Sirens

Traveler's World, San Antonio, Texas 78214
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RV LIFE:
I unknowingly reserved our site in San Antonio 1 extra day. It so happens that is a good mistake.
1) We needed this extra day, Monday so Renny could be observed after his first hw treatment.
2) There is a terrible wind today, blowing things all over. There is a trailer warning because of high winds. I wouldn't want to be dragging a 35' RV on the highway today.

We are constantly hearing police and emergency vehicle sirens multiple times a day. Can't wait to get to a quieter area.
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SIGHTS:
We visited two Missions this week. They were founded to secure Spain's claim to this land and to teach the native people Christianity and the Spanish way of life.
We first visited Mission San Jose, which was only about 1 mile from the RV park. Susan, of Travel Bug recommended this visit. We drove there, not realizing we could have ridden our bicycles there. Very interesting place. Worth the visit.

Indian quarters

Interesting cactus plant

We planned on riding our bicycles to Mission Concepcion, now that we found out the trail led to many places. But today brought very strong gusts of wind. Kind of scary. The RV is shaking and now I'm thankful we are tight between two other RV's to help ease the gusts on us.
So back in the truck for a drive to Mission Concepcion. Still interesting, but little to see.

We brought our dogs which are allowed on all the grounds except inside the church.

Very windy!

Many of these missions still have an active Catholic church with services.
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PETS:
Little Renny had his 1st of 2 heartworm treatments. He was at the vet all day for observation to make sure he handled it well. And so the sedentary lifestyle for him begins.

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WHERE WE'RE HEADING

Feb. 26, 2013

Ft. Stockton RV Park

It's all about me, and he still loves me.

Traveler's World, San Antonio, Texas 78214

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TRAVEL TIP/PRODUCT REVIEWS:

RV Plus Charge Card
Our rating 5 out of 5

Yes this is another charge card, but it's only good at Flying J & Pilot Travel Centers for gas, diesel, propane and merchandise.
It is a CHARGE card, not a CREDIT card, meaning you must pay your balance in full each month.
You must be a Good Sam member, or they will enroll you automatically.
There is no annual fee
15 day grace period
Statements sent via e-mail and easy pay on line.
Benefits!!!!
Can pay at the pump. Do not have to go into the office.
Pump does not stop at a pre-set amount. Pump goes until YOU stop it.
You get the CASH RATE, even when using the charge card.
You get up to an ADDITIONAL 8 cents off the per gallon CASH RATE.
10 cent per gallon discount on propane.
1/2 price for dumping.

Here’s an example of the discount we get. If you are a Lifetime Good Sam member, you get another 2 cents off.
Posted Diesel Credit Price . . $3.50/gal
We get the Cash Price . . . .  .$3.44/gal
Deluxe Member Discount . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.06/gal
Our final Price . . . . . . . . . . $3.38/gal
That’s a savings of $.12 per gallon off the credit price!

Another handy item to have on hand is
The NEXT EXIT highway guide
Our rating 5 out of 5
This can purchased as a large paperback or as an on line resource.
We always have this book in our truck. Even though we usually know where we are headed and usually the distance is within one tank of gas so no need to stop for refill, Sh_ _ happens!
The handy book will let you know where RV accessible gas stops are & whether diesel is available, restaurants, campgrounds, hospitals, etc.along each exit of major highways.
It has been essential in helping us feel comfortable pulling in to an establish off an exit and know that our RV should be able to fit.
Plus there have been times when traveling in the mountains with a headwind, that our gas mileage was greatly reduced and we had to make an unplanned refill. No worries, just look how far the next RV/Truck accessible diesel stop is.
One copy is being given away monthly. Entry here. We bought ours from Amazon for under $11.00. it is $14.95 + $6.00 S&H on the Next Exit website.
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Look at the deal I got at H.E.B.!!! Yellowtail Cabernet Sauvignon.

