Three full days with the boys

The boys are off from school this entire week, and their mom and dad have to work, so we are busy with the boys. Today we got music practice and breakfast out of the way and then went to do some errands, including getting some glass for Jon's stained glass project and then home to play some cards since the boys thought we should have a card tournament this week.

Lunch was leftovers from yesterday's feast and then a chance to watch the last movie of the Harry Potter series, followed by a bit of rest then more cards before mom got home from work about 5 pm. We headed for home and a quiet evening with necessary heat from our fireplace to replace the cold. It has rained off and on all day. Max loved playing with the kids dogs Violet and Rosie. We are all a bit tired tonight. Happy travels.

Sunday, an early Thanksgiving

Sunday, Kim and Chuck invited us and also her retired former Professor of Clarinet, Jim and his wife Cheryl for an early Thanksgiving dinner. We had a lovely time and especially enjoyed our family and time with Jim and Cheryl. As usual conversation flowed. After horsd'oeuvres we sat down to a feast of turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, green beans, broussel sprouts, cranberry sauce, and of course pumpkin pie and pecan pie. We waddled away from the table. The whole family had pitched in to make this feast including the boys with pumpkin pie. After dinner, I washed lots of dishes and Chuck dried with the boys putting things away. The kids will be in San Antonio to meet a sister and family for the actual Thanksgiving day. Happy travels.

Comments from the crows nest

Yesterday we planned to go back to Fort Worth in the evening to hear their symphony. We left here at five o'clock and quickly made the 45 minute drive. We even found a place to park the car and wandered back to where we had lunch with Ron and Julie, the Reata Restaurant, hoping to be able to try out the rooftop part. It was soon apparent that this was not to be so we walked around the corner and decided to try the Chop House. Dinner was a delight if a bit pricey. Foxy had the lamb chops and I tried three, three ounce steaks with various sauces. We looked at the desserts but passed since we were quite full. Would we return here? Yes!

Then over to Bass Hall to listen to the Fort Worth Symphony. Our seats were on the fifth level and you could make out the orchestra way down below. Since we really were here to hear them play and not see lots of action, our seats were just fine. We listened to pieces by Adams and then Strauss and after the intermission, Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2, which was by far the best piece of the evening. What a treat. Happy travels.

Buddy Roe

We read books by Jan Karon and she writes about an older Episcopal priest who lives in North Carolina. If you have not tried her books I encourage you to do so. It does not seem like a delightful series but indeed they are books about the human condition and all of our foibles.

She uses the expression 'Buddy Roe" and I do not know whether she made it up or it is common to the area in the North Carolina. Generally it is used when one of the guys is talking to another in a group and instead of naming the guy, says, "Buddy Roe." I love the expression and have wondered if anyone that reads this blog either knows of this expression or uses it. I would love to hear. Happy travels.

It was a dark and stormy..........

It was a dark and stormy day or so it seemed. When Max and I got up at 4:00 am so that he could go out and take care of business, we did not walk at that time but instead I crawled right back into a warm bed. About an hour and a half later we got up again and still no walk for us. It has been windy, cool, and overcast much of the day. We did manage to get to our storage unit for more winter clothes and now the trunk of the car is full with other clothes to return.

Tonight is our parting dinner with Ron and Julie. We are planning to go to the Greenhouse just beyond the courthouse square in Denton. If the cuisine is good I will update this entry tomorrow.

It was a great evening with excellent food. Prices are reasonable and they do not hurry you. We hope to go there again.

They plan to leave early tomorrow to head to the Corpus Christi area on the Texas coast for a month before wintering in Kerrville. We will miss them but have really enjoyed their company this week. Happy and safe travels.

