One-third + of the year passed . . . (Y2D331-345)

Time keeps marching on.

Friday began with lite cleaning, compiling and revising a very full bulletin, then a golf cart ride. We drove by the site David and his family were in and Tony liked the shade from the trees and the level ground. After a short discussion we decided to go to the ranger station and switch sites.

Kim said go for it. Tony parked the golf cart in the site and I began getting everything inside secured down. Tony got the outside ready and he told me to move the RV. I had already started the engine in order to pull the levels up. So off Jack and I went.

Tony moved the things on the outside, my fern (Mom gave me), the stand, lawn chairs, smoker with the golf cart. After pulling in front of the new site I let Tony back it in. It took no time getting set up again. We love having the trees on two sides . . . lots of shade . . . very cool. We see the sun in the morning but shade from noon on.

Since getting set up was a snap and we have gotten into a routine that probably will be repeated while we stay at Lake Conroe.

We upgraded our Thousand Trails membership so that we have no out time from the system and can stay 21 days at each park. We really like this park and will be spending lots of time here.

Now to the daily routine . . . of course coffee every morning. The way I 'flavor' my coffee has changed. I began with the liquid chilled version of cream at first, flitting from one flavor to another only to be aggrivated by the room it took in our small frig. So I changed to the unrefrigerated non-dairy cream cups that Sam's sells . . . a 'million' to a box and wound up using 3 or 4 of the cups for a cup of coffee and decided to change again. I had begun using turbanado sugar with the creamer cups and then changed to Coconut sugar. Sam's began to sell a big bag of the coconut palm sugar and I took advantage of that because the brand Kroger sells has risen to over $6 . . . started at about $3. So now I am using the powdered non-dairy creamer . . . decisions . . . decisions!

Another routine I began here was practicing piano in the Activity room. Did I tell you that two keys don't even make a sound? And a couple of notes sound like the old pianos that they play in the movies in saloons. Well, we are losing our pianist . . . she is college bound in January . . . so I felt obligated to limber up my fingers and practice my hymns. It is going to take a while because it has been about 44 years since I did that . . . and since then I have only plunked around on pianos.

I have been going down every day and playing through about a dozen hymns that have no flats or sharps. I play each one at least once . . . sometimes multiple times. Sometimes I focus on fingering and other times push myself to stay consistent with timing.

I talked to a friend who teaches piano and we discussed the fact that it needs tuning. I had requested it be tuned but you know how that red tape thing goes. The second time I talked with her she asked again about tuning and I said, I didn't think it was tuned but the piano was starting to sound pretty good to me. She asked if I might wear earplugs . . . I laughed.

Mother's Day was wonderful . . . we (Dean, Tony, Dad, and I) took Mom to Jimmy Changa's for a late lunch. Marsh joined us. We had a wonderful time. Their new Watermelon Margarita was so delicious!

While I was at Mom's after Mother's Day we talked about keyboards and got to looking for them on line. After checking several local department stores out I found one at Target that had 61 keys and lots of different options along with a stand. Mom had wanted to buy my some Clinique for Mother's Day. I told her since I really didn't need any makeup she could contribute to a keyboard. Then, I reasoned that Tony could pay for the rest and it would be my Mother's Day gift from Mom, Dad, and Tony. WOW! And I would not have to wear earplugs!

So, I ordered the keyboard online and was notified shortly thereafter that it was ready to be picked up. I headed for Target and picked up my package. I managed to open it at Mom's and at least do a short demo before I had to go home. My ears have readjusted to the on-tune keyboard. It is so much more convenient having it in the RV. It is only 37" wide and a little over 7 lbs. Win . . . win!

I made it to the North church two weeks in a row and even saw my college roomate the second week. Yesterday I went back to the South and it was good to see everyone.

Another routine is an almost daily trip to the pool. I am routinely swimming 24 laps, even walking down to the pool to get a little extra exercise.

We have had a LOT of rain but it drains off fast and has not been a real inconvenience.

Tony had a toothache for a few days and wound up having the tooth pulled. Within a week and a half I think we made about 4 or 5 trips to south Houston. When we went back I would visit Mom, have my glasses fixed, get our mail, visit friends, make doctor's visits with Mom. It has been a varied month.

When I made the trek to Galveston to have my glasses fixed I saw the beautiful yellow flowers blooming in the graveyard on Broadway. On the way out I just had to stop and take pictures . . .

Tony has sold the Trail Blazer so we had some work done on the Corvette and now have it up here.

Tony has ventured over to the ponds and the Lake to try his hand at fishing. He returned anything he caught. I don't think he wants to clean them. A friend of his came up yesterday to fish. He brought his kayak and wound up catching a couple of fish. We had pizza for dinner . . . LOL!

On Tuesday we are headed to Orange Beach. Tony's neices are going to be there. Hopefully it will be a sunny week. We look forward to going to the National Seashore again.

We had planned on going up to Arley, AL after Orange Beach, however, Mom is having rotator cuff surgery on the 4th and we will return to Lake Conroe. I am sure I will wind up staying with Mom at the hospital and for a few days after she comes home.

She is having more PT done prior to the surgery to help with her balance. She fell again recently but fortunately did not break anything. After surgery they will come out to give her therapy in her home. This will eliminate the transportation to the therapy office and that is a good thing.

Work on dishcloths and preemie caps, etc. has slowed down, however, today I managed to crank out 3 dishcloths . . . partly while watching the fabulous Rockets' game. WOW! Anyway, I discovered that Tunisian crochet was the same as afghan stitch . . . just a new name. However, I did not know there were a lot of different stitches. I like trying new things.

T. knit stitch

T. purl stitch--front and back

T. Pebble Stitch

The horrible weather that seems to intensify in the spring seems to be more intense this year. Jack does not like the thunder and lightning. He become very agitated so Tony asked the vet for some meds for him. The only problem is that he really becomes a zombie when you give him the 'full' dose so we cut it in half and it just takes the edge off.

Nepal has been hit by two very strong earthquakes. So tragic.

On the 18th we managed to get most of the items stowed so that we would not have to do a lot this morning. I had dropped off the Honda and brought the Trailblazer back so that Dominic could get to work on it early.

I had to take care of the trailer storage this morning along with storing the Corvette in the same lot for the week and a half we were going to be gone.

So after we got all ready this morning, Tony and I left at the same time. He stopped at the Ranger Station to fill up with propane. When we ran out at Galveston Bay RV Resort we did not want to close everything up and drive across FM 517 in order to fill it up. So, we filled the small tank and just kept refilling it. When we had the cold snap for a few weeks we were going through a tank a week.

Tony headed for I-10 and FM146. I headed for Dominic's with the TrailBlazer. I stopped at Kroger to get a prescription filled for Tony, picked up some wet dog food, then headed to Dominic's. It was about noon . . . and the car was not finished . . . he told me to come back in an hour. So off I went to Target.

Jack got a WobbleWagGiggle ball that was on sale, and I picked up some snacks and water for us. The car finally was ready at 3 pm and I was glad to be on my way. Aftere filling up with gas and picking up a Whataburger Jr. meal on the way I was thrilled to finally get to the truck stop where Tony was meeting me. I would be thrilled to give up the wheel.

While Tony was walking Jack he spotted a truck driver who still works for GE. They caught up on old times; then, Tony hooked the Honda up and we were off.

I had almost forgotten how nice it was to sit on the couch with the puppies and be a passenger. We have beautiful skies, dry roads, and the sun behind us. We will probaby park at the Casino in Lake Charles. They have RV parking places with hook ups. My next blog will be from Orange Beach.

#Rockets #swim #piano #hymns