Walkin’ around money

Spring flowers along the road between Houston and San Antonio

It has always been my want, when I have had the capability, to have some ‘walkin’ around money’ on my person. Like I inferred that hasn’t always been the case but mostly I try to have $50 or a $100 with me. It’s just easier that way. Cash works and I know my balance by looking in my wallet. And I think it lessens some of the chance for Identity Theft. I really don’t like giving my credit or debit card to some of the people out there working today and see them walk away to do ‘who knows what’ with it? I’m talking about restaurants specifically, because based on the number of times we eat out we have lots of exposure to shenanigans with our cards. So……..yesterday we went to the hospital for my latest procedure and I left some cash here in the motorhome in my little ‘possibles’ drawer just because………..well, you understand. So this AM I opened my drawer to get one of my ‘possibles’. A‘possible’ is something that you may possibly need and so you keep it or them in a known location. Fist place to look when you’re looking for something. A little bit different than the ‘first out’ box. That’s the box that goes on the picnic table to hold all the stuff you need first when setting up. Anyway, I opened my ‘possibles’ drawer and said “Holy Crap” where’d all this money come from? I had forgotten. So Kat says, “who cares, just close it and open it again!” Gosh I like Kat and the way she thinks. Unfortunately, this time it didn’t work. Damn!!!!
So my procedure. We went in for my six month change. I had the stent replaced by cystoscopy. This was a little different than the first time. That was done by poking a hole in my back. A cystoscopy goes through the front door. Not my recommended way of getting from A to B if you get my meaning. There was a chance they could remove the thing, stent, but no luck this time. So I have a new stent and I’m good for another six months. But the last couple of days have been no fun. I’m in day two of being constantly linked to the bathroom. Getting a little better, but it seems I pee about every 32 seconds. Well…….that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s often, very often. It’s also uncomfortable. And that is an understatement! But like I said, it’s getting a little better. And I’m trying to drink lots of fluids. That seems kind of counter productive but it is what I’m supposed to do. Other than that all is well. Looking to get back to Pickleball next week. Until then it's 'Piss Fire' and save matches.

We awoke to another real nice Texas morning. It has been kind of hot but the last couple of days have been a little cooler. Very nice mornings. The windows are open, fans are blowing and there’s a real good Texas breeze moving things around too. I can hear the trains a couple of miles away, Air Force fighter jets coming and going from Randolph AFB (the sound of freedom) and the birds are singing away. We have Redbirds (cardinals), House Finch, Red Wing blackbirds, White Winged doves, a Black Crested Titmouse (is that the singular of Titmice?) and maybe a Chickadee? And there was another Katism this morning. Get it? KATism. I got up to pee, of course, and went back to bed and got an immediate back rub. I was purring away and said “this must be my lovely wife” only to get this response. “it better be, ‘cause it’s too early in the morning for murder”!
I’m a happy man! Gotta’ pee!

San Antonio

OK! Almost San Antonio. Actually it’s Schertz, TX. About 30 minutes northeast of Audie Murphy and right off I-35. We’re in a pretty good park that is far enough from I-35 to barely be heard. Nice pool and a lid over the picnic table where we do our crafts.

You can see that Kat as done a very nice Afghan, but of course as she would tell you, “she only makes dish rags, some of them just happen to be bigger and more decorative than others”. Anyway they’re pretty cool. She has another started and it’s actually better, but then I picked the colors on it! So just in case, you may want to get a ‘bid’ in. I don’t know what she intends with them? I’m still carving of course. I finally finished my first bark carving ‘in the round’, its on the left with the ‘pot-bellied stove, ‘Dead Eye’ is in the center and a new ‘whimsical house’ is on the right. That one is spoken for. Although the recipient, one TT, doesn’t know it yet. But Kat and I spend considerable time doing crafts outside in the breeze. And here in Texas I can always let the wind do my clean-up. I learned that from Dubanoski. It’s effective.

