Monday, November 24, 2014

Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, Texas – November 17-23, 2014

Monday morning welcomed us with temperatures in the high 30s. Brr! So, even though it was chilly and really windy, we decided to venture out for breakfast at Whataburger, followed by errands around town. This included seeing “Interstellar” at Cinema 4 in Rockport.

Interstellar is a look at Earth’s future when a global crop blight and huge dust storm make our planet uninhabitable. Michael Caine plays a brilliant NASA physicist who is working on plans to save mankind by transporting humans to a new home in another solar system through a wormhole. Matthew McConaughey plays a former NASA pilot who leads a team of researchers, including Anne Hathaway, through the wormhole and across the galaxy to find a potential new home. It’s a pretty good flick, although long: almost 3 hours.

That evening we were invited to dinner at the motorhome of Pam and Gary from Oregon, to thank us in advance for taking care of their black lab, Luci, when they go to Pregresso, Mexico on Wednesday. We dined on salmon filets (caught by her brother from the Columbia River on the West Coast), fresh asparagus, rice pilaf, and luscious crusty cheese biscuits. YUM-YUM!!! What a wonderful evening! Thank you, dear friends.



Then came Tuesday... Again, it was chilly in the morning with temps dipping to the low 40s. I attended the weekly “Stitch and B…” session in the morning and Dick went to work in the office. Later that afternoon, when it had warmed up considerably we walked along Fulton Beach Road. Gorgeous! We saw an egret, a blue heron, and met Pam and Gary with Luci as they were walking, too. Dick also took photos of some of the turtles in our park (they weren't cold-stunned).






Caller-Times, the newspaper from Corpus Christi, reported that, due to the cold, over 140 cold-stunned turtles were being cared for at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK). While most of them were Atlantic green sea turtles, also rescued was one loggerhead and one endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. Young green sea turtles, living along the Texas coast, forage on algae and seagrass. Temperatures in the shallow waters can drop rapidly, so combined with plummeting air temperatures and high winds it’s a recipe for disaster for reptiles unable to control their body temperature.

 “With very cold water temperatures, 50 degrees or lower, turtles become immobilized,” says Donna Shaver, chief of the division of sea turtle science and recovery at Padre Island National Seashore. “They float on the surface or they are blown ashore by winds. In this condition, they are defenseless and, if not rescued, generally will perish.”


Now that the temperatures are again on the rise, these turtles are being released back into the warming waters. Thankfully, reports said only 5 turtles that didn’t make it. (As a side note, the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle decided he wasn’t quite ready to be released as he turned around heading for shore again, so an attempt to release him will take place at a later date.)


Wednesday we did some dog-sitting for Pam and Gary’s Luci, and for friends Bob and Sharon’s 2 dogs: Shane, a yellow lab, and Furby, a Bichon Frise, as the 2 couples boarded a local tour bus for a day trip to Pregresso, Mexico. We took all 3 dogs on a long walk that morning and, I think, wore them all out. They were pretty happy to get home! At least we didn't have to walk them in freezing weather!


That evening was another dinner at the clubhouse following happy hour. There were almost 30 for dinner that night. That night we had parmesan crusted chicken breasts, pasta, salad, and tiramisu cupcakes. Again, I say, YUM! Thanks to our new chef, Betty Peachey, we’re not going hungry—at least that night!

By Thursday, a definite warming trend was hitting the Coastal Bend of Texas. Temps were already in the high 50s when we greeted the day, but it was raining, and was due to continue raining throughout the day. We trekked to a local laundry following a takeout breakfast from Whataburger. Friends Bonnie and Jerry from our park were already there, so we chatted with them a while. That evening we played Pegs & Jokers with Bob and Sharon, Bill and Carol, and Gary and Pam. Women tied with the men, 1:1.

