We attended Mass on Sunday at our old parish and I had an opportunity to visit with some more old friends. The kids waited patiently while I did so.
That afternoon I returned to Windsor to pick up Cassie. Traffic was light, I knew where I was going, Customs was not backed up and we had no problems. The train was even 15 minutes early.
In the evening 10 of us gathered at our favorite Italian restaurant. It was a 40th birthday dinner for Kristin and an engagement celebration for her and Larry. Kristin's best friend since she was 8 years old, Sheetal, hosted it. She will be the Maid of Honor in the wedding.
We celebrated Memorial Day inside because it was cool and drizzly. There were over 20 people invited but one family got sick and the OB/GYN had babies arriving and couldn't make it so about 15 showed up. Kara, as usual, outdid herself with the cooking. No hamburgers and chips at this picnic. We also celebrated Sam and Morgan's birthdays.
When Kristin came in she complained about her back. By the end of the evening she was in excrutiating pain. I recognized it as an aggravated sciatic nerve because Ted has had it. Sheetal was there and is a doctor and she recommended ice plus a pain killer from Kara's arsenal left from her surgery. Kara called her neighbor who is a pain doctor but he was in Saginaw. He did call back immediately and offered advice. Sheetal gave us the name of her friend on duty in the ER if we felt that was necessary.
Getting Kristin back to Kelly's was difficult but Larry was so good with her. I didn't sleep well worrying about how she was going to fly home the next day. I went over all kinds of scenarios in my head about how I could help if I didn't leave in the morning.
The pills worked well enough that I was able to fly home and so was she. Wednesday morning she went to the doctor where she got more pills, an x-ray and an appointment for physical therapy. That was what Ted did too but it takes time for that nerve to settle down.
Ted had parked my car at the airport and I found it with no difficulty. A trip to the grocery was in order so I bought myself a salad while there for my dinner. I watched The Bachelorette premiere that was taped and went to bed. I was pooped.
Since I have gals coming to play Shanghai today, I cleaned a bit yesterday. Of course unpacking and mail are always there when you return from a trip. I had things in order when I left to get Ted at the airport. His flight from Virginia was right on time. Once home I realized I hadn't gotten Tuesday's mail so I had a bit more paperwork in the afternoon when two days mail hit my desk.
I have people coming at 1:00. I need to get moving.
Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. ~ author unknown
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Wearing Me Out
I managed to drive Cassie through downtown Detroit, through the tunnel under the river into Windsor, Canada to the train station. We left ourselves plenty of time in case Customs was backed up but it wasn't. So we had time for lunch after we figured out where to go exactly at the train station.
I used my American coins in the parking meter at the restaurant and received a $10 Canadian bill as change at the restaurant. When I parked at the train station it was $1 in coins for 30 minutes. My coins were gone so I tried to use my credit card. Not! So I used my debit card and it worked. I didn't think too much about it.
I used the $10 to pay the $4.50 tunnel fee on the way home and saved the Canadian change to use today when I pick her up.
When I arrived home we went to the drug store where my credit card wouldn't work and I once again used my debit card. So on the way to Rain Forest Cafe for Morgan's birthday dinner, I called Bank of America. While talking to them, Ted was calling me so I told Kara to call him back. He wanted me to know the bank called him about the card being used in Michigan.
Long story even longer, they expect me to tell them when I am going to use my card outside of Texas. I always do this when we travel internationally but not within the U.S. I asked if the attempt of $1 at the train station in Canada caused the red flag but they had no record of that. They did say the account was used in Texas earlier in the day. Duh! There are two people on the account. We are married not Siamese twins!
They have no idea of how many states we hit in a year. At approximately $350 per fill up every other day when pulling the trailer, we will be on the phone to them a lot. Ted will end up annoyed and use his American Express. I see a rough road ahead.
With that settled we had dinner and I ordered a drink. Between driving in the traffic, the currency exchange and the credit card problems I needed one. It came in a souvenir glass which the kids will enjoy. The food was good and the kids ate well.
Saturday was bridesmaids, flower girl and mother of the bride dress shopping. We hit three different bridal salons and have a good idea of what we are all getting. Coordinating from three states is a bit tricky. The bridesmaids will be in Eggplant, I think I will be in Teal or Cranberry and Morgan will be in ivory to match Kristin. The "boys" had gone to see Star Wars in 3-D and ate at McDonald's.
I had a dinner invitation to my former Celanese boss and his wife's home which is a stone's throw from Kara's. They are Chinese and she is a marvelous cook. She said we were having an International dinner and it was all great. Tofu and seaweed Japanese soup, Indian curried chicken over rice, American baked broccoli and celery with cream of mushroom soup, and Middle Eastern pita bread and baklava for dessert. I enjoyed it all but Ted would not have been as adventuresome as I am. If you travel you really have to be open to try new things. Haggis is probably something I would have a problem with but on our European riverboat cruises I have tried all kinds of things. Mustard soup comes to mind and it was really good.
Today after church I will do the Detroit-tunnel-train station thing again to pick up Cassie from her weekend in Toronto. Then we move onto the engagement dinner for Kristin and Larry. My time is passing quickly. Ted said he came in second place in his class at the tournament yesterday. I wish him good luck today.
Friday, May 24, 2013
An Owl's Diet
Yesterday Kara and I volunteered at Morgan's school to help with the day's science project. It involved breaking apart owl pellets (like a cat's hairball) to look for bones. They were wrapped in foil, about the size of a small egg, and had been sanitized (?) but many of the children were hesitant to break them apart. Grandma to the rescue! The skulls and hip bones were neat. Rats, voles and mice have pretty big front teeth! It was a fun time. One little Asian girl had nothing but "dust" when she was finished. She didn't talk to anyone, just went through everything with a fine tooth comb. Her bag was filled with bones. Kara said she will probably have it all mounted and marked on poster board by today. Maybe a neurosurgeon in the making! She thoroughly impressed me.
We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. Adelle Davis
(1904 - 1974)
Next stop was Toys R Us for birthday gifts. I stopped at Kelly's to drop off her card and stopped at CVS to get Ally a card because I was short one granddaughter card. I had sent Cassie and Ally's gifts before I knew I was coming. I have part of Sam's and Morgan's with me and Kelly received a check for their cruise. All these birthdays at once! I think I have what I need now.
Then we went to Al Ameer and Sharita in Dearborn. This city has the largest Middle Eastern population outside of the Middle East. All the business signs are unreadable to me with their unfamiliar squiggles but the food was very good at Al Ameer. The chicken was scrumptious and the pastries at Sharita were mind boggling. It was like a German konditorie or French patisserie. I may have done major damage in the weight department.
Today I am driving Cassie to the Windsor train station for her trip to Toronto. Tonight we are having dinner at the Rainforest Cafe for Morgan's birthday dinner. Food, food and more food!
(1904 - 1974)
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Hanging with the Birthday Crowd
Monday was double duty - bunco in the morning and Shanghai in the afternoon. Didn't win at either!
I had changed my plane ticket to arrive in Michigan on Tuesday instead of Thursday so I could attend Ed's funeral. Thank you Delta for charging me $150 to make my own two clicks on the computer to change the date. I have never made $75 a second and wonder how you lose money at that rate.
So Ted took me to the airport and I had a pleasant enough trip. No hassle at security. But then I know not to wear sparkles, jewelry, belts or tie shoes. I slipped off my shoes, placed my quart bag with all my liquids in the bin along with my watch and purse then sailed through.
Just as we were landing I felt a migraine coming on. We waited for a jetway driver for some time so by the time I got to a place in the terminal to buy aspirin, my headache had really taken hold. Never mind the $6+ for 4 aspirin tablets and a Coke. The travel gods were out to get as much as they could out of me.
Detroit Metro is a good place to train for a marathon. Whoever decided to build two parallel mile long terminals was a sadist. I walked a long, long way and went down, then up, then down on escalators to finally arrive at the car rental bus. My head was easing up but not entirely while I waited in line for a car. Long story short, I landed at 4 and left the airport at 5:30 and didn't wait for luggage.
Despite the time, there were only a few slowdowns and I arrived at the funeral home in plenty of time for the evening service. When it was over I had a bite to eat then drove to Kara's. After a good night's sleep we got the kids off to school and went to the funeral Mass. It was at the parish we belonged to for 16 years and I saw many folks that still attend.
Ed had an honor guard from the Knights of Columbus, his wife, 3 sons and 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren to return him to Our Lord. He also had full military honors at the cemetery. My only problem was when the funeral director told me to put on my bright lights and flashers. Good thing I had time because it took me awhile to find those switches. There was a nice lunch afterwards, a job I did when I was a member.
When we came home Kara made cupcakes for Morgan's school party. Morgan, Bill and I iced them and Kara delivered them to school this morning. We are due back there to do something with owl droppings or regurgitations or something!! Wish me luck on this one. Science was my least favorite subject in school.
Kelly and Pat leave tomorrow for their Hawaiian cruise in honor of their 25th anniversary. I am taking Cassie to the Windsor train station for a weekend in Toronto. It is Morgan and Ally's birthday and Kelly's is Saturday. Lots going on this Memorial Day weekend.
May 25, 1981 ~ Ronald Reagan
Today, the United States stands as a beacon of liberty and democratic strength before the community of nations. We are resolved to stand firm against those who would destroy the freedoms we cherish. We are determined to achieve an enduring peace -- a peace with liberty and with honor. This determination, this resolve, is the highest tribute we can pay to the many who have fallen in the service of our Nation.
~
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Change in Plans Again
We went to Gerre's again to play cards Saturday but started out with Pam, Wayne, Gene and Jennifer on the deck by the pool enjoying the lake breeze and perfect weather. The food and drink were so enjoyable we never moved and cards were forgotten. Such a lovely evening!
