What’s A Guy To Do???

How can a guy write a Blog when he has a kitty on the keyboard? I try to get Ms Megabyte2 to write it for me but she can’t wake up enough.   She loves to jump up on my lap and sleep .... especially on Blog mornings!

Lots of times she gets into Ms Pat’s “IN” basket under her desk.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at David and Sue’s new house with 13 of our good RV’n friends….The Turkey and all the fixin’s including the Ham was especially good.   Mark (of Mark & Dale) was sick and couldn't come ... that's the reason we only had 13.  Hope you're feeling better, Mark.  I borrowed these pictures from Linda's Blog because I forgot my camera. :-(  Thanks Linda!

The wind has been blowing like crazy here for at least 3 days in a row. I was really getting fed up with it. Then yesterday....Wow, what a beautiful day!!  No wind at all!  It was around 43 deg at 7am when we did our walk. A little cool in the morning but it felt great and things warmed up to almost 70 in the afternoon…..Now that’s perfect!!

So we took advantage of such great weather to begin getting things ready to hit the road.  We have to get everything all loaded and prepare the Coach House to be closed up until next year or until the place is sold. We will finish up today and be ready to pull out tomorrow morning.  That will be it for another year in South Texas.   By this time next week, we will be all settled into our new house at North Ranch in Congress, AZ.

Last year, sometime around the end of March, we bought this little house at North Ranch near Wickenburg, AZ that we just love. Rollie and Gina were visiting us at the time and we all worked for 2 solid months fixing and furnishing the place just like we wanted it.  Then we took off for Custer for the summer.  We are so anxious to get back and enjoy all of our hard work.  I can hardly wait.  Rollie and Gina worked really hard helping us get moved in and make it "our" home.  We thank them both so much for all their efforts. Gina said “God sent us to help you”……. Praise the Lord for that.  Gina, you and Rollie are definitely Angels.  We love you and miss you very much.

Rollie and Gina are in Denham Springs, LA with their family until after Christmas but then they'll be headed back to North Ranch to spend some time with us.  We have lots of 4-wheeling and hiking to do.
It looks like another beautiful day is on hand for today. That will help us wrap up the lose ends today and be all ready to go by this time tomorrow.  We will travel up near Del Rio, TX tomorrow and stay the night there and continue on West Tuesday. We should  make EL Paso or maybe Deming, NM by Tuesday evening. Hopefully, we will be somewhere Wednesday morning that I can post a little Blog and let you know of our progress.

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Don’t you just LOVE these College Football playoffs?  Two of our favorite teams won!! Nebraska beat Colorado and Florida State beat Florida!!!! That’s the first time in 6 years that FSU has beat UF!  Hallelujah!!!  FSU was due!!!  The down side is two more of our favorite teams lost.  LSU lost to Arkansas...sorry Rollie and Gina and Oklahoma State lost to Oklahoma...sorry Gene and Ann. :-)

Thanks for stopping by and God Bless you all!!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Tomorrow is the big day. I can almost smell the food a cookin'! This will be the 4TH year we have spent Thanksgiving with our friends at Retama village down here in South Texas.

This year there will be about 14 of us getting together and enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner together. Everyone is bringing at least one or two dishes. Jim is deep frying a big Turkey, Sue is baking 2 more and Dale is cooking a Ham. There will be plenty of GREAT food and I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! :-)
This year we will be having ourThanksgiving Dinner at David and Sue’s brand NEW home.


David and Sue built this beautiful home here in Retama during the summer. They had an “open house” about a week ago and did an excellent job designing and decorating their home.  It is NICE!  It will be an honor to have Thanksgiving in their NEW HOME!!

This is Jim and Hazel’s new home down the street.  (above) They built it over the summer and just moved in.  It’s also a beauty!!  We haven't had the tour of the inside yet but hope to do so before we leave.

WOW!!  Everybody has been busy. This is Tom and Gayle’s new home. People are building Homes, Casitas and finishing Coach Houses all over Retama! All this was done since we left here in February. You can see Jim and Hazel’s home in the background.

These folks started with an RV lot like ours and like it here so much, they are building a house or an RV Port Casita home.  The prices are right here and you can't go wrong investing in a place here.  Most of these folks are keeping their RV lot and renting it out to Winter Texans.

At the other end of the street they are still building more. Soon this place will be all filled up and at the rate they are going, it won’t be long.

Now we are really getting excited. By this time next week, we will be on the road and somewhere near El Paso or maybe even in ARIZONA somewhere.  The weather has been great.  I hope it holds!
Sunday will most likely be my last Blog from Retama for this year.