No grass growing here

Since Ron and Julie arrived here in Denton we have not allowed grass to grow under our feet. We have checked out our town square, a vibrant area that surrounds the court house. We have taken the train to Dallas and visited the JFK Museum in the Texas Book Depository. This museum is devoted to the assasination and the pictorial record is extensive. We left sadly remembering where we were when JFK was killed in Dallas nearly 50 years ago. We have visited antique shops and been amazed at the inventory displayed,

Today we visit Fort Worth and tonight Kim and family will join us for some adult beverages. We have enjoyed their company and spent many happy hours eating all over the place including entertaining each other in our motor homes. Ron and Julie are excellent cooks and we have especially enjoyed the fish caught in Minnesota and venison from Colorado. Ron love to hunt and they both love to fish. We got to benefit from both. I have stayed off of our bathroom scale not wanting to know the effects of this enjoyable eating. I suspect that after Thanksgiving I am going to have to go on a diet. Oh well, stuff happens. Happy travels.

Such fun

Ron and Julie got here in the fore noon on Saturday and cleaned the road gunk off of their rig. They were tired and set up and rested a bit before coming over for dinner. We grilled some steaks and had salad, asparagus and some good bread as well as a bit of pie. As usual we talked non stop picking up as if it was yesterday rather than last April when we saw them last.

Today we took them to Betty's for breakfast and then drove East to South Fork Ranch where exteriors were shot for Dallas, a TV show in the late 70's and early 80's. We had no idea what to expect and thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the ranch and house. There are many pictures of the Ewing clan and our guide told many stories of the cast and how scenes were shot. The ranch has changed hands several times and currently is used in many ways including renting the house for parties. J.R. had been there last night for a party. They are still using the ranch for the revised show which will be shown on cable TV next summer. It made us want to see some old shows to see how they had used the ranch for a movie set. Who can forget, "Who Shot JR?"

We left the ranch to drive to Denton, Courthouse Square for a libation and then back to our RV campground. We plan to meet Ron and Julie for dinner having had a wonderful day together. Happy travels.

Treat for the grands

Friday was supposed to be a wash day here but the water was turned off since the park had some type of a leak. We never got any details so had to change our wash day plans. Kim has encouraged us to use her washer/dryer during the day and we took her up on her offer in the afternoon. The boys got home from school by 3:00 and we checked to see how their days went. Jon had had a good day and began his piano practice without being told.

Christian, in second grade, had a green day. His teacher grades her student's behavior with colors both during and finally at the end of the day. If you have a good day you get a green, yellow if a bit of a problem, orange and finally red for real difficulties. Christian has generally done well on most days but last week was green for the whole week. We told him if he managed to get green for this week too and that Jon kept it together as well then we would take both boys for a treat on Friday. Christian had another green week and Jon was doing well so we took them out for hamburgers and ice cream at Braums.

They inhaled the hamburgers and then Jon wanted a Black Forest Cake Sunday and Christian wanted two scoops in a waffle cone. By then it was time to head out for their swimming class and we had to take them while finishing the treats in the car. Both managed to eat their treats without making a mess and we were only five minutes late for swimming. We heard later from their mom, Kim that they loved the treat. Such fun! Happy travels

Ron and Julie visit tomorrow

Good friends Ron and Julie winter in the south part of our beautiful country and have a permanent home in Bimidgi, Minnesota on a lake of course. They have been spending the last few winters in Kerrville at the Guadalupe RV Resort where we became friends. They are Harley Bike riders and love to sight see on their bike and find good places to eat. They love Texas barbecue as do we. They are currently on the road south and are planning to spend a week here in our RV park.

Foxy has been planning all the places to visit for the four of us including great places to eat. I suspect that subsequent entries will concentrate on food and fun sights to see. Keep tuned in and happy travels.

Off to Dallas

Yesterday we took our visiting musicians to visit our antique shop where they both found cowboy boots to take home and then headed to Dallas for lunch and visits to museums. Lunch was at Hacienda on Henderson Street and was excellent food as well as such a nice day that we could eat outside. It gave us a great chance to get to better know Midori and Lindsay who have been here this week accompanying Kim on her faculty recital. This weekend they take their show on the road to Norman,OK and then the ladies return to their homes in Canada and Michigan. It has been fun having them here and getting to know such fine musicians.

