Between MMAP Projects

San Antonio, TX

Home of the Riverwalk!!  Too many choices!!  When we asked about a recommendation for a restaurant, the gentleman at the visitor’s center suggested we do our own foodie tour and visit more than one restaurant....so we decided, yes, that would be fun.  If you follow us on facebook, this is old news.  But for those who do not, this is our 6-hour fun lunch.  Remember the old progressive dinners?

Coffee/tea

 sweet treat

 

appetizer

 soup at Ritas

 

walking through the riverwalk, 

we took a detour up to see the church

and the Alamo

then resumed our quest for a salad, but they did not open until 5

We had our main course of lamb stew here,

then dessert/coffee to finish our day

Yes, a lot of food, but we did walk in between and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

Louisianna

After finishing up at Wilderness Ridge in Tx, we headed east to Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Fellow MMAPers, the Hennings, have parking at a storage building they own and had invited us to stop by and visit some time.  Another couple also were there, so we had a mini MMAP project.   We had not met the Munson’s before, so it was fun to get to know another couple.  Hennings started to put up a closet inside their storage unit, so what better way to spend a couple of days together, helping them out.  The guys worked together, the ladies had a day out, we all ate together..... sounded like a MMAP project to us!  Guess I did not get a picture of the completed project with deck on left of this with the stairway attached to the wall.  

After visiting Louisiana a couple of times, Avery Island was still on my list to see.  Gardens were not blooming yet, so did not see them.  But the Tabasco factory was open.  We left Lake Charles  for Palmetto Island State Park on Sunday; then on Monday, the Hennings and Munsons met us at the Tabasco factory and toured it with us.  

Palmetto was a very relaxing place for us.  I think there were maybe half a dozen other campers in the 96 site campground!  Can’t say enough about how nice the facilities were at this park.  It is the newest in their system, opened in 2010.

We briefly considered canoeing, but since it was cold and windy, we thought we would not enjoy it as much.  They say the alligators stay low and are sluggish in the cold, though.

We thoroughly relaxed, and because it was cold, sometime rainy, and windy, we spent our days in the coach; Paul doing some paperwork, taking naps and I think he even got a little reading done and did a load or so of laundry for me, while I worked on a quilting project I had started last month, cleaned the insides of the windows on the inside (those tracks especially get so dirty!!) of the rig, read and did a bit of laundry as well.  

Before we knew it, it was time to report to the next MMAP project.  This month we are at Tall Timbers Conference Center, Forest Hills, just south of Alexandria in Louisianna.  There are two out of the six couples we have not worked with before, one being on their very first project. We were here on our buddy trip in 2009 and look forward to working here again this month.

MMAP Camp Wilderness Ridge, Smithville, TX, January, 2014

Camp Wilderness Ridge, Smithville, Texas, burned down when wild fires hit the Austin area a few years ago.  The focus of the camp is to teach boys how to become men of God.  They moved about two miles down the road and are leasing a facility that needs adapting to meet the needs of the camp.   They are currently on a 10-year lease.

Enter MMAP..... we were here last year, and were able to return again this year.  Seeing the devastation of fire first hand in Julian, we wanted to help out. This year, the project was to add an additional space (12x16) to the managers house.   It includes hook-ups and closet for washer and dryer, space for a pantry and living space. 

The MMAPers that were here in December built the foundation and floor.

The three guys, Art, John and Paul, really worked hard and got SO much accomplished!!  

We ladies, Sue, Tamara and I, kept busy sewing sunshades, 

painting a bunk bed and a dresser, complete with flowers  on the knobs, painted by Sue.

We surprised the girls who are going to be using the dresser.  They loved the flowers and just sat and admired it for some time.

And we re-painting camp signage... but it got too cold (below freezing,  and  you could see our breath) so we could not continue.

The December MMAP group challenged us by leaving a mouse trap.  They caught 45 during December.   I think our total was only 18.  Guess we should have kept at least one of the cats that tried to adopt us.

Since there were only three couples, we were able to meet in our rigs for devotions.

For ladies day out, we checked out a quilt shop, out to lunch at a meat market... an experience itself..... and visited a Wendish museum.  

I had never heard of Wendish before.  They were from Germany, near the Polish border, and had their own language, culture and beliefs.  When Germany wanted them to consolidate their religious beliefs forming one religion, they moved to the states.

Social animals that we are, we had a campfire one night.... 

complete with hot dogs and grilled apple pie,

and enjoyed watching the full moon rising over the lake.

We played a game that was new-to-us, Pegs and Jokers. 

And of course,  you HAVE to go to Murphy’s, in Winchester, TX, for the best steaks!!!  At least once..... or twice!!

We stayed on a few more days so we could finish the room.  Paul still had a bit of mudding, electrical  to do, an some frozen plumbing to deal with. And then there was painting.  I was not looking forward to painting the ceiling, but did start it.  We came back on Tuesday, and it was done!! YAY!!  With the help of a couple of hardworking young men (who reminded us of our grandsons Bubba and Brayden)

I was able to complete the painting.

and then we got to go play a bit in San Antonio!

Details in our next blog......