The warming trend was continuing: 65° Friday morning at 7 a.m. After breakfast, while Dick worked in the office, I went into Corpus Christi with friends from the park, Marty and her sister Mary. We hit Hobby Lobby and Joann’s, followed by soup and salad at Olive Garden. We were home by about 2 p.m., in time to hit happy hour at 4 p.m. Marty’s husband, Steve, and another fellow from the park, Tom, provided a bit of background music on their guitars, which added a bit of ambiance. Thanks, guys! They’ve asked me to play along on a keyboard—we’ll see…

Saturday brought the threat of heavy thunderstorms throughout the day, but that didn’t deter folks from attending the monthly craft fair in our clubhouse. About a dozen camper vendors from the park participated, selling everything from jewelry, quilts, dishcloths and coasters, to scarves, afghans, decorative items made from sea shells, pillows, and even home-made tamales. And…we happily purchased the warm cinnamon rolls offered from the kitchen by friends Ed and Angie. YUM!

Later, Dick continued to work in the office for a while that day, and I worked on some knitting back at the camper. And then the rain, wind and severe thunderstorm hit. Lightning and thunder abounded for hours that evening, and rain!

Sunday, we again attended the 8:30 service at First Baptist Church of Rockport. Pastor Jones spoke from Isaiah 11, continuing the series on the birth of Jesus. His 2 points were: 1. the birth of Jesus reminds us that God is in the business of redeeming people and circumstances from hopelessness, and 2. the birth of Jesus is the beginning of God’s Kingdom invading our world, bringing reconciliation and wholeness to a broken world. Here’s the link to his sermon. It’s worth a listen. www.fbcrockport.sermon.net.

We headed to Caroline’s Turtle Bay Café for breakfast, after a quick stop at Walmart. We shared our table with Robert and Margery from Victoria, as tables are a premium there because the place is so small. We enjoyed meeting them, and our conversation which centered around full-time RVing. It’s always interesting to find that people are so enthralled with our choice of living on wheels.

The day was absolutely beautiful, following the severe thunderstorm from the night before. Temperatures hit almost 80° that afternoon, with a light breeze, clear blue skies and no clouds…the perfect Texas day. We met friends at the clubhouse for the ice cream social that afternoon a 2 p.m. followed by 3 games of Pegs & Jokers with Bill and Carol and Gary and Pam. I don’t want to talk about the outcomes, but the men took all 3 games—although, they were very close games.

Dick attended his conversational Spanish class Sunday afternoon. I’m expecting to hear great things coming from his mouth soon!

A few years ago I made an afghan with needlework lighthouse patterns I created from images on the back of a t-shirt Dick had. The afghan fabric is a pre-woven even-weave fabric I purchased, then put the counted cross-stitch/embroidered lighthouses on it from the patterns I created. I backed it with a soft fleece, so it's got some nice weight to it--and it's completely washable. I'd like to sell it, as lighthouses aren't my thing. It measures about 40x50, and all the lighthouses are from Forida and the southern east coast. I know I won't recoup my time, but I did it for the challenge. I'd like to sell it for at least $150 if possible. If you or anyone you know would be interested in it, either for yourself or as a gift, let  me know. Here are some photos of it so you'll have an idea of what it looks like, and can see the work I put into it.








Well, that’s it for this week. Hope all is well with you, and that you will be spending a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving with friends and family. I know we will!


Hugs and blessings,

RJ and Gail


Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Rockport, Texas – November 10–16, 2014

The polar vortex has hit Texas! With the exception of one day last week, the morning temperatures haven’t registered above 45°, and not much higher than 57° as a high. Brr! And, it’s been raining and windy, too, which hasn't allowed for much outdoor time. So, that said, it was a good week to read, knit, and do indoor stuff in our unit or at the clubhouse. Oh, and since we spend almost 6 months here in Rockport I had some baseline medical stuff done (we were fortunate to find a clinic/doctors taking new patients). We’re good for another year.

