Patriotism

I was looking at the flag we have flown on our trailer for a couple of years and saw that it was looking a little worn. more I looked ,the more I started to think about the great country that we are so privileged to travel in.  As you have seen in the last post, we took a trip with Jessica to San Antonio last week.  I love the Riverwalk and the boat ride and the restaurants.  The other place I like there is the Alamo...... Alamo and Texas are amazing places. 200 or so people died here fighting for a freedom we take for granted.  It is a place in the USA that you can see and feel that people gave their lives for freedom.  Texas seems to feel and show and remember patriotism more than any other place we have been.  Everywhere we go we see the American flag and the Texas state flag.  In San Antonio around the Alamo no buildings can be built that cast a shadow on it.  Since 1905,  The Daughters of the Republic of  Texas have been entrusted with the care and maintenance of the Alamo with no money coming from state, local or federal governments.  All monies come from the gift shop and donations. What an amazing way to show respect for the sacrifices the people made.  As some of you know Jan and I do not own a tv so we get our news from the internet and more and more I am getting frustrated with our president apologizing for our country.  Jan is on Facebook and she has received posts from many people, and one was a video by Rush Limbaugh(some of you may not like him, but you need to watch this video. What Obama (truely) inherits! Jan also found this website..renewamerica   that I think we all should look at and check out. This cornerstone is on the Masonic temple in San Antonio.  I think we all have to look at going back to educating our kids and taking care of  our family, friends and neighbors and not asking for handouts and loans from the government.  I am also going to post some other links at the side of the blog if anyone would be interested

2010 Spring Break with Jessica

Since our granddaughter, Jessica's friends all had spring break at a earlier time than she did, it was decided that Jessica would come to Rockport, TX to visit us for her spring break.  She was hoping for great weather, which with temperatures in the low-mid 70s, and no rain came close to fulfilling that desire. Tuesday, March 23 we picked her up at Corpus Christi around 4:30pm.  We went from there to Mustang Island and did a quick drive along the beach.  A couple dolphins were spotted a ways off shore.  We then got in line to take the ferry from Port Aransas across the Intercoastal Waterway to Aransas Pass, where the dolphins usually play in the wake of the ferry.  I think the dolphins were on break, also, since they were not visible on the ferrytrip.  Darn!   While going through Aransas Pass, we decided to stop at a jam session at the old theater there.  There were only 3 people performing  so we left  early.  we planned on starting the day with a trip to the Rockport cemetery, where the wild flowers were in bloom  From there we took Jessica to a cafe we had heard about from several people, Turtle Bay Cafe.  My kind of cafe, breakfast served until 2pm!!  We found the cafe quite easily as we were told to look for the brightly painted, in various colors, cafe on the right hand side after going over the bridge.  !  Couldn't miss it!  While waiting for our food, somebody from there told us about a swamp near there where a couple alligators have been seen.  When our food was served, on paper plates, we were pleased to find that the food was as good as we had been told.  Leaving there  very full, we headed to the swamp to see the 'gators in the wild.  Sure enough one was right where they said it hung out.  It even swam towards our car for a photo shoot.  Could see why the man at the cafe told us DO NOT  GET OUT OF THE CAR!  We, also, included a side trip to Goose Island to see the "big tree".  Of course, the Fulton Mansion was a "must do".

Thursday, around  1pm we dropped Grizz off at the boarders and headed to San Antonio.  We found a motel within walking distance to the Riverwalk and the Alamo. We rode the boat thru the Riverwalk at night with all the lights lit up.  Friday we went to the Tower of America, saw the 4D movie and rode the elevator to the top.  We stopped at "Dick's" for lunch.  Their main objective is to be "dicks".  They throw your placemats  at you, insult you, took Jessica's sunglasses off her head etc.  Literally being dicks.  Drinks come in "manly" or "girly" size.  After that we went to Market Square.  Saturday Bob went to the car show on the beach at Rockport.  He got a plaque for 2nd place in the truck division.  After retrieving Grizz, Jessica and I checked out the downtown shops and a flea market.  Sunday was spent back on the beach, and Monday by the pool at the rv park.  All too soon the week was over.  It was time to get Jessica to the airport and head her towards Michigan.

