Something Fishy Going On? Thirteen for Dinner

First, happy birthday to my younger son, Edward, who turns 45 today! Hugs and much love across the miles to Cumming, GA.

Today was the big day, the Spauldings' annual fish fry. Jan and Steve's daughter, Cheryl, and friend/"daughter" Debby are here for a week's visit, so they were guests of honor--but also obviously a great help to Mom and Dad. As usual, a good time was had by all.

G.W., Lee, Bob, David, Jean, Steve, John, Debby, Sandy, and Pat wave for the camera man--Ken. (Jan and Cheryl were off preparing food.)

The meal had a Cajun theme, so the fish this time included some baked blackened fish, some fried with pecan crust, and some traditional cornmeal dredged grilled. All the fish was from Steve's fishing expeditions at South Padre Island. Sandy made Jambalaya with chicken and shrimp, and I made red beans and rice.

Pat made some Cajun bread pudding, for which Jean supplied the "hand churned" ice cream (Jean's joke: she flew in from her ski trip late last night, so she didn't have time to cook anything). Pat also made her signature lowfat pie with cherries and chocolate swirl. Jan and the girls made a fruit salad, and G.W. and David brought a veggie salad.

After we ate, some of us headed out on a walk around the park to work off some of that food. We saw several large poinsettia plants, but this one in a neighbor's yard was spectacular:  look at all those blooms!

After the walk we chatted some more before tucking into the desserts. Everything was yummy.

Read more!

Red Beans

Our friends Steve and Jan are hosting a fish fry tomorrow. It's an annual tradition, with Steve supplying fish caught on his outings to South Padre on fishing boats. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

This year, the meal has a Cajun theme. Our contribution is New Orleans style red beans and rice. First you have to find dried kidney beans, ham hocks, andouille sausage, and good long grain white rice. None of these are stock items in our kitchen, so off to HEB on a shopping trip.

Read more!

Under the Weather

Neither one of us is feeling up to snuff today. We mainly hung around the house and rested. Bob and Pat dropped by. They biked from the Hike and Bike parking lot on Conway, five miles. It was nice to see them, but we weren't great hosts today.

Read more!

Blue Skies and Biking

It was nice to see lots of blue sky today. We walked around BPV and biked the Mission Hike and Bike Trail.

A good bit of the day was taken up by responding to further questions about our 2009 solar energy tax credit. It takes an amazing amount of time to fully figure out what the IRS is saying, talk to a tax examiner on the phone, and get together items to fax to the IRS. Even if they end up allowing the credit, we'll still have spent/wasted many hours in responding to the audit. Bottom line: nobody wants to get audited.

Read more!

Sunshine and Dancing

Today was still colder than we like, but at least the sky was blue and the sun was shining. We walked outside, which definitely beats treadmills.

Our usual Wednesday dances, Jerry Story in the afternoon and Joe Saltel in the evening, were both enjoyable as usual. Both had eight squares. We got more tangelos from Jan and Steve. They're working hard to strip the tree, and we appreciate the bounty.

Read more!

Brrrr!

Well, it's not Minnesota, but south Texas was plenty cold enough for us today. We hope this brief winter will be over soon. It's giving us plenty of chances to work on our treadmill style!

When we went out this morning, we saw that our neighbors across the street were moving out. Oddly enough, the fifth wheel was gone, and they were packing tons of stuff in their pickup truck.

Tonight we watched the 2010 version of True Grit on the big screen TV in the clubhouse. Neither one of us could get past not seeing John Wayne--and seeing way too much gratuitous violence and gore for our taste.
Read more!

Eleven Squares

Today we had 11 squares at Darryl's C-1 workshop, a real crowd. Some dancers we haven't seen yet this season have arrived in the Valley, including Harlan and Jean and Marion and Velma. Hugh was back dancing for the first time since he injured his foot. Darryl worked on some more complicated calls from T-bone formations.

We definitely got the predicted cold front today, so we did our walking on the treadmills. That works well and we get to read.

Read more!

In Line by 7:00 a.m.

We had our alarms set for 6:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m. as we usually do on Sunday mornings. We didn't go out for breakfast with our friends, either. In fact, we were fasting since a bit after 8:00 p.m. last night. When we got to Sharyland High School at 7:00 a.m., we joined a long line of people waiting outside the door.

The event was the 18th Annual Mission Community Health Fair, and the first 500 people would get extensive free blood tests:

• Complete Blood Count (Anemia)
• Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (Diabetes, liver & kidney function)
• Lipid Profile (Total Cholesterol, HDL & LDL)
• Thyroid Function (TSH)
• Prostate cancer screening (PSA) for males age 40 and over
• Each master blood screening has an approximate value of $1,000.

