Bay View RV Resort – Rockport, Texas – March 23-29, 2015

Time continues to fly by as we enter our last 2 weeks here in Rockport. Thought you’d be interested to know that Rockport, Texas was chosen by readers of USA Today and 10Best as one of the 10 ‘Best Coastal Small Towns’ in the US. It ranked #5! Now that Rockport has been “discovered” we hope it continues to maintain its small town charm. (One of our other favorite places ranked #2.) Here’s the link to the full article: http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-coastal-small-town/

“The full list of winners in the 'Best Coastal Small Town' contest category for 10Best Readers' Choice is as follows:

1. Saugatuck, Mich.
2. Ogunquit, Maine
3. Gulf Shores, Ala.
4. Rehoboth Beach, Del.
5. Rockport, Texas:  Across the Aransas Bay from Corpus Christi, the streets of Rockport are lined with art galleries -- the town claims to have the highest percentage of artists in Texas. The pedestrian-friendly downtown is filled with shops and restaurants, and more often than not, accommodation takes the form of old fashioned motel courts. Windswept oak trees and large swathes of protected coastal wetlands make this section of the Texas Gulf Coast one of the loveliest.
6. Mystic, Conn.
7. St. Michaels, Md.
8. Chincoteague, Va.
9. Ocean Springs, Miss.
10. Duck, N.C.

A big congratulations to our winners, and next time you're planning a trip to the coast, remember that good things come in small packages.”

A trip to historic Victoria, Texas was on the calendar for Monday. First a bit of background on Victoria.

”Victoria County, Texas is where the history of Texas began. French explorer Rene Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle, arrived and established an outpost near the southern tip of present day Victoria County, in 1685, making it the only county in Texas where all 6 flags have actually flown.

LaSalle’s intrusion into Spanish territory forced Spain to reinforce its presence near the Louisiana border with a series of missions and presidios. By the 1770s Spanish missions and presidios had fallen back to Goliad and San Antonio. It would be 140 years from La Salle’s arrival before the Republic of Mexico approved Don Martin de Leon’s request to establish a colony on the lower Guadalupe River, at a place known as Guadalupe Victoria until Texas gained her independence from Mexico in 1836; since then the town has been known as Victoria.

Victoria was among the original 23 counties established by the First Congress of the Republic of Texas on March 17, 1836. The city of Victoria was subsequently chartered in 1839.

Despite the typical problems of Texas settlements during this time (Indians, disease, and war with Mexico), Victoria prospered. Its principle sources of livelihood were agriculture (mainly cotton) and ranching. Following Texas’ independence from Mexico and subsequent statehood, Victoria became primarily an Anglo settlement, growing rapidly during the 1840s and 1850s.

Victoria became a cosmopolitan community in the latter part of the 19^th century. Its newspaper, The Victoria Advocate, founded in 1946, is the 2^nd oldest newspaper in the state. During the 1930s the oil and gas industry emerged as a vital force in Victoria’s economy. Sadly, with the wealth generated from the petroleum industry came the wholesale destruction of some of the city’s grandest structures. Founded in 1980, Victoria Preservation has dedicated itself to the protection and preservation of the city’s architectural heritage.  The Victoria of today is a modern city, but one which has not lost its small town charm. It’s definitely worth a visit.”  http://www.visitvictoriatexas.com/

We dragged Bob and Sharon along with us to explore this lovely little town, located about an hour northeast of Rockport. Our first stop was to the Visitors Center where we obtained lots of interesting stuff on the area. Our first important stop was to eat breakfast, and we were directed to Ramsey’s Restaurant, a wonderful eatery just around the corner from the Visitor Center.

Ramsey’s Restaurant is really a step back in time, and is one of the last old school diners. We were impressed by the wait staffs’ ability to take orders without writing anything down—and getting it right! We stuffed ourselves on omelets, pancakes, French toast, bacon and sausage, along with gallons of coffee. Yum-yum!

It’s said that along with all the locals, State representatives, railroad commissioners, political candidates for governor, cattle ranchers, cowboys, pro baseball players, a retired NFL football coach, movie stars, and country and pop singers have all been spotted enjoying the fare at Ramsey’s.

Notice Buddy Holly's gold record for "Peggy Sue"; it's hanging in Ramsey's Restaruant!

Ramsey’s was established in 1948 by Jess and Minnie Ramsey, who had owned other successful restaurants in Victoria. They were dedicated to serving great food along with excellent customer service. (Yup, on both counts!) Jess passed away in 1968, but Minnie continued their vision. After several attempts at leasing out the restaurant, and never being satisfied with the quality provided by new management, she always took the restaurant back. In 1995, Minnie finally made the decision to sell the restaurant, as long as she could find the right person to take it over and keep up her standards. 

With just a conversation over the phone, the current owner Derel Reaves was curious enough to drive down from Houston to visit the restaurant, on the off chance that this might be the opportunity he was looking for.  After just a few minutes sitting on one of the stools at the coffee shop counter and talking to the customers and staff, it was obvious Ramsey’s was a gem. Everything about it just felt right. From the old 1950’s terrazzo floors, to the coffee shop with the ranchers drinking coffee and gossiping, the volume of people coming in and out, and the ease and flow of a charming country family diner, it was perfect! Derel purchased the restaurant from Mrs. Ramsey, and their friendship and mutual respect continued for many years as they talked business and discussed restaurant management styles. Derel Reaves still owns and runs the restaurant with the same standards began by Jess and Minnie years earlier. And…one of Ramsey’s original cooks, Minnie Goode, is still running the kitchen and is the heart and soul of so many of the recipes that are loved by loyal customers. It’s worth a stop!

