Friday November 29, 2013, Buda, TX.

Up early this morning hoping that some work might be done today.  We had our coffee and I walked down to the service department to see if anything was planned for today.  I spoke to Matt and found out the parts for the leveling system had not come in.  Matt called Power Gear, they were closed.  He told me he hoped to get a tech to check the Aqua Hot today.

We went to Sam's Club in San Marcos after dropping off a prescription for Gerri at a CVS in Kyle..  Gerri wanted to pickup some items that were on sale on black Friday.  I had a new Sam's Membership card made to replace the one stolen with my billfold in Spain.  I put gasoline in the Jeep once I got the new card.  Gerri dropped me off at Best Buy to make a return while she went to Dollar Tree to get some gift bags.  Black Friday has a reputation of being a hectic day to shop.  It wasn't bad in the places we went.  Although there were two bus loads of shoppers from Mexico being picked up in the parking lot.  They may have bought everything Ross, Dress for Less had.

The traffic going back to Kyle wasn't too bad.  Back at Curtis and Dana's we had turkey sandwiches for lunch.  After lunch I went geocaching.  I found four and DNFed three.  After caching I stopped by the Crestview office and found out no work had been done on the coach today.  We only have three more working days before heading to Las Vegas, I hope they get something done during those three days.

Dana and Curtis had put up outside lights, a Christmas tree and had presents wrapped under the tree.  Brandon and Vanessa both have trees in their rooms plus the one in the living room.  Christmas holds a special fascination for children.  Brandon and Vanessa are no different.  Although Dana and Curtis don't strictly observe any religious belief they observe both Curtis' Christian upbringing and Dana's Jewish heritage.




For dinner we went to the Kobe Steakhouse and had Teppan (Teppanyaki) style cuisine following sushi appetizers.  It was very interesting watching Vanessa and Brandon's interaction with the cook.  It was also interesting that they enjoyed the dinner and ate very well.  The fact that the food was very good and the cook put on a show probably helped.

We said our goodbyes at the restaurant and went directly to the RV Park.

Tomorrow I plan to go geocaching with Brandon.  I have made up a cache to hide near his house so he can keep track of how many people visit it.

Thursday November 28, 2013, Buda, TX

The sky wasn't as clear as it was yesterday.  There were a lot of puffy white clouds, but nothing that looked threatening.  It was still cold.  While having coffee we saw several other residents of the park walking by and they were all bundled up.  Yesterday and the day before there were a few empty sites near us but they filled up last afternoon and the park was full today.

Gerri started cooking her famous green bean dish as her contribution to this afternoon's dinner.  She had helped Dana with the pumpkin cream cheese pies last night. 

Since Curtis' scanner wasn't working I decided to give another shot at hooking up the one in the coach.  I hope to have better luck with the computer I am now using.  The attempt worked.  It was slow, about a minute per page.  But, I got the job done and my third quarter reimbursement claims into UMR.  UMR is the administrators of the health insurance plan we are in until next April when thy drop us retirees because of Obama Care.  The so called Affordable Health Care Act is any thing but.  First we were forced into medicare, which we have to pay exorbitant rates for because we never paid into Social Security or Medicare.  Our supplemental insurance had a huge increase in July and another is coming in January before we are dropped in April.  The department's promises of lifetime insurance are just like Obama's promises, LIES.  They have broken faith with those of us who have retired.  Rant off.

We went to the Kids house at 12:15.  It was finally warm enough to watch the kids play outside.  I didn't get to geocache today but worked on one to place so Brandon can keep track of it.  He was impressed with caching.  He said it was awesome.

Winner, winner, turkey dinner

We had turkey with all the trimmings for dinner, including Curtis' favorite pumpkin cream cheese pie.  Curtis and Dana's neighbors, Keith and Shawna and their three children joined us.

It was a great meal and great company.  We are so blessed as a family.  I could fill pages with our blessings and thank God for them every day.

After dinner it was still nice enough to spend time with the kids in the back yard.  Curtis and Brandon played a game of horseshoes.  I challenged the winner, Brandon.  I had forgotten just how bad I am at horseshoes, Brandon skunked me.

After dark we visited some more before the other family went home.  I played War with Brandon and Vanessa until they lost interest.  We went back to the coach at about 7 :30.  Some computer time and then to bed at about 10 PM

Game time

Tomorrow I plan on being ready in case the parts for the coach came in.  I am hoping the parts came in and they can do the installation so we can have time to test the system out before leaving Buda on the 5th.  We also plan to go to Sam's Club in San Marcos to order our Christmas cards.  I also need to get a new membership card since mine was stolen in Spain.

Wednesday November 27, 2013, Buda, TX

This morning when we got up the sky was clear.  It was what our friend Alan would call severe clear. The wind was still with us and it was very cold.  I may have figured out the heating system, at least the part that works.  Last night I ran the Aqua hot on electricity with the bedroom thermostat set at 55 and the two space heaters in the front on 65.  Those settings kept us comfortable.

