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We woke to much cooler temperatures, about 52 degrees, here in Grand Island Nebraska. I went out about 8 to begin getting ready to pull out and in the distance, I can see some ominous clouds and then, as if on cue, thunder. That seemed to set the stage for the morning. Again, as if on cue, the very moment that I sat down in the truck to drive out, the rain began. We managed to avoid the heaviest rainstorm and after traveling for about an hour, we ran out of the rain but for the third time, right on time, as we drove out of the rain, a few hailstones hit the windshield, so we just missed the hail storm. So far, this has been a lucky trip for us. The night after we left Oklahoma, there was a bad storm with heavy rain and hail. Lucky us!!
The trip today was very nice. We made two long stops, one for fuel and the second for coffee. The fuel stop was made because we have been getting lower fuel mileage because of all the hills and of course, the elevation changes. We still had plenty of fuel in the tanks to make Custer tomorrow, but felt that it would be better to be safe and fill up now, so we did. We found some decent prices too, so that made it even better.
We pulled out a little before 9 and arrived here before 2, but remember we're in Mountain Time and gained an hour. This is our last stop before Custer South Dakota we will remain in MST for the rest of the summer!
So long.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tuesday May 29, 2012-Moving day-Oasis RV Park to Kearney RV Park, Kearney Nebraska
I woke to a cool morning, which was a big relief from the heat yesterday afternoon when we arrived. Stella was soon awake and we talked about changing our destination for tonight from a small county park in Grand Island Nebraska to a full hookup park. Stella had found a KOA campground near Grand Island in one of her books but I didn't find it in anything I had, so we decided to keep looking. We found a new park in Kearney Neb. which is a few miles further down the road from Grand Island and decided to go there today. It puts us a little closer to our next-day stop in Alliance Nebraska and is a full park.
We pulled out about 9 o'clock, or right on time! The roads were very quiet this morning since the hubbub of the holiday was past and we made good time. Not too long after we left, I saw a white Ford on the side of the road with yellow and red lights flashing. Believing it to be a normal police car with a violator stopped, I changed lanes as required but when I got up to it I saw that it was marked as a State Farm Motorist Assistance vehicle. That's a new one! Then later I noticed a sign that said that the Kansas Transportation Authority had teamed up with State Farm to give stranded motorists some assistance.
Another thing that I noticed today was that a part of Interstate 35 has been turned into a toll road. Whats up with that? Weren't federal funds used to build the interstate highway in the first place? Why are we now being charged a toll to drive on a road that we've paid for with tax dollars? Why are we being double taxed? Why am I ranting to you-my friends, family and followers? Why am I becoming a grumpy old man?
We drove and drove through Kansas for what seemed like a day and a half. I had forgotten how boring wheat fields can be. There are only a few truck stops or other places to pull into for a cup of coffee but i did notice that Kansas has "Service Plazas" like the tool roads in Indiana and Ohio. One of them had some good prices on fuel and I started to pull in and fill up but didn't really need fuel yet so I kept on driving.
Stella called ahead to make a reservations at the new park, the Kearney RV Park. The man on the telephone told her that it was a good idea to give a credit card to hold a spot for tonight because they have been filling up every night. You might want to keep that in mind if heading in this direction and needing a place to stay for a night or two.
We drove and drove through Kansas for what seemed like days. Does wheat grow anywhere else in the world? There is almost nothing along the roadside except for an occasional farmhouse or barn but they are set pretty far off the road. There aren't very many places to stop either so have plenty of fuel when driving through here.
When we got to Kearney we saw an enormous arch over the highway. It is the Great Platte River Road Archway that reflects the history of the Great Platte River Road from the Oregon Trail era to modern fiber optics. We didn't take the time to go to the arch, although it is very near the RV park where we are staying. We were tired and just wanted to get out of the truck for awhile. These seats, while comfortable, get old after a couple of days of driving.
When we arrived at the park, there was no one in the office. Since we had made a reservation, we knew we would have a space, so I called the furnished telephone number and spoke with the owner. He was out running errands and told me which space to park in. This is a brand new place, and it shows. Dirt and koleche roads with koleche drives into the sites and little or no grass. Time will improve it. The owner came down after getting his running around done and brought Stella up to the office to take care of checking in. While setting up, a neighbor's bulldog came over to visit. He was a friendly dog, and was just looking for a friend but our two dogs freaked out, barking and letting us know that there was a strange dog around. There was actually no problem with the dog and Stella said something to the owner. He told her that the dog belongs to one of the workers that is staying in the park and that the dog is normally on a tie-out. He said he would make sure he puts the dog up when he gets off work. I would recommend this park if you are in this area or passing through and needing a place to stay.
I cleaned as many bugs as I could off the front of the truck and trailer. There doesn't seem to be a rule against washing the trailer and the grass appreciated the water. One more travel day and we'll be at our destination. We can do it!
So long.
We pulled out about 9 o'clock, or right on time! The roads were very quiet this morning since the hubbub of the holiday was past and we made good time. Not too long after we left, I saw a white Ford on the side of the road with yellow and red lights flashing. Believing it to be a normal police car with a violator stopped, I changed lanes as required but when I got up to it I saw that it was marked as a State Farm Motorist Assistance vehicle. That's a new one! Then later I noticed a sign that said that the Kansas Transportation Authority had teamed up with State Farm to give stranded motorists some assistance.
Another thing that I noticed today was that a part of Interstate 35 has been turned into a toll road. Whats up with that? Weren't federal funds used to build the interstate highway in the first place? Why are we now being charged a toll to drive on a road that we've paid for with tax dollars? Why are we being double taxed? Why am I ranting to you-my friends, family and followers? Why am I becoming a grumpy old man?
We drove and drove through Kansas for what seemed like a day and a half. I had forgotten how boring wheat fields can be. There are only a few truck stops or other places to pull into for a cup of coffee but i did notice that Kansas has "Service Plazas" like the tool roads in Indiana and Ohio. One of them had some good prices on fuel and I started to pull in and fill up but didn't really need fuel yet so I kept on driving.
Stella called ahead to make a reservations at the new park, the Kearney RV Park. The man on the telephone told her that it was a good idea to give a credit card to hold a spot for tonight because they have been filling up every night. You might want to keep that in mind if heading in this direction and needing a place to stay for a night or two.
We drove and drove through Kansas for what seemed like days. Does wheat grow anywhere else in the world? There is almost nothing along the roadside except for an occasional farmhouse or barn but they are set pretty far off the road. There aren't very many places to stop either so have plenty of fuel when driving through here.
When we got to Kearney we saw an enormous arch over the highway. It is the Great Platte River Road Archway that reflects the history of the Great Platte River Road from the Oregon Trail era to modern fiber optics. We didn't take the time to go to the arch, although it is very near the RV park where we are staying. We were tired and just wanted to get out of the truck for awhile. These seats, while comfortable, get old after a couple of days of driving.
When we arrived at the park, there was no one in the office. Since we had made a reservation, we knew we would have a space, so I called the furnished telephone number and spoke with the owner. He was out running errands and told me which space to park in. This is a brand new place, and it shows. Dirt and koleche roads with koleche drives into the sites and little or no grass. Time will improve it. The owner came down after getting his running around done and brought Stella up to the office to take care of checking in. While setting up, a neighbor's bulldog came over to visit. He was a friendly dog, and was just looking for a friend but our two dogs freaked out, barking and letting us know that there was a strange dog around. There was actually no problem with the dog and Stella said something to the owner. He told her that the dog belongs to one of the workers that is staying in the park and that the dog is normally on a tie-out. He said he would make sure he puts the dog up when he gets off work. I would recommend this park if you are in this area or passing through and needing a place to stay.
I cleaned as many bugs as I could off the front of the truck and trailer. There doesn't seem to be a rule against washing the trailer and the grass appreciated the water. One more travel day and we'll be at our destination. We can do it!
So long.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday May 28, 2012-Moving day-WinStar Casino RV Park to Oasis RV Park, So. Haven Kansas
I got up to cool temperatures this morning with a nice breeze blowing. A great day for moving! With the porch already down, much of my work was done, so I took the time to go drink coffee with Larry and a few others that came down. We were having such a good time visiting and chatting, it was after 8 before I realized the time and went back home to get to work. Of course, this was the day that Stella was working hard to get the inside things put away and ready to travel, so I got in trouble....again. We were ready to go by 9 or a little after but had decided to stop at the rally hall and get a cup of coffee to go, and most of the others that had stayed were down there, so by the time we said goodbye to everyone, it was about 9:45 when we pulled out.
Thackerville is on the south side of Oklahoma, in fact at mile marker 1 on I-35. The park here in Kansas is at mile marker 4, also on I-35, so we drove all the way across Oklahoma in a little over four hours, arriving here at 2PM. Man, it's hot here in Kansas. The only other time we've been in Kansas was several years ago, when we returned to Texas from Colorado through Kansas and down through Oklahoma. The only thing we remembered about Kansas was the wheat fields that seemed to run on forever. It must still be that way here because the man in the office of the park immediately began telling me about the wheat and what a good crop they're going to have this year. I guess that when that's all there is in a state, that's all there is to talk about.
This park is really nothing, but I found it on the Passport America website. According to the website, the regular price for a site is $50 but being PA members, we got it for half price. I thought, a $50 site has got to be pretty good, but to get that much money, they would have to wash my trailer along with the stay. There is nothing here, no trees, no concrete, little grass and of course no pool. There is a good wi-fi that I'm using now, but it's a stretch to call this a $50 place. It was easy off and easy to get to, so its not all bad. I'd spend a night here again, but only at the PA rate.
There weren't as many RV's on the road as I had figured to see. Memorial Day is normally the kick-off of the summer but there wasn't much traffic on the road. That was probably a blessing when we went through Oklahoma City. We've breezed through all the big cities so far this trip. I hope to keep it up!
So long.
Thackerville is on the south side of Oklahoma, in fact at mile marker 1 on I-35. The park here in Kansas is at mile marker 4, also on I-35, so we drove all the way across Oklahoma in a little over four hours, arriving here at 2PM. Man, it's hot here in Kansas. The only other time we've been in Kansas was several years ago, when we returned to Texas from Colorado through Kansas and down through Oklahoma. The only thing we remembered about Kansas was the wheat fields that seemed to run on forever. It must still be that way here because the man in the office of the park immediately began telling me about the wheat and what a good crop they're going to have this year. I guess that when that's all there is in a state, that's all there is to talk about.
This park is really nothing, but I found it on the Passport America website. According to the website, the regular price for a site is $50 but being PA members, we got it for half price. I thought, a $50 site has got to be pretty good, but to get that much money, they would have to wash my trailer along with the stay. There is nothing here, no trees, no concrete, little grass and of course no pool. There is a good wi-fi that I'm using now, but it's a stretch to call this a $50 place. It was easy off and easy to get to, so its not all bad. I'd spend a night here again, but only at the PA rate.
There weren't as many RV's on the road as I had figured to see. Memorial Day is normally the kick-off of the summer but there wasn't much traffic on the road. That was probably a blessing when we went through Oklahoma City. We've breezed through all the big cities so far this trip. I hope to keep it up!
