FROM TEXAS TO LOUISIANA TO ARKANSAS

Vannie, Dave, and I have driven this road from Hillsboro to Bernice several times.  Vannie decided this time to take a few pictures along the way.  No mesas, no snow-covered mountains, but lots of good people and just something comforting...hard to put your finger on. After we arrived in Bernice, V and D enjoyed a short visit with Amy (Vannie's niece), and then headed to Farmerville to see Pearl (Dave's mom).

 I hung around the clubhouse and visited with the big 5th wheel next door. Pearl  had V and D's schedule all planned out.  The main event was attending a 90th birthday party for Pearl's niece, Margaret Templeton, in Eldorado, AR.  LotS of Fun! 

V, D, and I will be heading to Lafayette tomorrow for the Cajun Caravan.  25 Airstreams from all over the USA.  Can hardly wait to get started and will have many stories to share with you...

Hillsboro

Just one of the many small towns we went through

lots of flat land and not many trees

famous Colin Street Bakery...home of a really good fruit cake

high school teams

 

intersections

 

Canton...home of the infamous flea market

I20

Pine Trees

 

Traffic pile up

 

Louisiana

Bossier City...No, we didn't stop

Ruston

 

 

Bernice...Yea!

My special place behind the clubhouse...I just love it here.

Dave and Pearl at the party

Pearl (95) and her niece, Margaret (90)...lots of good genes in this family

V and D with a "sort of" relative...Wayne Barrett.  Wayne is an old friend from Junction City, AR

 

 

...SO IT WAS ALL GOOD!

Vannie and Dave knew it was going to be their last weekend in Austin for a while, so they said, "Gypsy, we are going to do it right."  They picked up Madeline and Vincent early Saturday morning and headed to SeaWorld in San Antonio.  A couple of years ago Vincent had been with his cousin, Cooper, but had not been back since...and, of course, this would be little Madeline's first visit.

 

The weather was wonderful.  One of those few spring-like days we have had this winter.  I basked in the sunshine while they were gone and enjoyed the dog park across the street from me.  I am always amazed at how many RVer's have pets...and, often, more than one.

 

Well, V and D thoroughly enjoyed their weekend with the grandkids.  Dave almost pooped out before the last Shamu show at 5:30...and everyone knows that you can't go to SeaWorld without seeing Shamu.     He rallied and loved the show as much as the kids.

 

Madeline and Vincent stayed overnight with me and slept like logs.  The next morning they headed to McDonalds and then to church and then home...back to mama and daddy.  Vannie says that is the good thing about grandkids...enjoy them...then take them home.

 

V and D took a nice l-o-n-g nap Sunday afternoon. 

 

What a weekend...but it was all good...well, maybe not when Madeline spilled her whole container of milk all over her...or when T-Pop (Dave) kept wanting to go back to the truck after the 3:30 show...or when Vincent couldn't find just the right stuffed animal (V ended up ordering one from Amazon when they got back to me)...or when Vannie's right hip started hurting from so much walking (not as young as she used to be)...but all those things were canceled out when they would see those kids faces and the excitement in their eyes....so it was all good.

 

Ready to get it going!

 

Madi wanted to touch one of those dolphins really bad.

Penguins

Walrus show

I think Vincent was trying to make his eyes look like his horse's eyes.

 

Getting tired...both of them!

Madi missed the Shamu show...It was the last one, though.

The morning after!

McDonald's

Church

 

OVER AND OUT!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNT RUTH

98

98, can you believe!

Yes, that's right, Aunt Ruth was 98 on February 23.

Aunt Ruth is Vannie's mom's youngest sister.  She is the only one of the family left and is in a nursing home in Flower Mound, TX.  

 

Dave and I decided to hang loose in Austin while Vannie, Emilie, and the kids went to the birthday party.  Roy had to work,  so Vannie, Emilie, and the kids headed out Saturday around noon.  They said they were sure the kids would be asleep before they got out of town.  NOT...finally in Waco the zoo was calling to them.  A place the kids could run and scream and get off some of that pent up energy.  Perfect idea!  Vannie said that it worked, and when they got back in the car an hour later...kids were in la la land by they time they hit the road.

 

Sleep over at Cousin Janet's in Flower Mound, TX

...fun at the park

...AND, of course, THE PARTY!

  Vannie said Aunt Ruth was in good form.  She seemed to recognize everybody.  Couldn't always call their name, but knew their face.  Those in attendance were Aunt Ruth's nephew and his wife, George and Josie Johnston, their son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Cindy Johnston, great niece, Emilie and her kids, Madeline and Vincent, Vannie, and her daughter, Janet.  

 

Vannie, Emilie, and kids headed back to Austin after the party.  Vannie said that this time, Vincent fell asleep immediately and Madeline just jibber-jabbered and played with her toes.  Around Hillsboro, they stopped for dinner.  When they got back in the car, Madeline fell asleep, and Vincent kept Vannie and Emilie in stitches with his story telling.  Vannie's mom was an awesome story teller, she was coming out in little Vincent's imagination.  Precious!

 

Me, Dave, and Vannie were all back together around 9:30 pm...Ahhhhh!

Aunt Ruth looking good!