No one came from the shop to take the coach in.  At 9:30 we took the kids for breakfast at McDonald in the nearby Walmart.  The kids had pancakes and ate everything in sight.  Gerri had a breakfast sandwich and I had a breakfast burrito.  Gerri picked up some items while the kids finished eating.

After that we went to the house so that Dana could take Vanessa to a doctor appointment.  Curtis was working on a rain barrel project.  He plans to catch rain water to water the plants around the house.

Brandon finds a geocache.

Brandon and I went out and found some nearby caches.  We found four.  It appears that the next one had washed away when the San Marcos river flooded at the end of October.  The last cache we looked for, we didn't find.

I dropped Brandon at the house and returned to the coach to clean up and pick up some things I needed to scan and copy.  Curtis' scanner wasn't working.  I plan on giving another try at hooking up the printer/scanner in the coach in the morning.

Gerri, Vanessa and Dana prepared the pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving supper.  

 I wrapped the Christmas present we bought for Curtis and Dana. 

Dana fixed chili for supper.  We all ate at different times.  First the kids and then Gerri and I.  Curtis and Dana ate after the corn bread was finished.  Gerri and I sat with them and had some corn bread.  The pies presented a little problem for not being able to bake the cornbread in a timely matter.  The chili and cornbread was very good. 

Today was the first day of Hanukkah and the kids opened presents.

We returned to the coach at 8:30.  Some TV and computer time rounded out the evening.

Tuesday November 26, 2013, Buda, TX

This morning it was still cold and windy but the sky was not the even grey it has been for the last several days.  There were bands of lighter grey, white and an occasional glimpse of blue sky.  It hadn't rained any more since late yesterday afternoon.

New from the Wal

Last night I set the heat pump in the rear of the coach on 60 and the two space heaters on in the front.  We spent a comfortable night.

I went to the service desk and had Matt add the Aqua Hot to the repair list.  The front zone only puts out cool air, the rear zone seems to work fine.  I always thought the Aqua Hot furnaces didn't work when set on electric.  I had always checked the front outlets.  Today I checked the rear and warm air does come out in the rear zone.  This tells me that something was wrong with the front zone from day one; it never worked on electric and now doesn't work on diesel either.

Dana had been shopping in Austin and stopped by the coach.  After visiting for awhile, Dana, Gerri and Vanessa went to the house.  Brandon and I went geocaching.  It was the first time out for Brandon.  His words were," geocaching is awesome."  On the second cache Brandon spotted the cache before I did.  We had fun, Brandon especially enjoyed two of the caches where the containers were fired shotgun shells.  I logged the caches and Brandon returned them to their hiding spots.  That saved me a lot of time out in the cold wind.

At dark we went to the house for dinner.  Dana cooked a pasta dish with mushrooms, chicken and peas.  After dinner the kids went with us back to the coach for the evening.  Curt and Dana have a date night, no kids and no one has to work in the morning.

Brandon and the iPod

Vanessa and the Clumsy Ninja

Back at the coach we played three games of LRC.  I won one and Vanessa and Brandon won one each.  We also played two games of War.  Vanessa and I each won one.  After those games Vanessa played Clumsy Ninja on the iPad and Brandon played a Penguin Race game on my iPod  Gerri and I caught up on computer time.

The kids went to bed at 10 PM in our bed.  The plan is to move Brandon to the couch later, so Gerri and I have room to sleep with Vanessa in the king size bed.

It was a great afternoon and evening with Brandon and Vanessa.  We enjoyed having them at the coach for the evening.

Tomorrow morning we plan to go to McDonalds and then take Vanessa home so she can go to a doctors appointment.  We may also have to vacate the coach if the service department can schedule the work on the Aqua Hot.

Monday November 25, 2013

Every time I was awake during the night I could hear the rain falling on the roof.  When I got up and fixed the coffee, it was raining and the sky was grey.  The front of the coach was 47 and the bedroom 55 degrees.  I turned on the Aqua Hot furnace, the small electric heater was on all night.

After five years I have never been sold on the idea of the Aqua Hot water heating system.  The last few days we have used the furnace feature of the Aqua Hot and I must say I am unimpressed with it's ability to keep the coach warm.  The system is supposed to heat both the air and water using electricity.  It has never heated the coach when only powered by electricity, the vents blow out cool air.  On electricity the water is hot enough for me to shower, but not for Gerri or the washing machine.  Last night I turned off the diesel burner before going to bed.  This morning I turned it on and after an hour cool air was still coming from the registers.  I turned on the heat pump in the rear of the coach and got warm air after a few minutes.  I am going to try leaving the Aqua Hot on and just set the thermostat at a lower temperature.  I have been shutting the entire system down when we didn't need heat.  It seems to me that the air ought to get warm quicker than I have been experiencing.  

