It is now 2 days after Christmas. It is time to talk about the newest Christmas memory. We had a very relaxing Christmas Eve. When we arrived at Val's, they were having lunch. Mag, Pui-Yee, and Val were seated at the table. Tony Sr.,Tony Jr., and the rest of the Pui's were doing their annual last minute shopping.
By 6:oo everyone had made it home. Michelle came over with Mark and his 2 daughters(Hannah, and Savannah). We played skipbo and I lost AGAIN. We sat and visited for a while. Rick was in bed by 9 and Tony was busy with putting finishing touches on a christmas gift. I was in bed by 10:30.
Val, Rick and I went to Mass at 7:30 and by the time we got back everyone was waking up. The tree was stuffed with christmas presents. Tony Jr. had to take care of preparing 3 ducks for peking duck for christmas meal. The ham was put in the oven for its tanning session. It was backed up by the turkey spa slot. Val made some awesome sweet potatoes. Our usual mashed potatoes were on the menu. Our green vegetable was asparagus. Linda brought her awesome green bean casserole. Everyone was so busy that it took forever for all to gather around to open gifts. The first gift was opened about 10 a.m. After that, it was a blur.
Linda arrived with Betty (Linda's Mom), Jasmine and Jacob. Chris chose to ride his motorcycle over so he could check out his new shirt that will keep him warm while riding. Christopher showed up later and stayed for a while. Jackie was sick and was unable to attend. She was missed. Danielle came in shortly after them.
The second round of gifts began. We gave envelopes with money in them. The younger kids exchanged their gifts. The children played for a while and all of a sudden it was time for dinner.
After dinner the adults had their gift exchange. This year we agreed to make gifts for the person we drew. Chris made a kaleidoscope using an empty pringles can for the tube. Rick made a birdfeeder. I made an apron and potholders. Tony Sr. drew Chris and his Mom and Dad and framed it. Tony Jr. gave a 4 gig flashcard? with an audio book on it. Mag and Puikay made reversible vests. Dominique had a scarf knitted for her gift.
Rick and i were very pleased with the gifts we received from our children. Rick got a bread machine from the girls. We got a nice selection of meats sent from omaha steaks care of Kristen and Alex. Becky sent me a gift certificate for amazon.com so that I could use it with my kindle that Rick gave me. Heather is paying for a 3 month subscription to weightwatchers online. I will have to keep you informed on how it is working.
Now that you know how our Christmas went, please let us know how yours was. Let us follow this with a blessed and prosperous year.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Christmas time is near.
Twas the Friday before Christmas, and all through the house, Rick was not stirring, he was quiet as a mouse. Cleo was napping and I was thinking of Christmases past.
To my brothers and sisters, let me take you down memory lane. Do you remember the years of going to Midnight Mass and having our Christmas after mass. I have so many fond memories of Christmas when we were growing up. I can remember the living room was full of gifts under the tree, and the table was full of cakes and pies and ham. Mom had dressing in the oven and noodles with spaghetti sauce was on the stove. We never knew who was going to show up after midnight mass and celebrate with us. We had 3 or 4 gifts to open and it seemed to take forever for everyone to open presents. I can remember staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning and having a hard time sleeping after we opened our gifts. (oh I wish I could feel the anticipation I felt growing up. Now that I am grown, I should anticipate the Lord's birth just as much as I anticipated the presents. When you celebrate CHRISTMAS this year think of letting the Lord in your heart and let him do the directing in your life. Yesterday was supposed to be the end of the world as we know it. May we wake up on Christmas and realize what our purpose in life is. May it be the beginning of a wonderful dialogue with God.
I have not written anything about our happenings while we are at Lake Livingston since the week after Thanksgiving. Many changes have happened in the park. We are shorthanded in most areas of the park. Teamwork here has been fantastic. The managers have hired a new interpreter and a new maintenance specialist. We are expecting to hire a new person in the office to help with reservations.In the middle of hiring these people our team has made renovations to the office. We now have tile floors in the office instead of carpet. Our walls are no longer a drab white, they are now a medium tan color with a dark brown trim. The best thing in the office is the new desk that was made for the office.
Please permit me to tell you about the new desk in the office. During the summer Lake Livingston had loggers come into the park and cut down about 5000 trees that had died because of the drought. One of the trees was very big and was near the office. When they cut this tree down, they had TDCJ(texas department of criminal justice) to take the tree and cut it into plywood for a desk. They even left a knothole in one of the planks. TDCJ also made a wooden sign to show it was texas parks and wildlife property. Rick polyurethaned it 3 or 4 times and built shelves for the ladies in the office to keep site maps and trail maps next to them so it is convenient to give them out. He spent about a week installing the desk and connecting the computers back up. I have a picture of the new office but it is too dark in the picture. It was overcast on the day it was taken. I would like to get a group picture taken of many of the helpers and workers.
Since Rick was busy working, I decided to make a travel pillow for Lindsay and Gracie. I made a rabbit travel pillow for Gracie and a cat travel pillow for Lindsay. I have to get Rick to insert the pictures of them, so you can see how they turned out. I hope they get some use out of them.
We had several people come to the park this year to pay us a visit. Our first visitors were friends from the hospital. Charlie and Rich Bothman spent the night in the park so they could check out their new class c motorhome. We enjoyed their company and showed them around the park. We hope they come again to enjoy the sights in the springtime.
Our next visitor was Liz and Harry Nystrom (lizzy borden to us). They came up for an afternoon visit. We ended up playing pegs and jokers with them. We caught up with all of the comings and goings of the hospital. Lizzie is the only one that calls every couple of months to see how we are. We love hearing from her.
Sunday before last, we heard a motorcycle drive up. Low and behold it was Chris. Linda was out christmas shopping and grocery shopping, so he decided to drive up just to say hello. It was late in the afternoon when he arrived. We were so pleased that he even took the time to come see us.
Yesterday, Ted and Donna Rogers came up to spend time with us. They gave us some chocolates from Harry and David. We spent an hour or so catching up and decided to go to La Casita for lunch. The food was great, and the company was enjoyed very much. We thank them for taking time out to come visit us.
Now is the time for all good people to say their prayers and go to bed. So with that being said, I bid you good night. May the blessings of the lord be with you always.
To my brothers and sisters, let me take you down memory lane. Do you remember the years of going to Midnight Mass and having our Christmas after mass. I have so many fond memories of Christmas when we were growing up. I can remember the living room was full of gifts under the tree, and the table was full of cakes and pies and ham. Mom had dressing in the oven and noodles with spaghetti sauce was on the stove. We never knew who was going to show up after midnight mass and celebrate with us. We had 3 or 4 gifts to open and it seemed to take forever for everyone to open presents. I can remember staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning and having a hard time sleeping after we opened our gifts. (oh I wish I could feel the anticipation I felt growing up. Now that I am grown, I should anticipate the Lord's birth just as much as I anticipated the presents. When you celebrate CHRISTMAS this year think of letting the Lord in your heart and let him do the directing in your life. Yesterday was supposed to be the end of the world as we know it. May we wake up on Christmas and realize what our purpose in life is. May it be the beginning of a wonderful dialogue with God.
I have not written anything about our happenings while we are at Lake Livingston since the week after Thanksgiving. Many changes have happened in the park. We are shorthanded in most areas of the park. Teamwork here has been fantastic. The managers have hired a new interpreter and a new maintenance specialist. We are expecting to hire a new person in the office to help with reservations.In the middle of hiring these people our team has made renovations to the office. We now have tile floors in the office instead of carpet. Our walls are no longer a drab white, they are now a medium tan color with a dark brown trim. The best thing in the office is the new desk that was made for the office.
Please permit me to tell you about the new desk in the office. During the summer Lake Livingston had loggers come into the park and cut down about 5000 trees that had died because of the drought. One of the trees was very big and was near the office. When they cut this tree down, they had TDCJ(texas department of criminal justice) to take the tree and cut it into plywood for a desk. They even left a knothole in one of the planks. TDCJ also made a wooden sign to show it was texas parks and wildlife property. Rick polyurethaned it 3 or 4 times and built shelves for the ladies in the office to keep site maps and trail maps next to them so it is convenient to give them out. He spent about a week installing the desk and connecting the computers back up. I have a picture of the new office but it is too dark in the picture. It was overcast on the day it was taken. I would like to get a group picture taken of many of the helpers and workers.
