OUT AND ABOUT IN THE VALLEY

I just realized It's been a while since I blogged, but time flies when your having fun, and even when your not. 

We have been out and about shopping and accomplishing.  

If it's not groceries, It's lumber for our latest project.  We have also been to the Flea Market, which is always a fun way to spend a day. 

You just never know what you are going to find at the Flea Market

Dwight got his Paradise Park name tag made.

And I managed to find a serving bowl to match my new dishes.  

Plus you never know what you are going to see when your out and about in the valley. 

I certainly found this very amusing.  

AND NOW THE GUYS ARE ON TO ANOTHER PROJECT FOR ME. 

FAMILY BAR-B-Q

Seeing as how Dan's brother Dwight is here, we are celebrating with a little Saturday Night Bar-B-Q.  

It's a little overcast.  Nice and warm for sitting out, but no bright sunshine.  

ENJOYING THE DAY

 

THE TRAVELLING HAPPY HOUR

At one time in our early travel years we arrived in an RV Park at "Happy Hour". 

Across from our assigned site was a large gathering of very happy people.  After getting settled in we were invited over.  As we approached the RV that had all the people sitting around with drinks we asked someone  "What's the occasion? "  

Well it turned out that it wasn't a special occasion, but just their regular "Traveling Happy Hour". 

It seems they have a Happy Hour Flag that at the end of each Happy Hour, someone must volunteer to take this flag home with them.  Then that person with the flag must host tomorrow's Happy Hour. 

Now the hosts do not supply drinks, everyone brings their own folding chairs and beverages.  And lets face it, if you need a refill we are never too far from our homes in the RV parks.  All the host had to do was supply a snack or two then run up the flag. 
  

Well it turns out that they have established a once a week Traveling Happy Hour here in Paradise Park and we went to our first one this afternoon and had a great time.  

Al and Monie were the hosts and there was a great turn out. 

I've always thought this is such a great idea, and was certainly willing to take part. 

JUST ONE MORE EXCUSE FOR A GET TOGETHER. 


(Lets face it, it's no fun drinking alone)

DWIGHT HAS ARRIVED

Dwight pulled in here around 4:30 pm on Friday.  He left Thursday morning and made really good time from New Port Richey Florida to McAllen Texas 1350 miles with only one stop over in Baton Rouge. 

 He is slowly getting unpacked and moved in. 

We even hit Big Lots on Sunday and picked up Christmas lights.  Because tomorrow is December and we have to be decorated for Christmas.  

" It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas."   Both, his trailer,  and ours.  

Dan is going to get him initiated into Hamburger night at the Club on Monday as well.  So, he is diving right in. 



 
THE THACKER COMPOUND IS UP AND RUNNING

IT'S A SECOND THANKSGIVING FOR US

Before we head south for the winter, we get together with family and friends around the time of our Canadian Thanksgiving, in mid to late October. This year I dumped it back on my Kids to entertain us. 

Then when we arrive here, we have our annual Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner in the hall to look forward to. 


  We pay a fee to join a table of friends, then some volunteers cook enough turkey, stuffing and gravy for the entire hall.  Each table group decides on what other potluck dishes we will bring for our table.  We bring our own table settings and decorations and our potluck dish.  It is tradition to arrive early for set up mingle and socialize and the first sitting is at 12:00 noon.  After over-indulging in that feast,we all stagger home and rest up for the second go at the left-overs later. 

Just like at home everyone leaves their contribution at the hall and  some volunteers put all the left-overs safely away, then at 6:00 pm they are set up buffet style on a long table.  Some bread is added to the menu and you can just have a turkey sandwich if you want or a whole second meal.  Plus you get to choose from leftovers from other tables that you didn't get to enjoy at the first sitting.

  

It is a great time to socialize and catch up with many you haven't seen since last spring and introduce yourself to new people that have just arrived in the park and generally make plans for the fun your going to have this season.  There are always tales of how the tryptophan induced nap over took some, after the first sitting, and they missed out on the second.  Only arriving in time for the clean up.

HOW DOES THE SAYING GO?  "IF YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE."

THE PARADISE PARK PRESS IS FINALLY READY FOR THE PRINTERS

This has been the most troublesome and costly paper I have yet to produce.  

It all started as we headed south for our leisurely trailer camping trip down here.  That first night in the campground from hell in Grand Forks, North Dakota where there was no Internet.  (just ask me and I'll let you know which one to avoid)  We were going to be taking our time and might go, off the beaten path, so I decided that I would Top-up my Virgin Mobile stick to make sure I had Internet access all the way along.  $$  

That got me excellent Internet access, but there seemed to be something else going on with my computer.  At first it wouldn't let me onto Facebook.  "Oh,well, I can do without Facebook during this trip".  Next thing I knew I couldn't access my emails, then I was, not able to download my pictures and I had trouble doing my blog.  

By then it was November and we were here in McAllen and I tried everything I knew how to do, to reset and restore it.  It all helped a little, but nothing was functioning like it should, and I had a newspaper to do.  So I bit the bullet and took it into the shop.  $$  

I put all my pictures and documents on a flash drive, so when they suggested to clean it right out and install Windows 8 on it.   I knew I had a newspaper deadline and would have a big learning curve ahead, but I said, "Go ahead".  Two days later I picked it up. $$

Now the fun began.  I know that they have to upgrade and improve all products including software.  No company can sit on it's laurels and expect to keep their sales.  They have to add anything new that has come down the pike or be left behind.  And they have to keep ahead of the hackers and their competition.  But, why do they change things just for the sake of change.  

You try to do something you have done a thousand times before and here you are staring at your computer dumbfounded, not knowing what to do or where to look.  So you start poking around opening this, looking at that and after hours you have figured out how to do one simple thing like open a document. Everything you have used before is still there.  They have just changed the name of it and hidden it in a different place.  Then hours and hours later you have figured out how to do one more simple thing.  

Then there is the time you have wasted walking away from the computer and throwing up your hand and pouring a drink to keep from throwing the computer out the window.  It took me about three weeks to realize that it wasn't just me, but the new Windows 8 they installed had a lousy, very weak word processing and I was not going to be able to do the newspaper without biting the bullet and purchasing a new Microsoft Suite to go with this up grade. $$  

Well here I am nearing the end of November and I have finally finished my little newspaper.  I have a Souped-up little 2007 Acer laptop with only 4G, that I have spent too much money on.  Money that probably should have been put towards a new laptop that has a Gazillion Gig and they would have thrown in the new programs. As you can see there is more than one lesson here.  

DAMN, I HATE THE LEARNING CURVE.  

THE WEATHER HAS IMPROVED

The weather has improved a little and so has the forecast. The week ahead is forecasted to be in the 70s to 90sF or 22 to 33 C.  

Boy, in the last couple of weeks we have had a lot of cool weather.  That arctic blast that is burying the central and north east US is being felt all the way down here in Texas.  We have had days when the high only reached 55F or 13C.  and the overnight lows went down to just above freezing. 

Over the years we have had a short spell of this occur annually, but usually it does not happen until after the Winter Solstice, usually between Christmas and New Years. It is very unusual to have it this cool this early in November.  I hope this isn't a sign of things to come in this "Climate Change" we are all creating.  




I JUST HOPE WE ARE DONE WITH THE COLD FOR NOW