Author: w2bergen

Our Girls At East Gate RV Park….Denim and Diamonds

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Tonite was such a fun nite….Our Girls from the park, Denim and Diamonds performed.  They performed music from the 30’s 40’s 50’s and 60’s.wp-15856240587438564988392525595136.jpg

The duo is comprised of Georgina Holiday and Jami Asselin.  The came to our park in December wanting to bring in their Coleman popup camper, after the 1st of the year.  They were new to the Winter Texan circuit and was trying to add some more performances to their tour of the Winter Texan Parks.  Debbie and Rick were kind enough to give them a spot as close to the shower room as possible and in between 2 other campers to give them protection from the wind.  Jami arrived with her husband first and Georgina arrived later.  We’ve have all felt so bad for them staying many cold nites in a pop up.  They say it is plenty warm but the conveniences are just not their as we have in our RVs.  They have spent plenty of time in the halls practicing and we have gotten to know them.  The are so full of fun, and excitement.  I think most all of us admire their determination to follow their dream. We were so excited to finally see their show.wp-1585624092829126450094033285402.jpg

We had our friends from Tropic Winds come, Cheryl and Linda, and they brought their neighbors, who were actually from Norway.   Cheryl and Linda are actually from back home.  Seatonville.  They are good friends with our daughter Tammy.  They use to work with her.  We arrived early and got front row seats.  Finally at 7 the show started.  They sang a lot of the oldies.  OMG.  What a voice they both had.

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Georgiana sang most of the songs and Jami sang harmony.  They Jami sang some of her own.  They sang oldies from Patti Page, Brenda Lee, and Anne Murray.  Jami did some wonderful Tanya Tucker. wp-15856241993898186131192614560576.jpg

At one point they went out and picked on our neighbor Mike and brought him up on stage.  They tried to get him to dance….lol….He had a problem getting the beat…lol…But we all got a GOOD LAUGH ,…..even his wife LauriBeth…

We had a short break and continued on with the show.  The girls kept encouraging dancing.  Finally they called out to the line dancers to come up and they did a song line dancing.wp-15856242428643246679139456082850.jpg

And they the most Embarrassing thing happened.  “They Came After Me”……They made me come up and stage and sit on a stool….I put on sunglasses and they put a feather Boa around my neck….So so embarrassed…lol…Finally they starting singing and wanted me to sing the chorus.  Hahaha….I don’t even remember what it was, other than it was some kind of Doo Wop  song……Finally at last it was over….Whew….back to my seat I went…..wp-15856243995771848188340343980981.jpg

They sang to the Veterans, Anniversary’s and to all the February Birthdays.  The most moving song for me was their Rendition of “Wings Beneath My Wings”  So beautiful.  The show was finally over and time to go home.  It was a Grand Show.  The audience LOVE THEM….It was a full 2 hours of fun and Entertainment.

These girls come from Branson.  Georgina performs regularly at Jack B. Goodes, Uptown Café along with Mario, who was here 2 weeks ago.  She will be performing next summer in a Tribute to Anne Murray and Jackson Brown, along with her husband.  She has been awarded the BEST FEMALE ARTIST 2 years in a row in Branson.   Now that is an Honor.wp-15856244601783499828758046460719.jpg

Jami also has been performing in Branson on Stage.  She has been performing since she was 8 years old.  She loves to sing Tanya Tucker.  She has a CD that was on the Charts for 3 weeks.  She may be starring with Georgina this summer at the Uptown Café.wp-15856244777589108769092407900386.jpg

So if your ever in Branson…….Look up these Girls…..They are so Talented….You won’t be sorry…..

Another week over……Another week closer to summer…..Could be 80 by Sunday….So they say….

But after awhile ,  Should you really trust the weatherman?

South Padre Island and The Annual Kite Festival….Outstanding….

w2bergen 4 Comments

This morning we got up and went to breakfast at the South Hall.  We had no plans to do anything afterwards.  Well just like we do sometimes, we changed our mind.  We got in the truck and decided to go for a ride.  Today was to be the last nice day.  Rain is in the forecast for the next several days….Another small cold wave…..sigh…sigh…..We wanted to see where a certain road went that we had never been on……So we headed out of town, and ended up  in Rio Hondo.  We kept driving through the countryside.  We were always on black top but the roads were rather bad in some places.   The roads don’t seem to have the drainage ditches that we have back home.  The water level is high and the black tops seem to fall apart because of the rain water.  Well we ended up at Port Isabella, coming in the back way.  We crossed the Causeway Bridge to South Padre Island.  We decided to go down to the Public Beach for a Walk…

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It was such a Beautiful day….wp-1585622962169383618318615058971.jpg

I took off my shoes and enjoyed walking the sand barefoot….wp-15856220162804649219133226256939.jpg

So Many people were walking going both ways…..Up and down the Beach…There are hotels and Condos each way as you look in the distance.  Reminds me of Cancun…..lol…but without the waiter in his white tux and black tie that served us on the beach….The Waves just kept splashing on my ankles.  I was cool but not cold….Really a great feeling with the Sun shinning brightly in the sky..

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We seen a couple coming with their dog.   It was a Golden Doodle.  That is the kind of dog Tina just got.  Dexter is just 9 weeks old.   So we talked with them awhile.wp-15856220758208140103748833132192.jpg

They were very friendly and just loved their puppy.  He was 4 years old and very good natured.   He just wanted to play….

