table set up to hand out treats to the children. It was neat to see all the costumes in the daylight.

Tuesday, Bradley and I went to Cedar Bayou to try to find some reds. The water was beautiful, but the fishing was not that great. We ended up with four drum, one flounder, and one trout in seven hours of fishing. Brad caught the 18” trout at Long Reef on a white Bass Assassin under a popping cork. I don’t recall ever trying a small drum, but I have cooked up two meals off the ones we caught and they aren’t too bad.

Last night on the pier Jack and Barbara picked up seven keeper trout, but it was very late.

Edd Bowers and John got in yesterday. We had supper at Whataburger. They are both doing fine. I didn’t know that Edd had totaled his Pacifica in August. He wasn’t hurt. He’s driving a 1995 Cadillac now.

We have had a resurgence of Cut Ants. They were all over the shrub in front of my place yesterday. Ron has switched from bleach to Malathion to battle them, but they are fighting back. I went to Adam’s Nursery today to buy some plants for the bed in front of my place. I’m sure the Cut Ants will enjoy the new flavors! I talked to Mary and Thelma, employees there, about Cut Ants. They have a prepared spiel about the ants. They even have pictorial props to illustrate their presentation. They say only Grant’s has been found to be effective. They must sell a lot of it. I saw seventeen unopened cases near the register. They say people come from as far as Victoria to buy the Grant’s Ant Bait. They feel that bleach and Malathion only harms the ones it touches and has no long-term effect.

Ron has been busy washing front doors this week. I believe he has finished all of them. He has placed yellow tape on several areas of the crossbridge. It is getting pretty rickety.

Workers have been busy rebuilding electrical meter cover boxes at the Phase II this week. They tell me they will replace all of ours soon. Robbie didn’t hang up his hammer very long. He started a remodel of 705 today.

I talked to Beverly today. She said the September financials would be ready tomorrow.