Year One of Retirement is Done; Thoughts on Being Part Timers

At home near Fort Worth, Texas...

Mindy and the grands left us after a week of fun, frolic and good food. We already miss them, as the house is now disturbingly quiet and yes, a bit lonely. As I write this, a clock on my desk is making a muffled click at the passing of each second. This sound has been completely inaudible for the past week, mercifully drowned out by the wonderful cacophony of laughter punctuated by squeals and shrieks of the boys at play. To say that we miss that is an understatement.

However, the quietness facilitates reflecting on my first year of retirement; it hardly seems it has been a year since that blessed event! In a post to this blog on July 7th, 2013, I mentioned that Sandy and I were likely going to be part timers rather than full timers and, sure enough, that's how it turned out. It doesn't look like that's going to change, barring some unforeseen calamity. Here is a little insight to our considerations, concerns and evolution as we look back on retirement year one:

We were financially prepared, after all.  I guess most people who retire wonder about this before they finally pull the plug. I suppose most RVers' decisions to go full time are largely driven by their budget. For many, shedding the expense of maintaining a stick and brick house is the only way to free up the required funds to wander freely about the country. Looking back at our first year's financials gives me some confidence that we will not have to do that, although the costs involved in maintaining our stick and brick home and traveling in a motorhome are somewhat daunting. (Because of my upbringing, I am not comfortable in sharing actual money figures, but suffice it to say that the expense is formidable, at least for us. Culture alert: In the south, discussing one's personal finances is generally considered unseemly, unless one has had a few mint juleps.)  

As part timers, we sacrifice some freedom and peace of mind. If I were asked to name the best rationale for jettisoning one's house, this would be it. When we are away in Phannie, there is rarely a day when I don't think about the house and perhaps take a look at the perimeter camera feeds on my cell phone to see if all is as it should be. The burglary we experienced a couple of years ago didn't help in my worrying about the place. I'm not even comforted by the new state-of-the-art security system, knowing that even if instantly notified by e-mail of a tripped alarm, there is nothing I can do from halfway across the country except watch the thieves look into the cameras as they steal our stuff and leave before the police can respond.

On a positive note, I don't have to worry much about the yard or the household systems. The yard is xeriscaped, so there is no upkeep there and, since the house is relatively new, the need for maintenance is almost nonexistent. I'm not sure what more we can do to secure the place.

The bottom line: We don't like our constant fretting over what's going on at home, but I suppose we'll just have to deal with it. (Fulltimers are entitled to smile smugly when reading this.) 
  
We still have excess 'stuff.'  When we downsized from the big house to our now smaller one, we got rid of a lot of stuff--so much so that we still have some empty cabinets in the new house! That being said, we still cannot imagine how we would pare down enough of what's left to live solely in Phannie's 350 square feet. I know it is done all the time, but I'm afraid we would need a degree of inspiration that we don't currently possess.

We don't think we would do 'loss of community' very well. There are some folks (Sandy more so, me less so) who cannot imagine being "homeless." For them, an RV could never be thought of as a home. They'll tell you that homes do not move about the country; they must remain in place so Santa can find them! For people who love a routine in their lives, it is especially difficult to abandon the familiar and embrace the unfamiliar. For them, the prospect of wandering around the country and making exciting new discoveries does not outweigh the loss of belonging they would have in the social structure of home, family, friends, church and all that constitutes their roots. I get that, and I must confess that I enjoy it too. (Sandy, however, thrives on it; I think that's why more people like her better.) 

We are all about compromise. As our lifestyle is now, I get the extended trips I love without a detailed itinerary or restriction on length of stay and Sandy--who also enjoys our travels--gets to come home and plug in again. In the past year, we were actually at home more than we were away. So, I would call that a nice compromise. (Usually, my compromising means  just doing it her way, but I'm not complaining; it has worked wonderfully for 38 years.)

Grands in Town--the Kitchen is Open!

At home near Fort Worth, Texas...

Daughter Mindy and grandsons Mason and Pryce are visiting us this week, and are we having a grand time! We're sorry that SIL Tyler couldn't join us, but he is going flat out these days as his employer is completing a big construction project in Houston. 

Today's menu included family favorites like chicken and dumplings, stewed squash and carrots, fresh creamed corn, sweet potatoes, fresh tomatoes and chocolate cake. That, I'm ashamed to tell you, followed a breakfast that showcased Sandy's famous pancakes she makes from an old family recipe that has to be the best one in the known universe. All this was cooked in the time-honored southern way, as handed down through generations and with no sparing of the rich ingredients and seasonings that make it all taste wonderful. I didn't include any photos because, well, all I could think about was eating at the time. Besides, it would have to be classified as food porn, and I don't think such a thing would be advisable here in the Bible belt. Why, my pulse begins to quicken just thinking about a stick of butter; I have to be careful.

I'm glad we don't own any pigs, because they would clearly have been embarrassed by what went on at our mealtimes today. And if my doctor ever reads this blog, I will be in big trouble. 

I offer a weak defense that includes an assurance that such an obscene food orgy as this is definitely a rarity at our house. Sandy and I have even lost a modest amount of weight in the last few weeks, and we will probably not indulge in this manner again until, well, Thanksgiving, hopefully. Surely a little splurging now and then will not be too damaging to this effort. The other excuse I'm using is that the old recipes and techniques must be dusted off and used from time to time so that they are not lost to the next generation. Are you buying that? I really can't see you out there...