So long.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday May 27, 2012-WinStar Casino RV Park
Well, here we are already at the final full day here in Oklahoma at the Okie's first rally. The rally has gone exceptionally well, probably because of Larry's background of being in the Good Sam rally group. I like to think it because of his background and training as a Heartland Chapter leader by the Texas Chapter Leader, me! Just kidding! Larry and Donna have done a great job in their first rally.
There was coffee and leftover donuts and cookies in the rally hall this morning. There wasn't a lot of planned activity today since several were leaving because of work. Yuck!
I went around and visited with the ones that were packing up and before long, they were on the road back home. I came back home and got caught up on my record keeping and computer work and missed the ladder golf game. Everyone said that it was a good game and I'm sorry I missed it, but at least now, I'm all caught up with my "work".
Late in the afternoon, we all decided to go eat some Mexican food at a new restaurant in Gainesville called Serna's. I was glad to get one more Mexican food dinner before we head north because I know that there will be slim pickins' for good spicy food for the rest of the summer. Then on the other hand, Stella's tacos are pretty good. We can buy some avocados for a guacamole salad, fry up some chips, make some salsa....wait a minute, I'm going to make myself hungry again.
You should have seen Larry and some of the others. They discovered that some of the silverware was magnetic and that they could pick up their fork or spoon with their knife. I'm telling you, it doesn't take much to amuse us sometimes.
After eating, we came back to the park and played a few more games of chickenfoot or other domino games. We had a lot of fun and it certainly got loud in there while we played! Note to anyone reading this; if you're building a game room or rally hall, use some carpet on the floors. Maybe on the walls. It absorbs sounds that echo around the room and make it hard for some older people to hear each other. Just a suggestion. I know that there are probably a lot of builders and designers that read this and I just wanted to let them know. Call this a public service announcement.
So long.
There was coffee and leftover donuts and cookies in the rally hall this morning. There wasn't a lot of planned activity today since several were leaving because of work. Yuck!
I went around and visited with the ones that were packing up and before long, they were on the road back home. I came back home and got caught up on my record keeping and computer work and missed the ladder golf game. Everyone said that it was a good game and I'm sorry I missed it, but at least now, I'm all caught up with my "work".
Late in the afternoon, we all decided to go eat some Mexican food at a new restaurant in Gainesville called Serna's. I was glad to get one more Mexican food dinner before we head north because I know that there will be slim pickins' for good spicy food for the rest of the summer. Then on the other hand, Stella's tacos are pretty good. We can buy some avocados for a guacamole salad, fry up some chips, make some salsa....wait a minute, I'm going to make myself hungry again.
You should have seen Larry and some of the others. They discovered that some of the silverware was magnetic and that they could pick up their fork or spoon with their knife. I'm telling you, it doesn't take much to amuse us sometimes.
After eating, we came back to the park and played a few more games of chickenfoot or other domino games. We had a lot of fun and it certainly got loud in there while we played! Note to anyone reading this; if you're building a game room or rally hall, use some carpet on the floors. Maybe on the walls. It absorbs sounds that echo around the room and make it hard for some older people to hear each other. Just a suggestion. I know that there are probably a lot of builders and designers that read this and I just wanted to let them know. Call this a public service announcement.
So long.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Saturday May 26, 2012-WinStar Casino RV Park
We went down for coffee and donuts in the rally hall courtesy of the Oklahoma club. We have been having a lot of fun with this group and today was no different. We played a dice game called Chickenfoot that was a lot of fun. We probably played for a couple of hours and went home to eat a bite of lunch and met back at the rally hall for a meeting. I forgot about having our group picture taken in front of Larry's trailer where he had his Heartland banner put out... Oops
We had the meeting and after, they gave out door prizes. They did the prizes different than normal, by allowing the winner to choose which prize they take. They had a nice prize for everyone attending, so everybody was happy.
We traveled to the Catfish Louie's restaurant for supper tonight. It was a good restaurant in Gainesville which is very near us here. The food was good but the best thing was the price. With everything included, we only paid about $16 for both of us!
We came back here to the park and played a couple of games of LCR, another dice game. Of course, these games are rigged and I didn't win. It was a lot of fun and when the games were over, we all split up to sit outside and visit. Some will be leaving tomorrow, but we're staying until Monday. I'm sure that we'll have some more fun tomorrow.
So long.
We had the meeting and after, they gave out door prizes. They did the prizes different than normal, by allowing the winner to choose which prize they take. They had a nice prize for everyone attending, so everybody was happy.
We traveled to the Catfish Louie's restaurant for supper tonight. It was a good restaurant in Gainesville which is very near us here. The food was good but the best thing was the price. With everything included, we only paid about $16 for both of us!
We came back here to the park and played a couple of games of LCR, another dice game. Of course, these games are rigged and I didn't win. It was a lot of fun and when the games were over, we all split up to sit outside and visit. Some will be leaving tomorrow, but we're staying until Monday. I'm sure that we'll have some more fun tomorrow.
So long.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friday May 25, 2012-Win Star Casino RV Park
Today is the anniversary of my first post on my blog. At that time, I was still working as a Police Detective and had not planned to retire when I did. Things have certainly changed since then!!! Who'd a thought I'd have 977 posts on this thing?
I'll say one thing for this Oklahoma group, they throw a good rally. We played a card game called 9 hole golf that was a lot of fun and then last night after supper we played candy bar bingo. The golf game really has nothing in common with golf but it uses 9 cards to play. Without boring you with trying to teach you to play, it was a pretty cool game. The candy bar bingo game is one that we have seen played by children but this variation was an adult version and lots of fun. The winner gets to choose what kind of candy bar they win by matching up playing cards.
They had coffee and donuts for breakfast this morning and there was a good turnout. It was very nice to sit around and visit with our friends here.
Supper was a potluck but the meat was furnished by the club. There was pulled pork and barbecued brisket and both were very tasty. Of course, the potluck side dishes were great, as usual. When was the last time you had a good meal at a potluck?
We have had a good time here and will be returning for another rally in Oklahoma.
So long.
I'll say one thing for this Oklahoma group, they throw a good rally. We played a card game called 9 hole golf that was a lot of fun and then last night after supper we played candy bar bingo. The golf game really has nothing in common with golf but it uses 9 cards to play. Without boring you with trying to teach you to play, it was a pretty cool game. The candy bar bingo game is one that we have seen played by children but this variation was an adult version and lots of fun. The winner gets to choose what kind of candy bar they win by matching up playing cards.
They had coffee and donuts for breakfast this morning and there was a good turnout. It was very nice to sit around and visit with our friends here.
Supper was a potluck but the meat was furnished by the club. There was pulled pork and barbecued brisket and both were very tasty. Of course, the potluck side dishes were great, as usual. When was the last time you had a good meal at a potluck?
We have had a good time here and will be returning for another rally in Oklahoma.
So long.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Thursday May 24, 2012-WinStar Casino RV Park
Our first full day here began well with a good group (7 rigs) being here already. I walked around and took a few photos and visited with those that were up and about. Larry, the Chapter Leader for Oklahoma, gave me an agenda for the rally, and so I knew that we needed to go to a grocery store for some supplies for the potluck and tomorrow's hot dog and hamburger dinner. Since we are not from around here, we decided to go to the store early and get that chore out of the way.
I went into the office and learned that there are no stores in Thackerville except a convenience store, but there is a Tom Thumb grocery in nearby Gainesville TX that we could go to. We found it with no problem and got our shopping done quickly and were on our way back. The feeder roads were under construction, so we were detoured around, but after driving around for what seemed like a couple of hours, we were on our way back to the park.
You know those huge wings that are used on the wind generators to produce electricity? Yeah, those huge things that we see being pulled on the highway and escorted by cars and trucks with flashing lights. Those things are built right here in Gainesville Texas. Interesting...
When we got back and put our groceries away, I went outside and began visiting with our friends that were here. Larry had a meet and greet scheduled for this afternoon in the rally hall from 2-4 PM, so we went over for that and had a good time meeting new friends and visiting with others that we knew already.
Our supper tonight was hot dogs and hamburgers that were furnished by the club. We all brought side dishes or desserts and again it was a fine time. Everyone had arrived today, so the rally hall was pretty full. Everyone had a great time and we all sat around visiting before going home for the night.
Congratulations to Larry and Donna for a very good first rally.
So long.
I went into the office and learned that there are no stores in Thackerville except a convenience store, but there is a Tom Thumb grocery in nearby Gainesville TX that we could go to. We found it with no problem and got our shopping done quickly and were on our way back. The feeder roads were under construction, so we were detoured around, but after driving around for what seemed like a couple of hours, we were on our way back to the park.
You know those huge wings that are used on the wind generators to produce electricity? Yeah, those huge things that we see being pulled on the highway and escorted by cars and trucks with flashing lights. Those things are built right here in Gainesville Texas. Interesting...
When we got back and put our groceries away, I went outside and began visiting with our friends that were here. Larry had a meet and greet scheduled for this afternoon in the rally hall from 2-4 PM, so we went over for that and had a good time meeting new friends and visiting with others that we knew already.
Our supper tonight was hot dogs and hamburgers that were furnished by the club. We all brought side dishes or desserts and again it was a fine time. Everyone had arrived today, so the rally hall was pretty full. Everyone had a great time and we all sat around visiting before going home for the night.
Congratulations to Larry and Donna for a very good first rally.
So long.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wednesday May 23, 2012-Moving day-Oasis RV Resort to Winstar Casino RV Park, Thackerville OK
We woke this morning, intending to get a very early start on moving day but it just wasn't in the cards. Thats okay, we have the time and don't really have to get in a big hurry, even though today is to be a longer driving day than normal.
We got away about 9:30 instead of 8:30 but it worked out okay. I was through with my outside work at 8:30, but Stella told me not to touch anything with the repaired hydraulics since that was the first thing to mess up in our problems. I did as she asked, and everything worked perfectly! No problem, no drama, everything worked exactly like it was supposed to do. We actually made excellent time all day. We breezed through Houston without slowing down, and in fact the first time we were below 60 MPH was when we slowed to take our first rest stop in Huntsville. The state of Texas has improved so many of the rest areas, and all travelers should take advantage of it. The new rest areas also feature free wi-fi hotspots, so if you need to check email or send one, this is a good place to do it.
We pulled into the Winstar Casino RV park a little after 4, and someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that we were coming. It was very hot and the wind was blowing about 40 MPH! It wasn't long before we were all set up and ready to rally!
We went over to the casino for a brief visit to get Stella's gift card enabled. That $10 gift card could make us millionaires this weekend if she plays the slots well, so if I don't continue this blog, you'll know that we were big winners in the casino and are living the high life.
So long.
We got away about 9:30 instead of 8:30 but it worked out okay. I was through with my outside work at 8:30, but Stella told me not to touch anything with the repaired hydraulics since that was the first thing to mess up in our problems. I did as she asked, and everything worked perfectly! No problem, no drama, everything worked exactly like it was supposed to do. We actually made excellent time all day. We breezed through Houston without slowing down, and in fact the first time we were below 60 MPH was when we slowed to take our first rest stop in Huntsville. The state of Texas has improved so many of the rest areas, and all travelers should take advantage of it. The new rest areas also feature free wi-fi hotspots, so if you need to check email or send one, this is a good place to do it.
