Weekend in review and week ahead

This past Wednesday, we went to our first Whacky Wednesday at the Back Porch.  Connie didn't last too long in the heat, but she hung in there. 

We went to a new bar Thursday night (Lelo's, the former Wild Horse Saloon and Grill) for the Parrotheads of Port Aransas Fourth Thursday Happy Hour and Connie was a trooper.  Liked Lelo's.  The burgers/buns were fantastic.  It was a huge turnout.

Friday was a big test for us.  I went to play golf while Connie stayed home with the girls.  She got along famously.  First time I've done that since June 4th.  Always worried in Amherst since there were so few people there during the week.  That night, I had committed to work on the food committee for the Wings Party of the PHC and I helped at the beach party, while Connie stayed back.






Saturday night, I helped on the food committee at the Gala while keeping tabs on Connie at home.  Again, she did great -- there was even a beer or two missing when I got back.

This week is going to suck for her.  Last treatment, her port couldn't be accessed (as was the case towards the end at the Cleveland Clinic), and she had to go through her arm.  Made the decision to get her port replaced.  This week she's got a treatment on Monday (through her arm again), pre-op appointment at Shoreline Hospital Tuesday, the actual procedure on Wednesday, then a brain CT for the neurosurgeon in Cleveland gets done on Thursday.

Can you have too much pumpkin?

Even though, the temperatures haven't been out of the 80's here, I've been feeling a little fall-ish.  What better way than to make some Pumpkin-y things.

Last year, I waited forever for the stores here in Texas to stock the shelves with some pumpkin cream cheese spread to put on my morning bagels.  Never happened.  So this year, I decided to make a

Bread Machine Pumpkin Yeast Bread

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (5 ounces)
• 1 cup mashed pumpkin (or canned pumpkin puree)
• 4 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1. Add all of the ingredients according to your bread machine manufacturer's suggested order, with the default being the order listed in the ingredient list above.
   
2. Use white bread setting, light crust.  I used a 2 lb loaf.
   
3. Let your machine do its thing and enjoy the loaf when it is ready.
   
   

   

   
   

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

 

1 package (8 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

(Can’t get enough cinnamon? Add 1 teaspoon of it to the mix in addition to the pumpkin pie spice for more cinnamon flavor.)

• In large bowl, beat ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Pour spread into serving dish.
• Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
• Serve spread with breads, crackers or apple slices. Store in refrigerator. 

  
  

  

Week 4 CFB Viewing Schedule

I completely forgot to post week 3.  For those of you hanging there, waiting for me to publish it, I apologize.

Thursday:

Houston at Tulane 7p  CT ESPN

Friday:

Main Game: 
 Utah at USC 8p CT FS1

Commercial Game: 
Air Force at Boise St.  8p CT ESPN2

Saturday:

Noon slot
Main game:
Michigan at Wisconsin 11a CT FOX

Commercial Games: 
MSU at Northwestern 11a ABC
Tennessee at Florida 11a ESPN

3:30p slot
Main game:
Miami (OH) at Ohio State 2:30p BTN

Commercial games:
Auburn at A&M 2:30p CBS
UK at Mississippi State 3:00p SECN

7:30p slot
Main game:
ND at UGA 7:00p CBS

Commercial Games
Ok. State at Texas 6:30p ABC
Oregon at Stanford 6:00p ESPN

In Bed Game:
UCLA at Wazzou 9:30p ESPN

Last stops before Port A

We pulled into Ray Roberts Lake State Park on Thursday to spend a long weekend with our friends Fred and Vickie Porter.  Mentioned them a couple of times in our blog, but haven't given the full "how we met" story.

We started full timing at the end of December, 2010.  We spent our first winter in Tucson.  In December of 2011, we decided to stay in the Coastal Bend of Texas at Sea Breeze RV Park in Portland, TX.  They advertised in the flyers they had a Happy Hour on the porch of the Clubhouse at 4p.  Connie and I went up there early with a cooler full of beer.  Nobody there.  Decided to go inside.  Nobody.  Waited till 4:15p and made the call to leave.  Here comes this couple with a cooler and a bottle of wine.  This should be interesting.  We went inside and talked, drank and laughed until 8:30p or 9 that night.  We've been hanging out together ever since.  We've met in different places around the country.  We've met their family.  They've met ours.   We've always kept in touch, and hope we do for a long time.  Really treasure their friendship.