Perhaps I should close with a photo of newest grandson Pryce, having fun at bath time.  Warning: Graphic nude image follows:

Good News, Not So Good News and a Little Philosophizing

At home near Fort Worth, Texas...

When we last visited, Sandy and I had interrupted our planned caravanning departure for Colorado due to Bubba's unfortunate battle between one of his coach's slideouts and a steel building; the slideout lost, regrettably. Woody (as his coach is named) is now in the hands of Coach Specialists in nearby Mansfield, Texas, one of the few shops in the country devoted entirely to body repair on RVs. Luckily for Bubba, the company also enjoys an excellent reputation, so he feels that Woody is in good hands. Unfortunately, his beloved coach will be out of commission for two or three months, as Earl, the owner of Coach Specialists, gently informed Bubba that these types of repairs move slowly, being highly dependent upon the acquisition of obscure parts and the exacting nature of this kind of work. Fiberglass repair, I am told, is very tricky and requires a good bit of skill, which these folks seem to have, judging by the finished products we observed. So, that's a bit of good news for Bubba, who desperately wants Woody to be restored to its former glory. 

Now, let's get to some good news for Sandy, who took the opportunity caused by the delay in our trip to move up her appointment with a surgeon who specializes in spinal stenosis. The good news is that she will not need to have surgery at this time; the not-so-good news is that her arthritic condition is going to continue to be a source of pain. The surgeon's recommendation was to take a referral to a widely respected doctor specializing in pain management. Sandy has made that appointment, and we will see if that helps her find some relief.

We are attempting to take in stride the hiccups in our travel plans caused by events beyond our control. We will never know if the change allowed us to avoid some traveling calamity ourselves from which the good Lord was protecting us. In any case, we know He has the big picture for sure. We are hoping that Sandy will respond well to her pain therapy and that we may be able to go to the mountains after all before the end of summer. We will have to see how the treatment goes in the next few weeks.

Working our way through these health issues was not exactly on our radar because, well, we've never gotten old before, and we didn't know exactly what to expect. We're determined, however, to get this behind us with minimal complaining and carrying on, for that sort of thing is so unproductive for us and so annoying to others.

I'm also working on becoming less anxious about making full use of the time "window" remaining for realizing our retirement travel goals while we still have some mobility. The best idea, I think, is to seek satisfaction with every single day and be grateful for having lived it, irrespective of our circumstances. An author named Lesage said it best in 1735: "I am happy and content because I think I am." A lofty and worthy goal, for sure, but Lesage didn't offer any advice on how to do it. I'm going to give it a shot, though, perhaps using the parts of my brain that were grossly underutilized in my youth--especially back when I studied algebra.      

I Guess John Lennon--or Allen Saunders--Was Right

At home near Fort Worth, Texas...

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." While this quotation is widely attributed to John Lennon, it was not he who originated it. Lennon did work it into one of his songs, "Beautiful Boy," but according to the Yale Book of Quotations editor Fred R. Shapiro, the origin is attributed to writer and cartoonist Allen Saunders. A variation of the quote, "Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans," was published in Reader's Digest in January 1957, when Lennon was 17.

I confess to having been among the misinformed regarding the true author, except that I have always been a bit skeptical that Lennon could have been the source of such a profound statement of truth. It was apparently that skepticism that prompted me to check it out before casting it in front of sharp-eyed readers, one of whom may have pounced upon the gaffe and assailed me for laziness in fact-checking.

You may ask, "What does this have to do with your RV travel adventures, Mike?" Well, just about everything, it seems. Most RVers-including me--have often said that our travel plans are made in Jell-O®. That's a somewhat trite way to say much the same thing as Lennon's--or rather Saunders'--more eloquent quotation.

In the previous post, I mentioned our preparations for a trip to Colorado that was scheduled for this week. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen, and it's Bubba's fault. (You may recall that we were planning to caravan with Bubba and LouAnn during the first part of our Colorado trip.) Bubba suffered a calamity with his beautiful and much-loved motorhome a few days ago that rendered it unusable for our trip.  

Now you should know that I have agonized as to whether I should even mention my old friend's mishap in this post, but there is such a good lesson in it that I felt I had to refer to it as gently as possible. I think he will be okay with it, because he is normally a very safe and cautious person who will good-naturedly endure a bit of discomfort if he knows his story could benefit others.

In referring to the mishap, let's just say that it is a good idea to make sure that anything protruding from your motorhome--like a slideout, for instance--has been fully retracted before driving it into an RV storage unit whose door frame is, uh, a snug fit.  I don't think I need to elaborate any further, except to say that the consequences of doing so can be breathtakingly expensive. I couldn't even bring myself to include a photograph of the result; it would just have been too painful. Here is a "before" photo of Bubba and LouAnn with an unblemished "Woody":

If Bubba were writing this, he would share with you his resolution to employ in the future a cockpit warning flag to alert him of any configuration of the coach that could result in catastrophe (and lots of uncharacteristic expletives) upon moving the coach when he shouldn't. After my having attempted to comfort him in his anguish (no, I did not shoot him, as he begged me to do), I have decided to take his lesson to heart and affix to Phannie's steering wheel a fail-safe warning flag of my own.

