As mentioned we spent New Years Eve in South Padre Island with our friends from Med Hat, Don and Shirley Meakin and their freinds ( now ours ) Ron and Mel Meyers from Ottawa area. We had a great Sea food supper at a local restauraunt and then returned to the Meakin's time share to await midnight. Since we were all tired we agreed to used the New York time as our New Year. the next morning 1 Jan we all had breakfast in S. Padre and then we travel the hour and 15 min drive to our winter home at Southern Comfort, which, incidental ,we rented sight on seen . However, it was only 10 houses from Al and Doreen's winter home here so we felt comfortable that it would not be a dump.
We first met the landlord who escorted us to our house ( a 1 bdm room park Model ) and he gave us the tour and then we began to unpack the VAN. I'm sure the VAN was saying "Thank You " because that baby was loaded ( maybe overloaded ) for the 3000KM trip. By noon we had the Van unload and most of the clothes etc put away or better still , out of sight. Since Joe and Terry, other friends from Med Hat, were parked a couple of hundred yards away we dropped into say Hello. We had the perverble cup of coffee gave the news updates from home. Then we made a quick trip to Wal-mart to get some groceries and refeshments. Around noon Holly and Larry Nahachewsky ( better known as the Naha's ) dropped by as they knew we would arrive around 1 Jan. The Naha's were teachers at the Military base in Shilo and we became friends in 77 to 81. I taught their 2 boys hockey and they taught our boys... I'm not sure what our boys learned from them but I know our boys went on to Higher learning and their boys did not turn out to be Hockey Player. Actually, their boys are teachers.
During our chit chat with the Nahas' along comes Don and Glenna Carker ( ex-military from kingston ) who are very close friends of the Ludwars. In fact the Ludwars and the Carkers took a trip to New York City in Sept. the Nahas' and the Carkers were nice enought to refuse a coffee, knowing full well we were not organized yet.
after our friends left we again started to organize our winter home and to find out and make a list of our needs from the " dollar store " . You always need something from the Dollar store. Also, the Satellite Dish would need to be install soon as we need the news ( maybe the sports) from home. first I had to meet my neighbours as I might have to encroach on their property to find the Satelite. Also we had an invite for a 5 PM supper with the Meakins who live at another park a few miles away. About 4 PM our neighbour , Wayne and Karen Cote, (Wayne is also the Ball Team coach), came over to welcome us but mainly to advise me that we had a 9:30 ball game on Tuesday. I played with Wayne 2 years ago so we did know each other. They left around 5 PM so we had to rush to our supper invitation at the
Meakins. Althought the drop-in visit curtailed our " organizing" of the house; the up side is that we got some Happy Hour invitation which i'm sure we can fit in to our schedule. The meal at Meakins was excellent as usual as Shirely is an excellent cook, with Don's help of course.
The priority for the next day was the Satellite but with my expertise in this area I had it up and running in a couple of hours. I did have to disconnect the landlord's DISH satellite as I needed his cables that ran thru the house. I did bring a 2nd TV so I had to run a new cable to the bedroom as Carroll and i do not " always" watch the same program. During the next two days we ran back and forth to the Dollar Store and Walmart getting the things we forgot the previous day.
I must also mention that our friends Terry and Joe Egan from Med Hat invited us for supper the 2nd day after our arrival. Keep those free meals coming.
On Wed we decide to got to Sam's Club and spend the required 200.00 on meats an other necessities or as we say to justified the trip; " to buy the Big things we need'. There is no Costco here. On thursday we ( mostly Carroll ) decided that we should skip over to MX which is only 7 mi away. I needed a 3.00 haircut and she needed a 15.00 Pedicure. The beer is only 1.50 a bottle while I waited for Carroll. I also needed to pick up the required two bottles of Duty Free Booze. I got a L of Drambuie and a L of Baileys for less than 40.00.
Unforetunately I chipped a tooth so we will be going back over to MX to the Dentist on Wed or Thursday to have it repaired. I will likely need a Root Cannal and a Crown and i will be shocked if it cost over 500.00 dollars. My Insurance company would love us to get all our denal work done in MX.
