Days 145 & 146 - Saturday & Sunday, April 4 & 5 - HAPPY EASTER, HE HAS RISEN!!!

Lots of empty spaces at the campground. Only 3 units in the two pull through sites out front. 

Our next door neighbors banana tree.

Saturday's highlight was driving over to Arby's for fish sandwiches. It's almost on the other side of town, 6 miles, 9 minutes, a heady experience for two old folks. As I walked a lap around the campground in the afternoon Jim and Debbie were doing a lap in their golf cart. They told me that I should consider putting our car in one of the vacant carports. Pete had told them that he just heard we were supposed to get high winds and damaging hail overnight. When I got back to the coach I did move my motorcycle into one and made sure loose items were battened down. Then I checked the weather; rain, maybe even heavy rain was in the forecast, but no high winds nor hail. I didn't bother moving the car.

It started raining about 4:30AM Sunday and rained steadily until around 2:00PM. Weatherbug says we got 1.6" in Harlingen. Another app says 2.4". At the campground it was mostly a nice steady rain. Kathy read a report that said over in Donna, about 25 miles west of us, they had some street flooding. This is the first significant we have had since early December. Chris, the Cowboy Church Pastor, has been feeding his cattle and horses hay for over a month, his pastures were dried up. The bottom line is that while this rain messed up all the outdoor Sunrise Services it was a blessing. 

We had planned on going to the Arena Sunrise Service at the Cowboy Church, at 6:45AM. Because of the rain the service was moved to the barn, some type of livestock was to be involved in the service. The rain, coupled with parking in a muddy pasture field and walking a good distance to the barn, made us decide to skip the Sunrise Service. Kathy went to the campground church service. When she got home it was still raining and we decided to stay home rather than wrestle with the muddy parking lot and rain.

While Kathy was at church I made myself and excellent Easter breakfast. Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, peppers & salsa; fried potatoes with onions; ham; English Muffins and coffee. YUM, YUM!

The campground Easter Dinner was at 1:00PM. Attendance was great, especially considering how many folks have already headed north.

First pass through the buffett line.

While I was in bed last night I was thinking about Easter and the song Up From the Grave He Arose. It got me to thinking about the thoughts going through Christ's followers mind on Easter morning. 

When they entered Jerusalem with Jesus they were still expecting a David like king, one who would drive out the Romans. When they came to arrest Jesus the disciples were ready to fight (Luke 22:49&50). Then Jesus allowed himself to be arrested, tried and crucified. What must have been going through the disciples minds during the 3 days prior to the resurrection? When they found the empty tomb they were perplexed. Their reaction was, what had happened to his body, not He Arose. Later that day, in the upper room, when Jesus appeared to them they thought he was a ghost,  not the resurrected Messiah. It seems that after he ate the piece of fish they began to believe that he was the resurrected Messiah. At that time I think they were close to being ready to sing Up From the Grave He Arose.

Singing that song Sunday evening seems more appropriate to me, but, since I have access to the entire story, and I know the ending, maybe singing it any time should be appropriate. 

Thank you Jesus for opening the door to Heaven to all who believe! 

What a day that will be

When my Jesus I shall see

And I look upon HIs face

The one who saved me by His grace

When He takes me by the hand

And leads me through the Promised Land

What a day, glorious day that will be.

God is good. I pray the He bless you  and yours. He has blessed me.

Days 143 & 144 - Thursday & Friday, April 2 & 3 - We are Boring

 Nothing much happening here, just some grocery shopping. The campground continues to lose Winter Texans. 

Weather has been warm, high 80's and windy, but no rain.

I went over and visited with  Dennis this afternoon, the guy from Michigan's UP. I asked him about campgrounds at lakes, near where he and his wife live, Gwinn, MI. They have a home on a 30 acre lake (Bertrand Lake). He invited us to spend some time with them when we are in the UP. He said he has plenty of room for us to park and we could hook up to water and electricity.

When we leave next week I think we will go home via NE Mississippi, so that I can have our coach maintenance guy fix a few things. One of our water lines in the coach developed a small leak. I think I know where the leak is but, short of removing the shower stall, I don't see how to get to it.

The leaking line is along the floor, at the left end of cabinet/wall.

Access panel removed.

I think the leaking line is one of the two shown below.

I think the coupling with the screw type hose clamp is leaking. 

It seems crazy to drive 400 miles out  of my way to have  repairs made but I have not been able to find anyone in central Missouri who I trust to work on our coach. 

