We skipped some of the Gulf Coast to go to Livingston and pick up our mail. Mostly we wanted to get my mail order VA meds. We were thinking we’d just get the mail on Monday and be on our way. But the mail room was open on Saturday when we got there so we got our mail and left early Monday. It was about 200 miles down the road we realized that we got no meds in the mail. Crap! You’ll remember our intent was to especially get my meds. I don’t know, CRS, oldtimers, just impatience, whatever, it seems to happen more these days. So Kat called to find out they had come in that afternoon and had them sent on to our next mail stop.
Because they were in our line of travel we chose to stay at a couple of casinos, one of which was pretty good and one I don’t know that we’d go back to. Unless the reefer was working properly, which it is not, and we could just use the parking lot for free. Lots of folks do. But the frig is not working real well on LP right now. We have maintenance scheduled tomorrow so we should be ‘good to go’ for a little boondocking as necessary and appropriate down the road.
We bypassed New Orleans this time and didn’t get back to the coast until Mississippi at Bay St Louis. I think it is safe to say that Katrina is mostly cleaned up but the coastal area is still a shadow of its former self. Lots and lots of vacant lots and naked pilings. There were a few areas where more homes than not had been rebuilt but my impression is that they were the more affluent areas. The less well to do areas are still very sparsely populated and there are many ‘for sale’ signs. We looked at one large lot right next to the beach in a nice area. But the 1.4 million price tag kind of scared us away. We did wonder what the other places were going for? But it was ‘just’ wondering. And how long will it be before the area fully recovers and what’s keeping everybody? I’m told a lot of the problem is insurance. Many insurers went broke and it’s just not doable. Still sort of depressing. But the roads and beaches are good and Waffle House, Lowes, and Home Depot seem to be doing well. Time will heal things I reckon.
Our mail, and my meds even, beat us to Mary Esther, Florida, and cousin Shirley’s. She is well and we are enjoying our stay.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Goliad Hammer
After a stop in Rivera, TX, on Baffin Bay we stopped at Goliad State park. Little did we know we were driving in to 300 years of Texas history and a very nice park. There are two Spanish missions dating way back, which we missed an I’ll explain in a minute. Then there is the birthplace of General Zaragoza at Presidio La Bahia, and the Presidio itself, the site of the massacre of Colonel Fannin and his troops who were made prisoner there after the Battle of Coleto Creek during the Texas War for Independence. Plus a couple of Indian tribes that figured in somewhere? So we saw the Presidio which has been restored and the Fannin monument. Fannin and his force of 400 were massacred by Santa Ana as prisoners of war based on a Mexican decree that anyone in Texas bearing arms against Mexico was to be executed. This occurred not long after the defeat of the Texans at the Alamo and prompted the battle cry at the later battle of San Jacinto where Santa Ana was defeated. That cry being, “Remember the Alamo and La Bahia” Bet you didn’t know that! But before that General Zaragza was born at La Bahia, probably before he actually became a General. However he was responsible for the pivotal victory in the Mexican War for Independence from France on May 5, 1862, and by this time he was a General. Ring any bells? How about the Mexican National Holiday of Cinco de Mayo. Bet ya’ probably didn’t know that one either. But it wasn’t a test. I would have flunked too. Anyway it was very nice and picturesque. So there you have it, except for the pictures of which there are none.
We did intend to go back and get some pictures. We didn’t know about all this and of course didn’t have the camera. So we were going to go back until the dispute between the hammer and my left index finger. The finger lost. Smacked it pretty good! I probably said a couple of expletives which I will not put in, and then thought to myself ‘ I need to go to the doctor. So I went to the motorhome door and told Kat “ I need to go to the doctor”. She rushed around gathering towels and ice to staunch the flow of blood and we were off. Dr Claire Zingerle of the Goliad Family Practice Clinic put in 6 very nice and neat stitches about an hour later. “Piece of cake!” The clinic and the Park staff were great. Because we stopped at the park office about where to go and for directions we had to do an accident report when we got back. I guess the whole thing is, that it seemed to be one of those times when you are being looked out for, like maybe somebody is up there watching????? Anyway if it had to happen, this seemed to be a really good place for it! Which is not to take anything away from Kat. She was her usual competent self, if a little tight in the tummy. And of course I’m not really squeamish myself and pretty good in a pinch. Like I said, “piece of cake”. But we didn’t get back for those pictures and the park was full after that. But it was a good place to put on our list of places to go back to. So remember, Goliad Family Practice on Franklin Street and while I’m at it the ‘Empressario’ restaurant on a really neat old town square. They have an old ‘pressed tin’ ceiling and great burger. And the DQ is pretty good too.
