Travel Blog

In Deming, New Mexico

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:09:00 -0400

We have been in this wonderful quiet and secluded place several times already.

I downloaded today some pictures from our last stretch of roads into my last album. Later on I will take more photos from this RV Resort and describe our life here.

I made a doctor's appointment for tomorrow. I have to get my angina spasms under control.

We paid for 3 months' stay ($ 525.00). We are trying out the summer temperatures in this 4,850' elevation for a certain reason: we concider staying here at one point permanently. By paying up front for several months the discount is remarkable. For an entire year it would be 1500 Dollars. We do not want to drive thousands of miles anymore. The coming winter we will be in Arizona. From Florence, AZ to Deming, NM, is just one days drive.

Till later, friends!

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July 22. 2010

We are 3 days here.

The doctor prescribed Nitro and confirmed my upping the Imdur to 60 mg twice per day and looked into all the records from my hospital stay in Bridgeport and decided to just observe me. I looked healthy to her too. I wanted the prescription of a Calcium Channel Blocker, which can totally eliminate the angina spasms in case of Prinzemetal's Angina. She refused - most likely because I suggested it. Yesterday I had one incident again. I was really angry and took a third Imdur in the evening. The pill book says it can be taken up to 240 mg. I take now 180 mg per day. I have to take care of me, no doctor seems to know this type of angina and how severe the pain is. It is very rare. Today I felt fine sofar, I monitor my blood pressure closely, it is low like always.

On the same day Dieter had to remove on wheel from the center axle. It had flattened out shortly after we had arrived here. We got it fixed and Dieter put it back on again. The drive from here to Deming and back takes 26 miles.

Yesterday we visited a Verizon Wireless Store to have the broadband modem program reinstalled. It was not installed correctly in Corpus Christi. We have also Wifi here.

Today we had laundry day. The laundry house is a piece of art - outside and inside. Please, see the pictures. They even have clotheslines and we were able to dry outside. The bed linens smell just heavenly. We have a built-in washer/dryer ( European style) but the park wants all wash done in the laundry room. The septic system is a delicate thing and this place is so neat and orderly and the prices are very welcoming too. So we do not mind.

We have so much fun observing all the critters here. When we were working on the clothesline we almost stepped on a baby Tarantula. I took a pic of that too. Quails with their young, hares- big and small, bunnies, roadrunners, all kind of desert birds, hawks in the sky, mice, small lizzards. We have yet so see foxes, coyotes and snakes. Hopefully we do not encounter those when we start to hike a little.

The owners planted so many different desert plants and trees, from little cacti all the way up to pinion trees. It looks like a desert garden rather than a camping place. It is so peaceful and quiet.

We have had a streak of high heat and thunderstorms with heavy downpours. But overall the climate is dry and the sun is shining most of the time.

Till later....

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July 25.

We observed a wonderful big black Raven today. This bird is quite a sight!

We have also Tarantulas around.

Van Horn, Texas

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:33:00 -0400

We had booked 3 nights in Fort Stockton. This morning I had an angina episode again and we decided to leave one day early in oder to be in Deming as soon as possible.

Packing up and leaving took us one hour. Setting up in Van Horn took Dieter 35 minutes including extending the awning.

The landscape within those 120 miles we drove today was astounding. High mesas, partially connected with each other, in between soft valleys and high mountains as backdrop. To our left side (south) we could sense Big Bend, where we once visited.

Mountain View RV Park is a wonderful big place. Ownwership changed and the new owner dropped the memberships for common folks like us. We had to pay 35 Dollars for one night, 50 Amps electricity included.

I uploaded 4 pictures from this park.

In Fort Stockton, TX

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:53:00 -0400

We have been here several times already because this place is located on Interstate 10 ( please, see former postings) and is on our route from east to west or west to east..

Today we had planned to stay in Pecos on Interstate 20 on an Escapees Travel Park. But then I had severe cramps again while on the road. We were in the vicinity of Midland when Dieter called 911 because I had taken 3 Nitro already and the cramps were still happening after 40 minutes. The EMS guys checked me out, did an EKG and found my diastolic blood pressure dangerously low and my heartrate 35. I did not want to go to the hospital in Midland because we would not have found a space in any campground there ( surfing this topic a couple of days earlier on my computer.). I had 2 angina incidents yesterday, not quite that severe. My body has also get used to the stronger dosage of Imdur. And I take three times a day an Antibiotic because of elevated temps. With other words: I am a little of a mess right now because eating or drinking anything seems to be a trigger for cramps.