$4.83 per bottle

I've really been enjoying this wine. It's dry, yet has a nice berry taste also. This is my go to cheap wine.
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FOR THE LADIES: Of course you men can read it if it interests you.
Back in Oct. 2012, I was watching the Jeff Probst show. He had Paulina Porizkova, a former supermodel on his show. They were speaking about aging and accepting the "new you" as you get older. How you feel about yourself, how to adjust, what you miss, how you are treated differently, etc. I may offend some people, but this subject is about women who were "hot" in their younger years, and now face being old.
In High School & college, I was overweight & round faced.

In my later 20's I lost the weight and my face changed completely.  I was voted most changed (for the better) at my 10 year high school reunion. Some people didn't recognize me.
I was one of those "hot" girls. In my twenties was the disco era. And yes, I had a blast!!! I looked great up until about age 35.

Age 34

I had these cool braids with beads. I kept these from age 29 - 48! 

Around 35 is when I started seeing crows feet and couldn't wear eye shadow anymore, because my lids were drooping. By 38 I was having a difficult time keeping the weight off, but still looked good for my age.

Wedding Day age 37

When I hit 50 yrs old, I stopped dieting. I had dieted all my life to keep myself thin. When was I going to be able to enjoy food instead of always thinking of every little thing that I ate???? Also, since my looks are going, why bother with my weight? My eyelashes have thinned out, my boobs are drooping, I feel invisible, so the extra weight won't mean much. 

pics on Sodahead

So 6 yrs later and 50 extra pounds...

I can't believe I posted this.

What I'm leading up to is, things change, some is our own fault and some is no fault of our own. I can do something about my weight, but I can't do anything except plastic surgery for my aging face.

So back to the Jeff Probst show. Please look at these two videos if you are having a difficult time dealing with aging. Paulina spoke so honestly and much of what she said is so true. I'm not afraid to acknowledge I was very good looking in my younger years. I walked into a room and I knew I was getting admiring glances. I could walk into a disco and be bombarded with guys trying to ask me out. There are deifinite advantages to being pretty and thin. You can get away with a lot! Now I have to accept that I am "invisible". I don't get special treatment because I'm pretty. I just get senior discounts now.

Ladies, please view the videos below if you're trying to deal with the older you.

Men, you may want to watch the videos to get some insight into what your mate may be going through in her 40's & 50's. Maybe you'll understand her better.

Jeff Probst interview with Paulina Porizkova:

PART ONE               PART TWO

I am so grateful that my husband truly loves ME. He had the benefit of having some "arm candy", in our early years. Now he just has my glorious personality. Yea, right. If Scott didn't love me for me, then he'd be long gone looking for a younger, prettier, and easy going woman. I'm so grateful when he holds my hand because I know he not ashamed of me even though I'm aging so badly. He loves ME.

Scott has also aged, but not nearly as much as I have. We are both currently 56 yrs old.

Age 38

Age 55

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BOOK REVIEW:
Midnight Awakening by Lara Adrian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am absolutely loving this series.  If you like Twilight, but more adult, you'll like this series.
Romance, mystery, vampires, adventure, other mutated beings. I enjoyed this so much, I had to download the next book in the series. I wasn't ready to stop reading.


View all my reviews

$22.50 per pound so far

Traveler's World, San Antonio, Texas 78214

February 18 - 25, 2013

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PETS:

I am NOT made of money...really! I now feel that I truly did save Renny's life. He's a little 12# munchkin, that a hawk, a wild animal or a vehicle could easy kill with him being loose all the time. We took him in to La Cantar Animal Hospital, which is owned by our English Setter Rescue's consultation vet, Dr. D. Thompson.
He had to have pre-testing for his neuter operation. He was given all the vaccines needed. I do not like to put so much stress on dog by doing all vaccines at once.  I like to do the normal vaccines, then rabies 6 months later. Yes, it makes for more vet visits, but this is what I prefer for peace of mind. But poor Renny was given all kinds of things his body will have to react to. His core vaccines, rabies, de-wormer and then anesthesia and operation. He seems to have handled it all very nicely.
Unfortunately, we discovered he is HW+ (heartworm positive). HW is transmitted via mosquitoes.
Long skinny worms live in the heart of the dog. So many develop, it clogs the heart making it unable to
work.

