FIRST WEEK AS A WINTER TEXAN

A great first week. The singer Valentin was murdered after a concert
in Hildalgo last week. He did a video against drugs. A 38 year old man
had a 16 year old live in girl and her daughter. They had a fight. He
killed her, dumped her body in a cane field, burned her then dumped
the baby, about a year old along side of a road. The baby was
rescued was two families driving by. Within a couple hours and about
10 miles down the road they found a three year old boy. He came here
across a big body of water. Well, he and his sisters were split up from
their parents. They came over with some coyotes and other illegals.
The parents are in Florida?? Mexico is getting a new President. The
Congress is not happy with his new decisions, so they had a knock down
drag out fist fight! I was on the golf course today, hole #8, the wind
turned and in NO time flat, the temp dropped 20 degrees. It was 76
or so when I started and when I jumped back into the Jimmy it was
57. The wind blew the TV dish so hard it popped the screws that hook
it to the mobile. NO TV tonight. That goodness I have Superman with
me tonight! BUT..........IOWA LOST TO isu in BB............

Better weather expected on Monday or Tuesday. I have NO slacks or
jeans. I put up the Christmas tree today, if anyone wants to send
gifts to put under the tree, feel free to do so.............

I miss the dishwasher, this do it by hand stuff if getting boring!

Cuddle up and stay warm......Hasta Luego.............

Progresso, Mexico on a Day Trip

Another fine day in the Valley. A road trip planned to Mexico.
Need to pick up some medicine for a friend, $50 difference in
price from Mexico and the USA. We planned to leave at 9 AM,
shop and then have lunch at Arturo's, come home. However,
Arturo's does not open until 11 am. That's when we left
Mercedes for Progresso. Shop at the Canada Store, now owned
by Garcia's. I picked up some flower pots, no Beefeaters, but
Jose was only $8.25 for a fifth. Our favorite store is La Galeria'.
We picked up our peanuts and then went upstairs to the bar
for two for one drinks. Most places this is all day long.......except
for beer. M and M like margaritas, I had a strawberry daiquiri.
Delicious and the two man band was great.

Hark, it is lunch time. Arturo's is wonderful. Lots of male hosts
and waiters. No female workers anyplace. The Spanish women
are taken care of, they have the children at home. Three red
corn tacos with beans and rice and of course, the normal plate of
nachos and pico de gallo..........under $7.00..........

Tried to log onto the radio shows tonight on 1040 radio. No luck,
so I called in, talked about one second to Lisa, then the man
cut me off before I could ask my question. Boo Hiss........

Thurs night into the weekend, OH MY, should be down to the 60's.
I don't think I have any slacks! Will have to stay indoors and
work on something trivial.....

Take good care my friends.............

I think it is Saturday Night

The problem being a snowbird,winter Texas, retiree, et al..........
we don't know what day it is, unless we pick up the
newspaper......

Snowbird softball team practice starts next week. I wish I had
bought the equipment. Maybe I can find a glove down in Mexico.

the main problem is clean up the place, very dirty, due to the
owners of the field to our west have decided to sell lots and
build homes. All of our trees are gone and I'd like to put up
a fence to stope the dirt from the alley.

Black Friday was hell. The traffic was awful. It took a while to
find the stores that I wanted to shop at, at 4 PM, still a fiasco.

No deals. The DirectTV guy told me I could not use my Go Video
DVD and VHS recorder with our TV, because the TV is so OLD.

I am contemplating a new 32 inch plasma HDTV............

The wonderful man at CompUSA told me to get the hook up with
Radio Shack......he also set me up with Road Way DSL service.
I am thrilled..............The rebate will make the cost the same as
the slow dial up with AOL...........

It is 83 again today. I hear Iowa is also warm. Who is coming to
the Alamo Bowl? I will have to get online or call the box office
ASAP.............keep your head down and follow thru...........maybe
Tuesday I will get to the golf course...........Aloha, C

Honey I'm Home

I made it with NO problems. Great highways, 69 a four lane
divided hwy thru Ok., 75 mph. I avoided the major cities
and loved it. In Texas, we pass friendly. Two lane hwy,
with an extra lane on the outside. When you see someone
that wants to pass, you go to the right. When they pass,
they turn on their flasers or wave to say thank you!

Arrived in Alamo about 1145 AM on Weds. Of course, when I
turned on the water, explosion in the toilet this time!
Fought a major leak for 6 or 7 hours. The water was OFF
outside, but still leaking. I finally figured it out,
when they fixed the sink in Feb., they put in another
turn off valve. Once I turned that off, no problem.

