Christmas Eve 2017

75º here in La Feria, TX at 3:30 pm Sunday - 25º at our home in Clarinda, IA

Rev. Baker giving sermon this morning -
 just got to the park yesterday

Phyllis admiring knitted top that
Evelyn Baker wore this morning

Earlier this week I went with Phyllis to a Rio Grande
River Valley Activity Director meeting put on at the
Riverside Club in Mission, Texas

Good meal provided

Have had some very windy days here in the Valley

Man from Gladys Porter Zoo (CLICK HERE) showing
a tortoise at presentation in the Rec Hall

Man showing, and telling facts about Milk Snake

With a Chinchila 

Man from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas gave a 2-hour talk about the Zoo and brought 4 animals with him that he gave much history and how the near-extinct animals are being taken care of.  Phyllis, as Activity Director, has lined up two VIP tours at the zoo where we will be taken behind the scenes where the animals are fed, cared for, etc.  One in January and one tour in February.

Phyllis coordinated a lighted golf cart, RC car, bicycle, & other, parade Friday night.  These photos were taken as the entries were getting their numbers and various ladies were doing their judging.  It started at six o'clock when it was getting dark and drove around much of the park.

One of the workers - Juan - and his family on this cart

Rochelle, in the office, had her family on this cart

Neighbors Ardell  & Marion Finken and thier quadra-bike led the parade

Got first coat of paint on sill/ledge and framing of west
windows in Texas Room

Along the side - may get finished in a
couple years!

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Yesterday (Saturday) afternoon Phyllis hosted the Wednesday night Pegs & Jokers group at our place.  At left - Lyle Winter from Minnesota, Bobi Raab from Minnesota, Butch Giesking from Iowa, & Phyllis Miles from Iowa

At left - Bob Raab,  his daughter Mary Jo Baeken, Lyle Winter, and Bobi Raab, all from Minnesota

At Left - Harold Neher from Kansas, Doris Winter from Minnesota and Lynn Miles from Iowa.

Afterwards we had sloppy joe sandwiches that Bobi had brought along with vegies and chips.  LaRhoda Nehere is at far left (not pictured above)

Will have candle light service at Rec Hall this evening for Christmas Eve.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  An old blind cowboy wanders into an all-girl biker bar by mistake…He finds his way to a bar stool and orders a shot of Jack Daniels.  After sitting there for a while, he yells to the bartender, ‘Hey, you wanna hear a blonde joke?’  The bar immediately falls absolutely silent.  In a very deep, husky voice, the woman next to him says, ‘Before you tell that joke, Cowboy, I think it is only fair, given that you are blind, that you should know five things:
         1. The bartender is a blonde girl with a baseball bat.                                                                             
2. The bouncer is a blonde girl with a ‘Billy-Club’. 
3. I’m a 6-foot tall, 175-pound blonde woman with a black belt in karate.                                               
4. The woman sitting next to me is blonde and a professional weight lifter.                                        
5. The lady to your right is blonde and a professional wrestler.  

‘Now, think about it seriously, Cowboy…. Do you still wanna tell that blonde joke?’                                                           
The blind cowboy thinks for a second, shakes his head and mutters, ‘No…not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times.’
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Later, Lynn

Interesting week

71º right now at 9:00 am Thursday with predicted high of 82º here in La Feria, TX.
Phyllis has been kept very busy, getting to the office before 8:00 am and usually finishing  late in the evening.  She had ladies put on a "cookie Exchange" this week which was well attended.

I have kept working on the Texas Room, painting around the window frames and building shelf even with the window sill.

On Tuesday we went to Progreso, MX so Phyllis could have the tooth work checked  that she got a week or so ago.  I had some "minor" pain on what I thought was the implant I got several years ago.  Turned out it was the tooth beside it and about 3.5 hours, 2 root canals, removing a 8-tooth bridge and replacing it with a temporary 9-tooth bridge later we returned home.  Had hoped to go to Magic Valley Men of A-Chord barbershop chorus practice that afternoon, but that plan was changed.  Still working with a bit of pain.

Lee Miles (at left with wife Helen) in photo taken a couple years ago.  Lee has had a lot of health problems, being unable to go back to Illinois this last summer so he could continue with the health care here in the Valley.  Lee passed away December 14th in a hospice house in Weslaco.  On Wednesday morning a memorial service was held in the Rec hall.

Lee had been here many years, alone after his first wife died, and finally with his second wife (a high school sweetheart) for many years.  He would ride the bike up and down the street,

"Mr. Lee"s bike and trombone

stopping to talk with anyone who was outside of their RV unit.  Though we share the same last name, we never came up with any direct relationship between us.

Lee's Obit

Yesterday was blood drive here at the Rec Hall, but with my system being full of antibiotics for the mouth work they declined to drain any from me. 

Had pot-luck supper at 5:00 pm, which was well attended, and then we played Pegs & Jokers with the neighbors afterwards.

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Many in Poncon's Bar danced to the live music

Eating Lonches in Poncho's Bar in Progreso
on Tuesday just before my "head work"

On Friday night Phyllis went to the entertainment at the hall.

Office group celebrating Manager
Rosie's birthday

From Facebook - Daughter-in-law, grand daughter
and great granddaughter.  Don't know what was funny!