 Treatment for dogs with heartworm disease is fairly expensive and very difficult for both dogs and their caretakers. The dog gets a shot to kill the heartworm. Part of what is in this shot is arsenic! So the dog doesn't feel very well first off. Then we have to keep the dog quiet. As these long worms start to die, they break up and disperse through the blood stream which can cause blockages in the blood vessels of the lungs. Therefore, keeping the dog calm and mainly crated during and 6 wks after treatment is a must. So our little stray, who we are now fostering will be with us for a while.
Our rescue charges $300. to adopt a dog. Many people think that is way too much. But please look below at what we've spent on an itty 12# dog so far. This does not include the heartworm treatment.

$269.92. That comes out to $22.50 per pound of love. 

This price is WITH a rescue discount! Many of our rescue dogs come in HW+, so many of our adoption fees do not cover the vet expenses our rescue has had to pay. Add to the above bill, there can be a release fee if we are getting a dog from a shelter that is going to kill the dog. Sometimes we need to board the dog until volunteer transport can be arranged. So that's another expense that can be from $5. - $30./day x 7 days. 

Heartworm disease is easily prevented by giving a once monthly pill. You need a veterinary prescription for it, so please ask your vet about it.

REVIEW: Traveler's World, San Antonio, TX

RV PARK REVIEW:
Feb. 18 - 25, 2013
Traveler's World, San Antonio, Texas 78214
Site #  $34.00/day
SITES: The Allegro Circle (North end) which are lettered instead of numbered sites are very close together. Just enough room for a picnic table. The sites South of Good Sam Highway have some grassy areas and larger sites, but they are mainly reserved for Carefree Club Members. The center pull through sites are the nicest. But good luck getting one of them.

Our Site on right

"Nicer" section

HOOK UPS: FHU, good water pressure
BATHROOMS: Tiled, clean
LAUNDRY: 8 washers & dryers, clean
PETS: Pet friendly in that many sites have dogs, but there is not much space for dogs to relieve themselves in the park unless you let them go on the sites. That is what most people do. Behind the park is a nice public walking/biking paved path. But it is open only during daylight hours.
WIFI: Tengo internet free. Worked great.
VERIZON INTERNET: Worked well.
SPRINT INTERNET: Good connection
VERIZON PHONE: Very Good connection
AT&T PHONE: Good connection
BOOK EXCHANGE: Yes, a nice cozy room with couch and shelves of books, videos, music CD's.
MAIL DELIVERY ACCEPTED:?
AREA/TOWN/SIGHTS: River Walk, The Alamo, Missions, lots of restaurants
There is a nice game room with air hockey, pool table, puzzles. Also a small gym with treadmills, etc.
Although the sites are very close and the park is in a not so great area of town, the benefits of close proximity to buses to San Antonio and the friendly residents makes for a pleasant stay.

Who's the Boss?

Traveler's World, San Antonio, Texas 78214

February 18 - 25, 2013

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PETS:

Although we do not have a couch (anymore) in the RV, we still seem to have a similar problem as the one above. We got rid of the couch to make more floor space for dog beds and a crate. Scott & I each have a recliner easy chair and a desk chair. The dogs have the floor, or a big cushion back dog bed, or they can even relax on our king sized bed. But nooooo! Where do they want to be?

Well, we'll just put an end to THAT!!!

That blue chair is your chair sweety! Get out of my chair.

I wanted to sit closer to the TV anyway.

RV LIFE/Sights:

Yesterday, we did the tourist thing and visited San Antonio River Walk and The Alamo. And tourists we certainly looked like. First, we took public transit in from the RV park. Only $1.10 each way. Not bad. But as we were getting off, or I was TRYING to get off the bus, I couldn't get out. We were in the back area of the bus, so we would exit the rear door. The bus stops, I get up and stand in front of the door. Nothing.  I look around and here the bus driver mumbles something, but the doors still don't open. Scott taps my shoulder & says something, but everything has gone blank because I guess I'm freaking because I'm holding up the schedule for the bus. Scott finally reaches over and pushes the doors open. Huh? I thought it was automatic! I guess we're not in Disney World anymore!

