TEXAS WILDFLOWER PICS

TEXAS BLUEBONNETS 

ENTIRE FIELDS OF TEXAS BLUEBONNETS

April 17 to 23, 2022 ; San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. to Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

Easter Sunday ; San Antonio to Fort Worth, Texas

HAPPY EASTER ! Sunny and very warm, temperature in the mid-80’s, a very nice day.

We left the Wal-Mart parking lot this morning around 10:30 AM and headed north out of San Antonio on Interstate 35. Not too far down the road we stopped at a Flying J to refill our freshwater tank and dump our waste tanks. Traffic was heavy passing through Austin. We stopped to have an exercise walk, lunch, and a brief nap for me at a rest area. We stopped at another rest area late in the afternoon to have a snack, and take photos.

We stopped repeatedly today to take photos of the wildflowers in bloom, especially the Texas Bluebonnets. WOW ! We also stopped at the Czechoslovakian town (in Texas ? ! ?) of West to browse through a Czechoslovakian bakery / deli / tourist shop. I bought a frozen crawfish pie <blink blink> and a jar of jam, Joanne bought a beef jerky cream cheese dip. HUH ?

It was excruciatingly congested and slow through Waco thanks to extensive road reconstruction projects. There seems to be an awful lot of pork barrel road reconstruction projects in Texas ! That caused us to reconsider our planned route through Dallas on I-35E. We decided to go through Fort Worth on I-35W, hoping that the traffic congestion might be less. I believe we made the right decision. The traffic up I-35W was not too bad. We arrived at BUC-EE’S on the northwest side of Fort Worth at 8 PM, about fifteen minutes before darkness, just enough time to refill the truck with diesel before night fell.

We boondocked overnight at BUC-EE’S, a Texas chain of fuel stations. Each location has about one hundred fuel islands … <blink blink> … for personal vehicles only, no commercial trucks allowed. It’s not a “truck stop”. Each location has a massively huge “convenience store”, with fast foods / convenience foods, drinks and snacks, souvenirs, travel “stuff”, etc. After refilling with diesel we drove around the store’s large parking lot and found a quiet spot at the rear to park overnight.

Our Pollos Asados Los Norteños barbecued chicken Easter dinner was superb. Especially the tres leches (three milks) cake for dessert !

By the way … BUC-EE is a buck toothed cartoon beaver. I bought an “I ♥ BUC-EE’S” bumper sticker. HA HA HA !

Monday ; Fort Worth, Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma

Sunny and mild, much cooler than we have been experiencing lately, temperature only reaching mid-60’s. HMPH … had to wear long pants … AND A SWEATER THIS MORNING !

I did some preventive maintenance on the truck and camper, we had a long walk around the BUC-EE’S property, and we left Fort Worth this morning around 11 AM. We continued north on I-35W until it merged with I-35E north of Dallas, and became just I-35 again. At Gainesville we turned east on Hwy. 82. At Sherman we turned north on Hwy. 75, and shortly after entered Oklahoma. We stopped at the Oklahoma Welcome Center and I went inside the Visitor Center to use Wi-Fi before we ate lunch in the camper.

Continuing north on Hwy. 75 after lunch we stopped at a Choctaw Nation Travel Plaza at Durant that was listed as having a sani-dump station and water. They had neither ! Later in the afternoon we stopped at a Love’s in Atoka and refilled our freshwater tank. At McAlester we got onto the Indian Nation Turnpike toll road and followed it north until it ended at Henryetta. We continued north on Hwy. 75, stopping in the scruffy little village of Okmulgee to buy catfish dinner (WOO-HOO) at House of Smoke BBQ Restaurant. By the way … House of Smoke’s catfish dinner for one includes … wait for it … five pieces of catfish ! ! ! HMMMM … maybe that explains …

We refilled with diesel at QT / QuickTrip fuel bar in Glenpool, a southern suburb of Tulsa. After refilling the truck we drove another mile or so to a Wal-Mart, to have our catfish dinner and boondock overnight. I went for a long walk while Joanne prepared fries to accompany our catfish and cole slaw dinner. The catfish dinner was okay, not great … I was disappointed. The second piece of tres leches cake from Pollos Asados Los Norteños in San Antonio finished it off nicely though. HA HA HA ! Joanne preferred tonight’s chocolate tres leches cake. I preferred yesterday’s coconut and dulce de leche tres leches cake.

Tuesday ; Tulsa, Oklahoma ; REST DAY

Sunny, cool in the AM, mild in the PM.