After lunch the ladies visited some nearby vintage clothing shops while I waited for them in the car. Then we drove to downtown Dallas to visit the Dallas Museum of Art and the Nasher Sculpture Center. Such treasures to behold and suddenly it was five in the afternoon. We then went to a pub on the way home meeting Kim, Chuck, and the boys for libations and dinner. A full day and a full me too. We got home after seven in the evening and let Max out. He needed to go in a hurry and could hardly wait for me to put his leash on. He had been a good dog and made no messes even though we had been gone for most of the day. The best part was sharing the day with good friends and family. Happy travels.

Where is our governor?

Last night in the ongoing debates of Republican hopefuls trying to run for president our Governor Rick Perry was talking about three governmental agencies he would dismantle and after mentioning Education and Commerce he did what many of us do, he could not remember the third. So this stumble has caused speculation that this might derail his campaign and send him home.

My thought is that if he can remember which state he governs and where the capital is located, we will gladly welcome him back home. On the Today Show this morning our good governor said that he will continue with his campaign and soon be in North Carolina. Hang in there governor! Happy travels.

Do you like dentists?

The other day at breakfast I lost part of a molar and tried to eat it but realized it was a bit too crunchy. We had to find a dentist and make an appointment so that I could find out exactly what had happened and what the fix might be. This morning I drove to my nine o'clock appointment with a bit of trepidation since this is not my favorite thing to do.

I got all of the usual new person in the office routines and had to sit at a computer terminal answering many questions. Do you think that they noticed that I have been avoiding going to any dentist for the past three years? Then came the x-ray routines and many pictures taken of my teeth.

A dental hygienist then checked out my teeth and gums and finally a dentist checked out the molar that caused all of this excitement today. Finally a lady from the front office came by to explain my options and related costs. I was glad to be sitting down.

I decided to get my teeth cleaned and a crown for the affected tooth. It all was finished today. Cleaning first and then they made the crown on the spot. It is a computerized process, amazing. I still have other things to look forward to in the future.

The hygienist is about to be 40 and looks 20 and was male. The dentist is to get married this Friday and when I wished him a wonderful honeymoon said maybe next summer. This whole process only took 5 1/2 hours. What a way to spend my day. I am in hock to pay for all of this attention. Happy travels.

Tornado warning

It is unsettling to see flashed on the television that we are under a tornado watch. Tornado season is supposed to be over by November and apparently the tornadoes are not paying attention to this bit of guidance from our weather man. So, what to do? If we are hit by a tornado, a motor home or car is no place to be since they can so easily be damaged or destroyed. In the park where we are currently located we are supposed to go to the nearest building that has bathrooms and hunker down inside. Since these buildings are made of wood, I wonder whether this will necessarily be any improvement. I do not think there will be time to dig a cellar when a tornado is approaching. Besides, I have to find Max and hook up his leash to his collar and get him to go along with us to safety.

I have wondered what items we should grab on the way out of the door. Wallet and check book come to mind, assuming I can find them since they get left in various places or move about when I am not looking. Lets hope this tornado thing does not come to pass. Happy travels.

A splendid evening

Yesterday was a busy day where we had to get a boy to his music lesson, dinner on the table for kids and grands and their guests, get home to eat out dinner and then get dressed to go out. Kim our youngest daughter was giving a faculty recital and had two others helping. Midori played the piano and Lindsay, a soprano, sang. These three musicians put on a splendid concert. The music was very modern, with dissonance typical and yet they played beautifully together and complemented each others talent. Now I am into music which I find to be harmonious and yet I thoroughly enjoy the four selection played over a two hour period. At the end there was a standing ovation and comments from the audience that included, "This is very professional and what we students are striving to achieve."

When Kim moved to Denton, TX she was replacing a former professor Dr. Gillespie. He threw her a lovely after concert party and we went as part of her groupies. It was lovely but late and we soon left, headed home calling it a marvelous day.

It is such a treat to enjoy our daughter's musical talent and see that other professionals recognize her ability. She has become a mature musician and sets a high bar for her students to achieve. We are very proud of her achievements. Happy travels.