Tuesday, I did attend the weekly “Stitch and B…” session, with ladies from the park. There were 10 ladies knitting, crocheting, quilting, beading, etc., for about an hour. It was good to catch up with everyone since we last saw them, and to meet new folks.
Betty Peachey

The wind and temps Wednesday prohibited us from being outdoors much, but we did attend happy hour at 4:00, followed our first weekly dinner at the clubhouse, prepared by our new chef, Betty Peachey. Betty is a self-taught culinary expert, having started a very successful restaurant, The Coldwater Café, in Tipp City, Ohio. Before retiring she also operated a very successful bed and breakfast in the same town, called "La Bastide Bette." Her flair for decorating, gardening, entertaining and cooking has made her the perfect choice for Bay View RV Resort. Betty’s first meal was comfort food: meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli, rolls, butter, crudité and dip, and some of the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten. Yum-yum! Pretty good eatin' for $6.00 per person!

Thursday’s weather brought more of the same: 38° at 7 a.m. Yuk. Although, I must say it’s better than being back up north with the cold and snow they’re experiencing! Dick and I ran errands, and after dinner headed to the clubhouse for an evening of Pegs & Jokers with friends. Women: 2, men: 1. Woot-woot!

40° welcomed us Friday morning. And the wind! We had our first “burgers ‘n’ dogs” lunch at the clubhouse, after-which Dick worked in the office for a while before happy hour at 4 p.m.

A blue heron's reflection, taken in the
drizzle with a phone.
Saturday morning I went to “Christmas by the Bay,” in nearby Aransas Pass at the Civic Center, with friends Pam and Sharon. We strolled through displays of gifts, gourmet food, jewelry, accessories, clothing, Texas handmade items, wine, and so much more. Yup, we did our share of helping the economy!


Sharon and Pam at Christmas by the Bay


After, we stopped at Shempy's Grill in Rockport for a quick lunch. Open Monday through Saturday makes this a locals’ favorite for all things seafood, Cajun and American. Since there was a potluck at the clubhouse that evening we ate light: pinto bean and ham soup, silver dollar crab cakes, chili, and cornbread. Yum-yum! (We ate there last year; the hamburgers are fabulous! It’s worth a stop.) Although the place is small, with about 8 tables indoors and the same outdoors, it’s one of the best places to eat that we've found.


On the way back to the RV park we stopped at Rockport Market Days, a venue that offers over 100 vendor booths, great food and music all day--usually. However, that day the weather was cold and drizzly, and since it's located near Rockport Beach Park, it was particularly cold and damp. By the time we arrived there wasn't much going on, but there were still a few booths open, so we wandered through quickly, but left within 20 minutes. It was just too cold to be out. Pam did try on a hat offered by one of the vendors, but didn't buy.

Pam and Sharon at Rockport Market Days
Later that day we attended happy hour at 4 p.m. in the clubhouse, followed by the first pot luck of the season. I think everyone was thinking warm and comfort food, as there were tons of casseroles, and just a few desserts; no salads, with the exception of deviled eggs. We did not come away hungry! I made mac & cheese with browned braut slices. Yum-yum! 

Had to add this photo: Bob's t-shirt says, "I'm Not Antisocial,
I'm Anti-Stupid."

Afterward we played Pegs & Jokers, but the women didn't do well at all. Men: 3, women 0. Dang!

L to R; Carol, Gary, me, Bob, Pam
L to R: me, Bob, Pam, Bill, Sharon
Dick and I attended First Baptist Church of Rockport on Sunday morning, where Pastor Jones spoke from Isaiah 9:1-7. The birth of Jesus means that God and His grace comes to us in the darkness of our lives and circumstances. It also means that God is passionate about redeeming our lives and is not apathetic about our sin. Here’s the link to his sermon(s): www.fbcrockport.net/online-sermons/ 

That afternoon we attended the ice cream social at the clubhouse, followed by Pegs & Jokers. The ladies did a bit better this time; we tied the guys 1:1. And, Dick again attended his conversational Spanish class held at the church.

Ed, dishing out the ice cream.
Dick ran across this video clip of the world’s most extravagant motorhome, and the most economical. We will not be purchasing either… Click on this link to view.