Today was a no driving rest day in Tulsa. We spent most of the day recreational shopping. We didn’t need any groceries, yet we still managed to spend about $200 on impulse purchases of food items. HA HA HA !

We started our day with a long walk around the neighbourhood of the Wal-Mart where we spent overnight. We left the Wal-Mart parking lot just before 11 AM. Our GPS guided us to our first destination of the day, Spirit River Casino, on Tulsa’s downtown riverfront. The GPS did a superb job repeatedly throughout the day, guiding us to and from our many destinations of today. We went to Spirit River Casino first, to check out if it would be a suitable spot to boondock overnight. Yes, yes … it would be !

We found our way to Supermercados Morelos, a local Mexican and Honduran supermarket. We bought a lot of Mexican and Honduran foods. Wonderful pan dulce ! We checked out a nearby Honduran restaurant and considered having lunch there but didn’t. We shopped in a “scratch & dent” discount store and bought quite a few $5 items for 50¢ each.

We drove to Camping World, hoping to refill our freshwater tank there and buy a few needed camper maintenance items. The customer service attitudes were so poor, from multiple sales clerks, that as I began to pay at the cashier counter, and was subject to another bad attitude cashier, I walked away from the counter, leaving my items there, and told the clerk I would simply go spend my money elsewhere. Bye-bye Camping World ! Your service has been shitty ever since Good Sam bought you a decade or so ago.

Next was Trader Joe’s. Every trip into a Trader Joe’s costs us a hundred bucks ! No difference here in Tulsa. HA HA HA ! We eventually refilled our freshwater tank at a Philips 66 fuel station and then … <insert drum roll here> … headed to … wait for it … BILLY RAY’S CATFISH & BARBECUE ! Bought catfish (for me) and barbecued ribs (for Joanne) for dinner tonight, barbecued chopped brisket for dinner tomorrow night. And, as always at catfish & barbecue restaurants, ALL the fixin’s included ! Place was filled with law enforcement officers having dinner. LARGE law enforcement officers ! Large, white, sheriff’s deputies ! I wonder if any of them were named Bubba ? Or Buford ?

We returned to Spirit River Casino, I went for a long walk on the riverfront walkway, we ate supper, then I set up the TV (powered by the camper’s DC to pure sine wave AC inverter) and roof top “over the air” antenna to find NBC. We watched “This Is Us”. HMPH … that worked well. Tomorrow in Kansas City I’ll try to find CBS and we’ll watch Survivor. Tonight’s catfish was better than last night’s but still … not as good as most catfish dinners we’ve had in Oklahoma in the past.

We liked Tulsa. Pretty city. Not too much traffic congestion, even around rush hour. Freeways and roads relatively easy to navigate. Lovely old neighbourhoods and homes. Lots of green space. Some people wearing masks. Even some WHITE people wearing masks. That is NOT the case in Texas !

<sigh> Sick again today. Don’t know if it’s a “regular” ulcerative colitis flare-up or a recurrence of Clostridium dificile intestinal infection.

Wednesday ; Tulsa, Oklahoma through Missouri to Kansas City, Kansas.

Overcast, mild, light drizzle all day.

<sigh> Yes, yes … still sick !

Longest day / furthest distance of this trip. Over 300 miles / 500 km. Left Tulsa, Oklahoma before 11 AM, arrived Kansas City, Kansas at 8 PM, at dusk. HMPH … too late to watch Survivor.

From Spirit River Casino we drove about twenty-four miles north to the town of Owasso, to dump our waste tanks and refill our freshwater tank at the sani-dump station at the municipal wastewater treatment plant. From Owasso it was a bit of back roads dipsy-doodling to Interstate 44 / Will Rogers Turnpike, a toll road heading northeast towards Joplin, Missouri. At Vinita we stopped at a travel plaza to have lunch and a brief nap for me.

After lunch we continued northeast on Will Rogers Turnpike until it ended at the Oklahoma / Missouri border. A few more miles on I-44 across the southern edge of Joplin, Missouri and we turned north on Interstate 49. We refilled with diesel at Kum & Go (HUH ?) on the outskirts of Joplin. We stopped again at Nevada, Missouri. While Joanne went into Wal-Mart for a few items I rested and had a late afternoon snack in the camper. When we reached the southern edge of Kansas City, Missouri we turned west on Interstate 435, the ring road around Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas. We followed I-435 along the southern edge of both Kansas Cities, crossing from Missouri into Kansas, and halfway up the western side of Kansas City, Kansas we stopped to boondock overnight at Cabela’s, one of our southbound boondock spots last November.

