Estate Sales terrific

For fun we continue to go to estate sales. It gets us into many different areas of this city and we get to check out various housing situations. The added benefit is looking over all of the things that are for sale. In many cases these sales benefit the person supplying needed money for medical or housing needs where medical services can be provided. In some cases the person has died and the family is merely getting rid of unwanted items to clear out the estate. In any event we feel like we can find new homes for something we purchase, and it can continue to be taken care of by the new owner.

When we leave Kerrville, we plan to move to Denton, TX, to be near our daughter Kim and help her family when needed. We also plan to get back into the antique business at some level but not to the extent we have experienced in the past. That is, we plan to start small and have located an antique mall in Denton where we might open a small booth.

Yesterday we went to an estate sale and found a treasure lode of items. Needless to say we bought many things and when home looked up their values. It was a great day for estate sales. The people who lived in this home were collectors of many different types of things. We hope to find new homes for our purchases in the near future. Happy travels.

Foxy's happy day

Can you believe it? Foxy got up at three am this morning to watch the English Royal Wedding of William and Kate. She was in heaven seeing the dresses and hats of all of the guests besides getting a ring-side seat for all of the pagentry and festivities. When I emerged at about seven o'clock there was only the kissing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to still be accomplished. The glow of sheer happiness on Foxy's face could only have been improved if she had been invited to the festivities. Happy days for her and an enjoyable snooze for me. Happy travels.

Nimitz Museum

Yesterday we drove to Fredericksburg to visit the Admiral Chester Nimitz National Museum of the Pacific War. We have intended to visit this museum for several years and finally did it. Chester Nimitz was born here in Kerrville and lived several of his early years here as well as in Fredericksburg in his grandfather's hotel. The hotel has been remodeled back to the way it was in the grandfather's day and is now a museum to Admiral Nimitz. Chester also attended Tivy High School in Kerrville until he left before graduation to attend the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, where he graduated seventh in his class in 1905. He went on to introduce diesel engines in submarines and ultimately be in charge of all naval forces in the Pacific Theater in World War II.

The museum was enlarged several years ago to include the George H. W. Bush Gallery, which details the war in the Pacific and the many operations. Nimitz and MacArthur shared responsibility for the Pacific Theator and worked well together. It took us several hours to visit this museum, and so we got lunch in the middle of our tour. By the end I was overwhelmed with information but enjoyed the whole thing. It is a wonderul museum to visit and well worth the time and entrance fee. Happy travels.

Beautiful days here

We have been fortunate to have a lovely spring here. The pecan trees are now fully leafed out and provide needed shade throughout this RV park. This is also a working orchard, and they water the trees and keep the grass under control so it is quite a lovely setting. When you add in Johnson Creek on the edge of this property with it's dams and ponds, well, what more can I add.

We have also been enjoying the company of good friends. Ron and Julie left for home in Minnesota this morning and will certainly be missed although we will keep in touch through email. We have spent time with Lois and Dave and others as well, and it is wonderful to maintain such good friendships. Lots of meals out keep the belt tight, and I have to get in more exercise. After my annual physical I got the message to lose 10-15 pounds. A lovely goal but it takes lots of discipline. I will have to pattern myself after Ron I, who is working diligently to lose weight and has lost over 90 pounds so far. We went to the Art Center to see his photo which won the monthly professional photographers award and was on display. Such talent.

Max and I have been out once but soon will take another stroll to visit with the donkeys and give him a chance to bark and try to get them to play. Joan, I wanted to let you know that I saw a lovely blue bird here. Happy travels.

Drought continues and the eyes have it

The drought continues throughout Texas. We hope for rain. We have had a bit here, but it is not enough. It seems as if other parts of the country that are getting too much rain could share. Unlikely!

I have been back to the eye doctor to get my eyes measured for upcoming cataract surgerys. I did wonder how they might measure my eyeballs and came up with several fancifal scenerios. My first thought was watching them use a yard stick and waving it around in the air and saying things like two inches or such. Then I thought of calipers and hoped they would not squeeze my eyes too much leaving dents where they measured. Friends Ron and Julie suggested they pop the eyeball out of its socket, and then the measuring could be done and then of course put the eyeball back. Of course the reality was quite different. They use a special computer and something like a laser which darts back and forth taking measurements. The results of this test are used by the doctor to decide where to make the incision, remove the old lens and insert the new one. Apparently there is no loss of blood, and the eyeball heals itself in a couple of days. They can give you valium if you are a bit nervous, and since I do not like people touching my eyes and have a hard time having pressures taken for a glaucoma test, I think that I will avail myself of this remedy. The really clever thing is that if you have astigmatisms then the placement of the lens can be adjusted to reduce them to some degree. How neat is that. So now I wait and soon this will be over. Happy travels.

