How are we?

 Really...Butch has been sleeping a lot-8+ hours at night and perhaps a nap or two during the day. He recognizes this as not at all normal for him. He has an appointment with the cardiologist on the 26th. We have a list of questions. However this morning we saw an update on Pope Francis. They said he had pneumonia in both lungs in late February and is now home but not expected to do his full duties for two more months. Butch will be 84 in June. The Pope is 88. Butch had pneumonia in both lungs, a heart situation, and AFIB. My assessment is that he should be easy on himself as he is still healing.

I am a different story. I am on my 3rd round of antibiotics for UTI's. I would like it to be my last. Yesterday was a rough day because I had a recurring episode of the same old pain and I am supposed to be getting better, not backsliding. Needless to say, it put me down in the dumps. Throughout this ordeal, it has always felt worse when I was in bed and I have spent a few nights sleeping in the recliner where I was slightly more comfortable. Early this morning I woke up in pain, passed some gas, and felt much better immediately! This may be a clue to a different path. I have an appointment in the morning with my doctor. I have some questions to be sure. So I currently cannot say where I am as far as my health is concerned. Currently, I am feeling much better than I did yesterday and hopefully will continue to feel much better tomorrow!

Other than the above we are doing okay. We are still playing pool and yesterday, Butch and his poolplaying buddy Paul Kelleher played golf for the first time in a long while. We are both ready to put these episodes behind us and get on with our life. I can see this goal. We are just short of it but not by much.😵‍💫

Happy Hour Conversation

  I keep telling people that our "Happy Hour" is NOT a gossip fest and they give me a skeptical look. One person even said, "Aren't they all?". So as a random thought I decided to take notes on the subjects covered during happy hour. Ours runs from 4-5. After all we are a very busy bunch and we have other things awaiting our attention.

So yesterday this was the rundown:

1. What is the population of Reynosa Mexico. I had recently heard it was 4 Million and that seemed very high. One said they had heard 1 Million. I looked it up and the answer is 1,000,000 in 2020. It was admitted that it fluctuated.

2.The Dangers of seniors and ladders. We shared ladder stories and it seemed everyone had one!

3. Good breakfasts are served at Victoria Palms.

4. We talked about Ropa. A place where people should go at least once. Some people are repulsed by it and others look at it as a fun treasure hunt. Ropa Usada is Used Clothing in English. There are large buildings in far South Texas where discarded clothing is gathered from all over the US with its next stop being overseas. Tre Demensions is a popular Ropa Usada place. This particular place has a mountain of clothing in the middle and people climb the mountain to find their treasures. Gotta see it to believe it!

5. Dentists in Mexico. Seems everyone has a favorite.

6. There is a German restaurant, 'Schneider's' that one of the happy hour people recently went to and gave a good review. It is located 1/2 block north of Dove on Ware Road.

7. We talked about allergies and the different types and suffering of such.

8. Tom Ball stopped by and we talked about his black powder shooting. Not a subject that comes up often.

9. Rumor has it they caught the bike thief, but then you know how rumors are.

10. One of us mentioned they had scratch marks on their car from a cat and would not have believed it but they witnessed it.

11. We talked about the new directory and how great it was!

12. We admired Linda P. new shoes!

13. We discussed food and things we had made lately. Such as Bacon and Waffles.

Promptly at 5:00 we depart and look forward to the next one!

Close to normal

 I enjoyed a good night's sleep. I was only up twice and then right back to sleep. It is far from a trend but it is a wonderful start.

My next 'job' is to remember my haircut appointment in 30 minutes.

Butch and I went to the Alamo Cafe for breakfast. I enjoyed my usual veggie omelet and Butch had a breakfast taco as he had not had one for a long time. It used to be his number one go-to for breakfast This was followed by a quick trip to H.E.B. to get what I needed for a fish fry we have been invited to this weekend. And now you are all caught up?

We are on the lookout for normal and will let you know when we find it.

Sherri and Sam and the Blizzard

These pics do not show the mess we are in! We walked 60 ft to Perkins, got wet feet, a sore face from the snow/sleet, and  I had to hold on to Sam as the wind was so strong I struggled to stay upright. 

I only have Texas clothes, so needless to say, it was an excruciating short walk, and then we had to wait as their system kept crashing and losing power, we finally got lunch and a cup of hot tea

Finding the Funny?

 I am trying to find it! I know it is here somewhere! 