We also seen a fisherman.  He said they probably weren’t biting today.  The waves were to rough….This guy had everything he needed on his cart…lol…fishing pole, tackle box and bait, chair and of course cooler…..so just go stick your pole out in the sand on the beach, sit down in your chair, take out a beer, and just relax in the sun….Now that’s the way to fish….lol…or at least relax….wp-15856221652505891826163055495372.jpg

We collected some shells and finally decided to walk back…..When we got back to the boardwalk up to the parking lot, we noticed some kites across the road…In fact…..LOTS OF BIG KITES….wp-15856221923083716390826829748352.jpg

So we drove over to the beach on the otherside.  They were having a Kite Festival….It was so cool…wp-15856222189985816022687576014799.jpgwp-15856223030285299516257970163087.jpg

Beautiful kites flying all over the beach…..Teams had came from all over, even Canada to participate.  We had stumbled across the Annual Kite Festival that takes place the first weekend in February…..It was so awesome to see these guys fly these kites.  It took so much strength and talent….wp-15856223641309049940772345418223.jpg

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We walked all over the beach and enjoyed all the music and the gorgeous weather….The teams were showing off there talents of flying their kites to choreographed music.  I think the one that impressed me the most was the one by Lee Greenwood….God Bless the USA….That will forever bring back memories.  That was the song that they played over and over when the Space Shuttle Columbia blew up and the 7 crew members were killed.  By the reactions of the crowd, everyone was overwhelmed with emotion also…………………Now after looking up the Space Shuttle disaster, I found out that it happened Feb 1 2003…..exactly 12 years ago this weekend….. “We will never forget will we”………

Eventually we left, drove back over the Causeway to Port Isabella.  We took some of the back streets to just see the non touresty part of town….lol….We ended up at one of the back inlets…..

Some working fishing boats and residents boat docks, lined the water.wp-15856226417796308766496857653051.jpg

Some really cool sea gulls just sat on the roofs.  Probably looking for food…

We finally headed for home…..Oh gees….We didn’t take any cash….lol…..I didn’t even have my purse….All I had was my bag with my dirty dishes from breakfast.  Rich had the bank card in his pocket (and his drivers liscense)…..lol….So when we got back to Harlingen, we stopped at Mr Gattis …….They have a buffet of pizza and pasta, potato, and salad bar.  All for 12.99  for 2 seniors….Cheap……..

That’s all the Money  we spent for the day……$12.99…..lol….

 

Busy Busy…..Fun Around the Park….lol…

w2bergen 1 Comment

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This is my view of Albatross Lane, looking down the street.  Maybe not really that pretty of a sight, but sure different than a normal Street in town.  But all these Rvs, are from different parts of the Mid West and Canada.  All have come down here to escape the cold and snow.  You would be amazed at how many Canadian neighbors we have.  Everyone is so SO FRIENDLY…..As soon as a new RV pulls in, they are welcomed to the neighborhood.  Our time here is almost half over.  In another month, the RVs will be begin to pull out and head north back to their summer home.  By April this area in the picture will be nothing but empty, barren 18×40 concrete pads.  Albatross Lane will be empty once again.  We have 7 streets just like this for just the seasonal Rvers….Each street contains 20 to 24 campers.   Then all the park units and mobile homes….Some of them are permanent and some also seasonal.

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This is my view looking out my living room window to my neighbors.  lol  ..We all have a nice concrete patio area, and some grass also.  Right by my window is my shepherd hook.  Some of you will recognize my wind chimes from my front porch.  lol   Just had to take them with us.  And of course the silverware wind chimes also.  We made sure the whole neighborhood liked them as sometimes things do offend other people.  Sure didn’t want that.  lol  So now we can still hear the beautiful deep sound of the wind chimes as we watch tv and as we go to sleep at nite.  So so soothing …wp-15856205814068742714106395875801.jpg

The Craft classes started several weeks ago.  My neighbor LauriBeth is the head of it.  We all decided to do my mosaic bricks first, so that has been the project for the last 2 weeks. We glue glass gems and glass pieces onto bricks and then grout and seal them.  They can be used in the garden for decoration, or inside as doorstops or even bookends.  Some of the girls were so excited, they went and bought some of their own gems.  Others used my supplies.wp-15856206520258043429025447020691.jpg

One of the last things I did, as we left last November was, pack my craft tote.  I only allotted myself one tote because of space and weight issues.  I put in it a variety of gems and stained glass and some grout and mortar for the bricks.   I left so much behind that I could have brought.  lol…but the things I forgot?….silly me….The glass cutting and breaking tools.   So Rich and I had to go to Hobby Lobby and Home Depot and buy them AGAIN…..Oh Well….Now I will have 2 sets.wp-15856207707482962906994976376265.jpg

This was the first time I have ever taught a class for this project.   So of course I have been a little nervous, but it is going well.  All the lady’s have been excited.  It is something different.  They said in the past they were always making potato beads?   What?  What are Potato beads?…..lol…You cut up a potato into small pieces, and put a toothpick in each piece.  Keep turning it as it dries, which takes several days or maybe a week.  It dries up into a little black shriveled ball.   Paint them as beads and string for a necklace or bracelet.  They brought some for us newbies to see.   They were really quite attractive….lol…wp-15856208031437852632743144090524.jpg

It was fun watching everyone come up with new ideas for designing.  Everyone made them their own.  So creative.  The last class was the grouting.   We took 2 tables outside and Rich brought over our extra hose so we had access to water outside.  The mixing and applying of the grout is very messy, so everyone wore old clothes and wore plastic gloves.   Now next week we will simple do a final clean up and spray with a sealer……I will make sure I take pictures and share them later.  We ended up with around 14 ladies.  Quite a large class.  But we all are having a great time.

