HeadinginaDifferentDirection15



	Chapter 15 HEADING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION Change of Focus I haven't written much (in this book) about our involvement in our Networking business, because our focus has been on my website. But, after my visit with Michael and Adam, I was feeling burnt out with my ministry. I needed a break, and Dottie's request for us to visit one of their new Distributors, in Corpus Christi, seemed timely, an open door that I chose to enter. Dottie and Steve, our upline in this product brokerage networking business, are moving upward quickly. In fact, Steve recently retired from RV sales to work the business full-time and their income (from it) supported the decision, because everything began moving upward. On the other hand, despite all our efforts to build our business, the things that should have worked didn't, and I finally became discouraged and quit trying, as I felt the need to focus on the website. But, now I was felt overwhelmed with the task of upgrading and integrating the two designs, and this assignment from Dottie gave us an opportunity to change focus and head in a different direction. Driving in the Rain Corpus Christi was definitely not the direction we would ordinarily be heading to return to Colorado, as planned, but 90-miles wasn't too far out of our way and we happily started heading southeast to the Gulf of Mexico. We'd been there before, on our second RV journey, and we loved the peace and beauty of South Padre Island where we stayed at various parks, so we looked forward to returning. However, God or Freedom, had different plans. When we left Kenedy, a slight mist had begun, but soon the prediction of rain came true and Van turned on the supposedly fixed wipers, only to discover that they still didn't work properly. After a few swipes, the left blade would get stuck, rendering it useless. In the past, Van would stop, get out in the rain and loosen it. But, fortunately, this time it came loose by itself, so he left them off and kept driving. But when the rain worsened, I insisted that he stop at Beeville Wal-Mart, about 30-miles down the road, which he did. However, it stopped raining, so we drove through town and continued onward. As a sidelight, it's interesting that Van spotted Michael strolling past a business and looking in the window. However, he didn't see us and Van had driven on by before he could react by honking the horn to get his attention, so we kept going. Yet, it felt good to catch one more glimpse of Big Mike, apparently on his lunch break, while working with Ken and Adam. By the time we reached the freeway, the rain began again, but we kept going, because Van discovered that he could wipe the window, without the blade sticking, if he slowed down. Fortunately, at this point the rain was light and somewhat intermittent. However, by the time we reached Odem, near Corpus Christi, a downpour forced us to pull off the highway and drive slowly through town until the heavy rain passed by. I hate this stressful part of traveling, but nothing else to do at this point, and we had made a decision to stop at City Park, at the intersection of I-37 and 77, the highway we were on, until the storm passed. Needless to say, I was overjoyed when we finally reached Exit #16 and got off the highway. A Business Site Such a beautiful spot, along the Nueces River, which we could see from our window. And the other side looked out upon a large multi-purpose field, offering a green scene, between us and the freeway. What a good place to conduct business! Dottie called, as we were eating my homemade nachos, and we discussed the plan of action. She gave me Jean's phone number, which I called, but it didn't accept anonymous phone calls. So Dottie agreed to have Jean call me. Finally, we made connections and her friendliness and enthusiasm made me glad that we'd taken this direction. She wouldn't be available until Thursday, which was fine, because that's when the rain was scheduled to end, and we were allowed three days free parking at the City Park. Jean invited us to stay at her house and she wanted to take us sightseeing, including a trip to the Navy Base. All this felt good and we agreed that she would meet us Thursday and guide us to her home, where we would be able to park and hook-up to their electricity. Indeed, this was an Open Door and obviously the right direction for us to be headed, at this time. Earlier Steve had mentioned that Jean didn't realize that our business would reap no benefits from this meeting, because she is in a different line from us. His point being that people in this business support each other whether or not there is a business pay-off. However, Jean's unexpected friendship and hospitality would more than compensate any effort on our part. I love it! After the Big Storm Two days passed, as Southern Texas enjoyed its much needed Big Storm. Van and I rested and the prepared for facilitating the New Distributor Training by reviewing the material from some past ones we had attended. Fortunately, Dottie Priority Mailed a new version to Jean for us to use as