Mission Texas First Few Weeks

On Monday evening shortly after dusk, Amber pulled up in front of Lot 51. We had never been there before. Inside all the furniture was draped and the mothball was so overpowering, we immediately opened all the windows.

It's a one bedroom RV trailer that no longer has wheels and is permanently parked in this RV park that is now being run by the second generation of ownership. We like Jason a whole lot. His wife is the local vet and they have two or three children, six and younger - who also love the goats up from by the main road.

Two weeks of cleaning followed therein. We rewashed all the dishes, all the bedding, and linens. Let's talk about laundry. In the snowbird RV world, the clubhouse has coin washer and dryers. Its a convenience for the campers, and a profit center for the owners - hopefully. For the long timers, they usually are the ones who rent their lot by the year, leave the RV parked there, build on porches, pour patios and the like. Many put up a utility shed somewhere - usually in the back on their tiny lot. And in that shed resides the washer and dryer. Thank heavens we have one of those. About the third week in, I moved every thing that moved out of the shed, and scoured it as well. Ughhh.

These Santa Ana winds blow and blow, and silt and dust go everywhere. When we got here, we thought it was dirt not being able to cleaned by a man in his 90's. Now we know it is an ongoing experience to clean, clean, clean. But that's not too bad. The space isn't very large.

We were very cranky when we first got here, because we were tired, and did not enjoy having to clean from top to bottom, in every closet and drawer. We found mouse droppings everywhere. Ichch. But it comes with the territory. There are routines people do here to set up their trailer when they leave to go home, setting out traps, leaving roach and ant poison. We're in the tropics. Lots of bugs down here - however I haven't seen nary a mosquito! And we have had no roaches.

My feet always crawled when I walked outside to take the dogs, because I didn't know if there were snakes. When I grew up in Naples Florida, we kids tramped all over everywhere, through palmettos, waist high weeds, exploring. And I acquired a habit that became unconscious. I am always looking at the ground when I walk. I asked Derrill about that one time and he said "We learned as kids to always watch for rattlers and cottonmouths as we walked." It clicked then.

Close by here is a high school. The sign from Shary Road says "Rattlesnake Stadium." Who in their right mind takes that logo?

We watched the dogs like hawks when they were out or on a walk. Our dogs are Minnesota born and bread. They wouldn't know what was a poisonous snake or was not. On one of the days I was cleaning the aluminum awning over the outside window of the trailer, tucked in behind a gardenia bush. I got the willies. Had Amber come watch for snakes at my feet while I scrubbed.

We laugh now. Haven't seen one snake, and the owners and other inhabitants of the RV park have not either.

Gradually we have made our way around the area and are beginning to know the major roads. There are almost no lakes so the roads are all straight mostly, north and south; east and west.

For some strange reason, I, who can find my way almost anywhere, use a map well, and keep a good sense of direction, can't tell what is north and south here!!!!! When we look out the front door towards the office and clubhouse, we are facing south. My internal compass thinks its west. Even with seeing where the sun sets, my body doesn't seem to get it.

That was some of the adjustment period. New lodgings, new place. But we have gotten settled in. It took us a while, but we have learned how to cook in a very tiny kitchen with about a 2 x 2 counterspace. I'm so glad to have this experience. This isn't nearly as tiny as the Casita would be. Here there are get away spaces, and a covered porch with concrete floor.

We had lots of fun finding the dollar stores, and getting some major staples. My most fun was finding shelf lining on sale. I have lined almost every drawer and shelf in the place. Now we are comfortable with having our belongings in the place. One of our fun finds at the Goodwill store was the cute blue shaded lamp that we use every night. (in the recliner photo above). Do I ever love that recliner! I am sitting in it right now writing this blog.

What has been mission's saving grace, is the community here at the RV park. It is a whole culture of its own. People have come here for years, feel like family to each other, and welcome the newbies.