Rain relief

Last night about midnight it rained and rained. We need moisture very much here so it was a relief for sure. I listened to the rain for the duration and then dropped off back to sleep once more. This morning when Max and I went out for his morning constitutional, it was nice to feel the ground give under your foot instead of just feeling like concrete. Since this campground is in a pecan orchard, I am sure the owners were really glad for the rain for their trees. Later we went to an estate sale on the road to Harper, TX but came home empty handed although we saw some lovely things and at good prices. We may go back tomorrow when things go on half price. Next we plan to go to the woodcarvers of Texas meeting to see if they have any products we might like to see and even buy. Should be fun. Happy travels.

Smoke in the air

If you have been listening to the evening news, then you are aware of the many wild fires we have had and are having in Texas. Until today they seemed far away since the closest fire was probably several hundred miles from the Hill Country where we are currently located. Today there was a high pressure pushing southward into central Texas, and those winds brought the smoke here. It was difficult to drive since it made you want to clean your glasses. We could not smell smoke, but clearly it was in the air. Thousands of square miles have burned and more to come with many homes lost as well and two firefighter deaths so far. What a tragedy. We hope the winds die down so that the firefighters can get the upper hand on the many fires. At one point they were estimating over 100 fires in this state. We have been under drought conditions for several years, and the whole state is in tinderbox condition. Please send us your rain. Happy travels.

Doctor visit results

Doctor visit results were good today as we had our annual physicals. Blood test results suggested that what ever we have been doing is working. I was particularly pleased to get a negligible PSA test result especially since I no longer have a prostate. I think that I gained the pounds that Foxy lost. We were so pleased that we met good buddies Ron and Julie and drove to Fredericksburg for lunch at the Sunset Grill. Imagine my pleasure to see Dr. Jones also eating at the grill since he was the surgeon who had removed my prostate last June. I met his family and told them that I was one of his success stories. He laughed and said that the failures left by the back door. What a nice man and excellent surgeon. Back home to a nice nap and a pleasant time to sit outside this evening. Now maybe we can relax. Happy travels.

Blood work and annual physicals

We called our general physician and were able to quickly get in for our annual physicals tomorrow. He asked for blood work which we were glad to get accomplished this morning. This way he may even have the results when we get there for the appointment. To get our prescriptions filled we do have to have an annual physical. It seems very cursory to me but is probably preventative in nature. This is one of several reasons why we were glad to return to Kerrville at this time. The cool thing is that he does both of us together which works well for us and for him I am sure. This way we know what is happening with each other. I willingly parted with my vial of blood as did Foxy. Now we will learn how much we have deteriorated since last year. Getting old is not for sissies. Happy travels

Max, the drama queen

I do not think that Max likes to get groomed. He behaves well but seems to be tramztized for a couple of days after the event. However when he gets shaggy or real dirty we have little choice. We took him to the humane society, now that is a good sounding name, for his latest experience. They offer grooming services and left Max in their care. When we returned about three hours later, Max looked terrific. The groomer had done a good job. She said that he had been good but that, " He was a bit of a drama queen." He did not want to have his nails clipped and he yelped when she struggled to get several burrs out of his hair. I knew that he did not like this either and this is another reason why I do not try to groom him myself. So we brought our bit of a drama queen home and hope that by tomorrow he will get over this grooming trauma. I wonder how he would like going to the dentist. Happy travels.

A busy week

I went to see my eye doctor and learned that my cataracts had matured enough to have them medically removed in early May. The right eye goes first and then if successful the left eye. This was as expected and now it is the waiting game. I do have confidence in this doctor and look forward to seeing more clearly. In the meantime we have been to San Antonio with Julie and Ron and other side trips mostly involving eating great food but best of all is the friendship and sharing. Soon we will do the annual doctor checkups and then we can get on with whatever we wish. Happy travels.

Max meets donkey

Here at Johnson Creek RV Resort they have several donkeys and horses. They seem to enjoy the pasture and have little to do but enjoy a daily feed and nibbling grass. When Max saw them on one of his walks, he cautiously went up to them and tried to climb the fence to get even closer. Finally he barked as if to say, "Come on and play with me." One donkey did get his face next to Max but apparently decided he was of no interest and went back to eating grass. I wondered what Max thought of these critters. The horses ignored him completely. I think he though they were very big dogs, and they ought to be fun to play with but it did not work out. Maybe he can get them to react today on a walk. Max and I went out again this morning, and when he saw the donkeys, he tugged me right toward them. Once at the fence they saw Max and came right over. One of the donkeys and Max touched noses and that made Max so happy that he ran up and down the fence line, and the donkey did the same. Then Max barked, but the donkey didn't. They lost interest, and we returned home. Happy travels.

