Dallas/Fort Worth September 30, 2007

September 30, 2007 by Rick and Tinka.

We have been in the D/FW area for almost 2 weeks.  There certainly wasn’t a lot of resting time while here.  We both went to our regular doctor to renew prescriptions.  We took care of some paperwork getting ready to go to MX for the winter.  We changed the shocks on the front end of the truck.  Oh, my gosh, what a difference.  We were really bouncing all the time.  Now it is a smooth ride. 

While we were in a RV park in Louisiana, the people next to us with a 5^th wheel had had heavy duty tires put on their rig.  When we had our rig weighed in California, it was recommended that we upgrade our tires.  We called around and found some G rated tires in Springtown, TX.  So while Tinka had an appointment with her regular hairdresser and getting a pedicure, Rick took the 5^th wheel over to Springtown to change out our tires. 

Again we went through our rig and found many unnecessary things we can live without and took 2 big plastic tubs to our storage place in Weatherford. It is amazing what you think you can not live without and you end up never using.  So why take up space and weight in your RV? 

While we were in a familiar area (DFW) and knew all the stores around we picked up a few supplies, equipment and parts we needed.  We just had to go to Camping World to see how much money we could get rid of in an hour.

 

The most important thing we did while in the DFW area is see our family and a few friends.  We didn’t see several friends we really wanted to get together with but we will try next time we are through here.  Rick went to lunch with his former coworkers.  He almost had to     w   o   r   k.     The Odessa plant needed to be audited and they asked if Rick would do it since we were heading in that direction.  But they called later and said Odessa wasn’t ready so Rick didn’t have to go to      w   o   r   k       after all.  But we did see our FAMILY.

 

Last Saturday we did the grandparent thing and watched Gracie cheerleading.

 

 

Then we did another Grandparent thing (that we will NEVER do again!!!!!!) and took 2 granddaughters (Ayden and Gracie) to Celebration Station. Celebration Station is sort of like Chuck E Cheese.  Never been there?  Celebration Station has tons and tons of arcade games, pizza, birthday parties going on, and miniature golf outside with other carnival type rides.  So what is the problem?  It was a Saturday and everybody in the ENTIRE  DFW area with their 20 kids each was there.  Not only that they told their children to run wild and do anything they wanted to do and bother everyone and tie up the arcade games without tokens so paying people couldn’t use them.  To be honest I am sure it wouldn’t be a bad place on a weekday while school is in session.  We played miniature golf and used up $20 worth of tokens.  It didn’t take us very long to figure out the token deal.  Find a game that takes a lot of tokens at a time so we can use them up quickly and get out of there.  The noise level was loud!!!!   Then we went to McDonalds to eat.  Both girls were so excited to go play on the playground there.  So after all the money we spent at Celebration Station we could have only gone to McDonalds and they would have enjoyed that just as much. 

Sunday we went to Justin’s (son) house to eat.  He cooked baby back ribs which were just delicious!!!!!!!!!  We enjoyed a very relaxing day with the family.  The only thing missing was Marc (son) as he was out of town working. 

The 3 granddaughters were all together doing their favorite thing–dressing up!!!!

 

We were staying at the Plantation Place in Garland.  This picture was taken last time we were here before we headed to the East Coast.  The RV Park is behind this house.

 

 

Then we headed to Cowtown RV Park in Aledo, near Weatherford.  This is where we lived for 6 months from the time we sold our house and Rick retired.  It felt like we were arriving home.  Nice feeling.

 

Lance (son) and Ayden came over for steaks on Friday and spent the night. 

 

Ayden on her Razor.

 

Sometimes living in a RV can be confusing.  You may forget where you are or where you have been. We usually keep a case of Coors Light in our RV.  The other day I was putting 2 Coors in the fridge when I noticed on the box there was a gold helmet on the outside of it and a banner that said Saints.  I thought now why in the world would the Dallas area be advertising the New Orleans Saints instead of the Cowboys? After a while it dawned on me that we had bought that case in New Orleans.

 

We are on our way west.  Go west, young man, go west!

 

Life’s a journey and we are on one!!!

Posted in TX Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 1 Comment »

A Wreck in the French Quarter

September 30, 2007 by Rick and Tinka.

As usual we are behind in our journal so we are trying to catch up. 

While we were in New Orleans we HAD to go to the French Quarter.  The buildings are very old but they have had 2 fires there years ago so a lot of the buildings were replaced in the 1800’s.

In historic districts we have visited this year each has had a distinctive flavor and characteristic about it.  The main characteristic about the French Quarter is shutters.  Every door and window has shutters on it.  When all the shutters are closed, the only way to tell the difference between the windows and doors is the few steps leading to the door.

The reason all the buildings were built with shutters was to keep the tax man from knowing their possessions.  Behind the old shutters could be a mansion and a beautiful courtyard.  No Goggle Earth back then!!!

The first thing we did when arriving at the French Quarters was to eat Beignets.  This is a must!  We stopped at the Café Du Monde and they served us our Beignets.  This is a cross between a French pastry and a doughnut.  There must be a trick we don’t know about to eating them.   We had powdered sugar all over the table, floor and us when we were finished.  We looked around and some people had no tale, tale signs of being messy.

How did they do that??????

Half the order gone –

Only sugar and mess left –

 

Jackson Square Park was right across the street.  The buildings on each side of the picture are apartments with a 7 year waiting list.  (CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW)

To keep from walking all day we decided to take a carriage ride around the French Quarter to see where and what we wanted to visit later. 

This was our driver.

 

They use mules instead of horses because they can take the heat better and go without water better than horses.  But they aren’t as well trained as horses.  So off we go for about an hour’s drive.  The carriage makes wide right hand turns just like an 18 wheeler or a 5^th wheel.  Well, just like in real life there is always a little car that wants to creep up on the right side of you.  We look over to our right and see a little blue car and the tire cover to our carriage about to collide.  We hollered to our driver to stop but remember a mule is pulling our carriage and did not mind.  Crrruuunch!!!!  Our driver pulls the mule straight to the next street.  The little blue car follows.  We all stop and the 2 guys with drinks in their hands get out to see the damage.  Not much, a broken headlight and the car’s blue paint is now maroon like our carriage.  Our driver tells them she had the right of way because she is driving a MULE and they were not to pull up along side of her when she is trying to turn right.  She, also, said they could call the cops.  With drinks in their hands they said they would take care of their own damage and got back in their car.  We continued our carriage ride around the French Quarter.

 

 

The foliage was beautiful.

 

 

 

Different shutters on houses.

 

 

This shop is a blacksmith shop.  Not!!!  It was a front for Jean Lafitte, a pirate.  There was no blacksmithing going on at all.

 

This is a mansion that a man built for his bride from the Midwest.

She got homesick and missed the cornfields so he planted some.  The only difference is the corn is on a wrought iron fence.

 

We ate at the Gumbo Soup.  This tree was outside the restaurant.

 

We ran into Rick’s girlfriend. (One he can keep up with and doesn’t talk back.)

 

Streets in the French Quarter.

 

Voodoo Shop

 

 

Almost all the shops are filled with different businesses.  There are very few vacancies.  People rent the 2^nd and 3^rd floors to live in and they are full.  There were a lot for sale though.  We were there on a September weekday and there were lots of tourists around.  So the people are returning to New Orleans to visit.

 

Life’s a journey and we are on one!!!

Posted in Louisiana | 1 Comment »