Thursday - quick trip; Friday - a party; Saturday - Dinner

We made a hurried trip to San Antonio to get glass supplies, visit CostCo, and Kohl's. We finished that all by early afternoon and then headed back to Kerrville. We had been invited out for a steak dinner with Hollis and Byron and wanted to be on time. We were able to sit out for dinner and cocktails, and then Byron lit some wood, which we enjoyed watching burn. He had purchased some wood and wanted to use it up before he leaves for the summer back in Durango, CO.

On Friday we went to an estate sale and then stopped to get some groceries so that HW2 could make some treats for the party. For several weeks the men that work here at the park had been working on an addition to the River Rock Saloon and the grand opening was to be this evening. HW2 made seven layer dip and also a chocolate cookie pizza. Neither lasted very long at the party. A good crowd showed up to see the new addition and to enjoy the drinks and eats. Don provided barbecued chicken wings, and there were cheese plates and other good finger foods. We played table shuffle board and thoroughly enjoyed the new board. HW2 had wine, I had beer, and we visited away the evening with friends.

Saturday turned out to be windy and much cooler than Friday, which reached either 89 or 90 degrees here. This seems quite warm for February to me. Tonight we are having Byron and Hollis for shrimp barbecued on the grill, salad, and rice, with fresh berries for dessert. We probably will not see them again before we leave to babysit grands in Omaha, and Byron leaves for Durango soon after we get back. We also went to two other garage/estate sales this morning and found a larger crate for Max, who is growing like a weed. Pictures should be added shortly. Happy travels.

Lunch at a soup and salad place

We did our morning walks and then later on the laundry. Finally done with chores, we left the RV park to go downtown to try a new soup and salad restaurant. We met Hollis and Byron there and also several folks from church stopped to visit as well. It makes us feel like we really live here. The lunch was good and filling.

We left after lunch to visit the opthomologist, and I got a good result. No more trouble with a detached retina. For that I am quite thankful. Home followed by a brief nap, and then we enjoyed the sunset here, geese flying over, and the beginning nightly visits of bats. It grew dark, and Max and I went for another short walk, and we can now settle down to an evening of reading. Guess that is all for today. Happy travels.

Defensive driving class II

On Tuesday we took the class and learned good things like how to avoid road rage, make a left turn, and what happens to us as we age, relative to our driving abilities. Vivian provided lunch, and we ended with a certificate that should allow us to get a discount on our insurance costs. Any saving is appreciated these days.

In between times at break periods, I took off for home to give Max a break from his crate and to get him outside for a walk. He has begun to get the idea of walking while on a leash but much needs to be learned still. This morning he was more interested in biting my pants than walking, but we keep up the walking lesson.

This afternoon I revisit the opthamologist and expect that I will get a good bill of health, as no further complications have set in other than an early onset of cataracts. They should take years to ripen, and then I can get them operated on.

The weather has been getting warm here in the daytime, and we are enjoying our lovely weather. We have not had much rain, and it is so very dry, Yesterday there was a large fire on a hillside nearby, but I do not think it set any homes on fire. We could have a serious fire danger here this spring if we do not get any rain. Our trees are budding out, and it is nice to see spring return. Happy travels.

Defensive driving class

On Monday we quickly got going because we had to get Max at the kennel and then get ready to attend a defensive driving class here. We got to the class and discovered that it was scheduled for Tuesday, and we had written it down incorrectly on our calender. So what to do?

Out for breakfast, of course, and then we stopped at some nearby storage units and arranged to rent two for mid-March. After that we went to Verizon to get me a cell phone. When we begin work camping here in April, we thought it might be helpful if we both had cell phones. So I tried to program the darn thing and fortunately had HW2 nearby to help. I did get some of the speed dial numbers set up. The funny thing to me is that I could not find any of the words in the glossary that I though would help in this set up process. I guess I do not think in tech terms, according to the phone world. One nice feature is if it ever rings, I only have to open the phone and can start talking ,and close it to stop. No extra buttons to push there. One time we had a new cell phone, which rang and we could not figure out how to answer it. HW2 turned to me and asked, "How do you answer this thing?" I replied, "Hello!" and we have laughed about that bit of conversation ever since. Happy travels.

