SPI Kite Fest 2009

We finally made it to South Padre Island (SPI), where we went to a kite fest and ate at Dirty Al's, both experiences not to be missed. Gary and Mary Ann had been at last year's kite fest and told us what a wonderful event it was. The air overhead held some unusual kites. One was a soccer umpire, complete with soccer ball. Another was a ring designed so that it turns in the wind.

The highlight of the day was a series of teams flying kites in coordinated maneuvers. We were reminded of military precision jet fighter teams--the Navy's Blue Angels or the Air Force Thunderbirds. A friend said it seemed like the kites were alive.

Afterwards we went to Dirty Al's, a local seafood joint that specializes in fried shrimp. No reservations and a long wait, but the shrimp were indeed something special. It was the first time we've eaten at a bar-restaurant-bait shop.

We timed our return to Mission to coincide with the annual Citrus Fiesta parade, like no other parade we've ever attended. Most of the entries were lighted--including the swarms of motorcycle cops with their red, white, and blue flashing lights.

As usual, lots of politicians participated, but the Rio Grande Valley mayors included several from south of the border. Lots of military imagery was featured, and the vehicles in the parade included a tank and a half-track. The crowd stood to salute every time a color guard passed, and that meant a lot of jumping up and down. Even some of the RV communities had entries, with kings and queens waving to the crowds. No candy was thrown, probably just as well in the semi-dark.

For breakfast we had goldenrod toast with sausage and grapefruit (thanks still to Hardy and Judy's backyard tree).
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Overcast

We did not see the sun once today--that hasn't happened much since we've been here: we're spoiled. We picked up our forwarded mail, and it's easy to tell that it's tax season. It was all tax forms. Even the State of California tracked us down.

This afternoon we went to Jerry Story's dance, but Ken brought a book and his camera. Lee danced with Ida and Kristy Story.

Breakfast was grapefruit, banana bread, and cereal. Lunch was leftover chicken broccoli rice casserole. For dinner we had pork in tomatillo sauce over rice and chile relleno casserole made with poblano and anaheim chiles. Both were definitely spicy, and Lee regretted not wearing plastic gloves to work with the peppers, which burned her fingers.
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Laundry

Not much happening today. We did the laundry--even people living in paradise need clean clothes 8-) Originally the weather forecast looked like it was going to be cold and rainy all day, but it turned out to be mild and sunny. We wanted to go for a bike ride, but Ken's bike is at the shop waiting for a new light to arrive from the manufacturer.

We had oatmeal, oranges, and banana bread for breakfast. For lunch we had whole wheat flour tortillas with refried beans and cheese, topped with shredded romaine and chopped tomatoes. For supper we had dilled carrot bisque, Spicy and Sweet Chicken and Tofu Saute over brown rice, and mixed veggies.
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Saltel Shakers

This morning we were back to square dancing after a week off to rest Ken's back. The caller, Joe Saltel, apologized that his printer wasn't working, so we were not dancing to computer cards--meaning we weren't assigned squares, but instead had a chance to dance with all our friends. This was especially nice since we have only a week more to dance with all the great folks we've met in the Valley this winter.

After the dance we took Ken's bike back to the bike shop for the third time to try to get the headlight fixed. It hasn't worked right since shortly after Ken got the bike, and we're hoping that this time Electra might agree to replace it, but we're not holding our breath.

This afternoon, with Mary Ann's reminder, I finally made it to the produce sale at the clubhouse. It happens every Tuesday, but this is the first time I've actually taken advantage of the opportunity to buy beautiful produce at very reasonable prices. Giant oranges were four for $1, and red and orange peppers two for $1.

For breakfast we had grapefruit, bacon, and sweet potatoe pancakes with apple/cranberry sauce. For lunch we had an eclectic selection of leftovers: stuffing, sweet potatoes, penne pasta, bean salad, bananas. For supper, chicken soup made from the beer can chicken with additional chicken breast bits, cornbread with honey, and salad.
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Another Windy Day

We had planned to go for a bike ride today, but the wind gusted and blew, and we decided to stay snug in the rig instead. Flags around the campground looked like they were trying to shake off their moorings and fly away.



