Green2GoRV - Our Travel Journal

A Swamp Tour

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

From Betty's, Abbeville, La

Monday afternoon after getting set up at Betty's several of the group decided to get a little cajun lunch.  So, off we went down a bunch of back roads to Suirie's restaurant and grocery, an old place that has been in business for over 80 years.   A great selection of cajun dishes.

 
Donna and Molly posing with a little art work.

Back at Betty's, we all gathered up on Betty's outside porch for the daily Happy Hour hosted by Betty.

 
 Donna asking Betty about her life as owner of Betty's RV Park.

On Tuesday the 16 of us in our group had reservation at 12 noon for a two hour swamp tour on Lake Martin near Breaux Bridge.  We got loaded up in the big flat bottom boat and off we went.

 
Donna and Molly as the final loading is done.

The boat was actually very comfortable with swivel seats, giving us plenty room to turn around and see the sights.

 
 Brian Champayne (pronounced 'Chompin'), the owner of the guide service and our personal guide was a great guy, with that great cajun accent, and very knowledgeable about the lake, swamp, and wildlife.

We saw lots of wildlife including:

 

Cranes in flight...

 
Alligators sunning...

 
Yellow Belly Turtles sunning on a log...

As we moved out the main part of the lake and into the bird sanctuary, we were in a very beautiful area of the swamp.

 

 

Brian reached out of the boat and got a baby turtle to pass around to all on board.

 
Chuck seemed to think this might gonna be his lunch.
 

It was a great tour and everybody had a grand time.  Since we had not eaten and it was 2pm, we all headed into Breaux Bridge for lunch...

 

at Crazy Bout Crawfish, a neat little cajun restaurant. 

Trip to Cajun Country

Monday, November 22, 2010

From Lafayette, La

We left home Saturday morning about 7:30 and headed down US 69 toward Beaumont. After getting fuel at Loves, Donna jumped behind the wheel and said she would do the driving first.  Ok with me!!

Uneventful drive to Beaumont and then on I-10 to the Louisanna welcome center, where we stopped for a break and to check for information.  Thinking it was my time to drive, we headed back to the motorhome, but again Donna jumped behind the wheel, saying she wanted to keep driving.  Again, ok with me!! 

We arrived at Maxie's little park about 11:30 to find Molly standing in the driveway waving at us.  Been a couple of months since we have seen she and Bob.  How great to have such a welcome.

 

Other friends (old and new) were also there, so we said a quick hello, and started getting set up.  Those there were Dennis & Carol, Denny and Susie, and Don and Sharon.

When we un-hooked the little white truck, we found that it would not crank.  Very little battery power is used while towing and, I have had a couple problems with starting since we returned from the last trip.  So, Bob jumped me off, and I went to Wal-Mart for a new battery.

After doing some catching up Saturday afternoon, we all headed to Randoll's, a really nice restaurant in Lafayette.  Great seafood and about the time we finished dinner, their band cranked up.  That south Louisana Zedico Music is something really unique and great entertainment.

All of the group, except us and Bob & Molly left Sunday to go on over to Betty's. The four of us will be going on Monday.  We did a lot of visiting and catching up Sunday morning then went to Don's Seafood Restaurant in downtown Lafayette for lunch.  Don's is a famous seafood place, opening in 1934.

Sunday afternoon was more visiting and discussion of everyones future plans.  A lot of folks will be going west to Arizona in January and February, and of course Bob and Molly will be Directors for the 2011 Escapade Rally in Gillette, WY in early September.  But for right now, we have a great week planned at Betty's in Abbeyville.

We arrived at Betty's Monday morning and got all settled in for the week.

More Later....

Getting Cold in East Texas

Friday, November 19, 2010

From Lufkin, Texas

We have some really cold temps this morning - 35* - and clear skies.  But we will abandon this little cold snap Saturday morning, and head to south Louisanna for a few days with some RVing friends.

We really look forward to spending Thanksgiving with our friends.

We have a few things to wrap up at the office today, and will then load up the motorhome this afternoon and tonight and be on our way early Saturday morning.

See Ya Soon, Guys.

Celebrating a 90th Birthday

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

From Lufkin, Texas

Noooo..  I am not 90 yet, but my mother is.  She lives here in Lufkin at an Assisted Living Center.  My siblings and I decided that on Saturday, the 6th, it would be in order to have another big birthday party to honor her on her 90th.  We did this 5 years ago on her 85th and she was so pleased. 

