Monday April 13th

Time to leave the hotel and head home. No charges this time not even for internet. Usually they charge $11.95 per 24 hour day for one device. This time when you go to he web page to get the wireless they say 2 devices for 24 hours charged to the room, but don't say how much. Looks like enough people have complained, and that is why they now allow two devices.

Funny part is when we went to check out...no charges...o.k. thanks.

We got on the road about 9 after having free breakfast at the hotel restaurant due to the fact we had lots of points. Even had enough points to take home a fresh very large piece of carrot cake which we will use for Katie's birthday, and a lemon slice.

The driving is so easy in terms of traffic from Council Bluffs to Winnipeg, compared to driving in the major cities in Texas.

Only problem was the very strong side and head wind almost all the way home. This caused the gas gauge to drop in a hurry. It was like gas was being soaked up in a sponge. Probably only meant stopping for one fill extra, but it was obvious while you were driving. It also meant fighting a bit with the wheel almost the whole way home. Glad though that I was not pulling a 5th wheel or travel trailer!

We stopped when we wanted, and stopped at Costco in Fargo. We have been thinking of getting a new TV as our 37" Panasonic Plasma which we bought several years ago is due for an upgrade, especially seeing the Jets have made the playoffs and football season is coming up.

We found a Vizio 4k Ultra which had an instant manufacturer's rebate of $130. The good part about Costco is the 2 year warranty. They don't sell the Vizio's at the Costco's in Canada. We figure by buying in the US we saved about $300 and one of the two taxes in Manitoba, as well as saving the green tax...and who knows where that money goes in the Government coffers?

For those of you who don't know, if you make certain types of purchases you may be able to claim back the North Dakota sales tax. We will try and do that, which will make the purchase even better.

https://secure.apps.nd.gov/tax/sales/canadianrefund/

We got to the border around 6:30, and there were several cars in both lanes. Not a bad wait though, and after answering only what was asked, we were waived through. The truck in front of us was pulled in...I saw him waiving a bunch of receipts, which is not a wise thing to do unless you are actually asked for them.

We didn't have lunch so we were very hungry. We stopped at Diane's pizza on St. Annes Rd. There was no one in the restaurant. The pizza is great, you order the way you want it, it is just expensive, which is probably why the restaurant was empty.

One of the girls working there, was talking with her boyfriend who just arrived, and he had lost his phone. Lots of discussions about what to do and he searched his car about three times. He was going to leave for the last time, when I suggested that he go out to his car and have his girlfriend call his phone, and if it was in there he would hear it ring. Instead he took her phone and went outside, and in a few minutes he was back in all smiles, and his girlfriend said to say thank you, which he did. It was actually on the dashboard where he says he never leaves it...duh.

Then it was a short drive home, unpacked the car in a couple of trips, and unpack some more in the Condo.

Relax a bit and then bed.

Don't know if there will be more later...been writing the blog for the last 3 years. Many folks say they enjoy it, but it is a lot of work, especially when travelling, as I feel an obligation once I start it to keep it up in a timely manner. If I get behind a couple of days, I have to say to Katie "so what did we do Monday etc?" It sometimes becomes a bit of a blur.

We also do mainly the same things every year, just in different order or different ways. Those of you that really read, probably know as much of our Mexican family and the other Mexican kids in the neighborhood as we do.

I may take one year off next year...and then take it from there.

Katie posts pictures on facebook, and those tell a story in themselves. I may make a few comments as well, just not in as much detail as on the blog, that's for sure.

So....Hope you have enjoyed the 2015 Texas/Mexican adventure! That is the sole purpose for writing it! Thanks for taking the time to read!

And so ends another great trip to Texas and Mexico! We had a great time, but we miss our girls!

maybe or maybe not more later...in the future...

Jim

Sunday April 12th

This was basically a casino gambling day. We started off at Harrah's where we are staying, but didn't stay that long, because it seems the machines are pretty tight.

We took our car and went over to the Horseshoe, which we like because it is more spacious. We stay a few hours but found the machines were pretty tight there as well.

Back to Harrah's, and we started to get somewhere. I had a couple of fairly good wins, and Katie started to make some progress as well.

We went to the buffet for supper as it was free, due to the fact it is Katie's birthday this week, and also the points we accumulate during play. The buffet was good, then we played just a bit longer.

