Sunday, February 28, 2010

We were up bright and early for our walk around the golf course and back streets. The sun was shining but there was a stiff breeze. Unfortunately, it stayed windy all day and that made it a little chilly to be outside. After church a group of us went to Julie's just on the edge of Brackettville and enjoyed their Sunday buffet--the brisket was extremely tasty. Everyone had plenty to eat and left with full tummies.

John and I had just gotten home when Bruce Nelson called and we decided to get together and take them on a tour of the fort and surrounding area. John called Stan Metcalf and asked if we could borrow one of his golf carts for the week while we let Bruce and Marilyn use our cart to explore the many trails that run throughout the fort. John too
k our cart over to the RV Park while I followed in our car. We sat and visited for a while and then headed out to explore. After showing them the different roads and points of interest, we headed into town to Pico's for a much needed ice cream break. We all had Blackberry Cobbler and it was delicious. I took a photo of our treat--this is considered one scoop, but is actually three or four for just a $1.19. Best bargain in the state! As we left, we made plans to meet them on Tuesday evening for the RV potluck and cards.

John and I watched the Amazing Race and some basketball before calling it a night.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Today the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The morning started out a little chilly, but by afternoon the temps were in the 70's. We were up and out by 7:15 a.m. to meet the Nelson's at the RV park for the Saturday morning breakfast. We had a good visit and were able to introduce them to some of our friends here on the fort. On the way home from the breakfast, we stopped off at the recycling center to drop off our accumulation of newspapers and plastics.

Later this morning we headed off to the Historical Society meeting at the Palisado Building. Mrs. Edith Huddleston was the guest speaker. She told stories of her ancestors (she is a direct descendant of a defender of the Alamo) and the Turkey Creek Stage Station that used to operate in the town of Cline, TX. This old stage stop was located 20 east of Fort Clark and run by a gentleman named Bigfoot Wallace.

After the meeting, we headed off to the library to return some movies and then stopped in to visit the Sandwick's and return some of their books that we borrowed. We actually sat out
side on their patio to visit. This was the first time the weather was warm enough for visiting outside. Lunch was a quick salad and then off we went to the Par 3 course for a round of golf. There were many people playing on this course as well as the 18 hole one. As if that wasn't enough exercise, we took a short walk later in the afternoon. The weather was so great that you just didn't want to be inside--we even sat out on our own deck! Check out the visitors in our yard. We ended the evening watching the American Four Man Bobsled team win the gold.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Today was another sunny but very breezy day. We walked the golf course this morning and after breakfast John gathered his tools and went over to Metcalf's to install some shelving in their laundry room and office. After finishing up the shelving, he returned home and made another shelf for their bedroom. He has to paint it and then it will be ready to hang. I spent the morning cleaning the house, doing a couple of loads of laundry, and finally finished up the jigsaw puzzle I have been working on for the past week.

After a quick lunch, John was off on his bike to visit our pastor who is recovering from knee surgery. When he got back from his visit we were just trying to decide what to do with the rest of the afternoon, when John looked out the door and we saw Bruce and Marilyn Nelson from Clearbrook out in front of our house. They had just arrived at Fort Clark and were out exploring the fort when they saw the sign in our front yard with our name. Our son, Matt, had called last week and told us the Nelson's thought they might be coming here and would look us up. What a great surprise to see someone from home. We had a nice visit and made plans to attend the RV breakfast in the morning. Tonight has just been a quiet evening at home watching the Olympics.


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Spring weather stayed around again today. It was nice and sunny this morning with a little breeze as we took our walk. We walked part way around the golf course where we saw a couple of deer. Then we got off the course and walked through the back streets of the fort. I have posted pics of the deer we saw and also of one of the streets we usually walk.

