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!
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