Chaos and Suffocation -- In a Good Way!

We are having the first of our various Christmas celebrations this weekend with our kids who are coming down from the DFW area. They'll be staying in Jellystone Park in three of the motel rooms on the property.

In preparation for the weekend, I got out all the gifts, the gift boxes, the wrapping paper, the tissue paper, the ribbon & bows, the tape, the scissors, and the name tags. In any household, this is a major deal; in 300ish square feet it is CHAOTIC and SUFFOCATING!

I finally have everything put in boxes to be wrapped so there is a slight sense of order. However, I discovered that, somehow in 300ish square feet, I misplaced a couple of gift cards we were going to give the kids. ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, non-chaotic and non-suffocating Christmas!

A True Christmas Message

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree,instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. Remember the children of those who are in prison; they are not to blame for their parent’s actions.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love.

This was sent to me by a friend so I don't know the author; however, it spoke to me and I hope it speaks to you.

I

Invation of the Ladybugs

For the past couple of weeks, we have had ladybugs in our RV and in our cars! In the RV, they are perched on the ceiling, flying around, and (unfortunately) lying dead in the bottom of the shower. In the cars, they pretty much just fly around. Carl's hypothesis is that a female layed her eggs some time ago and they are now hatching.

To the extent we can, we capture them and release them to the great outdoors. I think ladybugs are darling and I know they are good for the environment; however, I must say that I like them a lot better when they are not inside my living (and driving) areas!

Hanukkah at Jellystone

At our dinner together Thursday night, Bill-from-Maryland announced, "It's the beginning of Hanukkah, which means it's time for latkes (potato pancakes). I'd love to make some for our dinner on Friday night." So, when we got home, we got on the Internet and learned that a slow-cooked brisket is a very traditional main course for a Hanukkah.

Friday morning, we put a brisket on to cook all day, we made a green salad with dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, and Bill made latkes (pictured below). Bill and Susan joined us and we had a great time!

Who knew a Hanukkah meal could be so easy to put together!

Evening in San Antonio

We had the best time last night: our friends from Maryland are here and we met them in San Antonio for dinner. We ate at Paesano's on the River Walk and it was FABULOUS!

And the company was even better!

They are coming to New Braunfels today for a look at the way we live -- can't wait!

I' m EMPLOYED!

My best friend is Director of Operations for a retail energy company which is based in Irving, TX: however, she has the bulk of the operations team in New Braunfels. Early last week she approached me with the idea of working on an hourly basis doing special projects for them. Of course, I agreed (no travel, a nice hourly rate, and I get along FABULOUSLY with the boss!). After a couple of days doing some special projects, she told me that one of her employees needed to have some surgery and asked if I would be willing to fill in for her.

It's been 12 years since I've had a job with regular hours! But it's interesting work and it's a great way to build up the "down payment on the house" account!

House Progress Update II

More progress on the house project:

• We had a survey done;
  
• We found a better terms for a construction loan; and
  
• We spent yesterday finding the corners of the house (this requires knowing how to apply the Pythagorean theorum as well as surveying skills -- not for the weak of heart!).

The importance of finding the house corners is that we can now contact a foundation engineer to give us an estimate.

Slowly, but surely, we are collecting estimates; hopefully, we will be able to apply for our construction loan before the end of the year.

Girlfriends

I am one of a group of 8 women who have been friends for more than 30 years. We used to work at the same company so would get together during coffee breaks and lunch hours; a number of years ago we got separated -- some retired, some left to work for other companies -- so we had to create times to get together.

We started Girls' Night Out: we meet at a local restaurant on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for happy hour and dinner. We know that if we have a conflict in any given month, we can see the group the next month.

That wasn't enough togetherness, so we began organizing a Girls' Weekend in early summer. We find a bed & breakfast and spend a leisurely weekend visiting, shopping, reading, playing Trivial Pursuit, etc.

Then we decided to have a special get-together for Christmas: we decided to take a vacation day on the Friday closest to the December 15th payday and go shopping. After shopping we would convene at one of the group's house, do show-and-tell with what we bought, exchange gifts, and have a slumber party. Since most of us are no longer working, we don't adhere to the date around payday, but everything else has stayed the same.

This past weekend was our Christmas get-together; it was great seeing everybody and getting caught up on their lives and their families. Since I've moved to New Braunfels, I rarely get to attend Girl's Night Out so I had a lot of catching up to do.

It's wonderful to have such a great group of friends; we agree that we've probably saved each other hundreds of dollars in therapist fees!

Donkey Eared Fern

This is our Donkey Eared Fern. It really isn't a fern, but rather a member of the Kalanchoe family of plants. They produce small "babies" on the edge of the leaves that drop off, or can be pulled off and planted. They are really fun. The plant grows until it is about three-feet tall and produces the typical Kalanchoe "flowerlets" at the top, then dies. Freezing weather kills it immediately, but taking a few of the babies inside preserves them until next spring. We have not only the one you see here, but a variegated version with spots. Cool plant!

Little Boys, Dump Trucks, and Dirt

One of the most special things we did over the Thanksgiving holidays was celebrate great-nephew, Weston's, 2nd birthday.

We started with gift-opening: a wide variety (size and types) of vehicles, a couple of varieties of blocks, lots of manly-man pj's, etc. The big hit for Carl (who is slightly older than 2) was the cardboard blocks -- assemblying them and then playing with them.

Next was the birthday cake: Mandi had bought a LARGE plastic dump truck and she filled the bed with "dirt cake" (ground Oreo's, vanilla pudding, and very realistic-looking chocolate rocks). Carl was absolutely enamored with this production -- his eyes were bright, his face was aglow, and he had a huge grin on his face.

I told Mandi that she and I need to get together and schedule a play date between Carl and Weston!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend! A few of the highlights:

1. I won 3 games of Scrabble in a row!;
2. After being exposed to the world of potato martinis, I am definitely a fan!;
3. Carl got in a lot of napping (which he desperately needed);
4. Ruth (my 5-year-old great niece) demonstrated her reading, writing, spelling, and math skills -- in fact, she was my partner in Scrabble!;
5. I ate ham until I started to "oink"!;
6. I got my laundry done -- this is a big deal for someone who lives in an RV!;
7. Lots of visiting with Sharon & Maxie and Mandi & Jeffrey;
8. We met Jodi's husband and daughters -- Jodi is Mandi's sister; and
   
9. It was cold and rainy -- perfect weather to stay inside and have fun with family.

The lowlight:

The Watts' crew beat the Conger crew in Trivial Pursuit :-(

My Top Ten List of Things I'm Thankful For Today

10. RVs with all the amenities;
9. Hand splints;
8. The wonderful, refreshing cold front that just came through;
7. The beautiful Texas Hill Country;
6. An incredible extended family and great friends;
5. A very special sister and brother-in law;
4. A step-grandson, step-granddaughter, a great niece, great nephew, and great nephew on the way -- all of whom I adore as if they were my own;
3. Two stepdaughters and step sons-in-law and two nephews and nieces-in-law who fill the gap left by no biological children;
2. Two precious dogs who bring me so much joy; and
1. A wonderful, loving, supportive husband who is also my best friend.

Country Music Fun

As avid country music fans, we were delighted to run across, on CMT, "100 Greatest Duets in Country Music."