We were shivering a bit and definitely missing our morning coffee. Someone came down the line putting color-coded wrist bands on the waiting people. The first 100 were red, the next 100 green, the third 100 yellow, the fourth 100 blue, and the final 100 white. We got blue wrist bands and went to wait in the truck for the doors to open.

When we went back at 7:45 a.m., hundreds more people were waiting in the general admission line. The doors opened at 8:00 a.m., and at first only people with red wrist bands were allowed in. Then the rest of us were allowed entry, slowly so as to avoid too much congestion.

However, congestion was the order of the day. Huge lines formed to wait for flu shots and vision screenings. We stopped by the booth that was measuring body fat percentage, and I got an Achilles test for bone density. We lucked into some chairs in the entertainment area and sat for a while, watching some young musicians playing guitar and singing. The youngest looked to be around seven or eight. They got a lot of applause.

We walked around visiting some of the other booths and got some information and freebies (a pill splitter, band-aids in a portable dispenser, a toothbrush, and some Fiber One bars.  Several booths offered tempting food, like donut holes and mixed fruit, which we avoided because we were fasting.

We picked up a couple of bananas at the HEB booth to eat after the blood draw. By the time we got to the blood draw line it was after 9:30 a.m., and I was feeling quite lightheaded and head-achy. The blood draw itself was handled quite expeditiously, with maybe ten stations. Afterward we left to go home and eat breakfast. On the way to the truck I tripped over a speed bump and tumbled to the ground. Mostly I was just shaken up and lightly bruised, but I must be entering my second childhood, because I nearly tore a hole in my jeans and scraped my right knee pretty good .

We went for a walk later in the day and stopped by Stuart and Lynn's place in Retama. It was good to see them again. They've been out of commission with the flu (despite having gotten flu shots).
Read more!

Windy Day

This morning I picked up Jan for a trip to the craft fair at a nearby RV park. As usual, the offerings were quite varied. We saw some really wonderful woodworking. One man displayed some lovely wooden inlaid bowls. Another had a variety of interesting items. Jan picked up a little wagon shaped card caddy.

I fell in love with a combination magazine stand and small portable table with two narrow curved leaves. It would have been just the thing we were looking for when we had our Excel and Ken needed somewhere to set down a drink. We hunted and hunted for a suitable small table.

We finally got around to cleaning our muddy truck, so now it will probably rain again. At least one layer of dirt is gone and the truck looks way more presentable.

This afternoon we rode our bikes around the state park with Tim and Rosie. It was hot earlier in the day, but by 4:00 p.m. was beginning to cool off, so we had a good ride, seven miles with good friends.

Read more!

Mercedes RV Show Plus Freddie and Sheila

We picked up Steve and Jan at 9:00 a.m. to go to the Annual All Valley RV Show at the fairgrounds in Mercedes, TX. We've gone three times before, in 2007, 2009, and 2012. The 2013 show was by far the largest in terms of the number and variety of RVs and park models and mobile homes. However, there weren't many vendors of RV parts and accessories.

We walked our feet off and had a good time checking out all the models. We were especially looking forward to touring the Mobil Suites, which John and Sandy had told us was at the show. We also were glad to see an Excel Limited and a couple of Excel Winslows.

After a couple of hours on our feet, we took a break for lunch (pulled pork sandwiches). Then we were back at it.

Steve wants a hot tub built for two for his deck!

We saw several travel trailers with rear doors leading directly into a bathroom, a feature that might be especially good for families with kids, who can use the facilities without tracking up the whole house. Several units featured outdoor kitchens, and some had outdoor TVs. One mobile home had a family room added to one side (making the home L shaped. More than one RV had a residential refrigerator.

Overall, the quality varied. Less expensive units had less storage space and tiny microwaves. They would be fine for vacationers. Several had bunk beds, clearly intended to house the kids. More expensive units had upgraded features, appliances, and storage space--though not as much as I'd have expected. The bottom line for us is that we really appreciate the quality and amenities of our Majestic, despite its problems.

This evening we attended the Freddie and Sheila Show at Green Gate Grove. We got there around 6:15 p.m. for the 7:00 p.m. show, because we weren't sure how early the clubhouse seating would be filling up. We were the first there, so we left some things on our chosen seats, which one of the show monitors graciously agreed to keep an eye on for us. Then we went for a half hour walk.

As usual, we really enjoyed Freddie's virtuoso guitar picking and Sheila's lovely, clear voice. Their repartee kept things light, and the audience showed their appreciation by plenty of spontaneous applause and laughter.

