Sick Day

Thursday was a total day off.  I was sick all day and we did nothing of interest at all.  It was a beautiful day temperature wise and while I laid in bed all day, Sue enjoyed the sunshine.  I did see a couple ships go by and got one picture. 

A day with friends

Our friends Alan and Darlene from Manitoba are a long haul trucking team and one of their destinations is Laredo Texas.  They happened to be going by and had a day to spare so they spent time with us on the beach today.  They have not had the opportunity to see how we live in the winter.  We went and picked them up at a truck stop and brought them back to the Ponderosa for the day.  It was a beautiful day for sitting on the beach and I think they enjoyed it.

The small stuff 😎

This is Sue writing this, and it is my first attempt at doing my own blog post. I thought that maybe once in while I would try and give Lorne's brain a break from thinking of things for the blog. I do not proclaim to be a writer so please be kind..😜

Lorne and Charlie went off to do their thing this morning and I began to do a few projects I have been waiting to do for weeks now. One is to make low carb crackers for snacking, and the other was to make beef jerky, which by the way Karalee (our baby, 24) and I LOVE !!!!

I have been trying to stay away from grains, starches, sugars, pasta etc...basically low carb and high fat. I’ve managed to lose a bit of weight and reduce some of my medications. It’s a bit of an adjustment but I feel better and have more energy when I don’t eat those things. Sugar is sooooo bad...in any form ...

So I made these low carb flaxseed crackers this morning and had some for lunch...quite tasty...I’ll make them again. I also made a delicious onion cracker which you can see in the dehydrator below. Because I had to cut my time in the dehydrator short so a certain person would get off my case, I had to finish them in the oven. The onion crackers were amazing and we are very close to having to make a new batch.

Does anyone know how to keep parchment paper from sticking to your food..thought that’s what it was for -no sticking?-   Hmmmmm. Any hints would be great.

Happy Ho Day

We decided that although our spot is nice with the palm trees and grass, we are beach people so today we are going to move back up the beach to a spot close to the water.  We met some people up there earlier and maybe we can get to know them a bit better.

Our old spot

So we packed up all our stuff and moved.  It went well and because it was only a quarter mile down the beach I didn't have to take down the solar panels or remove Santa from the roof.  We will be happy here for a week or so before heading down to Padre Island.

A.A.A.D.D.

I found all the parts I needed to finish my part of the cupboard for Sue.  I concentrated real hard on completing this little project.  I think it is done with the exception of paint, which is Sues department.

Super Sonic

Another beautiful day in Texas.  The fishermen started their quest about 6 am and the generators started about the same time.  There was a time when we relied on a generator, but we only ran ours for like 1 1/2 hours a day especially in close proximity to neighbours. Lots of these people run their generators all day long for what reason I don't know.  These are the cheap generators that are loud and annoying.  That's about when Charlie and I go and find a quiet piece of beach to walk on.

Holidays on the Beach

The beach started filling up this morning with all of the weekend people who are on holidays due to the Thanksgiving holiday.  Lots of families fishing and crabbing and activity everywhere.  Susan and I sat outside and watched the festivities for a while drinking our morning coffee.

Happy Thanksgiving # 2

So us Canadian Snowbirds get to experience a very unique situation as we travel the southern states.  We get to have 2 Thanksgivings every year, and believe me we need 2 because we have a lot to be thankful for.  Our first one was on October 9th before we left Canada and the 2nd is today.  We thank God every day for our awesome family and friends and we were reminded again yesterday with the arrival of our newest little grand daughter Emma, that life is good and we can count our blessings.  We are thankful because we have the health to travel and experience the beauty of this earth.   It all comes with some drawbacks, and one of them is not being with family on special occasions.

Today we were reminded about how great the world actually is and how people who hardly know you care.  Texas is truly a friendly state.  We have mentioned in previous post a couple named Tom and Norma who we met through Brian and Gloria.  Tom has fallen in love with Charlie, so Charlie was invited to their house for thanksgiving.  Sue and I were allowed to tag along as well!!   They had a few of their friends over for a great dinner and we were thrilled to be there.  We commented that we have traveled 2000 miles to a place where we knew no one, and within 2 weeks were dining with some people who we now call our friends.  Thanks so much for including us in your gathering Tom and Norma, and we promise we will always look you up when we are down this way.

