April 23, 2012 - Again, why did we come to Texas???

We worked so hard to get back here to Livingston, Texas.  I need a reminder—why did we come back here?  The first two weeks were a blur. Work, work, and more work!

The first job is always get the camper ready to leave if Larry’s lab tests show a decline in his health.  Second is to get the house and yard whipped back into shape after a 5-month absence.  And then tackle the “repair or replacement chores.”

Easter was the bright spot in all the back-breaking, never-ending work.  To make it even better, a dear friend brought me a welcome home “smile.”  A rose is a rose is a smile:

 

Easter just isn’t Easter without some colored eggs and Easter baskets.

Once the camper was clean and put back together, we had the local truck accessory store add air bags—finishing what we started 60 days ago at the Bakersfield, CA, Camping World. 

Then it was time to start this year’s house repairs.  Luckily I ran into Johnny Burks of J & J Construction in Wal-Mart.  He built this house back in the 1990s and did some modifications when we purchased the house in 2003.  They do GREAT work.  I mentioned we wanted a new RV port to cover the camper as well as some other chores done. 

Johnny was here at 8 am. on Monday morning and back with his team starting work the following week.

From this:

to this:

 

And three days later, we have a new carport for the camper.

J & J will be back this week to install the air conditioner in the garage wall and remove the old camper-cover white frame, seen up on the left of the above photo.  The canvas garage worked about four years, but two hurricanes stripped it back to a frame. 

The best part is that I have been able to get into my shop and throw some bowls.  It feels wonderful to play in the clay!

Larry did what he loves—planting his tomato garden.  His plants are growing faster than our weeds???  What is his secret?  Miracle Grow—in the potting soil and with a sprayer.  You don’t want to know what it cost to set up two tomato plants, smile. 

It is chilly in the mornings—down in the 50s.  Larry and I comment on how it feels like we are going into winter, not summer.  He was wondering why the lawn was growing so quickly—thinking it should be settling down for winter—and then he remembered—summer is coming.  I guess the beautiful weather in AZ and CA was our summer and now it should be fall instead of summer.  We have suffered from time-disorientation from traveling through different time zones in a short time period, but this seasonal disorientation is new to us.

We hope you are enjoying your spring (or fall) season!