guidelines, and it arrived Thursday morning in time for our scheduled afternoon training session. As planned, Jean's husband, Tony, met us and we followed to their home, with ample room to park Freedom and hook up. However, since we would need time for repairing the generator, we opted to pass on her tour guide offer in favor of spending two days at The Gulf. Facilitating the Training But, in the meantime, Van and I facilitated the Training and we were delighted at how well we worked together and presented the material. Obviously attending numerous meetings, seminars and trainings had paid off when we needed it; with the help of Dottie's Guidelines. Jean was delighted to receive the new information and answers to her questions, and we felt good that we had the opportunity to prove that we could facilitate a New Distributors Training. In fact, Steve was so impressed with out report that he asked if we wanted to facilitate the Basic Five Training for her. The prospect, though enticing, seemed like a bridge too far, under the circumstances. Mainly that we didn't have the necessary overhead projection setup. Of course, others had presented it without the equipment, and we could too, but it's a matter of timing. To the National Seashore Although it was exhilarating to facilitate the Training, we were all exhausted from overload, so Van and I took off to the National Seashore on South Padre Island for a few days rest and play. We'd been here before, over the JFK Causeway from Corpus Christi to South Padre Island and 14-miles south along the narrow strip of land to the National Park where we only paid $4.00 a night with our Golden Age Passport. Despite the overcast, wind and cold, we enjoyed the view of the rolling waves from our window, and we even took a short walk the first day; but mostly we rested and watched nature's beauty from our living room window: the waves rolling ferociously into shore, blown sideways by the strong winds. The comical laughing gulls fighting to stay aloft while flying against the wind, and the spring flowers blooming, despite the shifting sand, and a few RVers braving the weather for a short walk, but preferring to stay inside. A peaceful scene. But the sun came out the second day and everything changed. The RVers were out soaking up the sunshine; some guys even shirtless, while the women wore tank-tops. One older fellow climbed to the top of his home and did some repairs, while the sun beat on his exposed back. I hoped that he had sun block. I too wore shorts and a T-shirt and went for a walk in the surf, along the beach, stooping now and then for shells that I could give to my great-grandson. I had the beach to myself, except for several folks far in the distance, and another lady strolling along behind who soon passed and took the lead. There weren't many gifts from the sea this time, mostly plastic bags partially buried in the sand, and some pieces of shells that reminded me of the last visit (in November) when I gathered more prizes from nature. This time I gleaned a broken delicate, translucent shell with rainbow colors and a piece of purplish one. Nevertheless, it was fun for my inner child to splash in the warm surf and gather souvenirs. Later in the day, Van and I walked along the beach to the Visitor's Center, but the cool wind forced us to wear sweatshirts, although others were more daring; and some youngsters and one adult even swam. While talking with the Park Ranger inside, after viewing a display of the possible seashore finds, including tropical pods, nuts and shells amongst the usual items, I learned that these only wash ashore after a hurricane. So, I felt satisfied to see the display, rather than go through a hurricane in order to pick them up along the beach. The Ongoing Unfoldment of my Good Because of the coolish winds, once we returned, I chose to remain inside, with the windows and door open, and enjoy the warmth, while remaining in a somewhat meditative mood, taking a break from my ongoing task of upgrading my website. My Daily Reading served as the source of inspiration, "I entrust to God the ongoing unfoldment of my good." It suggested that if weather, delays, or other circumstances interfere with our plans, we must believe that divine order assures us that we can seek and find the blessings that are part of God's Divine Plan in the ongoing unfoldment of our good. I thought about the delay caused by the Big Storm and the blessing of several days parked along the Nueces River. And even our time at the seashore resulted from the need to wait until Monday for the generator repairs. So, indeed, God's divine order prevailed as our good continued to unfold, confirmed by the accompanying bible verse, "He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17). The verse reminded me that God is All and God is Love, therefore All is Love. And Love is the cement that binds all things together. In other words, without the existence of love, everything would run together in one massive blob. So, Paul is right when he refers to this "mystery" as "Christ in you, your hope of glory." Scientists admit that there is a mystery