Shopping Day

Our visit to the Rio Grande Valley wouldn't be complete without a trip to the 30-acre Don-Wes Flea Market and the 5 1/2-acre Farmer's Market across the street. The markets are both open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. We figured Wednesday might be less crowded, so we set out this morning with our packed lunch and our shopping list.

We actually found some of the things on our list, including a name sign to hang on the front of our rig when we're staying somewhere for a while--we figure it's the friendly thing to do (and we appreciate not having to rely on our memories to recall the names of our neighbors). Many people like the carved wooden signs made by a woodworker at the flea market, but we were looking for something small and lightweight.


I was looking for a fanny pack like the one Ken bought here last year. I didn't find exactly the right thing, but a funny thing happened as we walked around and looked at all the packs at various vendors. Ken remarked that he might be willing to give up his fanny pack, since it seemed to cause some back pain. We found an over the shoulder pack style for him that we hope will distribute the weight better and still keep a camera handy. I inherited Ken's pack. The main advantage is that it has a very handy drink holder that actually holds a decent sized water bottle. When the drink holder is not in use, it tucks away in its own little compartment. (Ken's new pack has the same nifty feature.)



We stocked up on lots of fresh fruit and veggies at the market, including some cute little butternut squash. Then we went on to the grocery store and stocked up some more. When we got home, I had to perform my magic trick of fitting lots more stuff into a refrigerator that is already full.


When we got home our neighbor offered us some fresh picked beets from his garden, along with advice on how his wife prepares them with their greens. They turned out sweet and delicious.

Today was a sunny, very warm day--the first to really feel like summer (whatever happened to spring?). We headed over to the pool and spa to relax a bit.

Ken had given me a coupon for some chocolate of my choice for Valentine's Day. I chose some Girardelli dark chocolate squares. I'm a fan of dark chocolate, and it's good for your cardiovascular health too--what's not to like???

On a less positive note, our Cradlepoint router died today. It's still under warranty, so we're in the process of negotiating to return it, which is always a hassle.