Our next stop was the Texas National Zoo, designated the National Zoo of Texas in 1984. Although small, the zoo showcases more than 200 native Texas and exotic animals of over 90 species. In addition, it features educational programs as well as special events throughout the year.

Here are just some of the photos taken at the zoo.

Notice Jasmine, the Macaw: she had been so stressed before she arrived at the zoo
that she plucked out all her breast feathers. Gradually they're growing back and
the handlers are quite optimistic that they'll all come back.

Clockwise from top: American alligators, American badger, Peccaries, Cotton-topped Tamarin

India Blue Peafowls (or peacocks); they were stuttin' their stuff for the Rio Grande Turkey. These birds were
walking free throughout the zoo.

Clockwise: Ruddy Duck (blue bill), Scarlet Ibis, and the lovely Roseate Spoonbills. These birds
were roaming/flying freely through the aviary as we walked through, so we were able to get up
close and personal. Cool!

Clockwise: there were quite a few Emus in the pen, and some were getting up close hoping we had food to share.
The Sandhill Crane is in the bottom right; then the White-tailed Hawk.

Clockwise: Lions, Red-ruffed Lemur, Tiger, Ring-tailed Lemur and a Red Wolf.

Clockwise: 9-ring Armadillo, Burmese Python, Broad-banded Copperhead, Texas Tortoises,
and Spiked Lizards

Clockwise: Barred Owl, Blue and Gold Macaw, Sun Conures, and the Green-winged Macaw

From the zoo we took a driving tour through a part of Victoria’s historic district. Although there are 80 homes and properties on the tour, we were able to see only about a quarter of them before heading back to Rockport.

The homes above were just some on the Historic Victoria Tour. Names
and a description and history of the homes can be found on the link provided above.
Most homes date back to the mid- to late 1800s and early 1900s.

Tuesday I attended “Stitch and B…”—our numbers are dwindling—but we gals still had a great time. This time it was mostly chatting, not stitching or b… Ha! At 11:30 about 30 of us gals from Bay View and a few other RV parks in the area met for lunch at China A, a local Asian restaurant buffet, as a final outing together. What fun! China A has 6 or 7 very long buffet lines offering everything from traditional Chinese and Japanese (sushi) to more American-style foods. We finally waddled out around 1:00. Good food, good memories, wonderful friends.

Later that afternoon we spent a couple of “happy hours” at Steve’s and Karen’s. It was one of the last times we all would be together before they all head home.

Wednesday we welcomed Joe and Ida back from Houston, following her intense treatment at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Her last sessions really took their toll on her, but the prognosis is very positive. Ida still needs to return for a couple more treatments, but they’re here in the park for the next couple of months. Sadly, this means that we say “so long” to Lucy, their adopted cat and our “foster child”, as they’ll now take over caring for her. Lucy is a bit confused and still comes back to us for food but we dutifully carry her over to Joe and Ida to be fed.

That evening we headed to the clubhouse for one of our last Wednesday night happy hours and dinners. Dinner that night was prepared by guest chefs Larry and Pat, who have been here in the park for a few months. (Larry also grilled our hamburgers, hotdogs and fish sandwiches for the Friday lunches.) The menu included fresh spring rolls, egg foo young, egg rolls and ham fried rice. YUM-YUM!!! Of course, this was followed by the obligatory fortune cookies. Good job, guys—we’re looking forward to seeing you in the fall, and more of your culinary goodies!

Top: Guest chefs Larry and Pat from South Dakota
Bottom: Chef Betty teaching us how to make spring rolls 

A trip to the laundry and Walmart was scheduled for Thursday. We try to go 2 weeks without having to do laundry; prices aren’t bad, as it costs us about $10 to wash and dry. Always good to get that out of the way. That evening we played Pegs ‘n’ Jokers with friends Bill and Carole, and Jamie and Annie. Sadly, the gals won only 1 game of the 3 we played. Dang…

Friday was the end of the season happy hour. Almost 70 people showed up to share stories, snacks and memories. An added draw was guest musician Jef Wilson who provided music for listening and dancing. We certainly enjoyed the evening. (I brought lemonade champagne cocktail, which was a BIG hit with everyone!)

“Jef—with one ‘f’—Wilson is a native Texan, now residing in New Braunfels. In the 40 years he’s been in the business of entertaining, Texas has always played a major part in his show. Jef has found the heart of what he loves: Texas music and Texans. His music, as a solo act or with his band, the Rip Tones, can rock your world or take you down a country road. This was his second or third visit to Bay View—folks love him.

Saturday we said our farewell to Bob and Sharon, as they began their trek home to Missouri, with a first stop in Dallas to see her brother. Our section of the park is getting very “empty” as more and more folks are packing up and heading home.

That evening we attended the Easter cantata, “Two Crowns,” at First Baptist Church of Rockport. We brought along friends Marge, and Bea and Mike. It was an evening of beautiful music and the wonderful message of the true story of Easter.

“Two crowns were placed before Him, so different to behold.

Two crowns of different meaning, one of thorns, one of gold.