My expertise on the satellite was about to be tested. During a noon hour news cast the signal started to fade so I thought i would " Tweak " it a bit. I tweaked it alright ; I lost the signal forever. I did not have the signal bearings nor did I bring a compass. My normal method is to aim the dish south at 60 degree, way it back and forth and the signal is usual there. But No Luck this time. So i notice a Starchoice dish down the street so i venture down to check the bearing. The owner said go ahead and check the bearing, however that guy over there from MT has a meter and he is good at setting up a dish. Since I was losing my touch I venture over to to see this guy. He looked at me and said Hey! I know you... You hired me in 1981 at Shilo, MT and i have been forever greatful. I stayed there for 20 yrs and eventually became the Carpenter Foreman until i retired. I did recognize him , mainly for his Dutch accent but I hired him because he was in charge of a project and did a excellent job. Now I had to set up the Satellite because I can not live without it. I ended up moving the Satellite to a vacant lot about 30 ft away. I did bring lots of cable with me ... just in case. Shortly after i moved the satellite I got the signal again. so now all is right in the World again.
On Saturday we joined the Meakins and went to an outdoor Music Fest which was a celebration for Elvis's birthday. The show was from 1 PM to 8 PM and was mostly singers who thought they were Elvis. I will admit, most of them were good but 7 hours sitting on a hard chair and listen to the renditions of Elvis was a little much for me. You can say that i have been to this annual Music fest twice: First and Last. The next Blog will be about our 2 nd week but should be much shorter. cheers. Tom and Carroll
Meakins. Althought the drop-in visit curtailed our " organizing" of the house; the up side is that we got some Happy Hour invitation which i'm sure we can fit in to our schedule. The meal at Meakins was excellent as usual as Shirely is an excellent cook, with Don's help of course.
The priority for the next day was the Satellite but with my expertise in this area I had it up and running in a couple of hours. I did have to disconnect the landlord's DISH satellite as I needed his cables that ran thru the house. I did bring a 2nd TV so I had to run a new cable to the bedroom as Carroll and i do not " always" watch the same program. During the next two days we ran back and forth to the Dollar Store and Walmart getting the things we forgot the previous day.
I must also mention that our friends Terry and Joe Egan from Med Hat invited us for supper the 2nd day after our arrival. Keep those free meals coming.
On Wed we decide to got to Sam's Club and spend the required 200.00 on meats an other necessities or as we say to justified the trip; " to buy the Big things we need'. There is no Costco here. On thursday we ( mostly Carroll ) decided that we should skip over to MX which is only 7 mi away. I needed a 3.00 haircut and she needed a 15.00 Pedicure. The beer is only 1.50 a bottle while I waited for Carroll. I also needed to pick up the required two bottles of Duty Free Booze. I got a L of Drambuie and a L of Baileys for less than 40.00.
Unforetunately I chipped a tooth so we will be going back over to MX to the Dentist on Wed or Thursday to have it repaired. I will likely need a Root Cannal and a Crown and i will be shocked if it cost over 500.00 dollars. My Insurance company would love us to get all our denal work done in MX.
My expertise on the satellite was about to be tested. During a noon hour news cast the signal started to fade so I thought i would " Tweak " it a bit. I tweaked it alright ; I lost the signal forever. I did not have the signal bearings nor did I bring a compass. My normal method is to aim the dish south at 60 degree, way it back and forth and the signal is usual there. But No Luck this time. So i notice a Starchoice dish down the street so i venture down to check the bearing. The owner said go ahead and check the bearing, however that guy over there from MT has a meter and he is good at setting up a dish. Since I was losing my touch I venture over to to see this guy. He looked at me and said Hey! I know you... You hired me in 1981 at Shilo, MT and i have been forever greatful. I stayed there for 20 yrs and eventually became the Carpenter Foreman until i retired. I did recognize him , mainly for his Dutch accent but I hired him because he was in charge of a project and did a excellent job. Now I had to set up the Satellite because I can not live without it. I ended up moving the Satellite to a vacant lot about 30 ft away. I did bring lots of cable with me ... just in case. Shortly after i moved the satellite I got the signal again. so now all is right in the World again.
On Saturday we joined the Meakins and went to an outdoor Music Fest which was a celebration for Elvis's birthday. The show was from 1 PM to 8 PM and was mostly singers who thought they were Elvis. I will admit, most of them were good but 7 hours sitting on a hard chair and listen to the renditions of Elvis was a little much for me. You can say that i have been to this annual Music fest twice: First and Last. The next Blog will be about our 2 nd week but should be much shorter. cheers. Tom and Carroll
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