Our 1st week back in Retama

I forgot to put a picture on the blog last weekend. I took one of Larry giving our Oklahoma cowboy last minute information before heading out with our truck.

 

We had the pictures of the truck on our webshot site but I think I'll probably delete it now. Last time I looked we had 13,500 + hits on it, was amazed at the number of people who looked at it. Actually just looked at the site and see where I will need to find another site to download my pictures too. They have sold Web-shot and the new one called Smile does not offer the picture site free. Sorry Web-shot but I seem to pay enough each month for all my technical things without adding you to my billing schedule.

Where did our first full week go? Larry needed to do a couple of maintenance jobs on the trailer. We went over and check the other one out. Don't remember if I mentioned it in one of the blogs but our shed at the other park was broken into over the summer. One of the neighbors there secured it for us until we could get back. They had the propane tanks outside but some one scared them off as it was sitting by the trailer and nothing else was taken. 

Monday I went to the HEB (like Kroger) for groceries. It's so nice to go in and not have to pay such awful prices for meat like it is in Michigan. I picked up steaks, pork chops, beef roast, hamburg and stew meat that after I re-packaged everything I ended up with enough for 15 meals. Can't wait for our fruit/veggie guy to start coming on a weekly basis.

One day Linda C. and I met at the mall for coffee and catch up of summer activities with family. For those of you who are heading down here the McAllen Mall has had some major remodeling, especially the food court. They even have a Sushi bar. Lots of new stores but most of them are for the skinny minnie - 20 yr olds. Linda and I decided we should open a 55+ clothing store, clothing some place between our daughters and grandmothers style cause there sure isn't many choices out there.

Tuesday we (along with other volunteers) went up to the clubhouse, pulled every chair and table from the storage and clubhouse outside and gave them all a good bleach water scrubbing. We finished those up so fast that we kept going and did all the patio tables and chairs. All set for the Oktoberfest tonight.

 We're both getting out walking more. With people pulling in daily we have to find out who's rig we saw. Of course Pepper loves it cause she gets to meet up with some of the other puppies.

The weather has been highs in the mid 90's and lows in the 70's -until - today. Last night a cold front went through and it got down to 54 degrees. Right now it finally got up to 65.  Didn't no so many people had winter coats. here.

Pepper and Foster finally got to see each other the other day.  I video them and put it on Peppers Facebook but for those who would like to see it I attached it here. About like two kids who haven't seen each other over summer break. Today we went over to the dog park and there was a small group of seven there. Pepper really needed this energy release. Anyway hope the video works cause if it doesn't I have know idea what to do.

 

Guess that's it for this weekend. Larry's watching MSU Game, hopefully it will be over before we need to go up to the clubhouse. Till next time,...............

Truck Sold & We're in Texas

Now that it's all done I can tell you why we didn't leave Michigan when we planned. Larry had been talking to this guy (in Oklahoma) about the truck for several weeks. Finally he told him we were leaving on the 9th but if he was interested we would stay a few more days. The night before we were to leave we went over to daughters house for dinner and I took all the food that I didn't dare leave in the house. About 8:30 that night he called and said he wanted the truck and would send a guy out to pick it up. Of course nothing can ever be quick and easy but finally on the follow Tuesday we picked this Paul up at the airport. Proper paperwork was exchanged, we loaded the car that afternoon and the next morning headed south. Arrived in Retama Friday afternoon around 1PM.

We had a nice drive down here and even Pepper seemed to relax after the first few hours. She didn't care for the hotels with the strange noises so she pretty much slept wrapped around one of us. She'd hear a noise, bark, than jump in Larry's lap. Such a brave thing.                                                                      

The trailer wasn't too bad. Been cleaning today between laundry and talking with neighbors. Luckily our air conditioners started right up as it's been in the 90s with the humidity high so I needed this going while I was cleaning.

Made a trip to Sam's. We weren't to impressed with the store compared to the one in Lansing. I really thought I'd have a 200-$300 bill from having to stock up on things and we walked out of there at just over a $100. This store has gotten more into electronics and small appliances with maybe a quarter of the store having food and a lot of that is snacks and cereals. So it looks like I'll make a trip to HEB (like Kroger) and give them some of my money tomorrow.

The park looks amazing with flowers blooming and every thing is so green. When we pulled in yesterday and I opened the door I was greeted with a whole bunch of butterflies on our bushes. Today we sat outside with Bob and Kathleen for happy hour and shortly Lon and Pat pulled in. They just arrived in town and wanted to check the place out. Larry/Bob/Lon took the cover off their trailer and got things plugged in. They'll be back tomorrow to stay.

