Dove Dilemma

 I watched as this dove made numerous attempts to tackle the ball with seeds. As far as I know, it has been an unsuccessful endeavor.

"Come on, give a bird a break!"

Years ago...and then today!

 In 2010 we work camped at Hillman Michigan for the Thunder Bay RV and Golf Resort. I happened to be sitting in a beading class and Jeannie Sparks came in to see what was going on. She was actually killing time until they were pulling out. So we only visited for perhaps 15 minutes. Jeannie and Eldy were full-time Rvers as we were and we had a short but interesting conversation. As strange as it might seem Jeannie and I have stayed in touch through different social media, Facebook, blogs, hers and mine, and an occasional email. You can find Jeannie's blog here: https://whereseldo.blogspot.com/ She takes wonderful photos! So her blog is worth a look.

The four of us met up at the El Dorado for supper a couple of nights ago. It was the first time we had eaten there since probably 2019 and we were not disappointed in either the company or the food!

And today when we needed to go down and pay Hector they came along with us. I took a few photos.

Can you see how close the semi is to the car in front of it? Made us nervous just looking at it!

This would be a good idea for our Canadian Friends!

Our friends Eldy and Jeannie join us at the gate. Yes, that ramp is indeed as steep as it looks.

Caught my eye...

 

Eldy and Jeannie

And Jeannie took one of us.

It was a fun day!!

Chores

 We started off with good intentions.

1. Pick up meds waiting for us at CVS.

2. Get gas at Costco

3. Withdraw money at the bank to pay Hector

4. Wash the car at the Blue Wave

5. Stop at an Alamo Medical clinic to establish a GP in South Texas.

1.,2.,3., all happened as expected. When we planned to stop at the Blue Wave the line was so long we decided there had to be a better day. And when we stopped at the medical clinic the door was locked! Then I noticed the clock said 11:58 AM so I assumed they shut down for lunch. @%$^%! All I wanted to do was pick up the paperwork so I could fill it out at home and then return it. So It is still on the todo list.

So we decided to stop at Mcdonald's for lunch. I enjoyed a very tasty fish sandwich and Butch had his usual. After all, the doctor told him to go home and gain 10 pounds. 1/4 pounder with fries in case you are not familiar with Butch's usual.

Tomorrow we return to Mexico...

Smarts

Some of you may recall me talking about the "Smarts" in the Jefferson Iowa graduating class of  '61. This example is a real head smacker! Mary (Nipps) Hanson Harrison and Jim Hanson were both members of the class of '61. And they are the parents of David Hanson mentioned in the article below. 

The whole concept of the article makes my eyes gloss over and my brain go fuzzy. Although I am impressed to be sure.

From Mary-The David Hanson in this article is my youngest son. And he also has plants growing on the Space Station. Now that's a true farm boy from Iowa ( although he was born in Baltimore!). So proud of him.

https://news.unm.edu/news/could-plants-control-robots-on-mars?fbclid=IwAR0mQGnoMZYplI_AbYv5tPGVKcjep-2TSeI3ZEIsCVFoEObiIdh6vCBFgjY

Mexico Trip

We went to Nuevo Progreso for the first time this season. I went last March while Butch was in the hospital with his leg and this season we were waiting to both be fully vaccinated before we went down. So yesterday was the day.

We first stopped at the place where we get dental work done or questions answered. Butch got his teeth cleaned. $25 

Then we went on down to Hectors. I had sent an email to him with my preorder so expected it to be ready but what I did not count on was a problem with telephones and the Internet. The entire town was without Internet and phone. That pretty much brought most business to a screeching halt. We did not bring enough cash with us because in the past I have used a credit card with no problem. So after deciding we would have to come back on a different day. Hector decided we could be trusted, much as we trust him, and let us take over $300 of meds with us on the promise to come back and pay him before we head north. There are many reasons we go all the way down to the south end of town to do business with Hector and the above is one of them. Numerous other reasons are sound pharmaceutical advice on many levels. He told me a few years ago that Xarelto was due to have a generic form in 2019 and is quite a costly med so I followed up on it. He said they do have one but he doesn't trust the source. He said there is really no guarantee of what is in it. And it does not have sanctions from reliable sources, like the Mexican government. If a med is sanctioned by the government of  Mexico the people of Mexico trust it. Much like the FDA in the US. Another reason we know, like, and trust Hector. We were going to pick up some pricey eyedrops for a family member. In the US they cost well over $100 per tiny little bottle. Lumigan- and in Mexico, it has been $28 a bottle. But Hector told us the generic form in Mexico now put out by the Mexican government is now $13 a bottle and he fully trusts it. He did not have to tell us that. We value his input. Another reason is all year long I can email him with drug-related questions. He will get back to me. Mexicans might operate on a different urgency or non-urgency of time but things do get done and he will get back to me.

On the way back to our Texas home, we stopped at Trails End where many of our Magnolia Park friends landed after leaving the remnants of Magnolia. Magnolia is far from the place we knew back in the day. It was so good to see so many familiar faces.  All but one of them have been fully vaccinated and she kept her distance.

Today’s thought

 “Living is not merely going to the office, or passing examinations, or having children, or the everlasting struggle for bread and butter; that is only part of it. Living also implies seeing the trees, the sunlight on the river, a bird on the wing, the moon through the clouds; it is to be aware of smiles and tears, of turmoils and anxieties; it is to know love, to be gentle, compassionate, and to perceive the extraordinary depth and width of existence.” —Jiddu Krishnamurti

FYI It's a keeper + other stuff

 The recipe tried yesterday is a keeper. It has the seal of Butch's approval and judging from his pickiness scale that is high praise. So refer to the Meat Patty Pie recipe to get your own opinion.

Here are pictures gleaned from Facebook of our Missouri kids. Great Grands Elise and Leo with their mom and our granddaughter, Amanda.

Those youngsters are growing up in the wink of an eye!

This is a common occurrence at our house!!

Update on Butch. He is nearly back to normal. He has been teasing me about taking off on his bike. He better be teasing me.

Meat Patty Pie

What's for supper? This is!!!

 Meat Patty Pie

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
Salt, pepper
2 cups shredded cabbage
Large potato, scrubbed and thinly sliced
Medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup ketchup
2 cups shredded cheese, divided

Directions for Meat Patty Pie

Line a 10-inch skillet with plastic wrap. Divide ground meat in half and press half into the skillet in an even layer. Slide out of the pan, using the plastic wrap. Set aside.

Spray skillet with nonstick spray. Press the other half of the meat into the skillet in an even layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Arrange cabbage, potato and onion on the meat layer. Drizzle with ketchup. Top with half of the shredded cheese and the second layer of meat. Peel off and discard plastic wrap.