Given that I was sick again all day, Joanne decided to postpone our Billy Ray’s chopped brisket dinner until tomorrow night. While I walked for twenty minutes around the Cabela’s parking lot she prepared a light supper of tossed salad, scrambled eggs and toast. <singing theme song to TV show “Frasier”> “Well I can hear the blues a callin’, tossed salad and scrambled eggs … they’re calling again. HA HA HA … Goodnight, Kansas City !”

Thursday ; Kansas City, Kansas via Missouri (again) to Underwood, Iowa

Sunny and mild in the AM, sunny and warm in the PM, thunderstorms and heavy rain in the evening.

Still sick but improving again … I hope !

Here we are at the Iowa Welcome Center / Interstate 80 rest area east of Omaha, Nebraska. We were forced here by an Interstate 29 detour around Council Bluffs, Iowa due to road reconstruction. We decided to stay here overnight when we arrived and discovered that this Welcome Center / rest area has Wi-Fi and a sani-dump. Good thing ! When we checked the weather forecast for the next few days, along our continued route northbound we discovered bad weather coming to southern Manitoba and the Dakotas. We’ll accelerate our remaining northbound journey as a result.

After a long walk around the Cabela’s parking lot and property we left around 11 AM, continuing on Interstate 435 around Kansas City, Kansas, crossing the mighty Missouri River, from Kansas back into Missouri, and continuing around Kansas City, Missouri, eventually turning north onto Interstate 29. AHHHH … the “home road”. I-29 eventually becomes Pembina Highway in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

We stopped to refill our freshwater tank at a Pilot truck stop in St. Joseph, Missouri. We stopped to refill the truck with diesel at a BP Fuels station in Rock Port, Missouri. The freeway crossed from Missouri into Iowa, following Iowa’s eastern border with Nebraska. Shortly before reaching Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the river from Omaha, Nebraska, we were forced east onto Interstate 80 due to road reconstruction on I-29 around Council Bluffs. HMPH ! That detour was going to take us forty-two miles northeast on I-80, then about fifteen miles west on I-880 back to I-29.

When we reached the Iowa Welcome Center & Rest Area on I-880 we pulled in to check it out. WOO-HOO … it had not only a sani-dump station that we could use tomorrow morning, but Wi-Fi that we could use this evening. It was earlier (5 PM) than we usually stop driving for the day, but we decided to stay overnight. I’m glad we did. Using Wi-Fi to check the weather allowed us to make a decision to accelerate our northbound journey to arrive home a day earlier than planned due to bad weather forecast for southern Manitoba and the Dakotas in a few days.

Tonight we had our barbecued chopped beef brisket dinner from Billy Ray’s Catfish & BBQ in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was superb !

Friday ; Underwood, Iowa to Wilmot, South Dakota

Heavy rain overnight, low overcast and light drizzle all day becoming thick fog at 6 PM, warm.

Still sick today !

This morning we dumped our waste holding tanks and refilled our freshwater tank then went for a twenty minute, one mile walk around the Iowa Welcome Center grounds before leaving at 11:30 AM. A few miles northeast on I-80, then west on I-880 for fifteen miles to complete the I-29 construction detour started late yesterday.

As we continued northbound on I-29 we discussed the options, pros and cons, and practicalities of “compressing” our remaining journey of about 625 miles / 1000 km. to two days, to try to outrun the incoming late winter storm. We probably can’t outrun the incoming heavy rains, but might be able to outrun the incoming snow, and most likely will be able to outrun the drastic drop in temperatures to well below freezing. If we get home Saturday evening, I can winterize the camper Sunday morning before the temperatures drop below freezing.

We stopped in Sioux City, Iowa and ate our lunch in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Then while Joanne went into the store for a few grocery items, I refilled the truck with diesel at (Wal-Mart’s) Murphy’s fuel bar. We stopped later in the afternoon at Ward Rest Area in South Dakota, our original planned destination for today, to have an afternoon drink and snack. I was exhausted, so napped for twenty minutes.

Around 6 PM heavy fog developed. We were still about a hundred miles from where I wanted to be before stopping for the night. But after about an hour of driving in thick fog, trying to maintain 75 MPH / 120 km. per hour … and being frequently passed … by vehicles travelling faster than that, AND with their lights still off, despite the thick fog … SHEESH ! I decided it was simply too dangerous to continue.

I was taught, as a pilot, that “get home-itis” is deadly. Sometimes that applies to highway driving as well. I wouldn’t fly in unsafe weather conditions. I shouldn’t drive in unsafe weather conditions either.

