Getting ready!

 This was the posting of the mixed double pool competition last Sunday. Yes, I am bragging! It happened to hit on a day when I played well.

Today (Sunday, December 27th) was a great time for Mixed Doubles in the pool hall...  There were 8 teams and each team played seven games.   It has been a long time since any team won all seven games but today was the magic day.   Donna Hanke & Butch Brooker won all seven games.   Team Barb Brooker and Jerry Thibodeau won five games.   Teams Rosemary Scott & Moe Lafarve and Bev McEnaney & Lonnie Hull won four games. Come join in on a fun Sunday afternoon. Sign up sheet is up for next Sunday, January 3, 2021  Our start time is 1:00 pm sharp.    There is a limit in the pool hall of 16 people, and everything is sanitized after the end of the games.

Happy New Year!

 Just think about what we would have done had we known what 2020 was going to hand us? The reality is probably nothing because I doubt we would have believed it could possibly happen. 

But here we are looking at a brand new year and all its possibilities. Being an eternal optimist I am going out on a limb here and say it will be as good as the last was not. The pendulum must swing the other way.

So with a big dose of hope in my heart I wish you all a happy new year.

We will be eating finger-food and playing Fast Track tonight and I will probably be soundly sleeping by 10 PM.

Fast Track Board Game:

Lately

This was taken a few minutes ago. A cold front has passed through and it is currently 46 degrees. Supposed to be a high of 60 today. When I went out to get my cream out of the dorm fridge I noticed there was about an inch of water in my rain bucket. I have a bucket that I collect rainwater to water the two pots I take back and forth each season. The rain bucket was bone dry yesterday and I dumped out leaves that had fallen into it. The trees are mostly bare now. We are in the season when they drop and in about 6 weeks we will see new buds and shortly thereafter the new leaf growth will be complete.

I just named our squirrel "Daisy". You know, like upsy-daisy? We decided to continue feeding her for a couple of reasons. The birds were not eating it except for one grackle who has a special relationship with "Daisy" . The grackle is too large to get on the ball so he sits under the ball and makes calling noises to the squirrel, Daisy shows up and the grackle eats what she drops. We have watched this happen many times.

Daisy and the grackle will both be disappointed when we run out of seed because we do not plan to buy more.

 

THANK YOU!

 A really big thank you to all the very wonderful help we received today from so many wonderful people. We are never entirely alone in our Winter home here in South Texas. All of these people are so quick to help anyone they come across in need of a hand. I even got a text with the offer of help.

The same thing would happen in our Summer home, I am sure but it might take a bit longer for the word to spread.

2020 Isn't over yet

 At least not for us. At 5:am this morning the refrigerator started beeping. Now, this can mean a door has been left open. However, that usually happens within 10 minutes of it being left open. So that was quickly ruled out by checking all four of the tightly closed doors. So I shut it off and turned it back on hoping for the best but was quickly disappointed. Beep, Beep, Beep. As it happened Butch happened to open one of his eyes...so he started some of the tricks all longtime RVers know that can be performed on the formidable RV refrigerators; including a magnet on the black box, bypassing the pesky black box, and whatever else that seemed worth a try. Long story shortened, nothing worked. Very shortly thereafter we got a big whiff of ammonia a surefire sign that the RV fridge is dead, beyond repair. So we start spreading the word of our predicament. First was rescuing the ice cream; You do not let H E B's Butter Pecan Creamy Creations Ice Cream become a puddle. So I took it over to Liz and Dave's and asked her for space in her freezer. She said it was not safe in there but we had no choice. So in talking to Dave he had some suggestions. Terry S. got into the mix and offered his RV and the fridge in it so we could save several hundred dollars worth of food. Another guy, Bob W., stepped up and brought forth a dorm fridge he wasn't currently using, giving us the ability to have at least a few of the most used items close by.

I also ran into Alex S. and he told me about having the same thing happen to him and he called an RV place in Mission TX (nearby) and had a new fridge installed 2 days later. He was very pleased with their work and the speed with which they did it. I said that sounds like info Butch would like to know so he stopped by our RV and gave Butch the number.

So Butch called and Mando came by, found out what we needed, and said there was one in Dallas and could be here by Monday. It will be here Monday and installed after coughing up 5 plus very big bills. RV refrigerators are notoriously expensive. We did consider buying a residential refrigerator but after considering all the pros (less money) and cons (several) we decided spending the bucks was the way to go. It was pointed out to us and my research showed that a residential fridge would need all kinds of reconstruction to make it fit in the space, and Butch would have to be doing the work, it would be a turnoff to anyone interested in purchasing the RV in the future, and lord only knows how long all that would take. The last thing I want is Butch trying to lift refrigerators through windows!

GOODBYE 2020!!

