We had a great day for golf at Cimmaron Country Club in McAllen Monday.  While I was golfing, Kay grocery shopped, and prepared enough food to feed an army.  We’ll eat well this week, not that we ever don’t eat well.  When I returned from golf, Kay was at the pool/spa soaking in the sunshine during an 80° afternoon.  I joined her in the spa for a good soak, and we returned to the RV for an early dinner, finishing up the evening playing bridge with Sharon and Al.  Though we both got decent hands most of the evening, we never really got them at the same time, and our hands didn’t ever complement one another.  Fortunately, neither of us take bridge so seriously that we get upset with bad hands/scores.

Winds Monday night ushered in yet another cold front, and temperatures continued to drop throughout the night; highs on Tuesday were in the low 40s, really cold for the RGV.  When combined with the light rain, it was not fit for any outdoor activities.  We ended up going to an early movie with Al, Sharon, Chuck, and Sue to see Monuments Men.  It was a decent movie with a great story.  Afterward we had late lunch/early dinner at Mr. Gatti’s, a pizza buffet.  The price was right, and it’s a good place to eat once each winter season.  And to complete a busy inclement weather day, we attended a dance at Green Gate Grove RV Resort as guests of Wayne and Bessie Nickerson from Nova Scotia.  Jealous Heart, the band that plays at the Riverside Club on Sunday afternoons, played, and the dance floor was packed.  Kay says we rocked with our Texas Two Steppin’ and Waltzin’—and along with Wayne and Bessie, we were among the youngest couples there.

Kay committed to substitute bowl Wednesday morning, and with temperatures still in the 40s, I walked to the Bentsen Rio Grande State Park.  As I walked to the blind, it became apparent that this was the annual Bicycle and Birding day, with a couple hundred senior cyclists mobilizing for a morning’s ride.  Nevertheless, the Kiskadee blind was empty, and upon entering and closing openings left by former observers, I heard growling and snorting from just beyond the feeding area, and a look through the binoculars revealed at least two Javelinas.  As I settled in, unpacking the camera and 150-500 mm lens, installing the lens shade, focusing binoculars, and getting the coffee out of the backpack, a Javelina came from beyond where the others were bedded down, and ate bird seed that had fallen from the feeder.  It left, and another came to do the same thing.  After it left another came and was joined with a fourth.  Only one appeared to be a juvenile, but who knows?  Prior to the RGV Flood of 2010, there were about a dozen Javelinas in the park and they were unconcerned with humans walking about.  However, the flood displaced them, and the “new” ones came over from Mexico, and are quite skittish, running off at the slightest sound or movement.  After the Javelinas left, a volunteer came by and filled the empty feeders.  It took a few minutes for the birds to appear, and a few came in, though certainly not in the numbers witnessed there the last several weeks.  The voices and other noises from all the cyclists proved too much and I left after only a couple of hours.  Mr. Gatti’s food caught up with me by the time I arrived back at the RV, necessitating I stay close by!  Kay came in after lunch, excited about bowling her best ever, and improving every game.  We both attended the short palapa happy hour and she went to the Margarita night party.  We spent the rest of the quiet evening watching the Americans falter once again in the Olympic events.