We stopped for the night at a rest area near Wilmot, South Dakota, not far from the North Dakota border. It was a long day of many miles in tough driving conditions.

Saturday ; Wilmot, South Dakota through North Dakota to Steinbach, Manitoba

Very low overcast, raining all day, often very heavy, strong winds, temperature near freezing when we arrived home.

Left rest area at 10:30 AM. Arrived home at 7:15 PM.

2050 miles / 3300 km. from La Feria, Texas, U.S.A. to Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada.

Refilled with diesel in Sisseton, South Dakota. Refilled again in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Dumped waste holding tanks in Grand Forks. Within an hour of arriving home had camper freshwater tank, water heater tank, and plumbing lines drained and winterized, just as it got dark.

As we raced northward through North Dakota we kept receiving emergency alerts on the radio stations we were listening to, advising that due to flooding the roads were being closed from point A to point B, and we were always just a few miles ahead of that ! And I would push the gas pedal just a little harder !

Delayed a bit crossing border back into Canada because I had not filled out new ARRIVE CAN forms online. <shrug> Who knew ?

Still lots of snow left on roadsides and yards in Manitoba. And where there wasn’t snow … there were “lakes” where there should have been farm fields ! And rivers already overflowing their banks. I foresee lots of flooding in the next week.

Farewell to Merka. What a shithole third world country it has become !

DSK

April 10 to 16, 2022 ; La Feria to San Antonio, Texas

 Sunday ; Sunny, hot, windy.

Still sick, but … have stopped taking all “new” medications, and hope/expect to feel better soon as a result.

Did a bit of routine maintenance on the camper. Created/made a large pasta salad for lunches ; regular and whole wheat pastas, many seasonings, frozen vegetables, a bit of leftover mashed potatoes, crema Mexicana, a couple of chopped up hard boiled eggs. Posted my blog entry. Financial and investment work. Couple of long walks.

Monday ; Sunny, hot, humid.

Feeling quite a bit better now that my body is purging itself of all the “new” medications. Clostridium difficile intestinal infection seems to be almost resolved. WOO-HOO … the probiotic “good bacteria” are winning the battle for supremacy of my colon. HA HA HA !

Slow day, puttering around with truck and camper preventive maintenance, preparation for departure at the end of this week.

Our plan for the evening was to drive to Harlingen, have supper at Mr. Gatti’s, then do Wal-Mart replenishment shopping. Mr. Gatti’s is (was) a pizza buffet restaurant, near to, and competing with Cici’s Pizza. We had to been to both previously. Tonight we found that Mr. Gatti’s is no more, another victim of the pandemic. Odd that of two similar restaurants, in the same vicinity, one would survive and thrive, and the other would fail.

Joanne had been looking forward to another pizza dinner, so … we went to Cici’s again. Now that I am no longer consuming so many pharmaceuticals that my palate is “impaired”, Cici’s dinner tonight was excellent ! Two weeks ago I found it to be … just “so-so”.

After dinner we shopped at Wal-Mart, arriving back home around 9:30 PM. As I turned into the dark driveway entrance to our RV park I had to stop to allow an armadillo to waddle quickly across the driveway. Here’s our conversation ;

J ; Why did you stop?

D ; To allow the armadillo to cross the road.

J ; What armadillo ? ? ?

D ; <rolling my eyes> Night vision is getting worse, eh ?

P.S. to my Canadian readers ; an armadillo is the size of a fat cat, with a long tail.

Tuesday ; Cloudy, hot, humid, a few drops of rain, a bit of thunder and lightning.

Feeling much healthier. Did preventive maintenance and an inspection on the truck in preparation for the long trip home. Worked on medication inventory records keeping, in preparation for seeing doctor as soon as we are back home in Canada. Cooked an excellent onion, mushroom, asparagus, cheese, crema Mexicana, baked omelette/fritatta for supper.

Wednesday ; Sunny, brutally hot and humid, 106°F / 41°C.

Feel like we’re between a rock and a hard place ! Temperatures here in triple digits. Too hot and humid to stay here ! News reports “momentous blizzard” for next three days in Manitoba. Sure as hell don’t want to go back to that ! ! !

Feeling healthy ! Finally ! After about four weeks of misery !

Washed the truck again today. HMPH ! Shouldn’t have driven it through saltwater surf of Gulf of Mexico. Sanitized masks and changed filters. Finished taking inventory of medications. Minor repair to kitchen faucets.

Two long exercise walks. Without Joanne ! Poor little wifey is melting ! Told her to not eat so much chocolate. BCI (body chocolate index) now too high. HA HA HA HA !