It started with an early morning text message from friends Sherri and Sam who were coming to Trophy to spend some time with us. Their flight was cancelled and they were trying to get rebooked for tomorrow. They were unable to get that done. When you are involved in a top grade, one hundred percent old-time BLIZZARD. The world as you know it comes to a screeching halt. They came to Omaha and spent the night in a motel because they had an early flight. So now they cannot come to Texas and they cannot go home! The snow is blowing horizontally offering minimal vision. There is an eating place across the road but it is not safe getting there!

NEXT?

If I wrote a book no one would believe it! When I picked up my last prescription the pharmacist told me that some people who take lisinopril will have a reaction to Bactrim. He said some people, not all will have random pains all over their body. Guess what? I am having random pains all over my body. I had the doctor call in a different med. When Butch gets home he will groan when he finds out we have to go to CVS again! 😜Can you believe it!?

My wish is for a humdrum ordinary kind of day!

Hey! My house is clean and the laundry is done.

 

On a lighter note

Next Tuesday will be the last Trivia session of the season.

I love this pic. It says so much about this particular team. They change their team name each week and this week they were One Dave Down. One of their crew 'Dave" was not able to make it that night.

Down Mexico Way

 I gathered up my lengthy med list and we went to Hector's to get it filled. Not having been there since the political s--t-storm, we did not know what to expect. We had been told that the number of people was way down and we did not find that to be true. Maybe less MAGA hats but there were plenty of people. Both parking lots were full.

We started off with a pedicure. It had been a long time and it felt oh-so-good! It feels like you have two new feet.

We did not know what the walk was going to be like for Butch because he had not walked that distance (1 mile) since his heart episode. We took a moderated walk and it was fine. Butch did well. It was hot, and we did everything we could to stay in the shade. Easily done. We had a nice visit with Hector as we always do.

We had our list filled and once it was all put together it looked sizable and I started to worry as they get fussy about bringing too much back. After considerable thought and if they called me on "too much," I was going to say I was worried that I might not get to come back ever. That was only partially true, however, I know many Winter Texans who believe that to be very true!

At the border we went straight through. I was asked what I was bringing back and I said "Meds" as usual and he asked if any of them were controlled and I truthfully said 'No'. And then walked to the conveyer belt that normally scans everything. Same question, what are you bringing back, "Meds"and I said I was loaded up because I wasn't sure we could come back. He looked in the bag and not seeing anything amiss, asked me why I would think that and I answered because of the 'State of the Union'. He said, I understand that one! He also told me he was more than a little upset after losing a sizable portion of his 401K. I offered my sympathy.

Bottom line we came through without a hitch. 

We have company coming next week and we plan to show them the pleasure of a Progresso Pedicure. We enjoy sharing the pleasures of the Rio Grande Valley.

It was good to be home as always!

When it rains...

 The last month has been one incident after another, and I still hope for an end to the endless trips to doctor appointments and pharmacies. We still have a few ahead of us, and they are spread a ways apart. It puts more than a damper on other activities as well.  I think we are both on the mend and headed in the right direction.

It is a fact that the season for Trophy Gardens is winding down. Most activities taper off after the first of March and many of us are ready for a break.  We won't be leaving until Mid April. So we will be putting our feet up and going with the flow. 

We have company coming later this month and we will be showing them the ropes. Now if we can decide on what ropes to show them! It is impossible to get a feel for the Rio Grande Valley and Trophy Garden living in 4 days. We will do our best!

One of the things that gets so far behind is staying in contact through all devices; texting, emailing, Facebook etc. It can turn from a molehill to a mountain in a day or two. I feel as though I am now close to being caught up. Let me know if I have left something out. 🥰

Recovery

 We are both recovering. At least I hope so. Whenever I am required to take antibiotics, a yeast infection is soon to follow and somehow I forget that fact and then I suffer. To add to that, I am allergic to the med most commonly prescribed for that. If the med prescribed has the letters F-L-U in them, I cannot take them because a trip to ER will come next.

And now...Butch was pumped full of antibiotics in the hospital with his heart issues and then he came home and developed a yeast infection. It's official name is Thrush. Then we spent yesterday morning in the doctors office to get some scripts and the pharmacy to get relief.

So jump to this morning and we are both feeling better. Butch is grumbling about the upcoming "Spring Forward" so he must be better or at least back to normal. And I was able to get 8 hours sleep which hasn't happened for a very long time.

Backing up a bit: We have both managed to get some pool played. Butch came in second in the In-Park Singles, his first event after coming home from the hospital. That might not sound like much, but there were 24 or 26 men that competed, all of them top notch players.

And Renie and I play in the Mid-Valley Womens 8-Ball League. We were new to league play and we went into it with no expectations of having anything more than  fun. Our last play of the season was Wednesday, March 5th. We both played well and we attribute that to having no expectations. Bottom line we came in 4th for the season.  We look forward to next season. The league is friendly and fun to play with and next season a friend from the old Magnolia park will be playing on the Trails End team. See you on league days, Deon!

