Where Is Everyone Going?

At least four campers have left this morning before 9 a.m.  Do they know something we don't?  Actually, three of the four were people from Missouri.  They were parked all around us and people probably thought we knew them.  Mama was excited when they arrived, but they turned out to be really rude.  Last week, she walked into the laundry room and the mother-in-law (MIL) and daughter-in-law (DIL) were there.  As soon as they saw Mama, the DIL yelled to the MIL "GRAB THOSE MACHINES BEFORE SHE GETS THEM.  HURRY, SHE IS GOING TO GET THEM?"  Seriously, is it necessary to scream that?  It's not like Mama was going to tackle them for a machine. Then, they each grabbed carts and literally held onto them so no one else could use them.  Mama said that people normally share them.  Mama didn't realize who they were until she was finished with her laundry and they walked out together. (Yes, even with them grabbing machines and Mama having to wait, they finished at the same time.) They tried to play nice then.  It's possible they realized who Mama was at that same time she recognized them.  Mama was happy to see them leave today.  BOL!

It is another rainy day.  It was a cold, wet walk this morning.  We are not thrilled to be hit with cold rain first thing in the morning.

"I'm sick of the rain!"

"I'm happy no matter what."

Last night, the Emeals dinner was Chicken Fettuccine.

Chicken Fettuccine

The fettuccine was good, but it needed mushrooms according to Mama.

Mama has added a few new reviews to her restaurant blog.  She is still behind though.

The folks looked at motor homes last weekend and found one they really liked. We can't wait to get our new "home", but we have to wait until our house closes.  It is taking forever or at least that is how it feels to us.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Likes The Chicken In Chicken Fettuccine

Monday - Another Wet Day

It has been raining here since Friday night.  They say we are in a drought. We don't know how that it possible.  It seems like it rains all the time.  Yesterday, we got drenched on our 6 a.m. walk.  It was a very cold rain and it took us quite a while to warm up.  It put Scout in a bad mood.

She was grumpy for a few hours.

 

I took Mama's spot on the couch and got all nice and warm.

Scout was happy later in the day.  Dad is petting her here.  You just can't see Dad.

Yesterday, the folks visited the Holocaust Museum of Houston.  The folks have visited the one in Washington DC and Mama said that one is bigger.  This one highlights some of the holocaust victims that now live in Houston.  Mama said it is a sad place to visit.  Dad said it is not fun, but we need to remember what happened.  Mama said she couldn't look at all the pictures because it was just too awful.

The folks got home in time to watch the Texans game.  The Texans lost.  We were really hoping they would make it to the Super Bowl this year.

We don't really have an update on the fire victim. We do know that his son who is undergoing a bone marrow transplant is married.  The man's daughter-in-law was here on Saturday helping her father-in-law.  The resort is taking donations for him, so we made one. He has a place to stay that is fully furnished, but he still needs clothes and things like that.  We think he probably has a home to go to in Louisiana.

Many of the people who stay here are here for medical reasons.  We have a lot of cancer patients.  There is a shuttle that takes patients to the hospital.  If you are not here for medical reasons, you are here for a job.  The snowbirds are staying further south than us.  We wish we were further south.  Well, everyone but Scout wishes we were further south.  We woke up to 70 degree weather on Saturday and Scout thought it was way too hot.

Dad set up a second heater in our motor home so now we are nice and warm.  We have a propane furnace, but Mama tries to use it only when absolutely necessary because the propane is running low.  We need to move the entire motor home to get it filled and that is a pain.  We are hoping we can make our propane last until we buy our new motor home. 