In the North hall we have 4 pool tables.  The men play every morning.  The women play everyday at 4.   And I mean everyday, even Sunday.   I have been playing also, but lately I have been so busy, that I haven’t been their as much.wp-15856208431193296974841469793206.jpg

But what a great bunch of ladies…Nothing but constant…… laughter……Good Times.  Some of the really talented ladies help the rest of us with tips on how to shoot.   Haha

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This is LauriBeths’ kitty. ” Shotsy”…..lol….Isn’t he beautiful.   He is a 19 year old Angora.  He sleeps on the dash during the day.  We tried to see if Shotsy and Kitty would make friends, but they really weren’t interested in each other.  lol.  Shotsy looks out the window and Kitty looks out our window, but they really aren’t concerned with each other….lolwp-15856209014393067206281299270919.jpg

Here is Kitty, enjoying the Sun on the step.  He is still scared to come out, but is getting more curious all the time.  Maybe eventually will he learn to walk on a leash?…..NO DON”T THINK SO….

 

Mario……..Winter Texan Tour….Straight From Branson…

w2bergen 1 Comment

Mario was FINALLY HERE………Another GRAND NITE at the South Hall

….I have been so excited since last January or February to know Mario was coming to East Gate…Back in June of 13, some of you will remember we took a family motor home trip to Branson.  We  had all the family together for a weeks vacation.

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What a trip it was, especially with 2 kids in diapers…What do you give 2 babys when they are crabby…CRACKERS AND SNACKS….hahaha…Well you know the messes they made and the crying,  but what a good time we all had anyway.  We took the Motor Home down to Branson with 10 of us in it.  We put a lawn chair in between the driver and passenger seat for Cameron who was 15 at the time.  How illegal we were.  We rented a 2 bedroom suite for the kids and a 1 bedroom with sofa sleeper for us, Scott and Brandy.  That way the kids were all together.  lol.  One nite Rich, Ed, Scott and Brandy, went to the bar.  They met an entertainer who turned out to be Mario.  He invited us to go see him at Jackie B. Goode’s Uptown Café the next day before we left.wp-15856188552118368643865168946158.jpg

My Granddaughter’s Cassidy, Miley and Carly in front of Uptown Café in Branson.

So we did.  We seen Jackson Haney first.   He was a former lead singer and Guitarist of Bill Haley and the Comets.  Remember Rock Around The Clock?    He was Awesome and so good to the kids..

He let Cassidy and Miley come up on stage and I took their pictures, holding his guitar.  Such a nice man.  He was suppose to come on the Winter Texan tour also, but canceled as his mom is not well.  He needed to spend time with her.   After Jackson,  Mario came on stage.  We were very impressed with his singing. He had such a deep voice, and sang some GREAT Music.   That was the last thing we did, packed the kids back in the Motor Home and headed down the road home, with all the Bergen Family towing the enclosed trailer …inside was 2 Harleys …lol…

….http://www.marioshowbiz.com/

Here is the link to his website.  Mario’s music is featured on this site for you to play and enjoy.

After we returned home, I friended both of them on FB.  Last January, as I was wishing so bad to be down here in Texas in the warmth, I seen on Mario’s site that he was making preparations the his 2015 WinterTexan Tour.wp-15856189915105150053888220191618.jpg

 

I commented to him we would be down in East Gate.   He told me that he would be in East Gate on January 23 ….Now ….Wow….I thought, sure hope our dream comes true and we can will be in Texas for the winter.  My altimate dream was that we would be Workampers…….. IT SURE DID HAPPEN…..We made it….We arrived Dec 1….As Workampers Too…..   So for the last several weeks I have been trying to get people to come see him.  I knew they wouldn’t be disappointed.  I posted on East Gate FB several times about his performance.  So tonite finally came.  Doors open and 6pm and I wanted to get the front row seat.  We got their by 5:50 to get in line.   Guess What……..We were the first ones their.   Mario wasn’t even their yet……..lol……  We even beat him.   Finally he arrived and starting setting up.  That was fun to watch also.  Our friends Cici and Larry came and sat front row with us.  All in all, a very nice crowd came.  AND THE SHOW BEGAN….wp-15856190355627203332946921669265.jpg

He had his own spot lite that followed him around as he worked the crowd.  He sang a nice range of songs, including In The Ghetto, by Elvis Presley,  A lot of George Strait songs,  Johnny Lee, You Don’t Know Me, also sang by Mickey Gilley, and also a Neil Diamond Song.  He did some great Rodney Dangerfield impersonation’s and jokes.wp-15856190602304673128340708079248.jpg

He gave a small bio of his life. Mario grew up in California, and was one of 11 children.  He has done a lot of voice overs on Tv and arrived in Branson 3 1/2 years ago.  Singing is his passion.  He also did a wonderful heartwarming story about his mother, who past away 17 years ago, in California.   The story was very heartwarming and brought tears to his eyes and I’m sure to others.

And of course POOR LINDA…..Who is she?…..I sure don’t know either.  Don’t even know if she was from our park.   Mario kept going to her and singing to her.  He even sat next to her and another time knelt on the floor in front of her.   Poor Linda was so SO Embarrassed…….lol….so funny …as soon as he headed down the aisle.  You knew he would stop at Linda.   Linda wouldn’t even look at him anymore….haha

Mario voice was giving him problems as he was loosing it, but he managed to give us a FANTASTIC SHOW……The crowd was clapping away, …..we Sang with him……….And OH HOW WE ALL LAUGHED……Another GREAT SHOW AT EASTGATE….And as we know, All things must come to an end.  At Half time, I went up and talked with Mario, and Cici tried to take my picture, but she was shaking and the pictures were not good.  So Mario took a selfie of Me and him and Emailed it to me.wp-15856191788427262248849296601973.jpg

 

Now that the show was over, I made her go stand by Mario and I took Their picture….wp-15856192035727099579240525818722.jpg

 

OMG…She was so SOOOoooo Embarassed…..She kept wanting to walk away, but I blocker her Escape….lol….She didn’t get away.  …..hahahaah…..I Gotcha Cici……hahahaha

I Also took some pics of Mario and Rich shaking hands and his memorabilia that he was selling.

