ON THE ROAD AGAIN--Travels with Linda and Jim

not much going on

2012-01-25T08:55:00.001-06:00

Our day to day life is pretty routine when we sit still. And when one day runs into another there isn't much to write about. Jim finished his 5 day rotation on Monday and that evening we had a dance to attend. It's an annual thing, 50-60's dance. Jim always wants to go. There are a group of friends who like to change it up and dress according to a theme. This year it was themed to the song 'A white sports coat and a pink carnation'. I must admit they all looked pretty spiffy. It looked like everyone was heading to the prom

Jim and I were the chaperone's for this group and we kept them in line all evening! No smoking, no necking in the corners and definitively no drinking! LOL

Today is my friend Anne's birthday and we have plans to have a fine meal at Hayashi's. It's Anne's favorite restaurant and what better way to celebrate? At last count there will be 19 of us taking up two hibachi tables with two chefs. I should be interesting!

Whirlwind of activities

2012-01-13T13:49:00.001-06:00

Wednesday Jim had a followup appointment about his acid reflux....bad news is he'll be on Nexium for a long while. Since a 30 day supply cost almost $200 we asked about picking it up in Mexico and the doctor said yes. When we left the office we headed to the ATM to make a withdrawal and started towards home. Jim was hungry and I wanted something so we stopped at Jack in the Box. I've never been to one and I probably won't go back. Not much on their menu I want to eat. I did have some pancakes but even Jim could smell how sweet they were and I hadn't put syrup on them!

The weather was gorgeous and we both sat outside reading for a bit. I finally broke down and trimmed Boo's face, the poor little guy could barely see! He really needs to be groomed.

We decided to head into Mexico on Thursday to pick up some Advantix for Boo and Nexium for Jim. Overnight the weather changed. A cold front came through with winds and low temperatures. So we bundled up and left around 1000. We had to make one quick stop for a blood test for Jim, something about his red blood cells and B-12.

I think the forecast was a high of around 58 and that wind certainly was chilly! On the walk across the bridge the back of my head was frozen!

Once on the Mexican side this is what greets you

By now it was close to lunchtime so we just headed down the right hand side of the street telling everyone 'no, gracias' to everything from bracelets, movies, drugs and pedicures!

this lady would not move and I cropped her out in Picassa but here she is!

everyone knows where this is and it's always good for laughs and a cold drink

We headed to the Red Snapper where we know we can get good food with good prices

It's a cheerful, colorful place to hang out!

the menu is quite varied

the staff is polite and well dressed

a mural on the back wall

the entertainment is pretty good too

Jim had a large margarita and I had Dos Equis. I broke down and ordered tamales which came with beans and rice. Jim had a mixed platter of tacos, enchilada and tamale. Chips and salsa too!

As we strolled back towards the border we stopped and picked up the flea medicine which was around ten bucks a dose and stopped at a pharmacia for the Nexium.....100 pills for $23. Each pharmacia says they have the lowest prices but we didn't check to see if that is true

the buildings are so interesting. different colors, different heights

how about a pinata?

this plaza is on the right as you leave Nuevo Progresso is always playing lively music

This morning we were up bright and early for another appointment for Jim. This time the dermatologist. He's got various bumps, tags and moles that we wanted to have checked. She did take a couple shavings and we'll get the results in a couple weeks.

Not sure why we had to be there at 0900 because we didn't see the doctor for about an hour and a half. Since it was lunchtime we stopped at Olive Garden for some soup and salad.

Football, football and more football

2012-01-10T08:44:00.000-06:00

I think Jim and I are about over the colds we caught. My bout with it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I only took meds for two days. Of course Jim didn't have time to be 'sick', he was working. Poor thing, he'd come home and nap. We did a lot of reading while staying indoors and away from everyone. We've heard that 'everyone' has had this cold!

I love this time of year and all the football games! Playoffs can be so frustrating and exhilarating at the same time! The Saints are doing well, but LSU lost the BCS last night to Alabama. Both teams had a great season

Cooler weather has moved in but I don't mind as long as the sun stays out. Today's high will be in the upper 60's. We both like sleeping under the duvet when the nights are chilly.