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Is Snug As A Bug In A Rug Today

Update: Fire In Our Campground

We have more details about the fire that destroyed a fifth wheel in our campground.  The fire actually happened around 2 a.m. this morning.  It did not happen while the folks were gone as we thought.   The neighbor of the fire victim said he woke up because he felt a lot of heat and smelled "melting plastic".  He looked out his window and could not even see the fifth wheel that was on fire because the smoke was so thick.  He ran out of his trailer and knocked on the door to get the man out.  He got out but wanted to go back in to get his keys and wallet.  The neighbor told him "NO!"  The neighbor then started using a hose to try and put the fire out, but it was too bad.  The neighbor then started waking up all the people around him telling them to get out. Four fire engines came along with two ambulances.  We didn't hear a thing.  We think it is because we are so used to hearing fire engines pass by us on the outer road.  We hear several a day.  They didn't come in with the sirens on.

The man was alone and is fine. He lost everything. They found his wallet but all the credit cards are melted.  He is here because his son is undergoing cancer treatments at a hospital nearby.  The park managers put him in a rental unit so he has a place to stay. 

The fire was so hot that it melted the blinds in the fifth wheel that is next door. 

They think the fire started in a hot water heater, but no one is sure at this time.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Is Happy That No Pets Were In The Fire

Fire In Our Campground!

Last night, there was a fire in our campground.  Mama and Dad went out to eat and then grocery shopping and missed it.  Scout and I forgot all about it and didn't tell them.  They saw the remains this morning.

See the hole in the middle of the fifth wheel.  It is completely burned.  The front of their truck is burned, too.

How sad!

The back of the damaged fifth wheel.  Their stove, couch and bed are on the ground.

The trailers located on both sides of the fifth wheel have a lot of damage, too.  It is really a sad situation.  We don't know what happened yet.  Mama is going to ask her friend who lives just a few sites away and works in laundry when she sees her.  We can't remember how long the people have been here.  They are from Louisiana according to their license plate.  We hope they didn't have any pets.  We think they had to be home when it happened since their truck was in the driveway and burned, too.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Wonders What Caused The Fire

Naked Afternoon

We survived the rain that Tuesday and Wednesday brought us. Tuesday wasn't bad. We had a lot of dry time. Mama drove us crazy by taking us out whenever the rain stopped. We talked to Dad about it and it was agreed that we would just go out at our normal times on Wednesday and take our chances. It rained for a good five hours non-stop, but it was during our normal nap time, so no problem for us.

Another rainy day in Houston.

Yesterday, the sun came out and it was in the 70's. Mama decided to wash our ID collars and let them dry in the sun. We had a naked afternoon.
 

Naked Scout

Scout has no shame.

Are you looking at my naked neck?

 

Naked is good!

 Mama wanted us to walk in the nice warm weather yesterday, but we preferred to sleep.  She forced us to go out for a while.

We still have flowers here.

"Yep, the flowers are pretty.  Can we go home now?"

"I really want to take a nap!"

"I'm going to take a nap in a sunbeam."

Today, is cleaning day.  Mama washed ALL the blankets and sheets.  The carpet has been vacuumed, the floors have been mopped.  I don't know why she bothers because it will all be a mess by tonight.

Sometimes you just have to close your eyes during the cleaning.

Last night, our Emeals dinner was Skillet Chicken Curry and Rice.  Mama said it was good.

Skillet Chicken Curry and Rice

The closing of our house may be moved up to next week!  We haven't said much about it, but it has been problem-free so far.  Mama says she will be very relieved when it is final.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Was Naked Yesterday

Pet Blogger Challenge 2013

This is my first time participating in the Pet Blogger Challenger.  I think I am out of my league here, but I will give it a try.

1. When did you begin your blog?

I began blogging in September 2008.

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?

I started blogging to talk about my two greyhounds.

3. Is your current purpose the same?

No, after blogging for a little while, I decided it would be more fun to allow my dogs to take over the blog.  Jack, my first greyhound, became the chief blogger. He died unexpectedly in June 2011. I thought of letting the blog die with him.  I could not see continuing it without him because he was the life of the blog.

Jack

 Several readers encouraged me to continue it with my other greyhound, Scout.

Scout

 Scout does not enjoy blogging, so when we adopted, Joey, he took over.

Joey

4. How often do you post?

I post 4-6 times a week, normally.

5. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?

