First Blog of 2017

3-27-17

First Blog of 2017

    Back when I first starting blogging during the winter of 2013, I was just trying to stay busy.  I was looking for a hobby, so I tried writing.  I had always written letters to the grandchildren to read when they get older, and I was gone.  If not dead, I thought they could visit me in my nursing home, and read to me things that I could not remember anymore.  Maybe instead of writing today, I should read those letters to help me remember my past.  I don’t want to admit it, but I do have memory issues, according to Pat.  In church Sunday, Mark was having a memory issue about finding a Bible passage.  Pat pats my leg and whispered, “You’re not the only one with memory issues.” Writing is good for my brain, along with napping, exercise, healthy eating.  I went to the gym this morning, ate a healthy lunch, and may take a nap later. 

    What to write about:  so many thoughts and ideas, so maybe I will start with, Angie needs to meet a Christian, working, kind, thoughtful, not controlling, patient man.   No Angie I am just kidding.  God has a plan for your life.  I could write about Julie, and the grandkids and all their many activities.  I could write about Pat or the dogs, but I have written about them already.  I will start with, Why I am so happy to be home, then lead into why I love being in Texas for the winter.

    Mixed Feelings

   It is great to be back in NE.  We spent some days in Grand Island visiting my daughters.  I had missed everyone and Face Time is just not the same.  Landon was not sure who I was; he wanted nothing to do with me in the beginning.  He warmed up after I took him outside to play.  I went with the kids to co op classes, and spent the day with Landon in the nursery.  Angie took me to see the girls in their first dance competition.  It was a fun time even though I could not see them dance.  Way too many girls, and sitting up too high to see.  They won second place.  Got to take the grand dogs for a long walk did lose the youngest puppy, but Julie ran after her and caught her.  I dropped her leash while I was still in the garage.  I saw the sand hill cranes, which was on my bucket list from last year.  I saw one fairly close on the roadside.  They are very tall birds. 

    It was good to get back to church and see our church friends.  We also visited some family, some old neighbors, and met new neighbor that moved in while we were gone.  Cleaned out the camper, did all the wash.  The girls that stayed the winter cleaned the house before they left.  My shower never looked so clean.  It was like I was showering in a nice clean hotel.  I am so trying to keep it clean.  I have a slight vision problem; ok I am blind and cannot see all the shower scum along with floor scum, crooked paintings, clothing stains, food on my face etc.  Weston told me once, “Grandma you don’t expect me to take a shower in that dirty shower.” We have a park in our back yard, so I took Riley for a walk.  I love walking in our park, saw robins, but lately it is too cold and rainy to walk or work in the yard.  Which leads me to missing Texas?

     We winter in Rockport, TX at Wilderness Oaks RV Resort in our Class A motor home.  Rockport is an island type town surrounded by water.  It is close enough to walk along the bay water and see the water birds.  A lot of people bike or walk.  Pat left his bike done there last winter, so he did some bike riding.  I do the walking, sometimes with my dogs, or other dogs, friends or by myself.   I do have a walking problem.  I sometimes walk out in front of cars that I cannot hear, can get lost at times, and walk like I have been drinking.  Not talking about those problems, I tend to stop and talk.  Pat will come looking for me and find me talking to friends or strangers, at their sites.  The weather is so nice that people sit out just waiting for someone to come by and talk too.  It is kind of like and outside nursing home, if you know what I mean? When I would visit my mom, the residents would hang out at the main entrance or at the elevators. So that is my winter mission, to visit and keep busy.  I keep a little book and write down names.  If you can’t find someone to talk with on a walk, then you hang out at the rec/club hall.  People are doing activities throughout the day and night.  We receive a monthly calendar, just like in a nursing/retirement home.  This resort is much cheaper, under $400 a month vs the retirement home behind us at $3,000 -4,000 a month.  The new memory home nearby is $6,000 a month.  In Rockport there is an adult daycare that Pat can drop me off, and then he can go out and fish etc., while I sit in my chair drooling, a lot cheaper than $6,000.  My Rockport friends will stop by and wipe the drool off my face, or walk me, take me swimming, or help me with a game of cards.  They do that already, thanks friends, maybe not the drool yet.  
     With minor support I can play games.  I play Bunco, card Bingo, Bingo, and other fun games that I can’t remember the names, may be marbles, fast track, another one that you start with 3 cards and 3 is wild, and then you keep going to Kings.  Friends would help me with the clubs and spades when playing card Bingo, since they look alike to me, because they are both black. Pat likes to play Cribbage with his friends. I took part in three line dancing classes during the week.  It was really good for my brain and body to have to remember the moves.  Our teacher was so patient with me and the others.  I attended a Bible study that was really good, and a great way to met new friends and share prayer requests.  We had many celebrations at the club house that involved food.  I did gain weight, and I am sure Pat did also.  We did go out to eat with NE friends every Sunday after church, and before games.  We had a couple from our camping club in NE come and visit for the week, so more going out to eat and playing games that week. 

    Back to the mixed feelings again, while I am writing about Texas.  The weather was great, a little on the windy side.  Every time Pat had a fishing trip planned it was too windy.  He did get to go on one deep sea trip, so we have a couple of fish dinners in the freezer.  He needed to get out and fish more, but maybe next year.  There are many places to visit and keep busy.  I saw many different birds, wild hogs, armadillo, and alligators.  Did not see snakes, and made sure I did not let the dogs walk in the brush.  April 1^st a lot of folks will be leaving, and heading north.  Some friends will be at different campgrounds next year in Rockport or other warm climates.  Some of those friends I will see on Face book.  Hope to winter at the same resort, if it is in God’s plan for our life. 

     We plan to travel, as long as we can.  I still worry about the cost of traveling, but I am overcoming that.  I used to think about how we have to save money for retirement.  We did that, and we are retired.  The cost of those retirement centers, helps me justify spending the money on the RV, gas etc.  No Pat we are not getting a new RV, now that this one is a 2016.   We have just the right amount of room, for the many things that I brought to TX and did not use or eat.  Pat keeps reminding me that they do have grocery stores in TX.  I did come home with more clothes than I took down.  They have a really nice thrift store in Rockport.  So next year I can just buy a new wardrobe.  That may not work since I would have to get rid of things at home.  I have such a problem with that; I am still keeping large size pants, for when I gain weight. 

     We have a busy summer planned, such as Good Sam camping, three camping rallies, campground hosting, grandchildren activities, and other events Lord willing.  I once wrote about how I could not say that R word.  Not I can now say retirement (but not for Pat) he still needs to work part time for something to do.  I am now encouraging others to retire, camp, and travel when they can.  So if you are reading this, have you ever thought of camping and traveling?  Traveling does not need to be far away.  We like to camp about 15 min. from our house.  Close enough to do laundry, water the grass, and check the mail.  Maybe our resort needs to add this into their advertisements, “Come to our outside retirement village, much cheaper than a $3,000-$4000 retirement home, we have some of the same activities but at a much lower cost.  Come and retire with us!”
Off to take my nap!