Since Rick was busy working, I decided to make a travel pillow for Lindsay and Gracie. I made a rabbit travel pillow for Gracie and a cat travel pillow for Lindsay. I have to get Rick to insert the pictures of them, so you can see how they turned out. I hope they get some use out of them.
We had several people come to the park this year to pay us a visit. Our first visitors were friends from the hospital. Charlie and Rich Bothman spent the night in the park so they could check out their new class c motorhome. We enjoyed their company and showed them around the park. We hope they come again to enjoy the sights in the springtime.
Our next visitor was Liz and Harry Nystrom (lizzy borden to us). They came up for an afternoon visit. We ended up playing pegs and jokers with them. We caught up with all of the comings and goings of the hospital. Lizzie is the only one that calls every couple of months to see how we are. We love hearing from her.
Sunday before last, we heard a motorcycle drive up. Low and behold it was Chris. Linda was out christmas shopping and grocery shopping, so he decided to drive up just to say hello. It was late in the afternoon when he arrived. We were so pleased that he even took the time to come see us.
Yesterday, Ted and Donna Rogers came up to spend time with us. They gave us some chocolates from Harry and David. We spent an hour or so catching up and decided to go to La Casita for lunch. The food was great, and the company was enjoyed very much. We thank them for taking time out to come visit us.
Now is the time for all good people to say their prayers and go to bed. So with that being said, I bid you good night. May the blessings of the lord be with you always.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
sticker shock
Today was my day to wash clothes at escapees park. I washed clothes ,and since I was out anyway,I started doing my christmas shopping. I went shopping for the angel I picked up at church. I started with the essentials. girl's panties (6 pr.)$7.00 girl's socks (10 pr.)$6.50 jeans $10.00 sweat shirt $6.00 sweater$5.00.
When did all of the prices go up?I don't mind buying for the child, but it seems such a high price for such a small amount of clothes.
I have been told I need to send suggestions for christmas presents to our daughters. I have no clue as to what I want. Rick has only come up with one thing that he wants. If anyone has any suggestions please email me. I NEED HELP!!!
The trees in the park are changing color. There are bright red and golden yellow leaves everywhere. I need some kids to rake some leaves and jump in the pile. I can picture Lindsay and Gracie doing that. Wish i was young enough to do that.
We had a full park last weekend. The weather was nice and warm. Many people were out walking and riding their bikes. We also had people fishing by the dock. Many boats and kayaks came also. Rick is even riding his bike around the park now. He enjoys getting out and stretching his legs.A great way to get some exercise.
I have to give a pat on the back to my daughter, Becky. She has been working on losing weight since early summer. She has gone from size 18 to size 12. She is doing an awesome job. I hope she keeps it off. She says she has lost 41 pounds. AWESOME JOB. She is doing weight watchers on line. We are so proud of her.
Well, time to put the pen down and clean the kitchen. Hope all is well with everyone.
Love to All.
When did all of the prices go up?I don't mind buying for the child, but it seems such a high price for such a small amount of clothes.
I have been told I need to send suggestions for christmas presents to our daughters. I have no clue as to what I want. Rick has only come up with one thing that he wants. If anyone has any suggestions please email me. I NEED HELP!!!
The trees in the park are changing color. There are bright red and golden yellow leaves everywhere. I need some kids to rake some leaves and jump in the pile. I can picture Lindsay and Gracie doing that. Wish i was young enough to do that.
We had a full park last weekend. The weather was nice and warm. Many people were out walking and riding their bikes. We also had people fishing by the dock. Many boats and kayaks came also. Rick is even riding his bike around the park now. He enjoys getting out and stretching his legs.A great way to get some exercise.
I have to give a pat on the back to my daughter, Becky. She has been working on losing weight since early summer. She has gone from size 18 to size 12. She is doing an awesome job. I hope she keeps it off. She says she has lost 41 pounds. AWESOME JOB. She is doing weight watchers on line. We are so proud of her.
Well, time to put the pen down and clean the kitchen. Hope all is well with everyone.
Love to All.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Blog is hijacked
Rick has had writers block for several months. I thought it was time to get caught up with the happenings around us. If I repeat some of the last post, please forgive me, for I have hardly any memory left.
Lets start with the month of October. I started working at the office several days a week and was ok'd to check in day users. Later that month I was extended to checking in campers. I am now able to check in campers and sell park passes. I love talking to people and seeing a smile on their face when they leave the office. We also brought Memphis bbq to our monthly staff meeting. We always have a potluck lunch before the staff meeting.
I got to meet and work with another park host too. Her name is Elaine Gann. She and her husband, Bruce, clean the sites and shelters after the campers leave. Elaine and I put our heads together and decorated the activity center for the lead ranger. He retired October 31st. We took pine cones and added glitter to them and a few of the stems. They were stacked with artificial leaves. Can you believe I can't remember what else was on the table? I told you my memory bank is full.
November came with several people leaving or quitting the park. With the lead ranger gone and 4 of the specialists helpers gone, the park is a little short handed. We also had an office worker quit too. I have helped with traffic management when necessary and also checked in campers. I still have much more training to go to be as good as the other ladies. I appreciate their patience with me.
I can not believe the amount of people that have gone in and out of the park for the Thanksgiving holidays.
I helped at the office several times last week because it was so busy. I felt bad that we went to Val's for Thanksgiving but soon forgot about the park because of the company I was with. Thanksgiving was very nice. Val got her usual telephone calls and so did we. Chris and Linda joined us in the afternoon. To our surprise, we were privileged to have Dominique's company for the afternoon. Michele showed up with her friend Mark. Danielle had spent the night here. Hail, Hail, the gang is all here. By 8 o'clock I was headed to bed. Must have been the turkey that made me so sleepy.
We did decide to draw names for christmas this year. We have chosen to make our gifts and spend no more than 20 dollars on the gift. I need to get started on mine soon. I have a few ideas of what I want to do. I have no idea what Rick will come up with.
Well, time is growing shorter here. We have about 5 more weeks before we head back to Memphis. I am looking forward to coming back. Rick is too busy with the park to realize time is growing short. Keep reading our blog and hopefully I will keep you up to date with our happenings.
Love to all.
Lets start with the month of October. I started working at the office several days a week and was ok'd to check in day users. Later that month I was extended to checking in campers. I am now able to check in campers and sell park passes. I love talking to people and seeing a smile on their face when they leave the office. We also brought Memphis bbq to our monthly staff meeting. We always have a potluck lunch before the staff meeting.
I got to meet and work with another park host too. Her name is Elaine Gann. She and her husband, Bruce, clean the sites and shelters after the campers leave. Elaine and I put our heads together and decorated the activity center for the lead ranger. He retired October 31st. We took pine cones and added glitter to them and a few of the stems. They were stacked with artificial leaves. Can you believe I can't remember what else was on the table? I told you my memory bank is full.
November came with several people leaving or quitting the park. With the lead ranger gone and 4 of the specialists helpers gone, the park is a little short handed. We also had an office worker quit too. I have helped with traffic management when necessary and also checked in campers. I still have much more training to go to be as good as the other ladies. I appreciate their patience with me.
I can not believe the amount of people that have gone in and out of the park for the Thanksgiving holidays.
I helped at the office several times last week because it was so busy. I felt bad that we went to Val's for Thanksgiving but soon forgot about the park because of the company I was with. Thanksgiving was very nice. Val got her usual telephone calls and so did we. Chris and Linda joined us in the afternoon. To our surprise, we were privileged to have Dominique's company for the afternoon. Michele showed up with her friend Mark. Danielle had spent the night here. Hail, Hail, the gang is all here. By 8 o'clock I was headed to bed. Must have been the turkey that made me so sleepy.
We did decide to draw names for christmas this year. We have chosen to make our gifts and spend no more than 20 dollars on the gift. I need to get started on mine soon. I have a few ideas of what I want to do. I have no idea what Rick will come up with.
Well, time is growing shorter here. We have about 5 more weeks before we head back to Memphis. I am looking forward to coming back. Rick is too busy with the park to realize time is growing short. Keep reading our blog and hopefully I will keep you up to date with our happenings.
Love to all.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Back In Lake Livingston
We returned to Lake Livingston State Park on Tuesday Sept. 18. It was an uneventful trip and we found a new to us park in Texarkana.
Tha park is called Shady Pines and is attatched to an RV dealership. It has concrete pullthroughs, full hookups but no pool. The office is within the clubhouse and the clubhouse is spacious. The best was the price, $27 a night.
That afternoon we were met by Adam and Sheldon, Superintendent and assistant superintendent. We were given our shirts, keys and radio.