Yesterday John got a list of jobs that Jan Metcalf would like to have done. He nee
ded some shelving, brackets, and other items to get the jobs done. Since we went to Del Rio yesterday, we decided to go to Lowe's in Eagle Pass today. We also needed to do some birthday shopping for our youngest grandson--Noah. He will turn four in March, so we wanted to get his gifts and get them ready for mailing so they wouldn't be late in arriving for his big day. We visited the mall, Wal Mart, and several other stores and were able to find just the right gifts as well as some other treasures for our home.

After we got home, we saw a bulldozer across the road from us clearing off brush and trees. Looks like someone will be building a house. We'll have to talk to the other folks around here and try and find out who will be moving into our neighborhood. It's always nice to have more people moving onto the fort. This evening John headed off to wood carvers and shortly after he left, Jan M. stopped over and asked if I would go with her to the fort theater and take some pictures of the cast that is preparing a play for next weekend's festival. We got some nice photos--she wanted them for her little newspaper to advertise the show. I had to tape Survivor while I was gone, so John and I ended the evening watching the latest episode.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Spring returned today. After yesterday's winter weather, this morning dawned cool, bright, and sunny with afternoon temps reaching the upper 50's. We skipped our morning walk as we had to leave bright early for a tour of the new Port of Entry Building in Del Rio. Our group arrived a little early, so we stopped first at MacDonald's for coffee before heading off on the tour.

Since Del Rio is a border town, it is considered a port of entry into the United States. There is a bridge over the Rio Grande River that vehicles and pedestrians use to travel back and forth between the US and Mexico. Each car has to stop and people entering the country have to show passports or visas to the custom officers. Some cars are told to pull over into an inspection area where officers thoroughly search the vehicle and any bags, etc. they find. They also have dogs that sniff all around the vehicles searching for drugs or people hidden somewhere inside. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the laws and all areas covered by the US Customs Agency. She told us that the Del Rio Port of Entry handles over 1.3 million vehicles a year. It was amazing the see the work that is done at this one border city. A few weeks ago three million dollars with of heroin on its way to California was intercepted here in Del Rio.

Following the tour, we all headed off to the Sirloin Stockade for lunch. There we found some other folks from Fort Clark enjoying a nice meal. After eating, the group broke up as many had some errands to do in Del Rio. John and I headed off to Home Depot and then to HEB for our weekly grocery run. This afternoon we stopped in to visit some of our church friends who had been under the weather. We were glad to see they were both on the mend and feeling better. John then made a quick trip over to Metcalf's to see what jobs Jan needed to have done around her house. We ended the eveing watching some Olympics and American Idol.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Today Winter returned to Fort Clark. When we got up this morning, the temperature was 39 degrees with cloudy skies and the threat of more rain. Our usual walk was canceled. I spent the morning working on my jigsaw puzzle and making a salad to take to the potluck at the RV park. In between rain showers John went over to the driving range and looked for golf balls--he found 24. Just before lunch, Stan Metcalf stopped in to drop off a copy the Kinney County Post, the little newspaper he and his wife, Jan, publish.

By the early afternoon it was sleeting and snowing with strong northwest winds. We decided to get out of the house and went to the post office and then the library to return books and pick out some others. The afternoon was spent watching a movie we got at the library. Tonight was the potluck dinner at the RV park. There was a good crowd with plenty of delicious food. As usual, we played 31 after the meal--John and I did not make it to the winning hands. The card games lasted longer than usual and it was a little later when we arrived home. Ended the evening watching the news and some college basketball. John's most favorite time of year, March Madness, will be starting soon.

Monday, February 22, 2010

It was another beautiful winter Texas day. Even though the temps were about 15 degrees cooler this morning, it was still perfect weather for a walk. We took our usual route around the golf course and returned home in plenty of time for breakfast and for John to get off to wood carvers. Right now he is working on carving a couple of cranes that he wants to mount on a piece of wood he found in the brush.

