Bay View RV Resort – Rockport, Texas – April 18-24, 2016

Our time here in Rockport continues to grow shorter. Just 6 short days from now we’ll be doing our final packing and heading out. These past 5½ months have gone so quickly. Many of our friends have left for home—or other parts of the U.S. for the summer. Some will be leaving later, and some staying year ‘round. We all do plan to return in the fall.

Temperatures were pretty consistent this past week, starting out in the high 60s or low 70s, with high temps in the mid-80s. Many days were cloud-covered in the morning, but clear and cloudless skies in the afternoon. Humidity cooperated, in that many of the days it didn’t get above 55%. Perfect! Thankfully, the rain that hit Houston veered north and east of us so we received just under 2” rather than the deluge that we expected.

Dick worked a few hours almost every day. Knowing we’d be leaving soon, he wanted to make certain there weren’t any loose ends. I continued Yoga on my own a couple of times. (I figured 2-3 times per week were enough for now.)

Texas Hold ‘em continued to draw folks throughout the park. And…Dick continues to play Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. So far, we’re not getting rich on it…ha!

Monday Dick and I had dinner with friends Bonnie and Jerry at one of our favorite restaurants, Paradise Key, located just south of Rockport along the Gulf. The day had been rainy and stormy, but we had a break in the action as we went to dinner.  We dined on Mahi Mahi and chips, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, shrimp alfredo, and shrimp teriyaki. Such good times with such good friends!

I attended Tuesday’s Stitch & Bitch session, with 4 other friends. There’ll be just 1 more get-together before we leave. We determined that we should have a project that would draw others in from the park who don’t do crafting, so we chatted about that for a while. The project will be crocheting mats for the homeless in Corpus Christi. Those who don’t crochet can donate clean plastic grocery bags and cut them up for use. It takes about 1,000 bags for a mat 3’ x 6’—we’d better start collecting now!

That evening we had dinner at Panjo’s Pizza with friends Steve and Marty, Tom and Joy, and Lynda. Again…such good times with such good friends. Steve and Marty, and Lynda will be here year ‘round, with the exception of a couple of months in the summer. Tom and Joy left Friday for home in northern Minnesota.

Wednesday, while I did Yoga, and before Dick went to work, he walked the park and Fulton Beach Road. Apparently, there was quite a bird convention in the back pond in our park.

That evening was Texas Hold ‘em for him, and an evening of knitting for me.

Friends Ron and Kathryn (from Fredericksburg, Texas, and whom we met our 2^nd year in Grand Portage, MN) arrived for a 10-night stay on Thursday. We arranged for them to have a site almost directly across from us. So good to see them again, and we plan to do quite a few things with them while they’re here.

That evening the 4 of us went to the Oyster House for dinner. Ron loves oysters, so he had his fill with 3 orders (it was all you can eat night)! Kathryn and I had fried shrimp, and Dick had shrimp Alfredo. Yum!

Afterward, we went to the clubhouse for an evening of Pegs & Jokers, with Bill and Carole. Yea! Women won 2:1. Yes!

Friday morning was beautiful, with a light breeze, low humidity, and sunshine. Dick and I walked the park and along Fulton Beach Road. We saw Egrets, Herons, Tri-colored Herons and Ducks in the park, and a male Cardinal and female Ladder-backed Woodpecker along Fulton Beach.

Dick then worked on a few things in the camper before happy hour at Bonnie and Jerry’s site. There were almost 20 of us in their back yard swapping stories (we never seem to run out of them!), laughing and talking. Such fun! We will miss them when we leave. 

Dick worked on Saturday for most of the day. Friends Ron and Kathryn had a visit from his daughter and her boyfriend, so we puppy-sat their Yorkie, Jigger. Such a good boy! He spent most of the afternoon outside with me, and later inside atop our couch napping.

That afternoon we had a wonderful visit from friend Joe (who lost his wife Ida to cancer last year), for almost an hour and a half. He shared his plans to travel west, to meet friends he met on a cancer web-site. We wish him well.

Sunday was our last morning at First Baptist Church of Rockport. We’ll miss these services, but are glad we can still hear Pastor Jones on fbcrockport.net/sermons. He continued his sermon series on “God’s Imperfect but Transformed People in and Unbelieving Culture.” This week’s message was taken from 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 3:1; the theme was illumination. The 2 points he made were: wisdom from God is received through the Holy Spirit, not the world; and spiritual maturity comes from applying God’s wisdom to all parts of our lives. Mature believers are illumined by the Holy Spirit and are changed by the cross of Jesus Christ. His question to us was: do we demonstrate spiritual maturity by applying God’s wisdom to our lives, through the Holy Spirit?  Click on the link above to hear it.

