Saturday 28 February 2009

Looking Around

I woke up sometime before 5 a.m. to the wind buffeting our house on wheels. The cold front had arrived!

When I got up this morning around 8 a.m. it was 56F, quite a difference from yesterday. I put the shorts away for a couple of days. Here's another trail photo I took this morning.

I knew I was being optimistic when I took the electric blanket off the bed two days ago - this morning I put it back on in preparation for near freezing temperatures tonight.

This morning we went out for a drive then proceeded to try to find a place to have breakfast but since it was already noon everyone was serving lunch. At home, in Ottawa, on the weekend a lot of restaurants serve breakfast or brunch all day, evidently not here so we came home and had lunch. Back out we went and drove around the area but didn't see much other than Coleto Creek Reservoir which was kind of interesting.

When we came back I lay down to read and woke up a couple of hours later so decided to go out and do one of the trails and take a few photos since I didn't have much to show for today.

San Antonio River

Lots of bamboo growing here

Friday 27 February 2009

A Really Hot Day!

Another shorts and T-shirt morning - 69F (21C) again, this time with some sun and a breeze. I walked a lot of the River Trail this morning and saw lots of cardinals again as well as buzzards and miscellaneous other little birds.

I spent most of the morning trying to get us situated at Kerrville. We had almost decided not to go. Kerrville-Schreiner would not guarantee us a site where we could see our satellites. That is a no-no for us. The lady on the phone, Tina, also had to keep going and asking someone else questions so I finally gave up.

San Antonio River

Another photo of the River Trail

Black vulture

Lots of cardinals here

So, I called By the River RV Park and got a site for $131/wk so we're booked in there. Bummer! I was really looking forward to all the trails at Kerrville-Schreiner but there is apparently a trail at By the River too. So, that's all set.

Gordon left after lunch to go and photograph the Presidio La Bahia. I stayed behind and got the vacuuming done and had a shower in our own shower for a change. The water pressure here is amazing! I also went for a brief walk to see if Glenn and Sylvia were outside but the sun is on their patio and they weren't outside. It was very hot! Our high this afternoon got to 96F (36C). I went a ways down the trail beside their RV and took a few photos then came back to air conditioned comfort! It's way too hot outside for me today!

Another trail photo, this one is beside Glenn & Sylvia's site

After Gordon got back I drove into the Super S Grocery to pick up a few items as I was too lazy to go to Victoria today. While I was there I asked if there was a laundromat in town and indeed there is, there's no sign, but they do have one. It's not great but it's a laundromat so hopefully in the next couple of days I'll get some laundry done. When it's hot, you tend to change clothes more often!

All in all, a nice, quiet day!

Thursday 26 February 2009

Goliad State Park

I can't remember the last time I took my morning walk in shorts and a tank top but today was one of those days. It was already 69F (21C) when I started out just before 8 a.m. I walked around the park and did part of the River trail.

Here's a path photo for Jenny

Since we've been without a sewer connection for the last four weeks until we arrived here at Goliad State Park, I've put off colouring my hair and it was really starting to bug me so today was the day! I'm now light reddish blonde! After that chore was completed I sat outside and read. It was cloudy with sunny periods but warm with a breeze.

View from my lawnchair

This afternoon I spent 45 minutes trying to get onto blogspot. I kept getting a 403 Forbidden screen. So after changing my password, deleting blogspot cookies, restarting my computer and various other things, I finally got in again. Have no idea what the problem was but the help file did mention this problem from some time ago. Luckily I was able to resolve it myself.

I also made Debken's recipe for Pork Adobo so I hung around the RV, sitting outside to read and wandered around to take a few photos.

Here's our site with Glenn and Sylvia's motorhome behind us.


Our high this afternoon reached 89F (32C) and we had the air conditioner on for a while this morning and again this afternoon especially when I was cooking.

Near sunset I went up to the Mission to take some photos there as I hadn't been there since we arrived yesterday. Gordon was already up there and had met this little kitty that was following him around.

Pretty clouds near sunset

The Mission

The kitty

One of the buildings that's part of the Mission

On my way back to the RV, I had my camera and was looking up when a lady called and asked me if I wanted a photo of her bird. Here's Picasso, the cockateil.


By the way the Pork Adobo was good, we both liked it but it was a bit too salty. Next time I won't put in any additional salt.

It was such a beautiful day today. It's so nice to have temperatures like this at the end of February!

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Travel Day

This morning I took my last beach walk for a while. It was 63F (17C) and sunny when I got up around 7 a.m.