We pulled into the Winstar Casino RV park a little after 4, and someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that we were coming. It was very hot and the wind was blowing about 40 MPH! It wasn't long before we were all set up and ready to rally!
We went over to the casino for a brief visit to get Stella's gift card enabled. That $10 gift card could make us millionaires this weekend if she plays the slots well, so if I don't continue this blog, you'll know that we were big winners in the casino and are living the high life.
So long.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Tuesday May 22, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
I was up pretty early and getting things done on our last full day here. I had a couple of things that I wanted to take to storage, so I was out the door before 9 this morning. Our parts were supposed to be here today, and I knew that Stella wanted to go wash our dirty clothes and one of us would have to be here when the work is being done, so I wanted to get an early start. I found diesel fuel for about .15 cheaper than the other stations, so I pulled in and spent what felt like an hour filling both tanks before going to store our stuff. Keep this in mind for later...
After leaving the storage lot, I decided to stop off at Discount Tire to get a free air check. The nice young man there would not accept any money for topping off the air in all the truck tires and I was quickly on my way. I did learn to twist the decorative center caps on the rear dually wheels. They will fall off in the parking lot if not properly secured.
I stopped off at Wal Mart to pick up a couple of last minute items including another wash bucket to keep the truck and trailer clean. My last one blew away during a storm, but they're only about $3, so I didn't spend much money.
I came on back home and stopped by the office to check on our parts. They were in HALLELUJAH!! but Ryan had been sent over to Alvin to install some awning material for a customer. Willy the service manager, told me that he knew we intended to leave tomorrow and he would send Ryan over as soon as he returned.
It was probably close to 2 PM before Ryan came by. I had just taken Stella to wash our clothes and had just gotten back when he arrived. He began to work and about 15-20 minutes later, he had installed the parts and was ready to check the slide operation. He hit the button and NOTHING! happened. With a puzzled look, he went back outside and began trying to get things going. Mike dropped by to load his trailer up and take it home for them to take a trip this weekend and he and I tried to think of things to suggest to Ryan, but he figured it out on his own. It had to be a bad slide-out switch, so he left to see if they had a switch in stock. Mike got loaded up and I wanted to watch him negotiate the turn out of the park, so as I walked over the exit gate, I saw Ryan returning with the new switch. HALLELUJAH!! again, it worked! We slid the doorside room in and bumped the offdoor side so we knew it worked. Talk about a last minute fix! He got through about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Now keep in mind that I'm usually outside when all this sliding rooms in is going on and didn't think about the furniture that has to be moved and everything picked up off the floor to get the slides in. And of course, the dogs were freaking out when the couch started to move. Long story short, everything is working properly now so all is well with the world. Our world at least...
I went and picked Stella up at the washateria and we came on back home. I went outside and started putting things away since we now know that we can leave tomorrow, while Stella put our clean clothes away.
We decided to go over and see the boys one more time before we leave. Of course, as soon as we got there, both of them, being eternally hungry, demanded that we take them out to eat before we go. It's not, we want to spend a little more time with you MeMa and PePaw, it, we're hungry and you need to feed us! in fact, Tyler tried to quote me some obscure law that says that grandparents Must take a hungry grandchild out to eat! I think he's still trying to find that one in the law book.
We (I) decided to go eat some oriental food at one of our old favorite buffets. Cameron, being the food critic in the family, said the food wasn't very good there but we went anyway. I've got to give Cam his due, he knows his restaurants. The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. It was stale and tough and wasn't the same quality of food that we had before. I'll bet there is something else in this location the next time we come.
After a lot of hugs, we were on our way back home to start packing. I decided that, since we have driven about 50 miles since I filled up this morning, I would stop at a station that is near the park and top off the tank.
I wanted to start this long trip absolutely full. I told Stella that I knew we were down about 3, maybe 4 gallons of fuel, so we wouldn't spend only a couple of bucks at the pump. I said it would look really stupid to go in and only get a tiny amout of fuel with prices what they are now. The pump wouldn't take my credit card, so Stella went inside and told the clerk that we would only need about $12-$15 worth of fuel and she turned the pump on. In only a few seconds, she told Stella I was through and the bill was only 60 cents! Our auxilliary tank siphons fuel into the truck tank as we drive, and that was all I could get into the truck! I was too embarrassed to put any into the extra tank, so we left. The truck tank is absolutely full, right up to the filler neck!
Maybe that was one of those things you had to be there to see the humor.
So long.
After leaving the storage lot, I decided to stop off at Discount Tire to get a free air check. The nice young man there would not accept any money for topping off the air in all the truck tires and I was quickly on my way. I did learn to twist the decorative center caps on the rear dually wheels. They will fall off in the parking lot if not properly secured.
I stopped off at Wal Mart to pick up a couple of last minute items including another wash bucket to keep the truck and trailer clean. My last one blew away during a storm, but they're only about $3, so I didn't spend much money.
I came on back home and stopped by the office to check on our parts. They were in HALLELUJAH!! but Ryan had been sent over to Alvin to install some awning material for a customer. Willy the service manager, told me that he knew we intended to leave tomorrow and he would send Ryan over as soon as he returned.
It was probably close to 2 PM before Ryan came by. I had just taken Stella to wash our clothes and had just gotten back when he arrived. He began to work and about 15-20 minutes later, he had installed the parts and was ready to check the slide operation. He hit the button and NOTHING! happened. With a puzzled look, he went back outside and began trying to get things going. Mike dropped by to load his trailer up and take it home for them to take a trip this weekend and he and I tried to think of things to suggest to Ryan, but he figured it out on his own. It had to be a bad slide-out switch, so he left to see if they had a switch in stock. Mike got loaded up and I wanted to watch him negotiate the turn out of the park, so as I walked over the exit gate, I saw Ryan returning with the new switch. HALLELUJAH!! again, it worked! We slid the doorside room in and bumped the offdoor side so we knew it worked. Talk about a last minute fix! He got through about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Now keep in mind that I'm usually outside when all this sliding rooms in is going on and didn't think about the furniture that has to be moved and everything picked up off the floor to get the slides in. And of course, the dogs were freaking out when the couch started to move. Long story short, everything is working properly now so all is well with the world. Our world at least...
I went and picked Stella up at the washateria and we came on back home. I went outside and started putting things away since we now know that we can leave tomorrow, while Stella put our clean clothes away.
We decided to go over and see the boys one more time before we leave. Of course, as soon as we got there, both of them, being eternally hungry, demanded that we take them out to eat before we go. It's not, we want to spend a little more time with you MeMa and PePaw, it, we're hungry and you need to feed us! in fact, Tyler tried to quote me some obscure law that says that grandparents Must take a hungry grandchild out to eat! I think he's still trying to find that one in the law book.
We (I) decided to go eat some oriental food at one of our old favorite buffets. Cameron, being the food critic in the family, said the food wasn't very good there but we went anyway. I've got to give Cam his due, he knows his restaurants. The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. It was stale and tough and wasn't the same quality of food that we had before. I'll bet there is something else in this location the next time we come.
After a lot of hugs, we were on our way back home to start packing. I decided that, since we have driven about 50 miles since I filled up this morning, I would stop at a station that is near the park and top off the tank.
I wanted to start this long trip absolutely full. I told Stella that I knew we were down about 3, maybe 4 gallons of fuel, so we wouldn't spend only a couple of bucks at the pump. I said it would look really stupid to go in and only get a tiny amout of fuel with prices what they are now. The pump wouldn't take my credit card, so Stella went inside and told the clerk that we would only need about $12-$15 worth of fuel and she turned the pump on. In only a few seconds, she told Stella I was through and the bill was only 60 cents! Our auxilliary tank siphons fuel into the truck tank as we drive, and that was all I could get into the truck! I was too embarrassed to put any into the extra tank, so we left. The truck tank is absolutely full, right up to the filler neck!
Maybe that was one of those things you had to be there to see the humor.
So long.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday May 21, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Today is our next-to-last day here at the Oasis. I went down to the office first thing in the morning and got the bad news that the parts were not being shipped until today. I had been afraid of that because Ryan had called Bob at Lippert to order the parts and the call had gone to voice mail. He didn't get the message until too late to get the order out on Friday, so it looks like its going to go right down to the wire on the repairs. Bummer, but as long as they come in tomorrow.
We ran a few more errands brought a couple more items over to storage and bought a few groceries for the road and for the potluck dinner in Oklahoma and returned home. We were meeting our friends Harry and Judy for supper at the Monterrey House restaurant in Dickinson. This has always been one of our favorite mexican restaurant and they didn't disappoint us. The food is good and inexpensive, always a good combination and they have the best salsa and chips, so we enjoyed our time with our good friends. Sadly Harry had a heart attack about 9 months ago and hasn't been released by is doctor yet to get back out on the road. Get well soon Harry, we miss you and the road is calling!
So long.
We ran a few more errands brought a couple more items over to storage and bought a few groceries for the road and for the potluck dinner in Oklahoma and returned home. We were meeting our friends Harry and Judy for supper at the Monterrey House restaurant in Dickinson. This has always been one of our favorite mexican restaurant and they didn't disappoint us. The food is good and inexpensive, always a good combination and they have the best salsa and chips, so we enjoyed our time with our good friends. Sadly Harry had a heart attack about 9 months ago and hasn't been released by is doctor yet to get back out on the road. Get well soon Harry, we miss you and the road is calling!
So long.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Sunday May 20, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Today was another relaxing day around here. I didn't feel too well this morning and decided not to go to Cam's baseball game. Stella decided to go, so she drove over and went to the ball game, which was another loss, 8-0. She and Kim then went to a short concert by the jazz band that Tyler is a member of. It was a very short performance and she was back home in the early afternoon.
We stayed around here for awhile and just as Stella was getting ready to fix us something to eat, Tommy and Susan called and invited us to go eat with them. We had just the place, Bubba's in San Leon. They said that it sounded good to them, so off we went. When we got over to the area where the restaurant was, we found that something was going on and there were about a million cars parked along the streets making it hard to get around. We never made it to Bubba's and decided to go to another well-known restaurant in the area, the Topwater Grill. The food was good but not great in my opinion. This restaurant was just about destroyed in the storm but has been rebuilt and is even larger than ever. I was disappointed that we didn't get to Bubba's but we'll go another time.
We're still hoping that our parts will come in tomorrow morning and we can get everything done. This is not a bad park, but we're ready to get back on the road. We can't wait for the summer trips that we have planned. If all goes as planned, we'll be on the road on Wednesday.
So long.
We stayed around here for awhile and just as Stella was getting ready to fix us something to eat, Tommy and Susan called and invited us to go eat with them. We had just the place, Bubba's in San Leon. They said that it sounded good to them, so off we went. When we got over to the area where the restaurant was, we found that something was going on and there were about a million cars parked along the streets making it hard to get around. We never made it to Bubba's and decided to go to another well-known restaurant in the area, the Topwater Grill. The food was good but not great in my opinion. This restaurant was just about destroyed in the storm but has been rebuilt and is even larger than ever. I was disappointed that we didn't get to Bubba's but we'll go another time.