For breakfast we had apple bread pudding. Lunch was leftover penne pasta casserole, and supper was chicken, stuffing and gravy, sweet potatoes, and of course salad. For dessert we had the rest of the pineapple cake.
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Ropa Usada

We finally made it to a "ropa usada" store today. Several friends had told us this was an experience not to be missed. "Ropa usada" is Spanish for "used clothing," but the ropa usada stores are something unique. Bales of clothing are spread in heaps in a warehouse and sold by the pound. Customers climb and burrow through the mountains of clothing and other fabric items. We went with Gary and Mary Ann to the Tres Dimensiones Ropa Usada, but it is only one of many in the Valley. All the leftover used clothing in the country must find its way here.

Lee and Mary Ann each found a few treasures amid the trash.

Then we drove down to the Dodge Arena, where Gary and Mary Ann bought tickets for a Monster Truck Show performance tomorrow. We could hear the roar of the engines inside the arena from where we stood at the box office.

We decided to go to the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum. The Pumphouse once was the irrigation source that turned the valley into productive agricultural land, but it was shut down in 1983 and now is a museum and the grounds are a World Birding Center location. Unfortunately the museum is closed on Saturdays, but we walked around the grounds.

















For breakfast we had baked eggs in mashed potato nests. They turned out pretty good, but messy, since the muffin tins I used were too small. For supper we had sloppy joes, tomato soup, and cole slaw, with chocolate cobbler and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Ken said that sloppy joes are his favorite comfort food.

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Breezy Sunshine

We didn't go square dancing this morning, since Ken's back is still causing him problems. He was able to schedule a visit in March with the doctor in Long Beach who did his last series of injections. We'll be in Southern California for the month of March, visiting friends and seeing doctors.

Another beautiful day lured us out to bike through the park. We saw some birds but mainly just whizzed past, since we were out for some exercise. One way around the loop we were fighting a head wind--but on the other side we zipped along with the wind at our backs.

After doing some grocery shopping, we stopped to pick up another door holder. For those who don't RV, this is a little doohicky that is supposed to hold the front door open. Unfortunately, the wind has other ideas, and the plastic arm on our door holder snapped off a few days ago.

We had beer can chicken for supper (this gave Lee an excuse to empty a can of beer), and chocolate cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Yum!
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Mexico Again

We went back to Mexico today--to Nuevo Progreso. This time we were with Gary and Mary Ann, our neighbors in the RV park. As before we parked on the U.S. side of the bridge and walked across.  As we headed into town we took note of the line of cars waiting to get into the U.S. We were glad we had walked in. 

We spent most of our time window shopping in the crowded shops on the street extending straight out from the bridge. Lee and Mary Ann checked on what's available for the pharmacy that other friends suggested to us. And we went back to Mariscos El Mar for a seafood lunch.  

The Mexican army has set up a special display to greet people as they walk to the bridge to enter the U.S. Mary Ann, Gary and Lee relaxed for a moment on the bridge while Ken took a few more pictures.

Mary Ann was shopping for gifts for her family and friends. She bought two cute purses and SIX LARGE bottles of vanilla. Her friends must cook a lot!

On the way home we stopped at the Don Wes Flea Market again. This time we got two fluorescent yellow shirts. They're popular here for bicyclists, since everyone can see you for miles.

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Ferry--or not

We joined our friends Bob and Pat and their friends John and Carol in a biking adventure today. We went to Los Ebanos to take the hand-drawn ferry across the Rio Grande to Mexico. Then we planned to bike to the nearby town of Diaz Ordaz for lunch. When we arrived at the ferry it turned out that the information John had been given that the ferry was operating "regularly" was a bit optimistic. No one was at the ferry, and folks at the nearby store said it hadn't been operating at all recently.


Pat, John, and Carol were the first to walk down to check out the ferry.














Lee and John noticed the fast current that might be the reason why the ferry wasn't working.