Wednesday we jumped right in and got to work. I was given several projects to think about and get a materials list put together.
The first project needed only a couple of things that wasn't already on hand, so I got started on a charging station for the radios. I will complete it tomorrow.
The purchasing process for the state park system is tedious at best and downright difficult at worst.
Sheldon has to research all materials for a project, find the best price and justify the need for such materials. That process slows down a lot of progress so therefore things do not get done as quickly as they should.
My left hearing aid broke again for the 3rd time and we had to come to Houston to get it repaired. This is where we are this weekend.
We drove down on Saturday and Val and Tony has been our gracious hosts.
Tony seems much improved since we saw him last in January. He has almost exclusively abandoned the wheel chair, but uses a walker.
After church yesterday we met my brother Chris and his wife, Linda, for breakfast. We met at the same place we have been going to since before my retirement. The food is consistently good and I must get my breakfast burrito fix while here.
Michelle popped in, ordered and left. She is so busy hardly any time to see her.
We went out to eat at Carrabas last evening and Chris and Linda again joined us. Good food and good company. We stayed for about 30 minutes or so after we paid the check. I thought we were back in Italy again.
We have to go to Costco to drop off my hearing aid and we have an appointment with our financial guy this afternoon. We will then head back home. It is not a hard drive but it is about 75 miles up to Livingston.
We were hoping to see Ted & Donna this weekend, but just not enough time. We had so much to do and they are a busy couple, too. Maybe when we come back in 2 weeks to pick up my hearing aid we can get our schedules together.
Ta ta for now.
.
Tha park is called Shady Pines and is attatched to an RV dealership. It has concrete pullthroughs, full hookups but no pool. The office is within the clubhouse and the clubhouse is spacious. The best was the price, $27 a night.
That afternoon we were met by Adam and Sheldon, Superintendent and assistant superintendent. We were given our shirts, keys and radio.
Wednesday we jumped right in and got to work. I was given several projects to think about and get a materials list put together.
The first project needed only a couple of things that wasn't already on hand, so I got started on a charging station for the radios. I will complete it tomorrow.
The purchasing process for the state park system is tedious at best and downright difficult at worst.
Sheldon has to research all materials for a project, find the best price and justify the need for such materials. That process slows down a lot of progress so therefore things do not get done as quickly as they should.
My left hearing aid broke again for the 3rd time and we had to come to Houston to get it repaired. This is where we are this weekend.
We drove down on Saturday and Val and Tony has been our gracious hosts.
Tony seems much improved since we saw him last in January. He has almost exclusively abandoned the wheel chair, but uses a walker.
After church yesterday we met my brother Chris and his wife, Linda, for breakfast. We met at the same place we have been going to since before my retirement. The food is consistently good and I must get my breakfast burrito fix while here.
Michelle popped in, ordered and left. She is so busy hardly any time to see her.
We went out to eat at Carrabas last evening and Chris and Linda again joined us. Good food and good company. We stayed for about 30 minutes or so after we paid the check. I thought we were back in Italy again.
We have to go to Costco to drop off my hearing aid and we have an appointment with our financial guy this afternoon. We will then head back home. It is not a hard drive but it is about 75 miles up to Livingston.
We were hoping to see Ted & Donna this weekend, but just not enough time. We had so much to do and they are a busy couple, too. Maybe when we come back in 2 weeks to pick up my hearing aid we can get our schedules together.
Ta ta for now.
.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Great trip to Michigan
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| Sally, Mike & Brenda at rest area in UP |
On Labor Day, we finally made the trip. We did not take the motorhome but instead took the car. I'm really, glad we did as fuel prices jumped markedly during our time there.
Mike and Sally are superb hosts. We had wonderful meals from their garden and they guided us all over the state of Michigan. I used to live there several years ago, about 40, and we saw more in seven days than I saw in the five years that I lived there.
Their home is in old remodeled farmhouse built in the 1860s. They did a great job remodeling and the house seems to suit him to a T. They even dug a full-size basement under the house without moving the house, a remarkable feat if I ever saw one.
We arrived there on Tuesday and on Thursday we left for Mackinac Island and the Upper Peninsula. Mackinac Island is a very interesting place and so unpolluted due to the lack of vehicles allowed on the island. It's about a 20 min. ferry ride from from the UP side of the Mackinac Bridge.
We took the buggy ride that lasted most of the day. The tour was very informative, and we learned a lot about the different horses that pulled wagons and buggies on the island.
We also learned that during the war of 1812, the British attacked the island in large numbers and won the island without ever firing a shot. The Americans were so terribly outnumbered that fighting the British would not change the outcome of the attack, so, the general surrendered the island without a fight.
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| A sleigh that was once used on the island |
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| The white horses that pulled our carriage |
We also had our 1st Pastie (passtee). Brenda and I had heard of them and we were excited to taste them.
You probably heard of the wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald that happened in 1975. The sinking took place in 565 feet of water 17 miles off the coast of Whitefish Point.
The bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald is on display in the museum along with the suit that the diver wore to retrieve the bell from that depth of water.
Lake superior is extremely cold even in summer. Along with the cold, the depth was such that the diver needed a hard pressurized suit.
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| The pressure suit |
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| The Light at Whitefish Point |
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| The entrance to the Canadian Locks |
The dinner boat cruise was nice and we rode through the locks first on the Canadian side, then turned around and went back through the American side. The Canadian locks are much shorter and older than the American locks and it seems big ore freighters go to the American side as I don't think they'll fit in the Canadian side.
Two years ago we wintered on the coast of Mississippi. We met some very very nice people who live in Mount Morris and Flushing which is near Flint. Carson City, where Mike and Sally live, is only about 70 or 75 miles from Mount Morris. On Wednesday, we drove over to visit with Johnny, Ed and Ben. We had a nice visit and we were invited back for one of Ben's specialties, barbecue pork butt.
We went back on Monday, and Ben surprised us by cooking up a rack of ribs and smoking a turkey. The food was excellent and so was the company. There was potato salad and coleslaw and beans and I thought I was in the South if it hadn't been so cool for this time of year.
It sure was nice seeing them again and renewing our friendship.
The trip home was uneventful and Cleo tolerated it but not as well as the trip up. As this is her home, she is very relaxed here and if we had stayed another week with Sally and Mike, she would've been as relaxed there as she is here. She was getting more comfortable each day.
On 30 August, I took the coach in to have ABS light checked. They had to order the part, ABS control module, from Monaco. I took the coach back yesterday to have the part installed and found out that Monaco had some for wrong ABS module. I had paid for the module before it was ordered and as we're leaving for Texas on Monday we did not have time for them to reorder the part and install it, so they refunded my money. These people are so nice, that they didn't even charge me for diagnosing the problem. The fault was not theirs that they didn't fix the problem, so I really did expect at least an inspection fee.
The parts manager said he would continue looking for the part and order it, and send it to me in Texas. I know what the part goes, so installation should be relatively easy therefore I can do it myself.
We are looking forward to our time at Livingston State Park, but regret that we had made this commitment and not able to stay here to help Mike with the stable.
Tata for now.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Fred, Becky & the girls
As I posted last time, we went to the Great Northwest to see the kids.
We had a great time and iot was amazing to see how the girls had changed.
Lindsay is becoming quite the young lady, She is a lot less shy than she has been. I think that is because she is so involved in school activities and this is her second year as a cheer leader. She really seems to enjoy the interaction with the other girls.
Gracie, on the other hand is as shy as a left hook. She has never met a stranger. She is the opposite of what Lindsay was, and much more head strong.
It is said that the second child is the wild one, and I believe it. She has her own mind and it has become a challenge to her parents to keep her under control.
They are very consistent with her and it seems to be helping.
The flight to and from SEATAC was surprisingly easy. The flight to Seattle was long and the seats were not very comfortable, but if you don't expect much you won't be disappointed, and we weren't.
We much prefer to travel in our RV, but the cost of fuel and the amount of time we had made that impossible.
The kids are here now. The are staying in Mike & Barb's house. We are really enjoying their company.
Wednesday, the went to Graceland, and were pleasantly surprised the the number of fans there was not as bad as they had expected, as this the the 35th anniversary of Elvis's death.
There was a family get together at Bev's house on Sunday and 60+ family members were there to meet Fred and another family member.
Some of those folks I had not seen in years and some I had never met even though I have been in this family for nearly 40 years.
I was very proud of Fred as he was surely overwhelmed at the crowd of people. When he got too much, he went outside. The weather was cooler and bearable. The humidity was down, so hot but not so humid.