We're still hoping that our parts will come in tomorrow morning and we can get everything done. This is not a bad park, but we're ready to get back on the road. We can't wait for the summer trips that we have planned. If all goes as planned, we'll be on the road on Wednesday.
So long.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday May 19, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Today was a bad day around here. No everything in the trailer is okay, but we went to two of Cameron's baseball games and they got spanked in both of them. They were dominated in most of the first game but made a comeback in the final inning and lost 7-6. (They must play at least 4 innings, but the games are limited to 1 1/2 hours for scheduling) The second game was a blowout defeat and at the end of 3 innings, they were behind 15-1, but again rallied in the final at-bat and lost it 17-5. Cam was in a bad mood after the game and didn't even speak to me as we left the field. I had planned for him to come over and swim in the pool here but he was acting up and didn;t get invited.
Tyler had band performances at 11 and 12:30 that we couldn't make because of the ball games. The band only performed a couple of songs for a couple of events, so it was no big deal that we missed.
We came on back home and hung out here. Let me ask you a question. Yesterday I bought a new shredder at Office Depot for Stella to use when she gets rid of our own documents but mainly for shredding her client's documents. At the same time I bought a new computer game and while checking out, the clerk warned me that if the game was opened, it could not be returned. I asked her if this rule would still apply if the software was defective and she said the rule is, no return if opened, no exceptions. I didn't know if this was a friendly warning to all customers or somehow she was telling me this software was possibly bad. I hesitated buying but it was a brand of game that I have bought several times in the past, just an updated version. Well, sure enough, I got home and downloaded the new software and now it won't load.
Now comes the real question. We hadn't unpacked the shredder, so I thought about taking it back to the store and get my money back for that item if they stick to their policy. No problem there and it would make my point, but Stella really does need the new shredder and was glad to get it. Decisions, decisions...
So long.
Tyler had band performances at 11 and 12:30 that we couldn't make because of the ball games. The band only performed a couple of songs for a couple of events, so it was no big deal that we missed.
We came on back home and hung out here. Let me ask you a question. Yesterday I bought a new shredder at Office Depot for Stella to use when she gets rid of our own documents but mainly for shredding her client's documents. At the same time I bought a new computer game and while checking out, the clerk warned me that if the game was opened, it could not be returned. I asked her if this rule would still apply if the software was defective and she said the rule is, no return if opened, no exceptions. I didn't know if this was a friendly warning to all customers or somehow she was telling me this software was possibly bad. I hesitated buying but it was a brand of game that I have bought several times in the past, just an updated version. Well, sure enough, I got home and downloaded the new software and now it won't load.
Now comes the real question. We hadn't unpacked the shredder, so I thought about taking it back to the store and get my money back for that item if they stick to their policy. No problem there and it would make my point, but Stella really does need the new shredder and was glad to get it. Decisions, decisions...
So long.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Friday May 18, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Since I had heard that my parts are in, I went up to talk to Willy about the status of the work to be done. Let me tell you, these guys around here are among the busiest I've ever been around, with working on boats, trailers and answering questions from pestering customers like me. I have never had a conversation with Willy without another employee coming in to ask him a question about something that is more important than what I'm talking to him about. Well, to be honest, its more important to someone, maybe not me... Anyway, I have a great deal of respect for the whole service crew here. If I was working here, I'd probably install an outboard motor on someone's fifth wheel or something else silly like that.
Ryan was soon at our house and began to work on the new slide ram that he had installed. The doorside slide still wouldn't move, but he finally discovered that it was not really the ram that was a problem but the solenoid that controls it. He switched the wiring on the solenoids and the other slide wouldn't work so he knows where the problem is. He ordered the parts that are needed and hopefully they will be delivered soon so we can still leave on schedule on Wednesday.
While he was here, we checked on the leveling system. Everything works now as advertised. The auto level works again, the rear jacks work properly and the stabilizers are synced in with the rest of the leveling system.
I want to reflect for a few moments on some recent events. We have already talked about the Travon Martin killing in Florida, but it seems that it just won't go away. Yesterday there was news that Zimmerman's injuries are consistent with his story. Witnesses are now being quoted as seeing the fight and Zimmerman being on the ground, apparently getting the worst of the fight. Okay, is the jury (the news-reading public) ready to render their verdict? How can this man get a fair trial? We have seen much of the evidence including photos, so why even have a trial?
Another big why is the Roger Clemens charge of lying to congress. The first trial ended in a mistrial and the government, in their quest for justice, tried this man again! Now their lead witnesses have admitted that they lied, so where is the case? Why is it that congress can lie to us, their constituents and that is just politics, but a wealthy athlete can lie to them and they are upset. I guess I just don't understand.
I'm not going to get into Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona and the feds crusade against him. He has been under investigation for just about everything he has done but if you read about what he has accomplished, he should be the Attorney General and not the clown that is in there now. And the other clown that put him there. I can't wait for January 20, 2013-END OF AN ERROR!
So long.
Ryan was soon at our house and began to work on the new slide ram that he had installed. The doorside slide still wouldn't move, but he finally discovered that it was not really the ram that was a problem but the solenoid that controls it. He switched the wiring on the solenoids and the other slide wouldn't work so he knows where the problem is. He ordered the parts that are needed and hopefully they will be delivered soon so we can still leave on schedule on Wednesday.
While he was here, we checked on the leveling system. Everything works now as advertised. The auto level works again, the rear jacks work properly and the stabilizers are synced in with the rest of the leveling system.
I want to reflect for a few moments on some recent events. We have already talked about the Travon Martin killing in Florida, but it seems that it just won't go away. Yesterday there was news that Zimmerman's injuries are consistent with his story. Witnesses are now being quoted as seeing the fight and Zimmerman being on the ground, apparently getting the worst of the fight. Okay, is the jury (the news-reading public) ready to render their verdict? How can this man get a fair trial? We have seen much of the evidence including photos, so why even have a trial?
Another big why is the Roger Clemens charge of lying to congress. The first trial ended in a mistrial and the government, in their quest for justice, tried this man again! Now their lead witnesses have admitted that they lied, so where is the case? Why is it that congress can lie to us, their constituents and that is just politics, but a wealthy athlete can lie to them and they are upset. I guess I just don't understand.
I'm not going to get into Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona and the feds crusade against him. He has been under investigation for just about everything he has done but if you read about what he has accomplished, he should be the Attorney General and not the clown that is in there now. And the other clown that put him there. I can't wait for January 20, 2013-END OF AN ERROR!
So long.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Thursday May 17, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Another nice but warm morning here. I found out that the parts are in, so I just waited for Ryan to come down and do the final install. I had gotten a box of old medical records that Stella had been keeping for one of her clients, so she went outside and sat under the awning to shred and I went out so sit with her. Ryan had showed up and was working on replacing the ram on the door side slide. After awhile he asked me to push the slide button but nothing happened. I could hear the hydraulic pump working but the slide didn't move. Ryan came out scratching his head and after some conversation, he asked me to call Bob at Lippert again for help. I couldn't get in touch with Bob and left him a message and Ryan went on to other installs.
Mike came over and emptied his extra fuel tank into mine. He has made a deal to buy a new truck and didn't want to let the fuel go with his old truck. Mike also told me that they would take my old Adirondack chairs. Those chairs have been in the family for a long time and they have a large history with us. It gets a few things out of storage and still stays in our "family".
We stayed around while Ryan completed his tasks and later, Stella and I drove over and picked up the chairs and dropped them off at Mike and Patrice's house. We then rode over to San Leon to find a new restaurant called Bubba's that Carol had told us about. It wasn't in the exact location that we had been told but we found it. They advertise that they are "the home of the endless shrimp" so we'll probably check it out this weekend. I'll give a review of it when we go.
So long.
Mike came over and emptied his extra fuel tank into mine. He has made a deal to buy a new truck and didn't want to let the fuel go with his old truck. Mike also told me that they would take my old Adirondack chairs. Those chairs have been in the family for a long time and they have a large history with us. It gets a few things out of storage and still stays in our "family".
We stayed around while Ryan completed his tasks and later, Stella and I drove over and picked up the chairs and dropped them off at Mike and Patrice's house. We then rode over to San Leon to find a new restaurant called Bubba's that Carol had told us about. It wasn't in the exact location that we had been told but we found it. They advertise that they are "the home of the endless shrimp" so we'll probably check it out this weekend. I'll give a review of it when we go.
So long.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday May 16, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
I was up and dressed early this morning because Mike had told me that there was a couple that wanted to look at trailers here at Ron Hoover RV. They also wanted to meet the Heartland Ambassador, so I got up and dressed and wore one of my Heartland shirts to meet these folks and of course, they didn't show up. Mike and I just sat in the kitchen and drank some coffee while waiting, and let me tell you, the coffee down there was terrible! It was probably the first coffee made this morning and was burned but its not the worst that I've ever had.
A little later I decided to go get a tool pouch and some more tools from Lowe's. I had some items to return for a credit and that gift certificate from Caddo Lake NWR so now I had some MONEY to spend! It took me a long time to make up my mind because that store is so big and I didn't have Stella along to slow me down-or speed me up to get out of the men's toy store!
I spent the rest of the afternoon moving my tools into the new pouch and getting things arranged in the tool box but my aim is to get things arranged so I can reach them from the ground with the trailer hitched up and I've got things pretty well done.
Where did all the cool mornings and evenings go? It was hot today. The humidity levels are pretty low but there is so much moisture in the ground from the heavy rains over the weekend that it is still steamy out here in this swamp where the RV park is located. Can't wait to get moving north!
So long.
A little later I decided to go get a tool pouch and some more tools from Lowe's. I had some items to return for a credit and that gift certificate from Caddo Lake NWR so now I had some MONEY to spend! It took me a long time to make up my mind because that store is so big and I didn't have Stella along to slow me down-or speed me up to get out of the men's toy store!
I spent the rest of the afternoon moving my tools into the new pouch and getting things arranged in the tool box but my aim is to get things arranged so I can reach them from the ground with the trailer hitched up and I've got things pretty well done.
Where did all the cool mornings and evenings go? It was hot today. The humidity levels are pretty low but there is so much moisture in the ground from the heavy rains over the weekend that it is still steamy out here in this swamp where the RV park is located. Can't wait to get moving north!
So long.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday May 15, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
We began today with another nice morning with cool temperatures. It won't be long until these cool mornings are just a memory. Rain had been forecast and it stayed cloudy most of the day and was a pleasant day to work outside. Ryan and a helper came over and installed the rear stabilizer and the solenoid that was bad but one of the boxes from Lippert got lost in transit, so we're waiting on that to arrive. Things are really starting to shape up!
While it was cool and cloudy I finished up waxing the front and door side of the trailer. I am glad to have gotten that chore out of the way and the trailer looks great. I think Cameron has some ball games this weekend, so we'll go to see him play and I won't get anything done around here, but I'll be busy with last minute chores before we leave on Wednesday.