He was also selling tickets to his show in South Padre Island on Feb 11.   It will be a Dinner Show at the Schlitterbahn .   So we bought tickets for his show.  Can’t wait for that one to arrive.  Dinner at 6 and a 2 hour show starting at 7…….

 

So another great nite…..After we were done talking with Mario, we looked around and the tables were already to go for Breakfast……Wow….The team sure works fast….

So out the door we went, another beautiful nite, just a little chilly but warming up tomorrow with sunshine………

and don’t forget…………..BREAKFAST AT THE HALL……8:00 sharp….

Pancakes, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, orange juice and Coffee…..$3.50….

Don’t be late…lol….

The Wood Crafters Show….Wow…Talent Was Amazing….

w2bergen 1 Comment

Last Saturday, Rich and I and Cici and Larry went to a Woodcarving Show in San Juan.  Woodcarving is really big down here.  Our park doesn’t have a very big group, but in other Parks it is huge. Twice a week we get together to carve for almost 2 hours.  I of course had to try it.  Another Challenge.  So I have been going and using Cici’s tools.  I have been rather impressed with myself that I can do this.  So, we all decided to attend this show as our teacher, Al had a booth for his items to sell and show.  Al is so knowledgeable and talented at woodcarving.wp-15856165858617202808969433140616.jpg

This is a project of his that he entered into the contest.  Many of these carvings were hard to tell they were wood.   Their was a fabulous collection of Canes

I have acquired a cane collection after I seen my friend Debby’s cane she brought back from Jamaica. She brought me a cane the next time she went on a trip to Jamaica.  It is beautiful.  Its’ all wood with a beautiful Parrot carved on top.  So since then Rich and I started collecting canes.

They had displays of product for sale.  The finished item would be on top, and the rough block would be stacked underneath.  That was you could see what it would look like when finished.  Now I was intrigued with the entwining  hearts.  That is the one I bought.  I am making good progress on it.  Hopefully when it is down it will sort of look that the picture….lol…I hope….

Here is some more examples of what was on display.  The parrot was fabulous. Hard to tell it was wood.

Now this is relief carving…This picture started as a slab of wood and is dimensionally carved and then painted or stained….I’m very intrigued with this and hope to try it.wp-15856168846176722762221616063909.jpg

Another really fun this to do is make flowers out of twigs….We call her the flower lady….lol…She had some fabulous displays of bouquets.  She was showing her talents as we watched…She just grabbed a twig and just sliced away and  …..amazing just like that….. a flower….Then would just use acrylic paints, water colors or just spray them…Anything goes….So so Beautiful….So after we had looked all through the displays, I made my final purchase…..Just what I was looking for….MY OWN SET OF BEGINNERS TOOLS…..haha…….Cici, I don’t have to use yours anymore….Thank You for letting me use yours all this time….What a fun and interesting day it was.

The next day we decide to go to the RV Show in Mercedes.  It was a pretty good size show.  They had 4 really nice Class A motorhomes, one I would have liked to buy….haha…Only if I had $322,000.00….Guess I will stick with mine.  Also some Class C, motorhomes (ones with the truck front end)…many pull trailors.  They had quit a few Park Models.  Now those we really enjoyed going through and really not that expensive.  You could buy one of them for $50,000.  Really cute.  But my favorite was the  3 Axle Toy Hauler.   Now that was really living….

It of course had the back ramp to be used as patio also.  The restroom was in the back area as well as the tv and back door.  Anything the kids might need to be out of your hair….lol…Then in the main living area was a beautiful kitchen, and sofa area with nice size tv.  a ladder for the kids to get to the bunk area up above.wp-15856169691607357026371438563964.jpg

Up the stairs was the master bedroom and bathroom.  Gorgeous.  But the most awesome thing was the Living area had not only the main door to go out side but another door to go out to the sunporch located on the side.  It had a fold down TV and a Frig on the porch area…..Now that is…… LIVING…. all for around $90,000.00….but It would need a really big pick up to pull it.  Rich said it would have to be a Ton truck….lol….Boy I can see those dollars roll by…

Rich and I both have new toys now. I bought a bike at Walmart, and he has found a bike for him.  I have had mine now since right after Christmas.  I have been using it for my transportation to the office everyday as long as it doesn’t rain…wp-15856169992861619110922433984547.jpg

So last nite we took a bike ride with Cici and ended up at Dairy Queen….lol..  A lot of good it did to go Bike riding…..lol….but that is what we are going to try to do everyday now….Go bike ridding…. Not Dairy Queen though….hahaha…..On the way, we seen this sign at an Electrical plant entrance.wp-158561702450514913489156736510.jpg

I thought it was good for a few laughs.   I asked someone, as I am naive down here to many things….Do they really have  “KILLER BEES”  …  The answer was “NO”….Hope their telling the truth.wp-15856170410501570932765225278475.jpg

So here is a Beautiful Hibiscus Flower.   Cici picked it and was wearing it in her hair.   The bushs are just growing all over down here and blooming….The flowering  plants just never seem to stop…

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The most Beautiful Sunrise I’ve seen………But only for a moment and then it dissipated …..The beauty that we see everyday is everywhere………OPEN YOUR EYES………TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK…ITS ALL AROUND YOU…..

