End of 2009

The past couple weeks we've had the most marvelous time with friends old and new! 

Tuesday we went once again to The Big Fisherman where, to our great surprise, they have decided to offer the 'all you can eat' fish for the same incredible low price of $2.25 per person...all 8 of us had fish!  

On Wednesday we went to the American Legion for lunch for burgers, and followed that by touring 'The Fulton Mansion'.  It was $6 per person, and you should save your money - only two floors were open, it lasted about 30 minutes and was not nearly as nice as the mansion we toured in Pueblo, CO!  Really, save your money!

We started New Years Eve early - at breakfast!

Today, New Year's Eve, the 8 of us had reservations at The Boiling Pot, and we went very early (4:15), because we wanted to be able to enjoy each other's company.  I must say that it was as good as expected, each couple shared a 'bowl' of shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, new potatoes, blue crab - served with wonderful bread and hot melted butter.  I recommend the red beans and rice, and Dave/Janet said the Gumbo was terrific!  Although we did not take pictures of the food when it came...we did take pics of the leavings!  Joan said that she had never seen such a mess of a table - they dump everything out and you eat - and eat!!!  It was great!  However, by the time we were done eating, it was crowded and very noisy...so noisy that we couldn't enjoy each other's conversation. 

Soooo, we went to Dairy Queen where we all had dessert and a couple hours of chatting - what we love the best about this lifestyle, enjoying our friends!  There were wonderful stories from all, about other 'New Year's', what we did, how late we stayed out, etc., etc....then the conversation turned to ebay and we were off...talking and laughing again.  What a hoot!

Jim, Joan, Joe, Sandy, Dave, Janet...thanks for more wonderful memories!

Dec 26 through 28th

Sunday, Dec 27th - We got up this morning and decided that we would take Jim/Joan and Joe/Sandy to partake in the breakfast at the American Legion.  As you can tell, a good time and a fine breakfast was had by all...we spent a couple hours there, eating and talking, then split up and went to Wal-Mart. 

After shopping (getting some good buys on Christmas candy).  I had asked Jim/Joan if the Steelers were playing if we could come watch it (we don't have cable or satellite here and I simply refuse to pay $20 a month to get TV), sure enough the game was on, so we joined them and got to watch the first half...then, amazingly enough, they switched to the Houston game which was also in the third quarter!  What is up with that???  We came home and ended up having homemade pizza for a late lunch - then we went back to Rockport 35 for an Ice Cream Social - 2 scoops for $1, yum yum!

Monday, Dec 28 Today we explored Goose Island State Park.  Very nice, camping on the beach, elec & water for $20 per night - and a $3 per person per day fee...so it would cost us $26 per night, without the state pass...but WITH the state pass the $3 fee would be waived, so would be $20 per night.  The TX state pass is $60 annually - so we're toying with that.  If we get the pass we can go fishing on GI free...with no fishing license.  However, the fishing license is $68 per person here :(  I think the annual fee and free fishing is our best bet - we'll decide soon.

We planned a 'mexican night' for this evening, and 9 of us had a fabulous dinner!  Jim and Sandy made burritos, Teresa made a lovely salad, Dave made a yummy dip, I provided three kinds of salsa and chips, plus a 'frito' dessert that came out wonderfully tasty!

Yum yum...burritos & green chili!

Sandy & Joe

Joan/Jim/Janet and Dave hiding

Teresa

We got word today that one of our Red Dale National Wagon Train family, Walt Dunbar passed away - our prayers are with his wife Jayne and family.

Dec 24 and Christmas Day

Christmas eve dawned sunny and windy!  Wow, lots and lots of wind - almost felt like we were back in Cheyenne - but no, it was only 30 mph gusts, and there was no snow involved...lol.

I ran to Wal-Mart for a few last minute things, and the store wasn't too busy, of course it was 7 am...that might have had something to do with it!  I came home and made us some breakfast and then did a bit of picking up, made a pot of pepperoni dip for the heavy hordourves that we were having at 6 pm, then had a chance to visit with Janet a bit. 

I'd like to introduce Janet, Dave and Tater, as the newest friends we have met - they came into the park about 10 days ago and have the makings of some of the best kind of friends - I feel that when we all leave here in March that we will keep in touch and get together wherever and whenever we can in the future.  They are from Covington, VA (Dave) and Philly (Janet) and Tater is their rescue dog.  We find that we have quite a bit in common, and it is a friendship that will only grow with time!  Oh yeah, Janet makes fantastic pies!!! 

