WE GAVE EACH OTHER THE SAME THING THIS YEAR

Our Christmas gift to each other this year was our new trailer.  It's certainly not new, but new to us.  It's 12 years old and we are very happy with it.  It needs a lot of cleaning, a few repairs etc. but, nothing we can't handle.  It has the basics of everything we want.  

We now have a Desk to hold all my computer clutter, and I have plenty of that now that I am working on the Park Newsletter. 

That clutter and my Laptop used to end up on the table and had to be cleared away when we wanted to eat. 

 

We have a real Bedroom we can actually stand up in. We have double wide closets across the end of the bedroom that are as big as the ones in our Condo. 

We have a dresser with plenty of drawer space all along the end of the bed. 

We have a really nice shower with plenty of hot water. 

I have a peninsula kitchen, with lots of cupboard and drawer space. 

We have very comfortable lounge chairs and a couch that makes down into an extra bed. 

We have a great entertainment unit with a second TV and stereo. 

At this time it has a dining booth, which we intend to remove and replace with a small dinning table and 4 chairs, but that plan is for next year.  I will salvage the upholstery material and do the chairs up to match the couch to keep it co-ordinated. 

So, that's our Christmas and Birthday gift to each other for this and the next couple of years. 

WE ARE CERTAINLY HAPPY WITH IT. 

BOXING DAY AT SHARON AND CASEY'S

 Today being Boxing Day, we went to Sharon and Casey's Annual Boxing Day Party. 

 

 

The weather at this time of year can fluctuate from really nice to really cold.  But, poor Sharon can't catch a break.  Every year just before Boxing Day the weather seems to turn sour. 

 

 

Last year Christmas Day temperatures were in the 70s then overnight it nose dived and it only got up to a high of 50 on Boxing Day.

 

 

Oh, well, everyone dressed for the occasion and we all had a really GREAT time. Another successful Boxing Day Party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN PARADISE PARK

Just like at home some people really get into the Christmas spirit while others, not so much. 

 

 

 

These are some of the great efforts, to put on a pretty display, that some people have gone to, just in our immediate area. 

 

 

And this is my little display. 

 

 

The big difference between here and home is, I was walking around in Capri's and short sleeves taking these pictures last night. 

 

 

 

HO,HO,HO,

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

 

 

NOW I HAVE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS UP.

Today was another busy day.  We cleaned out the Springdale trailer and closed it up and moved it to the storage compound. 

And now that we are all moved in, I can turn my attention to a few Christmas decorations.  I have finally gotten a chance to put up my little ceramic Christmas tree, that I so carefully packed and transported down here, much to Dan's chagrin. 

 

 

 

We have also put up the few little decorations that I purchased just before we found the trailer we bought and everything was put on hold. 

 

 

 

 

That will be the extent of my decorating for this year.  Each year I may add a little more. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS



 

 

 

 

 

OUR NEW HOME AWAY FROM HOME

I still haven't been able to try out my new shower.  I know it works, cause I tested it when I was cleaning.  But I have to get my priorities in order.  First things first, it's cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  I think this trailer was abandoned with the fridge door left closed.  What a mess of mold and they said they had cleaned it.  Not to my satisfaction. 

 

 

 

And as usual with Dan and I, we are into another refit.  We are going to cut the bed frame down.  We have slept in a standard double bed for the last 50 years and don't feel we need more than that.  And by doing that it will give Dan enough room to walk down his side of the bed, that the queen size didn't allow. 

 

 

We still have to shampoo the carpets and give them at least 24 hours to dry, then I will continue this move in and this blog. 

 

Well here we are, we are almost all moved in. But, we are certainly not settled in. I can't quite get used to all the extra room. I am also wandering around discovering all the things I am going to want for this extra space. Plus I have to break the news to Dan that all my Navy accessories from our last trailer are just not going to cut it in this Sooo Green interior.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But all in good time.  I have until the end of March before I have to leave my new home away from home and get back to boating. 

 

 .   

 

 

I AM HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

 

 

 

 

WE HAVE PICKED UP OUR TERRY TRAILER

Dan has the cap off of our truck and the 5th wheel hitch installed.  We are ready to go get the bigger trailer.  It will be a lot heavier to handle, than our old one, but Dan thinks our truck can handle it.   We could have had it delivered, but Dan felt he would rather do it himself, then he can fuss with it's placement and positioning.  Where as anyone else would want to just plunk it down and want to get going right away.  It's only about 20 miles away and our truck has overloads, so it should be ok.   

Well, she's all hooked up.  Here we go, slow and easy. 

And now, there it is at it's new home.

Now the chores begin of cleaning, and cleaning then moving in and deciding where everything is going to go and putting it all away. 

IF ALL WORKS OUT I'LL HAVE A SHOWER IN MY OWN SHOWER TONIGHT. 
You cannot imagine how thrilling that is to me. 




 

I THINK WE ARE READY FOR OUR BIGGER TRAILER

The first thing Dan had to do was remove all the skirting from around our trailer, and disconnect the tie downs.  Meanwhile I have moved all our Patio stuff off to the side and out of the way.  Then we moved our trailer to another lot just behind our neighbours.  It is very conveniently located so that we can transfer all our belongings from one trailer to another. 

Dan has cleaned up our lot and got it ready for the new trailer.  Once we pick it up on Tuesday we will reverse the whole process.  Dan will have the new trailer tied down, then he has to go through the process of skirting it in again.  Once all that is done we will be looking for some new solid steps for this one, seeing as how it is not going to ever be moved again. 

 

 

 

Well I think we have thought of everything and we are as ready as we can be, But I am sure there will be unforeseen things that will crop up.  If they do we will deal with them. 