 

…..”Maggie Mae”…..Country Show at East Gate……

w2bergen 2 Comments

 

Friday Nite brought the show we have all been waiting for…..”Maggie Mae”…..For the last month in the office the phone would ring…..They wanted Maggie Mae tickets.  I would hand the phone to Lyn the Activity person.  This past week, it escalated.   People were coming in from different parks and buying 4, 8 and even 14 at a time.   So finally on Thursday we sold out…..200 tickets….So Who is Maggie Mae.

Well she is from Oxford Wisconsin.  Between her and her husband, they have 7 children, all grown, and 8 grandchildren.  But she looks so young.  Turns out she is only 48, but sure doesn’t look it.  She bought her first guitar in the early 2000s.  Her and her husband Roger opened up Maggie Maes Café in December 2001.  She started singing in her restaurant with her guitar, and to this day, she still spends time entertaining guests, while serving good ole country home cooking and pies.  They also have operated a farm for many years and continue to share crop.  They have turned their old barn into Maggie Mae Barn Dance/Dinner Theater. People bus in from all over the spend the evening with Maggie Mae and her music. The setting is right up in the Hay Mow of their old 100 year barn.1410988234457-P4FQGR093LP6GQV29T6G

So far she has recorded 7 albums and performs on RFD TV Theater in Branson Mo. She also is a favorite performer on RFD TVs “Midwest Country Show” on Saturday nites that is on Dish and Direct TV on Family Network.  She performs with her band, Heartland Country, at many theaters, dances, fairs and festivals all over the states.  She is know for her toe-tapping yodeling.wp-158561553206743276940507593776.jpg

Debbie, Park Manager, Maggie Mae, and Rich…

So the park took special preparations for this event.  Where are you going to park that many people. We advised everyone to car pool if possible.  Several of the activity people helped park cars.  They were sent down F Row as that was the least filled row.  Their were spots to park the vehicles and not block traffic.  Doors were to open at 6, but they were already lined up at 5:45.  Finally 6:00 came and they came streaming in 2 doors, the main door and the parking lot door.  The room filled up fast and more chairs had to be brought in.  You could just feel the excitement of all the people who came through the door waiting for the show to begin.  Finally at 7:00 the show began.  wp-15856156282257521040014326315792.jpg

She sang so many old country songs.  What Ever Happened to Yodeling Cowboys, Grandpa, Coat of Many Colors, and her own song Maggie Mae’s Café…Just a few of the songs.   She was full of story’s.  Telling us of her life and how her and her husband Roger started the Café and then progressed to the Barn Dinner Theater.  Then on to RFD TV and all her appearances at festivals, dances, and other places all over.  Story’s about her farm, her horses she loves and her favorite customers at her restaurant.   Especially the BS table…..lol….Some of her favorite people.  Their was a drawing for 3 of her CDS and she had a table of CDS, Photos and other merchandise for sale.wp-15856156027778045064907740018027.jpg

She has a special place in her heart for all the veterans who have served this country.  She payed tribute to all the veterans in the audience by having them stand and thanked them for all they have done.  She is a PROUD MILITARY MOM….Her own daughter has served 3 tours of duty overseas and has come home with 2 purple hearts.  Maggie is so proud of her and thankful to her, and all our military, and veterans to be an AMERICAN.

So finally at almost 9 the show was over.   As the people left, the popcorn was all over the floor.  A few water bottles and soda cans on the floor.  Some stragglers were over by the table with all her CDs and merchandise for sale. The guys started stacking up chairs.  200 chairs had to be moved.  12 tables had to be set up for breakfast and chairs sat around.  The rest of the chairs had to be stacked.  In less that 15 min. the whole room was swept rearranged and all done….What team work.  So another successful Friday nite.cutout-png2

After all that was done and over, we left the building.  What a peaceful nite it was.  Warm weather is on its way.  It was so apparent, a beautiful nite it was…..Tomorrow?…….Breakfast ….8:00am sharp…

Yesterday……Our 43rd Wedding Anniversary…..Jan. 14, 1972

w2bergen 3 Comments

43 years ago yesterday was the coldest weekend of the year….It was a Friday nite.  Rich and I picked a Friday, cause we were only having a small wedding and we were going back to work on Monday.  We were very POOR…..lol…We were married at 7 pm on Jan 14, 1972 at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Toluca Illinois.  We had a small reception at the hall.  It was nothing like the weddings of today.  No DJ, or band.  Just Cake and mints and nuts.  lol.  Entertainment was all the guest watching us open the presents.   I remember we mostly received things for the apt. we needed.  Sheets, towels, kitchen small appliances.  A popcorn popper that would now be classified as Antique, and the one thing I still have, is an Electric Knife by Hamilton Beech.   I worked at Toluca Garment and all the wonderful lady’s got together and bought several gifts.  The knife was one of the items they bought.  That knife has been used at every major holiday.  To this day it works perfectly.  I made a point to make sure we kept it.  You just never know when you might need a good electric carving knife…..Memories….lol….

My dress was a very simple homemade dress.  It was made by a friend.  It was white polyester knit….lol….pearl beads lined the neck and sleeves and the veil was very simple.  White netting with the Pearl trim on the head piece.  All materials cost $16.  Rich had a dark Blue polyester suit coat made.  Since I worked at Toluca Garment, I was able to get it made at no cost…That is I think….Maybe I had to pay a small price.  We had no money for a honeymoon, so we took off for the weekend to Peoria.  We stayed in a hotel that was on the east side of St Francis Hospital, now known as OSF.  Fortunately we had underground parking.  We were driving my fairly new 1969 Maroon color Camero.   Oh how is wish we had that car today.  Ironically that hotel is gone today and is a parking lot….How Ironic, little did I ever dream that 40 years later my daughters would be parking in the lot where the hotel was, that we spent our honeymoon nite,  attending St. Francis School of Nursing next door…..When Tammy was attending school, we stood looking out the window making that observation…lol.maxresdefault

