Today was a factory outlet day. First we went to Kohl's in McAllen, as Al likes to get his golf shirts there. He has some nice ones. Katie found a pair of pants there, but in general they are expensive.
Then we went to Mercedes Factory Outlets, approx 20 miles away. Katie found some nice golf clothes at Izod, and I found a golf shirt elsewhere and a T shirt. That was about it for clothes and bargains, as the stores in general were very crowded. When we go usually it is not crowded and quite enjoyable.
We found out that it is so busy because it is "Holy Week". Lots of families and kids. I said to Katie "kind of odd that this is Holy week, which involves shopping at the factory outlets, to celebrate it" She agreed. Of course that is not the only thing these families do to celebrate Holy week....
Then it was back home, and just relaxed for the night.
and so ended another great day in the valley...
more later...
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday March 26th
Katie went to get a pedicure this morning, but there was only one person working and the smell of the chemicals was making her feel a bit sick, so she left. She went shopping for clothes for our Mexican girls instead. Durga, Katie's friend and Karelly's sponsor, gave Katie money before we left to buy some clothes for the girls. Here is the result. The girls will love them I'm sure.
My friend Al and I went to get Bonnie a Nexus 7 tablet. We got it, and then I set it up for her while she was golfing.
Katie came back, and later in the afternoon the vegetable guy came to the park...Katie likes to get vegetables from him because they are good quality, locally grown, and the prices are good. We stopped at Bonnie and Al's and taught Bonnie a few things about her new tablet.
Katie and I put the surround cover on the golf cart, as we had washed it at the car wash, and wanted to at least get it on and rolled up, as it is too bulky to store. We will likely never use it, unless it is raining hard, which mostly never happens, but it is good to have anyway.
We're just going to relax tonight. We are going to Mercedes tomorrow to hit the factory outlet stores. We don't intend to buy too much, as we both intend to lose some more weight when we get back home.
We made a tee time for Friday for golf with Bonnie and Al.
and so ends another great day in the Valley...
more later...
My friend Al and I went to get Bonnie a Nexus 7 tablet. We got it, and then I set it up for her while she was golfing.
Katie came back, and later in the afternoon the vegetable guy came to the park...Katie likes to get vegetables from him because they are good quality, locally grown, and the prices are good. We stopped at Bonnie and Al's and taught Bonnie a few things about her new tablet.
Katie and I put the surround cover on the golf cart, as we had washed it at the car wash, and wanted to at least get it on and rolled up, as it is too bulky to store. We will likely never use it, unless it is raining hard, which mostly never happens, but it is good to have anyway.
We're just going to relax tonight. We are going to Mercedes tomorrow to hit the factory outlet stores. We don't intend to buy too much, as we both intend to lose some more weight when we get back home.
We made a tee time for Friday for golf with Bonnie and Al.
and so ends another great day in the Valley...
more later...
Monday March 25th
Not alot to talk about today...
We went a couple of doors down to our friend Ron's who was hosting a happy hour. Again, always lots of fun and good people, and always lots of laughs. Unfortunately the wind was up, and believe it our not, it was actually cold. What a joke, saying it is cold when it was in the 60 degrees, thinking of what it has been like back home.
But people had hoodies on with the hoods up, and people left early because it was cold sitting there. We were pretty much there until the bitter end.
and so ends another great day in the valley...
more later...
We went a couple of doors down to our friend Ron's who was hosting a happy hour. Again, always lots of fun and good people, and always lots of laughs. Unfortunately the wind was up, and believe it our not, it was actually cold. What a joke, saying it is cold when it was in the 60 degrees, thinking of what it has been like back home.
But people had hoodies on with the hoods up, and people left early because it was cold sitting there. We were pretty much there until the bitter end.
and so ends another great day in the valley...
more later...
Monday, March 25, 2013
Sunday March 25th
We have been here three weeks today...the time has gone by way too fast.
Katie made her "juice" in the morning...
The goats will benefit from the tail ends and the little goats really like the pulp.
Then it was time to do a job I was not looking forward to. In between the outer and Inner windows of the trailer, there is a space, and some type of mactac type of material covering the frame. In the heat and sun, this material starts to let go and curl up, so that it looks terrible between the windows. Last year I redid two of the front window, and painted in between instead. So I had one front window to do and also three windows on the side.
In order to get at the space, you need to remove the inside aluminum frame, and there are about 20 screws or more holding each one on. Also have to take off the Venetian blinds and clean them. Once the frame comes off, a good cleaning is required, both the frame and the windows. Then I have to take a hair dryer and heat up the mactac so the glue lets go and I can gradually peel it off. Then two coats of paint as the pressboard underneath just sucks the paint in. Then put everything back together again X4.
