You are exactly where you need to be

Many times, I have pondered this phrase

"You are exactly where you need to be"

We often wonder - Where should I go? What should I do with my life?

Life has a way of changing your best thought out plans.

It's time once again to

 "go with the flow"

 " go where life leads you".

My blog has been dormant for awhile.

I have been traveling and working from my RV, but I lost my desire to blog.

I have not been using my laptop, I got hooked on using my iPhone for everything.

Now my iPhone is not working correctly. 2 years ago, it was a bargain to purchase with a loyalty program with Sprint ($279). I was hoping to keep this phone for many years. I refuse to pay an enormous amount of money for a new phone.

This is a blessing in disguise, I will start using my laptop more. 

Seems that the older iPhone stops working when a new one comes out.
Whats up with that???

I am hoping to improve my writing skills and write the blog on a regular schedule. Practice makes perfect, right. 

My posts will not be in chronological order. I am too far behind for that. 

I will write about things as they come to mind and as I get my photos in order.

Mustang Island - Port Aransas TX

I'm working Monday through Friday for tax season, again. Helps to fund my travels. 

Last Saturday, I took a ride to the Island for the day. 

                Dolphins playing in the Gulf

           Walking to the end of the jetty

A new converter

I have access to internet at my RV again for a little while. I have been stubborn and refuse to pay a lot per month to use the internet. I can do most internet related tasks using the unlimited data plan on my Sprint iPhone, except use it as a hotspot. I do not want to drag my big laptop around to use it in places with free wi-fi, so have been doing without. 

I have heard that Sprint recently announced that we can tether our phones to another device for a limited amount of data per month. I need to call and see if my plan allows this now. 

So time will tell how I keep up with the blog. I can write short posts using the Blogger app on my iPhone, but its a pain for longer posts. 

I've been having problems with my 12V system for a few years now. The problems would come and go. Suddenly things would get dim and then I would have no lights and no power to the control panel. So no A/C even though I was plugged in at the RV park. 

In August when a mobile tech looked over things, he disconnected the converter,  so that everything ran off 110, for one day until he installed the new batteries. 

At an authorized Winnebago service center I was told to just keep playing with the battery disconnect switch near the door. 

I've also stopped to have things checked out at a few more repair places and they basically told me everything was ok. 

A few days ago my lights appeared dim. 

I shut off anything that worked off 12V. It seemed to get a little better. And, yes, I pressed the disconnect switch a few times. Luckily I have a small plug-in desk lamp, so I wasn't totally in the dark. 

On Wednesday evening, no lights, no control panel and the light on the LP detector was red - indicating low voltage. I had new house batteries installed in August - they couldn't be the problem. 

A mobile tech came out Thursday and switched out the original converter. The new one is different, but fits in the same space. He did have to modify the way he attached the cover because the screw holes for the cover were a part of the original converter.

The new converter is a WFCO Ultra III, model WF-9800. I hope this solves the problems. 

           New converter - ready to wire

                  Getting things ready

       Work space near the side door

                      Old converter

                Inside of old converter

                    Finished! 

My coach is a 2008, delivered to the original owner in the Fall of 2007 - so it is now 8 years old. The average lifespan of a convertor is 10 years. 

November 6, 2011 is the last day I was in my "sticks & bricks" house. Happy 4 year RV anniversary to me. 

Income Tax Season

As I mentioned in my last post, I am working this Income Tax Season.  I have been a tax preparer for over 25 years and have used Drake Tax Software for over 15 years, they are a very good company and I like the software.  I prefer it to the software that they are using in the office I am working at this year.

Only one more month left to file your tax returns. 

I have added a link, at the top of my blog, to the Drake website.
If you like to prepare your taxes yourself, this link will take you to the page to start your return for free. There may be some additional charges, based on your income and individual tax situation.  I am an affiliate for this site and will earn a commission if you use this site.

1040.com is offering a promo code between now and St. Patty’s Day. Enter in STPATTY when filing your taxes and get a FREE federal return.

Drake Software has also done a lot of research into the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and they have links to eHealth where you can get information about these insurance plans and can sign up for the insurance (during open enrollment or if you qualify at a different time of the year). I will also be posting links for these products.

Not much else going on, the weather has mostly been dreary and rainy.  There were a few nice sunny days mixed in with the rain.  I have been wanting to ride my bike in the mornings before work, but the weather has not been cooperating.

This past weekend, I did drive up to San Antonio to visit with the kids and will probably visit them again for Easter.

              Sophia's 1st haircut

Lost Maples State Park

Lost Maples State Natural Area is located about 5 miles north of Vanderpool, Texas and 71 miles west of San Antonio. The park sits along the Sabinal River in western Bandera County and far eastern Real County. There are several hiking trails and RV and primitive campsites. It is a popular place for "leaf peeping".

On Monday we went for a walk at Lost Maples State Park. My daughter planned this day for my birthday. We had a nice drive in the hill country of Texas, the park is almost 2 hours from her house.  Li'l Sophia loves to be outside looking up at trees and this is a great place for a walk.

Sophia was fording the creek in her 4x4 (3 wheel stroller)

We had dinner at the Old Spanish Trail Restaurant in Bandera

and Lemon Meringue Birthday Pie 

Thanks Diane, Karl, Liv and Sophia for a great day!

Sophia is 14 weeks old

Liv, Sophia and Diane

Where to Next???

It's time to leave South Padre Island, we will be leaving on September 30th. I have 6 more work days at the KOA.  I have been in South Texas for almost a year, 5 months at the wildlife refuge and 6 months at KOA.

