My Winter Vacation

For sure it is time to write again. On Monday I returned from 2 very full weeks in Minnesota and barely missing a step, I resumed line dancing and life at Palmdale. Later today, we will go to a movie with Ray and Cyndi since it is chilly and rainy. Sparky has changed his location in the yard and now has his eyes on our new pink flamingos. He never changes his position though in case you haven’t noticed. Sparky is very popular around here and comes up in many conversations.

Before I left for Minnesota, we participated in the Port Isabel Causeway and Fitness Walk/Run. We went with a group of about 10 other Palmdalians and walked with a few thousand others across the Causeway from Port Isabel to South Padre Island (5 kilometers) and then went for lunch at Louie’s Backyard. It was a beautiful sunny and windy day. And we got more souvenir tee-shirts. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

At the Conservatory

Then I flew to Minnesota on January 11 so that I could appreciate the weather in South Texas but more importantly to celebrate Edie’s 4^th birthday. And we did that for several days. Edie planned her own “surprise party” which was held from 10 AM to noon on Saturday. We built and decorated a piñata.  We rode the Merry-go-round at the Mall of America one day and I picked out birthday presents for her. I went with Greg to pick her up from preschool. In Minneapolis, her class is called Alphabet Soup. I met her teachers and admired her art work. I spent 7 days with Greg’s family and enjoyed many hours of playing with Edie. On Sunday I went with Peggy and Edie to the Conservatory in St. Paul which is one of the best places to go in the Twin Cities in January where you can enjoy a tropical rain forest feeling in the middle of the frozen city. After the party on Saturday, Greg took out his new dutch oven and prepared pot roast. Brothers, Ludwig and Dick came over along with Greg and Peggy’s friends and their two children.

DOM with 2 of the boys

That was only one of many fine meals that I enjoyed with family. Ludwig made a couple of lasagna’s and hosted a family meal of 10 of us where we could discuss next summer’s Mystic Lake trip with several of the participants. One day Ludwig and I went with Nephew Kenny over to Rochester to see where Brother Dick is now living with his daughter Colleen and her 2 children. It was good to see them all doing well. I had 3 days with sisters, Jean, Kay and Elaine for what we called Senior DOM or some called it Old DOM (Daughters of Marjorie – our mother). More good meals and laughter and memories and made some plans for reunions next summer. We took a field trip to the JedFest – a Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival fundraiser honoring their long time leader. There we met up with brother Doug down from Fargo and Sister-in-law Mandy who was down from Big Fork along with Niece Kelly with friend Noah in town from Chicago. Of course Ludwig was there as well. Then I came back to Greg’s house to spend my last night with them. Greg filled a spray bottle with colored water and we went outside and watched Edie decorate the snow with rainbow colors in their back yard. Then we went to Matt’s Bar and Grill for a Jucy Lucy. I flew back to Texas on January 25 now doubt carrying an extra pound or 2. It’s a good thing I was able to step back into the regular exercise and potluck routine at Palmdale.

A couple of more weeks have gone by and I better bring this up to date before I post it. Sparky did get into the Pink Flamingos as you may have noticed on Facebook and since then tore up one of Don’s good shoes. I guess we just need some amusement.

While I was gone, Ray’s childhood friend Harvey and his wife Doreen came to Palmdale and we were invited along for some of their outings. A favorite was a tour of a shrimp boat on a windy afternoon followed by a shrimp boil. On a windy rainy afternoon we went to see The Revenant. And last Saturday was the South Padre Island Kite Festival. Doreen and Harvey left Palmdale to go to another RV resort about an hour north of here.

Palmdale is filling up as we have had several new arrivals in the last couple of weeks. For the Super Bowl we bought some wings and had a few friends over to watch the game on our outside TV. It got pretty chilly but I provided a couple of blankets and enjoyed the “football weather”. It was kind of like a nice October evening in Illinois. New friends Sue and Tom from Des Moines joined us for that along with Ray and Cyndi. Later this morning a new arrival named Sherry and I will try out a yoga class using a video that she has from the yoga studio that she normally goes to in Ohio. Other than that we continue our regular routine of exercise, line dancing, golfing, fishing, reading novels by the pool, card games, potlucks and happy hours with an occasional night of entertainment.