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

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONDAY NIGHT BURGERS & BINGO

Well, Dan has his first Burger and Bingo night under his belt.  It was both successful and not so successful.  It was successful in that they had a lot more people there than they expected.  It was unsuccessful in that they ran out of burgers, because they had so many more people than they expected. 

 

 

 

It was also successful in that he got lots of compliments on the food, at least from those that got there early enough.  Oh well, you win some you loose some, as long as you learn something from your losses your ahead of the game.  So, It was also successful in that they learned a lot and will be much better prepared next week.   

 

 

 

IT'S BOUND TO BE BETTER NEXT WEEK

WE ARE BACK TO PATIO LIVING IN TEXAS

I love living outdoors as much as possible.  That's why I like to live on our boat all summer and in our trailer all winter.  We had quite a cool snap down here last week, but the weekend is here and we are back to patio living. 

 

 

 

I've been busy outdoors, transplanting some of my greenery.  Or is that Purplery???  I love this plant & It just thrives down here,with no work at all.  This is a house plant at home.  (We used to call it wandering Jew, but I'm sure it has a different name now, as that would no longer be politically correct. )  

 

Then I got my laundry done, went for a shower and a swim, and now it's time to sit out on the patio have a drink and work on my Christmas Cards.  

Another day and another selfy of me with a drink on the patio.  (Oh, goodness I need to get a pedicure tomorrow) 

 

Oh,well, then it's Bar-B-Qed steaks for dinner tonight.  Then another nice long evening walk. 

 

 

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TEXAS