I try to blog Monday - Friday, but sometimes I blog in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon.  It really depends on what is going on.  I don't want to blog just to blog. I want to have something interesting or entertaining to say.   I hate to have myself on a strict schedule because for me, blogging is fun.  I don't want to make it a job. 

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week? How much time visiting other blogs? Share your  tips for staying on top of it all.

I probably spend three hours a week on my blog.  I have several blogs that I follow. I have those listed on my own blog, so I normally visit those and make comments before I write my own blog for the day.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)?

       Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions?

I check my stats from time to time, but I am not obsessed with it.  I do like to see where my traffic is coming from such as what searches people used to find a post. There are times that the searches that connect my blog to people are quite funny.  I use the Blogger stats and Feedit.

8. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be?

I can't think of anything.

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?

I want to keep my blog entertaining.  My husband and I are living in our motor home with our greys and are traveling around, so that gives me material to keep my blog fresh, I hope.   I would love to pick up more readers.  I have found that joining blog hops are the best way for me to do that, but I only do that from time to time, so I should do that more.  :-)

Wordless Wednesday 1/9/13

Joey and Scout,
The Greyhounds Relaxing On Another Rainy Day

Here Comes The Rain!

We are dreading the next two days.  We are supposed to get anywhere from 4" to 6" of rain. We hope they are wrong.  We have been lucky so far today.  We were able to take our 6 a.m. walk and our 8 a.m. walk.  The heavy rain is supposed to start around lunch time, so maybe we will be able to take one more walk before that starts.  Mama is more stressed about it than we are.  Bad storms are predicted for tomorrow. 

Do I look stressed?

A view of our neighbors.

Scout looks really stressed, don't you think?

It is warm enough today, that we can keep our blinds open which helps keep our windows clear of the condensation.   Mama's mood is better when we are able to leave the blinds open.

Scout and I plan to just relax today and watch the rain fall.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Doesn't Mind A Walk In The Rain

Hiking In Sugar Land

Saturday, was another rainy day.  The weather people said it would stop by noon.  It did not.  It rained the entire day.  Luckily, we went out at 6 a.m. and took care of business.  We went out again at 1:30 p.m..  The folks then left to go shopping and have lunch.  They arrived home about a half hour after the Texan game started.  Mama ordered Pizza Hut.  It took over two hours for it to arrive.  The game was over by then, but we watched the Packers game and ate it.

Yesterday, the sun came out!  Mama opened all the blinds and the windows.  We needed to get rid of all the condensation that was on the windows.  Dad said we have to do that to keep mold from growing. We haven't had condensation like this before but we have also not been in colder, damp weather for so long.  It felt nice to open the windows for the day.

Mama found a park for us to visit yesterday.  It is in Sugar Land, TX which is about 12 miles from here. 

Are we at Sea World?  Nope, we are at Oyster Creek Park!

Scout and Dad walking over the bridge.

I don't want to pose for a photo.

I am not going to look at you.

Nope

No way!

Stop taking my photo and walk with me.

Can I get in the water?

Go ahead, Scout.  Watch out for alligators!  BOL!

There were trails all around the park.  The signs warned us to beware of alligator.  We never saw any.  We met a couple who are from the area and they said they have seen a few, but have never seen any snakes.  There were a lot of people out running and walking yesterday.  It is a very nice park, but a bit crowded on the trails.

This morning, when we got back from our walk and Mama noticed my ID tags were missing.  She had to backtrack our entire walk this morning.  She found them in the road in front of the motor home that has a German Shepherd. He barked at us this morning and scared me.  I guess when I jumped, my tags fell off.  Normally, I just jump out of my boot, but today, I jumped out of my tags.  BOL!