God is good. I pray that He bless you and yours. He has blessed me.

Days 140, 141 & 142 - Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, March 30 & 31 and April 1 - Not Much Activity

 Not to much happening. We did get a very light rain one day, but not even enough to wet the asphalt street in front of the coach. 

I spend several hours a day working on Spanish. I am embarrassed at incredibly slow pace of my learning.

We took Cindy to the airport this morning. She is safely back in Ohio.

Kelsey got some good news on here van. It appears that Chrysler is to repair it (replace the camshaft) and ship it to her in Missouri. They might even pay for her rental car. Her van only has 36k miles on it.

God is good. I pray that He bless you and yours. He has blessed me.

PS. If interested you can read my views on birthright citizenship at

 https://bertspoliticalviews.blogspot.com/2026/04/birthright-citizenship.html

Days 138 & 139 - Saturday & Sunday, March 28 & 29 - Slow Days

 Kathy and Cindy went to the Don Wes Flea Market on Saturday. On Sunday the three of us went to the Cowboy Church. Not much exciting happening with us.

Kelsey and the kids has a little more excitement. Saturday morning the mechanic told them that they wouldn't get the parts they thing they need until Tuesday. Kelsey rented a car and they  headed for Centertown, They arrived at 1:55AM Sunday.

Below are some photos Kelsey took during the week.

Nolan's work with the beach sand.

Kathy and Cindy.

Group photo

Lydia, Nolan & Kelsey

The sand dunes on South Padre Island

God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours. He has blessed me.

Days 136 & 137 - Thursday & Friday, March 26 & 27 - Final Days on Padre Island

 Getting arranged for group photo, to be taken by Nolans camera. I missed getting Cindy & Nolan in the photo.

Eating dockside. Immediately on the far side of this building are the docks, and lots of fishing boats.

Condo street side. The french doors opened into our bedroom. The glass blocks were part of the wall of our walk in shower.

Cindy, Kelsey & kids did more exploring, some sea turtle place. Kathy & I  stayed at the condo.

This morning we packed up and headed home. Cindy, Kathy & I arrived back at the RV and got unpacked with  no issues. Kelsey sent us a text about a half hour after she and the kids left. Lydia forgot her backpack. They were turning around and going back to get it.

Around 4 PM Kelsey sent us another text saying that the check engine light came on in her Chrysler van. Fortunately they were close to a Chrysler dealer. The "engine code' said a cylinder was not firing correctly. They are spending the night at a Hampton Inn in La Grange, TX, about 12 hours from home, Centertown, MO. Hopefully it is just a bad coil, which the dealership can fix in the morning.

God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours. He has blessed me.

Days 134 & 135 - Tuesday & Wednesday, March 24 & 25 - At the Beach

 Weather is great. Enjoying relaxing at the beach.

From our balcony.

Lydia, Nolan & Kathy enjoying the beach.

South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center

From tower, looking east at oceanside.

From tower, looking west toward mainland. The walkways are part of the nature center.

Feeding tortoises lettuce

Looking back at nature center tower.

Multiple schools of fish like this. Don't know why birds aren't after them. The fish are 12-15" long.

Along edge of parking lot the waste water treatment facility is being enlarged. You have to walk around it to get back to the parking lot.

We stopped at a group of food trucks for lunch. I had a chili cheese dog, Kelsey & Lydia shared tacos. We stopped at a McDonalds on the way back to the condo so that Nolan could get a Big Mac. He was even less adventuresome than me.

God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours. He has blessed me.

Condo Photos

This is the South Padre Island condo where we are spending the week with Kelsey (granddaughter), Lydia & Nolan (great-grandchildren) & Cindy (Kathy's youngest sister).

Kitchen - 2nd floor

Dining Room and Living Room - 2nd floor

View from 2nd floor balcony

Sunrise our first morning

The person on the beach appeared to be filming the sunrise.

We are in the structure in the center, in the condo on the right end.

Zoomed in. In addition to the kitchen, DR & LR the master bedroom, a full bath and a half bath is on the 2nd floor. A two car garage, two bedrooms, a bath with a shower and a bath with a tub/shower are on the first floor. The first floor "porch" has what is called a "pool". Its big enough to get in and get wet, about the size of a hot tub, but not heated.

Looking south down the beach.

Looking north up the beach.

We are enjoying our stay.

God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours. He has blessed me.