Still in the Texas Room

We were hoping against hope to get Venture back today, but it was not to be. Ken talked to Phil after lunch. Among other things, Phil said that the black water dump valve we had installed in August by a mobile repair man was the wrong valve. Excel used a different type of valve in the 2006 and 2007 models. We are hoping that the repair this time will actually work. In any case, we’ll have to wait until Monday to move to Bentsen Palm Village.

So we prepared to spend the weekend here by washing a couple of loads of clothes. I went with Jan to visit the produce vendor at the clubhouse and got some good looking fruits and veggies. Ken and I culled some photos.

Jan brought over some peppermint fudge she had made from a Hungry Girl recipe for us to try out. It was delicious. The secret is using canned pumpkin instead of eggs and oil in a fudge brownie mix and then topping it with crushed candy canes and white chocolate chips. She made the fudge (which we all agreed was great but actually fudgy brownies rather than fudge) to take to the Friday night movie at the clubhouse.

The movie was Family Man with Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. I really like Nicholas Cage, and both the leads did some excellent acting. The little girl who plays their daughter is charmingly precocious. The plot is pretty predictable—kind of a cross between It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. The story begins on Christmas Eve, and our hero is transported from his selfish, isolated rich life to a “glimpse” of what might have been, had he married his college sweetheart. It’s a feel good film with some funny and touching moments. What more can you ask for a free night at the movies—with popcorn provided by Steve?


Ken and I played Rummikub tonight, splitting 2-1 in my favor. I’m doing very well in our current Words With Friends game (but not so well in my game with Edward, where I can’t seem to get any decent letter combinations).