I just had to get that ‘pressed tin’ thing in. One of those funny things. I noticed the ceiling and knew it was pretty old. You just don’t see those much any more. But I don’t think I ever knew what that kind of ceiling was called and I was thinking of mentioning it but I didn’t know what is was called. So I’m reading a novel about the Pennsylvania oil fields in 1936 a couple days later and there it is! ‘Pressed tin’ ceiling! How cool is that? Well I can see it’s not ‘blowing your dress up’, but I thought it was pretty neat!
And in 3-4 more days I’ll take the stitches out and get back to doing some carving. If my finger weren’t smashed I probably wouldn’t be so impatient to be carving. But it is and I am. You don’t miss it so much until you can’t do it.
We did intend to go back and get some pictures. We didn’t know about all this and of course didn’t have the camera. So we were going to go back until the dispute between the hammer and my left index finger. The finger lost. Smacked it pretty good! I probably said a couple of expletives which I will not put in, and then thought to myself ‘ I need to go to the doctor. So I went to the motorhome door and told Kat “ I need to go to the doctor”. She rushed around gathering towels and ice to staunch the flow of blood and we were off. Dr Claire Zingerle of the Goliad Family Practice Clinic put in 6 very nice and neat stitches about an hour later. “Piece of cake!” The clinic and the Park staff were great. Because we stopped at the park office about where to go and for directions we had to do an accident report when we got back. I guess the whole thing is, that it seemed to be one of those times when you are being looked out for, like maybe somebody is up there watching????? Anyway if it had to happen, this seemed to be a really good place for it! Which is not to take anything away from Kat. She was her usual competent self, if a little tight in the tummy. And of course I’m not really squeamish myself and pretty good in a pinch. Like I said, “piece of cake”. But we didn’t get back for those pictures and the park was full after that. But it was a good place to put on our list of places to go back to. So remember, Goliad Family Practice on Franklin Street and while I’m at it the ‘Empressario’ restaurant on a really neat old town square. They have an old ‘pressed tin’ ceiling and great burger. And the DQ is pretty good too.
I just had to get that ‘pressed tin’ thing in. One of those funny things. I noticed the ceiling and knew it was pretty old. You just don’t see those much any more. But I don’t think I ever knew what that kind of ceiling was called and I was thinking of mentioning it but I didn’t know what is was called. So I’m reading a novel about the Pennsylvania oil fields in 1936 a couple days later and there it is! ‘Pressed tin’ ceiling! How cool is that? Well I can see it’s not ‘blowing your dress up’, but I thought it was pretty neat!
And in 3-4 more days I’ll take the stitches out and get back to doing some carving. If my finger weren’t smashed I probably wouldn’t be so impatient to be carving. But it is and I am. You don’t miss it so much until you can’t do it.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
When ya' headed out?
That is the question now in the Valley. Folks are longing for home, the kids, and grandkids, worrying about what winter left behind, or in some cases including ours, just kind of getting itchy to move on. The answers very a little from mid-March to April sometime but the migration has started. More holes in the campground on a daily basis.
We’ll be pulling out on Sunday the 21st. That’s right after spring break, we think and hope. Last year we hit spring break perfectly and it followed us all the way to Washington state. We want to not repeat that this year.
We’ll generally head east toward Georgia and our next real major stop at Upper Stamp Creek. That’s a Corps of Engineers Park near Cartersville, northwest of Marietta and Atlanta, GA, where we will volunteer for two months. But we don’t have to be there until May 1st so we have opportunity to mosey that direction visiting friends and family along the way. In July we start our Rally tour. That’s the Grand National in Louisville, the Escapade in Goshen, and I think we just added a Fleetwood Manufacturers Rally in DuQuoin IL. And in between it’s more moseying mixed in with family and friends especially in Ohio, the Heart of it All. As Fall approaches we’ll be heading back in this direction and once again take up residence in the RGV for another season of softball, Pickleball, wood carving, crafts, reunions with old, new , and more friends. And we can answer the question………………………………… “when’ja get here?”
