BACK TO MISSOURI

We returned to Missouri the evening of Tuesday, March 27th. It was in the back of my mind to make it to Paul and Brenda's but I didn't know if we could or if we might need to stop in Oklahoma. After we came through Pryor, OK I thought we could make it and not be too late. Actually, I think it was about 5:30 pm. It felt good to see familiar faces and relax with people who mean so much to us.

The weather has been excellent here in Marshfield. We left the Bluebonnets of Texas, and we did see them throughout the fields and along the highway. I wish we could have stopped and taken a picture everytime we spotted a beautiful field. However, we returned to some pretty Missouri flowers. I've seen lilacs, tulips, flowering trees and wildflowers in the Jones' yard.

 We enjoyed the Texas winter and all the friends we made and people we met but it is good to be back to Missouri. We are anxious to see you all, and we will. Just a few more days now and we will be making our rounds. We have two months before we head to Alaska and we want to spend time with our Missouri family and friends.

Thanks for staying in touch this winter and keeping us informed. You made it easier to be away with all your emails, Skype, Facetime, texts, and phone calls. We will need some more of those this summer.

COMING SOON--A NEW HOME

We have traded for a new RV. Our current RV is eight years old and has some issues we don't want to deal with so after some serious deliberation we decided to trade before we go to Alaska. When we sold our place in Columbia, we knew we would have to reinvest in another RV if that was to be our home. We had thought we would wait until we got back from the Alaska trip. However, Sharon felt I would be worrying about issues with this one to the point I couldn't relax and enjoy the trip. I certainly didn't want that either. After finding this one and feeling like it was good quality for the money we decided to go ahead. "Hopefully", this one will last us out.

2012 COLUMBUS 320RS 

by Forest River

We had told Paul and Brenda about our concerns and they saw the COLUMBUS 320RS at an RV show in Springfield.  They told us about it and after talking with them about it, we went to Boerne, near San Antonio, to look at one. All three they had were sold. We came back home and talked some more and ended up calling the salesman from the dealership at the Springfield RV Show. We called soon enough to be able to negotiate the show price which was significantly better than what we could have done with the dealership here.

Since we had to order the rv, it will be six to eight weeks before delivery. We placed the order March 05th, so we are expecting it around the last of April. We hope this is enough time to get any problems worked out by the first of June when we head north.

Thanks Paul and Brenda, for all the time spent with us in consultation. It is always difficult to make these decisions. I am sure it will work out fine and we will be happy in our new home. If we are not, we will blame it all on you guys! LOL! We know nothing is perfect and things are usually what you make of them. We are excited and look forward to making the move. Happy we got the deal we did and still, really can't believe it.
                                                                                                                                                               

The Columbus 320RS has several features we didn't have on our current fifth wheel and some features we never expected to have. The rolling kitchen island is really convenient and the first we had seen like it.

Color: Seville Options: 12V Deep Cycle Battery Two-Tone Grey Exterior Voyager Package: Frameless Windows, Full System Water Purifier, 42 inch LED TV, 1000 Watt Panasonic Stereo Receiver, Exterior AM/FM/iPod Docking Station w/Speakers, Battery Disconnect, Cherry Hardwood Slide-Out Fascia, Two-Tone Aluminum Wheels, 60x30 One Piece Fiberglass Shower, Bedroom Pull Out Laundry Hamper, 12V Heat Pads on All Tanks 3 Slideout Awnings Installed Central Air and 13,500 BTU Low Profile Bedroom A/C Electric Fireplace 32 inch Bedroom TV Bike Rack Serta Trump Series Mattress Dealer Prep - FREE!*

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

I guess we could be considered "Birds of a Feather".

We certainly do flock together, us "SNOWBIRDS". We have met a lot of nice people at both RV parks we stayed at here in Kerrville. John and Annette have been fulltimers for five years. They have had Calypso since he was young and he is nineteen now. These birds live to be 50-60, so he will most likely outlive them. Their kids are worried about that because none of them want to inherit Calypso.

Sophie and Calypso have become friends. I'm not sure who likes (or dislikes) the other the most.  At least they do recognize each other and "bark" at each other. John & Annette walk Calypso a lot too. He rides on Annette's arm.

Calypso talks when at home but not much around other people. He has gotten so he talks some around us. Often says, "Want some". That's what he says when he wants something to eat. They say he eats often.  Also says, "Wants some lunch", "Wants some breakfast".

We are winding down on our first retirement winter. Daylight time starts this weekend and the first day of spring is only a few days a way. We had planned to pull up stakes here on Monday the 26th. We are taking things one day at a time and are trying to finish up all the little trips we wanted to get in.