Galveston scouting trip

The winds were a bit nasty this morning and the temperature was around 10C so we decided it might be a good day to head up to the Galveston area to check out the boondocking on the beach for future reference.  This time of year is a wee bit cool in that area for us with day time highs around 20C instead of the 24C we are experiencing here. (with the exception of the odd storm rolling through dropping the temps a bit).  We headed up highway 35 and then down to Freeport TX where we met up with the beach again.

How much fun is having a baby!!!

Today was another milestone in our lives as grandparents.  Grand baby #7 arrived shortly before 7 pm tonight.  She is a happy healthy baby girl and her name is Emma Laurie Green.  We have known for a long time that she was a girl and that her name would be Emma, but we didn't know when she would arrive.  I may be biased but I think she is beautiful.  Derek and Nicole now have 3 children here on earth and one special angel Clayton, who is in heaven watching over all of these happenings.

Emma

Moving Day

This morning we said "see ya later" to Brian and Gloria and Luke the dog.  They have been good neighbours and we had some good talks.  They are moving down to Malakite campground on Padre Island.  They will be there until the end of the month so we may run into them when we head farther south in a week or so.  Gloria didn't want a picture very bad but I think this is a real good one, so sorry, I couldn't resist!!!  Thanks for your friendship!!!

Gloria, Brian and Luke

Attending Church

I always appreciated a little country church and say to myself that I must attend one down here.  It seems like we don't make the time for church anymore and I thought I would check one out this morning.  The Indianola First Baptist Church is just down the road from us and morning service is at 11.  What a friendly bunch of people.  The pastors wife played the guitar and led the singing. The pastor gave a message on caring, which challenged us to consider how much we care about others. I really enjoyed the fellowship, and if we are here next Sunday, will consider attending again.

A quick Texas Storm

Well we are about 2 days short of 3 weeks without dumping our waste water tanks, but we have no choice but to dump today.  Our Grey water always fills up first and we always know we are full when our shower won't drain any more.  Magnolia Beach has showers and washrooms, but because of some abuse in past years, they no longer offer a dump station.  We have to go to Port Lavaca, which is just 10 miles down the road.  When we got back we decided to park in a different angle to allow for more room for our neighbours.  We will only be here a couple days anyway, and Brian and Gloria are ok with sharing a front yard.

Excitement on the beach.

We woke up this morning an looked out our front window, and there were our new neighbours already busy fishing. I'm so glad I'm not a fisherman because I would hate to have to get up in the morning that early.

4th Annual Bloggerfest

I have been trying to make my schedule work to be able to attend Blogger Fest 2018.  I am not sure it is going to work this year, so I have contacted my blogger friend Paula (Shadowmoss) of In the Shadows and asked her if she would be around to set it up this year.  Of course she agreed and has got the word out there already.  George of Our Awesome Travels quickly made up the poster for this year and between the bunch of us we will make it happen.  If you can make your plans work around being there on January 27, it is worth your time to meet everyone.

Bloggerfest is a great opportunity for people who enjoy either writing (bloggers) or following blogs (blurkers) to meet in person to compare some notes and have a laugh or two.  The blogs you write do not necessarily need to be RV related, but it seems like because most of the people at Quartzite are RV'ers that is the general tone of the day.

What is blogging?
Blogging is a wonderful way of keeping a journal of your life whether it be for part of a year like we have been doing, or all year round like others do.  It is a way to compare what you are doing with what others are doing, and a great confidence builder, as you realize you are doing it right.  It is a great way to keep track of where others are and sometimes you can sneak up on them when they are parked out in the desert and park real close to them without them even knowing.  wink wink.  If you watch real close, sometimes other bloggers will even write about you and your travels, which is the ultimate compliment, and lots will comment on your blog from time to time.  Whatever the reason you blog, it is like a soul cleansing, and sometimes just a reminder about how much or how little you do in a day.

Whatever the reason you have for blogging, keep it up because I for one appreciate reading them and have learned so much from others via their blogs.