We were dropped off near Hemisphere Park, which was built for the 1968 World's Fair. Again, you could pick us out easily as tourists since we were walking and studying a map instead of just strolling.

Nice park with lots of water features.

We then meandered our way towards the River Walk. Scott really loved the River Walk. I on the other hand could have skipped it. Yes, it was a nice walk, very pretty and kept clean, but I hate commercialism and that's what was all around.

As you pass the restaurants there is a "host" at the entrance trying to entice you yelling out the specials, etc. Leave me alone, I wanted to scream. Scott wanted to stop for lunch. My thoughts were..."sigh...fine". Yep, I was a downer, but tried to keep a happy face on. What I said was, "OK,you can pick the place because I'm usually making the restaurant decisions. You can make this decision, Honey". Scott chose Cafe Ole' right on the river walk. We were led up to a balcony to a secluded table in a nice shady area. We had a beautiful view overlooking the River. That was probably the best part of tour. We relaxed and had a couple of happy hour special margaritas for $3.00. Also had lunch. Review below.

With our tummys full, we headed to The Alamo. The main visiting area is just a small stone & stucco building that we've all seen photos of. Entry is free, but if you want an audio tour it's $6.00. Visiting the Alamo is more a thing of respect than something to see. It's like going to church. While in church you are more in tune with God and more focused on Godly things. When visiting the Alamo, it brings to mind the sacrifices made in history for our country.

The Alamo itself is not much too see. We walked in, viewed 3 or 4 EMPTY rooms. Looked at mostly EMPTY display cases and walked out. There was one display case showing the weapons of the era. The only other display was the miniature model of the whole Alamo area. I don't know if they were just in between changing displays, or if there is not enough money to upkeep?

Another disappointing item about this area, was right across the street were all the gaudy tourist places, Ripley's Believe it or Not, a Wax Museum, etc. I guess you've got to keep the kids happy to.

My favorite part of this area was the front yard of The Daughters of the Republic of TX Library. We couldn't go in because it was closed for inventory. But the front yard area was a oasis in the middle of all the tourism of San Antonio. It is on the Alamo property, so is separated from street traffic by a large stone & stucco wall with arches. The yard is just filled with lots of greenery and a huge sprawling tree in the middle. Ahhhh, so peaceful. This is the way I'd like my yard to look if we ever settle down.

 Everyone I've spoken to about San Antonio River Walk and read about in blogs, have loved this stop. Me? Not so much. It was nice, but not a must see, in my opinion.

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RESTAURANT REVIEW:

Cafe Ole' on the River Walk: San Antonio, TX

Our rating 3.5 out of 5

Old stone building with a balcony overlooking the River, which is where we were seated. It was 2:30pm but they happen to be running a "happy hour special". We opted for the 12oz. Margaritas for $3.00 a piece. The dinner menu was expensive for Mexican food, but you're paying to eat on the River Walk. Best bet is to go for lunch. Much better pricing and some lunch specials also from $3.-$6.

MARGARITAS: For $3.00, they were good. For any more money, don't bother. We opted for the iced, rather than the frozen and opted for salt on the rim instead of sugar. 12 oz. was the perfect size to have before lunch. Didn't fill us. Unfortunately, these Margaritas tasted like the came straight out of the pre-made bottles.

SALAD: I don't remember the name of the salad, but it was very good. Mainly iceberg lettuce, with lots of slices black olives, tomatoes, avocado, shredded cheese, onions and more. I was disappointed that they didn't have a "house dressing" or some special dressing. They only offered creamy italian or ranch. I opted for ranch which they served on the side. It was thinner than many ranch, but I like that. No need for that gloppy dressing. This pours nicely over the salad and I only needed a third of what was offered. Over all, a nice salad.