So we decided to take TX 18 south and drive the 50 miles to Fort Stockton, where they have a new hospital with all specialists onboard instead of staying somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I had in mind to have doctors in Deming, New Mexico, check me out ( maybe my stomach and esophagus too). We booked here in Fort Stockton at first for 3 nights. I will keep you all posted. At first we have to observe me and take it from there.

In Bridgeport West / Texas

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:18:00 -0400

We had to drive this morning only 9 miles to reach Bay Landing ( a Thousand Trails Resort ). We had to decide whether choosing a 50 AMP site without sewer connection or a 30 AMP site with sewer. We opted for the latter, way outside at the perimeter of the big park. We are members of Resorts of Distinction, which is associated with this park and play the second fiddle only, so to speak, especially on high holidays as the Fourth of July. We have ample space there and wherever we look, it is green. When we set up the trailer I said to Dieter: Susi would have loved this place, with all the bushes! Yes, he said and he told me that he has the same thoughts when we enter a place, to think that it is so lovely for Susi. Susi died 8 months ago and we miss her dearly.

As you can see on the picture of this place here in "Karin's Photos only" (En route from Livingston to Bridgeport, TX), we have no big trees around. On our last location, in Possum Hollow RV Park, we parked underneath a very old oak tree. That has a positive aspect of having shade and the negative one of having to face the danger of falling branches, which is exactly what happened to us yesterday. We had a day of heavy rain and a soaked dry branch broke off and fell down onto our livingroom slide-out and damaged the slide-out awning. That was quite a thump when it hit our trailer. Dieter will try to fix it when we are in Deming, NM.

Here the broadband connection for my notebook is fine and cellphone also, but Dieter's laptop is way out of Park WiFi reach. His website has to wait for his postings.

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About my heart - my physical heart......

I started to have angina episodes in fall 2008, visited a doctor and was given a prescription of Quick-Release Nitroglycerin.

Boy, was I glad I had those little sublingual tablets handy, the sudden squeezing and pressuring pain underneath my sternum was excruciating.

I had other episodes on April 3. and on May 28. May 28. we called 911 and I was in the hospital in Conroe for 2 days. They checked me out with all modern machines there are, including a stresstest on the treadmill. Every test came out negative, no signs of any damage to the heart. No plaque in arteries, cholesterol level normal, blood pressure rather on the low side, very normal and EKG normal. My stent implant was fine and clear.

Anyway, I had another episode on June 8. and on July1.

On July 1. the cramps were so severe that I could not see anymore, my open eyes saw only white, bright light, I was not able to talk, just moan. I had taken 3 Nitro after 5 minutes each and the cramps were still in full swing. I felt nauseated, was in cold sweat , and according to Dieter I was very pale. I told him to call the emergency crew again when I would pass out. But suddenly it subsided, after 25 minutes.

The next day it came on about 9 PM. it always occurs when I am at rest, doing nothing. At first it feels like I have eaten too much or are bloated, then a pain concentrates itself underneath the sternum. All in the matter of maximum a minute.

After having taken 2 Nitro already, we called 911 . After 3 minutes 2 police cars were arriving first, then a fire truck with 2 first responders, shortly after the emergency vehicle came. The campground had blocked all traffic to give all those vehicles free room until we left the premises.

Eventhough I knew that the Nitro would kick in shortly, I wanted to go to the hospital anyway because I figured it was high time to get a prescription of something to prevent those episodes from occuring. While I was in the hospital in Bridgeport, I had another incident at 9:45 PM on July 3. The nurses rolled in the EKG machine and made that test while I was in pain. All came out normal, at least the doctor could not see any indicators. That fact was leading him to the possible diagnosis of

"Prinzemetal's Angina", also known as variant angina or Angina Inversa.