Mike and Patrice came over for awhile this evening and we had a nice visit with them. Mike was driving a new Ford truck that he is thinking about buying that better matches his new full body paint Landmark. Its very pretty and I wish him well with it. I don't want another larger truck payment. I hope this truck lasts us a long time.
So long.
While it was cool and cloudy I finished up waxing the front and door side of the trailer. I am glad to have gotten that chore out of the way and the trailer looks great. I think Cameron has some ball games this weekend, so we'll go to see him play and I won't get anything done around here, but I'll be busy with last minute chores before we leave on Wednesday.
Mike and Patrice came over for awhile this evening and we had a nice visit with them. Mike was driving a new Ford truck that he is thinking about buying that better matches his new full body paint Landmark. Its very pretty and I wish him well with it. I don't want another larger truck payment. I hope this truck lasts us a long time.
So long.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Monday May 14, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
I began the morning by going up to the service desk to check on the parts that we are expecting. They must have been very busy up there because I stood around for about 10 minutes before my technician, Ryan, came out. He told me that they expect the parts from Lippert either today or tomorrow and the new toilet and water pump have come in. He said he would be down later to install these two items. Sounds good!
I returned home and decided to go over to the storage lot where we've got lots and lots of stuff that we decided to keep when we sold the house. There is a huge assortment of stuff there, from RV and truck supplies to household furniture. I moved it around and made it easier to walk around in there and removed some things that needed to be thrown out. A very few items were brought back to the trailer and before I knew it, I had been there for a couple of hours. I decided to make a list of items I would like to sell and put them on Craigs list. I returned home and after a short cool-down period, I had made up my ad for Craigs list and put the items up for sale.
Ryan and another tech came down and installed the new toilet and water pump, so we were back in business soon. It took them less than 30 minutes to get the jobs done and all I had to do was unload the underbelly storage on one side of the trailer. Man, it got hot in a hurry!
I went back inside for awhile to cool off again but later in the evening, when the sun started to go down, I went out and started waxing the front and doorside of the trailer. I wanted a good coat of wax on the front for our summer trip so the bugs won't stick quite as bad. We leave next week if all goes well with the trailer repairs. That trailer is HUGE when you're waxing it! I was tired from all the other work I had done today, so I didn't get the side completed but it was enough for today.
I came back inside and sat in my chair watching television until time for a shower and bed. It had been an exhausting but productive day.
So long.
I returned home and decided to go over to the storage lot where we've got lots and lots of stuff that we decided to keep when we sold the house. There is a huge assortment of stuff there, from RV and truck supplies to household furniture. I moved it around and made it easier to walk around in there and removed some things that needed to be thrown out. A very few items were brought back to the trailer and before I knew it, I had been there for a couple of hours. I decided to make a list of items I would like to sell and put them on Craigs list. I returned home and after a short cool-down period, I had made up my ad for Craigs list and put the items up for sale.
Ryan and another tech came down and installed the new toilet and water pump, so we were back in business soon. It took them less than 30 minutes to get the jobs done and all I had to do was unload the underbelly storage on one side of the trailer. Man, it got hot in a hurry!
I went back inside for awhile to cool off again but later in the evening, when the sun started to go down, I went out and started waxing the front and doorside of the trailer. I wanted a good coat of wax on the front for our summer trip so the bugs won't stick quite as bad. We leave next week if all goes well with the trailer repairs. That trailer is HUGE when you're waxing it! I was tired from all the other work I had done today, so I didn't get the side completed but it was enough for today.
I came back inside and sat in my chair watching television until time for a shower and bed. It had been an exhausting but productive day.
So long.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Sunday May 13, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
Today is the day for everyone to honor their mother and grandmother. I would love to be able to do that, but all of my mothers, both my mother and mother-in-law as well as my grandmothers on both sides are all gone. My mother only lived to be 43 years old and died of cancer. She was a life-long smoker and that terrible disease took her life.
We had a pretty laid back morning around here. It was nice outside, so we went outside and drank our coffee outside. It was a great way to start the day.
Jeremy invited us to come over to eat barbecued ribs that he was fixing, so we went over there about 2 and hung out all afternoon with them. We didn't spend much time with the boys because they were glued to their X-Box and other games. I think they like it when we're in the house but they're too busy with their own interests. How quickly they grow up!
I hope you had a nice Mothers day.
So long.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Saturday May 12, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
It rained and stormed all night, and I got up about 3AM when a loud clap of thunder woke me. I stayed up and began reading about the storms that were coming through. There were places near Houston that got over 8" of rain over night! It didn't rain that much here, but there was lots of water around the campground.
We stayed inside for most of the morning but I did go out and polish up the front end of the truck. I have been working on the trailer off and on for the past few days, so today I decided to clean up the truck. I want both of them cleaned and waxed before we leave, but may not make it. Its hard to get it all done and still visit with friends and family that are down here.
My brother Phil called and invited us over to his house to eat tonight. We went over early to spend some time with him and his wife Carol, and luckily for us, his daughter Lindsay and her two sons AJ and Will were there. Her husband Mark stopped by to pick them up and we had a nice visit with them before they left. Phil fixed us chicken quesadillas and fish tacos which were both very good. We had not had fish tacos before tonight, and they were very good.
We enjoyed our time with Phil and Carol and Phil and I went to pick up their son Matthew at work. He was rather surprised when I blew my train horn to attract his attention, but everyone had some fun with it. Phil asked me to blow it again as we left, so we woke up his neighbors-not really, because it was only about 8PM. I did see one of his neighbors come out to see where the train was. I hope Phil doesn't get in trouble with the neighbors or his HOA.
So long.
We stayed inside for most of the morning but I did go out and polish up the front end of the truck. I have been working on the trailer off and on for the past few days, so today I decided to clean up the truck. I want both of them cleaned and waxed before we leave, but may not make it. Its hard to get it all done and still visit with friends and family that are down here.
My brother Phil called and invited us over to his house to eat tonight. We went over early to spend some time with him and his wife Carol, and luckily for us, his daughter Lindsay and her two sons AJ and Will were there. Her husband Mark stopped by to pick them up and we had a nice visit with them before they left. Phil fixed us chicken quesadillas and fish tacos which were both very good. We had not had fish tacos before tonight, and they were very good.
We enjoyed our time with Phil and Carol and Phil and I went to pick up their son Matthew at work. He was rather surprised when I blew my train horn to attract his attention, but everyone had some fun with it. Phil asked me to blow it again as we left, so we woke up his neighbors-not really, because it was only about 8PM. I did see one of his neighbors come out to see where the train was. I hope Phil doesn't get in trouble with the neighbors or his HOA.
So long.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Friday May 11, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
We began our day with a light breakfast and took off pretty early for the AT & T store to get my new I-Phone 3GS phone. I had been told that I already had a 3GS phone but it turned out that it was only the 3G model which didn't have some features that I wanted and needed. Apple is fazing out all of the 3G phones but for now they are still supporting the 3GS model, so I should be okay for awhile. When it comes to electronics, who knows any more?
With that done, we headed over to Alvin to meet Kristene, who had worked for me in Manvel as Fire Marshal, for lunch. We met her at one of Stella's favorite restaurants, Kelly's. Kristene has been on a serious diet and looks great! It was really good to see our old friend and we had a great lunch to boot, so it was a good time for two reasons.
We had some business to get done at the Ron Hoover store in Katy, so we drove up there and were soon on our way back south. Tommy and Susan called and wanted to come down to see us and to go out to eat tonight, so we hurried on back to take care of the doggies and to be ready to meet our friends. This was the first time that they have seen our new trailer, so although it is dirty, they liked it. It's a big improvement over the Bighorn and they noticed.
We decided to go to Galveston for supper. We decided on Benno's Restaurant on the seawall. The food was very good, a cross between a fast food restaurant-you order your meal at the counter-with some great choices of food. When we finished eating, we drove around for a bit and I pointed out two of the houses that I lived in when I lived on the island. It was a trip back in time for me and we saw some very beautiful old houses in some of the neighborhoods. We had a nice time with our friends. We returned to the Oasis and sat outside for awhile before they had to return home.
I have been talking to Tommy, who is a retired professional photographer, about one of those small video cameras. He has a Flip camcorder that he recommends and in fact, he let me use his. I'll take a few videos and see if I like it before I buy one for myself. you might even see a video soon that I took. Please check back.
So long.
With that done, we headed over to Alvin to meet Kristene, who had worked for me in Manvel as Fire Marshal, for lunch. We met her at one of Stella's favorite restaurants, Kelly's. Kristene has been on a serious diet and looks great! It was really good to see our old friend and we had a great lunch to boot, so it was a good time for two reasons.
We had some business to get done at the Ron Hoover store in Katy, so we drove up there and were soon on our way back south. Tommy and Susan called and wanted to come down to see us and to go out to eat tonight, so we hurried on back to take care of the doggies and to be ready to meet our friends. This was the first time that they have seen our new trailer, so although it is dirty, they liked it. It's a big improvement over the Bighorn and they noticed.
We decided to go to Galveston for supper. We decided on Benno's Restaurant on the seawall. The food was very good, a cross between a fast food restaurant-you order your meal at the counter-with some great choices of food. When we finished eating, we drove around for a bit and I pointed out two of the houses that I lived in when I lived on the island. It was a trip back in time for me and we saw some very beautiful old houses in some of the neighborhoods. We had a nice time with our friends. We returned to the Oasis and sat outside for awhile before they had to return home.
I have been talking to Tommy, who is a retired professional photographer, about one of those small video cameras. He has a Flip camcorder that he recommends and in fact, he let me use his. I'll take a few videos and see if I like it before I buy one for myself. you might even see a video soon that I took. Please check back.
So long.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Thursday May 10, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
It was cloudy and cool this morning. Apparently a cool front that came through a few days ago is working. Whatever it is, I like it! It won't be long until people down here will be crying for a temperature like we had. Of course, we'll be in Wyoming or Colorado. Just HAD to rub it in...
I took care of some chores around the trailer this morning while it was still cool and cloudy. I dumped the tanks and while doing so, I used some spray-on wax that I had bought to wax the back side and end cap of the trailer. These were the sides that were shaded, even though it was cloudy. I used the wax application as a timer for rinsing the black tank. I would wax an area about both of my arms length wide and come back and wipe it off and open the black tank valve. I got a a good rinse on the black tank and a nice wax job on the trailer. Time will tell how good of a wax job I got.
I did a little research about a new I Phone for me. I found a 3G-S online for a new price of 99 cents or a refurb for a penny. I decided on the new phone but they wouldn't ship to a PO box or to an address other than the registered address. I then noticed that some company stores carry these models in stock, so I got on the phone and found one at the store on FM 646, about 8 miles away. We were soon in the store, ready to get the new phone but it was packed! We waited about ten or fifteen minutes but were not able to wait much longer because we needed to go pick up Tyler to go to his band concert tonight. We'll go back tomorrow to get the new phone.
Tyler's band concert was great! Tyler was recognized for his results in a competition recently and participated in three different bands, the Mariachi, Jazz and the marching band. He played the guitarron (the large guitar used in mariachi bands), and the baritone saxophone in the jazz and marching bands. A very talented young man!
