Last week of October!

80º with bright sunshine here in La Feria, TX at 11:30 am Monday.

Here is the prediction for weather here in La Feria.  Upper 80's today, lower 90's a couple days and then cooler next week.

Planted some Juliet Grape tomato seeds.

Used some scrap lumber and bought new 2"x12" for steps

 First coat of paint on.

 These steps are on Darlene Winslow's place.  I suggested last year she change them.  She has 3 sets of steps; 10" for each step - only 2 steps to reach the platform.  I filled in so she has 4 steps to reach the platform, each just a little over 6" each.  This should help this 80 something year old lady getting into her house.

Changed a floor lamp into a desk lamp by removing one pipe.

Built a permanent platform towards the front of the pickup.  Can carry lawn chairs on top of it and still have full floor space below.  Will be able to put other stuff on or around the chairs, too.

Sunday morning we went downtown to eat at the La Feria Cafe (Formerly the Santa Rosa Coffee Shop).  Good breakfast, busy place.  Saw and visited a bit with Frank and Judy Parker who now live in Yellow Rose RV.  They had just arrived from Kansas City area.  Judy had back surgery during summer and was happy to recount how it didn't help any of the pain.

You don't see gallon sized hominy in stores in Iowa!

Sunday we drove to Lowe's to get replacement water filter cartridges for under the sink and also the 2" x 12" x 16' board for Darlene's step.  Had taken the battery-powered circular saw and cut it down by cutting 4 steps out of it so would fit in back of pickkup.

Then stopped at HEB for more groceries.






















Will add some tomorrow, maybe, Lynn

Really windy Friday in the Valley

48º when we woke this morning.  --- not too many days ago the "feel like" was 110º.  Some difference!  Yesterday was very windy as we drove west in the valley some 30 miles.

Did away with the short pants I had been wearing since we arrived a week ago tonight, and went back to the long pants with boots which had been my costume for some time up north and on the way down here.

Drove to McAllen yesterday and Phyllis got some fake flowers to replace the ones we put in a basket on the wall outside the Texas Room at Michael's.

Main purpose of the trip was to go to Costco, which is in Pharr, a couple miles from the Michael's in McAllen.  Got gas there at Costco for $2.049 - 20 cents cheaper than here in La Feria.  Guess that paid for our luch.

There were quite a few pianos in one aisle, with a salesman in a business suit sitting in the middle of them.  Had never seen this in Costco before.  We didn't buy one.

 After filling a shopping cart we had lunch there in Costco of their delicious all-beef hotdogs with a soda.  $3.25, including tax, for both of us - not too bad for a lunch.

Saw this near where we parked at Costco.  Some people are just unable to return their carts.  One time last year, when we were at Sam's Club in Harlingen, a lady (and I use that term loosely) pushed her cart into the space where I was parking, looked right at me, and just got in her car and left.

Can't believe the size of this tree; I planted it as a 6" seedling some 6 years ago.  It helps shade the sun, especially in the summer as the sun moves to the north.  I had planted a couple shoots before we left last spring, but they didn't make it













GROANER'S CORNER:((  You might be a redneck if...
You've ever been arrested for a DUI on a riding lawn mower.
You keep your teeth and your goldfish in the same glass.
On average, one out of every thirty words you use can be found in a dictionary.
You think Motorola is a fancy name for a car part.
You give your girlfriend long-thorned roses hoping she won't ask for them again.
You borrow your wedding flowers from Wal-Mart.
You think Hamlet is on the McDonald's breakfast menu.
Your kids are going hungry tonight because you had to see your maw run her car at the dirt track race.  
Your dad says, "Let's hit the road for dinner," and then grabs a shovel.

Later, Lynn 

Wednesday in Kenwood

85º with "feel like" of 89º here in La Feria, TX at 3:00 pm Wednesday.

Replaced batteries in several clocks and scales; got the foam insulation from 13 windows and doors on the Texas room and 9 windows and doors on the house stored in the top area of the "shop/storage area" in the Texas Room.  Got the trimmed cactus hauled off last night, took two trips to the garbage area.

This morning we drove west to the Don-Wes Flea Market and went to Joe, the veggie man's booth.  Got a yellow/orange watermelon that is really sweet.

sweet honey golden Premount Tx watermelon

Cucumbers & oranges

Some of the veggies that Joe is carrying

Avacodos

Watermelons!

 

Green onions

After getting our watermelon, green onions, avocados, carrots green pepper and cucumbers we drove the mile or so to the west to eat the BIG hamburger at Gonzolezes.

The Gonzalezes frying the hamburgers

Will ride the trikes after bit.