He prescribed Imdur (Isosorb Mono ER 30 mg tab Wes) to take in the morning, most likely this prescription is for life. When I was released from the hospital on July 4. I was handed over an envelope with all the copies of the tests for my cardiologist in Casa Grande, Arizona. I will make an appointment there for the end of Oct., when we arrive in that region of Arizona. Dr. Thomas Steffen was the one assigned to me as a patient without a steady family doctor because of our traveling. This doctor had my admiration because he looked at me from head to toe - literally. He adressed all possible facts which could lead to a betterment of my condition. And he suggested that I should discuss with my cardiologist the pace maker issue, which was on the talble already when I received the stent. I had a heart rate of 30, which was the lowest so far recorded. After the angina incident my blood pressure is like 89/53.

The Internet has the following to say ( in excerpts) about "Prinzemetal Angina":

It is a syndrome typically consisting of angina (cardiac chest pain) at rest that occurs in cycles. It is caused by vasospasm, a narrowing of the coronary arteries caused by contraction of the smooth muscle tissue in the vessel walls rather than directly by artheroclerosis.

It should be suspected by a cardiologist when the pain occurs at rest or at sleeping and/or in clusters and without apparent cause, and in the absense of a positive treadmill stress test, as Prinzemetal's is exercise tolerant and can generally only be diagnosed after other forms of cardiac disease have been ruled out. The pain can be quite severe.

Why the coronary arteries undergo those spasms is not known as yet. However, doctors and researchers believe that the lining of the blood vessels are thin and attribute this as the major cause for the spasm. Under normal circumstances, the lining of the arteries release nitric oxide, which helps to dilate the blood vessel. However , when the lining is thin or damaged, then the nitric oxide is not produced in sufficient quantities, and thereby leading to the narrowing of the arteries and the spasms. Even problems with the muscle tissue or nervous system can cause spasm of the artery leading to Prinzemetal's angina.

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July 5.

The pattern of spasms every day seems to be broken. Nothing happened yesterday, I could enjoy fully being in my "house" again. I have the firm resolve to lessen the time doing nothing or sitting at the computer for long times which might trigger those darn spasms. Dieter and I walked yesterday evening for 30 minutes when the sun was going down. I had a good night's sleep. I do not have the feeling that weather conditions have anything to do with it. We sit in our air-conditioned trailer during the day when the heat is high.

July 13.

Prinzemetal's angina comes in clusters alright.......

I had incidents again on the 9., 11. and 12.

Today I contacted my doctor again and asked whether he could increase the dosis of the Imdur. He did. He prescribed Imdur 60 mg/day, which I will start tomorrow. I also asked him for Antibiotics because I have elevated temperatures lately. There is an infection somewhere, maybe in the lining of the coronary arteries???

Hopefully this will turn out to be better for me. :( I hate cramps !!!!!!!!! Especially around my heart..

In Bridgeport, TX

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:53:00 -0400

Possum Hollow RV Park is a cute little park with about 10 shaded sites (big trees), with a very friendly manager who checked us in outside her RV on the camper bench. We had to pay with a check. We chose this place for having to be one week outside of our membership system because the weekly price of $ 95.00 incl. electric was very appealing and it is only a few miles away from our next location in Bridgeport, a membership place where we pay nothing. We knew there must be something to it, and yes, there is. It is located directly at TX-101, where huge sand trucks drive back and forth the entire day every few seconds. But hey - we are not complaining. You get what you pay for. We had a good night's sleep and are already used to that noise. Surprisingly our comm. connections have 4 columns, a tower must be really close by.

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Yesterday was Sunday, June 27., a wonderful day on our calendar!! An "internet friend", Lee Bain and his wife Celia visited us. I know Lee, aka NDwind. already for 4 years, he was also an active member of the beloved forum site QnA ( Windows.live) which shut down. Friends scrambled to find each other again in facebook, answerbag, sofablend and other forums. Since we met yesterday we can leave the internet out of internet friend!!

We also learned yesterday that......

Lee and Celia are owners and Managers of an RV Resort in Granbury, Texas.

If anyone of our camperfriends wants to spend some time near I-20 , please, concider their place. Visitors of this website take note! The prices are very wallet-friendly! I give your the URL, so can check it out yourself online:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Broken-Spoke-RV-Campground/103951287475

In Whitney, Texas

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:14:00 -0400

We arrived here as planned. The resort is almost empty except of permanents. The reason is the summer heat in these areas of Texas in the months of June/July/August. RV'ers with a bigger wallet seek out places in higher elevations, but we have the firm resolve to stick to our membership places in order to save. All we had to pay here for 7 days was $ 21.00 total for 50 AMP electric.