ENCHILADA & CHALUPA combo: My husband really liked the enchilada, but he hasn't had enough to be a good judge. The spanish rice was good and light, no clumpy.

Wait staff was efficient and pleasant.

Magnolia Pancake Haus, San Antonio, TX 78216

Our rating 4 out of 5

This is a DDD Destination. We would probably rate this higher if the prices were cheaper. But the prices didn't stop us from going there 2x's in one week. Our breakfasts averaged out to $40. w/tip. That is an expensive breakfast!

Wait staff very nice and efficient. We arrived the first time around 10am and the second time about 8am. Both on a weekday and were seated right away. Both times as we were leaving, there was now a waiting list. We lucked out.

GRAPEFRUIT JUICE: Wonderful, fresh squeezed, pink grapefruit juice. Very refreshing.

COFFEE: At first I thought it was good, with some kind of different (but good) flavor. But as I more (black), I decided sugar & cream were needed. I personally would not get the coffee again. My husband seemed to like the coffee, but he is not as picky.

CORNED BEEF HASH: This is home made! This is delicious! What the video of how it's made. But at $4.95 for a side serving, it certainly adds to the price of the bill.

Corned beef hash

BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST: Very good. Home made banana bread was flavorful and had some nuts crushed into it also. As far as french toast...eh. It just tasted like it was toasted on the grill in some butter. It was really, REALLY good, but I wouldn't call it french toast. The fresh fruit compote on top was wonderful also.

Banana Bread French toast

PANCAKES: Excellent. I don't think they are the best I've had, but they come very close. Light and slightly sweet. Served with a thinner maple syrup, which worked.

BANANAS FOSTER PANCAKES: Good, but I would not order again. The Bananas foster was basically thickly sliced bananas thrown into a praline sauce. The sauce was delicious. It reminded me of the cinnamon sauce you find on sticky buns or Cinnabons. I would not order this again. I think it would have been much better if the bananas had been sauteed in the sauce instead of just thrown in. The bananas were still cold. Bananas foster should warm and softened slightly. Should also been sliced thinner.

Banana foster pancakes

BANANAS FOSTER FRENCH TOAST: Same topping as above. Thick slices of bread. Pretty good.

Banana foster french toast

WHEAT TOAST: Along with a typical egg breakfast you can get toast, biscuit, or pancake. We got the toast. This was a delicious hearty wheat. It may have been home made also. 

Maggiano's Little Italy, San Antonio, TX 78257

Our rating 4 out of 5

I expected this to be similar to Olive Garden, but no, it's much classier. Great date night restaurant. Linen tablecloths and napkins. It feels like a "nicer" restaurant, but still can dress casual without feeling out of place.

Wait staff nice, but he spoke so fast, I had a difficult time taking in all he said. He not only told us about the suggested wines, but also pushed the appetizers & desserts. He was definitely trying to up our bill, meaning he'd get a better tip.

For such a nice place, I was surprised they had a Buy a meal, take a second home for free. This was called "Classic Pastas". But really, usually the servings are so huge, you end up taking some home in a doggie bag anyway. 

BREAD: A small loaf of warm, crispy italian bread served prior to meal. Yum.

SIDE SALAD: Good. Disappointed that it was only iceberg and maybe some romaine. I was hoping for more spring mix or a few leaves of spinach also. Loaded with sliced sweet onions on top. Chunks of blue cheese throughout. Over all, a decent salad.

CLASSIC PASTA EGGPLANT PARMESAN: Delicious. It was so neat. Looked more like a square of lasagna. But was delicious. Great sauce with a lot of garlic! Served on a bed of thin spaghetti. The pasta was overcooked, but the sauce and parmesan made up for that error.

CLASSIC PASTA SPAGHETTI & MEATBALL: The marinara was very good, but the meatball although large was bland.

I still asked for a doggie bag for my eggplant and was given my doggie bag container plus the extra dinners that is included with the Classic Pasta meal.

