Tuesday 1-21-25 Cold Day & Dancing Plus with Bronc Wise

 

Peppermint Palace at El Valle Del Sol RV Park

It was a cold day with a strong wind out of the north. The low was 33 degrees and it only got to 37.

Belton and Round Rock had snow along with many other cities all over Texas that usually don't see snow. Here in the Rio Grande Valley we had drizzle and a little ice. About 4:00 the sun came out and started to dry the parking lot. Tomorrow morning it's suppose to be 27 degrees. We hope it isn't because the hall we will be dancing in doesn't have heaters. We remember one year where we had to dance with coats on and go to the windows where the sun was to warm our hands. 

We woke up at 6:00 and went down to breakfast at 6:30. Breakfast is served between 6 and 10. Today we ate different items. Larry had apple cinnamon oatmeal, apple juice, pork sausage links and a tortilla. I had scrambled eggs, pork sausage links, flour tortilla and apple juice. The tortillas were precooked and wrapped in foil, which made them hard. I put them in the microwave but it didn't help much. Don't get me wrong, we're happy they provide a breakfast. You can always find something you like. In the lobby they have cookies (chocolate chips, oatmeal and raisins and peanut butter), apples, peppermints and ice water available for free. The cookies are very good.

After breakfast we went back to our room to wait until it was time to go to the dance. We received a text from Bronc saying he was feeling better and there would be a dance. We left the hotel around 9:30 to go to the Peppermint Palace at El Valle Del Sol in Mission. We got there a few minutes before the dance. At the door we checked in with Fia (Bronc's wife). it cost $16 dollars per couple, which is cheap entertainment for a couple of hours. It use to be $10 dollars. Bronc called a plus dance for two hours. He called nine tips to five squares of dancers. The first tip had four squares, the second had five squares and the rest had four or three squares. This was great because people had a chance to rest and visit. Larry and I danced all the tips except one, gave me the opportunity to take pictures. We hadn't been in the Valley since Covid hit in 2020. We really hadn't danced a two hour dance at a regular speed since then. By the end of the dance we were tired. We had a super time dancing to Bronc and visiting with people we hadn't seen in five years. The dancers we knew were very happy to see us after five years.

 

Bronc Wise

 

Dancing plus to Bronc

A square circling left during the dance

Three squares dancing to Bronc

Barb and Larry from the Sundancers were there and we danced with them a couple of times. Dee and Rod, who spend their winters at El Valle Del Sol were glad to see us. In the past when we came down we danced with them at a lot of dances. We visited with Dee and Rod for a bit. Dee told us, that El Valle Del Sol still has a pancake breakfasts on Saturdays and has their craft show once a month. The next one is February 1 but we won't be here. She said it's a lot smaller, only about five people participants.

We were surprised on some moves that were called because we hadn't heard them for a very long time. An example: All four couples form a right star half way and the head two couples form a left hand star to go home. We didn't breakdown the square but we had to think a little bit on what to do. We had a blast dancing to Bronc.     

We got back to the hotel by 12:30. We put things in the room and walked over to Wienerschnitzel to have lunch. They had a special going on, two chili cheese dogs and an order of chili cheese fries for $6.00. We split it. We hadn't eaten at a Wienerschnitzel in many years. They have great hot dogs. The service was fast, employees were friendly and the food good. The store was clean.

 

Wienerschnitzel from the web

Once back at the hotel we didn't leave for the rest of the day. Larry finished a book he started yesterday and began anoher. I played games. The Daily Challenges of Solitaire and Mahjong. The event today was Event: World Tour Mini of 10 games. It took me 55 minutes and 32 seconds to complete, which put me in 20th place in my group. Then I played Angry Birds. 

In the evening I went to the workout room and worked out for 45 minutes. I did the treadmill for a half hour and weight machines for fifteen minutes. I added fifteen minutes of yoga and stretching to my routine. I ended up doing 18,000 steps, which put me in 2nd place in my group.

 

Working out