The Hot Tub

We had a great time this past week-end with our RV group - the "Boomers" - good to catch up on what's happening with them. We are back in SA now - same campground, different "monthly" site for October. Doesn't much feel like fall - 97 degrees yesterday and today. Finishing up with the townhouse so Roger can move on to his airplane and I can spend time with all the financial paperwork. Ugh!
We met a couple that are "full-timing" that have a portable hot tub - they say it works great and they love it. I found one just like it at Big Lots (a discount store) on summer clearance for $399.00 today. Of course, I couldn't resist it - I did give up my jacuzzi bathtub, didn't I?! Roger is not exactly thrilled with the purchase. I even told him it could be my Christmas present and he wouldn't have to shop. His first question is "where will we store it?" He always worries about the minor details! Guess I had better keep the receipt - just in case it has to go back!

Passport

Found it!!! Cleaning accomplished more than usual!

Townhome

We have spent all day, every day this week doing town home "stuff." More work than we imagined. I have "shopped 'til I dropped" at every home goods store in San Antonio looking for "classy" but "cheap" - correction "inexpensive" - accessories. Roger has been to the nearby Home Depot a thousand times! Need to get window treatments and update the security system then we are done. This retirement thing is exhausting!
Going to a Boomers campout this week-end near Medina Lake and to the Cajun festival on Saturday. Will be nice to see all our Boomer friends. Hope those from around the Galveston/Houston area are OK. Ready for a few fun days!
Speaking of fun - we booked a cruise for the end of January, first of February 2009 with Ann & Gary and LeeAnn & Jim (Boomer friends) - Royal Carribean, Voyager of the Sea - in the Western Carribean. On a count down already!
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
The Good: No packing the motorhome for the camping week-end - just unplug and go!!
The Bad: Missing Samantha - awfully quiet around here - no one to swing with!
The Ugly: I had my passport out to book the cruise and now I can not find it! How could I loose it in this small space! Of course, Roger is no help - he doesn't know where his own stuff is!

City Living

I got a parking ticket out in front of the townhouse today! Parked to close to a cross walk. So much for city living!

Tobin Hill Townhome

We have had such a fun week with Samantha but, finally had to give her back to Mommy & Daddy today. The kids all came in for the week-end and helped us get all the furniture and "stuff" we saved from the house settled in the townhome. Never could have done it all without their help! Still have some pictures to hang and cleaning to do but it's livable. Now we need to finish all the details to rent it to vacationers.
We met the LeRows at Retama on Friday night and took Samantha to the horse races. Beautiful weather and it was great to see Gary & Lynn again. We are going camping with our RV club - the Boomers - next week-end. Really looking forward to seeing everyone and relaxing. This retirement thing is exhausting!

Samantha Kate

What a joy grandchildren are!!! Samantha is spending the week with us and we are finally getting our SK "fix." She loves riding and living in the "car house" but asks when she can go "see the deers at our other house." She talks our arms off and amazes us with her comments. We took her to see Megan play volleyball yesterday and as she is watching the game she says "they are all sharing the ball, Tima." Later she said "look, they are all wearing tennis shoes." She's at the playground with Grandpa doing "underdogs" on the swing set while "Tima" has some quiet time. Only one problem - she is at the "why" stage!!!!

Hurricane Ike

We stayed in Austin over the week-end and got no rain and only "breezy" wind. Heather & Kyle are on their way back home this afternoon. According to nephew, Kyle, who stayed in Sugarland, they have electricity and only a few tree limbs and fences down.Samantha is staying with us for the week and we are going to San Antonio tomorrow. We took her to see Megan play volleyball in an intramural league tournament this afternoon. She likes volleyball because she watched the Olympic coverage.The Good, The Bad & The Ugly:The Good - Family & friends in Houston are all safe.The Bad - The horrible destruction in the hurricane zone and the length of time it will take for families to get back to normal.The Ugly - Roger, Kyle & Carlos having to take the washer/dryer unit (they could not have designed a heavier more awkward one)out of the motor home, load it in the truck and take it to Carlos' garage - where they took it apart and found an underwire from one of my bras between the two drums! Wondered where it went!! Couldn't imagine it "falling" through one of the those little holes -but, it did! Sure made a lot of noise! Needless to say, I'm in BIG trouble!

Surprise! Surprise!

About 5 minutes after I posted my blog yesterday morning - feeling sad because I thought we were going to have to drive west before Heather, Kyle & Samantha arrived in Austin - we heard giggling at our door and when we opened it there was Samantha, in her PJ's, saying "Surprise!" Since Ike has turned east, the predicted winds are less than originally expected here so, guess we are going the "weather" the storm in Austin. Having a good time playing "catch up" with the kids - like Samantha says, "I'm here with all my family!"
Heather, Megan & I took Samantha to the Children's Museum today. I told her it would be a "fun, girls day out." So later, she told Roger and Kyle both that they couldn't go because it was "for girls only - no boys allowed!"
Cross your fingers that the weather channel is right and we don't blow away!

