Coming Up On Christmas

We are well on the way to having a great holiday. With Christmas around the corner and the New Year fast approaching, we have been busy trying to get things going here and in the Center. Tom is driving folks to medical appointments, and I have been VERY busy in the kitchen. We now feed between 65 and 75 people every noon. Whether we have a cook or not. Right now we have no cook for Sunday. I have been doing the big dinner on Sunday for a couple of weeks now. Of course I have helpers, but they must think I know what I'm doing. How much food is 1200 hundred calories anyway? Oh well, no one seems to complain. On Friday I made my vegetable beef soup. It went over very well. Lots of compliments. Sunday was roast beef. That day didn't go quite so easily, but everyone of the residents was happy. We ran a little short on beef, but the volunteers all were very kind, and took only a little, and made up for it with potatoes and gravy. The menu called for brusse sprouts, but I also made a green bean casserole (my favorite), which went over better than the sprouts. We had just enough salad, and the dessert was also gone. I guess they will have to order a bigger roast next time!! I had 2 guys helping me. They were great. All in all, I think it all went well. I'm on the schedule for this coming Sunday, but I have a more experienced person helping me. Maybe I won't be as tired this time. 10 hours in the kitchen on Friday was enough for anyone.
Tom and I have started to geo cache. (geocache.com). We log onto the sight and find some clues, then go out to find it. It's kinda like a treasure hunt. When you find it you sign the log, put it back the same as you found it, and be on your way. We have found 2 so far. One hear at CARE, and one in the RV park. We have tomorrow off, and after the laundry and shopping, we would like to go into town where they have a few more. With only one day off we don't get to do much fun stuff.
Monday evening, Hazel and I went into Lufkin. We wanted to go to the Hobby Lobby. (craft store) It was the first time I have seen a Mall since I arrived in Livingston on October 28. If you want to go someplace besides Wal-Mart you have to drive about an hour. I was tickled pink. I got to use a JC Penny gift card I had, and we both had a great time.
On Saturday, Ed and Hazel took us to see the Liberty Opry. We had so much fun. It was country legends night. They were all so talented! This little girl of about 14 came out and she belted out Dolly Parton songs like you wouldn't believe. What a voice. I suspect we will be hearing about Kayla Woodson in the near future. You can check her out at Kaylawoodson.com for a sample of how good she is. All of the musician were terrific. We would go again in minute. Every Saturday night for $10.00, you can't get better entertainment.
We also went to a little sea food-steak place called Ann's. We got a great meal, and music we didn't expect to hear. Some folks were there from a near-by church. Some of the youth sang Christmas songs, as did the minister and his wife, while his brother and sister-in-law played guitar and keyboard. They food was good ole Texas cookin' at a reasonable price, and the children where just so adorable. We enjoyed ourselves so much.
As you can probably tell, we have fallen in love with these folks in east Texas. Everyone is so friendly and polite. You sit down in a doctor office waiting for one of our folks from the center, and someone you never saw before just starts talking, and before you know it you know there whole life story. They know how to take their time here. Everything is slow and easy going. Just the kind of place we have been looking for. No one is in a hurry. Unless they are driving. The speed limit here is 70 on roads that would be 50-55 at home. We just move over. They go around. Makes things interesting.
Out little tree is up, and we have lights outside. We brought some little things to decorate with from home. We look a little festive. Sometimes we only get a couple of hours to ourselves here in the motor home. At night when we come back, Tom goes on the computer, and I just sit and relax. Then we are off to bed. Tom sometimes gets up pretty early to get folks into Houston for appointments at the medical center there. So needless to say, we are pretty bushed by the time we come home at about 7:00. It's a good tired, though. We know we are doing something good, It makes us feel good and the residents feel good. That's what we are here for.
I can't believe that Hazel and Ed are leaving on Sunday. We'll certainly miss them. We have become such good friends. I feel like I've know her for ever. We have such a good time together. We work so well together, probably because we think so much of the folks here. They are headed off to spend the holidays with family, and then off to Arizona. We may catch up with them there. When they go 2 other couples leave, too. We will be short handed again, so that means more hours to put in for us that are left. I know we can make it till Jan. 4th. Then we can be tourists.
I can't believe it's been 6 months since we left home. Tom said it yesterday, and I was stunned. A whole half year! Time sure does fly when you're having fun!!!!!