Thursday ; Cloudy, hot, humid.

Feeling healthy and strong ! WOO-HOO ! Just in time for the long (1800 miles/2900 km.) journey home.

Put the camper back onto the truck today. I cleaned the barbecue … YUCK ! Disinfected the freshwater tank. Joanne did laundry. We’re getting ready to leave Saturday.

Good Friday ; Overcast, hot, humid.

Joanne just came in from outside, after having a brief conversation with a neighbour walking by, complaining that it’s been so many years since we’ve been this far southeast that she has lost the ability to understand and converse with people speaking “Luzeeanne”

neighbour walking by … noticing that camper is back on truck ; “Y’all leen ?"

J ; “uhhhh … yeah … tomorrow”

neighbour ; “where y’all lih ?”

J ; “uhhhh … Canada … about 2000 miles straight north of here”

neighbour ; “dry say”

Slow day, puttering around with departure preparations. Went to office and paid electricity bill. Called it hydro bill, they didn’t know what I was talking about. Electricity here not generated by “water”. Back flushed waste holding tanks using special back flush attachment on waste tanks’ outlet. Today was final opportunity to have easy access to sewer inlet and water spigot nearby.

Saturday ; La Feria to San Antonio, Texas

Overcast, very hot, humid. South Texas is one big sauna !

F*** … that was good ! ! ! (Just finished eating supper !)

This morning we finished our departure preparations and were pulling out of Breezewood Cove RV Park around 11 AM. Before leaving the town of La Feria we refilled our five gallon water jug (buck and a quarter for a five gallon refill here !) and replenished pan dulce at Panaderia Reyes. Might be the last time I will ever be in a panaderia … <sniffle>.

We headed east on Interstate 2 for about ten miles to Harlingen, then turned north on Interstate 69E to Corpus Christi. Before reaching Corpus Christi we stopped at a rest area to have an exercise walk, lunch, and a nap. AND … take photos of the Texas wildflowers in bloom !

For about an hour of driving north of Harlingen, there was a State Trooper patrol car every five miles or so, always “aimed” at the northbound lines, most of the time they had a vehicle stopped on the shoulder and were “searching” it. Read that as “harassing” it. All the stopped vehicles had Mexico license plates. What ? ! ? More systemic racism by Governor Greg Abbott’s minions ? ? ?

Finally, after about an hour of driving north (at 70 MPH) we reached ANOTHER Customs & Border Patrol checkpoint. As we approached the two agents, one with a German Shepherd dog sniffing around each vehicle, the dog handler agent abruptly pulled his dog back and walked away, suggesting to me yet again that CBP has been instructed to “leave the Canadians alone”. I expected the smarmy looking agent to simply wave us through, but … NOOOOO ! He motioned for me to roll my window down and with a smirk on his face asked “are you American citizens ?”

Are you truly too stupid to look at a vehicle with license plates that read MANITOBA and realize that we are NOT American citizens ? ? ? ! ! ! I think not, even though you don’t really seem that bright ! Just more obnoxious CBP games playing !

CBP : Are you American citizens ?

Me ; NO !

CBP ; Where are you from ?

ME <with side stinkeye and hostility/contempt in my voice> ; CANADA !

CBP <waving me through and with a smarmy smirk> ; Don’t you like Americans ?

ME & JOANNE <as I begin to drive forward> ; NO !

Given that we were Canadians about 2000 miles south of the Canadian border, and about 70 miles north of the Mexican border, and headed north … in a large truck with camper, bearing Canadian license plates, it seemed to me that a reasonable assumption might have been that at some point we had entered the United States legally ! ! ! Punch the license plate into your computer … you passive aggressive games playing moron !

From Corpus Christi we continued north, now on Interstate 37. Before reaching San Antonio we stopped at another rest area for another exercise walk and an afternoon snack and drink. When we reached San Antonio we bypassed the south side of the city by heading east on Interstate 410, then bypassed the east side of the city by heading north on Interstate 35. I-410 and I-35 form a sort of ring road around San Antonio.

We reached our boondock destination for tonight, a Wal-Mart, around 6 PM. I refilled the truck with diesel, figured out where to park overnight, then drove a very short distance to our dinner destination for tonight … and “Easter dinner” tomorrow night ; Pollos Asados Los Norteños. We ordered beef fajitas with all the Mexican fixin’s for dinner tonight, and pollo asado (Mexican style barbecued chicken) with all the Mexican fixin’s for Easter dinner tomorrow night. We returned to the Wal-Mart parking lot, and have just finished the superb grilled beef fajitas dinner with grilled onions, grilled red peppers, grilled green peppers, grilled Jalapeno peppers, grilled Serano peppers, red chili salsa sauce, green chili salsa sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole, seasoned Mexican style rice, baked Charro beans, and tortillas, of course.