I absolutely LOVE "countdown" shows; I find them much more interesting than award shows. And Carl loves good music, no matter the genre.

We thoroughly enjoyed the show -- hearing duets we'd not heard before and enjoying those we've heard many times before.

And, to make things even sweeter, I called the #1 duet way before it was announced: "Islands in the Sky" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Am I good, or WHAT!

Catalina Tiles and Fiesta Dinnerware

Two of my mother's sisters have wonderful collections of the original Fiesta Dinnerware pottery. I have always expressed an interest in Fiesta; last year when we moved the older sister and her husband to a nursing home, she told me to take her Fiesta collection. The younger sister has since given me a few serving pieces as she is still using the dinnerware.

I am eager to display the collection in my new kitchen; however, much of it is cobalt blue and turquoise (which I have nowhere in my house). I've been trying to think about ways I could use cobalt and turquoise somewhere in my kitchen so that the Fiesta Dinnerware will make sense.

Well, when we were on Catalina Island, on Carl's high school reunion cruise, we found a potter who has specialized in reproducing the original tiles which decorated the seawall and other structures in the town of Avalon as well as many residences. She was asked to assist in the Avalon renovation effort and has found a market for continuing the production of these tiles.

She has created a floral collection (3 of which are pictured above) and Carl and I immediately knew we wanted to use them in the backsplash in our kitchen -- the flowers are cobalt, yellow, tangerine, and several shades of purple. In addition, she mixes her own colors so she said to send her pictures of any of the Fiesta pieces for which we need a matching color of tile.

We are SO excited: we can incorporate Carl's heritage (as he spent some of his "ill-spent youth") on Catalina Island); an historic restoration; a unique design; and the colors we need and want in our kitchen.

59: The New 39

Today I am 59: I can't believe it! I love it when I hear that 60 is the new 40 -- doesn't that mean that 59 is the new 39?

No matter my chronological age, I still feel VERY young! I had a wonderful birthday celebration!

Last night Carl and I, along with our friends Bill & Susan, went to dinner at at new restaurant in New Braunfels, Liberty Bistro, and had a WONDERFUL dining experience. Then, today, Carl greeted me with a beautiful birthday card and we spent the afternoon watching the Cowboy game with Bill & Susan.

My primary birthday present from Carl was a GORGEOUS necklace and earrings he bought in Phoenix at the AAUW Convention from a woman who risks her life buying jewelry from women in Afghanistan at fair trade prices and selling them to women in America. The necklace and earrings are beautiful; what is even more beautiful is that Carl assisted women in countries that do not allow women the same opportunities that we enjoy in the US.

Happy 59TH to me!

House Progress Update

Many have asked how the house is coming, so here is the progress to date:

• we have a set of house plans;
• we have approval of the plans from our Architectural Control Committee;
• we have a site plan;
  
• the land is cleared;
• we have water and electricity;
• we have a septic permit and septic plan;
• we have a driveway permit; and
  
• we have estimates for the plumbing and electrical work in the house.

This doesn't seem like much progress, but we feel good about where we are.

Next steps are:

1. gather remaining building cost estimates;
2. have the property surveyed; and
3. complete application for construction loan.

Thanks for your interest and your support!

Yummy Dinner & Broke Finger

Hi, this is Carl.
Well, Linda's fractured finger got in the way of a dinner she had been planning for us this week. So-o-o-o, we decided that she would be executive chef and I would be sous chef. The meal she had planned was Ground Turkey Meatloaf with Asiago Cheese Gravy. If you are interested, the recipe is on Rachael Ray's website at - http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/turkey-meatloaf-creamy-asiago-gravy-roasted-broccoli-tomatoes/

Putting it together was pretty simple, but the recipe required a lot of ingredients that our local Super-S grocery store didn't have. So, Linda went into New Braunfels to HEB (15 miles) and picked up everything we needed. By the way, if any of you need to shop at Super-S (except for staples)... don't, unless there is no reasonable alternative.

It was fun to make, and really yummy! I chopped, and mixed, and Linda instructed and suggested, and the process was almost as good as the result.

Pinkie: The Forgotten Finger

One of the not-fun things I did this weekend was take a fall and break a couple of small bones in my right hand. Yesterday, the right side (pinkie side) of my right hand was swollen up like an ostrich egg. Today, the swelling has gone down some, but the pain hasn't gone away.

Until your pinkie finger is out of operation, I don't think you realize how much you count on it:

• holding your toothbrush;
• holding your hairbrush;
• writing;
• putting on your jewelry;
  
• washing your hair;
  
• opening ANYTHING:
  
• picking up ANYTHING; and
  
• using the keyboard.

Here's to Pinkie; The Forgotten Finger -- I'll never again take you for granted!

Fun-Filled Weekend

Saturday morning we took J. J. & Grover to the "doggy hotel" and headed for Austin. We first went to Williams-Sonoma, which is ALWAYS a feast for the eyes, the nose, and the pocketbook! Several years ago, I had bought one of the expensive cork removers and, about a week ago, I was opening a bottle of wine and the opener exploded in my hand! We went to W-S to see if they could (1) replace it; or (2) get it fixed. Sure enough they gave us a new one!

We did a couple more errands and then went to visit Mandi, Ruth and Weston. We had a delightful visit with them which included a presentation by 5-year old Ruth of all the stories she has written -- she is quite the writer!

We left their house and went to our friends, Gina and Richard (aka Wizard). We had a wonderful evening, spent the night, and then had a wonderful morning full of visiting, laughing, and enjoying the antics of their four Yorkies -- Tinkerbell, Houdina, Abracadabra (Abbie), and Merlin. They are PRECIOUS!

I just LOVE weekends like this. . .

"Pampered" Kicked Up a Notch!

I've written on this blog about my regular massage sessions and the difference they have made with my physical and mental health. Well, I had to miss my session while we were on our cruise and then, the next week, I was sick. When I was ready for a massage, I learned that my massage therapist had left the salon and gone off on her on. When I called her she said she had taken a week off to "get her stuff in order." So today was this was the first time I've had a massage since October 11.

Here is the "kicked up a notch" part -- she came to my RV! YES -- she brought her massaged table, linens, creams & lotions, and hot packs and set up shop in my RV!.

It was AWESOME: I felt pampered, special, and like I had won the lottery!

Doggie Alarm Clocks

Almost every day of the year, J. J. awakens between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.; he immediately stands on Carl's chest and waits for him to open his eyes. The second Carl opens his eyes, even just a crack, J. J. starts dancing around. This wakes Grover up and, in a flash, our bed has come alive with doggies! Carl takes them for a walk and, when they get back, they get a treat and they jump in bed with me.

The ONLY times we don't have this routine are on those days when Carl goes into his office in Austin. He usually gets up about 5:00 a.m. and is out the door by 5:45ish a.m. J. J. doesn't even wiggle which means Grover doesn't wake up. In fact, the other morning I was really tired (& lazy) and we didn't get up until about 9:00 a.m.!

I find J. J. and Grover's behavior so interesting and I just wonder "How do they know which days to do what??????"

Here I Am -- Among the Living!

