Merry Christmas Everyone

Merry Christmas, Hope you have a Great Day, a Great Holiday.

Bernie and I are so fortunate to be able to spend our winters in the South where it's normally warm and sunny.  The Christmas Season is both "the best" and "the hardest" part of winter for snow birds.  For many of us going home is just too far and that makes it "the hardest."  Knowing our families are 2000 or more miles away is tough.  A large number of our American friends do go back but I think the majority of Canadians stay South which brings us to "the best."

We had "the best" time over the last couple of days visiting with our friends, enjoying their company, great food, and of course enjoying that fabulous "Christmas Spirit" that is so abundant here in N. America.  We really are blessed to be here.

On Christmas eve we spent most of the afternoon and evening with Bob and Lynn, our dance teachers.  They invited us to their home for a great visit and our first turkey dinner.  Great food, great company, and a fun day.

Christmas morning we went to church with 275 +/- other people from our resort for a terrific Christmas message delivered by our Resident Pastor.  The choir, 20 to 30 people (depending on season) is absolutely "outta sight,"  They deliver beautiful music each Sunday.  This Sunday they did something very unique by splitting up, with singers and at both the front and back of the room.  It was really nice.  This is the resort I brag about all the time, http://tropicstarrv.com/index.html . 

Right after church we went to Ron and Karen's place for brunch.  Ron and Karen are from Cold lake, Alberta and have been coming to Tropic Star for the same number of years we have (5).  Karen had made up a couple of great breakfast entrees with eggs, bacon, sausage, sweet rolls, (had 2 :-) ), biscuits, and more.  So that was big meal two.  Thanks you guys, it was really nice.

Then it was home to call the kids.  It was sure fun to talk to everyone for a few minutes and listen to the Grandchildren tell us about their morning.  This is undoubtedly the hardest part of a winter away from home.  Bernie was doing great until Rob told here he "missed her."  That did it, since she'd murder me if I told you exactly how she reacted, I'll protect myself and say it was "hard" for her (us).  We do miss them.  The grandchildren all sound so different than they did three or four months ago.  Boy time does fly.

Then it was off to Ken and Doreen's for a fabulous Christmas dinner for 12.  Of course yours truly, wasn't smart enough to take a wee bit of everything.  We had a great meal with "all" the trimmings shared with great friends and laughter.  Its doesn't get any better.  This year we had dinner with new friends Greg and Carol, from Michigan, who were spending their "first" Christmas away from their family.  Every one of us knew how they felt.  We all remember out "first" Christmas away, they get a easier over time but never "easy."

Dinner with the Broughtons

Hosts Ken front right and Doreen at the head of the table

Right side, Helen (Robert was ill,) Peter, Pat, Carol, Greg, Ken

Left side, Bernie and I, Ron, Karen

Ken and Doreen, "thank you" so much.  Bernie and I were talking last night and realized this was the fourth Christmas we've spent with you guys.  I think a new Christmas Tradition is evolving.

Ron and Peter solving "the world's problems"

Hostess finally gets a break

We even had a "cracking fire"

After dinner we split into a couple of tables for some cards and Mexican Train, a dominoes game.  Bernie and I joined with Pat and Peter for a game of girls vs boys Hand and Foot.  Of course the guys won, but according to the girls we had to "cheat" to do it, NOT.

By 10ish we were all pretty tired and headed home.  Thanks to a great group of friends we had a fabulous Christmas.

So it's time to go for now.  Merry Christmas everyone, thanks for stopping by and please do leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie.

Hot Hot Hot

I wish it was hot hot hot but it isn’t. It all depends on what you’re comparing it to. Compared to back home in Winnipeg, we’re blessed to be here. Compared to what we’ve had other years not so much. This whole week we have forecasted highs in the 60’s or low 70’s which is great when compared to the North but when compared to what we’re used to it isn’t so great.

I know – complain, complain, complain some people are never happy.  :-)

Things are great down here. From my previous posts you know our schedule, like most winter Texans, is pretty hectic.

The 1,000,000 or so of us that come to the valley for a few months do make life interesting for the locals and visitors alike. The locals get a bit ticked off at the lines we cause: everything from the bank to the food store. At the same time we’re a huge part of the economy in the valley and they all know it. Without the winter Texan crowd life would certainly be different for those that live here.

