Tent disaster

For several years we have owned a tent or gazebo which was bought for covering us when we were doing stained glass shows out of doors. We actually put it to use several times for this purpose, but when we moved our storage unit to Kerrville, we also now again had access to our tent and decided it would give us needed shade next to the motor home. We put it up, and HW2 bought us side screens or curtains, and we were in business.

During our extensive rain storm, we received 1 - 2 inches, and apparently it collected on the roof and was too much weight for the aluminum support structure. Since I was working at the time and not around to get rid of the extra collected rain water, when we got home we arrived at the scene of a disaster. The excess weight of the water on the roof of the tent tore the roof to shreds and actually broke many of the roof supports to the point that the tent was a total loss. We have lost our extra shade and are trying to decide what to do next. Today I threw the remains of the tent and its structure into the trash bin. Maybe our next effort will be more successful. Happy travels.

Dogs that think they are people

My niece Joan and her husband Todd have two giant dogs (I think they are Golden Retreivers) that think they are people. Joan brings them up every Friday morning to her folks' house, and they all have breakfast together. Her folks live in a double wide manufactured home, and when Joan and her people dogs get there, they fill the kitchen or dining area or living room. They are happy to be there, and once they settle down are well-behaved.

Our Max, on the other hand, also thinks he is people. When we are out for a walk (I think he knows the walk word), he behaves as if everyone we meet is out walking to meet him. If I get talking too long to the other walker, then Max starts to bark as if to say, "Either pet me, or let's get on with our walk!" His mom, HW2, is sure that not only does he think he is people, but he is also very spoiled. Max gets this treatment when he merely tries to lick HW2's toes. He likes her feet but not mine. I tell HW2 that she smells better than I, and that Max likes her better. She does not buy this argument at all. He has learned to sit upon command, and we are working on STOP with some success. He is good company, and I really like most of our walks except cleaning up dog poo. Today's mess in the middle of the road was quite unfortunate and only got partially cleaned up due to the nature of the leavings. I know, T M I.....

Doing the potty routine in the rain is not memorable, either. Otherwise, we enjoy each other, and I am getting quite well trained. When he barks I now know to take him outside for another potty break so that then he can come back in and drink more water and eat more food so that this delightful cycle can repeat. Happy travels.

Much needed rain

Sunday night and most of Monday it rained here. We probably got between one and two inches and it came down in the way that it soaks in. Speaking of soaking, I sure got soaked. Driving around in a golf cart without any sides tends to get you wet, if it is raining. Three changes of clothes later, the sun came out and all was well. We were so glad to see the rain as this area has been in a severe drought for the past year and a half.

One guy called the office as he could not get out of his coach because of the depth of the water that had collected. I visited him and tried to get the water to drain off and then built him a plank bridge to enable him to get out. I kidded with him as he seemed to have a sense of humor about the whole situation and asked him if his name was Noah and could he swim. This morning he had taken his plank bridge down and I guess I had better retrieve the pieces to be used the next time it rains a lot. Thanks for the soaking rain and happy travels.

Harper James Adams

Slightly after midnight on April 25, 2009, Harper James Adams arrived. His proud mom, Ashley, and dad, Tom, were just delighted with their first child. Ashley is our oldest grandchild, and now she had made us great grandparents. What a delight to have the little rascal arrive with all of his ten fingers and ten toes. He weighs six pounds and thirteen ounces, and his daddy says he has his big feet, as well. Baby and mom are doing well and hopefully will be home on Monday.

I never expected to be a great grandparent but I think I can handle the responsibility. So, Mom, I guess you are a great, great grandparent. That is another milestone for you. Welcome, Harper, to the family, and my your life be long and fulfilling. Happy travels.

Back to our normal routine

HW2 had her procedure, and finally in the recovery room they managed to get her blood pressure up enough to release her. We went home, and I finally convinced her to take a nap after which she felt just fine. She did have three polyps, but the nurse (Michelle Lyn) seemed to think that the doctor would have been out to talk with us if it was serious. It will take a week to get the biopsy results and then probably cycle back for this awful exam in three years.

I then went to pick up Max from being neutered and having a chip inserted. The chip can be easily read, and he will be returned to us if he should wander or run off. He seemed like nothing had happened, but we kept him close to home and did not take long walks.

Things are back to normal. We went to HEB, our local grocery store, a chain here in Texas that was started in Kerrville to get shrimp to be grilled on the barbie. We had squash with it and then wandered over to our local saloon for a drink before retiring. We had a good visit there with other work campers here and got to know the newest work camping couple a bit more. Susan and Clayton are the ages of Jerry and Kim and make us feel our ages somewhat. They seem like they will fit right in and be good extra hands to have around here. Guess that is all the normal news here. Happy travels.

