Yesterday was a big, blue sunshiny day!  First time, since I don't know when that I was actually comfortable in short sleeves!

Tomorrow is moving day....heading over to Rockport for a mini rv dreamers reunion.  Decided we had better make a trip to Wally World to pick up a few things.  Amazingly enough the store was the least busy we had ever seen it.  Guess everyone was taking advantage of the sunny day.  Anyway, there we are up and down the isles....depositing our shopping choices in our little cart.  Finally made our way to the checkouts, waiting in line for our turn.  Billy looks down at the cart and OOPS!  That's not our cart.  It has a big bag of dog food across the top and full of empty boxes.  We are both looking at each other.....each accusing the other of not paying attention....LOL!  Had to retrace our steps back to our last visited isle and......there it was....thank goodness!  The thought of having to re-shop was not very appealing to either of us.  This time, holding tightly to the cart handle, we did manage to make it back to the checkout with the correct cart!  Whew!

Today the sun did shine once more, but it was noticably cooler.  Billy had gotten half the fiver washed yesterday so today he finished the other half.  He also got the bikes and our big ladder loaded up and ready for tomorrow's travel.  Then he crawled underneath to check our leaf springs and all was good.  We have had a leaf spring fail on us.....so we keep an eye on those things now.  I spent the day sewing......made a bag for our Hughes Net Satellite stuff and a bag for our lawn chairs.  I also made some new pillow shams for our bed.

That's about it.....we are planning on having lots of fun next week with all our 'dreamer' friends!

As promised, here are the photos of my Faux Brick project. I love French Country so of course I had to have the harlequin pattern above the brick. This is the area to the right of my kitchen window.

Here is the section to the left of the window, above the stove.....let me tell you.....painting under the microwave was not an easy task!

Being the nature lover that I am.....I had to add my own little butterfly...

This is a photo of my 'pony palm'......my latest addition to our fiver's decor! It is supposed to be very easy to care for and drought tolerant......hope so, cause this girl does not have a green thumb....unless, of course, I've been painting!

This was the scene on Monday.....at day at the beach on South Padre Island. The wind that day was pretty strong, but the sun was shining! As you can see the furballs really enjoyed their day......the only thing that would have made it better for them would have been to be off leash, but that is not allowed here.

Tuesday I finally got my haircut. The last time my hair was cut was around November, so I was really in need.......As you recall, my last haircut was a bad one, probably the worse one I have had since starting the rv lifestyle two years ago. My hairstylist on Tuesday did a fabulous job and I finally feel 'human' again....LOL! The rest of the day we ran some errands. We could not believe how the weather changed. Yet another cold front came through in the afternoon. The wind was terrible and than the rain, and the cold. We got back to the fiver and layered up in our sweatshirts, fired up the electric heater, and settled in...cozy in the fiver! Billy made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner.....OUTSTANDING JOB, HONEY!

This morning the wind seems to have died down and I think the sun is starting to shine....the weather is supposed to be much improved for the rest of the week. I sure hope so......

The backsplash is almost done! As soon as it is all finished I'll post a photo.

Today we are going to head over to South Padre Island. Our time here has gone by really fast and that was the one thing I definitely wanted to see. The weather is supposed to clear off and be sunny and in the 70's this afternoon.....hope that holds cause it sure is gloomy out right now.

I mentioned on facebook our plans to head to Rockport on the 28th of February. Looks like a lot of rv dreamers will be heading that way......can't wait to reconnect with you all!

Thanks ladies for your praise. I love to decorate and I love to share what I do! Here is the starting photo for the faux brick. I first taped off the area and then gave it a basecoat of color. Once this is dry, I will measure out and pencil in the outline of the bricks.

This is the first glaze of color.....I'm painting each brick individually....and each will have several layers of glaze until I achieve the look I want. It is a tedious process at times....especially under the micro area....my back and neck are suffering. I'm taking my time though and the end result will be worth it.

Sorry I missed "Happy Hour" in Mission.....we are about an hour from you all and that is a bit far for us to travel away from the furballs.

Here is my Chandelier! This is one of my 'leftovers' from when I had my retail shop in downtown Lafayette. I just couldn't let go of it and always wanted to find a place for it here in the fiver. It hangs from a decorative hook and I ran the electrical cord behind the valance and down the wall under the curtain panel. This way I can and will take it down when we travel. So, now I finally have my little chandelier!
Here is a picture of the view down our street where the fiver is located in Brownsville. You can see most folks are on the grass, but we are on the concrete pad. Normally you would be parked to the right of the pad and use it for your patio. It is a bummer not to have the patio, but after the last two days of rain....we are on a lot firmer ground than our neighbors right now!
You can see from the photo that it is quite a stretch to the utilities....especially the sewer. Again because we had to park on the concrete.
The nice thing is the lots are larger than most so we do have a nice plot of grass all the way around the fiver. The furballs are very happy about that....LOL!