Bubba's Very Bad Day was not the only deciding factor for postponing this trip, however.  Because of the good times we have always shared when RVing together, we really wanted to get away to the mountains and had planned this trip with Sandy's deferring until later some much-needed attention to an arthritic condition of hers called spinal stenosis. This is a narrowing of the area of her neck containing the spinal cord, and the condition can be quite painful (to which she can readily attest). Now, in view of the ignominious incapacitation of Bubba's coach, we have decided to postpone the trip and get Sandy ready for a surgical procedure sooner rather than later.  She will enjoy traveling much more if she can be more comfortable.

If you've been following this blog for the least few years, you know that Sandy and I have had our share of medical issues as I neared retirement. Since we have both been in very good health all our lives, we had hoped we would sail into retirement and not be too limited by the infirmities that often accompany the aging process. Thankfully, those annoying ailments that have come our way have been mostly restricted to bones and joints and, mercifully, they have been fixable through prayer, modern medicine and good insurance.

I must confess that, during my last few working years, I was quite conflicted about when to retire, always wondering if staying the extra time--just to make sure we were financially ready--was the best idea. I desperately didn't want our retirement story to be one cut short because I stayed in the working grind too long.  We think we chose our time wisely, and we are very thankful that we have not suffered truly debilitating health problems, but life really is what happens while we're making other plans, isn't it?  So, our advice would be not to delay your retirement dream a minute longer than absolutely necessary and trust the good Lord to take care of the Jell-O®.

A Bit of Nostalgia and Beginning Preparations for Another Adventure

At home near Fort Worth...

I am never on the cutting edge of anything. I'm not sure why, but I am always late to the party on just about everything, with the possible exception of technology. Being a gadget freak of sorts, I would rate myself slightly above average in keeping my electronic stuff reasonably up to date. It has been only in the last few days, however, that I finally noticed "Throwback Thursdays" on Facebook.  How long has that been going on?  (If you, too, are challenged like I am and don't know what I'm talking about, it's on Thursdays that a goodly number of Facebook users post old photos and nostalgic stuff on their timelines.)

Well, my buddy John Sharp sent me an article from my hometown newspaper about an old local pilot friend, and it got me to thinking about my own career as a pilot. Since it was Thursday, I decided to post a couple of old photos from the beginning and end of my flying years.  The first was taken in 1969, showing an old Beech 18 freighter, one of the airplanes I flew in my first real flying job. I was only 23 at the time:

The next is of a Boeing 727, on which I was a captain when I retired from flying in 1996 to begin a second career with the FAA:

It was a great career, and I wouldn't have wanted to do anything else. I've found that the only downside to being nostalgic like this is wondering where in the world did the time go?

Okay, I'm snapping out of it now...back to the future!  We have been home a couple of weeks and are beginning preparations for a launch late next week for Colorado. For the next several days, we will be identifying stuff that needs to move from the house to Phannie. (There's always something, even though we have done a pretty good job of duplicating the household living necessities in Phannie.)  For example, Sandy prefers, upon our returns home, to do the trip laundry in the washer and dryer in the house instead of in the Splendide washer/dryer in Phannie. The smaller RV unit is fine for traveling, but when she has access to the house, she always uses the larger machines.  It's not a big inconvenience, as the laundry room door opens directly onto the RV port.  It is there that the other items identified for loading also accumulate, to be periodically taken the few steps out to the motor home.

I have already checked the engine and transmission fluid levels and loaded more diesel additive bottles aboard for the longer upcoming trip.  (Yes, I use an additive, I've always used it, and I will continue to use it. The flawless performance of all of my diesel engines over the years is justification enough for me, even though I may have been merely lucky. Besides, it enables me to thumb my nose at the EPA for making us switch to ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. The additive puts back the needed lubricity that was lost, among other positive effects.)

Juan (my handyman) will come by and give Phannie a wash job tomorrow (she needs it). While she is backed out for her bath, I will open all the cargo compartments and see if any supplies need to be restocked or reorganized. Then I will give the interior a good vacuuming and check the stocks of supplies in the inside storage compartments.

Next week, I will check the air pressure in all the tires. Around midweek, I will turn on the refrigerator and begin loading some basic items from the house refrigerators plus those things that would go bad if left behind for a long time. We decided it didn't make sense to purchase a lot of trip food before departures; we don't generally go to locations where groceries are not readily available.  

Our goal is to have all the prep done and all but a few last-minute items loaded by the end of the day before departure. It makes launch day much less hectic, as we will likely have thought of everything.  (In another nod to our advancing years, we also cheat and use a checklist.)

During this Colorado trip, we will be caravanning with the Barkers again (they are always a hoot) on our way to Priest Gulch Campground, near Telluride. We'll be leaving there after several days for Durango and Creede, where we will stay a few more days and then say goodbye to our friends as they return to Texas. We will continue to explore Colorado, dropping in on friends in Colorado Springs and other friends Ed and Marilyn at Mountaindale on our way home. I'll try to keep this rag updated as we go along; we are really looking forward to our escape from the Texas heat.