Sunday we went to Tommy and Susan's to see their new motorhome and go out to dinner. What a beauty. Just to cause a bit of a stir I placed this photo on Facebook. We look so little! This is the brand Ted would buy but for now we are sticking with our HitchHiker fifth wheel. If only they had pulled our numbers on that big lotto jackpot!
I flew to Michigan yesterday to attend Ed's funeral which is today. I am staying through the Memorial Day weekend. Ted is shooting in a tournament so he won't be lonely. Kristin and Larry are flying in too and festivities are planned. Kelly and Pat appreciate my coming.
Life is what happens when you are making other plans.
This is my first attempt at posting a photo from my IPad into the blog. Hope it works!
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Half Way Through The Busy Part That Just Got Busier
I had the easy job on Monday. My windows were washed inside and out plus the driveway and walk were power washed while I played Canasta. With our natural area out front making a comeback and the deck done, the outside is back in shape. We thought about getting the trim painted but it really isn't showing signs of needing it, so for now we aren't doing that.
The party was a dual 70th celebration for Terry and another friend, John. Both thought it was for the other and the element of surprise worked. The room was all decorated in red and black. I brought the centerpiece home but the balloons lost their oomph before I remembered to get them out of the back of the car. But here is an idea of what it looked like. It was a nice evening and we were glad to help by getting Karen there to add to the surprise.
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Last night six of us had dinner out and attended the production of Grease that is part of our theater series. The cast was all kids from surrounding schools except for the teacher. It was an energetic, fun evening and we all had a good time. I was able to pick up next season's tickets at the box office. We will miss Matchmaker in the summer. I donated those tickets and a dinner gift certificate to our Junior Forum gala this year for the silent auction.
I worked my regular four hours at the thrift store this week. It was one of those overwhelming days. Housewares had invaded our space over the weekend and I had little area to work. And then we received two vans full of donations. We could hardly move! When the young folks from the church came and started working on Housewares and putting the children's clothes I had inspected, tagged and hung, out into the store, I had a little breathing room. The four of us didn't feel like we accomplished much. That's just the way it is on some days.
Ted had his scheduled colonoscopy and all is good. We are done now (hopefully!) for the rest of the year. In the fall I will get my six month blood work for my cholesterol medicine and one trip to the dentist for a six month cleaning. All we need to do is stay well and upright. So many people we know have hurt their shoulders, elbows, wrists, arms, ankles and feet from falling!
Thursday we picked our niece up at the airport at noon to attend her father's surprise birthday party. I knew she would be hungry since the airlines don't feed you anymore so we stopped at Old Town Spring, not far from the airport, for lunch. We walked around a bit and then made our way home so she could rest.
The party was a dual 70th celebration for Terry and another friend, John. Both thought it was for the other and the element of surprise worked. The room was all decorated in red and black. I brought the centerpiece home but the balloons lost their oomph before I remembered to get them out of the back of the car. But here is an idea of what it looked like. It was a nice evening and we were glad to help by getting Karen there to add to the surprise.
\
Last night six of us had dinner out and attended the production of Grease that is part of our theater series. The cast was all kids from surrounding schools except for the teacher. It was an energetic, fun evening and we all had a good time. I was able to pick up next season's tickets at the box office. We will miss Matchmaker in the summer. I donated those tickets and a dinner gift certificate to our Junior Forum gala this year for the silent auction.
I have five busy days left and then I am flying to Michigan on Thursday for the Memorial Day weekend. There are engagement festivities planned for Kristin and Larry who will be visiting from Florida. More on that later.
Before we left last night we received a call from our daughter Kelly. Her father-in-law passed away late afternoon after a very long illness. Ed was 88 and fought long and hard for the past 12 years. He was in a wheelchair but there wasn't one thing our grandchildren did or were involved in that he wasn't there. His wife Lou was his caregiver until just the last few months. She is 82 and her stamina and ability to care for him was amazing. They were married 62 years. Rest in peace, Ed, you were loved by many and will be missed.
Before we left last night we received a call from our daughter Kelly. Her father-in-law passed away late afternoon after a very long illness. Ed was 88 and fought long and hard for the past 12 years. He was in a wheelchair but there wasn't one thing our grandchildren did or were involved in that he wasn't there. His wife Lou was his caregiver until just the last few months. She is 82 and her stamina and ability to care for him was amazing. They were married 62 years. Rest in peace, Ed, you were loved by many and will be missed.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Home Stretch of May
I was up and out by 8:15 on Friday morning to attend the Junior Forum Installation Luncheon. This is the most fun program we have all year. The skit they do to install the new president and board is always so creative and entertaining. But it is why our luncheon starts at 9:30 a.m.! I drove to Judy's and then she drove to Gail's so we could all ride together. We had 160 women and that's a lot of chattering going on. Judy and I found seats and Gail was seated at the Provisional table and we didn't see her again until the end. Lunch was very good (did you notice I hardly ever complain about food, especially when someone else has fixed it?), the program was sensational and our year is ending on a high note.
It was 2:30 before I returned home and by 5:30 we had moved on to a birthday celebration for a dear friend. His daughter was in for the party and it was a delight to see her. Their yard backs to the golf course and it was so pleasant sitting outside listening to just the birds and enjoying the beautiful plants and fairway. The weather was just perfect. It was a nice ending to a long day.
I redeemed myself big time in the Shanghai department on Saturday. We went to Gerre and Barry's to sub in their group and I went out 5 of the 6 hands but ended up in second place. The one time I didn't go out, I also didn't get down and had a handful of face cards which upped my score. It soothed my ruffle feathers from my performance on Tuesday when I was wondering if I really knew how to play! My 500+ score on that day was the highest out of almost 50 women! We stayed after everyone left to visit with Gerre and Barry since we haven't seen our hosts for some time. Their new pool, patio, outside bar and kitchen turned out beautifully. It also was very serene and we ate outside before playing began. Our spring has been spectacular this year.
We went to church on Mother's Day and after an unsuccessful attempt at eating breakfast out, we came home and Ted made pancakes and bacon for me and him. He had offered to take me to dinner but the restaurants are always so busy that I told him to grill the filet mignons he had purchased at the store and that would be fine for dinner. We eat out often and I would rather go when things are less hectic.
My best treat was the Survivor Finale. I love my reality TV and to have the entire evening filled with their final show of the season was most enjoyable for me. The four people at the end were not "bad guys" so I didn't know how it would go. But the winner was a unanimous decision and I thought a good one. I am SO easily entertained!
I hope all you mothers had a wonderful day with your families yesterday. Living away from everyone it is hard to celebrate holidays but we have been doing it for years now and it doesn't make it any easier. We just have to be sure to make the time we are together very special.
I have 10 busy days in a row coming up. Most of it is fun stuff but I am working the thrift shop twice, Ted is having his colonoscopy and we are having the windows washed and the driveway power washed. That should keep me out of trouble at least until Memorial Day. Ted is flying to Virginia that day so our plans for the holiday probably won't be much but such is life.
The distance between us may be miles and years but it will not change the fact I hope you are missing me too. ~ Tammi Post
It was 2:30 before I returned home and by 5:30 we had moved on to a birthday celebration for a dear friend. His daughter was in for the party and it was a delight to see her. Their yard backs to the golf course and it was so pleasant sitting outside listening to just the birds and enjoying the beautiful plants and fairway. The weather was just perfect. It was a nice ending to a long day.
I redeemed myself big time in the Shanghai department on Saturday. We went to Gerre and Barry's to sub in their group and I went out 5 of the 6 hands but ended up in second place. The one time I didn't go out, I also didn't get down and had a handful of face cards which upped my score. It soothed my ruffle feathers from my performance on Tuesday when I was wondering if I really knew how to play! My 500+ score on that day was the highest out of almost 50 women! We stayed after everyone left to visit with Gerre and Barry since we haven't seen our hosts for some time. Their new pool, patio, outside bar and kitchen turned out beautifully. It also was very serene and we ate outside before playing began. Our spring has been spectacular this year.
We went to church on Mother's Day and after an unsuccessful attempt at eating breakfast out, we came home and Ted made pancakes and bacon for me and him. He had offered to take me to dinner but the restaurants are always so busy that I told him to grill the filet mignons he had purchased at the store and that would be fine for dinner. We eat out often and I would rather go when things are less hectic.
My best treat was the Survivor Finale. I love my reality TV and to have the entire evening filled with their final show of the season was most enjoyable for me. The four people at the end were not "bad guys" so I didn't know how it would go. But the winner was a unanimous decision and I thought a good one. I am SO easily entertained!
I hope all you mothers had a wonderful day with your families yesterday. Living away from everyone it is hard to celebrate holidays but we have been doing it for years now and it doesn't make it any easier. We just have to be sure to make the time we are together very special.
I have 10 busy days in a row coming up. Most of it is fun stuff but I am working the thrift shop twice, Ted is having his colonoscopy and we are having the windows washed and the driveway power washed. That should keep me out of trouble at least until Memorial Day. Ted is flying to Virginia that day so our plans for the holiday probably won't be much but such is life.
The distance between us may be miles and years but it will not change the fact I hope you are missing me too. ~ Tammi Post
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Things Are Picking Up
I had a few things frozen off at the dermatologist. She said they are nothing other than a nuisance and there is nothing to keep those spots and skin tags from coming. I filed that info in a growing mental file I have named DEAL WITH IT.
And then I was traumatized at Shanghai only getting down twice and ending with a score over 500! Even when I had a Shanghai in my hand and hoped to redeem myself, the lady before me put down a Shanghai and I was stuck big time again! But that is what keeps the game interesting. Some days you get the cards, sometimes not! Some days you're the bug, some days the windshield.
