Magnolia Beach TX Photos

Loner? Maybe Not

The experience here at this beach campground has taught me a lesson about myself -- I want to be able to socialize at will. This means that I'm not particularly interested in bookdocking in remote areas, beautiful though they may be. Oh, a day or two, maybe, but not longer. I want to be able to walk to places of interest, like stores, bars, restaurants, gathering places. I don't necessarily want to interact with these people, but I need the mental stimulation of seeing different things and people often.

Now, some campgrounds in remote places have stores and rec halls and the like, and that would be okay for a slightly longer time. And I've learned of a campground actually in the city of Corpus Christi TX that might be a good place to be for me (though I'd be sure to ask lots of questions beforehand).

This actually relates to my retail experience over the last 20 years -- I liked it particularly because I had lots of social interaction but the people came and went so I didn't have to deal with them for too long at one time, and then I could go home and hole up. Perfect balance.

So, I'm a loner in the sense that I like living alone, driving alone, being alone. And I'm a social creature in the sense that I enjoy observing people and talking to them, knowing that I can escape to my cave whenever I need to.

I think one of the problems is my rig. A Class C is all one piece so there's no transportation other than it. When I'm hooked up and want to go somewhere, I have to settle everything inside for movement, turn off everything (including the fridge), unhook all the cables and lines. Only then can I go trundling off. I can get this done in about an hour, if I scurry. But it does sort of preclude spontaneous movement. I can't just grab my keys, plop into the driver's seat, and go.

So I'm going to think about how to get a different rig, maybe a 5th wheel, a really small one, that would provide me a vehicle after I get somewhere and get all hooked up. Then I can explore a place without having to plan ahead and take the entire thing with me every time. Another option would be a larger Class C towing a small car, but then I have two engines to take care of and fuel.

The economy right now is the perfect time to get a new rig. RV makers are closing right and left; dealers are hurting for sales; etc. Unfortunately, I can't really afford a monthly payment and the only thing I have to sell is my current rig. If the universe approves, the right thing will come along. I hope.

Nice Day w/Sunset Pics

These images were taken seven minutes apart. Of the 21 total I took these are the only two that I kept. I would have taken more but I got the "change batteries" note flashing onscreen. At least it was finally a nice day: sunny, breezy.

A nice young man I know from telephone and email only grew up here in Port Lavaca. Today, his mother and I went to lunch in town (the Texana Restaurant, grilled shrimp kebobs) and then shopped at Walmart, where I stocked up some for my upcoming two-month stint in the boonies. Nice to get out and it "looked right" with just two women.

Tomorrow I will begin doing inspections in and out of the rig and cleaning and checking things in preparation for heading off on New Year's Day.

Water Movement of an Unwelcome Kind

When I moved to this new spot, the owner helped me hookup but when the water got turned on, I saw water dripping out from underneath the rig. Looked inside and saw water running down the inside back wall. It was the line from the water inlet to the faucet and the nut had cracked in two (probably from being over-tightened at installation and vibration over the years [just two since it was put in]). Anyhow, Steve the owner had a line (metal) which he quickly installed and all is now well.

Unfortunately, the water regulator blew out also so now I have to get a new one of those. But it's a minor fix, hooray hooray.

Turned chilly overnight and overcast. Last night the wind was jerking the rig around, gusting from all directions. I had visions of just the cabin being torn off and it and I going rolling into the bay.

The owner has given me an extra night free for moving at his request, so I'll be leaving here on New Year's Day, heading for Concan TX. Am giving thought to staying one night at the Kickapoo Casino, the only one in Texas. I would have thought TX would have lots of casinos, but noooo. It has 20 free RV spots, some with hookups. It's in Eagle Pass TX which is more or less on the way. Also want to stop at a Barnes & Noble and do a little stocking up on reading material.

Bane Redux

And, of course, what they (those who uphold "looking right") wouldn't want to acknowledge is that I wouldn't have their guys served on gold platters with emeralds dripping off them.

But they're of the firm persuasion that men and women can't possibly be friends or friendly without a sexual undertone.

Ah well.

