The Merry Marsden Travels

Haven't blogged for awhile because the weather has improved and couldn't stay inside when it is beautiful outside. So I have to mention the highlights for the past 10 days. On Wednesday, Feb 15/12 about 30 TG Bike Club members participated in the McAllen Golden Years Bike and Birding Event at Bentsen State Park (about 30 minutes away by car). We traillered the bikes there and then rode around the park. We saw kisadees, red shouldered hawks, greenjays and altamira orioles, plus 3 milk snakes sunning themselves in a creek. Don got to go to another Killer Bee Game but unfortunately the bees lost that night. I didn't get to this one since I had Cuddle Club at the hospital that night. Feb 18. I attended the Pioneer and Ranching Craft Day at the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg on Feb 18. There was entertainment and demonstrations and lots of Winter Texans there because it was a nice day even though the weatherman said we were to get 50 mph winds - which luckily did no...

Thursday, November 10/11 Cloudy - 58 degrees Metro to Alexandria, Amtrak to Baltimore airport ($27 today vs. $51 on Sunday night for same trip). Flew at 1 PM with few bumps to Buffalo. Picked up car ($39 for parking). Fueled at Smoking Jo's in Sanborn, NY ($3.41 for $51 fill-up), over Lewiston bridge ($3.25) to visit Ellie Lech in St Catherines and another stop in TO at the Marsdens homestead and home in Lakefield by 9:20 PM. Impressions of Washington: Beautiful city - so much to see. Helped that I had perfect weather and the trees were turning colors - dropped back into fall for these few days. Conservative city - tons of office workers - no wild clothing or hair - young workforce - not many old people around. Lots of runners around city - on The Mall Most workers - security and police. Purse checking and xray machines in almost every building. Need to go back - did not do Supreme Court or the Art Museums Great to visit with Tom and being spoiled with nice accommodations a...

Update for this week. Monday was the Aloe Vera Farm tour. It was very interesting but sad because the aloe vera plants were severely damaged or killed by the freezing temperatures this February. It will take the plants 8 to 9 months to come back for the leaves to be harvested again - if they survive. There was a 45 minute outdoor tour on a haywagon done by a retired teacher who owned a citrus farm next door. Then we had a 45 minute indoor tour by an 88 year old lady - with a wonderful dry sense of humour - a little like Betty Whyte. She and her 89 year old husband help one of their sons manage the place. These presentations were followed by a chicken dinner lunch in their diningroom which they turn into a dance hall on the weekends. Plus they have made a golf course inbetween the aloe vera fields. And they are selling house lots around the place too. So on to more of the week and it has been golf tournaments on our little Par 3 - 9 hole golf course on the property of this RV Park. Wedn...

Sorry for so long to get this message posted. I am in Casa Grande, Arizona so I have a few days to fill in. First of all before leaving Alamo Texas, I should mention that a fluke thing happened last Thursday morning at Ladies Golf. This was the second morning that I played in the Ladies Golf Tournament at the park and I played lousy except for a "Hole In One" on the 6th hole - 80 yards with a 7 iron? The 4 other ladies and I that were on my team did not even know it went in until we got to the pin and one of the ladies golfi ng off the 7th tee witnessed it - we had thought it rolled behind. It was a big surprise considering I had never even parred that hole before. It was lucky to get the hole in one at the tournament because we pay $1 to play and getting a hole in one pays $20!!!! I will get a certificate, had to save the ball and will get my name on a plaque in the golf clubhouse - plus I was a celebrity for awhile. Also of note was that Don went to see a Killer Bee Hockey ...