After breakfast at home, Dick again went to work before joining me at the clubhouse to play Pegs & Jokers with Bill and Carole, Kathryn, Lynda, Sue and Kristi. Sadly, the women lost 2:1. Ah well, there’s always next year.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for continuing to read our blog—or at least look at the pictures! Stay tuned for more next week!

Hugs,

RJ and Gail

Bay View RV Resort – Rockport Texas – April 11-17, 2016

This was a slow week here at Bay View. More friends left for home, and activities are dwindling. We do, however, continue to play Pegs and Jokers on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and Dick plays Texas Hold ‘em Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. Good thing I knit, which keeps me busy!

Temperatures hovered in the mid-60s to mid-70s in the early morning hours, rising to the high 70s and mid-80s later in the day. Along with these “warmish” temperatures came the humidity which hit the upper 80% range most days. Thank heavens for air conditioning!

Dick continues to walk through the park and along Fulton Beach Road, where he continues to see all manner of birds. Quite a few have migrated north already, but we still have our fair share.

 

Tuesday evening, after pizza at Panjo’s with Marty and Steve, Lynda, Bill and Arleen, and new folks in the park Patrick and Shirley, Dick and I drove to the Rockport Cemetery, to see the wildflowers. We missed the blue bonnets, but these will do.

Then, we drove to the “rookery” behind Spanky’s liquor store to see the nesting Great Blue Herons and Great White Egrets. We certainly weren’t disappointed! Dozens of both entertained us from atop the live oaks.

Across Little Bay in downtown Rockport is an island, also designated as a rookery, where Roseate Spoonbills (and other birds) nest.

Wednesday evening was the last happy hour and dinner at the clubhouse for the season. Chef Betty didn’t disappoint. She served jalapeno poppers stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon; a wonderful chicken casserole; guacamole with a side of chopped tomatoes and lettuce; and tortillas. For dessert we were served fruit pizza, with grapes, mangoes, kiwi, and other various fruits. Yum-yum! Thanks, Chef Betty for another wonderful year; we’re already looking forward to next year!

We ran errands Thursday morning, hitting the laundromat, H.E.B. and Walmart, after first having breakfast at the Family Restaurant. It’s a locally owned and operated restaurant serving down home cooking, and is open only for breakfast and lunch. Good stuff!

Dick worked for a while, after taking the motorcycle out for a 40-mile spin to Aransas Pass, state road 1781, and back to the park along Fulton Beach Road. It was a beautiful day for being outdoors! While Dick worked late into the afternoon, I went to happy hour at Pat and Prescott’s (it’s at their place every Thursday afternoon). That evening we played Pegs & Jokers with Bill and Carole, Lynda, and Arleen. Alas, the men won 3:1.

Friday morning Dick left early for Corpus Christi, for a doctor appointment. We’re both getting our medical care established in this area. He was home in time to join me for burgers at the clubhouse for lunch; then off to work he went. That afternoon we went over to friends, Laura and Butch, for happy hour. 

Rain threatened Saturday, but that didn’t deter 3 of us ladies from going to Rockport’s Market Days in the park along Little Bay. The temps were in the mid-70s, and the humidity was high. Marge, Sue and I shopped for about 3 hours, hitting all the vendors and some shops in old town Rockport, too. Fun!

That evening Dick and I watched the movie “Max”, about a military service dog whose handler, Kyle, was suspiciously killed in action in Afghanistan. Max is a Belgian Malinois, bred as a working dog for detection of explosives, accelerants (for arson investigation), and narcotics; suspect apprehension in police work; and search and rescue missions. (They’re also used by the secret service to guard the White House grounds.) Max is returned to the States because he’s unable to remain in service after suffering the traumatic experience of his Kyle’s death. He’s placed with Kyle’s family, but the only one Max seems willing to connect with is Kyle’s younger brother, Justin. Justin has issues of his own that need dealing with, such as living up to his father’s expectations of him. But with Max’s help, and that of his friends Chewy and Carmine, they uncover the real reason Kyle was killed, and at the same time establish a mutual trust. Justin’s relationship with his father is also healed. Good movie; highly recommended.

We attended First Baptist Church of Rockport on Sunday morning. Pastor Scott Jones continued his sermon series from 1 Corinthians, “Fools for Christ; God’s imperfect but transformed people in an unbelieving culture.” His 2 points were: 1) the accepted wisdom of the secular culture in which we live is not to be used as the standard by which believers live; and 2) lives of the believers are transformed by and conformed to the cross of Jesus Christ. It’s a battle between the eternal and the seemingly more urgent temporal lives we live. His question for us was, “Are we, as believers, shaped more by the foolish wisdom of the world, than by the cross?” His sermons can be heard here.