Saturday - Ft. Worth and home

On Saturday we drove through Arlington past the Texas Ranger's baseball arena to Ft. Worth. We intended to visit the stockyard area, which is being converted to restaurants and boutiques. Well, the boutiques turned out to be tourist traps, and the restaurants were few and far between. It was quite cold, and the wind chill made you want to dart into every store for a chance to get warm. After about a half hour of this type of wandering about, we decided to head for home.

We did manage to stop for some shopping but spent very little as there did not seem to be any bargains at the outlet stores where stopped. We arrived in Kerrville in the late afternoon and went to Walmart for an oven-ready pizza and salad to have for dinner. As soon as we were unpacked, we dropped by the River Rock Saloon for a drink and to see the new addition. Home for pizza and salad, and our weekend was over. What a wonderful weekend and a great way to extend a birthday celebration for more than a week. Happy travels.

A wonderful day in Dallas

We got up and started out the day with a ride from the hotel management to the Dallas Museum of Art in time to begin our 9:30 visit to the King Tut Exhibition. We managed to get in right away and thoroughly enjoyed this exhibit. It was done in such a way that you could see everything, read all the headings, and listen to a tape recording that supplemented each part. These pieces were stored with the young King Tut over 3000 years ago and are in spectacular shape. The work on the jewelry was exquisite and very fine work. Chairs were included that still had the original wicker seats. There was gold decoration on everything. Best of all, we learned the history of this young king and a bit about his ancestry. It was truly amazing. Thank you, Jerry and Marlene, for making this visit possible. There were benches available for us to catch our breaths every now and then and much appreciated.

Once we completed that part of the museum, we decided to see much of the rest of the exhibits. The American art from 1700's to the present was well-represented. The European section included many many works of the Impressionist painters. The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection was extensive and supplemented the Impressionist collection extensively. We spent hours and felt it was one of the best collections outside of Paris museums that we have ever seen.

We then visited several sculpture gardens and found the collections to be delightful. Finally, satiated by museums, we had a quick lunch at a nearby deli and then walked to Neiman Marcus. We looked but did not buy and felt that Borsheim's in Omaha had a better collection of glass, crystal and china.

In the afternoon we rode the new trolley or Dart system back near our hotel for a quick break, and then we took the old trolley system up McKinney Avenue to the Uptown and West Village section, which was quite yuppie in nature with boutiques, restaurants, and apartments throughout the entire area.

We headed back to the hotel to the hotel and changed clothes before going to The Palms restaurant for dinner. We enjoyed cocktails called "The Little Black Dress," which consisted of Blue Sapphire Gin and other ingredients, follwed by dinner of huge salads and large sea scollops. It was all very good. Finally, dessert was carrot cake, complete with a candle for the birthday boy. I could only eat a bit and brought the rest home for another day. Our waiter was Sammy and he likes a good beer and maybe we talked him into making his own beer.

Outside of the restaurant were were hailed bya young man selling flowers. He said, "Hey young man do you want to buy a flower?" All was said as he walked toward us. Then he broke up laughing as he could see that I am not a young man. I commented back, "You need glasses and I am older that that nearby limmousine is long." How we all laughed and no flowers exchanged hands. What a lovely day we have had! Thanks again, Jerry and Marlene, for making it all possible. This is the best birthday ever! Happy travels.

Tax Time

This year we bought a tax program that could be put on the computer and then completed and sent directly to the government. I waited for 1099 and W-2 forms to arrive and then went to work on the computer. The program led me right through the process. I was glad that I had collected sales tax information, medical expenses, and donations. It was done in no time and sent directly with confirmation of receiving occurring shortly. Now we have to wait to see if the government agrees with my figures for the taxes overpaid to be placed in our checking account. This is the first time that I have tried to do taxes by this method, and it is really quite simple. In the past I have always done taxes by hand, and it took at least a month of work to complete and get mailed in. This computer method is so much easier.

I do wonder what would happen if something ever happened to the Internet, and we had to go back to older ways of doing things. It would be quite a disruption for sure, and much data would be lost. Since we do our banking by computer as well, it could be quite scary if it ever messed up. Happy travels.

Window for the saloon

Don, manager/owner of the Guadalupe River RV Park, has had his work camper men working hard to add on to the River Rock Saloon. Just south of the original building was a place where they stored wood, and this area was selected for the addition and is now being called by the men, "The Woodshed." It will double or triple the size of the saloon and has windows that look over the river on the south and the patio area to the west.