The restaurant’s tagline ; “¡ mas green sauce, por favor !” HA HA HA !

After supper, while I worked on the computer in the camper Joanne went into the Wal-Mart to do some shopping. I don’t do Wal-Martin’ on Saturday nights, especially after a day of driving !

DSK

April 3 to 9, 2022 ; Rio Grande Valley, South Texas

Sunday ; Sunny and hot, 90°F / 32°C.

Still sick with C.diff.

Had a slow, lazy day. Worked on northbound migration trip planning. Went for a couple of long walks. Read. Napped. Regular day at the office ! HA HA HA !

Monday ; Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Hot ! Humid ! <gasp>

Still sick, but improving very slowly.

Had a great afternoon in Mexico today. Got an excellent dental cleaning (by Jasmin). Got an excellent haircut and beard trim (by Bermudez). Got an excellent pedicure (by Cynthia). Joanne got an excellent pedicure. Bought our favourite Mexican chocolates (Creminos) as a thank you gift for neighbours back home collecting our mail. Bought Mexican chocolate bars including the elusive Nugs Crujientes. Bought Nugs and Coco-Nugs in Los Algodones, but can find Nugs Crujientes only in Nuevo Progreso. Bought more Clostridium difficile antibiotic medication. Picked up our new eyeglasses.

Left home at noon, back home by 5 PM. Stopped at the panaderia in La Feria on the way home and replenished pan dulce. Just about to have a polvorone quatro colore with a probiotic yogurt drink as a bedtime snack. My Rio Grande Valley version of cookie and milk. HA HA HA !

Tuesday ; Sunny, hot, 95°F / 35°C, brutally humid. My wife is clammy!

Still sick, still improving.

Went to Harlingen to run some errands this afternoon. Refilled an empty propane tank. Went to a large thrift store, Texas Thrift. Somewhat like Value Village. Poor service, change rooms still closed, didn’t buy anything. Getting sick and tired of businesses using two year old pandemic as excuse to still not be providing services/amenities such as change rooms. Or in Canada … drink can returns/refunds. Refilled truck with diesel. Replenished groceries and supplies at Wal-Mart.

Barbecued corn on the cob and chicken for supper, with Joanne’s excellent home made potato salad. Was apprehensive about trying to eat corn on the cob nineteen days after tooth extraction. No problem !

Wednesday ; Brutally hot and humid. 104°F / 40°C

Still sick, still improving very slowly.

Seemed like a great day to head to the beach. SO … we headed off to South Padre Island. BUT … as we were leaving, I decided I would prefer the “off the beaten path” solitude of Boca Chica Beach, where Elon Musk’s Space-X Stargate rocket launch site is located. It definitely was the right decision.

Once at Boca Chica Beach we went for a long leisurely walk, strolling through the shallow surf. Afterwards we sat in folding chairs and I read a book while Joanne worked on word puzzles for an hour or so until fog rolled in and the temperature began to drop. We began to drive home, then decided to go to South Padre Island after all.

We drove to the city of Port Isabel then over the Port Isabel Causeway to South Padre Island. We explored from end to end of South Padre Island. Lots of expensive hotels and condominiums and tourist shops of every kind. Only a few public beach access points, $12 entry fees. The Port Isabel Causeway bridge is under reconstruction, to modify the center “drawbridge” portion to allow Elon Musk’s superyacht to pass through on its way to his Space-X launch site a short distance south.

We arrived back at La Feria just after 6:30 PM, with just enough time to buy a fast food dinner at Whataburger before watching Survivor at 7 PM. We had been to Whataburger many years ago and wanted to try them again. They have changed a lot over the years, we were disappointed tonight !

Thursday ; Sunny, warm, a bit windy. Drastic cool down from yesterday !

Still sick. Worse today.

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced today that he is going to significantly increase the quantity of inspections for commercial trucks entering Texas from Mexico. No particular reason or rationale given. Just being a racist RWNJ asshole, I guess.

Today’s good weather was conducive to working outdoors, using the truck bed as a workbench. I disassembled and cleaned two electric heaters we have, a small one for the camper and a large one that we are moving from Yuma to Steinbach.

Friday ; Sunny and very warm, a nice day. Still sick !

