TODAY'S QUOTE

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't
matter and those who matter don't mind."

--Dr. Suess

Spectacular looking flower...I do not know what it is named. We have made our leaving plans...I think a week from tomorrow...the 17th we will be leaving the valley and heading for Carthage Mo.

Longevity Game

This is pretty interesting. This tells you how long you'll probably live. No
fibbing, please!

Click here: http://www.nmfn.com/tnetwork/longevity_game_popup.html

You can count on one hand the number of 'winter Texans' left in the park. We will be leaving late next week...I think. I am ready to go...with all the people gone most of the fun is gone too. It means I have to get creative again to come up with things to do. The weather is something I do like, it is summer like to me. I believe the natives think this is Spring. We have planned a last trip to Padre and I am assuming the water will be warm enough to wade in the ocean. There are a few grocery items I will load up on as I know they are not available north of here. There are also some things I am greatly looking forward to getting back to such as Diet Squirt and Iowa chops. As the time gets nearer the desire increases for these things...absence makes the heart grow fonder! The flower in this picture is from an Olive Tree.

Marge Scott's Amaryllis

Last night on the news we were informed that beginning in 2008 everyone would need a passport to ENTER the United States at all points along the border including Progreso.

Along about January 1, 2008 it could get real messy at the border with US citizens piling up in Progreso like cordwood.


Here is a site where you can find out where to get a passport. http://iafdb.travel.state.gov/

Shopping on the street in Progreso

Suzy Pharmacy in Progreso

Red Snapper in Progreso

Red Snapper in Progreso

I played golf yesterday. Yes, I know that is a shocker. It was good in places and not so good in places. ...And my back hurts today. In the future, I will have to assess if the pain is worth it.

Jo Brooker's Texas Roses

Jo Brooker's Texas Roses

Jo Brooker's Texas Roses

Bougainvillea in Bloom

I purchased this frog in Mexico with the intent of potting a mosquito plant in it. He is a handy place to put my visor in the meantime. Looks mighty cute in it too!

Happy Easter Everyone!!

When you have been in the south long enough for 60 degrees to mean a severe cold front has went through 40 degrees seems downright frigid. We have decided to stay in the valley awhile longer and then we have a few minor things to get taken care of on the motorhome in Carthage MO. So we plan to leave here about the 15th of April and stop in Carthage for a short time and then to the Atlantic Iowa area to get our annual med stuff in order. It is a question mark from then on...but then that has been how we have lived so far so why change now!

Gus- the canine son of Marge & Dave Scott

Butch was gone for a week skiing with Gary, Jason and others. I was quite busy every day so the time went quick. At any rate he is back in the warm Rio Grande Valley and we have made the decision to sit tight for awhile to see what happens to fuel prices. It is so nice to have the freedom to make that decision. Today we toured an Aloe Vera farm. Learned lots of new stuff about Aloe Vera. I would recommend the tour to all.

On the patio, just now.

Bertha's Burgers makes made to order burgers between the hours of 11:00 am to 3:00PM monday through Saturday. There is no sign of a name anywhere on the building. We found out later that the place is owned by the Gonzalez family and began as a meat market. They started making lunch for a few friends and it has grown from that point on. Anna, Carolyn, Marlene and Bernard order their burgers at the counter.

Butch talks to a pooch who was hankering for a burger himself.

Marlene had just ordered her burger at Bertha's Burgers on Silver Ave. in Donna TX.

Last week nephew Dwight Kelley, his wife Carolyn and his daughter Anna came to South Texas to visit his Mom and Dad, Marlene and Bernard Kelley. This picture is of Carolyn and Anna looking things over at the flea market.

The Keep Movin On blog is getting left behind these days but that will be changing soon. Yesterday 7 women from the park went to a Ropa Usada in McAllen and grubbed around in the mountain of clothes searching for buried treasure. Then we went to Progreso for lunch at Bucardo's which was a new place to me and one that friends Wayne and Bert Shipley had recommended before they left to return to Arkansas. We shopped some after lunch and then we returned home and I caught a nice nap!

"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. "
- Dale Carnegie

This was this from "Tailspin" a few days ago. What a story! My cousin "John" has listed different items on ebay from time to time.. His present item is listed as number 5563385645 .... just in case you actually happen to be interested in bidding on it..The current bid is $66.00 and there are 3 days and 12hours bidding time left ... as I write this.

Description



Genuine heavy steel casket. Works great at Halloween parties, bury your pet, use it for yourself, makes great conversation piece. It?s brand new, never used. The story behind the casket?.. Son worked as funeral director for several years and he called me one weekend and wanted to know if I would like to have a casket. He said that a deceased person had bought it years ago and had it put in storage. When the person died, it was discovered that they had gained too much weight over the years and would no longer fit inside it. His boss said to throw it in the trash, but son, knowing his father was a pack rat offered to him(me). Incidentally, it measures approximately 28 x 82 inches, outside dimensions. It has been used at Halloween parties several times at a local bar, with great success. But, it?s time to clear out the storage shed, so the casket must go. It has a few blemishes on the outside, needs a good cleaning, and the rubber seal under the lid has come loose so I took it off and it?s stored inside the casket, along with three ends to the carrying handles that came off. Potential uses only limited by your imagination. For example, It would make a dandy side car for your chopper or three wheel bike. Be the first person on the block to own one. Will strap to a pallet and ship via Yellow Freight. You pay shipping on your end. Payment by Paypal, cashier?s check or money order. Thanks and good luck bidding.

