Upon returning home to TX, we immersed ourselves into maintenance projects, business appointments, and holiday activities.
Getting
together several times with friends Lisa/Jim and Romalee/Tim is always a highlight of
returning to Rainbow’s End each Fall. We
also spent time with Kate/John during their 2-night stay in Livingston. We saw them last in June while we were all in
CO. Sue/Jack, who we haven’t seen since
January 2021, stopped by to chat. We
enjoyed catching up so much, we neglected to get a photo. And we enjoyed the hospitality of fellow
Escapees member “Movie Man” Joe on 2 occasions as he invites all Park residents
to join him on his lot in viewing a film, enjoying treats, and even winning
prizes.
There is no better way to celebrate the reuniting of a motorcyclist with his/her beloved bike than to take a ride. So, we set out for Martin Dies State Park in Jasper, TX. We all froze our buns off, but the cold was accompanied by some lovely fall foliage. Though this Park gets crowded during the summer, it is underutilized in the Fall. So, it is always an enjoyable, serene experience hiking at Martin Dies State Park this time of year.
Our motorcycling travels also brought us to the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in Carthage, TX. So many great talents hailed from the Lone Star State, including Tex Ritter, Willie Nelson, and the Oak Ridge Boys. Texas-born Gene Autry was considered by many (including himself) to be the first singing cowboy. But John Wayne beat him to it in 1933 as Singing Sandy in “Riders of Destiny”. Unfortunately, the Duke’s singing voice was less than stellar. Let’s just say that he would not be chosen as a contestant on “The Voice” and that his decision to stick with acting was a wise one. The Museum has a replica of an old-fashioned soda pop shoppe and includes a working juke box. I selected “Elvira” to play and watched my crazy parents do some line dancing in the Hall corridors.
Mom doesn’t care where our travels take us, but she mandates that we are somewhere stationary from mid-November to year-end. That’s because she always treats us to a plant-based Thanksgiving feast, making another Tom a happy Turkey. She begins her collaboration with the Keebler Elves for cookie baking, and we all decorate “the house” inside and out for Christmas. Thanksgiving marks the commencement of our binge-watching holiday shows and movies. From classics like “Miracle on 34th Street” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”, to must-see films like “Christmas Vacation”, “Elf”, and “Home Alone”, from animated specials dating to the 1960s/1970s, to cheesy Hallmark and Lifetime movies, my family reaches maximum consumption level. Cultured people can perform Shakespearean soliloquys or recite the words of great poets like Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, or Langston Hughes. Not my parents! Instead, they quote Clarence A.S.C., Clark Griswold, Cousin Eddie, and Burgermeister Meisterburger. Not to mention they know all the lyrics to the Snow Miser/Heat Miser songs and the opening tune from “Santa Clause Conquers the Martians”. By the time Christmas day actually arrives, I am ready for holiday detox!
Our Thanksgiving meal--no Tom Turkey here. |
Eye test! There are at least 3 rodents in this section of our ornaments. Can you spot them?
We were told it was a dry summer here in the Piney Woods of TX. But we had several deluges these last 2 months that more than compensated for it, including rainfall associated with Hurricane Nicole. Weather ran the gamut, from hot, humid 90F-degree scorchers, to cool, crisp Autumn days, to the “polar freeze” that, sans the snow, made it feel like a holiday winter wonderland!
Christmas is a magical time here in Texas. Every town and city, regardless of size, offers holiday lights and activities, and Livingston is no exception. This year we attended the Lighting at Municipal Hall, where the holiday season was kicked off with caroling by a children’s choir, sipping of hot cocoa, photo-taking with our favorite characters, and the illumination of all the Christmas lights at Pedigo, Penguin, and Heritage Parks.