We stayed in the coach most of the day.  It rained most of the time and was cold.  I checked the Aqua Hot and saw that it was low on boiler fluid.  I bought some at the Crestview RV store and filled the tank to the tank "Cold" line.  In playing around with the controls I found that the rear zone was putting out warm air but not the front zone.

I went to Walmart and found an electric heater to replace the old one that no longer oscillates. 

We got to Curtis' house at about the same time he got home from work.  He has to work again tomorrow but then is off for the rest of the week.  Dana fixed tacos for dinner, very good.

After dinner we played LRC.  We played five games, I won three and Curtis won two.  Before we finished playing, Dana went and picked up frozen yogurt for dessert.

We left the house at 8:30 and returned to the coach.  Tonight I plan to run the space heaters in the front of the coach and the heat pump in the rear.   We will see how that works out.  It is supposed to get down to freezing tonight.

Tomorrow I will check with the service writer and see if they have someone qualified to work on the Aqua Hot and add it to the list for repairs.

Sunday November 24, 2013 Buda, TX

We woke up to another cold, cloudy day.  Actually, I had been awakened by the wind and rain several  times.  Although it was grey sky all over, it looked a little different this morning.  There was a band of lighter grey along the horizon with a darker band above it.  Vanessa, who had spent the night with us,  said that meant it was going to rain.  I'm sure her prognostication and the fact that about a half hour later was purely coincidental.  This time it rained for about 40 minutes and then it was back to the universally grey sky.

We like to sleep in a cool bedroom.  We ran the furnace in the front of the coach all night.  When it was time for showers, I turned on the heat pump in the rear.  I don't remember using it before but the temperature reached 65 very quickly.

We met Curtis and Brandon at Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast.  After breakfast Gerri, and I came back to the coach, Curtis took Brandon and Vanessa home for a nap.  Shortly after that we returned to the house.  Gerri, Dana and Brandon went shopping.  Brandon went with them.  Vanessa stayed and played with two of her friends from across the street.

For dinner we had chicken parmigiana served with spaghetti.  Brandon ate very well and Vanessa didn't finish her food.  After dinner, Dana needed somethings from Walmart, Gerri decided to go with her.  I decided to come back to the coach since the Walmart is by our motor home and Dana could just drop Gerri back off at the coach after their shopping.

Back st the coach I tuned into the worship service net cast from Oakey Blvd. Randy delivered a great message on using our time in this life wisely.

Some computer and TV wound up the evening.

Saturday November 23, 2013, Buda, TX

Brandon stayed the night with me in the motor home.  When we got to the coach it was 40 degrees.  I turned on the inside furnaces and the electric heater.  It was 2:30 before it warmed up enough to turn down the heat.

Brandon got up about 30 minutes before me.  I fixed coffee and started drinking it.  The sky was solid grey, the wind was still blowing and it was raining off and on.  Brandon and I played a few hands of poker and then went to McDonald's and had Egg McMuffins.

Brandon, Curtis and Vanessa

Later Curtis called and suggested we go to Cabella's and look around.  Curtis, Vanessa and, Gerri came to the coach later and we went for lunch at Dan's first.  Dana had been called in to work.  Dan's is a hamburger restaurant nearby, I don't know if it is a chain or not.  The burgers remind me of what Whataburgers were in the 50's.  Dan's also serve other types of food including breakfast.  After eating we went to Cabella's and looked around.  We went to the aquarium.  They have some of the largest catfish I have ever seen.  Curt and the kids spent some time in the shooting gallery.

Curtis and Brandon went home.  Gerri, Vanessa and I had some quite time at the coach.  On the way to the house we stopped and picked up Papa Murphy's pizza.  After the pizza was cooked we had dinner.  After diner we played three games of Left , Right and Center.  Gerri won all three games.  Gerri later played Candy Land with Brandon and Vanessa, Gerri won again.

At eight PM Gerri, Vanessa and I went back to the coach.  Vanessa went to bed at 9.  Gerri and I stayed up and watched some TV and caught up on e-mail and Facebook, before calling it a night.

This cold rainy weather is getting old.  I'm also longing for the desert and mountains, we haven't seen mountains since we left Maderia on our cruise.  This is a flat, green area and kind of dismal looking in the rain and cloudy river.  However, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
'

Friday November 22, 2013, Buda, TX

The alarm didn't go off but I was up at 7.  It is only 15 miles to the dermatologist's office in San Marcos.  We had our coffee and got ready to go.  The plan was to drop Gerri off at Dana's and they were going shopping after I got back from the doctor.

