Category: ducks

My First RV Park

After Puerto Del Sol didn’t have any openings, I found Sea Breeze RV Park and Resort. It was closer to my apartment than Puerto Del Sol so it was easier to commute back and forth to clean out my apartment.

I moved in the first day I had my RV. When I pulled up, I was a little confused at where the check in was, but that was because the office looked like a little house. It had a porch that wrapped around two sides of the house and the landscaping around the office was decorated with lots of yard ornaments. I didn’t see any gnomes, but lots of little ceramic and wooden animals, decorative flags, those glass yard orbs and even a little covered wagon. The whole place is so cute and homey – very reminiscent of the yards and barns around my grandmother’s house.

I got a pull through spot, which was nice because it was easy to get into the site. I was right across from the laundry rooms. A short walk from my site was Nueces Bay. It was a really nice walk that circled a little inlet complete with an island where birds would hang out, a fishing pier and dog park. I don’t really fish, but it looked like it would be comfortable. I have cats so I didn’t have any use for the dog park.

I spent the first week and a half moving my things from my old apartment to the RV. It took longer than it should have because I got a little lazy, but my sister helped me get back on track.

I became a little obsessed with checking how full my tanks were. Every time I left the bathroom, I would check the levels, so I emptied my tanks pretty timely.

My kitchen is just like my kitchen in my apartment, except no dishwasher, but I’ve never really minded doing the dishes. And I missed having a gas stove like I had before I moved into an apartment. I haven’t used my oven yet. I have to light the pilot when I want to cook something in the oven and It makes me a little nervous.

I wanted to stay until the end of February and ended up having to move sites at the beginning of the month. I was in the pull through area and had to move to the area they called the valley. It took about an hour to break down the RV and move it. I unhooked the sewer and water hoses, moved in the room slides and unplugged the RV from shore power. Since we weren’t going far I put all the cats in the bedroom and shut the door and bungee corded Ande’s cage in so it wouldn’t roll and drove over to the new site. My car still wasn’t able to be towed so I walked back over and got it, then set camp back up.

When I opened the bedroom back up, I could only see two cats because one was hiding under the bed spread. It was the first time they had been in the RV with it moving. All the animals seemed to have adjusted okay otherwise. Ande seems to like the new envirnoment and his ability to get closer to me, even when he has to stay in the cage. Creepers and Mo like sitting on the dashboard and sleeping in the driver’s and passenger’s chairs. Salem took a little longer to settle in, she spent the first week of the move in the bedroom.

Although I did have some problems with the cats. Creepers has always liked to try to get outside, even though she is afraid of strangers, and she continues to try now. She was successful once when I was trying to do the laundry. She went out under my feet and got under the RV. She was exploring and wanted to climb up under the RV. I had to go under, pull her out and take her back in.

Because of Creepers, I had to “baby” proof the stove. I came home one night to my LP alarm going off. It took me a few minutes to figure out what it was, because I’d never had it go off before. But once I found it and silenced it (really muted it) I couldn’t figure out why it was going off. I turned off the propane and aired out the RV. I took off the monitor and it looked like the monitor was about six years old. I Googled and it said another reason the monitor could be going off was if it was nearing the end of its life. I turned off the monitor and turned the propane back on. I turned the stove on to make sure I hadit back on correctly. I only lit one burner, but two lit. I came home a few nights later to the same, but saw how it happened. Creepers hit the burner knob with her foot. I used some cap erasers to stuff under the knobs until I could get some stove knob caps from Target.

As obsessed as I was about checking my black and gray tank levels, I paid no attention to my propane levels. It was completely empty before I noticed. Luckily I still had access to my apartment and a hot shower. But I still had no heat in early February. The propane company for the park delivered on Thursdays and my tank went out on Sunday. There was one night it got down in the 30s. I gave Ande another blanket, gave myself another blanket and three cats cuddled up next to me. And two of them run very hot, so we survived!

I really like this place, I’m here for another week. I wouldn’t mind staying longer, but the rent seems higher than what I remember being quoted on the website. Its completely worth it, its a great place, great location, has great ammenities and the staff is so nice and acccomadating. Just more than I expected.

