February 20th - February 26th , 2012~~Southern Oaks Weekly Re-Cap~~

Back To Reality 

February 20th  --  Monday

We were up early and I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage.  We had a breakfast date with the HOC friends. Met at The Bakery Cafe.  Boy was it busy for a Monday.  We took Ralph along as a guest as he was batching it while Barb was gone for a week. 

Went to Portland for the mail and then stopped at HEB for some groceries.  We had hardly anything in the refrig to eat.

Came back home and by then HOC Friends Reggie and Nancy were here.  They will be here for a month.   We went to the Bakery Cafe for Chicken Fried Steak as that is what we had the taste for.

Settled down to relax.

February 21st  --  Tuesday

We were up early and I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage. 

 Dave and Mary arrived at Southern Oaks.. Nice to see them..

Unpacked suitcases and got everything put away.. that was a long afternoon.... We always pack too much and never use all of the clothes.
Happy Hour and then dinner and settled in for the night.

February  22nd  --  Wednesday

We were up early and I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage.

Today was laundry day and oh  my..there is nothing like doing your laundry at home.

Dan went and took his computer in to have it looked at and have Vista windows put back in.  Now it works like a champ.  Went and had a sandwich for lunch and stopped over by Gene and Linda's.. 

Took another ride to Portland for our mail from last week...

February  23rd  --  Thursday

We were up early and I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage.  I did some chores and then just hung around.  We went out to Dinner with the HOC friends again at the Beaches.  The Ferry was backed up and we had about a 45 minute wait until we got on..  We had another nice group and the food was good and everyone had a good time.

February  24th  --  Friday

We slept in and then I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage.  Dan had a 9 o'clock appointment for his truck.. Oil change, changed the fuel filters and checked the coolant additive.  He met alot of people that he knew who were there for service on their trucks.. 

I spent most of the morning helping our neighbor sign up to be a HOC member and sign up for the Rally in June... 
I tried to get her computer a bit faster and she had alot of updates to install so I had it here for a few hours....

We spent the rest of the day just hanging around.. 

February  25th  --  Saturday

It was raining really hard most of the morning,

We were up early and I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage. Dan made some breakfast and then I went over to Portabella to a craft show. Came back and took Mr. Herbie out for a walk and then came back and relaxed until dinner. We ate early and then went over to the clubhouse to the dance.  The Winter Texan Band was playing and they are a wonderful band and love to have a good time..

 Winter Texan Band

Dan and Nancy

We came back after they were done had a bowl of ice cream and Herbie and I went to bed.

February  26th  --  Sunday

We were up early and I had to wash Dan's foot and change the bandage. Decided to get caught up with my blog..  Dan washed the outside windows and took some of the streaks off of the trailer..

Went to What-a-burger for a sandwich and then took a ride to Ransom Road, saw Gene and Verne and then seen a huge bellowing  smoke out in the distance and went to see where it was coming from..  Brush fire on open land not far from our RV resort.

 Dan put a brisket in the oven earlier and we are cooking it slow, It smells yummy.. The Daytona 500  was suppose to run but it is raining and it is on hold.. 

Not much else planned for the rest of the day..  It was a busy and tiring week for us..  

Sure hope that next week is going to be not so busy. 

Thanks for following my blog... Have a good coming week.... and remember if your life get stressful, and you can't eat it or play with it, pee on it and walk away..   It might be better another day.   

February 13th - February 19th , 2012~~Southern Oaks Weekly Re-Cap~~

CRUISING ON THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN "MARINER OF THE SEA'S"

Sorry about taking so long, but we had alot to deal with when we got home...

Feb 13th  ..Monday

We were up at 6 AM.  Dan was up earlier and went to the 12th floor to see the sun rise and check on the seas.  The fun of going on a cruise is trying to find your way around the ship.. Knowing what elevator to take also was the trick... Went to Breakfast with Gene and Linda. We went to the Windjammer for coffee and then went to the dining room for breakfast..I had a smoked salmon omelet, WOW was that good. The hashbrowns were cold and the bread was hard.. not a good thing. We chose to eat our breakfast's in the Windjammer for the rest of the trip.  Went to get tickets for the ice show and they were all given away..

 ATLANTIC SALMON WITH CITRUS SAUCE

 CURRY POTATOES SERVED OVER RICE

 GENE AND LINDA IN THE WINDJAMMER

SUNRISE

Went to the Dining room for dinner and had Atlantic Salmon and Curry potatoes.  That was very very good.

After dinner we went to the casino.. We played the penny machines and made back what we spent.

Exhausting day.... happy to get back to room and relax.