So I just carved our itinerary in Jell-O and nailed it outside on a tree in the sun. That ought to work and you can consult it anytime. I think I spoke of commitment in my last piece. I would honor all that I make, which is why now, I would just rather not: make commitments that is. I would have made a very good Gypsy don’t you think? Kat and me. What a pair, and what a life style eh?” That’s Canadian for ‘what a lifestyle!”
We’ll be pulling out on Sunday the 21st. That’s right after spring break, we think and hope. Last year we hit spring break perfectly and it followed us all the way to Washington state. We want to not repeat that this year.
We’ll generally head east toward Georgia and our next real major stop at Upper Stamp Creek. That’s a Corps of Engineers Park near Cartersville, northwest of Marietta and Atlanta, GA, where we will volunteer for two months. But we don’t have to be there until May 1st so we have opportunity to mosey that direction visiting friends and family along the way. In July we start our Rally tour. That’s the Grand National in Louisville, the Escapade in Goshen, and I think we just added a Fleetwood Manufacturers Rally in DuQuoin IL. And in between it’s more moseying mixed in with family and friends especially in Ohio, the Heart of it All. As Fall approaches we’ll be heading back in this direction and once again take up residence in the RGV for another season of softball, Pickleball, wood carving, crafts, reunions with old, new , and more friends. And we can answer the question………………………………… “when’ja get here?”
So I just carved our itinerary in Jell-O and nailed it outside on a tree in the sun. That ought to work and you can consult it anytime. I think I spoke of commitment in my last piece. I would honor all that I make, which is why now, I would just rather not: make commitments that is. I would have made a very good Gypsy don’t you think? Kat and me. What a pair, and what a life style eh?” That’s Canadian for ‘what a lifestyle!”
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Little Theater
Early on I got kind of roped in to Little Theater. Just another of the activities here at Bentsen Grove. There’s clogging, line dancing, Melody Theater, holiday shows, fun night, and probably a couple I have missed. All sorts of ways to strut your stuff or make a fool of yourself on stage.
Pictured are the "Wannabe Singers' who definitely got hooked and the ladies military drill team. They were outstanding. Plus a picture of most of the cast and me in my roles as L'il Beaver and God.
I was asked to come to Little Theater. So once a week I went to rehearse for my part in a performance of the radio show, Red Ryder. Some of you may remember and some will obviously not. Red Ryder began in the 40’s and I do remember the show. Anyway we were coming back from softball practice one day and Art mentioned Little Theater and Red Ryder and I stupidly said “you betch’em Red Ryder” in my best L’il Beaver imitation and before I knew it I was signed up for my part as L’il Beaver. I don’t consider myself a thespian but it was just a play of a radio show and all I had to do was read. No problem! Except then they added a TV show and I somehow I had two more parts. We did the Gong Show and I got the part of the “hooker” and then had to replace someone in a short skit where I played God. No problem, right! We did a matinee and an evening performance and it all went off pretty well. I didn’t make a complete fool of myself. At least nobody threw vegetables.
I don’t know that I want to do it next year. Too much of a commitment. As I have said before, “I have found what I am perfectly suited for, retirement! That to me is being footloose and fancy free. No commitments! I make an exception for softball. Me thinks that one is enough!
Kat was asked to take pictures and share her data card with another photographer and he shared with her. So we got lots of pictures and a DVD of the performance. I’m not sure that’s a good thing. One thing is glaringly apparent. I need to lose weight. L’il Beaver was not! It may sound like I get lots of exercise but it ain’t enough. Too much of the good life and too much eating out!
I was asked to come to Little Theater. So once a week I went to rehearse for my part in a performance of the radio show, Red Ryder. Some of you may remember and some will obviously not. Red Ryder began in the 40’s and I do remember the show. Anyway we were coming back from softball practice one day and Art mentioned Little Theater and Red Ryder and I stupidly said “you betch’em Red Ryder” in my best L’il Beaver imitation and before I knew it I was signed up for my part as L’il Beaver. I don’t consider myself a thespian but it was just a play of a radio show and all I had to do was read. No problem! Except then they added a TV show and I somehow I had two more parts. We did the Gong Show and I got the part of the “hooker” and then had to replace someone in a short skit where I played God. No problem, right! We did a matinee and an evening performance and it all went off pretty well. I didn’t make a complete fool of myself. At least nobody threw vegetables.