I've been off the blog waves for several days and there are at least 2 reasons for that:

• I had my quarterly AAUW TX Board meeting in Dallas this past weekend which included a couple of days prep work and a couple of days recuperation time; and
  
• I live in an RV -- my husband spends 10 - 12 hours a day working (he works out of the RV so this means he is heads down on his computer or on conference calls); we have no children who do interesting things or have interesting activities to attend; our progress toward our house building is moving at a snail's pace; and, frankly, I often am at a loss of anything to blog about!

I have told our friends across the country that they can keep track of us and our activities via my blog, so I have made a commitment to myself to make more regular entries.

Stay tuned!

A Self-Professed Halloween Scrooge

I am normally up for a party or celebration of any kind; however, when it comes to Halloween, I am one of 3 people on the planet who don't enjoy it.

This is not something that came with adultness; I didn't enjoy Halloween as a child -- I didn't like masks, I didn't like "begging" for candy, and I didn't like the "tricks". The latter, I'm sure, is a result of the fact that I was the daughter of a school principal and we regularly, on Halloween, had our house "tp'd." That wet toilet paper is NOT fun to clean up.

In addition to these traumatic childhood memories of Halloween, there are other things about the holiday I don't like:

• haunted houses
  
• ghouls/ghosts (unless they look like Casper)
  
• witches (unless they look like Samantha on "Bewitched")
  
• devils
• blood
• gore
• spiders and spider webs
• fake eyeballs
  
• monsters
• vampires
• fake brains
  
• skeletons
• tombstones/caskets

And, on top of all this, I'm not crazy about the black/orange color palette -- now that I'm no longer rooting for the Wink Wildcats :-)

Having said all this: Happy Halloween!

Kitchen Planning Breaks Droughts

It's been an uninterested week at the Congers: Carl has worked and I've been abed with "the crud".

However, yesterday was an exciting day! We went to Home Depot and had our kitchen cabinets designed!

First, they keyed into their software the dimensions of our kitchen and plugged in appliances, windows, doors, etc. Then we picked our door style and finish which Doug (our designer and, evidently, cabinet-appliance guru) entered into the program. Then he started adding lower cabinets; once that was done, he added upper cabinets.

Here's how it went:
"Doug, I'd like to have those cabinets taller than the others." "Sure, that's easy."
"Doug, could I have feet on 'xyz' cabinet(s)?" "Sure, that's easy."
"Doug, could I choose a different finish on 'xyz' cabinet(s)?" "Sure, that's easy."
"Doug, could I choose a different wood for 'xyz' cabinet(s)?" "Sure, that's easy."
"Doug, I realize you've designed the entire kitchen; I'd really like to elevate the dishwasher." "Sure, that's easy."

The bottom line is that we were able to take a virtual tour of our kitchen and it is the one of our dreams! We can't wait to build it!

A Touch of Fall

FINALLY, a touch of fall! It was wonderful to wake up to a temperature under 60 degrees; it was so invigorating! Of course, accompanying the cooler temperature were high winds that blew all day long. This is not the ideal for those of us living in RVs!

I just love the fall and I hope it's here to stay. . .

Carl's 50th High School Reunion Cruise

The Monarch of the Sea

Well, we just returned from a WONDERFUL cruise with Carl's high school graduating class. We cruised on the Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Sea. There were 38 classmates on board, most of whom had spouses with them. Carl's sister Karen is married to Rick Scott, one of his classmates, and so it was special getting to see family as well as other classmates.

We began the cruise in San Pedro (LA) Monday evening and cruised to San Diego, arriving early Tuesday morning.

Our organizer and constant communicator was Marilyn Coghlan, with assistance and cheer-leading from Mike Coghlan, and Bill & Sandy Harris.

We had a great time visiting with old friends, laughing and generally carrying on like kids. The food was terrific and plentiful. There was plenty to wet the throat as well.

Augusta & Tom Parrington


Joy & Ron Surdam

Rich & Jeri Walker

The second day we glided into Avalon Bay at Santa Catalina Island to spend the day shopping, touring and sight-seeing.

The final stop before heading back to San Pedro was Ensenda, Mexico. Carl and Rick went ashore to sightsee and get some exercise, while Linda and Karen stayed aboard and relaxed playing cards.

Each night, when we would go to bed, we were met by towel sculpture. This rabbit appeared on Wednesday night. The stateroom stewards did this for all their guests.

What fun! Will we get together again? Hmmmmm, could be.

"Come on, let me take you on a sea cruise. . ."

We're flying out tomorrow to LA for Carl's 50th class reunion which will be a cruise! Tomorrow evening is the pre-cruise party and we board ship in San Pedro on Monday evening. Tuesday we'll spend the day on Catalina Island, Wednesday in San Diego, and Thursday in Ensenada, Mexico. We get back to San Pedro Friday morning and fly home Friday afternoon.

There are a number of folks we keep up with that we'll see on this trip and, what makes it even more special, is that Carl's sister and brother-in-law will be there with us. Carl and Rick were best friends in high school and roommates in college; Rick met Karen and "BAM" best friend becomes brother-in-law!

Until next time. . .

Introducing the Donkey Ear

Several years ago, at Gruene Market Days, I saw a hanging basket of a plant that completely captured my attention. As it turned out, all of those plants were sold. So, Carl and I made a point to attend the next Gruene Market Days and buy one of them. This was just before the "2007 Great Freeze In The Hill Country"; we were living in our RV and had no room to bring our plants in so, therefore, our beautiful hanging basket froze.

In March or April, Carl came in grinning like the cat who swallowed the canary and presented me with one of the wonderful plants in a hanging basket. We just love the plant and are giving them to everyone we love. Each of the "ears" produces a flower than can be cut off and replanted to produce another donkey ear plant. They are SO beautiful and SO much fun!

A Disappointing Visit

We went to our local branch bank today to find out exactly what we needed in order to apply for a construction loan. It was one of the most frustrating experiences either of us has had in a long time.

We went in looking for what we needed (Just the facts, ma'am.) But what we got was far different.

We had spoken with the president of the local branch, on a previous occasion, for an introductory meeting and an overview of what we were looking for in terms of a construction loan. On the that visit, he admitted he had been on the job for only seven days and was not up on all of the banks specific policies regarding construction loans. But he gave us some high-level indications of what we might need.

Today, he sounded as if he had not gained much more competence or knowledge than before.

We heard over an hour of "worst case scenarios" about what we might expect from our contractor and subcontractors. Nevermind that we repeatedly told him that our contractor was family (Linda's brother-in-law Maxie), and we were personally interviewing each subcontractor. He never got the point that we weren't just turning the project over to someone, but we were going to be intimately involved in every decision and were also going to be doing a lot of the work ourselves.

He spent an inordinate amount of time telling us of worst-case scenarios, mostly based upon his personal experience in building a home. This included, by the way, the issuance of over $30,000 of change orders, even though his wife grew up in the "home building industry." We tried to remind him that we were not going to contract, in advance, for a fixed-price but were going to work interactively with Maxie to create this new abode within an estimated budget. This point, however, never seemed to change his approach.

And, the main problem Carl has with him is that he never looked directly at me. . .

So, we are disappointed. This bank was recommended by friends, but in the meantime the bank changed hands and the person who handled their loan is gone. We believe that this guy's past experience was not in the home-building arena and we probably need to go elsewhere.

We're in the clear!

