A Week in San Antonio

We voted Friday, waiting in the rain.  The whole thing took about 30 minutes.  With that out of the way we returned home to find the workers stopping for the day on the deck.  It was raining too hard to make any progress.  We have since been told it is finished.  I have only paid for half so we will see it when we return.

Our drive out was uneventful and we went right to the National Shooting Center to meet up with the others who arrived the day before.  Ted got registered and all his paperwork done and eventually we all went home to eat after a stop at HEB.  Sunday we toured around this area stopping to feed the ducks on the Guadalupe River.  

Monday was the K Cup and when Ted checked he was 4th so not in the money in that one.  Tuesday was the Super  Sport.  It was windy as all get out and many of the targets super high.  Scores were low so nothing happening there either!

After shooting we went looking for the golden Clay bird for a contest.  We were scouring the skeet field based on the clues but found nothing.  I sat down at a table to wait for Ted and got up to follow him to the car when something bit my calf.  I looked and there were two streams of blood already two inches long and a droplet of white milky stuff.  I wiped it off with Ted’s handkerchief to expose two puncture wounds.  We both said the same thing "snake bite."

We went to First Aid where they cleaned it, drew a circle around it to watch for changes and put a bandage on it.  Then we went to the ER.  My BP was the only bad thing they found. It shot up to almost 190 and my leg was a little swollen.  They gave me Benedryl and watched me for several hours and once my BP came down, they discharged me.  The doctor indicated it was probably a non venomous snake, a dry bite or the white milky stuff was venom but did not get injected into my leg by a juvenile who has not yet learned to control his venom.    Praise God for looking after me!

Wednesday was a day off and we all kicked back to relax.  We hung around the house until it was time to leave for the 11th Street Cowboy Bar in Bandera, TX, Cowboy Capitol of the world.  We bought steaks and chicken to cook on their big grills and we all purchased a "plate" of salad, baked potato and roll to go with the grilled meat.  This is Dale and Rob cooking our meat.

The other grill being used. 

Afterwards there was two stepping the night away with many rounds of drinks before heading home.

My leg was pretty swollen from the drinking and the dancing so I bought Benedryl as the hospital advised and it helped a lot.  Thursday was another day of shooting and Ted and I left to have dinner and get me home to put my leg up.  

Friday my leg looked perfect.  The two puncture wounds are still red but there are no signs of infection and no pain.  We girls went shopping and I held my own.  We shopped at Chico, Cabi, Coach, Clark’s, etc. stopping at a Target for things we needed and then on to JCP.  By then my back hurt and I can shop there at home so I waited in the car and answered a few emails.  

Saturday we all gathered at the National Shooting Center to watch Kathy and Amanda shoot in the ladies group.  They both did well and Amanda is in good position in the Ladies Main that completes on Sunday.  Normally this would be “big party” day but no large gatherings are allowed so recognitions, prizes, and the silent auction were conducted to an empty clubhouse and patio.  Ted and I left the group to attend Mass across the street then we all left for one last dinner out in New Braunfels.

Everyone but me went to the Center for one last day of shooting on Sunday.  Ted came in second in his class and age group, Super Senior Vet but I call it the “really old guys.”  Amanda won 50 Bird Lady Open in B Class with a score of 45.

Meanwhile, a great friend, Sandy, who has moved to New Braunfels, picked me up and we went to see her new home on property that has been in her family for decades.  Her husband died in his sleep last July and she returned from Houston back to the Hill Country to be near family.  It has been a long, hard, arduous journey for her.  She so wanted visitors and I was only her second one. I was so happy we both took the time for the visit.

When Sandy dropped me off, Rob and Amanda had returned and were getting ready to leave so I bid them farewell.  I packed up our things and moved them to the drive, stripped the bed and emptied the trash from our cabin.  As soon as Ted returned, we took off.  We arrived home a little before 6:00 and got our first look at the deck.  It looks great but there is one board on top of the rail that will have to be replaced before I give him the rest of the money.  It is damaged on the edge and is not flat so sticks up against the next board.  Not acceptable!

I am aggravated with his workers and will tell him so once the board is fixed.  I had used plastic table cloths to cover their saws one night when they called and asked me to cover them as rain was predicted.  I found them wadded up in the mud.  A yard ornament was broken, chunks of wood are in the grass and the area where they worked now has no grass.  Add this to the need for me to tell them they can use the F word around their mothers and wives if they don’t mind but not me in my own home.  Very unprofessional.

Revving Up To Leave

 

This is where we were earlier in the week.  They have done the second half of the deck and are now working on the railing.  We have been here, in this house we built, for 17+ years and that screwed up our average of 3.8 years in a home.  If we didn’t buy new, we had any major things done before we moved in. 

So far we have a new roof, outside and inside painted, new A/C, umpteen replantings in the yard (I have no green thumb and am not home enough to even water a hanging basket), new master bath, dishwasher and garbage disposal, water heater and carpet.  I guess it just never ends when you stay put.  Such is life!

I played cards again Tuesday, different game, and guess what?  I didn’t win.  But the food was better so that was good AND I had my credit card to pay!

We have been hanging around the house because of the deck workers so not much has gone on.  We tried to vote but couldn’t find a place to park and there was a very long line so we decided to try again on Friday before we leave for San Antonio.  

