Twin Great grand daughters Emma and Abby

Some of my grandkids and great grandkids

My second born daughter Cherry

Texas Fish Hatcheries at Athens,TX

Welcome to my two new readers, Kenny and Will, if I missed you, I am sorry. Hard for an old lady to keep up!
A camp out at Staway RV Park, Murchison,Texas with the Lone Star Singles Sams was close to Athens,Texas and the Texas Fish Hatcheries  so a trip to see the big fish was a treat. We caravaned to the Visitor Center, and I took these pictures in the Aquaria , some had the camera flash, but you can still see the big fish. Remember everything is bigger in Texas!
The small town of Athens isn't far from the RV park, and like most small towns it is built on a "square". Athens has a number of small shops but the most "famous" is The Hog House. It serves great ham sandwiches, at that time they had one or two small tables, but for the most part is was a to go place.  If you were lucky you could buy a Ham Bone! Great for a pot of pinto beans. There was plenty of ham on the bone! 

I think I am breaking out with something. I have been scratching and scratching! I thought I may have to go to the doctor, but I figured out what it was, HITCH ITCH!

JOHNSON FAMILY CEMETERY

L.B.J. BOY HOOD HOME

L.B.J. FAMILY CEMETERY 2004

FISH COOK OUT APRIL 2004

Hill Country camp out 2004

I may have mentioned I belong to several RV clubs for singles. This camp out was in April of 2004, for members of Lone Star Single Sam's. It wasn't a club camp out, but one for members just to get together. Harold cooked fresh fish, and we made several trips to the LBJ boyhood home, cemetery and surrounding area. Some of us hit the Wild Flower farm and a flea market. I great fun camp out. On the way out of the park, a tree clipped my roof, this was my first experience with replacing the roof! I wasn't full time then so it was not too bad. Enjoy the pictures.

Thank Goodness it's Over!!

Seems like nothing I plan turns out like I had planned. I have been sick for the last few days. I was in bed Christmas Eve and did not feel like going anywhere! I did manage to pressure cook some pinto beans, open a can of Tamales and make a pan of cornbread. That is what I had for my Christmas Dinner also. I just didn't feel like driving the 140 mils round trip to go to my s-i-l- house for dinner. I just spent the day in my jammies, watching TV and eating my beans and cornbread and Tamales. Talked to my daughter in North Carolina, and my grand daughter in Ft.Worth. I am just glad all the hype is over. 
While resting in bed I was thinking about where to go when I get my rig fixed.  I still don't know when that will be, so plans are still on hold.
I talked to a friend in AZ today, and she says diesel is expected to go to $5.00 per gal! Can't believe that. I sure wouldn't be able to get far from home at those prices.
Very cold here last night, in the 20's, made me seriously think about where I want to live. Some place dry and warm!!

Nice Day

A very nice day, a little cooler but more like December weather.

In our family we have a tradition of having Tamales on Christmas Eve. We always had a Christmas Eve party and Tamales and chili along with home made tortillas was the main attraction. None of that canned stuff, but homemade from my Mexican neighbors. They are the best! Now, I can make tortillas and enchiladas but why? My daughters and I used to make our own, we had a regular assembly line going. In my neighbor hood there was a Tortilla factory, they were so good!! Ah, those days are long gone, just good memories.

It looks like it will be after the first of the year before I get my rig roadworthy again. Some have asked me where I am going after that? I don't have the slightest idea. My plans were to go to Arizona in time for SOLO'S GTG at Quartzsite,AZ and then maybe to California. Looking at the floods in southern California I don't know if my Parks will even be open. It is a possibility just going to the Texas Coast. It all depends on the weather and if I have any money after all these repairs!

First Day of Winter

Today is the first day of winter, and it's 86 degrees. It always make me nervous when it is really hot this time of year. Just get ready for a really cold front! We broke our old record of 79 on this day. I am not complaining, looking at the TV weather going on in southern California! I always thought I might want to live in San Diego, but now I don't know. Seem like there is no perfect place to live. Maybe just be happy where you are!