Sprinkle meat lightly with salt, pepper. Add the remaining shredded cheese for the last 3-5 minutes, just to melt it.

Start over high heat to sear the bottom 5 minutes, then cover skillet and cook over medium heat 30-40 minutes or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes for easier serving. Cut in 4 to 6 wedges.

Optional: For larger servings of the Meat Patty Pie, use a meatloaf recipe for the patties, using a small amount of fillers such as bread crumbs or oat flakes, plus an egg.

Related:

See more of Janet Groene’s RV-easy recipes here and here.
RVtravel.com’s The RV Kitchen articles.

Butch's second vaccine

 We got up bright and early to drive to the UTRGV for Butch's second shot. His "appointment" was at 8:00 am. It was a sacrifice but he was sure it would go very quickly and we would be back home in short order. Not exactly. We arrived early (7:45 AM) and there was already a line. Another aspect was the cold and we were not dressed appropriately. Who would know you had to in South Texas?! It was 51 degrees with a breeze and we did not have jackets. I went back to the car so Butch could hold his place in line and come back with his golf jacket out of his golf bag. He put it on and then hugged me from the back to keep us both a bit warmer. We waited for what seemed a very long time. 30 to 45 minutes. The line became all the way around the building and into the parking lot. There were very few seniors in the lines. It was mostly young people and they too were getting their second shot. They had opened up the state to anyone over 16 being eligible. The only reason it affected us at all was that Butch was in the hospital when he was originally scheduled for his second one. It seemed longer because of the cold. This time of year early morning temps are usually around 65 so we were caught off guard. It all went well. We waited 15 minutes and then went to McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich.

So now we both have both Pfizer vaccines. We were enjoying our breakfast about 9:30 AM. 

Butch is doing well in his recovery. He is resuming his pool playing, walking with the guys on the golf course. Putting but not playing. Eating well. All is good.

A Facebook Post

 I came across this on Facebook and thought it special enough to share. Many of our parents would be able to tell us that their life was very much the same.

Dale Jensen- The Forgotten Iowa Historical Society

 

I want to post a couple things this evening that should be of interest. I'm posting them in tribute to my mom who would have been 100 years old, tomorrow, March 17. First are these memories she wrote many years ago. It offers a broad view of Depression-era life on the farm.  

     My name is Frieda Laura Rehbein Jensen.  My parents were Henry Ernest Rehbein, born in 1882 and Laura Daisy (Eichner) Rehbein, born in 1893. I was born March 17, 1921 at the home of my parents in Boone Township, Dallas County, Iowa.  Our address was Waukee. I was the third of eight children. We lived in a frame house built with the help of my grandpa Rehbein.  It had four small rooms and a pantry downstairs, three rooms upstairs, and was surrounded by a wrap-around porch. It was rather small, no real closets, attic, or basement, just under-roof storage space. Mom didn’t save things as there simply was no room. 

School

      I started school in first grade at age 5. We went to a one-room country school where one teacher taught all eight grades. Our subjects were: reading, language, arithmetic, spelling, phonics, history, geography, writing, drawing and physiology. We also had music, sewing, manual arts and how to conduct a meeting.  I honestly believe we had excellent training. Each child was required to complete the eight grades. In order to pass the eighth grade, pupils had to go to a city school to take tests. Their tests and certificate were mailed to them from the county Superintendent’s Office. I’m sure I still have mine. Very few rural children went on to high school. The boys had to help farm and the girls had to help their mothers.  

     A typical school day began at 9:00 AM.  We had recess from 10:15 until 10:30, lunch from 12:00 until 1:00, afternoon recess from 2:30 until 2:45 and dismissal at 4:00 PM.  During recess we played games such as Blackman, Annie over, hide & seek, and baseball. Throughout the year we had programs for our parents.  We learned many recitations. The last day of school each spring we’d have a potluck dinner. One door was taken off its hinges and laid across two desks for a table to set food on.  Drinking water was carried from nearby wells. The teachers boarded in homes in the area. Our school had two halls. We entered and left from one.  It also held the water pail or fountain, shelves for our lunch pails, and hooks for coats and caps. The other hall had storage shelves and was where we gathered to wait our turns to speak pieces or sing songs during school programs. A victrola and 78 rpm records provided some of our music. During World War II most of the country schools closed. The districts united with neighboring cities and all students were bused to the consolidated schools.  

Children’s work

     Back then children were raised to work and work we did!  As the oldest children, we three girls not only did housework but also helped with the field work by cultivating corn, shocking oats, husking corn, driving the horses when putting up hay and taking water to the field for the men to drink in summer.  We also harnessed the horses, milked cows, fed and watered chickens, gathered eggs, cleaned out the hen house, gardened and helped can meats, fruits and vegetables. All canned foods and the potatoes were stored in a cellar close to the house.    

     For some unknown reason it fell to me to get in the wood and cobs for the house stoves. Every evening as soon as I got home from school, it was my duty to get a wagon load of small pieces of wood for the cook stove, a wheel barrow full of large pieces for the heater and a bushel basket of cobs to start the fire in the morning.    

Laundry & Spring cleaning

      The washing machine was in a building also serving as the garage. There was a stove in the building. Mom always washed on Monday.  There was always a large wash every week. The sheets and pillow cases were changed every Saturday. In the summer we girls would carry buckets of water from the house cistern to the wash house to fill the two large boilers on the stove. Mom would start the fire on Monday morning to heat the water. She first had just a single tub machine but later purchased a double tub Dexter.  Each machine was powered by a gasoline engine. One tub of the double tub machine would have warm water and the second had very hot water. The clothes were washed twice then run thru a ringer through two cold rinse waters before being hung up. In the winter Dad shoveled a path through the snow under the clothes lines so mom could hang the wash.  

      When Mother cleaned house in the spring everything was completely removed from each room. The carpets were hung over the clothes line and beaten with a rug beater to remove all dirt.  The beds were disassembled and every piece washed. The bed springs were open; it was quite a job to clean them.  The mattresses were carried outdoors and laid on chairs to air. Walls were wiped down and floors scrubbed. The rooms sure smelled good in the evening when everything was put back and fresh bedding put on.   

