Is It Time for Lunch? Or Is It Another Birthday?

Birdie let me know she would be heading up from the RGV and arriving on Thursday afternoon on her way west. With only a couple of days in town plus the need to fit in some RV repair, some work on her car, and a computer fix, it was a squeeze to pull everything together for lunch with RV friends in the area. Thursday morning I gave the group a heads up that it would be Friday or Saturday depending on appointments for work to be done and everyone said "just let me know".  Women who RV are generally pretty flexible....you know, all those "jello" plans.

We settled on Friday at 12:30 at Cheddars in Selma. Diana drove down from Austin, Georgia came from the west side of San Antonio, Margareta came from the east side of San Antonio, and MaryJane, Vicki, Birdie, and I were close by.

Birdie showed up for her appointment at Texas RV Supply first thing in the morning with her list of items to be worked on. They got her all fixed up and on her way about 11:00. Of course, some of the speed was because several items on the list decided to work all on their own when the technician gave them a try. Isn't that always the way?

Cheddars gave us a great table in the back, lunch was wonderful, and conversation was even better.

We talked about Mary Jane's month in Florida...she got held up on her return when the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge in southern Louisiana was shut down for several days for ice. Diana just returned from a trip to her other home in Cali. Birdie spent several months in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) and I just got back from RGV and Corpus Christi.

Georgia and Margareta are nearly recovered from knee replacement surgery in December. And Vicki is still recovering from surgery on her shoulder.

Then we moved on to what's up next. Birdie is heading west for a sweep through the southwest, west, and northwest that will last for most of the summer. Diana, Mary Jane, and I will be heading to Galveston for a Pink FlaminGoes Get Together the beginning of April. Margareta will be heading to Cali in June and Vicki is having a new RV built this summer.  Georgia has some summer trips planned too. And that is just what we know about right now!

Several hours later we all headed out our separate ways. Saturday Birdie had her car at the repair place at an early hour. She picked me up at 11:00 and we headed to west San Antonio to have a friend of a friend work on her back-up computer. Her battery was wedged in wrong and wouldn't hold a charge. Luckily he was able to get it out and it is back to working fine.

After hugs goodbye and see you soon, I waved Birdie on her way.

The Grandkids arrived to spend the evening with us. It was great to see them again. I missed their last visit because I was down in the RGV. We watched some movies, had spaghetti and meatballs, and caught up with each other. It was really nice.

Sunday was my "second" birthday. The kids like to celebrate everyone's birthdays so sometimes we have to work around visiting schedules. This party was a surprise for me. Morgan made me a fantastic birthday card that she thought of and did all on her own without any help at all. Cameron made me one of the very popular rubber band bracelets. He and his Dad found the pattern for this one on a u-tube video and followed the directions to make it.  Pretty neat.

We had a Mardi Gras cake and, as long as you don't have to add any extra years, you can't have too many birthdays. Thanks kids!

RV Ladies Rally for Lunch to Meet Liz

Even though it's only been a week since our Pink FlaminGoes GTG, a bunch of us took the opportunity to meet up again on Wednesday.  Another RVing lady, Liz, blew in from the East on Tuesday night. With Thanksgiving on Thursday, and Birdie and Liz heading out to Kerrville on Friday and then on to Big Bend....Wednesday was our only opportunity.  Travelbug Susan, MaryJane, Vicki, and Peri couldn't make it for various reasons but (backrow l to r) Birdie, Georgia, Darlene, Margareta, (front l to r) Liz, me, and Nikki had a great time.

Some of us belong to Pink FlaminGoes, some to the Women's RV forum, some to both, and some to neither group.....we just like to get together and share our passion for RVing.

I should mention that Liz is a fantastic blogger with great pictures and narrative that make you feel like you are sitting right next to her as she travels. Last year she and Birdie went to Alaska, then she went up the east coast.  Now she and Birdie are on their way to Big Bend country then on west.  Liz has plans to continue on to Baja.  Check in to her blog if you are interested in great armchair traveling.

Another GTG as Ellen Breezes Through Town

After Friday's disaster with Moby Dick, another GTG opportunity presented itself to raise my spirits.  Ellen, an online RV friend from WomenRV forum, was on her way through going from Washington state to Houston.

Ellen was planning to work a couple more years to get the max out of her retirement plan when some health issues arose unexpectedly.  She got those issues pretty much under control and decided that life is too short and uncertain to wait on her dream of fulltiming.  So she found her RV, announced her retirement, and set her plan in motion.   Living in an apartment, she was already pared down so she. rented a storage unit, got her remaining possessions moved into either the RV or the storage unit, and headed out.  This is the abbreviated version, of course, you can read more about her travels at http://joyfulmeanderings.wordpress.com.

Ellen met up with two other WomenRV forum members up in Kerrville on Friday and then headed to San Antonio on Saturday morning.  A couple of phone calls on Thursday and Friday and the Saturday meet up was all set up.  Birdie, Vicki, Sue, and I met Ellen at Walmart on 1604 and were off to Pompeii Italian Grill for relaxing visit.  Unfortunately, the camera didn't get pulled out until after we had eaten and Vicki had already left.  But here is the rest of the group (l to r) Sue, Colleen, Birdie, and Ellen.

A few hours later, we dropped Ellen off back at Walmart so she could pick up some groceries and be on her way again.  We tried to get her to extend her stay and come to the Bandera GTG but, alas, her sisters are excitedly waiting for her in Houston.

Safe travels Ellen and we all hope to see you again soon!