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Is No Longer Tag-Less

Rapid Fire Lady

Today, Mama met a woman that she is calling the "Rapid Fire Lady".  Mama said she was in the rec room when this lady came in and immediately started asking Mama questions. Mama said it was one question after another....rapid fire. She asked Mama "How many grandchildren do you have? (The lady thinks she looks old enough to have grandchildren?  Okay, she is old enough, but Mama was offended by the question just the same.) Where are you from?  When do you arrive here?  When are you leaving?" RFL (Rapid Fire Lady) said she was thinking of moving into the resort. She then started talking about an upcoming trip and the questions began again. Mama felt like she was in an interview. Mama finally escaped to the laundry room. Mama went back into the rec room a little while later and RFL had three other women trapped. RFL turned around when Mama walked into the room, but realizing she had already captured her earlier, resumed her questions with the other women. Later, one of those ladies came in the laundry room and Mama asked her what she thought of all the questions.  She laughed. She told Mama that she thinks RFL is very lonely.  She is planning on moving in here in April and is trying to make friends now. Mama then realized she was being interviewed for position of "friend".  RFL lady is already organizing a yoga class with her new "friends" here.  She was a little upset that the park managers will not tell her which site will be hers. She doesn't realize how things work here and April is a long time away to be getting a site assigned today.  The park managers are going to LOVE her.....NOT.  It would be kind of funny to be here to see them with her.

I like walking with my tongue like this.

Mama says it makes me look silly.

Last night, our Emeals dinner was Easy Chicken Tortillas.  Mama added jalapenos on her own. Dad said it was really good.

Easy Chicken Tortillas

Mama's energy level is really low, so she still hasn't worked on her restaurant blog. She said that next week will be better. The sun will be out and it will be warmer and that will give her more energy.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Thinks Rapid Fire Lady Sounds Strange

What Is That In The Sky?

Oh my goodness, it is the sun!  We haven't seen the sun in days!  We have missed the sun.   Yesterday, we had to keep the blinds closed all day to try and keep the heat in the motor home.  It was a damp, dreary day.  The weather people said it would be partly cloudy today and we hoped the sun would come out long enough to heat up the motor home.  So far, the sun is cooperating with us.

We took a walk this morning and when we got to the dog run, we decided to run.  Mama took photos of us and they were fabulous.  However, when she went to load them into the computer, there was a malfunction and now it says there are no new photos on the camera, but there are.  We can't get them off of the camera into the computer.  You will just have to believe us when we say they were some of the best of us ever taken.  BOL!

We wanted to post some old photos of us after a run in the yard, but we can't get that to work either.  So, here are some cute ones of us, just in case you forgot what we look like.

Joey and Scout,
The Greyhounds Who Are Happy To See That Yellow Ball In The Sky

Wordless Wednesday 1/2/13

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Is Relaxing With A New Friend

Happy New Year 2013!

 We had a very quiet new year's eve.  Dad had to work.  They had a huge party at his hotel and it was mandatory that he was there.  He didn't get home until 2:30 a.m.  He left here at noon, so it was a long day for him.  Mama had a migraine, so she didn't want to do anything fun.  We did take our normal walks, but other than that, we just laid around and chewed on bully sticks.  We did listen to the police scanner over the Internet for our hometown area.  It was pretty active because they had snow. Mama had hoped to work on our blog and her blogs and her scarf, but it just didn't happen.  Mama now has a cold.  What is up with that?  She is tired of being sick.  It started out with a cough on Sunday night and having a cough and a migraine is not a good mix.  It kind of scared me.

An old Texas picture of me.

 Fireworks were crazy here last night.  It got really wild at midnight.  Scout got scared, so she went into the bedroom and Mama turned on the air conditioning blower so that it would hide the firework booming noise.

Today, has been pretty quiet.  We slept in since we went out at 2:45 a.m.  Oh, that was interesting. It was sprinkling here and we didn't know the sprinklers were on and we walked right into them. Scout got drenched. We have had two long walks even though Mama said they would be short.  The folks went out for a late lunch and Mama brought back some chicken tenders for us.  They stopped at the store so Mama could stock up on cold items even though Dad keeps telling her she isn't sick.   We think he is just trying to use psychology on her.  It doesn't work.

An even older photo of Scout.

The folks had a nice weekend.  Mama will update her restaurant blog this week.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Gets Nervous When Mama Coughs