May 22, 2007

Yesterday we went for a another ride in the back country. We planned to go to the bat cave that is southwest of Mason but found that it was only open on Thursday through Sunday. The drive to the cave was on a very rough dirt and gravel road where you could only do about 5-10 miles per hour. The scenery was very pretty though. There were several water crossings and we had to cross the James River twice and the Llano River once. When we cross the James River the first time the water was about 12-18 inches deep and running fairly swiftly. Emily was nervous. We made it okay though and ended up driving about 30 miles on the back roads. We saw lots of deer and even two jackrabbits.

May 19, 2007

Normally we work on Saturday, but we didn't have to today since Rick had to be here anyway. We decided to go for a drive and see some of the country around the Mason area that we had not seen. Every drive that you make around here is pretty with wildflowers, streams and hills. Everything is especially nice this year since the rains and cool temperatures have made everything green. The prickly pears are blooming. The locals say that this is unusual weather for this time of year. It must be global warming.

After driving a good distance, we found ourselves in a little town named Doss. It is about twenty miles from where we are camped located in a beautiful area called Doss Valley. There was a Lutheren Church, a grocery store, the school and little else. A few people were gathered around the school grounds and it looked liked like they were having some kind of event. We parked and talked to some adults and kids and found out that they were having their end-of-school event. The 4H club was having a bake sale and we bought a nice looking lemon bundt cake.

We learned that the little school had 21 students in grades K through 8 with two teachers and two aides. They were surprised to have outsiders visit them so we had a good time talking to the kids and their parents. Several men were smoking barbeque on some huge pits behind the school. We bought some of the barbeque to take home since we had already eaten lunch. They told us that the school kids were putting on plays starting at 7:00 that evening. Since it was about 3:00 then, we decided to go home and come back for the plays.

We went back for the plays and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Before the plays started, we bought some more of the barbeque since it was so good. I think that all 21 kids participated in the plays and skits. They were divided into what was refered to as "the small room" and "the big room". There were two skits by two younger groups and a three-act play by "the big room". They evidently worked hard in preparation and did a really good job. Between each skit and act they drew raffle tickets for variety of prizes. Emily bought six tickets. We don't ever win drawings, but since the top prize was a new Toro riding mower, I figured that we would probably win that (we didn't).

After the entertainment, they announced that the remaining barbeque would be sold for half price. I had paid full price for ours, but figured that was okay since it was for a good cause. When I bought the barbeque, they sacked it up and left it inside the smoker to keep it warm until we were ready to leave. I picked up our sack and was going to the truck when the guy doing the cooking met me and asked if I put some extra meat in the bag. I told him no and he made me go back and get more. We now have our freezer full.

Remember to visit Doss, Texas if you are in the area.

May 16, 2007 EMILY'S BIRTHDAY

Emily had a good birthday. We got up early and drove to Kerrville. We got her watch fixed; all it needed was a battery, but I couldn't get the back off. I asked the watch repair man how he got it off when I couldn't and he said " you haven't been working on watches for 35 years". (HERE'S YOUR SIGN) Emily got her toes done at Walmart and I sat and read my book. Since we had bought her birthday present last week at James Avery, we then went back to Fredericksburg and ate lunch/supper at Chilis. She said that she enjoyed the day.
Emily's James Avery Cross

May 14, 2007

Long-Range Photo of Emily Riding Across The Bridge




Today we made a drive through the backroads to Llano. The county roads here are usually gravel and sometimes dirt. There are a lot of cattle guards and low-water crossings (here they call them slabs). We went to a little town that is named Castell and is the oldest town in Llano county. There are two water crossings on the Llano River between here and Llano. At the first one we came upon a truck and trailer that had washed off the crossing. The wrecker driver arrived about the same time that we did and he told us that it had happened seven days ago, but the water had just now gone down enough to try and get it out. The water must have been really high when they tried to cross. We watched for about an hour and a half until they had the truck out. They unhitched the trailer and were going to pull it out by itself. It made for an interesting morning.

May 13, 2007

We went to church in Mason Sunday morning. They sang all old hymns and we enjoyed that. After church, the youth had a fish fry on the courthouse square to raise money for their trip to Glorietta this summer. We went by and got our meal and ate under the shade trees on the courthouse lawn. The youth minister is from Cleburne so we enjoyed our visit with him. We met a young lady at church who looks to be about 6 feet five inches tall. Emily asked her if she was a senior in high school and she said "no mam, I'm in the seventh grade". Her name is Emily and I have included a picture of her here with Emily and the preacher's daughter named Rachel. Sunday night we went with Betty and Rick to eat at the mexican resturant in Mason.

Here is some good information on Mason:

• Mason, Texas

MAY 8, 2007

It rained all day yesterday and last night. Today was pretty with the sun shining. We stayed in yesterday and today with only a trip to Mason yesterday to mail the letter that I wrote for Caitlyn's school project. Tonight we cooked hamburgers outside since the weather was nice. Emily has gone to ride her bike.

MAY 6, 2007

We have settled in at the Llano River Campground in Mason, Texas. We worked at the campground office on Friday and Saturday. It was pretty slow. We had five campers that came in on these two days, but they will all be gone by tonight. Our days to work for the rest of the month will be Thursday and Saturday. Last night we ate chili with Rick and Betty. This morning we are getting ready to go to church in Mason.