Saturday night outdoor movie screen at the KOA

Pirate Ship sails in the Laguna Madre behind the KOA

Staying in one area, for almost a year, is good for my savings account.
I purchased less than $200 in gas for the RV since last November and still have 3/4 tank. I did not pay rent at the Wildlife Refuge. The rent at the KOA was only $140 a month, and I was paid for every hour worked - some campgrounds only give you an RV site for the hours worked.  The rent would have been $850 a month if I did not work here. I was going to stay here anyway, waiting for my granddaughter to be born.  I am very grateful that I was able to get a job at the KOA. (I bugged them, sent emails several times, and then finally a job opened up) It was not difficult work, I learned a new reservation system, and I had fun working with the kids activities. 


My daughter and son-in-law have found a really nice house in San Antonio and I will follow along. I'm sure they will need some babysitting help while they get settled. 

 Li'l Sophia is growing ~  almost 13# at 5 weeks

It won't be easy to live in a big city in an RV, but I found an RV park that is only 2 miles from the house. There is a bus stop in front and a bike trail is alongside the RV park.


I will probably stay in Texas through the winter months and then move on to a job, hopefully in a National Park,  for next summer. I don't think I will be working this fall and winter. 


Since November 2011, I have traveled for about 6 months and worked for about 18 months. I still have boxes, in the outside compartments of the RV, that need to be sorted. The word for this year is "FINISH". I want to get everything done and start fresh in 2014. 


I need/want to get the remodeling in my RV finished.  I finished the bed in April. It's the other side of the RV, where the larger dinette is, that needs to be changed. I took out the table and just have the 2 benches and a folding table. It really needs to get done, it is driving me crazy.

I want to install an L-shaped desk along the drivers side of the RV, starting about a foot behind the drivers seat and all the way to the kitchen cabinets. This will give me a wider "aisle". The aisle was only about 20" wide, and after I took out the small dinette and added the bed, it is now 25" wide. When all the changes are done, there will be even more space in the center of the RV.  

I just need to find someone reliable to move the fresh water tank for me.  I purchased the RV at Lazydays in Tampa, they have a location in Tucson and I have been in contact with them. I sent pictures and a description of what I want changed and am waiting for a reply.  If they can do the job, I may take a trip there to get it done. Otherwise, I need to find someplace in Texas to get the work done. I am also waiting to find out if it is possible to have my passenger seat swivel around to face the center of the RV. 

Time to move on to new adventures........................ 
I will probably purchase a Texas State Parks pass and visit many of the parks this fall and winter. 

Sea Turtle Hatchlings

Friday, August 16

Set the alarm for 5:30am to check for this announcement

Good Morning. It's Friday 8/16. Yes a public release this morning at 7am. Releases are located at Cameron County Access 3 just 1/4 mile north of Sea Turtle Inc. on the beach. This is 1/2 of a loggerhead nest. The other nests hatched through the night and have been released.

 We'll see you there!!!!!

I was surprised at how many people showed up,

this picture is 1/4 of the crowd.

I decided to stand in the water so that I could get some pictures.

The tide was coming in, so I got soaked with each wave.

Loggerhead Turtle Hatchlings

Going home...

Baby Sophia

Posting from my phone.

Baby Sophia Marie born August 10th at 12:00 noon.

8 pounds 5 ounces. 21 3/4" long.

Baby is doing good. Diane is feeling better. She had a problem with blood pressure, but she is improving.

Grateful for a great hospital staff and a happy and healthy baby girl.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little girl today her 1st birthday as a Mommy!

Stormy Weather

Moody weather

We had strong winds and rain on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.  I got drenched walking to the office on Wednesday morning (even though I had an umbrella and wore a windbreaker). The rainy weather has given us lower temperatures (woo-hoo) and mosquito's (boo). 

The rain is welcome because of ongoing drought conditions, there were puddles all over the campground, but most of the puddles are gone this morning. The weather.com shows that we will get more rain all week and weekend. The rain finally stopped by 5:00 pm when I walked back to the RV after work. I went for a walk in the evening, even though more rain was predicted. I knew I would be able to wait out rain under the pavilion at the beach or at the boat docks.

The "energy" of the water and air is different after a heavy rain.  It felt soo....good to walk barefoot along the edge of the water. I wanted to stay out there all night.  It would be great to park the RV near the shore overnight, but that is not allowed in the County Park where I was walking.

All of these pics in this post were taken between 7:00pm and 8:30pm during my walk. Turn around facing any of the four directions and see a different sky each time. So far, we have not had any additional rain. If you look at the radar at "weather.com" it is raining???  

The southern end of Padre Island is about 40 miles long, north to south, the city of South Padre is only about 5 miles long. A lot of Padre Island is off limits to vehicle traffic and the island stretches north to Corpus Christi (Padre Island National Seashore). The KOA is on the south end and my daughter lives about 3 miles north of the campground - and we have different weather on some days. She will text that it is pouring rain at her house and there will be no rain at the KOA.

Trivia Answer

Texas

info from www.GoneToTexas.com

Guadalupe Peak, TX

I posted the trivia
 (see yesterday's blog post)
 because I was surprised by the facts.

Most of the mountains are in the far west area of Texas

and the Big Bend Area.

The website stated 91 mountains over a mile high,

Denver is a mile high and does not have any mountains in town.

So, I think its kind of a trick question.

The King Ranch in South Texas

is larger than the state of Rhode Island

Texas Motto: Friendship

Texas: from the Caddo Indian word

"Tejas" meaning

those who are friends

Official state sport: Rodeo

Largest State Capitol (Austin)

constructed of 15,000 carloads of

Pink Granite

All of today's pictures are from
 various sites on the internet.