Recently, he asked me if I would make a stained glass window for the saloon to be put in one of the west windows. I was delighted and had been working on a concept when we talked and simplified the drawing. I thought a river scene with oak trees and deer would be delightful, but Don thought that it just needed words: "River Rock Saloon" and "Cold Beer." Well, he is the boss, so I went to work and completed the window in about five days of doing little else except glass work and walking Max. I also wanted to finish the glass piece before our trip to Dallas. I did think it was fun to make the 'Cold Beer' words in amber glass, as that was as close to beer in color as I could get. The other words are done in red glass.

By Wednesday afternoon it was installed. It measures 48 x 21.5 inches and is a big window. Fortunately, the weather cooperated so that I could finish the lead soldering outside. I was glad to see it up and permanent without any breakage of the glass. This can easily happen in such a large piece. Happy travels.

Dallas here we come

Can you believe this? Jerry and Marlene gave us a weekend to visit Dallas and to see the King Tut Exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. What a wonderful 70th birthday present from them! So today we took Max to camp/kennel and about 10:30 got started on our drive to Dallas. We quickly passed through Austin, Waco, and then onward to Dallas. Jerry had made reservations at the Marriott, Spring Hill Suites. We parked the car and found our room, unpacked a bit, and then walked about this area called the West End. It is an area that used to be mostly warehouses and now is upscale restaurants and fun places to visit. We spent about an hour looking at restaurant menus and finally decided to eat at the Hoffbrau Restaurant which featured Texas Hill Country cuisine. I had barbecued ribs and quail. HW2 had smoked sirloin. It was fantastic. We also stopped for happy hour at Gators Croc N Roc. It was a fun place, but they had a bit of trouble getting HW2 what she wanted to order. She wanted a scotch and soda with a twist of lemon but got scotch with lime juice. We got that straightened out and then left for our dinner.

After dinner we walked back to our hotel and settled in for the night. Tomorrow we have tickets for the King Tut Exhibit at 9:30am, again thanks to Jerry and Marlene. I will keep you posted.

What a wonderful birthday present! Thanks, Jerry and Marlene! You have made this weekend very special. I guess getting to be 70 years old has an upside too. Happy travels.

Getting to be 70 years of age

I have not particularly been looking forward to being 70 years old. It does seem better than the alternative, even though I think that 70 is OLD. I was telling this to Michelle last night on the phone, and she said, "Grandad, seventy is not old, one hundred is old." I told her she was wonderful and deserved a special place in my heart. She was so excited at Christmas, and she kept saying, "I'm so excited!" It made the day very special to share it with her. I just love her attitude toward life. Thanks, Michelle!

My dad and his father both reached the age of 70 and then died at that age, so you can see why I might view 70 with some consternation. My older brother Maurice reached this milestone and has kept going, so I plan to follow his fine example. Our mom, who is currently 96, commented, "How do you think I feel?" It all depends upon your perspective.

Inside, I think I feel about 35 and try to keep active both mentally and physically. I think as long as your attitude is good and you manage to stay healthy, who knows how it will turn out. I will try to set a good example for all of you younger folks who will get to this milestone quicker than you think.

It has been great fun to celebrate my Valentine birthday and thanks to Jerry and Marlene, we will continue to celebrate it this next week by going to Dallas, TX to see the King Tut exhibition there. Max is going to camp/kennel. I get a vacation in that area, too. Happy travels, and age well everyone!

The dance was fun

We really enjoyed the dance. We shared a table with Linda and Darrell who were work campers here last year. They are very funny people and great to be around. We also sat with Byron and Hollis for awhile, but she had sold many tickets to people in her neighborhood and needed to be with them and later on moved to the next table. HW2 helped set the whole thing up, including cooking and finally serving the dessert. When she could leave, we four went for food. Once that was done, I left for awhile to give Max a break, and then we got into the dance. It was mostly country/western and being a live band seemed to be loud, but we ignored all of that and just had fun.