Two crowns that tell the story of a blameless life laid down.

The King of endless glory must choose between the crowns.

So He gives up all His riches, sets the golden crown aside,

takes up the crown of torment, His royalty denied.

He gives His life to free us, takes our sine an takes our loss,

and in return we give to Him three nails and a cross.”

In past blogs I've mentioned Pastor Scott Jones almost weekly while we're here in Rockport; here's his photo.

Afterward we stopped at Dairy Queen for blizzards, burgers and fries. Yum-yum! What a perfect way to end a perfect evening! It turned out that almost the entire choir showed up there, too, to enjoy a bit of deliciousness!

Sunday morning Dick and I headed to the pool to “catch some rays.” (The Sunday services were replaced with another presentation of the cantata.) With Dick’s work schedule it’s been difficult to spend time at the pool together (although I've been quite often with friends). We spent almost 2 hours there, enjoying the pool, sunshine and chatting with friends before heading back to our coach to clean up for the ice cream social and Pegs ‘n’ Jokers. Sadly, the gals couldn't catch a break, losing all 3 games to the guys. Boo-hoo!

Friends Marty and Steve were planning to leave Monday morning, heading north to their home in Michigan, so Sunday evening about 10 or 12 of us joined them on their patio for a final happy hour (this year) with them. We enjoyed the beautiful late afternoon weather, with temps still in the high 70s, chatting and laughing for a couple of hours. Good times, great friends. We’re all planning to return in the fall for another season together.

Even though our time is short here, we’re still managing to find things to do, and time to spend with good friends. They've all become family to us during these 6 or 7 months spent together.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for hangin’ with us. We love and appreciate you all.

Have a safe and blessed Easter. 

RJ and Gail

Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, Texas – March 16-22, 2015

Time here is quickly coming to an end for many of our Bay View friends. Some have already left for home, and some plan to leave within the next week. Many have plans to return to Bay View next fall, so it’ll be only 6   months or so until we’re all together again.

Last week I neglected to mention that Chevron’s $4Billion Big Foot deep water offshore platform left Port Aransas in the predawn hours. Lit up like a Christmas tree against the black early morning sky, the 37,800 short ton structure passed between the Port Aransas jetties, on its way to the Gulf of Mexico, moving just 1 mile an hour.  This monstrous platform originally set out from Korea, where it was built by the Daewoo Shipping and Marine Engineering Company, arriving in Ingleside, Texas in early March 2013 after a 3-month voyage, where it was outfitted with water production and water injection systems, as well as the mechanical topping of the unit.

The Big Foot platform has the capacity to process 75,000 barrels of oil and 25 million cubic feet of natural gas a day. Chevron estimates that the field where Big Foot will operate has a 20+ year life, and a potential of more than 200 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent.

Eight tugs were required to move Big Foot’s semi-submersible production platform to safely maneuver the rig through the channel between Aransas Pass and Port Aransas to the Gulf of Mexico. (Here’s a video of the actual tow through the channel.) The tow to its final destination 250 miles south of New Orleans would take 8 to 10 days. Once safely anchored to the ocean floor (approximately 5,200 feet below the rig), the offshore hook-up and commissioning work will begin, followed by the development well drilling and completion, with the first oil and gas expected this year.

Quite a few park residents got up early in the morning to travel to Port Aransas to watch this spectacle. We did not. Ha!

Dick found a problem with the truck sensors on our Chevy dually, so Monday he took it in to the Aransas Pass Autoplex, where they found that squirrels had gnawed through the wires to the sensors (which were OK). So, to the tune of almost $300 the wires were replaced, and we’re good to go. Always something…

Tuesday was St. Patrick’s Day. Dick worked; I attended “Stitch and B…” (We didn’t celebrate the day until Wednesday evening at the clubhouse dinner.) At noon I joined 8 of my “Stitch and B…” friends for lunch at Mac’s, a local BBQ restaurant. What a fun time, and the food…YUM!

L to R, top to bottom: Bea, Karen, Bonnie, (Karen's back) Fran,
Marcy, Marty, Susan and Robin

Tuesday night we had heavy, heavy rainfall. The rain continued off and on through the day Wednesday, but thankfully abated in time for us to go to the clubhouse for happy hour and dinner. As I mentioned, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day today with a wonderful dinner of corned beef and cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and a wonderful “green” crème de menthe dessert. Chef Betty did it again! Yum-yum!

Thursday morning we decided to have breakfast at Whataburger followed by a stop at Walmart for a few items before Dick had to head to work. That evening we had dinner with friends Karen and Steve (from Wisconsin) at Vallarta, a local Mexican restaurant. We noshed on home-made chips and salsa, hard shell tacos, and chicken and beef enchiladas. Yum!

After dinner Dick and I headed to the clubhouse for a few rounds of Pegs ‘n’ Jokers with friends Bill and Carole, and Jamie and Annie. Unfortunately, the guys won 2:1 over the gals. The guys say “yeah!” but the gals, not so much…

Friday evening after happy hour Dick and I met my cousin David and his wife Monica (Minnesota) at Moon Dog’s, a local restaurant on the shoreline of Fulton, Texas. Friends Bea and Mike (Missouri) also joined us. What a wonderful evening! We noshed on shrimp brochette, burgers, grouper, chicken and brie on ciabatta, and smoked brisket tacos with mango salsa. YUM! (I can’t stop thinking about those tacos!) David and Monica were in Texas to help Monica’s parents drive their motorhome from Donna, Texas back to Minnesota, and took a few days to visit us here in Rockport and to spent a couple of days in Galveston before heading back to Donna and ultimately Minnesota.

