NOTHIN’ MUCH GOING ON HERE

Tuesday, April 20 – The weather was beautiful. It is usually in the high 70s or low 80s each day. Cool nights….great for sleeping.

Well, it can’t get much more lay back than this past week. We done it all, seen it all and are READY TO MOVE ON!

The highlight of our week was meeting the girls for dinner in Humble. Kelly was visiting Carrie in Houston, so we said, “Why not meet for a early dinner?” The girls drove up to Outback Steak House, about 20 min. drive from Carrie’s and we drove down, about an hour and half drive from Livingston. All four of us had a delicious meal.

Marsha is enjoying watching the Cleveland Indians just about every day. We now have a new wall decoration.

 

It is her Tribe towel she got back in about 1980 something….LOL

We visited a new church, First Baptist Church, this past Sunday. It is a beautiful church with the friendliest people. The sermon for Marsha and I was excellent.

Paul begins weaning from his brace on Monday, April 26. We have tentative plans to get back on the road Friday, April 30. Our plans are to drive to Red Bay, Alabama to the Tiffin plant to have our new windows installed. When we ordered them, the gal said she did not know how long it would take to get the windows in. The factory was out of glass…WHAT? A window factory out of glass…..how can that be? So, she suggested we call before we leave for Red Bay. We will make a call early next week, and hopefully they will be able to give us good news. We will give you the update on our plans next week.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a good one!

TRADER VILLAGE AND CLEVELAND INDIANS

Saturday, April 10 – Before I tell you about our visit to Trader Village, I want to tell you what happened to us on the way to church Easter Sunday. Funny thing happened on the way to church. Marsha was driving along about a minute from church when a Texas State Trooper pulls up behind her and turns on his lights. She said, ”What the heck.’ and I replied, “Believe me dear, you aren’t getting pulled over for speeding.” In which, she gave me The Look. Anyway, the police officer comes to the window and as polite as can be says, “Good morning, folks.” “I noticed a blue  light on the front grill of your car. Could you tell me what that is.” Paul explains that the light was installed when we had the supplemental braking system installed to apply the brakes of the Jeep automatically when being towed by the motor home. This light is to inform us that the Jeep brakes are applied. This is important to know, especially if you DO NOT have the MH brakes applied. You don't want to be dragging the Jeep with the brakes on! Well, this BLUE LED light is illegal in Texas (it was installed in Ohio). Only Police cruisers can have a blue light visible on the front of the vehicle. We explained our situation to the policeman and he said to cover it with black electrical tape when we are not towing. On we went with a “have a good day” from the police officer. Marsha still swears she wasn't speeding....LOL!

Now to Saturday….We went to Camper's World in Houston this morning. I received a gift card for my birthday and there were some things we wanted to check-out at the RV Store. We've been looking for some chairs with high backs but struck-out again. We've seen other people with them, but have been unable to find similar ones. Instead we upgraded our sewer hoses. We had the El Cheapo style from Walmart so I purchased better ones. We also purchased a stand to hold the hose up off the ground so it drains properly. Happy Birthday to me.

We then over to Houston’s Trader Village is a Texas-Size Marketplace. opened in 1989 and covers more than 105 acres, with 1,500 dealers, every weekend. More than one million people browse, buy & trade in this open-air bargain hunters' paradise each year. It's the largest market on the Texas Gulf Coast.  Besides the great shopping there's always something happening at Traders Village.

We walked around the market enjoying the people and looking at the things for sale. There is quite a Mexican influence on many of the things for sale. Marsha did find a small basket she's been looking for. She sat it by the door to hold our keys and other items we use daily.

 

There were tons of vegetable and fruit stands. We tried our first taste of papaya. We both did not like it.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Texas with one of these on every block.

You should of seen the dogs for sale. Cage after cage of puppies. I think this was an example of the puppy factories people talk about.

And lots of birds for sale.

Never knew their was a variety of Finch with our name sake.

We saw no cats for sale. Thank goodness.

We found this place rather weird…Voodoo?

For some reason, Paul was in the mood to buy me a fur. What I would do with that is beyond me.

This is the one he picked out for me….Gee thanks, Hon!

We have never seen anything like this at any Flea Market we have been to.

I was tempted…..LOL  So was Paul.

For you men….the sign 4 X 11 is not the size of the bra. They were selling them 4 for $11.00. What a steal!

Paul was at it again. No, hon…I will not look like the manikins when I put those jeans on. Can you see the expression on the sales gal face. She is thinking….Get your kicks, old man.

They were having the annual Bayou City Cajun Fest celebration with all types of Cajun food and music.

There was a super Cajun band and dancing. We only understood about every 9th word they sang. It was all in Cajun talk.

 

Of course, we couldn’t go to the Cajun Fest without eating some Cajun food.

For $3 you could purchase this huge plate of Crawfish! Marsha wanted some, but it was too much for her to eat. Nope, not for me. They look like something I would kill or run from....not eat!

We settled for some Red Beads and Rice, Gumbo & Rice, Bodine, and sausage on a Stick. All excellent!

With all this delicious Cajun food, Paul’s favorite is still the elephant ear....yum!

Oh.....before I forget something else...We've just about finished with our clean-up and leaf bagging here at Rainbow's End. We've bagged over 77 bags of leaves and winter trash. GOOD JOB.....MARSHA! But wait! She's not one to put up her feet and enjoy sitting around. She has now volunteered in the library and is sorting books and getting EVERYTHING organized. She's the Assistant Librarian.....JEESH!