Today we were out hanging some Christmas lights. It’s pretty neat to see the different things people do to their RV’s to celebrate Christmas. I’m going to try to get some video this winter and post links to the blog so you can see it. Since we don't have a video camera, it all depends on Santa; he has my letter so we’ll see if I’ve been good enough. My brother in law recently sent me this and it may be the end result of my letter to Santa.

A friend caught these pictures at a dance class yesterday. Bernie and I thought you might enjoy them.  They are taken at a class, so we're dressed accordingly.  Bernie has experience and musicality, but “the old guy” is catching on pretty quick.

These are some friends we went to dinner with after a dance class last week.

At the back are Bob and Lynn, our friends and dance teachers. They live here in the valley in Mission Texas. Next – Bernie and I. Then Ron and Elaine from Michigan. Ron is the entertainer we spend as much time with as we can. He was a music teacher for 30 years who now entertains as “A Party of One.” http://wintertexaninfo.com/Bands/RonONeil_A-Party-Of-One.html
http://www.a-party-of-one.com/Schedules.htm   In front are friends Paul and Shirley from Ontario, who take lessons from Bob and Lynn and dance with Ron as often as they can.

Tomorrow Bernie has her Canasta lesson, I have a day planned in the Glass Room, and of course we have to do our regular 4 mile walk. There has to be something wrong with the air down here. We walk 4 or more miles pretty much every day, we dance a few times each week and still can’t seem to shed any pounds. I’m starting to think it must have something to do with food and beverage. Speaking of which, you should have seen the plate of ribs we shared at The Texas Roadhouse last night. We shared it and still left feeling like “just after Christmas dinner.” They were soooooooooooooo good, we’ll be back there a time or two before the winters over. HMMMMM – maybe it isn’t the air...... :-)

So that’s it for tonight Bernie has a great dinner on the table and I have to go and enjoy it. More of that BAD air.

Stay well, thinks for stopping by and please do leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie

Wasting Away Again In Margaritaville

No we’re not wasting away but I like the song.

We’re having a great time getting back into the Winter Texan routine, meeting up with friends and getting settled in for a fun winter. Already the pace has quickened to the point we can’t fit it all in. We have dance lessons twice a week, go to a dances on Tuesday afternoon and one night on the weekend with friends. We were at a dance awhile ago and someone actually referred to us as professionals. Those people obviously don't know much about dancing, but we do enjoy it and have a circle of friends in that community. I work at the stained glass shop two full days a week, we try to walk 4 miles at least 5 days a week, Bernie has joined a group of ladies that play Canasta once a week, she goes to the gym three days a week, and then we get together with all of our friends when we can. Sunday mornings we join 200 to 300 others from the resort at the worship service. So – no – we aren’t wasting away down here.

Thought you might enjoy seeing this picture of a Grackle that has decided to claim “under our truck” as his own. He/she is amazing, strutting around wings half extended chasing off anything that comes around. Other birds, cats, and squawking at us any time we get too close.  It's fun to watch him protecting his/her turf.

Enough for today, we’re on our way to get some flowers for the pots Bernie plants each year.  More later.

Have a super day, thanks for stopping by and please do leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie

The Rio Grand Valley, this feels like home

I can't figure it out but somehow this feels like home for this Old Canuck.

Yesterday we left from Victoria, TX, came down Hwy 77 past Corpus Christie towards Brownsville.  We've unhooked for a few days in Harlingen TX, about 40 miles from our winter place in Pharr.

The water heater in our rig has given us trouble since it was new so we're getting it replaced.  Valley Traveland here in Harlingen will be doing it for us.  The new tank is coming from Indiana and should be here in a day or two.  In the interim we're suffering with the air conditioners running full speed. and that hot Rio Grande Valley Wind blowing like it always does.  That wind reminds me of summer in Manitoba.

The trip down was just over 6000 kms, 3600 + miles for our USA friends.  It was just great, we saw and did so much.  The problem is I want to spend more time, much more, in most of those places and we can't.  Bernie has decided New Orleans is a "back there" place, so one day that will happen.  Next time New Orleans will be at least a week, maybe two.  It's so amazing.

