On the way to the Rose Parade

Santa Rosa, New Mexico     Starting our 2nd day on the bus.  We drove to Dallas on the 26th.  Stayed overnight in Red Oak, TX near Dallas and then on the 27th we toured the G W Bush Presidential Library.  Drove on to Oklahoma City where we checked in at the Hampton Inn about 5 pm.  Neihart Tour bus arrived about 6:30 with the 52 other people on this tour.

Stopped for lunch yesterday in Amarilla at the "eat a 72 oz steak in an hour and it's free" place.  We ate a 5 oz steak.  Spent 45 minutes at an interesting museum in Elk City, OK.  Today we eat lunch in Albuquerque and stay tonight in Flagstaff, AZ.   Will be in Ontario, CA for 3 nights while we view the finishing up of the floats on the 31st and have $65 reserved seats along the route of parade on the 1st.

More as we go along.  Lynn

After Christmas

Writing from Oklahoma City, OK.  Drove from La Feria, TX to near Dallas, TX yesterday, the day after Christmas.  Spent the night at a so-so Motel 6 in Red Oak, Texas.  This morning we drove to the G W Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas.  Got there about 9:30 and were fortunate because huge crowd was in process of coming.  By the time we left about 12:30 pm there was a line -- about 3 or 4 people wide -- doubled up inside the lobby, clear out to the street and about a half-block away.  Workers said they had been busy all week with the Christmas Travelers.  A good sized group from Papillion, NE high school band (on their way to the Alamo Bowl) were run in front of us.  All the displays had lots of people in front of them, but we enjoyed the films, artifacts, and displays.  This year we have visited the Ragen, Nixon, Clinton and G W Bush Presidential Libraries.  What a country!

We got to Oklahoma City about 3:30 pm, found a Jiffy Lube to have oil changed in the Ford and got to the Hampton Inn about 4:30 pm.  Neihart bus came about 6:30 pm and we helped the 53 other people get into the motel.  We went to the IHOP with Neil & Becky McCoy from Clarinda for supper.  Eddy Scotton and his wife are on the bus, also.  Don't know that we are acquainted with the others but will get to be when we board the bus in the morning.

Unfortunately we will not be accompanied on this 17 day bus trip by our close friend Patty Steckelberg.  We have been planning this trip since mid September and were looking forward to our time with her.  She has been helping take care of her Mother the last several years along with her son Brian.  Mrs. Sweney still lived in her home on the farm, celebrated her 96th birthday a couple days ago; she passed away shortly after 11 pm last night.  So, of course, Patty cancelled out of the trip and will take care of things at home.  We will miss her being with us, but are looking forward to her coming to our Texas home in February.

Bus will head west at 8:00 am in the morning with lunch in Amarillo, TX and we will over-night in Flagstaff, AZ.

More later, Lynn

Christmas week in Rio Grande Valley of south Texas

More than a week has gone by since I have written.  Lots of activities going on in the park every day.  Will show some we took part in.  At right is picture of Phyllis with Bobbi Raab and the sisters Ila Mae & Betty at a "cookie exchange" held by Activity Director Allison at the Rec Hall.  Phyllis said about 25 ladies were present.  Each took a dozen cookies and came back (if they didn't eat them) with a dozen different cookies.  They also exchanged gifts.

At left is photo we received with Christmas card from Bob and Marliese Talbot in Paragonah, Utah.  We visited with them on our Southwest trip this summer.

      Progressing some with my patio/storage area addition.  Only thing left on the north end outside is trim around windows and corner as well as coat of white paint.  Still work on inside.

Doris & Lyle Winter (who moved their unit to a park near San Juan or Alamo) arrived in the valley last week and were over to our place for some Pegs & Jokers one night. 

 Our neighbors Harold & LaRohda Neir and Bob & Bobbi Raab came over so all could see Doris & Lyle and we all had a good visit.

Oh yeah, Phyllis & I were there also.

Last Sunday we joined some neighbors for early lunch at the cafe in Santa Rosa.  Place is always crowded on Sunday morning.

Man just turning away (I came that close to getting his picture - didn't realize until later that I clicked a bit too late so don't have a face picture) is serving as Pastor for the winter at the Rec Hall and his wife is at right.  Though we have not heard him speak, all who have are happy to have him.  They are staying at Bibleville--to the west of us.

Phyllis talking with Pastor's wife.  Can't recall their names.

 Our next door neighbors Harold & LaRohda Neher.

Another Kansan Burl Penny (they live fairly close to Nehers in northeast Kansas)

Donna Penny sat next to me.

           Phyllis tried one of the Facebook posted recipes - homemade chicken-pot pies with mixed vegetables.  Turned our right well!

     Thursday evening we drove our neighbors Bob & Bobbi Raab to the Harlingen Airport.  They had a direct flight to Minneapolis to be home with family for Christmas and Bob's granddaughter's wedding in early January.  They called that tho the plane was a bit late and it was nearly midnight when they arrived home they were safe though not excited about the difference in temperature!

 The "girls team" (needed a couple guys to balance the numbers) at bean-bag-baseball the other night.

 The guys team at bean-bag-baseball.

Phyllis & I helped AD Allison serve Nachos Supreme  after Diego performed on Thursday afternoon.  Don Ferguson was helping with ice and pop sales.

