14-31DEC12 - Houma, LA (how not to end the year)

Upon our return to Rebecca & Raymond’s in Houma, LA, we learned someone had stolen our satellite dish tripod from their front yard! Thankfully we hadn’t left the actual dish on it & a replacement was $75. On 15DEC we babysat grandson Jaxson thru the night so Rebecca & Raymond could celebrate their wedding anniversary.

On Wednesday, 19DEC, we celebrated our 31st anniversary by heading into New Orleans. First stop was Harrah’s Casino where Corrie did very well! Then it was off to Cochon for an excellent dinner. We discovered Cochon almost 2 years ago & highly recommend it! The power kept going on & off for some reason; but since they use wood fired ovens, not a problem.

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2011/02/01-05feb11-new-orleans-la-mostly.html

The next day, 20DEC, Dan decided to make this a Xmas to remember by taking a “header” off Rebecca & Raymond’s roof to the concrete below! Thankfully Corrie was home to immediately call 911. First emergency stop was the ER at Terrebonne General. Terrebonne then decided to transfer Dan to the “neuro ward” at Ochsner in New Orleans because there were indications of internal cranial bleeding.

  

We won’t bore you with all the details of his stay at Ochsner’s, but in summary injuries included – a concussion & 6 staples to head wound; broken left clavicle; partially collapsed left lung; broken left lower back ribs; & one compressed vertebrae. The only medical intervention (other then meds) was on 28DEC, when they pumped Dan’s vertebrae up with air & filled it with cement to stabilize it (aka Kyphoplasty).

  

Not the jolliest of Xmas’s we have had; but considering the possible life changing injuries that could have occurred, pretty good to have your family with you even in a hospital! Finally after 10 days, Dan was released from Oschner on New Year’s eve! Hopefully future Xmas & New Year’s will be less eventful & more festive.

08-13DEC12 - Biloxi, MS, & Destin, FL (more tire problems)

We decided to hit the road Saturday, 08DEC, & headed to Biloxi, MS, enroute Destin, FL, to visit our friends the Guldenschuh’s in FL. As we always do when traveling to Biloxi we stopped at the Welcome Center for any “coupons” for the Casinos in Biloxi, like we did when heading to Red Bay, AL, on 03NOV. We then headed to the Keesler AFB FamCamp; after setting up camp we headed to Jimmy Buffet’s MargaritaVille Casino, it has a nice décor but is small casino. Dinner was at McElroy’s Harbor House, which washed away during Katrina. 

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2012/11/01-15nov12-red-bay-al-mostly.html

Sunday was to be spent sightseeing in Biloxi, but Dan discovered the right rear outer tire damaged from his driving on Saturday. So he had to drive all the way back to Houma, LA, in the Toad, to pick up the tire we brought from Sharon & Tim’s back on 11OCT. After Dan returned from Houma we headed to the Beau Rivage Casino for an expensive dinner & some gambling.

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2012/10/06-10oct12-kerrville-tx-via-albuquerque.html

Monday AM it was off to the to tire place recommended by a RV club, but the truck tire balancing machine was broken; they recommend Southern Tire Mart, a brand new facility & state of the art. Then it was a late start driving thru Tornado warnings to Destin, FL; we then set up camp at Destin Army Recreation Area, & had dinner at Dewey’s.

Tuesday was very cold; & limited our sightseeing to a check of local Harbor Walk Condominium waterfront development. Then we headed to the Guldenschuhs for reminiscing & going our for a BBQ dinner. We have crossed RV paths with the Guldenschuhs over the years, last time was OCT09 in NC. Wednesday, 12DEC, it was still cold outside & we headed back over to Guldenschuh’s late morning for a homecooked chili lunch & many more hours of reminiscing. 

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2009/10/23-26oct09-waynesville-nc.html

Thursday morning we headed back to Biloxi hopefully to do some sightseeing this time. After hooking up the Toad Corrie discovered a nail in left rear Toad tire; there was no real room to change tire so we drove to I-10 & changed the tire at the first rest area. End result was a late arrival back at Keesler AFB FamCamp; & we were only able to check out the Biloxi Visitor Center. This an excellent facility built with federal Hurricane Katrina monies; where you could easily spend hours! Then it was off to Keesler AFB Commissary for groceries. 

Trivia – what is Biloxi bacon? What are naval stores (think longleaf pines)? Root beer soda used to have caffeine, why not now?

01-07DEC12 - Houma, LA

  The start of the month, Saturday, 01DEC, was a “full” day of activities. First Raymond & Dan demolished the entire roof of the sun porch that had been damaged by hurricane Isaac. The roof was 90% aluminum with some plastic for sunlight. We believe the sun porch was close to 40 years old & it has leaked in many places ever since Rebecca & Raymond bought the house & it was overdue for major repair. Then it was time for Rebecca, Raymond & Dan to hang another new set of outdoor icicle lights on the outside of house. Once again the brand new lights from last year, that worked until stored last year, did not work now. 

That evening we all were invited to celebrate Tasha’s birthday with her parents & our son Joe at Osaka Japanese restaurant. We all have eaten there before & everyone wanted to order one or two of their favorite sushi rolls! End result was way too much food! Since it was Tasha’s birthday the restaurant staff came out singing a happy birthday song banging on small Japanese drums. Grandson Jaxson’s expression when he heard the drums was priceless (especially when Tasha was “forced” to dance on the chair)! Then it was off to Bing Cherry for frozen yogurt where you pay by the pound.  
Although Rebecca & Raymond had bought a Xmas tree over a week ago, on Monday we finally got around to decorating the tree. Now it is a constant succession of “NO’s” to keep Jaxson from touching & breaking ornaments. 
Tuesday & Wednesday Dan headed off to son Joe’s to help him with converting a metal “carport” into an enclosed shed/garage. As we noted in our BLOG back in 09AUG Joe now owns a house; & in the back yard is a metal carport that has a roof, partial metal sides, & both ends completely open. Since Joe does not have a garage, he has decided to finish the sides & install doors on both ends. Due to rain on Wednesday, work on the project was delayed.

As always when we return to the Houma, LA, area, a lot of our time was spent on annual medical appointments. As kids we all received many shots/vaccines as preventive health measures. As we grew older these shots decreased in number (if not stopped) & we believed we were “good to go” for the rest of our lives. Well this year we not only endured the annual flu shot, but also enjoyed a pneumonia shot & a shingles shot!