New Years

It almost 9:00pm and I'm beat. We came on duty at 7:00am. I'm not going to make midnight.
Happy New Year to all!

Party started at 5:00

Christmas Dinner

We had dinner with 80 of our close friends at Care. We cooked, served and ate. I made my world famous Italian Beans. Sharon added a pinch of just the right seasoning.

In case we ever get lost

You Are Here

Texas Forestry Museum

One very nasty tree cutter

Old Chevy logging truck

Logging train

Cat Nap

Thelma speaking:
I was very tired today. Louise and I stayed up late guarding the coach while the staff was out looking at Xmas lights. And a miniature train display.
So I convinced Loren to lay down and make like a bed for me.

Museum of East Texas

The museum was having their annual Xmas Tree decorating fund raiser. Wow! There were 100 uniquely decorated tree. I could only capture a feeling for the beauty of the decorations.

Each tree was donated by a family or business. The theme for each tree was different. 

Sharon really liked this tree with all the toy trucks.

I liked this one with the hotrod chevy.

There were just too many trees to pick from.

Care Center

This is the building that houses Care. It has a commercial kitchen were I spend most of my time doing dishes. The rest of the building is the dinning room were I clean tables and chairs. The activity room room at the end. The building can feed or entertain about 100 residents.

Our coach is about 30 yards from the back door. Makes getting here easy at 7:00 am.

Old Sparky

The Texas State Prison Museum has the electric chair used by Texas to execute 331 convicts. They stop using it 1964 and started using injections in 1972.

They also have a hand gun taken from Bonnie & Clyde after they were cut down by the law.

Huntsville, TX is the headquarters for the Texas Dept of Correction. There are at least six units there and several more nearby. Including the unit in Livingston (about 10 miles from the campground? that houses the 330 inmates on death row.

Looked like the shadow of death behind the electric chair.

The jail cell was very small. You really didn't want a cellmate with passion for beans.

The high lite of our day was passing through Point Blank, TX. Polulation 633. Texas has some really good names for cities and towns.

Cut-N-Shoot,Texas

The high lite of our day off was a trip to (I'm being 100% honest) Cut-N-Shoot, TX.

Its not much of a city. Just a wide spot in the road, surrounded by an assortment of metal building in various stages of rust and decay.

Dinner Shift

Today is diner shift. Starts at 2:30 runs till all the dishes are clean, about 7:00.

I'm getting dish pan hands.

So I went to Walmart and bought this Grinch hat. Makes me feel better.

First day at CARE

Today, Sunday, was the staff's (Loren and Sharon) first day on duty as volunteers at CARE. And what a day. They woke us up at 6:00am because they had to be there at 7:00am. They did take time to feed. But not till after I bit Loren on the big toe.

Anyway, they are on duty from 7 to 7 manning the emergency phone. If resident call with a problem they get to respond. They also check people in for breakfast and make a house call to anyone who doesn't show up. That way every resident gets checked on at least once a day. They are on call for 24hrs.

Then at 7:00am the next day, they do an 8hr shift in the kitchen serving food and cleaning dishes. 32 hours straight. What a way to start your volunteer career.

And Thelma and I are here all alone. Fending for ourselves. They did come back to the RV for a few hours in the afternoon.

They said that Thursday and Friday were days off. They might go into Houston. Big deal! They won't take us.

Tomorrow, I'll report how kitchen duty went.

George W Bush Presidential Library

Quite a dramatic view. Bent and broken beams from the World Trade Center.

Then there was the full size replica of the oval office and the Christmas tree from the White House the Xmas after 911.

Maverick's Basketball

Thelma here:
Loren got his brother in law to buy 3rd row seats behind the Mav's bench. Louise and I got to stay in the coach. I'll get even tonight, when he is asleep.

Dallas Campground

We do like to stay in inexpensive campgrounds. But sometimes it's just nice to stay in luxury. And in this case it is also free.
Staying in the Nancy and John's driveway is an unexpected pleasure.