Parting shot: how does "bye bye dirty-minded lady" sound?

Water Movement

Looked out the window and saw this ship moving past. Whipped outside and shot this, which is blown up a lot.

Bane of the Single Woman

Yes, jealousy is alive and well even in our aged community. What is with these women? Are they all so insecure? I have married friends who don't seem in the least worried about my "wiles," which is good as they're arthritic and mostly moribund.

I've told you about Harold. His sidekick Bob is a small man with a seamed face, who's led a hard life and it shows. They took me to town last week.

Well, we were going to do the same again today but Bob came over to tell me that Harold's wife Lois (the one who stays in the rig all day every day watching TV) said she doesn't think it "looks right" for a woman and two men to be seen riding together. What a dirty mind she must have.

So I commissioned Bob to get me a carton of cigs. He said he'd take me to town or wherever later today, just the two of us without Harold. I guess that'll "look right." I'm not here to make waves or have confrontations so I let it go. But I am planning my parting shot to Lois.

Eartha Baby

I've lost one of my personal favorites, Miss Eartha Kitt.

She's been a favorite since I was in my early teens and heard her sing I Want To Be Evil.

When I visited San Francisco in the early 90s, she was performing at the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. A friend and I went to the show, in a cabaret setting with the stage only raised about 4 inches and the tables crowded right up to it. We sat on the front row and I was about three feet from Miss Kitt. She was battling a cold and between songs would cough and sneeze and blow her nose. but when she sang it was magic.

She was tiny, you know, only about 5 foot or so, but projected huge charisma. At the end of the show she came along the front row and shook everyone's hands. That's when I found out she had a grip like a stevedore.

Time to put on the signed CD I got that evening.

Ho Ho Ho?

So it's xmas day here in Magnolia Beach. Can I see the beach? No. It's not cold (going to be 74 today with 15mph wind) but it's still foggy foggy foggy. I have treated myself to a mug of aged Sumatra coffee and a slice of Blair's famous fruitcake (no jokes, now, it's really good). Tomorrow I should get the care package from Mary-Anne. Last night I called John and Hazel. Will probably talk to my brother today or tomorrow. So all is really well in my little world.

I'm going to take myself for a long walk on the beach later today (unless it's actively raining). Plans for the upcoming week include getting my D batteries tested so I can find out if that's why the lantern doesn't work. The oil lantern works really well but it isn't bright enough to read by.

About 2am last night (I was awake and reading but very quiet), I heard a scritch scritch noise somewhere under the rig, like a critter of some kind was trying to dig its way inside. Of course, I moved and the noise stopped. I waited and the noise started again. So I went stomping around a bit, then waited. The noise didn't return. So I need to check underneath to see if any damage was done.

Took another one of those psych surveys at YourMorals.org on "relationship style." Measures two related things: attachment anxiety (how secure you feel about your partner's responsiveness to your needs), and attachment avoidance (how strongly you feel about relying on others). It compares your score to the average of Liberal and Conservative scores (high = strength of feeling). Here's my scores.

Anxiety -- Libs & Cons 3.4 -- Me 2.8
(so I'm not very anxious about my partner)

Avoidance -- Libs & Cons 2.6 -- Me 4.6
(probably because I avoid relying on one)

Ya think?

To Town I Went

Finally, some movement. I didn't take my rig but went with Harold and Bob as they were going anyhow. I'd gotten my inside all rigged for running but they showed up so I took the easy way. I mentioned to Harold that I had wanted to get my tires and airbags checked and he said he had an air compressor and could do it for me right at the campground.

Went to H.E.B., a Texas chain that's obviously trying to be a walmart competitor -- has a little bit of everything plus groceries. Got all I wanted food-wise. Then off to Walmart as HEB didn't have Bugler rolling papers that Bob wanted. I got a kerosene/lamp oil lantern so even if my ancient light fixtures quit on me, I'll have some light. Naturally, I picked up a few books along the way.

Then off to a local seafood/bait shop where I got 24 good-sized shrimp for $7. Cooked a dozen of them last night in a sauce of peach salsa, roasted garlic, and lime juice. Tasty, tasty. Will have the other dozen for my xmas day dinner.