As I pulled in to the neighborhood there was a crowd outside. A couple who moved away were back visiting and they invited us to meet them all for dinner. Ted had his skeet league but I agreed to go. It was a nice visit and now I have Ida's info to catch up with them when we are in Florida.
Our Russia trip may be turning into an Eastern Europe trip instead - Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania. I am still waiting to hear from a few more who expressed some interest. I have four cabins committed right now and only need two more to get the discount. It is worth trying for but if we don't get it, we don't. These trips are harder to fill because of the considerable cost and the physicality of the tours. We are already starting to run into folks that don't feel they can keep up or worry about being away from US medical because of conditions they have. Unless you need a cane, walker, wheelchair or have difficulty walking, you would be fine. But Europe is filled with cobblestones, curbs, steps, etc. Europe has neither an American With Disabilities Act nor Walt Disney to move you around more easily. The day will come when at least one of us can't go, or Ted will be unable to drive the RV so we are going now while we can.
On a high note the Family Tree has turned out awesome. I am awaiting the 6 foot by 3 foot copy printed on a pale green tree background. Anyone know where I can pick up a frame to fit it? I really am considering doing that and hanging it at the end of our hallway.
Well I am off to the neighborhood luncheon. Ted went with the fellows yesterday and the ladies are up today.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what's for lunch. ~ Orson Welles
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Nothing Much Going On
The weather cooperated and the deck was done on Monday. A few boards needed pounding, then it was power washed and the preservative was put on. The table and chairs were power washed too so it looks good. Ted's mums in the back are blooming and the crepe myrtles are leafing out. Our yard was showing winter stress upon our return but now is nice and green. It was a very dry and warm winter for our area.
I worked at the thrift shop on Tuesday and cleared the kids' clothing table. Every time Jeannie and I thought we were caught up, another pile would be added but we got it done. Putting some of those little things on hangers is difficult at times. We all enjoy holding up the cute clothes for everyone to see. I never buy Newborn or 0-3 months clothes as baby gifts. Now I know for sure that is wise because those sizes come in brand new. American babies are born at weights that just skip that size it seems.
This week was the Activity Chair thank you party. I was the longest running chair at 12 years for my bunco group. There was a nice turn out and the refreshments were presented so well and were delicious. So many new faces were there this year and it gave me an opportunity to talk one on one with many of them.
Nothing much else has gone on. I am working with a company to get the family tree printed for the reunion. It will be 6 feet by 3 feet and has 8 generations starting with the birth of my great-great-great grandfather, Henry Linfert in Prussia in 1834.
The Moscow to St. Petersburg riverboat cruise in Russia has been on our radar since last year and I am gathering information and interested parties for an August 2014 trip. Six couples is a nice group and I have 5 already expressing interest. Just maybe this will be a go!
Ted went to the NRA convention and heard Gov. Perry and Senator Cruz speak. It was very well attended he said and he enjoyed looking at all the vendors' goods. Two observations: ammunition is hard to come by and the Colorado hunting lodges are hurting, push back from recent laws enacted there I suppose. When he came home we went out to dinner.
We have absolutely nothing planned for the weekend. It seems our time has switched. We used to socialize on weekends but now we are busy all week and less on weekends. I guess retirement does that.
Middle age is when you're sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn't for you. ~ Ogden Nash
I worked at the thrift shop on Tuesday and cleared the kids' clothing table. Every time Jeannie and I thought we were caught up, another pile would be added but we got it done. Putting some of those little things on hangers is difficult at times. We all enjoy holding up the cute clothes for everyone to see. I never buy Newborn or 0-3 months clothes as baby gifts. Now I know for sure that is wise because those sizes come in brand new. American babies are born at weights that just skip that size it seems.
This week was the Activity Chair thank you party. I was the longest running chair at 12 years for my bunco group. There was a nice turn out and the refreshments were presented so well and were delicious. So many new faces were there this year and it gave me an opportunity to talk one on one with many of them.
Nothing much else has gone on. I am working with a company to get the family tree printed for the reunion. It will be 6 feet by 3 feet and has 8 generations starting with the birth of my great-great-great grandfather, Henry Linfert in Prussia in 1834.
The Moscow to St. Petersburg riverboat cruise in Russia has been on our radar since last year and I am gathering information and interested parties for an August 2014 trip. Six couples is a nice group and I have 5 already expressing interest. Just maybe this will be a go!
Ted went to the NRA convention and heard Gov. Perry and Senator Cruz speak. It was very well attended he said and he enjoyed looking at all the vendors' goods. Two observations: ammunition is hard to come by and the Colorado hunting lodges are hurting, push back from recent laws enacted there I suppose. When he came home we went out to dinner.
We have absolutely nothing planned for the weekend. It seems our time has switched. We used to socialize on weekends but now we are busy all week and less on weekends. I guess retirement does that.
Middle age is when you're sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn't for you. ~ Ogden Nash
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Exciting Wine
I had a good day at the card table on Thursday, coming in second. Charlene was impossible to beat at 4 points; I had 36 which would have been first place at either of the other tables. She went out four times; I did twice. That pretty much left Pam and Linda in the dust. My dime purse runneth over!
My eye appointment was fine. He said the pollen this year has been so bad that I should keep a bottle of drops he gave me just in case my eyes start to bother me. Eveything else was good.
Because we had not done anything on Wednesday for our anniversary, we made reservations at an exceptionally nice restaurant here where we live for Saturday night after church. Truth be told, Ted wanted to go on Wednesday but I didn't want to get dressed up. I would already be dressed on Saturday so he agreed to that.
They had a quiet table for two with red rose petals scattered on it. We already knew what we were going to order so I spent time looking over the wine list. I decided to order what they called a half bottle but I would call a split. It was about the size of a normal beer bottle.
It was a Riesling (my favorite) from the Alsace region of France. When she presented the cork to me I read it and it came from the Hugel Winery in Riquewihr, France! We visited there in 2009 on a wine tour while traveling from Antwerp to Basel. Because Hugel was founded in 1639 and the cellar we were in was 1572, I think we were at a different cellar than Hugel back then.
Here is what I wrote in Fall 2009:
Continuing on through several delightful villages, we arrived at Riquewihr, the "gem of the vineyards." This town was producing grapes for wine during the Middle Ages and most houses were erected in the 15th to 18th century. It is protected by twin walls.
The first two photos are website photos of the town and the second two I took in 2009. I had to ask what the date was because they are formed differently than what we use today. We are wearing our group badge and our personal headphones so we could hear Peter talking.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
My eye appointment was fine. He said the pollen this year has been so bad that I should keep a bottle of drops he gave me just in case my eyes start to bother me. Eveything else was good.
Because we had not done anything on Wednesday for our anniversary, we made reservations at an exceptionally nice restaurant here where we live for Saturday night after church. Truth be told, Ted wanted to go on Wednesday but I didn't want to get dressed up. I would already be dressed on Saturday so he agreed to that.
They had a quiet table for two with red rose petals scattered on it. We already knew what we were going to order so I spent time looking over the wine list. I decided to order what they called a half bottle but I would call a split. It was about the size of a normal beer bottle.
It was a Riesling (my favorite) from the Alsace region of France. When she presented the cork to me I read it and it came from the Hugel Winery in Riquewihr, France! We visited there in 2009 on a wine tour while traveling from Antwerp to Basel. Because Hugel was founded in 1639 and the cellar we were in was 1572, I think we were at a different cellar than Hugel back then.
Here is what I wrote in Fall 2009:
Continuing on through several delightful villages, we arrived at Riquewihr, the "gem of the vineyards." This town was producing grapes for wine during the Middle Ages and most houses were erected in the 15th to 18th century. It is protected by twin walls.
The first two photos are website photos of the town and the second two I took in 2009. I had to ask what the date was because they are formed differently than what we use today. We are wearing our group badge and our personal headphones so we could hear Peter talking.
For dinner Ted had onion soup and the famous pork chop while I had a spinach salad and filet. We shared a dish of lyonnaise potatoes. Neither of us could finish our entree so we brought them home. Compliments of the restaurant we received dessert, a rectangular plate with Happy 48th Anniversary written in chocolate around three mini desserts of cheesecake, truffle and praline creme brulee. Just enough for each of us to have a taste or two. And that was about all we had room for.
It was a delightful dinner and after finishing the half bottle of wine by myself I came home and promptly fell asleep!
If the weather holds, the deck should get done tomorrow. We are in no hurry so when it happens, it happens. We need the rain so badly that no one should complain.
Be still, sad heart!
And cease repining;
behind the clouds
is the sun still shining;
thy fate is the common fate of all,
into each life some rain must fall
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Good Check Up
Tuesday I met Jennifer for lunch and we did a little shopping. The deck guy cancelled Wednesday morning for fear of rain (which it didn't!). We actually had a beautiful day while states up north are still dealing with some snow. Friends keep sending me photos of it. I KNOW what it looks like. That is why I live here!
It was our 48th wedding anniversary yesterday and Ted bought fillets and grilled them. We are going to Perry's for dinner Saturday after church to celebrate. Ted loves their pork chop! We were delighted to receive oodles of greetings on Facebook from family and friends as well as some cards in the mail. It is nice to be remembered.
Today Ted left for Dallas on business. It is also today that the Bush library is being dedicated and I hope it doesn't cause backed up traffic. I know he has a hotel reservation so maybe the newspaper and library are far enough apart that it won't impact him. I have been to the other Bush Presidential Library in College Station so I will have to see about getting to Dallas to see this one. LBJ's is in Austin. Eisenhower was born in Denton TX but moved to Abilene at a young age and that is where his library is. We have also visited the Truman Library in Independence, MO. While in Little Rock we saw the Clinton Library but didn't have enough time to visit. So much to see, so little time to see it!
Three exhibits we would recommend people see are the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore, OK; the Federal Building bombing site in Oklahoma City and Woolarock in Bartlesville, OK, the country home of Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips 66 (which was named for the mother road, Route 66).
