Pow Wow in Bandera, Texas

My daughter Melissa and I went to a Pow Wow in Bandera today. Friends of ours, Diane and Dennis Eagle Horse are coordinating it. They have three boys, two are twins, that dance. I met the Eagle Horses in Delores Colorado at the Ute Mountain RV Park. I was having problems getting my rig level and Dennis came over to see if he could help. He saw my plates and asked where I was from. I told him a little town in Texas called Kerrville. He started laughing and said they were from a little town called Ingram which is almost a part of Kerrville. The one photo is of TaCha, Dennis' son with my daughter. The next photo is of Dennis leading the color guard for the Grand Entry. Love the little guys that start dancing so young. It never ceases to amaze me after how the Indians have been treated, how patriotic they are. They always start their Pow Wows with the Grand Entry of the flag and an invitation to ALL veterans to join in the Grand Entry. I understand there is only one Codetalker left alive. There is a great museum in Window Rock, AZ with one entire wing devoted to the Codetalkers.

After the Pow Wow we went to the 11th Street Bar for a cold beer. This bar is world famous - a gathering place of cowboys, bikers, tourists and a whole lot of characters. Note the unique decor in the bar and the horses and bikes parked outside.

Made it Through First Week

Made it through my first week working three 8-hour days. Haven't worked 8 hours for years. At least here when you're not busy, you can sit down and even read. And I'm sure not missing someone trying to buy ice cream when you're trying to check in three rigs. I love my site here and have a large grassy area surrounded with trees. So much prettier than Douglas with its gravel. Everyone laughs at my flamingos but that' the purpose of putting them out - to give a giggle to others. Only negative is the humidity is still high so except for walking the dogs, I'm pretty much staying inside in the airconditioning.

I'm taking the dogs for long walks trying to slim them back to their pre-Wyoming days (that goes for me, too.) Buddy is in 7th heaven - TREES - and he's trying to pee on every one in the park. Sassy's nose is going to fall off from the constant sniffing of all the smell - deer, squirrels, raccoons, etc.

Have been restaurant deprived in Douglas so first thing I did was go to my favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. Now I'm back to watching my calories and walking, walking and walking. Just wish the weather would cool off - I'm so ready for winter.

Home in Kerrville at Schreiner Park

Left Wellington Texas Saturday morning around 9:30a.m. Started out misty, turned drizzly, then rained, then poured the entire trip home. Was going to stay at a little RV Park/Antique Store/Hair Salon in Eden, Texas. I slowed down and looked before pulling in - way too muddy - was afraid I'd get stuck. So decided to continue to Menard, Texas. Got to Menard and decided to go on to Junction, TX. Got to Junction and decided I was only an hour from home so onward - in the rain. Got to Kerrville about 6:30 pm and the rain stopped but boy is it humid. Got to my site, hooked the electric and took the dogs for a walk and we all went to bed.

Thoughts from the trip: Texas goes on forever! Even only going halfway thru the state is bigger than some small countries. Saw some plowed fields that were really red. Saw a lot of Texas lawnmowers (goats). Why do birds along side the road ALWAYS take off across the road right in your path? Do they have a death wish? Why do people slow down when I pull halfway off the road and slow down so they can get around me? Do they want a written invitation to pass? Do they NOT have a working gas pedal? See fields of cotton plants that look like they have little puffy clouds growing on them.

Slept like a rock. Then started fixing up my site starting with leveling the RV. Felt like I was going to roll out of bed last night. Its beautiful here - big trees. Luckily got my satellite to work in spite of the trees. Couldn't do two and a half months with no TV. Took the dogs for a looooong walk. Ran a few errands, took a nap, and took the dog for another long walk in the early evening. This is such a pretty park.

Sights and Smells of Kansas

Another really, really big thunder and lightening storm last night. Someone is conspiring to keep me from going to sleep early. Poor Sassy - under the covers again. Panting and panting. Not the kind of storm I’m used to in Texas. There were huge flashes of light making it seem, just for a moment, like daytime. And it was one flash after another, continuous for what seemed like hours. The wind was blowing so hard it felt like the RV was going to blow over on its side and the rain was pelting the side of the rig sounding like someone throwing rocks at me. The thunder just rumbled and grumbled in long, drawn out sound not like the big cracks and crashes in Texas.

Left North Platte about 9:30 am. As you get closer to Kansas the land begins to flatten out. I pass a large field of big sunflowers with their faces turned to the sun, looking like they’re watching me go by. Fields and fields of corn with the tassels all dancing in the morning breeze.

