Katie played golf yesterday with a ladies league...early start...Judy picked her up in her golf cart at 7:15. Katie says here putting was not so good on the front 9 but her drives were still good. She shot 50 on the front, but then made a good comeback shooting 43 on the back.
While she was gone...I spent the time getting things cleaned up as we were expecting a few people for happy hour. It's a bit tough trying to stage one of these as we only have so much room, and there are more people we would like to invite than we have room for. We restricted the group to 10 yesterday, including us. Good thing we did...because the winds were 15-25 in the morning from the south and gusting to 35 in the afternoon. We are unprotected in our carport and the wind was really blowing so we decided to move the party indoors. That turned out to be just fine...but squeezing anymore in would not have worked well.
Katie (@ Betty Crocker) did her usual great job...she made Cesar salad, chicken burgers, crab dip, home made salsa, 4 different kinds of her special pizzas, lemon pie(Remi loves it...so do I)and homemade brownies...awesome! Bill said it was one of the best pizza's he ever tasted. Sons Kelly and Jeff say the same thing.
So, between 4:30 and 5, Terry and Arlene, Bill and June, Remi and Dana, and Ron and Marie arrived. Then the fun started....good conversation about all sorts of topics, and lots of laughs...Bill is especially hilarious. Terry and Arlene had to leave early as Terry is in a bit of a park texas holdem group.
Lots of fun was had by all until around 8:30 or 9...we are fortunate to have good friends like this in the park, as well as others.
Today in the morning we are just sort of cleaning up and hanging around waiting to have our trailer sprayed for termites. They are not a major problem here but could be if you do not take precautions...so whether we would get them or not...for $35 it is not worth the risk, especially with a new wood floor down.
Then we are supposed to go out for lunch with Terry and Arlene, and we may stop by Ropa Usada to take some pictures...I said in a previous post "You have got to see this".
Lorraine stopped by this morning to say that she has a tee time for us to play with them and possibly Judy on Friday morning.
Nice day today, with a bit of a breeze.
more later....and another great day in the valley.
What's with the last few days?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Haven't posted the last few days, as several people wanted a chance to read about the trip to Mexico. Trouble is...but also good thing about this format is that the latest post is always at the top, and pushes every other one, down...so if folks don't have the time they will sometimes miss the odd good one.
Forgot to post this the other day from the trip to Mexico(see long Mexico account in post below this one)and I think it's priceless.
All of the supplies you see are only half of what was in the back of Sister Maureen's truck...and this cute little one, was one of the helpers to unload.
Katie and I played golf on Friday with Lorraine and Raymond, a fellow named John who is also from Winnipeg and a 72 year old lady whose name I forget. It was the guys in a threesome and the girls also. The 72 year old Katie said was really good...didn't hit the ball far but very consistent and scores in the 80's. I didn't see it but the girls can attest to it...Katie hit a 280 yard drive on the par 4 9th hole at Tierra Del Sol...yikes!
I started off well...tailed off...then picked up my game again...but not really a good game overall.
I let Raymond try my putter...and he immediately started sinking putts all over the place, and if they didn't go in they were tap ins. Guess what? he now has one on order and it should be here in a few days. It is called a Tiger Shark V-5 Greenspeed with a jumbo type grip.
Bob and Judy had everyone over to their place after the game for drinks and snacks and again lots of fun was had by all.
Katie and I played golf again on Sunday...9 holes with the Canadian Group in Edinburg. Guys plays together...girls play together. Again Katie played well shooting 41 and was only beat by one guy who is a very good golfer and he was at 40.
I started off poorly again and pretty much stayed that way...no big scores but basically playing bogey or double bogey golf until the 7th hole, when my slow brain figured out what I was doing wrong. Immediatly I started playing well, with good drives, good iron shots and putting. It was birdie, par, bogey(almost par...rimmed the cup). So I was satisfied and was low in our group.
Then all of us were off to Pizza Hut for Lunch for some good conversation and laughs.
Monday...Katie and I had to do shopping as we are having some people over Tuesday afternoon.
First we went to a place called Ropa Usada...Our friend Remi told us about it...but there are many all over the place. He gets lots of used T Shirts there, which he uses for work shirts, and when he get something on them, they become rags. The reason? 5 to 7 cents a shirt.
We just had to see this...so off we went. What we saw is hard to describe and we didn't have the camera. Mounds of clothes, front end loader pushing then around...people on top of the piles...sifting through the clothes for size and what they want. Unbelievable!!!! You basically buy the clothes by the pound.
You just have to see this...so we will take the camera and return.
We got good news Monday...I had written Sister Maureen...telling her we didn't want to be pests, and she could certainly say no with no reason necessary...but...isn't there always a but?...could we go with her on Thursday back to see Vicky and her family? She said sure no problem...same time, same station,...and Ken and the other Vicky from Pine to Palm would be with her again, and we didn't have to do lunch...we could do coffee afterward.
So, we are looking forward to another visit with our little one, and I have a few Spanish phrases ready to go, hope I can pull it off. We don't want Vicky's brothers and sisters to be left out...so we have something for each member of the family. We found out all the names and ages...Dad: Jose Maria: Mom: Armada: Oldest to youngest: Jorge 8: Maria 7: Jose 6(pancho villa) and Vicky 4 almost 5.