We are headed for Bealle street today to eat some of BB King's ribs and see the sights and hear the sounds of the home of the blues.
We are going during the day so the children can go, but they do have live music in the afternoon so we can get our "Blues" fix.
The nursery is closing as of August 31st. and we are slowly decreasing the quantity of plants.
There is still going to be a lot of plants left and Barb is planning several planting beds on the property.
The caretakers cottage (our house) will require grasses in its landscape, so, we will use a good many there as well.
Over the last 2 weeks about 3 acres of the land has been cleared of trees and undergrowth. It has not been utilized and now is in the process of being converted to a secondary pasture. There has been a tremendous amount of ground work done as well as another pond being dug on the cleared area.
There is a large drainage ditch dividing the property and the 2 pastures will have to be bridged.
We have almost completed the enclosure of the area in front of the barn (old nursery building) to make a pasture. with elecrobraid (nylon rope with copper wire braided thorough it) fencing. The fence will be powered by solar and will give the horses quite a jolt when they touch it.
All of the posts are in and we have run the wire. We have stretched the first time, but it requires stretching at least once more. That will be done on Monday.
4 stalls are to be delivered next week, so we have more things to be removed from the barn so that they can be assembled and installed. As you can tell we have lots of work to do.
Mike and Barb want to move the horses as soon as possible. They are 20 miles away at another barn and it will be so much more convenient to have the horses closer.
We are leaving here to return to Lake Livingston State Park as soon as we return from our visit to Mike & sally in Michigan.
We leave here on Sept. 3rd and plan to stay 4 to 7 days. They are super people and good friends and we look forward to seeing them and their neck of the woods. Sally always asks about Cleo and they are looking forward to seeing her.
Ta ta for now.
We had a great time and iot was amazing to see how the girls had changed.
Lindsay is becoming quite the young lady, She is a lot less shy than she has been. I think that is because she is so involved in school activities and this is her second year as a cheer leader. She really seems to enjoy the interaction with the other girls.
Gracie, on the other hand is as shy as a left hook. She has never met a stranger. She is the opposite of what Lindsay was, and much more head strong.
It is said that the second child is the wild one, and I believe it. She has her own mind and it has become a challenge to her parents to keep her under control.
They are very consistent with her and it seems to be helping.
The flight to and from SEATAC was surprisingly easy. The flight to Seattle was long and the seats were not very comfortable, but if you don't expect much you won't be disappointed, and we weren't.
We much prefer to travel in our RV, but the cost of fuel and the amount of time we had made that impossible.
The kids are here now. The are staying in Mike & Barb's house. We are really enjoying their company.
Wednesday, the went to Graceland, and were pleasantly surprised the the number of fans there was not as bad as they had expected, as this the the 35th anniversary of Elvis's death.
There was a family get together at Bev's house on Sunday and 60+ family members were there to meet Fred and another family member.
Some of those folks I had not seen in years and some I had never met even though I have been in this family for nearly 40 years.
I was very proud of Fred as he was surely overwhelmed at the crowd of people. When he got too much, he went outside. The weather was cooler and bearable. The humidity was down, so hot but not so humid.
We are headed for Bealle street today to eat some of BB King's ribs and see the sights and hear the sounds of the home of the blues.
We are going during the day so the children can go, but they do have live music in the afternoon so we can get our "Blues" fix.
The nursery is closing as of August 31st. and we are slowly decreasing the quantity of plants.
There is still going to be a lot of plants left and Barb is planning several planting beds on the property.
The caretakers cottage (our house) will require grasses in its landscape, so, we will use a good many there as well.
Over the last 2 weeks about 3 acres of the land has been cleared of trees and undergrowth. It has not been utilized and now is in the process of being converted to a secondary pasture. There has been a tremendous amount of ground work done as well as another pond being dug on the cleared area.
There is a large drainage ditch dividing the property and the 2 pastures will have to be bridged.
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| Southwest corner of barn & fence |
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| close-up og electrobraid fence |
All of the posts are in and we have run the wire. We have stretched the first time, but it requires stretching at least once more. That will be done on Monday.
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| The trailers |
Mike and Barb want to move the horses as soon as possible. They are 20 miles away at another barn and it will be so much more convenient to have the horses closer.
We are leaving here to return to Lake Livingston State Park as soon as we return from our visit to Mike & sally in Michigan.
We leave here on Sept. 3rd and plan to stay 4 to 7 days. They are super people and good friends and we look forward to seeing them and their neck of the woods. Sally always asks about Cleo and they are looking forward to seeing her.
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| Brenda & Fred |
Ta ta for now.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Hot - Hot - Hot
As it is in most parts of the country, it is extremely hot here for the first part of July. We have posted several days of temperatures greater than 100 and working outside is not an easy trick. By this time of year we are usually in the cooler climes of the great Northwest.
For instance, the thermometer in greenhouse three spikes at 125 degrees and it sure felt like it. I was in the very back yesterday afternoon watering the papyrus and started to feel very nauseous due to the heat.
As you already know, Mike is shutting down the business and we ordered a dumpster. It didn't arrive till just before one yesterday afternoon in the heat of the day. We loaded about half of it with worn-out and damaged trays. The heat in the UV really does a number of those trays over the years.
We have closed down greenhouse 2 and moved the table said the greenhouse one after we had on dismantled the tables are already in greenhouse one. Those tables or parts thereof ended up in the in the dumpster. The patio sure looks a whole lot better. We spent a good percentage of the morning yesterday cleaning up the office. Mike is donating a couple of pieces of office equipment that we haven't used in the five years I've been there. The office sure looks a lot less cluttered.
Every year on 3 July, the city of Bartlett puts on a fireworks display and music and celebration of our nations birthday. Fireworks are you always spectacular, but last night was the best fireworks show I believe I've ever seen. Almost everybody I talked to agreed with my assessment.
Every year the breakfast club, gets together on the shady side of the concert hall and we have a picnic.
Pam, our organist at church, is in the volunteer Bartlett concert band and she plays every year. The orchestra was its usual excellent self. She is such a talented musician and is accomplished at several musical instruments.
After the concert band played, a local group called 240 loop played for an hour or hour and a half. They really were a talented group. They played songs from my era and brought back a lot of memories.
Adam, my brother's middle son, is having a get together over his house this afternoon to celebrate the Fourth of July. It seems that one or more of the boys usually have a get together for this fairly large family is there houses can accommodate that number of people.
The family get-togethers are usually at Allen's house as he has a pool, but it seems she's having trouble with the pH of his pool and were having over Adam's house. It is always a good time no matter where we have it.
Brenda is doing quite well with her physical therapy and a range of motion on her right arm is improving daily. She has physical therapy three days a week and is due to see the doctor again on Friday. We are hoping that formal physical therapy per se will end, and she can continue her exercises at home.
We will be leaving for Washington a week from today. We're really looking forward to seeing the kids as the last time was other was October of last year. Then, two weeks after we get back, they are coming here for a 10 day visit. Only a few on this side of the family have ever met Fred and he's known the family for 12 years now. I think this side of the family is a little more subdued than the Houston side. He has been exposed to this rambunctious family for many years now and it's not quite so overwhelming for him as it was the first time he met this group.
All I can say is both Brenda and I are really excited about seeing the kids.
Ta ta for now.
For instance, the thermometer in greenhouse three spikes at 125 degrees and it sure felt like it. I was in the very back yesterday afternoon watering the papyrus and started to feel very nauseous due to the heat.
As you already know, Mike is shutting down the business and we ordered a dumpster. It didn't arrive till just before one yesterday afternoon in the heat of the day. We loaded about half of it with worn-out and damaged trays. The heat in the UV really does a number of those trays over the years.
We have closed down greenhouse 2 and moved the table said the greenhouse one after we had on dismantled the tables are already in greenhouse one. Those tables or parts thereof ended up in the in the dumpster. The patio sure looks a whole lot better. We spent a good percentage of the morning yesterday cleaning up the office. Mike is donating a couple of pieces of office equipment that we haven't used in the five years I've been there. The office sure looks a lot less cluttered.
Every year on 3 July, the city of Bartlett puts on a fireworks display and music and celebration of our nations birthday. Fireworks are you always spectacular, but last night was the best fireworks show I believe I've ever seen. Almost everybody I talked to agreed with my assessment.
Every year the breakfast club, gets together on the shady side of the concert hall and we have a picnic.