My mother's health has deterioated significantly in the last few years, so rather than have the party at our home, we decided to have it at the Living Center Dining room, and invite all her neighbors in the Center.  We waited until about a week before the event to tell her of our plans, and her entire week was one of joy looking forward to the party.

Of course we also invited as many family and friends that we could find.  My mother has only one surviving brother, and my father and all his siblings are deceased.  But...  there are a whole bunch of my cousins and in-laws that we hoped would be able to attend.  And, the entire membership of her home church in Nacogdoches was invited.

 

My Mother - Bessie Lerene Halbert Green, Age 90.

 
Mother and her brother John (seated) with my siblings and some of the cousins.  (L-R - my sister, Sharon; me; cousin Barbara; brother Gary; cousin Joce'; cousin Bart; and brother Dale.)

 

More cousins.  L-R - Dale, Sharon, cousin Steve, me, cousin Bill, cousin Clark, and Gary.

 
A group of ladies from Mother's home church.

 

Some of Mother's Great Grand-kids enjoying the cake and punch.

 
My son David with his son, Conner.

 

Mother with Ken Langford.  Ken's mother Virginia has been Mother's very best friend most of their lives.  Virginia was unable to attend.

 

The cousins reminiscing our childhood days.  L-R - Me (with back to camera), Steve, Diane (Bill's wife) Bill, Clark, and Ken.  Bill, Ken and I are withing 35 days of the same age and had some great times growing up in the 50's, talking girls, fast cars, and trying to look like Elvis.

 

L-R - Gary's wife Sharon, their daughter Christy, their daughter Amanda and grand-daughter Sarah.

 

Our next trip is planned for next week.  We will leave Saturday morning and will be staying at Poche's in Breaux Bridge on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights.  Then on Tuesday we will move to Abbeyville, meeting some friends at Betty's for a week.

Since we do not celebrate Thanksgiving with big family gatherings, we really  look forward to spending a Cajun Thanksgiving with some great friends.  It has been at least a couple of months since we have seen our RVing friends, but I bet we just take right up where we left off.

Until Next Time

A Grandkid Fix

October 14, 2010

From Lufkin, Texas

Yeah, I am way behind in updated this blog  We are back home in Lufkin just doing all the routine stuff that happens in Deep East Texas.  A few weeks ago we took off to Houston for a much needed Grand-kid fix.  Two of our three grand-kids live in northwest Houston and are each active in various sport activities.

Our son David and Kim knew we were coming, but we wanted to surprise the kids.  Both parents work and the kids are in school or day care.  We decided we would meet at the Chik-fil-a near their home.  Kim picked the kids up and drove on over to the restaurant.  We were already there, waiting on them, when they came in looking for their dad.  They walked over to within about 4 feet from where we were sitting, looking everywhere for David.

 Suddenly, Courtney spotted us and yelled out 'Oh My God.  Conner ran up to Donna and said ' what are you doing at my chik-fil-a?'  They were totally shocked.

 
Courtney and 'Nonna' have a little talk.

 

 
Conner listening intently as Donna talks to him.

After David arrived, we ordered and had dinner.

 

We went back to their home and Conner had to show us his new found skill of riding his bicycle without the training wheels.

  

After the bicycle demonstration it was time for Courtney to go to Gymnastics.  Courtney, who is 8, is enrolled in Gymnastics / Tumbling at one of Houston's leading Gymnastic schools.  The school is huge, and has over the years had several Olympic contestants.  This is Courtney's first year and she has already moved up into a class with several older students.

 
Courtney doing a forward flip, I think.  Maybe just a hand stand.

Back at their home, it was time for homework, baths, and getting to bed, so we left and headed back to our hotel.

We spent the next day doing a little shopping and having lunch at a really great Mexican Restaurant.  They were great and came real close to Cafe Del Rio.  Donna is not a big shopper, but her favorite place when we are in Houston it the new Outlet Mall on US 290 in Cypress, northwest of Houston.  Several of her favorite stores are located there, and she always manages to find a few things that she needs.

As soon as they got home from work and school we met at their house to take Conner to his T-Ball game.  This is his first year playing t-ball, but he is really enthusiastic about it.

 
He actually has a pretty good throwing arm.

 

 
He had just hit the ball on his first attempt.  It was actually a line drive down third base line.  I thought he had a pretty good hitting form too..  But then..  that's a grand-dad talking. -:)

Since we were driving back home, we left the game a little early.  What a great two days, away from the office, and spending some quality time with two great kids. (And their parents ain't too shabby either.)