First month in Texas

It's just been a month since my last blog but we have packed a lot of stuff into that time.

  We left Mount Hope in a fog (the weather that is) but it cleared pretty early and we had a good drive down to "The Valley" luckily avoiding some storms that seemed to be near us a lot of the time.
The house was in great shape when we got down here, needed some cleanup from the summer winds etc. but good.  We got together with our friends and finally saw Mercedes and Norm's new 5th wheel - gorgeous! Marcella had dinner for us and Marian and Lloyd when we got here so we didn't have to shop that day.  Thanks Marcella.  Unfortunately Marcella and Wayne's dog Otis was sick and bringing up blood.  They did all they could to fix him, but his liver failed and he had to be put to sleep.  They still have Susie though and she is a sweetheart. 

  When Andy and Betty were to be down here (they live right across the road) we planned a small dinner party for them.  Well! they got here a day early.  I had made a big pot of Chili that day so we had that and still had the barbeque the next day.

  I started playing Texas Hold'em in the card room with Joe, Andy, Sandy, Jaque and the poker group.  The first night I won!  I couldn't believe it - $22 and when you take someone out you get their gold dollar.  We all get a gold dollar and chips when we pay our $5 to play.   I have played two more times and got out pretty early, but will keep going for a while anyway.  One of the ladies has arranged a "ladies poker night" and I will go to that as well.

 We went to Progresso over in Mexico to the dentist for Joe.  He has a loose bottom front tooth and it had to be pulled as they couldn't save it.  We are going back over today for a cleaning and to see how they will replace his tooth.  It is pretty quiet over there in Mexico this year.  People are getting nervous about going to Mexico with all the border troubles going on.  So far Progresso is still safe, and we will be careful when we go there.

We watched the Argos lose yesterday at Marcella and Wayne's place and stayed to watch Saskatchewan win there game and have delicious chili.  There will be a group at their place again next Sunday for the Grey Cup/thanksgiving dinner. 

   I am playing Scrabble with Doreen on line now.  Doreen found the sight and it is fun. When she has had her turn an email comes up for me saying it is now my turn.  So far she is winning, but that is par for the course.  Speaking of "par" Joe is playing golf on Tuesdays with Wayne and anyone else who wants to go.
The girls are passing our time shopping! of course.

  We have had one dinner party at our place for all our friends from Brownsville.  That's where we all met.
Mostly we wanted to welcome Bill and Josie to the valley give us all a chance to meet and catch up. 

  We thought things would be quieter this year down here but we seem to be busy most days and enjoying it. The weather has been great (sorry, all you folks up there in the cold) and that of course keeps us outside and socializing.  We keep in touch with the family by using our phone card, $10 for 500 minutes, and that helps when we start missing them.  When we are home in May we will go to Detroit for the dance competition Sarah is in, and also get the chance to visit Audrey and family. Always having something to look forward to is a good thing. We are so lucky to have such good friends down here and and at home and a great family.  Jacquie and Chris will be down in February, so we are looking forward to that.

That's all folks