I don’t know that I want to do it next year. Too much of a commitment. As I have said before, “I have found what I am perfectly suited for, retirement! That to me is being footloose and fancy free. No commitments! I make an exception for softball. Me thinks that one is enough!
Kat was asked to take pictures and share her data card with another photographer and he shared with her. So we got lots of pictures and a DVD of the performance. I’m not sure that’s a good thing. One thing is glaringly apparent. I need to lose weight. L’il Beaver was not! It may sound like I get lots of exercise but it ain’t enough. Too much of the good life and too much eating out!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Honorary Canadian
So now I am one. I’ll ‘splain.
We finished the regular season in pretty good fashion. We were either one or two games above 500. ‘bout where we should have been. So we were either second or third in the standings and made the playoffs. Did I say that there are four teams and we all make the playoffs. A slip of my mind! Anyway we then played the second or third place team (whichever one we were not). We won that game to make the finals. Long story short, we lost. But second place ain’t too bad. And we had fun and got through the season without major injury. Two of the major goals of the league. We had some great fans for both games but try as they might they could not cheer us on to victory. And they did try! I am, of course pictured demonstrating my hitting and pitching prowess. And that is Evelyn (co-manager) and me on the right. Evelyn played played over 150 games last year between here in the winter and Canada in the summer.
Maybe the biggest event in softball here is the annual US-Canadian game. The last event of the softball season. As it turned out I didn’t sign up to play the game. Probably a mistake on my part because it really was fun, but it turned out very well. There were four or five Canadians on our regular season team and when they found out they had no pitcher for the Canadian team, and that I wasn’t playing for the US, they ask me to pitch for the them. So I did. There was a game in each of the three divisions. I didn’t get pictures and haven’t found any yet but just imagine a good crowd at a little league game with the Stars and Stripes and Maple Leaf flags flying all over and then age the players 60 or 70 years. Kind of like that. You should have seen all the tee shirts, flags, banners, tattoos, and National spirit. All in good fun. Nancy, one of my carving friends was there to pass out flags and I didn’t even recognize her. I don’t know what you call the Canadian equivalent of Uncle Sam, but that’s what she looked like. And add the tattoos. So, at least in Senior Texan League softball, I am an honorary Canadian. Oh! And we lost! But it must not have been because of my pitching because I am invited back already.
We finished the regular season in pretty good fashion. We were either one or two games above 500. ‘bout where we should have been. So we were either second or third in the standings and made the playoffs. Did I say that there are four teams and we all make the playoffs. A slip of my mind! Anyway we then played the second or third place team (whichever one we were not). We won that game to make the finals. Long story short, we lost. But second place ain’t too bad. And we had fun and got through the season without major injury. Two of the major goals of the league. We had some great fans for both games but try as they might they could not cheer us on to victory. And they did try! I am, of course pictured demonstrating my hitting and pitching prowess. And that is Evelyn (co-manager) and me on the right. Evelyn played played over 150 games last year between here in the winter and Canada in the summer.
Maybe the biggest event in softball here is the annual US-Canadian game. The last event of the softball season. As it turned out I didn’t sign up to play the game. Probably a mistake on my part because it really was fun, but it turned out very well. There were four or five Canadians on our regular season team and when they found out they had no pitcher for the Canadian team, and that I wasn’t playing for the US, they ask me to pitch for the them. So I did. There was a game in each of the three divisions. I didn’t get pictures and haven’t found any yet but just imagine a good crowd at a little league game with the Stars and Stripes and Maple Leaf flags flying all over and then age the players 60 or 70 years. Kind of like that. You should have seen all the tee shirts, flags, banners, tattoos, and National spirit. All in good fun. Nancy, one of my carving friends was there to pass out flags and I didn’t even recognize her. I don’t know what you call the Canadian equivalent of Uncle Sam, but that’s what she looked like. And add the tattoos. So, at least in Senior Texan League softball, I am an honorary Canadian. Oh! And we lost! But it must not have been because of my pitching because I am invited back already.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
On the Rio Grande
No trip to the deep south of Texas would be complete without a cruise on the Rio Grande. So we did that. It was an Escapees trip planned by our friends Greg and Jean (and Kat, far right) from Nebraska or Wisconsin or maybe South Dakota. It’s kind of hard to tell where some of us SKP’s really are from. We get our mail in one state, register our vehicles in another, claim another as home, and of course pay taxes in all of them. We just try to keep it to a minimum by doing all of the above. Anyway we went on the cruise. It was OK, but my opening sentence might be a bit of an exaggeration.