While we were eating lunch, Dave and Valada called and told us to hop in the golf cart and come down to the Red Bridge. The carp were
spawning and making quite a splash in what is called Buzzard's Bay. This is a little cove where the Black Headed Vultures stay in the winter. We drove over the back trails and reached the cove. It was unbelievable how big the carp were and how much they stirred up the water. I was able to video some of the action with my camera as well as take some pictures of the birds and turtles sunning themselves.

Even though today was beautiful, the weather forecast for tomorrow is calling for cold temps, rain, and snow showers with a high of only 43 degrees. We decided to head down to the Par 3 course and get a round of golf in before the cold front comes through. We both did pretty good today. I am finally hitting the ball much better off the tee. John had a few problems, but overall he did pretty good too. We spent a quiet evening watching the Olympics and resting up after our busy day.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

We finally got a beautiful, warm day. The temperature was 61 degrees with sunshine when we went for our walk around 7:30 a.m. this morning. As we walked around the golf course we saw many wild turkeys and deer. Seems like everyone was out enjoying the morning. It felt good not to have to bundle up in several layers of clothing--even just a light sweatshirt was almost too much.

After breakfast, we headed off to church were we had a special speaker from the Gideons. He was very interesting and shared a lot of information about their organization. John and I hurried home to eat a quick lunch and then headed over to the condos to pick up Mary Ellen and Tim. A group of us headed off to Uvalde's opera house for the musical play "Smoke on the Mountain". The play was set in the sanctuary of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on a Saturday evening where the Sanders, a family of gospel singers, were performing. The play was very good with many toe-tapping gospel songs. We ended the outing at Mac Donald's for ice cream and returned home for an evening of the Olympics.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

This weekend a special event was held at Fort Clark Springs--The Last Tattoo of the Buffalo Soldiers. Fort Clark was established in 1852 as one of a chain of forts protecting the border with Mexico and the lower road to California. It was all but abandoned during the Civil War, but by the early 1870's it had grown to become the largest military installation in Texas. Generations of soldiers served at Fort Clark including the Buffalo Soldiers of every historic black regiment in the Army. This weekend the surviving Buffalo Soldiers (there are only 4) who served at Fort Clark were invited to attend the dedication of a Congressional Medal of Honor plaque. Twenty-one recipients of this medal served at Fort Clark.

There were several different activities this weekend where you could meet and visit with these men. Today there was a little parade around the historic district which concluded with the dedication ceremony. The color guard for the parade was made up of air force personnel from Laughlin Air Force Base outside of Del Rio. It was really an honor to meet these men and to hear them talk about their experiences.

This afternoon the sun came out and the temps reached the low 70's. Since we didn't have time to walk this morning, we decided to enjoy the warm weather and walked around the back roads of the fort. A quiet evening was spent at home watching the Olympics.

Friday, February 19, 2010

We had a pleasant surprise when we got up this morning--the outside temperature was 51 degrees. This was the warmest morning in many days. Since the temps were warmer, we took a little longer walk around the golf course and back roads. The only draw back was that it stayed cloudy and cool all day. Temps only made it to the upper 50's without the sun.

After breakfast John did some work on Sam's project and then took a bike ride over to Stan's and then went down the road to visit our neighbor, Carl Greene, who has been under the weather lately. I spent the morning cleaning up around the house and catching up on some reading. Today was our regular Condo gathering where we celebrated Ralph Ramsey's 87th birthday. Ever
yone brought some food and a birthday cake to share. Since it was still cool and breezy, the guys hooked up an outdoor heater for us to sit around. It was a fun time and I think Ralph appreciated the cake and cards.

We got ho
me around 7 p.m. and settled in for a quiet evening. I started my new jigsaw puzzle while John read the latest Farmer's Independent from Bagley. We then ended the evening watching ice dancing on the Olympics. Photo of John and Ralph, the birthday boy.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

It looks like spring is coming to southwest Texas. As we were walking this morning, we noticed the sage bushes are starting to bloom and the grass on the golf course is beginning to green up. We are also getting more birds at the feeders in the yard. Right now we have many doves and several cardinals. It is getting to be a full time job keeping the feeders stocked with seed.

