05-24DEC15 - Houma, LA (prep'ing for xmas & misc)

Very early Saturday morning, 05DEC, we said goodbye to Sharon & Tim, & started the long drive to kids & grandkids in Houma, LA.  In ten hours of hard driving (with some close calls thru Houston) we finally arrive at our daughter Rebecca’s & husband Raymond’s.  Our son Joe was already there with pizzas for dinner.  Unfortunately Raymond is drilling w/his National Guard unit & won’t be home until tomorrow.  579 miles driven (might be the longest distance driven by us in one day on the RV?).

Sunday Corrie ran errands, while Dan washed the RV & Toad.  At lunch Rebecca, Jaxson, Mason & us headed to a local playground for a picnic lunch & to play.  Later that day Raymond made it home from drill & Joe came over for dinner before heading offshore.  We began constructing a Xmas ginger bread house after dinner – everything went pretty good until the grandkids realized all the parts were candy.

The following weeks were spent preparing (mostly shopping) for Xmas day:

>decorating Joe’s house with Xmas decorations, since he is working offshore for most of December.

>Dan modifying a tool (an easy out) to repair RV hot water tank.

>medical appointments, including physicals & eye exams.

>Dan bike riding w/Rebecca & grandkids.

>heading to Houma Main Library w/Rebecca & grandkids to listen to the TARP Bell Choir.

>heading into NOLA on Saturday, 12DEC, for Celebration in the Oaks, to meet Rebecca, Raymond, Jaxson & Mason.  As we discovered last year, the crowd was overwhelming & Dan still feels we need to go during the work week.  Jaxson was not happy about the annual picture w/Santa & Mrs Claus!  Enroute we stopped at a New Orlean’s institution - Bud’s Broiler for a burger & hotdog.

http://budsbroiler.com/

http://theryanrvexpress.blogspot.com/2014/12/01-31dec14-houma-la-merry-xmas-happy.html

http://neworleanscitypark.com/celebration-in-the-oaks

>many days trying to figure out why our DISH system not working.

>attending Jaxson’s “pre-school” xmas program.

>34^th wedding anniversary.

>major computer crash.  The problem is an unknown hardware problem & will require the computer to be shipped to a service center.  This required local computer shop to transfer our hard drive to a cheap laptop. 

>Xmas eve we help the grandkids put out reindeer “food” for Santa’s reindeer.  After they go to bed, Dan & Joe bring over a train table gift for Mason & complete the final assembly.

Meanwhile southern Louisiana has been experiencing record heat through most of December.  Looks like Xmas tomorrow will be in the 80s.  We could do without the heat & humidityL!