RVing Fulltime with Tom and Ella

2018 November 14 Wednesday

2018 November 14 Wednesday in Cedar Park Texas

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Today began at 21° but water to 51° in the early afternoon. By the time I arrived home from work it was 49° and sunny

My Santa boot’s tops tend to droop when I’m not wearing them. Then it’s harder to put them back on. However if I insert two large plastic cups, they don’t develope that droop.

Today I had a young child who got onto the set only as far as the camera. He then got down on the floor, covered his eyes, and buried his head against the carpet. No amount of coaxing or threatening from its parents would get him to move. So Santa got down on the floor with him and copied his pose. He looked up saw what I was doing and got up on his knees and started crawling around. His mother came through the set and he followed her. So she would lead him back past me so that the photographer could get a picture of the two of us on our hands and knees on the floor. Eventually I was able to get him up on the chair, but he was crying. However in one of the photographs it looked like he was smiling, even though he was crying. So it’s all a matter of timing. The parents bought the package with all of the digital photos downloadable.

This afternoon I saw a grandfatherly gentleman with a pre toddler in the baby cartage. I went out of the set to talk with him. He told me that they were from Russia and that there were older siblings so the would return for photographs. I reminded him that, though I deliver presents on December 6th in Russia, I would be bringing them early on December 25th in America. I then said, “Sasibo I do svidaniya,” (thank you and goodbye) Which is all the Russian I know.

That was the highlights of my day.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 13 Tuesday

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2018 November 13 Tuesday in Cedar Park Texas

29° that feels like 18° because of the wind. Overcast clouds kept it from warning much. It reached a high of forty. The forecast for tonight is 19° by morning.

Last night I covered the water hydrant and wrapped the water filter with insulation. The supply house is heated so it is not wrapped. I let the water drip a little overnight just in case. I also filled some containers with water. For drinking, cooking, and flushing. Washing can be done with wet wipes as needed.

However, none of that was needed. But it is supposed to drop below freezing every night for the next couple of nights.

I was able to get in a little exercise, walking around the balcony above the Santa set before anyone came to let me into the dressing room.

Both of us work at the mall today.

It was a slow day. Only a few kids stopped to talk with Santa. And fewer yet had photos taken.

The above photo is not me. That’s Charlie my lookalike stand-in.

By the end of the day Ella was hardly able to talk. She was also coughing and sneezing. She doesn’t work tomorrow and will probably stay in bed the whole day. Please pray for her.

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 12 Monday

2018 November 12 Monday in Cedar Park, Texas

Cold (for Texas) all day. Reached a high of 46°. It got down to freezing by midnight. There were some pretty powerful wind gusts also.

This morning I dropped Ella off at the Leander Senior center to play games and have lunch. She played until 2 when one of her friends took her to the library. She stayed there until I picked her up at about 4:45.

I arrived at Lakeline mall at about 8:50. I had time to get some exercise walking and some Tia chai.

Around 9:30 a mall employee unlocked the room where the photographs supplies are stored. This it’s also where the bathroom and changing room are located.

I was dressed in my Santa suit and ready to go when the set manager arrived.

There was some technical problem or operater error with the camera. This gave me extra time with the first family of the day. I enjoy having time to really connect with the kids. I think we get better photos.

There was one young one who the photographer and parents could not get to look up at the camera. So, I grabbed a book and set it on his lap. It made a nice photo.

The next to last child I saw was a tiny toddler. She was shy and standoffish at first. But once I gained her trust, she about talked my ear off. What a doll. I wish I had copies of all these photos so l could relive those special moments.

That’s all for today

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 11 Sunday

2018 November 11 Sunday in Liberty Hill Texas

41° and overcast. It stayed overcast most of the day and started raining in the early evening.

Praise the Lord, no floods, no fires, no hurricanes and it is the Lord’s day. What a great day!

Pastor John Saint had a wonderful sermon. We recognized the veterans. I was surprised that there were only six of us veterans at the nine o’clock service. I don’t know how many there were at the 11 o’clock service.

There were prescriptions to fill at Walmart. Ella’s also needed a card and gift for a baby shower. While there we also got a few groceries.