Old Friends Come to Visit and We Do a Day Trip to Galveston

At home near Fort Worth, Texas...

Some of the best was saved for last during our stay in Houston; longtime friends Jim and Terri made the trek from Arlington and visited with us for our final weekend.  We have been proselytizing them heavily for some time to join the world of RVers, as we think they have all the attributes to have a lot of fun with it.  Besides, we have a somewhat selfish motive in that we would enjoy their company on the road sometimes if they should invite us along! They enjoy travel, camping and even long drives, and they also have us--now old hands at RVing--to help them get started! 

In a quest to pique their interest further, I dreamed up a day trip to Galveston--in Phannie, no less--with Jim in the cockpit as my copilot. He and Terri were thusly able to observe the whole process as Phannie metamorphosed from its life as a house into that of a magnificent road cruiser and then resettling back into her nest at the end of the trip.  Jim seemed mesmerized by all the systems that were brought to life as Phannie's big diesel engine fired up and the slides retracted into the superstructure of the bus.  He loves all the switches, buttons and gauges and the motor's low rumble that is more felt than heard in the rear of the bus. I often thought he would have enjoyed a flying career like mine. (I, too, prided myself then in necessarily knowing the exact purpose of every one of the hundreds of items in the cockpit of a large jet aircraft. I'm not sure how well I could retain it all now but, then again, I don't have to, do I?  Come to think of it, Phannie is not unlike a large transport aircraft: It is a big, complicated machine with lots of controls and gauges, hauling people in cruising comfort and requiring great care when maneuvering in tight places. Maybe that's another reason I like her.)

We suggested an arrival in Galveston in time to have lunch at Gaido's, a premier seafood restaurant that's been there since 1911 and, happily, it is also a favorite of Jim's and Terri's.  

We enjoyed the 90-minute drive down I-45 as the girls in back (Sandy's sister, Brenda, and Mindy and the grandkids had joined us) served chip and dip, doughnuts and other goodies.  At one point, they asked me to slow down, as the snacks were affecting their appetites, and they wanted to be hungry when they got to Gaido's!

Brenda looks comfortable as we cruise toward Galveston.

Gaido's, of course, was wonderful and wonderfully expensive, but why not splurge once in a while, right?  

Brenda, Terri, Pryce, Mindy, Mason, Sandy and Jim at Gaido's

My plate - blackened amberjack with avocado-crab topping. I make no apologies.

After this fine meal, I drove my passengers to the seawall and unloaded them for some play time at the beach. This was the first beach experience for Mason and Pryce and, although a bit tentative at first, Mason waded right out into the surf before long. Unfortunately, a heavy seaweed invasion had made landfall and fouled a goodly bit of the beach, but everyone had fun anyway. Instead of joining in the beach romp, I chose instead to take a nap in Phannie, enjoying the air conditioning immensely as I examined the backs of my eyelids. The beach experience isn't exactly a favorite of mine, but I'm especially unenthusiastic about the perennially dirty sand and water at Galveston. Compared to the lovely beaches at South Padre, Galveston is almost embarrassingly unappealing. 

Mason's first time at the beach!

Terri, Jim and Mindy with Pryce at the beach for the first time. He looks a little puzzled.

After all of the beachgoers, soaked and sand-ladened, had reboarded Phannie, I pointed her northwest on I-45 to return to Rayford Crossing. My passengers were much less talkative on this leg as they enjoyed some much-needed naps after all the excitement. (I, of course, was completely alert for a change, as I had been refreshed by my bit of shuteye while they were swimming.)

I think the general consensus was that Phannie represented a top flight means of transporting a group of friends on a day trip.  A fine time was had by all for sure.  

The next morning, we met Jim and Terri for breakfast at the Forest Cafe and Bakery in The Woodlands.  This was a very good mom and pop joint that serves huge breakfast burritos among other goodies; we each ordered a burrito, not realizing how enormous it would be. We definitely should have ordered one for a couple to share; we will tuck that information away for next time.

During the meal, I continued pointing out to our guests the fun and benefits of RVing as a pastime, but I'm not sure I have been fully successful yet in whipping them into the desired frenzy.  I will keep plugging away, however; I'll be sending them some links to RV models for which I think they may enjoy shopping.  

As we bade adieu to these fine folks, we feel richly blessed for having intersected the lives of these friends and relatives who take the time to visit occasionally and leave us smiling at the memories we've made.   

Sandy, Jim and Terri at Forest Cafe

Speaking of treasured memories, how about this one of Sandy (Mimi) and grandson Pryce at a restaurant in The Woodlands?  I'm not sure which is more adorable!

     

A Month With the Kids and More Stuff for Phannie

At Rayford Crossing RV Resort, Spring, Texas (Houston)

We have the good fortune in retirement of being eagerly available to Mindy and her family when the need arises.  Her decision to return to nursing school here in The Woodlands offered the opportunity for Sandy and me to add a little support for what will be quite a challenge for her, now that she is a young mother of two.  Tyler is very devoted and supportive, too, but he works long hours and cannot always be available.  That's where we come in, and we've found there are few things as satisfying as being able to fulfill an occasional need for our loved ones.  Frankly, I can't think of anything that would be quite as sad as reaching a point where we feel unnecessary and unneeded by our family.  Filling in a few gaps is much more of a blessing to us than to them, although they would argue the opposite.

