Howdy and how is everybody this evening? For those of you in the upper Midwest, I hope you're enjoying the warm weather I have sent your direction. I wanted to make sure that white stuff was gone before we started back your way. Just don't forget to cover your pipes if the temperature returns to below 37*.
You may have noticed in the title of this blog. Yes, we have been kicked out of Texas. In the last two to three weeks, if you have been watching the news, you surely heard about the uprising in Egypt and other locations in the Middle East. What you haven't heard, at least on Fox News, is the uprising in Houston, TX. It all started a couple of weeks ago then the weather forecasters started talking about the temperature getting down to 37* and even colder. Everyone was advised to stay home as it was too dangerous to go outside. Schools were all closed because the children would have to walk in the cold from the car to the school building. And of all things, the non-essential government workers were told to stay home and still get paid for the day. (Here's a point to ponder. If you have a non-essential someone on your payroll and you really don't need them, and your business is running just fine without them, why have them?) Did I remind you to cover your pipes? Anyway back to what really happened. Well this weather scare started an uprising in the Houston area. This is the second year in a row this kind of weather has happened in January/February and the locals were up in arms. Well, Shari's cousin Jerry just happened to mention in the barber shop the Frantz clan from Iowa were here both winters during the cold and, jokingly mentioned they may have brought the weird cold weather with them. That was all it took. Committees were formed to find out about this Frantz clan and where they were located. We were traced first from Gladewater, down to Tomball, and finally to San Jacinto Riverfront RV Resort in Highlands. When we were found that's when the protests started. Again, don't forget to cover your pipes. The protesters came out by the thousands. They were unrelenting. Finally, Sunday morning, the Happy Couple could take it no more. You folks in stick homes, for you to move you have to find a realtor, list your home, leave during the open houses, accept an offer with the contingency on selling another house, wait for bank approval, and finally the closing. With this housing market, this may take a year or two. The Happy Couple, when they want to move, they pack everything away, unhook the hoses and power line, hook up the truck to the house, and away they go. About two hours max on a bad day. Fearless Dave always says "If we don't like our neighbor we just pack up and leave". Anyway, about 10:00 AM, with me leading the way, we took US 90 to Beaumont and got on to TX 12 and snuck into Louisiana. Fearless Dave told me to stay off the the big road. Where we ended up is Coushatta Luxury RV Resort near Kinder, LA. This campground is a very high rated RV park with everything you could want for a hide-away and very inexpensive. Jesse James would have been proud. You stay here for 3 nights and get a 4th and 5th night free. Even the village idiot can spell free. Anyway, we are here until Friday. Again, from here, who knows. It will probably be with whoever will take us in. Those places are few and far between.
While we were at Highlands, our leader did take a trip to the San Jacinto Monument, located about 3 miles from the campground. The monument grounds is a Texas State Park where, on April 21, 1836 after the Battle of San Jacinto, Santa Anna surrendered to the Texans, which allowed Texas to declare its independence from Mexico which, 10 years later, lead to them becoming the 28th state of the union. Fearless Dave says it was a very short battle, about 20 minutes, and thinks Old Santa Anna just quit fighting because he didn't like the area all that well anyway. It gets really hot and humid in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter. Clear down to the lower 30's some nights. When it's that cold you HAVE to cover your pipes. While at the park Dave, our resident health nut, decided to take a walk on a nature trail through the marsh land of the park. This is a 3 1/4 mile loop trail and Dave walked until he reached the 2 mile marker. Being tired because he is so far out of shape, and thinking he couldn't finish the loop, he turned around and retraced his steps to the truck. DAHHHHHHHH On the return trip he said he turned a corner on the trail and a wild boar crossed the trail in front of him. (No camera - no pictures) He said the thing stood about 2 1/2 feet tall and weighed about 250 lbs and was as black as black could be. Thinking maybe he was seeing things, he asked a park ranger if what he saw was really what he thinks he saw. The ranger confirmed the sighting was very possible as there are many of them in the park and they do a considerable amount of damage to the grounds. The ranger told our leader he could take him home if he wanted but, fortunately for us, Dave declined. And we could have had pork chops for dinner.
What did you think of the Super Bowl? I thought it was a good game but half time has to go. The NFL should insist there be fewer Black Eyed Peas and more clothing malfunctions in the future. The commercials weren't even very inspiring this year. Maybe I'm just getting old.
Yesterday morning I asked the Happy Couple what they were going to do for the day. Since they didn't have anything planned, I told them to jump in the truck and I would take them on a road trip. With Driver Dave driving, and me guiding, we went into the bayou country of southern Louisiana. After a lunch stop at a local restaurant in Kaplan (Dave wolfed down a catfish po-boy) I took them to Avery Island where McIlhenny Tabasco Pepper Sauce is made. You could call it the world headquarters for McIlhenny as it is the only place in the world where it is made. They bottle over 700,000 bottles per day, 4 days a week, shipping it to 160 countries in the world, with labels in 22 languages. This stop is very well worth the time if you are ever in the area. After about an hour and a half of learning and shopping we continued on our road trip on LA-82 down along the gulf in the middle of no man's land. This highway is a long desolate strip of blacktop in a swamp. There are a few homes and, also, almost a town but nothing else. My advice, if you ever drive this route, go into it with a full tank of fuel and an empty badder. It is about 90 miles from one convenient store to the next one. It is a nice drive and interesting to see the homes down there that have been damaged by various hurricanes and storms. A lot of people live down there full time but I don't think the Clan will be moving there anytime soon. You can be 45 miles from the nearest store and 60 to 70 miles to the nearest Walmart. You just can't survive without Walmart. We returned home about 6:00 PM.
Being home by sundown was very important. Granddaughter Emma plays on the West Burlington Falcons basketball team (17 - 2) and they had a very important game last night. They were playing Mediapolis in the regional quarterfinals of the state basketball tournament. The game was being broadcast on KBUR radio in Burlington and the Happy Couple could receive it on the computer. The Falcons won by 3 points and are now waiting to play Van Buren Friday night at Mt. Pleasant in the regional semifinals. West Burlington and Van Buren have spilt their two games this year, so this is the rubber game. GO Falcons!!! As a junior, Emma does not start for the Falcons but does play a lot as either point guard or off guard. I think she gets the basketball talent from her grandmother Shari. I understand Shari was a star as a Crawfordsville Cyclone. (Or is that Cyclown. I keep getting those mixed up.)
Today has been kind of a quiet day for the travelers. Mutli-talented Dave cooked breakfast outside this morning. It only took 6 eggs to get 3 that were edible. After cleaning up his mess, the two of them took a walk to a casino which is located next to the campground. They could have ridden a free shuttle bus but decided to walk over and ride the bus back. About an hour later, I saw them walking back from the casino. I asked Stupid why he was walking instead of riding the free shuttle and he said after that experience he was so broke he couldn't afford to ride the free bus. I tell you things are really interesting around here some times. Shari and Moe just shake their heads and try not to take anything he says, or does, too seriously.
That should get you up to date for now. I know I missed something these two have done but right now I can't think of what it could be. I'm going to have to teach Moe how to write so she can start taking notes for me. Sometimes the Happy Couple just move too fast for me.
Until next time, as aways. (If it gets below 37* don't forget to cover those pipes!)
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A quaint little drinking couple with a camping problem!