L to R: Monica, David, Bea, Mke

Saturday came more rain—actually, a deluge. Over the past week we’ve received almost 5” of rain, bringing the water levels way up from what it had been due to the drought. We can attest to the water level, as the pond behind our site is almost 2’ higher than what it was when we arrived in November. And, Texas is GREEN! The blue bonnets are in full bloom, as are flowers of all hues and colors. Beautiful!

Sunday we attended First Baptist Church of Rockport, where Pastor Jones continued his sermon series of Spiritual Awakening. This week’s message was taken from Luke 19:1-10 in the New Testament, where Zacchaeus meets Jesus. Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost, initiating relationships with people who don’t know God, calling them to draw closer to him. As a result of Jesus seeking out Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus responds with joy, responding willingly and obediently to him. Pastor Jones’ final questions for us are, “Do we really want change in our lives? God’s plan is to change us, but have we made the proper response to Jesus? Have we limited our ability to perceive and respond correctly to God’s plan?” Here’s the link to his message:  http://www.sermon.net/fbcrockport

That afternoon we attended the ice cream social at the clubhouse, then played a few games of Pegs ‘n’ Jokers with friends Bill and Carole, Jamie and Ann, Bob and Sharon. Gals: 3, guys: 0. Woot-woot! (The guys are crying…boo-hoo…)

That’s it for this week. As the time is growing short, we’re attempting to squeeze in a few things we haven’t done yet this year. Stay tuned for more exciting outings this upcoming week! We leave you with  photos of our foster kitty Lucy as she's taking her daily nap...

and a photo of our 16-month old granddaughter Anastasia walking with her daddy.

Hugs,

RJ and Gail

Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, Texas – March 9-15, 2015

Weather this week was a mixture of warm, chilly, rain, sun, clouds—you name it. Even though temperatures were in the high 50s to low 60s in the early mornings, the days generally warmed to the high 60s to mid-70s. Because we’re closer to the sun here than most other places in the country even 60° temperatures with sun are quite warm.

Monday brought rain, rain, rain, and temperatures in the 60s. By Tuesday the rain had abated but the temperatures were still in the 60s, with clouds and a breeze out of the north that was chilly at times. That did not deter us gals from meeting for our weekly “Stitch and B…” and even though many “Winter Texans” have left for points closer to home, there were close to a dozen ladies attending. 

Quilters, knitters, crocheters, jewelry makers…we were all quite busy for the hour or so we met.

Temps didn’t vary much on Wednesday, and the park was getting pretty quiet. New hires, Jim and Kate, arrived to start their job as park monitors. Both Jim and Kate are from Ohio, and Jim spent 31 years on the Ohio State University campus as a campus cop, so we’re glad to welcome them.

That evening was another wonderful dinner at the club house, preceded by happy hour. Chef Betty manages to satisfy our appetites every week with her culinary expertise. This night was no different. She served about 60 for dinner: pork roast with apricot stuffing, roasted potatoes, onions and carrots. For dessert she made a wonderful raisin cream pie. (I’m not fan of raisin pie, but this was wonderful!) YUM-YUM!

The sun came out Thursday, and although the temp was only 56° that morning, the sun came out and warmed up to the high 60s. No clouds and no wind. Beautiful! That morning Dick and I had breakfast at Whataburger before we headed to the laundromat and a quick stop a Walmart to pick up a few items. That afternoon we entertained Bob and Sharon, and Karen and Steve, for an impromptu happy hour.  Time with them is winding down, as they’ll be heading out of Rockport by the end of the month. Already we’re all looking forward to meeting here again in the fall.

Our 1st shipment of Isagneix

Dick and I decided last week to get in shape and lose weight, so we placed our order for Isagenix products through our daughter Hollee, to help us do just that. Isagenix offers health and wellness product solutions for weight loss, energy and performance, and healthy aging. We’re pretty energetic, and we are aging, so now on to prolonging our lives and weight loss. Stay tuned! (Hollee lost inches and pounds in just 1 month of their 30-day cleansing and fat burning system, so we thought we'd give it a try!)

That evening we met Jamie and Ann, and Bill and Carole at the club house for another rousing game of Pegs ‘n’ Jokers. Outcome: gals = 3, guys = 1. Woot-woot!

We hadn’t gotten to Mexico yet this year, and wanted to do so before we left. Friends Steve and Marty joined Bob and Sharon and Dick and me to trek the 3½ hours to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, across the border from Harlingen, Texas. We left shortly after 8:00 a.m., stopping for coffee in Rockport and breakfast in Kingsville, Texas, arriving in Progreso about noon. Parking is available state-side for $2.00 for the day. We walked across the border, crossing the Rio Grande, to being our day of shopping.

At the border leaving the U.S. and entering Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.
The group photo, left to right: Steve and Marty, Bob and Sharon, me and Dick

As soon as you cross the border and enter the actual town of Progreso, you’re met with dozens of folks hawking the services of dentists and pharmacies—both are found one right after the other as you walk through town. Meds are much cheaper (up to 50%) than in the states, so lots of folks come just for that. And, folks come for the dentistry, which is also much less expensive than in the states. (For example, a crown might cost you $1,200 in the states, and around $200 in Progreso.)