Katie is off playing golf today with the girls...looked like rain this morning...ominous looking clouds...but cleared up pretty quickly.
Then friends this afternoon...Katie has been baking up a storm...hmmm...maybe that is why it looked so much like rain this morning.
more later.....
more good days in the valley
Forgot to post this the other day from the trip to Mexico(see long Mexico account in post below this one)and I think it's priceless.
All of the supplies you see are only half of what was in the back of Sister Maureen's truck...and this cute little one, was one of the helpers to unload.
Katie and I played golf on Friday with Lorraine and Raymond, a fellow named John who is also from Winnipeg and a 72 year old lady whose name I forget. It was the guys in a threesome and the girls also. The 72 year old Katie said was really good...didn't hit the ball far but very consistent and scores in the 80's. I didn't see it but the girls can attest to it...Katie hit a 280 yard drive on the par 4 9th hole at Tierra Del Sol...yikes!
I started off well...tailed off...then picked up my game again...but not really a good game overall.
I let Raymond try my putter...and he immediately started sinking putts all over the place, and if they didn't go in they were tap ins. Guess what? he now has one on order and it should be here in a few days. It is called a Tiger Shark V-5 Greenspeed with a jumbo type grip.
Bob and Judy had everyone over to their place after the game for drinks and snacks and again lots of fun was had by all.
Katie and I played golf again on Sunday...9 holes with the Canadian Group in Edinburg. Guys plays together...girls play together. Again Katie played well shooting 41 and was only beat by one guy who is a very good golfer and he was at 40.
I started off poorly again and pretty much stayed that way...no big scores but basically playing bogey or double bogey golf until the 7th hole, when my slow brain figured out what I was doing wrong. Immediatly I started playing well, with good drives, good iron shots and putting. It was birdie, par, bogey(almost par...rimmed the cup). So I was satisfied and was low in our group.
Then all of us were off to Pizza Hut for Lunch for some good conversation and laughs.
Monday...Katie and I had to do shopping as we are having some people over Tuesday afternoon.
First we went to a place called Ropa Usada...Our friend Remi told us about it...but there are many all over the place. He gets lots of used T Shirts there, which he uses for work shirts, and when he get something on them, they become rags. The reason? 5 to 7 cents a shirt.
We just had to see this...so off we went. What we saw is hard to describe and we didn't have the camera. Mounds of clothes, front end loader pushing then around...people on top of the piles...sifting through the clothes for size and what they want. Unbelievable!!!! You basically buy the clothes by the pound.
You just have to see this...so we will take the camera and return.
We got good news Monday...I had written Sister Maureen...telling her we didn't want to be pests, and she could certainly say no with no reason necessary...but...isn't there always a but?...could we go with her on Thursday back to see Vicky and her family? She said sure no problem...same time, same station,...and Ken and the other Vicky from Pine to Palm would be with her again, and we didn't have to do lunch...we could do coffee afterward.
So, we are looking forward to another visit with our little one, and I have a few Spanish phrases ready to go, hope I can pull it off. We don't want Vicky's brothers and sisters to be left out...so we have something for each member of the family. We found out all the names and ages...Dad: Jose Maria: Mom: Armada: Oldest to youngest: Jorge 8: Maria 7: Jose 6(pancho villa) and Vicky 4 almost 5.
Katie is off playing golf today with the girls...looked like rain this morning...ominous looking clouds...but cleared up pretty quickly.
Then friends this afternoon...Katie has been baking up a storm...hmmm...maybe that is why it looked so much like rain this morning.
more later.....
more good days in the valley
We just had "THE BEST DAY"
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Just got back from Progresso Mexico where we met our "adopted daughter" to sponsor her so she can go to school.
Katie and I spent some time on Wednesday gathering supplies and gifts for Victoria(Vicky) the 5 year old that we are sponsoring in Mexico, so she can go to school. We had a lot of fun...deciding what she would like or not, what she needs for fun and learning, and what the family would appreciate in the way of food. Here is what we came up with...
We made arrangements to meet Sister Maureen, the Catholic Nun who orchestrates all the help these very poor kids and families receive, on the Mexico side of the International Bridge in Neuvo Progresso, Mexico.
At the appointed time 1:15 we saw Sister Maureen's red Ford Truck come across the bridge. At first we didn't know it was her because there were two other passengers in the truck. Turns out it was two permanent residents of Pine to Palms Park in Weslaco who help Sister Maureen. The Lady, coincidentally, happened to be named Vicky. These generous folks are also sponsors and have been coming to Mexico for several years learning the language bit by bit, and learning and helping the families and kids.
Katie and I had put all of our loot in a couple of well constructed type shopping bags, and they were heavy. We did not know how far Vicky's mom might have to carry them as we were not sure what the agenda for the day would be. We put the two bags in a large gym type bag which had wheels and a handle that pulled out. Sister Maureen has a crew cab type truck so there was no room for our bag. I put it in the back and saw that the back of the truck was loaded with bags and boxes of food. There were 25lb bags of rice, boxes of beans, and all sorts of other food stuffs. Katie and I squeezed into the truck with Sister Maureen driving and off we went.