We also have the delight of watching our grandsons as they grow, changing so rapidly right before our eyes.  We were there on Mason's first day of school, and we were there to see Pryce first roll over and then sit up.  Wow!  Not every grandparent can say that!

Grandson Pryce sitting up!

Our time here is rapidly coming to a close for right now, as Tyler's sister, Holly, will be helping out for a while as we make plans for a summer trip to the mountains.  We are always looking for an excuse to leave Texas in the summertime, as my beloved state becomes largely uninhabitable during that time.  As it stands now, we will be caravanning to a campground near Dolores, Colorado around July 18, where we will spend a few days before exploring more of Colorado afterward.  

I have a few additional things to show you that we have bought for Phannie:

We had a pressing need for a sliding shelf under the kitchen sink.  In Tiffin coaches of this type, the lower cabinet is very deep, and we had all kinds of difficulty retrieving articles at the back of this cavity.  Solution?  Shelvesthatslide.com. We merely sent them the measurements, and we got back a well-constructed pullout shelf that I conned Tyler into installing.  We're very happy with the purchase, but a downside was the installation instructions, which we thought were rather poor.  Thankfully, Tyler and I together were able to figure it out without much help from the instructions.

Opening the box from Shelves That Slide

Tyler in installation mode (finally good for something)

Voila!  Nice job, Tyler!

Here's another must have:  The Oxygenics shower head.  Got this from Amazon for about fifty bucks.  Any RVer knows that water pressure is an issue in our rigs, so I got this to try to boost it a bit for taking showers.  I'm not sure how it works, but it does help.

Next is the Strongback folding chair. It's not exactly cheap at around $100, but I'm sure we would never be satisfied with anything else.  It's incredibly easy to fold and unfold, and the back support it gives makes it well worth the cost.  We definitely love this chair:

Well, there you have it for now.  I'm not doing a lot of posting lately, but that's because we're not traveling.  And this is a 'travel' blog, after all.   

More Cool Stuff for Phannie

At home near Fort Worth...

Among the things I find most interesting in reading other RV bloggers is their "show and tell' posts. I have stolen so many ideas from RV bloggers that I really should be incarcerated. I think I purloined the greatest number of ideas from Mui and Erin at Two to Travel's Phaeton Journeys (now on hiatus for the summer). Mui is sickeningly handy at most everything he does, and I really don't think I would like him because of this if he weren't so, well, likeable. Many of the upgrades to Phannie that we had done in Red Bay last fall were shamelessly duplicated from the detailed descriptions and photos in their blog.  

We've added a few more things in recent weeks, most of which can also be attributed to ideas we gleaned from others.  For example, we have had a portable stand-alone icemaker for many years, thanks to Gordon at See the USA in Your Chevrolet, who gave us the idea.  Not long ago, we acquired a high-tech Breville oven, as recommended by Terry and Nick of Gypsy Journal. Here are photos of the ice maker and oven:

Even though our refrigerator has an ice maker, Sandy and I are insufferable ice hogs; the ice maker in the fridge can't possibly keep up. Sandy loves her iced tea, and she always has in hand a glass completely full of ice cubes with some tea occupying whatever space is not used by the ice cubes. (It's the southern way, she says.) Our portable ice maker fills the gap nicely, and it's one of those things we would not want to be without. 

We bought the somewhat pricey Breville oven because of Terry Russell's raves about it.  And now we see why she was so enthusiastic. This little oven cooks and toasts via direct heat and by convection, and it does a superb job of cooking evenly--much more so than Phannie's Panasonic version that is notorious for its uneven cooking.  We are really impressed by the quality of this device and the accuracy and simplicity of its operation.  

Sandy often complained about the faucet in Phannie's kitchen sink. It did not allow enough room to fill pots with water or to wash large items carefully in the sink. Since these are things this humble writer would rather not be caught dead doing, I deemed it highly appropriate that I should replace it with something more to her liking.  Home Depot had just the thing:

This faucet was a little pricey (bring a $100 bill and a fifty with you), but it was well worth it to keep me from having dishpan hands, don't you think?  She loves it, and that's really all that matters. (No, I didn't install it; I would have felt guilty charging Sandy for my labor.)

I had also been looking for some time at several small propane grill models, wishing to acquire one to go along with my

Traeger Personal Smoker Grill

Traeger smoker (another fine cooking machine), and I finally settled on the Weber Q, simply because it seems to be far and away the most popular among RVers.  Now I know why; it's a gem.  It is simple and sturdy yet lightweight, and it cooks great and is easy to clean.  I really like it a lot:

Well, there you have it--all my latest toys. I hope you find something useful in all this nonsense. I'm sure others have some even better ideas, but this stuff sure works for us.

We are heading back to Rayford Crossing in Spring, Texas this weekend to play with the grandkids for a month or so. Holler if you're in the area.
 2totravelphaeton.blogspot.com

More Medical, Dental Stuff and Phannie Loses a Shiny Thing

At home near Fort Worth...

