Texas...again

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4^th



Early start…that’s twice in a row I’ve seen a sunrise!! (Keith and Teresa see it every weekday morning as they’re early birds – so it’s a bit of a standing joke here) Keith took us down to Sour Lake to finally collect Matilda (Tilly) the Texan Trike!! It was just over a 3hr drive….what an exciting time. Keith stayed with us for a while to make sure all was good and then headed back home. And we were finally on the road after signing papers and handing over all our money!! We stopped twice to get fuel as it wasn’t full when we started, but other than that, pretty much rode the 4hrs home non stop. It was a good test for bike, driver and passenger alike. WE had the perfect day for it, sunny and not much wind. K & T had loaned us their helmets as ours hadn’t arrived yet, and we really had a great ride home. We were on smaller roads most of the time, and the Interstate for a short while, so gave us a good idea of what riding will be like in Texas. Great celebrations that night!







5^th (Saturday)



K & T had their granddaughter Riley here last night so this morning we all piled in the truck and went out to “Lee’s garden’. This is a local place where the husband planted a whole heap of daffodils for his wife on their massive property. It’s only in bloom for a short time, so people make the most of a good day, go out for photos, picnics and a drive through the property. We went out and met Riley’s dad and his partner Shelby and took some photos..dancing in the daffodils. While we were driving around in Keith’s truck we realised that his ‘hot spot’ in the truck is much stronger than the wifi in the house…so I was catching up on all my fb etc. Then when we got home, I sat in the truck for a bit to post some pics of our ride yesterday.



Mark came round to look at the bike and Keith suggested he come out for a ride with us on Keith’s Harley, so we took off with Mark to go to his place. Mark took us the long, scenic way round on all the back roads. Once again it was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for riding.



That night K&T had organised a ‘fish fry’ night, so they were busy getting prepared for that. That night quite a few people came round for the fish fry, Keith sets up his fryers on the back porch and gets busy frying fish, chips, frog legs…and whatever else that needs doing, while Teresa has cooked up a huge batch of ‘beans’. These are not just beans, these are gourmet beans, with plenty of other stuff in it…and taste devine!! After dinner, everyone moved down to the ‘fire pit’ where a good fire had been built and then sat around drinking, laughing and having a good yarn. Later in the night, the neighbours had ‘the fight’ televised, so when the ‘girls’ started fighting most people moved off to watch that. A few people had left, the rest were watching the fight so Teresa, Phil and I decided it was bed time. What a great day!!







6^th – Sunday



Went to church this morning with Curtis and Laura, just up the road. It was a great service, would certainly be involved with this church if we lived here. A great, down to earth sermon and excellent music. We got the final sermon in a series they were doing on Marriage called Better Together. Now I want to go download the rest of the series as it was so good.



Then we went out on a ride with K&T on their bike and us on Tilly. We first went to look at a house for sale on the lake..right opposite K&T, it was nice, but we think she was asking too much. We’d both really like to live here on this lake, and have been looking at houses and land, but will have to wait and see.



Not long into the ride, Keith’s bike started playing up, so they headed back home. WE continued on to get some fuel, and then came back home to call Mark (my phone doesn’t work out here – no reception). Mark didn’t answer, but we wanted to see the kids so we headed out here.



Took Hope, Ramsey and Branson for a ride, they were happy with that. They’re all off on holiday tomorrow, so we didn’t stay long. Also K&T were going to holly lake to look at a house for his sister, so we got home in time to head out there for a look. Nice house.



Off to another town for chicken wings for dinner…that’s how you roll in Texas!!







7^th – Monday



It was off to Tyler this morning as we’d previously booked in the bike for it’s 1000 mile service (it had done 700 when we picked it up). So we sat around the Harley place for a few hours while it was getting the service. By lunchtime we were off again and riding around. We rode through a few towns, both on large and small roads, had a wander through Mineola and lunch there (at the best Hamburger place around) and then back to the house by the afternoon. The weather is changing…there are some bad storms predicted to come through over the next few days, so we’re not going up to Arkansas and Oklahoma for some driving, instead, we’ll hang around here and ride when we can between the rain…if that’s possible.







8^th – Tuesday



Well the predicted thunderstoms came in late this afternoon. We’d popped out to the shop to get something for dinner and while we were in there it poured down!! this morning while it was nice we went for a drive around the lake in Keith’s truck looking at more houses, and there was a bit of thunder about then. Luckily we were in the shop for the worst of it, then by the time we were driving home (we’d borrowed Keith’s old car) it had cleared a bit. We were on ‘tornado watch’ (and that was a bit exciting for us) a warning was broadcasted over the radio and a message given over the phone. Apparently there was one in a town a bit further on from us, but we never got one here. A nice dinner, followed by a relax around the fire before bed.