Sunday drive

When we were growing up we sometimes took a Sunday drive. Dad would get us all in the car, and maybe we would go get soft ice cream or visit a friend or relative or maybe travel down a road we had not explored. One time we traveled to the border between New York and Pennsylvania, and I remember brother Maurice cleverly stating he could not decide what state to think in as we sat on the border. During the war years we did not do this much since gas was rationed and tires hard to come by. If your tire got a flat, then you stopped and repaired the tire or innertube, and then continued on your way. More than one flat in the same trip was not fun and generally made dad unhappy. You may remember the famous tire changing scene in the movie The Christmas Story. However, I do not remember dad cussing, although he probably did. Yesterday in an effort to get Foxy out of the house, we decided to take a Sunday drive. We went looking for Mo Ranch which is owned by the Presbyterian Church and has a Sunday brunch, which we hope to try on Easter Sunday. Since we were not exactly sure where the ranch was located, it seemed like a good destination. Our first effort resulted in turning the car around and trying another road. Almost twenty beautiful miles later we found the ranch and explored it a bit. The road to the ranch wound along the Guadalupe River and crossed it many times during the twenty miles of our treck. Each time as we crossed the river we found kids and their families playing or swimming in the river and maybe having a picnic. One man was sitting on a folding chair in the river. Several kids were playing on innertubes, and it looked very inviting. We wondered how cold the water was but did not investigate furthur. The Sunday drive brightened up my ailing Foxy giving her pretty scenery to watch and a chance to get out. She claimed that tomorrow she will be on the road to recovery, and I pray she is right. It has been a nasty cold to endure. Have you taken a Sunday drive lately? I know the price of gas is outrageous, but a few miles drive can lift your spirits and give you a better outlook. Happy travels.

A sunny Sunday

It is truly a beautiful day here. There is a bit of wind or breeze which makes it even better. We have been out for a walk, although Max and I have been out for several walks, and he is sacked out for the moment. Foxy is trying to get over a cold and not have it drift into pneumonia which it did for her last cold. She is being a good sport but sure wished it was over. I am hoping not to catch it, but living in such close proximity makes that idea a crap shoot. Who knows. The coach is back to normal, and most things have been put away. Last night we had grilled hamburgers and beans. A lovely meal and good to be back using the grill. While I sat outside to grill the meat, I had a chance to watch two neighbors with very fancy camera equipment attempting to take pictures of hummingbirds. They were quite intent on their activity, so I did not try to go by and interrupt in any way. I even tried to grill quietly and not be a disturbance. I do hope that they got some good pictures. We have managed to see good friends Ron and Julie. It was her birthday yesterday, and we hope they had a wonderful dinner out to celebrate. We also stopped to see Lois and Dave. Dave had kept an eye on the coach while we were away and occasionally started the engine. That was great. We also wandered about Guadalupe River RV Resort to see all of the recent improvements. The new pond looks great and the beer bar at the saloon should be helpful as well. Not much has been done on the park extension. I, however, am glad not to be working there since it seems like too much work for me for sure. Kim called to say that they had two offers on their house, which was excellent news for a house on the market slightly over two weeks. Congratulation there. Happy travels.

Back home in Kerrville

We spent several days in Denton, TX and then drove south to Kerrville arriving here on Wednesday. We went to pick up the motor home and discovered that someone had unplugged it so that everything in the refrigerator and freezer had spoiled and had to be thrown out. We moved the coach from storage to a new site for us, Johnson Creek camp grounds. It is in the area but maybe eight miles outside of Kerrville. We could not stay in Rio Robles since they were full up until the middle of May. Once in the new campgrounds we got set up and when we hooked up the water discovered many water leaks caused by freezing weather here while we were gone for the winter. We called a local repair man and in a couple of days were back to normal and able to use the water supply without having flooded compartments or cupboards. Finally back to normal. Now I need to clean the outside of the coach and get off the dust left by being in storage for four months. It is good to be home. Happy travels.

Complaining

I realise that in the two following posts that I was complaining. I really try not to complain when making comments in this blog but I had to comment. Yesterday we drove from Oklahoma into Texas. When we stopped for gas it was a pleasure to hear. "Yes sir and yes mam," as he held the door for us. What a joy. It is nice to be home again. Happy travels.

Electronic devices

Yesterday we stopped at a Mc Donalds to get coffee. A young lady was at the cash register and we thought she would ask us what we might like to purchase. Instead she had her head down and we could not get her attention. Finally she looked up and tried to hide her phone which she had been using to text someone. She then tried to assist us but her mind clearly was on what she had been doing and consequently she had trouble using her register. We left with our coffee but wondered why her manager did not get after her. I find the inattention you get when others are texting is rampant. The young people and others who do this claim that they can multiple task but it seems to me that they give only partial attention to anything they are doing. Imagine doing this while driving. That is scary. Have you ever been in a restaurant to have someone who is sitting nearby talking on a cell phone. First of all it is rude to others in their party and secondly they usually talk very loud and you get treated to one half of their conversation. Do these activities bother you? Happy travels.

Boots made in China

While in Whichita we decided to visit several cowboy clothing stores. What we found was really discouraging to me since maybe 80 to 90 percent of the boots were made in China. There is something wrong for someone who lives in Texas to try to buy a pair of cowboy boots made in China. We did find some made in Mexico which were fine but to buy a pair made in the USA it was quite a search. We will soon suffer in this country in that we are so dependent upon other countries for the many things we use and buy. The recent tragedy in Japan brings this home when car companies here have to shut down because they cannot get parts which are made in Japan. We are thinking that we will buy only things made in the USA or North America. This small rebellion will have no impact on our trade imbalance but we will put our money where our mouth is. Will you join me? Happy travels.