It's much warmer today but it's decided to rain off and on so there's lots of fog. At the very least, it's not windy! Went picture-taking. Either I got atmospheric shots or I have amorphous blobs. We'll see.

Raise a glass to me and I'll raise one to you.

Cabin Fever

Have been holed up for two solid days and am antsy to get out, get moving, something. Yes, it's still cold and windy, though it is abating, just as they said it would. But it's still not comfortable to be out in. Supposedly, it'll be back in the low 70s tomorrow even if still a little breezy. I'm planning to take the rig to town and shop and putter and peruse. Not just planning; WILL.

Weather

The big storm has reached us here on the coast. We'll get two days of wind and chill, but it's only going to be in the low 50s during the days and low 40s at night, nothing like Kansas (which is currently running in the 20s day and teens at night). Fortunately, I have nothing else to do so I'll just hole up.

Believe I'll take the rig to town Monday or Tuesday, buy a few groceries, get the propane filled, and get the tires and airbags checked (I think they're low). One of the problems being out here is that there's nothing within 10 miles, no restaurants, no bars, no stores of any kind. Believe I'd like a little more stimulation so I'll look for a different place for "vacation" in future.

Photo Day

This photo shows my rig at the end of the row, looking across the road toward the beach. Even though it's foggy, overcast, etc. I walked across the road to the beach and shot a few photos. We'll probably be holed up come Sunday as it'll get cold and windy, but still not like Kansas.It's hard to see but this last photo shows gulls sitting on top of the posts. There's also a lagoon east of the campground but it's pretty boring-looking right now.

The only drawback to this place is that there's nothing within walking distance (except the beach); it's a purely residential area. However, Harold (of the schoolbus) has said I can go with them to town for groceries etc. He's a hoot: 71, married, living in a converted schoolbus, ex-truck driver, ex-commercial fisherman in Hawaii, ex-commercial fisherman in Alaska, all-around handyman type -- and that's all I've learned in one day.

More later

Oceanside Yes

I could finally see the water, once the heavy fog burned off about noon. There's also a lagoon behind the RV park. It was quite warm and humid today, too. Unfortunately, it's supposed to turn really cold after tomorrow and then do a slow warm-up. It's still better than Kansas, believe me.

Mail can be sent to me at:

Oceanside RV Park
1162 Ocean Dr.
Port Lavaca TX 77979

I'll be here until the 31st or the 1st.

I'm hoping to get some nice moody pictures at the beach, assuming I don't freeze my buns off.

Happiest of holidays to everybody.

Ah, Sunny Texas

Well, not exactly. When I left Killeen Weds. am it was misty, cold, and there was ice on the windshield and side mirrors. Nasty and cold all the way to Houston, though not as cold as Killeen. This am when I left Houston, it was cool and very foggy. The closer I got to Port Lavaca the foggier it got. I arrived at my funky little campground in Magnolia Beach about 4pm and, though I knew the ocean was just across the road, it was invisible because of fog. It's supposed to clear up tomorrow, at least for a few days.

The campground is funky, as I say, concrete slabs for the rigs (which means level), but bare dirt/sand otherwise. However, amenities include 50/30 amp power, water, sewer line, wifi, satellite tv, laundry, and maybe other things I don't know about yet. The owners weren't here when I arrived but had alerted a camper to watch out for me and help me get set up, which he did (Harold) and another camper (Harold) came over to supervise (no Darryl, though).

Had a great time in Houston visiting a woman I'd last seen in Italy in 1959 when we both attended the Livorno Camp Darby High School. We looked at yearbooks and other photos and played "do you remember?" and it was fun. They took me out for a great dinner at the Red Balloon Cafe, and this morning her husband made me two terrific cappucinos. I'm going to try to make the next reunion near Portland OR in Oct. 09.

Plan to haul out the camera and play beach bum for the next two weeks. Commiserations gracefully accepted.

Escaping Kansas

I had planned to leave on Sunday (less traffic etc) but I was sitting around on Sat. am listening to the 40mph winds rocking the rig, 40 deg outside, with the promise of a huge ice storm coming in Sun eve. Why, I said, am I still here? One hour later I was on the road.