Let the GTGs Begin

The last two weeks has been a whirlwind cycle of mini-get-togethers.  My RVing friend Sue arrived for a two week stay in San Antonio after her summer travels.  She had a wild summer filled with travel, major dental woes involving long term antibiotics and a 6 week stop, fire evacutions in Colorado, tires woes, and having her RV hit while she was hooking up.  Wow.....but that is her story. 

We met for lunch on the first of November and were joined by other Pink FlaminGoes RVing friends....Vicki, MaryJane, and Margareta....at the Cracker Barrel.  We haven't gotten together for awhile so it was a lot of fun catching up with each other.

Another Pink FlaminGoes friend, Birdie, arrived from the north later in the week so, of course, we had to get together again.  This time Birdie, Sue, Vicki, and I met at the Olive Garden on the 4th for soup, salad, and chit-chat that lasted several hours.

And then Diana arrived in Austin from California so what could we do.  Birdie and I drove up to Austin to meet her at Patsy's Cowboy Cafe.

Carolyn......this one is for you.

There were only two other people in the restaurant when we arrived but it was full when we left.  Definitely lots of fun and good food too.  We headed over to Diana's condo for dessert and more visiting.  Diana spends her time between a ranch in Cali and a condo in Austin when she isn't traveling in her Class B.

All this is leading up to next week when we are all having a big GTG up in Bandera.  We have women coming in from Louisiana and all over Texas.  Our last big GTG was in April down in the Rio Grande Valley.  Bandera.....look out.....here we come!

Wild Women Meet for RVing Lunch

Picture it now......10 RV crazy ladies gathered together for lunch.  Introductions accomplished because there are new ladies meeting for the first time.  Stories being swapped, rigs being compared, plans being made, places visited swapped.  What could possibly be more fun?  Okay, you are right, being out in our RVs together would win that one.

 L to R......Sharon, MaryJane, Margareta, Vicki, and Nikki.  Sharon is a full-timer recovering from some health issues.  MaryJane is recovering from some major surgery last month. She actually just stopped by to visit on her way to a Texas Ramblin Roses GTG up in Palestine.  Nothing holds these ladies down for long.  Margareta uses her RV as her full-time driver.  Her co-pilot, Lusci, a retired German Sheppard drug dog, accompanies her almost all the time.  Trips out of town also include her cat who walks on a leash.  Vicki is our go-to gal for mechanical issues.  You may remember our recent trip to pick up her lastest project, a Casita in need of much help.  This was Nikki's first introduction to the group.  She just got her first RV and showed up on a forum I belong to.  She had been wondering if women actually do this alone but I don't think she is wondering any more.  Sharon and Margareta went to Alaska last summer.

And here we have (L to R) Rae, Peri, Sharon, and MaryJane.  Check-out those smiles.  Some of you may be familiar with Travels with Miranda, Rae's blog.  It is a great blog and she is a very accomplished young woman who has full-timed for 5 years and usually boondocks.  In addition to her blog, she has written four e-books available through her blog.  I've been hoping for the chance to meet her for some time.  We all have a few years on her but when you all love the same thing, it doesn't matter a bit.  Peri full-times with her husband Dean. They will be off on their next trip soon so you may be able to follow along on her blog.

Nikki is busy checking out the menu but more smiles from Susan (Travelbug), Diana (Cool Clear Water), and Colleen.  Susan and Peri completed a Volksmarche before they showed up for lunch.  Diana drove down from Austin where she lives half-time.

Can you hear all the stories being told?  Vicki, Nikki, Susan, Diana, and Colleen.

Vicki and Diana haven't seen each other for a while so they have tales to tell.   Hmmmm, what do you think they were discussing?

We all finished lunch but then those little shot desserts were calling.  Diana enjoyed her key lime pie.

This is the first time we have seen Sharon since she came back from Houston so it wonderful to see her on the road to recovery.

What a wonderful time we all had.  We arranged our lunch after the crowd so we could see there as long as we wanted to and visit (which was really a long time).  When Rae and I finished chatting outside, it was nearly dinnertime.  Until next time friends.  Susan and Birdie....we missed you.  And Malia, we hope you can make it next time as everyone really wanted to meet you too.  But anyone missing a luncheon because she is getting a new RV is more than okay in our book.

Valentine's Celebration with the RV Ladies Lunch Bunch

Our RV Ladies Lunch Bunch celebrated Valentine's Day a little early by getting together for lunch at Zio's Italian Kitchen in Live Oak, Texas.  It was a little cool so no one was using the patio.

(Lower left up around to right) Peri, Susan, Colleen, Mary Jane, Margareta, Birdie, and Vicki.  Missing from our last lunch group was another Susan who is currently in south Texas.  Birdie was not in town last month.  Mary Jane and Vicki couldn't make it last time because they both had surgery but are now on the mend.  We missed Susan but it was great having the others there.

Our waitress jumped up on a chair when we asked her to take our pictures.

The company was great and the lunch was good too as you can tell by the big smiles.

It's fun to get together with friends especially when they are all RVers.  Birdie, Peri, and Susan are all full-timers who frequent this area in the winter and the rest of us just get our RVs out there whenever we can.

Lunch with RVing Ladies

We had a great lunch get-to-together at Cheddars.  Although there were only 5 of us, we all got a chance to meet some new friends.

(l to r - Susan (What's Up with Susan and Company), Peri (Tales from the Camping House), Colleen, Margareta, and Susan (Travel Bug).  We had about 6 other ladies who couldn't make it due to other plans, illness, or weather but we hope to see them next time we get together.  We warmed the seats at Cheddars for several hours, long enough that we decided to call the waitress back to get some dessert.