Gary and Susan sent me flowers for my birthday yesterday. They are beautiful!

 

Home Sweet Home

 We got home late Saturday afternoon. We are super glad to be here but physically and mentally worn out. And all the "home" things that need attention have been waiting. Writing here so friends and family can watch the process is late in getting written. Not to mention all the usual activities we participate in, most having had to be set aside. Maybe next week. The biggest blow of the weekend is finding out how much his meds are. One is less than $10, the other $429 a month after insurance. Thank god we are where we are because after checking with our friend Hector, the $429 one will be $100 a month. I know there are a few naysayers out there, however, we have been getting our Meds from south of the border for 20 plus years and never had a problem. After all, our pharmacist down there says our people get sick too and you are getting the same meds they get.

We are both very sleepy and can take a nap at the drop of a hat. We are hoping to have our happy life back soon. It may take a while.

Our pool abilities are a little left of center for both of us. We will take the time to recover soon. In the meantime, another nap sounds like fun!

US on 3/2/25

 Butch is home and we are both pleased about that. The only restrictions they have put on him are no heavy lifting, pushing, or pulling for a week. His breathing has returned to normal or at least it sounds good to me.

We are headed to the pharmacy later this morning and I expect one of them will be expensive. Hopefully it will be available in Mexico. 

Brilinta 90 mg

Details😒 Too many details lately. 

( I have been researching the meds prescribed for AFIB and of course Brilinta is the most expensive and only slightly more effective than eliquis.)

On the plus side he is home and feeling fine.

So many people have helped me during this trying time. I thank all of them profusely and often. I consider it TROPHY GOLD!

Butch 3/1/25

 He did well with the surgery. Now we a tackling the right meds for his kind of AFIB. So he will be in Mcallen Medical room 548 for a while yet. He appreciates company. I am headed that way soon.

Butch 2/27/25

 He has been rescheduled till 9:00 AM tomorrow. I am encouraged after being there for a while. He is in good spirits, joking with the nurses. All of his vitals are good. Tomorrow should be a good day.

Butch 2/26/25

Last Saturday morning about 5 AM I was awake and listening to Butch breathing. It didn’t sound good 

and I was concerned. His breathing was shallow, frequent, and gurgly. I woke him up and told him I thought we should go to ER. He had been struggling with what he determined to be “sinuses”. This has happened to him a couple of times a year. We were in ER, the one close to Alamo on the frontage road. They hooked him up to a monitor right away and the first question was “How long have you had AFIB?” Butch said I don’t have AFIB, my wife does. But the machine didn’t lie. He was having AFIB, a fluttering of the heart. He had many tests including X-rays and CT scan. They said he had a lot of fluid in the upper part of his lungs and yet was dehydrated. They explained a procedure to take fluid off the lungs first by giving him lasix and a urinal. It was successful after giving them a gallon or two. The next step in the procedure is to rehydrate by IV and all went well. By this time it is 10 or so. We wondered what was taking so long but it turned out they were looking for an empty bed for him in McAllen Heart. They ended up finding him one in McAllen Medical, the same one he has been to in other years.

First, we were shocked that he was going to be hospitalized, and then we were surprised he had pneumonia, and yesterday we found out his heart was only working at 28%. He is scheduled for a procedure to check his arteries tomorrow. They will move him to McAllen Heart and his ‘surgery’ is scheduled for 11:00 AM. They told him if they found one blockage he would get a stint but if they found 4 he would be having open heart surgery.

We were frequently asked what the symptoms there were and there were NONE. In hindsight, there were a few signs like frequent naps, loss of appetite, etc. Never any pain. He was concerned a bit last Wednesday at square dancing when he was having trouble keeping up. He walked home from the pool hall one day and said he was getting out of shape because it was a chore. When we walked together he was having trouble keeping up with me. 

We were very lucky to catch this when we did.

As for me, I have been a mess, fearing the worst. Lately, I have been getting a grip so things are looking better now that there is a plan. Always better when there is a plan.

I am having trouble keeping up with all the correspondence.

And then there were 3 incidents...

 Early Saturday morning I woke up and Butch's breathing alarmed me. It was shallow and gurgly and rapid. I woke him up and said I think you need to go to ER. Thinking it was nothing but a respiratory something we planned to go to breakfast when we got out of ER and then do some grocery shopping.

As soon as they hooked him up to "their machines" they asked him how long he had AFIB. He said my wife has AFIB, I don't, but the proof was on the machine.