Daughter, Janet

George, Josie, Emilie, Madeline, Vincent

Vannie

The boys table...George, Vincent, Tim

 

Playing at the park

These go everywhere with Vincent...he is always prepared for playtime.

Waco Zoo

Some down time at Cousin Janet's...just waiting around for the party.

 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2014

February 14, 2014...It is a beautiful day in Austin, Tx.  Blue skies, 80 degrees, sun shining...love in the air.  Well, I don't know if it is love, or just that everyone is so darn glad that it is not snowing or sleeting or 29 degrees or schools have been called off.  Smiles are everywhere you look.  People are laughing, sitting on their patios waving at passers-by, riding bikes...They are hoping that the cold is OVER.  I am, too.

Vannie and Dave have been enjoying the grandkids and helping with some home renovations at Emilie's house.  We'll be here in Austin till March 2.

 

Gypsy's Valentine's Poem to You

 

I was sitting in Spot 27 at the Lone Star RV

Just thinking about all my friends and me...

 

I knew it was Valentine's Day

And I was seeing the kids at play...

 

Then on a tree limb up above

I spotted a beautiful turtle dove...

 

All at once...my heart was filled with LOVE!

 

Happy Valentine's Day from Gypsy and her family

 

(Corny, but... oh well...)

Sweet Madeline

McDonald's...always a good choice for grandparents

When you can't get to the bathtub because of renovations...the sink is a good plan B.

The Zoo...another winner for grandparents

Petting Zoo...Vincent was really warming up to that goat.

Which foot does that Elmo shoe go on?  I don't think either one of them knew.

Vannie made these camo pants for Vincent.

...and the Camo skit for Madeline.

...banana bread...Yummy!

Dave helping with the renovations.

That guitar plays music, and Madeline LOVES it.

Valentine Lunch at BEETS Café in Austin.

Pizza Rustica

A sprouted sunflower seed, hemp crust generously topped with seasoned almond nut cheese, zesty tomato sauce, marinated mushrooms, sweet pepper, crispy onions, olives, fresh tomato, basil, spices, and crystal salt, served with a petite Caesar Salad.

(Vannie didn't know whether to eat it or smoke it...LOL! She said it was delicious.)

Raw Reuben

Sunflower flatbread layered with 1000 island dressing, kraut, marinated portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, and Swiss cashew cheese, served with beets salad and veggie chips.

(This was Dave's choice.  He said it was divine!)

 

Looks and sounds a little weird to me...but whatever floats your boat!

JUST CALL THE MAN, AUNT BEA...

"The Andy Griffith Show"...I know that some of you remember that wonderful TV show from the 60's.  Well, one of Dave's favorite lines from that show is "Just call the man, Aunt Bea." Aunt Bea's International Harvester freezer had gone out, and she kept trying to get one of her kinfolks to fix it.  Andy had had enough, so he insisted on her calling a real repairman..."Just call the man".  That's  been happening "for real" in Austin this month.  Vannie and Dave's computer has been on the blink.  Vannie kept trying to fix it, and Dave kept saying, "Just call the man, Vannie."  The man turned out be their son-in-law, Roy.  Vannie finally gave in and called him.  And now, guess what, it's fixed!  I'm back on track.  I've been missing telling all of you about our adventures.

 

Since we last wrote, we have been to Harrisonburg, Rayne, and Austin, TX.  We are in Austin as we speak and will be here until the end of February.  It has been as cold as a well-digger's b--- in Idaho.  And Snow...and ice!!!  I'm just not used to being this cold, but it is nice and cozy inside.

 

In Harrisonburg, LA we visited Cousin Emmilee Green.  She has a nice big house on the Ouachita River, with plenty of room for me to park.   It was just an overnighter, but much needed for all of us.  A Great Visit!

 

IBT in Rayne, LA was next.  International Board and Trustees Meeting for members of the WBCCI (Wally Byam Caravan Club International)  It's what those big red numbers are all about.  The numbers are our official club number...mine is 4097.  It was our first time at an IBT meeting.  V and D loved seeing folks that they had met at the International meeting in South Dakota last summer.  It was also great to see some of our old friends from the Louisiana Acadiana Airstream Unit.  Lots of good food and entertainment...and I did see a frog or two down by the bayou. Rayne is the frog capital of the world.

After dropping me off in Austin at the Lone Star RV, Dave and Vannie went in different directions.  Dave had to go check on his mom in Farmerville, and Vannie headed to Dallas for Cousin Janet's birthday.  She visited Aunt Ruth (Janet's mom and V's mom's youngest sister).  When I saw Aunt Ruth's picture, I had to smile when I saw those ruby slippers.  Come on, Aunt Ruth, give them a click!.  Vannie could hardly stop talking about the great Matisse and Picasso Exhibit at the Kendal Museum in Fort Worth.  She said it was so inspiring.  She wanted to pull out the paint and brushes and get started. 

 

GRANDKIDS....ahhhhhhhh!

 

Now, looky here...what's Dave doing?  He is waterproofing my awning. That awning has been with me since birth...1977...and it is still in such good shape...just needed a little perk-up.

 

 

 

...And then there was the snow! BRRRR!