A Peaceful Morning

Last Friday, I packed up and drove up to San Antonio. I had plans to explore around Brackenridge Park and one day and visit the zoo the next.

I got up and over to the gas station around seven for some gas and a little breakfast. After about a two and a half hour ride, I parked by the zoo and walked into the park. My goal for today was to walk from the park to the Pearl Brewery. From maps I had seen, it looked like it was possible. They are only a few miles from each other and it looked like if I followed the river I would make it.

I took the foot path behind part of the river on the right side of the zoo and followed the river toward the golf course. I didn’t stay of the sidewalked path, but took the trail along the river bank. It wasn’t a real path, but one that had been worn away by traffic. There were a few places to park back there with a few cars, but mostly no one else was back there.

It was a beautiful day. The temperature was in the low 80s and there was a lovely breeze. Because I was on the bank, I was in the shade most of the time. I stopped and watched a couple of squirrels do their squirrel thing, one even watched me back. I saw ducks swimming and napping and a turtle snacking on some nice green algae. It was a peaceful way to spend a morning; quiet, fragrant, pleasant temperature.

I tried to keep the river at my side and with the help of Google Maps I was able to, until I hit a residential area. I could see the highway on the other side of the houses. I turned back here. I could have continued on but I would have had to walk on the street. I didn’t make it today. I won’t say its not possible, I might have followed the wrong street after I crossed the railroad tracks. I may not have made it to the Pearl, but I enjoyed my morning, getting a little glimpse into the way of the river.

I ended up back tracking toward St. Mary’s Street. There were several school buses, but so far I hadn’t run into any kids yet so I kept going. Later I found out the students were in San Antonio for a band and choir competition and they were mostly in the zoo and the open area of the park, not where I was spending time. I decided instead to go to the Japanese Tea Garden.

I had been there before, but hadn’t spent much time. The gardens were breath taking. The whole time I kept thinking it was like what being in Alice’s Wonderland garden must look like. I trekked up and down before deciding I was thirsty and wanted a snack. I went over to their restaurant and ordered a bubble tea and a brownie. I’d never had a bubble tea before. I like black tea, but I accidently sucked up a couple of the bubbles (not really certain what they were made of), but they didn’t really sit well and I only drank half the tea. I really enjoyed the brownie. It was big, but not sickeningly sweet.

It was only about one p.m. and still too early to check into the hotel, but I was getting tired. The only thing to do was to take a ride on the San Antonio Zoo Eagle Train. The train was not inside the zoo, so I only had to walk up to the train station, buy a ticket and wait for the next engine. I got there right as the train was pulling out so I had to wait on the next one. It was fine with me, I sat on the bench and enjoyed the peace of the day as others came up to wait for the train as well.

I was joined by about 20 members of the Deer Park Choir. They sang for about half the trip around the park. They kids could sing so it wasn’t bad, but they did put a damper on my good time when they saw some of their friends that weren’t on the train. Their friends kept running up to the train to give the riders high fives. While it might have been fun, it was very dangerous. The chaperones didn’t stop it. I hope they said something to the kids when they got of the train.

After the I got off the train, it was still a little early to check in, but I called and they said I could come over a little early. I know there isn’t much parking downtown San Antonio. I had read on the hotel’s website that they had valet parking, but I had no idea where to park while I was checking in or where the valet area was. I went around the hotel block twice before I just found a spot. I checked in and went up to my room. It was a small room, barely enough room to walk between the bed and desk, but it had a nice large window facing Travis Park and a good sized bathroom. The bathroom only had a shower, I would have liked a tub to soak, but you can’t have everything.

After resting a bit, I walked over to the Alamo and then to the river walk to get some dinner. I hadn’t been to the Alamo in years and was a little disappointed. They did have some nice actors showing what life was like then, but the barracks museum was closed for restoration. But the Alamo was free and a beautiful green space. After a quick dinner on the river walk, I was back in the hotel and showered by 7:30. I was pooped so I watched a little Walking Dead on Netflix and went to bed because the next day I was off to have breakfast with the hippos at the zoo.