Hope this finds you well, and enduring the cold and snow, if you’re living in an area of our country where winter came early. We’re due for a bit of a warming trend by this coming weekend, so we hope that sticks around for a while!

Hugs to you and yours,


RJ and Gail

Monday, November 10, 2014

Fredericksburg, Texas to Rockport, Texas - November 3-9, 2014

 Monday was our last day in Fredericksburg, spending it quietly, doing preliminary preparation for our departure Tuesday morning for Rockport, Texas, our final destination for this year. I also spent time getting ready for our dinner with friends Ron and Kathryn. We hosted a dinner that evening, with a real fall theme: cranberry glazed chicken with rice, baked sweet potatoes, caprese skewers, pumpernickel rolls, and baked blooming apples with vanilla ice cream. Need I say, YUM??? This was followed by a couple games of Pegs & Jokers; unfortunately, the men won 2 of the 3 games we played. (You’d think that after I slaved over this meal the guys would’ve been a bit kinder. Huh…)

Kathryn and Ron invited us to their place for breakfast Tuesday morning, before we hit the road. What a treat! They served bacon, eggs (to order!), English muffins, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee. It was the perfect meal to fortify us for our trip. YUM-yum!!! Thanks, guys!

With a little over 230 miles to go, we hit the road about 9:45. The day was perfect for driving: a bit overcast, light winds and light traffic. Even driving through San Antonio wasn’t an issue. We did hit wind about 30 miles from Rockport, but even that was manageable. Along the drive we passed exotic animal sanctuaries so we saw lots of zebras and camels in the fields—totally unexpected! 

We arrived to Rockport and Bay View RV Resort at 2 p.m., spent a bit of time in the office catching up on what’s going on in the park, and got settled in our site by about 3:30. Friends from last year, Bob and Sharon, are once again parked across from us and they welcomed us with open arms.

Bay View entrance and adult clubhouse

Family clubhouse exgterior

Family clubhouse interior

Family pool

Our site, #514
We all headed to our first happy hour of the year at friend Robin’s new home (a park model) just down the road from us. It was so good to see everyone again, and meet new folks, some here for just a while and some for the season.





Afterward, other friends from the park, Gary and Pam, joined Bob, Sharon, Dick and me for dinner at Panjo’s Pizza for dinner that evening. We spent a couple hours eating and laughing, sharing stories of our travel experiences over the past few months since we last were together. Such fun, and I’m sure other pizza patrons wondered what in the world we were laughing about the entire time we were there.

Wednesday brought rain, rain, rain…but that’s OK because Texas is still suffering from drought, as I mentioned last week. We took advantage of the inclement weather to do laundry, but not before we hit Whataburger for breakfast. Yup, it’s good to be back in Texas! Dick spent time working in the office, and then we headed to the clubhouse for yet another happy hour, seeing more friends whom we’ve gotten to know over the last couple of years, and meeting more folks. Winter Texans are arriving almost daily—it’s so good to see them all again!
Anastasia's 1st birthday!

Wednesday was our newest granddaughter, Anastasia’s first birthday! She is growing sooo fast! I love the excuse to make baby stuff. I made her a baby afghan and sweater for those winter Tahoe days.

We woke Thursday to still more rain, which had continued all through the night. Running through the raindrops we ran some errands, and returned to the park so Dick could spend some time in the office. I stayed at the camper doing what I do… (Dick often wonders what exactly that is…ha!)

By Friday the rain has subsided with just a few showers now and again. While Dick worked in the office again, I went to a local clinic to establish a relationship with a medical professional here in Rockport since this is where we spend the better part of a year. That’s one of the issues that needs to be addressed if you’re considering becoming a full-time RVer. You need to decide what you’re going to do about a doctor, a dentist…and of course a hairdresser.

That evening we spent time at the clubhouse playing Pegs & Jokers with friends Bill & Carol, Gary & Pam, and new friends Ron & Pat. The women aren’t doing too well this year; the men took both games. Dang!