We did all gather at 6 on Christmas eve - here are a few pictures that don't do justice to the food or the fellowship!  We had jalepeno's stuffed with a cheese mixture, cheese balls, stuffed mushrooms, cheese, crackers and summer sausage, sausage bites with saurkraut and apples, veggies and dip, and of course the pepperoni dip.  Strangely, there were no potato chips...isn't that strange?  We sat around and chatted and munched until after 9 pm, when we dispersed to our snug, cozy homes.

Christmas morning dawned very early, as I set my alarm to get up and talk to Dawn, Daryl and the kids, Devon, Branden, and Ariel who all live in Okinawa, Japan.  They are all doing very well, but I must say that we miss them so much it hurts!  After the call (Skype is a wonderful thing) we discussed just how badly we miss them, and talked about memories from other holidays when we were all together - including Tanaya, Kelsey, Kaeleigh, Elena and Rick.  We miss you all - and hope that someday we can be together once again for a holdiay! 

I made a big roaster of stuffing to go with the turkey, and at noon we were all together once more, indulging in every imaginable delight!  The tables were festive with red and green tableclothes, the music was playing softly, everyone was in a wonderful mood, and we spent several hours enjoying each other.  We decided that we would join together at 7 pm for delectable leftovers...the only redeeming thing I did yeserday was that Janet, Sandy and I went for a brisk 1 mile walk - which didn't work off nearly enough calories!!! 

Once again it was after 9 pm when we broke up and came home - and spent some time quietly chatting about the day. 

To all our friends, new and old - thanks for the memories!

Dec 22 through 23

It is Christmas Eve eve...  We're so very lucky to be able to spend our first Christmas on the road with our wonderful friends, Jim and Joan, Joe and Sandy - and our new friends Janet and Dave. 

Yesterday was Tuesday, so of course we headed off to the Big Fisherman restaurant.  I decided that I was country fried steak out - nope, not eating it again!  So Joe, Sandy and I had fish...Sandy the fish of the day, Joe and I the 'all you can eat'...and as usual, at the Big Fisherman, there was far too much food to order any more!   I brought plenty home for Cinder to enjoy!

Today was finish up laundry, clean and vac the car, groceries, and I made a wonderful vegetable lasagne for our dinner - Sandy made a wonderful green mixed salad with cranberries and pecans, Joan brought garlic bread and 'the boys' brought a triple chocolate cake!  I had set up tables at the club house with tablecloths, plates, silverware, wine glasses, (we only have two) and we had a lovely dinner.  What can be better than friends sitting around chatting over good food and drink! 

They were so nice and helped clean up and put the tables back, and a wonderful time was had by all. 

We came back to the MH and put up Chuck's awning as well as ours, there is a big storm coming with lots of wind, supposed to hit in the middle of the night.  It is much easier to put them up BEFORE the wind starts howling! 

All for now...wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Dec 18 through 21st

OK, I wrote the post once, a nice long 9 paragraphs...and when I hit publish it just went away...so here it is down and dirty :)

Friday was cleaning, laundry, reading, sitting in the sun :)

Sat - craft show at Bayview Rv park (across the street), nice stuff but we didn't buy anything - Fulton Farmers Market (again, didn't buy), Navigation Circle in Rockport Vendor's fair - bought a HUGE head of cauliflour for $1.50.  Great show.

Our friends, Joe and Sandy Fryberger and Jim and Joan Meyers from Longmont CO arrived, and it is so nice to see them...they will be here for a month or more :)  Our first item of business was happy hour and dinner at Stevie Lew's BBQ, where wonderful food and good companionship was had by all!

Sunday was yet another very busy day - we went to Alice Fay's for breakfast, then toured the Heritage District, came back and walked our fur kids, headed out for Goose Island and the 1,000 year old tree in Lamar. 

From left to right:  Joan, Sandy, Joe, Me, David, Jim...what a crew!

After all that, we came home, I had a cookie exchange and I now have 7 kinds of cookies for Christmas, and we went to JJ's for dessert - how fun!

Today Cinder went to the groomer, did some laundry, bought the bird for Christmas dinner, then our neighbor Chuck and our CO friends all met up at the China A Super buffet...holy cow, we were pigs!  It was so yummy, they not only have all the chinese foods, they also have mongolian grill and steaks to order...oh my aching tummy! 

