Discs, HEB and Starbucks with Marilynn

Tuesday, February 2, I slept like a rock and was up at 8:30 on this cloudy morning. The low was 42 degrees and it gets up to 55. We have a light breakfast with whole grain pecan bread. I spend the rest of the morning until 2:00 scanning CDs and old floppies of pictures and backed-up documents. My lost photos I thought I found were never copied correctly. The discs are blank. What a bummer. It has been a roller coaster of emotions with these travel photos. We verified that we have everything we can get off the discs for copying to our external hard drive. Then Bob destroys all of the old discs and cleans out our box of technology parts, wires, software, manuals, etc. Man, that stuff can really accumulate. This will never do in the RV lifestyle.

He takes a break and ties down the new shelf we put in the laundry closet yesterday so it doesn't fly out of the cabinet as we go down the road. Marilynn called this morning and we agreed to meet later after lunch. Bob and I have leftovers and then go to HEB to get fruit and ingredients for two soups. Back home Bob checks our Steadyfast package that picked up from Glenda's to ensure we have all the parts. I call Marilynn and meet her at Starbucks down the hill. She's on her way to HEB when I call. We have a fun afternoon break of Cinnamon Dolce Latte and lemon bread.

She added tiger-eye stones to my necklace and I love it. She also redid several pairs of earrings and gave me some new doohickeys. She has to 'close' my necklace so I won't have it for a few days. How nice to get it custom made. We had a fun visit and it was great to see her again. How I miss all the times we had, especially on the Austin Music Scene. Speaking of which UT is trying to close the Cactus Cafe, an Austin music institution. The cry of outrage is coming from all quarters. We'll see what happens. That's where Marilynn and I saw Jimmy LaFave and acted like complete groupies!

I head home to read the paper and Bob and I chop and chop for Ham Hodge Podge Soup. Peggy, our neighbor from Cedar Hills, called and I thought I hung up on her while getting my phone out of my purse. So I called her back and she had actually hung up because she had someone at the door. Anyway we agreed to meet her and Michael on Thursday for lunch. Then I returned Joyce's voice message. We're invited to lunch with her and Dan next Wednesday and they will try to teach us Ponytail Canasta.

Our soup is simmering. It's 6:30 p.m. and 54 degrees with 71% humidity.

Green Chai Cafe, Jewelry, Mexican Corn Chowder and Train

Bill, Jo and Beau show off Chalet Camper
Saturday, January 23, our morning routine is a quick one as my friend Marilynn comes by for a tour of The Titanic around 11:30. I did manage to get some early morning ironing in and chop my veges for tonight. And I called Glenda to talk about football and food tomorrow. I'm glad to hear she's joining us at The Stowe's this evening after her afternoon baby shower for Donna's grandchild. Marilynn pulls up out front and calls out "Nice color truck" from the window of her matching Chevy! Bob is 'down under' hanging our new ladder from the ceiling of the storage compartment.

I give Marilynn the tour. She surprises me with a KGSR CD "Broadcast Vol. 17." I love those; so much different, new music on one CD. Bob comes in as Marilynn spies our new digital picture frame. She can't believe the Chihuly pictures were taken by us in our travels. She asks Bob if he can help her assemble a stationary bike stand that has come into her possession without an instruction manual. She'll bring it by for him to look at.

We leave Bob to his work 'down under' and head to Green Chai Cafe (it used to be overlooking the Colorado River downtown Bastrop) now located in the old Cajun place with the cute courtyard just east of Maxine's. We both have the Melissiama Flatbread pizza (mozzarella, spinach, tomato, Parmesan, feta, onion, pesto, and black olives.) It has a delightfully thin crust and great cheese. Marilynn adds a Caesar Salad. I splurge on hazelnut soy latte.

Dan, Joyce, Glenda, Jo and Beau tour the A-liner camper-Love the Texas wheelbarrow yard art in the background!

Marilynn brings in all of her jewelry that she has been making. She had a trip last year to Phoenix to a show where she purchased the most amazing stones. I am speechless at her creativity. Lots of oohing and aahing as she gives me five or six of the two dozen sets of necklaces and earrings to take home so I can find the perfect match for my flowered skirt I plan to wear to a spring wedding. We have a leisurely lunch and catch up on news. Robin, a young lady who helps with her pet boarding business, has moved into her guest room as a boarder.

I walk down in front of Maxine's to get a paper and then we stop at Sugar Shack by the River to browse the gifts and candy. I get a couple of truffles for Bob and me. Marilynn finds some good-looking sugar-free versions.

Next we head on to Coffee Dog on Hwy. 71 but it closed at 2:00 (it is now 2:06.) This is just like old times with us bumming around. I sure miss my pal. She drops me off at the RV Park and says she'll bring her bike rack for Bob to check out. I will check out the movie times and get back to her.

Bob is done with the ladder. I read the paper and around 4:30 we head to Jo and Bill's in Cedar Hills, our old neighborhood. It's funny that we never were at their place when we lived here in Elgin. We got to know them after we went on the road full-time. They have a gorgeous home that they built here. Jo meets us at the front door. Beau, their cute little white dog, greets us as well. Jo has quite a flair for decorating and we enjoy seeing their lovely home. Shortly after he retired, Bill made the kitchen cabinets out of mesquite and tiger-eye maple. Joyce and Dan soon arrive and we all to out to tour Jo and Bill's Chalet A-liner camper as Glenda arrives.

Jo, Glenda, Bob and Bill enjoy Mexican Corn Chowder

They have made some nice modifications to their camper. This A-liner has way more room than when Bob and I saw them way back during our Casita days. It sure made me homesick for our little Casita camper and all the great times we had in it.

We all go back inside to enjoy a great Mexican Corn Chowder with chunks of fresh avocado on top. Tomato Basil bread and corn bread accompany my veges. Joyce brought a great dessert. We play Mexican Train with their new Canadian domino set until 9:30. Joyce went home to their place to get her new little puppy, Titch. What a cutie! It was a fun evening. In fact, the whole day was a delight--spent with good friends.

Bob and I get home by 10:00 and I have time to work the crossword. The high was 74 degrees after a low of 48.

Titch helps Jo play the correct domino!