I'm still here

and still working and still enjoying the weather.
Windy today but it was quite still when we
were in Mexico this morning. I think I will go
pick up my pool chemicals and then head to
the pool for an hour, come home, take a nap,
watch the news and be a bum until 10 pm.

I have some Christmas photos to download
and post, maybe I will do that later......

this wonderful weather makes me lazy.......

It's a Blue Day

Here in the valley........79 degrees, but 14 years ago today, my
mom passed away.......even though I try to get over it, that is
IMPOSSIBLE.So, I did laundry, to get the mobile home ready
for the January renters. Fixed the awning and the back door
so it doesn't fly open. Hooked up the TV with the new digital
box. Bad reception, but renters do not have cable or satellite
back home.......I love Nebraska volleyball, but the ladies lost
in the final four last night. Of course, it was the late game, so
I missed it all. Hoping ESPN will have a replay before the
finals on Sat night. Iowa plays at Drake on Sat......workampers
get a free Christmas dinner on Sunday night......Christmas with
the Justice family .....I need to go to the beach.....40 degree
temps all week and lots of wind, but we golfed anyway. had a
300 yard drive, thank you Mother Nature.........no new photos
to post, I have a ton, but am lazy tonight. This weather does
that to you......mellow out........carry on my friends............

Where does the time go?

Two weeks since the last posting........park wide garage sale today, tried to
unload some stuff from Alamo, no luck. Monday Directv comes and I need to
go to Alamo and get the water situation under control since I am renting out
the mobile home Jan/Feb and trying to sell. I will start the repair work as
soon as I get the check...."IT"S IN THE MAIL" fixing the hole in the roof is the big
problem, that means inside repair work won't get done until the renters
leave in March.....bummer.
I have not been to the beach for two weeks and that is awful......The walk across
Queen Isabella Causeway is Jan 10.
We watched UNI play football on ESPN today, they lost to Richmond, who made
a TD and extra point with 14 sec to play. Coach called for a raz ma taz play and
it did not work.......he only had to call two 20 yard plays to get in the zone
for a field goal........OH WELL, I am not the coach......I feel sorry for the Panthers.
I have some great parrot photos to post, but have to wait on that, I don't want
them "borrowed".
The maid was here on Friday, now the Rig is a mess again. The maid took everything
outside for the patio sale and now it is all back INSIDE.
After church and brunch I have a golf date tomorrow with my new Canadian friends.
Ruth and I are the events chair people for the women's league......I need to golf and
get the stuff out of my hair and enjoy, even though we have those 30 mph winds.....
what a challenge.......Carry on my friends........

BIG Brother is Watching

There are about
a dozen cameras
all around the park, mainly for security. This is Big Brother looking at my North Swimming Pool,
the 2nd one I clean every night. It is beautiful. If only
they had maintained the lighting in the pool, the LED
lights were red white and blue, now only white. I guess it
was beautiful. Next photo is of the East pool, the one

closest to my home. It had to be drained on Thursday/

Friday, then refilled with four small garden hoses. they

told me there isn't a fire plug close enough to do the

two hour job. that doesn't sound good to me!TV photos.

Railroad Car Art/License plates/West Pool

A daylight view where Goofy was working the
other night and today off to the island and I


found this fun license plate. I have a notebook of plate
photos, need to update it one of these days and on the




way home, this art, just outside of Mercedes at the grainery.
Some art is fabulous. I have not seen a long nosed bird
like this before, on a RR car.....

GOBBLE GOBBLE

Happy Thanksgiving Day ya'll.........the park has a dinner, only $10 for corn, beans, mixed
veggies, mashed white and sweet potatoes, stuffing, regular turkey, smoked turkey, ham
and pork. bread, salads, peas and tomatoes, no lettuce, cranberry, four pies (of which I do
not like any-lemon, pumpkin, mincemeat, pecan.....yuk!) I hope there is someone else
out there in cyber land that agrees with me.......bring on the blueberry pie or rhubarb
pie, fruit pies are best.......AND, no cooking, no dishes........

Gas prices are in limbo, of course, travel time. I expect them to stay as is for the rest
of November (good guess, only three more days of Nov) and into Dec. I think the folks
that did not travel for thanksgiving, will travel for Christmas.