I finally planted some lettuce in my big planter. Seeds are starting to sprout and soon I'll have fresh lettuce! Amy has a plot in the garden and the lettuce she gave us for Christmas reminded me of how good fresh can be. Jim likes crunchy ice berg and I like leaf so a mixed salad of both is the way to go.

As many of you know, I'm going vegan. Well I found a bouillon cube to make 'chicken' noodle soup. Not-Chick'n by Edwards & Sons. I don't think I told Jim it was vegan but he said he liked it. I may never be totally vegan but I like not eating meat on a regular basis. It's not a problem at home. Seafood can be a problem because I do like it. Dairy products I gave up long ago. Pizza needs cheese and when eating out I do have some.

It's a new year!

2012-01-06T09:15:00.000-06:00

My how time flies during the holiday season. As usual we enjoyed it and the various dinners, happy hours and of course the New Year's Eve bash at the clubhouse. Why is it that for years we slept through the festivities but now that we're retired we have to stay up past our bedtime? We did have fun, but it's really funny when everyone at your table starts yawning around 2100!

Friends of ours, Teresa and Trent arrived January 1st for a two day stay. They've been in the Valley for a month and we did see them a couple times prior to this. Unfortunately we didn't get to spend a lot of time with them. Jim has a cold and I caught it. We really didn't want to spread it around. Anne and Scotty stepped in and entertained them.

We pulled an Ed! Trent said he'd never been to a hibachi restaurant. So we decided to take them to our favorite, Hayashi.Well who knew the place closed down at 1500 on weekdays??!! So on to plan two, Kobe just opened and we took them there. They both enjoyed the show but I have to say the entertainment and food were not as good as Hayashi.

Twas the day after Christmas....

2011-12-26T09:38:00.001-06:00

when all through the house all were moaning about all that they've eaten!

Not really, but I'm sure you all know what I mean. The sun finally made an appearance which made the day more cheerful but the air was still chilly.

Anne and Scotty dropped by and we exchanged gifts

Our daughter Sonsearae made our gifts and we nibbled on the spicy nuts and chocolate bark all morning! She also made us a soup mix, Southwestern three bean and barley, that I can't wait to try.

Our Christmas dinner was perfect! We, along with good friends Anne & John Scott and Amy & Dan Farrell went to Hayashi for our Japanese Hibachi dinner. We all ordered our favorites and took a lot of it home to enjoy today. Good food, good friends and great conversations.

Back home Boo was glad to see us because it was dinner time! We changed clothes and settled in to enjoy the rest of the day. Coffee and TV

We did a first for us.....we Skyped! LOL I have a camera on my laptop so we set it up and Sonsearae called and we got to chat with her and Chris....A great way to end our Christmas

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T09:38:00.000-06:00

I hope this day is filled with family, friends, frivolity and food!

Take some time to remember our Military men and women who cannot be home this time of year as they serve our country far and wide.

Wouldn't life be worth the living
Wouldn't dreams be coming true
If we kept the Christmas spirit
All the whole year through?
~Author Unknown

Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park photos

2011-12-17T11:43:00.001-06:00

Green Jays on platform feeder

when we first arrived the hawk was tip toeing his way into the water while keeping a close eye on the jays and the sky above

this little guy was trying his best to get to the package of chicken livers his human was fishing with

The water is down a little in the resaca but you can still canoe or kayak in the still waters

Gloomy Saturday

2011-12-17T11:19:00.002-06:00

Last evening the drizzling rain started and it lasted through the night and it's still nasty out there. I'm glad I don't have to do last minute Christmas shopping!

What do we do when we have nasty weather? There are a list of options and after reading a friends blog about their small rig it got me to thinking.

We only have one tv so it's a tossup about manly shows or girly shows. We both spend a lot of time on our computers playing way to many games or surfing the web. You can go to the mall and watch people, but I'm not sure searching for a parking spot would be fun today. We usually go to Barnes and Nobles to sip a warm drink and read magazines because, as you know, full timers shouldn't have subscriptions!

But you can visit any number of local attractions where ever you are!

State Park

2011-12-16T07:37:00.006-06:00

Yesterday Jim and I took a ride in the state park. We always stop at the Green Jay blind and we were in luck!

I'm not sure how many Jays were hanging around. At the time we were there I saw maybe a dozen, but it could have been the same nervous birds over and over again. You see, there was a hawk bathing in the pool and everyone was keeping a watchful eye!

