News: Texas

Astrobagos
Local Chapter

November: We met at Coushatta Recreation Ranch. We always have a good time when we're there. Since this was our last 'official' meeting before the TX 'W' meeting in January at the KOA in Montgomery, we had a lot to discuss.

Stella Channeyworth lives at Coushatta Ranch and was with us the whole weekend. What a pleasure to have honorary members present!

Our new slate of officers for 2010 was presented and elected. Our new officers are: President, Mike Ellerbrock; Vice President, Don Kipp; Secretary, Jackie Johnson; Treasurer, Louise Kipp.

Mexican train kept us busy when we weren't eating or discussing motor homes.

January took us to Jackie Johnson's house for our annual Christmas get-together. We each brought a dish to compliment the turkey the Jirals made. MMMM MMMM good eating!

Cen-Tex Travelers
Local Chapter

By Kathie Todd

Lampassas is a wonderful historical city and great for a November chapter meeting. The Newtons were our hosts. We did the walking tour of historical houses, including the renovated courthouse, and loved the German food. As is always the case, the potluck was fantastic. Paul and Gail provided a wonderful waffle breakfast, including Paul as sous chef doing made-to-order eggs. This required a long walk and shopping to work off the lethargy. Fortunately, there was a great public park nearby for the walking...if you could get by the geese guarding it. Most of us learned Joker from Mike and had many intense matches, with important playoffs. Some of the guys preferred "42." The park had the greatest Burr oaks with the biggest acorns ever seen. We took some home to paint and plant. We have the greatest members and such fun; we were not ready to leave Sunday.

Madisonville was our destination to celebrate Christmas together. Guests, Tommy and Delilah Parsley, joined our chapter. Our hosts put up the tree and lights in the clubhouse, setting the stage for a lighthearted gathering. The park had a marvelous seafood restaurant on the grounds where several of the early arrivals enjoyed shrimp, oysters, stuffed crabs, etc.

For entertainment, Mike brought the Wii, projected it on a movie screen and we bowled and bowled and bowled. We discovered that Pat Bankston is a really good pitcher when we played baseball on the Wii. There were cutthroat games of Joker with lots of complaints against two "mean bad women," who actually played brilliantly. In the middle of all this competition, IT SNOWED. That is a big deal in TX!

Our Christmas dinner Friday centered on ham with delicious sides. This provided a starting place for the potluck Saturday. Saturday the Todds served breakfast. That kept us plenty fueled up for all the games.

Bonnie Tittle 903-536-2438

Heart of Texas Winnies
Local Chapter

Nineteen Heart of TX coaches and three drive-ins were on the ground for our December chapter meeting in Burleson, TX, Dec. 11-14. The meeting was at the RV Ranch.

Our hosts for this chapter Christmas event were Bob and Carol Maxwell, Bill and Dorothy Drake, and Hulen and Bob McNallen. Gail Miller provided beautiful piano music throughout the meeting.

One of the highlights of this meeting was a tour of the Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, TX. Twenty-four members made this two-hour tour and, without a doubt, this stadium is an awesome, unbelievably huge arena that the tour guide said could be considered as the eighth wonder of the world. We were all inclined to agree.

Grace Miller thanked the members for their generous contribution of $500 in gift cards. This sum was collected to benefit the Johnson County Children's Advocacy Program. Other counties that will benefit from our donation are Bosque County and Hill County. This combined program works with children who have been physically or sexually abused and with the families of these children.

Friday the ladies had lunch at the well-known Montgomery Street Mall and Secret Garden Restaurant in Ft. Worth and then toured the many antique shops in the mall. The guys found a barbecue place.

Clarence Callaway 940-692-1976

Lone Star Travelers
Local Chapter
By Mary Kerr

The Lone Star Travelers met at the River Shade RV Park in Seguin, TX, Nov. 12-15, with 11 coaches. November at the River Shade RV Park has become a tradition with Lone Star Travelers. The park is on the bank of the Guadalupe River, shaded by many pecan trees. It's the time of year when pecans are falling and being harvested, so walking along the riverbank, picking up pecans for future shelling and eating, is another tradition. Of course, those of us who are less ambitious find it much more convenient to drive into town to the Pape Pecan House and obtain our supply of shelled pecans in a more leisurely fashion (they keep well in the freezer for as long as seven years). We enjoyed eating at favorite restaurants "Taste of China Buffet" and "Casa Sol Mexican Restaurant," and Saturday noon, we sat down to a splendid catered Thanksgiving meal. We were somewhat vexed by the conflict between Thanksgiving Dinner and an important football game, but we managed to resolve the problem amicably. With all this, we still had time for many games and good fellowship.

Stephanie Mosley 512-966-6741

Nor-Tex Travelers
Local Chapter
By Mary Trott

The Nor-Tex Travelers meeting was held Dec. 11-13 at Destiny Dallas RV Resort in Denton, TX. There were 13 rigs on the ground.

Everyone gathered Friday for hors d'oeuvres and finger foods.

Our hosts, the Risleys, Strandlies, and Broadbents, prepared Saturday breakfast. Our chapter meeting followed breakfast.

After our meeting, everyone pitched in and wrapped gifts for our adopted Christmas family.

Dinner was held at 6:00 p.m. and everyone enjoyed playing Christmas trivia after dinner.

Sunday everyone met to enjoy a light breakfast and say goodbye until the next meeting.

Bill Moulder 972-238-1542 willyfixit@tx.rr.com

Winnebago-Itasca Travelers