Butch has a new one

I finally purchased a new computer for Butch. He will have a Samsung Netbook once we go pick it up from Best Buy. He would get enmeshed in Freecell and Spider Solitaire and I would have to scoot him off to get my stuff done. He also missed his settings on his computer-the ones to get him to his financial sites and jigzone and his gmail which he probably hasn't looked at for a month or more.
So after I get it set up for him he will be back in business. Should be most interesting...it has Windows 7!

Reseeded

They reseeded the greens at the golf course Butch likes to play best so he hasn't been able to golf much.
Also there aren't that many people here yet. Much lighter in numbers than in years past at this time. Not sure that will hold true all season.
I know of an RV for rent if someone wants to come down. Email me and we can see about details.

Fun in the sun

We tend to get in somewhat of a rut while here...Tuesdays is golf...Fridays is computer class etc. But what that means really is that life is rolling along smoothly. We both feel well and are doing what we enjoy doing. What more could anyone ask for.

Butch has been doing some electrical work. I have had a few computer calls. We get our two plus miles of walking in every day. Life is good!!

Misting

We are getting a mist of rain today. So we are listening to an audio book. Angels and Demons. More Butch's cup of tea than mine.
This was taken this morning on Cherry street.

Sugar, Sugar

This is a sugar cane field. Not ready for burning just yet.

This truck was on the expressway loaded with cane. I assume it is headed for the factory where it is extracted.

Solar Oven

So how neat is this!!! I am thinking I would like to have one but I am also thinking I will be told there is no room. Neat though and very interesting.

http://www.solarovens.org/

Chicago Hot??

Note* I obtained this recipe from an August 1955 Workbasket Magazine. it
interested me because of a similar one I put together last winter. The salt content
worries me a bit but I plan to cut the recipe in half and try it.

Recipe: Chicago Hot
Category: Relish
Author: Mrs. Theodore Edner-Minnesota

8 C Tomatoes, cut fine
1 C Salt
2 C Onion, cut fine
3 C Celery, cut fine
2 Red and
2 Green Peppers, cut fine
2 C Sugar
1/2 C Mustard Seed
1 qt Cider Vinegar

Let tomatoes and salt stand, covered overnight. In the morning, drain well and add
onions, celery, peppers, sugar, mustard seed and vinegar. Mix, heat to boiling and
can in sterilized jars.

Snippets and a ladybug

You know how you accumulate little scraps of this and that- a meter reading- a recommended book title-tax info that needs filed-recipes- a recommended website ,etc. Well today I started sorting through this scrap pile and ran across a receipt for a package I had mailed on 8/31. It had included a check so went to check out if it had been cashed and it had not so followed up on that and asked for a picture of precious little Nina Grace Cortes while I was at it and got very lucky. This is Nina Grace with her Grandma Donna. You just never know where things may lead you on any given day.

Tuesdays in Texas

Golf is so much a part of Butch's conversation that sometimes someone will ask me if I play. I usually respond with "On Tuesdays in Texas". So I played yesterday and shot a 41. The first 3 holes I didn't do so well but it improved after that. There were 4 of us from the park who played. That number will expand as the season progresses. I think we had as many as 28 last year.

Warm and Wonderful

The weather has been wonderful and the ten day forecast promises more of the same. This picture that I took was through our south window of a mesquite tree with a reflection of a palm tree from the north window. Interesting concept, don't you think? Click on it to make it bigger to get the full effect.

It seems

It seems many of my friends have gone to Facebook. I do have a Facebook page but I have no plans to abandon this blog for it and it remains sparse. Our news and updates will remain here. I find Facebook chaotic and confusing and I am way too busy to "farm" or even help others out with their "farming". Scrolling down to find messages I want to know about is like sorting through spam. The only time I check facebook is if I get a reminder in my email and I may respond at that time. It is easy for me to see who reads the blog and who doesn't...maybe I should just go back to email only.
Hmmm perhaps I awoke on the wrong side of the bed this AM.

Butch went to the flea market. Looking for new golf clubs. Like that is going to help.
Geez...I am grumpy!
This too shall pass....