Went to the Post Office today and I did get my check from the insurance company, so hopefully things will get moving. I realize it will be after Christmas before I get my rig fixed. I am just dealing one day at a time. I try not to gripe too much, just be grateful for what I have, and what I have been able to do so far.

I haven't done any Christmas shopping. I have already told my family I can't afford Christmas this year. It is the first time in my life that I haven't been able to do any shopping at all. They are all grown, or too young to even know, it is just the way it is! I am trying hard to just be grateful for what I have, and my friends and family. I think we all get carried away at Christmas time, and forget the reason for the season!

HAPPY HOLIDAY'S

Heat Wave!

It was 79 here today, Texas weather is crazy! It's the middle of December, but who's complaining?

Since being able to get into my closet, I have been washing everything! It is really hard to get in the Christmas spirit when the temp is 79 degrees, but I have been looking through my closet for something "Christmasie" to wear. I am still waiting for a check from the insurance company.

I have been invited to come to Christmas dinner at my x son in law's. His wife said a late lunch. Depends on how "late" is late.

It is about 70 miles from here, I don't like to drive after dark. So, I will be keeping an eye on the weather also. The park has a dinner, but you do have to sign up, and bring a dish, so I need to make my mind up. For the last two years it has turned off really cold, windy,and rainy. Seems I can't make any plans lately!

Transfusion?

I did such a dumb thing yesterday. I was getting ready to go to the post office, putting on my socks, when I noticed my big toe nail needed a trim. So I got my trusty scissors and gave it a nip. What I nipped was my toe! That sucker bled like I had cut my toe off. It took over an hour, and a bunch of cotton balls, gauze and peroxide to get it stopped. I had gauze padding and two band aids on my big toe. Had a problem getting my shoe on! I did make it to the P.O., no check from the insurance company! I guess my blood must be very thin to bleed so much from a tiny little cut. One good thing, it did make me take inventory of my emergency supplies. I found some of my band aids wouldn't stick, and I thought I had a roll of sterile gauze and tape. Need to put that on my list for Wal Mart. Ouch!!

Garden of Hope

Let's plant a garden to last the year round.

Let's use it's harvest all our days.

Hope for a full harvest!!

First plant 5 rows of peas

1.Presence

2.Promptness

3.Preparation

4. Perseverance

5.Patience

Next plant 3 rows of Squash

1.Squash gossip

2.Squash indifference

3.Squash criticism

Then plant 5 rows of lettuce

1.Let us be faithful to duty

2.Let us be unselfish

3.Let us be loyal

4.Let us be true to our obligations

5.Let us love one another

No garden is complete without Turnips

1.Turn up with a smile

2.Turn up the new ideas

3.Turn up with determination to make good and worthwhile.

I don't remember where I read this, but thought I would share!

Yeah! rooms work!

My slide out rooms are fixed!! So glad to be able to get into my closet without climbing over the bed! My repairman came before noon, and left about four. The pump finally arrived and he got it on. Had to work on my big room slide to get it adjusted. This is the one that will require a new roof too. He said he could do it while I am in here, but to do the rest of the roof, I will have to find some where to live for three or four days. I made arrangements to stay with friends, so that is taken care of. Now all I have to do is get the check from the insurance co. I hope it will be in my mail tomorrow. Every thing is coming together. Maybe I will be on the road soon.

Approved

After days of waiting to hear from someone, I called State Farm this morning. Turns out my repairs have been approved and the check is in the mail! This is good news for me. Maybe, just maybe I will get this thing going again! I know putting a roof on is a big job, and I will have to find some where to stay for me and my dog.

State Farm says that is not covered in my policy, but I am calling my agent today and make sure. My greatest fear is all this is happening right at Christmas time, everyone will be busy, and not sure I will fit in any where! I may have to find a motel that will rent to some one with Pets.

Yesterday was cold and I made some onion bread in my bread machine, really was good with gobs of butter! I know that is on my diet. Seems like the cold weather brings out the cook in me!