WWII Bomber

Thelma thinks she would have been a brave member of this Flying Fortress if only she had been born in a different time. Louise picks a different bomber. We are visiting the 8th AirForce Museum at Barksdale AirForce Base in Shreveport, LA.

Vicksburg Battlefield

This is the memorial to the Michigan soldiers who fought in this Civil War battle.

I won't give a speech on the civil war, but what a terrible cost in human lives.

I will say that this battle was as important as Gettysburg. If the south had won this battle, they would have maintained control of the Mississippi River. And that could have determined the war.

Elvis was born here

Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Everything here is based on that fact.

Natchez Trace

This is a section of the original Trace. In the early 1800's, farmers from the Midwest would build rafts and float there goods down the Ohio and then the Mississippi rivers to Natchez. There they would sell the goods and the wood from the rafts. Then travel overland via the Trace from Natchez to Nashville, by foot or a few by horseback to return back home and do it all over again the next year.

Long walk! 444 miles!

Tupelo, MS

It was bright and sunny. This downtown eatery looked like a fun place for evening meal, if the temp were 75°. But it was more like 60°… during the day. We took a pass.

Settled in for the night

Hi! Louise here. Its going to be cold tonight. Mid 20s by daybreak. My staff has not gotten us far enough south. Thelma said she heard it was cold all the way to Dallas.

So I have curled up in the throw with Sharon. She will keep me warm. Tomorrow we head into Mississippi. Its got to be warmer there.

Thelma said, "If Loren doesn't get us some place warm soon, I'm going to drive this bus myself. And head for southern Louisiana."

Staying with the Truckers

We got tired at 4:00 and stopped for the night just outside Fort Knox, KY. Got nestled right in with my fellow road warriors.

Didn't do much today, but drive. Had to get slide topper fixed before we left Decatur. Just needed spring tightened. Sullivan RV did it quick and inexpensively.

Headed for Nashville in AM, if we survive the expected cold and snow to night. Both furnaces will run all night. Should give the batteries a healthy workout.

New Drawer

The new drawer is in. Greg did a great job.

New Kitchen Drawer

Greg at Trees to These has the dishwasher out and the drawer goes in next.

The Alabama Coast

The Roving Cats are back. Thelma (that's me) and Louise (my sister) are traveling again. This time our staff has taken us south to the Alabama Coast. We are in Summedale, Alabama. Just east and south of Mobile, about 17 miles north of Gulf Shores, AL, which is actually on the Gulf of Mexico.

The weather is FINE. Today it was 73º. A bit cloudy and windy, but warm. I like warm. The rest of the week it will be sunny and in the high 60's.

Many people have asked about our newer coach. So I asked my male staff, Loren, to take some pictures. To show you our new home on wheels. You would think he would pick up a little before he took the pictures. But you know men. . . .

This shot is of our campground. There are 97 sites. Each site is about 40 feet wide and 75 feet deep. Very large compared to most campgrounds. We have been here a week. I'm not sure when we will move on.

This is our spot. Trees on both sides for shade. You can see the new bedroom slide out in the back of the coach. This add some needed room to get dressed.

The bedroom has lots of hanging closet space and Sharon and Loren each get two large drawers. Why our staff needs so much space is beyond anything the Louise and I can understand. I mean come on. What is with all the clothes?

There is even more storage space on each side of the closet and drawers at the foot of the bed. Loren told me he is planning to put out litter box in one of the cabinets at the foot of the bed. But that will have to wait till he gets us home.

Nice big queen size mattress. I really love the Sleep Number mattress.

And a TV in the bedroom.

Next come the shower. Full size for the staff. They do tend to smell if they don't bath regularly. Once again, I'm not sure I totally understand showers. I just find a comfortable spot, and clean myself. Usually in the front window. Some times I get Louise to help me with the hard to reach parts.

This is the Living – Dinning – Galley Rooms. With a slide on each side, it gives us felines a lot of space. Not that we take up much room. But it is nice to have the space, so we can run, jump, and generally drive Loren crazy. Once again, You would think he would have clean up the mess before he took the pictures. I will have to have a stern talk with him when I am done writing this blog.

Actually I am done, till later have a Cats Life.

Thelma