I arrived at the doctor's office with time to spare.  After consultation with the doctor it was decided the best thing to do was remove the spot even though there wasn't time to do a really attractive closing.  The doctor's opinion that it was probable a basal cell carcinoma, even though it didn't look like the typical one.  He thought it was better to remove it, he said that if it was worse than a basal cell carcinoma it could cause more concern if he biopsied it.  The actual operation to remove the affected area only took about 15 minutes and was painless.  I didn't even feel the numbing shot.  I received wound care instruction which was basically the same as with others that I had removed. The tissue will be sent for biopsy.  I made an appointment to have the stitches out on December 4th.  I also got a prescription for an antibiotic.

My other mission for this trip was to find another power cord for Gerri's computer.  Last night she shut the 110 part of the cord in the Jeep door and pulled the tip off.   I stopped at a nearby Best Buy, I had to buy the entire cord set with the charger.  On the way back I stopped at a Radio Shack and got just the part I needed.  I stopped by the coach and picked up my phone and met Gerri back at the kid's house.  She wanted to keep both chargers so she had a spare.

Dana had to work and left about 4 PM.  When Curtis came home we went to dinner at Milt's BBQ in downtown Kyle.  Gerri and I had a dish called a Haystack.  It was Fritos topped with BBQ brisket, beans, cheese, corn, onions and jalapenos.  I also had sausage on mine.  Curtis had brisket, and ribs which he shared with the kids.  Brandon and Vanessa both ate very well.

Back at the house we played some cards.  Tonight Gerri stayed  at the house with Vanessa and Brandon went to the motor home with me.

Brandon and I played games until he fell asleep at 10:20.  I got him into bed and called it a night myself.

Thursday November 22, 2013, Buda, TX

It was cold and threatening rain when I got up and fixed the coffee.  While we were drinking our coffee the body shp came to pickup the coach.  We got ready quickly, we only had to unhook the power and bring the slides in.

Gerri called Dana and found out that she had picked up Vanessa at school and was taking her to a doctor.  The school nurse said she had temperature of 103.  We went to Crestview's customer lounge until we heard back from Dana.  The doctor's office readVanessa's temperature as 99.  She will be tested for asthma the first part of December.

We met Dana at the house.  Gerri and Dana went shopping and I stayed with Vanessa.

After Gerri and Dana returned from shopping, I went back to Crestview to check on th coach.  It was back in our spot. The damaged storage door had been repaired.  Now it's just a matter of waiting for parts to fix the leveling system.

I did hunt 6 caches but only found four.  I had wait through a rain shower in the Jeep at one.  I returned to the house before dinner.

Dinner was carne asada with, beans rice and tortillas.  Curtis' next door neighbors, Don and Mary, joined us for dinner.  Don and Mary stayed for three games of CLR.  Brandon, Vanessa and Don each won a game.

We returned to the coach afte 8 PM.  It was still cold and raining off and on.  We caught up on computer time and watched some TV before going to bed.

Tomorrow I have an appointment to see a dermatologist, so I have to up early to be in San Marcos by then.

Wednsday November 20, 2013, Buda, TX

We were up having our coffee when one of the technicians came and ask how long it would be before we were ready for them to take the coach in to start checking it over.  I said 30 minutes,  we got everthing unhooked and the slides in before the tech got back.  I quickly described the problems again.

Gerri and I went to breakfast at the nearby Cracker Barrel.  After eating, Gerri called Dana and we arranged to meet her at the kids school to pickup a house key.  Dana was working with other mothers finalizing the popcorn fund raiser sales.  I dropped Gerri at the house and went out to geocache.

I found nine and DNFed three. It took most of the afternoon even though I was never more than five miles from Curtis' house.

I returned to the house at about 3.  After a short visit I decided to check on the progress on the coach.  I returned to Crestview and checked the RV park first.  The coach was parked in our spot, hooked to shore power with the bedroom slide out.  I checked and the steps and other slides operated without the jumper.  I went to the office and contacted the service writer, Matt, for an update.  I approved  ordering the parts to repair the leveling system.  As for the R5000 unit, the cost of a replacement was over $4000.  I had them not order that.  I want to check with Kevin first to see if there is better unit or if he has a used one.  In any event that repair will have to wait.  Crestview plans to pickup the coach in the morning for the repair of damage I did to one of the storage doors.  Matt told me that it would take five days to get the parts for the leveling system.

I returned to Curtis and Dana's. I watched the kids play in the backyard before dinner.  Dana fixed Santa Fe Chicken and served it with green beans and corn.

After dinner we taught the kids and Curtis how to play CLR, a fast paced dice game.  Dana went to a PTA meeting.  Even though the game moves pretty fast, Vanessa is easily distracted.  We did play three games, Curtis won one and Brandon won two.

Vanessa with her cards

Before bed time Brandon and I played draw poker.  I taught him the game yesterday along with the idea of Jacks or Better to open.  We worked on the opening idea for few and and then I introduced the betting rules of maximum opening and raising, in this case three chips, and a thee raise limit.  I hope he learns how to bet wisely and not scare other players away with extravagant betting.  He seemed to get the idea.

