Not to far off to Phar

Dateline La Feria, TX    Sunday morning and we are heading over west to Pharr, TX to see Phyllis' Aunt Eva and we are taking the trikes and will ride in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/santana.html) afterwards.  As I recall they have a 7 mile trail there that is for the narrated trolly ride or walking or biking.  We have been riding 5 to 7 miles a day around the park and north of our park as well as one trip under the freeway and around the area south of Expressway 83.

Here is the deck corner that is partially removed.

Now with the deck corner completely removed, we have room for the two recumbent trikes and still get the car under the roof.  Will get the new skirting and railing with upright boards back on this sometime, maybe, probably (in my usual hurrying along at a snail's pace).

Last night, Saturday, we had good friends Mary Jo and Oliver over for cards.  We had spent the morning with them going to a garage sale and then to Shipleys for donuts and on to Brownsville, TX where we went to SAS (San Antonio Shoes) and then got some things at Sam's Club.  On returning to Harlingen we stopped at Office Depot and then fueled up at Subway.
Was a little warm yesterday, calling for the A/C to be on and will be up to 90 again this afternoon so will use the A/C.  Since we got here two weeks ago tomorrow we have run the A/C and the furnace both as the temps go up and down.  Low of upper 40's one morning week or so ago.  I see by the internet that it is 25 degrees with a "feel like" of 19 degrees and upper temp predicted to be 38 in our hometown of Clarinda, IA.
Till later, Lynn

We have Internet at the house!

Dateline - La Feria, TX at my desktop!
Might seem trivial to some of you, but we finally got internet right at our house.  We have been catching wifi where we could since we left our home in Clarinda October 30th.  At our park here they have free wifi in the office and adjoining area, but that entails taking the laptop up and setting up and checking things and writing what we need.  No printer, and working in public.  This is much greater.

I have spent the last day or so tearing up the deck here at our "new" place.  by removing a section of it we will be able to park our recumbent trikes under the roof and still have room for the car to be parked under the roof.  Have it all torn out, now just need to finish up putting the rail and posts to be a little safer.  It will still leave plenty of space on the deck for several chairs and recliners as well as the barbeque grill.  Will post some pictures after finished. 

Was cool here this morning, 52 degrees when woke up.  Is 81 degrees now with a nice breeze.

Till later, Lynn

We'll have family for Christmas!

Dateline La Feria, TX  --  Cool night with temps in 60's this morning on awakening.  (Is 73 degrees now with prediction of 90 degrees as high with 10-15 mph winds from northwest so won't be bad).   Phyllis went to pool exercises at the swimming pool at 6:45 am and I managed to wake up in time to go to stretching exercises at the Rec Hall at 8:00 am.  We had ridden the bikes several miles last night just at dark, both through our park and another to the north and then through several streets on to the north.

Had heard earlier that our son Cameron & his wife Patty are flying in to San Antonio just before Christmas when we will meet them, do the Riverwalk and site see the Alamo and other places there and on the way to our place back in the Valley.  Later heard from my brother Don and his wife Vicki that they would be driving in to La Feria at the same time and would be staying at a Motel just across the street from us.  Last night got a call from Daughter Michelle in Columbus, OH and she is making plans on driving down for about the same time.  She will actually be bringing some friends as far as Houston and then spending almost a week with us, probably able to go with us to the San Antonio site seeing trip--and picking up Cam's.  The last couple winters we have spent here at Kenwood we have told the kids "you know where we will be if you want to spend Christmas with us" and now that we have a full home, not just the small travel trailer, they are taking us up on the offer.  Hope we can give all a little flavor of the Valley in winter during their short visits.

When in Mexico yesterday morning to get stitches checked on my molar removal-implants we walked a few blocks into the Progresso shopping area.  As usual, was approached about a shoe shine and since I was wearing my really old beat-up shoes gave him a shot.  Look at the left shoe verses the right shoe in photo above.  Now I have "new looking" shoes.

On our trike ride just about dusk.  The palm trees seen over Phyllis are in our RV Resort, our home just about above the SMV sign.
Till later, Lynn

Back from Mexico

Dateline La Feria, TX  Temperature 77 degrees at 9:30 pm  Went to Nuevo Progresso this morning and ended up leaving two teeth there.  Have implants and will go back for checkup on them in the morning and get castings made for new crowns.