In the second half of the show they took requests. I requested my usual favorite, I Heard the Bluebird Sing., which they played and sang.


Read more!

Tales from Gary and Judy

This morning we biked the Mission Hike and Bike Trail out and back (for a total of 10.6 miles). It's been raining, so parts of the trail had mud washed down on them, but it wasn't too bad. The weather was just about perfect for bike riding, sunny and around 70 degrees.

As we were heading through Bentsen Palm on our way home, we saw that Gary and Judy's door was open, so we stopped to get the tour of their new home, an Itasca Ellipse. They told us the story of how they came to trade in their New Horizons Majestic and Freightliner truck on a motorhome. They are delighted with their choice, especially since they haven't had any maintenance issues. Besides, now Judy gets to ride with Gary instead of following him in a chase car.

We are glad to see Gary and Judy back at Bentsen Palm Village. They considered going elsewhere, but say they felt right at home and welcomed here and they had forgotten how much they really like it.

Read more!

Dancing the Day and Night Away

Wednesday is our two-dance day. Both Jerry Story's afternoon dance and Joe Saltel's evening dance today had 34 couples in attendance, which makes eight squares at each. Joe's advanced dance this morning had 31 squares. The Winter Texan season is in full swing now and for the next couple of months as Canadians and Americans from the northern latitudes head south to avoid the worst of the winter weather.

Last night we had steady rain, which the area definitely needs. This evening we saw lightning and felt a few drops of rain, but no more measurable precipitation. The plans need more, so we're hoping for more showers tonight.

We had a visitor this morning. A Teton owner stopped by to chat with us about our New Horizons. He remarked on how similar his Teton was to our rig, and from his description it's clear that New Horizons definitely got some design ideas from Teton. Jim said that he and his wife had bought their Teton six months before the company went out of business.

He was particularly interested in heating, including hot water heating. The Teton does not heat when the slides are in, because the heat ducts are covered. We don't have that problem with our Majestic because the heat ducts are mainly in the baseboard ares.

Gary and Judy stopped by briefly. They were out on their bikes. They and Tim and Rosie left on a bike ride as we were heading out on our afternoon walk.

Read more!

Weather Alert!

We woke up this morning to heavy winds. The weather forecast was ominous: strong thunderstorms, winds up to 70 mph, tornadoes, and quarter-size hail were possibly moving into the Rio Grande Valley, and Hidalgo County was one of those likely to be affected. Ken retracted the rear window awning as a precaution.

Then the winds died down, and we decided to go about our day. We did our laundry, played some pool, read a bit. We were sitting in the library when Willis came in. It turned out that he is the "librarian." He was filling in for the former librarian, who ended up never returning. He's got a pretty laid back system, and the main problem he faces is that people donate more books than there is room on the shelves.

About the time we decided to head for the hot tub, the wind picked up again. We were cozy as long as we stayed in the warm water, watching the water volleyball players cope with the gusts of wind, but the run for the beach towels was a bit chilly when we got out!

Fortunately, the Valley was spared. A warm air mass moved in and changed the picture, so now all we have is rain. The plants will be glad of that.

I was surprised today to see wedding photos posted on Facebook for Evelyn (my brother Terry's widow) and Didier. They've been together for at least ten years now. They make a handsome couple, and we wish them the best.

Read more!

Steve and Jan Remodel

Steve and Jan have been busy for quite a while now on some big remodeling projects, with a little help from some friends and neighbors. Today we finally got to see the (mostly) finished and very beautiful results. In the fifth wheel, they took out the living room carpet and old kitchen flooring and replaced it with a floating light stained wood type flooring. It just opens up the space and makes it much brighter, a real transformation.

In the Texas room, the major project was tearing out a dark old closet and transforming the area into a cute and serviceable mini-kitchen. It's highlighted by a variety of Mexican Talavera tiles, switchplate covers, and cabinet knobs.

The project grew as they went along. Once the floor tile was down in the kitchen area, Steve decided to replace the adjacent bathroom tile so it would match. A wardrobe, new matching recliners, and a wall-mounted flat screen TV complete the room.

Steve just does beautiful work, and he had to overcome some real obstacles as the work evolved. The first floor that he and C.E. put down in the fifth wheel had to be torn out because the street-side slide wouldn't come in. In the Texas room, the original amateur builders put in lots of extra 2 x 4's, which complicated the job of running wiring and routing plumbing. Through it all, Steve kept his eyes on the goal.

On our walk this morning, we stopped briefly to welcome our friends Gary and Judy back to the park. We'll have to get together soon to trade stories and check out their new motorhome.