We're thinking next fall we'll go further East, then S. into Florida, down to the Keys and then back across the top of the Gulf to Texas.  Hmmmm, I guess we should finish this trip before I start planning the next one.  Oh well, it keeps life interesting.

Gotta go, we're off to sight see a bit of Harlingen and get some food into the RV.

Have a super day, thanks for stopping by, and please do leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie

New Orleans, It's Been A Blast

All good things come to an end and so we must say adios amigo to The Big Easy.  We've had a wonderful time here and would love to stay on, in fact I think we would winter here if it was just a wee bit warmer.  Some sno birds do stay here but we want more heat.

Saturday afternoon we headed in to The French Quarter to see what kind of trouble we could get into.  It's not hard to get in trouble in the French Quarter.  We wandered around for a few hours, listening to all types of music, searching out that Jazz I love so much.  We took the opportunity to go into some of the old old hotels and other buildings just to see them.  All the new glitzy ones are there, a few blocks away, but there is nothing to compare to the history of these old ones.

At dinner we found some seafood at Pat Obrien's.  It doesn't sound like a New Orleans kind of place but it's history is actually quite amzing.  It was started by a fellow called Pat Obrien (surprise, surprise) during prohabition and it's been going ever since.  We had a great seafood dinner, watching their famous "Fire Fountain" before disappearing back onto Bourbon St and the Saturday night shenanigans.  We'll leave the shenanigans part alone and just say they were all there.

We walked around for a few hours until we were ready to collapse and headed home.  It was a fabulous day.

Sunday we started of at Cafe DuMonde where we enjoyed their famous French Beignets and Cafe au Lait.  This coffee house is about 150 years old and serves only Beignets and coffee.  Thats it.

http://www.cafedumonde.com/history.html

Then we did a Grey Line Tour that included The French Quarter, Cemeteries and Mansions.  I knew from a previous trip there were some big and some "Big Old" homes here but they are just plain amazing.  Some of these homes date back to the days of slavery.  The sizes just blew us away.  Bernie and I have seen some pretty spectacular real estate through our careers but the homes here are in a league all by themselves.  Our tour guide was really good at explaining the difference between Antebellum Architecture, the various Creole styles and of course "American" architecture.  It was awesome.

Then we were off to visit a cemetery to see New Orlean's own special way of dealing with their deceased.  We knew they bury the dead this way because of the high water table here but we were surprised to learn the method actually came from Spain.  Apparently that's the way it is in Spain so the Spanish just brought it with them when they came here.  French, Spanish, English, they've all had a run at New Orleans.  These crypts pass from generation to generation and only change hands when there are no more descendants.  It's rare but when they do change hands the top locations can draw prices into the seven digits.  Yup - a cool mill or more.

They can intern a new body every 365 days in each of these.

Some of these have dates back to early 1800's and have contained dozens of people.

Today we decided to take a drive "over" Lake Pontchartrain on the causeway.  We were surprised to learn that Lake Pontchartrain is one of the largest lakes in the US.  The Causeway is about 24 miles long and takes you from New Orleans on the S. to Mandeville on the N.  It's neat to watch the GPS showing the causeway and a sea of blue as we run the length of the bridge.  It is the longest continuouss bridge in the world.  There is a longer one in China but it comes down on land a time or two so it isn't continuous.  That leaves the Lake Ponchartrain causeway all by itself.  It was a great experience so we had lunch on the N Shore and drove back over it to the S and back to The Big Easy.

No stopping for pictures out here

Water on all sides, you can't see any land

Headed South to New Orleans

Miles and miles of just "Blue," neat experience.

Tomorrow we will be sad to leave New Orleans for Texas.  There is little doubt we'll be back here one day and we WILL be staying much longer.

Next post from somewhere in Texas.  Did you know that Texaracana is closer to Chicago than it is to El Paso?

Stay well, thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment when you can.

Neal

New Orleans

We arrived in New Orleans yesterday
afternoon.  After an "All Shook Up" (I still have Elvis on my mind) ride we made it safely to Pontchartrain Landing, a really neat RV park 10 minutes from downtown.

The last 50 or 60 miles into New Orleans has to be the most unique road I've ever driven.  I've been here before, with friends, on a motorcycle trip but this was the first time in a vehicle..  Coming over all of that swamp and then Lake Pontchartrain appears.  It's a wow no matter where you've been or what you've seen.