A sampling of the holiday lights at Pedigo Park... |
This was the
first year we participated in the Jingle Bell Fun Run/Walk, held on the second
Saturday in December in conjunction with the Hometown Christmas Fair. There were hundreds and hundreds of entrants. Since we were among the first 100 to sign up,
we received official t-shirts and jingle bells with our entry fees. We opted for the 2-mile walk rather than the
5K run—Mom said she didn’t want to register on the Richter Scale as an
earthquake with her heavy pavement pounding when she runs. The route took us right through the Hometown
Christmas Fair, so we got to peruse all the arts, crafts, and food vendors at
the same time. It was a hot, humid day,
but the rain that was initially forecast hadn’t materialized--yet. Instead, the downpour occurred in the early
evening, right before the commencement of the Lighted Christmas Parade in which
we registered Big Boomer! It was
torrential for a solid hour, with thunder and lightning to boot. The
storm subsided just long enough for all of the parade floats and participants
to high-tail it along Washington Avenue for the 1.5 mile route. I sure was disappointed the precipitation
precluded me from sitting front and center upon a fully decked-out Big
Boomer. Instead, Dad let me honk the
horn as he drove. Though Mom’s feet got
wet, she insisted she still walk the route to hand out the candy we bought for
the spectators—a good decision based on the smiles on the kiddies’ faces as
they held out their pillowcases, stockings, and Walmart bags to collect edible offerings.
Jingle Bell Fun Run/Walk. |
Me front and center for the Hometown Christmas Parade before the downpour began and I was relegated to sitting inside the truck. Buc-ee riding along with Big Boomer. Another Parade entrant.
Once again, we
rang bells for Salvation Army for 2 hours each week starting on Black Friday. Folks were very generous, despite their own economic
struggles. Perhaps knowing all the
monies raised locally assist folks right within our own County’s community
played a part. We viewed the Polk County Heritage Society
Train Village display, drove through The First Baptist Church’s “Bethlehem”, attended
the annual Christmas play at First United Methodist Church, and spread holiday
cheer with the Caroling Caravan at Escapees Rainbow’s End RV Park.
Polk County Heritage Society's Train Village. |
We always appreciate the reminder from First Baptist Church of the true reason for the season. |
Scene from the First United Methodist Church's play, "A TX Christmas Carol". |
In addition to all the holiday activities we did in Livingston, we had a 3-day stay in Jefferson, TX for their Candlelight Tour of Homes. Of course, it was a blustery 40F degree day when we embarked upon Maximus the Trike for this 3-hour ride. So, we stopped to thaw out and enjoy a late breakfast at the retro 1st City Café within the Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches.
We started our Jefferson adventures by learning about the city’s past and perusing Marion County artifacts at the Jefferson Historical Museum, whose structure was once a Federal Courthouse and later a post office. Jefferson was founded circa 1840 and named for our 4th Prez. A 100-mile log jam on the Red River proved beneficial to Jefferson—the jam acted as a dam and made water levels optimal to accommodate commercial river travel. Boats from New Orleans unloaded cargo and tourists in Jefferson. By 1870, Jefferson was second only to Galveston as a port. Dubbed as The Queen City, it was the 6th largest city in all of TX at that time, boasting a population of 30,000. Then the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) came in to wreak havoc. They used nitroglycerin to unclog the Great Red River Raft in 1873, thereby lowering the water levels and killing the riverboat industry. Jefferson’s population dwindled rapidly. Jefferson is now home to less than 2,000.
The exterior of the Jefferson Historical Museum...
A sampling of exhibits... |
...within the Museum. |
But the
townsfolk have done a terrific job of preserving and repurposing structures
like converting an 1865 saloon/brothel into the Kahn Hotel, where we reserved second
floor accommodations. We had a lovely
room with period furnishings, reclaimed wood floors, and warm, earthy tones on the walls. What we didn’t have was a visit from any
spirits. Considering the Kahn Hotel is
ranked as #7 among the most haunted buildings within the Lone Star State, I can
only presume the ghosts were afraid to rumble with this Rambling RV Rat!
