Why did I leave FL

Today we have the Wind blowing, I guess it might be a Texas thing, but the bad is the temperature. The forecast says it will only get to 58, now 58 wouldn't be bad if you were in MI, ND, ME, Canada, but I am sitting in TEXAS.
I thought Texas was warm, or even hot, maybe I should come back to Texas in July or Aug to see the hot. I think not, we really enjoy the 70-80 range, and I have seen that here in Texas, but it comes and goes too often for me.
A look at the temperatures all across the USA.

And I am wandering WHY DID WE LEAVE FLORIDA?
I can only hope that this will be the last cold snap the Cannooks allow to drift down into the USA, at least the southern parts of the USA. Today will be an "inside" day for me, we may venture over to Wally World to kill some time, and then there is always the Monday Night Movie in the clubhouse with free popcorn and tea. What will be the movie tonight?

A what to do day

Today the weather was decent, the temperature was nice, so what would we do? I thought I should do some of the "honey doo" list, so hanging our water filter was on the list, and there is a Lowes close by. So I figured we could run to Lowes and I would pick up the things I needed and when we got home I could tackle my project.

We spent some time talking with our neighbors and class mates Greg and Jean. Jean showed us a neat free standing clothes rack made from PVC pipe the guy across the street has, and said it would by nice to have one. After listening to the discussion about where they would carry one, I decided I would pick up the stuff to build one while we were at Lowes, after all I had been wanting to build one for the ladder for us.

The trip to Lowes was not good for our water filter project, I looked all over the store for a 90 degree elbow that I need. I found all kinds of elbows but none that had the right threads. So I changed course and gathered up the stuff to build the clothes racks. Someone had told me a guy built them for the ladder and sold them for $30, and I thought the guy had to be making a lot off each one. Well after buying everything I needed to build a free standing clothes rack, and one that fits on the ladder we headed home.

When we pulled into the CG I unloaded the parts, and then got my tools out and went to work. There really isn't much involved in making these things, you just cut the pipe to length and then slip the elbows and tees on the pieces. Marcia had to make a trip back to Lowes for me because I grabbed two wrong tees, one was 1" X 1" X 3/4, and I needed 1X1X1, and the other had threads on one end.

By the time Marcia returned with the right pieces I had everything cut, ours strung, and was waiting. Jean had walked by and saw the free standing one and had commented about me being so quick. I didn't want to tell her it was hers until I had it finished so I made up a story about how the two would fit together.

Here is a picture of the one I built for us,


here is another view.



I didn't have to buy the string, and chose to use string instead of a chain to hold it up, so it didn't cost as much as if I had to buy everything, but the guy selling them for $30 is making about $24 off each one, if he doesn't use the plastic chain.

It is about time for the Ice cream social, and we are playing spades later, so that's it for now...

Another Nice Day

Today the weather was good for us. the wind was minimal, the sun was shining, and the thermometer climbed almost to 80. We did our run to Sams, which turned into a big hassle for us. As a host for the Escapees Marcia has access to the "company" Sams card, but when we tried to get it yesterday nobody could find it.

Today when we went to pick it up we were told that card had been canceled and we could pick up the new card at Sams. Well it turned out Sams has someone named on the card that nobody knows. We called back to the park and they was going to have that person fax a permission slip so Marcia could use the card. Well as I said before nobody knows the person listed on the card so no fax was going to be made.

Rather than waiting all day and hassling with them we chose to accept the offer of a free day pass to Sams. We looked all over Sams and wound up picking up a can of cashews, and a can of powered Gatorade, if we had brought the cooler we would have purchased some shrimp.

Next was Krogers, Charlene directed us right to the store, although we made a couple detours checking out yard sales, and a trade day. Nothing was found at the sales or the trade day, but we did stock up on diet Big K at Krogers.

Once we made it back to Livingston we stopped at Shrimp Boat Manny's for a late lunch. We had the shrimp appetizer, and the fish meal. The fish meal had four pieces of fish so we shared an order. It was fair, but I don't think I will ever return, there are too many other places to try while we are here.

I have come to the conclusion the weather here is a lot like the weather in KY, just a little warmer. You have a couple pretty days, and then you have a front move in and screws everything up. Tomorrow the wind is forecast to blow, Monday the temperature falls, and I feel the results.

Spending the winter in Fl was really good for my aches and pains, but TX has been really bad. I'm having a hard time figuring out my medicines to match up to the ever changing weather.
We all will have to wait to see what tomorrow brings for us...

