November 9, 1995

Hello to all of you, from both of us:

Right now we’re in  Tyler State Park just outside Tyler, Texas and the wind is rocking the trailer and the day is very warm. A storm may be brewing; tomorrow it is to rain and grow colder. (Colder being 60 degrees in this place.)

We left a message on your phone on the way here several days ago but, since your machine is erratic, we’re not sure you found it. Anyway we need to bring you up to date on what has happened since we last communicated and what will be happening, next, and where.

When the teeth were finished, we headed toward Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas, meaning to stay there several days. Just outside Bentonville, two miles from the Chevrolet Agency thank goodness, the U joint in our car started shrieking. It was almost worn through and about to fall off. The Agency people were great–quick, friendly service; for just $67 they made repairs in an hour and we reached Devil’s Den on schedule.( Lots of hiking trails and biking trails there. You might enjoy the place. I enclosed the brochure plus information about other Arkansas State Parks. Millwood was nice; we stayed there overnight; haven’t tried the others.)

Next morning, at Devil’s Den, more trouble. The trailer’s power converter failed in the night. No lights, fridge off, batteries dead, and being hooked to electricity made no difference. The converter changes the AC into DC to operate the lights, furnace, and fridge controls. It was cold at Devil’s Den so a kind maintenance man, a delightful man! a lovely man! loaned us a park electric heater which bypassed the trailer system and kept us warm. The car recharged the batteries to keep the fridge on, but we couldn’t turn on even one light. If we did the battery would be zapped to zero, and the fridge would stop. We stayed at Devil’s Den, however, through that day and night; we couldn’t find anyone in the area to fix the converter. And–we enjoyed ourselves. We hiked and biked. We played Scrabble by candlelight and used our flashlights for everything else,and it probably looked like spooky goings on from outside the trailer. Dad(G’pa) even shaved by flashlight without cutting himself. Hallelujah! Selah!(This is where the choir ought to sing.) The next morning, our pipes were frozen. So we headed south to find warmth and repairs. All this reminded us that no matter what kind of life one chooses to live, teeth will hurt and cars will break down, the power will go off, and the pipes will freeze, and good people will help you or else you’ll figure it out, do it yourself, and move on.

We made an appointment with a RV Repair place in Tyler, stayed in a Motel there one night, and spent over $400 to get the converter repaired. Afterwards, we came here to the park to make sure it works before we move on; it seems to; so far. And this is a gorgeous place. We’re parked next to the lake, surrounded by a wondrous view in all directions. There’s  more hiking and biking, here, and there are also wild critters and wild moments..

While walking at night, we heard an armadillo run across the pavement; it sounded as if it were wearing little tap shoes. We found a porch swing on a frame overlooking a lake and I tried it out. A perfect place to draw or write or read poetry. And there are regular kid swings, here, and I tried them out too. Swinging sometimes qualifies as a wild moment; I’m sure of it. We’ve also been quacked at by 23 ducks, marching past in two long rows–mama and papa Mallards plus one bachelor. We’ve seen a mud hen riding the waves in the lake. And there are geese. There are four goofball qeese that waddle, and four gorgeous, dignified geese that float the lake as smoothly as a flotilla of sailboats. The gorgeous geese repeat a rich, alto “Honka” deep in their throats. A large mallard duck hangs out with these. Last night, G’Pa was charcoaling hamburgers when I heard a loud noise. It sounded like several huge screen doors with rusty, squeaking hinges. I looked out and, there he was, surrounded by the goofball geese; they were all yelling at him; and he was grinning in a silly way. I looked out again and a mama raccoon and her two babies had joined the gang. I half-way expected to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs show up and start singing. When the goofy geese walk, they sway from side to side and resemble wide-bottomed ladies wearing aprons.

We’re planning a junk-food dinner, this evening. Already bought the goods; if the wind allows, we’ll do a campfire and cook hotdogs and have smors. And no doubt the loud-mouthed geese will join us. They tend to line up and stare at the windows even when food is cooking inside; they manage a soulful, hungry look somehow. If it’s too windy, we’ll do the hot dogs inside and eat Blue Bell Ice Cream Sandwich and Cone; we found those and a snicker bar just up the road.

We wanted to stay here until Sunday when we head for Bryan to see Al and Dorothy but this place is full from Friday on. So tomorrow afternoon, we’re moving four miles away to a private Park called “Whispering Pines.” I won’t give you a number there because by the time you get this letter, we’ll be in Bryan. Al’s number is 409-776-1506. We’ll be at a trailer park there Sunday Nov. 12 and Monday the 13. We leave Tuesday and head for Schulenberg, Texas. The number at that campground is 409-743-4388. We only stay there November 14 and 15. From Thursday, November 16 until Sunday, November 26 we’ll be in the campground at Goose Island State Park–still in Texas. The phone number there (if the cellular doesn’t work there) is 512-729-2858.

And that brings us all up to date. And I need to print this and a copy of the Egg Plant Pasta which I’ll enclose with the other stuff. All of you take care, breath through your noses(I understand that breathing through noses and not mouths runs abrasive things through your nose hairs and filters them out of your systems; whether it works with abrasive people, I don’t know. Maybe just thinking of the possibility will help.)  Love, Mom and Dad; G’pa and G’ma.