Sorry for the detour but you don't even want to get me started on our National Parks - Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Alamogordo, Arches, Mesa Verde. Again, so much to see, so little time.
But my best news this week is Ted's two biopsies were nothing of concern and my mammogram was normal. Whew! Good for another year. I will see the eye doctor tomorrow and the dermatologist next week. That should do it for awhile. At least I hope so.
Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. - Erma Bombeck
It was our 48th wedding anniversary yesterday and Ted bought fillets and grilled them. We are going to Perry's for dinner Saturday after church to celebrate. Ted loves their pork chop! We were delighted to receive oodles of greetings on Facebook from family and friends as well as some cards in the mail. It is nice to be remembered.
Today Ted left for Dallas on business. It is also today that the Bush library is being dedicated and I hope it doesn't cause backed up traffic. I know he has a hotel reservation so maybe the newspaper and library are far enough apart that it won't impact him. I have been to the other Bush Presidential Library in College Station so I will have to see about getting to Dallas to see this one. LBJ's is in Austin. Eisenhower was born in Denton TX but moved to Abilene at a young age and that is where his library is. We have also visited the Truman Library in Independence, MO. While in Little Rock we saw the Clinton Library but didn't have enough time to visit. So much to see, so little time to see it!
Three exhibits we would recommend people see are the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore, OK; the Federal Building bombing site in Oklahoma City and Woolarock in Bartlesville, OK, the country home of Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips 66 (which was named for the mother road, Route 66).
Sorry for the detour but you don't even want to get me started on our National Parks - Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Alamogordo, Arches, Mesa Verde. Again, so much to see, so little time.
But my best news this week is Ted's two biopsies were nothing of concern and my mammogram was normal. Whew! Good for another year. I will see the eye doctor tomorrow and the dermatologist next week. That should do it for awhile. At least I hope so.
Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. - Erma Bombeck
Monday, April 22, 2013
Out with the Boomers
We spent a long weekend out with the Boomers in Montgomery TX. It has been quite a while since we have camped out with them. Lots of food, wine tasting and games - Mexican Train, Pegs and Jokers, Texas Hold 'em, Shanghai - all were getting a workout in the rally hall.
Ted cleaned the carpet in the trailer which was my main reason for wanting to go out for the weekend. Even the weather was cool at night so the heat being on helped dry the carpet! Mission accomplished.
I have to relate the funniest story told to me by one of our friends. Her very young son was sent home from school with a note saying he needed to be taken to the eye doctor. He had failed the eye exam and had very bad vision. Of course she took him right away. As the test began he told her "these are the same words I couldn't sound out last time!" Hooray for phonics I guess. It still makes me chuckle.
We did enjoy seeing everyone, sharing great food, visiting and playing the games. I didn't win at anything but Ted split the pot at the end with Darlene in Texas Hold 'em.
Ted heard from Dr. W and his two biopsies were nothing of concern. He is to continue his medicine and return in one year. I had my mammogram and have not heard back yet. The year seems to go by so quickly and it is time to do the tests all over again. The older I get the more I hate that because one of these days the news is not going to be good.
And here is another story about a friend in her mid-70s. Her husband had a cancerous lung lobe removed. He did not need chemo or radiation and he asked her "what if it comes back?" She said "Then you'll die but you are going to die even if it doesn't ever come back. No one stays here forever. We are not going to spend what time we have left worrying about what if." She made an excellent point and exhibits a great attitude I think. Being a professional worrier, I need to listen to her more.
I took today off foregoing a trip to Bellville with a group of Forum friends. I am meeting Jennifer for lunch tomorrow. The crew is coming to clean and preserve the deck on Wednesday and I play cards on Thursday. It will be time for a "down" weekend to catch our breath. Our 48th wedding anniversary is 4/24 so maybe we will celebrate over the weekend.
Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.
Ted cleaned the carpet in the trailer which was my main reason for wanting to go out for the weekend. Even the weather was cool at night so the heat being on helped dry the carpet! Mission accomplished.
I have to relate the funniest story told to me by one of our friends. Her very young son was sent home from school with a note saying he needed to be taken to the eye doctor. He had failed the eye exam and had very bad vision. Of course she took him right away. As the test began he told her "these are the same words I couldn't sound out last time!" Hooray for phonics I guess. It still makes me chuckle.
We did enjoy seeing everyone, sharing great food, visiting and playing the games. I didn't win at anything but Ted split the pot at the end with Darlene in Texas Hold 'em.
Ted heard from Dr. W and his two biopsies were nothing of concern. He is to continue his medicine and return in one year. I had my mammogram and have not heard back yet. The year seems to go by so quickly and it is time to do the tests all over again. The older I get the more I hate that because one of these days the news is not going to be good.
And here is another story about a friend in her mid-70s. Her husband had a cancerous lung lobe removed. He did not need chemo or radiation and he asked her "what if it comes back?" She said "Then you'll die but you are going to die even if it doesn't ever come back. No one stays here forever. We are not going to spend what time we have left worrying about what if." She made an excellent point and exhibits a great attitude I think. Being a professional worrier, I need to listen to her more.
I took today off foregoing a trip to Bellville with a group of Forum friends. I am meeting Jennifer for lunch tomorrow. The crew is coming to clean and preserve the deck on Wednesday and I play cards on Thursday. It will be time for a "down" weekend to catch our breath. Our 48th wedding anniversary is 4/24 so maybe we will celebrate over the weekend.
Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
He Came, He Saw, He Shredded
Thursday was our monthly neighborhood ladies' luncheon. We had a good turn out and it was great to see everyone. The men's lunch was the day before but Ted forgot about it and didn't go.
Friday was the big day. I managed to fill the 96 gallon bin (about 300 lbs.) with paper needing to be shredded. The gentleman brought the bin into the office, tossed everything in and wheeled it out to the truck. Pretty soon it was chewing it all up like a hungry monster. There is also a clunker chunker for hard things and I tossed in an entire box of backup tapes from the late 1990s. It felt wonderful to get such a big job over so easily. Now I need to stay on top of the situation. The accumulation occurred as we moved from Michigan to two different addresses in Florida and three different addresses in Texas over the past 17 years.
Next up were the bags I keep in the guest room closet. I toss mostly clothes, but on occasion household items, into them. Ted finally went through his closet and tossed a lot of shirts and pants that are now too big. Paralyzed Veterans of Texas was coming for a pick up. I often say I am easily amused but I am also easily elated over something so mundane as getting things cleaned out. What a great feeling. Moving frequently helps but we have stayed put longer where we are than anywhere else in our 48 years of marriage.
Saturday after church we played cards with our old Canasta group. But they, like so many others, have switched to Shanghai. I came in second and refilled my dime purse considerably. I am ready for the next game!
Carol invited us for dinner on Sunday. Their son-in-law was in town to golf with Terry. We had delicious steaks and watched the exciting end to The Masters. One of Ted's biggest thrills was playing at Augusta National in 1996. His nephew has played the day after The Masters on occasion with the press corp. An invitation to play there is no easy feat and is most golfer's dream.
Monday was my bunco group in the morning and Ted's yearly endoscopy surveillance procedure in the afternoon. They biopsied two spots but Dr. W didn't think it was anything to be concerned about and told us to return next year. We have to wait up to two weeks for the results to be sure he is right.
I worked at the thrift shop on Tuesday and we "kicked butt" in the accomplishment department. We emptied both huge bins, sorted, tagged and put out all the clothes. The buttons were removed from the clothes going to recycle and that made room for shoes to be laid out, sorted and tagged. Even the toys were gone over to see what had all the pieces and what actually worked. Everyone was happy because we normally have nowhere to go with stuff. More order in my life! But I know that will be short lived. Next week we will be piled up high again and looking for a place to work on things.
Our friend Don had driven from Nacogdoches to attend a sale with Ted for ammo components. I think they had a good time since they spent quite a bit between the two of them. I left "work" a half hour early and met them for a late lunch. Trudy had a small surgery and wasn't able to come with him but I did talk to her when she called while we were at the restaurant. Hopefully they will come again when she is feeling better.
I have my mammogram today and then one last eye doctor appointment and I should be finished. Whew! So many body parts to look after!
The last two babies due before our June family reunion have arrived. Rosalie and Jacob are our newest additions. I have found a company that can print the entire tree either 6 x 3 or 16 x 2. I am working out the details now and it will be laminated once it is printed. I am going to wait until mid-May to order it just to give everyone time to check their info.
"If you don't know your family's history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree." ~ Michael Crichton
Friday was the big day. I managed to fill the 96 gallon bin (about 300 lbs.) with paper needing to be shredded. The gentleman brought the bin into the office, tossed everything in and wheeled it out to the truck. Pretty soon it was chewing it all up like a hungry monster. There is also a clunker chunker for hard things and I tossed in an entire box of backup tapes from the late 1990s. It felt wonderful to get such a big job over so easily. Now I need to stay on top of the situation. The accumulation occurred as we moved from Michigan to two different addresses in Florida and three different addresses in Texas over the past 17 years.
Next up were the bags I keep in the guest room closet. I toss mostly clothes, but on occasion household items, into them. Ted finally went through his closet and tossed a lot of shirts and pants that are now too big. Paralyzed Veterans of Texas was coming for a pick up. I often say I am easily amused but I am also easily elated over something so mundane as getting things cleaned out. What a great feeling. Moving frequently helps but we have stayed put longer where we are than anywhere else in our 48 years of marriage.
Saturday after church we played cards with our old Canasta group. But they, like so many others, have switched to Shanghai. I came in second and refilled my dime purse considerably. I am ready for the next game!