By Saturday morning the rains had shifted to the Gulf, the sun was shining, the temperatures had climbed to the mid-70s, and it was beautiful! After breakfast Dick and I walked along the water for about an hour, reacquainting ourselves with this part of Texas. The only birds we saw were seagulls (of course), pelicans, a blue heron and an egret. Nevertheless, we are so happy to be back here. 

Blue Heron
Pelican
Egret
Beautiful hibiscus along our walk

As we were walking back to our site, we met Don and Ed (Bay View work campers), so we had to photograph them. Don had his cap specially made--he's in charge of all the maintenance work campers.)


Ed (left) and Don
Friends Bob and Sharon were out walking their 2 dogs, Shane and Furbie, so while talking with them we decided to drive across the bridge to Lamar for lunch, where they were also having their market days at the new fire station. Not much to see/desire/buy, but man, the BBQ brisket sandwiches were so good! They pretty much filled us up for the rest of the day as far as meals were concerned.

Shane (lab), Furbie, Bob and Sharon
Bob and Sharon had just purchased another new RV (3rd brand new one since last year), so we spent the rest of the afternoon at their place watching football on their outdoor TV. (When they arrived here last year they had just purchased a brand new pull-behind trailer and new truck. After seeing our 5th wheel they traded in their trailer and truck on yet another new truck and 5th wheel. We gave them such a hard time after that, but that didn’t deter them—this year they show up in a brand new 43’ Newmar motorhome, towing their 3-year old car. Good grief…I asked Bob what was next: a space shuttle???)

Sunday’s weather didn’t disappoint us. We woke to sunshine and temps in the md-50s. Even though the thermometer didn’t register a high temp, the sun is pretty intense, making for another beautiful day. We attended First Baptist Church of Rockport’s 8:30 a.m. service where Pastor Scott Jones spoke on the Old Testament scripture found in Isaiah 65: the choices we make today will reflect where we spend eternity. This is a real world; we have real choices to make. These choices have cosmic consequences, and the reality to come will reflect those choices. How we respond here will be reflected in the world to come. Here’s the link to his powerful message. http://fbcrockport.net/online-sermons/ 



Caroline’s Turtle Bay Café beckoned us for breakfast, so we just had to stop on the way home from church. Dick had Turtle Bay Toast, eggs and bacon, while I had her wonderful corned beef hash, with eggs and rye toast, toasted dark. YUM-yum!





RJ helped Butch and Laura with Wi-Fi connectivity problems and Marge print a family photo. Always a computer issue to track down. Following a bit of rest we played Pegs & Jokers at the clubhouse, with Bill & Carol, Bob & Sharon, and Gary & Pam. Women and men tied, at 1:1.( C’mon gals…!!! We can do it!)

Dick left the game at 3:30 to attend a conversational Spanish class, being held at First Baptist Church of Rockport. After the game I spent some time with friends Marty and her sister Mary while waiting for Dick to return. I was anxious to hear how the class went…he learned a few words, but feels he has a long way to go to develop some proficiency. Others in the class were more advanced than he. Guess we’ll see what happens next week.

Although this week was light on activities and photos, we wanted you to know that we arrived at our final destination safely.  We hear that the winter will be cooler and wetter than years in the past, so we’re just hanging on to the hope that there will be many days of sunshine, too. As I write this, the temps today should be in the low 80s, but dipping to the low 60s by mid-week before they start to climb again. The cold front coming through by Tuesday evening is supposed to bring more rain, but that’s OK. The ponds are so low…

That’s it for this week. Hope all is well on your end.


A = Cloquet, MN
B = Washburn, WI
C = Eastport, MI
D = Buchanan, MI
E = South Charleston, OH
F = Terre Haute, IN
G = Carterville, IL
H = Saulsbury, TN
I = Arkadelphia, AR
J = Bridgeport, TX
K = Fredericksburg, TX
L = Rockport, TX






Hugs,


RJ and Gail