Total net profit on the way home $402...on the way down $1,440..best part US dollars.

New pillows were great! and the bed and room at the Casino are very good.

We just relaxed the rest of the night.

and so ends another good day on the way home!

more later...

Saturday April 11th

Travel from our hotel in Burleson to Council Bluffs.

We went for the breakfast at 6:30...would have preferred 6 as most other hotels do.

Pretty good...standard fare...scrambled eggs, sausages etc.

On the road by 7 regardless as we were pretty much packed.

Not much of a problem around Ft. Worth, but lots of construction around Waco both sides, makes driving more difficult and slower.

Very heavy rain around Oklahoma City. Very difficult to drive as the visibility and spray from other vehicles makes for heavy concentration especially at turnpike speeds, but we survived with no incidents.

Katie and I just stopped whenever we wanted and didn't worry about what time we were going to get to Council Bluffs as we have two night and all day Sunday with no driving. I drove all day and it took about 11 hours in all. Tired when we got to Council Bluffs.

We made a short stop at Kansas Star Casino for about 45 minutes. Katie made $68 and I made $50. So it was a good stop.

We had supper, and didn't think we were going to gamble any, but we did for awhile, and between Kansas Star and Council Bluffs, up net $200. But the machines seem very tight.

Rest of the night...relaxation. We stopped at a Walmart on the way, and got to king size pillows and pillow cases..we are tired of all these hotels with postage stamp pillows. We end up wrestling with them at night and they win.

and so ends another great day on the way home!

Travel to Winnipeg Monday...Yes!

more later

Friday April 10th

We packed up and got on the road around 8. It was hot and very humid outside. The drive was good until we got about 40 miles from Waco...lots of construction..both sides of Waco. Apart from that the drive was very good, some rain in spots, but not a big deal.

We checked into our hotel, Best Western Plus in Burleson Texas, just before Ft. Worth. Very nice hotel.

I asked the desk clerk for a good spot for dinner, and she told us about "Babe's Chicken". It is in old town, sort of like our exchange district.

When we got there around 6:30 there were a lot of people waiting outside. I thought it was a no chance situation unless you wanted to wait one heck of a long time. Katie said she thought we should see how long, so we went and checked. The girl told us 10 to 25 minutes. Ahh...not too bad. So we sat outside and waited. Sure enough after about ten minutes we were in like flint.

WHAT A GREAT PLACE!

It is very big, and when seated the waitress explained how they do things. No menu. You order from a list of 5 different prepared chicken dishes. They bring the sides, you have no choice. Corn, beans, biscuits, gravy, dipping sauce for chicken tender, salad.

We ordered chicken tenders and fried chicken, so we could share.

The chicken was awesome and everything was good.

Their waitresses carry big platter to the table with one arm outstretched over their heads. A couple of the waitresses, also take a wireless mic and sing while walking through the whole place. They are country western songs. No kidding...both of them were so good they could try out for the Voice or American Idol.

Babe's had a very good atmosphere, and the staff were terrific. So glad Katie was persistent.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

Doesn't really do it justice

and so ends another great day...not in the Valley

more later...

Thursday April 9th

Katie and I were supposed to go to Mexico for the last time, and were dreading it because we would have to say goodbye to our girls. Last year on the bridge you needed a mop for all the tears that were flowing...all except for Eric who didn't know any different.

Kate developed a Migraine headache which she gets fairly often, and it is really hard on her. She often loses part of her sight and ends up with an extremely heavy head. She has had these since she was 12.

So...as a consequence we could not go to Mexico. So we sent the kids facebook messages, and I looked over at Katie and she had tears streaming down her face. I did as well when I wrote mine. We also sent one to Lenny so that we could make sure they knew we were unable to come.

Around 5, we went to Al and Bonnie's for supper, as we had virtually nothing left in the fridge. How considerate of them to invite us. Katie was somewhat better but still had the after effects.

We are leaving tomorrow for home, so we will not see the girls until next year. How sad!

I'd like to say...and so ends another great day in the Valley!...but not really in this case.

more later...

Wednesday April 8th

Golf day today with Bonnie and Al. We started just before ten. Course not very busy, we let one twosome through and after that we basically had the whole course to ourselves for the rest of the round. It was hot, but there was a pretty strong wind so that helps.