Today was a day for visitors stopping by asking John to do some work for them. Sam Lark stopped by this morning to talk to John about the project he is working on for his condo. After he left, Jan Metcalf stopped by to tell John about the list of jobs she would also like to have done at her house. Jan was followed by Dee Smith who needs some plumbing help. Looks like John will be busy for a few days.

While John was busy with his visitors, I finished up our 2009 tax information and got it ready to send off to the accountant. After lunch we headed down to the Par 3 course for a round of golf. John had a great day. He pared 6 out of 9 holes. I don't keep score--I am happy just to make good shots. I had good drives off the tees, but had some trouble with the 7 iron.

We passed Sam Lark on the way home from golfing and he stopped in again for another nice visit. After he left, we had a quick supper and John headed off to wood carvers while I settled in for the next installment of Survivor. We finished up the evening watching the Survivor tape, college basketball and the Olympics.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Today was a gorgeous southwest Texas day. The morning started out cool with temps in the mid 30's, but the sun soon warmed things up and it was very pleasant walking the golf course. The forecast is for temps in the 70's by the end of the week--it's about time! Wednesday is Weight Watchers day, so John decided to come to Del Rio with me so we could run some errands.

We left home mid-morning with our first stop being the car wash. The little Honda was caked with brown dust and really needed cleaning both inside and out. It is now sparkling clean. It was then off to Home Depot where John picked up needed supplies for a job he is doing for Sam Lark. Next stop, Weight Watchers, followed by lunch at Wendy's. We then headed to Wal Mart and HEB where we used the gift cards we won at the Uvalde Winter Texan's Dinner.

Since the afternoon was so nice, we played a round of golf on the Par 3 after we returned home. John had a rather horrible round of golf--I almost felt sorry for him. I finally had some decent shots and almost pared a couple of holes--putting was my downfall today.

After such a busy day, it was good just to stay home and relax. Watched some American Idol and the Winter Olympics.


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

When we got up this morning the outdoor thermometer read 26 degrees, so we once again bundled up for our walk. We walked a longer route today and by the time we returned home the sun was shinning and we were warmed up. After breakfast John did some work around the yard and then headed off to the post office. I spent most of the morning getting the paperwork ready to send to our accountant for our 2009 taxes.

After lunch we met Dave and Valada Sandwick at the fort's shooting range for some target practice. Each
of us had our own homemade target and spent the next hour honing our shooting skills. It really is a lot of fun and it helps us to feel more comfortable handling a firearm. When we were finished on the shooting range, we stopped at Pico's for some of their delicious ice cream. Their single scoop serving is actually made up of five or more scoops for $1.29. It is the best bargain in town.

Since tonight was the potluck at the RV park, when we got home from Pico's I finished up the casserole I started. There was a good crowd at the dinner and many different dishes. Everyone had plenty to eat. As usual, after the dinner, folks stayed around to play cards. Both John and I made it to the final hands, but we didn't end up the winners. Oh well, there is always next week. Ended the evening catching up on the Olympics.




Monday, February 15, 2010

This morning was rather cool again even though the sun was shining. We did our usual morning walk around the golf course. As today was Monday, after breakfast John took off for wood carvers and I started doing my usual Monday morning chores. After lunch we met with three other couples to play 9 holes on the big golf course. I had never played on the big course before and was a little nervous about it. We played a scramble which made it much easier for me. In a scramble each player tees off on each hole. The best of the tee shots is selected and all players play their second shots from that spot. The best of the second shots is determined, then all play their third shots from that spot, and so on until the ball is holed. It was really a lot of fun and I actually made a couple of nice putts. After a brief rest and warm up at home, we all went out for supper at Burger and Shake. Tonight we finally got a chance to watch some of the Winter Olympics.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

This morning was cloudy with a slight fog; however, the temps were 10 degrees warmer than yesterday. That made for a more enjoyable walk. Today was potluck after church, so when we got home from our walk, I put the finishing touches on a jello salad we were taking. After breakfast, we got cleaned up and headed off to church around 9:30 a.m.

