The 'REAPER' is coming

WISHING Y'ALL A 'COOL YULE' FOR 2012

Here it is New Years Eve, a time to reflect on the past 12 months. For me, they have just flown bye, which means that I must be having FUN! This is our second season in sunny Texas without snow, sleet and freezing rain. We love every minute of it too!

 

Things that I remember and want to forget include: A) arriving in Canada last April to be greeted to cold and flooding rain. We blew a wheel bearing somewhere on the return trip and luckily the wheel remained on the 5th wheel, the chrome rim was steel blue from the heat and we didn't even know we were crippled. We are grateful that this didn't result in a serious accident. 

B) Tearing my Achilles Tendon in early July which wiped me out as chief cook and bottle washer at my Chip Truck 'The Works' for the rest of the season.


C) Packing up and moving the 5th wheel to another RV Park with a little longer season. We set up Camp at Riverwood Park mid Oct. and left on Oct. 24th. 
 (They say everything comes in 3's!)

The good news is that we were able to sell both, The chip truck 'The Works' and  the property 'Balsam Station'. This means I am officially retired, although Jane, bless her, is keeping my 'job jar' full.


We arrived at our Park in Texas on Oct. 26th, 3 days at 11 hrs easy driving per day. The weather was awesome as well as the State highways.


The front garden was like a jungle with a Papaya Tree growing up the centre of the garden to over the height of the roof. We cut it down last week after enjoying some of its fruit.


We have renewed friendships and created new friends too! Jane has been enjoying the Park's facilities, water aerobics, line dancing, walking and biking. I have been trying to empty the job jar but have enjoyed some functions, volunteer helper, and biking. We painted the inside of the trailer as well as the outside doors and shutters.  I enclosed a private reading/entertaining area under our awning too.

Jane auditioned for a part in a play (This River is Gold) to be held early Feb. in Pharr, Tx. and she got it (Mabel), what a gal.

We went on a Christmas Tour of Lights last week and it was a great showing.       

Tonight is Christmas Eve and we will be spending the evening at home with the dogs. The locals go crazy with firecrackers and shooting guns, the dogs get so upset we have to care for them all evening. The 'Big Bangs' have started.

We are having a dinner party with our friends tomorrow.

Till next time TTFN!

More Rain in Paradise!!!

I was feeling like this was home until I checked the weather at home in Lindsay, Ontario. I'd rather be here in Texas. It has been quiet with the McNulty's, and that's okay. I have all the 'major' paint areas done and put aside the brush for a bit. Jane painted 2 coats to the outside doors and shutters and I finished it off with a 3rd and final coat. We cut down the Papaya tree and cleaned out the front gardens. We lost 2 nice plants in the lawn garden and may just settle with a nice 3 tier bird bath that doesn't need watering. The Papaya tree was a water obstacle so the plants didn't get enough water and died.

Jane auditioning for Mabel

Jane has been getting 'cabin fever' and has been doing more line dancing and helping the 'Activities' Director on a volunteer basis. Pat, our A.Dir. in a semi-volunteer position. She works about 60 hrs a week but gets min. wage for 20 hours. I guess she has cabin fever too, but gets some pay and is kept busy while hubby, Vic, follows his favourite past time as a pool shark.

Jane auditioned for a acting part in an up coming musical/play at the local arts theater in Pharr, many showed up for 4 parts.........and Jane was successful in being asked to join them as 'Mabel'.


The Bicycle Club is up and running. Last Friday only 4 of us biked and the others went by car/truck to El Rancho Grande in San Juan a small Town about 4. 5 miles from our park. Rain was a threat but the 4 of us gambled and where able to bike both ways, a little misty on the return trip tho, but refreshing too.

Peter Piper Pizza (Wed) is back on stream. We, a group of 5, were going to take the 'Tour of lights' in Hidalgo and when we arrived for the Trolley we were advised that it was running that night so we will have to re-schedule. I did take one picture as we walked from the parking lot.

