Texas …With a big T!

We spent about 2 1/2 weeks in Texas in March. When we left home in Kansas City it was a big 7 degrees. 2 days later when we arrived in Del Rio, TX it was 70! To settle in to our unexpected campground at Lake Amistad we found a dandy site with a lake view and Mexico a stones throw. Our reservations we had FELL THROUGH when the pipe line crews came in town. There wasn’t an RV Park with a site in town. The lake had a lot to offer but no hook ups. Thankfully we had our solar panel, a full tank of water, and a propane stove. I’ll say it again, I love our Airstream! Home away from home.

Derald was leaving for 5 days with his guide, Shane Davies of River Run Guide Service, to kayak fish for bass on the Devils River. I was in hopes of painting and taking care of our 3 dogs. It all started well. 2 days in our 11 year old Jack Russell, Woody, who now runs on 3 legs, has 1/2 his teeth, and thinks he’s as big as a Great Dane, fell ill. I knew from his eyes something was wrong. I was monitoring them all closely. My biggest fear was rattle snakes. Then of course there was hardly any area with anything vaguely similar to grass that didn’t have thorns. By the first day 2 of 3 dogs had thorns in their paws. Long story short, kidney stones. BIG Stones, as in SO LARGE the vet suggested surgery ASAP. I made the executive decision to proceed, after a few tears. Woody is technically Deralds baby. The last of the Jack Russel line his now deceased mother bred. The last thing I said to Derald before he departed on the trip was, I want to know where the closest vet is….just in case I need one. Thankfully I knew where to go. 2 nights and 3 days with the vet, Woody was ready to be released the day I picked Derald up from his trip. Surprise honey, your baby had surgery!

Thus the Big Bend leg of the trip was cancelled. I was more than ok to do that trip another year. My main concern was getting Woody home safely. Sorry, this story goes on, and on. Skip to the pictures if you want. Continued drama…we waited 3 more days for Woody to recover before we left Del Rio. One area looked suspicious, but had a scab. Another long story short. Unbeknownst to us Stitches had fallen out. The area started to look infected. Then we got the call from home. 10 hours from home, our son was having unexpected surgery the next day. We made it home, the day after his surgery. Derald immediately took Woody to our vet who cleaned the area out and stapled him shut, glad I missed that part. I went to see our son who was back home and very uncomfortable.

This was not the trip I expected. Everything has turned out ok. Woody is feeling better. Travis was on day 3 after his surgery, which is what nurses call ‘hump day’, as the patients improve after day 3. So hopefully tomorrow he will feel better.

Notes on Texas: Nearly every car and truck has very dark tinted windows. I know why, but it’s weird. There are LOTS of carports. Many houses have several! Again, a sun issue. I did not see one armadillo, snake or scorpion! Yeah! And the weather was great. The wild flowers wonderful!

I met some awfully nice people in TX. Not one of them thought a wall was a good idea. The border patrol I spoke with, and I talked to a couple every day, were not happy to be sent there for ‘more patrol presence’, they said it was really not necessary. There was no call for alarm. But they were happy for the OVER PAY. They were all staying in hotels. They commented on the extremely advanced drug smuggling by the cartel, and how ‘mules’ (people) used to carry drugs over for them, but was a method used in the past. Now they have submarines and ships and jets. Yes there are small amounts carried over, but not by the cartel. They are way beyond that. And looking at the thorns and cactus and underbrush, this alone would make it one tough trip. I can’t imagine the women with children trying to make there way to the USA, desperate for a better life for their families.