Yesterday I started my next decorating project. I am painting a faux brick backsplash above my kitchen counters. The first step was removing the wallpaper border put on by the manufacturer. What a job! The border came off easily enough, but as usual left behind most of that nasty glue. I had to use goo gone to soften the glue, then scrape as much off as I could with a putty knife. Next, I went over it again with the goo gone and a scrubby pad and finally a vinegar rinse and then plain water. The area is now primed with Kilz and ready to paint today......I should have photos for you in the next post!

Thought you might like to see what I have been up to the last few days. I'm finally finishing my window treatments in the living/kitchen area. The photo above is my sewing work station. You can see my little Belle girl.....she loves to help her Mama! Setting up at the desk area allows me to be able to leave my sewing machine out for a few days. I used to set up at my kitchen table, but then I'm constantly moving things so we could have dinner. That got old really fast. Many of you probably remember that I had planned to "paint" my cornices, but I decided to go a different route....at least for now. The painting was going to take so much time that I decided to go ahead and do 'fabric' cornices and then eventually replace them with the painted ones. Well, I like the fabric so much that I think they will be staying for awhile.....Don't worry I have not put my paint brush away yet. I've been 'think-in', ( if you could see Billy....you would see his eyes rolling right now....LOL!)....more on that later!

When you sew....you must have an iron near by to press. This is my 'pressing station'. I found one of those nifty ironing pads with a cutting mat on the other side. I just love this thing.....I paid less than $20.00 bucks for it at Wal Mart and it is worth it's wait in gold for the convenience alone.....never mind how easily it stores! I will try to get some more photos to share of the finished project for next time.....including the chandelier I hung yesterday! YES! I said chandelier.....it is awesome!

Lastly, WELCOME KATIE! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog! Katie has just started her own blog.....check it out here.....Rough Life

Thanks for all the input on the washer/dryer question. I have taken all the measurements and can easily fit a stack unit into the utility closet and yes, Pat, I will be looking for a front loader. We were smart enough to have the plumbing done at the time we ordered the coach. I am going to wait til we are back in Indiana. We will have the guys in Elkhart to do the install since there will have to be a vent cut into the roof or sidewall. That also gives me time to figure out where all the stuff that currently 'lives' in the closet will be going......LOL! That is going to be a bit of a challenge.

Our new air bed came by Fed Ex yesterday around 4pm. Since Billy's side of the current air bed is leaking we decided to go ahead and switch out the beds. What an ordeal! Just imagine unpacking a king size bed (in two large dirty boxes) while dismantling another king size bed.....with two furballs insisting on being in the middle of everything. We had decided to place the air pump for the new bed under the bed. That meant we had to pull up the plywood on the platform, position the pump, and then drill holes into the plywood for the air hoses to pass through. Poor Billy had to be a bit of a contortionist to accomplish the task.....but he did it and finally around 8pm our new bed was set and ready to go. WOW! What a difference! Just couldn't believe how comfy it is and how well made....amazing what good quality materials will do! We took the old bed and shoved it into the back seat of the truck. Once the park empties the dumpsters.....we will be tossing the old bed! Gone and good reddens! Yes, we both had a good nights sleep. The new bed was definitely not cheap.....but, now when I slide under the covers....well, it is just so luxurious....mmmm, and I'm worth it!!

My goodness......where does the time go.....seems like it was only yesterday when we arrived here in Brownsville! We have been living a pretty laid back lifestyle these past few days. Billy did climb up on the roof and give it a good scrub down and I managed to give the furballs hair cuts and a bath. We also got our internet satellite up and running....although Billy seems to think it is a little slow. I think part of the problem is at the center of operations...which is located in Germantown, Maryland.....which has been pummeled with inclement weather for the past several days. It sucks to be them!

The sun has been shining here in Brownsville.... up until yesterday. A cold front has moved into the area and temps have dropped into the 50's with cloudy skies. Rain is in the forecast for the next two days. I'm going to get out my sewing machine and finish some projects and maybe start a few new ones.

Our new air bed is on it's way. It should be here sometime tomorrow. Billy is sure ready for it to arrive......he has to "air up" his side of our current bed at least two or three times a night to keep from sinking into the abyss!

On a final note.....the laundry facility here at the park has been closed....indefinetly....so Billy and I went on the hunt for a laundry mat yesterday. Wow! The first two we found were swamped with people. Finally found a third one, that wasn't over run, and managed to get our laundry done. We have had this problem before and so I am giving serious thought to purchasing a washer/dryer for the fiver. I've been doing some research and it seems the stacked units with a vented dryer are the way to go. We would have to give up our utility closet....(which is already plumbed) and that would be a pain, but I am just about to that point. Anyway, I would love to hear everyone's opinion on the subject.....so let me know what you think.