After the Christmas

 We had a good Christmas with our bubble friends. We have stayed vigilant throughout the trials of this year that shall never be forgotten. My birthday, 3/6, Butch's fall,3/7, and Covid -19 running rampant in the USA, 3/8, started the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime for us and nearly everyone else.

Birthday- I feel every bit as well as I did at 22 as I do at 77. Maybe even better because that has been so very long ago that I do not remember how I felt. I do know I am far wiser and more appreciative of everything now than I was then. Butch and I look at each other frequently and count our blessings of having each other and everything else.

Butch's leg- His broken right femur has healed very well and unless he is tired you would never know it was broken. At times he was impatient with his progress but for the most part, he did what the therapists asked of him and did all else required to get healed.

Covid-19- It added a new and unknown aspect to every nook and cranny of everyone's life. And surprisingly there were many lessons and blessings to the process of getting through it. With the vaccine now on the foreseeable horizon perhaps we can put it behind us within the next couple of years. I do plan to hold onto the good things that come from our isolation time, mostly the greater appreciation for what we do have and hold. I do believe everyone will join in on the saying of goodbye and good riddance to the year 2020.

Here are a couple of photos taken yesterday.

Our hostess Liz

Dave, Butch, Alex, and Paul L to R.

Snipped from Facebook

Ethan- I loved this pic of Ethan. He belongs to the Laura and Jason branch of the family.

Greatgrands Elise and Leo who belong to the Gary and Susan Branch

 

Ann, Scarlett,Skyler, Nina Grace, and Anthony belonging to the Rich and Donna branch

And now you know why I still stay tuned to Facebook

Gary and Susan Covid-19 update They are getting better. Susan told me Gary made brownies yesterday and that is a surefire way of knowing that he is on the road to recovery. They are two weeks into their first symptoms.

Merry Christmas to All

And to all a good night!

Pets tell the story of Santa...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDHTyzBRvAQ

Women in the pool hall

 Here are some photos I took Monday in the pool hall. Yes, we were all minding our P's and Q's.

Pictured are Sally and Darlene

Bev oversees our time in the pool hall.

Mikie lines up on a shot

Word from Missouri

 Susan texted me this morning that Gary slept well and felt a bit better today. That news warmed our hearts and lifted our spirits. So we can spread some Christmas Cheer!

We know he is not yet 100% but it does seem he has turned a corner. And in case you wonder that we might be giving Susan the short end, she has done better throughout this ordeal. In general, women do seem to tolerate this better than men in many instances. Susan too is still in recovery mode, and not yet ready to celebrate a complete victory.

Some recent Pics

 The Missouri Great Grands made gingerbread houses. This one was Elises. She has grand style! (snipped from Facebook)

Also snipped from "The Internet"  It is a 2020 XmasTree

Taken near the golf course- a deflated Christmas

Our Humble abode...

Our new pet!

How goes it

 I asked how our Missouri kids were doing in their battle with Covid and it seems it is about the same as yesterday and yesterday was not fun at all, so still feeling rough. I did ask Renie's husband Alex, how Renie was doing and he said she is starting to feel much better. She is on day 14. Gary and Susan still have a ways to go.

Butch and I played pool this afternoon. Only 16 people can be in the pool hall at one time, with everyone wearing a mask and keeping distanced. Not as easy as it sounds, really. So there were 8 couples playing. The guys draw names to get a partner. It is not a serious business but it is a good time. I felt good about how I played and that is all I can ask for really.

We are in our own bubble within the park. We know the people in our bubble and their habits. When a new arrival comes they are supposed to keep their distance and stay at home for a minimum of 5 days. We have been here long enough to know who is new and if they are behaving themselves. Word spreads quickly if they are not.

I did see some good news today, and I will copy and paste it here so you can be happy for us old folk.

Further, in the article, it said we old folk should have our vaccine by the end of February 2021.

Older People, Some Essential Workers To Get Vaccines Next, CDC Panel Says A federal advisory committee voted to put adults 75 and over and frontline essential workers next in line for COVID-19 vaccines.

INSPIRATION: SIX LITTLE STORIES

 

“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes playing a poor hand well.” (from a Chinese Fortune Cookie)

Once all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of ‎prayer, all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella.

That’s FAITH.

When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. That’s TRUST.

Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still, we set the alarm to wake up.

That’s HOPE.

We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future.

That’s CONFIDENCE

We see the world suffering, but still, we get married and have children.

That’s LOVE.

On an old man’s shirt was written a sentence “I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.”

That’s ATTITUDE.

Gary Update

 Gary and Susan both have Covid. Susan is not well but not having as difficult a time as Gary. He has always had a great deal of stamina throughout his life and we are hanging our hat on that and hoping it is enough. He is on Day 9. From what others have told me Days 9/10 are the turning points. He is uppermost in both our minds so...till next time.