I called my dear friends from Cedar Falls, Marian and Milo
are in Mercedes. I asked to use their shower. Yes, of course,
but on Thurs AM they called and said I should come over
and stay until the water was on again.

The neighbor brought me a plate of Turkey dinner and
then said he could help me. Eddie did the job. My only
problem was not cutting off the new pipe enough. Only about
one more inch of cutting! 24 hours later and all is dry.
I have a pile of towels that need to be laundered, will
probably go to the laundromat to save some time.

83 today, I went to a couple electronic stores about
4 PM. A mad house. I installed Direct TV and can't use
my DVD-VHS machine because the TV is too old! I either
buy a new TV or kiss off all of the DVD's that I brought
along!

The blog spot has changed. Can't use my regular Hook em
Horns Colors...........

Iowa in the Alamo Bowl? Hummmmmmm, might be right for a
road trip.......

Bowl Game

SO, who is coming to the bowl game?

Six hours to download the new security from Symantec!
BS!

I can not get DSL service via AT and T, I am 2300 feet
from the source and have to be 1700 feet away....Will
do some checking with Time Warner and Vonage......
internet service in the valley is about 5 years behind the
real world according to Wed newspaper...........

Let's do the Alamo Bowl, In San Antionio, not here in
my winter Texas home of Alamo. I might be about
3 or 4 hours away. I might have to go for the party time
and or the game and sleep overnight in the car.....
Go Hawks........

Snowbird Times

I have done the road trip from Ankeny to Alice and tomorrow to
Alamo. Today the weather was what I have planned on, for
the last 23 or 24 years. After the snow and ice on the mail route,
to being a snowbird in Texas..........75 degrees at the highest en
route to Alice. How sweet it is.

I walked from the hotel to Wally World after having a cold
beer upon arrival in Alice. I need a counter top oven, since I
don't trust our oven in Alamo. It has not been used in over 15
years. Black and Decker has two nice ones, the larger one can
do a 12 inch.........pizza........for $20 more. I think it is also the
size I need for my turkey.

Have a great Thanksgiving. I will be unpacking the load and
maybe even go hit a few on the links......I am tired, have about
six months to get my sleep in order.........Hasta Luego Mis amigos.

On the Road Again

I am in Palestine tonight..........right.........Palestine,
Texas. I am glad I changed my driving times, I have
arrived into the first two destinations about 4 PM.
Check in, take all of the good stuff to the room, go
find some dinner, back to the room for cocktail hour,
then have dinner.

Wake up call is 7 AM, nice breakfast bar at the Holiday
Inn's. I am also getting double points this week, I am
thinking I might have enough to pay for the hotel when
I go to the Big 10 tourney.

The roads are super.I chose to drive the scenic routes to
avoid the big cities. Avoid the traffic, crazy drivers zooming
back and forth in the lanes while I watch the signs to find
out where I have to turn. Good old hwy 69 in Ankeny........
hey, in Okla it is a 4 lane divided hwy and speed limit is 70 or
75. I am running at 65 and was going to figure out my
expenses tonight, but what the heck, I will do that when I
get to Alamo.

Keep in touch.........The snowbird............Cal......................

Down to the Nitty Gritty

This could be one of the last IOWA postings. Today I changed
my entire route to Texas, as well as hotels. I decided I didn't
want to drive such long days, no hurry to get to Alamo. Don't
want to fall asleep. Looks like three days of six and a half to
seven hours of driving. Weds morning I slide down 281 to Alamo
in two hours. That is good. I can still get to the grocery store
to pick up whatever I need to cook with my turkey.

I bought a breast, cut it in half, half for the boys, half for me.
I won't have to spend the whole days cooking this year. Only
plan on a salad and corn, milk, no bisquits or dressing. I
don't need all of those left overs.

Hawkeye women won last night. It was such a huge dual that
the Coach broke her shoes! When they went through the line
to shake hands, I looked over to see her barefoot! That is
a first! I hope they were old shoes....

Last night to bowl, two more Iowa BB games and I am
"ON THE ROAD AGAIN"

Ankeny to Vinita, OK., to Paris-Tyler-Palestine, to Victoria
and overnight #3 in Alice, Tx. Alice to Alamo on Weds AM,
I will probably sleep in! Gobble Gobble.............

MOVING THE WHOLE HOUSE?