Playing with Picasa

I was playing around with Picasa 3.8 last night, and with the new version you get PicNik, I just have the free version, but I think the version you pay for isn't very much. I found a picture of four of my grand kids and spoofed it up for Christmas. These are my daughter Cherry's kids. I am thinking about doing one of my trailer, and make Christmas Cards. I don't send out very many anymore. I just limit them to the ones I receive from people, and most of the time I send free e-cards from Day Spring.

I didn't feel very good today. I feel like I am taking a cold, but maybe sinus. I ended up going back to bed. I didn't sleep well last night. Still no word about my RV!

Waiting

I hate waiting, not know what to expect. Again, nothing from the insurance or my repairman. It was cold last night, down in the 20s, I am so glad I went and got LP. My furnace is set at about 60, and it kept coming on all night. I left my faucets dripping in the kitchen and bathroom, nothing froze. My friend always disconnects hers from the outside faucet. I usually wrap mine, when I had a lease site. I guess I am just lazy, and getting more and more "down". I was hoping to be on the road to Quartzsite before Christmas, but now I don't see that happening. The SOLO's annual meeting isn't until the 18th of Jan. but there are other things going on that I wanted to do!

I was born in Cleburne,TX about 20 miles from here, but was raised in Ft.Worth,TX, so I consider it "home town" and I like to keep up with what's going on there. I was surprised to hear on the weather tonight that the Ft.Worth,Dallas area may get SNOW, can you believe that! They probably won't get enough to stick, but still, it's early for snow in Texas. I lived in Lincoln,Nebraska for 18 months, and I got enough snow and tornadoes to do me for a life time!

No News

I thought I would have some news from my insurance company, or my repair man, but haven't heard a peep!

I have been having trouble with blogger, it seems to have a mind of its own! I think I may have mentioned that I use my Droid phone tethered to the computer to get online. Cell service is not good here, that may be part of the trouble. There are no cell towers close by.

I was so cold last night, I just could not get warm. The furnace did come on, but I keep it set pretty low. I took out my trash, and dumped the black tank, thought I better check my LP while outside, and sure enough both tanks were empty. I got them off, and ran to town to get them filled. $45.00 for two 30 gal. tanks. Then I just happened to run into one of the maintenance men here at the park, and asked him to put them on for me. He did, he is nice and helpful, he was on his way home when I caught him. I just lucked out, I cannot lift them when they are full!

Yesterday I cooked a rump roast in the crock pot, with potatoes, carrots, onions, so I had a nice supper again tonight. I am glad I got LP, for it is going to be cold again tonight, then a warm up. I just need to go somewhere where it's warmer! Arizona?????

Shopping Day

I don't like to go to the stores on Saturday, but today for their "one day" ad there was just too many buys to not go. We have a small grocery store here in Whitney,TX called Davids, it is affiliated with IGA. Sometimes they have a "real sale", so I just couldn't resist. It was a nice warm day, but with a warning we would be having cold weather by tonight! After my return, I took Kandi for a short walk. The winds had already picked up, and my old knees were saying, quit, quit! So I did.

Welcome to my new reader, MoHo, I looked at your blog, OMG, can't believe all that snow! I won't complain any more about Texas weather!

I still haven't heard anymore from my insurance company, but Pidge was telling about their ordeal with putting a roof on their fifth wheel, and how long it took, also their insurance company amount they would pay for motel. I really hadn't thought of getting my insurance company to pay for my motel. I am glad you mentioned it! I think my Good Sam Road Service might also pay. I will look into to it! Gee, thanks Pidge.

I am just a little "down" today, I feel I won't ever get on the road again. I know it's just stress of dealing with all this, and the not knowing, when, how all will take place is getting to me. Then there are the holidays coming up. Holidays are always a bad time for me. Maybe they are for all of us seniors, who don't have family or not close to their family. Everyone always get so hiped up, all the music, and TV Christmas programs. It is just hard to take. I feel sorry for the folks in Nursing Homes, just dumped there, left to die. My daughter was a member of the Texas Girls Choir, and they always entertained at the nursing home. I never thought I would be without family.