Nuevo Progreso has a population of a bit over 10,000 people, and I think we saw most of them as we walked through town! Vendor booths are set up and down the sidewalks, selling everything from jewelry to clothing, purses and other accessories to hats and food, black market movies to wigs. Crazy. And, it’s not just the grownups selling their wares. Little kids are also involved. Plus, you’ll come across panhandlers occasionally, too. On to shopping… Stores sell pottery, clothing, liquor, foodstuffs, leather goods, Mexican glassware, etc. And, they all accept U.S. currency.

Street scenes in Progreso.

From the shop-progreso.com website, you’ll read:

Great weather during most of winter makes it a must do for the 130,000+ Winter Texans who visit each year.  There's shopping for all kinds of things: boots, booze, furniture, curios, cheap cigarettes, leather, pottery, clothes, and whatever your heart desires and you simply must have. 

Drug stores offer pharmaceuticals at great prices. Many dentists offer their expertise for keeping the teeth and dentures in great shape.

Bite into a steak or seafood or fantastic Mexican food prepared by real Mexicans in fine restaurants.  Enjoy music and ballet folkloric dance while you eat and dance.  Hear street musicians entertain.

Get your shoes shined, hair cut, and sun film on your windows. Stroll the streets while you sip an icy margarita or Corona for prices you won't believe.

After a couple hours of shopping we agreed to meet at Arturo’s for lunch. Arturo’s has been in business for almost 60 years, and we can see why. Touted to have wonderful Mexican food, we scarfed down our share of their fare. We were met with tuxedoed English-speaking wait staff and ushered to a white cloth-covered table. They were proud to announce that they serve only Culligan® water so we would be assured of its purity and safety. The food was wonderful; wish we would’ve had room for more of it! Oh, and with the purchase of a beverage and a meal, the second beverage is free. (Their margaritas are wonderful!)

Lunch at Arturo's. L to R: me, Marty, Steve, Bob and Sharon

Following lunch we made a few more stops, then headed back across the border to the U.S. It costs 50¢ to get into Mexico and 30¢ to return. Covered walkways are a real plus when the sun is beating down. The line to get through U.S. Customs was long; the hallway where we waited was hot and stuffy. We all were tired and ready to head home.

Saturday morning’s weather was 60° and partly sunny. Fresh cinnamon rolls were available at 8:30 for $1.00 at the club house, so that’s what we had for breakfast. The last craft fair of the season began in the club house at 9:00 a.m., and again, I was playing the keyboard as background music. There was a pretty poor turnout due mainly to so many folks heading home from Texas.

Notice my tip jar: even with the poor turnout I netted $22!

Dick walked along Fulton Beach Road while I slaved away at the keyboard…and took the following photos of birds,

Clockwise from top left: Blue Heron, Pelican roosting,
Red Head Ducks, Great White Egret

That afternoon, while I made coconut cream bread pudding for that evening’s pot luck, Dick took off on his motorcycle to take photos of the Rockport cemetery where the Texas Bluebonnets (state flower of Texas) where in bloom. He also went to Little Bay in downtown Rockport to photograph birds.

Texas Bluebonnets, Black-eyed Susans, and Rose Gentians

Clockwise from top left: the "bird pier" on Little Bay in downtown Rockport with dozens of Cormorants,
and White Pelicans, a Great Blue Heron, another Great Blue Heron, and a pair of Mottled Ducks

White Pelicans and Snowy Egrets

Dick liked this photo of a white pelican taking a bath. Ha!

The Rockport cemetery has been in existence for over a century and a half. The oldest grave markers date back to 1874 (Andrew J. Hogan, postmaster of Rockport and co-owner of “The Finish” saloon in Rockport) and 1876 (Emma Fulton, whose grandfather was instrumental in the development of the area and interred in the cemetery in 1893). There are dozens of grave markers from 1918, the year of a devastating influenza epidemic. The cemetery also contains graves of veterans of the Texas Revolution, Civil War, World War I and II, Korea and Vietnam.

The 4:00 happy hour preceded the 5:00 potluck, where almost 60 folks ate to their hearts’ (um, stomachs!) content. This was the last potluck of the season.

Rain showers threatened and the temps were in the 60s as we attended First Baptist Church of Rockport on Sunday morning. Pastor Jones spoke from various passages of scripture (Matthew 16: 13-28, 17:1-7, and Acts 10:9-48), all pertaining to Simon Peter and his “open mouth, insert foot” syndrome, his faithfulness and obedience. The 3 points in the message were that: 1) God revealed to Simon Peter who Jesus was, 2) God revealed what Jesus’ mission was during his life on earth, and 3) God called Peter to respond by trusting and being obedient to Jesus. The final questions to the congregation were: 1) Is it possible that my desires, immaturity and lack of Christ-likeness will work against God’s purpose in my life, 2) what limits have I place on God in my life, and 3) do I want be challenged, stretched and compelled to change and mature in deeper levels of faith and obedience? Here’s a link to the message: www.sermon.net/fbcrockport

That afternoon we enjoyed the ice cream social, followed by Pegs ‘n’ Jokers with Jamie and Ann, Bob and Sharon, and Bill and Carole. Again, the women came out on top: gals = 2, guys = 1. Again, I say, “woot-woot!”

