Getting on with it

 The trip home was smooth as silk, and I could not have had better people to be with. Sherri and Sam are so....fantastic! The whole world is better because they are in it.

So now I am getting on with the rest of my life. It is currently very busy! I had a CT scan yesterday. I am okay. There are a few things we are checking. The truth be known, if I eat like I am supposed to and refrain from overdoing everything, it works like it should. It is like an old car; the body needs an overhaul now and then to make life worth living.

Today I got an updated driving licence. Yup, I can be on the road legally for the next two years. I also got my passport renewed.

I have access to my new apartment at Evergreen Ridge. I don't have a bed! Butch built an RV-type bed in our home, and it is queen-size and nailed to the wall. So, in my downsizing process, I ordered a bed from Amazon, and all the parts of that are here except for the mattress. It will be next week before it is here. One day at a time...I keep telling myself...one day at a time.

I have lots of good help around me, and I am so very grateful.

Tonight, as I was writing this, I experienced a big old lightning strike! It has been a long time since I heard one of those!

Home!

 It was a very quick trip to get me home. Sherri, Sam, and I left at 6:00 AM on Saturday. I told them they had a free rein in all aspects.  They took turns driving, and Sherri got the short end of the stick on that one! We hit rain near Austin, and it was heavy rain on the whole stretch. I don't know how many miles of that we had, but it seemed like forever. Sherri handled it well, VERY well! 

We were in Wichita, Kansas, by 7:00pm Saturday night. That is 800 miles in case you were wondering. We all felt pretty good, too in spite of it all. The next morning, we met up with friends of Sam and Sherri that they had not seen in 20 years. It was a great reunion for them and me. I knew the folks on a lighter level. As we played golf with them when we lived in a town near Atlantic, Iowa. We made it to Atlantic, IA, by early evening, but too late for me to take off on the last leg, a 75-mile drive to my hometown of Jefferson, Iowa. I have come a long way in a short time in my driving skills.😀

When I arrived in Jefferson, I went directly to Evergreen Ridge, my next new home. I dropped off items I had in the car that I didn't want to move twice, signed some papers, and wrote a check. I was greeted warmly by all, and it reminded me of Trophy as everyone was telling me how nice it was and assuring me I would like it. I know I will.

Jason came over to help me with several items, and we played some pool!  He was rusty, and I was not. I'm sure we will learn a lot from each other this summer.

My current bed is an RV-type bed that Butch built, so I won't be able to move it to my new home. So I have ordered a bed. It should be here on Thursday. It is not easy trying to live in two places, so I will be very happy when my new bed arrives,

I am showered and tired, ready for another busy day.

 

Iowa Bound

One more day, and I'll be on the road again with my very good friends Sherri and Sam. These are friends from Atlantic, IA, who came to look around South Texas a little bit and drive the very long distance back to Atlantic in my car, with me in it. I feel confident enough in my driving skills now to drive myself back to Jefferson from Atlantic, a distance of 75 miles. It is a familiar road, and I have driven it many times in years past.

Once I am settled in Jefferson, I assume I will have more free time. 

Ghost Town?

 To those of us who winter here and stay till April or more, it can get downright spooky towards the end. It is like you hosted a big party, and this is the day after. It really is! I have done far more cleaning up than I have all winter, and I am getting to unfinished projects that have been waiting a while. Yesterday, the whole day went by, and I waved at a few folks, but that was the most of it. I am not complaining by any means. It just is!

Sunday, friends Sherri and Sam are coming to help me make the trip north. We will have a few days to get some touristy stuff done before departure. I am excited about all of it.

I was looking at some pictures on my phone taken recently and transferred a few to my Chromebook for blog viewing.

Bill and Sandy kept their bird bath filled all season, and they got some regular users. Most noticeable was a grackle who came at least twice a day to drink and bathe.  I swear he must be the cleanest bird in the park. He is now coming to my house!

This is one of the doves who are also regulars.

Barb , Sandi and Bill at the Alamo parade. 