Plunked

When we arrived on Wednesday we felt as though we had been plunked into a hot humid day in the middle of August in Iowa! I haven't sweat that much for a long, long time! And the wind doth blow!! But now a cold front has made its way down and we are considerably cooler. Not supposed to exceed the low seventies today.
Yesterday we went to Mexico for meds. Progresso hasn't changed although they are digging up the street in the first block and replacing sewer pipes. Are they doing it safely? Well no, Mexico hasn't changed that much! We didn't stick around long just grabbed our meds and scooted back to USA. They were being very thorough on the check of the guys ahead of us but we sailed right through the border check. On our return we decided to go to Gonzales Burgers before the crowds get here. We were too late!! The place was packed and we waited just as long as we always do. Butch and I shared a burger and it was plenty for both of us. The prices have gone up though. A humongous cheeseburger is now $4.10.
It takes us a bit to settle in for 5 months and we are not fully settled but we are making progress.

Arrived in the Rio Grande Valley

We have arrived in very warm,windy sunny South Texas. We are settled in Magnolia Park. I must say not many people are here yet but a little down time before the deluge starts suits me just fine. I will put the time to good use getting ready for a busy winter.
Our trip down started with a bit of excitement of the negative sort. We use a brake buddy on our car. For the uninitiated, it is a device in the car that puts the brakes on in the car when Butch puts the brakes on in the motorhome. It is an additional safety device. Well the little bugger failed and not in a good way. The brakes came on in the car and stayed on!! Fortunately Butch noticed rather quickly as we have a device in the MoHo that lights up when the brakes in the car come on and we were able to exit I-35 and attend to it. We disconnected it and continued on our trip without incident...except for the wind. 40 MPH headwinds all day. But we are here!!! We saw this H.E.B. truck and took the advice. We went to the store first thing!



We had a fun time in Canyon Lake with the Linders. Butch and Terry played the Fling L golf course in Bandera TX while Lisa and I explored the town of Bandera. It is full of cowboys,bikers(the Harley type) and old people. It is a very interesting town indeed. I took a photo of an artist who was working in the senior center thrift shop. She had on very interesting pants.

Rain Day

Yesterday was a rain day so we spent it in San Antonio. We enjoyed a shopping expedition with friends Terry and Lisa Linder. It poured rain all day but with the promise of sun and dry for Tuesday it didn't seem too bad. Butch and Terry have golf plans for today.

Movin on down

We left the Pecan Plantation and our friends Mike and Sharon Bryce and moseyed on down the road to Canyon Lake TX...north of San Antonio.

When we open the door of the MoHo and hear the twirling chirp of grackles we have arrived in sunny South Texas!

Swedish Weaving Class-Granbury Texas

I met Cindy a few years ago online through a Swedish weaving site on Yahoo. I met her in person last year about this time. I told her we were in the area and she told me about her class so I stopped in yesterday afternoon.

Shortly after this photo was taken Cindy poked herself with a very large needle (the blood really spurted!)and had to go for medical attention. So our visit was cut short but Cindy is okay and will live to weave again.

Rain, Rain and More Rain

It rained all day yesterday and all night last night. There is standing water everywhere. Our home is on somewhat of a gravel pedestal so we didn't have any immediate worries. I know it was in excess of 3 inches of rain perhaps closer to 5 inches.
But today the sun has finally made a reappearance. Yippee!! We need to get ourselves outside for some exercise. And perhaps we can do some touristy things without getting wet.

Deer

The deer are plentiful on Pecan Plantation

Our son Gary

This is a great picture of our son Gary- the Missouri son.

Situation

Here is the situation as we have it right now. We are located at the Pecan Plantation Campground near Granbury Texas visiting friends Mike and Sharon Bryce. Our Internet connection exists but it is weak, slow and intermittent. I am able to check mail and do basics. Our Verizon phone connection is always or nearly always searching for signal which draws our battery down very quickly. So to reach us it is probably best by email while we are here. And we are not sure how long that will be. I can make phone calls however. The whole situation is a little weird.
They tell us it is really hot yet in the valley and the weather is nearly perfect where we are so we find ourselves in the midst of a balancing act. So while we are in limbo bear with us. I hope you blog checkers still check in and I will continue to try for daily posts but if I do not, you will know I ran into a technosnag(my word).
We arrived here about 10:30 this morning and Butch and Mike headed for the golf course shortly thereafter while Sharon and I visited the afternoon away.
Sharon made Runza Casserole and pecan pie bars for supper so you know Butch was in heaven. Golf and his favorite casserole and dessert to boot.
Tomorrow it is supposed to rain so not sure what we may be doing...but it will be fun for sure.