Well, that’s it for this week. Our time here in Rockport is almost over—just another 3 weeks or so before we head north to Minnesota. Thanks for your interest in our lives as we share them week to week.

Until next week, 

RJ and Gail

Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, Texas – March 2-8, 2015

Time is winding down for many of us “Winter Texans,” as some are already starting to pack up for the trek north and home. Friends Bob and Carol from Minnesota left Tuesday morning, hoping to get home by March 8. Marvin and Shirley, and Randy and Jeri left Wednesday for Illinois, making a few stops along the way, to be home by the end of March. Many others will be leaving by the end of the month, for Michigan, Ohio, New York, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Montana...well, you get the picture. We’ve been a bit disappointed with the weather here in Rockport this year, but are thankful we had to put up with only the cold, rain and wind—not snow, ice and frigid temperatures. There’s always next year…

This was a pretty uneventful week, although we did take advantage of the annual Oysterfest, which I’ll cover a bit later in the blog.

Dick continued to work, although not as much as previous weeks, but he did put it a 20-hour+ week. It was nice to have him home all weekend! The weather all week was quite chilly, a bit damp on some days, and then there was the day of wind gusts up to 35+ mph. Brr! Although it may not seem cold to many of you, it sure felt that way to us! We bundled up in winter jackets, hats, gloves, etc., against the north wind, whenever we ventured out.

Tuesday I attended the weekly “Stitch ‘n’ B…” session, with about a dozen ladies. Friend Bea (from Missouri, and whom we met, along with her husband Mike, in Grand Portage, MN in 2012 is here in the park for about 6 weeks. She is anxious to learn to crochet so I spent some time teaching her the basics. She’s a quick study, picking up the stitches easily. I’ll continue to tutor her over the next few weeks.

Clockwise: Randy and Jeri; Jeri, Marvin and Shirley; Bill and Carole, Bob and me;
Dick and Sharon; Sharon and Bob

Earlier I mentioned that Marvin and Shirley, and Randy and Jeri left Wednesday, so Tuesday we met for dinner at a local seafood restaurant, JD’s. Also with us were Bill and Carole, and Bob and Sharon. We noshed on shrimp po’ boys, fish tacos, shrimp tacos, fried fish, and coconut shrimp, along with homemade potato chips, French fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. YUM! Was so fun spending an evening out with such good friends. We plan to stop in Illinois on our way north in April, to see the Illinois gang again.

Wednesday big event was happy hour at the club house, followed by the weekly dinner of marinated chicken, garden salad, rice-cheese-corn casserole, and sour cream apple pie. YUM-YUM! There were close to 50 people there for this wonderfully satisfying and delish meal. Thanks, Chef Betty, for another culinary success!

Thursday evening we played Pegs ‘n’ Jokers with friends Bill and Carole, Jamie and Ann. Unfortunately, the women were getting beat game after game. This night was no different—women:0, men:3. Sad…

Friday, along with friends Bob and Sharon, we headed to Houston to bring the pickup, belonging to friends Joe and Ida, to them. They’ve traded in their Chevy pickup and 36’ 5^th wheel on a Nexus Class C-32P. When Ida is done with her treatments at M.D. Anderson they plan to do as much traveling as they are able, and decided that a Class C was a better and easier way to go. Dick and I drove their truck, while Bob and Sharon followed behind so we’d have a way home. (Good friends!) It’s about a 3 ½-hour drive one way.

Clockwise: Joe and Ida's site in Houston; Ida's hummingbird graphic, Sharon and me with Ida;
Joe and Bob; Joe and Ida's new Jeep.

We spent a little time with Joe and Ida, catching up on their lives, and filling them in on what’s going on here at Bay View. Ida had been the office manager for several years before being diagnosed with cancer, so she was anxious to hear news from the park. Was hard saying goodbye, but they’ll be returning to Bay View within a few weeks for a time, so we’ll see them again before we leave. And…we’re taking care of their “adopted” kitty, Lucy, so we’ll need to transition her to them.

On the way back to Rockport we stopped at Prasek’s Hillje Smokehouse in El Campo, Texas. Prasek's is family owned, and one of the largest employers in Wharton County. With about 45 different smoked meat items, 35 different fresh baked bakery items, a specialty meat market, a full line deli, specialty items, and all types of convenience items for, yup, your convenience! They have a restaurant, gift shop, and ice cream parlor, too. Plus, they sell fire pits, grills, hunting and fishing gear, and tons more. Prasek's is definitely a one stop shop for anything you might need. For you hunters, they even offer meat processing. Check out their website to see all they offer. They also offer online ordering, if anything catches your fancy—or entices your taste buds! 

Prasek's meat case (seems to go on forever!), and their restaurant area.

Oh, the fragrance of smoked meats when you walk through the door!!! We picked up stuffed pork chops, BBQ ribs, and a variety of sample cheeses; Bob and Sharon bought pork steaks and pork chops. Oh, and we had to have Blue Bell ice cream while we were there… YUM-YUM!!! Never a disappointment!

We returned to Rockport in time for Happy Hour at the club house, followed by pizza at Panjo’s. Dick and Bob figured Sharon and I wouldn’t want to cook after our day’s outing… They were right! Panjo’s is the best pizza in the Rockport area, as far as we’re concerned. Yum!

Friend Ed at Friday's Happy Hour.