The road is definitely rough.  We have some rough roads back in Manitoba but they are no worse than the roads here.  I don't remember that from our motorcycle trip here so maybe it has something to do with hurricane Katrina.

We parked our RV and immediately met a fellow who is a fellow Escapee, pulling his 5th wheel with a HD truck.  It's a Volvo but we won't hold that against him.  I've watched him, on line, building his truck over the last year or so and now here he is.  I suspect we'll have a few hours of "truck talk" before we leave here.

Once we had the car unloaded we headed straight for the nearest fish market for shrimp.  At $4.50 a pound we decided we could have 2 pounds.  I love the way Bernie cooks them up with garlic butter and of course I get to sit and enjoy my favourite beverage while she peels and cleans them.  :-)   What a feast.

Today we're going to see a movie about Katrina, then it's on the shuttle for the French Quarter to sight see until dinner.  We'll find some seafood and then spend the evening enjoying some New Orleans Jazz  wherever we may find it.  Of course Saturday night in The French Quarter can be an interesting time to just people watch.  We're looking forward to it.

They say New Orleans is the most unique city in North America,.  I think they're right and we're looking forward to seeing as much of it as we can.  We're planning to spend 3 days here but last night we talked about maybe extending it to a week.  The problem is we have to be somewhere by _________________.   Opps I forget, we're retired - I guess we don't have to be anywhere until ???????????????   Hmmm maybe we will stay a week.  :-) :-) :-)

Have a super day, thanks for stopping by, and please do leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie

Our Pilgrimage is Done

Like all “Good Boomers” we have completed our Pilgrimage to Graceland.

Sunrise from the door of our RV, over the Mississippi.

A tug headed downriver with a huge load as the sun sets over the Mississippi.

Greetings from the Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis, Arkansas. Right here on the banks of the mighty Mississippi a very clean and friendly park with beautiful sites backing onto the river.  The tugs are pushing barges up and own here 24/7 but they don't bother anyone.

A tugboat pushing a load upstream.  Those barges are sometimes four wide and up to 10 long.  The Mississippi moves pretty fast here so they aren't setting and speed records.  We have not seen a single pleasure boat here.  The park marager says the river is so dangerous here it actually pulled a tug under a few years back.  When they had the flood last spring there was 18' of water where we're parked.

We’re wrapping up a great few days in Memphis where the highlight was an entire afternoon at Graceland. We did everything one can do at Graceland except spend a bunch of $ at any one of the 13 gift shops they have there. Did you know that Graceland is the second most visited home in the U.S.? They entertain more than 600,000 people here every year and the only home that draws more people is George Washington’s’.

The King

I guess it’s fair though since he is/was “The King.” Those aren’t my words, thats what other entertainers call him and that reference is everywhere. To this day he is still the top selling recording artist of all time. There is a plaque there that says he sold 50,000,000 records in 4 years between 1956 and 1960 and that is a drop in the bucket over his career. There is another award on a wall at his estate that says “Before anybody did anything Elvis did Everything.” which seems to be the opinion the performers all share.

Graceland, The King used to walk through those doors.

Across the Living Room into the music room and the piano he would play while entertaining friends.

We didn’t know it but have found out down here that he was The King of giving as well. He liked Graceland, his motorized toys, and spent a fortune on his stage costumes, but after that he gave it “ALL” away. 50 years before Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, Elvis steadily gave his fortune away. They say that because of his humble upbringing money and things meant nothing to him. Whatever it was he gave it all away, he enjoyed helping others.  In a recorded interview played here Lisa Marie says that is one of her most vivid memories of her dad. He was always giving stuff away, always.

Bernie in the Gold Records hall. This hall is full of gold and platinum records except for a few Grammys or something stuck over in one corner.

They converted his squash court to a display of awards he was given and some of his more famous costumes. It’s really a neat spot.  These pictures don't do it justice but it might give you the idea.

The Lisa Marie, his four engine touring plane.

His private jet

We went inside each of these planes.  The touring jet is pretty nice, especially when you consider it's 50 years old.  There are two baths, a dining room, salon, and his private bedroom, oh ya, and gold plated seat belt buckles.

I can only post a few car pictures here but he did have lots of cars.