We went pack to the park at 8 PM.  Some TV and computer time and it was bedtime.

Tuesday November 19, 2013, Buda, TX

Mother and son

 We had our coffee and then I went to the office and checked to see if they were going to get started checking out the coach today.  The answer was maybe tomorrow.


I had downloaded some nearby caches.  The first was less than a quarter mile away.  The eight was much further.  I also picked up three travel bugs.

After three we went to Dana and Curt's house.  Vanessa wasn't feeling good and was in bed.  Brandon and I went outside and I watched him ride his bike and Green Monster.  After that we tossed a football until Curtis got home.  Curt took over the passing and ran a few plays with Brandon.  I din't film the football part but did make some videos of the bike and monster riding.

Father and son

After dinner we played some poker.  I tried to teach Brandon how to play seven card draw.

We called it a night at 8 PM.  As we were leaving Vanessa came downstairs she was feeling better.  She wanted to come stay with us in the motor home, but tomorrow is a school day.  She was unhappy when we left.

Earlier that afternoon I made an appointment with a dermatologist in San Marcos.  I have a spot on my chest that I need to get checked out.  When we left home in July it was just a crusty spot.  Now it is more like a blister and I have to keep it covered with a band aid.  The appointment is for Friday morning.

Tomorrow I hope to be notified the shop is ready to check the coach.

Monday November 18, 2013, Buda, TX

Moving day.  We got up at 7 and had our coffee.  It was misting outside and I took my time getting the coach ready to roll.  We were on the road at 9:20.  We stopped in Tomball for fuel.

Our route was west on FM-2920 to US-290, west to Texas 71 and then on to I-35 south to Buda.

We arrived at Crestview RV at about 1 PM.  By the time I met with the service writer and we got set up in our space it was 3 PM.  The RV park has several sites for people at Crestview RV who are having service.

Happy belated birthdays

We went to Curtis and Dana's house and visited with Dana and the kids until  Curtis got home from work.  Dana fixed a baked chicken dish with baked potato and squash.  After dinner we were surprised with a birthday cake and presents.  Gerri's birthday was the 4th and mine was the 12th.  The kids showed me some of their toys in the back yard.

After the kids were wound up we returned to the RV park a little after 8.

Some computer and TV time and we called it a night.

Last week when I called for the service appointment I was told it could be several days before the problems could be checked.  By being here with the coach it might be quicker. We don't know if we get to sleep in tomorrow or not.

Sunday November 17, 2013, Spring, TX

Back to front left- Me, Lael Miller and Gloria Ford
Back to front right side- Karla Schuler, Kari Webster, Mark Ford,
Lawana Tom and Curtis Ford

We got up this morning and fixed our coffee.  It had rained during the night but was getting warm and humid.  The plan for the morning was to meet the Fords for breakfast at Alma Latina Taqueria in Spring.

We had a great breakfast before my aunt and uncle left for back home in Corpus Christi.  Plans were made later to meet the cousins at Pappasito's Mexican Restaurant in Spring.

We returned to the coach and tuned into worship services at the Oakey Blvd. Church of Christ.

At two we met my Ford cousins at Pappasitos. and had appetizers while we visited.

The cache container and log

The cache container and log for my 4200th cache

The container and its hiding spot

After we left the restaurant we went to hunt four caches that I had downloaded.  I planed to do three caches to reach 4200 caches.  I downloaded four caches just in case I had DNF.  I also planned for my 4200th to be the cache that completed my quest for finding caches with names beginning with 0-9 and A to Z.  I did that and then did the fourth cache for good measures.

After the caches we returned to the RV Park.  We relaxed with computer and TV time.

Tomorrow our plan is to move to the Crestview RV Park in Buda, TX, 161 miles away.

Saturday November 16, 2013, Spring, TX

Uncle Curtis Ford

Yesterday and today were quite a bit warmer than the last few days, we can actually feel the Texas humidity.  Earlier in the week we needed the furnace last night and today we almost needed the air conditioners.

We had our coffee and left late to be at my cousin's, Neysa Bates, house for a family gathering.  It is about 20 miles from the RV park and I had to stop for gas in the Jeep.  We did arrive before the food was served, about 11:30 AM.  Another big meal with lots of food to go around.

After dinner we played LRC using lottery scratch off tickets instead of quarters.  That is Left, Right, Center.  A dice game we that learned a few years ago from our friends Carl and Joyce Wolf in Ohio.  Uncle Curtis showed us two other games with cards 31 and Mess Up Your Neighbor (I cleaned that up), I hope we remember the rules.