 

After a quick breakfast at Whatburger, Dick went back to work before playing Pegs & Jokers with Bill and Carole, Sue, and Lynda. Women won 2:1! Dick returned to the office to work for a few hours before dinner. Friends Bonnie and Jerry invited us to their site for a bit of repast that evening, so we sat outside around their fire pit, enjoying one another’s company, ‘til about 8:30. The rain held off so we could enjoy the warm evening.

Even though the activities have waned, we still manage to find things to do. We have just under 2 weeks left here at Bay View before we hit the road for new adventures.

Hugs,

RJ and Gail

Bay View RV Resort – Rockport, Texas – April 4-10, 2016

Last week, I mentioned that the dynamics of the park are changing with the Winter Texans heading home (or to other destinations), and the summer campers coming in. Many of the summer campers come for the weekends only, leaving their rigs in the park. With them come their own decking and stairs, storage units, picnic tables, as well as boats. Because they’re usually here only on weekends, the days in between are very quiet.

This week we bid farewell to Ed and Angie, who are traveling back to Wisconsin and, due to health issues, may not be back in the fall. More friends will be leaving during the coming weeks, as well. And, as a result of Winter Texans leaving, most scheduled activities have been suspended. Weekly dinners will continue through mid-month, as will Friday hamburgers. However, there is no ice cream social on Sundays, much to the disappointment of those of us still here.

Morning temperatures ranged from the high 50s to low 70s this week. The sun warmed up the days to the mid-70s to low 80s quite quickly, and there was always a breeze. We rarely have had to run the AC, other than to cut down on the humidity.

Since there is no scheduled Yoga in the park, I walked with Dick on Monday through the park and along Fulton Beach Road. The park offered much more in the way of bird sightings. We saw Spoonbills, Egrets, Herons, and a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Our own backyard provided photo ops of a Painted Turtle laying her eggs, as well as our resident Red Squirrel.

Thought you’d enjoy this video of the birds in our backpond. Love how they mingle together!

In the afternoon Dick decided to ride his motorcycle about 40 miles around the area, to Lamar, Cape Valero, and other areas. 

He returned in time to head to the clubhouse to play Texas Hold ‘em for a few hours—not as long as he had hoped, as he quickly lost.

We had dinner at Moondogs that evening, with David and Marihelen, and Bill and Arleen. David and Marihelen planned to leave Tuesday morning, so this was our last outing with them ‘til the fall. After, we drove into downtown Rockport to see if we could still see the nesting Blue Herons and Egrets atop the live oak trees, but it was a bit too late in the evening to see many. Dick and I went to say farewell to David and Marihelen at their camper. They've become such good friends so quickly. Sad to see them go, but if all goes well we’ll see them again in just a few short months.

Tuesday morning we rose bright and early, to get ready to go to Mexico with friends Jerry and Bonnie, and Bill and Arleen. We left at 7 a.m. for the 3+ hour drive to Progreso, Mexico, with a stop at Wataburger in Kingsville for a quick breakfast. We made it to Progreso in time for Bonnie’s dental appointment at 11 a.m. Many Winter Texans have their dental work done there—it’s much cheaper there than in the States. The dentists are well trained; most are trained in the U.S. In addition, many medications can be purchased for a lot less than in the States, and eyewear is less expensive, too. We've scouted out the dentists and plan to have work done there in the fall.

Dentists and pharmacies line the streets in Progreso, so it’s easy to find one that fits your needs.

While Bonnie was at the dentist, the rest of us shopped. Dick and I purchased silver jewelry (for us and as gifts), and other miscellaneous items, before heading to Arturo’s for lunch with the gang. Arturo’s is one of the most popular restaurants in the town for Winter Texans, and we’re never disappointed. By the time we had finished eating, we all decided it was time to head home, arriving home by 6 p.m. What a fun day!

Wednesday morning, while Dick walked the park and Fulton Beach Road, I did a Yoga session in our camper, to a DVD. Whew! Here are a few photos of his walk along the beach.

Dick then went to work for a few hours, meeting me at the clubhouse at happy hour time. However, because Chef Betty’s usual helpers had left the park, Dick and I filled in, helping to prepare dinner. We donned aprons and set about our chores. Chef Betty had already prepared the lasagna, so it was salad prep, slicing bread, preparing individual butter portions, and serving the luscious lemon parfait pie. Guess we did OK, because Chef Betty said she’d love to have us help again!

