Days Are Running Together

 Here it is, the last day of this awful year.  Someone pointed out that phonetically the new year is "2020 won!"  (2021).  A really awful thought.  But on to a brand new bright year where we will make the best of it again but let’s hope the vaccine helps get a handle on the situation.

The highlight of my week is usually playing mahjong in my small group of 5.  I have been doing really well for not playing since last March and with a new card besides.  Each year a new card is made and you have to learn the new hands.  Some can memorize it.  I have to keep looking at the hand I am playing to be sure I get it right!  

We were invited to Sue’s again for a "bring your own pizza" dinner on their patio.  With no large gatherings and most entertainment cancelled, these small outside groups spring up a lot.  We have been mostly eating at home but tonight we have invited Jay & Stella and neighbors Steve & Patty for a light supper and then a crack at my new horse race game.  It will be fun but I bet we are in bed long before midnight.  

Well ... Our company enjoyed our light dinner and then proceeded to win all the money in our horse race game.  It was about 12:30 am before they left!  It has been several years since we stayed up for midnight.  

New Year’s Day we went to the only Mass, at noon.  If we did anything exciting, neither of us remembers what it was!

We went over to Mexico on Saturday.  It was business as usual.  We got many of the meds we will need and wanted to get them before the border closes down again.  It is hard to know what can happen quickly.  Other than wearing masks, everything was in full swing.  We walked the street one block over to avoid the crowded sidewalks.  No one was walking there.  

We did go to church on Saturday when we returned.  Four Masses in 10 days was a little much but when the holidays fall near weekends it just turns out that way.  We had no trouble parking but church was fuller than it had been but still social distanced.  

Ted went shooting and I played mahjong on Sunday.  I didn’t win any games!  We used our Christmas gift of pure maple syrup and Stonewall pancake mix to have breakfast for dinner.  We added goetta that we bought in Cincinnati last summer.  It sure was tasty!  In the evening we had scorer training for a shooting competition that would take place Monday.  

We left for the gun range about 9 am.  I was assigned to the swinging targets that had 2 inch buttons decreasing  in size in a series of 8.  It looked like a tiny swing set with 8 hanging rods with metal buttons on the end.  When struck, the target would spin over the top rail and spin.  It wasn’t too hard because most shooters were able to get them all. One or two missed were the worst scores.  They are so small that you can’t take your eyes off them because you have to call hit or miss.  If they miss they have to stay on that rod until they get it before proceeding.  Sometimes they lose their spot and you have to be able to tell them what they need to shoot.  Ted was shooting in the competition using Nile’s gun.  Ted is a shotgun shooter and has not had much experience with these rifles with high powered scopes but he came in third!  

Our day continued with an AC repair man telling us our front AC was shot.  It runs fine but has lost Freon.  They are closed systems and cannot be refilled.  So ... we are fortunate he located the only one Dometic had available and it was in Texas and has a black shroud.  He bought it on the spot and will install it on Friday morning.  We had the same thing happen in our Mobile Suites.  

And then ... we went to the large patio outside the clubhouse for the taco truck.  It was an attempt to allow people to social distance outside at tables of six.  There was a huge pent up demand because people lined up for over two hours time to get food and drinks and join a table.  We met a new couple who have a Newmar Dutch Star and a lady from Michigan who lived and worked right in the area we did.  There were 9 of us at the end, with a few standing, and we closed down the patio.  Dee and I went into the clubhouse to turn out the lights and lock the doors.  And we called it a night!  

Christmas 2020 Was Different

We had no special plans for Christmas Eve except to decipher about church.  Ted stopped by and saw Fr. Roy who told him there was a communion service at midnight and a noon Mass Christmas Day.  Neither one suited us.  Then we received notice from our home church that one of the priests who lives in the rectory tested positive and now all are quarantined!  There were 10 Masses scheduled and they found priests to cover them all.  So we decided to live stream their afternoon Mass like we did at home last spring.  But it wouldn’t work!  I quickly Googled Catholic Mass 12/24/2020 and found one in Cincinnati, our hometown, so we switched to it.  But we never did identify the church.  It was sparsely attended but a nice service.  

Ted asked where I wanted to go eat and I chose to get a pizza from our favorite Pizzeria down here.  I didn’t want to get dressed up.  They send me emails all the time with specials so we ordered our pizza but ended up with it, garlic knots and an 8 inch brownie because of their specials.  It was all excellent!

Our neighbors from next door came over and ended up spending the evening.  I wish we had had more room to ask them to Christmas dinner but I am equipped for only six in the coach house and we also are trying to limit contact numbers.  But we certainly enjoyed the evening.