Since tomorrow we
have been invited to play golf on the big course, we decided to spend some time at the driving range which is just across the road from our house. We hit a bucket of balls and then took the golf cart to go out and pick them up. Our friend Stan gave us a little contraption that picks up balls. You just place the nose over the ball and press down on the handle and the ball is pulled up into the large pocket.

After practicing on the driving range, we went down to the Par 3 for a round of golf. Have to say things went much better today than they did yesterday. I think I have hope for this game. On the way home we stopped in Unit 37 and visited with the Sandwicks who just returned from a week on the gulf coast. They had a cool and rainy week and never got to go fishing. While making the rounds in 37 we visit with several other folks and then headed home. Stan stopped in to get an update on the candidate's meeting and catch up on the latest fort news. We ended up the evening watching TV and reading.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

This morning was bright and sunny and cold. Temps were in the mid 30's, but we bundled up again and took our morning walk. After breakfast, John headed off to the Service Club where candidates running for the board held a "Meet the Candidates" get together. It was a time of hearing what the different candidates had to say about the future of the fort and to also take questions from the members. Since John is a little more interested in fort politics than I am, I elected to stay home and take care of some chores. Mid-morning I happened to look out the back window and saw some turkeys attacking the salt lick we purchased for the deer. The Toms are starting to get more colorful as the mating season nears.

Mid afternoon Tim and Mary Ellen picked us up and we headed to Uvalde to tour an aviation museum and later to attend the Winter Texan dinner and dance which was sponsored by the chamber of commerce. At the museum we saw a video about how small light planes were used during WW II and learned what an important part they played in the war effort. We also were able to see some beautifully restored planes.

We left the museum and headed over to the senior center where over 260 Winter Texans gathered for a fun evening. We were served a delicious stew, corn bread, dessert, and drinks. While we were eating nu
merous door prizes were given away. There was a great country band to provide the evening's entertainment and everyone enjoyed listening to good music and dancing. John actually danced the Texas Two Step. What fun! Some of our friends left before the evening was over and they gave us their ticket stubs. We made quite a haul in door prizes. Tim and Mary Ellen are the couple dancing. I don't think any of us will have trouble sleeping tonight.

Friday, February 12, 2010

After several days of cool, rainy weather, today dawned bright and clear. Only problem was the temperature--32 degrees. We decided to sleep in a little and take our walk later in the day when the temps warmed up. This morning was taken up with visitors. Mary Ellen dropped in on her way home from aerobics. She wanted to finalize plans for tomorrow's trip to Uvalde for their Winter Texan Event. Shortly after she left, two of our Canadian friends stopped by while out for a walk. We visited with them for quite a while. By the time they left, we were ready for lunch. After eating, John went off to get a haircut and check for mail at the post office.

When John returned home, he said it was really nice outside and we decided to head to the Par 3 course for a game of golf. The temps were in the upper 50's with a bright blue sky--perfect for being out of doors after having to spend several days cooped up inside. Neither of us had a very good game, but it was fun and we got some exercise. No walk today. On the way home we spied our neighbor, Richard, out in his yard. He was awarded Yard of the Month by the fort's garden club, so we decided to stop in and congratulate him on his award. We spent a quiet evening at home--John watching college basketball and me catching up on my reading.






Thursday, February 11, 2010

We are still locked into cold and cloudy weather. It rained last night, but there was a break in the showers this morning. So, once again, we bundled up and took our morning walk around the golf course. We were only home a few minutes when the rains started up again. It was going to be a lazy day around the house.