While waiting for the band concert to begin, Stella and I grabbed something to eat at an Alfie's Fish and Chips restaurant that is near the high school. I have seen this place for years and had never tried it. The food was good, with a good flavor to the fish. It's not a gourmet restaurant but its not bad.
Another late night for us. We didn't get home until about 9:30 and could hear the thunder coming. Rain has been forecast for tonight and tomorrow and the dogs freak out when it thunders, so they were glad to see us. They need some more rain down here and I hope they don't have another drought summer like last year. I'll keep track from the mountains.
So long.
I took care of some chores around the trailer this morning while it was still cool and cloudy. I dumped the tanks and while doing so, I used some spray-on wax that I had bought to wax the back side and end cap of the trailer. These were the sides that were shaded, even though it was cloudy. I used the wax application as a timer for rinsing the black tank. I would wax an area about both of my arms length wide and come back and wipe it off and open the black tank valve. I got a a good rinse on the black tank and a nice wax job on the trailer. Time will tell how good of a wax job I got.
I did a little research about a new I Phone for me. I found a 3G-S online for a new price of 99 cents or a refurb for a penny. I decided on the new phone but they wouldn't ship to a PO box or to an address other than the registered address. I then noticed that some company stores carry these models in stock, so I got on the phone and found one at the store on FM 646, about 8 miles away. We were soon in the store, ready to get the new phone but it was packed! We waited about ten or fifteen minutes but were not able to wait much longer because we needed to go pick up Tyler to go to his band concert tonight. We'll go back tomorrow to get the new phone.
Tyler's band concert was great! Tyler was recognized for his results in a competition recently and participated in three different bands, the Mariachi, Jazz and the marching band. He played the guitarron (the large guitar used in mariachi bands), and the baritone saxophone in the jazz and marching bands. A very talented young man!
While waiting for the band concert to begin, Stella and I grabbed something to eat at an Alfie's Fish and Chips restaurant that is near the high school. I have seen this place for years and had never tried it. The food was good, with a good flavor to the fish. It's not a gourmet restaurant but its not bad.
Another late night for us. We didn't get home until about 9:30 and could hear the thunder coming. Rain has been forecast for tonight and tomorrow and the dogs freak out when it thunders, so they were glad to see us. They need some more rain down here and I hope they don't have another drought summer like last year. I'll keep track from the mountains.
So long.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Wednesday May 9, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
We've been sleeping later and later for some reason. I can't explain it, but we've been sleeping until 8 o'clock or later for the past two or three days. There is no reason for us to get up early except when we are traveling, which will begin again in another week or so. Actually it is exactly two weeks until we are scheduled to leave here for our summer trip, but who's counting?
Stella decided to take our laundry over to Kim's house to wash up so that she and Kim could spend some time together and to save us a couple of bucks. The money didn't mean nearly as much as the Mother/Daughter time. I didn't know that it would take ALL DAY LONG!! I took her over about 11 and came on back home and piddled around here for the rest of the day. I talked to Ryan and he didn't plan to do anything else to the trailer today, so I had the day off! What a concept...!
I went back over to pick Stella up about 6 but she and Kim had gone to get their nails done. When they returned, I learned that she still had one load to wash and dry and one more load to dry only. We finally left for home about 9:15. Like I said, it shouldn't have taken all day. At least we will only have to wash once more before we leave. Since this park is primarily an RV/boat dealer, there is no provision for a laundry facility, so we'll find one that is nearby.
I am amazed at how much the City of LaMarque has changed in the years since I lived and worked here. We lived here when Melissa was born and I worked for the Gibson Discount store and then began my career as a Police Officer officially with the LaMarque Police Dept. The old Gibson store is now an industrial cable company and the PD has moved around the corner from the old location into an old bank building. Of course, all the people that worked there are gone now, either having retired or moved on. My-my, how time flies.
So long.
Stella decided to take our laundry over to Kim's house to wash up so that she and Kim could spend some time together and to save us a couple of bucks. The money didn't mean nearly as much as the Mother/Daughter time. I didn't know that it would take ALL DAY LONG!! I took her over about 11 and came on back home and piddled around here for the rest of the day. I talked to Ryan and he didn't plan to do anything else to the trailer today, so I had the day off! What a concept...!
I went back over to pick Stella up about 6 but she and Kim had gone to get their nails done. When they returned, I learned that she still had one load to wash and dry and one more load to dry only. We finally left for home about 9:15. Like I said, it shouldn't have taken all day. At least we will only have to wash once more before we leave. Since this park is primarily an RV/boat dealer, there is no provision for a laundry facility, so we'll find one that is nearby.
I am amazed at how much the City of LaMarque has changed in the years since I lived and worked here. We lived here when Melissa was born and I worked for the Gibson Discount store and then began my career as a Police Officer officially with the LaMarque Police Dept. The old Gibson store is now an industrial cable company and the PD has moved around the corner from the old location into an old bank building. Of course, all the people that worked there are gone now, either having retired or moved on. My-my, how time flies.
So long.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Tuesday May 8, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
I went over to the service office this morning to check on the progress of the parts that are needed. I also needed to find out when Ryan was planning to come over today because we had planned to go over to Kim's house to do laundry and to give her and Stella a chance to visit. I learned that the technician from Frigidaire was coming over this afternoon and that Ryan was on his way over. Ryan soon came over and removed and repaired the toilet that had begun to leak. He had to remove it to find the gasket that was kinked and replaced it with a new one and reinstalled it. The tech from Frigidaire soon showed up and made an adjustment to the micro/convection oven and so, for today, everything is done!
It was early enough in the afternoon that we still had time to run some errands. I wanted to have my I-Phone checked because it wouldn't take any updates. We went to the Apple store at Baybrook mall and learned that my phone is up to date but a new 4G phone is recommended. The clerk said that the 3G phones like mine will soon be obsolete and tried really hard to sell me on the idea of a new phone, but I'm not buying it. I don't feel the need to buy a new phone every time a new one comes out with some new cool features, so I think I'll just keep this one.
We decided to eat a bite at the Cafe Adobe just outside Baybrook mall. Cafe Adobe had always been one of our favorite restaurants and it was still good here. I can't tell you the last time we've been at one but it was everything we remembered. We heard thunder and knew that thunderstorms had been predicted for today, so we hurried out of the restaurant and decided to go back home instead of going to the grocery store. The rain soon started and was pouring down when we passed the HEB store, but we went back home until it had stopped. After a couple of hours, the rain had stopped and we went on back to the store. With all our day's chores done, we returned home. We were both still full of the mexican food we had earlier, so we didn't have supper tonight. We like to do this sometimes, and I think we feel better.
So long.
It was early enough in the afternoon that we still had time to run some errands. I wanted to have my I-Phone checked because it wouldn't take any updates. We went to the Apple store at Baybrook mall and learned that my phone is up to date but a new 4G phone is recommended. The clerk said that the 3G phones like mine will soon be obsolete and tried really hard to sell me on the idea of a new phone, but I'm not buying it. I don't feel the need to buy a new phone every time a new one comes out with some new cool features, so I think I'll just keep this one.
We decided to eat a bite at the Cafe Adobe just outside Baybrook mall. Cafe Adobe had always been one of our favorite restaurants and it was still good here. I can't tell you the last time we've been at one but it was everything we remembered. We heard thunder and knew that thunderstorms had been predicted for today, so we hurried out of the restaurant and decided to go back home instead of going to the grocery store. The rain soon started and was pouring down when we passed the HEB store, but we went back home until it had stopped. After a couple of hours, the rain had stopped and we went on back to the store. With all our day's chores done, we returned home. We were both still full of the mexican food we had earlier, so we didn't have supper tonight. We like to do this sometimes, and I think we feel better.
So long.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Monday May 7, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
We woke to another warm morning here in the swamps of LaMarque. Luckily while we have been here it has been pretty breezy and kept the mosquitoes at bay, or at least not biting us. We stayed here several years ago and the skeeters were so bad, they had put up landing lights for them to land.
I took the truck to the Dodge dealer to get an oil change and to have the brakes checked. With that done, I went and put some fuel in the big tank, all in preparation for us leaving on time. Right now, I don't know whether that will happen. No parts have been ordered for the hydraulics yet and I don't know what kind of shipping times there are between Elkhart Indiana and here.
I came back here and cleaned up the outside of the trailer. There have been some birds that roost on the ladder of the trailer and we all know what comes out of the bottom side of a bird. Well, it was caked on the rungs of the ladder and all over the fiberglass. I had gotten it cleaned up and was all nice looking when a big 'ol cloud came up and dropped some rain on us. We need the rain, and since I had just gotten finished with cleaning, there was no issue but I certainly timed it right!
Ryan came over and worked on the awning that had pulled out of the track. I helped him a little bit and together we got it done. I guess if he stays up on the little things that need repair, whenever the parts come in for the Level Up, he'll be all ready to go.
So long.
I took the truck to the Dodge dealer to get an oil change and to have the brakes checked. With that done, I went and put some fuel in the big tank, all in preparation for us leaving on time. Right now, I don't know whether that will happen. No parts have been ordered for the hydraulics yet and I don't know what kind of shipping times there are between Elkhart Indiana and here.
I came back here and cleaned up the outside of the trailer. There have been some birds that roost on the ladder of the trailer and we all know what comes out of the bottom side of a bird. Well, it was caked on the rungs of the ladder and all over the fiberglass. I had gotten it cleaned up and was all nice looking when a big 'ol cloud came up and dropped some rain on us. We need the rain, and since I had just gotten finished with cleaning, there was no issue but I certainly timed it right!
Ryan came over and worked on the awning that had pulled out of the track. I helped him a little bit and together we got it done. I guess if he stays up on the little things that need repair, whenever the parts come in for the Level Up, he'll be all ready to go.
So long.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Sunday May 6, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
We all slept pretty late this morning because it had been almost midnight before we got the call to tell us what time Cameron had to be at the ball field-11:00 for the game and he would need to be there at 10. Not too bad!
We were up and showered and had breakfast in plenty of time. We found the field without any problem and went to watch the end of the game being played while Cam and his teammates warmed up. The game started promptly at 11 but we were soon down by 4 points. The boys battled back and went ahead but in the last inning, we got behind and couldn't pull it out. Bummer! It was a single elimination game, so the tournament was over for the Bengals.
The boy's cousin Jensine had come to the game and brought another friend of hers named Lindsay. The two girls had spent a lot of time with Tyler while at the ball game, and when I suggested that the boys come over to swim this afternoon. They said they would, and asked if Jensine and Lindsay could come too. I told them that they could all come. They all went home for awhile but about 4, Kim brought the boys back. They said the girls might come but they never showed up. The boys and I went to the pool but there was a large birthday party going on and they didn't want to crash the party. They came back to our house and hung out for awhile, hoping the party would break up but it didn't. They went home about 6:30 and said that we would try it again next week.
