February 18, 2020

Howdy, Friends! 🤠

It’s been a few weeks since I last wrote, though I’ve started to at least a couple of times. Something always seems to pop up when least expected—or, that’s how I justify my attention deficit disorder anyway. 😉 Time goes by so fast, I had to look back on what I posted on Facebook to help me remember what’s happened in the recent past.

It’s just been a little more than three weeks since our pup Biscuit had surgery to remove a huge, fatty tumor and, thankfully, she’s bounced back quickly. She needed the ramp we bought to help her get in and out of Felix (our RV) for just a few days, but it was worth every penny. Between the stitches and her weight, we couldn’t have managed without it.

This is the third season at Pioneer RV park and I don’t think we could’ve picked a better place to be. René, a friend and fellow snowbird, is our “social director” and works hard at planning activities to keep us busy and entertained, like country dance and painting lessons. Last week some of us got together and painted hand mirrors that another talented RVer crafted.

Several others have been coming here every winter for awhile also, and some of us have gotten to be good friends. In fact, we think of one another as our winter family. Recently, a couple of my friends from Michigan taught me how to play a dominoes game called “Mexican Train,” and there have been quite a few afternoons that have been leisurely wiled away this way. I’d almost forgotten how much fun and relaxing playing games can be!

This past weekend was THE busiest weekend of the year in Bandera—Mardi Gras—and the town was packed! Every RV space in the park had been reserved months ago, and bumper-to-bumper traffic lasted from Thursday afternoon until Sunday. The parade on Saturday was the highlight of the weekend when 140 floats paraded through Main Street—truly amazing for a town of less than 1,000 people.

Afterwards came my favorite part of the festivities, bull riding. In order for a ride to qualify, a rider needs to stay mounted for 8 seconds which may not sound like much, but it’s got to seem like an eternity for anyone atop 1,800-pounds of angry animal. With horns!

Not that either of us are very good, but Dave and I really enjoy bowling. Every Tuesday afternoon we drive to Boerne (“Bernie”) 25 miles away and bowl a couple of games at the Boerne Turn Verein, a club formed in 1906. From the looks of it, the eight lanes are original and the equipment isn’t much newer. Open bowling begins at 4 and ends precisely at 6:00 every day so that league play can begin: men’s, women’s, juniors, and special needs kids. It’s probably the most unique bowling alley we’ve ever been to, which is probably the reason we like it so much.

We’re already considering where to go when we leave Bandera in early April, and not having a home base anymore leaves the planning wide open. It’s exciting and scary, all at the same time. But I figure the right plan will eventually become apparent. Right now though, it’s Tuesday, and it’s time to go bowling!

Until next time….🤠