Over all, a nice place and I'd go back for the Parmesan again.

We're not keeping him...really.

Traveler's World, San Antonio, Texas 78214

February 18 - 25, 2013

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RV LIFE:

So my life is not so quiet this week. Just as I was re-adjusting my attitude to enjoy the solitude, Bam! Things start happening.

We traveled the 4+ hours from Livingston to San Antonio, TX. When will we learn that it's so much more pleasurable to have a 3 hour drive tops. There is just so much to see in the USA and life is short.

Our departure was somewhat stressful. **I'll explain later under "Pets" section.

Upon arrival at Traveler's World, we were really disappointed. The sites are very close together. Literally, only enough room to put a picnic table between. That's it!

Scott is always nervous about backing in to a site, even after a 1.5 yrs of moving around. He doesn't like that other people may be watching him. Hmmm, maybe that is because Scott is always looking out his window watching others.

Scott did a fabulous job of backing in to such a tight spot. While I was checking the level, I hear someone saying, "My cat is watching you!". Yep, that close together. Sure enough, I turn around and there's an orange cat looking out the screen and very interested in all the activity. So that is how I met "Travel Bug, Susan". At the time we both didn't know.

One of the first things I do after set up is to boot up the computer to make sure I have internet. We very rarely have had trouble. We are very happy with Millenicom with Verizon.  $60. per month for 20Gig. I open my Gmail and find a comment on my blog..."Hi Neighbor". This is the 2nd time that's we've ended up right next to a fellow blogger.  Susan saw our blog address in vinyl lettering on our back window, as she was WATCHING Scott back up. His nightmare came true. Someone was watching...oh horrors! Easy for me to make fun, since I've never backed up our RV, nor driven it more than 20'.

We're on left, Susan on right.

It's a good thing we have nice neighbors so far.

Susan said that Mona Liza from The Lowe's RV Adventures was also staying here at the park! Wow two for one is always a good deal. Mona Liza stopped by just before she was leaving. Not much time to get to know each other, but another fellow blogger met and checked on my list. Mona Liza seemed quite intimidated by 3 dogs coming out to greet her. It was quite a task keeping them in control.

Although this park is tight, everyone seems very friendly and tolerant of dogs. There is not much green area to walk the dogs. If you walk within the park, you basically have to let them go on the lawns of the sites. But just outside the entrance of the park is a walking & biking trail.

We arrived on Monday, and Susan asked me to join her on her outing to the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. I'm glad she invited me. I'm not sure we would have gone on our own.  Scott was able to have the day to himself.

Susan showed me where the Walmart was and food store, etc. That was a big help and it's nice they were so close by.

Susan and her hubby went to the Rodeo on an earlier day and didn't leave themselves much time to see the stock show. But what little Susan  saw, she knew she wanted to go back for more. So I kept her company. Usually more fun to go with someone than alone. Since I forgot my camera, I will have to rely on Susan to blog about our day.

Parking was $10. but the entrance fee was free on Tues for seniors. This is the 2nd time I've been able to use a senior (over 55) discount. I like it!! We saw quite a few yellow buses, so maybe it was school trip day to. Ugh. Anyone who regularly follows my blog knows I avoid children.  The weather was perfect for walking the fair grounds. If it had been a hot day, we would have been miserable under the Texas sun. But it was cooler. Sometimes even in need of a light sweater, which I just happen to have knitted a few months back.

Our first area we viewed were the swine, and more swine and even more swine! They were all clean with their bristle hair shimmering and reflecting off the lights. They looked happy as ...well... a pig in sh--, oops they were in sawdust. 

We noticed their ears looked almost scalloped. We wondered if this was for show or natural or some other significance. Sure enough, they are purposely notched (Ouch!) to differentiate between litters, etc.

We saw quite a few heads of cattle. We were fascinated by a "pink" Shorthorn. It was the color of a clean pink pig. The owner was brushing and cleaning him/her. Beautiful and docile. Of course, no photo, since I forgot my camera. Just refer to Susan's blog post.