It's official: we have a building site on our property! Thanks to D&B Construction, the trees in the area where the house, garage, and workshop will eventually live have been chopped, mulched, and extracted. The pictures at the left (from top to bottom) depict the land before major clearing, after initial cut, and after clearing and stump removal. Just for fun, I've included a couple of other views of the property.

The Case of Grover and the Terrifying Scarecrow

As we were walking the dogs this morning, we passed the Ranger Station (translate, office) of the RV Park and they had these precious stuffed dolls dressed like scarecrows. Well, Grover started his (not)-ferocious barking and backing away from the dolls. We would stand by the doll and call him; he would get only so close and then start backing up and barking. It was SO funny -- Carl and I were in stitches!

Later on in the afternoon, when it was light, we took them for another walk and Grover made his final statement: he peed on the doll!

I Can See Clearly Now; The Blur Is Gone. . .

Today was the day I've been anticipating for more than 2 weeks: I got my complete eye exam and came home with contacts through which I can see PERFECTLY! It's been a long time since I've seen as clearly as I do now and it's WONDERFUL!

Would you like ground glass with that?

This morning I was making Carl's daily smoothie breakfast when I noticed the smoothie coming out of the BOTTOM of the blender jar! I immediately turned the switch off; Carl came to help; and we poured the half-blended smoothie into a jar. Carl pulled out his tools, did whatever fix-it people do, and said I could carry on with smoothie-making. So I finished blending his smoothie, poured it into a glass, and started working on making my smoothie. Before I got too far, Carl said, "Linda, there is something gritty in this. Do you know what it could be?" I said, "It's milk, chocolate protein mix, bananas and blueberries -- I have no clue." So we decided I'd make mine and, if it was gritty he could continue drinking his; if it wasn't he would stop. Same thing happened: smoothie-makin's started coming out of the bottom of the blender jar! Carl took the blender-bottom apart again and we discovered the blade had become loose and had ground away some of the glass surrounding the drive shaft! So the grit in Carl's smoothie was, in fact, ground glass!

School Days, School Days

I had this most wonderful afternoon: I visited my niece, Mandi, and great-niece, Ruth. I got to their house just as Mandi was driving into the driveway after picking up Ruth, age 5, from school. It was so energizing and exciting to listen to Ruth talk about her day. First of all, it was Thursday which is homework day. Ruth LOVES homework and it was delight to watch her tackle the homework for the week.

Then I asked her to tell me about her day. What a gift! She told me about "Calendar Time". She said "I really didn't listen because I was helping the teacher." Of course, when asked what happened in "Calendar Time" she was spot on! One of my favorite quotes was "I was distracted when I was in Row 3 so I moved to Row 2." Here is a 5-year old talking about being "distracted"!

Ruth checked out her first book from the library today which was a first. She is a wonderful reader and speller (absolutely no bias here).

What is so special for me is that I've not ever experienced a child coming home from school and telling me about his/her day. To observe the sparkle in her eye, the joy in her demeanor, and the enthusiasm in her voice was worth a million dollars to me, a lifelong advocate of education for women!

We're Walking. . . and we're talking. . .

Carl and I discovered a beautiful, quiet neighborhood just down the road from Jellystone and we've been taking a walk through it everyday -- about 3 1/2 miles roundtrip. In addition to the health benefits, it's fun to check out the houses for ideas we might use. And, the real treat, is that we find we actually have real conversations! It's amazing how much more conducive to conversation it is without the competition from computers, telephones, TV, music, and dogs. Go figure!

Clean Sweep

For all practical purposes, I was out of town from Friday, September 7 through Saturday, September 15. So when I hit home, I started cleaning.

• I cleaned my clothes;
• I cleaned my "to do" file;
  
• I cleaned my trailer;
• I cleaned my patio;
• I cleaned my closets;
• I cleaned my hard drive; and
  
• I cleaned my dogs!

Space 97 at Jellystone RV Park is a sight to behold!!! But look quickly because it doesn't last long!

What a Party!

We drove to Fort Worth Thursday, September 13, to celebrate our younger daughter, Erica, 4oth birthday. It started with dinner at an Italian restaurant in their neighborhood for 10 of E's family and friends. To our total shock, E's husband, Allen, picked up the tab.

The best surprise was yet to come, however. We went back to their house and a limo stocked with champagne, driven by Kurt, picked us up. We then went to Arlington to pick up E's mother, uncle and sister, and then Kurt took us to Plano to a restaurant where our son-in-law, Brian was performing. At the end of his show, Kurt was waiting for us and drove us back to our respective houses.

Erica is definitely "40 and fabulous" and it was a joy to celebrate this occasion with her, other members of our family, and her friends!

Where's the Library?

I am not a "surfer" of the Internet -- I use it when I need it but it's not a hobby for me. Nonetheless, since I've been volunteering at the library, I am surprised at the things for which people rely on the library.

Just a few of the things people have asked for in the past several weeks:

• What is the best way to get a snake out of my pond?
• I'm being transferred to Thailand; do you have a book on the language?
• My daughter just got a pet rabbit and I need to know how to care for it.
• I want to get my GED; do you have any information on that?
• I need some information on filing a liability claim when I was riding a motorcycle.

It is clear to me that libraries are as relevant for research today as they have every been!

Hooray for "Hairspray"!

My girlfriend, Susan, and I went to see "Hairspray" on Sunday. It is absolutely delightful: the music and dancing is so much fun; John Travolta delivers an amazing performance as Edna, and he and Christopher Walken make a hilarious couple; Michelle Pheiffer is gorgeous, but quite the dragon-lady; and the underlying story line is compelling and very well done.

Conger and Gallegly give this move a thumbs-up!

A Raging River

This is The Horseshoe on the Guadalupe River just a mile from where we live. Water is being let out of the Canyon Lake Dam into the river constantly at 5000 cubic feet/second (cfs). This is a lower rate than that at which upstream rain is filling up the lake! To put this into perspective, the maximum safe flow rate is 1500 cfs for tubing and kayaking; normal flow rate is about 700 cfs.

To say the least, this summer has not been friendly to the river sports industry which is so important to the economy in this area.

The Eyes Have It

I went to the Austin Eye Clinic last Friday to see what, if anything, can be done about my vision. I had a radial keratotomy (RK) in 1991 to correct my distance vision and it did -- immediately after my surgery I had 20/20/ vision in one eye and 20/25 vision in the other. The glasses I wear have a teenie bit of correction in the top half but, primarily, I wear them for reading. Every since my surgery, I've had blurry vision the first thing in the morning and on cloudy days. However, the length of time for the blurriness has been getting longer and longer and it now lasts until noon or so. During that time, I have to look through the bottom portion of my glasses which is not good for my necki! So I wanted to see if I'm a candidate for lasik or some other procedure.

As it turns out, I have a small cataract on each eye. One solution is to have artificial lens' implanted which would give me almost perfect vision -- both for distance and close up. However, the cataracts are not bad enough for insurance to pay for the implants so this option would cost us $9200 ($4600/eye). This is really not an option for us because of house building, so I'll just get new glasses (or contacts) and wait until my cataracts get bad enough for insurance to pay for the implants :-)

We Love It When A Plan Comes Together

We had a VERY exciting day today is that we got our finalized house plans! We made some changes on the electrical plan and, when those are made (which should be in a couple of days), we'll be taking our next steps forward; i.e., getting approval from the architectural committee and getting a construction loan.