We went to the First Baptist Church in Mason. The service was very enjoyable and we liked the Pastor and Music Director. He said that he had selected all old hymns for next Sunday that weren't even in the Hymnal. That should be good. On the way home we stopped by the grocery store and bought some steaks and came back and cooked them for lunch. It rained all afternoon so we just stayed inside and watched it rain. We saw severals canoes come down the river in the rain. It didn't look like much fun.

Back In Mason

We left San Angelo this morning and came back to the Llano River RV Park. When we were here last week, they asked us to consider coming back and helping as camp hosts. After our week in San Angelo, we decided to come back and help them out for a month. We will work two days a week when the managers take their days off. In return, we get our camping spot for free. It will be something different. There are still a lot of things in the area to see and do.

R.O.

All of these memories!

This one is my favorite.

Family History

I was helping Caitlyn get some info on where her family came from and found this picture on the McAdams.org site. It was just too good not to post. Dominick Olan sure looks a lot like Grandpa Richard Olan!

Love you!!!

Rachel

San Angelo Day 3

Rebecca and family got here late Friday night. We met them this morning at Caitlyn's first soccer game. After the game we went out to the park to show them where we are camped. We left there and went out to eat with all of the team and parents. The second game was at 4:30 this afternoon. They won both games. Tonight we went to eat with Rebecca and family and one other family. The first game tomorrow is at 8:00AM.

I've added a few pictures of the soccer bunch.

Mason To San Angelo

We made 120 miles today from Mason to San Angelo. We hated to leave the park at Mason since it and the managers were so nice. Rick and his mother Betty made our stay enjoyable.

Note to Rick: You can click on the images and see them enlarged.

Mason Day 4

This morning we drove to Federicksburg to go to Walmart. After Walmart we ate at the Sonic Drive In. We came back to Mason and walked around in town for awhile. This afternoon we took a drive out through the hills southwest of town. It was a nice ride with the prettiest Bluebonnets that we have seen anywhere. About half the drive was on gravel and dirt roads with lots of low water crossings and cattle guards.

Sheryl, we really like the new camera. However, we are discovering that having a good camera doesn't make you a good photographer. Maybe we will get better with time. I thought that the bull in the bluebonnets was good.

Mason Day 3

We mostly rested yesterday and today. I helped the park manager work on the lawn mower yesterday. We took the blades off and carried them to town to see if we could find anyone to sharpen them. We had no luck. Today, he went to Fredericksburg and bought a bench grinder. We will sharpen them tomorrow. Yesterday afternoon, we drove in to Mason (about 10 miles) and looked around a little. We then stopped by Dairy Queen and got a blizzard.

Fredericksburg To Mason

We moved north today; not far, just 40 miles. We are on the edge of the Llano River just south of Mason, Texas. The park where we are staying is new and very quiet with only five other campers besides us. We plan to stay here four nights before we move on to San Angelo on Thursday. Tonight the man and his mother that run the park invited us up for red beans and rice. While we were eating, another couple from the park came in and ate with us also.

Fredericksburg, Texas Days 17 & 18

It was rainy and windy yesterday. We were expecting our new camera to be delivered yesterday, so we stayed around waiting for it. It came about 12:30. The weather cleared up some in the afternoon and Emily wanted to go to James Avery in Kerrville to get a replacement for an earring that she had lost. We drove over there and toured an area where the jewelry is made. There was a very nice man named Jim Pace who showed us how some of the work is done. I even found a ring that I liked and bought it. It is made of silver with gold inlay and is attractive (I wrote pretty, but that didn't sound right). We got to take a few pictures with the new camera and think that it is going to work well.

Today it was cloudy and windy again. Emily went to a little cafe nearby and ate breakfast. When she came back we went to the grocery store and got a few things. I got a nice piece of fresh salmon and grilled it for lunch. It was delicious. Needless to say, Emily didn't eat any. The sun came out this afternoon and the wind died down so we went for a long walk here in the park.

Fredericksburg, Texas Day 16 (I Think)

We are still at Fredericksburg. Nothing much has been happening. Steve and Ellen left last Monday and went into Oklahoma. We had decided to change to Dish Network for our satellite TV and needed to wait around for them to install. After somewhat of a runaround we finally got the system installed last Thursday. It seems to be fine. I hope so since we cancelled DirecTV today.

We finally found the digital camera that we want and ordered it on Saturday from Amazon.com. It is supposed to come tomorrow so we are waiting for it. We don't know how much longer we will stay here, but are planning to meet Rebecca and family in San Angelo on the 27th.

We went to San Antonio last Wednesday to look at cameras at Best Buy and came back through Bourne and looked around for awhile. On Sunday we took a drive to Llano including a loop through the back country to look at the bluebonnets and wildflowers. We came back through Mason.

Snow and Easter

On Saturday, it snowed all day long. On Sunday, the kids are out hunting Easter eggs. I guess that is Texas' unpredictable weather, for you. Oh well, the kids were glad that the chocolate didn't melt in thier Easter eggs this year.

Here's Dom's favorite one with him holding her.

Dom loves his bike! Thought you would enjoy this one too.

Love you and Have a great Easter.

Here are some pictures from the wedding. I think they all looked great. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of Miranda before the shoes came off, so she has sock on in all of these.......Oh, well. She looks good anyway.

Grandkid Pictures

I'm trying to upload the pictures, but they are too big. I'm going to photo shop them and try again!!

They'll be there soon, I promise.

Brandi's wedding was fun. Everything turned out great and very simple.

Love you!