Life as a Southern Snowbird can be fun!!! Issue 2
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version of this Diary here
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Hi All: Today we visited the RV Show in Mercedes – It’s such a change to visit a show instead of working one. I know this is Diary Day but it wouldn’t be a winter in the Rio Grande without a visit to their annual RV Show. Forgive me if it is a little late. The Valley show is never as large as many others in the nation but it is always fun to see what is new and to touch base with so many RVers we have met over the years. John and I are not buying a new unit now or in the future but we just have to satisfy our curiosity to see what is new. Although the trip wasn’t a complete waste because we came home with a grab bag of ‘stuff’, including some $199.00 per month coupons for next winter. These are directed to first time visitors to a specific Sun RV Resort in (Florida and Texas) – good for any month but Feb. However each individual park has also posted specials on their resorts websites – some special are only for summer but others list savings for fall. Go to Sun RV Resorts for periodic updates on all their parks.
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BUSY TIMES ARE BACK AGAIN
It seems that about 3-4 times per week, we have to fit in a visit to Wal*Mart to pick up something. There are 13-Supercenters in this general area, so no matter where we are, a store is never far away. I know RVLiving.net is a Wal*Mart affiliate but John and I still spend a lot of time in their stores – being an affiliate means whenever anyone clicks the banners/text links on our site and they buy from Wal*Mart on-line, we receive a small pittance. (Note: Cdns credit cards are not accepted because we have no ZIP code, but a store purchase card will work). However I still think if I had shares in the Wal*Mart stores I would be rich by now.
John and I are almost free of coughs and colds, but since almost everyone we meet has a cold or cough, it is difficult for the bugs to completely disappear – at least we have managed to have some fun this week. RV Parks in the sunny south overflow with numerous enjoyable activities to keep everyone busy. Most parks feature way too many activities for anyone to participate in all of them – from exercise classes to entertainment to jam sessions to lessons of all types, to dances w/lessons, to a variety of fun activities plus educational stuff such as stroke prevention and more helps to keep life interesting. It would take an entire page to list the entire schedule. In a word, ‘snowbird life’ in the south is good. An added plus – we still have not had the general cold mid-winter days in the 30’s and 40’s. A few dropped to the 60’s but most have stayed in the 80’s & 90’s. Now if we could only tame and redirect the wind it would be a perfect winter. Yesterday, neighbours checked in behind us – so at least our wind tunnel has leveled off a bit.
On Tuesday we joined our fellow neighbours for a monthly ‘Street Party’ – everyone is invited to gather in a specific local restaurant for dinner so we can get to know each other better, great socializing idea and the first time a park has done something like this.
We spent much of that day enjoying a trip down memory lane. Over the years John and I have stayed at about 20 of numerous parks in the Valley – sometimes for a week, or maybe a month, at other times for an entire season. What an interesting way to spend our day. We even accidentally combined our visit with a Craft Sale at one park. The main purpose for these visits was to drop off flyers for JANUARY’S EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON at the Sun Palace Buffet, in McAllen on the 31st Jan. If you’d like details – send us an email and I’ll forward a flyer. Come have fun with other Cdn RVers - Everyone is welcome - planning is easier if we know how many to expect.
Wednesday I received an early morning call to work the Park Craft Show. Someone cancelled at the last minute. I love participating in these events – all I sell is my individual and creative Antique Jewellery plus my book – but it is such fun to meet and touch base with other RVers. This past show I was asked to create personalized pieces for two ladies. They chose the broken pieces out of my ‘cache’ and I crafted their treasures.