Fog

2011-12-13T07:48:00.002-06:00

This morning we have fog. It's quite beautiful....

I forgot to mention that we discovered leaks when the rains came on Saturday. First was in the loo, the fan in there dripped water all over the rug. Still trying to dry it! It's rubber backed so I don't want to throw it in the dryer. Jim took the unit apart and it hung for twenty four hours drying out.

Next was the air conditioning vent over the sink. About 30-40 minutes after the first leak this started. Jim figured the way the rig slopes caused water to run over there and drip out. Later in the day I kept hearing a drip and discovered a seam in the living room leaking. It's below the satellite dish that we installed a few years ago. This happened before about a year after the installation.

Once we get a sunny day and the roof can dry off Jim will get up there and try to fix these problems. I can't imagine how wet the insulation must be!

We have rain!

2011-12-12T13:40:00.006-06:00

Jim worked last week Monday - Friday and the poor man had to endure the cold weather. Last week I also had my 64th birthday! Tuesday evening we went to BJ's Brewhouse for a dinner with beer tasting event. What fun! I'm not sure how many different beers we tasted 7-9 at least and then when the event ended we got a pint of our favorite! The food consisted of Buffalo wontons, Portobello pizza, Thai Shrimp wraps, pork chop with potatoes and green beans and a berry burst dessert.

We sat with Tanya, a lovely young lady and we had a good time talking to her and learning more about the area. We slept very well that night!

On Thursday I had a spa day at Spagos with Anne and Susie. Of course it wasn't an all day event but Anne, Susie and I each got our hair cut and styled. Susie and I had pedicures and had them polished with red polish and sparkles! Afterwards we had lunch at Ron Fu's Mongolian Grill in the same building. Also had stops at Harbor Freight, Sprouts and HEB. Whew it tires me out just reading it! But we had a lot of fun...

Saturday the rains started and it rained all weekend. I'm not sure of the totals but we had over 2 inches of rain on Saturday alone. It's still cold and gloomy today but it seems to be rain free so far.

Jim had a doctor appointment early this morning so we hit the road before 0800. After that we headed to IHOP for breakfast....not sure we'll do that again. But it was close by and easy to get to. Then a visit to the lab for blood work. Next Monday he has yet another appointment for an endoscopy. Seems he has acid reflux :-(

It's December already!

2011-12-03T09:13:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure where the time goes. Our daily lives are pretty much the same. We get up, do chores and go to bed. In between we read, watch TV and play games on our computers. Every few days we go shopping. Pretty boring!

We did go for a ride on the bike trail the other day and I finally made it to Conway. Now this is an achievement for me. The round trip is almost 10 miles but I haven't done much riding and my first attempt ended short of that goal. In my defense it was very warm the first time I tried and I don't like hot weather.

December first saw the largest influx of rigs for our resort. All day long they were coming in. It's almost like going to an RV show and seeing all the different sizes, styles and color of rigs! We now have neighbors on both sides of us. Still the resort has a few empty sites. I know some folks won't arrive until after Christmas.

Last Sunday we went out to lunch at BJ's where we met up with old friends and new friends. Marilyn and Ed Dray arrived before us bringing Janet and Bob (new to full timing) and while we caught up in the chilly wind Joyce and Roger showed up. We four couples have DRV Mobile Suites. So it was a mini rally! LOL We had a grand time eating and chatting.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T16:16:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow we're having dinner with friends.

The resort does have a dinner they host with Turkey and gravy. For tables of eight, you sign up and bring a side for your table and you get dinner without having to cook a lot of food for two. We've never done dinner at the clubhouse because our friend Anne can't eat poultry. So tomorrow we'll have dinner at her house and along with Scotty our friends Amy and Dan will join us.

Now are you ready for the menu? Anne will be fixing a ham, bread and a pumpkin pie. Amy is fixing a turkey along with some squash and I think a dessert. Since I am not eating meat I'm bringing some dressing along with mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed broccoli and a cauliflower salad.

Yesterday I made the dressing and will only have to heat it up tomorrow. Today I prepared the veggies and made the gravy....and boy is the gravy good! It's a new recipe for me and I wanted to make sure it was worthy of the title. Awesome Mushroom Gravy ( http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=27548.0) lives up to it's name. It's totally vegan and easy to make.