We stay inside during the day, reading and writing. To give Dieter something to do I was able to convince him to establish his own website. It is also a good work-out for the brain. For his fingers it is hard work because he never had the opportunity to learn typewriting or work within the internet. But it is never too late to learn anything.

Here we have WiFi free and he can use his laptop.

To have the second refrigerator/freezer back is a relieve. Yesterday we drove 18 miles to Hillsboro to shop at Super-Wamart. Despite all jokes about that place, it is and will be our main shopping source. Basis foods are better priced than anywhere else. We had to stock up again on Milk, Butter, Yogurt, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Apples, Lettuce, Chicken Quarters ( 60 cent per pound - very fresh) and other items important to cook from scratch. Of course, the prices in the other departments are pleasing too. When we left, we were minus 200 Dollars. Good thing is that we had to pay only $ 100.00 deductable for the fridge cooling unit, the entire price incl. labor has been 1,300.00. Now we just hope that the second fridge gives up its life of sofar 10 years before our warranty contract runs out at the end of this year, which cannot be renewed because of the age of the Alfa Gold Trailer.

To end the posting for this week, I will show you 2 pictures. The first one is a turtle which made its way through the park in Huntsville to reach a pond, and the second one shows you what our double refrigerators/freezers look like. I do not need to take a photo of our unit here because the surroundings are not out of the ordinary. The neighboring RV's are farther away, it feels like we have the place for ourselves.

In Huntsville, TX

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:43:00 -0400

We had a very short drive this morning, all was set up here in Heartland RV Resort at 11 AM. This place is very nice and neat and has good leveled gravel lots. The clubhouse and the laundry is very attractive and inviting (both accessible by guests only), so was the price - weekly 125 Dollar, electric included. We had to go out of our feeless membership system for a week and this place fits the bill nicely. The view out of our rear window cannot be any better.......

It is mighty hot these days, but after being outside for about 5 minutes the body adapts. Living with air conditioners all the time lets us feel the heat intensely when we step outside.

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June 14., 2010

Tomorrow, June 15., we have do drive with our unit back to Willis to hang around there all day in "Convenient RV Park and Repair" on Rt. 75 to get one of our side-by-side refrigerators/freezers back in order. It had quit on us end of May. Our warranty pays for the replacement of the cooling unit, which arrived there today.

When we come back to this place, there will be just another night until we leave here again on June 17. Please, scroll down to Itinerary.

Back again in Willis, TX

Mon, 31 May 2010 11:08:00 -0400

We were back here as planned and found an empty lot right across the lawn from where we stood before. Parking the unit by backing up and having it on the spot we want is a breeze for Dieter. He was already very good in it before he guided RV's into their spots on Island RV Resort in Port Aransas every day when we were on duty as hosts, but now he is perfect.

The next day May 28., endet for us not so good - I was laying in the Conroe Regional Medical Center in the Emergency Room and Dieter had to drive home alone.

I had very heavy chest pains about 8 PM, I took 3 Aspirins and one Nitroglycerin and Dieter had to call 911, I was in cold sweat and felt like passing out any moment. The paramedics were here 10 minutes later, they must have been "flying" from Conroe to here. Eventhough my pains had subsided conciderably by the time they entered our RV, they talked me into going with them. Dieter followed them in our truck.

Within those 2 full days - and 2 almost sleepless nights - they put me under or in to every electronic machine there is, including stresstest running on the treadmill. They praised me for being excellent on the treadmill, doing better than most younger folks. I was released on May 30., early PM. Nothing was found to be the reason for this attack, all tests came out negative.

My mother had so many of those attacks during her life despite doctors telling her that she has a very strong heart, it was called "Angina pectoris" . I think that it might be the same with me. All I have to have handy are Quick Release Nitroglycerin tablets. The doctors restrain themselves for giving out a "final diagnosis" or their guesses because of legal reasons, I suspect. When I asked them if it could be pectoral cramps they just lift their shoulders or lift an eyebrow. My blood pressure is normal, my heartbeat a little low sometimes.... but I always rise like Phoenix out of the ashes, renewed in spirit.

I feel fine now!!

In Livingston, TX

Fri, 21 May 2010 09:58:00 -0400

What What are you doing in Livingston? - you might ask. The days fly by here too, we are always busy.