About 6pm, dark, windy, I was approaching Atoka OK when the engine suddenly quit (lights still on, radio playing). I managed to steer far over on the shoulder and shut everything down. I cranked it twice but it wouldn't fire. Great, I said to myself, time to call Good Sam Emergency Roadside Assistance.

Good idea, except the card I had in my wallet was only the "sample" card without my account number. Fortunately, I had charged the cellphone so I called Mary-Anne, gave her passwords so she could access my email, she went online to Good Sam, told them I'd lost my password so they sent an email, which she got, and used that password to get into Good Sam ERS to get my account number. Whew!

Anyhow, a tow truck eventually came and towed me off to an RV "park" in Atoka OK. The driver knew a good mechanic and called him, and he'd be out on Sun. morn to see if the fix would be something simple. I thought something had come loose because of the way it just quit in mid-everything, no stuttering or stammering. Sure enough, the coil wire was loose, a one-minute fix. I wasn't about to get out there in the dark with semis whizzing by 3 ft away, and I'm not sure I would have recognized the problem anyway. But I will now.

Anyway, he fixed it and I was on the road once again about noon. Nice folk in Atoka. Total cost to me was $12 for the RV spot and $30 for the mechanic. Made it to my friends' house in Killeen TX about 7.30pm, nice and warm. However, overnight the edge of that big storm has reached here and it's gray, windy, and chilly. It's supposed to be 78 deg in Houston by Thursday so it's not going to last long. And that means my "vacation" in Magnolia Beach, Port Lavaca, will be great.

So that's where I'll be for xmas and new year's. Then it's off to Seven Bluffs Cabins & RVs near Concan TX, in the hill country west of San Antonio, for Jan & Feb. workamping 20 hrs/wk for a full hookup site.

All's well that ends well.

Porn or Not Porm?

Well, it's moot now.

Betty Page has died.

White Night

This means it's 5.30 in the a.m. and I've only managed to sleep two hours. Will probably head back to bed soon. I think "white night" came from the far northern climes, like Russia, where it stays light all night and makes it difficult to sleep.

Am leaving here Sunday, just before another cold spell. Hooray! If all goes as planned, I'll be heading to Port Lavaca TX for a week or so, then off to the boonies of Texas Hill Country for two months, which means I'll have a mailing address. Apologies if I've said all this already. I'm a little punchy at this point.

Maybe I should talk about the porn I've been investigating on the internet. It's everywhere and 99% of it seems to be of women being abused, tied up, whipped, gagged, hot candle wax, gang rape, and so forth and so on. Praise is heaped on these women for being "able to take it," have screaming orgasms, and smile at the end. Plus, they're all shaved (pubically, I mean) so they hardly look like adults (and the itch! unless you shave every day).

It's certainly not erotic or sexy to me and has a damping effect on my own imagination, which is disconcerting but not unexpected. So, I'll abandon that line of investigation and look into something more interesting, say, butterflies or kitties or flowers.

Today the sun is out!! Yesterday was gray and sleety with high winds. It's still cold but the sunshine looks warm.

Out of boredom yesterday, I turned the pantry door upside down and rehung it. What?? they say. Okay, here's the deal. The latch was on the right, opening into the living area (it was originally meant to be a closet), so every time I wanted to get something to cook or eat, I had to step around the heater, open the door, get the stuff out, and then close the door before I could go back into the kitchen area.

So, I unscrewed the hinges from the wall, and unscrewed the latch, turned the whole thing upside down, and put the hinges on the right side and the latch on the left. So now I can just open the door and get stuff out while standing in the kitchen. I'm so clever. Of course, I've been meaning to do this ever since I got the rig, but what's a few months among friends. Right?

The Lindas have been delayed getting back by problems with their rig, so I'm still sitting in the midddle of nothingness, all by myself, with their stuff piled around my rig, like a motorcycle and foam inserts for their slideout floors and coolers and what looks like an industrial weedeater (but probably isn't). Yep, poor white trash is us.