And next:

I wish I could take credit for this one, but I can't. Friends of ours were workcamping as gatekeepers when all of the fracking was going on, and we stopped to visit on our way north. She took this photo, and I asked her to send it to me. Being out in the wide open spaces offers a much different way of getting good photos.

That's it for now, Till next time.

Spring has sprung!

 Time in sunny South Texas is growing short. My friends Sherri and Sam will soon be here to see what wintering here has to offer. They get barely a taste in a week, but perhaps they will choose to come again when they can stay longer. They are flying in and escorting me home in my car.

Trivia will take place two more times before it folds up shop for the summer. It has been a year of growth for trivia. We had some record-breaking nights with over 50 players a few times. I plan to head up trivia again, "if the good lord is willing and the creek don't rise."

Stay Happy!

Trivia Pics

If you are looking for the fire, I removed it. It is a complicated world we live in.

Latest trivia photo- March 10th, 2026

My helper Shelly Brower. She is very helpful. When I am ready, I hope to hand trivia over to her. She is one smart cookie!

 

She's a Lady

A family member of Bill and Sandi D. took this photo of a snowy owl. 

Here is some snowy owl info. 

• Appearance & Size: They are one of the heaviest owl species in North America, weighing 3.5–6.5 lbs, with a wingspan of 4.2–4.8 feet. Females are larger and more heavily barred with brown, while males become whiter with age.

Winding Down...

We are seeing the South Texas exodus heading north. Easter seems to have some meaning in the thinking process of setting a departure date. It can't be the weather! It is still cold up there, and the leaves are not on the trees.

Happy Hour: Happy hours tend to have a reputation for gossip. Ours do not. No brag, just fact. I brought my notebook to one of our recent gatherings so I could get a handle on all the subjects covered. It was hard to keep up! 

The Anzaduas Park was a recent location for the biking group, and it was highly rated as an excellent event by a couple of the bikers who attended.

(Anzalduas Park, located in Mission, TX, is a scenic recreational area that offers a variety of outdoor activities. Visitors can enjoy walking trails, picnic areas, and beautiful views of the Rio Grande. The park also features playgrounds and open green spaces, making it a great spot for families and nature lovers alike.)

We talked about the water coloring craft classes and how helpful the instructors are in getting new people started.

 We talked about tacinite and the mining of iron.

(Taconite is a low-grade, iron-bearing (25–30% iron) sedimentary rock found in the Lake Superior region, particularly Minnesota's Mesabi Range. It is processed into iron-rich (~65% iron) pellets used for steel production. The mining involves large-scale, open-pit blasting, crushing, magnetic separation, and pelletizing, creating significant waste tailings. )

I knew nothing about the subject or that there existed a Mesabi range!

We had a discussion on the many ways to throw a bean bag and the success rate of the choices.

We talked about harvesting cranberries.

We talked about Dillinger and his demise.

We talked about Amway and are they still in business. Yes, they are.

Worms and itchy stuff: I don't remember the details of this one.

Every session is like this one to some degree or another. We liken it to "school for seniors", and this one is well attended.

Birthday Yesterday

 Yesterday was my birthday. I have had many birthdays and, thanks to my friends, this one was a doozie. It started off with my walk with Renie, and you will be glad to know we have solved all of the world's problems.  Happy Hour, Sandi passed around Shipley's birthday donuts. They are the best! Bill and Sandy treated me to a birthday supper at Dirty Al's, which you all know by now is the best place and my favorite place to eat. Shrimp and Fish Combo with coleslaw side, Yum! Darrel and Linda Millard joined us as Linda's birthday is March 8th. You would think we are done, but Noooo, we came back to Bill and Sandies to enjoy a birthday cake provided by friends Gina and Carl! Thanks to all my friends, I had a perfect birthday event.

This morning, I went with Bill and Sandi for breakfast at the Alamo Cafe as usual, but I decided to have something different, so instead of having a veggie omelet, I had a waffle with strawberries! I did not know what I was in for! 

Dee-liscious!