JOURNAL OF TININTHEWIND

 First off:  Happy New Year to all our friends and family. 

     We have had a busy couple of weeks over the holidays.  I had ordered a 25" monitor for Kathleen's Desk Top Computer several months ago with plans to replace the CPU (computer itself) when a good deal came along.  About a month ago just what we were looking for popped up on:  Yugster.com .

     The new CPU is a great addition to that huge monitor.  It shipped with Microsoft Vista as the operating system but also included a free offer to ask for the Windows 7 upgrade disks.  We sent for them and I spent a couple days this past week installing Windows 7.  I am happy to report that it went fairly smooth and the system is fantastic.

     Kathleen's passion and hobby has been, since going full time four years ago, to digitize all our family photo's and all the photo's she has collected over the years of her family and mine.  She had been doing a great job and was enjoying her work but was running out of hard drive space on our older computer.  This new one has a 'Terabyte' of hard drive so I don't think she will run out of room for even more pictures.

     As if the above wasn't enough to do, we decided to upgrade our TV at the front of the 'tininthewind'.  We replaced the 27" Sony with a 42" Philips.  The new one fit like a glove where the old one resided.  It took about two days to get it in place, mounted and anchored securely in place.  I had to turn myself into a pretzel to get it accomplished and could only work a couple hours before having to give the 'ol body a rest.  Its done and we love it.

     We RV'ers being the spoiled retired lot that we are, also like to have a TV outside for watching Nascar on Sunday afternoons so I built a special shelf to store the 27" Sony in the basement and special hanging brackets for it when we desire to use it.

     With all of my projects done, at least for awhile, I think I will just kick back with a cold pop and enjoy the outside patio.  The weather here in Texas is starting to improve.  The 'snowbirds' who waited till after Christmas to leave family up North are arriving in droves.  With the weather improving and everyone feeling a bit more like being outside we may yet get a chance to meet some of the 1500 who are in this Park.

Posted by George at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     We have been enjoying all the festivities here in the Fun N Sun RV Park in spite of some very windy cool weather.  We are missing all our Family and Friends, especially on this day.  We had an OK Christmas dinner with about 500 other gray haired folks but sure had memories of those fantastic Christmas Dinners past.

     We have a little special message for you all:

                                                          Movie

Posted by George at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

     In the picture above the 'tininthewind' is sitting pretty just after our arrival at the "Fun N Sun Resort".  We were given the choice of six or seven sites and we chose R-169.  Our street name is 'Restful'.  Just behind us are several streets of permanent sites with different styles of park models and all attractively landscaped with fruit tree's heavily laden with ripening grapefruit and oranges, and of course many varieties of flowers or flowering bushes.

     This park offers more activities than either of us care to get involved in but from time to time it will be fun to attend some of the entertainment venues and some of the pot luck gatherings but for the most part we prefer to just relax.

     Several things do peak my interest and I plan to take advantage of them.  The first is a beautiful pool/jacuzzi area that is open 24/7.  The second is a huge exercise center that has the latest equipment and is also open 24/7.  We have been here three days and I have used the pool and jacuzzi every day.  I got acquainted with the exercise center this evening before going to the pool and I can't wait to get back there tomorrow.

     There are wood working shops, carving gatherings, indoor shuffleboard, billiards, RC-electric care race tracks used for practice and competition.  There are huge mowed fields near-by for kite flying and a measured driving range.  There are other activities and dedicated buildings for those activities but I haven't had time to check them all out.

     We have been out and about in the surrounding area and are learning our way around.  There is anything and everything one could want within just a few miles of us.

     A lady standing near her pick-up loaded with fresh fruit caught my eye this morning so I stopped.  Apparently she comes to the Resort every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.  She and her husband have their own orchards.  I bought 1 bag of Texas Select Pink Grapefruit (picked this morning). There were 16 in the bag and I paid $3.00.  I also bought a huge bag of fresh picked oranges for $3.00.  There were other produce items but since I was out for a walk I figured one bag under each arm was enough to get us started.

     Everywhere you go in the park people are friendly.  If they don't verbally great you they at least wave in passing.  I have met and had conversations with several people at the pool/jacuzzi area.  My favorite question is: "Is this your first year to this park"?  I have yet to find anyone who is a newcomer.  All have been coming multiple years.

     Kathleen and I are going to a "Welcome Newcomers" meeting tomorrow where we will be given a talk on the park and can get any questions we may have answered.  There are 1500 "Winter Texan" sites here and it is virtually a city unto itself.

     I think we are going to like it here!

Posted by George at 06:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 Kathleen and I are fortunate to have two Sons (Scott and Bill) who have been a delight throughout their entire lives but more importantly matured to go on and have such a positive impact on all of society and also to all who know them.  Enough standing on the soap box by me, already!

    Scott recently was asked, by the Canadian company that builds the Q400 aircraft used by many airlines throughout the world including Horizon Air/Alaska Airlines for whom he teaches and flys, if he would be interested in introducing and teaching the plane to the pilots who will ultimately be flying the eight new ones ordered by Ethiopia Airlines.

     Once Scott expressed an interest his current employer Horizon Air gave their blessing to his taking a leave of absence so he could fulfill this consulting roll for the Canadian company who builds the plane.

     He is currently in Ethiopia now teaching and working with his students.  We are proud of him to say the least.  He is writing a blog about his experience and if you have an interest click on the link below to follow along on this adventure:

http://ghostsailors.com/blog-africa/ 

     Scott and his family have lived in the Seattle area aboard "Ghost" their 52' sailboat since 1998.  Angela, Scott's wife has maintained a beautiful web-site that tells of their life and its trials and tribulations of raising our two grandchildren on and in a unique setting.  If you have an interest in checking out their web-site click on the link below:

www.ghostsailors.com/

Posted by George at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)