Below, for your information, is our house plan with front elevation.

We took a "road trip" on Sunday to Roby, TX. We wanted to check out a large grill on a trailer to use at camp meeting. We met with James and quickly determined that his cooker was too small for what we needed. He told us that his dad, Bob, had a larger one so we went to look at it. It was more money that what we thought we were authorized to spend. After trying to contact those who could say "yay" or "nay" with no success, we agreed that it was what we needed and it was a good deal so we bought it. Here are the pictures of our baby. . .

Pomodoro ala Carl

One of the benefits of running one of the cook sheds at Camp Meeting is that we bring home part of the leftover perishables. From year to year this varies, but almost always includes produce (cabbage, onions, apples, cantalope, watermelon, etc.), meat, eggs, and homemade bread. Sometimes, our bounty includes bottles of A1 Sauce, Heinz 57 Sauce, Worchestershire Sauce, and partially-filled jars of jellies -- these are the years that the "benefits" of running the cook shed turns into the "challenges" of running the cook shed -- what does one do with 6 bottles each of A1, Heinze 57, and Worchestershire?????

This year we came home with, among other things, 2 cases of tomatoes. Carl decided to make tomato sauce with them so, for the past two days, our RV has smelled like I imagine a farmhouse in Tuscany would smell -- BUONO! The best thing about this is that we'll be able to enjoy this homemade sauce for months!

Salute!

That Darn Cat!

Our realtor, Georganna, told us a story at our closing. One day she was showing a house and, when she got to the house, she heard what she thought was a baby crying. After some investigation, she found a white kitten, about the size of her palm, in the flower bed next to the front door.

After doing some investigation, Georgeanna learned that the SPCA and feral cat rescue organizations had all the kittens they could handle -- with all the rains, the feral cat mothers had sought high ground and had their kittens there.

Georgeanna and her husband decided to keep the kitten and they have named him "Conger."

Bless Georgeanna's heart: she's had "Conger" on her mind for the passed two years and now she'll have "Conger" with her for years to come!

Our Trip to the Davis Mountains

Our annual trip to Camp Meeting in the Davis Mountains is always special, but this year seemed especially so.

First of all, we completed the "West Wing" (our bedroom) and the bathroom in our cabin. The bathroom is updated, fresh, modern, and functional and all we lack is my completing the painting. We plan to finish the "East Wing" next summer; it will have a trundle bed for guests as well as our refrigerator and a sitting area.

Second of all, we had so much opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends. My sister (Sharon), brother-in-law(Maxie) , nephews (Jeffrey & Alan), their wives, (Mandi & Bekki), and my great niece and nephew (Ruth & Weston) were there for 10 days. Further, friends Angela and son Dillon, Blythe & Chris and daughter Mackenzie, Sarah & Scott and son Will, Fletcher & Jill and son Bennett and others too numerous to mention were in attendance which enriched our experience.

Third, the food was as good as it's ever been: an amazing salad bar at lunch and dinner, freshly-made rolls and cobbler at lunch and dinner, soft-serve ice cream at lunch and dinner; entrees including pollock from Alaska, chicken-fried chicken strips, roast beef, the best meatloaf in the world, enchildas, grilled pork chops, and brisket.

Fourth, it is a week during which I have basically NO responsibiliies -- no cooking, no laundry, etc. OK, I am on the Board of Directors so I have to attend ONE meeting! Also, I am in charge of the directory so I have to make a couple of announcements. THAT'S IT!

Fifth, the weather was at least 10 degrees cooler than that of Canyon Lake and the humidity was at least 1/2 of that at Canyon Lake! So it was VERY pleasant.

All in all, it was an extraordinarily enjoyable week. . .

Houseless!

It's true; Carl and I are now houseless and WE ARE THRILLED! We closed on our house sale yesterday morning and we even have the check in the bank! It's been a long frustrating, agonizing, emotional 2-year roller-coaster ride , but much good came from the trip:

1. We had an amazing real estate agent who loved our property and put her entire being into selling it for us;
2. The couple who bought it LOVES it -- that makes us feel SO good!
3. Carl & I learned a lot about each other; after 14 years of marriage we learned that we can live in 300 square feet and still really like each other!
4. I learned how little one really needs to keep house -- I plan to take this forward to our new house.
5. We learned how few clothes we really need (since we had room for so few). We will take this forward with us as well.

We've had folks say "how do you stand each other in such a small space?" I think it is a testament to our relationship that we are as crazy about each other today as we were in July 2006 when we moved into our RV!

We still have some RV living to do as we will be living here until our house is built. However, the attitude is very different knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunne.!

This and That. . .

It seems impossible that it is August -- where did the summer go?

We've had two days in a row with no rain, but it appears the drought will not last -- it's looking very dark outside right now.

Things are moving along beautifully with the sale of our house; our closing is scheduled for August 15.

We're leaving tomorrow for our annual trip to Bloys Camp Meeting. We are both looking forward to 10 days of enjoying some cooler temperatures, viewing the beautiful Davis Mountains, visiting with family and friends, and getting a healthy dose of spiritual renewal.

We get back on August 13, we move the things out of our house on the 14th, and we close on the 15th.

So until then, blessings.

Polygamist?????

Today we received an e-mail from our realtor with a document, "Title Commitment", attached. To me this meant that the sale of our house is moving forward until I opened the document and noticed that the title was in the name of "Carl and Susan Conger."

Carl called our realtor and said, "I'm pretty happy with Linda; I'd hate to have to go looking for Susan just to sell a house."

And, all kidding aside, our realtor will fix this and we are moving forward!

A Massage in Time. . .

I am one of those people who doesn't know how to relax and I keep all my stress in my muscles. Several weeks ago, I had such pain in my shoulders that I could hardly turn my head. I went in for a massage, which helped some, but I realized I needed more than one session. Since that time I've gotten a massage once a week and it has changed my life!

I am sleeping more soundly and I awaken refreshed, I've not had the disturbing dreams that I usually have, I've not had a headache or any other ache, and I have more energy.

I have, until now, thought of a massage as a luxury; I now realize that massage therapy needs to be an integral part of my mental and physical health care.

Going Once, Going Twice, Sold!

It appears that we have now officially sold our house! After being on the market for 2 years and having 2 contracts fall through two days before closing, one buyer back out 1 hour before the option period expired, one buyer withdraw the contract just as we had agreed upon a great price, and a plethora of "close-call offers", we are a little hesitant about getting too excited. However, we feel really good about this contract: the buyer is an investment company, they are paying cash, and they put up a sizeable amount of earnest money.

In the meantime, we are moving forward. We took our floor plan sketch to a designer who is drawing up the "real" plans. Friday we are meeting with a guy who will be clearing our property, pouring the driveways and installing the septic system.

I've heard it said that "good things come to those who wait" so Carl and I should have some extraordinary things come to us!

We're Going to the Dogs. . .

I took J.J. and Grover to the vet today to get their annual shots -- Grover has NEVER been to this vet and J. J. has only been once. However, both of them started trembling as we turned off of FM 306 toward the vet's office -- just amazing! I put leashes on both boys thinking it would be easier to manage them. Not so: the minute they got out of the car, J. J. tried to jump into my arms and Grover just ran around. So the leashes were hopelessly entangled. We finally got inside, got checked in, and sat down. After jumping around for several minutes, they finally settled down. Down the row from us was a HUGE German Shepherd who just sat their quietly -- I asked his owners if they would take my two to train for awhile!