So we decided to bike around Los Ebanos a bit and then go to lunch. We visited the local cemetery, where the graves were colorfully decorated, mainly with plastic flowers. One grave had a hand-carved wooden marker showing the woman's face and giving the names of her husband and her ten children. And we stopped to see the local church.


Lee and Bob led the way into the cemetary.




Some of the monuments showed a lot of creativity.



















As we looked over the church, we were a colorful group.















Then we went to lunch at a Mexican place in Mission called Taco Ole. It's a local place, and the parking lot was full (always a good sign). We got a chance to visit a bit with John and Carol Lee, who are fellow Escapees and square dancers.

For supper we had black bean soup with rice and a sweet and sour bean salad, with more chocolate pudding dessert. Afterwards we spent some time trip planning. It's an incremental business that we do in fits and starts.
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Birds again

A beautiful sunny day, and we couldn't resist getting outdoors. We biked to the park to check out the new binoculars we bought. They are Vortex Vanquish 8x26 and cost more than we've ever spent for binoculars, but were pretty much the cheapest ones recommended for birdwatching. Midrange binoculars go for several hundred dollars; people spend thousands even.

We also took our old standard Bushnell 7x42 binos for which we probably paid $40 several years ago. The difference in clarity and brightness was immediately apparent. The birds cooperated. We saw Altamira Orioles, lots of Green Jays, some Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, Chacalacas, Great Kiskadees, and some small brown birds (unidentified). Besides the birds, we saw the usual assortment of javelinas.


The Altamira Orioles were by far the most colorful birds we seen here.














The javelinas included a number of young ones keeping close to their mothers.












For breakfast I fixed a turkey frittata Florentine--as usual a web recipe, found by googling eggs "cottage cheese" recipe (I had some cottage cheese that needed using, and finished off the frozen spinach too), along with fried potatoes and fruit. The frittata needed more spice, so next time I make it I'll add some cayenne and top with some parmesan.

For dinner we had teriyaki tofu stir fry with fresh pineapple and sweet and sour apple cabbage slaw, with chocolate cream cheese/yogurt dessert with graham cracker crumbs and chopped pecans.
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Venture Gets the Spa Treatment

This morning Nick's RV did a bang up job of washing and waxing Venture. Two people spent more than three hours, and the result was dazzling.

We went to the Margarita Hour with Gary and Mary Ann. We took a bowl of M & M's--one of the easiest contributions we've made. We had to sit outside, because the clubhouse was crowded, and we ended up going back to the Ericksons' trailer to chat and eat delicious pineapple.

We did our laundry while the rig was being cleaned, so now we feel spiffy!
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A Day of Movement

Today began with a Joe Saltel square dance. Doris was wearing a shirt decorated with a colorful picture of a cowgirl. The cowgirl's outfit had a flashy fringe that swung back and forth whenever Doris moved. She gave us the moves in the video to demonstrate just how much they could move.









Last night the empty field next to the RV park was watered. It may have been overwatered--there's a lot of standing water there now. For some reason the water seems to have made the birds very interested in the field. Flocks of black grackles and white egrets have been swooping in to spend some time in the field.








Tomorrow morning an RV-washing service is coming by to wash our trailer. We'll get our dirty clothes ready to go to the laundry before the washing service arrives. Then we'll do the laundry while they wash trailer
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Bike Ride and Weenie Roast

The blue sky and sunshine lured lots of bicyclists out today. Some cyclists from Michigan staying at Bentsen Grove stopped by on their way through the park to chat. Our friends Bob and Pat stopped by. Third time's a charm: they've been to this park twice before looking for us. We're glad they finally found us. They looked sharp in their matching new blue helmets.

We joined Gary and Mary Ann and Jim and Rita for a ride through the state park. Jim and Rita have been camped in our old spot (#515) but they will go back to Houston tomorrow. We saw lots of birds, but not the rare Blue Bunting that had been spotted the last couple of days at the Kiskadee blind. In addition to Chachalakas, Green Jays, Kiskadees, Cardinals, Golden Fronted Woodpecker, doves, and lots of water birds, I saw a Red-Winged Blackbird.