Later this morning: He is feeling well enough to eat a little and both of them are monitoring their blood oxygen levels and temperatures. So it is a make it through the day kind of thing and that is happening so we have to take our positives where we can find them. Susan has lost her sense of taste and smell. That seems to be something that happens. Laura's son Michael lost his taste and smell for 3 months. We don't realize what a joy they are until they are gone. Think about it! How much fun would eating be if everything tasted like cardboard!

The Best Gift

  This Christmas remember the Spirit of Christmas and keep it dear. And make the very first gift you give the greatest one: Give the gift of love.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things…. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians Chapter 13

May you and those you love have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS filled with love and joy – and the true spirit of Christmas.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Barb and Butch Brooker

update 1

 I talked to Susan yesterday about Gary. Susan also has Covid but seems to be not as sick as Gary and from what I have read it does seem that women fare better than men with this virus. The two of them are pretty much constantly on our minds. I haven't checked in with them yet today but you can be sure that I will.

Last night Butch and I put a puzzle together. We haven't done that for years. It used to be a regular winter activity. It was a 300 piece puzzle of the US and it took us 2 hours. It was fun!

We are currently having a cold spell with highs in the 60's and lows in the '30s. The beauty of being here is that it will not last long.

We haven't been to many places. In fact, the grocery store and/or Costco are our only destinations so far. We are happy about the vaccine news and plan to get one as soon as they are available to us. We hope we are lucky enough to have both before heading home next Spring. 

Gary B is positive

 Our son Gary sent me a text yesterday telling me he has tested positive for Covid. He said they took two other tests at the same time. His symptoms currently are fatigue and achiness. I have asked him to keep me updated and I hope he remains healthy enough to do that. Missouri has been an open state since summer. Many people there do not "believe" in it so this has been a bigger concern for those of us who know it isn't a matter of belief. Gary is a teacher so his job has put him in a high-risk category. We know he has done all he could in the way of precautions. He is just that kind of guy. And yet here he is...

And our friend Renie was called back to Michigan to take her mother, who has Covid, home from the hospital. The hospital sent her mother home, a woman who had Covid in her late 80's who was on oxygen 24 hours of every day and there was no one there to care for her. So Renie had to go, and now Renie has Covid and her mother has passed so she is trying to take care of all that goes with that as well. Renie is struggling but still able to function. There are so many things wrong with this scenario.

Cribbage Board

 There was a park-only patio sale this past Saturday and we made the rounds. We didn't buy much because you just don't when you live in a motorhome, that is if you want some room anyway. We had a cribbage board on our list of wants because of our new pool hall in Jefferson. We have one of course but thought we could use a second one. We had planned to pick one up at the DonWes Flea Market. I spotted one for $2! and we snapped it right up. The people we bought it from said they didn't know how to play it so were selling it. We have offered to teach them so we may have to sell it back to them.

Oh yes, we wore our masks. Not everyone did.😕

Containers Contained

 I have always been a collector of containers. It hurts me to pass up a perfectly good box. Now I must say they do have to be special in some aspect. I do not rescue dilapidated boxes or ones that would take way too much elbow grease but a good sturdy shoebox is very hard for me to turn my back on. Here is one I dolled up a few years ago and it holds most of our excess electronic connectors like phone charger cords. I have all those kinds of things in one box so I know where to look when I need one.

And here is one I put together last night with a box my shoes came in. Its purpose is yet to be decided.

It is a new crafty hobby of mine that I enjoy. I always need a creative outlet and this is the latest. So I have stocked up on Duct Tape of all colors. As hobbies go this isn't too expensive.

Yesterday I played pool with the women. Too much conversation and not enough focus. Oh well...

Trivia

A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research says that if your spouse also happens to be your best friend, you’ll get about twice as much life satisfaction as those whose spouses aren’t. So if you’re not best friends with your spouse or partner, perhaps it’s time to plan a date and go do something fun!

Trivia

 This 'splains alot!

Trivia

You know how they’ve been saying not to go to a gym during the pandemic? Well, this might have something to do with it… FitRated.com collected samples from 27 pieces of gym equipment from three different gyms and found there were more than one million germs per square inch on every piece of equipment – hooooooly cow! The equipment with the most germs was the treadmill, followed by the exercise bike, followed by free weights. Free weights, they found, had 362 times more bacteria on them than a toilet seat.

T'was a Good Idea

 

T'was a Good Idea

 Moving back to our hometown of Jefferson Iowa was a good idea and we didn't even know to what extent at the time. As anyone who knows me can tell you, my Internet connection is important to me and surprisingly more so as time goes on. It is my one indulgence and I do not see that changing as long as I can rub two brain cells together.

And here is an article that surprised and pleased me on this subject.

http://beeherald.com/news/believe-hype-0