Feb 14th   Tuesday   HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Dan was up early and got Gene and went up to the 12th floor.  This is the 2nd day at sea..  Linda and I met the guys in the Promenade cafe for coffee and then we went to the Windjammer for breakfast. After shopping went walked through the stores and I bought myself 2 tops. We walked the decks and it was windy and warm. We laid in the sun for about 1 1/2 hours, then went for lunch, we walked around some more and then went back to our room to get ready for a Cocktail party given by Rockport Tours celebrating their 20th Anniversary being in business... Oh my those Bahama Mama's were just to good.  Went to dinner in The Windjammer. We decided that we would eat most of our meals there instead of the dining room.  Then we went to the casino to play some more on the penny machines.. Went to the Promenade to for coffee and dessert and met others

Feb  15th   Wednesday

 Dan relaxing

 Coming into Rotan Honduras

 All the tour buses waiting in line

 Twanday Beach dining area - Roaton

Coconut's on trees

Feb 16th   Thursday  --  Belize City

We did not schedule and tours today.  The ship was not able to dock so the passengers had to be tendered to the mainland.  So we took our time and had breakfast a bit later and then we went to the Mainland in Belize.  We walked around to the shops in the area and our friend Linda was looking to buy a Tanzinite ring which are very expensive and we were dickering back and forth and they did not want to come down to what they wanted to spend.  So we left and she was thinking about it and she did not want to pay what they wanted.  As we all know there is a great mark up in jewelry and precious stones.  We  stopped at a outside cantania and had some soft drinks and then ventured back to the to the ship.  Took some pictures along the way... 
We had lunch again and then  took a nap.  Went on deck and watched the ship leave Belize and head for Cozumel..  had dinner in the Windjammer...  Went to Casino for a few hours.. Those Penny machines are great.

 Anchored next to a Carnival Ship

 Boat Tenders

Feb 17th   Friday

We were up early again, Dan and Gene went to the deck to see what the weather is like and wait for daylight.
Watched the ship dock in Cozumel.  Linda and I got cleaned up and met the guys on the deck.. It is  just awesome how they maneuver that ship up to the piers.  We went and ate breakfast at the Windjammer and then back to our room to get our stuff to get off ship and meet where we had a private island tour booked on the beach.  It was a 40 minute boat trip to an island off of Cozumel.. the sands were so beautiful and lots of coconut trees and plants growing in the sands. The Caribbean waters are just so beautiful.  We had all the free island drinks and food that we wanted.  The attendants on the island were so kind and friendly and very attentive. The weather was hot and sunny so we found a table under the coconut trees

Pasion Island

 Having a Cool Drink

 Just look how big those ships are

Jerk Chicken, Salad, Guacamole, Cole Slaw

Got back to Cozumel and had a very long line to get back on the pier to get on ship...

Our legs were just tired of walking and standing in line.. We did alot of walking on this vacation..

We took a shower before dinner and dinner tonight was dress up and we ate in the Fine
Dining Room..

It was Gene's 70th Birthday and he got a piece of cheesecake with a candle .

Feb  18th   Saturday

We were up early again, Dan and Gene went to the deck to see what the weather is like and wait for daylight. Linda and I got cleaned up and went down to the Promenade cafe

for our coffee and waited for the guys. We people watched and then we went up to the Windjammer for breakfast..


Then we went to the Captains Informative seminar about the Mariner of the Seas in the Savoy Theater. We got a fact information which is awesome to read on how much food and water, drinks and etc that is needed per trip.. 
Then we went to the Lido deck for ice cream before we went for lunch at the Windjammer.
We met Gene and Linda at the Promenade Cafe for 3 o'clock coffee.
We ate our last dinner at The Windjammer.   Went back to the Room and packed our luggage and set it out in front of our door for pick-up.  

Feb  19th    Sunday

Our last morning on ship.  Dan and Gene were up early and on deck watching the ship come into Galveston.. Then we met the guys for breakfast.  After breakfast we went and picked up our carry on bags and headed for our staging area, waiting for our number to be called.  Long lines going off of the ship and then when we got into the terminal and found our luggage it was a good 2 hours in line waiting to go through customs.  That was the worse part of the cruise. We survived and got on our bus that was to take us back to our park. It was a 3 1/2 hour bus trip and the good thing about that is that we didn't have to drive it.  Our trip was nice and this is the first trip that we were on the Royal Caribbean Line, and Dan and I both said that it seemed as an Assisted Living Cruise.  We have never seen so many in wheelchairs, scooters, walkers canes and crutches. 

When we got back home I had to take Dan to the ER as he had 2 to 3rd degree burns on the top of his feet and they were swollen and blistered...