component within each atom and metaphysicians know that it's God, or Love, or the Indwelling Christ. Isn't it all so wonderful? I am Willing With the first day of April, overlooking the rolling waves and screeching gulls, we changed several directions. Besides the new month, we also sprung forward by setting our clocks to Daylight Savings Time, thus losing an hour. And, although I don't feel ready to begin a new chapter, we also moved into a new monthly Power: April's Power is Will and the coordinating disciple is Matthew. The prime example of this Power is given by Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He faced the crucifixion, yet He said, "Father, if it be Thy will, please remove this cup, nevertheless not my will but Thine be done." Let His example be our byword of life when it comes to willingness to fulfill God's will, as we affirm, "I am willing." I Listen And then we listen. This is a reminder that Will is a twin Power, because it works with Understanding, the Power for May. Otherwise, Will tends to become willful, rather than willing. But when it works with Understanding, which is symbolized as listening, hearing and following, this Power mellows into submissiveness. Its attribute is surrender, illustrated by Jesus falling to His knees with supplication, "Please remove this cup," followed by surrender, "Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done." The Other Side of Paradise Not only did the month and time and Power take a different direction, but so did the day. My Sunday tranquillity was interrupted when five RV's arrived, occupied by mostly baby- boomers with their kids and grandkids, causing much ado of activity and noise. Later, when we returned from our walk, the folks had gone to the beach, leaving their lonesome dogs behind. So we were greeted with their pathetic, but persistent wailing. In addition, two pre-teen girls were eating potato chips and fed some to the laughing gulls., We'd already learned, from a previous neighbor who fed them bread, that a little feeding starts a phenomenon: flying overhead, landing on tables, and otherwise being a nuisance, while screeching or scolding; a laugh, maybe, but definitely annoying. Shortly after our return, the twentysomething neighbors (not with the baby-boomers), who were tenting, also returned and soon their radio was bellowing sounds that probably is called music to their generation. Our term would be noise. Van decided to take a shower at the facilities, but soon returned, reporting that the water was not heated, so he happily took his shower in our own comfortable, though small stall, nevertheless, complete with hot water. For some reason we didn't find it difficult to move on. The doors of Paradise were definitely closing. And we were ready for our next adventure, across the JFK Causeway and back into Corpus Christi. A Possibility While driving over the Causeway, I again had a cellular phone signal, so I called Steve and asked, "Were you serious about us doing a Basic Five Training for Jean?" "You bet," he replied. We discussed the possibilities of doing it without an overhead projector and decided it would be okay. "Okay, we're a few blocks from Jean's, so we'll just stop by and see how she feels about it." But Jean was still tired from the New Distributors Training and didn't even want to think about another one this soon, adding, "Don't worry, when I'm ready for more training, I'll find one, even if I have to go to Houston. And I am planning to attend the National Convention in Greensboro" (North Carolina). Another Different Direction Everything seemed okay with Jean for now, so we moved on. She had given us directions to our evening's destinations: Del Air Generators to make a dry-run for Monday morning, Wal-Mart Supercenter (with an invitation to return to her house, if we felt uncomfortable) and Sirloin Stockade, a buffet restaurant we'd heard about from a neighbor at the beach. We decided that Wal-Mart would be good, because it was close to the generator shop, so we returned there, after dinner. The ground sirloin steak was delicious, and I enjoyed the baked potato, but the rest of the food was so-so. Nevertheless, we were full and ready to return to Wal-Mart and settle down. The long walk along the beach had tired us and we had an early morning appointment at Del Air, so I called Jean to report our plans. To my surprise, she said that Tony was in the hospital, explaining that he'd seemed wobbly, after we left. She had checked his glucose level and discovered that it was too low, so she fed him and gave him orange juice, but it was still too low. Being a nurse, she suspected that he no longer needed the insulin now that he's on our OPC-3 product. But the doctor would need to arrive at that conclusion, so her husband was in the hospital and she was ready to go see how he was doing. Bottom-line The bottom-line of our generator scenario didn't really surprise me, because I suspected it had something to do with the Big Storm, such as too much moisture. In any event, it started without a falter and ran for an hour with no problem, even when we used the