Last Week at Betty's, Friends, Butterflies and ER

While most of the people who were at Betty's for extended stays have hit the road, there has been a constant stream of people passing through.  Some for one night, others for a few days, and some for a week.  Some are friends we have met before and others are new faces.  It is always great makes and seeing friends here.

The group was smaller but we went to Black's one last time for half priced seafood on Wednesday.  Here are Ken, Connie, Mike, Betty and George who all own Lazy Daze RVs.  We met them here last spring and had a fun time.

Jim, Nanc, Alfie and Betty at Black's.  All the great restaurants in Acadiana is another reason to come to Betty's.

Only in Louisiana would you see a pick up full of mudbugs heading to a Mother's Day celebration.  These people know how to eat and have a good time!

A few people who passed though this last week.  Top are Jim and Barb and Ken and Connie.  Bottom are all new fulltimers Bret and Frankie and Michele and Gaia.

Many of those here recently have been Escapees.  Jan and Bill are heading to Vermont for the Escapade and Dave and Lynn have a lot at the SKP park in Benson.

On Saturday we went to our last Cajun jam session at Touchet's.  It was great seeing our Acadiana friends one last time.  Our friend Ollie had to go to a wedding but we did stop by her house for a visit before the jam.

Betty has created a butterfly habitat in the park.  She planted milkweed, the monarchs favorite food, to attract the caterpillars. 

She carefully picks them off the milkweed and puts them in butterfly nurseries so the geckos don't eat them.  They require almost constant feeding so Betty cuts leaves from the milkweed and puts them in the boxes.

After a few days the caterpillars attach themselves to the netting on top and weave a cocoon turning into the larva.  Once they start the process from caterpillar to cocoon it only takes two or three minutes.  This is very neat to watch, they look like they are pulling on a sleeping bag.

After about ten days the beautiful monarchs begin to emerge from the cocoon and after drying their wings for a short time are ready to be released into the wild.

They seem eager to get out and grab onto your finger to be removed from the cage.  This is Betty's Mini Butterfly Bungalow that got her started.  It has become such a big operation she had to put some in a box and a coffee can.

One of the over 100 monarchs Betty raised and released this year.

Some hang around the patio for a while before flying to the trees. It sure was neat getting to watch the whole process from caterpillar, to cocoon, to beautiful monarch.  This is a male and female.  You can tell which one the male is by the two black spots in the center of his wings.

We were originally scheduled to leave Betty's on Tuesday but decided to stay one more night, those of you who have been here will understand.  Well, on Tuesday I developed a very itchy rash and ended up in the Abbeville ER where they gave me an IV and a shot that SEEMED to do the job.

On Wednesday we said good-bye to our dear friend with the reminder that we can't come back if we don't leave.  We may get to see Betty this summer, as her grandson is living near where my brother has a place in North Carolina.  That sure would be great.

As I write we have only made it 50 miles from Betty's and are at Poche's RV Park in Breaux Bridge.  We were north of Lafayette and the check engine light came on.  After calling Coach Net we returned to Lafayette and they found one of our batteries and the alternator were bad.  The shop we went to changed the battery but could not get an alternator.  After talking to Coach Net about other options we now have an appointment Monday.

On the health front, after we had dinner the rash returned.  On Thursday morning I went to ExpressMed in Lafayette, got another, stronger, shot and a prescription.  I'm waiting patiently for them to kick in.  As someone who has enjoyed great health most of my life I am not a very patient patient. I'm pretty miserable, just ask Nanc.

All this does change our immediate travel plans.  This sure shows both the good and bad sides of having a house on wheels and having our schedule written in the sand.  Bad, dealing with repairs and health issues on the road is a pain.  Good, we have the flexibility to change our schedule to deal with things that happen.