After testing lots of things they said he had some fluid on his lungs and was dehydrated at the same time. They said this is not uncommon and to correct it they give them a med that drains the fluid and once drained they then rehydrate. He pee'd about two gallons in 30 minutes and it did indeed work as they said. And the AFIB was still active so transferred him to McAllen Medical. They kept him the rest of Saturday and all of today (Sunday). He possibly will be coming home tomorrow. I certainly hope so. A cardiologist touched base with him this afternoon and told him he would look over his charts and tell him where to go from here. Hopefully early tomorrow.

Paul K. and I went to see him this afternoon and he looked fit as a fiddle. His hacky cough is gone and I assume they were still monitoring him for AFIB but the gismo they have on him now goes straight to the nurse's desk. 

I hope he comes home tomorrow and assume he will be.

I hope this fills you in. We think all is fine and we can resume our life as we love it.

I will think that until I am told or find out otherwise!

Life Lesson

 I wrote this poem many years ago and happened upon it recently. Still pertinent today.

Life Lesson (subtitled “But it wasn’t my fault!”)

 written by Barbara Brooker on  5/21/01

I remember who I wrote this for and about.  I am not going to divulge that info. It is not (a) relative. No pun intended.

You can’t move past till you claim it,

The thing you are placed here to learn.

You are doomed to repeat and repeat it,

Until you own it or burn.

Next faced with one of life’s lessons,

Stand up and say, “This one's mine!”

My crossing the line has happened enough,

To hope that I’ve learned it this time.

There is no one to blame but myself.

No one could tell me you see.

For the lesson was mine and I claim it.

It is the only way to be free.

South Texas weather

 And square dancing. Last night we went to a square dance, not lessons but an actual dance with Carl and Gina and we did well. Not once did we break down a square. FYI: When you break down a square all of you are standing instead of dancing because you lost your place. It was a good time, but we started waning in energy as time passed. This was a Mainstream dance. We plan to take plus lessons next season. It is a wonderful exercise overall at every level.

And now for the weather. 36 degrees at 6:00 am...feels like 27. Now imagine you live in Iowa and it is July with temps in the 70's and 80's and one morning you wake up and it is 36 degrees! Acclamation to weather is real. We have weatherman promises that by next Sunday we will return to South Texas's normal temps in late February!

The Pendulam...

...has swung the other way. Three days ago I went to the ER with a UTI infection. Seniors particularly are easily taken down with UTI sometimes not even knowing they have a problem. I am known for self-diagnosis and treatment but this time, being already down in the dumps, I decided I should talk to the real thing. So yes I do have an infection and with all the other testing they do, I now know that my heart and head are both normal. I'm not sure they tested too well on the head but I want to go along with it and see if thinking normal will make it so!

Today was women's 8-ball pool team play and Renie and I played in Magic Valley Park against the Magic Valley team. We played well winning 4 out of 5 games. And we had a chance to win the last one as well. I always say as long as I play well and to the best of my ability, I am happy with the outcome. I certainly needed a pleasant outcome in something to boost my self-confidence and self-esteem. And today I got that! Both Renie and I did our best!

It is cold here. I am writing this at 1:20 PM and the outdoor temp is 43 degrees! As I understand it there is cold weather in our future with over a week of cold temperatures. At least I can say with some certainty that it will not last and we will get some warm sunny days in the near future. In the meantime, we can stay indoors, with the heat on and play cribbage.

I didn't know that feeling so good would happen so soon and feel so right in a short period of time. I am ever so grateful.

brooker3.blogspot.com

Recovery...

 And what happened. The autopsy revealed there was no virus, I connected to the wrong people thinking it was google I was talking to, and the initial problem was the computer itself. My 5 year-old Chromebook decided to go crazy. As I look back I had warnings. When I clicked on anything it would sometimes take three clicks to react and yes I checked out my mouse and it was not the problem. And one of my last efforts to fix it, a factory reset, created more problems because of updates etc. So I fired up my brand new computer that had been still in the box after arriving two weeks ago. All factors are working normally.

It was an episode I will never forget and long regret. My personal issues are another matter. I have been having small panic attacks. I recognize them when they happen but it is still disconcerting. I have shakey hands, gut spasms, slight dizziness whenever I need to make a quick decision no matter how small. I hope this will go away with time. I can focus enough to play pool and in the company of others, I can relax and enjoy the conversation.

Time will heal... 