Jerry and Linda, friends from Bentsen Grove live here in SA and we have gotten together a few times. Jerry plays Pickleball here and he has taken me to the Canyon Lake Community Rec Center to play. Real cool! It’s a nice facility and real nice folks. I have a little trouble because they use orange balls and the court and walls are kind of a beige color and balls are hard to pick up visually with so little contrast and me with my cataracts. But, I convinced one or two folks that a darker ball really is better, but little matter because its still fun.

While Jerry and I play, Kat and Linda shop. I guess it works out. Now they are going to go to some kind of weaving class. That’s of course after they shop. Kat and I went to the annual Hot Dog and something/something sale at Camping World and overheard a group of RV’ers talking about going to the Grist Mill in Gruene for dinner. The hot dogs were crap and not being averse to eating out or eavesdropping we headed for Gruene (pronounced Green). We ended up in a huge traffic jam because it was outdoor festival day or week or ??? in Gruene. But it was kind of cool so we waded around town and through the vendors and skipped the Grist Mill because of the crowd. But Kat saw some guy doing some kind of yarn weaving and now she and Linda are going to a class today, after shopping for their stuff, which he, by the way, supplies, but I guess you can’t be to sure. Don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to afford playing ‘free’ Pickleball??

In our travels we were driving through New Braunfels looking for a bakery Jerry had told me about and passed one of the Schlitterbahn Water parks and I said I wouldn’t mind trying some tubing. This is like the World Capital of tubing. So Kat said, “yeah, that would be fun”. This requires further investigation and planning. I’ll let you know how it turns out??? But is sounds like a plan to me!!!!

And the bakery was good. Advertised as the oldest in Texas. I got some strudel and a fried pie. Both yummie!!! It’s the German influence here in Hill Country. And I’m half German, half English, and then mix in some ridge runner, and farmer, about half on me is Army, and I’m pretty much all Red-Neck not to mention a Tea Partying libertarian. Let’s see does that add up? Close enough, I guess! Whew! That could make a fella’ one screwed up puppy!

Houston

We stayed in south Houston on the outer belt about 20-30 minutes from downtown. Big city! The 4^th largest in the country now. 4^th or 5^th? I have a hard time driving where there are 6 or 7 lanes of traffic. Just too much to keep track of. Nevertheless we made it in and out a few times.
First we had to go to QTC for my medical exams, as I explained in the last post. We got there only to find they had been cancelled. I almost went Postal on’em. Kat pretty near had to jump on me and hold me down. This was after initially trying to get them changed, being told ‘no way’ and leaving Mission early, and driving 400 miles to make the appointments. So I was pissed, but I won’t belabor the point. They got me in the same day and completed both of my exams and we were done 4 days early. So it worked out.
OK! I am told by my ‘faithful reader’ that she is kind of in the dark about all this VA medical stuff. And I guess I have to admit that I’ve kinda’ been ‘tap dancing’ around the issue. As they say, ‘my bad’! So here is the deal. My prostate cancer has returned in the form of a metastasized tumor near the prostate and spread some to the surrounding area. The initial prognosis was grim ( as in Grim Reaper) and scary but it is looking much better. I am being treated in San Antonio at Audie Murphy hospital. AND, the treatment is so far successful. My tumor has decreased in size from last October to now. That is due to the estrogen hormone therapy that I’m on. I have a ureter stent to unblock my kidney and bladder caused by the tumor. We’re here in San Antonio to have all that checked. I got my second hormone shot (every six months) and now go in for the stent replacement or removal. The decrease in size of the tumor may allow that this time. Cool!! That will be on the 19^th and 26^th of this month. At this point I don’t have any symptoms. I feel good since the stent relieved my kidney problem. I do have those damn Hot Flashes though, but I get no sympathy from Kat and the women I know. LOL.
But first I have to finish Houston where we had to go to get compensation and medical exams for VA benefits. My VA regional office is Houston because of our address so we go there for VA benefit issues, prostate cancer being an Agent Orange (from Vietnam) presumptive disease.
I guess I’m jumping around a bit here. But back in Houston where basketballs were everywhere. I wrote this recently in an email…… Went into Houston today to the Galleria.Mall.  It is supposed to be the second biggest in the country next to the Mall of America in MN.  I don't know how they rate those things but this one is big.  But I can't believe they don't add a store or two so it would be real Texas and the biggest?  I think Kentucky won my unofficial "Most T-Shirts" contest at the Mall.  It's Final Four week and lot's of fans were out.  VCU was in the lead for most of the day but then there was a late surge by KY and they won going away.  Butler was third with UConn dead last, barely avoiding a shut out.  But then they were all probably getting ready for the game with Butler.  We ate at the Rain Forest Cafe.   I splurged and had my traditional burger.  Pretty good but kind of expensive compared to what we're use to.  I can usually get a pretty good Cheese or Bacon burger in South Texas for about $5.  That's with a water.  Cheap!  Here it was $10………….. 
Time to fix a hot dog for dinner.  My kind of living burgers and hot dogs.