Farm animals

     Every farm had its own livestock. We raised hogs for meat and to sell for money although prices were very low back then. Mother raised a lot of chickens. I recall an incubator kept upstairs in the house. She would turn the eggs every day for 3 weeks until the chicks hatched. Later a pen was fenced off in the hen house where hens would set on the nests for three weeks and hatch the eggs.  The first chickens we had were grey Plymouth Rock, then Buff Orphington, Rhode Island Red and finally whites. The folks sold eggs to the Red Bird hatchery in Des Moines and bought baby chicks. Around July 4th the roosters would be big enough to eat.  We had chicken every day till all the roosters were gone by autumn.  When very cold weather was upon us several neighbor men would gather at each farm to help butcher. We usually butchered four hogs and a steer although not all on the same day.  The men would dip each hog in a barrel of scalding water until the hair was soft enough to scrap off. Mom ground a lot of pork, fried it in sausage patties and canned them in glass fruit jars. The hams were cured and smoked in a shed used only for that purpose.  She rendered the lard outdoors in a large black kettle. The remaining pork was cut up and canned in jars. All the beef was cut up, put in 2 qt. jars and processed in a large boiler on the cook stove.   

     We did all the milking by hand. I don’t know how many cows Dad milked at first but as the family grew so did the number of milk cows. We milked morning and evening. The milk was carried to the house where it was run through a separator, operated by hand, to separate cream from the milk. Some of the cream was churned into butter, some used for cooking, and some for table use such as mixing it with whole milk to put on our cereal. Excess cream was sold to creameries in Des Moines. Every week Dad would take the cream and eggs to town. That income paid for the groceries and clothes we needed. Leftover skim milk was fed to chickens and hogs.   

Horse Power

      Back then all farmers used horses. Dad had 14 at one time.  An early team I remember very well was a white pair and both were blind. They were named Fannie and Bird. We had one wild horse named Nell.  When dad came in from the field with her, mom would yell, “Get all the kids in the yard and shut the gates!”  We named Nell’s first colt Beauty and what a beauty she was.  Another of Nell’s colts was named Billy. He was as wild as his mother. Dad had to get rid of him. Beauty had a colt we named Hazel. She was very nice also. Alma, Pauline and I had to harness the horses, hitch, unhitch, and drive them where necessary. There was a strong wooden box in the barn we would stand on beside the horses to throw the heavy harness over their backs. It wasn’t always easy to put the bridles on and get the horses to open their mouths so we could put in the bit. 

Cars

     The first cars were built much higher than today’s cars and were equipped with running boards. All this was necessary because most roads were dirt and when it rained or thawed in the spring, the ruts could get so deep a car would drag on the ground. Many times when our car got stuck we children had to get out and push.   The first car I remember was a two-seated touring car. It had a canvas roof but no windows. Isinglass curtains were snapped on if it was raining and in the winter. A single windshield wiper was actuated by the driver moving a handle inside the car. In the late 1920s, dad bought a Buick. It was a large car with built-in windows, much more comfortable in the winter, but we still put a blanket over our laps while driving to church Sunday mornings.   

      Sometime in the early 1930s, a road construction crew came to our area to upgrade the roads. Dad told Alma and Pauline to go to their camp and ask about selling fresh eggs and milk to them. The camp cook was a very nice lady. I don’t remember how many men where there nor what type of equipment they used. At that time I was sick with rheumatic fever and didn’t go to the camp site very often. After construction was completed, gravel was spread on the roads and traveling was greatly improved.    

     Winters in the 1930s brought much snow. Many times we could walk over fences. Dad had a bob sled that came in handy when the snow was very deep. There was no road maintenance back then.  Families had to shovel out their own driveways and farm yards.  Several farmers worked together to open roads.   

Electricity

     My parents got their first radio in the late 20s or early 30s. The aerial was wire stretched from the house to a pole in the yard.  Sometime after that they bought a radio with batteries that were charged by a wind charger. We used it until the summer of 1943 when 10 neighbors brought electricity into the neighborhood.  Wartime restrictions had made appliances very scarce so all we had were lights and the radio.   

Holidays

      By the time I was old enough to know what a grandparent was, all my grandparents were deceased. We spent every holiday at home with just our family. Mom always cooked a special big, delicious dinner on Thanksgiving. Our Christmas’ were very bleak.  We probably each received only one present. We never had birthday parties.  

Unwelcome Visitors

      In May 1933 a large band of Gypsies came to our neighborhood and camped on a grassy area beside a creek. They came on a Tuesday and left Sunday afternoon by orders from the Dallas County Sheriff. Dad drove us kids to their camp every evening to see them. There were probably 12 or 15 tents. They got into a fight among themselves on Sunday and were told to, “Go, and keep going!”

Seed Corn

     To plant corn Dad would pick out the best looking ears and shell off the top and bottom kernels. Then we kids would kneel around a bushel basket and shell the ears of corn by hand until we had enough kernels for the following spring planting.

Water

      There was a windmill about 1/8 of a mile from the house to furnish water for the tanks up around the buildings. We would have to go to the windmill to turn it on when the wind blew and then run down to shut it off when the two tanks were filled. I remember clearly on summer evenings when the wind hadn’t blown, we three girls went down to pump water into the stock tank beside the windmill as the cattle and horses were in that pasture. We hand pumped a lot of water to quench all thirsts. The horses crowded out the cattle so they drank first, then all the cattle drank their fill. We pumped the tank full before we returned to the house. The windmill was in the pasture on our way to the one room school house. We used to carry a pail of water from that well daily to the schoolhouse for our drinking water until one day we pumped out a drowned mouse then each morning we went to a neighbor’s house for the drinking water.  

      In the late 20s Dad hired a two-man well-drilling team to dig a well close to the buildings. At 620’ it was very deep. A new windmill was erected and a hand pump installed. The well was so deep it was very difficult to hand-pump water. Dad bought a gasoline engine and a pump jack to pump water when the wind didn’t blow.  On wash days we hauled the engine to the garage to power the washing machine. The water from the new well was said to be mineral water and was used for everything.

Good Grief!

 Here it is Tuesday evening and I haven't posted. To back up a bit, neither of us did particularly well at pool on Sunday but we had a good time and we are signed up for next Sunday.

Butch is doing well in his healing process. He is eating well and I assume putting on some weight.

I have made reservations at the RV parks we will be staying at when we leave here on April 12th and 13th. The Master's Golf Tournament is on April 10 and 11th. So hopefully it will all work out for everyone.

Butch will be getting his second vaccine on Thursday morning.

Perhaps I will have something more interesting to write about tomorrow. I hope this will hold you over till then.

Back in the Pool Hall at Trophy

 We have both been going to the pool hall to sharpen up our game. Butch never needs much sharpening. In fact, he likes to play with people who challenge him. I am not there yet and I may never be! But he may have to settle.

Today we are both playing in the Sunday mixed doubles match. More on that after it happens.

We are in the planning stages of our trip north. Probably leaving here on April 11th. That happens to be little Leo's 8th birthday. We plan a stop there but we do not know exactly when yet as we are going to stop in Arkansas at Bill and Jo's place. We most likely will not tarry long in any one place because our playhouse back home keeps beckoning.