It was only a few posts ago that I was whining about visits to doctors and dentists for Sandy and me. Sometimes I refer to these appointments--purposely grouped together for those times when we return to our home port between trips--as "people maintenance," not unlike the regular shop visits that Phannie must have in order to keep all her systems in prime working order.

Enduring these medical and dental inquisitions has been a bit sobering, as it has been only in the last few years that I began to realize that reaching senior citizen status has rather significant downsides, like this silly health thing. It seems entirely unfair that--just as you get the gold watch and the blessed freedom that goes with it--you tend to start falling apart!

However, I really shouldn't be whining at all, for our little maladies have, so far, been largely fixable. So many other people have terrible conditions that are are not, so we are thankful to God for sparing us these up to this point.

I'm not going to delve into the details of the doctor/dentist visits, because I have been fairly critical of other bloggers whose posts seem more like recitations of their medical history rather than travel journals.  Hopefully, our appointments winding up this week will be enough to carry us through the summer without the indignities of the prodding, poking and pillaging of the guys and ladies in the white coats.  I'm also not going to do a rant on the government's dismantling of the finest healthcare system in the world; it wouldn't be good for my blood pressure.

In the meantime, we have taken a couple of short trips in Phannie--one to an FMCA rally in Wichita Falls and another to Jellystone in Burleson.  These were fun--especially Jellystone and the delight of being with Tyler, Mindy and the grandsons.

Mason and Pryce and Proud Grandpa

It was during a stop on the Wichita Falls trip that I noticed a hub cover missing from one of Phannie's dual rear wheels. A closer look revealed no other damage, so I suppose the retaining bolt simply became loose and backed off at some point.  A quick call to Freightliner in Wichita Falls located a replacement in stock for the hub cover, and they also ordered me a retaining bolt, which they didn't have in stock. A few days later, all was like new, for a little under $300. Ah, boys, and the price of their toys...   

An Evening with Mike and Marian

At home base near Fort Worth, Texas...

We still marvel at our good fortune to have met through this blog so many RV folks with whom we have become friends. Mike and Marian, a delightful couple we met during our stay in the RGV last February, were visiting their family in Arlington, and we just had to ask them to join us for dinner.  We chose P. F. Chang's, a popular Chinese bistro near their turf.  Marian proclaimed it was one of her favorites, so that made us doubly happy!  Mike and Marian, who have a fifth wheel, did full-timing for a while then established a home base in Mission, Texas at a very nice resort called Retama Village. They had become acquainted with several other couples whose blogs we mutually follow, and we try to pass through their orbits when we can.

Sandy, Marian, Mike and, well, Mike

The food was good, and the conversation and laughter never paused as we chatted about our lives and our mutual friends.  Were your ears burning, Ed and Marilyn, Bob and Janet, Jesse and Ginger? (Don't worry, it was mostly good; the other things we just decided to put in God's hands!)

A Visit With Paul and Mary

At home in Fort Worth...

It has been our good fortune to come to know some fine people through blogging and who, for reasons that aren't all that clear, have even befriended us.  Among our favorites are Paul and Mary, who joined us for dinner at Joe T. Garcia's tonight in Fort Worth. (A word about the restaurant later.)

For those who don't know, Paul and Mary were fulltime RVers for four years and recently settled into a new-to-them home in Kansas but keeping Bullwinkle, their motor home. Mary, a gifted writer, chronicled their early retirement in California and their escape from hectic careers in The Great RV Escape, a very readable blog in which we enjoyed every post.

Paul, Sandy and Mary at Joe T.'s

We all had many laughs as we talked about our lives in retirement and the blogger friends with whom we are mutually acquainted. It is always amazing that we know so many of the same people--friends made through our years of RVing and reading the same RV bloggers.

Now, about the restaurant:  I had suggested "Joe T's"--as this restaurant has come to be known over the years--and Paul and Mary readily agreed.  My suggestion was made largely because it is an iconic Mexican restaurant near the Stockyards with a rich history and it is a must-visit place for tourists.  It also has one of the nicest patios anywhere for outdoor dining. Unfortunately, these are the only reasons to patronize this place; don't come here for the food, which is plentiful but mediocre at best.  They offer only two menu items: A fajita dinner or an enchilada dinner, and there was nothing memorable about these except the significant portion that I left uneaten.  

I was a bit chagrined, of course, by having picked a restaurant that I knew to be flawed in the food department, but I reconciled it by thinking that I had helped Paul and Mary achieve this rite of passage in visiting Joe T's and completing the Fort Worth cowtown experience for them.

They didn't seem to mind, though. The evening on the patio was perfect, and we lingered for three hours, enjoying their company. Godspeed and safe travels, you two.  We still think you will make good Texans some day.  

Foodie Adventures

At Rayford Crossing RV Resort, Spring, Texas…

There have been a couple of interesting firsts for me during this visit with our kids and grandkids in Houston.  One was my stint as a judge in a barbeque cookoff in Conroe, and the other was a visit to Suire's, a fabled country store near Abbeville, Louisiana.  And while I'm at it, I'll go ahead and mention Parrain's in Baton Rouge as well.

First the cookoff:  SIL Tyler, who apparently has risen to semi-muckety muck status in the annual Conroe event, invited me to do some judging, and I happily accepted.  I thought it was high time these folks were given the opportunity for a true BBQ connoisseur to opine on the fruits of their labor!