Scouting Mustang and Padre Islands

It was a beautiful day today so we decided we should go and scout out some spots for us to visit further south of here on Mustang Island and Padre Island.  Because of Hurricane Harvey, we were not sure how the beaches may of been affected.  When we got down around Rockport Texas we started witnessing some of the destruction in the wake of the storm.  It has been almost 3 months since the storm and there is still a pile of work left to do.  We started seeing odd things in the ditch along the highway, like boats and old RV's and piles and piles of debris.

Splash!!

We are really starting to enjoy Magnolia Beach.  We have good neighbours and because they have been here often they know a lot of local folk, who drop in from time to time.  We love meeting the locals. Today was no different when Tom and Norma dropped by with all their fishing gear to spend some time with all of us.  Sometimes we feel guilty just sitting around on the beach, but soon the feeling passes and we settle in.  Cheryl dropped by as well to share a story or two.

Body work is not my specialty, or is it?

Once again I have to mention ships, but this time it comes with a little story.  The bigger ships come in to harbour and I think they have a speed limit so they don't do a lot of damage with their wakes.  I'm betting if they are a little behind schedule they push that limit, and that was the case this morning.  The tide was fairly high as well at the time.  We saw this big ole ship coming in and I noticed there was a fairly large white water wake behind it.

How to peel an apple

There are times when you just know that after you read the title to a blog, it is just going to be a waste of time going there.  But curiosity is a wonderful thing.  This is one of those times, and I welcome you to this uninformative blog.  I bet none of you will have the nerve to comment on it.  Here goes.


How to peel an apple.  This is the neatest gadget I have ever owned and was given to me for Christmas last year by Donovan and Dani, and with the help of Sheri.  It peels, cores, and slices the apple all in one action.  I use it often.  And a quick rinse under the tap and put away ready for the next use.  Thanks guys.

Remember

It's Veterans Day here in the USA, but I don't think there is much going on like we have back home for Remembrance Day.  Although it is a day to honor veterans, I think their big day of Remembrance is on Memorial Day in May.  My US friends should correct me if I'm wrong.  As a Canadian, today has a special meaning to me.

Gone Fishing

Today seemed to be ship day.  I never counted but I'm sure we saw over a dozen ships come and go down the seaway out front of the Ponderosa.  I know everyone is bored with the ships, but remember I am a prairie boy, and this is a real treat for me.

Will he be famous?

Maybe, just maybe in 10 or 12 years you will be watching a hockey game on TV and the announcer will say, "And its on to the stick of  #16 Donovan Larson,  he shoots, he scores to win the Stanley Cup!!!!".   Well Grandpa's are allowed to dream.  And if it happens, I will be the first one to say "I told you so".  Donovan is the only hockey player in our family so far, so all of our hopes and dreams are on him.  You go Donovan.  We are proud of you.  Maybe we will make it back to Alberta before the ice melts and we can see one of your games.

Into everyone's life a little rain must fall

Woke up to a windy angry sea this morning.  Although there is land between us and the ocean, the waves were still showing whitecaps.  It wasn't that cold, just windy.  Actually the coolness of the day was quite welcome after the heat we have had.  Definitely not a shorts kid of day though.

A nice day on the beach

Well today was another gorgeous day.  The only drawback is the humidity but it comes and goes.  It will go down to 70% and back up to 90% a half dozen times a day.  We are actually getting used to it.  There is always one thing that is the same every morning.  A set of eyes looking at me saying "Lets go for a walk".  Today was no different so we started out with a walk on the beach.

A short drive about

We decided that because it was so hot today, 31 C, that we would go for a drive in the Jeep and see the country south of us around Port O'Conner.  Port O'Conner is only about 10 miles straight south of us but you have to drive almost 30 miles to get there.  It is a marine town so we checked out the harbours.  Found this old boat.

A little excitement with a happy ending

Tonight's location:  Boon docking Magnolia Beach Texas

Today started off quite normal.  We sat around and had coffee and did a bunch of household chores.  We watched a bunch of ships come and go, but I won't bore you with that.  After lunch Charlie and I went for a walk down to the crabbing dock.  On the way there we saw the neatest little golf cart/car.  I have never come across one like this so I stopped them and asked to take a picture.  No problem they said.

A little local hospitality

Location tonight:  Boon docking on Magnolia Beach Texas.