micro-wave for popcorn and ran the TV. Nevertheless, Van insisted they change the filter, after his experience with the fuel filter in Sanderson. Failure to Connect We were on our way -- heading northwest. First we stopped at Wal-Mart to stock up, and then Kinko's to check our e-mail and publish my latest website activity. This would have been a short project, but I made the mistake of clicking on a large picture that I didn't even want published, and it took at least a half-hour, then announced "Failure to connect." What a waste of time! However, we did get the e-mail handled and the other pages published; and Van took care of his checking. For me, the worst part of the ordeal was the music; definitely not conducive to thinking. I realize that the world has gone to the baby-boomers and younger, and their kind of music; but this is ridiculous in a Kinko's; and it's the second one where we encounter the boom-box type bass. Though it may appeal to the younger generations, Kinko's will not be high on our priority list of places to stop, although we appreciate their free e-mail services. An Update My head literally throb from the music and I was happy to be on the road. It didn't take long to drive through town and past the City Park, where we'd sat out the Big Storm. Now, the weather had shifted to warmer and humid, but we were heading north. As we passed Three Rivers, the turn-off to Linda and family's, I remembered that she had e-mailed the news of their birthdays (hers and Adams) and the visit from her son, Noel. She also mentioned that the two returnees had gotten their birth certificates and drivers licenses and now felt like real citizens of society. I was happy to have that update, and I questioned whether or not to stop, but it felt right to move onward, as we needed the time for our trip and stop-overs. Country Roads Continuing along I-37 to Pleasanton, "Birthplace of the cowboy," according to the broken signboard, we headed to Highway 173 and traveled along country roads. We were thankful that the bluebonnets, Indian paint brushes and other flowers were still blooming, and we enjoyed their beauty along the freeway, but we were looking forward to a greater density of flowers on the side roads. Yes, there were lovely flowers, even a large blue and orange field of bluebonnets and Indian paint brushes, but nothing like we'd seen when heading east from Uvalde, not even as many as we saw around Linda's. I'd set up a criteria for Van: "When you find a place to pull off by some flowers, I'd like to take a picture." So, he traveled for miles looking for the perfect spot and finally found the only possibility: a Historical Landmark, that had a sudden drop-off and scared me, as Freedom tilted sideways. I thought sure we were going over, but we didn't. We took several pictures, but these flowers were not as profuse as other locations that didn't have a pull-off. Nevertheless, we got our pictures and went on our way. The springtime scenery was lovely, with miles of greenery, accented by the colorful flowers, and we were glad that we had taken the back roads, rather than the Interstates. A Second Chance I also had another motive for this route. When we had last come through here, it was raining and overcast so that we couldn't see anything; in fact, the roads were barely visible. So I was glad for a second chance. Also, I had wanted to drive through Hondo, the town selected for the name of the character, Hondo Crouch, who bought the town of Luckenbach, Texas, and became its mayor. I'd become fascinated with the story, having first heard it from Donnie, the father of Michael and Adam. And when Van and I visited the mysterious mystical place I bought a copy of the book, Hondo, My Father, by his daughter, which I'd given to Adam and Michael as a memento of their dad, who had spent time in that Safe Space. Willie Nelson often visits Luckenbach and sang a song that immortalized the town. In fact, the day we had arrived, we'd parked at the outskirts of town, because Van felt the trees were too low for Freedom, and we walked along the Alice in Wonderland road. Wafting through the air, Willie's voice greeted us long before we saw the dance hall, beer tavern and post office, which comprise the town. This had been a magical day for me, which I recorded in Movin' On, and you can read the link now. In any event, this trip we took time to drive the extra two miles into Hondo, and I snapped pictures of the Welcome sign, Train station and Main Street. Now, I finally felt complete with the experience, and we drove on, though I would have enjoyed spending time in the old part of town. But Van didn't feel Freedom could make it over the railroad tracks into that section. It was okay with me, because I was anxious to make Kerrville before dark, and we had another famous town to pass through. One more note about Hondo: it features the 777 Exotic Game Ranch, where part of Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, was filmed; the African Village buildings are intact for visitors. We definitely would need to make another trip here, in the future, and allow more time to see