A VISIT WITH THE BARTEES IN LOVELADY, TEXAS

The inside of Scoopy is a green cocoon. In front and to the left I see nothing but new, spring green leaves. To the right, an acre of new green grass and more green leaves... and clear blue sky. The very air inside is tinged with the green of springtime.

With a temperature in the 70's, humidity in the 30's, a light breeze and the birds and bugs trying to out-sing each other, it is the essence of a spring day. Fantastic!

No campground report today... this one is PRIVATE! Here we are in campsite number one, a return visit to Lovelady, Texas, home of Jackie and Buddy Bartee. We were here last year, in March - a bit earlier than this year, but it looks much the same.

The Bartees have a great setup here in tiny Lovelady (population 608): 5 acres, a garden, and a big metal barn with a kitchen, bathroom, washer/dryer, lots of storage and space for the motorhome.

When the Bartees are in residence, the barn doors roll up and they drive their motorhome inside, under shelter. Four big rolling doors let in plenty of light and air - it is like camping with weather protection. When they take off, all the rolling doors are closed and locked with everything safely enclosed. Of all the variety of "home base" situations we have seen in our travels, this is the one I find most appealing.

Here are Odel and Jackie inside... the Bartees motorhome is in the background; Odel and Jackie are facing the big TV, watching the Masters golf tournament. Odel has snacks beside him and a margarita in hand... what more could a man wish for?

And, speaking of Odel, THE MAN... the very first thing he did this morning was to REPAIR our TV satellite dish! Way back at Davis Mountain State Park, in west Texas, it broke, making a horrible grinding noise when I turned it on. Between there and here, Odel went up on the roof, took off the dome, and found a little broken bit of wire.

In a phone consultation with the satellite manufacturer, he determined which part was broken and had it shipped to us in Fredericksburg. We carried the parts with us until we arrived here and, this morning, Odel climbed back up on top and made the repair.

This is the same guy whose favorite joke was: "My toolbox has two tools, a pen and a checkbook." Not any longer!

Luna is in heaven here. Odel put the green mat down so she doesn't have to sit/walk in tall grass. She divides her time between the mat, her soft crate (which we leave set up with the door open) and walking on the railroad ties that line our RV "pad" (so she keeps her toes dry). She has explored the barn completely and appears to approve of this setup wholeheartedly.

Odel has the solar cooker set up with a slab of baby back ribs inside. Jackie is cooking chicken-fried steak. I've made cole slaw and gingered cucumbers, and the Masters tournament is underway again. Time to go act like a Texan.