Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, Texas – December 16-22, 2013

Next week is Christmas—already! Where has the year gone?

We've certainly enjoyed our time away from the snow and cold currently hitting the North country (Minnesota specifically), although it has been quite cool during the night hours, getting down to the upper 30s and low 40s. The sun is very intense here, even though the temperatures may not reach higher than the mid-60s. Temperatures started in the high 30s Monday morning, but by Friday the morning temperature was in the mid-60s. Go figure!

A few weeks ago by chance we met a couple while having breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants here, Carolyn's Turtle Bay Café, and over the weeks since we've stayed in touch. Polly belongs to a  women's organization that provides over 300 Christmas gifts for underprivileged children in Aransas Pass, Texas, just 15 miles from us. So on Monday I spent a couple of hours wrapping gifts and meeting Polly's friends Nancy and Linda. Then, on Wednesday Dick and I were invited back to a cookie exchange at the same home, where all the gifts were being dropped off, and cookies were being packaged for the children. Any cookies left would be shared among the participants. (I did not participate in this cookie exchange, as we were having one in our park on Thursday.)

Tuesday brought a day of beautiful sunshine and temperatures in the mid-60s.  It was nice enough to sit outside and introduce friends Karen and Steve (from Wisconsin), and Bob and Sharon (from Missouri) to our favorite game—Pegs and Jokers! We spent a couple of hours outdoors at the picnic table, and by the end of the afternoon men and women were tied: 1:1. Such fun—and I know they want to play again!  Whoohoo!

As I mentioned earlier, Dick and I spent time at the cookie exchange in Aransas Pass on Wednesday morning, where we met and spent most of our time talking with Phil and Pam (from Rockport), and Paul and Betty (also RVers, but who own homes in Texas, and one on a lake outside Sacramento, California). What a fun time! The day was beautiful, with temperatures in the low 70s and plenty of sunshine. The home has a covered outdoor patio out back that opens up onto a waterway, so guests mingled inside and out. Mimosas were served out on the patio. I'm guesstimating that there were close to 75 people there. Four specialty cakes were raffled off, too, so there was quite a bit of action. This home is situated on a waterway in Aransas Pass, and I thought you'd enjoy seeing photos of the home, as well as the happenings there.

Back of home with covered patio.

Walkway from covered patio to waterway.

Fish and partridge hanging in the family room.

Sailfish hanging above the patio doors.

The "cookie table" -- not all the cookies had arrived yet!

The 4 raffled cakes.

Rose, in red shirt, won one of the cakes. Congratulations!

That afternoon I did laundry, but enough of that! It was happy hour at 4 p.m., followed by dinner at the clubhouse that evening, where we were served turkey pot pie with biscuits and mashed potatoes, cranberry jello salad, and fruit cake with a whiskey-butter sauce for dessert. Yum-Yum!

Bay View RV Park cookie exchange ladies.

Thursday afternoon was the cookie exchange here at Bay View so that morning I made "Kris Kringle" cookies, which are really nothing more than chocolate chip cookies but substituting the regular chocolate chips with white chocolate chips, chopped pecans and dried cranberries. (Thought I'd try to make them a bit healthy—ha!) About 14 women participated, so I came home with lots of different kinds.

Walks along Fulton Beach Road bring smiles to our faces, especially when we see egrets, blue herons and the occasional turkey vulture. Even the fog doesn't deter us.

Friday's walk was rather foggy, but we still were able to capture photos of these magnificent creatures. We also saw butterflies and turtles along one of the RV park ponds.

Dick was able to get within about 20' of this turkey vulture.
Quite exciting!

Saturday I decided to make chocolate covered cherries, in keeping with tradition here in our household during Christmas holidays. They were quite a hit with folks during our little neighborhood "happy hour" at Karen and Steve's. Also joining us were Larry and Terry (from Michigan), and Art (from Wisconsin). It was another beautiful afternoon, with sunshine and warm temperatures.

Dick took a motorcycle ride one day this week, and saw this geodesic home. Cool, huh! It wasn't quite completed when we were here last spring.

Pastor Scott Jones asked a question during his message at church on Sunday: "Has Christmas become ordinary?" Have we become so complacent and focused on the materialism of Christmas that we forget what the holiday is really all about? Why did the Almighty Creator of the universe allow himself to be humiliated and experience life as one of us?  It comes down to "grace"—God's serious expression of "love." I know you would enjoy listening to his message, which includes a bit of humor, so please take a few minutes to do so.  http://fbcrockport.net/online-sermons/ 

That afternoon we spent time at the clubhouse for the ice cream social, followed by a rousing game of Pegs and Jokers with Bob and Sharon (whom we mentioned earlier), Marty and Steve (from Michigan), and Gary and Pam (from Oregon). The gals against the guys…sorry to say the gals didn't come out on top this time. There's always another day to play!

Wanted to share my Christmas gift with you: "Drew" walking shoes! Now, you're always walking with me, Joe and Michelle!

As we head into Christmas week, we encourage you to remember the real reason for this season—the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who provides eternal salvation to all who trust in Him.

Have a warm, wonderful, blessed Christmas. Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Love,

RJ and Gail