San Antonio

We are still in Austin but drove down to SA yesterday. Did a "walk thru" of the townhouse, got the keys and then went shopping for a refrigerator, washer and dryer. Still need window treatments and a TV. Planning to move our furniture in next Thursday & Friday. The kids are coming to help that week-end.
Watching "Ike" closely - the kids are leaving Houston and coming to Austin. If it "tracks" near Austin and they are likely to get much wind we will drive west out of its reach. The storm at Beaver Lake taught us a big lesson!
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly:
The Good - HEB and Bill Miller's ice tea!
The Bad - San Antonio traffic - hope our house buyer isn't cursing us!
The Ugly - Hurricane Ike interrupting our plans to see Heather, Kyle & Samantha.

Tour of Austin

We spent the day with Megan on a bike tour of Austin. Rode along the river and around Town Lake - now called Lady Bird Lake - then rode a trolley - called "The 'Dillo" - downtown. Enjoyed a tour of the Texas Capital and then lunch at Shady Grove. I began to "wilt" about half way back from lunch - no wonder, when we got back to the truck the outside temperature was 97 degrees! Came back to the "resort" and jumped in the pool. Went to dinner at Megan & Carlos' - asked Roger, "Should we take all our dirty laundry with us? Sort of a role reversal - just for old times sake?" So good to see the kids again!
PS - Did you notice Roger's hat under his bicycle helmet? His remedy for the bright sun!

Battle of the Ants

We spent Sunday night at a lovely Corps of Engineer's park near Corsicana, Tx, on Navarro Mills Lake. Figured we would get off the "beaten path" and explore a new area. We camped right on the lake and the sunset and sunrise were gorgeous. When we checked in, the volunteer at the gate mentioned "we have a little ant problem so you might want to spray something around your tires." Well, we didn't have any ant spray to put around the rig and we figured we were only going to be there overnight, so how bad could they be? Oh my god!!! We woke up on Monday morning with the entire coach overrun with ants - thousands of them - inside and outside. Not just lines of them around the floor and up the walls but literally all over the floor and the sides of the coach. Needless to say, I went balistic! Ended up sucking them up in my new central vacuum and then mopping the floor with Amway bug spray. Then Roger sprayed some into the vacuum bag! We had planned to spend Monday morning riding our bikes and exploring the park but, we could not get out of there fast enough. Then we stopped at a roadside park and cleaned the cupboards and vacuumed up dead ones. We were driving down I-35 - my skin had just begun to stop "crawling" - and Roger said, "It gives 'ants in your pants' a whole new meaning" - I immediately began to squirm! We are now in Austin and still seeing a few that hitched a ride. First thing on todays agenda is to buy some Tempo to spray around the tires.We went to dinner - Mexican food, of course - we have been in withdrawal for weeks - with Carlos and Megan last night. So good to see them. Going bike riding and tour the Capital building today with Megan. Think we will stay here for a week. Had planned to go to Galveston Island with Heather, Kyle and Samantha but, hurricane Ike has interupted our plans. They may come here if Ike heads their way.

Clinton Presidential Library & Park

We spent a lovely day in Little Rock, Arkansas today - toured President Clinton's Library and rode our bikes around the park like grounds, along the Arkansas River and then down by the River Market - an area revitalized with shops, restaurants and a farmer's market near the library. The library is a beautiful contemporary building with replicas of the his oval office and cabinet room and very well done displays highlighting his accomplishments as President - the CHIP program (Children's Health Insurance Plan,) FMLA and the Brady Bill to name a few I favored. Enjoyed wine & a beer at a microbrewery along the way. Heading into Texas tomorrow. Watching hurricane "Ike" closely - hoping he won't ruin our plans to go to the Galveston beach next week-end! People at the campground here in Little Rock say Gustav's rain and wind was really bad and if "Ike" comes anywhere near here they are moving inward!

Barbeque & Blues

We spent the day in Memphis, TN - stayed in a campground behind the "Heartbreak Hotel" on "Hound Dog Way" - across the street from Graceland. Toured Elvis' home, saw his cars and walked through his airplane (a Convair 880, named Lisa Marie.)It is truly amazing how much money people are still making from him! So sad that drugs had to ruin such a great talent. I bought a CD of his Gold Records and we've been remembering his songs, movies and TV appearances all day. Remember when he was on the Ed Sullivan show and they would only show him from the waist up because "Elvis pelvis" was just too scandalous!!??This afternoon we rode our bikes around Mud Island Park, located on the Mississippi River. There is a replica of the river, made out of concrete and flowing water, that runs through the park, with plaques along its path detailing the cities and history. It was close to downtown so we continued our ride down Main Street along the trolley rails. The street is closed to traffic and the cobblestone sidewalks with cafes and businesses reminded us of La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain. It was raining when we were there too! We stopped at the "Blues Cafe" for a pastry and a latte and then headed home. Neely's Interstate BBQ was recommended as the best in the city so, tonight, we had to go compare it to what we ate in Kansas City. Roger asked the waitress if they had good BBQ and she said "You jus' got to hog heaven!" She was right - finger licking good!The Good, The Bad and the Ugly:The Good: Touring in September, after schools start, and during the week is great - no lines, no crowds, no hassles!The Bad: Something is rattling in the washer/dryer - more for Roger to fix! The Ugly: The flies are horrible here! Why is that????

Good Bye Michigan - Hello Texas

We said "good-bye" to Mom & Mickey, friends and relatives in Michigan and headed south this morning. This was the longest time spent with family in 30 years! Stopped at the farmer's market for squash, sweet corn and peaches (the best we've had in years) for the trip home. Looks like we'll run into some left over Gustav rain on the way back.