 

 

 

NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM VERY EXCITED. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'M NOT PUTTING MY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS UP JUST YET

All my Xmas decorating is being put on hold for now.  We have bought another trailer. 

You see, when we retired we said "Lets do some travelling". So, we went out and bought a trailer.  We got a real bargain on a 25 FT. Springdale ( it's actually only 24.2 ft.) that was "just what we needed", and it has served us well. We have travelled from Winnipeg, to Texas to Florida and the Keys, on to the Carolina Coasts etc. We have also travelled from Texas, along the Rio Grande River and on up into San Diego, up the Pacific coast and on to Palm Springs. We have "Done" the desert States and the Grand Canyon. And this trailer has certainly served our needs. She is small, light, economical and easy to handle.

But, our needs have changed.  We don't "travel", anymore.  We have found our little "niche" here in Texas.  We come on down to Texas each year and settle in with the rest of our Winter Texas friends for "The Season".  And this past year we came down for much longer.  (5 whole months ).   

The combination of being down here longer and the persistently cool weather we have had this November/December have combined to make us more determined in our search for another trailer.  It was one thing to make do with our little trailer with no real shower facilities to speak of , when the weather is nice, but when it's cold like it has been a lot this November and December, it's no fun to leave the warmth of the trailer to go over to the showers, then worse yet to leave the showers and go out into the cold to get back to the trailer. 

The reason we don't have shower facilities in our little trailer is that, what they supply as a "Shower" is in name only.    It's very small and only has a 6 gallon hot water tank. 

Some say they wet down, turn the water off, soap up then, turn the water back on and rinse down.  I tried it once and ran out of hot water, which is not a fun experience. 

This little trailer is also very short on clothing storage space.  So, we have turned the useless shower into a very useful closet. 

The kitchen area is also very short on storage space and it always seems to me very cluttered. 

For these reasons we have been thinking about and looking for a more livable trailer, now that we are staying put. 

 

The trailer that we have purchased is a 2002, 33 foot Terry.  It is 5 years older than ours, but it is 7.8 ft longer and has 3 slide-outs instead of the one that this trailer has.  That amount of extra space may not seem like much to non RVers, but it is a vast amount when it comes to trailer space. 

 

So, that's the latest news from us.   My Christmas decorations will go on the new trailer when we get it here and all set up.  Pictures and a better description will follow when we pick the trailer up on Tuesday. 

 

 

 

 

WE NEED TO PUT A BIG CHRISTMAS BOW ON IT

Because that's our Christmas present to each other for the next few years

 

 

 

 

 

WHO HAS GOOD PIZZA?

It is a tradition for Dan and I that, "Linda doesn't cook on Friday nights".  We will go out for Burgers, pick up Chinese or Chicken or order in Pizza.  My favourite is always Pizza, and my favourite Pizza at home is "Pizza Hut" pizza.  Whether at home or at the lake I will always opt for Pizza Hut pizza.  All the other options are Dan's choices.  Well, one of the first Fridays we were here this year Dan ordered and picked up a couple of pizzas from the local Pizza Hut, for us.  It was horrible.  It wasn't over cooked, it was"burnt". 

So, after a few weeks of other options on some Friday nights, I was in the mood for Pizza again, but who has good pizza?  We had driven past a place called "Peter Piper Pizza" a number of times and the parking lot was always packed.  That's always a good sign for choosing a restaurant, "Right"?  So tonight we went out for dinner, to "Peter Piper Pizza". 

Did we ever get a surprise.  It turns out that Peter Piper Pizza, is the Chucky Cheese of the pizza industry.  But we didn't find that out until after we had placed our order.  After ordering we walked in to the main part of the restaurant to find a table and found the decor that can only be described as indestructible by any marauding gang of Birthday Partyers.  We ate our salad and when our pizza was ready, we changed our order to "To Go".  We somehow did not fit in with all the young Birthday revellers.  Who knew?

I am pleased to announce though, that they have very good thin crust pizza.  We will certainly order it "To Go" again on a future "Linda doesn't cook Friday night". 

 

 

GREAT PIZZA

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS ON A TEXAS PATIO

Well, I have been out shopping at good old "Big Lots" for some Christmas decorations for my trailer.  Plus I have my ceramic Christmas Tree I brought from home. 

 

 

 

I'm just starting with these few decorations .  If we decide to continue with this "Christmas in Texas" idea again next year, I'll add a few more next year. 

 

 

 

 

 

I JUST KNOW I'M GOING TO MISS CHRISTMAS AT HOME. 

 

 

 

IT'S GOTTEN COLD AGAIN, DOWN HERE IN TEXAS

Well, we had a really nice warm week, then the weekend hit and it has turned really cold again.  In fact there was a possiblity of frost overnight, so I put my plants into the shed for the night. 

 

 

 

It didn't go that low, but I will put them in there every night until this cold snap is over. 

 

 

 

I've even got a Pot Roast in my Slow Cooker simmering away all day.  That should take the chill off of things.  We don't know how long this is going to last either. 

 

 

 

BUT, WE AND OUR PLANTS WILL SURVIVE. 

 

 

 

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HIDALGO CHRISTMAS LIGHT TOUR

Last night Dan and I joined our boating friends Sharon and Casey from Westlaco and went to Hidalgo for the annual "Hidalgo Festival of Lights. 

Our tickets included a roast beef dinner, and Entertainment,

 then a tour of the light festival on some tram cars. 

The tour was very nice.  Once it was dark you would never have known it wasn't at home in Manitoba but for the missing snow.  And of course we were in shorts. 

As the sign said the tour went on for 3 1/2 miles with many different themes. 

 

  

 

 

 

All in all it was a great evening.  I would recommend it. 

 

 

 

IT REALLY STARTED TO MAKE ME FEEL CHRISTMASSY