Sister Maureen told us we would be going to Vicky's home, which is on the back streets of Progresso. She was also going to drop off her load of food at two different locations. On the way on the main street we saw the school where Vicky would be going for kindergarten. If you hadn't been told you would not even know it is a school, but the kids who go there all have to wear uniforms, white shirts, skirts, socks and shoes. All the kids who go to school in Mexico have to wear similar uniforms, the only difference being the colors between kindergarten, grade school, and high school.
We drove down the Main Street of Progresso much further than Katie and I had ever been. We finally made a left turn onto a street that they were working on and paving. Sister said this road had been terrible. Sister Maureen calls this "Church" Street as there are several churches on it. When I say churches not the type you would normally think of, but mostly one or two room type buildings and mostly in a state of disrepair.
We turned just short of the Catholic Church, and down a back lane type street with all sorts of one room buildings in much need of repair...It wasn't long before Sister announced that we were pulling up in front of Vicky's place.
As you can see, the fridge is outdoors, as there is no room inside the so called home. It is hard to believe that this is a day to day year to year living arrangement, with really no hope for anything different.
As soon as we pulled up, Vicky and her brothers and sisters came running out of their one room home....and incredibly Vicky went straight for Katie. Katie swept her up in her arms, and Vicky gave her the biggest and longest hug and a kiss that anyone could ever ask for.
Then it was my turn....
I cannot fully describe to you the feeling I had when Vicky wrapped her arms around my neck, put her head on my shoulder, and hung on..and on....and on....and then gave me a big kiss on the cheek....all the time having a big smile on her little face. I won't soon forget the moment or the feeling. I think Katie and I both fell in love with her right then and there, with no words at all spoken.
Then we saw the rest of the family(the De La Cruz Deleon family)...Mom,
Mom, Vicky's Sister, two brothers and Grandma. We didn't get all the names there was just so much going on in the moment and the following hours. Sister Maureen though calls Vicky's brother(the little one in front) "Pancho Villa" as he is always posing and puts a big smile on his face.
Here are a few candid shots....
Behind Grandma is an opening which is a store where another relative not part of Vicky's immediate family sells a few goods to try and make some money.
We learned that Vicky's father who was not present, shines shoes on the main street, and has epilepsy. We also learned that many of the fathers of these families are alcoholics...so the money that is being used...given by sponsors to send the kids to schools, is never given to the fathers...rather kept in a separate fund, for the kids to go to school. This involves uniforms, books, supplies, toilet paper, water, and all sorts of other needs.
One thing that became obvious is when Sister Maureen's Red Truck pulls up...kids and parents come from everywhere...it is a symbol of generosity and caring. When the kids approach you, the first thing each and everyone without fail does, is hold out their hand to shake hands and say "Ola". This was consistent throughout the day.
We learned that in Vicky's family, all the kids are sponsored and now our Vicky is as well. Sister Maureen has a long waiting list and most of the kids have been on it for approx 4 years. Vicky has been on the list since birth. There was another little girl there and one of her brothers still needs a sponsor...more on that later...
After all the hugs and kisses, it was time for Katie and I to take Vicky and her mom along with Sister Maureen out for lunch. Vicky's mom obviously didn't want Vicky to go out for lunch dressed as she was, so she went and put Vicky in a cute skirt. We went back to Main Street and were guided into a very tight parking space by a man in a uniform who does this for a buck or two.
Sister Maureen took us to a bakery with a large restaurant in the back. Sister Maureen said they have the best coffee and she was exactly right. Sister Maureen had breakfast...Vicky's mom, Katie and I all ordered a beef dish which came with fries, tomato, beans, and lettuce. The older Vicky and her husband had pastries from the front. The beef dish turned out to have a piece of thin beef which covered the whole platter so that all the other ingredients were underneath. With a bit of trepidation as we had not ever seen anything quite like it...we cut into it and took a bite. Delicious! and tasted like Veal.
Katie and I each ate half and stopped, so that Vicky and her mom could take the rest home for the rest of the family. Vicky's mom fed Vicky from her plate. Before the main course of the beef arrived, they brought an appetizer of nachos and cheese on two plates. Our little Vicky dug into that Nachos and we couldn't believe how many she ate for such a small frame...along with constantly sipping from her large coke. Then her mom cut up some beef and Vicky dove into that. It was so good to see her enjoying the food. We learned that Vicky has never been out to a restaurant. I forgot to mention that on the way to the restaurant Vicky sat on Katie's lap...so trusting...and just like they have always been together.
Here are some candid's from the restaurant
Jim and Sister Maureen in enjoying a conversation
Our little Vicky
Vicky and her mom
Katie and Vicky
All the extra food was put into take home containers for the rest of the family.
We all left the restaurant and back into the truck, with Vicky taking her spot on Katie's knee. Back to Vicky's house. Lots more hugs and kisses from Vickey for Katie and I, more posing by Pancho Villa and he gave Katie a big hug like Vickey does. Sister Maureen had some letters and gifts from sponsors for the other kids...Katie gave Vicky some bubblegum which she immediately shared with her siblings.
Then very very reluctantly for Katie and I....we were off to our next destination.
It's time for Katie and I to go play golf with Judy, Lorraine, Raymond and some other people, then we're going for drinks after at Bob and Judy's, so I will finish this later....there is more to tell....
