1/13-1/16/2011 A Little of This and a Lot of That

Four days off and we’re laying low because while Bob is now feeling almost one hundred percent, we’re finding that you can feel good for a day or two and then SMACK (!) you’re right back down. This is happening all over the park with so many people. It seems that rest is very important to beating this. While I’m glad he’s taking this stance for health reasons it really puts a damper on what you do and where you go.

To pass the day Bob inventoried our movies. Listed them by DVD and Blue Rays. I’m not aware of it if he further organized them by genre, mystery, sci-fi, drama or comedy or if he even listed them alphabetically. I so would do that!

It seemed like a good idea he had and I gave thought to organizing our music CD’s. The question was how to organize them? By decade? 60’s & 70’s? By type? Easy listening, pan flute, classic rock? How about by category? I could make one FOOD and list Meatloaf, Bread and The Cranberries! Or how about TRANSPORTATION? That would cover B-52’s, The Cars and Jefferson Airplane. CITIES? Chicago, Boston and Bay City Rollers! CONSTRUCTION??? 9-inch nails, the Doors and the Carpenters! The possibilities are endless! What can you think of? Leave me a message with a category/bands you come up with.

I have been craving egg salad sandwiches. I had plenty of eggs in the house since I bought a dozen and had forgotten that I had just bought a dozen a few days prior, I learned a lesson while making this egg salad. Never, ever make something you’ve been craving when you are hungry. Never. Bob doesn’t eat anything with mayonnaise so this I would be the only one eating it. I have no idea what I was thinking by using seven eggs. That’s a lot of sandwiches. So I get them hardboiled and get them into cold water at the proper time and let them cool. Sometimes I can peel that egg in very few large pieces. Such as these five here. (You know, only a blogger would set the stage for peeled hard boiled eggs and take a picture of them)

Remember, I hard boiled seven. I don’t know what happened to these last two. They came from the same carton, were the same size as the others, cooked for the same length of time but I’m here to tell you getting those shells off was like peeling the eggs from hell!

I was so glad I wasn’t making deviled eggs for a get together. Little teeny tiny white pieces of shell. Everywhere. Stuck to my wet fingers, stuck to the egg, in my sink and on my counter. It almost made me lose my appetite. Almost. I had two egg salad sandwiches for dinner that night, breakfast the next day, again at lunch and breakfast and lunch on the third day. Six egg salad sandwiches in a three day period, I’ve had my fill for awhile.

The Winter Texans are getting geared up for the fruit festival that is right around the corner, around the corner time wise that is, as in at the end of this month. From everything I’ve heard this is some big doings here in the Valley. I hope so, I need something to get excited about.

1/9-1/12/2012 Back to Work….AGAIN

We’ve just come through a cold snap and its starting to warm up again. Just in time for us to go back to work. That’s not a bad thing! We would much rather have it warmer in the mornings than in the high 30’s – low 40’s.

Here we are almost to the middle of January already. I don’t know where the time is going.

There really isn’t a whole to report on this time. We worked, we played our games, watched TV, read, ate and slept.

Well there was our really good turnout for our game Left, Center, Right on Wednesday night. We had 31 players and some didn’t play because it was just too crowded. We’re going to have to move to the bigger room to play and add more tables. Besides, we’re too close to the card room and we get quite loud.

Bob was feeling better and he’s back down again. Not as bad this time but not 100% either. I haven’t gotten it yet although everyone around me has. Keepin’ my fingers crossed.

1/82012 Ask and You Shall Receive

During the evening after we went to the bullfights in December I wrote a letter to the owners of the Santa Maria Bullfighting Ring. In this letter I told them how much we enjoyed the bullfight and also offered some information about what we experienced, what we heard from the those around us and some things I’m sure they weren’t aware of.

For instance, being in metal bleachers and that being the first show show of the season, we experienced rust or dirt falling down on us as people walked on the second level of bleachers above us. I suggested that before today’s bullfight that he have some people run through the upper levels so that anything that was going to fall would fall while no one sitting there. I told him that the ladies room didn’t have toilet tissue in there at the end of the bullfight and that the ladies were using paper towels that couldn’t be good for the plumbing. I also suggested that information be given about the matadors, that we, the audience, were interested in learning more about the stars of the show. A few other things were mentioned in the letter and I emailed it off. I was quite surprised to get a response the next morning. Mr Renk thanked me for writing and letting him know of these concerns and to let me know that he would address everything I mentioned, whether it be a problem or a suggestion. It felt good to be heard.