After lunch we headed west across the Rio Grande Valley to birdwatch at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park World Birding Center in Mission. We’ve been there before, many years ago. It’s a wonderful place to view exotic songbirds, especially in the spring when they’re migrating north. Today we saw a female and a male Altamira Orioles, a male Green Jay, a male Cardinal, a female Great Tailed Grackle, and … uhhh … Chachalacas … <ahem> … mating ! <blink blink> What a fascinating ritual ! HA HA HA !

We spent a few hours wandering around the state park, enjoying the fine weather and … having a good laugh at … wait for it … the National Guardsmen stationed there in the turrets of their armoured combat Humvees, on the dikes / levees, beside “THE WALL”, ensuring “BORDER SECURITY”. <rolling my eyes> A few days ago (Republican) Governor Greg Abbott announced that he was spending three billion dollars of Texas taxpayers’ money to “augment” the “inadequate” (Federal) Customs & Border Patrol efforts to deal with the “SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS” !

<shaking my head in despair> I’m becoming very eager to see Merka in my rear view mirror !

On the way back home we stopped at HEB in Weslaco to replenish groceries, then refilled the truck with diesel at 76 Fuels. The truck didn’t really need fuel yet, but … the station had just lowered their price by a dollar a gallon ! ! !  I don’t know why, maybe to initiate a price war ? ! ?

We got back home late, just before 9 PM. HMPH … late supper !

Saturday ; Sunny, hot, windy.

Sick ! Worse !

There comes a point, in the treatment of any medical condition, whereby my body reaches the limits of its tolerance for pharmaceuticals. My organs simply cannot metabolize and excrete any more drugs. The last time this happened to me was about eight days after my coronary artery bypass graft surgery. After a week of an antibiotic to treat a dental abscess, followed by two weeks of another antibiotic to treat the C. diff. intestinal infection caused by the first antibiotic, along with other “new” analgesics and probiotics and Imodium and Pepto-Bismal, and all the other “regular” colitis and bypass medications I consume daily, they’ve all become a toxic soup in me. Time to discontinue everything except my “old”/regular necessary colon and heart medications, and allow my body to restore and heal itself.

Wish me luck. Stay tuned.

DSK

March 27 to April 2, 2022 ; Rio Grande Valley, South Texas

 Sunday ; Still sunny and hot.

Managing C. diff. intestinal infection as well as possible. Still sick, but mostly functional … most of the time.

Finished maintenance/improvement project on camper today. Went for a couple of long walks. Bought some “home improvement” stuff at nearby Dollar General, for Steinbach condo project. Prepared supper ; Scotch eggs. Well done !

Monday ; Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Harlingen, Texas

Still sunny and hot. Still sick with C. diff., but improving.

After a long morning walk and an early lunch we headed to Mexico to buy me the antibiotic medication needed to treat a C. diff. intestinal infection. Once in Nuevo Progreso I made an appointment at my new dentist’s for a cleaning and extraction site examination next week. Then we wandered through town comparison shopping at the farmacias and opticians. We made decisions, bought the antibiotic needed, ordered a pair of tri-focal sunglasses for me and a pair of regular single vision glasses for Joanne. We decided to “stock up” on vision care before we return home to Canada. We already bought three pair of prescription eyeglasses in Los Algodones earlier this winter, so we have now purchased a total of five pairs of eyeglasses this winter season. Plus … Joanne has purchased non-prescription reading glasses and non-prescription polarized sunglasses.

After paying cash for my medication and our eyeglasses, we were out of cash, so ended our Mexico trip before all our errands were completed. We have to go back next week for me to see the dentist, so we’ll finish our Mexico errands next week. The line-up to cross back into the US was … <sputter> … non-existent !

That reminds me … on our way into Mexico, as we crossed the International Bridge over the Rio Grande River from the US into Mexico, we … “Sorry, excuse me” … had to walk through a wedding ceremony taking place on the middle of the bridge. The bride was standing in Mexico, the groom was standing in the US, the woman performing the ceremony was straddling the border line in the middle of the bridge. How unusual !

Once back in the US we didn’t return home directly, we went to Harlingen to run errands. First was Wal-Mart, followed by Goodwill thrift store shopping, then dinner at Cici’s, a pizza buffet restaurant that we have been to in the past, but not for many years. After dinner we shopped for groceries at the Harlingen HEB supermarket, a much larger and better outlet than the older, smaller HEB store in Mercedes that we have been to a couple of times since arriving in the Rio Grande Valley almost two weeks ago. We arrived back home around 9 PM.

Long, tiring day ! Especially for a sicko !