Basically this job took almost all day, extremely time consuming, but it is now done Hallelujah! Oops wait...another day I will have to do another two which are not really in bad shape because they are shielded from the sun due to the carpot.
Time for dinner, we both deserved a restaurant night, so off we went to the Chinese Sea Buffet, and it was very good. We were pretty full when we got back so it was time for a walk. We stopped in at Remi and Danna's and had a nice chat, then Bill and June's, and same thing, fun!
and so ends another great day in the valley...
more later....
Katie made her "juice" in the morning...
The goats will benefit from the tail ends and the little goats really like the pulp.
Then it was time to do a job I was not looking forward to. In between the outer and Inner windows of the trailer, there is a space, and some type of mactac type of material covering the frame. In the heat and sun, this material starts to let go and curl up, so that it looks terrible between the windows. Last year I redid two of the front window, and painted in between instead. So I had one front window to do and also three windows on the side.
In order to get at the space, you need to remove the inside aluminum frame, and there are about 20 screws or more holding each one on. Also have to take off the Venetian blinds and clean them. Once the frame comes off, a good cleaning is required, both the frame and the windows. Then I have to take a hair dryer and heat up the mactac so the glue lets go and I can gradually peel it off. Then two coats of paint as the pressboard underneath just sucks the paint in. Then put everything back together again X4.
Basically this job took almost all day, extremely time consuming, but it is now done Hallelujah! Oops wait...another day I will have to do another two which are not really in bad shape because they are shielded from the sun due to the carpot.
Time for dinner, we both deserved a restaurant night, so off we went to the Chinese Sea Buffet, and it was very good. We were pretty full when we got back so it was time for a walk. We stopped in at Remi and Danna's and had a nice chat, then Bill and June's, and same thing, fun!
and so ends another great day in the valley...
more later....
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Saturday March 23rd
At 6:30PM it is exactly 100 degrees F.
Katie and I have basically stayed in all day, and did things inside the trailer. Katie went through all the kitchen cupboards and organized things. I just did some small things, and did some computer stuff for some friends in the park.
Tonight we went and fed the goats again, the little ones are getting to the fence more and being proactive. Still pretty hot but good breeze. Now we're going to watch a bit of TV and go for a walk.
and so ends another great day in the Valley...
more later...
Katie and I have basically stayed in all day, and did things inside the trailer. Katie went through all the kitchen cupboards and organized things. I just did some small things, and did some computer stuff for some friends in the park.
Tonight we went and fed the goats again, the little ones are getting to the fence more and being proactive. Still pretty hot but good breeze. Now we're going to watch a bit of TV and go for a walk.
and so ends another great day in the Valley...
more later...
Friday March 22nd
We just had a regular light fixture in the bedroom, so we decided it would be much better if we had a ceiling fan like we do in the living room. Hmmm...is this really a good idea? Sounds a lot like work!
After breakfast, we got started and laid out all the pieces on the top of the bed. There were many pieces. Step by step we started to assemble all the pieces, which had to be done in a certain order. We finally got to the point where we were going to hang the motor to the hanger bracket and then connect the wires. We thought that in the end it would look too low, with the size of extension as part of the fan assembly. Ok...let's cause ourselves some more work and mount the fan as a flush mount.
Off comes all the parts, and we construct it so that it will be a flush mount assembly. Heck of a lot more difficult to do the wiring this way, than the other way where the motor is basically hanging while you tie the wires together. Katie had to hold it for me by standing on the bed, while I did the wiring. Oh oh!...arms getting sore...ahh...finish the wiring just in time.
Finish getting the top part done, then it is time for the blades to be attached and the light fixture. We do all that, and hope that when we turn on the switch, everything will work. It does!!!
Trouble is, it is wobbling. Now we have to take the kit they put in with the fan, which basically consists of 3 gram weights and find out where to attach one, two, or three to get it to run without wobble. After lots of trial and error...Eureka!... success.
This is one of those things that is so easy that a kid can put it together and get it mounted...yup...so easy it took us about 3 hours...but it's done.
We went and fed the goats again...they really benefit from Katie's juicing. We stopped by our friends Brian and Linda's to talk about books for her reader. Had some laughs there, as Brian is always funny and so is Linda.
Took the Gps in the golf cart to see what speed it is going at the top....12MPH....hmmm...a little on the slow side, will have to see what I can do about that at some point.
Good supper, then relaxation for the rest of the night.
and so ends another great day in the valley...
more later...
