Happy New Year

We are so glad that 2008 is behind us and are looking forward to what God has in store for us in 2009. This past year brought us our new truck and brought us to this terrific community here in Mission. We've made a lot of new friends in 2008.

This week was again busy but fun. Monday we did some shopping. Tuesday we didn't do much of anything. Wednesday I cooked for the New Year's Eve social. I made egg rolls and mini cheesecakes. I didn't know, until I was doing some reading online about New Year's eating traditions, that egg rolls are considered lucky on New Years, so that worked out well. There was a good crowd Wednesday but no one made it until midnight:) All of the food was delicious.





We shot pool with Rocky and Sheri after eating and I played the best game of my life! I was so excited.

Thursday I cooked. Phil and I don't like our families' traditional meals, his is pork and sauerkraut and mine is hog jowls, collard greens and black eye peas, so we've started our own tradition. We have turkey and mashed potatoes and German chocolate cake on New Years Day. We watched the Rose Bowl Parade. It was amazing this year in high definition. The floats are so beautiful.

Friday I cleaned and then we went out looking for a bike for me. I haven't really said anything to anyone except Phil but I decided to do something healthy this year. I have switched from regular soda to diet, so instead of six cans of calories a day I'm drinking no sugar. I wanted a bicycle so I could start getting some exercise. I can't walk because of my knee so I figured maybe this is something I can do and that I will stick with. We didn't have a lot of luck on Friday so we decided to come home and do some research.

Saturday we went to the Donna flea market. It is a fairly big flea market but, like Phil said, they were mainly selling junk. It's amazing how, when you are living in a RV, that you can just pass by things without a second glance. I use to love knickknacks and glassware -- my house was filled with "treasures' I had found at flea markets -- but alas, no more. It was fun looking though.



Then we went across the street to the produce market and I got some good buys there on veggies.

After that, we went to Gonzales Burgers. It's a little, out of the way place that had the best burgers I have ever eaten. A fresh made, huge cheeseburger for $3.85. The place is small and crowded and we probably waited 25 minutes to get our burger, but it was well worth it.



We came home after that, then we had to go pickup the Kenworth. Phil had put him in the shop for a checkup. On the way home we stopped at Academy Sports and he bought me a bicycle. I've never ridden before so I wasn't sure what to get, but Mark gave me some advice and I got a Mongoose with an aluminum frame and 21 speeds. I rode it today and I love it.





This evening we had Mark and Dale over for dinner. I just love them. We really enjoy their company. I fixed grilled chicken, potato salad, cukes and onions, and green beans. One of my favorite things to do is cooking for people.

Books this week: The Quiet Game by Greg Iles
Gone by Jonathon Kellerman

Movies this week: Hancock with Will Smith
Kung Fu Panda with Jack Black
Hellboy II Golden Army with Ron Perlman
Ghost Town with Ricky Gervais

Out of four movies I liked Hancock the best. It wasn't as funny as I had hoped, but it had a decent story. Ghost Town was sweet and funny, but more of a chick flick, really.

That's it for this week. Life down here in the valley sure is sweet:)