This one is for all our Workamper friends.
Christmas in Del Rio
by
Marcie Hoye Cumberland
by
Marcie Hoye Cumberland
We were slightly concerned about Christmas in 2006. After 38 years of marriage, it was to be our 1st without any family members. Although this was our third Christmas on the road, as full timers and Workampers, we’d been able to spend the first one with my Dad in Hobbs, NM and the next one with our son Eric and his lovely new wife, Teri in Sonora, CA.
We had 3 1/2 days off from our Workamper jobs at the Caverns of Sonora, Texas so we traveled 90 miles south to the American Campground in Del Rio, about 3 miles north of the Mexican border. It's a very small park with a huge heart! I called on Saturday to make reservations. Peggy, who answered my call, said we would be very welcome to join their little group of Winter Texans and others traveling through over the holidays. She told me about a Pot Luck Christmas Dinner on the 25th . I made sure to bring fudge and a couple other things for that.
Arriving Christmas Eve, at about dinner time, we, (especially Jim with his long silvery white beard, red shirt and holiday ball cap,) were warmly received . We were invited to share an evening of friendship and music in the recreation room with about 18 others. We all brought munchies and Jim, as he usually does at this time of year handed out candy canes. Except for one family with two young daughters, most were folks our age.
Entertainment for the evening came from three talented guys who began meeting up in Texas several years ago. Jeff Hanson on guitar and harmonica, Chuck Baltos with some hysterical Minnesota tunes and a wonderful singer/guitarist who goes by Cajun get together every winter to sing at VA hospitals and campgrounds along the way. I suspect that at least one of these fellows might have played professionally.
I became aware of a very worried look the littlest girl was giving Jim. She leaned over to her older sister and said 'Why is he here?' Jim was wrapped up in the music and it took me a few minutes to catch his eye. I clued him in and we rose quickly. Jim told everyone he had a long trip to make that night and they waved us on our way with a lot of laughter and good cheer . As we left we noted a very relieved look on one little fulltimer’s face.
We went back to our Adventurer and, like kids, managed to open all of our gifts instead of just the one we had planned. The next day when we entered the building for dinner, everyone broke out singing, “Here comes Santa Claus”! A certain little girl simply grinned at Jim, totally accepting that even Santa can be in South Texas on Christmas Day.
He's a Workamper too- right? After all, he’s the original Snow Bird, travels in the ultimate recreation vehicle, works for brief periods of time all over the place, probably snoozes a little along the way, and has a home base up North. Yep- the world’s quintessential Workamper!
(c) 2007
MHC
See ya down the road,
Yarntangler
We had 3 1/2 days off from our Workamper jobs at the Caverns of Sonora, Texas so we traveled 90 miles south to the American Campground in Del Rio, about 3 miles north of the Mexican border. It's a very small park with a huge heart! I called on Saturday to make reservations. Peggy, who answered my call, said we would be very welcome to join their little group of Winter Texans and others traveling through over the holidays. She told me about a Pot Luck Christmas Dinner on the 25th . I made sure to bring fudge and a couple other things for that.
Arriving Christmas Eve, at about dinner time, we, (especially Jim with his long silvery white beard, red shirt and holiday ball cap,) were warmly received . We were invited to share an evening of friendship and music in the recreation room with about 18 others. We all brought munchies and Jim, as he usually does at this time of year handed out candy canes. Except for one family with two young daughters, most were folks our age.
Entertainment for the evening came from three talented guys who began meeting up in Texas several years ago. Jeff Hanson on guitar and harmonica, Chuck Baltos with some hysterical Minnesota tunes and a wonderful singer/guitarist who goes by Cajun get together every winter to sing at VA hospitals and campgrounds along the way. I suspect that at least one of these fellows might have played professionally.
I became aware of a very worried look the littlest girl was giving Jim. She leaned over to her older sister and said 'Why is he here?' Jim was wrapped up in the music and it took me a few minutes to catch his eye. I clued him in and we rose quickly. Jim told everyone he had a long trip to make that night and they waved us on our way with a lot of laughter and good cheer . As we left we noted a very relieved look on one little fulltimer’s face.
We went back to our Adventurer and, like kids, managed to open all of our gifts instead of just the one we had planned. The next day when we entered the building for dinner, everyone broke out singing, “Here comes Santa Claus”! A certain little girl simply grinned at Jim, totally accepting that even Santa can be in South Texas on Christmas Day.
He's a Workamper too- right? After all, he’s the original Snow Bird, travels in the ultimate recreation vehicle, works for brief periods of time all over the place, probably snoozes a little along the way, and has a home base up North. Yep- the world’s quintessential Workamper!
(c) 2007
MHC
See ya down the road,
Yarntangler
2 comments:
Now that is a very good story.
How sweet!! Thanks Yarntangler, you helped me start out what I'm sure will be a very long and stressful day on a very pleasant note.
I look forward to reading more of your holiday stories.
Hilly
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