Friends of Al and Bonnie's lives in the plantation development which also is part of the golf course like our park is. His trailer faces a fairway, and when we got there he came out with cans of beer for us. That really hit the spot at that moment.

Katie and I were both ok in the game, had our really good moments and some not so good. That's what happens when you aren't playing alot.

We had fun with Al and Bonnie as we always do, and after the game, stopped at their place for a drink.  As always we had lots of laughs, and after awhile Katie and I headed home.

We are slowly starting to pack some things so we don't have to do it all in one day.

The rest of the night we just took it easy. Katie got a headache which she couldn't shake. I feel so bad for her.

and so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Tuesday April 7th

Katie and I met Sister Maureen at her residence at 2:00PM. Our friend Dena was there with her husband Fred.

We had a sink and taps, that Sr. Maureen will give to someone. Fred had a kitchen cabinet in the back of his truck. We delivered that to an old lady who only lives a couple of streets away.

Dena came with Sr. Maureen and ourselves, and once we crossed the bridge, Sr. Maureen picked up another couple who were going to see the child they sponsor.

Sr. Maureen dropped us off at our kids place, and said she would come back and pick us up and we would drop off a package we had for Michelle who my brother sponsors, and Ruby who Durga sponsors.

At Erika's house, we learned that Erika was feeling ill. She had been to the Doctor in Rio Bravo. We learned that she may have had a minor heart attack and she is only 35. This may or may not be correct as the real facts often get lost in the translation. Apparently her upper blood pressure was at 200 which is terrible. Erika is very much overweight, and will have to change her eating habits or something serious is likely to happen...not good!

Erika has new house guests. The story is that they are getting away from a bad area where they lived, so now they are living with Erika, even though they really have no room for additional mouths to feed and house. There are one woman, her daughter, and one or two other women.

Katie and I stayed until Sr Maureen picked us up around 6PM, but it was not the usual pleasant experience for us. We basically sat there for the whole time, while all those present spoke spanish which we didn't understand. If it wasn't for the fact that Livy basically didn't leave my side for the whole four hours or so, it was not that much fun to be just sitting there listening to all the rest speak Spanish.

Without the extra people there. it is a more enjoyable experience for us, because we can focus on the kids and them on us, and we always have a lot of fun, and Katie and I leave with big smiles on our faces. That was not really the case yesterday...except for my girl Livy and Karelly at times, we almost felt like outsiders. Livy was great, she sticks to me like glue...she went into the kitchen and tooka cucumber and cut it into slices, Then she took about 4 limes, and used a squeezer to put the juice on top. Then she took some chili power and sprinkled it on the top. Then she decided she was going to feed me and her. I normally don't like cucumber by itself, but this was pretty good, and we had fun.

Lenny came after work, and because he speaks English it was a little better for us. I had bought the girls 3 gigabytes of data for April, but I found out it is already 71 percent used, and that is because there are more people in the house using wifi and therefore the data I got for the girls. his will have to change or they will surely run out before the end of the month. I won't buy more unless I find out it is only our girls who are using the data.  Lenny explained that to Karelly for me, and she yelled out loud...no more internet! I hope that helps!

We were glad, when Sr Maureen came to pick us up. Gave the girls big hugs as usual, and said we would be back Thursday.

We went with Sr. Maureen to meet Ruby who is 10 and her family for the first time. They lived in a shack before and when it rained the water in the shack would be up to their shins. They have a new addition added on which is higher so it takes away the water threat. Ruby is adopted, and the family in total is 10. Father works at a pharmacy in town and doesn't drink or smoke and speaks English.
They are a very nice family. Ruby has a great smile

Here is the family that happened to be there, and behind them is the original shack they were living in

After that we went to see Michelle sponsored by my brother, she is the same age as Ruby but so much smaller. We gave her the gifts that came from my brother and sister-in-law, and she was anxious to open the box which was almost as big as her.

Then she came out with her pet rabbit

Mom and her sister are usually there, and although they have next to nothing they are all so friendly and always have smiles on their faces. 

We left there feeling very good.

We didn't get home until the 2nd period of the Jets game...wow what a game and another great win and 2nd shutout in a row. One more win or Los Angeles loss and the Jets are in the playoffs.

and so ends another great day in the Valley..

more later...

