Thursday, November 12

Today is Thursday

 Renie and I did get some pool played and we plan to meet again this afternoon. Women's league play begins December 9th. and we need to get some practice in. We are looking at upping our game this season. We tied for 3rd last season.

The weather has been on the wet side for the past four days but today the sun is shining and the temps are in the low 70's. Nigh on to perfect! Last night's happy hour had most wearing sweaters. I think there were 11 of us in attendance.


Butch and I square danced for twenty years or more. I ran across this booklet of members. I doubt there are many left of the members at the time. However there were 30 entries in this booklet and today it can be difficult to get 30 people together to do most anything. There were a few times we went to dances every night of the week. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time but it sure is now.



Below is a pic of the guy who is running trivia for me at Evergreen Ridge. A man of many talents!


Till next time!






















Wednesday, November 11

Yesterday...

 Another Tuesday at Dr. Mustre's in Progresso. Paul and I left early because I needed to return some items to Amazon and that means a trip to Staples in McAllen. The process is so easy although I do wish they were in a far closer vicinity.

We arrived at Dr. Mustres on time and a very short wait to get started. I was fitted with my new plates and they feel wonderful. I expected Paul to take a couple of hours but 2 turned into 4! He was feeling pretty beat up by the time they let him loose. He knew the whole process was going to be challenging but was caught a bit off guard yesterday. They found some infection so it was all necessary.  My only concern was getting to Trivia by 6:00pm. I did get there but getting ready took up every minute.

Trivia was good. We had 4 tables of players so it was a good start. I have started making the questions the same for both Evergreen players and Trophy players. It is too hard to keep them in line otherwise.

My friend and neighbor, Gail lost her husband yesterday. Bruce was the can collector in the park. and he worked right up to the end. He did have mouth cancer with chemo and radiation in his future so it was a blessing that he doesn't have to endure that. He passed in his sleep.

Trying to get the memorial of Butch into this blog. I started putting it together a while back but getting it to work in the blog has perplexed me. 

Day by Day!


Monday, November 9

Settled

 I finally feel fully settled in! 

First trivia will be tomorrow night at 6:30 PM in the main hall. For the record, you do not need a full team to join in. Come alone and I will find a team for you.

The first Sunday Mixed doubles Pool took place yesterday afternoon. Our recorder, Betsie Brown will post the results in her 'Bits and Pieces'. For my followers in Iowa-My partner and I had 4 wins out of 6.

My laundry is caught up and housekeeping is passable.

Paul and I will be going to Progresso tomorrow where I will be getting my new dentures and he will be going through another session of his major dental work.

Gail finished my chickens and they are beautiful! You would never know they started out as "rustic" eyesores. I am so tempted to take at least one of them back to Iowa with me...but probably won't! Texas chickens would most likely not be comfortable in Iowa. Truth is I have limited space there.  Hmmm,... maybe the baby one?




Thursday, November 5

A step back in time

 Before we landed in Trophy Gardens RV Park we were in Magnolia RV Park in Donna. Don't bother looking it up because it doesn't hold "Winter Texans" anymore.We greatly enjoyed our years there and made many friends. So I was looking at old posts (2004)? and ran across the one posted below. I left it as I found it but thought there may be some who would enjoy it.


Things to do in the RGV


Rio Grande Valley To Do List



I am going to need some help with this list. Help me add to it, please. And you folks who are no longer coming down please send me an email to tell me what you most miss about the Rio Grande Valley. In no particular order...

1. South Padre Island
a. Beach walk
b. Dirty Al's
c. Pirate's Landing
d. Kite Festival
e. Port Isabel- The Shrimp boats is a comin'

2. Basilica at San Juan
http://www.sanjuanshrine.org/
Even if you are not Catholic this is worth a stop.

3. Nuevo Progreso, Mexico
Everyone has a favorite place to eat/shop so go on down and develop your own favorites.

4. Riverside- right on the Rio Grande River. Great Food and Music. A fun place to gather with friends. Located south of Mission TX

5. Ropa Usada- means used clothing in Spanish and there are several places south on 23rd street out of McAllen where bargain hunters load up with used items for pennies a pound. An experience not to be missed.

6. Los Ebanos hand-pulled Ferry. This is not a highly touted tourist attraction. You can ride the ferry across the Rio Grande by car, bicycle or on foot and then it is about a mile to the first little Mexican village. They do not cater to all the fanciful things you will find in Nuevo Progreso. They are friendly but it is Mexico at a more primitive level. English is not spoken by many. It is a whole other country.

7. Golf at several different courses all of them a bargain compared to other parts of the country.

8. Park Activities- We cannot overlook our own backyard. Our own Magnolia Park Association schedules a mulitude of things to do sometimes making it difficult to find time for the other things on this list. $3.00 dues per person per season. The very best of bargains!

9. Santa Ana National Park- Your Golden Age Pass will get you into the park to spend several hours enjoying nature.

10. Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
See Javelina and every bird known to the Rio Grande Valley.