So today we went to the bullfights again. He DID do all the things he said he was going to! It was a such a pleasant experience today. Nothing fell on us as the people above us walked. He gave us so much info on all things bullfighting and I heard more than one around us shush someone in their party because they wanted to listen and didn’t want to miss anything.

After the flamenco dancers were done their show David Renk, the owners brother and one of six American matadors gave a demonstration of the different passes the matador makes with the muleta.

Before we knew it the matadors were being presented. Did you know that the term matador is only used in English.

Before the bullfighting started I asked Bunky if she wanted to get her picture taken with a matador as they were standing out front for photo ops. She said no, that she wasn’t interested in that and a few minutes later she changed her mind.

So I took for the first picture, a nice close up picture of the two of them.

I showed it to her as we were walking away and she said, “You didn’t get the socks, you have to take it again!” So this time I included the socks too,

When they let the first bull out it looked like he was hung up on something, his right horn I mean. Like it got caught the wood slats that make up the wall, or the doorway, or something. The bull didn’t come right out but looked to have had to break free from something. It didn’t take long, just mere seconds, but there some definite difficulty there.

Though we don’t know this for sure, we’re thinking he broke the horn off in trying to free himself because it flopped slightly when he ran and there looked to be some blood. If in fact this horn did grow this way then he must have cut his head on something. He seemed to favor that side also when he was charging the cape.

I’m thinking he’s bleeding and broke the horn.

I just can’t think of any reason why I would put my hand down in front of a bull that wants to kill me.

The bull took a step forward and that hand moved FAST!

The matador finally got the bull engaged on the field.

I’ll be honest with you, we just didn’t feel like this bull wanted to be here. It was like he had no interest. I don’t know if he was in pain because of that horn or whatever it was he had done to his head but something was off. Bob and I and Toni and Eddie felt kind of bad because we told Chip and Bunky how thrilling this was going to be and the first bullfight was kind of, well, blah.

The matador did his best to entice the bull.

The matador was awarded two ears despite the lethargy of the bull.

Things really perked up when the second bull came charging out of the pen.

It was like he was DARING the matador to come out from behind the barrier.

When the matador didn’t respond he went after him. There’s now a new hole in the barrier.

The second matador to fight today takes over.

This bullfight was much more exciting to watch and we, the audience, encouraged the judge to award the matador two ears and a tail.

The third bull that came out caught us all by surprise with its coloring. Up to now they have all been black.

This bull was very much into what was going on.

When the hand out to the bull happened the second time I was a bit surprised.

When he actually petted him on the nose I think we were all surprised! Not me! No way Jose!

I think it was here where the bull got a little too close for comfort.

The matador’s suit and cape were ripped by the bull’s horn.

This bull was so into this bullfight that it was just pure joy to watch it all play out.

In this picture you can see where the matador’s suit pants are torn. This Suit of Lights cost $10,000! It’s made with 10K gold thread. Once again we awarded two ears and a tail.

When the final bull came out the place went wild! He charged out of the chute snorting!

Here he was pawing the ground already.

He is not a happy camper and he came to play!

This bull is just H U G E!

He managed to get the cape away from the matador.

The matador played the bull and taunted him much to our delight. He shook his hips slightly as if to say, “Come on over here big boy.”

And he did. With a vengeance!

The matador goes for the kill,,,symbolically of course.

Got IT!

We cheered and yelled and OLE’d until we were practically hoarse but we were insistent that this matador get a well deserved two ears and tail. The show he gave, the skill he has, it was well deserved.

Take this as a lesson learned. If things aren’t quite up to the standards you think they should be, or want them to be, write a letter to the business owner. They DO listen. Mr. Renk, thank you for taking our suggestions and concerns to heart. The items you addressed made the bullfight so much more enjoyable to the audience. I paid attention to those around me and everyone had a great time thanks to your listening to your audience. We appreciate it.

1/6-1/7/2012 Frost!