Carol invited us for dinner on Sunday. Their son-in-law was in town to golf with Terry. We had delicious steaks and watched the exciting end to The Masters. One of Ted's biggest thrills was playing at Augusta National in 1996. His nephew has played the day after The Masters on occasion with the press corp. An invitation to play there is no easy feat and is most golfer's dream.
Monday was my bunco group in the morning and Ted's yearly endoscopy surveillance procedure in the afternoon. They biopsied two spots but Dr. W didn't think it was anything to be concerned about and told us to return next year. We have to wait up to two weeks for the results to be sure he is right.
I worked at the thrift shop on Tuesday and we "kicked butt" in the accomplishment department. We emptied both huge bins, sorted, tagged and put out all the clothes. The buttons were removed from the clothes going to recycle and that made room for shoes to be laid out, sorted and tagged. Even the toys were gone over to see what had all the pieces and what actually worked. Everyone was happy because we normally have nowhere to go with stuff. More order in my life! But I know that will be short lived. Next week we will be piled up high again and looking for a place to work on things.
Our friend Don had driven from Nacogdoches to attend a sale with Ted for ammo components. I think they had a good time since they spent quite a bit between the two of them. I left "work" a half hour early and met them for a late lunch. Trudy had a small surgery and wasn't able to come with him but I did talk to her when she called while we were at the restaurant. Hopefully they will come again when she is feeling better.
I have my mammogram today and then one last eye doctor appointment and I should be finished. Whew! So many body parts to look after!
The last two babies due before our June family reunion have arrived. Rosalie and Jacob are our newest additions. I have found a company that can print the entire tree either 6 x 3 or 16 x 2. I am working out the details now and it will be laminated once it is printed. I am going to wait until mid-May to order it just to give everyone time to check their info.
"If you don't know your family's history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree." ~ Michael Crichton
Thursday, April 11, 2013
In The Swing of Things
Our drizzly day turned into a beautiful late afternoon and evening. We wandered further around the property and visited the small chapel, gazebo, spring and clubhouse that we had not gone into yet. What a lovely place.
The park furnished dinner and was a great farewell send off. Everyone received a door prize and ours was a string of lights for the awning shaped like little RVs. The problem is our awning puts itself away if it gets too windy so hanging them up would be a problem. There are lots of opportunities at rallys to add these to gifts so they will be enjoyed by someone. We are heading out with the Texas Boomers soon and they might find a home.
After dinner we were entertained by a couple playing the guitar and singing. There was a dance hall with a stage on the other side of the rally hall and we all met in there. That's also where all the karaoke took place earlier in the week. We went back to the trailer before it got too late because we were leaving in the morning.
After saying our goodbyes over coffee in the rally hall the next morning we hit the road. There was a large branch hanging over our spot and you could see where the underside of it had been hit in the past. Ted decided to back the trailer out onto the road behind us rather than pulling straight out. That worked fine and Denny and Jami gave us a big wave sending us off.
We took I-10 and the wildflowers were so abundant. It was a beautiful drive home. We got the rig put away and went out to eat right after. It was late afternoon and we were both hungry. We had stopped at a rest area and had a snack but that didn't last too long.
I had the normal mail stuff to get caught up on, had my bone density test and we subbed in a group playing cards Wednesday night. Coming home after a week is so much easier than after two months.
We have a busy period before our summer trip. Chris is on board to house sit again so things are falling into place. We know where we will be until mid-August. How we spend the last two weeks of August and what route we take home is up in the air. But in the RV, home is where the wheels stop.
The park furnished dinner and was a great farewell send off. Everyone received a door prize and ours was a string of lights for the awning shaped like little RVs. The problem is our awning puts itself away if it gets too windy so hanging them up would be a problem. There are lots of opportunities at rallys to add these to gifts so they will be enjoyed by someone. We are heading out with the Texas Boomers soon and they might find a home.
After dinner we were entertained by a couple playing the guitar and singing. There was a dance hall with a stage on the other side of the rally hall and we all met in there. That's also where all the karaoke took place earlier in the week. We went back to the trailer before it got too late because we were leaving in the morning.
After saying our goodbyes over coffee in the rally hall the next morning we hit the road. There was a large branch hanging over our spot and you could see where the underside of it had been hit in the past. Ted decided to back the trailer out onto the road behind us rather than pulling straight out. That worked fine and Denny and Jami gave us a big wave sending us off.
We took I-10 and the wildflowers were so abundant. It was a beautiful drive home. We got the rig put away and went out to eat right after. It was late afternoon and we were both hungry. We had stopped at a rest area and had a snack but that didn't last too long.
I had the normal mail stuff to get caught up on, had my bone density test and we subbed in a group playing cards Wednesday night. Coming home after a week is so much easier than after two months.
We have a busy period before our summer trip. Chris is on board to house sit again so things are falling into place. We know where we will be until mid-August. How we spend the last two weeks of August and what route we take home is up in the air. But in the RV, home is where the wheels stop.
Monday, April 8, 2013
A Week of Saturdays
I had my six month check up at the doctor and all my numbers were fantastic he said. I have my mammogram and bone density in the next week and if all is OK there, I am good to go for six months on the blood work and a year on the others. Ted has an endoscopy and colonoscopy in the next month. It will be a relief when it is all done and we are hopefully in good shape for a couple of old folks. Ted has lost 36 lbs. and our doctor was so excited to hear that. I am proud of him!
Tuesday I played Shang Hai and did well. Second place was only a 12 point spread for three of us but Elaine prevailed. It was a good game in that scores stayed very close.
Wednesday we drove in miserable weather to the hill country of Texas. It rained the whole way accompanied by lots of fog. Lucky for us the rain stopped by the time we arrived and set up. We barely got finished and it was time for Happy Hour followed by a burger dinner provided by our hosts. There are between 25-30 rigs in for the rally. This is a beautiful park built in a pecan grove. The rally hall is a little western town of storefronts so I took some photos.
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We had a restful day on Thursday with time to explore before another Happy Hour. We had planned to take our Mission friends to dinner but Bernd had a medical procedure and wasn't up to going out so we drove into town for dinner by ourselves. When we returned there were at least two dozen deer behind our rig in the pecan grove. I couldn't get close enough to get a good picture but they were so beautiful to watch.
On Friday about 20 of us drove to Stonewall to a winery for a tasting. There were several bachelorette parties going on and we took advantage of a huge parked limo to get our picture taken in front of it. We were a "group with reservations" so our tasting included cheese, crackers, pate, etc. but our six wines were chosen by them. I wanted to taste all whites so when they got to the reds I wandered over to the other bar and chose what I wanted to taste. I bought two bottles of Moscato and a bottle of Melbac for our hosts.
We came back to the park and later drove with Jami and Denny into Fredericksburg for a group dinner at a German restaurant. The food was very good but was not familiar to many of the folks. I helped explain some of the dishes and most seemed pleased with their choice. Ted and I enjoyed our schnitzels. It was past 8 o'clock when we all got back. There was karaoke at the rally hall but we chose to stay in.
Every day has seemed like Saturday and finally it arrived. It must have been our Wednesday arrival that got my point of reference screwed up this week. We drove to another park to visit Dulce and Bernd. She needed to look at two K-1s I received AFTER I filed my taxes. They didn't arrive until towards the end of March. She said what I had done was correct, gave me a carryover sheet to keep for next year and said to hold off filing the Amended Return until the end of the month. Bernd was feeling better but did not want to go to lunch. We had a good visit and promised them a dinner next January in Mission. With hugs and handshakes we said our goodbyes.
When we returned I got my Dorito Chicken Casserole together for the potluck. The weather was beautiful so we walked around the park and visited with those outside their rigs. Happy Hour and dinner was another feast and my chicken dish was empty! Afterwards we had a white elephant exchange. I ended up with a nice necklace and earrings. There was going to be karaoke but I had dishes to do, wanted to shower since church was real early in the morning and besides I was tired and went to bed by 10:00. Ted stayed and I don't know what time he came in.
We attended Notre Dame Church and the sermon was very good. "When did God stop being relevant? How did we get from Ozzie and Harriet to commerecials that embarrass us in front of a six year old?"
Once back we left at 11:00 heading to Cooper's BBQ in Llano. I have had many restaurants' ribs but I swear these were THE BEST ribs I have ever eaten. Your first stop, after standing in line, was the grill where you have them slice off whatever meat you want. Inside are the drinks, sides and desserts. The meat gets wrapped in paper, weighed and meets back up with you at the register. We chose ribs, brisket, sausage and a pork chop. Needless to say we brought half the pork chop and some sausage home.
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On the way back we drove the Willow City loop, one of the most scenic drives in the hill country. It was pretty and interesting.
I made my pesto spread for Happy Hour and afterwards left to watch Amazing Race which was displaced by the Country Music Awards! Bummer.
Today was overcast and drizzly so Ted and I took time to teach Connie and Jami how to play Shang Hai. We had the rally hall to ourselves but were treated to smells of the catfish dinner with all the fixins' being prepared by the park for our dinner.
We head home tomorrow with an equally busy schedule but, for now, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Tuesday I played Shang Hai and did well. Second place was only a 12 point spread for three of us but Elaine prevailed. It was a good game in that scores stayed very close.
Wednesday we drove in miserable weather to the hill country of Texas. It rained the whole way accompanied by lots of fog. Lucky for us the rain stopped by the time we arrived and set up. We barely got finished and it was time for Happy Hour followed by a burger dinner provided by our hosts. There are between 25-30 rigs in for the rally. This is a beautiful park built in a pecan grove. The rally hall is a little western town of storefronts so I took some photos.
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We had a restful day on Thursday with time to explore before another Happy Hour. We had planned to take our Mission friends to dinner but Bernd had a medical procedure and wasn't up to going out so we drove into town for dinner by ourselves. When we returned there were at least two dozen deer behind our rig in the pecan grove. I couldn't get close enough to get a good picture but they were so beautiful to watch.