Just Plain Ugly

 I woke up Wednesday morning unable to open my main email account on my tablet. My phone was okay but as many of you know I am a computer 'gal'. I find doing blogging or anything really, very hard to do. I am writing this now so it is obvious I have resolved the computer issue. By myself, I might add. But in doing so I was scammed. Yes, it can happen to anyone. I hang my head in shame. I should have known better. I was trying to take care of a computer issue and wound up in a security issue. We lost a chunk of money in the deal and I refuse to live through it any longer by going into detail. It is done. I was double-tasking and got sidewinded. The first one created the second one. So if you see me...No I do not want to talk about it.

Everything  is okay now. I have no idea how long it will take me to recover. I am not there just yet.

Salad Story

I was perusing through some files on my computer and the title got my attention. I sometimes have issues eating enough veggies. Butch is not a fan and I tire of the few he will eat. So despite knowing this makes a huge amount of salad I plunged ahead...and I love it! You can decide about this – perhaps pair up with a fellow veggie lover.

Detox Salad

Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free.

Packing a powerhouse of nutrients, this light & energizing salad will have you bursting with energy. It makes a lot so you can enjoy it all week long for easy, energizing lunches. I wouldn’t recommend skipping the currants and raisins as it adds a much needed sweetness to balance out the vegetables and lemon juice. I loved it drizzled with a touch of maple syrup just before serving. Feel free to use any herbs and spices you wish. I also love it with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

Inspired by Whole Foods

Yield: 10 cups (lots for the whole week!!)

Ingredients:

• 2 heads broccoli (1 bunch), stems removed

• 1 head cauliflower, stems removed

• 2.5 cups shredded carrots

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

• 1 cup currants ( I used dried cranberries)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 4-6 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste

• kosher salt, pepper to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp salt and lots of pepper)

• Pure maple syrup, to drizzle on before serving

 