That was a few days ago. Then we drove out west of Houston to check out a couple of smokehouses and their barbecue. This seems to be one of the barbecue centers of the country. I know Memphis is another and there is one in the Carolina’s maybe. Anyway we see lots in the Texas Hill Country area. So we were curious. After about 40 miles of looking we picked Hinez (I think it was) and ate there. Real good! You could kind of tell by the looks of the joint. It was! A joint I mean. Right down to the two large Pin Oaks growing through the roof. No kidding! But I can’t speak much to the winner of Barbecue Capital of the US. I think it depends on the establishment more than the local. The Commissary in Memphis would be hard to beat. But so would ‘492’ in Mission????
Then it was on to San Antonio.  We skipped the Space Center.  Been to Cape Canaveral. 

Goliad Two

Our good friend Jim, from Upper Stamp at Allatoona Lake in Georgia where, we volunteered together, and from the famous team of ‘Jim and Glenda’ from Tennessee, asked, now that you’re outa’ here, what’s the plan man. Whew! Is that a ‘run on’ sentence or what? Seems I remember that term from 8^th grade English. But then I came really, really close to failing 8^th grade English. Anyway the whole thing made me tired so I need to take a break now. JUST KIDDING1111 But how would you know anyway. Unless I sent this in two installments. There’s a thought. But that’s even more work. OK enough!!! So for Jim and y’all.
We had really planned and committed to another 3 or 4 weeks in Mission. Kat had some medical and I was to have my cataracts done and stent replaced. But! I got a letter from the VA to report for examination in Houston to determine my rating. I checked with the DAV (Disabled Veterans) rep and asked if I could get the appointments moved or changed and it was a no! The short of it is that I can’t afford a denial of medical benefits from Agent Orange in Vietnam. So we are off to Houston with no rancor. I have two exams on the 1^st and 5^th respectively. Then we will go to San Antonio where I already have an April 27^th VA medical appointment to check me over. And we liked Audie Murphy, the VA hospital there. So we’ll have all our stuff transferred there. Maybe it’s better in the long run, for me especially. Audie Murphy can do it all. So we are committed to staying in San Antonio as long as it takes. We are looking at a couple of parks that seem nice and do long term. Probably not right in San Antonio. Maybe New Braunfels.
That’s the first part of the plan. Then when we are done with that and if(?) the cost of gasoline is not prohibitive, we will head north and west to Minnesota and Oregon respectively and return to Mission, Texas, via Las Vegas. If gas is so high that it would cost $3000 or $4000 or more then we will have to rethink the Northwest. We got stuck on the east coast the last time gas prices went nuts and it was painful. 6 or 6.5 miles to the gallon may be cost prohibitive. But we won’t be hurting. We can do some traveling in the MH and with the new car we can range far and wide from a central base. Weird!!! Jade just came back from the bedroom after turning on a Spanish speaking station on the clock radio. I thought we were going nuts. She must have missed being close to the border? Anyway, back to the car. We towed it 200 miles yesterday with no problem. A little different feeling at first because of the weight, I towed the little Escort for 14 years so I guess that was to be expected. But I got use to it quickly and it sure looks snazzy. We pull up and people look at our rig like somebody is coming. We throw out the cat on her string and water jug, get out and then they realize it just the Sines. Oh well!!