I was going to take Ella to her favorite Chinese buffet but it was closed (permanently). So we went to IHOP.

The next stop was Costco for supplements and over the counter medications.

By the time we were done at Costco it was almost time for the baby shower at the church. I dropped Ella off and went home to unload the groceries. There was time for a nap before going back for Ella.

So ends my day off.

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 10 Saturday

2018 November 10 Saturday in Cedar Park Texas

Today started at 41°and clouds. The 89% chance of rain forecast for overnight near materialized. Today peaked out at 49°.

This morning before going to work, I got the carpet cut to size and stapled to the deck floor. It was a piece of indoor outdoor carpet that we’ve had for years. Ella vacuumed it several times today and got a lot of dirt and dust out of it.

I was on the Santa throne from 10 to 2 today. I got home around three and Ella had our lunch/supper nearly ready.

I got a shot of the cresant moon tonight. I haven’t seen much of the moon lately because it is following the sun so close that they each set at nearly the same time.

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 09 Friday

2018 November 09 Friday in Liberty Hill and Cedar Park, Texas

43° windy and cloudy that feels damp. The clouds lifted in the afternoon and it got up to 54°. It dropped to 45° at bedtime with an 80% chance of rain.

Mrs. Claus and I began our work in Lakeline mall today. It is the same set as last year but arranged differently.

Santa’s very first visit this year was a toddler who was deaf. As she left, she signed “thank you” and I signed “you are welcome.”

Later a group of four “special needs” girls (young women) were going past the set. I waved to them and they eagerly waved back. I invited them in and spent time talking with them. As they were leaving, their care giver, with tears in her eyes, hugged Ella and I and thanked us over and over. Some of these girls had never before been to Santa.

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 08 Thursday

2018 November 08 Thursday in Liberty Hill Texas

50° and cloudy with fog. It only warmed to 57° with lots of mist and s little rain.

When I was at the VA Clinic last week the doctor made me promise to walk a mile each day. To make sure I keep that promise I bought a fitness tracker

One feature that I didn’t expect was a sleep timer. Plus it tracks deep or light sleep.

We attended Over The Hill Gang today. Four of us played Rummikub before lunch and then four of us played canasta after lunch. This will be our last time at OTHG until the new year. My Santa good at the mall starts tomorrow and Ella will be working on the set also.

Emery had a fifth grade music program tonight.

She had a lot of grandparents in attendance

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 07 Wednesday

2018 November 07 Wednesday in Liberty Hill Texas

69° overcast and fog. It reached 85° with 100% humidity. Kinda sticky.

Grandies in the morning was a little light on people. It wasn’t surprising that there fog would keep some away. Even though it wasn’t bag where we were, some of the low spots in this hills can gather a dense fog.

Last week I replaced the headlights on Rudolf the red nosed pickup. Somehow managed to double order them. So today I returnef extra set of headlights.

I’ve been so busy putting the deck together that I forgot to take pictures. It is done. I will paint it and carpet the deck sometimes in the next few weeks if the weather allows.

Tonight was the choir monthly party and practice the Christmas cantata is coming along nicely. Ella and I are practicing it with the rest of them but we may not actually get to doing it with them on Christmas Eve. It depends on what time we get off work that night. It is surprising to me how many people wait until Christmas Eve to come and see Santa.

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 06 Tuesday

2018 November 06 Tuesday in Liberty Hill and Leander, Texas

55° and heavy fog that lasted until late morning. It then became mostly overcast with a high of 75°. Another light fog or haze at bedtime.

This was our drive into Leander for games and lunch. Can you see the fourth power pole on the left? Neither can I.

It amazes me how quickly laundry day comes around. Maybe that’s due to the small clothes hamper in our fifth wheel.

God bless and g’nite y’all.

Visit my daily devotions blog https://MusingsDevotions.wordpress.com/

And my sermons blog http://ThomasEWilliams.blogspot.com/?m=1l

2018 November 05 Monday

2018 November 05 Monday in Liberty Hill, Georgetown, and Burnet, Texas

It was a busy day. 99.9% done with the deck except paint and carpet.

Emmaus gathering at Hill Country Fellowship Church in Burnet this evening. We went to First United Methodist Church in Burnet first and then found the right place.