Texas Weekends

We have been in Texas for about two weeks and have enjoyed ourselves. The first Sat. we returned to the "Pickled Pelican"--- a small bar with good food and unique entertainment----- It is the home of the South Texas Belt Sander Racing Association. What fun!!  They have a 75ft track with starting lights, just like in drag racing with 2 lanes and the racers have a switch to start their belt sander. The lights are controlled by a computer that also gives elapsed time and speed. The track record is 2.6618 seconds for the 75 ft and the speed is about 18 miles per hour ( I don't remember exactly.) A big crowd was on hand, along  with much beer and drinks. A lot of cheering and jeering goes on.  Excitement runs high as the run-offs continue. It is so much fun to talk to people from all over the country, experiencing their first belt sander race.  We found out that for two years there has been a national race held in Las Vegas, NV. It really doesn't take much to entertain us. The next weekend we just stayed at the park and met someone that draws as much interest as the Little Green Truck. A couple, Ron & Jan from Wash.State pulled in with their motorhome, pulling a 1932 Auburn 4-door  sedan on the trailer behind them.  Of course we had to meet them.  They have driven the "Godfather" in 47 of the lower 48 states. It has an updated drive train and suspension, so it rides and drives like a new car but looks like a very nice, very old one. Ron said he could have bought a $30,000 Honda to drive around, but he thought that this would be more fun.  They picked us up for dinner and went to the China A Buffet.   He was right, it is MUCH more fun than a Honda or Chevy.  Ron was talking about putting the car on a container ship to Hawaii.  Sounds like fun!!!   But I don't think we can afford to do that with The" ltlgrntruck".  Another fun weekend with fun people.

Texas

Well, we escaped Betty's web on the 2nd of March and headed to Rockport, TX on the Louisiana Outback Creole Nature Trail.... part of Americas Byways..... some national scenic roads. It is a neat road that follows the Gulf coast through Louisiana and Texas.  Most of the trip was right on the coastline and through much of the area hit by Hurricanes Ike and Rita.... amazing the destruction.. whole towns gone with just slabs of cement left where houses and other buildings were before. One town that we stayed at was Long Beach... before the hurricanes there were over 6500 homes and after there were only about 3500 left.... houses, stores and campgrounds, everything, just gone. We talked to people and they are just starting  to rebuild again...amazing that after a disaster like this and in-spite of everything nature and our "wonderful gov't" throw at people that so much can be accomplished. We stopped in Port Lavaca, TX for the night even though Rockport was only about 65 miles down the road because our reservation wasn't till the 5th. The city campground was right on the bay and was a neat spot to spend an early night.  Two spots down from us a couple were from MI and so after we showed them the truck we began talking, along with the couple next to us ( he played guitar and in the morning they all came over and sang Happy Birthday to me)  (what a surprise) and found out that when they go back to MI they stay in Paris , which is only about 8 mi from Hawkins, where we stay when we go back. The next morning we arrived in Rockport and found some people that were from MI, sooo.....  we talked to them and found that he and Jan graduated from high school together.... such a small world we live in.

South Louisiana Weekends

Mardi Gras is over... what a fun and interesting time we had.  The last two weekends of our stay were just as interesting.  The day before Fat Tuesday we stopped at the Abbeville tourist center.. but it was closed for the holiday , but a nice lady (Lynn)working next door at the Chamber of Commerce stuck her head out the door and invited us in, so we visited with her about an hour. More travelers stopped so we all had a fun,learning time with her. She told us about Richard's Sale Barn... Richard's  a very old stockyard/sale barn that the owners were trying to  restore and they were putting on different  shows there once a month. This month they were having a comedian  (LA State representative, Richard Perry) and his brother  Pick'in and Grin'in, so we thought it sounded interesting. We went to that Sat. and drove right by because the barn was hidden by trees and brush. When we drove in the drive we thought ... this can't be the place.. it looked like a falling down old barn, but just then the owner came out dressed in his cowboy clothes and invited us in. Soon there were more people (100 or so) that joined us inside the old barn that  is decorated with many old saddles (at least 50 or more) and other old farm tools. The barn is on the  LA historical register and is a really interesting place.   Sat on the risers that were used for the livestock sales on old  cushions from old furniture and feed sacks and  whatever people brought in. We must have been the only non-locals there and when the comedian started and got into a local cajun joke he would say he would explain later to the people from Michigan.  A FUN NIGHT. The last Sat. we were going to another music filled day but, Jan wasn't feeling well,  So Grizzly and I went by ourselves to Eunice to the Savoy Music Center  to a jam session at Marc Savoy's accordion factory. savoy music Marc builds accordions and has a family band that plays and records. They all... like many musicians in the area play many instruments.... accordion, fiddle, piano, guitar and more. About a dozen people showed up to play. It was a great  morning with  great music and really great people. Grizz and I then walked around Eunice and found a couple of neat museums... one was a nutcracker museum... A lady had collected over 300 nutcracker statues from all over the world. She had donated her collection  and someone else donated an old jewelry store, so they made  it a museum..  Neat to see.  We were planning on leaving for Texas on Monday(today) but they predicted rain and they were right and so we are staying at Betty's another night.