Pam, our organist at church, is in the volunteer Bartlett concert band and she plays every year. The orchestra was its usual excellent self. She is such a talented musician and is accomplished at several musical instruments.
After the concert band played, a local group called 240 loop played for an hour or hour and a half. They really were a talented group. They played songs from my era and brought back a lot of memories.
Adam, my brother's middle son, is having a get together over his house this afternoon to celebrate the Fourth of July. It seems that one or more of the boys usually have a get together for this fairly large family is there houses can accommodate that number of people.
The family get-togethers are usually at Allen's house as he has a pool, but it seems she's having trouble with the pH of his pool and were having over Adam's house. It is always a good time no matter where we have it.
Brenda is doing quite well with her physical therapy and a range of motion on her right arm is improving daily. She has physical therapy three days a week and is due to see the doctor again on Friday. We are hoping that formal physical therapy per se will end, and she can continue her exercises at home.
We will be leaving for Washington a week from today. We're really looking forward to seeing the kids as the last time was other was October of last year. Then, two weeks after we get back, they are coming here for a 10 day visit. Only a few on this side of the family have ever met Fred and he's known the family for 12 years now. I think this side of the family is a little more subdued than the Houston side. He has been exposed to this rambunctious family for many years now and it's not quite so overwhelming for him as it was the first time he met this group.
All I can say is both Brenda and I are really excited about seeing the kids.
Ta ta for now.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Synopsis of last 3 months
I know that it has been a long time since I have posted and a lot of things have happened since then.
As you know from the last post, Brenda is employed in a bike shop. She is doing well and still enjoys going to work.
But there is some news that you may not know. Brenda bought a used bike about 6 weeks ago and was out riding not far from the house, when she fell and broke her right elbow. She had the bike only about 24 hours when the mishap occurred.
She also hit her face on the pavement and had two black eyes and a skinned nose for about 3 weeks. She is now her beautiful self again.
She has a doctors appointment tomorrow, and hopefully the brace will be removed and she can start physical therapy. We are both tired of the brace, she more than I. She has accidentally hit me with that metal contraption more than once. It sure beats a cast, as she can take it off to shower, but she must wear it the rest of the time.
On a sad note, Rena, Brenda's oldest sister was found dead in her bed in early April. She was only 65, but had many health issues. It was a total shock to all of us. Her death reminds you of your own mortality and reaches up and smacks you in the face.
My brother, Mike, has decided to close the nursery. It is not making the money he had hoped for and is barely paying the bills. He is selling off a lot of the infrastructure and the stock and plans to be completely shuttered by the end of August.
Mike and Barb now have 3 horses and they plan to convert the nursery property into a stable for up to 21 horses. They plan to offer space and care, for a fee, to horse owners in the Memphis area. There is a need for barn space and they will try to help fill that need.
They have offered me a position, full time and year round, to help build and maintain the facility and I have accepted. There is no monetary compensation, but helps keep me busy. It also introduces me to something new to learn about
Brenda and I had decided to curtail a lot of traveling this year due to the extreme cost of fuel, so when the opportunity arose we decided it was best to come off of the road for awhile.
I know that the fuel prices are down to an almost reasonable rate, but I feel this is temporary and will start to accelerate at a rapid pace shortly after the November elections, no matter who wins.
Also with Brenda's full time employment, that she really likes, we decided that this was the best course of action at this time.
Brenda's family also lives here and Memphis seemed like a good place to settle, at least for a while. We don't plan on giving up our travels, so we are keeping the motor home.
We have a commitment to Livingston State Park for the winter, so we will leave in September and return here in late January or 1st of February.
The people at the park are so gracious and easy to work with. We really enjoy our time there and the work is fun for both of us.
Mike and Sally Ranger, whom we met during our time at Timber Ridge, have been after us to visit them in Michigan. We are planning a visit in early September.
We are not taking the motor home, but we are taking Cleo to visit Aunt Sally. They had a cat who died suddenly a couple of years ago, and they have really taken a liking to Cleo. Whenever we are together Sally always brings treats and Cleo is in hog heaven as she gets multiple rounds of treats.
Today is Brenda's birthday and she has entered into her 6th decade.
She has to work today, so we are celebrating her day tomorrow with a trip to Tunica so she can enjoy the casinos. She loves the penny slots and knows her limit, so an occasional trip gambling is goods therapy for her.
Ta ta for now.
As you know from the last post, Brenda is employed in a bike shop. She is doing well and still enjoys going to work.
But there is some news that you may not know. Brenda bought a used bike about 6 weeks ago and was out riding not far from the house, when she fell and broke her right elbow. She had the bike only about 24 hours when the mishap occurred.
She also hit her face on the pavement and had two black eyes and a skinned nose for about 3 weeks. She is now her beautiful self again.
She has a doctors appointment tomorrow, and hopefully the brace will be removed and she can start physical therapy. We are both tired of the brace, she more than I. She has accidentally hit me with that metal contraption more than once. It sure beats a cast, as she can take it off to shower, but she must wear it the rest of the time.
On a sad note, Rena, Brenda's oldest sister was found dead in her bed in early April. She was only 65, but had many health issues. It was a total shock to all of us. Her death reminds you of your own mortality and reaches up and smacks you in the face.
My brother, Mike, has decided to close the nursery. It is not making the money he had hoped for and is barely paying the bills. He is selling off a lot of the infrastructure and the stock and plans to be completely shuttered by the end of August.
Mike and Barb now have 3 horses and they plan to convert the nursery property into a stable for up to 21 horses. They plan to offer space and care, for a fee, to horse owners in the Memphis area. There is a need for barn space and they will try to help fill that need.
They have offered me a position, full time and year round, to help build and maintain the facility and I have accepted. There is no monetary compensation, but helps keep me busy. It also introduces me to something new to learn about
Brenda and I had decided to curtail a lot of traveling this year due to the extreme cost of fuel, so when the opportunity arose we decided it was best to come off of the road for awhile.
I know that the fuel prices are down to an almost reasonable rate, but I feel this is temporary and will start to accelerate at a rapid pace shortly after the November elections, no matter who wins.
Also with Brenda's full time employment, that she really likes, we decided that this was the best course of action at this time.
Brenda's family also lives here and Memphis seemed like a good place to settle, at least for a while. We don't plan on giving up our travels, so we are keeping the motor home.
We have a commitment to Livingston State Park for the winter, so we will leave in September and return here in late January or 1st of February.
The people at the park are so gracious and easy to work with. We really enjoy our time there and the work is fun for both of us.
Mike and Sally Ranger, whom we met during our time at Timber Ridge, have been after us to visit them in Michigan. We are planning a visit in early September.
We are not taking the motor home, but we are taking Cleo to visit Aunt Sally. They had a cat who died suddenly a couple of years ago, and they have really taken a liking to Cleo. Whenever we are together Sally always brings treats and Cleo is in hog heaven as she gets multiple rounds of treats.
Today is Brenda's birthday and she has entered into her 6th decade.
She has to work today, so we are celebrating her day tomorrow with a trip to Tunica so she can enjoy the casinos. She loves the penny slots and knows her limit, so an occasional trip gambling is goods therapy for her.
Ta ta for now.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
My World. Welcome to it......
I took a camera to work so that everyone could meet the people I work with. These pictures were taken yesterday and I will be taking a few more of the people that were absent yesterday. This is a great group of people to work with.
Bill is a new mechanic that started just after I did. He had lunch with his family yesterday, so I was able to meet them. Nice family.
Tony is our head mechanic and all around guru for biking. He is a library of information on biking. I love talking to him about the subject of biking. He is soft talking and patient with me.
Here is a picture of the owners of BIKES PLUS. Lidia and Steve are our friends from Nativity Catholic Church. Glen is the co-owner of bikes plus.
I chose to have a picture of me and Vince in front of Bikes Plus. We are right across from Carmax. Stop in and chew the fat with these great people.
Ta ta for now.
Bill is a new mechanic that started just after I did. He had lunch with his family yesterday, so I was able to meet them. Nice family.
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| Bill |
Tony is our head mechanic and all around guru for biking. He is a library of information on biking. I love talking to him about the subject of biking. He is soft talking and patient with me.
 |
| Tony |
Here is a picture of the owners of BIKES PLUS. Lidia and Steve are our friends from Nativity Catholic Church. Glen is the co-owner of bikes plus.
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| Lidia, Steve & Glen |
Monday, March 26, 2012
In the beginning
I finally decided to sit down and tell everyone of my experiences at my new job. I started work on March 15th. I had no knowledge of bikes, but I had experience in working with people and how important a customer is to the store.