I am not a good dancer, but I try, and HW2 puts up with my efforts. The best one for me is the slow dance and the box step. We tried some faster dances and doing spins, etc., but mostly ended up just laughing. At one point the floor was quite crowded and it got to be bumper cars more than dancing. At the end of the evening we helped clean up and then went home quite pleased with a good dinner and fun with friends. The other pictures are of Dotti and Duane and Jeanne and Don, the park owner/manager. Happy travels.

Max is getting the idea

I have been trying to get Max to walk on a leash, and that means to walk along with me and/or HW2. He really tries to go in any direction other than the way we want to be going. I keep encouraging him, and he does better now. He has a way to go though before he really gets the idea. It does give him much exercise, if unwanted. Sniffing time and doing his business seem to occupy quite a bit of time, too. He likes to visit with everyone he sees along the way, and that can slow down the process too. It is good for both of us to get out and about. Maybe by the time he is a year old, he will be a good walker. I'll keep you posted. Happy travels.

Valentine's Dance tonight

We are going to a Valentine's dinner and dance tonight here at the park. It was in doubt for awhile, but some of the town folks decided to come, and all of the tickets were finally sold. There will be about 150 of us. The menu includes chicken cordon blue, potatoes, vegetable, salad, rolls, and cake. Then we get to listen to and occasionally dance to a live country western band. I sure wish I had learned the two step or how to do line dances. HW2 had better look out for her feet. We are meeting friends who were work campers here last year and just delightful. Beer and wine is provided and included in the ticket cost. Imagine all of this for a $12.50 per ticket cost.

HW2 has been shopping for appropriate clothes to wear and finally found some things online at Penney's. I went to the cowboy store and will be in black. Johnny Cash, move or roll over! Hardly, since I can barely sing or carry a tune any more. Now should I wear the cowboy boots with high heels or the shorter heels? It will be a fun evening for all who attend. HW2 helped decorate and helped get some of the food ready. We go early so that the other worker bees can get home and cleaned up and dressed for the event. We went to this same event last year and had a ball. Happy travels.

Weight gain and loss

I have been working to lose some weight, and this effort started about Thanksgiving. Some time before then I had topped the scales at 204 pounds and decided that enough fat on the land was enough. I quickly returned to my usual weight of 200 and then decided to make a goal of losing 15 pounds. It took about three months and surviving the holidays without too much weight gain, but I finally managed to get 15 pounds off. Since then it has stayed generally steady with a pound or two up or down. Yesterday imagine my delight when the scale registered 181. Of course, this morning it was back up a pound. So it goes. But the best reward of all is to be able to get into pants that are a size smaller and to really have room in these new pants.

I have had to give up carbohydrates and desserts. The desserts are the hardest part to give up for me. Wanting to be able to stay in my new clothes makes me continue to work at it, though. I think if I can reach the goal of 180, that will be enough and then the goal becomes to maintain my weight at that level. Some days the hunger pains are almost impossible to ignore and then the next day the scale gives me incentive to keep it under control.

Exercise here by walking frequently, or biking has helped in this process. Having the new puppy, Max has helped as well. Now if I could only get those abs of steel going. That really seems unlikely. Happy travels, and eat sparingly.

Max snuggles

Max and I got up about five this morning. I took him out to do his business, and he cooperated quickly. When we got back inside, I could see that Max was hungry, so I fed him. I then sat down, and when he had finished eating, he came by to be picked up. I held Max, and he happily snuggled for the next half hour as I quietly held and pet him. It was a lovely time and made me again appreciate why we had added this puppy to our family a month or so ago. It made me realize why people who have pets live longer. They add a calming dimension to your life, and since they depend upon you for food and caring, they give you an added good responsibility in your lives. Thanks, Max, for joining us in our voyage through life. Happy travels.

Don't lose your sparkle

Today in Church the sermon was given by our Assistant Pastor, Rob. Part of his sermon was on not losing your sparkle. I think we all had to think a bit about what he might mean in the context of the development of his sermon. His primary theme was from Peter, the rock on which Christ was building his church.

I kept thinking about whether or when one might lose your sparkle and how not to do that. I finally decided that when we get depressed that is a significant indicator that we have lost our sparkle. When a close friend or family member dies we grieve and lose our sparkle. In these situations frequently it is the small kindnesses that bring us back and help us regain our sparkle. Puppies and babies do this for us all and put smiles on our faces and in our hearts. The unexpected kindness, the smile, the opened door, politeness, hug of thanks and so many other actions that speak to our hearts. These things renew us and bring back the sparkle.