When I came downstairs(it may only be two steps but it IS downstairs) for the first time today Bob told me to look outside at the park model next door. I opened the door and looked and yep, it was still there. Bob said that I should be looking at the roof and not just the side of the house. Looking up I was quite surprised to see a wide strip of white stuff on the brown shingles.

It got cold enough in the valley last night for frost. We’re hoping this is the last time because this certainly isn’t something we signed up for. We want no parts of cold. Of course by noon we were in shorts and T’s and chairs around the pool were all spoken for.

On Saturday Bob had a relapse after feeling pretty good for the last two days. We were supposed to the Weslaco flea market with Toni and Eddie but he opted to stay home. I had been hearing so much about this place I went anyway.

We saw lots of pottery.

We saw lots of T-shirts and jewelry and games and shades for RV’s. Lots of pretty embroidered blouses and leather goods and old records. Plenty of used small household appliances and shelf after shelf of old Corning Ware pieces. Hundreds of containers of the best ever RV wax. We even saw a complete 3 foot tall suit of armor. Who woulda guessed?

We totally spoiled dogs.

And some rather strange looking humans.

Toni stopped to look at some old license plates because she makes things out of them. I snapped a picture but not because I was taking a picture of my friend. Look at the license plate that was standing up in the box. It grabbed my attention right away as I can spot a Delaware license plate a mile away.

It was nice to get out and about this afternoon. I walked from the flea market only buying a dice game and a score pad to go with it.

When we got home Bob wasn’t feeling any better. It seems everyone who gets this rallies then is back down again two days later. Of course I’m the one being blamed for everyone getting sick. Word is going around the park that I’m the carrier and giving it to everyone because I’m not getting it.

1/2-1/5/2012 Back to Work in the New Year

It was back to work for us this first week of the new year. Bob still isn't 100% but he's feeling better than he was.

While out and about I took this picture of this strangely growing tree here in the park. Take not that is actually growing out of the ground in the shaded area.

On Tuesday we had an telephone interview for positions as camp hosts in Delaware where we were in 2010. We thought the interview was going great, the interviewer seemed very pleased with the answers we gave to her questions and we were feeling good about the way it was going. Then just before we hung up she dropped this….”Thank you for your time for the interview but I have to tell you, we don’t have much of anything available with the couples who are returning from last year.” Practically the same breath she told us we would be contacted by her supervisor for a second interview on Friday. If you don’t have anything then why call us in the first place? Why interview us? Why give us a second interview on Friday? We were dumbfounded. “What just happened here?” were what the looks we were giving each were saying. We so much wanted to go back to Delaware this summer to see our families and friends. Of course we knew this could happen and we were prepared to start looking in neighboring states for workamping positions. However, we weren’t prepared to give up on Delaware yet. There were other positions besides camp hosts at the Inlet. I put fingers to keyboard and started emailing people we know for some help. We would give it a few days and then start searching in neighboring states. It wouldn’t be ideal and we wouldn’t get home as much as we would like but it was better than nothing. It was a “Make lemonade out of lemons” type of situations for us.

On Wednesday we got a call from the Marina the state park system runs and were offered workamping positions as Marina Attendants. What does one do in this job you ask? Well, primarily we will shuttle boaters from the parking lot when they drop off their truck/trailers after putting their boats in the water, back to the docks. We’ll also settle disputes when two boaters can’t agree who got to the ramp first to use it. I’ll help with Marina festival when it comes time for that and Bob will help out with projects around the marina during slow times. One of our emails helped. One on our contacts got the ball rolling and made things happen for us. THANKS J! So we’re going home for the summer. Yes readers, I’m gonna make your eyes bleed with sunset pictures!

Bob and I have already made plans to do something that is on Bob’s bucket list on our way home. Something he has wanted to do for a really, really long time. I’m not going to give any details yet but I will say that campground reservations have already been made and tickets are already bought. It is going to be something special and I can’t wait to share it all with you but the now isn’t the time.

We picked up Toni and Eddie from the airport on Wednesday afternoon so now we have everyone back from trips home and we can get on with the season.

1/1/2012 Happy New Year!

The Quinn’s want to wish you all a very

Happy New Year.

We wish for each and every one of you a year

filled with good health and much happiness.

We appreciate all of you who follow along

on our journey.