Since we were going to be home today, I decided to roast a small turkey for lunch. By having the oven on most of the morning, it kept the house toasty warm. I spent the morning sorting and organizing the pictures on my laptop and John caught up on his reading. Several of our hometown newspapers were in the mail yesterday, so he found out about what has been happening in Bagley.

After lunch we decided to get out for a while. John dropped me off at the library while he checked for mail at the post office and then went to the local feed store to pick up some corn and a salt lick for the deer. This evening John went to wood carvers and I settled in front of the TV to watch my favorite show--Survivor. Since John also likes it, I taped it for him. When he got home I told him Survivor had a two hour premier and the tape was all ready for him, so I kept him company while he got his Survivor fix. Think this going to be a good Survivor season. Family and friends who are Survivor fans, please comment and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The weather forecast for today called for rain, sleet, and snow showers. When we got up this morning, it was cloudy and 40 degrees. Since there was no rain, we bundled up and took our morning walk. It was pretty breezy on the golf course, so we decided to get off the course and worked our way through the residential streets where it was more sheltered from the wind. I could have used a scarf over my face today. The wind made it rather cold.

Since I had to go to Weight Watchers in Del Rio today, John decided to go along and after the meeting we would go for lunch and
do the grocery shopping. We were just getting ready to leave when we got a phone call from our daughter Amy, who lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She filled us in on what has been happening with the kids and then shared what she calls "A Proud Mommy Moment". It seems our grandson, Isaiah, won the second grade spelling bee. There are three second grade classes and three winners were selected from each class and then those nine competed against each other until there was a winner. GREAT JOB, ISAIAH!!! This was also "A Proud Grand Mom and Pop Pop Moment".

We got to Del Rio a little early, so we picked up a couple of things at Wal Mart and then I went to WW. By then it was lunch time, so we headed off to Wendy's where John enjoyed a large serving of hot chili. It was just the day for it. We finished up the trip at HEB (our local grocery) where we restocked the pantry. It was a good evening to just stay inside and watch another of our movies from the library.


Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Once again the day started out cloudy and cool with a slight breeze. We bundled up and took our morning walk around the golf course. After breakfast, John went to the post office and stopped to visit with our friend Ralph Ramsey. He lives in Unit 37 next to the Sandwicks. I stayed at home where I finally finished up the book I have been reading and did another load of laundry. Since tonight was potluck at the RV Park, I made a jello salad to take for the meal.

Mary Ellen called before lunch and asked if we wanted to play golf on the Par 3 course this afternoon. Even though the temps were rather cool (upper 40's), we decided to take advantage of the partial sunshine and play. It was a fun time even though none of us had a very good round. This evening they picked us up and we headed off to the potluck. Even though the crowd was smaller this week, there was still plenty of delicious food. After the meal, we played the card game 31. After being a big winner last week, I got knocked out of both games fairly early. On the plus side, I found someone who likes Survivor as much as I do.

Monday, February 8, 2010


The day started out cloudy with a few sprinkles. We headed out for our walk bright and early hoping to get back before the rain started. However, much to our delight, the sun broke through and we had a gorgeous day.

After breakfast, John picked up Tim Miner and they headed off to wood carvers. Today was the big day--the pelican was finished and was coming home. While John was at carvers, I did my usual Monday morning chores--laundry and putting fresh sheets on the bed and just general cleaning up around the house. Just before lunch, John got home--his pelican looks great. He did a great job with it. I don't have a photo of his first pelican, but this one is quite an improvement. I have posted a photo of the pelican and also of a cowboy boot he did earlier this year. His carving is getting better all the time.

Since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to head down to the Par 3 Course for a round of golf. It was a perfect day to play. John has been trying to teach me how to do little chip shots around the green. I think I am starting to get a little bit better. Still have some good shots and some not so good. Keeps the game interesting.