I don't think any of us will go hungry!

Jim is tired...he gets up at 0700 and his work day starts at 0800 and ends at 2200. The job itself isn't hard but he's on duty until 1700 and makes a round and closes the pool at 2200. He helps park the rigs and takes care of minor problems around the resort. He also gets to meet and greet everyone. Everyone who know us will see that Jim isn't getting the amount of sleep he normally gets.

Today the rig was washed by Nick and his crew. I'm sure it needed it! While traveling Jim tries to keep the bugs off the front and does spot cleaning but the roof can get messy. The windows are clean again!

I hope your Thanksgiving is all that you want it to be. Sharing with family and friends or a quiet dinner for two. We all have a lot to be thankful for

'Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God.' ~Ray Stannard Baker (David Grayson)

Critters

2011-11-19T17:07:00.002-06:00

It's 5o'clock on a Saturday, the temperature is in the mid 80's. Some like this warm weather and others can do without it. Oh the wind is blowing too, but that's normal for this area.

Around 0900 this morning Jim and I went for a ride on our trikes. It's been awhile since we did a long ride and we could feel it when we headed into the wind. I guess we need to get out more! We did almost 7 miles round trip and I was huffin and puffin at some points.

On the was back we came across this critter....it was the only picture I could snap off before he headed into the brush. I don't know what kind of snake he is, maybe two feet long.

This pretty critter came by yesterday and some say it's a hummingbird moth but it doesn't look like any of the pictures I've come across.
The above critters are pretty to look at and don't bother me. But the mosquitoes we have this year are about to drive me nuts! Even with the wind and breezes we have they drive you indoors most of the time. And there are some bugs down here that don't like me that raise a welt that itches for three or four days.

Everyone knows I don't like spiders so they HAVE to point them out to me! The other night at the dinner for work campers I had a tarantula shared with me....ewwwww

When we got back from our ride I headed out with Anne to pick up some groceries. Why do we shop on the weekends? Walmart was crowded but I have to admit they did have more than the normal amount of cashiers on hand. Anne still needed a couple items that Walmart didn't have so we stopped at HEB, but after searching for a spot to park she decided she could do without them for today.

Back home I popped a pizza in the oven and Jim and I had that for a late lunch. I should have passed on it. I am mostly meat and cheese free and this pizza didn't set well with me. Smelled good! After I did the dishes I laid down for a nap....before long Jim joined me....that ride just tuckered me out....

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

Just a normal day

2011-11-17T13:04:00.004-06:00

Not sure why I got up at 0530 but I couldn't go back to sleep. I suppose it would be acceptable if I could watch the sun come up, but that would mean I'd have to get dressed and walk or ride to the back of the resort. I'm not that motivated that early in the day!

Even Jim got up early. Around 0715! Usually I have to wake him. :-) The temperature was in the upper 50's and kept dropping for a couple hours. The sun did rise and was out for a bit then the wind picked up and a cold front came through.

I fixed scrambled eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast. I had some fresh pineapple with mine. On Tuesday a produce vendor comes by and he has reasonable prices. For three bucks you can get a pineapple and he cleans it for you.

After breakfast I got busy doing dishes and laundry. I also made a loaf of bread. I found a simple recipe and the dough is kept in the refrigerator. So far it's working great for fresh bread but if we start gaining weight I'll have to slow down my bread making...

These pictures were taken a few days ago, the palms in early afternoon.

The sunrises here aren't as colorful as Cedar Key but they'll do!

For lunch I wasn't very motivated so I fixed beans and rice. Not sure why something so simple can make such a big mess, but it did! While I was cleaning the kitchen and doing dishes Jim decided a nap was in order.

Spent I quiet afternoon with Jim. After his nap he putzed around with the solar lights and did some work on our screen door. We have plexiglass inserts so we can keep the door open when the ac is running. The upper one gives us problems in high wind. One time it popped right out! So he's trimmed it out with some painted dowels. He also put springs on it so it closes automatically and a bar handle. We had coffee outside but the breeze was a bit cool and we came inside.

Spent the evening watching TV and went to bed before 2200.