This past weekend was the 36^th annual Oysterfest in Fulton/Rockport, sponsored by the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department. Money raised goes towards life-saving and fire-fighting equipment, training and maintenance.

Oysterfest is a special salute to the “tasty bi-valve” found in the water around this area. There were oyster shucking and eating contests for men and women, as well as oyster decorating contests. And, there was a huge carnival, which brought hundreds of families and kids to the experience.  In addition, Oysterfest brings vendors from all over Texas, and from as far away as Florida. The vendor tent had exhibits of paintings, leather goods, wooden ware, jewelry, t-shirts and other clothing items, various condiments, candles, etc. There were fireworks on Thursday night, which we did not attend, mainly because it was so cold and windy—it would’ve been miserable. Live music went on Thursday evening, Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday. While we were there the group T. Kay and Bandana Rose were on stage. There was also a parade Saturday morning, which we did not attend this year.

View of Oysterfest and Fulton Harbor
from Charlotte Plummer's

Bob and Sharon went with us, hoping to spend the better part of the afternoon there. Huh. There were so many people attending the “fest” that it was difficult to navigate through the crowds. And, forget about getting anything to eat! The line to buy tickets for either food or beverages was so long it would’ve taken all afternoon to just get to the ticket booth, saying nothing about getting in line for nourishment! We’ve never seen so many people here on Saturday. Our thought was that everyone wanted to come Saturday, to beat the rain coming in over the next few days. Good grief!

Oh, and one other point of interest: they usually shuck over 100,000 oysters for this festival. Good thing someone likes them!

To evade the crowds and fill our tummies we headed next door to Charlotte Plummer’s for a bit of lunch. We got there just in time, as the place filled up shortly after we arrived. Sharon and I dined on lump crab and shrimp nachos, while Bob had coconut shrimp and Dick had a mushroom burger. All-in-all it was a very satisfying experience!

We always turn our clocks ahead (or back) on Saturday nights, and this time was no exception. Morning came awfully early for some reason; it could be because we stayed up a bit too late Saturday night. Took us pretty much all day, and multiple cups of coffee, to help us feel awake and human again. Ugh…

Sunday we attended First Baptist Church in Rockport. Pastor Scott was on vacation this week (Spring break week here in Rockport), so executive and discipleship pastor Jeff Lanningham led the service. His message was taken from the book of Matthew, chapter 14, verses 22-31, where Peter steps out on faith to walk on the water to meet Jesus. Peter displayed faith and obedience when doing so. Then, as he took his eyes off Jesus, Peter began to falter and sink, placing his thoughts on his own circumstances rather than on Jesus. Pastor Lanningham’s final question for us is this: “What would our lives be like if we, like Peter, stepped out of the boat?” Here’s the link to the message: http://fbcrockport.sermon.net/

That afternoon we attended the ice cream social—of course—and then played Pegs ‘n’ Jokers with friends Bob and Sharon, Bill and Carole, and Jamie and Ann. Not much to say, except the gals lost 3:1. The guys want me to give them a “woot-woot” but I just can’t bring myself to do that…

Lucy, our foster kitty, was at the door waiting to be fed when we returned home. She certainly knows where her food source is! Then, as usual, she climbs up on Dick’s lap for a snooze. Cute, eh?

Lucy curled up on Dick's lap

That’s it for this week. As I write this the rain is coming down in sheets; we expect over 2” before today is over, with the possibility of thunder and lightning this afternoon. Thankfully the temperature is in the mid-60s so it’s not cold…just VERY WET!

Thanks for your continued interest in our lives. We love and appreciate you all.

Hugs,

RJ and Gail

Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, Texas – February 23-March 1, 2015

 This was a busy week for Dick. The resort’s owner was still in town (until Thursday), so Dick worked extended hours almost every day. That was OK, as it gave me time to work on some knitted projects that have been hanging over my head.

Weather this week was pretty sketchy. Almost warm, but not quite; almost rainy, but not mostly drizzle; wind gusts often to 20+ mph on a couple days. It’s sweatshirt/sweater/sweats weather. So glad we’ve got our winter gear with us, as the chilly dampness penetrates, and makes for us not wanting to be outdoors very often. We really aren’t complaining though, as we’re faring better than much of the nation. NO SNOW!!!

Our “foster cat,” Lucy, has come to trust us more and more; she’s been spending between 10 and 12 hours indoors with us every night, and even visiting us during the day for a couple of hours. She’s such a little love. Lucy has taken up a perch atop our couch, sleeping there when she doesn’t have access to Dick’s lap. Thanks, Joe and Ida, for letting us care for her!

Tuesday morning I attended the weekly session of “Stitch and B…” with about a dozen other ladies. Some came to knit, some to crochet, and some to just chat. No quilters this week. I was finishing a scarf I was working on for friend Pam, who had given up on this pattern and gave the yarn and pattern to me. She was surprised I completed it for her! Will give it to her when we meet again, either in Minnesota or back here in Rockport next fall.

Later that morning three of us, Marty, Karen and I, went shopping. We hit Sears, Eleanor’s (a little gift/coffee place), Bealls, Castaways (a local thrift shop), and Walmart (groceries, etc.). Then we headed to the Butter Churn (a local buffet) in Aransas Pass for a birthday lunch for friend Terri. We met Terri, her husband Larry, and Treva, a friend of Terri. The 6 of us noshed on everything the buffet had to offer. The Butter Churn prepares food in a home-cooked way, so everything was really good! And, tasted just like home!