After breakfast, we got started and laid out all the pieces on the top of the bed. There were many pieces. Step by step we started to assemble all the pieces, which had to be done in a certain order. We finally got to the point where we were going to hang the motor to the hanger bracket and then connect the wires. We thought that in the end it would look too low, with the size of extension as part of the fan assembly. Ok...let's cause ourselves some more work and mount the fan as a flush mount.
Off comes all the parts, and we construct it so that it will be a flush mount assembly. Heck of a lot more difficult to do the wiring this way, than the other way where the motor is basically hanging while you tie the wires together. Katie had to hold it for me by standing on the bed, while I did the wiring. Oh oh!...arms getting sore...ahh...finish the wiring just in time.
Finish getting the top part done, then it is time for the blades to be attached and the light fixture. We do all that, and hope that when we turn on the switch, everything will work. It does!!!
Trouble is, it is wobbling. Now we have to take the kit they put in with the fan, which basically consists of 3 gram weights and find out where to attach one, two, or three to get it to run without wobble. After lots of trial and error...Eureka!... success.
This is one of those things that is so easy that a kid can put it together and get it mounted...yup...so easy it took us about 3 hours...but it's done.
We went and fed the goats again...they really benefit from Katie's juicing. We stopped by our friends Brian and Linda's to talk about books for her reader. Had some laughs there, as Brian is always funny and so is Linda.
Took the Gps in the golf cart to see what speed it is going at the top....12MPH....hmmm...a little on the slow side, will have to see what I can do about that at some point.
Good supper, then relaxation for the rest of the night.
and so ends another great day in the valley...
more later...
Thursday March 22nd
Our friend June came over, so we could show her a few things on her new Nexus 7 tablet. We also just had fun chatting about all sorts of things. Then Bob Flock dropped by. Before we knew it, most of the morning was gone and it was time to and get a sound bar for the TV. The reason for the sound bar is that most of the LED Tv's made these days have a really good picture but not so good sound. It's not just one manufacturer either. When the air conditioning kicks in, and the TV volume goes up, the sound becomes distorted and it almost sounds like a rattle from the speakers. Trouble with this TV though, is that it only has one output for sound, but lots of inputs.
So we went to Radio Shack where I knew they had one. They were $20 more though, then Best Buy and Walmart. They refused to match prices saying it is not their policy. There was no one at all in the store, and not hard to tell why, as the two girls running the store did not have a clue about electronics, and couldn't see the value in matching the price rather than lose a customer. So we said bye bye to the two, and off to Walmart we went.
Got the sound bar $20 cheaper of course. Then we went to Ross Dress For Less. Quite the store, full of brand name clothing at much reduced prices. Used to be the same at Steinmart, but we will not be returning there, they are gradually pricing themselves out of existance. We always find some great T shirts, Katie got a cover for her tablet for $5.95, we got a picture for the bathroom, a container that we really like for coffee beans. The place was very crowded so required a bit of patience for checkout. Compare that with Steinmart which is right next door, and you could shoot a cannon through the place.
Came home and tried the soundbar...hmmm...doesn't work. No way to completely shut off the sound on the TV except for muting it. That will not work. Arggg...so we had to take it back. I will have to try and find another solution.
Then we went to the driving range, and we both were hitting the ball well.
We also went to feed the goats...
Then it was back home for some relaxation.
and so ends another great day in the Valley...
more later...
So we went to Radio Shack where I knew they had one. They were $20 more though, then Best Buy and Walmart. They refused to match prices saying it is not their policy. There was no one at all in the store, and not hard to tell why, as the two girls running the store did not have a clue about electronics, and couldn't see the value in matching the price rather than lose a customer. So we said bye bye to the two, and off to Walmart we went.
Got the sound bar $20 cheaper of course. Then we went to Ross Dress For Less. Quite the store, full of brand name clothing at much reduced prices. Used to be the same at Steinmart, but we will not be returning there, they are gradually pricing themselves out of existance. We always find some great T shirts, Katie got a cover for her tablet for $5.95, we got a picture for the bathroom, a container that we really like for coffee beans. The place was very crowded so required a bit of patience for checkout. Compare that with Steinmart which is right next door, and you could shoot a cannon through the place.
Came home and tried the soundbar...hmmm...doesn't work. No way to completely shut off the sound on the TV except for muting it. That will not work. Arggg...so we had to take it back. I will have to try and find another solution.
Then we went to the driving range, and we both were hitting the ball well.
We also went to feed the goats...
Then it was back home for some relaxation.
and so ends another great day in the Valley...
more later...
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