Rear - Gerri and Frank Barker, Curtis Ford, Brandon Bates,
Jenn and Mathew Miller, Mark Ford,
Judy and Michael Martinez (John Tom's sister and her husband)
Middle - Gloria Ford, Lawana Tom, Kari Webster  Lael Miller
Front - Karla Schuler, John Tom, Korbyn Johnson, Neysa Bates

The Fords, Curtis and Gloria Ford,
Karla Schuler. Lawana Tom, Kari Webster,
Lael Miller and Mark Ford

Aunt Gloria Ford, cousin Karla Schuler and me

The party broke up at about 6.  We made plans to meet for breakfast with the Fords before Curtis and Gloria drive back to Corpus Christi on Sunday.

It was a great visit.  We had to cancel our visit here last year after I hurt my leg.



The drive home was quicker.  We were mostly on I-45.  Going to the party the GPS directed us on surface streets even though I had it set on fastest route.

The Barker side of the family from West Virginia dwindled down to Aunt Gloria and me.  Of course there are cousins galore.  Gloria's children, grand children  and great grandchildren.  Then there are all the cousins in Seattle, descended from my aunt Marcella.  Not to forget the cousins descended from me.  There are a lot of us scattered around the country and many of us don't get a chance to know each other.

Friday November 15, 2013, Spring, TX.

Computer time

Today is the day Neva departs for Las Vegas, ending her time with us.  We had coffee and caught up with e-mail and Facebook.  We got every thing ready to roll by 10 AM.  Gerri dropped Neva off at Hobby Airport and I headed toward Spring, TX for our next stop.

Leaving for Las Vegas

The distance I had to travel was 60 miles.  I started out on Texas 146 and then west on Texas 225.  This portion of the drive reminded me of I-110 leaving Long Beach, CA.  There were too many semis and trailers to count.  The next portion of the drive was north on I-45,  Traffic wasn't too bad but about two miles from my turnoff the GPS lost the satellite connection.  

That was weird since I was traveling on flat terrain, no trees or buildings blocking the signal.  I exited the Interstate at the designated exit and pulled into the parking lot of a Walmart.  I tried to figure out what the problem was and where I needed to go.  I finally got a connection and the instructions were to continue north on I-45.  I did that and then the GPS indicated I needed to get off the Interstate and go back south on Texas 75.  I tried to do this but ran into blocked streets and construction.  My next instructions were to go north on I-45.  I ignored that and went further east and turned back on to a road that I knew was south of my destination.  I finally arrived at the RV Park  a few minutes before noon, having driven an extra 8 miles.  When I arrived the office was closed but there was a sign that told me which site to park in.

I got parked and hooked up before Gerri arrived.  Her experience coming through Houston was much different, there had been a major accident causing miles of piles up with bumper to bumper traffic.  After she arrived and finished setting up the inside, I went to the office and registered.  Gerri contacted my cousin Lael and nothing was going on tonight.  I down loaded some nearby caches and went out and found six, I need three more to reach 4200 cache.  I also went to Walmart and picked up a few items.

We had a dinner of left overs from Bubba Gump's.  We mixed some horse radish and shrimp sauce in the tarter sauce, it was very tasty.

After dinner it was TV and computer time until bedtime.

Tomorrow is the Ford family gathering at my cousin Neysa's.

Thursday November 14, 2013, Kemah, TX

Last night we ran the furnace, I hope the folks next door don't sleep with their windows open.  Our furnace is diesel fired.  We had our coffee and just generally loafed around.  We had no plans until 3 PM when we planned to go isit Gerri's uncle Elbert in La Porte.

Lori Barnhart

Lori Barnhart came to the coach at about noon.  She lives in Richmond, TX about 60 east of Kemah.  Lori is Gerri's niece, Hollis' daughter.  We drove around Kemah and decided to have lunch at Bubba Gump's on the boardwalk.  We took pictures around town.  As I said yesterday, this is a place we could spend some time seeing the sights.

Lori is planning a move to Florida closer to where her son, Andrew, is attending college.

At 2:30 we left for La Porte for our visit.  It was only 10 miles, mostly divided highway.  Besides Elbert and Shirley.  Elbert's daughters Glenda and Nancy, came for dinner too.   Nancy's husband Robert Raif was there also.

Nancy and Robert Raif had brought most of the food.  Lori pitched in and helped set up the dining room for the nine of us.  Dinner was BBQ, chicken, Ribs and brisket.  There was also King Ranch Chicken and vegetables.  http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/chess-pie-recipes-00417000072438/

Lori and her great uncle Elbert

There was an assortment of pies for dessert.  One type of pie I had never heard of, lemon chess pie.  It was very good, not quite the same as lemon custard and far different than lemon meringue. .

We visited while dinner was cleaned up and until just before nine.  Although Elbert has trouble talking, he very clearly communicates his love for family.  Lori had driven her own car and went home from La Porte, a more direct route than going back to Kemah.