Sunshine and Clear Skies

Today brought a pleasant surprise to me here in Livingston TX, Clear Skies, Plenty of Sunshine and the thermometer hit the 75 degree mark. The morning was a little on the chili side, I even had to put on a sweat shirt but that was OK.

We planned on making a trip to Sams today, but a lost card prevented that trip today. We decided to take advantage of the clear skies and check out the Lake Livingston State Park. Once we drove to the park we stopped at the check in station, where we found out they charge $3 per person to allow access into the park. Well we had not planned too well, we didn't have a cooler, no lunch, or even our blanket to sit on while we enjoyed the lake, so we didn't pay the fee to enter. I did note that they charge $10 for a campsite, I think with water, and $18 for a FHU site.

We chose to follow the road to see what else we could find around the lake. Much to our disappointment we found most of the lake shores are owned by private individuals. A few public boat ramps, and several businesses were also around the lake. After driving around the part of the lake that we did I see the main enjoyment of the lake would be to lot owners, the park, or boaters.

Back in Livingston we checked out Berkshire Brothers Grocery, there we found they were having a sidewalk sale. Sales is something we really enjoy, when we can buy a product for less than normal price we like that, especially when we need or can use the items.

At the sidewalk sale we found the low carb peanut butter for twenty five cents, and that was for a 16 oz jar, and the normal price was $4. Needless to say we bought all they had which was only 6-8 jars. Marcia was excited to find low carb peanut butter since she is on this diet, and it got me thinking about mom's peanut butter fudge.

I can almost smell the aroma of the fudge as I remember the times mom would get up during a commercial while we were watching a TV program and come back shortly after the show had started again with the pan and a couple spoons. We got to scrape the excess out of the pan after she poured the fudge onto her serving platter. Marcia and I have tried to copy mom's peanut butter fudge many times, but it never turns out quite like moms did. Oh well I just gained 5 lbs thinking about moms fudge.

After we finished checking out the store we tried Jack in the Box for lunch. They advertise tacos 2 for $1 so I had to try them out. Well I can say we tried it, I guess that had to be the worst taco I ever had placed in front of me. Marcia had the burgers without the bun and what she got was the meat and a slice of cheese. Unlike the way McDonnalds used to put all the toppings on the meat on a bed of lettuces. Needless to say Jack in the Box will not be on our places to re-visit.
Back at the rig I took a long nap while Marcia cleaned out the cubards. I think she cleans them out and re-arranges things so I don't mess around in the kitchen. About the time I figure out where things are she cleans and re-arranges.

After I woke up from my nap I sat outside enjoying the 75 degree weather, there was just enough of a breeze to move the leaves on the trees. I sat there as I watched Greg walk one dog, and then another. We distracted him before he was finished with the second trip. We sat around talking long enough that Jean had to take the third dog out.

I know people love their pets, but for me they are restrictions I don't have to deal with. Leo is Marcia's pet, and Leo can be left a lone for several days, all we have to do is make sure he has plenty food and water. We do have to listen to him fuss at us after we have been gone a couple days.
Later I did get to watch Friday Night Lights on the TV so all is well and I am a happy camper. Tomorrow is another day and only time will tell what happens or what we will do.

Thanks for turning OFF the FAN

Thanks to the man upstairs for turning off the fans, yesterday morning I was awakened by a passing thunderstorm. We had the thunder, the lightening, and plenty of rain. There may have even been some hail mixed in from the sound of it hitting the rig, but I didn't look out to see.
By 9-10 AM the sun was shining and the wind was blowing. I have heard by many that the wind in Texas is just something you deal with. It wasn't as bad yesterday as I have seen it when we were in AZ last year, but it was bad enough.
Marcia did her 4 hours yesterday, she does two 8 hour days and a 4 hour day equaling the 20 hours required. 20 hours in exchange for our FHU site isn't a bad deal, I know others that do way more than 20 for their site, some even do more than 20 hours per person, and that is very cheap labor, or a very expensive site.
Around 11:30 I drove down to the office to wait for Marcia to finish her shift and while I was there I got to visit with Marty, Greg, and Jean. Greg should be moving out of the trees today into a site next to us on the hill. Marty had started a task we need to do. Cleaning out every nook and cranny of his rig, getting rid of the things he has carried around for two years and has not used. I think I will make that a project for June when we will be close to the kids.
Today the sun is shining, the thermometer should hit the mid 70 mark, the wind isn't blowing, and we are undecided in what we want to do. A trip to Conroe is upcoming, but not sure if it will be today. Conroe has a Sams Club, and a Kroger store, although I have never been very fond of paying to shop, (membership shopping)we have access to a sams card and while in FL we found sams to have a pretty good price on powered Gatorade, and nuts. And Krogers is Marcia's favorite grocery store, and we like the Big K pop you get at Krogers.
We will try our very best to have a good, or maybe even great time today, and I will tell you about it later....