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!!

WELCOME to our latest new followers:
Jerry Lu Larson
Mike Mills
bobm
george sharrer
danielle mcgaw
Susan

We are GLAD to have you with us and hope you will comment now and then. We just love to hear from our readers.  I know it's a job to comment on all the Blogs we read, so whenever you can, it's nice to know you're out there. Our counter shows that we get close to 400 hits on the days we publish and 200 on the days we don’t.  It's amazing… God Bless you all!

Safe Travels to all those that are traveling during the Holidays. Have a Happy Thanksgiving as we continue to give God our Praise for all he provides us.

Last but not least, don’t eat too much !!!  Ahh shoot.....GO AHEAD!!! :-)  Shhh....don't tell Ms Pat I said that.  But the diet starts again soon, right?  Yep, I’m with ya!!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park.

Right down the street from where we live down here in the Rio-Grande Valley in Texas is the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. This is a WORLD BIRDING center and people come from all over the world to see the Birds they have here.

Here is a picture of the entrance to the Park during the flood a few months ago.  This is where we usually do our morning walk and is a beautiful private place to walk. The South border of the park is the Rio Grande River. When the storm hit last summer and filled the big dam West of here, it flooded this area and this Park was underwater. The damage the water caused to the roads and trails caused the park to close.

These barricades greeted us this year when we started to take our morning walk in the State Park. We had to find another place to walk. A couple days ago we saw about 20-25 big semi dump trucks lined up going into the Park loaded with dirt being hauled in to help repair some of the damage. We heard that we could now walk down about a mile into the park. So yesterday, we made our first venture in.  It was early in the morning (of course:-) and no one else was around.

About a mile into the Park where the “loop” begins, the roads were closed. Both of these roads lead down to the Rio Grande River.

The fine print at the bottom says:
 “Most of the park was covered in 3-10ft of water. As of Nov 10th parts of the park remained underwater. Many of our facilities are currently under repair. Closed areas are not safe for the public”.

From the picture above and the one below, you can see remains of the high water and the condition it left the park in…

Mother Nature does leave her marks but there is probably a reason in the long run and good will come from it. It's not really devastation, it's just Mother Nature showing us who is boss. I’m sure the Park will one day be back up and running in good shape. Maybe even BETTER shape!

I was hoping another movie would come to town while we were here close to a theater. We saw the previews of a movie called TRUE GRIT that is coming out real soon. It’s a Western and a remake of the old John Wayne movie.  It will star Jeff Bridges as "Rooster Cogburn" but it doesn’t look like it will be out until right around Christmas. We’ll have to catch it some where else....looks like it will be good!

That's about it for this Sunday....real exciting isn’t it? :-)  Not much interesting happening around here, but that seems kinda nice, cause remember we’re “Kickin' Back”, trying to get some R & R. It will be busy, busy when we get to North Ranch!!

So, I’m back to "RESTIN"!!! The "kids", Rollie and Gina, are home in Louisiana for a few weeks and I bet they are “kickin' back” too! Rest up Kids cause when you get to the Ranch we’re gonna HIT IT!! Ya HEAR!!:-)  Walking, hiking, 4-wheeling......and a "little" fixin'.

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!

Thanks for stopping by.  Come on back Wednesday….

God Bless each and every one of you!!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

WOW!! My Heart is Still RACING!!

One HOUR and 28 Minutes of pure EXCITEMENT………

Ms Pat and I don’t watch many movies at all, you could almost say NONE.  However, there is a big Theater just a few miles from our place down here in Mission, TX....it’s easy to get to, plenty of parking and a good chance for us to catch the latest Movie Releases that interest us. If you go to the early Matinee, it only costs $5.00 and it's never crowded.  So yesterday we decided to go see “UNSTOPPABLE” .

Well, let me tell you, it was an exciting movie!  I was worn out when it was over!!  WHAT A RIDE!! I used every muscle I had trying to slow that train down. I twisted and turned in my seat from the beginning until the end…..Whew!!!  I don’t usually get too excited but I just couldn’t calm myself down and Ms Pat was holding on to my arm because she was so excited.  I was actually kinda happy when it was over.  I couldn’t have taken much more.  Hey, what great entertainment and I always enjoy Denzel Washington, the star actor.

Maybe I had special interest in this movie because my son Patrick is a retired Engineer and drove one of these for many, many years and is now a Federal Agent for the Railroad.  I asked him what he thought of the Movie and he said he hadn’t seen it yet but he would check it out and let me know.