That's it in a nutshell :) 

Dec 15 through 17 farewell to friends, breakfast

Once again we went to breakfast with Ron & Kathy - then we went our separate ways - they went to Corpus Christie to tour the Lexington, and I started making cookies.

Now, you might think that I would be an old hand at doing that - and in the 'stix and brix' you bet, I had my big kitchen aid mixer and my baker's pantry, and I just baked up a storm...not so much here in the motorhome.  There is very limited space, which is why I'm so glad we're doing a cookie exchange!  I made several pans of Magic Cookie Bars, and several batches of Peanut Butter No Bakes.  It looked like a tornado hit my kitchen and desk area - cookies everywhere!  But, by evening I had my plates made up and put away until Sunday. 

Ron and Kathy came over for 'dessert' to have some fresh baked cookies, and wehad a good time chatting again.  Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye, because they were heading to Harlingen TX for the next couple months.  One of the sad things about this lifestyle is the goodbyes, but the upside is we get to say lots of 'hello's' too!

I then baked a carrot cake and put cream cheese icing on it - since it was us hosting the morning Coffee Klatch at the clubhouse this morning - and I also made a very good egg bake!  It was all very good.

Several more folks that we have been spending time with, are Clara & Barbara, Chuck and of course Teresa.  I will be very sad to see Barb & Clara leave tomorrow - they will be back about Jan 15th, and we'll do something fun then I'm sure!!!

Today was not much fun after breakfast - David has an ear infection, so we spent several hours at a clinic...he got some prescriptions.  We really should have gone to the VA at Corpus - the clinic was $100 and the scripts were 89...whew, expensive day!

The rain has finally stopped here - and we should have a couple nice days (we hope!).  There is a craft show at the park next door on Sat and also one downtown...so I'll be posting pictures of them I'm sure!

Dec 6 to 14th

Well, it's been a week since I updated, and we have been very busy, but I haven't taken many pictures...here goes what I can remember!

On Tuesday we went to the Big Fisherman and had lunch - they have a special from 11 - 4 on Tuesdays only, soup, country fried steak, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, roll for $2.25...and it is 'all you can eat'!  PLUS they have margharitas for $1...we ate and ate...and our bill was $6.83.  So yummy!

Wed we got word that the Lone Star Corral VP and board wanted to interview us for a position that we'd love to have...so we pulled out on Thursday morning for Hondo, TX.  Got up there about 3 pm, had us some leftovers for dinner, walked around the park and snuggled in for the night. 

Friday morning we got up and got ready for our interview, and we think it went quite well...we'll know mid January if we got it or not.  Then we went back to the rig and I fixed a very late breakfast.  We had naps, then a quick dinner so I could go play BINGO at the clubhouse - and I won $4.00...yippee!  It only cost me 2 to play, so I doubled my money :)

Sat morning I did laundry - 5 loads so everything is clean, sheets, towels, rugs and all clothes - aaahhhh, that feels good!  Then some friends took us to lunch at Bill & Rosa's, a wonderful little cafe/saloon in D'Hanis.  David had their famous country fried steak and I had lemon pepper tilapia...it was delish! 

Sunday found us heading back to Rockport, chatting with our friends Ron & Kathy, who were coming to visit us in Rockport!  We got home about 3:30ish, set up and I did a stuffed cabbage casserole, Kathy brought caramel apple salad, and we had cucumber sandwiches for happy hour.  We ended up eating after 7pm which was too late for us, but it was sure good! 

This morning we picked them up and we went to Alice Fay's for breakfast, then we drove them around to the 'sights' in Rockport.  We had a great time, stopped at the Aquarium, had a Whataburger for lunch, made a stop at the post office to send a package, then came home for naps.  Here are a few 'random' pictures we took on our travels. 

I'll try to post again before the end of the week...when we are expecting several more friends down to visit!!!  Woohoo, we love getting company!

Dec 6 - lovely celebration day

We had decided on Friday that we would take today, Sunday, as our day to celebrate the sale of our house.  This morning, we shared a wonderful breakfast with our friends Terri and Rex.  We took them to the American Legion, where once again I forgot to take pictues!  They do a really good buffet, where the eggs are scrambled, but fresh about every 8 minutes...along with sausage, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, sausage gravy, grits, and pancakes, all with assorted toppings.  I promise I'll get a pic the next time we go!!!  We spent over 2 hours there with our friends, relaxing and chatting over coffee. 

