Thursday, October 17, 2019 - Breakfast Brunch; Chapter Business Meeting; Bean Bag Baseball

Thursday, October 17, 2019 - Breakfast Brunch; Chapter Business Meeting; Bean Bag Baseball

I woke at 4:30 this morning.  I guess I've finally caught up with my sleep as I've been getting up pretty late the past two days.  It was 38 or so this morning, so I turned the furnace up a bit.  At 7:30 it is still only 42 degrees.

I spent the first few hours getting the blog done for the previous two days.  Last night I realized I had forgotten to add the last several blog posts to our "Travels with Bentley" Facebook page, so many people have not seen a post for several days.  I'm sorry about that.  Too many things going on I guess, and in a rush to get them done I just forgot about that step!

Alvin and Linda are hosting a breakfast brunch this morning at 9:30.  Dean walked up to have coffee around 8.  I stayed here to shower and do a few things before I walked to the clubhouse around 9.  It was only 10-15 minutes later that our breakfast brunch was ready, so Linda told us to go ahead and start while it was warm.  She made a sausage/egg casserole, along with a wonderful fruit salad.  It was delicious.

We enjoyed visiting with everyone as they came in.  I always enjoy visiting with Drena because she comes up with some great ideas for using things or she is always telling us about some really neat app or idea.  Today she showed up for breakfast with a plastic school box kids use to hold their pencils, pens, etc.  She was using it to carry her utensils in for their breakfast meal.  What a great idea!  I like the idea they are inside protected rather than just laying in the bottom of our carrier.  She also had her napkins folded inside, plus an extra one she could wrap the dirty ones in, in case they didn't use all of the utensils she brought to the meal.  She is so clever!

Following our breakfast brunch Alvin, as Chapter President, called our annual business meeting to order.  We had a great turnout as compared to the one held last October.  Dean and I joined this group in April of 2015.  It's hard to believe it's already 4.5 years later.  We love the people we've met through this organization.  Several have had to hang up their keys, and we miss seeing them but every year we pick up new members.  This year our friends Mark and Karen, joined our chapter, as well as another couple Wally and Nita.  Karen and Mark have lived in Missouri for many years where Mark recently retired from a career in law enforcement.  They recently transitioned from a sticks and bricks home to their new RV.  Mark and I met through our respective blogs.  Dean and I have met with Karen and Mark several times the last few years and we've become good friends.  We are really happy they have joined our Chapter.  While our paths may not cross often, I'm sure we will at various times throughout our travels.  Our blogs, Facebook and Email will keep us connected until we have another opportunity to meet down the road.  Wally and Nita are a really sweet couple and we enjoyed visiting with them when they first arrived.  We exchanged information on places we had traveled.  It's always fun talking to others about where they have been and what they've done.  We get some great information this way.

After the business meeting I walked back to the RV.  I had some things to do.  I had a few dishes to wash, plus I wanted to clean some things out of the refrigerator and wash a few containers I emptied from there.  It took another 10 minutes or so to do a good pickup and straightening of things in the RV.  Now my work is done in Bentley for the day.  

This afternoon we played bean bag baseball.  Dean and I learned about this game at our first Heartland rally.  Dean enjoyed it so much he wanted to make one for our own use.  He took measurements and pictures of the one they used.  When we returned home he got to work pretty quick on it.  We've used it several times and everyone has enjoyed playing.  Bob and Dee were the captains.  There was no rhyme or reason to who was on what team.  We just started adding names until the teams were even in number.  Dean was the umpire.  Dee's team won both games!  It was much fun and I believe everyone had a great time.

Linda L - teammate Keith on 3rd, with Umpire Peine overseeing the throw, and Captain Dee on the right.

Everyone came out to watch 

Patty with two on base - she needed at least a triple to get her teammates in to home plate.

Nita getting ready for her first toss.

Linda B looks like a pro with that throw!

Mike doesn't look too shabby himself!

We had such a good turnout, so many laughs, and just good clean fun!  Who doesn't like baseball?

Another group shot.  Notice our Bentley in the background there.

I hope I managed to get pictures of everyone in these photos.

Our team's captain - Bob the Builder - You can do it Bob!

Karen - she had a good throw - what a stance!

After playing two baseball games, we were all famished.  Several went back to El Charro's to eat.  Patty & Bob, Karen & Mark and Dean and I chose to try one of the restaurants the campground had recommended.  They even gave us a coupon for 15% off our meal.  The restaurant was A Taste of Italy.  The restaurant is located at the Precious Moments Chapel. I think everyone tried a different dish and we were all happy with our meals.  I chose a small plate that included a small portion of lasagna, a small cannelloni and manicotti.  They were served with garlic rolls.  Olive oil and Balsamic vinegar was available at the table for dipping your bread.  Its been a long time since we've been anywhere they provide that, and I sure enjoyed it.  The entire meal was fantastic.  Afterwards we took a few pictures outside.

Parking Lot plantings.

Cute little Precious Moments camper - Karen getting a closeup

The restaurant sign behind this statute.

Right at the entrance to the Precious Moments Chapel Center

We had to have a group picture.  

Karen, Mark, Dean, Patty & Bob

It wasn't long after we returned that the fire genies came out and we enjoyed another evening under the stars.  Always a lot of fun with great conversations.

Connie & Gary with Linda B 

Patty, Marianne, Mike, Bob and Stan

L to R:  LeRoy, Alvin, Drena and Linda L

How many guys does it take to start a fire - and watch over it?

Another wonderful day, with wonderful friends in a wonderful campground!  

Keith took this picture of our group.  It turned out really good for a night photo.  Later we learned he used the Night option on his Samsung phone.  The things we learn.  I didn't even know my phone had that option until seeing this picture.