When we got back from the bike ride, Mary Ann suggested that we have a weenie roast, which we've been trying to have for a month. I made a quickie three-bean salad, and we brought baked Doritos, Rita made a cucumber and onion salad and brought pineapple, and Mary Ann supplied the weenies, buns and flour tortillas to wrap weenies. Afterwards some of us roasted marshmallows and made s'mores.

When we got home Ken turned on the TV and happened on the movie October Sky, the story of Homer Hickam and the other Rocket Boys of Coalwood, West Virginia. We both read the book a couple of months ago.

This morning I went to the exercise class for an hour. We skipped the Jerry Story dance so that Ken's back could rest another day.
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Movie Night

This afternoon we went for a short bike ride and looked at two Tanglewood open houses. Both were attractive, but way too large and "showy" for us. It seems that many builders build to sell, not to make livable homes.

Tonight we watched Iris--a movie about Iris Murdock, novelist and philosopher, who descends into Alzheimer's. The central focus of the movie is her relationship with her faithful husband John Bagley (on whose books the movie is based). The younger Iris is played by Kate Winslett, the older by Judi Dench. It's very sad and touching, making especially clear the implacable deterioration of a fine creative mind.

Breakfast was oranges, sweet potato hash, herbed cream cheese omelets, and toast with jam. For lunch we had leftover creole jambalaya and stir fry, plus banana and pineapple. I cooked a pound of dried black beans and used some in summer squash and black bean stew for supper with cole slaw. We had apple and sweet potato crisp with ice cream for dessert. Ken admitted to having been skeptical but enjoying it.

I used the rest of the black beans to make soup for later.
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All Valley RV Show

We went with the Ericksons to the annual All Valley RV Show put on by the Texas RV Association in the nearby town of Mercedes. Peterson Industries had three of its new Excel RVs on display. One was a 28' model in the company's RT line, which is designed for camping off the beaten path. The 28' length didn't provide enough space for all the amenities we like, but the floorplan was very interesting--remarkably spacious, considering. After looking at several fifth-wheel and motorhome models we agreed that the 33' to 35' models have some interesting features that aren't found in shorter floor plans, but that we still prefer the 30' length that we're living in.

Here are Lee and Gary enjoying a break from RV-touring.















On the way home we stopped at a farmers market in Donna. Lee found several items she wanted, including some delicious pineapple.
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Mexico

This morning we danced to Daryll Lipscomb--along with 107 other couples. The hall was full, but we're told that he often has 30+ squares.













Then we went with friends to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, for margaritas and lunch. Driving to the bridge into Mexico, and walking across the bridge, we got good views of the obnoxious wall that the U.S. has built along the border. It's hardly a sign of goodwill towards our neighbors, and it will have a negative impact on wildlife in the area as well as being an eyesore.














The six of us who rode to the bridge together stopped for pictures when we got across into Mexico.

Us with Pat & Bob Boyink, Judy & Hardy Pottinger.

We got the margaritas at a bar our friends visit regularly. The drinks are $3.50, but you get two when you order one. For two margaritas each and lunch we paid $18.00--including tips. We picked up a generic Z-Pack (antibiotics) for $5.95. Then Lee had a pedicure for $10 and a haircut for $5, with a neck massage thrown in gratis. Lee felt pampered--and tired.



















Tomorrow we're going to the RV show at the livestock show grounds in Mercedes. We're not actually in the market for an RV, but we love to look.

Tonight we had some leftover jambalaya and mixed veggies--didn't need much, but it hit the spot.
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Bike Cover

We ordered a 10 x 12 UV resistant tarp online to use for a bike cover. It was too big, but we figured we could modify it. Today we worked on doing that, which took us quite a while, but we think we have a workable solution. We'll have to practice putting it on and securing it with the ropes we are using to cinch it up around the bikes. It sure would be easier if one of the commercial bike covers were big enough for two Electras.