Both boys are healthy; J. J. just needs to get his teeth cleaned (he takes after me -- I have to have my teeth cleaned 3 times/year!) and Grover tends to have a wax build-up in his ears that we need to take care of.

Eleven years ago, I had never had a pet and I never understood people who treated their pets like people. Now I am one of those people! Who knew?????

The Dogs Make Us Crazy

Well our two dogs that average less than 8 pounds are just nuts!
They are precious, but when we go out for a walk, always on leash, they have progressively been more aggressive, over time. When we first arrived at our RV site, the boys were cautious and merely growled at other dogs who were in the area (usually close to home). Now they (mainly JJ) go into attack mode whenever they see another dog, no matter how large. (JJ says RAWF!, RAWF!, and Grover says ruwf, ruwf very quietly) Recently, however, JJ has decided that he as every much as big and tough as the largest dawg on property.
So far this has been irritating to us and other dog owners, but also we have concerns that he may charge another dog who may decide that JJ is just another lunch.
Today, for example, JJ really got aggressive. When I pulled him back he slipped out of his collar and charged the other dog (who happened to be a 75-lb yellow something-or-other named Maxie who is owned by the RV park owners) and nipped the poor girl on the butt twice. The object of the attack was very frightened, and after I yelled at JJ he was also. After apologies, and appropriate chastisement we continued on our walk.
So, I think we will be more attentive to our dogs' attitudes and perhaps begin a new training program. Erck! We don't like misbehaving "children."

Lucky or Not?

On 07/07/07, we thought we had gotten very lucky in that we received an offer on our house. There were many positives about the offer: (1) the buyer has $50,000 in cash and pre-approval for $180,000 loan; (2) their daughter lives in Austin and they want to be closer to her; and (3) they had visited Horseshoe Bay and really liked it. There was a slight negative in that they had not seen the house in person -- only via pictures -- but their realtor didn't think that would be a problem.

Well, our "luckiness" disappeared as quickly as it came: we received an e-mail from our realtor on Monday saying that the buyers were withdrawing their offer because "they had a major family emergency which changed this into a bad time for them at this moment."

I feel bad for any family who has a major emergency; but, selfishly, I wish it hadn't happened right now. . .

A Wonderful Weekend

This wonderful weekend started Friday afternoon when my sister, Sharon, and brother-in-law, Maxie, got to the trailer. We went to Rio Mambo in San Antonio (our birthday gift to Sharon) and had a great meal and a greater time.

Saturday we started the day with an oral reading from "Jabbberwocky" from Sharon as we drank our coffee; it went uphill from there as we explored downtown New Braunfels, listened to music at Gruene Hall, and had dinner at Huisache Grill with our friends Bill & Susan.

This morning we got a call from Mandi (Sharon & Maxie's daughter-in-law) saying that they were leaving Boerne and, if we didn't have other plans, they would like to come over for lunch. We were THRILLED at this unexpected treat! We went to Janie's for a great lunch, toured Landa Park, took them on River Road, showed them our prospective housing site, and just had a great visit.

We actually had planned a kayak trip for this weekend but (1) the Guadalupe River was closed except for guided raft trips; and (2) the Comal was PACKED with tubers who couldn't get on the Guadalupe. We all agreed it was a good decision to postpone the trip.

We LOVE my family and we LOVE having them visit us!

Meeting New Family; Reconnecting with Old Friends

We've been in Phoenix, AZ since Thursday, June 28. We were a little concerned that our lungs (which have begun growing gill-like structures) wouldn't operated in such a dry climate, but they did!

We were in Phoenix for the biennial convention of the American Association of University Women -- it was a fabulous convention -- and we had some wonderful personal experiences outside the convention.

We had the opportunity to meet Carl's ex-wife's son (John), who she put up for adoption before she and Carl met. About a year ago, John's adoptive parents had died and Carl's older daughter (Veronica) had gotten permission from her mother to try to find him. They found each other and it's a beautiful story. Veronica and Erica are thrilled to have a brother; John is thrilled to have 2 sisters, a mother, aunts and uncles, a stepfather, etc. We had a lovely evening with John and his family and look forward to many more times together.

As I was perusing the convention program, I saw one of the workshop presenters was a person I knew but hadn't seen for at least ten years. She and I met in the late 70's, became good friends, and lost track of each other when Carl and I were in Oregon in the late 90's. I went into her workshop about 10 minutes before it was to start and said, "It's a blast from your past!" She was so shocked (she had NO idea I would be at the convention) that it took her several seconds to speak! Anyway, we spent several hours getting caught up and made plans to get together in the near future.

How special that human beings have an infinite capacity for love and friendship. . .

Blub, Blub

Well, the rain continues (forty days and forty nights?). As our daughter Veronica said, "I'll probably regret saying this in August, but I'm sick of rain and want it to stop!"
Yesterday, across Lake LBJ from our house in Horseshoe Bay, 19 inches of rain fell between midnight and 10:00 in the morning. That's about six-months worth of normal rainfall.
On the positive side, the lakes are full for the first time in several years, the wild flowers were stupendous, and you can tube-float the Guadalupe River without bumping your butt. On the negative side, our realtor is finding it difficult to find folks willing to venture out in the rain to see our house. It'll happen, and in the meantime we decided to start prepping our property for construction. We are going to be clearing, connecting water, bringing in caleche for a driveway, and installing a septic system.

Silence can be golden. . .

Why do beauty operators (stylists, or whatever they call themselves now) think that their customers are interested in their (a) problems, (b) pains, or (c) personal business?

I've had this problem with my stylists throughout the years, but I think my current one gets the award for sharing personal things. I've heard how her doctor cannot find her gall bladder; how she got drunk at a hair show in Las Vegas and missed most of the sessions; the problems she has with her mother, her son, and her ex; etc. etc. etc. I am very happy with how she cuts my hair and I really don't want to look for someone else. . .

Why don't they realize that getting one's hair cut and styled is supposed to be a pampering experience? We don't want to hear about problems; very likely we are escaping some.

My goddaughter got her beautician license in January and I've given her strict instructions to talk to her clients only to the extent that they indicate they want to be talked to. . .

When it Rains. . .

We really thought we were going to have to get our ark-building equipment out today -- it rained almost continuously all day and, for about two hours, very heavily. We had about 2 inches of water surrounding our trailer and, in fact, we have a leak so we had water coming inside the trailer! Carl sacrificed himself in the downpour and discovered (and corrected) what, he thinks, is causing the leak. So hopefully we don't have to worry about that any more, as the forecast is calling for more rain the next couple of days.

The day ended beautifully as we went out to dinner with our best friends, Bill and Susan, to celebrate Bill's birthday. Also in attendance were Susan's dad, and her sister and brother-in-law. We went to Italian Garden, a small restaurant close to us, with delicious food and very reasonable prices. It was a great evening!

Take Us Off Your List. . .

We have just had it with credit card solicitations, political solicitations, and other junk mail. I saw a segment on the "Today" show several weeks ago on how to "opt out" of all this "stuff" so today I finally had the time to call the numbers and sign onto the websites.