 

After our Honeymoon evening in the motel, lol,  we drove to Richs grandparents house in Keithsburg Illinois, on the Mississippi.  Now I had never meet his grandparents.  How would you like to spend the 2nd nite of your honeymoon at your new husbands grandparents…..lol…Ohhh how poor we were….Now this is a really small town and I felt like I had just drove into hillbilly country…..One of his grandparents friends dropped by drinking their “homemade brew”…..The discussion in the room was about car engines.  Comparing our 350 cubic engine to others….The old lady, drinking her brew, who might add was not talking to straight anymore said….”Our engine is bigger than yours…..We have a GALAZY 500″…….hahaha…..Oh my…..Ill never forget that….I think I was just speechless.  Definitely in a different world than I was use to.   On sunday morning it was so cold, our car wouldn’t start either.  So after jumping the car and a Fried chicken dinner, that Rich said is what his grandma always cooked, we took off back to our new home.

Our first home was in Oglesby on Walnut St.  It was an upstairs apartment above a Flower shop and Photographer…..Those of you who know Oglesby will know it as the business next to the Police station….At that time the Police Station was the Library…I think it is another Photography Studio now….We had a furnished apartment on the east side of the building.  I thought I was really living high now.  We had furnace heat.  lol.  At my house we heated with several oil burners in the rooms.  The one problem with the apartment was it was converted from 3 sleeping rooms to one apartment.  The OLD landlords lived across the hall.  So we had 3 doors that entered into the apartment from the central hallway.   We even had a door in the bathroom to the hall way…..hahaha…Many times we would hear them come out of their apartment, the door would shut…..footsteps……silence……….footsteps nearer…….silence………finally their door would open and shut again.  What else would they be doing.  Listening…..I just bet their ears were stuck against our doors……Now if your in the bathtub, that would really be spooky…   Several times we would come home and find the windows shut that we would have left open.  They would come in and walk through while we were gone.

So finally by summer we rented a house.  We moved to 225 S. Glen.  We had no furniture, so what do poor people do?  We went to an auction, bought a 2 piece bedroom set, some other misc. furniture, curtains for most of the house….I might add, they were those horrible fiberglass type curtains that I thought were AWESOME at the time….Everything to live in our NEW HOME for only $125.  lol.   We were living now.  And guess what….WE HAD ANOTHER FURNACE.  CENTRAL HEATING.  I felt like I was rich.  Now would you believe that this past summer I just now sold the dresser we bought at that auction.  It was still in pretty good shape.  I sold it on a fb garage sale site for $25 …Not bad for 43 years of use.

 

So here we are 43 years later….Richs sister came to live with us in Jan of 1974.  Her dad had a heart attack and was moving south, Connie moved in a attended LP High School she graduated in 1978.  We moved to McNabb in 1978 also and Tammy was born in April 1978, Tina March 1980, and Scott April 1982.   So today they have given us 5 grandchildren.   Tammy has Cameron 16, Cassidy 10 and Carly 3 in a week.  Tina and Ed have Miley 6 and Austin 4.  Scott and girlfriend Brandy don’t have any but Brandy has a daughter Staci.  Connie and Brian have one daughter, Ashley.

 

An so our family has grown….Up until now, we all lived but 20 minutes away from each other….When the kids were little, I always worried they would move away when they grew up….Well guess who moved…..US…lol…You just never know your future do you!!!

 

5 Days into the New Year…..Our Park is Almost Full….

w2bergen 2 Comments

These are our names tags that we wear…….Impressive aren’t they…..Hahaha…..

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Since right after Christmas, it seems the RVs just keep coming in.  Lot of them waited till after Christmas and some others after New Years to come down.  We are now almost full.  Just a few more to come.  They all have the same story.  It was soooooooooo cold where they came from….Could hardly wait to get here.  I remember how excited I was to talk to Debbie from home and tell her how I couldn’t wait to get down here and leave the cold behind.   Now I am sitting in that chair and answering the phone and hearing that same story several times a day.  lol.  How the tables turn………Our street, which is Albatross Dr. is now just one RV away from being full.  We have a neighbor coming Feb 1, then our street will be full of 24 spots. Our street is mostly full of motorhomes, fifth wheels and a few permanent park models.

All the streets have names of birds.   Redbird St.  Bobwhite Dr.  Whipoorwill Dr.  White Dove Dr.  Hummingbird Ct.  Robin lane,  Road Runner Rd.   Green Jay St.  Blue Jay St. and what name do we have? Albatross Drive…..lol…Just doesn’t seem so Pretty and carefree….lol….Oh Well….But we do have nice neighbors.

Speaking of nice neighbors.  Remember how I was complaining about not finding Western French dressing in the grocery stores?  Then I found it at San Benito Walmart.  Just before Christmas, my neighbor and Good Friend Cici came over with a present.  lol  She had a cardboard box….She had me open it and what do ya suppose….hahaha…..7 bottles of Western Dressing.  She went to San Benito Walmart and bought ALL they had on the shelf….OH MY…How we laughed…..It was so funny.  Her and Larry are such good neighbors.  So now I will be making Taco Salad for Pot Lucks on Thur. nites…lolwp-15854484393103289051846001788945.jpg

 

I have a few more pictures to add of plants growing so beautifully.  I was walking around and much to my surprise I found a Poinsetta growing as a bush in full bloom.  As I paid more attention, I found many more in the park.  It is quite common here.  The Poinsettas grow like crazy with little care.   Just so amazing to me, I could never keep one alive at home.  At least one that had leaves….lol…

The weather here has not been the best.  It has been raining a lot.  The temperature has dropped to the 40s at nite with highs only in the high 50s and 60s.  Today ended up a beautiful day and the sun was out and it hit 70…Everyone was out walking or socializing and cooking on the grills…You could just smell the grills cooking up the steaks and pork chops ….Mmmmmmmm…..but sadly tomorrow the temp is dropping.  At noon a cold front will be coming in and the temp will drop till in the 30s.  Two days of cold and rain….Yuck, but still better than home.  I keep up with the weather and travel reports on FB.  Illinois is NOT a good place to be right now.  We were watching tv when they showed I 80 with chain reaction accidents with all the snow this morning.  It was shut down.  I said…Rich aren’t you glad your not driving in that anymore?….So I have no right to complain do I….lol….They say several weeks of this and it will start getting better again.