More later...

Foil Packet Meals

 For those of us heading North in our RV's in the next weeks, I thought you might like this article about foil pack meals. Still needing to be self-contained and eat healthy food. Or maybe you are not in an RV but would like a change of pace in homebound meal prep. Enjoy!

https://www.rvtravel.com/make-ahead-foil-packet-meals/

Staples out

 We went to the doctor this morning so Butch could get his 17 staples out. He had a good report and Dr.  Saggi's said he needn't come back unless he had a problem of some kind. He said the only thing he removed was his gallbladder indicating he did not expect him to have much difficulty in recovering. His only restriction is No Golf for 6 weeks. Butch doesn't consider that much of a problem. He can go out with the guys and walk the course.

So we are looking at 6 weeks before leaving here to head north and Butch said he is going NOWHERE on the weekend of the Master's Golf Tournament. It falls on a "bad time to leave" weekend each and every year! But we are giving thought to our landing spots and the route we will be taking. 

Restocked

 I was nearly out of everything so today I planned to go to Costco and HEB to restock. Maybe you do not know that Butch likes to go to the grocery store. He also likes to drive. Personally, I thought it might be a bit too soon for him to be driving but I weighed it out this way; If he were alone he would drive regardless and he would be far more comfortable behind the wheel as the driver rather than the passenger. So he drove. It all went smoothly but he was a bit more tired when we got home and that stands to reason. Before our son Gary was christened the family "Energizer Bunny" Butch had held the title. He has slowed down considerably over the years and I thank God for that.

Tomorrow we go see Dr. Saggi, the surgeon to get his numerous staples out. Butch is feeling great and enjoying his meals and we have hopes that the latest episode is behind us. Next year we might get apprehensive this time of year. Time will tell.

Bird Pics

 I decided to try to feed the birds some citrus. It would be great to have Altamira Orioles as I know this is their territory but I will gladly settle for Golden-fronted Woodpeckers and Mockingbirds, Both of which are also fond of citrus. It is a good way to get rid of dropped fruit not liked as human consumption. It didn't take long for some action. Now I need to find a source of citrus. Can anyone in Trophy tell me where I may get some?

Back to the new normal...

 Well, almost! I went to play pool with the women and I have played well the last two days. Butch and I have been walking quite a bit. He says he is going to get back on his bike but I plan to hold him back as much as possible. We have an appointment on Friday for the staples to be removed and we may get some approvals or disapprovals' for the present activity level. 

So I missed an update yesterday and since the kids didn't call they must realize all is well. We will be heading out for a walk in a few minutes and getting our electric bill paid up, pick up a package and come back home to rest after all of that activity!

In a month's time, we will be heading north. Does not seem possible despite all the inactivities!

Keep On Walking

 I could have written this quote!

Today’s thought

“Above all do not lose your desire to walk…I have walked myself into my best thoughts and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it… if one keeps on walking everything will be alright.” —Søren Kierkegaard

Butch had a good night. Slept well and long and is now enjoying an oatmeal breakfast. And he is wholeheartedly hungry. Great improvement.

A Good Day

 Butch has had a good day. He has felt much better. Has eaten a little and feels hungry on occasion. He is glad to be home. It will probably be a slower healing process than in the past. These "gut shots" take longer to correct themselves. He took a shower, shaved and that was a good deal too. He is working on getting his hearing aids in this photo. He is wanting some oatmeal for supper. We are back on track!

He spent the afternoon watching golf. Some things do remain the same.

Punnies

 My great-granddaughter Elise loves puns. I only send her appropriate ones for her age (10) although I do suspect that she is mature beyond her years. I ran across this list on Facebook so thought I would share them. I may pick out a few to pass along to Elise.

Much Better!

 Butch is much better this morning. He slept well and ate an English muffin with a light coating of peanut butter and strawberry jam plus an Ensure he didn't feel like eating yesterday and green tea. So things are really looking up. He is resting and closing his eyes off and on. Figured he might fall asleep but hasn't. All part of the healing process.

My annual driving lessons will soon be over with and I hope I can pass them by next season. Today is his one-year anniversary of the leg fracture. 

Wanted to catch all of you up and it is a blessing that we are to a point where there isn't a whole lot to be said.

The trees are leafing out big time and it is wonderful to watch. All is well in my world and I am exceedingly grateful.

Home Sweet Home

 Butch called me about mid-morning to tell me they were letting him come home today depending on how well the food went down today. I went there about noon as always and he had a tray with liquids of various forms in front of him and he ate about one spoonful of each item.😕Nothing tasted good and he said he just could not make it go down. About another hour went by and they brought him another tray with similar items. Same story. Big Heavy Sigh. So we hung out in much the same way as in the past except he went for frequent walks and burped big each time he got up AND many trips to the bathroom for both big and small jobs. About 5 they brought him a tray of food and I mean real food, beef tips, rice, green beans, vanilla pudding. He ate two tiny bites of meat and a few spoonfuls of vanilla pudding. His nurse came in, saw the tray, and said what is going on here? you should not be eating this kind of food.

Butch was kind of uncertain about going home not feeling the best so we talked it over with his nurse and she said, "You are not throwing up so you are on the road to recovery and I have found patients do much better when they go home and eat food they are used to." So we have taken Clarinda's advice and he is home. We got here at 6:30 PM. I think most of the issues he is dealing with may have more to do with the gallbladder removal than the blockage. At any rate, we are hopeful and glad to be home.

Happy Birthday to me!

And it is a happy one to be sure. My guy is getting better and back to his cheerful self. It was last year the day after my birthday, March 7th that Butch broke his leg. It has been quite the year all around. Still hoping for bigger and better things.

My friend Mickey sent me a video that made me LOL 😆 and I thought I would share it with you so you could chuckle too. Thanks, Mickey!!

Mrs. Hughes - Winnipeg Comedy Festival - YouTube

PM Update

 Butch got the tube out this afternoon!! It wasn't as bad as he thought it might be. His next big hope is FOOD. He says he is having dreams about food. It is a full week today since he has eaten anything that even remotely looks like food. So it seems we have turned a big corner and we have hopes he can come home in a day or two. I am thinking once they know all systems go they will turn him loose.

While Butch has been laid up, 2 of his best buds have been working on getting the generator working as a surprise for him and today their efforts were successful. So more cause for celebration.

With Tube

A gift from Leo and Keri

Without Tube!