For your information:
1. To "opt out" of credit card solicitations: www.optout.com
2. To stop receiving junk mail: www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing list (if you sign up online it costs $5; you can instead, for the price of a stamp, complete the online form, click "register by mail"; print the completed form, and mail to the address listed on the form.
3. To stop telephone solicitations: www.dma.consumers.org/cgi/offtelephone (same rules apply as in #2)
4. To reduce e-mail solicitations: www.dmaconsumers.org/consumers/opoutform_emps.shtml.

As it turns out, it's very complicated to simplify one's life!

A Day in the Life of an RVer. . .

This was truly a typical day:

Carl spent the day glued to his laptop and to his telephone engaged in one conference call after another.

I went to the gym, got caught in a "frog strangler" and gingerly drove home; spent the afternoon doing laundry at my girlfriend's house.

We got a call from a repairman that one of his contractors said there was no electricity at our Horseshoe Bay house; he was going to check it out himself and call us back, one way or another. He called about 11:00 this morning; it's now 7:20 p.m. and we've yet to hear from him -- even though we've left him a couple of voice mails asking that he let us know what he found :-(

We're fixing beef stroganoff for dinner -- OH YEAH!

It's a real party here at Jellystone!

The Poop Dance

I learned about the poop dance when I first brought J. J. home from the breeder -- he was 7 weeks old and he fit into the palm of my hand. My best friend, Susan, and I were outside my house watching him explore and, all of a sudden, he started turning in circles. I said to Susan "Look how cute that is!" She said, "I think he's getting ready to poop." And, sure enough, she was right.

From that time forward, J. J. became more and more discriminating about the places in which he would poop: he would sniff, move forward and sniff, move backward and sniff, turn in circles for awhile, stand up, sniff, move forward and sniff, move backward and sniff, turn in circles for awhile, etc. etc. etc. Finally he would find the perfect spot and, eventually, poop!

We were in for quite a shock when we got Grover because he would literally stop in stride, while lifting his leg, squat, and poop!

Well, things have changed! J. J. now is now non-discriminatory about where he poops; he sniffs a couple of minutes, squats and poops. Grover, on the other hand, has become the gourmet of pooping places: he will go so far as spinning in circles, moving forward and sniffing, moving backward and sniffing, turning in circles, squatting, and THEN GET UP! He then continues his walk and, after all the steps I've described above, he will finally find THE PERFECT SPOT!

Ah, the entertainment opportunities for those who live in RVs. . .

Kids and Kayaks!

In his Father's Day card from his youngest daugher, Carl learned that she and her husband just bought kayaks! So now they have kayaks, as do my younger nephew and his wife. And we know that my sister and brother-in-law, and my older nephew and his wife are all eager to go kayaking. So we are looking forward to some great times on the river this summer with family!

What a Great Weekend!

This was a great weekend because:

1. Carl didn't do ONE BIT of IBM work!
2. We finished dozens of tasks around the RV; very important since, for the past several weeks, we've left town, come back, dumped everything, and left again. . .
3. We visited the new HEB Plus in Kyle -- what a party!
4. We did some additional beautification to our "yard."
5. We enjoyed watching the US Open -- unfortunately, Tiger lost by one stroke.
6. We started from scratch on the floorplan for our new house and came up with something that we both LOVE!

It was a good time!

Dinner Show at Jellystone Hall

Carl & I had a delightful evening: we attended the dinner show at Jellystone Hall. We had seen the signs that there would be a dinner show every Friday and Saturday night during the summer, so, with very low expectations, we decided to attend tonight.

First of all, the dinner was delicious: brisquet, pinto beans, baked potato, applesauce, and peach cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Then there was the entertainment: the English brothers. These are four extremely talented musicians, singers, and entertainers who perform the "songs of the cowboy." Many of the songs were familiar to us; others were not. All, however, were beautifully done in the tight, beautiful harmonious style of the Sons of the Pioneers.

We will definitely take advantage of the show again and hope to bring friends and family with us. It's very refreshing to have such wonderful wholesome entertainment!

From the Mountains to the Hill Country

We got back from the Davis Mountains last night about 8:00. We had SUCH a good time: we got a lot of work done (both in the main kitchen and in our cabin); we visited almost non-stop with family and lifelong friends; we had the opportunity to get better acquainted with two couples that we've known for years; and we observed two majestic thunderstorms as only West Texas can produce!

For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about, let me explain: Nestled in the beautiful Davis Mountains of West Texas, on the scenic loop between Fort Davis and Valentine, is a section of land known as Bloys Camp Meeting. which is held one week a year in August. The camp was started in 1898 as a way to gather the ranchers together to give thanks for a good year -- now 5,000 - 6,000 people attend each year. It is a non-denominational camp with programs for every age group. It is up to the attendess as to which (if any) of the services they want to attend. There is no swimming pool, no horseback riding, no television, no wifi service, and limited cell phone service -- just the glorious mountain vistas, beautiful weather, good food, lots of opportunities for spiritual renewal, and and lots of visiting with friends (old and new).

My grandfather started one of the six eating sheds on the campground in 1926. He turned the management of the camp over to my dad in the early 70's and then Dad turned it over to his sons-in-laws. Dad had attended every camp meeting of his life except the 3 years he was in the South Pacific in WWII. Both my sister and I have attended every year of our lives -- it's very much a part of our year and who we are.

Camp Meeting is a unique place: it must be experienced to fully understand the magic. What a blessing to have such a place in one's life!

Davis Mountain High

We are off to spend 5 days in the gorgeous Davis Mountains of West Texas. It will be at least 10 degrees cooler than it is here in New Braunfels, we will get to visit with long-time friends and several family members, Carl gets to do physical work (which he is very much looking forward to), and we'll be computer-free. A recipe for a very relaxing, recharging week!

Until the 13th!

A River Runs Wild!

Hi, this is Carl.
Well, after nearly four years of drought our lake & the river have almost burst their seams. There has been continuous rainfall in the aquafer west of us for the last several months. We don't have photos (although we may get some later) but for the last two weeks the Canyon Lake Dam has been releasing water at the rate of 4,800 cubic feet per minute (CFM). The input to the dam is entering at 600 CFM so things will change soon. That may not mean much to those of you on large rivers, but here it is huge. For the last few years if you wanted to float the Guadalupe River on an inner tube, kayak or canoe, it meant a lot of portages or "butt-bumping."
Now, we are all fearful of venturing out onto the river. It is spread far beyond the normal banks and is pretty dangerous. So, as you might imagine, we haven't gone forth on our kayaks this spring/summer. Oh well, when it rains it pours. Soon, when the dam has released enough to get to normal levels, it will be perfect. We expect that within a couple of weeks we will have a river to die for.

I'm Counting My Blessings

I had scheduled lunch in Austin with Mandi and Weston (niece and great nephew) and, to my surprise and delight, my nephew Jeffrey also went with us. We went to Tin Grill where I had THE BEST vegetable quesadillas I've EVER had -- the company and conversation was pretty great as well!

Weston, just recently turned 18 months, has discovered the joy of dipping -- he's not interested in eating whatever he's dipped; he just likes to dip. So he had a great time dipping his chips in the ketchup!

