ON THE ROAD - DAY 2

Well, it was Council Bluffs.  And we left really early this morning.  

I can't say bright and early because it was still dark when we took off.  I think Sea-Enna has achieved, if not comfort at least resignation. 

Dan drove us out of Iowa and on into Kansas, where I took over and drove across Kansas, then Dan took over in Oklahoma and drove us the rest of the way into Texas to Denton.  


We drove the first half of the day through pretty constant rain, but by the time we got to Oklahoma though, it was sunny and clear and we had left the lousy weather behind. 

The drive through southern Oklahoma is a very pretty one, so I'm glad the weather improved so we could enjoy it, but now I'm glad to be relaxing with a drink in our Motel in Denton. 

 

We are already in Texas, but like they say, Texas is a big state so it will take us most of tomorrow to get to our trailer in Paradise Park. 

 

 

ONE MORE LONG DAY. 

 

WE'RE OFF

We left Winnipeg this morning around 8:30, once we picked up our dry ice and stopped at the bank.  It was bright and sunny but cool.  We had a quick wave through at the border and headed south.  As soon as we crossed the border, we drove into cloud cover that never left us all day. 

 

 

 

I managed to snap a few pictures of fall colours that we usually don't see as we are usually travel south through Snow and Ice and are in search of the first sight of brown grass. 

 

 

 

 

 

But by the time we were through most of North Dakota we ran into a misty rain and fog.  In fact at some points we could not see very far up the road in front of us.  We think we made it to Council Bluffs Iowa, but with this fog, we wont be sure until the sun comes out tomorrow. 

 

 

WE HEAD INTO KANSAS TOMORROW

 

 

 

TEXAS HERE WE COME

Everything is packed and the truck is loaded.  Except for the cooler and our picnic hamper, which will go in there tomorrow morning with us.  This is our last night in the condo until spring. 

Today, I gave all of the fresh food left in my fridge to my son Ken and washed out my fridge.  The Coffee Pot and Tea Pot are all set up for the morning.  Tomorrow morning, we just have to fill our travel mugs, stop and pick up our dry ice, then hit McDonald's,  and we will be on the road, bright and early. 

 

 

IT'S A LONG DRIVE, BUT WORTH IT.

MAKING LISTS AND PREPARATIONS

I'm finished with my lists for packing.  A lot of the summer clothing that I took off of the boat just stay packed and go directly down to Texas.  The list is really for the things that can't be packed until the last minute and might be forgotten.  Most other things I pack as I think of them.  I keep a bin in the living room just for that purpose. 

I've cooked all my sausages.  The first year down south I realized that I would not be able to find decent pure pork sausages.  All the ones I tried were all very over spiced.  So, since then I have been purchasing my supply of sausages and cooking and freezing them to take with me.  I have to cook extra for this year. 

Topping up all the spices in my spice rack.  This was one of the smartest things I ever did.  After a year of coming back to Texas and finding all my spices etc. being a year old and stale and having to be thrown out, I purchased this hanging spice rack from Lee Valley. 

I have two sets of hanging brackets for this rack.  One set on the boat, and one set in the trailer.  So that I can take this rack and all these spices with me north and south.  And each time they pass through the Condo, I top them up, so that I always have fresh spices.

I've ordered our prescriptions. 

 

 

I've also updated my GPS.  

I've completed my sewing projects - Including two new beach cover-ups and my Christmas Tree carry bag. 

 

 

I just have to pack up my laptop and anything that I need to go with, it for the next six months. 

Along with our overnight bag to use in the motels as we travel. 
 

 

I GUESS I'M ABOUT READY!

 

 

FAMILY DINNER GET TOGETHERS

Because we live in a small condo when we are not on the boat or in Texas, I no longer have room to have the big family get togethers.  What started out as Dan and I and four children, has grown, with spouses and grandchildren, into a family of thirteen.  All far to much for our little condo.  So I have arranged to have each of my children, with their families, over for separate dinners before we leave town. 

 

My oldest son Jim was here for dinner on October 20th with his wife Rachelle and my grandsons Matthew and Alex.   We had a nice visit and it was so nice to see the boys who I don't see very often. 

