Hello from South Texas

   I'm going to see if I'm computer savy enough to do this instead of the emails. I really started the messages the 1st year as a journal to keep track of our time here. Some of our friends/family enjoyed them, others not so much. If you don't enjoy or even want to read them, that is fine. Just a way for me to keep track of what we are doing and once in awhile things that make me go hmmm.
   We met with my cousin Dennis Bedell & his wife Beth last Wednesday for lunch. We had a very nice visit. He is the youngest of Uncle Walter's children. They are full timing and really like it. They spend the winter about 6 miles from where we are. It was fun to get acquainted with them. They have 3 sons. One on each coast and one in Austin, TX. They also have one beautiful granddaughter who is getting ready to turn 1.
   The weather has been beautiful here. I understand it has been at home too. I think you guys have been praying for the cold and snow to hold off until I get home. Winter is coming here next week. Only supposed to be in high 60's or low 70's for highs. We had 2 rain storms on Mon. The 1st one put 15 sprinkles on the windshield and I SWEAR none on the driveway! The 2nd was about 3 hours later and we only got about 10 drops. They desperately need rain here and the locals were excited about the 15 drops! There is rain in the forecast and we've had the clouds but the rain doesn't make it here.
    Today was Dennis' birthday. Won't mention any age, but he does carry that little red/white/blue card now. Got phone calls or texts from all the kids and grand kids and his sister. For 45 years I made a chocolate cake with fluffy icing for his birthday. Last year I could not find the ingredients for the icing where I was, so this year I made sure I had ALL the stuff I needed for the icing and brought the cake mix from home so I knew I was prepared for his birthday cake. Came back from playing 31 last night to bake the cake. I tore this motor home apart and NO cake mix! I had 2 brownie mixes so I probably left Derek with a cake mix and no brownie mix. So he got brownies for his birthday cake. I didn't think to check if the motor home was level before I baked the brownies so one side of them are about 1/2" thick and like a rock and the other side was about 3" thick. They were very good, but glad I hadn't invited people over.
   I'm going to see if I can get this posted before I write anymore and then hopefully I can post some pictures.