I was introduced to the workings of the cash register. I am still a novice at that part of the job. It is not complicated, but it takes getting used to. I met Eva,owners wife, and James, my go to guy. When I don't know where something is or what it does I go to "James". Eva has one week more experience than I. She only works 3 days a week. I, on the other hand, work full time. Needless to say, Eva and I will be learning together.
Tony griffin is the mechanic and the guru on the workings of a bike. He can look at a bike when it is coming in the door and tell you just what the bike needs in repairs. I would trust him to fix any bike. He is gentle, softspoken, patient and interesting to talk with. If He is not working on bikes, He helps me with the customer by explaining which bike does what. You can tell he loves the sport of biking. Quite a few customers come in just to say hi to Tony.
The atmosphere at Bikes Plus is pleasant and friendly. Everyone is helpful and cordial. When you walk in the door you feel at home. Our goal is to be near when you need help in deciding what bike is best for you or lead you to the right area for the item you are looking for. I am still learning those areas. In finding out what the customer is looking for, I am learning what goes where. So come on down and teach me where everything is. Just kidding.
Steve, one of my bosses, has had me check in merchandise and put it on the shelves so that I can get to know the store. It is an eyeopener as to what the store carries.From small to large we carry it. It is amazing how much storage the store has. There are tires and wheels hanging from the ceiling where bike repairs are kept. They have kickstands and seat extenders and all kinds of parts for bikes on the walls.
I enjoy showing people around the store and helping them choose the bike they need or want. Steve has enrolled me in an online class with Giant, one of the bike manufacturers we use. Giant and Specialized are the main manufacturers they use. When I have spare time I can go online and learn more about the bikes that are in the store. I have taken several modules in the course.It is very user friendly.
Saturday was my first day to sell a bike without anyone helping me. Of course the customer did the hard part. I was just there to have them try their bike and close the sale. I wish all the sales were that easy.
I really enjoy my job and look forward to coming to work every day. I appreciate Glen and Steve giving me the opportunity to prove myself. Most of all,.I thank God for his support and his answer to my prayers.
I was introduced to the workings of the cash register. I am still a novice at that part of the job. It is not complicated, but it takes getting used to. I met Eva,owners wife, and James, my go to guy. When I don't know where something is or what it does I go to "James". Eva has one week more experience than I. She only works 3 days a week. I, on the other hand, work full time. Needless to say, Eva and I will be learning together.
Tony griffin is the mechanic and the guru on the workings of a bike. He can look at a bike when it is coming in the door and tell you just what the bike needs in repairs. I would trust him to fix any bike. He is gentle, softspoken, patient and interesting to talk with. If He is not working on bikes, He helps me with the customer by explaining which bike does what. You can tell he loves the sport of biking. Quite a few customers come in just to say hi to Tony.
The atmosphere at Bikes Plus is pleasant and friendly. Everyone is helpful and cordial. When you walk in the door you feel at home. Our goal is to be near when you need help in deciding what bike is best for you or lead you to the right area for the item you are looking for. I am still learning those areas. In finding out what the customer is looking for, I am learning what goes where. So come on down and teach me where everything is. Just kidding.
Steve, one of my bosses, has had me check in merchandise and put it on the shelves so that I can get to know the store. It is an eyeopener as to what the store carries.From small to large we carry it. It is amazing how much storage the store has. There are tires and wheels hanging from the ceiling where bike repairs are kept. They have kickstands and seat extenders and all kinds of parts for bikes on the walls.
I enjoy showing people around the store and helping them choose the bike they need or want. Steve has enrolled me in an online class with Giant, one of the bike manufacturers we use. Giant and Specialized are the main manufacturers they use. When I have spare time I can go online and learn more about the bikes that are in the store. I have taken several modules in the course.It is very user friendly.
Saturday was my first day to sell a bike without anyone helping me. Of course the customer did the hard part. I was just there to have them try their bike and close the sale. I wish all the sales were that easy.
I really enjoy my job and look forward to coming to work every day. I appreciate Glen and Steve giving me the opportunity to prove myself. Most of all,.I thank God for his support and his answer to my prayers.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Brenda finds work, YEA YEA
God works in mysterious ways. I have been looking for a job to boost our savings and had mentioned to a church friend that I was having no luck finding anything. My friends husband is co owner of a bike shop and he needed some help in his busy months. He told me to come see him on Tuesday and we can discuss what he was looking for in an employee.
I met the owners of Bikes Plus on Tuesday. They explained what the job entails and what the needs were. We talked for an hour about my experience and they decided to give me a chance to try a new skill. I stayed and was given a tour of the store. I was even given a taste of what I will be doing. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I reported to work yesterday. My day started off a little slow because I had to be shown how to enter sales and repairs. I also was introduced to special order sales. There will be many times I will have to complete order forms and repair slips. I am looking forward to embracing my new skill.
I will be shadowing the salespersons for the next few weeks so that I can learn the merchandise and how to listen to what the customers needs are. I will be on their heels picking up bits and pieces of information about how a bike works and what type of bike a person would be comfortable with. I was given a few books about the bikes they carry and it was very helpful. Now I just need to soak up all the information I can from the salesmen.
We don't work on commission. It is straight salary. There is no cut throat selling. You are there to help the customer. I wish all jobs were like that.
I am looking forward to an interesting stay here at Bikes Plus. I will keep you informed as to how I am doing on the job.
Tata for now
I met the owners of Bikes Plus on Tuesday. They explained what the job entails and what the needs were. We talked for an hour about my experience and they decided to give me a chance to try a new skill. I stayed and was given a tour of the store. I was even given a taste of what I will be doing. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I reported to work yesterday. My day started off a little slow because I had to be shown how to enter sales and repairs. I also was introduced to special order sales. There will be many times I will have to complete order forms and repair slips. I am looking forward to embracing my new skill.
I will be shadowing the salespersons for the next few weeks so that I can learn the merchandise and how to listen to what the customers needs are. I will be on their heels picking up bits and pieces of information about how a bike works and what type of bike a person would be comfortable with. I was given a few books about the bikes they carry and it was very helpful. Now I just need to soak up all the information I can from the salesmen.
We don't work on commission. It is straight salary. There is no cut throat selling. You are there to help the customer. I wish all jobs were like that.
I am looking forward to an interesting stay here at Bikes Plus. I will keep you informed as to how I am doing on the job.
Tata for now
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Much Improvement
Brenda & I went back to the doctor last week, and everything is improving.
Brenda's rash has cleared up and her face is as beautiful as ever. It appears that what she had was ringworm and generic Lamisil used twice a day has cleared the problem nicely.
We don't know where she got it, but it is cleared up.
I have been working and if I don't move around too much I do ok. I'm not sure if the vertigo is improving or I'm just getting used to it. I still get really dizzy when I look up, so I don't do that much.
I drove to church on Sunday and I drove to the dentist yesterday and it was alright.
We are in desperate need of rain here as it hasn't rained in about 10 days.
Mike and I washed all of the vehicles, so that should bring the rain. It was supposed to rain with thunder and lightning last night, but I didn't hear any rain on the roof.
Brenda finished my lap quilt, It is red, white and blue stripes. It is very nice and keeps my legs warm. Cleo loves it. She loves to sit in my lap while I watch TV, and she lays on top of the quilt.
The red is fairly dark and the combination of colors reminds me of the British flag.
Brenda is having lunch with her sisters and cousins today. One of her cousins has late stage breast cancer and the women try to have lunch with her at least once a month. Good family support. We know with Brenda's journey through her breast cancer, just how important support is.
Ta ta for now.
Brenda's rash has cleared up and her face is as beautiful as ever. It appears that what she had was ringworm and generic Lamisil used twice a day has cleared the problem nicely.
We don't know where she got it, but it is cleared up.
I have been working and if I don't move around too much I do ok. I'm not sure if the vertigo is improving or I'm just getting used to it. I still get really dizzy when I look up, so I don't do that much.
I drove to church on Sunday and I drove to the dentist yesterday and it was alright.
We are in desperate need of rain here as it hasn't rained in about 10 days.
Mike and I washed all of the vehicles, so that should bring the rain. It was supposed to rain with thunder and lightning last night, but I didn't hear any rain on the roof.
Brenda finished my lap quilt, It is red, white and blue stripes. It is very nice and keeps my legs warm. Cleo loves it. She loves to sit in my lap while I watch TV, and she lays on top of the quilt.
