In the Gulf on Carnival

Not excited about Carnival - or at least this shipValor.  Temperature is 77 degrees with humidity at 97%, but must admit haven't been outside since about 6 am.
Click on pictures to enlarge.

This was taken a bit ago.  It was just noted on the TV we are moving at 20 knots.

 After quite a bit of standing in line at the dock in Galveston Monday morning we boarded about 12 Noon.  Spent several hours sunning on one of the decks.

Spent the required time standing at our Muster Station F and listening to procedures in case of emergency.  Years ago, when we did this, we were required to wear the life vests, but not now.

Going to our room on the 7th floor of this 12 story ship

Appetizers at supper last night

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I took a walk between 5:30 and 6 this morning.  Was very windy on the higher decks.

We ate breakfast at the buffet this morning before going to the Gold Wing entertainment program.

One of the entertainment groups today.

Tonight is dress-up night at the dining room and a long Gold-Wing entertainment program from 7 to 11:30 pm.  We dock sometime in the night on the island of Cozumel where will be docked all day tomorrow.

Later, Lynn

In Galveston

68 Degrees in Galveston, TX. at 9:00 pm as I start this.

As we got to Galveston about 7:05 pm this evening

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Stopped in Rockport, TX and had lunch at a Chinese Buffet

Phyllis' cousin Don Runyon and his wife Bessie in Rockport.

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Getting ready to leave our Kenwood RV home this morning.

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Some of the girls team on the first game.

Some of the guys on the first game

 Thursday evening I played Bean-Bag-Baseball with the bunch at the Rec Hall.  Our neighbor Harold is very unstable on his feet, so I held him up as he threw the bags.

One guy had to play on the girls team (to even out the numbers)
the first game and Ardel at the end is the score keeper.

Second game some mix-up was done - first part of opposing team.

Rest of opposing team on second game.

Some of our team on second game.
Harold is closest one, seated by me.

Rest of our team - second game.

Rained quite a bit Friday night - Saturday morning

More of the standing water Saturday morning.

Saturday I clipped enough lettuce and spinach leaves for a salad

My tomatoes have been growing a lot of plant, with a lot of blossoms, but only one tomato has set on.  They are growing up through the bird netting, but stopping at the screen (I found in the trash) laying over the top.  So, I elevated the screen by the height of four 2" x 4" boards.  Will see what happens by the time we return at the end of the week.

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 Saturday night we went out to eat at Stefanno's in Harlingen.  Left to right - Bill Oberholzer, Lynn and Phyllis Miles, Patty Steckelberg, Jan and Lynn Frye, with Twilla Oberholzer front right.  Jan is Phyllis' cousin who lives just south of Lincoln, NE - they are at an RV Park a few miles from us for a few weeks.  The pizza is a 30" pizza - a specialty of this place.

This is a lot of pizza -- but with the seven of us we made a pretty good dent in it.  Had a few left-overs for the Frye's and the Oberholzer's - we couldn't take any as we left early this morning for a week (I thought I could eat some while driving up here today, but that was voted down)

What is still on the platter went into take-home boxes.

Plan to be over at the Carnival Cruise Line dock before 12 Noon tomorrow (about 2 miles from our motel).  Had to give them a check-in time several weeks ago and can't show up before 12 Noon.  With some 2800 passengers to all check in tomorrow will probably be a line.  We can leave our pickkup here at the motel and they will take me to the ship after I deliver the girls and the luggage there earlier.

Hope to report in daily from the WiFi center on the ship during the week.  With Verizon telling me we will be charged $3 per minute while on the ship, using their repeater stations, I don't think will be doing much phoning or texting, but will keep in touch via the computer.

Lynn

End of week - February is here!

68 degrees with 10 mph wind out of north east here in La Feria, Texas - full overcast.

Old Board of Activities on the Laundry Building

I took down the old Board(s) and painted the white area underneath the
closest color to the building I could find in their workshop.

Today I put up new 36" x 48" Dry Erase Board, a 32" x 48" Cork board, and
9" strips off the old board on top.  Assuming the office will get lettering for those headers.

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Park Manager came by and took pictures while I was working.

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They are getting ready to pull out John Metzger's (from Mound City, MO) house
which is only a couple doors from us.

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Photo above was taken in late December.
Photo at left shows after I had cut some of the cactus off (as well as the strong wind that day which blew the "hoer" down.

Decided the Cactus was really detracting from the flower bushes Phyllis had there, so cut it down.  Took seven trips with my trike to haul off all the "leaves".

 That stump in the center is all that is left now.  I had cut back the growth several times over the years and the trunk of this now resembles a tree trunk.  Though, it is rather soft, I did the chopping with a regular dirt shovel, both on the cactus clumps and the trunk itself.

Tuesday morning we picked up Patty Steckelberg (from Shenandoah, IA) at the airport here in Harlingen.  She will be with us a month, including our trip starting this weekend on a cruise out of Galveston, Texas.

 Wednesday evening we partook of the Pot-Luck supper at the Rec Hall.  Mighty good eating these RV Park ladies put on.

Patty is hiding behind her drink cup.

 After Pot-Luck we went to neighbors Bob & Bobbi Raab (from Minnesota) for pegs & Jokers.

 Last evening I went to Bean Bag Baseball -- mostly to support neighbor Harold Neher who is unable to stand alone when he "bats" throws the Bean-Bag.

I had been getting several Home Runes - and Harold had been getting several
outs --- so he reach behind us and put on my hat to see if it would bring luck--it didn't

Is 62 degrees and rain as I type this now at 10:15 pm Friday.  Went out to Fish/shrimp buffet

 with Harold and LaRhoda Neher for supper and then have been at Bill & Darlene Winslow's place tonight playing Concentration cards.

Bill - Phyllis and Patty

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This is picture that RHP (Kenwood RV) posted on their Facebook page congratulating Phyllis as a new hire for Activity Director.

Home-made soft serve Ice Cream truck that will be making Friday
afternoon stops at the park.

Friday afternoon stop of "the veggie man"  Since we will be gone all next
week this is one of the first times we didn't get anything from him.

Well,  is 10:30 pm on Friday - we are packing ready to leave for the week on Sunday morning.Later, Lynn