Best Day Continued
We continued on in the red truck waving goodbye to our Vicky and her family. Down some more terrible back lane type roads, the trucks suspension taking a beating. We arrived at Carla's house(Little girl sponsored by our friends Terry and Arlene) and across the street lives Miquel...who is sponsored by the Palmers and the Genners.
This is Terry and Arlene's "Carla" very cute
Carla with her mother
This is Carla's House
This is a picture of "Miguel" Sister Maureen said he usually doesn't smile but Katie managed to get him to smile several times...also there were lots of smiles between Carla, her mom, Miguel and his mom due to the gifts sent by Terry and Arlene and the Palmers and the Jenners.
Miguel happily about to open his gifts.
Carla with one of her gifts.
The same story at this location as at Vicky's house. As soon as the red truck pulled up, kids and parents appeared from nowhere. Lots of handshaking and Ola's.
We headed off to the next location, bumping and shaking along. Now it was time to unload half of the large amount of food in the back of the truck. Again kids magically appearing along with some mom's...a couple of these mom's help Sister Maureen by distributing the food to those who need it the most. This is all donated food. Some of the bags are extremely heavy but one little guy hopped in the back and proceeded to grab and drag the goods so that other kids could grab and carry them. One little guy tried to carry a 25 pound bag all by himself and gave me a dirty look when I said I had to help him. The kids all want to carry by themselves. Katie made sure that those who were not so aggressive managed to get something to carry.
After half the foodstuffs were unloaded, Sister Maureen gave each child a candy cane.
Here is the distribution point for half the foodstuffs, you can see a couple of the 25 pound bags of rice on the ground behind the kids.
Sister Maureen with the helpful kids and "Lupe" one of the mothers who helps Sister Maureen.
Some Candid shots....
In this picture the girl in the High School uniform is handing over a cheque that she received from her sponsor to Sister Maureen. They are taught to endorse the cheque, Sister Maureen then cashes it for them and gives them the cash. It is too hard for the kids or parents to set up any kind of bank account for themselves.
Again...each and every child came up to us and shook our hand...so polite and obviously so grateful for anything they get.
Then we were off again...Sister Maureen took us down some more of the back roads so we could see the conditions. Horrible roads and in some cases Sister Maureen who handles the truck very well, is just crawling along as the road is that bad.
On the way back to the Main Street, Saw a Police Toyota Suv pretty new, parked on the street outside the Police Station with 4 flat tires. Another one in the driveway looked to be alright.
Sister Maureen and her helpers from Pine to Palm Park in Weslaco then dropped Katie and I off on the main Street close to the Bridge so we could go and do our shopping.
Many thanks were exchanged in both directions and off they went to drop off the rest of the food in Canales another area several miles further away.
Katie and I just looked at each other, both of us feeling a combination of joy and sadness at what we had just seen. Both of us agreed that we wouldn't trade the experience for anything and wouldn't soon forget it or Vicky's hugs and kisses for that matter.
Now some words about Sister Maureen and her program....
Sister Maureen is a member of the "Sisters of St. Dorothy" and she is based and lives in Progreso, Texas which is across the Rio Grande River and the International Bridge from Progreso, Mexico.
She makes trips to Mexico three times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursday. To get back across the bridge a couple of weeks ago she had to wait on the Bridge lineup for 2 and 1/2 hours to get back home...it is not always like that but talk about dedication!
She distributes letters and gifts from Sponsors every time she goes, and we saw first hand how she knows virtually every child's first name, and stories about each family. She has a Boston Accent, and is self taught in Spanish.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with her, and one can visually see and internally feel the love that she has for the kids and their families. She is one hard working nun!
It is not easy to keep all of this straight and to administer the "Las Flores Education Fund" as it is known.
What can I say about Sister Maureen? She is performing "Saintly" work. This really has nothing to do with religion...it is her vocation at work! I'm pretty sure that she does not often stop to think about how many people's lives she is touching in a positive way...Mexican kids and their parents...and all of us who chose to sponsor a child for school...all because of what she is doing!!! I can only say that for the majority of people, this work would just be too hard, so they would not do it.
Many thanks Sister Maureen! What would they do without you?
For those of you who agree with us that this is a very worthwhile project and wish to become a donor...
The cost for kindergarten and elementary is $180/yr and can be paid monthly, quarterly, and bi-annually.
For High School it is $240 with the same options.
Don't forget Sister Maureen has an extremely large waiting list.
THESE KIDS NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL! and anyone can sponsor...just think
of what you have and what they have.
you could write to Sister Maureen Crosby
c/o Sisters of St. Dorothy
Las Flores Education Fund
P.O. Box 147
Progreso, Tx 78589
email mcrosby@cdob.org
Well that's my account of "Our Best Day", hope you enjoyed the insights!
Katie and I spent some time on Wednesday gathering supplies and gifts for Victoria(Vicky) the 5 year old that we are sponsoring in Mexico, so she can go to school. We had a lot of fun...deciding what she would like or not, what she needs for fun and learning, and what the family would appreciate in the way of food. Here is what we came up with...
We made arrangements to meet Sister Maureen, the Catholic Nun who orchestrates all the help these very poor kids and families receive, on the Mexico side of the International Bridge in Neuvo Progresso, Mexico.