Brenda is having lunch with her sisters and cousins today. One of her cousins has late stage breast cancer and the women try to have lunch with her at least once a month. Good family support. We know with Brenda's journey through her breast cancer, just how important support is.
Ta ta for now.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Another day at work
I went to work again today and did ok. My vertigo is getting better, not good enough to drive yet, but better.
Brenda has a rash on her face since before we left Lake Livingston. She has seen the doctor, but it is not improving. We both have appointments on Thursday. I hope that he can come up with something to clear her face. It does look like it could be ringworm, but we don't really know.
One more day of work and we will see how things go.
I'll keep you informed.
Ta ta for now.
Brenda has a rash on her face since before we left Lake Livingston. She has seen the doctor, but it is not improving. We both have appointments on Thursday. I hope that he can come up with something to clear her face. It does look like it could be ringworm, but we don't really know.
One more day of work and we will see how things go.
I'll keep you informed.
Ta ta for now.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Back to work
I went back to work after church this morning. I didn't fall down once, although I thought that I might more than once. My head got swimmie several times during the day and I didn't venture too far from my cane .
We did get a lot accomplished today, as there were 4 of us working. We cleaned several varieties of plants and got a few more ready for the 'Spring Fling' show at the end of March.
Several new seed trays were started by Jen and some of the seed trays started earlier, were transplanted into 3.5" pots for further development.
We have somewhat over `150 square feet of show space, and we have a good location on a main isle during the Spring Fling. We display many varieties of grasses and bamboo.in that small space and we usually have pretty good sales during the show.
If the weather is good, we ought to have a good show this year.
Mike's wife has become quite helpful in our endeavor to get ready for the shows. She worked last week while I was off and it surely helped to keep us on track.
She plans to help us with the booths this year and I believe she will be a true asset to our operation.
She has been very involved with many of the plant clubs over the years and she knows so many people in our industry.
Brenda worked on her quilting today and my lap blanket is progressing well.
She has become quite particular in the outcome of the finished product and she takes great care to ensure a quality piece.
Ta ta foe now
We did get a lot accomplished today, as there were 4 of us working. We cleaned several varieties of plants and got a few more ready for the 'Spring Fling' show at the end of March.
Several new seed trays were started by Jen and some of the seed trays started earlier, were transplanted into 3.5" pots for further development.
We have somewhat over `150 square feet of show space, and we have a good location on a main isle during the Spring Fling. We display many varieties of grasses and bamboo.in that small space and we usually have pretty good sales during the show.
If the weather is good, we ought to have a good show this year.
Mike's wife has become quite helpful in our endeavor to get ready for the shows. She worked last week while I was off and it surely helped to keep us on track.
She plans to help us with the booths this year and I believe she will be a true asset to our operation.
She has been very involved with many of the plant clubs over the years and she knows so many people in our industry.
Brenda worked on her quilting today and my lap blanket is progressing well.
She has become quite particular in the outcome of the finished product and she takes great care to ensure a quality piece.
Ta ta foe now
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Back In Millington
We arrived in Millington at Mike's house, on schedule in the early afternoon on Wednesday, 1 February. We had an uneventful trip with an overnight stay in Arkadelphia.
We have stayed multiple times at the Arkadelphia campground, but we feel that the prices they charge these days are not worth what we get. Also, the manager needs an attitude adjustment. If you want to work with the public, you must be nice and he's not nice.
We left Lake Livingston State Park, at around nine o'clock: Tuesday morning. Several of the Rangers stop by to say goodbye at our site. There were jokes about the Rangers disabling our rig, but of course nothing was done. The Park manager assured us that we were welcome to comeback anytime. We told him that we would return the first week of September for a longer stint at volunteering for the park.
It has been a while since I have posted. I started this first week we arrived, but developed writers block. I know that I have got to get on with this just to keep my thoughts together and and memories before it totally slips away.
The work has been going well at the nursery, and it appears we will be ready for the first show at the end of March. We have gotten the quart sized containers from last year cleaned up, and some new plants that have arrived put into quart sized containers. It has been fairly warm here and in combination with unseasonably warm temperatures and the heaters the plants are growing nicely.
I have had to take a week long hiatus from work due to a spell of vertigo. The vertigo came on suddenly last Thursday morning. It was so severe, that I went to the doctor. I went in for the tests that he ordered, on Wednesday, and the vertigo became so severe that he decided to hospitalize me. I went through a series of more testing as he was concerned that I was possibly having a stroke.
He called in a neurologist who reviewed the test results and did a cursory exam on me and decided that I have Labyrinthitis.
I was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon and my vertigo has improved but I still have " the fuzzies ".The fuzzies as I call it, is like looking as if everything is out of focus. I am hoping that it will resolve itself in a short period of time. I plan to return to work tomorrow, but don't know how long I'll be there. Mike appears to be okay with that, but I feel bad that I'm not keep earning my keep.
If gas prices keep going up as they have been over the past week, I think our summer travels will be curtailed.
We are not taking the rig to Seattle this year, because of the fuel prices, and we have informed the Lake Sammamish staff that we will not be volunteering this year. The Park manager was not happy with our decision, but said he understood. We wanted to give them plenty of notice so they can find, hopefully, a replacement for us.
The kids on the West Coast, understand that we won't be able to bring rig this year, but we intend to fly out, in July, for a visit. We will probably have to rent a car, because we will need to go to Portland to see Alex, Kristin and Heather. Hopefully, Heather will be able to get a weekend off during the time we plan to be on the West Coast.
We are attending church at Nativity again this year, and were so happy to see our friends from the "breakfast club". Fortunately, we have been a able to go to breakfast with them after mass, for two Sundays of the three we have been here. We really enjoyed their company, and are such welcoming folks.
Jessica, Bev's daughter, is becoming quite the little actress. She is then another play, Godspell, which was performed last weekend. We had tickets to it, but I had vertigo so bad that night I was unable to attend. Brenda went without me, and said she enjoyed the play immensely. Jessica has been so busy with school that I haven't seen her since we have been here.
Brenda goes to Bev's house, to wash clothes, and has seen Jessica several times.
I think I will close this now, and try to do better at keeping up with our time here in Memphis.
Tata for now.
We have stayed multiple times at the Arkadelphia campground, but we feel that the prices they charge these days are not worth what we get. Also, the manager needs an attitude adjustment. If you want to work with the public, you must be nice and he's not nice.
We left Lake Livingston State Park, at around nine o'clock: Tuesday morning. Several of the Rangers stop by to say goodbye at our site. There were jokes about the Rangers disabling our rig, but of course nothing was done. The Park manager assured us that we were welcome to comeback anytime. We told him that we would return the first week of September for a longer stint at volunteering for the park.
It has been a while since I have posted. I started this first week we arrived, but developed writers block. I know that I have got to get on with this just to keep my thoughts together and and memories before it totally slips away.
The work has been going well at the nursery, and it appears we will be ready for the first show at the end of March. We have gotten the quart sized containers from last year cleaned up, and some new plants that have arrived put into quart sized containers. It has been fairly warm here and in combination with unseasonably warm temperatures and the heaters the plants are growing nicely.
I have had to take a week long hiatus from work due to a spell of vertigo. The vertigo came on suddenly last Thursday morning. It was so severe, that I went to the doctor. I went in for the tests that he ordered, on Wednesday, and the vertigo became so severe that he decided to hospitalize me. I went through a series of more testing as he was concerned that I was possibly having a stroke.
He called in a neurologist who reviewed the test results and did a cursory exam on me and decided that I have Labyrinthitis.
I was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon and my vertigo has improved but I still have " the fuzzies ".The fuzzies as I call it, is like looking as if everything is out of focus. I am hoping that it will resolve itself in a short period of time. I plan to return to work tomorrow, but don't know how long I'll be there. Mike appears to be okay with that, but I feel bad that I'm not keep earning my keep.
If gas prices keep going up as they have been over the past week, I think our summer travels will be curtailed.
We are not taking the rig to Seattle this year, because of the fuel prices, and we have informed the Lake Sammamish staff that we will not be volunteering this year. The Park manager was not happy with our decision, but said he understood. We wanted to give them plenty of notice so they can find, hopefully, a replacement for us.
The kids on the West Coast, understand that we won't be able to bring rig this year, but we intend to fly out, in July, for a visit. We will probably have to rent a car, because we will need to go to Portland to see Alex, Kristin and Heather. Hopefully, Heather will be able to get a weekend off during the time we plan to be on the West Coast.
