San Augustine Texas 2

A restful day today. Derek and I both feel under the weather so to speak - not sure why - we figure it is either the water or we picked up a virus somewhere. We usually drink the water wherever we are unless it has an awful taste or we really are unsure about the quality. We picked up some bottled for Cassia so she has been drinking that but we started to drink the water here although it doesn't taste great. So we ended up getting some more bottled today just in case.

Yesterday, we took a walk around a bit of San Augustine. It is very small and there was nothing going on downtown - if fact it doesn't look like much goes on there at all. Only a few of the storefronts are occupied and the rest empty. The buildings looked so sad I couldn't even take a picture of them. There is a little shop called the Cookie Factory - it looked cute but was closed - guess we'll have to take a walk back there tomorrow. How can we not go to a place called the Cookie Factory! San Augustine doesn't seem to be a pedestrian town. We had to take the neighourhood streets that are narrow and have no sidewalks but at least it was so quite it didn't seem to matter. Some really nice homes here - and some - not so nice. We always enjoy walking around a town to see how people live.

San Augustine Courthouse.

Interesting that the Architect sign seems so new looking - doesn't look like this building has been occupied in a very long time.

I didn't realize until now that I took the picture with Derek drinking his coffee - oh well - it is a common occurrence so might as well have a picture of it - to know us is to know we LOVE our coffee.

Today we decided to unhook and go 'over the bridge' where the newer shops are located. We stopped in at the two dollar stores - yes two - right beside each other. Dangerous places to go since they have a lot of stuff for great prices - but I always end up in the snack area looking at stuff I should not be eating buying. I was proud of myself that I was able to walk around both and not buy a thing.

We did go over to the Brookshire Brothers grocery store for a few things -  my first time in this grocery store chain. While Cassia and I were there Derek went over to the Tobacco Shop. The difference between the USA and home of course is that they have smoke/tobacco shops here. Anyway, good news is that he paid the lowest yet for smokes - just over $10 a carton. Derek actually switches to filtered cigars down here in the USA, to keep his smoke budget down to about $30 a month. Cigars are not taxed the same and so are cheap cheap cheap.

It is always fun to shop in some of the local grocery stores rather then just Walmart.  I enjoy looking at all the grocery items different from home and the difference in the foods from one state to another. Here I notice a huge increase in grits, cornbread, biscuit mixes and seafood broil. The great thing about our trip this year is all the new foods. I am a HUGE fan of biscuits and so this is the place for me!

When we were driving to the Mission Dolores RV Park where we are now I was worried about finding room. I thought perhaps that for such a low price the snowbirds would know about it. But then I thought that with 32 there would probably be room. When we pulled in my heart sank - it look really full. As we drove around it turned out not to be too bad - about 1/2 full - with big, permanent looking rigs. Oh well. The funny thing now is that there are only about 3 or 4 of them occupied. It seems that people leave their rigs here - almost all from Texas! The camp hosts told us that it is actually really quite - they are usually filled with oil and gas workers - but not this year. We weren't here but a few minutes that I met Glenda as I was heading over to look at the shower building. Glenda and her husband are from Houston area. They keep there tent trailer here and then come up on weekends.

Gas here is expensive! I should have been updating on gas prices along the way which have been in the low $3 lately - most recently $3.079 but here it is $3.279. Luckily we can wait until we get into Louisiana.

Today's Interesting Link: I found this blog a long time ago actually but it seems fitting to put it in now since are still in Texas - but sadly leaving soon. Check in on Homesick Texan - Lisa even has a cookbook out! I may have to make the sweet potato salad with cranberries and pecans - and the tamale cornbread dressing looks great. Did I mention we LOVE tamales - I could eat them everyday I think.

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