We didn't go square dancing because Ken's back is continuing to bother him. We may need to try to get some epidural injections done again, perhaps while we're in Southern California.

Tonight we played Rummikub and Play Nine with Gary and Mary Ann--great fun and fellowship. They continue to educate us on the niceties of small town agricultural life. The ladies of Oberlin were unhappy because the only place in town to buy clothing was Walmart, so they set up a cooperative dress shop.

For lunch we had leftover salmon casserole and broccoli soup. For supper we had ham and Southwest stuffing with mixed veggies and salad with lemon vinaigrette.
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TIVO

We did our laundry this morning, and also visited fellow Excel owners Kenny and Janice from Dodge City. Their Excel is also nominally 30 ft., but a much different floor plan from ours, and Janice has done a lot to personalize the decor. After lunch we visited with Gary and Mary Ann. They are having their rig washed and waxed today by Nick's RV Wash. We've been talking about it, and we decided to go ahead and schedule having ours done next week. It will be good to have the whole rig done, including the parts we can't reach.

We are back in business with our beloved TIVO. When we got our replacement DirecTV receiver last month, the IR controller that we had been using for the TIVO to control channel changing would not work. We tried every code we could find or think of to no avail. We couldn't use the serial controller because the DirecTV receiver does not have a serial port--it has a USB port. The solution was to order a USB TV Translator from Paterson Technology. It came today and works like a charm! Now when TIVO needs to change the channel to record a program, it will actually be able to do so.



While we were at it we switched to using an S-video cable to connect the TIVO to the TV. That left the coax available for the connection from the video distribution box, so now we can watch the park's cable channels or the DVD player without having to swap cables--yay!
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Friends

Today I (Lee) have had a chance to reflect on the goodness of friends. Mary Ann bought a humongous cauliflower from the produce guy and sent some home with me. I found a recipe for roasted cauliflower with lemon, garlic, and parmesan that Ken actually pronounced edible--even tasty!

Here's another story of friendship: When we got home from dancing and stopping at the grocery store earlier, I wasn't able to find my keys. I searched the truck and the house to no avail. Suddenly I realized that they were in the pocket of my jacket, and that the last time I had seen it had been on the back of a chair at Tropic Star, where we danced. I remembered that as we were preparing to leave the hall, Ken had handed me my purse and book, so I concluded that the jacket was still at the hall.

What to do? I called Tropic Star but the person who answered the phone was not very helpful. Pharr is a half hour drive for us, but I remembered that our friends, Hardy and Judy, stay in Pharr to dance C-1 in the afternoon at a park across the street from Tropic Star. I called their cell phone and left a message, and then I called the caller's cell phone and left a message. Success! Hardy called me back and said that he and Judy would stop by the hall to pick up the jacket.

But later he called to report that the jacket was nowhere to be found at the hall and that if it was in the lost and found, it could only be retrieved between 9 and 12. When I had called back to the Tropic Star office earlier, the receptionist had abruptly said that no jacket had been found and hung up on me. I began to think that I might have jumped to conclusions earlier and went to search the truck again. This time I spotted the jacket hidden under a case on the back seat floor. Now I had to call Hardy back and admit my embarrassment. He laughed, but forgave me. Now that's what I call a friend!

Along with the roasted cauliflower, we had shrimp and sausage jambalaya made with leftover rice and turkey sausage, along with our usual veggie salad. I made a lemon-garlic dressing that turned out pretty good. For lunch we had rice/chili/cheese burritos and baby carrots.
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Moving Day

We've moved! Well, not very far . . . just from #515 to #244 (actually closer than it sounds). For such a short move, it was a definite hassle, almost as much trouble as actually traveling. Gary and Mary Ann kept Sweetie at their rig while we got things set up. When I stopped by to get her, she was practically beside herself, as usual when she's gotten nervous about being left behind. She scampers around like a young dog! Here's the new campsite...