 

Then my youngest daughter Wendy and her husband Murray were here on October 24th with my grandson Blake, finally home after a year in England.  My oldest grandson Dayne, couldn't make it as he worked late that night.  

  We also got a chance to view the pictures of their trip to Europe last summer. 

 

 

Then on October 27th we entertained again as my oldest daughter Tracy Elizabeth and her husband Gary came by for dinner as well.  And because our condo is pet friendly they were even able to bring Daisy with them. 

 

 

 

Our youngest son Ken, was here for Turkey dinner on October 28th.  Being single and living in the area, he is more inclined to pop in from time to time, when we are in town.  So we see more of him than all the others, who have very busy lives. 

 

It's so much easier on us old folks as well, with the smaller groups.  We get to have a more intimate visits one on one, and then get to say our goodbyes, as we will not be seeing any them again before we head south . 

 

 

BYE FOR NOW SEE YOU IN THE SPRING. 

 

 

SEA-ENNA HATES THE TRUCK

  Sea-Enna is really on edge.  With all the packing going on she knows something is up.  This is the one thing I hate about this trip.  I hate to see her in so much distress.  She hates to travel.  She doesn't get sick.  She just doesn't settle down.  Ever since she was a pup, all the time we are driving, she stresses and pants and paces back and forth, like she can't get comfortable.  She looks like she is going to settle down as she curls up, then no, she gets up and moves again.  Last year we gave her "Gravol", but that didn't help.  I hoped that it would make her sleep, but it didn't.  She still went through all of her stressful symptoms. 

 

 

 

This year I checked with the vet and asked if there was a kind of sedative or tranquilizer that we could give her.  They recommended one, but we would have to start giving it to her 10 days in advance then also for the 4 days we are travelling.  We have discussed it and decided that seems too much to have to give her pills for 14 days for a 4 day trip.   As soon as we stop for the night, she settles right in and makes herself at home in the motel.  she is her normal old self, playful and happy.  She is never upset when we leave for dinner, just very happy to see us when we come back. 

 

So, she is going un-medicated again this year and we are hoping she will eventually grow out of it.  The truth is I think it bothers me more than it bothers her. 

 

 

WE'LL GET THOUGH IT

 

 

 

 

MY LAST MINUTE SEWING PROJECTS

I have just decided to make myself two new beach cover-ups.  Last year, I found one that I find very comfortable, but can't seem to find another one like it, so I have decided to make a couple of them for myself.  I didn't exactly leave time in my schedule for these sewing projects, but I have fitted  them in some how. 
 

Plus now I have a couple of more things to pack. 

 

 

I'M GETTING THERE, MY LISTS ARE GETTING DONE

 

THE WEATHER IS LOOKING GREAT

The weather here in Winnipeg, may be slowly creeping lower and lower each day, but I think we are still going to have that deep freeze, then a bounce back to our wonderful Manitoba Indian Summer that only comes after a deep frost. 

 

 

I'm watching the weather forecasts along our route to our Winter home, in Paradise Park in McAllen Texas, because we don't want to run into anything disastrous along the way.  We certainly can't avoid all the rain etc., but I am basically  looking to avoid any huge systems moving across the US that might prove troublesome. 

That way we can change our departure date forward or back to miss anything that might be a real problem.  Of course this year we are going early enough that we should not have any problems with huge winter storms or blizzards that were what I was always afraid of travelling after Christmas. 

While on the net, though, I always have a peek at what the temperature is in McAllen and it sure is looking good.  It's definitely pool weather in Paradise. 

 

I love an evening swim. 
 

 

 

I CAN HARDLY WAIT. 

 

 

 

NAVIGATING THROUGH THIS BLOG

If you would like to read about the many DIY projects we have tackled on our boat, type DIY in the small search box on the upper left corner of the Blogger Screen. 

 

 

 

 

Then click on the little magnifying glass.  It should bring up all of them.   We have been working on this old boat for 13 years so there have been lots of projects. 

Any other subject your interested in, like Cruises of Texas, can also be searched on, in this way as well. 

You can also zero in on a particular date with the dates, along the right hand side of the screen. 