1. In a food processor (or chop by hand) process the broccoli (no stems) until fine. Add into large bowl.

2. Now process the cauliflower (no stems) until fine and add into bowl. Do the same with the carrots.

3. Stir in the sunflower seeds, currants, raisins, and parsley. Add lemon juice and seasonings to taste.

4. Drizzle with maple syrup to taste when serving.

~~~

Nibbling

 I have been going through old files and photos, erasing duplicates, and attempting to make some order. I have had a computer since 1998(?) and one of my first endeavors was to get all my pictures from day one onto the computer. The fact that the technology would grow into a phenomenal wonder, I did not take into consideration. Who knew? It wasn't me! So I am wandering around my files and frequently getting distracted. It becomes overwhelming.

The rest of my life in South Texas with my man of 66 years is going fine. We are enjoying every minute of it. Yes, we are overbooked on nearly everything, however, the time to head north will be here in the blink of an eye.             

Butch is giving a billiards lesson to our great-grandson Leo in this photo, taken over a year ago.

 

The Zimmerle family gathering last summer. Pictured below are cousins, Bill, Larry, and Howard and Larry's daughter Beth, a spectacular vocalist.

Take Note

Going through old files...

 These caught my eye...

The square dance years. These were taken at the Iowa State Convention in Sioux City.

Women's 8 Ball

                               Barb Utech, Barb Brooker, Renie Stinson

We are spreading our wings and playing competitively at other resorts in the Rio Grande Valley, meeting new people and learning new things.

Hope that's over

We had about 10 hours of freezing temperatures and it did affect the foliage. These periods of below-freezing temperatures used to be very rare in South Texas but now we have some of it every winter. Now it is rare to see an orange or grapefruit grove. It is too expensive to take the chance. It seems that when an orange grove gets frozen out they convert it into a housing development.

We are back to moderate weather 50's night and 70's day. We hope the folks up north will hold off sending any more of the cold stuff our way. 

There are so many activities a person could fill up every minute of their days and nights if they wanted to.  I think you would have to be crazy to try. I am sticking to pool,trivia, and square dancing. I have offered a beading class with some success but think I will let that drop after next week. I personally am getting back into beading earrings, relearning some of the many ways it can be done. 

Blogging has taken a back seat as I am sure my regulars have noticed. Age takes its toll. Photography was always how I would get past a session of writer's block but these days that has not been as prolific as in the past. But now that the thought has entered ny head I will take a look at the last photos I have taken. Perhaps I have not taken the time to post them.

I had to dig a while to find one worthy of posting. This was taken on the bike trail in Jefferson several years ago. I think thistles are beautiful.

Butch in 6th grade

Do you see the ghost?

It is fun to go through pictures! Time consuming but fun!

A Surprise UPDATED

 I now play in a women's traveling pool team with Renie Stinson as my partner. Renie had a cruise take up her time this last week so Barb Utech filled in for her. This whole business is new to both of us but we dove right in there letting the chips fall where they may. I never feel bad about the outcome when I am playing the best I can and that was almost true for me. Barb U. on the other hand played well. We played 5 games and won 3 and the other two were close. We socialized with the other teams and I wrote down the scores. When I got home I took a second look and Barb and I took first place for the day! The scoring system is a little different and I won't go into it here. I was so surprised! Overall we are ranked somewhere in the middle and a good day sure felt fine.

Other stuff: The park is in the height of it with dozens of activity choices to make. Whoops! I just remembered that I told someone I would post a list of things to do in the RGV and then promptly forgot. I put this list together years ago when we were in Magnolia Park. Now to find it...pause here... Okay, I found it! I went to the blog I used to keep with for Magnolia park and there it was, now copied in this blog.

 

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 a text or 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
https://www.olsjbasilica.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. Going with an oldie is beneficial as it can seem a bit overwhelming to a newbie.

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 basic level. English is not spoken by many. It is a whole other country.  https://www.krgv.com/news/reopening-of-los-ebanos-ferry-pending-u-s-coast-guard-approval/

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. 

9. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/santa-ana Your Golden Age Pass will get you into the park to spend several hours enjoying nature. Just a hop skip and jump from Trophy.

10. https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/bentsen-rio-grande-valley

See Javelina and every bird known to the Rio Grande Valley.

11. https://thc.texas.gov/historic-sites/iwo-jima-museum-and-monumentThe original  in Harlingen TX

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

13. https://www.portofportmansfield.com/ Lots of people go to Port Mansfield to see the deer and other wildlife 

14. https://www.portofbrownsville.com/ https://islatours.com/the-port-of-brownsville-tour/

The tour should be on your todo list for sure!

I have updated many of the entries on this list. And will do more updating in the future.

Suggested by others:

15. Please put Sisters. It's a marvelous shop that has been there for over 35 years. Delightful and a bit upscale. Sisters Boutique

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KXfnSsf3XiaLohvB7

16. Quinta Mazatland Bird Center https://quintamazatlan.com/

Many people are unaware that birding is a big deal in South Texas

I hope you have made it this far because special attention should be paid to this one. People from all over the world stay in this B&B. If you go to the ElDorado to eat you may be surprised to find it is across the street west from there.

https://alamoinnbnb.com/  Birding is a big deal

We made it!

 So we made it through the most event-filled week we have had in our memory.