We listened to a Wildlife talk. We ended up surrounded  by young school kids. Multiply them all oohing and ahhing by 50 and it makes for quite a noise. The speaker had a good sound system so I was able to hear quite well if I cupped my left ear to try to silence the lambs (children). The speaker was very interesting and informative.  He had a hawk/falcon and was explaining how great their eyesight is. I've seen falconry shows before many times, but this speaker really explained it well. He said a hawk can see so well, that if we had their vision, we could read a book at one end of a football field while standing at the other end! Along with the Falcon, we saw a Fox (did you know they have a musky smell sort of like a ferret?), wolf mix, a beaver, and a few other animals. 

We met up with the Pillsbury Dough Boy and gave him a big hug. Photo on Susan's blog post.

There was a section of food companies giving out all kinds of samples. Who needed to buy lunch? We received samples of Kettle Salt & Vinegar chips, Better than Bouillon and coupons, Low Sugar Smuckers Strawberry Jam, some chili & beans, ice cream, and on. 

But lunch we still got. How can you resist  Fair food? Deep Fried butter! Chicken fried bacon! Deep Fried Snickers and Twinkies. Of course there was the usual BBQ, blooming onion, Gyro's, etc.  We opted for a somewhat healthy lunch.  We happened to stop by Island Noodles just as the all american guy was machete-ing vegetables into a wok full of buckwheat noodles. This dish had 21 vegetables in it. We saw him hold up a bunch of boc choy and just hack it to pieces into the wok. He continued to do this 21 times. Corn on the cob, hacking the kernels off, some kind of squash...thwap thwap thwap, into the wok. He then took two huge spatula type devices to stir up all the ingredients. It took him maybe 10 minutes to make this huge wok full of deliciousness to serve about 25 people. It was absolutely delicious!!!!!

Photo courtesy of  Travel Bug

Lots of vendors selling anything from great western wear, to those dip mixes you see at all the fairs.

Our last event to be seen were the Dock Dogs.  What VERY little we saw was fun. One dog was new and would not jump off the dock. The other dog was really excited to jump and fetch the "bumper" tossed in the pool. His handler would talk to him to get him excited and ready. The dog would walk backwards barking the whole time. Then he'd run, run, run, and leap off the dock into the pool. That was it though. Just one dog. Back a few years when I had a booth set up for A&B English Setter Rescue at the L'Oreal, Your Dog is Worth it too day , in NJ, they had the Dock Dogs. Much better show with lots of dogs competing and lots of crowd excitement. Maybe on the weekend they'll be more dogs. I keep forgetting, some people still have to work during the week.

Overall a really nice day with a new friend. Susan is easy to talk to.

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PETS:

**Oh boy. This is the part about our stressful departure. Let me preface by stating, Scott is truly a dog lover. He takes the loss of our personal dogs much harder than I do. I love my dogs very much, but I'm more realistic in that, death is part of life. We knew it had to come and we have to deal with it. Scott tries to keep it out of his mind and when that day happens, he has a difficult time handling the loss.

I am very involved in dog rescue. Scott just tolerates my involvement. When we had a house, I would foster dogs occasionally. I never told Scott when one would arrive, because he would state all the problems with fostering. I on the other hand just think, whatever comes, we deal with it. I know how far I can push my husband of 18 yrs & still keep a truce.

This itty bitty doggie showed up at our RV site in Livingston, TX and wanted to play with Devin. I went to pet him and he just turned over belly up with his tail whipping faster than seems possible. Great! I caught him. I put Lyla's leash around this collarless, but not ball-less (un neutered) male dog. Grrrr! It's bad enough to let a dog run around loose, but then a 10# dog? And THEN an un neutered dog, who wants to hump the other dogs and make more unwanted dogs! Grrrr!. Here lies the problem with overpopulation of pets. MILLIONS of dogs & cats are killed each year because there are too many to go around. This itty bitty dog may not weigh much, but he'll still find the means to mate with an unspayed female around. Then the cycle starts again. More puppies born that were not planned. Not enough homes for the current dogs as it is. Yes, even PUPPIES ARE KILLED, because there are too many and not enough homes. Please, spay and neuter your pets. You'll be saving future deaths by doing so.