We went through our stuff - Dieter in the storage area in our RV's basement - and we sorted out things we can or have to give away to lighten our load or simply because we don't use them anymore. The CARE Center holds annual fleamarkets to collect money and has also a neat little gift shop.

We walk almost daily, but we are not able to walk every road on the daily basis because the park is too big. Escapees aquired another 25 acres adjacent to the property to relocate the campsites for RV's. All the places where we are standing right now will be offered to members as deeded lots. When we walk through "Rainbow's End" we have enough to see and observe, it feels like going through a huge village. Many RV's parked permanently have a roof installed over their units, sometimes connected to a shed to keep the sun out. It is hot and humid here in summer. We pay $ 14.50 per day plus metered electricity, which is expensive, compared to paying nothing or only electric in other membership parks. All the Escapees Parks have different price tags according to their location. This is the "National Headquarters" Park and CARE Center and the price is the highest. The Park in Willis belongs to "Resorts of Distinction" where we do not pay anything, so we go back there for another 2 weeks.

We always said when we hang up our traveling keys we will go to Livingston. We really don't have to do that as long as we are healthy. Sure, it was hot in Arizona in the summer, but we experience heat combined with high humidity in this area - and in Florida - and have to conclude that the dry heat is more bearable. We can always hire a friend to drive us here if we need the CARE Center.

Two days ago I started scanning pictures from the time before I had a digital camera. Windows Vista Photo Gallery imports those and transforms them right away into jpg. images. I have packs and packs of those physical pictures, it will take quite some time until I am finished and have some albums established.

Yesterday my first digital camera I bought in 2003 died. But thanks to Super-Walmart being only 9 miles away I had it replaced quickly. The old Kodak Easy Share was fairly plump, had only 2x Zoom and 3 Megapixels. But the pictures were always good. The new Kodak Easy Share C 182 is much smaller, has a lot more features, has 3 x zoom and a big 3" (7.6 cm) screen - and 12 Megapixels - wow - how good will those be??

Otherwise - all is fine. Till later.........

In Willis, TX

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:37:00 -0400

We had a good drive today. Interstate 45 right through the center of Houston ( 4 lanes each direction) went smooth and really fast. Houston, we had no problem!:)

We selected a site which is on the hilly site of this park, therefore we even have 2 columns of the usual 4 with Verizon Wireless. Telephones are working too again! Nice!

By the way - I have Skype installed but the outcome depends on the signals. As long as I have only 2 columns I cannot respond with video. Only talking might work. If someone wants to try it: my username is karin.bartsch35

I was able to download some pictures today from Rockport! Pretty soon I will take pictures from here....a lot of walking awaits us both because Lake Conroe is wonderful! We have not direct sight onto it from our site but we are good in walking. Our eyes can rest on Green again, like in Rockport and the sites have lots of room in between.

In Rockport-Fulton

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:07:00 -0400

The more nature is around us the more we are "in the boondocks".....Hopefully I can post a few words here before I get cut off.....I will post some pictures when we are in an other location, were I have all signals on computer (and phone). I could have bought WiFi for $ 2.oo per day but I had other ideas how to spend 42 Dollars.....

All around us lots of greenery and shrubs and old oak trees. Right now in spring the lawns are full with wildflowers - yellow, white, blue, red, rost - and butterflies galore.

The temperatures are summerlike and the wind is hardly felt here, it is broken by the woods. We observed deer grazing, squirrels racing through the tree tops, all kinds of birds, of course, and racoons. Dieter spotted 3 young racoons in the very big and high dumpster, when he opened the lid to dump the trash bag. They were not able to come out by themselves, Dieter observed them trying. He found a 2x4 in the neighborhood and placed that piece of wood into the dumpster - - sure enough - from afar we both observed all racoons climbing out of there and disappearing into high grass. They learned their lesson but one did not. The other morning he was sitting in one corner again and Dieter had to bring the wood again. Typical example of human dwellings expanding into wildlife regions.

When we crossed the ship channel via ferry every time we went shopping in Aransas Pass we could see schools of bottlenose dolphins playing and hunting in the channel, white and gray pelicans, cormorans( snake birds) and seagulls. Common Crackle birds, which we simply call blackbirds, are the clowns... the entire ferry fleet of 6 active ships is their playground. We always had fun to observe them, they are smart.