Am vaguely planning to be in the Port Lavaca TX area over the holidays. Warm. After that, who knows.

Scary Stuff

Winds, that is, gusting about 40 mph, sometimes shaking the rig and a couple of times making it feel light on its tires. I really don't want to go skittering across the Kansas landscape. What makes it worse is that the Lindas have gone to get work done on their rig, and I'm used to sheltering in their shadow. Now I'm out here in flatness all alone until Wednesday.

Roxanne and I did laundry today in the teeth of the winds. They pulled out for Texas this afternoon after quitting Amazon on Saturday. They'd had it, too.

So I'm sitting here reading, blogging, crossword puzzling, listening to music, but no TV, just waiting around until Sunday. Boring.

Am also checking the maps for routes and places. Have decided not to go to Quartzsite Arizona so am looking at eastern Texas for places to hang out for a while.

Bye Bye Amazon

Tonight was the last gathering of the Amazon workampers that I will attend. Pizza Hut, again. I went with Roxanne and George. Philip and Savannah were there from Amazon; Roxanne said they came because she asked them to; they were great ambassadors for Amazon, always pleasant and smiling and helpful. We liked them a lot, and they agreed with a lot of what we had to say about how the workampers were treated.

Others I will miss include Arzella and Glenda. They liked me and I liked them; we worked well together. Bill, while nice (Canadian, you know), would never like me for a regular employee -- I think too much and have too many ideas and don't always follow the rules (if they don't make sense to me).

Did I tell you about the lead guy I was discussing my scanner with? Well, I said, that won't work worth a damn. And he said, worth a darn, you mean. I almost laughed in his face. But it's all over now. I'm usually glad for new experiences, even if I don't like them, but this time it was all bad, at least right now. Maybe later I'll feel differently.

Planning to leave out of here on Sunday 12/14 and dawdle my way to Yuma Arizona. I'll find a place in the desert out there and wait for the Quartzsite rally to start on 1/15.

Happy holidays, y'all.

Books Read Nov 08

You didn't think I hadn't been reading, did you? It's a much shorter list than usual because of working. At least I'm not whining about my feet in this post (okay, maybe a little). Anyhoo--

Author, Title, Genre, Rating, Read All of It?, Comment
BROCKMANN, Suzanne, Kiss and Tell, romance, medium, yes, too ""romance-y"" -- early work"
-----, No Ordinary Man, romance, medium, no, formulaic and fairly slow; an early work.
CLARE, Pamela, Ride the Fire, romance, medium, yes, Amer. West historical.
GRIFFIN* W.E.B., Corps X: Retreat, Hell!, fiction, good, yes, Korean war cont.
----- Corps IX: Under Fire, fiction, good, yes, Korean war start.
HEINLEIN* Robert, Past Through Tomorrow, sf, medium, yes, Spider Robinson be damned, RAH is a closet misogynist and male chauvinist pig, and his later stuff doesn't change that.
-----, Expanded Universe, sf, medium, yes, lots of trademark polemics and early works.
JANCE, J.A., Hand of Evil, mystery, good, yes, Ali Reynolds series, new to me.
JOSS, Morag, Fruitful Bodies, mystery, medium, no, Sara Selkirk series. Too slow, too complicated w/messy people. Professional cellist said of main character, who's a prof. cellist, "when does she practice??!!"
LACKEY, Mercedes, Valdemar Companion, fantasy, good, yes, Reference book by Helfers & Little eds.
LOWELL, Elizabeth, Shadow and Silk, thriller/romance, good, yes, she's had a winning formula for some time: alpha men battling age-old natures to work with alpha women, instead of leaving them at home.
MASSEY, Sujata, Zen Attitude, mystery, good, no, Rei Shimura series; contemporary Japan. Realized had read it years ago.
MONING, Karen Marie, Bloodfever, pararomance, good, yes, complex but still full of alpha males who give the heroine nothing but orders.
ROBB* J.D., #30 Ritual in Death, cop/sf/romance, good, yes, in Suite 606 anthology
-----, #31 Salvation in Death, cop/sf/romance, good, yes, lots of stuff about faith/religion.
ROBERTS* Nora, Seven #3: Pagan Stone, pararomance, medium, yes, Sign of Seven 3/3. Tried & true formula, everything neatly tidied up.
ROSS, Kate, Devil in Music, mystery, good, no, Julian Kestrel series. Just a trifle too precious.
SALA, Sharon, Bad Penny, thriller/romance, good, yes, Cat Dupree
TEPPER, Sherri, Margarets, sf, good, yes, Excellent, more romantic than usual for her, high-flown philosophy, indictment of current Earth psychology and politics.
WAMBAUGH, Joseph, Hollywood Crows, mystery, good, yes, welcome back! funny and wry and grim.