Spring cleaning

For what ever the reason we got into cleaning yesterday. I worked on the bays under the motor home and got them cleaned out and better (one hopes) organized. In this spirit, HW2 dusted, scrubbed, and vacuumed the inside, and generally, we are much cleaner. We also tried to de-clutter and take things to storage. A bit of cleaning is a good thing every once in awhile.

Max went to the veterinarian for a visit to be neutered and to have a micro chip inserted so that should he get lost, maybe he will be returned. We got a call later in the morning that all went well, and that while groggy, he was in recuperation. Max returns home today, and we shall see if he holds any resentment to us for what we had done to him. I do expect his bark to be a bit higher.

HW2 goes in this morning for her colonoscopy procedure. I thing the preparation is worse than the actual work since you are out when they are taking a look. Neither of us looked forward to this but felt it was necessary since HW2's dad had colon cancer and my dad had polyps, as have I. It is amazing what modern medicine can do for you and how fortunate we are to have health insurance. The cost of these procedures is very high. HW2's reward is to get taken out to eat tonight to a place of her choice. We shall see. Happy travels.

Dave's Place

I go to a local barber shop, and usually Jimmy does the haircut. Jimmy is a skinny guy who likes to hunt and eat wild game. He also trains and sells horses. He gives a good haircut, and he is very interesting. We were talking about bison burgers, and he suggested Dave's Place, since there is no Fudruckers in Kerrville but, one is being built as this blog is being written (yeah!).

Dave's Place is in or near Center Point, which is about 20 miles from here. We decided to go there yesterday and quickly arrived in Center Point. After several false starts we finally had to call Dave and get directions. Finally we arrived and found an open area where we encountered Dave himself. We ordered our bison burgers and beer and walked through his aviary down to the Guadalupe River to find several seating areas with a good view. A few minutes of sitting and a friend Mike walked by and was seated nearby with his lady friend. Our names were called, and we began to enjoy our burgers. They were a bit over-cooked but acceptable. The fries and onion rings were excellent. The view superb.

Dave does not really advertise, preferring to get patrons by word of mouth. He had all types of birds in his cages and aviary. He also had a Galapagos Turtle and a baby deer that had been found nearby when his mother was killed. Someone found the baby deer and brought it to Dave since they knew he would nurse the baby and keep it alive. When we were leaving, Dave was feeding the baby a bottle, and the five-day-old deer could not get enough of the bottled milk. Quite an unusual place to get a bison burger, and we thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. Happy travels.

Dad would have been 99 today

Dad was born, April 14, 1910, in Bear Thicket, Missouri, and like his father lived to be 70 years of age. If he was still alive, he would be 99 years old today. It does not seem possible to me that he has been gone for nearly 30 years, but he has. My memories of him have not dimmed in those years, and as I have gotten older, I feel his presence in my life even more.

He was a strong disciplinarian but not mean. He expected his children to mind, and the consequences were quite clear to all four of us. He had large hands and was quite capable of using them on the bottom of any child who might be difficult. You did not back talk to him.

He was a people person and an excellent teacher. He taught sales training for his company, GLF and later renamed Agway. He never let on that he might not like a person, preferring to make them his friend if at all possible.

He was good with his hands and could make things like Adirondack lawn chairs, if he had the time. He loved to cook, and his favorite dishes were things like Cornell barbecue chicken and casseroles. He could type, and when mom was in graduate school or completing her undergraduate degree, he frequently typed her papers since she could not type.

He loved to travel and really enjoyed car trips. He would happily visit any of us regardless of where we might be living at the moment. Once he got there, he wanted to keep busy and would attend to any house-fixing jobs he could find.

He loved to play cards and was a tough opponent, although mostly he just loved to play and be in on the conversation around and throughout the game. Usually at the end of the game you were not exactly surprised to learn that Dad had won, again. Like all of us he got to be hard of hearing, but that did not stop his love of conversation. He was a great dad and Grandad, and a splendid role model for us. Happy 99th birthday, Dad.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

On our way to work this morning we saw our first Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. They are a beautiful bird, about 14"long with a very long split tail, pale grey body, and underbody of a pinkish orange. What a treat and a great way to start our day! We have been feeding Hummingbirds and Goldfinches, thoroughly enjoying having them in our neighborhood and now to have sighted this beautiful bird as well. Truly, a treat.