For lunch we had the creamy broccoli soup leftovers--pretty yummy with enough yogurt, and we finished off the fresh pineapple. For supper I decided to make the crab and broccoli quiche we've always liked, only there were two issues. One is that I used canned crab, which I will never do again. I've always used imitation crab meat. The other is that I don't think I've actually found the right recipe. I hate it that I lost all my recipes when I transferred files from the Vaio to my laptop. My only explanation is that it was a hectic time--we were selling everything and getting ready to fulltime. Most of the recipes I've been able to reconstruct or find on the web, but not all.
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Birdwatching with the New Scope

This morning we biked over to the park to birdwatch and check out the new birding scope.






















We spotted several of our favorite birds, including green jays, kiskadees, chacalacas, a woodpecker, and a pair of Altamira orioles at one of the first feeding areas inside the park, but the situation didn't lend itself to using the scope, so we moved on to the first resaca. There we used the scope to check out some egrets, a turtle resting on a snag, and a cormorant perched on a branch. However we did not spot the kingfisher who usually perches on a bare branch on the far shore.

We spent a lot of time at the Hawk Tower, where a variety of water birds are always sure to be on display. We saw White Ibis, American Coots, egrets, and many more. All in all the new scope was a big success.

After lunch we went to the pool and soaked some in the hot tub.
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Model Homes

Mary Ann and Gary had a recommendation to try Excalibur Sports Bar and Grill for burgers. When we arrived at lunchtime, we were the only customers, so we had a private dining room. The Excalibur burger and onion rings we split were quite good. The waitress said that the crowd picks up at 5 p.m. when the live music starts.

Afterwards we went to Sharyland Plantation to visit model homes. We saw Perry Homes and Horton Homes models, all of which were quite large. High ceilings and large entry halls appear to be popular. On the way home we drove past the construction on the new International Bridge. It seems a bit incongruous that we are building bridges on the one hand and walls on the other.....

Terri called, so I got to wish her a happy birthday in advance of her Monday birthday coming up.

For supper we had veggie chili and blue corn muffins with cole slaw again--still yummy!
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Freddie and Sheila Show

Tonight we went to the Freddie and Sheila Show at the clubhouse with Gary and Mary Ann. Freddie and Sheila Pelletier play vintage Martin guitars. This month Freddie's son Clint is playing with them also. They are all gifted guitarists and had the audience applauding and cheering the virtuoso picking and Sheila's vocals. Sheila sang a touching rendition of Coat of Many Colors...






and a wonderful yodeling song that was a hit with the crowd.




This morning we danced to Darryl Lipscomb. Randy Dougherty showed up to dance too, and we were in a square with him and Kathleen.

For lunch we had sloppy joes, carrot sticks, and apple slices with dip. For supper we had cole slaw and shrimp stir fry.
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Happy New Year 2009!

We had a lovely first day of the year--mild and sunny. It is hard to believe it is 2009. In February we will celebrate our first year on the road, but we have already lived in Venture for a year now. The time has flown by, and nearly every day we find something more we want to see or do... Today Ken found a website for a program called Take Pride in America, which lists and describes volunteer opportunities on public lands. We might be interested in being campground hosts or doing other volunteer work in 2010.

First thing this morning we restored all the furniture and things to their regular places after letting the carpet dry overnight. The clean carpet looks 100% better--we'll plan to schedule a cleaning every year here. Now we're thinking about having the fifth wheel washed and waxed professionally. It definitely needs some attention after sitting here for two months.

This afternoon we spent some time sitting in the sun on the patio, reading and enjoying the day. The park is filling up, with lots of rigs arriving today as expected. Our circle now has only one empty space.

Chris and Annie called to wish us a happy New Year. They were at a coffee shop and planning to go to Powell's. Annie is really into playing Rolando on her iPhone.

For lunch we had creamy broccoli soup, which was much better after we added yogurt, brown bread, and apple slices with creamy caramel dip (leftovers from the snacks we took to the dance last night). For supper we had green bean salad and veggie chili with blue corn muffins. The muffins, with butter and honey, are always a hit.
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