We are officially in Brownsville, TX........and I can't believe it, but the sun is shining and the skies are blue. Temps here are currently in the low 70's. We will be here till the end of February. The trip was pretty uneventful. We stopped in Harlingen and called around to some of the rv parks in Brownsville to see where we might end up. We ended up here at Honeydale Mobile Home and Rv Park. Nothing stellar about this place, except for the people and the price. The price with our Good Sam discount is $290.00 for the month plus electric. The people are all very helpful and friendly....I think we will really enjoy our stay here. Our problem was getting into the site. The sites are set up so that you park on the grass and then you have a full length concrete patio. The first site we tried (yeah, I said first) was just too tight and we were literally sinking into the ground with each movement. Bill was jacking the fifth wheel so tight, that at one point we lost sight of each other and.......we ended up backing over the water hookups. Water was spewing out from under the trailer and I feared the worse, but upon inspection all we needed to do was turn the knob. Apparently, a part of the trailer had caught the knob just right and merely turned the water on. I could see no damage done to either their water spickett or our trailer. Whew! Dodged a bullet on that one. That was it for me.....I told Billy to head back to the office cause this site was not working. We located another site ( minus the trees that were causing the headaches on the first site) and we had permission to park on the concrete patio. Billy slide her right in! I sure hated not having the concrete patio, but beats sinking into the ground. One of our neighbors had to shore up his landing gear......because he was actually starting to sink. As to the park itself, it is a combination of older mobile homes and rvs. Overall the park is a little tired, but the sites are wider than most and the hookups are easily accessible. I will get some photos for next post.

Once the fiver was set we decided to get the Direct TV online. After a little bit of fussing back and forth on the alignment of the dish, we surprisingly had it up and running in no time. The only thing we were missing are our east and west coast channels. It was getting late so we decided to head to dinner and than come back and give Direct TV a call to see what was up with our missing channels.

As so often happens in rv world.......we forgot it was Friday night. Man.....could not believe the traffic and the people. Finally located a Chinese Buffet, that at least did not have folks standing outside. There was a whole lot of humanity feeding at the troughs, but we managed to get a table and the food was excellent. I even tried some sushi and found I liked it....at least the one I had......have no idea what it was....LOL!

Back at the fiver, Bill put in the call to Direct TV. They, doing whatever it is they do, finally got the east coast to show up.....but we are still missing west coast. The tech Bill was speaking with said he had done all he could do and was going to pass the problem up the line. Hopefully, they will get this figured out in the near future. As of this morning still no west coast.

Today I'm getting on the bike and locating the laundry room and we will set up our internet satellite. The park satellite is just not cutting it speed wise for us. I'm using our air card right now.

Oh, one last thing.......I awoke this am to the sound of one of those little bike horns....ya know, like the circus clowns use. Someone was riding around on his golf cart sounding the horn and calling us all to coffee and donuts......I just knew I was gonna like this place!! LOL!!

Some photos from the past few days. Above is our site at the Pouch Plantation Rv Park. This is an interesting place because it does have a small plantation house on the property which you can tour. The grounds are well maintained and the manager (Mark) was very helpful and nice. You can see though, the sites are very close together. Lots of construction workers and families here, but everything was nice. We would stay here again......Good Sam discount......$30.00. You are in the heart of Plantation country here, only a short drive away from most of them.

This is a photo of Houmas Plantation. This place is a must see in my book. Not only is the house itself grand, but the grounds surrounding it are outstanding. The owners have put lots of money into this place and it shows. Absolutely beautiful! We toured this one and a Creole house called Laura. The tour guides both did a great job of 'telling the story'.....lots of interesting history!

Of course, this is a photo taken in the French Quarter. I really loved seeing the French Quarter. Something about this place just fascinates me. The architecture, the culture and lifestyle......all so different from what I know. Our second day there we explored the French Market down on the river and had lunch at Margeritaville! I can't wait to go back to New Orleans.....Not sure if Billy is as excited as I am about the place, but I just loved it!

Ok.....this would be me.......sucking on my very first ( and last) Mint Julep! I don't think I like Bourbon! I finished it though.....whew! I was a little wobbly for the walk back to the truck.....LOL!

We left New Orleans and made it to Beaumont Texas our first night back on the road. Stayed at the Gulf Coast Rv Resort. We were able to use our Camp Club discount so the price was right ($17.00). The concrete pads are very narrow and due to all the rain the place was a swamp. At least the pad was level so we didn't have to un-hitch. We used the electric, but that was it. Billy would have been up to his knees in muck if he would have tried to hook up to the sewer or water.

We are currently in Victoria Texas, staying at the Lazy Longhorn Rv Park. It is still very wet, but the concrete pads here are much wider. We were able to use full hook ups here. It was a tight fit for our 40 foot fifth wheel.....Billy had a heck of a time.....but he did it. They let us take the empty lot next to ours to park our truck as there was no room on our site for it. We plan on staying till Friday.... Hoping that this rain will finally pass us by and we can have some dry weather for our trip into Brownsville. Guess that is it for now.....

Yeeeee.....haw! Passing through Houston as I type this...on our way to Victoria for the night. Hopefully I can post more tonight!