One of his Rolls Royces

His Ferrari

His second Stutz Bearcat.  This was his favourite and the last car he drove the night before he died.

The fanmous pink Cadiallac he had built and gave to his mom.

My Favourite, an early 50's purple Cadillac onvertible

But we all have to move on and this tour ends at his grave.  It's a very quiet place that is constantly covered in flowers and trinkets left by fans.  For those of us that remember where we were the day we heard of his death - it's special.  A lot of tears are shed here.

The grave is actually very tatsefully done but the thousands of visitors leaving flowers and things behind do mess it up quite a bit.  His parengts, and his grandmother are here as well.  His twin brother, who was stillborn, is not here but there is a plaque for him.

We capped off the afternoon with a rib dinner at Rendezvous, in an alley, in downtown Memphis. It really is in an alley and downstairs but they’ve been serving ribs there since 1948 and they're worth the trip.  Bernie’s friend Cathy C. (hi Cathy) recommended it and a great recommendation it was. We loved it. As a side note, they say, Elvis used to be a busker outside the door of this place before he got rich and famous.  When they brought the ribs I asked for a knife and fork.  The waiter who has served there for 45 years told me, with his deep southers drawl, and I quote, "you eat ribs with your hands, if your hands are dirty go wash em, no knives."  So we dug in and enjoyed them immensely.  http://www.hogsfly.com/TheRestaurant.php

Then it was down to Beale Street for an evening of jazz, blues and more. We really enjoyed it but because it was a Tuesday night things were pretty quiet. Music was great.

So that’s all for now, next post from New Orleans.

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie

Country Music Hall of Fame

Still in Nashville, I may never leave, this is a nice place.

We went to downtown Nashville to see The Country Music Hall of Fame expecting to see a few old knick knacks maybe a gold record or two, a few pictures, etc.  It absolutely blew us away.  We spent four hours there and could have spent four days. 

The whole place is actually a giant museum designed and operated with only one goal.  To preserve the history of country music.  There are hundreds of displays for everyone to see but there is much more space behind glass walls in temperature and humidity controlled environments protecting the treasures they have there.

They state that they have more than 200,000 pieces of recorded music in their library.  Much of that music is on media that won't last through the ages so they are hard at work converting it all to digital music that can be preserved.  They have a couple of dozen different places you can stand to watch video, some of which dates back to the early 1900's accompanied by country music from that period in time, or the artist, that it represents.  One of the things they collect and display are copies of gold and platinum records that artists have earned.  We didn't try to count them but there are hundreds and hundreds of them.

There is no way I can load pictures that will do it justice.

The displays are magnificent.  They try to capture something from "ALL" of the stars.  In some cases it's an "on stage" costume, a pair of boots, a hat, holster, belt, 6 gun, you name it they try to have something from everyone.  Generously many of the stars allow the museum to display their private trophies and awards so you see tons of them all over the place.  Staff at the museum told us to always keep your eyes peeled because this is a meeting place for the stars and you could unknowingly be standing beside one of them at any time.  We found out it was true, not that we got to stand beside Faith Hill or Shania, :-(    but others have.

How about Roy Rogers and Dale Evans well worn boots.

How about one of Minnie Pearl's hats and dresses, or one of Hank William's suits.

Web Pierce's 1964 Pontiac convertible.  Check out the six gun door handles, the chromed and mounted rifles, the continental kit, and the saddle mounted over the hump in the front seat.  He has silver dollars mounted all over the interior that are now well tarnished but back in 64 this must hhave been a VERY flashy car.

Elvis Presley's "Solid Gold" Cadillac.  This was apparenelty his favourite car and it's pretty flashy, with real gold trim everywhere, a record player, and a phone.  Remember this was 64 so a phone WAS a big deal.

Right next door the new Nashville Convention Center is under construction.  I have no idea how big it is but these pictures will give you an idea.  Across the street is a square block hole in the ground at least two stories deep that will be the new/expanded Country Music hall of Fame.  I have to get back here someday to see all of this when it's finished.

This is the back of the building, I couln't get a picture from the front, just TOO big.

Thats it for today, next post, Memphis, Elvis, and the Tom Sawyer RV Park.

Thanks for stopping by and please do leave a comment when you can.

Neal and Bernie