Elbert with Nancy, Neva and Glenda

Back at the coach we caught up on e-mail and Facebook, posting some of the pictures taken at Elbert and Shirley's.  We had a good day seeing relatives we either hadn't seen before and some that some of us had never met.

Neva's flight home to Las Vegas is at 12:15 tomorrow.  She completed her packing before going to bed.

This trip after Neva joined us has been a joy of meeting and visiting with relatives in Florida and Texas.  We were sorry to see her go.

Elbert and Shirley

Tomorrow we move to an RV Park in Spring, TX, 60 miles away.  In this area we will visit my relatives until Monday.

Wednesday November 13, 2013, Kemah, TX

We got up at 7 AM and started having our coffee.  It was cold and windy outside and not a cloud in the sky.  

I started getting ready to roll by loading up things outside.  The first were the flags and flagpole.  The aluminum pole was so-o-o cold.
The only other thing to put up was the shore power cord.  That done I put the jumper on so Gerri could take in the slide rooms.  We had been worried about backing out onto the road.  I had to back up making a 90 degree left turn, backing along the fence and then back to the right on an angle through the gate.  Beside the fence posts on the right to contend with there is a post on the left, some type of PVC conduit, that has to be avoided.  Gerri did a great job guiding me through the maneuvers.   

Once on the side of the road, I hooked up the Jeep.  We said our goodbyes to Herb on the phone and to JoNell at the end of the driveway.  We were on our way to Kemah, TX by 9 o'clock.

Bridge across Galveston Bay near San Jacinto

Our route was FM roads to Garrison where we picked up US 59.  We went about half the distance on US 59 and most of the rest on Texas 146.  We traveled about 190 miles in a little over 4 hours, arriving at the Marina Bay RV Resort a little after 1 PM.  We were assigned to space 72.

Marina Bay RV Resort

This is a very nice park with all concrete streets and parking sites.  The sites are a little narrow and with a large RV there is very little outside room..  We had a good view of  Jarbo Bayou.  The park has a boardwalk along the bayou and a walking path connects the sections of the park and gives access to picnic areas with grills.  There are three pools and an adults only area.  They also have various sizes of park models to rent.There are palapas and fire pits along the walk with many places to sit.

We are in the area to visit Gerri's uncle, her father's only remaining brother.  He lives in La Port, TX.  Neva called and our plan is to go to his house tomorrow afternoon.  Neva also talked to Hollis' daughter, Lori, who lives in Richmond. TX.  She plans to meet us at the RV park and go with us to visit uncle Elbert Glen. 

We had no plans to go out this evening, Gerri planned to cook spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner.  I downloaded six nearby caches.  I found four, DNF one and didn't try for the sixth because it involved a long walk on a busy bridge to the cache and back.  I didn't get far from the RV Park with my geocaching.  But I did get a feel for the area.  It is a place we could spend a lot more time.  Lots of restaurants and a boardwalk with an amusement park.

We had the spaghetti for dinner along with cottage cheese.  We had ice cream for dessert.

We watched Judge Judy and some other TV before going to bed.

Tuesday November 12, 2013, Garrison, TX

Today is my birthday, the dawn of my 73rd year.  What a life I have enjoyed!  From the carefree but poor life of a barefooted hillbilly to a richer, but not as carefree, life as a husband, father and grandfather.  I now have the ability and means to travel the country and world.  I praise the lord for my blessings, which are too great and many to list.  The list would begin with family and relatively good health and go on forever.

We woke up to a cold windy morning.  The predicted cold front was moving in.  We had our usual coffee.  Gerri got dressed and went into the house for better internet reception.  I went caching and found three, including one I had no success with on Saturday.

In the mid afternoon we drove into Nacogdoches to visit with Herb.  He had been up earlier and now had some pain in the area of the incision.  Otherwise he seemed to be doing well.

At the Cotton Patch

We went to the Cotton Patch for supper with JoNell.  Neva and I had the fried catfish, Gerri had Chicken Fried Steak and JoNell had Chicken Fried Chicken.  Neva and I had blackberry cobbler for desert.



After another short visit with Herb we headed back to the house.  On the way four deer crossed the road in front of us.  

Deer in Herb & JoNell's backyard

I returned calls to Curtis and Todd , who had called to wish me Happy Birthday.

We plan to get started between 9 and 10 in the morning.  So we set the alarm for 7 AM and retired at 11 PM.

 

Monday November 11, 2013, Garrison, TX

Final resting place opf David Anderson

JoNell, David and Donna took Herb to the hospital in Nacogdoches a lot earlier than we got up. His hip replacement was scheduled for 6 AM.  A little after noon we got started to the hospital.  First we stopped at the Isabell Chapel Cemetery in Mt Enterprise to visit my brother-in-law's, David Anderson, grave.  It had been several years since any of us were there so we had to stop in Mt. Enterprise and ask directions.  The cemetery is well kept but we had to clean moss off the marker to get a decent picture.