We also have lots of Grackles, Cardinals, Vulchers, Doves, and Crows. Of course, of these I prefer the Cardinals. I am looking forward to seeing what different birds we get here in the summer and will keep you posted. If you have a bird Guide, look up the Flycatcher. Happy travels.

Old age is not for sissies

Mom says, "Old age is not for sissies." Since she is 96 years old, I think she has earned the right to her opinion. She recently cracked a rib and did not complain a bit. Guess she is not a sissy. Last night we visited with Mr. B. who is current a young 83 and just retired this year from his job for the IRS. He liked working the computers but did not like having to talk on the phone with the public. Makes sense to me, since the public does not, in general, like dealing with the IRS. Anyway, we were visiting about his wife who has had two hip replacements, and according to Mr B, "Sits all day and does not get enough exercise and will not do her therapy." Needless to say, he is fed up with her inactivity. He says, "Her family prefers to complain rather than doing something about a problem." So it is safe to say that he is treating old age by confronting issues, but it seems his wife does not have the same point of view. I prefer his feisty approach. We have known them and visited with them for the past nine years. They have lived here in the park that whole time.

Then there is Lola and her husband. He is elderly and in an advanced stage of Alzheimer's. Lola is trying to take care of him and their dog. Last night he got away from her and was taking off directly across the park when we spotted him. I got in my cart and tracked him down and asked him to get in and I would take him for a ride. He got in with me but certainly did not want to go home. I insisted, but when we got to their fifth wheel home, Lola was not to be found. Some of his near neighbors were quite worried and helped us look for Lola, whom HW2 finally found in the laundry room. She thought he was asleep. He was mad at her because she wouldn't trade their truck for a new car. They need the truck when they move their fifth wheel trailer. So they argued, but it was very clear that he was very frustrated in his inability to argue in a coherent way or express himself. Alzheimer's is a terrible disease and takes a toll on the victim and his family, as well. He needs to be put in a home, but she has not come to that realization and acted upon it at this point. We worry that he might get lost or fall into the Guadalupe River, which runs through our campground, or that he might wander onto the main highway right outside the main gate. We felt like we were in full Deacon mode last night with Mr. B and Lola and their issues. Old age is not for sissies.

Life after a colonoscopy

Yesterday dawned with the colonoscopy to be had that morning. As far as I was concerned, "Get it over!" We went to the day surgery center, did the necessary paperwork, happy juice was administered, and then it was all over. No polyps! This was the good result, and so then I do not have to undergo this procedure for three more years. Why not five or ten? It is a heck of a way to lose five pounds. I have not weighed 175 pounds since I was four years old. Well, maybe a bit older.

After the procedure (aren't you glad I left out all of the details? I was out you know), we went out for a late breakfast at Denny's. So good to have a cup of coffee. Then home and I rested a bit. In the evening we noticed that our favorite lady bartender Sam was over at the River Rock Saloon. She had returned from a two-week visit to see her boy friend in Shanghai, China. Of course, we had to go and talk with Sam and hear all about her trip. She even brought us presents of a box of green tea and chop sticks. Her boy friend is an architect working on a very high building there, one of the highest three or four in the world. He is responsible for the very top tower. Sam had a wonderful time and took lots of pictures and filled us in on her travels.

Of course after hearing about China, we had to go out for Chinese food. We have at least three Chinese restaurants here. Then home and quickly to Church. Happy travels.

Maundy Thursday

You might think that at my age I would know what Maundy means, but, I did not. We went to a very meaningful service last night, and in the program were notes that explained. Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum meaning commandment. On the night before Good Friday, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment "to love one another, just as I have loved you." Now the name made sense to me.

John, our pastor, gave a wonderful sermon, "Jesus Knew." Jesus knew that tomorrow he would die. We celebrated communion by gathering in the chancel and then walked back to our seats. The church was stripped of ornamentation to represent the desertion of those who had shared the meal with Jesus that night. We then left the church silently reflecting on all seen and hear. It was a magnificent service.

20 inches away

Max and I went outside this morning for his morning constitutional when I noticed a humming bird just 20 inches away from me at the feeder. He was not a bit afraid and continued feeding until he went on his way. What a treat to see this tiny bird up so close. I am not sure but it may have been a Black-chinned Hummingbird female or immature adult. If so, it is the first of this type that I have seen.