We have attended holiday house tours throughout the years in NJ, NY, PA, in our hometown of Livingston, TX. They were always enjoyable, truly festive, fine examples of creativity, and a labor of love by the homeowners to make it a magical experience for guests. The properties on display in Jefferson, TX were no exception. Though they varied in architecture, age, and decorations/ornamentation, all truly captured the spirit of the season. We took tons of photos, but I am only including a small sampling. We had a blast. And walking the route rather than riding Maximus provided us with added ambience, including seeing the Enchanted Forest with themed trees decorated by area businesses and families.
Carolers entertaining the guests. |
Surprisingly, Jefferson has some excellent restaurants. This Rambling RV Rat highly recommends McGarity Restaurant and Saloon. It has terrific atmosphere and service. Plus, it offers a selection of plant-based options for Dad along with Irish favorites and American fare for carnivores. It was our go-to eatery. We also enjoyed the small but varied menu at Austin Street Bistro. And though not nearly as good as Italian cuisine from back East, Roma’s Italian Restaurant sufficed in a pinch.
Interior of McGarity Restaurant and Saloon. |
We walked around downtown, and browsed around the small shops including the General Store/Mercantile. Their vintage and varied merchandise and
retro decors brought back many fond memories, compelling me to add a mouse
ornament to my collection, Dad to buy a University of TX Longhorns ornament,
and Mom to purchase C&C (cute AND comfortable) ankle boots. We walked along the History and Nature Center
Trail, enjoying the artist-in-residency’s creations that were mingled within
the wooded setting. I even spotted Big
Foot! It was a terrific mini getaway and
added immensely to our holiday cheer.
Speaking of
motorcycling, we participated in 2 wreath-laying missions with the East and
Southeast Chapters of the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR). Both missions offered
drier and warmer weather than in prior years.
Fellow Patriot Guard Riders. |
Wreaths Across America at Memorial Gardens, Lufkin. |
Lanette, whom
we met in MN this summer, invited us to get together in Crystal Beach, TX, an
enclave on the Bollivar Peninsula at which she secured a work-camping gig. The fog was as thick as pea soup that
day. But the less-than-ideal visibility
conditions didn’t damper our spirits. We sat on the beach along the Gulf of
Mexico. You can drive your vehicle or
even park your RV beachfront down here.
Very cool. We enjoyed great
conversation and a tasty meal at Mamma Mia’s Woodfire Pizzeria which overlooks
the Bay. We then parted ways, and we put
Maximus the Trike onboard the Ferry over to Galveston. We walked along Sea Wall Boulevard and the
beach a bit before heading home.
Who cares about being unable to see the waters of the Gulf of Mexico when I got to see Miss Maddie! |
View of the bay from the outdoor eating area of Momma Mia's. |
Aboard the Ferry from Bolivar Peninsula to Galveston. |
Art along Seawall Boulevard. |
Maximus at Galveston Beach. |
The week before
Christmas brought sub-freezing temperatures, registering as low as 10F degrees with the wind chill factor. Our Christmas was a quiet one at home. We enjoyed our traditional meals, watched
religious services on TV, and just focused on the blessings we have received
this year, despite some setbacks.
Yours truly with his special gift from Uncle Kevin and Aunt Ellen. It's a Mouse King Nutcracker! |
As I extend my family’s best wishes to each of you for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2023, I ask for prayers for my Dad. Chest pains resulted in Mom taking him to the ER. Heart attack was ruled out, thankfully. But a follow-up with his cardiologist and the scheduling of a heart catheterization resulted in learning he has multiple major blockages that cannot be repaired by stents/rotor-rooter. Despite his active and healthy lifestyle and adherence to a plant-based diet since his 2017 heart attack/insertion of stents, he must undergo quadruple bypass surgery, scheduled for the first week of January. We are grateful this happened at home base with medical professionals we trust and facilities we know rather than while on the road. So, our travel plans have been canceled. But this, too, shall pass. With the loving care of Mom, the outpouring of support from friends and family, and, most importantly, our faith in God above, Dad will have a positive outcome.