Beautiful Day

It was a beautiful day here today. I should have gone outside and cleaned out some of the bays. I need a place to put this satellite dish. I thought it would fold down, but so far I haven't been able to do it. I made such a mess scratching around in the dark looking for tools for my repairman. I just threw everything back in and shut the door. If I have to find a place to stay while they are putting a roof on, I feel I need to put my generator in a safe place. There has been some break in's in this park. I can't afford to replace a generator. I may be able to just put it in the back seat of my truck. It doesn't have any gas in it, maybe I should check that! Crawling across my bed to get into the closet is doing a number on my old knees! I shouldn't complain, it could be worse! One thing about it, things can always get worse.

I went back to bed about noon, I had a sinus headache, thought maybe an hour of rest would do me good. I guess my sinus pill knocked me out, I slept to 2:30, I don't know how I will sleep tonight. This park is having a craft show tomorrow at 8:00 am, I was hoping to take some of my incense as I didn't have a sale at my site last Saturday because of the weather. If I manage to get out of bed in time, I will take a few things to the Family Center. It got up to 77 here, it always means a cold front is coming! Too hot for this time of year. Hard to believe Christmas is just around the corner.

I Can Stay!!

My membership in Thousand Trails is one that allows me to stay in a park for 14 days, then I have to be out 7 days. I think there are different memberships, one I know you can stay for 3 weeks, then out 1 week. I talked to the park manager today about extending my stay as I can't move! She was very nice, and told me not to worry, I already had enough stress and problems. I can stay as long as needed, I will have to pay my electric. I happen to be on the only 50amp service in this row! Go figure, anyway it is $3.00 a day, so that is not so bad! The manager is even going to allow Jason, my repairman, to use their "maintenance barn" when the time comes to replace my roof. I think that is so nice. God is looking out after me! Now, I have to find a place to stay while he replaces the roof. They do have cabins here for rent, at $88.00 a night! I will have to go stay with friends, or relatives.

I went to the post office, and grocery store also. I am worn out. I think stress, but my bones hurt! It has been very cold here, and I turn my electric blanket on, and my electric heater in the bedroom, then wake up too warm! The furnace is set at 55, and didn't come on at all last night. It was chilly this morning and I turned it up to about 60, it ran for about 30 minuets, and never came back on. I think I am getting used to being "cool".

I tried to take a picture of my rig, but didn't get the roof, the sun was in my eyes. Maybe earlier in the day, I will try again.

All and all it was a good day!

Not doing a lot!

I really haven't done a lot today. I talked to the insurance company to make sure my RV repairman had faxed them the estimate. They did not have it, so that meant getting in touch with Jason's Mobile RV and make sure they had sent one. His wife does the bookwork etc. and she told me she had sent it, but would send again. I wanted to make sure everyone would send me a copy of all the paper work. I can't get mail here at this park, and to send it to my mail service would take FOREVER, one reason, I don't get mail every day. I usually have my mail forwarded every other week, but lately, I have been having it once a week. It takes two days to get here from Livingston, TX. I use Escapee's mail forwarding service. They are good, and not very expensive.

Welcome to my new readers The Bayfield Bunch. I follow your blog also!

Then I decided to look at apartments on line. I looked in my old area, Crowley, Burleson and Ft.Worth, Texas. I did find some that weren't too bad looking, and in my budget. But, when I saw swing sets, and sand boxes, my heart just said no,no,NO!

I raised four children, I have 12 grandchildren, I think at last count 17 great grand children. I just don't want to be around kids 24-7! The apartments looked to have three floors. I remember how my mother-in-law complained about her upstairs neighbors stomping around, and they complained to me, they could hear her crying. She said it was the TV. My RV is looking better and better, even if I have to live in it for a while. I have everything I need. If I owned a house, I would have repairs. People say, get an apartment, so you are not responsible for the repairs. I know that you can not always get the management to do the repairs. I guess if I ever get the RV ready to move, and I don't like where I am living, I can hook up and leave! I wouldn't have a lease to worry about. So, in a word I wasted the whole day, mulling over things I had already decided!