Kingsville - Happy New Year, Ship Decommission, Family members are traveling, expanding, bowling, walking and building bears!!

Thursday January 1st, 2015

Well, at 2am this morning Bryan started to get sick and was up and down the rest of the night.  Unfortunately at about 7am we had to call Brenda and ask her to come and get the girls as we didn't want to risk them catching whatever it was if it was contagious.  I woke the girls up, no easy feat, and got them packed up.  Brenda was there before I even finished packing their bags.  It was a shame as they were so good, but for the best as Lily was not exactly a pleasant environment for the rest of the day.

Hopefully, this does not set the standard for the rest of the year!!!!!   We will try and think positively though.

I watched the Pasadena Rose Parade on TV.  It is on my bucket list so maybe one year we will be there.  I have been to the one in Spalding, Lincolnshire, many, many years ago and really enjoyed it.

Friday January 2nd, 2015

Bryan was feeling a little better today but we just took things easy.  I watched The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize being awarded to Billy Joel.  It is well worth watching this if you're a Billy Joel fan. He is a favorite of mine and I have seen him a few times live in concert.

Saturday January 3rd, 2015

Spent this afternoon and evening thinking of Ian as he was flying to the Phillipines for work.  It is a good opportunity for him to see some of the world but what a long while to be in the air.  He is scheduled to take off at 3.15pm our time and will land in Dubai at 10.10pm and then take off for Manilla, Phillipines at 00.30 tomorrow morning.  Eventually landing there at 8.30am.  Two long flights but he will be in business class and I hear that Emirates Airlines are very good, so will be an interesting experience for him.

Sunday January 4th, 2015

Well, Ian arrived safely so I can breathe again.  We always worry about all the kids when they are traveling.  It has been quite cold here and gloomy and we are low on propane so haven't run our heating but relied on our small heater. Our batteries have been getting low and we're not sure why so we are trying to be careful on the power we are using as well.  Our blankets have come in handy to keep warm but we are not as bad as some parts of the country so we are thankful for that.

There is no one in this area that delivers propane and none in the park so we will have to pack up and go to get more propane.  We had been trying to last until we are due to leave but we will not have enough to cover us for the basics for another 2 weeks so tomorrow we will just have to bite the bullet and go and get the tank filled.

Monday January 5th, 2015

We got up, disconnected the hoses etc. and packed up the minimum so we could bring the slides in and get Lily ready to roll down the road to fill her propane tank.  We were gone less than half an hour but is a real pain.  When we got back we had a message that Ryan & Christina wanted to Skype with us.

Guess what, we are going to be grandparents again.  This will be their first but our fifth.  We are so excited!!!!  Here is the announcement they put on Facebook to announce the news to their friends.

We got this Christmas ornament for Ryan's first Christmas all those years ago so we will now be able to pass this along to "Stewart Little" as the baby has been affectionately named.

Tuesday-Thursday January 6th - 8th, 2015

Did the usual boring things, food shopping, cleaning, eating - blah, blah, blah.  While we got our food shopping I did look and find an outfit for Hattie.  Remember Mum's white bear.  I wanted to get her clothes to try and keep her clean.  I can wash the clothes easier.  You should have seen us looking through the baby clothes in Walmart for a suitable outfit. In the end got her a 3-6 month Valentines outfit, red with hearts.  It has long sleeves and leggings, perfect. Here's a picture of Hattie in her new outfit and Gonk.  Gonk is a  ????, well a gonk, that my nan made me from curtain material.  Can't remember exactly when I got him but I must have been in my early teens.  That makes him nearly 50 years old.  One of the dogs got hold of him at one time and he lost an eye and has some puncture marks but he survived.  Now both he and Hattie are riding along with us.  Bet they have some stories to tell already!!!!

Friday January 9th, 2015

Today is the decommissioning ceremony for USS McCluskey (FFG-41), Ryan's first ship.  We would have liked to have been there but our travel plans have altered slightly with recent events and Bryan's pending jury service in Florida.  Here is a picture of Ryan in front of the ship today.

He will miss her I'm sure.  Something special about that first ship.  He flew out to Panama and joined her on May 22nd, 2012.  His last day on her will be next Wednesday the 14th.

Here is a VIDEO that Ryan took of his gun on that first deployment.

Saturday January 10th, 2015

We went into Corpus Christi with John, Brenda, Collette, LeeAnn & Aimee.  The trip was primarily to go to Build A Bear to get the girls bears that we had given them for Christmas.

Photo Credit to Brenda - Thanks

We went to Outback for lunch.  Thanks John & Brenda, it was lovely.  After lunch we had a look around Barnes & Noble and World Market before coming home.  Unfortunately, the weather wasn't that great but it was good to get out.

Sunday January 11th - Friday January 16th, 2015

Nothing much going on.

The 14th was Ryan's last day on the McCluskey and I'm sure a sad one as he leaves his first ship.

Clifford Reeves, a local artist, posted this painting of Somerton, Oxfordshire, UK on Twitter.  This was painted from the front garden of the cottage that I lived in there and brought back many happy memories.

Ian arrived safely home from the Philippines on the 16th so everyone is happy.

Saturday January 17th, 2015

We decided to go bowling with John, Brenda, Collette, LeeAnn & Aimee.  It's been so long since I last went I can't even remember when it was.  Bryan hadn't bowled since last August but he hasn't lost his touch!!!  He gave the girls some pointers.

Photo Credit to John Greene, Thanks

Photo Credit to John Greene, Thanks

We had a fun time and Aimee beat me in the second game when we had a friendly challenge between the two of us.  Well done Aimee.  :)

Later in the day, Collette, LeeAnn and Aimee surprised us in the motorhome.  They had been walking at Dick Kleburg Park and saw the RV park so walked over.  We didn't realize that there was a gate at the back of the RV park into the park so Bryan & I decided to join them in a walk over there.  

Walking along the path into the park

The lake

LeeAnn, Sue & Aimee

A pier that was a little the worse for wear.

Picnic tables across the lake

It was a nice little park and we had fun walking through the brush at the back of it.  Here is the entrance at the back of the RV park.  They are building an extension and adding more RV sites here.

We got back to Lily and had popsicles and Aimee danced with me before they had to leave. 

It was a really fun day that we both thoroughly enjoyed and the weather was a lot better.

Sunday January 18th - Wednesday January 21st, 2015

The Australian Open started and so I will have a few late nights staying up to watch Andy Murray.  It's a good job we're retired!!!  

On the 20th, we went to Youngs Pizza with John, Brenda and the girls for lunch.  Youngs is a must have whenever we are in Kingsville.  Bryan went to High School here and loves the "Texicali" sandwich.  I had a "Patootie" potato with shrimp, delicious……..

We spent the 21st packing up and getting ready to leave tomorrow.  Everyone came by to say goodbye, until next time.  Hopefully when we visit next the weather will be a bit better but we shouldn't complain, there are a lot of people having it a lot worse than we are.

Take Care……….