Later Max and I went for a walk up to the office. There is a no pet policy in any building here, so I hooked Max up to a pole and went inside. When I came back out, Max had been able to turn over a can used to hold cigarettes butts, and there was sand everywhere. I cleaned up his mess, and we went back home. Puppy days are still here for sure. When we work, we put Animal Planet on the TV for Max to watch and then come by every couple of hours to give Max a potty or water break. So far this has worked well, although Max is not too fond of being in his crate so much. If he ever gets house-broken, he could stay in the motor home. Step by step here in Max's education, or is it mine? Happy travels.

Each working day is different

When we are working, we never seem to do exactly the same thing the same way. We constantly are learning how to do our jobs. HW2 has the harder task, as she is learning how to use a computer system and meet the varied need of incoming or leaving guests. On the other hand, I get to help guests find their way to their parking site and figure out exactly how they should move their rig from the office area through the park. Then I get to help them back up if necessary or decide if they are close enough to utilities and whether they have room to move out their slides.

On one day I get to ride throughout the park to see who is still here and who has departed. As rigs depart I report this to the office. I read electric meters that need to be read so that electric bills can be figured and paid. I pick up trash and take it to the dumpsters. I check for water leaks, fixing those that need to be repaired. Later on I bag ice if we need some, since campers use a lot of ice. I also bunch up wood to be sold to campers who want a camp fire. I answer questions. I clean swimming pools, use the weed eater, mow lawns, and fix things. Fortunately, we have two old hands (Kenny and Roy) who have been doing this business for many years and are a fount of information and give great tips on how to survive. I never exactly know what will happen next or whether I will finish a job begun, but I love it. There is much freedom to get the job done and the expectation that the job will get done and done well. This is so different from teaching or being a school administrator, except that you never do exactly the same thing in those jobs either. The variety and constantly changing situation keeps me awake on this job. Happy travels.

Gibson's

Here in Kerrville we have a wonderful store, Gibson's. It seems to have things that you might need that other stores might not have. We have bought cowboy boots, kitchen things, batteries, string for window shades, tools, flowers, and many other things too numerous to list. The other day I decided that I needed shirts to wear to work. Penney's did not have any nor did Belk, but, Gibson's had all kinds. HW2 checked it all out after getting her hair cut and reported on her findings when she returned home.

Later on we went back to Gibson's and looked at all of the worker shirt options. We were waited on by a local person whose name began with an M, but I cannot remember the rest of his name. I forget names almost as fast as I supposedly learn them. M was a character and informed us that Wrangler shirts last the best and don't shrink as much, and he had fallen off a horse, hunted deer, and worked in stores like Gibson's and this type of shirt lasted for at least a year. It was not clear how often he might wash them, but he clearly was wearing Wrangler shirts. How could I resist such salesmanship? I bought three of various colors and sleeve lengths to try them out. I thanked M for his service, and we shook hands when I realized he did not have all of his fingers. I wondered whether he had lost them hunting deer or perhaps breaking and riding horses. The answer will have to wait for another encounter.

On the way out, he mentioned that Gibson's certainly had masks that were great to use if working in dusty conditions like mowing, especially since this area has experienced a drought for the last eighteen months. Gibson's has everything. When you visit Kerrville, be sure to stop at Gibson's and marvel at their varied inventory, as well as how full the store seems. You can then delightedly thread your way through the store and find that item you can't find any where else. Happy travels.

Very windy weather here today

We are having gusts of wind that are high enough to get your attention. The awning was put down, but our tent is up and so far has remained in this neighborhood. Our umbrella took off, and this time it was found in front of the motor home. One other time it landed on top of the motor home. So in windy times it has to be taken down. All the chairs have had to be stowed, and we stay indoors as much as possible. It is just as it was in Albuquerque and Nebraska!

Max seems to be learning words like treat, walk, and sit. Today we discovered a baby tooth on the floor and can only hope that his constant need to bite or chew is on the downside. He is a good dog for the most part. He seems to think that everyone here in the park wants to fuss over him and barks if they ignore him. He keeps me busy with potty training and walking several times each day. I am glad to have him in our lives. Hw2 loves him too but leaves most of his care to me. He will shortly be 5 months old. How quickly that time has passed from being a handful of a new puppy to his present weight of nearly 15 pounds. He has learned to walk with us and now likes to ride in our cart in the evening.

HW2 is off to try out a new hair stylist and hopes for a cut of hair that will be easy to care for. She bought a magazine with lots of hair/head pictures to take to this new person for good suggestions. We shall see but I, for sure, am hoping she gets a great cut and is happy, although on this windy day it may be blown out by the time she returns. Happy travels.