At the appointed time 1:15 we saw Sister Maureen's red Ford Truck come across the bridge. At first we didn't know it was her because there were two other passengers in the truck. Turns out it was two permanent residents of Pine to Palms Park in Weslaco who help Sister Maureen. The Lady, coincidentally, happened to be named Vicky. These generous folks are also sponsors and have been coming to Mexico for several years learning the language bit by bit, and learning and helping the families and kids.
Katie and I had put all of our loot in a couple of well constructed type shopping bags, and they were heavy. We did not know how far Vicky's mom might have to carry them as we were not sure what the agenda for the day would be. We put the two bags in a large gym type bag which had wheels and a handle that pulled out. Sister Maureen has a crew cab type truck so there was no room for our bag. I put it in the back and saw that the back of the truck was loaded with bags and boxes of food. There were 25lb bags of rice, boxes of beans, and all sorts of other food stuffs. Katie and I squeezed into the truck with Sister Maureen driving and off we went.
Sister Maureen told us we would be going to Vicky's home, which is on the back streets of Progresso. She was also going to drop off her load of food at two different locations. On the way on the main street we saw the school where Vicky would be going for kindergarten. If you hadn't been told you would not even know it is a school, but the kids who go there all have to wear uniforms, white shirts, skirts, socks and shoes. All the kids who go to school in Mexico have to wear similar uniforms, the only difference being the colors between kindergarten, grade school, and high school.
We drove down the Main Street of Progresso much further than Katie and I had ever been. We finally made a left turn onto a street that they were working on and paving. Sister said this road had been terrible. Sister Maureen calls this "Church" Street as there are several churches on it. When I say churches not the type you would normally think of, but mostly one or two room type buildings and mostly in a state of disrepair.
We turned just short of the Catholic Church, and down a back lane type street with all sorts of one room buildings in much need of repair...It wasn't long before Sister announced that we were pulling up in front of Vicky's place.
As you can see, the fridge is outdoors, as there is no room inside the so called home. It is hard to believe that this is a day to day year to year living arrangement, with really no hope for anything different.
As soon as we pulled up, Vicky and her brothers and sisters came running out of their one room home....and incredibly Vicky went straight for Katie. Katie swept her up in her arms, and Vicky gave her the biggest and longest hug and a kiss that anyone could ever ask for.
Then it was my turn....
I cannot fully describe to you the feeling I had when Vicky wrapped her arms around my neck, put her head on my shoulder, and hung on..and on....and on....and then gave me a big kiss on the cheek....all the time having a big smile on her little face. I won't soon forget the moment or the feeling. I think Katie and I both fell in love with her right then and there, with no words at all spoken.
Then we saw the rest of the family(the De La Cruz Deleon family)...Mom,
Mom, Vicky's Sister, two brothers and Grandma. We didn't get all the names there was just so much going on in the moment and the following hours. Sister Maureen though calls Vicky's brother(the little one in front) "Pancho Villa" as he is always posing and puts a big smile on his face.
Here are a few candid shots....
Behind Grandma is an opening which is a store where another relative not part of Vicky's immediate family sells a few goods to try and make some money.
We learned that Vicky's father who was not present, shines shoes on the main street, and has epilepsy. We also learned that many of the fathers of these families are alcoholics...so the money that is being used...given by sponsors to send the kids to schools, is never given to the fathers...rather kept in a separate fund, for the kids to go to school. This involves uniforms, books, supplies, toilet paper, water, and all sorts of other needs.
One thing that became obvious is when Sister Maureen's Red Truck pulls up...kids and parents come from everywhere...it is a symbol of generosity and caring. When the kids approach you, the first thing each and everyone without fail does, is hold out their hand to shake hands and say "Ola". This was consistent throughout the day.
We learned that in Vicky's family, all the kids are sponsored and now our Vicky is as well. Sister Maureen has a long waiting list and most of the kids have been on it for approx 4 years. Vicky has been on the list since birth. There was another little girl there and one of her brothers still needs a sponsor...more on that later...
After all the hugs and kisses, it was time for Katie and I to take Vicky and her mom along with Sister Maureen out for lunch. Vicky's mom obviously didn't want Vicky to go out for lunch dressed as she was, so she went and put Vicky in a cute skirt. We went back to Main Street and were guided into a very tight parking space by a man in a uniform who does this for a buck or two.
Sister Maureen took us to a bakery with a large restaurant in the back. Sister Maureen said they have the best coffee and she was exactly right. Sister Maureen had breakfast...Vicky's mom, Katie and I all ordered a beef dish which came with fries, tomato, beans, and lettuce. The older Vicky and her husband had pastries from the front. The beef dish turned out to have a piece of thin beef which covered the whole platter so that all the other ingredients were underneath. With a bit of trepidation as we had not ever seen anything quite like it...we cut into it and took a bite. Delicious! and tasted like Veal.
Katie and I each ate half and stopped, so that Vicky and her mom could take the rest home for the rest of the family. Vicky's mom fed Vicky from her plate. Before the main course of the beef arrived, they brought an appetizer of nachos and cheese on two plates. Our little Vicky dug into that Nachos and we couldn't believe how many she ate for such a small frame...along with constantly sipping from her large coke. Then her mom cut up some beef and Vicky dove into that. It was so good to see her enjoying the food. We learned that Vicky has never been out to a restaurant. I forgot to mention that on the way to the restaurant Vicky sat on Katie's lap...so trusting...and just like they have always been together.