these tourist attractions. "Cowboy Capital of the World" Bandera proclaims itself "Cowboy Capital of the World," and has a Frontier Museum to prove it. The area also features dude ranches and working longhorn ranches; swimming pools and the beauty of Texas Hill Country. As you can imagine, this is a tourist town and just driving through offers authentic Old West buildings and interesting scenery. Home Before Dark Fortunately, we reached Kerrville, our destination, before dark, remembering the last trip when the rain and overcast forced us to stop and regroup. However, that trip we managed to drive to Fredricksburg and stay at Wal-Mart for the night, before touring Luckenbach and the LBJ Ranch (President Lyndon B. Johnson's home), which is now a State Park. This time we asked directions to the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Kerrville, which is west of town on Junction Highway. We'd stayed here before too, and had forgotten what a spacious and peaceful parking lot they offer, in addition to a great store with extras, such as a Hair Care Salon where Van now took time for a haircut, before moving on. I would be remiss, as a writer, not to mention the cultural aspects of Kerrville, such as Schreiner College and the Cowboy Artists of America Museum and the Hill Country Museum, although I must admit that we haven't taken time to visit them. Nor did we check out the nearby Stonehenge in the Hills, a replica of the original English phenomenon (we'd seen one in Washington state) and Hill Country Arts Foundation (where famous artists conduct theater and art classes all year), both in Ingram. Also, Kerrville is said to have the most ideal climate in the nation, although you couldn't prove it by our two visits, and it boasts many health and recreation centers, plus a fabulous State Park. It's also the home of Mooney Aircraft. And it hosts the Texas Arts and Crafts Show and the Kerrville Folk Festival. In other words, this is a place where most people would enjoy spending time. But, we were anxious to move on to Brady, one of our favorite stops, as I'll share later, and again we wanted to get there before dark A Magical Town When we continued, I couldn't believe that we were again plagued with overcast weather and not able to see the hill country scenery. However, we were able to see the quaint old buildings, as we passed through Fredricksburg, and with the tourist traffic, I was able to take pictures. I remembered the last time we came through town, in early December, after stopping in Kerrville. By that time it had become dark and all the buildings and balconies were aglow with Christmas lights. It was a magical scene. Yet, even in the light of day, Fredricksburg is a magical must see. When we passed the Sunday House Restaurant, I knew where it got the name, because I'd read the Texas Tour Book. It seems that in the olden days, farmers living in remote areas would bring their families into down on Saturday for marketing and stay overnight in their small "Sunday House," for Sunday church. Some still exist and have become bed and breakfasts. Let's Turn Back We'd already headed west on Highway 87 when I said, "I really want to see the Wildflower Farm and I'll feel disappointed if we don't, so let's turn back, because it's east on US 290." When Van found a turnaround, it too was picturesque: Camp House, a bikers hangout, so I took a picture for Michael, knowing he'd love the sign above the door: Hog Heaven. Again, we were Heading in a Different Direction and I was delighted as we passed the eastern part of town and more picturesque buildings, including the former home of Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Commander and Chief of the Pacific Fleet during WWII. I'd asked Van if Little Ralph would like to tour the former Steamboat Hotel which now houses the museum. He replied with an emphatic "NO!" I guess he's been there and done that. However, I took a picture as we passed. But I didn't snap the Wal-Mart, at the far end of town, where we had sought refuge on that last rainy night's stop. The Wildflower Farm My expectations were to see vast fields of blooming wildflowers of all colors, and although they were not as intense as I'd expected, I wasn't disappointed. We especially enjoyed walking amongst the flowers, and took pictures of the red poppies and bluebonnets; and even maroon ones, billed as "bluebonnets with an attitude" in the seed catalog. Since this is the "nations largest working wildflower farm," the free catalog lists (with pictures) many of the wildflowers we'd seen along the way. For instance, now I knew that the blooms in God's Flower Garden were various shades of poppies. While sauntering along the paths and viewing the colorful fields, we began chatting with a friendly couple who shared that they had been full-time RVers for five-years, but had given it up in favor of a home in San Antonio. However, they'd kept their RV and often take short trips, or drives in their car, such as this one. They seemed quite happy to be off the road, and I tucked this away in my memory box for future reference. The idea of staying put