The Ray Adventures: December 2016

Due to technical difficulties far from my expertise I will continue more pictures separately.

I don't really know where to begin it's been, it's been about 7 weeks since my last blog but also seems like a lifetime. I''ll touch on the highs and lows because I experienced a life changing illness.

First things first!!!! We welcomed into the world Miss Lyla Noffsinger, 8 lbs 14 oz born in Salem Oregon on November 23rd. The little girl arrived two weeks early, eager to start her life with mom Sam and dad Nick. We've seen pictures of her, can't wait to get our hands on her. Our first great grandchild!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with 110 of our friends here at the park, the park provided the turkeys, dressing and gravy the rest of the dinner was pot luck. There are so many good cooks here, as usual we over indulged.

David and Marihelen's daughter Krista, from Red River, NM., visited with her dog Piper, 130 pound great dane. Luci wasn't enamored with her, I think she thought she was a horse. The three of them charted a fishing boat in Copanao Bay catching 25 fish which many of us got to enjoy. A local restaurant prepared them either blackened, grilled, fried or cajun, we only had to pay for a couple of side dishes. Delish!!!!! Thanks Marihelen, David and Krista.

We've been enjoying happy hour on Tuesdays at the Oyster House, a restaurant right on Aransas Bay, enjoying oysters on the half shell, a dozen for $4.50. Gary and I have really gone "round the bend" eating raw oysters and liking country music. The last time we were treated to dolphins swimming just off the pier, a beautiful evening with not a breath of wind.

They say things come in three's, first our washing machine died, we got a rip in our awning and developed a crack in the windshield. You hate to ask "what else?" but sure enough soon the sky was going to fall.

Tom and Joy from Minnesota, gave us the tub from an old washing machine to use as a fire pit, actually I traded a bottle of Reisling from the Northwest for it, we've had several evenings with a groups sitting the campfire telling hilarious RV stories. We had a special viewing of the Super Moon, although none of us really paid much attention to it, just another excuse for a party.

We were so excited to take our trip to Honolulu and the Big Island for ten days. Dorene, our yoga teacher dog sat Luci, no worries---right? The day before we left we enjoyed Rockport's Symphony by the Sea with the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra and the Rockport-Fulton High School Choir. Lovely as always, this was our third year attending. We left immediately after for San Antonio, about 3 hours, to spend the night before our 8:00am flight on Monday, Dec. 12th. Wouldn't you know it, I haven't had a cold in ages and I woke up sick with a sore throat! After a grueling 7 + hour flight from Phoenix we landed in Honolulu. We were both looking forward to seeing Stacy and Barbara who were visiting at the same time and my brother Punch who lives in Honolulu. I went to "Doctors on Call" tuesday, they offer pick up and delivery. I was diagnosed with a throat infection and ear infection. SWELL! We had lunch with the kids on Wednesday, Gary and Stacy went to see the Missouri and an a air museum on Tuesday. Friday Gary and I drove to the North Shore and around the island, by the time we got back I was really getting sick. We called Doctors on Call again. Once they put the oxygen "thingy" on my finger the doctor said he was calling the paramedics. Hmmm, I knew I felt bad BUT! I "got" to go on my first ambulance ride to Straub Medical Center and Hospital, I as admitted with Acute Respiratory Failure, What the Hell? I had pneumonia, upper respiratory influenza, low sodium and a bunch of other shit. I was one sick puppy, I spent 5 days in the hospital and lost 8 1/2 pounds, I know that because they drug me out of bed every morning between 4 and 5 to put me on the scales. Poor Gary was stuck with not only the stress of my illness but canceling plane and hotel reservations. We stayed at Hale Koa, a military hotel right on Waikiki Beach, a lovely hotel and they were so kind, we didn't have to change rooms or even leave for another hotel, we had to extend for another 7 days.
My brother stopped by the hotel on Thursday, the day after I got back from the hospital. We had some laughs, he, a former full-time RVer, swapped stories about life on the road, it had been at least 3 years since I'd seen him, a sight for sore eyes. His wife stayed away from my germs, her 92 year old Mom was visiting from Olympia, Wa. I had two days to recuperate before we flew back to Texas, arriving in San Antonio Christmas eve about 11pm. We had a lovely breakfast at St. Anthony's a historic hotel in downtown San Antonio before heading back to Rockport Christmas Day arriving about 2:30. Luci was very glad to see us! The park Christmas dinner was in full swing but dear friends RJ, Gail, David and Marihelen brought us dinner.

I've always heard about "near death" experiences changing your whole outlook at life. I must say I felt the change too, I'm not eloquent enough to express how I feel but probably in a word, Grateful, for the many things in life that I've taken for granted. Enough of that!

Last night we had a campfire, friends Larry and Lorraine are leaving for Florida today. A lovely evening.

That's it for now, enjoy the pic's,

TTFN

Gary and Pam