Windows

I am in favor of windows unless just getting out of the shower or changing clothes. These are moments better left to the imagination. When we had our last house in Omaha, NE we started changing out older windows on our back porch for better insulated ones. It was interesting to take an old window out and the mechanisms that helped you raise and lower it. I found several uses for the weights. The new windows did a great job of keeping heat in or out and also provided cross ventilation as needed.

In the motor home we have lined most of the windows with reflective plastic but have to remember that at night you can see in, if you care to do so. We use our eyesight as windows on the world and it was a real treat to have my cataracts removed and enjoy the new clarity of vision that this short operation provided. It was nice to not need prescription glasses after almost 35 years of being required to utilize this visual aid.

Use your windows or eyesight to enjoy the many splendors the world has to offer. Happy travels.

Doors

I got this topic from reading information about Andy Rooney who recently passed away at the age of 92. That seems like a good age to pass away to me since it is twenty years in the future for me. Andy once wrote about doors in response to the idea that he could write about anything.

We have one door that allows us to enter and depart from our motor home. We like to keep it open on warm days to capture any breezes and get the air moving in the coach. We have had this coach since 2003 and have lived in it most of the time since. That means that we have used this door many times. Now when the door is open the wind can catch it and it slams back and forth and is hard on the hinges. I finally figured a way to hold the door open by using bungee cords. It works well and the door can be open without moving back and forth. It only took me eight years to figure out a solution to my problem. You say maybe I have other problems like maybe I am a slow problem solver?

The other night we had our kids/grands over to watch one of the games of the World Series. One of the kids was standing in front of the television and I almost said, "You make a better door than a window." Fortunately he sat down, I never made the comment and the moment passed. It at least is another thought about doors.

Finally I really like doors but prefer them to be colored. I really favor doors that are painted Chinese Red or turquoise. I even like art work that shows several doors in various conditions and colors. Now for the serious question. Are doors more for going out or coming in and does your choice make you an extrovert or an introvert? Such a deep thought. Happy travels.

Fall is here

Time seems to be getting by me all too fast. A cold front blew through two days ago, and it actually was accompanied by a frost. I had attached a new heater tape to our water hose and plugged it in the night before. I still have our old heater tape, but it only works if you clamp it in the right spot to close the connection, and then it heats. There must be some use for this tape as it does work under the right condition. I still have it if anyone needs one.

I also took down our bikes which were hanging on our ladder to the roof of the coach so that I could climb up on top. We are parked under an oak tree, and the limbs used to brush against the coach on a windy day, but no longer. I took a huge armful of limbs to the dumpster. Now, as to the bikes which we have not ridden in a year, everything is rusty. Any suggestions for removing rust from chains and gears, etc?

We take care of our grandsons two to four times each week, and they keep us busy.
We encourage homework, music lessons, cleaning their rooms, reading, and if time, we play cards. They have become good card players and can play: Old Hell, Progressive, Hearts, Spades, Pitch, and several others. We usually let one choose which game, and the next time the other gets a choice. They give no quarter in the game. We are about to teach them Canasta and maybe later on Pinocle.

Of course, now that fall is here we are back to watching the fall television shows that we like. Fortunately, with DVR we can record them for later viewing. The only problem has been late football games which cause the whole schedule to get out of sync, and then we record only a part of a show. Foxy gets mad about missing a part of a favorite show, especially when it occurs toward the end of an episode. Our reading has slowed down a great deal at this point.

Naturally, we keep up with family and friend's birthdays, and oldest son will turn 50 tomorrow. He is really old, huh? What does that make me, you say? How about older? Being just a kid at heart anyway.

In our spare time we go to estate and garage sales looking for things to buy that we can resell from our space in an antique mall. Then in the rest of our spare time I do stained glass and have started teaching the elder grandson here to do this art. Foxy is again sewing and doing cross stitch. As you can see, we manage to stay busy.

Finally, we have found a church home here and soon will apply to get our Kerrville membership transferred here. This is a short version of a necessary update, and I will try to do better with my blog. Thank you, Julie, for your encouragement. Happy travels.