Following lunch we went back to the house for more great conversation and observation of Weston. One of the cutest things he does is getting upon the couch by himself -- he tries to do it by using only his legs! Quite entertaining!

What a blessing to have such a wonderful relationship with a nephew and his family!

When Life Gives You Lemons. . .

Yesterday started out as a normal, glorious day. But then the lemons started kicking in:

I logged on to work on my e-mail and discovered that my computer no longer recognized my address book ??? OK, no problem. I'll just clean the RV.

I then showered and got dressed to volunteer my shift at the library. I got there and 2 other volunteers were already there. One said, "I wonder why we have three today?" She looked at the book and I wasn't scheduled to work! OK, no problem. I'll do my laundry (not a trivial task when one lives in an RV!)

Carl and I drove to my sister's lake house (about 150 miles round trip) to pick up a nailer that my brother-in-law wants us to take to camp meeting this weekend (it was on the list to pick up last weekend when we were there, but it got overlooked). Well, we couldn't find the nailer and we couldn't get in touch with Maxie. OK, no problem. We ate at one of our favorite places in Marble Falls!

I think that today we definitely qualify for poster children for the saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"!

What a Pain in the Neck!

Actually, it's a pain in my shoulders which started on my drive to Houston on Thursday. I think I exacerbated the problem during the house cleaning on Saturday so yesterday I called to get a massage. I got the answering machine which said they were open on Tuesday through Saturday so I hung up.

Imagine my surprise yesterday evening when I received a call from the owner! She said she'd had a missed call from me and wanted to get back with me, so I made an appointment for this morning. She worked on me for almost two hours and charged me for a 50-minute massage! She said I was in bad shape and really needed the work!

I made an appointment for another massage on Thursday; I think it'll take3 - 4 times to get all my muscles loosened up and I know I'll feel better once it's done. . .

Playing Catchup

I didn't intend to be off the blog for so long, but it just worked out that way and now I have to play catch up.

I drove to Houston on Thursday for an AAUW "gig" Thursday night. A real treat on that trip was that I got to stay with my nephew, Alan, and his wife, Bekki. The visit was short on quantity but long on quality -- we had a great visit and the AAUW "gig" was great fun.

I got back home about noon on Friday and then Carl, J. J., Grover and I headed for my sister and brother-in-law's place on Lake Buchanan about 2:00 p.m. We stopped by our house in Horseshoe Bay to meet the exterminator and then we popped in on our neighbors for a nice visit. We got to the lake house about 7:00 p.m. and spent a lovely evening on their deck overlooking the now-full lake!

Saturday morning we started work about 9:00 a.m. and worked like little elves cleaning their house and front and back porches so that everything will be nice and welcoming for them when they come home next weekend after 6 months in Las Vegas!

Yesterday, my girlfriend (Susan) and I did some fun running around and then the two of us and our husbands cooked out together at their house last night. A fun, and delicious, thing we grilled was stone fruit (peaches, plums and apricots). YUMMO! as Rachael Ray would say

Sailing Along With Books

This was the theme of the book carnival at our local library which kicked off the summer reading program for the kids. I was lucky enough to be one of the volunteer and it was a WONDERFUL experience. All the volunteers wore brightly-colored sailor hats, and staff members wore t-shirts with a picture of a sailboat named the "USS TPML" (Tye Preston Memorial Library). It was all very festive and very fun!

The parking lot was converted into a true carnival with all kinds of game booths, face painting, food, etc. Inside, the kids registered for the program, checked out their first set of books, drooled over the bicycles they could win if they logged in the most house either reading or being read to (there were 6 sets of bicyles -- a boy's and a girl's -- to represent 6 different age ranges). Periodically, the blue light special light would come on and the child who was checking out a book at that time could selected a candy bar from the "blue light special" refrigerator.

It was SO much fun seeing the library packed with kids and their parents (or, in some case, grandparents) who were all so excited about books and reading!

I'm BAAACK!!!!!

On my last post, I said I'd be back on the 17th. Well, that didn't work out: we got home about 11:00 p.m. on the 17th and I left again on the 18th for a weekend with girlfriends. I came home from that with a nasty case of bronchitis and I am just now feeling well enough to think about updating my blog. . .

Our trip to Maryland exceeded my expectations: lots of wonderful visiting with Bill & Judy and a surprise visit with their older son, Jake; meaningful time (and MANY laughs) with family; spectacular-plus weather; lots of crab cakes; the opportunity to see the area through the eyes of Karen Conger, who was raised in the area; sighting of a Baltimore oriole (now called a Northern oriole); trips to the historical Harper's Ferry and Gettysburg; a visit to the renovated National Cathedral; meeting several of Bill & Judy's neighbors; tours of several spectacular gardens; and revisits to some of our favorite memorials and visits to two new museums (the Holocaust and the American Indian).

Nothing better than spending vacation time with friends and family. . .

Spinning. . .My Head is Spinning. . .

I have been in such a whirlwind, physically and emotionally, the past couple of weeks that neither the inclination and the inspiration to post to my blog have been available to me!

I was in Lubbock Saturday and Sunday for two energizing, inspirational AAUW events. We are leaving this afternoon for Fort Worth and tomorrow night I will be attending the 35th anniversary celebration of the Tarrant County Branch of AAUW. We'll be driving back to New Braunfels after the meeting and then we leave for Cabin John, Maryland early Thursday morning where we'll be until Thursday evening, May 17.

In Cabin John we'll be visiting our friends, Bill & Judy, who we met on an Alaskan cruise in 2005. We were with Carl's brother Stan and wife Karen and his sister Karen and husband Rick. There was an immediate connection among the eight of us and a wonderful friendship emerged! We all went on a cruise in the Sea of Cortez together and now the six Congers are converging on them for a full week of lots of visiting, laughing, good eating, and just plain FUN!

I'll be back on the 17th. . .

My Wildflower Amongst the Wildflowers

Well, this is Carl interjecting himself into Linda's blog. The other day we were driving down to Gruene to meet some friends passed some stupendous wildflowers. So-o-o-o, since I happened to have the camera with me, I asked my child bride to pose with the Firewheels and Winecups. Beautiful, eh? This year has been an amazing time for wildflowers in the Texas Hill Country. We have had frequent rains and not overly hot weather, so they have blossomed profusely, and have had terrific staying power. Sort of like Linda's staying power with me.

Leaving Las Vegas

We ALWAYS have a great time with Sharon and Maxie, no matter what we are doing. This trip, however, was especially enjoyable and we were NOT ready to leave. However, we did leave and got back to Jellystone about 5:30 p.m. yesterday evening and we are back to RV living!

Viva Las Vegas: Day 3

This is Sharon and me on the motorized raft on which we took a 12-mile (3-hour) trip on the Colorado River through the majestic Black Canyon (on the border between Nevada and Arizona). Our guide was funny and knowledgeable and the grandeur and beauty of the canyon cannot be described by words. Even though the temperature was supposed to be over 100 degrees, there was a wonderful breeze -- all in all, it could not have been any better!

Sunday night we had dinner at an upscale Asian restaurant -- we had our own private area which was created by filmy drapes on either side of our table. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was perfect, and the company was THE BEST! In fact, they surprised us by using the opportunity to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Very nice!

Top: a herd of Nelson Bighorn Sheep
Bottom: one of the many beautiful vistas in Black Canyon