Here are some candid's from the restaurant
Jim and Sister Maureen in enjoying a conversation
Our little Vicky
Vicky and her mom
Katie and Vicky
All the extra food was put into take home containers for the rest of the family.
We all left the restaurant and back into the truck, with Vicky taking her spot on Katie's knee. Back to Vicky's house. Lots more hugs and kisses from Vickey for Katie and I, more posing by Pancho Villa and he gave Katie a big hug like Vickey does. Sister Maureen had some letters and gifts from sponsors for the other kids...Katie gave Vicky some bubblegum which she immediately shared with her siblings.
Then very very reluctantly for Katie and I....we were off to our next destination.
It's time for Katie and I to go play golf with Judy, Lorraine, Raymond and some other people, then we're going for drinks after at Bob and Judy's, so I will finish this later....there is more to tell....
Best Day Continued
We continued on in the red truck waving goodbye to our Vicky and her family. Down some more terrible back lane type roads, the trucks suspension taking a beating. We arrived at Carla's house(Little girl sponsored by our friends Terry and Arlene) and across the street lives Miquel...who is sponsored by the Palmers and the Genners.
The same story at this location as at Vicky's house. As soon as the red truck pulled up, kids and parents appeared from nowhere. Lots of handshaking and Ola's.
We headed off to the next location, bumping and shaking along. Now it was time to unload half of the large amount of food in the back of the truck. Again kids magically appearing along with some mom's...a couple of these mom's help Sister Maureen by distributing the food to those who need it the most. This is all donated food. Some of the bags are extremely heavy but one little guy hopped in the back and proceeded to grab and drag the goods so that other kids could grab and carry them. One little guy tried to carry a 25 pound bag all by himself and gave me a dirty look when I said I had to help him. The kids all want to carry by themselves. Katie made sure that those who were not so aggressive managed to get something to carry.
After half the foodstuffs were unloaded, Sister Maureen gave each child a candy cane.
Some Candid shots....
Again...each and every child came up to us and shook our hand...so polite and obviously so grateful for anything they get.
Then we were off again...Sister Maureen took us down some more of the back roads so we could see the conditions. Horrible roads and in some cases Sister Maureen who handles the truck very well, is just crawling along as the road is that bad.
On the way back to the Main Street, Saw a Police Toyota Suv pretty new, parked on the street outside the Police Station with 4 flat tires. Another one in the driveway looked to be alright.
Sister Maureen and her helpers from Pine to Palm Park in Weslaco then dropped Katie and I off on the main Street close to the Bridge so we could go and do our shopping.
Many thanks were exchanged in both directions and off they went to drop off the rest of the food in Canales another area several miles further away.
Katie and I just looked at each other, both of us feeling a combination of joy and sadness at what we had just seen. Both of us agreed that we wouldn't trade the experience for anything and wouldn't soon forget it or Vicky's hugs and kisses for that matter.
Now some words about Sister Maureen and her program....
Sister Maureen is a member of the "Sisters of St. Dorothy" and she is based and lives in Progreso, Texas which is across the Rio Grande River and the International Bridge from Progreso, Mexico.
She makes trips to Mexico three times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursday. To get back across the bridge a couple of weeks ago she had to wait on the Bridge lineup for 2 and 1/2 hours to get back home...it is not always like that but talk about dedication!
She distributes letters and gifts from Sponsors every time she goes, and we saw first hand how she knows virtually every child's first name, and stories about each family. She has a Boston Accent, and is self taught in Spanish.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with her, and one can visually see and internally feel the love that she has for the kids and their families. She is one hard working nun!
It is not easy to keep all of this straight and to administer the "Las Flores Education Fund" as it is known.
What can I say about Sister Maureen? She is performing "Saintly" work. This really has nothing to do with religion...it is her vocation at work! I'm pretty sure that she does not often stop to think about how many people's lives she is touching in a positive way...Mexican kids and their parents...and all of us who chose to sponsor a child for school...all because of what she is doing!!! I can only say that for the majority of people, this work would just be too hard, so they would not do it.
Many thanks Sister Maureen! What would they do without you?
For those of you who agree with us that this is a very worthwhile project and wish to become a donor...
The cost for kindergarten and elementary is $180/yr and can be paid monthly, quarterly, and bi-annually.
For High School it is $240 with the same options.
Don't forget Sister Maureen has an extremely large waiting list.
THESE KIDS NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL! and anyone can sponsor...just think
of what you have and what they have.
you could write to Sister Maureen Crosby
c/o Sisters of St. Dorothy
Las Flores Education Fund
P.O. Box 147
Progreso, Tx 78589
email mcrosby@cdob.org
Well that's my account of "Our Best Day", hope you enjoyed the insights!
Golf Day Today
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Katie and I went golfing today next door at Tierra Del Sol with Steve and Janet who used to rent our mobile but now own their own.
Started off being a pretty nice day as it was overcast and not to hot. Pace was pretty good. Katie continues to play well, and I am not totally unsatisfied with my game, just need to improve the little things.