They're currently park hosts at this State Park north of Fort Worth along I-35.

We never have to have "something to do".  Just our company and conversation is plenty. 

Our dogs get along great with their dog ("Izzy").





We turned them on to College Football a few years ago when we took them to Ole Miss and the Grove to tailgate.  Put out a spread for Saturday's RV Tailgate that included BBQ Ranch Dip (using some of the BBQ sauce from Kansas City), Salsa dip (using some of our Salsa from Sioux Falls), Crockpot Tailgate Sandwiches, Bugles Mix, and cocktail wienies.  Snacked all day, it was great.

Pulled out around 9:30a from the State Park and drove down to New Braunfels (Hill Country Cottages and RV Park).  Monday, should have about 200 miles to get to our winter home of Pioneer RV Park in Port Aransas.

Sioux Falls to OKC

We took off from Sioux Falls in 58 degree, rainy weather to head down I-29.  My goodness, the standing water from this spring's flooding was unbelievable.

We stopped at the Ameristar Casino in Council Bluffs to boondock the night.  It was Sunday and the Bengals had the 4p slot, so we went into the newly remodeled sports bar and book.  It was great.  They had a tailgater sample platter that was too much.  Loved it.

Monday, we arrived in Kansas City and stayed at the Worlds of Fun Village.  It's a part of an amusement park (that was closed on weekdays).  Great park. 

Nice long concrete lots with patios and your own trash can.




We were there in part to see our BDM (Business Development Manager) for Carnival Cruise Lines, Amy Shortall.  Amy's been with Carnival for 30 years, and our BDM for South Dakota since 2013.  For the first few years, all of our correspondence was through emails.  Amazingly, I found out she thought I was kind of cold, gruff, and for some reason she thought I didn't like her.  I get that a lot.  Not sure why.  🤣🤣

A few years ago, we got to meet on a Seminar at Sea that she was hosting from Galveston.  Had a great time, and she got to realize what a nice guy I am.  🤣🤣   Of course, like everyone, she loved Connie.  Promised her the next time we were in KC, we would look her up.  

She couldn't have been more generous with her time.  She came over to the rig to "see how we roll" on late Monday afternoon, had bakery goodies for the girls, and KC beer for Connie and I.  We went out to Strouds restaurant, famous for their fried chicken.  Was a really neat place.  Part of it was over 200 years old.

Tuesday, Connie and I did a brewery tour at Boulevard Brewery.  So fascinating. 

Also, had some really good brews.  Every part of the brewery was top notch.







Amy joined us to tour and taste some Kansas City BBQ.

We started off at Arthur Bryant's BBQ.  Every President that's come through KC has stopped there.  I wasn't crazy about their sauce, but the meat was great.  We also got fries at each place.  In the end, Arthur Bryant's had the best.

Next we went a short way up the street to Gates & Sons BBQ.  Got a rack of ribs so we could sample the bones.  Something got screwed up, and we got their spicy sauce.  Good Lord.  If you know Connie and I, we just don't do hot.  Thought their fries were below average.

Finally, we went to Joe's Kansas City BBQ which was located in a working gasoline station. Went with brisket and pulled pork.  Both were great, and they got my vote for the tops.  Fries were 2nd to Bryant's.

Before she left us, Amy gave us a gift of other KC BBQ sauces.  

She's a peach.  Will see her again in December out in Los Angeles for the inaugural of the Carnival Panorama.

Days on the road

We traveled to our home town of Wilmington (OH) Monday late afternoon, and stayed through Wednesday morning.  Visited with Connie's dad (forgot to take pictures!!!) and also stopped by an old friend from HS that opened a new shop, the Wooden Moose.

Wednesday and Thursday were total travel days. 

Wednesday, we boondocked in a WalMart parking lot in Normal, IL  There was a Pizza Hut across the street for dinner, and (bonus) a bakery inside the WM for fresh donuts!

Thursday, we boondocked at the Isle Casino in Waterloo, IA.  They had a nice restaurant (one of four), The Brew Brothers, inside that had local craft beers, and some pub grub. 