Dinner at the Clear Springs

When we arrived at the hospital in Nacogdoches, JoNell and family were just coming out to go to lunch.  We accompanied them and had a great meal at the Clear Springs Restaurant.

Herb finishes JoNell's leftover hamburger 

After lunch we went for a visit with Herb.  He was awake and alert and had already been walking with the therapist.  We visited until he started nodding off.

Before we left the hospital parking lot I did a lamp post skirt cache.

An easy LPS cache

It was just getting dark when we got back to Garrison.

We had left over corn bread and taco soup for supper.  It had been a long day for JoNell so we retired to the motor home at about 9:00.  A little computer and TV time and we called it a night.

Sunday November 10, 2013, Garrison, TX

Couisins, Gerri, Neva and JoNell

We went to the Church of Christ in Garrison.  We attended both Bible Study and Worship.  We have been to this church several times over the last few years.  Herb and JoNell go to Holly Hills Baptist church.  Besides worship service they also had to go into Nacogdoches for Herb to have a final blood draw before his operation tomorrow.

Frank and Gerri with Herb and JoNell

In the afternoon Gerri drove to Henderson and met two Facebook friends for lunch.  Neva and I had lunch with Herb and JoNell, mostly left overs from supper yesterday.

Herb started watching a football game and fell asleep.  I went out to the coach and caught up on e-mail and Facebook and then took a short nap.

Gerri got back at 4:30.

We went to the Rancho Grande Mexican Restaurant in Timpson.  We had been there before and it was still very good.  They still serve free vanilla soft serve ice cream for dessert. 

Leaves are starting to change in east Texas

Not long after we got back from dinner Herb's son and his wife arrived, David and Donna.  They will go with Herb and JoNell to the hospital in the morning.  We visited and watched a football game until bedtime at 10:30.

We plan to sleep in tomorrow and then go into Nacogdoches after Herb'as operation is over.

Saturday November 9, 2013, Garrison, TX

Another cold cloudy day.  We didn't get up until 9 AM.  I fixed coffee and Gerri took hers into the house.  I downloaded pictures from Gerri's camera.  Last night I had run a Pocket Query for caches nearby, I loaded them on both my handheld and the GPS in the Jeep before I went in.

I was just in time for breakfast.  Herb had fixed eggs, bacon and sausage to go with biscuits left over from yesterday.

I went caching and found five caches and didn't find five others.  My caching trip ended in Garrison so I gassed up the Jeep and filled the water container we use for coffee water in the motorhome.  I got back to the house about 4:00 and took a shower in the coach before logging the caches.

Gerri and Neva stayed at the house and played Mexican Train with Herb and JoNell.  Herb won that game.  While I was gone, several cardinals came flying through.  Neva was able to take a few pictures.

We had left over BBQ for supper.  It was good again.

After cleaning up after the meal, Herb watched the end of a football game and the ladies caught up on computer time.

We later played Mexican Train Dominoes.  Herb won one game and Gerri won one game.

Tomorrow Gerri, Neva and I plan to go to church at the Church of Christ in Garrison.  Herb and JoNell will go to their regular church, Holly Hill Baptist.

Friday November 8, 2013, Garrison, TX

It was a cool night, great for sleeping.  Gerri was up first and turned an electric heater on.  By the time I got the coffee served it was comfortable.  Of course comfortable didn’t speed up the internet connection.  E-mail came in fine but any activity on a web site was frustrating.  We got good reception in the house but not with Verizon in the coach.  This is the first year where there is wifi in Gerri's cousins house.

After we had some coffee we went into the house and JoNell & Herb fixed breakfast.  Delicious eggs, bacon and biscuits.  As we were finishing eating Herb got a call from the alarm company that monitors his brother Ed.  Ed had pressed the emergency button and when they called him he ask that medical help be sent.  He had fallen and still was’t feeling good.  Herb and I drove over to his house, it is just across the street but the house set way back from the road.  It was a long time before anyone arrived,  I went out to the street and directed the EMT from the Mt. Enterprise VD to the house.  It was still about another 45 minutes before the ambulance from Henderson arrived.  After examination they decided he should go to the hospital and be checked.  We found out later he was taken to the hospital he requested in Nacogdoches.  They must have gone a long way since they turned wrong from his driveway and we never saw them come back.

Inside the smoker

Herb fired up his smoker with brisket, ribs and chicken.  While dinner cooked we played Chicken Foot Dominoes.  Gerri won two games and Herb won one.

JoNell and Herb

Ready to feast

We had the smoked meat for dinner along with salad, broccoli, rolls and cheesy potatoes.

After dinner we played Mexican Train dominoes.  Herb won in spite of getting 171 points.  It was a high point game for everyone.

We called it a night after catching up on Facebook and e-mail.