A Few Busy Days - Mon., Sept. 16

Has it really been a WEEK since I last wrote? I guess that's what happens when your days are filled with work.

Last Monday I was scheduled for a Pap smear because it has been a few years since my last one. Appointment was at 10:30 a.m. I was scheduled to go to work at my temporary job at noon. Waiting room: like a holding cell. The waiting room TV was set to inane judge shows and the waiting room full of people were being babysat by the idiot box.

At 11:30 a.m., I tapped on the reception office window and asked when I could expect to have my exam as I was supposed to be at work by noon, but that my temporary job was a half-hour drive away. That lit a fire and they had me in an exam room in a couple of minutes and said they would rush to get to me. I put on the exam gown and waited, and waited, and waited. At noon, I got dressed, walked out to the receptionist. I told her I had to go to work, that I was losing income sitting in their office waiting. I told them I would call back to reschedule.

Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday, Snelling placed me back at the insurance agency as receptionist and office assistant.

Wednesday I had a 10:30 a.m. appointment at the same doctor's office to go over previously done lab work; at 11:30 I was scheduled for an echocardiogram. Once again, the waiting room was wall-to-wall people with folding chairs set up in the middle of the room to hold everyone. The TV again had a "judge"-type show: more soap opera than legal procedural.

At 11:40 a.m., I was called back for the echocardiogram, pretty close to on schedule. After the echocardiogram, it was another ten minutes or so before the doctor came in to talk to me about previous lab results. Apparently I have a kidney stone. So far it has not bothered me. All I can do is monitor the situation.

Thursday through Saturday, I worked in the RV park office. Friday night Bob took me to Random event center because the food truck du jour had crepes. I love crepes. For dinner, I had a chicken enchilada crepe and a side salad. Later for dessert, Bob, Randall and I shared a peach cobbler crepe. The chicken enchilada crepe was the best.

Beers on tap at Random.

Live music.

Business picks up at the bar.

On Sunday, we Volksmarched 11K (6.8 mile) on Riverwalk South.  Here are the morning's photos:

Stairs inviting exploration.

San Fernando Cathedral at Main Plaza in San Antonio.

Beginning of 8:30 a.m. Mass.

Entrance procession.

Mass entrance processional.

Crepe myrtle roots

King William District historic home.

King William District.

Lion down on the job - King William District

What kind of flower is this?

Entrance to La Villita Village from the Riverwalk.

My kind of food truck!

Amaryllis??

Water lily flower.

Zachary Flag Plaza - Institute of Texan Cultures.

Weeds of some kind??

One of these is not like the others.

Waterfall whirlpool.

Waterfalls - base of Tower of the Americas, San Antonio

Entry to Hyatt Regency Riverwalk.

Progress on Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

More pretty flowers...these are on a tree.

River taxi on the San Antonio River.

So that was last week.

This week I am working Monday and Tuesday at the insurance office. Wednesday I have my re-scheduled Pap smear.

Thursday and Friday I work at the RV park office. Saturday early morning I fly to Portland to spend ten days with family and friends. If you are in Portland and would like to meet up, let me know.

Bob is doing well. He is back at MPS Construction as the oilfield service start-up company he worked for didn't last long. MPS is where Bob is much happier working. He will hold down the fort while I'm away.

In Oregon, my family and I have plans to go to Hood River and do the Fruit Loop Tour through the apple and pear orchards. They should be in season right about now. Cold, fresh apple cider anyone? Mmmm. I'm sure we'll find time for a day at the coast. I want to take mom and my sister to The Oregon Garden and maybe the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel.

Good times ahead! Yay for more travel.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week.

I'll post more as I have time. Travel Bug out.

Random Event Center - Sat., June 29

Our Saturday evening plans changed. We didn't go to see Missions baseball or the fireworks following the game. Instead, we headed out to Random event center for a live band and a relaxing evening in the country.

About an hour from our RV park is Boerne, Texas, a historic German town. Just west of Boerne is Boerne City Lake. Random Event Center is at 11 Upper Cibolo Creek Road on the way to the lake.

We arrived around 6:45 p.m., the band was scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Even though the temperature was 90+ degrees, being in the country felt comfortable. Seeing the acres of green grass instantly mellowed us from the hectic pace of the past week.

We ate appetizers from So-Frito food truck which had Cuban/Peruvian food. I tried the Carimanolas and Panamanian Tortillas, Bob had a Chicken Empanada served with a mango habanero sauce (the sauce was excellent, as was the carimanola). Then I had to try the Cuban Special: Ropa Vieja, black beans, rice and twice fried plantains. Great food. Nice, cold beer.

Will Owen Gage Trio played classic rock, blues, funk, and country. So nice to sit outside and listen to music. The evening was still quite warm so when people who had been sitting in front of the big fan left, we moved to that table. Ahhhh! Relief from heat and bugs.

Families came to Random with kids and dogs in tow. There was a water slide bouncy toy with a small pool at the bottom. The kids were having a blast! Up, down, up down, up, down; those kids will sleep good tonight!

Some people climbed over the berm separating Random from Boerne City Lake and went for a swim in the lake, then came back for the band.

Walking toward Random from their parking lot.

Beer garden.

Looking out over part of the property.

Bouncy water slide.

So-Frito food truck at Random.

Randall serving beer.

Random owners Mary and Michael.

Michael and my step-son, Randall.

Cuban Special: ropa vieja, black beans, rice, deep fried plantains.

Will Owen Gage Trio rockin' out.

A moment before, this guy was holding the dog in front of the fan. Cute!

Will Owen Gage.

More and more people as the evening wore on.

Tables filled up.

Cute tap handles!

So many choices!

We stayed until almost 10:00 p.m. but we needed to get up early to walk and it was an hour drive home. This was a very nice, relaxing evening outdoors and was much needed by two Type A people.

Travel Bug out.

Very Long Day, Part 2 - Sun., June 16

After freshening up at home, we headed to downtown San Antonio to pick up Randall from the bus station. He came down to visit his dad and have a second job interview.

With Randall safely ensconsed in the car we headed out to Random, a new event venue being developed near Boerne City Lake. Randall met with the owner and owner's girlfriend to discuss restoration work and building projects. While he was doing that, Bob and I drove over to Boerne's Berges Fest to see what that was all about.

Here are our impressions...

Third day of festival + hot sun = naptime.

Tractor races.

Booths.

Weiner dog races - one of the entrants.

Real tattoos or henna?

Boerne Berges Fest Court.

Entertainment.

Jockeying for a  spot to watch weiner dog racing.

This young man was really into his playing!

He was dancing and getting into the music.

Weiner dog racing.

Boerne downtown.

Bob bought me a hot pink, wide-brimmed hat.

When we finished at Berges Fest, we headed back to Random to pick up Randall and go have a Father's Day dinner at Pappacito's. Randall and i ordered quail in a chipotle sauce and Bob had chicken enchiladas. Excellent meal.

Randall and Bob at Pappacito's.

The bar at Pappacito's had the Spurs-Heat finals game. Randall kept running over to check on the score. As soon as we finished eating we raced back to Rigamarole so they could finish watching the game. With a minute left to play and the Spurs up by 13, they decided it would be a good time for Bob to drive Randall back to Austin.

Bowie totally relaxed.

What a position!

Mockingbird.

The end.

That's it for today.