I had some loaded fries (pulled pork, BBQ and cheese sauce) that were fantastic.  Couldn't finish it, but they were so good.  Not sure why else people go to casinos if not for the food and drinks?



Friday we rolled into Sioux Falls, SD and the Sioux Falls KOA.  Had an appointment at 5p to renew our driver's license that we just barely made due to some construction.  Our Google GPS taking us to a closed exit (thinking it was open) then having to follow a detour back to an open exit (that was what Google thought was closed).  Let me tell you, we zipped in and out of the DMV in 32 minutes.  They were the nicest DMV workers I've ever encountered.  What a pleasant experience.

After the licenses, we went downtown to a "First Friday" event put on by Downtown Sioux Falls and met our new BDM (business development manager) for Sandals (Adults Only All Inclusive Resorts) and Beaches (Caribbean All inclusive resorts for families), Monica Huether.  Great weather and company.  Talked a lot about our business, our backgrounds, ways Sandals and Beaches is growing and thoughts for expanding our niches.

Really enjoyed the small town feel of the event.  Also got introduced to Monica's friend, Julio Espino.  Great story.  Came to Sioux Falls as an engineer, noticed there wasn't an authentic Mexican restaurant in town, so he started it.  The restaurant did well, but people started wanting his salsa.  So, he started marketing his Inca salsa and sold the restaurant to his sister.  He's getting outlets at Hy-Vee, Wal Marts and working on expanding elsewhere (including H-E-B in Texas).  Fascinating conversation on the ins and outs of his business.  Was nice enough to give us some samples, looking forward to trying them.

Need a day of rest, and what better way than to watch College Football.  Weather is supposed to get crappy, so that will make it even easier to hang in the rig.

Here's my College Football Viewing schedule

Even though we're on the road, we still have a "no travel" on College Football Saturdays.

 

Thursday:

No games

Friday:

Main game:  None

Commercial Games:  Wake at Rice 8p CBSSN / Marshall at Boise St 9p ESPN2

Saturday:

Noon slot:

Main game:  UC at Ohio State 12p ABC

Commercial Games:  WVU at Mizzou 12p ESPN2 / Syracuse at Maryland 12p ESPN

3:30p ET slot:

Main game:  A&M at Clemson 3:30p ABC

Commercial Games:  Nebraska at Colorado 3:30p FOX / So Miss at Miss. State 3:30p  ESPN News

7:30p ET slot:

Main game:  LSU at Texas 7:30p ABC

Commercial Games:  BYU at Tennessee 7p ESPN / Miami at UNC 8p ACCN

In bed game:

Stanford at USC 10:30p ESPN

A reminder of some rules (or guidelines):

1.  I will have a Thursday and Friday night schedule, along with a noon, 3:30 and 7:30 (ET) Saturday slot, along with my game for the bedroom TV to put me nighty night.
2. As an alumni of The Ohio State, the Buckeyes will always be the main game whenever they play
3. The "commercial games" will be who I'm flipping to in the breaks of the Main game.

Ohio State game, bye to our summer home, and on the road again

Spent Saturday at the rig watching Ohio State play with the Davis family.  It's almost become our end of the season tradition.

Smoked some bacon wrapped stuffed chicken thighs.  Men liked them, women not so much.  They were thick.  Was really excited about making them, was equally disappointed in them.

Friday was Connie's last chemo treatment in Ohio.  Had originally planned on leaving Timber Ridge Monday, but pushed it backed to Tuesday to give her an extra day recovery.

Did most of the seasonal things all last week, then packed Sunday.  Today (Monday) she was in great spirits and said "let's go today", so I finished everything up this morning and got ready to leave by early afternoon.  Will give her a good night sleep, then all day tomorrow to spend time with her Dad.

Always tough saying goodbye to folks, especially "The Sisters".  They've been such wonderful friends and we'll miss them.

Got into Caesar Creek around 7p.  Didn't have a reservation, so we took a "walk up" site.  No biggie AND we saved the reservation fee Reserve America charges.

The new steps and back up camera all worked great.  Also had a bonus a few weeks ago.  Camper at Timber Ridge put out a bunch of "free to good home" stuff.  Had been needing to replace my leveling blocks and he had a whole set of them.  Grabbed those babies up and tried them out today.  Perfect!