In between the Golden Age Olympics doings, we were busy with our usual stuff. Trivia went well and we had 5 tables of players. I had worked out the questions for two weeks ahead so I didn't have the stress of coming up with the questions. I have a treasure trove of questions having done this since January 8th, 2018 in Texas. Longer than that in Iowa.

Renie and I are playing in a women's league outside the park. We are currently in last place. I am considering this our initiation year. We will work our way up the ladder. We are both ready for the challenge.

I offered a beaded ring class and it was a hit and they want me to continue. We will see if this continues. I do have an out on this one. One of the women who showed up for it was already an accomplished beader. She came because she had not brought her beading supplies with her. She can be a backup for me.

Square Dancing has started and conflicts for me with pool. I may see if I can make both work at least for a while.

I swore when we moved to this park I would not get overloaded. Everything takes a commitment! Whoops!

Buzz Saw

Golden Age Olympics Singles on Tuesday:

So I entered the Golden Age Olympics 2025 Billards for the first time.  I should have known better but what you don't know, you don't know. In the singles division on Tuesday, I thought I could hang in there for a while at least. First off I got a bye meaning that I didn't have to play right away. So I waited...and waited...for over an hour. When they called me to play I was matched up to play with Audrey. I broke, she had a 7 ball run. I got one shot and missed. She easily made the 8 ball and game over. The second game went much like the first. Audrey, I find out later, has been playing since she was 10. There was no hesitation between shots. She knew exactly what she was going to do without a thought. It was like watching the pros on TV. Impressive as a spectator but not so much fun as a participant. I will admit it messed with my head. I was rattled and my second game with Barbara didn't go well either. Two losses mean you are out. Audrey went on to win the tournament. My Trophy playing partner, Renie, won 3rd place! 

Golden Age Olympics Doubles on Thursday:

Renie and I were partners and we hoped to have it go better for us and it did. The point is that we both played well and we played a few other teams before we were eliminated. We also had a large time gap so Renie asked about it and the guy asked her what bracket she was in. She said she didn't know so he asked her if she was in the 67 to 81 group or the younger one. Why yes we were! So it was categorized by age and being 81 also meant I was the oldest woman in the room! I felt much better about the whole thing with that bit of news. I don't know if Butch was the oldest guy in the room but he could have been.

Butch won third place in the men's division and has another big ol' medal to show off.

They told us there were photos online but I can't find them.

I might sign up next year. If I look upon it as a learning experience it will feel better. Maybe the luck of the draw will not match me up against the winner right out of the gate! And maybe I am ready to work on all the things Butch wanted me to learn before I was ready. Time will tell.

The first day

 We made it through our first super busy day and got quite a few items off the to-do list. In so doing we missed the woodcarver's open house. I have seen some of the work in other ways, which is truly spectacular.

My chores were not nearly as eye-popping, but it feels good to have the list eradicated. The first thing on the list was dropping off a big bunch of recyclable items. A woman came out of her office and thanked us for doing it and gave us a magnetized note to keep us on track. 

We then had 5 more stops but I will not bore you with them. We started at 8:00 and arrived home at 11:00-forgot about the woodcarvers-and carried on with the day.

Today will hold even more events than yesterday...till then!

Schedule

Friday, January 3rd:

Walked our 2-mile route with Renie this morning and will be playing pool with Renie this afternoon to polish up for the events we are signed up for in the upcoming week. Butch is playing in his usual Friday afternoon tournament.

Saturday, January 4th: Plus Square dance review lessons start at 9:00 to 11:00 in Alamo Palms. In the afternoon, Renie and I are going to Fast Eddies to play on their tables because we will be playing on them for the first time. We have signed up for the Senior Golden Olympics 2025 in the Women's Pool events, Singles, and Doubles. 

Sunday, January 5th: The Sunday Mixed Pool Event in Trophy takes place every Sunday except holidays. I host and we play in it.

Monday, January 6th: I will be practicing...It is ladies' day in the pool hall.

Tuesday, January 7th: Playing in the Olympics. Both of us will be playing at Fast Eddies. Butch will play men's singles and I will play women's singles. I have only a vague idea of how this will go for me. Butch has played in this event for several years. And Then...there is trivia tonight at 6:30 for me!

Wednesday, January 7th: Renie and I will play in the ladies' league. We only this year signed up for this. We will be playing at Siesta Village RV park this week. We are still trying to feel our way through, however we can tell that our practicing has helped.

Thursday, January 8th: Renie and I play doubles for women and Butch and Paul Kelleher play men's doubles in the Senior Olympics. That will take up most of the day and by this time in the week, we may not be good for much!

I haven't looked much further out than this because just writing about it makes me tired. I do know Butch will be playing somewhere on the 9th too. I hope to be resting!

We have an Artic Blast coming our way. It is supposed to get here Monday the 6th. Indoor events will continue. Outdoor ones may get canceled. The worst of it will be for 4 or 5 days with temps in the 40's and 50's. I hope it doesn't last any longer than that!

I have several friends and family with January birthdays. I am hoping to remember them but the chances are higher than normal that I will forget. So I hope you will forgive me if I slip up. I know there are a few that have already passed that I have missed. I will do some belateds but right now I need a nap!

Pedaling

 I feel like I am pedaling as fast as I can and getting nowhere fast! Really, I think it is an age factor because I am doing far less than I did 10 years ago. I am happy.  I rarely do anything I don't want to do. In fact, I don't!

I am playing pool more than usual. Renie and I are partnered up for Team play outside the park and we are learning each other's game and having fun doing it. By playing some every day we are making so much more progress.