Craft class has started today.  The lady that was going to do it wasn’t able to make it this year, so my neighbor Lauribeth is conducting them.  Today we got together and shared ideas.  I brought my mosaic bricks and that will be the first project.  They are all excited to be doing something different.  So in the next several days I will be going to Home Depot and buying the bricks to begin .  Our first class will be a week from Thur.  So many things to do all the time.

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Here is Kitty, sleeping on the mouse that Cassidy put in the camper with the note on it the day we left…..I don’t know what that means…Does he Miss the smells of home as this was in the spare bedroom? or was it just a soft pillow.   Kitty is doing so good.  He is much more active and playful.  He demands attention in the evening.  If you don’t pet him he paws at you.  His dark brown overstuffed footstool sits next to Rich.  He expects it to stay their.  He sits their and Rich pets him in the evenings.  He is so much more social now.  Lauribeth has a beautiful  19 year old pure white Angora.  Her cat sleeps in the dash and likes to look out the window.  We have tried to get the cats to look at each other, from our windows, but to no avail……….They just don’t care…….We are going to take them both outside one day so they can really meet.  We’ll see what happens then.  I think they are both just old independent grumpy cats……lol….

Happy New Year to All……What a Year It Has Been…..

w2bergen 2 Comments

 2014 is Almost over…..So many milestones have been reached this year.  I have been thinking back at the first of the year.  January 2014.  Where were we.  I was working everyday at Advantage Log.  Rich was hauling mail for URSA.  It was a horrible winter.  I decided after the first of the year, if the weather was bad, I wasn’t going in.  I used my sick days up really fast.  If I didn’t value my life, would they?  We were still expected to go to work if we could make it.  If we didn’t show up we received points.  Oh Well, so that’s the way it was…..I call it the Corporation Thinking…Can’t change it…..

Rich was hauling mail over the road.  Sometimes going from Dixon to Des Moines.  Sometimes LaSalle to St. Louis, sometimes to Wisc.  He ran many miles of snow and ice.  He was shut down by state police for blizzards and accidents.  He was lucky enough to remain still a driver with a perfect driving record.  So at that point, we said……….NO MORE WINTER……WE HAD ENOUGH…..Plans were made for this winter to be in sunshine.   The call and Emails went out down her to East Gate and the process began….

Also much happened with the rest of the family.  Little Carly was the first birthday of the year.   She was 2.  She is growing so fast and is so cute.  I must say, she is so smart.  These kids just get smarter every year……lol…..This year we will miss her 3rd birthday.  Cassidy was 10 in March.  She is a preteen by every sense of the word.  lol  She is growing prettier every year…

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Our littlest one…Carly

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Cassidy dressed for the father daughter dance…

Tammy had been attending Nursing School, and She graduated in May with her Bachelors of Nursing from St. Francis School of Nursing in Peoria.  Now this was a very proud moment for the whole family.  She was the first to graduate with a degree.  A moment, a Milestone in her Life……She was on Cloud Nine.  and she so deserved it.   For 5 years she has worked toward this degree, for many different reasons.  It was a good job that she could support her family in the way she wanted to.  It was also her DREAM.  The dream kept her going through all those years of stress.  I still don’t know how she accomplished such a Feat.  Raising a family and studying at the same time.   She has so many friends and family, that have been their and supported her the last 5 years.  I would stop after work and check in with her….lol…thank goodness for texting……She would get home anywhere from 5pm to sometimes much later.  Brandy, Scotts girlfriend, would pick up Carly from Bettys Daycare, on her day, and take her home.  Tammy would pick Carly up on her way home.  Cassidy would go to her dads couple of times a week.  Tina was always their for her.  Tammy could call her at a moments notice and Tina would take the kids.  She also did her share of running to pick up the kids.  She was just a phone call away.  Always supportive of Tammy’s Dream. She also had a babysitter come once or more a week….Cameron would also help out when needed.   He also needed a ride home form school, so that would be my first stop after work…lol….Taxi service….Every semester the plans changed……….Today she has a job as a Nurse at the Mendota Lutheran Home.  She is enjoying her new life as a nurse and is an awesome nurse.  She has all the attributes to make a wonderful and caring nurse.  We are all so Proud of her.

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Tammys Grad. Pic. Grad from OSF Peoria, Ill May 2014 Tammy Bergen RN BSN

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Tammys Grad. family and Connie, Richs younger sister

Along come June, not only did we have Tammy’s Graduation party but, it was also Cameron’s 16th Birthday……Oh is he excited…..He did his class room Drivers Training and is now doing his driving to complete his first step towards his license.  Grandpa is giving him his truck….It is in his driveway and he sits in it a lot dreaming…..hahaha….The life of a Sixteen year old….He has now started his first job at Steak and Shake..