We were able to social distance outside for appetizers using our new chairs from Kristin and Kara.

I spent a good bit of the morning preparing for dinner.  I set the table as nicely as I could with what we have in the MH but I did bring a Christmas tablecloth and napkins.  And we used real plates and silverware but I didn’t have 6 matching glasses so we went with red solo cups.  

We had ham, sweet potatoes, broccoli, Waldorf salad, rolls and pecan pie.  While I was getting dressed, Peg stopped by with fudge.  I am going to have to walk back to Houston!  Everyone was a member of the clean plate club so I guess they liked it.  Kathy and Bob across the street will not socialize yet so I sent two plates over for them.  They were very appreciative and pronounced the meal excellent.  After the four of them left, Patty and Steve brought over some homemade monkey bread (!) and I may have to walk beyond Houston!

Kelly Face Timed us so CeCe can see Lolly and Pop who I imagine she thinks are tiny people who live in the black box!  She waved to us though.  Kara sent photos of their Christmas.  Larry and Kristin are in the Keys but no photos came yesterday!  

So Christmas 2020 is a wrap.  I am sure it was equally different for most people.  We made the best of it and I hope everyone else was able to celebrate in spite of the absence of loved ones, smaller church services but still plenty of calories!  

Now on to New Years!  

Settling In

We got things all where it belonged and Ted started cleaning up the coach house.  Dust was covering everything!  He went to get the garbage can from the fenced area behind the coach house and two bushes  had grown into trees!  He couldn’t even begin to enter the area.  The fellows that do the landscaping were two doors down so he went and asked one if he could cut it all down and haul it away.  He did and Ted gave him $20.  He didn’t want to take it but Ted insisted.  We had no tools and no way to dispose of it so we were happy.  

I putzed around inside and got our shrimp ready for our evening at the gun range.  We went down to the range and visited with folks while enjoying burgers and hot dogs until it got dark.  We all oohed and aahed over Saturn and Jupiter being closer than they have been in 800 years!  Some terrific photos have showed up on the internet, much better than anything we had seen because of the clouds passing by.  After a time, everyone started leaving and then came back.  The Border Patrol had apprehended 6 illegals and had the road block and needed about 15 minutes more to process them before we could get through.  Ted helped Niles load up the generator so by the time we left the road was open.  Such is life here on the border.    I can’t even fathom what it will be like if Biden actually opens the border to every Tom, Dick, Harry and family.  Just come on in.  No means of support, most cannot speak English, but they are welcome.  Whatever!

Tuesday Ted went to Mission Skeet Club to shoot and I played mahjong for the first time since last March.  It is the 2020 card that I ordered last March to have but it was my first time playing with it.  Out of four games, I won two!  Who knew?  

We ate dinner in the coach house because Ted has been messing with lighting and wanted to see what it looked like after dark.  It is getting there!

Wednesday it reached 90 degrees and we think our front AC isn’t’t functioning properly.  The AC runs, cycles, but the air feels warm and it never gets to 72 to shut off!  The back one works fine but it doesn’t have the sun beating in on a huge windshield.  We will probably deal with it after the holidays unless we can get Matt here sooner.  

Tonight we went to Niles and Sue’s house where they were having a fish grill.  I made smoked sausage and 4 color peppers because Ted isn’t a big fish eater.  Turns out he ate both and all was left in my casserole dish was a few peppers.  It was a great dinner finished off with peach cobbler and Blue Bell.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we haven’t decided if or where we will attend church.  Christmas is always so busy so social distancing is going to be difficult.  I won’t go into a crowded church disregarding the distancing and masks. But there is no way to know so stay tuned to see how this turns out!

We Have Arrived!

 Let’s hear it for the old lady!  I drove 400 miles through Houston, skirted Corpus Christi and traversed I-2  west to Mission.  I just followed Ted.  We stopped twice for fuel.  He wanted to be full when we parked and I put in $8 worth at the first stop, just in case one tankful wouldn’t do it.  We had no difficulties, at least not any that held us up.  

When we arrived, Kay and Norm saw us and came running out, soon to be joined by Steve and Patty next door.  For some reason they all thought we weren’t coming for a couple of weeks.  Norm helped me spot Ted while he backed in and then I moved both cars from other’s drives to ours.  My Summit is parked in front of the motorhome and the Expedition is backed up in front of the coach house. 

Niles stopped by to welcome us and invite us to a Star of Bethlehem gathering at the gun range Monday  night.  We will share appetizers and visit, then turn off the lights to see Saturn and Jupiter closer than they have been since the 1200s.  People are calling it the Christmas Star and their pastor will give a reflection on it.  Since we are not sure if we will be able to find a church socially distanced on Christmas Eve, this may be our best shot at a homily.  