It was a good day with Steve and Janet, Katie shot 88 and I shot 91. Hmmm...second time she has beat me this week.
We found out that the unit we thought we might get for Al is unavailable...so the hunt continues.
Katie had to do a load of laundry at the Rec Hall and I did a few chores while she did that.
We made a loaf of whole wheat bread in the bread maker and it did it's thing while we were playing golf. Came home and there it was...warm and ready.
The hunt will continue for a unit for Al tomorrow.
Watched some TV and we sat outside for awhile as it was a beautiful night with a nice little breeze.
more later....and another great day in the valley
Started off being a pretty nice day as it was overcast and not to hot. Pace was pretty good. Katie continues to play well, and I am not totally unsatisfied with my game, just need to improve the little things.
It was a good day with Steve and Janet, Katie shot 88 and I shot 91. Hmmm...second time she has beat me this week.
We found out that the unit we thought we might get for Al is unavailable...so the hunt continues.
Katie had to do a load of laundry at the Rec Hall and I did a few chores while she did that.
We made a loaf of whole wheat bread in the bread maker and it did it's thing while we were playing golf. Came home and there it was...warm and ready.
The hunt will continue for a unit for Al tomorrow.
Watched some TV and we sat outside for awhile as it was a beautiful night with a nice little breeze.
more later....and another great day in the valley
Some shopping and happy hour
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
We went and looked at a trailer for rent for Al. Has definite possibilities but we're not sure yet if it will be available.
Katie and I decided to goto downtown McAllen Main Street where there are all sorts of shops with a variety of things. We went last year, it is just fun to browse around. There are lots of perfume stores, dollar type stores, cheap electronics, shoes and purses etc.
We got a few odds and ends that we were looking for...and just walked around for a couple of hours.
We went to our friends Bill and June at about 4:30 for happy hour. They had about 6 other couples there...most we had met or are friends with and a few we hadn't. They made a great supper with Bill barbecuing pork tenderloin and chicken along with Cesar salad and all the trimmings.
Remi mentioned the other day that he had a real lemon pie at someone's home in the park and really enjoyed. it. Katie made one from scratch and took it over and it was a big hit.
Lots of libations were enjoyed, and there was lots of good and interesting conversations, and a ton of laughs. Bill is always funny anyway but gets even more so in this kind of environment.
All I can say is that the company was good, the food was great, and a good time was had by all.
We didn't get home until close to ten as it was a beautiful night with a night light breeze sitting on Bill's deck.
Then it was some catching up on Japan and off to bed. Golf on Tuesday with Steve and Janet.
Katie and I decided to goto downtown McAllen Main Street where there are all sorts of shops with a variety of things. We went last year, it is just fun to browse around. There are lots of perfume stores, dollar type stores, cheap electronics, shoes and purses etc.
We got a few odds and ends that we were looking for...and just walked around for a couple of hours.
We went to our friends Bill and June at about 4:30 for happy hour. They had about 6 other couples there...most we had met or are friends with and a few we hadn't. They made a great supper with Bill barbecuing pork tenderloin and chicken along with Cesar salad and all the trimmings.
Remi mentioned the other day that he had a real lemon pie at someone's home in the park and really enjoyed. it. Katie made one from scratch and took it over and it was a big hit.
Lots of libations were enjoyed, and there was lots of good and interesting conversations, and a ton of laughs. Bill is always funny anyway but gets even more so in this kind of environment.
All I can say is that the company was good, the food was great, and a good time was had by all.
We didn't get home until close to ten as it was a beautiful night with a night light breeze sitting on Bill's deck.
Then it was some catching up on Japan and off to bed. Golf on Tuesday with Steve and Janet.
Restful Saturday and Golf Sunday
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Katie and I went back to Don-West Flea Market and picked up our cedar sign. The flea market was packed...the sign guy didn't have our sign ready, I didn't think he would, he always focuses on new business...can't blame him...but he sanded down our sign, put new shellac on and we were on our way in a couple of minutes.
Today, Katie and I went golfing with The Canada Group, playing 9 holes at Ebony Golf Course in Edinberg. It was a lot of fun, the ladies played together and so did the men. Katie wowed many of the women and the course marshall with her ability to hit the long ball. She shot 43 and that was with a 7 on the 8th hole with a very tricky green...miss the hole and chase your ball a few feet. Well she beat me, I shot 44, hit my drives very well, but not so great on some of my iron shots. We are likely going to do the same thing next week. Our friends Bill and June picked us up, and after the game the whole group...approx 20 went for breakfast.
Just relaxing tonight...great to see Jeff Stoughton won the Brier...Good for him and his team.
We're both tired...so off to bed to try and get caught up on the clocks moving forward...it was an early morning.
more later....
and another great day in the valley
Today, Katie and I went golfing with The Canada Group, playing 9 holes at Ebony Golf Course in Edinberg. It was a lot of fun, the ladies played together and so did the men. Katie wowed many of the women and the course marshall with her ability to hit the long ball. She shot 43 and that was with a 7 on the 8th hole with a very tricky green...miss the hole and chase your ball a few feet. Well she beat me, I shot 44, hit my drives very well, but not so great on some of my iron shots. We are likely going to do the same thing next week. Our friends Bill and June picked us up, and after the game the whole group...approx 20 went for breakfast.