Great computer hook up.....I was able to hear the Iowa Hawkeye women play BB today
in the Virgin Islands.........HAWKS WIN........two more games on this road trip............

Texas A and M is playing the UT Long horns tonight. Great commercial from Iraq.......
A tank full of A and M men with their flag cheering for their team, they passed a football
to the other tank full of Texas Longhorn supporters....Love our technology..........

Carry on my friends......I have some new parrot photos, just have not downloaded
them yet........prize winners.................Gobble gobble........thank goodness the Indians
gave the Pilgrims a turkey to greet them, had they given the Pilgrims a donkey we'd
all have a piece of a$$ on this Thanksgiving day.......HAHAHAHAHAHA.............

Where Will It Stop and When?

Shell Oil and Aziz on North 10th Street in McAllen were at $1.59.9 today.........

Down They Go Again

I went to buy water today, fifteen cents a gallon,
DON'T DRINK THE WATER IN THE VALLEY!!!

Gas prices were down to $1.64.9 for regular gas..................

Of course, I just filled up a couple days ago and
did not need more. Keep that tank full, any day
now, that new administration will make a major
F up and the gas prices will go UP UP UP again......

Cheney will be out of office and the local yokels
will have him on trial in South Texas......Oh what
a laugh.......have you read about the indictments?

It's A Goofy Job

Time to go to work, let's fire up the golf cart and head to
the West pool.

The first job is to arrange the chairs and lounges, push

them back to fence, put backs up, then

we take the chemical readings, for chlorine, ph, and TA

factors.

and be sure to log the readings. Once a week we use this

blue bottle of scale be gone to scrub around the inside

top of the pools.

Next we walk around the pool and clean the skimmer

baskets. These baskets collect the junk that falls into the

pool daily, leaves, tree limbs, hair, bugs, flowers and the

occasional FROG!

Next, I get my scrub brush, attach it to a 10 foot pole

and begin scrubbing from top of pool, down about

5 feet.

I am done scrubbing and have to bring out the vacuum

hose. it is a pain! always twists up and I have to straighten

it out daily and throw it into the pool.

I have hooked up the vacuum to another 20 foot pole and

next I will attach the hose to the vacuum and fill the hose

with water from one of the water spouts in the pool.

Do I have to reach down there and unhook the hose?

Yes, this is where one end of the vacuum hose is hooked

up, to the internal vacuum.

Pool should be at 88 degrees, down a little tonight.

This is the pool pump, only one at the West pool.Where I

am sitting is the gauge to check pressure. If low or high,

over 15, I have to back wash the pool. turn off heater, turn

off power, move that black handle on the right, turn on

the power, back wash for one minute, turn power off, move

black handle back to original spot, turn on power and heater.

Last job is to open this tube and check the chlorine levels.

Keep your face away or you will have big breathing problems.

also check that clear top pump basket and clean out, turn off

the power first.

You can see the vacuum pole and hose in the water, push

it in and out to center of pool to pick up the crud that has

blown in during the day and now......
The West Pool is clean and beautiful again. Every other

night we wash down the deck, unless windy and there is

a lot of debris on the deck........Off to the North Pool,

usually around 1030 PM, it has taken me just over one

hour to clean up the West Pool.

Here and There Around the Valley

Chairs ready for the beach combers
Great scenery
ROTC members that presented a program for Veteran's Day
Milo, retired Army Air Corp and Marian, Rosie the Riveter
Sunset on my street in Llano
Goofy hanging out in my fruit basket
a man and his dog
surf and Big Ship
Goofy's first trip to the beach at South Padre Island
I love this light house, Port Isabel
My favorite billboard, every year it changes
Neighborhood squawkers, there is a group of about 100
parrots that fly around the park, usually making a
noisy entrance around 5 PM. Have not heard them for
a few days, due to rainy weather.

We are going Lower

Today's lowest price for regular gas $1.72.9

I have some new photos to post........be patient.

golf today at the two club course. I was rotten, 8 over par........
only one birdie. I ' d like to blame it on the sore shoulder,
but, yes, it is tough on the swing with a sore left
shoulder. new job, new motion of the shoulder, new pain.......

too bad I can't get loaded before work, NO PAIN.....
coffee at 7 PM so I stay awake.....bummer......home between 1-2 AM......
I have discovered a porn station on the local cable.....OH MY!!