I thoroughly enjoy getting together with friends or family. This past summer we had a chance to visit with the administrative team of Valley High School and their spouses over dinner. The hours flew by and we agreed to meet again. The event could have only been improved if all the team members could have been present. That gathering would have been quite large. These things keep my sparkle shining.

The next thing that comes to mind is our weekly phone conversations with kids and grands. This way we keep in touch and get to enjoy their joys and their opportunities. How much we love to visit weekly. We do this with close friends as well but maybe not as frequently as we might like. We treasure these moments.

We are finding that our recent membership in our church here has given us much joy. Today we even shared lunch with three other members after the service. It was a joy to be greeted as new members and to be thanked for ushering and for joining a suppers group,
date for Eight and Seekers who try to do their best for others throughout the year. We have many challenges ahead but tremendous church member support here. Our lives have been enriched and our sparkle maintained. Thanks First Presbyterian Church of Kerrville. Happy travels.

Laughter

Yesterday we went to see the "Pink Panther 2" movie with Steve Martin. We laughed throughout the movie probably because we are very familiar with these movies and hope that some of the past funny pieces will be repeated, and we were not disappointed at all. We came out of the theater still laughing and happy that we had generated so many endorphins. If you like to watch a funny movie that will give you a lift, go see this movie. Steve Martin is hysterical as Inspector Clouseau.

Yesterday on our walk we saw Vern and stopped to talk. Vern said to HW2, "Why are you always so damn happy?" Having only met Vern three times, this was a bit of a surprise, but I managed, "Because she lives with me!" "That makes sense," said Vern and after a bit more chit chat, we continued with our walk. One of HW2's long time friends from high school days once told me that she was like this in high school, and she decided after thirty years that was the way she was. Now, I have not known HW2 for thirty years, but it did not take me that long to realize that she is a happy lady most of the time and makes Pollyanna look like Sad Sack. I love this lady and would not want her to be any other way. So the real answer to you Vern is, "Some of us are fortunate enough to be able to be optimists and look for the best in others." Even if she is hurting because of her bad back, she is determined to be cheerful.

Last night when we got into bed, I asked her how her stiff neck was and if she wanted it to be rubbed. Then I said, "How come you are so damn happy?" How we laughed and laughed. Vern's comment was out of the blue but a very accurate observation. Think of all the endorphins we obtained. Happy travels.

Max puts on the breaks

I have been trying to get Max to walk along with me while he is his leash. From Max's point of view, there are just too many things to pay attention to, like wonderful smells, other dogs, people who might be taking a walk, and anything that comes to his small mind. At first I tried to get him to walk while the leash was connected to his collar. This did not work very well, and I ended up carrying Max when I got tired of trying to coax him along. Apparently, "Good boy, Max" or "Good job, Max" and other types of encouragement, including frequent clicks, do not work in this situation. A neighbor suggested that a harness works much better.

Off to the store for a harness, which is a trick to get on a wiggling puppy, and then especially fun when you realize that you have put it on upside down and could not connect a leash if you wanted to. So off with the harness and back on the struggling puppy, dodging teeth and whines throughout. Finally the harness was on. Now, to try to walk this puppy who has a mind of his own. I quickly learned to keep the leash quite short, and then when Max gets tired of my urging him onward, I can hoist his front legs off the ground and then his back feet follow swiftly along.

Max has now learned to put on his brakes by refusing to move any of his four feet. His other effort is to simply lie down. Both of these efforts do bring walking to a stop. However, this story is not over yet. My neighbor Byron likes to walk his dog Trixie, and Max likes to walk and sniff Trixie's bottom. Trixie does not like to have Max sniff her bottom and runs forward on her leash, and then Max cheerfully follows. We have managed to get both dogs thoroughly tired out by walking the length and breadth of the grounds. Once around is a mile or more. Age may win out over puppy stubbornness, but don't hold your breath. I am sure that Max has other clever ways to stop us from walking. Happy travels.

