Dear Ms. Feet, Is the water system on South Padre Island Y2k ready? If not, we need to fill our bathtubs when we come down before the end of the year. - Marian, (via the internet) Thank you for giving me something new to worry about. Meeting my work deadlines, getting the Christmas packages shipped off in time and gathering my tax-related papers for the accountant just weren’t filling up all the hours I generally allocate for that activity. Actually, I placed a call to the Laguna Madre Water District, where I was assured by a nice man there that the system is fully Y2k compliant. He told me that three months ago the district brought in the techies and ran an end of the year simulation and that the system continued to perform flawlessly. So now you can relax and use your bathtub to store canned goods, stock certificates, toilet paper and anything else you may be hoarding in preparation for the end of the civilization as we know it -- secure in the knowledge that the toilet will continue to flush when the clock strikes midnight. dear sandy.... When a sandcastle falls at the beach, does it make any sound? if it doesn’t fall right away,what is the preferred method of its demise? a. washed away by a big wave b. trampled by 8yr old boys c. bombarded with beer cans by drunk frat bros d. toppled by the tail of an enthusiastic dog Are there any other ways more or less desirable than the above? - just wondering, (via the internet) As the post office count down clock ticks its way to obsolescence and so many people are worrying about the Y2k bug, I am really glad to see that at least one of my readers is able to stand back, look at the big picture, then toss me a great sand sculpture question. Let’s start with the first part : When a sandcastle falls on the beach (or in a parking lot, shopping mall, or anywhere a crowd has gathered), you do indeed hear a sound - a sound like no other. It is a cross between a groan, a moan and a sigh that spontaneously erupts among the spectators. If the sand castle is very large, is entered in a heated competition, and/or has a largish check attached to it, one may also be treated to the agonized sobs of its creator(s). If a sandcastle falls while no one is there to see it, we can only presume it makes exactly the same sound as a tree falling in a deserted forest. As for a “preferred method of demise” - I would have to say I prefer none of the above. However, if forced to choose, I would find options “a” and “d” less awful than the others: a sandcastle overcome by the tide is a poetic and visual reminder of the mortality we all must face, and - in my book, anyway - a happy dog can do no wrong. On a related note: if you haven’t already, you might want to check out the new Sons of the Beach sand sculpture located just outside the SPI Convention Centre, entitled “Hooked on South Padre Island”. (Destructive 8-year-olds and drunken frat brothers are invited to keep their distance, thank you.) Feet's Totally Non-Scientific Just For Fun Net Poll Results: My most recent on-line poll was designed to give some lucky local restaurant best peel & eat shrimp bragging rights: The winner is Dolphin Cove Oyster Bar, with 40% of the vote, followed by Gulf Coast Oyster Bar and Wahoo Saloon (tied for second with 21% each) and the remainder of the votes divided up between Jake’s and Blackbeards’. Congrats to DCOB! Sandy Asks: This month’s poll is directed at anyone who has ever passed some time in a local watering hole. SPI is known for having some of the best and friendliest drink-pourers in the biz - so who is your personal favorite? Vote today and vote often at http://spionline.com/polls.html.

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