and taking one or two trips a year appealed to me. In fact, when I thought about it, we'd been doing that for the past year, only living in Freedom, in the Denver area for six-months and at Van's mom's in Santa Clara for two months, and Leucadia for a month. I really like that lifestyle, giving us time to work on my website and books for periods of time, and then taking interesting trips to visit family and friends. I'd figured this stop would set us back an hour, but I didn't mind the delay, as we strolled through the colorful fields and the gift shop, where I bought several post cards, just to be sure I had a memento of this picturesque place with its windmill and unique buildings. You can buy anything from a packet to a sackfull of wildflower seeds and even a video on how to plant them, as well as many live plants; and you can also pick your own bouquet of fresh flowers. Returning back through town, in the direction we were originally headed, I said, "I'm so glad that you turned around so we could see the Wildflower Farm. Otherwise, I know that it would have been a regret. Fortunately, we are learning to avoid disappointment by taking time to do these special side trips." More Wildflowers Van agreed, but the truth is that we continued seeing lovely wildflowers, including fields of bluebonnets and orange Indian paintbrushes, along with various yellow or gold flowers that I still hadn't identified. All this enhanced by the varying shades of greenery and sometimes a blossoming fuchsia colored tree; maybe a wild plum. We'd seen some at the Wildflower Farm, but there was no name attached, although up close they reminded me of a forsythia, which is all yellow blossoms with practically no leaves when it's in bloom. The Center of Texas This lovely array of beauty accompanied us all the way to Brady, which is at the northern edge of Hill Country, but the beginning of West Texas. Actually, it's the geographical center of Texas with plaques in several locations, according to who proclaimed the site. One is done by the Texas Association of Professional Surveyors, but no matter what, the town is still the center of Texas. We always spend a few days at the City Park, which offers full hook-ups for a minimal price. The park also has its own lake and creek amongst live oak trees, for welcome shade in the heat of day. We always select a space overlooking the rodeo corral where we can watch the cowboys when they are practicing. But, our favorite activity is walking along the paths that follow the creeks, where we always spot a Great Blue Heron and other creatures. Sometimes we play tennis at the abandoned courts, but mostly we enjoy the peace and quiet where Van can rest from his driving and I can catch up on my writing. A Battle of Mortal Combat Usually it's a dryer heat here, but this trip the weather, coming up from The Gulf, was warm and humid, so Van opted against tennis, not because of his back, but he feared it would irritate his lungs and breathing. Instead, the first day we walked along the creek, full from recent rains. Again, I was in pursuit of the great blue heron, however, we abruptly stopped in our tracks when I spotted a battle of mortal combat, above our heads, as a large tree snake and a red squirrel played out their destiny. I'd never seen a tree snake and its coiled body wrapped around a limb alerted me to the dangers of walking amongst these live oaks. But, for now, we weren't certain if it was the snake or squirrel who was in the most danger. Which was the attacker or victim? The squirrel seemed to be antagonizing the snake, as it danced forward and back along the narrow branches taunting the lifeless appearing snake. And then suddenly a forward thrust from the snake sent the squirrel scurrying backward, only to return with more taunts and jabs, until the snake would again strike. This scenario continued for perhaps a half-hour, so we decided to wander on and catch more of the show on our return. Stalking the Great Blue Heron We heard splashes, as we walked along the creek, and remembered that it's the large turtles sensing our approach and diving from the dead branches that have fallen into the water. However, we did manage to spot several, before their plunge, and we also spotted a good sized fish jump from the water after a low-flying bug. What a picturesque scene, but I was searching for the great blue heron and I finally spotted him across the water, at the pond which forms at the end of the creek. Motionless, poised, he knew we were there, but he made himself invisible, blending into the surrounding bushes. Nevertheless, I stalked quietly forward, until I could get a good picture. And then I moved closer, holding the camera so I could photograph him, in case he took flight. But he didn't move, though his throat quivered, perhaps in fright. Once I'd gotten close enough for another good picture, I aimed my camera and asked Van to make some noise. As planned, the great bird spread its wings and headed up the creek, as I snapped the picture. A victorious adventure. A Disappointment However, another phase of our walk will remain forever a