On Friday about 20 of us drove to Stonewall to a winery for a tasting. There were several bachelorette parties going on and we took advantage of a huge parked limo to get our picture taken in front of it. We were a "group with reservations" so our tasting included cheese, crackers, pate, etc. but our six wines were chosen by them. I wanted to taste all whites so when they got to the reds I wandered over to the other bar and chose what I wanted to taste. I bought two bottles of Moscato and a bottle of Melbac for our hosts.
We came back to the park and later drove with Jami and Denny into Fredericksburg for a group dinner at a German restaurant. The food was very good but was not familiar to many of the folks. I helped explain some of the dishes and most seemed pleased with their choice. Ted and I enjoyed our schnitzels. It was past 8 o'clock when we all got back. There was karaoke at the rally hall but we chose to stay in.
Every day has seemed like Saturday and finally it arrived. It must have been our Wednesday arrival that got my point of reference screwed up this week. We drove to another park to visit Dulce and Bernd. She needed to look at two K-1s I received AFTER I filed my taxes. They didn't arrive until towards the end of March. She said what I had done was correct, gave me a carryover sheet to keep for next year and said to hold off filing the Amended Return until the end of the month. Bernd was feeling better but did not want to go to lunch. We had a good visit and promised them a dinner next January in Mission. With hugs and handshakes we said our goodbyes.
When we returned I got my Dorito Chicken Casserole together for the potluck. The weather was beautiful so we walked around the park and visited with those outside their rigs. Happy Hour and dinner was another feast and my chicken dish was empty! Afterwards we had a white elephant exchange. I ended up with a nice necklace and earrings. There was going to be karaoke but I had dishes to do, wanted to shower since church was real early in the morning and besides I was tired and went to bed by 10:00. Ted stayed and I don't know what time he came in.
We attended Notre Dame Church and the sermon was very good. "When did God stop being relevant? How did we get from Ozzie and Harriet to commerecials that embarrass us in front of a six year old?"
Once back we left at 11:00 heading to Cooper's BBQ in Llano. I have had many restaurants' ribs but I swear these were THE BEST ribs I have ever eaten. Your first stop, after standing in line, was the grill where you have them slice off whatever meat you want. Inside are the drinks, sides and desserts. The meat gets wrapped in paper, weighed and meets back up with you at the register. We chose ribs, brisket, sausage and a pork chop. Needless to say we brought half the pork chop and some sausage home.
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On the way back we drove the Willow City loop, one of the most scenic drives in the hill country. It was pretty and interesting.
I made my pesto spread for Happy Hour and afterwards left to watch Amazing Race which was displaced by the Country Music Awards! Bummer.
Today was overcast and drizzly so Ted and I took time to teach Connie and Jami how to play Shang Hai. We had the rally hall to ourselves but were treated to smells of the catfish dinner with all the fixins' being prepared by the park for our dinner.
We head home tomorrow with an equally busy schedule but, for now, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Lazy Start to the Week
Last weekend, other than church and shooting, neither of us did much outside the house. It was nice to have relaxation time.
Tuesday I accompanied Gail, my Junior Forum recruit, to the Information Coffee. It was very well attended and I was pleased that Gail signed up to join. She has moved here to be near her daughter, is a widow, and has been looking for volunteer opportunities. I think this is a good fit for her. She thinks so too.
Our Christmas gift to Terry and Carol were tickets to see Jersey Boys at the Hobby Theater. We had dinner at Saltgrass to celebrate both their birthdays which are nowhere near this date but we were gone for hers and will be gone for his. So we took care of all occasions in one fell swoop. Dinner was delicious and the play was terrific. Of course the music is "our music" so that added to the enjoyment. It was a later night than we are all used to.
My Canasta group has switched to Shang Hai and Thursday was the first time I played since Christmas. I got stuck again not going down so I didn't win. Adding all those points in one round is a killer and odds are not everyone, or anyone else for that matter, will get stuck too so they will have much lower scores. The 80 single dollar bills I won playing card bingo in Mission have not proved to be lucky in raffles or games. They are rapidly dwindling.
I finally tackled a job I have put off for too long. I cleaned out the office and all my files. Now I have three stacks of paper about 2-3 feet high each. I have a shredder but between the paper clips, motor overheating, stopping to empty the bin, etc., I decided to call a professional shredder. He will be here on 4/12 since he only comes to this area once a week and will shred it all right in front of us in less than a half hour. What a terrific feeling when all that excess is gone!
We met Gerre and Barry Friday night for dinner and to go see Fantasticks. This is a 1960 musical allegory and took awhile to get into the rhythm of what the story was. By intermission we had an idea of the story line but Barry and Gerre decided they didn't want to stay for the second act. Ted and I decided to stay and the second act was much better because we understood the story line by then. Other than Try To Remember there were no big hit songs but after 50 years this play still plays off Broadway. To each his own I guess.
I took advantage of being at the theater to request my two free seats for the season. We have invited our friends Sherida and John to accompany us to Grease in May. Now that story I know and the music is right up our alley. I think we will all like this one.
I baked a lamb cake for Easter dinner using a lamb mold Ted bought me at an antique store in Huntsville. My Aunt Ret always made one for Easter and the children's First Communion. When she died, the lamb mold disappeared. It was the only thing I asked for. With no directions I was taking a chance but it turned out OK. I am not the best decorator but for a first effort it will do for the five of us having dinner.
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Today we went to church and God was with us, maybe because he recognizes us from the other 51 Sundays. We arrived 9 minutes before Mass, not a good idea on Easter, but got the last parking spot. We went to the gym instead of the church and got two seats in the second row. Mass was over before the church Mass finished and we pulled right out of the parking lot. Three things that can be a problem on Easter and Christmas but not for us this time.
We went to Terry & Carol's about 4:00 and had dinner with them and our friend Jody whose husband was out of town. Dinner was wonderful and afterwards we played Shang Hai. Ted won and I came in second. I am playing again Tuesday so I hope the card gods are with me.
Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song. ~
Pope John Paul II
Tuesday I accompanied Gail, my Junior Forum recruit, to the Information Coffee. It was very well attended and I was pleased that Gail signed up to join. She has moved here to be near her daughter, is a widow, and has been looking for volunteer opportunities. I think this is a good fit for her. She thinks so too.
Our Christmas gift to Terry and Carol were tickets to see Jersey Boys at the Hobby Theater. We had dinner at Saltgrass to celebrate both their birthdays which are nowhere near this date but we were gone for hers and will be gone for his. So we took care of all occasions in one fell swoop. Dinner was delicious and the play was terrific. Of course the music is "our music" so that added to the enjoyment. It was a later night than we are all used to.
My Canasta group has switched to Shang Hai and Thursday was the first time I played since Christmas. I got stuck again not going down so I didn't win. Adding all those points in one round is a killer and odds are not everyone, or anyone else for that matter, will get stuck too so they will have much lower scores. The 80 single dollar bills I won playing card bingo in Mission have not proved to be lucky in raffles or games. They are rapidly dwindling.
I finally tackled a job I have put off for too long. I cleaned out the office and all my files. Now I have three stacks of paper about 2-3 feet high each. I have a shredder but between the paper clips, motor overheating, stopping to empty the bin, etc., I decided to call a professional shredder. He will be here on 4/12 since he only comes to this area once a week and will shred it all right in front of us in less than a half hour. What a terrific feeling when all that excess is gone!
We met Gerre and Barry Friday night for dinner and to go see Fantasticks. This is a 1960 musical allegory and took awhile to get into the rhythm of what the story was. By intermission we had an idea of the story line but Barry and Gerre decided they didn't want to stay for the second act. Ted and I decided to stay and the second act was much better because we understood the story line by then. Other than Try To Remember there were no big hit songs but after 50 years this play still plays off Broadway. To each his own I guess.
I took advantage of being at the theater to request my two free seats for the season. We have invited our friends Sherida and John to accompany us to Grease in May. Now that story I know and the music is right up our alley. I think we will all like this one.
I baked a lamb cake for Easter dinner using a lamb mold Ted bought me at an antique store in Huntsville. My Aunt Ret always made one for Easter and the children's First Communion. When she died, the lamb mold disappeared. It was the only thing I asked for. With no directions I was taking a chance but it turned out OK. I am not the best decorator but for a first effort it will do for the five of us having dinner.
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Today we went to church and God was with us, maybe because he recognizes us from the other 51 Sundays. We arrived 9 minutes before Mass, not a good idea on Easter, but got the last parking spot. We went to the gym instead of the church and got two seats in the second row. Mass was over before the church Mass finished and we pulled right out of the parking lot. Three things that can be a problem on Easter and Christmas but not for us this time.
We went to Terry & Carol's about 4:00 and had dinner with them and our friend Jody whose husband was out of town. Dinner was wonderful and afterwards we played Shang Hai. Ted won and I came in second. I am playing again Tuesday so I hope the card gods are with me.
Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song. ~
Pope John Paul II
Friday, March 22, 2013
Back to the Old Grind
There is always a Piper to be paid and he was waiting for me at home. The first payment was to the three bins of mail! Everything important had been handled but the shredding takes forever. I had a few things to tend to but the banking and bills had all been handled so it was just getting rid of the rest of the stuff - like 99.9% of it.
Then it was on to taxes. I had done most of the ground work so 2012 wasn't hard to finish. But after talking with an accountant in the valley regarding a new bill passed in 2010 that I was unaware of, I amended my 2011 and am expecting a nice refund! It felt good to get that out of the way.
Monday I double dipped and played bunco in the morning and Shang Hai in the afternoon. I didn't win a darn thing either place. In fact, I got "whupped" pretty bad at Shang Hai. Getting stuck not going down once is bad enough but twice??? But it was great to see everyone again.