Wednesday was happy hour at 4:00 p.m., followed by our weekly dinner at the Family Club House. Chef Betty prepared another wonderful meal of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, grilled asparagus, rolls and butter—and—cherry crunch pie ala mode. YUM! (Guess I should take photos of our weekly fare, so you can drool along with us!)

Thursday morning Dick was out the door by 7:00 a.m. to take the resort’s owner to the airport in Corpus Christi for his return trip home to Dallas. While in Corpus Dick made a few stops to pick up items for the park, so he didn’t get back to Rockport until almost mid-afternoon. While he was gone I made the obligatory trek to the laundry, which took only about an hour and a half for 3 loads. We’re always glad when that’s done.

That evening we met Marv and Shirley, Randy and Jeri, and Bill and Carole for 3 games of Pegs & Jokers. Outcome: women: 2, men:1. Woot-woot! I should mention that while we play Pegs & Jokers, others (up to 40 people) are playing bingo and pool, so the club house is busy!

Friday brought our weekly lunch at the club house; because it’s Lent fish sandwiches were served along with hamburgers. Oven fries were piled high for our taking, too! And then there was the jello mold made with red hots and applesauce! YUM! Chef Betty was selling containers of meatless sloppy joes, too, so I took some home for meals when I don’t feel like cooking. This recipe is also very good as a rice salad. Really good!

That afternoon’s happy hour was a “wine tasting” with snacks to share. There were over a dozen different wines, each supplied by our park campers. About 20 folks joined in, so the wine tasting was really successful. We’ll be doing this again.

Friday evening we celebrated friend Bob’s 62^nd birthday with dinner at Paradise Key restaurant. Located on a bay in Rockport, it has incredible view of the nearby marina, bay, and sunset—when it’s not raining or overcast as it was that night. Folks noshed on fish ‘n’ chips (2 huge pieces of flounder with home-made chips), coconut shrimp, mahi mahi, grilled shrimp, steak, chicken, and more. For dessert Bob was presented with a “Brownie Explosion,” which was actually a HUGE warm brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a cherry—oh, and there were also candles (not quite 62, but enough so we got the idea! Ha!) What a fun evening. Bob received the obligatory sicko birthday cards, so we had good laughs over each one.

Paradise Key

Bob, the gang, and Sharon, Bob's wife

Saturday, while Dick worked for a while, I did catch-up stuff here in the camper. Thankfully, with just the 2 of us there’s not much cleaning to do!

That evening we met Marv and Shirley, Randy and Jeri, and Bob and Sharon at the Rockport Little Theatre for “9 to 5, the Musical.” Based on the 1980 movie, “9 to 5,” it’s the story of 3 women (an overworked office manager, a jilted wife, and a sexy secretary) who conspire to give their domineering and quite lecherous boss the boot, in order to make woman-friendly changes in the workplace. The 3 women discover their boss’s creative financing and embezzling schemes, and make plans to use that against him. In the end the company’s CEO arrives on scene, gives the boss credit for the changes made and promotes him to heading the office in Bolivia, and the office manager is promoted to President. This 2-hour+ play was entertaining, but not quite what we remembered the original movie to be. Good for a night out, though.

 Then, we headed to Dairy Queen to satiate our desire for ice cream. Yum!

Sunday morning we attended First Baptist Church of Rockport, where Pastor Jones continued his series on Spiritual Awakening. This week his message focused on the Old Testament book of Joshua, chapter 14, verses 6-15. Caleb was a man whose obedience, and unwavering and wholehearted faith in God brought tremendous blessing to him and his family, leaving a legacy that was more than material things. At 85 years of age Caleb was a perfect example of what the seniors and elderly in the church should be to others—and ultimately the example we should all be as believers. Pastor’s final question was, “What impact will I have on those around me, and leave behind when I’m gone?”

Rather than eat breakfast out, we decided to head home for scrambled eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, toast and grapefruit. YUM-YUM! We needed sustenance for the afternoon’s games of Pegs & Jokers. We had enough folks for 2 tables: Marv and Shirley, Randy and Jeri, and their friends Steve and Pam were at table A, while Bob and Sharon, Bill and Carole, and Dick and I were at table B. The gals at table A won only 1 of the 3 games they played, while the gals at table B won 2 of the games we played. Woot-woot!

Mom loves to snitch, and this time she snitched the frosting from her birthday cake. At 94,
who's going to argue?? Below Mom, clockwise is my brother Rich and niece MacKenzie
with Mom; brother Ron helping her with packages; cousin Brian showing Mom some
photos of her brother Roger (Brian's dad) and others; Mom enjoying her birthday cake
with brother Ron, Brian and Brian's wife, Susan. Wish we could've been there!

Sunday was also my mom’s 94^th birthday. We were so sorry to not be there for the celebration, but my brother Ron and his wife Debby, my brother Rich and niece MacKenzie, and cousin Brian and his wife Susan were there to make merry.  Here’s a photo of Mom sneaking frosting from her cake. Thanks to all who sent her cards.

That’s it for this week. Time is going so quickly. It’s hard to believe we’re entering our final full month here at Bay View. Then, we begin meandering north to Minnesota, to be there by May 10. Stay tuned. There’s more to come!

Hugs ‘n’ love,

RJ and Gail