In a bit I will drive Phyllis to Mission, TX to Riverside Club for a luncheon and meeting with Valley Activity Directors.  She has lined up a boat ride on the Rio Grande River from that location sometime after the first of the year and this will give a chance to scope out the place before she takes a group over there.Click HERE for Riverside Club

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A kindergarten teacher handed out a coloring page to her class.  On it was a picture of a duck holding an umbrella.  The teacher told her class to color the duck in yellow and the umbrella green, however, Bobby, the class rebel, colored the duck in a bright fire truck red.  After seeing this, the teacher asked him, "Bobby, how many times have you seen a red duck?"  Young Bobby replied with "The same number of times I've seen a duck holding an umbrella."
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- “Circus dogs fly through the air with the greatest of fleas.”
- “Did you hear about the lost sausage? It was the missing link.”
- Women are the quickest to learn the three R’s. This is R’s, that’s R’s, everything’s R’s.
===========================

Later, Lynn

Cool again in the Valley

50º off-and-on rain here in La Feria, TX at 3:00 pm Saturday as I start this.  Been cold/rainy last couple days.

Mexican Santa

Part of the Christmas decorations at one motor home.

The park has a best decorated contest and some of them are putting some things out.  Some are lights at night that don't show up in photos well.

Lots of stuff out front, and at nite lots of lights shining on the motorhome

Butch and his daughter just got here from Iowa Wednesday
afternoon in time to play Pegs & Jokers with us that night.

Phyllis, Harold, Bobi, Butch, LaRhoda

LaRhoda, Bob & Diane

Moving boxes back from Red Hall to storage shed
Thursday at 1 pm after ladies worked on quilts.

Don Ferguson ready to call Bingo numbers before we ate
pizza at Gaddi's in Harlingen Monday morning

At Gaddi's Monday

I helped Don Ferguson with the popcorn

 Thursday the park sponsored a "welcome back" party.  Phyllis, as Activity Director lined up the activities and people to run them.

Quite a few of the guys raced their radio controlled cars

 There were golf cart races, but I didn't get any photos of them as I was carrying trays of popcorn from the hall over to the south road for the people sitting in chairs to watch.

 Didn't get any pictures of the action, but there were several timed races and then some side-by-side races with the cars.  After the official events the guys ran the cars around a little crazy, running into each other, rolling them on the grass at the side and generally enjoying their cars.

Weather was in low 70's with overcast - ideal for being outside

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Cars getting ready for drag race

Bob Raab and Harold Neher

At Thursday night Bean Bag Baseball

Phyllis brought home a chest cold a week or so ago.  She got over most of it before too long, but then I picked it up and added severe throat problems with canker sores in the mouth can't seem to shake it.  Missed, for the first time since early last March, practice for the Magic Valley Men of A-Chord barbershop group Tuesday.  Still can't talk well, may be back in line by next Tuesday's practice.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A group of Sun City Senior citizens were sitting around talking about their ailments:  "My arms are so weak I can barely hold a cup of coffee", said one.  "Yes, I know. My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee", replied another.  "I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck", said a third, to which several nodded in agreement.  My blood pressure pills make me dizzy," another went on.  "I guess that's the price we pay for getting old," winced an old man as he shook his head.  There was then a short moment of silence.  "Well, it's not that bad" said one woman cheerfully. "Thank God, we can all still drive"!
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“The one thing women don’t want to find in their stockings on Christmas morning is their husband.”
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In a small Southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed  great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature  bothered me. The three wise men were wearing firemen's helmets.  Totally unable to come up with a reason or explanation, I left.  At a "Quick Stop" on the edge of town, I asked the lady behind the counter about the helmets. She exploded into a rage, yelling at me, "You damn Yankees never do read the Bible!" I assured her that I did, but simply couldn't recall anything about firemen in the Bible. She jerked her Bible from behind the counter and ruffled through some pages, and finally jabbed her finger at a passage. Sticking it in my face she said, "See, it says right here,  'The three wise man came from afar.'"

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Take care of each other -- Lynn

Another day in the Valley

57º here in La Feria, TX Tuesday at 10:00 am with forecast of 73º for high. 18º at our house in Clarinda, IA with predicted high of 41º.

Some people may not think this is funny..........but I do

After our ham dinner we gathered for program

Saturday evening we went to Winter Ranch RV Park in Alamo, TX for a banquet and entertainment put on by one of the Activity Director's groups Phyllis belongs to here in the RGV.

This is the same hall we have square danced to
Larry Liebig -- he has not gotten here yet this winter.

Don't remember the name of the entertainer.  Was good,
but did over 2-hour show, a bit hard on the sitter.

Phyllis has been going to a craft class each Wednesday.  These two photos show making small trees

She also tries to attend the line dancing lessons put on each week.

Later, Lynn

Bright sunshine today

66º and clear now at 3:30 pm Saturday as I start this here in La Feria, TX

Jessica a year ago when we were at Marengo, IA

Jessica in late November this year

Looking through some old photos and ran across when we were visiting at son Cam & family in Marengo a year ago after being in southeast Missouri during niece Jen's death and memorial service.

Veggie Man Joe's stand at DonWes

With good weather today worked in Texas room some - got some blue-gray painted on some of the uprights to see what it looks like.  Still working on the trim around the windows and the sill which I am extending to make a shelf all along the west side of the room.


GROANER’S CORNER:((   According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.  Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.  We should have known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.
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The 4 stages of life:
1. You believe in Santa Claus
2. You don't believe in Santa Claus
3. You dress up as Santa Claus
4. You look like Santa Claus
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- It's beginning to cost a lot like Christmas.
- This holiday season, in lieu of gifts, I've decided to give everyone my opinion.
- I had a dream about my kids finding their gifts early or as I like to call it "The Nightmare Before Christmas".
- Dear Christmas Carolers, the only thing that can bring "Joy To The World" is a "Silent Night".
- Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year.
What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a new job the next day.

Knock Knock!
Whos there?
Mary and Abby!
Mary and Abby who?
Mary Christmas and a Abby New Year.
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Later, Lynn