Leaving Mustang Island and our hosting work behind, we start to relax now. We sleep better and longer. But it was very strange to drive our unit without having Susi sitting in between us. It is 6 months already since she died. Dieter is certain that she is around in spirit. He claims he can feel her laying on his shoulder when he sleeps or sometimes he says to me: "Susi just pushed my leg, she is here." I did not have that experience eventhough I thought that I am the very spiritual one.

We had nice neighbors when we arrived here and I invited them to Ham Dinner. They contributed to it with a Bean Casserole and Red Wine. They travelled with one dog and 3 cats, all were on the leash and very well behaved. Neighbors are getting sparse here, most of them leave to head home to their states in the north or to Canada.

In the meantime we switched back from Dish Network to DirecTV and had that service installed. We also had approval from our trailer insurance to replace our cracked slide-out seals and had someone already working on the desk slide-out. He installed the wrong size and now the right ones are ordered and will be installed before we leave here.

Till next time -

Travel Itinerary 2010/11

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:03:00 -0500

The following locations as well as the time frames will be confirmed as time passes. We can make reservations 3 months in advance.

April 1. - April 22., 2010 ( Confirmed )

WHR-Bayview

5451 Highway 35 N

Rockport, TX 78382

361-288-4723

miles to drive: 24

www.westernhorizonresorts.com

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April 22. - May 13., 2010 (Confirmed)

Castaways RV Resort

12922 Longstreet Rd

Willis, TX 77318

936-856-2949

miles to drive: 238

www.castawaysrvpark.com

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May 13. - May 27, 2010 (Drive-up anytime)

Rainbow's End

140 Escapees Drive

Livingston, TX 77351

936-327-1279

miles to drive: 75

www.escapees.com/rainbowsend

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May 27. - June 10., 2010 (Confirmed)

Castaways RV Resort

12922 Longstreet Rd.

Willis, TX 77318

936-856-2949

miles to drive: 50

www.castawaysrvpark.com

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June 10. - June 17., 2010 (Confirmed)

Heartland RV Park, Inc.

3366 S H 19

Huntsville, TX 77320

936-439-0350

miles to drive: 23

www.heartlandrvpark.net

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June 17. - June 24. 2010 (Confirmed)

Lake Whitney Golf & RV

FM 9331 SW Country Rd.

Whitney, TX 76692

254-694-4023

miles to drive: 107

www.lakewhitneyrvgolf.com

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June 24. - July 01., 2010 (Confirmed)

Possum Hollow RV Park

200 Private Road 1530

Bridgeport, TX 76426

940-683-4050

miles to drive: 120

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July 01. - July 15., 2010 (Confirmed)

NACO- Bay Landing

P.O. Box 38

Bridgeport, TX 76426

940-683-3019

miles to drive: 3

www.thousandtrails.com

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July 15. - July 16., 2010

Tye RV Park

441 Access Road I-20

Tye, TX 79563

325-691-0398

miles to drive: 177

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July 16. - July 18., 2010

Baron Mobile Estates & RV Park

3214 W. Country Rd.

Odessa, TX 79764

432-332-4976

miles to drive: 161

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July 18. - July 19., 2010

Mountain View RV Park

810 S.E. Frontage Rd.

Van Horn, TX 79855

432-283-0005

miles to drive: 162

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July 19. - Oct.19., 2010 (Confirmed)

Hidden Valley Ranch RV Resort

12100Hidden Valley RD NW

Deming, NM 88030

575-546-3071

miles to drive: 236

www.hiddenvalleyranchrv.com

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Oct.19. - Oct. 20., 2010

Fort Willcox RV Park

7565 W. Fort Willcox Loop

Willcox, AZ

520-384-4986

miles to drive: 125

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Oct. 20. - Nov. 01., 2010

WHR - Casa Grande

195 W. Rodeo Road

Casa Grande, AZ 95222

520-421-0401

miles to drive: 153

www.westernhorizonresorts.com

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Nov. 1., 2010 - April 30., 2011

Tierra del Sol RV Resort

429 Pueblo del Sol

Florence, AZ 85132

(address during our stay there)

miles to drive: 32

www.tierradelsolrvresort.com

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Merry Christmas and a very good New Year!

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:08:00 -0500

Christmas is a special time of the year, no matter whether you are a Christian or not. In older Pagan times it was the celebration of Winter Solstice and later it was the birth of Christ which gave the winter festival its name.