And we’re back in Goliad State Park. Last year at this time I smashed my finger with the hammer and got 7 stitches. The Rangers remembered me, had a good laugh, and then confiscated my hammer. I get it back on departure. Goliad Two.

And thinking back, I did fail the first semester of 8th grade English.  But I buckled down and got a D+ in the last semester and pulled out a D- for the year.  I guess I've learned a little since then.  Or not?

Fernando from Acapulco

I don’t have pictures so you’ll have to trust me on this. We’ve been to Mexico three, count’em, three times and still have our health and fortune. Actually we have more of both for our visits. We have drugs, of the legal kind, eyeglasses, and new dental work. All at discount prices. That plus a couple of meals and several Margaritas at the Happy Teeth Bar. As a matter of fact if you go to my posting of January 15^th 2010, you would see our dentists and the Happy Teeth Bar. So I do have pictures! Just older ones.

This trip Kat had most of the work done. So we had a few more Margaritas than last time. Neither Kat or I drink much but Kat really doesn’t like going to the dentist and needs medicinal fortification to make it bearable. And we had Greg and Jean along on one of our trips with time to kill, so the Happy Teeth seemed like a good idea. First we went to Garcia’s for lunch. I swear going to Garcia’s is like going to a set of ‘I Love Lucy’ at the Copa or wherever it was Ricky played on the show. It’s like going into a 1950’s Latin club. Sometimes they even have a small band or pianist. It’s white linen and waiters with cummerbunds and towels. All of this with us in shorts and T-shirts of course. Kind of spoils the atmosphere, but it still is very 50’s and neat. And for $7 or $8 you can get a Mexican plate or Filet-Mignon complete with a small dessert. Fun!

At the Happy Teeth, which is outside with tables and umbrellas, you are constantly confronted with all of the entrepreneurs of Nuevo Progresso. Wallets, baskets, bracelets, gum, shoe shines, bobble-head toys, artificial flowers etc. We were hardly immune. Kat came away with a couple of gold bracelets and we each got a hand-woven (don’t know a better term to describe it) name bracelet. Fernando was our guy, though there are several who do the same thing. These are woven onto a plastic strip with colored thread, all by hand. Takes about three minutes of twisting, turning, and massaging the thread into place. Very interesting and costs $3. One young entrepreneur claims 3 minutes or it’s free. Fernando may have been a little slower. But I was talking to him. He’s from Acapulco, has two kids, and comes to Progresso for the Winter Texan season every year by bus. He does 15-20 of these a day and it costs $80 bus fare. The season is about November thru March. His family stays home. And he does the same thing in the summer in Acapulco. Kat and I figure a cruise is in order to check this out. We wish !!!!! I paid $5. $2 for the kids at home. I’m a softie!

Then there was a family of five who’s husband/father shined shoes for a dollar or two while mom cared for the youngest, maybe 1 year old, and herded the two older girls, 3 and 5 around selling Chiclets. I bought a couple of bucks worth. It definitely tugs at your heartstrings. And it gives pause and thought to what we should do with the border situation. While I am in no way in favor of ‘open’ borders, it does change your perspective some. But it’s way above my pay grade. And we’ll continue to cross the border for pills and eyeglasses and drop a few coins in a hat or cup as we see fit.

Warning!!!!

Children should not read beyond this point!!!!

With just a little thought is becomes clear that begging is preferable to sitting at home on your fat ass eating Twinkies and watching Oprah and voting for some dirt bag politician to take money from the working folks and give it to the entitlement class. That’s called stealing. Or use to be !!!!

‘Nuff Said’ about that.

And here are some pictures migratory Red Wing Blackbirds at our feeder, along with a Great Tail Grackle and a Woodpecker.