Monday April 6th

Today we were supposed to go with Sister Maureen to Mexico. We were going to see Michelle who is sponsored by my brother and sister-in-law. We were also going to see Ruby who is sponsored by Durga who works with Katie.

We learned that Sr Maureen was taking a couple of couples who were going to see their kids, and they had to be back to catch a plane.

We decided we would be better off going with her on Tuesday instead.

We watched the Jets game at night...great game...great win!

and so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Sunday April 5th

Happy Easter everyone!

At 12:30PM Katie and I went to the Echo Hotel in Edinburg for the Easter Brunch. Dana had made reservations for a whole bunch of us from the park. This hotel has a very good reputation for their food and their reasonable prices. The brunch price went up today from it's usual $8.95 to $20, because it is an Easter Brunch.

There are several rooms, and the main room has huge windows which overlook the pool area. It is very bright and very large.

There were a lot of people there, one man said he has been coming there for 20 years and this is the most people he has seen yet. Word of good places spread.

Katie and I got to our reserved table first, then the others arrived.

We had iced tea, then went to the salad bar. Even though the lineups seemed were long, they moved pretty quickly. After salad we went for the meat section. Ham, Roast Beef and many other items were on the buffet line.

The food was very good, and we enjoyed it. Good conversation at the table as usual.

After the buffet, Katie and I ran some errands, some stores were closed but others were open...of course Walmart was open and very busy.

Later at night Katie and I went for a walk. It was a full moon and shining brightly, a beautiful sight!

We walked by the pool area...

No one in the pool and one man coming out of the hot tub. It was a beautiful night, and normally there would be more people, but a lot of them have already left to go home.

Katie and I finished our walk, and then headed home to relax.

And so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Saturday April 4th

Mexico today to see the kids. Raining all morning though which is going to make walking from the car somewhat more difficult, especially considering we are carrying all the food that Katie made to take.

On the way to the bridge, it was raining slightly, then harder, then slightly. By the time we reached the parking lot on the US side of the bridge, it was slightly.

We carried the large container of stew that Katie made as well as a large carrot cake.

I was not smart to wear my Crocs, as right over the bridge, it is tiles as a sidewalk and very slippery. I almost went down a couple of times, even the Mexican men trying to sell things on the street were telling me to be careful.

Shortly after we got to the pharmacy and talked to Lenny who phoned them, Erika's sister, who is visiting from Monterrey, and the kids picked us up. Erika's mom is also visiting.

Katie heated up the stew, and Erika's mom made rice with carrots and corn. We also brought a couple of loafs of french bread and butter.

It was a great meal, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Then it came time for desert. Erika's sister Kathy had made two cheese cakes. Katie and I each had a piece and it was really good. Of course, we also had to have a piece of Katie's carrot cake, and it was delicious as well. Kathy and Erika's mom both said they can't get carrot cake like that in Monterrey.

Apparently Kathy has a US visa so Katie and I were going to take her to Walmart in Weslaco, where she wanted to get some things for Erika before she goes back to Monterrey. It kept raining though, and then a friend of Erika's, the same one that picked us up on the street the other day, came and took Kathy instead.

We had lots of fun with the kids, and when the rain let up a little bit, Livario drove us to the bridge, and Katie and I only got a little wet on the walk back to the car.

Then it was relax time again.

and so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Friday April 3rd

Katie started her day of cooking today. She decided she wanted to make a nice stew for our family in Mexico. They like their meat and potatoes, but the cuts of meat that they usually have are tough and extremely thin.

We went to Costco and got stewing meat and some other things she needs.

She basically cooked almost all day because she made a large carrot cake and iced it as well.

We had made an appointment to get our trailer sprayed for termites and James from Pest Control came at 11:30. He is a good guy and does a good job, we had him last year.

It was extremely hot again today, so the air conditioning in the trailer was going hot and heavy because of the oven going all day.

While the stew was stewing, we decided to go for a walk despite the heat. Katie wanted to take some pictures of some of the plants in the park. She got some great pics.

During our walk we met Cecil and Jane who are friends of Al and Bonnie. Cecil is kind enough to plug in our golf cart once a month while we are gone to keep the batteries charged. They are a very nice couple and live in the park full time,

We dropped in at Al and Bonnie's for a drink, then came home and got the bathing suits on. There were only 4 people in the pool, and Katie and I stayed in for about an hour...it was great!