So now we’re going back to relaxing.....hitting the Hot Tub every other night at about 7pm.  I’m going to miss it when we leave in a couple of weeks.  But I am anxious to get back to the beautiful Cactus country…..

This is the picture of our new place at North Ranch, the Escapee RV Park, in Congress, AZ. It was taken just as we pulled out last Spring headed for Custer,SD.   Two weeks from today we should be there or real close. I can’t wait!!

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!

Thanks for stopping by….Hope to see you Sunday.

Remember to tell your kids you love them.  They may not be around forever!!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..

Ms Megabyte2

This is the FIRST picture I ever took of Ms Megabyte2.  It was 2 years ago, the day after Christmas and I had just met her a couple weeks before. You can see she is skinny! She was a young, stray, wild kitten and lived under an old shed out behind our place here in Mission, TX. at Retama Village. So this is "home" for her.

Most of you know the story but for those that don't, let me explain about Megabyte2. Besides I just love telling about it.  I get up early...way before daylight and I was outside looking at the sky, checking the weather one morning and I heard this faint little "Meow" way back in the bushes. I looked closer and saw this little black and white kitty setting there meowing at me. She was obviously hungry. I called and called her but she wouldn't come anywhere near me and there was a 5' fence between us.  I saw her several mornings like this.  So one morning I went inside and ask Ms Pat if I could have a little saucer of warm milk  I got a question right back, "What in the world do you want THAT for"? I told her there was a little kitty out there and it was cold and hungry and I wanted to give it some warm milk.  "NO...we're not feeding some stray cat!", she responded.  I finally sweet talked Ms Pat into giving me some warm milk and that is the way I met Ms Megabyte2. I had no idea about the relationship that would develop.

I wrote a Blog about it way back on Jan 14, 2009 entitled "Meet My New Friend".   If you should care to read it, just click on the link.  

In that Blog, I was trying to convince myself that we were going to leave Ms Megabyt2 here when we headed West.  It didn't work and we continued to find out how God does work in mysterious ways. We are both so fond of this little Kitty and the joy she has brought into our lives. Right at a time when I didn't think there would ever be any "joy" ever again. Yes, that reinforced to me that God is there and working miracles. I love you Scott and Mikel.

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!

Welcome to:

Paul and Marti Dahl

and

Susan Bidniak

Our latest followers.....bringing the total way up to.....136!!!

We will be heading West to Arizona two weeks from tomorrow!!!

Thanks for stopping by...

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

Our Retama place is FOR RENT!!

We decided to rent our beautiful lot at Retama Village each winter starting the first of December and the rest of the winter.  In fact, it's already rented for Jan, Feb and March 2011.  Next month (December) is open right now! Wouldn't you just love to spend a winter down here in the Valley of TEXAS?  Let me tell you it is beautiful and you will enjoy the weather.   We have one of the choice lots in the Village, as it's a corner lot and gives you more patio area than others.  The Club House, pool and other amenities here are outstanding and the best in the Valley!!  Click on this website and take a look....Retama Village.

Contact us and get December reserved....it won't be available long. That would give you a chance to see the area and keep out of the cold. You could also see if this is the place of your dreams. If you have any questions, just give us a call.  We are headed West on Nov 29, then the place will be yours until Jan 1ST.... 4 weeks and 2 days.


We are still kicking back and taking life easy.... even Megabyte2 is catching up on her rest:

Not much happening around here and we're hoping we can keep it that way.  It sure is giving me a good chance to climb all over and under this Foretravel motorhome...doing my best to understand it just a little better.  The more I see of it, the more impressed I am with it.

It's a GREAT WEEK!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.  Come on down here now....ya hear!

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday.

We have a new KITTY..

Here is Ms Pat’s Birthday present from Dale and Gina. A new KITTY!  Megabyte2 looks at it and says WOW....that is a BIG girl!!  Pat was “shocked” when Dale presented her with this beautiful KITTY at Happy Hour last Tuesday evening, Nov 2nd.  It is handmade out of sheet metal with a cutting torch.
It seems that way back about 3 weeks ago at the HDT (Heavy Duty Truck) Rally in Hutchinson, KS, the Ladies had a “shopping day” and this KITTY was spotted in one of the stores. Gina and Dale decided that Ms Pat should have it for her upcoming Birthday. They snuck back, bought it and kept it a secret until last Tuesday. Gina couldn’t be here to present it to Ms Pat but I can see her smiling face.  Wish you could have been here Gina.  It would have made "Mom's" birthday extra special.
.
We are kicking back! Before we got here, I told Ms Pat, it was “Kick Back” time. It has just been one thing after another, project after project. Every since we bought the house in North Ranch last winter, it has been non-stop, work on this,work on that, work, work, work.  Furnishing the house, redoing the yard, then going to our place in Custer and starting the building of our “cabin”.....wow, that was a job. Then quickly into preparing our Teton and Volvo for sale and moving out of it. Then searching for a Motorhome and getting moved over into it.....Whoa,, SLOW DOWN!!!  This is too fast a pace….let's slow down a little.    So we are “Kicking Back”!