The cruise began and ended at the Riverside Club (left) just a couple of miles from here. It’s a nice place to eat, drink, listen to a little music, or maybe do some dancing. The margaritas are good as is the pork cutlet sandwich. It pretty much covers a good size plate. Kat and I keep intending to get back for a couple more margaritas but we haven’t had any luck yet. I keep getting away from the cruise which in no was is a reflection of the cruise itself. Well, on second thought….. You can see the boat or some of it. Just a boat set up to look at the Rio Grande, not your party boat kind of a thing. If the river looks a little wider than you expected it because of the dams that weren’t there or other locations or other rivers were used to depict the Rio Grande or Rio Bravo as the cowboys, indians, and horse soldiers were chasing each other across the river in the movies. This is now the real thing. Border Patrol helicopters and boats looking for illegals, turtles sunning on logs, the occasional car abandoned half in, half out of the water, a few birds (this is the birding capitol of the world, but that is a story for next year) and a couple of fishermen. I almost forgot the Mexican KOA RV park seen in the picture on the left. There you have it. Not something I ever need to do again, but it was kind of fun. And we met some nice SKP’s, course, nice and SKP’s go together.
The cruise began and ended at the Riverside Club (left) just a couple of miles from here. It’s a nice place to eat, drink, listen to a little music, or maybe do some dancing. The margaritas are good as is the pork cutlet sandwich. It pretty much covers a good size plate. Kat and I keep intending to get back for a couple more margaritas but we haven’t had any luck yet. I keep getting away from the cruise which in no was is a reflection of the cruise itself. Well, on second thought….. You can see the boat or some of it. Just a boat set up to look at the Rio Grande, not your party boat kind of a thing. If the river looks a little wider than you expected it because of the dams that weren’t there or other locations or other rivers were used to depict the Rio Grande or Rio Bravo as the cowboys, indians, and horse soldiers were chasing each other across the river in the movies. This is now the real thing. Border Patrol helicopters and boats looking for illegals, turtles sunning on logs, the occasional car abandoned half in, half out of the water, a few birds (this is the birding capitol of the world, but that is a story for next year) and a couple of fishermen. I almost forgot the Mexican KOA RV park seen in the picture on the left. There you have it. Not something I ever need to do again, but it was kind of fun. And we met some nice SKP’s, course, nice and SKP’s go together.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Easy Bleeders
Because of our exceptionally poor weather I haven’t sat outside and done as much woodcarving as I would like. But I’m still into carving and learning from some of the folks in our club. The Easy Bleeders if you forgot. We had a show and demonstration in the hall just recently and it went very well. I think pretty near all of our members either had a table of their own or shared a table with someone. I shared a table with Russ(lower right). We displayed a few of our things and worked on something of our choice. I brought my little bag of tools and sharpening stuff to show how little you really need to take up woodcarving, even as a full time RV’er. Lots of folks came to see what was happening and we strutted our stuff so to speak. You can see some of our guys and gals. Tom(behind me at right) is the designated leader and the carver I have learned the most from. Bill Brown (Brownie) and Jean(left side) are long time Easy Bleeders and Nina(upper right, seated) is one of our most accomplished. She has won some prestigious competitions. All in all a really neat group and certainly one of the reasons we keep coming back.
We went to the Rally on the Rio in Pharr, just down the road a piece. It’s an annual carving show and competition. I got a couple of ideas and new tools and stocked up on wood for the coming summer in Georgia. Now all I have to do is find a place to store it. I guess I’ll just have to through something else out. Got to keep my priorities straight.
We went to the Rally on the Rio in Pharr, just down the road a piece. It’s an annual carving show and competition. I got a couple of ideas and new tools and stocked up on wood for the coming summer in Georgia. Now all I have to do is find a place to store it. I guess I’ll just have to through something else out. Got to keep my priorities straight.
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