You are all probably wondering what has become of us since we arrived in Texas. Well, my battle with a weeks long Meniere's attack continues. I am not sure if this is the last hurrah for the bad ear or evil bodes ill for my good ear. The heat has been unbearable...for me anyways. All the permanent residents complain but go about their business.

The week we arrived, which was just after the hurricane, Uncle Ben was hospitalized for heart irregularities...both he and grandpa were probably doing what they shouldn't be doing...like climbing on roofs and picking up debris. Anyway, the heart doc said Uncle Ben needed surgery...stints. Then they said he needed open heart surgery and valves replaced. Ben has a history of heart problems especially with the aorta area and he was almost not allowed to have his knee replaced last year. Well, surgery was set for Wednesday July 30th. He was scheduled for 6 am. His oldest daughter Maryann arrived on Tuesday, and visited with her dad that night and then again Wednesday morning after Ben's surgery was delayed due to an emergency. After 8 hours of trying to save him, the doctors let him go. His heart was just not repairable. Each patch or sewn area would spring additional leaks...the doctor said around 200 leaks. He and the other doc had finished the surgery within two hours, but spent 6 hours repairing the leaks. They could not stop them. We are all very sad that Ben is gone. He was such a part of our lives down here, and Paul has so many memories of his childhood of Ben taking him fishing and camping. He will be sadly missed. Of course, his daughter were devastated, and his special lady friend Bev is heartbroken. Bev went to St. Louis with Maryann for the funeral. We had his memorial in the park on Wednesday. It was very nice and even tho there are few full time residents here right now, over 70 people attended. Ben was a Pearl Harbor survivor, a working man who adored his wife and daughters. Ben's wife Cecelia was Paul's aunt, sister to his late mom, Katherine.

I have a few pix to post. As I said early on, this has not been a very good time here in Weslaco for us. I am frustrated with my relapse, but think that perhaps the stress of the situation with grandpa and the hurricane and then Ben's death affected me more than I had thought.

Here is what the front of the rig looked like after we hit miles and miles of some icky sticky moths that were swarming after the hurricane along the gulf coast.

Mack's favorite traveling position....

We were getting ready to move out and he was terrified of the diesel noise...poor little guy...

Finally Mack gets used to grandpa's house....

Some skinny puppy gets a bath...but then he is dry and fluffy again!

There's peace in the kingdom...at least for the moment...

When Mack rests...Pepe and Snickers get a break...the little guy terrorizes them constantly. Hmmm, both getting payback in the scheme I life I figure!

More later.

Dennise