Friday AM update-Butch

 Butch called this morning and sounded like his normal self! He said he slept well. His catheter has been removed and that part is working normally. He has had several walks and on one of his last ones, they unhooked all of his "stuff" so he could walk unencumbered. He still has the tummy tube and he is getting too much output yet to have it removed, although he did say he is starting to have dreams about food. In his past, he has always been a picky eater and I once told him that he had never been really hungry or he wouldn't be so picky. I said if you were really hungry any food would taste good. This morning he told me he thought he was there. Once the output is low enough they will remove the tube but right now the thought that he might have to vomit has cooled his jets to have it removed.

I saw his incisions yesterday. There is a 10 inch(?) vertical one in his upper abdomen and a smaller one to the right side. They both look like they are healing normally.

We are both much encouraged that this life episode is headed in the right direction.

Till next time...

Butch Update Thursday PM

 I spent 3 hours with Butch today and he is definitely better. They took x-rays during the night and they say everything is good. He has developed a problem with excess phlegm but he has found a way to deal with it. Unpleasant but doable. His surgeon must not know the staff cannot get Claritin D, they can only get Claratin so he said not to bother. He wasn't too crazy about the process he would need to go through to get it down his gullet anyway.   He stayed awake the entire time I was there. That is a first. He has had several walks, and someone comes on a regular basis now to unhook him so he can go for a walk and he will soon be able to go on his own. They hope to take the tube out tomorrow if things continue to improve as they have thus far. They are beginning to wean him off his hookups. He looks better and his mood is much better. 

Some things I have noticed that are a major difference from the 1960s when I worked in the hospital. It used to be the hospital basically shut down at 11:00PM and did not resume until about 5:00AM when things began to commence for the next day. Yes, things needed doing but only if on a usual schedule or unavoidable. Butch has had an X-ray, a bath, and a walk during the traditional nighttime hours. But as I thought about it, Why Not!! It is a good use of time and manpower. Wonder how long they have been doing that!

By the way, Leo B., He called to tell me you sent balloons and a cute little bunny to keep him company.

Till next time!!

Butch Update Thursday AM

 I called Butch earlier this morning and he told me he didn't sleep well due to too much phlegm. This has been a chronic issue for him so nothing new there but what do you do when you have a tube down your throat? My anxiety goes up a few notches when he has trouble.

Well, he just called and his surgeon came in and he will be getting some Claratin -D. They took x-rays last night and everything looks good. His bowel is just slow to respond and that is not unusual. Now the tube has to stay in because of the phlegm and he understands. Having reasonable answers is all he needs to be more content. Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel also helps.

The difference in his voice from my first phone call to when he called me was like night and day. I rest easier when he does...and vice versa.

I will be going up at noon so will post again later today. It is so much easier for me to use the blog to communicate and I do appreciate all of you checking in to see the updates.

Butch Update-Wednesday

 Butch got some information from a nurse practitioner after raising Cain about not getting any information. He complained to the night nurse and she called his surgeon at midnight and low and behold the right people showed up today with info.

He had two surgeries in one. They removed his gallbladder and then addressed the obstruction, which was scar tissue from an appendectomy when he was in his late teens, and in addition to that, his bowel had become twisted so they straightened it out. So his innards have had a lot happen in the past week.

Today I went to see him at noon. He has been able to pass gas and he is certain he could do better if he could get more walking in. The problem is a shortage of help (nurses) and they have a shortage of time. You have to admit that nurses have been heavily overworked in the past year. I would take him for a walk if I only knew how to disconnect him from his numerous attachments.

Some Good News. As I have gone to see him each day the matter in his gastric tube has been an ugly brown. But today it was a very pale green! I know there was bile in it but it was a very pale color and very clear. I got excited when I saw it and it became better and better as the afternoon went on. I do not think it will be long now when he can get the tube out. I think it will do wonders for him both mentally and physically.

And now for the other question I have been getting. Yesterday I went for my second "Fauci Ouchie" and no, I did not have a reaction. I do have a sore arm but not by any means severe. I slept well last night and felt completely normal all day. Butch's second Fauci Ouchie has been rescheduled for March 18th at 8:00AM. I hope by then our life has returned to a semblance of normal.

I plan to go back again tomorrow and stay as long as possible.

Stay tuned for further updates!

Quick note

 Internet has not worked properly this morning so I have not been able to update. So this is just to tell you everything is pretty much the same. I will leave in a few minutes to go to the hospital and will have more info later. I do know the nurse heard bowel sounds this morning and that is good news.

Later...I promise!

Early Tuesday Update

 When I talked to Butch last night he sounded down and discouraged and it concerned me because through all he has been through, throughout his life I had never heard him like that. But after talking to a close friend, I called his night nurse...he doesn't like his day one...and she assured me that all of his "numbers" were good and they hoped to be able to take out his biggest irritant, the nasal tube today. I think that will do wonders for his outlook so keep your fingers crossed. Oh yes! His night nurse's name is Margarita!

Butch called me this morning and he sounded much better. Big relief to me!

Today is when we were scheduled for our second covid vaccine. I am going to get mine and hopefully get his rescheduled.

Not a lot to relate to you this morning. The leaves are starting to unfurl on the trees. Always a welcome sight. It is a bit of a shock when we return to the upper midwest and see the trees are still naked in April. We do however get to experience two spring events.

Check in later today...Okay?

Later today Update

 Butch is slow going on the recovery but considering what he has been through he is doing very well. When I arrived today he was returning from a walk with two physical therapists. He has always excelled at physical therapy and he had the chance last year to get really good at it.

He still has all his tubes and attachments. No food or even water yet. They want to make sure his stomach and bowels are awake and up to the job. So far there isn't a sign of it. They listen with a stethoscope and their goal is to hear the gurgle of a fart ready to find its way out. So that is his next goal and he is ready for the challenge. Say a prayer for him and give God a chuckle and get his attention.

Butch is still sleeping quite a bit. But he needs to, obviously. Just from an observation point, I would say this is a condition no one wants and it has the ability to kill you in a short period of time. I think we caught it just in time. This guy has always kept me on my toes!

I think we will see a big improvement when he can be completely detached and de-tubed.

We also found out his obstruction was caused by scar tissue from prior surgery. The only abdominal surgeries he has had were an appendectomy in his late teens and a prostate surgery in 2005. That was a surprise that you might have to deal with scar tissue even that many years later. At least we now know what the cause was. I will be sure to update again tomorrow.

Remember to say your prayers!

Iowa: "The Sleepy Ones"

 Iowa and its name

In 1893, a man named Peter Melendy claimed that the name Iowa meant "beautiful land." However, historians beg to differ. The Ioway tribe, also known as the Ayuways, lived in Iowa for decades, until the early 1800s, when they were displaced through the Indian Removal Act. "Ayuway" reportedly comes from "Ayuxba," which is what the Dakota Indians called the tribe. And "Ayuxba" means "sleepy ones." Some people still debate whether the 29th state should be pronounced "I-uh-wuh" or " I-uh-way."