Then back home for dinner and relaxation for the night.

and so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Thursday April 2nd

I don't quite know how I did it, but I fell two days behind. Now I have to ask Katie the question "what the heck did we do Thursday?"

Katie said "not too much, we went for dinner with Al and Bonnie". I guess that "not too much" is quite ok when you are on holidays.

We went to Cheddars where we went last year, because we loved the ribs so much. There is always a wait but if they say 15 minutes it is usually 5 and they give you one of those devices that vibrates and lights up when a table is ready. Sure enough, we went to the bar expecting a 15 minute wait, and 5 minutes later the device let us know our table was ready. We just carried the drinks to the table.

Both Al and I had the full rack of ribs, while Katie had a half rack, and Bonnie had Tilapia. We were not disappointed, the ribs were just as good as last year.

Katie had a headache, she either gets a headache and no migrane, or a migrane and not the same type of headache. We just came home as a result, and Katie couldn't shake it the rest of the night. I feel so bad for her when that happens.

We just relaxed for the rest of the night.

and so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Wednesday April 1st

No April fools jokes this morning for us anyway. Only the thunder and lightening that were not in the forecast for this morning.

We decided we were going to go golfing with Al and Bonnie at 10:30, as it was quite overcast but we thought we weren't really going to get any more rain, and that turned out to be a good decision. It was quite windy though.

Still...we had a very good game, Katie changed her swing a bit, and she hit the ball really well. I had a very good game as well. We had a lot of fun with Al and Bonnie as usual, and they came over for a drink after.

We went to Walmart to get some groceries, and some mosquito repellent...the little buggers are still out.

We didn't go for a walk last night, both Katie and I have a sore knee from skipping with the girls the other day. We both said, next time skipping is an option..."DON'T LET US DO IT!"

We watched our favorite show...Justified which sadly is coming to an end!

and so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...

Tuesday March 31st

Ah yes! We're going to see the girls today!

Katie and I walked over the bridge, down the street and into Barbie Pharmacy for 1PM. Lenny was there and he phoned our family to come and get us. There was no answer to the phone. Katie and I waited a bit, then gave Lenny my cell phone number so he could phone us when they showed up, this had been pre-arranged. Stupid me! No good in giving Lenny my Tmobile number which does not work in Mexico.

Katie and I didn't feel like Pizza, so instead we headed to the Red Snapper down the street. We ordered a cheeseburger and fries. When it came, we found the cheeseburger was really good, and we ate the ten french fries on the plate no problem. I don't know why but Mexicans do not seem to like to put a log of fries on the plate. Who could complain though? $3.50 for the plate. The other thing that is interesting is that in most of these restaurants, the waiters are dressed in black pants, crisp white shirts and black bow ties. They hover close so they can take care of whatever you need. When you pay your bill and walk to the exit, they escort you and hold the door open for you. North American service personnel could certainly take a lesson.

We started to walk down the street, and we heard a car horn honk. There was our little Livy waving us over to a car we did not recognize. It was a friend of Erika's driving, and she took us to the house.

Erika was home with some of her friends, and the girls are off school this week and next, which works out perfectly for us, as we are down to 10 days before liftoff.

We had a blast with the kids, playing Mexican style bingo, with Mexican words and pictures, skipping rope outside with the kids, and going for a walk with Livy, who holds our hands the whole way. That child is amazing, and I can tell you that no matter what child we were lucky enough to sponsor, I can guarantee that there would be no one that could match her for being fun loving, being affectionate, and being sensitive and considerate. She is Awesome! When mom was driving us back to the bridge she was sitting in the back seat with me, playing with her tablet, and all of a sudden she is kissing my hand over and over for no particular reason, just for fun and being affectionate. Funny part is that Katie does the same thing from time to time.

I wanted to find out if Erika's phone which is on the Movistar network would function as a hotspot for the girl's tablets. Just couldn't get it to work though.

The phone I got them on the Telcel network, functions as a hotspot pretty well, but the data is expensive. I have not decided what to do about this issue yet, but better get it sorted out pretty soon.

Katie and I came home and watched the Jets game. Pretty good game but disappointed that they lost with a little over 3 minutes to go in the game.

And so ends another great day in the Valley!

more later...