We left and went our separate ways, and we stopped at WalMart, where we picked up some much needed baking supplies.  I've asked (and been very well received) to do a Christmas Cookie exchange - on Dec 20th...look for more on that later :)  Since space is limited here in the MH, and I only have 1 cookie sheet left (when I told my mom I only had one, I thought she was going to have a stroke!), I think I'll make magic cookie bars and no bakes for my contribution.

We then came home, walked with Cinder a bit, then we both checked our eyelids for holes...giggles! 

Then we went for an early dinner at a place called Charlotte Plummer's, a lovely restaurant on the gulf.  We had a nice table by the windows,

and after perusing the menu for a while, and asking for recommendations, we both decided on the flounder - mine grilled and David's blackened.  They have a very fresh and well stocked salad bar, and a bubbling kettle of soup. 

We had our dinner, then lingered over a homemade butterscotch cheesecake - OMG, talk about rich!  It's a good thing we shared it!

After a short drive around the beach, we came home to snuggle in for the night. 

David - thanks for the memories, darling...life is what we make it, and we will make it wonderful for us.

Dec 3 to 5 Christmas Festival

Let's just say that Dec 3 & 4 were pretty much a wash - literally!  It rained, and blew, and rained and blew, and then it rained with snow!!!  What kind of carp is that???   We really wanted to just tuck in and snuggle...but no, our house was to close on the 4th, and at the last minute they found that they had lost the original POA we gave our realtor, so it was back and forth to town about 5 times.  Because we have very poor telephone reception here, we have to drive a couple miles to get/receive calls. So, we'd get a voice mail, drive in, call back, then they had to email me some forms, we had to fax them back, then when we got home, there was another message, print fill out and FedEx back...sheesh, what a pia!  But guess what - it closed and we no longer have a home - yep, we're homeless except that we take our home with us wherever we go!

Today dawned bright and very chilly!  There was frost on my car!  No matter, we showered and headed out - first stop, breakfast at Alice Fay's on the Bay.  She has great food, very inexpensive (both breakfasts you see here were $4.95 each), and you can't beat the atmosphere.  See David in front of the window with the boats...yep, that's our favorite breakfast place!

After enjoying our meal and chatting with another couple that live in a MH here in Rockport, we went to the Farmer's Market, where we got some fresh corn on the cob...I know, I know, it is DECEMBER...but it is still fresh here.  The growing season is completely different than anywhere else I've lived!

The city of Rockport Utilities cart!  Cute :)

We then went downtown, to the Women's Club where they were having a 'holiday craft sale'...where David purchased 4 potscrubbers for $5 :)  We walked across the street to where there was a Chili Cookoff - the smells were really heavenly, but we didn't indulge.  Then, just up the street, there was a kite flying show, where lots of people brought kites and got them up in the air - the wind was about 5 knots and they flew very nicely.  There were far too many to post pics of them all, but here are a couple of them.

We went on into the 'Heritage' district, where the stores were all holding an open house, with some of them offering drinks and goodies.  Once again, we were good and didn't buy anything...until we came to the pizza cart.  We each had a slice of pizza for our lunch, and it was very good.  We had walked quite a lot since our breakfast, so it really hit the spot.

Colorful christmas table...one of many!

We came on home and David got a nap, while Cinder and I sat outside.  What a contrast to yesterday, when it was howling and cold...I had on a tank top and jacket, and after about 10 minutes the jacket came off, and I just sat in the sun and read! 

About 4 we shucked some corn, and I walked up to Stevie Lew's BBQ and got us pulled pork sandwiches to go with it.  Man, they really know how to make bbq, it just melted in our mouths!  The corn was excellent too!

Then it was time to head back to the harbor, for the Boat parade of lights.  It was small compared to what I remembered of Venice, but then Rockport is very small in comparison :)  There were 11 boats all decked out - I took a couple pictures but my camera sure doesn't do very well in night shots.  I'll include one but not the others I took.

When we got our sandwiches for dinner, Steve threw in two orders of Cherry cobber (made fresh every day and OMG, so good), so we stopped at Blue Belle and got a pint of ice cream to share with our cobbler.  What a sweet way to top off a very busy and exciting day! 

Nov 29 to Dec 2

Been a couple days since I updated the blog, mostly because we've been shopping, driving, doctoring, chatting, etc.