Butch update 2

 I came home from the hospital at about 4:30 pm yesterday. Butch called and said the surgeon had been in to see him and said he had an emergency surgery before him but he would be next after that. Butch said he would call after surgery (procedure?). I guesstimated that to be around 9 0r 10 pm giving him time to lose some grogginess. I went to bed at 10 with the phone near me. Still had not heard from him at 6 am so I waited till 6:30 and called him. No answer. My anxiety escalated so I called the McAllen Medical Hospital and eventually talked to his nurse. He had not been returned to his room until midnight. He called me then and his phone was too far away when I called. He is in a great deal of pain. Unusual for him to complain after surgery. They had just given him pain meds before I called. He said the surgeon will be in to see him this morning and he will call me then to give me an update on what they had done and where we go from here. I think the healing process is going to take a little longer this time than in the past. And I think the "procedure" was a bit more than he expected.

Stay tuned for Butch update 3 later today.

Butch Update

 He didn't get much better. Vomited Friday night's supper at about 2:30 or so Saturday afternoon and felt much better for a short period of time. Then about 8:00 or so vomited again and that was very dark, a huge amount, and scary! That is when I said we needed to get to the Alamo ER. After way too much time they determined he had a bowel obstruction and took him by ambulance to McAllen ER. I came home and went to bed. This was Sunday morning, 1:30 AM. I had been waiting in the car trying to sleep (impossible). He came out and told me he was headed to the hospital and I came home. Finally slept about 3:00 AM and woke at 6. They just called and told me I could come to the hospital at noon and see him. I will take his phone to him when I do.

Will keep you all posted as best I can. I look for this issue to be resolved fairly quickly. Ever the optimist that I am.

Today's News

 And maybe some of yesterday's. Last night we had to come home early from our weekly games gathering because Butch had a bad bellyache. On January 2nd we went to the nearest stand-alone ER for the same reason. Gallbladder. They took an ultrasound at that time and we could see the little round marbles trying to get out of his gallbladder. They loaded him up with meds and sent us home telling him to make an appointment with his usual doctor. It was the weekend you know. Isn't it always??? 

So here we are again. Severe tummy pain. He didn't take all the meds last time so we started those, skipped the little ER place and plan to make a doctor appointment for next week. It is another weekend, you see. 

I looked up what can cause a gallbladder attack and I knew what they told me 50 years ago when I had the same thing but I wanted to know if anything had changed in half a century. Essentially it hasn't. Sugar and Fats are the culprits. If you know Butch even a little bit, you know he has an extreme sugar addiction. Well, the jig is up as they say. I think he is sure that if he gets it fixed he can resume his usual way of eating. I haven't had a gallbladder for 50 years but if I eat too much sugar I might not be in pain, but I definitely will feel like crap. So he will have new lessons to learn.

Life is one long learning experience!

Next month at this time we will be getting antsy to get back to our tiny house and BIG pool room. I will most likely start making plans in that direction very soon. Last year we had planned to stop at Bill and Jo's in Arkansas but Butch's broken leg on March 7th and Covid-19 on March 8th soon took that out of the plan. We will see if it can work this year. 

More later...

An ordinary day

 Butch and Dave went to Rene's in Mission Tx to pick up the repaired starter for the generator. The repair cost $79 compared to $277 for new. You all know that makes Butch a happy man. They are off playing pool right now but knowing those two it will not be long before they will tackle getting the starter back on the generator. They both assure me it is going to be a booger getting it done too.

I am doing laundry and the last load is in the dryer. Supper is in the crockpot and all is right with my world.

The frozen buds have fallen off the trees and new ones have come forth, ready to unfold before long. 

ALL of the birds are singing and if one is tuned into it, it is quite noisy. Spring has sprung in South Texas after a full week of a hard winter. It is currently 73 degrees. Feels like more to me so it must be humid. We have had the windows open for the past two nights. Love having the windows open.

Till next time...

Generator Update

 We didn't have a functioning generator throughout the time we were without electricity and it really would have been much better if we had! Take away the generator and we are losing one of the main benefits of having a motorhome when the power is out. So after Butch and Dave removed the generator starter and determined that was where the problem was we took it to Rene's, 401 W. Tom Landry St. in Mission TX where they specialize in this kind of repair. They also manufacture new ones if necessary, We are waiting on a phone call from Rene. Butch was impressed with the place and the manner in which Rene conducted his business and this place was highly recommended as well. 

Introspection

 The other day when I was at the pool hall, one of the women said they would be so glad to have all of the events taking place next year. Just between you and me and the gate post, I think it has been about right this year. As I get older I enjoy the slower pace and I don't like giving it up. Our living quarters are cleaner, the laundry doesn't get behind, meals are healthy, prepared by me and on time. I enjoy the pool hall, going on walks, playing games with friends but I do not want to do all of it every day. When my calendar is empty it is cause for celebration. I know I am an introvert and I am okay with it.

Next Tuesday we get our second vaccine injection. We do plan to widen our social activities a bit. We will still wear masks and keep a distance but down here, where masks and distancing are closely monitored, we might feel comfortable eating out now and then. Might be a different story in Iowa where they have thrown caution to the wind.

OMG

 Really? This is REE-DICK-U-LUS! Iowa has "gerrymandered" the numbers on several occasions to make the numbers LOOK better. And this is one more example but do you think it will be safe by April? What would possibly make you think so? Do you really like being number one in the nation on this? Kim says the "people will do the right thing"! I am thinking this is proof of how well that is working.

Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/22/969494791/a-loss-to-the-whole-society-u-s-covid-19-death-toll-reaches-500-000?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20210222&utm_term=5195831&utm_campaign=breaking-news&utm_id=10921441&orgid=194

Another Day of Sunshine

 When we awoke this morning to sunshine it was a welcome sight despite the fact it was a crisp 33 degrees. It warmed quickly with our friendly sun helping out and I currently have the door open enjoying 68 degrees.

The vegetation is sad and I will try to get some photos. Having been through this before in south Texas I can say with certainty the plants will recover and by up north standards, it will happen rather quickly. By the beginning of next season, you will see no sign of the current distress. I took a closer look at my Christmas Cactus and I can indeed see life in a few places. Now I will have to keep the rabbits away to preserve the life that is left. I cut off the parts that were obviously frozen. 

We haven't been to the grocery store yet but what we hear is that many of the shelves are bare and not necessarily from hoarding. After all, the grocery stores too were without electricity for an extended period of time. Things were either thawing out or freezing and different products having different needs create a much bigger problem. By law, they cannot sell things that require freezing if they have thawed or been without refrigeration for too long. And then produce would freeze when it shouldn't and nobody wants to buy limp veggies. So the stores have really been in a no-win situation.  Contrary to some opinions this situation should not be blamed on locals "stocking up".

