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