We thought we were going to have a quiet evening at home watching TV, but after supper Mary Ellen called and wanted to get together to play some cards. It's always the men against the women. Tonight we split with each winning a game apiece. We had a lot of fun, but now it's time for bed.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

After two days of sunshine and warmer temps we were back to cool cloudy weather again. There were a few rain drops this morning, but we were still able to take our morning walk. After breakfast John and I headed off to Sunday School and church. We spent a rather quiet day at home. I started sorting through photos on the computer and John watched the PGA on TV while we were waiting for the Super Bowl kickoff. Sorry to see the Colts get beaten. Ended the evening watching a movie.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Today dawned clear and sunny--the perfect morning for a walk. We needed to stretch the muscles and work out the kinks after yesterday's hike. John had several items on his agenda today, so after breakfast we headed out. First stop was the post office to pick up the mail. After that we dropped off a load of newspapers, plastics, etc. at the recycling center. Then it was on to Wallace's where John put the finishing touches on his pelican. This entailed painting it with linseed oil--that brings out the colors of the paint and also seals the wood. He put the coating on outside the shop since the process was rather messy. The pelican will dry over the weekend and on Monday he should be able to come home.

Since it was such a beautiful day, after lunch we decided to play golf on the Par 3 course. Many other golfers had the same idea. The little course was crowded and we ended up playing the back holes first and then jumping around the front five as the holes became available. No one seemed to mind--it was a good time. John chipped in two times in a row for birdies.

I ran into Brackettville to Super S to pick up a few groceries to hold us over until we can get into Del Rio for our regular grocery run. We ended the day by watching college basketball and movies from the library.


Friday, February 5, 2010

This morning we were up bright and early to leave for our day trip to Seminole Canyon and Langtry to visit the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center and Cactus Garden. Tim and Mary Ellen picked us up a little before eight and we met John and Theresa and Jim and Kathy at the Teen Center. We were all a little concerned about the weather as it was foggy with mist--we drove through the fog all the way to Seminole Canyon.

Our plan
s were to tour the canyon in the morning, have a picnic lunch, and then head to Langtry. Upon arriving at the visitor center at Seminole Canyon, the guides told us the 10:00 a.m. tour was canceled due to the fog and wet rocks. If conditions dried out, there would be another tour at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon. It was decided to reverse the order of doing things and we headed off to Langtry. By the time we got there, the sun was starting to break through and the fog was lifting. We toured the center and the historic site where the judge handed down his unique brand of justice. By the time we were ready to walk through the Cactus Garden Interpretive Trail of Southwestern flora the sky was bright blue and the sun was shining.

We took a little walk through Langtry and then headed back to Seminole Canyon for our picnic lunch. We ate at the spot where the Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers meet. We ate tacos in a bag, cookies, and fruit. After our lunch, we headed back to the visitor's center at Seminole Canyon. There we spent time
looking at the many historical displays about the early people who lived in the area and the ranching and railroad history. At 3:00 p.m., the guide gathered everyone together and we started out on our hike down to the bottom of the canyon where we saw rock paintings called pictographs. The park contains some of the most outstanding examples not only in Texas, but in the world.

By the end of the tour, all were pretty tired, so it was decided to stop at the Emporium in Del Rio for ice cream to revive our spirits. Must say it was a fun day!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Not much happened around here today. When we got it up it was raining and that meant the morning walk was off. After breakfast, Stan called John to say his hot water heater was not working and asking him to take a look at it. Seems the only problem was a power surge last night that caused the water heater to trip out. John just had to hit the reset button and all was well. John has been carving a pelican for wood carvers, so he spent the afternoon over at Wallace's with Betty Wright getting the bird painted. As far as our electrical work on the shed, Wallace came over and found the problem--a circuit breaker needed to be tighten--easy fix.