Just relaxing tonight...great to see Jeff Stoughton won the Brier...Good for him and his team.
We're both tired...so off to bed to try and get caught up on the clocks moving forward...it was an early morning.
more later....
and another great day in the valley
Golf Day and 50's 60's 70's Dance
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Katie and I went at 10AM to see a trailer just down the street for rent next year. We are looking for my friend Al, so he can come and enjoy himself here with the rest of us. He was actually looking for a two bedroom place, but they are no that easy to find for three months...most people want to rent their units for 4 months to cover the costs. Most will also not rent to anyone with a pet...and he has a small dog.
Turns out this is quite a nice unit, has a new roof and new air conditioning/heating unit...but the owner really wants to try to rent it for 4 months, while Al only wants 3 maximum...it is also for sale...so we will see and also keep looking.
We had a tee time of 11:50 at Tierra Del Sol, which is right next door. Terry and Arlene are playing with us. Katie and I hit a few balls first...I always seem to need that...but I don't feel so bad...so do the pros, haha.
We teed off early and Katie was hitting great drives on the front nine. She shot 46 despite the fact she didn't play all last year because she had a herniated disc in her back. Apart from a bad hole or two she could easily have shot 42 or 43 the way she was playing. Arlene was hitting the ball better than ever as well and improves every year. Terry was also playing very well. I wasn't playing bad on the front but not great either 46.
Terry and Arlene only played 9, so Katie and I continued on. Katie still played well, and shot another 46. I played better on the back and shot 43...so in the end just beat Katie by 1. The round took 4 1/2 hours.
The guys who leveled our trailer finally came by for their cash.
We started to get ready to go to the 50's, 60's, 70's dance. Down here you take your own drinks including alcoholic beverages that you want to drink. The park supplies the ice, and in this case...hot dogs..chips...and ice cream, as well as the dance for the exorbitant price of $5 each.
Music was played by Bob Flock another ex-copper, and it was very good. We sat with Remi and his wife Dana and she had a great costume, a really long blond wig, cashmere sweater, big sun glasses, a hoop skirt, bobby socks, and white and tan shoes...she looked so good.
They had a bubble gum blowing contest, the bubble gum was on the tables...Katie started to collect a supply and entered the contest. She did really well but didn't win although she requests a measurement...lol.
I didn't capture a picture at the right time of her masterpiece but here is some of the fun....
She had lot of encouragement with cheering and clapping...as it appears we have made a lot of friends in the park. It was lots of fun. That's Katie in the PLAIN blue top with the beginning of a large bubble.
We did lots of dancing and Katie and I won a spot dance...and got a bottle of Liquor called "Hot Sex"...whoooo hoooo!...delivered by our friend June who was also in costume...and one of the organizers.
Katie kept putting her arm on mine as she got a bit too much sun...so there was lots of heat emanating from her arm...I was red on the arms too but not quite as much as her.
It was a very fun night.
and so ended another great day in the valley
more later....
Turns out this is quite a nice unit, has a new roof and new air conditioning/heating unit...but the owner really wants to try to rent it for 4 months, while Al only wants 3 maximum...it is also for sale...so we will see and also keep looking.
We had a tee time of 11:50 at Tierra Del Sol, which is right next door. Terry and Arlene are playing with us. Katie and I hit a few balls first...I always seem to need that...but I don't feel so bad...so do the pros, haha.
We teed off early and Katie was hitting great drives on the front nine. She shot 46 despite the fact she didn't play all last year because she had a herniated disc in her back. Apart from a bad hole or two she could easily have shot 42 or 43 the way she was playing. Arlene was hitting the ball better than ever as well and improves every year. Terry was also playing very well. I wasn't playing bad on the front but not great either 46.
Terry and Arlene only played 9, so Katie and I continued on. Katie still played well, and shot another 46. I played better on the back and shot 43...so in the end just beat Katie by 1. The round took 4 1/2 hours.
The guys who leveled our trailer finally came by for their cash.
We started to get ready to go to the 50's, 60's, 70's dance. Down here you take your own drinks including alcoholic beverages that you want to drink. The park supplies the ice, and in this case...hot dogs..chips...and ice cream, as well as the dance for the exorbitant price of $5 each.
Music was played by Bob Flock another ex-copper, and it was very good. We sat with Remi and his wife Dana and she had a great costume, a really long blond wig, cashmere sweater, big sun glasses, a hoop skirt, bobby socks, and white and tan shoes...she looked so good.
They had a bubble gum blowing contest, the bubble gum was on the tables...Katie started to collect a supply and entered the contest. She did really well but didn't win although she requests a measurement...lol.
I didn't capture a picture at the right time of her masterpiece but here is some of the fun....
She had lot of encouragement with cheering and clapping...as it appears we have made a lot of friends in the park. It was lots of fun. That's Katie in the PLAIN blue top with the beginning of a large bubble.
We did lots of dancing and Katie and I won a spot dance...and got a bottle of Liquor called "Hot Sex"...whoooo hoooo!...delivered by our friend June who was also in costume...and one of the organizers.
Katie kept putting her arm on mine as she got a bit too much sun...so there was lots of heat emanating from her arm...I was red on the arms too but not quite as much as her.
It was a very fun night.
and so ended another great day in the valley
more later....
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