Said Diego performing.  He seemed to make up an entire band with his keyboard.  Many danced to him.

Diego and his wife and daughter.  She is drawing a 50/50 ticket for Allison.

Phyllis went to an afternoon at Betty Snyder's place with several other gals in the park.

 The gals at Betty's table.  Pam is only one not shown--think she took these photos (which I purloined from her Facebook page).

Saturday morning we helped put on the "Omelet in a Bag" breakfast.

Phyllis frying the hash-brown potatoes with crew waiting - they had tested the boiling water with a couple eggs already.

     Each person got a Zip-Lock  bag with two eggs in it.  They then had added choice of any of following:  Diced ham, peppers, bacon bits, sausage, cheese, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms.
They wrote their name on the bag with permanent marker.

The Zip-Lock bags were dropped into boiling water until done - about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on how many added ingredients. 

        Then they could add cheese on top and/or salsa, as well as get a helping of hash brown potatoes.

                       The line kept busy and did not hear any complaints on this sumptuous $3 breakfast which included coffee or milk and orange juice.

Purloined this photo off Facebook of Daughter-in-law Patty and their dog Pepper.  Pepper was killed several weeks ago in their back yard--they think by a deer.

Another photo taken from Facebook of our son Cameron and their daughters Ashley and Emily when they were hiking in Yellowstone National Park this summer.

Have been getting 10 miles on the trike nearly every day.  At right I am passing nearly 90-year old Robert exercising his dog on a leash on his right.





Since we leave early next Thursday morning to drive to Oklahoma City to join our 17-day bus tour to the west coast (including Rose Parade in Pasadena) time is getting short for me to get the storage area enclosed and lockable so can leave all outdoor stuff inside it while we are gone.  Had thought of putting the trikes and some other things in the living room, but we have let neighbors Bill & Darlene have their daughter and kids use our place for sleeping when they visit just after Christmas.   I am at the point of installing shelves in the storage area and moving stuff into there.  Today will put up the last panels on the outside of the storage area and start working on the two 3' wide french doors to enclose it.  When both opened this will allow ample access when doing woodworking.

After our unusually cool weather last week we have been enjoying temperatures in the 70's and 80's.  Last couple of days were terribly windy -- understand some gusts reached 45 mph.  Today is to get in to the upper 70's.  A contrast to the 20 degrees now at home in Clarinda, Iowa where they got about 6 inches of snow last night.

Will try to post once before we head out and am taking the laptop to post when at hotels along our trip.

Till later, Lynn

59 and light rain in the Rio Grande Valley at La Feria

We saw the sun couple days ago, but it disappeared again.

Since I have been spending a lot of time on our new patio area the last few weeks, will show some of the progress.  At right is how we found the storage shed covered up by the growth of the "little" palm tree on October 22nd when we arrived at our winter home.

The next day I cut all the fronds away from the tree.

 We had a crew come in and remove the old storage shed and put down new cement matching the level of the cement under the raised deck.

View of the forms and re-bar from the deck.

Cement still wet.

        Cement poured and dried enough to walk on.

  

Started to set up work area and chop saw.

First studs up

Studs on both sides and plates along top with couple of rafters up.

Since we had all the "stuff" that had been stored in the old storage shed to keep working around it was continually moving things.  Tearing up the raised deck and using the 2" x 6" flooring for studs.  Maybe a little over-kill, but must recycle the wood rather than buy new 2" x 4".

Put flashing on the bottom of the outside panels, with a little slope to help keep moisture moving away from the wall.

Siding on the west side, though don't have the last 9" or so on the top above the 8' panels, and will put a window in the last panel near where the ladder is sitting.

4 panels up.  Far right panel will have a 6' tall by 3' wide window cut in to it.  There will also be a 2' square window cut in the center of the west wall which will give some light and ventilation to the storage/shop area.

From inside -- panels up to where door will be on north end.  Window between door and house (5' x 3') already in.

Area at left of panels shows 5' x 3' space for window.  We took window back and traded for 6' x 3' window so when installed it will go close to top plate.

Looking south towards raised deck.

When cold - windy - wet weather moved in I covered the door area with scrap plywood panels and also above and below the window.  Some weather still came through the area at top, but was able to work in 40 degree area for several days.

All of raised deck is removed except the bit at the left which will keep out the weather (and neighbor's eyes) until we start putting the wall, with windows, down that side.

Shows the opening into what was the raised deck area.

Photo at right is from the step in front of front door to house, looking north.  Work benches and chop saw moved into the larger area so can start enclosing the 7' x 14' storage area at the northwest corner.


Since we are leaving the 26th for 17 days on a bus excursion I am trying to get the storage area enclosed so can lock up all the items from the weather and others while we are gone.  Hope to get the west wall with four 6' x 3' windows in it up during February and March before we head north.

Might mention that our son, wife and family seem to be having things happen to them and their relatives.  Their dog was killed by deer a week or so ago.  Yesterday her father was taken by ambulance to Omaha from Clarinda, IA with an aneurism on his heart.  Granddaughter's father-in-law checks in on his mother each day in Marengo, IA and found her dead yesterday.  Life has some lows and hope they bear up under the stress they are enduring at this time.

Later, Lynn