GROANER'S CORNER:((  A man and a beautiful woman were having dinner in a fine restaurant. Their waitress, taking another order at a table a few paces away suddenly noticed that the man was slowing sliding down his chair and under the table, but the woman acted unconcerned. The waitress watched as the man slid all the way down his chair and out of sight under the table. Still, the woman dining across from him appeared calm and unruffled, apparently unaware that her dining companion had disappeared.  After the waitress finished taking the order, she came over to the table and said to the woman, "Pardon me, ma'am, but I think your husband just slid under the table." The woman calmly looked up at her and replied firmly, "No he didn't. My husband just walked in the door."

Later, Lynn

Hi from La Feria

90 degrees here in La Feria, TX at 2:45 pm Monday with feel like of 97.  Cool front to come through tomorrow or Wednesday. 

This was at Marti's house.

Well, had a bit of a break and didn't get back to this.  Is now 9:45 am Tuesday - 68 degrees outside.  The "cold" front came through about 5 pm yesterday and not only cooled things down, dropped the humidity by a bunch.

Our first encounter with the warm weather

After getting the 2 rolls of batting, pickup about full

"Stuff" hauled in from trailer

"Stuff" hauled in from trailer

Working on draining hot water heater

Filling the hot tub

Trimmed lower leaves (they have very sharp points)

Not too many years ago this tree 6" tall

Had leak around the valve - got new

At first church.

2nd Church

Phyllis getting a photo

Lot of "stuff" hauled into Texas Room

Got awning up.

Got rested up some. Getting batteries changed out on clocks, scales, etc.  Got the pex pipe and valve replaced in the one bathroom and water heater put back together and actually have hot water now.

Took the trikes out for a ride last evening.  Not very many people in the park now, expect more to arrive this week

Later, Lynn

At our winter home

83 degrees here in La Feria, Texas with a "feel like" of 90 degrees at 8:15 pm Sunday.  Humid as the dickens.  We got here about 8:30 after dark last night.  Hooked up the electricity so could run AC in the trailer and stayed in it overnight.  Today has been a very long day with unloading everything from the trailer, taking down all the window coverings and put up the window awnings.  Also moved the freezer we use for a cupboard out of in front of the water heater, and drained it.  Discovered the anode rod was completely eaten away so will replace it tomorrow.  No hot water tonight!  Have most everything but the trikes out of the pickup.  Got the hot tub filled and it is warming up, and got the DISH hooked up and working.  Tired, Tired, Tired tonight.

Yesterday we stopped at 3 of the 20 "Painted Churches" in the Hill Country in and near Schoulenburg, TX  Read about them  HERE  and at  this SITE but didn't get any guides, just picked out 3 church as went to.  Got some terrific photos, but too tired to post tonight.

Will post something tomorrow.

In Temple, Texas

66 degrees - clear, darkening skies at 7:30 pm here in Temple, Texas.

Got to Lucky's RV Park just north of Temple about 6 pm.  Had left the great Corp of Engineer Park at Little Rock, Arkansas around 8:45 am and drove the 460 miles or so.  Long drive, but was all on Interstate.  Lots of traffic, but the road was decent.

Our spot at Maumelle Park - COE
Little Rock, AR - 10-17-19

Two old duffers on the trail

Returning to our trailer

Looking at the near Flood Level Mississippi River

Walking downtown Cape Girardeau

In the car heading to Jonesboro, Illinois

On Wednesday Don drove us down to the downtown area near the river and we walked several blocks.  Both Don & Vicki are showing their age, walking rather slowly and Vicki needs to hold onto someone all the time.

Then we drove to Jonesboro, IL where they both lived for many years and visited the cemetary where their

 monuments are.

Walking in Jonesboro Cemetery

 

This is Don & Vicki's

We visited the church where Don & Vicki were married in 31 years ago.  It is a Lutheran church that is only used once a month now.  It is very rural Jonesboro, IL and not too far from where we visited the Jonesboro Cemetery.

Side view of the church

 

Yesterday we drove from Cape Girardeau to Batesville, Arkansas to the Marshall Dry Goods store.  Phyllis got some material for herself and also some for the quilting group at Kenwood RV Park.

Have had a good time since we left our Iowa home a week ago this morning.  Visited the kids in Marengo, IA, Marti in Gillespie, IL, Don & Vicki in Cape Girardeau and seen lots of scenery.  We are lined up to visit a lot of "Painted Churches" in the Schuelenberg, Texas area tomorrow as we finish our journey to La Feria, TX and our winter home.

Later, Lynn