Before you book a VRBO or AirBnB, here are 5 lessons we’ve learned as owners. 1. Read the Reviews (Carefully) Everyone reads the reviews before they book. But the reviews on VRBO and AirBnB are complicated because not all of them are accurate. After you check out of a rental, the owners receive a survey...Continue Reading
Please excuse the over-the-top passion in this love letter. I’m a local, a writer, and in-love with this island. This little sandbar has given so much to our family—and gushy praise is one way to celebrate it. Many years ago, my parents were Texas transplants (young teachers who were called to teach at St. John’s...Continue Reading
Hurricanes are Dramatic. So is COVID. Hurricanes change lives in dramatic, unstoppable, irreversible ways. So does COVID. The difference, though, is most of the hurricane drama happens in one long night of trees crashing, windows shattering, and floodwaters soaking everything. Through that one night, everyone is praying for the hurricane to pass and morning to...Continue Reading
Wow. The highs are high and the lows are low right now, my friends. Before this, there were so many weeks that I wished for just one quiet day to be with my people–maybe accomplish some house projects? Ha. We are on Day 32 of exactly that. The Ups and Downs of Control. There is...Continue Reading
If you’re on the island for Spring Break or to visit the beach this summer, check out the Hurricane Ike Tree Tour. Our family loves driving (or, in nice weather, walking) around and spotting the beautiful creations these artists have made from dead oak trees. I write about this tour in my book, Family Trees...Continue Reading
A couple years ago, our kids toured the Moody Mansion, one of the historical homes on Galveston’s Broadway. Everyone at the museum was talking about the children’s museum they were building in the basement. At the time, I felt a little worried for the employees because it just seemed like it wouldn’t work. I imagined a...Continue Reading
Back when I worked as a waitress, the hostess would sometimes seat four tables, one right after another. When this happened, you would have to flag down another server and say, “My hair is on fire” to let them know you needed help. My hair has been on fire the past few months. I’ve had a book deadline, and the stories...Continue Reading
We’re in the process of booking Best of Times for the summer. Our renters are mostly families who live in Texas suburbs and come to the coast for vacation. Back home, their planned-community homes are brick, and big, and beautiful. Six-foot privacy fences separate yards, and these yards are filled with trampolines, swimming pools, and swing sets. Every day landscaping crews...Continue Reading
If you have three days in Galveston, you are in for such a treat. Here’s what to do, see, and eat while visiting Galveston. Come along and experience the very best our little island has to offer…. Day One–A Day at the Beach If you want a quiet beach, head west. Take 61st Street to the Seawall Blvd...Continue Reading
Two types of people walk on the beach: those who pick up the shells and those who don’t. For forty years, I didn’t pick up shells. Taking home bucketfuls of shells seemed like something a tourist would do. The only people who collected shells were the ones who needed souvenirs of the beach, right? Also, taking shells home felt...Continue Reading