And the Neighbours arrived

It was 29 C today again with 86% humidity.  We are getting acclimatized real fast.  Shorts and sandals are the dress code around here for sure.  We came here to get warm and that's what is happening.  It is 10 pm when I write this, and it is still 24 C.

Once again this morning we woke up to the Oyster Boat Dance.  I could sit and watch them for hours.  Today they were really close to shore right beside the Ponderosa.  It is so incredible watching 40 boats going in circles just feet away from other boats.  They did this for 6 hours today before they headed back in with boats full of bagged oysters.

For the most part this is a dog friendly beach.  Everyone is respectful of others but once the dogs who are close by are introduced to all the other dogs in the neighbourhood, everyone just lets them run.  They are all made to stay close to home and all poops are promptly picked up, so it makes for a nice environment.  There is no barking because all the dogs are relaxed.   There were a couple out swimming this morning.  Charlie will go get his legs wet, but so far that is all he will do.

Today was a boat watching day, and a short trip to Walmart in Port Lavaca for supplies.  When we got back the sun was going down and was very pretty as usual.

After supper Sue got out the TV projector I bought her for Christmas last year.  She has been soooo excited to try it since I got it for her about 290 days ago. lol.   Anyhow the silly thing seems to work pretty good.  It is recommended for up to a 55 inch display but it is still fairly clear at about 8 feet square.  It reminds me of doing the old drive in movies.  We watched an episode of Walking Dead in the dark on some strange beach.  Kinda spooky!!!!!!

Oh and I think I mentioned yesterday that I though we may get some neighbours.  Now for our friends Patsy and Bill, this is what you call close neighbours.  We were NOT even nearly this close.  Good thing these are nice people and I think we will get along fine.  If not we have wheels. lol.  It seems like at Magnolia, everyone gets real cozy and we don't really mind that right Patsy??  Here's the view out our window tonight.

There is a reason we have a home with wheels

We woke up this morning with no where to go.  What a nice feeling.  I checked the solar monitor and we are getting some good sun.  Shouldn't take long to charge up those batteries.  We are putting about 28 amps in the batteries with the panels laying flat.  I won't bother tilting them unless we are not charging our batteries properly but at this rate we will be fine the way they are.  We are so glad we went with solar.  It is just so easy after its installed.  Just sit back and watch your batteries fill up.

When I got out of bed and looked out our window I could see all the oyster boats out doing their fishing dance.  To catch oysters they go in circles dragging a rake and net.  It is like a dance because they are so close to one another.

We took a little drive up the beach to check out some of the damage from hurricane Harvey.  Most of the damage to houses has been fixed already, and now they are repairing out buildings and docks etc.

On our way back to the Ponderosa we noticed that the area on the east end of the beach has no one parked on it.  Last year when we were here there was quite a gathering there and no room for us.  We decided we would move the Ponderosa down there because there is actually a nicer view and the sand is nicer.  So we packed up and moved.   We can do that because we have wheels.

I'm sure we will attract some neighbours soon, but for now we are the King and Queen of the East beach.  There are lots of ships coming and going down this channel so I will let you look out our window at a small one tonight.

Ouch!!!!

Our last day of travel until we reach our first warm destination.  Today we hope to make it to Magnolia Beach.  It is a long haul but we are used to long drives now.  We will slow it down after this leg.

We headed down some pretty roads today.  There is lots of greenery along the road but the roads are a little narrow and treed in at times.  That is what you get for heading down some back type roads, but the reward is sometimes you see something no one else has spotted.

Charlie enjoying the drive

We were doing fine until we decided to take the I 10 for a short cut.  We moved along real well on the highway, but as we were getting off to get on the highway to Magnolia, things changed slightly.  We were stopped at a stop sign on the off ramp when we got a little bump from behind.  I looked back and a Semi truck had run into the back of the Jeep. 

He just caught the corner of the bumper but it ripped it off and broke the tail light.  We had to call the cops because it was a commercial vehicle that ran into us, and it took about 2 hours to get everything all done.  The jeep is still towable and drivable, so away we went.  We only had about 150 kms left to go to Magnolia.  We will deal with MPI later.

We arrived without further incident and chose our spot on the beach for the night.  Here is the view from our window tonight.