Anyway - let's celebrate! In Germany there are 4 special Sundays before Christmas, called Advent. It is derived from the Latin advenare - coming nearer, arriving. The first Sunday is called 1.Advent Sunday, which is tomorrow, Nov. 29, 2009. The other 3 Advent Sundays get the numbers in front of them accordingly.

Tomorrow Dieter and I will light a big red candle as a centerpiece on our couch table sitting in a ring of artificial fir and red little apples. We will remember earlier times in our life.....As a child I remember the Adventskranz, a wreath made from fir branches with 4 candles on it and hung from the ceiling over the dinnertable with big red silky bands fastened by making bows. The 1. Advent is marked by one burning candle, the 2. by 2 and so on. The room darkened and the candles burning.....Does that paint a picture of comfort? When there is also a "Gluehwein" (hot sweetened and spiced Red Wine) or an Apple Cider or an Egg Nog on the table, everything will be fine.....

The time of Advent is also a time to bake cookies, to craft little gifts and to write cards.

Here is one Adventskranz sitting on the table.

2 candles are burning, that would be on the 2. Advent Sunday, Dec. 6. 2009.

This one looks very tasteful in its simplicity. But there are no limits to your creativity, as far as the colors of the candles and the trimmings go, even the wreath could be made from different material, like fabrics or wood or from artificial white fir branches - with golden candles and ribbons.....

We have to work on Christmas ( Dec. 24. - Dec. 26.) but we will participate when Christmas Dinner is served in the recreation room on Christmas Day at 1:00 PM.

November 21., 2009

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:12:00 -0500

Yesterday was my birthday. 74 years..... is that middle-aged nowadays?? We had a guest for a cup of coffee, he brought a home-made cheese cake. He is a Chef in Port Aransas and has his own restaurant here - Marcel's. He comes from Bavaria and his wife is from Texas, I met her in the internet. We always enjoy his genuine Bavarian accent in German. All the telephone calls from Family in Germany were also a highlight of that day. Dieter offered me a visit at the Chinese Buffett in Rockport, we had to delay it because it rained "cats and dogs" yesterday, it came down in sheets - about 9 inches here within 24 hours and 12 inches in Rockport.

We have all winter hosts present now and we have 12 days off after 3 days work. Good!

Today Dieter and I remembered his mother Gertrud - her birthday would have been today and she would have been 100 years old. She was almost 93 years when she died. We said a toast to her spirit when we sipped our Red Wine.

When my mother Elfriede Herrmann would have been 100 years old, we had an office Potluck party here in Port Aransas on April 1., 2009 ( coincidence...) and I had my picture taken by a co-host to remember her special day. This picture ( my head) is the avatar in almost every forum I participate including Windows Live Messenger.

The surgeon in Corpus Christi released me for now. My belly will heal further in time. I will see him before we leave here in spring. Next month I am through with the Plavix Tablets I was prescribed after the stent implant in Dec. 2008. That leaves me with a water tablet against slight ankle swelling in the evening. That is my only prescription tab I take.

October 19., 2009

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:44:00 -0400

I had an appointment with the surgeon in Corpus Christi today and on our way back we visited the spot in the dunes, were Dieter buried Susi 17 days ago. We had the feeling we had to be there once more.

Dieter still fights tears when he mentions Susi's name. .....

The beach was deserted because the recent "Red Tide" (red algae) left a lot of dead fish stranded. The stench is massive. Of course, the authorities will clean up the beach but it takes a while. Padre Island together with Mustang Island is very long!

What did my surgeon say? My belly looks good. It will take a long time to heal deep inside and I have to have patience......

October 2., 2009

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:57:00 -0400

Today is a very sad day for Dieter and for me: Our cat Susi is dead. She had to be euthanized and we petted her while it was done. Our travel companion and family member of 11 years is gone......

The Island Animal Clinic, Dr. Debra Megonigle and her ever so friendly and helpful staff did the best they could to help her and us. They adviced us that Susi's body could be buried in the dunes of this island. They neatly packed her into a carton, taped it all up, ready to be sent to the Rainbow Bridge.

Not every cat traveled as far as Alaska and not every cat has the honor to have the gravesite at the beach. For a long time it will be lonely around here.

We donated all of Susi's belongings to the animal clinic.