A different use of SOLAR

As I was working on setting up and changing the oil yesterday I was approached twice by two of our new neighbors, wanting to know what that thing was on our "batwing" TV antenna. The first guy just plain old ask, "what is that thing on your antenna". The second guy not wanting to impress me as being dumb ask, "is the a new contraption for the digital conversion for TV?"


Each time I had the pleasure of explaining the need for some way to locate your rig when you are parked out in the desert and you return to your rig in the dark. You walk over to the camp fire while there is still some daylight left, you spend an hour or two or three or four shooting the breeze around the campfire with some very interesting and friendly people. And then you start to return to your rig and think "where is it, where am I", because the darkness has set in and it gets DARK out there where there is no lights.
Some people have the blinking lights they use when riding a bicycle stuck in their front window, you can see them in red, blue, white, and even multiple colored lights. And then some have the red or blue balls in their satellites, or ham radio antennas. We even have a couple of the blinking lights, but we don't use them because I had a different ideal.
I took one of our solar lights, the ones you stick in the ground to mark a walkway, or to light up a flower bed, that we had broken. All that was left was the top part that illuminates and protects the bulb. I drilled four holes in it, and then I climbed up on the roof and attached it with some wire to our batwing antenna.
I felt sure it would last the two to four weeks we planned on being in the desert, but much to my amazement it is still there after almost 18 months. It still glows every night, and now when we are walking from the clubhouse to the rig we can see the solar light guiding our way.

Some good friends came to Rainbows End last week and it was dark when we returned from eating and met them. We took them for a tour of Rainbows End and it was really dark when we returned to the Oaks area of the CG where we were parked. They ask us where we were parked as we walked towards their rig, and we just pointed to the light sticking way up on an antenna and said there we are.
You can see all kinds of different things while traveling, and in the different RV Parks (or places where RVs are parked) When someone puts their mind to completing a task with limited or unlimited resources.

Moving day at Rainbows End

April first a lot of people pull practical jokes on others and then say " Aprils Fool". Why you ask, I have no ideal, but as kids we all seem to have pulled one on someone.
I guess mine could have been, move the rig to another site without telling Marcia, and then when she came home to find her house gone I would have been in big trouble. So that is what I did NOT do, although I did move the rig.
We had been waiting on one of three sites in the "Hill" area here at Rainbows End, and this AM Marcia called to inform me that she had just checked out the people on site # 64.

So I had the privilege of preparing the rig for the move.
Dump the tanks, disconnect the water, sewer, and electric. Pull the slide in, raise the jacks, grab the boards we use under the jacks, and yes I almost forgot, lower the antennas. Inside we have the front curtain, the sun shades, dishes, and most important LEO. We have to put Leo in the area between the slide and the bathroom wall, but today he wound up just sitting in the floor because I was only going up on the hill.
Driving up there took me a whole 2 minuets, (I drove really slow), and backing in was no biggie either. The hard part came when I tried to position the rig so the dish hit the satellite so we could watch TV. I did have to pull the rig back and forth until I found the right spot. Normally this is no problem, but there just happened to be a couple trees in the way.
After I had everything set up, and reinstalled, I took advantage of the oil in the rig being warm and drained it. An oil and filter change was due, maybe a little over due actually. The rig was already high in the front after getting it level so all I had to do was get the tarp spread out, the drain pan under the rig, and find the right socket to remove the plug.


When you consider some RV dealers charge $175. for an oil change, and the discount places charge around $50, (because it is a RV) I have no problems crawling under there and removing one bolt (the plug) and unscrewing the filter, watching the oil drain into a large pan and then reinstalling the bolt, (drain plug) and screwing on a new filter and pouring in 7 quarts of fresh oil.
For less than $20 for the oil and filter I save $30 to $155, Now that 30-155 dollars is a lot better off in my pocket than it would be in some cash register. And I figure that is just more money we have to play on, besides it does give me something to do.
The hardest part of the oil change is remembering to take the used oil back to a recycling center, and the cleanup.

Tonight I am treating Marcia to an evening out, we will drive to the VFW when she completes her shift in the office. At the VFW we will eat whatever they are serving, and play B I N G O . Marcia's favorite pastime. We are taking a lady from the park with us tonight, she showed Marcia where it was last week so I guess she likes bingo too.