Nearing the End of Our Stay

We have three weeks to go of our winter stay.  We did only come for two months instead of three but it just seems to have gone by so fast!

Friday was Ted's day to help paint the welding pipes that will frame a cover down at the gun range, I played mahjongg in the afternoon and had terrible tiles but we had fun anyway.

We were up early Saturday and headed to Mercedes to Smokin' on the Rio sanctioned BBQ cook off.  We were judging fajita meat at 10:00 and ribs at 2:00.  Dave and Karen met us and we reported to the building at the appointed time.  Our instructions were the same as last year.  No talking, no facial expressions, grade on appearance, smell, tastes, texture and overall grade, 1-10.  Do not touch the food, use a clean knife and fork for each bite, take a bite of cracker or pickle and a small drink of water between bites.  We had 13 boxes to grade.  I gave one 10 and my lowest grade was 4.  Most were in the 6-8 range.

We walked around the many cooks admiring all the booths and different smokers in use.  We were asked to come back in by two separate people to judge the beans but we passed.  We found the Tito's vodka booth that was passing out big cups of Tito's mixed with lemonade and watermelon.  I didn't take a glass the first time but when the other three decided to get a second one I did because it was getting hot and I was thirsty.  Karen and I shopped a little at the vendors which ended in a new pair of earrings for me and a Yeti tumbler for her.  We listened to a band for awhile before returning to the judging building.

I enjoyed the ribs more than the fajita meat.  I was tempted by one box that got a 10 from me and was in danger of being hijacked!  They were so good!  Once we finished we said our goodbyes while Karen and Dave were going for one more Tito's.  We drove right to church and then to card bingo at home.  

I cleaned Sunday while Ted shot skeet and then went to play mahjongg.  All three of us at the table won a game so that was nice.  We were due back at the clubhouse for a memorial service for Eddie Randall who had died recently.  He was a guitarist with Buddy Holly and is in the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  A dubious memory is he drove the Big Bopper, Richie Valens and Buddy Holly to the airport the night they died.  A Lutheran priest presided at the devotional to the well attended gathering. Afterwards a light lunch and drinks were served.  

Our group of 10 decided to go to Brick Fire Pizza instead.  We had a good visit and many laughs while enjoying our food.  When we got back to the park we all retired to our rigs for the night.

Monday we left early for dentist appointments in Mexico.  It was time for our cleaning.  In the fall I get a cleaning done at home.  Ted had gone first and left for a pedicure.  When I caught up with him he was just getting finished.  By then it was almost lunch time so we stopped in Renee's for coffee and a cinnamon roll and boy did that taste good to me. The scale still says I am 3.5# below goal so adding a few things in has not been a catastrophe.  We bought the rest of his eye drops and back cream.  I purchased 3 Z packs because I like to keep them on hand and hand painted salt and pepper shakers for the RV.  We can't find the pepper and the salt one is hanging on to the top for dear life, probably corroded.  

We weren't home long and John and Vivian stopped by to say goodbye.  They are leaving Friday with their utility trailer but need to come back for their RV.  I don't know what he has in there but he wanted it with him.  Now even he is saying he doesn't know why he brought it!  Being fulltimers I am sure it is full.

We picked up Debbie and John at 5:30 for dinner at Saltgrass.  They are DRV owners too and she is co-moderator of the Owners Forum on Facebook.  We had trouble getting together but our dinner was great and lasted three hours.  They leave Thursday but their children live in Houston so hopefully we can see them again soon.