Retama Village here in Mission, TX is such a beautiful place and I enjoy the Hot Tub so much. What a great way to slow down and relax. Ms Pat and I use it often in the evening. The Blog may not have much to report for the next couple weeks because we are on “idle” for a while………."Coolin it" !! It’s been a great ride, kinda like a whirlwind.  After it’s over you think “Whew”! We accomplished SO MUCH and thank God for everyone’s help. I believe we are really “set” now and can sit back and enjoy!!! Praise the Lord for all he provides! If we really do have to get “OLD” someday, now we can relax and enjoy it.  None of us are going to live forever.

Soon it will be time to head West to North Ranch and I’m excited about that. But until then, I hope there isn’t much happening…. we both need a little rest.

Rollie and Gina are out in the "Kentucky" woods somewhere boondocking so no new Blogs from them for a few days.  They've been pretty busy this summer and it's time for them to "kick back", too.  Hope you're having fun Kids!! 

I’m happy to welcome a few more follower’s:

Froggi Donna
David Cross
WD0AJG
Cruzin2some
Ed
Mike

Thank you all so much for taking the time to follow my Blog. It’s great having you aboard!

It was a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping……………God Bless you all.

Mike

This Blog is Published every Sunday and Wednesday..

Good Bye Nacogdoches..

Monday morning we were up before the crack of dawn to head on South towards our place at Retama, in Mission, TX.  But first we wanted to do some things at the Foretravel factory.

Above Ms Pat is at the “Remod” shop getting some questions answered. She wants to find out about replacing the carpet in our Motorhome with Ceramic Tile. It is all tile already except for in front of the Sofa in the living room. Many of folks are having the Carpet replaced with Tile. We love that....Carpet is OUT....the full tile is great. 

Foretravel  happened to have one on their lot that they had recently completed and were happy to show it to us.  The above picture is how it would look.  We were having trouble imagining how we could make the transition between our present tile to the new tile. This is NEAT and we love the way it looks. I’m sure that one day, this will be a “Remod” we'll be looking seriously at. But not now! Foretravel (FOT) is extremely busy and fully booked until way after the first of the year and so is Motorhomes of Texas (MOT).  Besides, I told Ms Pat...we’re done!! We’re outta here!!  I’m tired of getting stuff done!! Let's RELAX!!!

Those of you that know Ms Pat know that there is no “relaxing” with her. She is always up to something. While we were walking around the Factory, we walked around this Beauty that is a used 2010 they have for sale.   It’s a “Phenix”....Foretravel's top of the line.   It only has 9,000 miles on it and they have it marked down...to a mere FLAT, COOL, $1,000,000...yes, that's ONE MILLION!   WOW!! I was almost afraid to touch it.

This is a brand new one they had. I didn’t get the particulars on it as it wasn’t for sale and appears to be a special order….maybe waiting for a special paint job. See that raised area on the top all the way down the side? That is a Girard awning that extends out for the entire length of the coach. Both sides have one!  So did the one in the previous picture….. TOO MUCH!!  If you had one of these you would need a driver and mechanic to travel with you.  Maybe it's for  Carrie Underwood!!!

Anyhow, back to reality. We departed Nacogdoches about 9 am, finally headed south.  We had a super, enjoyable trip taking state highways over to federal hwy 77, then went straight south. The weather was perfect....396 miles later at 5 pm we pulled into a little town called “ALICE” and called it a day. The next  morning we only had 130 miles to go to our place in Mission.

About 11am we pulled into Retama and it wasn’t long until we were all settled in on our lot. Ah...now for some RELAXING!!!  Oh,oh, Ms Pat says we need to clean out the Coach House!!! Here we go….

Yesterday was my Dear beloved Wife’s BIRTHDAY.  The calls from kids and emails along with Facebook messages were rollin in.  Tune in Sunday and I’ll tell you more about the “SPECIAL” Happy Hour Dale Bruss had for her and the gift she was presented…. It’s NEAT!!

It is a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Thanks for stopping by…God Bless you all.

Mike

This Blog is Published every Wednesday and Sunday..