Mardi Gras Festivals!!

It's the day after Mardi Gras and things have settled down a bit. This past week there has been something going on every day and sometimes two or three things. Our plans to go to New Orleans fell through, but the couple that went said they had a great time even though it was a long day... about 22 hrs with all the driving.  instead went to Jennings and the Squeezebox Shootout..amateur accordion players competing for $2000 in prizes in three categories...youth, junior and senior. Last year's youth and junior winners also performed.  What a great afternoon of cajun music. We left there and walked into the midst of Jennings parade. This was our first parade of the weekend and our first Mardi Gras parade.  fun....too many floats to count, all loaded with kids and adults throwing beads and other souvenirs. Sunday was the oldtime parade at Church Point.. Betty was invited to take her campers to a farmer's house.  So the whole campground caravan-ed to his farm. The parade started by touring the local countryside, with 30 or more floats and hundreds of costumed revelers, stopping at a dozen or so houses along the way. Our host released some chickens, which were chased down by a large group of costumed paraders. This was done in the early days to collect food donations for the groups Mardi Gras dinner to celebrate the last fling before Lent. Each small town parade had their own local customs. Some of these towns still use horses for the runners to go about the countryside...in costume, collecting food.....amazing traditions that we never hear about until we go to these kind of local functions.   felt we didn't miss anything by not going to New Orleans.  we were invited to a Mini Costume Ball at a local restaurant by some people we had met earlier.  all made their costumes.   year they had their king and queen and all their court with jesters and clowns and witches,  all accompanied by a great cajun band and much dancing. ...Mardi Gras... we went to another small town parade that had about 30 floats filled with laughing party-ers. This parade was like a family reunion because everyone we talked to was there with family... cousins, brothers, sisters and all other family that they didn't see much of the rest of the year. Grilles set up on the back of pickups and on trailers and much fun on a nice sunny day in Feb. in LA. I finally took the time to load our pictures ,so this post is a week  late,but here it is.  I also loaded more Mardi Gras pics to our web albums at the right..

CRAWDADS Loisiana Style

Sixteen people from Betty's RV park met at Cajun Claws for crawdads.  Grizz rode with us to the restaurant where he then stays in the truck and becomes the alarm system.  After a pre-dinner drink, we were taken into the dining room to two tables already set-up. When ordering you specify if you want 3 1/2 or 5 pounds of crawdads.  Yup!!  By the pound.  There is a lot of work to eating these things, twisting their bodies and squeezing it as you pull the tail off.  Now you bite what "meat" you can and suck the rest out of the tail.    This is what I observed since I am not into eating shellfish, crawdads,oysters, shrimp etc.  The menu did offer other things; cheeseburger or hamburger ( which I chose).  They, also, offered chicken nuggets but since that was on the kiddie menu, I decided NOT to do that.  After much pulling, twisting and sucking most people finished their heaping platter of crawdads that had been placed in front of them.  A waitress brings out a container of hot, wet

towels for people to clean their hands a little before they take off their bibs.
After leaving the restaurant we stopped at Robie's Grocery Store.  A young gentleman was outside cleaning the parking lot.  He came over and started talking about the truck. When we told him where we are staying.  He said he was Betty's nephew.  I swear EVERYBODY knows or is related to Betty!!! And Friday night was another band and party at Betty's RV park..... WHAT A PLACE !!!!