Day 89 - Longview TX - Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010

I am still in shock that I have made it back to Texas this quickly, and must bond with the State of Texas sign at the Rest Area.  As I approach, I see the security guard using some people's camera to take their group picture for them.  I can imagine how excited they are to be able to prove to friends back home that they really were in the great state of Texas, so I ask where they are from.  The state of Washington -- Tacoma and Bremerton -- oh, my goodness!  So now we have a conversation on my travels in Washington, and especially Bremerton at the Ranger Tug get together.  They are headed to Houston and in a hurry to try to get ahead of the rain that we see coming.

And it rains.  And it rains.

We arrive in Longview TX and register at Fernbrook RV Park, which is a relatively new park.  We are delighted to find it is nice and that the rain has ended.


The best part of the day is now to come.  We drive to the home of Don and Belinda, longtime friends in Longview, for dinner.  They have not changed a bit, unless it is for the better, and we just can't seem to catch up on the news fast enough.

We are especially glad to see them today, as for the past few years every time we  get to Longview, they are out of town, and we  have had to resort to visiting on Facebook.  

As I take pictures, Belinda protests, "Please -- no camera." 

After a wonderful dinner, we continue our visit and exchange more news of what we have all been up to, including books we have read and other book titles to suggest for each other.  Belinda shows me her needlepoint in progress, which is a covering for a kneeler in our home church of St. Michael and All Angels in Longview.  It is a large piece, as needlepoint goes, and I imagine it must be tedious work and take a lot of time to complete.  

As she opens her laptop to show me a friend's art website, I notice the time on the screen, and am horrified to see the hour is late and good guests should go home.  Both of the clocks in their den are stopped with different wrong times, and I wonder if they do this for a reason..........  We say goodnight for now, and will continue our visits on fb until they come south in the winter.

Willie of Walldog, Willie and Jake