That evening Dick returned to the clubhouse for Texas Hold ‘em. He came home a winner! $14! Whohoo!

Thursday morning, I again did Yoga at home while Dick walked.  This day he saw Turkey Vultures and a Caracara, which is rare in settled areas (usually they’re out in the fields and open ranges). I spent the day working on sweater #6 while Dick worked at the office. That evening was Pegs & Jokers with Bill and Carole (our numbers have dwindled), where the gals took the guys 5:0. Yahoo!!! (It was also the last night for Bingo in the park, ‘til the fall.)

Friday was a beautiful day, and after another Yoga session, I spent most of the day outside working on the sweater (I’m almost done!). Dick spent quite a bit of time working in the office, then returned home mid-afternoon to enjoy the outdoors with me, on our patio.

Saturday morning we woke to wind and rain in the morning. Later the day turned beautiful so I sat outside for a while. Dick worked most of the day again.

First Baptist Church of Rockport was our destination Sunday morning. Pastor Scott Jones began a new sermon series, taken from 1 Corinthians. This message was based on Chapter 1:4-9, on God’s grace and thankfulness. Because of what Christ did for us on the cross, we can be thankful for God’s grace. Because of His grace, we don’t get what we deserve (eternity without Christ) and do get what we don’t deserve (eternity with Christ). And, as believers, we are able to extend grace to others, thus counteracting self-centeredness which is so prevalent in our culture today.  Here’s a link to his message. 

We returned home to breakfast, and then Dick worked for a few hours before Pegs & Jokers at 2 p.m.  Bill and Carole, Alice and Sue played. This time the guys won 2:1 over the gals (Sue played for the guys), but they were really close games. 

Before we close for this week, I wanted to share with you an invitation from my brother, who is actively involved in Minnesota's Teen Challenge.  Here’s his letter.

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         MN Teen Challenge

MN nonprofit #2254401

March 28, 2016

Dear friends,

          I am writing you because Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge needs your help. Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge (MNATC) is one of the largest residential drug and alcohol treatment and recovery program in the state of Minnesota. They offer both short term treatment and long term recovery options in eight strategic locations around the state including the Northland Campus here in Duluth. The 13–15 month faith based recovery program is designed to assist both teens and adults in breaking free from chemical and alcohol addiction. At Teen Challenge, they recognize that chemical dependency impacts all areas of a person’s life. Therefore, it is their unwavering focus to foster spiritual, emotional and relational health in the lives of their residents, providing them with the power to break the cycle of addiction and truly begin again. MNATC has a 75 percent success rate among their graduates, which is off the charts compared to other recovery programs.

          Duluth’s Northland Campus is a 60 bed residential men’s program, and has also started an outpatient program for women and teens. Between 50 and 60 percent of their residents and outpatient clients come from Carlton and St. Louis counties. The majority of their expenses come from charitable donations like yours.

          Minnesota Teen Challenge is holding its 8th annual ‘Fishing Challenge’ which will be held on June 4, 2016 on Gull Lake, near Brainerd MN. and hosted by professional angler Al Lindner. My fishing partner Stuart Nelson and I are entering this tournament (www.mntc.org/fishingchallenge) as team number 51, to raise funds for Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge. We have been the top fund raising team for the last two years. With your help this year, Stuart and I have the opportunity of reaching over $250,000 in donations in the last five years, with 100% going to Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. We trust you will see the need of this local organization, and help support it by sponsoring us with your 100-percent tax deductible donation. We are asking for your help to make a difference for the men, women, and teens of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, who are getting help from Minnesota and Adult Teen Challenge. This could be an opportunity for you to help make a difference. We have an anonymous donor who will match funds that we raise, up to the amount of $30,000.00 so whatever you can do would be appreciated. Most sponsors donate between $300 to $1,000. This would put your company name on our tournament jerseys. Raffle tickets are also available for $20 each. We would appreciate you sharing this information with your associates and friends, and help us support Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. All donations will help.

          You truly can make a difference.                             

Thank you,                                                                              

Rich Brummer and Stuart Nelson

contact: Team 51                                                     

Rich Brummer                     or                  Stuart Nelson                                                 

1571 Brummer Drive                               909 Lyndhurst Bay             Checks payable to:

Cloquet, MN 55720                                 Cloquet, MN 55720            MN Teen Challenge

218-879-2922                                          218-879-8042                            

Send to: Rich Brummer

218-590-1708

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Well, that’s it for this week. Hope this finds you well, and looking forward to summer months with friends and family.

Hugs,

RJ and Gail