Quitting vs. Giving Up

Thanks to commiserating friends. For some reason this decision has messed up my head. I had really thought I could stand anything for two months. My pride demanded it. My good sense said not at the expense of your health, current and future. So far, the pride is winning.

My last day of work was Wednesday 5.30pm to Thursday 4am. It's now late Friday afternoon. I've slept a lot, rubbed Aspercream into my aching feet (especially the instep bone). The feet are still sore to the touch but getting better. The knees still take careful straightening when standing up. Is this physical condition enough of a reason to quit? My good sense said yes. My pride says wimp.

I'm by no means the first workamper to have quit, many of whom are younger than I. But I still feel wimpish and sensible at the same time. Unsettling.

Maybe I haven't quit; maybe I've given up. Semantics is powerful. Quit = decide not to do something for good reason, after having tried to succeed. Give up = decide it's not possible to do something, after having tried it once.

These are possible definitions but there's more nuances than can be gleaned. One can quit something in a fit of pique; one can give up after battering one's head against a stone wall. So which have I done?

Enjoyed As Much As I Can Stand

so I quit.

During my shift last night, I hurt as much as I did the first week, so things are not getting better or easier. My feet are sore to the touch, the knees are reluctant and not inclined to be tolerant, and the poor ankle is getting less stable all the time. The money isn't worth it.

I'll be here until the 12th to get the last paycheck and then who knows. When I know, you will.

Enough is Enough

I had signed up to work today (voluntary overtime) but it got to be 3.30pm and I just couldn't make myself get up and get ready. So I decided that my knee needed more rest and called in "sick." No more overtime for these last three weeks; 40 hours is enough. So I'll have three days off. Yes!

Now, if I could just figure out why my TV doesn't have a picture, I'd be fat and happy. It has sound but a black screen that just happened all of a sudden. I've checked everything inside and all is fine. So I need to check the antenna connections, which means a ladder, which means I wait until it's not gusting 40mph (which is what it's doing right now).

Bought 10 paperbacks yesterday, mostly authors who are only medium-level or are new to me, so have plenty to read, even though I expect most to be only fair.

Got an email from Accent on Books in Asheville, celebrating 25 years in business. I wrote to tell them that the new JK Rowling book, Beedle the Bard, is being held here at the Amazon plant in semi-trucks with armed guards. Silly, no?

Real Food!

Persuaded the Lindas to go out to dinner last night. Downtown Coffeyville boasts Lanning's Grill & Bar (across the street from the Mexican restaurant the workampers went to a few weeks ago). I had the ribeye steak special with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, and green beans, with a glass of cabernet (house). The steak was rare and nicely peppered and good. I wanted a gimlet before dinner (full bar, they advertised) but (a) the waitress had never heard of this drink, and (b) they didn't have Rose's Lime Juice. So I had a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream for after dinner.

All in all, I felt replete. The Lindas (nominal vegetarians) had the fantail shimp dinner. Linda B got a local side dish, battered and fried corn on the cob. Spicy batter but overall pretty good, she said. My treat to them in thanks for all their help and friendship.

Then I came home and slept nine hours. Today is bright and blustery, warmer than yesterday was and tomorrow will be (about 58 deg.). Tonight it's back to the rabbit warren, the dirty warren, I might add. Last Sat. I wore a white t-shirt, got sweaty and wiped my face on the hem, leaving icky stains of dirt on the shirt. That's how nasty the place is. Three weeks to go.