We stayed inside and watched "The Blind Side" on television. If you haven't seen it, it's a great "feel good" movie. We both read the book and now saw the movie and they are excellent. I plan to spend a lot of time reading my Kindle when we get to Colorado this summer. I am looking forward to sitting outside A LOT this summer when it's nice and cool but of course I'll be thinking about all of my friends and family back here in Texas. Enjoy the heat and humidity!
So long.
We were up and showered and had breakfast in plenty of time. We found the field without any problem and went to watch the end of the game being played while Cam and his teammates warmed up. The game started promptly at 11 but we were soon down by 4 points. The boys battled back and went ahead but in the last inning, we got behind and couldn't pull it out. Bummer! It was a single elimination game, so the tournament was over for the Bengals.
The boy's cousin Jensine had come to the game and brought another friend of hers named Lindsay. The two girls had spent a lot of time with Tyler while at the ball game, and when I suggested that the boys come over to swim this afternoon. They said they would, and asked if Jensine and Lindsay could come too. I told them that they could all come. They all went home for awhile but about 4, Kim brought the boys back. They said the girls might come but they never showed up. The boys and I went to the pool but there was a large birthday party going on and they didn't want to crash the party. They came back to our house and hung out for awhile, hoping the party would break up but it didn't. They went home about 6:30 and said that we would try it again next week.
We stayed inside and watched "The Blind Side" on television. If you haven't seen it, it's a great "feel good" movie. We both read the book and now saw the movie and they are excellent. I plan to spend a lot of time reading my Kindle when we get to Colorado this summer. I am looking forward to sitting outside A LOT this summer when it's nice and cool but of course I'll be thinking about all of my friends and family back here in Texas. Enjoy the heat and humidity!
So long.
Saturday May 5, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Today was scheduled to be a very busy day due to Tyler and Cameron and all their activities. We went to watch Tyler's marching band perform for the Cinco de Mayo parade at 10 o'clock and then for his mariachi band performance at 11:30. Whew!
I was rather surprised to see the intro for the mariachi band performance. I fully expected to see some very "pro Mexico" activities but the singing of the national anthem and pledge of allegiance both went very well. A Hispanic man in front of me did not remove his cap during the anthem but then when they played the Mexican national anthem he didn't remove it then either. Maybe he was trying to keep from being sunburned?
Cameron had a ensemble performance but somehow the instructions got jumbled and we all missed it. We heard later that he did great, but time will tell when the results are released.
Cam's baseball game this afternoon was at 6, or so we were told. We came home to fix something to eat and rest up for the games. Stella was just finishing up our meal about 4 when Cameron called to tell us his game time had been changed to 5 o'clock. You know, when we're there watching the game, it seems like each inning takes 20 minutes, but since we were late in being told of the game time, we were about ten minutes late to the game and they had already played the 1st inning. Cam's team-the Houston Bengals-lost the first game but won the second. Cam didn't pitch in the first game but was sent in as a reliever in the second game and only played one inning. He struck out two batters and made the third out when the batter hit a ground ball back to the pitcher which was an easy toss the the first baseman. He later told me that his coach was holding him out for the Sunday game(s) because he is a good pitcher.
Tyler had not come to the games because he was still hanging out with his band friends. I called to talk to him and he decided he wanted to come home with us to spend the night. I knew that Cam had to have his baseball uniform washed, so he would have to go home and might not want to come over, so we went to pick Tyler up and were on our way home when Cameron called and asked if we would come back over and pick him up. We did, so both boys spent the night with MeMa and PePa but were ready for bed as soon as they got here. It had been a long day for all of us.
So long.
I was rather surprised to see the intro for the mariachi band performance. I fully expected to see some very "pro Mexico" activities but the singing of the national anthem and pledge of allegiance both went very well. A Hispanic man in front of me did not remove his cap during the anthem but then when they played the Mexican national anthem he didn't remove it then either. Maybe he was trying to keep from being sunburned?
Cameron had a ensemble performance but somehow the instructions got jumbled and we all missed it. We heard later that he did great, but time will tell when the results are released.
Cam's baseball game this afternoon was at 6, or so we were told. We came home to fix something to eat and rest up for the games. Stella was just finishing up our meal about 4 when Cameron called to tell us his game time had been changed to 5 o'clock. You know, when we're there watching the game, it seems like each inning takes 20 minutes, but since we were late in being told of the game time, we were about ten minutes late to the game and they had already played the 1st inning. Cam's team-the Houston Bengals-lost the first game but won the second. Cam didn't pitch in the first game but was sent in as a reliever in the second game and only played one inning. He struck out two batters and made the third out when the batter hit a ground ball back to the pitcher which was an easy toss the the first baseman. He later told me that his coach was holding him out for the Sunday game(s) because he is a good pitcher.
Tyler had not come to the games because he was still hanging out with his band friends. I called to talk to him and he decided he wanted to come home with us to spend the night. I knew that Cam had to have his baseball uniform washed, so he would have to go home and might not want to come over, so we went to pick Tyler up and were on our way home when Cameron called and asked if we would come back over and pick him up. We did, so both boys spent the night with MeMa and PePa but were ready for bed as soon as they got here. It had been a long day for all of us.
So long.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Friday May 4, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
I spoke with my friend Ken, who owns RV-EZ Step, to tell him of a problem I have with some of the "feet" on my porch/steps. He told me to bring it over to his shop in Manvel this morning and he would look at it. When the powder coating had been applied, they apparently left the threads of the bolt on the feet exposed, making them freeze in place. Ken used a huge pipe wrench to get the bolts loose and after removing them, he used his wire wheel to clean them up. He then applied a new copper lubricant, so now they better than new!
On my way out, I noticed that Chief Garcia's vehicle was at the Manvel PD, so I decided to stop in to see my old boss and friend. I noticed his vehicle because it is the one that I had bought for my use when I worked at the Police Dept. It was good to catch up with things in Manvel, but even though he mentioned me coming back from retirement, I am not interested in going back.
On my way back home, I decided to stop by our old house to see if I could search around the back yard to find the plaque that I got for Ralphie, my dog that passed away about five years ago. It would have meant a lot to me if I could find it. I talked to the owner, a hispanic man who was very nice and allowed me to check in the yard where I had buried him but could not locate it. Someone had removed all the lily plants that were back there and the ground was hard as a rock and nothing was seen on top of the ground. I dug around, trying to find a piece of the ceramic monument but couldn't find anything. It was heartbreaking for me but then I didn't really expect to find it.
We hung out for the afternoon but got a call from Mike and Patrice inviting us to meet them at Gringos restaurant to celebrate Patrice's birthday. The restaurant was crowded and very loud tonight, so after a good meal with great friends, we came on back here and sat outside until the skeeters started to bite. Mike had brought their trailer out here yesterday but they didn't spend the night here but said they will be back to stay tomorrow.
So long
On my way out, I noticed that Chief Garcia's vehicle was at the Manvel PD, so I decided to stop in to see my old boss and friend. I noticed his vehicle because it is the one that I had bought for my use when I worked at the Police Dept. It was good to catch up with things in Manvel, but even though he mentioned me coming back from retirement, I am not interested in going back.
On my way back home, I decided to stop by our old house to see if I could search around the back yard to find the plaque that I got for Ralphie, my dog that passed away about five years ago. It would have meant a lot to me if I could find it. I talked to the owner, a hispanic man who was very nice and allowed me to check in the yard where I had buried him but could not locate it. Someone had removed all the lily plants that were back there and the ground was hard as a rock and nothing was seen on top of the ground. I dug around, trying to find a piece of the ceramic monument but couldn't find anything. It was heartbreaking for me but then I didn't really expect to find it.
We hung out for the afternoon but got a call from Mike and Patrice inviting us to meet them at Gringos restaurant to celebrate Patrice's birthday. The restaurant was crowded and very loud tonight, so after a good meal with great friends, we came on back here and sat outside until the skeeters started to bite. Mike had brought their trailer out here yesterday but they didn't spend the night here but said they will be back to stay tomorrow.
So long
Friday, May 4, 2012
Thursday May 3, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
I'm going to catch up some on photos that I haven't shared with you until today. These came from the Blue Angels practice that we saw at the Pensacola Naval Air Station before the rally in Gulf Shores.
Here is a much better shot of some of the old jets used by the Blue Angels. Someone told us that the jets that they use are actually fighters that can be converted from being a skill-demonstrator back to a fighter jet in a few hours.
Today was another slow day for us. We ran errands and Stella got her hair cut. Ryan seems to be making progress on our work and all four jacks are down and steadying the trailer. There are parts ordered, so as soon as they come in, we will be back in business.
So long.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Wednesday May 2, 2012-Oasis RV Resort/Ron Hoover RV
Today was a very laid-back day for us. We were expecting Ryan, the technician from Ron Hoover to come by and give us an update on the service work but he didn't show up. I later walked up to the office and had a chat with Willie the service manager. I offered my help in getting things set up and expedited but Willie told me to hold off before doing anything.
We stayed home and watched some television, which reminds me to tell you how much better the new Carryout antenna works. It is perfect as long as I have a view of the southern sky, which is all I can ask.
Today is Jeremy's birthday, so we drove down to their house this afternoon and were soon on our way to Carraba's in Webster for his birthday dinner. We had a good time with Kim and Jeremy and of course, Tyler and Cameron. They grow up so fast! Tyler is proud of being as tall or taller than I am and Cameron is right behind him. Cam has slimmed up a lot and can't really be called Buddah any more.
We were out until way after 9 o'clock tonight and I didn't turn into a pumpkin! I couldn't sleep when I got home-guess all the napping this afternoon worked!- and it was almost 11 before I turned in. Very late night for me...
So long.
We stayed home and watched some television, which reminds me to tell you how much better the new Carryout antenna works. It is perfect as long as I have a view of the southern sky, which is all I can ask.
Today is Jeremy's birthday, so we drove down to their house this afternoon and were soon on our way to Carraba's in Webster for his birthday dinner. We had a good time with Kim and Jeremy and of course, Tyler and Cameron. They grow up so fast! Tyler is proud of being as tall or taller than I am and Cameron is right behind him. Cam has slimmed up a lot and can't really be called Buddah any more.
We were out until way after 9 o'clock tonight and I didn't turn into a pumpkin! I couldn't sleep when I got home-guess all the napping this afternoon worked!- and it was almost 11 before I turned in. Very late night for me...
So long.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Tuesday May 1, 2012-Moving day-Poche's Fish N Camp to Oasis RV Resort, LaMarque TX
We got up pretty early this morning, around 7AM, to hit the road again today. I got most of the outside stuff stowed away and was ready to go except for the electric cord. I decided to raise the rear hydraulic jacks and when almost finished, I noticed the door side slide moving in. Great! I thought. Stella has started to slide the rooms in so it won't be long until we are on our way. Wrong! She came out the door screaming at me to stop! She wasn't ready for the room to come in, so obviously our problems with the hydraulic system have escalated. The jacks were all the way up, so when she was ready, she rolled the rooms in. She said that she had to hold the button on the two hydraulic-powered rooms to get them in, but they came in just the same. I had a similar problem with the landing gear and had to hold the switch in to get them up. When it seemed like we were ready to go, I noticed that the system was still working, even though the controller was off. It would flash on and the pump would engage, so I didn't want to start out down the road and have one of the rooms slide out or the jacks to deploy.I tried everything, trying to turn the controller back on, etc. but couldn't get anything to shut it down completely.
