Bob, Rita, Ann and TimFriday, December 4, I was up at 7:30 a.m. The low was 30 degrees! We had our first freeze aboard The Titanic. All of the water is running off our fresh water tank while we're here on the inside and the water pump is working. We won't know until later what is going on outside. It's 57 degrees in the living room; same temp as yesterday inside so our new foam inserts in the skylights gained us a few degrees as last night was colder outside than the night before.
I hunt up postcards for my cousins before I even have my coffee so I don't forget. These are the things I think about at night when I'm supposed to be sleeping. I get my baby shower gift and card together. I still need a box; always a challenge in an RV. We have a light breakfast, I stretch and then iron for today and tomorrow. I can't decide what to wear so I iron three or four things depending on the weather.
It finally gets above freezing--33 degrees by 10:30 a.m. so that Bob can hook the water back up. We take shower before anything goes wrong. It all seems to be working. What a relief. I send my cousin, Ann, an email to let her know we're heading to Denton and to reach us by phone if anything changes for tonight. I also send Megan and Linda an email to let them know I will meet them at the shower as Bob is staying behind with 'the ship.' While I'm on-line I find a Bear/RV break-in video on Good Sam's Facebook site that was captured by a camper in Truckee, CA. Now that is every RVers nightmare to have a huge black bear (or any bear really) climb in through their window. Check it out on YouTube at Cinnamon Roll Bear.I just had to forward it to a few friends.
Bob unhooks the water again after our showers since it might be freezing by the time we get home tonight. We pack a cooler in the truck (not sure why that was necessary at these temps) although the sun is out so we leave the blinds up in the RV and for the first time ever leave the electric heaters on while we're away. Then we head out, well we tried, but I forgot my rings so I hop back inside and get them. The RV across the road has their water heater running and he's gone so I guess he's trying to hedge against freezing pipes.
We take FM 428 to 377 south to 380 west to Elm St. south to Andaman Thai for a so-so Thai lunch. I guess Lana Thai in Tulsa has a spoiled. I have Green Curry Tofu Eggplant and Bob has Pineapple Fried Rice. We were disappointed in their version of Summer Rolls; a vinegar sauce on top, not our favorite peanut sauce. It was hard to eat and a real mess. We saw a Pomegranate Green Tea in a huge bottle that we'd like to try.
Back in the truck we take 77 north to 380 west to I-35 north to Camping World. We buy so much it's worthwhile to sign up for a year's membership (sewer hose storage tube that Bob will have to spray paint black, a square bucket for my window squeegie, and a new rain vent cover for the bathroom vent fan.) All things that have been on our 'wish' list.
We go back downtown to shop around the courthouse after stopping for a Dallas Morning News (DMN.) We hit the antique mall first and finds books, a mini photo magnet, ribbon and a garden flag for Gertrude. Around 4:30 we head to the big used bookstore on the corner that is open until 9:00 p.m. but we find nothing. A worker gives me a box although it's not ideal for my gift. Bob saw wrapping paper in the first antique mall so now that I have a possible box we go back to get the wrapping paper and Voila! I find a gift box too. I also find some paper doiles and plastic knives that I've been looking for.
As we start to walk back to the truck on the far side of the courthouse square we decide to just duck in Jupiter Coffee Shop. We find a DMN on an empty table (good thing because the one I bought is in the truck.) I go to the counter and get a Cinnamon Hazelnut Soy Latte and a Pomagranate Oolong tea for Bob while he commandeers a table. We read the paper but the funnies and the puzzles are gone of course.
The whole place is full of lone young individuals on laptops and notepads--the coffee house is a free wireless site. They all have earphones in listening to music I presume. It all seems very lonely. The whole place is full but it's quiet like a library. So I guess it's a library where you can purchase coffee.
We walk back to the truck at 6:15. Wow it's chilly out now. We head north on Locust (Hwy 77) to Greenhouse Restaurant The lot is full so we circle around to a northside vacant lot that seems to be an overflow lot. We watch that lot fill up and decide to go in at 6:30 and get a table. It was a good decision as they say there's a half an hour wait. But at 6:45 our table for four is ready so I call Ann. They are just pulling up so we wait and meet them at the door.
It is great to see them. We decide it has been just over four years at Megan and Casey's wedding that we last met. Wow! Time flies when you're having fun. We have lots of catching up to do and chat like magpies. tim orders stuffed olives and shares them--they are very tasty. We all have the Tomato Basil Soup that was tasty but lukewarm. I have Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. Bob has the Blackened Basa with Mango Salsa special (well, not right away as they bring him the wrong order at first. Tim has good looking avocado tacos and Ann has a filet that is of a poor quality. Our newish waitress does the right thing and removes it from the bill.
Ann and Tim tell us all about their romantic anniversary river cruise this past year in Europe that ended in Paris on their anniversary. We talk about our Carnival Cruise last February. Tim asks if I remembered that Ann come to Denton on a high school summer break to work. I have to say if I knew it I never recalled it until he mentioned it. Ann mentions her Duchesne Class reunion and that reminds me to give them their postcards. Tim is so nice and treats us to dinner. We chat some more and have the waitress take a picture. Ann laughs and says it's her families joke that Mom's eyes are always closed on all pictures. And sure enough, true to form, you can see her here in our group shot with her peepers closed. But Bob snapped a shot first across the table with no warning and certainly succeeded in catching her with her eyes open in surprise. Now if I just had any Photoshop skills I could get one good picture out of this.
Just before 9:00 we say farewell in the chilly parking lot with an almost-full moon keeping watch over us. We spy Ann's Mini Cooper that she loves--very cute. We all say we hope it won't be four more years before we see them again. Bob and I are home in 25 minutes. The thermometer in Big Bertha said 31 at the restaurant in Denton but it says 25 on FM 1385 near our RV Park! It is 62 degrees in the RV; not too bad. Glad we left the heaters on low. We head to the bedroom, a much smaller space, and gain a few important degrees.
What a fun day. It sure was nice to catch up with Ann and Tim. I'm so glad they could meet us on short notice. It's 10:10 p.m. and somewhere between 25 and 31 degrees. The humidity is 90%. The high for the day was only 44!
Wide-eyed Ann with Tim
No comments:
Post a Comment