My friend Gerre had more ankle surgery so I prepared dinner for them and Ted took it to them.  We had them here last month when she had her first surgery.  I hope she heals up better this time.  The other ankle needed some reworking done and now she has both feet in boots and can’t really walk!   

My other friend Judy stopped by to "bring me something."  I had no idea what or why.  It was a new mandolin like one she had bought for herself.  It is made so you can’t cut yourself, something that happens frequently to cooks.  It was for all my kindness!  What a beautiful sentiment and very humbling.  AND now I have one for the motorhome and one for home!  Made my day.

We will be at Sporting Clay Nationals for the next two weekends in San Antonio.  Over 2,000 shooters will be competing. Ted has been third in his class and age group the last three years.  I hope he can do as well or better this time.  We are staying in New Braunfels with my brother and SIL and two other couples from Ohio.  The main house has 3 or 4 bedrooms and there are two cabins on either side of the big house.  It sits on a bluff overlooking the Hill Country and is very nice.  It is a rental property of Dan’s banker for his trucking company.  He is  comped it each year.  Woohoo!  We have stayed there once but usually take the RV.  However, our window has not arrived yet so we don’t want to drive it with the single pane.  We don’t know how stable it is on its own.  

Don’t forget to vote!

"I am sure that every one of my colleagues -- Democrat, Republican, and Independent -- agrees with the  statement that in the voting booth, every one is equal." -- Barbara Boxer

Getting Busier

Tuesday I played cards but didn’t win.  Good thing I don’t play high stakes poker!  The meal I ordered had bacon so overdone you could have shingled your roof with it.  When I went to pay I did not have my credit card wallet!  I thought Irene was going to have to bail me out but I found $10 in my coin purse.  Whew!  Changing purses can be dangerous I guess.  But it was good to get out, see a few friends and have a change of scenery.

Wednesday I was able to pick up my glasses and I can see near and far.  I don’t usually wear my glasses to drive unless I have to read street signs.  If I know where I am going I’m good!  I do wear them at night because of the halo effect but I seldom drive at night anyway.  I still am reeling from the price difference from the glass counter at the doctor versus Sam’s.

Thursday we had shocks put on the Expedition.  We are getting lots of things taken care of before we take off again.  

We have been watching "Bosch" on Amazon having caught up on "Mrs. Maizel."  The funny thing is we are getting messages across the bottom, not Closed Caption, in different languages.  It is like a mini course in Babel!  What we can translate indicates it is an explanation of time or place.  First was Spanish, then Chinese and now German.  We are learning the days of the week in German!  Sonntag is Sunday but I knew that already.  

We both had nice birthdays.  Lots of cards, greetings, friends and cake.

Friday we had our deck builders, the lawn people, the landscaper himself and the AC/Furnace yearly inspection.  The furnace and AC are fine.  The front planting corner area is redone and trees are trimmed.  The deck is half removed.  They will work on it this week.  

Disjointed Days

I haven’t written because there didn’t seem much of anything to write about!  Other than going to church and out to dinner, I haven’t been anywhere or done much of anything!  

Terry and Carol’s daughter and her husband were in from Alabama so we went out for dinner.  It was so nice to have a visit with them.  Nancy, my mail organizer, invited me to visit with her husband who has had surgery.  So I made him some peanut butter cookies and spent 1.5 hours giving Nancy a break.  He goes to our church so conversation was easy.  

It was Ted’s 76th birthday on Sunday so we went with Terry, Carol, John and Irene to Morton’s for dinner and then back to Irene’s to play cards.  I did not win but Ted came in second!  Dinner was delicious and even though our dinners included dessert plus a birthday dessert for Ted, Irene had a cherry pie.  Oh brother!  

We met with two contractors and chose one to replace our deck.  He will start the week of  October 12 and said 7-10 days to complete.  Because we leave 10/17 I doubt it gets finished before we leave for San Antonio.  Of course it is outside so we don’t have to be home for them to work.

My 75th birthday was this past Sunday and the 6 from Morton’s plus 2 other couples are went to Carraba’s for dinner, birthday cake and cards!  I didn’t win!  

It also was our great granddaughter’s first birthday.  She celebrated in Michigan.  

We both had eye appointments last Tuesday and then Ted left for Wichita Falls and came back Wednesday, late afternoon.  Nancy came that afternoon to return my dish and we sat on the front porch for a long time visiting.  

I took my prescription for new driving glasses to the counter at the clinic.  I had with me a pair made for distance that didn’t work for me because when I used them to drive I couldn’t read anything on the dash!  So I asked to use those frames.  I was quoted $660.  After Ted left, I went to Sam’s and was quoted $199!  Now that is a considerable difference.  

There were two deaths this month too.  A fellow I worked with in the funeral ministry died unexpectedly and the next day a friend from the card group husband died waiting for a heart transplant.  So there was church Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  It is so sad and hard to have to offer condolences to their families.

Tomorrow I am going to play cards at a restaurant with 4 ladies and me at a table.  I need to get out a bit more.  I was in for 76 days before our 12 weeks out in the motorhome and have been in more or less since we returned the end of August.  It may not be the wisest of decisions but with the miles we cover through the year in our cars and motorhome, which is more dangerous?  Everyone has to decide for themselves.  

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