I asked around and asked and all said this little guy is loose all the time and no, he doesn't belong to anyone in the park. How could I let this guy go, to procreate, to get hit by a car, to be left to find food on it's own. 

Surprise Scott...we're taking him with us! Let the tension begin. Scott knew not to argue and I knew he would be mad but not forbid it. He rode well in the car, gets along with our dogs, is fine with our parrot. 

About 1 foot high and 10 pounds.

 We've named him Renny which is Gaelic meaning Little but Mighty. He is scheduled to be neutered on Monday, by our very own A&B Eng Setter Rescue Vet consultant, Dr. D'Lynn Thompson, whom I've not met yet.

No, we are not keeping him, even though he hasn't made a mistake in the house.

No, we are not keeping him, even though he is well behaved.

No, we are not keeping him, even though he is a cuddle bug.

We hope to find a rescue who will post him available on their site. We will foster and pay the vet bills. Anyone interested in adopting this itty bitty sweetie?

Onward

RAINBOW'S END RV PARK, Livingston, TX 77351 

Feb. 11-17, 2012

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RV LIFE/MAINTENANCE: 

Our week here at Escapees is over. Last year we were "stuck" here for 1.5 months!!! We had to wait for a part for our RV. This year, we planned ahead and the part arrived while we were here.  

We renewed our vehicle registrations, inspected both, and had our Equa-flex suspension equalizer replaced. Scott had noticed there was a crack in one.  It never seemed to get larger, but Scott was not comfortable continuing with it cracked. There are many RV's that don't even have this. The Equi-flex helps the RV keep a smooth ride, so things don't bounce around too much inside.

Onward Southwest! We'll be playing tourist in San Antonio.There are also quite a few DDD restaurants that  we may want to try out also.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS:

COCA COLA made in Mexico: While in Jefferson, TX, we visited the "General Store". They had Coke that is made in Mexico. So what is the big deal?  Coke in the US is made with corn syrup. Coke made in Mexico is made with real sugar. Did we taste the difference? I felt it wasn't as "sickening" sweet as US Coke. But according to the Consumer Reports comparison, the testers felt the Mexican Cola was sweeter. If you pick up Kosher Coke, that is made with sugar.

The Mexican Coke is in a glass bottle & has a metal pop top (like a beer bottle), rather than a plastic screw top.

Gold Tone Reusable Keurig type brew cup:

Our rating 1 out of 5

Don't waste your money. We picked this up at the local supermarket. $8.00 ($12.00 on Amazon), so worth a try. The coffee drips through the filter too fast and makes a very weak/watery disgusting cup of "coffee".

Barksters dog treat crisps:

Our rating 5 out of 5. What others say

We are always looking for wheat free dog treats for Devin. He gets the itchies if he eats wheat. These treats are wonderful! All good ingredients, air puffed,so only 12 calories per piece. Devin has actually climbed on Scott's easy chair to try to get these treats out of the overhead cabinet!

These are available at Tractor Supply.

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BOOK REVIEW:

I have FINALLY finished all my hardback and paperback books. Of course, I could pick some up at the next RV Park, but for now, I have hundreds of books waiting to be read on my Kindle.

Behind the Shield by Sheryl Lynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Easy reading romantic mystery.


View all my reviews

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

There are too many audio books to bother working my way through this. I will use Diane Yannick's review. She wrote is just as I felt...
"This book started with such promise. Pasquale was a great character and I would have enjoyed following his story. The Italian setting was lush and Dee Moray's story was interesting until it got crushed by all the random characters and story lines."
I did not bother finishing.


View all my reviews

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WHERE WE'RE GOING

Feb. 18 - 25, 2012
TRAVELER'S WORLD, San Antonio, TX 78214