Jade’s Texas Room and Oranges

I don’t suppose our Jade is any more spoiled than lots of family pets. Though it sure does seem like it at times. This being one of those times. Now she has her own Texas Room. For the uninitiated that is a screened in porch or room added to a trailer, fifth wheel, park model, or in some cases even a motorhome. Jade’s version is not attached but of course it is anchored. This is Texas and everything weighing less than 20 lbs or having a surface area over 2 sq feet has to be anchored. There have been unsubstantiated reports of smaller tag-along trailers disappearing overnight. Some would say that’s an exaggeration, but ‘I don’t know?’ Anyway Kat found this, ‘on clearance’, for Jade and of course, couldn’t resist. And who am I to argue?

So while Jade lounged in her Texas Room, Kat and I picked oranges. Our tree was loaded as you can see and it is that time of year. I doubt you can see them but the orange tree is just covered with blossoms for next years oranges. I don’t know much about orange tree propagation but we’re told we have to pick the oranges or it won’t produce next year. We’ve been watering too, and I think that will help some. The trees do look better than when we arrived. So maybe we’ll have some better fruit next year. Some fruit is better than others here in the park and it is probably due to differences in care. Ours fruit was just OK. Certainly ‘nothing to write home about’. But then I guess I just proved that wrong. Anyway I sit at the picnic table and sampled some oranges and grapefruit occasionally. That’s neat for a boy from Ohio but our fruit was not the best. And now I have to do the grapefruit tree. And in case you’re wondering? They went in the dumpster.

The End of an Era

And it ended with a sniff, sniff and a tear in my eye. My little car is gone forever. I did get a little sympathy. But just a little. My little green Ford Escort Wagon is gone. 15 years and it was still going strong. Well it was still going anyway. And I have to be careful about the ‘my’ in this case. Actually Kat wouldn’t have me unless she had a car and we can only tow one legally. So it was give up RV’ing or give Kat the car and I chose the obvious. But the memories remain. Is that a sign of old age or just the natural way of looking back on what use to be? Probably some of both.
I bought that little car in ‘96’ after a trip to Las Vegas by air and a stay at some hotel where they loaned us a wheelchair to help get my late wife around. She was a victim of MS. Anyway the wheelchair fit perfectly in the back and we were looking at RV’ing and needing a tow car (affectionately a dinghy or toad) and the Escort Wagon seemed to fit. So we went to Vancouver Ford and got our ‘toad’, had it all fixed up for towing a year later, and in ‘98’ we hit the road. It went away with 155,652 miles on it. I figure that almost half of that is tow miles. It had seen 4 motorhomes, and been towed by 3 of them. I had one Class C motorhome that didn’t tow. At the time there wasn’t much travel except to the golf course and back hauling my clubs which it did very nicely. Anyway, that’s a lot of trips back and forth across the country. And it served well. It’s been to all the lower 48 states and probably half of the Provinces, allowed me to take Janene more places in her wheelchair than most people get to ever and it was a good Dalmatian carrier . My dog Binx was with us during our first years of travel and always rode around in the back seat on his Dalmatian blanket. Now there are some pleasant memories. Binx was the most loyal dog ever and saw me through some trying times as a caregiver. And then there was Kat. How lucky can one guy get? We’ve been towing now for 5 years. All over and around and up and down and enjoying the RV lifestyle to its fullest. It was time for something new. 15 years is a long time for one car.

All cleaned up and ready to go.  And does this really look 15 years old ????  I don’t think so !!!!!

We got pretty much what we asked and sold it to a couple from South Dakota who will use it down here in the ‘valley’ some and do a little towing. Actually I accepted their offer plus two pork loins and in consideration of it being their 57th wedding anniversary. OK so I’m an old softy. I liked them and I wanted my car to be appreciated for what is was. Not be abused and left to rust and rot in the harsh southern Texas sun. Robert worked for Morrell meat and always brings lots of meat down when they come for the winter. That’s the pork loin story. And it really was their 57th wedding anniversary.
So it ended with the sniffles but I’m pretty much over it. After all, we do have a really nice new Ford Escape with all the ‘bells and whistles’ and matching motorhome color. I guess it’s a new era !!!!!!!!