Winter Season

2011-11-17T07:04:00.002-06:00

It's official, the work camping season has begun. It started on the 15th and will continue through to the end of March. Last night the owner Mike and his wife Laurie hosted a dinner for the work campers and put out a nice spread of barbecue, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob and salad. We also had our choice of beer, wine and teas to drink. The new managers Guy and Juanita gave everyone a welcome mat. That was unexpected and quite nice.

Jim hasn't started working yet, he'll be on a five days on ten days off schedule along with Al and Eric. Not sure when he starts, if he told me I forgot! :-)

We've had one or two cold fronts dip down here in south Texas and while it's annoying for some to have to wear shoes and socks along with long pants, I don't mind. The past couple of days have been in the upper 80's maybe even 90+ and with the humidity it's been to warm for me. I don't suppose there is a perfect weather spot that would suit both of us!

Our resort is still quite empty as a lot of the snow birds don't come down until after the holidays. That family time is important to them. A few of our friends have yet to arrive.

I guess a cold front is coming through because since I've gotten up the temperature has dropped! Oh well, at least we don't have snow!

Veterans Day 2011

2011-11-11T20:45:00.003-06:00

the moon setting this morning

Today find a Veteran and thank them - Pick up the phone, walk across the street, stop by the USO or the Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW and let America's finest know how much YOU appreciate their service. Take a moment to teach a child how men and women throughout American history have sacrificed for all of us. Take this day and make it count!

I had both flags out early today to honor all Veterans, past and present but especially those who gave all
moon setting on this special day.....11 11 11

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.

~Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler

all set up for the winter

2011-11-09T09:19:00.003-06:00

Well, not much is going on here. After the flurry of arriving and greeting friends we've settled in for the winter. Jim has been doing some work around the resort but he doesn't officially start work camping until the 15th. Jim, Al and Eric will be the three working 5 day shifts. They'll assist with parking and making sure, day to day, that the resort is running smoothly. They'll take care of minor problems and alert the manager to problems they can't handle.

Our outside patio is set up but I'm still having a problem with noise when the wind blows (and that is almost 24/7). It wakes me up at night. The lights still need to be put up and I'm sure Jim will get to it soon.

I'm not sure why but we have a problem with mosquitoes! Everyone knows about the drought in Texas but apparently not this area. Sitting outside is impossible even with the breezes we have here.

I've been having trouble with my left eye and finally had them examined. There appears to be a problem with my retina and next Monday I'll see someone at the VA eye clinic. On the other hand, my prescription hasn't changed!

There you have it. When we come here it's like living in any neighborhood. We have happy hours, sometimes we party but mostly we hang around and do pretty much nothing

Bentsen Palm RV Resort

2011-10-27T09:01:00.002-05:00

We left Victoria shortly after 0900 Tuesday morning. Our drive was around 230 miles so the early start (for us) was necessary. The trip was uneventful and we only made one stop for lunch.

My job when traveling is to spot birds! I saw a lot of red tailed hawks and once we got south of the Corpus Christi area I saw the first Crested Cara Cara of the season. http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/crested-caracara.html We see them a lot here in the Rio Grand Valley.

When we arrived at Bentsen Palm we had to wait 10-15 to get into our site. No one was in the office and we weren't sure which site to set up in. After we got that all squared away we started setting up for the winter. Most of it was done when our friends started dropping by! First Pat Shearer, she let us know we were a day early and our happy hour party was Wednesday. OK, the fun has begun!

Still working albeit a little slower when Jeni and Don Wilson showed up. Well that put an end to any work as we sat and chatted and drank beer. When they left we made some coffee (no more beer, please!) and drove over to see Ann and Scotty. It's odd not being parked next to them!

We sat and chatted with them until hunger pangs sent us home just before 1900. We still had to take the trikes off the bed! That chore was done and then I re-heated some leftovers for dinner.

Whew! After dinner we showered and relaxed for the evening with both of us just waiting for bedtime because we were just plain tired....

Yesterday I was up just before 0400 for a bathroom break. I went back to bed but couldn't sleep so I got up at 0440! YUCK! I had coffee did a gazillion things on the computer and by this time it was only 0700.....so I ate breakfast. I woke Jim at 0800 and once he was up I started with some laundry and other chores.

Jim headed outside after his coffee and started gathering up all the stuff we left behind in storage. So far we haven't located all we need to set up the screened patio. It will happen, just not today!