When we arrived, I was quite surprised at the scope of the cookoff; 128 teams were cooking, and the variety of pits and barrels and other smoking devices was astounding.  All the participants seemed happy for passersby to sample their food and admire the handiwork and decor of their spaces and cooking garb.  Boy, did it ever smell good in Conroe!

Mason and Tyler in his BBQ apron

There were quite a few judges sampling categories of chicken, ribs, pulled pork and brisket; I was asked to judge pulled pork, which was fine with me.  Our panel judged the semifinals--fourteen samples that had been pared down from around a hundred entries.  We were asked to rank the submissions on a scale of one to ten for several aspects, including taste, texture, appearance, etc., and my lowest score given was a two and the highest a nine.  The judging was very well organized and monitored, so I didn't have a single opportunity to cheat!  (Sorry, Tyler.)  However, I was happy that Tyler's team showed well in several categories, even without my help!  He and his teammates won their placements fairly and deservedly, for sure, without any funny business from me.

Yours truly, preparing to judge a pulled pork submission among other judges.  Note my official judge's badge!

While we were already in Houston, Sandy and I made a quick overnight road trip in Mae to Baton Rouge, where we took a look at an Allegro Bus that might have been a candidate for upgrading from Phannie. (We didn't tell Phannie we were going; she would not have understood.) Upon arrival, we checked with the locals, of course, for recommendations of the best restaurants.  We settled on Parrain's, a rustic seafood house on Perkins Street, where we had some of the best seafood and bread pudding ever.  May I highly recommend the filet Vermilion and the bread pudding with white chocolate sauce.  There is no charge for the choir of angels that will certainly accompany these fiendishly decadent dishes.

This bread pudding at Parrain's should be illegal.  For everyone but me.

It didn't take us too long to consider that the wide price difference being asked by the dealer between our coach and the newer one, coupled with the cost of adding the upgrades Phannie already has, made no sense financially.  We've decided to keep that money working in our investments and go instead back to Red Bay for some more goodies for Phannie, like installing a residential refrigerator and replacing her carpet, among other things.

On our return trip to Houston, we decided to take a detour down to Kaplan, Louisiana for lunch at Suire's, an old-fashioned country store and restaurant in the middle of nowhere, but not far from the legendary Betty's RV Park near Abbeville.  If you haven't heard of Betty's, you probably haven't read many RV blogs.  Betty's has a large cult-like following among RVers, and staying there is almost a rite of passage.  We haven't had the experience yet, but we definitely have plans to do so.  Anyway, Suire's (pronounced Sweers) is a joint where the food is home cooked and cheap, and the people are down-home friendly--a place certainly among Betty's top recommendations for her guests.  Since I wasn't quite sure of the name of the store and its location, I gave Ed (of Ed and Marilyn fame) a call for help.  He responded instantly with all the information needed, and we headed out.  In about a half hour south of I-10, we came upon the place, a ramshackle white frame building at the intersection of two country roads.  For a foodie, this was like striking gold; I just knew the food would be good.

Suire's

We had the sampler seafood platter, and boy, was it fine.  No supper for us, for sure!  Thanks, Ed, for the good directions.

Back in Phannie I couldn't resist this photo of Sandy and the grandsons.  Gosh, they change every day!

There's a Reason to Avoid Making Too Many Assumptions

At Rayford Crossing RV Resort, Spring, Texas...

We have set up at Rayford Crossing for another week or so near the kids and will celebrate Easter with them.  It is somewhat noteworthy that I finally drove Phannie here LEGALLY!

You see, I had assumed (bad idea, hence the title of this post) that a standard class C driver's license would be quite sufficient for operating a motorhome in non-commercial use in Texas. After more than three years of driving Phannie around the country, I found out that a class A or B (normally classified as commercial) license is required-- with a waiver from the commercial part--when you operate an RV weighing more than 26,000 pounds on Texas highways which, of course, Phannie does.  For goodness' sake, Sandy's clothes in Phannie's bedroom closet probably weigh that much!

How did I not know about this licensing requirement?  Certainly, the salesman who sold Phannie to me failed to mention it (no surprise there!); none of the MH owners I know ever mentioned it either, and I only discovered it reading a blog post of another MH owner who was also surprised to learn of the requirement.  Yes, I am guilty of having made an assumption instead of checking it out.  I know better, but growing older seems not to have made me wiser in this case.

Upon learning of my omission, my first thought was, "What a stupid requirement--having to get a commercial license and then getting an exemption from it at the same time!" This is clearly something the legislators of my beloved state have dreamed up to fatten the treasury, I guess.  (The upgraded make-believe CDL costs $11.00.) 

After considering just blowing it off as a protest to yet another regulatory atrocity, I suddenly had a vision of a trial lawyer's questioning me before a jury as to whether I was properly licensed to drive my motorhome at the time of the accident.  Then I realized that if I answered that question in the negative, I would probably be left destitute by the jury award, irrespective of my responsibility for the accident. 

So, I printed the forms I needed from www.txdps.state.tx.us/driverlicense/commerciallicense.htm, got them notarized per the requirements, and took them to the DPS office for a long, painful wait for processing and setting up a computer-based written test and a road test with a DPS officer.  The clerks gave me a commercial license study guide and briefed me on the parts that were applicable.  After reading through the material a couple of times, I came back and made 90 on the exam--more than good enough.