Monday, April 12 – Marsha is a “happy camper” now a  days. She ordered MLBN….Major League Baseball Network. She now can watch almost all the Cleveland Indians’ games. She has the TV schedule, times and channels. Some games are telecast on two channels…home team and visitor team networks. She loves when they broadcast the Indians STO channel. She gets to listen to her life-long idol, Rick Manning! She was so excited for opening day at home, but in the end, they lost again against Detroit. She said….”Wait until Wednesday!” I don’t know how she can keep getting kicked in the teeth and come back for more. True fan she is!

Are friends and neighbors, Ed & Linda Lavin, who were parked right next to us, pulled out this morning. They are headed for Alabama. Surprisingly, the spot sat empty all day. Around 4:00, we saw a motorhome coming around the bend. It was Don DeCoast, and he pulled in the empty spot. Don and Joyce are friends we met here in Livingston in December of last year. We also spent time with them in Quartszite. Don is here by himself while Joyce flew home to New Hampshire to visit with her daughter, sister and the rest of the family. It will be fun to visit with Don for a few days.

It's been SIX WEEKS since my back surgery......two more weeks to go in this back brace. I can't wait to get it off! It will take a week or so to get out of it completely. I have to wean myself slowly. An hour more each day until I'm comfortable with it off all day.

We played dominoes again tonight. We only had four players, so we played Spinners. Marsha and I both got shut-out....no wins!

Tuesday, April 13 – On our way home from the health club this morning, our windshield caught another stone from a passing truck. This time we escaped with only a very small chip. We immediately called the glass guy and had it repaired before it spread. Thank goodness we have zero deductible on glass damage.

We spent most of the day sitting in the sun talking with Don and catching up with what each other has been up to and our plans for the future…especially this winter.

Around 4 p.m., we headed to Kelly’s softball game in Crockett…about an hour and fifteen minutes up the road. I looked like a different team. All the “bad apples” she had trouble with have quit the team and the girls were really enjoying playing the game…including Kelly! Even though some of the younger players that have been moved up to varsity made some errors, the team won 7-5. Yea!

The drive home in the dark was uneventful except the large bugs that were splattering on the windshield. We had to stop at a gas station and clean the glass so Marsha could see to finish the drive home…GEESH!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

HOUSTON.....WE HAVE LANDED

Tuesday, April 6 – Visited the Space Center Houston today.




  

What a great deal. If you buy your tickets on line, they are half price. I got a regular ticket and Marsha got the Astronaut Audio Tour. She really enjoyed listening to the Astronaut give detailed information about the displays.

Our friends, Duane and Louise, went with us. We left at 8:30 a.m. and returned at 7:30 pm. We were at the Space Center from its opening to closing and still didn’t see all the movies and displays. To get it all in, a two-day visit is needed.

The Space Center was very interesting and educational. Space Center Houston is located at 1601 NASA Parkway (formerly NASA Rd. 1), Houston, TX 77058, approximately 25 miles south of downtown Houston in the NASA/Clear Lake area.

We began with the film "On Human Destiny" at the Destiny Theater. Artifacts and hardware on display in the Starship Gallery trace the progression of America's Manned Space Flight.

There were many displays and big screen movies explaining the operation of the shuttle and space station.

Apollo 17 was the final Apollo mission to the moon, the eleventh manned Apollo mission, the first night launch and the sixth and final lunar landing mission of the NASA Apollo program.

Apollo 17 Command Module

Damage done to the underside of the capsule upon re-entry.

Apollo fuel cell

Moon Rocks





We touched this moon rock.




Marsha found this picture humorous. She said I fit right in with the my own version of a space outfit.




She had to get funny and make me put on the space helmet. Let me tell you….it is really heavy!




Can you guess who this might be?




My favorite part was at the Johnson Space Center. The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight activities. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres.  The center, originally known as the Manned Spacecraft Center, was constructed on land donated by Rice University and opened in 1963. On February 19, 1973, the center was renamed in honor of the late U.S. president and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson. JSC is one of ten major NASA field centers.

The center's Mission Control Center has been the operational center of every American human space mission since Gemini IV. The control center manages all activity on board the spacecraft and directs all space shuttle missions. Mission Control Center was constructed in 1962.

Approximately 3,200 civil servants, including 110 astronauts, are employed at Johnson Space Center. Astronaut candidates receive training on shuttle systems and in the basic sciences which include mathematics, guidance and navigation, oceanography, orbital dynamics, astronomy, and physics. Candidates are required to complete military water survival prior to beginning their flying instruction.

Below is a working model of the International Space Station. It was HUGE! The astronauts train here before they go on their mission.

Russia’s section

Robotic arm

More International Space Station pictures.

Marsha’s favorite was the Saturn V Rocket. The first manned Saturn V sent the Apollo 8 astronauts into orbit around the Moon in December 1968. After two more missions to test the lunar landing vehicle, in July 1969 a Saturn V launched the crew of Apollo 11 to the first manned landing on the Moon. The three-stage Saturn V was taller than a 36-story building. It was the largest, most powerful rocket ever launched.



 

In between the three stages.



More pictures of Saturn V here.

Our friends Louise and Duane. We had a great time.

 

Paul and Marsha




On the way home we stopped at Sawgrass Restaurant for dinner hoping the Houston rush hour traffic would thin out. By the time we finished dinner the traffic thinned out pretty well. It was a very long day, especially since Marsha has to do all the driving and in Houston traffic to boot!

Here are some more pictures for your enjoyment.
Cockpit pictures

Thanks for stopping by. Y’all come back.