October 1., 2009

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:06:00 -0400

You might have noticed that I established a page "Calendar". If you want to know when we have to work or when we are not at home, that is the place to look. Another host will leave shortly and that means that Dieter has to work more in between. I will add those events when they are scheduled.

In the meantime I had to take high doses Antibiotics because my surgical wound got infected which is almost healed right now. I had to start a second round of Clindamycin today. I know I will heal - but my and Dieter's main concern is our cat Susi.

She is sick - the diagnosis is either cancer of the mouth or a very heavy infection, could be from a bite of a critter or from parasites.

Just had spent 250 Dollars overall in the vet's office and on Tuesday we had a new thermostat built in which was a bill of another 250 Dollars because for our kind of combined heating and cooling system in the trailer there was only an updated digital version available, incl. overnight delivery. The weekend was in beween - overall we were living in our trailer without Cooling for a week in record high temperatures( incl. high humidity) for this time of the year, it was around and over 90 degr.F. We had all the windows open and the ceiling fan and two other fans running. It was bearable but now we cannot really enjoy anything when we look at our cat.

September 10., 2010

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:00:00 -0400

It finally rained in Port Aransas! We had thunder and lightning during last night and it started raining hard - all day till about 4 PM.

And my day in the office was good, I had even time to knit a little. A very welcome rest after a high-traffic summer..... .

August 26., 2009

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:35:00 -0400

We have still heat advisories and it still never rained. We had only a few big drops during a distant thunder storm which made the car look like someone slammed mud onto it. The fine sand dust is always in the air. Dieter looks always out for rost, which sprouts in a pace we never experienced elsewhere, not even in Florida. He sprays it and puts grease onto parts which could rost.

One month ago I went to a physician in Port Aransas to get set up for a hernia surgery. Since beginning of June I had a bulge little above the navel and the small scar from the cholectomy in January 2009. The hospitals in Corpus Christi must have been pretty busy because I did not hear anything about it even after two reminders. Finally I got an appointment In Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi to see the surgeon.

That was yesterday. It was high time because the bulge had gotten bigger over time and was starting to hurt. I had also a chest X-Ray, an EKG, blood drawn and Urine test. And I was adviced to stop Plavix which I take for one year after the stent implant into the artery on Dec. 19. 2008. Since I am overall pretty healthy they scheduled it to be a one-day affair only. Hurray! I can sleep in my own memory foam bed.....

Our manager of Island RV Resort and one of my host collegues will fill in for me during my scheduled work days on 29., 30. and 31. of August. They are so very nice and caring and always concerned. Dieter will work. Right now it is more quiet here, the schools have all started again and many pulled out with their RV's already. In this regard the timing for the surgery is just right. I will keep you updated!

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Today is the 28. of Aug. and I am home since early afternoon. I feel good! The sore throat is the annoying part right now. But Spirits are high. Vitals are excellent, the blood pressure was 125/70 before release!

We had to be in Corpus Christ at 6 AM, we left Port Aransas at 4:30 AM. An AM affair only. Thanks for your positive thoughts!

July 16., 2009

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:58:00 -0400

To keep you updated about my computer:

We drove to Corpus Christi and visited a big Verizon Wireless Store. We left the notebook there for over 2 hours to get it diagnosed. Luckily Walmart was the neighboring store. We killed the last half hour being there by sitting in the McDonalds restaurant and having a coffee and a cookie - and observing people. Boy, had we fun with it.....

It turned out that the broadband modem was gone, they had to order a new one - at my expense - $ 50.00. It arrived 2 days ago. Yesterday I had to call in at Verizon and had it validated. It works now like a charm, with full signals and without any interruptions, no matter how long the idle time for the computer is. By now I have everything sorted out, all pictures etc. The document folder was a "Temporary Burn Folder" which drove me "nuts" by showing a bubble all the time telling me that there are folders sitting there to be burned onto a disk - everytime I saved something. I figured out by clicking on properties that I could hide the entire temporary burn status. Since then there is peace all over the screen and the renamed "Document" folder is silent.....

I was really proud of myself.....

I have to work hard on my resolution to shorten my time sitting on the computer because I really love it. But I love Dieter also and he does not deserve to be neglected.

It is very hot here and it does not rain. A few drops are in the forecast - will see.

Have a very good summer everyone!