11. The original Iwo Jima Memorial in Harlingen TX

12.https://www.fws.gov/refuge/laguna_atascosa/ 
Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge

13. http://port-mansfield.com/ Lots of people go to Port Mansfield to see the deer and other wildlife 

14. Port of Brownsville tour
      https://islatours.com/tours/port-brownsville-tour

Time gets away!!

 On my second visit to the dentist I didn't get my new ones just yet. That will happen next Tuesday. It was more fittings done this Tuesday. Paul had a lot more done on this visit. He was numbed up well so we went next door and got pedicures. I was long overdue for one as I didn't get one I planned to last spring. This was Paul's first pedicure and he was pleasantly surprised. There were other men getting pedicures too so he wasn't a lone duck.

I have been taking pictures more readily so will rely on them to catch you all and me up on happenings.

Sycamore Tussock Moth caterpillar came to happy hour yesterday. He was too late to see everyone. 



Gail is finished with the chickens and they are looking fine! Doing this kind of work is only one of Gail's many talents.

 
You will see them again when I get them placed in their new home.
Before pics of the poultry: They were very "Rustic". The cat was a neighbor!


These are pic's I took at the dentist office in Progresso. 
I was waiting for them to get to me, so these are my perspective while waiting.



                              

                                  Women's Restroom...and it looks every bit as clean as mine at home...probably better!




When they first started working on me they had a few "students" come in to watch. I think my situation is not one they see often. 
My implants were done in the 1990's  by a dental surgeon in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was the best $3000 I ever spent! I went nuts over nuts afterward because for most of my prior life I was not able to eat them. I still eat nuts and enjoy every bite.

I have currently worn my dentures down to a flat surface. I will once again have more chewing power!

Till next time...I know you can hardly wait, I say sarcastically!







Sunday, November 1

Dental cost in US

 Of course I had to find out what the cost would be in the US for what I am having done. 

"For a completely new set of top and bottom dentures—utilizing the 2 dental implants you already have in place on your bottom jaw—the total estimated out-of-pocket cost in the US typically ranges from $4,000 to $10,000.

Because you already have the two lower implants surgically placed, your expense on the bottom is strictly for the prosthetic work and connections. Meanwhile, the top jaw will receive a standard, traditional removable denture."

Saturday, October 31

My life in South Texas...

 I forgot to relate one whole episode of something I am surprisingly looking forward to! New dentures! Butch's best friend and pool partner, Paul K. was going to Mexico to get a very large amount of dental work done. He is in the process of getting 6 extractions, 5 root canals and 10 crowns for 7k. 

I had some trouble getting some meds I needed in the US so I asked if I could ride down with him. He was having two hours worth of work done but I figured I could shop and I toyed with the idea of asking about getting new dentures. I got my meds and then went back to Dr. Mustre's office. This is where most of my friends that I know go to get work done. In my discussion with them they told me it depended on if you wanted top's, bottoms or both. I have had mine for about 30 years and I can almost see through them in a few places so they escorted me to a chair to have a look. I was told for tops only it would be $450. I have implants, also 30 years old. He said to get everything to blend well, both should be done and I agreed. So 3 visits, would be $1200. I thought that sounded reasonable. It is early in the season here and it is much easier to get appointments lined up now than later. 

He said we could get started now if I was willing and I agreed wholeheartedly. So all of the preliminaries have been attended to and I will get them next time we go down, which is next Tuesday! When he was looking things over, he did some cleanup and changed out my O-rings. I already feel like I have new teeth just with that procedure!

Now for all the questions about the safety of doing this in Mexico.  Dr. Mustre has offices in Progresso and the US. His office is pristine. I took a couple of photos while I was there.

Almost all of my friends go to Mustre. Butch's brother Bill and his wife Jo went to him when they came here. The photo isn't the best. If this office could be lifted out and placed anywhere in the US it would stand up to all scrutiny. I will get some better pics when we go back Tuesday. Dr Mustre has patients of all ages fly down to have their dental work done. I am not the least bit leery of having this done. And neither is Paul!

I have no idea how much this would all cost in Iowa but if you know let me know!


Tuesday, October 27

My Morning walk

 I walked from 7:04 to 8:15. I had to slow up a bit. Too much,too soon. I took some photos along the way. 

It's a hard to tell but this is cabbage. Crops grow on the east side of the park.


Beautiful sky this morning and the temp is 71 degrees


Later in the season there will be other people walking too.


I am going to label this one "At the end of lonely street" My friend Renie and her hubby Alex own the first place on the left. There are only two people actively living on the entire street and they are on the far end.


I have a 10:15 Doctor appt. (Tummy issues) and a 2:30 haircut appt. At my age it takes awhile to attend to all the body issues.

Last I knew Jason was safely in Peculiar Missouri with his brother Gary, playing Pickle Ball and Golf.

My friend and neighbor Gail is going to paint my rustic chickens. She has started on the first one and it looks fantastic! I can hardly wait to show you. This is a before pic of the hen and rooster.

Gail has finished with the first one. I love it!! Who would have thought, as rustic as they were, that they could shine up like that. She is now working on the rooster.
Its definite! It is cabbage and the difference of growth in one day is surprising.

I walked again this morning. Increasing my distance a bit each day. It feels good to get fired up by a walk. And the weather is perfect at 7:30 AM