9^th



Wouldn’t believe the rain we had overnight. The lightning was terrific all night, and the thunder didn’t seem to match the amount of lightning, but when we woke this morning, Keith’s pontoon is underwater and one of his boats has sailed away…not far, he was able to retrieve it. In all his 17 years of being here, this is only the 2^nd time he’s seen the water so high. There has been some localised flooding, Teresa couldn’t get into work her normal way this morning as the roads were cut off due to flood waters. So..lots of rain all round.







11^th



What a day!!!! So it all started out just fine..early, but just fine. WE piled in Keith’s truck and headed towards Dallas. He drove through the city and right down the same road where President Kennedy was assassinated. We drove right past the building where the shooter was hiding and past the grassy knoll. That was amazing. Then we went on to Bas Pro…a massive outdoor shop – you have to go into one to believe it. There are stuffed animals everywhere….and stuff galore. Even 2 real rattlesnakes in an aquarium. That was fine…but then the trouble started. I bought some beef jerky, but when I went to pay, couldn’t find my normal wallet. My handbag is breaking, I’d given keith some petrol money earlier, so knew it had to be in the car or in my handbag. As we were driving off, I was pulling everything out of my bag trying to find it. Keith pulled over and we pulled out all the bags to see if it had fallen out into the car. Nope, not there. So we drive back to the store( me praying my little head off) to see if it had fallen out when I got out of the car. Nope not in the carpark. We go inside to see if anyone had found it and handed it in…YUP…there it was behind the counter. I must have fallen out when I got out of the car and someone found it…and handed it in. All cards and cash still there. Restores you’re faith in humanity. So glad God found that someone right to find it. OK, so that’s all sorted, back on the road, plenty of time before flight it due.



Check in was fast and easy. We walked around, found somewhere for lunch and then sat down to wait near our gate. Then I get a message on my phone….flight is delayed by and hour due to weather out of San Fran. Ok, hour is fine, we had booked a bus to Modesto, but that was just over 2 hours after we were originally due to land. Just means we’ll be getting UBER rather than public transport to the bus station. Still waiting…ok, now flight is 1.5hrs late. OK, still no probs, it will be tight, but we’ll just make it.



Plane lands, quick turn around and we’re sitting on board (in the last row) Then…the pilot starts speaking on the intercom….and tells us that Air Traffic Control didn’t have a spot for us for another half hour, so we’d have to wait a bit. THEN….. he comes on again a bit later and says that we’re right to go, but we were dealing with a Medical situation so as soon as that was sorted we’d be on our way. We knew what the medical situation was…it was happening right in front of us. A lady had asked the stewardess for some Benadryl. There must have been some more conversations as then the lady was told she had to get off the plane as the paramedics had been called to administer the medicine – the doors had been reopened and she had to get off. Then she started saying she was fine, and didn’t want to get off. The man was insistent…you have to get off, all the passengers are waiting to go, the paramedics have been called and you’re holding up the plane…you MUST get off. So she left the rest of her family on board, took her youngest son and got off. She was Asian, and we’re not completely sure she knew what was going to happen. They assured her she would be on the next plane, but I don’t know.



Anyway, but this time we knew we were going to miss our bus. We had been texting Rosemary and Robin letting them know. During the flight we decided against staying the night in San Fran as there were no more buses that night – so we decided to hire a car instead.



Easy off the plane, bags collected just fine..caught the air train to the rental company (I’d looked online at it was going to cost us $78 for a one way car hire) got to the car company…got the only guy who had never done a booking before and when they were flat out, so it was the longest booking in the history. Manager came in to give him a hand at one stage and we were quoted $187. NO way…was my response. I told them we came to them as online I was quoted $78 but didn’t book it as wifi was very weak and kept dropping out. Oh, I need to see that in writing he told me…I said wifi isn’t working!!!!!!! But at that very moment..it came in strong…and I got up the quote again..so we got it for the $78. Ok..it’s dark, late and raining..lets go drive through San Fran to a place we have no idea of in the rain. Good idea!! Phil did an excellent job, my phone did a great job navigating and we got to R&R at 9:00pm..and there they were….ready with Pizza. So glad the day has finally ended!!!!

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