Or you can scroll through by selecting "older posts" when you get to the bottom of the screen loads. 
 

 

HOPE YOU ENJOY READING ABOUT OUR  TRAVELLING RETIREMENT LIFE

 

 

 

 

ZEBRA MUSSELS ARE NOW IN MANITOBA

Once our boat was pulled from the water at RMYC, it was discovered that we had a few Zebra mussels on our hull.  

 

 

They were so small that we didn't even notice them.  But someone else recognized them and we were contacted by Oceans and Fisheries and they interviewed us about where our boat had been recently.  Well it had never been out of this province or this waterway, so where did they come  from. 

 

They then proceeded to do inspections at both Boundary Creek Marina and Gimli Harbour and found Zebra mussels at both locations, under the docks and on some

boats.  These Zebra mussels appear to arrive on boats and trailers from infected waterways, so they could have been brought in on an imported boat.  Or up the Red River, because they have already been reported in North Dakota.  But how long ago?  How long have they been here?  How well established are they?  I guess that, is yet to be determined. 

 

 

IT'S TO BAD THAT THIS MENACE HAS MADE IT TO OUR WATERWAYS

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS DECOR FOR TEXAS ???

This year, because we are going down to Texas in November, I am going to take my little ceramic Christmas tree with me.  When we moved into the Condo I had a hard time giving up on all the Christmas decorations I was used to putting up each year.  At first I totally disrupted my whole apartment to make room for that huge tree.  Now, I have accepted the idea that the Condo is too small to have a lot of people over, so who was I doing all this for.  And the first time we went south on Boxing Day, I had these decorations to put away in April, when we returned.  That cured me and I started looking for one of these little trees. 

 

 

This little tree has served me well for a couple of years.  And now that we are leaving to go to Texas in November I will take it with me. 

 

 

In the spring, I started to work on a carry bag for it, to keep it safe in transport.  Then Summer arrived and boating happened, so I never finished it.  All it needs is some bubble wrap and a carry handle and it should be ready to go. 

 

 

That was one of the things on my To-Do list and now it's done. 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS IN TEXAS, SHOULD BE INTERESTING

 

 

 

 

 

THANKSGIVING

We've  had a lovely Thanksgiving.  I cooked a Ham this year instead of a Turkey.  I never have Turkey during the Summer, so immediately after moving back into the Condo, I got a hankering for Turkey and they were just starting to come on sale.  So, at the end of September we had a Turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  It was great, but now in mid October, I'm not ready for another Turkey yet, so we opted for a Ham.

 

 

We will also be cooking a Turkey at the end of October.  It has become our  tradition to cook a Turkey just before we head south so that I can pack  a picnic cooler of some Turkey Sandwiches.  We don't like to stop for lunch when we travel, so Breakfast and Dinner in a restaurant, but sandwiches on the road at mid day. 

 

 

STILL MORE STUFF TO DO BEFORE WE LEAVE

 

 

PACKING FOR TEXAS - WHAT DO I HAVE TO TAKE

Cloths -  At least most of the summer stuff I have taken off of the boat is to go directly to  Texas, so it was packed directly into a bin for the back of the truck. 

Foods I can't do without - My Canadian Pure Pork Sausages. 

Medications - Dan and I are each on a couple of medications that we can't be without.  (getting old sucks.)
Christmas Decorations - This year we are going to be in Texas for Christmas, so we need decorations. 
 

 

Money$ - Have to purchase some more US funds before we go. 

Atlas and GPS -  We might find our way without them, but I'm sure we would get off track a few times. 

Our US cell phone - all charged and ready to use when we cross the border. 

My laptop computer - with Phone numbers, and Address's  etc. and constant contact with family.   

 

How did people manage years ago without all this magical electronic stuff that makes everything so much easier when we travel.  Now-a-days there's no more traveller's cheques, no big paper maps, and you can keep in constant touch with family,  no matter where you go.  It really is quite marvelous. 

 

 

 

I HOPE I DON'T FORGET ANYTHING

 

   

THE BIRD IS TUCKED AWAY

We have completed the final step in putting the Thunderbird away for the winter.   Today we went out to RMYC, where the boats in the water are getting as scarce as the leaves left on the trees. 