Tina and Ed has also had there share of accomplishments this year.  Ed is doing Awesome, at his job at Marquis.   Tina has been also been attending College.  She has completed another semester at Illinois State in Bloomington and now is taking some courses at IVC.  She is now employed as an Assistant Probation Officer at the Putnam Co Court house…..She is also on the Village Board in Granville…..She has made HUGE Accomplishments and has some wonderful goals in mind….What a Beautiful Family she has.

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Scott is also doing wonderful.  Him and Brandy have their Beautiful country home, he is doing good with his Trucking business and hosting several parties at their home this year….Yes they love a good party…..haha….He also has recently bought some Karaoke equipment …..Going to have a Great New Years Party at his house….lol….From Party bus’s to Karaoke….Never a dull moment in his life….Brandy’s daughter Staci is also attending Nursing School….Staci is in her 3rd year, heading for her Bachelors also….So another Nurse in the family soon…..Look out for that party….hahah…With Scott and Brandy planning it,…..It will be a Blast…

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In June, I walked out of work one day and I received the Wonderful Call…..YAHOO….Debbie from here at Eastgate Rv Park, called and accepted us a Workampers…..Ohhhh Myyy….how excited I was…I called her and talked to her and then immediately called Rich…So onward with our plans…All this time I have been trying to clean out the house.  Over 30 years of Stuff….Wow….Selling items on Garage Sale facebook sites.  I would get out of work and meet these people with the item they bought and then go and do Taxi service or babysitting….haha….Sometimes they even met me at work at lunch hour….So little by little, I got rid of some of the more valuable things in the house.   They don’t mean so much later in life now do they.  Just an accumulation of STUFF…..

On Sept 1, I went part time.  I probably would have been fired for rate if I hadn’t.  Now when you work for a corporation,  it seems like it doesn’t matter that you have been their almost 17 years….My seniority was under 10…..doesn’t matter…….If you can’t make rate …….out the door you will go…..So after some decision making, part time it was.   Thanks to Obama Care, I could still keep health ins. on Rich and me.   The whole object of still working.  So I filed for SSI…..YEAAAAA…..Then along came the New Teeth….Now that is a Blog in September you must read if you haven’t.   So hilarious.   New dentures….lol….Oct. 1…RETIREMENT…..Enough working….Teeth were done….lol…Nov 1. Rich…..RETIREMENT…..Filled for SSI also…..Now OFFICIALLY RETIRED…...And Let the Fun Begin…..lol….

Our Miley also had her Birthday Party.  She is 6 now and growing up so fast.  So so smart. The things she says just baffles her mom and dad.  She is in gymnastics.  We went to her meet in Rock Island just before we left.  She is so tiny and pretty and so so good.   Amazing.

The Birthday Girl

 

The one Birthday we missed this year is Austin.  He was 4 …..This past year, he has grown from a toddler to al little boy.  He is now in his first year of school.  He is doing so good.  Learning so much already.   He just smiles all the time and you can just see the oneryness in his eyes….Such a Cuttie…

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Also have to mention Connie and Brian…Rich’s younger sister….She has been family since we were married.   She has always been here for us and with us at all family gatherings….They were their the day we left helping us pack and get away….She has always been the PET babysitter when on vacations, and  ” Connie….ya know what I noticed? lol….I was looking for pics of Austin and Christmas….Guess who has taking over the picture taking on special occasions…..lol…YOU….I went to your Facebook page to find them and steal…”  Thank goodness for the new phone and joining facebook….Actually Thank You Mindy…..

We had Thanksgiving Dinner with all the family a week before the Holiday on a Saturday and then Sunday we left for Texas.  Just before the first snowstorm on Monday, I might add….hahahaDay 2 8

….What a whirl wind day it was.  Tina, Ed, Connie and Brian, came to help us….We so need help.  All the last minute stuff we still needed to pack.  And all the last minutes things we never got done.  They all said…..”Just go we will take care of it”….AND WE DID….We left on schedule on Sunday afternoon…Took our time getting down her…..Arrived on Friday after Thanksgiving….

So now….We have been here 1 month…..It is everything we had dreamed of and more…..Were still waiting for the feeling of….”Vacation is over, go back home and go to work”…..to be over.  It seems like vacation.  We have done so many fun things already.  I love the office work.  Its not work ya know.   I also get to talk all I want….hahaha….I don’t get in trouble anymore for talking….haha…Rich is doing maintenance and loving it.   Done by noon or 1 and were free.  So many activities to do.  I am playing pool and also doing the Wood carving class.  We hosted the Christmas Dinner.  I was even the MC….with the microphone in hand….What a Day…We have the best neighbors one can have….We are the Hood on Albatross Lane….haha….We all represent 25 states and 4 provinces of Canada.  Amazing isn’t it….

So now all I have to say is ……..WOW….WHAT AN AMAZING YEAR…..2014…THE YEAR OF CHANGE….There is life after Retirement….We want to THANK all of the family…..I have been reading so many fb sites and blogs these last 2 years….So many people write that this is their dream, but their kids won’t let them do it.  The kids insist they stay home …..They are so sad and torn between fighting with the kids and wanting to travel…That is so sad isn’t it…..Never never did we ever hear that form our kids….They have been so supportive of us during this whole process.  They have wanted us to go have our fun….They have be so Wonderful…Of course their is also much saddeness at times…..We all miss each other, but now we have downloaded Skype, that has helped. but still not the same.  Neverless they are wanting us to enjoy and have fun….AND WE ARE…..So heres to a Wonderful 2014……………….and Wonder what 2015 will Bring……

Thank You to all our Family and Friends…..HAPPY NEW YEAR……....

THANK YOU ALL, FOR READING OUR BLOG…

2014 Review of My Blog….Interesting Numbers….Thank You All For Following

w2bergen 1 Comment

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,000 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.