CATCHING UP

I know, I know, I haven't written anything on this blog in a L-O-N-G time.  I've been busy and lazy.  Is that an oxymoron?  Anyway, we have been in the vicinity of H-town since Mother's Day and when I get close to H-town, my life tends to pick up.

We stayed with the grandkids while Son and DIL went on a trip.  We were with them for 10 days.  They keep us hopping!  But, they are great kids and I love every minute of it.  Of course, after 10 days, I again realize why God gives children to young people.  This Mimi was one tired puppy.

We then went to Marina Village RV Resort (we affectionately call it "the lake").  This is a private park where you have to be an owner/member to stay there.  This park is really a beautiful place.  The sites are spacious.  There are lakefront sites that you can step out of your boat and into your site.  There are 2 pools.  They are old and they are ugly on the exterior but this year, they are clean and refreshing.  Actually, there are a lot of things old and in need of work there.  The park opened in 1975.  Very few upgrades have been made since then.  There is a long story behind all of this and improvements have been started, but I'm beginning to think that it is too little, too late.  I will be heartbroken if the park closes down, but at this point, I can't see it staying open more than 3 to 5 years.  We have met and made friends with some really great people there.  My kids were raised going there and now their kids love going there.  It is a place where you can let your kids ride their bike without you or any adult having to ride with them. There is wildlife all over the place and lots of beautiful, big trees.  Now, wouldn't you hate for this place to close?

One of the twin fawns born in the park this year.

Beautiful sunset

One of the grandkids out on a slalom ski.

Mr. W's cousin fishing

Part of the playground

Camping area

Our campsite

If you are going to be in the area of Trinity, TX and need a place to stop, stay here and check it out.  It is an owner/member park. But since the membership is way down, they are offering a free 3-day/2-night stay to anyone interested.  If you want to come before Labor Day, you can come for 7-days/6-nights for $120 ($20 per night).  Just call the office at 936-594-0149 and make your reservation.  You can tell them that I referred you if they ask. It is also a Coast to Coast park.  If you are C2C, it might be a little out of your way, but worth the stay.

While we were there, the heavens opened up and it rained solid for 40 days and 40 nights.  Well, maybe not 40 days and 40 nights, but close!  Texas has been having its share of floods the past 2 years during April and May.  It has been crazy.  The lake flooded parts of the campground and it was Memorial Day weekend.  Needless to say, the park was no where near as crowded as it usually is.  What a mess. They are still cleaning up from that.

Girl-child and Squeaky had their dance recital that weekend at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in the Woodlands.  We weren't sure if we were going to be able to get there with all the flooding.  But, we did make it and the show did go on.  They were both so precious.  It was an awesome night.

We stayed there 30 days and then moved to Thousand Trails in Conroe, TX.  This is a busy park.  They have annual leases here and all of those people have taken the best sites in the park.  You read any forum or any reviews on Thousand Trails parks and everyone who writes one will complain about having annual leases and how all the good sites are all gone. People with memberships are not happy campers about that.  There are very few trees and with Texas heat, you need to have some shade.  We lucked out and found a site that the back part of our trailer is in the shade and it helps tremendously.  Again, Texas went from floods to heat!  We were having days of 98 and 99 degrees and a heat index of 109 to 113.  People, it is June.  This isn't even the hottest part of summer here yet.  The company that bought Thousand Trails has put quite a bit of money into the park and upgraded a lot of their facilities.  The roads are horrible, but all Thousand Trails parks have horrible roads.  The more we stay here, the more we enjoy it.  They are getting ready to add more sites to the park so they can have more annual leases.  They are only allowed a certain percentage within the park, thus the additional sites. Talk is that they are getting ready to declare this a "high usage park".  People with Thousand Trails memberships will understand what that can mean.  With our membership, we won't really have to worry about it.  But, some of the memberships sold recently may have to worry about it.

Playground

Pickleball courts - In case you don't know what pickleball is, it s sort of like tennis but for either kids or "older" people.

One of 3 basketball courts

The fire area and some of the cabanas in the pool area.

The pool

One of the bathhouses

Some of the cabins

Beach area to swim and play

Boat docks available to use.

We will be here until after the 4th of July.  We are going back to "the lake" because Son, DIL, and grandkids are going there for a week.  Towards the end of July, I am working for a week at my job that I retired from.  The first of August, Daughter and her family are coming for a visit.  Guess where she wants to go?  Yep, to "the lake."  So, we are all going then too. 

So, I might be writing other posts or I might not for a while.  Yes, I'm still alive.  Yes, I'm OK.  Yes, I'm busy.  And, yes, I'm lazy.