Ted and I had several errands to run and did this on Tuesday because he was leaving for Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. It was his Piper calling! First we had to go to the trailer to get the wedding present. We also brought his suit, shirt and tie home. We had left it all there so we would have it after our trip to Kerrville when we went to Alabama. Since that wasn't happening, we moved to Plan B.
We took the wedding present back to Dillard's and they arranged packaging and shipping of the wedding present. Then we took trousers Kelly had given him at Christmas to Macy's. They still had the tags on them but he has lost enough weight that they are too big. They didn't have his new size so I have a gift card for future use.
My I-Pad cover started coming apart so I called Targus. They told me to mail it back for a replacement. So off to the post office we went. Then there was a stop at Wells Fargo, another at HEB, dropped off four pairs of slacks at the cleaners to be hemmed and finally we made our way back home. You can spend a whole day just running around and never going very far from home.
I cleaned the house on Wednesday since it had sat for two months. All things considered, it wasn't too bad, just dusty. And there were five loads of laundry. Ted was gone so I had all day to myself to get it accomplished.
Petticoats and Parasols, a Junior Forum "walk through women's fashions show from the 1800s on" was being presented at the Newcomers luncheon on Thursday so I decided I would attend. The authentic vintage clothes are so interesting to see and the models do such a great job of representing the era. The gals did an absolutely fabulous job and I was proud to be a part of both organizations. Again, it was good catching up with so many people.
Today was a Junior Forum meeting and I was assigned biscuits to bring. I took honey and strawberry jam to put on them. There were six different breakfast casseroles but they all had meat in them. You could pick out the few Catholics present because they were eating biscuits, cheese cubes and fruit! It was a long meeting and after cleaning up I stayed to help get the Installation Luncheon invitations ready for mailing. I didn't get home until almost 3:00 and I have to admit I am tired.
I've spent an enormous amount of time working on the family tree that I need to have completed by June. I have 8 generations and am now looking for a place that can print it in its entirety. All those I have found only can print 5 generations. I came across one but I think it involves buying more software so I'll keep looking. If all else fails 8.5 x 11 card stock and double sided tape will work too.
Well the garage door just went up and that means Ted is home from Florida. I hope he is hungry because I am. That biscuit, cheese cube and fruit have vacated the premises and my tummy is calling for something else right about now. Even a McDonald's fish sandwich sounds good.
Until next time ...
Then it was on to taxes. I had done most of the ground work so 2012 wasn't hard to finish. But after talking with an accountant in the valley regarding a new bill passed in 2010 that I was unaware of, I amended my 2011 and am expecting a nice refund! It felt good to get that out of the way.
Monday I double dipped and played bunco in the morning and Shang Hai in the afternoon. I didn't win a darn thing either place. In fact, I got "whupped" pretty bad at Shang Hai. Getting stuck not going down once is bad enough but twice??? But it was great to see everyone again.
Ted and I had several errands to run and did this on Tuesday because he was leaving for Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. It was his Piper calling! First we had to go to the trailer to get the wedding present. We also brought his suit, shirt and tie home. We had left it all there so we would have it after our trip to Kerrville when we went to Alabama. Since that wasn't happening, we moved to Plan B.
We took the wedding present back to Dillard's and they arranged packaging and shipping of the wedding present. Then we took trousers Kelly had given him at Christmas to Macy's. They still had the tags on them but he has lost enough weight that they are too big. They didn't have his new size so I have a gift card for future use.
My I-Pad cover started coming apart so I called Targus. They told me to mail it back for a replacement. So off to the post office we went. Then there was a stop at Wells Fargo, another at HEB, dropped off four pairs of slacks at the cleaners to be hemmed and finally we made our way back home. You can spend a whole day just running around and never going very far from home.
I cleaned the house on Wednesday since it had sat for two months. All things considered, it wasn't too bad, just dusty. And there were five loads of laundry. Ted was gone so I had all day to myself to get it accomplished.
Petticoats and Parasols, a Junior Forum "walk through women's fashions show from the 1800s on" was being presented at the Newcomers luncheon on Thursday so I decided I would attend. The authentic vintage clothes are so interesting to see and the models do such a great job of representing the era. The gals did an absolutely fabulous job and I was proud to be a part of both organizations. Again, it was good catching up with so many people.
Today was a Junior Forum meeting and I was assigned biscuits to bring. I took honey and strawberry jam to put on them. There were six different breakfast casseroles but they all had meat in them. You could pick out the few Catholics present because they were eating biscuits, cheese cubes and fruit! It was a long meeting and after cleaning up I stayed to help get the Installation Luncheon invitations ready for mailing. I didn't get home until almost 3:00 and I have to admit I am tired.
I've spent an enormous amount of time working on the family tree that I need to have completed by June. I have 8 generations and am now looking for a place that can print it in its entirety. All those I have found only can print 5 generations. I came across one but I think it involves buying more software so I'll keep looking. If all else fails 8.5 x 11 card stock and double sided tape will work too.
Well the garage door just went up and that means Ted is home from Florida. I hope he is hungry because I am. That biscuit, cheese cube and fruit have vacated the premises and my tummy is calling for something else right about now. Even a McDonald's fish sandwich sounds good.
Until next time ...
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Roberts Burns and the Plans of Men
We had the roof of the trailer washed on Wednesday and then the sides all wiped down. Ted "swished" the tanks repeatedly to be sure they were really clean and put his bike, grill, table and chairs away. We went to the last Margarita night of the season and Karen won $85 on the 50/50. The number was one off of mine!
Thursday morning I was ready inside so Ted hooked up and it wasn't yet 9 o'clock when we pulled out. We were paid up until Friday but didn't want to spend Friday night on the road and travel on Saturday.
It was just four hours to Victoria and only 1 o'clock when we stopped. We could easily have driven on but Ted said he is retired and doesn't have to so he wasn't going to! It would make for a long day and I don't know if we would have the stamina to empty the trailer after a long haul. We set up and went to find a nail salon for me to get another thing out of the way before getting home where I had lots waiting for me.
We had just finished dinner when Ted saw Joe, a neighbor down in Mission, pull in. He remarked that it looked as if Joe had a blowout. The tire rim was white and without a hubcap and the wheel well was tore up a bit. Ted went out to talk to him and he said he got only a bit north of Edinburg when the tread separated. Having had this happen to us three times, we knew only too well about such things.
Once he got settled he came over and Ted told him what we did, how great Goodyear was about the tires and damage and our subsequent move to H rated tires instead of G. We put him in touch with Jay who is a Heartland guy and he is advising him on how to proceed to get a new tire, fix the damage and make changes so it doesn't happen again. Tires should last longer than 6,000 miles. Joe is a really nice fellow and we look forward to seeing him in Mission next year.
We made it home on Friday with no problems and started the unloading of two months of living. It took two trips and we messed up our 2300 sq. ft. house with stuff from our 350 sq. ft. trailer. I can never figure out how that happens.
I spent the rest of the day working on the three bins of mail and finishing up our taxes. Saturday morning was more of the same. We made plans to meet up with Jay and Stella for a late lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. They hit the road later this week for their summer trip. We had a great visit and they left for a grandson's ballgame and we went to church.
We sure did miss Fr. Roy at church. Fr. George is from India and try as I might, I still only get every other word. No mention of John Wayne, no country music CDs, no dogs, no jokes. I know I am there to praise the Lord and not be entertained but Fr. Roy is a real tough act to follow.
Our trip to Troy, Alabama has been cancelled. Ted's niece decided to marry quickly in December when her fiance graduated and got a job that required moving. They intended to return in April for a big reception for everyone to attend. In anticipation I bought that wedding present at Dillard's so I didn't have to do that when I got home. Now I have 12 place settings of silverware that weigh a TON. I think I will take them back, get a credit and send a check rather than package them up and pay the postage which would be substantial. But we are still going to Kerrville and will just be home for the weekend instead of in Alabama.
Happy St. Paddy's Day to everyone.
"The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglee". ... Robert Burns
Thursday morning I was ready inside so Ted hooked up and it wasn't yet 9 o'clock when we pulled out. We were paid up until Friday but didn't want to spend Friday night on the road and travel on Saturday.
It was just four hours to Victoria and only 1 o'clock when we stopped. We could easily have driven on but Ted said he is retired and doesn't have to so he wasn't going to! It would make for a long day and I don't know if we would have the stamina to empty the trailer after a long haul. We set up and went to find a nail salon for me to get another thing out of the way before getting home where I had lots waiting for me.
We had just finished dinner when Ted saw Joe, a neighbor down in Mission, pull in. He remarked that it looked as if Joe had a blowout. The tire rim was white and without a hubcap and the wheel well was tore up a bit. Ted went out to talk to him and he said he got only a bit north of Edinburg when the tread separated. Having had this happen to us three times, we knew only too well about such things.
Once he got settled he came over and Ted told him what we did, how great Goodyear was about the tires and damage and our subsequent move to H rated tires instead of G. We put him in touch with Jay who is a Heartland guy and he is advising him on how to proceed to get a new tire, fix the damage and make changes so it doesn't happen again. Tires should last longer than 6,000 miles. Joe is a really nice fellow and we look forward to seeing him in Mission next year.
We made it home on Friday with no problems and started the unloading of two months of living. It took two trips and we messed up our 2300 sq. ft. house with stuff from our 350 sq. ft. trailer. I can never figure out how that happens.
I spent the rest of the day working on the three bins of mail and finishing up our taxes. Saturday morning was more of the same. We made plans to meet up with Jay and Stella for a late lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. They hit the road later this week for their summer trip. We had a great visit and they left for a grandson's ballgame and we went to church.
