OKLAHOMA CITY TO COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA

 
There were lots of storms all around us last night, with lightning, rain and hail, but luckily, they have all missed us.  We headed out at 8:30 this morning under sunny skies and put Oklahoma behind us. 

It is already very green in Kansas. Some of the cultivated fields are greening up nicely. We followed those thunderstorms all day today, with the clouds ahead always looking a little threatening.  . 

Then you start into the ranch land and it goes on and on for miles and miles of unchanging hills with the highways meandering through them. The skies stayed dull all day.  But, we never did overtake those storms, and they continued East when we turned North in Kansas City

 

 Then as we left Kansas City in the rear view mirror, The sun came out and a couple of interchanges later and we were on good old I-29.  The rest of our trip home is straight North, all the way to Winnipeg. 

We haven't seen any snow yet, but I'm sure we will be seeing some tomorrow, when we cross into South Dakota. 

 

 

 

 

WE ARE NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, BUT WE KNOW IT'S INEVITABLE. 

 

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CONTINUING THE JOURNEY NORTH

Today's journey consisted of Austin, Texas to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

  

 

Even with it being Good Friday, the traffic was heavy as usual going through Fort Worth Dallas area.  I hate those stacked up highways, but as long as we don't have to go up on them, that is just fine with me.  With a few slow downs for heavy traffic we were soon though the last of Texas and into Oklahoma. 

 

 I love Oklahoma, you notice the immediate change in the roadsides.  Everything is so neat and park like compared to the hustle, bustle of the advertising signs etc.  all along the Texas road sides. 

In Oklahoma all private property seems to be well back from the freeways.  And the property around the freeways is all very well maintained. 









 

Therefore everything looks much more park like. 

 

We arrived in Oklahoma City and checked into our Motel around 3:00 pm, which gave us a very relaxed afternoon and evening.  We went out for Dinner then relaxed and watched TV. 

 

 

TOMORROW WE WILL PUSH ON THROUGH KANSAS CITY. 

 

 

WE"RE ON OUR WAY NORTH. FIRST STOP AUSTIN TX.

We left Paradise Park behind this morning. 


The trailers was all prepared.  Foil on all the windows, the fridge defrosted and propped open.  The slide is in and all the patio is put away until we get back late this year. 





And so we headed north, past the last of the Palm Trees we will see till we return.  We will continue to see Cactus, but the Palm Trees are a South Texas thing. 


It was a very relaxing drive.  There is nothing quite like driving through South Texas listening to Classic "Los Indios Tabajaras" on the stereo. 






We didn't have a long journey planned for today, as we are stopping in the Austin area for another visit with my cousin Carol and her husband Rick.  We have found a Motel 6 in Cedar Park, which is close to where they are in Lago Vista.  It is one of the "Re-Done" Motel 6's, which I'm kinda getting used to, as they are slowly changing them all. 

They are very stark and not exactly what you would call cozy, but at least they are still dog friendly. 





So tonight, we went over to Rick and Carols condo for dinner.  They are staying in a lovely condo  In a rolling hill area next to a large river system with lots of golf courses.  Very pretty. 

 

We had a wonderful evening and a lovely dinner.  Thanks guys. 

 

 

 

SO THAT WAS DAY ONE OF OUR JOURNEY HOME/ 

 

 

 

 

IT IS TIME TO SAY MORE GOODBYES

Now it's our departure date that is approaching. 


And so, we have to say our goodbyes to Larry Gentner and Mary-Ellen Johnston, who's company we have come to know and enjoy this year. Even though she did rope me into a job..... (I thought I was retired) 

It is also sad to be leaving behind, Ed and Hazel, who arrived late, and will be staying a little longer. They stopped by to say their goodbyes to us yesterday. 

And Dave and Helen, because you have finally bought a lot, in the park, I know for sure you will be back here again, even if you will not be our immediate neighbours.  (We were obviously far to rowdy for you.) lol  We know where you live.





 

I hope you folks also have that wonderful summer that we are all looking forward to, and we will all meet back here again next winter, for some more fun, when those northern temperatures drive us back down to Texas.

I GUESS YOUR NOT A REAL WINTER TEXAN UNTIL YOU FEEL THE PAIN OF THE GOODBYES AND THE ANTICIPATION AND THE JOY OF THE REUNION.


 

PILES OF SNOW OR NOT, WE ARE HEADING HOME

In communicating with family back home and seeing posts from other Winnipegers on facebook, I have become increasingly concerned about the weather in Manitoba, that we are about to come home to.    They are all saying we have record amounts of snow.  Ready or not we are heading home. 

After being down here in what is  hot, hot, hot weather, the cold is going to be quite a shock to our systems.  But I am afraid we cannot delay our journey north any longer.  We have nothing in particular drawing us home as yet, but as March goes on, it is becoming increasingly uncomfortably hot, down here.  This last weekend it was 102 degrees F.  So, the temperatures here are driving us out.   

I have found that we are spending more and more time cooped up in the trailer with the windows and doors sealed, the blinds down and the air conditioning on.  That's no way to live. 

So, we have decided to pack up and leave here on Thursday morning.  We will certainly take our time going home.  Hopefully things will have improved by the time we get into the Dakotas. 

 

THESE SNOWBIRDS ARE HEADING HOME

 

 

 



OUR LAST WEEKEND IN PARADISE

This is our last weekend here in Paradise Park, so we are kinda saying our farewell to the friends we've made and the life style we've come to love.

Barb and Milt Dietrich have already headed home.  They left early Friday morning.  They are probably already home by now.  Thanks for the beautiful card Barb, and don't forget to send me that email. 

Now it's time to say goodbye to Lois and Larry Jones, who are continuing their journey on into Arizona.  They are leaving early Monday morning, so we had a little farewell dinner last night.


And Diane and Lawrence Becker and their daughter that we met this year, are also heading out on Monday morning. 

 We have decided to start our journey north on Thursday morning, so we will also be saying goodbye to some couples that are lingering a while. 






So the goodbyes will continue and I hope everyone has the wonderful summer that we are all looking forward to, and we will all meet back here again next winter, for some more fun, when those northern temperatures drive us all back down to Texas.

VIA CONDIOS !  SAFE JOURNEY!  



 

 

 

WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING IN TEXAS ?????

I sometimes wonder.  "What am I doing here??"   If I was choosing my ideal place to retire, first, it wouldn't have Tex-Mex food.    I have a very sensitive Anglo constitution and can't handle spicy food.  Second, I was raised on 40's, 50's and 60s and Big Band music, so I really don't like country music.  I always tease my friends who are country fans.  "What do you get when you play your country music backwards?" "You get your wife back, you get your car back, you get your dog back".  And last  but not least, the other thing my ideal retirement place would not have, is guns.  So, what the hell am I doing retired down here in Texas. 

Well, I'll tell you, it's like this.  I have found more things to like about Texas, than the things I don't like.  The people I've met have been warm, welcoming and wonderfully friendly and always ready to party. 

I love dancing and down here in the Rio Grande Valley there is a dance on every corner almost every night of the week.  So, the music is a little country, so what, as long as it's got a good beat and you can dance to it, it suits me just fine. 

There is also the weather.  The weather down in Texas, while we are here, ranges from cool days of in the low 70s to hot days in the high 90s.  You can't beat that. 








And last but not least is the cost of living.  Everything down here is so much cheaper than at home.  Groceries, entertainment, booze, restaurants.  You name it, it's cheaper in Texas and  there is no sales tax on most things. 

Plus, I've never seen a single gun, in all the years we have been coming down here each winter. 

 

 

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING HERE IN TEXAS.