mystery, because when we returned, the squirrel and snake were gone, as if they had never been in the now empty tree. What a disappointment! And a lesson learned: a writer-reporter should never leave the scene of impending drama. Now, we would never know what happened. Were they simply playing an on-going game, or did one eventually defeat the other? Or was the squirrel protecting its nest or territory? Just Practicing But we were not disappointed regarding the rodeo corral. Although it had remained empty the first night, we rejoiced when the trucks arrived with calves and horses, which were unloaded and the cattle herded into a pen. The horses were then saddled and the cowboys, in their Texas wide-rimmed hats, jeans and shirts, mounted and rode around the corral. I must admit, I don't enjoy seeing the brutality of rodeos, to man or beast, but this is part of Texas, and it isn't going to stop, so we simply watched the panorama from the comfort of our living room, as the gate would open, the calves run out and the cowboys, twirling their ropes in air, would pursue them to the far end of the corral where the calves sought refuge in another pen. Sometimes the cowboys would lasso the calves, but otherwise they simply seemed to be practicing for some future rodeo. In fact, it was cute watching several very young sons riding on great big horses, all by themselves, with their cowboy daddies in close attendance, but no doubt getting a taste for the thrill of the rodeo. Our Morning Walk Changed The last day of our respite at Brady City Park we'd planned to walk over the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the park, however our plans changed when we arrived at the water's edge and discovered the bridge had been destroyed by a winter storm. Still wanting our morning walk, we followed along the bulging creek's edge, and were aghast at the amount of debris that had washed onto the shore and into the trees, indicating that a severe storm and flood had hit hard. We concluded our aborted walk by circling outside the corral and talking to the cattle that were still penned, awaiting the next practice. They'd all been sitting, but when we approached they stood up and watched us, so I took their pictures as a memento. "Texas is a State of Mind" Usually there are several other RV's, but they come and go, as this is basically a stopover for the Winter Texans on their long trek to Southern Texas, or back. As the Best Western ad in the Texas Tour Book says, "The sun will rise and set before you've crossed Texas, so you need a comfortable place to spend the night." Being the nation's largest hotel chain, they suggest one of their rooms, but RVers seek a safe and comfortable, preferably free or low-cost place to park. I appreciate the Best Western ad's picture of two cowboys on horseback, with the caption "Texas is a State of Mind." Isn't that the truth! For instance, at the Wildflower Farm, we chatted with a retired couple who had been RVers for five years and gave it up for a home in San Antonio, after living in Florida. I asked, "Why San Antonio?" She replied, "Because we're from Texas, and Texans always gravitate back home." That makes sense. I'll have to admit, there's something about Texas that claims a place in your heart. And the state is so big and varied that if you don't like one place, you'll be sure to find another that suits your fancy. Savoring the Best Or, like us, you enjoy traveling through the state and savoring the best of each area. This trip had taken us from the deserts of El Paso to Del Rio; the lush greenery and flowers of Southern and Central Texas, and the sand dunes and waves of The Gulf. However, we'd missed the subtropical zone of South Texas, and the forests of Eastern Texas, and even the plains of Northern Texas's Panhandle. But we would still cross the bleak West Texas terrain, before exiting the state; and in keeping with the chapter title, Heading in a Different Direction, we chose a route that we hadn't seen before: through San Angelo and into New Mexico, including Carlsbad, and Roswell, home of the UFO sightings and other strange phenomenon. Time would soon reveal more about these places, as we continue our northward journey. Chapter Wrap-up I don't usually wrap-up a chapter, but this one seems to warrant one, as it seemed to take us off course, while Heading in a Different Direction. But, my purpose is to follow God's guidance, so when doors closed, we went through the open doors, which lead us to Texas and the welcoming Adam and Michael home, leaving a warm glow in our hearts. Then Dottie and Steve wanted us to facilitate a New Distributor's Training in Corpus Christi and that too left us with a feeling of accomplishment, as well as having met Jean and Tony. It also gave us the opportunity to spend some time at The Gulf. So, our different direction had been a fruitful time and seemed to fit into God's Divine Plan. However, I questioned why I had not been able to move forward with changing my website. But again, I must trust God's guidance and timing, knowing that I am in my right place at the right time doing the right thing.