We had our dinner at lunch time and after that I did dishes then crashed! Don't know how long I slept but when I got up Jim said he napped for about 45 minutes. We were getting prepared for happy hour later....

The happy hours here include foods that everyone contributes to. I made some spiced walnuts to take. When we arrived there were veggies and dips set out, chicken salad and crackers, M&M's, etc. As more people showed up more food arrived! Oh and the beer was flowing as was some wine and cocktails. I was being good just drinking water.....

After awhile Pat brought out the tequila so those who wanted to could do shots.....well I only had two! That sure warmed my tummy. Around dusk the party broke up and everyone headed home. I hit the shower and Jim followed. We watched some TV and headed to bed at 2200.

I'm happy to say I slept until 0700 this morning!

So we are settling in here and staying tired....I think we're going to dinner tonight at Hayashi's, one of our favorite Japanese grill houses.

Victoria, Texas

2011-10-23T07:04:00.002-05:00

yesterday after a leisurely start we left Turtle Bayou and headed into Houston until we found hwy 59 and then headed south.

Turtle Bayou is very pretty but the campground itself is in need of some tlc. Great place to stop for a night or two! I thought the roads were a bit narrow and crumbly but Jim didn't have a problem navigating them.

Our drive was an easy one and after a stop around noon for lunch we drove another 100 miles or so until we got off on hwy 185 and stopped at Lazy Longhorn RV park. From what we've seen so far it's a crammed park. By that I mean the sights are close. There is some grass between sites and there are trees. I'll get some pictures posted. Both Turtle Bayou and Lazy Longhorn are Passport America parks so we got the lower rates which helps the budget!

Haven't seen any cactus or Cara Cara's yet, guess we aren't far enough south.

Went to dinner at Guadalajara #9, nice friendly place and the prices were good too.

Texas

2011-10-21T16:50:00.002-05:00

We left Louisiana around 1030 this morning. Not without incident! Jim noticed I had a flat tire and after trying to put air in it decided we needed to carry it inside on the bed. At this time the slides were already in so it was a tight squeeze to bring it inside. When we tried to put his trike on my rack it didn't fit so inside with his trike too!

The drive over to Turtle Bayou in Wallisville, Texas didn't take long. We made one stop around noon for lunch at the Texas welcome center. we shall be in Texas until next April.......

The above picture is our view for tonight. In the morning we leave and head south

More Beer!

2011-10-19T10:07:00.002-05:00

Saturday we decided that we needed to take the Abita Brewery tour. This means we got to drink more beer! We took the first afternoon tour and for an hour we enjoyed the hospitality of Abita. When they let you in you get a wrist band and a go cup. The line fills up quickly and you can help yourself to all the beer you can drink.

You do have to listen to some of the history and take a tour but that takes about 10-15 minutes. I'm not sure who drank the most!

Sunday we packed up and left Fairview-Riverside SP. It sure is a beautiful area and you should stop if you're in the area.

Our destination was Kinder, Louisiana and the Red Shoes RV park at Coushatta Casino. Since arriving I've done laundry, laundry and more laundry! No sewer hook up at the state park.

On Monday Jim cleaned the bedroom and this morning he did the dishes, so we've both been working while here.

Yesterday we awoke to overcast skies and a little spitting rain, a front started coming through and we ended up putting on jeans and long sleeved shirts when we headed to the Casino for lunch. Jim had jambalaya with mac and cheese and slaw while I had a bowl of gumbo and some fried okra. We thoroughly enjoyed our Cajun treats! We then headed to Feather fuel to pay only $3.56 for diesel. Last stop was the Market Basket for a few groceries.

The temperature continued to drop all day and by the time we went to bed it was in the mid 50's. Over night it did drop to the mid 40's and when I got up shortly after 0700 it was 45 degrees outside and 56 degrees inside. Time for the fireplace! I also made a blueberry coffeecake for breakfast just to turn on the oven.

Abita Brewery

2011-10-18T10:47:00.002-05:00

Last Friday we went to a beer tasting at Abita Brewery in Abita Springs Louisiana. The event cost $15 each and it was a lot of fun!

The tables were all set up with buckets, glasses with water for rinsing. four glasses for the beers and an Abita pint glass for comparison.

It was interesting to taste how different the beer is in the Spiegelau glasses. Even the smell was different! Kinda like tasting wines.