 Checkpoint for cars going into Mexico.

 At center of walk bridge over the Rio Grande River. Sign shows Mexico and US

Kids holding caps through the bridge railing and begging for nickels as we go across.  We had gone to the Announcements and Ice Cream at 6:30 last night at the Rec Hall and ended up helping serve.

On Sunday afternoon we had worked on changing our deck--added steps going off north end directly to the little shed--and then ate supper on the deck.

 New opening in deck wall just beside the grill.

To be in upper 80's the rest of the week with lots of wind and chances of rain tonight.  Though Phyllis will probably go to the swimming exercises at 6:45 am we will probably skip the floor exercises at 8:00 as we need to head to Nuevo Progresso.
Till later, Lynn

Dateline - Cameron County Texas  (This is the southernmost county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 406,220. Its county seat is Brownsville. Cameron was founded in 1848. Cameron is named for Captain Ewen Cameron , a soldier during the Texas Revolution and in the ill-fated Mier Expedition.)  Now that you know all of that let me say that we named our son Cameron after this county.  (about 117 years after the county was named, that is.)

Thursday evening, after supper at our house, we went up to the rec hall and played "Bean Bag Baseball"

 The girls are scheming some tactics to use on the guys team.

I've been accused of always taking photos of Phyllis' back side, so here she is walking back between the two teams after "running the bases".

This morning we went to the 8:00 exercise group and at 11:30 am the park had a ceremony of replacing the flag, saying the Pledge of Allegiance and then going into the rec hall where all veterans were introduced, along with their military service and we were all served a meal.

It was 42 degrees this morning at 7:00 am, but is now 73 degrees and bright sunshiny day here in paradise.
Till later, Lynn

Cool in La Feria, TX

Had some rain during the night.  Hadn't found our rain gauge yet, so don't know how much.  Yesterday was hot and we turned on the AC, was glad it started okay.  I washed down the deck and that side of the house.

We have been unpacking and moving stuff around.  This morning the Dish guy came and set up our "Dish-mover" account and we have TV.  But, can't get the Omaha stations.  Something about they are no longer our local stations.  That would have kept us in touch with the Midwest a little better.

Most of the stuff is out of trailer and Phyllis has been rearranging things.

W

We rode about 6 miles last night on our recumbent trikes, just riding the streets in Kenwood.  Not much activity so we could cruise in the dark.  We have flashing lights on our trikes, but the battery run down on my light so I was invisible.  I hadn't gotten around to put the SMV signs on the back of our trikes, so we draped the new reflectorized vests over the bags on the back of our bikes but no cars shined their lights on them.  We did stop in at the Rec Hall and sign up to work this Saturday morning at the breakfast and check out the card players.

It is heavy overcast today with ocassional sprinkles.  Temp in the 60's and cool for this area.  Click on any of the photos to see larger.
Till later, Lynn

At our winter home!

Pulled in to Kenwood RV Resort in LaFeria, TX about 4 pm.  Had a real nice visit with Phyllis' cousin Ruth Sunderman Davis at her home in Houston and after a nice breakfast this morning at her place we headed out into the Houston traffic.

She lives in a renovated 1913 Queen Anne home that is really nice throughout.

She suggested we wait a bit for the traffic to subside, but we pulled out shortly after 8:10 am and were 30 miles away through I610 and I10 and onto Highway 59.  Was 7 lanes wide at times and cars switching every which way.  We stopped for gas in Victoria - paid $3.22 a gallon.  Had driven by $3.10 and $3.15 but didn't need gas then.  Stopped for a footlong at Subway for lunch.  Temperature was in the mid to upper 80's as we headed south of Victoria.  Lots of dust blowing at places were field work was being done or road work.  Looked pretty dry.  Rolled into our spot at Kenwood and unpacked the car, but will work on the trailer in the morning.

After getting everything in out of the car and most of it put away (by Phyllis) we got a bite to eat at Stars and then went grocery shopping at El Centro.

Phyllis is unloading the groceries at our mobile home while I am in the office using their wifi.  Tomorrow I will have to get lined up with a phone line for internet and get Dish to put up a "vacation" receiver for us so we can have TV.  There are several of the old friends here at the resort, but many to come in yet.  A few of the activities are started.  Guess there will be a ceremony and meal on 11-11-11 for veterans.

Till later, Lynn