Wednesday we are invited for grilled tilapia at Sue and Niles’and I have them and Karen and Jim for Christmas dinner.  It is going to be a busy week.  

I will be playing mahjong on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.  So that fills up the week.  

Just wanted you all to know we made it safely and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas however you have chosen to spend it!  

We Have A Departure Date

We wanted to leave 12/20 or 12/27, both Sundays.   We have three ways to go.  Head west and drop down to I-10 way west of Houston but it adds about an hour to the trip.  Or we can take the new circle freeway but paying tolls for all three vehicles gets a bit pricey.  On Sunday morning, Houston traffic is light and we can zoom right through town and head down 59 in about an hour’s time.  So we try to travel on Sunday.  

We told Terry and Carol if they chose to cancel their Chicago plans we would stay to be here for Christmas.  When Ted talked to Terry he said to not do that, just go when we wanted.  There was a spot open at the campground on 12/19 so we could get the car attached to the MH and be all set up, sleep there and hit the road by 8 am.  I hope they choose to visit with their daughter and her family.  They already have the tickets.  

We met Jay, Stella, Tommy and Susan for a late lunch on Monday.  I had my package ready for the post office so we dropped that off right before meeting them.  We had a good time catching up and just visiting.  

We came home for awhile before heading to church for the holyday that honors Mary as the mother of Jesus.  I was trying to get one more tag for a teenager gift because I ordered a basketball and a football so I need a second tag to help the packers identify where it goes.  They were not out so I will try again next  Saturday.  

Tuesday five of us played cards and Helene won.  She wins a lot!  It was a fun afternoon and I always enjoy playing.  Lots of fun for $1!  We have lunch in the middle of the game.  I stopped for two presents on the way home.

More eating on Wednesday.  It was a very scaled back neighborhood birthday group Christmas luncheon.  Our usual group of at least a dozen dwindled down to four!  Some were sick, some do not come out yet, two have husbands that cannot be left alone and one is quarantined before minor surgery.  But we had a nice lunch, lots of talking on a more intimate level than with 12 present and a very small gift exchange.  One lady is a card designer and her gift was a box of her cards!  I was very pleased with that gift.  The others appeared to enjoy theirs too.  I had put a small bag of Lindt’s peppermint chocolate balls at each place and decided to pay the bill since there were just four of us.  The others were pleased and the waitress made out with a $45 tip from what we all put in.  

I was glad to have Thursday to stay home after such a whirlwind week.  I was supposed to accompany the CWJF Sustainers to the Houstonian Hotel on Friday for a Christmas lunch but I woke up with my stomach in turmoil.  I had to cancel and was very disappointed.  I spent most of the day on the couch with no more incidents but it just wasn’t worth stressing out on an hour’s bus ride into and out of Houston.  It rained most of  Friday so we just hunkered down and Ted got a pizza for dinner.

College football has filled our Saturdays since we don’t watch the NFL on Sunday but late in the afternoon we gathered our gift card for a senior, football and basketball for our church giving tree and headed to church.  I had made taco soup in the crockpot so it was ready when we came home and we stayed in for the evening.  

Sunday we were invited to the only Christmas festivity that was taking place with friends.  A private room was reserved at the same restaurant I was at on Wednesday.  There were 10 couples in a room that can hold twice that.  We played cards with men and women mixed up and spouses at different tables. In the middle of the six sets we all stopped for dinner, presented Irene with a birthday cake and then continued on.  Dan at our table had only two points as we went into the 6th game.  I got a Shanghai, caught everyone with their entire hand unplayed, and WON!  

Irene had a gift bag for everyone and I got a bonus Santa candy jar for having a Shanghai.  She is the hostess with the mostess.

Other than getting things ready to leave, our only other outing was a dinner invitation to the country club on Wednesday evening with Terry and Carol.  We exchanged our gifts, had a terrific dinner, and I saw a friend there I hadn’t seen in quite awhile.  

Friday was some back and forth to the MH to put away what we could.  Ted still wanted to open it all up so we moved it to the campground Saturday in pouring rain.  At least we learned the window unit replacement doesn’t leak.  We are taking both cars.  He is towing the Summit and I am driving what is now his Expedition.  We have both loaded down and thank God for the coach house.  We can put my Instant Pot, tabletop oven, Ted’s ammo, two chaise gravity free chairs and a Dish portable satellite receiver that will be in the garage sale down there, all on the shelves in the coach house.  We have a patio set in the middle of the room that we will use for our Christmas dinner with Sue, Niles, Karen and Jim that we have invited.  I even packed a Christmas tablecloth and napkins!