I have to get my Directv back for some good TV..........

aloha...........

WOW.......GAS PRICES.......WOW

TV news reported this tonight.....$1.77.9

OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!

Gas Price on Saturday Night

I had to make a run to Wally world and their sign said $1.85.9 per gallon.

I also made a trip to South Padre Island today and they are 20 cents
higher. One place I used to fill up, in Los Fresnos, was over $2.00
when I drove through, but it was down when i came back, under $2.

New Home

Big pool by Rec Hall

Hot Tub and laundry room in back.

My spot on Juarez....

the North end lots. nice cement pads and lots of palm,

orange and grapefruit trees.

North pool that Milo says is "Cyndy's pool"

Juanita Street going north to one exit. I ride east to west

through this entire area at least once a week. Need to count

the # of streets. Maybe a tenth of a mile each way.

Juarez Street where I am living this winter.

The Resaca that flows around the park.

WE ARE SO INANE, ALL OF US BLOGGERS

YES, that is right...all of us bloggers are INANE...according to the grandeous writer Danielle Steele.  She is starting her own blog.....www.daniellesteel.net and she will post entries once a week or more often."If I get excited about something."    Her children got her to take a closer look at what is written on the internet.  She is not always impressed. "Some are very interesting. but some are so INANE--unknown people telling you what they do every day, which is even more boring than what I do every day."

But she will play nice on her blog.

"I want it to be friendly and positive. I have seen some of the blogs being highly critical about people and highly nasty. I don't like that in life. it's just not necessary. Life is hard enough without being sour on top of it"

This newspaper article is quoted from the MONITOR, newspaper of the Rio Grande Valley,

TX.        Let's just keep posting stories and photos about our lives and keep being 

BORING according to the famous writer.......I am insulted. Most blogs are online to keep 

far flung families in touch with each other because most families are not living next door

to each other....don't buy more of her books....she is insulting..............Carry on..........

halloween buddy

Yes, Freddie is still with me and we are going out Trick or
Treating. I hope to find the world's worst golf outfit to wear
and carry my two foot putter.....

Wednesday news

Gas is at $1.92.9 at one station today. Golf in Tuesday's scramble ended up in a tie for first place, I had my first chip in of the season, beer at the golf course was $1.85........sweet! But no Mich golden Light in TX. Alamo mobile home has a lot of minor damage from hurricane Dolly. I took pictures today for the insurance people. I hope I will get some money for repairs so I can put it up for sale again. Every day more units are moving in, but no
neighbors yet. Will try to make it to water exercise class in the morning or
maybe line dancing or the work out room and also ride my 10 miles around
the park. Some beautiful mobile homes in the new area, one has a "widow's
room" as they used to call it in the old days........carry on and fill up your gas
tanks every day.........C

Gas Prices

Today's best price is $1.95.9......I hope ya'll around the USA

are having the same luck and are topping off your tanks on

a daily basis. Do you think the prices will go UP on Nov 5?

Carry on.........

Day One, ankeny to McAlester, OK

Just south of Des Moines I started taking pictures while
driving. YES, I am careful, I press the camera to my
shoulder.

goofy smile, first stop at the Leon Rest Area

turn off of the Ok turnpike from Joplin, onto Hwy 69 and

who is there to greet you? I think it is Pocahontas......

trying to beat the Union Pacific......I wonder if Jimmy Jr

was the engineer?

Day Two, McAlester to Victoria

Goofy had a good night's sleep at the best Motel 6 I have
ever seen.

it was another beautiful sunrise en route, Tuesday

fog along the Oklahoma turn pike
before and after sunrise

sunrise on the Oklahoma turn pike

cross the McAlester Lake, a great recreation area for RV's

some cabins, boating, fishing

my favorite liquor store en route

Beautiful day en route to the rio Grande valley.

Break time, caught by the train boys again, for five minutes.

a mile of "S" curves on my blue highway, in Texas.