Max grows and grows

Several of the people who live here in the Guadalupe RV Park comment that Max is growing. I finally decided to weigh him and discovered that this puppy who came to live with us weighing four pounds has gained four more pounds in less than one month. That is doubling your weight in a month. Amazing! Also amazing is that he is not getting fat. He seems to get all the exercise that he needs and as we walk in our neighborhood he bounds about to sniff, sample leaves, chew on twigs, and generally do puppy things. He has the idea of doing his business outside although more training is necessary before he can be left loose here in the motor home.

Max has certainly changed my life and the best part is that everyone we meet seems to want to pet and play with him. So I get into many conversations and meet interesting people, which if I did not have a puppy with me, might otherwise not happen. Max you are enriching my life.

We go back to see the vet for his monthly checkup this next week and we shall see what the vet thinks of all of this weight gain. I think that I had better get another bag of puppy chow so that we can make it through another week or so. Happy travels.

Who reads this blog?

If you write a blog on a regular basis, sooner or later you will get some comments on what you have written. I appreciate these comments and often wonder who might be the willing commentator. Actually, since I respect your right to privacy, I have just come to wonder where you might live. In this age of world-wide access through the internet, the commentator might live anywhere. So I thought it would be interesting, if you are willing to leave me a comment, would you also be willing to state your country or state of residence.

I recognize several who comment on a regular basis and really appreciate their feedback and willingness to read my words. Frequently, as I reflect on the passing scene, I wonder if others agree or disagree with my observations. So your comments keep me grounded.

If you are a loyal reader, I can only say thank you for giving my musings a few minutes of your busy day. Happy travels.

Can puppies be trained to walk while on a leash?

Maybe this entry should be, "Can puppies be trained?" Last night I took Max out for his evening stroll, and he literally ran me all over the place. He just bounded here and there like he was the energizer bunny. The good part was when he got put into his crate for the night, he slept through the night. This I appreciated for sure.

This morning, even though the temperature was about 32 degrees, Max and I went for the paper. I put his harness on and shortened his leash enough so that he could not wander but had to tend to the business of walking. Of course he rebelled. However, not wishing to be outdone by a puppy, I lifted his front feet off the ground, and he had to go along with me by running on his back feet. This system worked, sort of. Finally in desperation, I picked him up and moved quickly on to get the paper. With a repeat performance on the way back, we arrived with cold hands/feet and absolutely no success in making a puppy walk while on a leash. Any suggestions?

Windows

I am on the down hill side of making some leaded and beveled glass windows. I hope to finish them today once it warms up so that I can work outside. These windows match a pattern that Sandy and Ed have in their front door and will go up over the top of that door. Hopefully, all will fit correctly, and no further adjustment will be needed. This will make five windows that I have made for them.

My next project is a window for the River Rock Saloon which will mostly be letters but should prove to be fun to make. After that, I may try to repair an old window that was broken. I still have to visit this one and see what challenges might be ahead. Then, if all goes well, I will try to enter an arts and crafts show here in May. This should keep me busy in the stained glass business.

Who Is Getting Trained

I have set out to train Max. He is pretty good at doing his business outside, since I have learned to take him out when he begins to whine while in his crate. I have finally learned to quit the food and water at about 7:00 pm so that he can go out one more time and then maybe sleep through the night (The last two nights we made it through the night). Then there is going for a walk. I have to remember to take trash bags for the occasional business. Max has a mind of his own when it is taking a walk. There is so much to sniff, and it is always better to go the opposite way and to resist going the way someone else might want to go. Who is being trained? Me, I think!

Max continues to grow at a rapid pace and loves to play chase the ball, chews everything in sight, and wants to meet everyone and their dogs too. He is a delight but is also a bit of work. I have less free time to read or goof off, but that is good.

In my spare time, I have been finishing several windows for Sandy and Ed. They are almost completed and should get installed this week. Then I can begin to make a window for the new addition of the River Rock Saloon. I have even sold a few small items here in Kerrville at the Sunrise Antique Mall and in Weems Gallery in Albuquerque. I think that as I find the spare time, I will begin to make items for an arts and crafts show here in Kerrville held in May.

We have managed to go to Fredericksburg for lunch yesterday and hurried home to let Max out of his crate for a long potty break. He did well. But, we do not like to leave him too long.

Today there is a Super Bowl Party which we plan to attend but really do not care who wins since we do not follow professional football at all. We just go to party. Snacks anyone? Happy travels.