 

 

We have hung onto the huge haystack tarp that we purchased back in the days when we first started our refit and had Thunderbird, beside the house, in our yard on Henderson highway.  It was an expensive purchase at the time, but we kept it and now it is coming back into service again. 

 

 

The winterizing is all done, so now it is time to tarp her down.    We were not well prepared for this job and had to use a lot of ropes this time, but now we know what we need we will be prepared with a lot of bungees next year. 

 

 

 So, she's all snuggled in for the winter.  Now we can turn our attention to our journey South. 

 

 

PARADISE PARK HERE WE COME. 

 

 

 

SIX MONTHS OF MEDICATIONS $$$

This year we are planning to go to Texas from November through March.

Until now we have always only stayed three months, so all our prescriptions call for 3 month refills.  So this year I have to arrange for them to changed all our prescriptions to 6 month refills.  That should prove to be another challenge. 

 

 

First of all none of our prescriptions seem to run out at the same time.  So I have to count how many I have left of all of them.  Figure out how many more I need of each prescription to last till April 1st.  Then talk to my pharmacist about topping them all up for 6 months. 

 

 

 

THIS SHOULD ALSO PROVE COSTLY JUST BEFORE WE LEAVE. 

 

 

 

 

MY BOAT IS A MESS

We have been busy, busy, busy.  Yesterday, Dan put anti-freeze in both toilets, into the water supply tank, then ran it through both taps on all three sinks.  That should protect everything.  Including the hot water tank.  We hope.  We removed more stuff.  Emptied the bar, which we almost forgot.  And I stripped our bed to wash the sheets and quilt. 

 

 

But my boat is turning into a real mess.  Everything that we don't want exposed to the elements all winter has been brought indoors.  Oh, those terrible Manitoba Winters, even we don't want to be exposed to those.  That is why we go south.   






Even the outboard motor for our dinghy, is under my galley table.  And there are tools everywhere.  What a mess. 




Oh well, it will all be put back to normal when we get back from Texas in the spring and open her up. 

TOMORROW DAN WILL WINTERIZE THE ENGINE.   

 

 

TODAY WE MADE THAT SECOND TRIP TO GIMLI

 
 

Today we made that second (and last for 2013) trip to Gimli. 

 

 

 

We had some final things to pick up from the hangar. 

 

So, we picked up our Daughters and Son in-laws boat while we were out there, and dropped  it off at their place. 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had to drop those  picked up items off at the boat and it's so nice to have our boarding ladder set up next to the boat now, so that I can get on board.  That will we be great this weekend when I go out to strip the bed to wash all the bedding. 

 

 

I had a really good laugh when I saw what someone left next to the back door of our storage ladder.  (A small roll of Toilet Paper)  I think the inference being that it looks like an outhouse. 

 

 

We have our suspect.  Seeing as how the only people we really know around there are Tom Watson and Bill Phillip.  This really does seem more like a Scottie type of prank.   

 

 

 

SO OBVIOUSLY THE GAME IS ON!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOATING ON THE HARD

Mucking around with boats when they are out of the water is called "Boating on the hard".  A wise man once said "If you don't like mucking around with boats, you better not buy one, because there is a lot of mucking around that goes on when you own a boat, that has nothing to do with the water".  On today's list of mucking, is to put our rear deck cushions and the outboard motor inside the boat, drop down the antennas, remove and stow  all her lines and bumpers and generally stow everything away. 

 

Then next we have to clear a path down the starboard side of the boat to install our staircase/storage/ladder.  They left us enough room for that staircase and we certainly need it for access to the boat and for storing stuff. 

 

So tomorrow's chore will be to make a couple of runs, out to Gimli.  Borrow a trailer, pick up our staircase/storage/ladder, bring it back to RMYC, then take the trailer back to Gimli and pick up our Daughter and Son-in-laws boat and bring it back into town,  picking up our haystack tarp for our boat on the one of these  trips. 

 

 

 THAT'S THE MUCKING ABOUT THAT SHOULD KEEP US BUSY FOR THE WHOLE DAY TOMORROW

 

Two trips to Gimli in one day proved a bit much so, we will do another one another day.