Spring has sprung in TX

RAINBOW'S END-Escapees, Livingston, TX 77351

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I've heard NJ has had a very mild Winter. So maybe it's Spring in NJ as well as in TX.  The grass is greening up, the trees are starting to bloom, and flowers are popping up also.

Wisteria

Blue Bonnets

RV:

Smart Weigh: We had our RV weighed at Escapees. We are about 800 pounds overweight and a little overweight for our tire grade.  So Scott is very nervous. We decided to go up a grade with the tires. We hope to avoid a blowout! But Scott has also decided he wants to add new axles, that can let the RV carry extra weight. I will try to post where we go for tires & axles, after it is complete.

Our RV is our home, so we really can't figure out what weight we can drop other than the 50 lb. screen room tent, that we never use. We couldn't do without that screen room when we tent camped, but now find with an RV, it is not needed.

We were supposed to leave last Friday if all went well transferring to become Texans. That did go well, but Scott doesn't like to leave on weekends, so we were to stay until Monday. It's Monday and we're still here.  Scott wanted to wait for his bike parts to arrive. His bike parts arrived and we're still here. Sigh...Now he wants tires. Fine, we can leave hopefully by Thursday. But wait, Scott wants new axles and they have to be ordered and we can't schedule an appointment for installation until they arrive around NEXT Tuesday. Ugh! It's not bad here, but it's not some place that I wanted to stay more than a week at.

Scott will feel much better with the better axles & tires (so will I). So I'll give in & wait around (to a point) for these to be completed.

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SIGHTS:

Not much going on in Livingston, TX. I spend A LOT of time indoors. Because Escapees has a lot of long time RV'rs and residents with deeded lots, it is quite social here.  I can only take so much socializing.

I've participated in the Saturday breakfast, the Saturday Shanghai Rummy, the Tuesday Smart Weigh, the Wednesday Stitch & Chat, & the Thursday tour of Escapees. Also, while walking the dogs people stop to talk.  I've had my fill.  I've re-routed my dog walking to avoid a 71 yr. old lady, that likes to talk a lot and doesn't remember much. I know, I'm not very tolerant. But, I know my limits and it's best for me to be left alone when I've had enough.

I've skipped, a biscuit & gravy breakfast, another Shanghai Rummy night, & an ice cream social, because it's best for me to have my alone time. 

While on my morning walks, which are now at 7:30 am instead of 6:30 am because of Daylight Savings Time. Devin wakes me up when it's light out. Anyway, while on our morning walk, I found in the local neighborhood a pasture with miniature horses. Fun to look at. I've brought a small amount of carrots to feed them, but other than wanting the carrots, they aren't very friendly.

Lyla is very curious and wants to eat their poop. Devin is very afraid of them, so afraid, he took off across the street and pulled me down onto the grass and I lost my grip. Luckily, I didn't panic and I called him to come and he returned.

On another visit to the mini horses, Devin was still afraid but this time he just turned so he faced AWAY from the horses and just sat. I guess if he doesn't see them, they don't exist.

At one of the other RV sites, I saw this little person hanging onto a man's leg. Wait, is it a person? Is it a dog? Is it a child? No, it's Gizmo, the Capuchin Monkey (organ grinder type). This couple have 3 monkeys. They make their living with a monkey act at state fairs etc.

I was quite nervous around Gizmo, since I know nothing about monkeys. He held my hand and was very curious.  As I talked to his owner, he grabbed my hand again and then proceeded to bite and gnaw on my hand. He had no teeth for safety reasons. Sad, but I was glad in my case.  He was really biting!  I don't see a money in our future. He was cute, but...

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FOOD & WINE:

RIBS: Wonderful! May be the best I've ever had.  They are smoked and have a wonderful, delicious rub on them. A LOT of meat on each rib. Very filling. The meat easily pulled off the bone and the rub & smokiness flavored the rib so much, that I didn't want to put any BBQ sauce on them.

SAUSAGE: Unique.  We've been traveling from Louisiana, into Mississippi and now Texas. I don't know what kind of smoked sausage this is, but its THE BEST we've had so far.  My husband loves to eat it cold as a snack. I still prefer heated. A perfect blend of smoke, sausage spices, sweet & a touch of heat. Perfect!

If I'm ever in Livingston, TX again, I will be picking up Big Mike's ribs & sausage.  We were in Livingston for 1 month and had to get ribs & sausage here at LEAST once a week.

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BOOKS:

Paperback:

Doc: The Rape of the Town of Lovell by Jack Olsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

True Crime:

I kept reading and reading and was never bored.
The story is told over and over, but through the point of view of the victims, the victims family,the accused, the accused family, the townspeople, the law "enforcers", the religious leaders, etc.
Very well written. Written without bias, so there is actually a point where you can almost believe this "Doctor" is not guilty. But of course, too much evidence to the contrary.
How naive adults can be when overshadowed by religion.