Heading south for the winter. Our
first year.
November and December 2003
11-26-03 by Terry
We spent a week going through
MO, AK, LA, and Port Arkansas, TX.
Monday Nov 10 found us putting
the trash out for the last time at Halbrook lane. After stowing the
few remaining items at the house and locking up we headed out on the road
at 9:00Am on a drizzly but warm Monday morning. We headed south on
Hwy 65 through Iowa and then into MO. It continued to drizzle and
lightly rain through out the day, About 4:30 we drove out of the
rain somewhere north of Springfield MO.
We hit the Springfield,
MO rush hour traffic about 5:30 and ended up in Branson, MO at the Turkey
Creek campground about 7:00PM, after a minor navigational error. Spent
Two days at Branson, and not once hit any of the shows, not
even "Lawrence Welk Whatever It Is". Ron spent the Time recovering
from the stress of the long drive, while I got time to be stressed out
trying to trout fish. Spent day one learning all the little buggers
habits, and finally got lucky on Wednesday. It was especially disturbing
on the first day to be not catching fish, turn around and look at my feet
in the water downstream and see half a doz fish fighting for the small
bits stirred up by my feet, but try as I might they would not take
my offered lure.
Thursday Nov 13th found
us on the road again, heading south on Hwy 65(still on hwy65) Drove for
6 hours on Thurs ending up at Lake Village, AK. for the night. Friday
we continued South on hwy 65 along the Mississippi. I was a
little disappointed as we could not see the river because of the levees
and when driving on top of the levees for the trees.
Broke for lunch at the Old
River Complex near Simmesport, LA. At old River there is a power
plant, flood control gates and a lock and dam which allows barge passage
from the Mississippi to the Red and Atchalifaya rivers.
Continuing on Friday we then
headed west across LA ending up at an Indian Casino just north of Kinder
LA. Went to the buffet that night for supper. Was not especially
impressed by the quality, but the boiled shrimp were good, We also
both tried steamed crab, a lot of work for not much meat.
Saturday we were on the road
again, heading south to the Gulf Coast which we hit south of Lake Charles
LA. We then followed the gulf coast across the western half of LA
and continued to follow the coast in TX. Taking the Port Bolivar/Galveston
ferry to get to Galveston where we found a county park right on the Beach
to stay for the night.
Next Morning we continued
south on the "Blue Water Hwy" on Galveston Island. then cross country
to Port Aransas TX. Spent two nights in Port Aransas at the county
park we discovered on our last trip to TX. It sits right on the Beach
next to the Ship channel for Corpus Christi.
Ron spent the day recovering
and I went fishing, Was able to Catch my first Speckled sea trout.
While in Port Aransas we
were following the news of the flooding and storms in Houston and Galveston,
and the severe thunderstorms and tornados through AK and northern LA.
Galveston ferry
Left Port Aransas on Wed
morning and after a short day got to
our winter home site about
two in the afternoon.
Rio Hondo, TX our winter
home base, several acres fenced in with full hookups.
Only two sites and the owner
who takes care of the grounds.
They treated us like family
and we became close to them.
We built this tarp that
we bought at a flea market.
Since then we have been
settling in for the season. One of the first Terry honey do projects
was to build a picnic table. Since then we have been flea marketing,
and I (Terry) have had a couple of chances to go fishing, We have
discovered the farmers market and are now trying various new and familiar
tropical fruits. oranges, grapefruit, mangos, papayas.
I sent this letter to the
Editor of the "Texas Valley Morning Star".
Grapefruit
can affect some medications
There are some possibly
deadly interactions between grapefruit and
common prescription medications.
The result can be significant.
The TX grapefruit growers
did not come after me.
Today we went back to the
flea market and picked up parts for an awning, fittings and tarp,
then picked the conduit up at home depot. It is now up in the front
yard with the picnic table beneath its shade. Right now we are getting
ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow, We have been invited to dinner by
our hosts, we are taking homemade dinner rolls and green bean casserole,
and I have been told I will be in charge of making the turkey gravy,
can't imagine why its such a big deal. Ron is lounging out side on
the picnic table
.
11-30-03 by Ron
We are resting today Sunday
reading the Sunday paper and just taking it easy. We had a good time with
Thanksgiving supper with our hosts Vera and family who invited us to dine
with them. We have been welcomed by wonderful people who own this location
and are relaxed and happy in our new winter home. It is about 75 and light
breeze. Not to bad for this time of the year. Terry is outside picking
apart pecans he will use in making sticky buns for breakfast on Monday
and then we may do some laundry. Then Terry will most likely go fishing
again. I plan on getting into this sport so I can tag along and get involved.
People down here are BIG on the holidays, Christmas events are planned
everywhere with many parades. Family is everything here and shows with
how friendly everyone is. Songs about a white Christmas are playing on
the speakers in the stores. If they got snow down here they would freak,
but they love the thought of the whole white Christmas thing. Fresh live
trees went on sale at the H. E. B. stores Friday. Why did I leave my little
Santa on a string back home with the sign that said "Just Say Bah" or something
like that. Later.....
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