We sure did miss Fr. Roy at church. Fr. George is from India and try as I might, I still only get every other word. No mention of John Wayne, no country music CDs, no dogs, no jokes. I know I am there to praise the Lord and not be entertained but Fr. Roy is a real tough act to follow.
Our trip to Troy, Alabama has been cancelled. Ted's niece decided to marry quickly in December when her fiance graduated and got a job that required moving. They intended to return in April for a big reception for everyone to attend. In anticipation I bought that wedding present at Dillard's so I didn't have to do that when I got home. Now I have 12 place settings of silverware that weigh a TON. I think I will take them back, get a credit and send a check rather than package them up and pay the postage which would be substantial. But we are still going to Kerrville and will just be home for the weekend instead of in Alabama.
Happy St. Paddy's Day to everyone.
"The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglee". ... Robert Burns
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Ready To Head Out
We had a great sermon from Fr. Roy on Saturday. The gospel was the Prodigal Son and he said we probably can all find ourselves a bit in each one of the folks mentioned. I know I am the "eldest son" on so many levels. In a nutshell Fr. Roy said the story goes like this:
A man has two sons and the youngest wanted his inheritance which Daddy gave to him. He went off and blew all the money and came back home with his hat in his hand. Instead of being mad, the father said "Come on in. We'll have a cookout and tie one on!" But the oldest boy was pissed." And that is how we hear the Word according to Fr. Roy. We told him goodbye for the year and how much we enjoyed his sermons. He thanked us and wished us safe travels.
We came home and went right over to the farewell party. We had eaten before we left so we didn't eat anything. When it was time for the ice cream social we all walked to the clubhouse and got sundaes. We stayed at the party until time for Pokeeno and then went back to the clubhouse. We play 10 games - 3 nickles, 3 dimes, 3 quarters and one for $1. And I won the $1 game raking in $80! Usually you win about $125 but many folks have left and the crowd was smaller. But I was happy.
Sunday morning we took Dave and Karen to the Embassy Suites for brunch. They are so kind and helpful to us that we wanted to say thank you. We had a nice meal and visit. They are changing parks next year and we will certainly miss them being right across the street. The rest of the day we just hung out. DST had everyone a bit mixed up in their eating and sleeping patterns.
The National HitchHiker luncheon was yesterday and the crowd there was less too. This is the last one of the season. We sat with Linda and Gordon who belong to our subgroup Haulin' HitchHikers. They are not going to Kerrville in April but two other couples that were there are. This is the group we were with in Manistee MI last August.
After lunch we drove to Mercedes to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo. We saw several shows and looked at many exhibits. We spent close to four hours walking around. The rodeo competition part doesn't start until Wednesday so we missed that. It was pretty late when we got home.
We have no more plans other than getting ready to leave and saying goodbye to our friends. I have a very full plate when I get home and hope I can get it all done before we take off in a couple weeks again.
Get busy living or get busy dying. ~ Stephen King
A man has two sons and the youngest wanted his inheritance which Daddy gave to him. He went off and blew all the money and came back home with his hat in his hand. Instead of being mad, the father said "Come on in. We'll have a cookout and tie one on!" But the oldest boy was pissed." And that is how we hear the Word according to Fr. Roy. We told him goodbye for the year and how much we enjoyed his sermons. He thanked us and wished us safe travels.
We came home and went right over to the farewell party. We had eaten before we left so we didn't eat anything. When it was time for the ice cream social we all walked to the clubhouse and got sundaes. We stayed at the party until time for Pokeeno and then went back to the clubhouse. We play 10 games - 3 nickles, 3 dimes, 3 quarters and one for $1. And I won the $1 game raking in $80! Usually you win about $125 but many folks have left and the crowd was smaller. But I was happy.
Sunday morning we took Dave and Karen to the Embassy Suites for brunch. They are so kind and helpful to us that we wanted to say thank you. We had a nice meal and visit. They are changing parks next year and we will certainly miss them being right across the street. The rest of the day we just hung out. DST had everyone a bit mixed up in their eating and sleeping patterns.
The National HitchHiker luncheon was yesterday and the crowd there was less too. This is the last one of the season. We sat with Linda and Gordon who belong to our subgroup Haulin' HitchHikers. They are not going to Kerrville in April but two other couples that were there are. This is the group we were with in Manistee MI last August.
After lunch we drove to Mercedes to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and Rodeo. We saw several shows and looked at many exhibits. We spent close to four hours walking around. The rodeo competition part doesn't start until Wednesday so we missed that. It was pretty late when we got home.
We have no more plans other than getting ready to leave and saying goodbye to our friends. I have a very full plate when I get home and hope I can get it all done before we take off in a couple weeks again.
Get busy living or get busy dying. ~ Stephen King
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Seriously, More Fish!
We made our way to Mexico along with lots of other Winter Texans. I did get that last cinnamon roll and while Ted had his pedicure I went to the drugstore and to find the honey. I thought I remembered where Ronnie got his but that wasn't the right store. I asked at the pharmacy where I could buy honey (they do sell vanilla) but I got blank stares. So I just bopped in and out of stores until I found it at a meat market.
Meanwhile back at the salon Ted was nicknamed Roja Hombre because he turned red from laughing. He is terribly ticklish and has a hard time holding still when someone touches his feet. But he thinks it is worth it in the end. I will introduce him to my salon when we get home. There isn't anything I can do about the ticklish part.
Since we didn't know if we were leaving, we started making preparations. Ted had a few jobs to take care of and I started packing up the inside. I had to separate all the things I bought for others into individual bags and then using the receipts, break down the pesos into US dollars. Those bags are now ready for distribution. As it turned out, we didn't have to leave so we are ahead of the game.
We have had no rain in two months and the dust has been unreal. We climbed high, dusting the slide tops, ceiling fan, even the inside of the oven that I seldom use because I use the convection oven. Today we took the four A/C filters down and washed them. On Tuesday a fellow is coming to wash the roof. We had the whole trailer washed and waxed when we arrived and yesterday Ted was putting another coat of wax on the front to keep bugs from sticking. This fellow stopped by and offered to finish the job. Ted told him he was almost done but he could come back on Tuesday and do the roof because it is as dusty as everything else.
I made deviled eggs for Margarita night on Wednesday. One more thing out of the refrigerator. Last. night we all headed to the Riverside Club for dancing and dinner. The musician is supposed to play from 2-6 but when we arrived at four, he had gone home! So 16 of us had dinner and I had cod while Ted had shrimp. I am going to grow scales soon!
We have a farewell party tonight because everyone is heading out pretty soon. Pat and Vern leave on Tuesday and we go on Thursday but there have been departures every day since March 1. We signed us up and our FL friends for next January. On 2/1 we will leave with them and head to Florida for a month and be there for our daughter's wedding.
This afternoon will be our last Mass with Fr. Roy for the year. There is also the ice cream social and Pokeeno tonight so we will just have to see how long the party lasts.
Leaving is bittersweet this year because our group is now divided in thirds. Three couples are going to Llano Grande, three to Victoria Palms and three are staying here. I think some may be cutting off their nose to spite their face but everyone has to do what they think is best for them.
I like this park because of its size. The other two mentioned have 1800 spots! We are close to the skeet club and Fr. Roy. There are lots of churches but as long as he is at Our Lady of Guadalupe we will attend there. We are next to McAllen that has every chain store and restaurant known to mankind. I don't think sales of these spots are going to happen anytime soon. That will be plenty of time to make a change then.
Meanwhile back at the salon Ted was nicknamed Roja Hombre because he turned red from laughing. He is terribly ticklish and has a hard time holding still when someone touches his feet. But he thinks it is worth it in the end. I will introduce him to my salon when we get home. There isn't anything I can do about the ticklish part.
Since we didn't know if we were leaving, we started making preparations. Ted had a few jobs to take care of and I started packing up the inside. I had to separate all the things I bought for others into individual bags and then using the receipts, break down the pesos into US dollars. Those bags are now ready for distribution. As it turned out, we didn't have to leave so we are ahead of the game.
We have had no rain in two months and the dust has been unreal. We climbed high, dusting the slide tops, ceiling fan, even the inside of the oven that I seldom use because I use the convection oven. Today we took the four A/C filters down and washed them. On Tuesday a fellow is coming to wash the roof. We had the whole trailer washed and waxed when we arrived and yesterday Ted was putting another coat of wax on the front to keep bugs from sticking. This fellow stopped by and offered to finish the job. Ted told him he was almost done but he could come back on Tuesday and do the roof because it is as dusty as everything else.
I made deviled eggs for Margarita night on Wednesday. One more thing out of the refrigerator. Last. night we all headed to the Riverside Club for dancing and dinner. The musician is supposed to play from 2-6 but when we arrived at four, he had gone home! So 16 of us had dinner and I had cod while Ted had shrimp. I am going to grow scales soon!
We have a farewell party tonight because everyone is heading out pretty soon. Pat and Vern leave on Tuesday and we go on Thursday but there have been departures every day since March 1. We signed us up and our FL friends for next January. On 2/1 we will leave with them and head to Florida for a month and be there for our daughter's wedding.
This afternoon will be our last Mass with Fr. Roy for the year. There is also the ice cream social and Pokeeno tonight so we will just have to see how long the party lasts.
Leaving is bittersweet this year because our group is now divided in thirds. Three couples are going to Llano Grande, three to Victoria Palms and three are staying here. I think some may be cutting off their nose to spite their face but everyone has to do what they think is best for them.
I like this park because of its size. The other two mentioned have 1800 spots! We are close to the skeet club and Fr. Roy. There are lots of churches but as long as he is at Our Lady of Guadalupe we will attend there. We are next to McAllen that has every chain store and restaurant known to mankind. I don't think sales of these spots are going to happen anytime soon. That will be plenty of time to make a change then.
 | All change is not growth; all movement is not forward. ~ Ellen Glasgow | |
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