After we had taken out most of what we needed, we went back home to shower and get ready for church.  From there we checked back home one more time, gave Nancy her instructions and headed back to the MH.  We will leave in the morning and we are promised dry weather.  I am holding them to that!

Oh no! Christmas is Bearing Down!

We had an easy trip home.  Buying the early boarding snagged us Row 4 aisle and window.  The middle seat was not guaranteed to be empty but no one tried to claim it.  The flight was just like going over, uneventful.  

I had Wednesday to get unpacked and do laundry.  Thursday I signed up to work at The Hand Me Up Shop.   I didn’t have to be there until 11:00 so I had my morning free.  I stopped afterwards to pick up a few things from Walgreen’s and then made my way home.

We decided to use our season tickets at Owen Theater on Friday evening.  Imagine our surprise when Holiday Inn was not playing but instead a Chorale performance.  What a wonderful show they put on.  We were socially distanced in a less than half full theater and everyone wore masks.  I guess they did what they could to carry on.  It’s been a tough year for them.

The singers were all wonderful.  They sang Grinch to O Holy Night with lots of jesting going on in between.  It was just what I needed to spark a Christmas spirit.  I am still not sure it will flame but it is a start!  

Our camping club, Texas Boomers, was having a Christmas rally up in Conroe so we made a point of going up for a visit on Saturday.  Unfortunately there were only 8 people we knew.  It has been 5 years since we attended a rally and people do move on and get replaced by new ones.  But their motto is “Once a Boomer, always a Boomer.”  We are still Haulin’ HitchHikers and DOGs (DRV Owners Group).  You make friends that stay friends for life.  Sandy, who I visited with in New Braunfels and has lost her husband, was there in her new Jayco motorhome.  The DRV was just too much for her to handle.  She has a great unit, very suitable for her and easy to manage.  

We visited with Pat and Don from Killeen TX.  They have been members since it started.  There were three other couples there but one was masked up, staying away from everyone and only dropped a quilt off to Sandy.  They couldn’t wait to get away!  The other four visited with us and we talked about the Karavan  to the Keys rally next year.  It is about 16 rigs all making their way together down to the Keys and then everyone heads out to wherever.  Many musicians are in the group so “concerts” happen most evenings.  It is a pretty hard drinking group and that isn’t us so we will proceed with caution.  We told them we will think about it.  

We went to Mass and came home after stopping for a late lunch.  Everyone had invited us to dinner at the rally hall but they were eating at 5:00 and we thanked them but said we were attending church at that time.

We met our friends Tommy and Susan and Jay and Stella way back in 2005 at a Boomer rally  and they are some of our best friends now.  In fact, we are having lunch with them on Monday. 

We were both home all day on Sunday.  I did some deep cleaning and then dragged out the few gifts I had to wrap.  There was more check writing than wrapping but eventually I got it all done and am ready to hit the post office.  Ted fixed dinner and we settled in for the Dolly Parton special.

Last Weekend in Florida

Saturday was a lazy day.  We went to church at 5 pm and saw Fr. John.  He is the priest who at the wedding rehearsal asked me who I was.  When I told him mother of the bride, he responded, have you done this before?  When I answered yes, he pointed to the front pew and told me to “park it.”  He always remembers us.

We went to Culver’s for dinner so we could have ice cream afterwards.  Only Ted and Kristin did though, Larry and I did not.

We took a break from all the togetherness and headed out on our own Sunday to check out nearby campgrounds.  A city park was beautiful with a nice campground but it was 40 minutes away over all toll roads.  So we moved on to the ones closest to Kristin and where we used to live.   They were crammed in like sardines and many were just living there, not traveling.  A touch of Tobacco Road!  So we ventured up I-4 to Daytona Beach.  There are two campgrounds and either one would be acceptable as far as roominess and utilities.  We will stay at one in June when we leave Sanibel Island.

Larry wanted to eat at the New York family pizzeria so that’s where we went for dinner.  It was really good!  A few Thanksgiving stragglers were walking down the street when we came home.

Kristin wanted to do the ice sculpture display on Sunday at Gaylord Hotel but when we checked they weren’t having it.  Apparently the sculptors are all foreign and could not travel here.  I thought maybe it was the coats they provide because of the cold.  A bit unsanitary in the middle of a pandemic.  So we looked into Give a Child the World.  This is a village where folks stay with Make A Wish.  The entire place is lit up.  To be socially distant, your ticket was only good for two hours and they were all sold out.  

So Ted sat by the pool while Kristin and I shopped for a family room rug.  She found one but had to go back with Larry’s car the next day after we left.   It was a good week in the sunshine.