We took our time getting ready to travel and pulled out of Mustang Island State Park shortly after 11 a.m. It was 72F (22C) and partly cloudy but quickly warmed up on our route to Goliad, TX. We arrived at Goliad State Park around 1:00 p.m. (102 miles) and were in our site by 1:30 p.m. and set up by about 3:15 p.m. By the time we arrived at Goliad State Park it was 83F (28C) and mostly sunny.

Our site

The campground

After setting up we both went to get a shower at the campground showers. I had just come back to the RV and took my towel outside to hang it up when Glenn and Sylvia stopped by. They had just gotten back from a trip to Goose Island State Park. They brought their chairs over and we had a chat for a while. I did take a photo of them but it wasn't posed so will take another when we see them next. Gordon sat with us for a bit but heard the Mission calling him so he went off to take photos.

When he got back, we drove into Goliad and checked out the downtown area and the Super S Grocery store.

The courthouse - Goliad is the county seat

Part of the downtown - buildings remind me of downtown Canton, MS
It's been another beautiful day. We even had the air conditioner on from the time we arrived until dinner time!

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Our Last Day at Mustang Island State Park

I awoke to beautiful, sunny skies and a light breeze with a temperature of 62F (17C). Since it's about a 10 minute walk to the beach so I decided to drive over this morning so I could have more beach time. I try to limit my walk to 1/2 hour as that's how long I wait to eat breakfast after taking my pill in the morning but if you walk to the beach and back it really cuts into that time which is why I'm often out 50 minutes or more.

I think this is called a beach onion

There was lots of beach foam around this morning

Gordon decided to go too and get some photos. I got a really great photo of a jelly fish. Usually by the time they hit the beach they look like a blob but this one was still in fish formation.

I sat outside and read this morning and this afternoon since it's our last day here we decided to do a tour of the area. We first stopped at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center and finally saw an alligator there. He's a big one too! We also saw a cute little turtle who posed on his log and looked up at us.


We stopped at the library again as Gordon wanted to see if he was given credit for the photo on the front of the phone book and he was given credit!

From there we got on the ferry and went to Rockport and to Goose Island State Park for one last time this year. We've had a great time in this area as usual but we're happy to be moving on tomorrow!

Lots of redwing blackbirds in the bird feeding area at Goose Island today


When we got back to the RV park this Super C was getting ready to move in next to us.

We had a sunny high of 75F (24C) today. It was one of the nicest days we've had since we've been here at Mustang Island.

Monday 23 February 2009

Shopping in Corpus Christi

This morning was cloudy but we had sunrays just after sunrise. It was 51F (11C) when I left the RV around 7:15 a.m. but it wasn't windy. I took quite a few photos of the sunrays and the sun peeking out from the clouds.

This cute little fish had washed up on the beach

A sand dollar


Gordon decided he didn't want to go to Corpus Christi today so after breakfast I got ready and drove myself. I'm not a big fan of driving over bridges in the truck (in a car doesn't bother me) but I'm doing much better. When I got to my first stop I called Gordon to let him know I had arrived ok.

The malls in Corpus aren't much. The Sears mall is nearly empty with most of the stores closed. Steinmart is open and maybe 3 or 4 other small stores. Other than that, it's deserted. The mall with JC Penney and Dillards is in better shape and is under renovation but I didn't find anything there. They have a really poor food court so I didn't even have any lunch. Apparently the food court is one part that they're updating.

I didn't buy much but did get myself a new pair of Nikes. They were on sale at Kohls so hopefully they will do me for a year.

I also stopped at HEB and picked up a few groceries as our next stop is Goliad, TX and there are no grocery stores there so I'll have to go into Victoria for groceries and laundry facilities.

When I got home around 3 p.m. I sat outside and read for a bit as it had reached 70F (21C) so was quite nice out with little wind. And time for a little nap before dinner.....

Sunday 22 February 2009

Lazy!

It was 51F (11C), sunny with a north wind when I got up. Quite a bit cooler from the last little while but I had a nice beach walk. I even saw some shells this morning and I got to pet a few doggies. I guess there weren't a lot of shell seekers up early today. By the time I got back to the RV the temperature had dropped to 49F (9C) but it had soon started climbing again.

Sand patterns


The beach

A tiny beach tumbleweed

Pretty seashells


We had planned to go in to Corpus today and I was going to check out the mall while Gordon went back downtown to take more photos but I wasn't feeling up to par so I wound up reading and napping the whole day away. I don't think he minded not going out today though. It's too bad as even though it was cool - around 58F (14C) for a high it was a pretty day. Oh well, tomorrow is another day!