I sent a text message to Jim B and he agreed to contact Bob Tiedge, creator of the Level Up system. In just a few minutes, my phone rang with Bob on the line. Man, that's service! Bob walked me through disconnecting the ground wire to the pump, which stopped the "cycling" of the system. Now we were ready to roll!
I forgot about telling you about Bill's solution to the stabilizer problem. Neither of us thought that it would fit in the underbelly, but we went down and picked it up and brought it back, and after some moving things around in the storage compartment, it went in! Thank goodness, that just saved me a 500 mile drive to pick this thing up. I repacked everything and this part is done! Now back to the actual trip.
We made good time through Louisiana and crossed the Texas border around noon. Of course road construction slowed us down as soon as we crossed, but thats okay, we're back in Texas! We made our only stop at the Texas welcome center. After a quick walk to the restrooms, we were again on our way. I noticed that Texas did not offer free coffee to guests, as Mississippe and Alabama both do at theirs. Just an observation. I don't want taxes to go up because of free coffee.
We made it to the Ron Hoover Oasis Resort about 3:30 and were glad to be here for about three weeks. I think I overwhelmed the girl that wrote up our repair order but she wrote down every word that I said to her. A tech-Ryan- was soon at our site to help with getting the hydraulics to work. I called Bob back and he walked Ryan through getting things back in order. Now the entire system is down and Ryan finally got the front landing gear to come down by using the slide controls! He got the off-door slide out but had to manually roll the doorside slide out. He didn't try to get the rear jacks down today and promised to come back tomorrow to work on it some more.
We had promised Tyler that we would come over to take him to supper, but we were tired from two hard days of travel, topped off by the leveler problems, so we called and told him that we will put it off until tomorrow. We were glad to be here and able to relax. Now to get the repairs made.
So long.
I sent a text message to Jim B and he agreed to contact Bob Tiedge, creator of the Level Up system. In just a few minutes, my phone rang with Bob on the line. Man, that's service! Bob walked me through disconnecting the ground wire to the pump, which stopped the "cycling" of the system. Now we were ready to roll!
I forgot about telling you about Bill's solution to the stabilizer problem. Neither of us thought that it would fit in the underbelly, but we went down and picked it up and brought it back, and after some moving things around in the storage compartment, it went in! Thank goodness, that just saved me a 500 mile drive to pick this thing up. I repacked everything and this part is done! Now back to the actual trip.
We made good time through Louisiana and crossed the Texas border around noon. Of course road construction slowed us down as soon as we crossed, but thats okay, we're back in Texas! We made our only stop at the Texas welcome center. After a quick walk to the restrooms, we were again on our way. I noticed that Texas did not offer free coffee to guests, as Mississippe and Alabama both do at theirs. Just an observation. I don't want taxes to go up because of free coffee.
We made it to the Ron Hoover Oasis Resort about 3:30 and were glad to be here for about three weeks. I think I overwhelmed the girl that wrote up our repair order but she wrote down every word that I said to her. A tech-Ryan- was soon at our site to help with getting the hydraulics to work. I called Bob back and he walked Ryan through getting things back in order. Now the entire system is down and Ryan finally got the front landing gear to come down by using the slide controls! He got the off-door slide out but had to manually roll the doorside slide out. He didn't try to get the rear jacks down today and promised to come back tomorrow to work on it some more.
We had promised Tyler that we would come over to take him to supper, but we were tired from two hard days of travel, topped off by the leveler problems, so we called and told him that we will put it off until tomorrow. We were glad to be here and able to relax. Now to get the repairs made.
So long.
Monday April 30, 2012-Moving day-Gulf State Park to Poche's, Breaux Bridge LA
Okay, the day we dread has arrived! I was up and ready to go to work about 7 but we decided to get fuel before hooking up the trailers. Bill, David and I went in search of a Shell station, since I have begun using Shell and have gotten about 2 MPG more. The problem was that we couldn't find a station that sold diesel fuel near and had to drive about 15 miles to find one. Then, with the limits imposed by the station, I was only able to fill my big tank and put a couple of gallons into the truck tank, but thats okay, I have plenty to get back to Texas.
We finally pulled out of the park about 9:15 which is not too bad considering what we had to do this morning. We got to Interstate 10 and stopped at a Love's truck stop for a break. While there, we realized that we had passed a bakery that Ornell wanted to stop at, so we drove back and found it. We all loaded up on sweets to eat, which only made me drowsy on the road. Learned a good lesson here! We finally made it onto the highway around 10 and made pretty good time to the Mississippi Welcome center for our first stop. We made two more stops, including the last one at Camping World in Hammond LA. While there, I bought a screen door handle but came very close to not buying anything there. One of the service advisors was very rude when I tried to check out. I went up to his desk, and he snarled at me about if I was ready to check out. When I told him yes, he just pointed at the checkstands and said over there. There was no one there, so I had to just stand around for a few minutes while someone came out to check me out. I guess the checkers are trained to ask every customer if they want to renew their Good Sam card. Mine doesn't expire until the end of August so it really doesn't need renewing now. Maybe they get a commission on sales. Just leave me alone until July. Or August.
We got into Poche's a little after 5 o'clock, exhausted. It had been a very long day and everyone was tired out. Ornell fixed some chicken salad and Stella made a cream cheese dip, so we all ate a light supper and sat around, trying to recover from the long days drive. Bill and I drove down to check on my stabilizer jack and all was well with it. I couldn't see any way to carry the jacks in the truck or the trailer, so I called Jeremy to see if I could use his truck to drive back over here to pick it up and he told me of course I could use it.
We returned home and all went in and showered and were in bed by 8 o'clock. I didn't sleep well, worrying about the stabilizer and the problem of getting it re-installed and woke about 1AM. I napped a bit in my chair but never did go back to sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day on the road.
So long.
We finally pulled out of the park about 9:15 which is not too bad considering what we had to do this morning. We got to Interstate 10 and stopped at a Love's truck stop for a break. While there, we realized that we had passed a bakery that Ornell wanted to stop at, so we drove back and found it. We all loaded up on sweets to eat, which only made me drowsy on the road. Learned a good lesson here! We finally made it onto the highway around 10 and made pretty good time to the Mississippi Welcome center for our first stop. We made two more stops, including the last one at Camping World in Hammond LA. While there, I bought a screen door handle but came very close to not buying anything there. One of the service advisors was very rude when I tried to check out. I went up to his desk, and he snarled at me about if I was ready to check out. When I told him yes, he just pointed at the checkstands and said over there. There was no one there, so I had to just stand around for a few minutes while someone came out to check me out. I guess the checkers are trained to ask every customer if they want to renew their Good Sam card. Mine doesn't expire until the end of August so it really doesn't need renewing now. Maybe they get a commission on sales. Just leave me alone until July. Or August.
We got into Poche's a little after 5 o'clock, exhausted. It had been a very long day and everyone was tired out. Ornell fixed some chicken salad and Stella made a cream cheese dip, so we all ate a light supper and sat around, trying to recover from the long days drive. Bill and I drove down to check on my stabilizer jack and all was well with it. I couldn't see any way to carry the jacks in the truck or the trailer, so I called Jeremy to see if I could use his truck to drive back over here to pick it up and he told me of course I could use it.
We returned home and all went in and showered and were in bed by 8 o'clock. I didn't sleep well, worrying about the stabilizer and the problem of getting it re-installed and woke about 1AM. I napped a bit in my chair but never did go back to sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day on the road.
So long.
Sunday April 29, 2012-Gulf State Park-Alamissibamasippi rally
Today was the last day of the rally, so it was a bittersweet day for us. So many new friends and of course, the old friends that we saw here. We tried to see as many as we could before they left but I'm sure that some slipped out. We will some of these folks at Gillette but others will have to wait for another time.
We went down to the rally hall for a breakfast that was furnished by one of the local churches. They served pancakes with bacon and sausage and it was very good. Best of all, it was FREE! although we left a donation. Not too many of the rally-goers were there while we were but we appreciate the church for doing this. I didn't really want to eat too much since we have a big treat this afternoon.
We came back home and hung out with friends that are leaving this morning. We got a lot of good visiting time in before turning in for a nap. Gotta have a nap, or should that be NAP?
About 3:30 we started to get loaded up to go to Lambert's for our afternoon meal. We took Mickey and Bonnie and Eric and Dorothy with us for their first visit to a Lambert's restaurant. By the time we left, everyone was stuffed and ready to get home. It was a good time with our new friends.
We came back home and waddled over to Bill's trailer and sat out for a little while.
So long.
We went down to the rally hall for a breakfast that was furnished by one of the local churches. They served pancakes with bacon and sausage and it was very good. Best of all, it was FREE! although we left a donation. Not too many of the rally-goers were there while we were but we appreciate the church for doing this. I didn't really want to eat too much since we have a big treat this afternoon.
We came back home and hung out with friends that are leaving this morning. We got a lot of good visiting time in before turning in for a nap. Gotta have a nap, or should that be NAP?
About 3:30 we started to get loaded up to go to Lambert's for our afternoon meal. We took Mickey and Bonnie and Eric and Dorothy with us for their first visit to a Lambert's restaurant. By the time we left, everyone was stuffed and ready to get home. It was a good time with our new friends.
We came back home and waddled over to Bill's trailer and sat out for a little while.
So long.
Saturday April 28, 2012-Gulf State Park-Alamissibamasippi rally
Another beautiful morning here in Gulf Shores! There was a fire here last year that wiped out the trees and brush across the road from our site. I was told that someone further down from our area had been using a firepit and one of the embers set the grass on fire near their site. I would have thought that everyone would have known about a fire ban in the very dry conditions. No further comment is necessary.
Our new friends, Mickey and Bonnie wanted to come down this morning and talk to us about becoming full timers. We had a very nice visit with and before you know it, the morning was gone and it was time for lunch. We took a break and went to our next meeting with Jim and the other Chapter leaders and Regional Directors. It was a good meeting and we stuck around after to talk about an upcoming change that I can't talk about yet. Stay tuned...
We had a delicious barbecue dinner tonight, furnished by a local caterer. The food was good, but since we were near the back of the line, the pickings were a little thin. Not complaining, just telling what happened. We went back home and sat outside for awhile with our friends. The weather has been perfect this week. Good job Hogan!
So long.
Our new friends, Mickey and Bonnie wanted to come down this morning and talk to us about becoming full timers. We had a very nice visit with and before you know it, the morning was gone and it was time for lunch. We took a break and went to our next meeting with Jim and the other Chapter leaders and Regional Directors. It was a good meeting and we stuck around after to talk about an upcoming change that I can't talk about yet. Stay tuned...
We had a delicious barbecue dinner tonight, furnished by a local caterer. The food was good, but since we were near the back of the line, the pickings were a little thin. Not complaining, just telling what happened. We went back home and sat outside for awhile with our friends. The weather has been perfect this week. Good job Hogan!
So long.
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