I think I am packing too much for Texas. Three big
boxes full and one suitcase, one more box in the
basement and two suitcases to fill up. Still need room
for two or three coolers, a palm tree, overnight bag,
purse, camera equip and small suitcase with my toys!
I might be driving down the highway with the front
end in the air!

Anyone want to drive down to Texas and haul some of my
stuff? Just come along and stay for the winter.

Another deer in a public building. This time in a bank,
it was bambi, in Pittsburgh, PA. Poor little thing forgot
her ATM card!

IWBB on Weds, Fri and Sat., better get my stuff together
by Weds noon, Thursday at the latest. Hope I have room
for the palm tree and Freddy Couples! Make my day!

Seven Days and Counting

All of a sudden, I am on a time table. Today it was the
heath wise things, cosmetics, shampoo, etc., the bedroom
stuff. I didn't finish up, will have to hustle on Tues.

The week end was great. My favorite Iowa Hawkeyes
won the Kansas City, Mo., coach's tournament. We have
a short bench. "Eight's enough" is our slogan. 8 players
at full strength and three injured. Two should return
by the Big 10 in Jan. Poor Vandy is in a sling like the one
I had last year after surgery.

Great friends are here in Ankeny. We have been out for
a beer, slide around Wally World, off to Iowa City.......

I think we might have a real start with the Republican
Iowa and DC. I'd like to see some serious talks about
helping minimum wage workers. Someone like Greg that
works his butt off, but is dissed by co workers, because
they know Greg will do the work. A teen ager should not
make the same wage as a 60 year old man.

DO you have a free week end? Come on down to Texas.
We will golf and make a run to Mexico. Get yourself a
copy of your birth certificate OR a pass port.....cheap
booze and lunch at Arturo's.................

It's Winter

Who would believe, the TV channel has not started
their game of the first snow contest. SO? Two days
ago, I was on the golf course, slacks that should have
been shorts, but within 48 hours............the four
letter word..........SNOW!!

I should have left for Texas yesterday!

Let's head on down near south to KC, MO. The Iowa
Hawkeye Women will be knocking down Mo State
and Kansas or Seton Hall for their first tournament
victory of the year.

Snow? What's with an early snow when I have been
planning this trip for over 20 years? Just have to
get it on the road........BIG SMILE...........golf is on the
horizon on Thanksgiving Day...........Gobble Gobble.........

Too Much To Do, Not Enough Time

November 7, less than two weeks until blastoff. Most of the packing
is done, still need to condense some of the stuff. When I pack the
car, I will find out what I have to leave at home until next year. OR,
wrap it up and go to UPS to mail to Texas!

Today was spent at lunch with Tom Brands, Lisa Bluder, and Steve
Alford and Jim Zabel! It was the Polk county I Club winter sports
party in Des Moines. Great food, bought a pink Hawkeye hat and
some raffle tickets. Have not won for a couple years, but I won the
grandest prize, last one drawn. A Hawkeye Basketball autographed
by Lisa and Steve. I showed it to Lisa after the speeches were done
and asked her if the team would autograph it this week end down
at the KC tournament. She said yes!

Weds temps are supposed to be in the 70's, that means a round of
golf, right? The vote and golf promo at Toad Valley, Altoona, is
$12.50 for 18 holes and a cart, we are going. Another retiree event!

Keep your head down and follow through............

Fall and the Countdown

It is fall, the temps are way down, no more shorts
for the time being, 17 days until blastoff. Iowa WBB
has started and we might have lost our best rebounder
for the whole season. Vandy dove for a steal in the
exhibition game, popped out her shoulder. Three
others are also on the rehab list, hopefully they
will be ready for the Big 10 season.

The leaves on the Ash and Maple have fallen and
that was always Mom's signal of when to head to
Texas. I have packed the clothes, part of the music
necessities as well as some DVD's. I need motel
reservations, hope to drive until 5 PM every day,
making it a three day trip. Will arrive on Tuesday,
in time to hit the HEB and pick up a turkey breast
for Thurs holiday. Add some stuffing and veggie
and salad.........then sleep! First I have to vacuum
the bed and clean the bathroom and kitchen........
Should be able to get that done in two days....

Football season has been extended for the great
Ankeny Hawks. They won their first round game in
the postseason, three more games to the championship.

We were tied for first place in first flight at the
last Chili Dip at Honey Creek. Shot two strokes
better than the last outing, a 65. Won $30 both times,
cheap 18 holes of golf.

I am thinking I need to pack more today........