I slow down and pull over to let a car pass and he slows down behind me. He finally gets the idea and passes me. Why did he think I was slowing down in the middle of nowhere? Somewhere in Kansas there is something really BIG going on. I have never seen so many huge oversized loads taking up their lane and half of mine going down the road.

Have the windows open to let the cool air in. Sweet smell of new mown grass - they’re mowing along side the roadway. Makes you wonder why they bother out here in the middle of nothing but it smells sweet. Kansas doesn’t believe in wide shoulders - they must be at least two feet wide. Always makes me wonder where I’d pull over if I had engine problems.

Ooooh, what is THAT smell? Dogs go to full alert and start sniffing out the window. COWS! Lots of cows. Now you understand why they grow so much corn.

Sky is starting to look grey and ominous and I see some lightening up ahead. Gratefully I’m almost at Scott City State Park where I’m going to overnight. Nice park on Scott Lake. Got a little spit of rain while I’m hooking up then it clears a little. The couple above was taking their daily walk around the park, holding hands. I just couldn't resist taking their picture - so sweet. Took the dogs for a walk down by the lake and they both go wading. We walk all around the park and both dogs head for the bed for a nap when we get back. Me, too.

Heading Home

Okay, left Douglas yesterday morning at 8:15. Had seen three groups of geese flying south so I figured they knew something I didn't so it was time for me to do the same. So anxious to leave almost drove off with my electric still plugged in. Great drive, no wind. Was only going to drive a couple of hundred miles. Well I got to Chadron at 11:30. Way too early to stop so onwards. The road kept going on and on and on and on. Finally found a place to pull over for a sandwich in some little town (never did see the name). Hit the road again. And drove and drove. Same complaint I had on the way up - apparently Nebraska sees no need for ANY pullovers. This time I was careful not to drink a lot of liquid while driving. After six and a half hours made Valentine, the Wacky West RV Park. If you remember it from my trip to Douglas, its the one with the cattle auction behind it. Winter was okay. Summer is a tad smelly and there seem to be a few flies around, Duh! I'm back on Central Time so my clock has caught up with my TV. Going to watch NCIS if I can stay awake long enough. Got caught in a "vehicle" check in some town just inside Nebraska. The officer asked for my registration - all I could find was my insurance card. Finally he asked me if the sticker on my window was my registration. Yeppers. No one has EVER asked me for it before. He asked me to honk the horn and turn on my windshield wipers which I did along with the sprayer so he got a little wet. Sassy had her head out the window during the entire encounter trying to lick him - he kept stepping back. Don't understand why. He finally waved us on with a look of relief on his face. I'm sure he's thinking, "My God and she's driving a 30' RV and towing".

So much for going to bed early. We had quite a thunder and lightening storm. Sassy is really afraid of them and wants under the covers where she pants so hard it shakes the whole bed. Believe me, you're not going to sleep until the storm passes.

Some glimpses of Nebraska: Rolling green hills. Some tinged with yellow from all the little sunflowers everywhere especially along side the roads. Small group of cows raise their heads and point their faces towards me watching me go by. A group of about six horses up to their bellies in sunflowers in the middle of a field. Lots and lots of small ponds reflecting the clouds with groups of ducks swimming placidly along. Don't see any ranch houses; only the gates over the driveway with signs telling you the name of the ranch. Miles of sandhills covered with grass. Never would of thought of Nebraska and sandhills in the same sentence.

Stopped in North Platte early - only drove about 3 hours. Wanted to go Christmas shopping at the Harley Davidson store next to the RV park in North Platte. Also, ordered a Domino's pizze for lunch. They deliver to the park and I haven't had one since I left Kerrville. Can anyone say "withdrawal symptoms?"

Sassy snoozing on the sofa, Buddy snoozing on the bed, making up for loss of sleep last night. Gonna go join them.

Ready to Head Out

My last day to work here in Douglas is August 11th and I'll probably head out the next day. Have been putting stuff away and getting the "Lab"oratory ready to leave. Someone on the women's forum named my rig: she's Gertrude the "Lab"oratory. I'm sure I'll be complaining about the humidity at home but I'm tired of Wyoming. Haven't even used the pool here - too windy and too many kids, mostly from the mobile home park attached to this KOA.

I've finished painting. The good thing about being in Douglas for 3 and 1/2 months with not much to do is that I finally painted my cabinets. Been talking about doing it for a long time but never got around to it.

Will be working at Schreiner Park in Kerrville until after the women's forum GTG in November then will move to Guadalupe RV park for a rest and plan my next adventure. Am thinking about going to Florida with Carole in Jan or Feb then caravan (maybe) with Beth from the forum to Albaquerque in April for the GS Rally. Am looking into camp hosting in the mountain of New Mexico in May/June? Who knows?