More Pics later

Sun Showed Up

According to my source for weather, we did not get a hard freeze last night. At 6:00 AM it was 35. Clear skies and the birds are singing. We hope to be able to buy propane soon. They currently do not have any. We are still good for a while yet. I think it is under half but considering what we have been through so far it should hold us until they can get more.

The next hurdle will be the water plant having electricity so they can treat the water and we can stop boiling it. That I am told will take several days. It will take a few days for the grocery stores to get restocked too so it may take as long as a week to be restored to normal. Well, another new normal.

Our friends in Trails End finally got power at 7:00 pm last night. They were without power from Monday to late Thursday. That would have compounded problems for us by a bunch! Mainly because our generator didn't and doesn't work.

When we go into our self-induced lockdown for cold weather we pull all the day/night shades down, draw all the curtains closed that applies to, put our self-designed styrofoam pieces into the skylights and vents. I have a real bugaboo about not seeing outside. I just this minute opened up the shade next to my computer because the sun was shining and oh what a good feeling it was to see outside once more! The sun is a power to be reckoned with down here so I have a feeling their predictions may be underestimated. I certainly hope so!

And the cold goes on...

 First the good news; last night the electricity came on at 7:40 PM and stayed on. Just for kicks and giggles, I kept track yesterday of the offs and ons.

Wednesday, Feb 17 after being off all night, came on at 4:30 AM

Went off at 9:30 AM back on at 11:00 AM

Went off at 1:30 PM and on again at 2:30PM

Went off at 5:40 PM and back on at 7:40 PM and that was the last outage we have had since then but still holding our breath. 

But the water plant being without electricity was unable to treat the water so we are advised to boil it.

Tired Yet?

We are very grateful to have the electricity back on. We have one more night of freezing weather and then we are supposed to be done with this. We are under the second HARD freeze warning this week at 28 degrees tonight. The last time this happened that I remember was Christmas eve of 2005 and I am not sure of that. I know it snowed and there were icy places on the ground but not sure if it qualified as a hard freeze. 

I covered both of my plants but it wasn't enough. I am certain they have expired. I haven't dumped them yet in case there is a tiny chance of a sprig that might make it. Only time will tell. I might have to get a start from Karla for the Christmas cactus. The other one was a geranium and they are usually not hard to replace come Spring.

When a person is holed up with the main goal of keeping warm, it makes for not much newsworthy stuff to relate to you. The only place we have been all week is at the BatteryWarehouse. I need to go to the grocery store but as long as I still have the stuff to cook it isn't a big priority.

Butch is reading "The Bartenders Tale" 

and I am still reading "Grant"

. Hey!! It's a BIG book. I used to be a fast reader but not so much anymore. "Grant" parallels so much of what is happening today. It makes for memorable reading. History does repeat itself. Perhaps because we do not learn from it.

We are waiting for the propane truck so don't plan to go play pool until he has either been here or we give up on him and assume he ran out of propane. 

We are signed up to play mixed doubles on Sunday...and it is supposed to be 80 degrees! How do you like them apples!

Situation Update-Batteries

After finding our deep cell batteries were nearly 6 years old we knew we had to replace them. As long as we had electricity they still performed well but when we relied on them alone the charge value dropped like a rock! As most of you know I use this blog as a journal and in addition as a record of stuff that needs remembering. I refer back to our conversation when we discussed where and when we bought the last deep cell batteries,(in Florida, March 2015 at Batteries Plus Bulbs) This time it is South Texas, February 2021 at Battery Warehouse. The new batteries should ease things for us a bit.

I am also trying to keep track of when the electricity goes off and then comes back on. It went off this AM at 9:30 and came back on at 11:00 AM while we were buying batteries. Still Willy-Nilly.

After getting the new batteries in place Butch went to the pool hall to play with the guys. Funny how the electricity was off both Monday and Tuesday for the women's pool time!! 😒

This weather is not going to completely ease up for us till Saturday. The rest of Texas will still be in a struggle as they are looking at another storm to cross their path. It shouldn't reach us this time. Still will affect the TEXAS Power grid such as it is...or isn't.

I was looking at the official website for Trophy Gardens, just to see if I could tell with new eyes the impression given. They show a slide presentation of photos taken throughout the park with different activities. Low and behold I see a pic of Butch in the pool hall and this was most likely last season and definitely, before he broke his leg. 

Here is the website:

https://www.rvresorts.com/trophy-gardens.html

And here is the photo of Butch. I snipped it from the website.

A Texas Downside

 Texas has many times threatened to secede from the good old USA and it seems when it comes to electrical power they have succeeded in that endeavor.  I am not making this up. Their electrical system is self-contained you might say. The rest of the nation is on a grid of the western US or the eastern US. Texas stands alone. So when the entire State is in an emergency situation as they currently are they are the only source to get power. They cannot tie into the national grid. They wanted it and they got it. And now they don't like it.

What does this mean for us? It means the electricity comes on and goes off willy-nilly. You never know when you might have electricity and when you won't. Need to cook supper? Do you really want to take that chance? And this applies to every other household chore. And that is just the tip of the iceberg and I mean that literally as well as figuratively. The only store that is open is HEB and that is because they have a generator. All other stores are closed because even if they could sell you something it would have to be a cash-only transaction. And no telling when this will change.

Yesterday we had electricity until 11:30 AM-then off till 1:30 PM- then on until 7:30 PM-Back on at 4:30 AM. Plan your day around that situation!! There is no reasoning connected to this that we can tell. 

We lived in Iowa all of our growing up years and never had this situation. If the electricity went off it was because of downed lines or a blown transformer. There was always a reason and never just poor planning. The Texas Governor is livid but isn't that a bit too late?

Copied from NBC News:

The problems are exacerbated because Texas, the largest energy producer and consumer in the United States, is the only state to use its own power grid. That frees it from federal regulations, including ones that could have required it to be better prepared for a freak cold snap, said Peter Fox-Penner, the founder of Boston University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy.

“Texas’ deregulatory philosophy has caused them to put much less stringent rules on generators and system operators to be prepared for cold weather than other systems, where extreme cold is more common,” he said in an interview.

“They believed that this kind of ‘perfect storm’ was so unlikely that they didn’t need to require the system to prepare for it,” Fox-Penner said.

The Railroad Commission of Texas, which despite its name regulates the oil and natural gas industry in the state but not any railroads, said that the weather had stopped fossil fuel production in some parts of the state.