Today is my birthday. Last night we went to the Lone Star Restaurant in Harlingen in celebration of my birthday and Dave and Marge Scott's 47th Wedding Anniversary. I had a 1/2 rack of back ribs and they were mighty tasty. Another good place for ribs is Jose's Cafecito in Weslaco. I finally got my Texas driver's liscense so I am now officially a Texan. I have a temporary one for 3-4 weeks before I have the permanent one with photo ID. That perplexed me a bit because in Iowa you get your laminated photo liscense right away. No wait. Is this just in Texas or has 9/11 changed that too? Oh well, it will catch up with me eventually. I guess I can wait.

Butch cleaned the motorhome. I sit outside and watch with the cellphone in hand ready to call 911.

A Rose

"Okay Lady, Whatcha think?"

Here comes the Easter Rooster!

Grandchildren Ann 15 and Chris 20...or they will be this month. They reside in Georgia.

a

Mondays are a very busy day for us. Butch has golf and of course that shoots the day. I start the day with shuffleboard. For an old peoples game it sure is alot of fun. Then I have Warblers...a singing group and that is followed by crafts in the afternoon. I am kind of independent ( no news to anyone) so if I do not care for the current project I bring my own. I think it is a good idea to go down and mix with the rest of them. Some of the neatest ideas arise. We have one more month down here and then I think we are headed west. Let us know when it is good and warm up there!

http://www.ripleys.com/games/iq.html

Butch's brother Don sent this deceivingly simple little game. Let us know if you win. I have not by the way.

I put the last finishing stitch in last night. I am very pleased with the outcome. I have the next one ready to start today and since we are having a springlike rainy day in south Texas and I cleaned house yesterday nothing should get in my way.

The background is a butter yellow-yarn is variegated blues

Close up of the pattern used

These Green Jays blend in with their surroundings so very well.

This from Tailspin in Atlantic Iowa... Our paper boy seems to come when ever he feels like it. I never know until I look in the box if he has come or not... But I could tell he had been here this morning...How could I tell??
Barb says: Hmmm...think I will stay here.

Life is short. Enjoy it!
Dust if you must,
but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake a cake or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must,
but there's not much time, with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must,
but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain. This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must,
but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind. And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust!
It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

Thanks Zoe for this one... I abide by it.

At the South Padre Kite Competition

At the South Padre Kite Competition
Wayne and Bert doing a little beach dancing.

The parrots finally landed in the park and in the tree right next to us. They are plentiful and colorful but the little twerps always visit when it is too dark or cloudy or both making a really good photo a tough thing to do.

One more time...

My sis sent me these pics in an email labeled cloning gone bad. Someone had great fun putting these together. I thought this might be an easier way to share them with you all.

Here kitty, kitty

Eaglepooch

Cute ...Orangapup

Kiskadees... This was taken in Harlingen at the Encore RV Park

From Connie Jones...one of the very best cooks I know anywhere!

Italian Meatball and Potato Bake
1 (24 oz) pkg. shredded hash browns
8 oz. finely shredded cheddar cheese ( I use shredded velveeta)
1 cup sour cream with chives and onions
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. peppered seasoned salt
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of celery soup
12 frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 with pam. In medium bowl combine potatoes, 1 1/2 c. cheese, sour cream, Itatian seasoning, peppered salt, and soup; mix well. Spread into pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and arrange meatballs in rows over potatoes, pressing in slightly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Italian Meatballs
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound Italian sausage
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan with foil; spray with pam. In large bowl beat egg, stir in remaining ingredients. In pan shape beef mixture into a 8 inch square. Cut into 36 squares; do not separate. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. With sharp knife, cup meatballs apart. Freeze any leftovers for later use.
* I tried these this fall and worked great in other recipes. And my guys loved them.

Butch and I when we were on the cruise.

We learned how to make button necklaces this week at crafts. This one is mine. I need to make another one real soon so I do not forget how! Cost on this one was less than $4.00

GRANDMA'S CURES
Keep this on the Fridge

Did You Know That? Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache
pain almost immediately -- without the unpleasant side effects caused by
traditional "pain relievers."

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with
mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids
peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in
1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as
a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1
tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two
tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms.
Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly
-- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes.. Cover the blemish with a dab of honey
and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin
sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus... Get rid of unsightly toenail
fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful
antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from
loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to
the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers Just
saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The
phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer... If menacing bees, wasps,
hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the
insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground
instantly.

Smart splinter remover...just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the
splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter
sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's tomato paste boil cure...cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as
a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the
boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters...To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few
drops of Listerine... a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and
apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and
speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dish washing liquid does the trick. Add a
few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse
well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor... Next time your dog comes in from the rain,
simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly
making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in
your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat
daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and
accelerates healing.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief....It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2
cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the
microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands
for soothing relief from arthritis pain.