I spent the day doing some laundry, reading, and baking cookies to take on an outing tomorrow. We are heading back to Seminole Canyon and then to Langtry to learn about Judge Roy Bean. While John was back at carvers tonight, I watched the preview of the new Survivor. Can't wait for it to start!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

We got the heavy all day rains that were forecast yesterday. It started raining last evening and continued all night and through today. The weather put an end to the morning walk which was just as well as we had to be up and out bright and early this morning. Today was the tour of the Del Rio Border Patrol facility. This was one of several tours we signed up to take when we attended the Del Rio Winter Texan Breakfast last month. The photo was taken from our deck--yard was pretty flooded.

We drove through heavy rains and some road flooding on our way into Del Rio. There was quite a turnout in spite of the bad weather. The supervisor of the Del Rio station started off by having us view a short video which explained the whole border patrol operation. He then did another presentation which focused on what is done by the Del Rio station. I was amazed at how much territory is covered by Del Rio--25 miles of border along the Rio Grande in addition to covering the inland area. There was a time for questions and then we were divided into two groups--one went outside to see the different vehicles, boats, four wheelers, etc. that are used by the agents. We also saw a couple of the horses that are used. It was interesting to talk to the agents about what they do and how they are trained. Our group then returned inside to see and look through night vision goggles, see the rescue equipment, and talk to the guys who are on a SWAT-like team. The tour ended up by seeing their arsenal and processing area for illegals when they are caught. After taking this tour, I must say I have a much greater respect for what the border patrol does and the dedication it takes to do this job.

After the tour, I checked into Weight Watchers, and then we stopped at Wendy's for lunch. By this time both John and I were ready to head home and get out of the rain. We were both rather damp.
I spent the afternoon working on my new jigsaw puzzle and John watched some TV. We ended up the evening at Tim and Mary Ellen's playing Hand and Foot. The guys beat us both games. Oh, well, there is always next time.


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Today we woke up to slightly warmer temps--45 degrees; however, there were heavy clouds and mist. Since the forecast for tomorrow is calling for heavy rains, we decided to just bundle up and get a good walk in this morning. After breakfast, John got a call from Stan Metcalf that Mary Ellen's dishwasher was leaking so he gathered up some tools and went over to the Condo's to see if he could fix it. Seems there was no leak, but she may have been using too much detergent. She will try cutting back on the soap and see what happens.

This afternoon John finished up the electrical work in the shed. Only one problem--nothing works. Seems there is some wrong connection somewhere. He has called on his electrical experts, Carl and Wallace, to help find the problem. They will probably tackle that later this week as John had to leave this afternoon to attend the Planning Committee meeting.

As the day stayed cloudy and cool, I just hung out around the house, started a new jigsaw puzzle, and made a jello salad to take to the RV potluck this evening. After the meal we played a couple of games of 31. I hate to brag, but I was the big winner again.


Monday, February 1, 2010

It was another very cool morning (39 degrees) with heavy clouds and light fog. Again, we had to bundle up for our morning walk. After breakfast John picked up Tim Miner and they headed off to wood carvers. I had just started on my Monday morning chores when there was a knock on the door. Mary Ellen was on her way home from her morning exercises and decided to stop in for a visit. We hadn't seen each other for a few days, so it was nice to catch up on what each other has been doing and to also make some plans for future outings.

When John got home, we had a quick lunch and then h
eaded into town to return books to the library and check the post office for mail. Posted a picture of the library so folks at home could see where we get our reading material. There was a nice surprise in the mail. Our son Matt sent us a CD of our grandkids' basketball games. We had our evening's entertainment all set.

Since we went to Home Depot yesterday to pick up the parts John needed to continue his electrical work on the shed, he spent the remainder of the day getting the wire laid underground and connecting the line to the main pole. The only thing left to do is hook up the receptacles in the shed.

This evening around five o'clock the sun peeked
out and we had a
cute little visitor in the yard.

Roofing Being Done Everywhere!!

John and I have been keeping pretty busy over these last several weeks.  Our weather has turned quite warm, but the nights cool down very ni...