The Chili Cook Off

We participated in the chili cook off event at the Escapade rally.   There were about 15 different couples who each made a pot of chili.  All participants in the rally could come through and taste the chilies and could vote for the best with a donation to CARE (Continuing Assistance for Retired Escapees).  CARE was founded by Escapees and is a convalescent center located at the Escapees RV park in Livingston, Texas.  For example, if you broke your leg while out RVing, you could take your rig to the CARE center, hook up, and use the CARE facility for physical rehab.  It is the only center of its type for RVers in the country.

So, back to the chili.  We made a pot and served it up at our self decorated table in the hallway of the rally conference center.  We raised about $50 for CARE from people who tasted our chili.  We were pretty pleased with our result until we found out the winner had raised over $1,000.  They must have had some super chili or very generous benefactors.

On the Fourth of July, the town of Gillette had a fireworks show.  It was very convenient for us as the show was right at the fairgrounds where we were staying and all of about 300 yards from our motor home.  We weren’t sure they were going to get them in as a storm was brewing just about the time it was getting dark.  As the first couple of booms went off, it started raining hard.  We jumped in our car and moved it just a little and watched the whole production through our windshield with the wipers running.  Not only did we see fireworks, but mother nature lent a helping hand with a huge show of lightening throughout the show.  It was an amazing production for a town of 25,000 people.  Later we heard that they canceled the prior year’s show because the conditions were just too dry and so they had twice the fireworks this year.

I attended a crochet class at the Escapade.  Our pattern for the class was a baby hat.  So, when I was done, the only baby in our motor home got the pleasure of trying it on.  Isn’t she a little darling in her crocheted hat?