We are attending church at Nativity again this year, and were so happy to see our friends from the "breakfast club". Fortunately, we have been a able to go to breakfast with them after mass, for two Sundays of the three we have been here. We really enjoyed their company, and are such welcoming folks.
Jessica, Bev's daughter, is becoming quite the little actress. She is then another play, Godspell, which was performed last weekend. We had tickets to it, but I had vertigo so bad that night I was unable to attend. Brenda went without me, and said she enjoyed the play immensely. Jessica has been so busy with school that I haven't seen her since we have been here.
Brenda goes to Bev's house, to wash clothes, and has seen Jessica several times.
I think I will close this now, and try to do better at keeping up with our time here in Memphis.
Tata for now.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Our time here grow short!
It has been an exceptionally warm winter here so far, and today is no exception. It is six o'clock in the morning and 66° outside. There's a 90% chance of thunderstorms today so most of our work will be done indoors.
We are in our last week at Lake Livingston State Park. It has been enjoyable three months. Unless something unexpected comes up, we plan to return for hosting duties again in the fall. My projects here have all been completed, and I have been working in the field helping the Rangers. There haven't been many campers here, so Brenda's work in the office has been minimal, at best.
We spent last weekend down in Spring, visiting Val and Tony. Tony is having trouble with his lower back again, and his right leg will suddenly go out and he will fall. He has fallen multiple times using his walker, and has therefore moved to wheelchair whenever he needs to navigate around the house or go out. He has been going to an infusion center receiving antibiotic IV therapy. It seems he has a systemic bacteria and every time he gets a wound it becomes infected. He is going on a daily basis for a 3 to 5 hour IV infusion treatment.
Val has signed Tony up at Health South, for aqua therapy on his back. We were all hoping that this therapy will help him regain the use of his legs, so at least you can navigate using his walker.
While we were in Spring, we went out to breakfast at Forest Café with Chris and Linda. We had a nice time visiting while Tony was at the infusion center.
Unfortunately, we were unable to see Michelle and the girls before we left. Michelle is very busy with her businesses and appears that weekends are extremely busy for her. Hopefully we will be able to see more of the girls and Michelle when we're here next winter.
We pull out on Tuesday morning, and stop to get the coach inspected before leaving Texas. The inspection expired back in November, but we haven't moved the coach outside the park, so we decided to wait until we were leaving to get it inspected.
We will overnight, in our usual campground in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. We plan to arrive at Mike's house sometime early afternoon on Wednesday, and we are looking forward to productive and enjoyable summer n Memphis.
Tata for now.
Dictated using Dragon (thanks Becky & Fred)
We are in our last week at Lake Livingston State Park. It has been enjoyable three months. Unless something unexpected comes up, we plan to return for hosting duties again in the fall. My projects here have all been completed, and I have been working in the field helping the Rangers. There haven't been many campers here, so Brenda's work in the office has been minimal, at best.
We spent last weekend down in Spring, visiting Val and Tony. Tony is having trouble with his lower back again, and his right leg will suddenly go out and he will fall. He has fallen multiple times using his walker, and has therefore moved to wheelchair whenever he needs to navigate around the house or go out. He has been going to an infusion center receiving antibiotic IV therapy. It seems he has a systemic bacteria and every time he gets a wound it becomes infected. He is going on a daily basis for a 3 to 5 hour IV infusion treatment.
Val has signed Tony up at Health South, for aqua therapy on his back. We were all hoping that this therapy will help him regain the use of his legs, so at least you can navigate using his walker.
While we were in Spring, we went out to breakfast at Forest Café with Chris and Linda. We had a nice time visiting while Tony was at the infusion center.
Unfortunately, we were unable to see Michelle and the girls before we left. Michelle is very busy with her businesses and appears that weekends are extremely busy for her. Hopefully we will be able to see more of the girls and Michelle when we're here next winter.
We pull out on Tuesday morning, and stop to get the coach inspected before leaving Texas. The inspection expired back in November, but we haven't moved the coach outside the park, so we decided to wait until we were leaving to get it inspected.
We will overnight, in our usual campground in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. We plan to arrive at Mike's house sometime early afternoon on Wednesday, and we are looking forward to productive and enjoyable summer n Memphis.
Tata for now.
Dictated using Dragon (thanks Becky & Fred)
Monday, January 9, 2012
Happy New Year, a week late
On New Year's Day, Val, Tony, and Chris and Linda, along with Danielle visited us to celebrate New Year's Day.
Val, Tony and Danielle went up to Lufkin to visit Tony's brother Mike and his wife Judy. They spent the night, and came down late Sunday morning. Chris and Linda drove up from their home in Spring and we spent an enjoyable afternoon visiting and touring the park. The day was beautiful but cool and there was plenty of room inside the coach for the seven of us.
Wednesday, we drove down to Houston for Brenda's annual mammogram. While we were there we drove over to Timber Ridge, to visit Mike and Sally Ranger. They were planning on wintering in Bullhead City Arizona, but Sally didn't like the wind and the desert heat.
This will be the third time four years that they have wintered at Timber Ridge.
We met them at Five Guys Burgers, then went on to their motorhome.
As many of you know, we worked at Timber Ridge for a couple of years. We decided to walk around the park, and to visit with some of the people who have stayed there when we worked there. It was nice to see some of them again and we enjoyed our visit.
Mike and I took on Brenda and Sally in a game that we all love to play, Pegs and Jokers. In a relatively unusual event, Mike and I beat Sally and Brenda three at a four games. The games were all pretty close with us winning in the last few seconds in two of the games. Brenda and Sally are really good sports about this.
We have just about three weeks left here at the state park. I have four projects in the works, but I am out of materials. The park has to order materials from the contract and delivery is pretty slow. I am hoping for the arrival of materials today so I can continue.
The weather here has been cool but nice, but all that changed late yesterday afternoon. A cold front has been moving through and thunderstorms and rain have that ongoing during the night. It is supposed to rain all day today so I'm just not sure how much were going to get done today.
Since I've been out of materials have been able to work out in the field helping the guys with their small projects. I even got my first lesson on how to operate a backhoe from one of the rangers on Saturday. It was an enjoyable experience and Kevin is a patient and good teacher.
Brenda is going into Humble on Tuesday, to visit with old coworker from the telephone company. She is having lunch and then going to JoAnn's to see if she can find materials for a new quilting project.
She really enjoys her quilting as improving with every new project. Her Christmas gifts to Val and Tony were big hits.
Tata for now.
Val, Tony and Danielle went up to Lufkin to visit Tony's brother Mike and his wife Judy. They spent the night, and came down late Sunday morning. Chris and Linda drove up from their home in Spring and we spent an enjoyable afternoon visiting and touring the park. The day was beautiful but cool and there was plenty of room inside the coach for the seven of us.
Wednesday, we drove down to Houston for Brenda's annual mammogram. While we were there we drove over to Timber Ridge, to visit Mike and Sally Ranger. They were planning on wintering in Bullhead City Arizona, but Sally didn't like the wind and the desert heat.
This will be the third time four years that they have wintered at Timber Ridge.
We met them at Five Guys Burgers, then went on to their motorhome.
As many of you know, we worked at Timber Ridge for a couple of years. We decided to walk around the park, and to visit with some of the people who have stayed there when we worked there. It was nice to see some of them again and we enjoyed our visit.
Mike and I took on Brenda and Sally in a game that we all love to play, Pegs and Jokers. In a relatively unusual event, Mike and I beat Sally and Brenda three at a four games. The games were all pretty close with us winning in the last few seconds in two of the games. Brenda and Sally are really good sports about this.
We have just about three weeks left here at the state park. I have four projects in the works, but I am out of materials. The park has to order materials from the contract and delivery is pretty slow. I am hoping for the arrival of materials today so I can continue.
The weather here has been cool but nice, but all that changed late yesterday afternoon. A cold front has been moving through and thunderstorms and rain have that ongoing during the night. It is supposed to rain all day today so I'm just not sure how much were going to get done today.
Since I've been out of materials have been able to work out in the field helping the guys with their small projects. I even got my first lesson on how to operate a backhoe from one of the rangers on Saturday. It was an enjoyable experience and Kevin is a patient and good teacher.
Brenda is going into Humble on Tuesday, to visit with old coworker from the telephone company. She is having lunch and then going to JoAnn's to see if she can find materials for a new quilting project.
She really enjoys her quilting as improving with every new project. Her Christmas gifts to Val and Tony were big hits.
Tata for now.
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