Tomorrow is the last Sunday mixed doubles of the month so therefore will not be mixed. The last Sunday of the month we play with whoever we sign up with so Butch and I will be partners. We have been partners working together for coming on 66 years so I think we got this! Win or lose, it will be fine!

Every day at 4:00 pm we go next door to Sandi and Bill Danielson's place for "Happy Hour". It is different from many other concepts of "Happy Hour". It lasts for ONE hour. No food...most of the time. And you bring your own drink. No politics, no gossip or any other tension-producing subjects. We learn something new every day. It is amazing and a great way to end the social part of the day.

Alva Millard

 Alvie, as he was known by most, was a classmate of mine and a brother to Darrel Millard who was also a classmate of mine. Darrel and his wife Linda winter with us in Trophy Gardens in Alamo Texas. Last season another brother Ivan and his wife Kathy also wintered here.

I am telling you this because I was very impressed with Alvie's obituary and wanted to share it with all of you. It is one of the best obituaries I have read in a long time. I knew Alvie nearly all my life and yet I did not know him. 

Alvie Millard Obituary

Alvie Millard, 82 of Jefferson, passed away December 19, 2024 at his home.

Alva (Alvie) Ernest Millard was born March 30, 1942, son of James and Mary (Morlan) Millard. Alvie was the oldest of six children. He attended school in Jefferson until he started his working years at age 16.

Alvie married Bobbi Anderson in 1965 and they had two sons, Kenny and Joey. Alvie married Tonya Adams in 1982 and they had a daughter, Angela and a son, Blake.

Alvie was a great provider for his family. He worked at Oscar Mayer in Perry for 27 years and Fareway warehouse in Boone for an additional 14 years.

Alvie enjoyed gardening and canning, fishing, coin finding with his metal detector and decorating the house for Christmas. There were several years his house was lit up like the Griswold’s. Alvie had a passion for taking care of cats and had at least one cat for a pet at all times.  Christmas was Alvie’s favorite holiday. He would drive around town looking at lights and kept his house decorated with the tree up for a long time.

Alvie had unique talents such as playing the mouth harp, yodeling and auctioneering. He loved singing and roller skating; he was a fast skater and could even skate backwards.

Alvie is survived by his siblings Darrel (Linda) Millard, Phyllis Mischke, Ivan (Kathy) Millard, Eva (Jerry) Radcliffe, and Avis (Roger) Moranville and his children Kenny Millard of Grand Junction, Joey (Mary) Millard of Rippey, Angela (Dave) Milakovich, and Blake Millard of Jefferson. He is also survived by grandchildren Kimberly (Mason) Cole, Ashley Millard, Dylan Hofbauer, Destiny Hofbauer, Bently Hofbauer, Nataliya Milakovich, and Gianna Milakovich. great grandson Xane Cole. He is preceded in death by his parents.

A Memorial Service will be 10:30 am Friday, December 27, 2024 at the First United Methodist Church in Jefferson, Iowa. Burial will take place at Wright Cemetery, Jefferson, Iowa. The family will be present to greet friends on Thursday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson.  In lieu of flowers, the family of Alvie Millard kindly requests that donations be made to PAWS, an organization close to their hearts.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be left at www.slininger.schroeder.com.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL

 We are celebrating in our small home in Sunny South Texas where the temperature is predicted to be 89 degrees. At this writing it is 71 at 10:45 AM. In South Texas sometimes Christmas day is a bit chilly and some years it is downright balmy.

Our weeks are busy and they do fly by so Christmas day is a respite for us. Staying home, and cooking Turkey for two is a treat. 

Hope everyone can do what they choose to do, making it a Merry Christmas indeed.

And as I end almost everything I write, Best Wishes Always!

Women's League

Women's Pool League in the Rio Grande Valley. Front row left is Barb B. Barb U. is behind me peaking around and Renie S. is far right.

There are 7 two-person teams representing 7 parks in the valley. We could use one more team to even things out. We did okay for being newbies. Played 6 games in all and won 3.

Sharon and Camden

This pic makes me smile!

This is a picture of our friend, Sharon Mcquillen with her great-grandson Camden.

Womens league play.

 Barb Utech, Renie Stinson and I went to Magic Valley Resort to play in the women's league. Barb Utech and I played Alamo Palms the first 3 games and we won 2 of the 3. Renie and I played the second 3 games and won 1 against Alamo Rose. This was a double session because of the holidays. Normally we would play 5 games against another park. The scoring is different for us too. The winning team gets 10 points while the losing team gets the balls that they were able to get off the table, as little as 0 at most 7. I played well and that is my way of being happy with the outcome. For me, the score is secondary to how I played.

We play each week on Wednesdays in different parks. Trophy will be hosting on Wednesday, February 5th.

We had a good time and feel as though we could hold our own with the women who have been playing for decades.

Slow down!

 I want the world to slow down so we can savor what we enjoy. I'm aware that is a pipe dream, but I think that nearly every day. There are those who try to participate in nearly every activity. They must not be the savoring type or they are much better than I am at compartmentalizing.

There is a stark contrast between our Iowa life to our Texas life and believe it or not I enjoy both places!

We recycle in both places. Jefferson Iowa has made it so simple by providing a large container and picking up as often as once a month if needed. It is also simple here but in a different way. We have a container we have designated as our recycle tote. Once it is full we take it to a drive-thru recycle center where we place things in the well-marked locations. It takes less than 5 minutes. It makes us feel better to know we are doing what we can to keep our planet alive and healthy. What now goes to the landfill is a fraction of what we used to send there.

I want to find time to declutter our living quarters and currently that is the only thing on my agenda. It took a long time to get here. So while Butch is playing league pool this afternoon I hope to make some progress. Until then I plan to go to the pool hall and get some practice in.

Later...