Tuesday ; Overcast in the morning, hot, humid, windy, sky clearing in the afternoon.

Feeling healthy and strong for the first time in two weeks ! New medication must be working to kill C. diff. bacterial infection.

Wednesday ; Sunny and very hot (95°F / 35°C) with a cooling breeze.

Health still improving, but still some lingering effects of C. diff. intestinal infection.

This morning we went on a long walk, for exercise and to run some errands. We walked to Dollar Tree and Joanne went in to buy some supplies. I continued walking to Family Dollar. A few days ago I bought a few Reese Peanut Butter Cup chocolate bars that they were clearing out, reduced in price from $1 to 25¢. I decided to return and buy more. EXCEPT … <blink blink> … when I arrived there today they had further reduced the price … from $1 to … <sputter> … 10¢ ! ! ! Well … ZUT ALORS ! ! !

I bought fifty ! ! ! HA HA HA ! Might as well enjoy them while I’m still on the “C. diff. weight loss program”. HA HA HA HA HA (ROFLMAO).

I must be feeling better. My sense of humour is returning.

I walked back to Dollar Tree and joined Joanne. Then we continued on our regular long walk route until home. We loaded the empty water jug into the truck, drove to a nearby water refill machine, refilled the water jug, Joanne obtained a roll of quarters for laundry, and we finished our errands with a visit to the panaderia, stocking up on pan dulce for breakfasts and bedtime snacks.

After lunch and a nap we sat outside in the shade of the camper, I cleaned and polished shoes and sandals while Joanne did Internet research on the laptop, planning more outings/adventures while we’re here ; Boca Chica Space-X rocket launch site, South Padre Island, Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park (for birdwatching).

Thursday ; Sunny and hot (93°F / 34°C) with a cooling breeze.

<sigh> Pretty sick today, especially in the morning. Two steps forward … three steps back ! After lunch and a nap I was feeling a teensy bit better, so chanced a trip to Harlingen to run some errands. That was “plan B” after trip to view Space-X launch site at Boca Chica postponed AGAIN today due to illness. Dropped Joanne off at Goodwill, drove to Bank of America to use ATM, returned to Goodwill … waited an hour and a quarter for Joanne to finish … <fume> … decided on impulse to risk trip to Boca Chica after all !

Space-X Stargate launch site at Boca Chica about an hour from “home”. Disorganized looking Elon Musk rocket launch site located at end of road, where Rio Grande River flows into Gulf of Mexico, very short distance south of South Padre Island. Driving by rocket launch pads, gawking, when … HOLY SHIT … road ends, beach begins ! Shifted into all (six) wheel drive, drove truck onto beach, parked, took some photos, drove truck through incoming surf to make U-turn, headed back inland. Not the first time Lanoire has dipped her tires in the Gulf of Mexico.

Joanne was amused by disorganized appearance of Space-X site. Multiple rockets being built and prepared for launch at multiple launch towers, everything seems to have been built very quickly with no “master plan”. Hundreds (perhaps thousands) of employee vehicles parked helter-skelter everywhere.

“QUICK ! WE NEED TO LAUNCH ANOTHER ONE.”

“FROM WHERE ?”

“PUT ONE OVER THERE ! ! !”

“BUT IT’S JUST SAND AND SWAMP OVER THERE !”

“DOESN’T MATTER … JUST BUILD IT ! QUICKLY ! ! !”

Friday ; Cloudy, hot, a bit windy.

I was a bit healthier today. Well … until I made enough progress on our income tax returns preparation this evening to realize how much income taxes we will owe for last year. YIKES ! HA HA HA !

I intentionally had an easy day, to rest and recuperate. This afternoon I even declined to go shopping for groceries at HEB in Harlingen, asking Joanne to go do it by herself while I read and napped. Thank you, my dear.

Saturday ; Overcast, hot, extremely humid. Like living in a sauna !

Health continues to improve, albeit very slowly.

On our morning walk we came across a dead cat lying in the driveway of a local business. After our walk I drove back there, with vinyl gloves and two garbage bags, and disposed of the carcass. It’s bad enough that dogs and cats have to die like that, their remains shouldn’t have to be subjected to the indignity of being run over repeatedly afterwards !

Godspeed, little tabby. I am … and always have been … livid at irresponsible pet owners who don’t fulfill their obligations to protect their pets from the hazards of the world ! ! ! ! !

This afternoon we went to a local car wash and washed and vacuumed the truck. First time in my long life that I use a car wash vacuum system. Much superior to home vacuum. Who knew ? What an idiot ! HMPH !

DSK