Canyon Lake, Part 1

Patty, my ulcer and I made the long trip to Canyon Lake. I was so ready to get in the condo and find some relief. Surprisingly, it worked. I was finally ready for a relaxing few days after a horrendous week of newsletter, final touches at work, laundry and packing, and the ever present threat of Gustav. Once we were nestled in the safety of the Hill Country, with no schedules or commitments, my stomach cooperated and decided to enjoy the rest of the trip. We did nothing that day but rest. We had a few groceries left over from Galveston and we were happy to settle for those.When we did get out, we needed to replenish the milk we hadn't taken with us when we fled the island. That's a story in itself. Let me start at the beginning. Patty and I were enjoying the view from our 4th-story balcony when we heard our neighbor sneeze. Patty said, "Bless you," and the woman laughed and told her thank you. A conversation began. We would direct our voices to the wall that separated our balconies and talk to a person whose face we could not see. She and her husband decided to leave early, too, and go to their home in Conroe. Since that was a short distance, we offered them our milk that hadn't been opened and other perishables, which they were glad to receive.Later, back in the condo, Shelley was slapping at mosquitoes and other insects on the wall and I reminded her we had neighbors in the next unit. We all laughed about how that must have sounded to the other vacationers, actually one of those moments you had to be there for to fully grasp the humor. We arranged to knock on our neighbor's door early the next morning and deliver our groceries and swap cell numbers to keep them alerted about the traffic.

It was still dark when the four of us left our condo and knocked on the door. I was concerned. There was a staircase between our condo and the one next door and I wondered how this woman we had chatted with could have sounded so close. Anyway, no one answers and we knock again - on both doors that are side by side. Finally, a door is slightly cracked and then shut again as the four of us stand there in the darkness looking totally innocent, I'm sure. Time was running out and we wanted to get on the road, so we left those sacks of groceries by the door. In the parking lot we encounter the woman's husband who is walking their dog or allowing it a bathroom break. We told him where we left the groceries and he informed us that they were on the floor BELOW us, not next door!

Yes, Patty and I felt a little ridiculous knowing we had directed our voices to a wall instead of the floor. Donna hurried up the elevator to get the groceries and deliver them to the man outside. I can just imagine the words that will be written on the comment card that we all fill out after our trip. This resort is gated with a guard at the entrance. Our unfortunate neighbors who endured knocks on their door before daylight should have some choice words about their stay in Galveston. Oops.

With the Galveston fiasco behind us, Patty relaxed in the condo at Canyon Lake with a book about Obama, while I read a novel in a comfy chair next to the sofa. Nothing like no routine, pajamas and a good book. Peace at last.
You can tell by the furniture that Canyon Lake opted for the rustic decor while the Galveston condo was a beach theme. Both were perfect for the setting. The resort is a sprawling complex of three-story buildings on both sides of the highway. It has a big activities center with a grill, a movie theater, large selection of games and movies to take back to your unit, 4 pools and one indoor pool, and a miniature golf course, shuffleboard, tennis courts, and an arcade. The only ones we took advantage of were a hamburger at the grill and two games of miniature golf. Our tenure as golf pros will be a post in itself!