The highlights - on Tuesday we attended the Ollie Mundine Winter Texan Fish Fry at the Paws and Taws convention center.  It was wonderful, but we left the camera in the car, so I'll have to paint a picture with words!  We got to the center with our friend Terri, and went around back where the line was to get in - at least it was a covered deck because it was pouring down rain and cold!  At least 48 degrees, brrr!  While we were in line, we watched them 'shuck' oysters, and put them on trays which they brought around for people to eat.  Now, I am not a raw anything lover, so I didn't have any, neither did David or Terri, BUT there were lots of folks who gobbled them up.  We also had a front row seat to watch the bay with lots of whitecaps on it! 

Once we were seated, (about 300), they brought around ice tea, coffee and water, along with our dessert which was a fantastic moist cake!  After the MC introduced the mayor and some other dignataries, they served the plates.  There was of course wonderful fried fish, coleslaw, beans, pickles, onions, and bread.  They kept bringing the fish around, it was an all you could eat and very fine fish!  This was a complimentary dinner...you didn't pay for anything and it was delish! 

One of the best things about it was that we shared the table with some wonderful people that have been 'winter texans' for more than 20 years!  They all were from the RV park across the road - what a great group!  A wonderful gentlemen told David that we simply must travel up the Natchez Trace, so we put that on our bucket list...grin!

Yesterday we made the trip to Corpus Christie to the VA for David to get his lab work done.  We left at 6:15 and got there at 7 am - he got his blood drawn and then we went to find some breakfast.  We had been up since 5, it was 8:30, so we were starving - lo and behold, there was a Crackerbarrel.  We had a reasonbly healthy breakfast and then went shopping.  We checked out Bed, Bath & Beyond, bought 2 tervis tumblers because everything 'sweats' here in regular glasses, went to World Market and bought nothing, Petsmart for Cinder's treats, and Best Buy where we got David a new cordless mouse - his was about gone.  By then it was after 1 and we were hungry again, so stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at Olive Garden.  We had soup, salad and breadsticks, then headed home.  Dinner was popcorn...we weren't very hungry! 

Today was a clean up day - David did the 'blue jobs' and I cooked and did a little cleaning.  We had to run into WalMart to get 9 pills for David to get him through until the VA appt on the 9th.  Hopefully they will change his blood pressure meds - this one doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

I have swiss steak in the crockpot for dinner tonight, along with buttered noodles and corn casserole, so the house smells wonderful - and because it is getting cold, I'll probably make brownies or something later on. 

Here are a couple pictures I haven't shared before...just to keep my hand in!

Nov 27 and 28

On Thanksgiving evening I got hit with a nasty stomach virus that lasted until this afternoon.  So yesterday was a lost day - did little to nothing - oh, we went to Wal-mart for a bit (I wanted at new camera), but didn't last very long there.  We came home and the rest of the day I spent between the bathroom and the bed.  NOT fun!

This morning when I got up, I was feeling better, and since all I had to eat yesterday was a bagel, I was starving.  I made us a breakfast fit for a king and queen - Ham, eggs, homefries with onions, toast & jelly...My, it was good!  Then we decided it was time to put up our decorations, so we dug them out, and put up what we had - of course I've been looking for a tree for the MH and I have been very picky.  I've looked online and in stores the past couple weeks - and had about given up.  We decided to drive down to Aransas Pass to the Lowes there.  We have no Lowes NOR Home Depot in Rockport, so off we went.  As luck would have it, they had exactly what I wanted!  It is 19 inches tall, fiber optic, with a beautiful toy train on the bottom - I'll take a pic of it tomorrow for the blog!

Then we decided to do a little exploring, and went south towards Ingleside - and lo and behold, there was a Moose Club!!!  It is Aransas Pass Moose club, and they welcomed us warmly, giving us their Dec calendar of events, and inviting us for breakfast tomorrow morning!  For anyone passing that way with a rig and a member of the Moose, they will welcome you warmly and they have electric!  How cool is that.  We didn't know there was a moose club anywhere around here! 

Then, as we were driving through Aransas Pass, there was a Christmas Mart - just a place where there were folks selling all manner of 'stuff'.  From pom puppies to veggies, jewelry to tupperware, christmas items to summer.  We wandered around there for a little while, chatting with the vendors.  Nice!

Then, we found a place called Conn Brown Harbor, where there are many boats, lots of picnic tables, egrets, pelicans, gulls, terns, you name it!  No, no Roseate Spoonbills Ellie...I'll be sure to get a pic when they finally show up!

We came home and finished decorating - then because my tummy was still not up to par, we had the ultimate comfort food, oatmeal and toast for dinner.  Of course, I have to make it special with brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts (raisins too for David).  We finished up our decorating, and now we're ready to enjoy the season!