Sharon's mother has spent the last couple of weeks in the Monroe Manor nursing home in Paris and her dad entered Audrain Hospital at Mexico yesterday. We are staying in touch with family there and will leave if they feel we need to come back or if they need us to help out. Her parents have done amazingly well this winter until the last few weeks. Our special thanks goes out to all of you who have assisted them through this difficult time.

To all of our RV friends we have met over the last six months let us just say like Roy Rogers:

     HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU,
     UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!

THE LOCAL HONKY TONK

WELCOME
DANCING, POOL, BEER
AND MAYBE SOME SENORITAS

WEAR YOUR "SHIT KICKERS"

Come on down, we're going to have a little fun tonight. The worst part about this place is, it's about a quarter mile down the road from the RV Park and the music (thump,thump) begins about nine o'clock and doesn't end until one or two o'clock. Mostly hear the bass guitar.

It does sound like they are having a good time. I have been trying every Saturday night to get someone to go down there with me.






I would go over by myself but I know I couldn't resist looking at the senoritas and I am afraid someone might stick a knife in my gut.

If any of you guys are looking for a good time, get on down here so we can meet the "LOPEZ" crowd.

One good thing, it's only open  on Saturday night. We have a criminal investigator and there was a sheriff's deputy here in the park. They suggest I might want to stay away from there.

TEXAS RANCHES

Went to Camp Verde for lunch today. We both ate for $11.00. It is only three miles south of here. Big sandwiches, drink, pickle, big olive, and deviled egg come for one price, mostly $4.75-$5.50.   I wrote about Camp Verde once before. It is where the military housed some camels they were going to use. I wanted to take some more pictures of the ranch entrances. It was cloudy again today and these aren't the best pictures either but you get the idea.   We have seen many decorated with flowers and cactus.

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

TEXAS RANCHES NEAR KERRVILLE

A tour of some Texas ranches was on tap for us last Saturday.

All the ranches have gates. This is sample of what they are
like. Of course each one is different. The one here was at Eagle Ridge Ranch. Not at all like Missouri farms where very few are gated. All the ranches are gated.

On our drive however, the ranch road went from one ranch to another. It was like driving right through their fields and pastures, no ditches along the road. Each time you entered a different ranch you would cross a cattle guard. We don't see a lot of cattle.  We see more goats which are raised for meat and most of it is exported. Up to the right is a wagon we saw on Eagle Ridge Ranch.

 We did see this Longhorn resting near the barn, the llamas, and this Axis Deer taking a nap.

The small picture is horses on the ranch and the plant to the left is Mountain Laurel, much like our lilac. It is a very pretty purple and reportedley sweet smelling, although, we didn't get out. I know Sharon couldn't have smelled it.

Very pretty purple growing on this bush and part of the decoration around a ranch gate.

Then of course for you skeptics, I got a nice shot of a Texas Jackalope.  He looks like a 10 or 12 pointer. Wish I could have bagged him for mounting on the RV wall.

 If some of you guys want to work on a ranch, you might get to live in a bunk house like the one below.

Lots of big ranches and very pretty. Of course, we both like all this western scenery, decor, and landscape. We are trying to get our fill of it. We won't be here in the Hill Country much longer.

ENCHANTED ROCK DAY TRIP

 From Wikipedia:

Enchanted Rock (16710 Ranch Rd 965, Fredericksburg TX) is an enormous pink granite pluton rock formation located in the Llano Uplift approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Fredericksburg, Texas, USA and 15 miles (24 km) south of Llano, Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans the border between Gillespie County andLlano County, south of the Llano River. Enchanted Rock covers approximately 640 acres (260 ha) and rises approximately 425 feet (130 m) above the surrounding terrain to elevation of 1,825 feet (556 m) above sea level. It is the largest such pink granitemonadnock in the United States. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, a part of the Texas state park system, includes 1,644 acres.

It was a beautiful day for a road trip and we enjoyed the ride up through Fredericksburg.  Enchanted Rock is about 40 miles north of here.

People do climb the rock. I'm sure our grandkids would have been right on it. I asked Sharon if she wanted to hike up but she didn't think so.  I believe Sophie, however, was indicating that she would like to try it. I does look like fun. I really couldn't believe that we didn't see anyone on it.


One of the added bonuses of this trip was getting to see some Bluebonnets blooming. We had watched all the way driving to Enchanted Rock and did not see any. Along the highway near the park I spotted some growing along the shoulder of the road.

According to the local experts, the warm weather and recent rains are going to make a bountiful and beautiful crop of Bluebonnets through out the Hill Country. We are looking forward to that.