"Some producers, especially in the Permian Basin and Panhandle, have reported experiencing unprecedented freezing conditions which caused concerns for employee safety and affected production," the Commission announced Monday.

The one-two punch of the storm and sudden power outages have caused wide-reaching damage across the state.

For the Fagan Family Farms, a small independent organic produce farm in Kyle, Texas, lost produce from the cold snap was bad enough, but the power outage was devastating. They had about $20,000 worth of lettuce growing in the electrically heated growhouse, owner Shawn Fagan said — about a fifth of his annual business — and that's now all lost.

"I had the next generation growing in the growhouse,” he said by phone. “Not only do I not have anything in the field, I don't have anything to put in the field now.”

Kevin Collier

From another viewpoint

 Friends Jim and Deon Spangler are in Trails End this year and I thought you might like to read her viewpoint.

Barb

 From Deon:

A quick update on what is happening down here in the Rio Grande Valley. Unheard of record low temperatures, no power and now a potential gas shortage!

This is historic to say the least. It was in the low 20s this morning and the power in our park has been off for 36 hours. It is supposed to be a rolling power outage but this has not rolled, just been a steady no-power situation. The Dollar General across the street was closed yesterday and today and if the power doesn't come back on will be closed tomorrow too.

We have our generator which has provided us power to have plenty of heat from the gas furnace, lights, TV, etc. We got one of our propane tanks filled again this morning (had filled one yesterday too) and after driving around for two hours this morning finally found a gas station that we could manage to get into to fill our gas can to keep the generator running. They are now saying there is, or will be, a gas shortage as people are using their cars to go out and sit in to try to get warm.

Some of the Magnolia people I think may have found a motel that had rooms and power. Both are in short supply that's for sure. Harpers are in their motor home as that has a generator. Susan Van Houweling is here in her motor home which I'm sure also has a generator. I think Carmen Friesen is over at her son, DeWayne's house as he lives just across the street from her. As far as the rest of the Magnolia people, I do not know how they are faring. Chet & Irma are managing quite well and everyone is very hopeful that we will power restored at least for a while tomorrow.

We took a quick walk up to the dumpster area and noticed that a few of the mobiles now have large generators sitting outside and running and those people have lights on, otherwise it is totally dark although when I look out one of our windows I can see lights over to the west of us. It is interesting where the outages are as there does not seem to be any reason why one spot has power and the next one doesn't.

As far as I know, Magnolia Village over in Donna has power and water, or at least the last I heard, they did.

The store shelves in Walmart are empty of bread and milk and I imagine short on other things too. 

This event will be talked about for a very long time and the news is saying there will be an investigation into why there are many hundreds of thousands of Texans without power.

I hope that wherever you are, whether up north or down here in the valley somewhere, that you are staying warm and safe. 

Winter Check List For RV'ers

 We were all good but when the power goes out it changes things a bit. This morning we have electricity and all is good. It is like the song lyrics, "You don't know what you've got till it's gone."

https://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/joni+mitchell/big+yellow+taxi_20075370.html

Here is where you can find the checklist:

https://www.rvtravel.com/winterchecks1537/

A Doozy

 It has been a doozy of an event the past two days with another slated for tomorrow. It was rainy with a cold north wind on Sunday. Unpleasant but we did go up to the pool hall and play in a Valentine's couples tournament. We played with our spouse and it was great. Butch and I had a good time, and we both played fairly well. There was some tough competition and it was fun!

Sunday night:We knew we would have to shut the water off because temps were predicted below freezing so Butch went out after supper and drained the hoses. We did lower the furnace to 50 degrees because we knew we had a nice cozy situation with a big heavy comforter that Peggy had made for us and an electric blanket. We were never cold as long as we stayed in bed. And then the electricity went out at about 2 AM.! And it was 23 degrees. Initially not an issue...we have a generator. But the generator would not turn over. Too cold! Next, we turned on the MoHo and ran the furnace using power from the batteries while it was running. Using up our diesel fuel.(we have enough) Our batteries seemed to be in a bit of a struggle so we were discussing when we last purchased them and it was when we were in Florida in March of 2015, nearly 6 years ago. No wonder they are struggling a bit. It took hours for the temp to rise and it struggled to get to 30 today. The sun did come out midafternoon and it is currently 38 degrees.

Our electricity is back after 12 hours. They are telling us it could happen again tonight. We plan to get new batteries and work on getting the generator working but it needs to be warmer to get these things done. We knew it was supposed to be cold but not that cold!

Tonight is going to be a repeat of last night. Predicting a low of 22 perhaps dropping to 18! This should end tomorrow with a high of 51 and a low of 45. One difference will be no precipitation. We don't like this cold situation but we can live with it. There may be many people less fortunate than us who will not.

There are still lots of outages and my best Interent connection is out so I am having to rely on my phone hotspot. So posting this might be an issue.

Hurry

 

Bubble People

After Monday eight of our ten bubble people will have their first Covid-19 vaccine. The last couple, 9 and 10, have been traveling and are in their 5 self-isolating days required by the park and I don't know their intentions currently. It is a relief to have the process started. 

The rules around Covid that have been in place in South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo County, the city of Alamo, and Trophy Gardens Resort have gone a long way in keeping all of us winter Texans in good health. When we all go back to our home states we will not be seeing the same considerations but we do have hopes that the vaccine will do its best and keep us safe.

Last night our bubble people played the Sticks Card game: https://www.instructables.com/Sticks-Card-Game/ The games we choose are changed on a regular basis so we do not get bored or frustrated. Sometimes it is inevitable, unfortunately. The other games in rotation are, Dirty Board, Fast Track, 65, Cribbage, and CrossCrib. CrossCrip is a variation of Cribbage. Not all of our bubble pals play cribbage.

Quick Tip

Keep your shower sparkling

Many have heard of the 50/50 vinegar and dish soap method to clean a shower. I “modified” that method a bit and it works fantastically on our RV’s shower – fiberglass, tile, or whatever, this stuff cleans anything.

Here’s my recipe: Mix 1/2 cup plain white vinegar with a little LESS than 1/2 cup Dawn blue dish soap (use ONLY Dawn and ONLY the regular blue stuff) in a large measuring cup. Mix, then microwave the mixture till just hot enough to still be able to put your hand in the mixture (do NOT boil it!). Using a Scotch Brite pad (ones w/sponge on one side, a bit rougher on the other), I simply spread the mixture on the walls, doors, and, lastly, even the floor, with a tiny bit of scrubbing. Let the mixture “sit” as long as you can handle the vinegar smell (20-30 minutes is fine; I usually let mine sit ~1 hr). Then get in (as if you’re takin’ a shower) and rinse everything off. That’s it. Your shower will sparkle!