The first tasting was SOS, "This unfiltered Weizen Pils is made with Pilsner and Wheat malts. It is hopped and dry hopped with Sterling and German Perle hops. It has a brilliant gold color, a sweet malt flavor, and a pleasant bitterness and aroma"

The second beer was Purple Haze, "a crisp, American style wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration"

Third was Amber, "a Munich style lager brewed with crystal malt and Perle hops"

The last one was the 25th Anniversay Vanilla Double Dog, "Turbodog is the inspiration for this robust dark ale. It is brewed with generous amounts of pale, caramel, and chocolate malts and Willamette hops. Whole natural vanilla beans are added during the aging process.This combination provides a rich body and color with chocolate, vanilla and toffee-like flavor"

This last one was new to us and we both liked it!

There was a slide show and we learned a little bit more about the glasses and how they enhance the flavor of the beer. Also they tend to keep the beer cooler longer.

All of the glasses came home with us along with a bottle opener. Not bad for the price!

Fairview-Riverside State Park, Madisonville, Louisiana

2011-10-13T16:58:00.006-05:00

We left Alabama yesterday morning under cloudy skies. Our trip wasn't long, about 166 miles. We stopped for lunch and we arrived at the park around 1430. Within an hour we were set up and sitting outside enjoying a cold beer under sunny skies with balmy, pine scented breeze.

This is the view we had...

After a dinner of leftover stir fry and egg rolls we went for a walk. We saw evidence of high water from the Tchefuncte River. Walking along the boardwalk you can see the waters edge has been eroded in spots.

the cypress trees are still lovely

not sure what this is but I've seen a lot of them in bloom along with the goldenrod

Tchefuncte River

This morning I was up early enough to see the Moon about to set

This oak looks mystical to me in the morning mist

Jim asked if I'd like to drive across the lake to drive down Magazine Street and visit Whole Foods Market. Well duh! So after breakfast, dishes and getting dressed we headed across Lake Ponchartrain to visit some familiar areas.

To me New Orleans is home. We spent over twenty years here and I've never lived longer anywhere else. We drove around the Garden District, even managed to hit new streets due to an accident. Don't you love exploring new areas?

We had lunch at the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen on Carrollton Ave before heading to Whole Foods. I love this store and had fun shopping there. I didn't even go down all the aisles because it tempts me to buy more than we need!

We stopped at a light I saw this beautiful home. You could spend a lifetime taking pictures of all the beautiful homes in New Orleans!

Lazy Days

2011-10-11T09:18:00.006-05:00

When we left Tallahassee we brought some of it with us! Spanish Moss drips from the oak trees and apparently we caught some on our way out of Big Oak RV Park.

This is our set up here at Hilltop RV, Robertsdale Alabama. Nice enough campground, the site are a bit close so wintering here would be ok. Certainly not like where we currently stay in the Rio Grande Valley. But this area of Alabama is very nice. Pensalcola and Mobile are about an hour's drive and of course Gulf Shores and the beaches are just down the road.

Last Saturday we headed into Spanish Fort/Daphne to get some dry food for Boo. The shopping center there has a PetSmart. We also had lunch at Olive Garden with both of us having a glass of wine and an entree. It was very tasty!

After one more stop at Publix for groceries we headed home. The weather has been just gorgeous with slight breezes, sunny skies and temperatures in the low to mid 80's.

Monday was bed day so I started early with laundry. We also decided to drive to Magnolia Springs, http://www.townofmagnoliasprings.org/. Perfect day for a drive and I only wish we could have taken some pictures of the homes we saw. Narrow streets prevented stopping, where do you park a big truck? It would have been nice if we had brought our trikes and rode around the area. Along the river homes still have mail delivered by boat!

We had lunch at Jesse's Restaurant http://www.jessesrestaurant.com/ and I was very surprised at the menu. We both enjoyed our lunch, Jim having sweet tea (we are in the south!) while I opted for water.

After lunch we walked down towards the river where you can pick up your meal from Jesse's after calling ahead.

These mushrooms caught my eye

The sun filtering through the trees was very pretty

Today it's a drippy, gloomy day so far. No plans other than getting ourselves ready to head to Louisiana tomorrow. We have a beer tasting to attend!