A nice display as we walked to the trolley

Our friends from Kentucky drove

Peter Piper Pizza w Vic and Jane

Stuffed Bake Potato Nite

Last week, instead of 'Homemade Soup Supper nite' they had a special 'Stuffed Potato Supper nite' with all the trimmings and boy was it ever good, beef brisked and a desert was included.



I should mention that on my final 'Root Canal' trip to Mexico last Wed.  I bumped into my next door neighbours at Alpine RV Resort in Lindsay. Small world, aye!!!!!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Stay tuned for 'More Fun in the Sun' coming to you from ALAMO, Texas along the RGV where  the Sun always shines (NOT).

Paul & Jane

Rain in Paradise

Didn't expect to be back so soon.We are getting flooded with a much needed rain here in Southern Texas where it seems to seldom rain. The locals are pleased and the 'Winter Texans' are taking a day off by catching up on correspondence or curling up with a good book. Me, I'm doing it all, little by little, it's blog time, lol!

 My second trip to the Dentist included the installation of a post and an impression of my mouth. The crown will be read on my next and final visit next Wed. I don't think I did anymore painting since my last sit down here.

L.R. before

I took a few more 'after' photo's of the living room and kitchen areas. I'm almost out of paint as well as incentive to finish once the main area is done. here are a few before and after pics.

Kitchen before

L.R. after

Kitchen after

L.R. after

Jane has booked us on a 'Tour of Christmas lights' in Hidalgo, a small historic town not far from us. Apparently we will be on horse drawn trollies, we hope it will be a nice warm clear evening.  The Park residences are slowly decorating there lots, some quite elegantly considering many are short term residence travelers.

There is a pleasant odour coming from the kitchen so I'd better be off, don't want to miss out on the 'chiken diva'

TTFN

Update from Texas

The weather has been hot and cold with more rain than previous years. This week we even had frost warnings, tomorrow we return back to the 70's.

Since my last blog a few important things have happened. First, Tex, our truck quite on us, all the amateur mechanics narrowed it down to a blocked 'fuel filter'. We had it towed to Bogus Ford, it stayed there for the weekend and it started up and a test run showed no problem?? I had them change the fuel and air filters anyway and we haven't had a problem since. The old Ford F350 (1999) has served us well and we have faith in our travels with 'him'.

We had an 'on site' garage sale and we picked up some trellis privacy screen and we had enough to enclose part of our carport into a private reading/entertainment area.

As mentioned in my last BLOG I promised Jane to paint the inside of the mobile home, it has turned out to be a bigger job than I anticipated and is coming to an end. Thank goodness it is looking nice so making the effort was worthwhile. I will be glad when it is over an I can start enjoying myself. here are a few before and after pictures:

Texas en-suite 'after'

Before and After

M. Bedroom before with queen bed

M. Bedroom after with king air bed

We planned a trip to Mexico and booked a dentist appointment to check my teeth. I had a broken filling that needed repair and just recently I got the start of a tooth ache. The Dentist said I needed a root canal or an extraction, I wanted neither, lol! Since I'm running out of teeth I chose 'root canal. I am 1/2 way through as we speak with my next appointment tomorrow (Fri) AM. I am going with my good friend Don from Ohio who needs some dental work done as well. jane can have a sleep in...maybe!

We have been slowly getting involved with a few things, Bike to breakfast, Jane in lion dancing, Jane helping her friend Pat who is the activities director. Tonight we did bean ball baseball and tomorrow is bingo. There are card games going on every evening and I'm afraid to get involved and 'committed' to an on going structure. Jane feels the same way. She was setting the alarm every morning to go for a walk with some other AM walkers. She gave that up to go walking with Daisy when she woke au natural.

The Park is slowly filling up but still many more to come. The next crowd comes after Christmas at home with the family. Our next door neighbour from Saskatewan will be here for New Years. The Park is having a NY's Dance this year but we have declined to go. First we are not NY's Party people and the dogs go crazy (Marco Polo) with all the fireworks and gun shooting, yes that's correct and real guns too!

Till next time.. have a very Merry Christmas and warm wishes to you and yours.