Friday, John and his partner Ivan won their games in the Parks Weekly Pool Competition against Casa Del Sol. In fact this week the entire team won. Not always do we stay in parks where pool tournaments are a weekly thing – it’s just an added plus that John is enjoying. However at Alamo Palms, many tournaments from shuffleboard to tennis to golf to bike outings and more keep residents busy – plus cards, bingo, dances, exercise classes, and a well attended church services add a few extras to round out the week.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We are really enjoying our time in the south this winter – especially since last years adventures were vastly interrupted. If the Good Lord willing we will continue to enjoy the Rio Grande till March before moving on to Georgia and Florida until we return mid April. Take care all! Those on the move please travel safe and those up north we hope your intense winter storms are over for the majority of the 07/08 season. P&J
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version of this Diary here
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi All: Today we visited the RV Show in Mercedes – It’s such a change to visit a show instead of working one. I know this is Diary Day but it wouldn’t be a winter in the Rio Grande without a visit to their annual RV Show. Forgive me if it is a little late. The Valley show is never as large as many others in the nation but it is always fun to see what is new and to touch base with so many RVers we have met over the years. John and I are not buying a new unit now or in the future but we just have to satisfy our curiosity to see what is new. Although the trip wasn’t a complete waste because we came home with a grab bag of ‘stuff’, including some $199.00 per month coupons for next winter. These are directed to first time visitors to a specific Sun RV Resort in (Florida and Texas) – good for any month but Feb. However each individual park has also posted specials on their resorts websites – some special are only for summer but others list savings for fall. Go to Sun RV Resorts for periodic updates on all their parks.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BUSY TIMES ARE BACK AGAIN
It seems that about 3-4 times per week, we have to fit in a visit to Wal*Mart to pick up something. There are 13-Supercenters in this general area, so no matter where we are, a store is never far away. I know RVLiving.net is a Wal*Mart affiliate but John and I still spend a lot of time in their stores – being an affiliate means whenever anyone clicks the banners/text links on our site and they buy from Wal*Mart on-line, we receive a small pittance. (Note: Cdns credit cards are not accepted because we have no ZIP code, but a store purchase card will work). However I still think if I had shares in the Wal*Mart stores I would be rich by now.
John and I are almost free of coughs and colds, but since almost everyone we meet has a cold or cough, it is difficult for the bugs to completely disappear – at least we have managed to have some fun this week. RV Parks in the sunny south overflow with numerous enjoyable activities to keep everyone busy. Most parks feature way too many activities for anyone to participate in all of them – from exercise classes to entertainment to jam sessions to lessons of all types, to dances w/lessons, to a variety of fun activities plus educational stuff such as stroke prevention and more helps to keep life interesting. It would take an entire page to list the entire schedule. In a word, ‘snowbird life’ in the south is good. An added plus – we still have not had the general cold mid-winter days in the 30’s and 40’s. A few dropped to the 60’s but most have stayed in the 80’s & 90’s. Now if we could only tame and redirect the wind it would be a perfect winter. Yesterday, neighbours checked in behind us – so at least our wind tunnel has leveled off a bit.
On Tuesday we joined our fellow neighbours for a monthly ‘Street Party’ – everyone is invited to gather in a specific local restaurant for dinner so we can get to know each other better, great socializing idea and the first time a park has done something like this.
We spent much of that day enjoying a trip down memory lane. Over the years John and I have stayed at about 20 of numerous parks in the Valley – sometimes for a week, or maybe a month, at other times for an entire season. What an interesting way to spend our day. We even accidentally combined our visit with a Craft Sale at one park. The main purpose for these visits was to drop off flyers for JANUARY’S EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON at the Sun Palace Buffet, in McAllen on the 31st Jan. If you’d like details – send us an email and I’ll forward a flyer. Come have fun with other Cdn RVers - Everyone is welcome - planning is easier if we know how many to expect.
Wednesday I received an early morning call to work the Park Craft Show. Someone cancelled at the last minute. I love participating in these events – all I sell is my individual and creative Antique Jewellery plus my book – but it is such fun to meet and touch base with other RVers. This past show I was asked to create personalized pieces for two ladies. They chose the broken pieces out of my ‘cache’ and I crafted their treasures.
Friday, John and his partner Ivan won their games in the Parks Weekly Pool Competition against Casa Del Sol. In fact this week the entire team won. Not always do we stay in parks where pool tournaments are a weekly thing – it’s just an added plus that John is enjoying. However at Alamo Palms, many tournaments from shuffleboard to tennis to golf to bike outings and more keep residents busy – plus cards, bingo, dances, exercise classes, and a well attended church services add a few extras to round out the week.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We are really enjoying our time in the south this winter – especially since last years adventures were vastly interrupted. If the Good Lord willing we will continue to enjoy the Rio Grande till March before moving on to Georgia and Florida until we return mid April. Take care all! Those on the move please travel safe and those up north we hope your intense winter storms are over for the majority of the 07/08 season. P&J
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