The next day, I brought Phannie back for the road test, which lasted about a half hour.  Worthy of note about this were the requirements to conduct a rather detailed air brake check and to perform parallel parking!  I told the examiner that he had to be kidding about the parallel parking!  (He wasn't.) Actually, it wasn't very difficult; it involved merely backing up and cutting in beside the curb--without having to park between other vehicles, thankfully. Backing over the curb would have caused me to flunk, and I was careful not to do that.

After this, we drove back to the DPS office, where the clerks cut up my operator's license and issued me a new Class B temporary license.  Chalk one up for the legislators, regulators and lawyers--God bless 'em!

So Long, Central Texas

At Live Oak Ridge COE Park, Belton, Texas…

We stayed an extra day here to avoid the storms that came through the Fort Worth area where we live.  That gave us time to spend some time with some of our aunts and uncles.

Uncle Mac and Aunt Janie met us at The Gin, a restaurant that had been repurposed from an old cotton gin that operated in downtown Belton from 1921 until after World War II.  It was a laudable renovation, leaving intact the load bearing brick walls and interesting components like the scale platform used to weigh the wagonloads of cotton as they arrived at the gin.  All those who had a part in this project have good reason to be proud.  We all enjoyed the historic venue and the lunch immensely, with lots of laughter all around.

The Gin Restaurant

Sandy, Mac and Janie

The next day, we enjoyed a late lunch with Sandy's Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Nettie, then followed them to their new home in the country near Killeen.  They showed us around, and we enjoyed the tour very much, thinking this place is perfect for them at this point in their lives after having been married for more than 50 years.  I also made a short video in which I "interviewed" them about their courtship, marriage and early years.  We've done this with other relatives, and these have proven to be a treasured archive that will not be lost to those who follow.  I would have included in the blog a photo of this wonderful couple, but I forgot to take a still shot with my camera after shooting the video.  A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Friday will find Phannie pointed toward home, having had a fine two weeks away on vacation…oh, wait!  Maybe I shouldn't call it a vacation; that term implies that someone is "vacating" work to engage in recreation, doesn't it?  How can we be on vacation from work when we're already on a permanent vacation from work?  Not to worry…this is one of those imponderables which I will indeed refuse to ponder, as I am on vacation from pondering, too.

Next week will result in more doctor visits; Sandy will be getting a steroid injection to help with arthritis neck pain, and I have a routine checkup scheduled along with a teeth cleaning.  It's pretty sad when our human bodies require more maintenance than Phannie.

Phannie's next departure will be on April 11, when we will be heading for The Woodlands, Texas, where I may be judging a barbeque cookoff in which my son-in-law, Tyler, is participating.  By the way, I always post our location changes on RVillage, so look us up if you notice that we are somewhere near you!

Temple-Killeen-Belton: A Stop at Our Old Stomping Ground

At Live Oak Ridge COE Park, Belton, Texas…

While we toiling in our careers in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, we didn't get a chance to return to this area of central Texas, notable as it is as the place of Sandy's birth, her upbringing and education, and the place she and I met, married, made a home and had our children. Now free from the constraints of work, we have alighted here for a few days to visit family and friends.  We're also moseying around, amazed at how much has changed and making many side journeys down memory lane.

We really like our waterfront location on Lake Belton at this COE park, and at $11 a night with our America the Beautiful pass, it is a steal.  It is typical of COE parks--large sites and nice facilities, but no sewer at the sites, unfortunately.  Here's our spot:

Someone mentioned that I seem to do a lot of writing about restaurants and, now that I think about it, I guess I do.  I suppose that's because eating is something we, like most folks, do every day. We tend to eat mostly at restaurants, and we like to keep a record of the ones we like and don't like.  If some reader finds the information useful, then that's all the better.  Also, trying new restaurants is sort of a hobby.  We don't really have any interest in sports, hunting, fishing or golf, so the money we save from those pastimes helps subsidize our foodie adventures.

With this in mind, I will continue this practice by reviewing Oscar Store, out in the country east of Temple.  This is another of those quaint places in the middle of nowhere--in this instance, Oscar, Texas, a tiny wide place in the road.  A sharp entrepreneur turned a ramshackle general store into a country restaurant, beer joint and dance hall and has apparently done quite well for himself.  We tried the hamburgers, catfish and onion rings, finding the burgers and rings outstanding, while the catfish was just so-so.  (It was frozen catfish, not fresh--a major transgression on their part). 

While we were roaming around Lake Belton, we happened upon Westcliff COE Park, which we will certainly be patronizing during our next visit.  This campground has a goodly number of spaces right at the edge of the water.

We also had dinner with Rev. John Abbey and his wife, Linda, friends for, let's see, about 40 years.  We had a great time with these fine folks.  Besides being a church pastor, John is also an accomplished musician, and we have had a lot of fun over the years playing organ and piano at a number of churches and other public venues.

John and Linda

We have decided to stay put here for an extra day until the threat of thunderstorms, forecast for tomorrow, goes away.  We will use that time to catch up with more of our friends and relatives.