Pepper has fallen right back into her habits from last winter. She loves laying under the trailer people watching. We need to get her over to the park and turn her lose but it was just to warm for her to run that hard. Maybe tomorrow.

So that's it for this week. For all my family up north - stay warm -

Till next time.....................

Micigan weather- yuk, Lionel Train

OK, the choices are Michigan or Texas and you get to guess where we are. 1st hint -  cloudy, 2nd hint- have seen rain/sleet/hail/frost all within the last three days and 4th hint - we aren't sitting on wheels. So yes we are still in Michigan. Luckily our life style allows us to make last minute changes. Everything pack, mail forwarding notice done, last good byes to family, refrigerator emptied and food all given to daughter. But something came up the night before departure and we decided to stay for another week. Hopefully the next blog will find us in that other warm State that we so want to be at.

Even Pepper was ready and wanted to make sure her favorite toys weren't left behind.

My friend Jutta said I needed to post a picture of the new car. If you look closely you will see that nasty stuff called frost on it.

 If you don't believe me check out another picture taken a few days before.

 

 We went down to the annual Color Tour that our town has on Friday. They say this is the 33rd year. We were really disappointed with the event and probably won't go next year if we're still here. All other events held on the Island has been packed with all sorts of local's selling their home made items but this one had maybe 8-10 booths, with a few food vendors, a petting zoo and a couple of tents showing how the first settlers lived. But what we really wanted was to try some of the bean soup cooked over a open fire that a local farmer was fixing. You would of thought they would have had that ready when the event started at 10am for people to try but we were there long after that and it wasn't ready. This is the only event that they charge for going on the Island and as I said, not worth it. The one thing that was nice was seeing the River Boat with the fall colors.

We went to a Estate Sale a couple of weeks ago that had some Lionel Train Cars. This got Larry to thinking about the ones he has had since he was a kid. They have been traveling with us and we brought it back here this spring. The last couple of days he's been doing some research on what he has and the values, some have been very surprising. He has always wanted to set up the track with the full village and landscaping. Now that Darrius is older and he'll probably be spending more time with us next summer I think they will have a ball working on it together.  As long as he had everything out of the box I decided to take a picture of them.

The time frame of this set is 1947/48. He's taking a couple of them back to TX with us to get the interior lights working and the little guy in the picture to come out. Plus maybe we can hit some of the estate sales to see if we can't find things to go in the villages.

Guess that's about it for this week. We are hoping to leave here on Wed or Thursday and will make a straight shot south. The weather at our place in Retama has been in the 90's and we're hoping we don't take any of this rotten nasty stuff down there with us.



Till next time..................................

BRRRR why are we still here

Alright, now it's really time to get out of here. I've put up with these 40's and even a couple of 30 degree nights. It's doable on occasion.  Especially when the thermostat gets bumped up to 70*. But today they put a heavy freeze warning out for Sunday night with temperatures below 28*. enough already.

What does a Winter-Texan (that loves 90*) who is stuck in Michigan, do on these 30/40degree nights when one person in the family (who will remain anonymous) refuses to have a electric blanket? First you pull out the heaviest PJ's you have,(they're ain't pretty but its called desperation),  than make sure flannel sheets are on the bed, of course the big heavy blanket is pulled out and can't forget the comforter. Just to be on the safe side you keep another blanket within reach. Oh and than you whine about being cold until you get that 70* setting. Now wouldn't you think a dual control electric blanket would be much simpler?

As I mentioned we are waiting for the license plate registration on the new car. I called our mail forwarding place in S.D. on Friday and had them check to see if it was in our box. Nope not there. Great, and of course there isn't any mail on Monday. We had to go out to the dealership as the temporary tag was up. They did set us up with a 14 day in-transit tag which was great except we didn't notice until later that they shorted us 2 days on the expiration date.

We finished up with the outside things and put the last of the lawn furniture in the garage. I was hoping to have a couple more days of grilling this weekend but no go on that. Larry really doesn't like grilling steaks wearing gloves and winter coat.

Last Sunday we went over to Bob/Diane's for dinner with some of the family and met up with other members during the week. Of course we had to have one last meal up at Swedes.

Got some storage tubs out and did a arrangement in the back of the car to see how many I can pack in to take south. This is where I'll miss not having the big truck to take everything I want back with me.

During all this our poor Pepper has been sticking to us like glue. She knows something is up with tubs around, putting things away. She's been pulling her toys out every time I pick them up and leaving them in the middle of the living room. It's like she's telling us not to forget her things.  With that being said I have a picture to share that kind of explains how worried she is.

 

Not sure if I'll do a blog next weekend. Hopefully we'll be in a lot warmer temp's and close to our place in Retama. Can't wait to get back there and see friends.

Till next time......................................