This morning we went to Fuentes Eye Center and got our eyes thoroughly checked out. We both ordered new glasses, our first in three years. I'm having new lenses put in my favorite frames--the ones I had before the current ones.
Read more!

Breakfast at Nelda's

Well, we tried a different breakfast place today, another very popular one. The place is larger, and the atmosphere is pleasant. We had good food and decent service, but this place too has people waiting for your tables, so we had breakfast in under an hour.

Afterward we met Judy and Sandy at the state park for a walk. We did four miles, mostly on the road, but we also walked out to the Hawk Tower. We were shocked to see that the resaca is practically dry. There were definitely no water birds. A birder said there was one hawk, but it was too far away to see without binoculars. We did see a few Altamira Orioles in the park today, a really colorful treat.

Downton Abbey Season 3 started tonight, with a one-hour history of the castle used as a setting for the show running before the main event. The opening show was a two-hour special that put us on an emotional roller coaster--but also struck some comic notes. Shirley Maclaine plays Lady Grantham's mother, an American through and through, and terribly iconoclastic when it comes to Tradition.
Read more!

Happy Birthday, Terri!

Today is Terri's birthday, but by the time she called late this afternoon, it was already tomorrow in Tokyo. She had received her online gift, but not her birthday card. Snail mail to APO addresses in Tokyo is evidently quite delayed. Terri told us more about Molly's illness. The good part is that she appears to be on the mend and will probably be well enough to go to school Monday, the first day after the holidays. Such bad luck to be sick during the school vacation.

This afternoon we joined several of our friends at Cinemark Tinseltown to see Les Miserables. It was a very powerful film, one that pulls the viewer in to drama and emotion early on and keeps up the pressure all the way through. The theater was unusually quiet during the showing, and I bet there weren't many dry eyes. The cinematography was spectacular, with wonderful views of Paris and powerful close-ups of the characters as they sing their lines. After the first few minutes, it didn't seem at all unusual that nearly all the dialogue in the film is sung.

Read more!

Freezing in Mexico

It wasn't literally freezing today, but it was plenty cold and rainy, that's for sure. We shivered our way across the international bridge into Progreso, but we made it to join friends for drinks at Jessica's and dinner at the Red Snapper. No birthdays to celebrate this time, so our excuse to party (did we really need one?) was that Jean's daughter Connie is in town for a brief visit. The group this time was smaller--probably at least partly because of the inclement weather.

Jean and her daughter Connie

Dinner at the new Red Snapper location

After dinner we hurried to the truck, eager to get out of the chill and rain and head home. We stopped for a few groceries. At home, we turned on the fireplace and cocooned the rest of the day.

Read more!

Propane

We woke up this morning to a chilly house. We've been leaving only one propane tank open so we could monitor the gauge and our propane use. It's been colder recently, so we've had the furnaces on. It appears that one 40 lb. tank lasted only nine days, apparently less than our 30 lb. tanks in the Excel. Guess that's somewhat understandable since we have two furnaces, and RV furnaces are notoriously inefficient, since they blow lots of hot air out.

Darryl had eight squares at the dance tonight. We saw several Canadian couples we haven't seen since last season. Jean came in with her daughter Connie and Connie's friend, Joe. Connie arrived this morning for a whirlwind visit. The gang is going to Mexico tomorrow to celebrate with her.

Read more!

Dancing in the Rain

Well, we did dance twice today (to Jerry and Joe), and it certainly did rain on and off last night and today--but we didn't actually dance in the rain. In fact we didn't walk in the rain and cold either. We stayed indoors in the exercise room instead. That gives us a chance to do some reading on our tablets, but the scenery just isn't as inspiring as the outdoors.

Dances are filling up now that people are heading south after the holidays. We especially welcome Canadian visitors returning to dance with us.

This evening we watched our recording of the Call the Midwife Christmas Special. We love this show and are looking forward to the new season starting the end of March. It has a combination of nitty gritty reality and heart warming humor that entertains and touches.

Read more!

2013 Arrives

After a very late night to ring in the new year, of course we slept in this morning. It was a dull, chilly and overcast day, so we didn't feel very inclined to rush out and hike or do much of anything else for that matter.

We watched the Rose Parade on TV. Ken grumbled about not having all day replays with no commercials (which is what one of the local LA stations offers). We were impressed by the animation on many of the floats, and we always enjoy the marching bands.

Later we watched our recording of It's a Wonderful Life, a great way to celebrate the holiday season. I had forgotten how sad the story really is before the heartwarming ending.
Read more!